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some-pers0n · 3 months

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Turtle's arc is so subtle yet so good and I love it a lot, which sucks since I've seen a number of people write him off as just "socially awkward kid who is boring", which?? No??? Gimme a second just to ramble, okay?

Turtle has terrible self-esteem issues and an inferiority complex. He puts himself down, calling himself boring, stupid, and generally useless constantly in his internal dialogue. He's kind and sweet and really well meaning, but he's socially awkward and shy and can't exactly strike up a conversation.

He's like this in due part of being one of Queen Coral's many...many sons. Christ alive this woman had thirty-two sons-- but that's besides the point. He's just another dragon. He's not old enough to be a leader, but not young enough to exactly be any special. He's a middle child. He's a nobody. Just another SeaWing prince who's destined to either run away or to become a military general.

The one time Turtle was ever truly acknowledged was when the night happened with his father, Gill. Gill needed Turtle to fetch one of the royal guards so that they could protect Queen Coral's eggs. But, Turtle couldn't find them. He failed. Gill lashes out, snapping back at Turtle for his inability to do such a simple task and killing the eggs in the process. Turtle internalized this moment. He was useless. He's a nobody, and when he's forced to be somebody, he'll just fail and let everyone down.

Thus, he doesn't see himself as anything special. A fuck up if anything; which makes it all the more ironic that he's an animus dragon. He's literally got the most powerful, special ability in the entire continent, and more than anything he's self-conscious and terrified of it as he would then be pushed into the limelight over it. Because of it, Turtle has made some...rather selfish choices every now and then. The incident with Anemone was created solely because he was petrified of being put on a pedestal. He doesn't want to be some grand dragon. So, he diverted attention away from him and enchanted Anemone to have magic.

Turtle doesn't want to make choices or do anything out of fear of failure and letting others down. Worse is if he's discovered to be an animus, where he's then elevated to such high expectations that he is convinced he will never be able to accomplish. He's held back by his own perceived inadequacy. He doesn't think highly of himself. He doesn't want the spotlight as he's both afraid of being seen and afraid of what those people will say when he lets them down.

He blended into the background in Moon Rising. Moon herself was confused by not being able to read his thoughts, which turned out to be because of the Magic Plot Rock we all know and love as skyfire. However, as the rest of the Jade Winglet ran off when Moon revealed to have been a mind reader, Turtle stuck around. He related to that. He felt pity and understood Moon the most. They are most like one another anyways, with the both of them being ashamed of their own powers and fearing being rejected by their loved ones the most.

He's a deeply kind and considerate soul who wants nothing more than to help people. He cares for Moon and wants to comfort her when she's at her lowest. He is so sweet, but he does it in a quiet, deeply personal way. He doesn't like big gestures or calling attention upon himself. He just likes being close to another. I feel he connected most with Moon because he found his own insecurities and fears in her and related to that. He found another person like him.

The Jade Winglet helps Turtle a lot with his own issues. Slowly throughout the series, he grows a little more confident of himself. His kindness is shown yet again with him becoming friends with Peril. Again, relating and sharing experiences of having powers and abilities that others want to take advantage of and unwillingly push them into roles they wouldn't want. He laughs, jokes, and playfully banters with her. He's getting better and better.

And then...Darkstalker.

Darkstalker throws a wrench into everything. Turtle reverts instantly back to his scared, cowardly ways. He enchants a stick to hide himself from Darkstalker, instantly sensing that Darkstalker hated him. He feels powerless to stop Darkstalker. What could he do?? Well, he could try to use his magic, but that would mean he steps out into the spotlight! He's seen! But this is serious. Darkstalker is massive, has animus magic, can read minds, and can see into the future. Turtle is just a kid. He's a nobody. He can't do anything.

He's scared. He feels useless and afraid. He's no hero. He doesn't want to be a hero. He's nothing like the heroes from legend. He's nobody.

Over the course of his book, we see Turtle quietly observe and stand by as Darkstalker takes over Jade Mountain Academy. He's plotting and planning, feigning his kindness and basking in the praise and worship others are giving him. Darkstalker is the antithesis to Turtle. He freely uses his magic without care and, more than anything, wants to be seen and witnessed by others. He loved the attention that his magic brings him. If somebody doesn't like him, then he either kills them off or brainwashes them into liking him. He's the polar opposite of Turtle in every way.

And you know who else is like that? Anemone.

Anemone is corrupted and warped even more by Darkstalker. Before hand, she was a kid who had just been released from the suffocating life as Queen Coral's only daughter. Darkstalker saw her as a pawn he could exploit. He encouraged her to be more risky and daring with her magic. He whispered into her ear and tells her that she's able to do anything. He's grooming a child he's grooming a child--

Regardless, Turtle feels guilty for everything Anemone has been put through. He doesn't fully understand the extent to which she had suffered as being physically tied to her mother at all times and being trained as a living weapon, but he feels so much guilt over it. Because of his inability to take accountability and risk being seen, he made a selfish, half-formed enchantment that was supposed to be a quick fix. He did not fully think of the consequences, and yet here they are before him.

As the book goes on, we see Turtle slowly but steadily try to form a resistance movement against Darkstalker. He had been watching and eventually found himself alone with Qibli and Winter. Winter, who was still heavily under the "Darkstalker is good :))))" spell, refused to listen as Turtle told them about it. Qibli, who wasn't affected, understood. For one of the first times ever, Turtle used his magic for another. Well, he also enchanted Kinkajou's skyfire so that she would be almost invisible to Darkstalker, but that would require me spending two seconds thinking about where that scene leads to (the love spell) and I'd rather not.

Anywho, Turtle is still insecure and afraid, but he's slowly becoming more sure of himself. He knows Darkstalker is evil and he wants to take him down. He's deeply afraid of him though, as he knows Darkstalker will kill him. He still feels useless and scared.

Until finally he has to act.

Anemone, coaxed by Darkstalker into doing this, goes off to kill Queen Coral and her entire family. Anemone is convinced this is what she deserves after being a terrible mother. Suddenly, Turtle realizes that his little mistake of giving Anemone god powers now has consequences and his family is going to die.

The guilt he feels is immense, but he needs to stand up. He can't sit idly anymore and let the world pass him by. He needs to stop her. He's the only one who can match her power. He has to fight her. He has to warn everyone. He has to do something heroic and terrifying.

He confronts Anemone on the beach. For the first time, he stands up for himself. He doesn't back down when she barks at him and demands he leaves. She tries to kill him, only for him to finally reveal himself. He's admitting to his mistakes. His guilt. He knows that she's not going to have a good reaction. Yeah so Anemone then tries to kill him via animus magic. The pair fight, with Turtle wining in the end.

Yada yada the book ends with Turtle having his magic taken away, but over the course of the book (as well as bleeding into DOD), Turtle has grown significantly in terms of his fears and anxieties. He's able to make a stand for himself and actively try to make things better. He's scared and still socially awkward, but he's, well, a hero in some semblance. Something he thought was the most terrifying thing possible for him he does.

Turtle is a naturally kind and considerate soul. He wants to help others, and when he does hurt them it eats away at his heart. He's afraid of conflict and prefers to be a doormat if it means he can slip through the cracks and come out unscathed.

Through the books however, he grows into a more upstanding and confident character. He's less prone to self-deprecation and letting others take advantage of him. He doesn't let things pass by and get himself into terrible situations through in-action. Through the support of his friends (and going through traumatizing scenario after traumatizing scenario) he is marginally better. Not fixed, but good enough to be happy and still the same, socially awkward but incredibly kind Turtle.

He's a character who I think a lot of people can see themselves in, and his arc in particular is one I feel many should aspire to. To stand up for themselves. To mend and fix the mistakes they've made and try to do better. Problems can't be fixed by some other hero. You have to take initiative. Stand up. Be the hero you need.

#wof #wings of fire #sp-rambles #turtle wof #Hey WoF people I decided to think again

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istumpysk · 1 year

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Operation Stumpy Re-Read

ADWD: Daenerys IX (Chapter 52)

Where is Vicky? I've waited long enough.

Jhiqui brought a soft towel to pat her dry. "Khaleesi, which tokar will you want today?" asked Irri.

"The yellow silk." The queen of the rabbits could not be seen without her floppy ears. The yellow silk was light and cool, and it would be blistering down in the pit. The red sands will burn the soles of those about to die. "And over it, the long red veils." The veils would keep the wind from blowing sand into her mouth. And the red will hide any blood spatters.

You have no idea.

+.+.+

At the base of the Great Pyramid, Ser Barristan awaited them beside an ornate open palanquin, surrounded by Brazen Beasts. Ser Grandfather, Dany thought. Despite his age, he looked tall and handsome in the armor that she'd given him. "I would be happier if you had Unsullied guards about you today, Your Grace," the old knight said, as Hizdahr went to greet his cousin. "Half of these Brazen Beasts are untried freedmen." And the other half are Meereenese of doubtful loyalty, he left unsaid. Selmy mistrusted all the Meereenese, even shavepates.

It's LOCUSTS TIME!

Who poisoned the locusts? I apologize, we'll need Barry's POV to help solve this mystery. Today we'll only be covering the three major suspects.

Starting with SUSPECT #1: the Brazen Beasts (the Shavepate).

Within the first few paragraphs of the chapter we learn 1) the Brazen Beasts are guarding Daenerys instead of the Unsullied, 2) Some have doubtful loyalty.

We're off to a good start.

Ser Grandfather, Dany thought.

I would do anything for her to slip and say this out loud.

+.+.+

"A mask can hide many things, Your Grace. Is the man behind the owl mask the same owl who guarded you yesterday and the day before? How can we know?"

"How should Meereen ever come to trust the Brazen Beasts if I do not? There are good brave men beneath those masks. I put my life into their hands."

3) They're unidentifiable.

The Shavepate was absent as well. The first thing Hizdahr had done upon being crowned was to remove him from command of the Brazen Beasts, replacing him with his own cousin, the plump and pasty Marghaz zo Loraq. It is for the best. The Green Grace says there is blood between Loraq and Kandaq, and the Shavepate never made a secret of his disdain for my lord husband. And Daario … - Daenerys VIII, ADWD

If I wed Hizdahr, will that turn Skahaz against me? She trusted Skahaz more than she trusted Hizdahr, but the Shavepate would be a disaster as a king. He was too quick to anger, too slow to forgive. - Daenerys IV, ADWD

We don't know if the Shavepate is lurking under one of these masks.

I put my life into their hands.

Oop.

+.+.+

Dany smiled for him. "You fret too much, ser. I will have you beside me, what other protection do I need?"

Please oh please let him be there when she's murdered. I don't ask for much.

"Barristan the Bold, they call him. Twice he has saved me from assassins." - Daenerys III, ADWD

Three!!

+.+.+

"Your Grace. We set the woman Meris free, as you commanded. Before she went, she asked to speak with you. I met with her instead. She claims this Tattered Prince meant to bring the Windblown over to your cause from the beginning. That he sent her here to treat with you secretly, but the Dornishmen unmasked them and betrayed them before she could make her own approach."

Treachery on treachery, the queen thought wearily. Is there no end to it? "How much of this do you believe, ser?"

"Little and less, Your Grace, but those were her words."

"Will they come over to us, if need be?"

"She says they will. But for a price."

"Pay it." Meereen needed iron, not gold.

"The Tattered Prince will want more than coin, Your Grace. Meris says that he wants Pentos."

[...]

"Pentos belongs to the Pentoshi. And Magister Illyrio is in Pentos. He who arranged my marriage to Khal Drogo and gave me my dragon eggs. Who sent me you, and Belwas, and Groleo. I owe him much and more. I will not repay that debt by giving his city to some sellsword. No."

