#the prince is walking and talking at like four months old so they have to make stuff up pretty quickly
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Your Royal Support
Leah Williamson x Royal!Reader
Warnings: none fluff talks of Leah’s ACL recovery
Disclaimer: for the purposes of this story actual timelines have not been taken into account I.e Princess Diana and Prince Charles separation.
You hadn’t had to dress in your dress uniform since June when you attend the Royal Garter, but here you where fixing your sash again out of nerves you looked in the mirror before looking at the sleeping form of you fiancé in bed. Leah and her family had travelled to Windsor yesterday to watch the 26 year old footballer accept her OBE and unlike the other recipients of the awards taking place this morning they all slept at Windsor castle, you where happy to sleep in a hotel but your father had insisted on it stating family stay with family when they visit not in a hotel and it wasn’t like the castle couldn’t accommodate them.
Leah stirred slightly as you turned holding your aiguillette in order to stop them from banging together and creating noise wanting the younger girl to sleep a bit longer knowing today was going to be long. You walked towards the bed and leaning down you kissed her head “I’ll see you shortly my love.” Watching her a moment longer you left knowing your Equerry James was standing waiting to give you the rundown of the day.
You had attended a few meetings before the ceremony regarding the statement that would be made at the end of the month regarding your engagement to Leah, you refused to make any decisions without her input stating that whatever information you received would be relayed back to her. You had left that meeting to a flurry of texts from Leah and Amanda, both looking for you in a form of panic as Leah grew more nervous of this afternoon’s ceremony. You called Leah immediately and you could have sworn the ringtone hadn’t even sounded before she answered “hello my love.” Leah sighed hearing your voice “everything ok.” Leah shook her head before realising you couldn’t see her “I don’t think I can do this Y/n.” You looked around the corridor of the castle before walking down towards the left and stopping when you came across the window you where looking for peering out of it you could see into the apartment you had left this morning now though you could see Leah pacing the room with Amanda sat on the couch both dressed. You smiled before beginning to talk again “your already halfway through Le.” Leah shook her head “that doesn’t make sense Y/n the ceremony isn’t for another hour and a half I’m not even close to being half way done.” You smiled once again watching Amanda try to get Leah to sit “your already dressed, your hair is done and although I tell you every morning you don’t need it you have makeup on although on a day like today I understand so you are already ready for the ceremony waiting for it to happen after those two it only has to happen and then we go out later, that’s four things on a check list two completed two to go your halfway done.” Leah sighed again “you always know what to say.” You laughed “if I didn’t by now then you should reevaluate our relationship it’s my job to know you.” Leah smiled before stopping “wait can you see me.” You laughed again watching Amanda and Leah look around the room trying to figure out where you could see them “I told you, you call, you ever need me in moments you feel like no one can see you I can, I see you.” Leah turned looking out the window before spotting you waving at her “oh I love you.” You laughed nodding along “I know but I loved you first.” Leah laughed at the statement you made every time she told you she loved you, you had said you had fallen in love with her when you where on a royal engagement with your older brothers to the Arsenal academy as a kid. You had never publicly had a relationship until her and even then it was rather private stating you had known from the moment your hands touched you knew there was nobody else and even stated you didn’t mind waiting as she dated other people because you knew it was going to be you who she loved last. You smiled at her once more before talking again “I better go I have a meeting with Will about you know what, see you shortly darling.” Leah blew you a kiss before hanging up and turning to her mum who had been watching the interaction.
You stood down the hall waiting for the Williamson family to arrive fixing you uniform nervously before your head shot up at the sound of a wolf whistle, you couldn’t help you face become hot at the sight of Leah walking at a fast pass in order to reach you “I love it when you wear your uniform, your keeping that on all day.” You smiled nodding “sort of have to but I can take the jacket off when we start dancing later thank god.” Leah smiled before placing her hands either side of you cheeks pulling you into a kiss “I’m so proud of you.” Now it was Leah’s turn to blush “seriously Le I am and I worry I never tell you enough but I’m proud of you for one everything you have accomplished in your football career, two for how high you have held your head through these difficult months but mostly I’m proud of you I’m proud of you knowing who you are, never forgetting where you came from while you look forward to where you want to go in the future for understanding you have a voice and using it not just when the public see, I’m proud of all the time you have been in so much pain and admitted to it, whether it is your acl or your endometriosis I’m proud of you not letting anything or anyone define you and I’m proud to be your fiancé I will tell you that I love you how much I have always loved you till I can no longer speak but I need you to know I’m also just as proud of you, thank you for loving me, allowing me to love you, for taking on the crazy that I and my family are and the burden our status brings, for being there when I need you for collecting me and all the baggage but thank you mostly for your support I hope I have supported you as much as you have and will always need because you are always there for me.” Leah melted into your arms “don’t make me cry before I have to go stand in-front of your brother and then the press.” You kissed the top of her head chuckling slightly “but you have and I know how proud and loved I am from you I never understood what love was or how we are meant to only be in love with one person for the rest of our lives until I met you y/n now I don’t want anyone else to be there holding my hand in the hard times and making me smile as hard as I do in the good ones I know trust me I do.” You pulled her into a kiss once more before separating to hold her hand as her grandfather cleared his throat to gain your attention “well are you kids ready.” You nodded pulling Leah into you before turning to the door nodding to the hand stating you where ready when they were.
You stood beside Amanda holding her as Leah stepped forward to receive the award looking at you briefly at something William had said before smiling. “I can’t wait till you both get married.” You smiled at Amanda “any idea where it’s going to be yet.” You shook your head slightly “no not at all Papa has said we could use Westminster Abby, that holds roughly 2000 people but I don’t know it’s already getting televised that’s more people seeing our relationship than either her or I want if I’m being honest, he has also said we could get married here at St George’s chapel like Harry and my cousin but if I’m being honest I would marry her in a registry office with you guys as witnesses but I’m not allowed.” Amanda smiled squeezing your arm “I know your role is hard that there are so many eyes looking at you constantly wishing you harm, but she has told me that for you she would stand in front of them all and protect you no matter what, I worried about her being with you I’m ashamed to say but I did your mother died after marrying into your family, your sisters in law have been torn from limb to limb in the media, as a mother you want to protect your child and that’s all I want for her happiness and protected and for a while I didn’t see you being able to protect her, but then you drove through the night after she got a concussion and you postponed meetings and appearances when she did her ankle and you sat and held her so tight yet so gently when the doctors told her she had endometriosis and you promised her and I you would find the best doctors to look after her should she ever need it, but recently you have shown me your in it for the long run with her acl injury that you would do anything to protect and support her through her worst and best and I feel so much more at peace, it’s you and her until the stars come calling and you really have shown us all that.” You pulled Amanda into a hug feeling yourself tear up. “Thank you.” Amanda laughed lightly “I should be thanking you.” You shook your head “ thank you for being the mum I always needed.” At this Amanda hugged you tighter.
William stood talking to Leah before they both turned to see you talking to Amanda “you know she never knew our mum not really anyway she was to young when she died but she is so like her in the way she loves.” Leah looked at him confused “my mum had a good heart when she fell in love with something she fell hard and she did everything she could to express it whether that be speaking about charity’s or loving her kids. Y/n loves you wholeheartedly and that is the best trait my mother could have passed down to her.” Leah smiled at him looking at you and Amanda hugging “I hope she knows I love her just as much.” William smiled “she does trust me.” William presented Leah with her badge before pulling her into a hug “and we can’t wait for you to join the family.” Leah smiled one last time before stepping back bowing slightly and walking over to you and her family. You stepped back allowing the Williamson’s to grab Leah first a habit she didn’t always appreciate but she understood before you scooped her up into a hug “my girls an OBE.” Leah laughed “I can do you one better my girls a literal princess.” You laughed grabbing her hand waving to your brother before exiting the room and into a private quarter where you couldn’t help but grab her and kiss her not caring who was watching.
“I love you.” Leah smiled into the kiss “I loved you first.” You smiled back before grabbing her into another kiss
#leah williamson x y/n#leah williamson x you#leah williamson x reader#leah williamson imagine#leah williamson#woso one shot#woso fanfics#woso imagine#woso x reader#woso soccer#woso#british royal family#prince william#royalty#awfc
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Time is of the Essence || Legolas
Summary: Request - Heyy I was wondering if I could request a Legolas imagine where gimli tells the reader that Legolas likes them, maybe before a battle. Then throughout the battle they are distracted or thinking about what gimli said. Then after the battle the reader goes to tell Legolas that they feel the same or something like that :)
A/N: This one got away from me lmao but I had so much fun writing it. THANK YOU for all the requests. Wouldn't be here without each and every one of you!
Pairing: Legolas x Female Reader
Word Count: 6.3k +
TW: General LOTR triggers, blood, talk of death, shooting, stabbing etc
“Who is that?” Asking quickly your eyes snapped up to the dark-haired twin standing tall next to you. His eyes turned to see the prince from Mirkwood ascending the steps to meet his father, Lord Elrond.
Elladan smirked at your curiosity. For in all the years he had known you, you had never so much given another ellon the time of day. Your interests always seemed to lie elsewhere, until now it seemed, “That is Legolas Thranduilion. Prince of Mirkwood.” He spoke lowly so only you could hear.
Elladan watched as your eyes seemed to be captured by him. You watched as he walked up the marble staircase leading to Elrond before turning back to him, “Prince?” You attempted to bite back the discontent at that one word for you would never have a chance with someone of such stature.
He nodded slowly, “As I remember. It has been a few hundred years since we have had an actual conversation. King Thranduil has Legolas all over middle earth bidding for Mirkwood.”
“Very well.” Turning your attention back to the woodland elf your eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets seeing that he was staring right at you. A soft smile graced his lips as he caught your eye. He had far more courage than you as you turned back to Elladan swiftly with an evident burning on your cheeks.
He snickered softly knowing that every single one of them could hear if he laughed or talked any louder. You elbowed his side trying to get him to quiet down. The last thing you wanted was even more attention on your party of two. Lord Elrond had asked you and his son, Elladan, to receive the guests of the Council of Elrond as they arrived.
You had been taken in by Elrond and his family after your mother and father were called to the sea nearly a thousand years ago. You were a relatively young elf, just over five hundred years old, when your parents had decided it was their time to go.
You had tried to assure them that you would be just fine being alone. You were young but you were still an adult. They wouldn’t go until they knew you’d be taken care of as you didn’t have any siblings to lean on. Your closest kin resided in Lothlorien, a place you had no desire to go even though they begged. But Rivendell was your home, and you had no desire to leave it behind.
Celebrian had always wanted more children but could bare no more. She had heard of your parents predicament from her many visits throughout the city. See, most elves were natural gossips, so it was not even like she had to ask for it. It was just given to her. So, she decided it was time for her to act on it. It felt natural for her to take you in with her, Elrond, and the children. Then she met you and just knew you would fit right in with their family. You were moved into their home no longer than a month later and your parents had set sail the very next one.
No ill will was held toward your parents. You could only imagine how long their lives had been as they had only told you the bits they wished to divulge. They had decided to have you late in life. After nearly four thousand years. They had no plans on leaving you that soon, but the call was so strong they could no longer ignore it for the Valar had its reasons. It was a great sacrifice to stay is middle earth when the sea was calling so longingly. You could no longer be selfish as you were plenty capable of living on your own. Being taken in by Elrond and his family was a gift upon itself, you’d flourished under their eye. You had nearly mastered the art of healing in the one thousand years you’d been under his instruction.
After your parents left, not a hundred years later Celebrian had found the same calling. It broke your heart all over again watching Elrond and his children, your dear friends, let go of their wife and mother. You had almost felt guilty thinking your parents departure had something to do with hers. The calling must have been strong if she was willing to leave her entire family behind. You had thought maybe they would cast you aside now the Celebrian, the one who had wanted you the most, had gone. The opposite was true though. They held onto you stronger than ever before. Sooner, they were more your family than your own. Later, you’d lived with them longer than your parents. New memories with Elrond, Arwen, Elrohir, and Elladan began to overtake those of with your parents.
“Prince Legolas.” Lord Elrond’s voice brought your eyes back to the top of the stairs instead of at Elladan, “Rivendell is most welcome to host your visit for the Council of Elrond.” On cue you bowed to the revered prince. You’d heard nothing but good things of him. Nobody spoke of how handsome he was though. Striking in the best ways. You should have known he would be of that stature after seeing his father, King Thranduil in passing once. That as an intimidating elf if you had ever of seen one.
“Hir nin (my lord).” Legolas bowed back to him, “It is always most welcome to visit Rivendell.” To your horror he looked right at you before continuing loud enough for all to hear, “I have met your son, Elladan. Who might the lady be?”
Your face must have been aflame by now with all the attention keyed in right on you, “Ah, that is my youngest daughter. Lady Y/N.” You’d so rarely been referred to as his daughter it had caught you off guard. For whom else might you be? Everybody in Rivendell knew of your status why should he not claim you for his own? He had known you and cared for you well-being longer than your very own parents had.
He smiled hearing your name on the Lord’s lips, “Youngest daughter? Have I been so distant I did not know you had another daughter?”
Elrond smiled looking over to you. Trying your very best to remain stoic you were sure your father could see right through it, “My daughter has been mastering the craft of healing.” He turned back to Legolas before muttering something in his ears that he did not let you hear no matter how hard you strained to. Maybe Elladan caught it but he just shook his head at you as you looked over to him.
Legolas turned giving you another bright smile. He bowed right at you before walking over, “It is a pleasure, Lady Y/N.” He was much bolder than all the ellon you had met in Rivendell.
You let out a strangled cough. One that your brother knew was one of sheer panic. He let out another chuckle which meant another elbow was sent right to his ribs, “All the same Prince Legolas.”
His smile was something you had rarely seen in an elf. It was so pure. One that made you want to smile right along with him. What was it? What with you? Why was this ellon making you act like a fool? You needed to get it together and quick. Elrond would see right through your little coy act. He was far from dumb. Perhaps the opposite. He was the smartest elf you had ever met. It was impossible to try and get a leg up on him as he was already ten steps ahead.
“Legolas is fine, Lady Y/N.”
You nodded quickly, “Then I must insist, Y/N is fine as well.”
“Indeed, it is. Y/N.” He spoke to you before turning his eyes towards your brother behind you, “Elladan. It is nice to see you once more. I trust Elrohir is faring well?”
“He is well, Legolas. He is away seeing to personal matters in Minas Tirith at the moment or else he would be here.” Elladan turned serious as the prince’s eyes were on him now.
“That is not a worry. It is good to hear he is doing well. Elladan. Y/N.” He bowed to you once more before turning and walking back to Elrond, clapping him on the back like they were old friends. You were sure they actually were. You’d never been privy to life outside of Rivendell. You’d also never really cared. You never needed to. Not until things started turning dark. Suddenly you had to care about everywhere but Rivendell. Elrond sent you on small quests at first. Then longer and harder ones. You had no idea what he had planned next, but you were sure it was going to be big considering what was happening with Sauron. He tried to keep it quiet, but you heard whispers. It was an impossible darkness to hide.
The next few days went the same as the last. You’d received a few humans from Gondor, Boromir, and his crew. He was as funny a human as you had ever met and crass as ever. You quite enjoyed him. Next up were the dwarves and the harsh stares you received from Gimli and his kin. The dwarves were no fans of your elven kind. You had already met Strider and the four Hobbits to which you had taken quite the liking to towards as well. You’d never received so many different people and creatures from across middle earth and you were having a wonderful time. Elrond had suspended your studies while the council was in session leaving you to wander during the daytime on your own free will.
You had taken to shooting your bow trying to get in as many reps before all out war commenced. Elrond would never admit it, but it was coming. You could sense it. Things had never been so cold and dark as long as you had been in middle-earth. Lord Elrond had all but admitted it had not been this bad since Sauron came around the first-time thousands of years ago.
Being wrapped up in your thoughts your senses had betrayed you. The Prince of Mirkwood had snuck up on you. A usually impossible task that was easier as you had been distracted by your very own thoughts, “Raise your arm a little.” He spoke from beside you. Letting the breath, you’d been holding in out you turned to him lowering your bow in the process.
“Legolas. What are you doing here?” He was indeed the last person you had expected to see. He had been locked in your fathers study for the better part of the week. He was a part of the strategizing crowd not even your brothers were privy to. Elrond had done a masterful job of hiding his children away. He had no desire to put you in harm’s way on the front lines. But even as he tried he could no longer hold you back.
He shrugged giving you the eye as your bow was still loaded in your hand. You pulled the arrow into the quiver connected at your hip in a hurry before slinging the bow itself over your shoulder, “Needed some time away. Things were getting a little personal in there.” He smiled but it wasn’t the bright smile you’d seen on his face prior. It had been dulled.
“So, you come to the practice range?” You asked curiously. Knowing so little of the elf you knew you were digging for something hoping he would give you a little more.
“Exactly, my lady.” He grinned holding his hand out for your bow.
“Y/N.” You corrected him not liking how that sounded. Far too mature for your stature.
He gave you a lazy smile, “That is right. Exactly, Y/N.” He kept his hand out waiting for you to hand him the bow. Slowly you pulled it off you back and handed it to him. To your surprise he started inspecting it. You’d felt terribly self-conscious as you had crafted it far too quickly. It was just your practice bow after all and it was one of your first attempts.
“This is lovely.” He grinned over at you as he held his other hand for your arrows. To which you gave him as you were now far too curious to see how this prince would do. He was nothing short of a whispered fear around Rivendell. The stories your brothers have told of him made you far too curious of the blue-eyed elf.
“That is a lie.” You laughed.
He shook his head, “It is fine work. I, myself, could hardly do better.” You watched as his hands traced your woodworking. You were not overly proud of the piece. In fact, you’d all but thrown it away finding yourself frustrated at not being able to carve in the finer details as you had planned. Eventually, after a few too many attempts you’d succeeded at getting the right shape but gave up on the detail.
“Are you trying to flatter me?” You questioned letting him know it was you who had made the bow.
He looked over at you curiously, “Did you make this?” Asking as if he didn’t quite believe you he waited for your response.
“I did indeed.”
He looked you over once more before trying the bow out himself. You’d heard of how good he was, but it was hard to believe until you had seen it. In a matter of seconds, he had not only shot all of your arrows but had placed them perfectly around your target. It was more than impressive. Wood elves were known for their skills with the bow, but this was nothing like you had ever seen. Not even your bow master could keep up with something like this.
He turned back to you with an even bigger smile on his face, “It shoots even better than it looks! You have a talent.”
You gawked at him without so much as a care of how dumb you looked, “You just shot like that, and you are saying that I have the talent?”
“Aye.” He set the bow down before heading over to retrieve the arrows. He looked back waiting for you to follow, “This would not be possible if your work was not as balanced as it is. I must ask you to make my next bow. I will pay you handsomely for your work.” He spoke as if money was the issue with his request.
“Oh!” Your cheeks were surely there usual fiery hot selves as they usually were when Legolas had come around, “I hardly doubt I could make…”
He shook his head cutting you off, “You must not doubt yourself. I would not ask you to if I did not think you could.”
You nodded knowing there was no actual point in arguing with him. He was as stubborn as you were and nobody was going to win the fight that was surely going to ensue, “All right then. I will make you a bow. On one condition.”
“And that condition is?” His smile only seemed to grow as he talked to you. It’s infectiousness wearing off right on you for how could you not grin when he was smiling at you like that?
“You do not pay me. Let me make it for you as a friend?”
He nodded, “That is a condition I can accept. As long as you let me return the favor?”
You giggled feeling his eyes wash over yours in bliss at your reaction, “You cannot give me a condition for my very own condition!”
“Please?” He asked with such a softness you could only nod at him.
“You may return the favorite, mellon nin.”
The two of you had spent the better part of the afternoon chatting, laughing, and avoiding the reality of the situation of the world at present. You had one of the best afternoons you probably ever have had in this lifetime goofing around with the prince. He was certainly not the ellon you’d expected. He had become more than you could have ever had imagined and more.
It did not take long for you to fall for the prince. After Elrond had volunteered you for The Fellowship you had grown close to him. About halfway through the journey, after Pippin and Merry had been taken and you’d been running for days is when you knew. That was when you knew you had feelings for the elf. The signs had always been there, but it was his constant care and checking up to make sure that you were all right that made you realize where your heart had actually lied with the elven prince.
It was decidedly not a good position to be in. He could never be with you. The king would never approve. You would be left longing and loving for an elf who was strictly off limits. The journey to Mordor had been nothing short of rough. You were constantly amazed and astonished at Gimli and Aragorn keeping up, the Hobbits trail, the wizard coming back. It was almost too much too believe. When Aragorn rose from the dead in Helm’s Deep you could not believe it. That was why you had decided to fight. For him and middle earth.
“What are you doing?” Legolas looked at you desperately as you placed the chain-link guard around your torso.
“Preparing.” You spoke matter of factly not noticing Gimli behind him.
“For what?” He asked. For what? Was he mad? Playing dumb surely.
The look on your face let him know you were not playing, “The battle, Legolas. I will not let you all go out there without me. Not once more while I sit behind. I am more than ready and far more than prepared.”
“You will not. I will not have you go out there. You must stay back and tend to the wounded. Your skills are needed here!” For the first time Legolas sounded frantic. Out of control. Worried as if he knew you would go against his wishes. He was right, of course. Legolas had gotten to know you well over the course of the journey from Rivendell. He’d learned of your ticks and habits. Your nature and goodwill. How your morals had outweighed your better judgment for yourself. He’d learned why Elrond had hidden you for so long. You’d be a danger onto yourself more so than he could protect you.
You shook your head slowly, “My skills are needed in the battle and even you know that ernil nin (my prince).” Looking down you were almost afraid to look into his eyes at this moment.
He walked up to you before whispering a low, “We are not done discussing this, mellon nin.” Though his words were kind his tone was off. You gulped. But before you could even open your eyes the prince had stormed off. Likely to cool down. He’d made it clear he didn’t want you anywhere near the field yet here you were doing everything he wished you wouldn’t do.
When you finally looked up you saw the cheeky smirk of the red-haired dwarf staring right at you, “Gimli.” You bowed, “How long have you been standing there master dwarf?”
“The entire time.” He confirmed, “You have given our favorite elf quite the scare.”
You eyed him knowing that he was digging and pressing for something, “He will come to his senses.”
“Or you must come to yours.” He countered with a wicked smile. One that made you feel like you were missing out on something.
“What is that supposed to mean Gimli?”
He gruffed at you, “You cannot be that blind! I was lead to believe elves have some weird, enhanced vision or something.”
“There is no need to be so hostile young dwarf.” You smiled at Gimli letting him know you were surely playing along with him even though you were clueless to what he was actually insinuating, “I unfortunately do not know what you are attempting to tell me though.”
He shook his head with a swift movement, “The Prince of Mirkwood has feelings for you lassie.”
Simply blinking your eyes, you surely could not have heard him correctly, “Has feelings?”
He rolled his eyes, “Aye... are you going to make me come outright with it then?”
You nodded, "I am indeed. Elves are blunt and I am unfortunately very oblivious.” You smile only grew as he huffed and puffed almost looking embarrassed to have to say it out loud.
“The Prince of Mirkwood likes you lassie. He will not stop bringing you up whenever you are not around. He is driving me mad. Gold sickness isn’t even this bad.” As your cheeks grew a blush so did Gimli’s.
It was obviously all in good fun to tease him but what he had actually said struck a chord within you. How was that possible? He was actual royalty. You were a commoner for all intents and purposes, “He cannot.” You said not letting your hopes rise for you had liked Legolas deeply. From the moment your eyes laid upon him in your home all those days ago. What an adventure you had been on as you trekked across middle earth with the ellon you may have loved.
“Oi lassie! He can and he does. Did you not just see his reaction to you going into this battle?”
You shook your head, “Well, yeah but…”
“No. He likes you. Very much so. Drones on and on about how pretty you are. How smart you are. How sweet you are. It is exhausting Y/N.” Gimli dramatically sat down on the bench near the wall.
“I should be offended you find talking about me so exhausting master Gimli.” You raised your brows to challenge him as you sat down next to him.
“Nary the case my lady. It has been months you see. And he will not say a thing to you. Months of it lassie! You are lovely. He would be quite lucky to have you. I am simply tired. He will not listen to me. That is why I am telling you this now.” You only gave you a smirk as he leaned his head against the wall.
“Months is not a long time for an elf.” You giggled knowing how much it would set the poor dwarf off. He was almost too easy to poke and prod at. A simple action would result in an explosive reaction out of him.
