#Rhen the Chosen

[druidofdarkness]

I know that the whole point of recruiting Pirate John is to be able to fly with the dragon rather than sail with the skudder and that traveling runes further remove the need for long voyages, but the mental image of Rhen learning shanties from John as they sail brings me such joy that someday, I will contrive a reason that they had to sail somewhere instead XD

And for that precise reason, I like to think that Vohu Manah was absolutely delighted when he found out that a pirate had joined Rhen's company--or at least, he was once he had established that John was good-hearted and not going to pose a threat to her. He would be very happy with an opportunity to learn songs that he had perhaps never heard before.

(And/or, Vohu Manah knows all of John's sea shanties and then some, and the hero party is left wondering how in the hell this serene, gentle druid knows a lyric like "shave his belly with a rusty razor.")

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[aether-wasteland-s]

Rewrite tag

thanks to @satohqbanana for the tag! I'm passing this onto @eternalyraven , @songsofsomnia , @flock-from-the-void and anyone else who might want to join in!

Rules: Rewrite the previous person's lines in your own style, and then supply a few new lines for others to rewrite

So, I was given:

College, however, posed a financial challenge. Rhen desired to attend the University of the Philippines, but the income bracket the system assigned her to gave her a tuition fee her parents would have to wokr double-time for. She applied for scholarships elsewhere, but the institutions either rejeted her or promised to endorse her for a course different from her choice. With a heavy heart, she opted to go to one of the "rich kid schools" which had awarded her a full scholarship for her chosen degree, De La Salle University

And my rewrite looks a little like:

It was Rhen's desire to attend the University of the Philippines, but finances— namely, the fact that the cost of it would have her parents working double time just to compensate for it— put a stop to that dream before it could really take form. She'd applied for scholarships, enough to hopefully give her options she could take a fancy to, but all of them either offered to support her through courses she didn't want to do, or straight up rejected her. It was De La Salle University that she chose eventually, but it wasn't an easy choice. It had a reputation for being one of the "rich kid schools", which she wasn't a fan of, but it was the only one that had given her a full scholarship for a degree of her choosing.

You guys can have... How about this?

They were taking on water. A cannonball had torn a huge hole into the bow, shredding everything in it's path until they were forced into taking drastic action to keep themselves afloat. The good news was that nobody had thought to consider that this would be the point of their deaths, at least not out loud. AJ knew that he didn't have the mindset for trying to comprehend the demise beyond that of a large scale destruction. Keeping himself optimistic wouldn't work, not in this situation. He needed a little more than heart to pull through this massacre if he wanted to keep as many people as possible alive.

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

Rewrite line

Thanks @satohqbanana here!

Rules: rewrite the given line in your own words, then provide a line from your WIP!

Satoh's line

College, however, posed a financial challenge. Rhen desired to attend the University of the Philippines, but the income bracket the system assigned her to gave her a tuition fee her parents would have to work double-time for. She applied for scholarships elsewhere, but the institutions either rejected her or promised to endorse her for a course different from her choice. With a heavy heart, she opted to go to one of the "rich kid schools" which had awarded her a full scholarship for her chosen degree, De La Salle University.

My Rewrite

Unfortunately, college was a bit of a financial challenge. Rhen had her eyes set on the University of the Philippines for as long as she could remember, but if she wanted to go there, her parents would both have to work double-time just for the tuition fee.

Still, Rhen was determined. She applied for as many scholarships as she could, but found herself rejected. Either that, or they'd only endorse her if she went with a course that was different from her choice.

However, Rhen had received a full-ride scholarship for her chosen degree at De La Salle University. It wasn't her first choice, being one of them Rich Kid Schools, but it wasn't like she had an option. It ached her to turn her back on her dream, but the system had forced her hand.

My Line (Ash POV)

I landed on the ground with a sharp thud that caused my head to buzz, making the headache I’d been battling all day come back in its full force. Groaning from the dizziness, I blinked until my eyes focused. The blur of colors became a bunch of colorful trees towering above me. I pushed myself up to a seated position, groaning, and looked around—I’d never seen trees this color before and wondered if I should be taking notes. Have I made a new discovery? Highly doubtful, but the blue ferns were kinda weird, though admittedly cool.

Tagging @museandquill @mysticstarlightduck @urnumber1star @somethingclevermahogony @theelfauthor

+ ANYONE ELSE

TSP intro

TSP tag list (ask to be +/-): @thepeculiarbird @illarian-rambling @televisionjester @finchwrites

@nebula--nix @literarynecromancy @honeybewrites @the-golden-comet

[satohqbanana]

Rewrite Tag

Rules: Rewrite the previous person's lines in your own style, then supply a few new lines for others to rewrite.

A.k.a. my favorite writing activity. Let's GOOOOO!!! Hope you tagged folks don't mind if I jumped in. I have two sets of lines from two writers, hence the cut.

From @deception-united:

He stared down at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling as his lips curl in a crooked smile—a smile, right now, at a time like this, even as she feels the pressure rising as everything comes to a crescendo. Why is he smiling?

Mine:

The pressure climbs, the climax nears, and his gaze lingers. She does not need to look his way to know that there's a crooked smile upon those lips and crinkles at the corners of his eyes. Does he think it's fun to be in such a situation?

From @drchenquill:

Life can be a bitch. Life can squeeze you in its arms and either make you feel warmth or burn you in its fire. It's not easy for everyone, but I had never considered such a thing because my life was great. There were people who went through life with scars that instead of healing, got deeper. You couldn't get rid of or cover these scars and unfortunately life helped you to never forget them.

Mine:

Though I'd lived a pleasant life thus far, I knew existing had never been easy for everyone. What made it even more difficult was the presence of dichotomies. Passionate affections could warm you through the coldest nights, or burn you in its scorching blaze. Your deepest wounds might be healed by miracles, but be further worsened by nightmares. To boot, a way of life was to cover scars and never speak of them, and yet its legacy would haunt your every single day and night.

Tagging @spideronthesun, and @aether-wasteland-s for this! (Others are welcome to jump in.) Here's the lines you can try rewriting:

College, however, posed a financial challenge. Rhen desired to attend the University of the Philippines, but the income bracket the system assigned her to gave her a tuition fee her parents would have to work double-time for. She applied for scholarships elsewhere, but the institutions either rejected her or promised to endorse her for a course different from her choice. With a heavy heart, she opted to go to one of the "rich kid schools" which had awarded her a full scholarship for her chosen degree, De La Salle University.

[iztopher]

Sending you two free ⭐stars⭐ to talk at length about whichever fics you desire and one for rhyme and reason!

YESSS THANK U XZONI!!! i have a lot to talk abt with this fic so I am going to use all of the stars for it jldsk

overall thoughts - this fic was deliberately supposed to be kind of meta! I took some inspiration from New Quest, a series of short fics that essentially treats every playthrough of Aveyond as a timeloop, where in between the characters are aware they have to repeat the story over and over again. I liked the idea of treating each different playthrough and/or fanfic retelling of the game as a different iteration of the loop, and "fate" essentially being what the series has written into it as What Happens. this is all kinda background to Rhen's feelings about being the chosen one, but I explore it more in depth through the perspective of the Oracle in my fic for RPZine Maker!

perhaps one of my least favorite parts in Aveyond 1 is the "YOU'RE the chosen one, not me, Dameon!" part at the very end. As a kid, a girl being the chosen one to me (back when I first played Aveyond, so like, 2007, 2008) was everything to me, and seeing that be seemingly overriden for the sake of... a? last minute reveal? that goes absolutely no where and is never clarified/confirmed, or has its impact on Rhen or Dameon explored, felt so so cheap and frustrating. I tried to make some sense of the line and at the end of the day the option that makes the most sense to me while being most compelling to me, and, IMHO, being consistent with gameplay, is the idea that both Rhen and Dameon are both the chosen one, in that neither of them could save the world without the other helping them. If Rhen can't do it without Dameon, then Dameon is the chosen one, but if Dameon can't do it without Rhen, then Rhen is the chosen one. This is something I tried to lean into in combination with #1 by implying that technically all of the required party members are chosen - the world couldn't be saved without any of them. 3. I have such mixed feelings about Rhen becoming queen, in that I can enjoy it as the canon ending but I want it to be seen as her choosing her responsibility over her own happiness, and not this triumphant reward like the ending frames it as. I also hate that it involves Dameon in canon. But this was a gift fic, and I was pretty sure my recipient liked the Rhen as Queen ending as a good thing, so I challenged myself to find a way where I could find that to be an unabashedly Happy Ending for her. And in the end, what I came up with is the idea that Thais chose her as its hero/the chosen one, through its belief that the princess would come back and save them one day. I absolutely love running with the "Aveyond is fueled by people's belief in it" lore tidbit from Av2 and applying it to magic all across the series, and I thought the idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy in a like, positive, confidence, the love of a people for their hero/leader and the love of a hero for the world she saves, kind of way, was really compelling and would be enough to tug the bittersweet ending vibe I got from Rhen as queen from Mostly Bitter to actually mostly sweet! I wanted her to have a connection to Thais that we don't see in game, where her becoming queen is a culmination of that rather than being thrust into it.

