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littlemissnoname13 · 3 years

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Hello can I request where draco in fourth year having a crush on a hufflepuff reader but acts as arsehole cuz he doesn’t know how to show affection , leading it to her avoiding him which makes him depressed about what did he do wrong ?

Hi love. Thanks for the request.💕

I love writing Draco x hufflepuff!reader stories! I am a sucker for a slytherin x hufflepuff pairing.

I added a few extra details here and here. Hope you like it. X

Hopeful (Draco Malfoy x Hufflepuff!Reader)

Word count: 2100 sorry got a bit carried away. 😅

Warnings: None. Soft!Draco being an absolute blubbering idiot.

Draco’s thoughts are written in green

Spring had arrived.

It could be felt in the cool and gentle zephyr that made the shiny new leaves on top of the once barren and dead trees rustle.

Daisies were in full bloom and the wind had managed to carry some of the petals away—making them fall to the ground, acting like a harbinger of the fast approaching summer.

Draco couldn’t be bothered if it was spring, or autumn or winter.

In that particular moment, all he wanted to do was get away from the Slytherin common room and Pansy Parkinson.

He had taken her to the Yule ball and things had sort of fizzled out afterwards. He couldn’t get himself to see her as anything other than a friend.

Having ran all the way to a far and secluded area of the Hogwarts grounds, Draco leaned against a tree trunk and panted heavily in an attempt to catch his breath.

“Are you—are you alright?”

Your voice startled him and he quickly stood up straight to look around.

You were sitting criss-crossed on the grass with your transfigurations textbook opened on your lap. Your shirt sleeves were rolled up and your yellow and black tie hugged very loosely around your neck.

“Fine.” He muttered as he slowly sat down noticing a single daisy tucked behind your ears.

After sitting there in complete silence for the next few minutes, he finally spoke up.

“What are you even doing here anyway?”

“Just wanted some peace and quiet to be honest.” You said, shrugging your shoulders. “It’s a beautiful day.”

Draco just hummed in response and kept staring at the daisy in your hair that swayed lightly with the breeze.

“What?” You asked when you noticed.

“You have—you have a twig stuck in your hair.”

“A daisy.” You corrected him as you closed your book and moved a bit closer to where he was sitting. “It’s a daisy.”

“Yeah I know that. I’m not stupid.” He said quickly. “But why?”

"Well, Daisies are essentially two flowers blended together in complete harmony." You said pulling the daisy out of your free falling hair before putting your hand forward to hand it to him.

“And?” Draco reluctantly took the flower from you and blinked his eyes in confusion.

“They are said to resemble innocence—true love even.” You explained getting comfortable next to him.

“You believe in all that?” Draco scoffed, twirling the flower between his index finger and thumb. He couldn’t tell if the floral fragrance was coming from you or the air but it made him slightly queasy nonetheless.

“Merlin. No.” You scrunched up your nose. “It just gives me hope I guess.”

Draco gave you another hum in response. For someone who came up with snarky and sometimes witty comments on the spot, he found himself weirdly tongue tied.

“I know you were hiding from Pansy by the way.” You remarked, making a small smile pull at his lips.

“How come?”

“What do you mean how come?” You rolled your eyes. “Everyone can see that she is obsessed with you for some reason that I personally can't seem to comprehend.”

~~~~~

The next day during potions class, Draco slowly opened his book and started to absently doodle on it with his quill while Snape talked about the upcoming potions essay that had to be done in pairs.

Draco knew he should be paying attention but he just couldn’t get the interaction between you two out of his head.

And just when he took a deep breath and decided to focus, a familiar scent started to fill his lungs up.

Fruity, almost spicy notes of strawberry and pink grapefruit mixed with gardenias, vanilla and musk. It felt like someone had tossed a huge bouquet into the room.

He knew it was you without even bothering to look up from my book.

"Ah, Miss y/l/n. Late again." Snape muttered. “Five points from Hufflepuff house.”

You quietly sat down next to your friend with your head hung low and Draco fought an unexplainable urge to give you a hug.

"The essay must be done in pairs.." Snape said.

Great.

"Ronald Weasley and Gregory Goyle."

This is exactly what I needed right now. Thanks Snape.

"Blaise Zabini and Hannah Abott."

The last thing I need is someone weighing my essay down.

"Draco Malfoy and y/n y/l/n."

What?

You turned back to look at Draco and gave him an apologetic smile and he didn't understand why you kept smiling at him. It's not like the both of you had suddenly formed an unlikely bond with each other.

Draco scowled at you in return and quickly raised his hand. "May I work on my essay alone?"

"No. You may not Mr. Malfoy."

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

You and Draco had been studying in the library for almost an hour. Because you were quietly sitting next to him, his elbows and knees slightly brushed yours every few seconds and as much as he hated to admit it, He secretly enjoyed it.

Contrary to yesterday, Draco was trying very hard to make a conversation with you. You seemed somewhat offended that he had asked Snape to work on the essay alone.

“I am happy to do most of the writing if you can look up all the ingredients.” You offered.

You don’t have to do all of that yourself. I am happy to help with the writing too. Is what he should have said.

“Fine whatever.” He said instead as he reached for a copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.

That night, Draco stayed up tossing and turning in his bed before giving up on getting any sleep for the night.

He lethargically walked towards his dresser and put his hands in his blazer pocket pulling out the now dried and pressed daisy from the other day.

Taking a deep breath, he put the flower in between the pages of his copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.

You were drawing him in, undoing him, unraveling him even.

He knew that.

But did you?

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

"Draco! Open up."

His head jolted towards the door and He quickly walked over to open it.

You stood on the other end with books tucked in your arms, wearing your denim shorts and a plain white tank top—looking like summer personified.

The more time he spent with you, the more he started to notice your quirks. Like that the way your skin glowed as the days got warmer.

Compliment her. Do it. It’s not Difficult.

“Did you do something different to your hair?”

“Uh—no why are you asking.”

“It just looks a bit strange.” He commented wanting to slap himself.

"Okay, well are you going to let me in?" You questioned, wondering why he was blocking the way and asking you about your hair.

Why did you have to wear that God damned tank top-

"Sorry?" You asked stepping inside making his cheeks burn when he realized he wasn’t meaning to say that out loud.

"Just shut up and get back to working in the essay or whatever it is that you were doing." Draco grumbled feeling embarrassed as he grabbed some fresh parchment.

Okay. Focus. The Strengthening solution requires...

You stretched a little and pushed your hair away from your face.

several days to mature...

"Staring is rude Draco." You suddenly interrupted his thoughts as you set your eyes on his—peering right into his soul.

Draco felt like he was giving you some sort of power over him and the possibility of you using that power and leaving him heartbroken made him feel so very vulnerable.

He couldn't take the vulnerability a second longer.

"I don't think we should study together anymore." He blurted quickly standing up. “It's for the best.”

"Huh?" You stood up contorting your face in total confusion—wondering just what you had done to piss him off. "What's wrong Draco? Did I do something wrong?"

"Leave. Now." He muttered with his teeth clenched.

Please don’t go.

"Just go—leave please."

You couldn’t help but feel a sharp sting burning your insides as you gathered all the books that were on the floor and ran made your way towards hufflepuff dormitories with tears threatening to flood your eyes.

As soon as you ran off, he punched his wall and muttered out the plethora of angry curses when the impact bruised his knuckles.

~~~~~~~~~~~

During the following week, Draco failed to show up to any of your shared classes after you had refused to talk to him after what happened.

Even if you did manage to see him walking down the halls or walking with Crabbe and Goyle, you noticed that he looked like he hadn’t eaten or slept in days.

On a Tuesday, Draco looked at the Hufflepuff table during breakfast and when you caught his eye, all you did was look away.

Everyone at school had their opinions about him—most of them weren’t good opinions.

But when you were with him under that tree, he seemed different. His smirk was more playful than condescending. It managed to charm you in a way.

You took a final bite of your toast and gathered all your books, walking to your Potions class.

His seat still remained empty and you shook your head, trying to snap away from the thoughts of him as you flipped open your book.

Only it wasn’t your book.

You didn’t remember writing on the margins and making annotations on your book.

Running your fingertips along the pages, you flipped to the very first page of the book.

D. Malfoy was written in ridiculously neat handwriting and you shook your head when you realized that you had grabbed his book with you that day by mistake.

And just when you were about to put his book away, something fell from in between the pages and fell onto your desk.

It was the daisy you had woven into your hair the other day. Even in its dried state, the petals remained intact like her had done something to keep them that way.