He eyes lowered in on yours, “Insufferable. The both of ya. Truly meant for him aren’t you?” He got up before giving you a quick bow, “I will see you on the battlefield my lady.”
“I’ll beat both of you this time.” You grinned trying to lighten the darkening mood taking over Helm’s Deep. Time was of the essence now.
“You will not!” He boomed, “I will kill the most orcs!” He walked out of the room before you could object. With a deep breath you finished putting on the chain link armour. You’d wished Elrond would have prepped you a little more as you sheathed your sword. You could do this. You absolutely had to do this. You had to tell Legolas you liked him back. It was rare, to feel the connection you’d felt with him. Truly, time was of the essence.
You had lost him early on in the battle. You were holding Legolas’s hand before you had to dodge away from an axe being thrown. From there on out it was you and yourself against too many orcs to count. Terror began to consume you as you fell back in the crowd of men and elves. But you could do this. You had to do this. Legolas liked you! You could have a life with the most handsome ellon you had ever laid your eyes upon. You just had to kill every single disgusting orc around you. Easy. You could do it. For Legolas. For you. For a life you craved.
You hadn’t a clue what overcame you as you fought and fought for hours. You witnessed more death than you ever had in your life as the never-ending siege kept ticking on. You fell back and fought. Fell back and fought. Fight or die. Fight to live on with Legolas. You tried to search for his golden hair as you fought but begrudgingly came up short time and time again. It was only when dawn broke with Gandalf and the Rohirrim showing up did you feel a twinge of hope as the orcs turned to them instead of charging on into Helm’s Deep. You stood on guard as the Rohirrim charged on. It felt like you would collapse from the relief seeing the help pour in. Emotion truly overtook you as you saw that flash of golden hair on the war horse down the bridge. Legolas was alive and well. It was going to be okay. You were going to get to tell him that you liked him.
You watched in awe as the orc army was slain. Some tried to run but were devoured by the very forests that once protected them. Sheathing your sword and throwing your bow over your shoulder you found your way back to the dining hall turned emergency healing ward knowing they would need all they help they could get. You had a lifetime to tell Legolas how you felt, the men and defenders of Helm’s Deep needed you more now.
Despite your own cuts that were too deep to heal quickly you pressed on. Throwing some bandages on the worse ones you rolled up your sleeves and got to work. You were in your element as you ordered people around as efficiently as possible and got to as many men as you could.
But that voice broke your stupor. It always would, “You must give yourself a break.” Legolas. He had found you faster than you would have thought.
You spun around on your heal after patching the man up, “I am fine. These men and elves are not.” Holding out your hand you showed him the growing number of beds that were becoming occupied from small wounds to life threatening ones.
He shook his head agreeing with you, “I know I will not change your mind. But please rest when this is all over?”
You bit back the smile. Ever since you met him he had cared for your wellbeing more than you did, “You have my word.”
He gave you a once over with a frown and concern in his own eyes, “Will you also see a healer when you are done?”
“I am fine Legolas.” You persisted shaking your head before heading to the bed next to the man you’d patched up.
He was hot on your heals not believing you for a second, “You are bleeding through your bandages, mellon nin. Please?” Gimli’s words rang through you as he looked at you wish nothing but pain and concern.
“All right.” You weren’t sure what else to say as you looked over him in return. You really should see a healer but your wounds just felt so miniscule compared to the horror you were seeing now.
He eyed you looking for any lie, “I will check on you tonight to see sure of it.”
“I told you that I would, do you not believe me?” A smile rose to your face as you knew your words took him aback.
“You are stubborn. You will work until you collapse. Of course, I trust you. But I do not trust that you will see through to it.” He grinned seeing your expression clock what he was saying, “I will check in on you tonight in your room. How does that sound?” He tried again asking as if it were a question as you knew it was not. Legolas would be checking in on you whether you agreed with him or not.
He was giving you a chance now. You had to take it, “I will see you tonight.”
He gave you a quick bow before making way towards the door, “Please see a healer soon. And rest.”
“I will. Do not fret Legolas. My help is needed first.”
He nodded, “They are fortunate to have you.” He walked off before you could get another word in. You shook your head getting yourself back in the right headspace to see and heal the gruesome wounds left by the attack.
You kept true to your word as your own energy was depleting rapidly. As soon as the bodies stopped flowing in and you became overly exhausted you finally saw another elven healer who pulled the orc poison from your open wounds and patched you up. Legolas was right, a few too many orc blades had made it impossible for your body to heal them as quickly as it usually would.
You had only been settled in your room after bathing and changing for a few moments before a familiar knock rang out at the door. You had been given a room near the kings chambers for the time being as you were the only female in the company. And who were you to turn down such a luxury after months on the road? Certainly not you.
You opened the door to the smiling elf. He quite literally took your breath away. He was so handsome, “Legolas.”
His eyes traced you overlooking for any signs that you had not in fact taken care of yourself, “You look well.”
You moved to the side to let him know it was okay if he wanted to come in, “I am.”
He sighed bringing your eyes to look into his, “I was so worried when I lost you. I had broken my promise to you.”
All you could think to do was grab for his hand. A small sign of comfort as your laced your fingers into his, “It is not your fault Legolas. You know this. We would have both been struck had I not jumped away.” Giving his hand a soft squeeze, you pulled him in through the door. You didn’t want the prying ears of the company or some random elves hearing the conversation if you could stop it. You knew it was getting vulnerable fast. The adrenaline from the battle had long worn off leaving the raw emotion of what just happened to linger.
He looked down at your fingers intertwining his, “I was so afraid that I… I kept looking for you as the battle wore on but could not find you, I feared…” He could not say the words that kept binding on his tongue as it scared him the most. From the moment he laid eyes on you in Rivendell he too felt that pull you had felt so strongly that same day. He’d lived a couple thousand years and had never seen any ellith quite so striking as you. Legolas had been convinced he would never find the elf he was destined to love.
“I am here. I am alive.” You gave his hand another comforting squeeze you just looked at him. He was closer than he’d been before. The air between the two of you felt electrified as you looked up into his eyes. His blue ones met your own. The concern gave way to the happiness of the first part of this hell being over. As Gandalf had said. The Battle of Helm’s Deep was won but the War for Middle Earth had just begun.
His eyes met your smooth hair, fresh out of the baths, “You have no braids in?” He could not recall a time he had not seen braids laced throughout your hair. He had not known you for a long time, but it seemed jarring to see you without them.
You nodded, “You are correct. This is the first time I’ve had a comb since Rivendell.” You paused unsure of if you wanted to ask the next question or not. It was now or never really. Gimli had assured you he had felt the same, why would he lie?
He spoke before you could ask your question, “I must admit, I am envious.” He tried running a hand through his long, usually silky, hair that had been tangled in the battle.
“You can borrow mine.” You offered up without a second thought, “And uh…” You stopped once more having a hard time getting it out. It was now or never. You’d fought that hard for this. Why was it so hard to spit out?
“What is it?” He nodded, encouraging you along.
You closed your eyes, letting out a long breath, trying your hardest to regain some composure. His hand felt like it was burning in your palm as you decided you just needed to spit it out, “Do you… Would you like to braid it?”
Your ears were trained to pick up upon the slight falter in his breath, you’d managed to take him by surprise for once, “Are you sure? Are you asking me what I believe you are to be asking me?” He looked at you with a gentle desperation you had yet to see on his face before.
“Legolas.” You tried stopping him, but he just continued. Spiraling.
“I, of course, would gladly accept but I need to know if these are your intentions. If what you are asking is true.” He looked concerned that you might not be telling him exactly what he was wishing you were saying.
“Legolas!” You pulled your hand away from his before grasping onto his shoulders above you.
He stopped finally hearing you, “Yeah?”
“I like you. Quite a lot. More than a fellowship member probably should. And Gimli might have told me you were driving him a tad mad at all the mentions of me throughout the months.” Your smile grew as you saw his expression drop into shock. You had decided it was fun to surprise the Prince of Mirkwood. His face was the most precious you had seen it yet as it went through the uncommon emotion of being surprised.
“That dreadful dwarf! He promised he would not tell.” For the second time in a short period, you had seen Legolas in a panicked state. Legolas was best with everything under his control. You had often thrown his plans under fire when you came into the picture though. So often before he would be annoyed but he welcomed it with you.
“Him telling me that got me through it all. If he had not told me you had feelings for me I do not think I would have made it out alive. I was fighting for us. For a future with both of us in it. I know exactly what I am asking you for when I asked you to braid my hair.” You spoke freely for the first time in a while. It had been hard keeping the feelings you felt for him locked down and hidden away as you travelled with the fellowship.
He grinned taking your hand in his this time. He led you to the chair at the desk in the room and had you sit. He stood behind you as he brushed his hands through your hair slowly. You tried you best to fight the shiver and chills that erupted at his touch, “I am honored you asked me to braid you hair. If it was not obvious before, I do feel the same. My dwarf friend seemed to want to tell you that before I could.”
You laughed softly relishing in his touch, “We should thank him. Who knew how much longer we would have pined from afar.”
“I do not wish to give him credit. His head will grow too large.” His nimble hands began braiding small intricate braids in your hair. He’d decided he was going to take his time and make the perfect braid he had never had the patience to do before.
Giggles erupted from you at that. Watching Gimli warm up to both you and Legolas to eventually turning into one of your closest companions had been one of the most unexpected twists from the journey, “It does not feel right picking on him when he isn’t here to blow up on one of us. It is not as fun.”
You could see the grin on his face through the reflection in the mirror above you, “Enough about the dwarf. How are you? Truly?”
You closed your eyes thinking about his question, “I am tired and growing more nervous the closer we get.” It was the first time you had admitted it out loud and it felt good getting it off your chest.
He tied an elastic on the last large braid he laid down the center of your hair before letting his hands fall to your shoulders. Just the touch provided a comfort you weren’t sure you could express adequately, “I am keeping my promise. Nothing will happen to you. I will protect you through this. I promise you that.”
You turned your neck to look up towards him, “Thank you. For everything. And the braids.” You ran your hand along his work all too curious to see what it had actually looked like.
He brushed a hand along your cheek, “It is my honor. I should be the one thanking you. You look beautiful as always.”
Relishing in his touch you pushed your face into his hand, “Let’s not tell the rest of them until after this is all over.”
Legolas gave you a hesitant look, “We can try. Gimli will know immediately, and he does not have the quietest tongue.”
“Aye that is true. We shall try then.”
He knelt down to your level so that his eyes were staring right back at you, “Yes we shall. Now come, we must have some dinner and get some rest.” He held his hand out to you after he stood, not giving you another option knowing you would rather just jump into bed and snooze the night away. But Legolas being exactly who he was had made a promise to your father and he would protect you. And now he got the privilege of loving you too. He had no plans of losing this after he had prayed for it for so long.
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#legolas x y/n#legolas x reader#legolas x you#legolas x gimli#legolas x oc#legolas fic#lord of the rings#gimli son of gloin#gandalf#aragorn#legolas thranduilion#legolas greenleaf#legolas imagine#legolas fanfiction#legolas and gimli#legolas#legolas fluff#legolas angst#legolas au#legolas blub#legolas oneshot#legolas one shot#lord of the rings fic#lord of the rings angst#lord of the rings fandom#lord of the rings fanfiction#lord of the rings x you#lord of the rings x reader#the lord of the rings#lotr x y/n
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What if Luke took over Daenerys’ place, but make it HOTD?
****Like most of my stories/headcanons, this will be ABO!!!!
The Greens win the civil war, and all of the Blacks perish, except for three; Viserys II, Aegon III, and Lucerys. Unfortunately, they spend months trapped in the Red Keep, paraded around by the Greens for their own amusement and pride. Aemond had taken Luke’s dignity in front of the court in a mock bedding ceremony.
Lucerys gets pregnant, and long into his pregnancy, about five more weeks before the expected due date, he is attacked by guards under the orders of Aegon II, and lost the babe. Once again in front of the court, Luke is shamed and made fun for it with his brothers in his arms. Aemond, over and over for a year and a half, attempted to get the former prince of the Realm pregnant, but the stress and humiliation kept killing off the babes
However, Corlys was able to find a way to get them out, and directed them to a set of islands he once came across during his travels as a budding man, and advised them to escape and set a home for themselves there
Soon, the trio were able to flee to said abandoned archipelago far off from any other country, and take residence there. The islands were once great with ties to Old Valyria, and was a safe house - well, a castle carved deep into the island’s mountains - for dragon eggs and knowledge of Old Valyria which were all frozen and kept in (semi-)safe conditions by the ones who once guarded them
With Luke being a prodigy at Valyrian thanks for Rhaenyra and Daemon, he deciphers all he needs to know from the texts, and reads them as bedtime stories for his brothers. Thus, the siblings start to learn and conduct experiments from the books containing Old Valyria’s magic - the same magic Queen Visenya was said to have involved herself with before and in the reign of King Aegon Targaryen, First of His Name and even after his demise
Luke then finds three dragon eggs, and puts them over a fire in one of the many rooms in the castle carved within the island. Months have passed, and Luke was now nearing nineteen when the eggs hatched, with all three dragons immediately bonding with Lucerys.
Aegon the Younger, gonna call him Egg here to make it easier to tell which Aegon I’m talking about, and Viserys II, who I’m gonna call Vis for the same reason, aren’t jealous, and are rather ecstatic as it meant they had some protection.
The dragons consists of a silver-purple female named Silvermoon, another reddish female named Ruby, and a bronze scaled male named Ashe. While all three dragons are bonded with Lucerys, they do still find fondness over Egg and Vis. Egg and Ashe are close despite his initial distrust due to his witness of Sunfyre burning his mother. Vis and Ruby often nap and eat together, along with playing with one another to the joy of Lucerys. Silvermoon and Luke are each other’s anchors when their siblings are out playing or hunting.
As the years pass, the three surviving members of the Blacks continue to live in peace and happiness.
Back in Westeros, the Greens have found themselves in quite the predicament; With the dragon eggs soon going cold, their only living dragon being Vhagar, and with their increasing unpopularity with the townsfolk and pressure and claims of promises they must fulfill from the Lords of Houses who sided with them, they knew it was the start of their fall from grace. The Greens pretty much walked so the Lannisters from GOT could run.
About three or four years have passed since the Dance. And Luke is suddenly met with a fleet from House Greyjoy, led by the Red Kraken, Dalton Greyjoy himself.
The man was sailing his ships, raiding villages and taking treasure when he comes upon Luke and his brothers’ island home. When Luke comes to deal with him alone, Dalton threatens to finish what the Greens have started, before Luke calls for his dragons and brothers to spearhead a surprise attack on the Greyjoy Fleet.
Luke had seen the fleet from the horizon sailing for them, and immediately sprung himself, his brothers, and his dragons to action. With three medium sized dragons, not even fully done growing yet, and two extremely peeved and held back boys, who know Black Magic mind you, now allowed to go wild caused his men some arms and legs and even their lives, so Dalton halts his forces and attempts to broker a deal; If Luke lets the Greyjoy men safely go, he’ll make sure the island knows no suffering or pillaging or death.
Luke agrees, but when Dalton is about to board the ship, the former prince stops him, and says that the deal only secured the safety of the men under the Red Kraken’s command, and not the Kraken himself.
Amused by his trickery, Dalton surrenders to staying behind, but does make a small adjustment to allow him letters and occasional visits from his people to keep them in check.
A year passes, and the Red Kraken and Blue Dragon fall head over heels together, and marry in the ways of Old Valyria and of the Drowned God. They consummate their marriage in their own section of the castle, with the other sections lived in by the dragons, Egg, and Vis.
Nine months later, Luke pops out twins; an Omega girl named Rhaelys and an Alpha boy named Rhaemon.
The islands Luke had taken up residence over soon had a small port and villages containing wayward travelers, outcasts and those exiled start popping up, and the Greyjoy Fleet, and soon the Ironborn, named the place Dragonborne Islands - the Isles that Birthed Dragons.
House Stark and Arryn soon catches wind of Luke, Egg, and Vis’ existence, and secretly sail to meet with them. At first, the family of four, with the twins protected by Ruby, and two active dragons were prepared to burn the ships down, but it wasn’t long before they welcomed and brought inside for talks.
House Stark and Arryn still remember their oath to Rhaenyra Targaryen, and their promise to see a Black on the Iron Throne. They remember every slight against them by the Greens and their allies, and wish revenge for both their disgraced Houses and for Rhaenyra Targaryen and her line.
Lucerys, at first refuses, but after some prodding and convincing from Egg and Vis, who both do still feel bitter about their beloved mother’s harrowing and disgraceful death and the trauma the Greens inflicted on both them and their big brother, Lhke agrees to lead a charge to take back the Iron Throne.
Of course, his husband Dalton Greyjoy is most certainly happy to participate - the same could be said for House Stark and Arryn.
Corlys Velaryon hadn’t died yet, and was still living large, and when he was sent a letter by House Greyjoy, informing him of his grandson’s plans, he jumped to the chance to join them immediately. The man abandoned his Driftmark Throne, and sent his entire fleet to the aid of Prince Lucerys Velaryon of the Dragonborne Islands.
The same could be said for Nettles, whom sought revenge for the death of Daemon Targaryen by the hands of the cowardly and weak Greens.
Soon, the Greens are informed by Larys Strong of the uprising far off the shores of Westeros.
That Prince Lucerys Velaryon is alive and well, and is sailing and marching to take back his due.
With the support and backing of the great Houses of Velaryon, Greyjoy, Arryn, and Stark.
With the knowledge of old and ancient, powerful and dark, glorious magic and scriptures of Old Valyria.
And with the strength and might of three dangerous and prime dragons, whom laid an active clutch for Viserys II and the Twins of Lucerys, and the additional war-hardened dragon Sheepstealer with his bloodthirsty rider.
Across the seas and across the lands, in uncharted territory and in front of his people, surrounded by relics of a past great Kingdom,
Lucerys Velaryon of House Targaryen, First of His Name - the Velaryon Pearl, the Mother of Dragons, the Blue Targaryen, Lord of Dragonborne, Wife of the Red Kraken, the Unbroken - named himself King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm on his throne of Old Valyria.
#lucemond#dalton greyjoy#lucerys velaryon#aemond targaryen#hbo house of the dragon#hbo hotd#hotd#hotd fanfic#dalcerys#WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS TAG AS POPULAR AS LUCEMOND#SAME WITH TOMLUKE AND LUCEFERTH#AND OTHER AEMOND VARIANTS X LUKE#dalton greyjoy x lucerys velaryon#corlys valeryon#house stark#house arryn#house targaryen#house velaryon
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DAD REGULUS I REPEAT DAD REGULUS ‼️ with any senecio you want just DAD regulus
I fear u have just inspired me to make a series of just dad regulus 😞😞
Meant to Be
Regulus Black is meant to be a father.
You believe that completely whenever you see him interact with your children, that adoring and loving look in his eyes whilst he smiles and laughs. Of course, he smiled and laughed before your children came along, but it became different. His smile turned wider and brighter, and his laugh is louder and more joyful.
He was terrified to become a father, afraid that he wouldn't feel like a parent and there would always be a distance between him and his child because of that.
However, as soon as you gave birth to your first daughter Adelia, he held her in his arms and she wrapped her tiny hand all around his index finger. That's when he knew he would do anything for his little girl, that's when he felt complete.
When you were pregnant with your second daughter Audrea, Regulus would talk to your stomach all the time, speaking about how much he loves her, how much her older sister cannot wait to see her, how much he loves you for not only being his soulmate, but also being the mother of his two children.
He never thought he could have a family, but when he met you, he felt an inkling, he saw a vision of a happy family in his future.
♡
You have just came back into your house after grocery shopping, carrying two bags all the way to your kitchen where you proceed to empty the bags and place all the food in the right places.
Regulus usually helps you, but you assume that he did not hear the front door open and shut, as he is most likely occupied playing with Adelia.
Chatter that contains a squeaky high-pitched voice and a deep cool voice flows into your ears from upstairs, Adelia's bedroom door being open. You smile and walk up the stairs after you finish putting all the groceries away.
Clinking of small tea cups is heard amongst Adelia talking excitedly as you approach her room, only looking in through the sliver of the cracked-open door as to not disturb this precious moment.
"Here's your tea, Daddy." Adelia places the empty tea pot down on the small table, her plastic tiara shifting down her head as she looks down.
Regulus has a pink cape that is way too small for him wrapped around his neck as he wears a matching tiara to his daughter's. He holds the baby Audrea in his lap, holding her up against his torso with one arm wrapped securely around her as he lifts up his empty small tea cup and pretends to sip whatever drink Adelia 'poured' into it.
"Mm, how lovely!" The man takes another sip as if he truly enjoys the 'drink' and places the delicate cup down on the table.
"Thank you, honey."
"You're welcome, Daddy."
"I thought my name was Prince Daddy?"
"Oh yeah! And-and I'm Princess Adelia."
"Of course, my princess." Regulus bows his head, Audrea grabbing onto a long curly strand of his black hair, cooing as she yanks it.
"Ow, okay, okay, sweetie, let go. Let go of Daddy's hair." He gently pulls his hair out of the baby's grasp.
Adelia is pouring tea into hers and Regulus' tea cup once again, taking a sip out of her small porcelain cup and rubbing her stomach as she hums happily.
"No tea for your sister?" Regulus asks.
"No, she doesn't want any."
"How do you know that?"
"She told me."
"Right, so a four month old baby can speak to you."
Adelia crawls to where Regulus is sat on the floor and puts a finger under the baby's mouth, moving it as she speaks.
"'I don't want any tea, Princess Adelia. I don't wike it.'"
The baby laughs as she stares at her older sister.
"Don't do that." Regulus says softly, with an amused smile on his face.
"Sorry Daddy." Adelia chirps happily before crawling back over to her side of the table.
You smile warmly, feeling such love for your wonderful family as you watch the scene in front of you, but you now have the strong urge to join in.
"I think you mean Prince Daddy?" You correct your daughter's little mistake as you step into the room with a grin on your face, Regulus immediately smiling at you as your daughter gasps and stands up to run to you, hugging your legs.
"Mummy, can you join my tea party?" Adelia asks with a hopeful look in her eyes.
You pretend to consider it for a moment, a finger tapping your chin as you glance up at the ceiling.
"Hm, okay then. But as long as I get to be Princess Mummy."
"No, you'll be... you'll be Queen Mummy."
You sit next to your husband on the carpeted floor and kiss Audrea's forehead as she coos.
"Wait, why am I Prince Daddy and she's Queen Mummy? Shouldn't I be a King?" Regulus protests with a frown on his face.
Adelia giggles at his pout and points at her father.
"No, no, you're just a Prince!"
You smirk as Regulus slumps over and shakes his head, yet he still smiles softly.
"Prince Daddy, can you give Queen Mummy your crown?"
"Sure, should I give her my tea cup too?" Regulus mumbles under his breath as he places the plastic tiara on your head instead, the crown wonky in its placement.
"Yes, please." Adelia nods her head, grinning with mischief as Regulus holds his mouth open in faux offense.
"Be nice to your Daddy, he just lost his crown!" You tickle Adelia's side, her laughter making you smile wider.
"Yeah, I think Uncle Sirius has been rubbing off on you too much." Regulus shakes his head as he grins.
The tea party continues until Regulus prepares dinner, the four of you sat around the dining table as you feed Audrea mushed carrots whilst Regulus bribes Adelia with chocolate to eat her broccoli and cauliflower.
The golden sun shines through the windows in the dining room, making your husband's hair glow and the fake ruby in your daughter's crown twinkle.
Regulus laughs as Adelia begins to eat her vegetables with such enthusiasm after he promised her that she can have chocolate cake after dinner, and you feel your heart swarm with love.
Regulus Black is meant to be a father.
#dad regulus#my heart 😫😫#marauders#marauders era#regulus black#regulus black fluff#regulus black x reader
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5k-10k (8) Masterlist
part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven
A million little suns | 7k | (ao3) - jestbee
Summary: Dan is just trying to get as far away from his home town as possible at Christmas when he gets stuck in a snow storm. He's rescued by an enigmatic stranger who take him back to his cabin in the mountains. What Dan doesn't know is that his rescuer is prolific, best-selling writer of erotica, Ricky Blitz. Will Dan end up with a porn-worthy situation all of his own? (hint: yes)
Porn with feels and some Christmas magic.
A Perfect Pair | 8k | (ao3) - husbants
Summary: Dan, a struggling actor who works retail by day, and Phil, an ex-YouTuber-turned-porn-star, end up matched together on the new reality show, Perfect Pair.
Broken Like You | 6k | (ao3) - TearDrop1234
Summary: Dan and Phil meet at a theater in a nowhere town. Their friendship is instant, but the rest not so much.
