#*huggles to death and beyond*

[waterchestnut123]

CHAPTER 1 / The Peculiar Perils of Straw Hat Parties

Common commentary throughout the 5 seas held that Straw Hat parties were notoriously wild. This is something that Trafalgar Law, as well as the rest of his crew, are also learning first hand. Not that Law particularly feels like partying; after Dressrosa, the Heart Pirates Captain has a little soul-searching he’d like to attend to. But one tends to become… drawn in, to certain things around Luffy—regardless of one’s plans or intentions. This is how Law finds himself developing an unlikely and unexpected friendship with his ally’s navigator—and how that friendship, much like Luffy’s parties, grows far beyond his intentions.

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Chapter 1: More Than Meets The Eye

Chapter Rating: T Warnings: Mentions of canonical character death, sexually suggestive content

Thinking back on her first impressions of him atop that bleak, snowy hillside on Punk Hazard, she would have laughed at anyone suggesting the captain of the heart pirates was anything more than a cunning sadist with hidden malicious intent; after all, one manipulator knows another. She had him pegged the moment she met him: sharp eyes belying a calculating brilliance beneath his cool exterior, who knew the power of few words and subtle suggestion. He was a shichibukai—and she never had met one she liked, with a sizable bounty to match her estimation of his dangerousness. Yes, she had him pegged; or at least, she thought she did.

Had anyone dared to inform her then of how she herself would come to view him in but a few months time—as not merely a valued ally and friend, but a lover, she would have choked on her own spit.

But a lot can happen in a few months time; this, Nami would come to learn with startling clarity. And perhaps she shouldn’t have been so surprised. After all, during Straw Hat parties, anything was possible.

—:—:—:—

“I think I see it! I think I see it!” Luffy hollered eagerly from the crow’s nest, arms already stretching to swing from the mast before he’d even finished speaking. Nami smiled, glancing down at the jittering vivre card in her palm before murmuring to Franky who stood beside her at the helm.

“Seven degrees starboard should bring us alongside them.”

“Aye aye!” he responded with a grin, turning the wheel with slight, precise movements.

Glancing out at calm water, she could see in the distance the telltale swell amidst the usual ocean waves as the Polar Tang began to near the surface. Glancing briefly up at the sun—it looked to be around 4:30 in the afternoon, she estimated it would be about ten minutes before they reached their ally’s ship. Though he tried to hide it, she could tell he was eager to be reunited with his crew—especially after the unanticipated events on Dressrosa.

With clear skies and smooth waters, their allies located and no enemies in sight, it seemed they would finally have a bit of a respite—and about damn time.

She walked to the railing, quickly scanning the deck for her crew mates. Usopp sat fishing off the starboard side, animatedly telling one of his tall tales to an enraptured Chopper, and Zoro hollered insults at Sanji from beneath one of the deck trees—just the men she needed.

“Oi, Usopp! Zoro!” As both men turned to her, she gestured above her. “Start raising the sails!”

Before they could voice protestations she turned her attention to Law who sat quietly against the fore-mast, his Nodachi resting against his shoulder—a comparatively calm presence in an otherwise chaotic array of personalities staggered about the deck.

“Ten minutes ‘till we reach your crew, Torao.”

He tilted his head back to look up at her, golden eyes bright beneath the shadowed brim of his hat as he smiled—or, well, his version of a smile.

“Thank you, Nami-ya.”

She had to admit, It was nice to have someone with some semblance of manners on board. She nodded with a small smile, returning her attention to the vivre card and the rolling ocean waves.

—:—:—:—

“Incoming!”

Franky’s shouted warning was followed by a loud thunk as the gangplank fell onto the deck of the Polar Tang, connecting the two ships.

“Oi, oi, easy on the paint Robo-ya!”

However Law’s protestation was quickly drowned out by the stampeding footsteps of his crew, Bepo well in the lead as he ran full-pelt across the gang plank towards him.

“Captaaaaain! I’m going to hug you!”

