#Tag: King and Queen of Cipher

[aries-rp-corner]

After the meeting with Lord Ghetsis, King Durai returned to his base and waiting for him was Queen Ozul. “How did it go my dear? Did he at least gave up some to you?~” She asked with curiosity as he only chuckled in response, now looking over to his beloved wife.

“As expected, he wants to play complicated.~ Although, thanks to our actions he is breaking down mentally and physically. I can sense a growing illness within him, tainting his blood unfortunately.” He spoke disappointingly, yet eager for the night approaching, walking up to his wife as he embraced her along with a kiss. “Tonight is now!~ We shall rain hell over those hogs with our mighty blades, my dear Ozul!~” He chuckled along with Ozul who returned her embrace to her husband.

“I couldn’t agree more.~ Those pests will pay for disrupting my hunt. Let alone my mission to at least capture one of our targets. Sadly, my last two attempts have been….distasteful….” She sighs deeply with disappointment, still feeling she let her husband down. Only to feel hands gently cupping her head as she sees Durai with a soft concern look.

“You’ve done the best you can my dear, even scaring them to submission…they didn’t budge. You held your own there with such bravery, they’ll get what’s coming… mark my words.” He growled out, as he now held her shoulder upon remembering Ozul returned with a slash mark from the Witch’s Silver burning her. It took days for her to recover from such a wound. “I’ll drain everything that Witch has within her after what she did to you…and we will rain their ship with red…no one, hurts you.” He growled out as he reassured his wife, placing his head on her as the two kisses.

Ozul breaks free as she was blushing hard, but sweetly. “Thank you dear… Oh my! I need to calm down after that!~ Eek!~” She spoke as she pulled away while holding her cheeks, making her vampiric husband have a cat-like smug on his face. Sadly however, it faded as a new thought occurred… “Dear, what if we fail…and she managed to…eliminate us. Are you certain both Kane and Mira are ready?…” She asked worryingly, making Durai’s smile fade and replaced with deep thought.

“They are, and I’ve prepared something to make sure they themselves are FULLY capable of taking our place. I do trust your worry my dear Ozul, if we do fall, let Cipher carry our legacy through Kane and Mira. Come, we must call them to our domain…” He soon noticed Ozul looking ashamed for speaking such a thought, he held her hand close as comfort. He hated seeing his wife this down and not her eager dark self. “Everything will be okay, no matter where we go…we are bound for eternity…” He smiled warmly, making a smile appear back on Ozul’s face.

After the two summoned their two Commanders, both Kane and Mira did look worried…yet, Cobalt was mostly scared for Mira. He didn’t want anything to happen to her, as more thoughts flooded his mind. “Have we done something that is not in their liking? I know we have messed up… but the Witch is not making it easy for us all…. Are we gonna meet our end? No! Mira has to live! I would fight-” His thoughts ended as he felt Mira’s hand holding his for comfort. Cobalt looked over to her with worry as she saw a worried…yet a calm face? “Mira…” He called her quietly. “Dear, I will admit I am nervous…but mostly for you.”

“Same for me, Kane. I believe we are thinking we will fight to the very end to protect each other, no?” She gave a soft smile to him, he was surprised from hearing that she to wanted to protect him. “Come, I don’t want to keep them waiting.” She spoke, ready to face whatever both Ozul and Durai will throw at them. Cobalt was still nervous, but seeing her confidence rising; he nodded as he followed her to meet the King and Queen.

The doors opened as the Commanders walked in, taking a knee with a head bow. “You both came, very good. No, the two of you are not in trouble we only wish for a talk is all.” Spoke out Durai, surprising the two Commanders as they look up with confusion. “I apologize for the worry we may have caused you to feel. But rest assure, it’s only a small meeting and chat.” He spoke calmly and collective as he joined his Commanders.

“Sir, I’m just…surprised…the both of us are just surprised, is all. Of course we were worried, but I am grateful to have a meeting with you. May I ask what it is about?” Cobalt asked with curiosity as the two commanders looked at each other, and then back at their leader.

“Why, just anything really. We have declared that tonight is the night we strike Neo Plasma!” Durai barked with pride, while making the Commanders jump in surprise. It’s already time?! “Of course, you all have been preparing nonstop, so I want to chat with you two before we head off to prepare more. Have you two enjoyed your roles as Commanders?”

“Yes sir. It’s been a great honor working with you and Lady Ozul. Although…I do regret the times we failed the two of you.” Mira spoke, she indeed looked ashamed. “But we are not going to stop until our mission is a success! We will even eliminate those who gets in our way!” She huffed up, but quickly deflated and calmed herself down. Before she was about to apologize, Durai chuckled.

“You both are something!~ And I’m glad that I and Ozul selected you both, Archie, and Veda… but there is something I and Ozul are concerned about…if anything ever happens to us, are you both willing to take our places and legacy to keep Cipher alive?” He asked with a soft worried look, making the two concerned of what their leader just spoke.

“Of course! We are not ready to see Cipher fall a third time! We’ve been working our own souls away to make sure of it! We will do anything to keep Cipher alive…but also you and Lady Ozul… isn’t that right, Kane?” Mira looked over to Cobalt who instantly nodded.

“Sir, we are not ready to let you and Queen Ozul go. Not this soon, however if it has to be done…we will not argue with you about it.” Kane wanted to protest more, sadly he couldn’t, it would be talking to a very sturdy iron wall if he tried to. “If that ever comes, we will continue both Cipher’s, your and Queen Ozul’s legacy for the rest of our lives.” Kane stood proud along with Mira. Durai noticed a reflection of himself and Ozul when they took charge of Cipher, making the man smile with pride and relief.

“I am proud of you two…but…” He looked saddened as Durai stepped back. “There is one final thing you must also inherit…this will only be the half of it…if I and Ozul parish…you shall inherit our full dark abilities.” The two commanders looked extremely confused, until the ground below them glowed. Delivering a painful energy into their bodies, making the two yell out in pain. “I apologize for the painful experience… I truly am! Let this energy snake through your veins and bodies. Don’t fight it off, embrace it fully.”

“STOP IT! PLEASE!! IT HURTS!!” Mira howled out, looking over to see Ozul with the same painful look. Even though she didn’t want to do this, but Ozul knew it had to be done. Both Mira and Kane felt this new dark energy begin to crawl into their bodies, making the two fall in pain as it kept clawing its way up. Mira looked over to see Kane struggling to stay awake and not pass out from the pain…but this was too much for the man as he fainted. Allowing the dark energy to consume his body in a shadowy cocoon. “KANE!!” She cried out to her husband, now crawling over to him as she held the cocoon he was in. “My love…I’m here…if we do die…you won’t be alone…Not this time…” She felt her gaze fogging up until finally, she gave in as everything went dark.

After the dark energy consumed their bodies, the dark cocoons shattered to reveal the two Commanders again, looking normal…but the leaders knew the two were now hosts of Dark Magic. “Will they be okay? Durai, I think that was too much for them to handle!” Ozul was worried for her commanders as she ran up to them to see if they had any pulse…to her relief, they did.

“They’ll be okay…I’m sorry…to the three of you. However, this was necessary... Mira and Cobalt won’t remember any of this sadly…come, let’s bring them to the infirmary…they’ll only need rest…I’ll ask Veda to watch their vitals. If they are near death…I will give them my blood.” Durai felt ashamed for harming his own Commanders in such a way, sadly it had to done…let alone, now both Mira and Cobalt are now holding Dark Gifts within them…

[spirited-splashes]

dont tag as ship. Click image for higher quality cause tumblr compresses the heck out of these—

THE SHORTEST GAME OF INTERDIMENSIONAL CHESS EVER

Non-Canon compliant fanfic undercut, 364 words, just some silly stuff

The endless night of sky loomed everywhere;  twinkling stars and nebulas were a common occurrence and formed what felt like a painting from the masters.

    Ford floated around his dream, his hair answering to the zero-gravity environment as it floated alongside the ends of his jacket.

He walked, or atleast tried to walk (he mostly just did a swim-like motion) to what he found to be a wooden table with two chairs on opposite ends, somehow not tipping over and not answering to the enviorment’s physics.

   On the table was a checkered bluely-projected chessboard, with all the chess pieces still on the board despite the no-gravity environment.

“HEY, SIXER! UP FOR ANOTHER ROUND?”

Ford looked up and saw his good old muse:  Bill Cipher.

    He was a golden 2D triangle that had a brick like pattern, a black-top hat, and bow tie;  he also had noodle black arms and legs, His singular eye was near the point of his tip had overexaggerated eyelashs and his pupil was cat-like.

“Ofcourse!”

Ford floated over to the chess board, with him taking the white pieces and Cipher taking the black ones on the opposite end.

    Ford had a secret:  he has no idea how to play chess.   He knows how the pieces move but he could never be bothered to pick it up as a hobby and learn the tactics or opening principles (plus he knew colleges wouldn’t care since he had an SAT score so high it would break the machines)

“Okay, just…strategy, what about—“ he thought to himself

He ended up doing the worst possible move ever: pawn to F3

Bill just…stared at that move for a while, his eye agape with confusion before he shrugged and moved his king’s pawn to E5.

    The young man decided to push his pawn to g4 but bill ended up checkmating him on the next turn with queen to h4

“THAT IS STATISTICALLY THE WORST MOVE YOU CAN PLAY EVER IN THE MULTIVERSE OF CHESS.   SERIOUSLY WHAT-WHAT WAS THAT?” Asked Cipher as he looked up to Ford who seemed to grip the ledges of his seat in embarrassment.   “…DO YOU UH…DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW THIS WORKS?”

“…no.”

(welp! Here’s a fanfic for you chess nerds out there)

[peonac]

I’m so glad to have a friend who enjoys One Piece! How did you get into it? Do you have a favourite character? One you can’t stand? A favourite arc? Any fic recs?

I WAS FUCKING WAITING MY WHOLE LIFE FOR THIS ASK. NOT EVERYONE KNOWS IT BUT ONE PIECE IS THE SERIES OF MY LIFE. I CAN'T IMAGINE AN EXISTENCE WITHOUT IT!

probably the longest post I have ever made incoming:

I got into it in April 2003 (I was 11 at that time). Watching anime on TV was the only way for me and my brothers, there was no computer and internet around. We were hooked since episode 1 and never missed an episode, we would watch all the re-runs and be hyped about every epic moment and cry our eyes out at every tragedy or happy moment. Laughing our asses off at the jokes (Skypiea and Thriller Bark are imo the funniest!) And since then I'm a huge fan, though there were several years I lost touch. I picked up the series again a few months ago and stopped at the beginning of the Wano arc (due to low energy, yk how it is with taking care of the family etc).

And OMG I have so many faves!!! Nami!!! Her arc inspired me so much I took her name as my nickname. For a lot of rl friends, I'm just Nami, sometimes my teachers were confused and asked me if it's my middle name fklsdhfsjdůlkasd!!! She is so caring! Big sis vibes!

Zoro! He is so cool! Do I need to explain this? (also I find his relationship with women really interesting, the guy is so traumatized! And also he would literally die for you!) Devil Child Nico Robin. She is smart, powerful as hell and MORBID and her sense for cute things is just immaculate. The episode when she got to be part of the Strawhats is still one of my favorites. Maybe I'm mistaken but she is the only one that invited herself and not because Luffy told her so. I... okay, I will stop because otherwise, I will write a whole ass essay about her and why she is THE QUEEN of all queens!

