#I love cardan greenbriar and I'm not sorry

[starrynightsxo]

“He looks like a faerie lover stepped out of a ballad, the kind where no good comes to the girl who runs away with him.”

- Jude Duarte, The Cruel Prince

[starandcloud]

Strongest

Cardan Greenbriar x Y/N

TW: Mentions of intent to murder,

The Cruel Prince Mainlist

Mainlist

You were a strong-headed girl. You rarely bit your tongue but... for one person you would. Cardan. You always bit your tongue around his family... until tonight that is.

You tolerated few things. You could tolerate shitty things being said about you. About your hair. About your body. About your voice. About your clothes. About you.

But you would never. Tolerate someone talking down on Cardan.

"It's not that hard to not be a disgrace Cardan. There's plenty of good Faerie girls here, and you chose a hu-" "Shut. The. FUCK UP!"

Your voice rang clear through the hall as you stood up. The chair clattered to the floor as you stood, the hall falling quiet as you did. You shook as you tried to take a deep breath.

"Love... Please sit down Petal..."

Cardan's voice was gentle as he reached for your hand. You swatted his hand away as you glared directly as his eldest brother, Balekin.

"You keep your filthy fucking mouth shut. You don't have a fucking place to speak in our relationship."

Balekin's brow arched as he watched his younger brother watch you in concern.

"I'm sorry you don't get your dick sucked enough so you're a fucking cunt? But if you EVER. Talk about your brother, my boyfriend, like that again?"

A cunning smirk crossed your face as you tilted your head, your nose scrunched up as you smiled. A signature move of yours, which Cardan knew better than to interject now. He looked down at his lap and took a deep breath. Reminding himself that you knew how to defend yourself, and you were a vicious little bitch when it came to him. He knew better than to try to interject, but he did anyways.

"I think we should go-" "Sit your pretty ass back down Cardan." "Yes Ma'am."

Cardan said, going quiet as you gripped a steak knife in your hand.

"What will a little pathetic human like you do?"

Flipping it through your fingers and stabbed it into the old oak table.

"I'll fucking kill you Balekin."

A smirk danced over Cardan's lips, he finally caught on to your tactic.

"Fae are powerless against mortals that know their name, right Balekin? So maybe, just fucking maybe, you'll watch your fucking tongue Balekin."

Each time his name left your lips, Balekin physically winced. All attention was on you as your smirk receded. You looked down at Cardan and smiled softly.

"Le's go, I wanna get coffee and my favorite author just published a new book Baby." "I'm coming Petal."

Cardan said as he stood up. Your heels clicked against the marble as you walked, Cardan followed. His hand gently resting on your waist as he kept you stable. Heels were not your thing.

Hours later, the two of you were in a random field. You were in an oversized sweater, which just to happened to be Cardan's, and a pair of leggings. Cardan's arm was under your head as you listened to him talk about the constellations, his voice was soft and soothing as you relaxed.

"You know, Petal... What you did today was really ballsy..."

Cardan said, making you roll onto him. One leg on either side of him as you gently cupped his face.

"He was talking down to you, I don't tolerate that... You're my baby... I'll kill for you..."

You said, your eyes gently rested on his coal black one's. One of your hands ended up in his curly black hair, making him physically relax under you.

"I'd do anything you'd ask... Without your pretty little Glamour..."

You said, gently booping his nose before cupping his face again and kissing him.

[thedrunkenreadersreviews]

A Review on The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black (SPOILERS)

*Sip, sip* And we're back at it again with that faerie wine!

Now, I know. It has been a hot minute since I posted. The new year has been hectic but I got 2 book reviews coming at you. Let's start with this one.

*Sip, sip*

I knew they would be back and that is why I went to a midnight launch to get my hands on this book. To see the return of my High King and Queen ... ahhhhhh ... but we must have patience and so we shall.

Let's examine this in plot and characters first.

*Sip, sip*

Firstly, let me say that the plot felt a little ... perhaps not as organized as previous plots. For example, the first book focused on the theft of Mab's bones and the creation of these stick creatures which I thought was pretty awesome and enjoyed. Here, that plot goes no further. I wished it was explored a bit more; the power of Mab's bones and the connections it has to the land of Elfhame as a whole. We know Mab was the first High Queen and essentially created Elfhame, so I wanted to see just how interwoven Mab was with the land because, as was explored in The Folk of the Air trilogy, the High King/Queen is immensely connected to the land. That entire part of the mythos kind of fell away to make room for Wren.

*Sip, sip*

Speaking of the whole storyline with Wren ... I'm sorry guys, for the most part, I did not care for it. It's not that I necessarily found it lacking but rather, I found myself disappointed. I had mentioned in a previous post of mine how Holly Black is one of those authors who does not sacrifice the importance or power of one character for another, typically in the case of taking from a male to distribute to a female character. For example, in her novel The Darkest Part of the Forest (which is my favorite standalone faerie book thus far and not just a Holly Black fairy book), never is Severin's status or power diminished for the sake of building up Hazel. It makes perfect sense how, during the climax, Hazel is able to fight as she is. Likewise, in The Folk of the Air, it makes sense that Jude is more strategically inclined while Cardan is more magically inclined, and I LOVED it! I loved how Jude did not possess anywhere near the same magical abilities as Cardan but was rather spectacular for everything she earned. Cardan is a faerie, a descendent of Mab, and the blood High King. It is understandable how he is more connected to the land and thus able to wield it more absolutely than Jude. Jude, on the other hand, taught herself the ways of spying, learned to fight from a vicious redcap, and had to learn to play the game of the folk as she lived in Faerie most of her life. They complement each other incredibly.

*Sip, sip*

Wren, to me, was a bit much. This whole concept of her being able to unmake things made me twist my lips. I understand that hags are the supreme beings of Faerie and how Wren has hag-blood. This manipulation of magic, of being able to unmake things took away, I think, from Cardan, Jude, Oak, and yes, even Mab.

Why? Well, Mab, in a way, is like Jude. She learned how to play the game, she played it well, and Bogdona was upset she got fooled. But, to me, Mab won the Faerie Game fair and square. The land, Elfhame, the crown, all of it belongs to Mab and her bloodline. And Mab gained the ability to create, to bring life. That is the whole Greenbriar thing.

Now, I could work with Wren having the ability to unmake things if it contributed more to the plot of this Greenbriar = Creation, Bogdona/Wren = Destruction. But it doesn't. It just creates a hurtle for Jude. What I think would have been great was to bring this question of Creation vs. Destruction to the forefront. Mab's bones can make things because they are imbued with her power. Great! Can they cure Wren? Can the remark what Wren unmakes? Could Cardan and Jude's power to create block Wren's power to destroy? Could Mab's bones and Cardan and Jude's powers protect Elfhame from Wren's? There are so many questions I wished would be explored but they were never touched on. Could Cardan deflect Wren's spell of unmaking? Could Wren unmake something that Cardan made?

Now to some of you, it may seem obvious ("Well, duh, she can. She has the blood of a hag.") And, you know what, fair. But we should not underestimate the abilities of Mab (who tricked a hag and gained the power of one) and I would have loved it if it played out more.

*Sip, sip*

As for Oak ... oh no.

Readers ... this book made me dislike him. Not hate him, no. And I did not always find myself annoyed with him. Most of the time, throughout the book, I enjoyed Oak but when he annoyed me, my goodness did he annoy me.

