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ass-deep-in-demons · 6 months

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✦ Seeing White ✦

Fandom: Lord of the Rings Genre: slice of life, comedy, romance Characters: Faramir, Eomer, Boromir, Eowyn, Lothiriel, Legolas, Merry Rated: G Length: 3119 words, one-shot

This work is dedicated to @emilybeemartin and directly inspired by her art, and also these recent posts circulating in the Boromir fandom: [slutty white shirt] and [rain soaked Boromir].

I am tagging the folks who got tangled in the Wet Shirts Shenanigans: @sotwk, @scyllas-revenge, @thetempleofthemasaigoddess, @konartiste, @emyn-arnens, @nihilizzzm, @emmanuellececchi. If you didn't want to be tagged I'm sorry, pls ignore :)

✦✦✦

Minas Tirith, 1st of Lótessë 3019 TA

Yes, thought Faramir. This is a great idea. The Ladies will be thrilled.

The day was perfect, too. From the windows of his chambers in the Citadel, all across the White City Faramir could spot the many signs of the long awaited Spring. Together with the verdant Gondorian flora awakening to life after the months of darkness and cold, so, too, were the people of Minas Tirith rising from their knees past the indignity of War. Just as the trees were dressing themselves up in colourful bloom, so were the inhabitants of the old Minas Anor decorating the streets for the impending coronation of their new King Elessar. The merchants, like wandering birds, were returning from distant lands to their abandoned shops and stalls, striving to make up for the losses sustained recently by the Gondorian economy.

It was, for Faramir, self-evident that such a day would be best spent in the Archives of the Grand Library. Granted, if it were for Faramir to decide, all days would be library days; this day, however, was especially well-suited to that purpose. Having the confidence of the palace wait-staff, through careful intelligence he had ascertained that Lady Eowyn, the bold and beautiful sister to the King of Rohan, had today off. It would be delightful to guide her through the collection of scrolls depicting the Fall of Numenor - Faramir could not imagine more romantic circumstances. If not his humble person, then the priceless works of illuminatory art would certainly impress the White Lady.

There remained the question of propriety, naturally. Here, too, he had both luck and days of prior careful planning on his side. Out of all of the birds flocking to Minas Tirith after the thaw, perhaps the most colourful (and certainly the loudest) was his little cousin Lothiriel. The lass was come from Dol Amroth with her brothers to join the upcoming celebrations. This was her debut among the Minas Tirith nobility and so Boromir and Faramir were expected to escort her on occasion, as a courtesy to their uncle the Prince.

What a splendid opportunity to marry duty with pleasure: give his young cousin a lesson in history and spend time in the company of the White Lady. The White Lady in the White City - such an occasion called for the whitest, most pristine of his shirts, and also his best doublet. On this day he was allowed a bit of vanity and he was quite pleased with the results, when he checked himself in the mirror one last time.

Faramir left his chambers and descended to the Courtyard, where he was met with the view that had never failed to cause a pang in his heart, ever since the tender years of his boyhood. In the centre of the sun-bathed plaza, on an islet on the Fountain grew the White Tree of Gondor. In the past, its name referenced its lush white bloom, the beauty of which, if the legends could be trusted, was an echo of the mythical Trees of Valinor. For centuries now the name had only been associated with the Tree’s dry and dead white wood, from which the bark had long been peeled off by the weather. Nary a bud had been spotted since the long gone days of Steward Belecthor.

On that day, though bare as ever, the Tree did not stand there all alone. Under its branches, seemingly caught up in his thoughts, the young King of Rohan was strolling and admiring the Fountain. Faramir, who himself had never been to Rohan, had met Eomer King only recently, in non-too-happy circumstances. All the Lords of Gondor had had the honour of attending a vigil around the bier of the old Theoden King, who had fallen in the Battle of Pelennor Fields. Even though several weeks had passed already since that ceremony, the shadows of the battle past could still be spotted lurking on the noble face of the Horse Lord Eomer. Still, his good humour seemed to be gradually returning to him, if the sharpness of his gaze and the healthy colour on his cheeks were anything to judge by.

The young King of the Rohirrim was, coincidentally, just who Faramir needed at that moment, as without his blessing Faramir’s plans would all be for naught. The matter needed to be carefully broached. Luckily, Faramir was nothing if not subtle.

“Eomer King!” he hailed and politely inclined his head in greeting.

“Just Eomer would suffice,” said the Man of Rohan. “My brother Theodred bore great love for your own brother and always hosted him gladly at the Golden Hall. For all the stories I’ve heard about you growing up, I feel as if we were best friends already, Lord Faramir.”

“And who am I to spurn the friendship of a King?” said Faramir and smiled. “Eomer, then, and you must call me by my name as well.”

“Do you think it will sprout leaves again?” asked Eomer, and Faramir understood that he was talking about the Tree. “You know, after Aragorn’s Enthronement?” This did seem too good to come true. Even though from under the Tree’s roots water continued to spring and feed the Fountain, it was difficult to believe that the dry branches held even one drop of sap.

“That, I would want to know myself,” said Faramir wistfully. He felt gooseflesh erupt on his arms at the thought that he might yet witness the Tree blossom in his lifetime. “I would very much like to see the face of my brother, when that happens,” he added quietly.

“And how fares your brother?” asked Eomer. “I’ve heard he’s been through an ordeal during the War of the Ring.”

Faramir hesitated. An ordeal would be an understatement, he thought. Boromir was not himself ever since he’d returned from the War. Faramir could see right through his brother’s facade. He had been pushing himself to the limits, working day and night like a madman. But Faramir was loath to share his worries with Eomer just yet, so he opted for a diplomatic answer.

“My brother is dedicating his every effort to the betterment of Gondor, as was always his way,” he carefully admitted. “I don’t think he’ll allow himself a moment’s respite until Aragorn is seated on that throne, at last. Thank you for your concern, thought. The sentiment is much appreciated. In fact,” Faramir grimaced, “it is rather I who ought to be enquiring about the wellbeing of your Lady sister.” He looked at Eomer and saw the man’s features soften at the mention of Lady Eowyn.

“She is better than I could have hoped for,” said Eomer with a tentative smile, “in part thanks to your patient encouragement, back in the Houses of Healing… for which I am much obliged, by the by. Of late, she’s been out more. I deem it a good sign.”

“That’s wonderful!” exclaimed Faramir, and then he quickly checked himself. “Erm… I mean, I’m glad to hear her spirits have improved…” He gathered his courage. “In fact, I am grateful for the opportunity to talk to you on this very matter. You see, I’ve devised a plan, which needs but your approval…”

“A… plan?” Eomer echoed, visibly apprehensive.

“Indeed. I’ve been meaning to take my little cousin Lothiriel to the Archives of Minas Tirith today, to show her our priceless collection of painted scrolls. Perhaps the Lady Eowyn could be persuaded to join us. It would be good… for her moods, I mean!”

Eomer raised his brow at that.

“Now that is a peculiar coincidence. You see, I had planned to take my sister out for a horse ride today, and I was meaning to propose that your cousin Lothiriel would join us in this entertainment. The other day, during dinner, she mentioned her interest in the steeds of Rohan…”

Faramir frowned. His carefully devised plan was now falling apart for this new development. Though he had started his riding lessons as soon as he had learned to walk, aware of his strengths Faramir knew: he had a far better chance at impressing the Lady with his wits than with his equestrian prowess. This matter with Eomer King required a subtle approach. He decided to try dissuasion.

“Curious, indeed. Last time I witnessed my cousin in the saddle, she fell off and broke her ankle. She has been wary of horses ever since…” Faramir mentioned casually. Granted, Lothiriel had been seven when that happened, however Eomer did not need to know that.

This was, apparently, the wrong thing to say. A vein on the Horse Lord’s temple started pulsing, Faramir noticed.

“And you, my good man, do not know mine sister, if you think a day among old parchment could ever improve her mood,” Eomer bit back.

Faramir felt a wave of hot anger roll through him. Eomer’s comment stung. Was it possible that Lady Eowyn, so eager to listen to his tales of Gondor’s history back in the Houses of Healing, could indeed reject his offer of a good time in the Archives? Reluctant though he was, he had to admit: where she was concerned, his usually clear mind became clouded. For the first time in his life, emotions made him doubt his better judgement. Eomer, however, seemed to be faring no better, judging from his face, which was getting visibly… flushed?

“Hold on, Eomer…” Faramir put two and two together. “You mean to… spend time with Lothiriel? You do!” Now this sat ill with Faramir, who was used to thinking of his cousin as a little girl, and not a woman grown, ready to be courted. “Have you any idea how young she is? Barely seventeen, I’d wager!”

Eomer levelled Faramir with a deeply unimpressed look.

“You’d loose, too, for she is twenty, and I am eight and twenty! Which is perfectly respectable, and also none of your business. The Lady’s father, the Prince of Dol Amroth, has already consented to my courting her,” siad Eomer icily.

Faramir felt momentarily mortified about his outburst. Ah, this was bad. Of course the most pressing matter for Eomer right now would be to marry well, and of course the noble, beautiful and now decidedly of age Princess Lothiriel would be his intended. And if that were so, then Faramir might have just offended his prospective brother-in-law. Still, he was convinced he could use this unfortunate situation to his advantage.

“He has? Oh, that is well then. I wish you all the luck with securing the Lady’s favour. Unfortunately, my uncle Imrahil has also already approved of my plans to take Lothiriel for a history lesson to the Archives today. You are most welcome to join us, if you will. As is the Lady your sister, with your approval,” he added hastily, hoping to repair some of the damage caused by his ill-advised words.

“Denied! I am taking my sister for a ride today, and that is that,” said Eomer, who seemed to have taken offence from Faramir’s questioning of his motives regarding Lothiriel.

“I beg, Eomer, reconsider…” Faramir began, but then something strange happened. He felt a firm shove upon his shoulder and the ground was abruptly swept from under his feet. He flailed his arms, but that did not avail him - he toppled over the edge of the Fountain and…

SPLASH!

Next he knew, he was taking in a lungful of its fresh water. When he emerged to the surface, sputtering and coughing, he was met with the sight of his brother, who took his place next to Eomer at the water’s edge. Boromir was fresh past his training, already out of his plate, only sporting an unbuttoned surcote over his shift. He was flashing his teeth in a wide grin, his arms crossed cockily over his broad chest.

“Of course it is you, brother,” said Faramir somewhat bitterly. “I see your signature subtlety has not left you over the course of the War.” He could not stay mad at Boromir for long though. Not when his moments of good-natured mischief and levity, so frequent before the Ring, were now so few and far between.

“Forgive me, little brother,” said Boromir, affecting solemnity, “but only you could have thought taking a Lady to the library would serve you well. As your elder it is my duty to tutor you in the ways of women.”

“Hold on, he wanted to woo my sister with books? Hahaha!” Eomer was in stitches about the concept. “Oh, that is rich indeed! Wait ‘till she…”

SPLASH!

Eomer landed in the Fountain right beside Faramir, giving out a most undignified squeak. This did serve to improve Faramir’s mood a great deal.

“Only I get to make fun of my brother,” said Boromir, putting his hands on his hips. “King or no king, you’d do well to mark that, young Eomer! And you will not be telling your sister about any of this. She would…”

Faramir rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding being crushed under Boromir’s bulk, as the elder brother, too, inevitably hit the water with a great -

SPLASH!

“Do not presume to speak for me, Boromir of Gondor!” warned Eowyn, towering over the three of them. “And you too, brother! I am perfectly capable of managing my own affairs, thank you very much.” She had pushed Boromir into the Fountain with such effortless grace, and told both of Faramir’s tormentors off without a hint of hesitation! She was perfection, Faramir knew. Had he not been in love with her already, he would have fallen head over heels for her at that moment. “I would be glad to join you for a tour about the Archives, Lord Faramir,” said Eowyn, and honestly, it all seemed too good to be true.