The future king of the pirates Monkey D. Luffy! Period.

Trafalgar [redacted] Law.

*GRABS YOUR CHEEKS*

*PULLS YOU VERY CLOSE, OUR NOSES TOUCH*

You will understand once you watch more.

PERONA. I don't know why but I fell in love with her so hard I want for her to be real so I can propose to her! (but I also ship her with Zoro)

And here is a list of others I like: the whole strawhat crew (Jimbei ofc included), Sir Crocodile, Bartolomeo the Cannibal (I couldn't get enough of him, he is so silly), Donquixote Rosinante, Smoker, Tashigi (I ship her with Zoro too, wtf is with me to ship Zoro with so many characters!), Bon (Mr. 2), Boa Hancock, Bepo. I'm sure there are more, but I will stop here haha. I hate Donquixote Doflamingo, the Cipher Pol agents, Big Mom (she...I... she is a monster, like...wow), Buggy the Clown (imo the most pathetic anime guy in history, but the comedy around him is good), most of the Marines (what a bunch of assholes, really, it's a mirror to our world) and ugh, I'm sure there are more, but I can't remember XD! Fave arcs: Arlong Park, Loguetown, Alabasta Saga, Sky Island Saga, Enies Lobby, Thriller Bark, Summit War Saga And here begins the controversy, ofc I'm not including the Wano arc because I haven't seen it whole yet...But I'm not able to enjoy the after-time-skip arcs. Great animation moments, the story is amazing too, but the pacing is just so bad. So many fillers within the episodes too, Dressrosa was a torture to watch. So if I just judge it by story everything is great! Maybe reading the manga would be the better choice. But I didn't want to miss the great animation.

I haven't read any fics yet but I have a few in my marked for later list:

What I enjoy the most are artists that create nice little stories and AUs! I'm going to make a separate post and tag you, the list is too long!

[botanicalcanopus]

what can you think of for space aligned leprechauns [in red coloration to the green leps of time]

Actually I thought of something once but never fully fleshed it out. The way I planned it was the Space equivalent being Red and Black as opposed to the Green/White combo of Time's Leprechauns. Might be a ramble but here's what I remember brainstorming:

Instead of Billards/Snooker it was based off Roulettes, another common bar room/casino game. While the game matt does use green felt, the main focus is the wheel which other than wood and gold accents is Black and Red, in fact you can even bet on just the color in roulette.

I chose roulette because Space's whole deal is creation, cycles, cyclical nature, and has ties to fate.

The name Snowman for the number 8 comes from the obvious parallel of how it looks like a snowman. In American Roulette there is both 0 and 00 on the wheel to give the casino better odds. Using that instead of 8, in my head instead it would be one of the Dersite agents or even the Black King and he'd be called Double O or Agent 00. There would then be a smaller Dersite lady, or maybe even the Queen (which would be weird) named Lucky 7, who aides Agent 00. This is a reference to James Bond (Agent 007) and him (grossly) always having some woman end up assisting him.

Also in my head, they all have more feminine appearances (surprising I know seeing I keep saying bleh gender) to balance out the all male-leaning Leprechauns we see. The group name would be like The High Rollers or The Chips or something like that.

The names of The Felt are all just their numbers but based on their name in another language. Ex Itchy is just ichi the number one in Japanese. I would instead use a decoder on their names using the English spellings since most cipher decoders are used as rings (again circles). Since the numbers go up to 36 that would be a lot of members. Instead we'll shorten it down to like 12 instead of 15, so we'll use a decoder that moves the letters over 3 (cause 36/12=3, idk follow my vision here) spaces of the alphabet. So like instead of Two the name would be WZR, we can call her Wizard and based on the name we can give her the ability to just make shit appear with a wand.

But yeah I never fully planned it out so feel free to take that and run with it. Tag me if you make something/use that idea I guess? :)

[thestral-queen-rules]

WELCOME TO MY 30 DAYS MOODBOARD CHALLENGE From: September 1 To: September 30

I am really excited for this challenge. there is no specific fandom in this challenge. you can skip the day if the topic is triggering or you are not feeling well that day. disclaimer: this is just for entertainment purposes only. let me know if you wanna be tagged in the posts. I will also reblog the posts of the people who are joining me in the challenge. thank you to all the people who are supporting this challenge!!! and if you wanna start making moodboards, this might be your chance!!!!! (This is my longest post)

RULES:

Do not post inappropriate pictures.

You can skip few days if you want and you can do the skipped topic with the next day's topic. if you don't want to do the skipped topic, it's alright.

If you come across this post in the middle of this challenge, feel free to join it at any time. just send me an ask.

No hate comments or bullying.

Mention triggers if used, and warn beforehand.

Please mention if you want your post to be reblogged or not in the tags or anywhere you want.

Please, please, please tag me in your posts. I would love to see them!!!!!

CHALLENGE:

Day 1 - a song that is stuck in your head for a very long time.

Day 2 - favorite art. (it can be anything you like. It can be an art by Van Gogh or da Vinci or even your favorite tiktok art or Instagram art. Please mention the artist if you know them)

Day 3 - favorite myth or epic.(it can be Ramayana, Mahabharata or any of your favorite myths or epics)

Day 4 - favorite fairy tale(Cinderella, beauty and the beast and such)

Day 5 - create your own aesthetic using the things around you (you can do this by clicking some pictures around you and edit them. Or you can find pictures from Pinterest or google that is similar to the things around you)

Day 6 - favorite quote (create a moodboard for your favorite quote. Like, how does the quote makes you feel.)

Day 7 - create a moodboard that is weird af (create a moodboard with weird ass pictures. You can do anything you want)

Day 8 - create a moodboard on what you are feeling right now (sad, happy, angry, or numb)

Day 9 - a song that is stuck in your head for a very long time pt.2 (in your native language. If English is your native language, do another one if you want or you can skip this)

Day 10 - your horoscope

Day 11 - your dream life

Day 12 - things you are missing due to the pandemic

Day 13 - your creation (this includes the art that you have done or any poems or fics you have written. Just make this moodboard to make you feel better about yourself. When you start searching for the things you know, you realize how much things you've done. And be proud of it)

Day 14 - favourite queen

Day 15 - favorite creature

Day 16 - favorite season

Day 17 - things you gained due to the pandemic.

Day 18 - favourite time of a day

Day 19 - create a character (create your own characters using pictures and use a quote that describes them)

Day 20 - create a new world (create a whole new world! If you can or create a moodboard for your favorite world)

Day 21 - favorite thing to do in your fandom ( I hve to explain this clearly. So, this is about the favorite things to do in your favorite fictional world. For example: hogwarts has classes like herbology, astronomy, divination etc. Which is your favorite class in hogwarts or any other fandom you are in. I don't know much about other fandoms but I hope there are things like that in other fandoms too)

Day 22 - favorite cartoon character

Day 23 - your aesthetic if your favorite fictional character is your boyfriend/girlfriend ;)

Day 24 - a moodboard inspired from your profile picture

Day 25 - create a moodboard for a ship of lifeless things. (For example: TV and remote, paper and glue, books and bookmarks. etc)

Day 26 - your dream appearance (your dream outfit and makeup and stuff)

Day 27 - favorite king

Day 28 - favorite day of the year

Day 29 - your aesthetic if you were a character in your favorite author's book/director's movie/series.

Day 30 - the aesthetic of your favorite book/movie/series.

_____________________________________________

I've already asked about the people who wanted to join this challenge and here's the list.

@smr-the-tired-crackhead

@silky-moon

@balladofableedingpoet2112

@yourbelovedannoyance

@little-star-aesthetic

@nightshade3465

@rainbowsnowflake

If you want to join or be tagged in the posts, please send me an ask!

@elentiyathemoonelf @ya-boi-leto @samalaingik @charmolypi-reverie @thebengalurubisexual @chandanbala @telugumeow @asperargus @adoginthemanger @sabrxna @paranoidnihilist @sarcasm-caffeine-and-chaos @wolfstarrysky @carmen-riddle @ashieverlore13 @crazy-beautiful @book-dragon-not-worm @guerrera-3010 @slytherinicequeen @hecalledmebeloved @wornoutconversegirl @wowyoufeelorphic @cupids-crystals @kajukatliontop @shirothestrangewolf @lemonphrogg @metalvenomludens7 @jugn00 @tonicaballos @nacho08 @starviki @stolen-kisses-pretty-lies @seekerbrave @the-stars-love-us @crystal-the-carrot @blndbandt @simpingforwillsolace @cipher-dorito @romanian-longhorn @charme-de-malchan @justalonelywriter @curious-fruitcake @chaoticaindica

[fandoms-of-a-random-existence]

I posted 11,108 times in 2022

That's 6,733 more posts than 2021!

41 posts created (0%)

11,067 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@primeministerofantarctica

@gender-snatched

@thisisnotjuli

@cipher-fresh

@kaweeella

I tagged 1,042 of my posts in 2022

#ofmd - 84 posts

#twisted wonderland - 70 posts

#kitc - 64 posts

#kings in the corner - 58 posts

#<3 - 57 posts

#ofmd spoilers - 36 posts

#a3! - 20 posts

#otterson kitc - 18 posts

#yeah - 15 posts

#zoran kitc - 10 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#you might be a genius in one area but you fail hard in other things. you try to apply your knowledge of one thing to something you aren't g

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

can't believe kitc has a canon roleswap!au universe sitting pretty right next door and all of the alternates with any sort of dream/veil/joker related powers have just decided "you know what time to come poke around" /pos

7 notes - Posted October 15, 2022

#4

actively cannot stop thinking about Otterson telling Zoran she'd fuck his mom and then ae going "I don't know how to respond to that! Enjoy the nightmare dimension! Good luck not going insane!"

9 notes - Posted October 6, 2022

#3

it's been a long while since I did art but Raevyn KitC lives in my brain rent free. I should do some Raeran art sometime those two drive me insane /pos

11 notes - Posted October 2, 2022

#2

Yeah I kitc:

Kiss gayly

Inflict horrors

Traumatize

Crime

11 notes - Posted November 12, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Is this that thing that you like? (/j but also where would I be able to find it it looks interesting)

FSJFHSKFJSKHH I-

okay I will admit i was not expecting anyone to ask but holy shit/pos

Okay, so confession time, Kings in the Corner is actually a closed discord ARG that is actually on hiatus right now because of IRL things, however the mods decided to leave it as a sandbox for the players and we have steadily been descending into madness and brainrot (dreamscapes arc my beloved)

And so, I don't actually remember how we got on the topic but eventually a bunch of us came to the conclusion "being insane about the blorbos on the discord isn't enough, we need to subject the rest of the world to our brainrot, what if we posted on tumblr like it was an actual fandom with no context" and well I am giving context now but shhh don't worry about it sorry I took so long to reply, I just. there's so much...this is gonna be long- anyways since there really isn't any way to get kitc content besides the players brainrot spilling over, here~! (apologies for the way this is. not likely all that comprehensible)

The basic plot is you/your character has been invited to the Kingdom in the Four Corners where we have a King, Queen, and Jack for each card suit, and each player is/was assigned a suit based off of your vibes, and later on, just got shunted into diamonds due to the uh. tragedies. Anyways! Because of the way the invitation works, all the characters have the potential to be from different worlds and universes which has led to the colorful cast of characters including [looks at notes]

-Fallen London OC

-Twisted Wonderland OC

-An actual Warriorcat

-Doctor Who x the Beatles OC

-Charas from players own original worlds <3

-The personification of healing from grief who is also from pathologic now

-AND FUCKING HOMESTUCKED

All I really have to say about the last one is don't take any orange pills the Jokers give you. (The Jokers are... actually I should preface this with the information none of us take drugs irl, but they are the closest thing to medical doctors we've got so uh, if you want to take some joker drugs to get a funky hallucination to learn more details about the rebellion/experience the previous Ace's executions for yourself as a side effect for your stomach ache, well are they they guys you wanna see! Apparently Jokers start their training at age 10 and it's very fucked up and also there are domestic and feral jokers??? I am concerned.)

