#Lace Rielle

[capoguar]

Lace, my Breton sorc from ESO. I wanted to draw her because I went way overboard with making a story timeline for her, and ended up making a family tree too.

[lavampira]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love💗(hello dani i'm ready for you to rip my heart out)

ty beloved this is so sweet and fun to revisit my writing!! 🥺💚

a solemn vow | d’alia/sidurgu

“I wanted to let you know I will be gone awhile,” D’alia says quietly, low enough for only him to hear, with her hand still on the unopened door. “I’m not yet sure when I’ll return.”

“Oh?”

Sidurgu shifts in her peripheral, curiosity laced with trepidation leaking from his voice in one simple word, but he doesn’t ask the burning question that she knows must be on the tip of his tongue. She risks a glance at him, tilting her head up to see him better in the dim lighting of the small room. His gaze remains sharp and unreadable with limbal rings aglow, half-hidden behind the silvery hair flopped over his forehead, all but pinning her in place as he observes her in turn.

D’alia isn’t quite sure what brings it to mind right then, but she finds herself struck by the fleeting thought that he must have watched Fray walk out that door, too, only to never return, leaving Sidurgu alone with their pact to protect that small child from the Temple Knights hunting her. Now here she is in Fray’s place, having made the same oath to keep Rielle safe so that he isn’t alone though her duty summons her away from the city. Guilt claws up her chest until it lodges itself in her throat.

lazy kisses in bed | d’alia/sidurgu

A twitch of a smile tugs at his lips. “I can’t shut the window from here.”

“I— That wasn’t entirely what I meant.”

Sidurgu stares at her for several painfully long seconds with a pinched brow, long enough that warmth spreads up her neck and settles in her cheeks. Realization crosses his face only moments later, and though he glances away from her with a quiet oh slipping past his lips, his motion resumes to settle instead with his back to the headboard, and holds out his arm in silent invitation.

The blankets pool around her waist as D’alia sits up enough to move, gooseflesh rippling over her exposed limbs, but she sinks into the warmth of his side. Impulsively, she presses her lips to the pale, scarred skin of his broad shoulder. And again, as she shifts sluggish and slow, to a patch of dark scales above his heart. But then he leans down to meet her, winding his hand into her rosy hair as she braces a hand on his chest for purchase, and kisses her lazily but long, absorbed in the throes of the early morning.

a night in paris | lon/ethan

A low laugh bubbled out of him as Ethan nudged him, taking the spare glass as he shifted closer to his side, enough to touch, the warmth of him seeping through that singular point of contact. Lon’s breath hitched in his throat, hiding it behind his glass while he took a sip. And then it released in a slow exhale with the reminder of the others like them around them, and he eased against his side, too.

Ethan glanced up at him again after a time, flashing him a shyer smile than he’d ever seen from him. “What’s a fella got to do for a dance with you?”

“Weren’t you just out there?”

“Not with you.” Tossing back the remainder of his drink, Ethan set aside his glass, and then motioned for Lon’s nearly empty one as well. “And now our hands are free.” His stubbled lips tilted into more of a smirk again as Lon huffed a laugh. “C’mon, Lonnie. Didn’t come all this way to stand in the corner, did we?”

catalyst | cadrien/minaiph (min belongs to @hythlodaes)

Foolish.

He knows that it had been an undeniably stupid risk, that he had been too caught up in the momentary panic that the loss of Min would’ve been far more devastating than any possible injury to himself. It goes against everything he knows, everything that he’s been taught, and yet he’s also aware that he would suffer the same consequences again and again and again, regardless of what is expected of him. The why of it is something he’s trying not to think about, but it’s been running through his mind against his will.

He’s in love with Min.

The man who’d survived the red sands of Korriban alongside him. The Sith whom he’s meant to trust, whom he actually does, to work together in the Empire’s interests. His best friend who’d dragged his broken, unconscious body across Corellia, and now lingers at his side, caring for him in a way that he’s not sure that he should want or even deserves. But desire has long since clawed a hollow space in his chest and made itself a home.

stay the course | malena/kaidan

“Hey, there you are,” Kaidan calls softly. She doesn’t know exactly what her face shows when she finally glances up, but it must be a doozy because his thick brows furrow, and he adds, “You okay?”

I’m fine, Malena wants to say. How many times does she say it in a day? Fine, fine, fine. Chin up, back straight. It’s a necessity on a ship—if others see their commanding officer lose her shit, morale goes right out the airlock. And so Commander Shepard has the situation under control, and if she doesn’t, then she’ll get it there.

She opens her mouth to speak, but her voice breaks before she can form a word.

[unpredictable-probabilities]

Azul Ashengrotto of Royal Sword Academy || Chapter 27: A Prince's Jubilance

Summary:

After the ordeal with the Dark Mirror, Jamil and Azul look for Rielle and find him with Floyd in the midst of a joyous celebration.

Word Count: 2,125

Notes:

For Day 5 of AshenViper Week 2024!

Prompt: Alternate Universe

The song "Beautiful Sound" from Beetlejuice the Musical is featured in this chapter.

“Has Rielle texted back yet?” Jamil asks through the lollipop in his mouth.

He and Azul were sharing the candy bag they got as a prize for visiting all the stamp booths while they waited for Rielle and Floyd on one of the benches outside away from the crowds.

"Not yet, let's give him a few minutes. He must be having fun with Floyd," Azul smiles, and pops a pink marbled candy into his mouth. "These candies are almost worth being nearly scared to death by the Dark Mirror. Although that's probably because I rarely eat candy. You're a bad influence on me, Jamil."

"I can't tell if that’s an insult or a compliment,” Jamil says lightly. "Hopefully the Dark Mirror's the only scare we're gonna get this season. Anyway, I've been meaning to ask, are you normally not fond of sweets?"

"Well…" Azul fidgets with a candy wrapper. "I do like them. It's just that I've developed a habit of… not consuming any more calories than necessary." He keeps his eyes averted, and his voice sounds unsure about whether he said the right words.

"Not consuming any more calories…" Jamil repeats, eyebrows furrowing. "Does this have anything to do with your training as a knight or…?"

"That's what I tell people, yes," Azul says in a half-joking tone, nodding. "On the few occasions that they ask why I'm not eating as much as them. But… Well… Back in middle school, I was… I was a fat kid. And that was part of the reason why they bullied me. They liked to ask how my mother's restaurant remained in business if I kept eating everything on the menu." He casually runs a hand through his hair and lets out a sigh. "That was a long time ago and it doesn't bother me as much anymore but…" he shrugs. "Old habits."

Jamil falls silent throughout Azul's explanation, recalling Rielle's comments about Azul's usual aversion to snacks.

Then he fondly laces his fingers with Azul's. "I'm glad you've been okay with my bad influence, then. I think anyone deserves to eat and enjoy the food that they like. If I can eat curry despite almost dying, then I think you can afford to have snacks without guilt to hold you down."

Azul turns to him at the touch, as if surprised at Jamil's gesture. Then he smiles softly, returning Jamil's hold and squeezing his hand. "Indeed. Thank you for being here for me. With my Blot recovery and the Dark Mirror business and the snacking…" he trails off and just runs his thumb over Jamil's hand.

"Of course… I'm not going anywhere," Jamil promises. "It's a lot to face on your own, but you got me now." He then takes another piece of candy and offers it for Azul to bite when his phone vibrates.

Azul takes the candy with his teeth before reading the message on his phone. His tongue takes the candy into his mouth before he speaks. "Rielle said he's at the Botanical Gardens with Floyd. Apparently they're having a barbecue," he says in mild surprise. "He's inviting us to eat with them, and then we'll call Headmage Ambrose afterwards."

Jamil is still staring after the candy that disappeared behind Azul's lips, but he clears his throat and nods, looking away before he could try anything outwardly forward in the middle of the street. "Let's go, then."

It doesn’t take long to reach the Botanical Gardens again, but as they make their approach, Jamil begins to pick up on something he didn't expect from a makeshift cemetery: music and raucous singing.

He pauses, gazing thoughtfully at the dome from afar. "Sounds like a pretty intense barbecue session's happening inside."

Azul's eyebrows raise in interest. "Rielle must be getting along well with everyone."

They walk closer and Jamil gradually starts to feel a sense of gladness the more he hears the music. It's almost like a tingling on his skin, and for a second he feels like he wants to laugh or sing or dance.

He looks over at Azul and he's smiling good-naturedly, and with recognition in his eyes, like he knows exactly what's happening.

"Looks like someone's in a good mood," he comments, but it’s undeniable that he has begun to smile along, too. Feeling like a kid spotting an amusement park in the distance, Jamil heads inside with Azul to see what all the fuss is about.

"Yes, I hear that sooooound!" The undeniable drawl of Floyd is the first thing he hears, singing along to a tune that the environment itself seemed to compose.

