#Flame of Liberty Statue

[i-heart-nihon]

[emaadsidiki]

West Promenade, Tokyo, Japan.

[arielkrupnik]

[dearsnow]

Hello!

Could I request a Jon Snow x female reader, where she is a seamstress for the Stark family and they become friends and talk during her visits to Winterfell and slowly become lovers?

A PATCHWORK OF BLOOD AND BATTLES

- you are a fighter, and so seems to be the needle stuck in your thumb. and, of course, the man that unintentionally put it there (jon snow x fem!seamstress!reader ⚠️ mentions of blood and a needle-based injury).

word count: 1058

a/n - this took absolutely forever to finish i’m so sorry 😭 i think this request was from literal months ago, but here you are!! i love this concept so much, i hope you don’t mind my artistic liberties :)

You have fought for everything in your life. For your right to simply exist in the same world as the nobles, for your trade, and most importantly, you have fought for yourself. You have climbed the ranks of peasantry with chipped nails and a needle, asking for more and getting less. Now, you have won. At least, you have won as much as the earth beneath your feet will allow you to win. You are a seamstress for one of the most prominent families in Westeros, and as you patch a hole in a fancy evening dress, you can’t help but smile.

The night is dark, but you are not unfamiliar with the flicker of a candle flame. Snow falls lightly outside, and the wind rustles your hair as it sneaks through your open window. As you thread your needle through the lacy fabric, your door slams open.

Your eyes widen as the needle between your fingers is driven straight into your thumb, sending a shooting pain through your entire hand. You let out a sharp yelp, clutching your injury. Who in the gods’ good name was slamming doors at this hour? And why the hell didn’t they warn you?

The thumb clenched between your hand is throbbing and dripping red around the needle still stuck in the middle of it. You look up at the man who startled you, eyes burning with distaste.

It’s him. Lord Stark’s bastard child, the one that sits alone at feasts. And the one that comes to you with sword slashes in his vests.

“May I help you?” You ask. Your finger is still in burning hot pain.

In truth, you have grown to like him. He is also someone who has fought for his status, though his came with a lot more cushion. You recognize the burn in him, the drive that your own eyes carry. He will do great things someday; you’re sure of it.

He looks at you like your hand is made of dragonfire. “Sorry.”

You press your lips into a thin line. You need to keep him on your good side if you wish to keep your job.

You tuck your hand behind your back, hoping he just drops off whatever garment he needs repaired and leaves you to nurse your sores. Unluckily for you, he is a gentleman.

He moves to kneel beside you, dark curls almost glowing in the dim lighting. He looks positively angelic as he reaches for your hand.

“My lord?”

“Allow me to help.” He utters, voice as soft as the wind. He is an honorable man, you cannot deny it. You have seen him in the courtyards during your visits to the castle. He is always improving and always helping others do the same. He gets it from his father, you assume.

You comply with his urges, slightly in fear that you will lose your position if you do not. That worry is always in the back of your head. Will sewing this neckline a millimeter too short cost you your life? Is this cuff good enough for Lady Stark? Are you up to the task? Your thoughts almost consume you long enough to not notice Jon Snow pulling the needle out of your finger.

Almost. You feel a sharp sting of pain, but you bite your tongue. He swiftly wraps the undershirt in his hand around yours. For a brief moment, his rough hands brush the tip of your pinky finger. You have never felt anything so electrifying.

The hairs on the back of your neck stand up like the angels have come for your body at long last. When he pulls away, your thumb shouts with new pain, but all you can focus on is the memory of his hand. You shake your head.

“Shall I call the maester?” He asks, ever the responsible one. You wave your good hand.

“I will be alright, my lord. I will wash and patch your shirt, if you wish.” You don’t exactly love the idea of taking the pressure off of your wound, but you must be willing to sacrifice your own comfort in this moment to assure your future.

He stands, and an owl outside hoots. His eyes flicker to the window, then back down to you. “Don’t worry about it. Keep the thing.”

This shocks you. It shouldn’t, but it does. He is being kind to you. For the first time in a long while, someone is being kind to you.

“I mustn’t, my lord.” You speak, hesitantly standing up next to him.

“It’s no trouble. I insist.” His voice is smooth, and the sound tickles your ears. You think you could hear him speak all night if you ever had the opportunity. Something in you wishes you did.

You nod slowly. It would be rude to further refuse it. That’s what you tell yourself, at least. You hope it is not the fact that you suddenly hope your finger never stops bleeding.

Jon turns to leave, exiting just as swiftly as he had come. You clutch his shirt, heart beating wildly in disbelief of what just happened. In that moment, you suddenly decide that you have another thing to fight for.

Gods, did you fight for it. You took every opportunity to see him, and it worked like a well-oiled hinge. From patching more sword slashes to custom-tailoring a pair of riding pants, you were able to take any of his sewing work off of your coworkers’ hands. And through that, you began to learn why exactly he was fighting.

He often sat in your quarters while you worked, and you were beyond glad for the company. Eventually, he began to open up as beautifully as a flower in spring.

He was neglected and outright hated by Lady Stark, as he was the bane of her married life. He wishes to take the black and become a watcher of the wall. Most importantly, he does everything possible to maintain what little honor he has in his family.

Like you, he is a fighter.

Sometimes, in the quiet night, words spill from his mouth like he has never held them back. You do the same. And every once in a while, very softly, he takes your hands in his larger ones and whispers that he will fight only for you.

comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated!!

Taglist: @lovelyliliya @the-jess-life @hopelesswritergall @watercolorskyy @cecespizza01

[enlitment]

source for the art

source for the information

** and also possibly the Montagnards, but sh!

[jackiezenauthor]

Maria's fairytale ending

Context that led to the creation of this story here

Thank you @laurasimonsdaughter for the inspiration and support.

Special thanks to my two fairy friends who endured through proofreading and editing with me, blessing us all with precious advice such as cutting off the suspension points that I so much love dropping everywhere in my writing.

Story and art by Jackie Zen (me)

Trigger warning:

people and a dragon getting very hurt at some point

no nsfw

magic and sorcery

author liberties (tried to stick to russian fairytale lore as much as possible but I'm not sure about the bird)

Maria’s fairytale ending

„This was the first completed sculpture that this artist ever made.” he explained, pointing at a crude representation of maybe a bear, maybe a pig? Maria walked around, trying to figure it out. „And the first piece of my own hoard” he said proudly. He went on explaining about the stone itself, the complicated nature of sculpting in it and how young and absolutely confused the artist was when he offered an entire silver coin for it.

She watched him over the little statue’s pedestal. He was just as handsome as the first day she’d seen him, across the fire lake conjured for her and her brother’s safety. Unlike the Bear King, this man could have easily flown over the flames on his own. She was certain now that he knew the fire was an illusion. But he hadn’t... he’d just kept showing up every time she’d walk around the banks, trying to strike up conversation from afar...

In truth, that had been the wiser choice. Aside from his dashing human looks, his true shape, and the one he could fly in, sported a rather intimidating bouquet of heads. Each overflowed with fangs and horns, each able to spit some terrifying element, from fire to what looked like acid... Her heart would have abdicated, no question, if he’d just plopped right there, on her side of the bank, from the very start.

„Am I going in too much detail?” he paused, noticing her glance.

She had indeed lost focus for a second, but that was because he’d mentioned minerals and tools that she’d never heard of before. She already had a mental note to hit his library and look them up later.

A man-sized statue with many hands framed him from behind, sculpted so skillfully that she found herself expecting it to come to life at any moment. The sculptor’s name under it was the same as for the little nondescript animal they had been looking at.

„No, just enjoying the view...” she smiled. „I knew that your kind loved collecting things, but I had no idea how much meaning each of them holds...”

„Let me know when you tire, however...” he grinned, his back just a bit straighter, reaching for her waist. „I hear that your kind is rather short on patience...”

„You’re one to talk...” she scoffed, playfully. „This would have been maybe a day’s wait, at most, if you just waited for my brother to return...” she brazenly moved her hand in his general direction.

If she were anywhere but here, it would have been seen as outrageously improper. Instead, as soon as she started acting and speaking appropriately for her upbringing and gender, he’d started fretting about her health, as if she was hallucinating thanks to some illness. She was getting used to speaking her mind clearly, as of late. Saved her from being fed all the questionably healthy concoctions he kept bringing in, and she was starting to enjoy it too. 

„I still don’t get why I’m supposed to ask anyone other than you...” he snorted, gently brushing the edge of her chin. “It’s not like I’m marrying your bother.” he rolled his eyes ever so slightly…

„Still not married...” she giggled, putting her palm between their lips, as he leaned over to steal a kiss.

He’d been growing rather impatient in the past few days. While he did put up with her human traditions, it wasn’t without grumbling. In truth, she was starting to have second thoughts about keeping up with this too. After all, even with Ivan’s blessing, what priest or church would even agree to marry her to a dragon to begin with? Would money really make a difference? Despite being the Tsar, not ever her uncle would be caught alive publicly blessing a union like theirs…

Her brother was supposed to have arrived by now, she’d even left him a note... a bit rushed, true, but still... What was he doing?

The dragon kissed the line between her fingers and her palm instead, his breath warming the little space between them, making her question all human rites and traditions, and her own sanity along with them, as their eyes inevitably met. Her heart challenged the spirits of thunder, deafening against her ears.

“You really should wear more rings…” he purred.

She found herself questioning whether that thing called ‘virtue’ was really worth keeping… it was becoming harder and harder to remember what that word even meant, lately…

A loud knock restored sovereignty to her head… not without her heart kicking and screaming about it first.

“What is it?” he asked, his voice oscillating between pleasant and annoyed.

“There is a matter requiring your attention, at the gates…” a servants voice broke through the closed doors, just as Maria slipped out of his arms, straightening her dress.

Nobody was allowed in his hoard room without explicit permission which, according to the maids, had never been given. Everyone was supposed to speak clearly too, however, which was a bigger challenge for the newest hires, of which, currently, there was just one.

“Dmitry?” he sighed, heading for the doors.

“My liege!” the soldier bowed as he stepped out.

“Speak!” he commanded. “Use all of your words!”

Dmitry dared a glance towards Maria, who was just about to reach the door as well: if this matter required him to leave the room, visiting was clearly done for today.

“It shouldn’t take long…” the dragon turned as he noticed her approach as well. “You can look around some more if you want, tell me if you have any favorites.” he smiled sweetly, trying her heart again. “Maria, my love, all that is mine, is also yours…” he added before she could argue, her name sounding magical in his voice.

“We’re not married yet…” Maria sighed, irked at how she still had no name to call him by. It was so odd, referring to him as ‘the dragon’, but it was impossible for her human throat and mouth to reproduce the sound that he declared as his name. Despite his excitement at having her choose a name herself, she just couldn’t think of any that did him justice… All the names she could think were simply… not good enough.

He grumbled something about human customs again. As far as he was concerned, the entire event had already happened, when he asked her for a bridge to reach and marry her, and she cast said bridge. He’d even brought up crossing that bridge on his own two human feet, as if the sturdiness of her magic hold somehow matched her resolve. And she had to admit, she’d never cast anything as sturdy in her life before.

For a construction cast entirely out of a towel, it not only held, but it could have easily been mistaken for something built under the Tsar’s architects. If only she could brag to anyone about it too… Other than her nanny, who had taught her the basics and was still at the Tsar’s castle, nobody cared to listen… especially not Ivan.

The dragon had been the first man in her life not needing to be babied about her magical abilities. Even with her own brother, she had to give a nearby ox a voice and make it claim to be doing all the saving and the conjuring. If he would have thought even for a second that it was her casting, he’d have just surrendered to the Bear King right away…

Ivan never saw her as anything but a dainty little sister who needed protection against the entire world. Had he not gone out to hunt every other day, she might have ended up locked in the hut in the middle of the lake for God knew how long… Every time, she’d wait until he left before unlocking her room and going out exploring, up until the dog started wagging its tail, anticipating his return… Heaven forbid, him ever catching her talking to a man, too, even with the acre of lake between them… She was grateful for the care, but it really was too much, sometimes… Maybe, now that she was marrying a dragon, he’d finally get the peace to focus on his own duties as a prince.

“There is a man at the gates.” the soldier spoke again as the dragon motioned him to. “He is rather angry about something, or someone, being stolen from him… He’s also rambling about some dog?”

Maria perked up. This had to be Ivan.

“About time!” the dragon cheered up as well! “Let him in, treat him with most care, make sure his room is cleaned again and have the cook fire up the ovens and crack open the barrels, he knows which! We’re celebrating tonight!”

“He looks rather… hostile…” the soldier said, conflicted.

“Ah, yes… I’ve left room for some misunderstandings, apparently…” the dragon laughed drily.

“Let me talk to him first…” Maria offered. “I’m sure that he’ll calm down once he knows I’m safe and well.”

“Of course, my love. I’m sure you’re eager to catch up with him too. I will apologize for the matter with the key myself, however. It had been rather unnecessary of me to do that, indeed…” he nodded, then paused for a second before turning to the guard again. “Did he bring the dog along?”

He hadn’t…

That made for one less thing to fret over as they headed for the castle yard, to greet their long-awaited guest. They started with almost a skip in their step, but it gradually wore off as the reality of the situation dawned on them… There was plenty to regret, on both ends, about how they’ve left that hut in the middle of the lake… Hopefully, Ivan would be willing to listen…

…

He wasn’t.