Honestly so much has happened in a relatively short period of time I don't think I could summarize all the important bits but some of the highlights so far include: -The Bitchless Allegations: King Dani of Diamonds (Incredibly Bitchless, the Universe told me-) accosted a group of candidates (Ash, Hugo(ne), Raevyn, and Riyo iirc) who proceeded to get his ass. He stabbed Hugo in retaliation with his fancy magic sword that he shouldn't have even really had, Hugo was spitting up red jewels for a while, and almost died. All Spades got free access to Diamonds tower though so uh,,, winning I guess??

-There was a bit more lore in the interim and some puzzled solved but to be honest I don't remember much-

-The Bear.

-Also the Hearts' resident gays Salem and Luci (Saluci beloved <3) (admittedly not together yet) hatched a plot to fake a fight so the could befriend everyone despite the wild and horrific state of relationships between the candidates. They fucked it up. Luci and Riyo's friendship will never return. Esp after the Hugone incident-

(And oh yeah, Riyo punched Luci at one point, breaking her face revealing the fact she's an artificial being made of porcelain and some sort of magical energy and I may be getting the lore wrong but she's so cool-)(Salem helped patch up the hole in her face with a pretty glass mosaic and waaaaa)

-At one point the 8 year old Diamond, and 11 year old Club stood on each others shoulders wearing a trench coat and called themselves "Painsley" (Paeden-Ainsley) to try and get joker drugs. They failed and only got glitter, and it was hilarious

-Olive the scientists experiments with almond water, I genuinely have no recollection of the details alas, but i have been told it was very neat and was unknowable by science. Also he got an entire almond out of it.

-One of the Most Days Ever: our small 8 year old boy made of clay had been recently possessed by a 45 yr old catholic man, who, while he was cooperative at first in helping getting Paeden back, soon realized if this went through he'd die, and so he ran off into the woods after burning the notes, and so candidates were sent to chase after him. It. Did not go well. (while the chasing him down and catching him went quite well, after the catching... not so good)

See the full post

25 notes - Posted October 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[asterkiss]

Claimed Pt IX, X and XI

Summary: An attempt to make a deal with a certain demon doesn’t go as Mabel planned. “Sorry kid but regardless of the pitch you’re selling me, your soul’s already claimed.“ Wait, what? 

Read from beginning here. Also being compiled on AO3 here.

Really trying to finish this off so have multiple parts.

- CLAIMED Pt. IX

Seducing a fairy king wasn’t as easy as it may appear on paper.

Mabel may be a renown flirt queen when it came to guys in her own dimension, but the Erlking wasn’t exactly on the same standing as the cute boys in hoodies and sweatpants. His beauty was an unnatural scale where the very air around his seemed to bend to his will so as not to put a single hair out of place. 

Mabel had the feeling he wouldn’t simply bow down to her from a stupid pick-up line as was her normal routine. (No matter how good the pick-up line may be).

It was everything she could do in her power to not be seduced by his inhumane charm and beauty, how on earth was she meant to turn it the other way around so she could rob him?

That said, the Erlking often invited her out on short “dates” where it was just the two of them alone.

Each time he would ask:

‘Will you break your deal with that demon?’

And each time she would reply:

‘No.’

She could tell it frustrated him even if he tried to hide it beneath his handsome features.

‘You are a stubborn one, Schatz,’ he sighed, turning to peer out across the lake with emerald eyes.

‘You don’t know the half of it.’ 

He had invited her out that morning for a walk, and Mabel had taken the opportunity of requesting it be by the lake so she could scope her so called “exit” out, at least according to Bill. It was large with pristine clear water and an abundance of colourful, glowing plants beneath its surface. And apparently at its centre deep beneath the surface lay a gate in waiting. 

Mabel would get to it no matter what. 

She just needed to get this guy away from his staff for five minutes but no dice, he acted like the thing was attached to him.

‘So, what exactly was the deal I made with you?’ Mable asked, peering up at him as she tried to consider the best way to steal from this guy.

‘You and I promised ourselves to one another.’

If Mabel had been drinking she would have promptly spat it out at this moment. ‘R-Really? Wow, I, uh… I would have thought I’d remember that!’

He gave a small chuckle as he turned towards her, raising a hand to push a stray lock of hair behind her ear. ‘You were young, but a promise is a promise.’

Mabel could feel her cheeks becoming somewhat flushed at the intimate gesture. She’d agreed to marry a guy when she was a kid? That… definitely sounded like something she would do. Hell, she’d probably made similar promises with whatever cute boys agreed to it. She just never expected one to actually come and see it through let alone for him to be a fairy.

The hand on her ear traced a path line down her jawline and she shivered at his icy touch. No, bad Mable, stay focused. ‘So, you’re saying we’re like, engaged?’

‘Indeed.’

Oh God. She swallowed thickly, heartbeat pounding in her ears. ‘A-And my deal with Bill is stopping that?’

The king’s expression darkened at the mention of the demon. ‘My dear, you are beautiful.’

‘Oh, ah, thank you.’ Random change in topic but she was flattered none the less.

‘The promise we swore upon one another was important enough to be ingrained within your delicate soul. It was proof to others that you were not to be touched. And yet…’ His face twisted, beautiful features transforming into something unpleasant.  ‘To allow a demon to stake claim on your soul is to allow him to mar your very innocence. I cannot carry out my promise and welcome you into my kingdom when your soul is blemished by his very touch. To allow entry of such an ugly and vile mistake would stain my very ruling upon mu kingdom.’

Mabel wasn’t sure what to say, she could only stare in surprise as he spat his words out venomously. He seemed like an entirely different person. 

Noticing her expression, the fae quickly amended his face and smiled serenely at her. ‘I do not blame you of course, he is the one filled with deceit and manipulation. However, as I have said, he will happily agree to you rescinding the deal.’

‘Which would mean… we’d be able to get married?’

‘Indeed.’

‘And I could never go back to my family.’ 

‘You cannot leave this realm, no.’ He grinned. ‘But do not worry, we will become your new family. You will breed several beautiful offspring for us―’

She blanched.

‘―and our lineage will be strong and capable.’

‘O-Oh yeah?’ Mabel faltered over her words in surprise. Wow, this guy was already talking about kids? Talk about forward. Also, the way he said “us” was slightly unnerving. He meant that as in the two of them, not like him plus other fae here? Right? 

She found herself unable to voice that question, somewhat terrified of the answer it might procure. Instead, she asked: ‘Why me?’

He took a step forward, leaning over her with a piercing gaze as he cupped her face in his cool hands. Despite the uneasy feeling in her stomach heat still rose to her cheeks. 

‘I chose you for it was you who rescued me from peril many years ago.’

She stared in wonder, lips parting. She had? 

‘You are my saviour, my Schatz.’

.

- CLAIMED Pt. X

‘Oh yeah, the fae sometimes snatch up creatures from other dimensions to breed with. I don’t know the details but something to do about strengthening their progeny and race.’

Mable peered out across the tree-tops from her window for a moment, watching the sun setting in a splash of colour. Eventually, she turned her attention to Bill  currently laid across her bed looking like he owned it, arms folded beneath his head.

‘I guess humans have something they want to add to the fae mix.’

‘What would they want from me? Or, I mean, humans?’ It wasn’t like humans had special powers or anything fancy like that.

Bill shrugged. ‘Beats me. They bred with a Eldanechk ten thousand years ago which gave them the ability to see in the dark but also made them vulnerable to iron.’ 

She frowned. So any human would have satisfied the fae, she just so happened to be picked because she apparently saved the Erlking? With a sigh she pushed herself away from the window and approached the bed, taking a seat on the edge. It was odd to be sitting so closely with the demon in such a casual manner but her mind was more attuned to other dangers outside of this bedroom right now.

‘I really wish I could remember meeting the king when I was younger but I just don’t.’ She’d tried and tired to no avail. 

‘Probably because he didn’t look like that.’

She perked up at that. ‘What do you mean?’

Bill pushed himself into a sitting position, meeting her gaze. ‘Most fae folk can’t exist in their true form when they travel to another dimension, certainly not for long anyways.

Most creatures have limitations when visiting worlds they’re not native to.’

‘You mean like how you’re unable to use your powers here?’

The demon’s expression soured at that. ‘Yeah.’ A pause. ‘But hey, I can use my powers in most dimensions! It ain’t my fault that like eight of them can’t handle me at my full strength!’

Mable snorted as he tried to defend himself which only made his scowl harden. As she stood up to walk away he yelled after her, even going so far as to grab her hairbrush. He was mid-way in the process of throwing it before his shock collar activated.

‘Gyckh-! S-Stupid fairies!’

.

- CLAIMED Pt. XI

Mable wasn’t entirely sure how but one day she somehow found herself taking a walk with none other than Bill Cipher for company.

The demon had been getting a bad case of cabin fever after being holed up in their accommodation but unfortunately wasn’t permitted to leave without “supervision”. Every time he tried to leave the place he got shocked.

It turned out however that because he was her “pet” the fae would allow him outside if he was tagging along with her.

There was just one condition.

‘Hey, stop pulling,’ Mabel scolded, yanking on the lead. Bill let out a short choke as he was tugged back, stumbling a step before he turned to glare at her.

If looks could kill.

But hey, it wasn’t Mabel who had attached a leash to his shock collar! (Though, admittedly, she was enjoying the whole situation).

‘When I get my powers back I will end you.’

‘If you get them back, you mean.’

He released a cruel laugh as they continued walking along. ‘I will! You’ll be swayed by that fae’s looks one of these days. Everyone knows you’re not the smart twin.’

Her lips turned at that remark and she gave the leash another yank. 

‘I had enough brain to outsmart you,’ she retorted.

He didn’t have a witty comeback to that.

The pair continued walking through the woodlands that made up the fae kingdom and surrounded its small city. They had been advised that a perimeter surrounding the area was enforced by a magical barrier and therefore escape was impossible. It was the only reason they had been allowed to scamper off unsupervised by anybody else, the fae were that confident they had them trapped.

Even so, Bill wished to go check it out which was the reason for their outing this morning.