Charmed | 8k | (ao3) - hygge
Summary: Dan doesn’t understand Valentine’s Day. That is until he’s given an anonymous card with someone’s phone number in it. It takes months of talking with this anonymous person to learn who they are, and it ends up being the person that Dan least expects.
Dance to This | 8k | - melancholymango
Summary: After meeting on a questionable dating app, Dan and Phil make plans for a quick and easy hook-up. Dan wants to lose his virginity, and Phil is used to one night stands and short-term partners. What he isn't used to is running into those partners again after they walk out on him.
Danisnotadom | 5k | (ao3) - Sinninghowlter
Summary: Dan's not a dom. Everyone swears up and down that he is, insists he is domming his boyfriend and is too good to take it in the ass.
Phil's not a sub. Everyone thinks he is, everyone thinks his baby is in charge. What they don't know is his hardcore boyfriend is actually a princess.
dan is not a pianist | 8k | (ao3) - Marranje
Summary: How Phil went from watching the pianist and youtuber Dan from afar to being by his side through the most important moments of their lives.
different eyes to see the same old things | 5k | (ao3) - chickenfree
Summary: “Other side of the seesaw?” he says, when Phil’s still quiet. It doesn’t seem like a talking night, as much as Dan wants it to be.
endings, endings, beginnings. | 5k | (ao3) - commonemergency
Summary: A lot can happen in eleven years, he said, finishing his cup of coffee. Dan and Phil had lived a full life. It wasn’t always happy, but nothing can ever truly be happy, but it was finding the happiness and the light in those dark places.
When Dan finished talking, when all the words had come out, Evelyn had looked at him the same way that she looked at him back at that last session, a mix of pride and unbridled joy that Dan had grown up. He had grown up and become the person that his twenty-one year old self had been so scared of, the sixteen year old self he would have been proud of, and the twenty-five year old he almost gave up on if it hadn’t been for those around him to remind him that he was loved.
envelop the lonely places | 5k | (ao3) - cityofphanchester
Summary: Dan in his arms is like remembering how to breathe.
(reunion fic, dec '22)
FOUR IN THE MORNING | 8k | - daeguk
Summary: Four in the morning is the poster child for loneliness, earth's betrayal; Dan Howell's never been good at falling asleep at night. Because being alone in an empty house becomes suffocating, Dan finds solace in a cashier working the night shift at a grocery who's afraid to fall asleep: Phil Lester. Maybe some questions are better off unanswered, or maybe Dan's just afraid of the response.
(from the wings) i'll be watching | 5k | (ao3) - moonanonymous
Summary: Phil is the assistant lighting director. Dan is the nutcracker prince. It's going to be a long day.
How To Find Your Missing Husband, or, The Amazing Crossover is Not On Fire | 5k | (ao3) - N_Chu4Ever
Summary: In the year 2063, just as International Rescue finally recovers from the absolute mess that is the Hood's attack on Tracy Island, an event known as the Great Restructuring occurs. Multiple universes are merged together, a teen who is supposed to be dead is revived (and promptly adopted), Sportacus is there... and two longterm partners, famously described as 'actual soulmates', are torn apart.
Will Phil ever find Dan again? Or are they doomed to be separated forever?
I’d Rather You Were There | 10k | - howthemoonsuitsthenightsky
Summary: When war breaks out everyone wants to sign up, well, almost everyone.
it’s my fault | 6k | - awesomesockes
Summary: The fans don't know and he has medication to control it and stuff but he and Phil go to Summer in the City and Dan got drunk the night before so the pills don't take effect because he still has alcohol in his bloodstream in the morning. He has a fit in the middle of the M&G and ends up going to hospital.
Leeches To Lovers | 7k | (ao3) - intoapuddle
Summary: Phil was always a little needy after a breakup, and Dan was always a little needy in general, so leeching onto your best friend for physical contact wasn't a big deal, right?
On The Road | 5k | (ao3) - yikesola
Summary: Phil still isn’t quite used to it all being okay. He isn’t used to Dan not fearfully dissecting a tweet reply that called them queer icons. He isn’t used to things like what the two teenagers they bumped into at the airport said when they stuttered out, “I met my girlfriend because of you,” feeling only good. No twinge of bittersweet.
A fic about changes and landscape.
Oswald | 8k | (ao3) - philsmeatylegss
Summary: Dan is an asshole, Phil goes through a tragic accident, and this somehow brings them together.
Also Phil owns a pancake restaurant.
Redemption Arc | 8k | (ao3) - philsmeatylegss
Summary: classic, slightly dramatic rags to riches au
Serendipity | 8k | (ao3) - philsmeatylegss
Summary: Dan and Phil are a generic, cute suburban couple when a brief apocalypse decides to happen
Silent Night | 7k | (ao3) - SylvesterLester
Summary: Lawyer Dan Howell just wanted a white Christmas to himself up North to get away from it all.
A blizzard, an old church, and its overly-cheerful deacon might change that.
Stay | 7k | (ao3) - Nefertiti1052 (Succubusphan)
Summary: Dan was mesmerized by the cute guy with the flowers he saw on the tube. Was it a bit much to search for him time and time again after that? maybe, but sometimes working hard for something works out in the end.
Stranger Danger | 5k | (ao3) - intoapuddle
Summary: Dan thinks he's the most awkward guy on the tube until he spots a guy that seems to be in an even worse condition than himself.
tempe | 7k | (ao3) - dizzy
Summary: Dan and Phil go on a case to Tempe.
that's what friends are for | 5k | (ao3) - SylvesterLester
Summary: Long before Dan Howell was a rock god, he was in a band.
The city is so loud (but you drown out all the noise) | 8k | (ao3) - natigail
Summary: Phil's pack might have kicked him out for mating with a human, but his love for Dan was much stronger than anything he'd ever experienced before. It wasn't easy to adjust to living with Dan in his - now their - small flat in London, but Phil would do it again in a heartbeat. With Dan by his side, Phil was sure he could get used to all the weird things humans did.
the man of my dreams | 8k | (ao3) - mel_m_a_o
Summary: He first dreamed about this man maybe two months ago. The dream wasn’t really something out of the ordinary and Dan didn’t really remember what it was about, but it stuck out to him, because he wasn’t usually someone who remembered his dreams. He often thought he just doesn’t dream at all, but that certainly changed. He keeps dreaming about the same pale, black haired man and his bright eyes that make Dan wake up in a sweat. He starts to see the face everywhere all the time until he actually does.
The Problem With Travelling During The Holidays | 6k | (ao3) - Nefertiti1052 (Succubusphan)
Summary: Dan is in a tricky situation, running to catch his connecting flight with no other than his annoying enemy right on his heels. If he could just get on the plane and be away from Lester that would save Christmas.
Luckily for Dan, things don't tend to go his way.
trade all my tomorrows | 5k | (ao3) - SylvesterLester
Summary: It's 2014, and Dan Howell is screwing up in life. Fresh off of potentially ruining his just-started acting career with a heavily-memed public freakout, he's ready to hide away for the rest of his life. Until a stranger reaches out, who might not be such a stranger after all.
Underneath the Bandages | 6k | - philsdrill
Summary: Dan hits his head whilst masturbating, and despite being rather awkward, the incident brings him closer with his best friend, Phil.
We balance each other out on the seesaw of life | 5k | (ao3) - natigail
Summary: Phil had dragged Dan to Isle of Man after his return home from tour. The sea air would do him good (even if it gave him hobbit hair) and he could be surrounded by Phil's family (who were his family too). He hadn’t actively planned to drag him onto a seesaw on a playground but it turned out to be a precious moment all the same.
words don't come so easily | 8k | (ao3) - heartsopenminds
Summary: When Dan agrees to be a celebrity guest on a reality show for artists, his only aim is to raise his profile a little and appease his agent.
That is, until he meets the artists who'll be painting his portrait, and one in particular catches his eye...
you look so good it hurts (in my favorite t-shirt) | 6k | (ao3) - phantasticworks (steddieworks)
Summary: Phil is gifted with a "Mega Dilf" shirt. Guess who picked that shirt out?
#phanfictioncatalogue#phanfic#phanfiction#phan#dan and phil#masterlists#5k#5k masterlist#10k#10k masterlist
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Friendship
Series: None, this is a one-shot and you can find those here.
Fandom: The Royal Romance
Pairing: Constantine x Eleanor, Jackson x Bianca, but really it's about the beginning of Liam and Drake's friendship.
Rating: G
Warnings for this chapter: None
Word Count: 1,894
A/N: I had written the first couple of paragraphs over a year ago then put it away with no real idea where it was going. Then @kingliamappreciationweek happened and I decided to dust this off and finish it for childhood/family and friendships/relationships. I'm late, but here it is.
My other stuff: Master List.
Liam was a serious child. Even as a toddler, people would remark about his solemn expression. It wasn’t that he never smiled, he did. It wasn’t that he wasn’t happy, he was. There had just always been an aura of thoughtfulness surrounding him. The portrait his mother had commissioned of him for his second birthday showed a somber child. He sat in an elaborate Baroque throne chair with dark red crushed velvet upholstery and a gold leaf finish. He was dressed in a toddler suit with short pants, showing his legs, still chubby with baby fat, his ebony hair brushed back from his face as he gazed solemnly out at the photographer.
Despite that, he was a friendly child who learned by the age of four that being charming got him whatever he wanted from the nannies and the kitchen staff.
A heartfelt, “Please?” netted him cookies, cakes, candies, and plenty of baklava. No one could withstand the cuteness of the little prince. Especially his mother.
His first smiles, at three months old, were for Eleanor. As he grew into a toddler and preschooler, she remained his favorite person, that somber expression turning into a wide faced grin at the sound of her voice or the sight of her face.
She read to him, she played with him, she took him on walks in the garden. She was the antidote to his father’s seriousness.
By the age of six, Liam had learned that his father’s affections were less frequent and harder earned. The bulk of Constantine’s attention went to Liam’s older brother, because Leo was going to be king, and Liam was not. He was only the spare.
Liam never resented Leo for it. He loved him. Leo was his second favorite person in the world, after Eleanor. He started toddling along behind him as soon as he could walk. Leo was older, cooler, and knew all the best games.
Leo was also a frequent rule breaker, while Liam was not. On this particular day, Leo and Olivia had decided to sneak away from the nannies and play in the woods behind the palace.
Leo had read to him until he bored of it. Pushing the stack of books away he exclaimed, “I can’t stand being inside for another moment! Let’s go out to play!”
“Finally!” Olivia cast the copy of Little Women she’d been reading to the side as she jumped up from the oversized beanbag in the corner of the library.
“I want to come too!” Liam scrambled quickly to his feet. He had learned the hard way that if he didn’t keep up with the older kids, he’d be left behind.
“Sure,” Leo shrugged, “but you have to be quiet until we get past the hedge maze.”
“Past the hedge maze?” Liam asked in alarm, “We aren’t supposed to go past the hedge maze! Father said-“
“Father doesn’t have to know, does he?”
“Maybe you should stay here, Liam,” Olivia said sagely, “I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
Liam thought for a moment, taking in Leo’s amusement and Olivia’s smug sureness that he would stay behind. He drew in a deep breath and squared his shoulders, “No. I’ll go!”
“Are you sure, Li?” Leo asked with a laugh, “Last time you got caught breaking the rules, you cried.”
Liam flushed with embarrassment. Father had been so angry. He didn’t like to make anyone angry, “I didn’t mean to break the vase.”
“Hey,” the amusement disappeared from Leo’s face, replaced with sympathy, “It’s okay! It wasn’t even your fault, I’m the one that talked you into playing football in the great room!”
“It’s okay, Liam,” Olivia placed a hand on his shoulder as she leaned down, “but I heard there’s fresh baklava in the kitchen. You should go get some!”
“Yeah…okay….” He agreed half-heartedly.
He picked up an illustrated copy of Where the Wild Things Are with a sigh as he watched Leo and Olivia sneak giggling down the hallway toward the garden doors.
Thirty minutes later he was perched on a stool at one of the marble counters in the place kitchen, shoving baklava into his mouth as he turned the pages of his book when he heard unfamiliar voices.
He turned away from his book in interest as the head of the King’s Guard entered the room with a man and a woman Liam had never seen before. Trailing behind the adults were two children.
Liam’s eyes widened as he took in the new arrivals. A little girl with dark curls and wide eyes took in everything around her in wonder. A boy that looked to be about the same age as himself kept his gaze trained on the floor indifferently, a shock of chestnut hair falling into his eyes; hands stuffed into his pockets.
Liam twisted back and forth on the stool in excitement, nearly tumbling out of it as he did.
“Careful there young master!” The pastry chef caught him before he could fall.
“Sorry!” Liam exclaimed as he twisted out of her grasp, his head spinning to keep track of the children, “Who are they? I want to go say hi! Can I?”
“Certainly!” She laughed as she released him and watched as he sprinted across the travertine tile.
The group had moved into the formal dining room when Liam caught up with them, skidding around a corner and colliding directly with the head of the King’s Guard. “Ooof! Sorry!”
“It’s alright,” Captain Sullivan helped him to his feet, “What’s the big hurry?”
“I wanted to meet the kids!” Liam ducked his head, suddenly a little shy, “Who are they? What are they doing here?”
“Okay, okay, slow down!” The captain laughed, “I’ll introduce you! Your Highness, this is the newest member of the guard, Jackson Walker, his wife Bianca and their children, Drake and Savannah. Everyone, this is Prince Liam.”
Liam sucked in a breath of surprise; he knew that some members of the guard lived at the palace. He felt like he was about to explode with excitement. Please let them live here, he prayed furiously. Out loud he said, “I’m very pleased to meet you.”
“And we’re very pleased to meet you,” Jackson shook his hand.
The girl shoved her way in front of her parents, a look of awe on her face, “Are you an honest to God, real life prince?”
“I am.” Liam grinned at her.
“It’s nice to meet you Liam,” Bianca told him before pushing the boy forward, “Isn’t it Drake? Can you say hi to the prince?”
Drake shuffled forward awkwardly, lifted his eyes to Liam’s face for a moment then dropped them as he mumbled, “Hi.”
“Can they come play with me?” Liam directed the question to the adults, lacing the fingers of both hands through each other as he pleaded, “Pleeeeease?”
“Oh, yes!” Savannah squealed, clapping her hands as she jumped up and down, adding her pleas to his, “Can we please?”
“I think that would be okay,” Jackson replied, “What you think, son? Would you like to go play with Liam?”
The sullen faced little boy lifted his copper and gold flecked eyes again and found Liam’s face. Drake’s determination to hate everything about this new place faltered a little as saw the genuine excitement bubbling over in the other child. “I guess that would be okay. What do you want to do?”
“Yes!” Liam jumped up into the air with joy, “We can play whatever you want! Hide and seek, or tag in the gardens, we have board games, video games, we could ride bicycles if we get the nannies to supervise us or we could play sword fighting-“
“You have swords?” Drake’s eyes widened with interest.
“Wooden ones but-“
“Can I dad?” Drake turned to Jackson hopefully.
“Yes, go on. We’ll come find you later.” Jackson squeezed Bianca’s hand as they watched their children scurry down the hall with the prince. Relief flooded his wife’s features, mirroring his own. Drake had been the child they had been most worried about adjusting to the move, but he seemed to be warming to the place already.
“What’s it like being a prince and living in a palace?” Savannah asked as she hurried to keep up with the older boys.
“Boring,” came the instant reply.
“Really?” Savannah sounded disappointed.
Drake laughed and Liam’s smile broadened at the sound as he elaborated, “The other kids in the palace are all older than me and no one ever wants to play.”
He was lonely.
“Drake comes up with all the best games,” Savannah told him.
“Is that right?”
“That’s right,” Drake agreed, “Where is this playroom you’re taking us to?”
“Fifth door on the left,” Liam pointed down a long hallway.
“Race you,” Drake grinned at him, “Winner gets to pick his sword first!”
“Okay-“ Liam started to agree but Drake was already sprinting down the hall. It only took a second for Liam to realize what was happening and tear off after him.
The three children tumbled through the playroom door panting and shrieking with laughter.
Drake collapsed onto the floor in purposeful exaggeration as he gasped, “I’m dying….but I won!”
“You cheated you mean!” Liam laughed as he dropped onto the ground next to him.
“It wasn’t cheating,” Drake corrected him, “It’s called gaining a tactical advantage!”
Liam was used to other children being awkward around him, letting him win games or actively trying to avoid playing with him, because of his status. The young prince was absolutely delighted by this new playmate’s utter lack of concern about his title.
Drake had been convinced that the princes would be stuffy, stuck up and boorish. He was thrilled to be proven wrong. He hadn’t wanted to move, yet again. He hadn’t wanted to give up his friends, yet again. His father had promised that this duty station was more permanent. He had been determined not to get attached to anything or anyone, but as they staged epic battles with the wooden swords, of which Liam had let him claim the best one, he found the heaviness that had sat in his chest since his parent’s had announced this move starting to loosen.
The boys quickly became inseparable.
In the weeks and months that followed, Liam became less somber, at least around Drake. He was still a serious, thoughtful child, but he had a quicker smile as Drake drew out his playful side. Drake became less guarded, at least around Liam. He was still a slow to warm up child, but he turned outward a little more as Liam gained his trust.
“Drake seems to be adjusting well,” Eleanor remarked as a maid set the tea service in front of her.
“He is!” Bianca agreed happily, “It’s been four months and he seems completely back to normal! I think it’s because of Liam, honestly.”
Eleanor nodded with a smile on her lips as she blew on her tea to cool it, “Liam is so happy to have a playmate of his own. He’s a different child now. I think this friendship is good for both of them.”
The two women turned to watch as the boys raced through the gardens, shouts and laughter filtering through the late morning air. It was a beautiful day, the children were happy and for the moment, all was well in Cordonia.
#kingliamappreciationweek#klaw day 4#klaw day 5#king liam#liam rys#little liam#liam drake bromance#the royal romance#prince liam#childhood#Cordonia#angelasscribbles#trr#choices trr#choices fic writers creations#cfwc fics of the week#one shot
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Birdie
Robin Buckley x female reader
Word Count: 2719
The reader is the ward of Mr. Stevens. One day while she is reading a book and talking to her companion, a bird named Birdie, something strange happens when she kisses the bird, it turns into a pretty girl, and plans are made to run away.
Warning: Fluff, talk of parents being dead, talk of arranged marriage
Masterlist (Taglist linked here)
“You know, being trapped in a fancy house all day with nothing to bother you isn’t all it is cracked up to be. I’m bored all the time, I have no friends except you, and I so desperately want to leave to explore the world beyond the old stone wall that surrounds the house.
“Did you know I have never even set foot off the grounds of the main house? I’m nineteen and I have no life experience. I’m practically an old maid by society's standards.” I sighed turning from the window and slumping back into the settee, dress skirts rustling around me as I picked my book back up.
A musical chirp answered back along with the flutter of wings.
“Did you know that Mr. Stevens wants me to marry one of his grandsons? I guess I’ll have to if I want any sort of comfortable life, but none of them are what I pictured myself marrying. I know most young girls dream of a prince charming but I don’t think I’m like that. I’ve never liked prince charming, it was always the princess he married that caught my eye.”
Another round of chirps and the feel of small feet perching on my shoulder.
“I agree,” I answer back. “Girls are so much better than boys. That's why I like you so much, my sweet girl.” I grinned, lifting my hand so that the small bird could hop into it. When she did, I moved her slowly to my knees so that I could watch her as I talked.
“I’m glad you’ve come back, winter is always a very lonesome time without you.” I stroke a single finger under her beak black beak and sown the red-hued feathers of her chest.
This robin, whom I affectionately named Birdie, has been my favorite and most trusted confidant since I was sixteen. I had found her one day before a severe frost, almost frozen to death out in the cold. Something had happened on her migration southward and I took her in to care for her, much to the dismay of my keeper, Mr. Stevens. From then on, Birdie returned day after day, year after year. Only disappearing for the short few months of winter to a warmer more bird-friendly environment.
A loud knocking scared me from my relaxed state and had me jumping. Birdy took flight, going to rest on the window sill. I turned to the door of my room just as it opened. Mr. Stevens stood, hunched over his cane, his long white beard, and hair made him look ancient.
“Who are you blabbering out to?” His old voice scratched out.
“It’s just Birdie, she’s back from her trip south for the winter.” I smiled.
“You and that damned bird. I have half a mind to shoot it.”
I gasped and a few sharp tweets could be heard as Birdie flew out the window in a panic.
“Please Mr. Stevens, you wouldn’t. Birdie is my only friend in the world.”
He just huffed and glared at me. “Stop talking to animals, it’s unbecoming of a young lady.” He turned to leave then stopped, turning back around. “Do you have your answer for which of my grandsons you would like to marry?”
I freeze. “No sir.”
“Hum… Well, you need to make a choice, and quickly, or I will make one for you. You must realize you are lucky to even have a choice, unlike most."
"And I am grateful for that. Please, just give me a few more days to choose. It's just so hard to choose between the four of them."
Mr. Stevens grunts, turning and walking out of my room, the door slamming shut behind him. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
In truth, none of his grandson's were worth marrying. They were a cruel bunch, I would know having been tortured by them since I came into Mr. Stevens' care ten years ago.
Groaning I threw the book laying in my lap across the room and frustratedly fixed myself so I was laying sideways on the settee.
Closing my eyes I tried not to cry. I knew this would happen at some point. I wasn't living here for free, I and my eternal happiness was the payment. Promised to marry one of his grandsons before my parents' deaths.
I did not react when a quiet rustle started and then the feel of a small weight was set on my leg.
Birdie hopped her way down the slope of my dress and onto the cushion below. I smiled when I felt her pecking slightly at my cheeks.
"I know, I know, you hate it when I'm upset." I puffed, opening my eyes slightly to glare at her. She cocked her head in the way birds do before straightening it and staring at me.
"What?"
She just chirped.
I shook my head and leaned forward. I pressed my lips to her silken feathers only for the most strange and miraculous thing to happen.
No longer was I staring into the endless black of a bird's eye but the most dazzling blue I had ever seen. Focusing my eyes outward from there I was met with the frozen-in-shock face so the prettiest girl ever.
Her light brown bangs were a mess over her forehead and her mouth was a gape.
"Um…" I couldn't quite get words to leave my mouth. It's not every day your bird turns into a girl before your eyes.
"I…" She scrambled back, away from me and the settee.
Now, not as close, I could see her fully. The flowy cotton linen of her white shirt and the brown breeches made her look like a stowaway aboard a ship but it suited her nicely.
I sat up carefully so as to not scare her. And in the quietest voice I could, I asked, "Birdie?"
She nodded. "Actually, my name is Robin." The words came out horse and barely above a whisper.
"Robin," I repeated. It was a pretty name, it suited her. "That makes sense since you are a robin after all." I chuckled, a robin named Robin, how funny.
She stretched out her arms like you would if you'd been sleeping and had just woken up. "Are you not freaked out?" She asks, looking at me questioningly.
I shook my head, no. It was weird, normally I think I would have been scared and freaking out but I was as calm as calm could be.
She just laughed nervously and wrung her hands together. "I- um. I have no clue what to say. You spend so much time as a bird, you forget how to have a conversation, not that I really knew how to have one before this."
She was rambling out words faster than I could understand but my ears perked up when she said the last part.
"You weren't always a bird?" I asked, intrigued.
She looked at me wide-eyed again. Shaking her head, no, her hair fell into her face but she made move to sweep the strands away.
Maybe it was the fact that I was lonely or that Robin had always been my friend and held a special place in my heart, even if she were only a bird at that time, but something strange began to happen within me. My hands had become clammy and my cheeks blushed strawberry red. Even my heartbeat has up ticked in pace.
She was so so so pretty and I couldn't even think as we both stared at each other. I wanted to keep looking into her eyes, so I let myself fall to the floor gratefully from the settee and I crawled my way to her. She watched as I stuck my hand out carefully and moved the hairs away for her. I couldn’t help it when I let my fingers linger on her soft cheek.
The enchantment of her stair lasted only a few seconds before she was coughing, sputtering on air.
"Why? Why were you a bird then?" I asked, hand falling to my side.
"I was cursed to be. It was by a witch in the forest. I had been so hungry, it was almost winter and my family's farm hadn't any food to spare after having to sell it all just to make ends meet. She had had some small rolls cooling on her window sil and I figured she wouldn't miss one from the whole bunch, I guess I was wrong. The next thing I knew, I was a bird, struggling to learn to fly and to live in the new body I had found myself caged in. That was only a few days before you found me in the garden.
