#I love you Lord Ares <3

[saltwatergirl6]

Good morning, a request please from Percy x reader (siblings, not romance) How does Percy react if he discovers that he has a younger twin?His sister was stolen as a baby and grew up in Camp Half-Blood,What will Sally do when she sees her daughter again after so long?

saludos desde la cabaña 3 🐬🐙

faraway reflections

pairing: percy jackson x jackson!reader (platonic)

a/n: i absolutely love this request, i hope it’s something you actually enjoy. 🤍

wc: 1.6k

the lord of the sky has made many mistakes in his godly immortal life, especially one of them always stood out. the name of the mistake was

thalia grace.

after the second world war, the oath of not having demigod children has been made and has not been broken for decades, the children were terribly powerful and caused trouble to the universe multiple times, so not having them was the only solution to cause less destruction and war.

zeus was the first to break the oath, for which he received quite the backlash from his elder brothers, hades and poseidon. meaning that his demigod child (which he didn’t have much care for) was constantly in danger by the two major gods.

but turns out that poseidon was next, when he met a woman who changed him for the better, breaking the oath didn’t seem to be much of a problem for him.

but there wasn’t one demigod child.

there was two.

twins, a girl and a boy, which caused much more problems than one could have.

the king of olympus didn’t take this lightly, he decided to get his revenge by doing the worst, separating the twins, but poseidon insisted on keeping the younger twin alive, but the punishment was to sally jackson, the woman poseidon fell in love with.

sally never got to know her daughter, it was told that she didn’t make it, only her son did.

but she was very much alive and safe, in camp half-blood.

when percy turned 12, the monsters started appearing more often, which meant that it was time for him to finally visit the place that sally has tried to keep him from, camp half-blood.

——————————————————————————

there weren’t many greek demigod children who didn’t have a childhood or some sort of time outside camp half-blood, but you were a special coincidence.

you were basically born and raised in camp half-blood, without a clue on who any of your parents were.

when you got to the age where you could understand such a devastating story, chiron told you that your mother died in childbirth and your father was unknown to everyone.

the guilt you carried was not something an ordinary 12 year old girl should’ve experienced, but like the brave girl you were, you sucked it up, not wanting to show a single sign of weakness to the ares kids who have despised you for quite a while.

percy jackson always wondered what life would be like if his twin sister had survived, if he had someone who was experiencing the same thing as him, life would’ve been so much easier for him.

poseidon, lord of the sea, the earthshaker, the mighty major god has never experienced such guilt in his life. some might say gods are absent of any emotion, but being alive for such a long time has made it much easier to hide their emotions well.

but seeing his little girl silently cry in the hermes cabin every night has broken his heart.

but everything changed the night that sally, percy and grover were driving to long island.

“wait so, my dad is like, one of those guys you told me about? like a greek god?” percy asked curiously, still not believing it.

neither sally or grover answered anymore.

“uh, i don’t think i’m supposed to say this because a certain god might zap me to death, but i have something big to confess.” grover randomly blurted out.

“today can not get crazier, so go ahead.” percy answered, still freaked out about how much has happened that day.

“so percy had a twin sister, right?”

“uh, how do you know that?” percy asked.

“she’s alive, i think.” grover said, trying to form sentences so the bomb he just dropped on the mother and son wouldn’t sound as crazy.

sally stopped the car, grover and percy hit their heads to the backseat.

“excuse me?!” sally yelled out.

“her name is y/n, the only thing chiron actually told me about her is that her last name is jackson and she’s 12 years old, she has been at camp like since birth, i think. ms jackson, keep driving, please.” grover explained, casually.

shock was written on sally jackson’s face, she decided not to say anything, maybe this girl was a coincidence, her baby girl couldn’t be alive, she was gone, but a spark of hope was planted in sally’s heart, her dreams of not losing her daughter were somewhat possible again.

that was before she got turned into dust in the hands of the minotaur.

_______________________________________________

percy woke up into a random room with a lot of beds in it, the room had the aura of the sun, somehow, everything was decorated in warm tones, except for the comforting light blue sheets on every bed, a girl was standing in the doorway, staring at him.

she had the same black hair as him, her sea green eyes were focused on his, she looked like him.

she slowly walked up to him.

suddenly every memory flashed all at once, greek gods, long island, grover being half-a-donkey, the minotaur, his mother.

oh, and his sister being apparently alive.

“hey, i’m y/n.” you said softly, in a comforting voice, instantly calming him down.

“where am i?” percy asked, confused.

“camp half-blood’s infirmary, wait, did your satyr fill you in on this place?” you asked, slightly worried that you’d scare him away.

“the whole olympian god thing? kind of, yeah.” percy responded, it still felt like a fever dream, and the fact that he was talking to his twin sister for the first time in his entire life didn’t make it easier.

“i’m sorry about your mom, by the way.” you looked at him with genuine support in your eyes.

“our mom.” percy corrected.

“what do you mean?”

“i’m your brother, percy jackson.” percy said, extending his hand for you to shake, he felt bad to drop this all on you, but you had to find out from him, not from anyone else.

“that-, that’s not possible, i don’t have a brother, i don’t have a family, no one.” you were in denial, after 12 years, without a sign of family, this was gonna happen? it wasn’t possible.

“i’m sorry you had to find out this way, but you had to know somehow, grover told me about you being alone for all these years, it isn’t fair to you.” percy flashed a smile to you, but your sweet reunion was interrupted by chiron, camp half-blood’s activities director and your best friend, annabeth chase.

“good morning, percy, i see you’ve met your sister.” chiron said, in a casual voice, as if this whole thing wasn’t the craziest thing you’ve heard in your entire crazy life.

“mr brunner, what? you’re a horse.” right. percy was new here, he had no clue, you remembered that right now.

“a centaur, my boy, you can call me chiron.” he corrected, not feeling offended at all. “now, i think you two should sit down for this.”

______________________________________________

a few days have passed, you and percy have gotten claimed at the same time after bullying clarisse and her brothers just like she had tried to bully you two in capture the flag. it was slightly sad that percy had gotten claimed within the first week of being here, but you had to wait your whole life.

it all fell into pieces, poseidon was your father and now you were going on a quest, because apparently you and your brother stole the most powerful weapon in the universe.

maybe zeus should’ve hid it better? besides, you were never known to be sneaky.

______________________________________________

after the most exhausting summer of your 12 years of life, you were going home.

you never had a place to call home, aside from camp half-blood, you didn’t have your mother waiting for you to come back from summer camp, but now you do.

your mother, sally jackson, saved herself from the underworld, she was probably just as amazing as percy and your father, (who you finally spoke to, by the way) described her to be.

it was never in your nature to be mad at someone for long, so you quickly understood your father’s reasonings on why you were cast out of your family, even though the beginning of your life wasn’t great, percy promised to make it better in the future, with a welcoming family and no smelly gabe. (he was quite jealous that you never got to experience life with smelly gabe.)

“are you sure she’ll like me? what if she thinks i’m too weird to be her daughter, i mean… dad called her a queen.” you ask for the millionth time, feeling doubtful as you waited by thalia’s tree.

everyone knew thalia grace’s story, the brave hero who sacrificed herself for her friends, who still protected every demigod even if she was dead, even though some didn’t admit it, everyone aspired to be what thalia was, a true hero.

maybe our definition of heroes were a completely different thing, but thalia still was someone to remember.

_______________________________________________

there she was, your mother, the woman who gave birth to you, standing with the sweetest smile you’ve ever seen.

you couldn’t help but tear up and by the looks of it, she couldn’t either.

“my baby.” she said softly as she pulled you into a tight hug, like if she let go, you’d get lost again.

“hey mom.” you whispered.

“uh, guys, i’m here too.” you laughed, a genuine, happy laugh escaped your mouth.

you were ready for this. a new life, even with all those dangerous quests coming up, you knew you’d be way more powerful with your family, a loving mother and the most amazing (annoying) brother you could ask for.

[white-wolf-buckaroo]

In his own twisted way✨

A daughter of Ares fanfiction because seriously, we needed a dad!Ares fic after the Pjo show

Updates will usually be Tuesdays!

Prologue Chapter 1: Percy becomes supreme lord of the Bathroom Chapter 2: Do you want me to burn your cookie? Chapter 3: We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium Chapter 4: My loyalty is bound by blood (uploaded 05/03) Chapter 5: I Plunge to my Death Chapter 6: Goodbye, Emily Chapter 7: A God buys us Cheeseburgers Chapter 8: You're on your own, kid Chapter 9: We take a Zebra to Vegas Chapter 10: Remember that night? Chapter 11: We find out the truth, Sort Of Chapter 12: All is fair in love and war Chapter 13: The Prophecy comes True Epilogue

in italics are the chapters that will be flashbacks of Emily's (my og daughter of Ares character) childhood

edits/playlist -> coming soon!

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

[micah-drew]

Record of Ragnarok: How Many…

—

How many shots will it takes for me to hookup with the ROR characters? Let’s find out!

Einherjar

Lü Bu: A GOOD…SIX I THINK? I don’t have much reasoning other than I’m pretty sure he bites

Adam: none, because it’s not happening!

Kojiro Sasaki: Uhh, 7?? grandpa doesn’t need to break a hip today

Jack The Ripper: I think 7 again? It just makes sense to me

Raiden Tamemoon: 3 for confidence, praying he doesn’t crush me

Buddha: pass, sorry

Qin Shi Huang: 2 for confidence, yeah

Nikola Tesla: 1 for confidence HE IS SO FINE OH MY LO

Leonidas: 3 for confidence because oh my lord, WHAT A MAN

Soji Okita: pass

Michel Nostradamus: blackout. deadass I need to be fully blackout for a CHANCE

Sakata Kintoki: pass, again

Simo Häyhä: probably not gonna hookup, but I’ll give him a little kiss on the cheek!

Gods

Thor: I THINK 7…NOT GONNA LIE IM A LITTLE INTIMIDATED..

Zeus: PASS. NOT HAPPENING N

Poseidon: probably 7, I feel like he’d insult me the whole time for taking so much shots but iTS FINEEE

Heracles: 2, for confidence. he’s like a teddy bear I think

Shiva: UHH…7, yeah 7 seems good

Hajun: pass.

Hades: 3 for confidence, thank you and we move on

Beelzebub: I love him, but probably 9 or close to blackout I’m gonna be fully honest

Apollo: 2 for confidence, why is everyone in this round so fine

Loki: PASS.

Hermes: I think 4?? yeah 4 seems good

Ares: pass, sorry bestie

Adamas: pass

Odin: IMMEDIATE PASS THIS GREASY MOTHERF

Aphrodite: 2 for confidence

Valkyries

Randgriz: I think 2 is good personally, no reason other than I’m shy

Reginleif: pass

Hrist: SOBER. FULLY SOBER OH MY LORD

Thrud: 1 for confidence! I like when tall women…

Göndul: 1 for confidence, again. can we kiss now

Geirölul: …fully sober or 1 for confidence, because oh my GOD WHAT A WOMAN PLEASE I AM ON MY KN- *coughs* sorry the demons won uh

Brunhilde: 3 for confidence

—

Why did I do this instead of actually writing? I don’t know

Anyways Geirölul supremacy—

[silkkorchid]

What went down in TWST rp in a week-

4/20 - 4/26

This week is dedicated to @the-lord-of-malevolence soon departure from roleplaying. Take care!

-

NRC Book Club has their birthday this week! A bunch of congratulations has been given!

There is a wedding. BETWEEN THE NRC PROPHET AND THE BOOK CLUB’S BROTHER!?

NRC Prophet is trying to adopt Rolly, Ruggie’s daughter. And he isn’t considering a certain parent involvement.

NRC Pride club light replace the NRC Therapist with this advice they are giving.

NRC Pride club is sponsoring the prom that is happening in NRC.

NRC host club finally making normal food for once?!

NRC garden club mod 🌺 is confirm to be the richest one in that club due to his parents owning the most popular opera in Queendom of Roses.

NRC Clubs are planning to make an otome game with them in it.

Who brought weapons to NRC?

Crowley got 3 children that he neglects like the students in NRC

Professor Crewel is gonna use the weekly update to keep tabs on his students. ALSO HOW MANY DO YOU PROPLE KNOW THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE!?

Professor Crewel loosing his shit, congrats.

Lucius holding a poll to try to start a rebellion towards Crowley in order for him to leave his office…

Lucius dropped the f bomb 27 times. Don’t tell professor Trein about it-

Lucius still being a savage towards everyone. + calling Sebek a Karen

Trey broke the 4th wall

Hungry Heartslabyul students are out for blood due to someone rearranging the kitchen, which made Trey unable to cook or bake.

It’s now confirm from Deuce, he got a plushie addiction of chickens.

Cater is now slapping cheese on people.

Rory needs to calm down with the confetti canons. That’s gonna be a pain to clean up…

Cat!Rolly and Lucius are currently doing a cat fight with each other…

Scar just got transported into Savannaclaw… and knock out the shit of Leona and Malleus. Plus their magic pens broke… THANKS RUGGIE FOR THE UPDATE!

Shit went down in Savanaclas that I will not say.

Leona is asking Che’nya what would their names be IF they get married.

Ruggie is having a hard time this week…

Ruggie and Silver did a platonic kiss. according to Ruggie. I’m so ded aren’t i?

Ruggie is gonna overblot sooner or later thanks to the blot drop.

Leona questioning if Silver and Ruggie are in a relationship. THE ANSWER IS NO

Azul being attacked and his mom is asking for no violence.

Azul is gonna be so grounded when he gets back home for the break. (Mrs. Ashengrotto is not happy 😃)

Epel is gonna be dead from Vil due to him making so much (failed attempt of )cornbread. Plus Epel consuming so much carbs.

Idia is giving pipe bombs and grenades.? SOMEBODY KNOCK OUT IDIA THIS INSTANT!

Another Vil has joined the battle-

Rook is dying from laughter thanks to Che’nya.

Also Idia ate an alive grenade…

It’s now confirm. Idia is a whale in genshin. (it was obvious but hey it’s confirm now)

Idia now has someone that loves him??? PLUS IDIA GOT KNOCKED OUT FROM BEING KISSED

Idia has been hit by EMOTIONAL DAMAGE!

Ah yes, some of Sebek embarrassing childhood stories is being told by Alce due to Yuu request.

Sebek just drop someone on their face the moment they gave back his jacket.

Sebek tried to drown Donnie for no apparent reasons.?

Silver’s magic pen went bye bye 👋 (by kaboom)

Sebek loosing his shit

Malleus is at it with the accidental flirting.

General Lilia was a dumb kid back then!

The boys future children overblotted and other stuff.

Rollo regrets opening his inbox after the NRC Prophet said he gonna die in 36 years + 8 months.

The Rosehearts family is in shambles.

AR for Che’nya is about to punch Leona in the face soon-

Che’nya is still being the menace to NRC

blind0raven is in trouble for something.

@blind0raven being bullied by Che’nya for their love to Deuce

@quartztwst getting a trophy for being a huge simp

[marymary-diva17]

A marriage of peace and political (3)

zuko x reader x male mai

The daughter that had been gone for many years had finally come home, arriving back at the nation of her birth. It had been so many years she had laid eyes on her people and they had laid eyes on her. She was no longer the young woman that had been married off for peace, she was a woman,wife, and mother, lady or fire nation and southern water tribe. She had become that is respect and trusted by all of the nation, she had master her skills in bending and ruling a nation as well.

Y/n " ......."

Sokka " there have been reports of former fir nation prisoners being released in numbers"

y/n " well yes it had been discussed those how didn't commit crimes that are very bad and make them a danger to the public, have been released and allowed to start over"

sokka " oh"

y/n " yes most of them have started brand new lives in earth kingdom"

katara " you seem to know alot about this"

y/n " I was the on who made the idea and spoke about to the fire nation council, and they have approved of it"

aang " that a wonderful idea y/n giving other a chance in life again"

y/n " yes"

earth king " lady y/n I will like to ask you about trade between the earth kingdom and fire nation, as my nation will like to use more metal in our stuff"

y/n " well your majesty you are in luck there are some companies that will, love to do with you company with a great deal in to them as well"

earth king " we can make that happen"

bato " it seems like thing have been going well for you in the fire nation, four sons and the title of lady y/n"

y/n " yes after the war had ended change had to come it was not easy, and slow at first but we are getting there"

hakoda " if you don't mind me asking how has the former fire lord been after that fight between him and the avatar" there had been uprising because of ozai which ended bad for him in the end, and good for everyone else.

sokka " yes the fire nation had taken him away"

y/n " he been placed under arrest in the nation watched closely, he can no longer bending after aang had taken it away"

aang " sorry about that"

y/n " it okay zuko and azula rule together as one"

toph " wow you think they will be fighting for the crown and title"

y/n " they haven't it seems like they came to terms that their father had used them"

katara " that good"

hakoda " has he meet the boys"

y/n " yes he has under the watch of zuko,azula, and iroh they don't trust him and either do I"

noble man " so the evil fire lord got to see the grandchildren before her own father"

y/n " my dear sir will you like to say that louder"

noble man " oh no I didn't mean it like ..."

y/n " I know how you meant it dear sir"

sokka " sister sorry about that"

y/n " it okay"

squire " excuse me the kyohsi warriors have arrived"

hakoda " that kyohis warriors"

squire " yes chef they ar the guards of your daughter and grandchildren"

sokka " that means suki with them let them in please" soon the door open and soon walked in suki and some of her warriors.

y/n " suki welcome I'm guessing my husbands sent you to come"

suki " y/n hello and yes I and some of the women came to, see you and my nephews where are they"

y/n " being their usual selves like always"

sokka " sukki welcome"

suki " sokka it good to see you are doing well" sukki had given sokka a cold glare.

hakoda " welcome ladies you will be our guests while you are all here guarding my daughter and grandson, I have warriors here if you need help"

kyohsi warrior " where has been for the last couple years oh yes here"

suki " I and my warriors are honored to be here and if we need help we will ask"

sokka " well I think we can call the meeting of day one to an end"

hakoda " yes I hope to have discussions with the fire lords and other fire nation officials"

y/n " you will father I will make sure of it" you had looked at your father and bowed your head in respect to the room and they did the same as well. You soon left the room with the kyoshi warriors following you as well.

suki " we have thought you will need some support against them"

y/n " thank you it going to be a very long time here"

y/n " let go find the boys" you soon started walking down the steps towards the village center.

????? " hey y/n wait up" you had heard your name getting called your siblings and their friends soon showed up, they race to meet you on the finally step.

katara " we were wondering if we can come with you"

y/n " oh"

sokka " well we haven't been with you in so many years we missed so much in your life"

toph " yes snow princess and it seems like sugar queen and boomerang boy have been dying to get to know their nephews, a bit more"

aang " yes we will love to get to now them knowing that I might be their uncle in the future"

katara " yes aang speaks the truth"

suki " i don't thin that a good idea...."

y/n " it okay suki you all can come with us to find the boys" you soon stepped off the finally step along with everyone else, you were trying to see the boys.

kid " hey come on we have to go see this match"

kid 2 " I'm coming I'm coming"

kid 3 " this will be so cool"

sokka " hey what going on here"

kid 4 " there this battle going to take place between some of boys here and some boys that arrived here for the event" you right away knew the other boys are your sons.

katara " we should go see what this is all about"

y/n " I have a feeling" the group of adults made their way to see what was the matter, and soon saw your four boys across from some other kids.

sokka " what going on here"

teen " just a friendly match that all we have been doing it all day while the adults are talking"

sokka " oh my spirts"

hakoda " what with all the chaos here"

sokka " dad it seems like the kids have found a way to keep themselves entertained by some matches"

hakoda " you all wish to battle these boys form fire nation"

crowd " fire nation boys"

hakoda " yes these boys are from very high rank family"

teen 2 " so they are nobility"

Muko " well yes and no"

hakoda " are you boys sure about this match this is way different here as it being snow, you might not be used to the environment"

izo " well I think we will do well"

uze " it seems like a good match as we been watching the rest and study"

man " study my boys here are good benders from our family they can take on anyone"

hakoda " boys are you sure about this"

muko,izo, and uze " yes" the three boys looked at their mother brother who seem, not to care that much about this whole situation.

zoja " I don't care it will be fun to knock down egotistical people down a bit"

teen 3 " you think you are going to beat us"

zoja " maybe"

muko " maybe we enter the battle sir as this is your tribe" hakoda looked at you as you nodded your head.

hakoda " sure"

y/n " boys remember what you father, aunt, uncles, and mother have helped you learn"

the boys " yes lady y/n"

suki " this is going to be interesting" everyone had taken their seats and started watching the battle began.

teen " we will go easy on you four"

zoja " oh we will make sure to go easy on you not wishing to humiliate you all front of everyone watching"

teen " huh ... ahhh" the first teen had soon been pinned against a ice wall by some draggers. These draggers belong to uze who was now smiling at the boy.

izo " lets go" izo and muko soon went after two of the fire bending at them, making the boys lost thier balance and soon fall down a small hole.

zoja " now are you going to give up or do we have to fight"

teen 4 " I will never back down" zoji had tossed some draggers at the boy but he missed it, which was part of zoja plan as the man had ran at him soon hitting his legs soon sending the boy falling to the ground.

teen 4 " hey I can't move what did you do"

zoja " found your pressure points dont worry I will fix it" zoji had undone what he did, the boy could move his legs again but had soon been pinned down a dragger in his shirt sleeve.

muko " mother did we make your proud" everyone was looking at you as the boys looked at you.

y/n " good job"

katara " that was amazing they moved so fast like it was nothing"

sokka " wait so muko and izo can bend fire while uze and zoja are no bender but fight like Mao and ...."

suki " ty lee had taught all the boys here skills of taking down enemies"

katara " those were some water bending moves"

y/n " yes I taught them that"

aang " that amazing"

hakoda " that was amazing boys"

y/n " yes I proud of you all and it seems like iroh has helped you all learn some new moves as well"

zoja " yes and over some tea and wisdom" the boys soon help the other boys up and free from their traps.

muko " good match maybe in our rematch you can beat us"

teen " you have a deal and you taught us a good lesson thank you"

uze " your welcome"

suki "good jobs it seems like you are taking our lessons well"

the boys " aunt suki" the boys had ran to go greet thier aunt happy to see she was here.

sokka " wait so you knew of them this whole time"

suki ' yes as guard to the royal family I got to be there for your sister and them, when you were here helping the world"

uze " aunt suki had helped us learn some combat skills, wait so you are the guy she meet many years ago that was being rude and mad at women had beat him in combat"

sokka " oh you kids have bene told about that"

zoja " yes we have heard many things about you all from our mother and others"

katara " I hope they were all good things"

Muko " oh yes some good thing here and there"

y/n " come on children there is some place I wish to take you all" the kids had nodded their heads, and soon followed you outside form the village and towards some grave sites.

y/n " hello mother and gran gran I have come home it has been so long, since I was here but I haven't come alone I have brought my children as well .... I have a wonderful marriage and wonderful family as well" you had bowed your head toward the two graves and the kids had done the same as well.

katara " mom will be so proud of you sister she will be proud of us all"

y/n " yes she will be proud"

hakoda " yes she will be proud of our family and now we have four new members to add to the family" the boys had looked at each other and soon back at hakoda.

katara " dinner will be served later today will you and the children care to join us"

y/n " kids do you feel like having a family dinner"

muko " we will love that mom"

y/n " well then it agreed on we will love to come"

aang " good there will be meat options and vegetation as well, so there will be many cheese"

izo " thank you for telling us that avatar aang"

aang " you can call me aang boys" the boys had nodded their heads later on family dinner had been served, the boys seem to be having a good time.

katara " y/n are you really happy in your relationship with zuko and Mao, you did marry them after all that happened between the avatar team and them"

y/n " yes I'm happy with them katara and I was there as well during some of the moments of war, I have learned to forgive them and see them in good light"

katara " oh"

y/n " so when we will be expecting another but for you and aang this time around"

katara " we have been talking about marriage but the question hasn't been asked yet"

y/n " don't worry he will ask soon and I know your marriage will be good"

katara " thank you sister and when I get married I will love you and your family to be there as well, and maybe the boys will have cousins to play with in the future"

y/n " yes that will be wonderful"

katara " are you planning to have another kid or this four enough"

y/n " well yes I will love one more kid to added to my family and I have a feeling this time it will be water bender"

katara " that will be amazing to see my sister"

y/n " yes it will be" you had smiled while driving some tea and keeping up conversation with your sister and the others. It was easy to tell there was some unspoken tension between suki and sokka. The feast had come to end and everyone was heading back to their rooms they will be staying.