*Sip, sip*

As someone who personally detests the whole "ghosting" trend, beating around the bush, talking in circles, and not being direct, I DESPISE the miscommunication/ no communication trope to no end. Anytime Oak even thought about Cardan I slammed my head into the book and seethed past gritted "Just fucking tell him!".

Truly, I had some theories on why Oak may be reluctant to tell Cardan anything. I found no reason besides him being afraid Cardan would tell Jude. Again, fair, but something as simple as saying point blank because faeries cannot lie, "Listen, Cardan, I am not going to ever try to take the throne from you. You do not have to worry about that." Oak's guilt about what he made his sisters endure for him, fine, I understand. But I don't remember a time of him lamenting what he put Cardan through (as I hoped he would) or what he took from Cardan. Rather, he mentions it briefly in passing but does not elaborate. This whole concept of him thinking Cardan wants him dead seems a bit much, even with what he overheard Jude and Cardan talking about in the beginning.

*Sip, sip*

As suspected, though, Cardan is not an idiot.

*Sip, sip*

Jumping back to the plot, the whole ending seemed a little like "Wait, what?" Why is the Ghost done so dirty? Randalian's flip-flop seemed a little Fallout meme "hold on, now." Nacassia and the Undersea were just sort of there (I know she is setting up for an Undersea storyline but as someone who hates cheaters, sorry, I feel nothing for Nicassia so I couldn't care less), Madoc is kind of just pardoned, the falcons who betrayed Elfhame are sort of okay now, someone who literally tried to assassinate Cardan (I think it was twice now) is just sort of free to go. Like, what?

But anyway ... On to the main points.

*Sip, sip*

Oak and Wren.

As much as I found myself annoyed by Oak, I did not necessarily dislike Wren (as I tend to favor villains in books) but found her unforgivable at times. Some of her actions had me pondering, "Oak, how could you have romantic feelings for this girl?" I understand why Wren did most of the things she did. But the way she treated Oak the whole time he was at the citadel, uh, no. Freezing him, starving him, having him in solitary, humiliating him, like ... lying by omission as Oak did, yeah, not cool. Torture via neglect---not cool either.

*Sip, sip*

Do I ship them? I mean ... I don't oppose it but I wasn't really rooting for them through the book. I did not feel the same chemistry as I did with other faerie romances that Black has written. Some characters with great chemistry are Kaye and Roiben, Severin and Ben, Cardan and Jude especially, even Hazel and Jack I felt more pull to. Hell, even Val and Ravius. Why is that? Well, I'll keep this in the Elfhame part of Faerie for those who haven't read the other books. So comparing Cardan and Jude to Oak and Wren as both can be considered enemies to lovers:

Cardan and Jude start off with a mutual hatred.

Oak and Wren do not.

Cardan inflicts his hatred upon Jude and Jude does it right back to him. It is mutual, shared, and practiced on both sides up until they both cave and when they both cave they both cave at the same time.

That's not what happens to Wren and Oak. Their hatred, or rather cruelty, is one-sided. Wren is far more, I guess, negative towards Oak than Oak is towards Wren. Neglect is still a form of abuse; even if the person is not actively being physically, verbally, or mentally abusive, they are still abusing the person via their lack of attention and mindfulness. So when Oak was Wren's prisoner, she was being neglectful and tormenting. Which, hey, he lied and it was a big lie too. So I could fully understand Wren wanting to humiliate Oak because she felt humiliated too. But humiliation is one thing. Neglectful abuse for several weeks is another. Yet, since book one, Oak has had feelings for Wren, whereas Wren harbored a lot of resentment for Oak in the beginning of book 2.

*Sip, sip*

So, do I ship it? As I said before, it is not in my fleet. However, I am not opposed to it. I think Oak does a lot more for Wren than she does for him positively, and I think Wren inflicts a lot more negative things upon Oak than vice versa. Honestly, for this one, I feel as though Wren and Oak would have been better if they ended as friends with the possibility of romance in their future. I think they jumped it too quickly, especially after everything they put each other through. I think having the time to explore being friends again would have been better for their relationship with Black leaving us with a nugget of but you know, they are going to be together in the future.

*Sip, sip*

And now, for the main event.

*Lifts glass*

CUE THE HOMELANDER MEME!

It was perfect. Perfect. Everything. Down to the last minute details.

*Sip, sip*

Yes, my High King and Queen were as fabulous as ever and stole the show every time they were on the page. They were just as in love as ever, still as badass as ever, and both have even matured but not entirely.

Cardan commanding everyone to be killed had me cackling like a Disney witch. Jude's sword fighting is still top-tier. And the fact that Cardan and Taryn still don't like each other had me crying even though Cardan dots upon her son.

Confirmed! Cardan is great with kids as we all suspected.

Him completely ignoring Oriana and her opinions on decorum because he is the High King had me nodding in agreement, one hundred percent. Throwing food into people's wine goblets as a game with Leander, splendid.

Jude resting her head on his shoulder, well done. Jude "threatening" Oak to die for the High King, badass. Jude calling for her good sword, sick! The fact that the sword Severin gave her was not destroyed, big relief (like I was actually sweating when I saw it return, beginning Wren not to touch it).

Them agreeing to Nicassia's stupid little party to keep their people safe, major flex.

Cardan walking off getting stabbed in the chest, giving the order to have people executed to then escorting his people to safety by making a deal with his cheating ex is an I'm him moment.

"Liar," gave me chills and flashbacks to The Wicked King, chapter 15 (hehe ¬‿¬).

Jude acting just like her "dad," put some respect on her name.

Like, if this book was worth reading for any reason, it was them. They did not take up most of the book but when they were there, they were THERE. I loved Jude and Oak's fight at the end, and I loved Oak and Cardan's conversation. I wish they had spent some time talking about how Oak was part of the original plot to put the crown on Cardan's head or how they both fell for vicious women, but the ending was great.

*Sip, sip*

So, was it a good book? Yes, it was. It was an enjoyable read and had that whimsy that all of Black's faerie books have. It was great to see old characters, discover new ones, and expand even more on the realm of Faerie. You know Holly Black loves these characters, especially because of how frequently she keeps returning to them in recent years. It is understandable. These characters are spectacular.

All of the books set in Faerie written by Black so far, for me, from most favored to least, are as follows:

The Wicked King, The Cruel Prince, How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories, The Darkest Part of the Forest, The Queen of Nothing, The Prisoner's Throne, The Stolen Heir, Tithe, Ironside, Valiant.

Also, another review is being posted soon to make up for my absence. If you have a book you'd like to recommend for me to read, I'm all ears (or, eyes, I guess lol). I am also on Goodreads (same name: thedrunkenreaderreviews).

Anyway, thank you for your time, enjoy the faerie wine, and with the weather growing warmer, why not go for a swim with the nixies?

Till next time, cheers.

*Sip, sip*

[the-wraiths-wife]

LOOK

I personally found Avery very very boring and basic

She was a PAIN to have as a protagonist, she was very one dimensional and Plain

And I think Lyra Kane is gonna be just as boring. I NEED some spice, some SEMBLANCE of personality

Avery's personality is white, plain, Sugar-y asf spoilt Milk.

I betchu lyras is gonna be worse—

Kinda sorry to the Lyra Kane fans tho

Like I've read so many books and after one point you can predict what type of charectors an author can write. You understand their scope and calibre.

