#Saint Rose Golden Knights

[athleticperfection1]

College of Saint Rose Track

[pastel-omegas-blog]

⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️WARNING!!! THIS BOOK WILL CONTAIN MATURE THEMES AND VIOLENCE PLEASE LEAVE IF IT WILL MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE. I DO NOT NEED THIS BOOK TO BE REPORTED . YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.( Mentions of suicide, bullying, blood/torture ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️( This book is going to have more matured themes  compared to my others, from smut scenes to non-con, lactation, drugging, hypnosis, abuse of power and over obsessiveness.

Chapter two. Chapter four

CHAPTER THREE

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The sky was a beautiful blue shade today, the sun wasn't too hot and the breeze was cool. A perfect day for a panic in the imperial garden.

Sitting under the shade of the white marble gazebo surrounded by maids happily waiting at his beck and call was the the treasured saint of the. Empire.

His silky blue hair was left freely falling on his shoulders, pearl ornaments decorating his locks, his brows were furrowed up as pretty purple eyes lit up in joy peered through his thin blue lashes. His thin peach lips were curved up in a smile as a laugh escaped his pretty lips. His delicate hands held a pretty Porcelain tea cup in his hands, bringing the sweet fragrant liquid to his lips. Surrounded by desserts around every corner waiting for him to pick his desired treat

The blue haired omega was out of his ceremonial grab, instead wearing a free white silk shirt with golden embroidery seen in pretty designs and tight long black high waist pants that show off his lithe hips and cushioned ass. The clothes were to simple for someone of his ranking, yet despite that he was brimming with elegance that belonged only to royalty.

The pink haired alpha couldn't tear his gaze away from the smaller male. How could he. He had fallen in love with the omega the first time he had seen him at the temple, as he was acting as a certain h/c male's personal knight. He had be drawn in by the other's simple pure and kind nature, how devoted he was to serving their god, how kind he was to the common folk and orphan children despite being raised as the son from a rich count family. And his scent.

The sweet calming scent of roses and strawberries and odd, but alluring combination. One that has Basil's self control dwindling everytime he took a whiff of it.

Once upon a time he had hoped he would be able to court the saint. Despite being a recessive alpha and the illegitimate son of a fallen baron family, he thought he would have been able to win the other's favor. Even though he had other more endowed and richer rivals competing along with him. He had hoped that he would still be able to have a chance with him. Be the alpha that Leon could rely on. But as his gaze drifted down to the expensive gold band embedded with rubies and diamonds wrapped around the omega's finger, he knew it was a far fetched dream.

The other had already been taken by the man he was forced to call the Emperor and he would eventually have to lay his life down for him if the need be.  The same man that was glaring directly at the pink haired male as he stood protectively behind the saint. His blue eyes lowered to the floor to show his submission to the dominant alpha.

Marrav clicked his tongue in annoyance as he stared at the pink haired leech, a growl rumbling in his chest as he tried to keep his annoyance under control. He had planned a beautiful picnic in the garden gazebo for himself and his fiance as a way to make up for all the time he had missed spending with the blue haired omega. He had been busy filing the legal divorce papers between him and his former spouse. He had been made to legally share some properties and månå stone mines with the sickly h/c omega. That was if he survived. A large part of him hoped he didn't, then he could give them over to his new husband even though it would take some convincing before the humble male would accept it. That and he had to deal with some foreign countries he had established trade with suddenly dropping out of their agreements without any proper excuses.  He had been trapped in his office with his secretary over his shoulder as he was forced to work none stop the past few weeks, and now that he had seen the time to spend with his lovely mate, this bastard was here.

" Aren't you supposed to be by your master's side ? " The black haired dominant alpha questioned, but with how he worded it and the way his sliver reptilian like eyes were glaring into the recessive's core it sounded more like a demand.

Basil's eyes remained lowered to the ground as he spoke. " Lady Aria has refused for to allow me get close to the Lord's  room " the pink haired male could vividly remember the raven haired women throwing a thick iron candelabra at his head with an intention to kill all the while screaming at him.

" This is all your fault! You were supposed to be by his side that night. You were supposed to do the only thing your good for. If M/N hadn't picked you up from the streets all those years ago, you wouldn't be here. Your would have been a common thief. After everything he's done for your sorry ass. This is how you choose to repay him??! Get out. He doesn't need your presence tainting here "

He remembered the anger in her gold as she swung at him tirelessly with a broom, screaming how worthless he was for not been there as he easily side stepped her attacks.

" Oh dear... " Leon's soft voice snapped the recessive alpha from his thoughts, gaining the attention of the two alpha's and the betas as his brows furrowed in worry, making everyone around him panic as tears started to form at the corner of his eyes. " Oh lady Aria is going through so much isn't she? She's locked herself up in the room refusing help, while she tries her best to help the lord.it breaks my heart to see such a bright young woman in such a distressed state. She's trying so hard to stop the inevitable from happening that I fear she might tire herself to an omega drop. It just so sad. " The smaller male said as the tears fell down making everyone around him panic. Marrav was the first to rush towards to the omega, his phermones coming out to try and calm the saint down " please don't waste your tears on those people my love. Your kindness is far to great for them to receive " the larger male said as he gently wiped away the blue haired omega's tears.

" But-" leon tried to protest only for his alpha to give him a stern look which made his voice die down.

" Dear, I've told you not to worry yourself over such insignificant things. See you've gone and made yourself upset now. You should stop that, you've finally see the chance to enjoy yourself and not be overloaded with work, don't push yourself too much " the alpha cooed out softly as he gathered the smaller male in his arms, earning a squeak from the omega who had calmed down. A blush took over the saint's fair cheeks as he buried his face in his alpha's chest out of embarrassment making Marrav chuckle.

Basil felt his chest tighten at the sight ignoring the anger boiling deep in him as the servants whispered to each other about how cute and lovely the two looked together. A match blessed by the god himself.

That anger simmered down as the blue haired omega turned to look at the recessive and gave him a kind smile. A smile that Basil knew meant nothing yet it still managed to make his heart beat increase. The anger simmered into self pity as he watched the Emperor plaster kisses on the omega's face, getting a flustered response from the blue haired male and he could only stare longingly at the sight, wishing it was him instead of the dominant alpha.

' Was this how master felt ? '

His sky blue eyes widened in surprise at his own thoughts, but he couldn't stop them. 

' was this how he felt whenever he watched these two. Was this how badly his heart hurt? Was this how he felt knowing he would never be loved the way he loved that blood thirsty bastard? '

A vivid image of the h/c omega adorning a bright smile as he chatted away about all the things he adored about his husband flashed took over his mind. Back then he had simply ignored the s/c male's ranting, annoyed that he had to be standing guard at his side, he could have used those precious moments to try and win the saint over. Back then he hadn't noticed how his smile didn't reach his eyes. Or how his shoulders shook slightly under all the ridiculous layers of coats he wore. How his hands tightened into fist as they rested on his laps, hadn't paid attention to the hope he put into his words that one day his spouse would notice him and they could finally have their happily ever after. He also hadn't noticed then that the h/c male saw him as someone he could rely on. And he had treated him like he was insignificant.

Basil shook his head to quickly clear his thoughts.

Ridiculous! When did he state caring about that man. 

" If you have nothing better to do yours then your dismissed Drenio  " Marrav's deep voice snapped the knight from his thoughts making him flinch as the Emperor addressed him by his last name. A name the dark haired Alpha knew he hated.  Basil's blue hues filled with slight panic. 

No.

He couldn't leave now.  He had been so close to getting Leon to agree to make him his personal knight. If he left now then all his progress would disappear.

" But... "

The recessive started to try and protest, but the way the Emperor's pheromones rose as  if daring the him to speak up he promptly bit his tongue and kept his compliments to himself.

Marrav only let down his show of dominance when Leon whimpered in discomfort, but his glare never left the pink haired Alpha, if anything it grew harder than before.

" I don't like to repeat myself Drenio. Your services aren't needed here. I cannot trust the safety of my beloved. The precious gem of the Trovian Empire to someone who couldn't even prevent his master from being poisoned and still hasn't even found any leads to catching the culprit " 

There was a tense silence in the air as soon as the words left the larger male's lips. Basil hands turned into fists his nails digging into the palm of his calloused hand, the only thing stopping him from drawing blood been the thick leather of the gloves he wore.

How could they even blame him for that ?!!

It was the same Emperor who gave him the order to stand guard at the saint's side during the events  of the ball. He was the one who told him to leave his h/c lord's  and told him he would assign a small squadron of knights to guard him in the shadows.

He was the one who had failed to keep his promise. Yet the recessive alpha was the one who was taking the blame.

Over the past month where ever he went  nobles and commoners alike whispered about him behind his back.​​​​​​

" A faliure who couldn't protect his master "

" A dog who bite the had that fed him and left it to bleed "

" He wouldn't be here without that man yet he turned his back on him. "

" I heard he was just a commoner until that man picked him. Imagine training a puppy only for it to leave you for another master as it turns into a dog. Absolutely worthless. "

" That illegitimate bastard couldn't even protect one measly omega, yet he has the guts to try and get closer to the Saint. Saint Leon is truly forgiving, but it would be best if he didn't take such a fickle person to his side. What if he suddenly disappears when an attempt is about to be made on his life? "

 Basil couldn't understand why.  The previous month they had been praising him for guarding the saint and letting no harm get to him, then as if with magic their opinion on him had been changed overnight.

It wasn't fair. He was someone who had grown up receiving praises for his looks, his skills and just being him in general. He had always been told that his talented was being wasted by serving the devil incarnate.

After hearing that for so long , a major part of him grow to believe it. He always thought that countless opportunities would come if he could somehow manage to break away from the h/c male that his life would be so much better.

But now it was painfully obvious nobody else needed him around.

He forgot just how harsh the world of aristocracy could be. The pink haired alpha had always thought that if he wasn't chained to his h/c master's side that he would have been blessed with countless opportunities. He was a genius with the sword and had been acknowledge as such by. Had even be compared to being at the same level of  strength as the current general of the the Empires black wyvern knights. 

He forgot skills really could only take you so far in getting in nobles good graces. What they cared about was what månå affinity an individual had, how strong it was and how ' pure ' their noble lineage was. The two things he lacked.

He had wind månå, the weakest of all månå affinities and he could hardly use it at all and for his ' noble lineage ' he was the product of the lord from a fallen barony and a beta prostitute. Half of his blood was dirty. Impure. He didn't deserve to mingle with people of the upper class.

And as if to add salt to the wound the Emperor raised leon's chin up making sure the omega was facing him, before lowering his face down, bringing the smaller male into a steamy kiss that left the other alpha dumbstruck. Marrav's eyes never left Basil's form, his slit iris boring holes into his being as he deepened the kiss, leaving the omega breathless. The black haired male wanted to burn the image of him and the saint making out in the recessive's mind. A reminder that Leon belonged to him and he should know his place.

He finally pulled away to let the blue haired man breath bringing him close to his chest as the other tried to hide his embarrassed face from on lookers stammering out soft complaints that made Marrav chuckle softly.

Basil felt his heart fall to the pit of his knot tied stomach as he was made to watch the man he loved be comforted in the hands of such a blood thirsty tyrant. Knowing very well that any retaliation on his end would be the death of him. 

Nodding stiffly he started walking away, feeling the stares of the people bore into his back. He needed to leave there. It was becoming hard for him to breathe.

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Standing  behind a tree Basil eyes focused on the building in front of him.  The small white mansion on the west side of the palace grounds the alpha began to question himself as to why he came here.

To the building were the ' devil omega ' his master had been given to stay in ever since he and the Emperor were married when the h/c male turned fourteen. The place furthest away from the Emperor's palace and the smallest building on the property. 

Although the outside was very well kept. The building looked new, the small garden surrounding the porch was trimmed neatly and a beautiful marble fountain poured out crystal clear water. All in all it looked very lavish. Anyone who wasn't used to the finer things in life would have praised it for being such a beautiful work of art, but the alpha knew better. 

He had seen baron family mansions with bigger buildings and more extravagant designs. And his lord was the son of a duke.

It was a clear insult to the h/c male and as always the omega stomach it. Another memory of the smaller male jumping around all excited that he had received such a lovely building from the emperor, even though he had grown up in one over ten times it's size. Other than that there were no servants assigned to the building. Sure maids and butler's came to clean and make the place presentable, but they left as soon as they were done, leaving the h/c male to do things on his own, only staying whenever he requested for their help.

Again any other noble would have thrown a fit at such humiliation,but the h/c omega stomached it all with a smile.

At least then he still had help, but in the last two months the place had been practically deserted the only people around being lady Aria and his still unconscious  master, once in a while a doctor came, but the appointments stopped over a month ago. So it was basically just the lone female omega all on her own.

" Speak of the devil " he mumbled to himself as he moved back to hide his frame more as he watched the doors of the building open.

Out stepped the dark skinned woman, her appearance shocking him. The last time he had seen her, she looked like a wreck. Her flying everywhere, bags underneath her eyes, her complexion had been looking pale and it looked like she had been depriving herself from eating anything as her cheeks had hollowed in, a great contrast from the neat serious woman who ran a strong trade business. Her empty expression had made rumors start spreading about her, that she would go mad if the weak h/c male passed away. Basil could believe that. A lot of people didn't know it but the strong woman everyone saw The lady as would be nothing without his master. And the female omega knew it too.