With little ceremony the bear launched himself at a wide-eyed Law, who staggered back at the unexpected force. Wrapping around his captain’s upper half, the heart pirates navigator gleefully indulged in what couldn’t be more appropriately termed a bear hug.

It was, if she had to put a word to it, cute to see the way Law reacted to the show of affection. It was subtle—likely by intention if she knew him at all, which she liked to think she’d come to at least a little; but Nami was well-versed in subtlety even if most of the rest of the crew seemed incapable of comprehending the meaning of the word. His head tilted down just a bit to hide the glimmer in his eyes, and a small smile tugged insistently at the corners of his lips, his posture relaxing easily into the bear’s fuzzy embrace. She leaned forward on the railing, smiling.

“Shishishi!” Luffy’s laughter echoed from the forecastle deck as he launched himself towards Law and his congregating crew.

“We should celebrate! Oi! Sanji! Make everyone some meat!”

Luffy’s sudden declaration startled her out of her amusement over Law’s covert huggle session with Bepo. She straightened, her eyes darting to Sanji—usually a voice of reason, who was instead walking towards the kitchen. Anxiously, she returned her attention to her own captain.

“Wait, Luffy! Don’t you think we should maybe dock at an island or something first?! We’re out in the middle of the sea and this is the new world—the conditions could turn on us at any moment.”

He turned to smile up at her without a trace of concern, draping his arms easily over a smiling Bepo and a frowning Law who stared at the offending hand but made no move to remove it.

“It’ll be fine, Nami! Who knows how long it would take to find an island; and besides, you’ll know if the weather changes before we need to do anything about it—you always do!”

She felt her ire flare at his statement. He was absolutely right, of course—but his shameless flattery did little to minimize the fact that he had openly admitted he was relying on her to keep an eye out for danger while the rest of the two crews partied. She couldn’t kick Zoro’s ass at a drinking contest (and fleece him for all he was worth while she was at it) if she had to be the responsible one! Responsible people were sober!

“Baka!” she shouted from the railing, leaning over it further in her anger, “You don’t get to have fun while I’m stuck keeping your sorry asses safe!”

Luffy simply laughed, releasing both Bepo and Law. “It’ll be fine, Nami! This is a celebration so you should have fun, too!” He then turned towards the kitchen, stretching his arms for the railing as he shouted again. “Oi! Sanji! Meat!”

“I’m already on it, you rubber idiot! Be patient!”

“Yohohoho!” Brook laughed from the swing, standing and pulling out his violin. “Shall I play something for the occasion?”

“Suuuuperrr!”

Nami sighed, leaning against the railing with a hand to her temple. As she glanced out at the deck with a resigned huff—she well knew when she was beaten with her crew, she felt eyes on her. Following the sensation, she found Law gazing up at her display of exasperation with a hint of amusement. He readjusted his nodachi on his shoulder, one golden eye twinkling beneath the brim of his hat as he smirked and gave the smallest of shrugs, before turning to follow an excited Bepo into the kitchen. She couldn’t help but feel a little heartened. At least someone else recognized the inconvenience, even if it wasn’t anyone on her nutty crew.

—:—:—:—

The sun was just beginning to set, amber light turning the blue water seafoam green as it hovered above the horizon. The party had just begun to get underway, and Law was on his third mug of ale. Limbs loose and a rare smile on his face, he gazed out at the water from the solitude of the upper aft deck. The sweet smell of citrus blossoms danced in the air with the mouthwatering tang of Sanji’s shish-kabobs, piped up to the deck from the kitchen chimney not far from where he leaned against the mast.

He felt… peaceful; free. It wasn’t a feeling he was familiar with, nor one that he yet trusted, but it was nonetheless welcome. So much of his life had been dedicated to seeking vengeance against Doflamingo—building his crew, honing his skills, training and preparing and planning; until that vengeance had been achieved, he hadn’t realized how much he had pushed aside, the simple pleasures he had ignored or left unnoticed—the desires and whims he refused to allow himself.

Like watching the sunset and enjoying the smell of citrus blossoms.

