coldhaiplana

[coldhaiplana]

𝑺𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑬  𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑷𝑻𝑺.

↬   THE  LANGUAGE  OF  THORNS,  midnight  tales  and  dangerous  magic.   (  2017  )  by  leigh  bardugo.

sentences  taken  from  or  inspired  by  the  collection’s  dialogue  &  narration.

+   feel  free  to  change  pronouns  !

i.    AYAMA  AND  THE  THORN  WOOD.

‘  love  speaks  in  flowers.  truth  requires  thorns.  ’

‘  we  all  know  the  story  of  how  the  queen  becomes  a  queen.  ’

‘  we  should  leave  this  place.  ’

‘  no  doubt  it  will  come  and  devour  us  all.  ’

‘  the  beast  will  laugh  you  right  out  of  the  wild  lands.  ’

‘  you  know  how  the  stories  go.  interesting  things  happen  only  to  pretty  girls.  ’

‘  is  the  wood  much  worse  than  a  garden  overgrown  with  pricklers  ?  ’

‘  stupid  girl  !  do  you  wish  to  become  a  monster  ?  ’

‘  strike  me.  cleave  me  in  two.  ’

‘  you’re  as  thorny  as  the  wood.  ’  

‘  there  is  but  one  rule  in  my  wood.  speak  truth.  ’

‘  perhaps  you  might  show  mercy  freely.  ’

‘  just  eat  a  bit  of  the  sun  to  fill  the  sky,  and  you  will  feel  empty  no  longer.  ’

‘  what  nonsense  !  of  course  that’s  not  how  the  story  ends.  ’

‘  some  people  are  born  with  a  piece  of  night  inside,  and  that  hollow  place  can  never  be  filled.  ’

‘  what  do  i  care  for  winter  ?  no  season  touches  this  wood.  ’

‘  you  know  the  only  bargain  i  will  make.  ’

‘  sometimes  the  unseen  is  not  to  be  feared  and  those  that  are  meant  to  love  us  most  are  not  always  the  ones  that  do.  ’

‘  bad  fates  do  not  always  follow  those  that  deserve  them.  ’

‘  no  prince  is  worth  your  life.  ’

‘  are  you  so  eager  to  be  eaten  ?  ’

‘  they  have  told  me  to  return  with  your  heart.  ’

‘  you  think  to  love  a  monster  ?  ’

‘  a  man  like  you  is  owed  no  words.  ’

ii.    THE  TOO  CLEVER  FOX.

‘  you  are  doomed  to  a  miserable  life.  ’

‘  better  to  be  hungry  now  than  to  be  sorry  later.  ’

‘  what  will  everyone  say  when  they  see  such  a  face  ?  ’

‘  we  have  not  gone  so  soft  as  that.  ’

‘  you  think  that  we  will  let  you  live  on  foolish  promises  ?  ’

‘  you  have  bested  me.  that  much  is  clear.  ’

‘  will  you  not  free  me  ?  ’

‘  you  will  have  a  fine  time  of  it,  i  can  tell  you.  ’

‘  i  can  bear  ugliness.  i  find  the  one  thing  i  cannot  live  with  is  death.  ’

‘  if  you  will  only  cease  your  talking,  i  will  gladly  go.  ’

‘  where  he  went,  he  bled  the  woods  dry.  ’

‘  what’s  a  bit  more  blood  ?  ’

‘  you  should  leave  this  place.  you  are  not  safe  here.  ’

‘  with  such  big  eyes,  i  think  you  see  too  much.  ’

‘  will  you  not  tell  me  what  troubles  you  ?  ’

‘  why  do  you  stay  with  him  ?  you’re  pretty  enough  to  catch  a  husband.  ’

‘  just  because  you  escape  one  trap,  doesn’t  mean  you  will  escape  the  next.  ’

‘  first  i  must  find  my  courage.  ’

‘  few  can  resist  the  sight  of  a  pretty  girl  crying.  ’

‘  the  trap  is  loneliness,  and  no  one  escapes  it.  not  even  me.  ’

‘  in  the  wood,  even  songbirds  must  be  survivors.  ’

iii.    THE  WITCH  OF  DUVA.

‘  there  was  a  time  when  the  wood  ate  girls.  ’

‘  be  back  before  dark.  the  trees  are  hungry  tonight.  ’

‘  who  can  say  what  shapes  an  appetite  ?  ’

‘  this  is  my  home,  you  can’t  just  send  me  away.  ’ 

‘  don’t  be  foolish.  there’s  plenty  of  light.  ’

‘  well  then,  come  help  me  stir  the  pot.  ’

‘  i  will  warn  you  just  this  once.  go.  ’ 

‘  you  cannot  come  and  go  from  this  place  like  you’re  fetching  water  from  a  well.  ’  

‘  hope  made  me  stubborn.  ’

‘  stay  there  and  keep  quiet.  i  don’t  need  rumors  that  i’ve  been  taking  girls.  ’

‘  i  will  not  have  you  bring  a  monster  to  my  door.  ’

‘  you  know  that  you  are  welcome  to  remain  here  with  me.  ’

‘  i  will  follow  her.  i  will  peck  out  her  eyes.  ’

‘  believe  me.  say  you  believe  me.  ’

‘  dark  things  have  a  way  of  slipping  through  narrow  spaces.  ’

iv.    LITTLE  KNIFE.