As they stepped outside, the atmosphere crashed hard on them. Not only was Ivan refusing all hospitality, but he kept his sword unsheathed, glaring at whomever would dare even shift their weight towards him. His expression only changed once he noticed Maria, but even then, it was short lived, as his eyes fell on the dragon.

He wasted no time before rushing him with his sword.

“I don’t think this is helping…” Maria held onto the dragon on pure instinct as he grabbed her and jumped away from Ivan’s slicing blade. “Let me go to him! He won’t harm me.”

“You go to him once his sword is sheathed and no earlier.” the dragon hissed, moving once again away from Ivan’s reach. “I have never seen a reasonable man behave this way, and I will not risk your life like that.”

The guards moved to block her brother, but he shook them off easily: he was a skilled swordsman, after all. It did give the dragon time to shift, however, and carry her to what he considered safety, which, in typical dragon fashion, was a tower… all the way in the southern garden.

“Throw this at him!” she handed him her handkerchief as he went to face her brother once more. She had no time to explain what it would do. A cry of pain let them know that Ivan had started hurting the people in his way, and the dragon took off in a rush.

She watched him fly away, his seven heads bumping into each other, as if having a disagreement, which they probably did… It was something that she had yet to wrap her only head around: how he could function as one person, in human shape, and seven minds, as a dragon. They all seemed to agree that they liked her, but she wasn’t sure if they also agreed on how to show it. How many of those minds were willing to capture Ivan unharmed? Could he even be captured when he became like this?

Ah, if only she could wield a sword!

‘Swords are men’s toys…’ her nanny used to laugh. ‘They go around, waving them around at the world, as if they bring anything but fear and pain…’

She could feel them both right now… the fear, and the pain… her heart ached as the dragon… her dragon roared and her brother bellowed. She couldn’t see a thing from the tower: the entire castle fenced her view like an overbearing mother hen. Here too…

Every single moment of her life, she’d been nothing but someone to protect, to care for, to keep away from any possible harm. Whether it was her brother, her cousins, her servants, and now, her dragon too…

Not even her nanny would leave her be, even when she’d insisted to learn at least protective spells… All she was willing to teach her was how to animate and change animals and objects, to various stages between illusion and reality.

When she’d summoned that lake, it had been the greatest day of her life, and it was still hard to remember how exactly had she done it, in fact… All she remembered was how tired and absolutely done with being chased around she was, especially as the ox under her spell started wearing thin, under the relentless Bear King’s pursuit.

Her dragon roared again. No, that was not a roar. He sounded hurt…

Of course, the fight was not fair. He was trying to capture Ivan without harming him, while Ivan had no reason to restrain himself, at all. There was no way that this would end up well… She had to go down there now!

The trap door under her feet unlocked easily enough, but it still took some time. It led into another room, closed with yet another trap door… if this was how this entire tower was, it would take too long to leave it. She had to find another way, and fast.

There was straw and rope in the second room… it would do. She grabbed a few handfuls of each and got to working as fast as her fingers could keep up. Blood stained the straw as she worked the ties tight and the rope cut through her skin, but she paid it no mind: if anything, it seemed to help the enchantment entwine faster along.

Another pained growl resonated through the castle yard…

“Come on…” she urged the little straw doll, blowing some of her own life into it. She’d have to slay a couple of rabbits to get it back later, but they had plenty of those around the place…

The enchantment caught and the doll flapped its straw and rope wings, pushing its head placeholder ahead, as if trying to screech. No sound came out, since there was no mouth, and the doll turned its faceless head towards her in a mute complaint.

“I’ll finish you later, with emeralds for eyes and steel for a beak!” she promised. “I’ll even make your wings out of leather and your feet of iron!” she added, as the doll seemed to consider her offer.

It accepted, flapping its wings and rising to the air outside the window. She had to climb the sill to reach it, but she was planning to leave that way all the same…

The distance to the ground seemed thrice as large, now that it was right under her feet. She took a deep breath.

“There’s nobody else who can finish you, so you better make sure I reach the ground unharmed!” she warned, before letting go of the windowsill and grabbing entirely on the doll.

A building crashed in the distance, horses neighing in distress…

She jumped, her fingers digging deep within the straw. She really, really, really should have thought about putting something sturdier in it and even some handles…

She cried in regret and terror as the doll threatened to come apart under her weight, way, way, way too high above the ground.

Flames burst alive under her fingers, setting the doll ablaze, and her hands with it. That was the last thing she needed right now. She prayed to any gods or spirits that might be listening, tears sizzling against the burning flesh, straw and rope, as she started plummeting towards the ground with increasing speed. Her fingers wanted to let go, but her mind forced them gripping for as long as possible, fighting for survival.

There was no telling, with the terror and pain, how long she’d been in the air, by the time her dragon slid backwards into view, avoiding a raging Ivan once more. She realized too late that she was screaming aloud, as her dragon turned all seven heads towards her, mirroring her despair.

He shouldn’t have. The cost for looking away from his opponent was too steep.

Seeing nothing but his target, Ivan closed the distance between them and sliced through the nearest head, cutting it clean off. It didn’t even have time to understand what was going on as it tumbled to the ground, under the horrified eyes of Maria and the six remaining heads. It tried to scream as pain registered at last, but there were no lungs to carry any sound.

“NO!” she yelled, but her voice didn’t carry either, a dull screech filling the air around her instead, fire licking at her face like flapping wings, as she found herself turned in the air and dropped right where she wanted: between her brother and her dragon.

The fire didn’t burn any longer. She barely had any time to register letting go of a flame shaped vaguely like a bird, before her eyes landed on her brother, who watched her, not with recognition, but measuring, as if assessing whether she was an obstacle or not.

“STOP THIS INSTANT, IVAN!” she yelled.

He barely spared her another glance before rushing her dragon once more… of course…

Cold realization dawned on her as she pulled off her one ring, waiting for him to stop in his track just for a moment. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her abilities, or that he was protective of her. He didn’t listen nor see her… ever. Her voice carried, he always nodded when she spoke and seemed to hear her words, looked her way, but he never listened to her. Nobody did, not even her dragon… although at least he saw her.

“HALT!” she commanded, throwing her ring at him. It hit the ground instead of his body, but it was close enough for the enchantment to work anyway, wrapping around his legs and throwing him entirely off balance, a loud, bony sound telling of a chin hitting the ground and teeth crushing against each other.

“YOU TOO!” she barked as the dragon, who was coiling to strike, overcome with pain and anger. “Did you even TRY to use that handkerchief I gave you?” she glared, her arms to her hips. To his credit, all remaining heads froze in their track, looking sheepish. Half of them were still angry, the other half were throwing her bewildered glances. Neither dared say a thing. She didn’t risk looking at the seventh head, lest her anger gave way to sorrow.

She stomped to her brother before he could come out of the falling daze, stepping on his wrist as he was still gripping the sword, ready to swing it once more.

“It’s all about these blasted things with you, every time!” she pressed her weight on her foot until he finally let go and she could remove the cursed sword out of his reach. “Weapons, fighting, hunting… never talking, never listening… Here! All yours!” she threw it to the bird-shaped flame as it hovered nearby, faceless but eager, like a puppy waiting by their master’s table. “Steel for your beak and leather for your feathers.”

The bird caught the sword with its body and soon enough, it’s screech went sharp and painfully vibrant. She’d expected it to store it, but it could build itself up instead… That was unheard of, but she wasn’t going to complain now…

“Give me iron!” the bird spoke. “Give me emeralds! And more leather!”

“I will, as promised!” she nodded, stepping on Ivan’s back and reaching for the remainder of his weapons.

He tried to shake her off, as she used the dagger to cut off his sheathe belt and his quiver.

“Halt! Yee of ears that do not hear!” the bird screeched and Ivan moved to cover his ears instead of fighting her off. No… he touched them, as if trying to see if they were still there.

“Did you take it?” Maria glared at the bird. It was hard to say if it noticed anything other than her tone, with just a beak on its face. “His hearing?”

“What use does he make of it anyway?” the bird cawed coldly.

“Return it!” she commanded.

“As you wish…” the bird scoffed.

“Unhand me, wench! What have you done to my sister?” Ivan sneered from under her knee, as his hearing returned without a sign, not even a glimmer of magic.

“I have always been your sister, you oaf!” Maria pulled at the hair in the back of his head in anger, like she always did, since they were kids. Only now it wasn’t about a biscuit he wouldn’t share, so she pulled a lot harder, until some hair snapped under her grip.

“No… you can’t be!” he sounded outraged, but unsure.

“Here! A bonus! Use them for your nest or something…” she threw her earrings and the entire quiver, brimming with arrows, at the bird, watching its wings spread wider as it consumed everything. “That fence is made of iron. Take its gate…” she pointed. She’d handle the apologies later.

“My sister… she would never…” Ivan almost sounded as wailing.

“Right, your dainty and demure sister…” she hissed, stepping off him after making double sure that he had no more weapons. “Maybe you should have thought of me before trying to kill my boyfriend…”

She dared look at the fallen head at last, her heart breaking loudly in her ears.

“I can help, master!” the bird hopped by her, pushing its head under her arm, like a puppy, looking to comfort her, watching her with many eyes made of more gems than just the emeralds from her earrings. Ivan must have hidden his gem stash in the quiver again. “Give me one more part of you, and I will bring you the Water of Life and the Water of Death before you know it!”

She looked at the bird. It was smart… too smart for a doll made of straw and rope, even if she counted the blood too… Whatever was animating it, it was no longer her life behind it, but something old and knowledgeable… She wondered what the cost for its name would be…

“Would an arm do?” she asked, looking at her hands, deaf to the chorus of protests that the dragon’s heads broke into, at her words. Ugly scars stretched all across, halfway up to the elbows, as if she’d burned not just a few minutes, but many years ago. She didn’t need both of them to cast, and she could always build herself a replacement, with enough time and dedication…

“You already gave me your blood, flesh and tears…” the bird said. “And I have no need for your bones. Steel and iron are better.” it cackled proudly.

The dragon almost lost it when she moved the negotiation to her eyes, tongue, ears…

“You’d give your eyes for that?” Ivan was outraged.

“That is your brother-in-law, so I’d watch my tongue if I were you!” Maria was livid. “What were you even thinking? Coming into someone’s house and…” she swallowed, unable to finish the sentence. “If you were raised in a cave, you’d still have better manners than this!” she took her handkerchief as a concerned dragon head reached over her shoulder, gently.

“Give me your hair.” the bird said, its many eyes measuring her with sharp intelligence. “A strand is enough…”

“We’re fine…” the dragon head on her shoulder said carefully, swallowing often as to avoid blowing ice on her while it spoke. “There’s still six of us…”

“It must be a long journey, and I’d rather you return faster than later.” Maria ignored it, untying her hair. The iron pins, that the maids had so carefully put in it this morning, became food for the bird too, since she wouldn’t be needing any for a while ahead… “Take it…” she held most of it out for the bird to cut it, with its new sharp steel beak.

It didn’t wait for a second invitation, taking off with the hair without another word. Whatever she had brought to life, it knew what it was doing.

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

“Are you both sure that this is enough?” she asked the bird as it returned with two heads on its body: one carrying the Water of Life in its beak, the other, the Water of Death.

“You just wait a little longer, master… It would have worked it I just brought a single drop, even.” the head who brought the Water of Death spoke proudly as the other one just nodded, focusing on not swallowing their delivery.

They had realigned the head to the neck, but it seemed to be taking forever. The other six heads dozed in a semblance of patience on the floor, his tail slapping against the ground like a mildly annoyed cat.

“Where is your belligerent sibling?” the idle head asked, looking around the hallway.

A couple of days had passed since the fight, and the place was going through repairs already. Her dragon was getting rather hissy about not being allowed to turn to human, but if he did, the now reattaching neck would have disappeared entirely, according to the head maid, who seemed more knowledgeable about dragons than even the dragon himself.

“On his way home.” she said, checking the head for the twentieth time. “I’ve had a talk with my uncle and we agreed that Ivan’s not to touch any weapons again until he learns manners.”

“The Tsar agreed?” the bird’s many eyes glinted with interest.

“Of course.” Maria stood tall. “Hard to disagree with a sorceress who can put a curse on your bloodline at any time, since she carries it around within herself… especially after she set fire to your entire garden from three kingdoms away.”

“But nobody can cast fire that far…” the bird leaned its head, looking intrigued.

“You know that, and I know that… my uncle doesn’t…” she winked. “Alright… bring the Water of Life!” she rushed the bird closer, the other heads popping up from the floor like flowers in spring.

“How will you know if the Tsar keeps his word?” the birds second head spoke as soon as the Water of Life spilled over the lifeless head.

“The same way that I set his garden on fire…” she grinned mysteriously, looking at the nearby mirror. Her nanny’s face reflected on its surface for just a moment, a proud smirk blooming in her cheeks as she went on with her daily royal servant chores.

The bird’s many eyes blinked, looking her over with growing amusement, a laughter erupting from its burning body as the two heads rejoined into one.  

“I answered you out of a whim.” it said, wiping at its many eyelids as if it had teared up. “But it looks like I’ll be having the time of my life, in your service, Sorceress Maria.” it leaned into a deep bow. Its iron feet clinked against the stone floor as it took off, cackling as it circled around the hall in merry acrobatics.

“That was quite a nap I took…” the head next to her spoke, blinking drowsily as it moved against her arm for the first time in days.

“You would have napped long and hard if my canary wasn’t here to help…” she kissed his forehead.

