#This is for the small portion of people who love both Will Wood and Death Note <3

[italictext]

2econd 2ight 2eer

[chronicbeans]

Happily Never Afters

This is a little list of characters and information I came up with for a new... Story? X Reader Series? Idk. I just came up with them and liked them. I will update this as I come up with more characters. For the sake of this not taking up a large portion of the screen, I will put all info, including basic details, under the read more. Trigger warnings will be above it, however, just so people don't stumble upon things that might disturb or trigger them.

TW: Murder, Death/Decay, Disease, Body Horror(?), Curses, Obsessive/Possessive Behaviors, Stalking

Basic Info: I kinda wanted to practice writing more fantastical horror and horror romance ( would that be called dark romance? Idk). So, the basic premise is that these are fairy tales that are switched up, with none ending happily due to those changes, hence the cliche name for the series. I don't really see it as a series that has an overarching plotline, either. Just a bunch of scenarios. Small things will be changed around, too, just because I am interested in the ways that those things can change the plot. Examples of those could be the classic "evil stepmother" now being an "evil stepfather" or a character now having a sibling when they didn't beforehand. The intention of this is to both practice writing and to entertain others, lol. So, there may be weird scenarios, scenarios being written over again with alternative endings, and other such things. If anybody is interested in requesting stuff for certain characters, be it scenarios, headcanons (well, idk if it would be called that due to me being the person creating it, but anyways...), or anything else, they are welcome! Especially since you all may have ideas that I would've never been able to come up with.

With basic info out of the way, onto the characters!

SNOW WHITE characters:

Snow White/Gertrude - She's Snow White. The evil queen tried to have her killed by a huntsman, of course. However, her twin brother, Walter, overheard the plan and convinced Gertrude to let him go in her stead, dressed as her. She didn't believe the plan was true, until news came that Walter was killed, with his heart missing. This caused her to run into the woods, meet the dwarves, and to live with them. Soon, the animals and crops near the little cottage started to die, and she had the feeling that she was being watched. When the evil queen came to give her the apple, disguised as an old lady, Gertrude was desperate and hungry enough to take it and eat it. The curse in this version was not a curse of sleep, but instead, a curse of living dead. She is... Dead, but she is alive. She walks around, and on a first glance, she looks alive, but sickly due to her pale skin. Once you take a closer look, however, you'll see how her eyes are pale and glassy, how her lips look slightly purple of black. She doesn't decay, but the things around her do in their own way. While only edible, crop plants like corn, lettuce, and carrots tend to perish, animals of most every kind die away from disease. The telltale sign of Gertrude's presence, as well as Walter's, is chronic wasting disease in the deer populations near them. Gertrude only became known as Snow White after the curse befell her. True love's kiss would still free her from the spell but... Who would want to kiss an undead woman.

Walter - Walter is Gertrude's twin brother. He also has the nickname of Snow White, with people in nearby villages and towns arguing over whether Gertrude or Walter is the real Snow White. He overheard the queen's plan to have the huntsman kill his sister, so he went in her stead, knowing that a simple change of clothes and lack of speech could possibly trick him. They have always looked uncannily similar, after all. While he was in the afterlife, standing next to his own corpse as a ghost, a fairy godmother came to him. She offered him a chance to save Gertrude from the queen's next trick and to bring him to life. The catch was, he would be under the same curse as the one that the queen would cast on her. If he saves Gertrude in time, the curse would be lifted from him and he could go to the afterlife, and if not, he would never die and the curse shall never go away, not even with true love's kiss. After accepting, he tried to get into contact with his sister, only to fail because of his ghoulish appearance and the disturbing deaths of all the animals around him scaring her away. Once the curse was placed on her, he began to dedicate his undead life to finding her true love. In his eyes, if he can never die or find happiness, he might as well find a way for his sister to do so. He loves her too much to let her suffer.

The Dwarves ran off once Gertrude was cursed, afraid of what she has become and convinced that she would hurt them. Due to this, the twins now live in the cottage alone, trying to live as normal of a life as they can. They can't feel pain, instead feeling uncomfortable, but painless sensations. Random, tickling feelings like insects crawling on them to sudden bouts of heat or cold. Another side effect of the curse is feeling overly strong emotions. Sadness is the main one, due to their predicament, but anger, happiness, and love are also stronger and more intense than before.

