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yoonia · 7 months

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the bedroom hymns ● chapter xiv

⟶ Chapter summary | To answer your curiosity, Yoongi presents you with a challenging offer. Is your desire to learn about this new realm and his secrets strong enough for you to risk revealing your own secrets? Or will you remain loyal to the promise you made to your father to protect the family’s secret?

⟶ Title | The Bedroom Hymns: a Bluebeard’s twist ⟶ Pairings | Min Yoongi x female reader ⟶ Genre | Fairy Prince!Yoongi, Crown Princess!reader, Fantasy AU, Fairy Tale retelling ⟶ Word count | 6,785 words ⟶ Ratings | PG-13, +18 / M for Mature for future chapters; include classism, black magic, alcohol consumption ⟶ Story Masterlist: The Bedroom Hymns | ⤎ previous chapter | next chapter ⇢ ⟶ Main Masterlist | Mailbox | Taglist | Feedback | Music Playlist | Ko-fi ⟶ Author’s note | Here’s the second part of what was meant to be a part of the previous chapter. I hope this answers a lot of questions. Have fun reading!

chapter xiv. red strings-2

You fall silent as you feel a slight drop in your stomach.

You should have expected that he would demand a fair trade right away. If only you have had enough time to figure out what to say, to plan just how much you are able to share about yourself without having to lie to his face should he chooses to answer your questions with honest truth.

Taking a slow drink from your glass, you take your time to contemplate your options. “Maybe—” you slowly begin, “I can tell you a little bit about myself for a fair exchange.”

Yoongi squints his eyes. There seems to be a hint of suspicions in the way he is looking at you. At first, he says nothing. Not a single response to your offer. Perhaps he can already tell that you wouldn’t be able to give him everything that he might be demanding from you.

It makes you feel discouraged when you think that he may change his mind and you won’t be getting some answers. But Yoongi surprises you when he suddenly shrugs and smiles.

“Very well, then. I guess that’s fair,” he says, though you cannot really make out the tone of his voice, or if he’s still going to be truthful when he hums, “Where do I start?”

Yoongi says this while slowly rubbing his chin. “Well, I suppose that you know who I am by now,” he finally begins, his eyes showing a playful glint which only helps lessen your worries and doubts.

“Do I?” you question him in return, mirroring the playful tone of his voice. “We’ve only met once before this, putting aside the other times when you shadowed my movements. I know your name, and I know that you are a part of one of the most notorious brotherhood of mercenaries known within the continent. But I had assumed that your men have only been roaming the human realm. But here you are now.”

Yoongi’s lips rise slowly to a crooked grin. “That is quite an interesting part to note, isn’t it?,“ leaning forward once again, he places his crossed arms on the table to get closer to you. “And I’m not talking about us meeting in different realms, but the fact that I never specifically told you to which brotherhood I am belonged to, when I could’ve been a part of any mercenary group that is currently active among the people,” he calmly drawls, while your eyes grow wide, realising your blunder. “And yet, you were able to recognise the insignia that belongs to our brotherhood and figured out that I am a part of it.”

Silently laughing at yourself, you realise that he is right.

Yoongi had never once mentioned the name of the mercenary army group that he is a part of, and yet, he has never once tried to deny it whenever you brought it up. Both in the market town and here, you have yet to see Yoongi wearing the insignia that belongs to the brotherhood.

But there is no denying that everything about him had made it easy for you to link him to the mercenary group which is known to be moving among the commoners, both within the territories of your father’s empire, and also in various neighbouring territories.

Not to mention, each time you lay your eyes on Yoongi, you would be reminded of the nameless mercenary who had caught your presence that night in The Rare Roots; his demeanour, the way he carries himself, his speech, and the most defining characteristic that you have felt from him so far, his aura.

“I’ve told you that I’m no damsel,” is what you tell him in return, hinting at his connection to the aforementioned mercenary group. “In almost every place that I’ve traveled to, I’ve either met some of your men, your brothers in arms, or seen traces and trails left behind by your brotherhood.”

In this case, you are not entirely lying to him. This is something that you have caught on during your excursions as of late. Aside from learning more about your father’s activities in the various places that you have visited so far, you have also been following the trails left behind by the mercenary army by using everything that you have learned from Advisor Kim and the Royal guards’ reports.

You recall seeing the insignia in various places in the midst of your excursions, either worn by a passing member of the mercenary army or plastered on the walls, pillars, and any other places visible for the commoners to see; a public declaration to show that the brotherhood are on the people’s side and not the royals’.

“You have made quite a name among the people, no matter which kingdom or empire you have come across,” you add while tipping your chin at the engraved insignia, “I never expected that I’d be seeing that crest here too, in a completely different realm.”

You lean forward on the table, mirroring his gesture as you murmur softly to him, “It wasn’t hard to put two and two together after what we talked about the last time we met, but you were the one who gave it away when you denied none of the things I said about you being a part of that movement.”

A surprised look flickers through his gaze. “You are a smart one, little dove,” he says, completely amused. “As I’ve said before. I shouldn’t have underestimated you.”

You lean back in your seat, feeling victorious. “No, you shouldn’t have.”

He mirrors your movement as he settles back in his chair, except that he follows it by lifting his shimmering tankard, taking a swift drink before he speaks again. Once the drink is lowered, a determined look fills his eyes, as if talking about this would require him to take off the mask that he normally wears when he is with you.

You can tell the difference when he looks at you straight in the eyes, his chin lifted, and there is a different flair coming from him. A new sense of authority that would have been intimidating should a commoner stand right before him.

Not you, however, when you have grown used to facing something similar, a presence that feels more intense, whenever you have to come face to face with your father.

“You’re right. I am a part of the brotherhood. I can’t tell you more other than the fact that I work alongside my brothers to serve the people who are willing to hire our service and pay for our hard work with gold. Be it a local merchant, a commoner, or a nobble, we serve them with everything that we have for an exchange of a good pay,” he says, sounding proud, subtly hinting that he may have quite an important role in his brotherhood of mercenaries that he is keeping from you, “as for crossing the borders between the realms—”

He tugs at the bamboo hat that he has been wearing and starts taking it off. “Not every men who had joined the brotherhood would be capable of moving from one realm to another so easily,” he explains as he tosses his hat away. For some reason, the gesture draws your attention, and you find yourself getting completely fixated on it that you can’t take your eyes away from him.

“Only a handful of us had come from the magic realms, most of us coming from various territories within the Land of Far Far Away, while the other members who had later joined us once we started the movement are regular humans, mostly commoners from the human realm who we encountered in our journey and volunteered to join our purpose.”

You can almost picture the mercenary army growing steadily in size with the passing time, reaching all the common people directly than the royal aids of your father’s empire ever could. “And that purpose would be gaining gold coins from whoever is willing to pay for your service?”

But is that all there is to it?

You cannot help but wonder, unable to truly believe that it could all be that simple, when almost every men working under your father’s ruling has believed otherwise. The memory of your past conversation with one of your father’s Royal Advisors return to you. About the mercenary army that was suspected to be a part of the rebellion movement which has been silently rising among the people of Nythelean Empire.

“That is correct,” he says, “well, that’s mostly the reason why we do this for a living. But there are also others who have their own purposes in joining our movement.”

You tilt your head, finding this suspicious. Your shoulders grow tense, your spine feels cold. “What kind of—purposes?” you ask him, while your mind begins running wildly.

Does he really have nothing to do with the rebellion? Or is his brotherhood truly the rebel army as suspected by the Royal Guards?

While you are looking at him with suspicions, Yoongi carries with him an easy air, as if he has nothing dark or sinister to hide. He keeps the same light attitude when he answers, “Protection. The ability to protect their family, their hometown, their livelihood, to be able to defend against any crime and any physical threats—the kinds of harm that would always get overlooked because they were hurting the commoners and not the nobles with storages of gold coins—or any possible threats that may harm them and their family directly.”

A smile lifts on your lips as relief slowly washes over you. “So you’re vigilantes, doing all the work that the royal army working under the ruling of the kings and emperors couldn’t, is that what you’re saying?”

Yoongi barks out a laugh. “You can put it that way,” he says. “It’s more like a security work for the people. But we also provide a chance for the common people to rise and lend their strength.”

He takes another drink and continues, “Out there, in the small towns and settlements that are far out of reach from the empires and their law, there are commoners who had trained for their lives to serve as knights, only to fail from claiming their places in the knighthood because they had no noble blood or any high standing in the society. That’s where we come in, as we welcome them under our wings and give them a place to serve, to use their skills and put their training to good use.”

Good use. Those words sound like music to your ears. The kind of music that eases your worries. There is a hint of suspicions still lingering in your mind, yet you find yourself believing his words.

It’s almost as if you can feel it; the truth that his words carry with them, the genuine pride coming out through his voice when he speaks about the brotherhood that has been seen as the villains by the royals.

“And not all of them are capable of using magic or casting spells?” you choose to ask rather than sharing your doubts about the brotherhood. “Or whatever it is that you use to move between realms?”

Yoongi shakes his head. “Regular humans don’t know anything about magic. Even the ones who are able to cast powerful spells will not be able to travel across the realms so easily. Only the gifted ones can do it.”