"I truly am grateful to you, indebted. You saved me from dying that day and kept me safe and warm that first winter. Thank you."
Reaching out my hands, I grabbed hers, thumbs stroking the backs. "You poor thing, three years you've been stuck like that. Are you okay? We need to let your family know you're safe."
"Don't bother, I've flown to check on them before. It's like I were never there. They seem happy and just fine to not have me around anymore. I was always a disappointment since I was born and they got a daughter in place of a son."
Her eyes were solemn and her hands gripped mine.
"Oh." I breathed. "I'm sorry." It was the only thing I could think of to say.
"Don't be, it's not your fault. Besides, I think I was more liked as a bird if you are anything to go by."
I smiled at her and then asked the question I had been wondering the whole time. "How did you turn back? I've kissed your head plenty of times before, what was so different about it this time?"
"Well, I think it's because I.. I.." She stuttered out her words, clamping her mouth shut before she could get the rest out. She looked anywhere but my eyes.
"Because you what?"
She sighed shakily and looked at our embracing hands. "I think it's because I've fallen in love with you." Her face scrunched up in a whine like she was expecting me to shout or make some big unexpected movement.
But I sat still, bewildered at her admission. "You.. you love me?"
"Yes?" Her answer sounded more like a question than anything. "Uh, the curse was supposed to break if I were kissed by someone I loved and who loved me in return."
My breath caught in my lungs and I couldn't speak.
"I realized I loved you once I was away this winter but I didn't think the love you had for me as a pet or a companion would have worked."
"And you love me, like a friend?" I wanted to cross my wingers that I was wrong.
"No…" She paused, the silence ate away at me as I waited. "Not like a friend."
The urge to pull her beautiful face into my hands and kiss her was overwhelming. Never in my life had I felt this way before. Love confessions had always made me feel icky, but this, coming from her? It make me feel like my body was tingling and I might combust into flames.
"You mentioned how you always liked the princesses more than the prince. Well," he coughed, clearing her throat. "I do too."
I used our connected hands to pull her into me, hugging her tightly around the neck. She made a surprised gasp before embracing me as well.
Pulling back only slightly, she watched me with big, blue, expectant eyes. "Can I- can I kiss you?"
My stomach flipped at her question. Slowly, without taking my eyes off her, I nodded.
"Yes, you may."
Her lithe, slender fingers trailed up the fabric of my dress and settled on my cheek. Her thumb pressed into my bottom lip, smoothing over it before she began to lean in.
When the plush skin of her lips pushed into mine, I felt electricity shoot through my body. My hands found their way into her short hair, pulling at the strands closest to the nape of her neck.
It felt so right to have her on me, to have her this close. Our lips moved in tandem as we sweetly devoured one another. The room was filled with the sounds of our short sighs and quiet gasps.
We only parted to take a breath, foreheads resting together. We had scooted closer to one another, my dress skirts flowing out from underneath Robin's legs and she practically caged me between her and the hardwood floor.
"I think I can love you more than a pet," I giggled. "It shouldn't be too hard if you keep kissing me like that."
She grinned and leaned forward pressing her lips to mine again, a hand coming up to cup the back of my neck, fingers tugging slightly at my hair.
“I’ve always thought you were so beautiful, I just couldn’t say anything for obvious reasons.” Her lips brushed softly over mine as she spoke.
I pulled away, brushing her bangs from her eyes. My heart swelled in my chest as I took her in, our faces so close.
“You were pretty as a bird but like this, you’re like a dream, too wonderful to be real.” My thumbs stroked her cheek and her own fingers twirled my hair around themselves.
We sat in silence for a long moment just enjoying one another, learning the feel of the other. Then, Robin broke the silence.
“Run away with me.”
“What?”
“Run away with me.”
My eyes were wide as she urged me.
“Robin, I don’t know if I can.”
She caught my face between her two hands and looked at me seriously.
“I have heard you talk for years about how you hate it here, how you don’t want to marry one of the old man’s grandsons. What better way to get away from it all than to leave with me.”
“But where will we go? We have no money, I have no clue how the outside world works and you were a bird twenty minutes ago.”
She thought for a second. “We can steal some money from the office downstairs and you have all the jewelry, that's got to be worth something if we sell it. That can at least get us out of here where everyone we know won't be able to find us. Then we can worry about the rest.”
I watched as she sprang to her feet, running around the room to gather any and everything she thought would be valuable.
“Robin,” I couldn’t help but think that it would be safer to just stay here, to live the life I knew I would resent even though I so desperately wanted to leave. Because familiar was safe and out there beyond the stone wall was different and strange and full of the unknown.
“Don’t you want a chance at your fairytale ending? An ending that ends how you want?” She stops erratically throwing things onto the settee and comes to kneel next to me. “Look, I know it’s scary going out on your own to someplace you have never been, trust me. Being a bird was terrifying but you aren’t a bird and you aren’t alone. I’ll be with you.”
“I-” I wring my hands together and closed my eyes. Taking a deep breath I nodded my head. Facing the unknown with her sounded better than living a cooped-up life with Mr. Stevens or one of his grandsons for the rest of my life. “Okay. I’ll run away with you.”
Robin lunged forward into me, hugging me to her. “Come on. Pack only what you need. I’ll sneak downstairs and find the money.”
As she quietly bounded away I could feel my heart beating in my chest, threatening to burst out. What the hell was I doing? I’m trusting a girl who I’ve only known as a bird for the last few years and leaving the only life I have ever known behind. But, who is to say it wouldn’t be fun, wouldn’t be the greatest adventure I could ever know? I guess I’ll find out.
Robin tag list: @yourfavdummy @omenhel
#robin buckley#robin buckley fic#robin buckley x reader#robin buckley fluff#maya hawke fluff#maya hawke x reader#stranger things fic#stranger thins fluff#female reader#robin buckley x female reader#robin buckley stranger things
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Found a little fic about the night Remus gets bitten that I wrote and posted on Instagram a year ago but I couldn't find that I ever posted it here, so....
Warning for child manipulation/stalking
~
Remus Lupin, aged four, is a very bright little boy, as told by his parents. More people would agree, but he doesn’t have too many others in his life.
Remus knows he is smart, but being called little is what makes him upset. Although he stands quite a bit shorter than the other children in the neighbourhood, he has the wits of a much older person. He knows so many things and is not a child at all - he feels like he is, like, at least five and a half. He learned to read at two years old and knows how to write his name with capital and lowercase letters, but what is the most wondrous thing about him is that he is magic! The other children will likely learn to read and write eventually, but not everybody can levitate a cookie jar from the top shelf when his daddy is at work and his mummy in the garden.
He is a joyful child, rarely seen without a grin on his face. The only thing to ever get him down, really, is loneliness. It has never really bothered him until recently, after seeing the other children play with each other. Not many live in his area, but the ones who do are mean and don’t want anything to do with Remus. He doesn’t even have siblings to play with, his only relatives are mummy and daddy.
He doesn’t let it get to him most of the time. Mummy and Daddy are amazing, and he has Tilda and Betty the teddy bears. And in a way, he does have hundreds of more friends than any of the other children, and that is all the characters from his books! Remus has a very vivid imagination and he loves to play, be a pirate on a ship or a spaceman discovering new galaxies or the fastest Quidditch player in the world. In his head he can be all of those things.
There is this one person though, who is kind of his friend. He is a friendly hunter with a dark beard and wicked scars from a fight with wolves and a weird name Remus doesn’t remember. He lives deeper in the forest surrounding Remus’s home.
All of this is a secret. The hunter says Remus’s mummy and daddy wouldn’t probably be happy if they knew, and although Remus has made the promise to not tell, he doesn’t understand why they would be upset that Remus has found a friend of this kind man. They have forbidden him from talking to strangers, sure, but the man isn’t a stranger anymore. He once helped Remus after he skinned his knees after falling when running away from the neighbourhood children.
On this particular day a few months before Remus’s fifth birthday, Remus is feeling more bored than ever before, or at least so he complains to his mummy and daddy and the hunter too, who he happens to see walking by when he’s playing a prince in the front yard. He’s just read his newest book he got for Christmas, about princes and princesses and dragons. It was one of the most exciting ones he has read yet. But now he has read all of the books he owns, and doesn’t know what to do anymore. All the things he has pretended to be before are starting to get repetitive.
The hunter smiles at him as Remus explains about the world he is currently creating in his head, and Remus jumps excitedly when the man actually kneels and bows after he introduces himself as the prince.
”Does Your Majesty have a big castle?”
”There is no castle at all. If I had a castle I would be a king!”
”Well why couldn’t you be a king, then?”
”Well, I don’t have a castle.” Remus rolls his eyes. The hunter is a little confused sometimes. He asks a lot of questions. Remus seems to know so much more than he does. ”Kings need a castle. And mummy cries about how we don’t have much money, so I don’t think we could buy one.”
The hunter is still on one knee, crouched on his level. He gives Remus a pat on the shoulder. ”Well I think you could figure that one out. You’re smart, little one.”
”I am,” he says. He is right! A tingling feeling quickly spreads through his body, and soon he’s unable to stay still with all the excitement of this new challenge and something so fun to fill the day with. ”I am!” And with that, he runs inside.
It is only a short while later when Remus meets the hunter again, who is still standing nearby, as he often is. Remus hopes to never become the kind of adult whose greatest joy in life is to stand in street corners and smell flowers, as the hunter’s seem to be.
”I know how to make a castle!” Remus announces to him, feeling so proud of himself for coming up with such a plan in only a few minutes. ”A huge fort of blankets, daddy says I can build one in my room! I’m even going to sleep there tonight!”
The hunter’s eyes flash. ”Your room, that is on this side of the house, yes? Right next to your mama and papa’s room?”
Remus furrows his eyebrows, wondering how the man knows this. ”Yes.”
The hunter looks at him long. He is quite scary-looking, and the other children are terrified of him, but Remus is not. He can also see past the surface, and giving him a chance, he has learned he is actually pretty interesting.
”You know, a friend of mine lived in this house of yours very many years ago, and I used to visit him plenty at that time. You do have one more room in the back, don’t you? It’s got a window to the forest - a better view of your kingdom, you see.”
Remus nods. ”It’s my daddy’s office. He likes watching the birds. But I’m not allowed to play there, he needs it for work.”
”It’s Saturday, surely your old man doesn’t need that tonight.” The hunter winks. ”If he’s any fun, he’ll let you watch the birds for a night.”
”I don’t care about birds,” Remus mutters, but agrees to ask either way.
By midday, Remus has searched the whole house and carried every blanket and pillow and bed sheet he was able to find to his daddy’s office, which he has gotten permission to use for a day after asking very nicely and promising to clean after himself.
After a little lunch and a nap with mummy on the couch he is ready to continue the hard work. He draws several detailed floor plans, climbs on furniture trying to hang the sheets, but it’s hard even when he tries to use magic, and bitterly asks daddy for help. Dear mummy brought him a snack, milk and cookies, and Remus ate them in the ready part of his castle without telling her he already had five cookies that day when no one was watching. This is also when he sneaks out to let the hunter know he is, indeed, building his castle with a better view than the dusty streets.
It takes a long time, but when the castle is all finished, he stands in the middle of the room, hands on his hips, beaming at his creation. It has ceiling-high towers and a tunnel to a secret chamber under the bed. He plays inside the whole evening, taking care of his kingdom, being the kind and generous kind of a king that the people love.
When the sun sets and the moon rises, silvery and perfectly round tonight, mummy comes in to read Remus a bedtime story. Remus likes letting his mummy read to him. It is nice being tucked under her arm and listening to her soothing voice. Mummy was the one who had brought stories to him in the first place, as mummy loves reading too.
Before mummy leaves, she checks every corner of the castle, even the secret tunnel, to make sure there are no monsters there. She and daddy do it every night, and even though they say there aren’t really monsters, he feels like it’s better to be safe than sorry. But mummy and daddy know that even if a monster shows up, Remus will win the fight with a skill of a thousand knights.
Remus makes sure his parents are asleep and pulls a torch from under his pillow, leans a book against it and keeps reading from where his mum left off.
He blinked, rubbing his eyes, trying to fight sleep as long as possible. If he stays up long enough he might see cute bunnies in the garden. He’s only ever seen one or two in his life, daddy said there weren't many of them nearby at all, and Remus wishes he will someday get close enough to pet one.
He is so deep into the story and the vivid world inside his head he barely registers a slow creak and a blow of cold air from the window, probably the wind’s near successful attempts to knock the ancient little house of theirs down. It takes Remus a moment to notice the room has gotten cold and he pulls the blanket from over his head to see the window is ajar.
With a sigh, Remus rises to his little feet, one of the blankets still hanging from his shoulders like a cape, and reaches to close it because mummy and daddy will surely get mad if they find out, and never let him build a castle with a garden view again. You could get a cold, they’ll say, and somehow getting a cold was one of the worst things his parents can imagine happening to him as if it doesn’t mean getting to lay in bed all day with his books and pens and drink a lot of hot chocolate.
Remus gets on a chair to reach the handle on the window - he doesn’t know how it had opened on its own, because wind can’t grab things like that.
He peers into the moonlit garden. No bunnies there. Maybe they are asleep with the rest of the world. He wonders what little bunnies dream about. Probably lots of carrots. He hadn’t read any books about bunnies.
With all his strength, he pushes the window closed and jumps back on the floor, quickly making his way back to his castle. He knows he should try to sleep soon - otherwise mummy will know he stayed up too late, and he doesn’t want to make mummy sad.
Remus stops. He stares at his castle, which looks different now, somehow. He doesn’t quite understand what is wrong.
He picks up the torch once again, fishing it from his pyjama pocket, and clicks it on. He aims the light at the castle, and indeed, it reveals an oddly shaped, large silhouette against the bedsheet walls. Remus stares, tilting his head like a puppy, trying to figure out what it is. At first he thought it was just Tilda and Betty, tucked in and asleep in the guest room of his castle. Remus really tried to be quiet to not wake them up.
But then the shadow twitches.
Remus purses his lips, fear rising in his chest and locking him into his place. He tries to think hard. Maybe he is just really sleepy and having nightmares already, because mummy did check every place from monsters. It still doesn’t give an answer to the mystery of who has taken over his castle in the moment he’s been to the window. Maybe something did come in.
Remus is very brave. He is. He has always been told so.
Perhaps it is a bunny. Maybe one heard him talk to the hunter and wanted to see his castle.
He giggles at himself, realising how silly his own thoughts were. Bunnies aren’t that big! Bunnies can’t get inside the house. They can’t grab things like window handles, either. The bunnies are asleep, having very carrot-filled dreams.
The shadow twitches again, tensing somehow, but Remus tucks his chin up. He squeezes his hand around the torch, taking curious steps towards the castle. He’s fought off all kinds of things from his books before!
Whatever this is, he’ll make it go away, because there are not really monsters in the world.
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Class of Heroes AU: Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?
And here it is! The second in my series of songfics, and was this a punch in the feels to write, lemme tell ya! Artzy, this one goes out to you! As always, credit to @imsparky2002 and @artzychic27! Special thanks to Sparky for helping me with some of the dialogue! Our tale begins just a few months after the tragic deaths of Queen Penny and Queen Alyssa of Arendelle…
A solemn and mournful feeling hung in the air in the palace of Arendelle. The deaths of their beloved queens, just months before, still weighed heavily on the hearts of everyone in the palace.
The servants in the grand hall looked up as four-year-old Prince Kiran darted past them, no doubt heading for his older brother’s bedroom. Hesitantly, they smiled. Perhaps some fun would lift the spirits of both boys.
Stopping outside one of the large windows in the hall, Kiran gasped excitedly when he saw the snow falling from the sky, before racing to his brother’s door.
“Marc?”
Kiran knocked on the door in the special beat he and Marc had come up with as a sort of passcode. Practically bouncing on his heels, he asked…
Do you wanna build a snowman?
Come on, let's go and play!
The large mounds of snow outside were perfect for some winter fun, and Kiran just knew that a day of sledding and snow angels would cheer the both of them up.
I never see you anymore
Come out the door!
It's like you've gone away…
With a sad expression suddenly overtaking his features, Kiran slumped downward, sitting with his back against the door.
We used to be best buddies
And now we're not.
I wish you would tell me why!
It had been over a month since he and Marc had last played together, and Kiran missed his brother terribly. Why wouldn’t Marc come out of his room? Had Kiran done something wrong?
Do you wanna build a snowman?
It doesn't have to be a snowman...
Kiran pressed his eye up to the keyhole, trying to see what his brother was up to in there.
“N-Not now, Kiran.”, came Marc’s quiet and hesitant reply. The younger prince slumped sadly and turned to walk away from the door.
“Okay, bye...”
Sitting, looking out over the kingdom, that evening, the elder prince of Arendelle jumped back in fright as his windowsill was suddenly coated in a thick layer of ice under his hands.
Alarmed, Marc called for Su-Han, the chief Royal Advisor, who came in bearing a solemn expression. He opened an ornate wooden box, revealing it to contain a pair of dark gloves made of a thick fabric the boy didn’t recognize.
“Put these gloves on. They will help you to control it.”, he said sternly, and Marc quickly obeyed. To the prince’s relief, the gloves seemed to work to stop his magic.
“Conceal it…”, the old advisor prompted. Marc knew what came next, it was an old rhyme meant to help him withhold his magic.
“Don't feel it.”
“Don’t let it show.”, the two finished together. Su-Han nodded, before his solemn expression turned deadly serious.
“Now, you must NEVER take these off. You could KILL someone with that power if you're not careful.”, he told the young prince coldly. With a frightened expression, Marc nodded.
“O-ok. I promise.”
Two years passed since that night, and young Prince Kiran, now six, was once again racing to his brother’s room! Maybe Marc would come out to play today. They had been sharing meals together as of late, after all! Sure, he sat at one of the long table and Marc at the other, and they didn’t really talk, but it was something!
Kiran knocked the cheerful beat of their secret code in Marc’s door, before he asked the question he did about every two days or so.
Do you wanna build a snowman?
Or ride our bike around the halls?
I think some company is overdue
I've started talking to the pictures on the walls!
Kiran was honestly starting to go mad with no one to play with! So he hoped with all his heart that this would be the day Marc would say yes!
It gets a little lonely
All these empty rooms
The servants all just went about their business, mostly keeping to themselves, leaving Kiran to wander the halls of the enormous palace with nothing much to do but stare at the time passing.
Just watching the hours tick by...
The young prince flopped down in front of the large grandfather clock in one of the various sitting rooms of the palace, making ticking sounds with his tongue against his teeth.
Meanwhile….
Sitting on the floor of his bedroom, surrounded by jagged ice stalagmites, tears running down his cold cheeks, was Prince Marc. Looking up, he met the angry, cold and disapproving gaze of Su-Han.
“I-I didn't mean to do it...it-it's getting stronger, no matter what I do...”, Marc stammered out, the icy spires growing larger as he curled in on himself.
“Getting upset makes it worse. Calm down, now.”, the elder man said sternly, making a motion to grab the prince, who jumped back in panic.
“NO! Don't touch me! I don't wanna hurt you!”, he cried, as he took tentative steps back toward the wall. Su-Han shook his head with a look of disappointment.
“You'll only ever hurt people if you don't learn to control yourself and your emotions. THIS is why you can't see your brother. Why the people of the kingdom can't know what you are.”
Trembling, Marc looked at the man, pleading for any answers he could give.
“Wh-what can I do? How do I fix this?”
His expression turning solemn as stone once again, Su-Han answered:
“You must learn to keep your power sealed away inside you at all times, and at any cost. You must master discipline and control, and until you do that, you MUST remain isolated. With this magic of yours, it's simply too dangerous.”
Marc looked at the man in utter despair. At this rate, he would spend the rest of his life alone in this room! And Kiran…
“Just... let Kiran keep seeing me for meals, please? I'lI wear the gloves. I'll stay far away, I won’t even speak. Please, I…I just need to know he's ok!”, Marc pleaded, feeling his spirit start to break once more.
“Once I see proof of you improving, we'll discuss it.”
Another two years passed, and a letter arrived at the palace of Arendelle. The elder prince had been invited to attend the prestigious Francois Preparatory Academy! He would be leaving in only a day’s time. Eight-year-old Prince Kiran now walked solemnly down the hall, having just spoken with Advisor Su-Han.
“There is something…very wrong with your brother. He is going away to get it fixed.”
And so Kiran found himself, yet again, in front of Marc’s door, giving three solemn knocks, unable to even muster their special code.
Marc, please I know you're in there
People are asking where you've been…
Gossip was spreading through the kingdom about the reclusive elder prince. Kiran didn’t believe any of the ridiculous stories the village folk came up with, but he longed to know what was actually going on with his brother. What was this “terrible illness” that made Marc isolate himself?
They say, "Have courage," and I'm trying to
I'm right out here for you
Just let me in
Kiran wondered if his brother felt the same sadness he did. It had been years since they had a proper conversation. If they could even spend a moment together, perhaps this rift between them could heal. The deaths of their mothers had hit them both so hard, but they still had each other. If only Marc would open this door…
We’ve only had each other
Now, you’re about to leave…
What am I gonna do?
Even if he rarely ever saw Marc nowadays, just the assurance that he was there was one of the few things that got Kiran through each day. Now, he wouldn’t even have that…
Do you wanna build a snowman?
When he received no response from his older brother, Kiran pushed himself to his feet and walked down the hall to his own room, tears slipping from his silvery eyes.
On the other side of the heavy oaken door, Prince Marc stood with head against the ice-coated wood, tears of his own sliding down his frigid cheeks.
Kiran, I know you're out there…
I hear you every day
Four long years, he had listened to his brother, asking him to spend some time together, his heart breaking a little more with each time he had to refuse. He missed Kiran more than anything.
I want to tell you everything, I really wish…
That I could say…
As far as Kiran knew, Marc had a terrible sickness that required him to stay away from everyone, for their own safety. He longed more than anything to tell him the truth, to let him know that the last thing he wanted was to push his little brother away like this.
I want to be beside you! To help you through…
If only he could just have a moment with his brother, he would give him a hug and tell him that everything was going to be alright. But Su-Han would never allow that, and perhaps he was right in feeling that way. Marc never forgot the…accident for a moment.
Believe me I need you too…
I want to build a snowman…
Marc sank down to sit with his back to the door, burying his head in his knees as a fresh swell of tears overtook him, the ice around him spreading even further.
‘Goodbye, Kiran. I promise I’ll come back better for you…’
I’m not crying, YOU’RE CRYING! Anyway, there it was folks! LMK what you thought in comments and reblogs! Oh, FYI, Marc’s part is Elsa’s Reply by Elsie Lovelock on YouTube!
youtube
Link: https://youtu.be/MutnK1UbdRk
Coming up next in this series is Zero to Hero! Keep and eye out! Love and hugs!
#miraculous ladybug#class of heroes#disney au#mlb ocs#marc anciel#Kiran anciel#Elsa#Anna#frozen#songfic#do you want to build a snowman#Youtube
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Im licking the floor for crumbs of lore please 😔 also from what ive pieced together, i think Hadrian is a prince that was kidnapped by the bad pirate guy or smth and you rescue him and escort him back to his kingdom and then drama ensues
'Licking the floor for crumbs of lore' is something I'm going to say forever now ahaha!
The story, in my head, is sort of planned out like a trilogy, so would your lore craving be satisfied by an overview of book 1?
I hope so, because here it is!
Warnings for kidnapping and reference non-consensual sex.
Also, remember this is just my very first draft of the overarching story haha, don't judge too harshly, it hasn't been edited.
...
So, it's National founding day in Anaret, the city Hadrian is from, and all the royal family is out and about for the celebrations and traditions.
Until an explosive is detonated in the crowd.
In the ensuing chaos, Hadrian is kidnapped by a group hoping to hold him for ransom.
But, before they can follow through, Hadrian is kidnapped from them by Kars (the bad pirate guy) who smuggles him out to sea.
For a period of about four months, Hadrian is kept on the ship. He isn't given much food or allowed to bathe often.
During this time, he becomes pregnant through non-consensual means.
After those four months, he is rescued by reader who kills Kars and sinks his ship.
Hadrian is very withdrawn and quiet, and seems resistant to bathing, even though he eats readily and gratefully.
It becomes clear why after he has bathed, as the reader notices his hair isn't just blond underneath all the dirt, but ice blond, the hair colour only held by royal blood in Anaret.
Reader realises that Hadrian is the lost prince.
They also realise he's pregnant.
With a royal bastard child.
Fuck.
Hadrian begs them not to sell him, but to let him go at the next port so he can find his way home.
