#Did you know he's a skilled metalworker?

[graviconscientia]

Darkleer brought me the sweetest thing last night, and I have genuinely been staring at it all day. ♥!!

[surftrips]

luke x daughter of aphrodite!! maybe a super cute fluff where they help luke show percy around and just their experience with percy!

-🥽 anon

stop this prompt is soo cute ! thanks for sending it in <3

"You okay?" Luke asked the newest camper in his cabin.

"Super."

"We all have them, you know." Luke clicked his tongue. "Intense, recurring nightmares. That's normal here. For the first time in your life, you're just like everyone else."

"So are you also... Do you not know who your..." the blonde boy began to ask.

"Am I unclaimed?" Luke shook his head. "No, Hermes is my father. That doesn't matter though, we're all on the same team here."

"Why is it okay they ignore some of us?"

"Spend too much time figuring out what the gods do whatever it is they do, you'll drive yourself crazy. Sooner you can stop worrying about that, the sooner you can enjoy what this place actually does offer."

"And what's that?"

Luke smiled, guiding Percy out the door to show him the rest of camp.

The two boys ran into Clarisse and the Ares kids first. Luke explained to Percy that the Ares kids were always confrontational and brutally honest, but he had nothing to worry about, as long as he was around.

"Come on, let's go figure out what you're good at."

After crossing off archery and metalworking, and dodging several near death experiences, they sat down for lunch.

"Is there a Greek god of disappointment?" Percy sighed.

"We're gonna find the thing you're good at, I know it," Luke reassured him. "We should try-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Luke's eyes lit up and a smile crossed his face, causing Percy to turn around.

A girl came over to Luke's side of the table and kissed the top of his head. "Hi, love."

Luke beamed, turning toward Percy. "Y/N, this is Percy, I'm giving him the tour. Percy, Y/N. She's in Aphrodite."

That much he could tell, Percy thought she was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen.

"Ah, bonjour! Comment ça va?" she asked him.

Percy looked confused, only recognizing the first part of the sentence. "Uhhh... hello?"

Y/N smiled softly, "Guess he's not in Aphrodite then. Any luck finding out your skill, Percy?"

"No, unforunately," Percy grumbled.

"Aw, don't worry. Soon enough you'll be like Luke here," she had moved to sit in his lap by now, one of his arms curled around her waist. "Did you know he's the best swordsman at camp?"

She looked at Luke proudly, Percy swore he saw hearts instead of pupils in her eyes.

"I think it's come up once or twice," Percy responded.

The Aphrodite girl smiled again, "Have you shown Percy the lake yet?" she asked Luke.

"No, not yet. Do you want to come with us?"

"You mean, do I want to show him the place where we met? Is that even a question?"

The trio finished up their food and headed back outside. Y/N led the way, her presence enough to clear a path in the group of campers idling outside. Luke and Percy followed a few feet behind her.

"So... how long have you two been...?" Percy asked shyly.

"Three years. Since we were 16," Luke responded. Though Percy had only known Luke for about a day at this point, he couldn't help but notice how Luke's entire demeanor had changed since Y/N's arrival.

"Oh, wow. That's a long time."

"I got really lucky."

"What do you mean?"

"Before I got here, I had nobody. I mean, there was Annabeth and Thalia, but they're like my sisters. Y/N was the one that showed me what love is."

"Is that what you meant earlier? About enjoying what this place has to offer?"

He smiled. "You might be surprised, Percy."

"Are you boys coming or not?" Y/N called back toward them.

"Yes, ma'am!" Luke yelled back, jogging up to where she was. They were almost at the lake by then.

"So, Percy, anyone at camp catch your eye yet?" Y/N asked, her hand wrapped around Luke's arm.

"Babe, he just got here." Luke said.

"So? I knew I liked you the second we met."

Luke blushed, caught off guard by her sincerity. That was one thing he wasn't sure he would ever get over, her ability to express her emotions so unabashedly. It was something he still struggled with from time to time, but for her, he would let down all of his walls.

"I wouldn't say I have a crush on her or anything- she kinda just scares me but she did catch my attention," Percy interrupted Luke's thoughts.

"What's her name?" Y/N asked.

"Annabeth, I think."

Y/N nodded knowingly, looking over at Luke. "Well, I guess we'll just see if anything special blooms there. Anyway, we're here!"

The sun was beginning to set over the horizon now, painting the sky in beautiful hues of purple and pink. A gentle breeze accompanied the three as they sat down by the water.

Y/N leaned against Luke's body, savoring the warmth he offered. He absent-mindedly twirled a piece of her hair.

"Three years ago, I was sitting right here, when I saw someone a few feet away from me. He was throwing rocks into the lake and disturbing my peace," Y/N began. "When I looked over to see who it was-"

"You saw the most gorgeous man you've ever laid your eyes on," Luke cut in.

"Hey!" Y/N playfulled smacked his shoulder. "I know you've heard this story one hundred times but Percy hasn't yet."

"Yeah, I haven't yet!" Percy backed her up.

The two older campers laughed. "Thank you, Percy. Now, where was I? Oh, yes, I saw this boy with curly dark hair and soft brown eyes, and I thought that's him. He's the one. This was before I was claimed by Aphrodite, but I just had a feeling, you know?"

Percy nodded, even though he wasn't sure he had experienced that feeling yet.

"But anyway, this boy looked kind of sad, so I decided to sit next to him."

"I think that's why he was throwing rocks into the water," Percy broke in.

Y/N giggled and Luke nudged her shoulder to continue.

"You're right, Percy, I had the same thought. When I sat next to him, I sensed that he was annoyed."

"Okay, love, let me finish from here." Luke softly kissed her shoulder and she buried her head in the crook of his neck.

"I wasn't annoyed-" he clarified. "At least, not at you. I had just been claimed by my father, but I was still frustrated with the whole idea of gods having children and just ignoring them. Then, this angel sat next to me and for the first time, I felt seen."

Y/N looked up at her boyfriend, her face full of nothing but admiration. No matter how many times she heard this part of the story, she still couldn't believe how she got quite so lucky.

"Percy, our parents may never redeem themselves for their wrongdoings, but I thank the gods every day they sent me Y/N." With that, Luke gently placed his hand on her cheek and leaned in to kiss her.

"Hello! As lovely as this story is, still a minor here!" Percy waved his hand in front of their faces enthusiastically, causing all three of them to burst into laughter.

[darknight3904]

Reaching Out

Masterlist / Main Masterlist

Asgard 2011 

   "We need to go get Thor," Hogun said 

   "It is treason." Sif pointed out 

   "We will need Astri as well. I'm sure Thor will wonder if she does not come." Volstagg said 

   "And how do you propose we get her? She lives practically under Loki's thumb. I'd bet he has guards watching her 24/7, reporting to him if she even so much as breaks a nail." Fandral pointed out, "I love Astri as much as all of you but she has always been closest with Loki. Getting her to go against his orders will be impossible." 

   "Astri is her own woman. She can do as she pleases, Loki does not hold her back." Sif defended, knowing her friend had defied the trickster many times in the past. 

   "We should not speak so loudly of treason. Heimdall might be listening." Fandral said 

The doors opened to a guard entering. 

   "Heimdall demands your presence." The guard says "He also commands you to leave Astri here." 

Sif followed the Warriors Three towards the Bifrost. They passed the library as they exited the castle. Oh how easy it would be to call to her friend who was most likely buried in a book on magic or histories of the surrounding realms. She cast one more look at the doors to the library before continuing, Astri would be fine, everyone in the castle knew Loki was enamored with her. Well, everyone except Astri and Loki who had been dancing around each other for hundreds of years. 

⋆⭒˚｡⋆

Astri closed the book on mind linking with a heavy sigh. She was learning all sorts of new methods she hadn't been able to try since her and Loki's fight. She had reached out and tried to see what he was doing with his day but there was nothing. Sure, she could feel his presence and that he was alive but he never let her in to see exactly what he was doing or where he was. 

Odin's room was quiet when Astri entered. Frigga was asleep by his side, her head resting on the golden frame of the bed. Her queen's dedication to her husband was admirable, Astri hoped to one day have someone to devote herself to the way Frigga did Odin.  She sat down on the other side of Odin's bed frame. He looked rather peaceful as he lay there as still as a corpse. She was never close to Odin, he had preferred to spend more time with Thor and Loki, mainly Thor, when they were children. Still, there were moments when he had acted as her father figure and not just as her king. Astri smiled as she remembered the time he had chased her first boyfriend off after he had disrespected Astri's combat skills. 

   "Are you ever going to wake again? Loki sits on your throne and I fear he might just plunge us all into war." Astri softly said, her back turned to the sleeping Allfather. 

The large fire on the wall behind them crackled as Astri observed the ornate door that the Allfather had. Golden flowers and vines adorned its metalwork. She would hear Frigga shifting behind her, breaking the peacefulness of the room. 

   "Astri." Frigga said, her voice laced with worry, "Get up. Get Loki, bring him here now." 

Astri turned to Frigga, she was confused as to why they needed Loki who was on her last nerve. Frigga opened her mouth to explain but the crackle of the fire was replaced with the hiss of ice forming and taking over the beautiful door Astri had admired. Said doors nearly went flying from the frame when two huge Frost Giants stalked into the room. One of them Astri recognized from their impromptu trip to Jotunheim with Thor. 

Frigga made the first move as she cut at one of the Frost Giant's legs with a sword. His large hand swooped at her before she could make her next move and she went flying across the room. 

   "A child guards the King of Asgard." the one Astri was sure was Laufey, Loki's birth father said. 

Laufey pointed at her and his soldier came charging at her, ice sword drawn. He was quick but Astri was quicker. She let a sharp burst of power shoot from her hands, and the Frost Giant went flying into the large fire behind him. Screams of horror filled the room as he tried to get up, the fire hissed as his cool temperature began to put it out. 

   "I don't think so," Astri said, directing her magic so the fire would roar once more. 

The frost giant screamed in pain as he burned to death, Astri's magic fueling the flames and keeping him from getting up. 

   "Know that your death came at the hands of Laufey." 

Shit. She forgot all about Laufey. She quickly turned to see him ready to kill the Allfather. A sharp blast stopped her from making her move to burn Laufey to death like his friend. 

    "And your death came at the son of Odin." 

Loki! Astri had never been so glad to see him and his giant helmet-clad self. 

   "You saved him!" Frigga exclaimed, rushing to hug her son 

   " I swear to you Mother, they will pay for this." Loki promised before looking at Astri, " Are you alright?" 

Astri nodded glancing back at the charred body of the Frsot Giant she had killed. Loki's eyes widened at the sight, looking back and forth between the girl he hadn't factored into his plans and the freshly dead body. Astri could sense a comment coming from his mouth but the doors burst open again and Astri immediately turned, ready to burn another giant for daring to harm her family. Instead, she was met with a newly restored Thor, hammer and all. 

   "Thor!" She smiled as Frigga ran to her eldest, embracing him 

Astri hugged him as well as he entered the room fully. He seemed distracted as he glared at Loki, not focused on reunions at all. 

   "Have you told them? How you sent the destroyer to kill our friends, to kill me?" Thor asked 

Astri looked at Loki whose face seemed to paint the perfect picture of guilt. It couldn't be. Loki wouldn't. He had never been close with Sif and the warriors and Thor was a whole different story but he wouldn't try to kill them right? Her Loki was good, he had just saved Odin from certain doom for crying out loud. 

   "I must have been following Father's last command," Loki said, his spear raised, ready to defend against Thor. 

Astri looked at Frigga who was distraught, looking between her two sons who were ready to tear each other apart. 

   "You're a talented liar, brother." Thor mocked 

   "It's good to have you home. Now I must destroy Jotunheim." Loki said 

Before anyone could blink, Loki had Gungnir let out a strong blast. sending Thor through the walls and out of the castle. Astri gasped and ran to the hole Thor had left in Odin's room. Loki was moving quickly to the doors and she ran to block him. 

   "Tell me he's lying." She commanded, "Tell me that Thor's words of you trying to kill him was all some sick joke you dreamed up." 

Loki's answer was only silence as he stared at her. Astri felt her eyes well with tears as she punched at his chest. 

   "How could you?" She cried angrily as Loki caught her hands in his.