“Like you do.”

He gives you a smile. “Like me.”

Once again, you tilt your head while you try to process all of this. “And all of the traveling has to do with your work in the mercenary? But why do you must venture through the human realm, when you could’ve had more chances here?” You take a quick glance around, once again being drawn to the vast farmland which spreads right before your eyes. “What kind of work are you doing here now?”

Yoongi licks his lips. The gesture steals your attention from his words, drawing a hint of warmth out of your skin. It is another new sensation that you have never felt before. But then again, never once had you ever felt so drawn to someone like this, not as much as how he has you drawn to him like a moth drawn to a flame.

“Why the human realm?” he repeats your question with a hum as he looks out towards the view. The faraway look in his eyes tells you that there is a story in there, before he simply answers, “It’s hard to explain, really.”

The corners of his eyes crease a little when he smiles. “I can’t say that it had all been a deliberate choice to raise an army of mercenaries out there in the human realm. I think you would be able to understand this, but it all started a long time ago, when I first came into the human realm in search of an adventure. We call it as ’soul-searching’, a personal mission that I had taken to venture far, far away from home to find my purpose in life.”

You return his smile just then, because you can understand him well enough, as you have been doing just the same thing. Going out to new places, stepping into foreign lands, all because your soul craved for a new adventure, to write a new story, and to be able to see the world.

“I never planned to stay long in the human realm, but then as more and more friends, other men and old colleagues left the magic realm to join me, we formed ourselves a small alliance to be able to have more means and reasons to remain in the human realm for a bit longer, while also find ways to give back to the people and the community that had welcomed us with open arms, despite never knowing who we were or where we came from. And then, one thing lead to another—”

“And your small group or adventurers become a rogue army working alongside the humans.”

“Once again, you are correct,” he answers with a proud smile. “As to why I am here, it’s the same reason why I’ve been to the places where you encountered me before. I’m doing the same kind of work that I did in Narlès, and similar to most of the work I’ve done back in Smotia”—one corner of his lips lifts to a grin—”like that day when I followed your trails at the royal winery.”

His gaze softens as you roll your eyes.

“We usually do the same details of work whenever we are hired by people in the human realm. But when it requires me to travel across the borders and return to this realm, the work varies,” he adds, this time with a hint of fierceness in his voice. Proud and bitterness mixing together. “And these jobs come with bigger risks. Hence the disguises and the hidden armoires. But I do earn bigger pay when I succeed.”

This has you raising your eyebrows. Curiosity comes through you as you take a closer look at his attire.

Dressed as a local commoner, he looks quite unassuming that he would be able to roam around without raising suspicions. Unlike back in Narlès when he had at least shown his weapons under and over his unmarked cloak and dark-coloured outfit, this time, you are sure that he has numerous weapons hidden under his simple clothes.

The same way you are hiding your golden dagger under your skirt, hidden from view but easy for you to reach whenever necessary.

“You’ve been to Smotia. This place might look similar, but it is still entirely different. Not only with the magic that exists here, but also with the people that resides in this place and their way of living,” he explains, his words mirroring every single thought you had about this place since you had first gotten here.

“There is a secret about this place that requires us to keep a close eye on the territory. A dark secret,” he says with a secretive smile. “But I’m sure that you’re used to something like this.”

You realise what he is hinting at. Once again, the past conversation you had with the farmers follows you. You bristle as you recall the warning that was given to you and how it had reminded you of home. Your old home, and the dark rumours that everyone whispered all the way into the palace’s walls.

“These stories have been passed around from one generation to another, and I’m sure most people who live in this place and have learned about the tales for a long time won’t even know whether or not these stories are real, or if they are nothing more but an urban legend told by the elders to keep everyone here safe and keep things in order.”

“Like the rumours that the people have been spreading in Smotia.”

Yoongi gives you a solemn nod. “Smotia isn’t the only place that holds a dark secret. This place, and many other places—kingdoms, empires, even the small, lawless towns and rogue settlements—all have their secrets. It doesn’t matter whether we are in the human realm, or right here, within the magic realm of Far Far Away. People loves to tell stories, dramatising any event that happened sometime in the past to make use of them to keep the younger ones in line.”

You are not entirely surprised to hear this. Old tales live among the people who still speak of them. They are the reason why local traditions and customs exist in the first place. But it is interesting to know that even in different realms, such thing still exists.

Yoongi continues to speak. “For those of us with magic skills or have enough mana to endure the magic present in places such as Grimm, we would travel to and fro and pay regular visits to such places. Not only for the purpose of running our mission or for hired jobs, but also in between our duties, just so we can be here to observe, to protect, and even to hunt—”

“Hunt…what?”

A pinch folds itself inside your chest. A myriad of scenarios start their callous plays inside your head; your father’s assassination attempt, the unmarked mercenary soldiers that followed you through the depths of the Elcester Forest, the attempts to infiltrate The Citadel.

“Anything that may cause any disturbances happening within the Land of Far Far Away. The small and invisible threats that always start from the most inconspicuous places. Being vigilant and moving under our own rule allow us to get closer to the sources before they rise rapidly to become a bigger threat to the entire realm,” Yoongi answers after a beat of silence and a whole round of wild imagination running through your head.

He gives an easy rise of his shoulders as it’s not a big deal. “Of course, we are only a small army roaming through a vast magical realm, where each territory, every strong empire within the realm have their own rules. Some kingdoms even cast their strong spells around their territories that won’t allow us to walk past their borders as easily as we would’ve liked. But we do what we can, keeping watch for the people that may be overlooked should any harm ever comes.”

Spells to keep people out of a territory?

Of course, you wonder to yourself as you start recalling everything that you have learned so far about the safety measures that an empire must abide to in order to keep its palaces, territories, and the people within safe.

You are also reminded of the action that your father had taken after the latest breach which happened at the main palace, and how the royal guards at the Stargrave Castle have been keeping the same tight security to make sure that the empire’s territory is secured from any possible threat while in the King’s absence.

It shouldn’t be much of a surprise to think that there would be kingdoms that would use magic and spells for protection. Knowing what you know now, you begin to wonder if your father had also done the same to increase the security at the empire’s territories. Surely, there had to be a reason why he had forbidden you from stepping out of the palace through the front gate.

Leaving you only relying on the magic portals to be able to step foot out of the palace whenever you need a chance to escape.

It should be a powerful spell then, you wonder to yourself as you imagine having a force of magic protecting the empire, making you wonder just how powerful the King’s magic truly is, or if he ever had help from the strongest mages in the empire.

Silently, you remind yourself to question about this to Lord Gordan the next time you sit with him to learn about royal defence or when you are sitting with Lady Laurel for your next magic lessons.

When he notices that you have no more questions to ask of him, Yoongi crosses his arms over his chest and turns the focus of the conversation on you. “Now, it’s your turn to tell me more about you, little dove,” he calmly says, keeping his eyes on you when he points out, “You’re no mere traveller.”

His words sound more like a statement instead of a question, and it shouldn’t surprise you that Yoongi would begin his digging into your secret by pointing out something that may have been quite obvious.

Keeping your voice steady, as your father’s voice once again echoes through your head to remind you about keeping your family’s secret, you give him a smile and stiffly nod. “No, I’m not.”

“And you can travel across the realms.”

Your heartbeat picks up. “Not that I’ve done this for a long time, nor am I an expert like yourself. And I’m not doing this for a noble purpose like you do,” you find yourself admitting to him, before deciding that perhaps you can share with him at least a part of your truth without revealing who you truly are.

“You have probably figured out by now where I initially came from,” you begin, and when Yoongi says nothing to respond to this, you simply continue, “The human realm has been the only home that I’ve known for as long as I can remember, even if I never got to truly see any other places in the human realm itself aside from the place where I lived.”

Yoongi immediately frowns at this. You can tell that he is surprised to hear this, and you can already guess that he probably wouldn’t like to hear what you are about to share with him next.

“I…was sheltered almost my entire life, kept from the world, hidden in the shadows”—being kept as a secret while you were caged within the palace’s walls—”so I would take every chance I could get, sometimes steal it, just to be able to see the world outside that I was never allowed to see. Before, all I could do was to slip out of my window to travel across the town, then the city, and then I’d venture into the secluded places where people wouldn’t be able to recognise me. A chance to escape and experience freedom.”

The more you reveal this part of yourself, Yoongi’s gaze seems to grow darker. It feels unsettling, yet comforting at the same time. Because it almost seems like he is enraged at your situation. That he is becoming angry—for you.

When had anyone ever felt this kind of concern for you?

You try to remember, before realising soon enough that not even your governess, Nanny Abigail, the closest person to you since your days back at The Citadel, had ever voiced her concern about you being sheltered and hidden from public view. If any, she seems to have always encouraged and supported the King with his decisions, while often convincing you that it would have been better to remain within the palace’s walls for your own safety.

Thinking about this makes you feel upset and bitter, so you quickly push these thoughts away, rather than allowing it to pester your thoughts when you should be enjoying this wonderful moment that you have with Yoongi.