[runicillusionist]

───⋅•⋅⊰ ⋅☽〇☾⋅ ∙⊱⋅•⋅───

WEBSITE | QUEUE | DISCORD SERVER

───⋅•⋅⊰ ⋅☽〇☾⋅ ∙⊱⋅•⋅───

The Path To Your Demise

"Surely you knew our paths would cross again. You, who locked away me and so many others in chains, treating us no better than livestock... You had your chance to better yourself, and yet, you squandered it. You came to take that which was not yours. Now I will show you where this Path you have chosen will lead you..."

This was a big experimental piece that pushed me out of my comfort zone, but thankfully, I had a lot of help from my wonderful friend Cosmic-Origination!

Noctem helped me a lot with critique, redlines, and the final color adjustments.

;v; Thank you very much!

This was the first piece I've done of Rhen's primal form, however, it is now out of date and considered non-canon.   But I am still happy with how this piece came out.

»»--¤--««

Artwork © RunicIllusionist | All Rights Are Reserved | Characters are © RunicIllusionist

The redistribution, uploading, commercial use, or use in AI, NFTs, Blockchains, Datasets, or claiming this artwork as your own is strictly prohibited.

[queenrhenpendragon]

more meme, some under the cut so when I scroll I can be blessed with Just Rhen, my angel.

“Who is your favorite protagonist out of the games (Talia, Rhen, Ean, or Mel)?”

I love Rhen so. heckin much. Dameon tells her she is "deadly and beautiful at the same time" and look at her. She really is. She deserves everything. Love of my life. Light of my days. I have said it a million times before but she literally saved my life, her kindness and courage, her trust in her own heart and beliefs. Also her FREAKING ADORABLE sense of humor. Also as far as I’m concerned she is the OG of the trope where a protagonist is presented with choices and all of them are terrible but she chooses kindness and it changes everything-- that’s Rhen, that’s my BABY GIRL and I LOVE HER and I know that trope was done before Aveyond was made but she did it BEST because she is the BEST AND DID I MENTION SHE IS MY FAVORITE????????????? Okay good perfect thank you.

Fave sidekick? (and the options it gave me were devin, lard, iya, or edward because the meme writer doesn’t Know)

Okay, this question annoyed me honestly so excuse my salt XD "Sidekick" to me means a character who actively helps the hero on the hero's quest. Devin does that, definitely. It's specifically Talia's quest, and he is explicitly there to help her, and his contributions are like, actually contributions and not just talk. Lard definitely doesn't do that, the plot of the game would be exactly the same if he was ditched in Veldarah. Elini would make more sense, or like, LITERALLY anyone else. As for AV2, Iya is the chosen one, so Ean would be the sidekick. And I guess you could count Edward for AV3, but it's blatant Stella erasure because she joins Mel on the actual quest first, and I won't stand for Stella erasure.

“favorite main villain?”

All the bad guys of the Aveyond series are great, but Ahriman has the most history and does the most diabolical things. I mean, he sealed a princess in a glass coffin. And that's just one example. Plus, I've wanted to try to design him in a way that fit his ap AND av1 sprites for a while, so this was the perfect opportunity. He ended up being too creepy to color properly though so take this pink thing XD

[aschlindartroom]

Ello, happy Blursday! <3 Give me a blorbo from North Pointe, please. Or go off about Solomon, if that's too spoilery, you're choice. <3 I'm just here shaking with excitement towards everything that's Second Serpent.

I have no blorbos from North Pointe yet! There's Delilah who is the ADC Rep there, but I would not call her a blorbo so much as one more oppositional force to the political B-plot. There will certainly be blorbos from there someday, but today is not that day.

SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOLOMAN.

CW: ritualistic self-harm and radical religious views.

Dick Soloman is the leader of the Lower London Liberation, the mind behind the very icky "Project Bloom" experiments, and a devout Rapturist.

Rapturists are religious radicals who believe the Spacebelt Incident and subsequent wars were an aborted "rapture." According to their doctrine, all people who are currently living are either the descendants of the corrupted "unworthy" or are the descendants of angels in human form. After the Spacebelt, the angels supposedly took pity on humankind. They chose to forget their divine heritage and become human, to join civilization in an attempt to save as many souls as possible before the next Rapture.

The "Project Bloom" human experiments (which created Rhen, Rowan, Kainnon, and Antoni) were his attempt to revive the dormant divine souls of the angels. He believes that the next Rapture is nigh and, to his benefit... there's definitely some big shit brewing.

Soloman lives by the tenet that pain is a necessary and deserved part of the human experience, and that embracing pain is the only true bridge to enlightenment. He keeps a strict diet of intermittent fasts and extremely small amounts of food, which contributes to a gaunt and sickly appearance. His skin is covered in scarifications and tattoos-- goetia and occult sigils which supposedly give him certain protections from evil. Although the Liberation makes half of its revenue from basement suite implant surgeries, Soloman refuses to have his kneecap replaced. His cane is inlaid with goetia as well, which allows the cane to work as sort of a... metaphysical taser? It zaps, but it zaps your soul. Ouchie.

His eye is the only in-body prosthetic he has. He can't see out of it, not really, but he would tell you that it allows him to recognize "dormant divine energies." Schmidt & Foster Y-clearance would have a gasp, since what it really does is spot what they refer to as "special births."

Lastly, Soloman is Rowan Faraday's father figure... of sorts. Rowan is one of his human experiments from the Project Bloom days, and that's pretty fucked up, but if you asked, they would both tell you the same thing: That they have mutual respect for, and have chosen a life in service to, one another. He considers Rowan to be an actual divine being, and he treats her with a distant sort of lima-syndrome-esque paternal affection.

To sum, he's entirely out of his gourd, but he's also intelligent and oddly charming and not QUITE evil enough at the moment to do away with... yet. Writing interactions between him and Rowan are fascinating explorations of Stockholm Syndrome/ Lima Syndrome, and how closely those things can resemble "love."

He's exactly the kind of complicated, fucked up character I love.

[nemir]

𝕤 𝕡 𝕝 𝕖 𝕟 𝕕 𝕚 𝕕

✞——————❆——————✞

» pairing; haurchefant greystone x rhen {my wol}

» word count: 6k!!! EXACTLY.

» content; mutual pining, mixed messages, adult themes,

» an; written over the course of a few days while listening to Kiss from a Rose by Seal on repeat fjgdkljd (also huge shoutout to the Haurchefant I've been hanging out with, you're an inspiration to us all)

"Curse the twelve for this weather! It's too damn cold." A viera woman pushed her way through the front doors of a stone building at Camp Dragonhead, giving little care to the volume - and tone - of her voice. She shivered once inside, pulling the large hood from her cloak back off her head. Jet black ears sprang up immediately, to which her hands lifted to smooth out her choppy black hair. "Right. Where is he?"

The sell-swords and infantrymen who were keeping warm by the fire inside blinked, heads tilting. "Er … Who, ma'am?"

The woman balked. "What do you me--" She stopped herself short and let out a short breath. "Pray, forgive me. My name is Rhen Hrafna, I'm looking for Lord Haurchefant Greystone. Is he in?" She crossed her arms beneath her cloak, the tiniest hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips; one that nobody would be able to see unless they were up close.

"M-my lady! Our deepest apologies!" The men and women who stood suddenly straightened their backs and saluted, and the ones who remained seated bowed their heads in both shame and reverence. "He's stepped out for but a moment! I-is there anything we can do for you in the meanti-"

"Leave." A single word. It was curt and blunt, but it wasn't filled with malice or meant to cause harm. It was a simple request, as made evident by the viera's smile. The infantrymen took it as an order, and all let out a breath of relief. It meant they were able to go to the mess hall to eat and kick their feet up for a time. A short time, as peace was not something the Highlands knew much of, but it was welcomed nonetheless. "And please," she spoke as they filed out, passing by them as she made her way further into the room, "only return if it is an absolute emergency. Important Scion matters, and whatnot." Rhen rolled her hand in a nonchalant circle, to which some of the infantrymen snickered and rolled their eyes but nodded in understanding all the same, and finally Rhen was left alone.