CINDERELLA characters:

Cinderella/Ella: Her name is simply Ella. The parts with her working for her evil stepparent and stepsisters are the same, except for the fact that her stepmother is now a stepfather, that is well-known by the nobility due to his growing company. When it comes to the ball, her fairy godmother gives her a different spell than the simple "go to the ball, and at midnight, your clothes will turn back into rags". Instead, the spell is that she needs to go to the ball and dance with the prince, or else at midnight, the magic pumpkin flowers she used to repair Ella's dress will grow around her and drag her back to the wild pumpkin patch they came from. Ella accepts, not seeing the true weight of the downside. When she goes to the ball, she dances with the man she believes to be the prince, having never seen the prince before and getting confused due to all the fancily dressed noblemen around her. When she is dragged to the pumpkin patch, she notices how the vines have grown into her ankles, keeping her grounded to the pumpkin patch. The worst part, however, is that she can go to the edges of the patch, but not far enough to get help. She makes one last wish with her fairy godmother, which is that true love's kiss will free her, with the catch of this wish being that it will not come for at least three years, then after a multitude of lovers may come around to try to free her with a kiss, with only one being her true love that will succeed.

Prince Charming/ Prince Maurice: Prince Maurice takes the role of Cinderella's "Prince Charming". He knows Cinderella's stepfather, Claude, due to how well-known his company is. Maurice has even met Claude to discuss the company. One of those meetings resulted in him meeting Cinderella, as she leads him to her father's office, with Cinderella not knowing that he was a prince because her father purposely kept her in the dark. This simple meeting results in him becoming completely obsessed with Cinderella. From scheduling more meetings to try to see her, to even going as far as dressing as a peasant to stalk her as she runs her errands. During the ball, he sees her and tries to get a dance with her, only for her to dance with multiple other men under the assumption that he was a simple company owner instead of the prince. When he hears that she is trapped in a pumpkin patch, and that only true love's kiss can save her, he immediately heads over to save her. In his eyes, his obsessive love is true love, meaning that they are meant to be. Depending on the version of the spell, his belief that his love is true is what makes the spell work, despite the fact that, objectively, he isn't in LOVE with her, he is in OBSESSION with her. In other versions, where his kiss doesn't work, he tries other ways to get her for himself.

THE LITTLE MERMAID characters:

The Little Mermaid/Emil: I saw somewhere that the original Little Mermaid was written by a homosexual man who failed to get with the love of his life, which was, of course, another man. So, I decided to make the Little Mermaid in this version of the story a male merfolk named Emil, who fell in love with a pirate captain instead of a prince. He makes a deal with the Sea Witch, Clara, to become a human for a day. If he doesn't get with the pirate captain by the dawn of the next day, he will turn back into a merfolk, which could result in him suffocating on land. He fails to get the captain to fall in love with him, resulting in him turning back into a merfolk while on the ship. The captain saves him by placing him in a large barrel full of seawater, where they kept fish to be sold or eaten by the crew. Instead of letting Emil go back to the sea, however, the captain instead decides to parade him around like a freakshow in order to get free gold from the numerous towns his crew stops by, with Emil having no real way to escape. As much as he tries to comfort himself with the fact that he is, in a way, a part of the captain's crew, it doesn't help because he has realized that the captain doesn't see him as a person.

PLAN TO ADD:

Beauty and the Beast

Sleeping Beauty

[imaginarianisms]

“   Even in the darkest night, if you strike a match, the shadows will flee. This is a law of nature; the darkness yields to the light, no matter how small the flame. ”- Shaera to Dany

Daenerys looks at the Lady Velaryon from behind her shoulder as she turns to face her, with the green dragon Rhaegal snorting smoke and staring directly at Shaera. The Queen of Meereen slowly nods in agreement shuddering as she recalls the House of the Undying in Qarth, the way shadows grasped and clawed at her. It was only through Drogon that she was able to escape that place alive, leaving it a ruin. Clad in the colors of House Targaryen and a crown of amethyst and three dragons upon her silver gold hair with bells interlaced with them, Dany sits on her pillows. It was an exhausting law of nature, truth be told. Soon, House Targaryen was leaving Meereen and Dragon's Bay behind to begin her conquest of Essos... then Westeros.