   "I have my reasons. I'll let you know all of them when I reach my goals, I promise." Loki said letting her go.

"And what of the Frost Giants today and on Thor's coronation? Did you have a hand in that?" She asked wiping at her eyes.

"How else would they have gotten into Asgard? Heimdall certainly didn't let them in." He said before stepping around her and walking away

Astri couldn't believe what he had just admitted. She knew Loki was one for tricks and mischief but attempting cold-blooded murder? She never dreamed he'd do all of this just for the throne. She raced after him as he moved quickly down the hall. 

   "You're a traitor!" She shouted "A monster!" 

Loki froze when the words left her mouth and Astri couldn't tell if she regretted it. All she knew was that she couldn't let him destroy Jotunheim over a conflict he had organized all by himself. Her moral compass outweighed her guilt as her magic flew at Loki. It hit him in his back and he fell to the ground, hard. Astri walked to him as he pulled himself up. 

   "What are you doing?" He seethed, angry that she had knocked him down 

   "Saving innocent lives." She said, ready to let another blast free at any moment 

   "So am I. They would have rebelled eventually! Do you want to see Asgardian children frozen where they stand? Dead because of a war I can prevent?" Loki asked 

   "You don't know that!" Astri argued 

   "You're just like everyone else. You don't see the bigger picture. Don't you get it? I'm not doing this for a throne. Why do you think I saved Odin?" Loki questioned 

   "You do a lot of things that don't make sense to me. " Astri said, ready to knock him down again 

   "They will, soon," Loki said sincerely 

Astri hadn't expected Loki's fist to come at her as fast as it did but by the time she had registered it, it was too late. A loud crunch of her bones was all she heard before everything went dark. 

Months later, Asgard 2011

Astri had spent the past months bored. The castle she had grown up in sometimes felt like a prison rather than a home. Her face had healed up perfectly after Loki had knocked her out. The break in her nose had been clean, calculated almost and the healers that helped her said there'd be no issues with it in the future. Now, she spent her days reading, training with Sif, and talking with Thor who felt Loki's absence just as much as she did. 

   "So this mortal of yours, she's what Midgard calls a scientist?" Astri asked in between bites of food. 

She and Thor had begun eating dinner together each night, something she used to do with Loki. 

   "Yes. She's quite brilliant. Heimdall says she's searching for me." Thor replied 

Astri sadly smiled. Ever since Thor had destroyed the Bifrost, traveling had been completely cut and the only way to see into other worlds was through Heimdall. Sure, Loki had his secret passages but had never bothered to share them with anyone. 

   "And what of that fellow you've been meeting with, in the markets?" Thor asked 

Astri blushed at his words. She had thought she was being more secretive about that.

   "It's nothing. I think I just need to talk to someone that isn't you, Sif, or Frigga." She waved him off 

   "Well, you ought to tell him that. Those flowers he sent to your chambers the other day are telling a different tale." Thor laughed 

   "When the hell did you become so observant?" Astri groaned and covered her face with her hands. 

   "I've always been like this...I'm just that good." Thor explained 

   "How is it you go to Midgard and come back more humble yet somehow weirder?" Astri asked 

   "What do you mean I've always been like this." He shrugged

Gods Thor was going to actually drive Astri insane one day. 

⋆⭒˚｡⋆

Astri had bid Thor goodnight after they finished eating. She was feeling tired after all her training with Sif today. Her friend never pulled her punches and thanks to that Astri was sure she'd have bruised on her skin for the next century. Beyond her physical exertion, Astri had a routine each night. It would start with a warm bath, followed by letting Drifa help her oil her hair while they talked about their lives. Drifa did most of the speaking since she had met a wonderful woman recently and were seeing each other. Astri supplied the doom and gloom to the conversation by often bringing up how tired she was of the calm that had followed Loki's demise. Following all of that, Astri would sit on top of her bed and search for him. For Loki. 

   "Tonight, I'll find you." She whispered to herself and closed her eyes. 

She always tried to remain hopeful but there was nothing but darkness as usual. Whatever was left of Loki, if he was even alive was unreachable to her. 

   "Please. Just a glimpse." She pleaded to her empty room 

A sharp pain fluttered across her face, followed by a flash of unbearable heat. Murmured voices joined the fray as Astri tried to focus on what she was feeling and hearing. Was this Loki? Or had she accidentally ended up in someone else's mind? Darkness was all she could see but whoever was speaking, their voice grew clearer the more she focused. Pained gasps followed another hot flash of something that felt as though her mind was melting. 

   "Do it again. He can handle it." 

And so we have reached the end of the first Thor movie. If you take a quick look at the summary for this story you will see that I have added warnings for this story. I do suggest going to the masterlist of this story to read them. I have decided to change that and it will include both smut (hehe everyone's fave ) and suicidal/self-harm scenes. Material like this will be marked and have individual warnings when it pops up. 

Taglist (to join comment below)

@buttercupcookies-blog

@666-gothic-bat-666

@cyberwears

[walkswithmyfather]

Isaiah 40:11-26. “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?

Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding?

Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.

With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him? As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” (NIV“The Greatness of God” By In Touch Ministries:“We can't even begin to comprehend the awesome majesty and power of our Lord.”“When you think of God, what comes to mind? Often, we tend to view Him in the way that best fits our particular need or situation. For example, if we struggle with guilt, we might focus on His forgiveness. The truth is, His character encompasses far more than we could ever comprehend or try to explain. Even if we had all the time in the world, we wouldn’t be able to do more than scratch the surface of how awesome He is. But today, let’s look at one attribute: His greatness. Today’s passage tells us God is greater than creation (v. 12), for it was by His hands that everything we see came into being. He is higher than the nations or any idol fashioned by the finest craftsman (vv. 17-20). In fact, God is above the world and all mankind (vv. 22-23), surpassing even the heavens and galaxies. Our Father’s thoughts and ways are far grander than our own (Isa. 55:9)—and lofty, compared with what we can understand. Psalm 93:1 says, “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord has clothed and encircled Himself with strength.” Consider the awesome God we serve. He truly is worthy of our praise. As we grasp even a fraction of His greatness, our response should be one of humble worship. After all, who are we that a God like this would desire our friendship—so much so that He sent His Son to die for our sins?”

Isaiah 40:11-26. “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding? Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him? As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple.Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” (NIV)

“The Greatness of God” By In Touch Ministries:

“We can't even begin to comprehend the awesome majesty and power of our Lord.”

“When you think of God, what comes to mind? Often, we tend to view Him in the way that best fits our particular need or situation. For example, if we struggle with guilt, we might focus on His forgiveness. The truth is, His character encompasses far more than we could ever comprehend or try to explain. Even if we had all the time in the world, we wouldn’t be able to do more than scratch the surface of how awesome He is. But today, let’s look at one attribute: His greatness. Today’s passage tells us God is greater than creation (v. 12), for it was by His hands that everything we see came into being. He is higher than the nations or any idol fashioned by the finest craftsman (vv. 17-20). In fact, God is above the world and all mankind (vv. 22-23), surpassing even the heavens and galaxies. Our Father’s thoughts and ways are far grander than our own (Isa. 55:9)—and lofty, compared with what we can understand. Psalm 93:1 says, “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord has clothed and encircled Himself with strength.” Consider the awesome God we serve. He truly is worthy of our praise. As we grasp even a fraction of His greatness, our response should be one of humble worship. After all, who are we that a God like this would desire our friendship—so much so that He sent His Son to die for our sins?”

[katsona-the-katsequel]

I forgot I had written this, but this is a small exploration of how Personas affected the users' everyday life.

Naoya

Seimen Kongou

Are you ill? Naoya suddenly turns into the mom friend. He makes (or rather reheats) soup, brings you water, reminds you of your pills, and makes a list of all the homework you missed. Naoya justifies this as force of habit, since he always did this whenever Maki was hospitalized. Maki doesn't tell him that the caretaker-of-the-ill instinct became stronger since he got his Persona.

Amen Ra

People joke Naoya got softer with age. His ability to sympathize with those suffering went from 0 to 100 after the St. Hermelin incident. "Is this what character growth is like?" Maybe. Or maybe its just your Persona. Then again, they are you, so...

An upside is that he gained more confidence in his leadership skills. Kind of comes with the job of managing a ragtag group of students through a coming-of-age deadly adventure. It's also easier for Naoya to tell whenever people are lying.

Maki

Maso

Maki believes that part of her full recovery was a seaside retreat, like in the Victorian era, she jokes. There's something about the sound of the waves and the salt in the air that made her feel free and boundless. So much so that Maki learned sailing. "It's actually a lot of fun!", she says. Helps to clear the mind. Later in life, Maki made her permanent residence in a seaside town. It was only a side effect that she developed a taste for fish.

Some could say that Maki saves people from drowning with her work as a therapist.

Verdandi

Not wondering any more about "what ifs" or "buts", Maki learned how to actually live her present life.

Mark

Ogun

Mark gained a spark of inspiration and began to get more creative with his art, including actual metalwork and iron in beautiful and intricate pieces. "It's the New York style, man!" he claims with a smile, "Had to expand beyond just graffiti". Mark will never notice, but if he dedicated himself to fighting again, he would notice that he's a better fighter than most who have been training for ages, having a natural instinct for it. What he does notice, is that all the stray dogs in New York made him develop a fond spot for all kinds of dogs. Mark sees one and just has to pet it, ya know? He even adopted one himself! Or two... or three... look, at least it wasn't a snake. Though now that you mention it...

Susano-o

Maki might be onto something with all that sea stuff. However, he prefers raging seas over the calm ones. Thunderstorms become a calming white noise as he works on his art. The moment they become a thing, Mark listens to "Rainstorm Sounds For Relaxing, Focus or Sleep".

[grandmaster-anne]

The King’s cousin David Linley on his new career

The Times article by Lisa Grainger | Published 25 January 2023

The Earl of Snowdon talks to Lisa Grainger about his book on English crafts, and mentoring future creators at his furniture-making college at Highgrove

There aren’t many people who’ll admit that crafts can reduce them to tears. The Earl of Snowdon is one of them. At one event, he recalls, musicians including Jeff Beck, Mike Rutherford and the Clash were invited to meet and interact with “incredible luthiers, who make violins and guitars and cellos”. It was “just magical”, he says. “It really did bring a tear to the eye . . .”

Since David Linley, King Charles III’s cousin, became the first royal to follow a vocation — producing handmade furniture — and set up an eponymous business, he has been one of Britain’s most vocal champions of crafts. Which is why he wrote a book, Craft Britain: Why Making Matters, co-authored by Helen Chislett, to bring attention to extraordinary craftspeople around the country.

The glossy tome, with an erudite introduction by the design writer Stephen Bayley, is not only a directory of all the key crafts organisations from Cornwall to the Hebrides but a compendium of some of our nation’s most remarkable makers. It takes in embroiderers based in Hampton Court Palace and chair craftsmen from Orkney, leather sculptors and cobblers, marquetry specialists and even a whip-maker.

Sadly, Chislett says, some crafts were left out of the book because the skills have died out. For instance, England no longer has a cricket ball manufacturer even though the game was invented here, “and we probably won’t make bats for much longer”. Hand-stitched kilt-making is on the Heritage Crafts Association Red List of Endangered Crafts, as is neon sign-making; even bell-making is on its way out, with churchgoing declining.

On the other hand, there are crafts that are growing. Ceramic-makers, for instance, have sprung up in the southwest of the country. In Newcastle metalworkers whose families previously might have made ships are constructing metal furniture. Chislett adds that crafts fairs are becoming increasingly popular, particularly with the younger generation. “They’re a lot more into sustainability . . . and you are less likely to throw something away if you know who made it.”

There’s a growing appreciation of bespoke objects at the very high end of the market, Linley says. At his furniture company (from which he resigned in November) clients loved coming in to commission bespoke pieces with little quirks: a secret drawer with a martini shaker in it, or an inkwell filled with a specific colour of ink. “You can fantasise about what you like and get someone to bring it to life,” he says.

His own London home — “a little flat, which I am very lucky to have” — is filled with handcrafted items that have meaning: a pair of candlesticks that belonged to his theatre-designer uncle Oliver Messel; cushions embroidered by British seamstresses; tables turned by fellow carpenters; a pair of bespoke British shoes made “in precisely the colour and style and shape I like”. Each of them feels special, because “there is something rather lovely about a piece that’s come from the hand of a human”, he says. “It resonates with the human spirit.”