It wasn't for long. As she hopped up onto the long desk that stood at the far back of the room and leaned forward with her palms pressed into the solid wood, the front doors opened again letting in a blast of cold winter air. "Best to keep bundled up out there, my friends! The wind is blowing something fierce!" A tall elezen man had come in and quickly closed the door behind him. His silver-blue hair tumbled out from his helm as he pulled it off, giving his head a single shake before turning around to a near-empty room. "Ah."

"Lord Haurchefant." Rhen remained on the desk, her legs crossing at the knee. "Braving the weather, I see? And what, pray tell, was so important that made you late for our meeting?" She was teasing him, of course. Even if she could keep a serious tone, her face would give it away in an instant.

"If it isn't my favourite champion! I do so sincerely apologize for the delay, and I hope you are willing to forgive me. It was not very noble of me to keep a lady waiting - especially one as important as you." His lips grew into a long, thin smile, brilliant blue eyes practically glimmering beneath the lights. He strode across the room, arms opening wide as he drew closer to the viera woman. "Could you find it in your heart of hearts?"

"Hmm... I'm not so sure, my Lord." Rhen's head canted to the side, her own grin growing to match his. She pressed a finger to her chin and tapped it a few times, "Perhaps," she started, noting his crestfallen face, "a hot cocoa will do the trick? You look as though you could use one, too." When he was within reach, she opened her own arms and pulled him into a warm - albeit slightly awkward due to his armor - embrace. "I've missed you." Her voice was soft, evidently content and feeling at peace in this moment.

“As I have missed you! Every time you leave the camp, I start wondering when I will be graced by not only your presence, but your shining and beautiful face again. It pains me so, to see you leave through those doors, you know.” His voice was friendly, not as deep as one would imagine upon first looking at him. It was jovial and bouncy, and it was clear he could make anyone smile, or break them out of a sour mood with just a few kind words. Haurchefant was sure to give her an extra squeeze before pulling away, resting his hands on her elbows as he got a good look at her. “Just as beautiful as the first day I met you. Right! Let’s get some of that cocoa going, eh?” He pulled away completely, still beaming at Rhen, then quickly turned on his heels and hurried through the door that led to his private stores.

✞——————❆——————✞

“Halone preserve me.” His words were hushed and quick as he sank back against the door. His hand lifted, wrist pressing to his forehead. What was he going to do? He had always been shameless in his flirting with the Warrior of Light - he didn’t exactly keep his feelings a secret. But… Did she know? Was he too forward just now, with his words and his actions? No, he couldn’t have been! She’s the one who welcomed, and even initiated, the embrace! Did that mean she felt the same…? “Pull yourself together, man!” His hand dragged down his face, and he let out a long breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “There is no way she could… She would ever...” He stopped himself and shook his head. “Hot cocoa. Right.”

“Why didn’t I kiss him.” As soon as she heard the door shut behind him, Rhen’s expression dropped and her hands immediately shot to cover her face. She let out a long groan of frustration, kicking her feet a bit off the side of the desk. “Gods dammit, Rhen.” Her hands fell back down to her lap and she sighed. She was getting ahead of herself. Sure, she could have kissed him. But would he even want that? Did he even have feelings for her? But the way he spoke to her… No, he talked to everyone like that didn’t he? Well, perhaps not everyone, but surely - “Ugh!” She hopped off the desk and started pacing up and down the length of the desk, arms crossed under her chest. Was she really in any position to develop feelings, especially for one with whom she worked so closely? It could potentially become a conflict of interest, and Rhen knew she wouldn’t hear the end of it from Alphinaud… not to mention Tataru would have that rumour spread faster than one could say ‘Hydaelyn’. No, no. Best to put the thought to rest. For now.

Finally, the water was ready and he carefully poured the water in. He gave each mug a good stir, then lifted each mug and held one out to Rhen. “For you, my lady.”

As if on cue, the elezen pushed his way through the door with two tin mugs in one hand, the other holding a sack filled with powder and a small jug of milk. His usual, friendly smile was plastered on his face and he seemed no different than he had before he walked into his store room. “Shouldn’t take too long, now! Just need to boil the water.” He moved fluidly across the room, retracing the same steps he had taken many times before on occasions just like these, be they with friends, random adventurers, and even on his own. He dropped the supplies on the desk, moved to the hearth to grab a small black cauldron which he brought over to another room which held a small fountain of water. He scooped some in, and with ease, carried it back and hitched it onto the short chain that hung right above the fire. Soon enough the flames were licking the bottom of the cauldron, and a small bit of steam rose from the lightly bubbling water. In the meantime, he set to prepping the mugs, spooning out generous portions of the cocoa powder into each, followed by a good splash of milk.

She took it with a smile. “Thank you.” Though it was hot, she cupped the mug with both hands, thankful for the warmth it provided her. The stone buildings of the Highlands, which were respite from the freezing temperatures outside, did not do well in terms of insulation and there was always a chill, regardless of how long a fire had been going. She moved closer to the hearth and sank down onto a bench that had been haphazardly pulled up by the infantrymen earlier on. Rhen lifted the mug closer to her face, taking in the smell of the decadent cocoa before blowing softly at the rim and taking a small sip. “Mmmn.. Delicious, as always.” Her head turned slightly, “The best hot cocoa this side of Ishgard. I could never have a better cup.”

He beamed in response, taking a small sip of his own. “Oh, you flatter me so.” He leaned back against the bench, resting his arm against the top, his fingers just inches from Rhen. It took everything he had to resist the temptation to reach out and gently stroke her back. “But if you insist. I’ve had a lot of time to practice making it. Not to mention countless cold and thirsty knights.” His eyes darted from her to the warm glow of the fire. “I couldn’t be happier, knowing someone as splendid as you, enjoys such a simple little treat.”

The viera scoffed, “Please. I’m not that special, Haurchefant.” She turned herself slightly on the bench, facing the knight a little better now. “I’m just an average adventurer.” Those words would hit a chord with him, and she knew it. It was said on purpose, as she loved how passionate he got when it came to her. It made her heart skip a beat, and her stomach turn in welcoming anxious knots.

“Average?! There is nothing average about you, Lady Rhen! You are malms above average! Imagine, the Warrior of Light, Hydaelyn’s chosen, arguably the most important member of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn being just average!” Here it came. That passionate, near heated retort. He nearly spilled his cocoa with how animated and excitable he got. “The things people would do to be included, or even acknowledged, by you and yours! Why, I had to pinch myself after I met you the first time! I could hardly believe that someone I had heard so much about, someone who had beaten primals, waltzed through my door!” His free hand had lifted to his head, a finger and thumb pressing against his temples. “The… the very notion that you, after all you have done, would think you are av-”

“Haurchefant.” Rhen hadn’t expected this much. She had no idea he’d take it so personally. “R-really, you don’t need to go into so much! A lot of what I’ve accomplished is because I haven’t done it alone, or even by mere coincidence! Luck, even.” She leaned her shoulder against the bench, looking up at him bewildered, one hand pressed to her chest.

“No! Rhen, you don’t-” He stood up, and took one step before turning slightly so his back was to her. “I mean.” A deep breath steadied him. “You truly are splendid, Rhen Hrafna, and that is something I will not argue.” He glanced to the hearth again, his hair falling over his eyes in such a way that blocked them from Rhen’s view.

She sighed, and reached out toward him. “I appreciate your kind words, really, I do. They… they mean a lot to me.” Her gaze was still steady on his face, though struggled to read it. She took a moment to ponder her next words carefully, sipping at her still-hot cocoa. “...You-”

“I apologize for my outburst, my lady.” He hadn’t meant to cut her off, but the silence was killing him. “Ah, but I forget myself. You came here to discuss important matters regarding the Scions, correct?” He turned back around to face her and sat down on the bench once more, that usual smile on his face. Truly, he wasn’t himself without it.

Rhen bit her lip, looking away for a brief moment, then retracted her hand the moment he turned around. “You’ve nothing to apologize for, Lord Haurchefant.” She shook her head, and returned the smile. “But, yes,” her body shifted slightly, “that is why I came here. It… really isn’t anything terribly important. Alphinaud just wanted me to relay some information, catch up with how things are progressing here.”

