#Gaius has retired

[tired3mrys]

Whatever you do, don’t imagine Uther Pendragon listening to Black Magic by Little Mix…

[muneca-lemon-steppa]

Elysium

General Marcus Acacius x f!Reader

fluff; worrying about death and war

A/N: Hello my darling angels! Yes this a change of pace, but Pedrito was always my first love, and the trailer made me stupid. I’m thinking about making this part of a greater series. Lemme know what yall were thinking!! Hugs and Kisses 💕 - Mo

I will be in soon. Do not feel a need to wait.

That had been many hours ago, whispered through plush chapped lips against your temple. The fire of the horizon has long since dipped behind the hills, the sky now awash in that rich velvet speckled with diamonds. The incense, gifted by your mother on your wedding day, had long burnt out, the final wisps of jasmine kissing the unwrinkled cotton of your marriage bed. The hour is far too late. He should have retired hours ago. He is due to leave at first light. That first light which will not wait for him.

You did not even bother with sandals or your shawl. No one would see you. The servants would be in their quarters, resting. As he should be doing. As you should be doing. But instead, you follow the dull thudding sound of metal against wood and canvas and cotton, emanating from the training room across the atrium from your bedroom. The breeze caresses your bare cheek and shoulders, a chill coursing through you alongside the cold of the marble under your feet.

There… glowing in the light of low flames and wonder of his raw power, your husband. The Great General: Marcus Acacius. Crack after crack, he slaughters the immobile assailants that wear the faces of his enemies. Both past and future. The sweat of his brow, and the sheen on his darkened skin tell you all your need to know. He’s been at this for hours. The entire time you were ordered to be asleep in your bed, he has been waking up that monster he sends to slumber upon coming through those doors.

“I thought I told you to sleep carissima.”

His bare chest heaved, regarding your soft form lingering in the doorway. Without the finery. Without the pins and pearls adorning your hair and the gold dripping off your body, you looked… as if this is how you should always be. Gentle. Vulnerable. Secure in knowing your husband would come home every night. With a jerk of his head summoning you inward, you follow him inside, arms tight around you. Your eyes trail the sure and solid way he puts his weapons up. “The orders said you’d be leaving at first light… your horses are ready and Gaius has prepared your things. Why do you not sleep?”

He hums as he splashes the cool fragrant water over his face and neck. “Correct carissima… orders which are for me. Not for the lady of the house.”

“And I suppose you are stronger without sleep? Enemies mistake a yawn for the roar of a lion?”

Marcus tosses the linen in his hands to a corner, stalking towards you. With gentle but firmly calloused hand he takes your chin to gaze at you, “The Gods did not warn me that my wife would be so insolent.”

“Perhaps they remembered how easily bored you become.”

A small smile graced his full lips, caressing your cheek. “Come.”

You allow him to take your hand to lead you back to your quarters, the jasmine still lingering in the air. Though you blow out the lamps, and take your side of the bed, Marcus still does not lay his head. Even in the pale blue moonlight you see his broad muscles rippling, resting his arms on his knees. You pull yourself to him, wrapping your arms around his thick middle. “Do you fear?”

“Not for myself. Not of death.”

“Because in death you will find Elysium?”

He turns, finally laying down beside you, and pulling you to his chest in the sheets, “Elysium is in your eyes. There is no death to fear.”

“Then what keeps you unsettled?”

His hands caress your shoulders, seemingly reveling in the smoothness that so contrasts his life. You marvel at him. His dark eyes and even darker lashes. The sliver that adorns his temples and jaw. The statuesque nature of his nose. He is handsome. He always was, from the first day you met him at your wedding feast. But now, your heart carries a different weight than it did on that day.

“I am unsettled… for I feel as though there is a greater game being played… and I am but a pawn. A pawn in this game I did not agree to play.”

“Are we in danger Marcus?”

“No. Not yet. But after this order, I will begin preparations.”

You traced idle patterns along the scars of his chest, “For what husband?”

He grabbed your hand, kissing the tips of your fingers in reverence, “Do not worry about it now carissima. Just know that I will return, and there will be no more fighting for me. No more orders. We will go beyond the cities. Borders of the empire. Where it will be quiet. And nothing will touch our gardens.”

“Will you not become bored of the quiet?”

“I have other interests beyond killing.”

“Such as?”

“Pestering my young wife mostly. I also enjoyed gardening as a child.”

You attempt to push him away from you, greatly annoyed at his attempt at a joke. But he merely chuckled and pulled you even closer. “It is a shame you could not be a soldier carrisima. That fire is going to waste.”

“The Gods have made it your punishment to bear it. And they have it mine to suffer you.”

He chuckles even more even as you scowl, “You come back home Marcus Acacius.”

Marcus looks at you, that look he’s been giving you more recently, that makes your stomach flip and heart beat faster. “Always. Nothing can keep me from you.”

You sigh. Signing to Marcus that that was a suitable answer. For now. You were rarely satisfied. Particularly when it came to him and potential danger. If he could, he would live in this moment forever. You in his arms. No one near to pester. No one to pull him from you. Neither of you planned to enter this marriage. But in these months… he dared think that maybe you were beginning to mirror his own hopes. “Sleep little dove. I will wake you before I leave.”

You nodded, pushing your face into his chest. And for a moment, he could’ve sworn he felt hot tears pooling on his skin.

He would come back. He had to.

[futurepastme]

George and Merlin being friends

I couldn't resist, direct follow up from Gaius and Merlin have dinner.

I don't care how out of character George is acting, them being silly friends is cute. Maybe too cute.

George deserves to be more than a bad Merlin replacement.

Merlin nodded goodbye and joined George, closing the door behind them.

They followed through Camelot’s hallways silently, walking side by side, neither of them minding to keep a conversation, until they walked past one of the entrances to the servant’s quarters and George kept walking along with Merlin. 

“Are you not done yet, George?”

“Ah, yes, I just need Prince Arthur’s dismissal from the day.”

Merlin spinned around, stopping in front of George with both hands on his shoulders. He could feel him tense up a little, from the surprise or from the touch, Merlin didn’t know.

“You don’t need his dismissal, George, I’ll take over from here.”

George got even more tense, and Merlin decided to let go of him. “I don’t know, Merlin, he really hasn’t dismissed me after asking for you.”

Merlin’s eyebrows went up at the absurdity, but at the same time he offered George a kind smile. “George, you are dismissed. If anyone - even Prince Arthur - has any problem with it in the morning, you come to me and I’ll face the consequences.” George’s eyes grew bigger and he started to shake his head.

“Honestly, George, I can’t believe you’re making me do this.” He filled his lungs with air, straightened his posture, and looked directly at George’s worried eyes. “As the Prince’s manservant I outrank you, - bullshit if you ask me but still true, so - as your superior, I Merlin Hunithson, dismiss you from your duties of the day and give you permission to retire.” He finished with a sly smile.

George’s eyes grew even bigger and his eyebrows raised, but then Merlin could see a small smile trying to escape from the corner of his mouth and his features began to soften.

“In that case,” George made a flourish with his arm and bowed down - a low, waist bending bow that made Merlin freeze with a weird smile. “By your leave, My Lord.”

Merlin stared at him for a moment before letting a small laugh escape. George looked at him smiling as he straightened up, Merlin’s laugh grew and George joined him. Merlin then threw one arm around George’s shoulders and fake dried non-existent tears with the other. “Seriously, though, address me with a title again and I’ll pull your ears with such strength that they’ll end up bigger than mine.” He said in jest, making sure to let it show in his face that he was joking. I mean, he was partially joking, but he hopes George takes the threat a little seriously. 

George lowered his head with a smile and escaped from Merlin’s arms. “Better not risk it then, Merlin it is.”

Merlin stares at this very uncharacteristic secret side of George that he just uncovered and he finds that George is not just a good guy and a great servant, but also quite funny and seemingly great friend material. “Thank you, George, for taking care of Prince Arthur today.”

George smiled, “Just doing my job… Sire!”

“That’s it! Big ears to you!” Merlin raised his hands ominously towards George’s ears and slowly walked forward.

George yelped and ran down the way they came with a little laugh. “Goodnight Merlin, Sir!”

“Night, George!” Merlin yelled back and watched Geroge disappear through the servant’s quarters entrance.

[nerdieforpedro]

WIP Wednesday/Thursday

I did try and post this on Wednesday (sure late but it’s been awhile 👀) and on this rainy night, my computer decided to it be a a team player. Not cool.

So…writing has been slow and I’m pretty sure I posted stuff on AO3 and not here because half the time Tumblr eats my posts that aren’t reblogs 😭

I blame @megamindsecretlair and @soft-persephone for summoning from my cozy gremlin activities under a bridge and planting this brainworm:

“If you are open to doing so my fair General. I feel a bit fatigued. I will let my attendant know that I am heading inside to rest as my husband and I will travel back to our estate tomorrow.” Her round face stretches with the smile she has upon her face, briefly she touches his hand, her fingertips touching his calloused ones. “He will not return as Gaius does not enjoy my company. Only tolerates it. The last room, third floor on the left.” Her hand leaves his as he attempts to grab it and he turns to watch her step away. “Call me Arcus. See what message I shall impart to you tonight.” His eyes focus on her wide hips that are headed toward the main building where the invites and their wives were staying for the duration of the soiree. Swallowing hard, the General knows he should not follow her. It would be participating in infidelity and despite many offers over the years, Marcus resisted. He nearly always had access to women that were unattached and available. Milling around for ten minutes felt like an eternity, speaking to other officials and so-called important people, yawning and mentioning that he would likely retire to his room soon and would be no good to anyone until the sun rose. Hopefully this would be enough to cement that he should not be disturbed.

