#Original author not found

[bucephaly]

It's kinda shocking to me how few people seem to know how prevalent the 'my great grandmother was cherokee' myth is and how it's almost never actually true, especially when it comes with things like 'never signed up' or 'fell off the trail' or 'courthouse burned down destorying the documentation' etc etc.

People just don't even seem to know the history like.. when the Trail happened. My great great great grandfather was 2 years old during Removal in 1838, so peoples 'my great grandmother hid in the mountains!' is so clearly wrong. And we have rolls. From before and after removal, rolls done by cherokee nation and others by the government, rolls that were not stored in one random flammable courthouse. It's not difficult to find the actual evidence of ancestry.

And just.. there are lots of ways those family stories get started. It was a practice during the confederacy to claim cherokee ancestry to show one's family had 'deep roots in the south' that they were there before the cherokee were removed. Many people pretended to be cherokee and applied for the Guion-Miller payout just to try to steal money meant for cherokees - 2/3rds of the applicants were denied for having 0 proof of actual cherokee ancestry. [We even see lawyers advertising signing up for the Miller roll just to try to get free money.] And the myth even started in some families in the cherokee land lotteries, where the land stolen from us was raffled off, including the house and everything that was left behind when the cherokees were removed. We have seen people whose families just take these things stolen from the cherokee family and adopt them into their own family story, saying that they were cherokee themselves.

If you had some family story about being cherokee and you wanna have proof one way or the other, check out this Facebook group run by expert cherokee genealogists that do research for free. Just please read the rules fully and respect the researchers. They run thousands of people's ancestries a year and their average is only around 0.7% of lines they run actually end up having true cherokee ancestry.

[mj-iza-writer]

Contains a blood offering to Whumpee's diety Whumper.

Whumpee nodded when Whumper beckoned them to come closer with his drink.

"So what you are saying is that you have no idea how my keys came into your possession", Whumper grinned at their servant who gave a knowing glance, "these keys are very important, they open portals to other worlds.... but you knew that already. So why do you seek them? I'm well aware they didn't just happen into your possession."

Whumpee knelt close by and lowered their head in obedience.

"I'm waiting for your answer", Whumper took a drink.

"Please Great Dragon, forgive me. I-I only wished to leave this existence and start a new life with my family", the person was visibly shaken, "I shouldn't have gone behind your back and stolen the keys.... I-I'm sorry."

"You may have just bought yourself a new life..... see them. My obedient slave there", Whumper pointed at Whumpee.

The person glanced at Whumpee, then nodded.

"I could easily turn you into another slave for me. Or perhaps I should use the old fashion punishment for thieves and cut your hands off", Whumper acted as though they were thinking.

The person looked at their hands and started to cry, "pl-please", they sputtered, "I make my living with my hands. Pl-please i-if you take the..m, I-I couldn't sup-port m-m-my family."

"My that would be a shame wouldn't it? Maybe it would be a good lesson then", Whumper smirked, "what do you think Whumpee?"

The beggar looked at Whumpee fearfully.

Whumpee continued to look down, hoping to ignore the question.

"Whumpee, you know better than to ignore me", Whumper clenched his teeth, "what should I do to punish them?"

Whumpee tried to swallow the knot in their throat before looking up, "may I take their punishment... Master."

Whumpee could see the beggar out of the corner of their eye. They seemed to be flooded with relief with that reply.

"Hmm, you'd take their punishment for them?", Whumper grinned, "what if I decided something vain as a punishment... like cutting your hands off. Then what would you say?"

"I only hope you be patient with me as I serve you with no hands Master. I'm only loyal to you, the Great Dragon", Whumpee lowered themself to a bow, "whatever you please Master."

Whumper glanced at the beggar and took in how relieved they seemed.

"You are flooded with relief and would willingly allow someone else to take your punishment for you", Whumper glared.

"It's not li... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to", they pleaded, "I wasn't expecting them to ...."

"SILENCE!!", Whumper ordered causing the beggar to fall back.

"My slave offers their body in way of your punishment", Whumper stood, "you miserable....", Whumper looked back at Whumpee and sighed, "even if it's a blood offering?"

"Y-yes Master", Whumpee whispered.

Whumper led Whumpee into his chapel and prepared them for the offering.

The beggar had been dragged in and tied to a chair. They frowned as they watched Whumpee get shackled to a wooden post.

A priestly type person stepped into the room, and opened a book, "A blood offering made to the Great Dragon must come from a freshly beaten body. Whumpee, you offer your blood to your master as an offering to protect this person?"

"Yes your honor", Whumpee whispered as they hugged the pole tightly.

"The guilty will be forced to watch the punishment commence. May they be filled with guilt for allowing another to take their place", Whumper sat down, "continue with the offering."

Whumpee watched as a robed person walked past them. They squeezed their eyes shut as the whip slapped against their back for the first time.

"No please... don't do this to them", the beggar yelled as they fought against their bindings, "they didn't do anything."

Whumper glared at the beggar, "the offering has already began. It must be completed now."

Whumpee cried out as several more strokes slapped their back rapidly.

Tears ran down their face when they heard Whumper say the whipping could end. They shook as a cold hand gently felt their back.

"Yhmm", Whumpee moaned uncomfortably.

Whumper watched, not able to hide his pleased smile. Whumpee was a dear slave to him, but he always appreciated a blood offering.