The next part of Linley’s professional journey, he says, will be nurturing others who want to work with their hands. At Street Farm at Highgrove, the Gloucestershire home of the King, an old barn has been converted into the Snowdon School of Furniture, where Linley is going to help to mentor the next generation of furniture-makers. “I am 61 now,” he says, “and it’s time to step back and allow the young people at Linley do things how they want. I have worked all my life creating a brand. And I can now do things for the Prince’s Foundation that are enjoyable and freeing.”

Having made furniture for almost 40 years, Linley says he’s relishing the fact that crafts are becoming more mainstream. “Today you’ll hear Tracey Emin talk about craft, and even sportsmen. This morning on Radio 4 a commentator was talking about a footballer as a craftsman and comparing him to Picasso. That might have been a comparison too far — but there is now far more recognition of the skills needed to do something well. And that can only be a good thing.”

[sergeantsporks]

Gwendolyn called the Clawthornes a Clan, not a Family. Those tend to have more closed ranks, both in terms of family secrets and traditions and whom you get to mary. (Yes, that would make Caleb a huge outlier but I guess Evelyn's parents just gave up when she literally got a boyfriend from another world.) Both have a physical and a traditional marker of being a born Clawthorne. The wild hair and -lyn name and the nose and being a palisman carver respectively.

OHHHHHHH yeah, she DID call them a clan! See, like, now this is bringing up all kinds of interesting questions. Were the "covens" initially the nine biggest clans? Like, nine big main clans (probably less stringent about rules and associations with strangers), and then you have a lot of specialized clans, with specific apprenticeships and skill sets, so like, there would probably be a metalworking clan which is allied to but separate from construction clan, and obviously a palisman carving clan, stuff like that! Non mandatory to join/be a part of a clan, there are just normal guys around, but it's a good way to find a closely knit community of several families and hone a skill set. And then there's a reinventing of smaller clans through covens like the tiny cat coven, but still regulated by the empire. That would partly make sense for why it was so easy to implement the coven system, like, I know a lot of ppl speculate there was already something similar in place, but the wording of "clan" makes it a lot more likely. Oh my gosh, worldbuilding unlocked. Evelyn being part of a clan and bringing Caleb in. He really WAS looking for a community with Phillip, not a family, so finding a community (and partner) he loved, not just marrying into a family, but a whole clan? Perfect.

[empressofthesunwriter]

Yin and Yang

Balance is a key aspect in the world, so why shouldn’t the Avatar have an opposite?

In a world where Raava and Vaatu merge with humans, the Avatar and the Daimon try to keep the peace between the four nations.

Aang and Hua are the current incarnations, but wake up 100 years in the future.

How will these two learn all four elements in one year and defeat the Fire Lord?

Who is Veda? You can read the story, and you will know if you want to see her look at my Deviantart Account. ^^

Book 1.10: Jet and Veda

Water. 

Earth. 

Fire. 

Air. 

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. 

Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. 

Only the Avatar and Daimon, masters of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed them most, they vanished. 

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar and Daimon, an airbender named Aang and an earthbender named Hua. 

And although his airbending and her earthbending skills are great they have a lot to learn before they’re ready to save anyone. 

But I believe Aang and Hua can save the world.

After a nice breakfast, it was time for team Avatar-Daimon to hit the road again.

Only someone was missing…

“Where's Momo?”, asked Aang his friends, hoping they had seen where the lemur had flown off.

It was like he heard them since Momo’s screeches echoed through the forest.

“Jaiyi, girl, find Momo!”, command Hua her ninetails.

Not wasting time Jaiyi did as she was told, finding Momo's smell and leading the humans.

They found the poor lemur and two hog monkeys in cage traps hanging by rope on tree limbs.

Aang uses his airbending to fly to the top of the tree, jumping from trunk to trunk to get higher. He finds the traps' mechanisms, undoes them, and carefully lowers Momo to the ground where Hua, Katara and Sokka are waiting. They open the trap together and the lemur runs out with one of the lychee nuts in his mouth. 

The watertribe siblings and the Daimon look on as Momo gets on his hind legs and eats it as though nothing has happened. 

Jaiyi sist down beside him and licks his head, which makes Momo purr.

Sokka grunts in frustration and facepalms. 

When Aang lands, he looks up to see the other two animals seemingly crying out to him for help.

So he jumps up to them, but Sokka say how this will take forever and just uses his boomerang to cut the hog monkey free.

While the free animals run off into the forest, Team Avatar-Daimon study the trap together.

“These are Fire Nation traps.”, concludes Sokka. “You can tell from the metalwork. We'd better pack up camp and get moving.”

They return to their camp. Gathering their things they begin to pack them onto Appa's saddle.

Suddenly Sokka proclaims: “Uh-uh! No flying this time.”

The others are confused.

“What? Why wouldn't we fly?”, wonders Aang.

“Think about it: Somehow Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us. It's because they spot Appa, he's just too noticeable.”

“What? Appa's not too noticeable!”, comes Katara to the bison defense.

“He's a gigantic fluffy monster with an arrow on his head! It's kinda hard to miss him!”

Appa seems offended, which makes Aang coo at him how Sokka was just jealous he doesn’t have an arrow.

“Well, then we can all ride on Jaiyi. Four humans and our supplies are nothing for her.”, offers Hua, as her Kyuubi yips in agreement.

But Sokka shakes his head.

“No, same problem with Appa. When Jaiyi is in her big form you can’t miss her, when she is little you could confuse her for a normal fox cub…I mean till you see the tails.”

This makes everyone deadpan at Sokka. He really doesn’t want to make their journey comfortable for them.

“I know you all wanna fly or ride, but my instincts tell me we should play it safe this time and walk.”, explains Sokka.

“Instincts?”, mumbles Hua confused, while Katara leans forward to her brother: “Who made you the boss?”

“I'm not the boss, I'm the leader.”

“Since when and where was I when this was decided?”, questions Hua, getting more confused by the second.

What’s up with Sokka all of a sudden?

“I agree with Hua, you're the leader? But your voice still cracks!”, sass Katara her brother.

“I'm the oldest, and I'm a warrior!”, retorts Sokka. “So I'm the leader!”

“If anyone's are our leaders, it's Aang and Hua. I mean, he is the Avatar and she is the Daimon.”

“Are you kidding? He's just a goofy kid! And she is just a little girl.”

“I’m not that little!”, mumbles Hua angrily, while Aang proves Sokka's point hanging upside-down from Appa's right horn with feet sticking out in the air and agreeing.

“Why do boys always think someone has to be the leader?”, ponders Katara. “I bet you wouldn't be so bossy if you kissed a girl.”

This makes Hua snort, which in turn makes Sokka blush embarrassed.

Great, even the youngest laughs at him!

“I've kissed a girl, you just haven't met her.”, defends the water tribe boy his manly honour.

“Who? Gran-Gran? I've met Gran-Gran.”, roasts his sister further.

Now Hua has picked up Jaiyi and hides her laughing face in the pelt of her ninetails.

She can’t!

Katara was just too good at dishing out!

Angry Sokka throws his arms into the air. Katara's sass and Hua's laughter go on his nerves and hurt his manly ego.

“No! Besides Gran-Gran. Look, my instincts tell me we have a better chance of slipping through on foot, and a leader has to trust his instincts.”

“Okay, we'll try it your way, oh wise leader.”, says Katara sarcastically.

“Oh guide us, wise leader.”, can’t Hua help herself to add.

The girls laugh together, as Sokka sends them an offended look.

Why were girls such smart-asses?

Now Aang steps over, wearing a backpack. Momo is sitting on the top.

Always the optimist he says that walking might be fun.

Words he would soon regret.

“Walking stinks!”, decides the Avatar. “How do people go anywhere without a flying bison or a kyuubi?”

“Well I don't know, Aang.”, answer him Katara “Why don't you ask Sokka's instincts? They seem to know everything.”

“Yes, our wise leader will lead us to the holy land of the Nothern Water Tribe on foot.”, adds Hua cheeky.

Jaiyi, who walks beside her, laughs her fox laugh.

“Ha ha, very funny, guys.”, deadpans Sokka.

Ungrateful brats! He was just looking out for them and this was the thanks?!

“I'm tired of carrying this pack.”, complains the Avatar.

“You know who you should ask to carry it for a while?”, begins Katara.

“Oh, oh, let me guess!”, calls Hua, raising her hand like in school. “Sokka’s instincts?”

“Right on, Hua!”

“That's a great idea.”, agrees Aang. “Hey, Sokka's instincts, would you mind–”

Annoyed Sokka calls out: “Okay, okay, I get it! Look, guys, I'm tired too. But the important thing is that we're safe from the Fire ... Nation.”

He trails off because they stepped right into a big camp of Fire Nations Soldiers.

“Sokka, your instincts, suck!”, hisses Hua.

The oldest tells them all to run, but a Fire Nation soldier blocks them off by setting the bushes behind them on fire.

The four go into battle positions.

Seems like the only way to get out of this mess was by fighting.

“If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you.”, tells Sokka the soldiers with fake bravado.

His sister asked what he was doing and admitted he was just bluffing. 

A Firebender with an eyepatch laughs at them.

“You, promise not to hurt us?”

A whooshing sound was heard and the soldier was knocked out by an unseen tranquillizer dart on his back.

“Nice work, Sokka!”, praises Aang. “How'd you do that?”

“Uh, instinct?”

That’s when Katara draws their attention to a nearby tree. On it, a young man tosses his blowpipe and unsheathes two hook swords. He jumps and takes down two soldiers on landing. He runs forward and takes down two more using his hook swords.

“Down you go.”

Katara looks amazed, Hua admiring, Aang shocked, and Sokka confused.

Another soldier charges at Jet, but he is defeated. Then a soldier points out how more people are in the tree, but it’s too late.

A young boy lands on top of the soldier and turns his helmet around to blind him, before riding him around while laughing. Another boy launches arrows at the soldiers while more boys and girls come out of the trees. 

Hua, Aang and Katara aid them in fighting the soldiers with their primary bendings. 

Sokka holds up his boomerang and yells as one approaches him, but stops when the young man with the hook swords takes him down first.

The watertribe boy bemoans that he was his, but the young man just says he has to be faster next time.

Sokka looks dismayed and a huge boy falls out of the trees and easily takes down two soldiers as the hook sword boy skilfully takes down one more, causing this soldier's spear to hit another soldier, who was going to battle Sokka, in the head, making that soldier also fall down.

Again no points for Sokka.

Currently, Hua was launching rocks at two soldiers, as she felt that someone was approaching.

Another Soldier!

Before she can react, a pretty girl, not older than herself, attacks the soldier with her whip. She bonds him in it and throws him against a tree, knocking him out cold.

The Daimon's mouth claps open and a hot blush forms on her cheeks.

This was one of the hottest things she had ever seen!

She feels all tingly inside, it only gets worse as the pretty girls walk over to her.

“Hi.”, the pretty girl greets. She has beautiful grey eyes, and mid-length black hair and wears a green kimono-styled top with bandages, brown pants and black boots. 

“Hello.”, croaks Hua nervous out.

“Your earthbending is amazing.”, praises her pretty girl. “I’m Veda and who are you cutie?”

Being called cutie by this beautiful Veda makes Hua's brain short-circuit.

The last time she felt this way was 100 years ago when she had a crush on her neighbor Ai. The one who had also stolen her first kiss.

So she does something, which will make her wish to die on the spot.

Babbling nonsense.

“Me, me, Hua, I mean-I’m Hua. Hua, like, like flower. Only flower, just flower not any specific kind of flower, I don’t know why my parents didn’t specify. Sakura or Sayuri would have been nice, they are specify flowers. You know? Sakura is cherry blossom and Sayuri Lily. But, but, I think you know that…”

Amused Veda wipes away some ash from her cheek and Hua swerves she will melt.

“You are a cutie pie, Hua. Don’t be nervous, I don’t bite…unless you want me to.”

Then Veda winks.

And Hua makes a sound like a dying whale.

Oh Spirits, kill her now!

“Veda, are you done flirting?”, calls over the hook sword boy, who was standing beside an equally besotted Katara. 