“Ah! The young Master Alphinaud! How is the lad? Chipper as always, I expect!” Haurchefant let out a chuckle, “As for how things are here, they are the same as ever, I’m afraid! The occasional threat, but nothing we haven’t been able to handle I can assure you! I trust things are going well over in Ishgard? You had an audience with Ser Aymeric, didn’t you?” It was time for Haurchefant to shift his body, though it seemed a bit more tense, more stiff.

“Yes, that’s right.” Rhen sipped her cocoa, “He was gracious, and a very kind host. I can see why he’s held in a relatively high regard. I look forward to meeting with him again, and hopefully working together toward not only rebuilding Ishgard, but reestablishing an alliance. They would prove to be an incredibly valuable ally. Alphinaud is still there, actually.”

“I see.” His words were uncharacteristically short, and lacked the usual vim and vigor. “It seems you have your hands full. To be expected, of course.” He nodded once before bringing the mug to his lips to take a long drink. “I…” the knight started to speak, and Rhen tilted her head, waiting for him to finish. “I hope you still remember your friends,” the word was stilted, “back here at Camp Dragonhead. While there isn’t much more you are able to do for us - not that we wouldn’t appreciate any help, of course - I… these halls would feel empty without a visit from you, whenever you are able.”

She felt herself recoil. Friend. There it was. The word she had been dreading. So, that’s how he really felt. She inhaled from her nose, sharp and short. “I could never forget you. All of you,” she added. “You have done much for me, and for the future of all Eorzea, Lord Haurchefant. Don’t discredit yourself and your accomplishments.” Tentatively, she reached a hand out and pressed it on top of his. Skin meeting skin sent a jolt through her body, and she wanted nothing more than to curl her fingers around his, squeeze his hand tight and confess everything, here and now. She would give up everything, if it meant being with him. “Politics are slow-going. It’s not as if I’ll be meeting with Ser Aymeric day after day, night after night. Things need to be put into motion, to pass through… I will have plenty of time to come back here.”

“But surely he set up accommodations for you in Ishgard?” Haurchefant hadn’t meant for the words to be bitter, but Rhen felt the bite, and pulled her hand away. Desperately, silently, he begged himself to remember the warmth and how it felt.

“Well, yes.” She blinked, confused by his reaction. “But it’s just a free room at the inn, nothing fancy.” Her hand curled around the tin mug again, no longer hot to the touch. “In fact it was your father, Count Edmont, who offered me private chambers in his home.” Her brow lifted, “Are you going to take up issue with that, too?”

“Father did? Well,” he chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment, running the thought through his mind, “no, I don’t have a problem with that, my lady. You will be well taken care of and safe at Fortemps Manor.” And he would know where she was, Halone forbid anything happen. “My apologies. I am merely looking out for you and your safety.”

Rhen’s tongue clicked. “It is fine.” Finishing the rest of her cocoa, she pushed herself up from the bench and moved to the desk, resting the mug on top. “I do believe that was all we had to discuss.” She didn’t turn back to face him, and instead kept staring straight ahead; she didn’t want him to see the tears that were stinging the corners of her eyes.

Haurchefant sighed. “For the time being, yes. It is late, my lady. While I am sure the comforts of House Fortemps are calling, I would feel better if you remained here for the night. That blizzard has surely only gotten worse as the night progressed.” He, too, rose from the bench and made his way to a door off to the side, leaving his mug on the bench, ready to prep a room.

“... Thank you, Lord Haurchefant. That would be greatly appreciated. I’ll take but a moment to contact Alphinaud and let him know.”

✞——————❆——————✞

Haurchefant had the right idea. All through the night, Rhen could hear naught by the wind whipping and whistling around outside, rattling the single-pane glass windows. She was incredibly thankful for the hearth that had been lit in her room as she curled beneath the heavy dodo feather quilt. Still, sleep eluded her. She had been fed - it was a quiet and rather awkward dinner - the room had been set, and Haurchefant had even drawn a hot bath for her to help ease the chill. He even remembered that lavender helped her sleep, and had a sachet of it resting atop her pillow. Perhaps that was why.

The creaking of the door caught Haurchefant's attention, and he spun on his heels. He squinted in the low light, "My lady?" He froze in his spot, unsure if it was just a trick of the wind or if the Warrior of Light was really standing there in the doorframe, in nothing but a silk robe and cloak. "What are you doing out of bed?" He blinked, and remembered stubbing his toe a few minutes prior, "Ah- I hope I did not wake you? I was simply… cleaning up, and managed to catch my foot against the bench." He waved a hand, trying to brush the small lie aside.

Her mind was racing. Something had seemed so… off about Haurchefant tonight. At first, he was his usual eccentric self! It was a relief to see, especially after dealing with the stuffiness of the Holy See. But as their conversation went on, it was as though something happened, and he just changed. The only thing she could pinpoint was when the topic turned to Ser Aymeric, but surely… No, there was no reason why Haurchefant would get so upset over that. Rhen pushed herself up in the bed, pulling her knees to her chest. This. This is what was keeping her from resting.

Down the hall and through the door, Haurchefant remained in the main room, resting on the bench next to the hearth, elbows on his knees and his hands together. Why did he let himself lose control of his emotions like that? It wasn’t like him to get so… irrational. Yet, something about the way she spoke so highly of Aymeric - it was to be expected, of course, he was indeed a generous and kind soul, but… Haurchefant gripped his own hands tighter together. “Gods dammit…!” He cursed, and pushed off the bench again, this time his foot connecting with the heavy wood. He grumbled out - of course this would happen after he had changed into more casual, comfortable clothes. He bit his lip, trying not to make too much noise.

A moment passed, and he opted to pace about in a circle, keeping close to the hearth. He didn’t know what to do and for the first time in a long time, Haurchefant wasn’t feeling like himself. On one hand, he was so incredibly honoured and proud to be a friend to Rhen, the illustrious and sought-after white mage. His chest swelled when he spoke of her, or heard others speak her name and of her glorious deeds! But on the other hand he felt almost selfish, like he wanted to keep her all to himself, run away together where nobody could find them. Alas, he knew that would be impossible. She had her duties, as he had his own and it wouldn’t be in either of their characters to just leave that all behind. Not after they had both spent so long and worked so hard to get to where they were. They both had people who relied on them. He sighed, “... as I rely on her.” His words were whispered into the darkened room, hushed and barely audible.

“I need to talk to him.” Rhen spoke aloud, to herself. She needed to be clear of any doubts, any worries. Even if it meant losing him, Rhen needed to tell him everything that was on her mind, everything she felt, and ask him what happened, why he was acting that way earlier in the night. She threw the covers to the side and slipped out of the large bed. Her feet touched the cold stone, and her toes curled, but she pushed through how much it bit into her skin. She grabbed her cloak and tossed it over her shoulders before leaving her room. “I wonder…” She wandered down the hall, first stopping at Haurchefant’s private chambers. Before knocking, she pressed an ear to the door, listening for any sort of noise. Nothing, not even the crackling of a fire. She knocked regardless and pushed open the door, peeking through the small crack. “... Haurchefant?” She whispered into the darkness, but could see nothing. There was no response, no ruffling of sheets or soft sleepy grunts. There wasn’t even a shadowy lump on the bed to mark his presence.

She sighed and moved on from his room, sure to close the door as she left. Where could he be? Surely, he wasn’t called out for some sort of nightwatch? In the middle of this storm? She frowned; if he had, there would be words in the morning. The viera continued to tiptoe her way down the hall, peeking through various doors until she came to the end of the hall. The next door would lead to the main room. Suddenly, she found herself nervous; she didn’t know what she wanted to find on the other side. If he was there, would she be able to go through with this? Rhen bit her lip and opened the door without anymore second thoughts. If she was going to do it, she just had to do it.

"No, I just couldn't sleep." She stepped into the room, arms crossing over her stomach, to keep herself from shivering but also as a way to keep herself grounded. Her head turned slightly to the left, using her one good eye to peer and squint into the slowly darkening room. "... Is your foot alright? Do I need to heal-"

"No, no, thank you. Nothing is broken or bleeding, and I've handled much worse." He chuckled lightly, and for a moment all the tension between them was lifted. They both felt as though they could breathe easy again, but when the room got quiet and neither of them spoke, everything built up from the evening returned. It was thick, and nauseating. "But, you must needs get back to your room where it is warm! You'll end up sickly if you stay out here, threadbare and in the cold. I would hate to be the one responsible for the delay in Eorzea's saving!"