Reader agrees under the condition that he stay in their quarters the entire time, because if their crew knew they were hiding someone so valuable with no intention to make money from him, they could mutiny.
They kind of awkwardly keep out of the other's way for a week.
Until one night, there is some heavy rain, not a storm by any means, but enough to really spook Hadrian who hates storms a lot because of the helpless feeling of being at the mercy of said storm at sea.
Reader and Hadrian properly bond for the first time and end up falling asleep together in reader's bed.
They don't speak about it, but it's clear they've started to like/trust each other at least a little.
Another few weeks later, and they arrive at a small port town. Reader was planning on staying for two weeks to restock the ship and allow her crew to have some fun and recuperate on land.
Hadrian goes to leave, but reader realises how little he knows about the real world and offers to escort him on the week long journey so he doesn't die or get kidnapped again, and they'll be back just in time for their crew to leave.
Nix, the second in command would oversee the restock and everything in their absence.
Hadrian gratefully agrees to the escort.
They go together on foot, Hadrian wearing a cloak and hood the whole time to avoid being recognised. They are far enough from Anaret that they can't trust anyone with the information about who he is.
As they walk, they learn more about each other. Hadrian tries some food from a stall that he's never had before, then they walk a few towns over and find a place to stay for the night.
They are starting to like each other a lot at this point.
The next morning they have to walk in some woods, which Hadrian finds difficult due to the old pregnant thing. Reader helps him and in return Hadrian starts to really trust them and open up about his family and his past.
He tells them about his distant relationship with his mother, and the way that his older brother and father doted on him.
Reader tentatively does the same, talking about how they ended up being a pirate and what draws them to the sea. They don't have any living family, as their only family was killed in an incident that was the fault of those in charge of their home city. Pirates, who went against those people, were any easy choice to join when they had nothing left.
That night, they camp out in the open in the woods and they fall asleep in each other's arms.
Reader is awoken in the middle of the night by a noise.
It turns out to be some bandits trying to ambush them.
It's a tense fight, but reader makes it out on top from experience and all three bandits are unconscious.
Reader goes to kill them but Hadrian says not to.
Reader does not agree. They say that he's an idiot if he thinks they won't just follow them straight away now they know he's the missing prince.
Hadrian insists that killing is wrong regardless. Reader says something like 'you were fine with me doing it to Kars' and kills the bandits anyway.
Hadrian is furious and refuses to speak to the reader, keeping his distance.
(on the inside, he is scared at seeing something so violent and scared at the reminder that reader is a pirate, the same kind of person that held him captive for months. He feels betrayed and stupid for trusting them.)
They don't go back to sleep, and instead continue onto the next town.
Then there is a bathing in the river scene which introduces *sexual tension* but they're still super mad at each other lol. Just horny now too.
They get to the next town very late, and the only room they can get has only one bed?!
Hadrian is still upset, but after reader goes to the effort of getting him some food even though the tavern is mostly closed and doesn't push his boundaries, he softens a little.
While reader is asleep that night, he sorts out his feelings and tentatively makes the decision to at least be friendly again, but to avoid anything more than that. (Good luck with that Hadrian lol)
The next day they set off to Cyiac, the nearest town with a safe river crossing and hopefully a supply of horses.
Before they find a place to stay though, reader sees an event going on in one of the buildings, a dance and entertainment style event with alcohol etc.
They find a way to sneak in without a ticket and convince Hadrian to come with them.
He's never seen anything like this, palace entertainment is very different obviously.
He loves it a lot and is super enthralled by the performances. Reader ends up buying a piece of jewellery similar to the performers for Hadrian to have as a souvenir.
Then they find a place to stay the night.
In the morning, they go and try to find some horses.
The person selling the horses enquires if they are married.
Hadrian goes to say no, but reader says yes before he can because Cyiac is very traditional and him being pregnant without being married could have them turned away from the shop.
They find out that because of the explosives that were set off in Anaret a few months back, Cyiac, who relies on them quite a bit, wasn't getting as many sales in their normal exports as Anaret were focused on rebuilding. With less money, Cyiac has less stuff obviously.
They find out that it's one horse per family for the time being, because of the shortages, so they have to share a horse.
They end up with a horse called Cynthia who likes Hadrian a lot and who Hadrian loves in turn.
Cynthia and reader have a love hate relationship lol.
(Reader has never handled a horse before but Hadrian has handled many that's probably something to do with it.)
So now they get to travel on a horse, with Hadrian sitting in between the reader's legs for hours and feeling their breath on his neck lol.
He likes it a bit too much but won't admit it.
They stop on the river crossing because Hadrian needed a toilet break and end up having their lunch there.
They talk about what Hadrian is going to do when he gets home. He says that he'll just stay in the palace probably, that he doesn't want to risk leaving again.
Reader can't understand that viewpoint and calls it a fancy cage. They love travelling and being free so they don't relate. They bring up the dance show and ask Hadrian if he never wants to see anything like that again? They bring up the new food he's tried and ask if he wants to never try street food again?
Hadrian is conflicted but tells them to drop it.
They have a Romantic Moment™ before continuing on.
It's a three day trip to Anaret.
They end up having dinner in another tavern inn and they meet a couple who are very lovey dovey and friendly.
Hadrian and reader have to pretend to be a married couple to avoid stigma for Hadrian being pregnant.
They pretend for the entire night to be married and the omega in the other couple asks so many personal questions that Hadrian finds deeply embarrassing. It's starting to fluster him a lot so reader steps in to help him and the other alpha says something about how close and cute their relationship obviously is, to the embarrassment of both of them.
They share a bed to keep up the façade.
Reader has a dream where they end up married for real and feels strange about it.
Day two passes without incident, but on day three they enter the city of Anaret.
Hadrian is very excited to be home, reader feels confused, but pushes it down to be happy for Hadrian.
They decide not to stop for lunch and push forward to get to the palace.
When they get to the gates, Hadrian has to reveal himself to the guards to be let in. The guards fetch the older prince to verify that it's his brother standing at the gates.
They have a tearful reunion, but something isn't right.
Hadrian's brother was blinded in the explosion that day he was kidnapped. And it turns out Hadrian's father died while he was away, but they are keeping it a secret from the public.
With the king unable to rule, and the elder brother being unpopular with the people due to his new blindness, the fact that the younger prince was kidnapped 'under his watch', and tbh the older brother has been using all the supplies to find the younger brother rather than helping the people so, the only one that could theoretically take the throne peacefully (a.k.a without the anger of the people or nobles) is Hadrian.
But Hadrian is pregnant with a bastard. This will not be looked upon kindly.
Seeing as the news from the people that saw reader and Hadrian enter the palace has spread, the only believable lie is that Hadrian was recused by reader, fell in love while they were travelling home and got married and fell pregnant on the route. They could argue that the marriage was from a travelling religious man or something, so it's valid, but they'll need to get remarried because they don't have proof. The people shouldn't be angry about that though.
So, to keep the peace in the royal family and te country. Reader and Hadrian have to get married.
Reader is not happy about it.
End of Book 1
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silver
part one - Golden
part three - Black
part four - Green
As the time passes, and weeks turn into months, Orlaith feels that even the Dumbledores don't much care about finding and helping Credence.
credence barebone x fem!OC
warnings: Credence is dying, cursing, violence, Hogwarts legacy spoilers
fantastic beasts x hogwarts legacy crossover
word count: 8980
author's note: I decided to butcher the timeline. Heck, Orlaith's supposed to be looking for Credence for six years? And everybody's just sitting, doing nothing meanwhile? Plus, I am ready to fight filmmakers on the plotholes they created, so I don't care. That boy didn't have six years, no matter how strong he was.
music: my sweet prince by placebo, various storms and saints by florence+the machine, wer bin ich by lafee, alleine zu zweit by lacrimosa, woods by askii
He landed in the freezing yard, his palms stung with the snowflakes thrown forth by the ferocious wind. The fortress looked like a ship behind the sea mist. It was hard to keep his face up, but the snow was at least making it numb. He heard himself breathe, with a little bit of wheez. His back ached, and something was crawling on the inside of his spine; Credence felt tired. He leaned against the ice-cold stone of the gate, lifted his collar against the wind, and listened a little.
He knew that there, deep in the forest below the castle that stood on the edge of the mountain, huge spiders cracked their dry legs while climbing the rocks; snow horses ran through the moors, and meak, black birds snuggled in tight flocks, trying to withstand the neverending winter. It always snowed. It was always black.
He entered the gate and walked towards the small opening which he usually got into the castle through. Nurmengard was a grim but imposing place, reeking of old. Its square towers constantly faced the northern winds that sometimes flew with the power of furious gods. Nothing could break through; magic buckled in each corner, each little window, cloaked it tight, like desperate mothers roll their newborn babies into the blankets.
He walked these hallways, bleak and slightly bronze in the light of the evening, and cold, blue during the day, with his head down. Very often he didn't wish to see Vinda, peeking out from around the corners, following him. Other times, he would just close his eyes and wish everything away, wish the time ran faster, to the inevitable end.
He would go up into his room in one of the towers, where the entrance gave uncomfortable view of the bed, so everyone who came to see him could catch him off guard.
He now wore a long black coat that hid his crooking body. The spasms and pains came ever more often now, when the winter night never ended and kept curling behind the window with thick, ornamented glass. Credence thought that sometimes he saw some prophecies, some silhouettes in the dancing snow, but could never make them speak to him.
What spoke to him was the mirror.
One of those evenings a message had been waiting for him, which he wiped away, furious. Rather, it wasn't a message, but a name, his name, as though his father was trying desperately to get him to talk.
He constantly was thinking about the castle and why the mirror in his room connected to mirror his father had. Grindelwald didn't like talking of Dumbledore; when he did, his face took on that disgusting expression, as if it hurt him. Credence knew it was an act. He saw the wizard through and through; all his pretence, and quiet rage, the way he was trying to make all of his scheming work. How the vein under his left eye twitched every time somebody spoke to him at the wrong time. The little snaking smile Gellert had for him, like the superficial warm greeting, made him want to turn and break himself apart.
But he still kept the mirror. Or did he forget about its existence? Did all the mirrors connect to Hogsmeade or one of Dumbledores? Was he reading the messages his father has been sending him, and what he was replying?
Credence used this mirror to look at himself past the foggy words. His skin was getting paler, especially in contrast with the long black hair. He thought, this couldn't be good. The way his black inner was now almost shining through his skin. His eyelids heavy all the time. Very often he felt no strength in his hands, and only when it was time to kill, a surge of anger was articulating his limbs. And he killed. To kill, was the only thing Grindelwald wanted him to do. Of course, it would be silly even to think that the madman would notice Credence whither away right in front of him. When he took his shoulder, with his dry and cool hand, he never wished him to be better, but reminded him to stay alive just long enough to be able to kill his uncle. Credence imagined that afterwards, freedom was awaiting, and maybe he could see the golden witch once again. Right before he would die.
Grindelwald asked about her once. It was lucky that there were other things on his mind at the time; he was looking for a Qilin, working with Vogel, building a plan. More than anything, he was preoccupied with the Deathly Hallows, a symbol of which Credence still had. Mystical, mythological, far-fetching legend for those who seek immortality. Why one would want to be immortal, Credence didn't know. One short life was unbearable enough. He thought of her golden earrings and purple sparkles of her magic under her skin. There were now such distances between them that, when Gellert asked him, pretending to be indifferent, just curious, just to upheave a conversation, Credence managed to stay calm.
"Remember the girl who was with you last year, when I picked you up? Who was she?"
"I told you she was a freak from the circus", Credence was looking at the swirling, dark-purple liquid in his cup. It smelt of black current and cholocate and was steaming.
"Yes, but see, I don't think you've told me the truth. The chains on her, I thought they looked familiar..."
Credence looked at him. Between 'Credence' and 'Aurelius', Grindelwald decided not to choose, and didn't call him anything anymore.
"I don't know what they were. She'd been brought to the circus and never performed. The owner couldn't get her to do any tricks. Eventually, two weeks in, we just escaped together, but I never got the chance to ask her why she was there".
Grindelwald hummed in agreement, looking above his shoulder. At any given time in Nurmengard, Queenie was somewhere not far away from him, just lingering, like a ghost. Like he used to be. Credence turned around and gave her a stern look. Queenie always held onto the doorframes or the backs of the chairs for support.
"He's telling the truth. He remembers her golden earrings, and..." she broke off, seeing his eyes. Somehow she betrayed Orlaith, mentioning it.
"Oh", said Grindelwald quietly.
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In the summerland, where the warmth was, opposite to the weather in the mountains of Austria, the air was flickering with the tiny bodies of flying bugs. Orlaith put a bandlet in her hair to get the locks away from her face, as she fished. She didn't fish in the normal sense, but for the research. The Bluetails were extremely rare. She's been hearing about them for years, and they were even mentioned in Newt's fantastic book. Even there - only once; for he hadn't encountered them very often. The beauty of those little fishes was all in their long, birdlike tails, that glowed when in the water, therefore, always. During the day, they just seemed to gleam a little, but at night, sensing the blue light of the moon, Bluetails made the whole pond glow with all shades from turquoise to deep marine blue. During her search of Grindelwald, she found herself in Northern Ireland, where the whole little town of Helen's Bay was humming with the talk of Bluetails. They have had these stories for ages now, the magic folk, of course, and Orlaith, frustrated and tired, decided to go check and bring her mind in order. The wood anemones and bluebells were scattered around the deep and hidden forest pool, and the small butterflies fluttered around her head, seeing the bright guilded decoration on her hair.
Orlaith released a Bluetail back into the water and looked at the faded, pale powder left on her palms. The burnscars have almost gone, but the skin wasn't smooth anymore. It's been almost exactly a year since Grindelwald has taken away Credence, and she was afraid he'd regretted going instead of her. There were probably very few places in the magical world now sadder than wherever Grindelwald was; the worry about obscurial slowly killing him constantly made her fidget with impatience. She had been all throughout Europe and found nothing, but then again, she had no help, and didn't really know how to search for them properly. Many times she thought to herself that she had enough power to just raze whatever hiding place the mage chose to, the ground. She had enough fury for that. The thought that, of all people, Credence Barebone, whether he felt like Aurelius or not, had to go through that, made her blood boil.
What a beautiful place this was; well-hidden deep in the woods, where any person, even very quick-footed, would have to search for a whole day. Passages were tangled with cobwebs and old, strong branches and new, stubborn saplings; throns, briar, and tall elder bushes were barricading the way. And here, in the circle of ancient trees, this small pond was protected with everything nature had, just to admire at these little fishes, giving the night its ethereal glowing. Now it was about to be protected by Orlaith's magic, too, so that no one would ever discover Bluetails. Let them be the stuff of tales.
She decided to rest just a little more, drowning in lush moss, her head heavy, but it was not to be. She could hear the flapping of the ghostly wings. She put her hand to her forehead to protect eyes from the sun; a barely visible patronus flew up and was floating three steps away, right above the water. The sunrays of the evening were shooting through it, making parts of its body invisible. It was a phoenix.
"Professor?" she said.
The non-verbal message in her head sounded like Dumbledore's voice.
it's time to come back home.
Even is she hadn't lost guidance and wasn't out of ideas, she wouldn't have been able to disobey. The message was just a tiny bit concerned. As the phoenix threw its silvery wings and flew up, disappearing in the evening light, she clutched on the moss. Just five more minutes here, in her dreams, with the sound and smell of the forest. Then she started making the protective spells.
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August at Hogwarts was one of the best months; to say nothing about the cheerful and warm view of the castle, strong, huge and greyish-pale in the orange sun, the animals and insects - insects most of all - were doing the last summer dances. The squid was a frequent guest at the picnics near the lake, and Hogsmeade was already full of people. The dread with which the vendors and the house elves were expecting students every year, was endearingly comical. First rogue leaves left their trees and now were making their great travel across the huge territory, flying all the way from the Quidditch field to the forest in the northern side. Across there, the big lake laid glistening, bubbling, ringing with life underneath water. The almost dissipating waterfalls were being filled again with the rains, running happily and with noise; only May could be better. When Dumbledore called it home, it wasn't only for Orlaith, but for many other people who clung on to it.
She came back on the last day of August, while the castle was all but vibrating with preparations. As usual, rare early students who had some extra cause were already there, wandering aimlessly across the green and stone yards. The Headmaster Dippet was at all the places at once. The air of the castle, by the way, with its green hallways, and very strictly ornated Big Hall, still had a very faded feeling of Black being there. As she returned to Hogwarts, every time, because she couldn't stay away, she contemplated on the repetitiveness of time, and thought of other Blacks that were to come, and the one Black she wanted to save very much, in fact. But the future was so dim, so uneven now.
A year was the longest she's been away, in all her time in the wizarding world.
"Peverell!" was the first thing she heard as she entered the huge doors of the castle. Her light, happy pondering was smashed with a ball of water immediately, shaking her awake at once.
"Pevees!" she yelled, then took out her wand.
"Where have you been!"
Another water bomb flew past her as she ducked in time.
"Away!"
She pointed her wand at the poltergeist.
"I'm all wet now, Peeves!"
He laughed with the most disgusting laughter.
"That's for leaving me alone for a year!"
"I'm not your nanny, Peeves", she grumbled, shaking her hair and unbraiding it. The water started dripping down her collar. But she removed the wand.
Poltergeist let her be somewhere on the fourth floor already. She headed for the DADA class, sensing no presence of Dumbledore anywhere else.
Orlaith knocked like she used to, and pushed the door open. The light class, complete with empty (for now) aquariums, iron traps on the walls as if it was an exhibition of torture; and rows of empty decanters, bottles and viles; the pictures, although it looked like some of them haven't been buttoned to the wall properly, of various creatures and wizards, looking very threatening, with their teeth bare, wands pointed. And her favorite: the golden ornament on the wall, giving the class a feeling of never-setting sun.
The little door at the top of the stairs opened, and Albus stood there for a second. She smiled and almost ran to him;
"Come up!" he called, "I have guests".
He was waiting for her at the top of the stairs; bright blue eyes smiling, and the golden chain on his pocket. Always with a straight back, soft in his movements, welcoming. He laid his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it lightly. Orlaith would hug him but she was almost dripping with water; the water balls Peeves has been shooting at people weren't fist-sized.
"Has Peeves proclaimed his undying love for you?" he asked with a chuckle.
"Oh, as usual. Nothing changed at all".
"How did you travel?" he asked, as they entered the inner office.
"Okay, apparating here and there, then I took a train for a little, because I don't know inner Ireland too well. Quite comfortably".
At Dumbeldore's office, a boyish man with his ravaged ginger hair, in his unchanging blue coat, was sitting at the table, bowing his head above something. As he turned, Orlaith threw her hands open.
"Orlaith!"
"Newt!"
They almost hugged.
"Ow. Why are you wet?"
Dumbledore sent a drying spell from behind her back, and she felt warm again.
"Tea?" Professor asked after they all greeted each other, and hugged, and shook hands.
"I would prefer coffee, actually", Orlaith nodded with gratitude. She liked Professor's office, because it was spacious and very cosy at all times. It was a Dumbledore thing, she thought. Of course, it was extremely interesting to look at all the curious mechanisms and instruments that were hung under the ceiling or laid on the shelves behind his desk; she always tried to riddle herself with various strange symbols and undecipherable writings on the little chalkboard he had at the door, a twin of one in the main class. Why was the blue globe constantly spinning by itself? And why did the windows in his office glimmer with some pearl shining in the evening, and the glass appeared to become soft? There were a lot of curious things in Dumbledore's office, but the best part was himself. Always welcoming, with a secret smile in his eyes. For now, he was still young, she thought, very handsome. His sleeves always rolled up to his elbows, and a grin hidden in his beard, he looked at people with a kind tilt of the head. After she's been thrown into this world, she's been waiting for Dumbledore to come to Hogwarts; it's been some time ago. The first nine years she wasn't adjusted, hadn't had anybody to rely on, except for Fig. Sebastian? Sebastian was a cunning bastard, that's who he was.
She sat comfortably in one of the tall chairs draped with red (the colour of her house) together with Newt as Dumbledore brought her steaming coffee in a little blue porcelain cup. It smelt like black current.
"Well, you must be wondering why we've summoned you", he said, getting into his place across the desk.
"Because I couldn't find anything and you wanted me to stop running myself into a grave?" she asked.
"Oh. That, as well, of course, but, also", Dumbledore gestured towards Newt, who was, as usual, clutching on his magical suitcase. Pick was sitting on the desk in front of him, she noticed, and stared at her intently.
"What is it, Pickett?"
"Don't mind him", Newt mumbled, as he stood up to let himself open the case on the floor, "this morning, he fell into a pot of Scheming potion. He's been plotting against everybody the whole day today. Attacked Dumbledore already".
She raised her eyebrows. Dumbledore demonstrated a missing button on his sleeve.
"Vile", she laughed. Pick narrowed his tiny, tiny eyes.
"Doesn't it bother you, Newt, that when he falls into a Scheming potion, he's not overcome with the plans on world peace, but with murderous intent?"
"Oh, no", he giggled, "he's always been a vindictive little fellow".
Finally, the case snapped, and Newt recovered an animal from it. For several seconds there was silence and the zoologist held the little deer-like creature with scaly skin in his hands. Dumbledore was thinking about something.
"What is it?" she asked. "It looks familiar".
Newt let it on the floor, and the creature trotted towards her carefully. Orlaith gave her hand out of habit, and felt the wet little nose touching the tips of her fingers.
"Extremely rare, almost extinct. It's a baby Qilin, Orlaith".
She slid down from the chair and sat on the floor as the little Qilin sniffed and examined her. It let her hand caress it on its head.
"Wonderful", Dumbledore mumbled. It felt like he had been holding his breath.
"She likes you".
"Why wouldn't she?" Orlaith wondered.
Newt shrugged,
"Well, Qilins are very gentle creatures, very sensitive. They prefer pure and soft people, and you're... not to be mistaken, you're very kind, but you're just so, so angry most of the time".
She scoffed. The Qilin baby was scuttling around her in circles.
"We are going to need you to take care of her", Dumbledore said. Orlaith looked up. From where he sat, only a part of her face, forehead and her two eyes were seen.
"I need to go back to Europe, you know that. I'm searching for him".
"Orlaith", Newt said quietly, his face already sorry. He always looked like he was about to cry, it was just his eyes, surrounded by freckles, but now he really did look very sad.
"Credence killed her mother. I only managed to save one of the two babies".
She took the baby into her arms, and it folded its thin legs, cooeing softly. For several seconds the two men were watching her intently.
She turned to Dumbledore again.
"And now what, we give up on him? Because Grindelwald has him in the iron clutch?"
"We don't", Albus replied carefully, "can you get up? I can't see you".
She sat back on the chair, with Qilin in her arms. The little weight of her small body, the feeling of her breathing, soft, warm scales on the sides of her tiny body, made her feel almost like a mother. But the thought of Credence, his name said aloud, stung her temples like a needle.
"He's in too deep, and he's with Grindelwald, you're right. And we won't give up on him".
"Strange, all this past year I was the only one looking for him".
"Because I've been preoccupied with other matters", Dumbledore retorted calmly. "And now I need you to join me".
"Is this a part of a plan?" she meant the Qilin.
Newt swayed uncertainly.
"How long am I supposed to stay here then?"
Albus frowned.
"I don't know, Orlaith".
"He's there because of me. He has only joined him to save me, and now he's killing rare animals? Grindelwald has done something to him".
"Credence has had a very tough upbringing. I don't think a lot was needed to harden him".
"I don't care".
Newt caressed Qilin's head carefully.
"Orlaith, I think that this baby now is your best chance at saving him", he said, peacefully.
"I know you want to find them", Dumbledore added, "and turn the ground upside down, and strike them with lightnings. But remember what happened the last time you underestimated your enemies".
Nasty, smart Dumbledore, she wanted to say. You always know better, and you always will, but it's so exasperating. She gave the Professor a long look, then, Newt.
"You don't trust me?"
"I trust you, Professor. But I know you're always calculating. Don't think I don't suspect there's more to this favour than what meets the eye".
Dumbledore shrugged helplessly.
"Orlaith, it's instrumental that this baby is undiscovered and unharmed", Newt pointed. "She is absolutely the most important thing we have against Grindelwald".
Picket jumped at her, launching himself into her hair, and started jabbing at her head. It felt like light scratching on her scalp because he was, after all, a very good-natured bowtruckle. Newt rushed to pick him up, trying not to tear too much of her hair, awkwardly. She tilted her head, paying no attention to the attempt of assassination.
"Why me, exactly? To keep me from looking for Credence?"