Hakoda " y/n I'm really happy you came home it has been to long, since you were here"

y/n " yes it has father"

sokka " maybe when you are here to we can see if you can talk you into staying here a bit longer"

Izo " staying here"

y/n " thank you brother but I will need to have that discussion with my husbands and the kids, before think about a matter of moving and them being the heirs of nation will not be easy"

sokka " yes we understand sister"

suki " we will be taking you back to where you are staying and it not far from us as well"

y/n " thank you good night everyone" you soon bowed your head toward your family and the rest of avatar team, as you had been escorted to where you will be staying with the kids. The boys had bene helped out of their clothes by the servants and soon went off to bed.

suki " what are you doing"

y/n " writing a letter to my husbands, my sister in law, and Iroh giving them an update of what happen today and hoping one of them will come a day sooner"

suki " that a good idea"

y/n " so you and sokka is that still a close scroll or no"

suki " i don't know things didn't end well between me and him, and I still haven't found a way to forgive him"

y/n " I understand suki but thank you for coming here"

suki " anything for my friend I will be retiring for the night but not far away, I also made a route for the guards to switch shifts tonight ... but we also have water tribe guards as well"

y/n " thank you suiki sleep well" suki soon left you had gotten done with the letters and rolled them up, as you walked towards the message hawk and place the rolled up letters into it hold.

y/n " be safe flying back home friend to the fire nation palace" the hawk soon took off into the air leaving the southern water tribe and the freezing north. You had soon got dressed for bed and laid in the bed, praying the rest of the time here will be good. There had been some news you had kept from everyone, that was meant to be shared later on but that might not go to plan after all. Right now your duty was to keep the peace for the two nation, and make sure you children stay safe as well. Just maybe you will be able to rebuild your relationship with your family and tribe, and everything will be god juts mayeb indeed.

[cellarspider]

Good lord I take a week off of tumblr and now there’s a lot of you

Hello to everyone who’s just followed me in the past week! Most of you have come from a long ramble of mine on interdisciplinary learning, medieval head trauma, and Gallus’ well-wishings on my recent graduation (https://www.tumblr.com/gallusrostromegalus/727017193756327936), thank you to Gallus for that. Thank you to those of you who’ve commented with kind words as well. Specific shout-outs, links to relevant rambles, and questions are below, in the section “Link Roundup and Shoutouts”.

Yes, this is a post with sections. This is how we roll here.

Introduction to Spider

For those who don’t know, I’m Spider! I’ve just gotten my PhD in Mammalian Genetics, having gotten a Masters in Informatics and a Bachelors in Medieval Studies before that. I’ll quite happily ramble about any of them, with the following caveats: an undergraduate degree means I know the basics, but they may be increasingly out of date. And advanced degrees are increasingly specialized in their scope as you go along—you gain the skills to more easily understand things from related specialties, but you only become truly, deeply knowledgeable on very specific topics. However, these topics are not always limited to the field of study generally expected by the degree-granting institution! My focus ended up being significantly divergent from everyone else’s, which resulted in an interesting challenge of communicating my project to others at the institute.

The field I dove into for my PhD was systems genetics. Rather than studying individual genes and how they function, my work examined the wider view: think the difference between a local weather forecast versus modeling the global climate. Both synthesize vast amounts of information, just on different scales and levels of detail.

Many people love studying the tiny details around individual genes, because they can dig down into the mechanisms that make the gene work, how it might break and cause disease, and maybe how to fix those diseases. My love is for the global view of things, which gives you the ability to characterize general statements about how genes are regulated and modified. It’s a field that’s very hard to study without good data that’s complicated to acquire, so it’s a very exciting subject to work on! I’m looking forward to carrying that on into a postdoctoral study, in which I’ll work with a new lab and learn the dreaded skill of grant writing. I’ll be starting this month!

…As Gallus mentioned, my time until then is very much devoted to Baldur’s Gate 3. Happily for me, the new research group I’ll be joining has also been going nuts for Baldur’s Gate 3, so I’ll have a lot to talk about with my coworkers once I’m back to the lab.

In my free time, I’m happy to ramble upon request about the subjects I love, including but not limited to my fields of academic study, my constructed language hobby, scientific ethics and its portrayal in media, creepy-crawlies (always appropriately tagged for people’s phobias), and Baldur’s Gate 3.

…Lots of Baldur’s Gate 3. (I’ve only just reached the Lost Light Inn, please no spoilers!)

Link Roundup and Shoutouts

For those who are interested to see my ramble about why European medical texts in the medieval period tended to be terrible, it’s available here: https://www.tumblr.com/cellarspider/680342023316930560/hi-please-rant-about-medieval-european-medical

Thank you to all those who dug up the name of the academic text I’d forgotten! Its title, in all its wordy glory, is Injuries of the skull and brain, as described in the myths, legends, and folk-tales of the various peoples of the world, with some comments on the significance and reliability of this information in evaluating contemporary concepts as to their nature and lethality by Cyril B. Courville, 1967. It’s a fantastic book, and good lord that title just does not stop

Thank you to fellow spiders @one-spider-from-mars and @vaspider for their comments. We are many. We are mighty.

Thank you to @belovedbright for the fantastic story of the death of Conchobar mac Nessa via brain trauma inflicted by a brain https://www.tumblr.com/belovedbright/727132485919604736

To @doomhamster's question on whether egg whites were used in the medieval treatment of burns: I don’t know! Unfortunately I can’t access the translation of the medical manual I referred to back then (https://worldcat.org/title/1123716578), and the only version I can find online at the moment is in 14th century French (https://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Sloane_MS_1977). Egg whites do appear 33 times in the translation, according to the limited ability I have to search the text, and they show up throughout the book.

[miko-magica]

I just want your love.

♡ - Synopsis : In which teen Diluc falls inlove yet he isn't sure how to express his feelings, making it so that it comes off as if he dislikes you. // Takes place before Crepus' passing.

♡ - Contains : Tsundere Diluc(?) | Fluff |Angst |gn!reader | Knights of Favonius Diluc & you | Romance | Unsaid words |

♡ - Note : Inspired by my 3 am thoughts !! (no joke it's literally three am lord help me)| This was originally supposed to be fluffy and cute like my other fics but I still don't have Diluc and I'm almost ar 60 so :(

"Hey! How'd your mission go? I heard you had to do it with Diluc" Kaeya said while putting an arm around your shoulder " Yes.. he was a bit rude. Maybe he just doesn't like me, I've heard he wasn't fond of new people.. but we've known eachother even as children." You say with a chuckle trying not to sound offensive towards Kaeya.

"Huh, Rude you say? I mean he's occasionally harsh here and there but rude? Care to give an example?" He said removing his arm around your neck while tilting his head and crossing his arms "Well, for starters.. he started saying quite rude things to me earlier such as; You're gross, You're insufferable or even swearing at me sometimes. I feel like I already have small to no chances of even being friends with him ever again, he's changed ever since I came back from Liyue. "

Kaeya let out a chuckle "Oh, Diluc. He just isn't good with these things but... Trust me he still likes you." He continued as he pats your shoulder then walks away "I'm pretty sure the last time he talked about you was him saying he wanted to be with you everyday, I don't think he hates you one bit .. you're both so dense." He whispered— barely audible, you couldn't hear him properly yet you managed to make out the words " hates and dense "

—

"You're so bad at making a move aren't you, Diluc." Kaeya asks with a sarcastic tone, Diluc turns his head towards his brother "...What do you mean?" He asks with a confused face even though he seems to know what Kaeya meant "Hm really? Your 'insufferable' knight? No?"

His face flushes,almost as if his face replicated his hair but his eyes were also filled with panic " Ah.. so what— They ARE insufferable—! I mean they almost got hurt and they still went for the kill how stupid! I.." he didn't finish his sentence and sighed heavily

"Already having fights? I thought we agreed in 'no fighting' when you became a knight." Crepus' voice scared the two boys who quickly faced their father. "Oh if it was a fight then I would've told you father—" Diluc starts " —But he's inlove" Kaeya cuts Diluc off with an energetic tone

With a quite shocked face, Crepus chuckles to himself "..Then you really shouldn't be saying those things if you're inlove with them. You might push them away Diluc." He sighs " No— I don't like them! Father..." Diluc retorts with his face heating up ever more slightly

"Young master Diluc? Your friend is here! They're looking for you. It seems quite important." Adelinde interrupts their conversation while Diluc nodded and excused himself

"Ah.." if it wasn't the person he was all flustered over, the person who he sees in the midst of the crowd— despite the commotion; your voice is the only thing he hears. " I brought you some of my cooking, I wanted to apologize for troubling you earlier in our mission. I know it was a foolish move, thank you for saving me, Diluc." You say with a gentle smile which he seemed to despise— but in his eyes you were more than beautiful, his brows furrowed even more trying to conceal his redness and embarrassment.

"..is something wrong? If you don't want it maybe Kaeya and Master Crepus would enjoy it? Apologies I wasn't really sure if this is still your favorite food, I remember you saying it was your favorite food a long time ago—" he takes the meal from your hands and opens his mouth to talk but no words escaped his mouth, he could barely utter a word Infront of you when your eyes shone perfectly with the sunset. With no further warning he nodded slightly and shut the door in your face.

He leaned on the door, the food against his chest with his face redder than his hair and his heart beating out of his chest. Adelinde was about to tell him how rude it was to shut the door in your face but Crepus and Kaeya stopped her, the three watched the redhead unable to muster up a word enough to thank you for your gift but he also felt bad for making you feel as if you were a burden and that an apology was in order, he opens the door quickly again only to see that you've wandered off.

A week passed and Diluc never really approached you, he avoided all contact with you. Sometimes you'd get a good look at him and feel like he doesn't really hate you, that he somehow has at the very least affection or liking for you, but that was nothing but delusion in your eyes, he avoided every single interaction. He acted as if he hated you, your guts, you as a person and no matter how much Kaeya reassures you that you're liked by Diluc in some way, he still makes you feel as if he's disgusted by the thought of you.

Your last mission with him came, Kaeya and Diluc became your partner for your mission. It was clearing out a camp of abyss mages. They've gathered up in one place and it has become a very huge inconvenience to people. You came to the scene and with ease, they were dealt with. Or was it? There was barely anything audible to you, you felt as if the man you have always adored saw you as a disgusting person— hell, he probably sees you as those type of people who throw themselves at him for his money and fame.

Going back to the headquarters, Kaeya had a lot to say, he tried to make you two talk. He tried to make Diluc muster up any bit of compliment just to keep your eyes bright like before. In truth, he wasn't the only one that noticed your eyes had gone dark. Everyone did, especially Diluc, he thought you hated being with him after how he's treated you these past few weeks. It was a never ending cycle, he makes a mistake, you try to make up for it, he doesn't tell you how he feels, you get distant, he wins you over and you go back to being yourself once more and then it repeats.

A day has passed since your mission, your things were packed, you visited the winery to bid goodbye to the man who treated you as his own child and the man who supported you with every small dumb decision you have ever made— and the most important man you have ever met, the man that changed your life, your view of love and affection.

Unfortunately, Diluc stood quiet during your goodbyes, he was behind Crepus and Kaeya who gave you a hug and bid Goodbye. He stood in the shadows unsure of what to do next, he stood unknowingly shedding a tear.

"Diluc, can we talk? Just us." You say as he nods and steps out of the winery with you, he stares at you with his ever so dead eyes.

"I have longed to tell you how I felt, how I always felt the need to impress you and how I—.. I want to tell you that you are the only reason I came back to Mondstat, the only reason I became a knight. Diluc I adore you, If I may—; love, even. Diluc I love you, I have for a very long time. All I ever wanted was to tell you yet you manage to somehow make me aware of your dislike of affection. I understand, I really do. It won't stop me from how I feel for you, but Diluc Ragvindr.. there is no point of me being here if it wasn't with you, if It wasn't by your side making you feel happy— if it wasn't with you, there is nothing in this world- in the whole of Teyvat that matters. So in other words, this is goodbye. Diluc, I hope you live a happy life and love someone you truly think is worthy and may they treat you how you deserve to be treated and may they love you as much as I do."

You waited for a brief moment for a response, you hoped.. atleast a bit, atleast a little bit that he would say he felt the same way yet he stood quiet. You chuckled to yourself as you felt your eyes welling up. "Goodbye, Diluc." You walk away with your things and your tears running down your face while Diluc stood in regret, his mouth could not conjure up anything, his body was frozen, his tongue was tied. His words were trapped in his throat and there was no way to get them out. He watched you walk away— you were too far, too far away from his reach. He felt his eyes water, and soon his tears were unstoppable, they felt like fire in his eyes. He wanted to chase after you, he wanted to move his body yet he was frozen in place, he was gone— you, were gone. And it was solely because of him, him not being able to express his love, his emotions.

To this day, he wishes that you would walk into his tavern, that you would come back and say you missed him. That you still loved him, but who was he to ask for that when he had long received your wedding invitation. Who was he to long for the love of someone he hurt and who was he to wish for you to ruin your perfect life with your partner now. He can only wish for you to live a happy life, much like what you wished for him though he knows deep down that no one could ever compare to you.

[hiemaldesirae]

Swap AU:

Vox's Goetia (we need a name for him...umm because he's where Vox gets the extras for the fight against Heaven; got any ideas?) looks like a Griffin. He's got a Lion lower half and eagle upper half but his colors are shades of blue. (You see why Vox proposed that deal.)

The crew work on defense for days. Vox goes to Lucifer to ask about Angel weaknesses and informs him about Adam's threats against Charlie and the Hotel, and that's how the hotel crew gets informed of angel weaknesses. Lucifer tells, after all why should he keep Heaven's weakness a secret when they're coming for his daughter?

Vox then puts a big order of Angelic steel in for Carmine, paying extra to have it arrive early, which it does so he and Pentious can build turrets and drones to shoot down the exterminators. They have a blast.

Also: fun facts:

Vox's sensors and subconscious relax and recognize Alastor's scent as safe, even though Vox himself cannot smell anything. The sensor's database has recognized certain scents as family (Husk's, Vel's, Val's) lover's/husband's (Alastor's) little sister (Charlie's) my duck loving liege lord who might be my friend too? (Lucifer) the crazy exorcist chick whose now treating me with kid gloves--IT WAS ONE PANIC ATTACK! (Vaggie) Val's weird Spider who keeps taking photos and I know is stealing my shit (Angel Dust) The Best Little Engineer That Could (Sir Pentious) The Engineer's less then steller sidekicks 1-8 (Eggbois) the chick that keeps blowing up the wall (Cherri Bomb)

Angel Dust does do more then steal. He brings in Alastor's cooking to the Hotel, and Vox who does miss homemade jambalaya jumps at the chance to eat it. Vox just devours it. (Of course Angel lied and told him it was set aside for Niffty and Velvette for working so hard. He wasn't going to tell him Alastor had been waiting at the door of V-tower with the large Tupperware bowl with strict instructions that only Vox got what was inside.)

Vox actually turns in early--he'd been stressing out with Adam's threat laying over him and the thought of a true death coming for him hasn't sat well, but the warmth of good food made him sleepy and he goes to bed. He's barely asleep when Alastor joins him, gently petting his rabbit ears and murmuring his undying devotion to sleeping Vox's ears.

uhhh. drawing from the demons of the ars goetia grimoire, seir could work as a name? according to his description, seir can go to any place on earth in a matter of seconds to accomplish the will of the conjurer (possibly explaining how vox can use him for errands and such), and hes not a particularly evil demon. he's also a prince of hell, so that makes his and stolas' relation even closer since there seems to be only 7 of them in the ars goetia grimore

HAHAHA awww bonding time with pentious and vox!!! i still stand by the fact that i think vox should get to say kys to at least ONE other person in the swap au. i simply believe my wife should be allowed to cyberbully whoever he wants <3 also i imagine lucifer would show up to help with fortifications too, no? i just cant see him leaving his daughter and friend alone to deal with the fallout while not leaving the palace... though admittedly, i am a bit biased from what electric mentioned.

me after i die. HE STILL RECOGNIZES AL AS HIS LOVER...... auwgudawgh...... imgonna be SICK. what the HELL did they even fight about because clearly it wasnt enough to keep both of them from pining for each other... AUAUWGAHAH every time you come in my inbox its like another plane (angst( striking the twin towers (my heart)

and i am SUCH a fucking sucker for radiostatics love language being food. the idea that al nabs / has angel nab voxs stuff so that he can stake his claim but he also makes him food.... just stop being cryptic and TELL HIM YOUR SHIT !!! god i hate them. dysfunctional ass toxic couple theyre the WORST. and al. please for the love of god just be a Normal Person and STOP BREAKING INTO VOXS BED AT NIGHt ?!!?!?? just one normal thing from you. god damn its like if he doesnt act like a freak he loses 20 years off his lifespan or something

[moonprisimbankai111]

Bleach X Jujutsu Kaisen Fights I'd sell both my t!ts n buttcheecks to see

Since I'm a big s l u t for both series here are the fights I'd wanna say. Comment who you'd think would win

Ryomen Sukuna VS White Hollow Ichigo

Two demon daddies against each other? YES! Both are super duper strong, tbh tho I think Sukuna would win, both of these characters would be so interesting to watch engage in a fight as they give very similar vibes IMO

Satoru Gojo VS Kisuke Urahara

I mean it's obvi that our blue-eyed king solos (sorry Kisuke fans) but they're both so fruity and goofy so I think a battle between these two would be so funny to watch, Tbh I thought of putting Gojo against Aizen, but something about him in a spare with Kisuke feels right, both are extremely talented, witty, and clever- oh and very sexy,

This would be such a great fight

Toshrio Hitsugaya VS Megumi Fushiguro

Originally I chose Ichigo for this, but something about Toshrio felt right I like Megumi against Toshrio way more bc I think both are similar in some ways but also seeing Megumi summon Mahoraga while Hitsugaya brings out Hyorinmaru would be AMAZING- Like you can imagine how awesome a duel between these two would be???

Toji Fushiguro VS Kenpachi Zaraki

Y'all gotta really hear me out here, Toji is a literal superhuman and Kenpachi (the strongest of the 13-court guard squad) has a nasty desire for serious bloodlust, these two in a heated spare filled with punches, kicks, and slashing of blades and cursed tools- would be so epic! I mean, I like to also imagine Toji is shirtless too- lol just girly things! I could imagine Kenpachi loving the battle bc of Toji's abilities and physical skills (I would sell my coochie to see this fight IRL)

Maki Zenin VS Rukia Kuchiki

Two of the hottest and strongest in a battle- yes yes yes yes, IMO Rukia for sure solos, i mean c'mon she's a captain but Maki also has a fair chance against her because of her own talents and capabilities. A fight between these two would be amazing!

Nobara Kugisaki VS Rangiku Matsumato

Both gorgeous, both confident, and both obsessed with shopping?

Totally! I think these two would be friends if the Bleach Universe and JJK Universe collided but since this is about fighting, I believe these two would have a fun battle. Both women are strong and have great skills and really cool abilities- It's hard for me to say who would win because both are equally talented! However, I think after the fight would be finished these two would love shopping with each other, talking about boys, and kicking ass together!

Kento Nanami Vs Byakuya Kuchiki

Both sophisticated, both the perfect gentlemen, both with the same aloof composure, and both really strong? HELL YES! I would loveeeee to see these two in a battle seeing Nanami use his ratio technique and black flash against Byakuyas Senbonzakura would be amazing! Idk tho, I think Byakuya would win, but that is up for discussion <3

Suguro Geto (Kenjaku) VS Sosuke Aizen

Don't even get me started, like just don't- I know Aizen has more of the advantage here but Geto, or Kenjaku has a really good chance IMO- I would love to see two villains who are both on similar missions of creating a new world would be in a battle with each other.

Yuji Itadori VS Renji Abari

I just think this would be funny to watch, but I would also love to see Yuji's divergent fists against Renji's Bankai I think it would be badass honestly. I love Yuji lord knows I truly do, but I think after a great effort on Yuji's end, Renji easily solos

Ichigo Kurosaki VS Yuta Okkutso

At first, I thought of Yuji instead, but I think Yuta would be way more interesting to watch, I could see these twos in a serious duel. Both are characters who faced massive losses that have pushed them to become strong. At one point in the fight I can see White hollow Ichigo coming out to help save Ichigo from a summoned Rika (yes I know the curse of Rika is already broken but let's act as if it isn't for the sake of the HC) Both are super strong, but Ichigo wins for sure IMO,

Thats it for now, but let me know what pairings you would like to see in part two as I would love to include more characters

[thesungod]

a break from the tsats negativity: top five apollo slay moments let's gooooo

best ask ever i love youuuuuuu

i’ll probably re-read ToA soon and write a better version of this but for now on top of my head:

5) Honestly I need to reread but there’s a scene in ToN where he has to get rid of security guards and he beats the shit out of them with nothing on his hands except spite and a slightly-over-the-average strenght. I was going insane about it.

4) That scene with Commodus in the flashback of TDP. his hair, his throwing grapes in Commodus’ mouth, the fact that he’s the protagonist of the only implied sex scene (post-sex scene but you get me) in RR’s books, his bitches (=Commodus), his “and you’re perfect”.

3) The Titan’s Curse in general. his shades, his car, his hotness, his putting headphones on while Zeus speaks, his haiku, his abs, his hair, his drip, his bitches (=all of us)

2) The smile and “BOO” in TTT. LORD

1) Him coming back to Olympus and getting bigger and bigger in the throne room and being like “so who won the bet?🤨” i’m not even joking i was hyperventilating

honorable mentions to: blinding Commodus, killing Commodus with his voice, drowning Commodus, having the best sex ever with Naomi Solace, beating the shit out of Ares in the Olympus’ Olympics which happens in mythology but not in RR’s books and i’m saying it anyway, all his roasts, yelling at Incitatus (Caligula’s horse) that he’s not going to win because “you have no opposable thumb!!” as if that’s the biggest gotcha ever.

[borathae]

“Being a sorcerer has always been Hoseok’s dream. So when a well-known and powerful sorceress sends out letters informing the young minds of the city of an upcoming position as her apprentice, Hoseok takes fate into his own hands and applies. The only problem is that learning the arts of magic is reserved for women. He is convinced however that hard work and effort can charm the sorceress’ heart and get him the position.”

