#//So she'd resent her mother for that; father for leaving her in such a situation witht that woman

[oceanxveiined]

On one hand, there is stuff i might possibly have to retcon in her genshin verse. considering a voiceline.

On the other, I can still make it Work possibly-

[litnerdwrites]

I want to talk about the Valkyries

So, I love the Valkyries. Their friendship is everything, and frankly, the best part of the series. However, I've never really liked the idea of them being warriors, and I want to hear some thoughts and opinions on that.

It all comes down to this single sentence; “"There are many types of strength beyond the ability to wield a blade and end lives. Amren told me that yesterday."”

To me, Nesta's strength lies in her other skills and abilities. She was raised to marry a Prince, so there's no doubt she's far more educated than most in her station. She proved that she has a good head on her shoulders and heart in her chest when she calculated the cost of evacuating humans from the mortal lands bellow Prythian, which goes beyond the number of ships, mind you.

She'd have to calculate the cost of the ship, the sailors to man them, the cost of security to protect the refugees in case the ships are attacked, which would mean the cost of weapons made of ash (which we know is rare since the fae burned many of the ash trees long ago), the provisions of sailors, provisions for guards, provisions for refugees, medicine for those who are sick or elderly, the time it would take to sail from the continent, load up the ships, and then sail back, etc. It's not easy, and there are a lot of factors to take into consideration, but Nesta did it and presented it to The Mortal Queens, who might have executed them for siding with the fae or even just speaking back to them, with not a single ounce of fear.

Nesta endured her mother's abuse, and didn't let it make her resent Feyre and Elain, instead, fuelling her desire to protect Elain and allow them both to find happiness in their marriages, something which we can presume is rare based on the little information and context we have for the human lands, despite it not necessarily furthering her family, while not bothering to do so for herself.

Nesta won the heart of a duke before even stepping onto the dance floor, had Eris dancing in the palm of her hand, arguably before dancing with him, and her idea to distract The King of Hybern, when Rhys didn't consider it until she brought it up. Nesta united the High Lords. Not Feyre. Not the IC. Nesta. After witnessing her father's death, and having all her trauma come crashing down on her, attended a meeting with strangers, both humans and fae, at her sister's behest, then kept herself together long enough to make it back to Velaris and to her room.

Feyre takes strength and inspiration from Nesta and her steely resolve, in times like The HL meeting.

Within a single year, she forced herself to overcome her fear of bathtubs, alone, while enduring the criticism and verbal abuse of the IC. She endured that nightmare Solstice, dinner parties and other events with them watching her like a circus performer. She endured her so-called mates' abuse and the abuse he allowed his family to show her, leaving her completely alone. Nesta didn't throw herself into the river or try to commit suicide, as far as we know, during this time, and gave everything to keep her head above water.

Let nobody tell you that Nesta Archeron isn't a strong ass woman.

I think this is why her becoming a warrior bothers me. Her courtier and dancing skills are shown to help her thrive in a place like the CON, a place the IC hates and the narrative paints as being full of scheming, evil, deserve to rot in hell, asshole fae nobles. This is a disservice to Nesta's immense talents and skill in navigating these situations. to be exploited, and painted as something that is synonymous with the 'evil' of The CON.

Also, I think that certain parts of the CON's culture is similar to human culture, in some ways. Between that and Nesta telling Bryce about how she's okay with being fae because of immortality, I think SJM is doing a disservice to humanity and it's culture. Nesta's insistence on holding on to her humanity when she points out things like how Solstice isn't a human holiday, or how fae have regard for human custom or manners (twice), and even her modest style of dress is something I love about her character.

I hate how it feels like, that for all Feyre claims both the human and fae lands are her home, she's disregarding her human culture, and Nesta is being forced to as well. Assimilating into fae society doesn't mean that she has to abandon her culture, and I think it would've been great to see more human cultures and customs, even if they didn't have holiday's or religions, being integrated into the IC. Meanwhile, Feyre's only response is to try it, because she might like it, which I think is also incredibly insensitive. Feyre and the IC have essentially indoctrinated Nesta, and wiped her human values and traditions from her life.

Her so-called mate was also the one trying to make her train since ACOWAR, without regard for human customs and how much she values them. It's like none of them care for their human heritage, and want to abandon that piece of her all together. For all he claims to love her and her fire, he doesn't care for where it came from, and who she was before he moulded her into his version of a perfect mate.

Amren is the one who told Nesta that she doesn't have to be a warrior, and that's based on the strength Nesta displayed as part of her human upbringing, implying that, even then, she is strong without the ability to end lives. Yet, she's also one of the strongest advocates for Nesta being forced to train.

If exercise of some kind is what they think she needs, why not dance? Elain is aware of how much Nesta enjoys it, and given her repeated protests about being around Cassian, why not get her a dance teacher, outside the IC, and have her learn dances from different courts or places on the continent? It's something she enjoys, and gives her a chance to learn more about the world out there, while developing many of the skills she's been trained with since birth.

I don't want to hear anything about Nesta 'choosing' to be a warrior. She merely accepted her fate, knowing it was that, or certain death.

Honestly, I think I might have been more okay with the warrior thing, if she wasn't consistently exploited by the IC. Or if I wasn't convinced that Rhysand would treat the Valkyries as an extension of his military.

Speaking of the Valkyries as a whole, I think they have so much potential that's being wasted.

Why must they be warriors? Why not a group of healers, and diplomats, and dancers and explorers, and scientists? Why not have them as a way for Nesta to fulfil her own dream of seeing the world

I've made my stance on Rhysand's so-called attempt at equality in Illyria very clear in this post (where I talk about why Cassian would be the worst father ever), but the gist of it is that throwing women swords, and forcing them to be soldiers isn't equality. Giving them the same opportunities and education to chose to be a warrior, librarian, baker, blacksmith, teacher, merchant or whatever is the start of equality.

That's not to say that they can't be warriors too. It just irks me that it's all they are. That's not to say I dislike all fmcs who become warriors, though I do think that there's an overabundance of them. Why must being a warrior be what defines The Valkyries. I don't see how that makes them different to another military unit, even though Nesta is likely to be the only one expected to act like a real soldier.

The narrative makes Nesta a warrior with her other skills and passions being just a smaller part of her character. I think it should be the other way around. I think she, and The Valkyries, deserve to be more than warriors.

I feel like Emerie would be the only one who'd want to be a full time warrior out of the main three Valkyries. Even then, it's mostly due to how ingrained it is to Illyrian culture.

The concept of Nesta helping the Priestesses heal is perfect for her character, based on what we've seen her do for civilians and victims in the past. This is why I believe The Valkyries would've been more interesting if they took a humanitarian (kind of) approach to things. Helping women who are oppressed, like Illyrian women, or those in The CON, follow their dreams and escape abuse.

The IC call themselves The Court of Dreams, so wouldn't having The Valkyries be the ones to help the underprivileged start on the path to fulfilling their own dreams be poetic? It would give her a chance to travel too, if she went across Prythian or even to The Continent.

Stepping back from The Valkyries for a moment, there are many strong FMCs that aren't warriors at all. Personally, I think Stephenie Garber writes them best.

My favourite Evangeline Fox. I think she's the strongest FMC I've read/watched because her strength comes from her kindness, and belief in true love, even when the world is trying to prove otherwise. She refuses to give up hope for a happily ever after, and fights through impossible odds with her wit and heart alone for her love.

I also love Scarlett's resolve and quick thinking. I honestly think she's a lot like Nesta in some ways, when it comes to protecting her sisters (though I think Feyre is a bit like her at time s too). I'm impressed by the lengths she'd go to for those she loves, and her resolve when she decides that she deserves better than what someone's giving her. I love Donatella's determination, and decision to use other people's low opinions of her, and ideas of her being just another dumb blonde, choosing instead to use it to her advantage and prove them wrong out of spite.

I love Tohru Honda and her resolve to be kind and compassionate to everyone, even those who don't deserve it. She assumes ignorance or accident before malice and continues to strive to be better, for herself and for others. Her kindness and compassion is what inspires others around her.

I love Sophie's resourcefulness and bravery in Howel's Moving Castle.

I love Winter from At The End There Was You, because of how kind and chatty she is. How she choses to believe that the good can outweigh the bad and never stops asking questions or being curious.

Even jumping back to SJM for a moment, I love Bryce, not because she can weald weapons, but because of how resourceful, kind and witty she is. I love how she uses her femininity and others' low opinion of her to her advantage. Yrene was my favourite character in TOG, and I loved Tower of Dawn because of her. Some of my favourite moments with Aelinare when she's being girly with Lysandra. From chatting and sharing chocolates, to playing with Evangeline, or having some form of girl time (most of which are in QOS).

The Valkyries had the potential to be more than just, the now, stereotypical, strong, warrior FMCs.

“"There are many types of strength beyond the ability to wield a blade and end lives. Amren told me that yesterday."”

I think this quote should've set the president for The Valkyries. Looking back at this, I think it's less The Valkyries that I dislike and more the fact that they're warriors. I wish it played more into that quote, rather than giving us the same old story about finding strength through fighting. Personally, I think solving disputes between nations through words and dancing, or discovering the cure to sicknesses, or even bridging the gap between two sentient races sharing a world (humans and fae) all while fulfilling your dreams is more impressive than swinging swords around and ending disputes with death.

If there really needed to be some semblance of warrior like training, why not lower the intensity to self defence? Do something like Yrene and start teaching women self defence and educating them in reading, writing and maths. Give them the opportunities to better their lives and create futures for themselves. Make them about empowerment in whatever ways others feel comfortable, not just by becoming warriors.

TLDR: I think the Valkyries, namely Nesta, being warriors, first and foremost, is a disservice to her character and to the strength of women who find empowerment through other means. “"There are many types of strength beyond the ability to wield a blade and end lives. Amren told me that yesterday."” is what Amren said in ACOWAR, as quoted by Nesta, and I think that should've set the tone for The Valkyries. The worst part is how her own so-called mate doesn't respect that about her. I do want to hear other thoughts on this matter though. Do being warriors suite The Valkyries? Does it suite Nesta or her story?

[blue-rose-soul]

I just love your au! <3 <3 <3

The early 1900s seems like a pretty religion time period seems like a particularly religious time period. I was just wondering if Nicaise ever got her memories back how would she react to finding out that the angel she spent the night with was actually the king of hell?

Thank you very much! <3 <3 <3

I was actually thinking about this a bit last night. This is probably a good time to mention that I decided Nicaise was Catholic, as well as both of her parents, but her mother grew up with vodou and taught Alastor about it when he was very young, before she passed away.

(Now just pretend like I know the first thing about Catholicism despite being raised Christian.)

Even before she got her memories back, Nicaise spent over a century up in Heaven with the feeling that something wasn't quite right and that the Heavenborn were keeping something from the winners. It's honestly not too hard for her to accept that things aren't exactly as she was taught in the church. Learning that Lucifer was actually a fairly likeable guy was a shock, but one she adjusted to easily.

Getting her memories back and learning that he's the father of her child was another matter.

I don't think Nicaise ever had any real resentment towards Alastor's father for leaving. The met in the middle of Mardi Gras. They got wasted. These things happen. Even though when he was a young boy, she told Alastor stories about his dad being an 'angel' and said he was watching them, Nicaise was fairly sure she'd hallucinated Lucifer's wings when she saw him flop out the window in a drunken stupor. She just thought it made for a nice story.

Oh! But it turns out he really was an angel! Which, she's already come to realize, aren't all perfect beings. In fact, it seems like angels can be just as big fuck ups as humans. Okay. Cool. But he's not just any angel, oh no, he is Lucifer fucking Morningstar himself. Also, he and Satan are two different people, who knew? But back to the last point...

So the father of her child is the Prince of Darkness, the Accuser, the Tempter (hah!), the Great Dragon, the Ancient Serpent. And he is a silly little man with cute, rosy cheeks and an obsession with ducks. Nicaise has to take a moment and have a laugh about the fact that her parents would keel over double dead if they knew, which is motivation enough to get back up to Heaven to tell them. Then she has to stop and ask if that means that Alastor is the anti-Christ. Lucifer assures her that, no, that isn't really a thing, and even if it was Charlie came about a hundred years earlier than Alastor. No end of days. So, that's a relief.