After the rest of the slavers were crushed by Ser Barristan Selmy, the Unsullied and her supporters while she was away in the Dothraki Sea, the siege had been lifted momentarily but only enough for them to buy some time with the slavers' remaining soldiers establishing themselves further down the Ghiscari coastal roads. Victarion Greyjoy's Iron Fleet and the magic of the red priests of Rh'llor utterly crushed the Volantene fleet capturing hundreds of ships in the process and Tolos quickly being defeated by Victarion and the Meereenese fleet in Yaros and the Battle of Fire took longer than expected, that is, until Daenerys rode forth to Meereen with all the might of her now united khalasar, sworn to her under Vaes Dothrak. The arrival of the dragon queen and her horselords in such sheer numbers sent many of the slavers' armies into a frenzied panic, with many sellsword companies either deserting or turning their cloaks for her and the masters were forced to return to their walls. The Dothraki considered such a thing a sign of cowardice and they had been proven right.

She had just returned from making quick work of razing Yunkai to the ground and burning Astapor for their insolence leaving Ghiscar and the Skahazadhan open again. Elyria surrendered willingly by sending tribute; Tolos resisted and sent a pitiful excuse of an army up the demon road to blockade the Painted Mountains only to be taken quickly by storm by Victarion and the combined Meereenese fleet and later Yaros while the army was away. Qarth had been a short, bloodless siege for the city of merchants were meek, especially when she flew over the three walls of Qarth on Drogon. She had rejected all peace proposals to execute those who betrayed her including the Pureborn, and the Ancient Guild of Spicers, both of whom wished for her death, and Xaro Xhoan Daxos for the Qartheen had scorned her most when they betrayed her. Xaro, the thief so sick with greed, had told her that the Qartheen loved the clink of gold most of all so after she had her bloodriders drag him out of his palace she gave him all the gold he could ask for by pouring molten gold into his eyes, ears and mouth just as Khal Drogo gave her brother Viserys so many years ago, his face seared inward and spilling at her feet. She would have their complete submission and nothing else. She decreed that the Tourmaline Brotherhood give portions of their wealth to the common people, that all the thrones made of great woods, gold, amber, onyx, lapis and jade be destroyed so that the gemstones and woods be used for her supplies, trade routes and house the poor and seven of the Thirteen must be chosen by freedmen henceforth forevermore and left with several chests of riches, precious jewels and spices, treasure ships, eight hundred ships from the Tourmaline Brotherhood, all thirteen hundred ships from the Ancient Guild of Spicers that she'd taken after executing every single member in the guild, a thousand ships from the Thirteen and camelry, all the things that the Qartheen once denied her she took it herself. New Ghis surrendered shortly afterward and sent an elephant cavalry as tribute; it was wise to do so after all they'd heard. Qarth and her colonies Qarkash, Port Yhos and the island of Qal followed suit. The Jade Gates were hers. Daenerys then used a glass candle to gaze upon Asshai beneath the Shadow and touched the dragonhorn Dragonbinder gifted to her by Victarion Greyjoy after he had told her the dangers of King Euron I Greyjoy, how he'd traveled to Valyria, taken Valyrian armor and glories and riches beyond imagining and his intentions for the kraken to marry the dragon much to her horror, and read books on dragonlore and sorcery given to her by Marwyn the Mage of the Citadel. With every passing day, Daenerys Targaryen felt more like a dragonlord sorceress.

Now she has finally returned to Meereen to consolidate her forces and has destroyed the Sons of the Harpy once and for all and executing her royal husband Hizdahr zo Loraq for conspiracy and treason, sending ravens to every daughter of Valyria save Braavos, proclaiming herself as the successor to the Freehold, and all must submit or be brought fire and blood. She would leave Meereen to bring her enemies to heel. She would fight so that no child would ever know what it meant to be bought or sold, and she had every intention of continuing that fight here and beyond. She intended to marry off the sisters, daughters and cousins of previous khals still fiercely loyal to Khal Drogo's cause to her vassals so they could rule those cities in their husbands' names then have them killed in the frontlines of war, reward those loyal to her and place them in high positions in her armies and households, highborn or lowborn, and forbade the selling of slaves, theft, fighting among the Dothraki, hunting of animals during the breeding season, and exempted the poor and the clergy from taxation.