It was obvious when they did eventually come across it. Upon crossing a river, Mabel noticed that the air up ahead seemed to take on a shimmer and the air hummed with magic. The nearer they approached it, the warmer their surroundings seemed to get.

Bill stood up against the barrier and studied it with a sharp eye whilst she took it in with wonder.

She noticed a rabbit on the other side of the barrier and watched it curiously. It came up towards the barrier before abruptly turning and going in the other direction.

Huh.

Mable looked around and picked up a broken branch, after a moment of consideration she threw it.

It sailed past the barrier without incident.

Bill watched her actions with curiosity before turning to search for something on the ground. A moment later, he also picked something up.

‘What is that?’

���A beetle. Want to taste it?’

Mable made a face. ‘Ew, no, that’s gross.’

Bill shrugged. ‘Your loss then.’ He threw the bug at the barrier.

There was a shock of electricity when it made contact, and both Mable and Bill jumped at the eruption of sizzling that permeated the air. 

When all done and gone, there sat a fried and crispy bug on the floor.

‘...Huh. So my theory was correct, it doesn’t let things through that are alive.’

Mable gave him a pointed look. ‘Did you really have to fry a beetle alive to confirm that?’

‘Would you rather I use you as a test subject instead?’ he asked, arching an eyebrow.

Before she could respond, a pair of distant voices reached their ears. But they were getting closer.

Two humanoid shapes came into view in the distance, and before Mable could do anything Bill yanked her aside and pulled the both of them out of sight behind a tree. The demon slapped his hand over her mouth and she would have protested had the voices not come into focus.

‘...wonder how much longer we have to wait.’

They peered around through the thick foliage to see two fae dressed in clothing that gave a sentiel appearence. 

Guards.

The shorter of the pair shrugged casually. ‘Not long. Have you seen how the human acts around our King? She’s one step away from giving in. I heard humans like to play hard to get when they’re courting, that’s all she’s doing.’

‘Hm. What about her pet though?’

‘The demon? I heard that once the human breaks off their deal, the King’s going to hand him over to the scientists for experiments.’

‘Hah! Serves him right for messing with one of our claims.’

Their laughter faded until they were completely gone, and Mabel and Bill were left alone.

Bill remained still, his hand covering her mouth. Unlike the Erlking’s cold touch, the demon actually felt warm. It was weird, when they’d made their deal his flames had felt like ice shooting through her veins but in this form he felt, well, human.

She didn’t like it.

‘Urgh! Did you just lick me!?’

Mabel took the opportunity of his surprise to jerk away from him, turning to meet his annoyed glare.

‘Are you okay?’

He faltered. ‘H-Huh?’

‘What those two fae were saying...’ She trailed off. 

‘Those imbeciles? Like I’d be bothered by their idiocy! Have you forgotten who I am, Shooting Star? It won’t be so easy for drivel like them to get the best of me.’

For somebody who claimed to be such a good liar and manipulator he was doing a bad job right now of hiding his real emotions. Perhaps because he was in this body?

It made him appear even more human, to the point one could almost forget he was actually a demonic triangle hell-bent on destroying her family and world.

So she needed him to act like his usual self. 

‘Wha- hey, did you just pinch me!? You little brat-!’

‘Jeez, will you give it a rest and just face the facts. Regardless of what you or those guys think, I’m not going to give in,’ she insisted, face set in firm determination. ‘And you have every reason to be on my side now. So let’s work together and escape this place, alright?’

Bill regarded her warily, they were enemies. But right now they had tougher fish to fry. Or they were both done for.

He clicked his tongue in defeat, obvious distaste covering his face. ‘...Fine. But once we’re out of here, I don’t owe you anything anymore, got it? That’s my condition.'

Her face fell at that. Mable thought back to her original reason for tricking Bill to begin with. Their whole original deal which had set this thing in motion.

She had to give that up?

Then again, what was the point in trying to fight for Grunkle Stan if the alternative was being stuck here unable to see him ever again anyways.

Her shoulders slumped in defeat and she eventually gave a small nod.

‘Got it.’

[aworldoffandoms]

Runaway - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Suprises

Authors Note: This chapter might be a little filler-y as it was gonna be really long if I didn’t stop lol. Hope you like this chapter nonetheless. A special, special thanks to @am-i-invisible777 for your mood board/collage and @pixieferry for the awesome banner! You both did an amazing job! Thank you!! <3

Pairing: Liam x MC [Ariel]

Word Count: 2, 878 (+/-)

Rating: T 

Warnings: No warnings

Summary: The gang wonders what to do next in the wake of Liam’s anonymous delivery. Ariel reflects on the choices she has had to make while someone arrives at her workplace which shifts her world into dangerous territory.

MASTERLIST

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Pixelberry and all characters belong to them. The plot is all mine.

Tag list: @hopefulmoonobject @blackcoffee85 @blznbaby @super-secret-fandom-blog @am-i-invisible777 @lauradowning29 @khakie4 @captain-kingliamsqueen @moneyfordiamonds @jovialyouthmusic @zaffrenotes @ao719 @umccall71 @carabeth @furiousherringoperatortoad @pixieferry @pixelpenny @jlouise88 @thequeenofcronuts

Please let me know if you’d like to be tagged :)

Drake, Olivia, and Maxwell were seated in Liam's suite, faces open in shock as they pore over the contents of the anonymous delivery that Liam had received. All of them were just as perplexed as the king himself, his own face downcast to the floor, unwilling to even make eye contact as he tried to make sense of it himself.

Who could possibly know he was here? Were there people spying on him? Maybe he wasn't being as inconspicuous as he first thought?

“What are we going to do, Liam?” Drake says, his voice sounding far-away and muffled like he was underwater. The subsequent silence hinted of the king’s exhaustion.

After a long moment, they exchange a tense glance when they find his face devoid of all emotion, his eyes just as blank.

“At this point in time, Drake? No. I am half expecting this to be a complete ruse.”

At this time he was admittedly astonished he could feel anything at all. It was a complete miracle he had some semblance of a heart left. Ariel had all but destroyed it.

After all this leeway he was still a broken man, pining for his wife that he wasn't even certain would return to him.

Liam had gathered his entourage in his room as soon as he read the message. Bastien had appeared a few minutes after Liam had texted him and the others following shortly thereafter.

“Your Majesty…” Bastien starts, his posture and expression, for once, not that of his bodyguard, but that of a man who had seen his charge grow up into a respected and well-loved monarch, to a forlorn, man who had suffered through two years of a hellish nightmare.

“Yes, Bastien?”

Although Bastien’s posture was calmer and personal, his words still held respect and rectitude. “Permission to speak freely, sir?”

Liam gives a curt nod, waving at him in a casual gesture to continue.

“Over the course of your life I have seen you at your best but also your worst and over the past two years, the latter has been the most dominant. The cipher only gave us Moscow...it certainly didn’t give us anything else. Pardon my language, my king, but I’ll be damned if I see you spiral into yet another dark hole which I’m afraid you won’t recover from.”

Drake gives a long exhale as he sits down, levelling his gaze at Liam’s bodyguard.

“Bastien...aren't you worried that this is a trap?”

“In all my years of protecting King Father Constantine there was always the threat of correspondence being a trap, however, my gut is telling me that if we do not follow this lead we will be missing out on a chance to find the queen.”

Drake’s eye’s shift to his best friend, reading Liam’s expression and his heart clenches when he sees Liam flinch at the name of his wife. It amazed him how a few simple syllables could make the almost-always cool, indomitable King of Cordonia react as if he’d been punched in the stomach and shot in the chest all at once.

It’s quiet in the room, the last of Bastien’s words echoing in their ears until Olivia huffs, the sound of her fist connecting with the desk almost deafening in the thick silence.

“Enough of this nonsense! I’ve had to witness Liam become a shell of a man because of all this mess. He might not know what to do but I’ll be damned if I’m going to watch him slowly retreat into himself once more.”

Olivia pauses, taking a deep breath, shoulders heaving in exertion. Her face set in resolve, the corners of her lips lift up in a visceral smile.

“I will not sit idly by when the one clue we have been searching for three days appears right in front of us. This is our chance. You'll be a fool not to take it. I'll drag you there with my bare hands if it’s so inclined for me to do so.”

Liam glances up at Olivia, her slender form exhuming that fire he so admired about her. Her steely eyes pierce through him, almost as if she was trying to exchange some of that fire to him herself, to give him that push he needed.

For all intents and purposes, Olivia was right. This was solid evidence. Liam would only be an imbecile if he didn’t seize this opportunity. He would be quite an idiot if he didn’t take this information and grab onto it for dear life.

A few beats pass of stretched silence, the king’s fingers fiddling with his wedding band, his mind running a mile a minute.

The silence is almost too thick, the urge to fill the silence almost too unbearable. That is until Liam squares his shoulders, his posture settles into the regal, poised well-practiced disposition as if he was gearing himself up to enter into a room full of press and dignitaries.

Liam clears his throat as he stands, his expression set into a renewed vigor. The earlier despair nowhere to be seen. His eyes alight with the fire Olivia spurred in him moments before.

He glances around to all his friends, the numb ache his chest that was a common occurrence most days transitions into gratitude for each of them.

“I think you might be right, Olivia. Bastien.” Liam nods to each as he gives them each a smile of thanks.

Despite the verbal kick to the backside both rightly given by two of the people he trusted, Liam feels the fatigue settle in after the shock of the delivery and the resounding adrenaline stemming from that slowly ebbing away.

That too fades away as the clock chimes with its nightly reminder. “As much as I would love to go right now - it’s late. I believe we should all retire to bed and pick this up in the morning.”

It was a sore thing to admit, but the clear-mindedness a few hours of rest would grant everyone an advantage in the days ahead. They would need it.

He could not afford to lose focus now. He was so close. Years of training and trusting his instincts either with a tax reform put forth by the Royal Council told him that he was close. He had to believe that if nothing else.

Small, conciliary smiles slip onto his colleague’s faces as they slip silently out of the door, Bastien following behind and closing the door to leave Liam to his thoughts.

Once the door was securely shut, Liam’s face fell and he sighs heavily, slowly sinking to the bed, his hands moving up to his face to cover it as his shoulders sag in his growing exhaustion.

The burn behind his closed lids enlightening him into the ever-present pain that he hid from most public and private eyes. Had it always been there, or had it come just now? He suspected that it was the former. Perhaps he just didn’t notice it as much these days, so long he had gotten used to it.

Unable to bear it, Liam jumps up from his bed and begins pacing, his footsteps creating a soft thud against the carpet. Liam’s pulse races as he tries to make sense of the message that was delivered and the conclusion that was drawn. He could not fault his friends for pushing him to follow this. This lead could potentially change the course of how he proceeds with finding Ariel.

Liam rolls his shoulders, pushing his arms back and forth and cracking his neck, the tension in them almost too uncomfortable to bear. He rubs at the spots along his neck that are tight and as he closes his eyes, a smile lifts his lips as he imagines a much smaller pair of hands kneading the back of his neck, the lithe fingers easing the tension after a long day of meetings, diplomacy and trade deals.

If he envisioned hard enough, he could acutely feel her fingers on his skin, her soft lips on his neck as she kneads the knots away as Liam sighs in contentment, his chest warming with love for his wife.