But as he moved closer to usher her back to her room, the moaning wind outside picked up whipping the door wide open. The pair of them lifted their arms to cover their faces, both letting out a sharp gasp as the penetrating cold hit them. "S-stay there, I'll get this." The blizzard was strong, blowing in the snow that had accumulated in front of the door inside in drifts, small pellets of ice mixing into the mess. But Rhen hadn't listened, and was already ahead of Haurchefant, bare feet leaving tiny footprints in the snow in her wake. He clicked his tongue but didn't dare try to argue. Instead, he moved at her pace and they reached the door together, using their combined strength to fight against the wind and push the door shut, latching it and keeping it barred shut with a thick plank of wood.

Rhen could feel her feet burning from the snow, and her lungs felt as though they were on fire. It took her a moment to come down from the slight rush and jump away from the snow, moving back toward the hearth, which the fire within nearly died completely and was now just a burning pile of embers. "That… wasn't my most prudent decision."

Haurchefant watched her, a sympathetic smile on his lips. He considered Rhen his charge, and even if his developing feelings drove him to overreact or overthink, her and her safety was his first priority, above all else. "I shall take you back to your room." It was a statement, and he wasn't going to give her much room to say no, as he was by her side in an instant and picked her up bridal style, the long train of her cloak and robe tangling together and draping over his arm.

He did as he was instructed, though hesitated for a split second, and sank slowly onto the bed next to her. He wasn't sure what to do with himself; his feet were planted firmly on the floor in case he needed to spring back up, but his torso was twisted slightly. His arms he kept low, hands resting on the tops of his knees, fingers drumming against them. "Rhen? Is everything alright?"

She made to protest, but found herself unwilling. So she let him scoop her up without a word, and rested her head on his shoulder, arms wrapping around him. If she could have just this moment and nothing else, she would be satisfied. "Don't feel like you need to rush." She murmured, unsure if he'd even hear her, but when she felt his pace slow she smiled.

“What were you doing wandering about so late?” They had made it back to her room, and Haurchefant was letting her down on the bed. He reached around her and pulled the cloak from her shoulders to hang it back up. “I can’t imagine such a strong, world-saving viera like yourself would be kept up from some howling wind and a bit of cold?” His head turned slightly, stealing a glance at her from over his shoulder.

Rhen sighed; she knew this would come up. There was a fleeting moment where she thought that maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t have to bring it up, that she could just forget that she was going to open her heart entirely to him and just leave things how they were. But then, how long would she be able to keep it up? There was always the chance that it would be too late, and she knew it would be something she'd regret her entire life. "Come, sit beside me." She motioned to the bed and shifted, pulling one leg up to lay it flat against the mattress, turning so she would be able to face him directly.

"Do you care about me?"

Haurchefant's expression twisted, a mix of confusion and surprise. "Of course I do! You're my dearest friend! What would possess you to think I don’t?"

"Haurchefant, you aren’t listening. Do you care about me?” Rhen leaned forward, taking his hands in hers. Her eyes were wide, brows turned upward as she waited for him to understand, to respond.

The elezen was silent as he processed the question, his eyes staring down into hers, searching the mismatched grey hues. He felt her thumb drag along the top of his hand, and he blinked. “Wait, you don’t mean…”

Rhen inhaled deeply, and nodded. “I do. Haurchefant, I… That is to say--” She was stumbling over her words, finding it hard to concentrate over the pounding in her chest. She chewed her lip for a moment before continuing, “When we first met, you were kind and your words were… Well, a bit much if I’m being honest. But, they were flattering all the same, and it was refreshing to hear.” She saw his lips part as he went to speak, but she shook her head, wanting to finish before he said anything. “Over time, I found myself thinking of you more often, how I wished you could be on this journey with me - physically, with me, about how I couldn’t wait to come back to see you here… and I found myself starting to wonder if the words you said, all the compliments… If you truly meant them.” She could feel her cheeks growing hot by the second, and she dropped her gaze, opting to look at their hands.

“Rhen…” Haurchefant tilted his head to the side slightly, still watching her intently. He licked his lips and lifted a hand to her face, stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers before cupping her chin to tilt her head back up. “Halone, forgive me for taking so long.” He whispered before closing the gap between them, pressing his lips to hers. It wasn’t forced, or rough but gentle, and what one would expect from someone like Haurchefant. He could feel her body tense for just a moment and was about to pull away when he felt her melt into his touch, her hand squeezing his, fingers curling together. He didn’t want this feeling to end.

For months he had been thinking of her nonstop. Since the moment he first laid eyes upon her, he knew she was special - and not just because of her deeds, her title. Just, her. She was plaguing his thoughts, not that he was complaining. At night, he dreamt of her, of moments like these and moments that would make brothel workers blush. Anytime the doors opened to his office, he would snap his head up in the hopes of seeing her walk through. There wasn’t a time he wasn’t worrying about her, and her safety. The relief and butterflies he would feel when he did see her were beyond compare, and unlike anything he could describe.

And right now, in this moment, he didn’t need to speak a word of that; she knew. All it took was that one kiss, which neither wanted to stop. Rhen’s arms lifted and draped over his shoulders, bending so her hands could comb through his hair. He complied, and leaned forward slightly, his own arms moving in to grab her from the waist and lift her slightly and pulled her into his lap; he could feel her smiling against his lips. The kiss deepened as Haurchefant dared to pry his tongue against her lips, begging entrance. She complied and their tongues met. His fingers dug into her skin slightly, and a shiver ran down Rhen’s back. “You have no idea how I’ve longed for this moment.”

✞——————❆——————✞

Daybreak. The sun was streaming through the single-paned glass window, flits of dust drifting lazily about. The fire in the hearth had long since died, no longer even smoldering. Rhen stirred, the sheets rustling slightly. Slowly and sleepily she blinked and pushed herself up onto her elbows. It took her a moment to gain her bearings before she looked around at the room; right. She remained at Camp Dragonhead because of the blizzard. That would also mean…

“Lay back down.” Haurchefant’s voice was muffled, his face buried into the pillow. He was peeking up at her with one eye, the corner of his mouth visible and turned up in a soft smile. He lazily lifted an arm and curled it around Rhen, dragging her back down to the bed. “Mmm… splendid.”

She giggled and wiggled about slightly, getting into a comfortable position, turning just enough so they were facing each other. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, leaving a trail of kisses down from his jaw. “Good morning.” Her arm draped over his side, fingers tracing gentle and soft lines up and down his back. So it hadn’t been a dream… good. She smiled and let out a content hum.

“And a good morning, it is!” Haurchefant stirred a bit, allowing Rhen to get comfortable before wrapping his arm back around her, holding her close. He was basking in this feeling, in this moment. “I trust you slept well?” His lips pressed to her forehead in a tender kiss. His legs, as well, shifted slightly so as to entangle their bodies even more. He wanted to feel as one with her, and he wanted to stay just like this forever.

Rhen nodded, “And you?”

“Best I’ve slept in ages.” Another kiss to her forehead.

“Haurchefant?” She paused for a moment, and he grunted in response, “What does this mean for us?”

He pulled back slightly so he could get a better look at her face. His expression was gentle and soft, the sweetest and most sincere smile pulling at his lips. “Well, if you would rather keep this a secret and never speak of it again, I would understand. I would be terribly heartbroken, I won’t lie.” He chuckled, and pressed a finger to her lips when he saw she was about to speak. “But,” his expression changed slightly, still sweet but a little more serious. Blue eyes shone in the sunlight. “Rhen Hrafna. Would you grant me the highest honour of staying with me, by my side, as not only my dearest and most cherished friend, but as my partner?” The arm that was around her moved, hand grabbing hers and pulling it up to his lips, “Say you’ll be mine.” He kissed her fingers, each one individually, and so delicately.

“Haurchefant Greystone.” She was beaming, her cheeks red and warm, “I am the one who will be honoured to call you my partner. Forever, and always.” She could feel the tears begin to prick the corners of her eyes, but this time they were of joy. Of a sweet relief, feeling all the weight finally lift from her shoulders. “I am yours, and I always will be.”

“Those words… They are music to my ears. You’ve made me the happiest man alive on this day, you know!” Haurchefant laughed, and it was like a chorus. It was joyful, radiant, filled with love and life. He pulled her in close once more, tightening his grasp around her in an embrace. “This feeling… this excitement. Ahhh, it’s splendid!” Haurchefant took a deep breath and let out a long, happy sigh. His other hand, burdened by being under Rhen’s frame, moved slightly to absently stroke her hair.