When class was finally over, you made a quick beeline towards the slytherin dungeons, bumping into people along the way.

~~~~~~~~~

“Some hufflepuff girl is standing outside the dungeons asking to see you.” Theo shrugged when he saw Draco at the common room sofa. “Says it's urgent.”

He felt terrified yet so elated as he quickly stood up and made his way outside.

“Here’s your book.” You said taking a step towards him. “You never told me what’s wrong by the way.”

“Thank you.” Draco quickly took his book from you and stared at the ground.

“Why did you stop talking to me y/n?”

“You told me to go away—If I remember correctly.” You said shaking your head at him. “Tell me Draco, what’s wrong?”

“Everything.” He said quietly, meeting your gaze.

"What do you mean?"

"You make me feel all weak.....and smiley...and I hate it." He looked at you with agitation.

"Weak?" You ran your fingers through your hair in confusion.

"And your ridiculous white tank top." Draco half yelled.

"What's wrong with my top?" You asked, raising your voice slightly as if you had had enough of this.

"Nothing is wrong except for the fact that you look stunning in it.” He blurted involuntarily. "It is absolutely distracting when one is trying to study!."

He watched you open your mouth in shock and close it. Before he could spend another minute trying to solve the riddle that was your expression, you grabbed him by his tie and placed your lips on his.

His brows furrowed as he kissed you back tenderly. Tasting the sweetness of your lips—pouring out every bit of suppressed passion and adoration he felt for you with his lips.

There was something so strange and euphoric about finally kissing someone he had been longing to kiss for so long.

Something so magical about holding the person that fits perfectly into his arms.

Freaking Finally.

He was slightly disappointed when you slowly backed away, but the glow on your skin and the glossy ness in your eyes made him smile.

"I guess I'll leave before I realize the consequences of what I have just done." You said softly as you held his face and placed a small peck on his lips.

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

The next day, you found a tiny box and an envelope on your desk when you woke up. Your roommate let you know that Draco Malfoy had stopped by late last night when you were asleep and half begged and half threatened her to leave the box on your desk.

You slowly opened the box and found a bedazzled and whimsical looking daisy necklace, encrusted with gems.

A Daisy for my daisy.

You give me hope.

- D.M

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

Draco Taglist: @dracomalfoyisindahouse @dracomalfoys-wh0re @maybesandohnos @justfangirlthingies @desiredmalfoy @dlmmdl @trainintersection @fa-me @dracoswhore007 @paulina1998 @wh0re4blaise @marrymetheonott @quacksonsssandtea @letoof @rvaldez7569 @loloo22 @emma67 @berriemalfoy @thegaudess @itchywitch33 @louweasleymalfoy @lunar0se10 @savagelysarcasticslytherin @fleursbabe @teawineaddict @thebitchybeatle @malfoyxxdraco23 @fantasyfairysworld @trashyvicks @h0ggyw0ggyh0gwarts @l0vely-lupin @linasylveon @amwitherspoon @the-bisexual-bitch

Love you all sm. (if i was unable to tag you, please look into your privacy settings)

Fell free to send me reuests. My other stories can be found here.

Join my taglist here.

- violet-Anne

#harry potter #draco malfoy imagine #draco malfoy x reader #draco x reader #draco malfoy #slytherin #draco lucius malfoy #draco one shot #draco x hufflepuff!reader #draco fluff

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chibinekochan · 3 years

Text

My biggest treasure - Ft. Mammon

Mammon is a Goblin in this au.

This is part of the Monster tales au Series

-------

You have been on the hunt for this treasure for a while now.

Having all the information about its whereabouts, defenses, and most importantly feeling morally right.

Its owner is a scummy guy after all.

This gem will not only bring you some nice cash, and bringing it back to its rightful owner will surely feel good too.

With well-planned moves, you make your way towards the big mansion.

Now you have to climb the wall. You have studied the moves of the guards.

They won't be around for a while.

With quiet steps, you move in the darkness. Only a few moves are needed to scale the wall and carefully jump on a neighboring tree.

Swiftly scan the area.

It seems the dogs haven't noticed you yet.

You want to keep it that way and continue your way on top of the trees. Carefully navigating through the shadows, practically becoming one of them.

Slowly, the lights of the mansion come into view.

The carefully kept garden is now in front of you.

The shrubs will offer you a little cover and the dogs might sense your presence. You smirk. Time for the real challenge to begin.

You take a deep breath to strengthen your nerves.

With ease, you jump from the tree and run at high speed through the garden, occasionally jumping over hedges.

By the time you hear dogs barking, you have already climbed the balcony and wait for clear air.

The guards check the hedges, but of course find nothing.

You smirk when they shrug and go back to their posts.

You wait a bit longer and then carefully and quietly open the door.

Your body is moving low and fast, knowing exactly where your target is. Lucky for you, the scumbag has a huge ego and displays what you are looking for right in his living room.

You sneak in the shadows, listening to every sound. It's quiet. You can only hear your own heart and breathing.

Then you see it slightly shimmering, illuminated by the moon. The gem you are looking for.

You calm your nerves and steady your hands.

Then suddenly you hear a commotion, loud barking from the outside. Some lights in the mansion turning on and glass shattering.

Unsure what just happened, your instinct kicks in and all you can do is run.

Light starts to shine into the room, causing the gem to sparkle as if to mock you.

You run towards the nearest window, ready to jump out.

When suddenly something passes you at high speed. For a moment you pause until you notice it's a person.

This must be whoever interrupted you.

You have no time to stay, you hear the guards closing in.

With little choice, you run and jump after the stranger.

The guards behind you yell, and the dogs chase you.

There is no time for anything else but running. You run in a straight line towards the wall. Following close behind the other person.

Once you jump the wall, you have to make sure that nobody is following you. You can still keep an eye on the other person.

Only catching a quick glance at them. White hair and blue eyes. You take a mental note of it.

Your pursuers are still behind you, and you decide to go deeper into the forest to shake them off or at least to hide.

You can smack the guy another time.

By the next day, you are back in your home. The loss of income is a hard blow to your family,, but it can't be helped. It's better to be poor but free.

Your siblings were disappointed,, but you can make money more honestly until another opportunity arises.

Hopefully, the medicine for your smallest sibling will last long enough. Worryingly, you eye the half-empty bottle.

"It's okay, we will work hard and buy more." Ian, the 2nd oldest, Ian, has seen your worries.

You ruffle their hair. "Don't worry about it. I will trade some herbs with the pharmacist and in the bar tonight again." You smile to ease their worries.

"You work too much." The 2nd youngest, Eva, looks worried.

"We have to get food, so we can cook a good meal. I will catch fish for us." Ian is suddenly super motivated.

"Yeah, I will get some veggies from our garden. Rest so you can work hard for us later." Eva has taken care of the garden and grown some stuff.

Your heart is filled with pride, and you hug them both. "You guys are the best, just don't forget to play with your friends too." You feel bad about being so poor,, but it can't be helped. After losing both parents, you are left as the oldest to take care of them.

And you do everything for them, even if it means stealing.

You go and rest for a while until sunset.

Then you cook the fish and vegetables that your siblings got for tonight. They are very good kids. You are very proud of them. You make soup for your youngest sibling, Owen.

"Dinner is ready." You dish everyone up, making sure your siblings get more than you.

"Looks great." Eve beams at the food.

"I worked hard for this fish, so you better eat it all." Ian looks at both of you sternly.

"Thank you both for the food." You are truly grateful to them.

"Will you have to go again soon?" Ian knows well that I have to leave them alone sometimes due to my 'nightwork'.

It can take days to get the treasure and to get my money. Not even mentioning the time I have to spend hiding. Still, the pay is so high that I can't afford not doing it.

"I will have to see,, but currently I have nothing lined up." I know it's hard for them when I'm not here,, but there is no other way for me to afford the medicine.

Ian seems troubled.

"Don't frown, Ian, we can handle everything just fine." Eve pats his back.

"Well, of course, but I'm worried about you." Ian becomes confident, but then frowns at you.

"Haha, I can watch out for myself. I'm plenty strong." I giggle. Sometimes he acts like the dad. It's sad that they all have to grow up so fast.

"Yeah, like the time you beat that bear. That was so cool!" Eve's eyes sparkle.

Ian shakes his head. "That was scary."

"I gotta agree with you. I will go and check on Owen. He needs to eat." You worry about the amount of food he eats. It's definitely not enough.

The others keep bickering, and you walk into the room. You open the windows, fill the pitcher with water, and check on Owen. He looks at you with tired eyes,, but he is smiling weakly.

"Hey there, sleepy head. Time for food." You smile, trying to hide your worries.

"I'm not really hungry." He says with a weak voice.

"It's very tasty. So why not try a bit?" His state breaks your heart,, but you fight through it.

Owen nods and you help him sit.

You feed him slowly. He seems to like it. This is relieving.

At some point, he can't eat anymore. "You ate half a bowl today. Great work." You encourage him.

Then you change his bedding and shake his pillows before giving him his medicine.

He frowns.

"I know it's bitter, but it helps, right? I have an apple for dessert if you take it all." You bribe him with a sliced apple.

"Pudding would be better." Owen smiles sheepishly.

"Pudding makes everything better. I will see what I can do." Sadly, even pudding is a luxury for us. I wonder if I can get a portion for everyone?

"It's alright, I like apples." Owen knows more about your situation than he lets on.

Owen bravely takes his medicine and eats a few slices of the apple.

You bring the rest to your other siblings.

Then you do a few chores before heading to work.

It's going to be a long night, you can already tell.

The bar you work at is a bit rowdy, the patrons are ruff, but overall good people. It's usually fun to work at the place.

The gruff owner is a nice guy, who often gives you 'leftovers' or stuff his wife made that he apparently really doesn't like. You know that neither is true,, but you are also not one to just take handouts, and he is also a bit awkward,, so this is how you two handle things.

"Hey, I'm in." I say hi to the owner, who grunts at me.

I start to clean the floor and prepare everything for opening time.

"Hey, the wife made some strange stuff again. Please take it off my hands' kiddo?" The owner shoves a box towards you.

It's definitely food that smells great. "Are you sure? It sure smells nice."

"Get it off me, before I toss it out." The owner frowns.

I take the box. "Alright, thank the wife for me." I smile at him and put the box in the back.

"You're gonna make her believe her food is any good." He grumbles.

"Don't let her hear that,, or she might believe you." I grin at him, knowing that he loves her food.

He shrugs. "We've got game night tonight so if it gets rowdy, feel free to kick them."

With game night, he means gambling. It's not really legal, but it brings good business but of course also some strange people.

"Sure thing. I hope we get some big spenders tonight." Usually, the drunken winners give nice tips.

"You just keep dreaming big kiddo, as long as we make money I'm happy." He keeps cleaning glasses while talking.

You clean the last few tables and get the gaming stuff ready, it's just a box of dice, cards and such things.

Slowly the guests are pouring in. Most of which you know on a first-name. They order their usual. These guests aren't only here for gambling, they are here on most nights anyway.

Then when night breaks a different clientele is pouring in and filling the tables.

They all know the game. Trading money for snacks or coasters. Some use their means of hiding the money in play.

The owner keeps a close eye on everything from a distance. While you keep filling glasses.

Nothing strikes you as odd until you see a Goblin on one of the tables. This by itself isn't all that unusual, all kinds of folk come here after all. This goblin somehow strikes you as odd.

Then suddenly you realize, his hair color is white. That is certainly unusual, sadly you can't see his eyes since he wears yellow-tinted glasses.

This might be the guy that screwed you over. You feel anger rising at this realization. Even if he probably didn't mean to, he still cost you a nice paycheck.

For a while, you try to keep a close eye on him but the other customers keep you busy.

Especially when a guy wins big and throws around for everyone. Of course, this is a cause for celebration for everyone.

Now with the alcohol level raised you have to use your kicking abilities a few times. Nothing out of the ordinary.

You handle yourself well and the owner kicks a few rowdy guests out.

Finally, it calms down a bit in the early hours of the morning.

You sigh deeply, but it was pretty successful. You got a big tip from one guy.

The goblin is forgotten by now.

"I don't need you for the rest of the night." This is the owner's way of telling you to go home and rest.

"Thanks. Don't make too long." You glance around at the few leftover guests.

"No worries, I will kick em out soon." He grumbles.

You take the food and head out the backdoor.

The cool night air feels good on your skin, you take a deep breath and start walking.

Once, you pass by a tight ally, and you notice a group of guys harassing someone.

Under your watch! It seems to be three guys, all rather drunk. You can take them.

You walk towards the guys. "Hey, I think that's enough."

"Huh, what's that? Are you kiddn me?" One of the drunks looks towards me.

"Whatever that guy did, he had enough. You all don't want to go to jail for killing a guy, do you?" You huff at them, trying to look bigger than you are.

"Aw, come on, he has it comin. This guy is a cheat." The other man kicks the poor victim.

You shake your head. "Come on guys, just go home, he learned his lesson."

The guy on the floor groans. "I'll be good, I swear." He doesn't sound super convincing, to be honest.

The drunks shuffle around. Seemingly unhappy to leave.

"Guys go home. You got your money back, so your wife won't be mad,, but they might be if you are in jail for murder." You try to convince them.

The guys seem to freeze up. "Ah, well, it's late anyway. You better not show your face here again." With that, they shuffle off.

You sigh with relief when they walk away. You then go to check on the man on the floor.

Now you notice it's the Goblin you saw earlier. His glasses are shattered on the floor, revealing his blue eyes. So it might be that thief from the other night after all.

"Ugh… that hurt. Thanks for that." He staggers while trying to get up.

"You might want to go to a doctor for these injuries." You glare at him.

"What's with that look? Do I know you? D-don't tell me I owe you money?!" Suddenly he seems to be much better and gets up. Seemingly trying to get some distance between you.

"I don't even know you." You glare at him. "Though I'd say you owe me for saving your butt." You feel like he is pretty ungrateful.

"Well, thanks then… Umm, I got no cash, but here I got this necklace." He rummages through his pockets and pulls out a necklace from somewhere.

He dangles it in front of you.

You can only frown at it. "Gee, thanks."

"Hey, it ain't any day that I give stuff like that. So be grateful." He huffs at you.

"I'd be more grateful if it wasn't gaudy or fake." You take the clearly fake jewelry. Maybe Eve will like it.

"Fake? You can tell with just one glance?" He seems impressed.

You feel like he has just seen right through you. "It's a special talent." You shrug and play it cool.

"Well, in that case. I could use your special skills for a job. I need someone to tell me what the valuables are." He changes right into business mode.

"Are you offering illegal work to me?" You act all offended.

"Come on, the job in that dingy bar doesn't pay well. I'd split 90:10." He smiles at you.

"I gladly take that 90 percent, very generous." You know that's not his offer,, but he somehow irritates you.

"It'll be 10 for you,, obviously." He shakes his head.

"No, thanks. I don't trust you anyway." You glare at him.

"Fine, how about 30 percent?" He throws his hand up as if he is being generous.

"More like 70 for me if you can't even tell what's fake." You can't believe that you are still talking to this guy.

He sighs. "Alright, I get it, same risk same reward right? So 50:50. My last offer."

"You seem quite desperate. What kind of stuff are we talking about here, anyway?" Now you are getting curious.

"It's an old mansion. Real old money. Real old scum, too. I just want to grab some of their valuables. It's not like they're gonna miss it anyway." He is vague,, but you somehow feel like you know what place he is talking about.

"Does that happen to be the raven mansion?" The place where your heist was interrupted.

His eyes go wide. "How'd you know?"

"Let's just say that I got interrupted in my own business by some amateur." You glare at him.

"Wait… t-that was you? Oh man, you were ama… umm I mean you were okay." The tips of his ears glow dark.

"You should grovel for what you have done. Screwed me right out of a job." Finally, you can let your anger out.

"I had no idea you were there. I'm sorry." He seems at least half earnest. "So that only means you already know the place, and you can finish the other job there too. I'd take no cut of that either. See, I'm very generous."

"Says the guy that offered me ten percent." You huff at him.

"That was just testing the waters, I'd given you at least 30." He puffs his cheeks. "So it's all settled then?"

"No, I still don't trust you." You eye him carefully.

"What would it take for you to take the job?" He asks, also looking for a sign of weakness in me.

"Well, first of all your name." This is an important first step, at least.

"Ah, could've said you were interested. I mean, you were eyeing me in the bar the whole time. I'm down if you are." He calmly shrugs.

You take a step towards him. "You wish." You look him right in the eyes, glaring at him.

He awkwardly looks away. "J-just saying I'm a handsome goblin…"

"I have seen better. Besides, it means that you checked me out, doesn't it?" You grin at him.

His cheeks turn dark. "N-no, I just felt a burning gaze on me the entire time."

"That was disdain and nothing else." You cross your arms.

"Call it whatever you want." He huffs and turns his head awkwardly. "Anyway, how am I supposed to show that you can trust me?"

"How about telling me your name?" You eye him with suspicion.

"I'm the great Mammon. Better not forget it." He puffs his chest in a display of pride.

You don't acknowledge his presentation whatsoever. "What are you planning to do with that treasure?"

"I'm gonna sell it for cash to pay some debts. I might keep a thing or two for my collection too." Mammon seems pretty honest about it, at least.

"With that, you mean you pawn it and gamble." You only can guess,, but his behavior at the bar speaks volumes.

He seems to feel called out. "Hey, I'm good at gambling, just some people think I'm too good ya know?"

"Nobody is good at it, it's just luck and in your case cheating. You should know better than to gamble all your cash." You start to lecture him.

"I get it, I get it." He sighs. "You sound like my big bro." He sighs deeply. "So, this is all you want to know?"

You think for a moment. "I don't know,, but I guess it's enough for now. I'd wish I had some security at least.” You sigh. "I know it can't be helped."

"I get ya, you've got a life you can't just go or whatever." Mammon seems to agree with you. "Alright, I don't like doing this,, but I got something that might convince you." He then starts to rummage through his vest, he obviously has some hidden pockets in there.

He then produces a gold coin. "Here ya go. I want it back after the job is done. So better not lose it." Mammon seems a bit reluctant to let the coin go.

"This coin seems important to you." You carefully inspect it, it's real, but there seems to be some story here.

"Goldie is my personal good luck charm." He looks almost fondly at the coin.

You smile, somehow this is cute. When you realize your smile, you make your face freeze once more.

"Alright, I acknowledge you as my partner." You reach your hand out to him.

"So that's what it took,, huh?" He seems a bit confused but also relieved.

You shake hands and the deal is sealed.

Mammon suggests a meeting point in a few days' time. He needs to heal and prepare after all.

You also have to make sure your siblings are taken care of. So this works for you.

#obey me one master to rule them all #omswd #obey me mammon #monster tales #obey me fanfiction

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rubberchickeny · 3 years

Text

A Daryl/Carol vignette, Hunger Part 5 (1/2)

Killing the defenseless and trusting horse hadn't been easy, but what was worse was how it made Carol realize that killing people had long since become easier to her than killing this horse.

Sometimes it was hard for Carol not to resent her community for benefitting from her descent to her own inner darkness but for not being able to face the consequences afterwards. For not being able to deal with her. These days even Daryl didn't seem to know what to do with her. If she just found Connie things could perhaps get better, even if they couldn't go back to exactly as they were. She didn't want to live in the past, but she clung desperately to Daryl's words of him never hating her.

She amused herself for a minute by thinking what a psychologist might say. "Killing people was bad for your mental health and for your relationships. How does this make you feel?"

Gee I don't know Doc, I've been feeling a bit off. For a year or ten.

The horse wasn't tasty, but on the plus side it was easy to stretch out since no one wanted seconds anyway. They were almost out of salt, and Carol had done her best with the wild herbs she had previously picked, some of which carried a salty taste. It was hard to keep eating something chewy and bland tasting. It was even harder to serve that to the children.

Oh, the children themselves weren't the problem. They didn't act out or pull faces but it was horrible to serve them when they should be eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fruit loops. They deserved to be spoiled a little with homemade cookies and pizza.

Not starving for a while was all Carol was able to do for them.

Carol had a lot of time on her hands and she thought about Daryl. She missed his smell. No one smelled of roses anymore, but it was something you got used to. Sometimes there was soap and sometimes there wasn't. Nice smelling plants were used, like rosemary or mint. But Daryl's smell was real and warm, and it had always made her feel safe. She hadn't been close enough to smell him for a long time, and she missed that now, as much as she had mock threatened to hose him down in his sleep.

When she didn't think about Daryl, she worried about their group. If everything had gone well, they could be back in a day or two.

Carol didn't for a second believe everything had gone well. She was trying to quell her stupid need of going after them, but that choice was taken out of her hands when one fine morning walkers breached the walls of Alexandria. The walls were not going to hold much longer, and they were running low on horse meat.

It was decided that they should go do a run to Hilltop to look for tools to strengthen the walls and perhaps find game on the way there.

Instead they found a small group of surviving whisperers, and for some reason Aaron was getting unhinged about the whole situation, when usually it was him who stayed calm and collected. He had come far from the idealist he started as, but Carol had never seen him like this. Even Lydia walked out not wanting to see what Aaron was doing to one of the people she used to live with, and that girl had been used to cruelty.

Carol finally got through to Aaron by telling him about her own dark path after Henry had been killed. Carol was relieved, but not entirely surprised. Aaron was a good man, and it took a lot out of a good man to start killing unarmed people, even if they were enemies.

No one could have predicted the results of Aaron's decision, though, and later that was the thought that haunted Carol. If Aaron had chosen the other path, her old path, they would never have even known.

The whisperer showed some of his good faith by giving them news. Not long ago, one of their own, Connie, had been alive.

#caryl #daryl carol #daryl x carol

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mariamermaid · 3 years

Text

Best Fake Smile

Neville Longbottom x fem!Slytherin Reader

Summary: After yet another set of detention, you come face to face with the shy Gryffindor student Neville Longbottom. But as you are doomed to clean the pots for the herb class, Neville catches you off guard…

Words: 2.2k

A/N: slightly inspired by the song “best fake smile” from James Bay

Warnings: mentions of alcohol

Staring blankly at McGonagall’s long and stern face, you bit down on your lip. Maybe putting a hex on a student, a class above you wasn´t the smartest move.

The old witch shook her head, realizing you were barely listening anyway.

“Mrs. Y/L/N, you´re going to help Professor Sprout with cleaning up the pots for the coming classes, I don´t have time to bother giving attention to you yet again.”

Her harsh words drew you back into the present and slightly taken back, you nod without another word. There was no use in dispute.

Friday night, and you were spending it cleaning dirt off pots while your friends enjoyed their evening at Hogsmead. You huffed annoyed at yourself as you drifted to the greenhouses. At least you wouldn´t miss the Slytherin Quidditch game tomorrow and as a fellow Slytherin student, you hoped for a victory. Mostly because the parties afterwards were known to be legendary and drowning some of your thoughts in fire whiskey seemed all too welcoming right now.

To your surprise, the light in the greenhouse was still on and you caught a glance of a certain Gryffindor student.

“Longbottom”, your voice cut like glass through the air and Neville jerked, his head turning towards you.

“What did you do to end up here?” You asked further strolling through the rows of plants until reaching the pile of pots, where Neville already stood. The change in his appearance was hard to miss, even for you. Once crooked teeth and slacking posture had disappeared from the Gryffindor boy, he was also taller than you for the first time. Unlike other Slytherin students, Draco for example, you found no interest in the bickering with other students just for the sake of it. It was the reason why you had practically nothing to do with Neville, he was off your grid.

Even though his grown attractiveness was admiring, he seemed nervous around you.

Truth was, he didn´t do anything. Neville had chosen this task out of his love towards plants, not as a punishment. But he didn´t have the guts in telling you so. Instead, he shrugged, avoiding your glance again and continued cleaning.

“Missed curfew”, he lied. You nodded while raising your eyebrow.

You were known to get detention for causing much bigger troubles; hexing students classes above you, as well as relief teachers, missing curfews, sneaking out, spiking punch, prank wars with the Weasley twins and sometimes getting caught making out after Slytherin´s victory parties.

“Let´s get it over with, hm?” You sighed and grabbed something to help clean as well.

For several minutes you both stayed quiet, focusing on dividing the work.

Just as you were to grab another pot, Neville reached for it as well. His hand brushed against yours, warm and earthy, but quickly pulled back. The pot fell down to the floor and the crashing pieces made you wince.

“Sorry”, you both apologized at the same time, while leaning down to get the broken pieces.

“Don´t be sorry, it was my fault really”, Neville admitted hastily and you couldn´t help but stare at him.

“Such a gentlemen”, you muttered and Neville´s eyes lurked up to you. For once, he didn´t overthink and his tongue was quick to answer.

“Probably not used to it after Zabini.”

A huff escaped your lips. You hadn´t expected for him to drop a comment like this. But you found interest in Neville´s new, more daring side.

“Excuse you?”

Neville, instantly regretting his words, shrugged reluctant. “It´s just talk.”

“Talk? From who?” Your words were firm, Neville had taken a direction without being able to reverse.

“Just rumors going around, thought you and him are a thing.”

You growled, rolling your eyes and as much as Neville was scared, he was also curious in your answer.

“I don´t know what kind of dung brains tell you stories like that, but Blaise and I aren´t a thing! If you run across the person telling false rumors, you can tell me their names!”

You were clearly angry, but also a flustered. Neville watched your reaction closely, as he did so often in your shared classes. Truth was; he was head over heels in love with you. However, until this fateful evening, he never even thought in approaching you.

“Just because we made out once or twice, by Merlin´s beard!”

His heart sunk from his head into his stomach and he felt his shoulders dropping. But he kept going in order to save himself from any embarrassments. “So, he´s not my boyfriend?”

You let out a laugh and Neville listened to the light sound of your voice. You didn´t laugh much, at least not in class. You grinned or snickered when you whispered with Pansy, but never an honest laugh. It made you seem way less intimidating, at least in Neville´s opinion.

“Blaise my boyfriend? Never. Just because they won at a Quidditch game and I had too much punch. He´s all bark no bite. What about you though?”

He was caught off guard by your question, which made you chuckle softly. “Me?”

“Yes, you Mister I had a glow-up over the summer holidays!”

He blushed, had you just complimented him? Awkwardly, he scratched the back of his neck, making you take notice of his strengthened arms and broader shoulders.

“Didn´t you dance with Ginny Weasley at the Yule ball?”

“The yule ball is long gone.” He explained and you nodded understanding.

“But as if your Gryffindor girls didn´t notice your change in appearance?” You asked lurking while leaning over the table. Neville shrugged. Yes, he had comments, but no girl had ever approached him. It was something he could only dream of. He might have changed on the outside, but on his inside, he still felt like the slender boy.

“Maybe you should ask someone out!” You exclaimed instead and his eyes traveled from the table filled with dirt and old roots, to your eyes. Your grin slightly dropped as he continued to stare at you directly and breathing calmly, until his gaze wandered to your lips.

Tilting your head ever so slightly to the side, your playful grin returned. What was happening?

“What makes you think I´d go out with you?”

It took all of his and Merlin´s bravery to answer as confidently as possible, while leaning forward as well.

“Maybe you´d enjoy not having to carry your act and not wearing that fake smile of yours.”

The corners of your mouth dropped immediately.

You liked to play, but there were these moments, standing still between time and reality, where you felt a hole in your heart.