Immediately, he is joined in by more people—Heartslabyul students, Jamil notes, merrily dancing together as they surround a boy with red hair, having the time of his life despite the dreary decoration of the venue.

"That beautiful sound!" Rielle sings, hopping on top of a table as he announces: "A sound that means no more condescending adults hanging around!"

"Every grooooooan!" Floyd hops off of the crowd to step to his partner's side, just as Jamil is beginning to pull Azul to join him in the celebrations.

"Each wail and each moan!" Floyd and Rielle continue, grinning at each other before striking a rebellious pose that got the crowd cheering along. "Adds up to DADDY'S LEAVING—"

"—me the hell ALONE! HEY, LOOK AT ME!" the sea prince continues, noticing his dear friend Azul and beckoning him and Jamil over, smiling as bright as the ocean reflecting the sun. "I'm finally free! I was invisible, but now they all see!"

The crowd parts for Azul and Jamil, and they go to the front, looking up and beaming at Floyd and Rielle.

"They're out of my grill!" Rielle continues to sing and holds out his arms to the crowd, beckoning all of them to join him. "Because of that—"

"SHRILL SYMPHONY!" the crowd sings enthusiastically. "Ain't it the sweetest noise around?"

"That beautiful sound!" Rielle steps forward grinning with his chin up.

"That beautiful sound!" Floyd puts his arm around Rielle and ruffles his hair.

"SOUND!" the crowd sings.

"That sound!" Rielle points to the crowd encouragingly.

"SOUND!"

"That sound!" Floyd echoes.

"SOUND!"

"That beautiful sound!" Rielle and Floyd conclude the song, and the crowd explodes into cheering.

Floyd carries Rielle by the waist and spins him around, the prince's laughter ringing pleasantly across the room.

As they both share a jovial kiss, the overwhelming urge to jump around and sing slowly begins to dissipate, leaving a warm type of feeling, like the joy from earlier has decided to calm down and settle.

All at once, the Heartslabyul members that have joined in break into pleasant applause before they disperse, chatting pleasantly about how well they hit that high note or nailed that particular dance step.

"What was all that about?" Jamil chuckles, feeling just as giddy despite an inkling in the back of his head telling him that there's something alien about this happiness. "I’ve never seen so many NRC students have fun coordinating like that before.”

"Rielle's Signature Spell," Azul is smiling brightly at him. "A Siren’s Gift. Whatever he sings, anyone within earshot will be emotionally affected according to his mood. Now that he's overjoyed, everyone who heard the song had been willing participants of his impromptu musical performance. How are you feeling?"

"Pretty terrified," Jamil grins. He may not be feeling the fear, but in his head, he can objectively verify that that is a spell he doesn't want to mess with. Having no control over his own emotions? He's lucky that Rielle's in a great mood at the moment.

Thankfully, the effects of the spell are slowly beginning to fade and he feels like himself again. "What's got you in a singing mood?" he asks Rielle.

Rielle shrugs as he and Floyd approach them. "Floyd and I were just hanging out, and were making quite a few mistakes in grilling the barbecue meat, then I realized… it was all right, even if we were making mistakes. We were still having fun, and no one got angry. Next thing I know, Floyd and I were singing. The other students seemed to like it, so I used my Signature Spell so everyone could have fun," he grins.

"Your Signature Spell is super rad!" Floyd gives Rielle a hug so tight that he lifts him a few inches off the floor.

The prince laughs as Floyd sets him down. "So, would you two like some barbecue? We eventually got the hang of it."

Jamil casually crosses his arms, his smile relaxing into his natural one. "We'll be the judge of that. It's good to see you having a lot of fun outside of your princely obligations, Rielle."

"Floyd has been excellent company," Rielle smiles.

He and Floyd lead them to the grill that they had set up, and he hands the both of them one kebab each; skewered barbecued meat with vegetables at the top.

"Thank you," Azul says. "I'm really glad to see you're both having a good time.”

"Yer staying here again tonight, right?" Floyd said through a mouthful of barbecue.

"We still have to ask Headmage Ambrose for permission, but yes that’s the plan,” Azul says.

“We can call him now,” Rielle suggests.

"'Eyyy, that means that you don't hafta sneak away later, after all!" Floyd grins to Rielle, who tenses up and gives him a look like he wishes the other hadn't said that.

"Sneak away?" Jamil points out.

"Don't worry about it, it's not gonna happen now," Rielle reassures him, though he's certainly making a point not to look either him or Azul in the eye.

Azul furrows his eyebrows at Rielle, but chooses not to say anything about his remark.

“Shall I call Headmage or will you?” he asks instead.

“I’ll do it,” Rielle takes out his phone and begins to dial.

He and Azul step away a little from the group when their Headmage answers. The two of them explain how Ignihyde’s Prefect had asked for their assistance in modifying their booth since the idea for improving it came from Azul and they requested to work together with him. 

Jamil can’t hear what Ambrose was saying, but he seems to agree after Rielle and Azul promise to be careful and report anything amiss about Azul’s health should anything happen, and return in time for Rielle’s responsibilities in RSA.

Rielle  ends the call, and Azul brings out his phone.

“I shall let Ortho know that we already have permission to stay the night,” Azul says as he types on his phone.

“Where’re you two gonna sleep after the movie thingy?” Floyd looks at Rielle and Azul. “Do we all sleep right there in front of the TV?”

“Idia hasn’t said anything yet,” Azul says.

“Maybe Sea Snake has some ideas,” Floyd aims a toothy grin at Jamil.

Hm. He had been thinking about it in case the Shrouds didn't have any appropriate rooms, but there was really only one place he could think of.

"I wouldn't want to impose on Octavinelle again, so if Ignihyde can't provide us with any accommodations, we can go to my dorm and sleep there."

"Heck yeah!" Floyd cheers. "Sleepover at Scarabia, finally! You never wanted to host a sleepover before," he pouts.

Jamil pointedly ignores him.

"We're supposed to help Idia think of ways to make their booth scarier after watching Pumpkin Hollow with him and Ortho," Azul says. "But short of jump scares and laying down traps, I don't know how else their booth can be improved; it's plenty realistic already."

Jamil puts a hand on his chin. "When we were inspecting all the booths before the event, Idia told me he'd be popping out and acting as the Pumpkin Knight himself. If the setting's already good with just a few minor tweaks, then perhaps we should focus on improving his and the Ignihyde students' performance skills the most."

"Ooh! I can teach 'em how to spook people!" Floyd grins, a little too menacingly.

"You certainly are an expert at it," Azul says in amusement.

"Mm, good luck in making sure the Ignihyde kids don't get scared of you and bail first,” Jamil adds.

"What will you guys be doing until then?" Rielle asks.

Jamil shrugs. "We're pretty free at the moment. I'm planning on checking in on Scarabia's booth but that's about it."

"I haven't shown Flame Tetra all the booths yet," Floyd says. "Call us when it's movie time!"

Floyd leads Rielle away, and Jamil and Azul go to make sure that Scarabia’s booth is still managing well. Afterwards, they leisurely walk around campus, trying out different snacks and refreshments and wondering how the watch party with the Shroud brothers would go.

<- Chapter 26

Chapter 28 ->

(AshenViper Week 2024 Masterpost)

(Masterlist)

[msfcatlover]

I finished my Death Mask (Red Hood) Steph playlist, if anyone's interested.

Only took multiple months, am I right? So, if you've got... oh gods, like 6.5hrs... check it out?

(I also have the playlist with all the songs I ended up cutting in this one over here. So if you have even more time and just want a strong dose of RH!Steph vibes, open that up and hit shuffle.)

Full list under the cut, in case youtube decides to take some of the videos down or rearrange my list---or if you want to rebuild it in your playlist player of choice---broken up into rough time periods to make it easier to read.