Though there was a small, instinctually protective part of himself that refused to believe Doflamingo was really, truly dealt with, with the Shichibukai’s imprisonment a tremendous weight the likes of which he hadn’t fully comprehended had lifted from his shoulders—and for the first time in over a decade he felt able breathe deeply. His world, once black and white and grey—life and death and suffering, had been suffused with color. Everything was just a little bit brighter; sounds were sharper, smells were stronger…

From the lawn deck, he heard the lilting laugh of the Straw hat navigator rise above the chatter of their two crews. Frowning down at the tightness forming in his pants, he shifted uncomfortably.

Other things seemed to be… stronger, as well.

He’d never given his sex drive much consideration over the course of his life. Sure he’d had the occasional liaison, but his physical desires had never been much of a preoccupation. It was yet another thing he’d come to notice these past few weeks—something that his fixation on vengeance had repressed over the course of years; now that his decades-long plan had finally come to fruition, his mind suddenly found itself wholly unoccupied, and quite open to new stimulus.

It was in the wake of this realization that he, for the first time really, noticed how little the Straw hats’ navigator actually wore.

While the archeologist also tended to prefer less fabric to more, she was nowhere near as daring as Nami. Sure, he had been aware of this fact for quite some time—in concept. On Punk Hazard she’d been wearing nothing more than a bikini top and jeans, and in Dressrosa she’d reduced those jeans to very short shorts. But it hadn’t quite… registered, in some higher part of his brain, all he skin left exposed.

And good God what she left exposed…

Objectively he recognized that she was attractive; she was all long legs and full breasts, with a narrow waist and bright eyes… Her wanted poster was a favorite among pirates and marines alike, something he’d noted with some amusement when he’d crossed the Navy’s path as a Shichibukai. But like with her attire (or lack thereof), he hadn’t quite… registered, how striking she really was, until a few weeks ago.

It had made life aboard the Sunny a bit more trying in a way he hadn’t been expecting. He’d grown accustomed to Luffy’s… exuberance, grown familiar with Sanji and Zoro’s constant bickering, the small explosions originating from Usopp’s factory. All things considered, he rather felt he’d adjusted quite well to the overall lunacy of Mugiwara’s crew. His gratitude for their (albeit unexpected) loyalty on Dressrosa certainly aided his patience.

But he had not anticipated, nor had he been prepared for the wholehearted return of his sex drive after recovering from his injuries aboard Bartolomeo’s ship.

He quietly sighed, leaning against the main mast as he watched the sun slowly sink towards the water. In the larger scheme of things, it was a relatively small price to pay. He had some catching up to do, perhaps, once they reached a habited island; find some woman to charm into his bed for the night (or several) and relieve the tension his own efforts failed to. Until then he’d just have to suffer through Nami’s undersized wardrobe. Subconciously he rubbed his right arm; he’d been through far worse, after all.

The sun was beginning to ripple and waver as Law breathed in the crisp ocean air, savoring the silence of the deck. The party would get into full swing soon enough, he was sure, and he aimed to get a little peace before the ruckus was inescapable. He lifted his mug to his lips, swallowing back the remaining ale in his mug. As he closed his eyes, basking in the warm amber light, the squeak of the observation room door caused him to creak an eye open and glance towards the source of the noise.

“Oh! Hey Torao, I didn’t think anyone was up here,” Nami said with a smile, shutting the door behind her with one foot. She had a basket on one arm and shears in the other and, he couldn’t help but gratefully notice, wore a thigh-length sweater—far more than she’d been wearing earlier in the afternoon.

“Nami-ya,” he acknowledged before returning his gaze to the sea, debating the pro’s and cons of descending into the commotion of the lower decks to refill his mug.

She walked towards him—or rather, towards her trees which occupied the space against the other side of the mast.

“Here.”

Without preamble she thrust her basket at him, beckoning him to her trees as she knelt before them. “Since you’re just standing there, help me with this real quick—I want to finish before the sun goes down and I’ll work faster with two hands.”