Whumpee knew this, they squinted as the whip was carried away. Their Master smiled at them. They knew this brought pleasure to their master. They weren't daunted by his expression. They smiled weakly.

The beggar watched as a knife was carried out and displayed in front of Whumper.

A simple nod from Whumper told the beggar all they needed.

"Please don't hurt them anymore", the beggar felt tears stream down their face, "I am so sorry for stealing the keys. Please don't let them cut them", they pulled at their bindings.

"The sacrifice will be completed once their blood is collected", Whumper watched Whumpee, "they're back is numb, and the blade is sharp. They shouldn't feel a thing."

The beggar felt faint as the blade sliced into Whumpee's beaten skin. It went along their spine like butter. Blood started to trickle, then stream into a prepared offering bowl.

"That should suffice", Whumper leaned back, "please bring me the bowl, and take Whumpee to the medicine woman for healing. I want them brought to my throne once they are patched up. They may rest there."

"Yes Dragon", some guards began to unshackle Whumpee.

"Wait please", Whumpee winced as they were drug in front of Whumper.

The guards lowered Whumpee to the floor. Whumpee weakly crawled an inch before their body gave out on them. They collapsed fully to the floor.

A small glance from Whumpee told Whumper all they needed to know. They stood and took two steps forward so Whumpee could reach them.

With a shaky hand Whumpee touched Whumper's foot. They weakly pulled themself closer and kissed Whumper's shoe.

"My dear slave, you have honored me today. You may rest now", Whumper reached down and cupped Whumpee's face. With a thumb, they gently wiped a tear away from Whumpee's cheek, "you're offering and sacrifice has been accepted.... thankyou."

Whumpee made a small smile and nodded.

Guards stepped forward and grabbed Whumpee again.

"Take care of them", Whumper called after them as they exited the room.

Whumper stood in front of the chair the beggar was tied to.

"You're a monster. Why do they serve such a fiendish monster?", the beggar spat, but couldn't hide tears, "your slave serves you faithfully, but it's not enough... you require blood. You're not a great dragon diety.... you're just a beast."

"Blood is a sign of life, someone who sacrifices blood is giving a piece of their life to their Master", Whumper grinned as they looked at the bowl of blood, "this blood is a piece of my most loyal slaves life. That is such a beautiful gift to give. Why can other gods ask for these offerings, but I'm a beast if I do?"

"You're sick", the beggar hissed.

"Watch it", Whumper frowned, "I won't punish you as my slave just took your place, and I don't wish their sacrifice to be in vain, but I'm not quite done with you yet."

"Wh-what do you mean?", the beggar shrunk back timidly.

Whumper scooped a handful of blood from the bowl and let it drip onto the beggar's hands.

"You will be imprisoned in my dungeon for a full week. You will wear the blood of my slave on your hands until then. This will symbolize the blood your thieving hands caused to spill. An innocent person gave you their gift of blood", Whumper continued to drip more blood onto the beggars hands until it dripped onto the floor.

Once done, Whumper grinned before stepping aside to allow guards to untie the beggar.

"In one week, I want them brought before me. That blood had better of left their hands stained red."

"Yes sir", the guards agreed.

Whumper carried the remaining blood to his alter and finalized the offering made to him. It had been a long time since he received an offering like this.

"My dearest slave, you honor me greatly", Whumper whispered.

Whumpee was rested on the floor, beside the throne. They cuddled a pillow under their head and could be heard gently snoring.

Whumper quietly made their way to their seat, but still caused Whumpee to stir.

"Rest my dear, you have done well for me today", Whumper reached down and patted Whumpee's head, "rest now."

"Was it enough Master?", Whumpee made a concerned face.

"Yes it was more than enough", Whumper gently whispered.

Whumpee smiled weakly, then winced.

"Rest your head weary one. Your job is done for today."

Whumpee woke up when they heard Whumper request a drink.

"Yes Master", they whispered weakly and worked to get up.

"Not from you dear", Whumper frowned, "in honor of your sacrifice, I've allowed you to have the rest of today off."

"Really Master?", Whumpee sat up fully, "I-I can still serve you Master, I'm well rested, an-and the medicine woman made me feel better."

"I know, and you may continue tomorrow, I have other slaves to serve me. You have done enough for me today", Whumper watched Whumpee look down sadly, "do you question my decisions?"

Whumpee looked up fearfully and waved their arms, "no Master... never."

"Then why do you act so?", Whumper leaned back, "is this a new human emotion I'm not aware of?"

"I've devoted my life to you Master. Everything has been given to you. My mind, body, and soul are yours. It's hard to hear that I am getting a break from serving you... I don't know what else to do with my time."

"Hmm, I think I understand, but I do not wish to damage your body anymore", Whumper frowned, "I feel you may push yourself more than you should."

Whumpee looked down, "may I just stay with you then Master, may I just be in your presence?"

"You may", Whumper nodded, "I wonder if you may help me understand something else?"

"Yes Master, I would be honored", Whumpee knelt.

"I feel I may be finding a pattern in your behavior. Whenever I have a guilty person in my presence, you seem to remain quiet, in a way allowing me to do as I please. This only changes when they mention their family", Whumper set their full attention to Whumpee after receiving their drink, "am I wrong?"

Whumpee felt warmth grow over their cheek, of course this was something he'd notice.

"Master do you remember when I was first found by your followers and brought before you for approval?", Whumpee sighed.