And like, even though the Hawthornes are portrayed as these hot sexy god-like bois who make women loose their minds I NEVER ever felt it

(probably cuz I'm gay—)

But my point is, with certain charectors like - Kenji Kishmoto, Aaron Warner, Kaz Brekker, Percy Jackson, Cardan Greenbriar, Malini (from da jasmine throne), alex claremont-diaz, Lord Thyco you can like FEEL the aura, the 'hot' aura

Like their PERSONALITIES contribute to the hotness.

• Kenji's obsession with tangled, his ability to calm people, his goofiness, him genuinely giving a fuck abt people, not being a Gale Hawthorne, and his obsession for Nazeera, his willingness to sacrifice himself for his friends

• Aaron's fashion sense, his willingness to burn the world for her, to wait for her, helping her become powerful, helping her find herself i.e re-discover her past, and eating a cookie with a knife and fork ; ‘Come back here’ ‘Home’, ‘lyhfml’

• Kaz Brekker ripping a guy's eye out for his girl, finding her parents for her, freeing her from her indenture and her sexual trauma, wanting to bottle up her laugh and get drunk on it, his crazy revenge plans, ‘I would've come for you’, dropping a guy from a tower for objectifying women.

• Percy simping for Annabeth and jumping into tartarus with her and almost dying for her, respecting his mom, having a loveable persona, standing up to the gods, messing with the gods, being sarcastic and a great leader.

•Cardan Greenbriar begging Jude to come back to him and allowing her to murder/attempt to murder him again and again and making her the queen of Elfhelm so she feels one with the magic

• Princess Malini of Parijatdvipada helping her girlfriend find herself, making her remember her childhood, save her people and her culture, re-discover her magic, establish a relationship with her brother, making her truly HAPPY and WHOLE again, Refusing to burn on that pyre

•Alex claremont-diaz giving his boyfriend the strength to truly be himself, helping him ; LIKE actually doing wonders for his man, gives him the courage to come out to his family, is actually there for henry (the boyfriend) whenever he needs him, goes after Henry and their relationship, the Texas campaign—

• Lord Thyco accepting his boyfriend, showing him he's not a burden but a blessing, bringing out the best in him, helping his boyfriend and his bestfriend by not letting them die on the streets

But with the Hawthornes it's like, you're supposed to think they're hot, end of story.

Why are they hot?

Idk

The only hawthorne I actually like is Grayson, because he reminds me of Henry from red white and royal blue.

I read the whole series for him and I don't think he and Lyra should be a thing

He should be gay. Chilling somewhere FAAARRR away from the rest of the Hawthornes. With his boyfriend.

End. Of. Story.

Like but the rest of the Hawthornes are like

Jameson → ick personified

Xander → Random asf (scones? Jlb, ik you were trynna be different, just give the man a cookie—)

Nash → Don't. Get. Me. Started.

The rest of the charectors I stated as examples for hot? They had charector development, they helped their s/o-s grow with them.

I don't think the Hawthornes really did that.

And they have potential, with nash being a cowboy, Jameson loving mysteries and whatnot but it's not well executed.

Don't tell me that it's a mystery puzzle kinda book, you can't have best of both worlds.

Again, all the charectors I stated above are from action packed fun books and they have great personality.

Also shout out to Ravi Singh from a good girl's guide to murder. He has an amazing personality.

[scribedhorror]

dearly held

@cruelprincae || x

Bill had never really felt small next to Cardan despite the drastic differences in their heights. Where the Faerie Prince was all long and sinewy limbs, he was broad and strong capable of lifting the other off his feet easily and carrying him with ease. But right now, with the way that his lover had him gathered against his chest he felt small. He felt like the breakable human that Cardan often reminded him he was.

Even if he had proved time and again otherwise. Most recently being his encounter with the older Greenbriar from which he had somehow come out unscathed. It wasn't hard for him to figure out what had gotten his prince in such a tender mood.

His hands rested between Cardan's shoulder blades, fingers making gentle fists in the delicate fabric of his shirt as he was held close. He breathed the brunette in, not wanting to break the spell just yet. It still shocked him, even now, that anyone could be so concerned over him and his wellbeing. He wasn't used to being loved like this.

"Are you alright?" Bill found himself asking barely above a whisper despite the fact that he had been the one that was in the precarious position. "I'm sorry if I scared you," he murmured.

[jamespottersdaisy]

Favorite book?

Favorite film?

Favorite outfit? (What you wear when you want to feel confident)

Favorite meal?

Name seven people to invite to dinner (+ you makes 8) Can be real, fictional, alive or not...

me the minute a question that asks my fav anything pops up

JOKES ASIDE I STARED AT THIS FOR A GOOD TENS MINS and decided to write an essay (sorry im very annoying it will happen again)

Favorite book is so hard for me to choose bc I'm an easily impressed person but i have things in mind. Harry Potter! (duh) The first time I read the books I was in third grade and it's been ten years that I've made it a prominent part of my personality hehehe. Kite Runner! If you haven't read it, what are even waiting for??? It was absolutely heartbreaking, soul healing, harrowing and wholesome book. I can't emphasize my love for it enough. I don't think I'll ever get over it. A good girl's guide to murder! I adore this book and have a deep connection with it that I won't elaborate at the moment for the sake your mental health

Favorite movie. I have to warn you I'm not a movie girlie so I may disappoint you. I love Harry Potter movies as much as I love the books, but I have a vast admiration for Inception. I loved how I felt like solving a puzzle the first time watching it, and the cinematography was perfect. Dead Poets Society... I will never and I mean never love any movie more than DPS. Neil is me and I am him.

Favorite outfit. I don't know if it counts but DRESSES!!! I usually wear baggy and comfy clothes, and refuse to leave my comfort zone, but when I feel confident enough to do, I LOVE DRESSES. especially the flowery summer dresses (god im so in love with them)

Favorite meal. Chicken and Mushroom Julienne. Any day every day. Without getting sick. I don't know if you've heard of it or tasted it, but IT'S THE PERFECT MEAL FOR ME!

Seven People To Invite to Dinner.

Cardan Greenbriar

Kenji Kishimoto

Nina Zenik

Jake Peralta

Charlie Dalton

Blaire Waldorf

Margaery Tyrell

This is very... interesting group of people and I'm sure a lot of interest things will go down

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION!! I HAD SO MUCH FUN!! and please if ur also down for it let me know your answers as well🫶🫶

[wylanvnneck]

TFOTA Characters as Six the Musical Lyrics

Jude- ‘Cus I’m the queen of the castle, get down you dirty rascal.

Cardan - I think we can all agree I’m the ten amongst these threes

Vivi -  I look more rad than Lutheranism

Taryn -  Her or me, chum, don't wanna be some girl in a threesome, are you blind?

The Bomb -  Not very prim and proper, can't make me stop

Locke - Now I ain't sayin' I'm a gold digger, but check my prenup, and go figure  

Nicasia -  You know it isn't true but I must say to you that I don't need your love, no, no

Madoc -  When I get bored, I go to court

Oriana -  Have my golden rule got to keep my cool

Heather -   You're just so full of sh-, must think that I'm naive

The Ghost -  I didn’t mean to hurt anyone

The Roach -  You'll find that I'm unshakeable

Oak - Politics, not my thing

Orlagh -  A restless tide, untamable

Bonus;

Grima Mog -  I wanna go hunting, any takers?