Perhaps it was the foreign feeling of calm aboard the Sunny making him unusually compliant—refusal only briefly crossed his mind, but he did as instructed. Standing next to her with the basket in hand, he watched as she thoughtfully pruned the first tree, inspecting each mikan carefully and gently placing the ripe ones in the basket.

“You know there are easier ways to fend off scurvy. You don’t have to keep live citrus trees on your ship.”

“That’s not why I keep them,” she answered smoothly without turning from her task, gently squeezing a mikan between her fingers before deeming it ready and giving it a gentle tug. She then turned thoughtful, pausing in her task before adding, “Well, not the primary reason anyway.”

He eyed her a moment as she moved to the next tree, placing her clippings in a bin beside the small grove.

“Then why do you keep them?”

She smiled softly as she reached for the next fruit, rubbing a smudge of dirt from it tenderly before answering.

“Because they’re from my mother’s grove. A little souvenir of home.”

“You’re from east blue, right?” he asked, though he felt he already knew the answer. Mikans were a common export from that ocean.

She hummed in response. “Bellemére—my mother, ran an orchard, where she raised my sister and I until I was ten. Best Mikans in all of the Conomi islands,” she boasted proudly.

Law eyed her as she carefully parted the tree’s branches to reach a more hidden fruit.

“Why did you leave then?”

He didn’t know why he was asking, but curiosity and boredom encouraged his curiosity.

She stilled, fingertips gently brushing a particularly broad leaf as she gazed at it, eyes faraway. It was several moments before she answered.

“She was killed; and I was kidnapped and forced into a pirate crew.” She was quiet a moment before adding with a small laugh, “It’s kind of how I met Luffy, actually.”

Law’s brow furrowed and he eyed her closely as she resumed her task, but did not respond. As he was learning from his time aboard the Sunny, all of the Straw Hats had more to them than met the eye—Nami was no exception. A pirate at ten years old… he could certainly relate.

She finished her pruning in silence, though it was a peaceful silence. Law’s eyes once more navigated out to the sunset, where the bright orange orb was meeting with the water, mind briefly returning to his earlier thoughts—tumbling and drifting much like the waves.

Doflamingo was gone…

When finally she stood, he extended the basket wordlessly and she took it with a smile, her eyes on him uncomfortably analytical. She placed her shears carefully beside the ripe fruit before returning her gaze to him, then following his eyes out to sea.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? Like there’s a little part of you that refuses to believe you’re really free.”

Her voice was soft, her eyes kind, yet despite that Law felt himself bristle at how easily she had seen through him.

“And what makes you say that, Nami-ya?” he inquired guardedly.

She hummed quietly, tilting her head at him with a small knowing smile as she answered.

“Because I felt the same way when Luffy saved me.”

She didn’t wait for a response, merely turned and walked towards the door with her hand raised behind her.

“Thanks for the help.”

Then, she disappeared into the library.

Law stared at the door for several minutes, not quite sure what to make of her words—or her, for that matter. She was the one member of the crew he’d had little time to get to know personally, and had perhaps dismissed the most readily. But there was quite a bit more to Nami than met the eye. She was far more perceptive than he gave her credit, for one; and he was seeing more and more how foolish that dismissal was.

He returned his gaze to the sea. The sun was now half hidden by the horizon, and he watched the rest slowly sink beneath the waves as he let his thoughts turn. She wasn’t wrong; Doflamingo had haunted him his entire adult life. Now he was gone, wrapped in twice his weight in seastone chains at the bottom of Impel Down. It was hard to believe that someone who had been such an omnipresent and looming specter could truly be gone, though It was a change he was happy to try and adjust to.

It did, however, make him wonder about her own life, and what her careful words had only hinted at. He’d had no idea she’d been a pirate before joining Luffy—for it had been on his crew that she’d gained notoriety, and it made him wonder: who was Cat Thief Nami before she was the navigator on a Supernova’s crew?

He heard her reappear on the lower decks a few minutes later, the assaulting shouts of Luffy pulling him from his thoughts.