Nicaise mostly finds humor in the situation. She jokes that, hey, at least she can brag she banged the devil. But she also feels guilty, since she wouldn't have come on to him if she'd known he was married. Either she didn't notice Lucifer's wedding ring in her drunken state, or Lucifer took it off himself to keep it safe in all the chaos. It was the right move, given he lost his hat, his jacket, and a shoe that night.

[vvyvernicus]

OC Post:

B"Randi" Maxton

Fandom: The Count's Secret Maid (백작가의 비밀스런 시녀님)

Type of protagonist: Reluctant Hero/Transmigrated

Original cause of death: Alcohol poisoning

Randi, before her transmigration:

Randi lived most of her life in the city outskirts where she was raised by a single mother. Her mother had a habit of being promiscuous—especially when drunk—and conceived Randi from an accidental pregnancy. Her mother was poor and since abortion was not legal in her state, she had to carry her pregnancy to term. However, instead of doing the more responsible thing and giving Randi up for adoption, her mother decided to raise Randi herself, not wanting anyone to parent her daughter.

Unfortunately, Randi's mother did not change for the better to be a good mom for Randi.

For starters, Randi's name came to be from her mother craving her favorite liquor "Brandy" after giving birth to her. The nurse misunderstood this and simply thought she wanted to name her daughter "Brandi" instead and put it on her birth certificate. After growing older, Randi instead tells people to refer to her as her nickname, liking it better than her legal name.

Randi's mother had a plethora of issues—many that would unfortunately be passed onto her daughter both genetically and psychologically. This includes her alcoholism, depression as well as generalized anxiety. Randi's mother never sought to get treatment for these conditions for herself nor for her daughter when she started showing signs.

Her mother was both physically and verbally abusive to her. She'd have fits of hysteria and would rely on Randi to calm her back down. There were times where the situation seemed to be improving, but things always went back to where they were. When she was little, she wanted to "save" her mother.

While Randi did not have a lot of toys to play with, on good days, her mother would read to her. Mainly fairy tales with happy endings. She latched onto these ideals and started to envision herself as one of the princesses in the stories. This was also one of the only times that Randi could share a comforting physical closeness with her mother, aside from when she was blackout drunk.

School life was not much easier for young Randi. She did poorly in academics and struggled to make connections with the other children, even in elementary school. By middle school, she started to experience severe bullying to the point she'd start skipping days here and there. Not wanting to be at home with her mother, she'd wander the suburbs.

When she was a child, Randi found comfort in singing. It made her feel less alone and she enjoyed acting like she was singing as a certain character in a scene. However, bullying she received shot down her confidence, so she never tried out for school plays. When she became a teenager and started smoking, she found it increasingly harder to sing and stopped altogether because she hated that it made her have coughing fits.

As an adult, she found comfort in unhealthy habits: smoking and binge drinking. However she still managed to scrape by as a gas station attendant (even if she had to work double shifts). It was very slow during nights, so she used that time to scroll, watch videos and absorb lots of irrelevant information. She'd also read Manhwa's on occasion, but often got bored and dropped most after only a few chapters.

Before her transmigration, she had read only one chapter of the Manhwa comic she came to wake up in after her death. She has no clue about the world, other than the details surrounding the first chapter: she was now possessing a poor girl's body who had been abused her whole life, called ugly, then finally sold off by her abusive father to serve as a new maid at someone's mansion.

This young woman's name was Paula.

Paula originally was one of five siblings. She was the eldest, with her mother resenting giving birth to her and leaving the family after birthing the youngest. Three of her siblings were killed/sold off aside from her younger sister Alicia, who doesn't care that her siblings were treated horrendously. In addition to being mistreated horribly by her family, to the point of regular beatings, she was also harassed in her village because people saw her as ugly.

At the time she has transmigrated, she was already employed at the mansion, specifically a day afterwards. This means that the original Paula had already met with her employers and some other workers at the mansion. More importantly, she had already met the master she was supposed to serve, but the details behind the encounter were unknown because Randi didn't read past the first chapter.

It's a very awkward transition, and it takes her a bit to understand what's going on. Thankfully she transmigrates when alone in her new room. When she meets Isabella, the head maid and her boss, she convinces her that the other day was a blur and that she needs a refresher. Turns out, the original Paula got hit in the face with a vase and passed out, which made the situation believable. Isabella sighs before explaining her new position to her yet again before sending her off to attend to the master.

Let's talk about the Male Lead: Vincent Bellunita.

He was born a healthy, handsome boy and was very intelligent and skilled. Both of his parents had passed away when he was still young, but he managed to lead the household without much issue. At least until a year before the events of the story. He was assaulted at an assassin at an event hosted by the royal family, where a strange juice got into his eyes.

Within weeks, he became completely blind.

Now he refuses to leave his room and few people know of his condition. Due to the trauma of losing his vision, his behavior is irritable and he injures himself in fits of frustration. He also refuses to eat regular meals and has grown thin from lack of nourishment. His body has grown frail enough that occasionally he can't breathe properly and requires an respirator on occasion.

Vincent keeps his gun on him at all times. Mostly because he's afraid of future assassination attempts. He threatens to use this gun on Randi during their first "official" meeting. Since Randi is not afraid of death, she challenges him, daring to make a pun that being shot in the head would "open her mind" to new experiences.

Their relationship is an interesting one for sure. She "escapes" death by using puns and morbid humor, clearly unopposed to being killed and replaced by another maid. Vincent finds her behavior absurd and is unnerved by her. She tells him that she still has to fulfill her duties, but if she's killed, she'll just be replaced anyways. After a bit of back and forth, she eventually comes up with an idea. If he behaves well and allows her to do her work without fighting her, then she'll tell him a story or something "interesting".

Just like with the original Paula, he's not so keen on having her attempt to serve him and do her job. But since Randi had experience dealing with someone neurotic for several years, being screamed at and having objects thrown at her was something she was accustomed to. Initially, she just lets him get it out of his system before attempting to do her work. Sometimes she'll even make comments that he's being too noisy, since she's not a fan of loud noises.

Of course, he gets more used to her with time. Even if he acts like a "total brat" like she says some days, if he's not actively fighting her in some way before she takes her leave, she'll give him small tidbits of information. At first, they start off dark, but she eventually lightens up the topics.

While at the mansion, she wears typical maid attire. The only thing she does differently from the original Paula is tying her hair in double ponytails simply because "it's fun". In public, she wears a commoner dress along with a mask that obscures most of her face. Since Paula was ridiculed for an ugly face, Randi decided to wear a mask instead. Randi doesn't truly believe Paula to be ugly, but sees the villagers who had called her that to be corrupt (along with everyone else) since she views the world as Hell.

She views the transmigration as "Hell". Since she didn't live a fulfilling or particularly virtuous life in her past, she sees this new life as a punishment. Because of this, she also doesn't take it very seriously. So if it's her fate to get killed again, she is accepting of it.

Her past love of fairy tales has soured and she now prefers stories that end tragically. Her reasoning is that they are the most memorable. Despite this, she'll recount lots of media from her past life, both the happy stories and the more somber variety.

The types of content she'll bring up varies wildly. She favors dark humor initially, but is capable of bringing up wholesome topics, technological advancements and random game logic. Instead of being seen as a person from another world, she is considered to be eccentric. She never directly admits to transmigrating to anyone except for Vincent.

Due to her depression, Randi doesn't find pleasure in things like eating. Everything is tasteless to her and she has to force food down at times. In spite of her previous alcoholism, she no longer drinks (mainly because she does not have access to it as a maid). However she does drink lots of salted water out of habit, which is a great way of getting rid of hangovers and hydrating the body.

Also, since Paula's lungs had never inhaled cigarettes like Randi's old body, her lungs and throat are in much better condition. So Randi can now sing without having coughing fits if she is ever inclined to. She knows a lot of songs and will use them depending on the situations she finds herself in.

The altered plot is also loosely based on One Thousand and One Nights (The Arabian Nights). In this story, there is a king who marries and kills a new bride each day after being betrayed by his first wife. That is until he meets a peculiar woman, one who plans to extend her life by telling him engaging stories each night and always ending on a cliffhanger.

This is just a small teaser/preview for if I write the eventual fanfiction. I already have so many other projects, fan ones and original works, so this will likely be on the back burner indefinitely.

The original story is also currently in its early stages. While my rendition will take a completely different path, I'd like to have a bit more base material to work around before transforming the world.

Images of the official characters were screenshots from the Manhwa!

[unitlead]

UNITLEAD: Document type | headcanon: NPC bio.| timeline: 2004-14/15

Name: Siobhán Anne Lynch ( FC: Michelle F.airley ) D.O.B: born August 15th 1963, South Belfast, Northern Ireland. Occupation: Barrister Spouse/partner: Eileen Waters 1985-97 (sep.) Kate Stewart 2000-14 ( div.) Children: Moira Lethbridge-Stewart. stepmother to Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.

UPBRINGING/EARLY LIFE: Siobhan was born into a protestant household, very conservative, loyalist. She was the middle child of three, but as the only daughter, she was easily spoiled. Her parents had very high hopes for her, and were delighted when she decided to pursue law, In 1982 she made the very difficult choice to leave the only home she had known, young and terrified of the situation. By that time she wasn't so sure she completely agreed with all of her parents'views either. She pursued international law at university in London instead, and though her parents funded her aspirations, they were disheartened to see her leave.

MEETING/MARRIAGE: They met in early 2000. By now in her late 30's and wanting a family, Siobhan had accompanied an acquaintance as a plus one to an international scientific research gala in Paris. Kate, then working in the private sector, was also in attendance.the attraction was instant. Siobhan was more than happy to be pursued and very quickly abandoned her acquaintance that night. And the gala. Whatever early flaws she might have seen in Kate and vice versa) she happily dismissed, in love and desperate to have it all. Though she adored Kate's son Gordon, Siobhan she knew that he would never view her as a mother too. She was the one who brought up the idea of another child, the one who went through IVF and carried their daughter through a very difficult pregnancy given her age. And once she was born, Siobhan thought of no one else. She put her career on hold to stay at home and raise their daughter, and for a time everything was wonderful. THE PROBLEM WITH BEING KATE S.TEWART's WIFE: is that once her life's mission became to restore U.NIT, her commitment to Siobhan took a backseat. At first, Siobhan encouraged Kate to take up her father's suggestion to work at UNIT, she knew what it was like to be estranged from family. And in the beginning, while Kate wasn't overly important at U.NIT, everything was fine.But then came the promotion and the late work hours and then even that rolled into never knowing if her wife was going to come home that evening at all. It was always a D.alek attack this or A.uton invasion that. The more it happened, the more Siobhan tried to cling to her family, and pour everything into that, A proud person by nature, she tried to control and exert her influence over their home life and slowly, her behaviour pushed both of the children to prefer Kate to her, both wanted to follow in her footsteps, by and by she came to resent the woman she'd once loved. Kate's work was everything. And where did that leave Siobhan?

THE DIVORCE ERA: By late 2012 they argued more than they talked. If Kate was home, it was for the kids. Siobhan knew she wanted out, long before Kate did and by this time had become increasingly paranoid that her wife was having an affair. So much as to hire a p.i. It didn't pan out to be true. But that didn't ease her doubt. In the end, she was the one to end the relationship. Her need for control taking over, she represented herself at settlement, asking for full custody of their daughter but ultimately having to settle for more realistic expectations. The house too, had been in Gordon's name the entire time, a parting gift from his Grandfather. Much to Siobhan's chagrin, and disbelief. ( how had she missed that ) The divorce finalised in 2014. She returned to work as soon as she was able to. By 2024 she once again resides in South Belfast, focusing her energies on her family, in particular her many nieces and nephews and their children. She no longer speaks to any of the lethbridge-s.tewarts.

[cadybear420]

Hey I wanted to ask this after watching Telugu movie Hi Nanna.

How does Evie handle having to grow up only with her father and not having her mother around? The movie just reminded me that Scott is a single father too and might have struggled at some point to give his daughter everything.

My headcanon is that Evie's parents are divorced, and it happened pretty much while Evie was still a newborn.

