#the only condition is that this only becomes possible AFTER the main plot in Black Orbit. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

paganwitchisis · 1 month

Text

Vampiric Antidote

Here is my own original work! Not Beta read.

Rated E Words:8,733

Warnings: Explicit sexual content, porn with plot, vaginal sex, creampie, aftercare, excessive porn and sexual content, fuck or die, sexual healing, etc...

Relationship: (AFAB) Female Tav/Astarion

Summary: After a visit to the House of Hope, Female Tav is infected with a poison from the Incubus inhabiting Raphael's room. This poison makes Tav lustful and in a state of distress. 2 days later, they reach camp and Astarion sees her condition. Being familiar with this particular poison and the effects, he knows he is the only one who can save her. This is after Cazador has been eliminated and Astarion has chosen to stay a spawn and not sacrifice his brethren. Established Romance. Fluff and smut ensue. 3rd person POV, no descriptions on Tav so you can imagine your own character in their place.

STORY IS 18+ ONLY

AO3 Main

AO3 link

Story:

She knew something was wrong the moment the blade graced her skin. In actuality it was a small cut but she could tell something was off. Now was not the time though as Gale used Magic Missile on the foes, Shadow Heart close behind with her radiant damage. Karlach swung her great sword and finished off the incubus before them, the disgusting creature. It took little time to kill the remaining imps and to loot the bodies. They cleared the room, found the safe and left to steal the hammer…knowing another fight would await them. Before leaving however they enjoyed the rejuvenating spring but Tav still felt off. Her skin was warm to the touch and her nerves seemed electrified. She wasn’t sure how to explain it but she was slightly short of breath and these symptoms didn’t seem to quite add up.

Some time later they had finished a rather difficult battle with Raphael and won. The devil was finally slain yet Tav was not ok. Tav was dizzy, breathing heavily and felt like her flesh was on fire. She was sweating, and clutched her sword tightly as she slumped to her knees. She was covered in blood and visceral from the fight , her panting began to become gasps of air as she clutched her chest. The corners of her vision began to darken. What was wrong? Karlach, she suspected, was with her in a second as she felt herself raised up from the floor before her world turned black.

Time began to become distorted as she remembered brief flashes of faces and conversations. Gale and Shadow Heart bickering over what to do as her sweat soaked her clothes. Shadow Heart attempted Remove Curse but to no avail. Gale was going over books with little to no possible answers. Karlach was telling them that they needed a professional and to stop guessing. Tav blacked out shortly after and awoke some time later being carried in Karlach’s arms while on the road. How much time had passed was unknown to her. All she knew was the new symptoms that started to appear. Symptoms that had she been in her right mind she would have been very concerned but her mind was not fully her own at the moment. It started with the smell of vanilla.

Tav looked up to see that she was close to Karlach’s chest as she breathed in deep and realized the smell was coming from Karlach. Tav bit back the feeling deep inside her body as she felt heat stir within her loins. This was ridiculous, right? A cold draft of air bristled up Tav’s neck and chilled her heated flesh. She was lusting intently for Karlach of all people. This couldn’t be! Tav didn’t want to let this show but she couldn’t stop her hand ghosting her right breast and the moan escaping her parched lips.

“Uh…guys?” Karlach stopped walking and looked towards the two companions.

“That confirms my theory” Gale mentioned matter of factly. “It’s from the fight with the Succubus”

“Incubus” Shadow Heart attempted to correct.

“Whichever is correct! It doesn’t matter. We need to get back to camp. Someone there may know what to do.” Karlach interuppted.

Another moan escaped Tav’s lips as she thrust her hips upward in an attempt to alleviate the issue.

“And fast” Karlach added and walked more briskly towards camp.

Meanwhile at camp Astarion was frustrated. A few days prior Tav had told him she was invading the devils house and would not be taking him along! Of all the places to be going without him and she would choose Raphael’s own home, one of the most dangerous places she could go aside from Cazador’s. This would of course put Astarion on edge. A week past Tav had helped him defeat Cazador and earn his freedom and since then he had cemented his relationship with Tav. She was the first and only person he truly cared about. She never pushed him to do anything he was uncomfortable with and stuck with him from bloodlust to bloodshed. She rationalized that she needed Gale for his magic, Shadowheart for healing and Karlach for her expertise with Avernus. She wanted him to protect the camp. From what he asked as Orin was killed to protect Yenna sometime ago! All Tav said was that she needed him safe and she didn’t have much time to invade Raphael’s home.

Astarion never showed anyone he was worried of course but he was. Who knows what the devil had in store for them and the what if scenarios would plague him during his long nights alone.

When Karlach came back with a look of terror on her face and an obviously compromised Tav in her arms with Gale and Shadow Heart closely behind her, it seemed Astarion was correct. Astarion was before them in an instant to asses the situation. Tav was in her underclothes as her armor and pack was with Gale. She was drenched in sweat, her hands lightly teasing her body outside her clothes and moaning occasionally as she panted in delusion. Her eyes opened half way and she reached out towards Astarion.

“Help me, please!”

Astarions heart almost broke. He knew what was afflicting her as it coursed through his veins many times.

“She was wounded by a demon wasn’t she? A sexual demon.” Astarion demanded

Karlach gaped and questioned him “How do you know?”

“It is a poison native to them. She is poisoned and you never thought to cure her?” Astarion was secretly happy that it was late at night that the trio returned and the others were sleeping because his demeanor was blown the moment he saw her situation.

“We didn’t know! How…how do you…” Gale stepped forward to defend Karlach

“Do you think Cazador tortures his spawn with just knives?” Astarions tone was ice cold as he drew near Gale so he was within his personal space “Do you know what this poison does?”

Gale didn’t know how to respond because frankly all he knew was from his readings. It was more speculation at best.

“Enlighten me”

“Let’s just say it will kill her. Cazador used it on us because it couldn’t kill whats already dead but she wont be so lucky.”

“How do we cure this?” Shadow Heart questioned.

“How long has it been since she was infected?” Astarion snapped his patience wearing thin as he could see her condition was dangerously close to grave.

“Why does it…” Gale started

“How long!” Astarion cut him off, his eyes shinning more red than usual. Astarion almost snarled, showing his fangs.

“Almost right away when we got there. 2 days ago” Karlach offered the information.

“You let her suffer for 2 days?” Astarion closed his hands into fists, his temper rising. He tried to calm himself

“How do we cure her?” Shadow Heart chimed in, eager to see her friend no longer suffering.

“Cure? It’s too late to make a cure now! Hand her to me”

Karlach was apprehensive to hand the woman over to the snarling vampire before her.

“What are you going to do if there is no cure?” Gale asked.

“You can only let it run its course at this point.” Astarion held his arms out asking silently for Tav but Karlach did not relinquish her.

“But you said that it will kill her” Shadow Heart worriedly mentioned. Astarion took a breath and calmed himself before smirking at their inquiry.

“Darling…what I will be doing is between us but don’t worry, she will not die. I will not allow it…also I will not harm her. On the contrary, she will very much enjoy it” Astarion smiled still holding his arms out “but from what I can see, her condition is deteriorating fast and I wont be able to take her somewhere special. Things may get a bit…loud” Shadow Heart and Gale blushed knowing what Astarion meant while Karlach was already helping to transfer Tav into his arms.

“You know…maybe if we use the spell called Globe of Invulnerability, it may block out the noise. It wont last long though and there are no guarantees.” Shadow Heart offered. “Never used it for this reason before so not sure if it will work”

“That’s sweet of you Shadow Heart. Now if you don’t mind, she doesn’t have much time left.”

Astarion hurriedly darted towards his tent, gently put her down on his bed roll and turned around. Astarion dropped the flap on the tent to seal it and knotted the rope on the top of the flap and the bottom. He made sure no one was getting in, especially because he couldn’t have any interruptions for the adventures he was going to get into shortly.

“Astarion. Help me!”

“One moment love” Astarion grabbed a vial and held the back of Tav’s head with one hand and helped her drink the potion with the other. “There you go. I want you clear headed for this. Not that it will do you any good for what I'm about to do to you” Astarion smirked.

It took moments for the potion to take effect but Tav’s disorientation slipped away and she blinked a few times to reorient herself.

“Astarion?”

“Hush love.” Astarion put a finger to her lips as she took both of her breasts into her hands and she toyed with her nipples, moaning in frustration. Astarion smiled “You’re ill my sweet and it’s too late to cure it.”

“What? But…”

“Let me finish…”Astarion continued “I can help you through it as it runs it’s course darling. This illness will kill you without my intervention and you don’t have much time left.”

“How…”

“I’ll make love to you my dear.”

“No, I don’t want to force you to do anything you…”

“Did you not hear me?” Astarion interjected “I never said I would fuck you or have sex. I want to make love to you. I love you and having sex with you is not the same as what Cazador made me do…or what he did to me.”

“What he did to you?” Tav questioned

“How do you think I know about this love? Cazador would infect us with it, force us to want so badly and so deeply and the only relief we could get would be from him when and if he willed it. It was a sick and twisted game and I hated it but with you….it’s different. Hells…everything is different with you!” Astarion chuckled. “Also, in addition to making you scream my name all night, you should know this poison can last for days. I can also help with that. It’s in your bloodstream and I can…”

“I don’t want you to suffer too….I mean Cazador…he….” Tav stumbled on her words attempting to express her feelings.

“I wont suffer…not with you. Please consider it. I can make it feel really good, heighten the pleasure.”

“Astarion….it’s so hot.” Tav started to pull at her shirt and claw at her skin. Her pants came as gasps and she had such a deep ache between her legs. Every nerve was on fire, every sensation increased, her chest hurt and her head throbbed. Astarion looked at her and frowned.

In one feel swoop he tore her clothes off her to leave her bare but unscathed. The heat of her flesh staving off the cool night air as Astartion took her lips to his own. Passionately and deeply he drank of her before pulling back briefly.

“You’re running out of time.” Astarion traveled south to his prize and spread her legs wide. “I’ll be damned if I lose the woman I love to this wretched poison.” Astarion took two fingers and placed them at her already wet entrance and looked at Tav who was watching Astarion curiously. “May I?”

“Are you sure?”

Astarion smiled and plunged two fingers inside of her sweet peach, quickly adding a third as Tav rocked on the digits.

“I’m sure.” Astarion nipped at Tav’s left nipple. “Already this wet for me dear?”

“My chest…it hurts!” Tav cried out and Astarion changed gears. He acted in a more rash manner to help the woman he cared for.

“Cum for me. We need to blow off some of this tension you're having” Astarion curled his fingers in, finding a familiar patch inside that he knew would drive her crazy before he brought his lips down to her clitoris. Astarion under normal circumstances would take things much slower in bed but she didn’t have the time to do so. She needed this relief as soon as possible. Sure he could have jumped to this and not spoken to her but after being a slave to Cazador’s whims for so long and no having a voice with his own body? He knew how important consent was. Astarion alternated between sucking and licking just how he knew she would like it on her nerve cluster and pumped his fingers inside all the while he stroked that tiny patch of flesh just inside her core. She was going mad with lust. She tried to rise her hips but Astarion held them down with his free arm and devoured her.

This wasn’t the first woman he gave oral sex to but it was the first woman who he found he enjoyed doing it for. It was the first woman he enjoyed the taste of. Astarion found himself plunging deeper into her womanhood, moaning as he made her scream his name (and made Astarion secretly hope the spell worked on noise).

Tav dropped one of her hands to the back of his head and threaded her fingers in his silky white locks of hair as he worked her supple flesh.

Her orgasm crept up on her and without warning took hold. Her body shook in the pleasure that exploded inside of her as she gasped Astarion’s name. Astarion pulled back and smirked as he wiped his mouth and sat back on his heels.

“Now my sweet, with that out of the way we can do things the right way.”

“What do you mean? That isnt it?”

Astarion laughed before replying, bringing his hand gently up to Tav’s cheek.

“Far from it. It will keep ramping up until it is out of your system which can take a long, long time. I can shorten it if you will let me.”

“You mean by…” Tav sat up and felt the words ring true. She could still feel the effects and she lusted for Astarion still even though she just found such a sweet climax.

Astarion drew close and encircled her in his arms, dipping his head towards Tav’s neck, grazing his fangs against her skin.

“Im not Cazador. I wont put you through that again.” Tav responded.

Astarion started kissing her neck and slowly made his way north, kissing her chin, kissing her lips and pulled away to reply, his forehead touching hers and his breath ghosting her skin.

“You’re right, you are not Cazador. You wont make me beg for relief. I can trust you and we can enjoy a wonderful time in each others arms. Please let me end your suffering. We can have so much fun together” Astarion pleaded in his usual sing song voice before kissing the side of her cheek and making his way back to her neck.

A deep ache developed between Tav’s legs and she tried to close her legs to relieve the pressure but Astarion wouldn’t let her.

“I don’t think so my dear. I’ll fill you shortly but first you deserve more than that. Let me worship your body, lay back.”

Tav did as commanded as Astarion started to kiss her neck, collarbone and chest. He brought his hands up to fondle her perfect soft breasts as his tongue encircled her perked up nipples. Tav tried to close her legs or do anything really to relieve the pressure so Astarion brought his clothed knee up to the crux of her thighs and would grind against her core. Tav moaned, brought her arms up and clenched the bedroll fabric in her hands.

“My precious treasure” Astarion whispered as he brought her legs up and kissed the outside of her knees.

“You’re overdressed”Tav commented.

Astarion chuckled and took off his shirt with ease before getting up and slipping his pants to the ground along with his undergarments.

“Better?” Astarion asked?

Seeing his manhood being limp Tav frowned slightly, partially ashamed in thinking that her body didn’t inspire as much as she thought it did. She tried to cover up her concerns but Astarion was quick to notice. Tav knew he had a past history of abuse so she shouldn’t have expected much but she couldn’t help how she felt.

“What is wrong my love?”

“It’s nothing.”

“My dear…” Astarion kissed her passionately and slipped his tongue against hers, he brought his hand to the back of her head and delved deeper. He couldn’t get enough of her. He was engrossed in her feel and taste, he loved her with all his heart. His chest felt warm with how he felt towards the woman he was engaged with. He never felt this way before. Not even when he was alive.

He may be dead but in this very moment he never felt more alive.

Astarion apprehensively pulled away and continue to speak.

“You can tell me anything. Please be honest with me”

“You’re not…well…you’re limp. I thought you’d be hard with everything we've been doing” Tav admitted.

Astarion smiled. “That’s all? My dear, I guarantee you I want you, I need you in fact. It is just a fact of my…condition. I will be hard when I’m inside you but make no mistake, I want you and you are sexy as all hells.”

Tav smiled and dropped her hand towards Astarion’s manhood, taking it into her hand.

“Oh yes” Astarion called out

Tav began to stroke his cold skin, bringing it to life. Tav pushed Astarion back who yelped in surprise as she stalked up his body. Astarion usually was the one to stalk his prey but this power play was a nice reprieve and was curious to the vampire. Tav stopped above his now hard length and looked at Astarion.

“Can I touch you….can I make love to you?”

“Only a little love, tonight is about you as you’re the one poisoned”

Tav leaned down and took his cock into her mouth. Tav ran her tongue up the underside of his penis and sucked on him passionately. Astarion was moaning audibly and put his fist into his mouth to stifle his voice. Tav took his balls gently in her other hand while she took her right hand and stroked what she could not suck on. Whenever she twisted her head right, she would stroke left and give him a whirlwind of different pleasure. Astarion was lost in what Tav was doing to him. Astarion had a hard time doing it but he pulled away. He couldn’t lose himself. He needed to take care of her needs. He wasn’t going to lose her. He couldn’t.

Astarion smiled and pushed her back as he loomed above her.

“Im going to make you feel good. Trust me”

Astarion kissed her while he settled between her legs and spread them further. He grabbed hold of his cock and lined himself up before submerging himself inside of her. It took a moment for her to adjust to his rather large girth but once she did, it felt wonderful. Astarion rocked himself into a gentle rhythm while he brought his fangs to Tav’s neck.

“May I?”

Tav was breathless and in ecstasy, she held on to Astarion like he was a life vest in a sea of pleasure.

“Please.”

Astarion sunk his fangs into the side of her neck like he did all those times before. The initial pain was overcome almost instantly by pleasure that went straight to her groin.

The muscles inside of her moist, hot pussy clenched around Astarion’s dick almost right away which made it difficult for Astarion not to spill himself right then and there.