Lonely, you felt lonely more often than anyone could´ve imagine, but no one ever seemed to care enough. Meaningless make out sessions only filled that void for short periods of time.

Your expression hardened and you pulled back, your hands hugging your side. The feeling of someone getting so close and personal felt new and you didn´t like vulnerability.

Slytherin, pure-blooded with a rich family; you were raised to act strong and independent, at the same time upstage. Your family was picture perfect in that very sense, but you craved the feeling of warmth and safety.

“What makes you think I´m faking?”

It was Neville´s time to chuckle, it was so absurdly easy to tell for him.

“Why should I tell you their names?” He asked instead, but your back was still facing his direction.

“Why does the cold-hearted Slytherin girl even care? No, you don't have to wear your best fake smile. Not with me. It´s just me after all.”

Silence settled, you felt your heavy breathing and the burning inside your stomach. The worst of all? Neville was right. And even though, he barely knew you, he could see behind the façade. Bitter taste spread in your mouth, slowly running down your throat into your stomach.

“I´m sorry, I had no right to say that.”

You spun around, facing the tall brown-haired boy again. He saw your teary eyes and your shivering body. He had struck a delicate chord, that he didn´t know the existence of.

Yet, you weren´t able to form any words. Neville cleared his throat, taking off the gloves and making his way towards the door.

“I think, you might need some time for yourself.”

You wanted to protest, stepping closer to him.

“You can´t leave me, what about our punishment?”

Neville let out another soft chuckle. “You´re here for punishment, I´m here because I wanted to help.”

Then he left you standing in the dim light of the green house, darkness surrounding the garden area for the herb class. You felt as the night crawled into the space and further in, right into your body.

You couldn´t sleep that night after finishing your chores. Your mind was running crazy; Neville Longbottom was right and you both knew it.

After endless turning in your bed, you got up with the first ray of sunshine on the next Saturday morning. As hard as the nightly events had been on your mind, you had come to terms with them.

You were so done; you didn´t and couldn´t care anymore.

There was only one thing left, that you hadn´t quiet figured out.

Why by Merlin’s beard, did a certain, shy Gryffindor boy not leave your mind. You remembered how Neville had left the greenhouse the night before; well, he did rather stroll.

The pure thought of it made heat rise to your cheeks and your stomach tumbling.

Was this boy, who had never stood out in a crowd due to his insecure posture and his crooked teeth, suddenly winning your cold, Slytherin heart?

No you don't have to wear your best fake smile

Don't have to stand there and burn inside

Your steps hurried through the great hall, but instead you found yourself at the Gryffindor table right in front of none other than Hermione Granger. Even at this early hour, she was leaning over a pile of papers and books. Surprised and confused, she looked up to you. Besides some minor contentions, which were mostly related to house pride, the two of you never much more to exchange views. Hermione had sorted you, just like most of the students, as an ambitious Slytherin girl with a reputation, to have a liking in playing with fire. But unlike other classmates in green uniforms, you never said a word about families with other bloodlines.

“Do you know where Neville is?”

Her mouth gaped a little open, completely confused by your statement.

“Neville? Neville Longbottom?”

You rolled your eyes. “Yes.”

“Why do you want to know?”

Your jaw tightened, the talk and gossip was inevitable anyways and just like Neville had stated; Why does the cold-hearted Slytherin girl even care?

“I want to ask him out.”

If Hermione’s mouth was open before, her jaw basically dropped to the floor. She always knew the right, and considerable fitting words, but she was speechless now.

“He likes to take morning walks around the lake”, she mumbled.

“Thank you.” You nodded appreciating, before leaving her again.

The morning was cold and fresh wind hollered around the towers of the school. It was easy to find his tall figure, he was the only one walking at the lake. When he caught eye of your approaching, he couldn´t help but smile a little as his heartbeat quickened. Even with your messy hair and tired eyes, clearly your conversation yesterday had led to some sleep loss, you looked stunning to him.

A few feet in front of him, you stopped abruptly.

“Hi!”

Good job Y/n, very creative, you thought to yourself. Had he always been this tall? You wondered as you had to stare up a little. And his eyes, did you never notice his calm and kind eyes?!

“Hi?”

“I-“, you took a deep breath, then you continued. “I thought about what you said and you were right. I shouldn´t care, because it doesn´t make me happy.”

Neville nodded understanding, he appeared a little aloof. “I´m glad I could help.”

In the daylight, things were differently. His bravery to speak out his mind was gone, he had remembered who you are, and who he was. It all felt like a far dream to him. He wanted to keep walking, save himself the blushes and humiliation. But you were a true Slytherin, determined to keep going.

“Do you want to go out on a date with me?” You asked, practically yelling to stop him from leaving and Neville stopped in his tracks, slowly turning back to you. His face had softened, the same kind expression from the night before.

She used to put it out and get it all back

But now she's slipping trying to carry the act

She's sweating under the lights, now she's beginning to crack

“I don´t want to wear my fake smile and I think you´re cute and funny, maybe I can genuinely smile for once.”

Neville smiled from ear to ear, as he stepped closer to you, carefully taking your hands in his. There were warm and slightly rough from the garden work.

“It would be my pleasure to go out with you and maybe make you laugh a little.”

Now, finally, your lips grew into a smile as well and Neville´s hand placed a strand of hair back behind your ear.

“It truly suits you.”

#neville longbottom imagine #neville longbottom x reader #neville longbottom fanfiction #neville longbottom #matthew lewis #harry potter imagine #mariamermaidimagine

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ga-yuu · 3 years

Text

~Sweet Punishment~ Yoritomo Route

(I know I already did the summary of this, but I just couldn't resist when I see Yoritomo.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trees, dyed bright red and yellow, sway their leaves in the autumn breeze.

On this day, I was with Kagetoki-san and others, gathered in the hall by order of Yoritomo-sama.

Yoritomo: "Okay, everyone is here. I'm going to ask you a straightforward question. What does autumn mean to you?"

Yuno: "Autumn?"

Yoritomo: "That's right. Anything you can think of, I want to hear your thoughts."

(Autumn, huh? Let's see...)

Kagetoki: "Well... If I had to pick, I'd say reading. I love reading in the long autumn nights."

Tamamo: "I'm all for the food, of course. Sweet potatoes, mushrooms, persimmons, chestnuts, pears...the list goes on and on."

Yoritomo: "Chestnuts are good, indeed."

Yuno: "It would be fun to go chestnut picking together!" (Yuno is sooooooooooo cute.)

Shigehira: "Woah woah, don't deviate from the main topic."

(Oh, I shouldn't.)

I hurriedly kept my mouth shut, and my eyes met Shigehira-kun's.

Shigehira: "Is there something you want to do, Yuno-san?"

Yuno: "Hmmm.... I think I'll go for the plants. There are many medicinal plants that can only be found in autumn."

Yoritomo: "That's just like you. But none of them are the answers I'm looking for."

Morinaga: "Then, what does autumn mean to you, Yoritomo-sama?"

Yoritomo: "Training."

Tamamo: "It’s going to be a sweaty autumn then! I'm surprised to hear you say this,..... but what are you up to?"

Morinaga: "It's not too hot or too cold, so it's a good time to get moving."

Yoritomo: "Isn't it? So we'll have a martial arts tournament."

The air in the hall seemed to tighten at the sound of his dignified voice.

Yoritomo: " Of course, we’re not doing this just for fun. The purpose is to strengthen the martial arts skills of the entire army. The winner is determined by a winner-takes-all competition, and the last one standing is rewarded with rice."

Tamamo: "Rice..... I'll have chestnut, of course, but sweet potatoes are very good, too."

Yoritomo: "What are you trying to win? Anyway, this time, you all will be working behind the scenes. You too, Tamamo. Kagetoki and Tamamo, you will assist me in running the whole thing. Shigehira and Morinaga were entrusted with guiding the participants in their training."

Kagetoki, Shigehira, Morinaga: "Yes!"

Tamamo: "What, no rice for me? Well, we'll have a party later, won't we? Let's hope there will be some good food there."

Kagetoki: "It's more motivating to have a friendly competition than to just to train."

Morinaga: "It's like a festival, right? I can't take part, but it gets my blood pumping."

Yoritomo: "Isn’t it? It's time like these that we need these events."

(I guess that's why we're here now because we don't know when the war will break out.)

(....In his own way, Yoritomo-sama is thinking of his subordinates when he makes this proposal.)

(I also want to help.)

Yuno: "Yoritomo-sama, I also want to help."

Yoritomo: "You can. But you wouldn't listen to me anyway, will you?"

Yuno: "Yes, I'll do my best."

(Then I'll have to get more herbs than usual.)

(Oh, and I think I need a spared bandage. And ......)

As I quickly thought about my preparations, I felt someone pinching my cheek.

Yuno: "Yoritomo-sama?"

Yoritomo: "Geez, you're always like this. When it comes to working, that's all you see."

Yuno: "I don't want to hear that from Yoritomo-sama. Even Yoritomo-sama, works day and night....."

(Hm?)

Suddenly I felt some gazes on me.

The next thing we knew, everyone's warm eyes were on us.

(I shouldn't! They're all here.)

Tamamo: "They are fighting like couple and that they only have eyes for each other and their work....I'd say, but Yoritomo did it on purpose, didn't he?"

Yoritomo: "Yeah, because she looks cute when she fights back."

Yuno(blushing): "!"

(I've been teased..... How embarrassing....)

Shigehira: "Please do those things when you both are alone."

Morinaga: "I think we're done here, so we'll leave you to your business."

Kagetoki: "Please feel free to go crazy."

Everyone left, leaving me and Yoritomo-sama in the hall.

Yoritomo: "Hey, Yuno."

Yuno: "Hm?....Oh."

My arms were drawn and I lean on Yoritomo-sama.

My heart began to beat faster and faster at the thought of being in a place where I didn't know who could see me.

Yuno: "No. Not here."

Yoritomo: "It's all right, there's no one here at the moment. More importantly.....I'll ask you to help with the first aid necessities. I'd let you do it, but on one condition."

Yuno: "Condition?"

Yoritomo: "Yeah."

The sound of Yoritomo-sama's breathing gently tickles my ear....

Yoritomo: "Don't overdo and if you need anything, just ask. If you don't, I'll make sure you get what you deserve."

Yuno: ".......!"

Provocative words flow into my ears makes my heart beat even more wildly.

(it's Yoritomo-sama, so he's not going to go easy on me.)

(But, what is that punishment?)

A moment later, both hands were grabbed and put together, and restrained with one hand.

Yuno: "Eh----Hmm."

Without hesitation, my lips were sealed and my eyes widen in surprise.

I tried to escape, but he held me by the back of the head, and the kiss became more and more deeper.

Yuno: "Mmm.....Ha...ah."

I was struggling for air, but the kissing never stops.....

As I was finally released, I started to breathe.

Yuno: "Yoritomo...sama?"

Yoritomo: "It's not bad to show people that you're mine."

(You mean, if I break my promise, he'll do this to me in public?)

Yuno(blushing): "Please don't do that...."

Yoritomo(smiling): "That's up to you. If you understand, don't overwork."

Yuno: "....Yes."

(Because it's Yoritomo-sama, I'll definitely do it.)

(But I have to be careful about this.)

......................

Then a few days later.

I was treating the injured soldiers while Morinaga-san and Shigehira-kun were in charge of the training.

Tamamo was also present since he had some free time.

Yuno: "This is the end of the treatment of your injuries. Good luck with your training."

Soldier: " Thank you!"

As I was smiling at everyone's enthusiasm, I heard the sound of hurried footsteps.

Retainer: "Yuno-san are you here? I'd like to talk to you about the medicine you're preparing."

Yuno: "Yes, I'll be there soon."

I informed Morinaga-san and the others and hurried to leave the room----

Yuno: "Oh!?"

I bumped into someone at the entrance.

Yuno: "So-Sorry---"

???: "Are you okay?"

(Ah, that voice.)

Yoritomo(smiling): "Don't be in such a hurry."

Yuno: “Yoritomo-sama!”

I bow my head, a little relieved that the person I bumped into was someone I was in love with.

Yuno: “Sorry, I was in a hurry.”

Yoritomo: “As long as, you don’t hurt yourself, its fine. You seem to be very busy, is there anything you need help with?”

(Although Yoritomo-sama told me to rely on him.)

Preparations for the martial arts tournament had begun and Yoritomo-sama was busier than ever.

First of all, this is a job that I volunteered to help with.

(I can’t let Yoritomo-sama get me and I can still do my best.)

Yuno: “No. I am doing fine. Excuse me, I’m in a hurry.”

I acted brightly as I could and left the place.

Yoritomo(smiling): “........Geez.”

Yoritomo sees off Yuno’s back, proudly as if he is amazed.

Then, Tamamo and Morinaga who was watching them, comes by.

Morinaga: “Yuno has been working really hard lately, right?”

Tamamo: “She running all over the place more than ever.”

Morinaga: “Thanks to her, everyone’s spirits are up. They don’t even mind getting injured now that there is a cute girl to take care of them.”

Yoritomo: “I see.”

Tamamo: “Aren’t you jealous? You never know when some random man will come and challenge you for her.”

Yoritomo: “Her heart already belongs to me. If a man comes and challenges me, I won’t let him take her away from me.”

Morinaga: “As expected, you seem very confident.”

Tamamo: “..............”

..................

That night----

As I was preparing the medicine in my room before going to sleep, Tamamo came to see me.

Tamamo: “You are still working?”

Yuno: “Yes, just little more for tomorrow.”

Tamamo: “No way. You look very tired. Don’t push your limit. So that’s why.....”

Tamamo, smiles wistfully and claps his hands---

The next moment, he quickly turned into a cute little fox.

Yuno: “Eh, why did you change your form?”

Tamamo: “Touching me, who is super cute and furry, has a great soothing effect. Go on, fluff yourself to your heart’s content.”

As if to give everything away, Tamamo rolls over on his stomach.

(Tamamo’s belly, looks soft and fluffy!)

The tempting offer makes my heart flutter, but the face of my Yoritomo-sama comes to my mind.

(Yoritomo-sama told me to rely on him.)

I feel guilty, but I can’t resist my greed. .....

I put Tamamo on my lap and boldly buried my face in her belly.

(This is....!)

Yuno(blushing): “Mo..Mofumofu...!”

Tamamo: “Isn’t it?”

(Hmmmm, this is going to be a habit.)

It’s the best touch I can imagine and I’ll just get hooked----

Yoritomo: “Yuno, I’m coming in.”

(!?)

Before I could reply, Yoritomo-sama opened the doors and entered my room.

Yoritomo: “........” (Okay, so let me try reading Yoritomo’s mind:*pictures regular Tamamo and Yuno resting her face on his belly*)

Our eyes meet and we stopped moving for a moment.

(What should I do? I can’t believe that Yoritomo-sama saw me like this....)

Tamamo: “It’s a crime to interrupt the time of lovers. Good night~” (You LITTLE BITCH!)

Yuno: “Wait!”

Tamamo jumped of my lap and left the room.

Yoritomo(angry): “........” (mind reading: “I told her that she could rely on me and yet she went to Tamamo. But they’re just friends and I know Yuno would never cheat on me. But still she went to HIM instead of me. Looks like she’s really wants to get punished. You’re such a sly, you know.”)

Yuno: “I sorry. I’m really sorry.”

(He’s angry. He is really angry. I can feel it.)

The awkwardness in the air makes me look down.

I clenched my fingertips in preparation for my punishment and was lightly popped when he flicked my forehead.

Yuno: “Eh...”

Yoritomo: “As I expected. It’s already late, finish your work and go to bed. If you don’t, then I’ll change your clothes and take you to bed.”

Yuno: “No need. I’m in bed! Already!”

Yoritomo: “Good.”

(I wonder if he would say something.)

(But,,,,you were so worried about me that you went out of your way to see how I was doing...)

Although I feel a little uncomfortable with the overly gentle attitude. But that was soon overridden by the joy that came from Yoritomo-sama’s thoughtfulness.

......................

Finally, the day of the tournament arrived.

(Okay, let’s do our best.)

Yuno: “Thank you for your hard work!”

Soldiers: “Eh....”

When I went to the waiting area of the first-aid team, I got a strange look from everyone.

Soldier: “Yuno-san, why are you here?”

Yuno: “Huh? What do you mean?”

Yoritomo(fake smile): “Ah, Yuno. I didn’t know you were here.”

At the appearance of Yoritomo-sama, all his men straighten their postures in unison.

Yoritomo(smiling): “I’m hoping you’ll join me in keeping an eye on everyone’s progress. As a reward for all the hard work you’ve done today, will you come and watch the game with me?”

Soldier: “Yes, leave the work to us!”

Yuno: “Er, well...”

Yoritomo: “Well, let’s go then.”

(Ah)

While I was hesitating, he immediately pulled my hand.

...............

We were shown to our seats, which were the best seats in the venue, giving a view of the entire arena.

(Is is going to be okay?)

He makes me sit down on the tatami mat, and I somewhat started to feel nervous.

Then Yoritomo-sama, who was sitting next to me, leaned close to me.

Yoritomo: “It cold today. Let me make sure, you don’t get cold.”

A knee cover was placed softly across my lap and Yoritomo-sama’s.

Yuno: “Thank you.”

Yoritomo: “It’s nothing to be thankful for. ....but it’s still a bit cold. Would it be warmer if I did this?”

Yuno; “!”

He hugs me around the waist and I leaned lightly on Yoritomo-sama.

At that moment, a buzz spread around us.

Yuno(blushing): “Yo-Yoritomo-sama?”

Yoritomo(smiling): “You’re very warm.”

(Yes, it’s warmer than before.)

As you can see, I’m embarrassed, so I try to speak up.

Maid 1: “Yoritomo-sama is so kind, isn’t he?”

Maid 2: “Yeahhh, I’m jealous.”

I hurriedly closed my mouth, when heard the jealous comments one after another.

(Somehow, we are just keep getting a lot of attention.)

(In this situation, I can’t say ‘let go’, can I?)

Yuno(blushing): “Mm, Yoritomo-sama is also warm.”

I smiled awkwardly and snuggled up to Yoritomo-sama quietly.

(I feel like, Yoritomo-sama....is little scary.)

(The other night was a bit of a let down, maybe there’s more to it?)

When I was suspicious of his overly gently manner, our hands came together under the blanket.

Yoritomo(smiling): “Your fingertips are getting warmer.”

With a warm, sunny voice, the tips of the finger rub together.

His gaze is filled with deep compassion....

(How can I doubt this kindness.)

When I thought about it, Morinaga, the referee, appeared at the game.

Morinaga: “Then, let’s start the first game, both teams come forward!”

The match starts-----

I was completely absorbed into the series of heated battles.

(Wow! That attack was very fast.)

As I leaned forward to watch the game, I felt a smooth stroke on the back of my hand.

Yoritomo: “This could go either way.”

Our fingers entwined and squeezed.

(What is going on here?)

When I smiled back, Yoritomo-sama happily brought his lips to my ears.

Yoritomo: “Who do you think will win?”

Yuno: “Ah....Well...”

My back trembles when he deliberately sighed near my ear.

I ducked quickly, but the hands on my hips prevented me from moving.

Yoritomo(evil smile): “Oh, that was a brilliant one, right? Everyone is doing well, because of the training. How wonderful.”

Yuno(blushing): “Mm.....”

I can’t reply well, because he kept whispering to me near my ear and it felt ticklish.

(Is he teasing me?)

Yoritomo: “The next game is about to start.”

Yuno(blushing): “Oh! re-really.”

(Thank god, it stopped.)

I breathed a sigh of relief and I felt a hand on my thigh.

(Eh!)

I looked at the owner of the hand and he couldn’t have been more full of himself.

Yuno(blushing): “------!?”

Yoritomo-sama’s hand slid easily down my inner thigh, and I flinched at the strange power.

Yuno(blushing): “Wai...Wait...”

Yoritomo(evil smile): “Hm? Did you say something?”

Yuno(blushing): “No, What’s the matter with you?”

Yoritomo(evil smile): “You said you are too embarrassed to do this in public. It’s not a problem, if it’s hidden under the blanket, right?” (Geez, if Yoritomo had one of those small vibrators, he would have not shown any mercy.)

(That’s)

---------FLASHBACK-------

Yoritomo: "It's not bad to show people that you're mine."

---------FLASHBACK ENDS-------

(Although it’s hidden.)

I still think it’s too mean to bea simple teasing.

(Is this how he intends to punish me?)

(I wonder if he was still angry with me for because of that Tamamo incident.)

The moment I tried to open my mouth to apologize.

The hand that had been caressing my thigh, crept inside, splitting the gaps in my kimono.

Yuno(blushing): “!? A......”

I bite my lips in panic as he stroked my bare skin.

Yoritomo(evil smile): “Everyone is crazy about the game right now....If you raise your cute voice, they’ll notice you.”

(No doubt! You are still angry about the other day.)

I bring my face closer to his ear and whispered lightly.

Yuno(blushing): “I’m truly....very sorry. I’m reflecting on it, so please....”

Yoritomo(evil smile): “No, not yet. You’re too stubborn, so I won’t let you go that easily.”

Yuno(blushing): “Mm, ah.”

The tips of his fingers lightly scratched my inner thighs, causing me to gasp uncontrollably.

At the same time, cheers go up.

Apparently, the game is in full swing.

(But now, I can’t focus on the game.)

Yuno(blush): “Mm....oh.....”

A soft numbness runs up my back as my ear is bitten sweetly.

Further more, when his hand moved between my legs, I quickly tried to stop it.

Yoritomo(evil smile): “You’re pretty resistance. But how long can you hold up?”

Yuno(blushing): “Ah.....not there....oh.”

(No matter how crazy everyone is about the game, no more....!)

Yuno(blushing): “Okay, I understand. I’ll take the punishment but at least take me to your room....!”

With tears in my eyes, I pleaded and finally his hands stopped.

Yoritomo(evil smile): “I’ll take that word for now. The rest will be in my room, okay...?”

Premium END // Epilogue

This story event is in short the scenario of what will happen if Yuno and Yoritomo go to movie theatre. Anyways, I’ll only be doing Yoritomo’s route because I love him and then I’ll take a break until the next story event. Also I’ll be posting the collection events time to time when I feel like it.

#ikemen series #ikemen genjiden yoritomo #ikemen genjiden #ikemen series story events

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ayurvedakart · 3 years

Text

All about stress and anxiety, how to get rid of them

In this blog, you will read all about stress – What is stress, its types, causes, and how to reduce stress and anxiety?

What is stress?

Stress is a feeling that causes emotional, psychological, or physical strain in the body. In simpler words, stress is a state of mind that leads to tension, restlessness, and anxiety. In medical terms, stress is a physical, mental, or emotional factor that leads to tension. It is a reaction of our body against a challenge.

The word stress came from the Latin words ‘strictus‘, meaning tight or narrow and ‘stringere‘, meaning tighten. These words reflect the internal feelings of tightness and constriction of the muscles and breathing. Stress is a normal feeling that can happen to anyone.

Good stress VS Bad stress

One of the most common questions that people ask is, “Is stress good or bad?” First of all, we need to understand what is good stress and bad stress.

Good stress

In the dictionary of a psychologist, good stress is called “Eustress“. This is that type of stress which we feel when we are happy and excited. Sometimes, due to good stress, our pulse fastens. Some instances when a person feels good or positive stress are-

A bride feeling stressed on the day of her wedding

A student feeling stressed before exams as it helps him/her to work hard

Starting as a freelancer

Going for a job interview

Representing your school in a competition

Good stress encourages us to work harder and give our best. It is one of a person’s best assets for achieving peak performance. Sometimes it even helps us to become aware of dangers and take precautions in time.

Bad stress and ways to get rid of bad stress

Another name of bad stress is “Distress“. It happens when we feel so much stressed that it starts affecting our physical, psychological and emotional health. Unlike Eustress, it hinders our ability to do our daily tasks effectively and efficiently. It causes our body’s wear and tear. Negative stress causes anxiety and feels demotivating. Here are some examples when a person feels negative stress.

Death of a family member

Financial crisis

Health problems of oneself or closed ones

Conflicts within family members

Being abused

It is rightly said that stress is like electricity. It provides energy, arises arousal in human beings, and affects performance. However, if the electric current is too high, it can fuse bulbs, damage appliances, etc. Thus high stress can lead to distress and may cause our health to deteriorate. Whereas good stress or little stress motivates us to take steps for our betterment.

There are many ways to reduce bad stress. Some of them are discussed in detail in the upcoming topics. A few ways are –

Regular exercise

Eat healthy

Visualisation meditation

No comparison

The above ways are discussed in detail in the coming topics.

Stress hormones and how to reduce stress hormones naturally and with medication

Cortisol is the main stress hormone. It is a steroid hormone that is released during stress. It is made in adrenal glands. Many people misunderstand cortisol as just a hormone that causes stress. It should be noted that it also helps to control blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation, and control metabolism. Thus it is clear that cortisol is important for your health but a very high level of it can cause many problems in your body.

High-level cortisol can cause a problem called Cushion syndrome which leads to rapid weight gain in the chest, around the face, and abdomen. It also leads to irritability, severe fatigue, high blood pressure, and headache. Tension and depression are also related to high cortisol levels.

How to reduce cortisol levels (stress hormone) naturally?

1- Reducing your stress and anxiety 2- Have foods that help to reduce cortisol like dark chocolate, green tea, and yogurt 3-Sleep well and enough 4-Do not consume caffeine at night

How to reduce cortisol levels(stress hormone) with medication?

Ashwagandha is a very effective medicinal herb in Ayurveda that helps to reduce anxiety and improve concentration and increase energy levels. Himalaya has over 90 years of legacy as one of India’s most trusted Ayurvedic brands. It’s pure herbs offer a wide range of tried and tested Ayurvedic products.

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Types of stress

1-Acute stress – This type of stress is the most common one. It is short-term stress and is experienced by a person multiple times in a day. Some examples are – being stuck in traffic, having a test at school, an argument with the boss, having a job interview, pending office work for the day, etc. Generally, single acute stress related problem doesn’t affect a healthy person.

There is another form of acute stress which is known as “Episodic acute stress.” It is a situation when a person feels acute stress for a longer time period. It’s symptoms include high blood pressure, fast heartbeat for a long time, headache, etc.

2-Chronic stress – It is long-term stress as its effects can be long-lasting. Examples include financial difficulties for a long time, repeated failures in career, ruined relationships, etc. If not worked upon, it can have adverse effects on the health and may lead to problems like high blood pressure, heart problems, anxiety disorders, etc.

What are the causes of stress?

Have you ever wondered what causes stress? There are many sources of stress. They are as follows:

1-Thinking too much about the result – Everyone wants to succeed in whatever he/she does. Be it a student studying before exams, a person preparing for an interview, a professional cricketer playing a match, someone starting a business, a woman cooking food for her family, so on and so forth. Everyone wants to get the best results and that’s absolutely all right. Aspiring to be the best is a very good thing but in aspiring to be the best, sometimes people think a lot about the end result. “What if I fail to clear my exam?“, “What I will do If he doesn’t like my food?“, “What will I do if I don’t get this job?“.

These are just a few of the questions which many of us ask ourselves even before starting something. Focusing too much on the end result instead of the process deprives one of the joy of the process.

2-Believing something which is not true – This is one of the most important causes of stress. Many people believe in advance as per their own imagination. If you anticipate success, that’s good but if you anticipate failure, that becomes a source of stress and you don’t feel like completing that task.

Picture this, that a student is waiting for her result. While waiting, she starts thinking that she would fail. What would she feel? She would be stressed out. Another example is that a person got cold and cough and he got his Covid-19 test. Even before the report, he starts thinking that he has got Covid. What would he feel like? You guessed it absolutely correct.

3-Always saying “Yes”- It is a natural instinct of human beings to impress others. It feels very good to be a people’s person. Sometimes, in an attempt to impress others, many of us accept everything the other person says. We always become available for others.

Example- Your friend asks you to go out with him. Though you have your classes or you are busy but just to impress him or not to disappoint him, you go out with him. It becomes our habit to say yes and we agree with other person without thinking and if later on, we are not able to do that thing, we feel stressed.

4-Comparison – Comparison is the root cause of stress and anxiety especially in youngsters. Many times, comparing yourself with others makes one feel inferior. “See, my car is bigger than yours or My father earns more than yours” attitude makes one feel inferior and less important. Many parents also compare their children with the other children. Teachers also have a habit of comparing the marks of the students and you know what is the result of this comparison? Yes. That is stress.

5-More expenses than earnings – This is another reason for stress. The most common reason for stress, and anxiety when Covid-19 came was that livelihood was affected. People were expelled from their jobs which drastically affected their earnings but expenses never lessened.

How to reduce stress?

1-Focus on the process – If you ask me, “How to reduce stress and tension?” I would tell you that whatever you do, always focus on the process instead of the result. Fall in love with the process and enjoy each and every step. The result would automatically come in your favor. So, from now on, make it a habit to focus on the journey rather on the destination.

2-Visual meditation – “How to reduce stress immediately?” Visualization exercise/meditation is a very effective stress buster that helps in the relaxation of your body and mind. Practice this stress, and anxiety relief technique whenever you feel stressed, anxious, or depressed. For long-lasting results, you should practice this exercise daily. Before you begin with the visualization technique, do deep breathing exercise till you start feeling comfortable and your anxiety starts diminishing. This visual meditation technique is as follows:

Before the exercise

“Sit on a chair or sofa and close your eyes. Relax. Deep breathe in. Completely relax. It’s going to help you and take you to a different zone. Allow it to happen.

Starting the exercise

Imagine that you are sitting on a beach chair. Imagine everything in detail. The warmth of white sand, crystal clear blue ocean with cool water which is touching your feet, birds chirping, calm sound of waves. There is no rush. You are very happy and relaxed with no stress or anxiety. Very calm and living your life to the fullest. You love your life, yourself, and your work.

There is a purpose in your life and you are working happily to fulfil it. You are completely out of your bad past experiences. The mistakes you made only helped you to learn and grow. Each day you wake up with full enthusiasm and thank God for this wonderful and blessed life and each night you sleep with full satisfaction that you made the best of your day. There is a roof over you, clothes to wear, and food to survive.

You do not have grudges against anyone and people also don’t have grudges against you. You forgive all those who have hurt you intentionally or unintentionally. People love your company. You are an inspiration. Relax.

Now slowly open your eyes and imagine that you are walking away from the beach and remember that this beautiful place is with you every time you feel depressed.”

3-Say no to comparisons – Each and every individual on this planet has something unique. You can’t compare yourself with someone else. Comparison would only increase your stress and you won’t be able to appreciate your talent. Parents and teachers should stop comparing children with one another on any basis. This will help a lot to reduce stress and anxiety.

4-Yoga for stress management – One of the most useful tool in stress management is to practice yoga daily. There are many yoga asanas for stress relief. Here are some of the yoga poses for stress relief.

I-Corpse pose (Savasana) – Legs should be close to each other but not touch each other -Arms at the side with palm facing upwards -Close your eyes and do deep breathing for few minutes

II-Easy pose (Sukhasana) – Sit straight and cross your legs, place each foot beneath the opposite knee as shown in the picture -Place your hands on the knees with palms facing downwards -Lengthen your spine but relax your feet and legs while sitting in the same position and make sure that your body weight is balanced -Hold this position for one minute and change the cross of your legs

5-Food for stress relief – There are many stress buster foods that help to reduce stress and anxiety levels.

A- Dark chocolate – Dark chocolate contains fiber and antioxidants which help to prevent cell damage and improve blood flow.

B- Yoghurt – Yogurt contains good bacteria which have a positive effect on brain health and thus helps in reducing anxiety, and stress.

C- Green tea – Green tea has an amino acid called Theanine which helps to reduce anxiety and stress.

D- Pumpkin seeds – Pumpkin is rich in Potassium which helps to reduce anxiety and stress levels.

6-Listening to stress-relieving music – You might get surprised to know that there is no stress relieving music genre in particular. So, which music to hear when you are in tension? Listen to your favorite music, the music you like the most.

7-Pursuing your hobby – It is a very interesting way to get rid of stress, tension, and anxiety. Doing what you like and that too daily is a great anxiety reliever.

I heartily thank you for reading the article. If you found it useful, please share it. If you have any suggestions for me, feel free to contact me.

#stressmanagement #how to get rid of stress #anger management #how to be happy #stress issues #get rid of tension #anxiety

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hecohansen31 · 4 years

Text

Loving You Is A Losing Game

Ivar+Kidnapped Wife! Reader (Vikings! Era)

Chapter 2; Electra

“You can have your rich table and life flowing over the cup. I need one food: I must not violate Elektra.”

“Electra” by Sofocles

(Previous Chapter) (Masterlist)

(A/N): Hello there, lovelies!

I don’t know if anybody remembers this series, but I thought about bringing it back to you, since a few of you seemed interested in this and I am honestly VERY very excited about this series!

Sadly... it is slightly... too angsty for me, even more during this quarantine, so I wasn’t able to write it till I was in a mood that was sane enough to write it out, so sorry for the waiting!

As always: if you want to slip any feedback, know that it’ll make my heart beat faster and I’ll absolutely write faster!

Feedback is easy, quick and free, never forget to leave a comment, if you enjoyed this.

Liked What I Wrote? Want To Support Me? Buy Me Ko-Fi!

SUMMARY: Being kidnapped wasn't the hard part.

Surviving in a kingdom where nobody is your ally might be more problematic.

Even more when a new life is growing in your stomach.

WORDS: 7,3 K

WARNINGS; Unstable Relationship (I think that honestly Reader and Ivar’s relationship is borderline abusive, even more if set up in the modern era, there is no physical violence, but there might be some psychological one so please be careful sweeties), Pregnancy, Talk of Abortion, Mention of Death, Betrayal, Kidnapping Historically Inaccurate, and Not following the series path.

On the days on the boats you’d try to keep your mind active, talking with Astrid, but the night… you were lost to feverish dreams.

Of your labor, accompanied by the death of your husband and child, to the point that you had come to dread night.

Even thought, unless one of your jailers took pity of you and would leave a candle burning out slowly, it’d be forever night in the dark of the heart of the boat you were on.

You had tried to goad your jailers into knowing where you’d be going, but they had been as silent as rocks.

They looked at you with pity and a vicious lust, that made you glad that Gustaf had stopped any man from ‘roughing you up’.

‘… she is the wife of a prince!’ he had commented, sending you a joking look, because drenched in dirty clothes and vomit, you didn’t look very much like royalty ‘… and we’ll treat her as such’.

Had Ivar ever gotten his hands on their wives or children, he wouldn’t have treated them like that, for sure.

You wondered whether he knew about your kidnapping.

Lagertha and your family certainly wouldn’t have left him in the shadow of ignorance.

But did he still care about you?

Maybe he’d have cared about the child in your belly…

A sudden impulse to retch brought you back from your treacherous thoughts, as Astrid called out your name, to check on you.

Although the jailers had simply thought your ‘illness’ to be seasickness, Astrid had caught on pretty quickly what it truly was, as once you were left alone, she had whispered:

‘Are you with child?’ she had asked, looking in your eyes, as you raised your head to lightly nod, and she had thrown her head to the sky of wood ‘… is it his?’.

‘I might be the wife of a traitor, but I certainly am not a cheater’ you had replied pointedly, as Astrid asked for forgiveness, raising her hands as you had lightly pushed your tied arms to hug your knees ‘… I loved him’.

‘… he’ll come for you’ she had spoken as she matched your pose, making you raise your head ‘… he has killed for much less, believe me, he’ll find you’.

You didn’t understand if she was doing this to calm you down or simply because she truly believed your husband was a beast.

“I don’t think he cares anymore” you muttered, as you cradled yourself tighter in your arms.

“I don’t think that he’d risk it for a simple lovers’ spat” she commented, and you couldn’t help but bit your lips, harshly, because although Astrid’s words were gentle and laced with sureness, your thoughts weren’t.

“… it wasn’t a simple lovers’ spat” it had been more like two words clashing through each other.

All the differences that you had had, spit against the other.

“… it just… it used to be quite… easier” you explained, finally uttering your thoughts “… when we were younger, before we were married”.

The ring on your finger was heavy to remind you that.

“You married quite young” commented Astrid, as you nodded “… it isn’t easy, even more when you are blessed with so much power and a stubborn husband”.

You laughed darkly at her comment, as she tried to turn to you with her piercing blue eyes staring at you.

“I just… sometimes I wished we had just kept it on like it was” you explained, confessing something you had never told anyone “… it just felt like we did it more to prove something to others than for ourselves”.

Your entire life had been this way.

Your romance with Ivar had started this way and had continued like that.

Even the child in your womb was a show of that.

To prove to those who didn’t believe it that Ivar was a man, exactly like them.

“Will you keep the baby”.

You had been waiting for that question for quite some time, because it had also tormented your thoughts, but to be uttered out like that it took the breath from your lungs as you choked on your words.

Eventually answering:

“… I don’t know” you confessed.

“Do you want a child?” she questioned you again, as those piercing eyes reminded you of Ivar.

“This might not be the best period to have a child” you tried to push away the question, but Astrid’s eyes focused on you tightly.

“Have you ever wanted children?” she asked “… if we weren’t stuck in a damned ship brought to our demise, would you keep it? The one in your belly”.

Nobody had ever truly asked you that.

You realized that not even Ivar had ever asked you that.

He had simply told you that to have peace, you’d have to give him a child.

He had ordered you to have a child.

And now you had one, but the only positive sensation you had about it had been Ylva’s gentleness in talking with you about it.

“… I…” you choked on your words, unsure of what to say.

Because it hadn’t ever been a question for you.

It had been a fact.

And now that it had happened…

… you weren’t sure of the answer.

“… I don’t know” you spoke “… Ivar always wanted children, it’ll strengthen his hold on the throne and it’ll…”.

“What about you?” Astrid focused the attention on you.

And you couldn’t help but want to vomit, and not because you were feeling nauseous.

Nobody had ever asked your opinion.

“… my mother died because of running around her children. Exhaustion claiming her… ” something had been unlocked in you as you confessed that and Astrid’s gaze softened “… I always… she isn’t something I want to be… I like children, but… I am not sure of wanting them, now”.

Even more in this period.

You didn’t trust Gustaf, in the slightest.

That man reminded you too much of calmer version of your husband.

And your husband did nothing without a second purpose.

“… have you thought about…?” she didn’t have to say it, but you remembered the talk with Ylva, the name of the herb she had told you to take in case you didn’t want the child.

Now it’d have been extremely difficult to obtain it.

“Yes” you spoke softly “… my… healer Ylva has told me to take an herb in case I didn’t want it anymore, but now…”.

“If you don’t want this baby, you don’t have to carry it” she spoke as if it was the most natural thing ever, and you froze in your spot “… I am not saying it solely because it’ll indeed change your life for the worse or for the better, but because if you don’t want it truly… if you aren’t ready for it… it’ll grow unloved”.

She seemed almost to speak from experience and ducked her head away from you, as you looked at her surprised.

“… I can’t… I don’t know how to…”.

“I’ll get you the herb, no matter what” she promised you “… just let me know if you want it or not”.

Something broke inside of you at that thought.

The question of the baby had kept you up till late, but you had never had a deep and stable solution, something that could be more than a fantasy.

But now Astrid had given it to you, her eyes speaking of true sincerity.

She would have helped you if you didn’t want the baby.

She wasn’t lying.

“… I need to think about it”.

“Do it fast” she commented simply, almost as if you hadn’t had just a heart-to-heart conversation “… the herb won’t work after a certain amount of time”.

“I’ll let you know” you promised softly “… I just… need some time to think about this”.

And then you were surprised as you heard the door open, and immediately Astrid pushed herself away from you, meanwhile you tried to look at your fiercest, even with dried vomit on your clothes.

Gustaf walked in, a smirk on his face as he looked at you as if he was holding court.

Everything in him seemed damnably royal and it annoyed you to an extent that you would have gladly hit him if you had had your hands free.

“Good morning, ladies” he called out to you both, only welcomed by a grimace on your faces “… I have news for you, don’t you want to hear them?”.

“Fuck you” commented bitterly Astrid, but Gustaf seemed too happy with himself, to properly care about her comment.

“We have arrived at my home” he promised you softly “… and you ladies will be my welcome guests”.

---

“I don’t fucking care about anything!” screamed Ivar as Lagertha sent him an annoyed look, as one would with an annoying child who wouldn’t just lower his voice “… it is my wife we are talking about! She was fucking kidnapped because of your ineptitude in being queen”.

“Ivar, you either calm down or you’ll be back in your cell” threatened him the blond woman, meanwhile a few guards came closer.

“I don’t honestly know what he is doing here” commented your brother loudly, on the opposite side of Ivar, closer to Lagertha than him, and with a look of pure hate in his eyes.

Felix hadn’t been his best supporter, but he had never been an obstacle to your relationship as your father and older brother.

But Ivar knew that since he had tried to overtake Lagertha and pushed shame onto his sister, he hadn’t been his biggest supporter.

But he hadn’t expected him to straight up try to cut him off like that.

“… shouldn’t he be in prison?”.

“We called a truce” commented Lagertha.

“No, we didn’t” Ivar replied, shooting her a quick look “… I just value my wife enough to know when I have to shut up and lay down my weapons”.

“Then shut up” replied Lagertha “… I am not allowing my soldiers to get slaughtered to retrieve your wife, because they run into Gustaf’s lands blindly”.

“My wife is in their hands” he spoke harshly, before he shot a quick look to Felix “… you own bloody sister!”.

“I fucking know, you idiot!” replied Felix, getting up, as he towered over Ivar and for a moment, the cripple was truly scared, because Felix’ eyes spoke of pure anger.

One that he knew all too well.

“Calm down!” Tala, his sister-in-law screamed as she also got up, her pregnant belly immediately catching eyes.

She was near the birth date and she shouldn’t have been there, but she had insisted on staying in the council.

And Ivar could understand why.

“Your silly male arguments won’t help (Y/N)” she spoke loudly, to make sure that all attention wasn’t on her “… I do agree that we can’t lose time, because she might be in danger, but I also know that going blindly in there won’t help in the slightest.”

Both Ivar and Felix were taken aback, because Tala was usually shy and gentle, she had been a constant comforting figure, but right now, she wasn’t ready to step down.

And she had told the truth.

They were also losing time arguing amongst themselves.

“… I love (Y/N), as a sister” she spoke, and now her softness broke through her front “… I can’t even fathom the thought that I’ll give birth without her by my side. But I’ll endure it, if I know that she’ll soon be safe in my arms and that we’ll be the same”.

Lagertha gently moved to the trembling pregnant woman, whispering a few comforting words, as Felix did the same, caressing her round belly, meanwhile Tala leaned against him, the man gently adjusting her so that she could sit on him, with her front against his, as she enveloped him in a tight hug.

Ivar couldn’t help but miss you even more dearly as this happened.

He just wished that he could do the same as Felix with you.

He wanted you there with him, because he wanted to apologize for the last words he had said to you.

They burned in his memory.

And he just wished he could bring you as close as Felix was doing with Tala, whispering soft and comforting words.

But he had never been able to do such a thing.

He had solely been able to break your heart.

“… I’ll wait, but…” he commented, breaking apart the beautiful moment “… I am worried for her”.

“We are all worried for her” assured him Lagertha, as she shot a quick look to Felix, who continued in hiding in his wife’s hair “… and Astrid is with her, so believe me I have no intention to let this go”.

“I’ll gut Gustaf” he hissed roughly, after that, because he couldn’t shove his anger onto Lagertha or Felix if he wanted to have some alleys in his mission.

But Gustaf?

That fucktard wouldn’t have lasted a day once he got ahold of him.

“We all agree on that” answered him Lagertha, with a dark smile.

He’d have you soon in his arms.

And he’d have his revenge.

But for now, he’d just listen in to the what the council knew about Gustaf.

He seemed a ghost, who had risen to power during the insecurity of the throne of Kattegat, meanwhile they were in England.

He had started with small raids around fellow Viking villages, and had proclaimed himself king, raising a small but sneaky army.

Lagertha admitted to having undervalued him, thinking he wouldn’t be anything too big and that Kattegat would have held itself against him.

But it hadn’t.

And now you were paying for all her mistakes.

---

A few women had been allowed inside the boat to wash your body from days of dirt and to preserve your modesty from the men’s eyes, as they gently dabbed your body with water soaked tissues that they pressed to your body, then moving you to a bathtub brough inside just for you and Astrid, allowing you a bit of intimate time.

The one it took you to give Astrid your answer.

During the time that you had had before the boat had docked, you had realized one thing.

This child hadn’t been blessed by a good timing.

And as much as you knew that Ivar would have cursed you for your decision, you couldn’t deny that if the gods had blessed your pregnancy, they wouldn’t have allowed Gustaf to take you.

They would have allowed your pregnancy to appear much before.

But in truth they were all pretty lies about the fact that you were scared to end up like your mother.

And not solely a tired woman, relegated to child bearing but one that wouldn’t have loved her children truly.

For all this time you had tried your best to fake that the growing belly on your stomach wasn’t anything more than a dream, a feverish dream.

You had tried not to get too attached to the baby.

You hadn’t considered it truly, except when your belly stiffened for another vomiting session.

You just couldn’t bring this pregnancy to its rightful end.

There were so many reasons why it was cursed.

And in the end as Astrid had said: it was your decision.

‘I can’t keep the baby’ you had whispered in her long hair, free from the braids to be properly washed, as she kept her face impassible ‘… I’ll wait to know your plan to get rid of it’.

Although the words seemed to easy, they hurt your tongue.

Almost as if somebody had decided to rasp coarse paper against it.

And now your tongue bleed, crying for the injustice of the words.

‘Sweet baby’ that was the first time you addressed it in your mind ‘… I can’t have you, right now. It wouldn’t be fair to birth you in chains, meanwhile your father has his own plan to destroy himself’.

There would have been others.

You tried to console yourself with that thought.

But your tricky mind knew that although you might have been blessed with others, they would have never ever been like this one.

And yet, it was the best choice through the worst-dealt cards Destiny had given you.

Astrid didn’t give you any judgement and lightly nodded, the only semblance of an agreement appearing between you two, as she moved to wash your hair.

And you were glad she couldn’t see your tears for the child that you had never wanted and would never have.

You tried to focus on the steps ahead, instead.

Now that you were on land, you’d have both advantages and disadvantages.

It certainly would have been easier to go escape on land, but at the same time you wouldn’t have made it quite far, hadn’t you found a way to secure yourself boat back to Kattegat.

And most importantly you didn’t know where you truly were.

You hadn’t been able to keep up the time in the stomach of the boat, although you were sure that not even a week had passed since you had been kidnapped, so you couldn’t truly understand how far you were from home.

It was almost torture to think about everything that was wrong and difficult in that moment.

Because you saw no way to escape this.

But you had to keep your mind lucid to see anything that might be helpful.

So, for now you played the caught princess, as you let the guards bind your hands together, thinking about the fact that it would have been so easy to knee them in the groin, grab the rope and tighten it around their necks, as your older brothers had taught you.

You just smiled as Gustaf moved to examine you.

“Gotta make sure that you look like the princesses I promised my people” he smirked, as he looked at the dress you were wearing, something that was quite luxurious you had to say, but it just made you feel exposed “… now smile”.

“You might have bond my hands, but you don’t control my mind” replied tightly Astrid, as he moved to examine her, meanwhile the guards’ eyes ranked over her body as you heard tight whispers of ‘whore’ and ‘fucking cunt’.

You kept your mouth shut.

And not simply because you were feeling like retching again.

Gustaf ignored completely Astrid’s comment and simply turned to you, as you ducked your head, playing the submissive lady act.

You were led away and before you knew it you were in the middle of nowhere, as you tried to understand your surroundings, but it was nothing like Kattegat, although the weather was quite much more chilly and you were almost glad when Gunnar gentlemanly enveloped you in his mantle.

But at the same time, it reminded you of your first ‘date’ with Ivar, making you feel guilty for the intimate gesture.

Ivar back at that time had been too nervous for any physical contact, but as he had seen you shivering, he had cursed loudly commenting on your stupidity to wear ‘such a light dress on such a cold night’, but he had wrapped you up in his own furs, finally finding the courage to envelop you in a loose hug.

But then as you moved further on the hidden road, an hidden city revealed underneath you, spurred on by the heavy movements of the soldiers marching with you, enveloping in a tight grip your bodies, as Astrid also looked as surprised as you.

And entire population, half the one of Kattegat, but still impressive, was living in rocks-like house, something that would have almost seemed like a fairytale, hadn’t it been reality happening in front of you.

“… I know that it isn’t as majestic as your own city, but this is my land, ladies, the one that will host you till we get your weight in gold” he presented it to you, as more people came out of their small huts.

“So, we are hosts?” this time it was your voice unable to stop itself from emerging “… why then are my hands bound?”.

“For your safety, my lady” commented Gustaf with a triumphing smile “… wouldn’t want you to run off and be brought back with the hard manners”.

“My husband will have your head if you touch as much as a hair on my head”.

Because even if you and Ivar were on strained terms, he wouldn’t have allowed you to be dishonored.

If not for your honor, certainly for his.

“Then you better behave, lady (Y/N)” commented Gustaf with hungry eyes moving to your body and you tightened the mantle around your body, as you felt like a useless bratty princess.

Gustaf clearly wasn’t scared of Ivar.

He should have been.

But the fact that he wasn’t, made him bold… and dangerous.

“… she is a princess” backed you up, Astrid as her hands went to your “… I wouldn’t forget that”.

“Princes, princesses and subjects… that’s how the world works, isn’t it?” asked Gustaf, something almost fanatical appearing in his eyes “… but that isn’t how it works in my land! I brought here the rejects, the warriors that were left behind…”.

And you immediately noticed that a few of the men around you had missing limbs or didn’t look in the slightest like the typical image of a warrior.

“… the women that nobody wanted” and this time it wasn’t simply the one that didn’t look ‘normally’ beautiful, you knew he meant that one that nobody wanted to marry and the ones that had been too abused by men to want another between their legs “… and the children that nobody wanted”.

His voice seemed to shift onto a softer tone as he said this, almost as if he had personal experience in this.

You took the information and stored it in your mind.

“… so welcome to the land of nobody, my ladies” he proclaimed with a quick look at you both “… this will be your new home from now on”.

----

Ivar had been allowed to go back home on his own, although he knew that Lagertha’s spies trailed after him.

More because they were worried that he might try to do something stupid to get you, than because they were sure he’d try to overthrow Lagertha.

And hadn’t Ivar had that ‘small’ fight with you, he would have certainly thought about that.

But now, he just couldn’t.

You had been right in berating him, after you had searched for a solution that his goddamn pride made him refuse to accept.

And now you were paying the consequences.

He knew that you had to be treated well.

That’s what he would have done with such an emotionally important hostage.

Touching one single hair on the head of such an important hostage would have meant the captor’s death, if they hadn’t the army to back it up.

Their gain would have been more if you were alive.

But you could have been bruised.

Roughed up and… made to service men.

And he would have made them paid dearly for it.

He was trying to bring himself to move away from the hallway of Kattegat, thinking that even if he wouldn’t have slept, he would have probably smelt a bit of your perfume in your mattress, when he saw somebody walking in.

Ylva, your healer and friend.

He was surprised to find her, but she smiled at him sweetly, as she moved further up to him and the guards in the hall let her come closer, although he saw a spy dispatching himself from the others, probably to inform Lagertha of this meeting.

“Ahhh look at the lucky man!” she commented softly, as she came closer to him and he tried his best to smirk softly at the older woman.

She had been the main reason why he had been able to marry you, since she had constantly supported you in your decision to marry the crippled prince, alongside helping him to get through the pain, with brews of herbs and bottle of oils.

“Ylva, what are you doing here? Are you not supposed to be in your hut throwing curses and brewing potions?” he asked trying to appear gingerly happy.

Ylva lived isolated from everyone, so he was sure she hadn’t heard the news of your kidnapping and he reasoned with himself that it was best not to say anything, at least for a bit since.

Ylva had been like a mother to you and he knew that she was also attached to you, like one.

He didn’t want to make her worry.

“… I do that only on special days, you know me, Ivar!” she commented before shooting him a softer look “… and what are you doing out of the cage? I thought that you were locked inside”.

“I escaped” he commented dryly.

“Then (Y/N) convinced you, didn’t she?” she smirked sweetly at him and hearing your name was like a punch in the gut but he tried his best to hide it “… I knew that the child would do the trick…”.

“What child?” asked Ivar confused, although a terrible sensation started brewing in his stomach as Ylva shot him an annoyed look, almost as if she thought that he was playing dumb.

“The one in her stomach, Ivar” she commented immediately and suddenly Ivar couldn’t help but choke on his own breath “… your wife is pregnant, Ivar! But I confide she has told you…”.

You were with child…

… in some foreign island…

“… she hasn’t told me, actually” he obliged himself to speak as Ylva came to support him “… she hasn’t been able to… she… an attack overcame Kattegat, and she was taken…”.

He had berated you for not having given him a child, in your last meeting.

And now you were pregnant.

And away from him.

“Ivar…” breathed Ylva anchoring him back to earth, and away from the horrible thought he had been having about you, broken and your unborn child separated in the womb from you “… I had no idea…”.

“I’ll bring her home” he promised to Ylva, because he knew that no matter what he’d bring you back to Kattegat.

And then he didn’t know if it was the shock or stress, he passed out in Ylva’s arms.

---

You had been led into one of the largest rock-houses, discovering that inside they could be quiet homely, and rich, although the entire design tended to look more like a jumble of various riches that probably came from different raids.

Or so you supposed.

You saw them throwing in a few of the ones they had successfully stolen from Kattegat as you were led to your own private rooms.

More like cells, although they were ample.

You had been locked inside, till you heard a pipping voice chatting brightly with the guard, and soon the door opened under a small key that the girl hid quickly her cleavage, but you noticed the movement, trying to search a way to make her accidentally spit it out.

She was quite a beauty, although she had one missing eye, covered by an elegant bandage on it, bright pink of something that seemed quite exotic.

But her fierce attitude definitely made up for the absence of the eye.

She asked you what she could do to make your staying better, suggesting some herbs if you were still feeling nauseous from the boat.

“I’d like to know your name, firstly” you asked, knowing that to set up an emotional bond with anyone would have been useful, even more with the woman that had the literal key to your freedom.

She seemed taken aback by your request and you were satisfied by that, although she hid her surprise quite well.

“… and my stomach is slowly settling itself on his own, but what I’d like is some information, obviously if you are allowed to talk”.

She nodded, shyly, as she ducked her head away from you, almost as if she was used to hide the missing eye on her face.

Hadn’t she sided with your captors, you would have gladly befriended her.

“Of course, my lady”.

“This place isn’t on any map, is it?” because obviously the gods couldn’t make this more difficult even if they tried.

The girl shook her head.

“… it is an absolute desert spot and if you aren’t brought her, you’ll never know of its existance” she explained with her eye full of admiration, almost as if she thought this was the best that could ever come to her.

But the truth was that much hadn’t changed.

She was still a slave.

Just because they had changed her chains with the silky ones, it didn’t mean she was out of this.

Gustaf wasn’t a freer of people.

He was a man who saw the anger of rejections and used it against others.

Ivar and he would have gotten along well.

“That’s beautiful” still you played the surprised and brattish lady part “… it is absolutely extraordinary that this was all set up with no record from any other kingdom”.

You saw irritation fall on her face, as if she didn’t want any mention of other kingdoms in her own.

Well, sadly for her, you and Astrid would ruin her marvelous plans.

“… we have no other way than to shield ourselves form the kingdoms that have rejected us” her voice spoke of a pain that made your eyes soften “… sadly we haven’t many choices, unlike you”.

You wanted to tell her that your own freedom wasn’t as wondrous as hers.

But you held your tongue and simply smiled sadly.

“Do you know who my husband is?” you asked her softly “I am the wife to prince Ivar The Boneless, and I can assure you that he made many great things, even with…”.