Daenerys' next destination was westward henceforth to Mantarys then Volantis where she intended to throw the masters she'd spared into moats by catapults before crushing them with siege weapons, use her elephantry to charge her enemies, break their ranks instilling fear and terror in them, fly over the Black Walls and set the Old City aflame and let the slaves revolt against their masters like the red priests preached. Most of the work would be done for her, really. Volantis likely didn't require much of a siege or a battle at all, it was simply set up for failure. High Priest Benerro had made certain of that, the red priest Moqorro had reported, with the way thousands of slaves and freedmen gathered in the temple plaza every night to listen to him scream of bleeding stars, a sword of fire that will cleanse the world, that Daenerys Stormborn was the one who was promised, from the fire of Khal Drogo's pyre she was reborn to remake the world, breaking the chains and liberating the slaves, crucifying the masters for their sins and her dragons were firemade flesh. With the Volantene fleet destroyed in Meereen, they would be unable to defeat her armada at sea and lost any advantage they had, the most prominent sellsword companies were either in Westeros as the Golden Company were currently fighting in Westeros for Aegon VI Targaryen, changed their cloaks to Daenerys or destroyed in Meereen, and the majority of the tiger cloaks followed the Lord of Light Rh'llor, and not to mention the popular support she already had amongst the followers of the red god. The siege would be short. Who knows, perhaps the grand revolution would already begin before she even arrived. The true doom of Volantis was its slaves, for it had more slaves than anywhere else in the known world outside of the recently liberated Slaver's Bay, and with the Masters utterly destroyed, Volantis was now the last major practitioner of slavery from the Bones Mountains to the Sunset Sea. Most of the slaves would know this. The rest would be left unsaid. Volantis and all her holdings along the Rhoyne would fall to Daenerys, with many of the city's elites slain.

After Volantis falls, she would reach a zenith, for there would be no one left on the continent of Essos to put up significant resistance to her after she brought the entire coalition of slavers and the most powerful of the Free Cities to heel. With the common people behind her, a few Westerosi knights, several sellsword companies, the Unsullied, a united Dothraki horde at her back, an elephantry, a camelry, large siege weapons taken from Dragon's Bay and some bought from Yi Ti, her armada, and three massive firebreathing dragons, no one in Essos could stop her. With Volantis and her holdings upon the Rhoyne defeated, she would claim the Rhoyne and sail up the river to capture the northern Free Cities of Qohor and Norvos after the others—the Quarreling Daughters Lys, Myr and Tyrosh—would wisely submit, end slavery and welcome her as House Hightower of Oldtown once welcomed Aegon the Conqueror.

Perhaps there was some level of merit to being raised in the Free Cities with Viserys. Dany had loved seeing the ships that came in and out of Braavos as a child so when she asked a sailor from the Summer Isles if she could have a ride on one, the man kindly agreed, and it was one of the most lovely experiences in her life but when she came back to port, Viserys was furious and she'd woken the dragon as he pulled on her hair, screaming that that man could have been one of Robert Baratheon's assassins and he'd kept a closer eye on her ever since, and she'd been grounded in the Sealord's palace for a month. The girl didn't necessarily mind, however, because she could play with the animals in the Sealord's menagerie. She remembered begging Viserys to attend the Festival of the Unmasking and he accepted once they'd received Ser Willem Darry's permission. Dany had worn a dragon mask of crimson and ebony fabric and purple silks that night while she had fun amongst the common people. That was one of the rare times that she enjoyed her girlhood. She'd loved to sit under the cherry blossom trees in Illyrio's manse in Pentos, where it was said that he'd gotten them from the fabled lands of Yi Ti. Dany recalled absolutely adoring the painted glass artisanry, the Myrish lace dresses but most importantly how she desperately wanted to attend academy to learn more about the world, but Viserys thought it would be too great a risk, but in subtle rebellion, she would sit closely nearby when a class was taken outside and listen very carefully. She remembered Viserys having them dye their hair with Tyroshi dyes in multiple different colors in shades of blue, red, green, indigo and even purple to always be one step ahead of Robert Baratheon's assassins. It'd taken his pride but it was better than having their throats slit; she'd wondered if the Tyroshi would make an intricate set of armor for him one day. She barely remembered Lorath and Norvos save for the freezing temperature, mazes created by the mazemakers and the three beautiful bells. Dany recalled having watched a ritual sacrifice to the Black Goat in Qohor in horror and fascination. She used to play in the Rhoyne in on one very long and hot summer day with other children while remembering being absolutely in awe with the Long Bridge and the Black Walls of Volantis while they were under the protection of a noble Volantene family known as the Qoheros, who were heavily involved with the gold and spice trade in the Far East and having three separate manses, one within the Black Walls, one in the city of Volon Therys and the last in the city of Valysar. She remembered playing on the beaches in Lys, running for hours along the sand under the palm trees and into the clear blue waters, and on the rare occasion, she'd managed to get Viserys to make castles of sand where they'd make their ancestral homelands in the sand and to come play with her in the water as she laughed when he'd carry her on his shoulders pretending she was the Queens Rhaenys or Visenya on dragonback; it had been one of their only fleeting happiest moments.