“Oi, Nami! Have you seen Torao?!”

Law frowned. He had sought refuge on the furthest deck from the festivities specifically because he wanted some distance before the party became inescapable, hoping that the rest of his crew would be enough of a distraction for the other captain. Apparently not. He let out a sigh, pulling away from the mast as he made for the door—and another hiding spot—but stopped when he heard her response.

“Haven’t seen him,” she responded casually. “Have you checked the sub?”

He stilled, a smile growing before he let himself relax against the mast again. He uttered a silent ‘thank you’ before turning his gaze up to the darkening sky. Yes, Cat Thief Nami was full of surprises.

Stars were just starting to emerge, and he decided he’d enjoy what extra time she had bought him. Straw hat would find him soon enough, and besides, he would need to head down there eventually if he wanted to refill his mug. By the sounds of the growing laughter and the noodling of a guitar—Brook, no doubt—the party was just getting started; and he knew, soon enough, he’d be swept up into the pace of the straw hats—whether he wanted to or not.

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More About This Fic / Read on AO3 Chapter Index | Next >

[jayankles]

Dean Winchester Masterlist

Headcanons

Dean’s reaction to Y/N’s excitement to autumn 

Just starting to date Dean

Drabbles

Not the Same

That’s Disgusting

How Many Licks?

Imagine Dean cheering Cas up

Huggle Snuggle

Angels and Dumplings

Never Too Early for Christmas (or Strippers)

Treehouse Nightmares

Kiss Cam Rules

Rainstorm

An Active Apology

Ficlets

Being a Doctor

Red

Blood in the Basement

Easy on the Tickles (AU)

Imbecile

You Make Me Happy

Sparkles and Firefly

Papa Dean

Different Aura

Poorly Decorated Cookies

Bright Light (AnnaDeanMeg - No Reader)

Mysterious Woman

Present for Me

Cowboy Sheriff

Marrying for Love - Dean x Alicia

You’ve Been Benched

No Fifth Base? Dean x Rowena

Forgot about Food

Not Another Pathetic Girl.

A Picture tells this Story

Oneshots

Remember, Remember the 5th November

Lose Yourself

Turns Me On

Angels in the Snow

Wrong Way (AU)

Sixteen Months

Always

Deserved It (AU -Smut)

Convince Me (AU)

Mermaid Expert

Learn the Hard Way (AU)

Not J2

Chill Out (Smut)

Countdown

Another Round? (Smut)

We Broke It (Smut)

His Favourite Girl (AU)

Eleven Years of Friendship

Howdy Winchester

Can’t Breathe

He’s the One (smut)

Something New (Smut)

The Mark Changes People

Thank You For Being Quiet (Smut)

These Bad Boys

The Mighty T-Rex

Romantic?

Princess of I-don’t-care-landia

Death Brings Truth (AU)

Bittersweet News (AU)

Turn Around (AU - Smut)

We Forgot

Curve of the Cave (Mermaid!Reader)

Extra Something  (Plus size!Reader)

Rowena’s Tricks (Dog!Dean / Samwena Smut)

We Fuck and We Kill (AU- Smut)

Not your Bacon

Falling for You

The Cat’s Out of the Bag (Platonic)

Stalker Tendencies (Demon!Dean)

Your Turn - (General Dean fic)

Just Do the Thing (Smut)

Pretty Purple Fractured Fingers

Un Juego de Armas

Series/ Multi-Part Oneshots

Daddy’s Nugget - Masterlist

Once Upon a Dream - Part 1

First Degree Burns - Masterlist

Witches and Pie - Part 1

She’s My Alibi - Part 1 (Dean Smith)

Future Dreamboat - Part 1 |  Part 2

We Need to Talk - Part 1 |  Part 2

Beyond the Sea, To the Surface - Part 1

Casual and Comfortable (AU) - Masterlist

Knight in Checkered Flannel (AU) - Part 1

Since I’ve Been Loving You - Masterlist

Act like Teenagers | The Iceni Tribe |  Full of Great Ideas

The Perfect Pair - Masterlist

Protection on Vacation -  Masterlist

“It’s not illegal if you pay.” “And Cut!”

