#I know these are daggers not swords but many people don't and call them swords

[chaoticcuriosity]

So I wanted to show just some of the sword/dagger pieces I have in my shop. Each piece has the option of with a genuine gemstone (spinel on silver or smoky quartz) or no gemstones. If you would like these on different hooks or studs, please message me to see what I have on hand! These are the threader earrings I have available and of course there is lots more at my shop Somewear in Tyme

[white-wolf-buckaroo]

Chapter 2: Do you want me to burn your cookie?

First flashback chapter, yay! Let's see how things were with younger Emily at camp. So that you don't get confused, this is set before Annabeth and Luke first even make it to Long Island

Word count: 2500 ish words

Warnings: None I can think of

Fic masterlist here!

Age 6

It was during the last days of spring when Emily met Ares again.

She had been at camp for a few weeks now, and the arrival of the rest of the demigods was impendent. Until now, she had only met her fellow year-round campers, some of them also from the Ares cabin; it was weird at first for her to understand that they were her siblings (or half-siblings, to be clear), but Chiron had taken his time to explain everything to her, and answer every question she had: Why do we burn food? Can I ride the Pegasi? When will Daddy come see me?... and so on.

As she was still pretty young, and unfamiliar to their world, Chiron let her miss out on the last weeks of first grade, letting her explore the new surroundings on her own; she was a child of Ares, she would be fine by herself. So she met the people around camp, Mr. D (who she didn’t really like, especially after he insisted on calling her “Ellie”, almost as if wrong on purpose), and the satyrs, who she followed around the crops, marvelling at how they played music to help the plants grow. Once she was settled, and after a general introduction from the centaur to camp half-blood, Emily’s curious nature took over, and she spend her mornings roaming the wild.

Ares watched her. He saw her run through the forest, her teddy bear under her arm, discovering, playing, and laughing to herself. She found many animals, small and some bigger ones, and she befriended many, always guarded by the spirits of the woods to ensure her safety; she was a sweet child, despite her heritage, and they guarded her while she was alone outside. She didn’t seek destruction, or causing havoc; she was tranquil, and adventurous.

Maybe it was because her environment had been a good one during her first years, but she wasn’t as brute, gruff and brash as Ares had expected her to be. It surprised him, to be honest.

During the afternoons, Emily was introduced by her siblings to training. However, she was small, and they were older, taller and stronger than her, so she sticked to the side, watching them fight with swords, spears and other weapons of their choice against other campers. They were nice enough to show her the basics, although she was still too petite to hold a sword properly, so her siblings introduced her to using daggers and other small weapons first.

“Why do I have to learn this?” she pouted, frustrated at her failed attempts of doing what her older brother had taught her; it was still weird for her to think of them as her siblings, as she had never had any and now there were… a lot, but she was slowly getting used to it “I don’t want to do this”

“You are a child of Ares” said one of the boys, a son of Apollo “Fighting comes natural to those of your kind”

“But I don’t want to fight” she replied, still pouting “I don’t want to hurt anyone”

“Maybe not, but there are monsters out there who won’t hesitate to come after you, and kill you if they get their chance” the girl who spoke, a daughter of Hermes, received glares of reproach upon saying that, and she was shoved to the side by one of Emily’s brothers after seeing how scared she looked now “Hey, it’s true, the sooner she learns the better for her”

“There are monsters out there?”

“You are safe at camp, don’t worry” one of her brothers kneeled beside her, handing back to her the dagger that had fallen from her hand to the ground “But she’s right. The sooner you start training, the stronger you will be”

Strong. Emily watched her siblings, bulked, skilled, tough… and she honestly doubted if training would ever make her look as powerful as them. She was only six years old, she didn’t know if she was actually strong enough to grow into a warrior like them.

She sat alone later (although accompanied by her teddy bear, her loyal companion), on the edge of the forest in front of the beach, munching on some cookies Chiron had given her. The waves of Long Island Sound crashed rhythmically against the shore, whilst Emily couldn’t shake off the feeling of inadequacy that lingered within her; she could still hear her siblings at the arena, laughing while they playfully fought, and the music the satyrs played at the strawberry fields. Beside her on the grass lay the dagger she had been training with, and she looked at it with uncertainty.

Her little fingers wrapped around the hilt, her gaze examining the weapon: it was bronze, the handle was covered in leather, and the blade had small Greek symbols engraved into the metal. Due to her dyslexia, she’d always had trouble reading, however these letters didn’t dance in front of her eyes as it usually happened. This time, she only had trouble understanding the word itself, because she didn’t know the language.

“Need some help?”

Emily instantly recognized that voice. She turned around, and there he stood: her father, a few feet away, leaning against a tree.

“Daddy!”

Squealing, Emily stood up, the dagger falling on the ground beside her Teddy and the plate with cookies. She crashed into Ares’ legs, smiling up at him, jumping with excitement.

The first days at camp had been tough, especially because she constantly waited for Ares to show up and take her with him again; yeah, she was amazed by the nature surrounding her, the cabins and the new environment in general, but she missed her parents: her mother wouldn’t come back, she knew that, but she still had her father, right? Her siblings were no help, telling her that she shouldn’t get her hopes up, because godly parents weren’t known for being present in their demigod children’s lives, but she was sceptical, thinking that if he had come for her after her mother’s passing, maybe he would come again. So she burned part of her food at every meal like they had taught her, thinking of a message for her dad, just as her siblings had explained to her how she should do. She prayed to him, in her own childish way of how she thought praying was done, and thought of him when she was alone in her bunk bed at night, missing being tucked in; he had never done that, that was all her mother… but now she only had Ares, and she longed for him to care for her.

And on the verge of losing hope, fortunately, he came.

Ares wasn’t really sure what had motivated him to visit her. He never did stuff like that; the gods sometimes gave out missions, quests or requests for demigods to fulfil, and only then would they actually show up. But they usually never visited their children. Maybe the reason was that he had been sick of Hermes talking about his latest travels and the gossip he had picked up, or that he didn’t want to face his father after him requesting everyone to show up that day at Olympus. Maybe it was an impulse that arose from having been watching her from time to time the last few weeks, or maybe… something he couldn’t name. And he for sure wasn’t going to show up anytime soon once summer began, not with the rest of the campers there: he would definitely stand out, and he didn’t have time to deal with a bunch of dumb children if they noticed him.

Seeing Emily there, though, sitting on the edge of the forest, reluctantly clutching the dagger in between her hands, he appeared behind her, watching her study the engraving of the weapon. The breeze stirred her hair, while she mumbled to herself, trying to spell the word she couldn’t read, when he decided to reveal himself.

He awkwardly patted her head, definitely not expecting so much excitement from her side. He thought she would probably really hate him by now, after abandoning her there and not acknowledging her for weeks.

Emily began to talk, words thrown at him a hundred miles per minute, telling him everything she had seen and learned at camp half-blood about the gods, the goddesses, the satyrs, the centaurs… and that she loved the Pegasi, and the strawberries they ate, and that she had met her older siblings.

Ares wasn’t used to being around little kids very often; he kind of avoided them, as he didn’t really know how to handle them. Emily was very much like other children her age: small, innocent, and filled with excitement. It stirred something inside him, thinking that that sweet little girl came from him.

“What do you have there?”

He pointed to the dagger, and Emily went to get it, Ares remaining where he stood. His daughter, back at his side, raised the small weapon up to him, the bronze metal shining under the spring sun.

“My brother gave it to me. It says something here, but I don’t know what it means” she told him, frowning. Ares thought she looked cute when she did that, little face scrunched in confusion “Do you know it?”

It didn’t take him more than a glance to recognize the word.

“That word means ‘Ares’” he explained, smug smile on his face “That’s me”

“You?”

“The only one there is, princess”

He wasn’t planning on calling her that, and if so, it wasn’t meant seriously, more so in a mocking, sarcastic way. However, Emily’s face lit up, and he couldn’t take it back anymore.

“Daddy?” he hummed in response, listening “Are you a god?” It seemed that she had caught up on the meaning of that word. Of what that meant, and the power it held. Ares nodded, telling her that he was the God of war. She nodded back, biting her lower lip before speaking again “So… you’re like, really old, right?”

Ares laughed, not expecting that question.

“You could say that” he shrugged, still chuckling.

“Why are you the god of war?” her head tilted to the side, looking him in the eyes, her own full of curiosity “Why not the god of trees? Or the god of flowers, or clouds, or… dogs? They are sweet, I like them”

Something similar to a short circuit occurred inside his head. He didn’t expect those questions. She was just like her mother, full of curiosity. Ares paused, taken aback, and pondered for a moment, contemplating how to explain the complexities of his role as the god of war to a young child; his title had been given to him so long ago… he had just rolled with it over the centuries, throughout the millennia’s.

“I just am, kid” he couldn’t just tell a six year old that he was the god of war because he was seen as someone aggressive, violent, cruel and… just everything that accompanied the brutalities of battles. In ancient Greece, citizens used to hope he would not take notice of their cities, because they believed he only carried death and suffering with his presence “I’m territorial. I’m not afraid of fighting. I get what I want when I want, and don’t let anyone steal what’s mine. And if they do, I won’t let them go unpunished”

War isn’t only about that, though. It’s about protecting what you love, standing up for what’s right, and sometimes, making sacrifices for the greater good. Many use war to get what they desire, yes, and start a fight for unjustified reasons, but true war, a true fight, is for defending what you believe in. Ares also embodied all of that, even though he had forgotten it himself.

"But why not trees or flowers?" she persisted, her curiosity unabated. Ares smiled, amused by her innocence and inquisitiveness.

"Each god has their own domain, their own special role to play in the world. Trees have their own protector, as do flowers and clouds. And as for dogs… I like them too. My uncle Hades has a very cool one”

“One of Mommy’s friends had a big dog, and he brought it with him sometimes when he came visited” she explained, doing a face. She didn’t see Ares’ eyebrow raise when mentioning her mothers’ ‘friend’ “I didn’t like that dog, though. He had big teeth, and he barked a lot. He scared me”

“At camp you will learn to fight and to defend yourself, so you won’t have to be afraid anymore. Not of any dogs, and not of any monsters”

“But I don’t want to fight monsters, Daddy. I’m not strong enough. They’ll eat me!”

Ares almost chuckled, certainly amused.

“They’re not going eat you, Ems” again, that nickname wasn’t planned. He had to start controlling himself “Not if you win”

“But I’m tiny. They will get me and swallow me”

“You will not be tiny forever. You’ll grow, learn, and train. You’re my kid: fighting comes natural to you” it was the same thing the Apollo boy had said to her; coming from her father, though, she started to consider those words as a possible truth “You’ll be just fine”

“Do you think I’m strong enough?”

She referred physical strength, but also mental, even if she didn’t know what she really meant with that question. In her eyes, her siblings and the other campers she had met seemed all so strong and tough; it was of course the result of years of tutoring in the skills of combat, shaping their moves and reflexes, moulding their bodies. It seemed impossible to ever reach that level of strength.

“My kids are warriors. Eventually, you are strong” Emily did her cute frown, not completely understanding what he meant. Ares had to find the words, not really knowing how to answer her. Oh, his little girl, always asking the tough questions. He hadn’t really thought about that… if he considered her strong enough, but the answer came to him in a breeze once he contemplated it “Yes, you are strong enough. But Emily, strength is not only about size, or power. It’s about determination, and courage; believe me, I know what I’m talking about. Look… you may be small now, but you’re a strong kid. And one day, you’ll grow into a strong warrior”

Emily hugged his legs again then, smiling up at him. The sincerity and admiration in her expression towards him stirred something inside Ares, like the day he had left her at camp.

“Thank you, Daddy”

He nodded, acknowledging her words. She let go of him then, running back to where her Teddy and her plate of cookies lay, grabbing one of said biscuits, offering it to him.

“For you” she smiled, and he was actually speechless for a second, not knowing how to react to such an innocent and kind gesture. Emily understood that in her own way, remembering how she threw part of her food into the fire every day praying to him “Oh… do you want me to burn it for you?”

Ares snickered, a smile taking over his face, shaking his head no. He ruffled her hair, and accepted the cookie; he took a big bite out of it, and Emily smiled again.

----

Taglist: @strawberryys-stuff @ladysybilchronicles @kyuupidwrites @nhloversblog @beansficreblogs @priyajoyy @zeeader @lightsgore

[the-pen-pot]

He saw Arthur burst from the forest, wide-eyed and pale-faced. Sweat plastered his hair to his forehead, and fear locked his expression in its clutches. One hand stretched out as if to grab him. So near and yet so far. The moment fled. Gravity won, and there wasn't even time for Merlin to cry out as the bandit's weight dragged him over the cliff and into the stormy waters below. **** When Merlin is hurt during a bandit attack, Arthur finds himself torn between the longings of his heart and his duties to the crown.

Chapter One

They were going to die.

Merlin's breath stalled in his chest as the dappled sunlight glinted off the blades that surrounded them. They had made camp no more than a candle-mark ago, and many of the knights had taken their ease. Their swords were a few paces away, buried point-first in the earth. Only Elyan had been standing sentry, and now the tip of a dagger pressed into the hollow of his throat: his life nothing but a bargaining chip.

'Don't, Your Highness,' one of the men growled, no doubt noticing how Arthur had glanced towards his weapon. He looked like the leader, scarred and grim: a survivor through-and-through. 'Make a move, and he dies.' He gestured to Elyan. 'Now, how about you hand over that trinket you're carrying? I've a buyer who'll offer a great deal of coin for such a relic.'

Merlin ran his tongue over his teeth, cursing their bad luck. The bandit wasn't wrong; they had been on a quest to retrieve a cursed amulet that was poisoning the land. In theory, only forge-fire could destroy it. That, or a fireball of pure magic. The gold had boiled and seethed as he plucked apart the foul fortune woven into it, and by the time he was done, not a trace of its presence remained. Unfortunately, it seemed perhaps just a touch of its malice had latched onto them – a final vengeance – because with its destruction they had nothing to offer up in surrender.

'I don't know what you're talking about.' A hint of an empty smile hooked Arthur's lips, but Merlin could see that strategic mind at work, racing through the possibilities. He was more than just a pretty face; more than one enemy had forgotten that fact. They may be outnumbered, by they were far from defeated. Arthur would not go down without a fight, and Merlin wasn't about to let him fall to the blade of some two-bit bandit with delusions of grandeur.

'None of that, now.' The knife dug deeper into Elyan's throat, and Merlin winced in sympathy. 'Your men don't have time for these games.'

Around them, the peace thickened, interrupted only by the sigh of the breeze in the branches and the song of the birds. No one dared move. A single flinch could be enough to tip the scene into violence.

Leon's gaze was fixed on Arthur, his determination to keep the Crown Prince safe writ in every line of his expression. His own life would be forfeit if it meant Arthur was spared. Percy ducked his head, watching the closest attacker from beneath his furrowed brow. People never underestimated his strength, but they often overlooked his cunning.

Lancelot seemed to be searching for the right words to diffuse the anger that simmered in the air. Good to his core, Merlin knew he would hope these men could be reasoned with, even when faced with all the evidence to the contrary. Gwaine watched the scene with dark eyes, his expression fixed in that empty, jovial mask that meant everything was about to go to shit. He kept glancing at Elyan, who appeared furious for having been caught off-guard.

All the knights were at the wrong end of at least one sword, but the bandits had dismissed Merlin's presence. After all, he was just a servant. They did not consider him any kind of a threat.

Their mistake.

He reached out with his magic, hoping to plunge them into sleep, but though his power rose willingly to his call, no one so much as swayed on their feet. The spell coiled like smoke around them, invisible, yet no matter how hard Merlin tried, it could not sink its claws into them.

It took longer than he would have liked to notice the charms they wore on their wrists: cheap bits of metal stamped with runes – protections against the efforts of a mage. It seemed unlikely that they knew Arthur counted a sorcerer among his confidants. The Prince and his knights had known about Merlin's magic themselves for less than a year. It remained one of Camelot's best kept secrets, and Merlin cursed his bad luck for coming across a gang of thugs who had some common sense.

If he conjured up a fake and handed it over, it would disintegrate as soon as they touched it. They'd know they were being tricked within moments. Still, just because he could not use his magic on them, that didn't mean he couldn't use it at all.

First things first, he decided, he had to get them and their pointy blades away from Arthur and the others.

'This amulet?'

The illusion in his grasp gleamed butter-gold, as vivid as the real thing. Even if placed side-by-side with the original, he knew no one would be able to tell the difference. His magic leant it a touch of extra sparkle, and he watched an ugly smile crack over the leader's face. His body language shifted as cool eyes raked up and down his frame, no doubt finding him wanting. He saw what Merlin wanted him to see: baggy clothes over a lanky physique; no sword, armour or rank. He looked at Merlin and saw someone harmless, the same as almost everyone else in Camelot.

Everyone who didn't know his secret, anyway.