“… he is a prince, my lady” she commented, again that tight look that this time hit straight in the bullseye “… I was nothing but a miller’s daughter, when my master’s wife caught me spying on her at her husband’s order, catching her with a slave. She made him take my eyes and then told me I should have thanked her for having done ‘a clean job’ “.

Pure anger burned in her eye, as you thought about how similar it had been to Ivar’s.

Hadn’t Gustaf been his competitor, they might have understood each other.

But men with rage that burned so brightly would have never been friends.

They would have burned everything around them.

“I am sorry” you mumbled, as you sent her a tight look “… I didn’t mean to bring back bad memories”.

“I just look forward to the future, my lady” she commented softly, as she sent you one last look “… this place isn’t so bad, once you get used to it”.

“I hope not to sound annoying, but I really hope not to get used to it” you whispered, hoping she wouldn’t hear you, and if she had, she gave no signal of it “… and I hope this won’t sound terrible rude from me, but I’d like to relax a bit, sleep even”.

“Oh, of course, my lady” she replied, hiding quite well her offended expression from you, as she ducked away, locking you in.

And you passed the following three hour counting down the minutes to make sure that you could get ahold of the time, as you watched the color of the sky change, although the windows of your chamber had been chained in, to avoid you another easy escape.

After three hours, the girl finally came back, something much more submissive in her glance as she tried to make you talk, finally revealing you her name, Kari.

But you tried to keep everything close to your chest, as if this was some kind of interrogation.

Kari had you swiftly changed in a new dress, this was far more decorated than the one you had been dressed with, although you were grateful for the fur stitched on its shoulders because the coldness of the rocks, no matter the fireplace blazing, seeped also inside the rocks.

You thought it must be the humidity that stuck to your skin like a second skin.

Although the dress was far more covering than the other, you felt naked without your chess pendant, as you fidgeted with your fingers against its original position.

The thought of having lost it making your heart break.

Although your relationship with Ivar was quite strained, it still hurt you to have lost it.

Ivar had been so proud when he had given it to you.

It had meant the world for you.

Alongside what he had told you to accompany it.

It had made you feel for once as truly his match and not simply his wife.

As you were dressed, all jewelry you wore was taken off you and you could totally understand why, although you didn’t wear much.

Anything could be a weapon, in the right hands.

‘You’ll have them back, my lady’ had commented Kari, as she took your wedding ring matched with your golden earrings.

You doubted they would ever come back to you but you tried to simply nod, before Kari informed you that your hands would have been left unbound to let you eat in piece.

‘Please don’t try anything, you’ll simply hurt yourself’ she finished explaining, treating you almost as a child, and you played along, because you were sure that trying to escape right now would have been a death sentence.

But still the tone she used irritated you.

Almost as if you were to be treated like a precious doll.

And you weren’t.

You had never wanted to be one.

But you endured it, doing your best to keep your mouth shut.

You didn’t understand Gustaf’s way of playing with you.

This wasn’t the way you would have treated hostages.

Certainly, it was good that he didn’t want to hurt you, but at the same time…

… it made things just unclear to you.

But you were thankful to be brought out of your room, although it wasn’t as small as a cell, it made you uncomfortable to say the least, and although surrounded by guards you felt comfortable in the hall as you looked around with curiosity scanning each door and person.

You were brought down a flight of stair in a bigger room, lighted up by a lot of candles laying around, because of the tough interior of stone, making everything seem quite wary, almost a war room organized to be a parlor for guests.

As if you were guests and not hostages.

And you realized that it was what Gustav wanted to make you seem like.

Honored guests coming to bless him and his people, as you came to a ragtag table full of good smelling food, something that awakened your hunger and before you knew it your own child gave you their own blessing to eat, easing the nausea.

Astrid appeared on the other side and before you knew it, she came barging to you with more emotion than she had shown for the entire time you had known each other.

But soon you discovered that there was much more behind it.

Her hands pushed something in the back of your dress, over into your fur, sticking it to the pins in it, and she whispered in your head to act natural and you did, smiling at her in the most heartsick way.

Soon the guards put themselves between you, regaining order, as Gustaf walked in.

Both on the boat and outside of it, you hadn’t been able to get a good look on his face.

You had to say that indeed he was quite handsome.

He had long light blonde hair, which had been properly set up in a combed hairstyle, highlighting the harsh plane in his face, although he looked quite smaller than you had thought.

Had you to say something about it, you would have commented that he had been a premature baby.

He still wore extremely fine clothes, probably the finest in the entire room, hiding his figure and keeping the straightest of figures.

He might have been truly a beautiful creation.

Hadn’t his eyes shone with such a wickedness.

“Princess (Y/N)” now he addressed you properly, but you knew it was all for the people looking at you “… princess Astrid, how did you find your rooms?”.

You stopped Astrid’s remark on her lips, mumbling a soft ‘fine’.

“… I am glad to hear that” he replied, as he pushed one hand out to you, as if he expected you to take it, but you simply smirked back and moved to grab on Astrid’s one, who although hid it, seemed definitely surprised “… we shall sit at the table, by my side, as the honor guests they are”.

This time Astrid’s reply came before of your reply.

“Weren’t we prisoners?” she addressed him harshly and you moved to push her back, as something dangerous appeared in Gustaf’s eyes, but disappeared as soon as his eyes settled on you.

“You are my hosts, as long as you behave”.

A veiled threat.

And your head went accidentally to your stomach, already disappearing before you could fully understand what you had done.

“Now sit down and eat with us” ordered you Gustaf and you complied, getting sat, as you dragged Astrid with you, the guards to push the chairs out for you.

You tried to focus on the food, finally able to eat something without the need to retch it completely, finding yourself famished.

It was also easier because it meant that you could avoid conversations and just hear the other speak, although not much was said, soon Gustaf prompted you both to speak.

He started asking you questions, to which you answered with tight mumbles and slight moves of your head.

“You aren’t a woman of many words, princess (Y/N), are you?” teased you Gustaf and you simply moved to raise your head to send him a tight smile.

“I don’t think that pretty words are needed now” you commented back, as you pushed to go back to your food.

“… not even with your husband?” he replied with a devious smile, something that made your anger spike up, as it almost seemed another invasion of intimacy “… because I think that’s the only thing he can do to entertain a woman”.

You choked on your breath as Astrid shot you a warning look

Still, one thing was to insult you.

Another was to insult your husband.

Mostly on such intimate things, nobody truly had the knowledge of.

As Ivar would have defended your honor, you would have defended his.

Always

“I think that is a case in which pretty words aren’t needed” you commented sternly, as you turned to him cleaning your face in a tissue, before you raised from your chair, alerting a guard “… and so is my presence, I’d like to return to my room”.

“It wasn’t meant to offend you, princess” Gustaf’s eyes burned for the humiliation that you had put him through, but his words were pleading “… do stay and enjoy your meal”.

“I have had enough” although your stomach grumbled “… and I am tired. This is my first night on something that doesn’t move, I want to enjoy it fully”.

Kari immediately moved to follow you, meanwhile the guards waited for Gustaf’s orders, which were simply pushed out by his hand waving dismissively, although his eyes stayed on you till you left the room.

Astrid sent you one last look, her eyes sending you her ‘goodnight’.

And soon you were in your bedchamber, surprising Kari as you asked her to bring you some herbs and hot water to help you digest all the food that you had eaten.

‘… I might have exaggerated with it’ you tried your best to sound helpless and naïve.

Kari just nodded her head, leaving you effectively alone, as you grabbed the small pocket Astrid had pinned in your fur, effectively finding it was the herb you needed.

If it was like Ylva had told you, you’d have to put it in hot water and then drink it and it would have…

… it would have…

… changed you.

When Kari came back, your hands were shaking and you had hidden the herb in the ample sleeves of your dress to be able to hide it among the various herbs she brought alongside a cup of boiled water.

She tried suggesting you a few herbs as you moved to push the ones that you had hidden in the sleeves in its plate as she shifted her attention away from you, and then made your choice, proceeding to put it in the water.

Now all you had to was wait.

And then drink the awfully smelling beverage.

Kari seeing your choice brought everything away, trying to fret around you to avoid seeming as if she was wasting time and you waited for her to leave you alone, to move to check on the beverage, telling her to leave you alone so that you could sleep a bit.

‘I am truly looking forward to sleeping on something that doesn’t move’ you commented trying to brighten up the mood, although you had to hide the shivering of your hands.

And as you turned, the beverage was ready, of a dark color that made your face appear on its reflection, as you thought for one last time about whether this would be a good or not decision.

It was the best among some many bad decisions.

And right when you were moving to drink it, the door behind you opened.

And your hand almost accidentally dropped the mug.

You were halfway through telling Kari if she had forgotten you anything, but Gustaf, instead, stood on the threshold and you couldn’t help but assume an immediate defense stance and utter:

“What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to express my apologies to you, more properly” he spoke loudly, as his eyes were kept on the cup and they slowly came back to your face “… check that you weren’t truly mad with me”.

“You kidnapped me! To say that I am mad with you is an understatement” you commented unable to stop the sass from leaving your mouth.

And you hoped it might distract Gustaf.

But his eyes were smarter.

“… this doesn’t have to be bad, if you don’t make it be” he commented, as he moved towards you as you felt your body suddenly freezing in its position, as he got the cup out of your hand, before he smashed it on the floor “… are you with child, princess?”.

You shook your head, but you were already feeling tears flowing down your face.

“Because I know for sure that frigid bitch of Astrid isn’t, but she asked for a contraceptive brew, claiming that my men raped her, meanwhile she was on the boat”.

And before you knew it, Gustaf, in his slender stature, had pushed you onto the bed, pulling on your hair, as you tried to fight back, but it was no avail, since he had quickly immobilized you under him.

The worry for your belly and the life in it that you had wanted to kill making you quit any attempt of rebellion as Gustaf forced you to look at him in the eyes.

“So, don’t fucking lie to me too, little princess” he spoke tightly “… are you with child?”.

“Yes” it was a choked sob and you tried to at least escape with your face from his harsh glare, as if it lessened the truth of your lips.

And then suddenly Gustaf’s body was away from you, his weight not offending you further.

But his eyes still scared you as they set up on your body, almost as if he could already see the pregnancy overcoming your body.

“You are much more precious than I thought, princess”.

---

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ladala99 · 3 years

Text

Luke’s Rise

(Luke’s Saga, Part 3)

Luke woke up to the sound of battle. The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon, the sheltering stones casting long shadows across the dirt.

Why now? he wondered. And why had no one woken him? He was the last one in the cave, which also was unusual. He sprang to his feet and rushed out to join the battle.

No one was there. The plain was empty of lions, yet he could still hear the battle. It came from all around him, and yet visibly, everything was at peace.

”What’s going on?” he roared. “Where is everyone?”

”Luke?” Ilere’s daughter‘s voice pierced through the battle sounds.

”I’m here,” he called back. “Where is everybody? Where are you?”

Ilere appeared beside Luke. He stepped back a pace, surprised. “I got through, good!” She nuzzled his chest worriedly. “I think Lightning did something to you.”

The Exile Pride’s nature mage, and the one who wanted the Primal lions like Luke dead.

”I hear battle. What’s. . .” Luke trailed off. “Is it real?”

Ilere’s daughter nodded solemnly. “It’s not all of them, but. . . You know what? I think I can show you.”

Ilere’s daughter closed her eyes and planted her feet solidly on the ground. The silver cord that connected her and Luke, but was only visible in the dream world, materialized and grew more strongly. Light shot out of the cord, forming lions made of silvery light, roaring and battling to the sounds Luke could still hear.

Everyone seemed evenly matched. Normal lioness against normal lioness; Ilere against Lightning; and the Exile Pride’s challenging male, Blaze, against Luke’s father and pride leader, Chill.

Wait, the last match made no sense. Chill was a Primal Lion. Sure, he was aging, but he still had enough strength that he should have been able to defeat a regular lion without issue. Yet here the fight was, neither side showing weakness. Was Blaze really that strong?

”I have to wake up. I have to help!” Luke said. If he was out there, he could turn the tides. He looked at Ilere’s daughter, who was still straining to keep the images visible. “Where am I? Still in the cave?”

Ilere’s daughter let the images fade. “I don’t think so - I couldn’t find you. I used our connection to reach you here.” She looked Luke straight in the eyes. “I think, to get you out, I’ll need your help. And I’ll need help from...” she trailed off, looking at the silvery line. “I might not be the same afterwards.”

She hadn’t used her demonic powers much. She had been afraid they’d corrupt her, and Luke didn’t want that to happen either.

”Is it the only way out?” Luke asked. “If... if the fight’s not too bad, maybe we should wait until your mom—“

He was cut off by an agonized roar which abruptly ended, coming from where the battle between Chill and Blaze had been. Ilere’s daughter’s eyes widened and her ears flattened.

”Was that...?” Luke didn’t want to finish the thought. Was his father hurt? Or worse...

”We’re doing this now,” Ilere’s daughter said. The silvery line between them glowed brighter.

”What do I need to do?”

”Strengthen our bond. You know how our families go - the Primal king commands the demon lioness. Take your rightful place, Luke, and give me the order.”

Luke could tell that simply saying “get me out” wouldn’t be enough. He had to use their connection.

He reached down and grabbed the glowing chain that tied their fates together. Probably unnecessary, since it was a metaphorical object, but it felt like the right thing to do. He held it up and watched as the chain tightened around Ilere’s daughter. He also felt it tighten around his own neck.

”Use your powers,” he said, “Get me back to the real world. Give me strength for what I must do. Help me win, whatever it takes.”

The chain started to glow red, like the one he had seen connecting his father to Ilere. This was it.

Ilere’s daughter also started to glow red, her eyes brightening with unholy power. Luke felt himself being lifted up, but he still seemed to be on solid ground.

”Please stay my friend,” he added. “If it’s possible.”

Lions faded into view around them, and their chain disappeared. Sure enough, they were re-entering the real world.

And Luke saw exactly what he feared. The Exile Pride’s champion, blood dripping from his mouth, and Chill laying motionless on the ground beside him.

Time seemed to slow. Luke flung himself at Blaze with a mighty roar. He didn’t even think, he just fought. His muscles felt filled with strength anew, and it wasn’t clear whether it was instinct or Ilere’s unholy assistance.

Blaze also seemed to have help. He reacted quickly, and didn’t even seem tired from his struggle with Chill. Every blow he struck hit hard, and often hit a weak spot.

Blaze seemed unphased by Luke’s attacks and slashed with deadly intent. He hit a nerve that caused Luke to collapse, and bared his teeth, ready to kill again.

Time stopped. It didn’t just seem to stop - Blaze froze in place, teeth bared and leaning in for the kill. Lionesses froze mid-slash. Red light erupted from the ground and covered the battlefield.

Luke scrambled away from Blaze’s deadly chomp. He spotted Illere’s daughter aglow.

”How is he so strong?” Luke asked, hoping she was conscious enough to answer.

”He trained for this.” It wasn’t Ilere’s daughter that answered, but Ilere herself. The elder demon lioness padded calmly away from her fight with Lightning, who was still baring her teeth. “And Lightning’s magic is strengthening him.” She surveyed the frozen battlefield. “So my daughter has potential, after all. Well Luke, will you use this opportunity to finish your fight?”

Luke looked at Blaze and his wild expression. He still felt rage at the fiery lion for killing Chill, but this was too easy. “It feels weird to attack a frozen opponent. Can’t he be de-powered?”

Ilere cocked her head. “What about the other way?”

”Isn’t she already powering me up? Especially now with the frozen time thing?”

Ilere paced around Luke. “If she can do this, she can make you invincible. Or whatever you please. Give her the order and it will be done.”

Luke looked at Ilere’s daughter. Could she even hear them? Would she still be herself after this battle? He mentally felt around for their connection, the one symbolized by the silvery chain. He found it - it felt warm now. Warm like affection. He let that feeling fill him.

Is your mother right? he asked. How much can you do?

My mother’s main power is hypnosis. Her voice echoed all around him. Mine is all about dreams. I didn’t quite do what you asked earlier - I didn’t bring you out to the real world. Instead, I forced everyone else into the dream world. Blaze believed he was invincible, and that is why you couldn’t harm him. You cannot kill him here, but neither can he kill you.

Can you wake me and only me up? he asked.

Yes.

Luke opened his eyes. He was inside a circle of pebbles with some herbs beside him. Lightning had tried something, alright, but it seemed it held him no more. He headed back to the main territory, and lions scattered around the main camp, twitching in their sleep. All had their eyes closed.

All except Blaze. His eyes were wide open, and he was growling slightly. He clearly was trapped in a dream-like state, his body refusing to move. Chill’s unmoving body was beside the Exile champion. Luke approached and sniffed his father - the body was cold. That was real. Chill was dead.

It would be so easy to get revenge on Blaze, killing him in his paralyzed state. Too easy. And something inside Luke didn’t want to simply kill the other lion. He wanted him to fully realize what he had done. That Chill had been innocent.

Wake him, Luke commanded.

The Exile champion blinked and sprang to his feet. He growled and tried to leap onto Luke, but Luke’s superior Primal strength easily forced him back. Lightning’s power had clearly faded. Blaze tried a few more times to land a good blow, but Luke easily defended himself, continuing his defense until Blaze tired himself out.

”Give it up,” Luke said. “It’s over. You may have killed the king, but you did not win the throne. If you have any respect for how this normally goes, you would leave these lands and never return.”

”You had help,” Blaze growled. “That demon. I cannot let your plague spread!” He clawed at Luke’s throat, but Luke stepped back just in time.

”You had help, too,” Luke said. “And let’s not forget you are the one that attacked us.”

Lions around the clearing started to wake up and stand. Ilere’s daughter stood by Luke’s side. The other lions didn’t resume their fights.

”I let them know the situation,” she said. “You have allies on the other side, Luke. If everyone fought for their true loyalties, even without magic, your side would win. Lightning isn’t happy, but we are victorious.”

Luke looked at the gathered lions. “What does that mean, though? Will the Exiles go home? I don’t want this to be an endless cycle.”

Ilere’s daughter gestured and Lightning came forward. The Exile mage didn’t meet Luke’s eyes.

”She is the source of your problems,” Ilere’s daughter said. “Eliminate her, and they won’t bother us again. Perhaps they might even join us. Our hunting grounds are better than theirs.” Her speech pattern somewhat disturbed Luke; this wasn’t like her. But he’d deal with that later.

”I won’t kill you,” Luke said to Lightning. “That battle is over. However, I can't let you go free after what you have done. We would have left you alone had you not attacked.”

”She wouldn’t have,” Lightning muttered, flicking her tail at the elder Ilere. “And you... I thought you were fighting against the dark magic. And here you use it?”

“You left me no alternative,” Luke said. He flicked his tail for Ilere’s daughter. “Can you keep her under control?”

---

Being king wasn’t what Luke had expected. The former Exiles all decided to stay with his pride, although half of them were still afraid of Ilere and her daughter. Luke didn’t blame them, but he made sure Ilere wasn’t given free reign like she had been under Chill.

Lightning... was tough. Luke kept a close eye on her, and if he was busy, Ilere’s daughter kept her under watch. Or just used her magic to keep the nature mage asleep. It wasn’t the best solution, but he could neither justify letting her go nor killing her.

Blaze left the pride, defeated and embarrassed.

Ilere’s daughter didn’t regain her old personality. Unleashing her powers like that had changed her, although she didn’t seem to be as evil as her mother was. At least, not yet. Perhaps she was content having something to do with keeping Lightning under control.

#lioden #lion pride story

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samnherondale · 4 years

Text

Kit dies in this one

Well, this has been a big thing. I wrote this fc almost 7 or 8 months ago in Spanish, (I’m Mexican), but I had some friends that wanted to read it too but they didn’t know Spanish. So, I translated it in English, and let me tell you, it took me a loooot of time. But I’m happy it’s finally ready. I hope you like it, and I warn you, it’s really, REALLY LONG. And no, this doesn’t have a second part or a continuation... at least I don’t think so. It might take another 7 or 8 months to know the answer. In the meantime, enjoy this! @toka-sketch For you, deary c:

Both had gone to Faerie on a mission. One that Kit was sure that would reveal the true nature of the disappearance of the Seelie Queen and her alliance with the the Downworlders.

He knew that doing this will be dangerous, of course he knew it. His secret about his blood heritage and the power he could have to take control of the Faerie lands was something that many magic creatures would give anything they have only to own it.

Despite the fact the Riders were still after him, his duty as a Shadowhunter kept telling him that every mission related with faeries he had done was something personal that he needed to take by his own hand. Specially if it was a Seelie stuff.

Almost every time he managed to do his missions alone, which made Tessa and Jem mad every time he returned home almost passing out because of pain, incapable of healing himself, having lost many steles and even once he had appeared with one hand almost completely separated from his body. Everything because a goblin had attacked him by surprise with a little axe while he screamed: “Any part of a Shadowhunter is valuable in the Shadow Market!”

Kit had had enough force to attack him, leaving him unconscious, but not before having received a terrifying wound in his wrist, the edge of the axe had sunk on his skin.

When he returned home, Tessa and Jem had called Catarina Loss, and immediately Tessa and she manage to save him before it was too late.

When he got out of danger, Catarina gave him some herbs to help him sleep. But before he could close his eyes completely, he heard the ring of the warlock’s phone and listened as she said: “He’s fine. No, he didn’t lose his hand. Yes, I’m sure. I’m looking at it right now, safe and in one piece. Ty, why aren’t you doing your homework? How’s Irene?”

Maybe fatigue was playing with his mind, because he thought he’d listened Ty’s name. Anyway, it didn’t matter, just thinking about him made Kit remember bad things. And before he could sleep at last, his mind was gentle with him and made him forget those last words forever.

That was the first and last time that Jem yelled at Kit for being so reckless.

Later he saw Tessa talking with Jem.

“He’ll be more careful. A Herondale always learns from their mistakes,” she had told him as her hand stroke his hair.

“A Herondale learns from their mistakes after having committing them more than once,” Jem said, his hand was moving nervously. Silence lead them both to a time when they revived a memory that happened a long time ago.

And then they punished him. It was the first time that someone scolded him; he wasn’t allowed to leave home for any mission for a month. His friends could only visit him once and… well, he was a prisoner.

However Jem and Tessa allowed him to go out again. After all, he was a Shadowhunter and being in danger was part of the job. Although he always had to go accompanied.

He had done missions with Dru, Jaime, Jace and Clary (those two weren’t capable to go anywhere without the other), even with Julian (something he didn’t enjoy at all.)

And somehow his identity as the First Heir’s descendant was something that only Jem, Tessa, Magnus, Jace, and Clary knew.

Kit had thought he had persuaded Jem and Tessa to let him work alone again. He was tasting the victory on his lips at the moment when his parents let him leave home. But his smile vanished in a blink when he opened the door and saw that a very tall boy with black hair was waiting for him while he was pulling from his Shadowhunter jacket and not looking directly at Kit but at his side.

It was Ty Blackthorn. They had been friends for a while and then got separated for years. Kit knew that Ty had been studying at the Scholomance and in that time he had grown a lot. He was taller than Kit, maybe even for a head. His body remained thin but Kit was willing to bet that his muscles had strengthened as his, thanks to the trainment. And his gray eyes had the same peculiar grayish shadow that none of his siblings shared with him. A well preserved pair of black headphones hanged up around his neck.

“Hello, Kit,” he said.

Kit sighed and shook his head. Although he had left Ty’s side years ago, when Ty came back to Los Angeles, it didn’t take him too much to meet Kit again. And it had been absolutely awkward, but the have learned to work with each other because that was what Shadowhunters do. Nephilim’s duty was with the Angel Raziel and their vow to protect every person or creature who couldn’t do it by themselves.

At least, they’d seen each other two or three times per month, but they never said more than a few gentle words to each other or just talked about some strategy plans.

Ty never seemed to be bothered by it and Kit decided he felt the same.

Or that’s what he thought, until Dru dragged them both to a room in the Institute and forbade them to leave it if they didn’t talk and “fix their mess” first.

Whatever that means, Kit had thought.

Ty and Kit were silent for almost an hour unable to start a proper conversation. Kit stayed sit on a couch while Ty kept moving through the room over and over again, Kit was sure he touched every piece he could find, twice.

Then Ty cleared his throat. “We won’t do his if you don’t want to,” he said. And Kit remembered a time long ago when Ty had told him that people normally looked for excuses when they didn’t want to do something.

Ty continued when he realized that Kit wasn’t going to respond. “Kit we are not going to get out of here if you don’t help me to solve this.

Kit closed his eyes and laid down his hands on the couch heavily. “What do you want to know?” he replied.

He heard the moment Ty stood by his side, but not too close to brush his body or at least touch him. “Anything, I think. I don’t want you to lie to me, I just want you to be honest. Are you still angry with me?”

Kit dared himself to look at him and even though Ty wasn’t looking at his eyes, his stare was set on Kit’s lips and he was frowning, as if his deductions couldn’t give him the answer of the words that would leave from Kit’s mouth.

Kit decided he was tired. Tired of feeling so miserable every time he thought about Ty, and he could end it here and now. He only needed to say the right words that would give Ty and he peace, even though he wasn’t completely sure about it, he wished they could give some calm inside Ty.

“Believe me, Ty. I was never angry at you.”

Ty let himself sit at his side, but even as it looked like an invisible weight had left his body, his frown didn’t disappear.

“But you left anyway.”

Kit ignored the pain in his chest and shrugged. “They didn’t need me anymore. Everything had ended.”

“But I–”

“No,” Kit interrupted him and decided that if he smiled at him it would lessen the true nature of his words. “You didn’t need me either, but I think you already knew that, deep inside you.”

Ty breathed deeply and for the first time in what felt like an entire life, Ty and he shared a look. Ty smiled at him and Kit felt that his lies would be knocked down with that mere gesture. He looked away before Ty could realize.

“Kit, I think we can be friends again. I’m serious, I want to try it.”

Kit didn’t know what to answer. Did he really want to be friends with Ty? And just that? Will it be as easy as to say it than doing it?

“Okay.” It was the only thing he said and he ignored the doubts that surrounded him. “But it will take a while.”

Ty nodded. “I know. And I want to ask you something else.” Ty seemed to feel uncomfortable again, his right hand started shaking slightly. If someone didn’t know Ty they wouldn’t have noticed it, but Kit saw it as something completely noticeable. “I just… I don’t want you to hide anything from me. I’m still a terrible liar, but I know how to avoid things that I don’t want to talk about, and I’ll always know when something is wrong, even if sometimes I don’t know the reason. I don’t want that to happen to us… again.

Kit didn’t have to ask him what was he talking about; he remembered too well what meant not telling Ty how he’d really felt about bringing his sister back from the death.

But that happened years ago.

Kit agreed in what Ty was asking. He didn’t want secrets to interpose in their new beginning. If he was being honest, it was the start of something that had never actually finished.

Both young boys started fighting hand to hand in every mission they got assigned, but a new distance remained between themselves that wasn’t there before when they were younger. But it was something that they needed to learn to live with.

And it wasn’t that Kit had decided not tell Ty about his blood heritage related with the First Heir, the real problem was that he truly forgot it.

