hello my lady!
how are you? i hope you are well.
i hope you know i adore your writing 🫶🏻
do you happen to have a part 2 to that oneshot? maybe another scenario of castin and the baroness when things were still icy? i’d love to hear things from castin’s pov as well.
unrelated, but i love the idea of the baroness being an absolute badass at combat. like being able to take down his men. and castin just being in awe.
anyways!! hope you’re well
thank you for all you do, you are so appreciated
Good evening, Anon! As I'm writing this, it's raining heavily at 10:12 PM, and my Bluetooth speaker is blasting Hit 'em up style by Blu Cantrell while sipping on some orange juice, cold and munching on sweets.
It makes me really happy.
Hmm... I wasn't thinking of continuing that oneshot, tbh, but you caught me in a good mood, Anon. We can explore that scenario a bit more!
do you happen to have a part 2 to that oneshot? maybe another scenario of castin and the baroness when things were still icy? i’d love to hear things from castin’s pov as well.
I'll be focusing on this since I've explained in an ask that while Celica can fight, it's mostly for self-defence and only when she's desperate. She wasn't trained to be a warrior; she's trained to fight dirty like an assassin.
So let's get to it!
-
"Rhett."
"Beloved."
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't throw your bro into the lake for making my girl upset."
"Castin does not make for a good fish food. Do you really want innocence to die from indigestion?"
"Can... can fish even get indigestion?"
The King of Intacia promptly snapped his mouth shut. A look of genuine contemplation is clear as day on his face. Normally, Isolde would've laughed and kissed him silly. It's just like her husband to be affronted over a piece of knowledge he lacks. Now? In this instance? On this day? On this beautiful day blessed by the Divine Couple themselves?
She's mad. Like, real mad. Mad enough to personally confront Castin, no bullshit. No King, no husband, no servants, no guards, no entourage and no pretence that it would be an amicable meeting.
If Isolde could see her reflection right now, she would've flinched in shock, but since there's none - only Rhett - the world remains blissfully unaware of how terrifying the Queen Ascendant truly is.
Rhett reaches out to her with a tentative hand. "Beloved..."
"No! No, Rhett! Don't you fucking dare try to pacify me," Isolde hisses, emerald-like eyes glowing with magic untamed as the ocean. "I gave not only Castin a chance but you as well. Forget about support from House Anesidora; if Castin made Celica cry? I'm finna be on a ship back to the Empire with her! 'Cause what the fuck, Rhett?"
"Anything that I say now regarding Castin will only sound like excuses - "
"Damn straight!"
" - and even though the Baroness has agreed to marry Castin - "
"Say sike right now. Rhett, I swear to the Conqueror, that better be a fucking joke."
"..."
Somewhere in the Palace, a fountain suddenly exploded. The unfortunate servants and nearby foreign dignitaries screamed and scatter like headless chickens. It's chaos.
"I'mma talk to your bro real quick."
Isolde forcefully yanked her hand free, her shoulders taunt with tension. Rhett scrambles after her, just barely able to stop her march. "Ok, look, I know this is not what you want to hear, but may I make a suggestion?"
"You're right - I don't."
"That is fine! Completely fine, Isolde. Then, I will speak to the air; don't mind me. Ahem. Sometimes, good intentions can go awry. It happens, right? Can we agree on that, please?"
The Queen Ascendant growls. Right. If Rhett wants to save Castin, he needs to watch whatever he says next carefully; every word counts. So he centres himself and has clear his thoughts. He ponders the bigger picture. What is truly important here? Uniting Intacia and the Coastal Empire. That has always been and will forever be Rhett's goal in life. His wife, friends and family deserve to grow old without war looming. But has he fallen into a tunnel vision? Did he nearly sacrifice the goodwill of his loved ones to accomplish that?
The answer had him pale, eyes widening in realisation. Suddenly, weariness seeps into his bones.
Seeing how defeated her husband looks broke Isolde's heart. She sighs, feeling just as defeated and so lost. She steadies him, and together, they sit on the ground. She couldn't care less how their clothes are dirtied.
"Rhett, I need you to listen to me very carefully here, ok? I know that your heart is in the right place; I do! It's one of the things that I love about you, sans kidnapping and all that. But the point is, in theory? Hooking our friends up and watching them ride off into the sunset in their wedding fit is awesome, great, a fairytale come to life. But we're not living in a fairytale, babe. Castin and Celica are just too different. They exist on opposite extremes, and you can't force them to change their nature."