'Give it here, boy, and no one has to get hurt.' It was said in a cajoling tone, as if the bastard wouldn't stab him in the gut the moment he got close enough to reach. He could see that in his eyes: the cruelty of a bully. Still, that was something he could use. No way would this man like being outwitted by a peasant.

Merlin glanced at Arthur, seeing the emotion in that blue gaze. He knew the amulet was fake: he could guess what Merlin was going to do. It was written in the tension that hardened his jaw and the lines upon his brow. He gave a fractional shake of his head, as if urging him not to go down this road, but they were running out of time. The others needed just one moment: a split-second where the balance shifted, and he could give it to them.

'Why don't you come and get it?'

He darted away like a deer taking flight, ducking through the trees and sprinting into the welcoming gloom of the woods around them. Behind him, shouts of outrage rose in chorus with the clash of swords. The knights had taken advantage of the bandits' distraction, as he had known they would, but they were still outnumbered. He would have to trust in their superior skills to get them all out of this alive.

Arthur's cry of warning – Merlin's name made hoarse by fear – was enough to tell him he was being followed. Even if not for that, he could hear boots crashing through the forest: a steady percussion that underscored the shouting, bellowing rage of the men who chased him.

Merlin ducked under a tree branch, lengthening his stride as roots threw themselves out of his way only to rise up in his wake, forming loops to trip the unwary. He might not be as strong as a knight and he had little luck with wielding a sword, but he could outpace any of them, especially if they were weighed down by chain and plate armour. Dressed in nothing but linen, he was light on his feet, though lacking in protection. He tried to ignore how the space between his shoulder-blades itched, vulnerable. At least the bandits didn't have crossbows. If it came to a fight, they'd have to catch him first.

Voices hounded him, cursing and yelling as his pursuers careened through the undergrowth. Their threats were little more than garbled sounds, too distant to make out, but Merlin knew he'd be in trouble if they got their hands on him.

Overhead, the wind picked up speed, rattling leaves and waving the branches against the sky. His magic rose with it, a rushing swell of power that delved down beneath the roots and surged in the sap of the trees all around him. Wood creaked and groaned, stirred to new life, but Merlin didn't dare look over his shoulder and check what was happening. One stumble could cost him everything.

Was it his imagination, or were the voices baying for his blood getting fewer in number?

It took a moment for him to realise that another noise embellished the air. It started as little more than a low, rolling roar, but by the time the forest turned damp and lush around him, the din of the cascade had grown all-encompassing. It thrummed between the trees, battering at his ears, and he stumbled as the fringe of the woods released him onto a large, flat outcrop of water-slick granite.

Bending over, Merlin braced his hands on his knees, licking the spray from his lips. A stitch bit into his side, and his throat was parched from panting for every breath. Beneath his feet, an underground river found its freedom, tumbling from the top of the cliff into a deep pool below: all frothing rapids and a raging torrent. It was a long drop, at least as high as Camelot's curtain wall, and Merlin grimaced at the dizzying height before turning back to face the way he had come.

The tip of a sword halted him in his stride, and he sucked in a breath as he stared down the length of the blade at the man who gripped its hilt. The leader was alone, his hair matted with sweat and his leathers torn. Blood trailed from a scratch on his cheek, and his eyes were half-mad with rage. His lips pulled back, baring a broken front tooth along with the rest of his snarl. He trembled with anger, but the weapon remained steady and firm, braced to run Merlin through if he so much as flinched.

'The amulet.'

Merlin swallowed, his mind racing. If he tried to duck past him and flee, he'd probably end up with a sword stuck in his back. He couldn't retreat. There was nowhere to go but over the waterfall, and he didn't rate his chances in the tumultuous waters far below. In the end, he had no choice but to open his hand and let his eyes flash gold. The illusion dissipated into sparkling motes as he spread his palms in surrender. 'I don't have it.' He wet his lips before offering a shrug. 'I never did. We destroyed the amulet two days ago. It's long gone.'

The bandit's scream of fury echoed around them, a cresting note of inarticulate anger that rode the clouds of mist boiling up from the foot of the waterfall. Merlin's magic bunched, braced and ready to retaliate, turning the iron arc of the striking sword blow to nothing but ash before it could touch him.

Yet, for all it spared him from the bite of metal between his ribs, his spells did nothing to stop the bandit's body crashing into his own. His legs, already burning from his mad dash through the forest, wobbled at the sudden weight. He staggered, fighting off the clumsy flurry of punches as he grabbed at the man's wrists. It was a useless, frantic scrabble, neither of them able to get the upper hand, and Merlin's breath caught in his throat as he stumbled backwards.

His foot found nothing but empty air.

There was a split-second of perfect stillness so strikingly clear that he wondered if his magic had stopped the world. Except no. He could feel it, distant and unreachable, pushed from his grasp by the single point of contact where the man's protection charm touched Merlin's palm.

He saw Arthur burst from the forest, wide-eyed and pale-faced. Sweat plastered his hair to his forehead, and fear locked his expression in its clutches. One hand stretched out as if to grab him. So near, and yet so far.

The moment fled. Gravity won, and there wasn't even time for Merlin to cry out as the bandit's weight dragged him over the cliff and into the stormy waters below.

[yazthebookish]

I just reread the bonus chapter and I'm just, as always, struck by how fucking obvious Gwyn and Azriel's set up is.

✨ He found it already occupied. His shadows had not warned him. It was too late to bank without appearing like he was running, Azriel landed in the ring a few feet from where Gwyn practiced in the chill night, her sword glimmering like ice in the moonlight.

I'm telling you those shadows are going to play wingmen for Az.

✨ His shadows peered over his wings at her. The young priestess smiled--and Azriel thought it might have been directed at his curious shadows.

Does anyone ever really smile at his shadows except for Gwyn 😭

✨ "Happy Solstice," she said, as much a dismissal as it was a holiday blessing. -- He snorted. "Are you kicking me out?" -- Gwyn's teal eyes flashed with alarm. "No! I mean, I don't mind sharing the ring. I just...I know you like to be alone." Her mouth  quirked to the side, crinkling the freckles on her nose. "Is that why you came up here?"

Gwyn really indirectly said he was going to be a brooding ass so let's wish him a happy solstice and let him go and he still teased her back instead of taking the opening she gave him. Also, no one pays enough attention to this detail but SHE KNOWS he likes to be alone 👀 girl is paying close attention to him alright 👀

✨ Sort of. "I forgot something," he reminded her. -- "At two in the morning?" Pure amusement glittered in her stare. Better than the pain and grief he'd spied a moment before. So he offered her a crooked smile. "I can't sleep without my favorite dagger."-- "A comfort to every growing child." -- Azriel's lips twitched.

Gwyn has no filters on I love her 😂😂😂 she really indirectly called his lying ass out.

✨ "How was the party?" Her breath curled in front of her mouth, and one of his shadows darted out to dance with it before twirling back to him. Like it heard some silent music. -- "Fine," he said, and realized a heartbeat later that it wasn’t a socially acceptable answer. "It was nice."   Not much better. So he asked, "Did you and the priestesses have a celebration?"

For a 500+ year old immortal Az you should've been better at this game, but I'm proud of you for at least being self-aware and trying to have a normal conversation. 2/5 on the effort but still appreciated.

✨ She angled her head, hair shining like molten metal. "Do you sing?” -- He blinked. It wasn't every day that people took him by surprise, but..."Why do you ask?" -- "They call you shadowsinger. Is it because you sing?" -- “I am a shadowsinger--it's not a title that someone just made.” -- She shrugged again, irreverently. Az narrowed his eyes, studying her. "Do you, though?" she pressed. "Sing?" -- Azriel couldn't help his soft chuckle. "Yes."

1. Not many people take him by surprise but she did. -- 2. I wouldn't be surprised because it's funny as hell if she asked him because of shadowSINGER -- 3. Azriel taking offense and reaffirming he is, in fact, a SHADOWSINGER. -- 4. Sarah confirmed there will be a scene of him singing, as far as we know Gwyn is likely the only character who knows he does, also the fact that SJM created something common between the two of them and it's that they both sing? -- 5. It's sweet to think that Gwyn wanted to know something about him and asked him about something she herself loves to do, which is sing.

✨ "I blame Cassian for this. He's too busy making eyes at Nesta to notice such mistakes these days." Azriel laughed. "I’ll give you that."  

Gwyn complaining about Nessian and Az is like "I can relate " 😂

✨ Gwyn smiled broadly. "Thank you." -- Azriel dipped his head in a sketch of a bow, something restless settling in him. Even his shadows had calmed. As if content to lounge on his shoulders and watch.  

She smiled at him and both him and his shadows felt calm 🥹 like compare how aloof and depressed he was at the start of his scene with Gwyn to him feeling this just after one conversation with her 😭😭 it's so 😭😭 I love them so fucking much.

✨ Gwyn nodded her farewell, again facing the ribbon. A warrior sizing up an opponent, all traces of that charming irreverence gone. Azriel entered the warmth of the stairwell, and as he descended, he could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him. Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer.

"That charming irreverence" Gwyn is so unapologetic about that irreverence I love her for it -- also, that's a clear, in-your-face, clue about a mating bond. I stand by that and my opinion remains unchanged since I first read the bonus chapter in 2021.

✨ Clotho was smart enough to see through his deflection. She wrote, "I’ll give it to Gwyneth, Tell her a friend left it for her". -- He wouldn't go so far as to call Gwyn a friend, but... "Fine. Thank you."  

I don't really find this alarming when people try to push into my face. It's obvious they're not in love "yet" and Azriel doesn't have any friends outside the IC, he doesn't know how to label it. It's still early to even label it. That "but..." leaves an opening there.

✨ Clotho's pen moved once more. She deserves something as beautiful as this. I thank you for the joy it shall bring to her. -- Something sparked in Azriel's chest, but he only nodded his thanks and left. He could picture it, though, as he ascended the stairs back to the House proper. How Gwyn's teal eyes might light upon seeing the necklace. For whatever reason... he could see it.  -- But Azriel tucked away the thought, consciously erasing the slight smile it brought to his face. Buried the image down deep, where it glowed quietly. -- A thing of secret, lovely beauty.

When Clotho thanked him for the joy the gift wil bring to Gwyn that's when something sparked in him. That's when he started to picture that joy. "For whatever reason" she's likely your mate bro that's why but we'll save that for later. He was aware and conscious enough to erase his smile yet bury the image of Gwyn's joy in his chest. He had a DAMN SMILE on his face while thinking of Gwyn's joy, like, that's so precious 😭 and Clotho is 100% true, she deserves all the joy the world has to offer for her (I just wish it wasn't a necklace meant for someone else). I get the kindness behind the act but it can bite him in the ass if SJM brings it up in the main book.

That's only a teaser for what's to come and that's the purpose of the bonus chapter. I can see why Sarah was more excited for readers to read Azriel's chapter than Feysand's chapter. She knew what she was doing here and what she's setting up. I didn't want to post the earlier scenes since I don't want to deal with people showing up with pitchforks and I don't need to talk about other ships I'm happy and content to gush about my own.

Every time I reread this chapter it just reminds me of how obvious Gwyn and Azriel's set up is and you don't need a pairing to bang or make out to create a set up. We didn't even get much but they are going to be such a fun couple, I need more of funny and easy-going Azriel.

[cloudninetonine]

A Player's Aid: Chapter 11

Fandom: Legend of Zelda, Linked Universe

A/N:....I'm just sorry OUYDBUDHD but also my tag list got lost, if you could please say if you'd like to be tagged in the comments! (I know I can look at previous chapters but I lost some new names and it would be easier to build from scratch so I have it HDOCDHJ)

Warnings: Foul language, descriptions of gore, violence and mentions of injuries

Enjoy!

The effect was immediate. 

The sound of many boots against concrete was deafening and your vision blurred as Hyrule tugged you along, his grip still tight as you stumbled after the men in the direction of the castle. 

The Hero's instinct is what you deduced, it’s what powered these boys. To jump so readily into action, unafraid of what was to come- these men had a mission to protect the people of Hyrule and you admired everything they did for them. Not even Wind flinched at the scream, didn't hesitate like the others as they raced away from the Sacred Ground, you tumbling along almost unable to keep up with Hyrule's speed (Jesus christ these fuckers were fast-) 

You finally broke through the treeline to see the scene before you- horrid and bone-chilling as it played out. 

A lone adventurer had seemed to be downed, blood running down a deep gash on their arm in rivers as they tried desperately to claw away from the behemoth of a creature, hissing and spitting towards them as it stalked closer, the giant skull on its back just as intimidating as its many eyes and snapping fangs. 

Skulltula were always intimidating enemies in theory. Spiders were already scary, making them the size of a horse with a withering skull on their back, legs similar to knives and pincers dripping with what you could only guess to be venom only made them even more terrifying- you didn’t want to shame the Zelda graphics, but there was no way, from the deepest and darkest depths of hell they could even begin to bring justice to the creature that stood before you all.

"Not a fucking Skulltula…" You whispered in a blood-freezing horror, ducking behind Hyrule when it turned towards your group, seemingly hearing your words. "Christ on the cross, set it alight." 

With another hiss, it dashed in your direction, your whole body locking up only for it to cry out in pain as an arrow landed right in one of its many eyes, the group dashing forward with Hyrule removing something from his pocket and pressing it into your hands: a dagger. 

"Stay here." He held your cheek softly. "I'll be right back." 

He turned towards Wild, situated in front. 

"I've got them." The blonde reassured, sending him a knowing look. "Don't worry." 

With a firm nod, Hyrule ran to the group sword at the ready with a pat on Wild’s shoulder, your eyes wide in awe as you watched him hurl a phantom red projection of his sword right at the gigantic monster, its shrill calls making you cringe.

As its wails pierced the air, you could vaguely see Sky raise the Master Sword with a calculating look on his face, an almost holy light climbing up the length of the sharpened blade until a familiar sound reached your ears and the hero slashed across the air, the sight of a skyward strike cutting through the lengths of grass and slicing one of its many legs clean off its body, the appendage flailing before disintegrating into dust as the monstrous bug got even louder.

Sickening to see this close.

"Stay behind me." It was a soft order but you weren't about to defy him, slightly ducking behind him as he continued to aim at the Skulltula, the men fighting valiantly. "I promise to keep you safe."

You dug your fingers gently into his tunic. "I know you will, no need for promises."

His ears fluttered subtly at the words.

Watching the guys fight up close was much better than watching from afar, you could have only imagined just how amazing the fight from the riverside bokoblin must have been- breathtaking would have been too small a word to use, there wasn't any word the dictionary that could begin to perfectly describe how the boys fought. Calling it a movie scene would have been underrated, no, it was an art piece even with something as pathetic as a Skulltula, these men looked as if they had just been plucked from the Renaissance itself and you almost went breathless as you continued to bear spectacle to the scene.

Their footwork, their swings, the looks on their faces- they were heroes alright, not a doubt in your mind would refute that. Wild's steeled gaze and the way he handled the bow were just so amazing to you, he was a professional of course but there was an energy about him, not the goofy wild man but the hero that bore the Triforce of Courage.

You were in the presence of some of the strongest men in the current world…

Twilight and Warriors had rushed over to the fallen victim while the others had continued with the battle, arm over each shoulder as they had hauled them further away with reassurances of safety, appearing close to your side as they fished into their bags for a potion to deal with their wounds. The gash on their arm was horrible but the apparent one on their side was worse, bleeding profusely and long, your stomach churning at the mere thought while Warriors called for their attention, deeming this “no place to die.”

…You weren’t about to see someone die, were you?

The idea sickened you to the core.

A cry echoed out as Hyrule used a nearby boulder to leap onto the back of the great beast, the shrill shrieks of the horse-sized spider bloodcurdling as the Hero raised his bejewelled sword and thrust it into its head, tainted blood gushing onto the grass below leaving a bloody mess.

Your heartbeat pounded in your own ears as the monster screamed.

A horrid sound, disgusting and gut-wrenching, you felt even more nauseous as you were able to hear the faint sound of a popping squelch as your hero dug the sword deeper and deeper, blood spurting onto his forest green tunic and catching some of the other boys also. 

From your vantage point on that cliff, the destruction of these creatures wasn't something that had gotten to you but seeing this was way worse than your own imagination, no matter how majestic the men looked as they fought, this was still disturbing when the valiant filter was pushed aside. This wasn’t the pg-rated game any more, the one you would play for hours when you were younger, not a care in the world as you gathered the convenient drops- this was real life, these were real living things-

And this was real gore.

You gagged, hiding your face into Wild’s shoulder to force away the morbid curiosity as the other heroes continued to beat down the monster, its shrills engraining into your mind as one of the boys dealt the finishing blow.

(It had been Legend, watching Hyrule flail about as the Skulltula tried to rid him of its back, the man sliding down beneath the monster while digging his weapon into its stomach as he skidded against the grass, opening a mortal wound that had entrails spilling from its underbelly)

The familiar sound of a monster’s corpse poofing away was what brought you back, shyly peaking over Wild’s shoulder as you watched Legend stand, the stains of his tunic a gruesome eyesore that dusted away in the wind along with the smoke of dark magic that was once the Skulltula, Hyrule’s own caked clothes cleaning in a similar fashion until both were free of the thick, murky substance that was monster blood and huffing from the fight. The two looked at one another, conflicting feelings dancing on their faces until they nodded at one another, a sign of acknowledgement in their tense times.