“I have never seen you pick up a book in your life, sister,” said Eomer, “save to throw it at our tutor.” He pushed his wet hair back from his face and attempted to stand up, only to slip and plop down once again.

“Slander!” cried Eowyn, and the most beautiful blush crept onto her face. “I love books! I definitely have read a lot of books in my time! And I happen to take a great interest in the history of Gondor, of late,” she fumbled visibly, which only added to her charm in Faramir’s eyes.

He stood up and shivered. His elegant brocade doublet, which he had picked especially for this occasion, was now entirely ruined. He hastily shook it off, not wanting the richly coloured fabric to stain his white shirt underneath. He wiped off the water from his face, and finally deeming himself presentable (for a given definition of the word) addressed the Lady.

“I would be delighted to personally recommend to you the best historical monographs from our Library, my fair Lady Eowyn,” said Faramir and bowed, smiling widely. “Going through them will of a certainty take some time, but I wholeheartedly offer all the assistance I could give in your studies.”

“You know not what you have signed up for, Lady,” said Boromir, who was still sitting in the water up to his chest, and not in any rush to get up.

“Oh, I think the Lady knows perfectly well what she has signed up for,” the merry voice of Prince Legolas of Mirkwood sounded from behind Eowyn, and it was only in this moment that Faramir realised the White Lady had not come here alone. Distracted by her radiant presence, he had failed to notice the Elf, who was standing a little way off with Meriadoc Brandybuck, one of the Perians, and a furiously blushing, uncharacteristically quiet cousin Lothiriel. The three of them appeared to be carrying… hammers and chisels? Although the girl seemed to have dropped hers and focused on fanning her beet-red face instead.

“We were just off to the City, to help with the renovations of the houses on the Third Level. Master Gimli means to teach us stonemasonry!” Meriadoc supplied, excitement brimming on his features.

“Though I have noticed the Ladies are acting somewhat distracted,” said Legolas. “I wonder if they are up for the task after all, or maybe they would rather stay here and admire the views that the Citadel offers on this fine day.”

Faramir suddenly felt very self-aware. He suspected he was blushing at least as strongly as Lothiriel. Luckily, Lady Eowyn did not seem to mind, or even notice. She appeared to have forgotten his face was up here and not down there. Ah, well. A gentleman must make allowances for the sake of ladies.

Boromir looked suspiciously pleased with himself. He stood up, took off his wet surcote and shook the water off like a giant dog might, splashing on both Faramir and Eomer.

“Pardon our indecent state, Ladies,” Boromir said then, jovially. “I think we should all go and help with the renovations today. Many houses have suffered during the siege and I, for one, am impatient to start rebuilding.”

“A worthy cause! One I’d be glad to join once I get the chance to change into something dry,” said Eomer, who had just managed to get up, after a few mishaps. He put his mighty arms to use and wrung out his soaked shirt. Faramir was sure he heard Lothiriel actually squeal.

“I don’t know that you should,” said the Perian, who seemed bent on making the situation as awkward as possible. “We would get more crowd engagement with you three coming as you are.”

To this, Legolas snickered with malicious glee.

“It could do wonders for the population’s morale, true,” the Elf mused. “Alas! We’d get plenty of volunteers, but very little actual work done, I expect.”

✦ BONUS: ✦

“Gondor is beautiful at this time of the year, is it not, my Queen?” said Aragorn.

He was meant to be reviewing the list of guests for his Coronation, but got distracted by Arwen’s movements about his new office. Something outside had caught her attention, apparently, for she’d spent a good while gawking through the window. And his beautiful Undomiel, ever graceful and unperturbed, could only very rarely be caught gawking, and only in private. He had to assume she was not immune to the splendour of the White City, and he was well pleased that she approved of her new domain.

“Pardon?” she startled, and a faint blush tinged her alabaster cheek. “Oh, yes. The nature is in full bloom. But, I am not your Queen. Not yet, at least,” she said, and smiled a very secretive, private smile.

Aragorn suspected a hundred years would pass before he’d learn to decipher all the subtleties of her expression. He was content to just admire them, for now.

[MY WRITING MASTERPOST]

#lord of the rings fanfiction #faramir #boromir #eomer #farawyn #lothiriel #eowyn #lotr fanfiction #ass deep in demons #[arda]

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aleksanderscult · 1 month

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Since we have officially entered the Aries' season I thought I should honor the fact that it's the Darkling's birthday! 🎉🎊

(No, we don't know his exact birthdate but we know he's an Aries. Anyways)

To celebrate it let's remember some facts about him.

Even though he was a Shadow Summoner, he loved bright colors. Blue, red, purple but most of all the color of sunlight.

Since we mentioned that he was a Shadow Summoner, isn't it endearing and ironic how he feared the dark when he was a child?

Once he didn't sleep for two nights because his mother had left him in a tent without a lantern.

He loved sweets! Cakes, pies etc. but his two favorites were a cake with cherries and sweet cream from Kerch and candies coated in sesame from Shu.

He had trouble mastering his powers as a child. He felt embarrassed for the fact that he couldn't make the Cut at the age of 13.

He could play the violin. 🎻

He was really intelligent from a very young age. Until the age of 13 he could speak three languages fluently and could read people and their behavior like an open book.

He was awkward and felt uneasy around children his own age since Baghra always kept them on the move and insisted not to let anyone touch him or for him to get close to someone.

He never met his father although he kept asking about him to his mother and wanted to meet him. The only thing he (possibly) ever knew was that he was a Heartrender.

He loooved nature. The trees and forests. The smell of them. Especially the evergreen trees. He even decorated his room in the Little Palace with carvings of trees.

Oh and he loves animals too! In the "Demon in the Wood" he got excited in the thought that he would see white tigers for the first time and Leigh once mentioned that he's kind to animals (we even saw that in "The Tailor" when he took time out of his duties to visit his horses, pat them and whisper to them soothingly).

And he actually saw those white tigers eventually.

Apparently he has great good looks to the point that he attracts others (and especially girls) like magnet since forever.

And his life was full of sex so he was experienced with it (Alina, your opportunity to fuck around and find out was literally right there).

The author confirmed (in 2014-2015, years before even the show came out) that he indeed harbored strong feelings for Alina and believed that they were destined for a future together (my man was ready to buy IKEA furnitures for their future house😭😭).

He had many, many half-siblings (one of them was a mermaid) and throughout the centuries he sought them out, out of a need for kinship, companionship and a desire to not be alone (🥲🔫)

This one is especially sad. He wasn't conceived out of love.

On another note though, his smell has been described as the smell of winter, forests and of the night.

In a solar eclipse his powers wouldn't be affected.

He's the Grisha with the most aliases in the Grishaverse (that's what living in a persecuted environment as a child does to you).

It's confirmed by the author that he was created after fantastical villains that she used to love, so please let that rumor that he was inspired after her abusive ex finally rest for good.

He had indeed fallen in love many times in the past but he kept witnessing the people he loved die from their mortality. At some point he just gave up on love and became more and more closed off. (Let's talk about the break he never had💀)

We might not know which person was the first he ever fell in love with, but we know which was the last one: Alina.

Do you remember those countless letters Alina was sending to Mal in "Shadow and Bone"? Well, the Darkling not only kept them secretly but read ALL off them.

He has a throat-neck fetish. And it's probably canon. The way he kissed Alina's throat every chance he got, the way he once nipped it, the collar and how he was always touching it.

According to Leigh, he didn't start wanting to be King. But this ambition came eventually after deeming it the only way to change things.

Kaz has been described as more selfish than Aleksander.

Well most of them turned out to be sad and tragic but that's because he had a tragic life and he himself was a tragic character.

Happy birthday to one of the best and most iconic book characters ever created. 🎉🎊

#and today we have a solar eclipse 👀#HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THAT LITTLE MEOW MEOW #I miss that fucker 🥹#the darkling #pro darkling #aleksander morozova #pro aleksander morozova #darklina #pro darklina #alarkling #pro alarkling #grishaverse #shadow and bone #alina starkov #grishaverse trilogy

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wa-royal-tea · 2 months

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Previous | Beginning | Next

(Transcript under the cut - Click Pics for HQ Version!)

@thebrixtons

Author’s Note: The story Alfie is reading to the children is loosely inspired by the Malay Folklore; Legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang

Ginny (on the phone): Can we add fairy lights around the dance platform? Maybe some canopy curtains too?

Catalina: What colour do you want it to be in?

Ginny: Maybe white? Or do you have any other suggestions?

Indirah: I think white is good. Maybe we can hang the fairy lights on the curtains too.

Ginny: Ooh~ Good idea!

Catalina: Alright, do you have any other decorations you want to add?

Ginny: Well, I do have something in mind…

*knock knock*

Rainier (from outside the room): Ginny? Are you in there?

Ginny: Yeah! Don’t come in!

Rainier: Why? What are you doing in there?

Ginny: I’m working on my dress. You can’t see it yet!

Rainier: *chuckles* Okay~ I made strawberry cheesecake for tea time. Come and eat with me when you’re done~

Ginny: Alright. Give me a minute!

Ginny *thinking*: Hmm the wedding dress is almost done. All that is left are the bridesmaid's dresses.

*phone rings*

Alfie: Don’t pick it up.

Catalina: *breathless* It’s Ginny’s ringtone. I think she wants to talk about the wedding preparation.

Alfie: Urgh, cockblocker.

Catalina: *giggles*

Catalina: Hey, Ginny. What’s up?

Catalina: Mhm, I see…

Catalina: Oh, I think I already— *gasps*

Catalina: Wh-what are you doing?

Alfie: Don’t mind me. Continue the call.

Catalina: Alfie— Sorry, Ginny. Can you repeat that?

Catalina: *voice shaking* Y-yeah. I think red is nice.

Catalina: *gasps* I-I’m fine. I…I accidentally dropped something.

Catalina: *breathless* It’s getting late here. C-can we continue the call tomorrow? Yeah, okay bye.

Alfie: *playfully* Done already? I was just getting started.

Catalina: You are in a big trouble, Mr. Frederick.

Alfie: Ooh~ I’m so scared.

Catalina: You’re not sleeping tonight until I’m done with you.

Alfie: Is that a threat, Mrs. Frederick?

Catalina: *scoffs* It’s a promise.

Indirah: Wow, you ordered more than usual. Are you getting the cinnamon roll for Alfie?

Catalina: Huh? This? Nope. They’re mine!

Indirah: Whoa, you must be very hungry. I thought you hate those?

Catalina: I just want to give it a try. They’re not too bad!

Indirah: *chuckles* I’m glad you’re enjoying them then.

[Scene transitions to Lina and Alfie going on an engagement, maybe cutting ribbons for the opening of the children’s library? Alfie reads a book for the children.]

Alfie:…the King fell in love with the Princess after seeing her beauty and asks for her hand in marriage. But the Princess has set several conditions for him before she can agree to his proposal.

Ali: What are the conditions?

Hanna: Yeah! Tell us, Mr. Prince!

Alfie: The Princess’ conditions are; the King must build a golden palace for her to live in and a golden bridge all the way from Mount Belcoast to Mount Silvie for her to walk to and from. She then would also want seven barrels of tears from a young maiden for her to bathe in. And a bowl of the blood of the King’s young heir.

Hope: Whoa! That sounds crazy impossible!

Ali: Right? Why would she give him all that conditions?

Catalina: Well, that’s actually her way of subtly telling him that she doesn’t want to marry him.

Alfie: Exactly. And in the end, the King got the hint and returned to his Kingdom. He’d rather not sacrifice his child just to marry someone.

Hanna: Wah~ The King is a good dad! Just like my appa!

Hope: Tell us more stories, please!

Catalina: You’re going to be a great dad one day, Alfie.

Alfie: Why’d you say that?

Catalina: You’re good with kids. And I know you’re going to be great to our kids.