That day he’d been so wrapped in his past that his mind erased his present and his future. And when he remembered what his life meant for others, he felt he needed to protect Ty of every danger that will suffer if he knew something so important and mortal.

So he decided he would not say anything, and he prayed the Angel for never have to confess it.

That day when Ty appeared on his door they had completed ten missions together and without any other Shadowhunter. Their new assignment was to investigate the secret that the Seelie Queen had been hiding for almost three years and rumor has it, that involved his son, Ash Morgenstern.

Ty and he have been tracking the Queen for a while and they were sure they would know about her whereabouts soon. Really soon. Kit knew the danger Ty would face if Kit’s true identity was discovered in front of his eyes. And it was one of the main reasons why he wanted to continue the searching alone, but his wishes weren’t granted.

They were both armed just like a Shadowhunter and a Centurion must be. After seeing how useful an axe in a battle was, Kit decided he wanted to use that weapon as his own. An enormous double edge and arched peak axe made of adamas, with only one strike it could cut anything, the handle had been made by Jem and it had a pair of herons engraved on it. And Kit had named it Argemonia. Anyone could say that it was a weapon as big and majestic as Cortana. No Shadowhunter had ever had such a peculiar weapon, and Kit felt proud for having something that was completely his and that could be recognized between others.

To some others it just looked like a bad joke after what Kit had to go through to finally decide to have Argemonia as his own weapon, but he believed it was something fantastic and more original than some common daggers or knives that his ancestors or even Jace had used to fight.

Even Ty didn’t understand his fondness for something monstrously big and that made Ty sick every time their enemies took it and attacked Kit with his own weapon.

He'd saved him so many times from a hopelessly destiny, he wished Kit would use another weapon, but he always said no.

This time when they got to Faerie, the Seelie Court found them. They were surrounded, and disarmed in a glance. Kit cursed quietly when they were taken to a place that none of them knew at all and there, calmly resting under the gap of a tall tree, was the Queen.

They didn’t have a moment to say anything, when the Queen laid her eyes on Kit, a glimpse of recognizement crossed her face and she smiled.

Kit was terrified, not for what could happen to him but for Ty that looked at his surroundings without even knowing what was really going on.

The Queen approached Kit and before she could say anything, he talked first.

“You don’t need the Centurion,” he told her with stillness in his voice, his hands were hooked behind his back, he didn’t want the Queen to see they were shaking. He felt the moment Ty tensed behind him, his eyes were fixed on Kit.

“Kit–?”

“You don’t need him,” Kit repeated hastily. He wasn’t brave enough to put his eyes on Ty again, this was his sacrifice and for Ty, he would do it without hesitation. “You know who I am. You’ve heard about me, you know who I am. Please, just let him go and I promise we’ll talk about anything you want.”

The Queen’s beautiful features traced her face in symmetric forms, little freckles embellished her skin, she was using a dress that looked as if it was made of autumn leaves. Kit had never been in front of any creature so beautiful and lethal.

The Queen looked like she had guessed his thoughts because her grin grew wider and she stroke his face with her thin hands and her extremely gigantic pointed nails.

“Indeed I know who you are, Heir,” she said and her voice seemed to charm the boys’ senses. They’ve never been in the presence of the Queen of Faerie. “And you are finally here. I did not think you would be so stupid to come by your own will, but I believe that is because you are a Herondale. Always martyrs of their destiny.”

“Kit, what’s going on?” Ty’s voice wasn’t afraid but confused, so much that his words came out like a whirl, so fast that Kit barely understood them.

“Kit,” the Queen repeated his name with distaste. “What kind of name is that for the descendant of the First Heir?” The Queen grabbed Kit by his hair and twisted it hard. “Yes, you have her hair. But your face and that arrogant posture blacken her name. I cannot believe that she had decided to have her offsprings with a Herondale.”

Kit push himself off the Queen’s grip. “I would love to catch up with you, aunt. But if you don’t let go Ty right now, I will, and I’ll show you what being a Herondale truly means,” he said, a growl started forming in his throat.

Ty didn’t seem to be paying attention anymore. Surely the young boy had guessed what was happening, Kit knew he was intelligent enough to have studied the entire history of the Lost Herondale and the First Heir. Kit wanted to tell him he was sorry, but tied up and surrounded by the Queen’s Folk, every movement threatened their lives.

The Queen took a step back and slapped Kit so furiously that his face turned with the action, he tasted blood in his mouth.

“She was my daughter and you talk about her blood as if it were merely something as disgusting as a Shadowhunter.”

Kit couldn’t stop himself and he let out a giggle, he was sure every faerie around them heard it even though it was the most delicate and silent sound of all. “Well, she fell in love with one of us. Didn’t she?”

This time, the Queen didn’t touch him. But suddenly Kit felt that he wasn’t able to breathe, he was drowning and he needed air. Although everything inside him begged him to let his body fall and lose consciousness, his ties that caught his hands and feet tightened keeping him standing upright.

“Stop it! Stop!” someone screamed. No, not someone. Ty.

The Queen didn’t stop. Kit needed to do something, he would die if he didn’t do something fast.

His powers did not manifest as much as he wished. That power that embraced him and protect his loved ones had been able to appear just a few times and only if it was a life or death situation. And it always, always led him so exhausted that he slept for entire days.

Now, he had to use that power or they would die. Kit tried not to think about the pain he was feeling, his brain seemed to want to explode, and his nose was bleeding. But he needed to concentrate. He had to concentrate if he wanted to get out of here with Ty safe.

“You were wrong about something, Heir,” the Queen said and her words stroke him as if they were comforting him in his deathbed. “I loved my daughter more than anything in this world or any other. But the moment she died, her story and her legacy died for me. And every offspring that borned after her have just been a threaten for my lands and the Unseelie’s. I have never wanted anything that you possess inside yourself, now I have my son and he will be imposing and unstoppable, he will rule all Faerie at all costs.” The Queen touched Kit’s face again, her hand pulled away a strand of hair that was covering his eyes. The gesture could have been described as something almost maternal.

“You have been an inconvenience that had to be eliminated. Now you are nothing.” Her voice as soft as satin. The Queen walked away from Kit.

Even though Ty and Kit were inches apart, Ty start yelling at his name, despair involving his voice. That was the moment when Kit let go of his powers.

The faeries that were around them started screaming and crying, Kit knew his powers burned and turned to ashes those who were near enough to feel his power. He didn’t worry about Ty’s safety, Kit knew his power and knew that it only hurt those who he considered his enemies.

He felt the moment when the Queen’s grip loosed and he started breathing again. He realized he had closed his eyes the moment he made an effort to open them and see what he had done.

It was obvious he hadn’t killed the Queen, that was something almost impossible to do, but he’d hurt her enough to make her run, but her servants hadn’t been so lucky.

Neither Kit nor Ty were tied up anymore, their weapons –Argemonia included– were a few feet far from them.

Kit felt dreadfully tired, every bone in his body ached as if they were burning up inside him. He couldn’t think straight but someone was saying his name.

Kit’s eyes finally were able to focus on Ty. He was trembling from head to toe, his face was contracted in an expression of pain –or frustration, or worrying– that changed his aspect completely. But Kit barely noticed it. “Hold me,” he said in a pitiful whimper.

He didn’t know if Ty had understood the words, he let himself fall and before he even touched the ground, a pair of arms held him tight.

“Kit? Kit!” Ty called him a lot of times, and even though the only thing that Kit wanted was to comfort Ty and tell him that he was alright, he lose consciousness in a blink.

* * *

Ty knew what had happened hadn’t hurt Kit. Well, not entirely. Kit was still breathing, repeatedly. He was bleeding from his nose, ears, and mouth, but resting seemed to be working. Minutes had turned into hours and color started to appear in Kit’s cheeks.

Ty used all that time to recover from the shock and when he did it, he dragged Kit under the tree where the Queen had been resting just a few hours ago.

His mind was a tornado made of thoughts, he wished they could shut up because they didn’t allow him to concentrate. When he tried to look for his music player but he realized it had burned because Kit’s power. His headphones were ruined too, but he kept them on his neck.

Without his music his nerves began to increase. He didn’t know if Kit would recover soon and both were still in danger. He could look for help but he wouldn’t leave Kit alone. His sister wasn’t around, she never followed him every time he went to Faerie. Which just left him waiting for Kit to wake up.

Ty took a deep breath. Kit’s head was laying over his lap, Ty had tried to clean some of the blood that was on his face, but there was still a small faded sign of blood on his chin, his hands were stroking Kit’s hair and had stopped shaking a little.

Until he heard a noise. One of his runes let him know that the threat was half a mile away, and it was coming, fast.

He had to wake him up, now.

“Kit,” he said in a whisper. When his partner didn’t respond, Ty tried to hit him. Kit woke up, his eyes were encircled by shadows that weren’t there before, and when he tried to sit up he hit his head against the tree trunk.

He wasn’t fine, Ty realized. But he needed his help, someone was coming and he couldn’t tell if they were too many for them to defeat.

“Ty?” Kit said rubbing his hindhead clumsily. He began to falter, and Ty got ready to catch him, but he didn’t fall. “What… what happened?”

Ty didn’t want to think about it, if he thought about what had happened his mind would mix all his memories that had with Kit, and he wouldn’t be able to connect his words with the anger, betrayal, and pain that he was feeling at the moment.

“Someone’s coming,” he told him instead, and took his seraph blades. Kit grabbed his axe unwieldy. Ty tried to stop him but Kit’s grip tightened.

“I can fight,” he said firmly even though Ty was sure he would fall at any second.

Both took their place near each other, Kit lifted up Argemonia and prepared to strike. His broad arms seemed strangely weak as if the weight of the weapon could beat his strength before the intruder did it first. They waited until an adult shape of a man of large arms appeared between shadows.

Ty stiffened and reached out for a seraph blade.

“Kyriel,” he whispered and his weapon lighted up. The gleam of his blade illuminated the stranger’s body, and Kit relaxed when he recognized him, he lowered Argemonia.

“Jace,” he said, relief wrapped his words.

Ty didn't understand what was Jace doing in the Seelie kingdom alone. His expression didn't match the heroic Jace that everyone knew: his hair was longer than usual, and his eyes seemed to have lost the mischievous and charming glimmer that used to distinguish him.

Ty watched every aspect of this Jace and he knew, somehow, that this person wasn’t the Jace that he and Kit had known. The problem was that Kit didn't notice it, maybe his bad judgement was influenced by how tired he was, he could barely stand on his feet.

His eyes caught the moment when Kit began to walk toward Jace. Kit began to smile, a sweet and warm smile. “Wait, Kit,” he told him, but Kit didn't seem to have heard him. Ty tried to stop him, but before he could even move a muscle, the other Jace moved with inhuman speed.

Ty and Kit were taken by surprise, Kit stopped walking. Suddenly, both Herondales were facing each other, and Ty saw the moment when distrust set up inside Kit.

“Jace?” Kit said, and fear filled Ty when he saw him stagger. He had to get Kit away from Jace.

But the other Jace didn't give him the opportunity to act, and in a second Jace took power of Argemonia. Kit didn't have a moment to react, not even blink, and before Ty could attack, the sharp edge of Argemonia was sunk in Kit's stomach.

The blade of the weapon was so big that for a moment Ty thought that it had cut him in half. Blood started flowing out like a waterfall, Kit's mouth –which Ty had taken so much effort to clean up just a few moments ago– was covered in an astonishingly bright red color.

The wound might have resisted if the weapon had remained in its place, but Jace tear it out of Kit's body. The movement made a strikingly terrible humid sound. Ty's stomach turned when his mind started to bring back the memory of how his sister had died in the same way years ago.

But this wasn’t a memory. This time, Kit didn't even try to stay on his feet and he fell to the ground soaking the grass with his blood.

Ty threw his weapon aside and ran toward Kit, pushing Jace aside of his way without even thinking how risky that was.

The only thing he could think about was Kit. Kit. Kit. Kit.

Kit smiling at him when they were younger, Kit hugging him every time he had lived his most difficult moments, even the moment when he saw Kit crying for him when– when he told him that he loved him.

And for some reason, that memory hit him like a bucket of cold water that instead of made him react, started an uncontrollable flurry of temblors while his body knelt by Kit’s side.

“My Queen never lets her business unfinished,” said Jace in a flat voice that didn’t seem to show any remorse. “However, she only gave me the order to kill the Heir. She doesn’t want his body to rot in her lands. This is the message of the Queen and her true descendant. Erchomai, Centurion.”

Ty knew that Jace had disappeared when the only sounds he could hear were his breathing and Kit’s dying gasp that was getting harder and harder.

Ty couldn’t speak, the things that had happened were too much, everything was happening so fast, and he wasn’t doing anything to stop them. He just wanted to stop everything, he wanted to stop what was happening, and return to the moment where everything was peaceful, to a moment where he could think quietly and decide what he needed to do.

But he couldn’t stop time, no matter how much he wished for it. Kit was dying in front of his eyes and he had to act right now if he wanted to save him.

He rubbed his eyes with his hand, tears had begun forming and they were blurring his vision. The only thing he could see was red and Kit surrounded by that simple color. His knees were covered with his blood, but he didn’t care.

He reached out for his steele that was in his jacket, his hands were covered with Kit’s blood too. Ty started trembling even more and his steele fell off his hands, he cursed and raised it again. His steele had tarnished with dark blood.

“T-Ty?” Kit’s voice forced Ty to look at his eyes. He didn’t want to, it was the most difficult thing he could do. But it was Kit who was in front of him, he couldn’t leave him now. And when he looked at him, his blue eyes were half closed and haunted by his pain. “Ty–”

“No,” Ty told him, swallowing hard he forced himself to keep talking. “Don’t speak, please. Don’t do it. You’ll hurt yourself, you just have to resist a little more.”

When Ty setted a hand on Kit’s chest he cried out and shrank. Ty wanted to draw away from Kit, he had barely touched him, he didn’t want to know how much he was suffering.

“I have to put you an iratze, it will help you.”

“It hurts…”

Ty breathed deeply and started drawing the rune, he kept talking with Kit. “I know it hurts, I’ve seen how much damage Argemonia can make,” Ty said and remembered all the times he had read in the Scholomance that when someone was gravely injured, the most important thing to do was to keep them awake and alert. “Kit, it’s… it’s a really beautiful weapon, have I ever told you that? I know that everybody said that that thing would get you killed at some moment, but you didn’t have to listen to them. You know, Kit?”

He didn’t answer, and Ty looked away from his rune and dared to look at his face.

“Kit? Kit wake up.” Panic started mixing Ty’s mind and actions once more. With his shaking hand he rested two fingers on Kit’s neck and waited. He still had pulse, he had only fainted.

Ty let out a sigh of relief, he hadn’t realized he had been holding his breath. He drew iratzes one after another, and some runes that would help Kit to recover the blood he had lost.

But every time he drew one, blood started escaping from his body even faster. His iratzes weren’t working as he had wished, they had reduced the wound but it still was enormously big.

Ty thanked the Angel for not having taken Kit from him, at least, not yet. If he could get him out of Faerie, he would have the opportunity to save him and take him back to the Institute. He would need Magnus’ or Catarina’s help, because if Tessa or Jem found what had happened–

Ty closed his eyes. He couldn’t think about that now, he needed to keep Kit alive and he would do it no matter what. He wouldn’t lose Kit, not if that meant that this time he would go to a place where Ty couldn’t follow him.

* * *

Kit didn’t know why he hadn’t died yet. Pain was beyond description, he didn’t think he would be able to get up again.

He couldn’t tell who had stabbed him, but that hadn’t been Jace and he felt terrible for not having noticed it before. Ty had noticed, he had tried to stop him, and probably would have avoided the attack if he hadn’t been so tired for having used his power.

He knew a wound like that would have killed any other person, but Tessa had told him that his power protected him in some ways he couldn't imagine. That didn't make him immortal though, and he was sure enough that if he wasn't cured soon, he would die at any moment.

He didn't know if he had fainted for having exceed the use of his power or for all the blood he had lost, or both. Probably both.

Kit came back to his senses screaming. And it was a fearful scream, he tried to get up but a pair of hands kept him glued to the ground.

Ty was over him and his hands were strongly pressing his wound. Kit felt tears coming out of his eyes and another whimper started forming inside his throat.

“Stop, please stop. Stop,” Kit wept, trying to push Ty’s hands off him.

Ty pressed harder. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he repeated over and over again. Kit was sure he would pass out at any second. “Kit, I’m sorry. I have to keep pressing, I have… I have to do it, Kit.”

Kit heard Ty sobbing. He was crying, just like him. Kit got worried.

“Did… did he hurt you?” Kit asked, biting his lip strongly so he could stop his screams.

“What?” Ty said, bemused. His hands loosen his grip on the wound a little, then he noticed what he had done and started pressing again.

Kit wailed. “You are… you are crying. Are you h-hurt?” The last word came out like a sob and his view clouded when more tears flooded his eyes.

“Don’t say anything, Kit. You’ll get worse, you need to keep yourself alive.”

Kit tried to sit up. Ty pushed him against the ground.

“Stop!” he yelled at him, tears shining on his eyes. “Don’t you get it?! It’s enough, you’ll hurt yourself.”

“But–” Kit started saying.

“I’m fine, Kit! I’m fine! Just stop moving, please and I’ll swear to you by the Angel that I’ll stop crying.”

Kit remained silent and Ty stayed his posture over him, the only things Kit could heard were Ty’s little weeps. Kit made one more effort and he raised up his eyes directly to Ty’s.

Ty had been biting his lip for a while, he noticed; he had red marks on every part of it, his hair was a mess and his gray eyes had a terrified look engraved on them. His face had some blood on his cheeks and a trail of tears that went down through his throat.

He had taken off his jacket and his gray shirt remained, showing his strong arms with some runes that blackened his pale skin. He couldn’t see his hands, but he was pretty sure they were covered with his blood too.

Kit wanted to throw up just at thinking about it. He was going to die, and Tessa, and Jem, and his little sister would be devastated.

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, he thought while he swallowed his tears and closed his eyes.

Ty inhaled deeply. “Kit you can’t pass out again,” he told him like he was giving him an order that Kit was forced to accomplish.

Kit opened his eyes and noticed, a little bewildered, that Ty was also looking at him. “Ty, I–I don’t know how much I can resist,” he said, feeling a bust of pain stronger than the others that went through his body when he said those words.

Ty shook his head. “No. You are going to fight this. You have to, Kit. We’ll get through this, we just have to wait the runes to make their effect, and we’ll get out of here.”

Kit couldn’t answer him, he blacked out again. He didn’t know how much time had passed, when he woke up, Ty had aminorated the pressure over Kit’s wound.

Ty looked enormously relieved when Kit’s eyes stood on him. “You… you have stopped bleeding. At least not as much as before. That means that the runes are working or–”

“Or there isn’t much in there.” His voice surprised him. It was softer and weaker than ever before. Even when he woke up in the mornings, his voice used to be slow and scratchy, but it had never been so pitiful.

And Kit hadn’t been the only one who noticed it, Ty shriveled when he heard his words.

“Kit,” Ty said. “The only way that we would get out of here is by looking a place where someone can find us. We have to go back to where we have come from.”

Kit shook his head slightly. “I can’t do it,” he said, now feeling his arms and legs numb. “You’ll have to go alone, Ty. It’s dangerous to stay–”

“I’m not leaving without you,” he told him unable to let him finish what he was about to say. Kit narrowed his eyes, his vision was a wreck as if he was getting blind, and he couldn’t focus his gaze on Ty. “Forget it. It’s not going to happen.”

Kit used the little strength he had to speak again: “Ty, I’m dying. It’s useless–”

“No! Shut up, don’t say that. Don’t you dare to finish that sentence,” he said, raising his voice, and with a ferocious look on his eyes.

The solution was so simple and obvious that it could be done in a heartbeat. If only Ty would agree on leaving him and just went back to their world where he would be safe.

“Kit. Kit!” Ty had been calling his name several times. Kit wished he could ignore his voice and how it sounded, but his only soothe remained in his words while everything else in his world was making him suffer, and deeply inside himself, wishing for death.

Kit looked away from Ty.

“I’m not leaving without you, I won’t. I can’t… I can’t lose you, not you. You can fight, so fight. The runes helped a little, they’ve given us more time. But if we don’t get help now, you’ll die.” His last words made him to start crying. He clenched his teeth and his hands moved away from Kit, now pulling hard from his own shirt. “You can’t do that, not to me. It’s not fair Kit.”

Kit almost wished he could smile at him but he set his heart on trying to keep breathing. He knew he wouldn’t make it, but he didn’t want Ty to lose faith. He was so desperate to get him out of there, and if that meant that he would bleed out even faster in a poor effort to save him… then so be it. At least that would get Ty out of there.

He knew he would be a deathweight for Ty, and that his possibilities of getting out of Faerie would increase if he just left him, but Ty had made himself clear: He would not abandon him.

His strengths had left his body. He wasn’t able to speak, so he looked at Ty, and before the mist could cover his eyes entirely, he nodded.

Ty inhaled deeply. “I’m getting you out of here, Kit,” Ty said. “I swear it by the Angel.”

Kit’s vision became a blur again. He couldn’t see almost anything, but he heard the moment when Ty got up and felt as his body eased off a little when Ty’s hands stopped pressing his wound.

He heard tiny noises which made him realize that Ty was taking the things that they needed so they could leave, Kit just stayed lying under his own blood –some part of it had already dried and the rest, the biggest part, was still viscous and dark, every time Kit moved his head, he could heard it bubbling under him.

He couldn’t relax more than a moment. Ty came back with his knives on his belt and Argemonia leaning behind his shoulders. “I’m going to lift you up, okay?” the boy said, his gray eyes wide and fearful.

Kit wasn’t able to answer him, the next second he was tormented by a burst even more painful and unbearable than the others. He had never felt a pain like that in his life, and he started crying aloud. He thought he had begged Ty to stop, but if that had been the case, Ty had ignored his words.

Ty couldn’t carry him, he was too heavy for him, but he could bear most of his body holding Kit so he would not fall again.

He felt as his guts wanted to escape from his body and how his blood started going out once more. He didn’t understand how it kept coming out more of that reddish liquid, it didn’t seem to stop. What scared him the most was that in any moment it wouldn’t be any drop left inside him.

Ty gave his first step, it was unstable but they managed to move. On the third step he had sheltered Kit on his right side, his head resting over his collarbone. Kit thanked, for the first time in his life, that Ty was taller than him, and in a lucid moment, he breathed deeply and realized that under that spectral smell of iron that distinguished blood, he could smell wildflowers too. And for some weird reason, he remembered his home in Devon, and the amazing fields where he always used to chase his little sister, and every time he felt alone and had laid there looking up at the sky, inhaling that peculiar and comforting scent.

Ty smelled like home. He formed a small smile after thinking that, but it vanished from his face when he passed out one more time.

* * *

Ty felt the moment when Kit’s body lost stability, he looked at him. He was paler than before and he wasn’t awake. Moreover, he didn’t even know if he was still alive.

“No,” he said. He stopped next to a tree with purple flowers. He leaned Kit next to the trunk and put himself in front of him. “Kit, wake up. Kit,” he said, touching his face and trying at the same time not to harm him with every movement he made.

Ty didn’t want to see his wound, its shape and diameter frightened him. When he finally took a look he realized that the slash seemed like a lurid smile, it was terrifyingly deep resembling a dark abyss. Ty wanted to shiver when he thought how close Kit’s guts would have been spilled all over if only the strike had been an inch deeper.

He took Kit’s face between his hands, he was paler and shockingly hot, he tried to shake him carefully.

Kit came back to his senses moaning and breathing heavily. “I–I feel like I’m burning up.” It was the first thing that he said, and even though Ty knew those words made him suffer a terrible pain, he couldn’t help but feel a pressure leaving his chest at the sound of his voice.

“I need to distract you to stop keeping fainting. We can’t leave here without your help, let's go.” He made sure that Kit’s arms were surrounding his neck and his head rested on his collarbone. Ty used one arm to grab him by the hip and the other kept pressure on the wound. Kit didn’t stop whining with every step they made.

At this point, Ty’s hands were darkened with dirt and dried blood, he couldn’t cleaned them up because every time that he touched Kit, they got dirty again. Even his Voyance rune had been vanished from his right hand.

They had taken just a few steps when Kit broke the silence. “You smell like home… that’s crazy, i–isn't it?” he said gritting his teeth and with that weird voice that seemed to have appeared after he lost a lot of blood. Ty could feel his breath on his neck.

Ty didn’t understand why he’d said that, their lives were in danger. But after a moment he thought about it, and his mind seemed to relax a little.

He put himself in his shoes: every time someone talked about the ocean or its waves, even though he wasn’t in home, he was capable of smell the unmistakable scent of the beach, he could feel its warmth and a peaceful feeling that comforted his soul more than anything else. Because that reminded him of home, a place were no matter what, it would stay safe and sound. A place where his family would welcome him with open arms and would love him not caring what he’d have done or the decisions he’d have made.

Ty felt a lump in his throat when Kit said that he reminded him of home, because he wished that he was there, protected, and not here, dying and without being surrounded with the ones that loved and cared for him.

“I know it’s… stupid, but I–”

“It’s not stupid,” Ty interrupted him. “I get it, seriously.”

Ty felt Kit’s wet locks of hair stroking his chin when the boy tried to lift his face to look at his eyes. “Ty,” he said. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

Ty’s jaw tightened, and the lump that was before in his throat descended to his stomach. When Ty didn’t answered, and kept dragging them both regrettably slow, Kit continued: “You are… draining your energies. We won’t make it before… before sunset. Not like this.” Ty felt him swallow hard, his hands that were surrounding his neck suddenly seemed to loose their grip. “You need to leave me.”

Ty stopped walking, every part of his body screamed that he needed to rest, he was pushing his limits to the edge, but Ty’s hands grabbed him harder, not letting Kit to get away from him.

Ty didn’t care if that was Kit’s last wish on Earth, he wasn’t willing to grant it.

* * *

“No,” Ty said, his voice a wretched sound. Kit didn’t know if it was because the effort or despair, but his face maintained expressionless.

“Ty please,” Kit was begging. He didn’t want Ty to get hurt too.

“You didn’t tell me. You said you have told me everything, and you lied. You lied to me again.”

Ty wasn’t even looking at him. One of his arms was holding Kit so he could keep on his feet and the blood– Ty was using his other hand to press on the awful wound but every movement they did, made Kit to start thinking that maybe death would have been more attractive if it had been faster, and in other circumstances.

“Would it have b-been different if… if I had told you?!

Ty put pressure on his grip and Kit resisted a cry of pain. Ty seemed to have stopped caring that Kit wouldn’t shut up, in fact his voice soothed his feelings more than the silence of the woods.

“Kit, you are the First Heir’s descendant.” Kit wasn’t sure if Ty had said it due to real interest on the topic or it was only a way to maintain him conscious.

Whatever the reason was, Kit answer was completely honest: “I don’t… care,” he said, tasting the bitter of his words. “I’ve never… cared.”

Kit couldn’t feel his legs anymore, his feet were covered with dirt and blood. That should have worried him, but his head didn’t stop spinning and his vision had gotten worse, he couldn’t see far beyond five or six feet away.

He could feel his guts like they were about to leave his body. If it wasn’t for Ty’s grip, he was sure he wouldn’t be able to take even one step.

Kit gasped, suffocating a cry of pain when Ty drew his body toward him to avoid some trees, Ty froze. “Please, don’t die,” he said, giving him a quick glance. His pupils were hard to find on that ghostly mist that covered his gray eyes.

“I’m fine,” he lied, giving him a tiny smile in a poor attempt to reassure Ty. “Just… D-don’t move so much.”