This must be here for a reason.

Let's see if she keeps this same energy when she learns about Illyrio and Aegon.

+.+.+

Ser Barristan inclined his head. "Your Grace is wise."

+.+.+

"Auspicious for you, perhaps. Less so for those who must die before the sun goes down."

"All men must die," said Hizdahr

Hehe.

+.+.+

When they caught sight of the palanquin emerging from the pyramid, a cheer went up from those nearest and spread across the plaza. How queer, the queen thought. They cheer me on the same plaza where I once impaled one hundred sixty-three Great Masters.

Daenerys rejecting a cheering crowd? Nothing will make this girl happy at this point.

+.+.+

A great drum led the royal procession to clear their way through the streets. Between each beat, a shavepate herald in a shirt of polished copper disks cried for the crowd to part. BOMM. "They come!" BOMM. "Make way!" BOMM. "The queen!" BOMM. "The king!" BOMM.

The Red Wedding taught me to be wary of these noises.

+.+.+

Behind the drum marched Brazen Beasts four abreast. Some carried cudgels, others staves; all wore pleated skirts, leathern sandals, and patchwork cloaks sewn from squares of many colors to echo the many-colored bricks of Meereen. Their masks gleamed in the sun: boars and bulls, hawks and herons, lions and tigers and bears, fork-tongued serpents and hideous basilisks.

SUSPECT #1: the Brazen Beasts (the Shavepate) are name-dropped roughly 57 times at the start of this chapter. The author wants you to be aware of their presence.

+.+.+

Dany could hear her handmaids arguing behind her, debating who was going to win the day's final match. Jhiqui favored the gigantic Goghor, who looked more bull than man, even to the bronze ring in his nose. Irri insisted that Belaquo Bonebreaker's flail would prove the giant's undoing. My handmaids are Dothraki, she told herself. Death rides with every khalasar. The day she wed Khal Drogo, the arakhs had flashed at her wedding feast, and men had died whilst others drank and mated. Life and death went hand in hand amongst the horselords, and a sprinkling of blood was thought to bless a marriage. Her new marriage would soon be drenched in blood. How blessed it would be.

You are also Dothraki in mind and spirit.

And did a whole lot less bitching at all the barbaric shit they did.

+.+.+

BOMM, BOMM, BOMM, BOMM, BOMM, BOMM, came the drumbeats, faster than before, suddenly angry and impatient. Ser Barristan drew his sword as the column ground to an abrupt halt between the pink-and-white pyramid of Pahl and the green-and-black of Naqqan.

Dany turned. "Why are we stopped?"

Hizdahr stood. "The way is blocked."

A palanquin lay overturned athwart their way.

Enter SUSPECT #2: House Pahl.

Why House Pahl?

There's a lot of bad blood between Daenerys and House Pahl.

It was true that there was blood between her and the House of Pahl. Oznak zo Pahl had been cut down by Strong Belwas in single combat. His father, commander of Meereen's city watch, had died defending the gates when Joso's Cock smashed them into splinters. Three uncles had been among the hundred sixty-three on the plaza. - Daenerys I, ADWD

It's now a house comprised of women who don't forgive or forget.

"You have no lack of enemies, Your Grace. You can see their pyramids from your terrace. Zhak, Hazkar, Ghazeen, Merreq, Loraq, all the old slaving families. Pahl. Pahl, most of all. A house of women now. Bitter old women with a taste for blood. Women do not forget. Women do not forgive." - Daenerys I, ADWD

Not the best situation to be abruptly stopped between a pyramid of theirs and Naqqan.

+.+.+

Ser Barristan glanced uneasily to left and right. Ghiscari faces were visible on the terraces, looking down with cool and unsympathetic eyes. "Your Grace, I do not like this halt. This may be some trap. The Sons of the Harpy—"

"—have been tamed," declared Hizdahr zo Loraq.

Apparently Hizdahr knows the Common Tongue.

Or maybe the author is being ditzy again.

+.+.+

"Why should they seek to harm my queen when she has taken me for her king and consort? Now help that man, as my sweet queen has commanded." He took Dany by the hand and smiled.

I'm skipping ahead, but I have to make a point.

Introducing SUSPECT #3: Hizdahr zo Loraq.

I know what you're asking yourselves -

"Didn't she make him king? Didn't he get his fighting pits reopened? Didn't he successfully convince her to allow the slave trade to continue in Slaver's Bay? Didn't he get everything he wanted?"

Yes.

"What's his motive? Why would he want to kill Daenerys before they produce an heir?"

I don't know, ask the dumbfuck in white.

+.+.+

The Brazen Beasts did as they were bid. Dany watched them at their work. "Those bearers were slaves before I came. I made them free. Yet that palanquin is no lighter."

"True," said Hizdahr, "but those men are paid to bear its weight now. Before you came, that man who fell would have an overseer standing over him, stripping the skin off his back with a whip. Instead he is being given aid."

It was true. A Brazen Beast in a boar mask had offered the litter bearer a skin of water. "I suppose I must be thankful for small victories," the queen said.

How is that a small victory?

The Brazen Beasts are doing things!

+.+.+

"One step, then the next, and soon we shall be running. Together we shall make a new Meereen."

Slly goose, why walk when you can fly?

+.+.+

Around them peddlers were selling dog sausages, roast onions, and unborn puppies on a stick, but Dany had no need of such.

My Western brain is simply aghast at the cultural practices of these primitive uncivilized people.

The wedding feast began with a thin leek soup, followed by a salad of green beans, onions, and beets, river pike poached in almond milk, mounds of mashed turnips that were cold before they reached the table, jellied calves' brains, and a leche of stringy beef. - Catelyn VII, ASOS

+.+.+

Hizdahr had stocked their box with flagons of chilled wine and sweetwater, with figs, dates, melons, and pomegranates, with pecans and peppers and a big bowl of honeyed locusts. Strong Belwas bellowed, "Locusts!" as he seized the bowl and began to crunch them by the handful.

"Those are very tasty," advised Hizdahr. "You ought to try a few yourself, my love. They are rolled in spice before the honey, so they are sweet and hot at once."

"That explains the way Belwas is sweating," Dany said. "I believe I will content myself with figs and dates."

Boy, that doesn't look good for SUSPECT #3: Hizdahr zo Loraq.

Except, if he is trying to kill Daenerys, he's doing it in a way that would guarantee he's the prime suspect. Imagine how stupid it would have been if Olenna chose to hand Joffrey the glass of wine.

For the record, the locusts were already in their box when they arrived, Hizdahr was unbothered when she declined, and he will never mention the locusts again.

+.+.+

Across the pit the Graces sat in flowing robes of many colors, clustered around the austere figure of Galazza Galare, who alone amongst them wore the green. The Great Masters of Meereen occupied the red and orange benches. The women were veiled, and the men had brushed and lacquered their hair into horns and hands and spikes. Hizdahr's kin of the ancient line of Loraq seemed to favor tokars of purple and indigo and lilac, whilst those of Pahl were striped in pink and white.

Random SUSPECT #2: House Pahl mention.

+.+.+

"Great Masters! My queen has come this day, to show her love for you, her people. By her grace and with her leave, I give you now your mortal art. Meereen! Let Queen Daenerys hear your love!"

Ten thousand throats roared out their thanks; then twenty thousand; then all. They did not call her name, which few of them could pronounce. "Mother!" they cried instead; in the old dead tongue of Ghis, the word was Mhysa! They stamped their feet and slapped their bellies and shouted, "Mhysa, Mhysa, Mhysa," until the whole pit seemed to tremble. Dany let the sound wash over her. I am not your mother, she might have shouted, back, I am the mother of your slaves, of every boy who ever died upon these sands whilst you gorged on honeyed locusts. Behind her, Reznak leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Magnificence, hear how they love you!"

No, she knew, they love their mortal art.

Even "Mhysa, Mhysa, Mhysa" is not cheering up grumpy? Man oh man, these people are going to die a bad death.

+.+.+

Khrazz was Meereenese, of humble birth—a tall man with a brush of stiff red-black hair running down the center of his head. His foe was an ebon-skinned spearman from the Summer Isles whose thrusts kept Khrazz at bay for a time, but once he slipped inside the spear with his shortsword, only butchery remained. After it was done, Khrazz cut the heart from the black man, raised it above his head red and dripping, and took a bite from it.

"Khrazz believes the hearts of brave men make him stronger," said Hizdahr. Jhiqui murmured her approval. Dany had once eaten a stallion's heart to give strength to her unborn son … but that had not saved Rhaego when the maegi murdered him in her womb.

Ser Jorah had killed her son, Dany knew. He had done what he did for love and loyalty, yet he had carried her into a place no living man should go and fed her baby to the darkness. He knew it too; the grey face, the hollow eyes, the limp. "The shadows have touched you too, Ser Jorah," she told him. The knight made no reply. Dany turned to the godswife. "You warned me that only death could pay for life. I thought you meant the horse."

"No," Mirri Maz Duur said. "That was a lie you told yourself. You knew the price."

Had she? Had she? If I look back I am lost. "The price was paid," Dany said. - Daenerys IX, AGOT

+.+.+

Three treasons shall you know. She was the first, Jorah was the second, Brown Ben Plumm the third. Was she done with betrayals?

How is Brown Ben Plumm your treason for love? God, what a dumb person.

+.+.+

"Ah," said Hizdahr, pleased. "Now comes the Spotted Cat. See how he moves, my queen. A poem on two feet."

The foe Hizdahr had found for the walking poem was as tall as Goghor and as broad as Belwas, but slow. They were fighting six feet from Dany's box when the Spotted Cat hamstrung him. As the man stumbled to his knees, the Cat put a foot on his back and a hand around his head and opened his throat from ear to ear. The red sands drank his blood, the wind his final words. The crowd screamed its approval.

Some of these fights appear to be foreshadowing future events. It's possible the Spotted Cat might be hinting at someone.

If Arya is slitting someone's throat, it's not Walder Frey's.

+.+.+

"Bad fighting, good dying," said Strong Belwas. "Strong Belwas hates it when they scream." He had finished all the honeyed locusts. He gave a belch and took a swig of wine.

Daenerys loves it when they scream.

Because he drank wine, a ton of people question whether it was the locusts or the wine that poisoned him.

Why does it matter? We don't have to overthink this.

+.+.+

"This one shows much promise, my sweet," Hizdahr said of a Lysene youth with long blond hair that fluttered in the wind … but his foe grabbed a handful of that hair, pulled the boy off-balance, and gutted him. In death he looked even younger than he had with blade in hand. "A boy," said Dany. "He was only a boy."

"Six-and-ten," Hizdahr insisted. "A man grown, who freely chose to risk his life for gold and glory. No children die today in Daznak's, as my gentle queen in her wisdom has decreed."

That's considered fAegon evidence.

Aurane did not resemble Prince Rhaegar as much as she had thought. He has the hair, but so do half the whores in Lys, if the tales are true. Rhaegar was a man. This is a sly boy, no more. Useful in his way, though. - Cersei VIII, ADWD

He was a lithe and well-made youth, with a lanky build and a shock of dark blue hair. The dwarf put his age at fifteen, sixteen, or near enough to make no matter. - Tyrion III, ADWD

+.+.+

"A boy," said Dany. "He was only a boy."

"Six-and-ten," Hizdahr insisted.

"Slay the Good Masters, slay the soldiers, slay every man who wears a tokar or holds a whip, but harm no child under twelve, and strike the chains off every slave you see." - Daenerys III, ASOS

Shut up, Daenerys.