While at Hartfeld, after he and Julia (Emma's mom) ended up going their separate ways, Scott eventually met this woman named Rani, a driven and tough yet sweet woman who mainly had interest in bodyguard jobs.

The two would soon fall in love, and would be engaged and married after they both completed their master's degrees. Some months later, Rani would become pregnant with her and Scott's first child- AKA Evie. The two seemed almost like a perfect match, except for one thing...

While Rani was about 4 months pregnant with Evie, she came to the realization that she was just not ready to settle down and raise a child. 

Scott– who on the contrary had longed to raise a kid– was heartbroken, but respected her decision. They both decided that the best decision due to their conflict of personal interests was to divorce on amicable terms. Evie’s mom was, however, okay with carrying the child to term for Scott; though he reassured her that it'd be okay if she didn't want to do so.

Scott, knowing that Evie would eventually wonder who that woman in his photographs was and not wanting to lie to Evie, told her the full story when she was about 3. 

Evie never resented her mother for leaving, and Scott did do a pretty good job at raising her while being a single dad. But it still always left her feeling upset and conflicted. She was aware that her mother was a great great person, and so sometimes she feels like she missed out on having that great great person as a figure in her life.

Knowing of this past also would make Evie a little bit fussy with her relationships. Aiden is consistently stepping out of his comfort zone and trying new things during his relationship with Evie, and mainly in the later years of their relationship, she would sometimes get a bit hung up about "not wanting him to do something he doesn't have to/is uncomfortable with". Sometimes it felt to her like the relationship was too good to be true, and she didn't want to end up in the same situation as her parents did. It was a bit upsetting to Aiden, but they'd manage to resolve their feelings together.

Rani would sometimes come to visit them, being more of an auntie figure to Evie. They get along pretty damn well, but it could be a bit awkward since Rani and Scott still had some feelings for each other and neither of them had really had any new partners.

Speaking of which, Emma had failed to matchmake Scott and Julia. Evie was conflicted about matchmaking them; on one hand, she would love a mother figure like Julia and for both her and Scott to be able to properly move on from Rani; but on the other hand, she'd watched the Arthur episode "Matchmaker, Matchbreaker" enough times to know that you can't really force these things. So she just decided to "let the chips fall where they may" on that one, and it ended up with Scott and Julia not falling back in love.

Later on in her life, Evie would eventually come to fully accept the situation with her parents and make peace with it.

[snail-eggs]

Boss Intro: Xixi

forgive me if this seems like I don't know what I'm doing. Its because I indeed do not.

Xiomara "Xixi" Rosario

dob: 01/18/86

cuban/dominican

Personality: It is very hard to describe Xixi's personality in such a brief way. Growing up, she was labelled as difficult by adults around her due to her violent outbursts but she was also insanely academically intelligent. This created confusion with her and she still does not know how to live with both sides of herself and finds herself thinking that she still has to choose. In adulthood, she seems to be relatively well-adjusted though it is a front for her incredible impulsivity and self-destructive tendencies. Xixi finds herself often not caring about what happens to her until she's hit rock bottom for a situation. In more casual situations though, she can be very charismatic and even border on flirtatious. Xixi doesn't care much about strangers' opinions though she values the approval of those she holds close.

Bio:

Life Before Saints:

Xixi was born and raised in Stilwater - though not raised in a particularly happy home. She grew up with a lot of resentment in her home life, particularly from her mother; a washed-up Cuban actress whose dreams and promise of stardom in the States was crushed by her pregnancy with Xixi. Her mother was never outwardly abusive or neglectful but Xixi could never shake the feeling that her mother did not love her.

Her relationship with her father was a little better but not by much. He spent most of her childhood concerned with his store which he operated with Xixi's godfather and had inherited from his father. Her father was never bad to her, just absent.

Xixi's grandmother is probably the only relationships he had with an adult in which she can say that she was properly parented. She spent a lot of time at her grandma's house - sometimes more than she spent at her own. She also became very close with her cousins, so close that she began imagining that her aunt and uncle were her parents when she'd spend afternoons there.

When Xixi was 10-years-old, her mother gave birth to her sister Vanessa.

At school and in her every day life, she is often regarded as a problem. Her impulsivity and violent outbursts make her a target for teachers despite her intelligence and Xixi doesn't quite know how to deal with it. All she gets is punishment and is never taught how to cope with the way she feels.

Adolescence/Cousin's death:

When Xixi is 13, her cousin Louis is shot by rogue Vice Kings and bleeds out in front of her. On the same day, her eldest cousin Frank (who unbeknownst to her is a Saint) puts her into his truck and forces her to tell him who killed Louis. This severs the close brother-sister relationship she had with Frank for several years.

In high school, Xixi fairs a bit better. Though not fully in control of her impulses she has begun to learn to pick her fights and pick them wisely.

During this time she has two close friends: Charlie Anderson and Helena Davis. She begins a strange homoerotic-leaning friendship with Helena and things do get physical a couple times, though Xixi does not understand it and does not like that she does not understand it. She has not yet come to terms with the fact that she is bisexual - she doesn't even really know that its a thing yet.

Because of her confusion with her feelings and unwillingness to confront them, Helena and Xixi have a massive falling out. This leaves Charlie as her only friend.

Annulment:

The summer after her high school graduation, Charlie and Xixi decide to take a road trip with no destination in mind. This road trip forces them to confront many things about themselves and Charlie decides to confront his romantic feelings towards Xixi. She doesn't really reciprocate the feelings at first but as the trip gets more and more out of control, she begins to believe that she does.

The trip ends with them getting married at a courthouse in the middle of nowhere and Xixi remarking how she wishes they could have made it to Vegas. The marriage between the two doesn't last very long though and well into October, Xixi asks him for an annulment. This puts a rift in their relationship but things aren't soured forever.

A month after the annulment, in November, Xixi drops out of her freshman year at Stilwater University.

Summer '06:

During the summer of 2006, Xixi is at a very unsteady period in her life. She is working part-time at her father's store and selling shoes out of Charlie's trunk with him when she can. She is also living with her grandmother, barely pulling her weight in bills.

It all changes though, on one warm night in June, when she meets Johnny Gat on a rooftop during a block party. A night where her cousin Demetrius is shot by Vice Kings and she is one of the first on the scene.

This is the inciting incident that leads her on the path to joining the Saints.

[julesdavis]

[ lucy hale, cis-female, she/her ] - was that JULIA DAVIS i saw by the lighthouse today? i heard that the THIRTY year old who has been in nightrest for ONE YEAR and works  as a BARISTA AT THE DAILY DOSE has a reputation of being RESOURCEFUL, but also RESENTFUL. they reside in FOG GATES & people in town usually associate them with A PILE OF BOOKS WITH THE EDGES FOLDED OVER, GOLDEN FLAME FLICKERING IN A CRUMBLING CASTLE, THE DESPARATE SEARCH FOR LOVE. let’s hope the killer doesn’t go after them next.

trigger warnings — neglect, alcoholism, cancer, death mention and abuse mention

BASICS

full name: julia wren davis nickname(s): jules, lia hometown: boston, massachusetts current location: nightrest, massachusetts gender: cis-female sexuality: heterosexual occupation: barista @ the daily dose

HISTORY

Julia's story begins in Boston, Massachusetts. Born to Derek and Angela Davis — two doomed souls. The beginning wasn't all bad, Angela had always dreamed about a family of her own, and Derek was a good and stable man, but nothing stays good for long, does it?

Everything changed when Julia was twelve. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer, with little to no hope she'd ever survive it. Julia and Derek were there for Angela, supporting her in every way she could need, but as time progressed the situation wasn't getting any better. The medical bills kept piling, the lack of attention Derek gave to his job got him fired and eventually the only place she had known as home wasn't theirs anymore. Moving to a small apartment that barely had enough room for one, let alone three took a toll on all of them and they had to find a way to cope with it — unfortunately for Derek that was alcohol. A year later, when Julia was thirteen, the inevitable happened. Angela passed away. It wasn't enough that Julia had lost her mother, but she was the one who had to do everything, her father too drunk to stand of his feet.

Julia didn't have time to grieve over her late mother. There was so much debt left to their name, and any money her father made went to his addiction, Julia had to find a job. She worked hard, both in school and at work, but she couldn't keep up. The need for more pay with longer hours ended with Julia dropping out when she was sixteen. Derek turned to a mean, lazy and ungrateful man. Julia did everything for him, she ruined her future for him and if it wasn't for her they'd be homeless, but her father didn't care. He'd call her names, blamed her for everything. He made Julia's life hell. But she stayed. She didn't have anyone else.

In her early twenties, Julia met Aiden — her first everything. The person who opened her eyes to the abuse at home, the person who asked her to move in with him, the person she was madly in love with, the person she eventually called her husband. But he was just another person to hurt her. One night she came home early to surprise him, but was met with a surprise herself. A stranger in her bed and her husband on top. He convinced her it was a mistake, and she believed him, so desperate for love she was a complete fool. But when she found out this wasn't a one time thing, she filed for divorce. She didn't want anything from him, she just wanted to leave. Julia was quick to pack her bags once everything was finalized and picked the first place she could afford — Fog Gates in Nightrest.

HEADCANONS

although julia has been hurt by people, she still desperately believes in love and good. many will call it naïve, but she calls it hopeful. she wants to believe there are people who will care for you and love you unconditionally.

to cope with everything in her life julia often buries her nose deep in books. reading stories about great adventures, big love, romance and mysteries. imagining herself as a character in the beautiful stories.

while she was with aiden she pushed herself to do better and got her high school diploma.

[creepedverse]

Quite heavy but what about the gang's parents? Like, where are they? How are their relationships with their kids? What do the gang thinks of their parents? How close are they bla bla bla

Tobin blew his dads brains out with a shotgun a bit before his 18th birthday before ditching town with Tali and eventually ending up in Farnbury. Needless to say he has a very rocky relationship with his father. They'd get into really brutal fights regularly, his dad was a piece of shit junkie. Tobin hated that man more than anything, and that hatred stuck with him. He's always been closer with his mom, but he has a lot of frustrations towards her for choosing his dad over her children and she had a lot of mental health issues while Tobin was growing up. He loves his mom, but he has a lot of anger towards her for the shit she's done/didnt do. She's still alive back in North Dakota, staying with Tobins grandma and little sister, just trying to get by after everything

Tali never talked with her mother. She'd see her on the rare occasion, but they weren't close by any means. She lived with her father, who worked as a trucker so he was always on the road, sometimes leaving her and her older brother alone for weeks at a time. When he was home he would drink and bring his new girlfriend over. She doesn't like him, or think all that much of him, and has zero contact with him. Growing up, her parents were like nuisances that would pop up in her life once in awhile

Dia cut off contact with her father when she was around 16. He wasn’t a good father and the only reason the people around him think he is is because he’s a textbook narcissist that lies to everyone he meets. She got sick of him constantly bitching about how her mom is such a horrible person and how much he hates her while in the next breath compare Dia to her mom. She went fully no contact at 17 and even didn’t want him at her graduation it was that bad for her. But her mom is a little more complicated relationship wise. Dia loves and appreciates everything her mom did for her regarding her father and being a single mother raising her. But her mom is a very judgmental person that made Dia feel bad about herself and her interests quite often. She loves her mom dearly but the feeling of resentment from how judgmental and emotionally manipulative her mom could be towards her own daughter was too much to bear.

Nico hated her parents. Fittingly, the she was the only person her parents hated more than they hated each other, and the only situation where they were a united front was when it was against her. They were corporal, and controlling. They agreed there was something about her they didn't understand, tried their best to beat it out of her. Despite, or maybe because of the abuse, she lashed out often. Being with them felt like an extended exorcism she wanted over with. By the time she was 16, they were flat on their backs, rivered in blood, bullet shells, and their own brain matter. She didn't kill them, had someone else do it for her, but she wouldn't have hesitated to do it herself if she had to. No one told her what to do, even back then.

Shannon is somewhat fond of her mother. She barely remembers her, since her father took her away when she was 4, but she faintly remembers the smell of smoke and a tune she cant find anywhere. Her mother doomed her with the sickness though, yet she wonders, how could her mother have gotten it?