"Yes you reminded me of a wet puppy. Soaked with water and blood. Your parents had just died. They were killed by their god in the place of their altar. You were so young."

"I think when I hear that someone's punishment may inflict their family, I remember the punishment my parents received from the trespass they caused with their god. How you explained what had happened to them after talking to that diety", Whumpee wiped a tear away, "I hope that I may help another child not receive the same fate I received with what my parents did."

Whumpee dared to look the Great Dragon in the face, "they may not be as lucky as I was. I was found by your followers and raised by them. I gave myself to you fully."

"Hmm, I think I understand dear one", Whumper made a slight smile, "as for now though... I order you to rest. That is how you may serve me."

After a few minutes Whumpee looked up.

"What is it dear one?", Whumper eyed them.

"Oh, uhm.... I-I uhm was hoping to uh....", Whumpee looked down with embarrassment, "could I see the stars Master? Have I pleased you to allow for that type of gift?"

Whumper thought for a moment before giving a comforting nod toward Whumpee.

He took a deep breath before exhaling a cloud of smoke. It covered the room as it expanded.

"Come my dear", Whumper welcomed Whumpee up on their lap.

Whumpee happily smiled as they got up, and Whumper pulled them onto his lap.

"Now watch closely", Whumper grinned as he reached for the keys and held them in the air. He then acted as though he was unlocking something.

A door opened in front of them.... a door made from nothing. One of Master's portals.

"Welcome back to the space portal", Whumper whispered.

Whumpee was already truly starstruck. Constellations twinkled at them through the doorway.

Whumper smiled as they leaned up to look in Whumpee's eyes. Their eyes glistened with the stars they saw.

"It's amazing Master", Whumpee broke their gaze and looked at Whumper, "thankyou for allowing me to see them."

"You're welcome dear... you know you can ask for this any time. If I am able to do it for you I will", Whumper leaned back, "this is your gift for being my dearest slave."

"Thankyou Master", Whumpee smiled, then gazed back at the stars.

"You're welcome dear."

The portal began to leak into Whumper's realm of influence. It had been opened to long.

Whumpee had already slumped over to the side and Whumper had pulled them back to lay against him.

He closed the portal, and carefully cradled Whumpee in his arms.

A small grimace on Whumpee's face told Whumper how sore they still were.

"My dear slave", Whumper whispered so not to disturb them anymore, "such a good slave for me."

Taglist. As always please let me know if you want to be added or taken off of the list. It's not a problem at all. @villainsandheroes @the-beasts-have-arrived @sacredwrath @porschethemermaid @monarchthefirst

@generic-whumperz @bloodyandfrightened @freefallingup13 @notpeppermint @cyborg0109

@idontreallyexistyet @painfulplots @whumpbump @everythingsscary @skittles-the-whumpee

@expressionless-fr @theforeverdyingperson @legendarydelusiongoatee @candleshopmenace @whumpanthems

@lavndvrr @ivymyers @starfields08000 @a-living-canvas @lumpofsand

@watermeezer @indigoviolet311 @whumpy-mountains

I tried to do something new with the taglist. I'm not sure if everyone is being tagged properly. -MJ

[theunboundwriter]

I'm published on Amazon Kindle!

I've joined a writing contest where winners are selected based on audience interaction, and it would mean the world to me if you could tune into my novel. Every follow counts as a vote. The first ten chapters are free to read (link included below). Thank you!

Introducing: The Curse of Cutthroat Marlowe

(previously titled The Sea is in Her Blood)

Story Synopsis:

June Marlowe, the fearless daughter of the notorious pirate Captain Damon 'The Marked,' has lived her life in the shadow of her father's ruthless legacy. Known for her cunning and audacity, June defied her father's iron grip and stole a mysterious map leading to an unknown treasure. Now, with a price on her head and her father’s vengeful gaze locked on her, June must navigate treacherous waters to uncover the treasure’s secrets.

As June sets sail on a stolen ship, she faces the formidable task of evading her father's relentless pursuit. But her troubles don't end there. Captain Bates Anderson of the British Navy, who has a personal vendetta against her, is hot on her trail, seeking retribution for past wrongs.

Amid the chaos, June finds solace in the arms of a charismatic and enigmatic stranger who aids her on her quest. Their budding romance provides a glimmer of hope, but trust is a rare commodity when betrayal lurks around every corner. June’s feelings for him become entangled with her desperate race for the treasure, raising the stakes of her journey.

Caught between her father's wrath and the British Navy’s pursuit, June is eventually captured by Captain Bates Anderson. In prison, she discovers that her father’s legend is more than just a tale of terror—an ancient curse has plagued their family for generations. The curse, tied to the treasure she seeks, threatens to consume her and all she holds dear.

As June’s love for her new ally deepens and the curse’s effects become increasingly apparent, she must confront her past mistakes, the dark legacy of her family, and the treacherous waters she navigates. With her father’s forces closing in and the British Navy determined to see her pay, June’s quest for the treasure becomes a fight for survival, redemption, and love.

In a high-stakes race against time, June Marlowe must decode the secrets of the map, unravel the curse’s mysteries, and confront the ghosts of her past to secure her future. Her journey is a perilous mix of adventure, romance, and the relentless pursuit of freedom in a world where every ally might be a traitor and every shadow could hide a deadly secret.