You felt embarrassed at the shaky sigh you released, Wild looking back at you worriedly as you took a step back to compose yourself.

Why were you even scared? It’s not like you contributed to the fight in any way.

“Are you well?”

“Y-Yeah- yeah I’m good.”

His brows furrowed, his hand coming to hold yours. “You can talk to me.”

Your thumb gently danced over his knuckles. “It’s just…scary seeing them up so close.”

Cringing at his soft expression, your free hand moved to rub at the back of your neck. 

“Monsters are a disturbing sight to many, you don’t need to be embarrassed for your reaction.” 

“I know I just don’t like being some sort of damsel- I can’t fight but I’ve got enough sense to know how to protect myself and it just feels ridiculous and sad hiding behind you like some scared kid.”

It wasn’t a fault of yours, of course, especially in the presence of such skilled fighters it made sense but you couldn’t help it- you felt inferior, you felt weak, you hated having to hide behind your friend and you wished that you could at least stand beside him, a partner more of a cowering fool.

Wild hesitated, his mouth pursing in thought when both your attention drew to coughing close by, the presumed random traveller spluttering as the ranch hand and Captain pulled them into a seated position, the group circling her.

“Are you alright?” Twilight asked, a supporting hand on the person’s back. “Are you able to speak?”

“Yes.” The young woman coughed, covering her mouth with her arm, “Yes, thank you, I thought those moments would be my last.”

A shiver run down your back at the thought of something as hideous as a Skulltula being the last thing you saw before your body grew cold and stiff- would it eat you in that state? Could Skulltulas even eat?

“Do you know of what became of the people here?” Straight to the chase, Time leaned down to the level of the woman, face gentle similar to your shared first interaction, a show of support from such a traumatizing moment. “It was filled with many but now it lays barren.”

Her face curled in confusion. “You mean…you’re not here to help us?”

Your stomach dropped.

Help with what?

She continued. “The head of the people sent a bird not two days ago- we were attacked, by these things-”

“The Skulltula?” 

“Yes- they came in every direction, there were so many, we couldn’t run so we held up in the castle-” Warriors rested his hand gently against their shoulder, a soft mutter of ‘breathe’ leaving his mouth as the person panted, her shaky breaths slowing in an effort to calm her racing heart. “There was an opening and I took it when no one had responded then I got caught by that monster- I- I thought you were responding to our call-”

Time’s face had hardened with each word, his scowl like his sharpened sword. His anger was evident, the lingering tension in his shoulders shown even under that heavy chest plate; you knew why, everyone did, it was very much obvious this was the work of the Shadow, predictable and vile, coming for the public like the coward he was to draw out the many heroes for his own gain and entertainment.

This was a trap.

And a very obvious trap.

And he dragged innocent civilians into this mess.

“Can you stand?”

The woman stumbled over herself before nodding, pushing to her full height with the help of the other elders.

“Good- leave to the nearest Inn, we will clear the castle.” 

Your mouth dropped at the words, looking towards the towering Hyrule Castle in horror.

The whole thing!?

“T-The entire castle?! But that’s not possible!”

Not possible for most, but then again these were the Links you were talking about, heroes of the times- if they had fought against Ganon, Demon King and bringer of Darkness, of course, they could fight off a few Skulltula.

A few dozen sounded a bit of a stretch though.

“We’ll be fine.” There was a cocksure attitude to Warrior’s words, his smile confident and eyes sparkling with his fighting pride. “A few giant insects won’t be getting the best of us.”

Oh yes, he did sound very cocky indeed- you wondered if the woman was judging him silently from his tone, god knows you would have had you not known he was a great hero.

She tried to argue more, stumbling over her words and trying to reason however it reached deaf ears her stance slowly falling as the group began to discuss their next plans- Wild was the focal point of this, after all this was his home and he knew it like the back of his hand, planning a rescue mission was going to fall to him. 

You studied her for a moment now that you could- pale skin, black hair and dark eyes, just a regular-looking adventurer who seemed to be caught on the wrong side of things.

Something felt…off though. Maybe it was just your skewered sense, or your simple wary nature after being thrown through a magic portal by a magic shadow.

It felt like one of those scenes in movies: discovering the wounded adventurer, aiding them in their time of need and watching as the hero lets them accompany them on their quest, after all, it’s not a hindrance right? Betrayal would usually follow, disguised by that weak damsel now shown to be their deceitful enemy this whole time, tearing apart the group by the seams and leaving them all to rot with nothing but a prideful cackle.

Yet, that was the work of fiction, this was real life (such a strange thought now that you pondered it) and so nothing like that would happen, right?

“Please, let me at least join you!”

…right?

Your eyes narrowed, watching the expression on her face then shifted to study the rest of the men, sharing uncertain glances with each other.

Did they feel a similar unease or did they simply want to keep this woman safe?

“I don’t think that’s for the best-”

“My family is in there! My friends too! I’m not just gonna sit by while they’re suffering!”

Any persuasion was met with refusal, the woman becoming only angrier with every second until Time let out a sigh, steeling his gaze as he looked down at the woman.

“Your name?”

She stood taller, “Maggie.”

“Do you even know how to handle a weapon that hangs off your hip?” This was a test, you could tell, the complete shift in his personality was a warning of sorts for what was to come- you would reasonably back down from such a hard look and you were positive that was what Time was trying to do. “Fought any monsters? Been in any battles?”

It didn’t work, as shown when Maggie glared right back. “I’m fully capable of taking care of myself.”

“Seems you can’t.” Legend quipped and Time sent him a scolding look, the pink-streaked blonde throwing his hands with a look of surrender. “I’m just saying we saved you.”

She flushed a deep red “I was by myself but if I’m with you guys I should have a chance- strength in numbers.”

Your eyes stayed trained on Time as he listened intently, the others sharing different glances with one another as they waited for their chosen leader to finalise his decision, your shoulders dropping when he sighed in defeat, dragging a hand down his tired face.

“....Maggie, I will be responsible for you if you venture back into this castle with us- so, you must stay close and not stray far, no matter what you see, is that understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good, we move now.”

“Old-” Twilight’s mouth snapped shut, eyes averting from the flaming ones of the eldest. “...”

With a sigh, the man backed off, whistling for Epona who perked up happily, trotting back over to the forest. "I'm not taking her in there."

And you couldn't blame him, not with the threat of something like Skulltulas lurking around the castle halls, Epona could be jumped without a second thought- but leaving her alone wasn't an option, someone had to watch her just in case, right? So taking Gilda gently from your hair, you gestured her over.

"It'll be safer for you with her."

She crossed her arms. "(Name), I've been in more fights than you."

"...Gilda please-"

"I'm just teasing! I'll keep an eye on her, you've already got your fairy by your side~"

Had Hyrule been in hearing range you knew he would have swiped at her, so you spared her a chuckle and watched her whizz off after the ranch hand with a shake of the head.

"Should have guessed these fairies were just as cheeky as the fae."

Time glanced back over to Maggie, gesturing her forward once Twilight had returned, adorned with weapon and shield. “I want you to lead us, if you were able to escape then there may be a good chance that it was a blindspot to the monsters.”

You didn’t trust this, not a single bit. Your radar was going haywire, your body pumping the adrenaline into every little crevice within your body, hands shaking as you watched Maggie take the lead, the others slowly but surely following behind her until you were trailing right at the back with your fingers tightly secured around the dagger Hyrule had only given you moments ago.

The traveller had rejoined your side in haste, eyes ahead as his hand came to grab your own protectively, Wild marching on your opposite with a similar protective sense hanging over him.

“He’s got a plan…”

Hyrule muttered more to himself than anyone but Wild wasn’t far behind with his scepticism.

“A dangerous one- thought that was supposed to be my job?” The comedic tilt in his voice did not aid you at all, Wild’s face pinching in worry at your expression. “We’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

You knew they would, they were your heroes and you knew they would do anything to keep you safe.