She hates her father though. If anything, he disowned her and ripped her away. The typical rich asshole, who saw that his daughter could be a problem, so he put her to wherever he could.

Bonnie was largely raised by her mom + paternal grandparents! She lived full time with her mom in California and it was relatively okay. they just butt heads like any teenager does.

She struggles a bit more with her dad, who's in jail by time she comes to Farnbury. The grandparents in Farnbury are her dad's parents, which leave a bittersweet feeling when she visits. She considers her grandparents as parental figures more than her real parents, ESPECIALLY her papa(grandpa) taking her dad's role!

Arthur was raised by his mother with his older brother! Arthur’s family is tiny, just the three of them, but they are each other’s supports! While Arthur struggled socially growing up, he knew he could always count on his family! He loves his mother dearly and she often would help him prepare for investigation outings by loading his bags chock full of protective crystals and protection salt. Arthur has learned a lot of his outdoors knowledge from his older brother. He learned the basics of survival and would often accompany his older brother to go camping once he was in his late teens, after he left school. Arthur’s mom is very loving, very open, and very spiritual. Arthur’s older brother is a bit hot headed, but he’s extremely caring and protective of his family. His brother moved out a few years ago, Arthur and his mother living in a quaint little place with their pets. Arthur is in Farnbury, but his family is still in New York!

Tommie's parents remain in Oregon, where he grew up. His mother haunts an empty house and his father rots six feet in the ground. Raised in their shadows as he was, rifts as wide as canyons opened between them all. Tommie does not talk about his parents to his friends in Farnbury. Tommie sometimes questions whether or not his memories of them are real or not.

[sosagely]

aloe : how does your muse handle grief ?

lilac : what was your muse’s childhood like ? how has their upbringing affected them as they’ve aged ?

peony : what would a ‘ happy life ’ look like in your muse’s eyes ? | from that headcanon meme!

HEADCANONS! // @glacierheart

aloe : how does your muse handle grief ?

she's been raised in grief, it's intertwined with her soul, woven into the very fabric of who she is. that said, she's never let herself sit with it. she's spent her life repressing and ignoring those emotions, shutting down to avoid allowing them to overwhelm her. that loss has left a permanent mark. it leaks into all of her relationships: platonic and romantic alive. and yet she's never given herself the chance to work through it. she just keeps running. when she feels that familiar hollowness at any perceived abandonment, that pre-emptive grief bleeding through, well she retreats. eventually, all that running will catch up to her and she collapses.

lilac : what was your muse’s childhood like ? how has their upbringing affected them as they’ve aged ?

lonely. in her formative years, she experienced loss after loss. her maternal grandparents' tragic death in an accident (age 6), her mother abandoning her (age 7), her paternal grandmother passing away and her father disappearing (age 9). she gets stuck with an aunt who resents her for being a reminder of the loss, and is raised in a cold house. eventually, that relationship implodes despite kara's best efforts to salvage it. she's living on her own by 14. sure her aunt covers the legal stuff, and provides money for food and supplies, but otherwise kara's left to her own devices. that's the time her dad starts popping back into her life sporadically, always drunk or high. she nurses him through the night where he makes promise after promise about fixing their family and being better for her. but he's always gone in the morning. his promises are always as empty as his apologies. and eventually, she learns to stop hoping for different.

the unsteady home environment, isolation, and cycle of abandonment from the people meant to protect her left her with attachment issues && an almost paralyzing fear of abandonment. she wants so deeply to be known, to be loved, but blocked by her inability to be vulnerable. being vulnerable, getting attached, letting those walls come down ... it just means it'll hurt more when people leave. this becomes an almost self-fulfilling prophecy, she's constantly pushing people away to maintain some control over the situation and avoid being left. but it also means there's no one to ground or tether her. it's also why, when she does care about someone, she's loyal to a goddamn fault about it. she loves like a dog, steadfast and whole-heartedly.

when she gets older and actually starts to reflect and heal, a lot more of her natural personality gets to shine through. her edges soften, and the warm goofy person she was under the defensiveness gets to peak through more and more.

peony : what would a ‘ happy life ’ look like in your muse’s eyes ?

if you were to ask her that question, she'd tell you being somewhere far far away, locked away in the privacy of a comfortable house, indulging the passions she rarely got to as a kid.

but the truth goes a little deeper than that. really, a happy life for kara just means having someplace to call HOME. somewhere stable. somewhere safe. with someone who chooses, time and time again, to stay. the rest of it doesn't matter in the least to her. she'd work a job she hated, crammed into a shitty studio apartment, with no privacy whatsoever if she had someone who felt like home with her. she is, as much as she may deny it, a romantic at heart.

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #18

It is another day of trying to stay one step ahead of the beast. So today I made ranch spinach dip! Check it out:

Once more, this is a thing that I wish I could share with you, but alas, I cannot. I can maybe at least tell you how it's made, though. It's very easy. You just take 16 ounces of sour cream, 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, 20 ounces of thawed frozen spinach (you gotta squish the water out of it with a cheesecloth, though!), and between one and two packets of powdered ranch dressing mix, depending on your tastes. Mix it all up, and voila! Easy peasy delicious dip!

Normally, what you do with it is you put it into a hollowed-out round bread loaf (I really like to use marble rye for this), and then you cut the part that was pulled out into bite-sized pieces to dunk into the dip. But you can also dunk veggies in it, or crackers, or whatever else you like!

Today, I filled some mini bell peppers with the stuff, like this:

I also put it on some crackers!

If you can believe it, this recipe comes from my stepmother - the woman who my father has been with for the last… goodness, almost 30 years now.

As you might guess, this is yet another example of me trying to weave something beautiful from a terrible circumstance. If abuse is a trigger for you, you might want to avoid reading the rest of this paragraph. My stepmother hated my brother and I; the simplest explanation I can give you is that she was very insecure, and my brother and I were reminders that my father had a woman before her. She hated what we represented, and she felt powerless to do anything about the fact that we existed; we have laws here against killing your partner's children, you see, and my father wanted control of us in order to punish our mother for leaving him.

You may want to skip this paragraph, too, if abuse is a trigger for you. In any case, given her circumstances, she coped with her situation by making sure my brother and I knew how much she despised and resented us anytime we did anything. She'd beat us viciously for any small thing and scream vitriolic things at us while doing it - if she didn't like the expression on our face, or if we walked too loudly or too quickly in the house, or if we were sick and she was annoyed that we were coughing or sniffling, and so many more things… she could weave anything into an excuse, really. The fact of the matter was that she enjoyed hurting us very much - it made her feel powerful and in control.

This is yet another paragraph you might want to skip if abuse is a trigger for you. Anyway, as such, she went to great lengths to make sure my brother and I felt small and worthless, and she went to great lengths to hide what she was doing to us from other people - she started by systematically destroying our credibility by asserting to anyone who would listen, including our father, that we were bad children, so that if we tried to get help, we wouldn't be believed. Given that children occupy a very low position on the social ladder in my world, that part was very easy to do. She made sure not to be cruel to us when our father was home (but he had a job as a truck driver, that had him out from 5 in the morning until around 8 or 9 at night, so…), and when she was in public with people who weren't her own family members, she was careful to make it look like she loved and doted on us. The only thing she couldn't do was take away the bruises and welts she left on us. We wore long sleeves and long pants often and were instructed to say that we fell down, but not all of our injuries could be explained like that, so eventually people started getting suspicious.

We didn't have to live like this for too long - only 3 years or so. Or, well… rather… I didn't. My brother got sent back to live there. But I'll save that explanation for another time. For one thing, she couldn't put her hands on us anymore without going to jail. But for another thing… I might argue that some of the things she used to say to us were even more damaging. And there are no laws in my country against verbal abuse, as far as I know. And even if there were such laws, it's not as though they are enforceable at all, really. It is what it is. And the results were the results…

…Still, I don't hate her (not anymore, anyway; younger me was VERY bitter at the time, though…), and I can't say that she's a bad person; she very much isn't. If you're a person she loves, then she'll do just about anything for you - bear any burden, overcome any hardship. She is staunchly loyal to the people she considers her family - good or bad, right or wrong. She is very resilient in a lot of ways, and she has the kind of grit that most people can only dream of. And she's astoundingly intelligent. She's just lost, that's all. Her upbringing makes mine look laughably easy, and as far as I know, she never got a kind of help that works for her. The mechanics of the situation are simple enough to understand, and the results are… well… as expected.. and people are left to deal with the aftermath of things she's done before.

Sadly, none of her good qualities translate to me being able to be anywhere near her; as far as I've been made aware, her disgust and her resentment towards me and my brother are still very much alive and raging even after years of no contact. There's not a whole lot I can do about that; no amount of trying to be "good" can change her attitude towards us - believe me… I tried as hard as I could for a number of years. She refuses to unlearn old things and make room for new things, and there's nothing that I can do about that.

The only thing for it is to stay very far away. But I'll still be over here wishing upon her some kind of peace and contentment. And I'll still be grateful for the few good things I got from her. Like this spinach dip! Which I can now make for myself or for other people, because it's delicious! I know it's not exactly a consolation prize, but… it's still better than absolutely nothing, right? You get beaten down, but then you find reasons to get back up, no matter how small.

…I think I might have tired myself out a bit, trying to explain all this stuff. Still, I hope that you've found any of it relatable; maybe within all of that, you can find inspiration for your own resilience and your own resolve to remain gentle even in a world as weird as this. Like my stepmother was to me, I know that Hojo was cruel to you, and like how my father was with me, Lucrecia didn't step up to protect you, either because she underestimated the danger, didn't have the ability, or was too afraid to make a change. All the same, I hope that you can still find some way to weave beauty from all that, even if it's something simple like, "I've decided that this is how I will not be," or "I have incredible capacity to endure things," or even, "I can use these experiences to understand and try to help others who are going through similar things."

I'll leave it here. Please stay safe out there in the world. Please stay safe within your own mind. Please understand that for some people, your very existence is reason enough to get back up and fight on no matter how tired one is or how heavy things get or how much one's soul aches from the strain of it all. You are that reason for at least one person, anyway. Go ahead and guess how I know; I'll give you three tries! ;P I'll write again tomorrow.

Your friend, Lumine

[theseerasures]

god but there is something so Xiao Long about Ruby's breakdown in Risk

granted: we don't know Summer, we don't know how Summer would react situations like this, part of the REASON why Ruby's so upset right now is because she doesn't know either, but:

the same resentment to comfort, the same muted emotional devastation, the same walling-off, and, oh--Ruby is literally the same age now that Yang had been. given what we know about how Tai reacted after Summer's death, i think they both got it from their dad.

and Ruby "i'm seventeen we sent out a message 24 hours ago EVERYBODY DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY TELEPORT IN EVERYTHING IS A FAILURE" Rose isn't ready to recognize it yet, but i certainly take heart in it, regardless of how the Summer stuff ultimately shakes out.

on one level it's just that Yang has been depressed before, and she can help Ruby through it now, but even beyond that: what Yang went through after Beacon and what Ruby is going through right now parallel each other at a core level. it's about experiencing intense loss and alienation, focalized through the actual/potential loss of a part of the body. Yang lost her arm, but she also lost Blake, lost Weiss, lost Raven, lost Summer, even lost Tai for a while, and the despair comes from the fact that it's start to feel inevitable--that everyone leaves her behind. a piece of me is gone. and it's never coming back. there's a horrible fatalism to it.