Reblogs would be appreciated to gain audience traction! Thank you so much for reading!

[greenerteacups]

thoughts on Ginny and Harry as a couple?

There are a lot of people who find their romance in HBP forced. I don't think it's forced so much as underwritten, and the books don't get the chemistry quite right (though the movies certainly don't, either). There's potential, but they just don't get enough actual scenes of substance (besides Harry thinking she's pretty or feeling jealous of Dean) for a lot of readers to buy that they're not only in love, but deeply enough in love to break up, get back together, and wind up married.

That's not to say I don't see the appeal. There's a very cool scene in Book 5 where Harry's doing a woe-is-me-Chosen-One act, and Ginny effortlessly puts him in his place about it by reminding him that she was possessed by Voldemort at eleven, which is a rare glimpse into her character and also a great synecdoche for their relationship — Ginny is a grounding presence who, like Ron and Hermione, isn't going to be awed by his past adventures because she knew him before they happened. In that respect, Ginny's probably one of the few women Harry could feasibly wind up with, because he only ever seems comfortable around people (let alone girls) who can see past the Chosen-One schtick and treat him like a normo (see: Ron, Hermione, the Weasleys, Luna, Hagrid). True to type, he doesn't get interested in Ginny at all until she's ditched her celebrity crush and ceased to view him as an idol, because in his heart of hearts, Harry wants to be a normal boy, and it's stressed over and over that part of what he likes about his relationship with Ginny is how normal it feels. He kind of has a horribly supercharged version the celebrity dating problem: after the Battle of Hogwarts, anyone he meets is going to know him first as Harry Potter, Chosen One, Boy Who Lived, and Actually Fucking Resurrected Messiah of the Wizarding World, which is... I mean, it's possible that there are witches out there who could get over that, but Harry's not an extroverted guy, and I'm not sure how he'd go about finding them. Ginny's the one who's been there since the beginning, doesn't need anything about him or his past explained to her, and actually likes him for who he is.

When you look at it that way, it's not surprising he married his high school girlfriend. She's one of the few people still alive who doesn't see him as a demigod.

[tereferka]

Ultimate Trigun brainrot doodle bunch (click to see more details c:)

[wonder-worker]

"Any assessment of the emotional component of the reconciliation of [Empress Matilda and Geoffrey of Anjou] remains speculation: the chroniclers are silent on the issue of whether [they] grew to love, hate, or like each other. We do know, from their movements and actions, that Matilda and Geoffrey eventually arrived at a businesslike arrangement with a united viewpoint toward the dynastic, geopolitical goals that had dictated their marriage in the first place."

"Matilda and Geoffrey effectively transitioned from a Divide and Rule model to a Collaborative Union from 1144 onwards, in which they worked together throughout their marriage to ensure rulership over their territories and gained their rightful lands, as well as ensuring the inheritance for their children. Matilda and Geoffrey’s political partnership can effectively be argued as the most successful through applying different models of rulership. Ultimately the Plantagenets regained Matilda’s inheritance through Henry, conquered Normandy, and produced several male heirs."

Charles Beem, The Lioness Roared: The Problems of Female Rule in English History / Gabrielle Storey, Co-Rulership, Co-operation and Competition: Queenship in the Angevin Domains, 1135-1230

[justdeich]

I have Scout on my mind so send art requests!

Plz I wanna draw my boy but I'm low on ideas. Art block do be like that qwq

[shy-sapphic-ace]

Where’s that post that goes “reading a book by TJ Klune is like how am I supposed to read another book ever again” because YEAH

[bitterseaproduction]

Me: *sits up straight in sickbed out of nowhere*

Me: That ‘akeshu bond as children but they don’t recognize each other in P5’ idea, but it works because, as detective prince and criminal transfer, they’re both using pseudonyms. 😳

Housemate: ???

[lunar-waterlilies]

[mj-iza-writer]

Hello MJ!!! I love your work and i was wondering if you could do another part to the story where the whumpee and caretaker have the same scar? Maybe a prequel where we see what happened to the whumpee or caretaker? Whatever you choose I adore your writing and I hope you have endless inspiration and motivation forever and ever. 💫

https://www.tumblr.com/mj-iza-writer/754906910306762752/warning-swear-words-used-the-team-burst-through?source=share

I believe you should be able to find the original story there. Here is a background if not.

The story is a team whump story where Leader and the team bring an almost dead Whumpee to Caretaker, the teams medic. Caretaker right away sees similarities in Whumpee's wounds to someone from their past. While healing Whumpee, Leader and the team go out, hunt this person down, and kill them before they can strike again. This story goes into Caretaker's past.

I am so sorry this took so long to answer. Tumblr deleted the story the other day after I had worked on it for like three hours, so after crying my eyes out, I rewrote it... on my phone's notepad as I didn't want that to happen again. I always appreciate ask, and I thank you so much for the request.

The story.

Whumpee was gaining strength now. It had been a few weeks since their rescue.

Caretaker had worked hard to get them to this point.

"How about we attempt a real bath today?", Caretaker sat down next to Whumpee's makeshift hospital bed. A better option then the gurney they had laid on for the first two weeks.

"D-do you think I'll be able to do it?", Whumpee whispered.

"I guess we won't know unless we try", Caretaker smiled, "we can do a quick bath today. Maybe give your hair some attention", Caretaker looked over the clumped hair that still had dried mud from when they were found.