“I might not like you in the sense of crossing the realms, because I have no control of it,” you allow a little more truth to come out. “As a matter of fact, I surprised myself when I arrived here. Never had I expected that I would find my way to a town where magic exists, when I had only been seeing these places through the books that I’ve been reading.”

As you laugh softly to your confession, Yoongi’s frown slowly fades as he curiously says. “You are not familiar with the magic realm.”

You shake your head. “No, I am not. Not yet, at least. Everything is new to me. I’m still learning,” you admit to him with a bashful smile. “I spend my time learning about magic and this realm through the books, never knowing that I might be able to get the chance to visit these places and learn about them directly.”

Yoongi’s expression seems to grow softer after hearing your words. “Is that the reason behind all these questions? All the curiosity that you always have with you?” he asks you, “All because you’ve never had the chance to see the world with your own two eyes, much less this realm we are in?”

Slowly, you nod your head. “I have so many questions but not many that could answer them,” you answer him with a deep exhale of breath, recalling the hours you spent digging into the books in the library only to never feel satisfied enough with what you have found.

Yoongi’s lips twitch to a grin. “And you expected me to answer them for you.”

“Maybe not all of them, but you are the one available right now for me to speak to,” you admit to him with a soft giggle, making him smile, as if the sound of your laughter pleases him. “And, now that I’ve shared all of this with you, as of now, you have become one of the limited people who knows about my secret.”

“I’m going to guess that there’s not a lot of people,” he says with a gentle voice, to which you answer with a nod while you solemnly keep the real answers in your head—

The truth is, you are the only one who actually knows about my secrets. The only one who knows that I’ve been traveling to different places. The only one who knows that I exist while the world revolves in blissful ignorance.

In your silence, Yoongi takes this moment to take a good look at your face while you are lost in deep thoughts. He seems to have found something in you when he murmurs to you softly, “You can sense my magic.”

His words catch you off-guard, but you try your best to control your emotions. “It’s not like I’ve learned how to use magic, or to even have it inside me at all,” you slowly admit to him while recalling your father’s words about magic, how it resides within you, passed down from his bloodline.

But you have never truly felt it, and your father never had the chance to show it to you or to teach you more about it before he had to leave the palace for his royal duty.

“But, I’ve learned how to sense them ever since I first arrived in this realm,” you continue, while Yoongi seems intrigued to hear this.

For some reason, you feel no guilt about sharing this with him. You just don’t feel like it would be particularly necessary to hide this, as this is a new ability that you have been honing through your afternoon lessons with Lady laurel and Lord Gordan, after all.

In fact, seeing his reaction, you suddenly start feeling hopeful that perhaps he can help you understand about this new ability that you have been gifted with yet still cannot understand, much less to wield it at your own will.

The ability to detect other mana or aura from your surroundings—be it on the places where you are at or within the people you are with.

This was said to be the first step of practising your own magic and sharpening your mana while you wait for your father to guide you through the rest. Of course, you haven’t started learning more than the basics, nothing but the theories and the principles behind it, yet you have secretly learned enough on your own to identify the magic that is present around you. And you have learned enough to recognise the energy that you can feel coming out of Yoongi.

And what you can sense from him has only been making you feel more curious about him. The strong pull that keeps drawing you to him. The essence of his magic—

Right at the same time, the same curiosity flickers through Yoongi’s gaze. “What do you sense from me when that happens?”

His question—and the way he says it—sounds surprisingly reassuring, and it prompts you into answering him truthfully.

“Serene. Otherworldly,” you start describing what you feel, recalling the tingling sensations that you felt upon sensing his magic, when you first realised that they were coming from him. “It feels comforting and intimidating at the same time. And quite—captivating, as if there is a strong pull coming from your magic that keeps drawing me in.”

Familiar.

Because it feels eerily similar to the magic that you have grown used to. Similar to the magic that you have been feeling coming from your father’s portals. The strong pull that you feel from Yoongi reminds you too much of the strong charm that sends you across various realms that you find in the magic doors, which often feels like invisible dust brushing at your skin that would sometimes linger with you long after you have stepped across the portal.

The first time you felt it while you were with him back at Narlès, you had chalked it up as having the portal’s magic lingering in your skin because of how different the weather was compared to home. Now, however, the moment you are back in Yoongi’s presence and feeling the same sensation all over again, you finally realise that it hadn’t been the case at all.

With tilted head, you take a good look at Yoongi, wondering why it is possible for him to have the kind of magic that seems to resemble your father’s. Through your lectures, you have learned that the type of magic that a person obtains may differ depending on the source of its powers, and would often differ according to where the person resides in or which empire they are from.

Just like the people within the sun empire that were said to be blessed by the sun itself, and the empires that were said to have claimed the blessings of the Moon and the Gods that are believed to reside in the sea.

Would it be possible that your father’s magic may have come from the same source as Yoongi’s?

Before you can figure out how to bring this up, Yoongi continues to speak, focusing on your magic as if he knows that you haven’t learned much about how special your ability truly is.

“For anyone who acquires the gift of magic or born with mana within them, they will be able to feel or sense it when magic exists around us. At least, most of us do,” he explains, smiling, while your mind flies back to the old farmer who may have felt your mana when you first met him. Then Yoongi surprises you when he adds, “But it takes a different kind of gift and talent to be able to recognise or identify someone else’s magic by sense alone.”

“And that’s something that you are incapable of.”

But I might.

Yoongi nods his head. “That must’ve been the reason why you were able to notice my presence while I was following you. It was my magic that you sensed when you couldn’t see me.”

You tilt your head, realising that he might have been right. And he may not have noticed that he had just solved one of the biggest mysteries that have been plaguing your thoughts as of late, when you could never explain to yourself the reason why you had always been able to sense Yoongi’s presence even before you could see him there.

“But I can tell you this—” he continues, “I can feel the mana within you. For me, it feels like an unrefined diamond, glowing inside you. Except that there is something that is shielding it, protecting it like a veil.”

A shield? It isn’t much of a surprise to hear that you have an unrefined mana, as you are still lacking in training. But to know that there is something protecting it is another matter. “But—how?”

Yoongi presses his lips together as if he is feeling unsure with his answer. “I wish I know,” he says with a regretful smile. “If I have to make a comparison, try to picture a door. A door that has been kept closed and locked so tightly that it would take an effort to open it. Right behind that closed door is your mana. That is how shielded your energy is.”

“So—you’re saying that if I want to be able to find my magic and use it, I have to open that door?” you question him, suddenly feeling light-headed and confused. Yet every word he is giving you makes sense.

Is that the reason why your tutors have refrained from teaching you magic, and had always insisted that you should wait for the return of the King?

“I supposed you can say that,” Yoongi says with a nod. “But that’s not all. I can tell that you also have magic all over you. Although it feels more like a protection spell that is meant for you, not for the mana you have inside you.”

Hearing this only leaves you feeling more confused. Until you finally remember the reactions you saw earlier from the farmers working on the field when they saw you walking away, as if they had just realised that you were there.

Thinking about this, you raise your eyebrows. “The kind of protection spell that may hide me even in plain sight?”

He stifles a smile as he says, “Something like that.” He also seems—proud, to see that you are able to figure it out before he can explain further.

“Yet you can’t recognise its form or where it came from,” you guess again, while Yoongi’s expression shifts when he stiffly nods.

“No, I’m afraid I can’t. The only thing that I can tell you is that it seems to have been placed on you instead of it developing naturally, because it feels entirely different compared to the mana flow I’m feeling from you. I can feel these two separate energies flowing both from within and around you as I’m sitting here with you.”

Sinking back in your seat, you say nothing to this, and choose to hide your expression as you take a hefty drink from your glass. For a while now, you have suspected that something like this may exist. That you may have some kind of magic surrounding you at times. It would only make a whole lot of sense of everything that you have been questioning and wondering about.

The fact that you have been able to escape the palace during the night without people noticing you, but only while you were right outside of the palace’s walls. Common people who would walk by without seeing you when you passed them in the streets, or the royal guards who would fail to notice you slipping through their tight patrol.

As if you were never there.

Instinctively, your hand finds your necklace that is hidden under your cloak, and you anxiously begin toying the gem with your fingers the way you always do when you are lost in deep thoughts and in need to focus.

You start thinking about all those nights you spent roaming the dark streets in Smotia and the afternoons you spent wandering away from the palace, recalling all the significant moments and events, to try and put all the pieces together. You have never have believed that you were a master of disguise, so skilful in hiding your identity that you managed to remain unnoticed during your trips to the outside world.

Unlike Yoongi, perhaps, who seems to be quite an expert if putting up disguises. He would no doubt be able to blend in with the locals with his disguises, avoiding unwanted attention that may put a risk to his duties.

Thinking about this now, the odd expression worn by the mercenary soldier that you met at The Rare Roots begins to make more sense. When he looked at you as if you had magically appeared right in front of him and he was completely caught off-guard that he had let his mask slip. And for some reason, you can almost see that same expression coming out of Yoongi as he is silently watching you—the cold, amused look coming out of his eyes, as if he is trying to solve a puzzle, or a mystery, and he would be able to find the answer by simply looking at your face.