“Sure, Jet.”, calls Veda back, but stays beside Hua, winking at her again.

The now-known Jet shakes bemused his head and then starts to introduce himself and his friends: “My name is Jet, and these are my Freedom Fighters. Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, Veda, The Duke, and Pipsqueak.”

The Daimon has trouble following along with how Aang tells Pipsqueak how his name is funny, only to be revealed that the biggest boy was named so and not the little one. It seems like Aang will get hit, but Pipssqueak laughs and pats him friendly on the back though the hit is hard enough to knock Aang flat on the ground. 

The Duke stops laughing and looks down at Aang sprawled on the ground before his feet, face flat in the dirt, though when Aang raises his head and continues laughing, so does The Duke.

The Freedom Fighters ransack the camp, while Sokka looks on a little uncomfortable.

Katara thanks Jet for his help and Hua and Veda are talking with each other.

Well, Veda talks and Hua babbles nonsense, however, the other girl doesn’t seem to mind.

Aang watches how both his female friends seem cosy with their new friends and…well…he feels strangely strange.

Does it make sense?

Seeing Katara with Jet was not making him feel funny, but Hua and Veda made his stomach twist.

He didn’t get it.

What was up with him?

Why was there a voice in his head, who practically growled mine, stay away.

Aang doesn’t have this kind of feeling for Hua, they were friends, also he liked Katara.

But this strange voice in him or let’s say a thousand voices in him hissed and snarled.

Mine!

Soulmate!

My Yang!

Stay away from them!

To think he shakes fast his head. This was all so confusing.

Were these voices of his past lives, where he and Hua were couples?

It made the most sense.

Nonetheless, he never reacted like that…

Maybe because someone was showing interest in Hua and he saw it?

And his past lives didn’t like that?

Well, he would ignore it!

He liked Katara, he knew she was his forever girl, and his past lives should get used to the Daimon having another partner.

There!

That’s when Aang hears how The Duke tells Jet how they will bring the things from the ransacked camp to their hide-out.

So his little episode was forgotten as he asked excitedly if they had a hideout.

Jet offers them to show it and both Katara and Hua yell how they want to see it.

So they follow the Freedom Fighter for a while through the forest, till they stop.

“We're here.”, proclaims Jet.

Confused Sokka says that nothing is there, so Jet gives him a rope and the watertribe boy pulled up into the branches.

Jet offers one to Aang, but he uses his airbending to climb the tree.

“Now you Hua.”, calls her Jet.

A bit nervous the Daimon steps forward, as she feels a hand on her shoulder.

Veda.

“The first time can be a bit wild, want to travel with me?”, she asked with a pretty smile.

Not trusting her voice, Hua nods.

So Veda wraps an arm around her hips, while Hua wraps her arms around the other girl's shoulder, as the Freedom Fighter girl grips the rope.

They get pulled up and all seems to go in slow motion.

Romantic light shines down on them, making Veda look like a goddess, which turns Hua into a pepperoni.

When she feels Veda's hand and where she is holding on, Hua swerves it burning her.

She never wants to let go of the other girl.

Sadly they land on a wooden platform.

For a second Hua admired the awesome hideout of the Freedom Fighter, which was a couple of treehouses, connected with zip lines as Veda whispered in her air: “Hey, you wanna ditch the other till dinner? I want to show you my favourite place.”

Butterflies are in Hua's stomach and she nods in agreement.

Giving her a pretty smile Veda takes her hand, Hua may or not may make again a dying whale sound, and leads her to her favourite place.

On the way there they talk.

Veda tells her how she came to the Freedom Fighter. She and Jet were neighbour, as one day the Fire Nation burned down the village, killing their parents. She would be dead too, if Jet hadn’t saved her that night.

He was eight and she was six.

“I’m so sorry, Veda.”, tells her Hua, squeezing her hand. “I wish I could do more to help you with your pain.”

“It’s okay Hua. Even if I miss my family I have a new family in Jet and the Freedom Fighter. Jet is like my big brother, I would do anything for him.”

Suddenly Hua Daimon-Radar goes off. How Veda said she would do anything for Jet…it has a dark note in it.

Hua can’t think anymore as Veda leads her to a platform, from where you can see all the forest.

“It’s so beautiful!”, shouts Hua.

“I love it here.”, confesses Veda, sitting down. “You can see anything from her and when the stars are out it's quite romantic.”

This makes Hua blush again, as she sits down beside Veda. The other girl grips her hand caressing it.

“It’s even better when you share it with someone.”, whispered the Freedom Fighter in her ear, making Hua shiver.

Then she feels a little kiss on her cheek.

Surprised she gasp and looks with wide eyes at Veda.

The other girl has a cheeky smile, which makes Hua's stomach do somersaults.

“I know we just met, but you are so sweet Hua, I could eat you up.”

“Then do it.”, whispers Hua back, she feels the attraction too and wants to bathe in it.

With another grin, Veda kisses her on the mouth.

And for a long time, both girls don’t say anything, getting lost in each other.

***

It’s now dinner time in the Freedom Fighter hide-out. 

Hua sits beside Veda and Katara as she enjoys her meal with her friends, new friends and…girlfriend?

She and Veda didn’t really specify what they were after their romantic escape, they just enjoyed each other.

Maybe they didn’t need a label.

Just being together was nice.

For however long it may be.

Jet stands on the table raising his glass and starts his speech: “Today, we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine.”

Everyone cheers. 

Katara, Hua and Aang smile while Sokka cops an attitude and a scowling face.

“I got a special joy from the look on one soldier's face when The Duke dropped down on his helmet and rode him like a wild hog monkey.”

The Duke, without his helmet, climbs up the table. He marches on the table with his arms in the air.

“Now, the Fire Nation thinks they don't have to worry about a couple of kids hiding in the trees. Maybe they're right.”

A very loud and long boo is heard all around. 

“Or maybe ... they're dead wrong.”

Loud and long cheering happens.

“Hey, Jet, nice speech.”, praise Katara with twinkling eyes.

“Thanks.”, says Jet as he sits down beside her. “By the way, I was really impressed with you, Hua and Aang. That was some great bending I saw out there today.”

“Well, they are great. He's the Avatar and she’s the Daimon. I could use some more training.”, admins Katara blushing.

“Avatar, Daimon huh? Very nice.”

“Thanks, Jet.”, chorus Aang and Hua together.

“So I might know a way that you, Hua and Aang can help in our struggle.”

That’s when Sokka states: “Unfortunately, we have to leave tonight.”

Both Katara and Hua looked devastated, they didn’t want to leave Jet and Veda already and Aang pounts, he liked it here!

Fortunately for them, Jet has a mission for Sokka, which makes him curious.

They will stay another day.

Puh, thank the spirits.

After dinner and dishes were finished, Veda showed the girls of Team Avatar-Daimon where they could get cleaned up.

With a blown kiss to Hua the Freedom Fighter girl left them.

Like a besotted fool, Hua waved at her till she was away.

“Ah is someone in love?”, cooed Katara at her best friend, as she started to undress.

Hua follows her and blushes to her breast.

“Not love, but hard crushing. I love girls who can kick my ass.”, she confesses. “Also what is with you and Jet?”

With a washcloth, Katara starts to clean herself and starts blushing too.

“I like him, alright, but we only talked. That hickey on your breast tells me another story.”, says Katara with a grin.

Shocked Hua looked down and there it was.

A hickey.

Okay, she and Veda got a bit wild.

“We may have gotten carried away.”, she admins to her best friend and starts to clean herself too.

This makes Katara frown a bit.

“Hua, please don’t take this bad, but aren’t you both only twelve? I don’t think you should be doing that already.”

It takes the Daimon a second before she understands what Katara is implying. She turns crimson red.

“No, no, Katara, we didn’t do anything like that, we are just a bit handsy, Nothing more.”

“Oh.”, makes Katara the sound long and then grins cheeky. “So like did you touch her breasts or something?!”

For that Hua throws a towel at her face.

“None of your business.”

“So you did cup a feel!”

“I never knew you could be this pervy!”

“I’m not pervy, just couriers and worried for my best friend.”

Together the girls laugh and change the subject.

After they were done washing, it was time for bed.

***

The next day Katara and Hua made presents for their crushes, while they waited for them to return with Sokka from their mission.

Katara made Jet a hat and Hua made for Veda a necklace.

Aang was somewhere goofing off with The Duke if they understood correctly.

They hear how Aang talks to Sokka and little explosion.

Ah, so they probably returned.

The girls walk up to Sokka and Aang.

“Hey, Sokka.”, greets Katara. “Are Jet and Veda back?”

Her brother was sitting with his back to the trunk and staring at the ground, glaring.

Whatever happened now?

“Yeah, they’re back. But we're leaving.”, decides Sokka.

“What?”, shouts Aang disappointed.

The girls are right with him.

“But I made him this hat.”, whines Katara.

Hua whines too: “I made Veda this necklace.”

“Your boyfriend Jet and your girlfriend Veda are thugs.”, makes Sokka clear.

Of course, Katara and Hua are shocked and won’t believe it.

Sokka insists that the Freedom Fighters are messed up, while Aang takes partei for them and says to Sokka they just have a different kind of life.

“They beat and robbed a harmless old man!”, shouts Sokka angrily.

Why won’t they understand?

Stupid Jet and stupid Veda with their stupid charming personalities.

Katara and Hua felt for it, hook, line and sinker!

His sister crosses her arms and demands that they talk with Jet and Veda about it, she wants to hear their side of the story.

Meanwhile, Hua’s bad feelings about Veda from yesterday's return.

Could she really misunderstand Veda's true self?

Her Daimon-Radar had tried to warn her…but she couldn’t believe how the girl who was so sweet to her, had such a side on her.

Her stomach in a twist she followed the other to Jet cabin.

To their luck, Veda was there too.

Both seemed to talk in secret.

This didn’t help the doubt which was forming in Hua.

Not wasting time Katara asked them about the mission they had with Sokka and what happened. Did they really beat up and robbed an old man?

“Sokka, you told them what happened, but you didn't mention that the guy was Fire Nation?”, asked Jet back.

Veda stood beside him, emotionless, even as Hua tried to look into her grey eyes.

It was like the other girl closed her off.

The Daimon didn’t like it.

“No, he conveniently left that part out.”, huffed Katara at her brother.

He groaned. “Fine! But even if he was Fire Nation, he was a harmless civilian!”

“He was an assassin, Sokka.”, corrected him Jet.

The leader of the Freedom Fighter pulls out a knife and thrusts it into a nearby stump. It is a sinister-looking curved blade. There are four spikes evenly spaced along the grip, with enough space for fingers to go between them. There is a ring on the butt of the knife.

“See? There's a compartment for poison in the knife.”

He pulls on the ring and removes a small glass tube filled with red liquid.

“He was sent to eliminate me. You helped save my life, Sokka.”

Relieved Katara says she knows there was an explanation, but Sokka insists that he didn’t see a knife.

Jet rebukes that the man hid it and Katara agrees.

The watertribe boy makes clear how he was sure there was no knife and they would go now!

Dramatically he leaves Jet cabin.

“Tell me you guys aren't leaving yet.”, turns Jet to the remaining three. “I really need your help.”

Aang asks what they can do.

Jet explains how the Fire Nation plans to burn down the whole forest and them with it, however, if the three use their waterbending to fill the reservoir they could put the fire out.

“Please, you would do us a great favour.”, begs them Veda and bows.

Still, she won’t look at Hua.

She doesn’t like it.

“We will talk with Sokka and then tell you what we decide.”, the Daimon tells Jet and Veda.

She takes Katara and Aang by the hands and walks with them to their cabin.

Sokka was already packing their things.

“We can't leave now with the Fire Nation about to burn down a forest!”, was the first thing Katara said to her brother.

“I'm sorry, Katara. Jet's very smooth and his lackey like Veda do anything for him, we can't trust them.”, answered Sokka calmly.

“You know what I think? You're jealous that he's a better warrior and a better leader!”, accuses him Katara.

“Katara, I'm not jealous of Jet. It's just that my instinct–”

“Well, my instincts tell me we need to stay here a little longer and help Jet. Come on, Aang and Hua.”

The Avatar say sorry and leaves with Katara.

Hua stays a moment longer, unsure and then tells Sokka: “Find evidence.”