Ruby's eyes have marked her and isolated her since the very beginning of the show, long before she even knew why, and the more she finds out, the more awful it gets. and now she's learned something that feels like the final piece for the puzzle of her life: that her mother might not have died heroically, or died at all, and the loss isn't better but much worse, because now Ruby might meet her, and have to destroy her, WITH her eyes. the eyes that are her link to Summer, that also caused whatever happened to Summer, that are part of why everyone is suffering now; the eyes that made her special, and placed so much responsibility on her, and it's all just too much. she'd said to Yang it's not pointless, and look where it got her. we shouldn't lie to ourselves. she's just one more person on the same inevitable trajectory, and things only get worse.

so much of Ruby's identity has always been wrapped up in how much she wants to live up to Summer, and she is neck deep in that crisis right now, but...i'm suddenly thinking of End of the Beginning, when Qrow was first telling Ruby about her eyes: you're special, Ruby. and not in the Daddy loves his special angel kind of way. that's always raised my hackles, because...well, because it's just a shitty thing to say to a fifteen year old who just came out of a COMA AND THE MOST TRAUMATIC NIGHT OF HER LIFE, but also: Ruby is special because her father loves her. it's been hammered home repeatedly in the show that not everyone gets that. the fact that she is echoing the mannerisms of her sister and father even in the depths of her Summer-related horror means something. it means she has her father, even if he's not physically with her right now. it means she has her sister, who is. it means she has her team, her friends, her...Penny--hell, it means she has the whole world, because she got the message out using Amity, and she said: my name is Ruby Rose. i'm a Huntress. everyone knows who she is.

and she might not feel it right now, but with all of that, the weight of the world can be eased. the weight of her mother, which feels even heavier--that can be eased, too.

it is, after all, just a part of her.

[roddyretrograde]

might be an unpopular opinion but i would only have been okay with a jake/peyton endgame if it had involved jake seriously rethinking his actions towards nikki. because as far as we know all she is guilty of is being "promiscuous" and having left jenny but wasn't she around the same age as jake? isn't it very likely she was suffering from postpartum depression when she left? and then she comes back and jake withholds her child from her and she's the villain?

part 2/ the treatment of nikki really never sat right with me like she was meant to be the "promiscuous and bad" to peyton's "innocent and good" when really if the show was done today she'd be shown as having postpartum and not villainized for it. and what i never never got was how her attemps to have any relationship with jenny was just perceived by everyone as having to do with hurting jake as if she couldn't simply be regretting her decision and trying to fix it part 3/ like AGAIN i love jake, i wanted jeyton to be endgame but it was some serious bullshit for jake to be all put upon like well i live in savannah now, gotta share custody with jenny (who they constantly refer to as psycho and crazy for wanting her daughter back in her life, yay ableism go!) as if he didn't put himself in that situation all on his own when he ran away with the kid and evaded authorities. like i'm down with jeyton but not with jeyton and p playing mom to jenny when she has a mom part 4/ read your post explaining to that anon why you're pro jake and pro jeyton and here's the thing i am pro jeyton i'm just not pro jake to the degree you are because i cannot justify him "keeping jenny from nicki" because nicki never proved to be a bad mother. she didn't get to be a mother at all since she ran away. the way i saw it jake was heartbroken she left and hurt in his ego/pride because she didn't love him the way he did. part 5/ it was never really about jenny and nicki being such a terrible mother to her because jenny was a literal infant when nicki left and it's actually a lot more responsible to leave your child especially if they're in good hands if you don't trust yourself to be a good parent. i respect nicki for leaving rather than staying and being a shitty neglectful mother to jenny. more importantly she came back! and jake put her through some weird test he knew she couldn't pass on purpose. part 6/ let's face it nicki was never going to know the exact brand of diapers or food jenny needed because SHE HADNT BEEN AROUND. the point is there aren't that many parents who leave but then come back wanting to be a part of their child's life. and even though nicki started off wanting both jenny and jake back after awhile all she wanted was to be a part of her daughter's life and jake, peyton and even peyton's friends repeatedly stood in the way. i'd get resentful and bitter too after awhile part 7/ you talk about lucas gaslighting others but what do you call keeping a child from their mother for no other reason than she left (and wasn't given any real opportunity to explain why or to make amends) that child. how many fathers both irl and in media leave their kid and are absentee father but come back later on and are ultimately welcomed with open arms. but when it's a woman it's a different story. i'd have understood if nicki posed a real danger to jenny but she didn't.

My Reply: Okay, so this was a super long anon and I'm assuming all from the same person, apologize if it's not!

So I appreciate your take, but I have to disagree with a lot of it. First off, I don't think Jake handled the Nicki situation well. He ran away twice, tried to keep Nicki from any contact, didn't get legal aid until season two and then ignored it because he was scared he'd lose his child. That being said, I think you're giving Nicki too much credit.

It is possible that Nicki had postpartum, but I don't think so because I don't think the writers have enough knowledge of how women work to even consider it when creating her character and it's never addressed.

Nicki is not a good person, whether she has mental health issues or not. She's a predator for one, who admits to "liking them young". While I don't think her time with Jake is when she's 18+, she is clearly older than Jake and loves having power over people she's around. As a senior in high school going for a younger student, her situation with Jake isn't statutory rape (like Lucas when she knowingly had sex with a kid underage), it's a predatory situation. Much like you would judge a 17/18 year old boy going for a 14/15 year old girl, you can absolutely flip these gender roles in Jake and Nicki.

She likes being able to manipulate people, as shown in her interactions with Brooke and Lucas, but definitely Jake. While she may not know how to care for Jenny in the one episode you're referring too (1.17 Spirit in the Night), her intention in this is to fully come back and have control over Jake again. Despite not having feelings for him, she knows he has feelings for her and lays it on thick thinking that this will be the way for her to weasel her way back.

When Jake tells her that he doesn't trust her after not hearing from her for six months and abandoning Jenny (which is understandably hurtful and he's allowed to have an emotional response to this), her response is that she'll be in Jenny's life with or without him. This isn't a "we'll share" it's an "I'll take her from you" response.

When Nicki doesn't get her way, she does intend to hurt Jenny by cutting off her responsible parent and the one that is truly devoted to her.

Nicki is also the one that starts the physical fight with Peyton in Nathan's apartment during the party. She has obvious anger issues and problems controlling her emotions, and even though she's the one that starts insulting Peyton, she can't handle being insulted back. Keep in mind this is a legal adult (college student), who crashes a high school party and then pushes and slaps a high schooler for being protective of the daughter she supposedly adores.

She then kidnaps Jenny from Peyton in the mall later that season. That's literally kidnapping a child from a babysitter without letting a person know. It's a power trip, and given Nicki's history of having bad judgement, it's understandable that Jake (and Peyton) are scared.

You then add that Nicki has left her child in a cold car while passed out drunk, which means she probably has a history of binge drinking and/or drug use. She also lies about where she was during the six months. She registers for college but is a no-show, which is incredibly irresponsible, a huge waste of money in the US, and once again you don't know where the mother of your child is in a case of an emergency - and that's if she picks up the phone when you call her because she stops answering Jake completely. This wasn't a postpartum situation, this was Nicki - who loves control over herself and others, not liking the fact that her life is suddenly set in stone and she's not the master of her own universe. She can no longer do what she wants when she wants it as a mother, and this is something that she struggles with.

Again, when Jake shows up in season two, Nicki's play is that "I'll take our daughter and you won't ever see her again." When Jake doesn't play along, she even lies to him about him not being a father. This is a proven lie, because in s3, if she pulled this out in court they'd simply order a DNA test on both Jake and the kid, and since he's still in the running for custody while in Savannah, it means he is Jenny's father. That's a sick power play to do that to your daughter's father.

If Nicki simply wanted a relationship with her daughter and was a good mom who had Jenny's best interest in mind, she would have proven to Jake that she's sticking around and that she's willing to share and co-parent together. Because of her actions, it's Jake's job to do what he thinks is best for his daughter and that's not putting her in a toxic situation. You mention the fact that other shows show a father showing up years later and eventually getting a relationship with their kid - but usually it's just leaving (without further dangerous acts like kidnapping your child from one of their parents, or putting them in danger due to irresponsible substance abuse), and usually it's an arc where a parent needs to regain trust and prove they've grown as a person.

Not once in the whole show does Nicki attempt to do this. She insults, plays games, manipulates and constantly puts the father of her child down. She hurts people around her, even if they love Jenny and put Jenny first. These aren't the actions of someone who loves Jenny. These are the actions of someone who wants the validation of being loved by Jenny and winning.

If you're looking for Nicki's redemption arc though, Jake gives Nicki credit for trying when they're finally in court in Savannah. That's someone who really doesn't like her, and doesn't trust her, owning up to the fact that she's fighting for their daughter - and it's the first inkling of respect he gives Nicki. There's a full possibility that if Bryan was still part of the show post season three, Nicki and him would have had joint custody to co-parent, and that would have been Nicki's part of the story where she makes amends. But in seasons one and two, she does nothing to actually earn the trust of the parent that takes care of their child or take that time to prove that her interests aren't self serving in any way.

I also want to touch on your point of "Peyton shouldn't be replacing Jenny's mom when she already has one." I think season three is an amazing set up and parallel in Peyton's arc that is completely possible to have two moms. This is something that is incredibly common for separated parents and children who grow up with step-parents. Ellie and Anna mirror Nicki and Peyton incredibly well, and could have been an amazing story if Jeyton were endgame.

Anna is Peyton's mom. She's the one that chose to be Peyton's provider and unconditionally love a child that is not biologically hers. While Ellie, when she gave birth to Peyton, is not in a good place to care for Peyton and ultimately was not a good mom when she was self-centred in her own struggles, lifestyle and addictions. Does that mean that Ellie doesn't get redemption? Absolutely not, but it takes a long time for Ellie to want to know Peyton in a way that is centred around Peyton and who she is as a person and not her own selfish reasons. Larry tells Ellie to not come around the first few times she shows up canonly, because she's still mentally unstable and it would not be good for Peyton. He's making the same decisions as Jake with Nicki and Jenny, which are filled with good intentions.

Ellie coming into Peyton's life never once makes her question Anna as her mom. She accepts both women as important parts of her, and learns to love Ellie as much as she did Anna - and ends up with two moms. If Nicki had a redemption arc, this would be the situation. It wouldn't be Peyton stealing Jenny, it would be Peyton also being a parent figure in Jenny's life because Peyton constantly shows Jenny unconditional love.

Being in a situation where you are not mentally okay to care for a child is not an excuse ever. And I say this as someone who goes to therapy, is on medications, and frequently works on myself because there have been really low points in my life. If you are a parent and your decisions, whether made with sound judgement or not, put a child in danger, this is when authorities step in. If your kid goes to school and tells them that they were left in a car all night outside a bar while mom was passed out, the response isn't "let the parent explain, she might be struggling" it's "we need to file a report and call child services".

While Jake should have called the authorities, he's a sixteen year old kid in seasons one and two, and you're right, he doesn't make the best parenting decisions. But Nicki is made out to be the villain of the story because she frequently shows villainous acts. She is the Dan to Jake's season one Deb. And just like Deb was gaslighted and threatened into thinking she would lose any custody of Nathan if she disobeyed Dan by leaving him, this is why Jake doesn't trust the authorities because they frequently side with mothers in parental custody cases. Just like Dan should not have had full custody of his children, Nicki should not have full custody of hers. She shows a ton of the same narcissistic and manipulative traits as the main villain in the story, so it seems like you're not seeing the full picture when you try to compare Nicki to just being a mom who wants a relationship with her daughter. Keep in mind, Dan’s plays throughout the show are to isolate Lucas and Nathan from Karen and Deb. This is abusive parenting, and completely mirrors Nicki’s statements from the start.

Nicki has only proven that she wants power in a situation, to hurt Jake, and to be the sole object of Jenny's affection. None of these are acts of a good parent with good intentions. It’s also not bad parenting for your intentions to be to keep your kids away from abusive parents.

[xbellaxcarolinax]

Forging a Heart (Ivar the Boneless) 11- Arvid/ The Sacrifice

Pairings: Ivar x Artemis (OFC)

Word Count: 4160

Warnings: Some violence.

10- Requests

AN: Thank you guys for the notes and reblogs 😊

...

Gold.

Something about the yellow metal was hypnotic, causing both wealth and greed.

Ivar and Arvid had watched her work in tense silence, not being able to take their eyes off the shinning metal in her delicate hands. Her fingers worked tirelessly in the way her father had taught her. It was meticulous and tedious, far from the stylings of deadly weaponry.

Floki was quite pleased.

It looked beautiful on Helga, decorating her pale collarbone like a queen. She should be a queen.

Helga's smile was brighter than the summer sun as she lightly touched the pearls embedded in the gold.

"My husband put you up to this?" She asks her, bending down to the young Moorish girl now in her care.