More questions come to mind, and they slip out of you in soft whispers while you are trying to solve this mystery. “How is that possible?” you first ask yourself, before your gaze lands back on Yoongi who hasn’t said a word, giving you the chance to ruminate on this new revelation about yourself.

“If I am protected with a spell, like you said, how did you manage to notice me?” You just cannot help but wonder out loud.

Both in Narlès and here in Grimm, Yoongi has always been the one to find you first. Compared to how you would have had to approach someone and talk to them first to get them to notice you—just like the farmers you met earlier and the people you talked to on your previous excursions.

Just as you are waiting for him to respond, you catch Yoongi’s eyes as they move. A barely visible flicker that is so subtle that you would miss it if only you blink. And you are partially sure that his gaze has landed right at your necklace, at the fingers that are brushing against the golden embellishments securing the ruby pendant that seems to be reflecting the sunlight as you twirl it in your touch.

All of a sudden, a blurry image from your almost-forgotten dream comes back to you.

Yoongi’s eyes remind you of the pair of dark eyes drifting down to your collarbone, eyeing on the necklace that you were wearing even in your dreams. The deep voice that almost felt like a whisper, a murmur, when the man in your dream spoke of as if he had just gotten an answer to the riddle that he was so desperate to solve, “The necklace. Of course. I should’ve known.”

Carefully, you lower your hand, opting to take Yoongi’s attention away from the necklace. His curious gaze is starting to make you feel uncomfortable, too vulnerable, that even the necklace is starting to feel hot under his dark, perusing eyes.

“I might have a theory,” Yoongi begins as his eyes find yours again. This time, the look that he is giving you seems a bit more cautious. As if he is treading carefully through this, and you understand why when he says, “But I might have to show it to you to prove it, since it would mean using my magic to understand, and I can do that if you would allow me to.”

As he stops talking, you can almost hear the unspoken words that he is keeping to himself as he regards you with a smile. A silent promise that also becomes a challenge that he offers you in exchange of any secret that you may choose to share with him—

This secret I can reveal to you, as long as you are willing to reveal yours.

#yoongi scenario #k-vanity #btscreaturescoven #bangtanwhq #yoongi fanfic #yoongi angst #yoongi fluff #suga scenario #suga angst #suga fluff #yoongi x reader #suga x reader #bts fanfic #bts scenario #bts angst #bts fluff #bts x reader

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hogwarts-legacy-hype · 2 months

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Well, I can already feel how the water spray bottle is getting filled to the brim for what’s to come, but I simply cannot remain silent until a certain someone is out of breath for yeeting so much admiration into my face. (That’s my job. Try to stop me, twat.)

It’s only fitting that I take a moment to turn the spotlight back onto @ask-sebastian.

For the world should know the legend that is Minty.

I’m not sure where to begin. But from the very beginning, your dedication has been a beacon in this community. You’ve poured so much love and care into your blog, always striving to give it your best. Your commitment to giving your absolute best in every post, every reply, and every interaction is nothing short of inspiring.

You never hesitate to lend a friendly ear, offering advice and comfort whenever someone is in need. Whether someone seeks counsel or simply a hug, you are always there. Your kindness knows no bounds, and your presence is a blessing to all who have the fortune of knowing you.

Minty,

you don't even realise how precious you are. Your passion for the things you love is infectious, and it’s only one of the many reasons I cherish our friendship.

Your writing style continues to captivate me, and I will never stop adoring it. Every single one of your RP posts fills me with joy and motivation, pushing me to become a better writer myself. Thank you for giving a little, teal-furred Niffler a family. Just as Sebastian is to Nosy, you are my partner in crime. You have changed my life in ways I can hardly put into words, and I don’t think I could ever truly express how much you mean to me.

Thank you for making me smile and laugh. Thank you for your steadfast presence when I need it most. Thank you for bringing more music into my life. Thank you for being such a peanut. Thank you for being you, and most importantly, for being my friend. You are a true blessing, Minty, and I am forever grateful to have you in my life.

Here’s to many more shared moments, laughter, and naughty innuendos. It’s an honour and a privilege to know you.

✨Wholesome ✨

#hogwarts legacy fandom

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polutrope · 1 month

Text

King of beech and oak and elm

From the archive (Feb 2022)

A pair of tawny nightingales flitted between birch trunks hewn from rock, singing one to the other. The globes of fireflies hanging from the likeness of a great oak deepened the shadows in the curves of the relief. Passing his thumb through the chiselled clefts, Elu followed their lines to a white rose. The translucent wings of a butterfly rose from its centre, glowing orange in the warm light of the lanterns.

They lay on a green sward gazing up at the fires of Elbereth.

“Ada,” Lúthien said, her child’s voice already full of song, “what is that one named?”

“Thorondûn,” Elu replied, tracing the constellation's lines through the air, “the Eagle of the West.”

“Why do the Eagles come from the West?” she asked.

“They are servants of Aran Einior, the Elder King, and they bring tidings to him of what passes in the Hither Lands.”

“Do you think that he watches us?”

“I am sure that he does,” Elu said, though he could not be sure.

“And that one?” Lúthien pointed, shuffling closer to rest her little head against his chest.

“That is Gwilwileth, the butterfly, that Elbereth set in the sky to give light to the Edhil at their awakening.”

“And you were born there, Ada?”

“Yes, my dear, I began there.” He passed his hand over the silk of her hair, dark as the sky above them. Though he knew the power of her mother slept within her even now, he feared for the tiny body nestled between his arm and torso. He drew her closer to him and pressed his lips against her forehead.

There was no light within the circles of Arda that could compare with her.

Elu traced the lines of a blossom of niphredil , which had bloomed beneath her feet even before she could walk. Laced with the enchantments of his queen, the pale rock turned a bright white and the flower spread its petals at his touch.

She whirled through the forest of elms, their trunks tall and straight, trailing a silvery shawl behind her. The cloth was woven with spells of awakening and each tree she passed hastened its growth and put forth new leaves before their eyes.

The way his minstrel watched her as he played set an unbidden chill on Elu’s heart. There were many who looked at her that way, woman as she now was, and with each worshipful glance in her direction his jealousy grew another thorn. She could not always be his. (No, she had never been his to possess, Melian reminded him, her thought appearing in his mind. But at least she will always be , he replied, and his wife was silent.)

A lean rabbit hid among the ferns, a frightened eye staring out from the wall. Hidden in the branches of an oak, a silver owl watched, wings flexing at the joints, prepared to swoop silently down on its prey. The cycle of life and death, the nutrients of the earth passing from one life to the next–such was the strange fate of Ivann’s creatures.

“You cannot choose her path for her.” Melian rested a gentle hand on his cheek. “Did you not come upon me once, in a wood, and did you not put love before all else?”

“That is not the same!” Elu spun away from her, gripping his temples between finger and thumb. “I forsook all else for a love that would be everlasting, and for a purpose: to bring our child into this world, the most beautiful of any that has ever been or will be. All that I have done has been to ensure her safety and her bliss.”

“Then, my dear, allow her to have that bliss. Allow her to love.” There was a low hum of Music in her voice.

Elu drew in a laboured breath. He had not been able to unsee the image since Daeron brought him word of the intruder: grasping hands at his daughter’s waist, her beauty wrapped in a dark cloud, swelling around her until nothing of her light remained. Nothing of her remained.

He turned to his wife, locking onto the bright points of her eyes. “I will not. Not at such a cost.” (Eru, forgive me.)

Melian’s features hardened and the thin veil of her skin flickered. “Then you bring even greater suffering on us all.”

Crouching to the floor, he ran his fingertips over textured mosses, the stone soft and feathery. The fronds of giant ferns arced over the polished surface of a pond like a canopy; beneath, a pale turtle rested on a rock, his neck outstretched. The crowns of the beeches and branching oaks carved above were reflected in the stony water, obscuring the dark depths beneath.

"You would confine me!" his daughter cried, her face dimmed by sorrow and twisted in anger. "Adar, please, I am not yours to cage." She knelt before him where he sat, stooped in his chair, guilt rising in his throat, fear coiling around his chest, and took his clasped hands between hers. “If you want me to stay, send riders out to call him back. This is needless,” she pleaded.

“Lúthien…” He opened his hands to hold hers. “You will forget this. You will forget him. This is not–” your fate, he wanted to say, but faltered.

“They will appoint it beautifully for you.” he offered, an empty reassurance. “It is not a cage, my love, it is only for–” your protection, he thought but did not say.

She dropped his hands and stood tall and cold above him. “It is a cage.” She glided silently out of the room. He did not go, and she did not come to him, when she left to ascend the ladder to the crown of Hírilorn.

Rising, Elu brushed his fingers over the pearl-wrought wings of moths and their feathered antennae that searched out the smooth bark of a birch. A shadow cast against the wall seemed to send one into flight, darting towards the lantern and disappearing in its light.

The forest was so quiet when he awoke that morning. Not a pleasant, peaceful quiet; a deathly quiet, a silence that thickened the air.

“She is gone,” the guard told him, shame painted in lines down his face.