The King is silent. His beloved's words are heavy and true. And then, he finally speaks, "We shouldn't interfere with them anymore. If the Baroness decides to revoke her agreement to marry Castin and withdraw her support, then... then that is her right and I will no longer darken her doorsteps. I will ensure her passage back home is safe. It's the least I could do. Could you please deliver my most sincere apologies to her? For the moment she steps foot on Intacian shores?"
Isolde pats his shoulder comfortingly. "There, there, Rhett. Don't be so sad. We're not gonna interfere with them anymore but let me talk to Celly first; check how pissed off she is because we might need to up our security."
"What on Earth for?"
"So you better let him know that if he mess up, you gotta hit 'em up."
-
Castin messed up big time. Major.
He lashed out at a woman who is not only the Queen Ascendant's bestie, but also the love of his life. Not that she knows that and at this rate, never will.
Ever since their telephone game turned into a trainwreck, flame and all, Baroness Anesidora never once left her assigned bedroom in the Palace. Her food is delivered when everyone knows King Rhett invites her to sup with the royal couple daily. She turns all but the Queen away when her friends come by for a visit. The maids in charge of cleaning the suite and attending her whisper that she's practically monosyllabic. No one but Castin, Isolde and Rhett knew the reason why.
Speaking of Isolde...
The Queen had chosen to have dinner with the Baroness this evening instead of her husband. Castin wanted to keep his brother company since things were still tense between him and the Baroness. Much to his dismay, however, Rhett wanted to be alone and ate his own meal in the office. This sucks - everything sucks!
And there's no one to blame but Castin.
He hates this. He hates himself for pushing the Baroness to a corner where she's forced to unsheath her claws. Again! He hates the chasm he created between Rhett and his wife. He hates how that little boy is still crying because he just can't fit in with the other Intacian boys.
Insecurity is a bitch.
He needs to make things right, and for that reason, he's been stealth-camping on the Baroness' balcony, patiently waiting for the Queen and the maids to bid her good night. When it's finally quiet inside, Castin continues to wait. A Noblewoman like Celica has a whole routine before she gets ready to turn in for the night and he didn't want to catch her mid-undressing. He doesn't want to create another international incident.
When he notices that only a single flicker of a candle is still lit, Castin finally takes his chance and slips into the room. He had already broken the lock when he heard the water running in the bathroom.
What he sees, however, made him feel shittier.
Baroness Anesidora is fast asleep at a table. Her head is cushioned by her arms, and books, journals, and documents are everywhere. She must've been working. It's a humbling experience for Castin since he only sees her in the morning, dressed to the nine with an arrogant smile. Seeing her now makes him want to grovel at her feet for refusing to believe that someone as strong and prideful as Celica Anesidora could ever get hurt by someone like him. A warrior with a mountain of baggage.
It takes considerable willpower for Castin to force himself to move, to do something. And so he snatches the duvet, and when he so gently covers the Baroness to ensure she stays warm, he sees what she has been working hard on:
New Intacian-Coastal Empire trade tariff proposal with rates that favours Intacia underneath carefully written lines of negotiations. A protection treaty for foreign investors regarding their assets ensures non-interference from the local aristocracy, including House Anesidora and covers disaster contingencies. On top of a stack of paper beside the Baroness' head is a financial incentive document designed to attract international entrepreneurs specialising in all sorts of industry; notes scribbled below outline tax breaks, subsidies and funding for foreign innovators, especially those from Steelgate. Lastly, a legislative document to be proposed to the King and Queen outlined Intacia's commitment to protecting foreign merchant fleets and caravans from threats like pirates, rogue Ascendants, and political rebellions while traversing to and from the country.
A wave of shame rolls over Castin. While he's too busy antagonising the Baroness, she's busy fleshing out a detailed economic framework for Intacia to stand strong once more.
"I'm so sorry..." Castin whispers. He wants to hold her, to kiss and tells her to not neglect her health; fuck, Goddess, help him, he's caught under this woman's spell, and he doesn't want to break free. "Don't hate me too much, yeah?"
Before he slips outside and stands guard (because of the broken lock on the balcony's door), he leaves his favourite book with a pressed Hibiscus - his favourite flower - inside. His first step in earning the Baroness' forgiveness.
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[CN] Shaw's 2024 Birthday ASMR — Brushing Strokes
⚡Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for an ASMR which hasn't released in EN yet!⚡
[Released Date: 17 June 2024]
[Door opens and closes]
Coming?