Using her knowledge of the cities and the magisters, archons, and merchant princes who once welcomed the last Targaryens in their homes (only for them to shut them out the longer Robert Baratheon the Usurper reigned) to her advantage, she intended on splitting her forces into two to strike northern and southern Essos at once before the rest of the smaller slaver cities formed another alliance against her. While Daenerys and her main host took Volantis, the Dothraki horde would ideally take both Qohor and Norvos. Daenerys had need for the beautiful colorful armor for her Westerosi knights and sellswords said to be superior to the armor made in Westeros and unrivalled Valyrian steel forges of the Qohorik, for they were the only ones in the world to this day who still possessed the knowledge on how to rework Valyrian steel. Archibald Yronwood had told her that the late Quentyn Martell's mother was Mellario of Norvos and she'd intended on sending Gerris Drinkwater home to Dorne with Quentyn Martell's bones while Archibald Yronwood stayed behind with her to give the Norvoshi noblewoman the news of her son's death intent on winning her and her ex husband Prince Doran Martell of Dorne's allegiances after explaining everything that had happened with Yronwood as her personal witness. Lorath did not practice slavery so she had no need to march further north, the Lorathi along with Saath the last city of the Sarnori people would submit to her rule without any complaints nor objections; she'd intended to use the famed scythed chariots pulled by teams of bloodred horses and driven by both men and women of Sarnor for it was custom for men and women to make war together; the kingdoms of Sarnor and the Valyrian Freehold were once allies, perhaps a renewal would be beneficial. Pentos had no army. It would offer no contest, though she had every intention of paying Magister Illyrio Mopatis a visit after the words that Tyrion Lannister had told her about his treachery. She would give Pentos to the Tattered Prince and ideally Tyrosh to Daario Naharis. The Three Quarreling Daughters would likely have little if any sellsword forces left to defend them and if she played her cards right, she would make the Lyseni family of Rogare powerful both in Lys and in Westeros as they had been centuries ago in the Lyseni Spring after the Dance of the Dragons, for her ancestor was no other than Larra Rogare. It was wise to have more than one financial center for a country as the Rogare Bank and Iron Bank were long ago, too. King's Landing prospered due to the Rogare Bank and increased trade with the Free Cities of Braavos, Lys, Myr, Pentos, and Tyrosh, and other cities and towns of the Seven Kingdoms greatly benefited as well, including Duskendale, Gulltown, Hull, Lannisport, Maidenpool, Oldtown, and White Harbor, and with the financial debt caused by the Baratheon Dynasty, it would be wise to bring more trade back to Westeros. After her conquest of Westeros was over, she had every intention of making trade in Westeros flourish once more. Perhaps she would begin her network of spies in Lys with the help of Daella Velaryon. Myrish lenses would be critical for her armies and scouts, too. Braavos was her final destination in Essos. House Targaryen owed a great deal of gratitude for the Braavosi, particularly the ailing Sealord of Braavos, and she'd have need of the Iron Bank; perhaps she could hire a faceless man or two. She had no intentions of using her armies nor her dragons on Braavos. Most of all, though, Daenerys Targaryen wanted to see her childhood home, that house with the red door and the lemon tree one last time before sailing for Westeros.