Surprised Sokka looks up.

“I don’t want to believe that Veda is so heartless, but my instincts, my Daimon ones are haywire, but without proof, it’s only a feeling. So look for one. I hope you are wrong though, I really like Veda.”

With that, she follows after Katara and Aang.

***

The next day Jet leads the three benders to the damn upriver along its west bank. Geysires are everywhere.

“Jet, I'm sorry about how Sokka's been acting.”, apologies Katara.

“No worries, he already apologized.”, says Jet.

This shocks the other three and they look at each other.

Sokka?

Apologizing?

“Yeah, I was surprised too.”, admins the Freedom Fighter. “I got the sense that maybe you talked to him or something.”

“Yeah, I did.”, confirms the watertribe girl.

“I guess something you said got through to him. Anyhow, he went out on a scouting mission with Pipsqueak, Veda and Smellerbee.”

“I'm glad he cooled off. He's so stubborn sometimes.”

Meanwhile, Hua can’t help but bite her lips nervous. Her Daimon-Radar was going crazy, something was wrong, but she couldn’t pinpoint what.

Also, she said to Sokka he should look for proof, maybe he found nothing and that’s why he said sorry.

Or…she doesn’t want to think about the other possibility.

They are now walking in the gully, beside the 'river'. Aang pauses after noticing something strange and is launched into the air by a blast from the geyser he is standing on.

“All right, we're here. Underground water's trying to escape through these vents. I need you guys to help it along.”, explains Jet.

Unsure Katara tells him she never benden water she can’t see and doesn’t know if she can do it. 

However Jet was right behind her putting his hands on her shoulder and encouraging her.

A bit sad he was left out Aang asks what about him.

“I know the Avatar can do this, just like the Daimon.”

Jet sends Hua a smile and she has trouble copying him.

Her brain tells her to listen to her instincts, but her heart wants to believe that Jet and mostly of course Veda are good people.

With a heavy heart, she joins Aang and Katara at one of many Geysir in the gully. While Jet looks on, they bend the water up. After a few minutes, a stream of water emerges from the hole. They pull it to their height and send it toward the river where it continues to flow like a waterfall. The water quickly joins the river.

Jet congratulated them on a job well done and informed them with another few more Geysir the reservoir would be full.

Excited Aang points at the next Geysier.

The benders walk up to it, as Jet tells them he has some business to attend to and will see them later.

Katara says they would join in at the reservoir, but Jet says it’s better to meet up in the hide-out.

So he leaves them at their bending.

Since they are three waterbenders they finish pretty soon.

“I bet that's enough, and I'm not just saying that to be lazy.”, states Aang, as the three look at all the streaming water fountains.

“Let's catch up with Jet at the reservoir.”, announced Katara.

“Didn’t he say we should meet at the hide-out?”, points Hua out.

“Well, we finished early. I'm sure he'll be happy to see us.”

Well, nothing to say against it.

So they make their way over.

They reach the edge of the cliff. 

At the base of the dam, they see, four of Jet's people unloading barrels from the wagon and arranging them.

“What are they doing?”, wonders Katara.

Surprised Aang notes that these are the blasting jelly barrels the Freedom Fighter got from the Fire Nation.

Before Katara can say anything Hua lets out such a dirty curse, that both she and Aang gasp surprised.

They didn’t know Hua could curse like that.

“They gonna blow up the dam!”, screams Hua, tears springing into her eyes. “Oh, why didn’t I listen to my Daimon Instincts? I felt the darkness in both Jet and Veda, I’m the worst Daimon ever!”

“No, Jet wouldn’t do it, calm down Hua.”, said Katara, wrapping an arm around the distressed girl.

“He would and he is! Katara stop lying to yourself.”

“I've gotta stop him.”, tells them Aang.

The Avatar opens his glider but before he can reach the edge, Jet crosses his path from behind and snatches the glider. Aang is left wobbling precariously on the edge and uses airbending to get himself back on stable footing.

“Yes, I would.”, confessed Jet the true.

Now Hua has to hold Katara by her shoulders.

“Jet, why?”

“Katara, you would too if you just stopped to think. Think about what the Fire Nation did to your mother. We can't let them do that to anyone else ever again.”

“This isn't the answer!”

“I want you to understand me, Katara. I thought your brother would understand, but–”

“Where's Sokka?”

Tears fall from her eyes, as Jet reaches out and touches her face.

“Katara.”

She lowers her head, and with an angry shout, sends Jet flying with the water from her waterskin. She draws it back into the skin when she's done.

Faster then he can react, Jet gets enclosed into a coffin of stone plates, only his face free.

Hua looks at him in anger, her eyes switch from her natural green to her bright orange ones in Daimon State.

“You disgust me!”, she shouts with a thousand voices. “You and Veda are terrible people who act like heroes! You would-be murderers!”

A birdcall is heard. 

Katara and Aang are startled, Hua gets out of Daimon State and looks to the valley beyond where it's coming from. 

Jet gives an answering birdcall.

“What are you doing?”, demands Katara to know.

“You're too late.”, the leader of the Freedom Fighter simply states.

Horrified Katara and Hua shout No.

The centre of the dam explodes in a cloud of smoke and fire. 

Katara, Hua and Aang watch a massive wall of water go to the town the water rushes through the open gate, as a cresting wave dwarfs it. The wall and gate are swallowed as the wave strikes the town.

“All those people …”, cries Katara and turns full hatred towards Jet. “Jet, you monster!”

“This was a victory, Katara. Remember that. The Fire Nation is gone and this valley will be safe.”

“It will be safe, without you.”, they hear suddenly Sokka's voice.

He appears on Appa, with Jaiyi and Momo on the saddle.

His sister and friends are so glad to see him.

Sokka explains how he managed to warn the village in time, so no one died.

Of course, Jet was angry.

This was his chance to ride and free the valley from the Fire Nation and Sokka thwarted him.

Hua shakes her head in disgust at Jet's madness and earthbends herself on Appa's saddle. Jaiyi jumps in her arms, licking her cheeks. She hugs her ninetails tight.

“Who would be free?”, asked Sokka rhetoric “Everyone would be dead.”

“You traitor!”

“No, Jet. You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people.”

Jet begs Katara to help him, but she just says goodbye to him.

Hua earthbends her best friend into the saddle and Jaiyi gives now Katara licks.

Both girls smile at the ninetails in thanks.

With a Yip-Yip from Sokka, Appa flies away from Jet.

They are soaring through the sky for a while till Aang says to Sokka: “We hoped you were going to the dam. How come you went to the town instead?”

“Let me guess, your instincts told you.”, speculated Katara.

“Hey, sometimes they're right.”, says Sokka with a shoulder shrug.

“Mmh, you do know we are flying in the wrong direction?”, asks Hua with a little smile.

“And sometimes they're wrong.”, admits Sokka and stears them back on the right course.

***

Late at night while anyone was sleeping Hua looked at the moon and cried silent tears.

She didn’t see Veda, so she couldn’t tell her how disgusted and disappointed she was in her.

Veda seemed so good, so perfect…in the future Hua decided to listen to her instincts more.

For Sokka, it worked as it showed.

That’s when she hears how someone stands up and walks over to her.

Without a word a warm hand grips her and she squeezes back.

The black-haired girl lays her head on Katara's shoulder and the older girl her over the younger.

The two don’t need words to understand each other.

They have both crushed on people who in the end were terrible.

In the future, they will be more careful with their hearts.

But for now, they were happy they had each other.

And this was enough.

Previous

Next

[erosofthepen]

i dont have any specific requests but just. Kili. thoughts on Kili.

i have so many thoughts on kili you came to the right person

things i hc abt kili:

-he has a journal he writes in religiously. its all poetry and random thoughts and pressed flowers or other flora he's found that catches his eye. he doodles pretty things in it as well, from crystal caves to the fire of the forge.

-mans is a hopeless romantic. all he wants is an epic beautiful story-for-the-ages whirlwind romance that is fueled by passion and love. and whilst his romances might not always work out the way his 200k fanfic he wrote in his teens did, he never gives them up and relishes each experience. Even bad romances fuel his poetry writing at least. And with his One, when he finally meets them, he does all the simp-worthy romantic shit, from picking bouquets to opening doors.

-drawing from the poetry, kili is incredibly intelligent, at least literature-wise. dont get me wrong, mans is a dumbass and a himbo, but he could talk for hours on end on how the structure of a syllable scheme can make or break a poem. he's very well versed in symbolism and dwarven mythology and lore, and, next to ori, is the best person able to understand and find the deeper meaning in different works, and discuss them thoroughly.

-kili honestly isn't the best in the forges. he does alright, but his skill is comparable to an average human blacksmith. his real talent in metalworking comes to the details. like carving dozens of intricate lines into a single ring, or carving a whole battle scene on the inside of a bracelet. it's a skill he is very proud of, even if he can't even forge a good knife.

-mama's boy. i feel like thorin kind overlooked kili a lot growing up, his focus was on fili, being the heir and all, so kili didn't have a super strong adult male figure in his life. he had his mom, which is arguably better for him. like he'd spend all day helping dis in her shop or at her trade, and just chilling with his amad.

-he knows how to cook. like dis probs taught him, needed at least one son capable of creating edible food (she gave up with fili, who took after thorin in this way), and by god kili learned fast. he knows what he's doing in the kitchen. he is this whole video.

-i also think kili would be the type of dwarf to collect shineys. like crystals and fun rocks and bits of jewelry. he has corvid like tendencies and has pouches and boxes full of his collections.

-mans is deeply insecure. this hc is pretty popular, but like with no beard and being the dwarf version of a tall lanky string bean, he has body image issues. he doesn't have a lot of problems with confidence, like fake it till you make it vibes, but when it comes down to him and his One, he needs validation. he needs to know that he is the prettiest boy. just needs reminding and loving.

-coming from the insecure place, i believe later in life kili has a huge glow up. to quote my dear friend @cutie-cutter, "he's a late bloomer, but by god he blooms". like maybe in his 90s all of a sudden he fills out a lot, some nice body fat over all that muscle, and then starts growing a really nice beard. like it ain't super long but its thick and lush and ideal for braiding. he is the prettiest boy.

-kili is also the ultimate wingman. like when he's younger he doesn't have the looks but he has the game with his words alone. with fili its the opposite, fili's like mr. knightly in the sense of "if i loved you less i might be able to talk about it more", he ain't good with all the cute romantic shit. but kili helps him by writing poems and teaching him lines at the small price of taking his dessert for a week.

-(kinda nsfw?) while young and still escorting merchants with fili, i feel like kili def. got himself some fun nights at brothels. like he'd be more than willing to spend all his earnings in one night for some... special treatment. I also hc that kili didn't really get with women a lot when a younger adult, mostly men, bcs mans has daddy issues like you wont believe. the bisexual also probs thinks his chances with women are low anyways, since women in dwarven culture can be picky and usually go for ones with looks, or at least a full beard.

-(nsfwish) also going back to his journal, he also has a hell of a lot of erotic poetry in there. he'll spend stanzas describing sensations and the aesthetics of a particularly steamy night, and if someone catches his eye he could go on and on about them. absolutely no one is allowed to see his journal besides him (thorin found it once and just sighed in disappointment and wishing he had bleach before closing it and never bringing it up), and it is kept out of sight at all times. it would be very interesting for his One to find it though, and all the different scenarios that could play out...

that's all for now, thank you for this ask!! love talking about this bisexual whore of a man.

[nokingsonlyfooles]

Read Tin Soldier! Part 3! (Pick Your Platform!)

“Cin?” She stood at the top of the stairs. Upon consideration, she came down a few. “There are kind of a lot of people coming up Green Dragon Alley. Some of them have torches. Quite a few of them have torches, actually.”

“Torches?” said Hyacinth. She hauled stiffly to her feet. “Honestly?”

“Well, the lamp lighters haven’t been,” Ann allowed, trailing down the rest of the way.

“Any pitchforks?”

“Not that I’ve noticed, but I wouldn’t rule it out, I suppose. Is there anything at all you need from me down here?”

Hyacinth took her hand and mounted the first two steps with assistance. The pins and needles were a hindrance. She hadn’t noticed when she’d been sitting. “Yes, stay with him. Don’t touch him, not unless he’s going to hurt himself.”