"Floki insisted." Artemis nods

"Tanaruz, look how pretty the gold shines." The child stares at the necklace uninterested. The poor girl appeared so lifeless and Artemis watches her with sad eyes. She didn't deserve such sadness, no one taken away from their home deserved it.

"And who is this?" Ivar asks, crawling over to the girl. He reaches a hand out towards her as a friendly invitation, but the child let's out a shrill scream in reaction. She was so frightened that her screaming didn't sieze until Ivar pulled away completely.

Helga reacts immediately, pulling the girl to her side and rocking her back and forth in comfort. Floki sighs, rubbing a hand down his face in frustration as Ivar casted him a look of confusion.

Artemis watches the girl cower into Helga's skirts, the tears spilling from her eyes like waterfalls. If she recalled correctly, the girl was from Moorish Spain, which meant she spoke the language of Arabs. Many Moorish merchants often flocked towards the south of the Mediterranean, selling their silks and spices.

The language was difficult, so much more that the northern tongue.

Artemis had grown up hearing it, her father and brother almost fluent from their travels selling their work, and she was able to pick up on it here and there. She wouldn't be the best, but she probably knew enough to speak to the scared girl.

She closes her eyes for a moment, searching her mind for basic words, and when she opens them, Ivar was watching her in confusion.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

"I'm thinking."

"Well do not hurt yourself." He snorts. Artemis let's a smile slip at his teasing, getting down on her knees beside him so that she may attempt to speak with the girl.

"Your name is Tanaruz?" She tries in her broken Arabic, immediately feeling Ivar stiffen beside her. The child's watery brown eyes looked at her in awe, but she remains silent, nodding her head in response

"Artemis." She points to herself, smiling at the girl. Helga watches their exchange with keen eyes, absentmindedly petting the girl's dark sleek hair.

"How do you know my language?" Tanaruz asks her timidly, trying to shrink away from Helga's touch. She reminded Artemis so much of herself, scared and alone.

"Your people trade with mine." Artemis tells her, searching in the folds of her cloak to produce a shiny red apple. She offers it to the girl with a smile, watching in satisfaction as she grabbed hold of it without hesitation.

"Helga is kind. She will treat you well." Artemis speaks as best she could. Helga smiles now that Tanaruz was calmer.

"So, you can speak other languages?" Ivar asks, teasily yanking at one of Artemis's curls to get her attention. She scowls, turning to look at him and his little grin.

"Not very well," She mutters, "I can barely speak yours properly." Ivar chuckles, nodding in agreement.

"You have a terrible accent." He replies, grinning when she scowls again, but it was just for show. Both Floki and Helga watch their exchange with wide eyes, shocked at the playful nature they had with each other.

Artemis rips her eyes away from Ivar's teasing ones in favor of looking back at Tanaruz. She leans forward, holding out her hands encouragingly to her. Tanaruz hesitates but finally lowers the apple to her lap to grasp her hands. They were so small and cold, and she shook like a frightened rabbit.

"Do not be afraid." Tanaruz blinks at the statement, twisting her body round to look up towards Helga and Floki before glaring at them.

"They killed my mother," The girl begins, "And took me away from home." Artemis was stunned into silence for a moment. She licks her lips and sighs, lowering her head in sadness for the girl. Tanaruz was traumatized, and she had every reason to feel resentment.

"What does she say?" Floki asks with arms crossed. He was growing tired of the interaction. This must have been what he meant about losing his patience.

"She is distressed. She says her mother was killed." Artemis answers, her eyes never leaving the girl who had tears in her eyes again. She squeezes her little hands in comfort before turning to look at Ivar. He was not at all invested in the situation, but his interest only peaked whenever Artemis let the foreign language tumble from her lips.

"Do you have a god?" She asks Tanaruz, and the child nods, moving away from Helga to get a better look at the girl who spoke her language.

"Allah." She says.

"Pray to him. He will give you strength." Tanaruz sniffles, looking up at Artemis through her thick lashes. After a moment she nods, turning back to bury her head in the soft wool of Helga's bodice.

"What did you tell her?" Helga asks frantically, her large blue eyes inquisitive.

"I told her you are a kind woman," Helga smiles at this, "And that she should find comfort in her god."

"Her god wont help her." Ivar snorts, taking one last look at Tanaruz before crawling to the door.

"Perhaps not," Artemis sighs again, moving to stand, "But she is young. She needs comfort." Ivar grumbles, before looking to the older couple.

"I hope Artemis has pleased you in her work. Floki, Helga?" Helga smiles and nods, gripping at the gold around her neck lovingly. Floki waves his hand aimlessly, but he offers Artemis the smallest of smiles, a genuine one that she'd never seen before.

"The Chrisitian is talented, that much is evident."

Ivar smirks, pride swelling in his chest as he glanced at Artemis. She was looking at Tanaruz with such sad eyes, and he knew she sympathized for the girl.

They leave the humble home, and Ivar decides he wanted to sit by the beach before heading home. The hood of his cloak flies off his head as the winds grew stronger at the waters edge. Artemis trails behind him, plopping beside him when he motions for her to sit.

"You gave the girl an apple." He says, eyes following the crashing waves.

"I did." She looks down towards the sand that surrounded them, grabbing a fist full of it and watching as the wind drags it away from her skin.

"Did you take it from the kitchens?" He asks, though his tone wasn't angry, "Stealing is very bad, you know." The words were said in a childlike form, and he finally turns to look at her. His cloak was large on her but she wore it faithfully, something that seemed to bring him great satisfaction.

"I would never steal," She stresses, scooping up more of the cold grainy sand into her hand, "Prince Ubbe gifted it to me."

"Ubbe?" Ivar voices his confusion, pursing his lips. He lays back against the sand, bringing an arm behind his head to comfortably watch the passing gray clouds, "Ubbe gifts you things now?"

"Only apples when he can." Ivar hums, closing his eyes for a moment to feel the frigid wind nip at his skin. He breathes in the cold salty air, exhaling through his nose like a little bull. He then moves his head to the side, glancing at Artemis shivering viciously despite the warm cloak he'd given her.

"You cannot handle the cold." He says, reaching up to brush his fingers through the fur at her collar. She flinches slightly but does not move away, finally bringing her gaze to his large fingers and then to his eyes.

"The cold does not exist in my home. Only the heat," She looks up at the gray sky and the lack of sunlight, "And the sun."

"Sounds terrible." Ivar snorts, pulling his hand away. He sits up, squinting when the grains of sand whip against his face. He sighs with a roll of his eyes when he sees Artemis burrow her red cheeks into the warmth of the fur.

"You're like a baby bird," He says, "Weak and fragile." He turns over onto his hands and stomach, smiling at her unamused look.

"Come on, baby bird. Time to go home."

...

Artemis would not miss the winter.

That much was clear when the frost began to melt, and the spring flowers slowly began to bloom. The hills were now turning a luscious green, along with the forests and mountains. Norway was a land full of life in the wild. The birds came back to sing their song of rebirth, and the deer pranced in between the trees. There was beauty that Artemis did not wish to see at first, but she could not deny it anymore.

The harsh winter winds slowed into a chill breeze. Thick furs were required less, eventually stored away for the next winter to come. The usual stews were cooked less as the cold nights turned pleasantly cool.

She noticed that Ivar enjoyed the change in seasons. For one, he could crawl about better than he could in the snow, but his most preferred way to travel was now on his new chariot. That was Floki's surprise for the crippled bastard those weeks ago, but he couldn't test it properly until the snow melted away.

She had always compared Ivar to a child when it came to certain areas of emotion, and his wild antics and anger only proved it to her more, but when she'd watch him on his chariot pushing through the newly blooming trees, she all she saw was a man ready for war.

Ivar was practically at his happiest, beating the reins on the back of the white mare that galloped ferociously over the dew coated grass. His usual brooding features were smoothed over with that of contentment, that even the helmet he wore could not hide his beaming features.

Ivar would often interrupt her chores in order to accompany him to his chariot practices, whether it was her practicing her mending with Aria, or at the blacksmith's shop where he knew she preferred to be. After crafting Ivar's precious axe and Helga's gift from Floki, the people of Kattegat began to flock to the forge, requesting minisucle items such as a silver candle holders for a wealthy home, or iron nails and tools for the average farmer.

Then she began getting issued gifts.

They started out small, in the form of an extra meal or bath. Then they increased in value. She was given a comb made of bone, similar to the one Margrethe had let her use long ago. Ivar claimed her wild hair needed taming. Then she was given a fleece blanket. It was of simple construction, nothing special, but the material was nice, andn he wouldn't have to sleep blanketed in her cloak anymore.

Despite the gifted items, Ivar never gave her anything personally, his pride wouldn't allow it. He preferred to send a thrall in his place.

One of the last items was one she was surprised to see. It was a golden cross pendant belonging to one of the monks of the monestary before he passed. It was the only connection she had to home, and Ivar had allowed her to have it. When she tried to thank him humbly, Ivar would brush her off and send her away.

"He's a pining dog, can't you see?" Arvid tells her with a laugh one day as she sat repairing weapons for the other princes. Hvitserk's axes and daggers were particularly worn out from his first raids in the Mediterranean. Even Bjorn had given her his weapons for repair.

"Pining? The only one pinning here is you, Arvid," Artemis couldn't hide the smirk from stretching over her lips.

They often danced around each other, a flirtatious battle that would remain unexplored. There was a flame there, that much was true, but it would not evolve. It was nothing more than a platonic friendship.

Her long braided hair fell over her shoulder when she turned to look at the young blacksmith, a slight blush dusting his pale cheeks, but there was an amusement in his blue eyes.

"You mean to tell me that you do not see those things he gives you as lovesick gifts? Ivar has always been angry and stubborn, but I've never seen him like this. I've known him my entire life."

"Don't be ridiculous. Ivar has always hated me." Artemis responds, passing her finger over a nick on the tip of Ubbe's dagger. It was a simple fix, but Arvid was a great distraction.

"Oh? If that were the case, then he wouldn't have threatened me at the point of his axe." Artemis stops her movememts, quickly glancing at Arvid who quietly stoked the fire. The fire blazed as roughly as the beating of her own heart.

"What do you mean?" Her voice rose an octave as she voiced her confusion fiercely.

"What I mean is," Arvid begins, bending down to meet her eyes, "That Ivar sees me as a threat upon winning your affections." He placed his hands upon her small shoulders, holding that charming smile that made her pleasantly nervous.

"Which also means," He continues, "That if he were to see us now, he'd kill me."

Arvid had always adored her eyes. He gazed into them until he settles on her lips. He was so close that he could almost hear her little heart hammering in her chest.

He smiled, moving forward to place a gentle kiss on her lips, the soft muscle moving against his instantaneously. It wasn't passionate in any way, but it was soft and kind, a simple caress of lips that could leave anyone wanting more. It was nothing like Sigurd's ale covered kiss, desperate and messy. Arvid's felt like a farewell.

Artemis enjoyed his kiss more than she thought she would, and she took in a shaky breath when they pulled apart. Her eyes fluttered and her lips remained pursed, until she heard Arvid's deep chuckle.

"I thought I'd do that now, as I'll probably never get the chance to again." She says nothing, clearly not understanding him. Arvid stands, turning from her to stoke the fire that began to diminish.

"What are you talking about?"

Arvid offers her a sad smile, running a hand through his dark hair that curled just below his broad shoulders.

"I am to be married," He reveals with a shrug, "It is time for heirs, and father has chosen a suitable wife." Artemis sighs, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear as a distraction, but she offers Arvid a timid smile.

"You would have been a suitable match, if you were a free woman," Arvid's eyes follow the crackle of the fire, wiping his brow when the sweat began to build, "But I see now Ivar intends to keep you for himself."

Artemis continues her work, putting on the leather gloves and standing beside him. She let's the flames lick at the dagger with a pair of pincers.

"The prince intends to keep me as property, he has made that quite clear."

Ivar was master of fickleness, a character that no one could read. He wasn't particularly kind to her. Sometimes he'd reprimand her without reason when he felt he was being too soft-hearted. She had grown used to his sudden outbursts against her.

"Do not fool yourself, silly girl," Arvid laughs, giving her a crooked smile, "Ivar isn't alone in his affections." Artemis snorts.

"You've gone mad."