She'd already had plans for Victarion, the Iron Fleet and her armada to sail around Valyria while having already sent one of her bloodriders Aggo with a large section of her khalasar to threaten Qohor in the north while her main host of sellswords, her legions of Unsullied and freedmen, her two other bloodriders Jhogo and Rakharo and the vast majority of her khalasar and her dragons crossed the demon road she'd intended on renaming to the dragon road by right of conquest. With Yunkai and Qarth defeated, Daenerys intended to march across the dragonroad to defeat the last of the slavers' coalition. The Mantaryan army would be crushed and the city would fall soon after; she would punish the leaders of Mantarys for executing her envoys, leaving Volantis open. The Dosh Khaleen already called her The Stallion That Mounts The World whom her son Rhaego would have been before the Mother of Mountains and the Womb of the World after slaying her rivals Khal Jhaqo and Khal Moro with dragonfire avenging Eroeh and showing the Dothraki that she indeed was the Unburnt and uniting those who gathered in the Khalar Vezhven all into one khalasar.

She would never abandon her quest to end slavery in favor of the Seven Kingdoms, the slavers' vile retribution had done nothing but harden her resolve and Daenerys realized upon the Dothraki Sea that slavery must be ended everywhere root and stem before sailing for Westeros. Upon the Dothraki Sea, she knew that she was above all else a dragon, not meant to rule Dragon's Bay nor Westeros, but all of it, she was Valyrian and of the blood of Old Valyria and as such she would claim all of the realms of the old Valyrian Freehold and then Westeros like her ancestors Aegon, Rhaenys and Visenya Targaryen the Conquerors. This time, however, it was for a much nobler cause.

Daenerys was finally ready to leave Meereen and Dragon's Bay behind with a set of instructions for Skahaz mo Kandaq the Shavepate who she'd commanded to stay behind with her trusted Meereenese officials Galazza Galare the Green Grace of Meereen and several of her Brazen Beasts in the city after sending her cupbearers home to their families and pyramids. The Ghiscari and the Qartheen were now her vassals and Volantis was next. Dany had taken both Daario Naharis whom she'd recently freed in Yunkai and Irri into her bed that night to relish in their victory.

The armor and saddles she'd commissioned Tyrion for her dragons were just about complete and she'd need to talk about breeding them with him at some point. The ships in her armada were unlike any other, built like swan ships and a combination of techniques of both the Velaryons from their Summer Islands heritage, the fastest ships in the known world and the Greyjoys from the Ironborn reavers. Incredibly quick upon the open seas, it would greatly benefit her and her armies.

Dany would miss these gardens, her persimmon tree and the view of Meereen. The Red Keep of King's Landing was her true home, however. Drogon and Viserion flew above the Great Pyramid and over the armada that had recently just been completed, the red three headed dragons on black sails accompanied by ships of the silver Velaryon seahorse on teal, great ships of red Celtigar crabs on white, ships of the Greyjoy kraken on black, ships of the golden Tyrell rose on green and ships of the red and yellow Martell sun and spear on orange making her heart swell with proud joy.

She'd invited Shaera Velaryon who'd been the closest thing she ever had to a mother and one of her fiercest supporters since the beginning to her gardens in the queens' apartments to discuss important matters before they set sail westward to Volantis.

❝I have decided that as a reward for your loyalty to House Targaryen, I will grant House Velaryon and House Celtigar access and a base of its own in the Jade Gates as your ancestor Corlys Velaryon the Sea Snake and their ancestors sailed past them centuries before to contact Yi Ti, Leng and beyond to bring eastern trade back to Westeros. Now... Lady Shaera, do you perchance recall the House of the Undying in Qarth?❞ the Khaleesi asks, hoping that the other woman did, because it left bitter memories. The Warlocks were not forgiving, yet while she was in Qarth they were no more. ❝The warlocks were trying to consume me... but in that house of dust I received many visions. One of them... I recall discussing it with Ser Jorah. My brother Rhaegar stood with the Princess Elia Martell with my nephew nursing. He said that his son Aegon was 'the prince that was promised and his is a song of ice and fire' and 'there must be one more, the dragon has three heads'...❞ Rhaegal crawls forward, neck lowering slightly, bronze eyes changing from contracted slits to dilated slits and gives a friendly chirps as a greeting, almost as if asking for pets should Shaera be bold enough as the sun's rays illuminate his scales an emerald sheen, tail lashing. Daenerys looked visibly confused, her brows furrowed. Quaithe's visitations didn't help matters either.