+.+.+

Another small victory. Perhaps I cannot make my people good, she told herself, but I should at least try to make them a little less bad.

Do you ever remember her thinking about the Dothraki this way? I don't.

+.+.+

It had been the custom to sentence criminals to the pits; that practice she agreed might resume, but only for certain crimes. "Murderers and rapers may be forced to fight, and all those who persist in slaving, but not thieves or debtors."

It's okay when we're doing Justice™.

+.+.+

Beasts were still allowed, though. Dany watched an elephant make short work of a pack of six red wolves.

The number six is a little troubling. Hopefully nothing.

+.+.+

Next a bull was set against a bear in a bloody battle that left both animals torn and dying. "The flesh is not wasted," said Hizdahr. "The butchers use the carcasses to make a healthful stew for the hungry. Any man who presents himself at the Gates of Fate may have a bowl."

"A good law," Dany said. You have so few of them. "We must make certain that this tradition is continued."

Has the novelty worn off?

+.+.+

After the beast fights came a mock battle, pitting six men on foot against six horsemen, the former armed with shields and longswords, the latter with Dothraki arakhs. The mock knights were clad in mail hauberks, whilst the mock Dothraki wore no armor. At first the riders seemed to have the advantage, riding down two of their foes and slashing the ear from a third, but then the surviving knights began to attack the horses, and one by one the riders were unmounted and slain, to Jhiqui's great disgust. "That was no true khalasar," she said.

Bwahahahaha.

First the snow, and now this? I'm starting to think these Dothraki might struggle in Westeros!

The man was no knight, but his courage had earned him that much courtesy. Khrazz did not know how to fight a man in armor. Ser Barristan could see it in his eyes: doubt, confusion, the beginnings of fear. The pit fighter came on again, screaming this time, as if sound could slay his foe where steel could not. The arakh slashed low, high, low again. - The Kingbreaker, ADWD

(Shoutout to @redwolf17 for helping me find the quote!)

+.+.+

The battle was followed by the day's first folly, a tilt between a pair of jousting dwarfs, presented by one of the Yunkish lords that Hizdahr had invited to the games. One rode a hound, the other a sow. Their wooden armor had been freshly painted, so one bore the stag of the usurper Robert Baratheon, the other the golden lion of House Lannister. That was for her sake, plainly. Their antics soon had Belwas snorting laughter, though Dany's smile was faint and forced. When the dwarf in red tumbled from the saddle and began to chase his sow across the sands, whilst the dwarf on the dog galloped after him, whapping at his buttocks with a wooden sword, she said, "This is sweet and silly, but …"

"Be patient, my sweet," said Hizdahr. "They are about to loose the lions."

Daenerys gave him a quizzical look. "Lions?"

"Three of them. The dwarfs will not expect them."

She frowned. "The dwarfs have wooden swords. Wooden armor. How do you expect them to fight lions?"

"Badly," said Hizdahr, "though perhaps they will surprise us. More like they will shriek and run about and try to climb out of the pit. That is what makes this a folly."

Dany was not pleased. "I forbid it."

"Gentle queen. You do not want to disappoint your people."

"You swore to me that the fighters would be grown men who had freely consented to risk their lives for gold and honor. These dwarfs did not consent to battle lions with wooden swords. You will stop it. Now."

The king's mouth tightened. For a heartbeat Dany thought she saw a flash of anger in those placid eyes. "As you command." Hizdahr beckoned to his pitmaster. "No lions," he said when the man trotted over, whip in hand.

And just like that, Hizdahr becomes a sadist.

That must mean someone is going to brutally kill him.

+.+.+

The dwarfs were herded off, pig and dog and all, as the spectators hissed their disapproval and pelted them with stones and rotten fruit.

Why must Penny be there? I'm not allowed to have one happy moment.

+.+.+

The boar was a huge beast, with tusks as long as a man's forearm and small eyes that swam with rage. She wondered whether the boar that had killed Robert Baratheon had looked as fierce. A terrible creature and a terrible death. For a heartbeat she felt almost sorry for the Usurper.

"Barsena is very quick," Reznak said. "She will dance with the boar, Magnificence, and slice him when he passes near her. He will be awash in blood before he falls, you shall see."

It began just as he said. The boar charged, Barsena spun aside, her blade flashed silver in the sun. "She needs a spear," Ser Barristan said, as Barsena vaulted over the beast's second charge. "That is no way to fight a boar." He sounded like someone's fussy old grandsire, just as Daario was always saying.

Sure, now you're a boar expert.

He sounded like someone's fussy old grandsire, just as Daario was always saying.

How do people read this and not see Cersei?

+.+.+

Shouting, she edged closer to the boar, tossing her knife from hand to hand. When the beast backed away, she cursed and slashed at his snout, trying to provoke him … and succeeding. This time her leap came an instant too late, and a tusk ripped her left leg open from knee to crotch.

A moan went up from thirty thousand throats. Clutching at her torn leg, Barsena dropped her knife and tried to hobble off, but before she had gone two feet the boar was on her once again.

+.+.+

"Fighting pigs is brave, but it is not brave to scream so loud. It hurts Strong Belwas in the ears." The eunuch rubbed his swollen stomach, crisscrossed with old white scars. "It makes Strong Belwas sick in his belly too."

See what happens when you talk shit?

That's why I always have ipecac on hand.

+.+.+

The boar buried his snout in Barsena's belly and began rooting out her entrails. The smell was more than the queen could stand. The heat, the flies, the shouts from the crowd … I cannot breathe. She lifted her veil and let it flutter away. She took her tokar off as well. The pearls rattled softly against one another as she unwound the silk.

"Khaleesi?" Irri asked. "What are you doing?"

"Taking off my floppy ears."

There goes the pearly tokar. Forever.

Guys, I think she might be done with Meereen.

(Is she half naked? Lol.)

+.+.+

"Belaquo will win," Irri declared. "It is known."

"It is not known," Jhiqui said. "Belaquo will die."

"One will die, or the other will," said Dany. "And the one who lives will die some other day. This was a mistake."

"Strong Belwas ate too many locusts." There was a queasy look on Belwas's broad brown face. "Strong Belwas needs milk."

Hizdahr ignored the eunuch.

SUSPECT #3: Hizdahr zo Loraq doesn't appear to know what's happening to Strong Belwas. Kind of strange when you're the one who poisoned the locusts.

The Dothraki girls loving the entertainment is a nice touch.

+.+.+

"Magnificence, the people of Meereen have come to celebrate our union. You heard them cheering you. Do not cast away their love."

"It was my floppy ears they cheered, not me. Take me from this abbatoir, husband."

Look at how pouty she is over fake love.

+.+.+

A shadow rippled across his face.

The tumult and the shouting died. Ten thousand voices stilled. Every eye turned skyward. A warm wind brushed Dany's cheeks, and above the beating of her heart she heard the sound of wings. Two spearmen dashed for shelter. The pitmaster froze where he stood. The boar went snuffling back to Barsena. Strong Belwas gave a moan, stumbled from his seat, and fell to his knees.

+.+.+

Above them all the dragon turned, dark against the sun. His scales were black, his eyes and horns and spinal plates blood red. Ever the largest of her three, in the wild Drogon had grown larger still. His wings stretched twenty feet from tip to tip, black as jet. He flapped them once as he swept back above the sands, and the sound was like a clap of thunder. The boar raised his head, snorting … and flame engulfed him, black fire shot with red. Dany felt the wash of heat thirty feet away. The beast's dying scream sounded almost human. Drogon landed on the carcass and sank his claws into the smoking flesh. As he began to feed, he made no distinction between Barsena and the boar.

Won't be the last time we hear that sound.

Thunder!

+.+.+

"Oh, gods," moaned Reznak, "he's eating her!" The seneschal covered his mouth. Strong Belwas was retching noisily. A queer look passed across Hizdahr zo Loraq's long, pale face—part fear, part lust, part rapture. He licked his lips.

Will someone get Belwas some ginger ale?

I don't think she's projecting.

"Hot and sweet and poisoned. With mine own ears I heard you commanding the men in the pit to kill Drogon. Shouting at them."

Hizdahr licked his lips. "The beast devoured Barsena's flesh. Dragons prey on men. It was killing, burning …" - The Kingbreaker, ADWD

Hizdahr has suddenly transformed into a weirdo who fetishizes all violence.

+.+.+

Dany could see the Pahls streaming up the steps, clutching their tokars and tripping over the fringes in their haste to be away. Others followed. Some ran, shoving at one another. More stayed in their seats.

There goes SUSPECT #2: House Pahl. No other family mentioned.

Do I think the author is purposely misleading the reader? Yes.

+.+.+

One man took it on himself to be a hero.

He was one of the spearmen sent out to drive the boar back to his pen. Perhaps he was drunk, or mad. Perhaps he had loved Barsena Blackhair from afar or had heard some whisper of the girl Hazzea. Perhaps he was just some common man who wanted bards to sing of him. He darted forward, his boar spear in his hands. Red sand kicked up beneath his heels, and shouts rang out from the seats. Drogon raised his head, blood dripping from his teeth.

Say her name.

I know it's similar, but I don't believe the Jaime charging Drogon scene was real. It was too stupid.

+.+.+

The hero leapt onto his back and drove the iron spearpoint down at the base of the dragon's long scaled neck.

Dany and Drogon screamed as one.

Sansa couldn't help but smile a little. The kennelmaster once told her that an animal takes after its master. - Sansa I, AGOT

+.+.+

The hero leaned into his spear, using his weight to twist the point in deeper. Drogon arched upward with a hiss of pain. His tail lashed sideways. She watched his head crane around at the end of that long serpentine neck, saw his black wings unfold. The dragonslayer lost his footing and went tumbling to the sand. He was trying to struggle back to his feet when the dragon's teeth closed hard around his forearm. "No" was all the man had time to shout. Drogon wrenched his arm from his shoulder and tossed it aside as a dog might toss a rodent in a rat pit.

NOT A RAT PIT.

She called him a dragonslayer, I love it.

+.+.+

"Kill it," Hizdahr zo Loraq shouted to the other spearmen. "Kill the beast!"

Ser Barristan held her tightly. "Look away, Your Grace."

"Let me go!" Dany twisted from his grasp. The world seemed to slow as she cleared the parapet. When she landed in the pit she lost a sandal. Running, she could feel the sand between her toes, hot and rough. Ser Barristan was calling after her. Strong Belwas was still vomiting. She ran faster.

It's reverse Cinderella. Drizella lost her shoe while running towards her Prince Charming. Shoutout to @agentrouka-blog for the laugh!

All the Strong Belwas stuff happening in the background is so funny.

+.+.+

The hero was jerking on the sand, the bright blood pouring from the ragged stump of his shoulder. His spear remained in Drogon's back, wobbling as the dragon beat his wings. Smoke rose from the wound. As the other spears closed in, the dragon spat fire, bathing two men in black flame.

His flames are black? I didn't know that.

I'm not suggesting he's Black Flame from the Quaithe warning.

+.+.+

The Meereenese were screaming, cursing, howling. Dany could hear someone pounding after her. "Drogon," she screamed. "Drogon."

His head turned. Smoke rose between his teeth. His blood was smoking too, where it dripped upon the ground. He beat his wings again, sending up a choking storm of scarlet sand. Dany stumbled into the hot red cloud, coughing. He snapped.

"No" was all that she had time to say. No, not me, don't you know me? The black teeth closed inches from her face. He meant to tear my head off. The sand was in her eyes. She stumbled over the pitmaster's corpse and fell on her backside.

Lady would never.