Catalina: It’s just like a dream I had. You and the children, asleep on the bed after you read them bedtime stories.

Catalina: Just remembering that dream again makes me so happy.

Ginny: *content sigh* This feels like a dream. Everything feels so perfect.

Rainier: Well, if it is. I don’t want to wake up.

Ginny: I can’t wait for our wedding. It’s going to be perfect.

Rainier: I know. I can’t wait too. We’ve waited so long for this.

Ginny: You make me so happy. I don’t deserve you.

Rainier: You do. You deserve everything good in this world.

Rainier: And I’ll continue to make you happy. Until we’re old and grey.

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itskindofidontknow · 10 months

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What dreams know about love?

Dream of The Endless/Morpheus x Love!OFC

Summary: The Queen of Love has grown used to the absence of her husband, the Dream King. After banning her from the Dreaming, they only saw each other when Morpheus summoned her for social or marital duties. He would go decades without calling for her, enamorated by a variety of mistresses. It broke Love's heart. Not that her husband cared. However, after being imprisioned for a century, The Dream King wants to regain his Queen's love. She doesn't believe him, not after centuries of neglect. The question is: Can dreams repair a broken heart?

Tag: Established relationship, arranged marriage, regency romance, eventual happy ending, angst, morpheus is a dick prepare to hate, love is eoster from west germanic mythology, typos are to be expected

A/N: First time bringing my work here. I posted this on my A03 it has multiple chapters, that I'll probably post it here, if you guys like. I am heavily inspired in Pride and Prejudice, Bridgertons, Marriage Story, Scenes from a Marriage, and every primetime drama of rich white people that has a stepford smiler broken bird with an impecable taste in clothes. Comments, questions are all welcome!

"He is back" A shiver runs through the silk-like skin of the Queen of Love, as her ladies and lords in waiting stare at her. It's been years since her lord husband summoned her. But she could never forget his calling.

The sacred vow they shared make it impossible to ignore or forget. A mortal silence takes over the music room where a few seconds ago, you could hear young maidens from all the different realms , daughters from different gods, suns and stars in flower crowns laughing, while dancing to the elegant harp concerto, young lords trying to find words to finish sonnets, the older ones sitting in comfortable chairs around their Queen, keeping pleasant and polite conversations or moving lazily their handfans, more from habit than from heat. Since the climate is always perfect adequate at the Garden of Lovers. The light atmosphere changed the minute Lady Love mentioned her husband. The whole court felt the cold wind whoosing through the white curtains and the sudden change of the pink and orange skies to a blue grayish color. They knew it would rain later.

As it did, since their Queen got married to before the king of dreams vanished.

"I must make haste. Alone." She announces while her maidens got up. They exchange worried looks hesitating before bowing and staying still. She knows her husband well enough to know he is not going to be in his best mood. And her maidens do not deserve to deal with him. He never was in the best mood with Love. 'Oh no, only his lovers get to see that' The Queen bitterly thought exiting the music room, almost running through the salmon marble floors that decorate the whole palace.

"My Lady". She heard Elijah running to reach her. Elijah was her most trustworthy cupid, her husband once called him ‘The Queen's Lucienne’ "My Lady Eostre, if I may speak freely, you don't have to…" She raises a hand, stopping him before he could finish and most likely commit treason. Love knew exactly what he was going to say. How she had grounds to ignore his calling, to never come to his aid ever again. After the abuse and disrespect of over a milennium. She knew it. She thought of it for years. But no matter what she thought, they were still husband and wife, king and queen, and although marriage may not be of any importance to her husband, to Love it was the most sacred institution

" Yes, I have. I must. He is still my lord husband as I am his lady wife, we made a sacred vow" The Queen looked sternly to her cupid, warning him " My good cupid, be careful, Dream is still your king, and one could take your words for treason" It was well-known that it is not wise to commit treason against an Endless, and to even suggest that a Endless' wife shouldn't come to his request was a dangerous territory. He lowered his head in respect "Apologies my Queen. It is a joyful occasion if our King is back." A mechanic polite answer. She nods in agreement, even if his face was heavy with worry for Eostre and not at all showing any joy in Morpheus return.

The lovefolk was not fond of the Dream King. They saw how their Queen's spirit got crushed with a loveless marriage over the centuries. How careless, and neglectful her husband was. Everytime Love would come back from the Dreaming, the entire Garden flooded with rain, mirroring the Queen 's tears, as she would lock herself in the bedroom and cry for days. She could never tell which was worse: Her husband ignoring her, without even a single kind word or a glance or when he impatiently acknowledged her, treating her as she was a burden to bear, a constant annoyance he needed to deal with.

The Queen of Love, however, believed in love, she believed that if she just tried hard enough, Morpheus would see her devotion, and they could actually have a happy fulfilling marriage. Love, better than anyone else, knew that most arranged marriages were a disaster. However as anthropomorphic manifestations of love and dreams, they weren't so different.

Mortals either dreamed of love or loved to dream for as long as they were created. Their marriage made sense. They even inspired the same mortal in two different occasions. He inspired a play called Midsummer Night's Dream, and she inspired Romeo and Juliet. They could be happy. She strongly believed in it.

How naive she was.

Dream didn't agree with their union from the beginning. A trick from his dear sibling, Desire, that became a political marriage. When Dream realize his sibling’s trap, it was already too late. Lady Love was infatuated by the love letters she received from her fiance (who, she later discovered, never wrote her any letter. Desire did. Misleading Love to elope). A few mischievous squemes made their union impossible not to happen.

As a Queen, Eoster tried for years everything a good monarch could: She tried to learn everything about the Dreaming, followed Lucienne around, asking for help to understand the dreamfolk, the laws of the Dreaming. Everything in her power to best fulfill her duties and help her husband with the burdens of a realm. She learnt how to love the dreamfolk, to care for them, to even bring peace of mind to distressed nightmares, to explain and defend her husband's harsh ways, to ease heavy hearts. It was easy for the dreamfolk to adore and become devoted to The Queen of Love.

As a wife, Love was by Morpheus' side at every official event and Endless reunion. She wanted to be more than just a lady wife, she wanted to be his partner. So eager to be a part of his life, although he didn't seem interested to be a part of hers.

Never even bothering to visit the Garden of Lovers, his wife's realm. Even with the king neglect and coldness, the Queen kept loyal and faithful. Dream could scan her sleep and never find any sinnful thought about a secret lover. She never wished for anyone besides him. Even with plenty of opportunities and suitors, her doves bringing letters of poems and sonnets from devoted mortals to sun-gods, praising her beauty, eager for her kisses, suffering from her loyalty, even then, Love never took a lover or indulged in immoral activities.

Eoster was ever obedient and submissive. An Endless outranked her, so due to her status. and to tradition, she never spoke out of turn or raised her voice. She always abide by his commands and attended to his every need. Even in private, she was dutiful. Never denying her husband, opening her legs to welcome him, whenever and wherever he saw fit. She would let him rip off beautiful long nightgowns, designed especially for nuptials, gladly taking him for as long as he wanted. Most times, she didn't take great pleasure in it. and Morpheus always seemed to be performing a duty. He didn't whisper sweet nothings, was gentle or cared for her after.

That was the first piece of her heart to be broken by her husband. To realize she was nothing but a quick-release for him. Only useful to scratch an itch he happened to have. As a goddess of love, purity, marriage and fertility, she knew how intimacy between lovers could be of burning passion, beautiful, caring, a true lovers' dance. How cruel her husband was to deny her, of all entities, even this pleasure. But he did. And the worst part was that Love knew he didn't even know he was causing pain, he just didn't care enough.

Another thing she didn't expect was that they almost never shared his bed for the night. Most of the times, after fulfilling the Dream King's needs in bed. She would be dismissed to her private chambers. ‘Like a common whore’ she often thought. If Morpheus ever thought of her, embarrassed, half-naked, wrapped in sheets, tip toeing crossing the corridor to her room, he never said anything. Love would especially be ashamed when bumping into Lucienne. The librarian always offered a respectful bow, looking over her glasses. Professionalism wouldn't let her say a thing, but the Queen could see the pity in the librarian's eyes, as Lucienne could see the Queen’s cheeks wet of tears.

As she savoryly remembers the nights of being used and discarded, she squeezes Elijah hand in reassurance "My sweet love child, worry not. I'll be back before you know it".

And just like that, the Queen of Love returned to her husband.

#the sandman fanfic #dream of the endless fanfic #the sandman #morpheus x reader #morpheus x wife #morpheus x ofc #dream of the endless x reader #lord morpheus #eoster #queen of love #sandman netflix

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marvelmaniac715 · 1 month

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I made Webby and the Lords in Black on Sims 4 a while ago:

Here’s Wiggly:

I was really proud of his hair. I also gave every Lord and Webby their own special room/building, so here’s Wiggly’s:

Decorating isn’t my strong suit but his room was the most fun to design, I was thinking mostly of a grand palace, mostly in green, with a fireplace and a table with thrones for him and his siblings to meet at - notice the white throne for Webby?

Here’s Pokey:

I couldn’t find a beret so I went for a Phantom of the Opera style fedora, but the eyes I found were PERFECT (side note - they are all spell casters because that made the most sense considering their godly powers). Here’s Pokey’s room:

I’ll be honest, I accidentally mostly forgot to give him instruments, my idea for this room was to explore his different interests because he spends most of TGWDLM trying to figure out what people want, and that’s reflected in the different activities in his room. I also gave him cool wallpaper that reminded me of a beehive as a cute nod to that - I think I gave him a violin in the end that you can only really see from a different angle.

Here’s Tinky:

My inspiration for Tinky’s look here was anime characters, much like in NPMD, but I found the perfect goat eyes for him that totally add to his look. Here’s Tinky’s room:

I gave Tinky every clock I could find, but the vibes of the room were definitely meant to replicate the cube with insane patterns meant to drive someone mad; there’s a rock climbing wall in the corner that I think alludes to Tinky’s feral energy.

Here’s Blinky:

I’ll be honest; this hairstyle for Blinky was what inspired me to recreate the eldritch siblings on the Sims, it just seemed perfect, and of course I made his eyes massive so he can have a good look at everyone. The sunglasses also seemed pretty accurate to me. Here’s Blinky’s room:

My idea for this room was to give Blinky things to watch - so there’s loads of tvs, a camera, comfy chairs and even spy tech in a corner in case shoes get too unrealistic for him. A small detail that I wanted to point out is that in every room for a Lord, I have placed lava lamps on their bedside tables that match their colours, funnily enough I just found them in the game anyway and they were a perfect fit.

Here’s Nibbly:

A fluffy jacket, pigtails and a big mouth, what else do you need for an accurate Nibbly? I love that jacket, I wish I owned it in real life. Here‘s Nibbly’s room:

Okay, this is essentially a fancy kitchen with a cupcake machine, a wardrobe, a vanity and a bed - I ran out of ideas here. Still, I think it’s cute and I think Nibbly would like it if he ever got midnight food cravings. This room could save lives.

Finally, here’s Webby:

I honestly think that Webby is the most accurate, I was looking at reference images for all of them but that dress seems like it’s been ripped right from the screen, not to mention her hair. I’m proud of this Webby, I can sleep well at night knowing I’ve at least done her justice. Here’s Webby’s room:

I was definitely going for ‘ethereal’ when I designed this room, with a chill, relaxing vibe - what could be more relaxing than loads of fairy lights? I also made it a priority to give Webby plants to show that she is encouraging new life instead of crushing it like her brothers - the larger amount of windows and lights also are meant to suggest that she’s a kinder, more moral/good person.