❝I've half a mind to bring it up to Marwyn the Mage of the Citadel but I ask you first. You once told me you served my mother the Queen Rhaella Targaryen. You knew my brother well. Did Rhaegar ever speak to you of such things when he was alive? Lord Tyrion tells me that there is a pretender waiting to take my throne in Westeros as we speak. According to him the exile Griffin Lord Jon Connington assists him and Magister Illyrio Mopatis of Pentos has manipulated and lied to me, raising this pretender in secrecy and safety while he sold me to Khal Drogo. He claims to be my nephew Aegon VI Targaryen from the grave.❞ Her voice wavered with pain and venom. She had always wanted a family for so long she would've done anything for it. Was this truly her nephew back from the grave? Rhaegal screeched, several rows of teeth peeking out from his gumline as he growled, taking to the sky to join his brothers, ❝I believe that Rhaegar was right. The dragon has three heads. Three riders for three dragons. Two husbands, perhaps. Long ago, as I'm sure you know, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen and the Blacks called for dragonseeds, Targaryen bastards and descendants to ride other dragons to war promising knighthood, lands and wealth to anyone who would master a dragon. I intend to do the same. I may be their mother, but there has never been a rider who mounts more than one dragon; I will require control over the other two dragons if my conquest of Westeros is ever going to succeed like Aegon and his sisters have before me. Lady Shaera, whom would you suggest be capable of riding Rhaegal and Viserion? Whom would you suggest would be capable of such a task? I am the last trueborn Targaryen.❞

@velcryons || some meme idr

[starshipsofstarlord]

Mother’s Day

Pairing | Luke Hemmings x reader

Summary | it has been five years since you lost your mother, and the day of appreciation founded for said parent always brings back the memoirs of your past, making the holiday difficult to cope with.

Warnings | angst, mentions of death, swearing

Requested ☑️

Quick link to my masterlist, if you’re interested in reading more of my crap 😬

As soon as you woke up, you were greeted by the other side of the cold bed. Of course, our of all days, Luke would have gone to work, you thought. Though, it wasn’t his fault if he had been called into the studio, it just made the day suck a little bit more.

The idea alone of getting out of bed seemed tiresome, nevertheless, you did so, padding along the hallways of your home in nothing more than a large shirt belonging to your significant other. Your destination of target was the kitchen, that you found to be anything but vacant.

It appeared that Luke remained in the residency, standing above the stove, to where he held onto the handle of a pan, moving the eggs around with a spatula, making sure that they would be cooked under his surveillance just right.

Without much noise, you walked behind him, wrapping your arms around his waist, and nuzzling your face into the canvas of his bare back. He was the comfort that you needed on a day like this, and it seemed that he had gotten the memo.

“Missed waking up to you.” A mumble fell from your mouth, feeling as Luke’s arms lifted, from him plating up the breakfast that he had woken up to make. In return, Luke hummed, lightly grasping onto the mid section of your arms, and spinning around to face you.

“Sorry baby.” On his face sat a gentle, and nurturing smile. All that he had aimed to do was awaken you with a fulfilling surprise, but it was clear now, that he had misjudged your desires. “How are you feeling?” His hand ran up to your face, cupping the corner of it, to which you leant into.

“Sometimes I feel like every year without mum gets easier, and others, it doesn’t. I just fucking miss her, and this annual holiday only makes me think of her non stop.” An expression of sorrow adorned your face, the tears held back int the faucets of your eyes.

Luke felt lucky, he still had his mother, and their relationship was great. And he could only imagine how much losing your parent had affected you, but he said little, and wrapped his large and concealing and around your slouched form.

“Why don’t we eat breakfast, and whilst we eat, you can tell me all about her. I’d have really have liked to meet her, it stands another reason as to why I wish that we had met earlier on in my life.” Listening to his words, you recoiled from his tender grasp, and went and sat in one of the dining seats.