[alectology-archive]

You know I'm really really conflicted about Cardan. On one hand there is that Apple incident but on the other he actually knows that he has hurt a good many people and the later books do imply that he is trying to be better. (Atleast Black doesn't do a complete 180 from his original characterization.) I know that their relationship is very unhealthy but what of Cardan himself?

idk ya dudes in general piss me off and the only reason I don’t hate hate him is because he’s a faerie and holly does a good job of portraying that. I don’t really care if he was trying to do better because rhys (acotar) and warner (shatter me) were *trying* to be better people and were still awful. Cardan did get better in TQoN but it felt like a 180 to me, although it probably wasn’t as bad as it usually is with other ya dudes.

yeah, I’m not particularly fond of the relationship but I think Cardan by himself is perfect and a great characterisation of how faeries are so there’s really no complaints there.

[torydarixs]

hi. i'm shat (call me daisy if you wish). i'm 18, desi, my pronouns are she/her and i love cardan greenbriar. alex claremont diaz and i have the same birthday i'm sORRY i had to. that's all.

lol no i'm kidding

my fandoms are grishaverse, tfota, tsc, trc, aftg, tsoa, zodiac academy, stalking jack the ripper and a lot more tbh it's difficult to fit them all here.

i love taylor swift (duh), one direction, 5sos, lana del rey, chase atlantic, kendrick lamar and the 1975. arijit singh, shreya ghoshal, darshan raval, armaan malik, shankar mahadevan are all top tier. also i love underground rap so if you like divine, naezy, raftaar, mc stan etc etc please talk to me we'll be best friends.

im a massive formula 1 fan so if you like it come talk to me <3

i also love brooklyn 99, gossip girl (original), the vampire diaries, deadly class, house of cards, bridgerton, designated survivor, breaking bad, narcos and a couple other shows. your girl is a hopeless bollywood romantic so ofc movies like kal ho na ho, kuch kuch hota hai, bunty aur babli, ram leela etc are my thing (we believe in srk supremacy on this blog).

dni if you're homophobic, transphobic, pedophile etc etc you know the drill. just don't interact if you're an asshole or looking for drama. i am also not interested in being your sugar baby so for the love of god stay away.

here is your motivation to read the folk of the air

"I hate you because i think of you. often. it's disgusting, and i can't stop."

and all for the game

"i hate every inch of you. that doesn't mean i wouldn't blow you"

yes i'm a sucker for enemies to lovers, get over it

previous urls: ganseys-jane -> rowans-aelin -> montagov-benedikt → romamontagxv -> veturiuss -> rykeemeadows -> wildestherondales -> chaandsifarishpdf -> reinamxri -> kabiragf -> pxrisakamali → iktarapdf

you can find my favorite posts at #fav

my fandom/out of context textposts at #mine.txt

my edits at #mine.edit

my desi posts at #desi

and a couple of posts that i save for a sad day at #serotonin

send me song/tv show/book recs and i'll love you forever

my dms and asks are always open but if you use them to send hate i will cut you up into tiny pieces and feed them to my goldfish

okay bye i love you <3

[beeirifulmer]

Letters Pt. 3 (Final)

Warning//this contains all book spoilers, and that letters Cardan sent to Jude are revealed.

PSA::: I added a letter Jude wrote for Cardan, and a small beginning letter Cardan wrote for Jude(the one I wrote he threw away).

Jude slammed herself down onto her desk. "You want to play this game? Fine." She grabbed her pen and a piece of paper.

Dear Cardan. High King, if you will.

You marry me, you take something very dear of a woman's innocent, you convinced me I perhaps enjoyed you. Then you exile me, and embarrass me in front of important people. I hope you rot. I hope you miss me and realize what you have done.

I warned you not to fuck with me. But I promise you, Cardan. You let me in, now you will pay for it. I will come back.

Jude

~~~

Cardan was furious, to say the least. Furious with himself and with his Queen. He had flat out told her to return home, that she was pardoned. What more of a clue could she want?! How dare she agree to become Queen, then leave in the blink of an eye?!

I know I mustn't yet say it.

Cardan wrote shakily.

But I love you, Jude Duarte-Greenbriar. I have known I loved you since the moment your blade scraped my neck.

Cardan shook his head and crumpled up the letter. He couldn't say that, not like that at least.

Why would you, save for your ambition?

Cardan started yet another letter, pressing harder than usual as his cup of wine moved back and forth inside his cup. His jaw clenched as he growled under his breath in anger.

You have always known exactly what I am and seen all my failings, all my weaknesses and scars. I flattered myself that at moments you had feelings for me other than contempt, but even were that true, they would a thin gruel beside the feast of your other, greater desires.

And yet my heart is buried with you in the strange soil of the mortal world, as it was drowned with you in the cold waters of the Undersea.

He remembered when he first heard Jude was kidnapped, his heart dropped and raced, his palms somehow became sweaty. His fear rose 10x more than it did the first time Balekin let that maid raise a whip to his back. The fear became anger as he tried to make plans to get her back that didn't resort into murder, at that moment he understood why the Court of Shadows always wanted murder.

It was yours before I could admit it, and yours it shall ever remain.

Cardan

He sighed, his hopes were out the window already that she would ever return. Cardan did not blame her, but he wanted nothing more for her to come back.

"Sir?"

"Not now, I'm busy."

"But its severely important that this gets to you now."

"What could be so important you interrupt me?!" Cardan's hands slammed down, in reality he was begging for the knight to say her name. Say she has returned. He wanted to hear her name, he needed to.

"Locke was found dead in his manor this morning."

~~

"Then I won't get caught." Jude looked between Vivi and Taryn. The three sat in the living room of Heather's apartment, Taryn still shaken up from murdering her husband.

She thought about how it would be to see Cardan after all this time. All those letters sitting on top of the table unopened. She told herself she might read them as she prepares herself in Taryn's room, she'd be in Elfhame either way.

She knew how to pretend to be glamoured, she knew how to pretend to be her sister. Jude would despise not being able to make her snarky remarks, but she could bite them back long enough to not get caught.

"Are you ready to see him again?" Vivi leaned against the doorway as Jude looked at herself in the mirror.

"Hm? Oh, I don't know. I can't kill his sorry ass, that makes me sad." Jude grinned softly to herself as Vivi shook her head, holding back a chuckle. "Or maybe I could.."

"No, Jude. Taryn's already accused of murder, no need to kill the High King, High Queen." Vivi smirked and Jude shot a glare at her. "When will you tell Taryn of that?"

"When I divorce Cardan." Vivi laughed at Jude, "what? The second I see that man, divorce."

"High Queen Jude Duarte-Greenbriar divorces High King Cardan Greenbriar," Vivi says in her fake news-reporter voice her and Heather do to dictate Jude's choices and actions.

"That would be a sight to see," Jude chuckled as she stood up, wiping her palms against her outfit. Vivi noticed how she did so, humans constantly sweat from their hands when their nervous. Jude and Taryn hated how she came to notice the little things mortals do to go with their emotions.

"Jude. You're not actually thinking of divorce right?" The sisters face fell as she became serious.

"Of course I am." Was all Jude said before she went to her bedroom.

She stared at herself in the mirror, growing more and more angry by the second. She remembered all he did to her, all he put her through before all this bullshit. He even took her virginity, she should have known he'd blow it off just like every other woman he loved.

"How could you, huh? You marry me then EXILE me?!" She whispered to the mirror as if Cardan could hear. "I hate you. I hate you so much, I wish I never set my lips on yours." Jude's teeth clenched as she gripped the sink counter. "I wish I never met you. You took me away from where I grew up, my home!" The anger became too much for her to bare, and next thing Jude knew, her first was knuckles deep into the now shattered mirror.

"Shit," she muttered to herself as she let out a tearless sob. She pulled her fist back and looked over it, noticing the portions of glass inside her skin, blood pouring out from the wounds.

"Jude? Are you okay??" The girl heard Taryn's voice from the other side of the door. Jude grabbed Heather's makeup bag, remembering her tweezers were in there.

"Yep, I just fell!" Jude lied as she rummaged through the eyeshadows with one hand. She finally pulled out the tweezers and got to work fixing her hand.

Guess I'll need to wear gloves.