He should have rebuked him, as a king would, but said only, “... how?”

“She wove a spell, she escaped in darkness.”

Spells inherited not from him, but from her mother; spells woven about his Kingdom, without which there would be no Kingdom; spells that had bound him to Ennor.

“My King? Shall we go after her?” The guard’s voice rippled over his ears. Was it anger he felt pinching at his lungs, tightening the flesh around his bones? For all that he had given, for his sacrifices, for all his love–

“Yes,” he replied, even as he felt her slipping away.

His hand came upon the soft, speckled belly of a thrush perched in the branches of a leafy hawthorn. Another bird pecked at its clustered berries. Elu imagined he heard–or perhaps he did hear–the chatter and trill of its call. Distant but clear came a song in answer.

They returned as heroes and his heart swelled with pride.

“Thank you,” Lúthien said, “for your love.”

He did not deserve her thanks. He did not deserve that jewel that burned now in the belly of the wolf. There was no light within the circles of Arda that could compare with her.

Nonetheless he had taken Beren’s promised price, meagre as it was.

Opals buried seamlessly in the stone, the backs of beetles scurrying across a fallen branch, drew his eyes. He dared not touch them for fear his hands would tarnish their brilliance.

When she returned from death–no, not death, not yet–she looked as hale and lovely as she had the day she was born.

“Ada… you have grown old.”

Elu turned to hide his face from her, ashamed of his grief.

She wrapped her arms about him and the dry frost that numbed his touch was turned to spring's dew upon his cheeks.

“I have chosen my love,” she said, “for Beren.”

He withdrew to look upon her and his own pale grey eyes, bright with joy, looked back at him. “At what cost?”

“Not a cost–a gift. To pass beyond the circles of Arda.”

Elu rested his palms against the cold stone and bowed his head. He wept. These great halls, this beauty, his Kingdom–what had it all been for?

Drawing himself away, he failed to note the empty space where his hand had been, where once a thrush had perched.

#thingol #luthien #melian #my fic

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nemo-of-house-hamartia · 1 year

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Welcome back! good to see you back here, I missed your content! for the aesthetic game, can you please do one for Dottie and one for Mathias? love them!

Hi there Nonnie! Thank you for your kind words, it's good to be back indeed! :D Allow me to present the Aesthetic for Dorothea and Mathias (also, keep an eye on my dash, because I have other requests for these two, so I have more aesthetic things coming for them :D)

🌹DOROTHEA MARIANNE STARRICK ✨

MOODBOARD:

PLAYLIST:

"Morning Star" - Blackmore's Night

"Winter's Bloom" - Adrian Von Ziegler

"Ghost of a Rose" - Blackmore's Night

STEAL HER LOOK:

QUOTES :

“Those freckles make you seem like a galaxy of stars, just waiting to be explored and loved.” - Nikita Gill

“All men have stars, but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems... But all these stars are silent. You-You alone will have stars as no one else has them.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Le Petit Prince

“...her who whose beauty is not like earthly beauty, dangerous to look upon, but like the morning star which is its emblem, bright and musical.”- James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

“In a Wonderland they lie, Dreaming as the days go by, Dreaming as the summers die: Ever drifting down the stream- Lingering in the golden gleam- Life, what is it but a dream?” ― Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

HER AESTHETIC:

Starlit sky; Northern Lights setting the sky blazing; stargazing alone on a secluded beach with the waves as gentle company; frost-covered roses in a hidden garden; walking down a path in the forest at night holding a silver lantern as a sole guide with the snow gently falling silently all around; abandoned manors hidden away in the depths of an ancient forest; ghosts still dancing together in ballrooms accompanied only by the music of their memories; sitting by the fireplace on an ancient rocking chair and reading an ancient tome under a thick pelt; sipping on warm rose tea while looking at the snow falling outside; snuggling under the comfort of heavy blankets in a canopy bed;

🌙MATHIAS SÉBASTIEN DE BEAUMONT🎨

MOODBOARD:

PLAYLIST:

"Hijo De La Luna" - Mecano

"Outdoor" - Roberto Cacciapaglia

"Adagio" - Il Divo

STEAL HIS LOOK:

QUOTES:

“Because when he sings...even the birds stop to listen.”- Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”- Victor Hugo

“Now I want to live like everybody else. I want to have a wife like everybody else and to take her out on Sundays. I have invented a mask that makes me look like anybody. People will not even turn round in the streets. You will be the happiest of women. And we will sing, all by ourselves, till we swoon away with delight. You are crying! You are afraid of me! And yet I am not really wicked. Love me and you shall see! All I wanted was to be loved for myself. If you loved me I should be as gentle as a lamb; and you could do anything with me that you pleased.” - Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera

“He stared dully at the desolate, cold road and the pale, dead night. Nothing was colder or more dead than his heart. He had loved an angel and now he despised a woman.”- Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera

HIS AESTHETIC:

A small nook to sit and reflect quietly; new quills and parchments; the perfume of freshly brewed coffee, the way the air smell when Autumn is about to arrive, the feeling when the fingers start tickling the ivories and a melody is born, completely encompassing one's soul; the sound of rain against the glass of the windows; riding a horse with the wind caressing one's hair, free from all fears and worries; songs sung together with friends; the perfume of orange flowers and neroli still lingering on the pillow; the sight of the full moon after a night storm; waves crashing against the sand in the distance;

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#Aesthetic Game #Assassin's Creed #OCs #Mathias De Beaumont #Dorothea Starrick #Moodboards #this was SO MUCH FUN #also sorry for the delay I was immensely busy in the past couple of days due to finally moving into our rightful apartment #now I am catching up with the asks #I will have them out in the next few days :)

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iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia · 1 year

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Hi! I hope you are doing well 😊 So, one of my main languages is music - Victor Hugo said "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent"- and that is one of the reasons I love sharing songs with friends and geek about music. Since I saw there is a bit of music sharing going on here, I thought I might as well give my humble contribution. Some time ago a dear friend of mine shared with me this song, "It's Alright" by Mother Mother, and I have been a bit obsessed with it lately, I keep listening to it and it always makes me think about Julian. Every time I listened to it, I have the urge to punch my way through the fourth wall, enter the game and give him a big hug. Hope you'll like it 😊 Another song that I absolutely love and I think fits Julian perfectly is "Next To Me" by Imagine Dragons 🥺❤

Oohh, I do have a weakness for Mother Mother and Imagine Dragons songs, even though I'm terrible at keeping up with their discography XD

I completely get what you mean about music being its own language - I can't begin to say how many times I've sent a friend or family member a song in hopes that it'll explain things for me better than I can. Thanks for the suggestions, @dolceaspidenera! I'll put them on the tag!

#ask arcana brainrot #arcana brainrot playlist #the arcana #julian devorak #julian the arcana #the arcana headcanons #the arcana hc #the arcana game

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tryingtimi · 1 year

Note

"after everything you've done, i still love you. with all i am."

(⁠╥⁠﹏⁠╥⁠)

Follow You

Sitting in my drafts for a while now, I decided to add that two last sentences and post this finally. Sliding a bit of Darnehlia into the Cronyln era lol.

CHARACTER EXPLORATION | DYNAMIC EXPLORATION | SLIGHTEST ANGST | WC: 1,537

There were nights when the Humming Oaks did not sing.

The moon’s shine swept into the Dione manor’s room, its light creating a stairway through the window. The faint light of a candle called it into a soft waltz, both dimly brightening the space together.

Darmon scraped the last finely formed letter onto the parchment when the wind rustled the flame just enough to weaver over the words.

“What are you doing?”

He placed down his pen before he looked up.

Syonehlia’s form has always been a sight for him to drink in, yet tonight she didn’t cross her arms before her chest to lean against the door frame. Nor did she gaze at him with a hint of a smile in the corner of her lips. Tonight, her red eyes blazed silently in the shadows of the quietness of the world.

“Finishing the contract,” he answered, a slight frown finding his forehead. He’d sworn the air grew thick with something. “Is something wrong?”

It was strange to not hear the singing trees outside. Since his stay, they turned rather natural for Darmon. As if he was listening to them throughout his whole life.

Syonehlia stepped closer, into the light that revealed her form and face, showing a clearer view of her. She did not wear her nightgown or her bandages. Her spikes have seemed to sharpen ever so slightly.

“Yes. You need to stop this.”

Darmon sat back, confusion blooming in his chest. His frown deepened.

“I am not sure I understand what you mean by this.”

“You are aware, Strotagor. You’re doing my work.”

A simple statement that did not bring clarity as easily as the words rolled off of her tongue. Her manner was as sharp as her steps to the opposite chair beside the table; something that wasn’t unfamiliar, yet still strange.

Darmon didn’t flinch from the authority in her posture.

“I apologize if it’s intruding, I only meant to help.”

There has been a gentle breeze that made the candlelight dance again, tender pushing tangling among Syonehlia’s platinum locks over her frustrated features. She put her fingertips over the contract as she sat down.