Infidelity? Sure! Murder? Very likely. Bad humor somewhere? It’s a Nerdie fic and General Marcus Acacius is not except. Smut? Somewhere in there. 👀 It will happen. I need mental lube, I can’t just dive in there. Gotta give a fic a couple rubs in a circle before the smut. 🤣

Yeah the General is not immune. Pfft.

The second one I was pleasantly surprised to make some headway on, apparently Nerdie is about her historical men and violence. That’s not at all concerning. 🤔

“I agree with the lady Father. She is our responsibility and should remain with us.” Pero steps between her and the Father. He knows men like this priest, who act holier than most but if given the funds, access and anonymity, they would live in a brothel. Father Ignacio takes a step back, the Spaniard is intimidating to say the least and the priest is sure that he has no qualms about spilling blood in a house of God. William is watching the exchange between the three and is trying to think of a compromise, it’s a bad one, but it’s better than being run out of the village for killing this man.

More for my Pero series which is like historical fiction with dragons 🐉 because why not? ☺️ I will have Pero destroying something because he needs to be using those powers and why not? Wanton destruction sometimes, am I right? 🫡

Yup, quit while I’m behind. Anyway, that’s what I got. Weddings 101 with Dieter is still in the works with @angelofsmalldeath-codeine . So are all the other series I’ve got, there’s a lot 🤭

I also might be writing an anime one-shot. First one in years. 😃

People who I’m 75.8% sure tagged me in the last few weeks:

@604to647 @for-a-longlongtime @magpiepills @syd-djarin @djarinmuse

@maggiemayhemnj @sin-djarin @tinytinymenace @lotusbxtch @mysterious-moonstruck-musings

@connectioneverywhere @morallyinept @doscharolastras @chaithetics @lady-bess

@secretelephanttattoo @goodwithcheese @missladym1981 @pedroshotwifey @slippinninque

@inept-the-magnificent @avastrasposts @frenchiereading @soft-girl-musings @perotovar

@legendary-pink-dot @fhatbhabiee @yorksgirl

[bracketsoffear]

Pollution (Good Omens) "Literal horseperson of the apocalypse and representation of things like global warming and plastics in the water and oil spills and other cataclysmic manmade change. They took over from Pestilence (who was obviously a corruption avatar) when he retired because he wasn't relevant anymore. Also their costume design slaps they literally bleed oil.

John Gaius (The Locked Tomb) "Originally part of a team of scientists tasked with saving humanity from climate change, John was gifted strange necromantic powers by earth itself. He proceeded to use these powers to essentially start a cult. He attempts to convince various nations and companies to follow his plans for how to save the planet, but nothing works and eventually the whole thing has gone to such shit that John NUKES THE EARTH AND EVERY HUMAN STILL ON IT. He can feel them all die and uses their power to fuel himself, spending the next ten thousand years chasing after the trillionaires who escaped the planet, blaming them for the destruction of humanity. He is so afraid of Extinction that he literally causes the mass Extinction of every living thing on earth. Oh also he takes the dead, resurrected soul of planet earth and traps it in a barbie doll, and what is more Extinction than the soul of our planet trapped in plastic?"

[meekmedea]

hi medea! i was thinking about how movie!clemmie never reappears after the snakes and how it implies she died - how do you think clemensia dying might play out in the book ‘verse?

maybe she still has the confrontation with coriolanus post-bombing, but that’s the last time anyone sees of her. maybe those scales spreading turned out to be lethal. maybe a couple people asking after her once the interviews pass by and the games near, and coriolanus rebuffs a few people saying he’s “heard she’s sick” - except clemensia doesn’t make a reappearance.

at what point would endymion/aelia start demanding answers for their daughter’s whereabouts? at what point do the mentors start to actually question where their popular classmate/friend has gone (especially in the whirlwind of dealing with their own tributes and the upcoming games)?

Ooh this is an interesting one to think about. Confrontation-wise, are we considering it as when she shows up in his hospital room, or when she makes her first public appearance where she lashes out at Coriolanus in front of others?

Because I think the outcome might vary slightly.

Regardless, her death has to be announced to her parents since there's probably no way they can cover it up indefinitely.

Scenario 1: After that hospital room confrontation, she dies.

This one hurts her parents A LOT, given they still haven't seen her once. I wonder how the doctors would disguise the fact that Clemmie has scales on her. Maybe cremate her and say it's for preventing the illness from catching?

Nevertheless, this hits hard, because all Endymion + Aelia know is their daughter was so sick, they couldn't visit. Then next thing they know, she's dead and all they have is her ashes. It's suspicious.

By now, other mentors have died, with grand funerals of their own. Maybe the Ravinstill administration is attempting to go that route too for her, but Endymion is PISSED. Like this feels like a cover up. (It sort of is)

It comes as a shock, I think, to all her classmates. Especially since she'd just disappeared and was told she was sick. Like isn't the Capitol advanced enough??

Her parents probably talk to other parents and by extension, this information about Endymion and Aelia being concerned about Clemmie's death spreads to the other mentors. Someone probably let's slip about the assignment that Clemmie and Coriolanus were assigned. This makes Coriolanus the last person to have seen her.

Endymion and Aelia probably ask him for details, and it puts Coriolanus in an awkward position. Does he lie? Does he tell the truth?

I don't think he'd tell the entire truth - but whatever he does say, it's so vague that her parents know something is up.

Clemmie's situation feels like it was spun as an accident in the book to everyone else. Like accidentally coming into contact with something. And it's probably too late for Gaul to come out and say the truth, because even if she does, it seems like an excuse.

Endymion probably talks complains. Aelia does too. Hard to tell where the rumours are coming from, but suddenly there's a lot of scrutiny and blame cast Gaul's way.

Maybe this isn't enough to force her into an early retirement, but it's putting pressure on her and President Ravinstill.

Maybe Gaius' death is the final push to get Gaul out of being involved the games. Like you recruited our children into this and sent so many to their deaths. How do you answer for this?

Scenario 2: After lashing out publically at Coriolanus, that's the last time the mentors see her alive

The other mentors are probably a bit more affected here. Because at first, she's sick and yeah, maybe there's concern. But when she comes back for a day, they're like, okay, well she's fine now. That's good.

But now that she's dead? This probably gets them talking, even if the games are coming up. And they likely all remember Clemmie's outburst with Coriolanus. How it was so out of character for her? Maybe they're now wondering: ok, what happened that day? Why was Clemmie acting like that?

There's more questions directed to Coriolanus than he's comfortable with. And based on how he's not really able to answer, his classmates are a bit suspicious. Was Coriolanus at fault? Hmmm... Nobody outright accuses him (yet) but there are rumours and theories flying around.

Extra points if her parents found her dead in her room. And in their freak out, they find out about the scales and are like: WTF? I was told it was a flu, but you performed human experimentation on my daughter?

Pres. Ravinstill now has to deal with two more grieving/furious parents (it really isn't a good look with how many mentors that died before the games even started). The Dovecotes want answers.

Unfortunately those answers were most likely unsatisfactory.

If Endymion caught whiff of those rumours that maybe it's Coriolanus' fault, I don't think it's looking good for Coriolanus if Endymion approaches him for answers.

I'd say the games continue and events follow TBOSAS where Coriolanus' cheating gets revealed and he's sent off to 12. Except this time, his chances of coming back to the Capitol are really low. And if he does make it somehow, Sejanus' death probably doesn't help his reputation.

Endymion's character is more similar to Cleopatra - death is very much on the table.

A guarantee that the Snows keep falling into misfortune. Of course, there's nothing that ties back to the Dovecotes.

People might whisper that it's some sort of karmic retribution though, given how it's implied that Coriolanus' ambition led to Clemmie's death. How true that rumour is, is another story. But it's a good story that people enjoy spreading.

[sheyshen]

I’ve read it a handful of times, edited it and now subjecting you all to it, so a short post EW Gaius/WoL (though not the main wol, that’s raya) fic : some werlyt chain spoilers but other than that nothing specific.

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

“Do you regret the choices you’ve made til now?”

Vincent mulled over the question Gaius had asked him that morning as he looked out over the water. The low rumble of thunder drew his eye towards a storm brewing on the horizon. He leaned on the balcony, leaning his crutch on the stone and taking a deep breath, savoring the rising winds bringing in a cool ocean breeze while he could. His leg already ached, it would be a bad night.

It was unusual for his partner to ask such things. Their eclectic group tended to keep their past to themselves, and while the pair had spoken of things like their home and family, it rarely became deeper than that. He knew Gaius struggled with the choices he’d made over the years, and he’d seen the guilt he carried, hate directed as much at himself as towards the Ascians. He had seen him coming to grips with the truth of what he had done to Eorzea, at the orders of his superiors, sure, but he had believed in what he had done at the time, and now he had nothing but doubt and a drive to make amends even if it was only on a small scale.