Yet she looked so different now. She looked more alive. Her colour was back and her skin looked more taken care of than ever in the years he had known her , her gold eyes seemed to twinkle brighter than before almost looking a bright shade of yellow, her cheeks were puffed out a sign that she had been eating well and a soft cloud of black wavy hair cascaded around her, falling on the small of her back, the sun rays shining down on her giving it a soft silky look. Her pink lips were pulled up in a small smile as she hummed a small melody.  Basil still couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at the woman, her transformation was something he hadn't been extremely to see. She looked far more lovely than he had ever remembered seeing her. Even in the simple clothes she wore, with her elegance and new found beauty he would have mistaken her as a daughter from a ducal family. 

The woman had a basket in her arms, opening it she pulled a long cloak out of it, quickly wearing it and obscuring her face with the hood and she started walking away. Basil was tempted to follow her when he noticed she wasn't taking the path to the imperial gates, but something deep inside him advised him not too.

That he would regret it if he did.

The alpha stood behind the tree not knowing what to do. He had just seen lady Aria pass a secluded area of the Palace grounds to leave to the god knows where while hiding away her identity. If he did he would be able to get on the Emperor's good side, as much as he hated groveling in front of the bastard it would make him look good and give him an opportunity to be Leon's knight again. Although the probability of that was very far fetched it was still something. But instead of doing any of that, he found himself moving towards the building, his body as if having a mind if its own moved forward, now that the place's guard dog was gone he could enter without being chased out.

Basil honestly didn't know what he was expecting as he opened the green painted mahogany doors, but he wasn't expecting  his sense to get flooded by a thick sweet smell. The scent was so overwhelming that for a few seconds he snapped into his primal instincts as obscene thoughts flashed through his mind.

Omega. Mark. Mate. Breed!

The more rational part of his mind stepped in thankfully and he brought up a hand to cover his nose in a futile attempt to block out the scent, even though he could practically taste it on his tongue.

Fresh ripe peaches, thick honey and creamy warm milk. He knew the scent well. The honey and peach scent was something he had grown used to after years of staying by the person's side. Had even grown bored of it at one point, but then the scent had never been as strong as this before and the sweet creamy smell of thick milk had certainly never been apart of it.

He should have turn back at this point, go and report what was going on to the imperial family and the temple, because there was no way an omega at the brink of death could make such a sweet scent and with the lady supposedly in charge of the place sneaking around suspiciously something was definitely going on. But again just like earlier he found himself moving forward, his body going on muscle memory, weaving through the halls till he stopped in front of familiar white double doors, silver spiral designs carved prettily on them. His hand covering the lower part of his face twitched as the sweet scent he had been trying to block out increased tenfold, letting him know that he had arrived at the source.

He hesitated. What if he opened the door he just saw the h/c omega barely hanging on for life? What if he looked at him with eyes filled with hatred? What if he cursed him with the last strength in his weak body and the he passed away?. What if he said he regretted ever picking the alpha up on that faithful day that changed his life? What if he called him useless like everyone else?

Basil's eyes widened when he noticed his hand was trembling- no it wasn't just his hand. His whole body was trembling and his chest began to grow tight almost as good f he couldn't breathe, he couldn't understand it at first. Why he was shaking like a pup, why his mind ran around with thoughts, then he realized it.

He was scared.

Scared that his h/c master would abandon him as well. Scared that he would scream at him, scared the he would call him useless and curse at him, scared that the soft e/c orbs that always looked at him so fondly would be filled with disgust and betrayal. That thoughts were enough to make him take a few steps back away from the door and almost run out of the building, but again as if his body had mind of it's own, his hands moved forward and open the doors, his breath hitching in his throat as the sweet scent overwhelmed him. His eyes widening at the sight in front of him.

Sitting at the edge of the king sized bed with silk bedsheets and a magnitude of  soft fuzzy coloured blankets surrounding him was the h/c omega Basil was supposed to have devoted his life too. Except it wasn't the same sickly omega had managed to get a glimpse of the last time he had been thrown out.

The last time he saw him he was nothing but skin on bones, sweat pouring out from everywhere in his body making his clothes stick to his boney frame, his long h/c hair had been cut choppily to his neck so there would be less strain on his body. All in all he didn't look like someone who had been the husband of the Emperor.

But the male sitting down eating still unaware of his presence could.

Short wavy lush looking h/c fell softly to the top of his shoulder, his normally soft colour e/c eyes looked more brighter than the ever had, the way they twinkled softly reminded him of the jewels decorating the entrance of the holy temple. Thick h/c lashes framed them giving his eyes an innocent doe like look, his plump soft red hue lips now had a glossy shine to them.

The recessive swallowed a lump that formed in his throat as he eyes went lower. The night dress the petite male had on was to big for his small form, the collar area slipping off his shoulders to expose his neck. A pretty s/c canvas free from any mark , his scent glands visible to the alpha he had to stop his thoughts from running about before he would regret it. He noted that the man's  s/c tone shone softly in the sun rays, it looked so soft, like he if he held on to tightly he would leave a mark and taint the beautiful skin. A part of him wanted to leave a mark.

Basil's eyes trailed lower, the flimsy silk nightwear  resting on the omega's form showing off his rather feminine chest, the alpha's eyes went even lower, taking in the curves he never knew the other had. The curves on his hips, his lower back , the very prominent curve of his plump ass stretching the fabric of the cloth resting softly on the cushioned bed, how wide the smaller man's hips were. Basil knew they would be perfect to grip the smaller male and bend him over stuffing him full

The alpha found his self control dwindling. He should have taken it as a sign to stop. Should have reasoned what the consequences would be if he got caught, should have known that he had overstayed his welcome, that Aria could possibly arrive at any moment and catch him, yet he couldn't stop himself. His eyes continued to trail down, a shiver running down his spine when he noticed that the smaller male had gathered end of the dress, pulling it up until it was a resting in his thick laps, exposing his soft looking s/c thighs to the crisp morning air as his legs swung back and forth softly.

The h/c omega looked so fucking delectable.

His scent, his body. It was beginning to drive the recessive over the edge. The pink haired alpha gripped the door tightly as a weak effort to station himself and stop him from lunging at his unsuspecting master and marking him and keeping the omega all for himself.

Basil couldn't wrap his head around what was going on. He was in love with Leon. He had always been in love with the blue haired omega, yet his mind kept yelling at him to either mate the omega in front of him or breed the smaller male. Memories of the blue haired saint becoming forgotten, the few ones he did remember sent a bout of rage through him.

After everything he had done for the so called saint, he  had turned his back on him. Had betrayed his trust. How dare he?!!

" B....Basil.... ? "

The soft silky voice calling out his name snapped him out of his thoughts at the same time quelling the anger in him.

The pink haired male felt his eyes widened in panic as he stared up to look at the omega. Panicked blue eyes staring into confused e/c hues.

Basil's heart hammered in his chest feeling small under the omega's gaze, he couldn't bring himself to try his gaze away. So he waited there to stunned to apologise instead he mentally tried to braise himself for the insults to be thrown his way, tried to prepare himself to watch the e/c eyes that had always looked at him with a warm loving gaze fill up with hate and utter resentment.

Instead what he got was a smile that made his knees feel weak as he watched e/c eyes brighten in joy. 

" Basil! Your really here aah- "

The joy was short lived as the smaller male gripped his chest, his small frame trembling in pain. Basil didn't know when his legs moved, nor did he care as he rushed over to his master's side, trying to stop himself from drooling as the thick sweet scent tried to cloud his mind. He went down on one knee, his face scrunched in worry as he didn't know what to do and he hesitated not wanting to touch the other.

Anyone who probably heard about this would have laughed. The knight who had abandoned his master was worried for his wellbeing. What a joke.

But that was exactly what was happening.

Small s/c hands reached out to cup the alpha's face  and the larger male snapped out of his worried state to look up at his master, his heart aching at the pained look on his face, the smile on his glossy lips looking strained.

" A...ah. s.. sorry about that. I.. it must have hurt y... you as well r.. right?  Y.. your handling the pain so well. I...I must have put you in a l..lot of pain these past few months all because of the oath you swore with me. I'm so sorry "

The petite male apologized as tears started to brim at the corner of his eyes and Basil became sickly pale as he heard it.

The oath.

The oath he had taken to swear his  mind, body and loyalty to his h/c master. An oath that bounded them together, so whatever pain the Omega felt he would feel double of it. 

An oath that forced to protect his master from any harm no matter the costs. An oath that he had taken by himself with out being forced to despite the his master refusing to.

An oath he had broken in order to go after ' the love of his life.

The heavy guilt that dropped on his shoulders made his knees wobble , sweat starting to drip from the side of his face as he tried to turn his gaze away from the innocent e/c eyes boring deep into his soul to try and lessen the feeling. But Faith had other plans.

The smaller male brought his face forward and placed it on his laps, using his hand to stroke the alpha's pink locks, humming out softly. His face resting on omega's plush thighs, the warm skin on his face and the sweet scent from his master made him calm down.

" You've been through so much haven't you " the smaller male cooed out softly, the tone he used sounded like he was talking to a child, his voice making the alpha's head get foggy.

" Aria said you had abandoned me.... " That sentence made all the fear return back to Basil's body his heart thumped loudly in his chest.

Was this it?

Would his master throw him away?

He didn't want that.

No he wouldn't stand for it.

Everyone had already turned their backs on him. They had all discarded him like he meant nothing, he wasn't sure how he would handle it if the person who saw his potential from the start suddenly turned his back to him.

A whimper escaped the alpha's lips as he buried his face Into the petite male's soft skin, at the thought of the omega leaving him. As if sensing his discomfort the omega cooed softly, once again calming his knight.

" But I didn't believe her. Other than you swore an oath to protect me, your a very kind person Basil, with a heart of gold. I don't blame you for what happened that night. It was the Emperor who told you to leave me wasn't it? "

The recessive's eyes widened as he listened to his master's words, letting them sink in.

' ..... Yes.... It was the Emperor's fault '

The Emperor's fault.

It was his fault!

HIS FAULT!!

​​​​​​It was all because of him. If he hadn't made him guard that stupid omega, non of this would be happening. His master would be safe and healthy and his reputation would still be golden. He wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for that bastard.

The smile on M/N's lips widened as he continued to softly stroke the other's head, his e/c eyes  beginning to have an orange tint to them as he watched the alpha's shoulders tremble in anger.

" None of it was your fault. After all you only want what's best for me. Isn't that right Basil? " The man asked as he tilted his knights head upwards forcing the man to look up into his now orange cat like eyes, his smile turning into a sinister smirk as he watched the same orange hue shine in the alpha's eyes, before they returned to their normal blue colour.

A ditzy smile stretched on Basil's thin lips as he nodded his head eagerly.  Like a pup been given praise.

" Yes master. Only the very best for you~ "

I like Basil honestly. And I regret I wasn't able to write more on his character in the past book. 

[bluberryfields]

I love Aziraphale, I really do, but I don’t excuse his behavior towards Crowley. We, as the audience, see the heart eyes and yearning touches and pleased little smiles when he gets the things he shouldn’t want to have in the first place. We also see his conflicts with the Heaven of theory and Heaven of reality, including his near constant backsliding into propaganda and reducing Crowley into two dimensions. Like fuck, Crowley has the patience of a saint to put up with Azi the Walking “Heaven is Neato” Pamphlet for 6000 years with very little forward momentum.

Two seemingly opposite things can be true:

Aziraphale cannot fully love Crowley because he fails to see beyond the binary of Heaven/Hell, Angel/Demon, Good/Bad, Right/Wrong, Truth/Lies

Aziraphale loves Crowley completely and utterly for who he IS because he’s seen the actual evidence time and again, albeit through a very biased lens (less rose-tinted and more va-va-voom golden-tinted)

In fact, four seemingly opposite things can be true. The first two and:

Crowley cannot fully love Aziraphale because he himself feels his ability to be loved has been broken by the Binary (and Azi’s repeated rejections)

Crowley loves Aziraphale completely and utterly for who he IS because he’s the only real source of trust and acceptance he’s experienced since God destroyed the Angel He Was

They are two different kinds of codependent. Crowley always puts Azi’s needs first and his last because he loves to play the Knight to the Damsel. Azi always puts himself first because he wants to believe that is what Crowley wants as well. And in a sense, he’s right because that’s what history has shown it all working out okay in the end. They both get what they want in the broad sense - covert shenanigans with a happy ending - so they don’t try to change it.

Besides, changing things means they must first acknowledge things! Feelings and wants and needs! Out loud! In uncoded language!

They need the time apart to breathe and reflect and hopefully learn some lessons before coming back together.