Pairing: Magic Student!Hoseok x Magic Student!Reader

Genre: Fantasy!AU, Magic School!AU, s2f2potential lovers!AU, Romance

Warnings: lots of plot, 90% of this is written from Hoseok’s POV, Queendom!Tae being the bestest friend, they’re both so adorable, the students are mean to him at first :(, except for reader heheh she is a sweetheart <3, also idk if this is important but i got inspired by Elden Ring as far as some names are concerned istfg best game <3, this will have a second part where reader’s pov plays a bigger part and the romance is gonna be bigger as well <3, for now this story is very magic & Hobi’s journey to magic centered, but also some romantic tension is present as well hngngn, istfg i love this universe

Wordcount: 17.8k of 24.3k

✴ Part One of Two ✴

Hoseok stumbles into Taehyung’s room without knocking. The young prince startles slightly, gasping in surprise.

“Tae! Tae, I have news!” Hoseok calls out and stumbles to his friend.

“What is it? Are you feeling alright?” Taehyung asks. 

He was in the midst of painting with some tea for sipping on the side, when Hoseok interrupted him. The latter lets himself fall down on the chair next to Taehyung, taking out a flyer from his chest pocket. He slams it on the table, looking at Taehyung excitedly.

Taehyung scans his eyes over his friend first. His long white hair is ruffled as if he ran quite some distance. His chest is heaving up and down quickly and his flushed face carries a thin layer of sweat. So he really must have been running.

Taehyung looks at the flyer next. It is of yellowish paper with purple ink soaking the fibres. The message is rather short. Short, but effective. 

New Apprentices Wanted. Come to Sorceress Selen’s tower if interested.

“Oh? The sorceress seeks an apprentice?” 

“Yes, indeed she does. Do you have an idea what that means?” 

Taehyung furrows his brows in thought.

“Perhaps that there will be a new sorceress soon?” 

“A new sorcerer you mean.”

Taehyung widens his eyes, gawking at Hoseok.

“Yes”, Hoseok says and nods his head excitedly, “I am going to become her apprentice.”

“Are you having a jest with me?” 

“I am not. I will go to her tower and prove to her that I am fitting for a magical student.”

“But…you are a boy. No boy ever learned magic before.”

“This isn’t true. There are sorcerers.”

“Yes, perhaps in faraway lands but not here.”

“Well, then I am going to be the first one from these lands”, Hoseok says and grins. 

Taehyung needs a few moments to regain his thoughts. Such news are of great surprise to him. He knew of Hoseok’s wishes to learn magic, but to truly have him act on them is shocking. No boy has ever tried what he wants to try. Oh, Taehyung is truly flabbergasted by his friend’s plan.

“But what about your life here? At court? As my lord-in-waiting?” Taehyung asks.

Hoseok falters.

“Do you not want to be my lord of court anymore?” Taehyung asks and pouts sadly. 

Hoseok lowers his eyes, “but my dreams”, he whispers.

“Is it your really dream to become a sorcerer?”

“It always has been. You know that it has.”

“You always talked about moving the stars one day. Even when we were just little.” 

“Exactly. Oh Tae”, Hoseok takes Taehyung’s hands, “I know I sound as if I have lost my mind, but I truly think that I could convince her to take me as her apprentice. I want to take this chance, perhaps there won’t ever be another like it.”

“And if you do and she agrees, you won’t forget me, will you?” Taehyung asks with great insecurity on his features.

“Of course I won’t. Oh Tae, why would you even worry about such things? You are my best friend. No, you are more than that. You are my brother and I won’t ever forget you.”

Taehyung smiles shyly, “that is so good to hear. I want you to accomplish your dreams. My dream has always been to paint and write poetry and sing songs and these days, I can do all these things and more. It would be unfair of me to stop you from achieving your dreams. Forgive me for my initial distaste.”

“No do not apologise, I understand your grievances. I will miss my life here. I love being your lord of court.”

“I love it as well. I love our conversations in the orange gardens and sharing chocolates after dinner”, Taehyung says and giggles.

Hoseok giggles as well, nodding his head in agreement.

“And swimming in the lagoons”, he says to which Taehyung agrees with a scrunch of his nose.

Their laughter dies down naturally. Hoseok lets out a loud sigh, sagging his shoulders.

“Maybe nothing will change in the end. Oh Tae, I am terribly nervous. What if the sorceress refuses to even hear me out?”

“I am sure that you will do great. We could practice your speech together.”

“You would really help me? I do not know where to start or what I need.”

“Yes, that is true. Me neither”, Taehyung says and tilts his head to the side. He scratches his chin. Suddenly his eyes light up.

“What did you think of?” Hoseok asks excitedly.

“Shall we look in the library? Perhaps we could ask Mistress Qela if she knows how to write applications”, Taehyung suggests.

“Yes, what a wonderful idea. We should go this instance.”

The two young men leave Taehyung’s recreation room, chatting about the endless possibilities once Hoseok mastered magic. They talk about making flowers with his fingers and giving oranges a sweeter taste. They dream about making pretty shells appear on shore and of Taehyung’s paints never running out again. All the great, revolutionary spells they do not speak for their minds never wandered there.

Mistress Qela is sitting by her desk, surrounded by scriptures and books and with her silver haired cat keeping her company.

“Mistress Qela?”

The elderly dwarf lifts her head upon being called. She fixes the reading glasses perched atop her nose and places her writing feather aside.

“Young prince Taehyung”, she says, standing up to bow at him.

“Please stay comfortable.”

Despite his words, she finishes her bow before sitting down again. She runs her eyes over the young prince first, then his young servant by his side.

“What brings you here, Sire?”

“Show him the letter, Hoseok.”

Hoseok takes out the flyer and places it on the table. Mistress Qela scoots to the edge of her seat and begins reading with a loud clear of her throat. She is running her fingers through her greying beard as she does, keeping her bushy brows furrowed.

“It seems that the sorceress Selen is seeking new apprentices”, she concludes.

“Yes indeed and Hoseok wants to fill the position, but we do not know how to write an application. Mistress Qela, could you help us?”

The dwarf runs her eyes over the two young men, carrying a stern expression on her face. Seconds pass like this where she stares and they allow her to do so nervously.

“Very well”, she says in the end and slides from her chair, “follow me, young ones. There are books in these halls which will help you”, she says and stomps away. She won’t comment on Hoseok’s dreams for it wasn’t her right to do so. She is aware how possible some impossible dreams are. She herself was called a foolish girl by her tribe for wanting to be become a librarian instead of a miner. She will always offer understanding for the dreams of young people even if others might call them foolish.

The books they seek are on the second floor in a high shelf where a window next to it allows sunlight to enter. Just a few shelves down, there is a desk with chairs and candles for light. It is currently empty.

Mistress Qela points at the shelves which are just out of reach for her.

“You will find what you are looking for here. Do not hesitate to ask me for help however. Have a good read, my young ones”, she says and turns to stomp back to her scriptures.

“Thank you, Mistress Qela!” Hoseok and Taehyung call after her.

Soon the dwarf disappears down the stairs.

“So, where shall we start? Shall we look for books each?” Taehyung suggests.

“Yes, that is a very good idea”, Hoseok agrees.

The young men spend the rest of their day in the library. They read books, scriptures and writings. They compose practice applications and note down new knowledge whenever they stumble upon it. They discuss the important parts and exchange possible phrases to use.

They are so lost in their research, that they do not hear the dinner bell, nor witness when Mistress Qela leaves for her bedchambers. They most definitely would have continued to be lost if Taehyung’s wife, the princess of the Sand Queendom, hadn’t looked for them.

“My darling one?”

Neither Taehyung nor Hoseok hear her and the princess has to try three more times before they finally lift their heads.

“Oh? My darling one”, Taehyung gasps, stumbling from his chair to hurry to her. He takes her hands, guiding them to his lips to kiss her knuckles.

Hoseok is standing as well, bowing his head deeply.

“What are you doing here?” Taehyung asks her.

“I could ask you the same thing. You were missed at dinner and it is way past our bedtime. I was worried.”

“Forgive me, my darling one but I am helping Hoseok with his application”, he says.

“Application?”

He guides her to the desk, showing her what they have been working on. The flyer of the sorceress is also on the desk.

“The sorceress is seeking a new apprentice and Hoseok wants to apply. We spent all day on perfecting his application”, Taehyung explains, “look. What do you think of it?”

The princess looks at Hoseok, ignoring the papers her husband is trying to show her.

“You want to leave your position as lord-in-waiting?” she asks.

“Yes, your highness”, he says, lowering his head in respect, “please forgive the sudden news. I planned on telling you and the Queen tomorrow. Please forgive me.”

“But men are forbidden from learning magic.”

“I know, your highness”, he lowers his head even more, “I thought that I could try. At least. Perhaps it could work.”

“I see”, she says and finally looks at the paper. She sits down where once Taehyung sat and picks up a writing feather, reading through the application. The two men watch her in silence. She nods her head sometimes and fixes mistakes, she also praises some parts whilst correcting others.

“It reads well”, she finishes the letter, “I shall ask mother to write you a letter of recommendation and I believe that with it and this application you will have good chances.”

“What?!” the two man exclaim at the same time.

“You have no problem with his plans?” Taehyung gets out.

“You aren’t angry at me?” Hoseok blurts out.

The princess chuckles, shaking her head.

“Why should I? I know that you dream of being a sorcerer and you are my friend as well. I want to support you”, she says.

“Oh my darling”, Taehyung says and pulls her up just to hug her tightly.

She laughs, accepting it with closed eyes.

“You are truly the most wonderful person”, he says and kisses her cheek.

“You are adorable”, she says.

“Thank you so much, your highness. You do not know how much this means to me”, Hoseok says, bowing so deeply he almost folds himself in half.

“Please do not thank me too soon. We will still have to get you through the part trickiest, which is getting her to even hear you out.”

“But with the Queen’s letter of recommendation it could work, couldn’t it? Oh! I could write one as well. So two people of power speak highly of him. You could write one as well, my darling one.”

“Fine, I shall write one as well. But first, you two need to have your dinner and then get your sleep. You have bodies to nourish besides your research”, she says and begins pushing them away from the desk gently.

The Queen agrees to the letter without hesitation. She is quite taken by the idea that the first sorcerer of these lands could be one of her servants. She tells the court on the same day and soon talk about Hoseok’s dream is heard in every corner of the castle. Excitement is grande. Young master Hoseok will be the first ever sorcerer and Castle Sandrock will be known as his once loving home. So the people talk. The Queen even lets her trusted dressmakers create a most elegant gown for him so he could look his best and offers one of her carriages for him to take to the tower so he didn’t have to sweat through his new dress. One week later, Hoseok has everything he needs for the most compelling application and the day of his attempt can no longer be postponed.

The courtyard is busy with life on his day of leaving – even if he will return by nightfall again, it is after all just a conversation – and the day has been good till now. There were celebrations in the servant wing during breakfast and good cheers in the court room during lunch. Hoseok accepted it with burning cheeks and constant confessions that he feels unworthy of such support. Nobody acknowledged him and the celebrations continued. The Queen and her husband are standing by the carriage. Taehyung and his wife are beside them.

“I shall pray for your success”, the Queen says.

“I believe that you will be successful”, her husband says.

“Thank you so much, your highness. I do not know how to be worthy of such support”, Hoseok says, bowing deeply.

“Just come home with good news.”

“I will, my Queen. At least, I hope I will.”

The Queen laughs fondly, “I am most certain that you will.”

The princess presses a piece of fresh cake into his hands. It is wrapped in a silken handkerchief and still warm from the stone ovens. The faint smell of butter and vanilla comes with it.

“Fresh pearl cake for you”, she says, “I find its sweet taste calms me down in nervous moments. Perhaps it can aid you as well.”

“Thank you, your highness”, Hoseok says, bowing in gratitude.

“May the goddesses be with you.”

“Thank you, your highness”, Hoseok says, bowing deeper.

Taehyung doesn’t say his goodbyes because he promised to come with Hoseok. The two friends get into the carriage together and accompanied by music and cheers, they leave the courtyard for the tower.

The drive through the city is calm. The day is still young, but life is already busy. The merchants are promoting their fresh goods with loud calls and chants, the seagulls fly high above the painted roofs in search of an easy snack and many people use the sunny morning to get their shopping done. Hoseok doesn’t feel his nerves in the city because he has something to look at and listen to.

The tower of the sorceress is in a calmer area of the city, passed the two inner most walls and at the end of a steep road. It is walled in, but its gates are always open, and consists of not only the high tower but two buildings as well, which are used as housing for magical students and work rooms, as well as a shop which sells magical goods made by the students. Behind the high walls, a luscious garden offers everything the eyes and nose desire. Fruit trees and vegetable beds are always rich with their bearings, offering nourishment to people who might struggle with hunger. Flowers are always in bloom, filling the air with their sweet scents. Old trees offer shade to anyone who might need it and the big fountains offer clear water, which never runs out.

The carriage comes to a stop. Big formations of purple crystal sticks out from the ground, glimmering in the light and on the shop porch cats are napping in the warmth. Glimmering clouds of purple magic traverse the air, giving everyone who might walk through such a cloud a sensation of clarity. 

“It seems that we have arrived”, Taehyung says, studying the tower with wondrous eyes. Magic keeps the garden healthy and rich despite the hot weather and rainless days. The roof and window frames are coated with golden paint, reflecting the light and in the high above chambers purple curtains sway in the breeze.

“This looks beautiful”, he says, “you have windows here as well. Oh and they are so big.”

Hoseok can barely hear his friend’s excited words for he is too occupied with gawking at the stream of excited girls and young women flooding the tower gates with dreams of a brighter future. So many people came today.

Hoseok closes the curtain and gulps.

Taehyung reaches over to pat his knee.

“Nervous?” he asks.

“Frightened. Have you seen all these people? How should I even stand a chance?”

“You stand a chance because you are you and you deserve it.”

“Shall we turn around again? Let us turn around again.”

“No”, Taehyung shakes his head vigorously, “no, you have worked so hard for this. At least try. If it fails, you can say that you tried your best, otherwise you will already have failed.”

Hoseok gives in with a sigh, “you are right. Oh Taehyung, I am so nervous.”

“Don’t be, you will do wonderful in there”, Taehyung assures him and stands up to hug his best friend, “if you get too scared, think of me. I will wait right here outside these walls and think positive things about you.”

Hoseok smiles, “thank you. This makes me feel better.”

“Now go in there and show everyone why you deserve to study magic”, Taehyung says and smiles.

Hoseok frowns in dedication, “I will show everyone, yes I will.”

“That is the spirit! I am cheering for you”, Taehyung says and stays by the carriage while Hoseok leaves for the gates. He waves his friend until the masses swallow him. He releases a sigh of contentment, turning to his guard, “what say you? I saw a small shop filled with art down this road. Do you believe that we have time to visit it?”

“I believe we do, my lord.”

“Very well, then I want to go there.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Hoseok clutches his bag with both hands, trying not the look left and right in fear of seeing the judgemental eyes of others. He can feel them surround him, shrinking him more and more the closer to the tower he gets. He is aware that he is wrong here, but it still hurts to feel it so obviously. Most of the people are too busy with their own nervousness to care however. 

“Leave me alone, you old hag!”

A loud voice calls Hoseok’s attention. An old, clearly weak woman tried to seek support on an arm of one of the women storming into the castle. The latter is slapping her hands away, calling her an “old hag” once again.

Hoseok stops in his steps. None else does. He watches for a few more moments to see if the situation resolves itself. The young woman storms off with her friends, leaving the old woman stranded by the wall. She looks helpless, trying so very hard to pick up herself up, but failing miserably as her own age betrays her. People pass her, but nobody helps.

Hoseok furrows his brows and runs to her.

“Forgive me, do you need help?” he asks, stretching out his hands to her.

The old woman lifts her head slowly, squinting her eyes to see better.

“Oh? Young boy, you come at my lowest times. I walked along these walls before I felt the sugar in my blood sink and now I have also dropped my bags. I cannot get up. Oh, these aren’t good times to see me, young boy.”

Hoseok squats down beside her

“Please, worry not”, he assures her, “may I place my hand on you to support you?”

“Yes, young boy.”

Hoseok does it gently and carefully, rubbing her arm slowly.

“Worry not, we will just sit here for a while until the drowsiness passes”, he says and offers her his waterskin, “please drink something. Clear water, collected just this morning.”

“Oh? Oh goddesses be pleased, thank you”, she accepts it.

Hoseok helps her drink from it. Next he offers her all his pearl cake.

“I couldn’t.”

“Pearl cake. It contains sugars. I wouldn’t want you to lose consciousness.”

“Are you certain, young boy? I have already robbed you of your water, I do not want to steal your food as well.”

“I wish to give this to you. You need it more than I do”, he says and smiles. When she still hesitates, he breaks off a small piece, offering it to her.

“Oh, young boy. You are too good to me”, she says and accepts it. She eats it, chewing it with the little amount of teeth she still has left, “oh it is wonderful. So sweet and very delicate on my teeth”, she says and smiles to show off her gums.

Hoseok laughs fondly, “you have a bright smile.”

“It was brighter in my youth”, she jokes, making him snicker.

“I am sure it was.”

“Thank you, young boy. You can go now if you wish to. I can manage on my own.”

Hoseok however dismisses her with a shake of his head, “I would feel terrible if I left you like this.”

“Oh, young boy you are too good to me.”

Hoseok and the old woman chat until she has finished the pearl cake and water. She tells him how she is on her way home from the market and that she bought all her food for the week. She looks ashamed when she tells him that she began to feel weak, but Hoseok assured her that there was no shame in it and that the days have been exhaustingly hot lately. She agreed with a nod of her head and a curse to the heavens for heating up the earth so much. Then she drifts off and begins telling stories from when she felt better and that she has a barely studied disease the doctors call diabetes. Hoseok asked for more information, but all she could tell him is that she can’t eat too many sweets as this could be dangerous, but also not too little as this would make her faint. He didn’t quite understand it, but she assured him that the doctors didn’t either yet. Then she asks if Hoseok had somewhere to be.

Hoseok looks over his shoulder. The roads are empty. His heart skips a panicked beat. How much time has passed? He looks back at the old woman and her innocent curiosity in her eyes.

“The sorceress’ tower”, he says and sighs in defeat, “I want to apply as her apprentice, but I do not know if this is even a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Because I am a boy.”

“Well, you should still try.”

“You believe so?”

“Yes I really do”, she says and begins standing up with grunts.

“Wait! Let me help”, Hoseok says, stumbling to his feet hastily so he could support her.

“Oh, thank you young boy, thank you. Oh, my old bones aren’t what they used to be. Oh, aging is a curse”, she says and then tries to reach for her bags.

“Please, allow me”, he says, picking them up instead, “where is your home?”

“No, no I couldn’t. You need to go to the tower, not help an old woman carry her food.”

“I couldn’t leave you alone like this. What if the sugar in your blood sinks again?”

“Would you truly do this for an old hag?”

“You aren’t a hag. I wish to help you. Life is easier this way”, he says and offers her his arm to hold on to.

She takes it gladly, pointing west.

“My house is this way. It isn’t big, but it keeps the heat out. I couldn’t ask for more.”

“Then we shall walk there together. If you need to take a break, please let me know.”

They leave the tower gate behind in slow steps. Time still passes, but Hoseok can’t think about it right now. He really wants to help this woman, he doesn’t care how long it will take.

“Do you live close by as well, young man?”

���I live in this city, but I’m not from here.”

“You aren’t?”

“No, I come from the Snow Isles.”

“The Snow Isles? Oh this is so far away. What brings you so, so far away from home?”

“My best friend married a woman from here and I followed him.”

“A woman you say?”

“Yes, he was promised to her and I…” Hoseok falters. He doesn’t like to tell people who he really is because most people begin to feel inferior once they do. He doesn’t want people to feel as if they were less than him and so he lies, “…I came with him because he was scared to leave home. He is one year younger than me and we have been best friends since he was only eight months of age.”

“Eight months of age you say? And how old are you now?”

“I am twenty and three of age. He is still twenty and two. We have been here for more than two years now.”

“Oh, then you have known each other for a long time.”

“Yes, we have. He feels like a brother to me. He is still a little naïve sometimes, but his heart is at the right place. He supports me in my dream even if it is foolish.”

“And why is it foolish?”

“Because no boy was ever allowed in this school. We aren’t meant to learn magic.”

“Well, times can change. Don’t you think?”

“Yes, I do agree, but it is also a foolish thing to think.”

“No it isn’t. I do not know you, but I believe in you.”

“Thank you, this means a very lot to me.”

The woman lives quite far from the school. Hoseok doesn’t complain, supporting her until she is sitting safely in her own home. She talks about dizziness again and so Hoseok offers to cook something for her which will raise the sugar in her blood again. She refuses more times than not, talking about how she already stole too much of his time. But he didn’t care. He helped her. He put the food she bought aside and cooked a healthy meal for her. He stayed with her until she ate and then helped her relax her swollen feet. He would have also helped her in setting up her bed, but she managed to send him away before that, stuffing money into his hands for all he did.

“I couldn’t”, he refuses, shaking his head vigorously.

“Take it, please I insist.”

“But, this is your money. I couldn’t take it.”

“I wish to give this to you. The only thing I need from you is your name so I can include you in my prayers from now on.”

“Hoseok. My name is Hoseok, but please keep your money.”

“Hoseok”, she smiles, “I shall remember your name, Hoseok”, she says and pulls her hands away so he can’t attempt to place the money back into them.

Hoseok gives up with a sigh, bowing deeply.

“Thank you, I will spend the money well”, he lies, “perhaps we will see each other again. I will pray for your health as well.”

“Yes, I believe that we will see each other again”, she says and looks at him with a knowing glint in her eyes. Perhaps the light deceived him, but they looked purple for just a second. He shakes away the funny feeling and bows one last time.

Then he leaves, letting her think that he took the money. He slips it and one of his rings back under the door once he closed it, leaving before she could notice. He feels good about helping her until the hall of prayer close by reminds him of the time with loud calls of bells. Two hours. He spent two hours with this woman. The applications only last another hour.

Hoseok jumps into a full sprint, running back to the school even if the distance is grande. He has to be punctual! He has to get there in time! If he loses his chance because he didn’t run fast enough, he will forever blame himself! Quick! Run! Quick, quick, quick!

He arrives, heaving and panting. His clothes are soaked in his sweat, his head is just a little dizzy. The sun has never felt more punishing than it does right now.

He comes to a stop in a stumble, supporting himself by leaning his hands on his knees.

“What brings you here?” the guards ask him.

“I…am…here…for…the…appli…cations”, he is heaving out his words, barely managing to breathe.

“The doors are closed.”

“What?” he gasps, “no”, he shakes his head, “no, please allow me to enter. Please.”

The guards exchange an annoyed look.

“The doors are closed.”

Hoseok feels like crying. He came too late.

“Please”, he begs, “please I promise to be quiet, please.”

“Leave, boy. The doors are closed.”

Is it because he is a boy? Is that the reason?

“Is it because I am a boy?”

She curls her lips in distaste. The glimmer in her eyes lets him know that it truly was because he was a boy.

“No. You simply came too late.”

“But-”

“Leave before we make you”, she warns, flashing her eyes purple.

Hoseok takes a cautious step back. Anger, frustration, sadness, helplessness. He feels all of it. He is going to fail not because he came too late or didn’t impress the sorceress enough, but because the guards are cruel sexists.

“Please.”