So when he asked the lancer such a question, Vincent had no answer for him. The moment had dragged out almost awkwardly before a knock at the door drew them both away for other matters. The question kept popping into his mind as he worked around Werlyt, moving supplies, helping Allie and the kids, checking provisions, and only needing to stop after his leg started acting up. The prosthetic had been in need of repairs for some time now, but between the final days and getting the city back on its feet he hadn’t had the time to get it looked at. He counted himself lucky that some of Cid’s crew weren’t too busy and could fix it for him. Magitek never did make sense to him.

So now he was stuck. No longer able to distract himself with busy work, and everyone else too busy to talk to. Nothing to do but actually think of an answer to Gaius’s question.

Lightning flashed in the distance, the bolts dancing amongst the clouds as it grew darker. He contemplated what the question was meant for, the wording was so vague that part of him wondered if he had meant their relationship, but if that was the case, that would’ve been easy to answer. But deep down, he knew that was likely the only thing they both were sure of.

His life before was�� messy. He had spoken about losing his family and village to the poachers that roamed the shroud and of how he lost his leg, but he hadn’t told him much else. Did he have regrets? Absolutely. But would he go back and change them? He doubted it. Though much of it was painful, it also was what made him who he is today and led him to make the friends he has now. Back then, he wouldn’t’ve ever dreamed of seeing everything he had, going to the places he’s been. His road has been long and difficult, but even through it all, he likes the man he’s become.

So wrapped up in his thoughts he didn’t realize he was alone until Gaius cleared his throat. Vincent started, mentally cursing his waning reflexes. Sure, he wasn’t nearly the fighter he was prior to Carteneau, but he didn’t expect his senses to be dulling so soon after deciding to retire. He wasn’t even that old yet….

Glancing to his right, he gave his partner a smile that was meant to be reassuring, but the stormy look on his face rivaled that of the rumbling in the distance. He supposed that he wasn’t about to get out of giving him an answer that easy.

“I.” He started, letting out a breath. “No. I don’t.”

Gaius leaned on the balcony next to him, clearly in thought.

Vincent took his silence as a cue to continue, “There are plenty of things I wish I had done differently. Plenty of ways things could’ve gone better. But I don’t regret how my life has gone, even with the pain. I’ve hurt people because I thought I was in the right, for money, for revenge. But I’ve also grown past that, done good, helped people, saved them, and found people I care for that I never thought I would.” He paused, “Just as you have I’m sure.”

Gaius let out a breath. “If I had done things differently, perhaps Allie wouldn’t be alone.”

“She still has you.”

A slight smile appeared for a moment before fading, “Raya said the same when I asked her.” He didn’t continue, the pair just watching the storm rolling across the sea. The silence was comfortable, familiar, and Vincent reached over to grip the other man’s hand, threading their fingers together before squeezing.

“Then perhaps you should listen to her.” He grinned, “She is the Warrior of Light after all.”

That pulled a huff of a laugh and a hum of acknowledgment from Gaius before their attention was pulled away by a clattering of supplies falling and a squeak of surprise as one of the ironworks engineers tripped and dropped the tools she had been carrying. She looked at the pair in surprise, likely having expected the area to be empty, before gathering up her fallen gear and bolting for the G-warrior hangar. They let her go without a word, though a few raindrops warning of the imminent downpour did make them decide to head indoors.

Pushing off the balcony, Vincent used the stone to help keep balance on his one leg as he turned, finding Gaius already holding his crutch out to him. Thanking him, he secured it on his arm and gripped the handle, getting his bearings before they headed away. He paused a moment before speaking up. “I’ve never regretted my time with you.” He watched for a reaction, knowing the older man tended to keep his emotions close to his heart, unlike himself. But after having spent so much time together, he had come to be able to read him well enough, or at least well enough to notice the look that flashed across his face that made him close the distance to pull him into a tight hug with his free hand, leaning to press his forehead firmly on his partner’s and repeat what he said.

Gaius didn’t say anything, but he leaned in, mirroring, and reached up, settling his hand firmly on the back of Vincent’s neck and closed his eyes.

[telltalecoyote]

12, 13, and 15!

12. Did they lose anyone?

Cassius' warband, the Wither warband, lost a majority of their members prior to his recruitment which is part of why he was allowed to join at the time! It already consisted of older, reckless charr who never changed their ways, causing them to bleed numbers over the years. No need to comment on Cassius' brief stint in the Ruin warband.

For Arkhan, the Dread warband only lost their legionnaire to a blade in the dark, replaced by Arkhan's close friend in the fahrar, Nyx Dreadstep! The Dread warband was already born from a close knit group of cubs in the fahrar anyways.

Oberon's original warband before the Horns, the Fury warband, was mostly decimated in an operation that also resulted in Oberon losing his arm, he chose to leave them in frustration, believing that they let him down.

Sigmund's warband before the Horns, the Spark warband, had never lost anybody!

13. Would the warband accept new entries?

The Wither warband is in no state to recruit, being in such small numbers, they're more likely to split up and join other warbands instead.

The Dread warband is more inclined to refuse new arrivals, being such a close knit group with a hyper specific niche that has such a unique chemistry with one another. However, "if you can prove you can hang with them" through challenges that are definitely not just there for their own entertainment, they might give you a second opinion!

The Fury warband is actively seeking new warriors, Oberon is more than aware with how often he checks up on them-- still wanting them to succeed even if he no longer associates.

The Spark warband would accept! However, they're hardly an official warband, mostly consisting of the similarly disabled charr that Sigmund grew up with on the farms, but Sigmund worked hard to get them recognized with the help of Gaius.

15. How has the warband changed over the years?

Before Cassius' departure, the Wither warband was in steady decline thanks to their eagerness to always be on the frontline, and that never changed, it pains Cassius to know this as he viewed them as the only family he had.

The Dread warband is still thriving, finding plenty of success in their position as Blood Legion's premiere "interrogation" and definitely not torture/execution warband. The band was split during the civil War, but they've long since made up and remain on "amicable terms".

Like Dread, the Fury warband took heavy hits in the civil war, the older charr held the line with their numbers, but their age started to show, and they weren't inclined to retire. They spend their time these days training with younger warbands.

The Spark warband, now that they are officially recognized as an actual warband, spend their time working on tech to help similarly disabled charr not just in Iron legion, but the others as well! Even open to collaboration with the other races of Tyria.

[commanderhorncleaver]

🖊 for Gloryana!

You're actually already privy to a lot of this, but Glory is intended to be a very Korra-like character. She's self-assured, arrogant, and proud, but also extremely capable. She struggles with learning not because she's bad at it, but because she's so used to grasping things immediately that she kind of spirals and throws herself at things haphazardly anytime she struggles.

For the folk whose characters' I've sort of intertwined Gaius with, Glory is sort of raised alongside a number of post-Eod cubs, but because Gaius refuses to put her in the fahrar+she spends half the year with Efram in Flame, she winds up being rather poorly socialized outside of these cubs (Luma, Falx, Perry when they're around+Vita and Galvar/Prisca, who are older siblings).

It's a common source of contention between her and Gaius as she ages, the fact that he's very adamant about what he believes her role to be. She gets that, but she doesn't see why she can't also be a soldier and a leader and have all the respect that he does. Being raised with him growing in prestige even post his active commander life--and with Efram, literal imperator of Flame--she doesn't really see a lot of his struggle to be respected within the Iron when he returned post-IBS. All she knows is Gaius Horncleaver, former commander of the pact, savior of Tyria and the world, who for some reason retired and has managed to help so many disenfranchised soldiers that the other legions have followed in his steps with HGO.

I'd have to expand/revise this, but I'm considering this now not as "send her to the Mists" but this is now when Glory's sent out into the world to experience it for the first time.

[shadowsong26fic]

Year of the OTP Fills

Just so I can have a list where they’re all together! Based on this list.

BSG (Baltar/Caprica-Six) January (snow); Snowglobe [PG-13] (Tumblr; AO3)      Early in their relationship, Gaius and Caprica get snowed in together. February (mermaid AU); A Question of Trust [PG-13] (Tumblr; AO3)      Gaius contemplates letting Caprica see his skin (Selkie AU) March (fresh starts); A Canopy of Stars [PG] (Tumblr; AO3)      A few weeks after settling on Earth, Gaius and Caprica have a quiet conversation. April (canon divergence); do i twist; do i fold [R] (Tumblr; AO3)      Caprica tells Gaius the truth, a few months early (Backup Plans AU) May (sunshine); Illuminated [PG-13] (Tumblr; AO3)      Gaius and Caprica see one another under the light of three different suns. June (soulmate au); Thumbprint [PG-13] (Tumblr; AO3)      After she downloads, Six notices something has changed (Soulmate AU)

Star Wars (Obi-Wan/Anakin/Padme) January (first kiss); Stay [PG] (Tumblr; AO3)      Anakin and Padme invite Obi-Wan to join them. February (established relationship/long distance); See You Soon [PG] (Tumblr; AO3)      A quick holocall in the middle of the war. March (acceptance); a layer of warm contentment [PG/PG-13] (Tumblr; AO3)      After joining the others, Obi-Wan thinks things through. April (peace); Almost [PG/PG-13] (Tumblr; AO3)      The trio imagines what the future might be, once the war is over. May (fantasy/medieval/dark knights of steel au); Consort [PG-13] (Tumblr; AO3)      Padme’s wedding night in the Jedi of Valdemar AU (Jedi of Valdemar AU) June (downpour); In the Rain [PG] (Tumblr; AO3)       On a rare trip together, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme get caught in a sudden storm.