If you like my recreations, they are all together on the Sims gallery, just search for the Lords in Black and Webby or type in my EA ID, sparklefishkatie (shameless self-promotion) because I’ve put a lot of stuff on there over the years. Now; these guys are quite old, you might have to scroll back to find them, and I can’t actually remember if I put their rooms on the gallery, if I didn’t please let me know if you want them because I’ll absolutely put them up. If you’ve read to the bottom of this post, you’re the best, thanks a lot and please download these characters if you play Sims 4! 💕

#team starkid #starkid #hatchetfield #hatchetverse #the hatchetfield series #hatchetblr #lords in black #the lords in black #webby hatchetfield #sims 4 #gaming #sims 4 gameplay #sims 4 screenshots #the sims 4

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denerdnr · 3 months

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Vanderbilt Triple Palace: the daughters' homes

Completed in 1882, William H. Vanderbilt's Triple Palace, located at 640 Fifth Avenue in New York, consisted of two buildings: a single-family unit to the south and a two-family unit to the north. William lived in the south unit, while the north unit, which is the focus of this post, was a double mansion, inhabited by two of his daughters, Emily T. Vanderbilt Sloane and Margaret L. Vanderbilt Shepard and their respective families.

The mansion was designed in Doric and Corinthian styles with a facade covered in brownstone, but as I didn't have all the elements in that color, I used gray limestone. For the interior decoration, I was inspired by the portraits of each of the owners. In the left part of the house, which belonged to Emily, the rococo style predominates in yellow, light blue and white. The right side, Margaret's, is more Victorian in style, with lots of wood paneling and red brocade on the walls.

As it's a double house, I think it's perfect for playing with The Sims 4 For Rent expansion :)

#sims 4 #the sims 4 #historical sims #the gilded age #ts4 build #vanderbiltfamily #vanderbilt

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the2ight2eer · 14 days

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Hey gang! I hate the colors on this one (I literally NEVER use colors so… yeah, those are privy to change), but here is part 1 of my (more thorough) Trellis redesign!

(I warned you, the colors are an eyesore 😭)

As I’ve mentioned before, this design is inspired by Ukrainian, Bulgarian, and Middle Eastern clothing.

The neck piece is a Lemko seed bead necklace

The face paint is inspired by Croatian hand tattoos and North African face tattoos- they serve as blessings, and different symbols mean different things. The line down his chin is standard (almost all elves wake up in the morning, say their prayer and draw their chin line), a blessing from Vrasuta the sun goddess, and the symbol on his forehead is a blessing of luck (most soldiers use this one)

The armor on the arms is inspired by middle age middle eastern armor- “beetle shell armor” very hard and matte armor plates that are both decorative and functional

The pants and shirt are inspired by vyshyvakna (as well as the sash)- If I could change one thing about this drawing, it would be to make the sash less ugly, and reverse the blue and white

The boots I saw only once on a drawing of a Bulgarian folk outfit (I apologize I do not remember what they are called) - but I think that they would be “sand boots”, very light and airy, yet it’s almost impossible for sand to get in

My AU takes place in a 1940s-1950’s setting, so I added a couple of more “modern” touches, like an army chest vest and some… I don’t know what to call them, leather bracers?

His signature weapons are two retractable Shashkas which channel his stone power. He was always sent on stealth missions, so long range weapons aren’t really his forte

Throughout my sketches I write his name as Tręlis (tree-less), which is his name in my AU, but I’ll keep using his canon name in my posts so I don’t confuse anyone.

Part 2 will be his palace clothes which is a little less story centric and a lot more self indulgent because I just like dressing boys up in pretty outfits 💪

#the first time I posted this Tumblr flagged it at mature?#so uh… yeah idk why #amulet series #kazu kibuishi #prince trellis #amulet comic #cam’samuletrewrite

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tobitofunction · 1 year

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🐉 Part 1

Set after the events of the Last Airbender, Zuko is Firelord and over 18. The reader is a Targaryen, so silver hair and purple eyes but the character otherwise have any description of hair texture or skin tone

Long and has mentions of incest as game of thrones inspired characters

y/d- your dad (or any male name)

Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 part5 part6 part 7 part 8 part 9

“So where we going, Uncle?” Zuko asked,” An Island which is nearly double the size of the amber island which is located near Crescent Island, where a family of silver-haired people lives, "he said lifting his cup to his lips,” Is this all we are getting?” Sokka asked,” You shouldn’t even be here, only Aang, me and uncle-“,” But where is the fun in that. You owe me a life-changing field trip flame boy” Toph said,” Well, it’s been said that they are closer to the gods than us. The fire nation families have been trying to marry into them for generations but they always decline” Iroh continued,” Can’t blame them, wouldn’t want to marry into that either” Katara said gaining a soft nudge from Aang,” The Targaryen family has some queer costumes anyway so I doubt we are getting anywhere anyway” Iroh shrugged,” Wait is this a trip to get Zuko a wife” Sokka said with a big smile,” Oooh this is going to gooood” Toph smirked while rubbing her fist. Zuko was about to open his mouth when a large gust of wind knocked him onto the floor of the ship,” What was-“ Zuko stopped mid-sentence when he saw the reason he was knocked on the floor, a large white dragon was flying across the sky towards the direction they were heading,” I thought dragons were mostly extinct beside the two with the sun warriors” Aang said with wonder in his voice,” The Targaryen are from the Valyrian race, dragon blood is run through them is what people say” Iroh said looking with awe at the dragon flying majestically through the orangy sky,” How come I never heard from the until now?”,” Because not many are left, my nephew. Only two families are left. That’s why they are often marrying…. Well within the family” Iroh sighed making everyone's eyes widen,” INCEST” Sokka gasped,” So Zuko, be less you. Having a Targaryen in our family would be very beneficial” Iroh said.

They soon arrived at the island, large and small dragons made of stone decorated the island, it looked similar enough to his own palace but unlike his, it carried a dark aura. “Fire Lord Zuko here, we are here to see your King” Iroh smiled at the guards who walked up to them,” Their armour looks so cool” Sokka fangirled at the dark armour, it was made up of multiple metal panels which were held together by dark red leather, from far away the armour gave the illusion of scales which fitted with the design of their helms, a dragons head.

“Fire Lord, it’s an honour to have you here,” an older man said, his hair like Iroh said was silver and went towards his shoulders, he carried a friendly smile which seemed genuine, and his voice was similar to his Uncle and carried a similar aura as well. His throne room was similar to his own, with open flames everywhere making the room nice and warm, the symbol of the house, a red three-headed dragon on black fabric was hanging behind the King’s seat. “An honour my Lord,” another man said, he also had white hair which went past his shoulder, and he seemed friendly enough but also more worn out, he, however, wore a different symbol, a silver seahorse on a sea green field. “ Iroh, or should I call The Dragon of the West?”,” Iroh is alright your majesty” Iroh smiled,” I am embarrassed to say my daughter isn't here yet. Riding that dragon of hers if I should guess. I forgot call me y/d” he smiled,” This Lord Coryls, he’s married to my cousin. He is part of the other Valyrian family which has survived the doom”,” The doom?” Aang asked curiously,” Avatar Aang, what a privilege to have you under our roof” y/d said bowing his head,” Thank you for having us,” Aang said politely,” If you want to hear more about the history of our people ask my daughter if she ever decided to show up”,” The Princess, is quite something I hope the Fire Lord can handle her, my son and she are good friends-”,” Lord Coryls is trying to forge a marriage between them”,” Well my majesty, not many of us are left, and blood purity-”,” Shh, he is the Fire Lord, he is the most important person in the fire nation. I might hold the title of King but that’s all it is, a title which only exists here. A marriage to Zuko would benefit both of us, isn't that right?” Zuko cheeks began to darken, he knew that he would be forced into a marriage to have heirs but it still is embarrassing to happen in front of all his friends, Zuko was about to open his mouth when Toph cut him off,” Someone is coming” she said turning towards the door where you soon stepped out, like your dad and Lord Coryls you had silver hair, which bounced with every step you took, the light of the open fires illuminated your hair making you seem even more out the world “I’m sorry” you said with a tide lipped smile and quickly passing Zuko, you gave him a quick glance revelling your lavender coloured eyes,” What’s that smell?” Toph said,” Dragon,” Lord Coryls said,” It was beautiful weather so I wouldn’t hold it against the Princess,” Zuko said scratching the back of his head,” This is my oldest y/n, my heir,” he said squeezing your hand,” Well, your wife is pregnant and if it’s a boy-”,” She still is heir to the throne” your dad cut Corlys off,” Y/N, show the fire Lord and his friends the dragon pit and the rest of the island. I want to talk to Iroh alone” you nodded.

“Sorry for knocking you on the floor earlier on,” you said with a grimace,” It’s fine but I thought only two dragons are left and they live on the crescent island?” Zuko and Aang asked simunatsly,” It’s complicated, before the doom of my race their were many more dragons but with the doom, the dragons died alongside my people. My family and Lord Coryls the Velyrion are the only ones left” you smiled,” We came not far from fire nation itself, well what the fire nation would become, our ancestors brought as many dragon eggs as possible but not many of them hatched. An adult dragon a pure white one, the oldest at the time, left, this was around the time-bending was bestowed to the people by”,” The Lion Turtles” Aang interrupted,” Yes, the dragon who left helped teach the people about their bending mostly the first Avatar Wan” you said,” What about the dragons with the sun warriors?”,”They are the dragons which came from the time of old. The sun warriors are the first people my ancestors met, the first people who learned from the dragons besides Wan of course. As the Valyrian never got the powers to bend we gifted them with our oldest dragons, so they teach people the true meaning of fire bending, with one condition. We get any eggs laid from them” you said stopping in front of a large cave where two men emerged, “Maghagon nyke ñuha zaldrīzes (Bring me my dragon)” you said making them nod,” How do you know all these facts?” Sokka asked making his friends sigh,” I read books and the story are being told for centuries within my family” you smiled as Sokka's cheeks redden in slight embarrassment at the question,” What did you say?” he said trying to change the topic,” I want to show you the dragon who knocked you out earlier, in the tongue of my ancestors” you smiled, soon the floor began to shake slightly, from the far distance Zuko could see something glitter in the dark,” Haku” you smiled at the dragon who emerged from the darkness. The gaang stepped back a bit, the dragon was slightly smaller than the dragons with the sun Warriors but larger than Appa,” This is Fire Lord Zuko and his friends so please don’t eat them” you whispered making them gulp,” They eat human flesh?” Katara asked as Sokka was trying to hide behind her,” So long it’s cooked” you shrugged,” Don’t worry, he won't hurt you.... so long you don’t try to hurt me. He’s quite protective of me” you said patting his white snout, his golden eyes didn't leave the group of friends,” Is he related to-”,” Ran and Shaw?” you cut off Aang who nodded,” Distantly, they didn't lay eggs for a century now but we have other dragons who do, not many have hatched even some of Ran and Shaw’s once are still unhatched” you shrugged, you walked towards Zuko and grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him towards the white beast who was now focusing on the young fire lord,” Stop being scared, he can sense that” you said as you felt him tremble slightly as the hot breath of the dragon hit his face,”sagon gentle (be gentle)” you commanded Haku would seem to relax at the statement, you placed Zuko’s hand on her snout. Zuko like Haku relaxed, the scaly skin underneath his palm was an unusual feeling but he got used to it quickly, he could feel the heat from underneath his skin as well,” It’s Valeryian, tradition to put a dragon egg inside a baby cradle if it hatches they are true blooded Valeryian” you explained as Zuko continued to gently stroke Haku’s nose,” You can touch him too, he seems to have noticed you aren't a threat” you said, Toph was the first to walk up and touch his side,” I can feel that he is huge” she smiled impressed,” He can grow bigger, it all depends on their life styles” you smiled as the other slowly made their way to Haku,” Also my dear fire lord, we have a gift for you” you said, just than the two men who brought the dragon out came towards the silver haired princess with a metal bowl carried on a metal pole, the bowl was rather large and had a dragon carved on it’s outside,” We have a good feeling with this one” you said lifting up the lid making steam erupt from it.

