leafkingofbirds

[leafkingofbirds]

Spin this wheel first and then this wheel second to generate the title of a YA fantasy novel!

(If the second wheel lands on an option ending with a plus sign, spin it again)

Share what you got!

[leafkingofbirds]

Joli Poli | Barcelona Fashion Week 2025

[leafkingofbirds]

I will never understand the hate for grey hairs. Your hair has sliver in it now. You have the color of stars on your hair. You have proof you survived and grew up. You have proof you are living. How is any of this bad?

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!!!!

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Literally!!

OKAYYYYY

Kind of giving TCH vibes gah I’m excited!

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Oh please please please let the fae be Kieran 😭😭

[leafkingofbirds]

^♡^ one of the many things I keep wondering is how the relationship between Kieran and Radiance occurred 😭 like what could have happened for them to despise each other so?

I've also been watching a lot of school dramas- what do you think modern high-school TCH would be like 😗, and how they'd behave in school?

I have ALSO turned this over in my brain so many times! Here's how I picture it.

Radiance and Kieran are roughly the same age, give or take. Both groomed from early childhood to rule. Polar opposites in personality, but both of them clever, conniving, and prideful.

Radiance, of course, is taught that the Moon Court is their sworn enemy, and he will be the one to take down Kieran, but he must bide his time and be smart and careful and patient. He's groomed to betray even his own beloved sister, and is rewarded for it. He's taught to be all smiles and pleasantness to hide his true nature, and he learns this very well.

Kieran is taught to be wary of the Sun Court, but since his mother was Sun Court, she likely has mixed feelings. Her warnings to Kieran were likely a bit mixed. She escaped the Sun Court, yes, but I think most of her life there until that point was probably good. So Kieran doesn't think of the Sun Court as an enemy outright, perhaps only a rival, and he must watch his step with them, but he doesn't hate or shun them (otherwise he wouldn't have courted Lustre.) Kieran is likely raised by his free-spirited mother to encourage his natural mischievousness, but he's also fully loved by his family and his bad behavior had consequences, so he was taught morals.

So I can imagine in the early days, before the Moon Court's decline, there were regular balls hosted back and forth between the courts that the royals were forced to attend. I imagine two prideful princes reluctantly greeting each other knowing they would be the heirs of their court and they were forced by law and custom to be polite, but there's instant rivalry. They're both immediately angling to better than the other, to outsmart the other, but they're fairly equally matched. They observe each other's habits. Kieran notes how the human servants at the Sun Palace are treated as opposed to how they are treated at home. His mother, having loved a mortal man, likely would have treated her own servants with respect and allowed them their free will, as that's one of the Moon Court's core values.

They grow into teenagers. The rivalry only gets worse when they start participating in competitions like the Grand Hunt. Radiance hates to be bested in anything, but Kieran winning especially stings (and you know Kieran boasted about it, loudly and often) and Radiance nurses a growing hatred fed by his uncles. He wants revenge; he wants to prove he's better than Kieran by taking down his court and usurping the crown. He doesn't want to share power.

They grow into young adults. Now Kieran's spending more time at the Sun Palace, courting Lustre. Radiance quietly hates it but Lustre has assured him it's all going according to plan. Kieran attends Sun Court balls with Lustre on his arm and he and Radiance have to pretend to get along in front of their courts. They unwillingly become part of the same social circle, as no one else in the courts is their societal equal in rank. They spend more time together than either of them wishes. Kieran quietly observes the way Radiance treats his human servants and those he takes as playthings. It's despicable, but Kieran has no power in the Sun Court, and his own court's power is hanging on by a thread as misfortunes continue striking down his family and allies. He sees Radiance use mortals and throw them away. That's how he knows what MC's fate is likely to be if MC had gone with Radiance that first night.