[hibernianbok]

Aye yo know that request with the adoption and the axis? Can you please do it with the allies if that's not any trouble?

America:

“Awe, little dude! Your Dad doesn’t need paper to be your pops”

The fact that his little dude thinks of him as a hero is enough to make him bear hug him to death, he even nicknamed himself “Superpaps”!

When he gets the card he freezes up, he didn’t expect such a detailed in a card, little dudes going to make him cry.

When he says that wants America to adopt him he gets tears in his eyes. Is this a prank? The little dudes is going to be huggled

America will pick the boy up and swing him around whilst hugging him, praying that the boy doesn’t notice his tears.

That night when the boy is asleep he’ll head down to the Adoption Paper place and bring them home.

When the boy wakes up he will be greeted with a thin piece of paper that states the America is his paps.

Canada:

“R-really, I’d love to!”

He loves this child with all of his heart, almost as much as he loves their mother. They’re his little family.

Every time the kid calls him “papa” his face turns a bright red, he finds it so cute when they call him that.

When he gets the card he is beyond shocked, he will hang the card up on the fridge so that everyone can admire it.

The boy will be hugged by his papa, if he likes hugs that is. If not a hair ruffle because he doesn’t want his boy to be uncomfortable.

He will adopt them as soon as he can! He’ll be holding both the mother and the lads hand as the go in for the papers.

Canada will ask if the mother would marry him, a small happily family is one of his many dreams and he’d love the three to be one!

China:

“It will be an honour to raise such a bright boy aru~”

He loves children! He loves this child! Hell, even knowing that this boy thinks of him as a dad sends him into a bliss.

This little family means the world to him, he’s always gloating about how perfect the mother and son is!

When he is presented the card he is star struck, he never knew the boy had such artistic talent! He is very proud!

When the boy says he wants china to be his dad he zones out, completely. Never before has anyone said such kind words to him.

He doesn’t get the adoption paper, for a good reason though. To him a piece of paper does not define a family.

The bond between them will grow alot stronger! Never before has he felt like he belonged so much with people.

England:

“Shame pet, You don’t need paper to prove i’m your father”

The boy is his pride and joy, no amount of people or paper can tell him that he’s not the boys dad, even though he’s not their biological dad.

Knowing that the boy thinks of him the same way sends his heart a flutter, just hearing him call him dad makes him smile.

The card he received will cause his face to turn a bright red. How his lad made such a beautiful card shocked him. 

When the boy says he wants England to probably adopt him he will drive straight to a court, no time wasted.

He will come off as pretty to demanding when it comes to getting the papers, the mum will have to calm him. He’s just so exited!

Once they papers are signed he’ll take them to wherever they want. He’s just so happy to have such a lad in his life.

France:

“sweet child, I am your papa nothing will ever change that~”

Biological or not, he is their dad. No one can tell him otherwise, if they are family they are family no matter who’s against it!

The boy is the embodiment of his love for others, he would never let anything happen to him, Ever.

When the boy gives him the card he is beyond thrilled! Such creativity placed between two folds of a piece of paper!

He wants the boy to be happy and if adopting him will put a smile on his face then so be it!

He’ll drive down with the mother and boy to the court and ask for the paper with the biggest smirk on his face!

Once the papers are filled in a family hug session is bound to occur, he finally has his own little family to care for~

Russia:

“Wait, what?! You really want me to be your папа?”

He loves his small family to bits, he tries his best to love and protect them and knowing they love him back means alot to him.

The mother is the love of his life and the small boy is his life line, nowadays he cannot live without them.

He is stunned that the boy even thought of getting him a card, how sweet of him to do so for his papa! 

Hug time is right now, he is just so happy! A big family hug would make the day 200x better!

When the boy says he wants Russia to be his dad he immediately grabs his coat and keys and heads for the car, now or never right?

He is so happy when the papers are signed he just...Don’t mind him, it’s not like he has tears in his eyes or anything.