"I think I would like that" Whumpee nodded. Knowing they could use a good clean up.

"Alright I will go get your bath together, and I'll be back to get you", Caretaker stood.

Leader came in and found Whumpee leaning forward in their bed.

"Look at you", Leader smiled, "looks like you are getting stronger and better every day."

"Caretaker is going to give me a bath today", Whumpee whispered, "a-a real bath."

"Oh, that's going to be nice", Leader sat down next to Whumpee, "I take it that's where Caretaker is."

Whumpee nodded.

Leader looked around the room, "I wonder if Caretaker would need a hand", they looked at Whumpee, "would you be okay if I offered to help?"

"Yes that's fine", Whumpee nodded.

Caretaker came in just then and looked at Leader weirdly.

"Good morning, uh, I was just about to give Whumpee a bath. Did you need me for something?"

"No, no, just checking in", Leader smiled, "I was wondering if you'd like a hand though? Whumpee said they were alright with it."

"Actually, that would be helpful", Caretaker nodded, "I can have you work on their hair while I clean the rest of them up. We'll be able to get more cleaned in a little bit of time."

Leader carefully set Whumpee into the tub of warm water.

"Does everything feel alright?", Caretaker looked them over. The way Whumpee happily sunk into the water was enough of an answer.

"It feels so good", Whumpee moaned happily, "thankyou."

Caretaker knelt beside the tub, "yes, I remember my first bath after I escaped. It felt so good", they smiled.

Leader came around to other side of the tub and knelt down. They knew better than to ask questions about Caretaker's past.

"Alright Leader, get to cleaning", Caretaker smiled as they handed them a cup, "please remember we won't look clean right away. Whumpee's body will only let us get so far before they need to rest again. We just need to get enough off."

Leader nodded.

Whumpee stole glances at Caretaker. They looked to where that mark was hiding under his clothes. The one they had in common. The one that meant Caretaker knew exactly what had happened to Whumpee because it may have happened to him.

Whumpee then looked down where their mark was. A fresher wound right on their ribs, not as faded as Caretaker's was.

"Caretaker?", Whumpee whispered.

"Yes Whumpee, are you okay?" Caretaker gave a concerned look.

"May I... may I uhm", Whumpee stuttered nervously.

"Whumpee you can say or ask anything you want", Caretaker gently rubbed their shoulder.

Whumpee nodded, "may I, uhm, know what they did to you?"

Leader stopped what they were doing but didn't look up.

"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked", Whumpee hurried when they saw Caretaker's jaw clench.

"No... uh.. it's fine", Caretaker looked at Whumpee shamefully, "I guess you have a right to know."

Caretaker started to gently clean Whumpee.

"Well I guess to start off, I was originally a doctor. That was my calling in life, it's what I always wanted to be, but they stole that from me", Caretaker frowned, "I was taken by them a little after I started working in the hospital."

Caretaker sighed, "after they found out what I was and what they could make me do", Caretaker paused to look at a wound on Whumpee's back, "they locked me in a room they called the operating room."

"They did things a little differently at first. They had several prisoners to play with. If they went too far, which was often, they would bring them to me. I was forced to heal their victims. I would be severely punished if I didn't.... if I lost someone."

Caretaker sighed, "many nights I cowarded away in the corner of the operating room. I was so scared that my door would be opened and another victim would be laid on my table. I'm still haunted by the faces or those people, buy their voices. Them begging me to just let them die. Them telling me I was just as bad as them. I was causing their suffering to be longer."

Caretaker's lip quivered, "I wanted to heal people, but not like that. I wanted to be appreciated for my work. To feel proud of my abilities, but instead, I heard yelling and pleading from people who wanted me to kill them. Cowering away from that person as their victim was dragged out kicking and screaming. Telling me that I was a horrible... person. What hurt worse was when I started to agree with them. I was a horrible p..person."

Caretaker looked up at Leader for a moment before continuing.

Leader felt their eyes but didn't dare look up.

"One night in particular, a victim was brought in. I had had them on my table before. They pleaded with me to let them die this time. They couldn't go on anymore. I remember looking deep into their eyes. I nodded. This was their only victim at the time. I knew my punishment would be especially bad if I failed."

"They came into my room a few hours later and saw the body. I was forced to take that victims place in the torture. It hurt like hell, but it was worth it", Caretaker chuckled lightly, "it gave me a boost of confidence."

"A few days later, I heard my door unlock. They came in and told me they were going hunting for a new victim since they didnt have any", Caretaker stopped for a second and looked lovingly at Whumpee, "I some how got them to come closer to me..... I stabbed them with a makeshift knife. I thought I killed them, unfortunately I guess I didn't."

"I ran", Caretaker looked up at Leader again, "I ran until I couldn't run anymore, then I collapsed. I prayed that I might die as well and be forgiven of my sins in the afterlife."

Caretaker smiled again as they wiped a tear, "thankfully someone found me. Someone who has a habit of finding injured people and bringing them here, and making them like a family. They didn't exactly have a medic back then. So I took care of my own wounds. Leader tried to help as much as they could."

"You said I did good at getting the supplies you needed", Leader finally spoke up.

"Yes you did", Caretaker nodded.

Caretaker sighed again, "I don't like talking about my past too often as I'm ashamed of it. I allowed people to suffer because I was too afraid to speak out and stand up against our captor. I was too afraid of them."