Imagine how much below-the-surface drama there is when Kieran is courting Radiance's cousin. They're practically family and they hate it. Lustre lives with Kieran (presumably at least part time) and Kieran is at the Sun Palace a lot. So they have to maintain this air of friendliness but I think it's much more frenemies, making a game of lightly insulting each other at each passing. (Kieran: "A warm reception as always, Radiance. One would almost believe it��s genuine.” Radiance: "You've kept the crown polished, I hope? I understand it must be difficult with all the dust and cobwebs at the Moon Palace. Do let me know if you need to borrow a servant or two to get you through this difficult time, we truly have plenty to spare")

I think the quiet dislike grew into more open hatred after Kieran was betrayed by Lustre and Radiance sheltered Lustre from Kieran's wrath and only gave her a hundred years' imprisonment. Kieran probably wanted worse. After that, it was outright hostility between the courts - the Moon Palace fell into disrepair as Kieran had no heart and became cold, and the other courtiers feared the winged beast and fled. Kieran blames Radiance just as much as Lustre; he probably assumed Radiance either sanctioned the attempt on his life or at least knew of it.

As to the high school AU I can see that so clearly! Radiance as the popular jock with a whole flock of followers/fans. Kieran as the somewhat misfit brilliant emo/goth with two close friends backing him up. Maybe Kieran was in theater or in a band (he's a poet, I'm sure he plays music too!) so you've got the classic nerd or alt/jock rivalry. Okay maybe now I'm just picturing Cas and Gabe from Immortal Desires, but you get the picture!

[leafkingofbirds]

Today’s my dearest Ella’s birthday! And what better way to celebrate than commissioning @weetlebeetle to draw her and Leaf! Seriously in love with how they turned out 🥹

Tagging @choicesficwriterscreations

[leafkingofbirds]

OH MY GODD

[leafkingofbirds]

Hii! ^♡^ how about Kieran with an MC who has insomnia?

hey love sorry for the wait! I like this prompt - here's some headcanons but I can see making a fic as well if you're interested.

I immediately imagined Kieran waking up in the middle of the night reaching for Mc only to find MC sitting awake reading by candlelight in a chair across the room. Kieran's sleepily confused why they're not in bed (and a little grumpy because he misses them and thinks they should be there in his arms ofc, is his bed offensive to Mc or something?)

but when MC tells Kieran they just have trouble sleeping rather often, and didn't want to disturb Kieran's rest, Kieran understands immediately. After all, Kieran spent his nights roaming the world as the beast for a century, not able to rest until morning. He's still getting used to sleeping at night as well, which is ironic considering he's prince of the moon, but his relationship with his own domain is complicated now by bad memories.

Kieran offers to have some tea brought to MC, perhaps some magic remedy, but either way consoles them that there's no cause to wake early in the morning anyway and MC is free to read all night long if they wish. He probably cheekily offers to help MC fall asleep another way. Either way, whether Mc accepts his offers or not, Kieran implores MC to come back to bed, at the very least, as he's bereft without them, and nothing they do can disturb his rest except be absent from his arms.

(i hope this is what you were looking for anon <3)

[leafkingofbirds]

Hi, I'd love to see some headcanons or a fic of a male Kieran with a pregnant Mc or Female Kieran who's pregnant with a male mc. I love your work btw ^♡^

Thank you <3

I've actually got a fic in the works like this - with pregnant MC and male Kieran - but it's pretty far down my priority list right now unfortunately. I'll definitely return to it when I can though!

Male Kieran would, of course, be obsessively worried over pregnant MC and not allow her to lift a finger, causing her no end of annoyance :) He's overly concerned for MC's health and his anxiety and need to protect her goes into overdrive. He's over the moon (lol pun) but he's also entirely clueless about pregnancy and babies and secretly enlists Salma and Silvia to teach him things like diapering and baby care. It's possible he's never even seen a baby before, but he's determined to be the best father ever, and no one is prouder or more protective than he is.

A female pregnant Kieran would at first perhaps be shocked - Fae children are rare enough that she hadn't considered it possible to happen so soon. But she stubbornly refuses to admit she might need to slow down or let up in her duties even when ill, but eventually allows MC to care for her and take over more duties of the realm temporarily. It takes a long time to sink in that this is actually happening, and she has a hard time letting herself trust that tragedy isn't about to strike. Perhaps she confesses one night to MC that she's actually terrified for something to happen to the baby, or that a threat will arise and she won't be able to protect him or the Moon Court. It isn't until she first feels the baby kick that it suddenly becomes real - that she's going to have a family of her own once more.

I feel terrible for how little I've been able to write for TCH lately, so here's a little bit of that fic as a preview:

Ella doesn't believe it at first. 

“It's only a few days late…and time here affects mortals differently…” she tells herself, wringing her dress nervously in her hands, her heart racing.