"Orlaith", Dumbledore uttered, used to her complaining.
Newt smiled knowingly. He sat back, keeping the Pickett in his hand firmly.
"Oh, no, because, I think, you will protect her with your life, because you will love her very much".
She finished her coffee, silent, as the two men discussed the matters. She watched the light dying above the castle, as the golden rays started shooting on the walls through the windows. What's the use of this ancient magic, she thought, if she couldn't destroy people like Grindelwald with it? If she wasn't able to save people she loved? It felt like her battling days were now behind, and nowadays she's been sitting, gathering flies, and watching the seasons. There were no poachers nearby anymore.
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She had the Cloak of Invisibility that Dumbledore discovered in the empty Peverell manison in the Godric's Hollow. She thought it funny how the artefact travelled from Dumbledores to Potters, and back again. She did not disclose to him just yet the nature of the cloak, but kept an eye on it so that it would make it to James eventually. Now, it was exceptionally useful because she could hide the Qilin under it in the evening as she travelled to the castle. Together, the two of them, occupied a little house in the eastern part of Hogsmeade, with the windows looking out on the Potions and Lotions shop and the field beyond it. But the baby had to move a lot, so, in the evenings, Orlaith would take her with, and, invisible, go to the castle to the Room of Requirement where she released the little young beast to run around in the vivarium. Otherwise it was empty, save for little bugs; so the Qilin was in no danger. She decided not to give her any name because Orlaith didn't know what was bound to happen. So, she just called her 'baby'.
At night, she would return home with the tired baby in her arms, and the youngster slept in her bedroom on the second floor. For many months, it was a nice, quiet, exhausting life of obscurity, until commotion finally began.
There were spiders again, and dugbogs started appearing along the rivers in the Forest. It's been twenty years since she last saw any of them; the spiders were now cast out into the deepest caves only, and the dugbogs, she personally saw to them.
But that autumn, there was talk of them again, and several teachers had to inspect the Forest. Orlaith was agitated to spring into action again. She hoped, just a little bit, that poachers would return. Not that she wished any animals harmed, but she missed the practice, and the clean sweep of offensive magic as it made the forest glow in the dead on winter night; the perfectionistic feeling of cleaning the woods of them, seeing hares, owls and mooncalves return again to the places that had been scorched of life because of those killers. She was a killer, herself, she had no delusions of that. That was one thing Dumbledore and her never spoke about. He seemed to be unsure about her lust for destruction when she came upon those criminals.
She didn't get out much, still, because she was keeping an eye on the baby. Sometimes she would go to the castle to hang around and be unhelpful at something; desperately strained in between the professors, the students and the bypassers. She had no job, she was not studying anymore. She was almost invisible, unapplied. The teachers brought news of the armies of dark creatures breeding in the forest, meaning some threat brewing. Orlaith sometimes went out at night. The house was protected by invisibility spells, and only her and Dumbledore had the special magic matches that allowed them to see it. While she was outside, no soul could penetrate the dwelling, it became unreachable. She would leave the baby sleeping, with the milk next to her bed, and the fire just slumbering downstairs, and go to the forest, in her old blue cloak she used to wear before.
She remembered the forest very well. As the winter drew nearer, and the first November snow made the old paths more visible again, she spent more time hunting the reasons for this insidious activities. She didn't like killing even the dark creatures; she never hunted Mongrels, actively avoiding them and launching them deeper into the forest, further from the castle. She searched for humans; those who could tell her what's going on, and maybe carry the word from Grindelwald himself.
They used to be washed up, untidy, careless, dirty poachers, easy to kill. They cursed, and scattered at the sight of her sky-blue cloak, they were disorganised and unskilled. The people she started meeting now, looked different. Those were dark acolytes of the wizard whose name it was still allowed to say out loud. And they were way more treacherous.
Now, Orlaith had to make sure none of them actually escaped, not to let Grindelwald hear even a whiff of her existence. Once or twice they managed to hurt her well, wounding her, but every time the instinct, and the force that supported her actually did the rest as she was bleeding. One of the nights in December she got caught up in a group way bigger that she'd anticipated. After a quick but exhausting fight, her wand jumped out of her hand with a snap, and she was blinded by a red flash. The well-frozen earth was hard beneath her, and the sky, uneven. The sky was still pregnant with real snowstorms and couldn't show the stars to navigate by. Higher, above the trees, the wind was moving the masses of snow chaotically. Orlaith took a deep breath, waiting until the pain in her chest would cease. She wasn't even thinking of the prospect of death; that would be stupid. She was way too proud to speculate on the possibility of being defeated by a gang of outlaws, be they even Grindelwald's slick dark wizards with style, somewhere in the Forest. Laughable. And, she had been in these circumstances before. She recalled that the first time she actually got scared, because a witch without a wand feels like a cook without their arms. Her fear surged out of her, as if the earth itself heard her cry for help, and she managed to attack them without it. The second time, centaurs saved her, by that time already aware what kind of activities she's been conducting in the woods. The third time was now.
"Zabini!" she heard, "tie her up. The Lord will want to hear about this. This is probably the..."
"Zabini?!" she raised her head from the ground, although the world was still spinning. Indignation pressed on her chest.
"How dare you, you absolute laughing stock! You're the dirtiest, the unfixable boar-"
The running steps lifted snow off the ground as she sat up. She put the cloak around her, because it was getting cold.
"Shut up!"
"No, you shut up!" she yelled. She didn't know Zabini's face or even whether this one was a man or a woman. But the familiar name was so funny, so absurd.
"Which one of you is Zabini?!"
One more spell landed almost next to her hand on the ground. Orlaith tried to stand up, but was still weak.
"She's moving", and arrogant female voice said, "get her, quicker".
She rolled over and stood on her fours, feeling for her wand. That is the only time I can stop thinking about Credence, she thought. The only time I'm having fun. The wand was somewhere out of reach while the feet of the... Grindelwalders? were approaching. Someone even kicked her on her ribs, and she nearly threw up.
"Okay, enough", she whispered, gatherting the focus in her hands. She could see her own fists glowing lightly, as the whirlwind of magic roared inside of her. I might be arrogant, of course, she was thinking. But I am so bloody strong.
The umbrella of power opened up above her, knocking the closest ones off their feet. Several of their curses flew up in the sky like fireworks. Night birds, bothered by the noise, took off and flew away.
"Where's my wand?!" she screamed. She stepped up to the nearest body and found their wand. One by one, with a little disobedient wand in her hand, she got rid of them. Her side was surely bleeding, she felt that, but for now, the adrenaline gave her energy, even zest. Finally, she found her own wand and changed them, approaching the last living witness.
He was crouching on the ground, with a bloody nose. She kicked his wand away.
"Which one are you?"
In the Lumos light his face looked completely white, like a square cube of ice, his eyes reflecting flashes.
"Za-Zabini".
"Oh, you're ugly", she lingered, "I don't recognize you. Where's Grindelwald?"
"I would rather die than tell you".
"Come on. Don't you want to satisfy the Cutter?"
His face frowned with confusion.
"Who?"
Orlaith was jabbed with the arrow of reality.
"Alright. Alright. Anyway, I need to know about Credence. The obscurial boy. Where is he? Is he with him?"
Zabini was dying. He sighed, weakly. She poked him with her wand.
"Tell me. Where are they? Why are you so close to Hogwarts?"
Zabini kicked on the ground because his body refused to die.
"Imperio".
The wizard stiffened up, looking in front of himself. His eyes were filled with fog.
"Where is the obscurial?"
"With Grindelwald".
"Where is it?"
"I don't know. They are on the move".
She shivered a bit with biting cold. She started jumping on one place.
"Alright, have you seen him?"
"Who?" he asked, dumbly.
"Obscurial! Obscurial!"
"Long ago".
"How was he?"
"Dark", Zabini whispered. "Like the death himself. Half-shadow and deadly. He doesn't speak much".
She let go of him, allowing him to die. She wished there was a hippogriff nearby that could carry her home.
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She usually sang while she walked outside Hogsmeade. The spring was drawing near, and the Qilin was growing. This little girl has grown no less than ten inches since August. She ran around on strong, sure legs now, and could jump almost the height of a human.
Orlaith sang to take her mind off things. She was picking the first flowers to make the vitamin potion for the baby. Lily of the valley, while it was very young, lacked any poison but was rich with the spring water that was instrumental for growth of even-toed animals; magical and non-magical alike.
Thawing made the world ring softly, along with her song. There was a lot of water closer to the east side of Hogsmeade; she was careful not to step into a deep puddle of grass and ice.
"Orlaith!" someone called her. From distance, she didn't even recognize him. Limping, grey, hurrying, it was Aberfort, but she only understood it when he was close. Orlaith avoided meeting him; she didn't know why. Perhaps she didn't want to see shadows on his already disappointed face. She felt uncomfortable in his presence; he was always grumpy, unfriendly and uneasy. This, now, was the fastest she'd ever seen him move.
"Albus, wants to talk to you".
"Why didn't he send an owl?" she asked, picking up the basket with flowers. Aberfort, without a warning, made the basket levitate and pushed it in front of him.
"He's in Berlin, would take too long. He's in the mirror. Let's go".
"In the mirro- oh, the mirrors" she gasped.
They ran down the slippery hill, their feet squishing the melted snow, wet through and through. Still violent, the air was swishing in her ears, but refreshing. Her mind wandered off to the baby as they passed the place where she knew her house was. Not even Aberfort knew where she lived and what she hid there.
They finally made it to the Hog's Head Inn, through the narrow, snaking streets of higher Hogsmeade. The basket landed on the table inside with a boom, and Aberfort showed her the way to the mirror that hung above the bar.
She saw the head and the shoulders of Albus. He was preoccupied, snow on the soles of his hat.
"Orlaith", he said, with relief, "how is the baby?"
"She's fine, she's growing really fast".
"Good". He looked somewhere beyond. Behind him, Orlaith saw the snowy alleyway, narrow and empty. It looked like Dumbledore was standing in a dead end and peeking to see if any people watched him.
"I saw Credence", he said quickly. Her heart boomed right into her head with a hammer.
"In Berlin?"
"Yes. Grindelwald sent him to kill me. I have to admit, he got to the task rather half-heartedly".
"And how is he?"
"Angry, and very strong. It looks like he's using the obscurial masterfully already. Listen, you need to be ready the next month with the baby".
"For what?"
Aberfort was busying himself behind her back, between the tables. He just walked there, from chair to chair, throwing looks at the window.
"Can't tell you. Grindelwald found a way to see the nearest future, and he's always one step ahead of us. We can't know what each of us is doing".
"But now he'll know what I'm doing".
"He won't", Dumbledore shook his head negatively. "You're protected. Just be ready and... are you practicing?"
She nodded.
"You tend to be very messy in the heat of fight, Orlaith. With Grindelwald, even if one spell hits you, you die", he warned.
She nodded, acknowledging his rightfulness in worrying.
"You can give Aberfort a match, how do you think?" he suggested. "Just in case?"
Aberfort, upon hearing his name, stopped fidgeting and listened. Orlaith looked in her pouch that she wore on her belt.
"I won't even ask what case it is, Professor", she sighed. Aberfort approached her and took the simple looking match from her.
"What's it for?" he asked, without much interest. It looked like everything his brother did, Aberfort met with incredulity.
"You won't find my house without it", she clarified. That didn't help him much as he gave her the same sceptical look.
"Do not lose it", she said, firmly.
"Orlaith", Albus called, after short silence, "you need to know two things. He asked about you".
She felt like crying. How did she go from 'I need to protect this boy' to feeling her heart long for him? She didn't even consider him at first, thinking that then, last year, she was enfatuated with his bravery, with his sudden appearance, a familiar face in dire need. He took her by surprise by being so fairytaleishly noble, and their meeting was so quick. Now, she felt his absence every day, and the guilt weighed on her.
"And he is dying". Albus was grave. His eyes switched to his brother.
"No", she said. No, I refuse that. "You said he was angry and strong".
"Not in a good way".
"You said he was using the obscurial masterfully, not the other way round..."
"Orlaith... it's agony".
She sniffed through her nose.
"I'm sorry, but he doesn't have long. He's thinning, the obscurial is eating him alive".
She clenched her fists.
"No".
Albus opened his mouth, closed it. Aberfort was silent next to her. She noticed that he looked at his brother with eyes full of disappointment.
How come, she wanted to say, that I am more upset with the death of your son? Ah yes, you didn't want him.
"You told me obscurials can be healed out", she muttered instead, "you told me that if there are people who'll care about him, we can do it".
Dumbledore sighed.
"He's been alone too long".
"That's because..." she stopped herself. "Dumbledore, I have ancient magic. I can help".
"Do not make the mistake Isidora Morganach made, thinking that this kind of magic can solve everything", he reminded.
She didn't know what to say. There were so many untapped opportunities. There were wizards from other countries, obscurial specialists, there was Newt, after all. Albus could almost read her mind, saying,
"I'm sorry. He is my nephew. If there was something I could do for him, I'd be in the middle of it already".
She turned to Aberfort.
"Why are you so quiet? He is your son".
He didn't dare to look back. Just started at the match in his fingers, and walked away silently.
"This is ridiculous", she puffed, "don't expect me to give up on him".
Albus nodded.
"Would never. But don't have hope, Orlaith. It will destroy you".
That evening, she took a slow walk home, thinking. The flowers in the basket looked tired. It was raining a little, and wet, the wind was doing its last winter deeds, bringing pebbles, leaves and someone's kerchieves from place to place like it was autumn. Orlaith decided to stop at Honeydukes to get something for tea, and realized she didn't have any friends. No one to send an owl asking how she was, or call her for a coffee downtown. Exiting the shop with her hands full, she collided with a lady in a pale purple raincoat, with braids neatly laid upon her head. The woman looked distraught, a little confused. She is most curious, Orlaith thought, looking at how her eyes were running all over the place.
"Sorry", Orlaith said, "balance not good with my hands full".
"Oh, no, I'm sorry, I'm afraid I wasn't seeing where I was walking at all".
Suddenly, the woman grabbed her by the sleeve and pulled under the light of a streetlamp. Orlaith saw her face, long and petite, with big teeth but a very nice nose that somehow correlated with her composition.
"Are you a Peverell by any chance?" she asked.
She doubted a little. She was a Peverell on the paper, on the portrait that's been found at the mansion. But she wasn't sure.
"I think..."
"I have a message for you. Hi, I'm Matilda, Matilda Crockleporne", the woman gave her hand, not realizing there was no way Orlaith could shake it.
"I'm going to be teaching Divinations at Hogwarts, starting next year", she smiled.
"Oooh", it made sense now. Orlaith smiled without enthusiasm. She wanted to be at home, crying her stomach out and holding her baby.
"But I came to Hogsmeade beforehand, because I felt that I needed to give a message to a Peverell. So, are you?"
"I'm the only one around, for sure", she shrugged.
"Great. I need to tell you - "don't prevent the tree from growing".
Orlaith bit her lip, utterly annoyed. They stood there, both, silent.
"Does it mean anything to you?"
Orlaith hummed.
"Well, I love trees. wouldn't prevent them from growing, but... I don't know".
Matilda appeared ruminating.
"No, that's all. I don't have any context".
"Do you ever. Thank you, nice to meet you, I need to go now", Orlaith bowed to her awkwardly and made her way back into the street. She knew she was being rude, but she couldn't take it. This feeling of irritation was eerily familiar: when you're feeling the most ignominious, there is going to be a foreteller in your face, giving you nothing but confusion.
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Credence was lying in his bed. Mara, the night demon, had just sprung from his chest as he woke up. He's been seeing only bad dreams for weeks. And when he woke up, another nightmare welcomed him in the shape of dark-red drape over the bed. Casting out any light. He didn't know what time it was, but through the window, pale dust was entering the room. His back hurt, so he got up slowly, not to sprain a muscle. His skin was cold, no matter how long he rubbed his shoulders.
He thought he knew what he was doing when he joined Grindelwald. Then he thought he had things to do, to kill time, as he was given various grim, soulless tasks. Kill this and that. Then, he realized why Grindelwald couldn't take on Dumbledore by himself. He felt like a tool. But it wasn't the worst thing he could be. He used to be an abomination and an object. So, instrument at least had a function. And then, when he saw his uncle in Berlin, he realized he didn't care. He thought he was angry with the Hogwarts professor in his brand new clean coat and with his perfect trimmed personality. But he didn't feel real hatred towards him. He was just tired. Dumbledore's voice echoed in his head ever since he's come back, and he was sure that Quieenie was tired of listening the same thing again and again, on repeat. When she looked at him, her little pale face twisted like she was about to wail. He was sure she wanted to tell him how sorry she was.
She's searching for you
He was sitting on his bed, freezing to death. His toes barely moved on the stone floor. Outside, below the edge of rocks, snowstorm fell down deep into the abyss. Phoenix was circling through the gusts of it. As he noticed the bird, Credence stood up and walked towards the window, opened the lock. The air stung him in the chest, for several seconds he couldn't breathe. Phoenix flew towards him, and he stepped away. He watched the beautiful, mirthless bird fly through the room.
"Why are you here?"
It didn't say anything but sat on his shoulder, little steady paws pricking his skin.
"I know".
It was hard to stand. There were better and worse days; on the better ones he felt the waves of strength that made him overwhelmed with desire to move and fight. Today was one of the worse days. He felt his illness very clearly, he could hear the obscurial devouring his bones. It thought it was silent, but Credence heard it; the snapping, clicking sound coming from the inside. He went to the mirror, sent the bird to the door. In the fog where his face was usually reflected, he wrote with his finger,
I want to see her
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An owl was clicking on the window gently. But Orlaith was sleeping, and seeing a dream about a giant spider, one from the forest, with a hair brush in one leg, and a wand in another, and a mirror in the third, and a brick in the forth. As it snapped its jaws at her, cornering her between a sharp rock and a broad cobweb placed there specifically to trap her. Her wand was missing. Click-click-click the jaws said. She was calling for Sirius Black, who wouldn't be born for good twenty-five years yet. She just had the idea that his dog form would be a tremendous companion on her forest raids.
She woke up when the spider jumped, and saw the baby standing beside the bed. It was looking at the window.
She patted it on the head and opened the window. The little grey owl gave her her leg, and Orlaith untied the note.
"Do you guys want breakfast?" she asked, but then she read it.
The three of them ran downstairs, the Qilin baby happier than the two others. She raced for her plate and started drinking immediately. Orlaith took the owl on her arm and put on her coat; took some treats for the bird and ran out of the house.
It was raining; March was almost over, and it was crying heavily, like a capricious child. There were few people in the streets, everybody was warming to the fire inside. She ran through Hogsmeade, and the owl eventually took off from her hand after munching on biscuits a little. She watched its gliding flight above her head, as they both headed for the Inn.
Orlaith didn't knock on the back door through which they usually entered the Inn. Aberfort was sitting, waiting at one of the ever-empty tables. The season was over, and the next one hasn't begun yet. In the misty, humid space of the house, she smelt his sweat and the old wood.
"Where is he?"
"In Austria", Aberfort replied, unaffected. Orlaith froze in place.
"What? Wh- why did you send..."
He motioned towards the mirror.
"He wrote to me".
"You talk to him through the mirror?" she wondered. The anger was brewing inside of her silently. How funny it was. By the mundane tone he said it, it was obvious he had access to Credence all this time. And nobody bothered to let her know.
"Yes. He said he needs to meet you. Give me the location and the time".
"Do you still have the match?"
"Yes. When and where?"
She rubbed her forehead, sweating under the coat from running.
"There's this place in Northern Ireland. It's very well protected. I'll draw you a map".
As she was leaving, she wondered if the mirror messaging has been corrupted and whether Grindelwald could write messages instead of Credence. But she wouldn't care. She trusted her own rage, forgetting about what Dumbledore said.
"Orlaith", Aberfort called when she was at the door. Her name sounded so rough, foreign in his mouth.
"Do you think he can forgive me?"
She pressed her jaws.
"I wouldn't. But I'm not him".
She really didn't know.
At night, she made sure the baby fell asleep, and the house was protected. She checked it three times. There were many variants now. It could have been a plot to lure her out of the house and seize the Qilin, or Aberfort in the morning could have not been Aberfort. Maybe Grindelwald already knew about everything. She was blinded. As she dressed and did her hair, she put on her hoop rings she wore at the time she was at the circus. The road out of Hogsmeade was shorter if one went straight from the back of the house, past Potions and Lotions, up the hill to the woods. She disapparated from there and spent the next three hours walking through the wet Irish forest. She cut the branches and cleared the bushes where she could. Worry was tearing her ribcage apart. But it felt just like a tale from the book. In the moonlight, as the restless day strom had quietened, the woods stood vigilant and wet; the birds cooed gently from the distance, and her steps were softened by the damp, awakening earth. Soon, this will be paradise again, with ladybugs occupying one tree trunk in thousands; with diagonal rays of sunlight on the webs, and small animals racing in the tall, thick moss. She was quite tired whe she finally realized that she was at the edge of her own protective dome. She needed to eliminate all protection for Credence to be able to find her. But first, she decided to enter and check if everything was alright. Approaching the pond in almost complete darkness, she was guided by the glow from the water. The moon was hidden behind the clouds. Her heart was beating so loudly it was obvious to anybody who could be there.
There was someone watching her, next to the big stone that stood above the water. Her eyes adjusted to the enchanted light, and she saw it was Credence.
They shouted at once, simultaneously,
Revelio!
Nothing happened. So, he had somehow found her well-hidden pond. She had no doubts the protection still stood, as she, herself, had to trace the edge of it with magic. But he had already been waiting for her, and the spell didn't disclose any charms. She ran towards him, whispering his name. Credence was taller, it seemed, although she knew it was impossible. His pale face was absolutely infernal in this aquamarine light. But his eyes were the same, cautious, distinctly dark. His hair was long and messy, as if he was trying to hide his face in it. She took his hand and he clenched it.
A little smile cut his face and warmed it up.
"What are those?" he asked, instead of greeting.
"Bluetails. They're very rare. They glow in water".
"But it's fish. They're always in water".
"Exactly", she smiled, realizing that she's crying. She embraced him, and Credence didn't push back but accepted it. His hand laid on her back, fingers light like a kiss from the gust of wind.
They sat on the stone where it was the lightest. Orlaith was examining his face.
"How are you?"
Credence made himself look normal.
"Alright".
"Let me see your arms".
"No", he stopped her hand, catching her fingers and lightly stroking them. "I'm fine".
"Dumbledore said..."
He chuckled.
"Dumbledore says so many things I can't believe half of them".
"What do you mean?"
"I guess, nothing".
It didn't feel like a place to talk about their mentors. But there was nothing else to talk about it. Orlaith asked him where he was kept; and how to get him out; and how he got out this time. He mentioned that Queenie was invasively miserable but supportive, and that he, actually, owed her a lot.
"I'm sorry you had to do it", Orlaith said, meaning his capitulation to the Lord.
"I don't regret it".
"I bet you do".
He looked at her hair and the glimmering earring. She could feel his smile with her skin.
"I don't".
Orlaith was looking at his palm when he turned her own and touched the old burn scars.
"They're almost gone".
"Yes, the medicine the elf gave me was good. I kept it. It really removes the scars pretty quickly".
Credence raised her hand to his face and kissed her palm.
Bluetails scurried in the water, gathering closer to them, curious to look back.
"Don't go back", she said, after a while. Credence shook his head slowly.
"He'll know where I am. Now I need to be there".
"What for?"
Credence didn't reply. Instead, it felt like he was gathering strength to say something else.
It was strange. She knew he was Aurelius by birth, but he didn't look that at all. The other name felt so natural on him. She was going to ask about it, but Credence said,
"I brought him a Qilin. I killed his mother and stole it. Almost killed Scamander in the process".
His eyes were now waiting. She had known about that, but was still taken aback by his firm tone. She looked at his face, whithered, sick. It was agonizing.
"You should hate me for that", he helped. "He killed the baby".
His stare was empty, the sharpened features of his face making him look like one of the statues in the basement levels of Hogwarts, the ones surrounding the Slytherin main room entrance.
"Why did he need the Qilin only to kill it?"
"Yesterday he resurrected it with necromancy".
She wished Dumbledore was here to help her think.
"Why?"
Credence shrugged.
"Why aren't you mad?"
"All of you Dumbledores are trying to make me give up on you. I won't do that. Think, Credence".
She said it the same way she said to him, Credence, my friend, listen to me. Taking him by the neck and making him get himself together. A matter-of-fact tone she used, to tell him he still mattered, was lovely. He felt warm first time in a long time. He felt the chthonic power of obscurial ease up a little.