“No. You-”

“Wait! Please wait!”, a girl stumbles next to Hoseok, coming to a stop with a squeak. She must have been running as well because sweat pearls have collected on her forehead, “forgive me, oh forgive me I arrived too late. Are the doors still open?”

The guards grind their teeth in annoyance. Hoseok stifles his victorious smile.

“Yes”, they press out and step aside.

“Thank you, oh thank you”, she says and hurries inside.

Hoseok follows her, looking over his shoulder to send the guards the smile he was hiding. He did it. Now nothing can stand in his way anymore.

There aren’t many people left in the waiting room. They all look at him as he passes the threshold. Whispers begin instantly, but Hoseok doesn’t care. He is too busy with recovering from the intense run. So much for taking a carriage so he wouldn’t ruin his new clothes. He looks as if he took a dive in the ocean. He reaches for his waterskin. Empty. He grunts, dropping his head against the wall in exhaustion. He is going to die in these halls.

Three other girls enter and leave the hearing room until Hoseok finally somehow recovers from his run. He scoots up the seats with the remaining girls, finally feeling ready to look around. They are staring at him. The girl which also arrived too late is missing. She must have already left.

One of them scrunches her nose at him in distaste.

“Why are you here?” she asks.

“The same as you”, he answers her snappishly because he recognises her. She was the one who abandoned the old woman.

“You aren’t allowed to be here.”

“Yes, I am.”

“No you’re not. This place is for girls only.”

“No, it is not.”

She scoffs in distaste. Others are chuckling quietly. Hoseok stands his ground, staring her down. She curls her lips.

“You are sweating, it’s revolting”, she says.

“That is because I just ran quite the distance and it is hot outside.”

“Well, I don’t like it. You look ugly.”

“Not as ugly as you.”

She gasps. The others around her do as well.

“Excuse me?” she hisses.

“I watched you abandon the old woman outside the walls. Your ugly soul makes you the ugliest here”, he says and turns his head away.

“How dare you! You come in here and insult me? Who do you think you are?”

Hoseok ignores her.

“I’m talking to you”, she hisses and reaches over to slap his arm harshly, “I said, I’m talking to you.”

Hoseok sends her a deathly glare and stands up to walk closer to the door.

“What’s your problem, why are you ignoring me?” she spits and jumps up to attack him again.

The door opens. The girl, who was just inside, stares as the scene unfolding. The guard by the door does as well and far in the back the sorceress is watching it happen. The rude woman with the ugly soul stops her attack on Hoseok and presses herself past the girl coming outside.

“It was about time, I was wait…” the door falls closed and silences her.

Hoseok finally releases the nervous breath he was holding in, rubbing the spot the rude girl hit multiple times. It hurts.

“Are you hurt?”

Hoseok looks at the girl who just came out of the hearing room. She was the one who also running late.

“I am fine. How did it go inside?” he asks her.

“Oh, I do not know. I felt so nervous that I kept messing up my words.”

“I understand you so well. I feel so nervous as well.”

“So you are also here to learn?”

“I am.”

“But you are a boy. Are boys allowed here?”

“I want to be the first sorcerer in this school.”

“Oh? I see. You must be so nervous then.”

“I am. I really am.”

“I can see that. You look very hot. Are you sure that you are fine?”

“I am. I ran and have no water left to drink”, he says and chuckles nervously, “I hope that my throat doesn’t constrict inside.”

“Do you want some of my water? I already drank from it, but if you don’t mind.”

“Would you really? I hate to beg, but I ran so far.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t mind. Please”, she says and offers her waterskin.

Hoseok accepts it with a deep bow, drinking from it almost greedily. Oh it feels so good to drink. He felt so close to his end.

He tries not to drink all of it, handing it back to the girl.

“I bless you. This truly saved me.”

“I am just glad that I could help”, she says and smiles, “I wish you luck. Maybe if you succeed, my brother could too one day.”

Hoseok feels warm in his chest. He is already inspiring people. He nods his head vigorously.

“Yes, yes indeed. I believe that he will.”

She bows her head at him, “perhaps we will see each other again at school.”

He bows his head at her, “perhaps we will.”

She leaves then, looking over her shoulder one last time before she crosses the corner.

Hoseok takes a deep breath. Now that he finally had some water to drink, his head feels clearer. He needs to prepare. He takes out his application from his bag and begins reading.

He doesn’t notice when the rude girl comes back out, neither does he notice her poisonous glances until she talks to him.

“You are still here”, she spits, making herself big in front of him.

Hoseok lowers his papers, looking down at her.

“I wasn’t in the hearing room yet, so yes I am.”

“You should leave now. You won’t ever stand a chance.”

“We will see about that.”

She scoffs and slaps the papers out of his hands.

“Hey!”

She turns and stomps away.

Hoseok squats down, picking up his papers with shaking hands. This hurt him. He is already nervous beyond recovery and now he was treated like garbage. He is too emotionally vulnerable to be bullied this way. The papers are out of order. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Everything is going wrong. His application is a mess.

“You.”

Hoseok lifts his head.

“You’re next.”

“I, I haven’t sorted my papers yet.”

“You can do it inside. Time’s ticking”, the guard says.

Hoseok feels dizzy, scrambling to pick up his papers.

“Hurry up.”

“I am, please.”

The sorceress Selen lifts her head at the noises by the door. Her guard is talking to one of the potential students. Like always, she has a harsh tone going on. Whoever she is rushing, seems to be quite upset about it. Second later he stumbles into the room. The sorceress Selen widens her eyes in surprise. A boy? This is new.

Said boy is busy with sorting papers. So busy in fact that he doesn’t even notice her presence until she greets him.

He lifts his head, “oh? Oh, heavens. Please fo-forgive me”, he bows deeply, dropping his papers again, “no! Oh no, my application! Not again!” he exclaims and falls to his knees to sort it out.

She stands up so she could see past her desk. His hands are trembling uncontrollably as he is picking up the papers.

“Are you alright?”

“Pl-please forgive me. I, I am sorry. I d-dropped my application. I- please forgive me, please”, he stutters, working hastily to fix it, “foolish Hoseok. You are foolish.”

He seems to be talking to himself. Poor boy.

With pity in her heart, she rounds the table to help him.

“No please you, you do not have to help I, I- oh god.”

“Don’t worry. I wish to help you. Life is easier this way.”

Hoseok falters. The words seem familiar to him, but he cannot remember where and if he heard them before. He lowers his head after meeting the sorceress’ purple eyes.

“Thank you. I-I am not usually that clumsy.”

“Worry not”, she assures him and hands him the finished papers, “there you go.”

“I thank you. My deepest gratitude, truly.”

She stands back up and rounds the table. She sits down, waiting until the young man sat down as well. He sits as straight as possible, holding his head high even if he can barely keep up eye contact. He looks very obviously hot. As if he ran quite the distance. She studies the papers he is clutching, then looks back into his eyes.

“Are you feeling alright? You look quite hot.”

“I had to run quite far.”

“Overslept?”

He shakes his head vigorously, “no, my lady sorceress, I have been awake with the first ray of sunlight, preparing for today.”

“Indeed?”

He nods his head.

“So why were you running?”

“I…” Hoseok could tell her about what he did, but he doesn’t want to come off as if he was boasting. He didn’t help this old woman because he wanted to boast, he helped her because he wanted to be kind. He decides against telling her, “…I had something important to do, which took me quite far from this school. So I had to run back again in order not to miss the hearing.”

“Mhm, something important you say. Very well then. Now, your name is Hoseok?”

“Yes, indeed. I am Hoseok.”

“And why are you here, Hoseok?”

“I want to become one of your students”, he says and slides over the papers, “I know I am not your usual candidate, but I am a hard worker and a diligent learner. I wrote an application and, and there are also letters of recommendation.”

“You wrote an application?” she asks, lifting up the papers with the help of magic.

“I did yes. I, I had no idea how to, so I spent all day reading books about it and practicing until it was as perfect as it could be.”

“You researched how to write applications?”

Hoseok’s cheeks light up, “I, I meant- I didn’t- I mean I did, but I- I wanted it to be perfect.”

“I see”, she says and looks into the papers. She skims her eyes over them, but does not begin reading them yet, “I shall read through them later”, she says and fixes the heap into one neat stack.

Hoseok gulps nervously, ogling the papers. He does not know what this means meant. Oh, his heart might give up in his chest.

“I thank you for coming here. You will hear from me soon.”

“You have no questions for me?” he gasps.

“I have everything I need to know.”

“But”, Hoseok stops his lower lip from trembling, “I truly want this position.”

“I am certain that you do. So do many other young women however.”

“I, I dreamt of being a sorcerer ever since I could think and, and I know that I-I am a man and that it, it isn’t tradition in these lands for boys to learn magic, but I know that I could do it. I, I want it and I will work so very hard for it. I will work so, so hard until my fingers are sore and my mind foggy. Please. You could count on me, my lady sorceress. I work hard and well and I do not break under pressure. I am also very cleanly and punctual and I fulfill each task to perfection. I, I can also read and write and I enjoy studying. Please my lady sorceress Selen, give me a chance. Please, I wouldn’t disappoint you.”

The sorceress Selen listened to his nervous babbling with a tinge of fondness in her heart. The passion burned in his eyes and the love for his dream was obvious in his voice.

“Thank you young master Hoseok, for your passionate words. I shall consider them.”

Hoseok panics. He said too much, came off as rude and obtrusive. He stands up quickly to apologise with a bow. He bows so vigorously that he hits his head on the desk. It is loud, forcing a squeak out of Hoseok as well. He stumbles back, touching his aching forehead.

“Oh! By Razula!” the sorceress exclaims, jumping up in shock, “are you hurt?” she gasps, reaching for him to hold him by his shoulders in case he loses his consciousness.

Yes, it hurts. He feels dizzy and his skull is pulsing, but nothing hurts more than the shame Hoseok feels. He made a fool of himself. Now the sorceress won’t ever consider him.

“I, I am not hurt”, he stutters, bowing again because the shame sits too deep, “please forgive me. I, I took too much of your time. Please forgive me.”

His face literally feels as if flames were melting off his skin. He is so ashamed that he wishes for the gates of Helva to swallow him whole. He feels tears in his eyes.

“Please forgive me, please”, he pleads and turns to run away.

“You-”, the sorceress does not get to finish her sentence because Hoseok left the room before that, slamming the door accidentally.

She allows the situation to sink in with her mouth open in shock and her body stiff in surprise. This was the most peculiar situation which has happened to her in a long time.

Hoseok almost throws himself into the carriage, falling around Taehyung’s neck before the young prince could even say his first word. He drops his sweet ice cream from the impact, grunting.

“Oh? Did it go so well?” he asks, hugging his best friend back.

Hoseok sobs heartbreakingly just as the carriage begins to move.

“Hoseok”, Taehyung gasps, tightening the hug, “what happened?”

“I made a fool of myself”, Hoseok chokes out and wails painfully.

“Why? What happened?”

Hoseok tells Taehyung how the sorceress didn’t even read his applications nor ask him questions and how he acted obtrusive only to completely embarrass himself by hitting his head on her table. He barely gets the words out as he cries as if he just lost every person dear to him. And Taehyung listens to him, trying to comfort him without any sign of success.

The castle welcomes him back with music and cheers, but that soon dies down when Hoseok leaves the carriage and runs straight to his chambers. Taehyung tells everyone what happened and no one truly knows how to behave once they know. A deep grieving is shared however.

Hoseok doesn’t leave his chambers for days. Taehyung is the one to make sure that he eats and drinks, but Hoseok never allows him to enter. The young prince has to put the tray of food in front of his door and come collect the empty one, hours later. He tries to talk to him, but the only thing he gets are mumbled “leave me alone”s or “go away”s. Hoseok is grieving, there is no denying that.

Taehyung huffs out air in frustration. He was painting in the orange gardens when he thought of his best friend again. He looks at his window. The curtains are drawn closed. Another huff of air shows how helpless Taehyung feels. He doesn’t know what to do to make Hoseok feel better again. His heart got shattered and Taehyung has no idea how he could glue it back together.

“Young prince Taehyung?”

Taehyung looks at his servant.

“Yes?”

“The letters of today.”

“Letters?” Taehyung stands up to get the heap of letters from the silver platter. The servant bows his head at him, watching the young prince sort through them.

Most are of royal duty, some are from his family back home and some are merchants attempting to advertise their expensive goods. Taehyung will read through them later. He reaches the end of the heap, widening his eyes.

A purple envelope with golden lettering spelling Hoseok’s name. The sorceress’ wax sigil keeps the letter closed. It is a dark purple colour.

“Is this…” his servant asks.

“It is”, Taehyung confirms, exchanging a shocked look with him.

“Your highness, did he do it?”

“Perhaps? Come, we have to give it to him.”

The young prince and his servant leave the orange garden, running to Hoseok’s chambers.

Taehyung doesn’t bother to knock, entering Hoseok’s room by calling his name.

The latter is lying in bed, lifting his tired head. He is squinting his eyes. His silver hair is messy. The air smells old.

“Hoseok! Hoseok, I have news!”

“I am not interested, just leave me alone”, Hoseok grumbles and buries his face in the pillow.

“You will want to know these news”, Taehyung says and jumps onto Hoseok’s bed, “Namgil, please open the curtains.”

“Yes, your highness.”

“No. No light. Just leave me alone”, Hoseok whines and pulls the blanket over his head.

Taehyung drags the blanket away. Hoseok fights him weakly, whining his name.

“Look. Hoseok, look”, Taehyung insists, waving the purple envelope in front of Hoseok’s face.

The heartbroken man peels his eyes open groggily.

“What?”

“Look.”

“Huh?”

Hoseok shoots up instantly, ripping the letter out of Taehyung’s hand. He moves it closer to his face, squinting his eyes to make sure that they aren’t deceiving him.

“What?” he presses out.

“It arrived earlier. Look, this is the sorceress’ sigil and, and this is your name”, Taehyung says, bouncing on the mattress as he points at them. He is so excited that he can barely contain himself.

“This can’t be”, Hoseok whispers and rips the sigil to unfold the latter.

Namgil sits down next to him, trying to steal a glance. He is just as excited as Taehyung.

“And? What does it say?” Taehyung stresses, “tell us please. We are dying in curiosity. What does it say?”

Hoseok lowers the letter, staring at Taehyung.

“What is it? Did you get the position?”

“I did”

“You did?!”

Hoseok nods his head.

“Yes! You did! Hoseok, you did!” Taehyung screams in excitement and falls around his best friend’s neck.

Hoseok is stiff and silent at first. The shock sits too deep. But as Taehyung’s laughs and sobs and cheers continue, the realisation of his situation begins to seep in. It isn’t long until Hoseok is sobbing and laughing as well, hugging Taehyung as if his life depended on it.

“I did it!”

“You did it! Hoseok, you did it!” Taehyung says and pulls Hoseok to his feet so they could jump on the bed together. Namgil joins as well. The three men hold hands and cheer loudly, so loudly in fact that soon guards peek inside the room asking if everything was fine.

“Tell everyone that Hoseok managed to get into the school”, Taehyung tells her with sparkling eyes.

“Oh! By the goddesses! Congratulation, Hoseok! I will tell everyone!” she exclaims and hurries away to spread the news in the castle.

The celebrations about Hoseok’s success last until the early morning hours. Dance is plenty, food delicious and wine most intoxicating. Hoseok, Lord of Court of Sandrock Castle will be the first sorcerer of these lands! Oh the news couldn’t be any sweeter.

But where sweetness lies, bitterness follows and only two days later, the moment of his goodbye has come. The court is excited for his future and yet terribly sad to part ways. His fellow servants already said their goodbyes to him with tears and a basket of fruits they saved up for together. The Queen and her husband said goodbye with white dresses he could wear at school and the promise that he will always be welcome at the castle. The princess is holding her husband, who has been sad ever since the morning.

The carriage is packed. There is no reason for Hoseok to stay any longer.

“So, I believe it is time for me to go”, Hoseok says.

“We wish you luck”, the Queen says.

“Thank you, your highness. Not only for your kind words, but also for your support. I am but a mere servant and you didn’t have to be so kind to me. So thank you”, Hoseok says, bowing until his chest touched his own thighs.

“We are all equal. You may have served my son in law, but you are also his dearest friend and his lord-in-waiting. Do not thank me for my kindness, I am happy to give it to you.”

“Thank you, your highness”, Hoseok says and straightens up. He looks at the princess, “you will have to take care of him for me.”

She laughs, “I will gladly do so. Good blessings, dear Hoseok.”

“Thank you, your highness”, Hoseok bows his head, then looks at Taehyung.

The latter pouts sadly, throwing himself around his neck in a tight hug.

“Please promise to write as often as you can”, he murmurs into him.

“I will. I hope that you write as well.”

Taehyung steps back, nodding his head vigorously.

“I will. Oh, you will get tired of me. I will write so many letters.”

The two men giggle, holding hands.

“And you have to visit on the weekends. Please, we need to talk in the orange gardens and swim in the blue lagoons.”

Hoseok nods his head vigorously, “I will visit whenever I can. I promise.”

“Good”, Taehyung says and falls around his neck, “I will miss you so much.”

“I will miss you too”, Hoseok says, closing his eyes as he enjoys his best friend’s hug before he can’t feel it for quite some time.

“Please be happy and successful. I will think of you each night.”

“Me too. Be happy as well and never stop painting.”

Taehyung laughs, but it sounds just a little like a sob. The two men hug each other tighter, laughing eventhough they are secretly crying.

“I won’t.”

“Good. That is good.”

The goodbye is bittersweet. The life they once knew and grew up with ends and a new one begins. It hurts. But they will each follow their dreams and will only be apart an hour by foot. It lessens the pain and gives both of them happiness. They will be apart, but still close. They won’t live their old lives anymore, but will finally follow their dreams. The goodbye is bittersweet. It truly is.

The streets in front of the school are calm today, which allows the carriage to drive all the way to the front steps of the student housing.

Hoseok steps out of the carriage, thanking the royal guard for helping him. He is conversing with her, blind to the shocked looks the magical guards send him. They are aware what the sigil on their armour meant and the realisation of who they were rude to just weeks ago sits heavy in their stomachs. And while Hoseok is talking to the guard, the servants he once commanded, carry his luggage to the student housing. They ask the guards where they must go and the latter tell them with nervousness in their voices.

“I wish you good blessings”, the guard says.

“Thank you Nepheli, I wish you good blessings as well”, Hoseok says, looking over his shoulder, “did Namgil disappear with the cases already?”

“It appears so.”

“Oh, well I see”, Hoseok gives Nepheli a smile, “we will see each other again.”

She bows her head, “most definitely we will.”

Once Namgil and two other servants return from Hoseok’s new chambers, it is time for the carriage to return to the castle. Hoseok waves to them until they disappear outside the walls. He lowers his arms and takes a deep breath. His heart is racing, but it isn’t for an uncomfortable reason.

He is excited.

His new life lies behind these doors.

He will finally study the arts of magic.

Hoseok contains the dance of happiness he wants to do and turns around. His eyes meet those of the guards. The judgment of once is gone. Nervousness replaced it.

They bow their heads at him, “my lord, I see that you were successful.”

Hoseok blinks his eyes in confusion. Why are they bowing their heads?

“May we help you with anything?”

“No, uh”, he clears his throat, “well, uh, where do I have to go?”

“Please, follow me, my lord.”

“Very well?” Hoseok follows her confusedly.

They have walked quite some time when he finally talks.

“Excuse me?”

“Yes, my lord?”

“Why are you calling me this way?”

“Well, are you not from the royal court?”

“Oh”, now he understands. They must have seen the royal crest and thought that he was of royal blood. Hoseok touches the side of his neck, flustering slightly, “some could say that I am.”

“My lord”, she bows her head, “I hope that our behaviour last time carries no consequences. You must know, we only followed our duties.”

Hoseok doesn’t like to feel superior. Again, he never tells people what his profession once was. But he also likes the sense of victory their apology gives him. They weren’t following duties last time, they were being sexist. Hoseok decides to let them boil in their misunderstanding a while longer.

“I understand. I had already feared that this school was guarded by a bunch of sexists.”

She laughs awkwardly, “no, my lord. Of course not. Everyone is welcome here.”

“Good. I hope it stays this way.”

“Yes, my lord”, she bows, then points at an open door, “the first lecture is here, my lord.”

“Thank you”, Hoseok says and walks off without bowing. His heart might actually fall out of his ribcage. He never felt more nervous before than he did right now. This was the first time he left a conversation without having to bow. Oh he is such a liar. This will have consequences for sure.

And while Hoseok thinks of his own actions, he scans his eyes over the classroom. It is high up in the tower with windows on six of the eight walls. Only the wall with the teaching board and the door have no windows. Two of the windows are facing into the hallways while the other four show the outside world. It is a sunny day, so the class room is flooded with natural light. Big chunks of purple crystal reflect the rays and on most wooden desks, young women were sitting. Small groups of chatting women have already formed. Their conversations die down when Hoseok enters the classroom. Whispers, which aren’t very secret, run through the room. Questions if “this” was a boy, wonders why he was here and rude comments about how he is wrong here all meet Hoseok’s ears.

He swallows down his nerves and lifts his hand to wave at the group of judging women.

“Good day, I am Hoseok. How are you all doing?”

All their heads turn away in sync and Hoseok is left without getting an answer. It stings, as much as it embarrasses him. He probably would have felt like crying when a sweet voice hadn’t called his name. He turns his head.

It is her. The girl, who also came too late and who saved his future back then. She is sitting with two other girls, waving her hand at him.

Hoseok jogs to her with a smile on his lips.

“You made it”, she says.

“You made it as well”, he says.

“I did. Oh, I am so happy to see you. Not only because I know nobody here, but because you made it.”

“I know nobody either. My name is Hoseok”, he says.

“I know, I heard. My name is ___.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, ___.”

“The pleasure is all mine”, you say and continues with a shy gleam in your eyes, “do you want to sit together?”

“Yes, I would like that”, Hoseok says and sits down by the desk next to yours. His heart is fluttering. He is making friends. He doesn’t have to spend his entire academic career as an outsider. He turns his knees to you and gives you a smile.

You retort it.

“How are you doing?”

“Excited. I couldn’t sleep at all because I knew what today would bring. You?”

“Excited as well. And nervous”, Hoseok confesses, “I don’t think that I am very welcome here.”

You scan your eyes over the room. The conversations have become significantly quieter ever since Hoseok is in the room. Confused and judgemental looks meet his direction every now and then.

“It is the first time that a boy is learning magic. I believe that they are all just very confused.”

“I want to believe this as well”, Hoseok agrees and shifts his eyes to the two girls behind you, “nice to meet you.”

One of them has hair as red as fire, while the other has silver hair just like Hoseok. They both looked surprised to be addressed.

“Oh? Oh, uhm. Nice to meet you”, the silver haired girl says, “I’m Becca.”

“I’m Ash, nice to meet you”, the fire-haired girl says.

“Are you three friends?” Hoseok asks.

“No, we have only met today”, you say.

“I see, so we are all in the same boat.”

“We are”, Becca says, “are you really a boy?”

Hoseok nods his head.

“Are you actually allowed here?”

Hoseok shrugs his shoulders, “I managed to get in, so I must be”, he grins, “I am going to become the first sorcerer of these lands.”

“Woah”, Ash gasps, exchanging a look with Becca, “are you allowed to do that?” she is whispering the question as if it was a forbidden secret.