~~~

Cardan stood beside his throne, waiting for Taryn to walk into the room. Nicasia stood on the side, awaiting for vengeance for their friend. Her friend. Cardan was a lot less upset than he thought he'd be, he has secretly hated Locke since he found him and Nicasia lying beside one another. His hatred grew after he took Jude for him, then let her believe his lies until he broke her heart.

The heart that was supposed to be his.

Many people's heads turned when shoes clicked at the door, two guards opened the door and Cardan readied himself to see the face of his wife. His heart wrenched when he remembered her face, remembered angry she must be, how she must hate him.

Cardan looked at Taryn and froze.

"Jude," he whispered underneath his breath.

"No sir, this is Taryn. Don't worry, we haven't let her back in." A guard informed the King, who of course didn't believe a word he said. He knew it was Jude, he could feel it. She was very good at hiding it, but she could not hide from him.

Cardan said nothing as he tried to be certain as of who she was. She was playing it safe and did was Taryn would do, kept her head down as she bowed. If this was Jude, she would have been marvelous at pretending to be her sister.

Cardan looked at her hands, hoping to find her knuckle scars, but of course Jude wore gloves. Cardan could also hear when Jude would slightly trip on her heels as if no one else could hear because her dress hid them. Jude's hair was slightly lighter too from the sea, he could tell after she returned of the difference. When Jude looked at Cardan, the hatred but yearn for his love was all he needed to know.

She came back.

[pollyaunt]

The Hate you caused- one shot

Fandom: TFOTA

Summary: Set post twk. Cardan gets the most horrific news in his 19 years of life and regrets making an intentional decision.

Warnings: Angst. Lot's of angst. Major character death.

a/n: ummmmm HIIIIIII yea y'all are mad i havnt been updating but srsly i was experiencing some serious writer's block. Anywaysssss i got this idea in the middle of the night hehe ENJOY!

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"Whatever do you mean someone from Madoc's family has requested a meeting with me?"

"I repeat myself; Madoc's eldest daughter has requested an urgent meeting at this instant. She's saying she won't leave until she has a little chat with his Majesty," standing in the Royal Chambers of Palace of Elfhame, a messenger delivered the message of Viviene Duarte to the High King.

Upon hearing Vivi's unexpected arrival, a frown had formed on Cardan's face, "Why is she here?"

The messenger cleared his throat and said, "She told me to inform you it's regarding 'your dear exiled Seneschal' her words, not mine for she told me to tell you the exact wording."

A lump formed in Cardan's throat and he started imagining the worst scenarios about Jude in Mortal Realm.

"Where is she?"

"The Throne room," the messenger hadn't even gotten the chance to finish the sentence when Cardan rushed out from his chambers to the Throne room.

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Bloodshot red puffy eyes met obsidian black ones when Cardan approached Vivi.

"Are you happy now? This is what you wanted, wasn't it? Now you got it. Perhaps now you're satisfied?", Such a deep hatred pooled in Vivi's eyes which made Cardan's frown deepen and confusion laced on his face.

"What is it do you want from me Viviene?"

She scoffed and continued, "She's dead." Barely a whisper but he had caught what she said and hoped perhaps he mistook what he heard, hoped perhaps it was somewhat a trick, hoped perhaps it was one of Jude's little scheme but when she said it again, his body went numb.

"SHE IS DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU BASTARD! SHE IS DEAD! MY SISTER'S DEAD, JUDE'S DEAD!"

At that moment Cardan's heart cracked. He couldn't believe it was true, couldn't absorb the news.

He didn't remember when he asked her to prove it, to take him, didn't remember when the Roach and Bomb came with him, didn't remember when he reached the cemetery. The only thought he had was that his Jude, his queen can't be dead. No, it was impossible.

Only when the High King stood in front of the tombstone of the High Queen of Elfhame did the reality of this situation came crashing upon him.

And for the first time in his life, Cardan cried. He cried, screamed, thrashed and even tried to dig the grave again with his bare hands just to see his wife, just to see her lips or her eyes or her round mortal ears again but he failed.

His gaze fell on the tombstone once more and touched it where her name was written ignoring the sharp pain due to the soil and stones because of the digging.

The Roach and Bomb stood silently but even an old age man could tell there were sobs and grief was written all over there face.

"This is all my fault, my love," his voice raspy and barely less then an octave, "all my fault. If I never exiled you, you would have stayed. We would have ruled together. I thought you will be proud that I was able to trick you, that it was a riddle and you would have been back in Farieland within a week. I-"

He couldn't continue, his sobs overcame and he fell to his knees. He begged to the Gods above to please make it one of his nightmares but fate had other plans.

"I'm so sorry. I love you," his tears became uncontrollable. His heart broke into a million pieces and his body stopped functioning.

It was at that moment when Cardan Greenbriar hated himself more than ever.

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a/n: ooofff that was some emotional shit. Tell me if you want to be the part of tag list. Until we meet again.

taglist: @slightlyrebelliouswriter23 @thewickedkings @thekingdomofelfhame @greenbriarxrose @cinnamonsketchdust @charincharge @clockworkgraystairs @jurdanhell @jurdannet @nee-naw-nee-naw-beepbeep @rhysandswingspan @faerie-jude @jurdannetrevels

[verryberriess]

Whatever This Is

Synopsis: In which Jude and Cardan meet again after seven years, but not on good terms.

PROLOGUE

I continued to walk. People briskly walked to and from their destinations, while others climbed out of their Ubers in a hurry. I love the fast-paced ambiance of San Francisco’s financial district, where the frequency of cars honking and the volume of someone’s calls tells the time of day.

Mornings are always like this. If they aren’t, I’d wonder if I was in the right city. My daily walk to my favorite coffee house, Torre’s, allowed me to tour the current happenings of the day. It was a small, hole-in-the-wall coffee shop I had accidentally discovered amidst hysteria on the third morning of my newly-employed self. The coexistence between the flashing neon sign and the exterior’s dark browns and blacks caught my eye, since the coffee house diverged from the district’s urban brick walls and glass doors.

I shoved my hands further into pockets of my coat, shielding them from the unforgiving cold of the Bay Area’s winter mornings. I sometimes reminisced of the weather back in my hometown of sunny-side Los Angeles. Though, I had to admit that it was not much different compared to that of the Bay Area’s. Overcast and rainy in the winters, while bright and dry in the summer. There was not much to contrast about. Maybe I had just missed that town where I had grown up, those seven years ago.

A few steps away from Torre’s, I stopped to observe the unusual crowd brimming outside. Torre’s was the locals’ best kept secret, yet somehow today it was the most popular coffee shop on Market Street.

Ignoring the crowd, I strolled into Torre’s. As I entered, it was like the bustle of the city had been muted. The interior was rustic, yet cozy; dim lights casted shadows wherever I walked as I made out the different styles of artwork. Despite this, there was still an unusual number of people waiting in line. I walked to the end and slipped out my phone from my purse. Pulling up the website yielded no results of any discounts or special events happening today.