“But I have to, I have to get us out of here.” Kit felt Ty’s hands had formed in two fists, he was trying to stop them from trembling. Ty was about to panic, night was falling, and they haven’t moved enough. Kit still didn’t know where they were. But then, that could also be because apparently he was getting blind.

Kit wanted to laugh, but he was also sure that the action would make him cry. “I know, Ty,” he said, gasping hard. “I know.”

Ty had made it to the top of a hill, and now he needed to descend very carefully. The road was rockier than usual, and if he stepped on a loose stone, both would fall.

“Kit, I…” Ty started to say. “Sometimes, I’m bad with words. They are confusing and they mix on my brain. Loud noises still get to scare me, but Livvy says that I have improved. And even though I can’t get rid of it, I can learn to live with what I feel.” Maybe Kit imagined it, but he felt Ty’s head descending a little bit until it leaned gently on his golden hair. “What I’m trying to say is…”

Kit would never know which were the next words that would have filled that sentence. Ty staggered dangerously when he set one foot on a flat stone, and their fatigue and the extra weight won against them.

Ty released Kit. Kit fell achingly bad, rolling on the ground several times, he tried to protect himself. He felt as if his wound was opening even more. In the fall, blood had begun flowing extremely fast.

His head hit against a rock almost at the end of the hill, and his body was covered completely with dirt. He didn’t need to touch his head to know it had started bleeding.

How is it that blood keeps dropping?, he thought between all the pain that was filling his body.

He didn’t know where Ty was. He felt terribly exhausted, the pain was everywhere. But somehow he didn’t feel it as something to worry about, suffering had been so common these last hours that even taking a breath was difficult. But he had used to it, and he knew that he wouldn’t make it out of Faerie alive.

“Kit! Oh, God. Kit.” Ty was at his side a few seconds later, kneeling in front of him and with a horrible cut in his left eyebrow. That was the last thing his eyes could focus on, before his eyes misted and only shadows remained.

Ty was saying something, but Kit couldn’t concentrate on his words. He knew this was his end, and he needed to convince Ty to leave that place safe.

“… I lost my steele, I can’t find it. Kit, I don’t know what I have to do. I don’t know if I can lift you up, I don’t know what to do…” Ty started sobbing uncontrollably, the sound was spectral and mortifying, Kit knew it would haunt him for the rest of his ephemeral life and, if it existed, in the next one. He surrounded Kit’s hands with his, and Kit could feel them shaking so hard that his heart broke.

Kit was dying. He didn’t have much time, but he couldn’t leave without telling Ty how much he loved him, he would never forgive himself if he left this world before he could tell him the truth. The only truth he had cared about and Ty had to know, and had kept hidden in his heart for so long.

Kit Herondale was going to die, but his heart was forced to rest in peace first.

* * *

“T-Ty… listen to me, p-please. Listen.” Ty’s sobbings lessened, his hands maintained his grip on his. “This, this… wasn’t… your fault. It wasn’t… and it will never be yours.”

Ty felt as if he had stopped breathing, he knew that if he dared to look at Kit, his sobbings will start again and they might never end. Guilt was there and Ty would feel it for the rest of his days.

This can’t be real, he thought. It’s a nightmare, it has to be. Kit isn’t dying, not like this.

But what was happening, and the thing that Ty would remember when the imminent occurred, was that the worst nightmares were the ones that happened in real life.

“I was… I was in love with you, you know?” Kit said. Ty gave up, he couldn’t help it and looked at him with his achingly swollen gray-reddish eyes. Kit smiled at him, and that was the trigger for his heart to torn apart. “I thought… it was something pretty obvious. I guess… I was w-wrong.”

If Ty was being honest, the concept of love had always been unclear to him. Yes, he loved his family and every time he saw them, he wished that nothing bad happened to them. Dru and Tavvy, his younger siblings, were everything to him, and he would cross land and sea for them.

But with Kit– he had never felt the same love that he felt for his family. In fact, when Ty looked at Kit, the only thing that he wanted to do was to protect him and to follow him wherever he went, not caring that both had the same age. If Ty wanted to see him, he will tell him, and Kit would go immediately. And every time a guy or a girl smiled at Kit, Ty sometimes wished that Kit would get away from them as soon as possible. Ty had never felt bothered when his siblings talked with someone else. But with Kit everything was different, and if that meant that he also wanted Kit to stay at his side for as long as it was necessary and that no one would take Kit away from him, then so be it.

However, it was too late to realize or to do something for it.

“I know… I know you don’t feel the same way, but… but I–” Ty couldn’t resist it anymore, his mind was a mess, and Kit was dying in front of his eyes. He could only think that Kit needed to feel safe, and he remembered that Kit told him that he smelled like home. So he kissed him.

It was a slow kiss that mixed with their tears. It tasted like salt, blood, and yes, it had a weird combination of wildflowers too. Ty felt the wind of his home comforting him, and felt as if the taste of the sea was blending on Kit’s lips.

Kit’s lips were awfully pale, but they kissed him back with a beautiful slowness and suavity that Ty’s heart felt protected despite everything.

Their kiss didn’t last more than a few seconds. Kit was who broke their kiss first with a groan, and Ty felt guilty for his impulsivity.

“Sorry,” Kit said before Ty could stop him. Even though their situation couldn’t be more chaotic, Ty saw an enormous smile on Kit’s lips. “You… don’t have any idea… of how m-much I’ve wished… that to happen.”

Ty raised Kit’s head and leaned it on his lap. His hands never left his and closing his eyes, he raised Kit’s right hand where his Voyance rune was and kissed it.

Kit almost let out a laugh, but it ended up being a sob.

“You are safe, Kit,” Ty said, tears were coming out from his eyes, so pretentious and painting a wet trail that descended to his chin and fell on Kit’s hair. “I got you, everything is going to be fine. You’re going to be fine, I–” He wept, his chest shivered. “I promise.”

Kit smiled again, but his tears didn’t stop falling. “You were right,” he said with a barely audible voice and so broken, that Ty had to get closer to him. “You still don’t know… how to lie.”

Ty couldn’t hold his tears, they started falling even faster, soaking his face and wetting Kit’s hair. “Kit, please don’t go,” he said through his wailing. “Don’t go to a place where I can’t follow you.”

Kit didn’t seem to have heard him, his blue eyes were set on Faerie’s sunset, with his last breath he said: “My mom… used to… sing to me. She used to say… ‘The story that I l-love you. It has n-no end.’ Do you think that’s how our story… will be?”

Time stole Ty’s opportunity to answer him. Kit’s eyes were covered with a blurry crystal, losing their last sign of light. Ty saw it all happen so fast and so slow around him at the same time, when life left Kit’s body.

Ty opened his mouth releasing a suffocating gasp that contracted his body, he squeezed his eyes. His body hurt like a living hell, but his heart kept beating and every heartbeat would be a permanent reminder that he was still alive and that everything was real.

He started to swing his body repeatedly. Kit’s head was still on his lap, Ty had to leave one of Kit’s hands to put his over his eyes, and screamed when he forced himself to close his beautiful blue eyes that he would never see alive again.

“No, please. No. Please, Kit. Please!”

Faerie has ever been a land with countless creatures, big and small, in any moment, any visitor ought to have crossed their path with one of them, even if the stowaway never knew it; someone was always watching.

And when the Fair Folk saw the tragedy that happened right before their eyes, each one of them, without any exception, allowed the young Centurion to grief for his loss.

And for the first time in the history of all Faerie, their creatures conceded a moment of carelessness in their lands. Not even a soul saw the moment when Tiberius Blackthorn cried until he fainted, covering the corpse of Kit Herondale while his hand and Ty’s remained together, one staying warm for years while the other started to get cold with every passing moment.

#kit herondale #ty blackthorn #Kitty blackdale #Kitty fic #the wicked Powers #twp #kit ty fic #kit x ty #Ty x kit #tsc fic #The Shadowhunters Chronicles #Cassandra clare #tsc #my fic #kit herondale dies in this one #a very looong Kitty fic

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triple-clan-threat · 4 years

Text

Triple Clan Threat - Prologue #2

The Clan Portion of the Prologue. Enjoy!

The Clans

Prologue

Waterfallclan

Rain pounded the rocky ground of Waterfallclan, the sky dark and menacing. The small tree that housed the warriors shook with the wind, even in the sheltered hollow of Waterfallclan camp.

Maplefluff wailed in the shallow nursery den, face lined with pain. Her claws worked the ground as she pushed, her breathing heavy.

“Stay calm, Maplefluff.” Rainstep meowed, his voice even. Nervousness pulled at his mind, the last time the calico queen kitted, her entire litter passed away, almost taking her with them. He had carefully monitored this pregnancy, watching to make sure the kits were developing safely.

Maplefluff panting, her sides heaving. “I...I’m so…. tired.”

The dark blue medicine cat put a paw to her side, his features tightening. None of the kits had moved any more then when they had started. “You need to keep trying. One of your kits is stuck.”

Maplefluff clenched her jaw and started pushing again, her normally soft features contorted. Anguished sobs punctuated her panting, then a prayer left her lips.

“Cats of the Peace,” Her voice was pained, tight. “Hear my cry, let these kits survive. Even if my time has come,” A high whine came from her throat. “Let them live prosperously.”

Rainstep silently sent up his own prayer, moving to the other side of the queen. Contractions rippled down her sides as the tom pushed a paw against her side. A grin split Rainstep’s face, “Good, they’re starting to move. Keep pushing.”

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Outside of the nursery, the warriors of Waterfallclan were curled as closely as they could in the small tree that served as their den. The rain battered the cats, and they shuffled, grumbling and moaning to each other. Some of the cats pushed paws over their ears to block out the birthing queen in the nursery below them.

“Why do we have to be right over the nursery.” A white tabby flicked her dripping tail, pressing her paws harder over her nicked ears, bright orange eyes narrowed.

“Rosesnow quit makin’ yer racket. Keeping the queens and kits safe is one of our purposes.” A blue and white tom opened one eye to peer at the feisty she-cat.

“I know that Quailears, it-” Rosesnow’s angry grumble was cut off by a yowl from the entrance. She leaped to her paws, landing on Quailear’s tail.

“Don’t get yer tail in knots!” The old tom hissed, rearing his head. “It’s just Runningfire.” The old blue tom bared his teeth at the young warrior, yanking his tail out from under her paw.

Runningfire pushed through the thick brush that guarded the camp. His crisp white and orange pelt was smeared with thick mud as he pulled himself backwards through the brush.

“Here she is! I found her! The traitor!” He hauled another cat, squalling and hissing, with him into the camp. Grasping her scruff between his teeth, he threw her sprawling into the middle of the clearing.

The she-cat scrambled back to her paws, long fur slicked to her pelt, sticking at random direction from the same thick mud as was smeared on Runningfire.

“Bumblefoot the traitor has been found! She holds the mark of the Big Paws!” Runningfire’s sharp features were cruel. “I found her on the border, mewling like a kit to a loner.”

Bumblefoot curled tighter around herself, ears flattened at the peering eyes. She curled her thick tail around her belly, and bared her teeth at her former clan mates.

A growl rose from Runningfire’s throat, “And she’s pregnant.” He leaped forwards, shoving her over, knocking her prone for all to see her pregnant stomach.

The calico she-cat yowled, flashing her claws at Runningfire, catching the side of his face as she was flipped.

Runningfire hissed in pain, and raised a paw to the prone she-cat. “You’ll pay for that, traitor.”

A dark shape flashed down from the warrior’s tree, swift as the cracking lightning above their heads, a bristling black tabby shoving himself between the deputy and the queen. He only stood between the pair, before his tail curled into the signs used by non-speaking cats.

“Do not touch her.”

“Get out of my way, Quietstrike.” Runningfire growled, blood dripping from his face, joining with the mud beneath his paws.

“Runningfire!” A growl ripped through the air from high above. “Leave it.” Above the rest of camp, Tumblestar, short and broad, stood above the rest of the camp. His grey eyes were dark as the rolling thunder heads.

The brown and gray tomcat lashed his tail, pelt slicked to his body as he stared at the scene playing out in front of him. “Bumblefoot,” He addressed the quivering she-cat. “Why, Peace Pray, have you returned. And as Runningfire says, with the mark of the Big Paws around your neck.”

“Tumblestar, I, you, I-” Bumblefoot had since come back to her paws, and sucked in a breath. She pulled herself to stand, and her golden eyes met the leader’s. “I left. Now I’m back. What Runningfire says, it’s true, I’m gonna be a mom.”

Tumblestar narrowed his eyes as the wind tore at his thick fur. “And who are these kits father? Or Fathers?”

A murmur rose from clearing, Bumblefoot had left almost three moons ago. There was plenty of time for her kits to have multiple fathers.

The yellow calico gritted her teeth, leveling her eyes with the leader. “I- I don’t know.” She meowed. “But I do know that I’m their mother, an’ I love each and every one of ‘em.” She pulled up her chin, a determined look on her face.

Quietstrike stepped up beside the queen and signed quickly. “The warrior code says that a clan must take in kits, no matter the parents. Bumblefoot was a warrior, and now she and her kits need a home.” His bright bicolor eyes were steely.

“Her kits are yet to be born.” Runningfire stepped forwards. “At the moment we have nothing but a traitor,” he spit the word, “at our paws.”

Tumblestar gazed down at the cats. Every clan needed more warriors. The War of the Island had taken its toll on all of the clans, and these kits could be warriors for Marshclan or Rollingclan if he didn’t take their mother back in.

Looking at Bumblefoot he could see her mother in her. Blossomflame was his deputy before Runningfire, and one of the leader’s closest friends. He had been there when the she-cat had died. He told her he would protect her family. This was the time to repay her.

“Bring her to the nursery.” Tumblestar’s voice was even. He shot his deputy a glance as the ginger tom opened his mouth. “This is my final decision. Quietstrike, take her there.” The leader began to turn, head turning to the dark, rain flinging sky. “Runningfire, cool down. Attend me when you have.” The brown and gray leader turned, and disappeared into the den.

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Quietstrike led Bumblefoot to the nursery, signing slowly and deliberately signing to her as she spoke back in low tones. They stopped at the entrance, and Bumblefoot looked back at Quietstrike. “Should I go in there?” She asked. She didn’t want to intrude upon Maplefluff giving birth.

“...orders.” Quietstrike gave a small shrug. “I ...stay if you ....”

“I...No.” Bumblefoot was rusty on the signs clan cat’s used, and she could only understand half of what the tall tom was trying to say. She looked at the birthing queen and Rainstep. “I’ll be fine.” With a small smile she added, “Enjoy the rain.”

Quietstrike gave a blink of laughter, and rolled his eyes as he turned back into the rain.

Bumblefoot turned her gaze on the birthing queen and stepped around her with a mumbled ‘sorry’ and bedded down in one of the corners, peering at Maplefluff from where she lay.

Maplefluff panted heavily as a large orange kitten started to slip to the ground. Rainstep gently pulled the kitten towards him, nipping the birth sac open and began to lick the kit. He licked it’s mouth and nose, urging it to breathe.

The kit let out a soft mewl, and Rainstep breathed a sigh of relief, and nudged the kit beside Maplefluff.

The next kit had become to slip free from the queen, and Rainstep repeated the steps, nipping the sac and licking the small brown face, before nudging it close to it’s mother.

Another came soon after, a brown calico kit, which was set beside it’s mother as well.

Rainstep pressed his paw to her side again. “One more.” He said quickly, and watched as the last kitten began to emerge.

Immediately Rainstep knew something was different about this kit. The small calico body slipped quickly from Maplefluff, dropping to the ground and lay still. It was smaller than the other two by a considerable amount, and it’s nose was an oxygen starved blue.

Rainstep considered the worst, a kit that had died in the womb. But he stepped forwards and began to lick the kit’s face. As he cleared away the liquid the kit didn’t mew like it’s siblings. The medicine cat pursed his lips, leaning down to rough the kit’s face with his tongue, trying to push air into his tiny lungs.

A tiny mew came from the kitten’s mouth.

His eyes widened and he immediately bent to keep licking the kit. If they didn’t work quickly to keep him warm and get his energy up, the kit would be dead.

More stimulation from Rainstep brought warmth and alertness to the kit, and the medicine cat brought him to Maplefluff’s side where it’s siblings had already begun to suckle.

Maplefluff’s tired gaze went to Rainstep. “So?” She meowed softly.

“Three sons, one daughter. Your daughter and two of your sons are very healthy.” Rainstep paused, gaze flicking to the last kit.

The queen furrowed her brow. “And the last?”

“He’s weak. He may still die.”

Maplefluff clenched her teeth, tears gathering at the edge of her eyes.

“What can we do?” Her voice was filled with emotion, but determined.

Rainstep paused. What could they do? He couldn’t give the kit straight herbs, he was too small...too young. “Maybe… if you take herbs it will infuse into your milk. I can get you strengthening herbs. You need to make sure he isn’t being pushed to the side by his bigger siblings.”

And Rainstep turned, quickly slipping out into the rain.

Maplefluff tended to her kits, cleaning and licking them, purring softly as she did.

“That looked like it hurt.”

Maplefluff’s gaze snapped up to Bumblefoot. She hadn’t noticed the other queen slip into the nursery. “Bumblefoot, welcome back.” The orange queen smiled at Bumblefoot. Her gaze shifted back to her kits and she gave a tired smile. “Anything is worth bringing kits into the world.”

“That last one, what’s wrong with ‘im?” Bumblefoot was blunt.

“I… I’m not sure. He’s small and weak. He needs all the strength The Peace can give him.”

Bumblefoot observed Maplefluff, all alone with her little family. “Who’s the father?” She asked. If the other queen didn’t know, good. Bumblefoot wanted someone else to hurt like she did.

“Skunkback. He’s a wolfscout. He didn’t want to leave but I told him to go. He said he would probably be heading into Marshclan territory.”

Of course, Bumblefoot thought, he was an important cat, someone who sacrificed himself every day for the good of the clan, and she didn’t even know who’s kits she harbored in her belly.

“I’m glad you’re here safe, Bumblefoot.”

The words shocked her. “What?” Bumblefoot meowed, taken aback. “You’re...glad I’m here?” She sent a strange look at the other queen. “No one wants me.” She shook her head.

“No, truly. You’re safer here in the embrace of the clan instead of out in the Big Paw village, or even worse on Ex-Isle. There are dangers everywhere. Here you and your family will be safe.” Maplefluff offered a smile to the other queen. “And if the tom that fathered your kits doesn’t come back, we can be your family. Me, Skunkback, Robinkit, Branchkit, Mudkit, and Leafkit.”

Warmth blossomed in Bumblefoot’s chest. The sincerity in the older queen’s meow made Bumblefoot feel… wanted. A smile pulled at her lips. She raised her eyebrows.

“Branchkit and Mudkit? I hope you’re gonna workshop those names.”

“Workshop?” Maplefluff tilted her head slightly, that must have been something Bumblefoot picked up in the Big Paw village. “Those names are my first try. Robinkit for the little red tom. Branchkit for his brown brother. Mudkit for the brown and cream molly, and Leafkit for the calico tom. Not the best names, I admit.” She thought for a moment. “You take a try.”

“Really? You want me to give you names for your kits?” Bumblefoot gave a small mrow of laughter. “I’ve never done this kind of thing before.”

“Well, I guess Mudkit it is then.” Maplefluff smiled cheekily.

“Now I can’t just let a pretty little kit like her get stuck with Mudkit, yick.” Bumblefoot made a face, mrowing before she stretched out towards the kits. “Alright, I’ll try.”

Bumblefoot’s eyes roved over the small bundles of fur with a small smile. To think she would have kits like that in just a few moons excited and scared her at the same time. “Lionkit, for the red one. He’s big and orange, just like a lion.”

“And you had said you were not going to be good at this.” Maplefluff smiled, “What about the ‘pretty little kit’ like you said, hmm?”

“I’m gettin’ there just wait.” Bumblefoot looking up at the other queen, gold eyes glimmering. “Leafkit is….good enough a name. Branchkit, maybe like… Treekit or Oakkit. Mudkit, gotta change that one.” She thought it over for a moment, then nodded. “Fillykit, she’s got long legs like a baby horse.”

“I don’t know where you got the idea you were bad at this kind of thing.” Maplefluff mouthed the name ‘Fillykit’ and nodded. “Much better than Mudkit.”

“I must rest now, and you best do the same. Good sleep will always do a cat good.” Maplefluff curled around her kits, checking them one last time.

“You’re right. Have to keep up energy for all the bad looks I’m gonna get.”

Bumblefoot woke in the middle of the night to the sound of low talking.

Rainstep and Maplefluff spoke in worried voices, a small pile of herbs set between them.

“These are traveling herbs, they will keep your strength up, but will also keep you full. But if you don’t eat you will lose weight and stop producing milk.”

“How will I know when to eat?” Maplefluff asked.

“Whenever Bumblefoot eats, you eat. Don’t just pick at something either, make sure you are eating well. It’s better to gain weight then loose it.”

Maplefluff sighed and pulled the herbs towards her. She closed her eyes and took them all in one mouthful, chewing swiftly before swallowing.

“When is the next time you’ll bring them to me?” She asked.

“I’ll check back in the morning and bring more herbs with me.” Rainstep meowed, before swiftly leaving.

In the morning Bumblefoot awoke to mewling kits. Maplefluff was awake and bathing each squalling kit before making sure they began to suckle once more.

“Good Morning Bumblefoot.” Maplefluff meowed. “I was thinking this morning about names again, but not for my own kits.” She paused, eyes moving to the other queen. “Have you put any mind to what you want to name your own kits?” She asked.

Bumblefoot blinked blearily at the molly. “Name… my kits?” She meowed. She wasn’t awake enough for this. “I’m not really sure what any of them are gonna look like.” She frowned a little.

“No queen ever does, but you must have some ideas. Maybe Blossomkit, for your mother?” She suggested.

Bumblefoot tilted her head to the side, “That’s not such a bad idea…”

As the Waterfallclan queens discussed kit names, Skunkback tried to hurry his way back to Waterfallclan territory. Bearstar had forbid him to leave Marshclan territory in the pounding rain, said that a cat might get turned around and drown in a bog in these rains.

So Skunkback had shuffled and twitched in the wolfscout waystation on Marshclan territory. His mind mulling over the signs he had gotten from watching the wolves.

Wolfscouts were cats from each clan that followed the islands wolfpack, taking and reading signs given through the canines by the Peace.

The signs he had gotten may have been tainted by the thoughts rolling around his head about Maplefluff, or he may have been reading them correctly and was right about cursing himself.

The day before during the rain, a shewolf had given birth to four pups. She lay them in the meadow among the flowers and the brown leaf litter, and the Peace called out to him.

He had to get home to his mate, and their soon to be kits.

Now he was a day later then he wanted to be home, but he would make it. He loped across the ground, long legs eating up space between him and his family.

He burst into camp, rushing straight to the nursery.

Rainstep was inside, delivering more herbs to Maplefluff. Every cat froze.

“How are the kits?” Skunkback’s words broke the silence.

“They are well, my dear. Four perfect starlights.” Maplefluff’s eyes gleamed as she took in the sight of her mate. She longed to rush forwards and embrace him, but the kits had just quieted once more.

“How did you know?”

Skunkback’s gaze shot to Bumblefoot. He furrowed his brow, but didn’t say anything.

“Skunkback is a wolfscout, able to read signs given by the Peace.” Rainstep offered. Eyeing the uneasy stares being exchanged between the two cats, he changed the subject. “We may have an Observer of the Peace in your litter.” He meowed, eyes landing on the calico tom.

Skunkback ignored Rainstep. “I came back quickly. One of the wolves gave birth to four pups.” His dark eyes roved over his kits, his worried expression melting away. “I see I was right.” He closed his eyes, and touched his forehead to his mate’s, his whole body seeming to loosen. “She seemed to present them to me, laying them in the meadow of flowers and brown leaves.”

“Do you think this a sign, Skunkback? The Peace heralding the importance of these kits?” Rainstep looked at the taller tom, brow furrowed in thought.

“It brought me back here, didn’t it?”

“Then it’s settled. A sign from the Peace should always be honored. The kits should be named for these signs that you’ve seen.”

Skunkback sat, wrapping his thin tail around his paws, peering down at his kits.

“Meadows, Flowers, Brown Leaves…” Maplefluff murmured softly.

“The little girl, Meadowkit.” Skunkback meowed. “Her brown and orange pelt are like a meadow in fall.”

“Brownkit, for the… brown kit. He is the second oldest.”

Skunkback gave a small smile. “I think he looks like you, my beauty.”

Maplefluff smiled at her mate, touching her nose to his. “And our oldest has all of your best traits.”

Skunkback pulled back to look at his kits. “The red tom?” He gave a chuckle. “He does look like me.” He smiled. “Flowerkit, for his red fur, red like Red-Leaf flowers.”

“Red like tansy and poppy.” Rainstep said, almost to himself.

“And Wolfkit. For our weakened son.” Maplefluff curled her tail around her kits, just a little bit tighter.

“Wolf? But he isn’t grey, or rangey like the wolves.” Bumblefoot meowed, confusion in her voice.

“It does not matter. The name will give him strength, and protection.” Maplefluff meowed.

Skunkback looked at her, face unreadable. Bumblefoot was skeptical.

“The other kits can be named anything. But him. I won’t change.”

Skunkback stayed silent, thinking about it for only a moment, before nodding. “Wolfkit he will be.”

Rainstep nodded. “I will see what the Peace has to say about these names, but I have the feeling that their favor will be with you, prophesied names are almost always well liked by the spirits.” Rainstep dipped his head to Skunkback, and padded away.

After a long moment of silence, Maplefluff spoke.

“My mate, I have a question for you.” Maplefluff leaned into her tall husband’s fur, closing her eyes as she did. “Bumblefoot is alone, and needs someone who will care for her.”

Skunkback cast his never changing eyes over the other she-cat.

Bumblefoot found herself actually nervous. Why did she want this tall tom cat to agree with the kind queen.

“You do not need to continue, my queen.” He meowed. “For I know you have a big heart. Thank you for checking with me.” He stepped towards Bumblefoot, his face still unchanged. Skunkback ducked his head, and met eyes with the young she-cat. “Bumblefoot, our family may be small, but we would like you to help warm our kits, and our kit’s kits, as we may do with yours. We welcome you to join us in sharing tongues. If you would agree to join us.”

This was Waterfallclan’s formal adoption of one into your family. If she were to accept, Bumblefoot would unquestionably be a part of Skunkback and Maplefluff’s family.

“Till the mountains finally crumble… I wish for nothing more.. I wish for-” Bumblefoot searched for her words, it had been many moons since she had last heard the ritual. “I wish for nothing more than to do exactly that.” Those weren’t the right words, but they held the same meaning, maybe even more than the formal tone of the actual answer.

Maplefluff’s face broke into a grin. “We’re glad to have you.”

“Now, excuse me. I need to speak to Tumblestar.” Skunkback turned, touching his nose to Maplefluff’s once more, before leaving.

The older queen gazed after her mate, a soft smile on her face.

“Now you’ve got your names.” Bumblefoot grinned. “I like ‘em, except maybe Wolfkit.” She pulled a face. “But, otherwise. All good names. Brownkit, Flowerkit, Meadowkit. I wonder who their mentors will be.”

“They’re barely a day old, and you’re thinking about their apprenticeship? Time goes too fast to be thinking about that already.”

Quietstrike lingered on the edge of camp. He had climbed about halfway up the craggy stone walls that penned in the clan camp. His face was drawn in a haggard expression, and sleep pulled at his eyes. Night Guard and Dawn Patrol… He had asked to be put on both of them. He should be asleep, but the nursery kept drawing his eyes.

Bumblefoot had been on his mind since the day before. She had disappeared for so long… and now she was back. How was he supposed to take that?

He plopped to the ground, spray from the grand waterfall in their camp wetting his dark pelt. It barely even registered, tail draping over his paws.

What did she think of him? With their interaction earlier, it didn’t even seem like she could understand him anymore. His long ears sagged, and he heaved a sigh. They hadn’t been good friends when she left, maybe this was his chance to become friends with her?

The rattle of stones down the steep walls caught his attention, and he sat bolt upright. His claws unsheathed, ready for anything.

Not far away, Drizzlepaw stood stock still. A crooked grin broke across her face. “Hey Quietstrike!” She piped.

When the tom didn’t sign to her, or make any move at all, Drizzlepaw took it as a sign that she could come closer. “Is… uh ,,, something wrong?” She asked.

Quietstrike cast a glance at her, not moving, before seeming to deflate. “I ... I’m not sure how to reconnect with Bumblefoot.” He signed, ears reddening.

The young she-cat padded closer to her mentor, hesitantly plopping herself down beside the black tom. “Reconnect, so you must know her from before.”

“Yes”

“Then bring up things from when you used to know each other.” Duh! That should be obvious. Drizzlepaw shook her head a little. Wasn’t Quietstrike supposed to be the smart one in this pair?

“That’s the thing. We weren’t really… friends when we were younger.”

“Then there isn’t much to reconnect. Act like she’s a new friend,” Drizzlepaw wiggled her tangled whiskers. That would be the easiest way, right?

Quietstrike paused, eyes closing for a moment. He opened bleary eyes a second later and blinked at his apprentice. “I.. You wouldn’t understand. It’s warrior things.”

Drizzlepaw’s eyes lit up, a sneaky grin on her maw.“You have a crush on her!”