Whumpee looked deeply into Caretaker's eyes, "you were allowed to be afraid, you're human. I was terrified by them. I can see why you would have been as well. I'm sorry for what those people yelled at you and called you. You're my hero", Whumpee shook, "plus if it hadn't happened, you would not have met Leader and become part of this team. I could have died. It's unfortunate, but those hard times brought you to this family.

"Thankyou Whumpee I appreciate that", Caretaker smiled, another tear threatened to fall, "well, I think that just about does it for this bath, you are shaking a lot. I think your body is ready to rest again."

Whumpee nodded, "thankyou for telling me about that. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome", Caretaker smiled weakly.

Whumpee fell asleep a little after their bath.

Caretaker stepped outside on their office's balcony to get some air. Maybe cry a little more.

They were just about to lower to the ground when Leader came out carrying some drinks.

"Hey, sorry to bother you", Leader frowned, "I thought maybe you could use one of these after that. I know you don't like talking about that subject. Though I think it was good for Whumpee to hear it. Maybe they can see that being fully healed is possible after some time. I know I have a deeper respect for you than I already had. You're absolutely inspirational."

"I-I don't know about that, but Whumpee deserved to hear it", they looked down at the drink, "I'm not proud of that time of my life. Thanks for this."

"You're welcome", Leader took a drink of their own, "I agree with them though. If it wasn't for that, this team would have never made it. None of this would be possible."

Caretaker smiled weakly.

"I guess I know why you are able to fix just about anything I bring to you", Leader tried to lighten the mood.

"Yep, you still haven't given me anything compared to what I've dealt with. Except Whumpee, that was a hard one. Which is how I knew it was their work. It had to be at least."

Leader nodded, "for what it's worth. You are an amazing doctor, and I'm honored to have you on this team. I know this wasn't what you had planned for your life, but man, I appreciate you so much."

"Thanks", Caretaker smiled, "this isn't what I had planned, but I wouldn't change it for the world."

Leader grinned, "I'm glad."

Taglist. As always please let me know if you want to be added or taken off of the list. It's not a problem at all.

@villainsandheroes @the-beasts-have-arrived

@sacredwrath @porschethemermaid

@monarchthefirst @generic-whumperz

@bloodyandfrightened @freefallingup13

@notpeppermint @cyborg0109

@idontreallyexistyet @painfulplots

@whumpbump @everythingsscary

@skittles-the-whumpee @expressionless-fr

@theforeverdyingperson @legendarydelusiongoatee

@candleshopmenace @whumpanthems

@lavndvrr @ivymyers

@starfields08000 @a-living-canvas

@lumpofsand @watermeezer

@indigoviolet311 @whumpy-mountains

@3-2-whump @risk606

@electrons2006 @paperprinxe

@whumprince @kaz-of-crows

@mis-graves @decaffeinatedtimetraveler94

@sausages-things @sunglasses-in-the-bentley

[xxswagcorexx]

one thing i've just been noticing abt ivory's videos is just. the idea of proving yourself, despite all of the odds against you. if its fighting a 100 wardens or killing god, there's always something to be proven. it's proving that you are capable of accomplishing anything, and you'll do so in a heartbeat.

and that, of course, builds a reputation, right? everyone knows ivory! and she's built a very intense reputation for herself, and she's pretty much feared on every single smp shes on

but with that reputation...you're pressured to keep it up. you're forced to go onto the next big thing. to prove that you can accomplish anything in a heartbeat.

so you do the same things over and over again, ramping up the stakes without taking a minute to calm down and breathe

but maybe, there's a small part of you that begs you to stop. to slow down, take a moment for yourself, and take a moment to look back at everything. just to rest

but.

you have a reputation to uphold. even as part of you screams at you and forces you to put in the breaks, the only thing on your mind is to keep on going. to prove you can do what you've set your mind to, and what you've worked so hard for.

(but in the end, it barely feels like anything before you turn away and look for the next accomplishment to complete, because you've killed off the part that forces you to step back and question what you're doing.)

[behold-the-griffin]

okay, so I WAS live-blogging my read through of @athingofvikings fic, A Thing of Vikings, but I stopped some months ago, and THAT was because I was curbstomped by the need to create THIS:

All hail Queen Ruffnut the Wordsmith of Norway, first of her line. May her reign be long and prosperous.

[raidermomma]

Me IRL: *actually very shy*

Me on Tumblr: GATHER ROUND MY GLORIOUS BITCHES FOR I HAVE SMUTTY THOUGHTS TO SHARE!!! (Also hands out scones.)

[inopinatus-ea]

2

Chapter 1

First meetings, and first impressions...

“Drach, do you think you can shift and we can fly away now? Do you think they’d risk shooting you down?” Adelia had a soft smile firmly in place, but inside she was dying from what she knew was going to be an arduous ordeal of diplomatic niceties. She did not want to be in Annisgwyl. She did not want to be meeting Prince Emery, let alone marrying him. In fact, all of this was the last thing she wanted to be doing. In two weeks she was supposed to have been marrying Duke Alaric, but instead here she was because of her father. Her wonderful father, the King. She hated him and had for years, since he had insisted her brother be the first to wed and kept putting off her own engagement.