I looked up again and surveyed the customers ahead of me, my phone still in grip. As I peek at the counter, something-- someone-- catches my sight. I feel my stomach dip and I instantly feel sick. Horror and shock and everything bitter quickly creep into my veins as I feel my strength begin to leave me for a second, only to reclaim myself in seconds in an effort to keep my composure.

Because he just walked straight past me, like I really was composed of thin air.

Iridescent midnight hair and ebony eyes to match, sharp cheekbones and pale, pale skin strolled past me, holding a Torre’s branded cup of coffee.

He is quick to disappear from the entrance and out into the streets of San Francisco, and by the time I recover from the shock of seeing him, I have to walk up a few feet because it is my turn to order. But how could I recover from seeing Cardan Greenbriar since the last time I saw him was seven years ago?

A/N: lol i haven't been here in a while... hello! sorry... i'm not putting in my tag list because i'm not sure if peeps still want to be on it since it's been so long LOLL

[aelin-queen-of-terrasen]

chapter - one | beautiful disaster

Full Masterlist

Beautiful Disaster Masterlist

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I watch the door, awaiting his arrival.

Cardan struts into the building with his eyes fixed on his phone. He looks as unimpressed with everything around him as the last time I saw him. His clothes are ironed to perfection, the crisp collar of the black shirt barely covering most of his tattoo, save for the serpent's head that peeks out from beneath it. I'm convinced his outfit alone is worth more than the annual salary I receive from Balekin.

He looks up at me and the force of my hatred hits me like a brick to the face, all my plans feeling impossible now.

"Shouldn't you be somewhere else, licking Balekin's boots, pleasing him and all, Jude?" he sneers. There's so much disdain between us, it feels impossible that it would ever be otherwise.

I will myself to ignore his barb. I'm used to much worse insults, and to retort might increase my chances at failure. But I'm drunk on my resentment at his position; he has everything I ever wanted, and yet he laments about it. His presence makes me reckless, makes me want to do things I shouldn't do.

"At least I'm capable of pleasing him." I tell him with a small smirk.

His rage is prominent on his face now, the mask of boredom gone. He looks so heartbreakingly beautiful even when he's angry, it seems unfair. I try to dredge up some pity for him. He has a brother who is hell-bent on making him a copy of himself, another brother who hates him, an indifferent father and a scheming harlot for a mother.

Yet, did Madoc not raise me to become a mirror of himself? Surely, he can't resent me for something I do not have.

But he does. I see it in his eyes everytime he looks at me, how unworthy he thinks me of everything. The feeling is mutual, the hatred between us as intense as it is unreasonable. It's for Dain, and for the gang I belong to, that I bother to look at him, to earn his trust.

I step forward, deliberately putting pressure on the heel of my left foot. The near broken sandal gives out, and I fall into Cardan's arms.

His coal black eyes burn into mine with an intensity I do not expect. I am so sure that he'll drop me, but his grip remains firm as ever. His phone falls onto the ground with a loud thud but he pays it no mind. For a moment, all his attention is directed on me.

It feels as wonderful as it's scary.

When I pull away, my heart pounds loudly against my chest. "Balekin wants you to see him as soon as you arrive."

"Of course he does," he mumbles something else, then walks off.

Cardan's phone lies on the floor, right where it fell earlier. I allow myself a small, triumphant smile. I am quick to retrieve it, limping away with one show broken and remind myself to find an extra pair to change into before I arrive at Dain's mansion.

I find Lilliver the first thing when I enter. "Unlock this one for me, then bring it over; you have thirty minutes."

Dain is neck deep in paperwork when I knock on the open door.

"Ah, Jude," he looks up with a grin, "one of these days, you should listen when I tell you to walk right in, don't knock."

His eyes move over my body, expression morphing into concern as he assesses me. To save him the question, I say, "I'm fine, he didn't suspect a thing. Should I be offended you don't trust your own second-in-command's abilities?"

I slide into the chair across from him. He still looks unsure, so I add: "He may loathe me, but he is no murderer."

Dain's expression darkens a little, the goofy grin vanishing from his face. "He was still raised to be ruthless and cruel. Forgive me if I worry about you, Jude," The words sound like a lament, and his voice is softer when he continues, "It's such an inconvenience to be worried you might get hurt because of me."

"I appreciate that," I tell him, lips twitching up in amusement, "but if it came down to it, I could kick his ass."

"I know you can." Dain talks with so much conviction, it's impossible not to feel as if I'm invincible, though I'm not.

He clears the space in front of him of all files, then looks at me expectantly. Rolling my eyes, I climb atop the desk, legs resting on either side of his chair. He stands between my legs, leaning forward. He presses his lips to my jaw, leaving a trail of kisses down my throat.

"We need to, ah, talk about the—" he nips at a particularly tender spot on my neck. My body archs into his touch, giving him better access. I can't supress my moan, more grateful for the soundproof walls than ever—"Oh, Dain—aboutthe shipment we're..." The rest of my words dissolve into a loud moan when he nips at the spot with his teeth, his hands sliding up my thighs, hovering over my jeans' waistband.

"I'd rather not talk about it," he simply tells me, hands roaming everywhere but at the spot where I want them.

"What do you, ahhh, want to talk about then?" I ask him, knowing the answer.

His lips hover inches away from mine, curled into a fiendish grin. "I don't want to talk at—" he is interrupted by the sound of something crashing on the ground and a muffled curse.

I pull away immediately, feeling as embarassed as Van looks, if not more. "I'm sorry, I thought you'd want to—ah, it was urgent, I didn't think you'd, ahem, I don't..." His words grow more garbled with each moment that passes.

Taking pity on him, Liliver interrupts, "Bad timing? We can come back later."

"No, we'll have a look now—unless Jude wants otherwise?" All eyes turn on me, still on the desk with my legs parted, hair mussed and a flushed look on my face. I'm sure there's a hickey on my neck, adding to my embarassment.

Dain looks amused at my condition and I know he did it on purpose. I want to slap him on the face for it. His eyes shine with mirth when he looks at me. "Jude, love, will you mind terribly if I ask you to sit on a chair for a few? Though of course, my lap is available—"

I scramble off the desk and slide a chair towards him, taking a seat before he can continue. Liliver gives us a knowing look, and I have no doubt my face has turned scarlet. It's one thing to have everyone know you have a 'friends with benefits' thing going with your boss; it's another to be caught doing it.

Van slides the phone I stole towards Dain, who passes it to me. "Take whatever information you can find, and have someone drop you off—"

"That's not necessary," I assure him and take my leave, rifling through the contents in his phone.

As predicted, Cardan isn't as given to secrecy. I transfer all the files with ease, have the phone locked and ready to be returned and still a half hour to spare. I'm not surprised by how much Balekin keeps his brother in the loop, or by Cardan's disinterest in all of it. What does surprise me is the business acumen he seems to have. He is clever with his words, creative with his ideas and efficient in their execution. If I wasn't dead set against him, I'd have been impressed.

I wait until I know he'll be outside his office to come with his phone, and I am surprised to find Madoc with him. I hesitate for a moment, but decide to charge through. I can't wait too long to return it, lest I draw suspicion.

He looks surprised to see me outside, but then he blinks and the expression is replaced with one of casual boredom.

Madoc regards me with suspicion, eyes narrowed and a small crease between his eyebrows. He says, "Jude, what are you doing here? It's an off day—"

"—I know," I tell him, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. "But if he had his way, I'd have an off day for the whole year. I wanted to see if there's something around here I could do."