+.+.+

Drogon roared. The sound filled the pit. A furnace wind engulfed her. The dragon's long scaled neck stretched toward her. When his mouth opened, she could see bits of broken bone and charred flesh between his black teeth. His eyes were molten. I am looking into hell, but I dare not look away. She had never been so certain of anything. If I run from him, he will burn me and devour me.

Ghost would never.

+.+.+

In Westeros the septons spoke of seven hells and seven heavens, but the Seven Kingdoms and their gods were far away. If she died here, Dany wondered, would the horse god of the Dothraki part the grass and claim her for his starry khalasar, so she might ride the nightlands beside her sun-and-stars? Or would the angry gods of Ghis send their harpies to seize her soul and drag her down to torment? Drogon roared full in her face, his breath hot enough to blister skin.

Of course she hopes for a Dothraki heaven.

+.+.+

Off to her right Dany heard Barristan Selmy shouting, "Me! Try me. Over here. Me!"

You have one job, demon.

+.+.+

In the smoldering red pits of Drogon's eyes, Dany saw her own reflection. How small she looked, how weak and frail and scared. I cannot let him see my fear. She scrabbled in the sand, pushing against the pitmaster's corpse, and her fingers brushed against the handle of his whip. Touching it made her feel braver. The leather was warm, alive. Drogon roared again, the sound so loud that she almost dropped the whip. His teeth snapped at her.

Summer would never.

The whip kills me every time.

+.+.+

Dany hit him. "No," she screamed, swinging the lash with all the strength that she had in her. The dragon jerked his head back. "No," she screamed again. "NO!" The barbs raked along his snout. Drogon rose, his wings covering her in shadow. Dany swung the lash at his scaled belly, back and forth until her arm began to ache. His long serpentine neck bent like an archer's bow. With a hisssssss, he spat black fire down at her. Dany darted underneath the flames, swinging the whip and shouting, "No, no, no. Get DOWN!" His answering roar was full of fear and fury, full of pain. His wings beat once, twice …

… and folded. The dragon gave one last hiss and stretched out flat upon his belly. Black blood was flowing from the wound where the spear had pierced him, smoking where it dripped onto the scorched sands. He is fire made flesh, she thought, and so am I.

I'm going to have to stop there, because Drogon's about as well trained as Nymeria.

+.+.+

Daenerys Targaryen vaulted onto the dragon's back, seized the spear, and ripped it out. The point was half-melted, the iron red-hot, glowing. She flung it aside. Drogon twisted under her, his muscles rippling as he gathered his strength. The air was thick with sand. Dany could not see, she could not breathe, she could not think. The black wings cracked like thunder, and suddenly the scarlet sands were falling away beneath her.

Thunder!

Why am I not getting a description of Barry's charred body? These god damn Targaryens and their dragons can't do anything right.

+.+.+

The lash was still in her hand. She flicked it against Drogon's neck and cried, "Higher!" Her other hand clutched at his scales, her fingers scrabbling for purchase. Drogon's wide black wings beat the air. Dany could feel the heat of him between her thighs. Her heart felt as if it were about to burst. Yes, she thought, yes, now, now, do it, do it, take me, take me, FLY!

Look, they're consummating the marriage.

This is so much funnier when you realize she removed clothing.

Final thoughts:

Don't you love how the show turned the Second Coming of Satan chapter into a scene where baby boy Drogon gets to heroically save his mommy from the evil ambushing Sons of the Harpy?

Great stuff, guys.

-> return to menu <-

#operation stumpy re-read #adwd #daenerys ix

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creativeafterdark · 9 months

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Chapter 8

So unfortunately this week I have no sketches for the chapter due to slight burn out and work related reasons (also I had completely forgotten we get introduced to the pilgrims minus Sanzang in this chapter and their designs are anything but ready). As a result, I'm just going to write my thoughts.

@journeythroughjourneytothewest

First things first: Guanyin. I love Guanyin. They're just so calm about being attacked by two monsters and letting Hui'an handle combat. It also shows the sheer difference in strength between the four disciples, after seeing the trouble that he went through fighting Sun Wukong. Guanyin is a true being of mercy, not really making a big fuss out of being attacked and I commend them for it, I would be chewing Zhu and Sha's heads off. Though the "Perhaps in Two or Three Years" answer they gave the great Immortal, I'll need to pay attention to how much time passes to see if that's accurate (but I recall the full journey takes 14 years? Correct me if I'm wrong).

Next up: Sha Wujing. So after I'd previously read the Abridged Version, I was utterly confused as to why the Jade Emperor was petty enough to punish this poor man for BREAKING A CUP. Then I found a comic by antidotefortheawkward that explained how breaking a cup could be seen as a signal to attack. And I was like "...ah. That makes more sense now." Still a little petty, not hearing him out, but it made sense that it would be his first thought. Especially if he was cast out AFTER Sun Wukong's Havoc. I don't think we got a clear answer on that timeline (again feel free to correct me!). Even if he did eat people, I still love this pilgrim and can't wait for his chapter.

Next: Zhu Wuneng, aka Zhu Bajie. Quick to lower his weapon for a woman, lol. Jokes aside, it seems as though he's very unlucky with women (and vice versa). There is his flirting with the Moon Goddess (which is still unclear if it was consensual or unwelcomed, that would change my opinion of how this all went down), him killing his new form's mother and siblings (I've heard people say human flesh tastes like pork, so I guess that's where he got the taste for it, huh?), and the death of Second Elder Sister Egg (and him getting all her stuff). Unlike Sha Wujing, it does feel like Zhu Wuneng was begging a lot more for mercy. But Guanyin chose to believe his intent as being genuine, so he will be the next disciple.

Next: OUR DRAGON BOY. I'm gonna call him Bai Longma, as that's the name most know him by. I feel out of all of these, his punishment was the most unfair, and the fact that his father went to the Jade Emperor and seemed to be just fine with a DEATH SENTENCE honestly kills me. Like, I feel as though everyone was so on edge after Sun Wukong that punishments just amped up. I am glad Guanyin immediately jumped to his defense, and as a result got Sanzang a much better mount than any old horse.

And finally: Sun Wukong. Our old monkey. And the start of my favorite relationship in the story (the friendship between Guanyin and Wukong). Sun Wukong is still very bitter of Tathagata's trick but appears willing to do what he must to get free, though knowing what I do, I'm already thinking "Uh huh. Sure. Whatever you say, Great Sage" in a sarcastic tone. But that's for another chapter.

And with that, Guanyin continues their own journey to Chang'an to find our Tang Sanzang.

All in all, a very short but important chapter, setting the stage for journey and meeting the key players.

I probably will be doing more writing than drawing for the next few chapters (minus the intro to Sanzang), to both get off this burn out and because I don't recall any characters that show up more in the story aside from these chapters, so I don't see a point in making a design for them.

#journey to the west #jttw sun wukong #jttw guanyin #jttw zhu bajie #jttw sha wujing #journeythroughjourneytothewest #jttw bai longma #jttw book club

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reddogcollar · 1 year

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realized at random I've never seen a queen orca au even be considered. which isn't smthng I searched for either but it sounds like it'd be popular enough I'd come across it anyways. so that. will be under the cut

[ID: a reference drawing of orca from wof, a desaturated green dragon with red accents and a scar across her chest. she has sparse pearl jewelry and a glove with modified walrus tusks for claws. a long narwhal horn is affixed to her tail]

OK first. we need to ignore things. instead of the queen challenge being. random murder. it's a much more formal event, to discourage fowl play. and also not totally necessary. in the sea kingdom, there's a massive above ground auditorium for the fight and there has to be certain amount of the seawing population in attendance or else it's invalid. it won't be a murder charge, but the challenger doesn't get to be queen. without a formal challenge with a witness, it's just murder. orca doesn't do that she kills her mom. not as soon as she's seven, that'd be suspicious. some time after tsunami's egg is stolen. I'm not sure what to do w anemone here honestly. either make her closer to tsunamis age, or make her orcas like. niece. either way she's still an animus so orca decides to keep her around. her own powers are still secret and she's not going to ever have a surviving heir, so an animus who could use magic freely is useful until anemone has an animus child. on a very short leash. plot happens and the DoD get to the sea kingdom as run by orca and blister. orca has to act all pleased abt her long lost sister but ultimately she's only another threat who continues to narrowly avoid assassination via whirlpool. tsunami meanwhile is like. there is a political crisis going on here. bc orcas eggs are still all being crushed by her statue in secret, her mom was mysteriously murdered by an assassin never caught, and orca is always under "threat". tsunami and anemone poke around a lot until uncovering the truth and eventually are forced to kill orca and destroy the statue. tsunami can't abandon the DoD, and anemone is too young, so the sea kingdom is left to blister and whirlpool for the time being

#yeah I'll draw that #wof #born to draw a guy just standing there<3 #wof orca #wof au

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motheatenscarf · 1 year

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Okay, I'm at the point where I need to do a trial in order to progress the story and I'm a tank, so I'll actually have to watch a video for that, so I took a day off to parse my thoughts on things that WEREN'T unspeakable goddamn tragedies.

I will also post thoughts on the tragedy, but later. I want to see the consequences of this loss in the narrative play out first before making a value judgment, but so far I am already leaning towards "good story beat, actually emotionally impacted me and the characters in text and was thematically appropriate."

For non-tragedy thoughts, I'm just going through screenshots and gonna post my thoughts in order based on what I clearly thought was worth screenshotting;

Okay, I already talked about how I came around on Estinien, but I also really like Ysayle. I love that she earns the name "Lady Iceheart" but is the most emotionally driven character so far in her desire for peace and believes that she's the reincarnated soul of this ancient dragon's old flame. Quite the blow to realize she isn't that and this guy doesn't recognize or care about her and that she just summoned up a primal based on her own desperate beliefs. WOOF. That's a good character arc. I want to see where she goes from there.

Also the fact that she just loves Moogles because they're adorable and makes a comment like "My heart is aflutter from mere... fluffiness??" and like, girl, same, they're so cute.

Another interaction I liked from the Moogles was when Alphinaud got mad at them for making his trial of worthiness just be the chores none of them wanted to do. He got so pissed he went and said something like, "I don't know what a 'kupo nut' is but I know they use it for currency and I've half a mind to demand some for the work I just did!" and, YOU GET EM, SWEETIE! We'll make a lil pinko out of you yet, demand compensation for your labor, work to rule, honey! I'm so proud of him!!

And another fun Alphinaud moment was when he said, in the fanciest little lad way possible, "Last one to finish their job is a rotten egg!"

And speaking of babies, Nanamo's okay! I've actually got mixed feelings on that.

On the one hand, I really like Nanamo and I fucking love Raubahn, I'm full on going to switch my faction allegiance to the Immortal Flames once I max out rep in the Malestrom, but man. The MOST exciting part of the end of ARR was when they shifted the status quo that hard! I grant you the scions are still missing and we still had to retreat to Ishgard to seek new allies, but man, handwaving it so that things can more or less go back to the way they were before kinda sucks.

I was EXCITED for that change! I'm of course glad that Ruabahn is okay and gets to keep being surrounded by tiny adorable lalafel, and I really liked Nanamo and her struggle to figure out how to help her people was compelling, but man... idk... I feel like there was more to be explored with that Ul'dah crew on the run and the city in chaos that had a lot of potential we never got to see :T

This is a relatively minor complaint, of course, the stuff with Isghard is certainly gripping enough. I'm fine if Raubahn only ever gets to be that gif of the drunk girls with the puppies when it comes to keeping all of the itty bitty babies in his life safe

Final thought, UH, they kinda dropped a bomb on me that apparently half-elves exist in this world???