“Darling, if I could get away with it, we would be gone. However, we both know they would hunt us both down. I’ve already had my wings clipped once, and did not enjoy it. They have finally healed after over a century, let’s save that fact, and the surprise that I can fly once more, for if we really need it. Shall we?” Winking slyly at the Princess, the Knight assigned to guard her kissed her cheek lightly. Drach had been assigned at her birth to guard her because of his special gifts that few knew of. Shifting into a dragon, breathing fire, and being able to consume humans whole being the paramount amongst those. A tight friendship had grown between the two and he was far more protective of the Princess than any other in her life, including either of her parents.

“If you insist, but if I truly hate him, will you at least promise to eat the Prince then we will both claim innocence and ignorance.” She looked up at him hopefully as her mother futzed with her bejeweled taffeta ballgown over by the lead car. Once more her mother’s vanity was giving her ample opportunity to get her own mask of regality in place. The two women couldn’t be more different, although it was not as if the Queen would ever have noticed.

“That I might be able to do, little one.” Another wink and Drach had to keep from laughing. He did enjoy his young charge’s spunk at times. She kept him on his toes. For a being as old as he, that took some doing.

The doors to the palace before them opened and an older stately gentleman appeared, joined by a woman who seemed to be his equal. Adelia curtseyed, Drach still lending her his arm bowed deeply. They could both hear her parents joining them from the side. Apparently her mother had finally gotten her gown and tiara in order. Small wonders never ceased. Both hoped that the introductions would be short and that they could find the liquor and a quiet corner, but doubted that either would be that lucky. Neither wanted to be there, for very different reasons.

It was shortly after the Kings and Queens had made their introductions that the Princes were called forward. Both Adelia and Drach were studying them. Enough intel had been sent to the castle for her to tell which was Emery and which was Raiden. At least they both were handsome, but from all accounts, that was as far as Emery’s positive attributes went. Raiden’s, from all accounts went much further, but alas he was the younger of the two brothers. Of course, she was cursed with this mating by her father after all.

Raiden was fairer, more conventionally handsome, and just slightly taller than his brother. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle in the sunlight as he smiled over at Drach and Adelia. She couldn’t help noticing that he was already trying to be charming; interesting. Emery on the other had looked more serious. His hair and eyes were far darker than his brother’s, and there was a brooding air about him that Adelia found slightly off putting. It wasn’t that he was unattractive, but his gaze was intense and his demeanor almost aggressive. She could see how just from looks alone he would be viewed as hostile, and she had yet to formally meet him.

“Ah, Crowne Prince Emery.” King Mavroc grinned wide as he stepped forward to greet his future son-in-law. “It is a pleasure to meet you.” He turned towards where Drach and Adelia were still standing. “Your intended, Adelia,” he gestured to her, and Drach began to lead her forward, “and her Royal Knight Drach who has been with her since birth, and will guard her innocence until your wedding night.” There was a slight sneer to his voice at the end of his statement.

“Now, Mavroc, I’m sure that won’t be necessary. My sons are both men of honor.” King Branoc insisted, his brows drawing together. He had not been informed of Drach becoming part of the pre-wedding arrangements. Why the other King would feel such a move necessary confused him.

“Is that why his former paramour Siara is with child on the coast?” Adelia’s mother inquired with a saccharine smile on her face and condescension dripping from her voice. She loved being able to surprise and verbally destroy those she considered lesser. To have such a piece of information at her diposal currently made those before her far lesser.

Raiden’s face went blank as he stared at Emery. What had his brother done? His eyes closed as he took a deep breath. The dishonor of it! Finding out now and from the other royal family only made it worse. At least his brother could have warned their parents.

Adelia gasped slightly and took a step back, her eyes going wide. Drach’s hand came atop hers on his arm to stop her from bolting back to the car. Let the Prince be the center of attention that he so rightly deserved. Oh, being a dragon was so fun when you could obtain information that was useful. This tidbit was the best so far, or at least he had thought so before he saw the complete look of shock and horror on the Prince’s face.

“EMERY?!” Branoc’s voice boomed off the stones around them all and seemed louder than should be possible. Everyone else winced but his eldest son stood still as Adelia’s eyes cut back and forth between father and son.

“IF she is,” Emery closed his eyes and cursed the gods above, “it is not mine.” His jaw clenched. He did not know whose it was, but on this he wasn’t lying. Now not only was he humiliated in front of his fiance-to-be, but his father was most likely going to literally beat him until he couldn’t breathe at the earliest convenience.

“How about we all go inside?” His mother’s voice was thin and strained, the smile on her face tight and not meeting her eyes. She looked at the King and Queen before her, trying not to lose more face than had already happened as she curtseyed and then gestured to the door behind her, Raiden thankfully having already moved to the side.

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[battlegroundofdreams]

6

Chapter 5

Morpheus goes looking for answers...

Frustrated at being stopped from going inside the Dream Ward, Morpheus pulled his communicator out from the inside pocket of his jacket and tried to get ahold of Melinoe.  There was no answer.  He did not leave a message.  He tried sending her a text communication, and kept his communicator in his hand as he paced the hallway waiting for an answer.  The only issue was, there was no answer coming.  After what felt like too long to Morpheus, he tried calling her again.  When he once more got her voicemail, this time he left a message asking her to call him immediately.  Then once more sent her a text communication.  The longer it went without hearing from her, the more he was convinced she was on the Dream Ward, and that the only way he was going to get answers was to get past that guard, one way or another.  He just had to figure out how.