Sit down first
Wait until I finish writing this post
[screeching of a chair sound]
Tsk
My point is not to ask you to drag a chair over to the table.
Nor am I trying to criticize you.
Don't accuse me unfairly.
What I mean is…
[Shaw sighs]
never mind
I'm not interested
You look good sitting here
sit down
What's up?
Don't feel like sitting anymore?
OK OK
inspect as you please.
[rustling of pages]
Why practice calligraphy
[Shaw sighs]
A little annoyed lately
So I'm giving myself some assignments.
[Shaw clicks his tongue]
Is it really that surprising that I'm practicing calligraphy?
Oh….
It's rare to see me upset
Concerned about me?
[Shaw chuckles]
nothing
Recently, some of the old music fans haven't been coming to the Live House.
I don't mind much,
but Adam and Jensen are unhappy about it.
So the atmosphere in the band has been a bit down.
Huh
Me?
I do not mind
Anyway, out with the old, in with the new.
Do they love coming or not?
Not being able to hear Isolated's music is their loss.
Really.
I don’t need to be stubborn in front of you
Are you a three-year-old kid, always asking 'why' and getting to the bottom of things?
If you have time to gossip…
….tsk
How about helping me grind ink instead?
[Shaw scoffs]
Huh?
I grind the ink and you do the writing?
You're reversing the roles, huh?
no problem
I'll help you add fragrance to your “poetic creation”.
Feel free to use any of the brushes on the rack.
I recommend this one
relatively light
But I haven’t used this brush yet.
You need to start writing first.
Don't know how?
[Shaw sighs in defeat]
It's quite simple.
Come
It's hard now, right?
[sound of water dripping]
Put it in the water first
Rub it from the tip of the brush.
right
Go up slowly
Rub it all the way to the root of the brush
Not enough.
You need to rub it until the hair is completely spread out.
Mm
Almost there.
Rinse it off.
Brush away any loose hairs and moisture.
Hm
good
Let me grind some ink for you to try.
Here we go.
Looks quite decent.
Vertical, horizontal stroke, horizontal, horizontal...
...violent.
Dot, dot, horizontal stroke, horizontal.
...wealth
I know you can’t write anything good
Eh!
There's still ink on the brush
[MC splashes ink on Shaw ‘accidentally’]
Tsk…
My clothes...
Have I turned into a flower-faced cat?
[Shaw's voice lowers an octave, sounding dangerous]
Who did this?
Feeling guilty?
I don't want tissues
[Shaw deliberately lowers his voice]
I want………
[MC trying to run away but got caught]
tit for tat
[sound of Shaw’s heavy breathing + something drops on the floor]
Still want to run?
Admit your mistake?
No use.
Today, I must draw a couple of strokes for you.
Then you'll behave.
[Shaw chuckles + his sexy breathing x1]
Are you so scared that you have to close your eyes?
[the atmosphere is quite heavy here + his sexy breathing x2 GOD]
You were quite stylish when you splashed ink on me just now.
Hold it in.
Even if it's itchy.
Wasn't it like this last time I painted for you?
[Shaw scoffs]
Of course, I have a good memory
But a calligraphy brush is much more versatile than a colored pen.
It can create various changes.
Can you tell what type of pen I'm using right now?
If you guess it right, I'll stop writing.
Not guessing?
Then I'm going to continue
After all, we can't "waste" this piece of fine rice paper.
[Shaw barely holding himself back]
Are you sure you don't want to guess?
Then let me enlighten you.
This is
A pointed, stiff-haired brush.
I usually use it for writing small regular scripts.
You have to write very slowly, very slowly.
[Shaw takes a deep breath and continues whispering sexily]
Horizontal, flat, vertical, straight
This is soft
I don't use it much
So, controlling the brush isn't easy.
Easy and light
Applying more pressure
affects how much ink is released,
and it's tricky to control.
Use a little more force
Just like this…
[the beast is unleashed, he drops the brush and starts kissing her ferociously]
[SO MANY MOUTH-WATERING KISSES + HIS SEXY CHUCKLE]
This last one
is a pointed brush.
you should remember
It's the thickest one on the shelf
Especially suitable for writing large characters
With one stroke,
you can make an impression on the back of the paper.
[AGAIN STARTS KISSING HER, I LOST COUNT]
Hello
You've already been bullied by me like this.
Still not opening your eyes?
[His sexy chuckle when teasing her]
alright
I lied to you.
I just dipped it in water.
—
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