"There will be election for the new leader of magical world soon", he said. Apparently, they both thought about the same thing, but not quite identical. Credence's eyes narrowed, as Orlaith's, in turn, widened.
"He sees the future. We can't have a plan".
She shook her head in agreement.
"Just go with it. And hold on until we meet".
Credence looked at their interlocked fingers.
"I don't think we will. What Dumbledore told you is true. I'm more obscurial now than a human".
Orlaith forced herself onto his shoulders, grabbing him, hugging, burying him in the wave of her hair, her fingers stroking his head.
"No, I need you".
He closed his eyes. The concept of that was unclear to him, but he made himself believe.
"Alright", he pressed his forehead against hers. "Then, when we meet, what?"
"Don't have any plan", her smile flashed in the blue light. "But improvise".
"Trust your rage?" he smirked.
She couldn't speak, as if she was the weaker one. Credence knew he had to go, but alternatively, dying right at that moment was a good enough compensation for his life.
#ezra miller imagine#fantastic beasts#hogwarts legacy#credence barebone imagine#credence barebone#fantastic beasts imagine#albus dumbledore#newt scamander#gellert grindelwald
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A Royal Promise
Rowaelin month day four: Royalty AU @rowaelinscourt
I originally wasn’t meant to write anything for this prompt, but inspiration works in the weirdest of ways. I've never written royalty AUs before and I have no idea how to do that either. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this yet, but I decided to go ahead and post it anyway. I may have an idea/plan to make this a multichapter too.
CW: arranged engagement, loneliness between the lines, angst (I’m sorry angst just comes to be easily)
A Royal Promise
Crown princess Aelin Galathynius had lived her entire life being told she would be queen.
Right when she learned how to talk, she was taught how to speak properly, how to address other royals and subjects, and how to speak to delegates from kingdoms far away and close.
She was taught how to walk gracefully, never run. She knew how to dance the proper dances, how to kindly decline any improper requests for a dance – which were rare to be honest, only those unmarried and lower in rank than her. Because it wouldn’t do for a queen-to-be to marry any low-ranking royals.
The crown princess lived her life without ever actually living.
Oh, how she yearned to live.
Her only chance of living was the prince she had been promised to when she was five years old.
**
Prince Rowan Whitethorn had lived his life to the fullest. He had been taught how to speak properly, how to act properly and how to rule over a kingdom. He also knew swear words and how to fight.
He also knew the proper dances and how to request a dance with royal lady. His knowledge included some of the rowdier dances as well, along with where to find the best ale on tap.
The prince lived each day of his life like it was the best day of his life.
He didn’t think twice about the lonely princess he was betrothed to.
**
The day had finally come, and prince Rowan Whitethorn and his delegates were set to arrive to Terrasen. Crown princess Aelin felt almost giddy for the first time in her life. She was going to be meeting her future husband, the man who was set to become king to her country.
So far, she had only seen his face in the portraits they had gotten. To her knowledge, he had also seen her portraits as well – at least they had been sent to him.
But this would be the first time they would actually see each other, to hear each other speak. To get to know each other. Would he be as excited and terrified as she was? Were his delegates nice, the ones he had chosen to travel with him? The crown princess had so many questions, and no answers yet as she was patiently waiting by the steps of the palace with her parents and other important royals, like the lords and advisors, and her cousin Aedion.
Aelin could already see the carriage bringing her future husband and his friends. If it weren’t for her training on how to act, she might’ve started to shake or jump due to the excitement.
Once the carriage stopped and the door opened, she swore the world stopped. Aelin couldn’t tell if it was prince Rowan who had been the first or the last to step out, her excitement allowed her to see no one else except the man who would have her heart.
“His royal highness, Prince Rowan Whitethorn of Doranelle, your majesties,” someone introduced.
Aelin finally laid her eyes on the most beautiful green eyes. The silver hair was real too, not just something they embellished on the portrait. Her heart fluttered, but she tried to act nonchalant and curtsied as she was supposed to. The prince bowed. She could faintly hear the others being introduced as well, curtsying to them when it was deemed proper.
Then prince Rowan stepped closer to Aelin, offering her his arm.
“May I walk you to the luncheon, your highness?”
Aelin nodded her confirmation, smiled and slowly placed her hand on the arm offered to her, feeling all the muscles on there. He truly had been present during his physical exercises.
They walked towards the hall where the meal had been set up for the arriving guests and got seated to their assigned places. As was custom, the pair betrothed to each other were places opposite each other. Prince Rowan’s friends seated next to him.
During the meal, everyone enquired about the others, just to get to know each other better. Some well-timed compliments about looks and successful functions.
“Your portraits really do you no justice, prince Rowan,” the crown princess stated.
“Thank you, your highness. Your beauty hasn’t been exaggerated at the least either,” the prince responded kindly. Aelin felt just the tiniest bit of blush spread on her cheeks.
They continued their chat a bit as they ate. Aelin found out the prince enjoyed swordfighting, his favorite meal was meat on a stick – how on earth does a royal enjoy something so bland did not make sense to the princess. Then again, prince Rowan could not understand how the princess’ favorite meal was ‘anything chocolate’. They did have something in common as well, both enjoyed reading and made plans to explore the royal library together later.
After the meal, the prince and his friends were showed to their rooms for a bit of rest before the evening festivities.
**
Aelin spent the few hours after lunch reading, then choosing the dress to wear that evening. For the first time in her life she actually wanted to impress someone, so it was extremely important to choose the perfect dress along with the perfect accessories.
Once the crown princess was dressed and her hair was done, she decided to leave her rooms a bit earlier to walk to prince Rowan’s to ask him if he’d like to escort her to the fest as well. It was unusual for the princess to walk the halls alone, but not impossible, so the maids and guards didn’t even bat their eyes at the lone princess walking towards the guest quarters.
As she was turning the corner to the hallway where the prince was staying, Aelin froze.
The sight in front of her was most definitely her betrothed.
But with someone who wasn’t her.
Prince Rowan was holding the hand of one of his delegates, lady Lyria, to his heart. Aelin stayed still, partially hidden behind the wall, as she listened to what the prince was saying.
“I can’t help it; we were promised to each other when we were children. I can’t just break it off and run away, Lyria. But I’m not letting you go. I would marry you in a heartbeat if it was possible. It is you I love. You and our child.”
Aelin was horrified at what she just witnessed. Not only her future husband was in love with someone else, but he also hadn’t even given Aelin a chance. And now he already was expecting a child with that someone else.
Aelin could feel her heart breaking before it had even started really beating.
--
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#rowan whitethorn#aelin galathynius#rowaelinmonth#rowaelin month 2022#throne of glass fanfiction#tog fanfic#tog fic#throne of glass#fanfiction#rowaelin fanfiction#rowaelin
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Back on my disney rants. This one is about how I did not enjoy Frozen. Before I start, this is my OPINION. I am allowed to not like something. if you watched this movie and enjoyed it, that's fine, we obviously both got something different out of it and that's okay. That's allowed.
Anyway I didn't like Frozen and I thought Hans should not have been villainised for what he did.
The music, I will give them, was good. The plot? Dull. Boring. Pointless. It had a good premise but the payoff was awful, especially when i went into this thinking it was going to be a different film.
I'll explain. So, a couple of years back in my youth hallmark or some other classic channel made this film called the Snow Queen based off of Hans Christian Anderson's story (I think). This film has many problems but boy has it stuck with me because it's also just so good with its premise. Basically theres a girl who hates winter because her mother died in winter. She ends up liking it when this boy kai comes along only he ditches her because this lady rolls into town and kidnaps him. The wider story arc is that there's this mirror and there are four sisters who all want this mirror, the sisters are the seasons and winter takes the mirror but it smashes and a piece gets caught in Kai's sye which is why he's taken. The girl ends up travelling through each season in the Hope's of finding kai and the seasons themselves are so good. Spring tries to brainwash her and make her sleep all the time, summer can see dreams and has balls and she tries to marry the girl off, autumn is a bandit queen. It's just, it's both a good and bad movie (kinda racist, but it was made in a time where these stereotypes weren't talked about as much)
Anyway I walked in thinking disney was remaking this and I was so hyped. Except it wasn't, it was what we got with frozen.
To start off with, I thought the opening song was good, it was strong and interesting and it had mystery to it. I thought oh maybe this will be about kristoff since you know he was kidnapped by trolls. But no. In fact that's never brought up. You don't just set that up for nothing. I mean tangled is literally about finding the princess that was kidnapped at the beginning. Why don't we get more about kristoff's family? Aren't they looking for him? I was so frustrated with this dropped plot.
Moving on, I thought, again, the beginning was okay. It was interesting that elsa had these powers from a kid, but then why does she have them? Why do we find that out in the 2nd movie and not the 1st? Again, this was a dropped plot point that could have been something interesting. They could have related this back to the trolls or a curse or something that would tie into a prophecy that would tie the whole narrative together.
But no, she as magic, anna forgot and now she shuts herself away and is now expected to be queen? That makes no sense. She literally doesn't leave her room. How are we expecting Elsa to rule here? She's literally attended no council meetings or sat in on audiences with her people. I don't think Elsa even attended most of her lessons since anna probably would have been there with her. It doth make no sense.
Anna's song was a bop. I liked Hans too. I didn't enjoy that thing disney does these days where it mocks old disney with jokes about marrying them a day after they've met them. I'll have you know Belle was at least with the beast a year. eric and ariel had a whirlwind romance sure but that's not to say there wasn't a gap between ariel getting legs and the two of them marrying. The same with cinderella, snow white, mulan spent months on the road with Shang, aurora and Philip lived in medieval france so there might have been a gap or their parents just forced them together. the point is disney makes jokes about things that aren't even jokes. Like it doesn't hold up. It also doesn't make sense in a real context because Hans is a prince anna is a princess, unless he has nothing to bring to the table which I don't even think Elsa knows about peace treaties and whatever then theres no reason she should say no to agreeing to let them court. Not marry, but they could court. Also it wasn't that unusual to marry someone youd never seen in medieval times if you were royalty. Henry VIII of england married anne of Cleves after seeing her portrait and then, in real life, said she'd catfished him because he'd never seen her until they were married.
Anyway, elsa ran off, I didn't care. I had no reason to care. I cared more about anna and her story than elsa and her ice palace. Also can we appreciate hans here. This man looked after the people, the guests, he stopped fights he made sure everyone was alright and sure he tried to kill elsa but I mean elsa was plunging the kingdom into eternal winter. I don't know about you but this is literally what got the white witch killed in narnia so, you know, maybe hans was just doing what was good for the kingdom. Also anna was a loose cannon. She wanted to bring else back? To cause more damage? I'm surprised the people didn't rebel against these 2 unprepared princesses. What do they know about ruling? At least hans has an idea, he proved he put the people over finding Elsa. So, all I'm saying is maybe we were a bit quick to judge.
Kristoff annoyed me when we met him again. I just knew they were going for that opposites attract thing. Olaf was cute for about 2 minutes. Sven saved the show for me tbh. Love a good reindeer.
Also we meet the trolls again? For someone who was mocking not getting married after they'd just met the trolls were kind of saying the opposite. Also what happened to kristoff's parents? Tell me!
Blah blah blah it bored me blah blah blah I hated that true love was a family thing. Like, yes, it's true that true love can come from family, but in the context that disney has made it out to be I felt like I was being cheated. I felt like they were watering down something that didn't need to be watered down. Two characters can still kiss right? Because disney seems to be steering away from any romance in their films these days. I felt like the fairytale structure was incomplete and honestly I was barely watching it at that point.
I just didn't like frozen, anna should have been queen at the end of the 1st movie not the 2nd and hans deserved better.
If you disagree that's fine but I don't accept Elsa as a good disney queen. Kida will always hold that spot for me followed closely by ariel (is she a queen? I think she is in the second one. I don't remember)
So yeah, frozen was kind of a mess in my opinion.
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Autumn Air, Season Fair
The cold autumn air catches the noses and fingers of many as the leafs, dead and colorful, fall to the waters and ground of dried grass. Stone walls are cold and standing still.
It's peaceful and quiet.
"WHAT?!"
Well almost-
"Young Master, what are you sayin???" Barked Bard, his blue eyes widen in shock as the other four servants are the same expression.
Ciel sits at a chair drinking his tea as he looks at them unphased, "I'm saying you lot are free to marry. It's a silly rule that the master controls what his servants want. You four deserve someone to care for."
The news came a shock to the four, each one different than the other, who simply came over to help clean up the manor that was left untouched for a while and now are told they are free to marry if they so wish?!
Before more protest happen, the sound from down stairs catches their ears.
Ciel's lone eye widen. "She did not-" He stands fast and hurries out the room with the servants following after.
And what a sight to behold!
There in the mansion's entrance hall is Doll and Soma side by side giving away bowls of soup and plates of bread to many children of all sizes and ages and shapes, dirty and clean, a smile full of pearly whites and missing gaps, loud chatter and children squeals erupting as it goes on.
The Earl grabbed the stair rail and called out in a beckon of a mighty voice, "What have I told you about doing things without asking me first, Doll!?"
The brunette turned and looked up at him, instantly her freckles face once so cherry turns so sour and cold she looks nearly sick. "Last I check you're just a boy not the blood Queen!"
Ciel's eyebrow twitch hard in annoyance as he feels a fire burning in his chest in high volume.
Sebastian was luckily there to calm him before he dare pops off like a kettle screaming for tea, "Miss Doll, Prince Soma, as much as the young master and I are grateful for your actions we do need some sort of warning before hand to help prepare."
Soma, who has no adopted a more mature sense of fashion, who's golden eyes of beauty has no recently finally brighten back in light after the lose of his dear friend and butler Agni, turned to Ciel and smile. No longer does he cling onto the boy while talking loudly, he is a mature man now after all, "Sorry about that, just that Doll was telling me about the F.O.L. Orphanage and I just felt they deserved some food with some of my new friends!" Said he in joy.
Doll smiles to the prince but looks back to Ciel and gave him a stick of her tongue.
"Find a ground to stand with her" he says, "It'll be easy" he said...
Ciel grimace when staring at the street of London to the very brunette he's been having issue dealing with for the last month.
Easy my bloody ass! She is an absolute terrible lady!
He cringes from all the examples he can name the times she was indecent.
The way she so casual tried to strip him nude on their first day together.
The fact she made him feel her chest.
The many times she swore out a word that makes even a sailor of the army blush mad like a virgin in a brothel.
The way she ate like a starved piglet in a barn.
Her walking around so freely in bloomers and top.
Her constant disrespect to the very Earl who has let her live in his manor since the very end of reopening old wounds!
From the distance stands Lizzie who simply sighs in pout, "Honestly, this outing was meant for fun not so people can glare at each other with wire shut jaws."
Not far from her are stalls of fruit where Finny walks rather simple with a hum of his lips.
The gardener reached out to a cart of apples and accidentally brushed the hand of another. He jumps and looks to the figure. "I'm sorry-" He stops when he sees who it is, a petite woman with long curly dark brown hair dressed in a red gown with white lace, her eyes big and a beautiful shade of light brown, her skin a warm flush of a darker tone. "Lo siento, ¿puedo ver las manzanas?" Her voice was sweet, like warm honey.
Finny blinks fast as he tries to process what she said. "She apologize and asked if she would like to see the apples Finny." Said Sebastian from behind.
He jumped back as he stammers, "O-Oh of course!"
The girl giggles, causing the poor boy to blush, and looks at the stall. His green eyes instantly flash to Sebastian, "You understand what she said Sebastian?"
The butler chuckles, "Yes. It's quiet easy."
"U-Um could you maybe ask her her name?"
Sebastian thought for a moment before going to the woman and the two talk,
"Mi amigo pregunta por tu nombre."
"¿El rubio?"
"Si."
The woman look at Finny and smiles bashfully before speaking, "Mi nombre es Valentina, acabo de llegar de Puerto Rico."
"Puerto Rico, eso está lejos."
Finny waited patiently until his much older friend comes back, "She says her name is Valentina. She's from Puerto Rico."
The blond tilted his head. "Puerto Rico? Where's that?"
"It's just by America, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Sea."
His green eyes shine in wonder, pausing when Sebastian handed him a paper as the girl walks away, "She has also inform me she works as a maid from a family of a singer, and if you would like you can see a show coming up and see Valentina again."
Sebastian's poor ears weren't ready for the level of excitement bawl that Finny's voice created upon hearing that and his many many "Yes of course"s.
From the side lines Lizzie giggles upon watching the scene, her spot seated between Paula and Mey-Rin who sits enjoying the air. "Looks like Finnian might've been nipped by Cupid." She giggles, the two maids giggling along side her.
Suddenly, the girl with pig tails turned her head fast to Mey-Rin, "What about you? Do you think you might fall in love?" The way Mey-Rin blushed you could've sworn her face morphed into her hair so fast. With a crack of her pitch and stutters galore she croaked, "O-Oh my- I-I never really believed I would, no I didn't! I'm no where near are pretty as you Lady Elizabeth, no I'm not!"
Lizzie pouts, "Don't say that Mey-Rin, you're very pretty!"
The conversation was soon interrupted with Ciel walking over with a angry look on his face, his face flustered and puffy in emotion. "What happened young master?" Asked his maid in worry before glancing behind him with Doll who walks pass purposely kicking his leg as she does.
Doll sits on the floor of her new room, knees held tight to her chest as she dressed in only her undergarments and soft wool grey socks, her eye puffy and damp while her nose is wrinkled and snotty.
It doesn't take a genius to show she has been feeling distress lately, in fact it increased since February of this year.
That night was a lot like this one, nippy and cold, cold enough to reveal your breath, and much like that night she feels so...empty.
Yes, she has the orphans who care for her and she cares for them.
Yes, she made fast friends with Lady Elizabeth Prince Soma and Alois Trancy.
And yes, she still has Snake.
But nothing truly shapes the feeling of whole again as back then...
Back when she was young and free from all the pains of life throws at you with each inch you grow.
Back when she could run bare footed across the grass and creeks.
Back when the very aches of growing up never affected her.
Back when it was just her in that work house with the other children and her family...the only ones who could understand her fully.
Numb, Doll slowly grabbed forth a sheet from the best she was resting against and lazily wrapped it around her frame as she stands upright like a puppet being pulled up by a string.
Cold, she slowly made her way to the bedroom window as voices speak forth her hearing, "Come on Doll, let's play!"
Her shaking fingers unlatched the hook of the window and slowly pushed it open, her face instantly chilling with the effects of a gush of the wind and the scent of dirt and dried plants that carry through the wind.
As water begin to flow in the corners of her eyes, Doll looked to the grey sky to see her family eagerly waiting for her to join them, open eyes and bright smiles. She doesn't see them in those outfits the circus made nor does she see them as the dirty children she met them as, but as the real them all happy and good.
Peter and Wendy are bigger and looked their age,
Beast, Dagger, and Joker all have their missing limbs healed,
No blood no scars no burns no pain just them...
For a very small moment she felt guilt build, guilt of making them wait for so long and so the quick image of the white roses being splattered red when her head hits the ground, and as quickly as it came the guilt disappeared as she carefully reached a hand out.
Out the window to the sky.
Out reaching for the family she longs for more than anything in the world.
Preying to be set free from this cage of misery and leave this pained empty body behind with all it's cracks and cob webs of trapped wonders.
Suddenly, there's a knock at the door and the door opens.
Doll turned her head to see Ciel stepping into the room with a shy expression. "I'm sorry to intrude this afternoon Doll, I simply have something."
Curiosity arose within her tender chest as he stepped closer.
Soon Ciel presented what he apparently came by to show, a box of many candy goods of colorful wrappings and ribbons, a familiar shadow of a bunny catching her eye as her nose catches the scent of sweet.
Ciel looked away from her undressed self as he spoke in a soft tone, "Erm... I figured you'd like this since you talked about them back then. I just finished giving Alois some products as well so it isn't like you were the soul gifter so..."
As her gentle hands slowly took the box, her heart felt light. He...remembers...All this time...
With a soft smile she carefully knelt down to his height more in a scooped dip and lightly kisses his cheek and whispered, "Thank you Smile. They're lovely..."
As the seasons change so does everything else.
Church bells ring out and echos across the sky as large doors opened to show a blond lad dressed all nice and formal beside a beautiful girl in a white gown and a bouquet of lilies and sunflowers, both matching in tears in eyes and bright smiles.
No one was the least surprised when Finny and Valentina, his new apple of his eye, were getting married. The two simply just had that strong bond authors can call "love-at-first-sight".
Finny has long sense grew to learn her language as she does the same back, even learning some German, and the two haven't dare not speak or see each other since that one concert he was so graciously invited to.
As the two ran off the steps of the chapel, their friends toss rice and flower petals in their way until they made it to the horse drawn carriage, many smiles were tossed and gifted and given back as cheers echo out the crowds.
Valentina stops once she gets to the carriage's step and throws her flowers in the air with a smile.
Many eyes were on the bouquet and watched as it falls into the hands of Mey-Rin who quickly blushes as her friends cheer. "You know the rule Mey-Rin!" Called out Bard as he chuckles.
As the air grows a touch warmer and less harsh, new chapters have continued to grow.
"Are you serious??" Bard's voice echoed the Midford manor as his eyes grow misty and fast as he stands before his beautiful wife Paula who smiles back. "Yes, I am." She said as she rubs her stomach.
The chef and maid have recently tied the knot after much back and forth fluttering lashes and beating hearts of will they, won't they hell everyone witness.
Bard quickly scooped his wife in his arms and spun around. "I'm gonna be a father!"
The two laughed as the summer sun shimmers in the air.
Across the way of the forest by a stream of cold water, pass the trees and right pass the beautiful green grass that shine under the sun and flow in the wind, is a wooden swing and a picnic blanket where three people laze about in each other's company.
Different shades of blues and different tones of skin mix together as soft kisses come from each lips.
Ciel hummed at the taste of honey and peaches from one and strawberries and cream from the other as he laid on the blanket simple minded in calm and peace.
Their bodies have molded and grown over time like clay dolls being shaped by life's invisible hands.
No longer are they boys and a girl but a woman and two men.
As many seasons change, so does the people.
As a smooth fire burns it's heart out in the fire place, a shadow of a man walks back and forth across the carpet.
In the room with him are many faces of different forms dressed in different colors and styles like a odd box of paints.
Suddenly, a loud scream of a female echoes the hall, causing a lot of people to pause and some to shutter. "I somehow feel the urge to apologize to my mother giving birth to me..." Mumbled Alois as his face pales.
A figure dressed in red look to the pacing man and softly tap him with the tip of a boot and sooth of a voice, "Due calm down Will, she's a tough girl I'll have to remind you."
Since the first spring after the Earl of Phantomhive's 15th birthday celebration, it seems demons, angels, and even reapers have found some sort of common ground.
Buried the hatchet some human mortals say.
Since then on a very important call some reapers would come by and help on cases much like how Undertaker had before the incidences.
And since then a certain stern reaper fell in love and courted a lovely assassin turned maid who accepts his ways and the fact he's a reaper.
Another scream happens which resulted in William running down the halls faster than a very breath, cold sweat fall from his forehead as he reached the room he was searching for.
With a hot chest and cold stomach he grabbed hold the knob of the door and swung it open.
He blinks as he felt his knees grow weak faster than a melting ice block in the summer heat and sun and his eyes burned with tears as he stared at the bed where his tired dove rests with a freshly cleaned and coddled infant laid gently in her arms crying as tears stream her red face.
After a moment, people came into the room after him to see the scene and quickly offer their congratulations.
William fell to his knees the moment he reached to Mey Rin, tears staining his cheeks like a form of fashion, his finger slowly reach out to the small pink being in soft fabric crying their little lungs out to the world.
"My nose...they have my nose..."
He chocked when a small hand grabbed hold of his finger and squeezes, his body shaking with this whirl-wind of emotions invading his body.
Paula whipped a tear from her eye as she speaks up, "Do you have a name planned for him?"
The reaper sniff when hearing the gender. His son, his little boy.
"Xiu and Bella and Brair seemed to have tuckered themselves out."
Indeed, three children lay on the floor of the Midford manor's play room all cuddled together, crayons and papers scattered around, each dressed in their finest little ruffles and ribbons of style like precious gems they are to many, two of them wear a form of glasses perched perfectly on their noses or dangling halfway off their sweet adorable faces and the two are one with soft lavender curls and dark skin while the other is dark hair of ebony black and softer flush pale skin.
The three children's parents smile and softly gathered their respect child into their arms, Hannah and Mey Rin having to silence their giggles as they trade glasses.