‘  it  is  dangerous  to  travel  the  northern  road  with  a  troubled  heart.  ’

‘  if  you  are  lost  in  your  own  thoughts,  you  may  find  yourself  stepping  off  the  path  and  into  the  dark  woods.  ’

‘  she  was  beautiful  from  the  moment  of  her  birth.  ’

‘  why  must  i  be  the  one  to  hide  ?  ’

‘  do  you  think  i  am  so  foolish  or  so  cruel  ?  ’

‘  water  only  wants  direction.  it  wants  to  be  told  what  to  do.  ’

‘  always  you  have  done  my  bidding,  but  what  good  are  you  to  me  now  ?  ’

‘  soon  i  will  be  very  rich,  but  will  i  have  a  good  man  ?  ’

‘  that  is  a  question  for  the  river.  ’

‘  your  tongue  is  not  fit  for  my  true  name.  ’

‘  will  you  come  with  me,  and  be  bride  to  nothing  but  the  shore  ?  ’

‘  she  was  terrifying  in  her  beauty,  bright  like  a  devouring  star.  ’

‘  remember  that  to  use  a  thing  is  not  to  own  it.  ’

‘  should  you  ever  take  a  bride,  listen  closely  to  her  questions.  ’

v.    THE  SOLDIER  PRINCE.

‘  this  is  the  problem  with  even  lesser  demons.  they  come  to  your  door  in  velvet  coats  and  polished  shoes.  ’

‘  you  will  find  great  love  and  more  gold  than  you  could  wish  for.  ’

‘  he’s  a  charming  fellow,  but  most  unusual,  and  peculiarities  seem  to  follow  him.  ’  

’  it  seemed  harmless  at  the  time.  ’

‘  he  needed  a  girl,  still  malleable,  one  that  he  could  make  admire  him.  ’

‘  this  is  pleasant.  this  is  enough.  ’

‘  are  you  my  soldier  ?  are  you  my  prince  ?  ’

‘  i  have  not  come  to  fight,  only  to  talk.  ’

‘  wanting  is  why  people  get  up  in  the  morning.  it  gives  them  something  to  dream  of  at  night.  ’

‘  i  am  perfectly  real.  ’

‘  she  loves  you,  though,  and  that  will  make  it  harder.  ’

‘  best  not  to  ask.  i  think  the  answer  would  please  no  one.  ’

‘  we  can  stay  forever  in  the  land  of  dreams.  ’

‘  kiss  me.  take  me  from  this  place.  ’

‘  i  sent  you  to  die  a  hundred  times.  ’

‘  i  eat  the  wonder  in  their  eyes.  ’

‘  you  were  an  idea  in  my  head.  you  were  nothing,  and  to  nothing  you  will  return  when  i  think  of  you  no  more.  ’

‘  you  wanted  only  that  i  might  live.  you  would  sacrifice  your  own  life  to  make  it  so.  ’

‘  are  you  my  darling  ?  are  you  mine  ?  ’

vi.    WHEN  WATER  SANG  FIRE.

‘  you  wish  to  strike  a  bargain.  ’

‘  make  me  someone  new.  ’

‘  this  is  the  problem  with  making  a  thing  forbidden.  it  does  nothing  but  build  an  ache  in  the  heart.  ’

‘  easy  magic  is  pretty.  great  magic  requires  that  you  trouble  the  waters.  ’

‘  no  one  expects  me  to  accomplish  anything.  ’

‘  i  can  smell  your  ambition  like  blood  in  the  water.’  

‘  i  know  that  you  should  keep  it  like  a  secret,  not  shout  it  like  a  curse.  ’

‘  yes.  i  can  imagine  it  all.  ’

‘  you  are  worth  more  than  that.  you  should  not  have  to  earn  him.  ’

‘  hope  rises  like  water  trapped  beneath  a  dam,  higher  and  higher,  in  increments  that  mean  nothing  until  you  face  the  flood.  ’

‘  there  is  no  pain  like  the  pain  of  transformation.  ’

‘  take  your  pleasures  as  you  will.  ’

‘  come,  and  i’ll  tell  you  all  you  wish  to  know.  ’

‘  he  made  me  dream  of  things  i  cannot  have.  ’

‘  i  do  not  care  for  dancing.  ’

‘  look  into  the  mirror,  and  try  to  deny  it.  ’

‘  you  have  never  been  like  the  others,  and  you  never  will  be.  ’

‘  we  were  not  made  to  please  princes.  ’

‘  i  am  not  quite  mortal  either,  and  i  have  many  lives  to  live.  ’

‘  i  wouldn’t  care  if  you  were  part  human  or  part  frog.  ’

‘  my  voice  is  not  enough.  ’

‘  you  know  i  was  never  strong.  ’

[coldhaiplana]

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍 #𝟎𝟎𝟏 : 𝐍𝐈𝐀 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓 / 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐍

𝐍𝐈𝐀 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍 𝐅𝐀𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐒 men and i think that if she had daughters over sons she would have been a slightly better parent.    she certainly would have had more patience and i think,    as well as the effort for an heir,    nia kept trying to have more children because she wanted a daughter.    instead of blaiz being second in line,    nia’s daughter would have taken his place no matter what her personality was like because she quickly would’ve taken place as nia’s favourite.   𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍,    nia has never cared for giving the crown to her children in order of age but rather who suits the throne best.    nia would have mentored her daughter far more closely than she mentored her sons,   which she largely left up to huron.

the closest person to a daughter that nia has in her life is 𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈 𝐊𝐎𝐌 𝐀𝐙𝐆𝐄𝐃𝐀,   which is part of the reason why she keeps her so close and also why she can get away with doing so much.    this doesn’t mean that tori is treated with love or tenderness:    nia can still be cruel and stern with her just as she can be with all of her children,   but nia’s softness for the other does mean that she’s less inclined to be so quick to raise her voice when she’s irritated with her.    at the end of the day,   nia still expects a lot from tori but would be deeply disappointed if tori ever disappointed her in any way.