“I decided to rather ask for forgiveness than permission”, Hoseok whispers as well, making the girl snicker and hide their mouths behind their hands. A sense of excited glee washes over their faces. As if they are now part of a secret plan to change the world.

Hoseok smiles proudly, relaxing back into his seat. He feels relieved to know that he won’t be such an outsider here. That was truly his greatest fear.

Hoseok would have continued to chat with his new friends, hadn’t sorceress Selen entered the room, announcing herself with a clear of her throat. The classroom grows silent instantly.

A plethora of sorceresses enter the room behind her, lining up along the front of the classroom.

“Good morning, class”, sorceress Selen says loudly.

“Good morning, sorceress Selen”, the class answers back.

“As you all may know, you are the very few lucky ones who have impressed me. Some more than others”, she says, meeting Hoseok’s eyes long enough that the rest of the class notices. The jealous looks are instant. Hoseok feels hot under them, sinking deeper into his chair in hopes of hiding away.

Sorceress Selen breaks eye contact, scanning her eyes over the class as she talks.

“Remember that there has been a first for anything on earth. Someone had to take the first swim, the first run, someone had to taste sugar for the first time and someone had to have the first hangover. There will never stop being firsts and I ask of you to show the respect I see in every single one of you. Understood?”

It is obvious to all that she meant Hoseok’s presence in these halls. This is a first. Never before was there a boy studying magic in this school. 

“Yes, Sorceress Selen”, the class answers hesitantly.

“Very good. Now, my name is, as you all know, Sorceress Selen. I am the headmistress of this school and I will also be your teacher of glintstone magic”, she says and steps back to allow another sorceress the spotlight.

“My name is Sorceress Zenith. I will be your teacher of magical potions.”

The next sorceress calls herself Ceva, introducing herself as the class’ teacher of magical literature.

Sorceress Ciri will be the teacher of magical history and Sorceress Cintra will teach the ways of magical transformation. The first year will only have five courses, but they promise that the students will have a lot of work to do and that five are very much enough.

“Now that we introduced ourselves, we would like you to do the same. Go on, stand up and introduce yourselves to the class. Be kind, you will spend a lot of time with each other.”

One by one the students stand up and introduce themselves. Hoseok listens intently to all of them, trying his hardest to memorise their names. The class is a good mixture of all social stands, races and nationalities. Hoseok is surprised at how many girls from other queendoms come to this school to learn. He likes it however. It makes his Snow Isles heart feel less alone in being so far from home. He feels his pulse increase the closer to his turn the introductions come and by the time it is finally his turn, his cheeks have started to heat up.

He stands up, looking around the room. All eyes are on him.

“My name is Hoseok, I come from the Snow Isles and I am here to learn magic just like all of you are, I believe, hah”, he says and laughs.

Nobody else laughs. Some even look at him angrily.

He clears his throat nervously, straightening his back.

“I know that you all must be very confused why I am here. A boy here in the school of magic, I know you must want to curse me and call me wrong. I do not blame you, but I want to say that if you need help, I am always willing to help”, he says and smiles, “I want all your very bests”, he says and bows, “thank you”, he says and sits back down.

The eyes linger on him just a little longer before you steal the attention by standing up loudly.

“I am ___. I was born and raised here and I live by the docks with my family. I am here to learn magic just like Hoseok already said”, you say, sending him a playful look, “that is all. Thank you.”

You sit back down, leaning closer to Hoseok to whisper. He leans in as well so he could listen better.

“You stole my joke”, you say and snicker.

“Forgive me, I panicked.”

“It’s alright. It was a good joke.”

Hoseok grins, agreeing with a nod of his head.

The students have free time for the rest of the day. Most use it to move into their chambers. Hoseok does as well. The chambers consist of one small shared room and two connecting bed chambers with a small washing chamber connecting as well. Hoseok arrives last at his shared room.

“Oh, it is you.”

Hoseok is greeted by you, Ash and Becca.

“Are you my new chamber mates?”

“Indeed we are. We were already wondering who might be our fourth chamber mate. Are all of these things yours?”

Hoseok looks at the heap of packages in the middle of the room. He wasn’t even aware of how much he packed.

Hoseok blushes shyly, “yes, they might be mine.”

“Forgive me for asking, but are you a prince?”

“A prince? Me?” Hoseok laughs, shaking his head, “oh goddesses no, I am no prince. I…” he stops himself. He almost exposed that he served Taehyung, prince of the Snow Isles and future queen consort of the Sand Queendom.

“But these are golden hinges. Only those of royalty can afford golden hinges on their travel cases.”

“Well”, Hoseok touches the side of his neck shyly, “I might have served a prince before coming here.”

“A prince?!” his chamber mates all gasp in unison, inching closer as excitement overtakes them.

“Who did you serve?”

“Do we know him?”

“Where is he now?”

“Who is it?”

“We can keep secrets.”

They bombard him with questions. Ash even grasps his lower arm to shake it in excitement.

Hoseok takes a careful step back, lifting his hands in defeat.

“Very well, very well I will tell you”, he gives in.

“Oh this is exciting.”

“I want to know everything.”

“Tell us, please.”

They babble and chat, sitting down on the shared seating to listen to Hoseok. He sits down as well, blushing heavily when they all gather around him with minimal space between their bodies. Their excited eyes are glued to his face.

He clears his throat, “I left the Snow Isles as a servant. The prince I served was promised to a princess and as his lord in waiting it was my duty to follow him and serve him in his new home.”

“But…when you served a prince and he was promised to a princess from these lands, that means…” Becca’s eyes widen as realisation sets in, “that means you are serving prince Taehyung! You were a servant at Queen Ranni’s court!”

They gasp loudly, throwing their hands over their mouths.

“Is it true?”

“Did you truly?”

Hoseok nods his head hesitantly, lowering his eyes shyly.

“By Frenya!”

“This can’t be!”

“Oh this is mindruining!”

You take his lower arm and shake it excitedly, “how is it living at court? Is the Queen as kind as it says she is? Is the princess truly beautiful beyond compare? And prince Taehyung, is he truly such a wonderful soul as everyone says?”

“Yes. Yes, I would say that all of these things are true. The Queen and her daughter supported me in my dream of becoming a sorcerer. They didn’t have to do so and yet they did. And Taehyung”, Hoseok smiles fondly, “Taehyung is my best friend. He didn’t have to support my silly dreams, but he was the first to dream with me. He is the kindest soul you will meet. He truly is.”

“So the sayings are true. The royal family is kind hearted.”

“Yes, they are. They are kind people”, Hoseok says and smiles, “that brings me to something to give me”, he says and stands up, “the princess insisted that I bring presents for my new chamber mates. She must have feared that I would be hated here, so she gave me something to bribe your hearts”, Hoseok explains, making his chamber mates laugh.

He feels good about it. People only laugh at jokes when they like the person telling it. The princess’ worries were useless. He still wants to give them their presents however.

“It isn’t much, but I hope that you will enjoy it nonetheless”, Hoseok says and hands each of his chamber mates a hand woven basket filled with oranges from the castle garden, chocolate from the castle’s kitchen and sweet wine from the royal vineyards.

“These are expensive things. I couldn’t take them”, you refuse, shaking your head.

“No please, the princess insisted that you each get something. It will rot otherwise, so please enjoy it.”

They each accept the gift with shy gleams in their eyes.

“And what about you? What have you done before coming here?” Hoseok asks.

“I worked in the mountains”, Ash says, “I never thought of coming here, but then I discovered my magic by accidentally lifting a stone and my mother encouraged me to seek education so that perhaps one day I can return to the village as a sorceress.”

“I also discovered my magic by sheer luck”, Becca says, “I live by the sea not far from here. One day I helped a fish come to life again. That is when I knew I had to seek help from sorceress Selen and now I am here.”

“Oh your stories are both wonderful, I discovered my magic through stubbornness”, you say with a chuckle on your lips, “each day after waking up, I tried to move my candle until one day I finally did. I told my family and days later sorceress Selen’s letter arrived. I knew I had to take the chance and here I am.”

The girls giggle, but Hoseok can’t find it in himself to laugh. They all know how to do magic already? He believed that all of them are like him, that this school is supposed to awake the magical powers within them.

“What about you? How did you discover your magic?” you ask him.

Hoseok gulps nervously, “I…uh….”

“You have discovered it, haven’t you?”

“Uh..I..uh..”

“You haven’t”, you gasp, exchanging a shocked look with Becca and Ash.

“But how do you know if you even have powers inside you?” Becca asks.

Hoseok touches the side of his neck in soothing. He never thought of that.

“What if you aren’t meant for magic? Not everyone is”, Ash gasps.

Hoseok feels his stomach twist. He never thought of that either. He believed that everyone can learn magic through hard work. He believed that magic slumbers in every person and that through hard work and proper education, they will awake.

“I thought that”, he begins, gulping down the nervous lump in his throat, “I thought that…that it would awake once I am at this school.”

“But how did you get through the application process?”

“What do you speak?”

“How did you manage to perform the spell without magic?”

“What spell?”

“The spell we had to perform to prove that we have magical abilities.”

“I, I didn’t have to perform a spell”, Hoseok stutters.

“So how did you get in?”

“M-maybe she saw something in me?” Hoseok says shyly.

“Alright”, Becca says and scrunches her nose.

Hoseok can see it in her eyes, her once friendly nature is gone. She looks at Ash and you. Ash’s face is cold as well.

“Shall we see if we can meet other people?” Becca asks.

“Yes we shall”, Ash says and stands up.

“That sounds like a good idea”, Hoseok says and stands up as well.

“Not you”, Becca says and drags Ash away from him.

“Oh”, Hoseok stops, feeling his chest sting.

They leave the room without looking back.

Hoseok lowers his head sadly, feeling a deep, deep pain in his heart.

“Well, that was just mean.”

Hoseok turns, studying you. You are frowning at the closed door.

“Are you feeling fine?” you ask him.

Hoseok shrugs his shoulders, pouting sadly.

“I am sorry they treated you this way. I’ve also only met them today, so this surprised me quite a lot.”

“You don’t have to be friendly with me if you don’t want to. I know I’m wrong here and that it seems as if sorceress Selen made a mistake.”

You furrow your brows, “but I want to be kind to you.”

“Oh.”

You pat the spot next to you. Hoseok hesitates at first, but takes it in the end. You turn your knees to him, giving him a sweet smile.

“The trick with magic is that you have to visualise it”, you say and lift one of the oranges Hoseok gifted you, “take this orange for example. Visualise how it floats from my palm”, you explain and demonstrate.

Hoseok gasps, staring at the floating orange in awe.

“It is floating”, he says, meeting your eyes. They changed to a purple colour, “your eyes”, he gasps.

“That means that I am using my magic”, you explain and drop the orange again. The purple glow fades away, revealing your natural eye colour.

“The glow stopped”, Hoseok says, “how did you do this?”

“I practiced a lot. I didn’t always have my magic either, so don’t beat yourself up too much. Not everyone discovers their magic as easily.”

“But how did you manage to discover it? You made an orange float, that is beyond impressive.”

You laugh softly, “it is barely a proper spell.”

“Well, it is more than I can do”, Hoseok says and huffs out air in impatience.

“Try it. Visualise how the orange floats.”

“Alright, alright I will try”, Hoseok says and focuses on the orange in your hand. He tries so very hard. He really, really does but the orange stays unmoving. He gives up after a few tries, sagging his shoulders in defeat, “I cannot do it.”

“Don’t give up already, practice each morning until it finally works”, you encourage him and peel the orange, “come, let us eat oranges for now. I have always wondered how royal oranges taste.”

You break it in the middle as best as possible, handing him the second half. You bite into your own half as if it was an apple, spilling juice down your hands. You slurp it up, humming loudly at the sweet taste.

“So sweet”, you exclaim, giving him a smile, “I love oranges so much. My mother grows an orange tree in our garden. I would like to argue that our oranges taste just as sweet.”

Hoseok feels good in his chest upon receiving your smile. It feels genuine.

“Do you like oranges?”

“Yes”, he says and finally bites into his orange as well, “I love them as well. We don’t have them on the Snow Isles.”

“I can imagine. Your home must be so cold.”

“It is, but I must confess that I miss it a lot.”

“Oh, I can imagine that as well. It must be hard to leave your home and your family.”

“Taehyung is my family, so it wasn’t that hard”, Hoseok says and sighs sadly, “I did leave him now however. I hope he is fine.”

“I am sure that he is. He is the prince, he must have everything that he wishes.”

“Yes, I do believe you are right”, Hoseok says and smiles, “thank you for being so kind to me.”

“Please, don’t thank me for that. Here, do you want to share the chocolate as well?”

The next day starts early, but Hoseok doesn’t mind. He is used to waking up earlier than other people. Work at the castle was always endless and it is the servants’ duties to prepare breakfast before the royal family wakes. Hoseok is used to early mornings, enjoying the calm morning hours. He washes himself in the washing chambers, then uses the hours before class to practice on an orange. Becca and Ash come out of their rooms as he practices.

“Why are you here?” Becca asks.

“Because this is my room as much as it is yours, so we can either make this comfortable for all of us by being grown-up enough to attempt to get along or make it uncomfortable by being childishly hostile. I know what I want to choose”, Hoseok throws back.

She doesn’t know what to say to that and so she drags Ash away to the washing chamber. Hoseok concentrates back on his orange. Visualise it. Visualise it. Come now Hoseok, visualise it.

Becca and Ash leave for breakfast soon, paying Hoseok no mind. Good. Complete neutrality to each other’s existence works for him as well.

“Good morrow.”

Hoseok looks over his shoulder, bowing his head at you.

“Good morrow.”

“You are practicing already? Oh, it is too early”, you grumble and drag your sleepy feet to the washing chambers.

Hoseok concentrates on his orange again, but with no results. You come out of the washing chambers before he could make it float.

“And?”

“I have been practicing for so long, but nothing”, Hoseok says, sighing defeated, “I think it won’t work today.”

“Then you will try again tomorrow”, you say and point at the door, “shall we leave for class?”

“Ah yes, the class”, Hoseok’s eyes light up, “can you believe that we will be taught magic?”

“No, it sounds surreal.”

“It truly does.”

Hoseok and you take the seats you took yesterday. Becca and Ash aren’t by their seats, spreading gossip with some girls in the front. Their chatter dies down when Hoseok enters the classroom and soon one of them walks up to him.

Hoseok lifts his head to look at her.

“I heard that you haven’t found your magic yet”, she says.

Hoseok sends a glare to Becca and Ash. They don’t dare to meet it, seeming oh so innocently shy all of a sudden. Gossiping wenches, Hoseok thinks and looks back at the girl in front of him. It is her. The rude girl from the application day.

“And if I haven’t?” he challenges her.

“Then you are wrong here.”

“Settle down, will you?” you warn, but the girl doesn’t listen.

“This is a school for women who know how to do magic, not spoiled boys who had the queen buy his way into it.”

Hoseok is a peaceful person and a slightly nervous person who doesn’t enjoy confrontation. Which is why it is quite surprising that he also cannot stand to be disrespected. He gets up from his chair, stepping closer to the rude girl until he towers over her.

“How about you tell me your name first before you go around insulting me for no reason whatsoever”, he hisses.

“Caria”, she says with confidence in her eyes.

“Caria”, Hoseok repeats calmly, “thank you, I will make sure to include it in my next letter to the Queen.”

Caria falters, “w-wait.”

“I jest”, Hoseok says and shows her an icy smile, “go back to your seat. Caria.”

Caria scurries off with panic in her eyes. Hoseok sends Becca and Ash a glare until they understand what he is implying, then sits back down again.

This is starting to properly anger him. He knows that he is the first boy attempting to learn magic, but these jealous girls are going too far.

“Don’t let them bring you down”, you whisper to him.

“I am not”, Hoseok says and shifts his eyes to the movement by the door.

He straightens up in shock, gawking at her with widened eyes. It is her. The old woman he helped outside the tower walls.

“Good morrow, class”, she says, dragging her old feet to the middle of the room, “go to your seats now, hop hop.”

Confused chatter goes through the room. Some seem to recognise the woman, while others are asking themselves who she could be. Hoseok is confused as well. Why is the old woman here? Why is she acting as if she was the one to teach?

She scans her eyes over the class, lingering on Hoseok just a little longer. She gives him a nod of her head and a knowing smile. It speaks to him, “I told you that we would see each other again.”

Hoseok feels himself bowing his head at her.

“Now very well, you are all seated”, she says, “how have you accommodated in your chambers? Is all well?”

Hesitant nods let her know the answer.

“That is good to hear. Ah yes, that is good”, she says and touches her lower back, “oh my old bones. Can one of you be so kind and get me a chair?”

Hoseok stands up instantly and hurries to get an empty chair. He carries it to her, helping her sit down by holding her hand gently.

“Oh thank you, dear Hoseok. Thank you.”

More whispering. He knows her? How does she know his name? She notices the whispers as well.

“I see that there is great confusion present in this room”, she says, “some may wonder where they have seen me before, some may wonder why I am here and some may wonder why I have addressed one of our worthy students by their name.”

She straightens her back. She seems healthier by the second.

“The secret is dear students, not all is always as the eyes tell us.”

Her spindly fingers age backwards, her once grey hair gains dark colour again.

“Not every person is simply a person one meets.”

Her once wrinkled face smoothes out. Her clothes, once of poor condition, change into that of obvious wealth.

“And not every test of worth is always based on skill.”

The once old, weak woman has morphed into sorceress Selen. Strong, healthy and with magical youth surrounding her. The girls, who noticed the old woman outside the castle walls gasp in horrid realisation that the old woman had been a test they all failed to pass. The girls, who didn’t notice her, gasp at the wonder of transformation unfolding in front of him. Hoseok doesn’t gasp. Hoseok gawks with widened eyes, unable to accept that this truly happened. This is why sorceress Selen’s words were familiar to him. It is because she said the words back to him he told her mere hours before as he helped her in her disguise. That is why the old woman’s eyes gleamed purple for but a moment. That is why he is here and why she didn’t ask him any questions. He had already passed the test without knowing that there was a test to pass.

“Now that the truth is out there, I assume that it is obvious to all why I kept you waiting for so long during the applications”, she chuckles mischievously, “I must apologise dear students, but I had to wait for the person worthy to pass my test and that person, my dear students, was Hoseok”, she says, pointing at him.

Hoseok gulps under the attention, feeling his cheeks heat up. 

“Congratulations, Hoseok”, she says and gives him a nod of her head.

He bows his head shyly, keeping his eyes lowered because otherwise his cheeks would have been red as cherries.

“And as I have gathered from some of your shocked whispers”, she continues, “some have not passed my test. Caria, Becca, Heva and Toph I ask of you to go back to your chambers and pack your belongings.”

“What?!”

“Yes you have heard me. This was but a lesson for you. A lesson in kindness for I do not accept cruelty in my school.”

“But…what does this mean?”

“It means that you are not worthy of this school.”

“So why did we get in? Why did you send us this joke of a letter?”

“Why I told you. This was but a lesson for you”, sorceress Selene says, “take from it that you need to grow and work on yourselves. As for the rest of my students, take from it that your position in this school is not set in stone. Many have the potential to harbour magic, but not many are worthy of having it. And that this worth is not solely based on skill. Remember this, my young apprentices.”

“So why is Hoseok here? He doesn’t even know if he has magic inside”, Caria spits, making his heart race in panic.

Sorceress Selen’s features darken.

“Have you no functioning ears to listen? I just told you that worth is not only based on skill. Oh you disappoint me, child.”

Caria closes her mouth.

Sorceress Selen clears her throat and continues, “I get the feeling that Hoseok isn’t the only one who still needs to discover his magic. A barking dog often intimidates those more timid to silence”, she says and she looks at a few girls who seem incredibly shy all of a sudden. Almost as if they were scared to be found out that they neither know how to access their magic. Sorceress Selene looks at Caria and Becca, “wouldn’t you agree?”

“Sorceress Selene, I would like to apologise”, Becca says.

“Oh there is no need. Come back again once you are worthy”, Sorceress Selene says and with a snap of her fingers, makes the four girls she called out disappear.

Loud uproar goes through the room.

“Have no fear, they are just fine. I merely helped them with returning to their rooms. They will have all the time in the world to pack their belongings”, she says and stands up from the chair, “now let us truly begin the lesson. Who of you hasn’t mastered their access to magic yet?”

Hoseok lifts his hand, looking around the room. He is the only one. A deep pit of despair begins to open in his stomach until suddenly, very timidly a girl lifts her hand as well. Ash. She lied in fear of being found out. Another soon lifts her hand after her. Then a third and a fourth until six people including Hoseok and Ash have their hands raised.

“As I have figured”, Sorceress Selene says, “well done, my dear students. Honesty will bring you further than deception. Now, can any of you tell me what gives us our magical abilities?”

“The planets?”

“That is a good answer. Any other ideas?”

“The ocean?”

“Oh most definitely. The ocean can be a powerful source.”

“So many things can be used as a source?”

“Now you are asking the right questions. Indeed they can. However there is one thing which combines them all, which infuses them with magic so we could harbour it”, she says and lifts a purple crystal.

Whispering again.

“Yes, yes indeed. You recognise these crystals, they grow all over these grounds and are often found on our beaches. Glintstone. It is found all over this continent and has been here long before we came.”

You lift your hand.

“Yes dear ___?”

“Where does it come from? Did time form it?”

“Oh no. No, time merely preserved it and allowed the magic in it to become more potent. Long before the age of life, there were the dragons. Not dragons as we know these days, but dragons as big as entire continents. They were beings outside time and created the lands we walk on today. One of these dragons, Razula, was sick. While other dragons breathed ice, fire and molten earth, she breathed glintstone. With each breath she passed, new crystals formed and allowed her magical essence to crystallise. Her illness killed her in the end as the glintstone solidified her flesh. She died where, these days, our Glass Mountains range.”

Ash raises her hand.

“Yes, dear Ash?”

“Does this mean that the Glass Mountains are made out of her corpse?”

“Yes, indeed it does.”

Shared gasps of wonder go through the room.

“She must have been so big.”

“Indeed she was. Our very own mountain, the one catching the ocean and holding this very city secure is part of Razula. The very end of her tail to be more exact.”

Another round of shared gasps.

Hoseok lifts his hand.

“Yes, dear Hoseok?”

“Does that mean that the glintstone she breathed soaked our continent with magic, so we could harbour different elements for magic these days?”

“Very good, indeed it does.”

“So why can we harbour the planets?”

“That is a very good question. You see, our planet isn’t the only one formed by the dragons. Many more are children of them, which is why we have access to their powers.”

“So there were more dragons like Razula?”

“Why would you wonder this?”

“Because glintstone is what gives a source its magic. There must have been more dragons like Razula, otherwise we couldn’t harbour the planets.”

Sorceress Selen smiles proudly. She nods her head.

“It is not with certain proof, but yes it is said that there were more dragons like Razula, who infused the planets with their glintstone and who made it possible so that we can harbour them these days.”

You ask the next question, “why is it not with certain proof?”

“Because travelling between planets or even universes has not been achieved yet.”

Agreeable nods go through the room. This answer sounds logical to all. Sorceress Ciri, the teacher for magical history, enters the room then. She carries a flat wooden box.

“Oh, Ciri! The perfect time! Now dear students, I have a small present for each of you”, sorceress Selen says as sorceress Ciri begins handing out small glintstones, “your very own glintstone. Take great care of it, practice with it and feel its magical properties. That is my task for you.”

Ash lifts her hand.

“Yes, dear Ash?”