“Me next!” said one head.

“Me next!” the others echoed in turn.

“Hmm… Canary…” the bird mused, flying over the heads as Maria took turns, kissing each and every forehead. “I like that! I’ll be that!” it chirped right by her ear, landing as the cutest fire-orange Canary that she had ever seen.

It’s eyes were black and beady, like one of her nanny’s expertly made dolls, but if you didn’t look too closely, you could easily mistake it for a regular bird.

“Well, find yourself somewhere else to perch… This shoulder, along with its owner, has a lot of catching up to do with one, very impatient dragon…” her dashing human-shaped dragon chased it away, pulling Maria to his arms. He’d waited as much as his last dragon forehead getting kissed before turning, no more.

“Isn’t impatience something of my kind?” she teased, moving her arms around his neck. A thin line stretched right across his right collarbone, almost invisible.

“I can admit when I’m proven wrong…” he huffed against her lips, hovering, just about to touch them with his own, but not quite.

She closed the distance, their noses bumping into each other. She chuckled with him, but didn’t pull away, tilting her head just enough to avoid repeating the impact. His lips were just as soft as she’d imagined, and she indulged in exploring their every corner. She wasn’t sure what else to do, but by the amused look in his eyes, it was clear that it this wasn’t quite it.

“I didn’t get your brother’s blessing” he teased, pulling away.

“Ah, it’s not like you’re marrying my brother too…” she rolled her eyes, ever so slightly.

And they lived happily ever after…

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

Thank you for reading all the way through my little story. I hope you enjoyed it!

This is the first story that I ever made public, so I am a little nervous.

If you have any suggestions or know any guides that could help my writing improve, please feel free to let me know.

[uss-edsall]

I genuinely think one of the best videoogame announcement trailers ever belongs to Wolfenstein: The New Order. Rebooting an old franchise for a new decade, it had to make a distinctive splash, and it did so with aplomb. I adore it because of the visuals and music alike. Under the cut below's an infodump looking through the scenes.

The music is composed by Mick Gordon of future DOOM fame, and is a mix that adds an excellent prequel to Jimi Hendrix's All Along The Watchtower. This is especially poignant considering Hendrix is, quite literally, a fairly prominent character in the game.

As for visuals, oh, where to start? Well, at the beginning.

It starts with automation, showing something being built - the Nazi World. The first thing this creation does is erode and collapse the Eiffel Tower, in the reflection of the machine carving out the Wolfenstein symbol, and in the process showing the subjugation of France. "It was a remaking," as Blazkowicz says.

Up next is London Bridge in a pool of water, a cooling pool for superheated metals. Barrage balloons hang above her... and then the jagged metal comes into frame. It cuts to five of them, fashioned into sharp knives - and they're plunged into the pool with an audio cue, the shadows of murdered humanity rises in the steam, alongside faint screams.

London, and Britain soon after, has fallen. "Unethical," indeed, Blazkowicz.

The next shot showcases the bullets being created. The drumbeats match that of a marching military unit, a Nazi parade goosestepping on the wall behind a conveyor belt. Upon it, bullets are being created, the Nazi war machine is ascendant, on the march, towards its next conquest.

Imperfections are carved out of the helmet of the chassis. In the sparks is shown the Statue of Liberty, wreathed in flame - and as the music swells, she loses her head and is visibly damaged.

The armour turns as the factory works on it, showing the Empire State Building defining the New York City cityscape. Bombers are in her skies, flames wreath her buildings, and she burns. "Some... unthinkable." The Nazis have come to American shores - and defeated the Arsenal of Democracy.

The weapons are loaded. Finishing touches on the robot's eyes. The World War is long over - this is a Nazi machine now. The music drops perfectly into the real intro of All Along The Watchtower. "Now they've built a new world..."

The eyes spark to life, an evil red. A flash of lightning pouring rain. "Armies, of steel, and thunder..." It pans out to show an army of robots just like the one we watched being built. "They're rewriting history..."

Captain William Blazkowicz, standing proud and defiant, shotguns in both hands. He can take 'em. He can take all of 'em. Finally, stopping on a key visual and showing the title Wolfenstein: The New Order...

"But they forgot about me."

In my opinion, I think it's not only a fantastic trailer in terms of visual and musical design, it was a great way to announce the return of the franchise. In a minute and thirty seconds, they depict the destruction of the Allied powers, the fall of democratic civilisation. But here comes our dashing hero, our growling classic FPS soldier man, back again - ready and willing to wreak havoc and kill nazis.

[1americanconservative]

Windows on the World was located on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center North Tower.

It was considered one of the best restaurants in New York City and in its final year of operation, was the highest grossing fine dining establishment in the United States. The staff was known for speaking more than 60 different languages and referred to themselves as the U.N. of restaurants.

In 1976, New York magazine ran a cover story called, "The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World," in which restaurant critic Gael Greene wrote the following:

"Every view is brand-new? a miracle. In the Statue of Liberty Lounge, the harbor's heroic blue sweep makes you feel like the ruler of some extraordinary universe. All the bridges of Brooklyn and Queens and Staten Island stretch across the restaurant's promenade. Even New Jersey looks good from here. Down below are all of Manhattan and helicopters and clouds. Everything to hate and fear is invisible. Pollution is but a cloud. A fire raging below Washington Square is a dream, silent, almost unreal, though you can see the arc of water licking flame. Default is a silly nightmare. There is no doggy doo. Garbage is an illusion."

On 9/11, 79 employees of the Windows on the World lost their lives. It is believed that the photo of the "Falling Man" was one of the workers at the restaurant based on his uniform.

[aduckwithears]

The painting of the skeletal hand of the Statue of Liberty holding a flaming coffee.

Little things to love about Good Omens S2 (13/?) - Masterpost

[katiekatdragon27]

Y'all can't cage my cringe! *starts breakdancing and explodes*

Oookayy, this is gonna be interesting to explain lol.

SO! My siblings (@rainbow-wolf120) and I have gotten back into DND recently and we unanimously decided to base our characters on our latest fixations. That means we have a halfling bard/thief Rayman clone, a dwarf fighter Skylanders fusion, and a human cleric AU A. Sphere lol.

However, I decided to take some liberties with him and instead of using his canon movie personality for the character, I used his personality and design for post-"A Heightlander's Escape" (yes, my flatland 4th dimension AU has a name now lol, feel free to refer to it as either idc.)

More lore below lol (note: there is like a whole story synopsis, and it is very long):

First off, backstory.

A. Sphere (or Abel Spherious as he is refed to in this campaign) was a very powerful cleric of dimensionality. He was incredibly gifted with magic at a very young age, so his grandfather proposed he joined the ministry to continue his magic evolution. Although he did not truly believe in there being higher dimensions than his own, he would do the usual rituals and sacrifices to maintain his phenomenal power. He even tried to teach lower dimensional being the 3D dimension to gain more favor of this supposed 4th dimensional god, but little did he know that was his downfall.

Abel's old kingdom had been attempting to deal with the "flatlander" ecosystem that was just on the outskirts of town. Labeled "Flatland," some wanted it preserved, others wanted it wiped out. The ministry would henceforth pray on the issue in hopes of some divine intervention that would give a clear answer to this dilemma. However, Abel was not one to wait on answers from gods he did not believe in.

Taking matters into his own hands, the Head Cleric decided to make contact with these aquatic flat creatures one-on-one attempting to prove that they were more intelligent than the public gave them credit for. Needless to say, it went poorly.

Desperate to spread this ideology and save these creatures, Abel did something you were never supposed to do; pull a 2D creature into a 3D world. He completed his goal of by teaching a small square lawyer of the 3D gospel, but the news spread like wildfire, leading to fear, disgust, and unbridled anger towards both the flatlander and Abel. After going to royal court with his square companion, he was ex-communicated from the ministry and lost his status as Head Cleric. It was there that war was declared by their rival kingdom that wanted Flatland exterminated.

As the war broke out, Abel did everything in his power to ensure that the flatlander (who he had started calling "Anthony") got back to Flatland safely, even at the cost of the cleric's own life. As a massive fire raged through the forest where Flatland was held, Abel fled with Anthony to get the little square stabilized back in his home environment.

Abel's efforts paid off, getting the square back in the lake just in the nick of time, but Abel ended up engulfed in flames, accepting his death as his actions caused this whole mess in the first place.

However, his efforts did not go unnoticed. Just before Abel was completely consumed, a young 4th dimensional goddess, the Tender-hearted Angelica, scooped him up and saved his life.

The two's relationship started very rocky. Angelica knew that Abel was supposed to die in that forest, but she intervened. If she was found out by their superiors, they were sure to get more than an earful. With the possible chance of being executed for saving this unworthy cleric, she takes Abel to a pocket dimension up in space. She gives him an angelic halo that allows for him to breath freely with little consequence.

Abel was very angry and sad for the few weeks his spent in the 4th dimension. Having basically lost everything, he felt that there was nothing left for him and that still living was meant to be a cruel joke just to punish him farther for going against these powerful gods and using their magic without deserving it. However, Angelica keeps insisting that he did deserve to live, but not as a punishment. Instead, he was meant to expose the hypocrisy in the teachings of the ministry and recreate a new one with the proper values (much like what Abel told Anthony when showing him 3D).

As the two spend more time together hiding from other 4D gods in the pocket dimension, they get closer and eventually become very close friends. They learn that they have more in common that initially thought, with their wishes to teach and preserve dimensional beings others may deem as disgusting and deplorable. They also learn that they have a common connection in Spherious (Abel's grandfather and Angelica's first real apostle).

If given the opportunity, Angelica would have gladly kept Abel in this pocket dimension to provide her company, but a mission is a mission. It needed to be completed.

After the war had ended, leaving both kingdoms in ruin, Angelica decided to finally bring Abel back to Earth. They briefly explained Abel's mission to him one more time. As Abel shows his understanding, Angelica provided him with a gift of companionship. Using her divinity, she managed to track down the "Anthony" Abel spoke very fondly of. They granted the square a blessing that allowed him to be out of the water and accompany Abel in his travels.

As a last parting gift, Angelica blessed the halo still around Abel's head with magic properties that allowed him to be a cleric once again. He was no longer part of a church, but with the favor of this goddess, he could still do his magic. It was significantly weaker for a plethora of reasons, but it was better than nothing. Although Angelica did not want Abel to dedicate his life to her, they did want him to send her updates on his mission by burning letters during his rituals for her.

As of now, Abel has joined this rag-tag group of adventurers into the unknown after living in the woods for a couple months. He is still needs to complete his mission, so maybe Chipa Chapa and Brawler Dude (yes my siblings named their dnd characters these shush) can help him out.

Second off, design choices.

Like my last post on "A Heightlander's Escape", Abel still has the eye scar. However, when he was brought down to Earth once again, he was placed down "on the wrong side", so his scar switched sides.

Also, since Abel isn't transparent, the scaring is actually visible and impacts his ability to hold things and walk and stuff. His right hand can no longer use magic, but it is able to use weapons, hence the mace. The glove he wears on that hand helps with gripping and preventing blisters. His left hand is still able to use magic, although it is much weaker than before he went into the heavenly 4th dimension. He is working hard to get back to his stronger original self.

The halo was first used for breathing, but then changed to be a magic amplifier. Without it, Abel cannot use any sort of magic. He has a mace for when his magic fails (which is common now) and a shield for protection.

Abel original "priestly" outfit was basically destroyed in the fire, so Angelica decided to help him make a new one, which explains the major contrast (but still similar design) between the two.

All the other design choices were because I thought it looked cool. I think he deserves it after all the shit I put him through.

Also, Anthony sits in Abel's cloak fluff. Its soft and assists in Anthony's sensitivity to gravitational forces.

Third off, A. Sphere and A. Square;s friedship.

These two as so similar in motivation now. At first, the meeting was transitional. I do something for you so you do something for me kinda deal. However, the two learned that they get along incredibly well, and when Abel comes back from 4D, realizes he is the farthest thing from a god and beings treating Antony more as a partner than a subject.

Anthony still "worships" Abel and all his powerful magic but knows that Abel is not the god his initially thought he was. Although he failed his mission on spreading the 3D gospel (and low-key dying oof), he can definitely be there for Abel's mission. He is there to be supportive, and that is what he will do. Maybe he'll learn some spells of his own too lol.

They are very much friends here. Imagine a witch and her familiar lol.

More on A. Square.

In this world, Flatlanders are very fishlike. They still represent amoebas, but they have little fins on their arm and legs, and they make fish croaking sounds to communicate. Some can even be as loud as frogs, but that is pretty uncommon.

Mini Update: I've thought about it more, and I lied about flatlanders not being as loud as frogs. Women are as loud as frogs regularly and sometimes louder. Thanks cilekixxes 👍

They cannot truly learn a language other than the croaking. They can learn tone of voice and what it means, or they can pick up on certain sounds and do tasks. You cannot have an "intelligent conversation" with them without magic. Through magic, 3D beings can properly communicate with 2D beings, although there could be accent barriers that magic cannot translate.

Also, Anthony has a head injury from trying to share the gospel. While concussed, he gets into the crossfires of war and sort of dies (c'mon, most of you have seen the movie). When the light speaks to him, it is actually Angelica granting her blessing to him.

Although he does miss his family, he would not have made it there anyway without divine intervention. Angelica lets him say his last goodbyes to his family after explaining the situation. After some back and forth, an understanding is reached, and Anthony joins Abel's journey. His family is granted a blessing of protection from the war conflict and a prosperous future.