[coldhaiplana]

𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 : troit, azgeda 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐃 : present 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 : @vinndictivee​

𝐍𝐈𝐀 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈 𝐓𝐎 𝐎𝐍𝐄 of the tallest buildings in the aztrap for a reason.    she knew tori would come:    tori was yet another child that the ice queen successfully brought up to be loyal to her,   to azgeda,   and to nobody else.    now,   nia counted on that.   this would be a test of tori's loyalty,    something nia hopes is still there.    to some tori’s loyalty might seem obvious,    but what nia is going to ask of her...    she’ll see.    “ come, ”    nia calls out to the girl,    her tone not unkind or stern or unfriendly.   it simply...    is.     nia’s gaze is drawn to the many buildings that made up the city of troit and sprawl beneath them as she continues,    “ there is something we must discuss. ”

[coldhaiplana]

𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 : the forest bordering troit 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐃 : present 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 : @brknwrrr​

𝐍𝐈𝐀 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐄𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 a reason,   but also because as of late the aztrap has felt incredibly suffocating.    for an ice queen,   the forest has always felt just as much home to her as the buildings of troit and therefore the aztrap within it has.    but with so much running through her mind—the line of succession,   the coming battle with skaikru,   a war with the coalition as a whole,   blaiz’s insolence—it’s natural that she might feel overwhelmed.    that’s not weakness;   it’s just that the people around her are idiots who make her job harder.    hopefully,    enver won’t prove to be the same.

she glances across at her son,   drawing her gaze from the small wooden box on the forest floor.   it’s a mere couple of feet away.    “ do you know why i summoned you here? ”   nia demands,   moving her gaze back to the small box.   she wonders just how much enver will piece together after their last conversation,   if anything at all.

[coldhaiplana]

𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓 :

the logic everyone seemed to have about the sky people and their origins didn’t make any sense to blaiz. they hadn’t always been in space. their ancestors too had inhabited the ground so who was to say they didn’t have a right to claim it as well? but how could he express this thought to her—he couldn’t. wouldn’t dare.  ❝ who said I am weak? ❞ his fists clenching as he banged the table more for show than out of genuine outrage. a scowl settled upon his face as she yanked the cup from his hand and his other fist followed suit, clenching firmly on the table.  ❝ you’re impossible to ignore, ❞ he chided, slumping backwards in his chair.

his stomach dropped at the mention of his father, as though she’d just pushed him off the edge of a cliff. even the slightest mention of his seemed to have that effect since she never answered any of his questions about the man. everything blaiz knew about his father came from stories of those that used to know him, people who’d fought beside him. the lack of information his mother when it came to the topic of his late father always left the prince feeling suspicious; as though the questions went ignored because she feared the answers. 

❝ i don’t know what my father would have wanted, and i don’t honestly think you know either. i’m not even entirely convinced you knew anything about him except what a skilled fighter he was. ❞ blaiz told her bluntly, his face devoid of any emotion as he looked at his mother. his queen.  ❝ which is fine, you wanted more spares, ❞ he continued with a nod, his gaze turning increasingly cold.  ❝ but you will not stain his memory any further with your foul manipulations. ❞ the young warrior warned, his tone harsh as he rose from his seat, the chair scraping loudly on the floor as he did so,

❝ if you continue to threaten me, nomi, you will not need to exile me. ❞ the blonde said, reaching over the table to take the goblet she’d taken from him.  ❝ i will go on my own.❞ he said casually as he brought the glass to his lips, hiding a smirk he couldn’t resist.

𝐍𝐈𝐀 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 𝐈𝐓 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 the anger coursing through her body:   he is his father’s son.   too defiant even in the face of his queen.    she should have known better than to dabble with his ilk;   it had been a brief moment fueled by that blackened organ in her chest and not her head.    her fists clench and her upper lip curls as she stares at her son,   listening,   waiting,    until she snarls,    “ get out. ”

nia'a chair scrapes loudly against the floor as she makes to stand,   turning away from him sharply before her sudden thoughts bring her gaze back to her insolent son.    son?   no--no,   he makes the mistake of thinking he means that much to her.   he is a pawn,   nothing more,   and right now he isn’t doing the one thing he was made for.    “ wipe that smug look off your face,    you insolent brat.    and since you are so wise about your circumstances yet seem to disregard them so easily,    listen to this:    you were brought into this world for one reason,   blaiz.   unfortunately for all of us that reason has come to fruition.   and now, ”    nia hisses,   fingers splaying against the table as she leans forward,    “ you are failing me.    that doesn’t bode well for you or you skaikru whore. ”

nia straightens,   fire burning within her eyes.    “ you want to test me,   boy?    fine.    test me.    but don’t fool yourself into thinking i won’t retaliate. ”    nia has always been about teaching her heirs lessons,    and it just so happens that blaiz has given nia the prime opportunity to do so with his skaikru toy.    “ and don’t, ”    she spits,    “ think i won’t give enver the order to hunt you down.   i know how much he would enjoy it. ”