“That’s a bold claim, my Lord.” She teased, and the pair chuckled. “But I’m glad. Truly, I couldn’t be happier!” Her hand pressed against the middle of his back. “Long have I waited to hear you say those words, and to hold me just like this.”

“As have I, Rhen. I have dreamt of moments just like these. You’ve never once left my thoughts.”

“I guess that means we’ll be staying in bed a bit longer then?”

He hummed in response, “Please… just a bit longer.” He kissed her again, softly.

“Anything for you.”

[herecomesremi]

Sword of Shadows

I went for a dark theme and used only two colors which may or may not have been too much but I think it turned out to be nice. The black smoke around it is just a dark aura which is representing the shadows. I randomly added this because aesthetic.

There are five purple gems attached to the guard of the sword (not sure if that’s how you call it) and they represent the other swords of power. They usually glow when sensing an unusually strong demon/daeva nearby to get ready for battle or to seal them if they’re already weakened.

The largest gem is the eye of the sword which is the first to actually glow and send signals to the other gems to assist its master (Rhen). The minor gems attached to Shadows transfer the power from the other swords (each sword also has its own gem) to Shadows which increases its power significantly. Hence being the most dangerous sword in addition of its ability to seal in demons.  After being hidden for more than 800 (?) years, the gems shone when the sword was finally revealed as a way of Shadows’ acceptance of the chosen one and being reunited with the other swords of power.

Which makes me think that since Ahriman had been sealed again, then this guy is probably living his life in wherever he’s stuck at. He didn’t really die, did he?

I’d also like to point out that the blade wasn’t actually this dark when it was first made, it had a a light grayish color but gradually got darker every time a demon was sealed within. The darker it got, the more dangerous it became. Another thing about this sword is that the trapped demons actually gave it more power. Every time Shadows was used, their strength and energy were also sucked from them, causing the demons to weaken and eventually die after reaching their limit.

P.S. this isn’t canon. I made this up.

[druidofdarkness]

On Journey Roads and Judgement Calls

Ordinarily a druid's journey to the Sun Shrine is not long, but there are a great deal of things that make the present circumstances rather extraordinary. Rhen might be the Oracle's Chosen One, but this does not give her the power of teleportation--and thus, she and her party have another long walk ahead of them if they are to see Rashnu safely to Aveyond.

As told by Rashnu, the Druid of Darkness. Set during Rhen's Quest. 6 chapters, total of 12.7k words. No warnings, no spoilers if you've played the game to the point of rescuing Rashnu.

Peace had never felt so chaotic.

The world hit my senses with the force of a tidal wave. My balance was compromised, I needed to right it. I was under attack, I needed to defend myself. The daeva--

--- --- ---

[radiant-flutterbun]

Lair Review for Tarou

@tarou-rising​

Thank you for the food! I will be reviewing 15 of your dragons!

Nerys: Aww what a cute baby! They’re spooky yet sweet. Like chocolate and strawberry icecream that’s haunted.

Myrmeen: I love the accent you’ve chosen for this veil. The oranges really pop over the browns and just overall gives thiss veil a nice eye catching look!

Sol: What a handsome golden boy! He’s well deserving of his name, he looks like a ray of light. He looks very friendly too (but then again I think all tundras look friendly). The golden silks, ember dress, solar blades and summer swelter all help make him glow. He is the psychical representation of a summer day. 

Rori: A nice looking obby! Choosing the more natural looking genes for him goes well with his more natural tones. I also love the layering with the grasp.

Keto: Yeah this guy deserves to be in a tab labeled “Pretties”. That’s exactly what this ridgie is, very pretty! Purples and blues = very pretty in my book! And it’s great to see smirch! I really think it’’s an underrated gene and it looks GREAT and Keto! I love the combined Lightning and Arcane halos, it really creates a stunning affect that I really like. Oh and I love the body horror esc art in their bio. That’s good stuff.

Wynn: I really love your mirror coli team! They each look so fierce and cool in their own ways, but Wynn is my favorite! I love the clawtips and how they look against the skin they’re wearing. It’s also cool how you layered the cloak and cobwebs to get rid of the transparency!

Wisp: Arcane primal my beloved. She’s so pretty! Starmap and circuit go surp[risingly well together. And I love the familiar you’ve chosen for her.

Glacier: I really love triple ice ice dragons and triple fire fire dragons. It’s just so satisfying to see. Glacier is a lovely dragon and truly looks like a little ice sculpture. I love them!

Tristan: Firefly looks so good on Tristan! I also like how the shadow pastel eyes look on them!

Black and White: I love how they’re named. Idk I just think it’s fun when dragons have names that go together and I like how they’re not named how you would expect! They’re just basic dragons but their names really make them fun!

Caedmon: Another dragon worthy of being labeled as pretty! Pistachio ghost looks so nice over flit and steel. I also like how trail adds green accents to steel! Overall this is a great looking dragon!

Todroi: Oh hey we have dragons that are siblings! This is Qudet, Todroi’s brother! I love the gijinka art in Todroi’s bio. Cecil’s art is always great. Anyway yeah love the dragon and it’s cool to see a relative of one of mine! (I might send a lore letter if you’re ok with that?)

Devec: The art in his bio is so cute! I also like the little lore snippet. I’m here to review you Devec, don’t worry about it. His color and gene combo is pretty tame, but it’s nice. He’s just a nice looking plague mirror, nothing over the top.

Rhen: I love how Rhen is dressed. I love how you’ve combined the flowering gladeboughs and the mistchimes and how the gladeboughs blend into the wings. The blue from the mistchimes also match is primary color and overall Rhen just has a nice well balanced look!

[adelcrait-old-account]

Lost and Found—  Chapter 15,16,17 and 18 are up!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/24522103/chapters/63542560 

Luke and Vader go camping in an uninhabited snow planet, what could go wrong? Multi-chaptered.

As always, spoilers and rant under the cut.

Oh boy.

Long, long, loooong few chapters. I wrote this in one sitting, and realised I couldn’t post 20k words in one single chapter, so here we are. I also wanted to post this yesterday, but I accidentally deleted Chapter 18 and had to re-write all over again...yay for me.

1. The Dark Side of the Force, to vibe or not to vibe? That is the question.

Apprentice/Master situation with these two, in this AU, has been tricky to think of. Let’s be real, Luke has never had a teacher, and Vader is so terrified of failing him (and himself) that I feel like he doesn’t know what he’s doing. His last padawan was Ahsoka, and then he trained Inquisitors after that, so he has no idea what to do with someone who is deliberately asking to be trained. He didn’t ask for Ahsoka, but of course he grew to like her and she turned out to be a great Jedi. The Inquisitors are literal dark side demons so I suppose Vader did a great job? 

But Luke.

I mean, Ben Starkiller.

The boy.

The Commander.

Vader has no clue what to do. He is already doubting the dark side as per the last chapters on Takodana, because it fails him sometimes, and even Luke says that Vader is barely on the dark side these days. Vader knows what the dark side can do to a person, look no further than Sidious or himself, and he doesn’t want anyone else to go through that experience. Will he encourage Luke to try the light side? I don’t think so. He’s still bitter, but hey. Luke will do whatever he wants, he just needs Force knowledge, because everything he learnt was practical. Vader can and will teach him general knowledge that could apply to either the light side or the dark side of the Force.

Small victory. 

2. Anakin Skywalker’s existence: the eternal Schrödinger.

Ah, Anakin, Vader, the Chosen One, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet, future possible Heir to the Empire. When I first started writing I wanted Vader to progress from his canon-ish Darth Vader identity towards an older, more exhausted version of Anakin Skywalker. I feel like I’ve captured this very well in these chapters *pats myself on the back* I’ve noticed that when I’m writing him now, I think Anakin Skywalker; twenty years at the dark side, chronically lonely, basically a 10% of the person he used to be. He’s still Vader, yes, but... I’m starting to see some traces of Anakin when Vader’s guard is low.

Also, he is stressed. When Luke was forcing him to take a break, that was all me speaking. I would send him somewhere nice to calm down, possibly accompanied by a doctor, but plot. If Vader disappeared for a few days, the entire galaxy would go nuts. Sorry Mr Vader, you will just have to get rest like the other mortals do: by sleeping.