“Did you?” Darmon cocked his head at the accusation in her tone, yet he remained silent. She leaned closer to him over the table. “It is an important matter, Strotagor. I appreciate the sentiment, but you need to understand that you cannot do this anymore. It’s not the first time you take upon one of the tasks I am required to do. There is a difference between helping and doing everything for me. I am more than capable of managing my matters, and I was under the impression you’re aware of this too.”

Anger.

Darmon let his lips part as he deciphered Syonehlia’s expression. Something he saw on her many times now, yet it was different this time. In what way, he wasn’t sure, but it was nevertheless.

And it put a strange thing into his mind as well.

“I am. I never doubted your capability. My only concern was your well-being, considering the amount of work you’ve been tasked with.”

“I haven’t been tasked with anything. I chose to reform our system. It’s a hard and slow process, but there is nothing to be worried about. I am handling my part. What concerns me to this day is that you’ve been idle since then. You’re around me, which normally doesn’t bother me, of course. I quite like it. Yet, you’re always around, Strotagor. You do my work, you do what I say, but tell me, don’t you have anything to occupy yourself with if I’m not around? What have you been doing before I came around?”

A moment of silence conquered the room. A loud, very present silence that could even cut through the Humming Oak’s music as well — if they would have been singing, that.

With that, Darmon found himself speechless. As if the noises of the night would have stolen his ability to speak. He held Syonehlia’s blazing red gaze, and couldn’t utter a word for several seconds.

Then, a grim sensation washed over his chest.

“I was nothing before you came around. A vessel of a man, if that much. What I’ve been doing wasn’t what I truly wanted. I did my chores, my part in the destruction, following someone I shouldn’t have. Then you appeared. Since then, I can’t fathom the idea of my life without you in it. My trust and my devotion is yours, and I’d follow you to the Hells and beyond,” he said, his voice calm. That did not capture what he had felt completely, yet he tried to convey as best as he could manage it. It was still odd to feel so much all at once.

His answer, however, didn’t seem to satisfy Syonehlia. Indeed, it appeared to rather make her even more heated, considering how she straightened herself, and then closed her eyes for a second, sighing.

“Look, it’s not right. I do not desire someone I can drag around by a string without question. What you’re telling is that you’re giving yourself up to me completely, something I never did and never will ask for. I do not need a spawn in a game, I do not desire to lead you. What I need is a person— a partner.” She looked into Darmon’s eyes in a way that made his soul shudder. “Someone who knows themself and what they want. Who can help me, rather than save me. Who can complete me, rather than build me over. Who can live beside me, not for me.”

Are you someone like that?

The question loomed in the dimly lit room like the shadows of the candle’s slowly settling, even flame. Drops of wax ran down on its sides, nearly reaching the holder’s golden edge.

Darmon remained silent, Syonehlia sizing his gaze, not letting wander.

In that nearly complete silence — there lurked no lie, no deception. As he was gazing at her, the woman he would have given up his life for, the one he could have been thrown into the flames for; there, Darmon seemed to beginning to understand Avelyn’s belief a bit more. For he’d been lost for so long, willingly letting someone lead him by his nose, always looking but never seeing.

Not once seeing The Truth.

His one and only truth he thought he was actively seeking, while he only pretended. There was no effort taken, no courage piled.

For more than some decades, he was as silent as the Humming Oaks and as blind as the starless night sky.

“I understand, and you are right. I am not sure I ever learned who I am.” Darmon let his mind roam, his chest heavy as ever. The fine edge of truth finally found him, reminding him why he was and always will be drawn to Syonehlia. He swallowed the edge of the sword. “Therefore, I can’t delay anymore. Nor would I want to. It’s not… easy, I confess. But I’ll do my best. That is the least I can offer.”

He gently slid the contract towards her, never leaving her eyes. There were no words needed for what he had meant. The past was clear for both of them, clearer than the future ever could be. Darmon was determined to make it as certain as he could, even if it meant taking a turn he never imagined he should do. Not after everything.

Syonehlia’s voice turned more tender. “After everything you’ve done, I still love you. With all I am. Not because it’s right, or because I was told to. Rather because I chose to. You can complete me, and so could I do the same to you. But, I need you to figure out the rest of your pieces before I can see if mine could fit in too. Because nothing can change that I love you. Nor on that, I would be willing to work on us, too.”

The night’s edge softened, and her blazing eyes almost seemed to smile at him.

Darmon had long forgotten how it felt to be overwhelmed with emotions. Another thing he could re-experience with her — beside her. He reached for her hand and gazed at it as he caress her skin with his thumb.

She smiled her subtle half-smile, taking his hand in hers. Their gaze entangled, and Darmon wished to transfer at least a shard of the feelings that swirled in his chest. If he had any idea, how exactly.

The fire in Syonehlia’s eyes changed. She stood up but did not let go of his hand. It’s been an elegant motion, guiding his attention until she arrived right before him. She walked further, towards the entrance of the bedroom. Her head turned there for a moment, then she looked back at Darmon, a gentle tug on his hand shaking his heart alive.

#Darmon Strotagor #Syonehlia Dione #Project Metalsea #Metalsea snippets #no need for context cuz its just them #Metalsea: Nohrinal's Legacy #writeblr #writing community #fantasy writing #romance writing #theyre so much angstier than Cronyl and Avelyn #but i loved this scene and wanted to write it for a long time now #q

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itsnotgoingtotranslate · 1 year

Text

"That is the quality which dance music has — no other: it stirs some barbaric instinct — lulled asleep in our sober lives — you forget centuries of civilization in a second, & yield to that strange passion which sends you madly whirling round the room — oblivious of everything save that you must keep swaying with the music — in & out, round & round — in the eddies & swirls of the violins. It is as though some swift current of water swept you along with it. It is magic music."

Virginia Woolf

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent."

Victor Hugo

"After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."

Aldous Huxley

"Jazz is the music of the body. The breath comes through brass. It is the body’s breath, and the strings’ wails and moans are echoes of the body’s music. It is the body’s vibrations which ripple from the fingers. And the mystery of the withheld theme, known to jazz musicians alone, is like the mystery of our secret life. We give to others only peripheral improvisations."

Anaïs Nin

"Music, the combiner, nothing more spiritual, nothing more sensuous, a god, yet completely human, advances, prevails, holds highest place; supplying in certain wants and quarters what nothing else could supply."

Walt Whitman

#words

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hermesserpent-stuff · 2 years

Video

youtube

back at it again with music. This time with eddie!

Peter sees stars as his head hits the side of a building. Eddie cages him in with his arms, eyes sparking with ill-hidden rage. Peter feels the burn of tears. He is not in costume and has no idea how to get away without drawing too much attention.

“So. You thought you could move on? Make a new happy family?”

Eddie snarls, way too close. But his spider-sense remains hollowly silent.

“How come you get everything?! I lost it all and you still keep gaining! New friends, new family.”

Eddie lifts one arm and punches the wall near Peter’s head. Peter flinches, hating to see what Eddie has become.

“It's no wonder no one believed us. You're unbelievably weak. Laughable to think you could save anyone.”

Peter can hear the telltale hiss of the symbiote coiling behind some of Eddie’s words. They must have found a way to merge again. Peter feels himself believing Eddie’s last sentence. He tries to gather the strength to come up with a plan. But suddenly Eddie is gone. Rhino is holding him up.

“This guy bothering you?”

Rhino looks at Eddie with some irritation. Peter feels his panic press against his tongue still and he slowly slides down the wall. Flint is immediately beside him, an arm gently touching his shoulder.

“Peter?”

“Why are you comforting him?! That's Spider-man!”

Peter jerks at Eddie's words and starts scrambling away, but his palms scrape and tear on the uneven alleyway ground. Sandy shifts and gently wraps him up in a hug, effectively keeping him from running. But it is also a defensive move, completely ready to protect Peter.

“Why would we believe you?”

Rhino asks and the simple question sets Eddie off. The symbiote rolls over his skin as he snarls, transforming Eddie into the monster he had become.

“We have seen his every action. He has imprisoned you so often and took joy in it! He ruins every life that he touches!”

Peter’s heart breaks. Venom attempts to escape Rhino’s hold but the man scrunches his nose and holds him higher and gives him a hard shake.

“That's rude.”

Rhino says flatly.

“And untrue. Peter’s been super helpful. Even if he is Spider-man, he’s nice enough to help us understand stuff. I think you need to take a minute to re… rethink your life.”

“He ruined our life!!”

Venom snaps and Peter curls into himself.

“I didn't mean to. I'm really sorry Eddie…”

His voice is small.

“Sorry is not enough!! You get everything handed to you on a platter and then you decide that’s not enough and go and take from us! You even tried to take us from each other. Were we not alone enough for you?”

Venom is struggling again and Rhino gives him a firm shake. Peter can feel the warm tears on his cheeks.

“I never… I never meant to make you feel alone. The symbiote is dangerous….” Peter takes a shaky breath, “I… miss you, Eddie. I miss having my bro. Ever since Uncle Ben… it's…”

Peter breaks, hides his face, and takes shuddering breaths. He needs to escape. He cannot deal with the bitter rage that is entirely his fault.

“Don't put your issues on other people. If you want to be loved maybe work on yourself a little.”