Lux (Lux/Mariko) January (first kiss); Something About This Feeling [PG]      Lux and Mariko’s first kiss from Lux’s point of view February (Valentine’s day); A Human Tradition [PG]      On the road to reconciliation, Mariko gives Lux a flower. March (fairy tale AU); The Tower at the Edge of the World [PG]      Mariko approaches the tower where Lux is imprisoned (Fairy Tale AU) April (peace); A Partial Truth [R]      After releasing Simon, Lux contemplates how much she should tell Mariko. May (flower language); How Do I Love Thee [PG-13]      Little bits and pieces about Lux and Mariko’s feelings/relationship, based (mostly) on a symbolic meaning for each of 25 flowers. June (you’re not what I expected); Unexpected [PG-13]      On the eve of the fire, Lux reflects on how unexpected falling in love was for her.

Untitled Intrigues Story (Larien/Metanrye) January (whenever I look at you...); Still Here [PG-13]      Larien sits with Metanrye after she has a miscarriage. February (mermaid AU); Almost Entirely Human [PG-13]      Metanrye considers the way her half-human husband is different from other men (Sea Folk AU) March (’make me’); Spat [PG]      Early in their marriage, Larien and Metanrye bicker and make up. April (canon divergence); Stakes [PG-13]      In an AU where Larien is already married when Metanrye meets him, they kiss. (Royal Bastards AU) May (pet/child acquisition); Rehanye [PG-13]      Larien’s thoughts at the birth of his and Metanrye’s second daughter. June (marriage/proposal); To the Stars [G]      Metanrye celebrates in private after accepting Larien’s proposal.

Feredar (Taz/Dallu) January (snow); In the Snow [G]      Taz sees how much snow delights her partner. February (mermaid AU); A Trade [PG-13]      Taz and Dallu meet (Urban Fantasy AU) March (fresh starts); Begin and Begin and Begin [PG-13]      Three key points in Taz and Dallu’s relationship--their first meeting; going to war; retiring together. April (pranks); Passing the Time [G]      Life on a ship has long periods of relative boredom. Dallu decides to liven things up a bit. May (sunshine); Aftermath [PG-13]      After combat, Taz seeks Dallu out. June (marriage/proposal); Second Wedding Day [PG]      Taz gets dressed for her and Dallu’s second wedding ceremony.

[diner-drama]

Determination (6/6)

Merlin may not know much, but he knows not to believe any old prophecy a dragon tells him, especially without proof. He came to Camelot to determine his own fate, not to blindly follow his supposed destiny.

He even turns down King Uther's offer to work as a servant for the insufferable Prince Arthur, but they just can't seem to stop crossing paths.

Other chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Also on AO3.

Merlin chuckled as he leaned on the fence beside the training grounds and watched Lancelot scurry back and forth across the grass, holding a shield to protect him from the axes that the knights were throwing at him.

"It seems that something about being in my service has given Morris a nervous complaint of the heart," Arthur called as he let fly his axe into the centre of the shield. "He has decided to retire, and Lancelot will be taking on his duties from now on."

"My commiserations," said Leon, nevertheless throwing an axe with enthusiasm and grinning when it thudded into the wood.

"I am honoured to serve the prince," panted Lancelot, peeking over his shield and then ducking down again just in time to avoid an axe to the head.

Ready for one final round of "spot the Buffy quote"?

Merlin chuckled as he leaned on the fence beside the training grounds and watched Lancelot scurry back and forth across the grass, holding a shield to protect him from the axes that the knights were throwing at him.

"It seems that something about being in my service has given Morris a nervous complaint of the heart," Arthur called as he let fly his axe into the centre of the shield. "He has decided to retire, and Lancelot will be taking on his duties from now on."

"My commiserations," said Leon, nevertheless throwing an axe with enthusiasm and grinning when it thudded into the wood.

"I am honoured to serve the prince," panted Lancelot, peeking over his shield and then ducking down again just in time to avoid an axe to the head.

"Keep going until all of you have hit the centre of the target at least three times," Arthur instructed them, spying Merlin at the fence and jogging over to speak to him. Merlin greeted him with a sunny grin.

"Don't you ever have work to do?" asked the prince.

"Are you calling this work?"

"You wouldn't understand the rigours of military training," teased Arthur, pinching Merlin's bicep.

"Yes, I can imagine that it's a terrible burden for you to have to spend your days chucking weapons at people."

"He's certainly brave, I'll give him that," Arthur commented, watching as Lancelot calmly coached Sir Pellinore on his technique while dodging the flying axes.

"And you've got him bravely scrubbing your back and fluffing your royal pillows."

Arthur leaned back against the fence, giving Merlin an amused, sidelong look. "Don't tell me you want to be my manservant after all. I'm sure we could find you something to occupy your time."

"Tempting though that offer may be, Gaius finds me absolutely indispensable," said Merlin loftily.

"He's in desperate need for someone to stand around watching my training sessions?"

Merlin grinned and pulled a sad, limp bundle of catchweed from his pocket. "I'll have you know, I'm collecting vital reagents."

"Mm-hmm."

"Besides, what if one of you gets injured? Surely having a healer on hand is a good idea. In fact, it's quite irresponsible of you not to have had one before now."

Arthur looked like he was about to disagree, but stopped short when one of the younger knights let his axe go a little too early in the swing and narrowly avoided it falling on his own head.

The prince sighed and shook his head. "Come on, Merlin. You have your duties to attend to, and I have mine. We can't spend time talking like this."

"You're the one who walked over to me!"

"You're the one who was standing here, looking all-" countered Arthur, waving his hand vaguely.

"Looking all what?"

Arthur's eyes flicked to Merlin's lips, and then he looked away, towards the ground. "Get back to work, Merlin," he said curtly, and strode away.

A terrifying vision sliced through Morgana's dreams, and she awoke with a start with Arthur's name on her lips. Gwen was by her side in a flash, stroking her hair and murmuring reassurance while Morgana grabbed the soft fabric of her maid's gown and tried to calm herself.

"One of your bad dreams?" asked Gwen softly, once Morgana's breathing had slowed.

"Arthur's in danger," said Morgana, collecting her wits and drying her eyes. "I saw him drowning, and a woman laughing over him. We must warn him immediately."

"The prince left early this morning to go hunting."

"Alone?" she asked, alarmed.

"Lancelot is with him," Gwen reassured her, carding her fingers through Morgana's hair. "They went on foot, so they won't have gone far."

"We must go after them and warn them," decided Morgana, climbing out of bed and shaking the last vestiges of sleep from her head. "Go and saddle my horse while I get dressed. She could attack at any moment."

Lancelot and Arthur were halfway back to the castle from their hunting trip when a scream ripped through the trees. Sharing a look, they dropped the deer carcass they were hauling between them and sprinted towards the source of the sound. A beautiful woman in a golden dress and an old man were pinned down in a clearing, beset by a gang of bandits.

Before they could draw their swords, the sound of hoofbeats thundered into the clearing and Morgana's horse barrelled into the bandits, knocking them over like bowling pins. As she climbed off the horse's back and helped Gwen to do the same, the prince and his servant drew their swords, bearing down on the ruffians until they fled into the trees.

"Arthur, I came to warn you-" started Morgana hurriedly, rushing over to him and taking him by the shoulders. She was interrupted when the woman in the golden dress got to her feet and laid a gentle hand on her arm.

"Thank you so much for your help," she said in a soft, musical voice. Morgana's jaw went slack as she gazed into her eyes.

"It was my pleasure," replied Morgana in a dream-like voice, bowing to kiss her hand. "You look familiar - do I know you?"

Lancelot reached out a hand to help the old man up from the ground. "Are you hurt?" he asked.

"No, no, I'm quite well," the man replied, taking Lancelot's hand and rising unsteadily to his feet with the help of his staff. "I am Aulfric, and this is my daughter Sophia."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," said the prince, a similarly glazed look in his eyes as he kissed Sophia's hand. "Come, we will take you back to the palace. Lancelot, go and get the deer."

Gwen was left behind with the horse, frowning at the back of Morgana's head, as Morgana and Arthur attended to Sophia like lovesick puppies all the way back to the castle, Morgana's dire warning forgotten.

Late that afternoon, Lancelot knocked on the door to Sophia's guest chamber, a tray of food balanced on one hand.

"My lady, I thought you might be hungry after your ordeal," he said softly when she opened the door. She didn't seem particularly glad to see him, but her initial scowl of irritation was gone in an instant, smoothed out from her face and replaced with a smile.

"Please, come in," she said politely. Lancelot crossed to the table and set down the tray, uncovering the platters.

"It's not much, just some fruit, bread and milk, but I hope it will tide you over until the evening meal."

"Quite the offering," she murmured, looking reluctantly pleased. "Sit, you must stay and eat with me."