Astarion felt the rush of blood hit the back of his throat and the familiar taste of the loathsome poison. He drunk it all the same. It didn’t take long for him to feel the affects, his skin getting flush and the familiar pang of desire welling up inside. The woman of his dreams lay before him, naked and his fangs in her throat. His cock laid nestled between the silky wet folds of her hot muscles in her most private places and he felt in that moment the luckiest vampire that was…well…not alive.

Astarion felt like a predator in that moment and reluctantly pulled away from her throat, licking the wound a few times lovingly. All the while Astarion was ramming himself inside her. She gasped and brought her hands to Astarion’s backside, gripping intently to help him drive home. Astarion growled and ducked down to take her one breast into his mouth, his hands on both sides of her head to brace himself as he pounded her tight womanhood. Astarion pulled his head back up and roughly took Tav’s lips once again, slipping his tongue deep inside. Astarion moaned into her mouth as Tav locked her legs around Astarion’s waist.

Astarion pulled back from her lavish and lush lips to comment.

“You feel so good. You’re a Goddess my love” Astarion huskily whispered in Tav’s ear as he started ramming into her more deeply. Tav started screaming in pleasure. As she moved her hands to Astarion’s back. Astarion moved his right hand from balancing himself to the area where two bodies become one.

“You’re going to cum for me” Astarion whispered and started to encircle her clitoris with his thumb. Astarion started changing how he made love and instead of simply going in and out, he ground down and up to hit a special place within. Tav became speechless. It was like pure electricity exploding inside after every stroke. It went from the tips of her toes to the ends of her lips. Electric heat of pure ecstasy drove her eyes back and her toes to curl. Her orgasm was growing with every stroke but when Astarion dipped his head down to bite her again, extreme heat exploded inside of her and everything went white.

“Astarion!” Tav cried out, her nails digging into his back involuntarily. Astarion grined while his fangs were still embedded in her vein. Her muscles clenched around his phallus and it was like it pulled him in deeper. Like Tav’s body kept wanting the vampire and encouraging him to spill his seed. It didn’t take much of course as a few more strokes in such a hot and tight, throbbing environment became too much to bear and Astarion was soon filling her.

Astarion dipped his head on Tav’s shoulder as he caught his breath, his cock still hard and ready due to the poison.

“You ok?” Tav asked concerned.

Astarion chuckled. “My dear, Im better than ok. That felt amazing and just think, we still have a long night ahead of us with a lot more debauchery left”

“Still? It isnt gone?” Tav asked although she knew the answer, she could still still feel it inside her.

“Im sure you know the answer to that. You can feel it as much as I do” Astarion pulled his cock out as a show of what he meant.

“ARE YOU TWO DONE FUCKING YOUR BRAINS OUT YET?” screamed a voice from outside the closed flap, scaring the lovers. Astarion quickly threw on some clothes and didn’t care that he looked disheveled. He looked around at her destroyed clothing and threw some of his clothing towards Tav so she could be decent.

After a moment he unlatched the flap and ran his his fingers through his hair to fix it a bit, thankfully due to his vampirism he was able to will his erection to subside temporarily but it wasn’t a permanent solution. He clasped Tav’s hand after she was decent and stepped out to face the vexed party member.

Before them stood Lae’zel who stood arms crossed and and fairly upset. Not just her stood before them but quite a lot of eyes who should be asleep.

“I guess the spell didn’t work” Astarion commented dryly. Tav blushed but never unclasped her hand from the vampire next to her.

“You could say that. Carnal pleasures are fine but I would like to get sleep tonight if it is all the same to you.” Lae’zel chastized

Tav, thinking she could talk her way out of it, had the bright idea to question Lae’zel.

“What makes you think we were enjoying ‘carnal pleasures’?” Tav questioned

Astarion laughed at the attempt. At this point Wyll had commented from somewhere in the back

“You’re wearing his clothes…”

Tav blushed further and looked down. “I guess you have a point.”

At this point Shadow Heart, Karlach and Gale had come forward with their concern. “How are you feeling?” Karlach asked.

“You gave us a scare” Gale commented “although I see Astarion got a little hungry”

Tav looked at herself and was secretly happy that Astarion thought ahead to wipe away the blood smears from their activities. The puncture marks were still visible.

“Im just fine, although not out of the woods yet. Thanks to Astarion of course” Tav squeezed his hand

Astarion smiled, exposing his fangs as he chose his next words carefully. “She still needs….treatment. If you don’t mind, were going to get away from camp and let you all sleep but she will be fine”

Astarion surprised Tav by picking her up but before he could leave, Shadow Heart stopped him.

“Here. Take this”

It was a backpack full of supplies and a bedroll. Astarion smirked “How thoughtful of you. Thank you”

“I figured that with the night time…snacks that she may need something to eat” Shadow Heart acknowledged.

Astarion took the backpack in hand and Tav with him as he made his way to a clearing nearby but far enough away that it would not bother the camp. It was a lovely clearing next to a shallow clear lake, lit up by the full moon.

“Now my dear, are you ready for more? I want the world to know you’re mine” Astarion started his sentence close to her lips but drew close to her ear when he growled the last two words “You’re mine”.

A chill ran up her spine as he let her down and a familiar feeling flourished between her legs again. She gazed at him and realized how terrified she should be of him but out of all her companions, she felt the safest with Astarion. He was a predator, fast, able and agile. He was always hungry and hunted, a stalker of dusk and a pale lethal killer. A killer who she was safe with no matter what comes their way.

“You ok my love?”

“I love you, you know” Tav admitted while looking at the man before him

Astarion gave a sly smile and chastly kissed Tav before replying “I love you too….and I think you’re the first person I can honestly tell that to”

Tav tossed her shirt off before Astarion could rip them off and drew forward towards her lover. She look his lips and kissed him, running her hands up his chest under his loose shirt. Astarion responded in kind as he drank he up, his hands finding her beautiful perky breasts.

“Mmm” Tav moaned into Astarion’s mouth who smirked before pulling back.

“Get undressed before I make you undressed” He warned. He yanked his own shirt off and disrobed as Tav slipped off the last of her clothing. She turned to put the clothing on a log when she felt calloused hands grip her hips and soft flesh pushed against her backside.

Tav braced her hands on the log in front of her and spread her legs before him. Astarion loved the view. Astarion grew hard but he wanted to make sure she was ready for him so he dropped to his knees and devoured her womanhood.

Tav moaned loudly to Astarion’s ministrations, her special space long since been ready to be invaded by Astarion’s engorged length after all the love making they had made previously. Astarion pulled back from his meal to speak.

“Mmm, you’re body knows who it belongs to” Astarion calmly mentioned with a quick harmless slap of her ass. Tav yelped at the surprise slap and pushed back against Astarion. Astarion stood up and lined his cock up again like he previously did just minutes ago in the safety of their tent. Astarion pushed in chuckling about the memories he would be thinking about the next time he slept there, the memories of the rampant sex and the love they shared.

Astarion wasted no time pounding into his lover. Astarion rose his hand and slap her ass once more leaving a slight pink mark. Tav push back against Astarion in response and met him thrust for thrust. Astartion growled and leaned forward, brushed her hair to the side and sank his fangs into her neck once again. Immediately he felt her tighten up around him and push against him once again. Astarion felt so warm as he drank some of her blood. Fearful of drinking too much he pulled back and licked the wound clean. Tav’s arms collapsed on the log and Astarion grew worried he took too much and the effects of the poison had weakened her. Astarion knew the poison would be lethal if he stopped so Astarion looked around as he made love. He viewed the shallow lake and had an idea. Pulling out, Astarion heard the faint mewl from Tav of the missing appendage. It reassured Astarion she was ok.

Astarion pick his love up gently and made his way to the lake. He stepped into the water and it was cool and crisp to the skin. It was a nice contrast to their heated embrace. Astarion held Tav by the backside, her chest was against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder. Astarion sat down in the shallow area where the water reached their mid level and entered his lover again. Tav moaned into his shoulder as he did. Astarion held Tav up and began kissing her, whispering for her to wake up.

“If you want me to move, you need to wake up dear” Astarion kissed her cheek

“Youre so comfy” Tav whined

“If you don’t open your eyes, Im going to make you” Astarion snarled, worry starting to prevail.

Astarion dragged his fang gently against her ear lobe.

Tav opened her eyes and leaned forward, taking Astarion’s lips to her own which startled Astarion.

Astarion pulled back and commented “ Cum for me my love and after this you can sleep and eat. Maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll even cuddle with you”

“Please! I love it when you cuddle with me” Tav was slightly embarassed asking for such a thing but after the passed few days she had, she didn’t care. Her body has been battered and been through hell. It deserves rest.

“Make love to me dear and I will.” Astarion requested and started thrusting into her while she rode on top of him. Tav rode him hard, moaning and grunting as she adjusted in the water while Astarion met her thrust for thrust. He played with her breasts and took his right hand to wrap around towards her back. Astarion smirked and thought he would show her something new. He brought a finger and dragged it slowly down the cleft of her ass, startling the woman.

“Astarion?”

“Trust me dear. You will love this” Astarion took his finger down the crack of her ass to the puckered muscle he sought. Astarion kissed her before snaking the finger inside of her.

Tav was surprised as she never had anything go inside her backdoor. She was no virgin when she slept with Astarion but this was something new completely. She did trust Astarion but she was unsure what to expect.

“Your ass is a virgin huh? You’re giving me something precious my dear. I’m a very lucky man” Astarion smiled and kissed her cheek “There is a spot right inside that will make you feel so good”

“I trust you” Tav commented before Astarion kissed her.

Astarion snaked his finger inside slightly deeper and pressed a patch of flesh inside and Tav closed her eyes in pleasure.

“Maybe we can try some ass play one day. I can show you so many ways to cum” Astarion brought his other hand to her clit so he was pleasuring her in every sense of the word. Tav was gasping at this point as she rode and ground into Astarion who was equally in bliss. Astarion was unaware he could reach such heights with someone he could emotionally connect with. Normally he would disassociate during the deed and afterword to deal with the act he was forced to perform. With her? He loved her. After Cazador he knew she was the one. It was ironic that he was her antidote when in a way, she was his. Sex wasn’t a performance with her. It was love and even though he was still learning how to show it and understand such feelings, he knew that she was his soul mate…a concept he never believed in until now.

Before Astarion was aware of what was going on, he found he was close to spilling his load but his lover had yet to quake.

That would not do.

Astarion ramped up his actions in an attempt to get her to finish with him. Astarion was many things but he was not a poor lover. Astarion took her lips to his own and deeply drank of her as he went to town between her legs. Tav’s legs shook and she was struggling to ride her lover’s cock appropriately so Astarion took that over. He made love to her at a punishing pace, forcing her to fall back a little which put more pressure on the actions Astarion was doing to her backside. The pressure, the actions to her clit and the love they made was a fever dream. Tav arched her back and came hard, the walls of her womanhood closed in tight and throbbed around his swollen appendage, forcing Astarion to spill over quickly. Astarion came loudly, something he rarely does but the pleasure was overwhelming. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the poison or if it was because of the woman he was with but something about this night was different. Astarion knew he would have to consider this further and figure out what was going on but for the moment, he was enjoying the feeling of being alive for the first time in a very long time. Astarion didn’t want to give that up. He would rather die than have anything happen to the woman who brought him back to life. The woman who stuck by him through everything and claimed his heart. Astarion had a lot to chew on but he would never leave her side again. Not after what happened during the incident at the House of Hope.

Astarion pulled his hands free and seeing that Tav was only semi conscious, he helped to bath her in the water they were in. They were absolutely filthy. Between the battle scum that was on her from the fighting days past to the actions of that very night, a good bath, rest and food would do wonders. Of course Astarion was already full. He had already found a boar prior to Tav coming back to camp and then between that and the few nips he had? He was content. Now he had her to take care of.

He bathed her gently and took care of cleaning himself efficiently before returning to throw the bed roll out and open the back pack that Shadow Heart had given him. Inside he found provisions and surprisingly, clothing for himself and her. How far in advance did she see them needing such a thing? Astarion figured that come morning when they returned to camp, assuming the poison had run its course, they would have a lot to talk about. Between embarrassment and insight, there would be a lot to gleam out of speaking to their companions. Astarion wanted to know especially what happened with the demon that had infected his beloved. They usually make deals rather than fight so what was the trade off and why was it so bad?

Astarion managed to wake Tav up long enough to eat a few basic provisions before they cuddled up together on the bedroll.

In the morning, he found that the effects of the poison did not in fact wear off.

He remembered he had a vivid dream. He remember being hot and sweating quite a bit which of course is highly unusual for someone who is dead. He remembered feeling the cool air on his body, a blanket removed perhaps? All he knew was he was uncomfortable. He felt a cool tapping to his cheek which woke him up. Groggily he focused on the image before him. His beloved was above him asking a question but he couldn’t quite make it out.

“Huh?”

“You’re still ill. Can I suck you off?” Tav requested “I don’t want to assume and with your past I mean…”

Astarion felt like he hadn't had anything to drink in days and was parched. Tav brought a dead rat to him. Astarion was befuddled. How did she know?

“How?”

“I don’t like rats. It was a win/win. I figured you would like some breakfast”

Astarion wasnt a fan of eating the creature because of his history with Cazador however the rat was at least fresh and he was hungry. Astarion gritted his teeth and feasted on the rat and drained it dry, quenching his thirst but not his raging hard on

Astarion then noticed he was naked. He could have sworn he went to bed clothed in case anyone stumbled upon them.

“Where are my clothes?”

“You’re drenched in sweat. I took off your clothes to make you more comfortable. I hope that’s ok. You’re still sick. I'm ok Astarion, but I want to repay you.”

Astarion scoffed. “My dear, you are not repaying anything. I loved every minute of it. I wasn’t forced into anything.” Astarion started to stroke himself to relieve the tension.

“I want to suck your cock Astarion. If I’m yours, then you’re mine” Tav commented as she got eye level with his pulsating length. “Please”

“I guess we’re stuck with each other then” Astarion smirked devilishly “And I mean for life. Can you accept that? Vampires have a long life span…”

“I can. Can you accept I’m still mortal and will die long before you?”

“We’ll see dear” Astarion smiled like it was a challenge he just accepted.

Tav licked her lips as she glanced at the cock before her that Astarion continued stroking , pre-cum forming at the surface. Astarion stopped stroking and brought his hand to her cheek, guiding her to his wanting length.

“You never have to ask permission to make love to me, to suck me. I appreciate you asking but only you and just you are free to touch me. I mean it when I say youre the only one for me. I…” Astarion nervously chuckles and continues “ …I don’t understand it myself. I would fight the world for you. I love you.

“Let me make you feel good. I love you too and I cant stand to see you hurting. It is because of me that you’re still poisoned.”

“I told you…” Astarion commented “…you never have to ask. Please suck me off”

Tav wasted no time and started to relentlessly devour his rock hard cock. Astarion let his hands mingle into her soft silky hair as he encouraged her to deep throat his engorged member. Tav pulled back for air, kissing his cock as it rested against her cheek. Astarion normally wouldn’t be permitted to enjoy pleasure except to seduce others but it became a way of disgust. He had no voice. No control over his body. He wouldn’t let that taint this encounter. He was damn well going to enjoy it.

Tav licked the large vein on the underside of his penis before the head of his cock disappeared inside of her mouth. Astarion was watching everything happen and it was incredibly erotic, his pants became heavier as drawing his breath became difficult. The air around them seem to be humid.

Tav resumed her previous technique she tried on him that seemed to have a positive result. She brought her hand back up to his cock, clamped her lips tightly around what she could reach of his rather lengthy member and twirled her tongue around him. She cupped his balls and gently massaged them. Astarion rocked his hips into her as he chased release.

“Ahh” Astarion moaned as he rolled his head back in pleasure.

Tav moaned as she worked him, enjoying the feeling of her lovers most intimate parts entrusted into her care. The vibrations of the moan enhanced the pleasure he felt, Astarion clenched his hand around Tav’s hair as it rested on her head. It didn’t pull on the hair, just add a little pressure as Astarion was losing what little control he had. Astarion felt his balls tightening and his sweet release coming to conclusion. He was so close, just a little bit further…

“I’m going to…” Astarion started to comment and warn Tav about his impending orgasm

“Let me drink you” Tav huskily commented before resuming her work on his beautiful cock.

Astarion found himself turned on further by her words and with a cry, he came into his partner’s waiting mouth. Astarion waited until his member stopped spewing semen before he pulled away from Tav’s mouth who disconnected with a slight pop. A slight amount of cum dripped down the corner of her mouth unbeknownst to her. Astarion sat up slowly and leaned forward to lick the dribble of himself off the corner of Tav’s mouth. Tav chuckled at Astarion’s grimace.