I .... I mean, one would assume it was possible, but we haven't seen any until now, despite there being plenty of instances of inter-species relationships that it actually raises MORE questions than it answers. Even if Dragon Age is a copout answer, it at least means they don't have to program unique models to make all children between elves and humans just humans. It means the same of probably other pairings as well, but if you put half-elves in a setting, it BEGS the question, okay, what do mixed heritages look like across the board? And namely, uh, where are all the others? I refuse to believe that this Hilda woman is special, if there is ONE thing I know about humans and elves in any given setting it's that you can't leave them alone for 5 goddamn minutes together without drowning in half-elves. Also, the others, huh? Where are the human/au-ra babies? Where are the Au-Ra/Elezen babies? I know people be fucking these anime uwu catboys and catgirls, where are the lanky elf-cats and scaley dragon cats?!

My brother actually pointed out a very real possibility that if we have humans, and we have hrothgar..... maybe that is where miqo'te came from in the first place, which begs the question of like, okay, if you can have a half and half baby of mixed heritage, what happens if that baby has babies with a third entirely different option?

You cannot introduce this element so cavalierly and then kill my goddamn elf husband and expect me to forget, I WON'T FORGET THE HALF-ELVES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN, FF14, YOU WILL ANSWER ME!

#Caitlin Plays FF14 #FF14 spoilers

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starscaredwings · 11 months

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Starting Information

Before anything else, the essentials would probably be a good thing to know, otherwise everything is gonna be really confusing.

This is essentially an AU(StarStained) that I've created for Minecraft, blending together mechanics, physics, and real world logic to create something new. Some of these things are spins on ideas I've read in fan-content made for Minecraft, others are my own ideas.

Races

Starting off, there are many, many races that make up this world. Hybrids, Humans, End and Nether born beings. These races are basically things that are included into the Origins Minecraft Mod. Some of them are a bit different however, as I've changed the origins and abilities of some races. Most notably, and as an example, the Elyrian Race is an End-Born race, and not seen a whole lot in the Overworld.

The End | Size of the AU

On the topic of the End, this is very important to note. StarStained takes place in a world where the land stretches next to indefinite. Much large than even a normal in-game world, and those are larger than Earth. To put this to scale, I need to use this as a reference. Within one in-game Minecraft world there is only a singular End Spawn Island. A single dragon, and a single egg. The lands of StarStained are large enough to sustain so many of these islands that they cover any and all SMP's that have access/potential access to the End. DreamSMP, Hermitcraft, Empires, Hypixel, Private Servers, etc... They all exist within StarStained, and are located SOMEWHERE within the infinite expanse that is the land.

Character Possibilities

Any characters that anyone would like to create can do so. Any feedback that anyone would like to give, please send my way. I'm still in the process of creating this world and it's ideas, and would love any and all questions and recommendations about this AU. I don't have much actually posted here yet, but I would love to continue updating it with new things and ideas. I want to keep building on this idea.

Because of the AU containing literally anything you could think of, there are infinite possibilities. Do with that what you will ;)

How People and Codes Function

How DnA and Science is to us, Binary and codes are to those within the AU. "Players" are regular people, but are sometimes referred to as players by Admins. Each player has their own "inventory" like in-game. They can open their inventory by swiping their hand in any direction with the intent to open the storage. This inventory works exactly as in game, but people can also choose to do these things by hand.

If the person is an Admin, opening their inventory gives them an option to access their Admin Panel. This works exactly as it does in the actual game. Creative Mode for themselves or others, commands, etc... This panel is able to view player data as well as other more specific info. This player-data includes their name, family, server history, birth date, age, etc... The only way for an Admin to view something more in-depth than the person's name however, that person has to accept the request to look deeper into their info from their inventory.

The ONLY thing majorly different here is that the Admin is not invincible, Creative Mode is not a thing. Most of the time, this is not an issue, as admins can usually spawn in things like armor and enchants.

Please Give Feedback if you Want to!

If you are confused about anything in here, ask questions. If I need to clarify something here with more info, please let me know!

#Minecraft Story #Videogame Story #Minecraft character #Story idea #minecraft story ideas #Minecraft story idea #Minecraft lore #if anyone has any other tags for this let me know :'D #StarStainedMC - Basic Info #StarStainedMC #StarStainedMC - Race Info #StarStainedMC - Locations

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a-song-for-ages · 1 year

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(Left out Daemon and the kid's because the app didn't let me put in more than 10 pics oops)

From top to bottom, right to left:

1. Joffrey Velaryon

The youngest of the velaryon/targaryen group, who would follow Mats around and usually get him in trouble because - "yOu tOoK a bAbe tO a wHoReHoUse??!?!??!?!?!"

Mats learned how to be a loving dad mainly by watching (and understanding - now that he was old enough to understand that little Joff's head was nOT hard as a dragon's egg) Laenor interact with Joff - in fact, Mats was the first Velaryon/Targaryen to hold Joff. (I lied, it was actually Luke because he really wanted to hold Joff and Rhaenyra couldn't say no to him. But according to Laenor, it was Mats who held him first.)

2. Lucera Velaryon

Sweet little Luke's not so sweet (albeit little) sister. A terror. Lives for getting into trouble. Main instigator (after Aegon) for bullying Aemond - but it wasnt personal, seeing as Luce was the only daughter and bullied everyone around her. (All the boys are scared of her.)

Luce was a little more receptive to what she should and should not be doing - say, like, following Mats in the middle of the night to go to a whorehouse. That doesn't mean she didn't follow him. She just went in knowing what the repercussions of her getting caught would be.

She and Mats are - not mirrors, but they have that wild streak that Daemon has. Though, Luce loses a bit of that wild streak when she grows up - and she ultimately becomes a little more, lady like (Rhaena's influence - and also because she burned off that extra fire and urge for destruction when she'd climb her dragon and set him off on a hunt for food.)

3. Lucerys Targaryen

The youngest of the OG trio (Jace, Mats, Luke). He's the little brother who Mats just knows has potential - and like Jace, he tends to be just a little more nurturing to Luke (talking about that swordfighting scene), and not because he knows Lucera will come after and gut him, but because he honestly finds Luke's gentleness and softness (minus that part where Luke stole Aemond's eye) endearing.

Luke, to Mats, is the best of all of the Velaryon/Targaryen children.

But that doesn't mean Mats coddles him. Oh no. Mats shirks all of his duties and hands it to Luke, stating, "You may feel honoured, little brother."

Luke and Mats' relationship is a further - "if you were dying, and if it was because of something that you did... then I would wait until the last possible minute to save you. And if you were dying, and if it was because of something that you didn't do... then I would have Auraxes chase after you for your stupidity."

4. Rhaenyra Targaryen

So. You know how Daemon and Rhaenyra were like, Viserys's bIGGEST (political) headaches?

Yeah, Matarys Velaryon is karma coming to bite Rhaenyra (and only Rhaenyra's) ass.

Because here he is - her second son, set to inherit Driftmark and set to marry Rhaena. And he just goes, "No. I don't want or need any of that. In fact, what I need is to explore Dorne and Essos and Asshai. So, bye!"

Like this little fucker just does what he wants and Rhaenyra just. Cannot. Discipline him. No matter how much she tries. And Viserys is off in the side giggling because - he's just like you. (A bit like Aegon too - "I've no taste for duty! I'm not suited!" Except he looks hot as hell doing his duty. Which he believes is to be the Menace to the Realm - "kind of like how Daemon is to Grandfather!")

But boy does Rhaenyra love her son - even if he is too much like (the bad parts of) her. He is still her son, and she sees his loyalty to his blood and family - and she just. She sees him. And Mats knows this and he - sees - her. (And Harwin lol).

5. Jacaerys Velaryon

Fucking hell have you ever seen two sons, born close together interact?

They're a mess.

Mats is always down for doing the dishonorable, aesthetic thing, like burning an abandoned tower, "Just to see how long it'll burn!" while Jace is just like, "STOP! DES-TROYING! THINGS!"

Jace honestly hopes that Mats will one day grow up. And Mats is just like, "hmm, no thank you, dear brother of mine." And then Jace just explodes and turns red because "why is it that I must be cursed with you?" and Mats is just "because if you were not cursed with me then I fear your life would be oh so terribly boring."

But ultimately - these two boys... with Jace's anger and sensitivity to being called bastard, and Mats' eagerness for a fight/anything to get his blood pumping... you can sense that some real shit's about to go down between them and the Green Boys. (Not Mats giggling at calling the opposition "greens" because "they're green boys who know nothing of war!" and Daemon laughs at that but no one else because Mats, while a little rogue-like, is greener than them.)

#oc: matarys velaryon #oc: lucera velaryon #wip: dragon's wroth

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22514209147 · 4 months

Text

Gema sidles up to Six, obviously bored from the monotony of travel. "I have a question. One I don't want to ask the others just yet, they'll just make it weird."

Six turns its attention from the empty horizon to the young dragon, waiting for the question. She dithers for a moment. "Do you know... Well, I mean..."

Six blinks. It doesn't do it often, but sometimes the moment requires it. After all, it is polite to break the tension.

"I know where I came from. I was hatched. But I know not all beings lay eggs. So... Do you know how human babies are made?"

Six blinks again, this time in surprise. "I am certainly not capable of it. Why do you ask me?"

"Because the others would make it a whole thing! Bela would say I'm too young to know, Kon-eir probably doesn't know, and Peter..." She shudders, horrified at the thought. "No, I wanted to ask you first."

Understandable. Six has made the mistake of asking Peter a question before. "Human babies are created via a process called 'lovemaking'. It usually requires a male and a female, and looks to an observer like some kind of friction at the navel. It may also require facial contact, but I am not sure. The female gestates a fetus for some months, and then a baby comes out in a process called 'birth'."

Gema cocks her head to the side. "It isn't sex?"

"No. Sex is done with genitals for pleasure and leverage. I've seen lovemaking once, and it looked different."

"Wow. Thanks for telling me, I guess. How do you know so much about sex?"

Six pulls the collar of its shirt a little higher. Absolutely nothing is on display, but the act feels right. It is polite to wear clothes, after all. "I was a Nymph of Lady Dionysia once. Sex was my job."

------

"You need to keep this hidden." Lady Dionysia taps the number etched onto the warforged's chest plate.

"Okay. Why?"

"Your job is to entertain, my dear. The people love a mystery. They don't want to know who you are. It ruins the game." She gives a flirty wink.

She does not say the real reason. A truly owner-less warforged will follow the orders of anyone who uses its entire serial number, like a fairy's full name. Whatever fool created this fine piece of machinery stamped it right on the front where anyone could see. It's like they wanted to lose it. Only a miracle will keep this thing in Lady Dionysia's employ, but she's not above bribing the fates in her favor. If she can get it trained, it would be a most valuable asset. Help bring in the more... discerning clients. She doesn't even need to feed it.

"Okay. What game is it?"

"It is a game called 'sex', done with genitals for pleasure and leverage. If you're good enough at it, you can have whoever you want eating from the palm of your hand."

"Okay. How do we play?"

------

"Why the fuck do they put a robot in lingerie? What, do they care about its modesty?"

The replacement chest panel commissioned by Lady Dionysia won't be in for another week. The man is almost certainly not looking for an answer, but Six tries anyway, carefully modulating its voice away from tones of anxiety. "It is polite to wear-"

"Shut the hell up. I'm gonna fuck you without any gods-damned clothes in the way." He starts ripping at the flimsy fabric. Six does not fight back- it has been explicitly instructed not to.

"Well, well, well. So you're 0470816, huh? Why didn't they sand that off? Fucking stupid of them."