"Thank you, my lady," he replied, taking the chair opposite her. After waiting for her to break off some of the bread, he took an apple and began to cut it into slices with his pocket knife, eating it slowly. "I hear you are to travel to Carleon. It is a perilous journey indeed."

"You have travelled there yourself?" she asked, spreading the butter thickly over the bread.

"Only once, as part of my training. By hand, I climbed the rocks by the great waterfall of the Northern Plains, west of Idirsholas."

"Surely that can't be the only route available?"

"No, there is an alternative path to the south, through Stonedown and Howden. That is the route that I suggest you take."

"Did Arthur travel with you?"

"No, I had not yet entered the prince's service at that time. I am sure he would have scaled the cliff face with ease."

"You speak highly of your employer."

"He is a good man," Lancelot replied simply. "I'm sure you must be tired after your journey. I will prevail upon you no longer."

With a courteous bow, he left the room. Sophia watched him leave with a curious glint in her eyes.

Gwen came barging into Gaius' workshop just as Merlin was about to take the first bite of his dinner.

"Something's wrong with Morgana," she announced, tightening her mouth in disapproval and crossing her arms. Reluctantly, Merlin put down his spoon and exchanged a look with Lancelot.

"Do you think it's the Elanthia beetle again?" asked Gaius, already opening one of his books. "Some lingering after-effects, perhaps?"

"No, it's..." she tailed off, struggling to find the right words. "Ever since that Sophia woman arrived, it's like she's got her under some kind of spell."

"That's a very serious accusation," said Gaius gravely. "If the lady Sophia is found guilty of sorcery, Uther will have her hanged."

"Lancelot, you were there when we met her in the forest. Didn't you think something strange was happening?" she entreated, turning to him.

Lancelot made a face, considering this. "The prince and the lady Morgana did both seem rather..."

"Enchanted?" asked Gwen pointedly.

"Taken with her, at least," he conceded. "I confess, the prince has talked of her a great deal since then."

"And Morgana had one of her prophetic dreams this morning, she told me so herself," continued Gwen passionately. "She saw Arthur drowning, and a woman was standing over him, and when we first met Sophia, I think she recognised her."

"If she's going to put Arthur in danger, then she needs to be stopped," said Merlin, standing up. "It doesn't matter how pretty she is. Is she very pretty?"

Lancelot and Gwen exchanged a look and then both nodded.

"She needs to be stopped," said Merlin darkly.

"I had hoped that we would be alone," said Sophia tightly as she, Arthur, and Lancelot picked their way through the Darkling Woods.

"Oh, don't mind Lancelot," replied Arthur breezily. "If he hadn't managed to persuade my father to let me off of guard duty, I wouldn't be out here with you. Besides, someone needs to carry the picnic basket."

"I'm happy to serve, my lord," said Lancelot, slightly out of breath from the weight of the food and blankets that were strapped to his back. "Watch out!" he cautioned, stopping the prince before he took another step.

"What?" scoffed Arthur, looking down at the forest floor. "It's just a ring of toadstools. Don't tell me you go in for those old traditions about not offending the fairies. It's a silly superstition."

"Nonetheless, sire," insisted Lancelot gently, steering him away. Arthur rolled his eyes but continued on towards the river bank. Sophia paused, watching with interest as Lancelot broke off a small piece of bread from his pack and crouched down to lay it next to the ring as an offering.

"You may find it silly, my lady," he murmured as he stood, with an embarrassed smile, "but life has taught me to pay my respects to whoever crosses my path."

"Not a lot of people in these lands still know the old ways," she said, seeming almost shy as they looked down at the fairy ring together. "It's rare to find one so respectful."

Lancelot didn't have a chance to respond to this before an axe came whizzing through the trees and Sophia, with more strength and agility than he would have expected from her slight frame, tackled him to the ground. The axe thudded harmlessly into the trunk of the tree behind them, and Sophia's eyes flicked downward to his lips before she remembered herself and stood up hurriedly. Arthur came running back and took in the scene with a scowl of displeasure.

"Thank you, my lady," said Lancelot quietly, getting to his feet and waving to the apologetic guard who had thrown the axe.

"Sorry, Lancelot!" called Pellinore. "Thought you were a bandit."

"His aim is improving, at least," grunted Arthur. "Come on, this picnic won't eat itself."

Aulfric's head whipped around as Sophia slipped into their chambers.

"You've not been gone as long as I expected."

"I, um," she stammered, turning pink. "There were some complications. The prince's servant-"

"You couldn't dispose of a serving boy? Would you like me to do it for you?"

"No!" she snapped. "Lancelot was respectful. He brought me an offering, and he knows the old ways."

"Do not grow fond of a mortal man," he warned her. "Their lives are so brief. Once you have your place in Avalon, his time will pass in the blink of an eye."

"I know, father."

"You must bewitch the prince. Only his death can pay for eternal life."

Sophia looked down, refusing to meet his eye, but she was saved the task of formulating a response by a knock on the door. She unlatched it to see the prince standing there, a charming smile on his face.

"My lady," he said decorously with a small bow. "I'm here to invite you to accompany me on a walk in the forest on the morrow."

"Will your manservant be attending?" asked Aulfric, gripping Sophia's shoulder in warning when she moved to speak. "I wouldn't like my Sophia to spend too much time in the company of low-born men."

"I thought perhaps it could be just the two of us," replied Arthur. "I promise that your daughter will have all of my protection."

"Then it's agreed," said Aulfric jovially, beaming at Arthur until he left.

Morgana gripped the arms of her throne with all of her strength until the wood creaked under her fingertips, trying hard to keep her magic powers in control as her heart broke in her chest. From behind Arthur and Sophia, Gwen and Lancelot were watching her with wary eyes.

Uther's laughter boomed through the great hall, and Arthur's scowl deepened.

"I'm serious, father. The lady Sophia and I are to be married."

"Arthur, you have the emotional maturity of a blueberry scone," said Uther wearily, still chuckling to himself. "You are far too young to be married, and when you are, it will be a match of strategic importance."

"You can't stop us," declared Arthur. "We're in love."

Morgana leaned forwards in her throne. "Is this true, Sophia?" she entreated softly.

"I-" started Sophia, and then she hesitated, looking between Arthur, Lancelot, Morgana, and her father. "Perhaps... perhaps we could delay until we're older," she said reluctantly.

"Sophia, I-" said Arthur, looking heartbroken.

"There, it's settled," declared Uther, relaxing. "Son, I will forgive this insolence. I, too, was young once."

For a moment, Arthur was too shocked to speak, but then he released Sophia's hand and strode out of the room.

"Arthur?" said Merlin softly, knocking on his chamber door. "Are you crying?"

The prince's head whipped up to glare at him through puffy eyes. "I beg your pardon?" he snapped. "Get out of here, Merlin."

"Lancelot told me what happened," Merlin continued in the same tone, holding his hands up as though approaching a wild animal. "It must have been difficult for you. I know that you feel as though you love her very much."

"What do you know about anything?"

"I know what it feels like to love someone who doesn't want to be with you."

A confused look crossed Arthur's face, as though he were desperately trying to remember something, but before he could respond, Aulfric came sweeping into the room, pulling his daughter along with him.

"You must elope with Sophia," he announced. "It is the only way."

"Yes," agreed Arthur immediately, his expression clearing once more, and the blue of his eyes turning into a deep, fiery red. "The only way."

"I don't want to do it," hissed Sophia, struggling to get out of her father's grip. "Let go of me!"

Quick as a flash, Lancelot appeared in the doorway behind the old man, his sword at Aulfric's throat.

"Let her go," he said calmly.

With an irritated twitch of his staff, Aulfric threw Lancelot against the wall as though he were swatting a fly, and Lancelot's head hit the wall with a crack, knocking him unconscious. Sophia let out a growl of pure rage and directed a bolt of lightning at her father, which he only just dodged in time.

Aulfric turned to Arthur. "Go to the lake," he instructed him, before turning back to his daughter and letting fly a curse which blasted her across the room.

Glassy-eyed, Arthur began to walk towards the door as though compelled by an invisible force.

"Where do you think you're going?" said Merlin. Leaping at him, he knocked Arthur to the floor and straddled him, pinning him down by the wrists as he struggled to leave.

Sophia picked herself off the floor and turned to face her father with a snarl. "I'm not leaving Lancelot behind," she declared. "I love him."

"He's but a mortal man," spat Aulfric. "His life is too short to be of any consequence." He raised his staff to shoot a spell towards Lancelot's prone body, but Sophia was faster, and her spell hit the centre of her father's chest.

Aulfric only had time to gasp before he disintegrated into a cloud of ash. Immediately, Sophia dropped her staff as though she had been burned, and tears sprang to her eyes.

"Father," she whispered, dropping to her knees. With shaking hands, she picked up a handful of ash and let it sift through her fingers onto the floor.

"My lady," said Lancelot, stirring. He reached out a hand to touch her shoulder and she shrugged it off, snarling.

"Don't touch me," she spat. "We never should have come to this accursed place. See to your prince - I will not be returning."

With that, she picked up both staffs and ran from the room, slamming the door behind her.