Yet something told you that it wasn’t going to be that simple.

~~~~~~~~~~

You wouldn’t say you suffered from arachnophobia. Sure, you weren’t a fan of the things, but not in a way to say you had a fear of them. They were certainly freaky looking, eight eyes, eight legs, could produce cobwebs and drunk the blood of flies and other such small insects- but a true fear of them was not what you had, nowhere near. You had seen someone with the phobia, their dropping jaws and the way they raced to the opposite side of the room-

To avoid the tiny money spider that hadn’t even gotten close to them.

That was true fear- that fear would have had them dying right on the spot at the sight before you at this very moment.

The webbing was huge, like sheer curtains decorating the old stone walls of the castle, the few egg sacs a disgusting sight as the men cleared them out, the many Walltula shrieking and spitting fiercely only to die by the steel of the heroes’ blades, monster smoke almost thick enough to choke on.

It was terrifying how quickly the monsters had seemingly taken over, not a place in sight was free of the streams of natural mesh, over the carpets, over the paintings, over the windows and in the doorways- suffocating was the best way to describe it all, especially from the number of times you had walked into the cobwebs, spitting and waving your arms in a horrid frantic boogie to be rid of the texture.

Wind could only laugh so many times.

“Shut the fuck up, Wind.” You had whispered harshly, patting down your tunic once again. “You’re only laughing because you’re too fucking short to get hit by them.”

He waved off your insult with another hushed laugh. “You just look so fucking stupid when you do that.”

You flipped him off, pushing your finger into his face harshly and jerking back when he tried to nip at the skin, calling him another colourful nickname in which he elbowed you painfully in the side.

Fucking hell he was strong for a fourteen-year-old.

"Just around this corner here." Maggie's voice brought you back in, focusing on her head between the many others. 

The feeling still hadn’t gone away, not with you and certainly not with the others- you all knew you were walking right into a trap. The signs were evident to them all, a reason as to why Wind had been sent to the back with you three.

“The old man says as soon as anything sketchy happens he wants us to split!”

“Isn’t that dangerous? What if you guys get hurt?”

“Have some faith, (Name), we’re stronger than you make us out to be!”

You knew that- of course you did! Yet the threat still lay bare to the world. Skulltula were probably surrounding you at that very moment and it was clear that you could all be ambushed at any time, the further you walked into the castle, the deeper and darker it got only certainty grew in your brain that the upcoming fight would be inevitable if you were caught in a small corner.

That had to have crossed the old man’s mind, right? Under the blonde head of hair was a smart man, a calculating one so Time must have had a counteractive plan just up his armoured sleeve. He’d get everyone out of here, maybe with a few bumps and bruises, but you’d all come out of this ordeal alive and well with only a little major life-changing trauma- nothing you hadn’t gone through already.

The thought didn’t help though, not really without some partnering action, the weight on your shoulders only growing with each step you took, each room you passed, each corridor you turned into-

…You recognised this corridor.

Rebuilt and better than ever, with the help of the construction team and two years of passing, the winding path that lead to the Dining Hall was almost unrecognisable, the one you had trekked so many times when scouring the castle as you played. You wanted secrets, you wanted weapons and you wanted Korok seeds, if it meant having to lap the entire behemoth 100 times to get what you wanted you were ready to do it, you had practically memorised the route in game but it seemed the rebuilding of Hyrule Castle alongside the millions of cobwebs and the fact you were currently walking through its corridors had gotten in the way of your near photogenic memory of the place.

The archway to the armoury lay only a few feet ahead, along with the following path towards the library-

“The library’s this way, there should be some patrolling but we can easily get through them if we work together.”

The library….

There was a resounding click in your mind, footsteps stopping before they could meet the stone of the walkway, the dawn finally breaking in your mind.

It didn’t make sense- it didn’t make sense.

These hallways were always full, they were the main paths, why would she go through here when they were clearly the most dangerous routes?

Why did she take this way when she could have gone through-

“The secret passage.”

Pause.

You were staring, waiting, watching for that reaction.

And here it had finally come.

Time had been looking for an opportunity, and that had to be it, a broken piece within the glass that was her facade, once pristine and perfect, now so obviously cracked as Maggie finally paused just a few feet ahead of you all, the Chain having stopped when noticing your further figure.

You had given them all they needed.

“Pardon?”

It was cryptic in a way, horror and thriller running down your spine as your body shook with the adrenaline now running its course through your body as you readied yourself for what was bound to come.

“The secret passage, behind the bookcase.” There wasn’t a way they didn’t know about it, Wild had left it open for fuck’s sake, they had been rebuilding, it had to be common knowledge that Hyrule Castle had a secret passage. “In the library, why didn’t you just go through there?”

“I didn’t know there was one.”

Wild looked at you.

You looked at him.

He shook his head.

Liar- as expected.

“I really fucking doubt that.” The Chain had backed up to you quickly, quietly, aware that one false move would have broken the hypnotic spell your words had cast over them all. You licked your dry lips in an effort to stop the dryness from taking over your mouth. “How could you, as part of the restoration, not know about the secret passage in the library?”

“I’m not part of the team.”

Your voice was shaking. “S-So you just stayed ignorant about the place you were inhabiting for the past year or two? Not a single soul bothered to tell you about the cool secret passage in the library?”

“No.”

You grasped Wild’s hand frantically, terrified tears in your eyes.

“You’re a really bad fucking liar, Maggie.”

You could hear the grin in her voice. “I know.”

Weapons were pulled from sheaths, battle faces pulled sharp as you were quickly yanked once again behind them all, their stances deadly as they waited for something, anything that Maggie- whoever this was was about to bring down on you all.

“Are you with the Shadow?” Time called, a sneer on his face. “Or did you just crawl out from one of its portals like the rest of them?”

She laughed, still refusing to turn around as she did, her voice bouncing off the stones and echoing throughout the area- almost masking the rumbling footsteps that were quickly making their way to your direction, a quick glance back the way you had came showing a Skulltula quickly making its way towards you all- no, many were heading over and a quick glance in the opposite direction showed the same. 

Fuck you were being cornered.

"Link." 

One look and the circle drew tighter.

You were in real danger this time, weren’t you?

“I was just passing through,” Maggie’s voice was quick to change, sinister and cold, curling into this scratchy forced sound as if talking itself was a struggle. "Though I will say that Shadow of yours had an offer too tempting, so I thought why not?"

"And what offer did he give you?"

There was a snap, crack and following pop as Maggie finally turned, your stomach dropping at the body horror of her face expanding to form a snout, skin tearing away to reveal the blue fur beneath and murky gold tint taking over her face.

"The death of the Hero of Courage, of course."

Poof!

The cloud of magic saved you from the horrific scene of the monster’s full transfiguration, dark purple blocking your vision before the sound of flapping wings caught your attention, eyes widening in surprise as you watched the view return to you and replaced what was once Maggie, was a blue bat-like creature also similar to a keese.

"Ache?" You muttered in confusion, backing into Hyrule warily and feeling the man tense beneath you.

Not a common monster, not at all, the eyes of Ganon that hailed all the way from the traveller's timeline- they weren't impossibly hard to beat, well, depending on the Ache of course, a single hit usually was enough to have them out. But that's not what they were for, they weren't exactly fighting monsters, Ache's were pretty much spies for the other foul, grotesque beings, the ones watching for your hero closely so they could snatch him up and use him as a sacrifice for their master: Ganon.

The Ache was here for Hyrule, you knew that and so did Hyrule, so without another thought, you sidestepped to keep him out of its view.

It's the least you could have done.

Even if it was useless in this moment of time.

"I'm not really one for fighting." The creature cackled, hovering a little further away. "So I'll just let them deal with you- no need to worry though, I'll be back soon."

It swooped away into the armoury, just as another group of Skulltula came rounding the arch, their hisses and squeals like nails against a chalkboard.

Shields were up at the ready, swords poised and you, little old you, were in the middle with your dagger at the ready as if you knew the first thing about fighting.

"There's more than anticipated."

"Can we take this many black-blooded?"

"Who's to say they are black-blooded?"

"You think the Shadow wouldn't do that?"

"Enough- stand at the ready, do not break this circle."

The feeling had come back, but then again it hadn't gone away either, crawling up your back, poison seeping into your skin as you glanced around frantically for the feeling.

Something was watching you.

Not the heroes.

You.

Just, you.

And you knew that, because it was the exact same pair of eyes that had stared at you from atop that cliff the other day, menacing, cold and cruel, every dark intention you could think of rolling through your mind space. It wasn't the Chuchu back then, their googly eyes were never that evil, they could elicit a body-numbing reaction, but they could have never brought this kind of primal fear that laid deep into your stomach- not like that night after work had.

Dink was looking straight at you.

But from where? You couldn't see him through the bodies of monsters that the boys were fending off, nor in the Dining Hall, in the shadows of the dark corridor, hell, even the damn ceiling didn't have those red piercing eyes of his.

So where-

Fingers grasped your ankle firmly, nails practically piercing through the fabric and digging into the skin as a deep, breathy chuckle caught your ear through all the noise.

"Got you~"

You didn't have time to scream as you were dragged straight through the portal beneath your feet, catching a glimpse of the others turning in surprise, the feeling of a hand trying to grab yours, a possible scream- before your whole body had disappeared into the absolute black.

It took mere seconds to re-emerge from the inky abyss, spluttering and coughing for stolen breath where your body met the floor violently, cheek meeting the scratchy carpet beneath that tore at your poor, victim skin as you were dragged across the floor, a weird sound echoing through the room before you could take a small glance to see the portal vanish into nothing, leaving a stone wall in its place.

You looked at the area solemnly, wishing it would just open back up to you so you could jump back towards the boys, gut-churning with a violently sick feeling at the thought of looking back.

To make the situation real.

"Awh, are you scared, little guide?"

Yes.

Yes, you were.

[twoidiotwriters1]

The Curse of Oenone (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: I love you, female characters that are basically god -Danny Words: 2,680 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'Could Have Been Me' -by The Struts

LX: Can You Pray Back Later? The Gods Are Busy Right Now

Piper revealing her singing voice while trying to control serpent people isn't in Ara's bingo card, but it's the easiest way they'd ever dealt with a monster, so she's thankful for the concert. At the gangplank, she sends off Annabeth, Percy, and Piper. Her brother stands before her with a rigid smile. 

"And again we part."

"At least this time we planned it," Ara retorts. "It'll be fine, Nemo. I love you."

"Love you too," he hugs her. "Good luck."

Her friends go away. Ara goes to her cabin and packs her things: Polaroids taken during the trip, Olympian ointment she prepared beforehand, and Lily's dagger. Her hair tie-shield is around her wrist, and Almighty is in sword mode already. She's got her cloak on, her eight blessings on display, and—mostly as superstition—her laurel wreath atop her head.

All her old clothes will stay here, they never fitted her right after her growth spurt anyway. She tries to remember if she's forgetting something when Leo comes knocking on the door, holding a sheet of paper.

"I have something for you." He hands her the crayon drawing of the Argo II. "I drew that when I was five," he taps the sheet of paper. "I can do anything I put my mind into, doll, and I'm set on coming back to you."

Ara pulls him into a fierce kiss. Leo yelps and then gets deadly quiet, his hands cling to her and Ara hears a 'Puff!', his hair probably bursting into flames. "I need you to know," she breathlessly whispers. "I would watch the world end and do nothing if you decided to stay."

Leo gulps down all the liquid blazes she's put into his body, his hands are stuck on her waist, but Ara's are all over him. He's immune to fire, but his skin burns everywhere she touches. The gears in his brain lose traction and he almost crumbles and begs her to run away with him. Almost. She is the best and worst thing in his world. 

Luckily—or maybe to their detriment—Jason's voice pulls them out of their bubble. "Hazel can't sense the others, it's time to move," he frowns, noticing their flushed faces. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, we were... packing the essentials," Ara puts Leo's drawing in her pocket. "Let's go."

"They got Percy and Annabeth!" Ara exclaims while looking through a spyglass. "Piper's surrounded!"

"Leo!" Jason urges the boy, electricity surrounding him and lifting the hairs on his body.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Leo shouts back. 

Ara turns the spyglass into Almighty. She pauses and turns it into a spear, then a bow. "I'm freaking out!" She mutters, leaning on the mast and lowering her head while breathing deeply. "C'mon, Birdy..."

"General, we're leaving," Frank informs her. "Arion is waiting for Hazel, Jason will take her to him and I'll fly down and follow them, remember Annabeth's plan?"

"I never forget," Ara shakes his hand. "Good luck, Praetor."

"Yeah," Frank grumbles. "I'll need it."

"You won't wish the same for me?"

The boy raises a brow. "You don't need it."

Leo calls after her and she approaches. "Stuff your bag with as many bombs and vials of Greek fire as you can," he taps on the Archimedes sphere. "I'll keep an eye on you."

"Keep an eye on everyone," she kisses his cheek. "And don't die—yet." 

Leo smirks. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Come on, then! I'll destroy you all myself if I have to!" Piper screams and Ara smiles.

"Just in time. Now Jason's gonna step in and deliver a one-liner in three, two..."

Jason speaks up, forming a storm cloud above them. "The thing is, you don't have to."

Leo snorts. "Biggest show-off in Rome," he says. "Let's teach him how to make a real entrance." The boy presses a button and all the ballistae and catapults shoot at once, then leans into the coms. "SURRENDER! YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY ONE SPANKING HOT WAR MACHINE!"

Enceladus's voice comes from below. "Valdez!"

"WHAT'S UP, ENCHILADAS? NICE DAGGER IN YOUR FOREHEAD."

"Monsters, destroy that ship!"

Ara runs to the railing and jumps overboard with a Greek fire vial in one hand and her spear in the other, she sees Earthborns and serpent people but decides to throw the fire at the mud monsters. 

Jason catches her midair, gives her impulse again, and tosses her to a giant she doesn't recognize, but Ara jabs the spear directly at their head. Hazel uses her earth powers and mist abilities like a pro, and the world shifts at her will. Frank shoots multiple arrows at once, and Annabeth is fighting a giantess on her own, though the gash on her leg is concerning, the blood falls and boils on the ground.

Percy's nose is bleeding but he's conscious and fighting, Piper is with Jason, fighting side by side. Everyone stands their ground and Ara takes pride in how much they've grown in the last two months.

The girl draws out her flintlock, shooting at monsters as she goes, but then Frank runs out of arrows and starts shifting into different animals. Jason and Piper are tired. The fear of losing sight of her friends overtakes her and she turns back around. The giants force them to close in a circle. 

A giant hits the flintlock out of her palm and smashes it to bits. Ara and Piper use charmspeak but can't confuse the giants enough, this place gives them too much strength. Enceladus throws his spear at the ship and pierces it with an awful crack. Ara suppresses a cry, hoping Festus's deconstructed frame remains intact.

"You demigods have learned nothing," Porphyrion taunts them. "There are no gods to aid you. We need only one more thing from you to make our victory complete."

"Percy, look out!" Piper gasps.

The group watches a single scarlet drop fall from Percy's chin, and everyone stops breathing. It hisses on the ground, and the foundation of the ruins creaks and groans back to life as Gaia reawakens.

Ara prays, calling for Olympus. She's had almost no hope since they started the journey, but at the very last second, she's suddenly been injected with rivers of it and everything looks a thousand times brighter. They've got nothing left to lose, and Ara has one last blessing to claim. 

"ZEUS!" The sky turns extremely dark and then blindingly radiant, the clouds move around, and in a split second, Ara glows bright blue. She raises Almighty over her head. "Duck!"

The demigods obey on instinct, and thank the gods they do, because Ara is barely able to process what happens next: Zeus shoots lightning at her and Ara's entire body vibrates as the electricity jumps right out of her sword, splitting into different directions and striking all the minor monsters around, turning them into golden dust.

There is a second of silence until a voice rises over the buzzing. 

"MY MIND IS RESTORED! VICTORY TO THE GODS!" Nike storms into the scene.

Ara's shaking from the sheer power she felt while controlling lightning. A man's voice whoops. "Daughter of Olympus!" There is a flash of light and the gods appear around them in human size. Ares gives her a cocky smirk. "Show us what you've learned."

Ara's face splits into a wide smile. "With pleasure, my lord."

The entire group—young demigods and their parents—run to battle. To Ara's surprise, the Fates are the ones shielding her. At the back of her mind there is awkwardness and guilt, she's been talking shit about them for ages, yet they fight fiercely beside her, she didn't know old hags could move like that.

Ara helps them kill their counterpart giant and then goes to kill another one, this time Hermes and Artemis give her a hand. Ara keeps changing Almighty, glowing like a rainbow as she uses blessings one after another. Her skin feels hot and she fears it will blister, but she can't stop. 

Someone squeezes her shoulder and Ara looks up. Hephaestus's is there. "We need you." Without waiting for a reply he transports her back to the ship and Ara wastes no time in complaints.

"What's happening?"

"The timer!" Leo says without looking at her, shooting all of the weapons he can get his hands on.

Ara goes to the engine room, almost choking on the smoke around her. She opens Festus's panel, sets the timer, and then closes it. Ara returns to the deck and Almighty turns a crossbow, she points down at the giants while glowing silver.

The giants fall one by one until only Jason's is left: Porphyrion, the guy that brought Jason, Piper, Leo, and Ara together. She almost feels bad when Zeus's lightning blows him to bits.

"It's over...?" Ara asks, feeling slightly disoriented by the speed of it all. She lowers the crossbow.

"Not yet," Hephaestus answers.

He transports her and Leo to the ground with the rest of their friends. Ara runs to Percy and wraps her arms around him, holds his face, and cleans the blood from his nose. "You okay?"

"You should see the other guy," Percy replies in a bad mood. "You picked Zeus? Really? Hades was right there."

Ara smiles. "I don't think he would've blessed me with the power of immediate kill."

"She's right," Hades speaks, making Percy yelp. Ara bows respectfully before going back to her friends. 

"Brethren," Zeus calls, "we are healed, thanks to the work of these demigods. The Athena Parthenos, which once stood in this temple, now stands at Camp Half-Blood. It has united our offspring, and thus our own essences."

"Lord Zeus, is Reyna okay? Nico and Coach Hedge?" Piper asks.

"They succeeded in their mission. As of this moment they are alive. Whether or not they are okay—"

"There is still work to be done," Hera says promptly. "But my heroes... you have triumphed over the giants as I knew you would. My plan succeeded beautifully."

Zeus scowls at the goddess, making the sky crack in the background. "Hera, do not dare take credit! You have caused at least as many problems as you've fixed!"

"Husband, surely you see now—this was the only way."

"There is never only one way! That is why there are three Fates, not one. Is this not so?"

The three ladies nod silently, Ara doesn't dare to look directly at them. 

"Please, husband, I only did what I—"

"Silence! You disobeyed my orders. Nevertheless... I recognize that you acted with honest intentions. The valour of these seven heroes has proven that you were not entirely without wisdom. Apollo, however..." Zeus glares at him. "My son, come here."

The young god is wearing jeans and a Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, he looks so much like Will Solace it catches Ara off guard. Her attraction to the god is gone after all the messes he created out of pure vanity, but that doesn't mean she doesn't fear for his well-being.

"Twice you have defied me," Zeus starts.

The Fates gather around him silently.

"My—my lord—"

"You neglected your duties. You succumbed to flattery and vanity. You encouraged your descendant Octavian to follow his dangerous path, and you prematurely revealed not just one, but two prophecies that may yet destroy us all."