Zuko stepped closer, his eyes widening when making eye contact with the items covered in steam, a red scaley egg was sitting in the middle. You gently grabbed the egg from the container and handed it to Zuko,” Why? I can’t accept-“,” Yes you can, both Avatar Roku and Sozin had dragons, it’s in your blood” you shrugged taking the egg from him again and placing it back inside the heated bowl.” How do you know about Roku? My Uncle told me this only a while ago” Zuko said narrowing his eyes,” Why do you think my father finally accepted the fire nation's request for a marriage proposal?” you said with a lifted brow,” One more question?” Katara said moving away from Haku,” How did the fire nation not eliminate you and your dragons? Iroh lied about the once’s on Crescent Island but if the fire nation wanted a marriage they knew about this place-“,” I show you but be warned it’s not a pretty sight” you patted Haku’s neck,” I will be back soon” you smiled making him grunt.

You walked the Gaang to the other side of the island before stopping close to the cliff side,” Don’t fall” you warned as the group stepped closer to the side,” Wow” Sokka said softly seeing half-melted wrecks of Fire Nation ships at the bottom of the cliffs. Even with it being quite low you still see some shard remains of fire nation soldiers whose armour was melted to their remains,” Dragons once bound will defend their rider until death and some of the dragons' fires were so strong they could melt metal” you shrugged,” The dragon who did that is no longer with us”,” What happened to it?”,” Before the last fleet got destroyed they had a surprise attack on him, but they didn’t live to tell the tale so fire nation gave up on trying to conquer us, there were a couple survivors but after seeing what we have they changed sides and joined us” you said,” The dragon was the child of Ran and Shaw, one of their first and also their biggest at the time of his death he was bigger than them” you said,” My grandfather was his last rider” you said remembering the stories your parents told you about the large dragon. Zuko licked his lips,” Return to the palace, I want to speak to her alone”,” Marry her Zuko, she’s awesome” Sokka whispered-yelled as he walked past his friend.

“Thank you for the egg, my mom used to tell stories about dragons, positive stories on how majestic they are but my father ruined it by telling us about their murderous tendency, their love for human flesh,” Zuko said as the two of you began walking alongside the cliff,” They can be murderous but only if they feel in danger or if they are bounded if their rider is in danger. Also, dragons prefer sheep over humans” you smiled making Zuko chuckle,” Can I ask you a question Fire Lord?” you asked,” Do you want to get married or is it only duty you are seeking?” you asked,” Duty if I am being honest, not to offend you but I only recently got out of a relationship and I wasn’t eager to get back into one but my Uncle and the Council are pushing me into one. Uncle mostly because he’s afraid I will die alone as my personality isn’t something women crave” he said rubbing his neck,” I like your personality... the side I meet so far” you said making Zuko blush,” What about you?”,”As you heard my mother is pregnant and if it’s a boy people expect that my father will name him heir to whatever is left of the Valyrian race. My mother said woman’s battlefield is the birthing bed, something which I guess I have to get used to,” you shrugged,” I’m just doing what is expected of me, I can fight as hard as I want but they just marry me off anyway. If not to you then my cousin, my Uncle is already set to marry my other cousin” you played with your fingers licking your lips before looking to your left and seeing a small blue dragon dunk into the water and back out with a fish in its mouth, he threw the fish in the air and burned it with his fire before consuming it whole,” Dragon’s are so amazing, I can’t believe we nearly eradicated them all” Zuko said staring at the small dragon who was flying away,” Dragon’s are part of us, we came here together and I know we leave this planet together as well. Fire and Blood” you said continuing to walk,” I have more questions” Zuko said catching up with you,” Ask away, I am your tour guide, after all, I hope your friends find their way back to the palace in one piece” you mused,” They can protect themselves” Zuko said waving his hand dissmisvelly,” So you would be marrying your cousin if this doesn’t work out?” Zuko lifted a brow,” Yes, our blood and connection with the dragons have to do with magic, we tamed them through our magic and we believe the more we marry outside the family the more diluted our blood will come. That’s why my uncle and cousin are getting married, he actually.. never mind but we stopped using magic centuries ago, however so I guess we are clinging to the last bits of our culture” you said changing the topic of your Uncle quickly,” So being related to avatar and the fire nation family was enough to make your father think I am good enough to marry his only daughter. I’m honoured” Zuko chuckled ignoring your short quip about your Uncle,” And probably weirded out, incest isn't normal in other cultures,” you said knowing what Zuko wanted to say,” It be an honour to be your wife Zuko and to carry your children,” you said stopping and looking into Zuko’s golden eyes,” I will be honoured to have you as my wife and mother of my children,” he said looking into your purple eyes with a soft but unsure smile which mirrored yours.

“Oh, they have arrived. How was it?” Iroh asked, a long table with food had been set up. The gaang was there already sitting on the floor,” I have received a dragon egg Uncle” Zuko said happily and proudly while finding a seat beside his Uncle. You meanwhile sat beside your father who patted your head affectionally,” Where is mother?” you asked,” Tired, no need to worry though, she is a dragon” your father reassured,” Have two of you made peace with the idea of marriage?” Coryls asked, as you bit into your food,” We know our duties” you mused,” Where is your son anyway?” you hummed seeing the empty space between him and Katara, Coryls was about to say something when the door swung open revealing your cousin,” Sorry I’m late” he bowed his head, his blond locks falling off his shoulder slightly behind him entered his older sister,” Found him, he was near the Cannibals cave, saved him from being eaten” his sister said slapping the back of his head making him pout, both siblings found their seats,” My dear you know the rules” your aunt said to her youngest,” Who is the cannibal?” Toph asked,” A wild dragon, he like his name says likes to eat other dragons and humans who came near his cave. That’s why you won’t find any dragons near his cave” your father explained,” Cannibal just needs to have the right rider and we can use him if fire nation ever thinks of attacking again” the young Lord snarled making Zuko shift,” The Cannibal, dear cousin would eat you for breakfast and you have a dragon already,” you said with narrowed eyes,” Why can we only have one?”,” Y/N is right it was stupid of you to even try to claim him” Coryls snapped at his son,” Well this got awkward real quickly” Sokka said to his sister who nudged him in response. Your cousin didn’t respond to his father but just ate,” So about the marriage” your aunt smiled,” We talked and we are ready to perform our duty”,” That’s good to hear” she smiled in response,” My dear, as you know Lord Coryls wasn't happy with the decision but we came to a form of agreement which the fire lord needs to approve” Zuko lifted a brow and looked at Iroh who looked everywhere but his nephew’s direction,” Which is, as you know your Uncle is set to marry Leena?” you nodded slowly and looked at your cousin who looked confused at why her marriage is being brought up,” We thought your firstborn will be married to her firstborn” you licked your lips at the mention of your Uncles wedding, you took a deep breath and held your head up high before answering,” Did Uncle approve?”,”We have sent him a message but you know your Uncle, he is fine with that” Corlys said, you gave him a fake smile,” Are we sure? Uncle isn’t really fond of -”,” If it means we can continue to have a sense of blood purity he will agree” your father said with narrowed eyes,” Isn’t that still incest?” Sokka mumbled to Katara with a weirded-out face but again only received a nudge from her but her facial expression he could tell she felt the same.” It’s fine... I guess, y/n told me it’s part of your tradition how can I say something about that” Zuko said simply, he wasn’t really happy about the idea, not because of the incest even though it was a part of it, it was more the part of taking his future’s son ability to fall in love away from him. Yes, he is in an arranged marriage, but unlike his son, Zuko was able to see other people before that and hoped you did too. Zuko gave you a look and he noticed your demeanour shifting, you looked slightly upset,” Father, I'm not hungry can I go to my room?” you asked,” Y/n, the servants put a lot of work into the food and we have guest” your dad slightly scolded,” I’m sorry” you mumbled bowing your head before walking out the room.

“y/n, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at dinner?” your mom asked trying to sit up in her bed but her giant belly made it difficult for her,” Wasn’t hungry” you mumbled crawling onto her bed,” Is something wrong?” she asked you concerned,” Father just married off my non-existing child to Uncle’s non-existing child” you pouted,” Do you at least like the fire Lord?” she asked,” Zuko is sweet, he be a good husband but he agreed to marry off our child” your mother sighed,” He probably thought it is the right thing to do, it’s still to soon to think about that my child. Just be happy that Zuko isn’t a horrible person, but I have a feeling there is more to it than your unborn child being married off. You don’t like the idea of your Uncle getting married” she said nudging your knee,” I have my duty mother and so does he” she gave you a firm look,” He might be family but he’s nothing but trouble, get him out of your head my dear” you nodded and looked your mother up and down, her skin was clammy and duller” Will I look this bad once I'm pregnant?”, your mother rolled her eyes at you,” Charming, and yes at least I hope so” she joked making you smile,” Stay strong mom” you smiled,” I will don’t worry”.

You left your mother's bedroom and walked outside to ride Haku when you heard Zuko call your name,” Did I upset you?” he asked directly,” You only agreed to a marriage pact for our unborn child, I thought with us it can be different, our children can choose who they marry” you shrugged making Zuko sigh,” I wanted that too but it was the only option, I don’t want to make a rift between your family y/n” he said honestly as the two of you walked towards the dragon pit.” I understand, I hope we don’t have a son then” you said making Zuko look at you,” I hope we do, and I hope he will fall in love with his wife like I hope I will fall in love with you, even though I think I’m already falling” he said making your cheeks heat up,” We only know each other for a few hours” you chuckled rubbing your arms,” I know, it’s crazy, I love hearing the tales of your ancestors, how excited you look when explaining it to us” he said licking his lips,” Also you didn’t speak of my scar yet which is a bonus in my book” you chuckled,” I assumed it was something traumatic and I we don’t know each other well enough to trauma dump on each other yet” you shrugged,” I appreciate it”. You stayed silent for a while once you arrived at the Dragonpit,” Want to ride Haku with me? He’s big enough for two” Zuko's eyes widen,” Are you serious? I will be honoured” you giggled at his excitement.

“Just hold on tight, it can be quite bumpy,” you said settling into Haku’s saddle,” Also it’s Haku’s first time carrying two people, so don’t move around much,” you said feeling Zuko’s arms wrap around your waist tightly,” Issi ao sȳz Haku? sōvegon (Are you good Haku? Fly)” you said patting his neck, Haku began to trot before taking off into the air. Your hair was flying into Zuko’s face tickling him slightly,” How are you doing?” you asked, your voice slightly raised due to the altitude,” This is amazing, it’s so different to Appa” he said looking around, he couldn’t explain but flying on a dragon back is such a different feeling than flying on a sky bison or a hot air balloon. He felt like he belonged, free of any responsibility,” How resistant are you to heat?” you asked looking back slightly,” Tolerable” he said into your hair,” Then get closer to me” you said, Zuko didn't question it and pulled himself closer to you as much as he can,” Dracarys” you shouted, Zuko peaked from behind his shoulder as Haku blasted fire and flew through it, Zuko gasped slightly and hid his face from the flames but he could barely feel them on his body.” It was scary cool” he said into your ear,” Let’s land on Crescent Island, don’t want to make Haku to tired” you said,”tegun (land)” you said.