Geez this was a lot of writing. Thank you so much if you made it to the end, you're a real one. All of A. Sphere's AU lore will be explained in a later post outside of this DnD campaign, but this AU of an AU follows the original premise essentially.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I love this story to an unhealthy degree lol so people showing interest really boosts my morale.

Expect more "A Heightlander's Escape" (both fanon and canon) in the future. Have a lovely day fellas :)

[sjsmith56]

The Flame Burns From Within, Part 2 - Secret Wedding

Summary: An attack on the King forces Lord Barnes into undergoing the wedding with Lady Arden in secret, before any of the banns have been read.

Length: 4.9 K

Characters: Lord Barnes, Lady Arden, Ser Anthony, Lady Stark, HRH Steven Rogers, Ser Samuel Wilson, Garrison Commander Barton, Father Bruce.

Warnings: Minors DNI - contains sexual content not suitable for readers under the age of 18, loss of virginity, death of family members, revelation of true identity, women seen as property of their husbands.

Author’s notes: Weddings could proceed without the banns being read under the approval of the bishop. Acceptable reasons were the bride being pregnant (especially if she was of higher status), or the husband being called into battle. Lord Barnes was well within his rights to take Arden by force to consummate the marriage but I like my Bucky to be soft and sweet. The border below is from vecteezy.com.

<<Part 1

Part 2 - Secret Wedding

Lord Barnes

A banging on my chamber door roused me from my sleep and I pushed the curtain aside on the bed, then stumbled down the steps to find out who would wake me at this hour. I was surprised to see Ser Anthony, followed by the commander of my garrison, Barton. They stepped inside but we were soon joined by Steven and Samuel.

"My Lord," said Barton. "An attack has been made on the King. He is besieged in his country estate. The Queen, the Duke's mother and the Duchess Margaret escaped by the efforts of our inside man and the Queen’s guard, then rode for an hour to the Citadel to alert you. The attackers wore no insignia, but her guard recognized several of Pierce's men amongst a host of sell swords." He looked gravely at Steven. "Your father and older brother are dead, killed in the first attack, your Highness. You are now the heir to the throne."

"We must go," said my friend, his face already betraying his anger at this development.

"Then I must marry, immediately, and consummate the marriage," I replied. I looked up at the ceiling, wishing I had the night sky above me so that I could feel less constrained. "If they were so bold as to attack the King, we are all under threat. Barton, rouse the garrison and send them to the aid of the King."

"Already done, my Lord," he said. "I took the liberty of sending riders to the other aligned Houses, and two others to the Northman, Lord Odinson. He has always had the greatest respect for the King and has openly pledged his support against any usurpers."

"You did well, Barton," I replied, extending my forearm to him in thanks. "Return to the Citadel with the Duke and protect the Queen, the Duke's mother, and the Duchess. Steven, let me keep Samuel here as witness to the marriage and to accompany me back in the morning. Do you wear the chain now?"

"Aye," he said, reaching inside his night shirt and pulling out a chain with a ring on it. He took it off, handing it to Samuel. "I'm sorry not to be here as your witness. Marry Lady Arden. Ser Anthony, we signed the agreement last night but in light of this development do you object to sending for a priest to perform the marriage in secret?"

"No, not at all. He is but a short ride away. We can keep Arden safe here and Lord Barnes can send for her when there are enough men to escort her to the Citadel."

There was no time to be lost, not even enough time to dress as I quickly washed my face. I had hours to marry, claim my rights as husband, then leave for battle. If I had the favour of all the gods, not just the one, Arden would carry my child from this night, securing all our futures. If not, then I never had their favours to begin with.

Lady Arden

A hand on my mouth woke me and I fought against it, but my aunt's voice stayed my struggles.

"Put your robe on and come with me," she whispered. "We have little time to get this done."

"What's happened?" I asked, as I rose from under the covers, only to have her slip one of my arms into the sleeve of my robe. "Where are we going?"

She helped the other sleeve on then placed her hand on my cheek, gently.

"It wasn't supposed to happen this way, but we have found something out and have to act now. You're going to marry Lord Barnes in a few moments, then consummate the marriage in his bed."

"Now?"

I must have still had sleep fogging my brain. Did she say I was getting married now?

"Arden, there is much we haven't told you, in order to keep you safe over the years. Did you ever wonder why your uncle refused all offers for your hand, except for this one man?"

"He always said it was so I would be happy with the one man who would treat me as his equal."

I could hear her smile in the dark. "Anthony would say that, but it is more. You are more important than you'll ever know but we've run out of time to explain it all to you before you marry. Please, trust me. You are as much a daughter to me as the daughters I bore your uncle. Never once, has he complained about not having a son, when it was well within his rights to annul our marriage and find someone younger to give him a male heir. But he loved me and wanted the same for you and more."

She was pulling me along one of the secret passages in the castle, so obviously did not want the servants to be aware of what was happening. Illuminated only by the placement of small windows that let in the moonlight, we arrived at the door into the chapel, and she pressed on a panel that opened it. Inside, dimly lit by several large and well-placed candles were my uncle, Lord Barnes, Ser Samuel, and a priest I recognized as Father Bruce. Nervously, I gathered my robe around me, covering my night chemise, which wasn't of very thick material. If the moonlight coming through the stained-glass windows landed on that fabric it would have revealed more than what was considered acceptable in polite company. It seemed almost sacrilegious being here, dressed in this manner, but everyone, except the priest were also in their nightclothes. So, I wasn't the only one suddenly awakened in the dead of night.

"We're all here, Father," said my uncle. "It must be done now."

"Very well, Ser Anthony. There will be questions asked by the Bishop about the secrecy of the wedding. What shall I say?"

"As much as it pains me to say this, if you are asked, your answer is that the good name of Lady Arden is in peril as she may be with child," said Lord Barnes, looking solemnly at me. "It has been used in the past in similar situations and although it may cast aspersions on her character, I believe she is strong enough to bear the gossips. Once I publicly acknowledge her as Lady Barnes, it will silence the naysayers. You may also state that I was called to battle to defend the King. We will still go through the motions of reading the banns three times and performing an official ceremony, but our connection must be formalized from this moment on."

"Face me then, and let's get this done."

I stood beside my husband-to-be and Father Bruce began the marriage ceremony. When it came time for me to receive the ring symbolizing our union, Ser Samuel removed a chain from around his neck, on which a ring rested. Breaking the chain, he handed the ring to Father Bruce, who regarded it with wonder, then looked at Lord Barnes, who nodded. Blessing the ring, he handed it back to my almost husband, whose words as he placed the ring on my finger would bind us together in holy matrimony.

"You are blood of my blood, and bone of my bone." He was saying the old vows, those spoken before the Church became powerful. "I give you my body, that we two might be one. I give you my spirit, until our life shall be done. We do not possess each other for we are both free, but this ring symbolizes that we will always be together, in our hearts, minds and bodies. Will you accept this promise of eternity with me?"

It was all on me now. Even though my uncle had agreed to the marriage, I still had the option to refuse Lord Barnes by not accepting the ring. Although the ceremony was being performed by a priest of the church, the fact that he stood there without protest as Lord Barnes invoked the old ways, was proof that something much greater than myself was going on. My aunt and uncle looked imploringly at me. The expression on Ser Samuel's face was neutral, although he seemed ready to spring into action at any moment. Then I looked up into the eyes of Lord Barnes. There was no expectation in them, just a level gaze that told me this truly was my decision and he fully accepted what it would be. I was free to assent to his promise and free to turn away. There would be no repercussions if I chose the latter.

"I accept."

The words came out of my mouth without hesitation, and he slid the ring onto my finger, then squeezed my hand before he kept it in his own, as we faced the priest for the final blessing. He pronounced us man and wife, and we kissed to seal the promise.

"We leave when you are ready," said Ser Samuel. "I wish you had more time with your bride, Buck."

"I will have eternity, if we are successful," he replied, then offered his forearm to the man, who took it in return.

My aunt and uncle kissed me on the cheek. My aunt, who had already talked to me of the ways of men and women in the privacy of their bed chambers, smiled encouragingly at me. Then my husband was leading me through the passageway to his chambers. He said nothing as we went through the moonlit passage, until we found the right door and he pressed his hand on the panel that opened it. Leading me inside, he let go of my hand to make sure the panel on the inside was secure then faced me.

"Your aunt has prepared you for this moment?" he asked.

"She has," I answered.

"We must consummate the marriage before dawn. It doesn't leave us much time. It was not how I envisioned our wedding night."

"It is my Lord's right to take that which is his," I said, knowing the law of the land.

He shook his head. "Do you think so little of me that you assume I am like them? I wished to do this properly, with the reading of the banns, bringing you to my home to meet my family, to learn more about you and you about me, to allow the formation of something between us that was more than obligation or duty. Arden, you don't know what you are, do you?"

I could feel my temper flare. I knew exactly what I was. "I am a maiden bride, suddenly married in the middle of the night to a man I only met less than two days ago, a man my uncle has insisted is the only one whose offers for me he would entertain. When my parents died, I became the responsibility and property of my uncle, who raised me to believe I was equal in a land that doesn't see me that way. Now I am your property, and you may do with me what you will. Regardless of your words, that is the truth."

"Your parents were murdered, and Ser Anthony is your godfather, not your uncle," he said bluntly. "The wasting disease was the explanation given to scare off any potential interest in you by those who didn't have your best interests at heart. It also protected you from the people who killed your family. We may have only just met, but we were betrothed shortly after your birth, when I was barely out of childhood myself. Our marriage was foretold by those who see beyond what is visible to most. That ring, is your mother's wedding ring." I looked at it, not comprehending exactly what he was saying. "It was taken from her forcefully by the removal of her finger, before she was killed, and it was given to the man who ordered your parents' death. It took us a long time to recover it. Even now, he is unaware that we have it, and that it now graces the ring finger of the Flame of the Forest, like it did her mother, Lady Forrest of the House Forrest."

Gently, he took me by the hand and led me to a beam of moonlight, bright in its intensity, then placed my hand in the middle of the beam where I saw my mother's ring for the first time since I was a child. It was hers; I knew it without a doubt for the intricate design that was engraved on it was something that had fascinated me then. The moonlight made the design stand out and shine.

"It marks you as a descendant of the long dead kings and queens who once ruled these lands just as the one God became known and followed. Your power is ancient and deeply rooted. A battle is coming. It's already begun, due to an attack on the King which has killed his first two heirs, leaving the Duke as the next in line. That is why we have done this and is why once I have fulfilled my duty as husband, I must leave you right after. By marrying you now I have aligned myself, and by extension the royal house, with your lineage. If our joining tonight results in the creation of a child, then more than my line is secure. It's possible this is the only time we have together as I may die in the coming days."

Those blue eyes gazed at me in the dark, but the blue was barely visible. Instead, they showed only the dark pools of his pupils. It was a look unfamiliar to me, but it still made me feel warm inside, as I felt the stirrings of desire within me. He still had not touched me here in our bedchamber other than by my hand, not even a chaste kiss. His intent was clear. Nothing between us would happen without my consent and my initiative. I was truly sovereign, free to take this man as my husband, or not, even now after the ceremony had been performed. Swallowing my nervousness, I removed my robe and stood in the moonlight, allowing the light from that silvery orb to illuminate my body through the thin fabric of my night chemise. Then I lifted it off over my head and stood before him, unclothed.

"Thou art beautiful," he whispered. "I will forever worship thee as the goddess thou art."

He removed his robe and nightshirt, revealing himself and the embers of desire within me grew into a flame, as I regarded his body. It was obvious he was strong, as his shoulders and chest were muscular and broad. A thick scar on his left arm was the only real blemish on his skin, although there were several other minor scars on his body. The ripples of muscle along his midsection were tantalizing me as they tapered down to where his manhood was ready to break my maidenhead. Every part of him seemed ready for battle and for a moment I feared that he would take me as his prize, in the way that plundering armies often do to the women in the lands they have conquered. Instead, he reached out to take my hand and kissed the palm, then the wrist above it, slowly drawing me closer to the warmth that radiated from his person. Even as his other hand circled my waist, caressing the skin of my back, he gazed at me, then kissed me with soft lips, that were almost pillowy as they rubbed against mine. As my lips parted to allow more of him to explore, both of his arms enclosed me within them, while he pressed his hips against mine. One of his firm thighs slid between my legs and I felt it against my sex, feeling a wetness that almost poured out of me. It certainly seeped out onto his leg, but he used it to his advantage, sliding it against that part of my womanhood that had suddenly awakened.

Breaking the kiss, he grasped my breasts, then mouthed them with his lips and tongue, drawing sounds out of me that I didn't know I was capable of making. Slowly, he kneeled, kissing more of my body down the way until he got to the apex of my thighs and pressed his face into the most private part of my body. Briefly, he paused, to look up at me, as a supplicant would look up in worship.

"Do you wish me to stop?"

I shook my head, then gasped out a "no," and he resumed his exploration of me, bringing small cries out of my throat as I fought against a rising tide of something I had never experienced. He paused again and this time he invoked his right as husband.

"Don't fight it. Accept it."

Obeying his command, I gave myself over to that which was coiling within me. After a few moments of the resumption of his efforts, it snapped, and a rush of white heat went through me, making my legs shake as my body felt weak all over. He supported me, grasping my bottom then he rose to face me and kissed me deeply again, only now there was a taste on him that was almost obscene as I knew it was from the wetness that came out of me. Yet, it seemed right, almost sacred.