Madoc throws a cautious look towards Cardan, as if to make sure he's not displeased my casual censure of his brother. I could care less what Balekin thinks of me, he has never liked me much after all. I have no idea what I did to deserve his scorn but it's always been that way, and if I wasn't his loyal second-in-command's daughter, he won't have me here at all. He doesn't trust me very much.

And with good reason, I suppose. I've been spying on him almost ever since I joined, after all.

Cardan only raises a groomed eyebrow at me, as if to ask why I'm here. He must be in better spirits, because his expression is lacking the usual bite to it, though he looks impatient to leave. That might be more because of Madoc than me. Madoc has made no secret of his dislike towards the youngest of the Greenbriar brothers.

"Your phone," I extend it towards him. "It fell down this morning, when I tripped." I ignore Madoc's questioning look.

Cardan accepts his phone with a little shrug, but then there's a furrow between his eyebrows and I'm scared he has figured out that I stole information from it. I hold my breath, willing my hands not to tremble as he turns his assessing gaze on me. When he looks up at me, I feel like he can see every terrible thing I did, and it makes me more vulnerable than anything else.

He steps closer, forcing me to take a step back and repeats the process until I'm backed up against the glass wall of the building.

His hand comes to rest around my throat—a threat and a warning. "I know what you did, Jude. And there will be consequences for it." I can feel his breath in my ear, and blood rushes up to my face. There's nothing human in his expression. I'm afraid of his grip on my throat, the vile creature reflected in his black eyes but most of all, I'm afraid of the warmth I feel where his skin brushes against mine.

"I-I don't know what you're-what you're talking about," I stammer out.

"Don't you, Jude?" It seems impossible that he could be any closer, but he presses in anyway, and his grip tightens. His body presses against mine and all thoughts fly out of my head.

I shut my eyes close, and when I open them again, I realise it was imagination.

Cardan is looking at his phone still, but Madoc gives me a strange look. His eyes fix on the lovebite on my neck. I curse myself for not hiding it before.

My father's gaze travels from me to Cardan and back; it takes everything in me not to shout that it's not what he thinks at all. I bristle under his disapproving glare, choosing to ignore it too. Let him believe what he does. His assumptions are a thousand times less explosive than the truth. What would Madoc do if he found out where I spend my off days, which gang I work for? I shiver at the thought, distracted enough that I don't notice Cardan's gaze until he clears his throat.

"Thank you," he tells me, but somehow, he manages to make it sound like an insult. Before I can reply, he stalks off.

I hate how intoxicating his presence is, how he makes me writhe and tremble and crave for his attention, but hate it when he gives it. I have to remind myself I'm the predator, not him. This is my game, and I'm the one pulling all the reins. I hold all the power here. The repeated thoughts do nothing to erase the vision in my head, of his eyes, cruel and gleaming with hatred, and his grip on my throat, warm and painful and restricting my lungs and that tone; god, the mere thought of that chilling, ice cold gaze sends shivers down my body.

But this is my game, and by the time I'm done with him, the tables will turn.

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tags:

@courtofjurdan // @thesirenwashere // @nightbringer // @queenofgreenbriar // @jurdanhell // @sweetlyvillainous //@clockworkgraystairs // @blog-lady-vi // @the-dark-swan //@storiesandschemes // @fangirltrash74 // @augustintodarkness // @queen-of-glass // @jurdan7 // @aesthetics-11 // @mijaldraws // @hades-flame // @sensitivehighlord // @annejulianneh111 // @b00kworm // @mysweetvillain // @doingmyrainbow // @curlyredqueen06 // @chaotic-fae-queen // @thewickedkings // @thesurielships //@df3ndyr // @clouds-and-peonies // @aelinfeyreeleven945tbln // @thefolkofthefic // @st00pid231 // @iminsanenotobsessed

Let me know if you'd like to be tagged. Also, I'm trying new things: first person pov, a little touch of smut, and a new writing style. Feedback is invaluable rn, through anon asks or comments or whatever way you feel comfortable!

[highqueenofelfhame]

Hi, babe!! Hope you're doing well 💞 I'm intruding in on your askbox to request some Jurdan when you have the time? I was thinking of this prompt: "You broke me and all you can say is sorry?" Do what you wish with it!! 💕💕💕💕

BRUNA!! You have no idea how excited I was to see you request something from me - considering I feel like I beg you to write something like, at least twice a month. Thank you so so so much my love!!! I hope you enjoy - I’m quite pleased with this I think.

It had been three years since her banishment, and two years since the banishment was lifted. Jude Duarte Greenbriar went back to Elfhame and took her previous rooms in the palace when the lifting occurred, generally staying as far away from Cardan as she could. They hardly spoke these days, they never shared a bed at night despite Cardan’s constant begging for her to come to his chambers. She’d made the mistake a handful of times of allowing him to pleasure her, to shut her mind off from the anger and constant pain she felt around him.

She hated him. Truly, deep in her soul, hated him. She hated the curls of his hair, how they fell into his eyes when he looked down at her. She hated the way his eyes glistened like wet tar, like the night sky full of stars. She hated his voice, the way he spoke. She hated that he couldn’t lie. She hated the way his mouth grazed her jaw, her ears, her throat. She hated how easy it was for him to get a reaction out of her, to get her to moan. She especially hated how clever his fingers, his tongue were, how they made her fracture beneath him. She hated how she had allowed him to deflower her. She hated his exiling, she hated that she had made him High King of Elfhame. But mostly she hated, with every fiber and atom of her being, that she had allowed him to become the High King of her heart.

Jude was tired, so incredibly, devastatingly tired. Tired the threats that had come her way since being announced as Queen, tired of watching Nicasia work so tirelessly to become Cardan’s consort. She was tired of sitting on a throne at revel after revel, watching Cardan drink himself into oblivion and then having to make sure someone escorted him back to his chambers, because she wouldn’t be the one to do it. Jude, it would seem, had finally had enough, as she pushed herself off her throne and made her way down the steps of the dais, ignoring all the faeries that bowed as she passed.

Pushing through the massive oak doors that led into the hall, Jude made her way to her chambers, the black and gray tulle of her gown floating behind her like thick smoke of a forest fire. She slipped into her room, moving to shut the door behind her when long, lithe fingers caught the door. Jude knew it was him before she even looked, could smell his scent – clean and crisp, with sandalwood and currently, the sickly sweet smell of wine on his breath – and she let him enter keeping her back to him as he shut the door behind him. With her head turned ever so slightly to give him a moment of attention, her gaze locked on the ornate rug on the floor, she braced her hands against her stomach, her fingers fiddling with the ring on her left hand.

“I’ve apologized time and time again, Jude,” he started, taking quiet steps toward her. Her body froze completely as his fingers brushed her hair over her right shoulder, then grazed along the bare skin of her neck and left shoulder, down her thin arm. When they met her palm, he took her hand and gently raised it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “I am sorry. Tell me what I can do to make it go away.” She turned her face away from him, shuddering as his lips brushed the curve of her neck. She could feel the heat of his body radiating from where his chest nearly touched her back. Despite the warmth, she shivered, lifted her hand to wipe at the tears that she hadn’t realized she had shed. She was so, so tired.

“You…You broke me. You broke me, and all you can say is sorry?” She asked, turning around to face him fully. Her voice was unsteady and broken, hoarse and thick with emotion. Emotion that she never showed, never let Cardan see. Emotion that nobody, save for Vivi and Taryn, had ever seen. “You knew. You knew what sending me there would do. You knew what would happen when you brought me back here. You orchestrated it all. And you stand before me, every few weeks, begging for forgiveness, begging me to let you take me. Begging me to believe you when you say that you’re sorry. But you knew you were breaking me when you sent me there, and saying sorry doesn’t just make it go away, Cardan.”