Liam allows himself to stay in that vision for a few ticks of the clock until his exhaustion starts to overcome him and the smile of Ariel snaps away. Liam takes a deep breath as he settles into the bed, his eyes already heavy from the emotions swimming inside his gut.

Even with the sweet blackness of sleep dragging him under, Liam can only hope that the message he had gotten was the answer to all his questions.

He at least had to try.

And maybe . . . just maybe . . .

He’d be able to breathe easy once again.

***

Three days had passed and she hadn’t heard from Marguerite since she instructed the princess to hand off that message to Liam. The worry was starting to gnaw at her insides.  

Marguerite had been born into the world of crowns and charity derbies and the heavyweights of the monarchy. She’d all been bred for the role, punctuality and resiliency included. It was unusual for her to be this late with information.

Maybe this was just paranoia. That didn’t surprise her really. She’d been on the run for nearly three years, what’s a little paranoia to add to growing list of more bad karma to happen to her?

If she could be sure about anything, it was that the message was delivered. She had to. It was the only thing that was tethering her down at that point.

Liam might be doing this on his own but Ariel could breathe a sigh of relief to know that he had a bit of help.

It was the only thing she was capable of doing even when she was in hiding. The contacts she had made over the past few years served her well.

It still astounded her that most of the European royals were falling to the tricks of The Sons of Earth. They weren’t to blame. The Sons of Earth were the puppeteers, and they, the marionettes. How easily she and the others had danced into their trap, one by one. The ultimatum they sprung on her all those years ago sending a shiver down her spine at the memory.  

The amount of royals, though, was a surprising number. They had planted the root of their plan inside her crown, and from there, it had ensnared so many. Belgium, Monaco, Sweden - how many would mourn in front of television cameras and the harsh scrutinies of family expectations because of her?

Oh, the Sons were clever, she had to admit. She had been so naive, believing in the goodness of people to ensnare them in their own deviations. How wrong she had been, and now she was paying the price. It was little comfort knowing her fellow royals were undergoing the same thing. No, it was a tinge of guilt.

An all too familiar flare of anger closed its fingers on her chest, and Ariel bit down on her cheek, keeping quiet lest she shout in anger.

Anton Severus…

How dare he return.

Anton hadn’t wasted any time in making sure that he had power over Ariel. Liam was her weakness. Her only weakness and Anton carelessly toying with both their lives too many times.

All the lives balanced so precariously in her hands was too much. And the Sons had known it, shaking her so much her knees gave out from under her and she cried herself to sleep countless nights.

“After everything . . . and I’m still here,” she muses, dejected, shoulders slumping.

After conquering Anton at her wedding...she and Liam could finally relax. They felt free. Free to live, laugh and love.

Liam’s reign was no longer chained by these threats. They were free from further plots against them.

Ariel scoffs, shaking her head in bitter resignation.

Who was she to think that she was finally rid of that complete asshat?

The time that she had with Liam felt like a distant memory and something that was slowly slipping out of her grasp like sand on a hot summer's day. The time without him was breaking her, if not already. It would be easy to leave, max out her credit card to reserve a ticket on the library computer, then jet away. That little slip of paper would be her salvation and her downfall.

She had a purpose. She had a duty.

If she took flight, her feathers would only fall on the other royals. Whose lives would be at risk now? Marguerite? That prince of Belgium who disappeared just a bit ago? Another royal with no idea of his or her fate?

Anton Severus knew how to play her. How to play all of them. Either disappear or let the lives of all royals to fall into the hands of the Sons of Earth and let the monarchies of Europe falter and crumble. The worst part? Essentially giving Anton Severus the control to do as he pleases without any remorse for the consequences. Trying to kill Liam and herself was simply not enough in his case, apparently. For everyone's sake, Ariel chose the former.

That was the exact reason why Liam was in danger. Anton had close eyes on him and if Anton caught a whiff of what Liam was doing Anton had the means to make sure Liam would stop.  Ariel had faith that he’d be doing the investigating discreetly. Ariel knew her husband enough that she knew he’d be doing everything in his power to find her. If the roles were reversed -- she would not stop until her last breath.

Ariel exhales heavily as she leans back against the couch, pulling the soft fleece blanket over her as the chilly apartment bites into her skin. The low drones of the television distract her from the impending realisation that no matter what she did...those she loved would be in danger and she could not do a thing to stop it.

The last remnants of sound eased in and out of the tiny room as her eyes closed.

“Officials report no further leads on the disappearance of European royals . . . here to speak on the matter, is geopolitical expert, Thomas Marin. Thomas, tell us . . .”

***

“Order up!”

It had been four hours already, delivering orders, pouring beer and spirits to those who asked, their eyes glazed over in an alcohol haze she saw on a daily basis.

When did her life become this mundane, never-ending cycle?

Her heart aches at the longing she feels for the diplomatic meetings, international and national trade deals and economic summits she accompanied with Liam. She would give anything for her to be in one of those now. Who would have thought she’d take those meetings for granted?

She chuckles at the irony. “Figures. Such a twist of fate that is.”

More duties come as Ariel takes a plastic bussing bucket and begins to empty the tables of the half-eaten food, her mind drifting to the rolling hills and calm blue waters of Cordonia and the deep running valleys of her duchy. She wondered how Valtoria was doing without her.

Ariel's stomach twists in regret because she left a duchy, her duchy without anyone to guide them. She had failed them all. Even more tragic, she had failed Cordonia.

“Honey, you’ve got two at table twelve,” Tania yelled over the din of a cracking plate, and the drunken slurs of a young man nearby. Hurriedly brushing a tiny bead of sweat from her brow, Ariel whisked over to the table, sidestepping a grease stain that the busboy had failed to clean. She’d have a word with him later.

“Hi! Welcome to the Mountain Tavern, what can I get you guys?”

A deep chuckle resounds in her ears and she glances up. The smile she has on slips from her face, the breath in her lungs jarring to a stop as the blood in her veins runs cold when she recognises the face.

Her eyes dart to the unfamiliar brunette beside him as panic rises to her chest, the overwhelming urge to run pounding through her whole being.

This is bad. This is so bad.

The next words out of Ariel's mouth are choked, short, all of them stringing into an incoherent sentence. “What--I don't--How--Where--?”

The man with the familiar face stares her down. His eyes are kind yet had a hint of suppressed anger.

“Well, this a shock. What are you doing here, Your Majesty?” he says, the smirk on his face evident. That mischievousness she so delighted in seeing appearing even in this tense atmosphere.

The brunette beside him gives her companion a quizzical look. Her face blanks and then flashes in recognition as she meets Ariel’s blue eyes. The stunning brunette gasps.

“Oh my gosh. This isn't--?”

Leo nods, his blue eyes piercing through Ariel like he could see through to her soul where all her secrets lie. She flinches as her stomach rolls violently. Her skin prickles in the telltale sign of a fainting spell, herself already feeling lightheaded.

“The one and only. My brother’s wife and the missing Queen of Cordonia.”

[universalcarnival]

⇋  tumblr roleplaying history!

The rules are simple! Post the characters you currently roleplay as, want to roleplay, and have roleplayed in the past. Then tag people to do the same! Please repost and don’t reblog!

Currently Writing:

Sans (Undertale)

Papyrus (Undertale)

Undyne (Undertale)

Flowey (Undertale)

Susie (Deltarune)

Bendy (BatIM)

William Afton (FNAF)

Applejack (MLP:FiM)

Capper (MLP the Movie)

Coffee Twist (Original MLP OC)

Discord (MLP:FiM)

Pinkie Pie (MLP:FiM)

Rainbow Dash (MLP:FiM)

Trixie (MLP:FiM)

Twilight Sparkle (MLP:FiM)

Atem (YuGi-Oh!)

Ralsei (Deltarune)

Gilda (MLP:FiM)

Princess Luna (MLP:FiM)

Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel)

Loona (Helluva Boss)

Mae Borowski (NiTW)

Bea Sontello (NiTW)

Gaster (Undertale)

Jevil (Deltarune)

Frisk (Undertale)

Toriel (Undertale)

Fluttershy (MLP:FiM)

Rarity (MLP:FiM)

Moxxie (Helluva Boss)

Claude von Riegan (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Ashe Ubert (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Bernadetta von Varley (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Hanneman von Essar (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Petra Macneary (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Seteth (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Blitzo (Helluva Boss)

Doctor Whooves (MLP:FiM)

Lysithea von Ordelia (Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Berdly (Deltarune)

Noelle Holiday (Deltarune)

Zecora (MLP:FiM)

Alphys (Undertale)

Charlie Mange (Hazbin Hotel)

Striker (Helluva Boss)

Piper (Helluva Boss Hellhound OC)

Queen (Deltarune)

Spamton (Deltarune)

Noelle Holiday (Deltarune)

Kris Dreemurr (Deltarune)

Freddy Fazbear (FNAF Security Breach)

Roxanne Wolf (FNAF Security Breach)

Fizzarolli (Helluva Boss)

Akira “Joker” Kurusu (Persona 5)

Futaba “Oracle” Sakura (Persona 5)

Ryuji “Skull” Sakamoto (Persona 5)

Alastor (Hazbin Hotel)

Stolas (Helluva Boss)

Want to Write:

Enoch Drebber (The Great Ace Attorney)

Gladion (Pokemon Sun/Moon)

Cloud Strife (FF7)

Sephiroth (FF7)

Queen Chrysalis (MLP:FiM)

Peridot (Steven Universe)

Barok van Zieks (The Great Ace Attorney)

Herlock Sholmes (The Great Ace Attorney)

Have Written:

Seto Kaiba (YuGi-Oh!)

Link (LoZ)

Roxas (Kingdom Hearts)

King Sombra (MLP:FiM)

Muffet (Undertale)

Asgore (Undertale)

Solid Snake (Metal Gear Solid) 

Princess Celestia (MLP:FiM)

Alice Angel (BatIM)

Goliath (Pokemon OC, Garchomp)

Bowser (Super Mario Bros)

Bill Cipher (Gravity Falls) 

Conner (Detroit: Become Human)

Chara (Undertale)

Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic)

Monika (Doki Doki Litterature Club)

Sylvando (DQ XI)

Dukey Test (Johnny Test)

Dedue (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)

Snatcher (A Hat in Time)

Marx (Kirby)

Duo (The Duolingo Owl)

Articuno (Pokemon)

Sniper (TF2)

Mettaton (Undertale)

Joey Wheeler (YuGi-Oh!) 

Yugi Muto (YuGi-Oh!)

Wander (Wander Over Yonder)

Guzma (Pokemon)

Medic (TF2)

Burgerpants (Undertale)

Spike the Dragon (MLP:FiM)

Asriel (Undertale)

Giovanni (Pokemon)

some i might be forgetting lol

[ladyfawkes]

WIP Tag Game Tagged by @Trekkiehood

Rules: Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Send me an ask with the title that most intrigues you and I’ll post a little snippet of it or tell you something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

Haha, I'm not gonna tag 12+ people. Unless otherwise indicated, these listed fics are either being updated or developed. Some more often than others, of course.