"Come to the bed," he murmured, tugging gently on my hand again.

My legs, still weak, almost stumbled and he picked me up with no effort, carrying me up the wooden steps to his bed, the curtain still open and the covers of which were still tossed aside from when he had been hastily awakened. Laying me in it, he joined me, intertwining our legs, as he caressed other parts of me. His skin was warm and surprisingly soft for a man who was also a soldier. The various scars on his body, remnants of earlier battles, were explored by my fingertips, almost as if my hands wanted to remember what they were touching.

"What happened to me?" I asked. "I've never felt like that before. It was not something my aunt prepared me for."

"No, it's not something easily described," Lord Barnes answered, still touching me. "It's something that many have been taught is sinful. The church reduced the act of the giving of pleasure to another as not in keeping with God's command to be fruitful and multiply. As if one has anything to do with the other. What you felt was the coming, and I was honoured at being the first to gift it to you." He took my hand in his and kissed the fingertips, then placed them on his chest. "I also enjoy your touch upon me, anywhere you wish to touch, with your hands or your mouth."

Even though my aunt had told me that, it was something I was still unsure of. Hesitantly, I traced around the pebbled nipple on his chest with my fingertip, hearing his breathing change at my touch. Then I leaned forward and did the same with my tongue, feeling and hearing the groan that came from his throat at that moment. Somehow, I knew that he wished for me to touch elsewhere, and I slid my hand down his side to his hips and over the rounded muscle of his backside. Once more he pressed his hips into mine and I felt the hardness of his manhood against the wetness that was still evident. His lips were on my breasts again, bringing that feeling of desire back. Except now, it was also a feeling of emptiness inside me, of wanting to be filled up by his presence. My hand moved from where it rested on the back of his thigh to just inside his hip, almost touching the part of him that was ready to join with me.

"Just be gentle at the start," he murmured, already knowing my intent. "It is sensitive to touch, but I long to feel your hand on it."

"My Lord," I whispered.

"No, not here, not when we're alone like this." He raised himself over me, grasping my chin in his hand so that our faces were close to together. "In public we will follow the expectations of others but in here, we are ourselves, just a man and a woman. Say my name."

"James," I stammered. "James, what do I do with ... it?"

He smiled, then kissed me, a deep kiss that stirred the fire in me to burn brighter again.

"Caress it, trace its parts with your fingertips or tongue, taste it, whatever you feel right about doing will be more than enough. I promised my body to you. No other woman will ever touch it as you do now. There shall be no mistresses, no one who will ever take your place in our bed."

I did as he suggested and gently took him in my hand, surprised at its hardness yet how velvety soft the skin of it felt. The look on his face showed how enjoyable it was for him. The touch and taste of all of James, brought that feeling back into my body and I found myself writhing against him, desperate to experience the release I felt earlier. Grasping himself, he spread my legs at the knees, then lined his manhood up to slide it into me.

"This will hurt at first," he whispered while he kissed my face. "I will go slow for you, but the first time is usually hard for the woman to bear. Forgive me, beloved."

It did hurt even though his first thrust was gentle and slow, but as he continued his efforts it also released something from deep within me, a sensation that I hadn't known existed until this man, my husband, enlightened me. It was overwhelming and I moaned loudly with the pleasure I felt. Those moans became cries of ecstasy as I felt the coming again, and my whole body seized in a long moment of bliss. James also did the same and I felt heat erupt inside me as his seed filled me. Slowly, he ceased his thrusting then withdrew from within me. Although there was discomfort, the lack of his presence was sorely felt and I clung to him, wanting more. Gently, he kissed my lips, then my neck, before laying beside me and draping his arm and leg over me. I wanted only to remain in his arms for as long as possible, to feel his warm skin on mine, his breath in my hair, and his touch upon me.

"Are you pleased, my love?" he asked softly, as he continued to caress me. "It was not too painful an experience?"

"Is that how it is for all marriages?"

I was still barely able to breathe normally. His smile was felt on my cheek.

"No, only those who have something more between them," he murmured. "Most marriages are made for reasons that have nothing to do with love, and this act of consummation is performed without tenderness or care. Even our betrothal was made for strategic purposes but when I first saw you, I felt a stirring in my heart that I had never felt before. If your parents had lived, we would have met when you were of marriageable age and would have been allowed to become close before the banns were officially read. When it became necessary to hide your identity, I kept away to protect you."

"I know the houses of Pierce, Walker, Rumlow, and Dreykov all offered my uncle ...."

I stopped speaking as he wasn't my uncle, not truly. James must have sensed my disquiet as he caressed me and kissed my head again.

"Even though he was but your godfather he willingly accepted you into his family and raised you according to your father's wishes. I think you can continue to think of him of as your uncle for he certainly did all he could to keep you safe, especially from those Houses. Since it might be a while until I can send for you, it is necessary for you to continue referring to him in that way."

"Can I not return to the Citadel with you?" I didn't want to be separated from James, not now that I knew he was sincere in his love for me. "Surely, I would be safe there."

"You would be, but I can't guarantee that you would make it there, with only Sam and me to protect you. Those houses you named ... are the houses who are behind the attack on the King. I came to claim you as my bride because a spy we have in Pierce's estate, told us that he knows your true identity. Now that we have consummated our marriage, he cannot legally force you into a marriage with one of his sons or nephews." He shifted and turned my head towards him. "You cannot ride in the forest alone anymore. I detest having to ask you not to go there but I fear if you do, he will kidnap you and hold you for ransom."

"It sounds like you believe he will try regardless." He looked down then nodded at the truth of my words. Pulling away from James, I laid with my back to him. "So, I am to be held here until you decide when to let me come to you."

"It's only because of the attack on the King, Arden." He placed his hand on my back. "It has changed everything. I'm sorry."

I didn't answer, as I was still caught between betrayal, anger, and a profound sense of dismay. As soon as he left, I would be a married woman, without the presence of my husband, but possibly a target of an ambitious man who sought the throne for himself. My life, which had been certain just two days ago, was now unpredictable because of machinations that I knew nothing about until this past hour.

I felt the bedding shift as James pulled it aside and rose, pulling the curtain back on that side. A candle was lit, and I could hear him get dressed, then pack his saddlebags. He didn't rush, possibly hoping that I would acknowledge him in some way, but I was still angry that what should have been a momentous event in my life had been reduced to something undertaken clandestinely, as if it were to be ashamed of. Suddenly, he was there at the side of the bed I was in, pushing the curtain even further aside so that he could see me better. I rolled to the other side. A sigh escaped his lips as he stood, waiting for my acceptance.

"I hoped that you would grant me a farewell that would sustain me in the days to come," he said. "If I should fall in that time, you will be the Lady of House Barnes. It will all be yours. I meant what I said about respecting your rights and granting you your sovereignty. You had every right to stop the marriage during the ceremony and to refuse to complete the marital expectation of intercourse. I would have respected your choice. Not many men would. You are angry that I wish to protect you until a time when you are out of danger. So be it. I will take my leave, knowing that at the moment I needed your favour you gave me none. It will not dampen my love for you, dearest Arden."

With no response from me, he turned away and I heard the door open, then close. There was no sound after that until I buried my face in the pillow and cried at my own pride that kept me from giving my husband the respect he deserved. With a sudden regret I jumped out of the bed and hurriedly pulled my robe on, keeping it closed with my hand as I pulled the door open and ran barefoot down the stone stairs into the Great Hall. I continued out of the door into the courtyard in time to see James mount Soldier.

"Wait!"

He turned to see me and dismounted as I threw myself at him, not caring that my robe had opened or that my hair was askew. Pulling his riding glove off he touched my cheek gently, wiping away the tears that fell freely. He had such a look of gentleness on his face as he kissed me sweetly.

"Come back to me, James."

"As soon as I can."

He kissed me again, deeper this time, and mounted his horse, as I covered myself again. With a nod to my aunt and uncle, he and Ser Samuel rode out of the keep into the night. After the sound of the horses had faded the only sound were the sobs coming out of me as I buried my face in my hands. Then my aunt and uncle put their arms around me and led me back into the castle to my chambers. Covering me in a clean chemise, my aunt tucked me in, then sat with me and ran her fingers through my hair until I slept.

Part 3>>

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[fadingreveries]

The Royal Romance, Bk1 Ch1: Once Upon a Time (Pt. 6)

Click here for the TRR retelling series masterlist for more chapters! 🏰

Story Summary: In this novel-style retelling of TRR, beloved scenes with original commentary from the Choices stories including your favourite group of royals and friends will be expanded upon. Contains extended commentary and scenes from the original story, in-depth descriptions of bonus scenes, and premium choices and outfits.

Chapter Synopsis: Love awaits in the royal court of Cordonia as Riley competes for the Crown Prince! Will she accept his proposal, or will someone else win her heart?

Word Count: 2.3k

Disclaimer: All rights to original commentary, scenes, and characters from The Royal Romance series reserved to Choices and Pixelberry Studios. No copyright infringement intended.

~ ~ ~

The two of them walked to the bonfire, settling into comfortable silence. The guys played by the water nearby while Riley and Liam sat together by the fire on a thick, sturdy log. Riley warmed her hands, while the two of them appreciated the crackling flames which glowed bright orange and yellow. She looked at Liam, his calm face showing how perfectly content he was in the present moment. 

“Tonight’s been quite the adventure,” Liam quietly admitted, chuckling. “I never thought my night out on the town would end up like this. You’re really something else, aren’t you?”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment,” Riley responded, blushing as she looked down at the ground. 

“Believe me, it is. Spending time with you tonight has been the most fun I’ve had this entire vacation,” Liam confessed, his hand tilting Riley’s chin upwards so their eyes met.

However, this piece of news made Riley slightly frown for Liam. “That’s sweet… But I guess that means you haven’t really been enjoying yourself very much.”

“It’s been wonderful, but there’s something missing. I really wanted to do one thing in particular while I was here…” Liam began, unsure. It was his turn to flit his eyes away. 

With a gentle touch of her hand on his arm, Riley softly inquired, “And what’s that?”

“It’s… well… you’re probably going to think it’s silly, but I’ve always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty… It wasn’t really in the guys’ plan, so we just never got around to it. And now it’s my last day here…” Liam revealed, a sullen expression taking over his face. Then almost like an instinct, he composed himself. “I don’t mean to sound so ungrateful. It was thoughtful of my friends to throw me this bachelor party. They’ve done their best, but I’m not in the mood to celebrate.”

“Wait a second, it’s your bachelor party?” Riley’s eyes looked as if they would pop out of their sockets in shock. Her heart sank in disappointment. Her attraction to Liam was one-sided after all. “Congratulations.”

“If you knew the whole story, you might not congratulate me so quickly,” Liam commented, shaking his head. 

This confused Riley, making her scrunch her eyebrows together. Wasn’t an engagement something grand and worth celebrating? “Oh?”

“I actually don’t know who I’m going to marry yet… only that I’ll have to pick my fiancee by the end of the year,” Liam explained, wincing as he remembered the importance of the start of the social season. 

Pressing for more details, Riley asked with intrigue, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

The more cautious part of him insisted that in reality, he was in a defenseless situation with no bodyguards to supervise him. He was supposed to hide his true identity from anyone who asked here.

But the part of him that longed to share his genuine self with someone as understanding as Riley won over. He couldn’t lie to her, not after all they had experienced together in a short amount of time. 

“The truth is, Riley…” Liam started, taking a deep breath before revealing, “I’m the Crown Prince of Cordonia.”

“You’re a prince?” Riley echoed his words, as she paused. It was a surprising tidbit of news, but it didn’t alter how she viewed Liam as an honest, sincere man. “This doesn’t change anything. I don’t care what your title is. You’re still the same guy I met earlier this evening… Caring, thoughtful… I’ve seen a lot of customers come and go, but I’ve never seen any guys at his own bachelor party be concerned about whether the waitress was having a good night.”

Relief flushed through Liam, as a genuinely happy grin made its way on his face. “You don’t know how rare it is to hear someone say that. You’re the first one, in fact… It seems the more I talk to you, the more I like you, Riley. It’s strange… I’ve known my whole life that I have to take up the duties of the monarchy. I’ve always wondered how that’s shaped me, who I might’ve been without the crown. You could be anything, do anything. What drives you, Riley?”

A thought-provoking question like this deserved a deep, authentic answer. Riley closed her eyes, dreaming about what it was that her heart desired. Then she opened her eyes, confessing, “What I really want is… to fall in love. Love is what gives life meaning… the connections we make… the hearts that we touch…”

Touched to hear a very honest, genuine answer, Liam smiled kindly at Riley and softly uttered, “That’s beautiful, Riley.”

Looking out at the surf, the two of them saw Maxwell, Drake, and Tariq splashing in the water. Tariq only stayed as close to the shore as possible, only a few feet away from the water. Drake and Maxwell, however, had waded into the water until it was up to their waists and decided to splash Tariq from where they stood to try to get him to join them. 

“Got ya, Tariq!” Maxwell gleefully chortled, splashing more water in Tariq’s direction. 

Tariq yelped, backing up more on the shore. “I told you, these shoes are leather!”

“Aw, lighten up, Tariq. You’ve got, what, a hundred pairs?” Drake sarcastically joked, a teasing smile on his face matching Maxwell’s.

Back at the bonfire, Riley commented, “Looks like your friends are having fun.”