"I only say what I see," He replies, eyeing the cross about her neck, "There is a fondness there between you."

"He finds me useful, you mean."

"You lie." Arvid accuses.

"I do not!"

"Your eyes wander over him."

"I..." Artemis hesitates, the metal pincers threatening to snap in her deadly grip. She would be in such denial to lie and say her eyes have not wandered towards the youngest prince.

"My eyes do not wander." She finally says, removing the dagger from the fire and plancing it on the anvil. She does nothing but stare at the bright colored metal.

"You're lying." Arvid taunts, moving away from her as if he were truly bothered. Perhaps he was.

"Ignorance does not suit you, Artemis," He concludes with a sigh, "But ignorance is bliss."

...

She pricked herself with the needle again, cursing in her language before sucking at the bead of blood forming on her fingertip.

"You must learn patience, Artemis."

Artemis watches the redhead's skilled hands move quickly, bone needle going in and out at a rapid pace.

"I have no patience for needle work." She groans, dropping the fabric onto her lap. Aria sucks her teeth.

"If you intend on helping, then pick up the banner and try again." Artemis huffs, picking up the thick fabric, working her already sore fingertips to the bone. Aria was on a mission to help her with her terrible sewing skills, but it has proven to be a challenge.

"This is not my strongest point," She says, tongue sticking out slightly as she brought the fabric close to her face. She had lost her place and now had to find her way back to the previous stitch. Such a tedious task.

"You can't thread a needle but can easily beat metal with a hammer? What sense is that?" Aria snorts, putting down her work to flick Artemis on the forehead. The action made her laugh, swatting Aria's hand away.

"We all have our strengths."

They worked in silence for a while, both glad that it was not their turn that day to milk the cows or deal with the stable animals. The female thralls of most households were to report to the Great Hall, helping in the last minute preparations for the journey ahead, which meant the mending of many sails and banners.

Queen Lagertha was currently out checking on the fortifications. The snow had caused some damage, but not enough to cause alarm, and she believed spring would be kind to them.

"There will be a sacrifice soon, you know." Aria speaks above a whisper, stopping her movements. She seemed extremely excited about it.

"A sacrifice?" Artemis blinked, her blood running cold, "An animal?"

"No. A human. The Queen will choose someone of strong faith in their gods and sacrifice them. It is to gain favor for the army to succeed in England."

Artemis was left completely speechless. She's heard of such practices, but she'd put it to the back of her mind. Oddly enough, no one ever talked or mentioned human sacrifices, not even Ivar.

"You've gone pale," Aria laughs, reaching forward to place a hand on Artemis's cold cheek, "Are you unwell?"

"I do not know."

"Are you not familiar with sacrifices?"

"Of course not," Artemis hisses. Her hand were shaking and her chest felt tight, "Your people sacrifice?"

"We do. The Druids perform sacrifices every solstice," Aria explains, confused as to why Artemis was reacting negatively, "It is something that must be done if we are to please our gods, is this not the Christian way?"

"No!" Artemis squeals, catching the attention of the others in the hall. Embarrassed, she clears her throat and lowers her head until the stares stop and the isolated conversations began again. She notices the way the Queen's most trusted warriors watched her. If she remembered correctly, the fair haired one was Torvi, who she now knew was Bjorn's companion and mother to his childern. The dark haired one was Astrid, rumored lover of Queen Lagertha herself.

They were both beautiful and fierce, shieldmaidens in their own right. Artemis did not want to cross paths with them. They did not trust the weapon making slave that belonged to Ivar the Boneless.

"No," Artemis repeats quite breathlessly, "It is not the Chrisitan way," She pauses, "It is not the moral way."

"But it is the Pagan way. That is what the Chrisitan priests call my people." There was no kindness in Aria's voice when she spoke, mostly resentment, "The whole of Ireland has almost turned to the Christian religion, but a few factions remain faithful to the gods. These sacrafices must be done, Artemis," Aria says sternly, "They must be done if things are to return to normal,"

"But you do not believe in the same gods."

"No, I do not," Aria agrees, "But I will pray to my gods on the night of the sacrifice, and I hope they will hear me."

"And what will you pray for?" Artemis asks, bringing her eyes back to her mending. She hears Aria sigh.

"A better life, I suppose."

...

The drums were beating loudly, reverberating into the star filled sky. Torches were lit and hung around the center, illuminating the very center of the city. The air around them was ominous, and a shiver ran down Artemis's spine.

There she was, the Queen, looking as beautiful as ever to perform such a heinous act. Her ceremonial dress was bone white, but it would soon be covered in the blood of an innocent man. The sword in her hand glimmered as she placed the tip of it on the stomach on the man. He was a Jarl, and a willing participant. It was courage that Artemis had never known.

"Do not look away," Ubbe warns her, his blue eyes watching as the queen stabbed the willing sacrifice cleanly, "You will offend the gods." Artemis watched unwillingy, her nails pressing deeply into her palms.

Blood poured out from the man, the tip of the sword now visible from the other side of him. The Jarl did not scream, nor whimper in pain, but the blood kept flowing.

Artemis looks beside her as the brothers watched in fascination, Ubbe being the only one to reprimand her. Margrethe was in between Ubbe and Hvitserk, gripping their arms in anticipation. She seemed to be enjoying the scene. Sigurd was just as attentive, but he must have felt her gaze. He catches her eyes, staring intently at her for a moment. It was as if he were searching for something, but finds nothing. He motions for her to look back at the bloody scene with a jerk of his head before turning away.

Suddenly the crowd began to chant along side their queen:

For a good year and peace, may Thor watch over us

Artemis felt a knot forming in her throat, watching the pagan priest collect the blood in a golden bowl, sprinkling their faces with the thick crimson liquid. She immediately makes a noise of discomfort, closing her eyes at the sensation of the warm blood gliding down her face. The image was already engraved behind her eyelids. The sight of the dying man would be permanent.

The sacrificed man was dead, and placed upon the ground as if he were in a deep slumber. The fires burned long into the night as the people worshipped and prayed to their gods.

Helga moves to her side, grabbing her hand in the little comfort she could offer. Tanaruz burys her face in Helga's skirts. If Artemis was frightened, then surely Tanaruz was as well.

Shs feels the familiar tug on the hem of her dress, and she slowly lowers herself to her knees to meet the wide eyes of her crippled master. His eyes trace over her blood spotted face, immediately taking note of her frown.

"Are you afraid?" Ivar smirks, his own bloodied face quite fearsome in the light of the fires. He seemed calmer than ever, completely in his element when surrounded by death and blood.

"Are you afraid of our ways?"

She remains quiet, not sure how to respond. She wanted so much to hide in that moment. She wanted God to save her. She felt a loneliness like no other. A sadness reaches her dark eyes and Ivar's amusement faded at her frightened expression. She sniffles, little tears streaming down her cheeks, smearing the blood in their path.

"I am afraid." Ivar hears her whispered words despite the loudness of the drums. She wipes her nose with her sleeve, not meeting his eyes.

"Veikr," He sucks his teeth, "Stop your crying, baby bird. My legs ache and I wish to have ale. Let us go,"

...

Veikr- Weak

...

@heavenly1927 @didiintheblog

[pink-peony-princess]

Laughter is the best medicine

"Oh baby, what's the matter?" Shawn asked softly as he walked into his young daughter's room for the third time in the space of an hour. It had been one of those nights, and Shawn found himself resenting the fact that after a long day of work at the local hospital as an emergency doctor he couldn't just sit and enjoy a night on the sofa with his wife.

However as he turned the corner into his daughter's room, any hint of this lingering feeling feel away. Instead replaced with extreme concern as he made eye contact with the little girl, laying pitifully on the small bed.

He felt a lump rise in his throat. He was worried, Skylar his three year old daughter was his world and he and his wife Gracie had tried for so long for this precious little girl.

This worry only magified, a sick pit churning his insides as he took in the bright red, wet and snotty face of his distraught girl. The expression on the small girl's face would pull at the heart strings of anyone, but for Shawn this was coupled by the knowledge that something had to be seriously wrong for Sky to cry like this. She was normally such a happy child. And she had been anything but that today.

Initially Shawn wasn't too worried, as much as he detested seeing his daughter under the weather, he also knew it was flu season and being too small still to get a vaccine and attending kindergarten put her at risk. This was different though. This wasn't the cry of a child that was a little uncomfortable from the flu, this was full unchecked sobbing.

"Sky, sweetheart, Daddy needs you to take a big breath okay?" He whispered, sitting on the bed and wrapping the small girl in his embrace. He could feel her curling and uncurling her hands as she grabbed fist fulls of his worn-out pyjama shirt, something she did when she was trying to comfort herself. She was so tiny compared to his nearly 6'2" frame, yet she seemed to instantly melt into her father's warmth. Her little face was hot with the tears she cried, now buried in his chest, damp hair stuck to forehead from sweat.

Shawn hummed softly as her cries turned to soft whimpers. He tried not to move even as she fidgeted, trying to find a comfortable position. It was now almost nine PM and Gracie had put Sky to bed almost 3 hours ago in the hope that the two of them might get to have a rare, movie and cuddle night, something that seemed so rare these days with Shawn's job as an Internal Medicine resident. Before marriage four years ago he and Gracie would spend every weekend together watching their favourite movies, but then life got busy. Shawn had really been hoping for this night, but somehow both he and Gracie knew that it wasn't going to happen.

Sky hadn't really moved from her bed all day, something which both her parents found extremely worrying considering the usual boistirus energy that seemed so endless. And now here they were, Shawn trying desperately to comfort the small girl.

"How is she?" He heard Gracie ask from the doorway. Her voice shook, clearly she was trying not to cry and Shawn's heart gave another pang as he wished he had the ability to comfort his overwhelmed and exhausted wife and ill daughter simultaneously.

He wished nothing more than to be able to take both of his girl's pain, to make everything alright again.

"Feel sick," the small girl spoke before he had the chance to answer Gracie.

"I know pretty girl. Can you tell daddy where it hurts?" He asked, placing a hand on his daughter's forehead, feeling the heat of a raging temperature. 3 years as an internal medicine resident told him that her fever had to be over 100. Worryingly warm for anyone, especially someone as young as Skylar.

"Gracie, he spoke, turning to the door, "Will you bring an ice pack and the children's tylonol please."

His wife nodded, smiling at Sky, but Shawn saw the way she wiped a tear from her face surreptitiously as she left the room, her footsteps on the stairs the only other sound than his little girl's soft cries.

The little girl on the bed whimpered, confirming what he knew already. She was feeling miserable.

"Sky-sky, will you let daddy make you feel better? Can I use the boom-boom tool to listen to your chest?" He asked softly, using the name his daughter used to refer to his stethoscope.

She nodded mutely. Her cries softening ever a tiny bit, helping to ease some fo the hurt Shawn was feeling. He felt so helpless, something he was not used to. He was accustomed to being able to deal with issues, to staying calm under pressure when everyone else was a mess, to being clinical, methodical. This was different though, this was his little girl, his pride and joy, his precious little bundle. He couldn't help but pull the small girl just a little closer as he called down to his wife.

"Gracie will you grab my bag off the counter?" He requested, loud enough that he hoped she'd hear, but not too loud to startle Sky, who was finally starting to settle slightly.

Moments later Gracie re- appeared, ice-pack, Tylenol and, his work bag in hand.

"Want me to take her?"She whispered, nodding to Sky.

Shawn nodded, gently passing his daughter to her mother, earning a small whine.

"It's all right Sky-sky," she soothed kissing her head as Shawn had done earlier.

Shawn stood up and dug through his bag quicky, pulling out his stethoscope, otoscope and a few other bits he thought he might need before letting the bag drop to the floor- his ID badge falling out in the process. He didn't care though, his only thoughts on his little girl.

By the time his was sitting on the bed again (a mere 30 seconds later) small tears were rolling down Sky's cheeks, the familiar pang of hurt and worry reappeared as he tried fruitlessly to calm down the small girl.

"I know honey. I know," He murmured, gently rubbing circles onto her back as Gracie held her. "Daddy make it better okay."

Finally when she was calm enough he picked up his stethoscope and placed in gently to Sky's back, listening to her lungs.