"But—"

"Enough! We will speak of your punishment later. For now, you will wait on Olympus."

Apollo and the Fates vanish, making Ara feel uneasy. What will happen to the demigods in camp, his kids, if he cannot retrieve his powers?

"What will happen to him?" Jason voices her worry.

"It is not your concern," Zeus states plainly. "We have other problems to address."

"Father," Jason continues politely, "I made a vow to honor all the gods. I promised Kymopoleia that once this war is over none of the gods would be without shrines at the camps."

Zeus frowns. "That's fine. But... Kym who?"

"She's one of mine," Poseidon clarifies awkwardly.

"My point," Jason presses, and Ara feels danger approaching, "is that blaming each other isn't going solve anything. That's how the Romans and Greeks got divided in the first place."

"Jason," Ara starts, but the boy raises a hand to stop her.

"Apollo wasn't the problem. To punish him for Gaia waking is... unwise."

"Unwise." Zeus's voice thins. "Before the assembled gods, you would call me unwise."

"Father," Artemis steps in. "This hero has fought long and hard for our cause. His nerves are frayed. We should take that into account."

Jason opens his mouth to argue but Ara's hand closes around his arm and squeezes harshly to shut him up. 

"Surely, Father," Artemis continues, "we should attend to our more pressing problems, as you pointed out."

"Gaia," Annabeth steps in. "She's awake, isn't she?"

"That is correct," Zeus turns his attention to her. "The blood of Olympus was spilled. She is fully conscious."

"Oh, come on!" Percy argues. "I get a little nosebleed and I wake up the entire earth? That's not fair!"

"Complaining of unfairness is like assigning blame, Percy Jackson," Athena raises a brow. "It does no one any good. Now you must move quickly. Gaia rises to destroy your camp."

"Why would Gaia be back at camp?" Leo questions. "Percy's nosebleed was here."

"Dude," Percy scowls, "first off, you heard Athena—don't blame my nose. Second, Gaia's the earth. She can pop up anywhere she wants. Besides, she told us she was going to do this. She said the first thing on her to-do list was destroying our camp. Question is: how do we stop her?"

"There is not enough time," Ara feels panic seeping through her. "Our ship is busted."

"Um, sir, Your Majesty," Frank starts. "Can't you gods just pop over there with us? You've got the chariots and the magic powers and whatnot."

"Yes!" Hazel pipes in. "We defeated the giants together in two seconds. Let's all go—"

"No."

"No?" Jason's shoulders fall. "But, Father—"

"That's the problem with prophecies," Zeus glares at Jason, effectively shutting him up. Ara feels bad for him, out of all the gods, Zeus is the worst, especially if he's your father. "When Apollo allowed the Prophecy of Seven to be spoken, and when Hera took it upon herself to interpret the words, the Fates wove the future in such a way that it had only so many possible outcomes, so many solutions. You seven, the demigods, are destined to defeat Gaia. We, the gods, cannot."

"I don't get it," Piper frowns. "What's the point of being gods if you have to rely on puny mortals to do your bidding?"

Aphrodite pats her head. "My dear Piper, don't you think we've been asking ourselves that question for thousands of years? But it is what binds us together, keeps us eternal. We need you mortals as much as you need us. Annoying as that may be, it's the truth."

"Besides, if we handled everything ourselves, we would have no need for children of Olympus," Ares glances at Ara. "And those are as useful to us as they are to you. Aren't they, Jackson?"

"He's talking to me," Ara says quickly when Percy opens his mouth to argue.

"So how can we possibly get to Camp Half-Blood in time to save it? It took us months to reach Greece." Frank insists.

"The winds," Jason replies, almost begging. "Father, can't you unleash the winds to send our ship back?"

Zeus squints. "I could slap you back to Long Island."

"Um, was that a joke, or a threat, or—"

"No, I mean it quite literally. I could slap your ship back to Camp Half-Blood, but the force involved..."

Hephaestus steps in. "My boy Leo built a good ship, but it won't sustain that kind of stress. It would break apart as soon as it arrived, maybe sooner."

Leo hooks his thumbs on his tool belt. "The Argo II can make it. It only has to stay in one piece long enough to get us back home. Once there, we can abandon ship."

"Dangerous," Hephaestus warns him. "Perhaps fatal."

Nike shrugs, holding a golden laurel wreath in her hand as if to keep Leo motivated. "Victory is always dangerous. And it often requires sacrifice. We have discussed this."

Everyone looks at Leo, even the gods. Ara is unable to keep a cold demeanor when the finality of the moment hits her. There will be no Leo and her after this... perhaps forever.

"You chose me as your champion for a reason I understand now better than ever," Ara speaks up bravely. "I'll finish this war for you. You just need to get us home."

Ares smiles devilishly. "You heard our kid, father."

Zeus nods gravely. "Demigods, get on the ship."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

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[callsignspark]

Hi! I'd like to submit "standing on your tip toes to reach your partner's lips" for Marry Me!

hi anon! I love this one so much!!

send me a physical intimacy prompt for any of my Dagger, Sword & Shield couples!

Romeo, oh Romeo

pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Mariella “M&M” Vertucci (fem!OC)

warnings: 18+ minors DNI, discussions of body image issues/insecurities, mentions of pregnancy/giving birth, mentions of smut but nothing explicit, this is set once they're already together, so many goddamn pet names, also you don't need to read Mar[r]y Me to read and understand this, but you should anyway

word count: 1.7k (will I ever write something short? the world may never know)

Mariella Vertucci has never been the smallest girl around. Growing up, she was always bigger than her classmates. The ones that got asked on Saturday night movie dates or who got to wear a cute boy’s jersey to class on Friday before a big game. The girls that got asked to prom by guys who wanted to go with them. Not by their mother’s best friend’s neighbor’s son, who got rejected by the cheerleader of his dreams and had to settle for some girl whose family owned a bakery.

But with age, maturity, a good therapist, and distance from her mother, she had grown to accept her body. It kept her alive and healthy. It allowed her to play with her nieces and nephews. It allowed her to excel at a job she loved. It allowed her to make food for the people she loved. It allowed her to love Bradley in every way he deserved to be loved. She accepted that she had always been bigger and probably always would be.

Then she found out she was pregnant.

With twins.

That she created with her gorgeous, hulking 6’3” husband.

And now, at six months pregnant, she looked like a VW bug turned upright. Large and in charge was the joke one of her technicians had made last week. At the time, she had laughed with everyone else. It was true; even with three months to go until birth, she was comically large and round.

But when she got home that night, the sweatpants she usually wore to make Friday night dinner no longer fit over her bump. Bradley had come home to her sitting on the bathroom floor in tears. He was two seconds from calling an ambulance when she explained what happened.

“I’m fat, Bradley. I can’t even wear my sweatpants anymore! They don’t fit over my stomach! I just feel so big and gross. I can’t stand this.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” He pulls her up, nudging her from the bathroom towards the bed sans pants. “I know it’s hard that your body is changing so much so quickly, but you are the furthest thing from gross. You are the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen, and you are so sexy. Baby belly or not. But believe me, the baby belly is doing things for me.”

She sniffles from her perch on the edge of their bed, watching him peel himself out of his khakis. “Really?”

“Baby doll, I can’t even begin to explain how sexy you look carrying our girls. It makes me want to get you pregnant all over again, even if that’s biologically impossible.” He gestures towards himself, and she glances down, finding him half-hard already. “See, just looking at you sitting there in your cute little panties and my t-shirt has got me going.”

“Bradley!” She squeaks when he tips her back, bending over her and pressing himself into her, hooking her legs over his hips. “What are you doi-”

He cuts her off with a deep kiss. “Gonna show you exactly how sexy you are, and then I’m gonna order you whatever you want for dinner. Gonna give you whatever you want, mama.”

An orgasm or two later, Bradley ordered pizza from their favorite shop, and the two of them enjoyed it in their underwear on the couch. The next day, he came home with three bags full of maternity clothes. After asking for recommendations from the mothers in their friend group, he had spent the morning scouring the town for clothes he knew his wife would like. He was thoroughly thanked, and Mary felt like herself again after doing a fashion show for him. Her wonderful husband oohing and ahhing over every new piece, even though he insisted it would be better if she just walked around without clothes on.

Bradley had been giving her extra compliments and love since then, helping her restore her confidence and remember the joy that she was growing inside her.

But all the confidence and reminders in the world couldn’t stop situations like this.

“M&M, please, this is for your safety. Pregnant people aren’t allowed to climb on ladders after the first trimester. If you want to look at the progress on the engine repair, we’ll pull the platform out.” Mika, her second in command, had been trying to bargain with her since their 9:30 meeting. It was now 11:45.

“That’s a stupid rule. I want to talk to whoever made that rule!” Mary’s frustration is severely undercut by her inability to fully cross her arms over her stomach.

“I believe that’s your rule, ma’am.” Lieutenant Johnson meekly interjects. Just a few months at NAS North Island, and he’s sufficiently afraid and in awe of the repair shop senior director, even if she’s a civilian. The stories of her standing up to admirals who questioned her knowledge and reaming out pilots who disrespected her authority were known through the entire aviator community. The rumor that she had at least three admirals who would take her side without a second thought was shared every time a new top gun class came through.

She whips around and stares at the younger man, who is barely making eye contact. “Fuck! Damn my past self for being so reasonable and smart about safety. Alright, pull out the platform; I want to get a look at the frame welds and see what’s going on there.”

Her technicians snap into action, and within a few minutes, the rolling platform is in place with the wheels locked. She’s just about to instruct her techs to climb up their ladders while she raises the platform when the lunch bell rings.

“Okay, everyone. That’s lunch, we’ll pick up right here in an hour, and then you guys are out on the tarmac with the Dagger Squad for the rest of the afternoon. So please make sure to apply sunscreen and fill your water bottles, I don’t need anyone passing out on me while I’m in meetings.”

“You want help down?”

“Nah, you head to lunch, Mika. I’m gonna pop up here real quick so I can get a good look before I meet with Cyclone this afternoon, maybe take some photos.”

“Okay, but please call me or someone if you need help.”

“I will, I will.” She presses the button to start lifting. “Oh, by the way! Marty definitely has a crush on you! You should unzip your coveralls some and see if he finally asks you out!”

The other woman rolls her eyes. “Goodbye, boss! Have a good lunch!”

Mary snickers as she pokes around the FA-18 engine, using her flashlight to look at the welds that everyone is concerned about. Jack had done a good job, and she was confident in his techniques, but she wasn’t sure this was the best route for the repair. Her mental list of people to reach out to for advice is interrupted by a familiar voice.

“But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Mary is the sun.”

She looks over the side to find her husband grinning up at her like a fool, his nose a bit red from morning training in the sun, and immediately hits the button to lower her down.

“O Bradley, Bradley, wherefore art thou Bradley? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love. And I’ll no longer be a Vertucci.”

“You’re already not a Vertucci, baby doll.” He wiggles his eyebrows and flashes his ring at her, making her giggle and swoon at his ability to be equally romantic and ridiculous.

She rubs a hand over her bump. “Yeah, and you made sure that I’ll never want to change my name back, huh?”

“Never getting rid of me now, honey.” He moves up to the platform once it locks in position at the bottom, rubbing his hands over her thighs when she sits down to climb off. “Hi.”

“Hi, handsome. How was training?” She runs her hand through his curls, smiling at how quickly his eyes close to enjoy her nails scratching the back of his neck.

“It was hot, I got a little burnt.” He pouts, making puppy dog eyes at her. “A kiss would make it better.”

“Yeah? Does my big strong man need a little kiss to feel better?” She teases even as she leans down.

He’s just an inch too far, her belly hindering her ability to fully bend down, and he raises up to collect his healing kiss. He hums, pulling back as he feels her tongue brush his lips. “Baby, I would love to make out with you right now, but I don’t think I can take the trauma of Mav finding us again.”

Her face burns, remembering when her godfather-in-law found the two of them a few months ago. It was before they had announced the pregnancy and her hormones were going crazy, making her want to jump Bradley as often as possible. Including during their lunch break in her office. She’s still not sure whose face was redder during family dinner that weekend.

“I hate when you’re the logical one. Help me down.”

He helps her climb down the small step ladder and once she’s back on solid ground he pulls her in for another kiss. “That’s better. Having to go on my tiptoes to kiss you was kinda weird, never had to do that before.”

“What you’ve never kissed a tall, Amazon woman before?”

“No, the only goddess I’ve kissed is 5’5” according to her license.”

“Bradshaw! Stop flirting with your wife when I need to talk to her and go eat lunch.”

“Sorry, sir.” He grins at Cyclone, whose exasperated expression lets him he’s not in trouble, yet. “I’ll catch up with you later, honey. Let me know what you want for dinner.”

He takes a chance and presses a kiss to his favorite pair of lips before scurrying out of the repair shop, smiling when a roar of “Bradshaw!” follows him out.

His smile turns to laughter when he hears a faint, “Yes, Admiral? What can I do for you?” from his girl.

God, I love that woman.

only tagging a few friends since this isn’t an actual update. have a great week!

@gretagerwigsmuse | @hangmanapologist | @hangmanbrainrot | @princessphilly | @roleycoleyreccenter | @thesewordsareallihavetogive | @sometimesanalice

fic tag | Mar[r]y Me masterlist | credit for dividers here

[acourtofthought]

The Starsword aka Gwydion

I kept turning over that angry anon from yesterday.

Was my theory about Gwydion farfetched? Sure, but at this point a lot of CC theories are farfetched to some extent because only SJM knows what's actually going to happen and we're all just doing our best to interpret the clues. There are multiple possible outcomes for every scenario right now.

But I do think there are levels to how likely certain theories are and that's usually based on how much twisting of canon and the characters we're doing to achieve them.

My Gwydion theory is probably one of the more out there ones I've done and as there are many other possible theories surrounding the sword and a lot of confusion in how intertwined these two series are, it makes me hesitant to believe in my theory the way I do say, Elain ending up in Spring.

But is it really any more farfetched than other Starsword theories?

When you break it down there are one of three options.

1) Bryce keeps the Starsword and takes TT back to Midgard with her.

2) Bryce returns to Midgard with the Starsword and Az keeps TT in Prythian.

3) Gwydion is left in Prythian, the land where it was originally forged.

I could see Bryce keeping the Starsword (espcially since the IC has their own made weapons) and Az keeping TT because those weapons are part of their individual backstories.

I see it being less likely that Bryce would take TT from Az, something about that feels odd to me considering Az had TT long before SJM even started drafting CC.

Maybe the prophecy has already been fulfilled. Technically Bryce represents the people on Midgard while Rhys and the gang represent the land where her people originated from, therefore the dagger and sword have already been reunited as well as their people. I think the theories claiming all the inhabitants of Midgard will be reunited with all the people of Prythian because they'll eventually live together are not probable. Or maybe it's still hinting at them joining together in a war of the worlds situation but returning to their own planets after at a later point.

That leaves us with the third option, Gwydion stays in Prythian.

Anyone reading CC and assuming they have Theia and the Starswords history correct is forgetting that Amren was alive / in Prythian before Gwydion and Fionn rose. She did not enter the prison until the time when they were rounding up the last members of their old masters. "The last members of". That should mean that Amren was alive when Gwydion was forged and given to Fionn who then helped defeat the majority of Daglan in battle.

The rough territories were not drawn until after Fionn defeated the Daglan with Gwydion and Fionn's Queen was ruler of one of those territories (possibly Theia?). But it wasn't the Dusk Court yet, just where it would have been.

Amren was in prison during Fionn's murder by his Queen and general so if there is any confusion in ACOTAR history, it could have come from that specific time period. Maybe there's confusion as to who actually murdered him (maybe Theia was fed lies about Fionn by Pelias, maybe she was forced) or how he was murdered. Or the missing piece could simply be who his queen was, that they never had a name for her. But it is mentioned that Fionn's most powerful and prized possessions were stolen and then many disappeared around the same time the Trove disappeared (Gwydion and the horn went to Midgard).

I really don't think any gaps in Prythians history comes from how Gwydion was created or who first wielded it because out of all the characters in all series, Amren was witness to it.

And Aidas snarling that the Starsword belong to Theia's female heirs is someone speaking out as an ex-lover who hates Pelias and hates that Pelias tried to pass the Starsword down to his children. We have no evidence that Aidas knew Theia before the crossing or knew whether the Starsword was hers to begin with.

Yes, the Starsword recognizes Bryce "as kin" but "like calls to like". Gwydion was made when it was dipped into the Cauldron. We have hints that the fae (which would include the orignal Starborn), Illyrian's, etc were "created" by the Daglan. Possibly using the Cauldron?

Even Briallyn was able to search for the Trove because it recognized her "as kin".

Theoretically anyone descended from those original Starborn fae or fae hybrids as well as any recently made could possess the Starsword but we also need to remember that "Made objects tend to not wish to be found by just anyone". Cassian says, "you say that as if the objects have a sentience". And Amren replies, "They do." "They were made in a time when wild magic still roamed the earth." "Made objects tend to gain their own self-awareness and desires" which all means the sword may not choose to respond to just anyone and it could have it's own agenda in reacting to Bryce the way in did.

Did Bryce not return it to the land from which it came? Reuniting it with it's twin? Could part of the whole setup have been Gwydion returning to Prythian and Bryce having a chance to learn about her history?

The Starsword / Gwydion is a made object just like the mask / crown were made so there's not always one super special fae that these objects belong to. If Briallyn could use the crown than someone other than Bryce could use the sword. Ruhn was able to pull it from the stone though it didn't respond to him exactly the same way which Bryce realizes is due to the nuances in their lights. Which could mean any number of things, one being that the sword knew Bryce's light and her being the keeper of the horn were necessary to return it to Prythian. And in CC they haven't seen Theia's light appear since Theia but that doesn't mean there aren't descendants of Starborn fae in ACOTAR who also share a light similar to Theia or another one of their ancestors. Midgard doesn't have many descendants of the original Starborn but that doesn't mean there aren't more still existing in their original world.

There are 7 courts in Prythian though if the crossing had not happened, there would most likely have been 8 and Theia would have been the High Lady of Dusk. I absolutely do not think this means they're now going to form an 8th court with Bryce as the ruler, Bryce belongs in Midgard with her people. But.....we know Rhys is probably Starborn but with a Starborn gift that matches Ruhns. And I'm guessing Helion could also be Starborn based off his reaction to the mask (a Trove item that was made as Gwydion was made) as well as the fact that he has the light of the sun and is the owner of the Pegasus. That could mean his heir might also be Starborn.

Dawn Court glows the brightest of everyone so.....could he not be a descendent of the Starborn?

I'm wondering if all the High Lords are Starborn (and now any of the characters who were "made" by the Cauldron) because of their ancestry. It would make sense given the fact that they are blessed with powers unlike any other. The other fae bloodlines have been diluted over the years but the bloodlines among the High Lords seems to have a stronger connection to the magic.

And if Fionn was the first High King ruling over everyone than it's possible he was Starborn and he's got descendants out there, maybe in Autumn given his connection in mythology to the hounds and forests.

Yes, that means most of our main characters would be Starborn, Bryce, Rhys, Helion, Beron, Tamlin, Nesta, Lucien, Eris etc. but it still doesn't mean they can all pick and choose whatever made weapons they want. We saw in SF that Ataraxia seemed to almost fight against Rhys using it while it responded to Nesta. And we saw the made dagger given to Eris possibly infuse itself with his fire meaning that particular made weapon seems to connect with him.