Even as she says it, she knows it’s been more than a few days. But time had a way of confusing her in this realm, even after she’d lived here so long.

Kieran is off on one of his patrols today, taking his horse for a ride through the woods as has become his habit lately, ensuring his lands and their occupants remain peaceable. He offered Ella to accompany him, as they often went exploring together. The forest was as safe for mortals as it has ever been now, and Ella had enjoyed many months of learning the ins and outs of the realm over which she now helped Kieran rule, mapping the paths of the forest and committing them to memory. 

But this morning she had awoken with a stomach churning of acid and bile and jittery nerves, and couldn’t stand the thought of the jostling carriage, much less horseback. 

“Next time,” she told him, offering a shaky smile, knowing she looked pale and sickly and that would set off alarm bells with her overprotective new husband. 

Kieran had frowned in concern and came to her, touching her cheek with the back of his hand. She had explained to him once that mortals often grew feverish when sick, and from then on had always checked her temperature at the slightest complaint. “Are you unwell, beloved?”

“Just an upset stomach,” she’d said, taking Kieran’s hand from her face to give him an encouraging squeeze. “Likely something from dinner didn’t agree with me. But don’t let that stop you from getting some fresh air. I’ll take something for my stomach and perhaps go back to bed.”

He never likes to leave Ella behind, especially not so soon after their wedding, but that morning she’d convinced him to go on without her, and now the castle felt quiet and bereft. 

Now she can think through this on her own for a bit, and decide what, if anything, is to be done, without the spectre of Kieran’s shadow right there at all times, worrying over her. She didn't want to concern him unnecessarily.

Once she knew if her suspicions had merit, then she would tell him. She didn't want to get his hopes up. Or his fears.

She hasn’t let herself think through the possibility that this could happen. What Kieran had told her, the one time she brought it up – that Fae children were rare – had put the thought out of her mind. That this sort of thing may not happen for years, if ever.  Still, she thinks it best to go to someone who knows, privately, just in case. And this isn't something Kieran would have any knowledge of at all.

[leafkingofbirds]

Currently obsessed with love songs in a minor key

Lustre x Kieran vibes anyone?

[leafkingofbirds]

Hii :)) what do you think about Kieran with a sleep-talker mc? Or like headcanons and stuff.

this is interesting, I'd never thought about it before!

Hm, I think at first...Kieran might assume there's some magic or curse or something. I can see Kieran getting startled awake at night by Mc talking in their sleep and Kieran's past with being cursed in their sleep would make them afraid at first that something was happening to MC. But when Kieran doesn't sense anything magical or dangerous at work, they write it off as some quirky mortal thing, maybe ask MC about it in the morning, and MC says it's just a thing they do, there's nothing wrong?

After that Kieran would find it adorable to stay up and listen to whatever MC says and perhaps tease MC about what they said the next day :)

Kieran: That's not what you said last night beloved

MC: Kieran, I was asleep, that doesn't count

Kieran: *smugly unconvinced*

(i hope this is what you were going for anon?)

[leafkingofbirds]

Martha Gellhorn, from a letter to Robert Sherrod featured in The Selected Letters of Martha Gellhorn

[leafkingofbirds]

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, from "The Complete Novels of Mary Shelly,"

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I feel like Kieran might have a type of dissociation disorder, especially based on when we learn about his past, he sort of detached from the event when he saw his mother die in front of him. That kind of detachment could have followed him into adulthood. Also how when he saw Lustre in book 1 chapter 9(?) . it’s like his brain shuts down as a trauma response. But I don't know lol let me know what you think! :D

I think this is a very real and valid possibility! I don't know much about disassociation disorders specifically, but any trauma can cause this as a side effect, and seeing as how Kieran hadn't seen Lustre alone since the night she almost killed (enslaved?) them, I can see Kieran freezing up. Not necessarily out of fear but trauma.

I have often wondered why Kieran just stood there and let Lustre say those things and touch them, when they met at the hunt, Kieran had no problem holding their own. However, it's possible that Kieran was able to do this in defense of MC, but being alone took Kieran off guard? I also wondered if Kieran was just holding themselves back from utterly destroying Lustre lol. But perhaps they just couldn't help it because they were disassociating!

[leafkingofbirds]

— beau taplin