[coldhaiplana]

#iconic

[coldhaiplana]

𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 : troit, azgeda 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐃 : present 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 : n/a, open to all

“ 𝐄𝐍𝐉𝐎𝐘𝐄𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅,   𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔? ”    𝐍𝐈𝐀  asks sharply and without genuine concern,    rolling her eyes as she taps the other upside the head.   they’re hungover,   clearly,   no matter how much they try to hide it.   did they have that much fun at the new years event?    “ get up, ”   she commands harshly.   “ you have better things to do than simply mope around. ”

[coldhaiplana]

𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐙 :

❝ but why? ❞ he asked, his gaze narrowing,  ❝ because they belong to enver? ❞ blaiz furthered with a soft laugh. the way their mother always indulged his sadistic ways worried him, worried him what the future should hold if it ever fell to his older brother to lead. and the younger prince knew it should be all the more reason he ought to strive to keep the crown for himself. but blaiz had never been meant to lead his people. how could he when he would only lead them in a direction they’d refuse to follow?

❝ and if she knows nothing of wanheda? that doesn’t mean she can’t be useful in other ways. ❞ the blonde said grabbing a chunk of bread from one of the plates to his left; it wasn’t as fresh as he’d of hoped, but he ripped a piece off with his teeth all the same and began to chew. blaiz would never admit it aloud, but he knew that he would never let it come to that, he would sooner help her escape than let his mother have her way. 

blaiz shook his head at her slowly,  ❝ i don’t see what the problem is, nomi. ❞ he said tossing the bread lightly onto his plate and picking up his now full chalice of wine.  ❝ i’ve been with plenty of women from the other clans, clans we’ve been warring with for decades and it’s never been a problem for. ❞ he replied leaning forward against the table, not sure his mother exactly needed the reminding.  ❝ what is it about this one that angers you so? ❞ 

𝐍𝐈𝐀’𝐒 𝐉𝐀𝐖 𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐄 listens to blaiz speak,   and with a shake of her head she ignores his question as to why entirely:    he should know better than to ask why and instead should know what his mother wants without her having to voice it.    nia doesn’t care about the why and she expects her sons not to either;    only to know what she would and wouldn’t want.   to think for themselves.    to not have to be told what to do.

“ the problem, ”   nia hisses,    “ is that she is skaikru and the others were at least from the ground.    i said nothing when you took that ouskejon girl from her cell the last time;   this time,   i say enough, ”   the ice queen growls.    “ skaikru spread their weakness like a plague to even our finest of warriors.   you have made not just yourself but me,   too,   look weak. ”   irritated by her son’s incessant eating habits,    she leans forward to snatch the wine goblet from his grasp.   “ are you listening to me,   skat?    they are leeches! ”

just like his former question,    nia ignores it.    nia knows she can be useful and that’s why she’ll keep his little pet around;    she could be used as a bargaining chip or perhaps nia could even groom her into submission the same way she did to tori and echo and countless others.    she slams his goblet back down on the table and leans back only to bring her own wine goblet to her lips,    and nia takes a sip of it before she averts her gaze and shakes her head.    such insolence from her one and only hope left for this clan.    what would her father think of her?    better yet...    

nia forces her lips not to quirk upwards as she turns to look back at blaiz.    “ your father would have hated them, ”   she says absent-mindedly,    averting her gaze to her goblet as she brings it to her lips.    it’s a lie;   his father was always more progressive than nia liked,   but he was a famed warrior who,   after the heat of battle,   nia had sought a carnal sort of comfort with.    in the end he had been disappointing,   too soft,    and that was why nia had to have him killed.

[coldhaiplana]

𝐄𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑 :

Everyone was weak at some point, even his own mother. That’s how they learned to live in this world, that’s how they became such a strong clan, not allowing themselves to have any weaknesses. Enver had been weak, when he was young, when he would cry himself to sleep most nights when no one was watching, because his mother wouldn’t show any interest on him, because everyone around him would tell him how weak he was, how unworthy of his blood and his title he was. And mostly, how he should’ve been put out of his misery the moment he was born. But he had proven them all wrong, he had shown them that he was worth something, that even if he wasn’t first choice to become King, that he was still worth something. And he was going to prove that to his mother.

Enver turned his head to look at her, opening his eyes slightly so that he could see her. He listened to her words, even though his mind wasn’t completely sane at the moment and he took them in, like he always did with everything his mother told him. “You are my mother, my Queen, my place is by your side. I’m not a traitorous bastard, I will always be by your side!” His voice was raised a little, but not too much. As soon as he stopped talking, another fit of coughing followed, his eyes letting out some tears as he did so. “I can’t make you love me.” He mumbled. When it came to respect, sure he could definitely earn that, but love? He couldn’t force someone to love him. Enver had no clue how love worked, he had never felt it for anyone or felt others give it to him, but he assumed it wasn’t something that could be forced. 

-

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐍?    all this whinging was only making nia more disgusted with him.    she sneers at him disgust as he speaks,   and by the time he starts to cough,   she can’t help the way she rolls her eyes and reaches for the very bottom of the bed to wrap some of the furs draped across it around her shoulders.    she paces around the table in the middle of the room and right back over to the fire,    muttering to herself all the while.