“You drank that stuff? That’s vile!” Astarion remarked

“You taste wonderful” Tav remarked as she made her way up to Astarion’s level and sat next to him.

“You my dear need your taste buds checked. “ Astarion leaned over and kissed Tav regardless “All the same. Thank you. I feel a lot better”

“Do you think we’re in the clear?” Tav questioned in regards to the poison.

“I think so my love….although we’re going to have quite a bit of explaining to do when we return to camp” Astarion remark as he stood up, still naked.

“Dont remind me. Where are you going?” Tav would be lying if she didn’t admit how hot her lover looked. Although was he her lover? What were they really?

“Im getting a quick bath. Im not going to stay sticky and sweaty if I can help it my dear. Feel free to join me if you like” Astarion winked.

Tav laughed and replied “I don’t think I’ll be able to walk straight as it is”

Astarion stepped into the water until it was waist high and began to bathe.

“ The feeling is mutual. What I mean is we can do other things. Maybe sort out a few details”

“Details?” Tav began to remove her clothing as she made her way to the lake.

Astarion turned to face her and smirked at the naked woman before him as she gingerly got into the chilly water.

“Astarion was dripping wet and made his way towards her before replying.

“I would like to know how you got sick.”

Tav smiled “Alright, but I have a question too”

“Hmm…”Astarion pondered before dipping forward to kiss her, an offer that Tav eagerly reciprocated. Astarion looped his arms around her back and lazily kissed her. He kissed her on the lips, on the cheek, the forehead, the neck and the chin. Astarion pulled back “Now my pet, how did you get hurt, or better yet, why did you get into a fight with a sex demon?”

Tav blushed but figured one way or another he would find out about the deal she spat on during their latest mission.

“At one point we stumbled upon a bedroom where we found what looked like Raphael in skimpy clothes…”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa….skimpy clothes?” Astarion interrupted and questioned.

“The better question is if you could classify the strips of cloth as clothing. He was practically naked. Then it talked and we came to find out that the demon was not Raphael but rather a gender changing….or swapping I guess you could call it…sex toy for the devil.”

Astarion sat down in the water and with a yelp he dragged Tav down with him who landed on his lap. Astarion wrapped his arms around Tav and waited for Tav to continue.

Tav rested her head on Astarion’s shoulder and continued the recollection.

“The demon asked that I could play along with it. It requested that I get undressed…..in front of Karlach, Gale and Shadow Heart. It got very upset that I wasn’t stripping naked….”

“Id have killed them all where they stood if I was there with you for even suggesting you fuck the visage of Raphael.” Astarion drew close to her ear by turning his head as she rested on his shoulder, his hand came up from the cool water and cupped her breast. “I won’t let anyone take you” Astarion’s voice made Tav shudder.

“So what did it want?”

“It apparently wanted to have sex with me….in front of the others for one. Secondly the offer was to give it a vow to copy my body….to let it use this copy of my body to have sex with all matter of beasts in hells. Every time my body would be used, I would know” Tav admitted. “I elected to kill the bastard and the imps instead. I got cut during the fight. I knew something was off but I was unaware as to what until we got to camp and you informed us”

Tav buried her face into the crook of Astarion’s neck. Astarion possessively tugged Tav out of his neck and claimed her lips deeply as he pined Tav against the edge of the lake. Astarion pulled back “Im very happy dear that you chose to kill it rather than fuck it. Before committing into a relationship, I would have said you could satiate your hunger any way you choose but you chose to be with me and only me. Especially the image of the devil for gods sake. Of all things to fuck, who would choose that?”

Astarion leaned forward and they claimed each other’s lips again but this time Astarion let his hands wander to her breasts and her thighs. Tav pulled back to warn him “Careful. If we go down this route we really will be walking funny back to camp”

Astarion chuckled and pulled back.

“So what question did you have my pet?”

Tav ran her hand down his hard chest muscles and looked him in the eyes before answering.

“What are we…to you?”

Astarion thought for a moment. Sure he could tell her the usual line about her being the first person he truly cared about but there was more to it now than that. They were lovers but Astarion never was thrilled about that term. He felt it was too casual for what they were now but what were they?

“Hello?” Tav waved her hand jokingly in front of the vampire’s face

“Hmm?”Astarion replied “Oh. Well, about that, I have a crazy idea that kind of just popped in my head.” Astarion smirked and chastely kissed Tav before he continued “If we plan to be with each other eternally, why not make it official?”

“Im not sure I follow” Tav confessed

“I mean, how would you like to be my wife?”

Tav was stunned into silence. Astarion was beautiful, strong, agile and fearsome. He was persuasive and cunning, not to mention very intelligent. This wasn’t even mentioning everything else that attracted Tav to Astarion when they first met. Tav has grown to care about him a great deal since then and has invested in his happiness, his future. She still couldn’t believe it though. This man, this vampire was proposing to her?!?

“Of course! If you’re willing to have a mortal” Tav enthusiastically replied.

“Will you knock it off about that” Astarion chided “I’m not going to lose you but that’s for another time. For now…”

Astarion picked her up abruptly with a yelp from Tav. Astarion chuckled and walked onto the land with his fiance who clung to him due to the dampness and the cool breeze. Astarion sat down on the bedroll with her and covered them both in a thick sheet as Tav let herself relax on the man before Astarion tipped her head up and kissed her languidly.

“You should eat. Then we must return to camp” Astarion muttered, his head draped down to rest on her chin after pulling back to speak.

“I don’t want to. They know we…you know”

“So?” Astarion retorted. “I have seen many people entering other people’s tents during our journey. Were not the only ones”

“How did you…” Tav asked.

“I’m a Vampire my love, I don’t need as much sleep as the rest of you.” Astarion drew the covers off of them and grabbed some new clothes from the pack inside the backpack. He tossed it toward Tav before donning underwear and his clothes himself. He didn’t want to be caught in a compromising position should enemies befall them. Astarion then grabbed some provisions and came back to where he left her.

Tav did as Astarion had done and gotten dressed as well. She sat down on the bed roll when she was handed some provisions by Astarion and began to eat.

“You’re cute, you know that” Astarion commented making Tav blush “We have to go back to camp because we need to get rid of the tadpoles in our brain. Once that is done we can rule the Underdark as partners…together!”

“The Underdark?” Tav questioned

“Well, when the brain is out of the way, I wont be able to walk in the sun any longer my sweet. But do not feel bad about that. We will be ruling over and guiding the 7 thousand spawn Cazador abandoned and be leaders of a new age. Build a new life as equals! How does that sound?”

“What about marriage? We cant get married in the Underdark, I don’t think you will find anyone to officiate it there” Tav giggled.

“The we do it before we deal with the brain, with our friends around as witnesses. This way we can enjoy the sun one last time before I must give it up forever” Astarion lamented

“Tav reached over and gently cupped her hand around Astarion’s cheek to pull him closer into a kiss”

“That sounds wonderful. But wont the other spawn have a problem with a mortal being…”

“My darling…” Astarion cut her off intentionally “ They would not dare lay a finger on you. I also told you, we will find a way to keep you with me….forever….but that is neither here nor now. What do you saw we head back?”

Tav looked down at the last bite of her provisions and ate it before repying.

“Yeah, we should go. “ Tav dejectedly said.

“Good because the sooner we are on our way, the sooner we can go looking for an appropriate ring my sweet.”

“Ring?”

“You are my betrothed arent you? It is only appropriate so everyone knows you’re off limits.” Astarion growled

“Yeah, I’d like that.” Tav smiled “Let’s go”

With that, the couple left the privacy of the secluded forest to walk back to the camp…or rather they limped partially in a way from their adventures the night before. If only the couple knew of what further adventures await them.

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necarion · 2 years

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The Canterbury Job

This is an outline of a video game idea I’ve been sharing with @jadagul. The specific details of the plot are very hazy, and so this is focused more on mechanics. Not all the mechanics will be workable as-written.

1. The setup

The basic setting is a fantasy version of not-England. And you all meet in an inn. You’re the “simple” innkeeper, and you have a group of 4 or 5 other guests. The guests are: a big tough woman who looks like a war veteran; a small shifty guy with a foul sense of humor; a weathered woman who clearly knows her way around the outdoors (she gets a dog); an apprentice mage; and an elderly monk. (If this looks like fighter, rogue, ranger, caster, cleric…you are correct). Your main character has no obvious special skills for now, but is friendly and good with words. All of you are obviously from very different cultures with different skin tones.

[Note, the cultures, skin tones, and names match relatively-known Earth cultures, but do not match with each other. As a possible example, your fighter is a black man who dresses like a samurai and is named William of Loire-Essex, or whatever]

All of you are heading to Canturbury tomorrow for reasons you’re a bit reluctant to dicuss. But the road there is kind of rough, a few of the party knows each other (not clear who, yet), and it’s way safer to go together.

2. The framing adventure

The party sets out on a relatively straightforward exploration adventure. It’s semi-railroaded, and you encounter a number of obstacles along the way, including puzzles, small-scale breaking-and-entering, a few bits of combat. There are maybe 5 of these.

The key is that all of these things require some set of special skills to pass. These are, very importantly, not railroaded. There are several ways you can deal with the problems. And when you’re flummoxed, you can look through your party’s character sheets to pick the skills you need. Every character has a handful of abilities that are slightly unusual (maybe 3), and so you have a menu to choose from. For example, you need to get into a building, and the shifty guy might have the ability to pick the lock, climb the wall, or disguise himself. The fighter might have learned a specific blasting spell. Or you’re facing off against a dragon, and the mage knows how to charm one, etc. Not every character will have a good option for all situations, and not every character will get the full menu on every challenge.

And once you’ve pick an ability for a character, it becomes the only special ability they have on their list, and the others go away with no option to get them back.

After the challenge / minor-setpiece has been completed, the characters who used an unusual skill will be encouraged to tell their story.

3. The Tales

And this is where the core story gets going: as the character(s)’s flashback. You’ll jump back some point in time to live out this character’s adventure and motivation for being in this story. You play as this character. Sometimes alone, sometimes in a small party, sometimes with one of the other main characters in said party.

There are two fundamental elements to each of the Tales:

(a) The only “win condition” for the sub-RPG is one in which you learn the skill you’ve chosen, in the role the character currently occupies.

(b) You all fucking hate the Archbishop of Canturbury for a very personal reason. And come Hells or high water, you’re going to make him/her pay.

Note that there are multiple paths for each character (this is an RPG after all), so the story can proceed a few different ways! But if you pick one of them that doesn’t lead to you earning your skill and the enmity of the Archbishop, you fail the story. You either hit a “game over” and return to the start or savepoint of the adventure, or you return to the framing story only to be informed by another character that you’re lying your ass off, and they want to know what really happened. (This can occur right away, or later, but with some form of stat penalty if you wait).

After everyone has picked their skills, and you approach the final boss, your Innkeeper POV then tells their tale. Here, you get to have your adventure without constraint (a), although you still need to get screwed by the Archbishop in some way. In this way, you can end up with 1, 2, or even 3 skills (although getting more than 1 is really hard).

4. The Boss Level

So, you’re a party on a pilgrimage to Canterbury to get revenge on the Archbishop. You are now challenged to decide how you’re going to play this. Do you kill him? Rob him? Frame her for something she didn’t do? Expose her for something she did? Frame her for something that looks exactly like something she already did? All of the above?

The final level is set up something like a Hitman level, where your objective is to do something very damaging to the Archbishop and get everyone out alive. You can jump between characters, but if you’re not in the POV of one, the AI is going to work through the mission. This is the hardest part to do, and maybe you do it turn-based or something. Or the other characters are now completely AI-powered acting out the existing plan. (When stuff goes wrong, you might get a chance to react, you might not.)

The skills you have to work with are the ones you picked on your journey, plus whatever core abilities you’d expect the party to have based on their class.

And you’re left with one final question:

Do you have what it takes to pull off the Canterbury Job, or will the Archbishop rid herself of the meddlesome party?

#video game #worldbuilding #canterbury tales #yes #this is deliberately chosen to be kind of meta based on the Holy Martyr of the original #i debated writing this in rhyming verse

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heavensickness · 3 years

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Light Novels and Manhwas I'm Currently Reading Part 1

Under The Oak Tree 9/10

A medieval romance between Maximillian, a count's daughter and Riftan, a strong and brave knight with a low social status. Maximillian is a very shy girl who has no confidence in herself and has a stuttering problem, rooted in her abusive and neglected childhood. The story focuses on their relationship which starts off as a planned engagement (cold and almost hostile relationship) and evolves into true love as Riftan and Maxi get to know each other. Maxi also starts to gain confidence in herself and her abilities as she is away from her abusive father & she is now with a man who cherishes her. Character development is great and realistic, smut chapters are also good. The manhwa is at chapter 13 whereas the light novel is at chapter 114.

The Evil Lady's Hero / Villainess in Love 8/10

Isekai story where the protagonist wakes up as the villainess in the story she's been reading. The villainess is the male lead's ex-girlfriend and she is destined to get killed as she is hostile to the female lead in the story. The protagonist spends her life trying to stay away from the main leads as much as possible in order to avoid her death but one day wakes up with the male lead & realizes that they had a one night stand... The story is light-hearted, funny and very lovely overall. The villainess is very witty, bold and empathetic. The original female lead's obsession with her and the male lead's yandere-like affection toward her is still a mystery at this point though (I haven't read the light novel). The manhwa is at chapter 44.

Lucia 7/10

Lucia, who has prophetic dreams, has a disturbing and occurring dream about her future as the wife of an old, abusive man who will ruin her life eventually. She wants to take her future into her own hands and proposes to Duke Taran who's infamous for his cold heart and sexual promiscuity in order to escape from her terrible fate. Their marriage has an important condition: She will not fall in love with him. I started to get bored after a while because everything was going "too great" but the background story of the Duke is really interesting. The light novel is fully translated (I guess?) and the manhwa is at chapter 58.

It Looks Like I've Fallen into the World of a Reverse Harem Game 10/10

Isekai story where our protagonist wakes up as the villainess in an otome game. It seems cliche enough but one of the interesting things about this story is that the villainess can see the options and choices of the heroine. The villainess is a truly cruel and heartless character who takes men as her concubines and other horrible things she has done (before our protagonist possessed her body) unravels with the story. In order to survive in this game where she dies in almost all routes, she has to play multiple mind games with the heroine of the story. Mind games, spicy plot, characters with interesting personalities (and not only male leads too!), heavy themes, gorgeous art... I adore this manhwa. I wish I could find the light novel 😔 The manhwa is currently at chapter 33. (I'm reading it from mangadex and the translators are HILARIOUS)

Everything was a Mistake 6/10

After her death, the protagonist reincarnates as the villainess in a novel (yes isekai). In order to avoid her death, she befriends the male lead and tries to get on his good side. The strange thing happens after they become adults: The original female lead of the novel comes to her and says that the male lead is actually a vicious villain. So our protagonist messes it up by getting close to the ML in the first place. The ML really is an eerie person who can use black magic, read people's thoughts and brainwash them. However, our protagonist is the only person he truly cares about, so you can guess how it goes. Good story, nothing more nothing less. The light novel is very behind of the manhwa, which is at chapter 22 currently.

#will continue #under the oak tree #everything was a mistake #It Looks Like I've Fallen into the World of a Reverse Harem Game #lucia #the evil lady's hero #the villainess in love #light novel #manhwa #isekai #romance #things i'm reading #recs #manhwa recs #isekai recs #keep

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citrusdarling7 · 3 years

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Dumbledore's Villainhood

description- an essay i wrote when i should have been doing actual course work

warnings- mentions of abusive households, spoilers for the HP series, mentions of death, and dumbledore slander. (duh)

🗡—————————————————————🗡

I have read the Harry Potter books around twenty times, along with dozens of fanfictions based off of the series. My friends and family have suffered through hour-long rants on subjects such as Snape being the worst character, racism in the writing, and how characters such as Fleur and Lavender are a projection of Rowling’s own internalized misogyny. (Warning: spoilers for the Harry Potter series below!)

The Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling is arguably one of the most well known book series in modern times. With over 500 million copies sold worldwide, these books have been read by millions of people. The story follows orphaned main character Harry Potter as he learns he is a wizard and has a mortal enemy that he will consequently face every book. Harry begins to study at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which is presided over by Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore was written to represent the Mentor character that is so commonly found in any Hero’s Journey type of story; however I do not believe Dumbledore deserves any praise. I believe that Albus Dumbledore was the true villain of Harry’s story.