If Six had a heart, it would be pounding. It was explicitly told to keep its identifying mark hidden. Its core thrums anxiously.

"Get up, 0470816. You're coming with me."

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spookierdeer · 3 years

Text

spike redesign!! full post, i posted the wip a few days ago. more info under the cut!

sorry if what follows seems a little haphazard, i'm still working on fully forming my thoughts so the notes might be written out messily. still all canon until i say otherwise, though!

spike's actual species of dragon is unknown, twilight recieved his egg by mistake during a school project. the eggs were supposed to be under a stasis spell to keep the mysterious species of bird from hatching while under the young ponies' care, but those type of spells don't work on dragon eggs. i may write about how she actually came to receive this egg one day, but today i want to focus on spike!

i'm not confident my sketch of freshly hatched spike really shows him at the size i wanted to go for, as i imagine dragons are curled up inside the eggs completely and there isn't much space inside there once the dragon has fully formed and is close to hatching. so, spike is a pretty chunky baby and while teenage twilight can cradle him, he's still pretty stout.

in my au, dragons don't all eat crystals or minerals! it's actually pretty rare and most species of dragons enjoy full diets not including rocks or gems at all. however the dragons that do eat minerals often have the flashiest and stunning scale patters (crystals and gems) or the most rough to the touch (usually minerals found in lava beds and other highly sulfuric areas). this isn't mutually exclusive! spike has a bright color palette and pretty smooth scaling, but a mineral eating dragon could have just as bright of colors but feel like harsh sandpaper or a rough, rough cliff face. since spike is raised by ponies and quite enjoys minerals, he's gotten used to soft and silky textures and, though he isn't fully aware of how much his preferences and diet shape his scale texture, prefers his sleek scales to the rougher dragons he's seen.

if a dragon has unwanted roughness or is having trouble shedding scales, they may rub their bodies against harsh stone! for generations, before ponies and dragons new more of each other, there were smoothed out stones found in forests and other areas with low populations. they were considered magical by earth ponies and sometimes sacred! turns out, it was just where a dragon had buffed out some rough scales before the ponies found the place.

if spike were to eat magnetized minerals, would his scales become magnetic? probably if he ate enough! decorate your fridge with his yearly shed scales?

in the image i mention that land born dragon eggs are rough and water born dragon eggs are smooth. yes! that is a thing in my au. will i describe spikes egg here? no <3

twilight is basically a teen mom in my au, though by the time my au takes place spike rarely calls her anything other than her actual name. mostly because he thought his best friend being his mom was weird so his solution was to just call her by her real name instead! briliant, obviously. spike does still have a crush on rarity in his younger years, but it's definitely not anything serious. just a kid who thinks his mom's close friend is very nice and pretty! she's basically an aunt to him (the rest of the mane 6 generally act as his aunts, even rainbow who's married to his adoptive mom) and showed him the wonders of spa days and self care. her and fluttershy would take turns babysitting him when he was too young to follow twilight to school or when she was busy doing work for celestia and she couldn't keep an eye on him. after twilight and rainbow started dating, spike basically had this internalized debate of "ok. twilight is my mom. i love her. rainbow is like family. i love her too. it's still kind of weird that they're dating. why??" and basically came to the conclusion that it is ok to not call rainbow dash "mom" after all. he very bravely confronted rainbow about it when they were alone and she was like "it's ok lil dude" but internally was like "god hes precious" and was never worried about what spike called her anyway.

when rigel wisp comes along spike is basically that meme of "i've only known them for 5 minutes, but if anything happened to them i'd kill everthing in the room and then myself" as soon as he gets to hold them for the first time. he's a little bigger than pictured here, but never gets bigger than 5ft head to tail. he's a great older brother and spoils them rotten! he's not quite as close to the other foals of the mane 6+family, but he does try to help out with babysitting and keeping the foals distracted when needed. he's great at keeping them entertained and if the parents sneak him some extra gems when no ones looking, he's definitely not complaining.

i'm still working on a concrete timeline, but i know for sure spike is around 4 years older than flurry heart. timeline for that is twilight hatches spike's egg, shining armor completes training, eventually gets assigned to princess cadence's protection detail, they fall in love and almost immediately have a love boom that produces flurry heart. not sure if cadence knew twilights family when they were all kids or not, i kind of like it better as a love at first sight thing for her and shining armor. her whole thing is love after all! plus, she's the crown princess of the crystal kingdom and twilights parents are just unicorn astronomers. not sure how they'd meet for play dates, being from two separate kingdoms lmao

i'll probably think of more later, maybe i'll eventually write a fanfic like my friends keep telling me to. maybe i'll just keep adding to my obscenely large family tree of the mane 6 instead!

#spike #spike mlp #spike redesign #mlp redesign #dragon #cartoon dragon #cute dragon #dragon egg #dragon biology #mlp #my little pony #mlp g4 #gen 4 #mlpfim #spooky draws

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kingofthewilderwest · 3 years

Note

Hi! What are your thoughts on “Dragons: The Nine Realms” based on what we’ve seen so far? I have very mixed emotions, on one hand it’s great to introduce new people to the franchise and revive the fandom, but on the other hand.. I’ve long since accepted the ending to the franchise, and if we got more content modern day HTTYD is not what I had in mind. Also the animation looks like something straight out of School of Dragons lol.

So when I saw the trailer and read the synopsis for the first time, I felt... nothing? But that might also be because I had a very icky no good very bad day healthwise today, and in feeling like crap, I didn't have the emotional capacity to respond to anything else around me. So this isn't knocking on The Nine Realms at all. I want to make that clear! XD (also: I am much improved healthwise now, yeehaw)

In fact, I think that if this had come out five years ago, when I was more emotionally invested in HTTYD as a hyperfixation, I would have had levels of interest and optimism. The idea has potential. They could make something legitimately interesting out of this. I know that in the past I have wondered if someone like Cressida Cowell would consider putting a HTTYD series in more recent times or the modern day. The idea of HTTYD, with the unique array of dragons and how they interact with the world, is more than flexible and productive enough to be written in different time periods and different parts of the globe, and I think that's hella awesome of it. If you can expand a franchise with various forms of creativity, why not?

This doesn't step on any toes regarding Hiccup's journey and it's a cool way of continuing the franchise while staying out of a story that's complete (which Hiccup's journey is). If you'd written something directly after Hiccup, like something with Zephyr and Nuffink, I'd question your decisions, because that would feel too close off the tail of major events like the dragons leaving in THW. If you wanted to write adventures about those kids with dragons, that'd be stepping on toes to me. But 1,300 years later? Yeah, sure, let's see what happens when the dragons of the Hidden World get rediscovered. I wouldn't be surprised if they slipped in Easter Eggs of our favorite Viking dragon riders, like finding the dragon info pages Hiccup wrote, other memorabilia, things like that, to connect us to the past and maybe get a glimpse of what teenaged or adult versions of them did. I don't need the show to do something like that, but franchises are gonna franchise, and I wouldn't be surprised if they thought adding something Easter Eggy would appeal to their fanbase.

I'm quite willing to get emotionally invested in an all-new, unrelated cast of characters (though watch: main!boy is related to Hiccup or something ;) ;) ;) ). I think the premise could be fun. I imagine the execution level of said premise will be about on par as Race to the Edge, and you know what? I'm fine with that also. If it's at least RTTE quality, it's an enjoyable watch.

But to repeat something you've said: I've long since accepted the end of the franchise. I'm not opposed to more material if it's done with intelligent boundaries respectful of prior HTTYD storytelling, which this premise qualifies for, but emotionally speaking, I've had and done my investment in HTTYD. I've moved onto enjoying other things. My life is never going to be consumed with HTTYD analysis after HTTYD analysis again, and I'm happy with that. My heart doesn't yearn for new HTTYD content.

So the way I feel about it is a casual, "Hey, sure, why not. Write this right and have fun, and don't do this as a cheap franchise cash grab, and you have my thumbs up. But this is going to be me rooting on those fans who are still more emotionally invested in the DreamWorks Dragons world for whom the content will be more.... relevant(?).... to their lives."

The one thing that makes me sigh is the main character riding a Night Fury-esque creature. Feels uninspired and cliché. Also this would have been a perfect chance to have a female lead and we didn’t do that, jussayin’.

Will I watch it when it comes out? I mean... pending on fandom responses being mixed to positive... yes.

#TNR #The Nine Realms #DreamWorks Dragons: The Nine Realms #DreamWorks Dragons #ask #ask me #awesome anonymous friend #anonymous #analysis #my analysis #long post #because folks are wimps these days

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bccfggffbgv · 2 years

Note

(A.N. This just got even more insane)

(Turns out Nix didn’t learn her lesson about having a poor manufacturing process. Her knockoff Ruby Weapons (A.N. I imagine she gave them an “Edgy” name that is so over the top that it makes Infinite look tame) where fairly numerous, but the process to make them was so poor that those that didn’t basically fall apart due to being rushed into action without proper testing where promptly either obliterated by Death Egg Robo Sentinels and other Egg Base defense systems at range or forced to retreat. Nix was actually surprised that Eggman has so many robots already. Then he sent a mocking email to proclaim he has his own space station with robot factories built in. Queue her spotting the Death Egg itself, even more well defended by his machines and constantly producing robots. Nix growled as Eggman was basically able to sit back and sip some tea. Meanwhile, Azem went with Mercury and Sonic to a strange floating city detected by Mercury, who determined that an emerald might be there. The only thing stranger than the city itself is that Sonic opted to ride on one of Landerwaffe’s wings, stating he’s used to it. Elsewhere still, Grey Horde troops found a floating island, and found what appeared to be a MASSIVE Chaos Emerald, and decided to try and take the massive green jewel. All that they got was being punched over the horizon. The one behind that, a Red Echidna, was annoyed at this, as it was about the twelfth time that this happened in the span of just two days. At least the Necromancer was able to hold his own better than most, but he was soon punched away as well. Why where there so many villains besides Eggman going for the Master Emerald now?)

(A.N. Knuckles is stated to be as strong as Sonic is fast, and given how fast Sonic is, it makes sense that Knuckes is able to do these punches over the horizon. Also, I guess I made it The Chaosverse and Knuckes now)

Nix: I'm going to need to get actually good engineers...*She then sees the new JcBlight satellite floating about*...Actually, those abomination worker drone hybrids I've been seeing seem helpful~...I'm sure they won't mind me "borrowing" them~...

*She had then soon began hacking them with her strange prism eye virus*

(Meanwhile with the heroes)

Mercury: I think we have...company? *The group soon spots the mad doctor himself within his Eggmobile*...I wasn't expecting...this.

Eggman: Well if it isn't the stubborn blue rodent that continues to pester me no matter where I go! I take it that these are your new "friends" sonic? Because I certainly have more than enough firepower with this new machine to get rid of you all~! *He then calls upon a Chinese dragon like mech that was surging with electricity* Get a load of this~!

[Boss: Egg-storm]

(Meanwhile on Angel Island)

Eda, while walking with S.A.M, Ross, Luz, and Uzi: Hey kid, are you sure we're on the right track? I haven't seen a single emerald since we got here.

Ross, as he saw a ring by itself: But what about those weird floating rings? I bet they have magic in 'em-! *Just as he had touched it, it had vanished away with an interesting ping*...How does that work?...

(Meanwhile with Victor Hex)

*He had fully healed himself but was still annoyed by having been bested by that red echidna...He soon had discovered an interesting find within an old junkyard...Or more accurately: "multiple" finds*

Victor Hex, as he began charging his ever growing magic on these broken robots and Cybertronians: You will all be very valuable assets to my army~...Rise from your graves and be one with the ascension~!