Depending on who her father is Gwyn could also be descended from a Starborn fae (if she's related to Beron or Eris).

If that third option listed above is a remote possibility than who would get Gwydion?

I don't think Gwydion is more powerful than Narben or Ataraxia or any made object. I think the mask and crown can probably do more damage to their enemies so at this point I really do think Gwydion is more symbolic of the first High King who helped them defeat the Daglan, a symbol of peace. Sure, it's still going to be powerful as any made weapon is but it's no longer one of a kind and is special because of its history. And it makes sense to have it end up with the person who will once again rally everyone together to fight in the battle of all battles.

Gwydion was a savior's light that brought about peace so which character matches with that imagery?

Rhys? - They specifically mentioned Rhys as possible High King in SF and he is genuinely concerned with bringing about peace to their lands, he was already willing to die for them in ACOWAR. So maybe?

Feyre? (could she be Starborn if gifted with the powers of all the High Lords?) - Rhys once called her his salvation and she too was willing to die for their people, not to mention she glows with Helions light.

I could see arguments being made for them except for a few things. They are the High Lord and Lady of the Night Court and morally gray at times. Their goal is always to bring about peace but they've lost trust along the way in how they go about that. Not to mention their POVs are over. While I do think they'll still play major roles in the series, I feel it's time for the other characters to shine. Amren also reminds Rhys that "the Cauldron's benevolence will only be extended to him for so long before it is offered to another" which does seem to hint at the torch being passed along.

Gwyn? Gwyn and Gwydion (matching names), Az has TT and the sword and dagger are connected, not to mention she glows. But the play on names is a little too cutesy and in your face and I'm not sure she makes sense as the one to unify the courts and their lands which is what Gwydion represents to their people. Yes, SJM is about female empowerment and Gwyn is absolutely going to be a badass warrior but I don't think she's ready to be a figurehead to their world (even Rhys rallied the troops in ACOWAR though Feyre was the FMC). Not to mention Gwyn has a lot of similarities to the Little Mermaid whose voice is literally a glowing ball of light when she sings just as Gwyn glows when she sings. When used by the Little Mermaid, it's simply enchanting for anyone who hears it but when used by someone evil (like Ursula) it put Eric into an almost trance where he couldn't think clearly.

For the love of any anti's reading this, GWYN IS NOT EVIL. If Gwyn is a siren of sorts, she would NEVER use her voice to deceive or trick someone she loves. However, Gwyn could use her voice against their enemies and I think this also makes Narben the best made weapon for her. If Gwyn is Az's mate, Az who lives in the shadows and has TT which is used to torture people (a pretty bloody history for a weapon), than a sword with darker powers which is lost to the sea and who would not "obey" Amarantha is kind of perfect for a water fae who can possibly call things to her.

Helion? It's not like he'd be a bad candidate except I don't think he's getting a POV. At least not one set in the present.

Elain? I'm not even going here. Elain might be capable of playing the political game in meetings and swaying people to their cause but she's not a warrior and she shouldn't have to be.

Eris or any of the other High Lords? Eris still has a journey coming up but they aren't really the focus of this series, they're all side characters. If Gwydion is going to anyone I imagine it would be one of the main people.

Lucien? If Sarah pays attention at all to names and their meaning, Gwydion has masculine origins and means "born of trees" and in ACOWAR she describes Lucien as being crafted from the forest, that the woods were his by blood and law. Gwydion is also the name of the powerful magician in the Blodeuwedd fairytale, the uncle of Lleu who created a beautiful wife out of flowers for his nephew and we already know SJM connected Elain to that particular fairytale through her Pinterest board.

I won't bore you again with all the bullet points of why Lucien would be good at unifying the courts, the human lands and the continent but the evidence is throughout the series. He's always tried to be a peace maker, never seeks out revenge, is good at talking to people and has friends everywhere. If High King is going to be a thing (at least during the war, the position itself would be disolved after) he would be an excellent candidate. He's building up to being a High Lord but has basically been training for the role his entire life and is a trained fighter.

Also, he is the son of two different courts. Connected to both Autumn (which Fionn may have been based on what we know of the Fionn from mythology and how it connects to the Autumn Court, like the hounds) and Day which means he does have the power of sunlight running through his veins. And Feyre not only reminds us of Lucien's goodness in ACOWAR but repeats that he is a good male in FAS.

As crazy as it initially sounds to connect Lucien to Gwydion and the prophecy, is it all that crazy when you consider that Az is connected to the prophecy?

Elain is getting a book, yes. But SJM has been building up Lucien's story since ACOTAR. He's got a big journey coming too. If CC3 is setting up the future of ACOTAR and part of that future includes prophecy's about weapons and the possibility of Asteri making their way to Prythian, then why would she only connect ONE of her main characters to that future?

I know people love Az and are looking forward to his story but just because Lucien isn't part of the IC (therefore not around much), he is going to be just as important to the future of the series, he has to be. If Gwynriel and Elucien are both getting books than Lucien is just as important as Az and it would actually be a little odd if Lucien wasn't eventually tied into the events of the crossover since he's one of the remaining MMC getting a POV.

I don't think he'll feature in CC3 but he'll need to be brought into the loop at some point as will Elain and the other courts and if Gwydion is left with Rhys than it's possible it could find its way into Lucien's hands from there.

With the prophecy, TT is important to Prythian's history but why? Is it the dagger used to kill Fionn? Fionn having Gwydion and Gwydion being stolen by his Queen and best friend (also general) with the dagger left behind and separated from the sword for thousands of years only to have them reunited is a bit full circle. Again, Az is important but is he truly that much more important to the series than Lucien that SJM would completely leave Lucien out of the entire crossover storyline?

SJM has been building up animosity between Lucien and Az which is going to need to be resolved considering Az is jelaous of Lucien and barely blinks at the though of killing him. There was clearly animosity between Fionn and Pelias that ended in murder and involved the theft of an important and powerful weapon.

One MMC from ACOTAR is part of the prophecy because of his connection to one weapon. Is it really that crazy to bring in a second MMC from ACOTAR as being connected to the other weapon? Especially when you consider the current setup between Az and Lucien?

There's a lot of mystery surrounding what really happened and I could be completely off base but until we get more information, many theories are going to be be flying around. But I think those that don't work within the confines of what we know about the characters (like thinking Bryce will leave her world and her mate to be with Az or Elain ending up as ruler of the Dusk Court with Az) are why some seem more farfetched to me. We also already have a series where the FMC had to correct the mistakes of those from the past (Aelin anyone?) so Bryce correcting the mistakes of Theia and /or Fionn's general by returning Gwydion wouldn't be unheard of.

[scattered-winter]

You know, another thing that always bugged me about VLD is the shape Keith’s Bayard takes.

People always calls it a sword, but honestly it’s more similar to a katar, a type of Indian push dagger. Which is the same overall design as Pidge’s Bayard.

It’s weird that Pidge and Keith both use the same weapon as the base for the form their Bayards take, but Pidge’s has a lot more utility with both its grappling hook and taser functions.

YEAHHH I've noticed how keith's bayard is a katar (ancient weaponry autism go brrrr) and I actually think that works really, really, really well for him. (I'm drawing from Autism Research that I did several years ago so I may be misremembering in which case I'm sorry </3) but iirc, a katar has a lot of power in the forward thrust (because the blade is lined up with the user's arm, so he can put his whole weight into a thrust) but they can also be used for swinging/slashing which is generally what keith's fighting style tends to lean toward. additionally, because traditional katar don't really have a lot of blocking protection on the hilt (unlike a zweihander, for example, which has a pretty useful crossguard) for someone to use a katar they have to be pretty quick and light on their feet to compensate for not having as many defensible qualities. which sounds a lot like keith's fighting style to me. katar are pretty versatile and rely on the intensity and power of their design/technique to punch through an opponent's armor and take them down as efficiently as possible, which just fits keith soooooooo well imo

and for pidge, I also really like her bayard because it reflects her personality and fighting style incredibly well, too. it's probably one of the most versatile weapons used in the entire show with its grappling hook, and the taser adds another range of uses (there's the obvious shocking, but I also remember seeing her use it to cut through hulls and things like that) and for a green paladin who thinks outside the box, a weapon that can be used in so many ways works so well. to address the similarities between pidge's and keith's, I actually think it might just be because of the shape of the bayards themselves. the only other two bayards we see take gun forms, so pidge and keith are the only ones with melee weapons which makes it hard to really tell if that handle shape is the norm for bayards or if it's just their unique personalities. but regardless, the H-shaped handle (the main characteristic in katar) is what all the bayards have in their dormant forms, so it might just be a matter of functionality that the handles for keith and pidge's weapons are also H-shaped

[mondstaub1]

Lucemond vikings au

Part 3

Aemond watched his captive with amusement as the boy ate his food like an starved animal. Everytime Luke looked up from his food and stopped. Aemond grinning at him, then he slowed down a little, for a short while before the circle repeated itself. He just couldn't help it, it was so rare for him to eat so fully, he did not want to waiste the opportunity, otherwise Aemond might change his mind and take it away.

"I have buisness in the town today, you will stay here and do your chorse", Aemond said when he finished eating, "you better not be lazy, I want everything done when I return." The or else hang in the air unspoken, Luke curled a bit into himself but nodded. Aemond smirked, he did not intend to harm Luke, but he did not know his.

After a few moments of silents the boy asked: "What are my chores?" "Clean the house, wash all the clothes and hang them to dry, do the dishes and have food on the table when I return, also have a hot bath ready", Aemond listed, "You can get water by the river south from here, everything else you need is in the copboards."

Without another word he stood up and left, leaving Luke behind, the boys hard bounding in fear of a punishment that would never come.

Few people were awake so early in them morning, so Aemond hoped he could avoide his gossiping family but it was not to be he was barely out of the house when he heard a familiar voice: "Dear nephew", Daemon Targaryen called, his chief and uncle, "I heard you brought something special home from our last raid." Damn it he did not want to talk about Luke, espacally with his uncle (or older brother for that matter). "I did", he aswered shortly hoping to cut the conversation short. But no of course not. "Did you fuck him?", his uncle asked. Why was everyone so focust on this? first Aegon then Daeron and now Daemon. "No", he said turning away. "Why not?", the older man asked. Silently resining to having this conversation Aemond turned back around, "That is none that it is any of your buisness.", he answered. "Oh come on nephew, don't be like that", Daemon drawled, "why else would you bring that pretty little think back home?" "He is intrigued to me", he retorded. "Oh he intrigued you", the older man mocked, "Then how about you intuduce him to us, then we see why he intrigued you so much", his oncle said and Aemond froze. "You want to meet him?", "Yes", Daemon answered, "Don't make such a face boy. What? Are you afraid someome will take that pretty thing away from you."

Aemond didn't give his uncle the sadisfaction of answering but that was in fact what he feared. Daemon had the political power to take whatever he wanted and Aegon was shameless enough to do the same. Lukes crys would mean nothing to them. They would not care if they were to shame him. He was only a slave after all. Aemond wasn't even sure why he himself cared so much. There was just something about the small boy.

"Bring him along tomrrow", his oncles voice brought him back to the present, "let's see about the small treasure you brought along." With those words Daemon left. Aemond went on his way trying to ignore the bit in his stomach.

Meanwhile with Luke

Luke was left there sitting on the table in fear, staring at his emty plate without seeing. He needed to hurry, he could not risk Aemond's fury. He was dependent on the mans mercy. So he got up and looked through all the cupboards, after finding the bucket Luke went down to the stream, which Aemond had told him about. When he dipped the bucket into the water Luke suddered, it was freasing. He brought the water back to the house and started scrubbing the dishes, then he went to cleaning the house. it was curious indeed, Luke had never seen so many diffrent wappons, there were swords in diffrent shields, daggers, bow and arrow and what scared him the most a wipp. Luke trempeled seeing the leather string, he feared that it could be used on him. So he work tiresly the entire day, nearly freasing his hands of when washing clothes in the river. He finished just in time when Aemond came through the door.

Aemond pov.

When Aemond entered his home he was greeted by a delightful smell, a steaming bath and an anxious looking boy standing akwardly in from of him. Luke asured him everything was ready and done just like he had asked. He gave Luke a smile to which he seemed to relax a little. "What did you make? The boy stiffened once again before answering "Fish ... and vegetables". With a nod Aemond sat down and they began to eat. After a while Aemond decided to tell Luke about meeting his family: "My uncle the chief wants to meet you. So tomorrow I will take you to meet the rest of my family." Luke looked up unsure of what to answer after a few moments he nodded in acknowledgment "If you say so". Aemond could not help but notice how qiet Luke was but he shrugged it of, the boy was likely just tired. After they ate Luke cleaned up the table while Aemond cecked the water in the bathtube. "You should get more hot water it is getting cold", he said to Lucerys, once again the boy nodded and did as he was bidden. When he came back he stared to heat the water over the fireplace while Aemond stripped, which Luke tried very hard to ignore despite his face turning Red as an apple to Aemonds amusement. "What is it little boy? Never seen a naked man before?", he asked mockingly. Luke stilled oviously mortified at getting caught but at first he did not answer. For some reason that irked Aemond, he wated Luke to look at him and answer. So he stipped right infront of the younger grapped his chin to make him look up and wispered lowly "I asked you something, it is rud not to answer." Lukes face was on fire, his eyes wide as he stuttered "N-no ne-ver" Aemond grinned. He found he liked that Luke on his captive, very much indeed. "Well then it is high time for you to learn", Aemond said, "get the hot water and then help me." "Help with what?" Luke asked nervously. " With bathing", Aemond replied smuggly. Lucerys' hands were shaking when he pored the water into the bathtube and Aemond climed into it. He looked at the man not sure what to do now. "Get soap and a towel" Luke did and then Aemond pulled him closer. "Go on then you surely know how to wash someone", he said. Luke swore he would be melting from embarrassment. It did not help that somehow he felt bit excided, as much as it shamed him to edmit even to himself, Aemond was handsome and seeing him like that made his stomack feel weird. He knelt down beside the tube and stared applicing the soap on the man using the fabric to clean Aemonds white skin. When the more he cleaned the hotter his face grew. He could not deny he did not mind Aemond strong chest and he was ripped but the deeper he went the more he felt shame climg to him, while Aemond grinned. He tried to skip Aemonds ... He flused even thinking it but he man grapped his hand. "You forgot a spote" he wispered mockingly. Luke wished the floor would swollow him whole, even more so when he realised that the man was hard. Luke pulled his hand away, deeply mortified. He expected Aemond to get mad at him for disobeying him, but he just laught. "Ok enough, you can go to bed. See you in the morning." Luke did not need to be told twice as ge hurried away. Sadly sleep avoided him despite being increadably tired. The strang feeling in his stomack and between his legs would not go away as Aemonds immage would not leave him. It was made worse when he realised that they had only one bed as Aemond lay down next to him.

[gwyns]

I feel like most E/riel’s are all bark. They keep talking about how Gwynriel’s are misogynistic, when we say we don’t ship E/riel or that we call Elain boring for liking gardening and baking, and for being feminine. But I’ve seen very few Gwynriel’s say gardening and baking is boring. If anything, I’d E/riel’s are the ones behaving like that. They make fanart of Elain in Illyrian leathers, wielding a sword and dagger while she’s covered in blood. Say that she’s a spy and if she saw Azriel beat someone she’d think it’s hot, even though that doesn’t fit canon Elain. Because canon Elain hates violence. Which there’s nothing wrong with. I’ve actually seen a lot of Gwynriel’s praise Elain for being feminine and say they want her to stay that way and not become a sword-wielding-warrior.

It’s funny how they bash Gwynriel’s for the baby thing (since Gwyn has pliant bones and I don’t like it either) but then they accuse Gwyn, a survivor of assault, for luring Azriel to the training ring and library and giving away the necklace, but Azriel, who is a grown man, consciously made that decision. It kinda feels like victim blaming almost. Why is it always Gwyn that’s blamed for that situation? And in his bonus chapter they point out how Azriel “found himself at the library” and how “glowing” shows her evil lightsinger abilities, but in the beginning of the chapter with Elain, he notes that her hair is “glowing like dawn” and “he found himself in the room” (I can’t remember the exact words). It honestly feels like cherry picking to fit their ship. The hypocrisy. It is possible that Gwyn is a lightsinger. But do I think she’s a villain/evil? No. It would be stupid for many reasons I can name, but if Gwyn is a lightsinger then it honestly makes her even more of an equal to Azriel than she already is.

And happy birthday!🎂🥳❤️

oh they definitely are. to be fair, i have seen some people dismiss elain and her hobbies as silly or boring or not important but i haven't actually seen that for a bit. not saying it doesn't still happen but i feel like a lot of people that did say things like that, grew up and realized how shitty their takes were lol

but e/riels call out that then turn around and do the exact same thing to gwyn. actually, they say worse things. they're absolutely horrid to her, and gwynriels, simply because they're scared. i mostly laugh at it these days but my god they can be vile

e/riels version of elain sucks. full stop. i don't mind sjm writing warriors or anything, i love them! but elain, at least so far and what we know of her, isn't like her sisters. she has always been the odd one out, despite her past closeness to nesta and how they both left feyre out of things. feyre and nesta have been described as two sides of the same coin and it's so true, then we have elain who is... well elain. she's an archeron, but she's not quite like her sisters, and i love that about her. i can relate to this, i want to explore her character, not whatever e/riels have made up

i don't like the baby argument either and i rarely see gwynriels discuss it. i think it's been years since i've seen anything about it in a fan argument. i think e/riels bring it up more than we do and then they cry and point the finger at us. like i didn't do anything! i don't care about that!! i have plenty of other canon instances of why i think my ships will happen!!! leave me out of your weirdness (not you anon, i'm speaking hypothetically to e/riels lol)

it definitely is victim blaming. gwyn was assaulted in a horrible manner, why would she ever lure anyone and more importantly, why would sjm ever write her to be luring anyone? taking away their choice much like hers was? whether it's on purpose or not, it's still a gross thing to write, and i don't believe sjm would do that for one second. it's clear she loves gwyn, she's not going to be some secret villain, but of course since she and lucien are threats they're both the big secret baddies!1!!1! 🙄 they're literally so transparent idk why they act any differently. like say it with your chest!! stop hiding behind the fake concern and shit mean girl attitudes

az went there of his own accord. the only reason sjm used that wording was to allude to something else, something deeper between them. like he was drawn to where she is because of a mating bond. if there's any magic at work, it's that!!! we've seen this multiple times from sjm, where two characters are drawn to one another "for whatever reason", she's telling us to pay attention. hell, she did this same thing recently in hofas! the lady loves her mates. end of story

and finally, thank you for the birthday wishes!!! 🥰💖 i'm so sorry it's been almost a week since you sent this. i've been a bit busy and i like to try and collect my thoughts before i reply. i appreciate it so much and thank you for sending this ask <3