“Oh, no. The poor thing! How would he hurt himself?”

“Well, he might puke.”

“Oh.”

“But don’t touch him to comfort him. You’ll just hurt him.”

“Oh,” but this time with a great deal more pity. “Cin,” Ann lifted a finger, “if they should happen to make any attempt to burn down the house…”

“Grab him and run, yes.” Hyacinth had attained the main floor. She looked down with a smile. “…It’s not as if it would help to bar the door.”

There was neither a door here nor a bar. Inhabitants of this house, impaired as they were, had to be trusted not to fling themselves headlong down the stairs. At least not accidentally.

Barnaby was kneeling with his bathrobe splayed theatrically around him, and bashing the floor with a half-brick. “The tile here is badly broken,” he explained without prompting.

“Thank you,” she managed. A sharper remark might result in an argument, and she had no time. “Are you just about done?”

“Why? What are you doing?”

“Facing an angry mob.”

“Well, then this is imperative.” He began chipping away at the tile again.

At least he was in a good position to get out, should such a thing become necessary.

The front door fell open. It had been a few hours, but nobody had taken the time to fix it, or even to loop some more string through the hole. Hyacinth implicitly approved of this kind of neglect, even when it extended to smashing the floor. Repairs were for people.

There were kind of a lot of people in the yard, and more filing in. The women, in their long skirts, favoured the gate and the lowest places. The men were better able to hop the crumbling walls without getting snagged.

These were not slum people, whose clothing was tissue-thin and stood much trading and mending, but they were by no means wealthy people. Those who could wound their wardrobe with impunity had fled the city during the siege, and in the years since they had returned only in patches. They were not liable to be climbing fences and carrying torches.

These people were below the middle and above the bottom. In-between people, labourers with just enough skill to be trusted with cash registers, underemployed and unemployed. Renters who ran up lines of credit for furniture they couldn’t afford and groceries they didn’t always eat. People with just enough to really feel it when they had to do without.

Testy people.

They were throwing things at the house. Loose cobbles. Bricks. There were plenty in the front yard. Someone shattered the front window just as Hyacinth emerged.

“All right, that’s enough!” she snarled. She positioned herself at the top of the stairs, which gave her a slight advantage in height and scope. “I know you’re here, don’t I? You assholes aren’t subtle!”

Someone pegged a rock at her. She didn’t duck. She turned slightly and took it on the left side of her head. It was a calculated risk. She hoped the projectile was small enough and her own metalwork strong enough to prove impressive.

The stone bounced off with a faint ping, like a hammer striking the post of a chain link fence.

There was a little bit of blood, which she ignored. She did not fall. She frowned.

That shut them all up.

“What did I just say?” she demanded of her audience, one finger pointing heavenwards for attention.

Wanna read the rest...?

Tin Soldier is a web serial about steampunk wizards in substandard housing. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's sad, and sometimes it's terrifying. We begin with Part 1 of the first four instalments, the Pilot, which introduces Hyacinth's house and everyone in it. It's pretty sad and scary, to start, but it gets better.

If you read at Tapas, you'll get instalments in order, as I illustrate them, with slightly dodgy formatting. If you read at Soldier On, you can binge all the text right now - but I understand that can be intimidating for some. Pick either platform, but please pick one! I'm trying to build a community for my very few, very loyal, readers!

[tolkien-feels]

Hey, how are you doing?

If thats okay with you, i would really like to know your thoughts on Fëanor and Mahtan.. their relationship, how they were together, was their relationship affected after the exile to Formenos, and any other thoughts you might have on them :)

I don’t even want to think about how long this has been in my inbox! I’m so sorry, it’s just that I have so many feelings about them and I kept wanting to make A Good Post and my brain’s executive function department decided that was illegal. So in lieu of A Good Post have A Hopefully Not Too Disappointing Post instead

When I think about Mahtan and Feanor, I actually can’t help thinking about Mahtan, Feanor and Finwe. While I don’t think there’s any reason to believe that Mahtan and Finwe secretly hated each other (in fact I think it’s likelier that they got along at least moderately well), it’s crazy how much conflict they have given that they’re never on page together! (And I promise that this will be very relevant, so stick with me.)

While I don’t think this is true in a Watsonian sense, in a Doylist sense, it’s like Mahtan and Finwe are playing tug of war with Feanor. Beginning with Feanor’s very name! He goes by his mother-name, of course, but his father-name, Skilled-Finwe, points at both his father and his father-in-law, actually - it’s Mahtan, not Finwe, who teaches Feanor the skill of metalwork which he becomes so linked with. Before that, in his youth, Feanor’s heart seems to have been drawn more towards linguistics, which we’re led to believe is something he got from his mother.

Of course, the other Curufinwe, Curufin, then goes on to learn metalwork from Feanor, and teach it to Feanor’s only grandson. From Aule, to Mahtan, to Feanor, to Curufin, to Celebrimbor - and then the Feanorians are no more. Of course, a lot of this comes down to the natural talent that seems to run in the family, but it’s nevertheless an inheritance that the Feanorian’s come by through Mahtan, not Finwe. And because they are Dispossessed, this inheritance lasts longer than the crown they get from Finwe. It lasts longer than even the Silmarils. It’s the first inheritance they get, when Feanor is still courting Nerdanel, and the last they lose, when Celebrimbor dies.

Speaking of Finwe’s crown, if you want to trace Feanor’s legacy not through his favorite and most similar son, but rather through his eldest son and heir, then you’ll also immediately get to Mahtan. Maedhros might be Nelyafinwe, but he's also Russandol, and let's not forget this quote:

[Nerdanel's father's] name was [space; pencilled later Sarmo?], but he was most widely known as Urundil 'copper-lover'. He usually wore a band of copper about his head. His hair was not as dark or black as was that of most of the Ñoldor, but brown, and had glints of coppery-red in it. Of Nerdanel's seven children the oldest, and the twins (a very rare thing among the Eldar) had hair of this kind. The eldest also wore a copper circlet.

But that’s not all. Around the time when Aule warns Mahtan that Feanor is becoming dangerous, when Feanor forges swords, Mahtan seems to have blamed himself as a teacher (“Bitterly did Mahtan rue the day when he taught to the husband of Nerdanel all the lore of metalwork that he had learned of Aulë.”) and chose to withdraw from Feanor and advise his daughter to do the same. When Mandos bans Feanor for pulling a sword of Finwe’s other son, Finwe sides with Feanor and leaves his family to go to exile with him. Clearly, Finwe and Mahtan seem to disagree on how to best handle Feanor’s increasing volatility.

But this is all canon, or at least some possible readings of canon. What about headcanons?

Well, based on all of this, I’ve long headcanoned that following Miriel’s death, Finwe’s love for Feanor becomes that of an overindulgent father. He’s more interested in making Feanor feel loved and supported than in providing guidance and advice. And that’s not a bad thing! Finwe is doing his best in a situation without precedents to fall back on, and for a very long time, it really does seem that Feanor is thriving despite his tragic early years. Besides, he’s a driven autodidact, so I can understand why Finwe would mostly leave him to his own devices while countering his motherlessness by spoiling him.

But then, when Feanor meets Mahtan and Mahtan takes him under his wing… well. It’s not like Feanor has never had teachers before, but the instant he’s engaged, Mahtan gets to put the father in father-in-law and the lines between teacher and parent blur really fast. Feanor doesn’t do well with limits, and he only ever goes to Nerdanel to advice, but. Sometimes Mahtan volunteers advice and it’s just objectively good advice, and Feanor’s need to feel like he doesn’t have to have everything perfectly figured out at all times might just win out against his pride, you know? Like a college kid with a professor they genuinely admire, Mahtan can get Feanor to engage with perspectives he usually wouldn’t entertain.

I do headcanon, though, that the older Feanor gets, the more prideful and stubborn he becomes, and his grudge against the Valar begins to sour his relationship with Mahtan, who loves Aule so devotedly. As he begins to withdraw from Mahtan, he draws closer to Finwe, and becomes even more jealous than usual. The window for Mahtan being like a second father to Feanor is very small (given the lifespan of an elf) but it’s extremely formative, not just for Feanor, but also for his children, especially the eldest. I headcanon Maedhros is actually closer to Mahtan than to Finwe, while by the time you get to the twins, their relationship with Mahtan is… rocky. Part of it is personal affinity, but a lot of it is just them reflecting Feanor’s own changing feelings towards Mahtan.

I could go on but um. I’m eyeballing it and think this must be getting close to 1k words so I’ll have mercy on you and shut up, but if you or anyone else wants to know More (about one of these points or just in general) please let me know because as you can see I think about Feanor and Mahtan a normal amount.

[certified-anakinfucker]

7, 11, 12, 21, 33, 34, 41, 45, 51 - For my favorite Kingpin, Kovapaqe 💖 (I picked a lot so you don't have to answer them all if you don't want to 👉🏻👈🏻)

HI ELIZA!!! look at the two of us. taking solid months to ponder our blorbos

(from the weirdly specific asks)

7: What would you (mun) yell in the middle of a crowd to find them? What would their best friend and/or romantic partner yell? As mun - KOVAPAQE IS AN EGGHEAD (to which he will whip around and yell 'THE FUCK?')

His best friend - The hunter Unihmawa, or better known as the Cavern Maw, uses a call and response tactic. "Kala 'kolo kuuwa?" → "Siiirok!" (It should be noted that failure to respond is allowing a full-scale search and rescue op.)

Rhysaa - All she has to say is his name, or any pet name they share. He will materialize out of thin nothingness to be at her side.

11: If someone was impersonating them, what would friends / family ask or do to tell the difference? Kova's neat trick is how most of his nervous ticks are done physically behind his back, or they are otherwise hidden by his armor. Worrying this hands behind his hand, clenching and unclenching his jaw/grinding his teeth under his helmet, balling his toes up in his boots. You'd have to strip him bare just to be able to tell.. and only the real Kovapaqe would agree to do that. A pretender would only know his fiercely murderous Kingpin bravado, refusing to bend for any force, responding to insolence with violence.

12: What's something that makes them laugh every single time? Be specific! Remembering the time he laughed at Rhysaa for wading hip-deep into a mud pit to retrieve her escaped jetpack.. and then in order to escape a particularly angry mama, he had to run chest-deep into the same mud pit. Number one event of make Kova start cracking up uncontrollably every time it crosses his mind - he swears he still hasn't been able to clean out all that muck ever since.

21: What common etiquette do they disagree with? Do they still follow it? He doesn't think Hutts should be bowed to, as they've done no real work to earn their keep as a fat fuck up on a throne. They're just scheming and conniving, using other bodies for their bidding. But sure, he plays along, though he makes it very clear he is unhappy about it.

33: How do they greet someone they dislike / hate? You're not even getting a basic hello, he's just going to stare at you with all the contained malice of a blood borne predator. He will not make any effort to make you feel welcomed; as a matter of fact he is wishing he could be a Sith so he could telepathically scream at you to get the fuck out before he reduces you to mince meat.

34: How do they greet someone they like / love? Keldabe! Strong handshake/grasping forearms! Throwing shit at you because NO FUCKING WAY IT'S BEEN TOO LONG! Lots of loudness, cursing, he's standing on top of something just to be bigger than you but it's all fun and games!

41: What phrases, pronunciations, or mannerisms did they pick up from someone / somewhere else? He speaks Mando'a with a distinctly Kaasi-accented base; his Finder is a Force-null Pureblood who was exiled from their family.

And since Buir raised him from just months old, he's picked up: their ferocity in battle, absolute view of disrespect as a killable offense, passion and fervor for all things in life, a slightly guttural take on Basic pronunciations. He learned his metalworking and piercing skill from Buir.

45: What's something unimportant / frivolous that they hate passionately? By the fucking stars he cannot stand Hutts. Literally the Hutts. He fucking hates Hutts. Most of everything they stand for included.

51: What's a phrase they say a lot? "HUT'UUN!" to get all the ripe little cowards out of hiding so he can beat their asses.

[laslow]

It took Grima some time to track Laslow down but when she did she made sure he was alone. She cornered him in a dark hallway and smiled warmly at him as she approached, a long thin box in her outstretched hands.