“ one day,   enver, ”    nia murmurs,    “ you’ll surprise me. ”    for now,    though,    nia will remain where she is and only move if it seems like he’ll well and truly die.    perhaps he’ll even want to at this point.    in the end,   nia cares very little until enver does as she wishes:    defies her or takes a stand.    she doesn’t see that happening any time soon.

[coldhaiplana]

𝐄𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑 :

Enver titled his head to the side. “So you know? And you’ve spoken to Blaiz about it as well?” He had knows as much but he wanted confirmation. And he definitely wanted to know why the hell she was allowing this nonsense to continue. “Of course not, I still think we should kill them all, just thought it would be useful information. I guess those on the cells aren’t really worth anything anymore, not even the food we give them.” He shrugged his shoulders. Maybe they should just get rid of them. At the end of the day, they were nothing more than a waste of time and space. “Or we could hand them back to Skaikru, we’ll call it a show of good faith.” He paused. “Maybe that will make them put their guard down. Or the Commander’s. You think we could put a spy in the middle of them? It’s a gamble but they might not notice and we would get information from inside the settlement.” It was merely a suggestion, if it was up to him, he would just kill them. But his uncle had told him to start using his intelligence, Enver had plenty of it but he would always stick with violence, it worked and it wasn’t near as much work. 

Enver rolled his eyes at her words, shaking his head. “I was going to ask for an explanation, why the hell you are allowing this nonsense to continue but I guess you have your reasons.” He paused. “Whatever he’s doing, I do hope it works and doesn’t backfire on us, I really do.” Enver wanted to know what the plan was, he wanted to be in on everything that’s happening and be able to give his opinions, if his mother would let him. “So what is it? What is this magnificent plan that the golden son has thought of?” 

-

𝐍𝐈𝐀 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐅-𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 enver has to say until his idea piques her interest:    sending the skaikru prisoners back.    they would only need to send one for the bleeding sickness to work and leif of yujleda still owes her a favour or two.    she’s sure she could acquire it.    since when has enver used his mind for anything other than torturing?    nia is impressed.   still,   she lets enver finish speaking before she does the same,   and for once her gaze on her son isn’t accusatory or stern or cruel but neutral.    with nia,    neutral is good.   neutral means respect.

“ your brother decided to sit and watch the prisoners for whatever reason, ”   nia scoffs,   shaking her head and turning to look out of the window momentarily.   “ the fool decided that it would be a wonderful idea to bring the skai gada to his quarters and win her over that way.   of course that was his way of thinking. ”   blaiz and his saga of thinking with his cock is one nia wishes would end.    she slams down the letter she had in her hands on the table again and turns to look at enver.   “ she may have information on wanheda.     blaiz gets to keep her as his pet for now,   just as you have yours.   if it’s true that she’s from their main settlement,   she may prove a valuable bargaining chip with skaikru in the times to come. ”

nia inches towards enver and she tilts her head as she comes to a stop right before him.    “ this plan of yours to send them back, ”   she murmurs.   “ you’re sure you’ve got everything you can out of them?    the leader of yujleda owes me a favour or two.    we could let them loose after our people return from polis,   attack when the bleeding sickness has made them even weaker. ”    nia reaches out for her fingers to ghost against enver’s jaw,   barely cupping it with the softest of touches.    a mother’s touch.   oh,   she knows how to manipulate him.    “ you would do this for me,   ai nomfa?   inflict the bleeding upon them? ”

[coldhaiplana]

𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐙 :

❝ yes, actually, but before i spoke to any of them i merely watched. ❞  he said plucking a grape from the bowl closest to him and tossing it into his mouth. ❝ there is not enough observation happening, nomi, it doesn’t have to be attack now and ask questions never. who does that benefit? ❞  he asked rhetorically with a shrug as he reached for a second grape. blaiz knew he was walking along a thin line, but toeing at the edge against his mother has never struck fear in him the way it ought to of. not the way it did in his brothers or the rest of azgedakru. and when she did managed to succeed, he never let her see it. he silently wondered if that was why she’d always favored him so, for his refusal to back down—even when she knew he was being stupid.

blaiz had no witty remark for this, he knew better, instead he sat silently for moment listening to his mother’s rant, doing what she could to get a rise out of him; and it nearly work. the prince bit down on the side on is tongue once more with a great deal more force this time. until he tasted blood. he didn’t know what sort of answer his mother expected of him except flat out denial and saying the wrong thing would be detrimental so the prince glided past it as though it meant nothing at all. 

he swallowed the lump in his throat, ❝ of course i do, nomi, you’ve never let us forget. ❞  he smiled softly reaching for a jug of wine and filling the glass before her and then his own. and thought of such a thing being done to venus terrified him in a way he knew it shouldn’t. blaiz could still remember being a child and hearing the story his mother so loved to tell him at bed time, as though it were a touching tale that ought to stir some sort of wondrous feeling within him. but that wasn’t blaiz and it never would be. 

𝐍𝐈𝐀 𝐀𝐋𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐙 𝐓𝐎 send her back to the cells,   but what good would that do now?   blaiz should have left her there,   should have brought her food,   should have warmed her to him that way...    but the more she thinks about it,    nia understands his motives.    enver would have gotten her hands on her,   and while nia thinks he still would have gotten the same information,   there’s nothing she can do about it now.    not until they’ve got what they need from her.    something unfamiliar pangs in nia’s chest when she hears him call her nomi,   but as usual,    she shoves it down.    crosses her arms over her chest as if it’s a physical barrier from the thing he’s trying desperately to reach.