“Jude-“

“I am so tired, Cardan. I am so tired of having no place in the world. I don’t belong in the mortal realms, I don’t belong in Faerie, I-“

“You belong with me, Jude,” he said, his voice low and rough. He took her face in his hands, fingers brushing along her cheekbones, her jaw, her lips. They wiped away the tears that grazed her skin, the tips of his long fingers tangling in her hair as he held her face. Jude tried to turn away, but Cardan was tired of that – of Jude not letting him be her husband, of Jude not letting him care for her, Jude not letting him hold her. He gripped her chin tightly, forcing her to look at him. Gods, she could see her reflection in his black eyes, could see so much emotion beneath a thick layer of lashes. “I love you.”

At those words, her heart stopped and fluttered and raged all at once. A confession that neither had ever dared to utter, a confession that had flowers blooming from the ceiling of her room. Vines poured down from the ceiling, stopping just above the top of Cardan’s head, the soft petals of flowers curling from long stems. When Jude looked up, it was as though the most beautiful of garden’s had been planted on her ceiling, as though the stars themselves had been replaced with the blooms of every color. She closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of lavender, of jasmine, of rose. Hydrangeas and peonies and roses among every flower she’d ever seen curled from above, a garden fit for a queen. Tendrils of wisteria hung low, the petals falling onto her cheeks, into her hair. A garden grown for a queen, by her High King.

“I love you,” he said again, brushing his lips along her cheeks, her lips. “Telling you that I’m sorry may never be enough, but I will spend every day growing you gardens, so that every petal will represent an apology, a litany of my love for you. Every stem, every leaf, every thorn, is my soul laid bare.” His lips brushed her eyelids, her nose, her upper then lower lip, between each word. He kissed a freshly fallen tear from beneath one eye, then the other, his lips glistening with her emotion. “I will spend my eternity proving it to you, my love.”

Jude Duarte was tired. So tired, of pretending, of denying herself, of being hell-bent to be miserable apart from Cardan. So instead of arguing, instead of fighting, she tilted her head back and kissed him, her fingers tangled in his hair.

“I love you,” she breathed, and all throughout Elfhame, the most beautiful and lush of gardens exploded from the earth.

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[aelin-queen-of-terrasen]

beautiful disaster.

masterlist - jurdan mafia au

Chapter - 1

Chapter - 2

Full Masterlist

This is a prize story for @aelinfeyreeleven945tbln for the 1K followers celebration. However, I've wanted to do a mafia au for Jurdan for a long time, so I hope you like it.

warning :

May contain swearing, mentions of blood and murder, gory details and all. Mentions of domestic abuse.

prologue - beautiful disaster.

Jude Duarte had two problems, neither of which was the soundless body next to her.

She hadn't meant to kill him, really. Her plan had been simple: get him drunk and let him take her into his house, then drug him to sleep before this could go any further and obtain the information she needed. Except she had discovered a letter to Balekin sitting on the bedside table, her hands faltered in surprise and the man discovered the drug that was meant for his wine.

A lesser fighter would have found a difficult opponent in him.

Jude, however, was training with guns at the age when her twin sister was into dolls and kitchen sets. She wasn't complaining. She preferred this life to the one her two sisters had chosen for themselves, and she loved the feeling of power with her finger hovering above the trigger. Her father, Madoc, had always known she wasn't suited for the role of a normal housewife and he'd never pretended she was. Being second-in-command to Balekin, Madoc had trained her himself, to follow in his footsteps.

Except Jude wasn't satisfied with being second-in-command, not to the sleazeball that was Balekin Greenbriar. When Balekin's elder brother and rival—Dain offered to make her his heir, she'd agreed.

Now, with both Madoc and Dain's training, there was hardly a man Jude couldn't take, despite her small, petite frame. Madoc had never really pushed her to her limits like Dain did though. Where Madoc had ignored her natural talents for espionage and poisons and trickery, Dain had taught her to wield them like a weapon. That was why she was here now, examining the contents of Balekin's letter carefully. This wasn't the information she'd expected. The letter was short, concise and it read:

My father remains benevolent on Dain as ever. But if everything goes according to the plan, he'll have no choice but to punish Dain with death, or look weak in front of his men. Once his darling son is dealt with, Eldred will have no choice but to crown me. Madoc is unaware of the plan though, and I know he won't go through with it if he knew. So make sure he doesn't find out or I will.

Regards

Balekin

Jude sighed, dialling Dain's number. He sounded oddly cheerful. "Jude!"

She frowned, looking down at the letter she found. "Balekin is planning something, don't leave the warehouse until I'm there." She'd tell him the rest in person. With the noises she was hearing, he was drunk enough that it won't register anyway.

"I'm waiting, sweetheart," he said.

Jude rolled her eyes. "And get yourself some water, sober up, ass."

"Look at you, giving orders. I haven't stepped down yet, sweetheart." She heard the amusement in his voice, the slurred words barely making sense. Not trusting him to stay put, Jude demanded to talk to his third—The Ghost. Only after she'd given clear orders to keep their drunkard gang leader inside the House did she focus on her second problem, the mention of Madoc in the letter. Balekin never did trust her much but her father was his closest confidant. Since when was he keeping secrets from Madoc?

Jude suddenly felt tired. She had killed one of her father's men, not that she was sorry about it.

She just hoped her father won't find out about her association with Dain, Balekin's rival. Not until Eldred died or passed his position to Dain. With the joint force of two gangs behind them, Balekin and his second won't be able to touch a hair on their heads. She'd have to hold off Balekin's plan, whatever he meant by that in this damned letter, until it happened. But first, she had to find out what this plan even was.

Jude examined the body. There was no way she could make it look like an accident now.

Instead of cleaning up herself, Jude decided to call her clean-up crew to take care of the body, her eyes catching on something on the nearby wall while she was on her way out. The photograph had been taken last year, a lot of people from Balekin's inner circle in it. Beside Balekin stood his brother with his lanky frame and uninterested, coal black eyes. Madoc always said Cardan Greenbriar didn't have the stomach for this life, though his brother kept insisting for his heir apparent's presence in every meeting he held, made part of every plan.

Even the ones Jude wasn't aware of.

Her lips twitched up, the beginnings of a plan forming in her mind. Cardan Greenbriar wasn't interested in politics or gang business. All she had to do was find out what he was interested in, then use it to get the information she wanted.

And who knows, maybe she could have a little fun while she was at it.

fanfiction banner by @mariamuses

tags:

@courtofjurdan // @thesirenwashere // @nightbringer // @queenofgreenbriar // @jurdanhell // @sweetlyvillainous //@clockworkgraystairs // @blog-lady-vi // @the-dark-swan //@storiesandschemes // @fangirltrash74 // @augustintodarkness // @queen-of-glass // @jurdan7 // @aesthetics-11 // @mijaldraws // @hades-flame // @sensitivehighlord // @annejulianneh111 // @b00kworm // @mysweetvillain // @judiecardan // @curlyredqueen06 // @chaotic-fae-queen // @thewickedkings // @thesurielships //@df3ndyr // @clouds-and-peonies // @aelinfeyreeleven945tbln // @thefolkofthefic // @st00pid231 // @iminsanenotobsessed

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