Before I dive into the prompt, I would like to first clarify that this is actually not how Rowling had intended for her character to be interpreted. Although she has to be accredited with the fascinating world-building of her series, I don’t like to provide her with any unnecessary praise. Rowling has shown through her social media that she is transphobic, homophobic, anti-Semitic, and racist. Her judgment is incredibly flawed and therefore reflected in her work; Rowling truly believes that Dumbledore should be praised.

In the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, young Harry is sent to live with his non-magical Aunt and Uncle proceeding the murder of his parents. While standing on the end of the street and conversing with Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore says, “It’s the best place for him— His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he’s older. I’ve written them a letter.” (pg 14.) The Dursley’s were incredibly neglectful towards Harry, border lining on the edge of abuse. Harry often went days without meals and spent weeks locked inside the cupboard under the stairs. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, book number six, Dumbledore finally explains why he allowed a child to grow up in such horrible conditions. Since Lily Potter sacrificed herself to protect Harry, that protection would continue as long as he spent at least one day a year with her blood relatives. Dumbledore could have easily found a magical family to take Harry in, and have the boy visit his aunt and uncle once a year. It was completely unnecessary for him to be raised by them, yet Dumbledore simply did not care.

Throughout the series, Dumbledore manipulated nearly everyone around him in a variety of ways. One example of this was his relationship with Rubeus Hagrid. In the year 1945, the Chamber of Secrets was opened by Tom Riddle, (young Voldemort.) During a flashback scene, a suspicious Dumbledore has a conversation with Tom Riddle and asks, “Is there anything that you wish to tell me?” (pg. 245) regarding the Chamber. Dumbledore already knew that Riddle was the one to open in, yet he stood aside and did nothing when Hagrid was later blamed. Once Dumbledore was appointed as Headmaster of Hogwarts, he allowed Hagrid to become a gamekeeper for the school. Poor Hagrid views Dumbledore as his savior, which the old man uses to his advantage. Dumbledore was constantly having Hagrid risk his life and freedom by running errands for him. On page 59 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Hagrid performs magic after Uncle Vernon insults Dumbledore. After his expulsion from Hogwarts, Hagrid was banned from doing magic. He is so blindly devoted to Dumbledore that he is willing to break laws to “defend his honor.” When the Chamber of Secrets is opened again in book two, Dumbledore stands aside and allows Hagrid to be taken to Azkaban, the wizard prison, even though he knows Hagrid could not have opened the Chamber.

Dumbledore is consistently described as a great and powerful wizard. Readers are meant to believe that there is nothing the man can not do. It is true that Dumbledore was extremely talented. We know this because of his part in defeating Grindelwald in the 1940’s, the various awards given to him by the Ministry, and him being appointed Headmaster of the school. Yet Dumbledore did very little to help defeat Voldemort, instead opting to use two generations of child soldiers. The Order of the Phoenix was an organization that he started in the 1970’s, which was made up of mostly 18-20 year old's that were fresh out of Hogwarts, Harry’s parents included. During the May 2nd 1998 Battle of Hogwarts, the majority of the fighters were teenagers. And where was Dumbledore? Well, he was conveniently dead by then, after plotting with Snape in the previous book to have him be “murdered.” Dumbledore was selfish and careless when he essentially raised Harry to be a sacrificial lamb, knowing that he was Voldemort’s 7th horcrux all along.

“Help will always be given at Hogwarts, Harry, to those who ask for it.” Dumbledore loves to emphasize how Hogwarts can essentially be a home and family for those who do not have one. That is, if they are in Gryffindor. Although Rowling paints members of Slytherin house to all be evil and conniving, that is not at all true. (Not that Rowling considers Snape to be the only redeemable Slytherin, which I completely disagree with.) Horace Slughorn and Regulus Black are examples of Slytherin characters who bravely fought against evil in their own special ways. In Regulus’ case, he sacrificed his life to further hide one of Voldemort’s horcruxes. Slughorn was able to put past his sense of pride and divulge vital information to Harry, even though it embarrassed him. But Dumbledore believes that being sorted into Slytherin House is like having the world EVIL branded across your forehead. When a young Tom Riddle was sorted into Slytherin, Dumbledore no longer made any attempts to help the boy. Much like Harry, he was a half-blooded orphan who had no idea of his heritage before coming to Hogwarts. Seeing as Harry was a Gryffindor, he was given extra favors and help from Dumbledore that prevented him from becoming evil, which was a very real possibility. Even after his time as a student at Hogwarts, Tom Riddle returned to the castle seeking out a job as a teacher. Dumbledore refused him the job, which would have been an excellent opportunity to keep Riddle in check and prevent him from becoming the monster that is Lord Voldemort. But Dumbledore turned him away, and is therefore responsible for the man he later became.

Although the Harry Potter series is marketed towards elementary school children, I have realized that as you mature, there is so much more that you will take away from the book series. Rowling’s intended themes are one of love, death, and friendship. Looking deeper, you realize that the story is essentially the story of two boys. By the neglect and manipulation of Dumbledore, one became the greatest villain, and the other the greatest hero.

#harry potter #dumbledore slander #anti dumbledore #anti jkr #tom marvolo riddle #harry potter analysis #character analysis #fanfic writing #writing #albus dumbledore #slytherin #hufflepuff #ravenclaw #gryffindor

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lostsoulaltair · 3 years

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OnS Theories (16S). Fifth Theory - Michael vs Michaela

Hello everyone, I hope you’re doing well; stay home if you’re able to, have a good day and be safe if there are activities out there!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxLsI5AKLpE

Today, I will talk about a rather interesting theory, perhaps you might have noticed the curious issue within the title of the theory alone; therefore let’s begin!

As you might recall, I’ve been stating that Guren’s final plan is to bring forward an entity or power that would reflect the archangel Michael and this is heavily based on having Yuichiro, Asuramaru and Mika as one sole being with a bond alone.

Image taken from Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign - Chapter 86

Guren’s wish relies on Asuramaru, Yu and Mika such thing stated by Noya Hienma

But you might wonder, how could this be possible if the theory title suggests a fight between two beings that require Mikaela for it?

Surprisingly, it’s not a fight against two beings but rather a fight against time. What do I mean?

Currently, humans are in a race against time; they’re fighting against the plans of the First Progenitor; and all of his creations; humanity alone only has few vampires by their side which includes Ferid Bathory, Crowley Eusford and Krul Tepes.

You might wonder if Yu’s going to believe or trust Guren after all that’s happened and surprisingly; since it involves something he wishes and wants, it’s likely to see Yuichiro accepting the offer but maybe, there’s a chance he sets up conditions.

But returning or focusing again to the theory let’s focus on this versus issue:

1. The cursed gear and the demon Mikaela. The rising of Michael

This of course is speculation or moreover a “what if” Guren managed to catch the demon Mikaela instead of the First Progenitor, therefore, let’s proceed with this first point.

It is well known that the demon Mikaela is the current most powerful demon among those of the black series; he’s a newborn demon absorbed in his own world of dreams but of course, as any demon, he seeks to find a human to possess and devour its desires but, within this, the demon Mikaela is an important being not only to Guren or Mahiru, but to Krul Tepes as well, but why?

So far, Mahiru made a deal between Krul Tepes and her in order to halt the control of the First Progenitor;

Image taken from Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign - Chapter 98

The information of such deal is left unknown or ambiguous due to the fact that the First Progenitor interfered and took over Shinoa’s consciousness to sneak and hear the details as well but thanks to Krul, being able to sense the First Progenitor; she stopped the conversation in order to not let the First Progenitor peek into it.

But it can be asumed that the deal alone is related to “freedom” with methods that aren’t morally acceptable.

Nevertheless, let’s return back to the main focus of this theory.

The reason why the demon Mikaela is an important being is because he was the sole subject that carried the two traits within him; among this, there was awareness that the Yu that managed to appear in the era before the Catastrophe or the End of the World came, there were traces that Yu himself was a being with a soul which made him being someone who stopped being an empty vessel.

Such thing only gave hope to Rigr and eventually Mahiru, Guren and Krul in order to dethrone the First from destroying and running the World to its own doom.

But what would happen if Mika ended up in a cursed gear?

In first instance, Mika wouldn’t have his physical body disappear; which actually explains why he is on his own room watching the dream endlessly by himself without allowing uninvited guests enter and try to disturb the peace in there.

For second point, he’d be able to link his heart with Yu’s heart along with the remote chance to slowly gather back his memories; which is actually something that is held with desire by Mahiru, Guren and Krul, but how can I state this?

As it was stated in previous chapters,

Image taken from Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign - Chapter 86

Mahiru had expectations and left a deep speech to Yu before the Hyakuya Sect brainwashed him again; and that was to find a reason to live; which is something he eventually found with time. But what does this have to do with having Mika as a cursed gear?

Easy, that’ll be the key to unlock Mikaela’s memories and reason to live and fight against despite his state or condition; that’ll allow Mika’s soul to fight again.

Among this, this will eventually let Yu gain an inmense amount of power not due to a reason to gain power for Guren,Mahiru and Krul but rather to gain strength to face down the First Progenitor and set an end to him once for all with what it’d be labeled as the Project Michael.

And by this, it is important to recall that Yu’s secret code name by Rigr is Sun God Aten which in christianity is referred to the archangel Michael; while Asuramaru is called by the Hyakuya Sect as the Sword of Michael and lastly, to give the last strength to this point is the fact on how Mika’s demon attacks go:

Image taken from Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign - Chapter 98

Indeed, his attacks go as crosses, normal ones instead of being inverted ones.

Therefore, this what if would become the benefit of humanity if Yu accepted Mikaela as his second cursed gear.

2. The awakening of Michaela

As a bad outcome; a second “what if” is that Shikama ends up adquiring Mikaela’s soul for his own purposes.

Image taken from Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign - Chapter 98

Many might wonder, how this can be a bad outcome if Shikama calls Mikaela his child; and that is to a reason that he’s been messing with the World as how he pleases, what do I mean?

In the new LNs of the World Resurrection at 19; Rigr Stafford states that the First Progenitor has played the role of God; deciding which empires or kingdoms would fall or stand; furthermore, the fact that his influence reached frightening levels is due to how he plays up with destiny itself.

As I stated in old theories, Shikama has an inspiration on Lucifer, a being that seeked revenge after being kicked from heaven due to reasons that were labeled as sins.

Returning to the issue as to why it’d be an awakening if Shikama once getting Mikaela’s soul back with him, he wouldn’t receive Mikaela with open arms, but rather, he’d use him as a key, what do I mean?

Shikama has two test subjects, those being stated by the Queen Krul Tepes herself

Image taken from Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign - Chapter 98

Krul mentioning that Shinoa and Mikaela aims to use both of them in his experiments

Therefore, this heavily means what it’s pretty much impossible for something that is long gone, what could it be?

Correct, a soul. But how that’d be possible if the First asked Ashera for Mikaela’s soul?

To begin with, the current demon King has no memories of himself but he watches in awe how the interactions between Mika and Yu go within the bubble dream; he has no perception on who Ashera, Kiseki-O and Gekkouin are along their motives to why they try to enter his World, thus leading to the lack of memory of who Shikama is in reality.

It could be said that, Shikama Doji is not interested in the current Mikaela but rahter, he plans to sacrifice the current Mikaela to bring back his son; it could be said that is a trade of souls to bring back someone that is long gone; but then, how could it be an awakening if he’s only seeking a soul?

Simple. He’ll use the vessel he has kept for 16 years old in order to bring back finally his real beloved son. But how can this be possible?

It was stated in the LNs that Shinoa was the perfect result of the experiments Tenri Hiragi carried away; she was able to see demons at a young age before Mahiru removed her demon; along the fact that she is capable of contracting any number of demons as she could please.

Therefore, if the plan of the First Progenitor were to succeed; Shinoa would be set in a long slumber; a slumber that will carry on while her body would end up being used by the First’s real son.

Now that the two points have been stated, the versus is a matter of time instead of a fight, everything will rely on whenever Ashera Tepes decides to treasure Yu’s friendship along Guren’s speed to set up the barrier and ritual for the making of a cursed gear.

Everything is a race of time though, the possibilities for the First Point is higher than the second due to the fact that the manga isn’t over; the real plot has only begun.

What do you think dear readers? What’s likely to happen?

Let me know!

P.S: Theories remain within a neutral view. Ships are excluded.

Generally speaking, I tend to make theories neutral view, but I’d like to share a doubt or rather this hearbeat towards the story, and that is the fact that I have this doubt of who exactly is Michaela whenever Shikama set up a big lie or whether he is really trying to bring back his child and take revenge upon everything, but as always, last word falls for the author, so it’s just a matter of time; though.

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mst3kproject · 3 years

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Mars Needs Women

This is one of the B-movies that a lot of people have heard of, although I’m not sure how many have actually seen it. It was written, produced, and directed by Larry “They Just Didn’t Care” Buchanan and stars Tommy Kirk from Catalina Caper and Village of the Giants. Happy belated birthday to Mr. Kirk, who just turned seventy-nine in December of 2020. That’s not a bad score for a guy who’s done as many drugs as he has.

The planet Mars is suffering from a genetic problem – their chromosomes are so degraded that one hundred males are born for every one female! Clearly this is not conducive to the survival of the species, so a group of Martians have come to Earth seeking another solution: they want five female volunteers to return to Mars with them and find out if our genes are compatible! The army brass (all male, obviously) dismiss the idea out of hand, but the Martians cannot afford to fail. They will have their way with the Earth Women, with or without the Earth Men’s permission.

We all know that Larry Buchanan couldn’t come up with an idea of his own, so naturally this is a remake of sorts. Mars Needs Women was inspired by Tommy Kirk’s previous movie Pajama Party, which doesn’t sound like an alien invasion flick, but is. In it, Kirk plays a Martian named Gogo (yes, really), who comes to Earth as an invasion scout but decides not to take over the planet because he falls in love with Annette Funicello. Mars Needs Women dispenses with the teen hijinks angle in an attempt to be a straight-up sci-fi thriller, and fails miserably.

We get the normal Larry Buchanan types of suck, such as crummy lighting, appallingly awful day-for-night, a washed-out, colourless print, and copious stock footage. There’s a long bit where the air force tries to attack the Martian ship and fails, which is entirely stock footage intercut with men in uniforms staring at something next to the camera. We don’t see the flying saucer itself even once during this sequence, although they do have a model of it that shows up elsewhere and is almost definitely the best effect in the whole movie. Not a high bar, of course, but seeing as they actually appear to have spent money on this miniature, you’d think it’d get more screen time.

The Martians themselves dress like a sort of noir version of the Chicken Men of Krankor. Their costumes are black wetsuits decorated with duct tape and silver paint, with stupid antennae on the sides of their heads. It amuses me that the first thing they do after acquiring some ‘Earth apparel’ is complain about how dumb neckties are. There’s a mention about how they’ve been trained in ‘Earth slang’, which seems to have happened just so the movie would have no possible sources of humour. When I think about Attack of the The Eye Creatures, I’m kind of grateful that Mars Needs Women never tries to be funny, but it leaves the whole film relentlessly monotone.

The acting is pretty crummy, even from the main characters. Yvonne Craig (Batgirl – no, not one of them, the actual Batgirl) does her best with the material but the lines she’s given are such technobabble bullshit there are very few people who could deliver them with any conviction. Almost everybody else is bland at best. The women scream and faint, and the military guys tense their jaws and glare. The only decent acting moment actually goes to Tommy Kirk as he describes the conditions on Mars, the dying planet. His tone barely changes, and yet you can sense his nostalgia and regret.

Do I even need to ask if this movie objectifies women? Well, yes, actually, I do, and you’ll see why in a minute. The answer is a resounding yes and a good bit of run time is spent doing exactly that. Before the opening credits we see three blondes abducted in broad daylight, dematerialized by the simple means of stopping the camera, removing the actress, and starting it up again. One of these hapless victims is taken from the shower. We later learn that the beam-ups failed somehow, which I assume means the women died, but that’s apparently not worth more than a throwaway line.

Once the five Martians arrive on Earth, they disperse to go hunting for suitable subjects. The first one goes directly to a strip bar, perhaps on the assumption that the employees will not be married (he’d be amazed). We then watch the stripper dance at great length, cutting back to it repeatedly in between other threads of the storyline, which suggests that the Martian sat there for hours staring at her before making his move. He seems to have been the least choosy of the five, simply taking the first woman he gets a boner for. The others are a bit more discerning.