“ you shouldn’t have been down there in the first place, ”    nia hisses,   irritated,    “ but i see your point. ”    it’s rare that nia will admit to anyone else but her being right.    unfolding her arms from her chest,    nia pulls out the chair she stands before,   the one opposite blaiz,    and sits down on it...   but she lifts that knife and points it towards him once more as a warning.    “ she lives.   for now, ”    nia says,    stabbing a piece of food with a fork and bringing it to her plate,    “ if you bring me whatever information she has on wanheda before the next week’s end.

if not... ”    nia shrugs,    beginning to cut into that piece of food,    “ she’ll die by fire.    and i’ll have you light the pyre yourself. ”

in truth,    if what this skaikru prisoner says is true then nia has a reason to keep her alive.   she could be a good bargaining chip;   her people,   her home base,    will undoubtedly want her back.    blaiz can keep his toy for a little longer,   and perhaps nia can even convince her to do her bidding if blaiz does his job well enough.    a spy within skaikru’s ranks would be valuable and nia has turned people into worse things.    the ice queen’s gaze finds her son’s once more as she points that knife and says,    “ but if you dare give our people any further reason to believe those rumors,   boy,   you do not want to see what i will do. ”

[coldhaiplana]

𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐍 :

❞ 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫.❞  They didn’t always see eye to eye on everything. But on certain things, for Azgeda , this they agreed on. He had no desire to be a king. Saw what it did to his family, it cost his mothers life. Growing up with their father, cruel and harsh as winters could be. And Nia was just like him, he didn’t blame her. How could he, it was their life. One of the things that he did take from his father, from his sister was that of pride. It was this that allowed him to help her, to give her whatever she needed. For the clan. Huron gave a nod of his head, ❞ 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬. 𝐇𝐞’𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. ❞ his eyes lingering on the image of Wanheda. Committing it to his own memory; before letting the paper slip from his fingers falling back on top of the table. Whatever until she received, Nia seemed confident that this Wanheda would be there. It was a good thing that he would be there but something she said caught his attention. ❞ 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬?❞  Not that she couldn’t kill her enemies a well if not better then most of their soldiers. But he didn’t want there to be any opportunity for their enemies to think they could get an upper hand. Even if her answer was no, he was already going through a list of the chiefs  who should stay behind just in case. Moving away from the war table, Huron crossed the room towards the window. Arms folded as he looked out , watching their people meander by. He wanted things to be over with Skaikru and the commander as much as Nia: though for different reasons. But Huron was getting the feeling that it wouldn’t be so simple. That these people who fell from the sky wouldn’t be put down so easily. One had already seemed to have attached herself to Blaiz. ❞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫.❞   he said this more to himself then to his sister.

The frown that marred his features already made the severe look of him that much more so. ❞ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫  𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞, 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐤𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐫𝐮 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲.❞ hazel eyes turned to face his sister. He knew she knew this, he knew that look in her eye. Nia always had a plan, always seemed to be two steps ahead of the rest. But something about the joining of Skaikru and the Commander seemed like a formidable foe– for their clan specifically . ❞ 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞.❞

-

“ 𝐈 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐎𝐎𝐍,    but now isn’t the time, ”    nia responds,    following her brother as he moves to the window.    she comes to a stop beside him and,   rather than settling on her people,    her gaze focuses on the lands sprawling past troit;    lands in which the enemy hides,   masking themselves in azgeda garb much like her son’s pet has.    the very thought of a skai gada in her city makes nia’s expression turn sour but she ignores it;   instead,   she continues,    “ once i set this bounty on wanheda’s head,   the commander will put a warrant out for my own arrest.    and when you send confirmation that roan has wanheda in his grasp and has brought her to polis... ”

nia shrugs,   but there’s a small,   mischievous smile on her lips as she turns to look at her brother once more.   “ this fight will be over,    huron.    or rather it’ll be skaikru’s fight that ends. ”   her expression turns sour again.   “ i won’t have you trying to kill the commander,   either.    i forbid it.   you’re too valuable to us here to lose. ”   and huron is perhaps one of the only people she truly trusts.    what would her boys do without him,    too?    

nia watches him,    curious about his doubts.    narrowing her eyes,   she can’t help but fold her arms and ask,    “ i get the feeling you have doubts about all of this.    tell me,   brother:    what would you do? ”

[coldhaiplana]

𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐙 :

blaiz inhaled sharply as a mess of sticky apple juice and remanence hit him in the face and dripped down his shirt along his chest, he can’t hide the anger that flashes behind his eyes but managed to at least keep it from bubbling over. his lips twisted into a sneer, but made no move to wipe away the mess his mother had created on him. instead he licked his lips, a pleasant taste flooding his tastebuds, as her less than pleasant words rang in his ears.

she may be fearful for azgeda’s future with him as king, but blaiz was more concerned about his own longevity—or lack thereof, if he were to become king. self preservation may not have been one of their people’s tools for survival but it was for this prince. it had to be.

there was sharp sting where she struck him, but the pain faded quickly as his gaze refocused on the knife that never seemed to leave her hand and he wondered for a moment if she would really use it. something he’d not put past the ruthless queen.