Two things can be true:

Crowley deserves to be treated with love, kindness, patience, and respect from Aziraphale

Aziraphale deserves to be held accountable by Crowley for his successes and failures

[lavampira]

OC MASTERLIST

last update: 01 february 2024

divider credit

INTERACTIVE FICTION

ANGEL PAVON

alias: operative vesper

age: 28

identity: he/him, bisexual

appearance: 6’2

specialization: infiltration

romance: nash, evie thierry (ex, au), seb ariti (au) [belongs to consulaaris]

verse: project hadea + original

BENJAMIN “BENJI” FINCH

alias: sunset bird resident

age: 23

identity: he/him, bisexual

appearance: 5’10

occupation: guitarist + freelance artist

romance: cove holden, rowan hill (au) [belongs to consulaaris]

verse: our life + original

DAVINA VIRAC

alias: the painted phoenix

age: 25

identity: she/her, lesbian

appearance: 6’, phoenix mythosi

weapon: double-bladed scythe

romance: syfyn javall (ex), amilia von clamile

verse: the exile

LEOVIC “VIC” RANE

alias: omen, commander-legate

age: 29

identity: he/him, gay

appearance: 6’4, hunter-raised mage

specialization: circle-trained diviner

romance: red antiqua (ex), trouble alder

verse: shepherds of haven

LINDEN “LUX” KENNEDY

alias: lead vocalist of saint reverie

age: 26

identity: they/them, bisexual

appearance: 5’11

occupation: alternative rock singer

romance: seven lawless (ex), orion quinn

verse: infamous

RIVER LOVELL

alias: rivlaughluv

age: 27

identity: they/them, bisexual

appearance: 5’10

occupation: private lab technician

romance: olivia santos (au)

verse: blooming panic + original

TABITHA ABRAMS

alias: the preacher

age: 26

identity: she/they, lesbian

appearance: 5’7

occupation: vampire-hunting swindler

romance: celina sokolova

verse: larkin

VERONICA SCARLET

alias: the wayward scarlet

age: 25

identity: she/her, bisexual

appearance: 5’8

occupation: biology grad student

romance: avery belle

verse: scarlet hollow

YANA ROMANUS SEVILLA

alias: white company mercenary

age: 29

identity: she/her, bisexual

appearance: 5’4

occupation: mercenary + latin translator

romance: hadrian

verse: the golden rose

TTRPGS

ELAITH NATHAIR

alias: the druid

age: 32

identity: she/her, lesbian

appearance: 5’7, half sun elf

class: circle of spores druid

romance: none

verse: dungeons & dragons

LON LAURIER

alias: the investigator

age: 33

identity: he/him, gay

appearance: 6’3

occupation: wwi veteran + museum curator

romance: ethan ripley

verse: call of cthulhu

DC COMICS

OLIVIA SANTOS

alias: the lawyer

age: 27

identity: she/her, demiromantic bi

appearance: 5’5

occupation: defense attorney

romance: dick grayson, river lovell (au)

DRAGON AGE

GABRIEL COUSLAND

alias: hound of highever

age: 23 in 9:30 dragon

identity: he/him, bisexual

appearance: 6’

class: duelist + shadow rogue

romance: nathaniel howe, leliana (au)

NALAH MAHARIEL

alias: hero of ferelden

age: 24 in 9:30 dragon

identity: she/her, bisexual

appearance: 5’4

class: berserker + spirit warrior

romance: tamlen (ex), zevran arainai

THE ELDER SCROLLS

ARISE VALEN

alias: the vestige

age: 33 in 2E 583

identity: she/her, bisexual

appearance: 5’9, dunmer

class: dragonknight

romance: fennorian

TORA THE DOVAHKIIN

alias: the last dragonborn

age: 29 in 4E 201

identity: she/her, bisexual

appearance: 5’8, nord

class: conjuration warrior

romance: farkas

FALLOUT

MARISOL REYES

alias: courier six

age: 29 in 2281

identity: she/her, lesbian

appearance: 5’6

skills: speech, guns, repair

romance: none

FINAL FANTASY XIV

D’ALIA LIVEQ

alias: warrior of light

age: 28 in ARR

identity: she/her, bisexual

appearance: 5’4, seeker miqo’te

job: summoner, dark knight, dancer

romance: minfilia warde (ex), sidurgu orl

MASS EFFECT

MALENA SHEPARD

alias: the commander

age: 29 in 2183

identity: she/her, bisexual

appearance: 5’10

class: vanguard

romance: kaidan alenko

SONORA “SONI” RYDER

alias: the pathfinder

age: 22 in 2819

identity: she/her, lesbian

appearance: 5’8

class: sentinel

romance: vetra nyx

PATHFINDER

MERITHIA DE CHARON

alias: queen of the stolen lands

age: 29

identity: she/her, bisexual

appearance: 5’7, aasimar

class: celestial line sorcerer

romance: tristian

RESIDENT EVIL

EVELINE “EVIE” THIERRY

alias: the detective

age: 28

identity: she/her, bisexual

appearance: 5’1

occupation: private investigator

romance: jill valentine, angel pavon (ex, au)

STAR WARS - KOTOR

SHIVA AMHI

alias: the jedi exile

age: 31 in 298 BTC

identity: she/her, bisexual

appearance: 5’5, mirialan

class: consular + master

romance: atton rand

VANNA PHY

alias: revan

age: 33 in 303 BTC

identity: they/she, bisexual

appearance: 5’9, human

class: scout + sentinel

romance: malak (ex), canderous ordo

STAR WARS - SWTOR

ANA MAITE VICARI

alias: the wrath

age: 21 in 10 ATC

identity: she/her, lesbian

appearance: 5’3, human

class: marauder + shadow

romance: jaesa willsaam

ANDAN VICARI

alias: cipher six, sith intelligence commander

age: 24 in 10 ATC

identity: he/him, demiromantic bi

appearance: 5’11, human

class: operative + gunslinger

romance: rysandor riel [belongs to consulaaris]

CADRIEN TIRAI

alias: lord tirai, claw of the empire

age: 19 in 12 ATC

identity: he/him, gay

appearance: 6’1, miraluka

class: juggernaut + sage

romance: minaiph tirai [belongs to hythlodaes]

EDELIE LOK CADERA

alias: champion of the great hunt

age: 18 in 10 ATC

identity: she/her, bi demisexual

appearance: 5’2, human

class: mercenary + powertech

romance: torian cadera

JORANI RHA

alias: captain of the fortune’s favour

age: 24 in 10 ATC

identity: she/her, lesbian

appearance: 5’7, twi’lek

class: scoundrel + mercenary

romance: blaire myrrho [belongs to consulaaris]

KAIZEN “KAI” AMHI

alias: jedi battlemaster, the outlander

age: 20 in 10 ATC

identity: he/him, gay

appearance: 6’2, mirialan

class: guardian + sage

romance: theron shan

MITTH’ALIA’MIURANI “THALIA”

alias: CEDF infiltrator/biochemist

age: 25 in 10 ATC

identity: she/her, bi demisexual

appearance: 5’9, chiss

class: sniper + operative

romance: saganu

MITTH’ASTON “THASTON”

alias: cipher nine

age: 23 in 10 ATC

identity: they/them, bisexual

appearance: 6’1, chiss

class: sniper + powertech

romance: kaliyo djannis (ex), hunter (ex)

SARAJAH RIZAS

alias: jedi barsen’thor

age: 23 in 10 ATC

identity: she/her, bi demisexual

appearance: 6’, cathar

class: shadow

romance: felix iresso

VIN KHARU

alias: havoc squad commander

age: 25 in 10 ATC

identity: he/him, bisexual

appearance: 5’8, nautolan

class: vanguard + mercenary

romance: elara dorne

WYLAN ORIAS

alias: ex-padawan mechanic

age: 20 in 20 ATC

identity: he/him, bi asexual

appearance: 6’4, echani

class: shadow + guardian

romance: jase bralor

ZOYAH KALLIG

alias: darth occlus

age: 26 in 10 ATC

identity: she/they, poly bisexual

appearance: 5’, rattataki

class: assassin + sorcerer

romance: andronikos revel

VAMPIRE THE MASQUERADE

INES DELAROSA

alias: the fledgling

age: 25 at embrace in 2004

identity: she/her, bisexual

appearance: 5’2

clan: toreador

occupation: metal singer

romance: ash rivers

THOMAS REAUX

alias: the sire

age: 28 at embrace in 1919, final death in 2004

identity: he/him, bisexual

appearance: 6’2

clan: toreador

occupation: jazz pianist

romance: none

[gabranath-the-ravager]

The Order of the Neon Heart

It seems that a bunch of you liked the pictures of my Adepta Sororitas force.  So here’s the background of my homebrew order for those interested.

It got kind of long, so if you want the TL,DR then… They’re an order based around Saint Marabeth the Dynamo, a sister who volunteered herself to be wired into a crippled Imperial Knight to serve as a power-source.  The Knight then proceeded to kick absolute ass while glowing with rose light, Marabeth’s sheer will powering until the battle was over, leaving Marabeth dead but inspiring a new order in her memory.

The Quelling of Horzia

When the citizenry of Horzia, the hive-capital of planet Brannech, overthrew their planetary governor, denounced the existence of the Emperor of Mankind and attempted to secede from the tyranny of the Imperium of Man, several regiments of the Astra Militarum were sent to bring the planet back into compliance.  They were accompanied by a host of Sisters from the Order of the Argent Shroud, intent on punishing the Horzian Rebellion for their heretical claims.

The campaign to crush the Horzian Rebellion was not as simple as originally hoped.  Horzia’s main contribution to the Imperium had been in the manufacture of heavy ordnance munitions, and the Rebellion had seized many of these and used them to devastating effect against Imperial forces.

As the operation dragged on, a lance of Knights from House Taranis were dispatched. With these reinforcements, the fighting began to swing towards the Imperium’s favour.  The commanders executed a strike against the current leadership of the Rebellion, hoping to eradicate the core of the movement and bring a decisive end to the heretical uprising.

During the battle a heavy shell struck the knight construct Pillar of Indignation and crippled it. The knight had been the core that the Imperial attack was anchored around and without it the battle-line buckled.  Sororitas and Militarum forces rushed to bolster the hole in the line while tech-adepts swarmed to heal the wounded machine.

Tech-priests at the site found that the generator for Pillar of Indignation had been hit and was damaged beyond what they could repair in the field.  The pilot was unscathed and core systems were largely intact, but without power the knight was useless.

Saint Marabeth the Dynamo

The Palatine overseeing Sororitas forces in the offensive was a sister named Marabeth, and upon hearing of the damage suffered by the knight she spoke with the gathered Adeptus Mechanicus personnel.  Marabeth suggested that a human could serve as a temporary power-source.  The concept made sense to her - after all, the Adepta Sororitas used heretics to power their Penitent Engines and the near-dead of the Adeptus Astartes piloted their Dreadnoughts.

The tech-priests argued among themselves for a time, some claiming that such action was heresy to the Machine God and others calculating that a single human would never produce sufficient output to feed the knight construct.

Marabeth and Johannes Gavlan, the pilot of Pillar of Indignation shared a look.

“Are you sure?” Johannes asked.

Marabeth’s reply was calm and certain:

“My faith in the Emperor does not flinch or waver.  Let that faith be your chariot’s heart.”

It took time to jury-rig Marabeth into the ruined engine of the knight.  As Imperium casualties mounted and ground was steadily lost, those tech-priests and Sisters that could be spared from the fighting gathered around.  As Marabeth was entombed within Pillar of Indignation they chanted binaric cants and intoned hymns of faith to the Machine God and the Emperor of Mankind respectively.

Johannes uttered a prayer of his own, and powered up the knight.

Holy scripture of the Order of the Neon Heart speaks of how the knight rose that day, with Marabeth shackled to its core.  Its optic sensors blazed with golden fire and rose light pulsed from every crack and seam in its chassis.

As the knight stood, Marabeth’s cries of strain and exhalation boomed from its war-speakers.

The knight’s gaze was devastation, its shell impervious.  The Horzian Rebellion withered under the knight’s firepower as it drove into their line and smashed asunder all that stood before it.  Imperium forces followed in the knight’s wake, mopping up what little resistance remained.

Those members of the Adeptus Mechanicus who witnessed the redoubled fury of the Pillar of Indignation that day fell to their knees, certain that they had witnessed a miracle of the machine.  The Sisters of the Argent Shroud bowed their heads in reverence as holy light bled from the heart of the knight, or screamed their throats hoarse in harmony with Marabeth’s own magnified cries as they fought alongside it.

The Order of the Neon Heart

When the fighting was done, tech-priests rushed to the Pillar of Indignation as it stuttered and began to lose power.  The holy light that had pulsed through it flickered and died and the machine fell still.Johannes emerged from the cockpit-throne, wide-eyed and shaking, not yet able to comprehend the miracle that he had just been a part of.

Marabeth’s dead and drained corpse was retrieved from inside the core of the knight and turned over to the Argent Shroud.  A funeral was held for Marabeth and talk began to spread among the Sisters who had served in this campaign about the miracle they had witnessed.  While they were all sure in their faith, few of them had ever been so close to an act of divine power on this scale.

When word eventually reached the superiors of the Order of the Argent Shroud it did not take much debate to decide to canonise Marabeth for her deeds.  Thus arose Saint Marabeth the Dynamo and those Sisters who felt so moved were given leave to found a new order in her name, the Order of the Neon Heart.

Since that day, the Order of the Neon Heart maintains close ties with sections of the Adeptus Mechanicus - those that are a little bit more open to flexibility, when the needs drive them and the motivations are right.

After several days of contemplation and prayer, Johannes parted ways from House Taranis.  He claimed that he now had a holy purpose that was more important than the duty of the house and that to deny that was to deny the very grace of the Emperor Himself.  Johannes left, taking his small cadre of support personnel and his re-fitted knight, no longer referred to as Pillar of Indignation.  Now, the freeblade known as Marabeth’s Tomb follows the Order of the Neon Heart and is always there to aid them when the Sisters call.

[black-diamond1329]

⭐ Name: Sandra, but you can tell me Sandy 😉.