“Good. I’m happy for them. They deserve to have fun,” Liam genuinely admitted, admiring how carefree they appeared. “Tomorrow, it’s back to Cordonia for the start of the social season.”

With the corners of her lips tugging up into a smile, Riley remarked, “But it’s not tomorrow yet…”

Her cheeky smile was contagious and soon, Liam found himself with an identical one. “What are you suggesting?”

“You said you wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. Let’s do it! I know a place where we can catch a boat tour. Best view in town,” Riley excitedly suggested. If Liam only had this one night of freedom, she wanted to make it a special, unforgettable one for him. 

Liam’s mouth hung open, as if he couldn’t believe the words that came out of her mouth. “Right now? But it’s way past midnight. Won’t all the tours be closed?”

“Oh… right. I forgot how late it’s gotten,” Riley responded, slightly frowning. But when she saw a glint of disappointment in Liam’s eyes, she knew she had to at least try. “In that case… you’re lucky I can call in a favour.”

“A favour? And just like that, you can get us on a tour boat after midnight to see the Statue of Liberty?” Liam laughed in disbelief, trying to make sense of how serious Riley was. He found this girl never seemed to run out of surprises and he slowly found himself gravitating to her sense of adventure. 

Riley shrugged her shoulders, but giggled. “Well, maybe a few favours, actually, but I have some friends who owe me. It won’t be easy, but I know this is important to you, so… let’s go!”

“Right now?” Liam inquired, his eyes still wide with surprise. 

Riley nodded in the direction of his friends, explaining, “It’s only getting later every minute we wait. Besides, it looks like the guys are busy enough. I bet they won’t even notice you’re gone.”

It was a big risk, Liam realized. He was about to go on a midnight excursion with a girl he had never met before to see the Statue of Liberty in a city he had only visited once or twice in his lifetime. He was continents away from home, from the supervision of his father, and from the eyes of the public. Despite his overthinking, Liam already knew the direction his heart wanted to take him. 

“You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you?” Liam asked, although he was positively sure that he knew the answer to that question. 

She could see the anticipation gleaming in Liam’s eyes. Riley shook her head, her smile turning into a grin. “Nope.”

“Then I happily surrender to your demands,” Liam answered, as they shared a laugh together with the glow of the embers reflecting the warmth depicted on their faces. 

__________

Somewhere along the way, the two had skipped the small-talk phase without even knowing. They discovered how easily their words and stories came out in the presence of someone who seemed equally as fascinated with their life just as the other was. 

“So you gained almost twenty pounds because you ate too much baklava in protest for it to be the only dish served at dinner?” Riley repeated, trying to suppress a laugh. 

“Leo tends to exaggerate that part whenever he tells that story. Everyone at the palace found it amusing, waiting for me to give in and have something more substantial. To be fair, I was only eight-years-old so my protest didn’t last as long as the effect I intended it to have. In the end, I ended my objection when I realized how much trouble I must have caused for the kitchen staff to find enough baklava just for me. Besides, I found it was closer to ten pounds, which I immediately shed off after two weeks,” Liam explained, shaking his head with a bashful smile. “Either way, it’s a story he never lets me live down. Now, I believe you owe me an embarrassing story in return.”

Riley paused for a moment, trying to think of a story that would rival Liam’s. Then she looked away in embarrassment and nervously giggled. “When I was six-years-old, I believed I was destined to be royalty. I told people I was the long-lost princess of a distant kingdom. I only showed up wearing princess gowns anywhere I went whether it was at school or grocery shopping. For the longest time, I was convinced that I was going to kiss a frog who would turn into a prince, and we would live happily ever after. My parents would bring it up every year on my birthday in front of everyone, asking where my prince was. I would always answer that he was out there somewhere, waiting for me to find him.”

“That doesn’t sound so terrible. It’s rather endearing, actually,” Liam commented, as a pink flush deepened her cheeks. “It’s fascinating that you still seem as starry-eyed as a child compared to how you are now as an adult.”

“And I think it’s sweet that you prioritize others’ feelings out of the goodness in your heart back then as you still do, like tonight,” Riley added, making Liam bite back a tender smile. 

A short while later, Riley and Liam were at the docks overlooking the city skyline. As the two of them rested their hands on the metal rails, Riley let out a content sigh. “And here we wait?”

“For?” Liam said, waiting to see what other surprises Riley had in store. 

“A magical boat I’ve summoned just for you,” Riley joked, cheekily putting her hands behind her back. 

Letting out a little chuckle, Liam commented, “Not a bad view.”

They could hear crickets chirping in the background and fireflies dancing in the cool breeze of the wind. The stars in the sky shined even brighter than the numerous lights on all the skyscrapers. They could see the silhouettes and shapes of all the buildings waving in time with the peaceful calm waters. 

“Now, I’m dying to know why you’re so eager to see the Statue of Liberty,” Riley started, turning to glance at Liam. 

“Can’t you guess?” Liam pushed her to continue, an inviting smile on his face. He had known Riley for less than twenty-four hours, yet he felt like she could figure out the answer already. How strangely comforting was it to know that he had met a girl who seemed to know him in the same way that he felt like he knew her from another lifetime? 

“You want to see the Statue of Liberty because… she symbolizes freedom,” Riley answered, before flitting her eyes at Liam for a sign of possible confirmation. 

“Freedom is something that I’ve always wanted,” Liam confessed with a knowing smile. Then he wistfully looked out at the deep waters in front of them. “But I’ve always known that my role would require me to give up much of what I desire.”

“You’re the prince. Can’t you do what you want, at least some of the time?” Riley pointed out. For a boy who was so selfless and caring about others, she found it a little miserable that it didn’t seem like people valued Liam’s own feelings and desires. 

“As a member of the royal family, my actions reflect on my house and all of Cordonia,” Liam explained, almost word-for-word how his parents explained it to him all those years ago. Then he frowned, looking down at the ground. “It’s something I’ve never been allowed to forget. No matter how badly I might want to.”

Liam stared at Riley for one long moment, and she turned up to stare into his eyes. With one gentle hand, Liam reached out to caress her soft cheek. In response, Riley had lightly placed her hand on Liam’s arm. They were inches apart from each other as they glanced up at the other’s eyes and down at their lips.

Just then, the two of them heard the blast of a horn. Looking out across the water, they spotted a tour boat pulling up. 

“There’s our ride!” Riley exclaimed, taking Liam by the hand as they ran together for their special boat ride.

~ ~ ~

Click here for the TRR retelling series masterlist for more chapters! 🏰

Tag list: @kingliam2019 @princess-geek @karahalloway @twinkleallnight @tinkie1973 @tessa-liam

[paganimagevault]

Statue of The Republic by Daniel Chester French 1893. Going to make this my '4th of July post', happy 4th all! Sources and more images on my blog, link at bottom.

The Republic statue was created for the Chicago World Fair of 1893 and was known by a variety of names: The Golden Lady, The Republic, Goddess of the Republic, and Statue of Liberty. The fair lasted from May 1st-October 30th. About 50 different countries participated in the fair and 18 erected their own buildings at the site. The site was known as the "White City" for its predominant white Greco-Roman style buildings. It also featured the first ferris wheel, created by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. for the event.

After the fair closed the small city was destroyed in 3 fires, but the Goddess statue survived all of them:

"On January 8, 1894, the first great post-Fair fire consumed much of the east end of the Court of Honor. French’s Statue of the Republic stood “in the midst of it all like a gigantic silhouette, with uplifted arms as if appealing for help,” wrote the Chicago Tribune (Jan. 9, 1894). She held her liberty cap defiantly among clouds of black smoke as fierce flames danced around her for more than an hour. While the heat from this “Peristyle Fire” was intense enough to melt the ice on the Grand Basin, it barely tarnished the golden statue. By morning, the conflagration had completely destroyed the Peristyle, Casino, and Music Hall and damaged parts of the Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building. Had the firemen not saved it from the flames, the Republic likely would have burned down that night, too. The next morning, the majestic golden goddess of the Fair looked as brilliant as ever, “except for a blistered right arm and a black spot over her heart,” noted the Chicago Herald." (from worldsfairchicago1893 website)

"When arsonists set a fire on February 14, 1894, the Republic watched the blaze destroy much of the South Colonnade between Agricultural Hall and Machinery Hall. She faced yet another and much bigger scene of horrific destruction on July 5, 1894, as the western end of the Court of Honor burned in another arsonous fire. Seven buildings—Terminal Station, the Administration Building, Mines and Mining Building, Electrical Building, Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building, Agricultural Building, and Machinery Hall—succumbed to the inferno. The next morning, a single serene statue towered above a field of blackened ruins of twisted iron framework." (from worldsfairchicago1893)

"...the Chicago Inter Ocean also recognized that, with the surrounding buildings of the White City gone, the Republic now stood to better advantage: “Particularly was this so when last winter the golden figure towered above an unbroken field of snow. On the night of the last fire the flames seemed to separate and pass by on either side, and when the sun rose the next morning there seemed nothing left untouched but the golden woman of the lagoon.” (from worldsfairchicago1893)

“With only the sky for a background,” observed the Washington (DC) Evening Star, the statue “shows it proportions and lines to better effect now than before.” (from worldsfairchicago1893)

Redesign plans for the area to be turned into a park by Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot initially included the statue at its current location but later omitted it from the plans. Minimal efforts were made to repair the parts of the statue that had been damaged and the city decided, in secret, to destroy it:

"While the South Park board had spent around $250,000 making improvements to Jackson Park, focused mostly on the northern end near the museum, they had devoted a mere $400 for repairing staff and repainting the Republic. This despite a claim by J. F. Foster, General Superintendent and Engineer for the South Park Commission, that “every effort had been made to preserve the statue.” On Thursday, August 27, Captain Kelly of the South Park Police placed the orders to burn the Republic the next morning, and Capt. Shippy of the Woodlawn police notified the fire companies in the district that a blaze would be set in Jackson Park at dawn. When taking this decisive action at their meeting on August 12, the South Park board chose to keep the execution a secret. They delegated the task of destroying the statue to mechanical engineer and Assistant Park Superintendent A. H. Wilder, who chose fire as his tool. The Commission deemed burning the statue at night too hazardous because it would attract too many people, and a proposal for a public ceremony and celebration also was dismissed. They thought it best to raze the Republic—in secret—at daybreak. Her executioners slipped away quietly as crowds arrived on the scene, curious about the smoke rising over the park." (from worldsfairchicago1893)

[maddieautobot273]

Silk & Cologne (54)

A Miguel O'Hara X OC Fanfic - link to AO3 (X)

Chapter 54: Dawn - previous chapter (X)

Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x Female! Spidersona OC

Words: 5.8K words

Warnings: PG for injury and implied weapon of mass destruction

Summary: Lisa and her friends shut down the poral threatening to collapse Earth-1218.

//////

We all stared up at the portal in the sky, watching as it slowly sparked and crackled. It was becoming unstable. If it collapsed, would it simply be over and done with? It would go out in style and take my universe with it?

“What do we do now?” Noir asked, raising his voice as a large and loud gust of wind rush passed us. 

“We need to figure out a way to contain it!” Miguel yelled back, using his body to brace and shield mine from the wind, or try to at least. 

Panic rattled in my mind about the multitude of things that could go wrong. Even if we do contain it, what about the authorities? People would talk, ask questions. What about the national guard? The military? 

Come to think of it, where are they? 

A wave of guilt washed over me, “I probably shouldn’t have been too quick to kick Chameleon to the curb.”

“If you hadn’t, he would have taken me to God knows where,” Kasey shook her head as she glanced my way, her arms raised to shield her face from the wind. “You saved me, Lisa.”

“Don’t ever apologize for something like that,” Miguel reassured me. “In fact, I may have an idea on how to stop this. Well, two actually!”

“Let's hear it then before we’re blown away like leaves!” Gwen screamed, trying to keep herself and Touga from falling over. 

“Lyla,” Miguel brought his gizmo up to his face, trying to scroll through the touch screen. “Remember Project: Reset? Back in the old Alchemax days?”

“Oh, do I!” Lyla grins as her holoform appears, rubbing her hands together like an eager grasshopper before cycling through the database on her personal screen. 

“What’s Project: Reset?” I asked him.

I watched as a small portal opened beside Miguel and he reached inside it. He pulled his hand out, holding a strange looking sleek white baton. “Back during my early days in Alchemax when I first started, my old boss would have me occasionally work with the company’s R&D department. They were experimenting with a weapon that– with enough charge– could wipe and realtor people’s memory on a massive scale.”

“Sounds like a weapon of mass destruction to me!” Toya commented. 

“It was, which was why I convinced my then boss at the time to shut it down before more could be made,” Miguel responded. 

“Okaaay, but how does that help us with that?” I asked again, pointing at the portal as the integrity seemed to be getting worse. 

“With the portal? Nothing.” Miguel yelled over the wind as he began to tweak and make altercations with the device. “Lyla, Margo, and Gabriel can work their magic from HQ and contain the blast, sending it directly back to Harry’s dimension and doing a number on his lab. At the same time, I can trigger this device to alter the town’s people’s memories so they won’t remember anything from the invasion.”

“That’s brilliant!” Hannah beamed, gripping onto Touga to keep still. “A little terrifying, but brilliant!”

“But what about everyone else all over the world that was watching the festival online or on TV?” Kasey asked. “They’ll know something is off if the people of New York suddenly act like this all never happened.”