None more so than the leader, Fellow One (the Martians are Fellows One through Five, which did save the writers from having to come up with ‘alien names’ that sound like synthetic fabrics). He decides on Craig’s character, Dr. Marjorie Bolen, an expert in ‘space medicine’ and ‘space genetics’ (this may be 60’s for astrobiology). Her skills seem to be just what the Martians need. This character is treated terribly by the movie and almost everybody in it. A news reporter commenting on Dr. Bolen’s arrival describes her as a stunning brunette who found it hard to hide her charm behind her horn-rimmed spectacles, and only then moves on to her qualifications. She gives a news conference titled Sex and Outer Space, and the reporters who are supposed to be interviewing her have a laugh about the good time the kidnapped women will supposedly be having on Mars. The prop department can’t even bother to spell her name right – it’s written as ‘Majorie’ on a sign even though the r is clearly audible when people say it out loud.

In contrast to this, Fellow One treats her with some degree of respect. Their conversations about science are mostly nonsense, but you can tell what the script is going for. They go on a couple of quick dates, one to a planetarium and one to a museum exhibit on human reproduction (yes, this is weird and icky), and while it is rushed, their little love story is actually important to the plot in ways besides Fellow One deciding to abandon the mission so he can bone her. The movie considers Dr. Bolen a sex object, but from the beginning Fellow One sees her as more than that.

This brings us, in a sideways kind of way, to the thing I find weirdly fascinating about Mars Needs Women: the alien invaders are curiously considerate. They steal a car, but they take one from airport parking on the assumption that the owner won’t need it for a while. They request unattached women, not wanting to break up any happy partnerships. And most of all, they ask for volunteers for abduction! This makes me wonder what would have happened if they’d broadcast their message to the entire world instead of one group of soldiers. Humans being the way we are, I’m sure there’re lots of people out there who’d fuck a couple of aliens if it meant a free trip to Mars (or move to Mars if it meant they got to fuck some aliens).

The female characters even seem designed to want a trip to space. Dr. Bolen might well have helped them willingly in exchange for this unparalleled chance to expand her research, and she does find it very sexy that Fellow One speaks to her as an equal. Yet somehow, the idea never even comes up. At the last minute, she becomes the helpless princess who must be saved from peril, and Fellow One simply tells her he loves her and asks her to flee. Why not invite her along as a guest instead of a captive? It’s got to be worth a try.

The others can be made to fit this pattern, too. The stripper? Maybe she’s sick of being gawked at like meat and would welcome the chance to be among people who will treat her like a queen. The flight attendant? She might feel like she’s been everywhere and seen everything – on Earth, at least. The artist? A whole new planet to inspire her! The homecoming queen? She’s a journalism major. What a scoop if she can report back to Earth about the culture and history of Mars! I want to see a remake of this movie in which the ladies really are volunteers, who must help the Martians outwit the military so they can start their new lives on another planet.

Sadly, this is not that movie, and its exploitative aspects stand rather awkwardly alongside the embryonic feminism embodied in Dr. Bolen, overwhelming it more often than not. I do want to give it maybe half a kudo, though, for at least acknowledging that women can have interests and ambitions. I guess the point of the ending is that Fellow One has realized they need to be allowed to pursue those instead of being forced to breed.

Mars Needs Women is probably Larry Buchanan’s best movie, which is a statement on the same level as saying that The Beast of Yucca Flats is Coleman Francis’ – by any reasonable standard it still really sucks. While it has many problems, I would say that the one that kills any entertainment value is how the narrative totally lacks the urgency the title implies. The ending should be a race to stop the Martians taking off with their prisoners, but no, it saunters instead. If there were only some tension in the film, it could have been the guilty pleasure you’d want from a movie called Mars Needs Women.

#mst3k #reviews #episodes that never were #mars needs women #larry buchanan just doesn’t care #60s

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haniawritesfiction · 3 years

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Recent Reads-July/August 2021

The Psychology of Time Travel By Kate Mascarenhas

In a world where time travel was invented in the 1960s, two women become caught up in a murder that hasn't yet happened. For a book about time travel, The Psychology of Time Travel feels closer to realistic fiction than a sci-fi novel, honestly, if we ever invent time travel I could see this easily happening. For all that it technically a mystery, this book is more interested in the relationships, dysfunctions, and institutions that create these circumstances than the actual mystery. Don't go into this book expecting a murder mystery and you won't be disappointed. Mascarenhas masterfully uses pov's of minor characters to make this world feel truly immersive while never losing sight of her main characters, both of whom are flawed, fascinating, and very human. A great take on the time travel genre. -9/10

Devil's Ballast By Meg Caddy

A swashbuckling adventure focusing on the famed female pirate Anne Bonny. Devil's Ballast was.... a weird one. For a book that's meant to be a pirate adventure the pace is way too slow at times and then when it finally reaches the action, it rushes through it. The book also had a completely unnecessary pov of a pirate hunter that added absolutely nothing to the plot. I feel like I would've enjoyed the whole book way more if Anne herself had been more memorable, I'd just finished watching Black Sails, so Devil's Ballast's Anne Bonny and Jack Rackham are pretty boring in comparison to their Black Sails counterparts. But the part of the book that irked me the most was the romance. Anne spends the whole book seeming not that interested in Jack until the last second when he's her great love again. The strongest relationship in this book is the friendship between her and Mark Read, which was pretty cute and my favorite part of the whole book. -4/10

The Strangers Child By Alan Hollinghurst

In Edwardian England, while staying at a friend's house, a man writes a love poem that becomes famous. In the decades following, his family and friends are forced to live with his, and the poem's legacy. The Stranger's Child is an incredibly atmospheric book, with beautiful prose, but it felt like a bit of a letdown. Instead of an exploration of what if a famous love poem is actually gay, it's more of a meandering look at various moments in English history and the people living through it. There were chapters that just felt entirely pointless and there were only three sections that actually felt thematically linked. This book had so much potential, but it felt like the author's vision and the supposed premise were constantly at odds.-6/10

Crooked Kingdom By Leigh Bardugo

The sequel to Six Of Crows; political intrigue, gang wars, and magic all meet in the seedy underworld of Ketterdam. I read Six Of Crows about four months ago and mostly enjoyed it, though to be honest, I didn't quite get the hype. With this book, I get it. Crooked Kingdom weaves a complex and engaging plot to match it's superb worldbuilding and characters and I read it in one sitting. The fantasy elements were never too overwhelming nor predictable and the ending was the perfect amount of bittersweet. If you struggled through Six Of Crows, give this one a try, you'll find it hard to put down.-8/10

Circe By Madeline Miller

A re-imagining of an often maligned figure in ancient Greek mythology: the sorceress Circe. I had a massive greek mythology phase as a kid and so reading this was a blast. Miller's writing has an appropriately mythical feel, weaving multiple myths together to explore Circe's psyche. Circe herself manages to be incredibly likable despite her flaws and Miller expands her beyond her common depiction as a vindictive, promiscuous woman. Because of the nature of the plot, I feel like having basic knowledge of greek mythology enhances the reading experience, especially knowledge of the odyssey. To understand this Circe, it's important to understand the Circe of the odyssey and the way the common tropes of greek mythology are being deconstructed.-10/10

Honey Girl By Morgan Rogers

A young woman feels lost after getting her doctorate and runs off to spend the summer with a woman she got married to while drunk in Vegas. Honey Girl is not a romance novel or really your traditional romcom, instead, it is an exploration of family and coming of age in your twenties with a well-written love story at its center. From the prose and general atmosphere, this book has an almost magical feel, yet manages to feel incredibly raw and real. If you're burnt out on romcoms and want something that isn't too saccharine yet leaves you with that warm fuzzy feeling, this book is for you.-10/10

Bolla By Pajtim Statovci

In 1990s Kosovo, two men, a Serbian and an Albanian fall in love. Years later, the two men both struggle with the after-effects of the war and their circumstances. Bolla is not the sort of book that you can say you like, though I certainly didn't dislike it. The writing is fantastic and has a very unique quality (possibly due to the novel having been translated from Finish) yet Bolla is incredibly bleak. The romance presumably at the center of the novel is less of the focus and instead what anchors the two men's stories. Their relationship is over by chapter three and at first, I was honestly a little peeved that it got that little attention or description, however by the end of the book I honestly felt it worked. A haunting story of war and the human condition.-7/10

The Kingdoms By Natasha Pulley

When a man gets off a train in London, he can remember barely anything about himself or his life, except the sense that the reality he is faced with is wrong; Britain has been under occupation by the French since they won the Napoleonic wars 85 years ago. Determined to find out who he really is, he follows a century-old letter to an abandoned Scottish lighthouse and finds himself the key to winning a war that could change everything. The Kingdoms is a book that keeps on giving, just the premise of a Britain occupied by France is fascinating, but Pulley goes a step further weaving a complex plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. Her writing is fantastic and like the premise, it felt like entire books could be written about every single setting. The characters are also engaging, from Joe, our main character, who is just so immediately likeable, to Kit, a character who is the definition of morally grey. My only quibble is the female characters, who feel fairly underdeveloped and only really there to flesh out the male ones. -9/10

Cinderella is Dead By Kalynn Bayron

300 years after Cinderella found her happy ending her legacy has been twisted to create a dystopian life for the girls living in her kingdom. Four to five years ago, I think I would've really liked Cinderella is Dead; I mean it's a sapphic fairytale retelling! But my taste in books has changed a lot and this book just felt far too YA for me. The writing felt young, the characters underdeveloped and the plot cliched.-2/10

#recent reads #haniawrites #recent reads july/august

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thumbgarden · 3 years

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How to grow Ammi majus: planting and care

Ammi majus, also known as Queen Anne's lace, can be grown as an annual or biennial plant. It belongs to the Umbelliferae family and has good taproots, bare sturdy stems, and pinnately dissected, lance-shaped leaves. So how to grow Ammi majus? This article provides answers for planting as well as care.

Ammi majus has small, unattractive, and light-colored flowers. They are collected in umbels up to a few inches in diameter. the flowering period is from midsummer to early autumn. The fruits are slightly flattened, side-viewing fruits without anything covering them and smooth. They are quite small, measuring only two and a half millimeters. They ripen in mid-autumn.

INFORMATION ABOUT AMMI MAJUS Ammi majus is a small genus of the Umbelliferae family. It consists of six species of one- and two-year-old herbs native to the Mediterranean coast as well as northern Africa.

Ammi majus has a taproot and an erect, branched stem. The lower leaves are long-petiolate and the upper leaves are short-petiolate. The rich green leaves are dissected into 2-3 tiny lobes. The leaf margin is sharply serrate.

Ammi majus flowers from midsummer to autumn. Small white flowers with five small petals are gathered in large compound inflorescences. The peculiar smell attracts insects, including bees. The honey is fragrant and slightly red in color.

After flowering, the fruits appear as laterally flattened, lamellar fruits. They look very attractive and split into two lobes when ripe.

BENEFITS OF AMMI MAJUS Ammi majus belongs to the category of medicinal plants. It has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. Today, it is known for its medicinal value. Urinary tract. Leucoderma. Digestive organs. Colds.

The plant contains essential oil with the following valuable components. bergapten. Aflatoxin. Royaltyin. Isopirin. Flavonoids. Fatty oils.

Great importance is attached to the medicinal properties of the substance flavopiridol. It has very good properties in restoring skin pigmentation. Therefore, it is an indispensable plant in the manufacture of drugs for the treatment of vitiligo (leukoderma), alopecia, psoriasis, erysipelas, neurodermatitis.

Ammi majus bioactive components in the fine vessels strengthen and regulate the uterus and intestines. It includes preparations of Ammi majus, used as choline, diuretic, and sedative.

In nature, Ammi majus is distributed in southern and southeastern Europe, North Africa, the Near and Middle East, Russia, and Ukraine.

Today, the plant is successfully cultivated on an industrial scale.

HOW TO GROW AMMI MAJUS There are two varieties of farm-grown Ammi majus - large and toothed. The plants are large, but not bulky. The openwork "airy" leaves accentuate the decorative nature of the inflorescence. Ammi majus is excellent for cutting and stays fresh for a week. Great on its own as a bouquet or as a backdrop for other flowers.

Ammi majus is completely undemanding, grows in any soil, and is not attacked by pests. Recommended for planting as an annual. The abundant fruit provides planting material for homeowners.

The fruits of the plant contain medicinal substances. Even ancient Egypt with their help tried to fight diseases such as vitiligo, psoriasis, erysipelas. Today, the cultivation of medicinal Ammi majus on a commercial scale is underway.

Medicines (pills, ointments) are produced by well-known pharmaceutical companies. However, self-medication with infusions and decoctions is fraught with serious problems. In fact, there are many contraindications and side effects.

Therefore, it is better to grow Ammi majus exclusively as decoration in gardens and balconies and enjoy the beauty of the plant.

CULTIVATION OF AMMI MAJUS Ammi medicines can be cultivated perfectly as a cultivated plant. It is very simple and unpretentious. However, there are some conditions to get good results.

So, the soil for growing Ammi majus should be black and clean, and weed-free. It can be planted on plots that have previously been planted with cereal crops, early vegetables, and medicinal plants: chamomile and poppy oil seeds.

Before planting, the soil should be prepared. 1. cleaning the residues of previous crops. 2. to plow. 3. to make plowing and harrowing.

All the above actions are combined with soil fertilization. Before deep plowing, it is necessary to apply the following nutrient mixtures on a per hectare basis. 1. ammonium sulfate: 2.5g. 2. superphosphate: 3.5g. 3. ammonium nitrate: 1.5g.

Before sowing in spring combine the introduction of potassium chloride (50 kg), superphosphate (300 kg), and ammonium nitrate (100 kg) per hectare of soil.

Then, for maximum effect, the sowing should be combined with the application of calcium superphosphate to the soil. This will improve the germination of seeds and increase the yield by up to 35% (seed harvest).

And in the cultivation of Ammi majus, the last application of fertilizer is made at the vegetative stage when the seedlings form about six leaves. At this stage, ammonium nitrate is applied. However, an important condition for fertilization is soil moisture, which must be at least 20%. If, for example, it is impossible to irrigate the site and it has not rained for a long time, but it is better not to do ammonium nitrate.

Ammi majus can be sown with both spring and winter under the ground. It should be noted that it is better to carry out spring planting. To improve the germination of seeds, they are stratified for three months. The seeds are then dried and sieved. Another preparation step is to soak the seeds in water for one day before sowing. Floating sowing is not suitable.

Ammi majus is sown with a disk seeder to a depth of 1inch (2 cm). The sowing rate was 5 kg for a one-hectare plot. Under favorable weather conditions, the first shoots appear after two weeks.

Fall sowing requires increasing the seeding rate to 6 kg and reducing the burial depth to 0.6inch (1.5 cm). Otherwise, the planting technique is the same.

Ammi majus is planted on cultivated land and requires certain human actions to take care of the crop.

The main task is loosening the soil and timely removal of weeds. For this purpose, it is necessary to carry out inter-row clearance of weeds with a special cultivator. During the whole period of formation of the ground part, as a rule, three to four cultivations are carried out.

Weeds in the rows are removed by hand. This work should be done at least twice and should be combined with thinning work. If the seedlings are too thick, the yield will be significantly reduced. The first weeding is done to thin the shoots when Ammi majus is still small and has two leaves.

The seeds are used for medicinal purposes. Therefore, a large collection of this material is grown on an industrial scale Ammi majus large.

The seeds are harvested when the percentage of maturity exceeds sixty percent. This is done mechanically, with the help of a combined harvester specially equipped for this purpose. The harvested crop is dried and cleaned.

The yield of this medicinal plant is not very high, with an average of about ten hundred pounds of seeds per hectare. The storage and use period of the medicinal herb depends on the storage conditions and is 3-10 years.

THE FIRST STEP AFTER PURCHASING SEEDS Ammi majus is grown from seeds. They remain germinating for 3-4 years, which should be noted at the time of purchase.

In areas with relatively warm winters, it is recommended to sow seeds under winter. In areas with more severe climatic conditions, spring sowing is done. The optimum soil temperature is 43-46°F (6-8°C). Seedlings emerge in 1.5 to 2 weeks. Seedlings grow unhurriedly at first. But after the tillering stage, they actively increase in height and width.

To advance the flowering time helps to raise seedlings in February-March. It is advisable to stratify seeds for a month. Bury them in the nutrient substrate 0.8inch (2 cm), moisten the soil and cover it with glass or polyethylene.

Place the container in a warm place until sprouts appear. Sprouts need plenty of light, but the night air temperature should not exceed 53-59°F (12-15°C). Otherwise, seedlings will stretch disproportionately.