3. The Force— Third Main Character and Vader’s Main Headache

In canon, Rhen Var is just another cold planet with some ancient Temples and heavily unhabited because of the climate. I decided to change it, and make the planet super Force-sensitive, like maybe Mortis but not that magical. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the Mortis arc, but I don’t think Vader and Luke are ready for that rollercoaster. 

The Force loves to torment Vader. I have humanised the Force and stuck to the fact that, technically speaking if we stick to canon, it created Anakin. The word created is used lightly, because tbh no one knows what happened there. I just assume the Force is Vader’s second mother, and knowing that Vader made very very wrong decisions in his life, the Force haunts him.

I love angst and writing darker themes, and I have to admit that the ghost child part was lowkey painful to write. Again, it was all to contrast Vader thinking about the child, and then Luke appearing like hELLO WHO ARE YOU THINKING OF.

4.The Kyber Crystals

In canon there are no kyber crystals on Rhen Var. There’s nothing. I really wanted to write the entire scene of Luke getting the crystals, but it would spoil the surprise at the end of the chapters. Vader remembering that he saw Luke when he was only twelve, and now, thirty years later, he is seeing the same person again, who had fulfilled a promise he actually forgot about...

I just....

Yeah. The galaxy doesn’t deserve Luke Skywalker. 

5. AUTHOR????????????????????????????????????????

Hey, I know! I know! Scream at me whatever you want, but The Reveal isn’t happening now. I had many many scenes where it was so easy to slip up the name of Anakin Skywalker and bam, Vader would collapse, Luke would freak out, they would be happy.

But hehe...

Not yet y’all, not yet.

I realise that the next chapter will mark 100k words on this story....when I started writing I didn’t think it would be that long. To be honest, I’m just almost at the middle of the story, and I just didn’t think that I would write so much.  I love the Skywalkers, and I love the story I’m writing. I’m very excited for the next chapters, and things will get...dramatic. Big changes are coming, and I’m super excited. Thank you for reading!

[satohqbanana]

A Nobleman's Quest to Settle Down

Summary: Lars doesn't fit in with Clearwater. What does a rich and smart guy like him do? Make his own town. AO3 Link

A/N: Separate post so I don't hijack @herecomesremi's gorgeous Larshen art. This is decidedly aligned with canon, because I'd never let ADF Lars act this high and mighty at the end of the quest.

(line break)

When a certain nobleman from the Eastern Empire moved in, Clearwater turned upside-down.

Lars Tenobor doubted if this was a good idea. Living among the commoners brought discomfort for everyone involved, after all. But, by some miracle, his mother agreed that he take his share of the fortune and allowed him to build his life wherever he wanted to. Of course, the sensible thing was to spend that money to build a nice house, buy some land, and hire workers to take care of the said land.

Unheard of, Clearwater said. For generations, the lands had always been shared among the community. Working for a businessman - especially a foreigner - was humiliating and more harmful in the long run.

However, between coming here and making Rhen stay in Ghalarah, this was undoubtedly still the better option.

Weekly incidents involved escalations with the village elders - over, again, the land ownership thing - arguments with passing salesmen - because a lot of people would rather let themselves be scammed by these crooks than listen to him - and, admittedly, from time to time, experiments.

It wasn't really Lars' fault, no. People heard running water on that side, so Rhen asked Lars to help her look into it. He didn't even want to do it in the first place and somehow she got mad. See, he even used dynamites instead of his own magic --

And so a portion of the cave blew up.

Everyone blamed Lars, since it's now, magically, his fault that they had to build a road along the cliffs instead of going through the caves. (They're wrong. The cliffside road, even if it would make him dizzy, was much preferable than the dark cave where he could not breathe and risk having his companions go the wrong way, ambushed by the resident monsters, and get blamed for bringing them to trouble when they ran into the trouble while he was warning them not to get themselves in trouble!)

Anyway, the mayor tried to banish Lars to live on the other side of that newly-opened cave. Before he could defend himself, Rhen opposed for him. Proud of her, of course he treated her to a new pet: a nightingale even more exquisite than that of the Veldtian Queen's.

But, in the end, love did not shield him from the consequences of his actions, and Lars had to cave in. He made sure to tear down his beautiful house and revel in the silence of horrified naysayers who, undoubtedly, was planning to seize it from him in the first place. He wanted to sell the land back to the greedy mayor who took his money when he first bought it. As expected, the terrible old man opposed, so Lars gave portions of the land - including their titles and legal rights - to Old Dyonna and the people Rhen truly cared about.

(The mayor couldn't oppose the former Chosen and ex-princess of Thais who brought salvation to the world, and he finally let them be.)

Lars then moved to the other side of the cave, found a lush forest with a running river, and built his new house there. He hired househelp to keep the manor tidy and the animals well-cared for, then he hired guards to make sure that those annoying Clearwater mugs would never touch his property. He struggled with business for a while (those Sedonian crooks), but soon enough, he had people working on his own orchards.

At this point, he no longer knew if he was still considered a resident of Clearwater or not, but he could, of course, be the better person and simply name this land, have it marked on the map, and start a new town altogether.

As smart as he was, the brilliant new name of this mystical new place for himself never came to his genius. Rhen suggested they go on a walk around 'Tenobor Town' - no, that name was too simple!

Not-Tenobor Town was not exactly a town yet, but in the future, it would grow into one. Right now, all it had was a gorgeous waterfall next to his luxurious mansion, rows of orchards and plains for growing food on the other side. His employees already resided next to the lands they cared for, cozy in their little huts and with their own families. They could still clear more trees on the other side to make way for new members of their ever-growing community.

(And what, have everyone call him their mayor? No, no, he was their Lord. Lord Tenobor. Rhen refused to be called the lady of the land. One day, she'd come to her senses and find that this was a privilege and not a power trip.)

A yet-untouched portion of its former large forest stood across the river. Now, Lars didn't allow anyone to venture beyond the river just yet. He simply had a feeling that he had to leave it be.

Rhen, ever so inquisitive, pulled him towards the forest. Even when not in gear, they should be strong enough to face whatever danger there would be. What would be the danger? They'd gone against beehives, poisonous snakes, and multiple-headed wolves before, and they'd triumphed over each foe as rookies fresh from Shadwood. As adults who'd done in Ahriman, they presented more danger to the local fauna!

But Rhen's little risk proved to be a fruitful effort. The birds and the deer cleared out of their way, and after skipping over a few fallen logs and thick briars, the forest stopped. Lars' jaw dropped when the bright light beyond the woods shone over a meadow. Flowers of all colors grew everywhere, and butterflies hovered all over. Beyond the horizon, a rainbow formed above the mountains.

He definitely should restrict this area for just himself and Rhen's use.

Rhen, ever the childish one, immediately pulled him down to the grass and told him to pick flowers. She wanted to make flower crowns for both of them. Though he was too old for this game, Lars rolled his eyes and humored her request. Of course he picked out only purple and white flowers, assuming he'd make it for himself.

When she saw her choice of flowers, Rhen flushed, but didn't make a comment. Instead, she went on to teach him how to delicately weave the stems and leaves together. Don't pull too hard; get the base going first; add in the smaller ones after.

Luckily for his teacher, he was a fast learner. Once finished, Lars held out his crown proudly. Rhen cut his celebration short by grabbing his crown and wearing it for herself.

"I think this fits me more than you," she declared, before promptly adding her crown over his head.

From the craftsmanship and the form of this crown - which made it seem like there was nothing holding it around his head - she'd gone with something that seemed more difficult to form. Not that it looked like he was wearing something, when his flower crown was almost bare of flowers and full of leaves. (Rhen one-upped him again. Again. Again! He loved, loved, loved her too much to be mad at her.)

Now flushed himself, Lars crossed his arms and huffed.

"I'll make the better one next time. You'll see."

"Oh, you! Come here!"

Rhen laughed and jumped into his arms, and he welcomed her as they rolled onto the grass that she so fondly compared his hair to. Her purple hair fell perfectly over her face, even when this messy. He brushed the strands away from her blue eyes that mirrored the sky above them, and captured her lips in a lasting kiss.

"So, what are we naming this place? Larshen Town?"

"Oh, Rhen, please don't ruin the moment."

His wide smile betrayed his amusement, so she snuggled against his chest and dared him to think of a better name than that.

Moving to Clearwater (and to Maybe-Larshen Town after) wasn't too bad of an idea, after all!