Introduction through Death:

Trouble by CRMNL || Take It Like A Girl by Khamsin, Molly Moore, Win Woo || Giants by Neoni || That's My Girl by Fifth Harmony || Raising Hell by Kesha, Big Freedia || Make It Look Easy by Valley Of Wolves || Enemies by The Score || Oh My Dear Lord by The Unlikely Candidates || A Little More Time by Natasha Blume || Reflection (Hollow Knight OST)

Resurrection through Return:

Goddess by Cepheid [cover] || Secrets Kill by Ely Eira || Come Alive by Ely Eira || Be My Guest by Azari [cover] || Who Am I? by Besomorph, RIELL || World On Fire by RIELL || Gossip by Måneskin [cover] || A Good Song Never Dies by Saint Motel || Who Are You? by SVRCINA || Hanahaki Syndrome by Shiki Miyoshino || Shadow Shadow by Azari [cover] || The Devil Wears Lace by Steven Rodriguez || Pink (Freak) by Elliot Lee || Thumbs by Sabrina Carpenter || Feed The Machine by Poor Man's Poison [cover] || Make A Move by Icon For Hire || Dirty by grandson || Devil Inside by CRMNL || That's How You Make A Villain by emlyn

Return through Identity Reveal:

Ready For War by 2WEI, Joznez, Kataem || BURN by 2WEI, Edda Hayes || Know My Name by Tru Genesis, DJ Form, Corinne, Sean BE || Champion by Neoni, burnboy || Too Loud by Icon For Hire || Way Up by Jaden || Godsent by Smash Into Pieces || Paranoia by Neoni || Royalty by Egzod, Maestro Chives, Neoni || Good People Do Bad Things by David Thomas Connolly || GOOD FOR HER by MOTHICA, emlyn || Shut Down by BLACKPINK || You Were Wrong by Icon For Hire || Little Girl Gone by CHINCHILLA || All Eyes On Me by CRMNL || Pomegranate Lips by Derivakat || Night Of Your Life by WAR*HALL || Everything or Nothing by Willyecho || How You Like That by BLACKPINK || See You In Hell by Amy Harriet

Reveal through Tower fight:

I'm Gonna Show You Crazy by Bebe Rexha || I'M NOT SORRY by Neoni || One Woman Army by Porcelain Black || Calling All the Monsters by China Anne McClain || Monster by Willyecho || Choke by I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME || They Don't Care About Us by Michael Jackson [cover] || The Road To Hell by TheUnder X Matthew Grant, Ellis Island || Villains Aren't Born (They're Made) by PEGGY || WONDERLAND by Neoni || Rituals by Jiovanni Daniel || Angry Too by Lola Blanc || Devil's Worst Nightmare by FJØRA

Tower fallout:

Go To War by Nothing More || Laplace’s Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!) by Will Wood || Motherland by REACH || Play Dead by Ellise || Aimed to Kill by Jade LeMac || Twisted by MISSIO || You Can Run by Adam Jones || Tomboy by Destiny Rogers [remix] || Whisper Whisper Whisper by Azari [cover] || Outlaw by Neoni || Wild Lands by Koethe || What's My Name by China Anne McClain

Spite-Flirting With Tim (Oracle):

Hot One by Leyla Blue, Baby Tate, REI AMI || Inferno by Bella Poarch [cover] || A Little Wicked by Valerie Broussard || DICTATOR by REI AMI || plot line by emlyn || you make a woman wanna... by emlyn || Here Come the Wolves by Lola Blanc

Fighting the family & Running the Alley:

Pretty Distraction by SkyDxddy || Stronger by The Score || Bloodshot by Sam Tinnesz || Let's Do This by Outskrts || Go For Gold by Autumn Kings || Hey Brother by Jakob Samuel|| Don't Stop The Devil by Dead Posey || Legend by The Score || What's Up Danger by Blackway, Black Caviar [remix]|| Welcome to the Party by Diplo || Do It Like A Dude by Jessie J || My Name Is... by Once Monsters || Queen of Kings by Alessandra Mele || Monster by Besomorph || I Like It Loud by Cash Cash || Confident by Demi Lovato || Looking at Me by Sabrina Carpenter || Immortals by Fall Out Boy || Up In Flames by Icon For Hire || Can't Get Enough by Jaxson Gamble || Do Right, Fear No Man by The Last Knife Fighter

Saving Jason, Having Hard Conversations, & Reuniting with the Family:

Deadly by Ellise || Cuttin' the Cord by Lunarcode || Soldiers by Sam Tinnesz, GoldTop || So Close To Me by Marc Boudreau || Dynasty by MIIA || Monster by Beth Crowley || It's Alright by Mother MotherGhost Town by Neoni, Layto || The Kid I Used To Know by Arrested Youth || Broken Boys & Bitter Bitches by Ellise || DDU-DU DDU-DU by BLACKPINK || Poison by LuLuYam || life's a bitch by TAELA || Give and Take by Poor Man's Poison || SHIT SHOW by UPSAHL || Lay Your Weapons Down by Ilse DeLange || Chasing The Sun by The Wanted || Hold Back The River by James Bay || Better Than One by The Score

.

(Holy shit, sorting/fixing these took like 3hrs, and I started by just copy-pasting the playlist's text directly to tumblr...)

I’m actually super proud of a couple of these transitions, or how I chose to build the mood in certain sections

[harwinsgirl]

Five songs that give me Harwin x Rhaenyra or Dragon Queen vibes

1. Odds Are - TheFifthGuys, Thatsimo, RIELL

You're rolling with the best, can you keep my pace?

Greedy for your touch, and I can't be tamed

There's a million reasons you should run away

But you look like a fighter

I'll show you the best views, unreachable heights

Elevate the stakes to see if you will rise

Can you take the pressure? Will you learn to fly?

Head first into the free fall

I'm feeling like a criminal

I want you to be too

The taste of your blood has got me worked up

Evil things I wanna do

And now I have locked my sights on you

Too late to run and hide

I wish you the best cause now that you're mine

Odds are you won't survive

2. Animal - Jim Yosef, RIELL

Dangerous, how we toe the line

Push it every time

My, my

Compromised from how you say my name

I see those bright blue eyes

And I,

Want you tied up in my bed

With my name carved deep into your chest

Harmless games went to my head

Now I want you breathing down my neck

Like an animal

I want you to myself, come on take control

Yeah, can you hold me down, smooth criminal

Yeah, you're rushing through my veins

Got me going half insane

I'm feeling like an animal

3. Royalty - Egzod, Maestro Chives, Neoni

They say I'm dangerous, 'cause I

Broke all the cages

No I, won't sit and take it

Now, now

They left me for dead, I guess they'll never learn

Every time I break there's just more pain to burn

They'll never, never, never learn

Best to give me your loyalty

'Cause I'm taking the world you'll see

They'll be calling me, calling me

They'll be calling me royalty

4. Throne - Rival, Neoni

So you wanna be my enemy

You should have known I'd never kiss the ring

Ice runs in my veins

Won't play it safe

I don't belong with your nobility

Who died and made you king of anything?

You think that I'm insane

That's your mistake

Kingdoms rise and fall, I've come to take it all

I'll take it, I've come to take it

Kingdoms rise and fall, I've come to take it all

I'll take it all

5. Cravin’ - Stileto, Kendyle Paige

I'm rare

Like these diamonds that I wear

Gold lace

Please you like no other

Heartbeat racin'

I'ma put you through these paces

Be the best you ever tasted

Gon' stay on your mind

Come back every time

Baby I'ma keep you cravin'

[encrucijada]

DISASTERS TO SLEEP THROUGH by ester cuervos

✶ genre: low fantasy, cosmic horror maybe?? ✶ category: adult ✶ pov: first person referral (marilú as “i”, cruz as “you”) ✶ inspired entirely by this, cartoon saloon’s song of the sea but make it dark and gritty??, also taking inspiration from over the garden wall for the tone, unhinged women all around, set in 1986 just because, let us ignore the technicalities of running a lighthouse, i think this is magical realism but i’m unsure ✶ cw: thalassophobia, body horror, emotional manipulation, mental illness ✶ themes: loneliness, family, fear of the unknown, co-existing with the unknown ✶ tone: eerie, isolated, apprehensive, cutting, blue hour

a b o u t : marilú is a lighthouse keeper, has been for almost a decade now. she could count the people she talks to with one hand, one of those being her older sister galatea. the only consistent company she’s had are her dreams and the creatures of the ocean, shadows under the water, sirens on the rocks. when dealing with her divorce, galatea leaves her daughter cruz with marilú until the matter is resolved. to spare cruz from getting hurt or scared, marilú tries to keep her asleep until galatea comes back.

c h a r a c t e r s :

✶ marilú. a nonbinary aro/ace because i like to live vicariously through my ocs. spends more time with creatures than humans so she has lost all her communication and social skills. “do as i say not as i do.” weird girls simply grow to be weird adults. good intentions but bad execution.

✶ galatea. voted less likely to get caught committing a crime. energy of a sophisticated lady wearing a wide-rim hat tied with lace under her chin, having lunch on a balcony in the mediterranean. suffering from older daughter syndrome. gaslight gatekeep girlboss.