Sebastian stands tall and softly rubs the back of Bella, admiring how small she is in his arms.
As the rain falls to the window and the soft wind howls, he began to walk down the halls and sing so softly as warmth covers his heart, "Hush little baby don't say a word, papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird won't sing, papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring. And if that diamond ring turns brass, papa's gonna buy you a looking glass..."
"And if that looking glass gets broke, mama's gonna buy you a billy goat..."
Sebastian smiled at the sweeter voice that joins his tune as he undoes the ribbon tangled in Bella's dark hair.
As both he and Lizzie sing they help each other get their little princess to bed.
"And if that billy goat won't pull, papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull. And if that cart and bull fall down, you'll still be the sweetest little baby in town..."
Lizzie leaned down after the covers of silk consumed the small girl and lightly pressed a kissed upon her head.
As she rises Sebastian leans down and mimics the motion, but stays still as he whispers, "You have no idea, my dear, but I will do all those things and more if you so wish it...My dear light of my darkness."
This is yet another prequel of my two previous fics:
1-
2-
This fic is still dedicated to @annoyinglyshinycherryblossom, @sebalizzie, @nullb1rdbones, and now @onehellofashadynerd and @docmartensanddietcoke
#black butler#black butler au#tw: sucidal thoughts#ciel phantomhive#sebastian michaelis#bardroy#mey rin#black butler mey rin#black butler finny#black butler finnian#black butler snake#soma asman kadar#black butler soma#black butler doll#elizabeth midford#black butler paula#william t. spears#grelle sutcliff#grell sutcliff#black butler oc#black butler valentina#black butler next gen#black butler xiu joan henry spears#black butler bella#ciel x doll#doll x ciel#alois x ciel x doll#william x mey rin#sebalizzy
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H’ai
ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO
I was back home on a family visit. Summers in New York get suffocating, so I got into the habit of spending most of them in Palestine.
One early morning, while I was in a state between sleeping and waking - later I would learn that this phenomena has been scientifically termed “hypnopompic state” - I saw him standing on the edge of my bed: a tiny little boy of 4 or 5 years old, about 10 CM long (a little over 4 inches) with wavy brown curls and big brown eyes! He seemed to be looking at me as if in a state of wonder, and his eyes kept getting larger and larger. Expressionless really, but not unfriendly. The dream must have continued for a few seconds before I woke up with a very agreeable feeling. However, not intrigued enough, I rushed to a lazy conclusion that it was most likely my appreciation for "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry that unconsciously concocted this whole surrealistic vision. So I brushed it off and went about my day.
FAST FORWARD FOUR OR FIVE YEARS
(During which I didn’t give the vision any serious thoughts)
Excerpts from my diary: August, Summer of 2022
The city of Hammamat, Tunisia
Entry 1. 8/1: I arrived at the studio today. There were a group of men standing at the entrance. I didn’t recognize any of them except the line producer whom I recognized from his profile photo on whatsapp. The strangest thing happened! Upon seeing me entering, he said, "here comes the spy". Huh? If that was a joke, it was shockingly bizarre. And if it wasn’t, I am very confused.
I was supposed to have a fitting at 4pm. I waited in a dusty fitting room smelling a mixture of mole and sewage. The fitting ladies have left their lunch boxes uncovered so flies were swarming everywhere. The costume designer didn’t show up. Neither did her associates. I left.
Entry 2. 8/2: I had my first session with the sword trainer this morning. He didn’t speak a word of English or Arabic. He only spoke Spanish and had a cigarette in his mouth the entire time. The session, according to the training schedule, was supposed to be a full hour solely with me. Instead, we mimed our way through for 15 minutes with the presence of another actor, a young kid of 16 or 17 who kept his sunglasses all the time and barely said hi. I am supposed to start shooting in a week or so.
Entry 3. 8/3: I had a fitting today and I like the costumes. They look good on me. I bumped into the director today. We exchanged hello and I expressed my enthusiasm, an interaction of 7 seconds in total. Weather is unbearably hot.
Entry 4. 8/4: Line producer called me yesterday at 10pm. I was in bed. He mumbled something about the horse trainer sending a report against me, saying I can’t ride a horse! Huh? What horse trainer? I haven’t seen him! He must have mistaken me with someone else. He said no, he sent him my picture! I said I have shot an entire movie for 3 months and a half riding a horse, having had trained intensively for 7 months prior to that. What is he talking about? Line producer kept making this weird sound: ha’m h’am. What the hell was that? Was he actually listening to me? I think he is either clinically retarded or has serious concentration issues. Where am I? Who are these people?
Entry 5. 8/5: Over breakfast, I met one of the actors on the show. He said, "the staff of the hotel love you… those are the people that count - the real people - Don't mind what others say." What others say!!!! What did he mean by that! I wish he didn't say that because now I will be walking and looking behind my back!
Entry 6. 8/6: this production is a disaster. I have to get things done, and do my work to the best of my abilities despite of this chaos.
These are things that are way beyond my control. I am not responsible for teaching people how to follow a protocol. Or how to be decent human beings.
Entry 7. 8/7: We haven't had any rehearsal or meeting with the director yet. They told me he doesn't want to rehearse or meet! How strange! I see him at the gym from time to time. He is on his phone the entire time. We exchange hellos! He actually knows I'm one of the main actors of his show, the one he is supposed to direct, but he doesn't seem very interested in meeting me. What is going on? Who IS this guy?
Entry 8. 8/8: I can’t have this food anymore. I am going to get sick. From now on my dinner will be my lunch.
Entry 9. 8/9: colleagues who were friendly to me are now cold. Barely saying hi. I am so confused. Why is this happening to me? What is happening? I miss Cynthia.
Entry 10. 8/10: They cancelled my shooting days again. I can't take it anymore.
Entry 11. 8/11: I miss Cynthia so much.
Entry 12. 8/12: First day of shoot was supposed to happen today. I waited 8 hours on set today at the end of which the 3rd AD came and said I can go home because we are not shooting.
I want to quit this show.
Entry 13. 8/13: At breakfast one of the actors told me the main actor left the show, and they are restarting everything. I am shocked.
I called my father, told him what happened and said “I want to leave this show” . He said no I should stick around. It’ll be good for my career and I have to do my work professionally. He seemed preoccupied so I let him go. My anxiety is sky rocketing.
Entry 14. 8/14: shoot’s been delayed for another 5 days. It’s been two weeks and I can’t stand it. It is grueling. But I am here for work and I am a professional actor. Repeat after me Adam: It’s going to be okay.
Entry 15. 8/15: first shooting day. Director doesn’t show up to set? How is that possible?
Entry 16. 8/16: I need to pick up my colors again. Either that or I seriously get sick here.
AND I DID
I had watched a course on Domestika where the artist suggests the idea of writing down one's needs at the moment in time prior to creating a painting. So I followed his suggestion! The first thought I wrote was “I need a friend”. Then as I began to put my thoughts onto the paper, sketching out each detail and curve, something magical started to happen. The lines and shapes effortlessly took on a life of their own, gradually forming into the image of a little boy. And then, as I looked at the finished drawing, it hit me like a bolt of lightning - this was the same child who had appeared in my dream years ago! He was there all along! He never left my subconscious! All I had to do was bring him to the surface. With every stroke of my pencil, I felt as though I was breathing life into this new friend, watching him come alive on the page before me.
Upon finishing up the first sketch I caught myself uttering the word “Kh’ai” … it’s a sound that Lebanese people use to express a feeling of relief or release… My wife uses it often. Holding the pen, I looked at the character and said he is H’ai with an H sound, not a KH.
H’ai is an Arabic word which means alive, thriving, breathing or animated.
I did end up leaving the show, or “forced to leave”, but thanks to H’ai, I was able to keep my peace and sanity through that awful time! Creating tens and tens of sketches and drawings that continue to this day! H’ai became not only a friend but a guide, a channel through which I connect to the Source of all things - the omnipresent - from which I draw upon images of beauty and wisdom. Drawing H’ai has become one of my most spiritual practices, akin to a meditation... a sacred ritual, healing, and divine.
Darkness IS the absence of Light. But the concept of light cannot exist without its opposite. So yes, it goes without saying, I am forever grateful for the darkness that allowed H’ai to be manifested. To emerge as a beacon of Light…
P.s visit my art page on Instagram: @adammbakriart to meet H’ai (:
Adam
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Breaking Point
No. 17 HANGING BY A THREAT
Breaking Point
----------------
[the later sections of this was posted a while back but dumping in here as well b/c it both fits rather well with the prompt, and just so happens to kinda wrap up the narrative of the past few posts a bit]
Ren looked up at the knock on his door and was surprised to see the Prince standing there. "Good afternoon, Prince Alexander. To what do I owe the honor?"
"Good afternoon. Are you busy?"
"Not at all. Come in, have a seat."
After seating himself in one of the chairs by the fireplace, Alexander twisted and untwisted the edge of his tunic for a moment before continuing; a habit Ren had noticed when the Prince was feeling particularly anxious about something. He looked up, started to speak, and then hesitated before speaking, his eyes on the bookcases rather than Ren. "Would it be… be alright if we talked somewhere else?"
"Of course, wherever you'd like. What if we stepped outside? The weather's not too cold yet."
"Thank you."
It didn't take them long to walk down a short hallway and out to a small courtyard.
"When I first arrived, you said that you were here if there was anything I ever walked to talk about. That it might… help."
"I did. And the offer still stands. Is there something troubling you?"
The Prince continued to twist his tunic and said nothing. Ren waited for him to gather his thoughts.
"I'm just… tired of feeling useless. And of everyone tiptoeing around me, scared to say the wrong thing, as if I might explode at any moment. Which isn't far from the truth, I suppose. Tired of feeling like I'll never be who they want me to be."
It was the most Ren had ever heard the young man say all at once, though he wasn't surprised that so many of the thoughts the Prince had been bottling up the past few months were now spilling out in a rush. "And who is that? That they want you to be?"
Alexander looked downward before answering. "Someone who can talk effortlessly with people, enjoys going to events and dances, speaks in front of everyone, and leads them." He raised his eyes back up and waved his hand a bit in emphasis. "A prince."
"And you don't feel yourself a prince?"
Alexander shook his head. "No. I'm no good at any of those things. I've been trying to get better, but…" He swallowed. He'd never really volunteered information about his life in Llewdor before, but as hard as it was to put that life into words, he wanted Ren to understand. For someone to understand, at least a little, why he found this new life such a struggle.
And he felt some part of his life was going to give way soon if he didn’t try something.
"When… when I was in Llewdor. It was just Manannan and me. There was never anyone else. Well, no one human, anyway. Certainly no parties or dances."
"There were never any visitors? What about when you left the house?"
"Never. And I didn't; it wasn't allowed. Not until I had no other choice."
"And when was that?"
"Three…no, four months ago."
Ren's next question died on his tongue. The boy had never been around anyone but his kidnapper his entire life? That… explained a lot, actually. Well, almost anyone. "You said no one human?"
"There were the ghost servants he summoned when I was too young to do all the work. He dismissed them once I was old enough, though."
"He could summon servants, yet he still took you to do the work?"
Alexander shrugged dismissively, though Ren suspected he'd hit upon something that bothered the Prince greatly, even if he wouldn't admit it to others.
"They were troublesome at times," Alexander said by way of explanation. Which was true enough, though he rather thought it had more to do with the fact that they couldn't be beaten or starved. And so, satisfying the wizard's need for cruelty had fallen to him instead. His jaw clenched.
"So this is all new. The parties, the events. Even just talking to people," Ren continued, distracting Alexander from his dark line of thought.
He nodded, "Yes."
"Well, those things will most likely get easier in time and with practice, like most things. I can help you practice if you'd like. But I do want to mention one thing before I forget. You were granted the title of Prince because of your birth, nothing more. Not because you should innately have these skills. And while it does come with… certain obligations, I'm sure your parents want nothing more than for you to be well and happy. Have you talked about this with them?"
"No." Alexander had barely been able to bring himself to talk about this with Ren; how could he do so with his parents? His sister, maybe.
"I'd suggest doing so, at least in part. Of course, you don't have to go into detail if you want. But I'd imagine you could meet at some middle ground regarding your responsibilities as Prince."
--------------
Rosella wished her brother would hurry up and come down to the noon meal already; her meal was halfway finished by the time Alexander finally wandered in.
“What have you been up to this morning? Dad and Mama already ate; they had some meeting they couldn’t be late to.” She couldn’t quite keep all of her irritation out of her voice.
Her brother looked over at her with bleary eyes, suddenly looking slightly wary. “Sorry… fell asleep.”
Oh. She was well aware that her brother’s nightmares often left him exhausted during the day, though she thought it a step in the right direction that he’d been able to take a nap. When he’d first arrived he’d been too jumpy to sleep during the day.
“Then you’ll be well-rested for our trip this afternoon!”
Alexander certainly didn’t feel well-rested. His nightmares the night before had been the worst yet, and while his nap had helped some he still felt half-asleep. “Trip?”
“To see that waterfall I was talking about, remember? You said you’d go with me this afternoon.”
Oh. Right. He had said that. He didn’t particularly feel up to a long hike right now, though. All he wanted to do was eat and then get lost in a book; he could usually shake the lingering nightmare-induced memories that way.
Rosella noticed his frown as he sat down in his usual seat. “You are coming, right? I’ve been preparing all morning, I’ve packed us the best snacks for when we get to the top. The view’s fantastic! I’m sure you’ll love it.”
Alexander started to assent, despite his weariness. He stopped, though, as he remembered Ren encouraging him to assert himself more. To try and express his honest opinions instead of just agreeing with everything. “I… I’m pretty tired today, Rosella. Could we go on a different day instead?”
He couldn’t help but shrink back a bit as his sister’s clear irritation returned. She, at least, was usually easy to read. Rosella had never seemed truly angry with him before, but then he didn’t make a habit of contradicting her, either.
“Oh… I suppose so…” she said. She’d so been looking forward to the trip, and while ‘all morning’ had been a bit of an exaggeration, she had spent a while getting ready for it. It wasn’t even like it was an overnight trip or anything; they’d be back before dark. She was just feeling so cooped up in the castle lately; the short walks to the village and back weren’t enough. Still, her mother had warned her to be careful not to push her brother too hard.
Alexander finally picked up his fork but he’d lost his appetite; now he felt guilty about delaying the outing his sister had been looking forward to. He idly pushed a couple of bites of food around his plate.
“You really should try the fish; it’s delicious,” noted Rosella as she watched him. He’d already gained some weight but not enough that she thought he should be skipping meals.
He nodded and tried a small bite to appease her, though he found himself slightly annoyed at her ‘suggestion’. If he didn’t want to eat then wasn’t that up to him?
“So, if you don’t want to go to the waterfall…” Rosella paused, still holding out hope that he would change his mind. As he remained silent she continued, “We could try out your new bow, or head down to town again.”
Anything outside, really, would be fine with her.
“Uh… I was hoping to just head back to the… the library,” he answered quietly, the last few words barely audible. If she kept pressuring him he knew would give in and he’d end up doing something he didn’t want to. Couldn’t she just leave him alone when he clearly didn’t feel well?
Rosella sighed. He was always holed up in the library, or his room. How was she supposed to get to know him better if he refused to spend any time with her? She knew he was still recovering from his kidnapping, but it had been weeks now. She still didn’t know almost anything about what had happened to him.
“Well, I guess I could join you there. I do have some lessons I’ve been procrastinating on.”
And now she wanted to invade his haven, one of the few places he could be free from all the stares and people. Where he could put aside the pressure of trying to be somebody it was becoming increasingly obvious he never would be.
“Or there’s this game I’ve been wanting to teach you, you’ll love - “
Something in him snapped.
“Rosella. Leave. Me. Alone.”
She gawked at him. He’d never before even been close to using that tone.
He regretted the outburst immediately. Eyes wide, he stuttered, “So- sorry, I didn’t mean - “ His gaze fell to the table as his hands clenched his napkin tight.
“I’m - I’m sorry. I - I’ve just been so eager to spend time with you, but… I should have listened when you said you weren’t feeling up to it.” Oh, now she felt bad.
“Alex? It’s alright, I promise.”
She wasn’t angry with him. Once again he had gotten anxious and afraid for no reason.
He was just so tired. Tired of not sleeping well, tired of constantly trying to navigate new situations, tired of feeling useless, tired of being in a castle that felt like it was slowly suffocating him, big as it was. Tired of being terrified that his former captor would reappear any second. Tired of not being the son, the prince, or the heir his family and their kingdom wanted or deserved.
He couldn’t do this. Not anymore. His family would be better off without him, anyway. He complicated their lives in so many ways and risked their lives by being here. He’d saved Rosella; Daventry could continue with the heir who had been raised to do this. In the long run, no one would miss him, surely.
“Alex?”
“I’m fine. Just tired.”
Rosella didn’t believe him, but he looked back up at her and said, “I think… I’ll just head back to my room for a bit.”
Biting her bottom lip, Rosella watched him go. Should she catch up with him and try talking to him more?
No. She’d already upset him enough; she’d leave him be for now, but maybe she’d check in later today.
----------------------
Graham was considering whether or not to take a break from reading reports when his office door slammed open. Rosella rushed in and, seeing the alarm on her face, he stood.
She shoved a piece of paper at him as she said, “I found this in Alex’s room. He’s gone!”
Graham’s face paled as he read the note, then dropped it. He was halfway out of the room before it reached the floor.
“Find your mother. I’m going after him.”
----------------------
Hoofbeats.
Alexander looked around and was halfway considering hiding behind a large oak tree when a voice called out.
“Alexander!”
Too late.
As the horse drew closer, he was surprised to see Graham himself riding it. He had been half-expecting a guard, maybe, if anyone. But the King himself had come after him?
Graham stopped his horse as he drew even with Alexander and almost threw himself out of the saddle. Alex found himself in a rib-crushing embrace and jerked back, hard.
Graham backed off. “Sorry, sorry… I was just so worried… when I heard you we missing, I… “
“I left a note,” Alexander explained quickly. Had they not found it? He hadn’t meant to worry them about him being kidnapped again.
“Yes, I read it. I just..” Graham looked at his son almost pleadingly. “I don’t understand. You want to… to leave?”
Alexander dropped his gaze to the ground. “You’d all be better of without me. I… I just complicate everything. I know I’m not what you hoped for in a son.”
Graham stared at him, eyes wide. “Better - better off?“
He closed his eyes and raised his head to the sky for a moment. He looked back at his son before continuing. “Alexander, if you truly want to leave, I won’t stop you. But please hear me out first. I can’t let you leave without knowing you understand that we would in no way be ‘better off’. I know it’s been… difficult to adjust, for everyone. Are you the son I imagined when you were born? Not quite, no. But neither is Rosella the daughter I imagined, either. You’re both better. I never imagined I could love two people more than I love you two. Or be more proud of.”
Alexander blinked at this and turned away from his father, toward the oak tree. “But if.. what if he comes after me? If he hurt any of you because I stayed, I…” His voice trailed off. The thought of that man being anywhere near his family terrified him.
He sank to the ground, back against the tree trunk and his forehead resting on his knees. How had he ever thought he would be happy here in Daventry? Sure, it was better than his life in Llewdor had been, but adjusting to life here was so much harder than he had anticipated.
Not for the first time he thought about he should have grown up happy here. But he hadn’t, and it was all Manannan’s fault. What had he done to deserve everything the wizard had put him through? Nothing. Nothing at all; he’d been an infant when he was taken.
It was all so unfair.
Graham had been watching Alexander as he sank to the ground, trying to decide how to word his response. The thought of Manannan returning to exact revenge was worrying. But having Alexander finally home was worth that risk. And he wanted to be there to protect his son, to protect him the way he hadn’t been able to these past eighteen years.
Before he could say any of this, however, Alexander suddenly yelled wordlessly, the noise muffled by the boy’s position.
Alexander stood, turned, and kicked the tree in frustration. Of course, nothing happened other than his foot starting to hurt, which only added to his irritation and rising anger.
“Alex, I - “
Alexander whirled around at his father’s voice and cut him off. “This is all your fault, too. You should have found me. Do you know how many nights I spent in that cell of a room, hoping someone - anyone - would come and take me away? You should have looked harder. Instead, I was forced to rescue myself, and I nearly died a dozen times doing it!”
On some level he was aware of what he was doing, and that he needed to stop before he made things worse, but the anger was too strong. All the thoughts and feelings he usually repressed were suddenly bursting out of him and there was no stopping that tidal wave of emotions now.
“Even here he won’t leave me alone. Not at night in my sleep, and not during the day when every moment feels like he’ll appear any time now to ruin everything. I’ll never be free of him and it’s your fault.”
Graham stayed silent during all of this, letting the boy vent as he so clearly needed to do. But the words still stung, even knowing Alexander was speaking out of anger and didn’t necessarily mean everything he was saying.
Of course Graham felt guilty about not finding his son sooner, but he and Valanice had done everything in their power to locate him. What else could he have done? Daventry, his daughter, his wife - all had been neglected over the past eighteen years so that Graham could focus on the search.
And hearing how his son’s kidnapper still tormented him sent a chill down Graham’s spine. He’d known about the nightmares, of course, but he hadn’t realized just how much the man still haunted him.
Graham continued to make no move to stop him. And he had no magic with which to force him to stop the way Manannan would have. Emboldened, Alexander continued.
“And I’m so tired of being told what to do. Before it was clean this, make me dinner, don’t go in there. Now it’s go here, read this, talk to him, play this game with me. It’s all just the same, no one ever listening to what I want or how I’m feeling."
They had tried to go slowly, to give Alexander the time he needed to adjust. But perhaps they had still pushed too hard, been too eager to have the son and brother they should have had. It was just… such a fine line to walk. And the boy was just so… silent all the time. How could they know what he wanted if he never told them?
Exhausted, Alexander sat back down on the ground again, hands gripping the grass and dirt beneath him, hard. Manannan’s voice echoed loud in his head.
Stupid, worthless boy.
He’d done it, now. Surely his father would want nothing to do with him after such an outburst. He’d thrown away any chance of still being welcomed in Daventry, even if he’d wanted to stay. Right now he had no idea what he wanted, other than to make it out of this situation unharmed. As if he deserved to.
Still, he looked back up at the King warily, ready to run if need be. Or attempt to, anyway - he was shaking so hard he wasn’t sure if he could even stand.
Graham started to walk closer so he could sit beside Alexander but stopped when he noted how skittish he seemed. Instead, he sat a few paces away, facing him so Alexander could see his face, see how earnest and honest his next words were.
“I’m sorry, Alex. Not protecting you, not finding you - those are some of the greatest failings of my life. You never should have had to endure what you did.” This wasn’t the first time he’d told his son this, but he didn’t know if Alexander would ever truly believe them, believe that they would never intentionally hurt him. “We would love for you to stay with us. You’re our son. If Manannan comes after us, we’ll face him, together. Having you here is worth the risk, no matter what. And I’m sorry if it’s felt like we’ve been… ordering you around.”
As for the other issue of him still feeling overshadowed by his kidnapper… well, Graham was honestly at a loss on that point. What else could they do, other than try to make sure Alexander understood that he was loved and supported?
Alexander didn’t understand. After what he’d said, how he had acted, Graham still wanted him here?
They both turned at the sound of more approaching hoofbeats. Rosella and Valanice rode up to join them, looking relieved to see them.
“Alex! You can’t just leave like that!” Rosella said as she slid off her horse. “You worried us sick!”
Graham winced, afraid his daughter’s demanding tone would set Alexander off again. The boy’s temper seemed to have cooled off, though, as he silently watched his mother and sister from his seated position.
Valanice caught her daughter’s eyes and shook her head briefly. Glancing between her husband and son, she sat smoothly down to join them on the grass. A moment later Rosella followed suit.
“I didn’t mean… to worry you so much,” said Alexander, barely audible. All three had come after him. He looked around at these people who had been strangers just a few weeks ago.
He didn’t, he suddenly decided, want to leave them. They weren’t strangers anymore. And maybe there was some chance that they did care about him, for himself, flaws and all, and not just the ghost of what might have been.
Slowly, Valanice reached out one hand, giving Alexander time to pull back if he wished. But he didn’t, and she took his hand in hers. Rosella did the same with his other hand and Graham with that of his wife and daughter.
“Shall we head back?” asked Valanice quietly.
“Yes. Let’s go home,” Alexander said.
#ayatai whumptober2022#king's quest#ayatai writes#as far as this fic - aka a bunch of oneshots stuck together - got so tomorrow#back to more proper prompt fills rather than me trying to stuff existing fic in whatever prompts happened to fit
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