Quietstrike seemed to bristle, narrowing his eyes at her. “Go bother Silentpurr. Or go nag Paleface for a story.” He pointedly looked away, before climbing to his paws. “Actually, go make sure the queens are well cared for. Bring them food if they need it. Replace their bedding. Anything they want.”

“Is that a request or an order?” Drizzlepaw twitched her frazzled whiskers.

“If you know what’s good for you, it doesn’t need to be an order.” His lips curled at the edges as he rose, and slowly made his way down the side of the wall, leaving Drizzlepaw to make her way back down by herself.

#Waterfallclan #Triple Clan Threat #warriors oc #warriors #warrior cats #warriors fanfiction #oc #fanfiction

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wanderingxrivers · 4 years

Text

So remember when I said Neal Caffrey is a Hedge Witch. My brain did a thing.

One Untitled White Collar/Magicians xover WIP

Neal George Caffrey was many things depending on who you asked; con man, innocent man, grifter, forger, thief. All of the above were certainly true depending on who you asked and what you were asking about. What most people didn’t know, however, was that there was another title to which he could lay claim, hedge witch. His status as a hedge was something of a close guarded secret. While he could and did use magic, doing things manually when he could had a certain appeal that he just couldn’t shake. Outside of the few members of his safe house and an even fewer select allies, no one knew of the star tattoos that tumbled his forearm reflecting his status as a hedge.

It was one of the few things that even the famed Peter Burke didn’t know about but considering that Peter was a graduate of Brakebills, it was all too likely that the federal agent had never lowered himself to the level of hedges and safe houses and using just the barest bits of ambient magic that hung in the air in glittering motes.

The first time Neal used magic, he was still Danny Brooks; a terrified child shoved into WitSec with a mother too shell-shocked by the implosion of her life to notice when her son started sneaking out at odd hours to play with a power he barely understood. He had started with a rudimentary shielding charm cast in a moment of desperation and moved up to spells designed to disguise clothes often too threadbare to called second hand and the odd bruise left from the discipline meted out by his mom’s endless cycle of boyfriends.

It was one such discipline session that propelled him into leaving home and into the life that led him to crossing paths with Mozzie and then later, Kate. Mozzie knew, of course. He was a hedge himself but never called himself an ally to one safe house over another. He preferred his independence from the warring factions of hedges that spread their way across NYC and the world over. Kate never knew, but she certainly suspected. He had had his fair share of close shaves, some of which were only escapable by some well-timed spell work in conjunction with no small amount of sheer dumb luck.

In the end, though, despite his love for her, despite his attempts to keep them together, despite everything, she left. Her leaving left him bereft, leaving him to make mistakes he never would have made otherwise. Those mistakes left him in the situation he found himself in now, tethered to an anklet with a two mile radius and a classically trained Magician as his handler.

***

This was not the first time that Neal cursed his radius since accepting the deal that kept him from spending yet more time behind bars. An enchantment on a favored tie pin that gave his words just that extra push of believability was beginning to fade and he needed to strengthen it before the sting operation this weekend. He had all he needed for the spell save for a just a few herbal components. And of course, the one safe house he knew that carried them was right outside his radius.

Neal cast a baleful look at the tracker, cursing technology’s resistance to magical manipulation. He knew half a dozen different spells for slipping bonds, none of which would work on the tracker that wound itself around his ankle for the next 4 years. Instead, he found himself attaching a list to the leg of one of the pigeons that called the balcony of his penthouse home.

With the twitch of his fingers, he pushed the image of Mozzie into the bird’s head, tell the fowl that Mozzie was the home that the bird needed to return to. With any luck, Mozz would recognize the enchanted bird and fetch the supplies that Neal needed. If not, he would have to see about raiding the supply cabinet at the office and hope that no one would notice a few herbs missing.

Say what you would about Neal but he had standards when it came to magical manipulation of people. Marks were fair game. Marks all but invited him in for tea and let him use the enchantments and spells to rob them blind. People like Mozz, Alex, Marina, and Kady, were off limits for magical mischief, Mozz and Marina especially. The former being his closest ally and the latter being absolutely vicious in her vengeance if she felt she had been crossed.

He had heard rumors of a heist from Marina’s gone wrong where the offending party had bled out in front of her daughter with not a single weapon mark on her. Neal suppressed a shudder, Marina was not someone he wanted to cross. Not now, not ever. He abhorred blood and violence. Not the he was incapable of inflicting pain on someone else if the need arose but he did his best to keep that need from arising. It kept things neater, less likely to draw the attention of mundane officers and magical law enforcement.

Releasing the pigeon to fly home to Mozz, he padded back inside where his tie pin lay in a circle of crystals, awaiting the herbs to be burned and smoke wafted over the pin with chants spoken in Enochian. Until either the bird reappeared or Mozz knocked at his door, there was little for Neal to do outside of waiting. If there was anything that Neal was good at, it was waiting. He’d allegedly waited for hours in air ducts and hanging by his fingertips from windows just outside villas for just the right moment to swoop in and steal this piece of art or that precious gem. He’d waited for Kate. He was waiting for Clinton Jones to realize that he wasn’t just looking for a platonic friend but something more intimate. He could certainly wait on a pigeon.

***

As luck would have it, he didn’t have to wait long. A knock at his door told him that Mozz was there and hopefully came bearing gifts in the forms of small packets of sundry herbs and possibly a bottle of fine wine. Striding to the door with a purpose and bounce in his step, he opened it to the face of one Diana Barrigan. Shit. Shit. Shit. His thoughts ran in vaguely panicked circles. Diana didn’t know he was a hedge. She didn’t know about the stars on his arm and the sigils stitched carefully in the hems of his suits and etched in his cufflinks nor did she know about the enchantments on tie pins and glasses worn more for effect then an actual need. He pasted on a winning smile, positioning himself against the door frame in an effort to block her view of the impromptu altar he had set up in anticipation of Mozzie’s arrival.

“Hey Di! Wasn’t expecting to see you. Did Peter need something? Can I get you something?” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. This was an old dance between them. He would flirt and she would shoot him down as they always did. He knew full well her predilections for the fairer sex and how their game would never go any further than this but the actions and words were as rote as breathing. “Or,” he said seeing the look on her face, “Did you and Christie get into it?”

“No, Caffrey. Peter did send me but,” she said, peeking around him, “it looks like you have your own thing going tonight. Looking to summons the ghosts of con-men past?” She raised an elegant eyebrow in a silent question, wondering what exactly he was up to now.

Neal’s shoulders slumped just slightly. This was his own fault. He should have had concealment spells going as a precaution. On any other day, he would have concealment spells and wards and Di would have never ever seen what she saw tonight. His desire to use as much ambient magic in the area to give him the oomph he needed for his enchantment had overruled good sense. Stupid, he thought bitterly to himself. This would teach him the folly of letting his guard down even in the privacy of his own home. He knew better and had no one to blame his current predicament on but himself.

Diana took advantage of Neal’s lapse in concentration to slip under his arm and let herself into his apartment. She circled the table, noting the placement of crystals, candles, and containers awaiting herbs to fill them. At the center sat a tie pin, a simple circle of gold with the initials “NC” engraved in the center in elegant script. Never let it be said that Diana Elizabeth Barrigan was completely stupid. She could be woefully ignorant at times, inobservant at others, but stupid, never. She could put two and two together and get four. In this case, however, two plus two did not make four. In this case, two and two equaled hedge witch.

Now, she knew about Peters’ status as a full-fledged Magician and the sanctioned usage of magic to close cases that almost no one else could. She was even aware of hedge witches having crossed paths with a few and dated a couple herself. What she didn’t know up until just a few moments ago was that Caffrey himself was a hedge and that the new found revelation of that particular skillset gave her pause to mentally review exactly how he had gotten out of some of the closer shaves he had had over his long and storied criminal career.

“So,” she drawled, tracing a finger around the table’s edge, taking care to not disturb the carefully laid out spell components. “When were you planning on telling us you were a hedge? Does Peter know?” Diana watched Neal through narrowed eyes, waiting for a patented Neal Caffrey denial complete with blinding smile. To be fair, the fact that Neal was a hedge shouldn’t have been a surprise. It was the fact that he’d managed to keep that information from her and the rest of the team. It was the fact that Peter Burke, his biggest cheerleader and head of the “Reform Neal Caffrey Club,” apparently had no clue that his CI was a hedge and that Neal himself had not volunteered the information, especially in light of how tenuous his status as CI was in light of Kate’s death and Neal’s aborted escape.

Diana was a diplomat’s daughter, she knew the truths hidden in lies and lies hidden in truths and how both sounded equally plausible. She only hoped that Caffrey would simply come clean and she could relay the information to Peter in person.

Neal tensed as he watched Diana walk around the table with his enchantment set up and how her finger trailed around its edge, careful to not disturb his carefully arranged items. He was aware of Diana’s propensity to detect lies almost as well as Peter’s infamous gut instinct. And honestly, it wasn’t as if he intended to lie to her. He simply never volunteered the information. It didn’t seem relevant to the work he did for the FBI at the time. It was simply a skill, just like picking a lock or forging a painting. Now with Diana here, in his apartment with all his defenses down and the evidence plain on the table, he had little choice but to confess.

“Yes, I am a hedge witch. No, Peter doesn’t know but I am sure he suspects.” He crossed his arms in a mirror image of Diana’s stance. “My status as a magic user is not something I prefer to advertise. It can bring unwanted attention from individuals I would rather avoid.” Like hedges from a rival safe house he finished silently. There were a couple of very unethical safe houses he tended to avoid for their tendency to use their magic for less savory purposes. He and Mozz had put quiet feelers out to some allies to see if they could put plans in motion to shut them down but this was something that he had no desire to involve the FBI unless needed and honestly was something he could toss on the backburner until some word came that would allow them to move. His more immediate concern was the junior agent in front of him who was teetering on the edge of stone cold fury at the discovery of a secret that should have been laid bare long ago.

Diana shot him a look of sheer incredulity. “You stupid, stubborn, moron! You do realize that garnering that unwanted attention is part. Of. Your. Job.” She ground out the last words between clenched teeth, an ache in her jaw blooming from the effort it took not to simply scream at him until he saw sense. Further epithets flowed in multiple languages from her lips as she got into her groove. “You are a criminal informant. Getting information is your job. And that means sometimes getting attention you don’t want from people you don’t like. You can’t pick and choose who you get attention from. That’s not how this works. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t slap cuffs on you and march you downtown right here and right now for this!”

Neal took a moment to pick his words carefully. As furious as Diana was, he knew that his position was precarious. She carried two sets of cuffs at all times and was not shy about using them. The first was plain, simple ordinary handcuffs he could pick in moments flat. The second, however, were specially enchanted to nullify magic, they would prevent even the smallest spell from being cast and leave him at a severe disadvantage were he left in them for too long.

#my brain did a thing #idk what i am doing with my life #white collar #the magicians #neal caffrey #hedge witch

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parkerparts · 5 years

Text

witchy witch, won’t you grant my wish?

Parkner Halloween Week Day 3: Witches, Magic, “Were you always able to do that?”

i was going to write a fic for today, but i didn’t have the time, so have a hc list (it’s really just a whole plot in bullet point form please read)

villager!harley x witch!peter

abbie is desperately ill, and no doctor can cure her

harley blows up at their mother, scared that the treatments are doing more to damage abbie’s health than to cure her

he storms to mj’s house, and after ranting to her, she tells him a story

“the forest is sentient. if it likes you, it will reward you and help you find what you need. if it dislikes you, you’ll die. it’s full of the stuff of fairytales - nightmares and fantasies alike”

“like what?” harley asks

“a fountain of youth, probably. magical herbs, elusive spices. maybe a gnome or dwarf or something with magical healing powers.”

harley leaps up, scaring mj, and says, “i know what i have to do.”

later that night, he sneaks out with a packed bag and goes into the forest, hoping to find something, anything, that will cure abbie

he’s been lost in the forest for about a week, and his supplies are running out, and he thinks that the forest dislikes him, and this is how he dies

but then he stumbles across a clearing

more specifically, a cottage in the clearing

harley stumbles up to the door and begins to knock, but before he can, the door is yanked open

revealing the most stunning boy harley has ever met

“who are you? how did you find me?”

harley stutters, “i’m harley, from rose hill. i was wandering around the forest, and i just happened to find your house.”

the boy looks at him for a long time, an unreadable expression on his face, but eventually he opens the door wider and gestures for harley to come in

“the forest doesn’t just let anybody find me. what makes you so special, village boy?”

rude, harley thinks, but he keeps it to himself because there’s a pretty forest person inviting him into his house, and he really doesn’t want to screw that up

“i don’t know.”

peter scoffs, gesturing in the direction of a chair as he busied himself making tea

“what are you doing in the forest in the first place?”

harley swallows hard and says, “it’s my sister. she’s sick, and i was hoping i could find something in the forest that would cure her.”

peter studies him for a long moment before saying, “i think you’ve come to the wrong place.”

“the forest led me here, and i don’t think the forest makes mistakes.”

peter looks away, but not before harley sees the hurt shining in his eyes

over tea, they talk

harley learns that peter is a witch

he meets peter’s pet/familiar, a giant spider named ned, who’s giant and scary but actually a cuddle bear

peter trained under his uncle until he died in a tragic accident, killed by his own magic

his aunt wanted nothing to do with magic after that, so she banished peter, and peter took refuge in the woods

“i’ve been out here for three years now. i’m trying to teach myself magic with uncle ben’s books, but it’s hard, you know? and i’m scared i’m going to end up like him.”

by the time the sun is setting and the kettle is empty, harley asks, “so can you help me?”

and peter, with the trace of a sad smile on his face, replies, “i can try.”

the forest doesn’t let them leave for two months

in that time, peter trains with harley’s help

harley grows increasingly worried about abbie, but he trusts peter, and he trusts the forest, so he stays, hoping she won’t be dead by the time they return to rose hill

harley and peter also get to know each other really well

peter hasn’t seen another person in three years, and he has a lot to talk about, and harley’s fascinated by his stories

harley also doesn’t have many friends, other than mj and his sister, and he relishes in the fact that he and peter get along really well

he buries the growing crush he has on the witch

he’s never done well with emotions, and he tends to mess up the few relationships he has with other people, both platonic and romantic

he can’t afford to mess up whatever it is he has with peter, not when peter is his only chance of curing abbie

one night, on a full moon, a werewolf stumbles into the clearing

“it’s fine,” peter says. “the enchantments around the house should hold up.”

but then a noise alerts peter, and they realize that ned was outside, and the werewolf is advancing on him

“no!” peter screams, running out the door, ignoring harley’s panicked cries. “don’t touch him!”

with a surge of magic, peter curses the werewolf back into the forest and strengthens the enchantments surrounding the clearing

harley stands in the doorway and watches as peter picks up ned with shaking arms

“were you always able to do that?”

peter looks up at with shining eyes and says, “no”

a couple of weeks later, peter says he’s ready, and the forest lets them out

they take some food and water and head back to rose hill, following the path the forest gives them

one night, harley’s unable to sleep, and judging by the amount of movement coming from peter, he knows the other boy is lying awake too

“harley?”

“yeah?”

“i was reading in one of the books that magic, good magic, is strengthened by love.”

“makes sense. love is a really strong emotion, harley replies, trying to keep his voice from shaking

“i think my magic has been a lot stronger since you came.”

“it definitely has. you’ve improved.”

“harley,” peter says softly, sitting up.

harley sits up too, looking at peter with soft, scared eyes. “peter.”

“i think i’m in love with you.”

that night, under the stars, they share a kiss, full of pining and fear and hope

and maybe love

the next day, the arrive in rose hill, and harley’s so nervous that he’s practically sprinting towards his house, dragging peter alongside him

harley bursts into their house, and there’s abbie, lying on her bed, her golden hair and blowing face reduced to a grey pallor

their mother sits beside her, crying, but she looks up when the door slams open

“harley?”

“mama,” harley says, and he’s almost crying too, comforted by a gentle squeeze of peter’s hand, “mama, it’s me, and i’ve brought help.”

“i thought you died! i thought that one of my children died in the forest and the other one is dying right before my eyes.”

“mama, it’s okay,” harley says, and he’s definitely crying now. “this is peter. he’s a witch, he’s going to help us.”

his mother steps aside, and peter gets to work

when the spell finishes, abbie gasps, and her bright blue eyes blink open as a golden light fills her and spreads through her body

harley hears his mother’s choked-up cheer, and his heart lifts, but then peter collapses

“peter!” harley shreiks, catching the boy in his arms. “peter!”

peter cracks open his eyes and smiles faintly up at harley

“i did what had to be done.”

“you traded your life for hers,” harley whispers through his tears. “peter, you idiot.”

“it was the only way i could guarantee her life.”

“but i can’t lose you too.”

peter chokes out a laugh. “you’ll be okay.”

“peter,” harley says softly.

“i love you, harley.”

the light goes out in peter’s eyes, and harley cries

“peter, i love you,” he whispers, pressing a soft kiss to peter’s lips

then all of a sudden, like magic - no, it is magic - a golden light washes over peter’s body, just like abbie, and peter gasps awake, back from the dead

“harley!” he cries out, and harley is too amazed, too dumbfounded by what just happened to even say anything back.

“it’s me,” he eventually whispers. “it’s me.”

#parkner halloween week 2019 #peter parker #harley keener #parkner #harleypeter #abbie keener #ned leeds #michelle jones #parkner au #fluff #light angst #bella writes #bella headcanons

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renee-writer · 4 years

Text

Guardians of the Stones Chapter 4 Past, Present, and Future

Back in 1946, Mother Ruth is working to get Frank out of Inverness. She knows from being in his room to get the supplies for Claire, that he had been offered a job in Oxford. She knows from a letter from another Sister, a Guardian of the Stones from the future, that he will meet his next wife there.

She was the Sister currently on assignment at the Stones. Keeping an eye on Frank was taking her away from her main job. He was bugging the local constables to find his wife, claiming a Highlander he saw looking up at her was involved. He wasn’t, not in her disappearance. Finally Ruth had enough. She has a friend, a mate from school how was the Mother Superior in St Aloysius. Mother Gene was happy to help, knowing the dean of the university that Frank was destined to serve at. She understood the situation and, a few phone calls later, Frank is off to Oxford where it is harder for him to try to find his wife.

Meanwhile in 1740, Jamie and Murtagh arrive at Lallybroch. They, especially Jamie, are greeted with enthusiastic hugs.

“It is happy we are to have you home Jamie. We wish you could stay longer. But, your Uncle Column needs you to help set up the horse breeding program. You will help him out for a few months and then return here. We need your help with the expansion of Lallybroch.” His da tells him after enthusiastic greetings from his mam and sister.

“Da, I pray this doesn’t mean marriage. I really wish to not have a lass thrust on me. I had enough of them throwing themselves at me in Paris.” Brain laughs.

“Nae son. We will have you choose your bride.”

At the Castle

Hamish becomes a shadow under his healer's feet. Where she is, you can usually find the young lad. He helps carry her supplies, accompanies her to the garden to collect herbs and other medicinal plants, even leaves his da's side to dine with her.

“I am sorry he is so attached to me.” She tells Column one day when she is massaging him to give him some relief from his leg and back pain.

“Dinna fash Mistress. Since the death of his mam,” The both cross themselves,” He has hungered for a lass to give his child's heart too. You are a good influence on him. I dinna mind.”

Lallybroch

The month passes quickly as Jamie catches up with his family. He is soon heading to Castle Leoch to serve his uncle. He will miss Lallybroch but at least he is still on Scottish soil.

First sight

His Uncle Column introduced them at the hall at dinner the first night he was there.

“Jamie lad, there is someone I would like you to meet. “ He stands and then almost falls back when he sees her. Her brown curls, as out of control as his own, frame a beautiful face with the most esquist eyes. “James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser meet Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp, a widow from near York and London. She is the castle's healer. Claire, my nephew Jamie.”

He bows low before her. “Your servant ma'am.”

“Sir,” she curtsies.

“Miss Claire, come. Our dinner is getting cold.” Her escort stands and her arm. She is usually thankful for his presence. The Laird's son keep all but the most enthusiastic suitors away. But, there is something about this Jamie.

“Hamish, where are your manners. You aren't even going to say hello to your own cousin, Jamie, before you jerk Mistress Beauchamp’s arm off.” His da scolds him.

“Hello cousin Jamie. How was Paris?”

“Hello Hamish. It was good but I am glad to be home on Scottish soil. You have grown quite a lot in the last three years.”

“Aye. I am twelve now. May we speak later so I may escort Miss Claire to dinner?”

“Aye.” He bows again to her. “It was very nice to meet you Mistress.”

“You too.” As Hamish drags her away, he notices her arse. Ah Dhai!

“Uncle, is the widow Beauchamp being courted?” he asks his uncle over dinner,” By anyone other then your son.”

Column laughs. “ He does have a crush, eh. But, he will outgrow it when a lass closer to his own age catches his eye. As for Mistress Beauchamp, nae. Not for lack of the lads trying. I have had three men come and make serious offers for her hand. She has rejected them all. I haven’t made inquires to the state of her marriage when she became a widow. I fear her late husband wasn’t a good man and it will take the lass time to trust another.”

“Hmm. But, she is a good healer?”

“Oh aye. She saved Mrs. Fitz's nephew, Danny, from poisoning from a plant at the black kirk. Father Bane though him possessed. Was a relief to all when he ended up just sickened by the plant and she was able to bring him back to full health.”

Over the next week, he spend most of his time in the stables separating out the best horses, coos, and sheep, for the breeding program. He is joined by his wee cousin, as his da wishes him to learn the secrets of breeding.

“So Hamish, how is your arm?” he asks him one day when he sees the lad rubbing it.

“Oh it is better. Miss Claire gave me exercises to do to strengthen it.” It is the opening Jamie had been waiting on.

“You like Mistress Claire then?”

“Aye. She is nice to me and not just because I am the heir of Column. I wish her husband hadn't treated her so bad.”

“Bad how?”

“He hit her. When Father Mackenzie first brought her here, she had bruises. And there is a sadness in her eyes sometimes.” Jamie’s hands had fisted up. Men are not to hit women!”

“But he is dead, her husband?”

“Aye. But, she still rejects the lads who wish to court her. Da says it is because she doesn’t trust them. She trusts me though.” He says with some pride. Jamie grins at him. He canna blame the lad. He feels the same.

“What else do you ken about her?”

“She loves to take the horses out and gather strange flowers and herbs. She can heal with them.” His eyes get large in wonder,” she hums songs as she works but they are like no song I have ever heard. She bathes daily.”

“How do you ken that?”

“The maids whisper about bringing up water for her ever night.” He replies with a blush.

“You shouldn't ken that lad.” The blush on the lad's face deepens.

“She has knifes in her surgery.” He tells his cousin to change the subject.

“Does she now?” Before the lad can answer, Donas, one of the more ill tempered horses, runs in from the outside paddock. He heads straight for Hamish. Jamie jumps in front of him and places his hands up.

“Slaodadh sios balach tha a h-uile dad gu math. Chan eil duine airson do ghortachadh. {slow down lad all is well. No one wishes to hurt you.}” he tells the horse. It stops with a snort and then reaches out and bites Jamie's hand. “Iffrin! You wee bastard!” he calls out as blood runs down his arm.

“Cousin Jamie, we must take you to the healer.”

“I will be..” but he doesn’t finish as a wave of dizziness takes him over. Auld Alex and Willy, the other men in the stables also insist. Hamish gets his arm around his waist and helps him to Miss Claire.

“Miss Claire, my cousin has been bitten by a horse!” He calls out as he enters. Claire hurries over.

“Owe!” She helps Hamish lower him down onto her table.

“Tis' just a horse bite. I've had worse.” He says as he looks into her incredible honey whisky eyes.

“This one is bad. Will need stitches. Hamish, run down and fetch some hot water and whisky from Mrs. Fitz.”

“Aye Miss Claire.”

“The alcohol here is not for drinking.” She explains as she carefully presses a clean cloth over the wound to slow the flow of blood. He would ask her what her alcohol was for but, even pressing down hard on his wound, her hands feel so bonny on him, ti' all he can concentrate on.

Hamish brings the requested items back. She pours Jamie a good shot and then another. “Okay, this is going to sting. Quite a lot. I am sorry.” She pours a good bit of the hot water over the wound followed by some of the alcohol. It hurts like the devil and he bites his lip tight not to scream. “Sorry. I am trying to prevent it getting inflamed.” She gives him another shot of whisky. “I am going to close it now. Your hand will have to be in a sling for a bit as it heals.”

“Do as you need.” He is feeling pleasantly buzzed by the whisky and her presence. She tips the needle at thread in more alcohol and starts to sew. She does hum as she works and Jamie is distracted some from the pain by trying to place the song. It is like none his mam had sang to him, like none of the songs he had grown up hearing.

She coats it with honey, wraps a clean cloth around it, and places it in a sling. “Rest here a bit Mr. Fraser.”

“Jamie. I am Jamie.”

“Claire. Rest Jamie.” He closes his eyes and a few of his curls fall forward. She brushes them back and he smiles. She does too.

Fort William

Lt. John Grey enters Captain Randall's office. “You called for me sir?”

“Yes, you recall the lady we found in Inverness two months ago? The one found in just her shift. The one Father Mackenzie came to see?”

“Yes, she died in her cell.”

“So it would seem. But, when we went to bury our latest, they dug near where her body should be. We have only a few women buried here. She isn’t among them.”

“I escorted the grave diggers out myself sir. I saw her buried. Why she isn't there, I truly can not tell you.”

“Fine. You are dismissed.” The Lieutenant leaves with a bow and Black Jack returns to the letter from his wife. She wrote with news of her pregnancy. He wrote her back offering congratulations but reminding her she is to have a son.

It isn’t a love match between them. She had been married to his brother. He had died and, his family not wishing to loss her money, insisted that he marries her. He has the men here and about to play with. If she gives birth to a son, he wouldn’t debase himself to lay with her again. He would much rather lie with Lt. Grey. With a sigh, he returns his mind to the problem of the missing widow.

Lt. Grey has his own story. He had been serving Her Majesty’s army in Afghanistan in 2009. After being injured, he was sent home. He decides to explore around before deciding what he wishes to do. While hiking in Scotland, he ends up touching the same stone Claire had. He woke up close to three hundred years in the past. Thank God for Father Mackenzie and Sister Ruth. Father Mackenzie provided him with papers and a commission. He hurries to his room to write the good Father about Black Jack discovering that Claire's body is missing.

1946

Sister Mary Luke, is the newest Guardian. It is only her second time in this time and she is still a bit nervous if prepared. Frank comes in

“Sister, is the good Father about?”

“I am sorry sir, he isn't. May I help you?”

“I really need to see him. I have found love again, you see. With my first wife gone, I seek the church’s permission to remarry.”

“I see Mr. Randall. He will be back soon. Where can he find you?”

He tells her which B and B he is staying in and leaves. Sister Mary smiles. Twi months. Father Mackenzie will be pleased.

#my writing #outlander fanfic #jamie and claire #cannon divergence #outlander fandom #guardians of the stones #past present future

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