Sandy responds while gently rubbing Peter’s back.

“When’s the last time you had a meal with people?”

Rhino asks. Peter peeks out and sees that Venom looks stunned.

“What?”

“Oh, that's a good idea! Food is a great way to bond.”

Sandy says, standing up, lifting Peter with him. Oh no. This promises to be a weird dinner.

#spider nephew au #tssm #tssm spider man #tssm peter parker #tssm eddie brock #tssm sandman #tssm rhino #hermes speaks #fanfiction writing #music

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whistlingstarlight · 1 year

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If you want to try to ramble about the Mother series, I'd love to hear what you have to say

Okay I

Cannot at all guarantee this will be coherent it's very hard for me to put some of my thoughts on this series into words, especially as omitting a lot of context

Not gonna even try and make this spoiler-free bc the spoilers are what I love most abt it, so heads up on that. This may end up having follow-up posts depending on how long it gets, but for now I'm mainly gonna talk about the characters as they're what I love most about the series. We'll be here forever if I try to explain the plots too

Also, Mother is a surprisingly dark series past all the nonsensical whimsy. There's themes of bullying, death and child neglect mentioned in this, you've been warned.

The Mother series is very unique, as it is (overall) an RPG set in the modern day. 198X for Mother 1, 199X for Mother 2/Earthbound, and an unknown time for Mother 3. On top of fighting things like aliens and robots, you also fight crows, gas pumps and hippies. Weird time, but a fun time too.

The protagonist of Mother 1 is Ninten, who's mission is to stop an invasion from the alien Giegue, as well as recover the pieces of a song for a woman called Queen Mary in the fantasy world of Magicant. Ninten doesn't get a huge amount of development due to being a silent protagonist, but I find the types of psychic abilities he learns to be indicative of his personality: he learns mainly defense and protective abilities, he wants to keep his loved ones safe most of all. He is also one of the first canonically disabled protagonists in a video game, being asthmatic.

The first friend Ninten meets on his quest is Lloyd, a timid but intelligent boy with a love for rockets and other gadgets. Unfortunately he's the victim of severe bullying from his schoolmates, to the point he spends his free time in a garbage can on the school roof to avoid them. Befriending Lloyd is a key moment in Mother 1: he is the only companion absolutely mandatory to complete the game, and when he joins you the overworld music changes from the song "Pollyanna" to the very appropriately named "Bein' Friends".

Ninten's next friend is Ana, who joins the party after the boys return her hat to her in the hopes of finding her missing mother. Ana isn't very physically strong, but her psychic abilities are extremely powerful, enough that she's been having dreams of Ninten before she even met him. She and Ninten harbor feelings for each other, shown late in the game when they dance together in a mountain cabin.

There's also Teddy, in his late teens/early twenties, leader of the local criminal gang, who joins the group to avenge the deaths of his parents. He kicks Lloyd out of the team, believing him to be too weak, but Lloyd later saves them from a robot attack by destroying it with a tank. Teddy's severely injured and has to stay behind to recover, but grows to respect Lloyd as a result. In the original release it was implied he died of his injuries, but in rereleases it's confirmed he recovered and started over, leaving his criminal past and becoming a club singer.

After recovering the pieces of Queen Mary's song, it's revealed that she is Maria, Ninten's great-grandmother. Magicant is the last remaining ghost of her consciousness, and before it disappears she reveals she and her husband, George, had been abducted years ago to become Giegue's surrogate parents. The song you've been learning was the lullaby she sung to him as a baby. When you finally confront Giegue, it's a very unconventional final boss battle. You don't kill him, you don't even physically beat him; you sing the lullaby, reminding him of his mother Maria. He even offers to let Ninten come with his before he leaves, acknowledging him as family. He swears to return someday, though.

Mother 2/Earthbound is simultaneously a remake and sequel of the first game, and it's protagonists are noticeably similar to their predecessors. Ness is the new main protagonist, and like Ninten is mostly silent. He loves his family dearly, to the point that if he doesn't phone home regularly he will become homesick. Unlike Ninten, who practically stumbled into his journey, Ness and his friends are prophesised to save the world from Giegue (now known as Giygas). Ness must also learn a song, but this time from visiting powerfu energy spots across the world.

The first friend Ness meets is Paula. Much like Ana, she is physically weak but extremely powerful psychically. She's been kidnapped by a cult, and after her rescue (and reuniting briefly with her parents), joins Ness on his journey. Her telepathic abilities are invaluable in meeting with the next friend, Jeff.

Jeff Andonuts is from overseas, living at a boarding school. The only member of the group without PSI, he more than makes up with it with his technological prowess. After hearing Paula's call for help, he sets off to meet up with them. His best friend, Tony (one of the first canonical gay characters in gaming!), helps him out of the school, and Jeff heads to his father's science lab in hopes he can help him get to Ness and Paula over the ocean.

Dr. Andonuts is... absent, to put it tactfully, despite only living the other side of the lake from Jeff's boarding school, he hasn't seen his son in ten years. Jeff even corrects himself whenever he calls him Dad.

Extra note: the novelisation is... not my favourite, but Jeff is physically disabled in this version, using leg braces and later prostheses although how he gets them is a bit yikes. He also uses an off-roader wheelchair in one chapter, and personally this is smth I've adopted as my headcanon

The final member of the party is Prince Pu (who received a much more unfortunate name in translation that I refuse to call him :]), from the Eastern kingdom of Dalaam. He goes through some... absolutely nightmare-inducing meditative training before joining the group, and if you want to see what I mean look up "earthbound mu training" on youtube.

Mother 3's main protagonist is Lucas, although aside from the prologue you don't actually get to play as him for quite a while. Lucas is initially a shy but still very happy boy, but after the brutal death of his mother and disappearance of his twin brother Claus, and the subsequent neglect from his father Flint, who spends all his time searching for Claus, Lucas becomes a shell of his former self. Yet he has a signature PSI ability: PK Love. And at the end of the game, when offered to restore or destroy the world, despite having experienced nothing but loss and loneliness for years, Lucas chooses to love the world that hurt him.

Kumatora is a so-called "princess", but by choice she doesn't really live up to the role. She continues the trend of incredibly skilled PSI-wielding girls, but unlike her predecessors is a rebellious tomboy.

Duster is the successor of Lloyd and Jeff as the group's non-psychic member, but the similarities end there. Duster's a grown man, raised as a thief by his father Wess. Unfortunately, Wess holds the title of Fucking Terrible Parent. He's verbally abusive to Duster after he makes an honest mistake, and the game all but outright states he permanently disabled his son by overworking him. Duster walks with a limp, a fact that is mentioned in-game and was even animated into his walking animation, a detail that I appreciate a lot as someone who also walks with a limp.

There's also Boney, Lucas's loyal dog. He accompanies Lucas throughout his journey, remaining a constant and reliable companion.

Then there's Pokey Minch, Ness's neighbour from Earthbound. There's... honestly so much to talk about with this character, so I'm gonna save it for a post dedicated solely to him. He's surprisingly complex and quite a tragic character despite the antagonistic (and.. almost irredeemable) role he plays.

This post really doesn't do these characters justice, but they mean so much to me. The games are all noticeably more challenging before you meet your friends, because struggling alone is tough. All three groups are quite diverse and a lot of them come from difficult backgrounds, but they're all treated quite respectfully. They send some important messages, especially for the time the games were released; disabled people can still be strong, girls can be as skilled as boys (if not more so), you don't need special abilities to be important.

#i am absolutely making further posts about these games and not just the one about Pokey. I've got a lot to say #thanks for the ask Emmy!#earthbound #mother series #asks #second to none

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calypsoff3 · 2 years

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Forty. Part 4

Not the birthday I wanted to say the least, but this is a moment she needs to be freed from. This is her voice, a voice he made sure she had hidden. Robyn is being freed, she can speak on what he did to her and why not, she is a victim but I won’t say that, it is so very tense here but that is because of him, he is panicking but my fingers cannot be felt now, I cannot feel them at all with the way she has gripped on to my hand “Chris” looking away from Jay and at Robyn “what do you want me to do?” she asked me, she doesn’t need to ask me “no Robyn, what do you want to do?” I said it back to her, she doesn’t need me, she doesn’t need to be even asking me either “to be free” nodding my head “then twin, be free. This is your moment, say it” I said to her, she swallowed hard “you made me feel like I asked for it, you know what hurts the most you thought I was a foreign whore, you put that narrative out there that every man I was with assumed I put out, it made me scared of men and when I told you about Rocky and how I needed help, he wasn’t being good with me you said to me use it. You whined and dined me, I honestly before that point saw you as a elder, a father but you did that to me” she sobbed out crying “then to shut me up you showed me what you could do, and you put out the narrative that I am easy” chewing on my bottom lip “and it’s always affected me, I think on how I would be if I didn’t have Chris with me, if I didn’t find him because I don’t think I would have settled. You ruined me mentally and I became so dark, I was making dark music because I was hurt and nobody knew why but then” she paused sniffling “then you sabotaged me at every moment and I realise why, you wanted me but you had to remain with Beyonce, you’re stuck and you know it, there is so many female artists, young ones. And it happens to them, I will go public with this. I want you and Jay Brown’ name taken away from everything, I don’t ever want to speak to you, I want to be free. I want this to be the most happiest and calmest release. You release me, you release my husband from this hold. I was always scared of this because of the power you hold but, I actually have the power” I am so fucking proud of her.