⭐Age: I feel like I'm 15 years old, I stopped counting at 19 and my friends say that I act like I'm 5 years old XD hahaha ... Nah! I just turned 23 years old this August n_n.

💔 Occupation: Being a universitary girl XD ... Yes! It's so fun! (sarcasm).

🩷 Some things that I love it: Read (I read all kinds of books and about my favorite ships on Ao3! 🤭), cook desserts, listen to music while I do other activities like my homework or when I read, Greek mythology (The love between us will never die! 💗).

⭐Saint Seiya (or Knights of the Zodiac). I found this beautiful serie when I was 7 years old. My favorite is the original serie, although I also like the Lost Canvas a lot and Episode G (because Aioria is the protagonist). Soul of Gold gives me mixed feelings. From Omega and Next Dimension, better don't ask me; my mind lives in denial. My favorite characters are the Golden Saints, especially Aioros and Aioria, being Aioria my super favorite.

Thanks to Saint Seiya I developed a great love for the stars 💫 and I have many scientific books on the subject, as well as books of myths and legends about the constellations ✨.

💥 I'm a Marvel Girl. I love those tormented superheroes and antiheroes. I basically grew up watching Marvel since Iron Man came out in 2008 and I immersed myself fully in the world of the comics, I have a lot of comics and books on my bookshelf 🤭. My favorites are: Iron Man ♥️, Captain America, Spider-Man, Loki, the X-Men, Black Widow and Scarlet Witch, in all their presentations and with all their charms and defects!.

🍿Series: Friends, Full House, The big bang theory, How I met your mother and How I met your father, Modern Family, Mom, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel... I love it K-Dramas like Goblin: The lonely and great God, Crash landing on you, Tale of the Nine Tailed 😋, I have also watched many animes like Sailor Moon, Ouran High School Host Club, Toradora, Code Geass, Inuyasha, Kaleido Star, Shaman King, Attack on Titan... it's a long list and I don't remember everything at this moment 🤔. Miraculous Ladybug (I know it's for kids, but ... there is Chat Noir 🖤).

🐉In my House of the Dragon era 🖤: Like many people, I was also terribly disappointed with the horrible ending of Game of Thrones, but I really loved Fire and Blood when I read it in 2020... so I decided to give the serie a chance when I saw the first trailer... and I don't regret it! 🥳. I liked Daemon and Rhaenyra so much in the book and absolutely loved them in the TV Show! (Matt and Emma are incredible! ❣️). Another character that I loved in the book and the one I always wanted to know more about was Jacaerys Velaryon and I must say that I am very pleased with the choice of Harry Collett 😍 (oh yeah baby! 🔥).

I really hope that the directors and writers do justice to this wonderful crown prince! 🥰, because for me he is already one of my favorite characters of all time! ❣️.

🎥 Favorite Movies: Troy 2004 (did I mention I'm a Greek mythology lover?), the Star Wars saga 💫 (1-6 only), The Great Gatsby, A Walk to Remember, Harry Potter 🪄 (books and movies), The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Hobbit trilogy, The Hunger Games saga ❣️(books and movies), The Twilight saga 😊 (books and movies).

I love Studio Ghibli movies with all my heart 💗 since my dad bought me the movie of Kiki Delivery Service when I was a 6-year-old little girl.

I love everything Disney and Pixar does 💗😘. (think of the happiest things, It's the same as having wings! 🎶)

🎧 Music: I have a very varied taste in music, some would say strange 😅, but if I like the rhythm and lyrics of the song I will surely add it to my playlist (mainly I like rock), AC / DC, Queen, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Linkin Park, Evanescence, Within Temptation, Imagine Dragons, Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Lana del Rey, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. I enjoy classical music too 🩷.

⭐ Something more about me: I am an inveterate dreamer and extremely perfectionist. I express myself better by writing than talking 😚.

I haven't drawn anything in almost 5 years and when I did I used to draw with traditional media (watercolor, charcoal, colored pencils, gouche and acrylic paints 🖌️).

But since October (from last year), when I saw Harry Collett as Prince Jacaerys, I felt a desire to draw that I hadn't felt in a long time ❣️.

This is my first time trying to draw in digital media, I hope you like what you see! 😘 (YouTube tutorials don't fail me now! 😭). I spent the whole summer practicing🥺.

P.S: Sorry if exist some error, the english is not my firts lenguage.

[timmymyluv]

act seven.

of the let others wage war series

romanov prince! timothée chalamet x princess!reader

series masterlist

main masterlist

summary: minnie begins to navigate the world of the royal court in saint petersburg, and realizes the complex social structure she will become part of.

warning(s): mentions of sex, infidelity, description of women’s bodies/archaic, ancient sexist views on sex/ women’s roles in society

word count: 2.8k

“Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one’s life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one’s side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music, perhaps . . . perhaps . . . love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath.”

― L.M. Montgomery

It scared you- this feeling of neediness, struggling to breathe, like your ribcage closing in yourself, head spinning, your surroundings in a dizzy blur when it came to Timothee, but you did not know how to fathom it. 

“Have I done anything to upset you, my dearest?” Timothee whispers to you against the bustling crowd of a banquet of nobility and diplomats who have gathered in the ball on your behalf. He notices your lack of appetite, restless and yearning into space as you toyed with your utensils against the coral plate. 

You slam your fist against the table accidentally, causing him to flinch away from your direction and curious, concerned eyes from the crowd already observing you. “You have not, my dear prince. I was only deep in thought about..about you, about us, about what this marriage will entail for us.” You shake your head to quell everyone’s worries. 

As Timothee gives you a hesitant glance before leaving the issue alone, you begin to familiarize yourself with the names and families that would become essential to your social circle. You had been given pamphlets and booklets of family trees, in barely translated Danish from incomprehensive Russian cyrillic, scarce of photos sans a handful of carte de visites from the immediate Imperial House of the Romanovs. 

Down the short escalade of stairs in the banquet hall that separated the engaged couple from the crowd,  a figure would not miss sat his younger brother by only a year, Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich, a young man of much larger, bulkier build than his slender elder brother, yet from where you sat, there were angles as he sloshed around that reminded him of Timothee. 

Having consumed several drinks early in the night already, he already lost his cotton cravat, unbuttoned the first few buttons from his neck down to his sternum, stained with the sauces and creams of the main course long forgotten. Absinthe, vodka in hand, he loosened up from his seemingly impatient, frustrated form to a loose disarray. 

Back home such an act would have embarrassed you tremendously, even second hand, yet such rowdy behaviour only influenced and encouraged the young aristocrats in the assembly hall, as forgotten plates cooled down as they gathered in the centre of the wooden ballroom, leaving the lush, bright red carpets against your feet. 

What surprised you the most was seeing Alexander, or Sasha or even Pug as only Timmy would affectionately refer him as, grab a handful of silverware into his large hands before carelessly bending and breaking them to the amusement of his cohort. 

Crowds no longer gasped in bewilderment as you did, numbed by his regular demeanor as a normal expectation from the second-in-line to the Russian throne. 

“Sasha has always done tricks like this, Your Royal Highness.” You and your fiance both look up suddenly to a blonde young woman with her curls tucked loosely on the side of her ears before descending into an elaborate braid locked with an azure satin ribbon.  

“Mashka, there is no need to shock my future bride with such information without warning. Minnie, this is my youngest sister the Grand Duchess Her Imperial Highness Maria Alexandrovna. My wife-to-be is Her Royal Highness Princess Dagmar of Denmark. ” Timmy smiles fondly with wrinkles crinkling along his eyes and his teeth baring. 

Mashka nods her head in acknowledgement with an inscrutable expression, guarded off and rather haughty for someone of her early age and petite frame. Yet what she lacked in size, she made up with her presence, an arched nose, thin lips, an oval face and slender cheekbones, it was clear she was adored by those around her, and she thrived in that attention. 

“Your only sister in fact, Timmy.  It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Dagmar. I look forward to having you here at Saint Petersburg.” 

“As do I, Your Imperial Highness.” 

Content with your brief introduction and refer to her royal title, Mashka saunters away cheerily, holding her skirts and dragging them across the floor before she makes her way beside her father. 

Playing with the vegetables on your plate with your utensils, eavesdropping subtly on what members of the court thought of you, you broke out of your trance and could not help but eye a young, petite blonde woman with fine features and a lithe frame hovering close- too close even- around the Tsar.

Although Tsar Alexander II sat next to his wife, maintaining proper appearances, they exchanged no words sans sparse glances. Alexander would entertain any guest that came his way cordially, and would spoil his daughter with pinches of the cheek and kisses on her forehead, but what you saw- you could not ignore. 

Whenever they thought everyone was too distracted to notice, you glimpsed the brief, yet sultry, furtive glances between the young woman and the emperor, as the earlier posed strategically that would accentuate her bosom. You could not help but scoff at the sight. 

Flashes of anger reminded you of the previous King of Denmark who your father succeeded, who had no legitimate heirs and absconded organically with a former courtesan, causing so much scandal that your family refused to be in the same room as the commoner wife. 

Perhaps men were bound to the same temptations of the flesh no matter what realm they occupied. 

…

On the fortnight of the Ritual of the Ice near the Neva River, the chills had gotten your betrothed ill, and he was under strict instructions from his doctor to rest and sleep through the morning while on heavy doses of medication before he would return to the full swings of court season. 

It pained you for having to be paired along to dance and be entertained by his younger brother Alexander, who refused to utter a single word nor even a glance in her direction. Once asked to dance for a single waltz, you knew he was only doing it out of politeness and could not stand to even look you in the eye, frequently tripping over your own feet even if he was twice your size and made out of pure muscle. 

No guests other than Timothee’s physician, an army of nurses and servants were allowed into his chambers, yet you had snuck into the kitchen much to the horror of the sweat stained, exhausted cooks when you requested for a bowl of your favourite Danish concoction and soup that was given to those weak and under the weather. 

Dropped off by his doorstep with a handwritten note and a bunch of flowers on a vase, you made sure a servant was able to obtain it and shut the door without recognizing your presence before you gracefully glided down the stairs back to your chambers. 

Lit candle in hand as you tucked in your hooded cloak closer over your face, pushing your lace bonnet forward making your way back, wne you could not help but overhear and eavesdrop into the hushed whispers of the maids and ladies in waiting that scattered throughout the corridors.  

  Baundy, raunchy gossip and graphic descriptions of romps in the sheets, current affairs and entanglements between staffs across all departments, that Sasha was spotted leaving one of his mother’s own ladies in waiting the night prior, or that the Tsar spent nights in his bedroom with a lady named Princess Catherine Dolgorukova, a former ward entrusted to him for her education after being orphaned who was now sharing his living quarters. 

 Ignoring the tightness in your chest, you refused to leave, scooping for any information about your future husband, what he was truly like here in his homeland but nothing to your alarm. 

Stepping away to leave and return to your bedroom, your attention was piqued on the mention of his name, alongside a lady named Princess Tatiana Maximillianova of Leuchtenberg, a grand-niece of Napoleon himself and you nearly caught your breath. 

Although nothing scandalous, they discussed how a certain faction of court willed the future Tsarina be of Russian extraction, from a minor cadet branch rather than a traditional royal princess overseas or grand duchess. Ever gracious, Timothee entertained a dance not to alienate such parties, yet his rejection of a proposal or lack thereof of such left Tatiana heartbroken and devastated. 

Perhaps men are all the same. And he is no exception.  

…

In between your numerous lessons, you managed to sneak some time in the library in solitude for some of your own personal reading before dinner with your betrothed and his immediate family. 

Hours of protocol, language lessons, duties and responsibilities had started to blur as the day went by, but you could not take your mind off an unrelated yet more pressing matter that you felt was not addressed. 

Slipping between the books unrecognized, you ensure the coast is clear in the uninhabited aisles towards the clandestine section on the arts of physical attraction, and of love making. 

Oh you already know how red Alix would be if she found out what you were doing! And mother would pass out in shame in thinking of you surrounding such a scandalous topic. 

Purposely deceived as obscure fiction books with humdrum, worn out covers, your eyes widen at the graphic descriptions of positions between a man and a woman, or perhaps men or women with the same gender, on how to caress, feel, touch, gauge preferences and tailor it to your liking.

Would he appreciate your body? You are not tall or lithe like your maternal family, but would your full, round breasts be to his liking? The curves and bends of your imperfect body, your petite frame? 

Brushing your fingers against the rough pages as you unravel word by word for what engrosses you for hours, taking a mental note as there was no chance for you to write anything down with ink before gossip would scatter among high society.

Tucking the book back between dusty shelves in your best attempt to make it appear as if you had never picked it up or been sauntering around. You stroll around, with the lace on your hem dragging on the cold marble floor as if it were a normal thing. 

Fiddling, anxious fingers hidden behind your back, your eyes are too drawn to the floor until you collide unceremoniously with a broad, muscled chest dressed in fine silks and cotton. Glancing upwards, you face the relieved, yet bloodshot and worried eyes of your betrothed Timothee. 

   “Minnie, I have been looking all over the palace for you.” His large palms rest on your shoulders, sinking in as if he needed validation in your touch, your flesh that you existed before him. 

Stiffening in discomfort around him, you wordlessly curtsey before flashing a warm smile to brush off any suspicions. 

“My love, I apologize for having worried you. I had just picked up a book from a shelf and could not put it down.” Your eyes dart around his beautiful, gorgeous face, oh his face- the face you cannot resist. The face, the boy, the man that will hurt you so much if you let him. 