“So how was it” you smiled as Zuko slipped down on the floor,” Undesrcibel, I hope the dragon hatches and I can do the same,” he said,” They grow faster than one can imagine. Mostly if they live outside,” you said rubbing Haiku’s neck,” Was the fire too much?” you asked,” I could just feel you hide away a bit when it happens,” you said,” No it wasn’t too much but... the scar on my face happened due to an Agni Kai against my father,” he said touching it gently,” You fought against your own father? And he scared you like this?” you asked with wide eyes,” He never loved me, I want to be different to him, I want to be more like my mother who always showed me kindness and was full of love,” he said with a soft smile,” She sounds amazing”,” She is, she vanished when I was young, many believed she is dead but I know she’s out there and my father is the reason she went missing” he scoffed and laughed, you furrowed your brows at that ” I’m trauma dumping... sorry too soon maybe?” he said awkwardly,” It’s fine, we be married sooner or later, it’s nice to know my husband a bit better” he smiled softly,” And you stink of dragon” you added making him laugh,”Can say the same thing about you” he said pushing you gently. Haku meanwhile had his head lying on the ground, slightly exhausted from carrying people.”Princess y/n?” a male voice said, it was the Chief of the Sun Warriors,” Sorry for the intrusion Chief, I just wanted Haku to rest, he carried to people for the first time” you said with a bow of your head,” It’s fine, it’s always good to see the dragons. Someone fetch Haku some food” he said making one of the warrior's nod and walk off,” I remember you boy, the crown Prince of the fire nation has returned” he said looking Zuko up and down with a smirk,” Actually he’s the fire lord now and we are set to marry” you said making the Chief eyes widen slightly,” I hope you be wedded by the tradition of your house” he said,” I hope so too” you smiled,” Than it’s settled we marry in the tradition of your house, whatever it is” he smiled,” It involves the masters and a little bit of blood” you said,” Blood, that’s lovely”,” Squeamish?” he shook his head while you try suppress a smile,”The wedding tradition of the Valyrian race is a wonderful ceremony we will be happy to host Princess like we did her family for thousand of years” he said.

Haku feasted on his food while you and Zuko were having a casual conversation,” Did you have any relationship?” Zuko asked, you licked your lips and leaned back into Haku,” In a way yes” you said,” In a way?” Zuko said,” It wasn’t anything serious my Father made sure of it. You don’t need to worry,” you said making Zuko confused,” Worried about what?” you laughed at his confused face,” My virtue is still intact,” you said seeing Zuko’s face get redder,” Your family is very traditional in a way,” he said rubbing his face, you smiled. Suddenly you felt Haku move behind you, his head lifted up in the sky looking into the direction of your home,” What is it, boy?” you asked standing up, you squinted your eyes and looked in the direction Haku was looking,” Is that another dragon?” Zuko asked with excitement in his voice,” It’s Carax, my Uncle’s dragon” you whispered making Zuko nod, you mentioned him a couple of times making Zuko curious enough about him. Soon a large red and black dragon landed, which was slightly bigger than Haku and more threatening to look than all the dragons he saw so far. A tall and bulky male with shoulder-length silver hair climbed down off the dragon, he patted the neck of the dragon before walking towards the two young adults. Zuko noticed that he was slightly younger than your father but was less friendly looking, his scar which dragged from his forehead through his left eye and down his chin didn’t help either.” Uncle” you greeted folding your hands behind your back, Zuko stepping closer to you,” Princess, I was surprised to see you here” he smiled not sparing a look to Zuko yet,” I wanted to show my future husband the area” you said looking at Zuko who waved awkwardly,” Fire Lord Zuko, my brother has sent me a message about your arranged marriage between our children” he said pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket,” Yes, I hope it’s okay with you” he said carefully,” I just don’t understand if the marriage between our future children is happening to keep our blood strong why marry my niece of to someone outside the family” he said looking down at Zuko with a lifted brow,” He’s related to the Avatar, Roku was the grandfather of his mother” you answered for Zuko,” Ahh, the Avatar who disappeared and let the fire nation hunt dragons like they are deer” your Uncle snarked,” I will try my best to revive the dragon population and make sure that no harm will come to the remaining ones” Zuko said, your Uncle didn’t say anything but just turned to you,” I have something for you, see it as an early wedding gift” he said making you lift a brow, he reached inside his pocket and pulled out a necklace,” Valyrian steel ” he said holding it in front of your face,” I heard about it” Zuko mumbled,” Really?” you smiled making your Uncle sigh,” Sokka said it’s one of the rarest metal on this planet, no one knows how to forge it or know’s it’s origins” he said,” It came from old Valyria, it was forge with the help of dragon fire but with the doom most of the steel got destroyed” your Uncle explained with neutral tone,”How did you get your hands on these?” you asked curious touching the necklace slightly,”Anything for my beautiful niece, turn around” he said, you gave Zuko a brief look before turning around and moving your hair so your Uncle came place the necklace around your neck. His fingers grazed your collarbone making you shiver slightly,” How does it look?” you asked Zuko,” It suits you well, I wish I brought something for you, mostly because you gifted me an egg” he said,” You gifted him an egg?” your Uncle asked annoyed,” He be part of the family soon, it would only make sense for him to have one and his ancestors had dragons as well” you defended making your Uncle roll his eyes,” His ancestor also destroyed most of the dragons”,” Zuko is different Uncle. Come on Zuko let’s go” you said climbing onto Haku.

“I’m sorry because of my Uncle,” you said with a grimace as you landed in front of the Dragon Pit,” It’s alright, I understand his hostility,” he said as the dragon keepers led Haku back into the pit. “I really enjoyed your stay” you smiled,” I enjoyed it to and I do not hate the idea of having an arranged marriage anymore,” he said,” I can say the same thing”,” You're leaving tomorrow right?” Zuko nodded,” Then I will recommend getting some sleep, it be a long way” back.

You and Zuko parted ways,Zuko watched you disappear into your room before beginning to walk towards his. He walked past the throne room when he heard a loud discussion happening which made him curious, he looked around to see if anyone can catch his ears dropping but when he saw no one close by he leaned his ear against the door,” What do you want brother?”,” I want Y/N, you promised me anything I want when you made Coryls your advisor instead of. Give me your daughter, I don’t trust that boy, his descendants to the throne split the realm in half, marriage to him will put y/n life in danger and he can’t protect her the way I do” Zuko frowned, he knew that half of his nation didn’t like the idea of him being Fire Lord but putting you in danger isn’t something he thought off and thanks to Mai, he was able to put a group of Ozai supporters in jail.” She can protect herself and he’s Fire Lord, he can afford the best guards the four-nation has and he’s a fire bender who the master trusted enough to tell the true meaning behind fire bending” your father defended Zuko but his brother just scoffed,” Zuko is the right match for my daughter, they’re the same age and seemed to get along quite well. That’s the end of the discussion brother, y/ will marry the fire lord and you marry Leena. Your children will be married once they are of age” he said with a tone which didn't leave room for any more discussion. Zuko heard heavy footsteps coming towards the door which made the young lord panic and run off towards his room.

“So where did the two of you go after dinner?” Sokka said wiggling his brows with a cheeky smile,” She took me on a flight on dragon back, it was truly amazing, nothing can beat that feeling” Zuko said with a fond smile,” Also I met her Uncle, he doesn’t seem to like me. I overheard a discussion between him and her father” Zuko said leaning against the railing of the boat,” He thinks I will bring her in danger as my reign split the realm in half” Zuko said,” But we have the Kyoshi warriors and they won’t let anything happen to you or your family and you have us as well” Aang said trying to lighten the mood,” Aang is right, y/n father would have thought that risk through, don’t worry too much Zuko” Katara said patting Zuko’s shoulder. Zuko nodded and looked at his friends with a thankful smile,” I hope I’m not disturbing?” you asked making Zuko turn,” No, we are just discussing some things. What are you doing here?” Zuko asked,” My father and Iroh thought it would be nice for me to look at the Palace, to get used to it already. I hope that’s okay with you” Zuko nodded,”Of course, what about Haku?”,” He be staying, my Uncle advised against it, he doesn’t want people who still support your father to know about their existence yet” you said with a tight-lipped smile,” That’s understandable, I just wanted to say I will protect you, my father’s support’s will not lay a hand on you. I promise you that” he said firmly,” I know”.

#atla zuko #avatar zuko #zuko x reader #zuko x you #zuko x y/n #zuko x fem!reader #a #atla x reader #avatar the last airbender #alta zuko x reader

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vestaignis · 8 months

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Саммеццано — красивейший замок Италии. Sammezzano is the most beautiful castle in Italy.

Замок Самм��ццано (Castello di Sammezzano), расположенный в регионе Тоскана, на территории коммуны Реджелло, на окраине Флоренции и рядом с городком Леччио (Leccio) (Италия).Замок был построен в 780 году и за долгое своё существование принадлежал многим знатным семьям.

Имение Саммеццано до 1488 года принадлежало флорентийской семье Гуалтьеротти, затем усадьбой завладели Биндо Альтовити и Джованни де Медичи. В 1564 году великий князь Козимо I установил вето на охоту и ловлю рыбы на обширной территории, прилегающей к замку, а заем преподнес в дар имение своему сыну Фердинанду, будущему великому герцогу Тосканы.

В начале XVII века усадьба была куплена королем Хименеcом Арагонским, а затем в 1816 перешла по наследству к семье Панчиатики в 1816. Именно маркиз Фердинандо Панчиатики Хименес Арагонский между 1853 и 1889 затеял реконструкцию усадьбы в необычный и привлекательный замок, выполненный в мавританском стиле, увлеченный восточным искусством, получившим широкое распространение в Западном Средиземноморье между концом одиннадцатого пятнадцатого века. Если фасад замка Саммеццано напоминает индийский мавзолей Тадж-Махал, то его внутренние украшения навеяны дворцом Альгамбра в Гранаде. Многочисленные и все абсолютно разные залы замка поражают роскошью отделки: среди них выделяются Павлиний зал , Зеркальный зал, зал Лилий, Белый зал и небольшая часовня, поражающие взгляд невероятным сочетанием ярких цветов. Всего замок насчитывает 365 комнат, по одной на один день года.

На сегодня, как ни прискорбно об этом говорить, роскошный замок Саммеццано продолжает пребывать в состоянии заброшенности. Формально замок находится в фазе реставрации, однако фактически работы в замке не ведутся.О нём заботятся волонтёры, и экскурсии в нём проводятся крайне редко.

Sammezzano Castle (Castello di Sammezzano), located in the Tuscany region, in the territory of the commune of Reggello, on the outskirts of Florence and near the town of Leccio (Italy). The castle was built in 780 and over its long existence belonged to many noble families. The Sammezzano estate belonged to the Florentine Gualtierotti family until 1488, then Bindo Altoviti and Giovanni de' Medici took possession of the estate. In 1564, Grand Duke Cosimo I vetoed hunting and fishing in the vast area surrounding the castle, and a loan gifted the estate to his son Ferdinand, the future Grand Duke of Tuscany.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the estate was purchased by King Jimenez of Aragon, and then in 1816 it was inherited by the Panciatici family in 1816. It was the Marquis Ferdinando Panciatici Jimenez of Aragon, between 1853 and 1889, who began the reconstruction of the estate into an unusual and attractive castle, made in the Moorish style, fascinated by the oriental an art that became widespread in the Western Mediterranean between the end of the eleventh and fifteenth centuries.

If the façade of Sammezzano Castle is reminiscent of the Indian mausoleum of the Taj Mahal, its interior decorations are inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Granada. The numerous and all completely different halls of the castle amaze with the luxury of decoration: among them, the Peacock Hall, the Hall of Mirrors, the Hall of Lilies, the White Hall and a small chapel stand out, striking the eye with an incredible combination of bright colors. In total, the castle has 365 rooms, one for each day of the year.

Today, no matter how sad it is to say, the luxurious Sammezzano Castle continues to be abandoned. Formally, the castle is in the restoration phase, but in fact no work is being carried out in the castle. Volunteers take care of it, and excursions are held extremely rarely.

Источник: http://italia-ru.com/page/zamok-sammetstsano-mavritanskii-oazis-serdtse-renessansnoi-toskany,

//tourpedia.ru/sammezzano/,

//italy4.me/toscana/castello-di-sammezzano.html,,

//zagge.ru/sammeccano-krasivejshij-zamok-italii/,

www.mirkrasiv.ru/articles/zamok-samecano-castello-di-sammezzano-toskana-italija.html/

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dilf-din · 11 months

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Suddenly

Chapter 4: Winter

Din Djarin x florist!reader

WC: 5300 (oops)

Warnings: absolutely none, all fluff and domestic bliss. No use of y/n but reader is female presenting and has a nickname.