Supernatural 1.) Just Long Enough - Dean-centric Gift-fic dedicated to @trekkiehood & @pricelesstrashpanda 2.) Forgive-Me-Naught - Ben Braeden remembers Dean Winchester 3.) Sins of the Father - Ben Braeden truly is Dean's biological son 4.) Wayward Siblings Initiative - Non-profit founded by Claire Novak & Ben Braeden

Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure/Tangled the Series 1.) Tangled Just Before Ever After - my version of what happens with Rapunzel/Eugene post-kissy-kiss in the tower 2.) Desiderium - collab fic with @trekkiehood in which Eugene must lead an army against an invasion force 3.) Eugene's Amnesty: An Alternate Universe Post-Cassandra's Revenge Story 4.) The Cipher of Corona - Varian-centric extreme whump fic 5.) A Murder of Snows - Eugene Gives Cass/Rapunzel 5 horrific reasons why he hates snow 6.) The Trial and Tribulations of Fitzherbert & Schnitz - my (dark) take on how/why little Eugene Fitzherbert became Flynn Rider 7.) Stop Calling Him Horace! - King Edmund would finally discover the Dark Queen's secrets about their child Eugene and how, even without present-day Eugene's admonitions, Edmund had always mistakenly used the name "Horace" when addressing their son. Harry Potter 1.) Draco to the Rescue? [Abandoned] 2.) Unbearable Separation: Harry meets Sirius instead of Dumbledore in the afterlife [Abandoned] 3.) Harry Gets Fazed - Part 3 of 5th year AU Supernatural/horror/suspense genre fic [Hiatused]

Doctor Who 1.) Doctor, Heal Thyself - Tenth Doctor-centric whump fic [Abandoned] I'm grateful for the tag! Tags from me: @keeparecordofthewreckage @superspoonie24 @the-writer1988 @cookiesallaround @ttslover05 @subject-2-change @youreputtingrootsinmydreamland

WIP Tag Game

Tagged by @midethefangirl 🥰

Rules: Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Send me an ask with the title that most intrigues you and I’ll post a little snippet of it or tell you something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

oh buddy.... thanks for the tag but... there's quite a few... I'm only going to give you the "Currently Working On" section of my WIP folder because there's no reason to get into my "Abandoned" and I don't feel like dealing with my "Maybe Someday"

Original 1. Ella Writes the Story Walker 1. Cordell Afghanistan 2 2. Cordell Captured 3. Walker 1x18 4. Liam Almost Gets Cordi Killed Supernatural 1. Stressed Dean AU 2. Sam is a Jerk 3. Sam hits Dean 4. Michael Hallucination 5. Dean Starving 6. Dean and Lisa AU Thanks for the tag!

Tagging: @agents-of-fangirling @pricelesstrashpanda @wind-at-her-heels @somedayonbroadway @prolifejackkline @csulliven @ladyfawkes @tangledbea @ohifonlyx33 @fishskiin

[lucifer-and-chill]

Journaling for Otherkin/Therians 2

I decided to make a timeline of my experiences (had the idea thanks to talking with @loploplopori) over the past 17 years, as many as I could immediately and strongly remember (aka, stuff that has been happening since I was around 4 or 5 years old). There is stuff this timeline leaves out, mainly because when I thought of that stuff, it was after I drew out the whole timeline and there wasn’t enough room. I figured, since I didn’t remember those experiences until later, they weren’t as important to be included on this first try at least (many of them are also individual books, movies, tv shows, music, etc. and ultimately just characters I see as Lucifer parallels. I only kept some of my earliest memories of these on the timeline because of how important they were to me when I was young).

So this is my Timeline of the Devil, showing as many personal experiences, and early thoughts that shaped the changes and developments in my spirituality, ultimately leading to my nonhuman identification as Lucifer.

·         2000: Fantasia + Fantasia 2000; certain sequences fascinated me (Night on Bald Mountain, The Firebird Suite, Symphony No. 5)

·         Early 2000s: Disney villains + other; tv shows like The Powerpuff Girls with devil-like characters

·         ~2001: Lion King II + The Prince of Egypt movies really resonated

·         2001-2003: saw The Hobbit (animated), The Lord of the Rings trilogy; favorite characters were Smaug and Sauron

·         2002: Balto II “Who You Really Are” song that I loved

·         2002-2005: dreams and story writing about “demon” prince character

·         2003: saw Princess Mononoke, started having dreams/imaginations about turning into a demon

·         2004-2008: complicated dream series, at first I was a shapeshifter leading an army of villains against The Powerpuff Girls, evolves into dreaming about a connection to El Chupacabra and The Beast of Exmoor (specifically more cat-like feral creatures with vaguely vampiric tendencies), evolves into dreaming about having feathered wings and being able to turn into a dragon and in these dreams I am a queen, evolves into dragon/human character with a feral beast side

·         ~2006: figured out that the serpent in Eden could be interpreted as a dragon, way too excited

·         >2007: Harry Potter books, favorite character was Voldemort

·         >2007: start experiencing phantom mobile ears to try and “catch” sounds, originally on purpose and now instinctive. Experience phantom tail, call it “my dragon tail” privately to myself.

·         2008: kids make fun of me for hissing, I stop.

·         2007-2010: starting to change ideas about my religion and spirituality, leaning towards pantheism.

·         2011+: reading Black Butler leads to reading Eric (Terry Pratchett) and Dr. Faustus (Christopher Marlowe)

·         2011: early writings directly comparing myself to the devil and saying that I wrote myself into my stories as him

·         2012: I create a variation of Lucifer for my stories and RPing that has far too much of myself in him

·         2012: I read a quote by Mark Twain about praying for the Devil, bring it up later in a group at church to gauge how other people feel about it in comparison to my own thoughts

·         2012: I hear about otherkin through my brother, get the bad side of things and I ignore and forget about it

·         2012-13: I start directly thinking of myself, off and on and very very quietly, in terms of “it’s almost like the devil and I share a soul…but that’s silly”

·         2013-2015: off and on stalk the otherkin tags, ask a gryphon otherkin a few questions when I see they have a lot more serious writings about themselves. Still don’t think it applies to me.

·         ~2014-2015: horns/wings phantom shifts start, maybe

·         2014: read Paradise Lost

·         2014: brief blip where I start to make an otherkin account on tumblr but then back out like nah nah no absolutely not (if you saw a positive-demonkin blog briefly appear and say something about wanting to make the demonkin tags better and not as uh, edgy and gore-aesthetic, as they were then, lol that was me)

·         2015+: I join the otherkin community as Cipher, start producing more personal writings

·         2016: first dream shifts

·         2017: first major acknowledgment of my feral side, in behavior and my own writings and spiritual understandings of how it factors in with the rest of my identity

[duckbehindthewheel]

@facingdemons-1164 tagged me & I can’t sleep.

Rules: tag 20 blogs you’d like to get to know better

I don’t think I’ll have twenty but

@mizuyamamoto @shanayamamoto @simplyperidot @tsykcuhs @trenchcoatonatardis @vertis @kasstlekrasher @sorryassmutant @corgiss @minisculelizard @thegreatpapyrusgundam @thegoodguyslose @spider-in-a-tupperware @gayprincepeach @kuumonster @queenoftheblackpuddle @queen-of-attitude-city @inkypinkiechan @ax-guardian-of-time @iamacosplaymaniac

Well, whaddya know. I had twenty.

Nickname: Jackson, Count Jack, J-bird, Mister J (BOTH real), but DON’T call me Jackie, or else Zodiac sign: Vile, vile Scorpio Height: 5′5″5″‘ Last Thing You Googled: Gotham nights Favourite Music Artists: Panic! at the Disco, Jared Emerson-Johnson, My Chemical Romance, New Years Day, The A-has, Motley Crue, Vince Guiraldi, I gotta move on, mane Song Stuck In My Head: At Least I Have Nothing by Saint Motel Last Movie you watched: I ATTEMPTED to watch Suicide Squad. I got about 8 minutes in. What are you wearing right now: American flag boxers and a grey shirt with a microphone cord design on it that I stole from an ex Why did you choose your URL: Because I’m cheeky and Junkenstein is me. I want to change it to a less fandom=y thing while still alluding to my love of the Overwatch Junkers and Joker, so probably stay tuned for that. Do you have any other blogs: I have a million dead ask blogs, a Lego Joker cosplay blog @askmasterbuilderjoker and an SU critical blog don’t hurt me I’m just so passionate about artistic integrity guys What did your last relationship teach you: If you don’t want to have sex, you FUCKING SHOULDN’T. Also, anyone who loves you should at least tolerate your music choice. (I took this to mean last failed relationship??) Religious or spiritual: I believe in wanting to believe in something. I believe in hedonism & ghosts. Favourite colour: Red & Black, that rad violet that’s perfectly inbetween blue & purple~ Average hours of sleep: 0-12 Lucky Number: 13, 8, 19 Favorite Characters: Roadhog, Junkrat, Batman, Joker, Harley Quinn, (Basically all the Gotham rouges), Willy Wonka, The Humbug, Handsome Jack, Bill Cipher, Anton Papierwaite, Deathstroke, Jack Skellington, the skelebros, Sucy from Little Witch Academia, Sailor Mars, Alucard, Waluigi, Ganondorf, Bowser, King Boo, idk man I have too many I have to cut it off somewhere (There’s more but I can’t name every single one of my favs) How many blankets do you sleep with: Blue Teamsters blanket, light patchy quilt, red microfiber blanket, and a light yellow one<3 Dream Job: A fucking ftm trans actor who gets a damn MALE role, whether it’s stage or cinema. My current dream would be to play the Joker, can you fucking imagine?

[snagcm-blog]

test.

catch

release

catch

release

catch

release

catch

release

die.

[theworldaswedontknowit]

Hi - histblr tag - What do you think of counterfactuals involving people who died young? Take Scotland's Lady the Maid of Norway. Since she died at seven, any scenario with her installed as Queen and beyond is essentially a fictional character. Same with Friedrich III of Germany - a cipher for the author's wishes - either a sea of liberal constitutional monarchies across Europe or the crushing of the British Navy by THIS FULLY ARMED AND OPERATIONAL U-BOAT FLEET.

Hello!

Ultimately, I’m a fan provided it’s creative or casual history (like this blog)

I’ve always been a fan of general alternate history and I think to a degree speculation of what could have happened is important. I think there’s a few more hurdles to jump over with people dying too young seen as its more speculation than say, me extending the story of someone in their 40s.

By nature of being too young to have done anything you end up with a lot of speculation on what they would have turned out like in terms of their personality. There’s even if people who did “get to do things” would stay the same - there might have been a union of the Scottish and English crowns if Margaret and Edward were married but Edward wasn’t very good at being King - would that change if Margaret was alive or would it have ended in civil war anyway?

My only gripe is anyone using it to say these people would definitely have been better rulers but I doubt that would happen but does happen with people getting a little bit too creative - you see it a lot where people’s main contact with a historical period is video games or TV (absolutely not side eyeing my own fandoms but our history dudes have both god’s patience and are doing his work) but as I said, I imagine that’s rarer when it comes to kids who didn’t get to be Kings/Queens seen as a quick Wikipedia search tell you they died young

[aworldoffandoms]

Runaway - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Moscow

Pairing: Liam x MC [Ariel]

Word Count: 4, 759 (long post again...sorry)

Rating: M-ish 

Warnings: semi-sexual references...nothing scandalous

Summary: Liam and the gang arrive in Moscow to search for answers while Ariel reminisces on the past and her life-changing decision.