✶ cruz. hard of hearing (wears hearing aids). inspired by lyra silvertongue from his dark materials. bratty and feral the way only little girls manage to be. more like her aunt than she apparently realises. hasn’t had a near death experience yet so feels invincible.

aesthetic: stark white lighthouse on a rocky island, a dark blue ocean and a grey sky, houses so close to the water they get touched by the waves, flickering light bulbs, raindrops on windows refracting light, water so cold it numbs your hands when you wash them, charcoal drawings that make no sense, old music boxes, old plush toys with not nearly enough stuffing, something scurrying within the walls, grainy shows on a box television set, the chill of blue hour, the feeling of minuscule insignificance, a beach of rocks and grey-brown sand, phone static cutting through words, cheap plastic signs of corner stores and restaurants lit from within, driving along a long bridge over the water, a massive figure from the ocean depth, the crushing feeling of loneliness, so many thoughts you can’t breathe

playlist: before we drift away / nothing but thieves ; doing the right thing / daughter ; deep water / american authors ; the lighthouse / halsey ; hiding in the blue / thefatrat ft. riell ; my mother told me / nati dredd ; deep end / ruelle ; arsonist’s lullabye / hozier ; made of stone / daughter ; we must be killers / mikky ekko ; bedtime / annie eve ; sleep / the last bison ; shallows / daughter ; city lights / the hollow man ; black water / of monsters and men ; sirens / fleurie ; you / keaton henson ; neon brother / nothing but thieves ; winter / daughter ; home / daughter ; the weight / amber run ; the ghost on the shore / lord huron ; the unwanted animal / the amazing devil ;

[flightofthefaeriedragon]

Prompt: What is my crime?

I did a prompt! This is progress for me. I was late, but I did it! lol

Prompt: "And what is my crime?" "I have this list in front of me, where do you want me to start?"

Universe: Dragon Age

Characters: Aveline, Kali-Rielle Hawke

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

“And what are my supposed crimes this time, Aveline? I thought I’d been well-behaved.”

“This week? This month? The last two days…?”

A lift of the shoulder, a shake of the head, green doe-eyes the picture of innocence.

Aveline was undeterred. “Breaking into the Reinhardt estate?”

The green eyes narrowed in confusion before Hawke laughed, open and free. “Mother and I were *invited*, to have tea with them. We hardly had to break in. Are you hungry, by the way? You’re welcome to share this.” She slid the silver snack tray toward the Guard Captain, then popped a raspberry into her own mouth, taking the time to savor it before she continued. “They probably misplaced it. Could you imagine planning a heist with Mother? ‘Stand up straight, dear. Maker’s breath, this sneaking about is terrible for your posture. I do wish you’d worn those lace-trimmed heels if we’re to set foot in such an esteemed estate.’”

Aveline lifted a piece of cheese off the tray as the young woman rambled, examining it as it fell limp between her fingers. Withholding a groan, she met Hawke’s eyes again. “You’re telling me you had nothing to do with an item from the Starkhaven palace disappearing from the Reinhardt’s library?”

“Am I your first suspect every time something from Starkhaven goes missing?” Hawke waved an elegant hand toward a cracker, a gesture of rescue.

“You know exactly why I thought of you.” Maker help her, Hawke’s constant state of amusement – usually at her expense – was going to break one of them some day. She took the cracker, plopped the cheese on it, and ate both.

“Aw, that’s sweet, Aveline. You’re right. I would be happy to buy the wayward item when Lucy finds it tucked in with the family flatware.”

“It wouldn’t… What did you think was missing?”

"Souvenir spoons?”

“Fine. You’re not involved. If you do hear anything…”

“I can’t make any promises about that. But I would be happy to help you reunite stolen goods with their rightful owner.”

“Only when the rightful owner is Starkhaven’s displaced Prince.”

“I’m sure the Kirkwall Guard is perfectly capable of taking care of the rest.”

* * *

After the visit from the Guard Captain, which she hoped was fruitless – well, aside from the actual fruit – Hawke went upstairs to her own library shelves. Fingers traipsing over her collection, she plucked out the latest addition. Wouldn’t do to have it sitting out where anyone might see it. She tucked the small book of poems into the pocket of her house dress and meandered down into the kitchen, into the cellar, into the vault. Locking it behind her, she slipped inside the secret room behind a false wall, and stepped up to the Starkhaven armoire she had rescued two months ago. She opened it with the key she kept tucked among her picks, set the book inside for safe keeping, then examined the true object of the quest inside the estate of her mother’s oldest friends.

He was a handsome old man, painted in oils and framed in intricately carved mahogany. The deep blue background highlighted the striking cerulean of his eyes. Smile lines framed them, delightfully so. His hair was wavy and grey with a neatly trimmed goatee, and his skin was beautiful bronze. His expression conveyed strength, solemnity, but for the slight press at the corners of his lips, as if suppressing a smile.

“I don’t know who you are, Messere, but I hope you’re valuable to someone.”

[unblot]

@magicalshift​ :    " if you fall and break your royal neck... i'm not taking responsibility. " it's the only warning rielle gets as graves watches him climb the tree, his own feet planted firmly on the ground beneath.

❛   oh, gravy boat you’re such a buzzkill!   ❜  despite his words, the prince doesn’t look bothered in the slightest. in fact the eleven year old prince beams at the other boy as he sits himself down on one of the higher tree branches. rielle lets out a laugh, shifting himself until he’s hanging upside down from the branch by his legs. 

he’s never really had the chance to do something like this before. the other times his mother has brought him to visit the surface, he was under constant supervision & was forbidden from doing anything unprincely. technically rielle is being supervised now but the young prince already deems the young graves’ supervising much more tolerable. even if he’s a bit stuffy he doesn’t yell at rielle when he does something he shouldn’t. nor does he seem super keen on winning his favor either. which is unlike most people the merman is forced to hang around. therefore even within knowing the other a short while, rielle decides he likes barney graves. 

the prince decides to swing back & forth from where he hangs, taking great delight in the way graves’ expression twists in concern & worry. rielle laughs, feeling on top of the world both physically & mentally as he swings a bit faster.  ❛   you know you should try this some time! it’s a bit of a head rush but it’s really fun! who knows maybe it’ll even help with your -- whoa!    ❜  

there’s a great snapping sound as the branch rielle’s resting on splits in two, leaving the boy to tumble down to the ground with a hearty thud. he lands flat on his back, already feeling the impact bruise him. graves lets out a gasp, wide gray eyes searching over rielle’s face to check that his companion hand’t been severely harmed. “  are you alright?  ”  the twelve year old asks, concern & genuine fear lacing his usually steadfast demeanor. 

rielle opens his eyes, simply staring back up at the other with a stunned expression on his face. & then the prince bursts into laughter.  ❛   that was so fun! haha, you should’ve seen the look on your face! you looked like you were gonna pee your pants!   ❜ 

               graves scowls. “  that’s not funny! you almost gave me a heart attack!  ”

    ❛   but i didn’t break my neck see! i’m fine!   ❜  to emphasize this rielle quickly stands.

graves sighs, reaching to take rielle’s wrist so that he may lead him back towards the beachside castle, looking incredibly irritated as he does so. “  let’s get you back inside. maybe you haven’t broken your neck but we can’t rule out a head injury. ”  the boy then mumbles something under his breath rielle can’t quite make out past “ -- acting like this.  ” perhaps if it were a different circumstance this indignation would have hurt the younger’s feelings. however rielle is only relieved that graves is willing to call him out to his face. which isn’t something that can be said of the merchildren he’s hung around. perhaps humans are kinder in that regard. 

rielle nods, twisting his arm a little so he may free his wrist from graves’ grasp. the prince then moves to take the other boy’s hand instead, still smiling as he looks over at him. he then begins to walk faster until it’s he who’s pulling graves along. the elder boy appears disgruntled but nevertheless allows himself to be pulled along to rielle’s delight. as they near the castle rielle considers asking his mother if he may be permitted to come visit this place again sometime soon. he thinks he rather likes graves’ company.

[gnawingteeth]

@unblot​ asked:    rielle is not a particularly patient person. he tries to be understanding but his own selfish desires get the best of him. therefore when a half hour passes since his arrival & jade is still doing paperwork he takes matters into his own hands. the prince stoops down to wrap his arms around jade & effortlessly lifts him from his chair, princess carrying him as he starts to move out of the room. “we are not missing this dinner reservation.”

jade is very aware that rielle is growing impatient rather quickly — rielle isn’t exceptionally good at hiding that impatience, especially when he seems to think that letting it be known will make jade move faster. ( it won’t, particularly because jade can be cruel and he finds rielle’s growing irritation to be amusing and adorable. jade’s very good at controlling his expressions during little schemes like this, and so the smile he’s feeling doesn’t grace his expression in the slightest. )

what he doesn’t expect is for that impatience to culminate in the actions rielle takes, and jade’s eyes grow very wide as he’s suddenly scooped into the shorter — this feels like an important detail — boy’s arms. “ i want you to know i have not once been late for something scheduled, ” he protests as his plain surprise becomes something much more amused, a bit of a laugh laced through the words.

he’s protesting rielle’s impatience with him, not the actions taken ( for he can’t find it in himself to protest something so unexpected — and also not terribly uncomfortable ). that said, he does reach a hand out to grip at the door frame. “ at least let me put everything away before you physically drag me out of here. please. ” the please is thrown in as an afterthought, delivered with a little too much sweetness to not be deliberate.