“How do we feel its magical property?”

“Oh that is a complicated question. How does one feel anything? Feelings must be felt, they cannot be conceptualised. But very well, to make it easier for you, my young students, magic gives the very tips of your fingers a warm tingle to it. Try to find this tingle and you will have taken yet another step into the right direction.”

A warm tingle. Hoseok looks down at the purple glintstone in his palm. He closes his finger around it. A warm tingle. That is what he needs to look out for. A warm tingle and then he will finally feel worthy of being here.

The weeks are spent practicing with the glintstone sorceress Selen gave each student. During the early hours, the students learn about magic, its history and what can be achieved with it and during the later hours, the students are meant to practice and study in the grande library. Hoseok enjoys his time. He wakes up excited each day, he pays utter attention in the lessons and practices until late into the night. The other students stopped avoiding him now that Caria and Becca weren’t present anymore. Ash and two other students even practice with him each day, exchanging frustrations when the warm tingle never comes.

Hoseok lifts his head upon hearing yet another cheerful exclaim of one his fellow students.

“Sorceress Selen! It is floating!”

“Very good, dear Ainar. Continue this connection”, the sorceress praises and continues her rounds through the classroom.

Hoseok looks at his fellow students. Ainar was one of the people who always practiced with him. Three other people also already learned how to connect to their inner magic. Only he and Ash are still struggling.

“Sorceress Selen! I am doing it!”

Hoseok looks at Ash and the floating glintstone before her.

“Very good, dear Ash. Keep practicing.”

“Good job Ash, you’re finally doing it”, Ainar encourages her with excitement in her eyes.

“You’re doing so well”, Hoseok tells her, earning himself a proud grin.

“Thank you, oh look at me.”

“You are like a proper sorceress now.”

“Yes, yes I am”, Ash giggles.

Hoseok breaks his eyes away from her, trying to hide his disappointment. He is happy for his fellow students for finally finding their powers, but he also can’t deny that he feels like an utter failure himself.

“Hoseok?”

He lifts his head upon being called, meeting sorceress Selen’s eyes.

“Yes?”

“Why are you not practicing?”

“Forgive me, I just took a quick break”, he says and looks at the stone.

“Don’t give up. Yes?”

Hoseok nods his head and takes a deep breath, lifting his hands to continue practicing. He will not be able to lift the stone during the lesson.

They have the weekend free this week and most students use it to finally visit their homes again. Hoseok does as well. He leaves in the early hours of the morning, cradling the glintstone in his pocket and with an orange from the tower gardens to give him energy. He feels happy at the thought of finally seeing Taehyung again, but also a sense of tread because he won’t return as a sorcerer already. He feels like a failure. Why is it so easy for anyone but him to find their magic? Was Caria right? Is he truly not meant to be a sorcerer?

“Hoseok!”

He stops in front the tower walls upon being called, looking over his shoulder. You are running to him, waving your hands.

“Wait up!”

He does. He waits until you reach his side.

“Are you visiting prince Taehyung?”

“I am. Are you visiting your family?”

“Indeed I am”, you say and point at the road, “do you have to walk this way as well?”

“I do.”

“Do you want to walk together?”

“Yes, I would like that”, he says and gives you a smile.

One you retort.

So you and he wander down the road side by side. You pull out two oranges from your pocket.

“I have oranges. Do you want one?”

“Oh?” Hoseok pulls out his own orange, “me too.”

“Oh? Look at us”, you say, having to laugh.

Hoseok laughs as well.

“These oranges are just too delicious.”

“Indeed they are.”

“Ah”, you sigh happily, lifting your head to look at the golden roofs above your head. The sun reflects off the colourful houses and paints the streets in lively colours. It will be a very hot day today, the air smells of it.

“I think I might swim in the ocean later”, you say.

“Yes, that sounds like a good time”, Hoseok says.

“And you? Are you going to practice even during your free time?”

“I am.”

“Oh, Hoseok you work too hard.”

“I am not. You have it easy, you even found your worth in magic already. I still haven’t found my connection to it. I am two steps behind”, Hoseok says and sighs in defeat.

“It will come one day. I promise.”

“Maybe”, he says and sighs again, “can we talk about something else?”

“Of course. What are your favourite beaches to go to?”

“The blue lagoons by the castle.”

“I should have figured. They must very beautiful.”

“They indeed are.”

“You know my brother really likes to swim.”

“Yes?”

“Yes, I am most certain that he will ask me the moment I come home. We always go swimming together.”

“That sounds like a special time for you and your brother.” 

“Oh yes it is. He is already ten and three of age, but knows how to swim since only three of age.

“Truly?”

“Yes, I was the one who taught him. I was the age he is now when I taught him. I think that is why it is such a special time for us these days.”

“It sounds very special. I am glad that you have such a deep connection with your brother. I could never form such a deep bond with my sister.”

“You have a sister?” 

“Yes, she is older than me by ten years. Just like you and your brother”, Hoseok says with a grin.

You retort it.

“We played a lot when we were younger but when she grew of marriage age, she wanted to spend her time socialising, instead of playing with her childish brother. She is already married and has children these days and I am happy for her. We write a lot of letters to each other, but I never had such special moments with my sister when I was in adolescence. Thank you for being such an older sister to your brother, he might not show it all the time, but those moments mean the world to him.” 

“Thank you for saying this”, you say, feeling incredibly warm in your chest, “I truly love my brother. You know, he dreams of being a sorcerer.”

“I know.” 

“How do you know?” 

“You told me.” 

“I did?” 

Hoseok nods his head, “the day of the applications. You witnessed Caria slap my arm and then asked if I was hurt. You offered me your water skin and told me about your brother and his dreams.” 

“I did, now I remember again. You remembered all this time?” 

“I did. If I may be blunt, I remember you quite vividly from this day. You ran late as well and were sweating just as much as I did.”

You laugh. 

“It is because of you that the guards even allowed me entrance.” 

“Truly?”

“Yes, they refused at first because I am a boy.” 

“No. Truly?” 

“Yes, sadly.”

"Oh, how rude. This wasn’t their right to do.” 

“Worry not, I already paid them back.” 

“You did?” 

“I pretended to be royalty on the first day because they saw the royal carriage I came in.” 

“And they believed you?.” 

“They even apologised.”

“Oh”, you let out and laugh loudly. 

Hoseok laughs with you. 

“Serves them right. Nobody should be refused access just because they are a boy.”

“Yes, I agree.” 

You and Hoseok converse until the conjuncture where you have to go your separate ways.

“I have to go this way”, you tell him.

“I have to go this way”, Hoseok says and points in the opposite direction.

“So I believe that this is where we have to say our goodbyes.”

“Yes, I believe so.”

“Do you want to come with me for a bit? I would love to introduce you to my family.”

“I feel beyond honoured, but I truly have to go. Knowing Taehyung, he is already waiting impatiently.”

“I see”, you sag your shoulders in defeat but shake it off quickly, giving him a smile, “there will be a next time.” 

“I believe so. I will bring chocolates then.”

“Oh, they would love them so much”, you say with sparkling eyes. 

“Very well then. I will see you again next week”, Hoseok bows his head at you, “have a good weekend.”

“You too. See you soon”, you say and leave with a wave of your hand.

Hoseok watches you skip down the street. You turn when some distance is between you and him, searching for him. Your face lights up when you see him. You lift your arm to wave at him one last time, doing so until Hoseok finally waves back. You turn with a big smile on your face, skipping happily until the crowd swallows you and Hoseok cannot see you anymore. He smiles to himself and turns to take on the road to the castle. It isn’t far anymore.

Taehyung is waiting by the gates, jumping into a sprint the moment he notices Hoseok. He calls his best friend’s name, falling around his neck with such vigour that Hoseok stumbles from the impact. He even wraps his legs around his waist, knocking a belting laugh out of Hoseok, who is destined to carry his weight.

“You are such a rascal”, he laughs.

“I missed you. I missed you terribly!” Taehyung tells him in excited yelps.

“I missed you as well”, Hoseok says and drops him gently. He hugs him back as tightly as he can, “I was so excited for today.”

“Me too, oh me too.”

They hug for some time, breaking apart only because hugging for an entire day is rather frowned upon by the public for a prince and his servant to do. 

“How have you been?”

“Good. You?”

“Good, just so incredibly bored without you. I keep rereading the letters you sent me and everything you describe sounds so interesting”, Taehyung babbles as the two men walk to Taehyung’s leisure room. 

“The school is wonderful. I keep finding myself pinching my own skin because I cannot believe that it is real.”

“I can imagine. Is it really true that there is glintstone everywhere?” 

“Yes, it is everywhere. Look”, Hoseok says and shows Taehyung the small glintstone. 

Taehyung gasps, widening his eyes in curiosity. 

“Sorceress Selen gave each of us a glintstone to practice magic on. It grows everywhere.”

“Is it true that it makes the faintest sound when you brush your hand against it?”

“It does. Even air makes it sing.”

“How wonderful”, Taehyung gasps, “can I touch it? Please?” 

“Yes, once we are sitting down. I do not want to lose it.”

“I understand. It must be very precious, mustn’t it?” 

“Yes. It is supposed to help me find my connection to magic.” 

Taehyung and Hoseok have reached his room, sitting down by Taehyung’s painting table.

“Are still having troubles with it?”

“Sadly I do”, Hoseok says, “I do not know why it is so terribly hard for me, but it is.”

“Do not lose hope yet. I am certain that it will come to you very soon.”

Hoseok gives him a smile before lifting the stone into his vision.

“Do you want to hold the stone now?”

“Yes. May I truly?” 

“Yes. Open your palm.”

Taehyung rests his hand palm side up on the table, watching with curious eyes as Hoseok places the stone into his palm carefully.

“It is cold.”

“It is. I have been carrying it in my pocket all day.”

“How is that possible? You should have warmed it.”

“Indeed, but glintstone never warms up unless its magic is channeled. Isn’t it wonderful? It stays cold no matter how much you warm it.” 

“This is remarkable”, Taehyung whispers, caressing it gently, “and it is truly a dragon’s breath?” 

“Yes. Razula. She existed long before our time with the other dragons.”

“I know. Her body makes up the Glass Mountains these days. Oh Hoseok, you have no idea how often I reread your letters. I learn so much about this continent because of you. It is so fascinating. We are walking on the creation of dragons. Dragons so big they form entire mountain ranges and countries. I cannot believe it, yet it is true.”

“It is beyond fascinating, isn’t it?” 

“Yes. I feel so excited each time a new letter arrives. Your chamber mates sound so wonderful as well.”

“They are. We didn’t get along at first because they were weary of me because I am a boy, but we talk a lot these days.”

“That is so wonderful to hear. The girl you share a chamber with sounds very kind.”

“Yes ___, she is the kindest person. She paid me company when nobody else did. She is very kind”, Hoseok says and blinks his eyes dreamily.

“Beautiful as well?”

“Oh yes, quite beautiful actually”, Hoseok says. He sees no weirdness in Taehyung’s question as the young prince calls many people beautiful. He is an artist after all and sees beauty in all shapes and forms.

“Do I sense a hint of affection in your voice?” Taehyung asks, sending sudden nervousness to Hoseok’s chest. The mischief in Taehyung’s eyes only strengthen Hoseok’s coyness.

“What? No, not like this. Oh, I would never disrespect her in such ways”, Hoseok insists with flushed cheeks.

“You keep mentioning her in your letters.”

“Yes, well. Well, that is because…Taehyung no, I would never. She shows no signs of interest. How disrespectful would it be of me to see her in such a light? She is merely a very good friend.”

Taehyung grins knowingly, “very well, if you say so.”

Hoseok clears his throat loudly, wishing for his pulse to slow down again. 

Taehyung places the glintstone on the table and scoots closer to Hoseok.

“Do you have more stories to tell? I want to know everything you learn and experience”, he ask.

“Mhm”, Hoseok thinks for a moment, “I do”, he exclaims.

“Tell me. I want to know”, Taehyung is practically sitting on the edge of his seat in utter curiosity.

“Long ago there was a sorcerer at this school.”

“A sorcerer? So boys can learn magic?”

“Yes, well”, Hoseok hesitates for a moment, “forget it. I just remembered that this is a rather sad story to tell.”

“No please. Now you must tell me. What happened to the sorcerer?”

“Well”, Hoseok begins with a saddened sigh, “we have entrance to a system of caves. The caves are filled with glintstone, their songs always fill the air.”

“Oh how wonderful.”

“The sorcerer always practiced his spells in these caves and because he was surrounded by their potent magic, his powers grew more and more each day.”

“Oh no, this doesn’t sound good. Did he hurt someone?”

Hoseok shakes his head, “do you know that the glintstone breath was Razula’s curse?”

Taehyung nods his head, “yes, it was a sickness which killed her in the end. She turned to glintstone and died this way.”

“The sorcerer suffered the same fate.”

Taehyung gasps.

“One day, the magic grew too powerful for him and turned him into glintstone. His crystallised body is still in the caves until this day.”

“Oh this terrible. I feel so sad for him”, Taehyung gasps, “what a gruesome way to die.”

“Indeed”, Hoseok agrees.

They share a moment of silence in respect of the cursed sorcerer.

“He is the reason why there aren’t boys allowed at school.”

“What say you?!”

“Yes”, Hoseok nods his head, “Sorceress Ciri, she teaches magical history, told us that because of him, the school decided not to take boys as students. She said that his greed for power would show in other boys as well and they did not want to risk it.”

“This is terribly unjust. This sorcerer was greedy, but it wasn’t because he was a boy.”

“Indeed. Some of my fellow students said the same thing. I felt very welcome when they said it.”

Taehyung smiles, “I think it is very good that they spoke up”, he caresses his friend’s arm, “and that you managed to get in.”

“Yes, me too. Now all I have to do is find my connection to magic. Oh Taehyung, I feel so helpless. Everyone in my class has already found their connection. Some even found their worth already, while still I haven’t found my connection yet.”

“Their worth?” Taehyung asks, tilting his head to the side in question.

“There is magic all around us and everyone can find a connection to it. However, only a few are worthy to truly wield magic. The worthy people are marked by the magic. Some grow purple markings on their skin, for some their eyes change into a purple shade and for others, their hair turns purple. It is a visual sign that the magic deemed this person worthy. It isn’t just enough to connect to it, the magic must accept the person.”

“So it isn’t truly the person’s decision to learn magic, but that of magic itself?”

“Yes”, Hoseok says and sighs in defeat, “and I even struggle to connect to it. How should it ever see me worthy?”

“Well”, Taehyung begins, “Sorceress Selen thinks you worthy and I believe that this must mean something.”

“What if she was wrong about me?”

“I truly do not think that she was. I also think that you are worthy.”

“I know. Thank you. At least one of us needs to believe.”

“Yes, I will continue to believe. I will believe with such passion that it will be enough for both of us.”

Hoseok smiles fondly at his best friend.

“You are truly such a light, Tae”, he says and reaches out to caress his hand, “I am grateful to have you as my best friend.”

[feudalconnection]

The Nomination Period for the 1st Term 2024 Inuyasha Fandom Awards is now CLOSED!!

Hey everyone!

Below the cut you'll find a complete list of all of the Fanart nominations received for this term! You can also find it on Google Docs.

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Thank you to everyone who nominated for making this 1st Term absolutely wonderful, and happy voting!

Best Action/Adventure

“Versus the Demon Lord” by @amara-sessh

“Fighting some demons at night” by @marycrispies

“Tethered” by @rinshairandthoughts

Best AU/AR

“Untitled” by @florsdellunalluna

“Sense and Sensibility” by @kalcia

“Kagome the Princess of the Wolf Tribe” by @dudiinx

“Sailor Moon Crossover” by @valgreys

“Moonlight” by @dudiinx

“Untitled” by @hycopank

Best Canon Universe

“Naraku” by @lady-lin

“Keep You Safe” by @nartistadigital

“Cuddlebugs” by @feudalobo

“Casa” by @pachworldx-1

“Untitled” by @fishybehavior

Best Angst

“Untitled” by @liquidashesart

“Spirit Run” by @classysassy9791

“distance makes the heart grow fonder” by @elevenharbor

“Cupid in love” by @pachworldx-1

Best Dark

“Nextlahualtin” by @moonkissedart / MoonKissedA (AO3)

“I just want your heart” by @akulols

“Inuspiration” by @stardust414

Best Humor/Parody

“Zoomies” by @purpledemonart

“Finish him” by @generalmoony

“Untitled” by @tiroma-art

“Izayoi’s Expressions” by @tmetta

“Fish Eye Lens SessNara” by @devilatelier

“Untitled” by @mama-ino

“All Dressed Up” (art in story) by @rinafananditshows

“Get Along Shirt” by @jane-imes

Best Kiss

“Beast in the Basement” by @kalcia

“Moonlight” by @dudiinx

“Untitled” by @dekirufran

“Fireworks” by @xtaisanax

“Untitled” by @inumysuzue

Best Character

“Shippo” by @nartistadigital

“Blue Moon” by @len-barboza

“Inuyasha” by @stoneofmaya (X, formerly Twitter)

“琥珀. Kohaku.” by @toutousai

“Kagome Stained Glass” by @razdazberry

“Kouga” by @gantzfelt (X, formerly Twitter)

“InuKimi” by @anime093se

“Waiting for Him” by @alicepupurred

“Nighttime Ride” by @classysassy9791

“Untitled” by @justafewsmallsteps

Best Duo/Pairing

“KogKag romantic blizzard” by @razdazberry

“Sango and Kagome” by @fuko-sshi

“Mommy and Daughter Time” by @katballesteros

“Miroku & Sango” by @xmonday-mintx

“Destiny in their veins” by @alicepupurred

“Here’s my girls” by @justafewsmallsteps

“KaguKik” by @moonnueart

Best Doujinshi

“distance makes the heart grow fonder” by @elevenharbor

“A pupper tryin to be like her dad” by @briizer

“Family” by @heavenin--hell

“Way of the House-Demon” by @lucymorningstar257

“InuKag Week Day 6: Courting” by @jess-oui

Best Redraw

“I Understand” by @len-barboza

“Manga Redraw” by @heavenin--hell

“they were the blueprint” by @badanaday

“Inktober” by @tealybopper

“Inuyasha & Kagome redraw” by @midiatamente

Best NSFW

“Dearest” by @xtaisanax

“Red #40” by @brain-rot-hour / GoblinOnAHorse (AO3)

“Deck the Balls” by @brain-rot-hour / GoblinOnAHorse (AO3)

“Inuyasha dragon au (second picture)” by @moonkissedart / MoonKissedA (AO3)

“Fun at Sea” by @spiralofdragon

“Happy Valentine’s Day” by @jane-imes

Best InuKag Romance

“Eternal Gift” by @clearwillow / BrigidTheFae (AO3)

“Untitled” by @dellmain

“Domestic” by @rubbesart

“Untitled” by @shizuki502

“Untitled” by @actiasz

Best SessKag Romance

“the night before Christmas and there was only one bed” by @stardust414

“Untitled” by @stellesappho

“Sesskag Festival Day 1 - Rejuvenate” by @julytheartist

“Tokyo Tower” by @julytheartist

“Thy Mate” by EnchantedInk_AG (AO3)

“Sesshoumaru. I love you” by @inumysuzue

“Untitled” by @kiliinstinct

Best Romance

“kohaku & rin - they're cute together” by @elevenharbor

“KogKag romantic blizzard” by @razdazberry

“Falling for You” by @eliza-faust-diary

“KagSan” by @moonnueart

Best Group Depiction

“Overcoming the past” by @valgreys

“Baby Inu with his parents” by @eliza-faust-diary

“Un moment de tranquilitat a l'època Sengoku” by @mmezo

“inuyasha! 🌙” by @eggramenart

Best Fluff

“the night before Christmas and there was only one bed” by @stardust414

“Starry Night” by @katballesteros

“Baby Inu with his parents” by @eliza-faust-diary

“SessKag as Kids” by @ivii20

“chibi” by @ivii20

Best Overall

“His hair makes me so happy” by @devilatelier

“Kagome Stained Glass” by @razdazberry

“Thy Mate” by EnchantedInk_AG (AO3)

“Untitled” by @lilacfoxarts

“dancing in the moonlight” by @masitadibujante

“Nighttime Ride” by @classysassy9791

[white-wolf-buckaroo]

Chapter 1: Percy becomes supreme lord of the Bathroom

First official chapter for 'In his own twisted way', my daughter of ares fic! <3

Word count: 8800 ish words

Warnings: none I can think of (english is not my first language, though, don't kill me if there are any mistakes please)

Updates will be tuesdays! <3

Fic masterlist here!

Olympians. The Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece, powerful, strong, eternal, immortals, seen as myths and stories told throughout the centuries. However, they are no myths, but real, and they still exist to the date. Omnipotent. Immortal. Unreachable.

Or, maybe not so out of reach: they’ve watched generations of mortals roaming the earth, and they often walk among them, disguised as one of them. But still, gods and goddesses, strong and powerful, and a different race from the common humans. They have lived thousands of lives, interfering at will in mortal affairs, seeing the world as their battlefield, and the people living there as their pawns. Because the gods can’t break the holy rules, but mortals… that’s a loophole many, if not all of the gods and goddesses have used in their favour throughout history. And because they needed powerful weapons as their pawns to execute their demands, they created half-bloods. Demigods. Mortal descendants born out of their union with a mortal companion, capable of fighting in the divine realm of existence, while living in the mortal world.

And so, over the years, decades, and centuries, demigods were born into the mortal world, some even reaching Olympus, the glory, kleos, and becoming part of the mystery that surrounds the story of the gods.

Myths aside, half-bloods still exist. Half mortal, half god, all real. And even if it sounds like a privilege to be a part of the gods bloodline… well, not many demigods will agree with that. Not only because they are in constant danger, it’s scary, and most of the times it only got them killed in very nasty ways, but also because they didn’t really fit into the human world, and they had to live up to their parents expectations, all the time. To make them proud, to honour them, and to show off their power.

And all of that is pretty difficult to do when the gods turn out to be shitty parents who don’t really deserve all that self-sacrifice.

Emily wasn’t indifferent to all of that.

As one of camps’ longest all year-rounders, she was well versed in the art of being the child of an absent godly parent. She trained, she learned, and she fought for glory, yes, but most importantly, to be worthy of her father’s attention and love. At twelve years old, she was one of the best fighters of her cabin: the children of Ares. Only her older sister, Clarisse, reached her level of skill; they fought on many occasions, both in the arena and outside of it, always to prove that they were better than the other one.

But Emily didn’t really care about being better than Clarisse, not really. She only trained, and fought and worked so hard to be the top warrior of her cabin, if not camp, to make her father proud. And she hoped that, if she would actually make him proud, she would finally see him again.

Not that she hadn’t seen him since he had left her at camp half-blood, no. Every winter, during the winter solstice ceremony, she encountered him. But he kept to himself, every single time for the last years. He didn’t acknowledge her or any of her siblings, and when the presentations were over, he always ran out of the room before she or her brothers or sisters could try to talk to him.

That’s why she had hope that if she stood out, maybe he would love her again like he did in the past.

“Are you listening to me, or are you daydreaming again?”

Emily turned her gaze to her left, where Annabeth was looking over at her questioningly. They were laying on the grass in a clearing of the forest, the afternoon light giving a golden glow to the top of the trees surrounding them. They were done with training for that day, having had a friendly competition about who of them both would hit more bullseyes at archery practice; Emily won, like she usually did, although Annabeth was also very skilled – Ares’ kids usually had a better aim for throwing weapons, or something like that. It’s what Annabeth always said when Emily ended up with a higher score than her.