#Multiversal Fusion #crystalverse #Chaos-verse

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alexhogh7137 · 3 years

Text

The Battle Between Love and Fire-

Ivar the Boneless × Reader

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Six: "..it means divine beauty.."

Word Count 3.1k

Warnings: mentions of blood, heavy angst

When you reached Kattegat's border, you were already bleeding. You could feel the droplets slipping down your leg and onto your dragon's scales. You hear Neith cry out when she notices you bleeding.

"I-ah...I'm alright! Boy..land!" You stammered but he obeyed. You slide off of your dragon and fall to the ground.

"Torvi!" You shouted, "Torvi!" You shouted again, until you saw her before you.

Torvi "Y/n..Y/N what is it!?"

"Ah, the baby..she's coming!" She took no time at all to call a group of vikings over to you. They lifted you up and when they did, Torvi saw the puddle of blood that was underneath you. The thing is, you have not been sitting there for very long. Worrying her. She looks at the horizon, hoping to see a group of men on horses, riding into the gates but she does not. She took a deep breath and ran inside to help you deliver your child.

When you are placed on your back, you have the immense urge to push. You scream out because you are trying your hardest to keep her in until your beloved is by your side.

"My queen, you are bleeding-"

"I kno-Torvi!"

Torvi "I am here, I am here." She took your hand and you squeezed hers long and tight.

"Is..the bleeding normal?" You stammered.

Torvi "Yes, dear one. I bled with all of my children."

"Ivar..Hvitserk..they won't make it!"

Hvitserk "Says who?" You look from behind your friend's figure and see both of them, out of breath in the doorway. You burst into tears from relief. Hvitserk rushes to your side and takes your hand in his own. While Ivar on the other hand, sits in front of you. Looking like he is going to have a heart attack, or vomit from the panic and the fear.

"You made it-"

Hvitserk "Of course I did," he said caressing your cheek, "I swore to you that I would not miss it." He kissed your forehead but you scream out in pain. "TORVI!" He yelled at her to get in there, to check to see if you are ready to push or if it is only contractions. You feel her checking, and that hurts just as bad.

Torvi "Okay, my friend..are you ready to have this baby?"

"No.." Torvi giggles.

Hvitserk "I have you."

Torvi "Push." You did as she told you and screamed until she told you to pause. Ivar covers his ears, trying to block out your screams because he cannot bare it.

Torvi "You are doing so well, only a few more!" You continued following her guidance until you felt a release within you, and you knew that she was here.

Torvi sighs, "It is indeed a girl." Hvitserk looks at her and cries tears of joy.

"Oh..can I-can I see her?"

Torvi "Of course." When you see her, she is just as your visions foreshowed. She is simply perfect. Ivar cried with you. So happy to hear this news and to hear her cries for you for the first time.

"Hello, beautiful." You say as you help her to latch onto your breast. "We have been waiting for you for so long." Ivar gets up from his seat and walks his way to your bedside. But he stays silent.

Ivar "Y/n.." you look up at him and you see the fear in his eyes. That is when you look down and notice the blood surrounding you. That is when you feel your adrenaline die down and you feel as weak as you should be.

Hvitserk "Let me take her.." she finished feeding when Hvitserk took her from your arm's.

Torvi "We need to stop the bleeding, she tore giving birth to her.."

Ivar "What can I do?!"

Torvi "Get me stitching, and hurry."

"Hvitserk," he looks at you from staring at her, "what if-"

Hvitserk "No, don't even think that way..do you hear me?" You slowly nod, "Torvi will-will stitch your tare and you will be fine. I promise."

"Mm, what is her name?" He looks at you and then down at her and smiles.

Hvitserk "what about Asta?"

"Asta.."

Hvitserk "Yes, it means divine beauty. And she looks like you."

You smile, "Asta is perfect." Ivar comes back with the stitching and when you see the needling, you feel your eyelids getting heavy and soon enough, you are unconscious.

Hvitserk and Ivar stay with you even though you were asleep. They did not leave your side until the bleeding had stopped.

Ivar "When will she wake?" He asked Torvi.

She sighs, "I am not sure. She lost quite the amount.."

Hvitserk "What are you telling us exactly, huh?" He said, rocking his daughter.

Torvi "She may not wake for a day or so. I do not know how fast her body can heal itself!"

Ivar nods, "I have to go.." Hvitserk makes eye contact, "I can't see her laying there like that. I've seen it before, I can't do it again." And just like that, without another word, he left. Hvitserk holds back the tears as he sits down by your bedside, rocking Asta.

Hvitserk "Your mother has been through too much during her lifetime, little one. And I wish that was not the case." She coos, "But she is strong. She is a warrior, a shield maiden..a queen." He looks up at you, "She won't leave us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When you wake, it feels like you are in a whole other world. Everything around you is gloomy, and quite dark. But you find it all splendidly peaceful. You walk further and find a body of water. The lake was surrounded by dragon statues of great mass.

"Gods...where am I?" You say to yourself as you walk further. You walk and walk until you reach a cave. In this cave were two dragon eggs. White and red in color. You smile to yourself and think to yourself 'this is why I am here, for little Asta.' And in that moment, you took a deep breath and came out of your vision.

When you look to your left, you find Ivar with his head down. Asleep. You try to move but the pain in between your legs stops you. But only for a moment, you see, because Ivar was not with Asta, so you had to find her. You silently got out of bed and wobbled your way out of the chamber doors. You find two guards and they stop you in your tracks.

"My queen, you should be in-:

"Bed? Yes, I think I have been in bed long enough. Where is my daughter?" Your voice woke Ivar dead in his sleep.

Ivar "Y/n?" You look back and your eyes connect with his bright blue eyes. "You are awake!" He walks to you and cups your cheeks and kisses you softly.

"How long have I been asleep?"

Ivar "Two or three days..I am not quite sure."

You sigh, "Where is Asta?"

He smiles and caresses your cheek, "She is perfectly well, my love."

"I'll go find her-"

Hvitserk "She is with Hvitserk." You nod and make your way to his chambers, where you find him fast asleep, with the baby asleep on his chest. Your eyes welled with tears, but the most joyous of tears. When you sat down on the corner of the bed, the pain became excruciating and you could not hold back your yelp. This woke Hvitserk up and when his eyes adjusted, he lost it. His emotions overcame him and so did yours.

Hvitserk "You-"

"Hi.." he laughs and raises himself and Asta from his position in the bed and he makes his way closer to you. "I missed her first few days of life-"

Hvitserk "Nothing happened, kitten..she barely has her eyes opened yet." You nod and sniffle away the last of your tears as he hands her to you.

"Gods she is so perfect." He nods and kisses your forehead. "Has Ivar held her?"

Hvitserk "I offered but he refused. He said that he would not hold her until you woke from your deep slumber." Your brows scrunch together in confusion, "He meant that if you did not awake, then he would want nothing to do with her."

You scuff, "I don't believe that-"

Hvitserk "Y/n, he killed a son that his wife told to be his own because he was born different.." you think back on that story that Ivar told you a long time ago. You forgot about that, because you did not want to believe that he really did such an awful thing.

"Well, I am awake.." he nods, "I do not want to think about the past. I just want to be here and now, with her. You and Asta are not in my past." Another tear falls from his eye as he leans down and kisses Asta's forehead.

Hvitserk "You two are my everything. You know that, yes?"

"Of course I do, I love you." You lean in and kiss him gently before kissing your sweet daughter. "She is so tiny."

Hvitserk "She is. She does not look real, she is so perfect." In that moment, she opened her eyes and you saw the color for the first time. They are your blue but in the center, they are his green.

"Wow.."

Hvitserk "Mhmm.." he nods in agreement.

"How did we make her?"

Hvitserk "What can I say, we are just beautiful-" you two burst out laughing, making Asta start to fuss.

"Shh, shh. I've got you." Hvitserk sits there and admires the both of you. Until he saw his brother's gathering in the doorway.

Ubbe "Momma bear is finally awake!" He shouted but not too loudly.

"I am." You said, exhaling deeply. He walks over to you and kisses your forehead.

Ubbe "I am happy to see you holding her, she looks just like you."

"Mm, I see both of us in her." You say as you look at her.

Ubbe "A little bit," he winks at Hvitserk, "But you should eat."

"I will soon, I just want to spend time with her."

Ivar "Let her be with her." Ubbe looks at his brother and nods in agreement.

Ubbe "I'll leave you two be then." You nod and then watch him leave the chamber. Ivar stayed, of course.

Ivar "She does look like you, my sweetheart."

"Thank you. But would you like to hold her?" He walks closer and smiles once you smile at him. He sits down next to you and Hvitserk, and takes Asta in his arms. You hear his breath hitch and his eyes begin to water.

Ivar "You know," he sniffles, "I thought that I would never hold her."

"You would. Maybe not at first, but you would Ivar."

Ivar shook his head, "I couldn't. I could never love someone that took the love of my life away from me." He looks up at you. "If I lost you, then what would be the point of my life, hmm?" You do not answer him, "So no, I couldn't. If I lost you, I lost the will to live."

"I am here, Ivar. You do not have to think that way."

Ivar "I know that. But I had to let you know that. I am sure that Hvitserk told you that I did not hold her while you were asleep, so I had to tell you myself." You nod.

"I love you, my love. But if the day should come where I pass on before you do, I want you to be happy." He looks disgusted, "And Asta needs you."

Hvitserk "I think we all need to stop worrying, aye?" He tries to break the tension, "You are here, you woke..Asta is here and she is healthy. And we are all together. So why sadden this wonderful day with what could happen in the future, huh?"

"Hvitserk is right." Ivar nods and glances down at Asta. She coos and he chuckles. Hvitserk rubs small circles on your back and takes in this moment that he thought would never happen, nor become a possibility.

"I have to tell you something-"

Torvi "You are awake! Ubbe just told me!"

"Hi!" She runs to you and greets you with a warm and friendly embrace.

Torvi "How are you feeling?"

"Like I tore.."

Torvi "Mm, I need to check the stitching every now and then but not now. I want you to take this time with Asta."

"Thank you, for everything."

Torvi "My pleasure." She walks back out, to give you all this time to yourselves.

Hvitserk "What is it that you have to tell me?"

"I know where her dragon's are." Hvitserk's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Hvitserk "Really? Where?"

"I am not quite sure of the name of the place, but I know what it looks like!" You explain your vision and Ivar is amazed to know that such a place existed.

Ivar "When should we go?"

"Not any time soon. We need to be home with her. I just want to have them for when she is old enough."

Ivar "I understand."

"I should feed her and then feed myself." You force a laugh. Ivar smiled and handed her back to you and headed for the door.

Ivar "Hvitserk, will you join me for a moment?" Hvitserk growled but got up and followed his brother's orders anyway.

"It is just you and me, little one." You smile, "it should have been this way on the first day of your life but the God's had other plans." She suckled and listened, "But because so, I know how to gift you the best gift that my father had ever given me. And now I can give that to you. One day, of course." You think to yourself and smile, "I love you so much, little Asta. So so much. I hope you never forget that." She coos, "And you will grow up to be a strong, powerful woman. I promise. You will be safe and loved by so many, and be admired from all over the world. But most importantly, your father and I love you most."

Ivar leads his brother to the dining hall to sit down and chat. What about? Hvitserk would soon find out.

Hvitserk "So what is it you wanted to talk about, Ivar? You know that I want to see-"

Ivar "Y/n, I know."

Hvitserk "So why am I here and not with her, hmm?" Ivar chuckles, "what couldn't you say with her in the room?"