A/N: the final chapter is here! I’ve had so much fun writing this little world. I already have a few one shots planned, so stay tuned! As always, inspired by Venus by Sleeping at Last. Enjoy, my loves 🩷🩵

I was a billion little pieces

'Til you pulled me into focus

Astronomy in reverse

It was me who was discovered

Winter on Nevarro was busy, despite the fact that the climate was so steady that all the days blurred together. Karga liked to celebrate the changing of the seasons. He said it boosted morale, made the people there seeking shelter feel like they were on a bigger, mid-rim planet. So even though the sun still beat down with the same intensity that it did when you arrived on the planet at the beginning of the year, the town square was decorated for a weeks-long winter equinox celebration. Though he had spent most of his life on the volcanic planet, Karga’s travels had taken him around the galaxy a few times. He fondly remembered the festivals he had observed in worlds with more extreme climates.

He had recruited you to help in the decorating efforts. Your apprentice, Tal’oh, had really come into his own the past few weeks. His broad frame made it easy for him to handle the deliveries of large clay pots, bags of soil, and heavy stones that came in several times a week. Your home gardening section of the store quickly moved inventory as everyone in town was taking to creating their own green oases on the dusty planet.

Despite his large stature and equally large hands, Tal’oh was also a natural when it came to floral arrangements. He delicately trimmed and placed flowers with a soft look of determination. His dark hair fell over his eyes while the tip of his tongue stuck out from his lips in total concentration. He had been a welcome addition to the shop, coming highly recommended from the townspeople when they saw your help wanted sign. He was the grandson of one Mrs. Greebs who had been selling yard ornaments in your storefront for a few months now. She made delicate metal frames filled with stained glass that cast luminous rainbows when they caught the light.

With some help to look after the every day responsibilities, you dedicated your time to creating a collection of wreaths for the townspeople. Using some of the planet’s native plants and briars, you wove together wooden, earthy designs that people flocked to your store for. Each time you set out a new display, they sold out within the afternoon. You also painted some small signs to commemorate the equinox, a simple scene of a bright white moon rising over the lava plains. Karga beamed with pride when you brought him the first samples.

“I knew you were the right person for the job! Your cheerful spirit is going to spread to every person who sees these hanging on people’s doors.”

You sheepishly accepted the praise, relieved that what you made was to the High Magistrate’s likings. He was hosting a feast at his palace at the end of the week that everyone had been busy preparing for. The extra influx of jobs was welcome to the hardworking people of Nevarro. Everyone brought their own skills to the cause. Carpenters fashioned the extra long tables to hold the elaborate meal that would be made by the local restauranteurs. The baker was tasked with creating an elaborate cake along with an array of sweet treats showcasing the local fruits and flavors of the planet. For a place that seemed to settle into its own factions, it was nice to see the community coming together like this. Karga had done a wonderful job of busting up the gangs that once ruled the streets, bringing a long sought after peace to the residents.

You were busy working on a new set of wreaths when you heard the familiar tinkle of the bell indicating someone had walked through the door.

“Be right there!” you called from the corner bench in the work room you had spread out on, carefully tying a bundle of branches together.

“We can wait,” your favorite smooth voice responded, as you saw Din appear in doorway with Grogu in his arms. Grogu wiggled with his hands out trying to get to you, drawing a laugh from your lips as you resigned to finish your project another time.

“Come here, little one,” you said gently taking him into your lap. He held his arms straight out to give you the closest thing to a hug someone that tiny could give. Din leaned forward to press his helmet to your forehead. Your free hand rose to rest on the side of it, and his own hand met you there, giving it a gentle squeeze. He had explained to you the meaning of the keldabe kiss in Mandalorian tradition, and you revered those touches even more than the few kisses you two had stolen over the past few months.

“To what do I owe this great pleasure?” you teased, helping Grogu down onto the floor so he could waddle through the greenhouse. Din carefully moved a pile of sticks over and sat on the bench next to you.

“You’ll be attending the feast at the end of the week, correct?”

You nodded, “I don’t think I have much of a choice. I’ll probably get roped into resolving some last minute decorating snafu.”

Din paused, “Would you like to go with me?”

You turned to face him, a smile lighting up your features, “Of course, I’d love that.” Your hand found his to give it a small squeeze, a touch for a touch, always keeping the score even.

The two of your gravitated towards each other whenever you were together. Always hands resting on arms or backs, the worn tips of his gloves brushing your hair behind your ears. When he left for bounties now, he always pressed tender kisses across your neck and jaw, saying they were meant to hold you over until his return. He had spent his entire life stuck behind a wall of metal, and now that he lowered his defenses to let you in, he couldn’t get enough. He craved nearness, hating the sight of you on the lava plains growing smaller behind him each time they departed.

You yourself were surprised with the quickness with which you had fallen for him. Din was easy to talk to. Maybe it was something about the fact that you couldn’t see any judgement in his eyes like you did talking to people face to face. You thought to yourself that, one day, if you were to ever see his own eyes laid bare before you, the same thing would be true. It wasn’t the mask or the beskar, it was just who he was to his core. He longed to understand others and to be understood himself. The Mandalorians were connected by creed, a loyalty engrained in their bloodline like the iron that made it red, but they were stoic people, reserved when it came feelings and personal matters. Din had always longed for more, hoping to one day meet someone he could bare his soul to. Grogu was the first one to make his proverbial armor crack, inching his way in until he occupied every chamber of Din’s heart. Now he felt those spaces expanding, leaving space for someone else to find their way through the labyrinth, someone like you.

He had agonized for days over asking you a simple question, to go with him to the feast. He knew what your answer would be. You had both expressed your fondness for one another, but he still had seedlings of doubt trying to take root.

With the first part of this interaction out of the way, he took a deep breath as he reached into the bag at his side.

“Then I hope you will accept this as a gift for the occasion,” he said, drawing a parcel out wrapped in brown paper and tied with a delicate blue ribbon.

“What is this?” you smiled, taking it into your lap and easily undoing the knot holding it together. The paper fell away to reveal a beautiful emerald gown with gold beading. You held it up to admire the detail and care in every stitch, hands running over the small, round beads. The back was low, the sleeves were capped with a sheer material, the body of the dress being something closer to velvet.

“Din,” you said breathlessly, “This must’ve cost a fortune.”

“Price is no issue when it comes to you, I picked it up on Coruscant a few months ago. I couldn’t help but think about how nice the color would be against against your skin,” he said softly, drawing some of the skirt up to hold against your arm.

“It’s beautiful.”

“And it will look beautiful on you,” he said, rising to go.

Grogu had wandered back in holding a few tan bean pods to snack on.

“Bye bye!” he squeaked out, opening and closing his hand in your direction like the small wave that babies do.

“Bye buddy,” you smiled.

“Goodbye, cyar’ika,” Din nodded, heading back towards the front of the store.

You sank back against the wall, clutching the bundle of paper and cloth to your chest, heartbeat pulsing all the way to your fingertips as you thought about dressing up for a date with him. The two of you had talked that one night in your apartment, and several times after that, but hadn’t yet had a chance to do something together like this. You dove back into your crafting session with newfound vigor, as if working faster would convince the clock to skip a few beats and jump forward in time to the weekend.

The time did in fact pass quickly. This was the busiest week you had had at the shop to date. It seemed like everyone wanted their own solstice decorations. You were so thankful for Tal’oh’s presence to help head off the rush. The night of the banquet, you closed down shop early, slipping Tal’oh an envelope full of credits.

“Consider it a holiday bonus,” you smiled.

“Thank you,” he said in awe, giving you a quick squeeze before running home to get change out of his dusty clothes.

You locked up the shop before retreating upstairs to get yourself ready. The green gown had been hanging on the door of your closet for days now, practically calling out to you to put it on. You tried it on the second you got home earlier in the week and twirled around your living room for hours. It was a good color for you. His gift giving had been impeccable since you first met, yet he continued to surprise you with his thoughtfulness.

After washing off today’s layer of dirt, you slipped into the cool material, reveling at the way it fit so snugly against your skin, as if it was made for you. It probably was, you wouldn’t put it past Din. With some fluffing of your hair, and a fun addition of some gold eyeliner to match the dress, you were satisfied. Din was supposed to pick you up snd walk with you there. The knock on your door came just as you secured the clasp of your necklace. It was an intricate web of golden flowers given to you by your grandmother. Your hand lingered on it for just a moment as your heart ached at the thought of her seeing you all dressed up like this.

You crossed the expanse of your room quickly so as not to keep your suitor waiting, swinging the door open with an eager smile. Din, of course, was sporting his armor. Although, it seemed that he had worn a nicer cape for the occasion than his usual tattered one. He stood clutching a bouquet of flowers you recognized as ones Tal’oh had arranged earlier that day.

“Hi,” you said shyly, gesturing for him to come in.

“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice tinged with a gentle awe.

“Thanks, my boyfriend got me this dress,” you joked doing a little spin.

“Boyfriend?”

“I’m not quite sure what to call you,” you laughed.

He chuckled, “I’ve never been a ‘boyfriend’ before.”

“Where’s Grogu?” you asked, noticing the lack of his usual companion.

“I dropped him off with Karga already. He’s always looking for ways to spend time with him,” the hint of annoyance in his voice drew another giggle from you. You took the flowers and set them carefully on the counter behind you.

“So you’re saying I have you all to myself?” you said coyly, running your hands up his chest plates. His own arms wrapped around your waist pulling you flush to him. Muscle memory took over like you were suddenly marionettes with someone else pulling the strings, and the two of you parted, his hands drawing the curtains, yours reaching for the black scarf he got you all those months ago. You found each other again, and the sound of air rushing from his helmet signified to you that your hands were free to roam, caress the sharp angles of his jaw and get tangled in the ends of his curls.

His always nuzzled his strong nose against yours, lips ghosting over your own as he whispered to you, a mix of Mando’a and basic. “Mesh’la. Pretty, pretty girl,” he murmured.

The two of you only ever allowed yourself a few moments of these touches, not wanting to wander too far from the creed.

“We’re gonna be late,” you whispered, sneaking one last kiss before he pulled the helmet back over his mysterious face.

The walk to the palace was a short one, it being just around the corner of the town square. Evening’s dimming light painted the backdrop for the dozens of others couples making their way up the stone steps, arm in arm, just like the two of you.

You noticed wreaths hanging on every door and window, a small smile playing on your lips.

“What?”

“Nothing, it’s just, it’s nice to see this town doing things for beauty’s sake. It seems like a much different Nevarro than the one you’ve told me stories of.

“Cyar’ika, you’ve brought so much beauty into the lives of everyone here, including my own,” he said softly, “You can’t turn any direction in town now without seeing something touched by your kindness.”

You squeezed his arm a little tighter as you climbed the wide staircase in front of you, following the sound of laughter and low music floating out the double doors. The scene before you was like something straight out of a storybook you read as a girl on Naboo. The ceilings were so high, going straight to the top of the building with multiple crystal chandeliers casting twinkling light onto the white stone walls and floor. Grand columns rose on either side of a long great room filled with rows of long, wooden tables piled high with food. You walked down the aisle between the two tables taking in the amethyst and ruby banners hanging down from the stone railings on the balconies above you. Ivy and other greenery running in between the narrow rails added a sense of liveliness to the decorations. At the end of the rows of tables, the room opened into a large dome, the round floor decorated with a beautiful pattern of smooth tiles in every color imaginable. It seemed that that portion of the room was being reserved for dancing. On a platform to the left sat a large band playing elegant music.