“I am listening to you” Emily shifted her gaze back up to the sky, watching a round and fluffy cloud fly by “But I was also thinking about dinner. I can do both”

“Sure. So what was I talking about?”

“Something boring about an architect you read a book about”

“That was five minutes ago!” Annabeth laughed, shaking her head “And it’s not boring”

“Why do you think I started daydreaming? To not fall asleep!”

“You’re incorrigible” she huffed, although she was also smiling slightly.

“But I’m still your best friend, so I must be doing something right”

“I guess” Annabeth shrugged, sticking her tongue out to Emily. They both giggled “I was talking about capture the flag”

“Don’t tell me you’re nervous” Emily scoffed, looking at her “You’ve won three times in a row. You’ll manage a fourth”

“No one has won four consecutive rounds in a very long time. Everyone is waiting to watch me fail”

“That’s not true. I want to see you succeed”

“Shouldn’t you be on your teams side?” she raised one of her eyebrows, sarcastically. Annabeth fought with the rest of the Athena cabin, and Emily with the Ares cabin. The other cabins allied to one or another of them, but the main rivals in battle where always Ares and Athena – seemed logic, considering they were both deities of war “Don’t tell me you’ll just give me your flag. I don’t want an easy win”

“Of course I won’t do that. I will fight, tooth and claw, to get my victory. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t be happy if you win. You deserve it”

“Thanks, Emi”

“You welcome, Annie”

“Now… as I was saying a few minutes ago-“ she started talking about the architect again, and Emily groaned, sitting up “Hey, I’m trying to educate you. Better listen”

She wasn’t going to do that, not today. Fortunately, she found her escape: Luke was approaching the clearing where they lay, and he waved at her when he spotted Emily watching him.

He had arrived at camp with Annabeth five years ago, when Emily was seven. He was older than the girls, and he was like an older brother for the both of them; sure, they had their respective siblings at each of their cabins (Ares’, Athena’s and Hermes’), but the bond these three shared was genuine, and went beyond their heritage.

“It’s almost time for dinner!” he called out, a few steps away “Come on!”

They rose up, and met Luke halfway there. All three of them wore camps’ official orange t-shirt, like everyone else, and their summer camp necklace’s rested above the fabric, with the beads they earned at the end of each summer adding various pops of colour. However, they didn’t have identical pendants: Luke had five beads, like Annabeth, but she also had added her father’s college ring to the necklace after he sent it to her. Emily’s had not five, but six beads, and also a silver ring.

Ares had given it to her… a long time ago. When things had still been better between them.

“How’s my favourite duo doing?” although the three of them usually hang out together, there was always a duo in a trio “Heard you had fun at archery”

“I did. Annabeth not so much” Emily grinned at her friend, who rolled her eyes “Hey, let me have my win. If I competed against anyone from cabin seven I wouldn’t stand a chance”

They greeted some satyrs on their way to the dining area, and then separated to their respective tables: there were strict rules against sitting at another god’s table, so they were forced to eat with their siblings. Emily had a good relationship with most of her brothers and sisters, at least a cordial one; none of them were as close to her as Annabeth or Luke were, but they got along nicely. Then there were others, those of her siblings who stood more to Clarisse, her rival, who weren’t as nice to Emily. She wasn’t naturally prone to being mean to anyone, even if they weren’t friendly towards her, but after years of constant disrespect, Emily had had enough, and they knew that she could set her foot down if they caused her too much trouble.

Dinner went as usual, with camp being full of demigods, so the pavilion was bustling with voices and conversations, even if there were tables unoccupied, like the one’s for the children of the big three (who weren’t allowed to have children anymore, as they were too powerful), or the one dedicated to Artemis (which was only used by the goddess’ hunters if they ever visited camp… which usually never happened).

Chiron was also back at camp after being absent for some weeks at the end of the school year; Annabeth and Emily had been theorizing about the reasons for his departure, as he had never left camp for so long in the years they had been there.

“Do you think some demigod got into trouble on a quest and he has went out to help?”

“Well, maybe… but it has to be something important if Chiron himself had to go. He never leaves camp; he’s almost like… part of the décor or something”

“What if he left because… the quest he’s promising me is arriving?”

“You mean the one he’s been promising you for years? The one fated to a new demigod we haven’t even met yet?” Emily knew of her best friend’s aspirations, of her dreams. Annabeth was one of the strongest warriors at camp half-blood, head counselor at her cabin, and one of the smartest persons she knew. The only way left to prove herself, was to go on a quest, but Chiron had never allowed her to. She would only be able to when, according to the centaur, a demigod arrived who was fated to go on a quest not even Chiron could prevent – Annabeth had received that information under strict confidentiality, so of course only she and her best friends knew of it.

“Well, it could be. It’s been five years. How much longer can it take?”

“Keep studying the newbies, then. Maybe one of them will be the one”

But none of the new half-bloods at camp that summer seemed to be… something special – not that being literally children of Greek gods didn’t make them special. They just weren’t what Annabeth was waiting for.

That is, until one day, or specifically, one night, a new demigod made it to Long Island.

When Emily went to bed that evening, she didn’t expect to be woken up by a commotion before sunrise; it had been raining during the night, although it didn’t rain directly at camp because of the special weather conditions they had there, with the faint sound of water droplets echoed inside the cabins, almost soothing, until another sound joined its melody: frantic screaming, that came from someone running down the hill that led to Thalia’s tree.

Emily and her siblings made their way out of their cabin, like everyone else did, curious to know what had happened, and they saw Grover, dressed in a human attire, completely drenched from head to hooves. He ran to the big house, screaming and limping a bit, and soon after he got there, he walked out alongside Chiron, who dismissed everyone back to their beds, except the head counselors from each cabin.

At the Ares cabin, Clarisse was the head counselor. It wasn’t a title Emily really craved, but the power it held gave her sister some advantages, like right at that moment, being able to go alongside Chiron up the hill to see what had happened, while Emily had to stay behind. Annabeth was head counselor of her cabin, just as Luke was of his, so they both left as well, leaving her alone with a pout.

When Annabeth came back, though, she went straight to Emily, who was already waiting for her sitting in front of Athena’s cabin; there was no way in hell she would ask Clarisse about what had happened if she could just ask her best friend.

“He’s the one. He has to be”

Apparently, they had found an unconscious boy who looked around their age up at the hill. According to Grover, they were trying to make it to camp, when the Minotaur showed up, and attacked them; the boy, whose name was Percy, fought the monster, and he won.

Emily couldn’t deny that that was impressive. She had never fought monsters besides the ones she found at camp’s forests’ or the ones they sometimes brought in for training, but she knew it wasn’t an easy task, let alone if you didn’t have any experience.

“Grover said Percy’s mom was also with them” Annabeth grimaced “Grover believes that… the Minotaur killed her”

“Oh” Emily had lost her own mother when she was little, and she still remembered the pain of losing her and not having her there; she still felt it from time to time. Her thoughts went to Percy, as she knew it would be hard for him “Wait… he only believes the monster killed her? What do you mean?”

“They searched for her, but they didn’t find anything anywhere down the hill. Grover said that… he saw her vanish, like the monsters do when you kill them, just as when the Minotaur was trying to squish her”

“That’s not how humans die”

“I know” Annabeth bit her lip, deep in thought “So many questions and so little answers… But I have a strong feeling about this, Emi. He could be the demigod I was waiting for”

Said demigod spent the rest of the day, and the following night, sleeping in the infirmary. Annabeth, embracing her rebellious side, wanted to go see him herself that evening, and Emily tagged along, full of curiosity for the new boy.

“That’s him?”

“Is there anyone else unconscious here that I’m not seeing?” it was thundering above camp, the sounds of the storm muffling their voices.

“Hush, you” Emily frowned, watching the boy “Is he…?”

“Yeah, he’s drooling” Percy kind of blinked his eyes open then, catching a glimpse of Annabeth standing at his bedside; he asked her where he was, and the only thing she came up with saying was ‘you drool when you sleep’. He looked baffled at her, mumbling a ‘huh?’, and then he fell back into dreamland.

“That was a perfect meet cute moment you two had there, Annie”

“Now you, hush”

The next morning, after breakfast, Luke took both Annabeth and Emily to the side, and told them that he had met Percy.

“He’s staying with us until he gets claimed” that was standard protocol for newcomers who didn’t know who their godly parents were, as Hermes was, amongst other things, the god of travellers “He seemed… pretty rough. No one can blame him though; fighting the minotaur, losing his mom, and what he thought was his life… all of that in one night. It is tough, but so seems he”

“Did he really have the minotaur’s horn? I heard Chris talking about it” Luke answered yes to Emily’s question, and she whistled “Not bad for an untrained demigod”

They didn’t see Percy for the rest of the day, though, not even during the meals; he ate at his cabin after Luke went back after lunch or dinner with something for him. Apparently not even Grover could get him to talk much.

Emily imagined that if she had arrived at camp under the same circumstances as him, she probably wouldn’t act all that different; her case was also one of the rarest ones of them all, as not many of the demigods had been personally escorted by their godly parent to camp. She felt empathy for Percy, wishing he would settle in quickly.

“I’ll talk to him tomorrow” she told Annabeth, before they went to bed “You should come too. Get to know him if you think he’s the one”

“I’ll stick to my observations for now. You can debrief me later about what you think of him after you guys talk”

“Sure thing, ma’am, yes, ma’am”

Percy walked out of the Hermes cabin alongside Luke, Chris Rodriguez and other Hermes’ children the next morning, wearing his orange camp half-blood shirt and his (for now) bare necklace. Emily watched him from the entrance to the Ares cabin, and she made her way towards them when she spotted Clarisse walking in the same direction; she was accompanied by her most loyal supporters, which were some of hers and Emily’s siblings, and she had that smile on her face that Emily knew all too well. She was about to do something bad.

Clarisse bumped her shoulder against Percy’s on purpose, and when he exclaimed ‘hey!’, she shoved him on the chest, and he ended up on the ground. Emily reached them when Chris helped Percy up, while Clarisse was asking her audience if that was really the kid who had killed the minotaur.

“Look, you want attention around here, dummy? You better be ready for it when it comes” she pretended to shove Percy again, and he jumped back, defensive. Clarisse only laughed, until she saw Emily appearing behind the rookie.

“Back off, Clarisse”

“Or what? Are you gonna call daddy to lecture me?” she mocked her, laughing again, accompanied by their siblings’ mocking snickers. 

“I’ll just win again next time we fight at the arena” this time it was Emily smiling victoriously “And I’ll ask Luke to join me. It’ll be fun, don’t you think?”

Clarisse only huffed, and she walked away followed by her congregation. Luke high-fived Emily, while the rest of the Hermes’ kids dispersed as well.

“Well she seems nice” said Percy sarcastically pointing at Clarisse’s back.

“Ares kids” Luke rested his hands on his hips, also looking back at the girl who had just left “They come by it, honestly. Except Emily, of course… unless you steal her dessert” he smiled at his friend, and she took that as the clue to introduce herself.

“I’m Emily, by the way” she waved at Percy, now feeling slightly awkward “As Luke said, I’m in cabin five. Ares”

“So that girl is your sister?”

“Technically half-sister, but yeah. She can be… a bit difficult if she wants to. Sorry for that”

“That’s a way of putting it nicely” Percy had met many, many bullies in the last few years; he had been at plenty of schools, and some of them he couldn’t even really recall, but he remembered every single bully “Why doesn’t she mess with you two?”

“She knows better”

“Luke’s the strongest swordsman at camp” explained Chris, who had sticked around “And Emily has been her rival since the know each other. Always competing to be the best of their cabin, at everything”

“So… you mean that they leave you alone because of glory?” Luke had been explaining the concept of what glory (or kleos, in Greek), meant to the heroes, that is, the demigods; if you had kleos, you had fame, and the people knew that you had done something to be respected “So if I get glory, Clarisse wouldn’t mess with me either?” Luke said ‘exactly’, although Emily knew better than that; she knew her sister better than Luke did: Clarisse would still mess with Percy even if he gained kleos, but maybe she just wouldn’t do it everywhere, at any hour, and all alone against him “And my dad’s got no choice but to claim me!”

“That’s something you can’t control” Emily looked Percy in the eyes, shaking her head “You can’t just… force the gods to do anything. Trust me. It doesn’t work like that”

“Well, yeah, but… it would make it harder for him to pretend I don’t exist and not claim me, right?”

He seemed to have a point.

As Percy’s current cabin counselor, Luke took it upon himself to introduce the new boy to all the activities at camp half-blood – this is, with Emily’s help, of course.

“A good source of glory are feats of skill. We just got to find out what you’re good at”

They took Percy to archery practice, where Apollo’s children excelled. When he ended up shooting his arrow at the opposite side where he had to, almost hitting a bunch of demigods standing there (now, laying on the ground to avoid the flying arrow), they figured he didn’t belong in cabin seven.

“Skill comes natural, yes, but training is also important” Emily showed Percy how to properly use the bow (especially to know how to not accidentally almost kill everyone around him), hitting almost perfectly the bullseye “Even if you’re not initially good at something, if you work on it, you’ll improve”

“How long have you been training?” Percy thought she looked his age, maybe a bit younger, but she couldn’t be older than twelve.

“Since I was six. That’s when I first got to camp, and I always stay for the full term, so I’ve gotten many more practice hours than the average summer campers”

“You’ve been living here since you were six?” he couldn’t believe it “For real?”

“I don’t have anywhere else to go, and there are monsters outside of camp, so I need the training”

“So you’ve never been outside of here in like… five years?”

“Six years, and no. Chiron sometimes takes us out on… field trips, I guess. And then there’s the winter solstice ceremony, and other gatherings half-bloods can attend”

They went to the strawberry fields, but Percy’s gardening didn’t improve the growth of plants in any special way, so he definitely wasn’t a Dionysus kid (for which Percy seemed very relieved about).

“So… Percy?”

“Yeah?”

“No, I mean, your name” Emily talked to him while they walked back to the more secluded part of the camp, on their way to the forges, where Hephaestus kids worked “I’ve never met a Percy. I remember that… when I was really little, at my mom’s, she would show me these movies and… I think there was one where there was a dog named Percy”

“I… uh…cool. But my mom told me that she named me after Perseus. You know, the hero who killed Medusa. There is a statue of him in the Met museum”

“I know who he is, don’t worry. He’s technically my uncle. Well, mine, and from most people here. Maybe yours too!”

“It still feels kinda weird to me, all of this” he lowered his voice as they kept talking, seriousness invading his expression “I’ve only ever had my mom. Where was my dad when we needed him? The rest of the gods? All you people?”

“Those are the questions most demigods ask themselves once they get here” Luke piped up from a few feet away, looking sadly at him “Why didn’t they tell me sooner? Why wasn’t my dad with us? Why does it have to be me?” his words resonated with Percy’s feelings deeply “But now you’re not by yourself anymore. You have us. And who cares where our parents may be, as long as we have each other”

“Thanks… I guess”

They didn’t have much success at the forges. Percy started out well… until he accidentally threw a burning piece of metal over to a pile of fabric, that burst into flames. Luke sneakily got the three of them out of there before it got worse, and before anyone could notice they were gone, pretending that they didn’t have anything to do with that.

“So… not Hephaestus, apparently” Percy made a face, defeated. They were at the dining hall again, eating at their respective tables, so Emily was now at the Ares table, and him, Luke and Chris at Hermes’ “Is there a Greek god of disappointment? Maybe someone should ask him if he’s missing a kid”

“We’re gonna find the thing that you’re good at. I know it”

Percy heard some invisible bells chiming, and suddenly everyone from the Hermes tables was standing up, grabbing their plates.

“It’s our turn” said Luke “Burnt offerings. The gods like the smell, so it gets their attention before you say a prayer”

“They like the smell of burnt Mac and Cheese?”

“They like the smell of begging”

Luke explained to Percy that in order to get the deities’ attention, he had to burn what he would miss the most, because that way they would know that he meant what he was about to say, and they would listen.

Emily was still watching them from her own table, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder.

“Don’t turn around” a voice whispered. It was Annabeth. She was invisible using the magical Yankees hat her mother, Athena, had gifted her “What do you think of him?”

That’s how things were between Emily and Annabeth: together they shared brains and strength, and they relied on each other for everything. In cases like this, particularly, Annabeth studied from afar, contemplating the facts, while Emily ‘got her hands dirty’, studying up close.

“He isn’t sure where he fits into all of this” Emily mumbled, pretending she chewed on some bread. She wasn’t in the mood for someone questioning her for talking alone out loud “He doesn’t know if this is really his place”

“It is. He wouldn’t have been able to cross the barrier if it wasn’t”

“That’s not what I mean. He’s… insecure. And angry. At his dad, and everyone who never told him about any of this. And he’s also grieving his mom, which doesn’t make the rest any easier”

“I’ll keep an eye on him”

Emily had practice for capture the flag in the afternoon, so she didn’t see Percy anymore until dinner, where he didn’t look any better than during lunch. He disappeared early after the offerings, and she shared a look with Luke when he caught her watching their table.

The Ares cabin had two tables at the dining hall, and Emily never sat with Clarisse; they were like two different teams under the same roof. When they weren’t fighting, both sisters ignored each other, but that doesn’t mean that Emily wasn’t alert for any suspicious moves on her part, like that evening, when Clarisse and two of their siblings were also watching Percy with too much interest.

She knew that Annabeth was also keeping an eye on the boy, so she hoped that if Clarisse was pretending to do what she liked to call her “initiation ceremony” to Percy, Annabeth would be able to prevent her sister from dunking Percy’s head in a toilet before it was too late.

Emily would also try to avoid that, of course. She snuck out of her cabin, like she had done hundreds, if not thousands of times before, and she searched for Clarisse and her minions, who hadn’t even returned to their cabin after dinner even though it was pitch black outside. Percy was also nowhere in sight, and she started to become worried, making her way to the bathhouse, when a loud noise coming from said place alerted her senses.

Hiding behind a nearby tree, accompanied by the owls’ hooting and the faint sound of crickets chirping, Emily saw how her sister and two more of Ares’ children ran back outside, completely drenched in water, anger written all over their face. When they were far enough, Annabeth removed her baseball cap, standing outside of the bathhouse, and she looked around until she spotted Emily.

“How did you know I was here?” she asked her friend, making her way over to join her.

“You’re my best friend. I just did” that was fair enough.

They entered together the bathhouse, where the floor was now flooded, and some faucets were spilling even more water non-stop. A door to one of the toilets’ was completely destroyed, and the wood that was once said door floated now around in the water, in dozens of pieces. Percy stood in the middle of it all, not a single drop of water on him, looking completely clueless. He spotted the two girls at the door when he turned around, both with their arms crossed, mirroring each other perfectly.

“I can explain” he said, warily. Although, he really couldn’t.

“No you can’t”

“…okay. I can’t” he looked at Emily, who he knew, of course, and then at Annabeth. She looked familiar “Wait. I know you”

“No, you don’t”

“Yeah, I do. You were there… that night in the infirmary” Emily hid her smile, remembering how those two had had their meet cute moment “Weren’t you?”

“Yes” this time, she went with the truth “I’m Annabeth”

“Are you stalking me, Annabeth?”

“Yes”

“Okay… Wait, Emily, were you stalking me too?”

“Yes” she shrugged, smiling slightly. She had done it for Annabeth, though, and at that precise moment, because she knew her sister had been up to something, but she didn’t owe him any explanation.

“Why?”

“We were waiting to see if something like this would happen” Emily pointed at the chaos that was now the bathhouse, reassembling a pond.

“So I’d know if you could help me” followed Annabeth.

“With what?” Percy wasn’t understanding much.

“Win capture the flag”

The three of them made their way back to the cabins after that brief conversation, without giving Percy any more explanations, so that they wouldn’t get caught in the flooded bathroom and be blamed for it. Annabeth entered her cabin the first, at the side of the Goddesses cabins, while Percy and Emily made their way to the opposite array of buildings, of the male Gods.

“What did Annabeth mean with ‘Capture the flag’?”

“It’s a game. Ask Luke, he’ll explain everything” Emily only smiled at him, thinking his confused frown looked funny.

“Oh… okay” he remained silent for a few seconds “Look… I didn’t mean to attack your siblings. I’m sorry for that” Percy whispered his apology to her, so to not be heard by anyone; it was past curfew so they shouldn’t be roaming the woods at that hour “Although I’m not really sure I was the one who… actually did that. The water just… disappeared inside the pipeline, and then it shot back up hitting Clarisse and the others”

“The water protected you from them” she bit her lip, thoughtful “I’m sorry that they ambushed you”

“It’s okay… It seems like bullies tend to like me. I’m used to it”

“Well, I’m glad that this time they got what they deserved. I don’t like meanies either” she smiled at Percy, now standing in front of the entrance to her cabin “Goodnight, supreme lord of the bathroom”

Emily took a long time to get asleep that night, analysing what she had witnessed; Percy didn’t seem to fit any particular trait of any of the gods, he wasn’t skilled in any specific task, and he wasn’t as mischievous as most Hermes’ children were.

There was a possibility she didn’t dare to think of: the big three. It couldn’t even be possible… right? They had made a pact to not have any more children after the incident (which was, the second world war), because they were too powerful; that kind of demigods couldn’t be controlled. And there were many other gods, minor ones, who could have fathered Percy.

It was the facts though, like all the fuss they had made about Percy getting to camp, the trouble Grover and him had faced, his victory against the minotaur, and that strange yet very revealing experience in the bathhouse, that made Emily doubt if he could be a forbidden child.

Feeling tense and uneasy, she finally fell asleep, off to dreamland: she was laying under the stars on the grass, watching the archer, the ursa major, and other constellations she knew by heart. She wasn’t alone, though. She didn’t need to look to know who it was: his hand, big and calloused, was pointing up to the sky above them, and although he was explaining something to her, she was more concentrated in the movement of his hand and the flex of his fingers. On one of said fingers was the same ring she carried on her necklace, glistening under the moonlight.

She felt safe in that dream, and a warmth washing over her, soothing her like a balm. She wasn’t really understanding anything he was telling her, his voice muffled as if they were far away from one another, although she could feel him right by her side. Her uneasiness slightly vanished, even if it was just for a few seconds, and she felt reassured by him. When she turned to look at his face, the warmth disappeared, and she woke up.

Emily fought to not open her eyes, clinging to the dream; it was a memory of what seemed another lifetime she deeply missed. She didn’t have time to mourn the past, though: today was the day of capture the flag.

Joining her siblings for one last morning practice, Emily temporarily forgot about her doubts concerning Percy, and focused on training: the Ares cabin had teamed up with Demeter, Aphrodite, Hephaestus and Dionysus for this game, while Athena, Apollo and Hermes formed the other team. Although Emily’s team had more cabins, the two bigger cabins were the seventh (this is, Apollo), and the eleventh (Luke’s cabin, Hermes).

There were only two children of Mr. D, and Demeter’s offsprings weren’t very into combat, although they liked to fight the Apollo children for using arrows, which were made out of wood (which came from trees, and they refused to participate in any activity that encouraged the senseless slaughter of their arboreal friends!).

Aphrodite’s children weren’t bad at fighting if they wanted to, but they lacked of… the bloodlust Ares’ children had. Emily was friends with their head counselor, Silena Beauregard, as they had spent much time together at the Pegasi stables, of which Silena was in charge of. The Hephaestus demigods were built big and strong, so they were useful for combat, but their best virtue was the weapons they crafted and provided for the game.