[sosthemortalcoil]

KoFi Request: Family Holiday

Another one for the amazing @lychee-days​! Family Holiday Trip! F!Gabriel (Rielle) and Daniel ready to leave for a holiday to Venice~ ft. Uncle Israfel, who is joining, and Lucifer, who uh...decided to tag along

Total wordcount is 2,271. Hope you enjoy! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It would have been far easier to simply slip between planes to get to Venice. Instead you’re stuck in this seemingly endless line, bouncing up and down on your toes. Daniel looks a tad pale, mumbling to himself. Heights had never bothered him, but apparently his first time on an airplane is causing anxiety.

It’s your first time too, and Israfel’s, but telling Daniel that hadn’t helped. All he had said in response is that flying when you can fly under your own power is entirely different from flying when you have no ability to fly.

Finally, the line moves, and you watch as Daniel takes stuff out of your bags. Israfel doesn’t have anything apart from his boarding pass and a fake id you had to beg Sabriel for. She had pointed out that he was perfectly capable of meeting you in Venice, but you had continued to plead until she caved. Not that you were nervous, but having Israfel around always made new experiences feel less frightening.

You bounce through the metal frame, following Daniel and collecting your bags. He had insisted on packing after watching you try the first time. In your defense, packing isn’t a skill angels are taught, and there are a great many rules to follow about what you can and cannot bring.

Your smile dims as you reach the gate and realize that you have yet more waiting to do. It would be so easy to slip planes, you think, narrowing your eyes. Sure, you aren’t supposed to while in your mortal shell, but sitting around and waiting is boring.

Someone calls your name, and you look around in confusion. “Rielle Santos, please report to the flight attendant at the gate.” You twist your hands in front of your chest, wondering what you had done now as you slink up to the attendant. She beams a smile and holds out three tickets.

“Ms. Santos, here are your upgraded tickets.” You blink. Upgraded? You hadn’t—

“We get to fly first-class?” Daniel’s wide-eyed enthusiasm as he pops up over the back of the seat to look at you make you decide that it’s not worth questioning this turn of good-fortune. Maybe Sabriel pulled some strings.

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

Not too much later, despite how much Daniel complained about the flight being long—even after a decade on earth, most human periods of time feel like little more than blinks of the eye—the plane touches down. It’s not nearly as smooth as your own landings, but you imagine how excited Da Vinci would be to hear that you had flown in a machine at all. He would have loved it, you know.

From the airport, you make your way onto a train that takes you directly into Venice. As you get closer you tune out more of Daniel and Israfel’s banter, lost in old memories. Venice couldn’t have possibly changed that much over the centuries. It should be easy to take Daniel to Leonardo’s old workshop, maybe even the villa where you two had attended a party courtesy of Mona Lisa, though that hadn’t been the name she’d used at the time.

The train station is busy, but with Israfel’s lanky frame leading the way, neither you nor Daniel have problems with the crowd, and with Stephanie’s traveling charms, you’re not worried about pick-pockets or the like.

The three of you emerge into the sunshine, a series of stairs down leading to a canal full of water-taxis and boats. It’s similar in some ways to what you remember—crowds of people crossing canals, boats moving their cargo through the city—and different. But now there’s the noise of electric motors, and the air smells fresher than your remember.

“We’ll go to the hotel and then I’m thinking walk around, tomorrow we’ll go out to Murano and Burano and Torcel—”

You stop mid-sentence, distracted by a spectacle you probably should have noticed first. Dead center of the crowd, perched on a ridiculous amount of luggage, is Lucifer, dressed in a frilled burgundy shirt and black slacks, legs crossed at the ankles, arms thrown wide in welcome, silver hair coiffed in a style that would have been more at home a few centuries ago.

“Welcome to Venice!” he proclaims.

People are congregating around him, taking pictures with their phones. It doesn’t help that all his luggage looks like it came from the same time-period as his hairstyle, heavy wooden trunks covered in delicate carving and paintings, leather straps helping hold them closed. It looks like he’s moving here with the mountain of baggage he’s enthroned on.

“You didn’t say Lucifer was coming along,” Israfel states mildly, arching an eyebrow at you.

“I didn’t know he was,” you reply. Lucifer hops to his feet, claps his hands, and a few burly porters step forward and collect his luggage. One of them approaches you and relieves Daniel and you of your luggage as well, all while you stare at your father.

“Close your mouth dear. Venice hasn’t changed that much and you’ll catch flies standing about gaping like that,” he tells you, drawing you in and kissing each of your cheeks. He repeats the process with Daniel and then Israfel.

“You could have told me!” you exclaim, coming to your senses and throwing your arms around him in a hug.

“It wouldn’t have been much of a surprise if I did,” he points out, sweeping around in a gesture that says he is accustomed to having capes that flair dramatically behind him while doing so. You can practically picture it now.

“Come on, I thought we’d start with a gondola ride.”

“What about our luggage?”

“It’s being taken care of.” Good enough for you. You step into the wooden gondola after Lucifer, turning and offering your hand to Daniel. Daniel stares down at it.

“You’ve been on boats before,” you coax.

“I know. I don’t want to tip it though,” he says, cautiously extending a foot. When he makes contact with the bottom of the boat he grabs your hand and uses it to hop into the boat, causing it to rock slightly.

“See? Not bad at all,” you tell him with a fond smile, mussing his dark curls. You turn to offer help to Israfel, but he’s already in the gondola and folding his long frame onto a wooden bench seat.

“You cheat, Uncle Israfel,” Daniel grumbles, his legs shaking as he attempts to follow suit. It’s more of a controlled collapse, but he makes it onto the seat and not over the side of the boat which you count as a victory. You’d ended up in a canal once; it isn’t an experience you want to repeat even if the water seems cleaner now.

“Hardly. I’ve had lots of practice. Now your grandfather? He cheats,” Israfel points out. You join them sitting down, not looking at your father.

“I use my God-given gifts,” Lucifer proclaims. “I fail to see how that qualifies as cheating.”

Daniel rolls his eyes. “So what are we doing, Grandpa?” he asks, his head turning to and fro, trying to take in everything there is to see, from the flowerpots handing in the windows over the canals to the shops and relics of days past. If he wasn’t as worried about the boat rocking, you’re certain he’d be rushing from side-to-side to get a better look at your surroundings.

“It’s not… cheating,” you say diplomatically. “But you do show-off a lot. Like the first-class tickets and whatever else you have planned.”

“I am an old man. It gives me great happiness to take my daughter and grandchild on vacation and spoil them rotten. And, of course, Israfel. Though I admit I’m surprised there’s no Michael.”

“You know how he is about human stuff,” you say with a small shrug, trying not to look guilty. You had offered, but were relieved when he declined. He’s been better since you started letting him sleep over, but better isn’t good, and this trip is about family, preferably without family squabbles.

“I do,” Lucifer agrees. “And to start with tonight, we can walk around Piazzo San Marco and admire the Basilica’s statues from outside. We can go in tomorrow if you like, or take a private water taxi out to the islands. Those are a must see. Burano is known for lace, and while I don’t use it much in my wardrobe any more, the process of making lace is incredible, as are the different designs. Not to mention the houses there are beautiful, painted a wide variety of vivid colors. It’s quite famous. Now, Murano is home to glass blowing, and the different studios have their own unique sands that they’ve been using for centuries. Now Torcello, that’s…”

You continue to listen with one ear as try to locate where you are. The Rialto bridge makes one landmark, crowded with tourists and vendors hawking their wares. “It’s a pity there’s not a carnival happening. I used to love attending those,” Lucifer continues in the background.

Daniel taps your knee. “What are you thinking about?” he asks softly.

“That it’s been a long time since I’ve walked these streets. Leonardo used to like to get up early, get to the market as people were setting up. He loved to sketch the different people. One time he even bought a bird in a cage to study. He was always doing that; studying. He always had hundreds of questions racing through his mind, and he would hop from one thing to another, trying to answer them all.”

“Are we going to visit where he lived?” he asks, leaning forward in his eagerness.

“If it’s still standing, and not submerged. I—oh, well, this brings back memories.” The gondola pulls into a gated entrance, a palatial estate that you had been to a few times back in the days. There had been guards, then, and banners of the noble family living there, not insignias of the hotel. Lucifer hops dramatically out of the boat, Israfel somehow already on the dock.

Daniel and you exchange a glance. “I fully believe in your capability to get up there without falling in the water,” you tell him with a solemn nod.

“And I believe that I can do better than you, mom,” he says and with a jaunty salute, scrambles up to the dock, sending the gondola rocking before the gondolier steadies it. You follow with more trepidation, but you don’t have any mishaps.

“Check-in and meet back here in twenty minutes?” Lucifer suggests, sweeping through the doors, anticipating their movement. He is a king, making his dramatic entry into his palace.