 MASTERLIST

Tag list: @hopefulmoonobject @annekebbphotography @am-i-invisible777 @blznbaby @khakie4 @lauradowning29 @blackcoffee85 @captain-kingliamsqueen @moneyfordiamonds @super-secret-fandom-blog @jovialyouthmusic @zaffrenotes @ao719 @umccall71 @carabeth @furiousherringoperatortoad @pixieferry @pixelpenny @jlouise88

Please let me know if you’d like to be tagged! 

It was dawn the following morning when Liam and the retinue arrived in Moscow, a car already waiting for them to take them to the hotel, though it was slow going with the snow blanketing the streets. There was a certain, strange beauty to it, but Liam couldn't deny that seeing it against the starry night did not hold the same amount of appeal as seeing Ariel's face light up in joy or the way her eyebrows creased when she silently disapproved of something or the way her mouth would lift up in a smirk when she'd tease him relentlessly.

No. A beautiful white winter pales in comparison to her.

Out of all of this . . . they had to prevail. The king and queen of Cordonia had been through too much - a false engagement, three assassination attempts, and now this. They couldn’t be wrenched apart; they’d been through too many trails already. That cipher was the key to making sure it would happen. He clung to it.

He was thoroughly aware that he had a duty to his people and his country. A duty that weighed heavily on his shoulders every day. Yet, he had a duty to his wife also.

Liam had cancelled all appointments for the next fortnight. It might have been a bit excessive but, this surely deserved more attention. Royals were going missing, and certainly, Moscow would be the key. Once again, the city would play its part in the history of the crowns of Europe.

While Hana had opted to stay behind to look after Valtoria, the others had managed the time well enough to follow him. And if Liam was being perfectly honest? He couldn't do it alone. He hadn't believed it at first, directing the investigation with his own hand, sealing every piece of information that came his way. But as the days passed, and as the hopes of finding his queen did as well, he had to accept the painful truth. He was just a man. They were as much as Ariel’s best friend’s as they were his. He would not be here without them. He trusted them with his life.

Liam sighs as he drops the luggage on the hotel floor after settling in for the night. Exhaustion was finally making its mark. The last four hours on a plane and undertaking last minute paperwork was tedious. His eyes stung even now from staring at documents and papers while on the flight and his hand ached from all the signing. The answers to where his wife would be escaped him, but apparently, a new bill to build more bathrooms in the Cordonian national park did not.

Liam almost wanted to fall back onto the bed, close his eyes and fall into sweet darkness so he’d at least have a reprieve, albeit brief. Yet, the cipher still gleamed in the crevice of the bags, beckoning him back.

Uncovering the meaning behind the cipher was all well and good but where did he go from here?

Ignorance truly was bliss.

***

Ariel drops the keys onto the table as she stops to turn on the light of her apartment. She sorts through her mail, under a fake name, Serena Cordin. It was nothing important, she realized, with a breath of relief. A few advertising emails, a message from a coworker pleading her to take over a shift. But not now, Ariel decided. The days were catching up with her, and she had some sleep scheduled to catch up on.

Just as she is about to head into the bathroom to change after a long shift at the tavern, her mobile starts to ring.

She plucks it out of her pocket and finds the screen black. Perplexed, her eyes fixate on it again as it begins to vibrate.

By the fifth or sixth ring, Ariel's brain kicks in and she realises that it's her other phone.  

Her disposable, untraceable one.

Shit!

Ariel curses silently as the ringing drones on. She drops her bag and races to her bedroom, unlocking the draw with a quick twist of a key. There, nestled inside a bundle of sheets and an errant handkerchief is the tiny silver phone, buzzing its head off.

As she picks it up to answer, the ringing stops as a missed call flicks up on the screen. No voicemail. Ariel didn't have to know who it was - she had memorized the number as soon as she had a text arrive from it the first time.

“Damnit.” Ariel huffs, her irritation flaring up again after her rather crappy night at the bar. Couldn't she go one night without a creepy cold buffoon trying to feel her up?

She could easily have socked him in the face but knew she'd be fired if she did. No matter. If she ever got back to Cordonia and her queenship, she could easily have him extradited. The thought, though absurd, made her smile.

Ariel sighs as she takes a deep breath and exhales, glancing down to the phone, vacillating between a shower or bed. There was an all-day shift waiting for her tomorrow and she already felt the exhaustion settling in. Her muscles ached, her bones were stiff. If she didn’t loosen them, she swore they’d crack. She was working herself thin, bussing tables, pouring beer upon beer just so she could escape the intruding thoughts of the one person she promised herself she wouldn't think about.

She drove herself crazy every night thinking about him. Half the time she wanted to damn it all to hell and just go back to the place she loved so much. To the man that she so desperately missed.

But she couldn't. They were holding her back. Dangling his life in her face like he was a piece of meat and she was a rabid animal.

The call finally goes answered. Fingers hovering over the keys, the little clicks of the buttons echo through the chilly apartment air. Her contact knew to ring only if the information or situation was dire.

And from the tone of her informant - it was.

Her pulse sped up and her stomach twists in nervous butterflies as she hears her voice speak in a quick, sharp whisper. The intent in her was voice clear.

This was serious.

“Ariel. Finally. I've got something to tell you and it's imperative that you know.”

Ariel holds back the desire to gasp, the breath caught in her throat. She clenches her fists in anticipation or fear. The two emotions blurred together into a simmering storm within her stomach.

“What is it?”

The contact takes a deep breath and speaks, her voice almost hesitant, breathy as if she’d run miles just to deliver the message.

“He’s found the cipher.”

It was only four words but those four words sent a tidal wave of emotions to pulse through her. Fear. Shock. Relief. Horror. More fear.

The person on the other end didn't need to elaborate on who this he was. Ariel knew. Her heart skips a beat as she realises that things are getting underway. It might have been a two and a half year wait but it's a good start nonetheless.

Her heart squeezes painfully. From this day forward he would be in danger. She wants to warn him but Ariel knows she cannot. Despite how cruel it is - he had to do this by himself. Liam might be oblivious to the real danger he was in but she could not stop the outcome if he proceeded with his search.

Ariel swallows the lump lodged in her throat. She wondered how she moved through each day. Most days she was on autopilot, just going through the motions of work, researching and being a firm, direct soothing voice to the royals that needed it.  She’s existed in autopilot ever since she left and she needed rest. Anything to put them both out of this lonely misery.

She missed her husband so much. Her love, her life, her Liam.

Ariel clenches her jaw and clamps her eyes shut as those memorable blue eyes appear behind closed lids. Those eyes that she could fall into forever. His easy, charming smile which could melt her on the spot.

Ugh. This is torture.

Ariel straightens her posture, the training from Bertrand and the perfectly composed field practice in front of the cameras kicking in again instinctively. She clears her throat, her voice returning to the classic graceful voice she used to use in every royal interview. No hint of falter. No hint of the pain currently slicing through her like tiny knives.

“Thanks for telling me, Marguerite.”

“You’re welcome, Ariel.”

“Do you have the message to send to him? If they have arrived at the hotel -- send it to him immediately.”

Marguerite hums in affirmation.

“I’ve found where they are staying and have got his room number. I'll see to it that the message is delivered.”

“Good. Good. Make sure it gets there and be sure to firmly say it is delivered to Liam. We don't want another situation like Johannesburg.”

Ariel shudders at the memory. That was a close call.

“I will make sure I do that, Your Majesty.”

Ariel sighs, her gut twisting at the title. She hadn't heard that in nearly three years.

“Marguerite . . . how many times have I told you to just call me Ariel?”

Marguerite chuckles on the other end. “Sorry, your maj-- Ariel. Bad habit. I guess I haven’t forgotten those etiquette lessons. I truly doubt you have either.”

Ariel smiles, shaking her head in amusement.

“Well . . . I don't blame you. It took me a while to figure out which one was a salad fork and which one was the dessert fork, so I'm not judging.”

Marguerite bursts out laughing outright and Ariel joins in, having a shared understanding of royal etiquette. It was nice.

“Well, Marguerite, I'll bid you goodnight. There’s an early shift tomorrow. Send me something when it’s done. And please . . . ” Ariel pauses, taking a deep breath and then exhales.

“Be prepared for him to arrive at your doorstep. He'll want answers and he will come to you for them. I am just not sure how he'll be.”

Liam was a controlled man in front of dignitaries and cameras. Yet, when it had anything to do with Ariel, he struggled to maintain that perfectly controlled facade.

“How long will it take them?”

“I don't know, Princess, but I'm sure it'll be soon.”

Marguerite sighs, the weariness in the sound evident. “Okay, I'll be prepared. It's not like I can enjoy this Russian winter anyway.”

Ariel chuckles. “You and me both, honey.”

They laugh at that, exchange polite goodbyes and hang up. Ariel stuffs the phone back in the drawer, locking it up tight.

She had to take every precaution with this phone and she wasn't going to be careless now.

With her eyes bleary from exhaustion and her feet throbbing, Ariel prepares a bath and soaks for a good while before hopping out, relaxed and ready for bed.

Ariel knew she was tired, evident by the heaviness in her eyes. Thankfully, they open for a few seconds more.

She sifts through her bedside drawer and slips out a few photos, cracked down the middle from endless unfolding and crumpling in pockets. The ache of missing him and her friends almost pulling her down and drowning her in her anguish as she stares at the carefree smiles of everyone she held dear.

She hated this. She hated everything about the situation she was in.

Right now she should be having the best life possible. Ruling beside her king, bringing positive change to their beautiful little kingdom. She should be thriving beside Liam, yet, here she was alone, heart breaking all because of those bastards.

Why did they torture her like this? It was unfair.

Her heartbeat runs against her ribcage, rethinking back to the week leading up to the night she left. The week she was determined to drink up all the love and happiness before she would rip it away from herself. The pain lances through her insides again, her breath short as her quiet sobs wracked her already tired body.

Two and a half years ago…

The ink sinks into the paper, emerging as crisp lines of cursive dictating the outline of the new children's hospital. That would suffice, Ariel thought to herself. It was at least one thing she could do. Ariel’s cursive script imprint the paper as she signs against the dotted line for a bill that had just passed through the Council for a new wing in the Cordonian Children’s Hospital.

Though she was Queen and she held power, Liam had the final say with his signature and wax sigil. He was King after all.

Once she signed with her blue fountain pen, the black ink drying immediately, her neck prickles as a dark shadow looms over her.

She smiles and glances up, her eyes meet her husband’s and she can't help the stutter her heart gives at his presence.

“All done, my love?” Liam inquires, the smile in his voice evident and his eyes beaming with pride even though his face was a mask of neutral professionalism.

“Yes. All it needs is your signature and seal and then we can send it off.”

Liam nods, his gold fountain pen already between his fingers as he signs and seals, and sends the document to be filed away in the database.

It was a done deal now. The die had been cast.

Ariel sighs in content. Her time as queen had already brought promise to the people of Cordonia and she couldn't be more thrilled.

Ariel stands up and pushes out her chair, walking over to Liam, wrapping her arms around his waist as he quietly conversed with the French ambassador over the phone, his accent liltingly falling over the complex words beautifully.