One of their strongest weapons wasn’t made by them, though: Clarisse, leader of their team, owned an electric spear, gifted to her by Ares himself. It was her most prized possession, and she liked to show if off every chance she got, using it with her characteristic brute force.

Emily had her own weapon gifted to her by their father, an enchanted throwing knife which disguised as a bracelet, but it wasn’t as flashy or grandiose as Clarisse’s spear. She hated that spear.

Capture the flag would begin after lunch, so after grabbing a quick bite, and burning some of the food, Emily still had some little time to spare. She looked for Grover, and found him in the forest near the lake.

“I need to talk to you”

“Oh, sure, hi” he looked around them, seeming nervous. Although Emily wasn’t as aggressive as most of her siblings, she could be intense, and rather direct. She had often given Grover many jump scares “What’s up?”

“It’s about Percy” his face went serious “Annabeth and I… we are suspecting something. About his parentage”

“I don’t think I can help you with that” he said, shaking his head fast “No, I don’t…”

“You’re also suspecting something, aren’t you?” Grover’s face turned red; she had caught him. Emily smiled, walking closer to him, while Grover walked backwards, distancing himself slowly “I’m not saying you know anything, but… you know him better than we do. You guys were best friends at his school, right? Did anything happen there? Something… suspicious, that could make you think of a specific god?”

“I really can’t talk to you about this” he thought that Emily had been influenced too much by Annabeth, as she had her same ways of relentlessly asking questions, which combined with her resilience, made her implacable. And he would get in trouble if he said anything. Fortunately, the sound of a conch shell in the distance saved him “Oh, look, the game is starting. I would have loved to keep talking to you, but I really need to go now”

“You’re not even competing” she frowned.

“Yeah, sure, but this place is about to become a warzone, and no satyr wants to be around when that happens”

Fair enough, she let him go; she couldn’t be late anyways, so she ran back to her cabin, and quickly put on her armour, before going to the weaponry to grab everything she needed. Her preferred weapons were her throwing knife and a dagger she had had since she was six, which she always carried with her. For capture the flag she stuck to the standard sword and shield, although she was always tempted by the spears. She liked them, it was part of the typical Greek arsenal for battle… but the spears were also Clarisse’s thing, and she didn’t want to be compared to her sister.

Chiron had started to gather both teams at a cliff where the river split the forest in two sides, and fell down the mountain in a waterfall. Most of Emily’s team members were already there, wearing red striped armours like hers, and at the other side of the river, she saw Luke standing alongside the rest of his siblings and teammates, and also Percy; the blue eyed boy wore a blue striped armour over his orange shirt, with a blue crested helmet on his head. His weapons were a shield, and something small he was holding in his hand Emily couldn’t really make out from that far away. On Emily’s side was the red flag they had to defend, and on Percy’s and Luke’s side, the blue flag her team had to snatch to win.

The captains arrived, Clarisse and Annabeth on their respective sides, and Chiron, wearing his favourite tweed jacket and a cream coloured cape over it, greeted everyone cheerfully.

“Welcome, demigods!” he seemed delighted, and he sounded excited “A new game of capture the flag is ahead! As always, the rules are simple: the first team to retrieve the opposing flag and return it across the river shall be the victor. As always, there will be no maiming and no killing. I trust these rules will be respected” those rules had to be installed after some unfortunate events Emily had been glad to not have experienced “Any magical items you may possess, are permitted as well. Every camper who is not injured has to play. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged” those had also been things Emily was glad she hadn’t experienced “Let the games begin!”

After the conch shell blew again, the red team erupted in angry battle cries, banging their shields and various weapons in chaotic rhythms. The blue team let out a collective shout, hitting their shield in unison. Both teams had twenty minutes before the conch sounded a final time, and then it would be game on.

Emily winked at Annabeth, who winked back at her playfully before completely assuming her role as captain once more. Let the best one win.

Clarisse designated different troops for the game, and sent them scattered throughout the forest to attack the blue team and defend their flag. Emily was running off with her squadron, when she caught out of the corner of her eye how Clarisse and two of their siblings separated from their group, heading to a completely different direction.

“Emily, c’mon!”

Sighing, she followed her troop, hoping for the best.

She had her hands full soon anyways. Clarisse didn’t want Emily protecting the teams flag because of her friendship with Annabeth, so she was assigned to holding back the opposite team so that they wouldn’t actually get to the flag; Clarisse wasn’t Emily’s greatest fan, but she knew to not underestimate her. So she was quickly busy fighting Annabeth’s teammates: Emily wasn’t alone of course, as she had four of her siblings and four other demigods to help out. They won the first round, but the next battalion was commanded by Luke himself, and that would be tougher. Much more.

Luke went straight to her; he knew she would be the most difficult one to disarm, so he took it upon himself to fight her. He circled Emily, sword raised defensively, and she mirrored his movements. Luke’s first strike was easy to stop, and with practiced skill she raised her own sword, metal clashing against metal. As Luke pressed forward, Emily countered swift strikes of her own, until one of Luke’s brothers, Chris, joined him and attacked Emily from the other side. She raised her shield defensively, and Luke took his chance to hit her sword again, this time making her lose her grip.

Emily shoved Chris with force, using her shield to add strength to the hit, and when he tripped, she disarmed him as well. Luke attacked again, but Emily jumped to the side in time to avoid the hit of his sword; her own sword was laying on the ground, and she quickly retrieved it using her shield once again to block Luke’s strikes.

“Do you give up?”

“Never”

The two clashed relentlessly, swords meeting in a flurry of strikes and parries. Emily’s determination fueled her every move, strong and skilled, but Luke knew her weak spots like no one else, and so he used them against her. He sent Emily’s sword back clattering to the ground hitting her on the arm, and he dodged her dagger when she threw it at him furiously.

“You Ares kids have a temper!”

“Don’t provoke it then!”

Cornered against a tree, Emily charged against him, letting out an angry scream. Luke managed to get out of the way before she hit him, causing her to stumble forward. She recovered fast, doing a somersault, but when she faced Luke again, he had his sword raised just below her chin – He had the upper hand now.

“Are we done now?”

 “Nuhuh, but I don’t want to embarrass you in front of your friends. I know you need the validation” she let go of her shield, signalling her surrender. She would never admit a defeat out loud, though. Her genes, Ares’ genes, wouldn’t let her.

Luke helped her up, while the rest of her team also recovered. Chris told Luke something about having to move quickly to get the flag before Clarisse showed up, but Luke seemed chill about it.

“Are you so self-confident that you think she won’t manage to kick your ass if she gets her hands on you?” Emily raised her eyebrows at her friend, surprised. Luke only smirked, shaking his head no.

“I’m not that crazy, no. But we suspect that she’s got her own quest going on beside capturing the flag. I’ve spotted her going up the hill in the opposite direction around fifteen minutes ago”

“What quest are you talking about?” she didn’t need to think much to guess it herself “She’s going after Percy?”

“Annabeth’s got a plan, don’t worry. He’ll be fine”

“I hope you’re right”

When Luke and his troop left to go find the red flag, Emily decided she would also leave; they had already been defeated anyways, so she couldn’t prevent Luke from getting her team’s flag, and so she went after Clarisse. The bad feeling she’d had at the beginning of the game seemed to have been right.

Emily ran through the forest, up the hill like Luke had told her, and after some time moving in the opposite direction of where most of the action was happening, she began to hear faint sounds of metal clashing against metal, and the familiar sizzle sound of an electric spear she knew all too well.

To some extent, Emily could understand Clarisse, which was probably one of the main reasons they didn’t get along well. Both of them had been ignored by their father for years now, and not a single thing they did to make him proud seemed to catch his eye. Not a single one. They both lived at camp the whole year, and they trained nearly every single say, trying to always become stronger, faster, and greater. Their mutual competition also helped, she had to admit – they always pushed each other, and it improved their skills. They were their best opponent.

That’s why, when a twelve year old with absolute no preparation got to camp, defeating the Minotaur all by himself, Emily had also had her suspicions. He couldn’t have done it alone, right? Turns out he could, and he did. And instead of being impressed by him and wanting to get to know him more to discover the reason for his spectacular victory, like Emily did, Clarisse could only focus on the fact that some little dumb twelve year old, untrained and unclaimed, had raised more attention to himself in a few days, than she had managed to get in years of being at camp pushing herself to extreme limits to excel.

And it killed Clarisse. She fought so hard to get scraps of her father’s attention, and he never showed her any kind of affection. In her mind, she thought that it was her fault, though, and that if she worked harder for him, he would love her – Emily felt the same way; that’s what she understood so well about her sister. Clarisse’s hard work had barely granted her anything since getting to camp, and Percy was receiving all the glory she deserved and dreamed of, and that he didn’t even seem to want. It wasn’t fair.

That’s why she embraced her darker side, and sought the next best thing after glory: revenge.

Emily got to the top of the hill in time to see Percy running away from her sister and two of her siblings, who went right after him. They would corner Percy from different sides, like hunters with their prey.

She couldn’t just shout out for Percy, as it would reveal her position to her siblings, so Emily ran behind them (lamenting the fact that she had just made it up the hill, and that she now had to run all the way back down with sore legs), trying to figure out their moves: Clarisse was running down in a straight line, not really following Percy, but getting ahead of him, probably to corral him further down the mountain. Her siblings were the ones directly on his toes, and while one of them followed his same footsteps, the other calculated where he would end up passing through, and threw himself at him, sending the boy to the ground.

Percy rolled down to the shore line between bushes and trees, landing on the hard and sharp soil gravel by the lake. Emily’s siblings caught up to him, and Percy stood up quickly, almost tripping while walking backwards to put a distance between him and them, with his sword up; he didn’t go far, though, as Clarisse was waiting for him with her spear pointing at him, ready to fight.

Emily was about to intervene, when a hand on her shoulder stopped her – an invisible hand.

“Annabeth, we have to help him” Emily protested, watching Clarisse laugh at Percy before launching herself at him, almost impaling him like a human kebab “He’s got no chance against them”

“He defeated the minotaur, right?” Annabeth was still invisible, but she could feel, and hear her right beside her. She probably had been watching Percy this whole time, waiting for a fight like this to happen “And he did that thing in the bathhouse. Just… wait and see how it goes”

“Are you sure?”

“Crystal. Trust me on this”

I was hard to look at, though. Emily’s siblings wouldn’t give Percy any respite, however, he managed to grab the electric spear at one point, both him and Clarisse grabbing it now from opposite sites, and he used it to temporarily block her. He landed some good hits on the other two Ares’ demigods, but then Clarisse got Percy to let go of her weapon. Percy rolled on the ground and got his shield back, and after a few seconds where his three rivals reconsidered their options, they attacked him again.

Percy wasn’t trained, but he had a natural talent and he defended himself good, to the point where he blocked Clarisse’s strike, managing to grab the end of her spear again, this time with the same arm he held the shield. After hits, grunts and metal clashes, Percy took the others down, and with both of her siblings on the ground, Clarisse desperately tried to free her weapon from Percy’s grip rolling on the soil, making him trip and fall a few feet away. Alongside the sound of his fall, pants and groans, there was the sound of something hard and metallic breaking apart and a large amount of energy being released all at once

Emily held her breath, just as Annabeth. Percy was alright, and so was Clarisse, but her spear… the electric spear her father had gifted her, which was the only thing she had ever received from him, was now split in two, broken. Both girls held their breath while watching Clarisse assess the damage, seeing the lower half of her favourite weapon in her hands, severed from the half in Percy’s hands.

Clarisse's scream tore through the air like a raw, primal cry of anguish and fury. It echoed off the trees, resonating with the intensity of her emotions as she beheld the shattered remnants of her beloved weapon, devastation on her face.

She charged against Percy, seeing completely red, and Emily couldn’t take it anymore. She jumped forward, just in time to stop Clarisse from grabbing Percy by the straps of his breastplate, who stepped back in terror.

Before Clarisse could lunge at her sister for getting in her way, the conch shell blew, and a second after, Luke and his soldiers ran to the shore holding victoriously the red team’s flag. Annabeth had won.

“The game is over, Clarisse” Emily looked at her sister warily. She was unpredictable when she got angry and hurt, which Emily knew “Leave him”

The older girl only huffed, and walked away with her two companions, holding the remnants of her spear in both hands.

Percy fell to the ground on his knees, panting heavily. The rush of adrenaline was wearing off, and his emotions started rise up him as he caught up with what had just happened – amongst other things, he had nearly died.

“Not bad, hero”

He turned to his right, where there was… nothing. At least, until Annabeth took her Yankees cap off; she walked over to him, and he looked baffled at her.

“Were you here the whole time?” she confirmed it “You were here the whole time and you didn’t help me?” he got the same answer “Why?”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, and extended her hand out for him to grab. She helped him up, and only then did he look at Emily.

“Thanks for… saving me” he panted, still breathing heavily. His heart was beating a hundred miles per hour, and his blood rang inside his ears “She was going to kill me”

“Listen, Percy…” Annabeth got him to look at her again. She looked him in the eyes, intense gaze studying his blue iris’s, which looked back at her holding onto every word she said “I’m sorry”

Annabeth shoved him in the chest, causing him to stumble and to fall into the lake.

“Annabeth!” Emily looked at her friend in alarm, completely taken aback for what she had just done.

“What is wrong with you?!” shouted Percy, now completely soaked. His cries and Emily’s got everyone’s attention, and the celebration of the blue team’s victory was cut short when every soldier turned to them, watching what was happening.

Percy stood up inside the water, but Annabeth didn’t answer him nor Emily. She only watched him, first with interest, and then with amazement. Emily followed her gaze, and she understood what she was looking at: Percy’s injuries, cuts and blood… were disappearing. He felt how his skin healed, and he watched every scrape vanish before his eyes.

What was happening? How was he healing?

“I don’t understand” he muttered.

The answer came in the shape of a trident.

“Your dad’s calling”

A blue trident floating over Percy’s head. He had been claimed.

Emily, Annabeth, Luke and every single other living being who was there looked at the boy in wonder, in utter silence, the greatness of this once in a lifetime moment embarking their souls. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing: a son of the big three. A forbidden child of the sea god. A demigod singular amongst heroes.

“Percy Jackson” Chiron’s voice resonated through the forest, carrying an intensity that was only possessed by those who had lived thousands of years “You have been claimed by Poseidon. Earthshaker. Stormbringer. Percy Jackson… Son of the Sea God”

---

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

[simlit]

Chosen of the Sun | | dawn // thirty

| @izayoichan | @maladi777

ABILITY CHECK | CHARISMA Aster is assigned a base stat of 10 charisma, with a bonus of 5. Question #1 requires a roll of at least 15. Question #2 requires a roll of at least 16. Question #3 requires a roll of at least 18.  Question #4 requires a roll of at least 18.  Question #5 requires a roll of at least 20. 

next / previous / beginning

LUCIEN: Then… someone died? ELDEWYN: Indeed, someone did. And none of the remaining nine claimed responsibility. Made things quite interesting for spectators. There was some rumors that perhaps even the Chosen of the Sun might have been the killer. INDRYR: Surely the goddess of the moon would not select a murderer as her chosen. ELDEWYN: Ah, but it is sometimes the case. After all, back then, anything was acceptable. Even had they admitted their deed, they would not have been punished. LUCIEN: How awful… INDRYR: And who was the victim? ELDEWYN: Mm, the last to lose their life in the moon trials… What was it… ah yes… Castien, was his name. Castien Thallan. KYRIE: Who was he? ELDEWYN: A rabblerouser from the south. He used to get into all sorts of trouble. I remember before he was chosen, he and his little gang would stir up the city, made people restless. The guard was always after him for one thing or another, but never could hold him long. Imagine our shock when it was announced he'd been picked. After that, he was untouchable of course. Ironic, you ask me. KYRIE: He was just a delinquent, then? ELDEWYN: Yes, you could say so. A thorn in the capital’s side, really. But clearly honorable enough for the Moon to choose him. ASTER: A toast! To a veritable troublemaker! I can certainly relate. After all, they only had to drag me out of jail right to the steps of the church! ELDEWYN: Ha! That’s right! I’ll say, there was quite the gossip about it in town! INDRYR: Whatever were you arrested for, anyways? ASTER: Oh, you know, a little scuffle… bit of a bar brawl if I’m honest. I’m not much of a fighter, but tell that to my tongue! INDRYR: How curious that no one ever admitted to the deed. Are they certain he didn’t die to the elements? ELDEWYN: To be frank, there was a great deal of speculation about it, but seeing as how no one but then Ten were inside, there’s really no way of knowing. Afterwards, he was given over to the King’s clerics and prepared for burial. We honor the fallen, of course. They’re still Chosen, even in death. But he had no kin to speak of, and no one after came to claim him that wasn’t one of his fellow troublemakers. KYRIE: Whatever happened to them? ELDEWYN: I’m certain I don’t know. Went on their way, or grew up, I suppose! INDRYR: Perhaps there was someone else in the labyrinth? ELDEWYN: Hm? What do you mean by that? INDRYR: You said there were many dangers within the maze, it could be that he encountered someone there. Someone not Chosen? ELDEWYN: The labyrinth is located on the outskirts of the city. During the trial the entrances are heavily guarded, and very few people know the way through. Even if someone could get passed the blockades, they’d be utterly lost! INDRYR: Then, it doesn’t seem particularly efficient that anyone would plan to use the trial as a cover for murder. Unless… LUCIEN: Why would anyone think to do that? ASTER: Quite conspiratorial there, Indryr! And who doesn’t love a good conspiracy theory? Mm? I’m sure there’s a secret dragon under the castle waiting to make snacks of us all. More wine, my lord? ELDEWYN: Of course, of course! KYRIE: Surely you don’t think there was outside involvement? INDRYR: I’m only speculating. KYRIE: I’m certain there’s no evidence of that. Isn’t that right, my lord? ELDEWYN: Well, you know, he’s not the first to say so. There were rumors at the time that perhaps Castien’s involvement in the trials had been predetermined. KYRIE: Predetermined? ELDEWYN: They said he was selected deliberately. At request of… It’s all hearsay, anyways. LUCIEN: But the Chosen are selected by divine right! Lunar Priests get their orders directly from the goddess of the moon! Right, Your Grace? KYRIE: Uh— ELDEWYN: Of course, Your Highness. It is silly gossip, nothing more. Some people believed the presiding priest was espousing false information. But the trials were successful as every year before. There’s no reason to think he was lying about Castien being one of the true Chosen Ten. But people will get all sorts of ideas if given even a shred of mystery.

[ghaniblue]

HP Rec Fest: Day 3

@hprecfest prompt: a podfic

Podfics, my beloved. I tried to narrow it down to one, but alas. So I went with:

two old Drarry favourites that I imprinted on years ago and still return to time and again;

a Drarry podfic by an all-time favourite podficcer across several fandoms, written by the narrator;

and a new favourite rare pair podfic, and an incredible debut recording at that.

Tissue of Silver read by Fayjay & written by Fearlessdiva (Drarry, Explicit, 8h)

A love story concerning possessed furniture, black silk pyjamas, courtroom drama, premonitions of doom, assassination attempts, Death Eater yoga, absinthe, bare feet and a sensible werewolf. Beware: coarse language, brief drug use, some sexual content, and consideration of issues of sexual consent.

After failing in his task of killing Dumbledore, life doesn’t go as Draco expected. Sometimes just surviving takes everything you’ve got. And sometimes healing is something you can’t do alone. Story goes AU/AR from the end of Half-Blood Prince.

A Fruit Tree in Winter by Bryoneybrynn read by Takola & written by Bryoneybrynn (Drarry, Mature, 3-3,5h

Podfic: Like Diamonds We Are Cut With Our Own Dust written & read by @raitala (Drarry, Teen, 1h)

Draco has borne the mark of the Dark Lord for over ten years. It is familiar to him, but he pays the price for it every day, and Harry has noticed.

For Sale by Owner: Rose Weasley-Granger's Virginity by @schmem14 & written by @vukovich (Draco/Rose, minor Rose/Scorpius, background Scorbus, Explicit, 3-3,5h)

Problem: I'm a twenty-four year-old academic prodigy, but I'd trade my diplomas for a good, hard fuck. Since that's not a real thing I can do, I guess I'll pack up my dildo collection and go to the States for this doctoral program. If I can raise the money for tuition. Solution: Virginity: the original NFT. Non-Fuckable Token. Assuming someone will pay for it. Spoiler: Someone does. Handsomely. And repeatedly. And then I stole his cat.

>> rec fest masterlist <<

[ksrlvr]

i think what irked me when rereading pjo, especially whilst having an interest in greek mythology too, was the portrayal of medusa, ares and the aphrodite cabin (mostly in the first few books).

tw: sexual/physical/emotional abuse, violence

cause wdym ares is basically just another deadbeat cunt, portrayed as a massive bully and he’s implied to be abusive to his kids - something we don’t even know the full extent of too. like when he had that convo with clarisse (sea of monsters i think, i can’t double check i don’t have my books with me rn). the girl is fucking terrified of him mate. she may be his favourite daughter but she’ll never be a son. i feel like the series only highlights his negative traits bc he is the god of war…. like he’s also the god of courage!! protector of cities, the amazons!! he bestows upon them his fighting spirit!!! his daughter was literally the queen of the amazons!! most if not all the olympians have committed heinous ass shit - i mean 2 of the big 3 are literally infamous sex offenders… (whole other topic of like these omniscient beings - literal gods - being like a reflection of humanity in a sense.. WAIT now I wanna go on deep dive… i’m getting distracted). i think my guy also got tried for murdering one of poseidons other crotch goblins because he raped his daughter (I DONT REMEMBER NAMES). another one of his daughters is literally the goddess of harmony - he isn't necessarily just producing devil spawn. i think he has two other kids with aphrodite uhhh phobos? and someone else, god of fear and actually I think this is irrelevant MOVING ON. MY POINT IS HE'S SO GIRL DAD CODED. HE'S A GOOD DAD !!! BRO IS LITERALLY IN LOVE WITH APHRODITE DAWG. HE TREATS HER LIKE A QUEEN, THE GODDESS THAT SHE IS!! bro has daddy issues and knows what it feels like so he treats his kids better! DO HKM SOME JUSTICE RAAAAH!!

i’m also aware of the different interpretations of medusa’s story (not gna get into allat rn tho). ya know general story, she was a priestess of athena who poseidon forced himself upon in athena’s temple so then girl got turned into a gorgon (some victim blaming on athena’s part idk claiming it was sacrilege etc/poseidon what the actual fuck). she’s often portrayed as a horrifying monster - later stories alluding to how she was both extremely beautiful (and terrifying) blah blah u get it. anyway it didn’t really dive into her story and just painted her as this insidious villain i suppose (tbh understandable for a 12 yo percy’s pov when this woman is trying to KILL him). then she obviously got beheaded - AGAIN must i add. also giving birth to pegasus (+ chryasor me thinks?) like good lord, girl is going thru it, she deserves sm better. though as far as I know (haven’t watched ep yet) she’s much more fleshed out in the show and you can see her humanity - yay!!

this bit is only in the very first few books but how the entire aphrodite cabin was shown just made me feel a bit icky. but later on in the story we have the kids having much more of a presence etc (silena leading the ares cabin bro!!!).

anyway think i’m done rambling for now, dunno if there are any other things i shoukd get into. uh feel free to add to or correct me if i’m wrong >_<