One hour, two, three…the time stretched on with messages left for Melinoe, Krios, and Andromeda.  None of them were returned.  This only served to cause Morpheus’ anger level to rise and his teeth to grind.  The guard at the door seemed to be keeping his hand on his weapon more when Morpheus was on the leg of his pacing where he was stalking down towards that end of the hallway.  Morpheus couldn’t really blame him, he really did want to bounce him off the walls and strangle him until he got answers.

Sometime in hour four, Morpheus had an idea.  Slapping his badge against the pad outside the elevator, he called one and went to the Medical Ward.  If he couldn’t get an answer from the Dream Ward, there was one other person who might have an idea what was going on with Melinoe on the Dream Ward.  While the Dream Assassin that they had on the gurney had been badly injured, nothing had looked fatal.  Hopefully she would be awake and able to give him some answers.  His rank and years on in should get him some answers before anyone started answering questions.

*****

“Agent Morpheus,” he flashed his badge, “I need to speak to the young female agent who was brought up here from the Dream Ward, where is she?”  The look he was giving the nurse was making her shift uncomfortably as she looked up the information.  This was not a friendly request, he was certainly making it look like business.  Good, she wouldn’t feel the need to inform anyone he’d been here either.

“She’s down in room six, sir.  She should be awake now.”  The nurse gave him a nervous smile after conveying the information.  He nodded and headed down the hall.  Hopefully he could at least get some kind of answer now.  If not, things down on the Dream Ward were about to get very damn ugly.

Taking a deep breath, Morpheus rapped his knuckles against the door to the room.  There was a small female voice from inside that told him to enter.  Here went nothing.

The female agent in the bed looked even smaller than when she had been wheeled by.  There were dark circles under her eyes, multiple IV lines, and monitors were hooked up.  She couldn’t have been more than a year out of the Academy, and something had worked her over hard.  She had an angelic face, and looked far too innocent to face some of the things he’d seen over the years.  Morpheus was thankful to the gods that he had not been paired up with an agent like her.  

“Ma’am, I’m Agent Morpheus.  I came to check on you, and see what you could remember about what happened on the Dream Ward that landed you here.  Do you feel well enough to talk?”  He instantly saw the signs of recognition at his name, that was positive.  At least he didn’t have to explain that, which meant his name alone would get him somewhere with her.  This at least was a positive step.

“Yes, sir.  I’m Agent Rua.  I assume my partner, Agent Lorien, is still down on the Ward?  I remember them saying something about Agent Melinoe was going to have to go help him?”  Her eyes scrunched up, brows coming together as she tried to remember.  Everything after coming out of the realm of dreams was hazy.  “I don’t remember much from being on the Ward before they brought me up here, I’m sorry.”  She sighed heavily.

“Ma’am, please relax.  Do not stress yourself out.  There is no need to remember everything at once.”  She’d already told him enough, he now knew where his partner was, but he wanted just a little more information. The poor girl had been through enough, he wasn’t there to put her through more.  He kept being struck how with her big grey eyes and angelic face she looked more like a doll than an agent who should be fighting Nightmares. “Do you remember what happened in the dream where you got hurt?  You came out of the dream, but Lorien didn’t.”  That was the only thing that he could figure out for why Melinoe would have to go in and help him.  That was an unusual case, something he’d only heard murmurings of.  It didn’t give Morpheus a good feeling.

“Yes,sir.  There had been a warning that the pair of Nightmare Assassins that Agent Melinoe had faced on her last mission, the ones that so badly injured her, those…one of them was thought to have survived.  I don’t know how she ever took on two by herself, let alone did enough damage they thought both were dead, but they had. We were told what to look for, Lorien and I even trained for it.  We went through the Academy together and were even friends before that.”  There was a smile and a blush that told Morpheus that at least on Rua’s side there was more than a friendly attraction to Lorien.  It wasn’t his business, but he hoped it didn’t get one of them killed.  Romance was risky in their profession, especially if you were teamed up together.  “But what we faced, sir, it was so intense.  There were demons and dragons all around us.  It was like some fairytale dungeon coming to life and attacking all at once.  Lorien and I were doing good at fending them off, but we weren’t making any headway.  I thought we were going to die.  Then, all of a sudden, I could tell I was out of the dream and there was yelling and screaming,” Rua started to get upset, tears forming in her eyes as she spoke. It was clear that whatever they had faced was terrifying.  Then a sort of calm came over her, “then I felt this comforting presence next to me and heard this calm female voice telling me to relax, that my part of the battle was done.  She would finish the fight.”  She looked up at him, a different type oe tears brimming in her eyes, “she was so calm, sir.  It made me feel relaxed and like it would all work out alright.  She took charge, said she was going to go help Lorien. Then it all got confusing and they wheeled me out.” 

“Thank you, Agent Rua.”  Morpheus inclined his head.  “Please rest and do not worry about your partner.  He is in the very best hands he could be.”  With that he exited the room and headed back to the elevator.  He was going back down to the Dream Ward and he was getting in there if he had to shoot the guard and kick Krios’ ass personally.  What kind of monstrosity were Melinoe and some rookie up against?  He had to agree with Rua, if that is what one of them was like, how in the bloody hell did she come close to defeating two of them on her own?  Her illusions must be damn powerful in dreams.  Hopefully they’d keep her alive till he could get to her.

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