[the-crimson-haired-princess]

Blue!~

Leave a color in my ask        

Blue - You’re amazing. 

Marrriiii!!!❤ Thank you!! You’re so precious!!! *huggles to death and beyond* I am awesome, aren’t I? ^^

[dungeonsandberries]

Session 18: Confrontation

I didn’t waste a moment. I drew the Tome of Burning, the valuable book of fire magic which had been such a boon to us thus far. I treasured it, but I would sooner trade it than watch a single of my companions die at the hands of these monsters. I used what magic was left in it to launch a fireball at the hags, followed by chucking the book itself at them, enveloping them in a pair of explosions which could have easily incinerated a small army. But when the flames cleared, the hags remained standing, burned but quite alive.

Still, the tome’s sacrifice was not in vain. The hags clearly felt that, softening them up for us to handle. My companions clearly took this encounter just as serious as I did, as Felfedau sampled some of the powerful strain of Laborer’s Respite that Marv found in the swamp. This sent her into a hyperactive frenzy, possibly beyond what I had seen from Marv’s own drug trips or Maevia’s battle lust. I was worried for her, but I also couldn’t wait to see her unleashed upon the hags.

Veilour chose to approach safely, taking shots at the hags from his crossbow, and his eye for vital areas carried even from that distance, as I could see them recoil in pain as each bolt that landed found a tender spot.

The hags had clearly been watching us up until now, and knew how dangerous Maevia was, and tried to use their magic to incapacitate her and fling her at us. But Maevia’s will was stronger, and she resisted their effects. I countered by using my own magic to ensorcell Auntie Huggles, making her turn her bear hugs upon her coven sisters instead of us.

Felfedau ran into their midst, despite the danger. She brought forth her strange powers again, striking fear into the hags while assailing them with a flurry of punches and kicks. I feel less ashamed of the fear that I was stricken with when I saw her use those powers, considering even these hags were not immune.

At this point, our foes clearly knew that the fight had turned in our favor, and their ringleader tried to shield herself in ice and mist that chilled to the bone. Marv warned us not to approach, but we managed to make an opening, which Felfedau ran into despite the danger. I couldn’t make out what happened from there, due to the obscuring ice and mist, but moments later the icy shield erupted into fragments and the mist dissipated, and Felfedau was left jittering over the pummeled corpse of their leader.

This left only Huggles, who we quickly overwhelmed with numbers. All three of them then laid dead at our feet, and I felt an immense wave of relief wash over me. I had thought we were going to die, but we all came out of it alive, even if Felfedau had to be soothed with my magic due to the effects of the drug in her system.

I pulled each of my friends into a hug. It was perhaps a bit awkward on my point, but it really struck me in that moment how much each of them meant to me. Even Marv, who was busy off to the side declaring the swamps as his own sovereign land, dubbing them Swamplandia. In my emotional moment, I even agreed to write the anthem for him… I suspect I will regret that decision soon.

We were all exhausted beyond words, and desired only rest. Rest we had earned. We retired to the cave, where we erected another magical dome to shelter us from danger and prying eyes. Arjun announced his decision to leave us, due to his vendetta with the hags being settled, and entrusted us with his sister’s necklace as thanks for our help. He was a man of few words, but he was a valuable companion, even if I never got as close to him as the others, and I’m glad to have been able to help him.

Marv declared to us his full intention to make Swamplandia a reality. We assured him that we would assist him, but I made it very clear that I was not going to live in this swamp.

Somehow I suspect that I will get roped into it anyway.

Either way, Veilour seemingly trusted us now enough to reveal more of his history. According to his tale, the von Freitz family, the ladies to which he was an unwilling servant, had once managed to secure the service of a powerful devil. The devil was slain, but may have found a way to escape death, by implanting itself into the unborn child of a serving girl.

As horrifyingly wicked as that act was, the implication was possibly even more dire. Veilour may in fact be that devil, at least to some extent. But what was more important to me is that he did not wish to revert to his prior nature, if that was indeed the case. I would ensure that he wouldn’t, as would the rest of us. It did nothing to shake our confidence in him.