Seedlings can be moved to designated locations by the end of May. Given the fragility of the root system, great care should be taken when transplanting so as not to damage the ground nodules.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Ammi majus grows well in full sun and semi-shade. Any garden soil is suitable, just take care of a good and reliable drainage layer.

In case of open sowing, it is recommended to add organic fertilizer to the soil beforehand. The seedlings are planted with two applications of complex mineral fertilizer.

Ammi majus is drought tolerant but needs regular and moderate watering in the early stages of growth and in hot weather. Temperature and water characteristics are not important.

The plants respond thankfully to weeding and loosening of the soil.

POSSIBLE DIFFICULTIES Ammi majus suffers from waterlogging in the soil. The root system rots rapidly and the plant dies. Lowland areas are considered unsuitable for maintaining representatives of this flora. The soil is watered only after it has dried out.

In the absence of light, the stems increase in height and density, but flowering becomes sparse. There is a possibility of not producing fruits. High air humidity during flowering will have the same effect.

Ammi majus are tall plants with many branches. If they do not have enough space, they will become smaller and weaker.

CARE AND HARVESTING Ammi majus crop care includes systematic loosening of the soil between the rows and the plants do not receive compaction. As two true leaves appear on the shoots, they are thinned out. During drought, at the beginning of cultivation - watering every 2-3 days. During flowering, watering is reduced.

Harvesting of Ammi majus takes place during the period of massive seed maturity when most of the umbels curl and the stems turn yellowish. After harvesting, Ammi majus fruits are dried and peeled.

#AmmiMajus #Tips #How To Grow #Flower #Garden #Ornamentals #CutFlowers #DriedFlowers #DecorativeFlowers #FlowerGarden #FlowerBeds #ThumbGarden

Author: Ms.Geneva Link: https://www.thumbgarden.com/how-to-grow-ammi-majus/ Source: ThumbGarden The copyright belongs to the author. For commercial reprints, please contact the author for authorization, and for non-commercial reprints, please indicate the source.

#ammimajus #tips garden #how to grow flower #flower garden #flowerbed #cutflowers #driedflowers #flowers #gardening #garden #ornamentals #decorativeflowers #flowergarden #flowerbeds #thumbgarden

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thisblogisalsoboundforglory · 3 years

Text

WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING LATELY

Kage Baker’s Company Series

In the Garden of Iden

Sky Coyote

Mendoza in Hollywood

The Graveyard Game

The Life of the World to Come

The Children of the Company

The Machine's Child

The Sons of Heaven

The Empress of Mars

Not Less than Gods

Nell Gwynne's On Land and At Sea

Black Projects, White Knights: The Company Dossiers

Gods and Pawns

In the Company of Thieves

Ø Science Fiction written by a woman with Asperger’s. Wildly uneven. Main protagonist is female, but there are lots of POV characters, male and female.

Ø Big ideas.

Ø Lots of adventure, some action.

Ø Small doses of humor.

Neil Gaiman

Good Omens (with Sir Terry Pratchett)

Neverwhere

Stardust

American Gods

Anansi Boys

The Graveyard Book

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Ø Neil’s books are a road trip with Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell and a baggie full of sativa.

Ø Ideas are incidental. The Milieu’s in charge.

Ø Adventure happens whether you like it or not.

Ø Cosmic humor. The joke’s on us.

Connie Willis’s Oxford Time Travel Series

Firewatch

Doomsday Book

To Say Nothing of the Dog (and the novel that inspired it – Jerome K. Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat)

Blackout/All Clear

Assorted:

The Last of the Winnebagos

Ø Connie loves her historical research. Blackout/All Clear actually lasts as long as the Blitz, but anything in the Oxford Time Travel series is worth reading. Doomsday Book reads like prophecy in retrospect.

Ø One idea: Hi! This is the human condition! How fucking amazing is that?!?

Ø Gut-punch adventure with extra consequences. Background action.

Ø I’d have to say that Doomsday Book is the funniest book about the black death I’ve ever read, which isn’t saying much. To Say Nothing of the Dog is classic farce, though. Girl’s got range.

Neal Stephenson

Snow Crash (After the apocalypse, the world will be ruled by Home-Owners Associations. Be afraid.)

Cryptonomicon

Anathem

Seveneves

Ø Neal writes big, undisciplined, unfocused books that keep unfolding in your mind for months after you’ve read them. He’s a very guy-type writer, in spite of a female protagonist or two. Seveneves, be warned, starts out brilliant and devolves into extreme meh.

Ø Big. Fucking. Ideas.

Ø Battles, crashes, fistfights, parachute jumps, nuclear powered motorcycles and extreme gardening action. Is there an MPAA acronym for that?

Ø Humor dry enough to be garnished with two green olives on a stick.

Christopher Moore

Pine Cove Series:

Practical Demonkeeping

The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove

The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror (Okay, yeah, Christmas. But Christmas with zombies, so that’s all right.)

Fluke (Not strictly Pine Cove, but in the same universe. Ever wonder why whales sing? They’re ordering Pastrami sandwiches. I’m not kidding.)

Death Merchant Chronicles:

A Dirty Job

Secondhand Souls (Best literary dogs this side of Jack London)

Coyote Blue (Kind of an outlier. Overlapping characters)

Shakespeare Series:

Fool

The Serpent of Venice

Shakespeare for Squirrels

Assorted:

Island of the Sequined Love Nun (Cargo cults with Pine Cove crossovers. I have a theory that the characters in this book are direct descendants of certain characters in Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon.)

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal (So I have a favorite first-century wonder rabbi. Who doesn’t?)

Sacre Bleu

Noir

Ø Not for the squeamish, the easily offended, or those who can’t lovingly embrace the fact that the human species is pretty much a bunch of idiots snatching at moments of grace.

Ø No big ideas whatever. Barely any half-baked notions.

Ø Enthusiastic geek adventure. Action as a last resort.

Ø Nonstop funny from beginning to end.

Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London Series

Rivers of London

Moon Over Soho

Whispers Under Ground

Broken Homes

Foxglove Summer

The Hanging Tree

The Furthest Station

Lies Sleeping

The October Man

False Value

Tales From the Folly

Ø Lean, self-deprecating police procedurals disguised as fantasy novels. Excellent writing.

Ø These will not expand your mind. They might expand your Latin vocabulary.

Ø Crisply described action, judiciously used. Whodunnit adventure. It’s all about good storytelling.

Ø Generous servings of sly humor. Aaronovitch is a geek culture blueblood who drops so many inside jokes, there are websites devoted to indexing them.

John Scalzi

Old Man’s War Series:

Old Man’s War

Questions for a Soldier

The Ghost Brigades

The Sagan Diary

The Last Colony

Zoe’s Tale

After the Coup

The Human Division

The End of All Things

Ø Star Trek with realpolitik instead of optimism.

Ø The Big Idea is that there’s nothing new under the sun. Nor over it.

Ø Action-adventure final frontier saga with high stakes.

Ø It’s funny when the characters are being funny, and precisely to the same degree that the character is funny.

Assorted:

The Dispatcher

Murder by Other Means

Redshirts (Star Trek, sideways, with occasional optimism)

Ø Scalzi abandons (or skewers) his space-opera tendencies with these three little gems of speculative fiction. Scalzi’s gift is patience. He lets the scenario unfold like a striptease.

Ø What-if thought experiments that jolt the brain like espresso shots.

Ø Action/misadventure as necessary to accomplish the psychological special effects.

Ø Redshirts is satire, so the humor is built-in, but it’s buried in the mix.

David Wong/Jason Pargin

John Dies at the End

This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don’t Touch It

What the Hell Did I Just Read?

Ø Pargin clearly starts his novels with a handful of arresting scenes and images, then looses the characters on an unsuspecting world to wander wither they will.

Ø Ideas aren’t as big or obvious as Heinlein, but they are there to challenge all your assumptions in the same way that Heinlein’s were.

Ø Classic action/adventure for anyone raised on Scooby-Doo.

Ø Occasional gusts of humor in a climate that’s predominantly tongue-in-cheek.

Jodi Taylor’s Chronicles of St. Mary’s Series

Just One Damned Thing After Another

The Very First Damned Thing

A Symphony of Echoes

When a Child is Born*

A Second Chance

Roman Holiday*

A Trail Through Time

Christmas Present*

No Time Like the Past

What Could Possible Go Wrong?

Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings*

Lies, Damned Lies and History

The Great St Mary’s Day Out*

My Name is Markham*

And the Rest is History

A Perfect Storm*

Christmas Past*

An Argumentation of Historians

The Battersea Barricades*

The Steam Pump Jump*

And Now for Something Completely Different*

Hope for the Best

When Did You Last See Your Father?*

Why Is Nothing Ever Simple*

Plan For The Worst

The Ordeal of the Haunted Room

Ø The * denotes a short story or novella. Okay, try to imagine Indiana Jones as a smartassed redheaded woman with a time machine and a merry band of full contact historians. I love history, and I especially love history narrated by a woman who can kick T. Rex ass.

Ø The ideas are toys, not themes. Soapy in spots.

Ø Action! Adventure! More action! More adventure! Tea break. Action again!

Ø Big, squishy dollops of snort-worthy stuff.

Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell Series

The Beekeeper's Apprentice

A Monstrous Regiment of Women

A Letter of Mary

The Moor

Jerusalem

Justice Hall

The Game

Locked Rooms

The Language of Bees

The God of the Hive

Beekeeping for Beginners

Pirate King

Garment of Shadows

Dreaming Spies

The Marriage of Mary Russell

The Murder of Mary Russell

Mary Russell's War And Other Stories of Suspense

Island of the Mad

Riviera Gold

The Art of Detection (Strictly speaking, this is in the action!lesbian Detective Kate Martinelli series, but it crosses over to the Sherlock Holmes genre. If you’ve ever wondered how Holmes would deal with the transgendered, this is the book.)

Ø Sherlock Holmes retires to Sussex, keeps bees, marries a nice Jewish girl who is smarter than he is and less than half his age and he’s mentored since she was fifteen in an extremely problematic power dynamic relationship that should repulse me but doesn’t, somehow, because this is the best Sherlock Holmes pastiche out there. Mary should have been a rabbi, but it is 1920, so she learns martial arts and becomes an international detective instead. Guest appearances by Conan Doyle, Kimball O’Hara, T.E. Lawrence, Cole Porter, and the Oxford Comma.

Ø Nothing mind-expanding here, unless the levels of meta present in a fictional world that is about how the fictional world might not be as fictional as you thought come as a surprise to anyone in the era of tie-in books, films, tv, interactive social media and RPGs.

Ø If these two geniuses can’t catch the bad guys with their dazzling brilliance, they will happily kick some ass. Adventure takes center stage and the action sequences are especially creative.

Ø Amusement is afoot.

Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next Series

The Eyre Affair

Lost in a Good Book

The Well of Lost Plots

Something Rotten

First Among Sequels

One of Our Thursdays is Missing

The Woman Who Died a Lot

Ø In a world where Librarians are revered and Shakespeare is more popular than the Beatles, someone has to facilitate the weekly anger-management sessions for the characters of Wuthering Heights, if only to keep them from killing each other before the novel actually ends. That someone is Thursday Next – Literature Cop.

Ø Mind-bending enough to give Noam Chomsky material for another hundred years.

Ø Adventure aplenty. Action? Even the punctuation will try to kill you.

Ø This is a frolicsome look at humorous situations filled with funny people. Pretty much a full house in the laugh department.

Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Series/City Watch Arc

Guards! Guards!

Men at Arms

Feet of Clay

Jingo

The Fifth Elephant

Night Watch

Thud!

Snuff

Raising Steam

Ø If this were a game of CLUE, the answer would be Niccolo Machiavelli in Narnia with a Monty Python. Everything you think you know about books with dragons and trolls and dwarves and wizards is expertly ripped to shreds and reassembled as social satire that can save your soul, even if it turns out you don’t really have one. Do not be fooled by the Tolkien chassis – there’s a Vonnegut-class engine at work.

Ø Caution: Ideas in the Mirror Universe May be Larger Than They Appear

Ø The City Watch arc has plenty of thrilling action sequences. Some other of the fifty-million Discworld novels have less. Every one of them is nonstop adventure. Most of the adventure, however, takes the form of characters desperately trying to avoid thrilling action sequences.

Ø Funny? Even though I’ve read every book in the series at least ten times, I still have to make sure I have cold packs on hand in case I laugh so hard I rupture something.

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aquaticalay · 4 years

Text

Centurion .Chapter Two.

Bucky Barnes x Reader

Sequel to For Something Greater

Summary: (Y/n) is an active duty Navy SEAL Commander, the first and only woman to ever become a SEAL. After successfully stopping a genocide with the help of the Avengers, she becomes a bridge between the military and the earth's mightiest heroes. But even as her relationship with Bucky grows, she decides not to tell him about the nightmares and trauma that haunt her. Both their secrets begin to unravel when Bucky accidentally stumbles upon a piece of dangerous information about (Y/n) that she doesn't know about herself— something she must never find out about.

Genre: Action, Drama, Romance

Warning/s for the series: cursing, violence, death, eventual smut, PTSD.

Warning/s for the chapter: mentions of anxiety symptoms and death.

Word count: 2.4k

Note: The plot is heavily inspired by the song 'in the dark' by Bring Me The Horizon, and 'Mercy' by Muse. So yeah, go listen to it if you want to :))) I'll post a new chapter every two days.

THIS IS A SEQUEL TO FOR SOMETHING GREATER,' SO IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THAT, THE LINK TO THE MASTERLIST IS IN MY BIO.

Let me know if you want to be in the taglist!

(Taglist will be reblogged)

TRIGGER WARNING! THIS SERIES REVOLVES AROUND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. (Including, but not limited to: anxiety/panic attacks, extreme mood swings , nightmares, intrusive thoughts, insomnia, irritability, hypervigilance, and hyperarousal)

Gif is from 'in the dark' mv by Bring Me The Horizon

You arrived in SEAL team 6 Headquarters in Seattle an hour early. You decided to use your precious time to change into a set of military issued clothes: A green shirt and cargo pants. Very practical.

You entered the briefing room fifteen minutes early. Everyone else was already seated around the mahogany table; Diego Miller, Logan McCoy, Collin Harris, and Nolan Woods.

They greeted you with a salute, standing up from their seats. You returned the gesture, a habit you've picked up after a million times of doing it. “At ease,” you said assertively, and they sat back down. You heard a clank hit the ground. Suddenly, you tensed. You had to remind yourself it was just Miller's prosthetic leg to calm yourself down. To remind yourself that this room is secure, that there is no threat here.

You took your usual seat, between Harris and McCoy.

“How’s Mia?” you ask Harris.

Mia was his feisty five-year old daughter. When he adopted her, heappointed you her godmother.

Mia was sweet and strong, learning and following her father’s example quickly. She also got quite attached to you fairly fast. The last time you met her was a month ago, right before your peacekeeping mission. You went to their place to give Harris a ride to SEAL team 6 headquarters. Before you knew it, she was running into your arms excitedly, “Auntie (Y/n)!” She exclaimed, scrambling up for you to carry her. “Hello, Mia,” you greeted, pushing her curly black hair to you could see her adorable face clearly. She had a button nose, one of her most striking features. Her skin was dark, the color of a pine cone, and her eyes were almost pitch black. You were sure she will grow up to be a strong and beautiful young woman. “Where’s Uncle Bucky?” She tilted her head.

Mia was infatuated with Bucky. At first, He didn’t know what to make of the child. He didn’t have experience with kids, and he was scared of hurting her. It wasn’t long before he eased into interactions with Mia, letting her stick fridge magnets on his metal arm, spelling out random words on it like 'cake' or 'kandy.'

“She’s asking for you,” Harris answered with a grin, “she misses her Aunt (Y/n) and Uncle Bucky.”

You chuckle at the thought of her looking for you, and Harris making some silly, probably magical, excuse to avoid disappointing her.

“How’s Barnes? And the rest of the Avengers?”

You shrugged. “Bucky is fine,” you said shortly, “And Sam and Wanda are doing fine, too. Didn’t meet anyone else, though.”

When Harris met you, he was a wide-eyed 17-year old boy aspiring to be the best sailor he can possibly be. He has known you long enough to read emotions through your voice. He could tell you wanted more time to rest, to spend time with the person you love. You needed a break, both mentally and physically. It was so obvious a blund man could see.

“This mission won’t be long,” he reassured, somewhat trying to comfort you in ways that he can. You nodded, hoping that he is right.

Before you knew it, a Special Operations Command Officer walked in the room to brief you for the mission. You recognize her almost immediately. Her quirky smile was unmistakable.