Taking your hands in his, he meets his hazel eyes with yours, and a frown blossoms. “I have barely seen you since you arrived. Have you been avoiding me on purpose?” 

“Of course, I would not. You have just been frightfully ill that it does no good for my nerves, and preparations with tutors have taken so much of my time.” 

“I apologize that my frail health had made you so agitated, when I should be the one comforting you, protecting you.” 

Leaving a gentle peck on your forehead, you feel his soft lips against your skin as you tightly embrace your arms around his back, leaning your face against his torso. Breathing in his scent, his warmth- this is the man in the strange world you are about to call your own.  

Would you be enough to fill his desires? Would you be enough before he would stray to another? 

…

Chatter and cachinnation fills the artfully decorated living room, painted in the faintest pastel and creams tailored to the delicate feminine touch. Only fitting for the ladies of the court of the Tsarina, her ladies in waiting and assemblage of maids. 

You had warmed up and taken a liking to the cohort easily, quickly remembering their names, their quirks, their ranks, their families, their husbands, children and started to get a sense of the invisible, yet tangible web that was woven intricately among them. 

Sitting beside the Empress and surrounded by Timothee’s sister Marie, you had begun to familiarize yourself with potential ladies in waiting who would be included in your court and be part of your closest circle. 

Grand Duke Konstantine Nikolevich’s daughters Olga and Xenia entered the room in unison, fashionably dressed and with perfect manners and etiquette. Behind them followed Princess Tatiana Maximillianova of Leuchtenburg, the Tatiana you have heard murmurs about, and you refuse to show a frown or imagine her with your future husband.  

Tatiana’s gorgeous curls, her effortless yet dainty laugh, the fit of her dress to her shapely figure and ocean blue cerulean eyes make it no contest that her beauty would make her worthy of being an Empress, and the pit of jealousy in your stomach stirs within you. This is like being second fiddle to Alix all the time, being an afterthought, a leftover choice when Alix was preoccupied or already promised to another. 

Lady Jessica patiently explains to you the customs and order of precedence required between the court ladies, the distinctions if it was only in a room of the women, the adjustments when surrounded by men in a complete court, a husband of among the women around them, and you feverishly noted everything as you were sure you were to forget certain things otherwise. 

Gallivanting around the gardens before the sun sets and preparations for dinner begin, you walk with your arms linked with the Queen, in wistful conversation before she notices how you are less upbeat and talkative than usual.

“What worries you, my child. You have been unlike yourself. What we speak between us will remain in confidence, so pray tell.” 

You sigh, tears welling in your eyes that you wipe off, bile caught in your throat. Initially refusing to speak or worry her, you reply knowing she will not leave until you have spoken the truth. 

“I am fearful that Timothee may find comfort in another when we are wed. That I am not sufficient for him when his affections for me run out, that I will face the shame of his infidelity yet I cannot do anything about. 

The Empress frowns in agitation, sitting you down to the wooden bench in front of a flourishing, carved fountain, its flowing splashes hitting your tears like a symphony. She cradles you in her arms, seeing a glimpse of her younger self in you and her chest tightens.  

“A Romanov will always have straying eyes, my darling. I did not wish to tell you this before your betrothal but to lie to you is a disservice. No matter what you do or who you are, he will find warmth in another. He is like a wild animal, always roaming around waiting for their next hunt, their prey.” 

“But Timothee, he has fancied other young princesses before but what he has for you - it is like for another. He would give his life for you, he refused to take anyone else for a bride. That if you did not accept his hand in marriage, he would not marry at all, no matter our protests. “

“He has seen what my husband, the Tsar- yes the rumours are true, he has found a paramour, whose chambers he visits more than another, like the Romanov men before him. But you and Timothee, you will change this. I promise. His entire life I have ingrained this to him, that when he finds the woman he loves, he must be completely loyal to her, and have no other.”

Sniffling as you raise your head up to meet her eyes, the same eyes she shares with her son, and you burst into further tears as she wipes your tears with her thin, fragile fingers and soothes your worries.  

Unaware to both of you, gandering between the maze of manicured gardens, was Sasha. He is overwhelmingly moved by your torment, unable to witness you so distraught, so upset, all the joy and life drained from you. He hesitates to approach you, yet he changes his mind and returns surreptitiously to his living quarters. 

…

taglist: 

@blackqueenstarseed1 @softhecreator @ohmysw33 @imnotoverlyobsessive @mondieumat @chanotel @starberry-cake @timotheel0ver @chalametsimp @hellomadamebutterfly @themonsterheloved @chal-latte @s-we-e-t-t-ea @zelleriz @strawberriescherrieskiwi @fangirl125reader @xoxoloverb @us3rd1stort1on @thebetawolfgirl @chelseamendes99 @yomidebby @esmaada @princessandtheflea @thestarsaregivenonceonly @meetmyothersouls

[luimagines]

Welp, first ask in here. How do you do today?

Seeing all the Demigod Reader asks for some reason has me thinking of a whole nother series related to Greek Mythology that I feel would be a riot to clash with the Chain: Saint Seiya.

I have no idea how many people know or remember the series, but it's about a bunch of knights with the ability to use this supernatural energy called Cosmos to wield armors based off different constellations and Greek myths, like say Sagittarius, Andromeda, Scylla, Griffon etc, each armor has it's own thing and techniques going on depending on the Zodiac and there can be both Amazon's (female knights who wear masks and who mustn't let any man see their face, because then they either have to love him or kill him), Zodiac Knights (who serve and protect under Athena, who's basically pulling a Hylia by having a mortal vessel to do stuff on earth after the time or mythology, they wear armors or Cloths as they're called based on the 88 constellations and are divided by Bronze, Silver and Gold Cloths, gold being the Zodiac itself), Marina (Who serve under Poseidon ane Thetis, who wear armor based on an assortment of Greek Myths related to the sea like Scylla and Charybdis), and Specters (who serve under Hades and Persephone, who recently have taken to pulling a Demise, the specter armors actually vary a lot and when you die and swear yourself to Hades after having served another deity you can still use a dark reflection/imitation of the Cloth you already bore).

Most Zodiac Knights are sworn not to use weapons (unless they're special exceptions like Sagittarius, Andromeda, and technically Libra), so they each create unique techniques to be able to fight, say Aquarius uses ice and can trap someone into coffins made out of absolute zero ice, Pisces Knights use poisoned roses or some times have their own poisoned blood as a weapon (or the white rose who drains the blood out of a person's entire body) etc, and each knight has a different specialty plus the Cloths are actually sentient, like Fi sentient, they have to choose you to allow you to use them, they can protect you and they can die if sustaining enough damage (ex: the Andromeda Chain can actually move on it's own to point danger to it's knight, or reach without their input when in defense mode and it senses a threat, or this one moment in the anime where the Sagittarius armor moves on it's inactive mode to shield a Knight they know has potential to wield it).

I don't know why, but I think it would be hilarious for the Chain to meet a Sagittarius Knight/Amazon Reader who got Isekaied, because the Sagittarius Cloth arrows are special in that they can work like Light Arrows but to a much more destructive scale and technically Reader ain't fighting against humans so they can go HAM using them, and Light Arrows are usually reserved for the Links and Zeldas, imagine the confusion as they find this random armored person in the woods, surrounded by enemies, and they just shoot up into the sky in golden wings, draw a golden bow and carpet bomb the enemies with Light Arrows until the area is all but torn apart, I can just FEEL the questions. And the confusion if Sky pipes up that Fi is confused because the entire armor/equipment feels like her. Or an Aries Cloth user since they're usually the ones who make the cloth repairs who'll just get immediately accosted by Four and Legend, either way there's a lot of potential any of the Links to either get along or be incredibly confused but intrigued. Specially once Reader reveals they don't actually use weapons in the traditional sense at all, just their body and different techniques to fight (Wild offers to temporarily lend them a weapon until they can get their own so they don't only use a bow and Reader just gives him the Disappointed Knight Commander Look if they're a Gold Cloth user, plain refusing, Reader trying to explain why the bow/Andromeda Chain (an exclusive Bronze Knight weapon)/Libra Scales Armory (each part of the scales in the Libra Armor can turn into twelve weapons) is different because it's technically part of the armor and was used under extenuating circumstances and not against humans, because it's how they were trained, making in turn Time and Warriors intrigued). I don't know I just feel like there's potential for many hijinks there.

I have no clue what any of this is- and I think I'm a little lost, but man this sounds like such a well thought out universe!

I agree, there's plenty of wiggle room for hijinks. There's always room for shenanigans with Link around. >:D

That being said, I think any soldier would gravitate more towards Warrior and Wild since they would have "similar" background. Time is a hit or miss but he gets the premise of it.

But you know that Four would want to learn all the weapons that Reader has and how they use them! Wild too! But I think Four would to know how they work more than wanted to just learn how to use them or see them in action.

[rosavulpes]

Knight of Beauty : Pisces Albafica " Bloody Rose "

OOC : Some ideas I've been brainstorming during the day and I wanted to share / get some feedback on before heading off to bed .

Origins :

( A lot of this I'm just spit ballin' but also using some of Albafica's canon from Saint Seiya the Lost Canvas )

As a means of countering The Swarm , and Tayzzyronth . The Knights of Beauty cultivated the idea of creating a botanical poison so powerful that any of the Swarm's legion that came into contact with it would die from it almost instantly .

Following Idrila's philosophy of beauty , a single knight was chosen to carry said poison within them . Specifically within their bloodstream , as a means of ensuring the poison , which ended up being successful could not be used in ways not originally intended since it always resided within just one Knight .

Less of a risk as this would be after the IPC's genocidal test of the Imaginary impulse Bomb .

Due to the nature of the poison , this meant that the Knight in question would also be essentially sacrificing themselves for the good of all others as they needed to totally self isolate to prevent any innocents from falling ill to it .

They needed to be someone whose heart was " pure " in that they'd be willing to make such a " beautiful " sacrifice .

Albafica was found as an infant laying among the fields of poison's roses . Assumed dead at first but mysteriously showing immunity to the roses's deadly scent . Considered to be a divine sign from Idrila that he was to be the next one to carry the mantle of Bloody Rose .

He was adopted, and raised by the former Bloody Rose Knight , Lugonis .

Albafica was brought up on the teachings of Idrila by his master , and underwent the " Red Ribbon Ceremony " in which the poison in Albafica's blood was strengthened by coming into contact with Lugonis's . They each exchange one drop of blood with the other in the form of a small cut , until eventually the poison in Albafica's blood overwhelmed Lugonis's .

Personality & Beliefs :

Albafica follows Idrila's path , but resents that his mentor whom he viewed as his father , had to die in order to see the mantle passed down to him .

( To make the use of icons easier ) Wears his former teacher's set of fully body Golden Armor meant to completely cover his body as a safeguard for anyone around him .

Actively traverses the Universe of Star Rail . Seeking out the Swarm in particular , and may travel with other Knights such as Argenti from time to time .

Hates being called beautiful as he views his roses , and himself by extension general as a weapon of Idrila . Meant to kill , not to be admired . Reluctant to allow anyone to touch him out of fear of accidentally poisoning them through physical contact which his master always stressed to him was crucial .

Abilities :

Can make use of , and summon a variety of plants that all carry his poisonous blood with them to use as living weapons .

If wounded , can convert his blood into an aerosol gas , or converted them into needles that can be directly injected into the opponent .

His poison can have a wide array of effects due to it's potency , but the main aspect is his victim losing all five of their senses , and dying shortly afterwards .

Can conjure a variety of roses that can serve different purposes in combat .

[dailydoseofdragon]

Dragon Calendar and Request Log

Feel Free to Request anything or send in an ask! I’m always happy to talk =}

All non dragons are tagged treasure trove.

January - 31/31

Old Year 🐉

Birth Month 🐉

Zodiac 🐉

Rat 🐉

Ox 🐉

Tiger 🐉

Rabbit 🐉

Snake 🐉

Horse 🐉

Goat 🐉

Monkey 🐉

Rooster 🐉

Dog 🐉

Pig 🐉

Ballon Dragon 🐉

Abstract 🐉

Maleficent 🐉

Continuous Line 🐉

Wanted Poster🐉

Tuxedo 🐉

Hug🐉

Warmth 🐉

Story Book 🐉

Message 🐉

Library 🐉

Taxi 🐉

Lego🐉

Daisy 🐉

Rattlesnake 🐉

Long 🐉

Monarch Butterfly 🐉

February - 29/29

Birth Month 🐉

Zodiac 🐉

Skywing🐉

Nightwing 🐉

Sandwing 🐉

Mudwing🐉

Icewing 🐉

Rainwing🐉

Seawing🐉

Hivewing 🐉

Silkwing 🐉

Leafwing 🐉

Hybridwing 🐉

Valentines 🐉

Discount Chocolate 🐉

Snatch 🐉

Rose 🐉

Animation 🐉

Tug a War 🐉

Seal 🐉

Avatar the Last Airbender 🐉

Wood Puppet 🐉

Peach Blossom 🐉

Alone 🐉

Pencil 🐉

Crayon 🐉

Charizard 🐉

Animation Blue🐉

Leap Year!🐉

March (How to Train Your Dragon Month) - 31/31

Birth Month 🐉

Zodiac🐉

Toothless 🐉

Stormfly🐉

Hookfang 🐉

Barf and Belch 🐉

Meatlug 🐉

Timberjack 🐉

Whispering Death 🐉

Buffalord 🐉

Deathsong 🐉

Changewing 🐉

Hobgobbler 🐉

Skrill 🐉

Hotburple 🐉

Lycanwing 🐉

Saint Patrick’s / Clover (Request)🐉

Flightmare 🐉

Fireworm 🐉

Nightterror 🐉

Green/Red Death🐉

Razor Whip🐉

Scauldron🐉

Sea Shocker 🐉

Sentinel 🐉

Slither Wing 🐉

Speed Stinger 🐉

Terrible Terror 🐉

Triple Strike 🐉

Book Toothless🐉

Easter🐉

April

April Fools Day🐉

Birth Month🐉

Zodiac 🐉

404 Day 🐉

Dandelion 🐉

Rainbow 🐉

Spyro 🐉

Peeps 🐉

Unicorn 🐉

Siblings 🐉

Dragon on a String🐉

Atmosphere🐉

Spike My Little Pony 🐉

Pumpkin Roll (Animated) 🐉

Hiram McDaniels 🐉

Old Drawing + New One 🐉

Stuffie 🐉

Pinata 🐉

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice 🐉

Look Alike Day🐉

Teacup (Request)🐉

Earth Day🐉

Slay a Dragon Day🐉

Scream (Animated) 🐉

Toothbrush (Request)🐉

Space🐉

10 Minutes 🐉

May

Birth Month

Zodiac

Hydra

Star Wars

-

-

Resident Evil

to 13 -

14. Lofi (Maybe Animated)

15. Cookie

16. -

17. Ender Dragon

18.