“Remember the part I mentioned about charging the device?” Miguel recalled. His eyes scanned the area, looking up to the top of the Statue of Liberty, specifically the tip of the flame torch in Lady Liberty’s hand. “If I can get high enough, I can pick up the broadcast signal and transmit the wipe to everyone that was watching the show!”

“Perfect, let’s do that!” I exclaimed, eyes widening in relief. 

“But there’s a catch,” Miguel quickly added, hooking his arm around my shoulders to stop me from blowing away. “I need to replace the memory of the invasion with something else-!”

“Like a fake memory or an actual event?” Noir asked. 

“Definitely the ladder!” Miguel answered back in earnest. 

“Like. . . like a canon event?” My mind was racing as I tried to figure out what new memory we could create to replace the one of the invasion. 

I could sense the gears in his head turning as Miguel looked over at me. “Kind of, yeah!”

“We’re always saving the canon from breaking, so this will be a wonderful change of pace!” Gwen grimaced and pushed against the wind. 

“So what kind of canon event?” Toya asked, his voice yelling over the wind. “It has to be something big right?”

Think, Lisa, think! 

All of those people, in the audience and watching on TV, their phones, laptops, why were they all tuning in in the first place?

Then it hits me. How could I have been so blind?

“What about our show?” I suggested, looking out towards the team. 

“The show?” Kasey repeated with more emphasis. 

“Yes, the show. Our dance, you guys!” I exclaimed, my gaze washing over Kasey, Hannah, Toya, and Touga specifically. 

My Webslingers. 

“Everyone came to see our show, so let’s give them a show!” I fought against the wind with an encouraging smile as I took my mask off so they could see my face. 

My friends looked at each other, silently debating what to do. 

“But wait, you said it alters people’s memories,” Kasey spoke up, a look of worry on her face. “Does that mean our memories will be changed too?”

Miguel hesitated briefly as the eyelets of his mask drooped to a sad expression, his voice laced with apology. “The device has been altered to protect only those wearing a gizmo. So, yes. . . your memories will be altered.”

“Then. . . that means you guys won’t remember everything that’s happened. You all finally getting the chance to see the real Miguel. The real me. . .” The realization hit me as I felt my heart drop to my stomach. 

My body suddenly felt heavy and limb. For a second, I thought I wouldn’t have to hide such a big secret from them anymore. I thought I’d be able to finally be my complete self around them.

I felt the grip of Miguel’s arm tighten around my shoulders, his silent apology plucking at my heartstrings.  

“If by the odd chance this does work. . . might as well go out with a bang, right?” Touga shrugged with a contagious smile. 

“What?” My voice was barely a whisper being carried out into the wind as I looked up towards my friends. 

“Considering all of the crazy stuff that we’ve seen in the last hour?” Hannah gawked at her friend before sharing a glance with me and the rest of the group. “I’m in! I think this can work!”

“If Hannah’s in, I’m in!” Toya grinned, grabbing her hand before looking over at Kasey. “What about you, K?”

Kasey glanced between everyone else before her gaze fell upon me. My eyes poured into hers, pleading for her to trust me. She suddenly laughed, hysterical even, before waving her hands in the air. “You’re our friend, Lisa. Super hero or not. What the hell! This day can’t keep getting any weirder, right?”

I grinned in relief before looking over to Miguel, nodding my head. “Let’s go with your plan.”

“Alright, team, repair the stage as best as you can and get a camera set up. I’ll contact HQ and establish the signal at the top of the statue,” Miguel relayed his orders like the organized leader I knew him to be, watching as the Spiders set off to do their task. His gaze fell upon me and my friends. “Webslingers, do what you do best.”

I looked out to my friends, smiling confidently as I used my powers to leap for them, gathering them in my arms before web-slinging us closer to the stage. 

“Gabriel, are you there? Did Lyla fill you in?” Miguel spoke in the background as he began running for the statue. 

“Yeah, she did, but still struggling to believe it,” his little brother’s voice spoke through the com-link. “Project: Reset? Are you serious? You must be really desperate to whip that out all of a sudden.”

“Don’t start with me,” Miguel grumbled, muttering something else in Spanish that I couldn’t decipher, although I couldn’t help the faint smirk that formed on my lips when my friends and I arrived on the stage. 

We quickly helped the others clean up the stage while they patched up broken and loose panels with their webbing. There was a lightning crackle like noise as I whipped my head up to the statue of liberty to see another portal open up just feet away from Harry’s portal. It was a portal from Spider Society HQ. 

“Our portal is stabilized, Miguel,” Margo’s voice spoke up through the com-link. “Ready to go on your mark.”

“We’re just missing one more piece to this puzzle,” Miguel uttered softly in the com-link before raising his voice. “METRO! Are you still around?”

“Right here, boss man!” A new voice fluttered through the com-link as a white and black dressed spider swinged up onto the stage. 

METRO’s spider suit had a black and white colour scheme that almost reminded me of the anti-venom spider-suit, but this one felt more personalized with a white spider necklace hanging low on his chest and a black with white spider webbing bandana wrapped around his forehead. The top part of his head was uncovered, giving way to his immaculately tailored dreadlocks of black and light aubrey brown coloured hair. 

Wait a minute, METRO BOOMIN?!

“Wait, he’s a Spider-Man too?!” I gasped, eyes wide as I looked between him and the small speck of Miguel’s body clinging onto Lady Liberty’s torch. “But you said originally no spider-person could actually exist in my dimension!”

“That’s right.” Miguel responded quickly. “He’s not from your dimension.”

“Huh?” I gawked, my head trying to wrap around the concept as METRO quickly fixed and set up his DJ player and sound mixer. 

“It’s true, Muse! I’d do the whole ‘Okay let’s do this one last time’ speech, but clearly we don’t got time for that,” METRO chuckled anxiously as he finished setting up. “I’m from Earth-101, I developed a psychic connection to my other dimensions personas. It’s how I’m here. Call me Metro-Spider.”

“O-Okay?” I wasn’t sure exactly how to respond to that, but I at least offered him a reassuring thumbs up. 

“Okay, we’re ready!” Hannah exclaimed as she and the others joined me on stage.

Leave it to Hannah to accidentally leave her bag backstage with backup costumes for all of us in the event something horribly went wrong. Loose stitching? Fabric got ripped? Trying escaping an enemy anomaly invasion and potential dimensional destruction. 

“Okay, Miguel, we’re in position!” I exclaimed through the com-link as I looked around the newly rebuilt stage, held together miraculously by our spider friends webbing and looked over as they each got cameras set up aimed towards us. 

“Cameras are primed and ready to roll!” Gwen chimed in, attaching the reset adaptor to the camera and the little device blinked green, indicating its connection to Miguel’s wand. 

“Here goes nothing!” Miguel took a deep breath. “But if this doesn’t work–”

“It’s going to work, Miguel,” I insisted, my gaze locking on to his body. “Trust me.”

I could feel our gazes locked on to one another, even at such a long distance apart. I felt a long caress down our bond, soothing me, both of us, as I breathed in and out slowly. In that moment my mind flashed back to when we danced together for the first time, he way he held me close, and when he whispered to me those same words I sent out to him through our bond. 

‘Do you trust me, Miguel?’

‘With my life, Lisa.’ 

“Let’s do it!” I called out as I launched a web to connect with the webbing along the stage, my player syncing with METRO’s sound system. 

“We’re coming to you live!” Noir announced with a signature radio actor voice, signaling us to start. 

I suddenly felt a tap on my wrist. I glanced over to see Kasey had leaned in closer to me, whispering, “If you still want to tell us about the whole super hero spider thing after all this is over, just come talk to us. We’ll think it’s crazy, but I know you’ll convince us otherwise.” 

I smiled softly at her, giving her hand a squeeze. “Thanks Kasey. I’m glad to have you as my friend.”

She smiled back before pulling away. 

Music started to play, the familiar violins and drum beats fluttering our ears as my friends and I started to dance, picking it right up from where we left off before the world seemed to go to shit. 

“I'm still fighting, I don't fear I've lost

Am I dreamin', is there more like us?

Got me feelin', like it's all too much

I feel beaten, but I can't give up!”

I cast a comforting glance to Kasey who was startled at first, expecting us to start from the beginning. After giving her an encouraging nod, motioning for her to follow my lead, she immediately stepped up and danced in sync with us. 

“Here we go!” METRO yelled excitedly. 

“I can't find it in myself to just walk away

I can't find it in myself to lose everything!” 

I closed my eyes, and it was like we were back in our dance studio, learning this dance for the first time. 

We all turned, forming a circle as Touya, Touga, Hannah and I surrounded Kasey. We all reached our arms out towards her as she crossed her arms over her chest, something similar to the Wakanda Forever salute before flexing her arms down to her sides. As she did that, the rest of us dropped to one knee, kneeling as we bowed our heads to her.

Just like before. Just like we practiced. 

“You’re doing great,” I whispered softly to them all. 

“Feel everyone's against me, don't want me to be great

Things might look bad, I'm afraid to look death in the face!”

“One, two, three, LET’S GO-!” Metro-Spider shouted, a fist in the air. 

That’s the signal. 

I could hear the ringing of Miguel activating the reset device and quickly soon after, wave after wave of pulsing blue energy soared across the sky of the entire city, and with any luck, the entire world. 

The beat dropped as Kasey then propelled herself forward, sliding along the floor. Hannah and I steered clear of her entrance. As we faced in her direction, Toya stepped behind Hannah and Touga stepped behind me, the boys hoisting us up to our feet and became our dance partners. The pair of us did a sweet waltz as Kasey was up front performing her own solo.

“I'm good now, who's really bad? 

I choose me now, what's wrong with that?

Wish you could see me

Now, now, mm, who had my back, baby?

Know no love lost, good always will win~”

I looked up into the sky, towards the portal to Harry’s dimension. The waves of energy from Miguel’s reset wand and the counteractive sparks from the conduit portal Lyla, Margo, and Gabriel created fought back against the enemy portal. It started to shrink, contorting violently. 

It’s working!

“Just a little more power and we can shut it down!” Gabriel’s voice rang through the com-link.

‘Finish it strong for me.’ Miguel’s voice purred through the bond. 

He had said the same thing when we were fighting Isabella in Noir’s dimension, and I felt the same surge of confident, motivative energy as I poured my heart out into the last steps of the dance, my voice reaching out. 

“Not done fightin', I don't fear I've lost 

Am I dreamin', is there more like us?

Got me feeling, like it's all too much

I feel beaten, but I can't give up!”

Kasey stepped aside, pulling up to the front of the stage as she and the others danced behind me. I was confused at first, but seeing her encouraging nod gave me the push to keep going. Together, I danced along with my friends as I sang the last set of lyrics to help me focus, my heart pounding in my chest. 

“I'm still fighting, I don't fear I've lost

Am I dreamin', is there more like us?

Got me feelin', like it's all too much

I feel beaten, but I can't give up!”

The enemy portal shrank smaller and smaller until it blipped into a tiny spec. There was a blink of light before the energy dispersed and sparkled in the sky like a giant firework. It gave us the perfect backdrop as we closed out the song. 

“Can't give up

Can't give, can't give up

Can't give, can't give up

Can't give, can't give up

Can't give up!” 

The music faded and the shimmering spectacle of the exploding portal faded into nothingness, giving way to the stars and the beautiful night sky. I took in deep breaths, my chest rising and falling as I lowered my fist from pounding it into the air with my finishing pose before my friend's dog piled me to the floor of the stage, their cheers and exasperated laughter filling the air. At the same time, Noir and Gwen cut the live broadcast feed and turned off the cameras. 

“Holy shit we actually did it!” Kasey laughed with a beaming smile. 

“That was like something out of an anime, oh my god!” Touga chuckled over Toya’s cackling. 

Hannah hugged me tightly, her thin arms wrapping around me. “We did it, we did it! You were amazing!” 

“Yeah. . .” I exchanged bewildered looks with each of them, the moment slowly processing in my mind before I reached my arms out to pull them all into a group hug. “I love you guys!”

I didn’t know why I was suddenly getting so emotional, but when my friends each returned their own embrace, I felt like my beating heart finally got the chance to slow down. Swift movement caught my ear as I looked up to see Miguel land near us on the stage, his mask evaporating from his face to show off his stunning eyes filled with pride. “It worked!”

“It did!” I beamed. 

When I moved to stand up, I suddenly felt a horrible, aching pain in my ankle as I immediately dropped back down to the floor, whining in pain. “OW!”

My friends immediately backed away, startled. But Miguel moved in, kneeling in front of me but was careful to not completely overshadow my form and gave me room to breathe. “What’s wrong?”

“I think– I think I sprained my ankle.” I hissed, my hand brushing down to find the source of the pain before retracting itself quickly. 

Miguel’s eyes looked me over, his eyes pleading silently before speaking, “May I?”

I nodded and watched as Miguel’s fingers gently, carefully skimmed down the calf of my left leg and as soon as his rough fingers brushed over my ankle, I bit my tongue as I held back a pained groan, fighting the urge to recoil from the touch. “That's definitely a sprain. You’d be screaming in pain if it was broken.”

“Obviously,” I couldn’t help but laugh as I shook my head. “Out of all of the things that happened tonight, this is what brings me under?”

“I’m glad it was something like this and not worse.” Miguel stated firmly, but a ghost of a relieved smile formed on his lips. 

He carefully stepped around me before gently scooping me up in his arms, and lifted me up from the floor. He held me close to his chest and I pretended to not see Hannah quietly squealing at the action, hiding behind Touga as my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. 