Naomi Tanaka. She was an old friend who trained alongside you in Navy bootcamp, one of the only people who believed you could become a SEAL. One of the only people who had faith. One of the reasons you took the risk. It paid off, didn't it?

You hadn’t seen her for a long time, since she just finished recovering from her gender reassignment surgery.

You gave her a knowing nod, a greeting. She acknowledged it with a smile, mouth drawn from ear to ear; it was sincere.

The briefing went well. Tanaka explained the mission pretty clearly. She told you that there was an abandoned Hydra genetics lab in an old Soviett Union military base in Ukraine, and your job was to bring back intel and information, as well as making sure it was really abandoned.

“Wheels up in an hour,” Tanaka ordered.

When she dismissed the team, your squadron scrambled out into the locker room to prepare themselves. One hour wasn’t a lot of time, but it has to be enough.

You trailed slower behind to talk to Tanaka. You wanted to exchange a few words with your old friend.

You hugged her enthusiastically. “How are you?” You asked.

She let a joyous smile take over her expression. “Never felt better. It’s good to be back.” Sighing, she squeezed your arm, “We really need to catch up some time.”

You agreed, but right now, you need to prepare for the mission.

The flight to Ukraine was smooth. No turbulence, and you arrived in the cover of night.

You landed in a valley near the Eastern Carpathian mountain range, just a few miles away from the abandoned Hydra base. Though no assault was expected, you asked the team to be alert and to check and recheck their ammunitions for the third time, for good measure.

You ordered Woods to scout ahead, and he tells you through the comms that there is no danger. There is nothing to worry about.

“Are you sure?” You asked, supersoldier-enhanced adrenaline pumping through your veins.

“A hundred percent,” you hear Woods say reassuringly through the earpiece. You had a doubt, but if your years of experience taught you anything, it’s that doubts are the main reason of failure.

You signal the rest of your team into formation, nearing the underground bunker with your weapons alert. You lowered your night vision goggles. Other followed your example, doing the same.

“McCoy, Miller,” you called, “Stand guard outside. Watch out for threats.”

The two of them looked at you like your insane. It was unusual for you to ask two of them to stand guard. It wasn't efficient. It seemed like you were wasting men on generally unimportant jobs. Besides, protocol did suggest not having more people on look out than necessary, and in this case one was more than enough.

“Only one of us should be on the lookout,” Miller suggested, hoisting his gun up.

“No!” you bark aggressively, catching everyone in your team by surprise, “Two of you out, now!”

For a split second, all activities stop, and everything is silent except for your pounding heartbeat. You try to breathe, but your breath comes out raspy and dangerously fast.

You were never frivolous. You were always calm and collected, as you were trained to be. But this time, it seemed like you had pulled a pin inside of you that triggered an explosion.

And frankly, having you exclaim something so out of character, so unexpected, was terrifying.

“Commander,” Miller said cautiously, “Are you okay?”

“M’ fine,” you insist, averting your eyes from any staring gaze, “Just be on the lookout, two of you.”

If McCoy and Miller want to question your authority, they decided not to. They complied to your order without question.

You lead Harris and Woods into the bunker.

The only way inside was by a set of stairs. The walk down was terrifyingly agonizing. The icy footsteps were starting to drive you insane. Thankfully, you don't have to hear more when you got to the bottom.

“Split up,” you say, and this time, no one says anything.

You found yourself moving forward the small bunker, Harris and Woods going their own ways on either side of you.

Tanaka was right. The place was almost empty except for a few empty tubes on the dusty metal shelves. The stainless steel showed signs of breaking down, you could clearly smell the rust.

The floors were dirty. What used to be white ceramic looks gray now. It was filthy, and you were grateful your uniform provided the coverage from whatever disease might be lingering here.

It was clear that no one has stepped foot in it for at least a decade.

“Find anything?” You ask.

"No,” Harris reported back. “Me neither,” Woods said.

Nearing the end of the bunker, something finally caught your eye.

It looked icy. You adjusted your night vision.

Squinting and carefully coming closer, you realized that it wasn’t ice. It’s water contained in a long transparent tank.

As you got closer, you heart dropped. The tank was filled with water the shade of translucent milk.

A female human being was floating inside. Her hazel eyes were wide open but unmoving, her skin was as pearl-white as her platinum blonde hair. A thin cloth covered her otherwise naked body. A silver tube on the bottom of the tank frame traced to a non-functioning life support system. You weren’t sure if she’s dead or alive. She’s neither floating nor rotting, but you can’t imagine her being able to survive with these extreme conditions, especially if the bunker has been abandoned for as long as it seemed to be.

One other thing that seemed to disturb you is how eerily familiar this condition was. You could imagine vividly what it felt to be her. You shake off the thoughts. You need to focus.

You placed your hand on a corner of the tank and wiped the dust. There were words engraved into the thick glass: PROJECT MERCY #21

“I-“ you start to say, trailing the pad of your fingers on the marble-smooth glass, “I found something. Get this back to base.”

The flight back was uncomfortable filled with numbing silence. It went hand-in-hand with a few worried stares they gave you.

They knew something was unspoken; something that caused your outburst. But they didn’t ask. Perhaps they were too afraid to ask.

When you gave the covered tank to the base, you waited patiently in front of forensics.

Usually, you’d wind down in the locker room with your squadron, but today it just didn’t feel like you want to. You were too restless to do so.

You were starting to think avoidance was your coping mechanism for the guilt you felt after that outburst.

It didn’t take too long for forensic to determine that the woman was dead, but that was pretty much the only information they gave you. Everything else was supposedly confidential.

No, you thought to yourself, you need to know more about project Mercy. You don’t know why, but it was a gut feeling that you had, like an instinct planted in your mind by nature.

Besides, it was a product of Hydra. You needed to know more.

You took out your phone and called the only person who could possibly have an answer, or at least is willing to help you find answers.

“Bucky?” You said through the line urgently. It must be in the middle of the night in New York. He didn’t sound too tired, though.

“(Y/n),” your name escapes his lips like a sigh, breathing with relief. Little did you know, he hadn’t been able to rest before knowing that you’re okay.

“I- Do you know anything about Project Mercy?” You said quietly, trying to make sure no one could hear this conversation.

You were aware that this was illegal. You weren't exactly allowed to share what you find in your operations to the avengers. At least not until they agree to the council.

“Project what?” Bucky asked, his voice sharp.

“Project Mercy,” you repeated,”It has something to do with Hydra.”

The line went silent for a while. You called out his name worriedly.

“It’s a covert biological engineering project Hydra has in collaboration with the KGB,” He says flatly, “I don’t know much about it. All I know is this that none of the subjects came out successful.”

You cursed under your breath. There must be something more to it than that. "Can you please research old SHIELD records for it? We’ll review it together tomorrow night when I get there.”

You could sense Bucky’s hesitation. “This isn’t allowed, right?” He breathed through the phone, “I read the council files you gave Sam. We’re not supposed to exchange any information until the deal is done, right?”

He was right. The only problem is that you didn’t care. Not right now.

“I know,” you admit with a hint of guilt in your stern voice, “But I need to know. I need this, James. Please.”

Bucky never had the heart to say no to you, even if he wanted to. Certainly, this time is no different

“I’ll do what I can,” he promised.

That was all you needed to hear.

Bucky immediately activated the hologram projector in his room. "Friday, lock the room," he said. He heard a confirmation from the AI, followed by a click.

"Dim the lights," he said.

As the blinding neon calms into a soft hue, he can now see the hologram clearer.

"Show me decrypted Hydra and SHIELD files," he requested the AI.

"The one Agent Romanoff dumped to the internet?" Friday asks, making sure to do all the right things.

"Yes," he confirms.

The blue semi-transparents hologram shows millions of files.

"Search for 'Project Mercy," he says again. The hologram changes, a few files left on the hologram.

"Project Mercy was a Hydra bioengineering project in the 1980s. It's goal is to make a fully functional supersoldier from artificial lab-grown cells. These cells were fertilized and grown in a tube that resembled a womb. After nine months, the subjects are ready to be "born." None of them successfully had supersoldier characteristics, and most of them are dead."

Buciy stopped in his tracks.

"Most of them?" He raised his voice, wondering if he heard Friday correctly.

"According to the data, the first and second subject of Project Mercy are given to Hydra agents to raise and observe. Both subjects are alive as of 2014, living normal lives."

Bucky narrowed his eyes. "Where are they now?" He demanded.

"Their records have been wiped out. All that's stated is that Mercy One is female and Mercy Two is male."

"Is there any way to recover the information?" Bucky asked.

Friday calculated, searching the possibilities, "There might be physical records of Mercy One and Two in old private lab of the Hydra scientist named Michail Petrov."

Suddenly, his eyes widened. He recognizes the name, and it sounded just as bitter as it used to, engraved into his half a century of memory. Bucky's human arm curled into a grudging fist.

Petrov, as he recalled, was once the Winter Soldier's handler.

#bucky #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes imagines #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes series #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes smut #bucky x reader #bucky imagine #bucky imagines #sebastian stan #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan imagine #sebastian stan imagines

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chicagocityofclans · 3 years

Photo

Good Morning City of Clans,

It’s January 30th. The Waning gibbous moon is at 99% and will be making an appearance for the rest of the month. There is a Winter Storm Warning for Northeastern Illinois. Heavy wet snow expected with a total snow accumulations of 5 to 9 inches and winds gusting as high as 35 mph. Travel could be very difficult due to very low visibility and snow packed roads. Power outages are also possible.

It’s Saturday which means it’s time for a weekly prompt! Everyone should have received an ask from the main with a starter task that is mandatory; these tasks will also be listed below. Everyone must make their task starter between 9 AM CST Saturday, January 30th and Tuesday, February 1st. All Muns must send at least one muse to each starter task by Saturday, February 6th. Muns are encouraged to send more than one muse but no more than three muses to a starter task. These threads are encouraged to be brought to an end by Monday, March 1st. If you have any problems reaching this deadline please contact the admins. Below are a few things that may help out for this task:

Consider joining up with other players to have a multiple character thread. Two people could come to the rescue, or a group of others may be being pursued.

Muns have the option to drop previous threads if both parties agree. However, we do not encourage dropping all threads and starting anew.

Do NOT make any new starters for the selected muses until all of their starter task threads are brought to an end. There must be a solution or compromise to end each thread. PS: These threads cannot be dropped and must end by Monday, March 1st. Feel free to finish them early as long as the task is complete.

Please remember that the assignment prompt and playlist prompt are still available for completion.

Please tag all starters task as: cofcpromptstarter

Kat

Michael - Outside of the Brookfield zoo, Michael has unwittingly started a massive protest after giving a speech about animal rights and is unwilling to leave. Make a starter asking people to join the cause or trying to calm down the situation from a full blown riot which can eventually lead to raiding the zoo.

Skylar - Skylar is in trouble. She has lost control of her aquakinetic powers and was caught red handed. Make a starter for Skylar that shows her in the aftermath of the incident. Allies or Enemies may help or worsen her situation. Feel free to plot it out in Discord; especially if the night may have consequences for all.

Anna

Conrad - Conrad FOUND THE GAS. Unfortunately for him, the victory was short lived. The Underground, known widely by the vampires inhabiting it, is full of poisonous gas in the restricted sublevels. The last time the rats found an area like this thousands died. Conrad has just discovered a massive secret, but unluckily he’s collapsed in the Underground due to being poisoned by said gas and is at the mercy of those who find him. Create a starter with Conrad having just blacked out, or just beginning to wake up.

Monty - Monty has made an arrest and is bringing them to their proper chain of command. Make a starter addressed to non-humans and non-human shifters that are in specialized cuffs in the back of the squad car. Participants can have a conversation while Monty drives them to their leader or head, try to escape, plead their innocence and/or make a bribe that Monty cannot refuse.

Krista

Simon - After trying to drink Aleksander under the table, Simon is drunk. He fears death by teleportation and has lost his phone. His powers as a Tantric Manipulator are out of his control as he tries to make his way out of the Underground. Make a starter and see where the night leads. Feel free to plot it out in Discord; especially if the night may have consequences for relationships.

Jayna - Jayna has started a fight in unknown territory and is about to lose control. Her eyes have flashed a few times due to her anger issues. Make a starter of her predicament that her aggressor or aid can reply to. Will someone come to her aid or will someone answer willing to finish their fight. Feel free to plot it out in Discord; especially if the night may have consequences for all.

Michaela

Ainsley - Ainsley was attacked by a real coyote while in shifted form. Before she could shift back, someone came to her rescue. Now she has a decision to make. Shift back or let the person carrying her believe she's a real fox. Make a starter with Ainsley shifted and in her savior's arms or just after her savior has run the coyote away.

Bess - Bess is first on the scene and unbeknownst to her, it involves the Supernatural. Bess' actions can lead to her finding out about the Supernatural World or simply a crazy morning/night. Make a starter arriving on scene for ‘Supernaturals Only’ and see how it flows from there. Feel free to plot it out in Discord; especially if Bess wishes to remain unknowing.

Maggie

Kudzai - Use your power of biokinesis to save a patient that has just been rolled into the ER. You’ve been assigned as the leading surgeon and your patient is in critical condition. Make a starter addressed to non-vampires and non-human shifters and save their life without being caught by or exposing magic to the human staff. Try not to wave your hand and be done with it. Tap into your magical core and be creative.

Ebony - Track down a potential kill. Preferably an animal shifter or human shifter. Hunt to kill and fight to survive. Make a starter and see who will dare challenge Ebony Anderson. This will be a perfect opportunity to prove that you may have what it takes to become the leader of the Anderson Hunter Family. Feel free to plot it out in Discord; especially if the night may have consequences for all.

#cofcprompt #Prompt

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looking-for-wisdom · 4 years

Text

Bleeding Hearts (chapter one)

a/n: this was a fic I did for the @grishaversebigbang! It ended up being roughly 33,000 words, the longest fic I’ve ever written. I loved participating in this event and working with my gang as well as the tides :)

Corporalki: @villainofthepiece, @dregstrash

Materialki: @bucumber X, @koelsong X [art may contain spoilers]

Summary: Zoya has spent her life learning to survive a world of fairy tales. She knows better to rely on wishes and fate; those things only protected the nice girls, the ones all the stories were about. She was used to doing whatever gruesome task was needed to get by, but now, with her aunt’s life on the line, she has finally met a monster she’s struggling to beat. A monster that comes in the shape of a kind prince she can’t help to grow attached to.

But that’s always been the case. The monsters are what you find when happiness is just within reach. But she’s strong and she won’t falter— she’ll do what’s needed, as she always has before, to save the only good woman she’s ever known. Even if it means plunging a knife into the heart of the first man she’s ever loved. Even if it means becoming a monster herself.

Ao3 Link: Bleeding Hearts

(chapter one under the cut)

What becomes of the girls whose parents do not teach them unwavering kindness and whose fairy godmothers are not magic enough to keep them from harm? What becomes of the girls the slipper doesn’t fit and the prince does not steal away from drowning in cruelty? There is no happy ending promised at the close of their story. So they learn, learn to swim through the abuse and lift a sword themselves, lest they become another maggot filled body in the graveyard.

Zoya had read the kind of stories where young women overcame their evil stepmothers with their obedience and compassion. Unfortunately, Zoya had no stepmother, just one horrible regular mother who had birthed her and spent every moment after shaping her daughter into an equally horrible side character in someone else’s story. It wasn’t that she was immune to draw of fairy tales and their promises of futures with a prince who called her lovely, but not every girl had that in her cards. Zoya glanced over the hand she’d been dealt. She was not sweet or innocent enough to be the damsel in distress. The game of fate was rigged— with every girl who was saved from misery a hundred others suffered in her stead.

Shivering but far too afraid to risk asking her mother for a place by the fire, the childish part of her hoped. Winter’s might be less harsh if she was not so alone and unloved. But compassion was a rationed resource, like medicine and wheat. It might have been nice to have, but girls with no one to fight for them had to choose their battles, and unlike bread, kindness didn’t keep her alive.

Sabina Garin had been wealthy once, many years ago, and like most who had never seen sacrifice, she underestimated its sting. It was easy to be fearless when one had never felt real fear in the first place.

When her father had passed his inheritance had been split equally between his two daughters. Lilyana, the eldest sister had invested in a plot of land at the edge of town where she kept a small garden and a chicken coop. She built a home there, selling vegetables and eggs in town when she was in need of money, and she was happy.

With her own cut, Sabina enjoyed the same luxuries she had in her youth. Seeing no appeal in farm work the way her sister did she resided in the house that had belonged to her father. At nineteen she married a handsome man with nothing to his name but a winning smile, and for a while, she was happy as well. At least, until the debt hit.