19.

20. Bee Dragon

21. To 27. -

28. Magic

29. To 31.

June (Pride)

Birth Month

Zodiac

Gay

Lesbian

Pansexual

Nonbinary

Bisexual

Asexual

Transexual

Aromantic

Genderfluid

Gender Queer

Demi Boy

Demi Girl

Polyamory

Pride Flag

Agender (Request)

Intersex (Request)

to 30. (Please send any more you would like!)

July (Disability Month)

Birth Month

Zodiac

Service Dog

Hard of Hearing (Request)

Terezi Homestuck (Request)

Oracle DC

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock ||| HTTYD (Request)

to 27. (Please send any you would like!)

28. Yang Xiao Long RWBY

29. To 31. -

August

Birth Month

Zodiac

Red (Animated)

Freddy Fazbear

Foxy

Chica

Bonnie

Golden Freddy

William Afton

Vanny

Dragon Fruit (Request)

Strawberry (Request)

Pineapple (Request)

Banana (Request)

Orange (Request)

Kiwi (Request)

Watermelon (Request)

Gold of Light RWBY

God of Dark RWBY

Wyvern RWBY

Sea Feilong RWBY

to 31. -

September

Birth Month

Jurassic Park

Zodiac

to 30. -

October (SPOOKY MONTH)

Birth Month

Zodiac

Pumpkin

Zombie

Skeleton

Vampire

Swampy

Sighting

Witch

Mothman

Cavern Merlin

Infected

Ghost

Doll

Scarecrow

Fire

Clown

Reaper

Mummy

Frankenstein’s Monster

Angel

Demon

Bat

Horns

Monochrome

Bone

Moon

Fog

Glow

Plant

Rat King

November

Birth Month

Day of the Dead

Zodiac

to 27. -

28. Thanksgiving

29. -

30. -

December

Birth Month

Zodiac

to 24. -

25. Christmas

26. Hanukkah

27. -

28. The Knight

29. Found

30. Battle 31. The New Year

[magical-boy-bracket]

The 2nd round will be starting soon! (Hopefully on Wednesday, but I'll warn you guys if I end up needing to delay it. Losers' bracket will begin first at 3 AM GMT, and then winners' bracket will start 12 hours later at 3 PM GMT.)

Since the match that would determine Antonio Garcia's opponent ended on a tie, he will progress automatically into the next round.

Feel free to tell me if you spot any mistakes.

Text version under the cut. (Didn't split into sections this time, since that seems to have confused some people for the 1st round. Source names aren't included here this time, but they will be included on the poll posts themselves.)

Losers' Bracket:

Akito Hibino / Lofty Purple VS Hojo Omamori

Ikuto Tsukiyomi VS Natsuki Nanahoshi

Ren Amamiya / Joker VS Idia Shroud

Kaito Hinomiya VS Sougo Tokiwa / Kamen Rider Zi-O

Asahi Minamikawa VS Erio Mondial

Chiaki Nagoya / Kaitou Sinbad VS Kairi Sanjo

Mahad / Dark Magician VS Pegasus Seiya

Shuu Rei Fuan VS Ben Tennyson

Akihiko Beppu / Melty Luna VS Atsushi Kinugawa / Battle Lover Epinard

Gora Hakone / Maximum Gorar VS Ibushi Arima / Chevalier Argent

Furanui de Shakin Honyalala VS Ichiro Dougo / Spazio Kiss

Maasa Shirahone / Ritter Amethyst VS Ryouma Kirishima / Stella Kiss

Taiju Unazuki / Ritter Rosenquartz VS Callum

Martin Kratt VS Farran

Sinedd VS Jack Frost

Mephisto VS Sulfus

Lucas VS Arthur Aguefort

Whitney Jammer VS Carter Kane

Perseus Jackson VS Basil Caraway

Sage VS Kento Fukamiya / Kamen Rider Espada

Hikaru / Holy Saint Sungel VS Xander Bly / Green Mystic Ranger

Chip Thorn / Yellow Mystic Ranger VS Lucky / Shishi Red

Antonio Garcia / Golden Power Ranger

Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader VS Ata Ibusuki / Ritter Diamant

Jyuka Mutsuoka VS Sirius Tenroin

Takara Utashiro VS Ezra Bridger

Magnus Chase VS Kosuke Nitoh / Kamen Rider Beast

Tetsuo Daishinji / Kamen Rider Slash VS John Constantine

Kinshiro Kusatsu / Chevalier Aurite VS Uruu Seiren

Yakumo Katou / AoNinja VS Henri Wakamiya / Cure Infini

Steven Universe VS Max Owen

Kouta Kazuraba / Kamen Rider Gaim VS Tsubasa Yuunagi / Cure Wing

Winners' Bracket:

Aoi Shibuya VS Kazuki Yasaka

Nagihiko Fujisaki VS Masayoshi Hazama / Samurai Flamenco

Jake Long VS Tsuyoshi Kijino / Kijibrother

Kikyou / Fragrant Rose VS Alice Asmodeus

Kaito Odagiri / Thrilling Pink VS Chrono Harlaown

Jotaro Kujo VS Tadase Hotori

Mem Mem VS Andromeda Shun

Orion Eden VS Vanitas

Akoya Gero / Chevalier Perlite VS En Yufuin / Battle Lover Cerulean

Haruhiko Beppu / Salty Sol VS Io Naruko / Battle Lover Sulfur

Ryuu Zaou / Battle Lover Vesta VS Karurusu de Yutari Honyalala

Kyotarou Shuzenji / Fiore Kiss VS Nanao Wakura / Luna Kiss

Taishi Manza / Neve Kiss VS Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom

Chris Kratt VS Gus Porter

Guy Hamdon / SheZow VS Prince Adam / He-Man

Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon VS Zuko

Link VS Evan Kelmp

Kingston Brown VS Billy Batson / Shazam

Nico di Angelo VS Anselmo Flores / White Knight Heather

Reo Menezes VS Sara / Adora Flora

Kai Ozu / MagiRed VS Makito Ozu / MagiGreen

Tsubasa Ozu / MagiYellow VS Juuru Atsuta / Kiramai Red

Kaito Goshikida / Zenkaizer VS Stacey / Stacaeser VS Sonoi

Mamoru Chiba / Tuxedo Mask VS Blue Knight

Homura Hoterase VS Ranmaru Ai

Kukai Soma VS Shigeo Kageyama (Mob)

Gentarou Kisaragi / Kamen Rider Fourze VS Ryotaro Nogami / Kamen Rider Den-O

Touma Kamiyama / Kamen Rider Saber VS Merlin

Yumoto Hakone / Battle Lover Scarlet VS Adrien Agreste / Chat Noir

Liam Farrow / Emerald Heart VS Pikario / Rio Kuroki

Takumi Shinada / Black Pepper VS Alex Harvey-Iniguez / Garnet Heart

Haruto Soma / Kamen Rider Wizard VS Syaoran Li

[agent-yolk]

the college of saint rose, which was down the street from my alma mater, is closing. i may have pilfered through the bookstore and apparel store since its payday. they may not have anymore sweatshirts in my size, but I got an alumni shirt and a dad shirt. whos gonna check I'm not a golden knights dad

[leagueofgardens]

Assault Lily: New Chapter — "At the Seeds' Frontier" | "When the Bugle Blooms"

This upcoming stage play in December is Assault Lily's first double feature.

The official website (in Japanese of course) is here.

"When the Bugle Blooms" — Oshima Offshore Nest Investigation Team chapter

TL Note: Bugles are a kind of flower, sometimes considered a weed. This specific species, Ajuga decumbens ("kiransou" in Japanese), is not well known outside Asia.

After four Huge Nests suddenly appear near the island of Izu Oshima, the Gardens of Tokyo decide to secretly assemble an "Oshima Offshore Nest Investigation Team" to simultaneously destroy the Nests and investigate a closed GEHENA research facility on Oshima, which they suspect relates to the recent sightings of abnormal Huge in the Tokyo area.

Cast and Character List

Team Hitotsuyanagi, Yurigaoka Girls' Academy

Izawa Mikako as "Yurigaoka's Beau Idéal" Kaede Johan Nouvel

Nishimoto Rimi as "Yurigaoka Lily Newspaper Chief" Futagawa Fumi

Legion Hronesnæsse, Odaiba Girls' School

Ishii Haruna as "Priestess of the Trance" Funada Kiito

Saiba Mizuki as "The White Witch of Odaiba" Funada Ui Saiba Mizuki hasn't posted a visual yet; this is an old one from TSA.

Nomoto Sora as "The Lady-Tengu of Kurama" Shiba Tomoshibi

Legion Ironside, Ludvico Private Girls' Academy

Nakamura Yukari as "La Pucelle" Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie Nakamura Yukari hasn't posted a visual yet; this is an old one from the Ludvico plays.

Nakagawa Rika as "The White Rose Princess" Kishimoto Lucia Raimu

Hoshimori Sana as "Knight of the White Rose" Amamiya Sophia Seren

Legion Hakolberand, Irma Girls' High School for the Arts

Sasaki Yukari as "The Empress of Hakolberand" Kamigoori Marimo

Kitazawa Saki as "The Priestess of Irminsul" Ueda Imari Kitazawa Saki hasn't posted a visual yet; this is an old one from TGoD.

Herensuge Girls' Academy

Fujii Ayaka as Aizawa Kazuha (Legion Hervor) Fujii Ayaka hasn't posted a visual yet; this is an old one from LoG. Also, yes, Kazuha is the only Lily without an epithet.

Tamegai Hana as "Xana" Matsumura Fuuka (Legion Cuélebre)

Ryuto Girls' Academy

Mutou Shiori as "The CHARM Meister" Amatsu Marei (Legion Himinglæva)

Instructor

Onose Mirai as "Professor" Nakagawa Mary Tomoyo

"At the Seeds' Frontier" — Legion Sanngriðr chapter

After four Huge Nests suddenly appear near the island of Izu Oshima, Yurigaoka decides to dispatch Legions Álfheimr and Sanngriðr on an emergency expedition to destroy the Nests and secure the Kamakura shoreline before they launch their expedition to recapture Koshu.

Cast and Character List

Legion Sanngriðr

Oomori Rio as "The Uncontrollable Lily" Kondo Misaka

Makiura Itsuki as "Lys Noire" Hasebe Touka

Sonohara Arisa as "Golden Wolf" Luise Ingels

Shiraishi Mayumi as "Iocheaera" Murakami Tokiwa Also notable for her role as Suzuki Chinami in the Odaiba plays.

Hamaura Ayano as "Jungfrau" Kiko Totori

Hayashida Mahiro as "The Sword-Saint of Yurigaoka" Imagawa Homare Also notable for her role as Hishida Haru in the Odaiba plays.

Itou Yui as "The Magician of Sanngriðr" Yamanashi Hibari

Hata Misaki as "The Wizard of Oz" Kurokawa Nady Hanna

Ootaki Saori as "Mad Dog" Seike Tomoyo Also notable for her role as Matsunaga Brigitta Kayo in the Ludvico plays.

Ando Chikana as "Tempest" Imai Seira Also notable for her role as Saigo Kurena in the Odaiba plays.

Flowers of the End

Hinaga Urara as Kinoe no Hana (The First Flower) Also notable for her role as Imamura Yukari in the Odaiba plays.

Tachibana Rii as Kinoto no Hana (The Second Flower) Makihara Yui as Hinoe no Hana (The Third Flower) Yazawa Rio as Hinoto no Hana (The Fourth Flower) Sanada Uruha as Tsuchinoe no Hana (The Fifth Flower) Udagawa Momoka as Tsuchinoto no Hana (The Sixth Flower) Hoshino Sae as Kanoe no Hana (The Seventh Flower) Inadama Honoka as Kanoto no Hana (The Eighth Flower) Suzuki Rina as Mizunoe no Hana (The Ninth Flower)

We don't know what any of these characters look like. I can't be entirely sure that this is how their names are pronounced either.