"Merlin, what on earth do you think you're doing?" exclaimed Arthur, looking up at him in bewilderment. Merlin laughed in relief and released his grip on Arthur's wrists as he watched his prince's eyes return to their usual blue. Joyfully, he cupped Arthur's cheek and kissed him, smiling against his lips when the prince returned the kiss, his mouth opening to deepen their embrace.

The sound of Lancelot getting unsteadily to his feet broke Merlin's concentration, and he suddenly remembered himself and released Arthur, standing up and not meeting his eye.

"Merlin-" said Arthur quietly, but whatever he was about to say was interrupted when Morgana burst into the room, pure, incandescent rage in her eyes.

"Your fiancée just stole my horse!" she shouted, before stopping short at the scene in front of her. "What happened here?"

"I think we need to ask Gaius about it," said Merlin quickly, happy to have an excuse to leave the room. "I'll explain on the way."

"I need to speak to my father," sighed Arthur, peeling himself off the floor. "I don't think I'm going to enjoy this conversation."

"It serves you right," replied Morgana.

"Perhaps," mumbled Arthur, setting his jaw. "Lancelot, clean this up."

"Of course, sire," said Lancelot, looking about him at the ash that covered the floor.

With a commiserating look at Lancelot, Merlin slipped out of the room and started along the corridor, Morgana and Gwen hurrying to catch up.

"What was that woman?" asked Morgana.

"One of the Sidhe, according to Gaius," said Merlin. "I spied on Aulfric when he sneaked out to go to the lake. They were planning to sacrifice Arthur to achieve immortality."

"I've never felt magic that powerful," said Morgana, shaking her head. "How did you stop them?"

"I didn't!" exclaimed Merlin. "Sophia must have changed her mind, she killed her father and then ran away."

"My vision didn't come to pass," she murmured, almost to herself. "How can that be?"

"Destiny isn't fixed!" shouted Merlin, losing his temper. "I don't know how many people I have to explain this to before it sinks in." He slammed open the door to Gaius' workshop.

"I could hear you yelling all the way along the corridor," the old man reprimanded him. "I take it that your little talk with Arthur went badly."

"Of course it did! Even when he's not being ensorcelled by evil fairies, the man's still an idiot," said Merlin.

"The enchantment has been broken, then?"

"It certainly has," said Morgana. "Merlin, you mustn't be too angry with Arthur. The spell that Sophia cast - it was like being in love."

"She must have been powerful indeed," murmured Gwen. "The way you were looking at her, I've never seen you look at anyone that way... I mean, apart from-" She broke off, and turned pink.

"Apart from you, Gwen!" burst out Merlin, exasperated. "If the two of you insist on being as clueless as Arthur I'm going to set something on fire. Please, go away and have a real conversation before I burn this castle to the ground."

With that, he stomped away and threw himself onto his bed, clamping a pillow over his head and howling in frustration.

Gaius sighed, and quietly shooed Morgana and Gwen from the room. After looking at each other, shell-shocked, they shyly linked hands and walked through the door together.

"I'll give him some chores to do," he assured them in a whisper. "That usually cheers him up."

Merlin was grumbling to himself as he cleaned a particularly stubborn bit of grime at the bottom of a cauldron, when he was interrupted by a soft knock at the door of Gaius' workshop. He looked up to see Arthur leaning against the wall, watching him fondly.

"I've just had a very interesting conversation with my father about the rules of Camelot," said the prince in a casual tone.

"Oh yeah?" said Merlin, putting down his brush and drying his hands on a towel.

"Apparently they're incredibly important."

"Really."

"The whole kingdom could fall, if the prince were to break the rules," he continued, a little smile playing around his lips.

Merlin gave him a look. "If you say so."

"I take it that you disagree."

"I don't know what kind of king you're going to be, Arthur," said Merlin wearily, standing up to look him in the eyes, "but I know that only you have control over your destiny."

"You really believe that, don't you?" replied Arthur, reaching out to trace his thumb over Merlin's cheekbone, his fingers resting lightly on the side of his face.

"I know it," said Merlin, a fierce light in his blue eyes.

"I hope you're smarter than you look," murmured Arthur, his thumb drifting down to stroke across Merlin's lower lip. "Because I'm starting to believe you."

Merlin grinned against his lips as they kissed, and took great pleasure in pinning the prince against the wall to chase all thoughts of destiny out of his head for good.

[pippin-katz]

Dragons Love Gold Teaser

Hi, I'm back again to say that yes, I am still working on the 10+ drafts I have of Merthur one shots, and a couple of them are getting close to being finished. However, it is impossible to estimate how long they are going to take, so I'm dropping a snippet of one of my WIP stories here for you guys to enjoy!

When the fic is finished, you'll be able to click here for the link.

Click the keep reading divider to read the excerpt below! I hope you enjoy it and feel free to share your thoughts/predictions! :3

Dragons Love Gold (Excerpt)

Summary: Merlin successfully rescued the dragon's egg from the Tomb of Ashkanar and brought it home to Camelot. Now he has to figure out the next steps of hatching and raising a baby dragon, while also keeping the egg's existence a secret from Arthur, who definitely notices his strange behavior.

He stood off to the side of the banquet room, dazed. He couldn't focus on anything. All he could think about was the egg waiting for him in his room, and the tiny dragon inside it. It felt like something was pulling at him. The way he was feeling somehow reminded him of his mother. She was always so worried, so focused on his needs rather than her own. Merlin noticed the similarities and wondered if he was developing maternal instincts for the egg.

Merlin drifted between the tables. His body moved on its own out of routine as he absentmindedly filled goblets. He was so zoned out that he nearly spilled the pitcher while pouring wine into Arthur's glass when he spoke. "What is wrong with you today, Merlin?" he asked, making him jump. He eyed him up and down, eyebrows furrowed in thought. "You've been acting weird since this morning. Well, weirder I guess."

"Sorry Sire, I think I'm just tired," he replied. He offered an unconvincing smile. The king scowled now, evidently not approving of his response. Merlin swallowed nervously under his scrutinizing gaze. "Would you like anything else?"

"I'd like if my servant was honest with me," Arthur said. Fear dropped like a stone in Merlin's stomach as he silently watched the king. He took a sip from his now filled goblet. He looked annoyed and suspicious as he set it back down, glaring slightly. "Because he's definitely lying, and I expect him to tell the truth if he doesn't want to be given double chores tomorrow."

Merlin swore in his mind. As much of a dollophead Arthur could be, he wasn't as oblivious as he seemed. He could always see through him when he was upset or troubled. Just tell fragments of the truth, he thought to himself. Then you won't be lying, and he won't pick up on it.

"Sorry, I have a lot things on my mind tonight," Merlin said honestly. "Gaius and I were trying to find some information this afternoon. We were scouring through books for hours, and I honestly feel like my brain is going to explode with the amount of information."

Every part of his statement was true. He held Arthur's gaze, firmly standing his ground. He had no reason to hide; he hadn't lied. The king inspected his face some more as he took another sip from his goblet. His piercing eyes stared at him over the rim of the cup. Merlin was honestly starting to turn red for entirely different reason because of the intensity of how Arthur was staring at him. He willed the warmth that had filled his cheeks away, hoping it wasn't noticeable to the man sitting in front of him.

"That doesn't surprise me considering how small your brain is," Arthur finally replied, returning the goblet to the table.

Merlin rolled his eyes, but his shoulders relaxed. He didn't bother with a retort. He was too tired, and he wanted this feast to be over so he could return to the egg. Flashing an offended frown and huffing, he turned and returned to his work.

The rest of the meal passed by in a blurry haze as he made his rounds. Merlin had to hold back his elation when Arthur announced he was going to retire for the evening. He handed off his pitcher to another servant and followed closely on his king's heels as he strode out of the room.

Once within his chambers, Arthur motioned for Merlin to help him prepare for bed. He tried not to show his impatience as he helped him out of his armor, chainmail, and fine clothes. The king then disappeared behind the changing screen to remove his breeches and tunic. Merlin retrieved night clothes and hung them over the top for Arthur to put on. He bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for him to reemerge, heart beating a bit quicker with the anticipation of returning to the egg.

The sky he saw through the window was already dark. All he needed was Arthur to dismiss him for night; then he could get the egg, and take it with him to call Kilgharrah. Merlin zoned out, staring at the abyss that coated the city. Stars were beginning to poke their way through. The way they sparkled reminded him of the egg's exterior.

"Could you put out the candles, Merlin?" Arthur said, though the manservant was too much in thought to hear. "Merlin!"

The increase in volume and sharpness of his voice broke him from his trance. He whipped his head toward him, freezing as he tried to think of what he had said. The king stared at him expectantly, but Merlin's mind was blank, too full of plans for the egg to register what he'd been told. "Sorry, what?" he asked, smiling bashfully in a way he hoped as charming.

"Gods, your name suits you. You have the attention span of a bird," he said exasperatedly. He spun around and tossed himself onto his bed. "I said could you put out the candles? Honestly, do it quickly, you seem to desperately need sleep or something. You're even more annoyingly absentminded than usual."

Merlin didn't need to be told twice; well, told three times he supposed. He hurried his way around the room, blowing out all the candles. He managed to bump into the table with a muffled curse. A snort came from the bed where Arthur was laying, but the manservant stubbornly ignored it as he left the room. The door shut behind him a little too quickly for it to be considered normal, but Merlin frankly did not care.