“Well, this is going to be entertaining,” Israfel comments at your shoulder. You wish he would make noise when he moves. Humans are fragile beings and you’re certain that every time he startles you it shortens the lifespan of your shell.

“It won’t be that bad.”

“True. It’s not like we’re taking the king of Hell into the Vatican or something,” he says, flashing a smile as you wait your turn at the counter.

“Would that be bad for me?”

Daniel’s voice is soft at your side.

Both you and Israfel startle, having thought he was still off peeking at the rich dressings of the lobby from the marble floors to the gold gilded ceiling, with murals and tapestries and statues aplenty between. Ostentatious seemed an inadequate description for the kind of casual display of art and wealth visible here.

“No, honey, oh no,” you rush to assure him. “You’re not evil, Daniel. And consecrated ground really only affects demons and not very well at the higher power levels to be honest. Not unless god or an angel has reinforced the blessings, and while yes, the Vatican is one of the strongest holy sites, it’s not going to affect you.”

“It’s a bit gauche anyways,” Israfel demurs. “And a tragedy to see the statues. I remember when they had color and now they’re bleached white like bones.”

“That’s a bit dark,” Daniel comments, side-eyeing Israfel.

“Such is life,” Israfel responds with a shrug. He stops at his room. “I’d get running shoes on. We are going out with Lucifer.”

“Good point,” you murmur, opening the door to Daniel and yours room. Your father can put small children to shame with his chaotic energy.

Daniel gasps when he sees the large canopy bed, racing ahead and throwing himself onto it with a giggle of pure joy.

“Your bed is in the other room!” You tell him. He gets to his feet, bouncing on them. “Come on, mom. You know you want to jump too!”           

Your resolve lasts a second before you join Daniel, the two of you bouncing around the bed until you collapse, breathless.

Daniel grimaces, and pulls out a scroll from behind him. He tosses it at you. “I guess they’re really into the whole over the top fancy schmancy stuff,” he says.

You cant your head. There’s something about the wax seal that seems familiar to you, but it’s not until you open it and find a familiar scrawl that you feel all the hairs on your body stand up.

Welcome back, Gabriel.

Sincerely,

A friend.  

“Wow!” Daniel takes it from you. “This is legit calligraphy! And it’s—backwards? Wasn’t that da Vinci’s thing?”

“Yes, it was. Backwards and forwards, both hands; he was special. This, however, would be Lisa’s. And yes, I mean the model for Mona Lisa. She says welcome back to Venice.”

“She wasn’t, er, isn’t human?”

“Not in the least.”

You know the look in his eyes, and you laugh. “Let’s go meet your grandfather, and I’ll tell you all about it. Some of the old haunts are probably still kicking around, though we’ll skip any of the water folk.”

Eyes sparkling, Daniel trails after you to the lobby while you start talking about your time as a muse. Israfel chimes in, and when you meet up with Lucifer, he’s quick to add his own tangential anecdotes.  

[anansislibrary]

New WIP: The Last Of The Dragons

My newest story is live on wattpad! I’m planning on updating it every Saturday, and there’s currently four chapters up! (23,000 words!)

Summary:

Ladonia Ilia Krasskis wants nothing more than to escape her father's abuse. Masri Levi Al-Ahmad wants to be free of the burden her racial identity forces on her family, and to leave her families farm to become a knight. Ladonia's shot at freedom comes when her father returns from war along with one of the last living Dragons on the continent. Masri's shot at freedom comes when she is hired to hunt the princess down. What happens when one must wager their resolve to protect their identity and liberty against another's resolve to save her family?

Characters:

Masri Al-Ahmad:

Birthday: May Twenty-Sixth

Age: 18

Height: 5’11

Weight: 147 Ilb

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Green

Casting/Reference: Allyson Felix, Rielle Downs, Zendaya

Personality: Idealistic, bold, Naive, a strong sense of justice, argumentative, hard-working

Body Type: Muscular and tall. Tessa Thomson Valkyrie/ Gal Gadot Wonder Woman

Hair: long black dreadlocks

Wears baggy light-blue pants tucked into black boots, with a dark green long sleeve tunic, carries a longsword on her back

Tarin/Ladonia Krasskis

Birthday: April Seventeenth

Age: 18

Height: 5’5

Weight: 100 Ilb

Hair Color: Brown

Eye Color: Orange/Red

Casting Reference: Katelyn Ohashi, Anisha Adusumili, Auli'i Cravalho

Personality: Shy, Anxious, Studious, Nerdy, Naive

Body Type: Small and androgynous, almost underweight

Hair: Short on the sides and back (undercut) top of their head is longer down to their forehead (undercut)

Wears baggy dark brown pants tucked into black boots and a loose-fitting white tunic, with a black cloak laced with gold trim

Carries a sword on their belt

Please check the story out! I really hope you all enjoy it!

https://my.w.tt/YeTzZqMBf5

[capoguar]

A wip of my ESO character, Lace Rielle.

[xanawrites]

Prologue: Before the Fall

Prologue for Book 3 in the His Redemption Series, and generally a prologue for the entire tale.

"You've been assigned another student?" Rielle groaned, putting her fork down. "I thought Carin was going to be your last?" "He was," Matthias replied, cutting into a sausage. "But Mykel asked me personally to take this one on." "No," Rielle grumbled. "You're supposed to be joining me in the Inquisition. I need a good researcher for my team!" "I know." He could hear the defensiveness in his voice, and he hated it. "And if it was anyone else, I'd have turned him down. But, well, Mykel." "Yeah," she sighed. "Mykel." The bond between trainer and student, she knew, was strong. If Tamara had asked a favor, she knew she wouldn't have refused. The two ate quietly for several minutes, absorbed in their own thoughts. Absently, Matthias tore a roll in half and used it to mop up some sauce. "Maybe I could still join your team? Train my new apprentice as an inquisitor?"

She shook her head. "You know better than that. We only accept proven paladins, because of the kind of work we do." She pitched a roll at him, laughing as he missed the catch and it bounced off his forehead. "Dummy. Who is it, anyway!" "Her name's Aurianna," he answered. "She..." "Aurianna, hmmm?" Rielle gave him a sly look. "Should I be jealous?" "Oh, yes," came Matthias' deadpan reply. "Gods know I have a thing for gawky barely pubescent teenagers." "You're well known for that," Rielle laughed. Laughing as well, Matthias grabbed her wrist. She squawked as he dragged her around the small table, then wiggled and pressed her rump into him as she landed in his lap. "Oh, absolutely," he whispered into her ear. "Nothing like a scrawny, flat-chested kid to get me going." Rielle's fingers twisted in his hair, dragging him into a kiss. "Don't forget inexperienced," she purred as he fumbled at the laces of her blouse. "Inexperience, yes," Matthias agreed, stroking his fingers over the soft skin between her breasts. "Nothing's more arousing than a woman with no idea what to do in bed." Rielle tugged at his shirt, dragging it over his head and tossing it aside. "Then," she growled, running her hands over his bare chest, "I'll just have to... disappoint you." They didn't make it to the bed on the first try, and barely made it on the second attempt. Several hours later they lay tangled together, clad only in sweat and twisted sheets, still idly exploring each other’s' bodies. "I suppose I can find it in my heart to forgive you," Rielle said, kissing his nose. "That's nice," Matthias yawned, not resisting when she pushed him onto his back. "And besides." Rielle leered, crawling over him and straddling his waist. "You'll still be working under me..." "Good Gods, woman!" Matthias laughed wearily. "Haven't you had enough?" "Nope," she grinned, reaching back to stroke his shaft. "You're nowhere near done disappointing me..." *** Jeoram gave ground, taking a spear thrust on his shield and hacking back in an effort to splinter the shaft. His opponent didn't give him the chance, snatching it back in a serpent-swift motion. He stumbled under the force of his missed swing and yelped in surprise as the shaft snapped around and caught him behind the knees. Armor crashed and clattered as he hit the ground in a graceless heap. "Do you yield?" Ari asked, snapping the point around to aim at his throat. In response Jeoram lashed out, grabbing the spear and jerking. Suddenly unbalanced, she fell forward and landed on his chest. They rolled and grappled, the wrestling slowly becoming less serious and more exploratory until it ended with Jeoram straddling her and pinning her wrists to the ground. "Do you yield?" he grinned. In response, Ari kissed him right on the mouth. Jeoram's grip faltered, and her forehead crashed into his nose. As he rolled to one side, she grabbed his arm and started to shove him onto his back. "So. This is how you practice?" Abashed and blushing, the two teens scrambled away from each other. "Lord Matthias," Ari gasped, blushing. "We were... we were just..." He stood at the edge of the training circle, arms folded behind his back and eyes glittering with amusement. " I know what you were doing," he said in tones of mock severity, " and there is a time and a place for it. But that time is not in combat." He kicked her spear over to her. "And your form was sloppy." "It," she gulped, "it was just for fun." "No excuse," Matthias answered. "Sloppy and overconfident will get you killed." With that, he grabbed a practice spear of his own. "Now, come at me."