Former Yurigaoka Girls' Academy Instructor

Fujioka Sayaka as Kojima Nadeshiko

[amiablesummer]

romantisised asks challenge

hello to everyone, but particularly @stingrayextraordinaire who tagged me in this big but interesting challenge. Thank you so much! here we go…

1. if you were to have Hanahaki disease, what flowers would you cough up?

i'm gonna say blue hydrangeas

2. if someone were to catch Hanahaki disease for you, what flowers would they cough up?

pink roses or camellias

3. if you were any historic trope, what would you be? (i.e., the knight, the town baker, the witch of the forest, etc.)

I think I'd be the scribe writing down what heroic or ordinary deeds everyone else does. Ink on my hands, messy scribble, that's very me. Shut up in a room writing the past down, probably killed by the Vikings - at least i'd be remembered by the future readers of the scroll.

4. tell us about your ideal battle outfit.

i would definitely be wearing trousers. some cosy fitting armour, too, like Zoya’s dragon scale armour in Rule of Wolves that’s more like a second skin. nice and silver so it can catch the light. also with a cool cape like Eowyn’s in the Return of the King, an earthy tone, good for camaflaging. 

5. what would you be a goddess of and what would people sacrifice to you?

I would be a goddess of memory and nostalgia because that’s a big muse to me. People would probably sacrifice their childhood toys or clothes they don’t need to keep anymore. or maybe particularly bad memories.

6. name five iconic quotes that make you feel things.

“It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end, because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it'll shine out the clearer.” - Sam in the Two Towers movie

“The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don’t always spoil the good things and make them unimportant.” - Doctor Who, Vincent and the Doctor

"...We become like that on which our hearts are fixed. Whenever you go out of doors, draw the chin in, carry the crown of the head high. We are gods in the chrysalis.” — Elbert Hubbard, quoted in How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince

"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” - Albert Camus

7. scythe, battle axe, broad sword, spear, or trident?

broad sword

8. what combination of natural scents would you use as perfume?

rosewood, gardenia and musk 

9. ancient scrolls or leather-bound books?

Leather-bound books

10. describe yourself as if you were a storm.

a summery storm, the kind that’s not loud but just consistent, rumbling across the sky all day and night as you lie comfortable in bed, romanticising it from a distance. the kind of storm that brings the enlivening, miracle rain that makes the crops grow and people smile. if you’re right in the centre of it, you know it best, and you can see the warm light shining on the rain out your window.

11. what type of flower (other than a rose) would you offer someone you were trying to court?

baby’s breath are beautiful, paired with golden wattle. 

12. honey in milk or cinnamon in tea?

cinnamon in tea

13. cabin in the woods, apartment in the city, or mansion in the suburbs?

i wouldn't mind a mansion for a day, but cabin the woods sounds the most cosy. i don't much like cities.

14. curtains of beads or lace?

nice white lace

15. vocal or instrumental music?

instrumental while writing and reading, vocal for chores and travelling.

16. describe your ideal fantasy outfit.

i like dressing up in 1850s style middle-class skirts, with pantaloons and boots, that you can pick up the edges of and it trails behind you. with a pretty blouse and a hooded cloak, I would run around doing cottagecore errands all day. 

17. of all the fantasy races to ever exist, which one would you be?

whatever race that talking cats are part of, i’d like to be one of those. or quite possibly a hobbit.

18. hard candy, fruit preserves, or spice cake?

hard candy, i have a sweet tooth

19. show us a picture of your ideal crown.

20. tying your hair up using ribbon, yay or nay?

yes. channeling Zoya Nazyalensky with a dark blue velvet ribbon. However i seem to always need a hairtie underneath it to hold my hair.

21. an evening in the forest with elves, a night in the caves with vampires, or a morning in the garden with fae?

An evening in the forest with elves, like in the Fellowship of the Ring.

22. tell us, in detail, about a curse a witch would put on you.

It would be a curse of being separated from others. Loss is my worst fear. being invisible, perhaps, from the people in my life, or stuck in a tower alone. I do not like isolation. it would make me have to face the parts of myself that I don’t like, and i would have to be independent, not having someone to lean on or able to live in the background of their life. I would have to make my own life, and that terrifies me. it would hopefully make me end up much more confident, if a little insane. 

23. talking with sylphs or singing with nymphs?

Singing with nymphs. singing is fun

24. mint, rosemary, basil, or sage?

I love rosemary. mint tastes nice. Basil is good in bolognese, and sage is a pretty colour. But rosemary is the best. 

25. favorite childhood story? (doesn’t have to be a fairy tale)

A lot!! As a little girl my favourite fairy tales were Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty (aka the Disney movies). But my absolute favourite story was Robin Hood. I used to pretend to be him with a hat and everything, being the fox in the movie. I was haunted by The Nutcracker from seven years old. I cried over The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Anderson. I also remember loving Dick Wittington and His Cat.  My dad used to read me the Rainbow Magic books, and Milly-Molly-Mandy. As an older kid my favourites were Harry Potter, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. 

26. tell us about an experience you’ve had that seemed unreal or supernatural. (doesn’t have to be scary)

when i was a kid there was this book i was really scared of, about kids who go into one of those big water tanks and feel something in there in the dark that is uncanny. When I remembered the book, I kept seeing the water tank that's in my town - Every time I looked at the horizon there it was. Not scary as much as haunting. I found the book recently when I was at a spooky read-in at my cousin’s school. The weird thing was I had just been saying that we should read it. It turns up right when I’m thinking of it, that deep dark water. I have nightmares about the water too.  

27. would you rather have poison or healing ointment in your traveling pack?

I’d say healing ointment because I like to think I’m a good person, but also because there’s other ways you could harm people whereas there's not many that you could heal them with. 

28. tell us three sayings that you live by.

just take one step at a time.

where there's life, there's hope.

knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. (Aristotle) 

29. vials or mason jars?

Mason jars because they can fit a lot of useful things in them. 

30. describe your ideal masquerade ball outfit (mask included).

It would have to be red… I don’t get to wear red often. Long flowy sleeves that I could swish around when holding the mask stick up - it would be a mask with pointy edges and feathers. Maybe embroidered with animal designs. The skirt would have those sewn on too, with dark red undertones, almost purple. It would have lots of sequins, but not too heavy, and big enough to twirl in. I’d curl my hair and have jewels in it too. I’d like to be classy. 

31. splashing around in a river with mermaids or flying through the sky with harpies?

Splashing in a river with mermaids

32. what would you end up in the dungeon for?

Not doing things on time, or forgetting something important; i am chronically late. Or going against the status quo, if this is a totalitarian society - I hate following the masses. 

33. if you were a fairy, what color would your wings be?

i do love pink and green, but some gold in there would look lovely too. and pale blue. 

34. if you could have any magical item, what would it be?

This is really hard, but I’ve always wanted a bag like Mary Poppins’ or Hermione’s which is bigger on the inside. An actual TARDIS would be cool, but I like the thought of being able to fit a library and an art gallery into a portable thing. I do also want a time machine though. Or a portal. Or a fortune-telling mirror/bowl. 

35. what song would the bards sing about you when you passed by?

A mixture of the vibes of Bleeding Heart by Regina Spektor, Hand in my Pocket by Alanis Morisette, and These Days by Powderfinger. that's super specific, so otherwise just something about hopeless romanticism...

36. would you rather be a pirate or a king/queen?

If you’re Nikolai Lantsov, you can do both. As for me, a pirate because it would be much more fun - I’m not one for politics. I’d have to be less squeamish though. 

37. would you spend more time in the field of flowers, the tavern, the docks, or the marketplace?

I would lie in the field of flowers drawing all day. If I had to work, I’d choose the marketplace. And the docks for an evening stroll. 

38. would you have a painting of yourself?

yes if it was very particularly done, like in an impressionist style or something really personal.

39. what skill are you famous for?

Remembering dates, like birthdays, details from things that happened a long time ago, and random fun facts. 

40. if you could live any fairy tale, which one would you?

The best aesthetic goes to “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” but I would also like to be friends with Puss-in-Boots.

41. stained glass windows or fairy lights?

Stained glass windows 

42. what kind of snow globe would you live inside?

One with one of those pretty Christmas cabins and a big tree, and snow on the ground, maybe with some animals like a deer, a fox or some bunnies, and a bonfire (with snow on it...)

43. what animal would you be reincarnated as?

A domestic cat who sleeps in the sun all day, preferably in a bookshop. 

44. lost at sea or lost in space?

lost at sea, but with a boat. I’m scared of the sea, but space is so much worse - at least someone could come rescue you in the sea.

45. if you could have a scar in any shape, what would it be?

i think a heart shape would be very cute. 

46. what celestial body would you write a hymn to?

The Moon has that celestial elegance, and I would give anything to be able to go there for a day or two. It has that lonely, feminine, mystery about it... But also Saturn because I have always admired its rings. 

47. describe a potion you would brew, complete with ingredients and desired effect.

i would want to make a potion to create calmness that could help anxiety, so I would use some lemon balm, some lavender which would also make it smell nice, and chamomile. to be a real fantasy potion brewer i’d probably add some rose petals and moondust and mix it together with cocoa powder because it’s tasty and, of course, vanilla essence. that probably makes no sense but hey, i made it up.

48. flying ship or underwater home?

flying ship. i like flying and i think someone totally needs to invent a boat-like cruise airship that’s not as dangerous as a blimp, for me to relax in. and the sky isn’t as scary as the ocean. 

49. if you were a nature spirit, what season would you dwell in?

Summer, as per my url. I would sleep outside and walk on the beach, and blow the cool change breeze in the evening. very nostalgic.

50. if you could haunt any place as a ghost, what would it be?

I want to be amusing and say my old school, since it is very ghost-populated. it would be fun to turn the lights off every so often. But I would have to choose the old but pretty cafe that I live near, which used to be the gatehouse for the cemetery. It has a really lovely feel to it and it could do with an eerie presence, since it is in the cemetery. 

i don't know if anyone else loves fantasy but if anyone wants to do some or all of these questions please go ahead <3 <3 <3 @anouri @mourningintodancing @peachtreesinblossom @tunisian @l0velyjewel @unhingedballad

[ghostlys-basement]

Mort es.

er inferno cest.

welcome :) this is my basement, enjoy! Just a little introduction, this is my alt blog. My main one is @a-ghosts-wonderland on tumblr. I occasionally shitpost there, but I made this side one to reblog funny things and my intreasts.

Fav. Colour? Blue,golden yellow, daffodil yellow,butter milk yellow, purple, rose pink and cyan.

Art thing you use? My phone! I use my phone and a free app called sketchbook.

Hobbies? Writing, coding, videogame set design, 3d modeling, drawing, animating and making/repairing small things! (And science)

Current W.I.P's? I have a few! The 3rd (video game that was destroyed, so I have to remake it), Saints, Dreamspire, Spirits, secretum et stultitiam, revelatio vitae, Die karten sind raus, and the follow up, kortti kapinoi

ambitions? For my games and creations to get recognized! (Even if it is only a small group of people!) I also want to become a biomedical engineer, since I want to do something with medicine and engineering!

Fav. Food? Hmm. Enchiladas, soppipias, Dino nuggets, Cashews, twizzlers, hot coco, diet coke and strawberry fanta!

Fandoms? Hollow knight, Fnaf, game theory (yes I know it doesn't really count, but I'm intreasted In the lore of cardboard matpat and live action matpat!) Sims 4, minecraft, Chilla art, Fears to fathom, Percy Jackson, the forbidden library, skulduggery pleasents, mha, mha vigilantes and many more!

Religion? Im not comfortable saying, but I dont support the bad christians. By that I mean I don't support the ones who are hateful towards other religions, races, ethnicities, or physical/sexual orientation. If your one of those, GO AWAY! I'm part of the lgbtqia+ community. My friends and family are too. I don't support (or even like) you, and this blog is a safe place for other people who are lgbtqia+ too. I love to learn about other religions so please tell me about yours on my main blog!

Anything else? I'm a Aro/Ace who uses she/her pronouns, and this blog is lgbtqia+ safe! If you don't support this community, don't follow! Also, this blog is also Muslim, Jewish, and any other religion safe!

[weatheredpileoftomes]

moonkissed

For FFxivWrite2022 Day 18, a free day, written bc Day 16 reminded me that I’d meant to get back to Frydlona and Menphina when I wrote about Frydlona’s personal theological beliefs (6.0 spoilers). Frydlona/Exarch and past unrequited Frydlona/Haurchefant, ??? to Shadowbringers postgame, ~3000 words. Spoilers through 5.3, for dark knight jobquests through 70, and for Shadowbringers craftquests capstone; canonical character death, survivor’s guilt. (There’s an immediate sequel to this I leave as bait for another even later future me.)

Menphina’s blessings are as stubborn as the tides, if not as regular.

The mark of the Lover is in Coerthas, graven deep into one of the cairns Frydlona passes every time she returns to Haurchefant’s memorial. They placed it well.

She doesn’t know if that was one of his favorite spots only for the view of Ishgard. It is a lovely one, with the city rising up from the mists like a confection of towers, prettier yet at dawn or dusk with the harsh grey stone washed rose and golden. But perhaps he’d found it in the first place coming to the mark of the Lover to pray, and only come back after for the sights. She doesn’t know. She will never know. She has not the right to know.