[martuzzio]

Sorry if this is weird of me, but your mideaval au has me in a chokehold, and I had to write it. I'm realizing now that I don't really want to post this anywhere without your approval, so I'll just send it to you for your sole enjoyment. I guess this is my submission for the longest ask ever, as well, damn.

Feel free to post it or throw it in the trash. Whatever works.

Soap was being followed. 

At this stage in the journey it was obvious; there shouldn’t be another human being for miles, and yet his horse is rocking nervously underneath him, and the shifting unease of danger boils in Soap’s gut. More than anything, Soap can just sense it. Being a knight of the king's guard has instilled in him a certain set of skills, and this sort of hyper awareness is one of them. 

The snow had started hours ago, and now covers the known earth in a blanket. It dampens sound, so much so, that the only real noise is the clink of metal on metal, and the slow, wet clods of Soap's horse. Soap turns to glance behind himself, again, for the fourth time in as many minutes, freezing wind needling through the cracks in his light armor and making it obvious where the vulnerabilities lie. Nothing tangible appears in the light storm, but Soap’s gut is rarely wrong. 

He's passing through a clearing, a relative dip in the landscape, which in warmer months is filled with tall grass and insects. Usually, Soap follows the river towards the next town, but the land that way slopes downward, to Soap’s disadvantage. With this new development, he’ll stick to the treeline farther up the ridge, and look for an opportunity. 

The sword hilt at his side is cold to the touch, but the dagger against his thigh is warmer. 

There’s a wedge in the landscape that breaks the forest’s edge, forming a small clearing in the trees. Soap abruptly yanks his horse into it and hopefully, with the gusting wind and swirl of snowflakes, it will appear as if he simply vanished. 

He ties his horse on a low branch, and quickly doubles back on foot, towards the mouth of the opening. Sword in hand and sweating now, Soap takes cover behind the wide trunk of a spruce and waits. 

Whole minutes pass, Soap partially convinces himself he was wrong. It's a pack of wolves, probably, or the result of Soap being cooped up in the castle for too long, with too many people to watch his back. He’s rusty, and perhaps paranoid. 

The storm slants strangely around a dark figure on a horse through the snow, and Soap grins despite the situation. Paranoid yes, but right. 

Soap is a man of honor, he’s no sneak-thief, like the figure through the snow. So, Soap steps out into the open and sheaths his sword along his side as he calls out. 

“If you’re here to kill me, your method of execution better be entertaining.” It’s his court voice, run through with rich tones so that it carries. 

There's the soft thump of a man dismounting his horse. 

Soap continues in a current of sound. He feels almost drunk with the feeling of being right, and he knows it’s coloring his voice happier and more smug than the situation calls for. 

Through the snow, the figure, at first, appears to be a knight, with chainmail softening his silhouette and the butts of weapons branching off of him like spines on a porcupine. But as he stalks closer–and Soap devolves into vague ranting–it becomes clear that the man before him is not a knight. 

He is tall, for one, and broad. But his face is covered, both by a black hood and a dark cowl. Soap can’t really see his eyes, only the white shine of them. 

The man stops a few paces away, and draws his sword. 

Soap has to clamp down on the instinct to draw his, in retaliation, and forces himself to continue to complain and wave his hands in the air. Something about King Price and the types of errands he has the audacity to send Soap on, in the dead of winter, in the middle of a war. Soap isn’t exactly sure what the words coming out of him are.

The man stands in the snow, and doesn’t so much as twitch. He knows who Soap is, that much is certain, and is clearly some sort of assassin. Maybe Soap can still charm him. 

After a particularly long string of syllables, Soap takes a deep breath to continue, but the man growls in frustration and takes a purposeful step forward. 

“Now hold on!” Soap says, cutting himself off, and puts his hands up in a placating motion. “There’s no need to do something you’ll regret.”

The man halts, almost exasperated, and raises his sword. “I am not surprised someone wants you dead, with your incessant chatter.” His voice is deep and rolls over vowels like butter.

Soap laughs. “Not everyone can be as charming as I am, but there’s no reason to be jealous.” He smiles sincerely, then gestures with his open hands. “Besides, a man like you wouldn’t kill someone unarmed and unawares. Don’t sell yourself short, there’s plenty of charm in that.”

The assassin huffs and Soap gets the distinct feeling that he would kill someone unarmed, but it’s only a passing thought. 

“Draw your weapon.” The assassin says, and swirls his longsword in a neat arc. 

Soap's feet shift in the snow, but he makes no motion towards his belt. “You’ve got to be joking,” he says, “In this weather? The frostbite will get my balls before you’ll draw any blood.” 

“Let us see.” He says and shifts to advance. 

“You’d run me through? Without any ceremony?” Soap is offended. But doesn’t yet break his stance, even with the closer proximity.

“There is no ceremony in death.”

“Right, obviously. Well, alright then, give me a go.” Soap spreads his arms out, christlike. 

“You’re just going to let me kill you?” 

“Well, I’m cold, and tired, so yes.” 

Soap thinks that the lines of the assassin's body look shocked, but it may be wishful thinking. 

The assassin hesitates, then without much warning, sheaths his sword. “Very well,” he says, then lunges for Soap bare-handed. 

Soap is barely able to evade in time, and he grunts in surprise. He kicks low, trying to sweep out the assassin’s center of gravity, but instead of knocking him off his feet, Soap meets more resistance than anticipated–its like sweeping a fucking tree–and only succeeds in hooking his leg around a knee. 

Arms come down in his peripheral and Soap reacts instinctively, going low and putting most of his weight into a grapple on the assassin's torso. Then they both twist violently, and go down. 

The wrestling match continues for a while. Soap discovers quickly that they are not, in fact, evenly matched, and the only thing keeping him up, and not pinned to the snow, is his lighter build and even quicker feet. 

Soap arches, last minute, out of a deadly hold and laughs. “You are fantastic.”

The assassin grunts, and feints right. Soap falls for it, and finds himself pinned against a chest and face down in the snow, arms around his neck and a leg pressing between his. He tries to laugh, but chokes, silently, and almost panics.

Soap taps his hands three times on the assassin's bicep, a universal concession, and immediately, he releases him. 

Soap sucks in a lungful of damp air, and slumps sideways into the snow, breathing heavy. He watches his assassin lean back on his knees and breathe too, and they make eye-contact.

“Well played, that was great.” Soap breathes.

His assassin only stares at him.

“I mean it’s not every day you meet someone who could kill you with their bare hands, but it's always a pleasant surprise.”

There’s an uneasy silence. Soap prepares himself to draw a dagger if and when his assassin makes a move, but he only cocks his head. It’s an infinitesimally small movement and it reminds Soap suddenly of a wolf spotting a bird in a tree. 

“You have horrible survival instincts.” His assassin finally says, and he sounds…defeated. 

“Thank you.”

His assassin nods, absently, then stands, keeping his movements slow and predictable. He offers his hand to Soap, who takes it and is practically lifted off the ground. 

Soap brushes the snow off his armor, and smiles winningly. “I’m knackered. If you’re looking for a good fight, we’ll do a rematch tomorrow. You should see me with a short sword, I’m a beauty.”

His assassin nods again, slower, and adjusts his hood. “May as well.”

LMAO this was HILARIOUS. The characterization was so on point that I felt like I was reading straight from my own brain :D Thank you so much for writing it!! You made my day <3

(I will say this scene turns out a little different in the... other thing that's currently in the works, but that doesn't detract from how lovely this piece was <3)

[yay855]

I need you people to try this game- it's an open-source survival sci-fi traditional roguelike called Cataclysm Bright Nights. It's a fork based off of Cataclysm Dark Days Ahead, but designed to be more focused on fun than punishing realism- though it's still plenty realistic, at least given what kind of game it is.

For those who don't know, Cataclysm is an old game, from 2010, that has been developed over time and has since forked off into two competing versions. You play as the survivor of the Cataclysm, and now have to figure out how to keep surviving in the face of an ever-evolving threat.

Grab the game from the release section of the github; the game's full description (and my gushing) is below the cut.

You may be asking, "that description is kind of vague, what exactly was this apocalypse?", well the answer is all of them. Every single human is infected with a parasitic interdimensional organism known as The Blob, which mutates its host in response to certain things. Every living human, and many animals, that dies will come back as a zombie, and the longer the Cataclysm goes on, the more the zombies and wildlife will mutate further. There are also crazed humans who fight alongside the undead, bandits, alien invaders known as Mi-Go, demons rising from the netherrealms, hostile military robots and cyborgs and turrets dot the landscape, and there's even a fungal hive mind trying to infect all other life out of a twisted benevolence.

The game also has one of the most indepth crafting systems I've ever seen. Instead of simply being able to build with a workbench or your bare hands, most crafting recipes require the proper tools- and if you don't have them, you can make some. Pick some flowers to turn their stems into cordage, grab some rocks, and make a stone hammer and knife; build a basic screwdriver out of scrap metal and wood, and a makeshift crowbar out of a pipe you flattened on one end. Carve a wooden or bone needle and learn to sew a gambeson. Disassemble a lawnmower and tie the blade to a long stick to make a makeshift polearm. Construct a full forging setup and make yourself a sword and metal armor. Add an electric motor and a motorcycle battery to a bicycle to make it run that much faster. Take the turret mount off of a firetruck, weld it to the hood of the car you stole, and install a handmade laser rifle you built from disassembled electronics and camera lenses to run off of the car's battery, allowing you to gun down the undead hordes in relative safety. Disassemble .308 ammo to hand-load the spent 5.56 shells you used gunning down enemies. Delve into ruined laboratories whose experiments have run amok to find high-tech weapons and learn to craft your own targeted mutagens.

You can also learn martial arts, strengthening your abilities with melee weapons. Everyone learns basic brawling once they know how to hit something, but brawling takes higher skill to gain the basic techniques; proper fighting styles have to be carefully found, but are worth it. Use Eskrima and an extendable baton or a dagger to smack and dice your enemies apart, use fencing to effortlessly parry enemy attacks with a rapier, use ninjutsu to silently take down foes, learn drunken boxing to sway and counterattack every single enemy blow, or even learn biojutsu to slice your enemies apart with implanted metal claws or blades.

The game is also unique in that it lets you use mutations and cybernetics hand in hand. You mutating a pair of venomous fangs doesn't stop you from installing smoke and poison resistant cybernetic lungs, you mutating hooves doesn't stop you from installing high-tech alloy plating onto your legs. And you can loot cybernetics from hospitals and augmentation clinics and labs, but you can also dissect zombies for them, using your first aid skill to carefully extract bionics from the undead- you can even build a handheld device to identify bionics in corpses. Generally, mutations are less reliable but cost hunger at most, while cybernetics are more reliable but harder to power and gain.

All in all, it's one of the best roguelikes I've ever played. There's so much to it, there's daily updates, grab the Catapult launcher to try all four forks, just try it out! There's a discord server linked in the github!

[favcolourrvibgior]

NandhininKarikalan~ Chapter 8

•A Full Moon Night •

A few months back,

Veera Narayana Perumal Temple,

It was a full moon night everyone was gathered at the temple. Out of nowhere, the bandits had emerged.

All the people in the temple turned towards the direction of the noises.

They saw nearly fifty masked men surrounding the temple on all four sides of the temple.

Women inside the temple started screaming. Children started getting scared hearing their mothers scream.

Nandhini and Karikalan who were hiding behind a tree heard their scream and came out of their hiding spot. This gave the bandits a perfect chance to attack them again.

Nandhini tried to move from the spot but Karikalan who was already wounded requested Nandhini," Nandhini don't go, it is not safe for you to go there."

Nandhini was desperate to save her people she replied " Ilavarase, you are already injured, you stay here, I will take care of them."

Karikalan was about to open his mouth to protest but Nandhini told" I am not only a girl who knows to make Garland but wield swords too. "

She got up from the place and headed towards the temple, moving very swiftly dodging the arrows.

She saw that the bandits were beating and had also killed some people. Seeing the sight of her people suffering made her blood boil.

She walked towards Urvashi and pulled her aside by keeping her hands on her mouth.

Urvashi struggled against her grip "Shh... Urvashi, it is me." Assured Nandini. Urvashi turned towards Nandhini and hugged her  Akka I am scared" told Urvashi.

"Don't worry Urvashi,I will save everyone. Where is my sword? " Asked Nandhini.

"Akka I left your sword near the temple's pond." Replied Nandhini.

"Ok, I will go and get it you stay here," told Nandhini as she left.

She sneaked to the pond and started to search for the sword. Nandhini didn't notice a metal pot keep on a step of the pond.

She accidentally kicked it causing it to roll down the steps. The noises produced by the rolling pot diverted some Bandits' attention.

"Who is there!?" Shouted a bandit. Nandhini ran towards her sword and quickly bought it to her hand ready for an attack.

Nearly twenty bandits gathered after hearing the noise. " Oh look a lioness is ready to attack." mocked a bandit.

" After this night I will make her my pet cat " told another bandit.

Their comments made Nandhini's anger reach its pinnacle. She started striking at the bandits.

She was very busy fighting some bandits. Another bandit tried to stab her from behind.

He was stopped by another sword which came to Nandhini's rescue. This sword belonged to the crown prince of the Chola Empire, Adhita Karikalan.

Nandhini turned to see Adhita Karikalan attacking the bandits. " Ilavarase! I told you to stay there. Why did you come here" asked Nandhini as she attacked some bandits.

"You saved my life, it is my duty to repay it " answered Karikalan.

" Ilavarase but you haven't still healed completely" protested Nandhini.

"Let us keep our argument later first let's finish them off. " Said karikalan. Nandhini wanted to protest but she very well knew that this was not the right time.

Nandhini and Karikalan got many cuts due to the bandits but they didn't care, all that was on their minds was to save the people inside the temple.

They nearly killed most of the bandits The remaining were now inside the temple. The sight inside the temple made them freeze.

Women were being dragged by the bandits. Men were being beaten. Children were being tortured without mercy.

Everyone turned towards the couple with the sword. The bandits left the captured people and fled towards them.

Nandhini and Karikalan fought vigorously. At one moment, Karikalan and Nandhini were diverted by something this gave a bandit a chance to hold Karikalan with a dagger at his neck

Nandhini paused fighting." Ilavarase! " Called Nandhini. " Put your sword down and come to me. " told the bandit smirking.

Karikalan couldn't fight against the grip as he was already very injured and very tired. " Ok but don't do anything to him." Told Nandhini as she let her sword slip down.

Nandhini walked towards the bandit. He loosened his grip on Adhita Karikalan.

Nandhini signalled Karikalan to push his sword to her which was right down his foot. Which went unnoticed by the bandit.

Nandini walked faster towards them, finally picked up the speed and ran towards them, in a split second she bent, and Karikalan kicked the sword towards Nandhini. She got the sword and sliced the bandit's head off.

The headless body fell. Karikalan escaped from him. Nandhini killed the few more bandits who were left. Karikalan crawled near a pillar. And rested his back on it.

Karikalan was breathing heavily. His half-healed wound started to bleed again. Nandini gave her sword to Urvashi who came running towards them and rushed towards Karikalan ignoring her wounds.

"Vidhiyare please,  heal him " pleaded Nandhini to the Vidhya who came forward to check on Aditya Karikalan.

"Someone help me to take him to my house" called Vidhiyar,two men helped him.

Nandhini got up after they left. The remaining people who stood there thanked Nandhini for saving their lives.

"What is this you are like my brothers and sisters. I must save you " answered Nandhini with a smile.

"Amma what is your name? " Asked an old lady from the crowd. " My name is Nandhini," told Nandhini. " As in the Crown princess?" Asked people in shock.

" No no, my parents named me after her. I am just a Vaishnava girl who lives in the house back at the pond." Told Nandhini as she tried to hide her identity.

She didn't want people to know who she was because she came here secretly not even the ministers knew that she was there. Nandhini wanted it to keep it that way.

"Thank you very much for saving us Amma " everyone thanked Nandhini in chorus.

Nandhini smiled in response. " Come Urvashi let's go and visit the other saviour shall we ?" Nandini called Urvashi.

Nandhini entered the Vidhiyar's Hut. And saw Karikalan being treated by him. Karikalan smiled at seeing Nandhini.

" The Ilavaraser is regretting his atrocities now,  I see ." Told Nandhini smiling at him.

"I never regret helping you, Nandhini". Told karikalan looking in Nandhini's eyes.

" Why did you come out of the house at first?"  Nandhini Scolded karikalan like a mother scolding her son.

"I didn't inform my grandfather that I would be going for a hunt. So I went in search of him." Answered karikalan.

The thought of him leaving saddened Nandhini " I will inform your grandfather, wherever he is " told Nandhini with the hope of making him stay.

" They won't even let you inside the camp Nandhini." Told karikalan.

Karikalan very well understood what Nandhini wanted, she wanted him to stay.

"If I could meet him I would ask for permission to stay here for a while. " Told Karikalan. It bought back the smile on Nandhini's face.

" Really!?" Asked Nandhini."Yes" replied Karikalan. " I will speak with the chief tenant " Nandhini informed as she ran to talk with her uncle in happiness.

Karikalan smiled seeing her eagerly waiting for him to be with her. He closed his eyes to rest but the only thing he could think was about Nandhini......

Hope you liked this chapter!!

@ambidextrousarcher @celestesinsight @dr-scribbler @nature-writes29 @nspwriteups @ragkee @sambaridli @sakhiiii @sowlspace @thereader-radhika @thelekhikawrites @vibishalakshman @vijayasena .

[hulijingemperor2]

Meng Shi was spending time in A-Yao's residence in Yunping with Sisi, who was happily attending to her. Meng Shi's beautiful nine tails were out, as soft as silk and more powerful than a sword or a guqin.

Sisi: *kneels* Huanghou jiejie, i mean Shi jiejie. Your strawberries. Should I feed you them?

Meng Shi: why are you kneeling? Sit next to me. *holds her arms and supports her*

Sisi: *lowers gaze and blushes* I'm so honoured.

Meng Shi: I'm honoured to have you with me.

Sisi: omg. Huanghou.

Meng Shi: why are you so blushy? Haha.

Sisi: because you're pretty and sweet, and I'm shy when I'm around you. Your dimples are cute too.

I know where Huangdi gets his beauty.

Meng Shi: Oh sisi. You're pretty too! And don't call him Huangdi. He's our Yao'er.

We grew him up together.

Sisi: right. I'll forever protect you and Yao'er.

Meng Shi: so sweet. *kisses her on her forehead*

Sisi: *almost faints*

Meng Shi: *giggles*

Are you going to feed me some strawberries?

Sisi: oh....yes I was! I felt a little drunk for a moment.

Meng Shi: omg. Are you ok.

Sisi: mhm. *feeds her fondly*

Meng Shi: ah, so relaxing. And Yao'er has the most beautiful residences.

Sisi: I agree. I'm so happy for Yao'er. He got so successful.

And Song'er is following in his footsteps.

Meng Shi: yep. Song'er is perfect. He's talented, intelligent, gorgeous and sophisticated. He holds a fan and sometimes wears a hat like a gentleman.

Perfect future emperor.

Sisi: you birthed many legends and heroes, Shi jiejie.

Meng Shi: anything new with you, Sisi?

Sisi: I got a kiss from my goddess.

Meng Shi: that's not new. I always give you kisses. Any crush? Any devotee of mine you encountered? Any story?

Sisi: no, no crush at all. I choose to be celibate to serve you, and besides, no guy wants someone with a scar on their face.

Meng Shi: well those people are idiots. A scar is strength, honour, and ones story. It shouldn't be no one's disgrace.

Sisi: that's why I love you.

Meng Shi: I love you as well.

Now spill the tea.

Sisi: I heard a story from some maids, that there's this guy in the town trying to impersonate jin guangshan. He tried to propose to a woman, but she ran away when she saw his hideous makeup.

Meng Shi: *laughing* oh my!! Well at least the cosplay worked. But the poor girl is scarred.

If I knew her personally, I would have given her money for therapy.

Sisi: ahaha, that would definitely work.

Meng Shi: why is this cosplayer scaring people.

Sisi: for money maybe.

Meng shi: I can't put him in the theater because they're plenty lanling demons who perform skits. Speaking of lanling demon. Let's go to the theater in disguise, and watch a play about him and our family.

Let's see how we're also depicted.

Sisi: sounds fun! And it's close to your birthday, so these plays are being performed often.

Meng Shi: that's right. They're all in Peking opera style. Half dialog, half song.