You suddenly felt out of your element. You had never been somewhere as fancy as this, your heartbeat quickened in your chest, and you found yourself thankful for the steady man you found at your side. His arm now resting around you, hand at the small of your back, grounding you.

“There they are!” Karga’s voice boomed, drawing your attention to the head of the last table on the left. Your feet followed Din’s closer to the High Magistrate, noticing Grogu beside him in a new black jacket with a bow tie. He sat perched on a pile of pillows being used as a makeshift booster seat. He chirped when he saw the two of you approaching making you feel more at ease.

“What do you think, huh?” Karga grinned, clapping Din on the back. “It’s barely begun and I can already tell people will be talking about it for years to come. Come sit! You two are my guests of honor,” he gestured to the open pair of seats beside Grogu, taking your hand in his and bowing as he spun you to let you to your seat. He was in a long, deep purple robe with beautiful gold adornments on it. Din scooted your chair in for you before taking his place between you and Grogu.

It was only a few moments before Karga garnered the attention of the entire room and gave a speech about what an honor it was to have everyone there under his roof. It wasn’t until that moment that you realize you were at a feast, and Din wouldn’t be able to eat anything.

You leaned your head to his and whispered, “I’ll eat quickly, then maybe we can find a private room for you to get a bite in.”

He chuckled lowly, sliding his hand on top of yours where it rested in your lap, “I’ll be fine waiting, mesh’la, you and Grogu take all the time you need.”

Your skin burned under his touch, even through the thick leather of his gloves. As Karga’s droning came to a finite end, the room filled with scattered applause and then the sound of silverware clanking against the thick, black ceramic plates as people helped themselves to the array laid out on every table. It was a magnificent meal, decadent in a way you were unaccustomed to. You enjoyed all types of meats and breads, all the while immersed in a conversation with an older couple sat across from you. They were some of the wealthy few in Nevarro, donating heavily to Greef Karga’s campaign to clean up the city. Din watched you through the side of his visor, taking in all your little tics and quirks. The way your hand covered your mouth as you laughed, how intently you look at whomever was speaking at the moment, the way you glowed under the silver light like a star fallen to earth. But you didn’t look out of place, you looked like you belonged there. He would’ve been content to watch you for hours. He almost didn’t notice when you called his name, your hand sliding onto the exposed part of his arm above his vambrace.

“Would you like to go eat something?”

He nodded and smiled, although you couldn’t see it. You helped him pile his plate high before retreating to the library with him and Grogu. The inner rooms varied heavily from the bright stone of the main hall. The library was filled with dark wood and carpet, old books on shelves that ran to the ceilings, all warm tones and comfort compared to the cold regality that lay on the other side of the door. You doubted anyone would be making their way in there on a night like tonight, but you still locked the door for good measure. Din sat down at a large desk in a green, velvet chair while you chose a wooden bench facing the door. You heard the familiar click of his helmet releasing and smiled softly at how it had become a regular sound in your life, when you never would have dared to dream of it a few months ago.

Grogu sat on the bench next to you sharing a pastry filled with dark berries. You carefully tore off pieces to hand to him, and he chirped his thanks while Din ate quietly.

“It’s good, right?” you called over his shoulder, and he grunted his agreement through a full mouth.

“I haven’t eaten like this in a long time,” his low voice called back. You cherished every syllable that fell from his lips when the modulator wasn’t sitting between the two of you.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a meal like this before,” you commented, handing the last bite of your treat to Grogu.

“I’ll have to take you to Coruscant one day, there’s a restaurant there I think you’d like,” he said so nonchalantly, as if taking a trip across the galaxy was an every day thing. Although, for him it was.

“You keep saying things like that,” you looked down at your feet, trying to focus on anything on this side of the room, ignoring the aching magnetic pull of the man behind you, longing to see his face.

He was quiet for a while before responding. “Do you think I don’t mean it?”

You instantly regretted your word choice, “No, no it’s not that. It’s just, you say it so casually, like it’s not a big deal for me to think about something like that. You’ve seen corners of the galaxy I could never imagine, I’ve only ever been here.”

“I don’t take it lightly, mesh’la,” he said softly, “I would be honored to be the one to show you the stars.”

Your breath caught in your chest, the stirring you always felt gave no indication of settling down any time soon. The draw you felt to him, the connection you two shared was starting to scare you.

You tried to change the subject in an attempt to compose yourself. “I uh, I brought you a present,” your hand shuffled into your bag to bring out a small frame wrapped in brown paper with a gold ribbon delicately tied around it. Din placed his helmet back on his head and crossed the room to take the package carefully in his hands.

“It’s not much, just a little something I’ve been working on in my free time.”

He pulled the bow loose and shrugged the ribbon off before peeling back the paper. In his hands sat a lifelike portrait of Grogu that you had painted, his big brown eyes shining and his small mouth turned up in a smile showing off the few teeth he had.

“Look, kid,” Din said angling it down for the boy to see. You couldn’t be certain, but you thought you heard his voice crack.

“Thank you, this is lovely. I’ll treasure it always.”

You smiled up at him and rose from the bench to meet him face to face.

“I actually have something for you too, but I left it at home,” he said softly, his hand moving to brush your hair behind your ear.

“Oh that’s fine, you can bring it another time,” you reassured, your own hand cradling his helmet where his jaw would be.

During your exchange, Grogu had wandered over to the tall door. “Out,” he said, tiny finger pointing at the door knob.

Din chuckled, “Let‘s go, ad’ika.”

The three of you rejoined the festivities, getting lost in the music and lights. You sipped a few of the themed cocktails one of the cantina owners had crafted for the occasion, feeling a pleasant lightness as the alcohol mixed with your blood.

Towards the end of the evening, you found yourself swaying in Din’s arms. The bright chandeliers had been dimmed by this point in the night, most of the light coming from what remained of the cranberry colored candles adorning the tables. Your head rest on his chest while the band played a slow melody. You didn’t even realize the sleepiness that was overtaking you at first. Grogu had passed out long ago atop the pillow tower he had sat on to eat. He laid on his belly with someone’s jacket draped over him, tiny snores coming from his mouth.

“I think it’s time to get you home, cyar’ika,” Din mumbled lowly, his hand gently rubbing over your back to draw your attention back to the present.

You straightened your posture and pulled away from him.

“You’re probably right,” you said with heavy eyes and a sleepy smile. “Good thing it’s just a short walk,” you continued, making your way over to the table grab your bag.

“Actually,” Din started, pausing as if he was unsure about the question about to fall from his lips, “What if you came back with me and the child, to get your gift. I have a spare room, you’re more than welcome to stay.”

“I’d love that,” you smiled, heat rising to your cheeks, a mix of the leftover buzz from the drinks and the desire to maintain the closeness you had fallen into over the evening.

You held close to his waist as the three of you sped down the barren road leading to their small cabin. You realized about halfway through the ride that this would be your first time seeing his house. You were curious to see if it revealed any more about him. Although you had spent a considerable amount of time together, he was still a bit of a mystery.

Their home soon faded into view, and Din pulled the speeder to a gentle stop, hopping off to offer you a hand off. You bunched your skirt up and slid down easily with his hand to steady you. Grogu was still fast asleep in the crook of his arm. You followed him up the stone path, pausing to admire the window boxes he had planted months ago with millaflowers in full bloom. On the front door, hung a wreath you had made specially for him with a smaller one for Grogu hanging off the bottom. Traces of you were all over, and you hadn’t even crossed the threshold into the house yet.

The front door opened up into a small hall with a coat rack holding some of Grogu’s robes and Din’s extra cape. The kitchen lay dead ahead and opened into the living room. At the end of the living room was another hall leading to two bedrooms separated by a bathroom. He quickly made his way across the length of the house to tuck Grogu into his bassinet.

You wandered into the kitchen, your shoes making a clacking sound on the adobe tile. There was a half empty bowl of fruit on the counter, no doubt for the ravenous toddler at the end of the hall. The sink held an empty mug with caf stains, and you smiled at the thought of mornings spent with Din. The fridge was covered in scribbled drawings of Grogu’s held up with colorful magnets. You smiled when you noticed the same “Welcome to Nevarro” one Din had gifted you.

On the window above the sink sat two small cactus like plants native to Nevarro. You leaned forward to admire the yellow bloom on top of the smaller one when you heard feet padding towards you, your breath hitching when you felt a bare knuckle gently drag the length of your spine.

“This is pretty,” his voice came through the modulator softly, signifying that he still had his helmet on, “What does it mean?”

You realized he had never seen your full tattoo before, the low back of the dress highlighted it perfectly.

“There’s a flower for all eight people in my family. My sister and brothers, my parents, and me,” you explained, tucking your chin into your shoulder and eying his figure behind you. He had stripped off his beskar and was in simple clothes for bed, a long sleeved black shirt and dark grey sweatpants. You had never seen his bare hands before. His fingers carefully traced the petals on your back before cupping your elbows. He was drinking in every second of touch he could get.

“Would you want a big family of your own one day?” his voice came out barely a whisper.

“With the right person, maybe,” you whispered back, turning more to meet his eyes fully beneath the visor.

You stood locked like that for what felt like hours, neither one of you daring to speak next.

“I laid out some clothes for you on the guest bed if you’d like to go change,” he said, finally pulling himself away from you.

“As beautiful as this dress is, my feet are killing me,” you smiled, reaching to hook off your shoes with one finger. The kitchen tiles were cold and slightly rough against your bare feet. He gestured down the hall for you to go get ready for bed, and you gladly followed, the tiredness of the evening setting back in. You took the shirt and pants he had laid out for you into the bathroom, shutting the door behind you. Using a rag and cold water, you easily cleansed your face of makeup. Slipping out of the dress he bought you and into his clothes felt like a holy moment, the answer to a long uttered prayer in the middle of the night.

You met him back in the living room. He was stretched out on the sofa, arms wide across the back making a welcome space for you to fit into. A habit as easy as breathing, you fit yourself against his side. His arm came down to hold you close to his chest. Your hands found his, running over every vein and scar, committing them to memory.

“You said you wanted to bring me here because you had a gift for me?” you suddenly remembered, shifting to sit upright.

He reached to the far end of the sofa and pulled out a long box, not very thick. He handed it to you wordlessly. You lifted the lid to find a black velvet pouch inside. Untying the strings at the top revealed what looked like the handle of a knife. You pulled out a small dagger that fit perfectly in your hand. The handle was black, possibly made out of the tusk of an animal, with delicate flowers carved into it. It a had a matching sheath that, when removed, held a thin, silver blade.

“Is this beskar?” you asked breathlessly.

Din nodded, “I took my spear to the Armorer, and she melted part of it down to forge the blade.” He turned it over in your hand to show you the other side which had his clan’s insignia etched into it.

“Din,” you gasped.

“I know you’ve read up on Mandalorian tradition based on prior conversations, I just want to clarify, this means exactly what you think it does. We already think of you as a part of our clan, I hope you’ll consider making it official.”

“Din Djarin, are you asking me to marry you?”

“Ner kar’ta, cyare, you are the one I’ve searched the deepest waters and driest deserts for. Your heart is the one that beats in time with mine. To live the rest of my days by your side would be the highest honor,” his voice tremored as he took your hands in his.

“Din, I was so scared to let myself dream of a future with you,” your eyes filled with tears, “But it’s what I’ve hoped for since the day we met.”

“I knew from the first moment that I saw you in the parade that are hearts were meant to be bound to one another,” he said softly, firm hands cupping your jaw. He wiped a single stray tear away with his thumb.

His forehead pressed to yours, and you felt something settle over your shoulders and run down your limbs to your fingertips. Something akin to peace, belonging. You had found your home away from home.

Mando’a translations

Mesh’la: beautiful

Cyar’ika: sweetheart

Cyare: beloved

Ner kar’ta: my heart

Ad’ika: little one

A/N part 2: Tal’oh is pronounced with a soft a like tallow, not a hard one like tail-oh