with a deep breath, blaiz looked to his mother once more, ❝ because she’s different than the others, ❞ he said plainly as he leaned back in the chair, resting his elbow on the table. ❝ and if enver took a moment to talk, or even to observe the prisoners, he would have seen that. ❞ venus was different and it had intrigued him, but not for the ways he needed his mother to believe. no he wanted her to believe his qualm lie with his brother, which wasn’t entirely untrue. ❝ and by giving him full authority to slash and hack at whatever he wants you’ve inflated his ego to the point where he’s no longer useful. ❞ the young prince informed her with a raise of his brow. ❝ he’s not doing us any good, only harm. ❞

❝ she’s not from the northern settlement and she’s not like the others. ❞ he repeated, his tone firm and unrelenting. ❝ and if your ill-trained brute had gotten his hands on her we’d back to the start. she would have let him kill her first. ❞ more lies. nearly every word that left his lips was a lie, the very thing she’d warned him against doing, but lying was all too easy for blaiz. came naturally even. but when one is raised as he was, with who he had been, lying was a necessity.

𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐙’𝐒 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐈𝐒 the fact that he stands his ground against his mother and,    despite his obvious struggle,   manages to keep his temper in check.   nia respects it,    and his ability to do so calms her a little.    perhaps they can talk like adults now;    perhaps nia can actually listen instead of picking apart every single thing he says.    nia keeps the knife where it is,   far enough from blaiz for him not to have to worry,   but despite the lack of movement of the utensil the fire in nia’s eyes has quenched somewhat.    blaiz might act like an insolent child more often than not,   but it’s moments like these in which he’s able to keep his cool which makes him the more redeemable one of nia’s remaining sons.

slowly,   eventually,    nia heaves a breath and leans back.   the utensil clatters to the tabletop and the ice queen reaches into a bowl of clean water—meant for hand washing—before she grabs a cloth and wipes her hands free of sticky apple remnants.    her sharp eyes find her son as she dries her hands,    her gaze unrelenting.    “ and you discovered this how? ”   nia demands,   her tone accusatory.    “ by delving into the prisoner chambers and having a nice little chat? ”    even if that were the case,   even if blaiz said yes,   nia would demand answers.   an explanation.    why he was there in the first place.   the fact that something simply is isn’t enough for the queen in this case.

“ regardless of whatever your intentions were, ”   nia spits,   her upper lip curling upwards,    “ you have let countless people in our home believe that you have taken up with a skai gada.”   nia’s disgust is clear in her tone,   her look,   her voice—    “ i should have you light her pyre for it.   i should have her burn at the stake just as my father did to my mother. ”    a sickly sweet smile overcomes nia’s features as she continues,    “ do you remember that story,   blaiz? ”    

she doesn’t mean it,    not now that she knows what this means,   but oh...   she wants to watch his reaction.   to see if he’ll scramble.

[coldhaiplana]

𝐄𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑 :

Enver didn’t completely understand what was happening. Why did Blaiz take the prisoner for himself, what was he planning? He knew he couldn’t go to his brother for clarification, he wouldn’t give it to him. So he went to his mother, who he knew would at least tell him why she was allowing this nonsense to continue. He had hoped that she would’ve already put an end to this and send the prisoner back to the cells, where she belonged. 

“It seems that she doesn’t come from the same Skaikru settlement that is withing our boarders, she comes from the main settlement, in Trikru land.” He paused, moving forward to take a seat in front of his mother, allowing his legs to have some rest for a few moments. “And I’ve been told the ones within our boarders crashed here by accident and they have no knowledge of the main settlement or the ceasefire. It would explain why none of them speak about it when I’m torturing them, it might be true.” He leaned back on the chair, staring at his mother. 

-

𝐍𝐈𝐀'𝐒 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑 son as he speaks and her arms slowly unfold.   groveling again...    although while she did know about the foremost part of what enver speaks of,   she didn’t know about the latter.   she supposes she’s grateful for it.    nia’s head tilts upwards.    “ blaiz told me as much, ”   nia responds,    her icy hues glancing over enver’s form,    “ but what is it you suggest we do with such information?    have pity on them? ”    nia’s lips quirk upwards with amusement in a way that suggests she’s not serious,   if he needed that clarified at all.

she picks up a letter nearby,   eyes glancing over it before she asks,    “ why are you really here,    enver?   to tattle on your brother? ”   she looks back at him with her eyebrows raised slightly.  is it an explanation he’s looking for?    she wouldn’t be surprised,   but as ever,    nia wants enver to speak his mind.    get straight to the point.   she has no time for daudling around and as far as she’s concerned,   this information changes nothing.   skaikru must be killed.

[coldhaiplana]

𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐖𝐎𝐃𝐀 𝐍𝐎𝐌𝐅𝐀 :

blaiz exhaled in a huff subtly before he noisily dragged the chair out from its place under the table, letting the heavy wooden frame scrap irritatingly across the floor. the prince dropped into the seat, biting down on the inside of his cheek in order to help bide his tongue. his mother was in a particular mood, it seemed, undoubtedly caused by him and his recent actions, so he knew better than to push the luck he was already testing.

he looked to his mother for a moment, leaning forward in the awkwardly angled chair to rest an elbow on his knee and waving a hand dramatically for her to proceed, before turning his attention to the piece of fruit in his hand. but he knew what this was about. and how could he not? he was sure enver had already gone to their mother as fast as he could, if only to carp about how he had one less person to maim and slaughter.  

his stomach began to turn, at the thought that his mother would demand she sent back down to the cells. to be handed over to enver so he could do as pleased. blaiz swallowed thickly, his grip tightening on the apple, turning it slowly to pulp beneath his fingertips. 

𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑 against the floor vexates nia all the more,    although it’s not because of the sound:    it’s because of her son’s insolence.    nia has to commend commander lexa on one front alone:    she knew which one of her sons was the competent one.    nia’s lips press into a thin line as she watches him in silence,   her jaw clenching with anger,   and his exaggerated movement of his hand and the way he crushes the apple in it only gives her more reason to be vexated with him.

anger flashes in nia’s eyes as she reaches across the table and grasps the pulp from his hand,    and there’s a split second’s hesitation before she throws it in his face.    it splatters across his cheeks and chin,   spilling down the front of his clothes too.    “ you are a child, ”   nia snarls,   her top lip curling upwards,   “ and i fear what the future of azgeda looks like in your hands. ”

there it is:   confirmation of blaiz’s suspicions.    nia has never said it out loud before,   has never voiced that she wants him to be king,   but if he hasn’t picked up on it already then he’s an idiot.   of course,   he’s the backup if retrieving roan from his exile fails.   does he know that,   too?    nia stares at him with heavy breath and fire in her eyes for a moment longer before she straightens quickly and grabs a knife from a selection of utensils.   she slams it down into the wood of the table.    oh,   she’s pissed.

“ explain to me, ”    nia hisses,    leaning across the table again to gently tap slap him upside the head,    “ what the fuck ran through your mind when you pulled a skaikru prisoner from her cage? ”   there cannot possibly be a valid explanation for this.    nia’s eyes are wide with rage as she forces the knife from the table once more and points it in his direction.    “ lie to me,   child,   and i will have no problem exiling you to the same fate as roan.   i doubt you would fare as well as he has out there without a shana skupa to stick up your ass! ”

[coldhaiplana]

𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 : troit, azgeda 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐃 : present 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 : n/a, open to all for the new years event!

“ 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 to celebrate now,   just wait for our victory against the commander.    next year we’ll be celebrating in polis,    and it will be under azgeda control. ”   

[coldhaiplana]

𝐄𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑 :

Enver tried to keep his eyes open, staring at his mother who had her back turned to him. The questions he was asking, they had always been there, in the back of his mind but he was never brave enough to actually make them. Most likely because he was too afraid to hear the truth. But now, as he laid here and felt the sickness take over his body and the fever taking over his mind, he needed to know the truth. If this was to be his last day on Earth, then he wanted to go out knowing the truth. He at least deserved that.

If there was something he knew his mother wasn’t was weak. In his eyes, she was the strongest and bravest woman to ever live, she lead one of the strongest clans in all the land, if not the strongest. And she was feared and respected by most of the population. Enver could only hope to one day be like that. “You weren’t weak.” He told her, shaking his head slightly but groaning at the headache, closing his eyes once again. 

“I could never hate you.” He said simply, opening his eyes so he could look at her again. “You gave me life, gave me a chance to live my life in this world and I’m thankful for it. I’m certain most of your advisers told you to put me out of my misery when I was young, that it would be easier that way … that there wouldn’t be rumors about how you birthed a weak and sick heir.” He paused, coughing a few times once again and trying to catch his breath. “Because I wanted your approval and more than anything, I wanted to make you proud. I wanted you to feel pride whenever you told someone I was your son. But it seems that will never happen … “ He mumbled the last part. Enver didn’t mention wanting to feel the love of a mother, he knew that was weakness and the last thing he wanted was to look even more weak in the eyes of his mother. 

-

𝐍𝐈𝐀 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐒 𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐒 to look at her son..    “ just because i’m strong now doesn’t mean i haven’t been weak before,    enver.    i overcame it.   i grew from it. ”   and perhaps one day enver will do the same:    grow out of this incessant need for his mother’s approval.   nia knows when she will finally be proud of him,   will finally see him as worthy of her time,   and that’s the day that enver loses it.   that’s the day that he shouts at her the way she wants him to shout at her.    that’s the day nia will see enver truly fight for what he wants.   nia doesn’t care about the training nor the way the men around him respect him because that is the bare minimum for anybody else.   no—nia wants enver to take what he wants,    and even with his dagger in her heart would she be proud of him for it.

“ your mentality is what is stopping me from being proud of you,   enver, ”  nia growls,    turning to face him.    she is a dark shadow in front of the blazing fire behind her,   the flames licking around her feet,   her legs,  up up up.    “ not your bones.   not your legs.   you. ”    she points to him,    accusing,   before she lets her hand fall back to her side.    “ you stick by my side even though i kick you down like a wounded dog and for what?    what have i given you aside from the bare minimum?    you should be DEMANDING more! ”   she’s raising her voice now,    frustrated and angry at her own son’s weakness.    she inches towards him now,    teeth bared as she responds,    “ if you want me to respect you,   if you want me to love you,    make me. ”    she’s taunting him on purpose,   yes,   but she means every word of it...    and whether he has the energy to fight back has yet to be seen.    perhaps this is unfair timing when he’s sick,   nia can acknowledge that,   but she’ll try it again and again and again if he needs her to keep pressing.

nia is sick of his self pity,   and now it’s on her agenda to force him out of it.   the day he becomes someone she must watch carefully...   oh,   that’s when he’ll become her beloved son.