The Heaven of Ice is not just for lovers, but for knights and heroes, the truest and purest of what Halone could have been. She can’t imagine Haurchefant anywhere else—he was all of those things, little as she’d welcomed it while it still could have mattered. And it must have been gentle Menphina to welcome him there, not Halone in all her wrath.

Centuries of eager hands have worn the stone around the mark smooth as if it’s been polished, reaching out to it for blessing.

Frydlona flinches from it every time she passes. She comes to the memorial only in daylight and always leaves at duskfall, not daring to stand by it under Menphina’s silver beams. The Lover might be a gentle goddess, even welcoming Oschon in the face of Llymlaen’s justified anger, but surely even she must have her limits. The Hell of Ice is not only Halone’s domain, after all, any more than the Heaven of Ice is only Menphina’s.

It’s hard to imagine something so easy to anger the Lover as rejecting her blessings. She had given Frydlona a gallant and true-hearted knight, a man instantly loyal, warmly courageous, selflessly devoted. He represented Menphina’s virtues better than Ishgard’s; he could have been spun of the goddess’s own moonbeams to be her champion.

He would have helped Frydlona carry her burdens, if only she had been willing to let him, and she had slapped his every offer away.

The Hell of Ice is for cowards and oathbreakers, and Frydlona broke no oaths to him, and yet.

The moon of the First shines a subtly different light across the world, faintly gold-tinged like the great wall of frozen Light that still stands in Amh Araeng. Dalamud’s light was red-tinted, Menphina’s is pure white.

“Does she have a name?” Frydlona asks Lyna one night not long after returning from the Greatwood. She wouldn’t have asked before, or at least she wouldn’t have dared ask Lyna, but it seems most of Norvrandt’s secrets have been peeled away before her already. “The moon, I mean.”

“We call it”—a string of what must be Viis that Frydlona can’t even begin to break apart—“‘the Chariot of Yx’Lowka’. The Church of the First Light only called it the moon. The dwarves…” Lyna shrugs with a clank of her mail. “Who can say what the dwarves call it, if it’s anything other than ‘moon’.”

Frydlona nods. Odd, to stand under an unnamed moon, that only carries and makes no judgment.

“And you?” Lyna asks, frowning up at Frydlona. “What is…she…where the Exarch and you come from?”

Why Lyna hasn’t just asked the Exarch Frydlona couldn’t say, but even if it wouldn’t be rude to dismiss her question, it’s only fair to answer. “Her name is Menphina,” she says. “Goddess of love and…kindness, I suppose you’d say. The people she chose as her saints fed the hungry and brought medicine to the sick. Everyone who met them came away the better for it.”

Frydlona would love to be that kind of person, but if she ever could have been it’s been too many years and far, far too many deaths for it. The lives she’s left in ruins behind her…

Lyna nods sharply. “I see.”

That same unnamed moon shines gentle on the Crystarium as they limp back from Amaurot—all alive, all well. Somehow, all well. For a moment as they cross Tessellation Frydlona sees the Warriors of Darkness, joyful and waving, and Ardbert running ahead to meet them. She blinks and they’re all gone, only the crowds of people she’s come to know and work with since she came. All just as joyful.

They insist on a party. There’s already food, and music. Frydlona takes off her mourning and puts her Warrior of Darkness costume back on, brightening it up with a sash the shimmering blue of—well, it matches her glaives, technically, but she isn’t bringing them.

She doesn’t know what to say to the Exarch. She wouldn’t have known what to say to the Exarch even if he hadn’t told her she might as well keep calling him that, instead of by his name. They’re…colleagues, she supposes.

It’s a little—

It’s kind of—

People are thinking things, is the thing, from the way everyone talked to her after Emet-Selch had shot him and stolen him to Amaurot, as if she had some special right to be upset.

She brushes her fingers across the crystalline blades of her glaives. They’re beautiful, as much jewelry as weapon. He’d had them made for her, and kept them all those years, and then, what, been too shy to give them to her? She thinks, from the way he’d looked seeing her carrying them below the Tempest, that that must have been it.

She thinks about the way he’d looked seeing her carrying them below the Tempest, the way he’d shivered when she checked him for injuries, then shakes her head, hard.

Frydlona has spent years wishing she’d given Haurchefant the chance he should have had. They could have been happy. She could have made him happy, instead of only making his life harder and more frustrating until he’d—even then—jumped in front of Zephirin’s spear for her.

She’d treated the Exarch with suspicion and hostility, and still he’d planned the whole time to throw himself into the Rift for her.

He isn’t her second chance. She can be nice to him, certainly. There’s no reason she shouldn’t. They can be colleagues, and if she happens to find a book she might think he’d like she can buy it for him the same way she would for Alphinaud, or bring him something to eat if he forgets the same way she would for Y’shtola, and that’s perfectly reasonable.

And it wouldn’t hurt to spend time with him—she’s going to see him when she goes down to the party, certainly, and there’s no harm in talking to him there, for a start. Of course she wants him to enjoy the time he spends with her, when he was so ready to never have it again.

But she can’t— It isn’t fair, just because he’s alive, just because she saved him, to try to— She’s seen the way he looks at her, now that she can see his eyes again. She’s heard the way he speaks to her, even before that, the warmth in his voice like the heat at the door to a forge. It would be too easy, if he speaks to her again like he did above Kholusia, or in the ruins of Holminster, to just…reach out, like he so clearly wishes she would, like he just as clearly would never ask her to.

And she can’t, when he deserves so much better than her pity, her obligation, her wish to make amends.

He isn’t Haurchefant. She’d do well to remember that.

Frydlona has no shrine to Menphina. She’d had a runestone, once. It’s in her parents’ home in Cliffhide still if they haven’t gotten rid of it—she has a vague memory of brushing her fingers across it, thinking let me find that again, at least let me have another chance. It was before Haurchefant’s death, of course, she wouldn’t have dared after. So it must have been just before she left home.

Instead she kneels at the window of her room at the Rising Stones. Menphina is barely a sliver in the swirling sky above Mor Dhona, but that sliver is enough.

Please, she prays. Please, don’t let me hurt him.

The thin gleam of white in the sky makes no response.

Don’t let me do it. Keep me from just taking what I want, when I can’t give fairly in return. Let him find someone who loves him back for himself, not because he would have died for them and they think it would make him happy.

The thought hurts as it should. Menphina, pale and undistant, remains unmoved. Frydlona gets up slowly from the floor and makes her way to bed.

Frydlona finds the young Elf boy wedged into the corner of the steps outside the Pendants just at the edge of the pool of lamplight, sniffling.

“What’s wrong?”

He breaks down sobbing at her question, and she drops to her knees and pats his shoulder, feeling useless. Dead parents, mayhap—it’s still not entirely safe out there, with some sin eaters still roaming, and the usual sorts of beasts as well. Or even just the usual hurts of childhood—a fight with a friend, a friend whose family has gone looking for better opportunity elsewhere, a parent who’s too harsh or too unsympathetic.

He just cries harder at the touch, small body shaking.

“Can I do anything?” Frydlona asks, knowing she can’t. She doesn’t think he’s hurt, and she’s certain he’s not hungry. Nobody in the Crystarium would let a child starve.

“You’re too nice!” he wails.

She sits back in surprise.

Through a fresh flood of sobbing she thinks she makes out “night-light” before his voice jumps in pitch and his words all run together, which…what?

“Is this about the night-lights I made?”

A nod.

Something she actually can fix? It feels like a lesser miracle in itself. “Do you want one? I can make one for you, if…there were supposed to be enough for everyone.”

He raises his face, red and blotchy from crying, from his knees. “I broke it! I had one and I broke it and my mother says I can’t ask for another one because I don’t take care of my things and it’s dark! And you’re so nice and I broke it!” His voice rises to a scream.

“All right,” Frydlona says gently. “All right.” She finds a clean handkerchief in one of her pockets and hands it to him. “Well, you didn’t ask for a new one, I just found out you didn’t have one. So if I make you a new one right now, then you haven’t asked, and you’ll still have a night-light to take home with you.”

“But I broke it! Aren’t you listening? I broke it!” He balls up the handkerchief and scrubs at his face with it.

Frydlona puts as much doubt into her voice as she can. “On purpose?”

There’s a pause. “…no.”

“And you’re sorry it got broken, aren’t you? If you had another one you’d take very good care of it?”

He nods frantically.

She checks her bag. A few crystals, some wire, jeweler’s pliers—ah, there, a nice fat round opal. Some fire and lightning in its heart will do a fine job of making light. “Things get broken sometimes. It’s just how it is. That doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to fix them if you can fix them, or have anything like them ever again if you can’t.”

Sailors follow stars, but the sea follows the moon. Menphina has never pulled the waters of the First to and fro. The Tempest has never risen to her call or sunk in her absence.

Elidibus’s specters are so real Frydlona can touch them.

She knows this, because she has had to kill some of them already. She has cut into the memory of their flesh, spilled the memory of their blood. Nightmares that still won’t die, friends that already have or might still.

Myste clings to her hand, so tightly Frydlona can feel the bones grate together. It anchors her.

“Keep walking,” Fray says.

Frydlona had fumbled her glaives when Papalymo attacked her. Fray knows the greatsword best, and that’s what Frydlona is—what they are—carrying now, Fray’s hands wrapping around hers on the hilt every time she draws it before Fray is the one to swing, and swing, and swing again.

She lets Frydlona be the one to clean it, after.

“Look,” Myste cries. The sound is torn from his throat, so frantic Frydlona hardly recognizes it.

Across the square stand three men in Ishgardian garb, one of them with blue-silver hair the same gleaming shade as Myste’s. Frydlona stops dead, and even Fray doesn’t move her feet closer. Fray had walked her all through occupied Ala Mhigo, ridden Frydlona’s paralyzing fear like a bad crosswind and brought them safe to harbor anyway.

Fray stands there below the Tempest, on a star neither of them were ever meant to walk, and stares just as Frydlona does.

Myste drops Frydlona’s hand and takes off at a run, pale as a ghost himself. She wants to call him back, but she doesn’t know if her voice will work. He circles the group and runs back, even faster. “It’s all right!” he calls. “Come see!”

Frydlona does move, then. They’re like the bystanders she had seen around some of her earlier battles but even more so. They don’t see her, or respond to her.

Her knees wobble and then give. She sinks to the cool stone.

Haurchefant is arguing with his father about Camp Dragonhead, the men and supplies they need and the ones they could use. Wages, repairs, profits and income. Frydlona doesn’t understand it, but she sits there and listens anyway.

Myste could never have shown her this, she knows it now. This Haurchefant can’t make any demands of her, and can’t offer her forgiveness in exchange. But Myste’s couldn’t have either, not really.

She’s never followed the economics of Ishgard. She’s never commanded a fort. She has no earthly idea what Haurchefant and his father are talking about. It’s so…ordinary, strangely so, for a conversation between a ghost and a memory, in such a place as this.

It’s real, she doesn’t doubt that much—even if this exact conversation never happened, it still could have. Elidibus’s specters are terrible because they’re so real. But it’s not what she remembered.

Count Fortemps’s face is younger, brighter. She’s sure Elidibus meant that to haunt her, but she knows. Arguing over the budget for Camp Dragonhead he’s a little pompous, a little old-fashioned, but still responsible. He listens when Haurchefant makes points. He’s willing to consider that he doesn’t know everything. There is a kindness to him, harsh as he can be to his living sons. Frydlona had feared that harshness herself the whole time Haurchefant had been alive, and hadn’t been able to see the kindness after without choking on it. This is a Count Fortemps she could look in the face.

Haurchefant is—she had remembered him differently, even now. He is the commander of Camp Dragonhead, responsible for dozens on dozens of lives. He is conscientious, passionate, well-informed.

And yet, the star is full of such people.

Frydlona sits quietly against the wall, watching him. He seems smaller than she imagined him, the living memory of the man whose ghost has driven her across greater distances than she can measure. She has carried so much for him, knowing he would have believed she could do it. Knowing that, as long as he had died for her, she had to do it.

Haurchefant exclaims, “And yet with only so many lancers on hand half of them will get only one day off a sennight, and the other half none! Either send us more men, or appeal to Lord Drillemont to take on a greater share of the patrols.”

The deep peacock-blue of the haunted city blurs behind Frydlona’s tears. He had been a good man, and she wishes she had treated him as he deserved. And yet, what would he say if he could see her now?

Elidibus’s specter carries on his appeal, but Frydlona thinks of the real Haurchefant, dying in her arms, blood bubbling in his mouth as he asked her to smile as one last favor to him.

She thinks of the soul-deep exhaustion that had driven Fray to lash out like a wounded animal in a trap, of years afterward spent faking a strength and a courage she didn’t feel. Of the bright and shining gold of her Warrior of Light outfit. Of the dread of people expecting that of her. Of forcing herself, time and again, to go on at the end of her strength, dragging herself one more aching step not with the love of her friends but from the fear of a ghost’s regret.

She thinks of Haurchefant after Ul’dah, bringing her hot chocolate when she was frozen past the marrow of her bones, of Haurchefant in Ishgard, inviting her to a chocobo race, a play, a choral mass at Saint Reymanaud’s Cathedral.

She thinks, perhaps, she has done his memory a terrible wrong.

Myste’s small arms wrap around her as she cries, here, in the deep gloom under an alien sea, far below any ray of sun or moon. She cries until she feels washed clean as old shell.