[mu11berry]

I made my own prompt list for october and called it aveyontober and you can look on ig or da if you want all that story but anyway the first prompt was “Child” and I made this. I was actually referring to how all the chosen ones in this series are children for all or most of their quests (av4 being the exception), but i couldn't resist drawing my favorite chosen ones as babies. I mean it was pretty much inevitable.

Baby Rhen's outfit (and all of her outfits) was made by Ma, who couldn't resist dressing up her literal princess in the fanciest cloth she could. Baby Dameon is dressed in what his father could get from the travelling sales squirrels and the dwarves (if you don't know what aveyond is or don't remember details it sounds like I got this all from a wacky dream but this is legitimately my best guess based on the actual game XD). You might notice the blue in Rhen's hair is less prominent than usual; that's because of my headcanons that basically make the blue tips the result of sun exposure.

Dameon's hairstyle as a young child was also fun to design. He probably doesn't really get a lot of haircuts and I headcanon that's a subconscious part of the reason he chooses a more extreme style for himself when he's cutting his own hair. Having a style that requires attention means someone has to give him attention, even if it's himself. Why. Do I always make myself sad like this. New headcanon that Rhen cuts his hair after they're married. Or brushes it after he brushes hers. Or SOMETHING. In the bottom left, little Rhen is mad because she doesn't like what was made for dinner, she was definitely a picky child and she knew exactly what she wanted always and I LOVE her for it). Top left little Dameon is trying to pretend he doesn't hear his parents arguing during some of the scant time they spend all together. There I go again... Old headcanon that Rhen does her best to always speak kindly to Dameon like he does for her and their home is filled with love and kindness and the only time they raise their voices is in joy and laughter. Yay. I love them. In the ones they are smiling, the story is I just like to draw them smiling. Also expression practice. Also they are too cute to resist.

[queenrhenpendragon]

Me Too (In Pieces 5)

So. Hello there. I am finally updating on this platform, after a billion years. And I still can’t write in chronological order, after all this time, so please take this nice little oneshot about Rhen and co spelunking in the Blackbone Caves to rescue Armaiti’s soul. And also of course mostly about Rhen and Dameon and their heckin cute little budding friendship.

All the other daevas (except Aesma) chose places with historical or spiritual significance to wait for The Chosen One, so I gave the Blackbone Caves a tiny mythology too.

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According to the stories, some ancient evil had made its home in these caves in the old days. The bones of the heroes who’d tried to defeat it were melted into the cave walls, burned and broken and finally fossilized, the black scorch marks serving as a reminder for the ages that once a demon had dwelt here, once death had lived below the mountain. That’s why they gave these caves the name Blackbone.

That’s what the stories said, but Rhen didn’t believe them. Yes, okay, she admitted the formation to her left looked eerily like a ribcage, but there were lots of weird formations in caves. That’s just the way caves were. And yes, she took pains to sidestep the uncannily skull-shaped rocks that littered the floor, but definitely not because she thought they were skulls. They just unnerved her, was all.

Te’ijal did not seem unnerved in the least, and had quickly passed the rest of the group, her eyes adjusting to the darkness more readily than theirs. Rhen could still hear her somewhere ahead of them, taking out the rasps and the sickle snakes, and when the passage was particularly long she could see the vampress’s outline bounding excitedly from one morbid formation to the next.

Elini, too, seemed to find the charred skeletal rocks fascinating. She was babbling about their possible latent magical abilities with Lars.

Rhen, personally, would rather not hear about all the creepy rocks, thank you very much. She had heard plenty of stories already. There was a traveller who had come through Clearwater sometimes, and for a bit of dinner he’d share the most horrifying tales he’d collected on his adventures. In Rhen’s opinion the stories were fifty times better than the real thing.

Because the stories weren’t real.

And that was probably why she had hung back from the rest of the group to walk with Dameon, and why she was now telling him one of the more frightening tales in a low, lively voice. Low, because the caves were dark and full of echoes, lively because it hid the anxious quaver in her throat.

Dameon listened attentively, his eyes wide and round and shimmering softly in the glow of the magic ball of light he held in his hands. He trembled at all the right parts, he made a choked almost-chuckling sound at all the funny ones, and when she got to the end, “And some say the demon still lives in the Blackbone caves to this— daaay!”

— Well, that was when she tripped into him, and the light went out and it was very dark and confused and tangled— and she didn't want to land on those horrid blackened bones so she clutched desperately at what was in front of her— and— when it was all over and he’d managed to make another light he was backed against the cave wall and her hands were fisted in his robes. And now her face was hot, and his was rosy in the yellow glow, and she could feel both of their hearts pounding—

“Hello there,” she squeaked, straightening herself and stepping back slightly.

“Hi,” he said, still pressed to the side of the cavern. “Are you all right?”

Now her ears were hot, too. “Yes. Sorry, I tripped.” She swallowed and managed to say with some levity, “Ruined the end of a perfectly good story, too.”

He gave her a small smile and pushed himself off the wall with his elbows. ”That's all right. It was maybe more exciting this way.”

She felt a grin crack across her face— this was much better than listening to some lecture on demonic tainted objects and their uses in summoning. Speaking of which, Elini was looking back at them with what looked suspiciously like a laugh etched on her face, which was highly insensitive and presumptuous, Rhen thought.

“Where did you hear that story, anyway?” Dameon asked, as they began walking forward again.

Rhen shot him a crooked smile. “Oh, I got it from this adventurer who used to come through Clearwater sometimes.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” she said, and laughed. “It’s funny, we all treated him like royalty. We’d have a sort of fair every time he came through town.”

“A fair?”

“You know, silly games and baked goods and showing off our apple crop and stuff. He probably thought we were all ridiculous. I think we were.”

He gave her an encouraging little nod, a sort of I see, and then cast his eyes down.

“Anyway, he’d always ask Ma to mend some rip in his cloak and he’d tell us stories while she worked. Not just scary stories,” she said, in response to his raised eyebrows. “Some ridiculous stories, too, about his pirate lover and wicked goblins and giant squirrels. I always thought they were just made-up.” She laughed, a little ruefully. “Guess not.”

His light made the shadows dance off the rocks, softening their edges. They looked much friendlier this way.

Everything was quiet for a moment, and then Dameon made a low sound in his throat, and Rhen looked up at him. “I didn’t see many travellers in Aveyond,” he said shyly, watching the ground. “Nobody… nobody is supposed to know where it is.”

She rubbed her arm. These caves were warm. Weren’t caves supposed to be cool? “Well,” she began carefully, “lucky for me I’m not nobody.”

He glanced up briefly, a small smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. He had full lips like Talia, Rhen had noticed lately.

Also lately she found she liked when he smiled, and she liked to watch the slow grin that grew on his face when she was being silly. How long had it been since someone laughed at her jokes? Oh, she’d been laughed at plenty in the past couple years, that was for sure, but this was—

Different.

“I know where Aveyond is,” she found herself saying, with waggish arrogance, and the other corner of his mouth came up. “I bet that old traveller would be jealous of me,” she continued, tossing her head. “I’m a princess, after all.” She tried to say it haughtily, but it came out with a bitter edge that scraped her throat— “I’m the chosen one!”

— She meant for him to laugh, but now he watched her sadly. He was supposed to laugh, and then she could laugh and pretend it really didn’t bother her at all, maybe she could even pretend it wasn’t even real at all, but now instead she just felt—

Wide open.

She looked away and tried to clear her throat. “Er— well, anyway, I bet he never even left the Western Isle.”

She could feel his dark eyes on her. They made her gut warm. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Nobody should have to find that out like you did.”

She raised her eyes to meet his, and was surprised at the understanding in his gaze. She looked down again. “S’alright,” she mumbled, and shrugged. “Anyway, maybe— maybe if it happened differently I never would have met you.”

He hesitated, drawing his eyebrows together so there was a little crease between them. “Are you saying— do you— do you think that makes it—-” he paused, and then he finished quietly, timidly, “worth it?”

She felt a soft smile sprout on her lips. She hadn’t expected to smile here. “Right now I think so. I’m glad I met you.”

The light flickered faintly and the shadows trembled on the walls.

“Rhen?”

She looked up at him.

“Rhen, you— you are the most— I—” he faltered, and finished almost fiercely, “I’m glad I met you, too.”

And now Rhen smiled a full smile, not because it was funny but just because she was happy— oh, it had been a long time. She stepped closer to him and his soft yellow light.

“Wanna hear another story?” she asked lowly, her voice trembling now with the opposite of nerves.

And the corner of his mouth quirked up again.

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