He hurried down the castle corridors. He moved as fast as he could without breaking into a run. Gaius was awake when he got back, but he was in his nightgown and preparing for bed. The old man looked at him expectantly. "I know you're going to talk to the Great Dragon this evening about the egg, so be careful," he told him with a nod.

"Yeah, I always am," Merlin rushed out as he walked past him to his room.

There was doubtful grumbling from the physician that he couldn't make out. He tuned it out as closed his bedroom door behind him. The egg sat where he left it, glistening from the moonlight beginning to shine through his window. Merlin sighed happily as he moved forward. He slid down to his knees to be eye level with the egg, reaching out to put his hands on its sides. The familiar feeling of warmth flowed from the shell to his hand.

Merlin slowly stood up and scooped the egg into his arms, cradling against his chest. He felt his heartbeat match against the faint one beating within the egg.

"I can't wait to meet you," he whispered to it.

[heirbane]

Slow work day ft. Gaius. Mentions of wounds, scarring, body image/fluctuations, etc under the cut.

Gaius, even by the Garlean standards, is pretty damn tall. His mother's statue and figure would have been to die for in Eorzean tabloids - waifish and as lanky as a Gridanian willow.

Her son inherited her height and more. By the time he was twenty summers, he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her. By the time he was twenty five, he had finished growing - standing close to six fulms, seven ilms barefoot.

Even before he earned his Legatus status and the suit of armor that he became known for, Gaius was not a man easily overlooked. By the time he was a quarter century old, he had lost the roundness of youth and the gangly limbs that oft follow Garleans into their early twenties. He had broad shoulders and large, calloused hands, his musculature defined by the sheer amount of hours he poured into training others and honing himself. The marks of growth lined the back of his knees and under his arms - far faded and nigh lost to time by he retires.

His suit of armor gave him a sort of heft that the man truly didn't possess. He was built more for endurance than sheer powerhouse strength. As is his moniker, Gaius was better suited to stalking his prey and wearing it down than going immediately for their throats. However, he still has hours and hours of strength training behind him. He isn't the brick house that some other in his field are, but he is not wanting - especially after becoming Legatus.

His suit of armor proves to be the man's biggest hurdle after gaining his title. Mostly engineered metal and full of electronics for easy access to communicators, maps, and other important documents, it weighs an easy fifty pounds in it's first incarnation. With Nero under him, the suit comes under multiple iterations; by the time A Realm Reborn occurs, it is closer to seventy five pounds.

(To say he slept hard the first few weeks of wearing it is an understatement. He did everything he could to get used to the weight of his new title, from running laps with weighed vests and sparring new recruits in the armor for hours at a time.)

Where he may have been thinner in the lower ranked uniform, he blooms into a new person now - gaining muscle so swiftly that the stretched skin of youth returns, angry and red.

The armor does much and more to protect him, but he went two decades in the military before he earned it. As a green recruit and a lower ranked official, his uniform left much more exposed to attack. No one comes out of the Garlean military unscathed, and Gaius is no exception.

He has been shot. He has been stabbed and cut by the enemy and had small bones broken by his fellow recruits in spars. Shrapnel pockmarks his calves and knees; scars envelop his hands and between his fingers from young, sloppy knifework. He had his skull fractured and broken his orbital bone during the confrontation at Silvertear, leaving him to wallow in his failure in a medbay back in Garlemald for several weeks. The recovery of that event was the worst he had been through before Praetorium, as it also forced him to have multiple fake teeth put in on one side of his mouth.

I've covered his Praetorium injuries fairly thoroughly. He suffers such burns to his arm that many would have amputated it to avoid gruesome infection, at the cost of phantom limb pain after. He broke a bone in his leg, dislocated his shoulder, and fractured several ribs. It was not one wound but the culmination of all of them that made his recovery period rough and tumultuous.

After the Legatus died, the man began to lose some of his strength: no longer does he have to endure wearing his metal facade. Compounded with bed rest and an inability to walk afterwards, Gaius does experience some muscle wasting and weakness - but given the extraordinary health and fitness he had been in prior, his "wasting" is not on par with the average soldier. It takes him months to fully return to a sense of normality, but with a new need to pay for food and lodging, he can't rest forever. He takes up odd jobs and quests, fighting much as any usual adventurer would, and spars with Severa and Valdeaulin in between.

Some habits of military work are hard to break. He still jogs several malms a week, despite his pace being much slower than before and off-kilter due to his leg injury. He still does the minimum push-ups and sit-ups that are required of a recruit, even if he had to adjust to his numb arm not holding weight. Gaius is no longer at the peak of health or fitness, and what muscle mass he has lost seems to have been filled in with a few extra pounds in his torso and thighs.

His tenacity and his unbroken habits do aid him come Endwalker, when facing a Blasphemy is needed - and he learns that some things simply never break. He leans back into his leader voice and way of being without realizing it, and while his "legion" includes farmers and odd villagers and he is slower than he used to be, they are able to overtake the beast with relatively little repercussions.

(Gaius doesn't speak of the fact that he aches afterward. He knows he is past his prime, and he knows he is wanting for practice. It was done, and that is enough.)

[irrolyphant]

📺 8 SHOWS TO GET TO KNOW ME

(thanks for tagging me, @savebytheodoresnonjosestuff 💐)

In alphabetical order:

1. The 10th Kingdom (2000)

Fantasy / Dramedy | 1 Season

Kimberley Williams-Paisley | John Larroquette | Scott Cohen | Dianne Wiest

Virginia Lewis and her father, Tony, get trapped in a fairytale dimension. They must travel across the 9 kingdoms, avoiding trolls, wicked witches, and the huntsman, to find the magic mirror that can take them home.

Favourite Episode: n/a (my DVD has it as one long film)

Favourite Character: Wolf

2. Being Erica (2009 - 2011)

Dramedy / Time Travel | 4 Seasons

Erin Karpluk | Michael Riley | Reagan Pasternak

After a near-death experience, Erica Strange meets the mysterious Dr. Tom, a therapist with the ability to send his patients back to relive and ‘correct’ their deepest regrets.

Favourite Episode: 3x12 Erica, Interrupted

Favourite Character: Dr. Tom

3. Justified (2010 - 2015) (2023)

Neo-Western / Crime / Drama | 6 Seasons + City Primeval

Timothy Olyphant | Walton Goggins | Joelle Carter

Enforcing his own brand of justice, Deputy US Marshal Raylan Givens is reassigned from Miami to his childhood home in the rural coal mining towns of eastern Kentucky.

Favourite Episode: 2x01 The Moonshine War

Favourite Character: Raylan Givens

4. Merlin (2008 - 2012)

Fantasy / Drama | 5 Seasons

Colin Morgan | Bradley James | Katie McGrath | Richard Wilson

A young warlock named Merlin has come to Camelot, where those who study magic are killed under the King’s command, to fulfil his destiny of protecting the future King, Arthur Pendragon.

Favourite Episode: 3x03 Goblin’s Gold

Favourite Character: Gaius

5. One Foot in the Grave (1990 - 2000)

Comedy / Sitcom | 6 Seasons

Richard Wilson | Annette Crosbie | Doreen Mantle

When Victor Meldrew is forced into early retirement, he has a lot more time on his hands to observe the world around him, and he finds it insufferable.

Favourite Episode: 4x05 The Trial

Favourite Character: Victor Meldrew

6. Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996 - 2003)

Fantasy / Teen Sitcom | 7 Seasons + 2 Films

Melissa Joan Hart | Caroline Rhea | Beth Broderick

When Sabrina Spellman turns 16, she discovers that she is a witch, and she must now learn how to control her powers.

Favourite Episode: 2x18 The Band Episode

Favourite Character: Salem Saberhagen

7. Santa Clarita Diet (2017 - 2019)

Comedy / ZomCom | (criminally only) 3 Seasons

Timothy Olyphant | Drew Barrymore | Liv Hewson | Skyler Gisondo

Real-a-tor couple Joel & Sheila Hammond lived a perfectly normal quiet life in Santa Clarita with their teenage daughter Abby. Until one day Sheila suddenly died and came back to life. Now, her new diet is putting a tremendous strain on the family.

Favourite Episode: 1x07 Strange or Just Inconsiderate?

Favourite Character: Joel Hammond

8. Stranger Things (2016 - 2024)

Horror / Supernatural / Drama | 5 Seasons (4 Released)

Winona Ryder | Millie Bobby Brown | et al.

The vanishing of schoolboy Will Byers leads his group of friends to uncover a terrifying secret about their hometown.

Favourite Episode: 4x04 Chapter Four: Dear Billy

Favourite Character: Steve Harrington

This was fun! I know everyone else was just doing a list, but I’m nothing if not over-the-top 🙈

Tagging: literally anyone who reads this & wants to do it 🫶🏻

[nymfaia-archive]

more timeline fun, ft. My Ship + their bb. ft. @nossumusmanus since this ship + the ship's respective verse is fairly intertwined w/ quintus living at this point, lol

alta gets pregnant around the time of Pagl'than. either before or after. she is barely a few weeks along when Endwalker happens, and is Very Thoroughly Ill in Garlemald - something she thinks is a result of the corpses and the sheer horror of what has been done to Varis and the Tempered soldiers. It's early spring by the end of MSQ, and the snow is melting, exposing corpses that had not been able to rot in the cold, the sickened aether from the Tower making her feel nauseous and ill to her bones.