Ivar "I would like to talk about Asta, of course."

Hvitserk "What about her?" He already began to fume.

Ivar "You know exactly what about her. I am not her father-"

Hvitserk "No, you're not."

Ivar "Do not test me, brother. I am trying to be kind." Hvitserk stops himself from talking any further by resting his hand to his face. "I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter."

Hvitserk "I suppose you would like her to grow up thinking that you are her father..no?" Ivar thinks for a moment and smirks.

Ivar "You are not wrong."

Hvitserk "But think of Asta. How would that affect her?" Ivar lets his head drop when he hears that question. "This is her life, we have to take care of her Ivar."

Ivar "And I will-"

Hvitserk "Will you? You see, you did not even want to hold her!"

Ivar "I couldn't. I told you why."

Hvitserk "I understand why, but even if something did happen to Y/n, Asta would still need us Ivar. You know that." Ivar nods slowly, inhaling deeply.

Ivar "Asta will know that you are her father when she is old enough to fight. Until then, she will be mine." And before Hvitserk could protest, he got up and left the room. For a moment, Hvitserk couldn't believe it. But then he realized that it was Ivar, so he believed it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You managed to eat today but only a little. When Torvi checked your stitching, it felt like hot coils burning your core. It was so painful, but you managed not to scream. Ivar was by your side through that moment, which surprised you. He held your hand and helped you through it. Which was the first time he could see you in pain and manage to help you through it.

Torvi "It is going to be painful until it heals completely, so no fighting.."

You smile, "I won't be going into any battle anytime soon."

Torvi "Good. You can do what you are able but no sex or anything that could tare the stitching."

"Thank you Torvi."

Torvi "Of course." She hugs you tightly, "Now I'm going to go coddle that little princess of yours."

You giggle, "Go, before I steal my own daughter from you." She bursts out laughing.

Ivar "Seems like you and Hvitserk won't be having fun for a few weeks."

"Don't talk like that."

Ivar "I am sorry."

"So what did you and Hvitserk talk about?" You stammered as you got yourself up from your laying position on the mattress.

Ivar "I told him that Asta would not know that he was her father until she was old enough to fight."

"And I suppose I have no say in that?"

Ivar "No, it is the only way I can keep it from my people. If they knew, they would belittle me..I cannot have that."

You nod, "No, of course not."

Ivar "That day will not be easy for me-"

"Nor will it be easy for her."

Ivar "You are right. It won't but this is how it must be."

"Fine. Will you please help me up?" He rises and helps you off of the bed. You attempt to walk away from him but he holds you close to him. He holds you tight to his chest and your hearts beat at the same time.

Ivar "I know that you must hate me right now, and for that I am sorry. If she was mine, it would not be an issue. And I am happy for my brother, but it has to be this way." He loosens his grip so that you have enough room to look up at him.

"Okay Ivar." He caresses your cheeks, leans in and kisses you. You kiss him back, of course.

Ivar "I love you."

"I love you too."

Ivar "Go ahead." He lets you go and he watched as you walked out of the door. Thinking to himself, "Was this the only way?"

@hvitserkmarcosource @a-mess-of-fandoms @youbloodymadgenius @ivarsgoddess @krissydclayton93 @heavenly1927 @saldelys @conaionaru

#the battle between love and fire #alex hogh andersen #vikings #hvitserk #ivar the boneless #marco ilsø #ubbe lothbrok #hvitserk lothbrok

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ask-runaan-anything · 3 years

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Hi Runaan! Btw it's my birthday on Dec 15 and a birthday wish from my fav assassin would make my day - but anyway I was wondering if we could have a story? I love the stories on these blogs and I've been wondering about right before you left for your mission. I know Ethari told you Rayla shouldn't go, but I'd like the full story. Like, did Ethari approve of the motives? The targets? What did the assassin team think? I basically just want to hear about the preparation.

Happy birthday, little shadow. I wish you a day of peace and joy, and may you be most content.

Will you truly find contentment in these dark and angsty details? *shakes head* Humans have very strange birthday traditions, indeed. But very well. Rayla has patiently instructed me that birthday wishes are very important, so if this is your wish, then you should have it.

Enjoy your extra helping of angst, then.

The news of the humans’ vile attack at the Storm Spire reached the Silvergrove with hurricane force and took us all by storm. We were all angry, sorrowful, and ashamed that two of our most honorable elves had apparently fled, abandoning their precious duty. I had to stand before the Queen of the Dragons and let her rage and shout at my friends, at my choices, at my faulty judgment in sending them to her. My eardrums nearly burst under the force of her fury. I knew she would get to her point eventually, and I knew what that point would be, but the leader of the Moonshadow assassins does not interrupt the Queen of the Dragons, even on a good day. And that was not a good day. So I let her continue, and I took her thunderous words with an agonized heart and stubborn silence.

I didn’t realize Rayla had followed me out into the forest until she shouted--shouted--at Queen Zubeia to stop tangling my hair with her fury. I nearly had a heart attack when the queen whipped her head toward Rayla and growled. I knew what she was seeing: the living child of her egg’s failed defenders. And in her state of mind--her grief and fury--she might’ve done something we would all would regret.

I did the only thing I could think of to distract the angry dragon from taking tragic revenge. I drew my swords on her and called her out. “Justice belongs to the Moonshadow elves, Queen Zubeia, not to you. If you take one innocent life in revenge for another, that is not justice.”

She glanced back at me, and I could feel the volcano of emotions seething in her eyes. Rayla froze across the clearing.

Queen Zubeia’s tail lashed out, a lazy whip of deadly muscle. I did my best to avoid its full strike, but even the most agile of assassins will have a hard time defending against an adult arch-dragon. For my backtalk, I ended up tumbled in a heap, feeling my shirt soak through. Before I could even think about getting back to my feet, Rayla was standing over me, her hands in fists, staring up at the enraged dragon.

I held one of Rayla’s ankles, in case this was the end. I wanted her to know that I was still with her. Queen Zubeia roared down at us, but Rayla didn’t flinch. I barely heard her words over the ringing in my ears as she said, “I’ll go with him. I’m an assassin, too. Let me prove myself, to both of you.”

“Rayla, no....”

Rayla knelt by my side and pulled off her hoodie, pressing it against my wounds. I was proud and relieved to see that she wasn’t scared, only handling things as best she could.

“This idea has merit,” the queen said. “Runaan, your expert opinion?”

Rayla was well trained. I’d seen to it myself. And taking her on a mission of revenge was slightly safer than letting Queen Zubeia bite her in half right in front of me. I’d managed to finagle a second option. I’d get no chance to force a third. “She is worthy.”

The queen’s toothy smile was the darkest thing I’d ever seen. “Then you will take this dishonored assassin with you. You will travel to Katolis and take its king, in retribution for his murder of my husband.” Her great blue eyes flickered toward Rayla and back to me again. “And you will take its crown prince as well, in retribution for the murder of my son.”

I felt her words burn into me. The deed was done, the mission given.

Rayla gasped. “But he just said that taking one innocent life in revenge for another isn’t justice,” she blurted.

“Perhaps not for the Queen of the Dragons,” Zubeia purred. “But you are assassins. You are Justice. If Runaan wishes to play at merciful compromises, then he had better bring his best game, little elfling. Now, you’d best tend to him before he bleeds out. I fear this mission will fail if his chosen successor has to lead it.... considering...”

Zubeia departed in a thunderous rush of wind, and Rayla used all her years of training to patch me up. She hadn’t even gotten me back to the village before my assassins rushed over to help.

All was chaos for some while, and I admit I don’t remember all of it. But I woke safe at home in my bed, with Ethari bending worriedly over me. He kissed my forehead, and then my hands, and he murmured, “What have you done, my heart?”

I had to tell him. Rayla didn’t understand enough of the subtleties. I had to save Rayla, and the cost of that was bringing her to Katolis with me--and taking an innocent prince, in her place. It was the best I could do, but Ethari was devastated.

He asked me to explain it again and again, hoping for a different story, a loophole. But the binding ribbon is smooth and has no loops. I was tied down, and so was Rayla. There is no way to release one’s duty as an assassin, save for death itself.

Ethari is a gentle elf. He drapes his workshop in pretty stones and drenches it with light. He plays music, and he dances, and he laughs freely. He is pure and precious, and I’ve worked hard to help him remain as soft and gentle as possible, despite his ardent fondness for an unlucky assassin leader. But this... this chaos burst through his workshop door and slapped him across the face. Neither of us could hide or disguise it anymore. Death was always present in the Silvergrove. It has always shadowed me. But after that it moved into the tree house with us, and it brought its friends: Shame, Sorrow, and Heartbreak.

I healed up, on the outside. But none of us truly healed within, not with the mission looming over us all. I was bound to Queen Zubeia’s will, and through me, my assassins... and my craftsman... and my newest squad member, Rayla. Binding ribbons for us all, ghosts of promises past, of loyalty and trust tightening in the face of disaster.

Ethari set to work making Rayla the best swords he could. He worked for weeks to make them perfect, and he hid in his workshop and hammered away his bone-deep fears for her future.

Rayla trained endlessly, eager to prove herself even more than she had in the past, and I had to encourage that. I had no intention of letting her anywhere near Prince Ezran, and I knew I’d have to take King Harrow myself, for Queen Zubeia’s satisfaction. But Rayla still needed to come with us, and that meant she had to be as ready as the rest of us were--on the outside, at least.

My assassins accepted the mission to Katolis readily. They accepted Rayla’s presence as a complex part of the arrangement, as well. Balancing one life with another is very Moonshadow, and so is balancing one death with another. The Moon is never afraid to go dark. It does so every month. For the sake of the murdered Dragon Prince, they understood the heavy balance in taking the prince of Katolis. And all the Silvergrove agreed that it was better to take an innocent human life than an innocent elven one. A distant life instead of Rayla’s, whom they all knew. They believed that I’d chosen well in sparing her.

I did not think so. I had only done my best to save Rayla’s life. But that only shifted the queen’s rage. Someone innocent was still going to die. And I was going to be the one to take that life. That was the price I was going to pay to save Rayla.

I was relieved beyond words to find a way to avoid paying that price. Ezran himself showing me the egg of the Dragon Prince was a clear sign that several things were dangerously out of alignment. But the binding ribbons were on by then.

The last few weeks before my team left for Katolis seemed to take years. Ethari thought he was hiding his tears better than he truly was. I had no time for tears at all. Rayla and my assassins were in mission prep. And the Silvergrove woke each morning under a heavy fog of dark anticipation.

The loss of the egg of the Dragon Prince lay at Lain and Tiadrin’s feet. My assassins, my best friends. I’d sent them to the Storm Spire. I needed to remedy their mistake myself. As an assassin, as a Moonshadow elf, as their friend, and as the soft-hearted fool who’d taken in their daughter when they left, their supposed failure was my mistake to fix.

The weight of all of Xadia’s expectations--their sorrow, rage, and thirst for vengeance--rested on my shoulders, every morning, every day, until that mission was complete. I became the linchpin in the mechanism that would deliver justice to a sorrowing land. I could not fail, I could not falter, not for an instant, not by a hairsbreadth. Not in the five months before we left Xadia, not when Rayla let Marcos live, not when she tried to stall me from the tower, and not when my assassins fell around me.

Xadia was waiting. The Silvergrove was waiting. Ethari was waiting. Everyone needed it to be over.

It’s a good thing my hair is already white.

#ask runaan #runaan answers #story time #angst #silvergrove #runaan #ethari #rayla #zubeia #i really must wonder if this will make you happy on your birthday #but i hope so #happy birthday again

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