"Hello, little Inigo," Grima said as she stood in front of him. Her smile didn't reach her eyes and that much was clear. "It's your birthday, isn't it? My, how the years fly. You're so big now. I remember the day you were born even. What a joyous event that was, the birth of another life on this miserable hunk of rock you terrible creatures call yours. I wonder what you would have been like had you not existed in my world and instead existed in a world of ignorance and bliss that the fools that surround you experienced. Perhaps your mother and father would have raised you together and avoided my war together. You may have never known strife if you had been a normal young boy in the countryside."

Grima clicked the buttons on the sides of the box she was carrying, letting it open for Laslow to see inside. It was a long thin sword that seemed to suit a dancer perfectly.

"Happy birthday, Inigo. I'd like for you to have this. If you're worried about it being cursed, don't be. It's a perfectly normal blade. I want to see you use it the day you try to drive the life from my body. I'm looking forward to it even." She said, her smile not faltering once. "You'll do that for me, won't you? Show me how you've overcome that childish cowardice of yours."

Nothing can ruin today. Not even the thousands-year-old monster wearing the face of a dear friend.

Laslow feels Grima's presence before he sees her, icy nerves tripping down his spine with every approaching footstep. Damn, it's the second floor, too. Eyes dart for the nearest window. Surely a few broken bones would be far easier to deal with than whatever Grima has in store. His weight shifts, knees bending in preparation for either an attack or a retreat.

Little Inigo. He swallows and fights the urge to take a step back. Any concession would mean a victory for that monster. With an effort he hopes isn't too visible, he raises his chin, praying he's projecting confidence and not a little kid playing at being an adult. Hatred burns in his eyes despite trying for a calm expression. She'll just see that as another form of triumph.

"Y-you're right," he begins, hating the way his voice shakes around the words. "My birth was a joyous occasion. It marked the day of yet another person who will end your existence in any timeline. And while I can't deny I've never wondered what my life would be like without you ruining it, I do know one thing."

Another swallow, pushing down all the fear and rage he's tempted to unleash. "I will never stand for injustice, no matter what form it takes."

He's breathing hard by the end of his declaration, all pent-up energy with no release.

The buttons click. He jolts, fragile bluster shattering under the weight of such a simple action. Curse Grima, curse his own anxieties. Maybe he is full of nothing but cowardice. Gaze remains fixed on Grima's a heartbeat longer before dropping to the weapon.

It's beautiful, no doubt about that, cushioned on a bed of velvet that shows off the elegant lines of metalwork. Must be lightweight, too, with such a thin blade and fine crossguard. Did she custom-make this?

Of course she knows he'll be drawn in by a pretty sword.

Eyes flick back up to her and that hateful smile. "If you're so eager for a demonstration of my skill, I am more than happy to oblige right now." Fingers twitching, as if afraid they'll suddenly find themselves in the snare of an animal's teeth, he reaches for the hilt.

Only to retreat at the last moment. He often plays the fool but that doesn't mean he actually is one. "...I don't need your pity to defeat you again."

Laslow stalks away, spine straight even as fearful tremors wrack his body.

[chrissymorgan9700]

Firey Love Through Burning Sands Chapter 6: Meet & Greet

Mario and Luigi didn't know what to expect when they were brought inside the city gates.

The Koopas that were inside the city were a bit of a shock when they first arrived, considering the fact that the only Koopas that they had seen at that point were all from Bowser's kingdom. But out of all they had seen, nothing had prepared them for seeing other human beings. For the past month, Mario thought that he, Luigi, and Princess Peach were the only humans ever to see the land beyond the green pipe. But not only did Sarasaland seem to have human royalty, but they also had regular citizens and military members that were currently walking alongside them.

The city itself reminded the brothers of a documentary about ancient Egypt that they watched in middle school. Although the part of the city that they had passed through had a wall and gates, the entire city seemed to stretch out for miles without end. There was a big river that passed through the city, and the group crossed a gigantic stone bridge to pass it that was decorated with carvings of flowers and strange dinosaur-like creatures. Crossing to the other side, the group made their way closer to the city square as the sound of music and chatter began to grow louder with each step.

"We're almost to the palace," Daisy shouted over the noise, "You might want to stay close. It gets pretty busy on Market Day."

The occupants of the city were hard at work buying and selling wares at the bazaar. Humans were seen fixing musical instruments and cooking delicious-smelling food and snacks, the Bunbuns were weaving fabrics and silks from threads that shimmered like gems, Toads were busy with constructing new stands and repairing roads, and Koopas were seen forging metalworks and jewelry, but as they passed by, the Mario Brothers began to notice that a lot of the citizens were beginning to stare and whisper the closer they got to their destination.

"Princess Peach has returned."

"Who are those little people with her?"

"The red one looks feral."

"Ha, the green one looks sickly. What are they feeding that poor thing?"

Normally, Luigi would shrink at the comments. After all, he was the more timid brother, the one that avoided any sort of confrontation, the one afraid of his own shadow. But right now, he was currently too interested in the princess that was currently dragging him through the square.

She sure is strong, Luigi thought to himself with a blush.

Meanwhile, Mario found himself falling in step with Peach, determined to get a question answered.

"Hey Peach," he asked, "How do you know the queen again?"

Peach tensed at the question, trying to find a way to answer before Daisy interrupted.

"You've seen her fight before, right? Well, where else did you think she learned combat? Her kingdom's Toads?"

Toad gave an offended yelp.

Peach gasped, taken out of her tense state at her friend's jest.

"Daisy! That's not nice."

"What? You know I'm right! At least the Toads that live here are able to use a sword."

Mario took in her words. The Toads of the Mushroom Kingdom, bless them, were more of the "panic and run" type, from the regular citizens up to the guards that surrounded the pink-and-white castle. Not to say that they weren't protective of her. By what Peach had told him, Toad himself was willing to be tortured for her when Bowser invaded her kingdom after he and DK had been stuck in that gigantic eel. But he knew that whatever fighting skills she had to complete that training course that he couldn't even get through on his BEST go-around was not the doing of the Toads.

At least not from there.

"Huh, so is she, like, your teacher? I mean, that's cool, y'know? You're still able to get advice from her when you need to. But why haven't you mentioned her?"

"We're here."

Peach blanched as they suddenly stopped.

The white marble of the palace gleamed in the afternoon sun as the group entered the palace, the white stone now turning into shades of orange and yellow as they headed towards another set of golden doors that were guarded by two Bunbuns, the door itself decorated with a giant lotus blossom design. The Bros and Toad couldn't help themselves as they ooh'd and ahh'd at the sight before them.

Peach, meanwhile, felt her palms grow sweaty from nervousness. Although it was true that she was raised by the Toads when she first arrived in this land, it was the Queen of Sarasaland who taught her how to be a leader. All of the training to become the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, all of her combat skills, her knowledge of power-ups, all of what made her a princess came from her.

And what had she done with that wisdom?

Oh, only put two whole kingdoms and her friends in danger!

Daisy, sensing her distress, let go of Luigi's hand and stood next to her.

"You ready?"

Peach stayed silent as she straightened her posture.

"Not really." She finally answered before turning to her companions.

"Okay, I know you probably have a lot of questions about, well, all of this. And I must confess that I haven't been very... transparent. But when we get in here, I'll be doing most of the talking."

The Bros and Toad stared at her in confusion before slowly nodding their heads.

"Alright Daisy, we're ready now."

Princess Daisy nodded her head, signaling the guards to open the doors.

The group followed the princess as she entered the throne room, taking in the sights surrounding them. The entire room was the same orange-yellow color scheme as the rest of the palace, but accented with green and white inlays as you got closer to the actual throne. The throne itself was golden, not unlike King Cranky's own throne in the Jungle Lands, but above the throne were white silk drapes, and at her right hand was an orange and yellow cushion with golden tassels around the edge.

It was then that they noticed the woman sitting on the throne.

The older woman sat with her back straight, her eyes seeming to stare directly into their souls as she scanned the room before turning her gaze toward Princess Peach.

Princess Daisy, leading the charge, walked towards the steps before kneeling on the ground at the very base. The four companions followed suit, with Daisy nearly causing Luigi to topple over himself as she dragged him down to the floor and Mario being pushed down by Peach as she sank down.

"Bayete, Indlovukazi," Daisy spoke up, "Your visitors have arrived."

The queen paused for a moment, her gaze switching between the princesses and the plumbers, a tiny smile gracing her lips before motioning for Daisy to sit on the cushion and for Peach, Mario, Luigi, and Toad to stand up.

"Welcome to Birabuto; I take it your journey here was a smooth one?"

Princess Peach smoothed her skirts as she answered.

"Yes, your Majesty. And I would like for you to meet my friends, Mario, Luigi, and Toad."

The queen's gaze was unwavering as she noticed their body language. Mario and Toad had placed themselves directly in front of her former student, becoming a living shield. Luigi, who for whatever reason was still on the floor, floundered his way next to his brother, almost knocking the three of them over to join the protection squad. Daisy couldn't help but give an amused giggle, making Luigi break out in a deep blush.

"So, you must be the Super Mario Brothers and that brave Toad boy that saved the universe. You have my respect and my thanks. Now, let's cut to the chase, shall we?"

Peach cleared her throat.

"Yes, um, as I had stated in my letter, we have had some problems with the king of the Darklands that resulted in him finally being captured and taken into custody inside the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Hm, I do recall meeting with the council members that were involved in that whole ordeal. But what does this have to do with Sarasaland and our Power Star? "

Council? Mario thought to himself, Did the Toad Council visit Sarasaland?

"Your Majesty," Peach stated, "Bowser has escaped from his confinement, and it's my belief that he will attempt to take Sarasaland's Power Star and use it for his plans for world domination.

Unbeknownst to the others, Taraji's blood ran cold in her veins, the images of last night's vision practically swimming in her mind.

"Go on."

But before Peach could continue, Mario interrupted.

"Wait a minute, the Toad council met with you already?"

Princess Peach's cheeks turned bright red as a wave of second-hand embarrassment crashed into her. In hindsight, she should have seen this coming, especially when they met with King Cranky. Luigi and Toad looked on anxiously as the queen held the red plumber's gaze before answering.

"No. Princess Peach, just how much have you told your companions about our ways?"

"Well, I...haven't mentioned everything to them."

Peach couldn't help but give a nervous chuckle as her teacher gave her a pointed look.

"A half-truth by omission is still a full-on lie. But that is a discussion for another day. In the meantime, you all will stay here for the night and rest. Tomorrow morning, the council will arrive, and we will convene on what our next steps are going forward."

With a clap of her hands, a couple of her servants gathered around the throne room.

With little room for argument, the servants quietly led the four of them out of the throne room, the door shutting behind them.

"Take our guests to our spare bedrooms. Dinner will be prepared in a few hours."

Later

Princess Peach tossed and turned in her bed, her mind racked with dread.

Dinner had been a rather quiet affair, as was any dinner that was made by the queen herself. The table was filled with rice and beans, a savory stew filled with meat and vegetables with nshima to scoop it up and eat with, and even (to her surprise) malva pudding, all of her favorites. But she couldn't even stomach it. Even the few bites she forced down her throat turned sour in her gut as that pit of despair grew larger and larger.

The council members were all arriving tomorrow in order to figure out how to capture Bowser and what to do with him in order to pay for his crimes.

Again.

And it was all her fault.

Giving up on going to sleep, Peach got up from the bed and began to pace the room, feeling guilty as the queen's words replayed in her head.

A half-truth by omission is still a full-on lie.

Does it even count as a lie? She thought to herself before shaking her head.

As a ruler, she was honor-bound to be an honest and wise princess, whether it was between other leaders or with the common folk. She had learned that from the best, after all.

But she didn't mean to keep Sarasaland or its ruler a secret. It just...never came up in conversation between her and the Mario Brothers. And why she didn't go to Sarasaland when this whole problem began?

It was...complicated.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door slowly opened to reveal Taraji, her hair in her bonnet and dressed in her white nightgown and robe as she smiled at her former student. Behind her stood Daisy, dressed in an orange tank top, shorts, and matching bonnet. Peach, ever the formalist, curtsied.

"Bayete, Indlovukazi. Bayete, Inkosazana."

Their smiles fell slightly in concern. Peach was always the prim and proper type. Had been that way since she was a little girl under Taraji's tutoring. But that was the first time in years that she had used their official titles, and in their native tongue nonetheless, while being in just their presence. She only ever did that when something was terribly wrong.