It is after their first excursion into the Tower that it truly rears it's head, and she is caught outside of camp kicking snow over the rations she failed to stomach. Jullus finds her crying and upset at herself for not keeping things together. After some encouragement, she bundles her uncertainty and despair back in, knowing she had a world to save.

(she's also sick in Thavnair, but - as she was sick from using the Aetheryte to travel there - she assumes it's just that, along with exhaustion and nerves.)

After the end of the main MSQ, Alta is quarantined in Sharlay for multiple, multiple weeks. She's still sick and she needs physical therapy and time to heal from her wounds. I think someone in Sharlay probably tried to tell her what state she was in, but she was convinced her injuries and her light aether corruption from Shadowbringers would cause the pregnancy to be a fluke. Out of fear of being known and having been cooped up for too long, she swiftly left after that to go aid the realm. By the time she leaves, she's just shy of three months along.

She visits Thavnair first, subsisting almost exclusively on mint lassi to keep her from getting too sick on the palace's tiles. Vrtra pegs her and her coalescing aether almost immediately and does his best to respect her hostility, and Alta flees to the undersea vault with her former Scion allies before the greatwyrm can truly guilt her about it. (Unfortunately for her, Y'shtola's aether sight knows it just as well. Fortunately for her, she says little and less beyond a veiled tease that the Warrior of Light entirely does not get.)

As soon as she ties up that loose end, Alta returns back to Garlemald. Her illness has gotten better, but is still off and on depending on what she's doing. A few days into the stay, she learns about Quintus' lover and their state, and both her and Jullus make an attempt to gather supplies from a deserted medical clinic. They bring back a mobile ultrasound machine, medicines, and vitamins, stopping by Tertium for a rest. They find a retired nurse there who is able to show Alta that she was still with child - and closer now to four than three months along. With Jullus, she traverses back to Camp Broken Glass to retrieve Quintus and Nerva and returns back to Terncliff that same evening.

Alta is in Terncliff for less than one moon. She dances around telling him the truth, and finally does one evening when she thinks he's fallen asleep beside her, whispering the news in his ears as if testing words on for size. By the time he fully awakens in the late morning, she's already long gone - but he knows what he heard was not a mere dream.

She doesn't return to Garlemald, but Thavnair. The tear betwixt realms is explored, the first two of the Fiends felled, and Zero returned to the Source upon their collapse. Still desperate to avoid Gaius and what response he may give her, she travels back to Ilsebard.

She teams up with Jullus and Quintus to go through the tower for supplies, and the three of them run into Nerva Galvus - or nearly do. Removing Quintus from the palace was like pulling teeth, but both her and Jullus finally were able to convince him it wouldn't end well if they stayed. They resolve to return after sharing the news with the Alliance - and, after some needling and reminders of you swore, Alta admits she's about in the same boat as Nerva (and sheepishly apologies for being a bit spicy in Endwalker and beyond.)

Alta has gone from begrudgingly eating rations and a half to starving even after two, and feels guilty that she's sapping resources from Garlemald and it's people. Using magic has become a drain on her she hadn't expected, and her stamina for traveling has lessened. After they enter the palace for a final confrontation, putting what was left of Varis to rest in a funeral pyre, she returns to Terncliff. Her state is becoming obvious to those who knew her previously. (Tataru would be happy to see Alta gaining weight again, after how thin she had become during her trip to the First. Alta firmly does not tell the receptionist-turned-tailor. Half the realm would know by sunset, and she is stubborn in keeping those who know to a bare minimum. She is nigh five months and beginning to get quite tired of people asking questions.)

It's the first time she's fully explained what all went on in Garlemald in her visits. She couldn't stomach telling Gaius the truth before, but now she feels as if it's unavoidable. He knew things had been dire, but had no idea that Zenos had treated his father so similarly to Varro and his children.

He was not there for his children. He was not there to protect Varis. There had to be something he could do to repent to his homeland, if only to close that chapter wholly and soundly behind him. Gaius decides he needs to return, if only to visit the grave of his homeland one time before it begins anew.

So he and Severa take off, leaving Allie in Alta's care and Alta in Valdeaulin's. A week of feeling bored and thoroughly harassing Valdeaulin later, Alta takes Allie on a small trip abroad, just the two of them. Allie learns of her present state: Alta, going without her facepaint, flies mostly under the radar as the two act as tourists in Kugane. They return to Terncliff about ten days later and Alta has a linkpearl call almost as soon as the airship lands; the disbanded Scions prepared to go into the Thirteenth, but were informed of issues in Garlemald with voidsent.

Alta leaves Allie in Valdeaulin's care and returns to Garlemald once more. Alongside Gaius once again, the pieces begin to fall into place for those she is affiliated with - her closeness to him as they move about the camp, his challenging gaze when she volunteers overmuch, the meals they share side-by-side - it is painfully obvious what they had gotten themselves into. Alta travels into Lapis Manalis alongside three Scions and Zero, acting as a sub-healer. The third Fiend is eradicated, and they return to the Camp with many, many liters of ceruleum.

(She is instructed to stay in the vehicle and stay warm as they load their loot, and her absolute silence on the ride back has Alisaie being a little sassy about 'the savior of the world, pouting over not being allowed to help'. She is about six months along, and, despite her apology to Quintus for being uncouth and short-tempered, she is still both of those things. It has been years since she has been disallowed to act - doing so now feels like a curse instead of a nicety.)

Alta is taken back to Terncliff with Gaius, who is still in disbelief that she's still forging ahead despite not being able to button her coat any longer. She lurks about the town for nigh on a full moon, tending to the flower field her and Valdeaulin have been growing since her first visit to Terncliff after the end of the world; and, for a moment, she's enjoying the break... before the Scions call on her once more.

The fourth fiend is in need of being dispatched. So she does as they ask, as she always has, and isn't given a reprieve to return home before they make further progress: they've figured out how to get to the Thirteenth's moon, and she's needed.

First to aid in the Aetherfont, and then to travel betwixt the stars.

While she is tired and irritable at the beginning of their adventure to the island of Haam, the surplus of positive aether is a boon after months of feeling drained. Her spells are cast with ease, her mana well feels as if it is bottomless, and for the first time since visiting Elpis, she feels as if she is hale and whole. She carries the energy through to the Thirteenth's moon, and, while relying on her shards from beyond the rift, she is able to take down the Knight in Black.

After a short stint in Thavnair to rest, she does return, one final time, to Terncliff. Despite the small town's slow pace of living and it's lack of true adventure, Alta finally decides she needs a rest. She calls the Scions and their affiliates to inform them of her hiatus and then clicks off her linkpearl for the longest, quietest stretch of relaxation she has had in over five years. She is seven moons and a handful of suns, having traversed two realms and taken down more enemies than the 'disbandment' of the Scions had promised her. She loves them all dearly, but she is tired.

Gaius still has his own linkpearl connection with Estinien open, and is kept abreast of their machinations as Alta stays willfully ignorant. He knows the biggest battle is yet to reach them - to tear down the last bastion of evil in the Thirteenth - and he hopes it is at bay for long enough for the Warrior of Light to have a peaceful last few weeks.

When they come to be, it is to her surprise - not his - that Moogle mail carriers are inundated with gifts and well wishing cards. She thought she had been quiet about it. She thought no one had found out, outside of Jullus, and Quintus, and Nerva, and Alisaie, and Y'shtola and Vrtra and - ....

[securcity-archive]

brief breakdown of the main names/npc that you will see featured on this blog pretty heavily:

BRETT DALTON: brett is one of the founders of eden. he manages and leads the security portion of eden, and also became a father figure to hal, though the both of them do not talk about it. brett eventually retires, and asks hal to take over for him after the show.

GAIUS ZANE: gaius is the other founder of eden. he manages and leads the citizen portion of eden, and is the father of miles zane. he always yearned for a large family, despite his wife never being able to give that to him; so in a way he found it within the citizens of eden. it was his idea to allow the citizens to pretend that the end of the world never happened. he creates a list from the citizens of eden of things that they need, and provides it for the security team to search for when they are outside the walls. gaius does die in the battle against the angels.

MILES ZANE: miles is the best friend of hal and the son of gaius. he joined the security team, and the same group as hal, because he didn't agree with his father's views and how he handles the citizens of eden. he also is resentful towards his father for seeking a family in others, instead of his own son. he has a big heart, and loves to lighten the mood where needed; and eventually takes over the leader portion of citizens in eden after his father dies, though swears he will make drastic changes.

image tba.

AIDEN BURCH: aiden is the leader of security team group one, and an arrogant asshole. he used to be an angel, but ran away from them and found eden; he also never told anyone about this. he also started a contraband ring inside of eden, where he goes out, and finds drugs, and brings them back to sell for whatever he wants. he and hal had a brief fling with one another, and when he confessed his feelings for her, she broke his heart; so he started to torment her whenever he can as revenge.

more will be added later.