She is shaking, I don’t blame her for shaking because this is a big moment for her but I can’t be more proud of her. He is so silent, he doesn’t know what to do or even say about this “this can’t come out” that is all he cares about “this would ruin everything” I clenched my jaw and looked at him “you mean people will find out how many other women you have done this too huh? How many underage girls you have done that too? You know the power Rihanna holds, you will be locked up, you will be divorced, kids don’t want to know their paedophile dad, imagine that” for once in his bastard life he looks scared “I am sorry” Robyn cringed “don’t speak to her, give her what she wants!” I yelped out “everything and more, anything just this can’t come out. I will make a contract and give it to you” he said “no nigga, you ain’t in the place to make demands, we want the contract now! I want in words that you will give everything to Robyn, give it her back. Nothing to do with us ever again so fucking do it Jay” I said, I am not waiting for shit “can I step out then? I won’t go anywhere” I waved him off “I want it now though; she is wanting to speak. Remember that” I pointed; he needs to understand that she will say it. Jay got up from his seat, I think he is really panicking now, he knows that he is close to having all this shit leaked out.

Robyn and I have been in silence, I mean I do feel bad about doing this but they really owned Robyn and she didn’t see it, I did though. They was ruining things for us as a family, keeping her away from us “Maxwell has really taught you good” Robyn said to me which made me smile “oh he told me not to do this though he said that I’m acting off impulse but he said that I need to apologise, I am pushing away people that love me and I need to stop before these people do go and then what, he said that I’m being an asshole” I laughed, looking at Robyn she is so very sad “are you actually sad or just hurting?” I don’t know why I asked that “hurting, but I want to say it to my mom. I want to be freed fully and I want to tell her because she affected my life too” smiling at her lightly “that is fine, I think your mother is going to breakdown crying, she’s going to be very upset to hear that” Robyn smiled lightly “you loved a broken person” I breathed out smiling “you also loved a broken person too, that’s love Robyn. We love each other, and I pray I can be a better man for you and that you can deal with me at my most broken, I have more to come, and I’m scared that you know, the way I can push you and I don’t blame you for wanting to go because I mean this is hard to deal with, having to deal with where my moods can be. The way I am, the way I am with you, and I feel so bad Robyn, I totally understand if you would prefer to just keep us as friends” Robyn shook her head “no, I don’t want you to be away from me, I just think we need to not think like that. What I want for us to start having fun again, being us, knowing you again. I don’t want us to jump but I think it’s something we need to discuss in regards to the home, the home you have because what about us?” licking my lips “that is fine, cool. We can do that, I don’t think we should let him off, I mean it’s down to you but don’t sign any contract, when he comes in we just tell him to fuck off and say we are going public because why should he get away with it?” I think Jay is sick “but I don’t want to be a victim publicly” she is right and I get what she wants “let him sweat, I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do” I hope she takes my advice with that.

Jay came back into room “we are going to draw up papers and you will be free from this” he said like who the fuck does he think he is, that he can get away with what he has done “I need to think on it” Robyn let my hand go and got up from the seat “what? You have got to sign it!?” he spat “or what? What are you going to do Jay! You tell me what the fuck are you going to do?” oh Robyn has her voice, oh this is the Robyn I know “exactly! You have everything to lose, I don’t. I have my husband and my kids at home! Fuck you, Chris let’s go. And motherfucker I will think about signing that, I think Blue needs to know what pervert her dad is” getting up from the seat, Robyn has really just changed like that, she has found her voice and I love that for her “I would count your days” walking behind Robyn, he should be sacred “wait, hey” jogging over to her “by the way” I said, making our way to the elevator “Raihan is here” Robyn stopped “what!?” she spat “where!?” oh her baby is here so she is going to want him “at the hotel with my bodyguard” Robyn’ mouth fell open “you left my baby with a bodyguard!? All this time, are you serious?” nodding my head “well I didn’t want to drag him along because he doesn’t exactly like me” she is not happy “you left him with a bodyguard!? I am not happy, take me to him now!” she spat, I knew she wouldn’t approve of this but I didn’t want to drag him around everywhere with me but clearly she isn’t going to see it that way, now I am going to witness the dramatic Robyn.

Walking into the hotel living room “you said an hour!” Big D shouted “he peed on me” I sniggered “baby, oh my god” Raihan perked up, he turned around “mommy” he said, seeing his face light up before then turning that smile into a frown and then he cried, of course he cried and of course he is going to get me into some shit because Robyn doesn’t play with Raihan “awww no, come here” Robyn picked him up as he cried out saying mommy, he has missed her a lot but she has created this brat, she needs to deal with him too. Crossing my arms across my chest as Raihan held onto Robyn crying his heart out “how was he?” I asked “upset, bro you said you would be back, you came in late and then left again, he is in the same clothes you left him in” Robyn’ head darted in my direction “how could you! I didn’t know he was here, how fucking could you Chris! Are you serious with this” he had to say this “I need to go out and see somebody, I will leave you both to reunite” I walked away slowly “you know what Chris that will be the best fucking choice because I am so angry at you, how could you! You was neglecting leaving him with a bodyguard!? Someone he really barely knows, fucking hell Chris” let go quickly “I need to see friends, you know. But stay here, I might be back late” I laughed before just leaving, well I didn’t leave slowly it was quick because she is too mad and I do not want to deal with this anger right now.

All camera phones on me and all eyes on me as the waiter bought over a cake with a sparkler for me, it was nice Herb came out for me and some of the boys, Rocky and some peers here, I didn’t really want to do anything for my birthday but the called me out “thank you” I laughed, I feel my cheeks getting red now as they sang happy birthday to me “thank you” I said again, they all cheered as the cake got placed in front of me “make a wish, make a wish” they chanted, rubbing my hands together as I closed my eyes before blowing the candles out “who the hell did this cake? Y’all got this Costco cake? Ain’t shit niggas” getting up from the seat “this shit was last minute” dapping Herb “I know, I ain’t complaining though” it was nice of him, I mean I prefer to be here then with Robyn with her being so angry at me, she did text me but I said I am out with the boys “what is the plan for after? How you ain’t do shit for your birthday?” Rocky asked “I am a family man now, I ain’t do that shit no more” he laughed out “I fully expected Rihanna to do a party for you” I shrugged “she hates me but it's whatever, I am fine. But this, it’s enough. I love it” which I do, it’s small and no drama, ain’t no girls here either which I prefer “ayo, you on the blogs again” looking over at Herb “what did I do now?” I have no idea what be happening on there “Rita posted a happy birthday post, she said something like happy birthday to a legend” poking my bottom lip out “wow” I breathed out “she really don’t like to let go or stop but then again the rest of the females do still, I don’t have no bad feelings towards them because I am the issue” which is right “but still, it shows there is things there. But leave it, cute what Rylee posted” I ain’t even see that either “I ain’t see that either” I laughed “I am on it, I will be anyways” I need to check it all.

Kicking my hotel door shut, I bought cake back for them. It is a little dark in here actually “Robyn?” I said making my way to the bedroom, kicking the door open a little to the bedroom and seeing both Raihan and Robyn asleep on my bed with the cartoons on the TV, she must have got bored. Placing the cake on the table, she is missing out on cake but that’s on her. I huffed out sitting on the couch, Robyn hasn’t even acknowledge my birthday, Jah has and most of her team in the room but she didn’t, not even a post. Loading Instagram up, the first post is Jah, that man fancies me badly. I laughed at the picture because I was drunk here, I must have been. Why am I kissing his bald head like that, I was drunk. Scrolling across to the next picture, oh we serving in this picture, we look good. Looking at the caption ‘It’s a real ones birthday today’ liking the post and commenting ‘I think you have a crush on me’ I think he really does, scrolling down and Tianna has posted a picture, this is when Tianna was just born and Rylee was still a baby actually and the photographer took this black and white picture of us on a photoshoot ‘Happy Birthday to my hero, I love you dad have the best day’ liking the post and commenting back ‘Thank you baby, I love you too’ pressing send and then going to the next post and it’s Rylee, it’s a video she has posted, oh this is a video someone has taken of me at one of Rylee’ cheerleading games, watching the way I am smiling so proud. I am proud of my daughters, then it changed, it’s a montage of us together, I am always in the background proud, I like this. Going to the caption ‘My dad, he has been there for me throughout my life, I know what love is thanks to my dad, they say a girl’s first love is their dad and thanks to you, I know what that is. You deserve the world, but the world doesn’t deserve you, you are the most precious but yet most misjudged, I have watched it all and seen it all. Happy Birthday to my hero dad, I hope I can make you proud always’ that got me choked up, that is so sweet of her, being called hero from both of them, that is so precious.

#Chrianna #Chrianna FF #Fanfic #Fanfiction #Chrianna Fanfic #Chrianna Fanfiction

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