~~~

After they took the disguise of normal maidens, they went to the local theater.

Sisi: I don't think we got a front row seat, Jiejie. We should have just gone as ourselves.

These people would move in an instant.

Should I bully them?

Meng shi: no, Sisi.

And loom, they're leaving.

Sisi: *shocked* how? you're so lucky! Well you are, because you're a goddess.

Meng Shi: shh. *laughs* we're in disguise.

Sisi: right right.

Host: introducing scenes from Huangdi and taihou's life. I hope you enjoy!

*instrumental*

Act 1~ The goddess of Hulijings chosing the Lanling demon as a concubine.

Someone dresses as Meng Shi dances into her performance, while showing her elegant flexibility.

People from upstairs then threw flower petals on her while she danced.

Ms: I'm the goddess, Meng Shi. I'm the denounce empress in disguise. No one knows that I'm a hulijing, but for my confidante, immortal Sisi.

Someone dressed as Sisi comes out dancing and swordfighging and throwing daggers at a dart.

Then she bowed deeply to Meng shi.

~

Sisi: the actor for you, is so beautiful and talented.

Meng shi: mn, indeed. And your actor too. They portrayed you well. I hope they know you can also shoot an arrow with your feet.

Sisi: yea!

~

*Thunder cracked*

Then one day, a demon from lanling came, already drunk, and bought the ladies in the brothel, enslaving them.

He became so lustful over the goddess's beauty that he wanted to buy her too. But everyone knows you can't buy a goddess.

Jgs: I want you! You're very beautiful. Do you care to get me some wine?

MS: you can't buy me.

Jgs: but aren't you a prostitute? Of course I can!

Sisi: leave her alone! Or I'll chop you up and sell your ass. You'll know how it's like to be sold!

Jgs: huh. Who do you think you're talking to?!

Look, I'm very rich and I want Meng Shi.

I kind of want you too.

Sisi: you have to get through me first! To get to Shi jiejie!

MS: wait a sec. I'll let you buy me. For the while. You're from a good background.

Jgs: yea whatever.

Anyways, can you read and write? I don't think women should know how to do that. Well I'm illiterate, so. I despise education, and I think women should be submissive.

MS: *laughing* I can read and write. I write poems, calligraphy, recite quotes, paint, sew, play the guqin, flute, guzheng, erhu, banyue and many more. I can also sing.

Jgs: ..........gosh....

Jgs: can you have s*x?

Ms: I'm a courtesan aren't I? To quote you.

Anyways, once you buy me, you better watch out. Because I will be the cause of your downfall. If it's not me, it will be my generation.

Jgs: *laughing* as if you could do anything. Now enough threatening. Even though I like them feisty.

Look, it's a jade pendant. I got you a gift.

Now say thank you, master.

MS: thank you, Jin Gongzi. You're not my master.

Anxin: why are do you think you're better than us, Meng Shi!!

MS: I don't. I just have a bad feeling about him.

Anxin: stop! Stop bossing the customers around. And especially that rich clan leader.

Sisi: how dare you raise your voice at her! This isn't your business. You're always jealous of Shi jiejie.

~~~

Host: ACT 11. AN EPISODE OF HUANGDI'S LIFE!

Venerated triad. (Mostly lianfang zun.)

Three actors dressed as A-Yao, Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen, and they bowed to the crowd.

~

Meng Shi: *happy* oh look. It's Yao'er.

~

Narrator: Our glorious emperor becomes Lianfang zun, the lord of hidden fragrances, along with Chifeng zun.

Nmj: *bows, and flexes his Baxia

And Zewu Jun.

Lxc: *bows and plays liebing, causing a vases to levitate and hit the wall*

Narrator: among the fox spirits, we fondly call him emperor lianfang.

Yao: *dances with Hensheng, uses golden guqin strings as a whip, slicing a few ceramic vases. Then he plays the guqin.*

Yao: I'm your emperor.

*crowd goes wild* HUANGDI!!! HUANGDI!!!!

Yao: *smile* but I have to accomplish my goals before I fully commit to you.

I'm honoured to be a part of the venerated triad.

Lxc: I am too. A-Yao, you're the hero of the sunshot campaign.

Nmj: I'm still upset that he tied me up.

Why did he have to be a spy in the Wen sect? They're enemies of the Nies.

Lxc: oh come on, A-Yao did it for the betterment of the Jianghu.

(Soliloquy)

Yao: That's right. I wished to be a hero. And a sect leader one day. I want my own success from hard work and not because I'm a young emperor.

A-niang told me to get my birthright and become the sect leader.

.

Yao: thank you er ge, for supporting me.

Lxc: anything for you.

Nmj: I'm impressed. But I can't handle your beauty and skill.

Yao: don't be jealous, dage.

Come let me play the collection of turmoil, I mean, clarity for you.

Lxc: excellent idea.

The venerated triad is honoured to have Huangdi as their sworn brother.

And they became his concubines afterwards.

Who wouldn't love such a beautiful and heroic Huangdi.

Absolutely divine.

Speaking of Huangdi, we'll now take you to ACT 111 team dimple and Huangdi.

~~

Yao: *standing elegantly* I'm not alone on my journey to glory, as I have team dimple.

They also know my secret.

*stretches hand* team dimple.

The team dimple actors came in and kneeled, then they kowtowed.

Su she: *kisses hand* I'm Su Minshan, clan leader and founder of the moling Su clan.

I'm the protector of his imperial majesty.

My Moling clan belongs to him.

Xue yang: I'm Jiggy's henchman.

Yao: *glares*

Xue yang: I forgot my lines. I'm the protector of his imperial majesty too.

Mo xuanyu: He's My Yao gege. And I'm a protector of his imperial majesty.

Team d: we love him!! And we're more superior than everyone in the Jianghu!

Mo xuanyu: Lan lips tries to steal Yao gege away from us.

Su she: no one can serve Huangdi perfectly. Non of his concubines.

What a shame.

Xue yang: no one is better than team dimple.

Yao: oh team d, don't say that.

Team d: *kowtows, then shows off their skill*

Xue yang: *performs knife throwing while a long sleeved mo xuanyu twirled and dodged the hurdling knives*

Su she: *performs Bian Lian, which is the art of mask changing, while catching a few knives. Then he lays the knives at Yao Huangdi's feet*

Yao: team dimple is well skilled. I'll grant them a golden bar each and a wish they deeply desire.

Team dimple: *kneels*

Yao: what do you want.

Su she: health and splendour of the people of Moling.

Xue yang: xiao xingchen's immortality.

Mo xuanyu: everlasting beauty.

And most importantly, we want you!

Yao: so be it.

Meng shi: how talented they are. And I see they adore us so much.

Sisi: indeed.

~~~

Act 1V~ the new sect leader Jin takes up his full role as Huangdi.

A group of performers filled the stage, to re-enact the flooded streets when Yao Huangdi came to the fox realm. Then

Ayao stood front and center..

Yao: I have become Sect leader and your emperor as well. I have established watchtowers and will establish some more.

Healthcare and cultivation work will be affordable.

Brothels are prohibited, and women will be equal to men. They will have proper jobs too.

All ladies will be treated as goddesses.

Fox spirits are now safe in the Jianghu.

They have to go through me first before getting to you.

Yao: I have become popular over the Kitsunes and Gumihos, hence they'll be part of the empire too.

Also the Jianghu, in my own right as chief cultivator.

Some of the clan leaders are already my concubines.

To uplift fox spirits, I will build cultivation schools for them. They'll get a chance to become immortals and Huxians.

Lastly, I declare Yunping as a capital of the empire, and Jingjing city as the imperial town.

Yunping will be a pilgrimage to the Guanyin temple.

*clapping*

Long live the Huyao empire!!!

~~~~

Act V~ Qin Huanghou and Yao Huangdi

Narrator: Qin Huanghou is from the wealthy Qin family, who are subordinates of the Jin sect.

She grew in Beauty and grace.

During the Wen reign of terror, Wen chao had kidnapped her, and went to kill her after she rejected him. But before, she had already spotted Huangdi who was a Wen spy.

Wen chao: are you still rejecting me, babe?!

Qin Su: don't you dare call me that!!

And don't you have a girlfriend already?!

Wen chao: so?

Qin Su: you don't have any heart! I'm not interested! Now let me go! I came from a powerful sect!

Wen chao: the only powerful sect here is mine. And I'll make you mine in the process.

Qin Su: disgusting!

Where's Meng Yao?! Meng Yao will save me!

Wen chao: ugh, don't bring up his name. A-Die always favors him over his sons.

Qin Su: you jealous freak!

Wen chao: you think Meng Yao would do something against Wen Ruohan?? He's working for him.

But don't worry, he didn't kidnap you. I did, because you're so beautiful.

Qin Su: *pulls out her hairpin* stay back!

Wen chao: you think you can kill me with a hairpin? Huh. *unsheaths sword*

Come on, fight with me. My sword is very sharp.

Qin Su: *trembling*

Wen chao: if I can't have you, gorgeous. Then no one should. I rule this Jianghu after all.

Qin Su: MENG YAOOO!!!

Yao: *enters* Wen Gongzi.

Wen chao: what do you want?!

Qin Su: Meng Yao!

Yao: I just got a message from Wen Zongzhu. He said to let Qin Guniang go. If the heiress of a powerful clan was kidnapped then there would be an uprising. And we wouldn't want that.

Wen chao: *sheaths sword* you're kinda right. But I don't care.

Yao: but what about Wen Zongzhu? He doesn't like disobedience. What if he takes away your power. And you have gotten so powerful. You're like a king now.

Wen chao: I don't want that! I don't want my power taken away! *sighs* Qin Guniang get out of my sight.

Qin su: *runs and hugs Yao Huangdi*

Wen chao: *storms out*

Yao: I'll get you home.

Qin Su: I'm safer with you, Meng Yao.

Meng Yao, did Wen Zongzhu really say that?

Yao: nop. I just told Wen chao that, to release you.

Qin Su: so intellectual. You have a way with words.

Yao: mhm. Let's go.

A year later~~ After the sunshot campaign and the siege of the burial mounds~~~

Qin Huanghou is bethroded to Yao Huangdi. And this is when she found out that Meng Yao and Jin guangyao are the same person.

Her mother, Madam Qin told her that Meng Yao is non other than the emperor.

Qin su: forgive me, Jin Gongzi. I didn't know that you were Meng Yao. I almost called off the engagement.

Yao: it's fine, dear. That was the plan.

And I finally got my birthright.

Qin Su: but A-niang told me that you're the hulijing emperor. Why do you want such a low rank?

Yao: to fulfill A-niang's wishes and find my own success. I'll fully become Huangdi when I'm done.

Qin Su: that's great. Ah, this is such a dream.

I'm in love with you. And I don't want anyone but you.

Yao: I love you too.

Qin Su: *hugs* I loved you ever since you were in the nie sect before you became a spy.

Yao: oh really.

...

Just before they got married, Huanghou became pregnant with Taizi Dianxia Rusong.

The most beautiful baby with his A-Die's deep dimples and his A-niang's grace and nose shape. He is the embodiment of Meng beauty like everyone in his lineage.

(Rusong looks like Ayao with Qin Su's nose and soft hands, and Meng Shi's hair)

~~

Meng Shi: Perfect.

Sisi: oh yes. Well executed.

[beuatifulbuttercup]

Okay in your godly parents swap au I'd love to know more about Leo, Its such an interactive concept to put him with Bellona and the fact that people don't think hes roman enough or whatever? But his still really clever and has probably saved people's asses more times than they like to admit? Love that

Also Frank as a son of Hermes is also really interesting would love to hear more about that too

You're asking about my AU? I've waited YEARS for someone to ask me about my au.

(If you get that reference I love you)

We'll start with Leo because I feel like there's more to talk about with him.

Leo is the son of Bellona and is a member of the fifth cohort. He came to Camp Jupiter after the death of his mortal mother when he was eight.His best friends are the two Praetors Piper and Jason. Now he climbed the ranks with Piper to make it to Praetor status. He never really cared about being Praetor but was just there for Piper. During war games Leo would use the traps more as pranks to the other side instead of actually fighting. With that he used a dagger. Not a sword, not a spear, not even a shield, just a measly dagger he had since he was nine. That combined with him being in the fifth cohort and a "wild child" people didn't trust him with important decisions. However, he is his mother's son and is a great strategist. People were so focused on the prank part they didn't notice Piper shadow traveling behind them.

When they finally got close to the position of Praetor they realized that only one of them could be Praetor. Many excepted a battle of some sorts to see who would become the next Praetor. To their shock (?) Leo just kinda dropped out of the running allowing his very ambitious friend to get the job. However, Leo was allowed to become a Centurion instead. During these meetings he was surprisingly serious and had amazing battle strategies and knew a lot about wars.

During the Second Titan War Leo provided a lot of helpful advice to Camp Jupiter. When he was actually on the battle field for real his dagger was probably the most lethal weapon out there. He lived up to being the son of a war goddess. When he was out there he also used those pranks he got so good at using to distract monsters. Sadly many people didn't like this tactic so he got way less credit than he deserved.

When Piper went missing he was offered the role again but he declined AGAIN. Jason was weirdly disappointed by that. He became good friends with the new comers Percy and Hazel. He was able to tell that Hazel was from the past and that there was something about him that threw her off. He went on a quest with Hazel and Nico to Alaska. Only after him coming back did people finally recognize his talents.

Now he is also apart of the Tartarus duo in this AU. He falls in with Piper and the typical Tartarus stuff happens. When he leaves the first person to welcome him back was Jason who hugged him tighter than anyone has before.

Frank's turn :)

Frank Zhang was by no means a troubled kid. He was just a kid from Canada whose mom and grandma died. Sure he picked a couple locks here and there but it was never a lock of importance. Okay maybe one time he stole something from one of the kids at his school but thats just because he stole it from someone else. And sure he rigged the glitter bomb to explode during the pep rally but it wasn't even his idea! They bullied him into doing it, plus it was the school colors so it was on theme. That put him in a school for troubled kids. Eventually he'd been in so many that they called up a distant relative of his in Nevada and sent him there. They put him into the wilderness school where he met Reyna.

Reyna also probably should not have been there but Frank was happy she was. The two became close friends along with Piper. Little did they know all their memories of Piper were fake. Now when he left with Annabeth and Silena to go back to camp he was claimed by Hermes. In this AU the Cabin 9 Curse is the Cabin 11 Curse.

The cabin counselor, Malcolm Pace, explains to Frank that every single on of their pranks have failed since Micheal died. One of these was a fire breathing dragon that has been in the works since before Micheal died. Miranda, the former counselor, was on bed rest from this dragon. Frank doesn't know how to feel about that as his weakness is his very burnable stick. He does the Leo thing and gets the dragon back to running. He gets it not breathe fire but to breathe out glitter.

During his time at camp he never felt more at home. Lacy, Malcolm, Miranda, his other siblings and the unclaimed campers are so welcoming. When he came back from his quest Miranda and Malcolm made him a counselor. The first prank he played on the camp as initiation Lacy helped.

Later on he is a bit wary of Hazel, a daughter of Vulcan and fire user, but they grow and their love story stories.

If anyone has anymore questions about any character feel free to ask! Also I'm not writing this into a fic so feel free to steal my idea-