"Peach? What's wrong?" Taraji asked, a frown on her face.

Peach blanched for a moment.

"What, me? No, nothing's wrong. Nothing at all. Why? What would be wrong?"

Daisy snorted, unconvinced.

"Yeah right! You never call us by those titles unless something's up. So, spill!"

Peach shook her head, resuming her pacing as the two other royals watched.

"I'm fine. Just... got a lot on my mind right now."

Taraji said nothing at that. Instead, she sighed as she sat herself down on the vanity seat and grabbed the hairbrush that sat on the table.

"Sit down."

"But-"

"Sit."

With a sigh, Peach sat on the floor as Taraji began to brush her hair. Daisy, meanwhile, took a running start from the door and jumped onto her bed, jostling the bedsheets into more disarray. Rolling her eyes at her sister, Taraji turned her attention back to Peach.

"Now, tell me what's really going on. Why didn't you ask the council to help you in the first place?"

"I...It's just...I just...didn't want to bother them with something that I could handle by myself."

The two of them gave her an incredulous look.

"You're kidding, right?" Daisy deadpanned.

Taraji paused her brushing.

"Peach, I know that the situation was more dire than that. If reports from the last council meeting were correct, Bowser had not only captured the king of the Snow Lands and stolen their Power Star; but he also had threatened the safety of your kingdom and your people if you refused to marry him; he had ambushed and nearly killed the king and prince of Kong Country as well as the majority of the Kong army; and had threatened the lives of your red plumber, his brother, and their homeland. And this was all something you could have handled by yourself?"

Silence.

Daisy's eyes glanced between her friend and her sister, concerned.

"Look," she spoke up, "I don't like half of those stuffy folks either, but they're there for a reason, you know that, right?"

Peach jumped up at that, a huff of frustration escaping her lips.

"I know that! But... I can't help but feel as if I'm taken as a joke. I'm the only council member that is a princess; according to some members, my rule is illegitimate since I wasn't born a Mushroom Kingdom royal; and Bowser has been so much of a constant problem, I wasn't sure that they would listen to me! What else could I do? I-"

"Ipentshisi."

Peach turned around, her eyes cast down to the ground in shame. Taraji stood up and took her hands into her own, causing her to look up.

"A good ruler, regardless of what rank they are, doesn't just take care of their kingdom. A good ruler also knows when to ask for help. Both of which King Cranky and the Penguin King should have done. And even if you didn't want the council involved, you could have at least told us. You know that Sarasaland would have stood with you, don't you?"

Peach sighed, looking back down at the floor.

"I... I guess I wanted to prove to the council that I wasn't just some 'damsel in distress'. I wanted to protect the kingdom on my own, like you do."

And there it is.

Taraji sighed, leading her back to the seat she had abandoned.

"Peach, when I first became queen, the royal council had been disbanded for over a decade. I had to learn how to protect Sarasaland on my own because I was on my own. I had no one to help me or the empire, not to mention what had transpired for me to ascend the throne."

The young princesses paused at that, looking at each other and back at the queen as she seemed to visibly deflate at the mention of that night.

"When I was able to get the council back together, I vowed never to let any new ruler experience what I had to go through. Does that mean that they are infallible? No. We are not perfect in any sense of the word, but at least you would have the security of having that support when you need it. And as for questioning your legitimacy? You may not have been born into the original royal family, and you may not have been born in this very universe, but the Great Grambi brought you here and made you the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom for a reason. Don't ever doubt that."

"I know all that, but it still doesn't answer why."

Taraji laughed at that.

"Heh, still have that patience problem, I suppose."

"Well, old habits die hard, as Mario would say."

Taraji gave another small chuckle as she recalled the little red man that seemed to be glued to her hip. No doubt that he had sworn to be her protector.

Daisy snickered.

"Oh yeah, Mr. Knight-in-Ruby-Red! Sworn to protect pretty Princess Peach! Honestly, you two would be perfect together. "

The queen laughed, a rueful smile etching her face.

"Now, now, now. Don't think I didn't see you with the green one, Daisy. You seem quite smitten with him."

Daisy spluttered.

"S-s-smitten! HA! Who says I was smitten with that guy? Nope! No smitten-ness over here!"

That sent Peach into a laughing fit.

"Oh, please! You literally dragged poor Luigi from the city gates to the palace walls!"

But in their laughter, they had failed to notice a lone figure that was spying on them from above. Though invisible for the majority of the conversation, the shapeless blob that was hovering over them sneered a malignant smirk before blipping out of the room.

The three royals laughed and laughed, their voices echoing into the halls.

[walkswithmyfather]

Isaiah 40:12‭-‬26. “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure or weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in the scales?

Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or who gave Him His counsel? Who did He consult with? Who gave Him understanding and taught Him the paths of justice? Who taught Him knowledge and showed Him the way of understanding?

Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered as a speck of dust in the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust. Lebanon is not enough for fuel, or its animals enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are considered by Him as nothingness and emptiness.

Who will you compare God with? What likeness will you compare Him to? To an idol? — something that a smelter casts, and a metalworker plates with gold and makes silver welds for it? To one who shapes a pedestal, choosing wood that does not rot? He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not fall over.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not considered the foundations of the earth? God is enthroned above the circle of the earth; its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

He reduces princes to nothing and makes judges of the earth irrational. They are barely planted, barely sown, their stem hardlym, and a whirlwind carries them away like stubble.

“Who will you compare Me to, or who is My equal? ” asks the Holy One. Look up and see: who created these? He brings out the starry host by number; He calls all of them by name. Because of His great power and strength, not one of them is missing.” (HCSB)

“The Greatness of God” By In Touch Ministries:

“We can't even begin to comprehend the awesome majesty and power of our Lord.”

“When you think of God, what comes to mind? Often, we tend to view Him in the way that best fits our particular need or situation. For example, if we struggle with guilt, we might focus on His forgiveness. The truth is, His character encompasses far more than we could ever comprehend or try to explain. Even if we had all the time in the world, we wouldn’t be able to do more than scratch the surface of how awesome He is. But today, let’s look at one attribute: His greatness.

Today’s passage tells us God is greater than creation (v. 12), for it was by His hands that everything we see came into being. He is higher than the nations or any idol fashioned by the finest craftsman (vv. 17-20). In fact, God is above the world and all mankind (vv. 22-23), surpassing even the heavens and galaxies.

Our Father’s thoughts and ways are far grander than our own (Isaiah 55:9)—and lofty, compared with what we can understand. Psalm 93:1 says, “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord has clothed and encircled Himself with strength.”

Consider the awesome God we serve. He truly is worthy of our praise. As we grasp even a fraction of His greatness, our response should be one of humble worship. After all, who are we that a God like this would desire our friendship—so much so that He sent His Son to die for our sins?”

[my-dumb-obsessions]

Prompt:

“You know, I bet you I could make some amazing armor out of that archdemon’s hide.”

“Wade, no.”

“WADE, YES!”

Ladies and Gentlemen, Warden Commander and Enabler-in-Chief, Cariane Amell:

Commander Amell circled the mannequin at the smithy, holding up the silverite chain or brushing fingers over the plate as she went around, pretending to know what she was looking for. Herren had insisted she inspect the first model of the new guard uniforms before Wade began producing the rest of the order, though she thought it completely unnecessary. They were good materials and Wade was a genius, an eccentric one, but aren’t they all? 

Nathaniel watched her intently, doing his best to hide his amusement. The armor was obviously top quality, but Cariane being a mage (albeit one who could wield a sword) clearly had no idea what she was supposed to be appraising. As she crossed between him and the mannequin he touched her waist and bent to quietly offer rescue, “Shall I take over, Commander?”

She smirked and made a face that suggested ‘that obvious, is it?’, but responded generously, “By all means, Constable Howe.”

“This is excellent work, Master Wade.” Nathaniel called out to the armorer before addressing Herren, “You certainly did not exaggerate his skill, my friend…”

She stepped aside and let them discuss the finer points of metalwork, and turned to the courtyard to check on Voldrik’s repair efforts when a sharp sound interrupted her.

“Psst!... Psst! Commander!” Wade beckoned her with a stage whisper, quickly glancing back at his partner before gracing her with a charming smile.

“What can I do for you, Master Wade?” She approached and added, “The armor looks wonderful, by the way.”

A look of confusion crossed his face momentarily, “What? Oh, that. Yes, of course,” he dismissed the compliment. “I was wondering…” he had the look of a child about to ask for an extra cookie, “what did you do with the archdemon’s carcass after Denerim?” 

“The carcass?” The question took her aback. No one had mentioned the archdemon in months, except in the most abstract, heroic retellings of the battle. What does one do with an old god’s carcass, anyway? In fact, she knew exactly what Wade would do with it. “I…well, it was broken up and sent out for study. Wiesshaupt got most of it, I think the some of it went to the University of Orlais-”

“Did you keep any for yourself? Scales, hide, bone, perhaps?” He interrupted, clutching at her wrist with a hopeful grin on his face. “I could make you the most amazing armor from it!” The Commander glanced back towards the shop counter, where Herren was now watching their conversation with concern.

“Why, no, Master Wade…” she answered measuredly, and more loudly than she needed to, “of course not. Why would I keep a blighted dragon’s hide here in Vigil’s Keep?” She gave the armorer a conspiring look. Herren, seemingly satisfied, returned to his conversation with Nathaniel and Dworkin, who had joined them to discuss ways to incorporate explosive shielding into Wade’s pieces.

It wasn’t clear if he had picked up the subtext, “Oh that is a shame.” He crossed his arms and leaned back against his anvil, “What color was it?”

“Hm,” Cariane thought for a moment, “a sort of dark, pinkish violet, you could say.”

“Oh! That would have looked perfect with your complexion!” Wade lamented, reaching out to pick up a lock of her hair, “And with these beautiful brown tresses…like dark chocolate and raspberries!” She shook her head and bit back a grin, taking a spot next to him against the anvil and mirroring his posture. He had absolutely understood her meaning. Wade casually continued his - ahem, hypothetical - probing. “Did it breathe physical fire, or magical fire?”

“Oh, it was definitely magic fire,” she nodded, remembering the black and purple gouts she’d exhausted herself avoiding.

“Excellent!” He exclaimed, under his breath.

Cariane leaned closer and cautioned in a low voice, “Wade, you do know it’s blighted?”

“Yes, I’m aware.” He answered matter-of-factly. “I know how to handle dangerous materials.” He gasped to himself, “Can you imagine? The Hero of the Blight girded in the Blight itself, like an ancient horror out for vengeance!”

His excitement made her smile, “You’ve been thinking about this for a while, haven’t you?” He only grinned and shoved her playfully with his shoulder.

Nathaniel approached the pair on his way out, “Master Wade, brilliant work as usual,” he declared, shaking the armorer’s hand. He turned to Carie, “I’m sure the Commander would agree.”

“Indeed, this is more than sufficient for our soldiers.” She asserted, “Thank you, Master Wade.”

Nathaniel subtly brushed her fingertips with his, “Shall I await you in your office, Commander?”

“Yes, Constable Howe, I’ll be there shortly.” She answered with a small smile. He nodded to Wade and headed back to the Keep. “Well, Master Wade, I’m sure you and Herren can take it from here,” she announced. “I’ll need our soldiers outfitted in the silverite as soon as possible.”

“At your service, Commander. Master Wade will get right on it.” Herren gave his partner a sharp look, “Won’t you, Wade?” 

Wade sighed dramatically, “Yes, yes. I’m a veritable machine.” Herren rolled his eyes and spared him a snicker before turning back to his inventory. 

When he was out of earshot, the Commander turned to Wade and advised, quietly, “Eastern cellars, second sublevel,” the armorer’s eyebrows climbed up his forehead as she continued, “first door on the right.” He allowed himself a small, giddy squeak before clasping her hands and thanking her profusely.

“Wade,” she warned, “this is a side project.” She looked up at him sternly, “Side. Project.”

He beamed and dropped her hands, “Yes, of course, Commander.” 

“My soldiers need outfitting.” She stated plainly.

“Understood.” He nodded, practically buzzing with excitement.

Cariane gave him a fond smile before turning back to the Keep. “Have fun.”