[thosewecanyetsave]

@luxprotector liked for a starter w/ sidurgu (for araya)

The frigid air out by Falcon’s Nest didn’t deter Sidurgu was standing outside, staring out at the icy distance. Something had happened earlier today causing a celebration to break out in the Forgotten Knight. If he had to guess, it was something to do with the restoration attempts. A good thing, but it was hard to deny the bitter edge that was laced around his heart. Being the one sour face would have been... wrong, though, especially when Rielle had been so excited. 

Because of the celebration, the Falcon’s Next was nearly empty, making it easy to hear the footsteps approaching him. Sidurgu didn’t even turn his head to glance behind himself. “Figured you’d be with the rest of ‘em.”

[nightly1602]

The Spear

Prologue: Gae Bolg

“Let’s go for a swim.” She suggests as she takes off her grey wool sweater. She bends down to start undoing the laces of her boots. “All of this walking, makes the muscles feel stiff and cold water has a nasty way of fixing that.”

The sigh she gets from him, makes her crook an eyebrow.

Thomas rolls his eyes. “You’ll get pneumonia. If she finds out you’re out and about doing this before your shift on Friday, it won’t be just you getting a very angry call from Berlin.”

“And that’s why we aren’t saying shit, aye?” Owen cuts back as she kicks off the russet coloured leather.  “What she doesn’t ken, will do us and her much better.”

“Your mother has a way of knowing things, Owen.” Thomas sighs, as he crosses his slim arms over his chest. He was in one of Owen’s wool sweaters. It was one that Cara, Owen’s mother, had lovingly sewed a hood to its dark green fabrics. “Words travels fast, but words travel faster when news of a dumb Scottish runt nearly drowns herself in Loch Coruisk just inches away from the spear of Cú Chulaind. Could you imagine the irony in that.” He jokes playfully.

“Ah, so you figured it out.” Owen beamed as she rolled her socks together into a tight ball and places the wad under the tongue of her boots.

“You’re so funny, Owen.” Thomas mocks.

“I’m not joking.”

Thomas nearly faints in complete aghastness. It takes a moment for his brain and mouth to properly form words as he sputters curses and resentment. He turns red, causing the vein in his throat to enlarge. “Really, you idiot?!” He screams in disbelief. “Just because it’s a chance for adventure and magic doesn’t mean you can bring it back home to boast about. Remember what happened with the fae falls! That scar still tingles weirdly, you know?” Thomas screeches in the middle of the mountain glen.

“Oh, it isn’t about that. I’d be a fool to go in for such a reason. There is a lot more to it than my usual ploys for buffoonery.” Owen tuts as she discards her leather wristbands and rolls up the sleeves of her long sleeved shirt. She kisses her silver Claddagh ring as she slips it off her finger. She tiptoes over to Thomas to avoid the thistles and pointy shore stones as she places the ring in his palm.

He still looks at her in disbelief and absolute frustration as he accepts the ring.

“Emer needs it.” She calls behind her back as she leaps from black rock to black rock. “If I am going to be doing this whole wolf thing we need it for the ritual and we both know my aunt is one for genuine rituals.”

“Genuine Rituals?!” Thomas spat. “You’re going to bring her the spear that your grandfather cursed? That’ll go well for her!”

Owen stared at him blankly. “Well, yeah. It started many things. The hunters, our packs becoming unified, the rise of our legendary Scathach, our first ever alpha in Scotland I might add.” She points. “ It is a very valuable piece of our family history, Thomas. I thought these were the things you learned the nights of your official adoption?” Owen grinned devilishly.

“You’re a seeker of drama, Owen Kilroy,” Thomas muttered harshly under his breath. “You are nothing but trouble.”

“I must agree, I do enjoy a good shock and awe. It’s a bit of a bonny sight, seeing your older brother seething with rage ready to rip yer scalp off in a fell swoop.” The scot gave a brisk chortle as she padded along the rocky shore of the loch. Behind her, the mountains of Cuillin stood proudly, supervising the foolish escapade. The waters of the loch mirrored the excited energy of Owen. Gentle whitecaps pushed through the surface as a breeze carried the smells of mountain grass and fresh springs to the tall girl’s nose. Dawn had broken a few hours ago, and for the first time in a long time, the sun greeted the pair with great glowing rays. “However, I want this to be a special artifact. Edwin and Padraig chose father’s notebook and his quill. Eliza took mother’s broach and Riell took grandfather’s belt buckle. Why can I not have an artifact of a man that brought not only our families together but a grand tale for us all to tell about our heritage?”

Thomas’s jaw was as tight as a wire.

“Ah, to hell with ya.” The redhead dismissed continuing her padding journey among the slippery moss and rock. “Mother will have my ears redder than a baboon’s arse, but it will be worth it. I want them to know, I’m serious about this. If I go through the trouble of this, they won’t think of me like a child anymore.”

“Owen-” Thomas began to counter. He was cut off as she dove into the freezing dark gray waters. “Just be careful of the loch sprites.” He sighed greatly. He pinched the bridge of his nose. With a huff of frustrated air, he wrapped his arms around himself to stay warm against the early spring air. He sat himself down, crossing his legs and began to play with the yellowed grass around him. “If you drown, I will not come and get you.” He murmured grumpily.

The cold had shocked the air from her lungs, as she dove into the early spring waters of the loch. Her skinny jeans stuck to her long legs as they soaked themselves to her bones. She was thankful that she had the right mind to remove the wool sweater before diving in. It would have been too heavy, probably ready to drag her to the murky depths of loch weed and catfish.

She waited for her body to get used to the cold, letting a few air bubbles slip from her thin lips. Soon she floated in the dark abyss of the loch, letting her body gently sway along with the current. She would soon need to kick up for air, but she knew she had to wait a bit more than that.

Her throat began to burn, causing her lungs to feel heavy as loaded stones. She just wanted to exhale her held breath and breathe in again.

The water sprite from the falls in the back of her family’s farm had promised her they would be here. Had guaranteed it, in fact. She would have to give that fae quite the earful if it had given her lies.

Her eyes began to sting as she kept them open to view the depths.

It was then that she had heard the giggling and the sound of fast water movement. A calm took over Owen, lulling her to release her breath into the water.

“Hello, little wolf.” A collective voice had sung to the young Scot. “You are a bit far from home. Is this you, offering your soul to the loch?”

Owen could feel the weight of drowsiness approach her as she slowly shook her head.

“Mmm, tis a shame that. You would have made quite the collective piece.”

More fast water movement caught her ears. Soon they came from the murky water, their ethereal movements captivating like a shark. Their skins bore the colours of muddy river beds. Their hair swayed with the current resembling the leafy vines of loch weed. “What are you here for, little wolf?”

Owen beckoned them closer.

The more curious of the group had obliged, closing the distance. Its finned slim arms circled around her waist. It curled it’s long finned tail around her right leg. Staring deeply with large fish eyes, it waited for Owen.

The current of water whisked the Scot’s fiery red hair around her body. She leaned herself closer, nudging the water sprite with her pointed chin to place her lips at their ear.

“Gae Bolg.“

It was as if her body had been kicked by a horse. The air rushed from her lungs as she was transported through the sucking black waters of a whirlpool. Her body ragdolled to and fro, crashing her limbs to jutting rock and loch beds.

In a flash of light, she rose from the water. Her lungs screamed for air as she gasped and coughed. Her hands found purchase as she sat herself up into a porcelain claw foot tub. She wiped the water from her face as she took shuddering breaths, while she instinctively pulled herself out onto the cold marble tile.

Water spills and pours from her soaked body, her clothes clinging tightly to her as the loch water glued the material to her skin.

She had been in this place before. It brought such a familiar pang as memories coursed through her tall frame.

It gives her a shiver as recognition takes on full effect. The bathroom she finds herself in, is as extravagant as its owner. With gold lined floor to ceiling tiles of beautiful stained glass windows, a bloody bidet. There are only three people she knows who would gladly shit in something as insane as that.

“Berlin.” She mutters as she takes long gulping breaths of fresh pompous air. It smells too clean to be a place for someone to bid their personal…biddings.

Water drips from her as she crosses the length of the washroom to the large dark stained wooden door keeping a sentinel watch of the privacy of its patrons. It gives an effortless push as she enters into one of many grandeur long hallways of the Berlin mansion. On the top of the ceiling are ugly old paintings of the old alphas of the Berlin; their portraits trimmed in gold and faces scoured of real emotion.  As a child on diplomatic family vacations, Owen had despised this place entirely. It wasn’t like her family farm, where sheep graze amicably and family worked hard to keep their homestead together. Where calluses were a reward of character and not something that Samara Weber would spit at with disdain.