Marriage for love is an appealing prospect, but the stories never talk about the bloody endings. No one mentions the way he yells when the money runs out. No one mentions the way she hoards the few jewels she has left because they’re the only thing that makes her feel like herself. No one mentions when the house is taken and she’s bloated and raging from the parasite inside her but he is nowhere to be found.

Sabina’s episodes began not long into her pregnancy. With no trace of her husband and no place to stay but an abandoned stone cottage at the edge of town it wasn’t long before she became unpredictable. It was a miracle that the child made it to its due date in the first place, though one could say it would be the first of many times Lilyana Garin would come to her niece’s aid.

She had offered her sister help on many occasions, but Sabina had repeatedly refused Lilyana’s generosity. Pride, after all, was the only thing she had left. When Sabina became a danger to herself, however, the older daughter could stay away no longer. Though Sabina had no way of paying the housemaid who had worked for her father, Lilyana ensured she stayed the nine months until the child’s birth, hiding knives from the expecting mother and restraining her hands when she desperately clawed at her body until the skin was nearly gone. For months Lilyana held her breath, praying that her sister might be stabilized and the child would survive.

And against all odds, her prayers were answered.

The midwife said the birth went by with relative ease. The mother and child both handled the process exceptionally well. The only oddity was when she asked the mother for a name. Sabina had only sneered. “Call it what you will. It makes no difference to me.”

For the sake of simplicity, the midwife had given the child a placeholder name of sorts, at least until her mother came to her senses. She’d call her Zoya, just until Sabina saw fit to name the girl herself.

She never did.

So perhaps if it had been Zoya’s mother who fell ill, she wouldn’t have agreed to the witch’s terms. She couldn’t have cared less for her absentee mother, but when a letter reached Os Alta it brought news of the closest thing to family she’d ever had.

Her young cousin, Lada, had written of her mother’s condition-- Lilyana had grown feverish and weak. The town’s medics estimated she had two weeks to live.

Desperation had a strange way of sending people deep into the woods where good, honest people lost their morals somewhere in the darkness. It had a way of turning skeptics into the arms of witches. But when it came to saving Lilyana’s life, nothing was too high a cost. Kill the prince. Carve out his heart and leave his body bleeding on the floor. Zoya wasn’t a killer, but a few towns away one of the few good people left in the world was dying. Zoya would have given her soul away a thousand times if Lilyana lived.

The main square of town jittered with anticipation. The feeling filled Zoya’s chest, clamping down on her lungs and stealing away her breath. Gossip was sweet on the lips of housewives and young maidens, like the juice of an apple after taking a bite. Zoya was no fool; she knew what was on their minds. A few months earlier, the young prince Nikolai had proposed-- but not to a distant princess or nobleman's daughter. He’d given the ring to an orphan girl with no prospects or riches. Faces lit with hope and perhaps a bit of envy whenever they spoke of the prince’s fiance. She’d been from a town just carriage rides away from Os Alta. It could have been any of them. But yesterday, news had come that the girl had left Os Alta for good, leaving the promises of riches and romance behind her. Not a single person could figure out why.

She’d been given a shot at a storybook ending. Zoya wasn’t gullible enough to believe her life would have been perfect, but when she thought of what her own future held, even she couldn’t help a pang of irritation. She would have taken wealth in a heartbeat over her fate. She shifted the basket she carried up onto her shoulder, the weight of it exhausting her arm at a rapid pace. With her other hand she lifted her skirts in a futile attempt to keep the mud from seeping into the fabric as it dragged along the ground. As she walked she overheard elated conversations.

“They say she was beautiful-- hair like starlight and a smile like the sun. It’s surreal, honestly, that some everyday girl won over a prince. She must be quite something,” said a girl she’d met only in passing, to a young blonde woman at the baker’s stand. Then, with a cheeky smile, added, “Maybe I'll find myself a princess soon with my winning looks.”

Across the way a middle aged woman shared her own thoughts on the matter with her daughter. “Perhaps if you spent less time fooling around that could have been us! We’d have been rich, you idiotic girl!—”

Despite herself, Zoya felt a familiar chill go down her back.

Tiny people, wrapped up in their tiny lives, bound to accomplish tiny things. For perhaps the first time ever Zoya envied them. At the end of the city’s main road, after dozens of wooden merchant stands and civilians homes, were the woods. Travel in Ravka was unavoidable, but most families stuck within the cities borders as much as possible. The forests on the outskirts of town were places of darkness and witchcraft beyond the understanding of the standard civilian. However, there were ways to make navigating the woods less dangerous. Old wives tales said to carry black tea leaves in one’s left shoe or bury a lock of hair in the dirt before beginning your journey. Most nonbelievers opted for a professional guide.

Zoya had no guide as she found her way between the brush and trees, though, nor was her shoe supplied with tea leaves. Her travels through the woods were not a situation of point A to point B.

Zoya intended to find a witch.

An hour in, Zoya had acquired a multitude of new cuts up her arms from low hanging branches and nearly destroyed what was left of her skirt by snagging it on thorn coated weeds. She’d also come across at least fifteen new types of bug she’d never seen before and honestly could have gone her whole life without. Zoya had learned to hold her own against all sorts of dangers growing up in Pachina, but that didn’t make her any less disgusted by the grimes and grudge of the Ravkan forest.

She dragged onwards, a cool sweat gathering on her forehead and regrets filling her mind. Of course— hundreds of people go missing every year without any explanation and yet the one time she goes looking for trouble the death forest decides to be a normal lot of trees. Typical.

“Don’t know how to handle someone who doesn’t fear you? Is that it?” She called out to no one in particular. “I didn’t realize witches were such cowards.”

Or perhaps she was just a stupid child, looking for magic where it didn’t exist. Perhaps those people had simply been mauled and eaten by bears and she was the idiot trying to be the next.

The sun passed over the sky as she became more and more hopelessly lost in a forest where she seemed to be the only inhabitant. Honestly, witches had no respect for willing customers these days. She only realized just how much time had passed when dusk began to fall. Night was coming, and she had no idea how to get back to the city. It was one thing to be in the forest during the light of day, but trapped in the darkness with no food or water was something else entirely.

The moon shone a sickening white glare onto the black dirt floor, seeming to take all the pigment from her skin. Zoya hadn’t been afraid of the dark for many years, but there was something… off about the way the darkness felt here, as if it was alive and feeding on any sort of life. Goosebumps rose on her skin, and she tensed, waiting for something horrible but not knowing what.

She stood, frozen, listening for any sound other than her own shallow breathing. But nothing moved, not even tree branches in the wind. She was alone.

Which made it all the more terrifying when someone spoke.

“What could possibly bring a lone girl to the woods at night?” said a molasses smooth voice from behind her.

Zoya spun around and was greeted by a pale faced man with dark hair who was far too close for her to not have noticed his approach. Every instinct in her mind screamed to back up, but she forced her legs to stay in place. She would not be intimidated. She met the man’s void black eyes with a fearsome stare. “I’m searching for a witch with the kind of magic to help me,” she stated, voice like steel. “Tell me, would you fit that description?”

A sly smile curled across his face and sent a chill down her spine.

“That depends,” he crooned, “what can you offer me in return, Zoya Nazyalensky of Pachina?”

Zoya felt a certain sort of dread sink into her chest. There was something wrong with this man-- he knew things he shouldn’t. She should have been afraid, but a morbid part of her was drawn to it.

She wondered, despite herself, what would it be like to be him? She’d never feel small with a power like that at her disposal. She’d never be made a fool of. For a moment, the swell of her envy almost overpowered her reason, but then she thought of Lilyana. She was not here to find a way to be rid of her own weaknesses. Zoya shook the initial fog of his presence from her mind and reminded herself that for once, she would not be selfish.

“What is it you want?” she retorted.

His smile did not falter as he considered. He slipped past her, like an ink spill with legs, so that she had to turn to keep sight of his face. Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as he walked away from her, but just as she was about to call out for him to stop he paused and glanced back at her. “Well?” he asked. “Are you coming?”

Her mind was empty of a response, perhaps still caught up on the absurdity of what she was doing. Her legs, thankfully, had instincts of their own and carried her forward when he began walking again so she didn’t lose sight of him in the darkness. He led her through the trees, as if he was navigating a maze for which only he had the map. As lost as she’d already felt, it was nothing compared to the lack of an internal compass she had now. The forest had consumed her completely.

This was insane. Her mind ran rampant with possibilities as the silence between them grew longer. She’d be murdered by this demon of the woods and no one would even hear her scream as he dismembered her. She should run while she still had the chance.

Except, if she ran Liliyana died.

So, she kept walking. They entered a clearing of land. At the center of the plot was a looming mansion of black stone and though Zoya was no expert on the woods, she had spent the day wandering its depths and knew for certain the building had not been there before. This man’s magic was dark, but it was also powerful-- she needed powerful. The dark haired man led her to the tall doorway of the structure and held open the wooden door. “We can discuss terms inside.”

She hesitated for just a beat. This could very well be the room in which he planned to butcher her and bake her liver into a pie. She considered this man she knew nothing about and what he was offering. If there was even the smallest chance he could help her, she had to take it.

There was no going back. She stepped through the door frame and into the home of a witch.

Whatever she had expected, this was not it. She remembered the tale of witches with homes of candy to lure in naive children. She had thought she’d see cages filled with starving creatures and cobweb covered jars holding various gruesome substances. She had thought there would be a cauldron to brew potions that would cure dying aunts. To her surprise, though, there was nothing of the sort. The floors were a sleek black tile and the walls were covered in bookcases filled to the brim with titles in languages she didn’t understand. Golden lamps hung down from the ceiling, casting a warm light onto the sleek table in the center of the room filled with well kept paper and an ink well. Tapestries of the night sky made with painstaking care hung as the rooms most prominent decor.

If she hadn’t known better, she would have thought she’d wandered into the home of one of Ravka’s most wealthy nobles.

She swung around to face the man, who had been observing her carefully since her first step into the room. “First things first, who exactly are you?” She asked, eyes narrowed.

“Names are a powerful thing, Zoya,” he answered as he walked towards the desk at the center of the room. Something about the way he moved reminded her of black silk. “For now, you can call me The Darkling.”

Her lips pulled together in a tight line and placed a hand on her hips. For a moment she considered calling him out on his pretentiousness-- what kind of title was “The Darkling”-- but she restrained herself. In the grand scheme of things his name hardly mattered, and angering him didn’t strike her as the best way to get what she wanted.

He took a seat at the desk and gestured to the chair directly across from him. Smoothing her skirt as she sat down, she felt almost like she was at a business meeting in the town square and not trying to make a blood deal. “I’ve heard that magic can do things science can’t. Buildings are created without any regard for physics and wounds that normally kill are healed in a split second,” she began, an authority in her voice that she hoped hid the fact there was no real power behind it. “My aunt is ill. The doctors say there’s nothing to be done, but that is the opinion of a medic, not a magician. Can you save her?”

A certain rage sparked within her when he didn’t look her in the eye. She didn’t have the time to waste on a man who could do nothing for her. She had already lost a day to the woods, and here he sat, unimpressed and hardly listening. Part of her wanted to get up and leave right then and there if he wasn’t going to give her request the dignity it deserved, but she stayed seated, waiting.

He spoke then. “I can,” Zoya’s breath caught half way in her throat. Hope crawled into her lungs and left no room for breath, “but it will cost you.”

“I don’t care,” she responded, not missing a beat. “I’ll trade my life for hers, just name the price.”

He wasn’t smiling, but Zoya could almost see the grin in his eyes and felt like she’d just walked into a hunter’s snare. “I know you’re afraid of me, Zoya,” he said, and though she wanted to insist that some stranger in the woods didn’t scare her, her words fell flat, “but I have known you for much longer than you believe. Your familiar with a blade, aren’t you?”

Zoya swallowed the lump rising in her throat and nodded. When she was young she’d studied swordplay when her mother was away. Soldiers left home to begin their training at fourteen in Ravka, and for a girl whose home had been anything but stable, it had been an appealing opportunity. The issue was, the army was for men only. She’d hoped they’d see her skill and immediately make an exception, but when she was finally old enough to enlist she’d been turned away at the gate.

How this witch knew that was beyond her. “I believe we can help one another. For you, I will not only return your aunt to health, but also give you the chance to pursue your dream,” he continued. “All I ask in return is that you rid Ravka of what is standing in our way. The Lantsov line has held this country back far too long-- I plan to lead us into the future, and I’ll need a general by my side. The only thing you need to do is get rid of the old crook’s heir.”

Zoya could barely breathe. It was all too good to be true-- first he’d claimed he could help Liliyana and then he’d promised her what she’d dreamed of since childhood. She would have taken the deal in a heartbeat if he wasn’t asking her to commit treason in return.

“Vasily,” she breathed, but he only shook his head.

“He’s not nearly competent enough to be a concern. Talents like yours should be spent on a real threat. The king’s second born, Nikolai, is much more clever than his brother,” said the Darkling. “I know you don’t trust me yet, but my intentions are good. You, of all people, have seen the state of this nation-- the hardship it’s people face. You and I are very similar: ambitious, strong, and intelligent. We can change things.”

She chewed her lip and shifted in her seat, weighing the pros and cons. Zoya was many things, but she wasn’t a murderer.

At least, not yet.

Her rejection from the army had allowed her to keep her hands blood free until now. It wasn’t that she had any compassion for the prince, but there was nothing noble about slaughtering an unknowing victim. The honor of serving her country and protecting her people against an enemy who would kill her if she didn’t end them first was vastly different than what he was asking her to do.

In the end, the morality of the proposal didn’t matter. If it was one life to save another, Liliyana was more important. The only question was whether or not The Darkling had any credibility to his offer. It was true she barely knew him, but for the first time since she had first encountered him he seemed fully sincere. A tug in her gut told her he was right. She didn’t know if they were as similar as he claimed, but something deep inside her made her believe his love for Ravka was as real as her own.

And if he was telling the truth about that, then he was probably true in his claim that he could heal her aunt, too. Or, at the very least, she had to believe it was true. She feared she would not be presented with another opportunity like this.

It was the best chance she had, even if it would make a killer out of her. She stared him down, taking in the room that had appeared from nothing. “I’ll do it.”

She could repent her sin later by aiding this man in his journey to lead Ravka into an age of prosperity. That was for later, though. For now, Zoya just needed a plan.

The Darkling smiled knowingly, but as far as she could tell it was not mocking. Looking away for only a moment, he pulled a quill from somewhere she couldn’t see and handed it to her.

“Find your way into the castle and get close to the prince. Trust will make him foolish. If you need to contact me, use that quill. The ink will find its way back to me. When it is time to put the plan into motion I will contact you. Until then, keep your wits about you.”

“Wait--” she interrupted, afraid he’d simply dissipate after giving his orders. “How am I supposed to infiltrate the palace? They don’t just allow anyone inside.”

“Nikolai has been in need of a new Etherialki for a few weeks now,” he answered, unphased. She tried not to wonder what kind of spies he must already have under the Lantsovs’ noses to have that kind of information. “You will be filling the position.”

The servants of the Lantsov family were divided into three orders: Coporalki, Etherealki, and Materialki. Coporalki had a tendency to remain in the palace. They were responsible for keeping the palace functioning properly and were trained in the art of medicine. Materialki was the class of any sort of specialist working within the Lantsov’s walls. From chefs, to tailors, to blacksmiths, each played their part in making up the artisans category.

Etherealki were traveling companions to the royal family and whatever rich guest happened to be staying with them. They accompanied their charge from dawn till dusk, braving and complication of man or nature along the way.They were known to think on their feet to quickly amend any problem their employer might encounter. It was, without a doubt, the most fitting role for Zoya’s skill set.

“What about my aunt? She might not last long enough for whatever you’re planning to be ready.”

“There’s no need to worry-- deliver your end of our agreement and I swear to you that your aunt will live.”

He extended a hand towards her and she examined him one last time. Growing up, she’d been told to never trust witches, and here she stood, going into business with one. If life had taught her anything, it was that the worst monsters aren’t always supernatural in nature. For all intents and purposes, the Darkling seemed to have good intentions. More than that, he had the power to save her aunt.

From every angle, Zoya came out of this deal with what she wanted.

She held his gaze and took his palm in a firm handshake before gathering her things and heading back into town.

#grishabigbang #my writing #bleeding hearts #kos #king of scars #zoyalai #nikolai lantsov #zoya nazyalensky #jksdaflasdfh hi my gang was the best pls follow all of them #ill update with max's link soon

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