Still, it is something to keep in mind should we have to confront his mistresses. They may have some means of commanding him, similar to the power my master had over me with my collar.

The next morning, we finally left the horrible swamp behind us… for now, godsdamnit, Marv… and chose to travel to the Hunt Lord’s Court. It was quite a detour, a full three weeks of traveling, which were mostly peaceful and relaxing. Exactly what I needed after that swamp experience. We even found some clean water I could use to bathe myself.

I was so inspired by my allies choosing to make such a detour for my sake that I made what was likely the best performances of my life to entertain them along the journey. I was likely inspired by getting to see more of my father’s homeland with my own eyes, and I admit I have begun to enjoy the rustic life. I’ve even stopped using prestidigitation on Maevia’s cooking. I hope she never finds I out I used to do that.

We found the Hunt Lord’s Court at last, a simple lodge in the woods, guarded by what I presume to be elite warriors. I stepped forward to extend a cordial greeting, informing them of the spy we had rescued from the swamp, in hopes that he had made it here before us and told them of us. And thankfully, he had, as the guards were eager to welcome us inside to meet their leaders.

Then Marv approached, and began to speak about Swamplandia. The guards simply urged him inside, much to my relief, and I hoped he wouldn’t do that again until I had my collar removed.

Inside we met the Hunt Lord himself, an elf named Valoneiros, who gestured to a nearby pyre expectantly. I got his meaning, and lit it as part of a diplomatic greeting, which seemed to be exactly what he wanted from me. He then introduced us to his companions, a lizardfolk named Hahilie, and the gnome mage, Ayre.

I was excited to see him, but I kept my composure as best I could, as I told him of our success in killing the hags. I was just about to present my collar to Ayre, when Marv began talking about Swamplandia again.

If I could sweat, I suspect I would have begun to do so, profusely. It took all of my willpower not to drop a Silence spell on him. I didn’t know how Valoneiros would take someone coming in and laying claim to land so close to his own. Thankfully, they took him seriously, and seemed willing to acknowledge Swamplandia’s sovereignty.

Ayre then worked his magic on my collar, and it simply… snapped off. It was all so unceremonious that I didn’t even realize that it happened until Ayre assured me that I was free. It still took me several moments to fully process it, and as it began to sink in, I became overwhelmed with emotion. Joy, relief, exhilaration… and strangely a bit of sadness and regret, that part of me that enjoyed the simplicity of the life I used to have. Felfedau’s hand on my shoulder quickly reminded me that as hard as this new life was, I preferred it significantly more.

We then turned to Veilour’s troubles, and the invisible prying eyes which had been following us. Ayre couldn’t sense it with us at this moment, meaning that either they simply weren’t watching, or had chosen to stop when we found out they were doing it. Or perhaps they merely stopped when they realized we were in the presence of someone who could trace the magic back to them, if that’s even possible.

I suggested that it might be the cult, and took that opportunity to inform them of our journeys thus far. They swore to prevent them from taking root in their lands, but seemed unwilling to lend aid anywhere else, and even seemed to find Tidesoria’s troubles amusing. I understand they’d been victimized, but I hope I expressed the real danger they presented if allowed to accomplish their goals, and that they would be washed away with the guilty if not stopped.

Our meeting was cut short by a messenger seeking Veilour. I think all of our blood ran cold at that moment, most of all Veilour’s. The note the messenger delivered outwardly seemed a pleasant well wishing from Veilour’s mistresses, but I could sense the threat behind those words. Veilour saw even deeper, to a coded message saying that they had his mother, and would kill her if he didn’t return with the Phantom’s Teardrop.

Marv sent the messenger back with a message saying that we’d break the Teardrop if any harm befell Veilour’s mother. Some of us had reservations about this plan, and I hope it doesn’t backfire on us. Either way, our next destination is clear. The cult would have to wait. Justice comes for the von Freitz family.

 At least, I hope…