Ariel loved when she heard Liam speak in a different language. She always got a thrill from it. His French was posh and refined, with just the hint of the Cordonian accent shining through. His Italian rolled and swelled lightly like the oceans just outside the city. His Russian wasn’t half bad either.

Liam’s large hand came up and encased hers, twining his fingers through hers as she waited patiently for him to finish the call. Her eyes close against his back as her mind raced forward seven days. There was such little time after the royal engagements and papers as if he had married them instead of her. She vowed that wouldn't be the case in the next week.

Once hearing the goodbye in French, Ariel squeezed his waist again and removed her arms and walked over to her desk to grab her tablet off her study desk to check up on her schedule.

Her stomach drops when she sees the date a week from now.

It was a bittersweet thing to swallow. The day of their anniversary - the day that they had become husband and wife. And the day that would soon separate the two of them. How could marriage be like that? That part broke her.

She was doing it all for him. To keep him alive. If Liam left this world -- she could not live in a world without him. Ariel could not take that chance. She had no choice. The Sons of Earth could not threaten her husband's life.

Ariel sighs as she puts down her tablet, closing her eyes.

A smile pulls her lips, even though she felt the despair kick in, when Liam’s strong arms snake around her waist and he rests his chin against her shoulder, his lips close to her ear as he kisses the sensitive area just below it.

“Are you happy, love?” Liam whispers, his low deep voice making her shiver.

“Very happy.”

Liam chuckles, spinning Ariel around before pinning her against her desk, his mouth immediately going to her neck.

“Happy enough to celebrate your marvellous victory with the bill?”

Ariel drops her head back to allow Liam better access.

Ariel laughs breathlessly, a shiver of desire pooling at her core.

“I'm all for celebrating, my king. What do you have in mind?”

Liam leans back, his blue eyes dilated and dark with want. “Oh, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

Ariel raises her eyebrows. “Care to show me?”

And show her he did, their mouths meeting in a frenzy as Liam grips Ariel’s hips and shoves her against the door of her study, biting and nipping at her neck as she moans out his name.

Ariel gasps as Liam’s hand trails underneath her dress and up her inner thigh, their mouths meeting in another fervent kiss, their tongues dancing together.

When Liam’s fingers meet her sweet spot, Ariel moans out his name, already breathless as the desire spreads through her as her lower abdomen twists with need.

Liam and Ariel celebrate their victory a number of times before their interruption of a knock on Ariel’s office door.

They reluctantly dress and with one final kiss, Liam slips out the door and leaves his wife to deal with her assistant who had to finalise the details of the Charity event and a few other odds and ends which needed her attention.  

Her heart is in her throat as she signs the last of the catering order for their anniversary party. She knew that the morning after, it would be the last time she’ll be able to see, touch, hug and kiss Liam because she will vanish after that.

She will leave Cordonia without a Queen. She will leave her friends, her life, her family behind.

A tear slips past her eye. If her assistant noticed, she didn’t show it as her mask remained neutral behind her blue-rimmed glasses.

“Thanks, Hillary.”

“You’re welcome, Your Grace.”

Ariel smiles as Hillary steps out of the door to her study and leaves Ariel to her thoughts and the impending event that will change the course of her life and those closest to her.

***

Ariel’s nerves are at an all-time high as her leg bounces as she sits next to Liam as they share a light conversation with their friends, the Charity ball well underway.

Her mind is elsewhere as she ticks off her to-do list in her mind. She had almost all of what she needed. She had organised Gladys to come to her wardrobe while Liam had a late night meeting at the end of the week with the French and Croatian ambassadors, to dispose of all her belongings and ship them to her estate in Valtoria. She made sure he would be out of the palace for that to happen. She arranged it in the first place.

A hand rests on her thigh, and she smiles when she glances up and meets the blue eyes of Liam, the corners of his lips pulled down in concern.

“Are you alright, Ariel?”

Ariel smiles as she leans back and places her hand on Liam’s, giving it a squeeze. “Yes, I’m fine, Liam. I’m just thinking about the council meeting tomorrow.”

Liam grins reassuringly as he kisses her cheek. “I’m sure you’ll be fine tomorrow, love. You are a natural at public speaking and you’ll capture their attention -- just like you did me.”

Ariel grins, her cheeks aflame as she blushes. She leans forward and kisses him, both have smiles on their faces as they lean back from each other.

“Thanks, honey. I’m sure I can use my natural charms and seduction to win them over with this proposal like I did you.”

Liam frowns, his jaw clenched in displeasure. “I certainly hope you don’t.”

Ariel rolls her eyes, a smirk on her lips. “Oh, Liam.”

After all this time, Liam still had a jealous streak and she had kind of a sick joy in making him feel that. It made her realise just how much he cared for her.

Liam’s hand constricts against her knee. “Would you like to dance, my love?”

Ariel nods as they make their way to the dance floor as the Cordonian waltz breezes through the ballroom.

Ariel treasures this dance, her head against Liam’s chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.

Liam kisses the top of her head, his arms tight against her waist to pull her closer. She clenches her jaw against the sting against her eyes. She will miss this most of all.

She tries not to think of all the things she’ll be losing in two days and just basks in this dance with her husband. The sound of his heartbeat the only thing from keeping her falling apart.

 ***

Ariel releases a shuddering breath as she steps out of the master bedroom where her husband slept soundly in their bed. Her eyes blurry with the unshed tears she was determined not to let fall until she was safely away from the palace and on her way to her destination far away from the one place, she called home. Before she made the trek down the quiet hallways in the dead of night, the halls empty of servants, the lights dimmed in the late hour, she took a moment to drink in the handsome features of Liam, his features relaxed in deep slumber, his eyelashes brushing against the sharp angle of his cheekbones. She softly brushes the hair away from Liam’s face that had fallen against his forehead in his sleep.

Her heart splintering in a few thousand pieces before her, she kisses his forehead lightly, stares at him a few moments longer and leaves as she whispers a final goodbye.

She covers her mouth to stop the sob that threatens to bubble up from her throat.

I don’t know if I can do this…

A small voice flitters to the front of her mind, her desire to stay behind and just let things happen, let the threats become a reality just so she can stay with Liam.

No. No. I cannot let anything happen to Liam or his crown. This country and his people mean everything to him.

Ariel takes a deep breath as she had come to a stop in front of the palace, the black SUV almost invisible in the black of night.

No. She had to do this. If not for herself but for Liam. They would kill him if she didn’t and the monarchy and this country would fall apart without him.

Liam will find her goodbye note in the morning. She would be long gone before he could have any chance of locating her.

***

Present Day

Liam shivers as a brisk cold breeze sweeps around him and his friends, the white snow steadily falling from the grey sky.

He was prepared for the harshness of Russia’s weather, considering Lythikos was much the same in winter but this was a lethal level of freezing. His nose was numb and he almost couldn’t feel his feet, the thermals underneath his clothes doing little to dwell the sharp sting of the weather.

The entourage was huddled outside a restaurant, having just finished lunch after spending the whole day trying to find anyone who could lead them to any sort of answer that Liam desperately wanted. Liam had Bastien search the databases and cameras around the vicinity of the airport in the last few months to see if any of the missing royals arrived here in any capacity.  

It was a long shot but a shot nonetheless.

No such luck as of yet.

Liam sighs, the fog formed from his breath at the cold air puffing around his face.

“Shall we head back to the hotel? I have it on good authority that we won’t find any answers here. We’ve searched all day and nothing has come to pass.”

Drake huffs as he pulls his scarf tighter around his neck.

“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea. It’s freaking freezing out here.”

“Plus, we have been at this for three days and we have come up with nothing. I have no desire to get frostbite,” Olivia grumbles, as she delicately pulls on her coat to give her more warmth. Although she was used to Lythikos winters, Moscow was a different story altogether.

Liam sighs again as Bastien arrives with a rental, all of them shuffling into the back, his’s heart heavy as he gazes out the window. That cipher might have been a big help in the fact that it told them where to go but anything else where it said it’d assist them in finding the answers they needed which were despairingly nonexistent.

Liam resists the urge to grunt and punch the door in his frustration, as anger burns through his chest. This was becoming absurd. Chasing information about a cipher that did not give him any insight into where Ariel could possibly be was becoming nothing short of ludicrous and desperate on his part.

Was he just blind?

Was he so delirious that he followed this clue just because it was even remotely linked to his missing wife?

A groan bubbles up in his throat, yet he swallows. There was no need to alert his friends to his inner turmoil, although, they probably knew anyway.

Once they reach the hotel, Liam and the others march out of the car, the bite in the air sinking into their skin until they breathe out in relief at the warmth that engulfs them once inside.

The weather was becoming too cold for any of them to continue on with the investigation on this particular day. Liam felt the exhaustion weighing him down already.

Drake and Olivia give a parting wave to Liam and Maxwell, both of them exchange a smile as they walk to the elevator, hand-in-hand.  

Liam’s eyes follow them and a surprising twist of envy snakes through his gut at the sight. He was happy for the couple, but another part of him longed for the gentle touch of a partner. For once, he was the one shut out of it.

His jaw muscle ticks as he turns back to Maxwell, willing the absurd jealousy to ebb away. He doesn’t need that. He needs to focus.

They both bid each other farewell for the afternoon as Bastien as he hovers by his side and informs Liam that any evidence of royals entering the country had appeared fruitless and nothing worth pursuing.

Liam nods. “Thanks Bastien. Please keep me updated.”

Bastien gives a subtle bow to Liam as he turns and heads to his room but before he can, the hotel manager steps in front of him to gather his attention.

“Mr. Rys?”

Liam lifts a brow at his fake name. He often needed to remind himself of this procedure when trying to appear like a normal citizen.

“Yes, Sergei?” Liam asks.

“A package was delivered for you, sir.”

Liam’s eyebrows raise but he keeps his face composed.

“Oh?”

Sergi nods and starts walking over to the reception desk, quickly shooting off in Russian to a woman who obediently scuffles for a package in the bottom compartments. Liam duly follows, waiting patiently for it to be handed over.

It’s simple postage with only the address of the hotel and the number of his suite.

Liam’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Who else could know where I am?  

Now he was really curious as to what was in this. It couldn't possibly be related to anything Cordonia so what else could it be? Liam shakes his head in confusion. Who would have the resources to find him here? He arrived incognito.

Bastien leaves his charge to continue is journey up to his own suite as Liam strides to the elevator, the item securely tucked under his arm.  

Once inside his room, Liam shuts and locks the door, anxious to see the contents of the mysterious delivery. He grips the package in his hand and rips the lip of the package open. The contents inside it slip out, scattering all over the bed.

Liam leans down and his eyes widen and his pulse quickens as he finds photo upon photo of a few persons of interest that Nazario had mentioned to him. He sifts through the photos, most of them the same but stops on an old decrepit apartment building. It wasn’t something that caught the eye of most people. It looked rather unliveable in his honest opinion.

But flipping over the photo, he almost chokes at what he finds. Surely, this couldn’t be.

KOLOMNA. 25715 PRIROZ STREET,  KNOCK THREE TIMES, RAP THREE. WAIT.

The puzzle was coming together.