"Gracie can you turn her to face me?" He asked. His wife turned Sky, earning another whine, but Shawn was quick to make her laugh, sticking his tongue out at her as he sat and listened.

He was quick to finish the rest of the exam, listening to her heart, looking in her nose, throat and ears before finally taking her temperature.

"All done princess." He smiled at his daughter, while showing his wife the thermometer which read 104. He and Gracie shared a worried glance as Sky held her arms out, making grabby hands at her father, Shawn not hesitating to take the small girl again.

"Someone's popular!" Gracie laughed as Sky rested her head on her father's chest.

"What do ya think it is?" Gracie asked watching as her daughter drifted in and out of sleep, moving restlessly on her husband's lap.

"I'm fairly certain it's just some sort of tummy bug she's picked up from kindy,"Shawn replied as he stroked his thumb down the side of his daughter's face. Nothing major, but I really want to get some medicine in her system to break this fever. If it doesn't break by morning I'll take her in to see Connor," He added, referring to one of his colleagues, and the only one he trusted with his daughter's health.

Half an hour later they'd somehow convinced Shy to take the dose of Tylenol, the ice-pack resting on her forehead as she slept peacefully in her father's arms in her bed, Gracie asleep in the across the room Shawn having managed to let him take 'this shift' though Gracie didn't need to know that her husband had no intentions of letting her be stuck awake with their daughter any longer. He knew she was exhausted and needed sleep.

Shawn wasnt overly concerned, pleased that she was getting the rest she needed, however this was broken and the two parents were on high alert once more as Sky began moving, twisting in her father's soft grasp and whimpering in her sleep.

"Sky?" Shawn spoke softly so as not to scare her. Her small eyes opened immediately whelling with tears alarming Shawn. Gracie rushed over from the rocking chair- tripping sleepily on Shawn's bag which lay in the same spot as earlier- where she had been sleeping uncomfortsbly, trying in vein to help. "What's wrong Sky?" Shawn asked again."Sick," She groaned and before either Shawn or Gracie had a chance to react she had thrown up- all over the bed, herself and Shawn , wailing as she realised what she'd done.

"SSH, it's okay bubba," Shawn tried to calm the child down as he wiped some of the sick from his sweat pants.

"Go and get changed, I'll bathe her and change the sheets," Gracie sighed, stiffling a laugh as she took in her husband. Even in this state he STILL managed to look hot. How he did it, she didn't know.

Shawn nodded greatfully, getting up and leaving his wife to deal with the remaining mess.

By the time Shawn returned, doning a fresh set of sleepwear, his hair slightly damp from the shower he had been forced to take, his little girl was laughing. And not just a little bit, she was laughing hysterically at something.

",What's so funny?" He inquired only getting more laughter. It was another two minutes before Gracie pulled herself together enough to explain.

" Sky was laughing at having vomitted on Daddy,clearly the shock of the situation has warn off," She grinned.

"So youre laughing at Daddy getting puke on me?" Shawn smiled shaking his head. "You're puke I might add," he shock his head as his daughter giggled even more.

"I'm glad she seems to be feeling a bit brighter, Shawn spoke softly to his wife as they watched as their little girl, calmed, going from laughing hysterically to soft snores in no more than a minute and a half.

"I'd feel better if she was in our room tonight." He added.

"Me too, " Gracie agreed, watching as Shawn carefully picked up their sleep oh daughter.

"Apparently laughter is the best medicine." Shawn smiled down at his little girk, sound asleep in his arms.

"That it is." Gracie agreed, the two sharing a quick kiss, before the two made their way to their bedroom, their precious bundle cuddled up between them... A bucket sat at the side if the bed just in case.

[pinkpeonyprincessblog]

Laughter is the Best Medicine

"Oh baby, what's the matter?" Shawn asked softly as he walked into his young daughter's room for the third time in the space of an hour. It had been one of those nights, and Shawn found himself resenting the fact that after a long day of work at the local hospital as an emergency doctor he couldn't just sit and enjoy a night on the sofa with his wife.

However as he turned the corner into his daughter's room, any hint of this lingering feeling feel away. Instead replaced with extreme concern as he made eye contact with the little girl, laying pitifully on the small bed.

He felt a lump rise in his throat. He was worried, Skylar his three year old daughter was his world and he and his wife Gracie had tried for so long for this precious little girl.

This worry only magified, a sick pit churning his insides as he took in the bright red, wet and snotty face of his distraught girl. The expression on the small girl's face would pull at the heart strings of anyone, but for Shawn this was coupled by the knowledge that something had to be seriously wrong for Sky to cry like this. She was normally such a happy child. And she had been anything but that today.

Initially Shawn wasn't too worried, as much as he detested seeing his daughter under the weather, he also knew it was flu season and being too small still to get a vaccine and attending kindergarten put her at risk. This was different though. This wasn't the cry of a child that was a little uncomfortable from the flu, this was full unchecked sobbing.

"Sky, sweetheart, Daddy needs you to take a big breath okay?" He whispered, sitting on the bed and wrapping the small girl in his embrace. He could feel her curling and uncurling her hands as she grabbed fist fulls of his worn-out pyjama shirt, something she did when she was trying to comfort herself. She was so tiny compared to his nearly 6'2" frame, yet she seemed to instantly melt into her father's warmth. Her little face was hot with the tears she cried, now buried in his chest, damp hair stuck to forehead from sweat.

Shawn hummed softly as her cries turned to soft whimpers. He tried not to move even as she fidgeted, trying to find a comfortable position. It was now almost nine PM and Gracie had put Sky to bed almost 3 hours ago in the hope that the two of them might get to have a rare, movie and cuddle night, something that seemed so rare these days with Shawn's job as an Internal Medicine resident. Before marriage four years ago he and Gracie would spend every weekend together watching their favourite movies, but then life got busy. Shawn had really been hoping for this night, but somehow both he and Gracie knew that it wasn't going to happen.

Sky hadn't really moved from her bed all day, something which both her parents found extremely worrying considering the usual boistirus energy that seemed so endless. And now here they were, Shawn trying desperately to comfort the small girl.

"How is she?" He heard Gracie ask from the doorway. Her voice shook, clearly she was trying not to cry and Shawn's heart gave another pang as he wished he had the ability to comfort his overwhelmed and exhausted wife and ill daughter simultaneously.

He wished nothing more than to be able to take both of his girl's pain, to make everything alright again.

"Feel sick," the small girl spoke before he had the chance to answer Gracie.

"I know pretty girl. Can you tell daddy where it hurts?" He asked, placing a hand on his daughter's forehead, feeling the heat of a raging temperature. 3 years as an internal medicine resident told him that her fever had to be over 100. Worryingly warm for anyone, especially someone as young as Skylar.

"Gracie, he spoke, turning to the door, "Will you bring an ice pack and the children's tylonol please."

His wife nodded, smiling at Sky, but Shawn saw the way she wiped a tear from her face surreptitiously as she left the room, her footsteps on the stairs the only other sound than his little girl's soft cries.

The little girl on the bed whimpered, confirming what he knew already. She was feeling miserable.

"Sky-sky, will you let daddy make you feel better? Can I use the boom-boom tool to listen to your chest?" He asked softly, using the name his daughter used to refer to his stethoscope.

She nodded mutely. Her cries softening ever a tiny bit, helping to ease some fo the hurt Shawn was feeling. He felt so helpless, something he was not used to. He was accustomed to being able to deal with issues, to staying calm under pressure when everyone else was a mess, to being clinical, methodical. This was different though, this was his little girl, his pride and joy, his precious little bundle. He couldn't help but pull the small girl just a little closer as he called down to his wife.

"Gracie will you grab my bag off the counter?" He requested, loud enough that he hoped she'd hear, but not too loud to startle Sky, who was finally starting to settle slightly.

Moments later Gracie re- appeared, ice-pack, Tylenol and, his work bag in hand.

"Want me to take her?"She whispered, nodding to Sky.

Shawn nodded, gently passing his daughter to her mother, earning a small whine.

"It's all right Sky-sky," she soothed kissing her head as Shawn had done earlier.

Shawn stood up and dug through his bag quicky, pulling out his stethoscope, otoscope and a few other bits he thought he might need before letting the bag drop to the floor- his ID badge falling out in the process. He didn't care though, his only thoughts on his little girl.

By the time his was sitting on the bed again (a mere 30 seconds later) small tears were rolling down Sky's cheeks, the familiar pang of hurt and worry reappeared as he tried fruitlessly to calm down the small girl.

"I know honey. I know," He murmured, gently rubbing circles onto her back as Gracie held her. "Daddy make it better okay."

Finally when she was calm enough he picked up his stethoscope and placed in gently to Sky's back, listening to her lungs.

"Gracie can you turn her to face me?" He asked. His wife turned Sky, earning another whine, but Shawn was quick to make her laugh, sticking his tongue out at her as he sat and listened.

He was quick to finish the rest of the exam, listening to her heart, looking in her nose, throat and ears before finally taking her temperature.

"All done princess." He smiled at his daughter, while showing his wife the thermometer which read 104. He and Gracie shared a worried glance as Sky held her arms out, making grabby hands at her father, Shawn not hesitating to take the small girl again.

"Someone's popular!" Gracie laughed as Sky rested her head on her father's chest.

"What do ya think it is?" Gracie asked watching as her daughter drifted in and out of sleep, moving restlessly on her husband's lap.

"I'm fairly certain it's just some sort of tummy bug she's picked up from kindy,"Shawn replied as he stroked his thumb down the side of his daughter's face. Nothing major, but I really want to get some medicine in her system to break this fever. If it doesn't break by morning I'll take her in to see Connor," He added, referring to one of his colleagues, and the only one he trusted with his daughter's health.

Half an hour later they'd somehow convinced Shy to take the dose of Tylenol, the ice-pack resting on her forehead as she slept peacefully in her father's arms in her bed, Gracie asleep in the across the room Shawn having managed to let him take 'this shift' though Gracie didn't need to know that her husband had no intentions of letting her be stuck awake with their daughter any longer. He knew she was exhausted and needed sleep.

Shawn wasnt overly concerned, pleased that she was getting the rest she needed, however this was broken and the two parents were on high alert once more as Sky began moving, twisting in her father's soft grasp and whimpering in her sleep.

"Sky?" Shawn spoke softly so as not to scare her. Her small eyes opened immediately whelling with tears alarming Shawn. Gracie rushed over from the rocking chair- tripping sleepily on Shawn's bag which lay in the same spot as earlier- where she had been sleeping uncomfortsbly, trying in vein to help. "What's wrong Sky?" Shawn asked again."Sick," She groaned and before either Shawn or Gracie had a chance to react she had thrown up- all over the bed, herself and Shawn , wailing as she realised what she'd done.

"SSH, it's okay bubba," Shawn tried to calm the child down as he wiped some of the sick from his sweat pants.

"Go and get changed, I'll bathe her and change the sheets," Gracie sighed, stiffling a laugh as she took in her husband. Even in this state he STILL managed to look hot. How he did it, she didn't know.

Shawn nodded greatfully, getting up and leaving his wife to deal with the remaining mess.

By the time Shawn returned, doning a fresh set of sleepwear, his hair slightly damp from the shower he had been forced to take, his little girl was laughing. And not just a little bit, she was laughing hysterically at something.

",What's so funny?" He inquired only getting more laughter. It was another two minutes before Gracie pulled herself together enough to explain.

" Sky was laughing at having vomitted on Daddy,clearly the shock of the situation has warn off," She grinned.

"So youre laughing at Daddy getting puke on me?" Shawn smiled shaking his head. "You're puke I might add," he shock his head as his daughter giggled even more.

"I'm glad she seems to be feeling a bit brighter, Shawn spoke softly to his wife as they watched as their little girl, calmed, going from laughing hysterically to soft snores in no more than a minute and a half.

"I'd feel better if she was in our room tonight." He added.

"Me too, " Gracie agreed, watching as Shawn carefully picked up their sleep oh daughter.

"Apparently laughter is the best medicine." Shawn smiled down at his little girk, sound asleep in his arms.

"That it is." Gracie agreed, the two sharing a quick kiss, before the two made their way to their bedroom, their precious bundle cuddled up between them... A bucket sat at the side if the bed just in case.