Puddles followed her as she meandered her way through the halls. A sour expression overtook her face as she hunched her shoulders, trying her best to fight off the annoyed shiver crawling through her skin.

It didn’t take her long to find herself at the great doors of the throne room.

Sure, her mother’s family had resided in great stone castles on the seasides of Ireland and her father’s family had lived as lairds in loch strongholds. She had seen her fair share of throne rooms, but the Germans couldn’t help but overshadow their guests and kingdoms with riches. A copper taste hit her mouth as her annoyance rose. Her bare feet were starting to get to be too cold and uncomfortable.

She pushed through the doors and halted her slopping padding steps as she came upon the scene.

Samera Weber, the alpha of the Berlin had a tiny stone sprite pinned to the center of the floor. Two large wolves licked at their maws as they paced back and forth, snarling lowly. The tall woman hovered over the stone sprite, screaming in old German.

Owen watched in terrified awe as she stood frozen at the opening of the throne room door.

Samera tilted her head to see who had intruded her obviously very terrifying and illegal interrogation of the fae below her. The scot gave a great gulp as the woman rose to her full height and began to stalk languidly across the flooring. There was something about her green eyes that made Owen step back.

In her step, she had nearly tumbled over a young boy. She landed on her backside with an annoyed oof.

“Felix.” Samera cooed.

Owen had looked perplexed as she witnessed Samera kneeling to the boy, who seemed to be only about eleven.

Felix Weber was not eleven. Felix Weber was her age.

She stopped thinking immediately as realization sunk in that Samera had either ignored her or hadn’t seen her yet. She held her breath as the tall brunette stroked the dark sepia cheek of her son. Samera kissed his forehead before turning herself around to walk back to her work at hand. The boy coldly stared at the creature as he placed himself beside his mother and began to kick its face with a snarl.

That was proof enough for the Scot to realize that the boy was definitely Felix Weber. He had always been an arse it, she wouldn’t have put it past him to do such an act to a defenceless creature.

Confusion took over Owen, causing the cogs in her mind to spin madly. This was too real to be a dream, but too weird to be real life. There was only one way to test the reality of the situation.

She rose to her full height, leaving behind a large puddle of water. She strode briskly over to the Germans, with heavy focused steps she placed herself beside Samera Weber. “Hey, you annoying fucking cow!” Owen barked hotly in the woman’s ear.

The stone sprite turned her head to look at Owen, pleading for mercy in its eyes. The Scot’s newfound arrogance dissipated as she watched the scene unfold further.

Samera did not give her the time of day as she continued her interrogation. The Sprite’s eyes glued to Owen before they began to speak in clear Gaelic.  

“What you are seeing, is the truth of what has happened. Do not forget this. I am the key and she knows the lock to what I open. Be wary Owen Kilroy. Wolves like you have sharp teeth, but they can be easily broken by women like her. Her son will cause wrack and ruin once he turns and gains the power from the object they get from me.” The Sprite spoke quickly, tears lining its angular jagged face.

Owen sputtered to speak as she tried to make sense of what the sprite was saying. Her gut twisted as she watched Samera grabbing the sprite roughly by the arm and dragging them to the rostrum of the throne. A dutiful guard moved from the side of the throne quickly as Samera barked out an order, drawing a large dagger from a scabbard at his side. He presented the dagger to the German and bowed out of the way.

Samera spat something angrily.

“Do not look away. You must witness.”

Panic grew in Owen.

She tried to run forward, but it was as if she was in a dream. Her body felt weighted like lead as she tried to run forward, to do anything to help the creature.

The iron dagger slid into the rock sprite’s neck and down into their spine. Rock cracked as black oozing blood poured. The sound of metal grating against cold stone caused Owen to inwardly sink. The sprite screamed and writhed under Samera’s grip of its body.

The German alpha threw the dagger to a grand clatter down the marble steps. The stone sprite stilled, finally ending their pained screams. Death must have come for the poor creature. Anger filled the Scottish girl like an explosion. Sure, she had her fair share of breaking tiny boring laws, ones that did no harm to anyone like; breaking and entering into hallowed lands of the fae, or even speaking to the fae as if they were common schoolmates. One was to have respect for the fae and their mystical ways. One could not just skip about bothering the fae for common mortal advice and pleasantries within their territories.

And one certainly could not murder a fae in cold blood with such malicious intent. That was far beyond all treaty agreements held by packs and fae. If word got out that Samera had done such a crime, it would probably cause the biggest shit storm Owen had ever witnessed.  

As if to make matters worse, Samera added body mutilation as she dug elbow deep into the carcass of the fae. Black blood spattered her cheeks and white linen shirt. She blew at a strand of loose russet hair in the way of her eyes as she focused on the job at hand.

With a small chuckle of victory, she pulled out an object from the body. She pushed it aside, letting the limp form fall down and roll to a stop before Owen’s feet. Its cold beady black eyes bore into Owen. Her gut clenched tightly as bile rose to her throat. A cold slimy shiver ran up her spine as she felt pressure batter the inside of her head. She felt it hard to breathe as her throat closed around itself as anxiety and fear curled around her innards. Dizziness slammed into her like a freight train causing her to collapse to the cold floor.

Silently, as the pressure increased in her skull she watched as Samera, smiling largely as a Cheshire cat, strode to the young boy who had stoically watched the scenes unfold. Her heeled boots clicked with each step before she knelt before him. She presented the object, a beautiful silken ribbon, adorned with harsh Norse runes.

“Gleipnir will be our weapon.” She explained.

Air rushed over Owen suddenly, pulling the scene away from her as her mind slowed in and out of unconsciousness. One moment she was stuck in Berlin, the next she was in the lap of her father reading old Gaelic legends and Norse sagas. Then she was brought back to the wrestling matches of a fae child she had befriended in her youth. And then she was suddenly swallowed by water.

The sprites had swum circles around her like hungry sharks. The more curious one still clung to her, brushing its webbed double jointed fingers over Owen’s freckled cheeks.

“You have witnessed.” The curious one had murmured, drawing its lips along her jawline. “Are you worthy of our cause, Owen Kilroy of Clan MacLeod?”

Her mind was in a molasses-thick bliss. She had slowly turned her head and begun to nod.

“The Stone sprite was Akumo. A trusted and loyal subject of our glorious Queen. A worthy protector. They were taken from protection seals and stolen by Samera’s wolves. Someone had broken the bonds of secrets.” The united voices explained solemnly as the curious one began to untangle themselves from the redhead’s body. “The Queen will witness your first shift, little wolf. Prepare your family.”

She could feel herself drifting away more and more. She began to sink into the depths of the loch, slipping in and out of the dark abyss of her mind. Her bare feet touched the sand, rock and weed covered bed before fish of all sizes swam out of her way as her knees were next to touch the bottom.

“Gae Bolg is just at your arm’s reach. Overcome and grab it.” The collective voice whispered as her hearing seemed to make them sound so far away.

The silent ambience of the loch water movement pulled her further into letting go. It was peaceful here. This would be a good way to go if Owen wasn’t as stubborn and greedy to have a more energetic death of much bigger idiotic proportions.

Mentally, she chided herself.

She couldn’t see her father quite yet. She had to make him proud first. She couldn’t help but shake her head as another more powerful hum slammed into her ears, calling for her, beckoning.

With the last remnants of mental clearance, she willed herself to swim forward to follow the buzzing that drew her forward. Her throat burned for fresh air and to taste life and not the gritty sandy loch. She wanted to see clear blue skies and rough angry seas.

They were her favourite thing. Rough angry crashing waves along sea coasts took her breath away with how gloriously rebellious it could be. It’s what she strove to embody.

So like a crashing ocean wave, she rolled forward, digging her hands into loch silt and clenching weed to drag herself. Her calloused fingertips then touched something metallic causing the humming to grow louder and fierce with promises of legendary action. She let herself feel the excitement as her hand closed around the pole handle. She gripped it so tightly as she brought her knees to her chest before slamming her feet into the silt to propel herself upward.

She was going to bloody well make it to the surface, dead or alive. She trusted that if Thomas saw her body floating to the surface he would rescue her.

That fucker owed her.

With a might challenging of the gods, she clung to the metal pole as she swam up desperately. She choked on the water as it entered her nose and mouth, but she paid it no mind as she willed herself to swim faster. She almost got to the surface before she was grabbed roughly by the midsection, expelling the remaining air from her lungs. She dared not unclasp her hand as she was being dragged through the water.  Her eyes slowly closed leaving her last thought to Gae Bolg.

[fashiondream666]

#85 by sstarborn featuring a flower candle ❤ liked on Polyvore

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