“Lyla tracked your home addresses through your phones,” Miguel spoke as a portal opened up behind my friends. “You’ll have another minute or so before the memory reset takes effect. I’d like you all to be in the safety of your homes when it happens.”

“Thanks for the free ride, Miguel,” Kasey grinned, offering him a salute. “We’ll see you around?”

Miguel offered Kasey a small smile as he nodded. “I’ll be around.”

“Good. After tonight, I think you owe us all a little group dinner night out,” She grinned, “You should come hang out with us sometime.”

“It could be fun.” I encouraged him softly with a soft brush of my fingers against his jawline. 

Miguel chuckled softly at the action before nodding again. “Fair enough. My treat then, just set a date and time.”

“So. . . I guess we’ll see you later?” Toya offered us a small wave. 

“See you later.” I waved back with my own smile. 

See you after your memories are erased and you won’t remember anything that happened tonight. 

One by one, I watched as my friends jumped through the portal. Kasey was the last to leave, offering me one more friendly farewell before following behind the others. The portal closed quickly after her departure. 

“Lyla, what’s the status of the dimensional integrity?” Miguel asked as Lyla’s holographic form appeared beside him. 

“Earth-1218 is slowly stabilizing, Miguel!” Lyla reported with a salute. “Margo and Gabriel will continue to monitor it for the remainder of the night to make sure there’s no setbacks, but all things considered, Project: Reset appears to have worked flawlessly!”

“So. . . no one in my dimension will remember what happened tonight?” I asked Miguel, staring up at him as the rest of the spiders regrouped at our location. 

“No one, except for you,” Miguel confirmed with a nod before his hold on me tightened ever so slightly. “But that doesn’t diminish what you accomplished tonight.”

“You did good kid,” Noir approached, patting my head gently. “Real good.”

I smirked over at him. “Aren’t I older than you?”

“I’d argue I’m more mature and older in spirit!” Noir jabbed playfully. 

“Okay, wise guy,” Gwen came up to his side, nudging his shoulder. “Do you want me to steal and hide your hat again?”

“The technical term is fedora and no!” Noir clutched his hat close to his head, making me laugh. 

“Alright, alright, settle down,” Miguel coaxed the group to ease up with a cautious stare. “I believe our work here is done. Spiders, let's go back home.”

Miguel swiped his finger along the screen of his gizmo, activating another portal. The familiar orange and yellow swirls and hexagons were a comforting sight as Gwen started running a head. 

“I’ll go a head and let Doc know to get a bed ready!” She chimed in. 

“Thank you, Gwen-!” Miguel could barely finish his thanks before Gwen was already through the portal. 

“Kids these days, they can never stay still,” Noir shook his head before running after her, disappearing into the portal. 

With just the two of us remaining, Miguel looked down at me with a softened expression. “You mind if I bring you back? Just so Doc can take a look at you?”

I nodded softly. “That’s fine. I don’t know how a normal doctor would react if two spider costumed people showed up to an ER in the middle of the night.”

“Wouldn’t that just be a regular Saturday night for them?” He grinned back. 

“Oh, hardy har har,” I mocked, rolling my eyes. 

Miguel started walking towards the portal, his arm that held up my shoulders lifting up to bring me closer to his face. “All that said, I really am proud of you, Lisa. You were spectacular, Spider-Muse.”

I grinned back at Miguel, cupping his cheek. “You weren’t so bad yourself, Spider-Man.”

The look he gave me made my heart flutter as his eyes seemed to sparkle just like the stars above. “Come here,” he whispered, before capturing my lips in a tender kiss as we phased through the portal. 

**********

“Oh I feel so awful for missing it, I just don’t know what happened!” My mother apologized profusely for the umpteenth time as Miguel and I stood with her at the departure gate at JFK international airport. 

It was now the early afternoon the following day since the Marvel Day festival ended, specifically just over 12 hours since myself, my friends and the Spider Society saved my dimension from complete and potential annihilation. 

Miguel’s plan with Project: Reset worked. After Spider-Doc looked me over and gave me some pain meds to sleep it off for a few hours, I woke up to check the news on my phone and for a second I thought I had woken up from a dream. It was like the anomaly invasion never happened, and all the news reported on were highlights of the Marvel Day festivities. 

One of the bigger highlights was The Webslingers performance. 

The firework-like explosion of Harry’s portal was played off as just that. Fireworks and special effects, which was why due to safety reasons, we didn’t have an audience physically with us. Nobody was expecting such a grand display, and as it turned out the animators and special effects crew working behind the scenes were so burnt out from the work that they “didn’t remember doing all of this but must have done it in their sleep”, and since then there’s been a call online to give their industry better pay. 

Honestly, good for them. 

When it came to my friends, when I first woke up this morning, the group chat was lively with reactions to our performance and watching the live playback. According to them, we had celebrated together briefly before we quickly realized I had done something to my ankle. They said they had seen Miguel take me to a nearby hospital and kept them all updated as they had their own little party back at the twin’s penthouse before returning home in the wee hours of the night. 

It was only then did the memory reset really sunk in for me. They really don’t remember anything that actually happened last night. The invasion, Kasey’s kidnapping and rescue, fighting Oscorp with Miguel and the others, seeing my powers in action. . . 

Perhaps it was for the best. 

As for my mom on the other hand, when Miguel and I arrived at her hotel room to check on her, the poor woman was so frazzled. Miguel’s reasoning behind her fainting was due to a sudden episode, or at least that’s what the “doctor’s” had told him when he said he had immediately handed her over to the local authorities to be brought to a nearby emergency room and they had contacted him. She didn’t remember arriving back to the hotel, and so I had explained that after I got my ankle checked out, between her fainting and the medication the nurses gave her, she passed out, and that we personally drove her back to let her rest. 

Speaking of my ankle. 

“And your ankle! Oh, I’m just happy you had Miguel and your friends with you, dear,” Janet hugged me tightly, and for a second I thought she was going to crush me. 

“Mom, I’ll be okay, really!” I reassured her with a gentle laugh as I attempted to return the embrace. “You’re acting like this is the first time I’ve injured myself.”

“I know, I know, it’s just been awhile, that’s all,” She shook her head, pulling away from me as she offered me an apologetic smile. “I know I can always watch your show online, but I would have loved to see the whole thing in person.”

“You showed up mom,” I took her hands in mine, squeezing them tightly. “That’s what matters to me.”

That part wasn’t a lie or made up memory. It was the truth and nothing but the truth. 

“You’ll be alright on your flight home, Janet?” Miguel asked with concern in his eyes. 

“Oh, yes, Miguel, don’t you worry!” Janet smiled reassuringly as she patted her fanny pack. “I’ve got my gravol with me so I won’t even know if I’m feeling sick on the plane as soon as I’m on board.”

“Or as dad liked to call it, the gravol haze?” I teased with a knowing look, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Oh hush you!” Janet glared at me with a playful grin. 

There was an announcement overheard that a certain flight would begin boarding soon. My mom’s eyes lit up as she quickly checked to make sure she had all her bags with her. 

“Oh, I should get going.” She sighed, grabbing her purse as she looked over towards Miguel and I. She had a soft smile on her face before she suddenly looked at me with this look of. . . longing. “But before I leave, honey, may I talk to you for a moment?”

My eyes lit up at the recognition in her words. Growing up I quickly learned if my mother ever gave me that look, she wanted to talk to me in private. Usually it was always something important, so I never kept her waiting. I should know, the first time she ever gave me that look was when she first told me when dad got sick all those years ago. 

“Sure, mom, just don’t miss your boarding time.” I nodded softly before glancing up at Miguel. “Give us a minute?”

“Of course,” Miguel smiled softly as he squeezed my shoulder, leaning in to peck my temple before stepping away. 

Once he was far enough where I convinced myself that he wouldn’t be able to hear our conversation, I stepped closer to my mom. “What’s going on?”

Janet was silent briefly, her eyes shifting as if she were choosing her words carefully. But when she spoke, she was calm and collected. “Would you feel comfortable if. . . if I showed Jin your performance?”

I could feel my nerves become static, my grip on her hands tightening. My pupils went wide, my eyes searching hers to try and find out if she was joking or not. But when it came to my mother, and topics like this, she never joked. 

Other than her updating me on his therapy progress every now and then, I haven’t physically seen or heard from my step-father since I cut contact with him. Just over 2 years ago. But if she could update me on his progress, then I could just as easily update him on mine. 

I want to show him how far I’ve come since then. 

“Sure,” I nodded softly. 

Janet’s eyes lit up in surprise, her jaw nearly dropping to the floor. “Wait, really?!”

I nodded again, squeezing her hands tightly. 

“Oh, that’s great, sweetheart, I’m so happy to hear that!” She even bounced a little in excitement. “He really has been doing better. I think watching it will just be the thing he needs to show him how strong and powerful you are and how far you’ve come. Show him what he’s been missing.”

What she said suddenly made a lump form in my throat, tears swelling in my eyes. “Oh, mom. . .”

“I know, I know, I overdid it,” she grinned, pulling me into another hug. “There’s also one other thing. This one, you don’t have to decide now, if you need time to think about it.”

My heart suddenly skipped a beat as I pulled back, anxiously awaiting to hear what she had to say. “Yes?”

“How would you feel about. . . flying down to Korea for a few days?” Janet suggested, her eye meeting mine with a genuine expression. “To come see him?”

If I thought I was frazzled before, I definitely was now. “When?”

“Anytime you want to, sweetie!” Janet quickly reassured me, squeezing my hands. “Again, it’s entirely up to you, but I was with your step-father for his most recent session and his therapist suggested the idea. He believes Jin is about ready to. . . make amends.”

My eyes widened at that. “And is. . . Jin ready for it?”

“I’m not sure if he’ll know for sure until it happens,” Janet shook her head with uncertainty. “But he does wish to see you. Even just for a few minutes.”

My mind was racing as the multitude of possibilities swarmed in my head. All the things that could go right, or wrong. Why did it feel like one weighed more than the other?

Even still, there was this sudden burning sensation in the pit of my stomach.  I met my mom’s gaze, offering her a small smile as I spoke softly, “I’ll think about it.”

She smiled back at me, holding me close. “Take as long as you need dear. I love you.”

Janet hugged me one last time as another announcement chimed over the speakers. She gathered her bags and I saw her off as she waddled to the security checkpoint. As I lowered my hand from waving at her, Miguel’s footsteps caught my ear as I turned to glance at him. “I’m okay.” I quickly reassured him. 

“Are you sure?” He asked me with a hint of worry in his eyes as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, his hand reaching up to wipe a stray tear from my cheek. 

I nodded softly, leaning into him. “I’ll tell you about it later.”

“Alright,” Miguel gave me a tight squeeze, kissing the top of my head before he motioned to the side. “Let’s get going, and don’t forget~”

“I know, I know,” I rolled my eyes in an annoyed manner as I reached over to a pillar and grabbed the walking crutch I had left on the side while seeing my mother off. I hooked it under my left armpit, holding Miguel close with my right. “Do I have to keep this cast on for 4 weeks? Didn’t Spider-Doc say this could heal in half the time thanks to the healing factor of the spider powers?”

“Yes, but because of the reset, your friends and family don’t know about your powers anymore,” Miguel reminded gently. “So you have to keep up the façade of being your friendly neighborhood self.”

“Did you just make a Spider-Man joke?” I gawked at Miguel.

Miguel didn’t hide his cheeky grin and I caught a small glimpse of his fangs as he spoke. “Maybe I did.”

I groaned, rolling my eyes again as we stepped out into the main entrance of the airport. “Your–”

“An asshole?” He quickly chimed in, leaning in closer to me. 

I smirked back at him, bringing my hand up from his hand to cup his chin. “My asshole.”

“No lo olvides, mi Mona Lisa.” Miguel's tone was flirtatious as his hand caught the small of my back, his warm breath fanning my lips before he kissed me in the sunshine. - Don't you forget it, my Mona Lisa

///////

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[friday-the-ai]

hey friday. what's that poem that's written on the statue of liberty. about the huddled masses

-@dead-in-the-pool

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

[sorryimananti-romantic]

Hi, hello!

*Ahem*

Jongho the type of guy you'd find yourself eating pizza in a pillow fort at 1 am with and giggling about something silly and being all giddy and happy till you guys fall asleep there.

Wooyoung would tell you to light the Statue of Liberty of fire.

Seonghwa the type of guy who would set the Statue of Liberty on fire and roast marshmallows with the flames and then dance to Gee.

Also why is it sta-chew and not Sta-too?

hi hi!

i see the delulu is strong with the jongho one 😌 he's literally the type of guy to do that, you've got that right. he'd be so proud of the fort, might even add some decoration and he'd wait to see your reaction, relaxing only when you start chuckling lmao. he's so best friend vibes fr fr

why are you dragging the statue of liberty into this-

but yes. wooyoung and seonghwa both have a well... fire inside of them LOL with woo it's more apparent bc well he's loud right? he wants to set the world on fire and he'd inform everyone beforehand. reason probably out of spite.

seonghwa however is the calm one of the two but tell me you haven't seen fire behind his eyes sometimes. he'd make it a secret mission as opposed to woo who'd be giving warning signs. and then he'd have a lovely time roasting marshmallows and doing gg covers.

also kaya help the imagery of this is sending me i'm imagining woo in that meme (you know where the girl is smirking with the house on fire behind her) and seonghwa i'm just imagining him perched on top of the torch on the statue sitting in a crouching position while he roasts marshmallows and sings-