Not five minutes later, a plate was placed before you, filled with your mouth watering favourites. It made you feel the slightest bit better, knowing the efforts that this man would go to, to ensure that you were happy. Luke claimed the seat opposite you, dropping a small portion of bacon for Petunia to eat.

“She’d have loved you.” At the statement, Luke’s dimples that were indented in his cheeks became prominent, and he leant his elbow upon the wood of the table, paying absolute attention to every word that left your mouth. “We used to have this joke, that when we went to Australia, the first time that we went on holiday, that we were going to see who would pick up the cutest guys. Y/m/n always went for the blondes.”

“So... I’d have been her type?” Lightly, with a roll of your eyes and a retorted laugh, you kicked Luke with your bare foot, finding both humour and reminiscence within the conversation.

“Sure, if she were into younger guys and had a thing for blondes that didn’t think they were quite blonde enough.” A faux scowl appeared on his face, as he ruffled his freshly bleached head, but only for a slither of a moment. “But on a serious note, she wanted me two be happy, and I am. That is the reason she’d have loved you the most.”

Luke reached across the table, placing one of his large hands atop of yours. “Enough about how she’d have liked me honey; tell me more about you and her.”

A breath raised in your chest, as you took a weighty intake. Before you spoke, a slip of a smile appeared on your face; just thinking about her gave you some strange type of peace. The image of her was like a medicine, there were various affects, but overall, were used to improve your condition.

She was the person that you were most grateful for. A large portion of her life had been spent raising you, and for that, you would always think highly of her. It didn’t matter what people thought of her, she was always perfect, no matter the emotions that she pursued with expressing.

At the end of the day, she was your mother, and you hoped that one day, that you would be much like her if you were ever to have children. “Well, there was this one story that she always liked to tell...” And so you began, from start to finish, almost forgetting that you were speaking the tale to Luke, rather than experiencing it all over again.

[lisinfleur]

Shelter

The request:

Author’s Notes | I took the chance for Day Felice’s new album and wrote it while listening to their song Shelter, if you guys want to listen to it while reading as well. I hope you guys enjoy it! (And the song too haha). Universe | Vikings Pairing | Ivar x Reader Info | Viking Age AU, requested by anon. Words | 1878 ⁑ Warnings: Mentions to child abuse and abandonment. Wounds, blood, and some angst.

His chariot noise was always something that would help his mind to ease after any kind of arguing. And with his wife, it wasn't different. This morning he’d left after a huge discussion with her.

Why was Y/N so worried about a slave child?

Ivar insisted several times she should just forget the thing and let it go. It wasn't their responsibility! And more: by taking leftovers and water for that child every night, she was only making the little thing's suffering longer!

"It would be dead already if it wasn't for you, feeding it every night!" he remembered trying to insist.

But Y/N's was stone-headed! Every single night, there was his queen, dressing her cloak and leaving his castle - once a former church - to visit the thing that now wasn't moving places, of course.

Someone was feeding it, helping it, all the time! Why would it be stupid and leave it behind?

Ivar was getting used to passing by that child every day as if the girl was some kind of door or local decoration. But not for his wife. Not his Y/N and her heart blessed by Frigg.

She was a natural mother. He knew that! It was one of the reasons he chose her the love Y/N would show for any child she could have around.

But when she came with that stupid idea, it went too far for him.

"I'm going to take her home."

A thing.

A useless thing that wouldn't serve not even as a slave, so thin it was.

They've discussed it for hours. Ivar screamed at Y/N she was insane, perhaps touched by some local spirit. Y/N yelled he was an insensitive motherfucker who could fuck himself out of her room if he thought she would let a child starve to death on her door.

As always, their love was intense but also was their anger. And whenever they would yell at each other, one of them would end up hurt.

This time, it was her.

"I don't fucking care about what you think! It's cattle, Y/N! Cattle die! And that's it! I won't spend my supplies with a thing that can barely give anything back to us!"

Or maybe not.

Perhaps... It was him.

"Fine then. Let us guide her to the woods and leave her to the wolves, Ivar. Isn't it what we do with useless things? Oh, wait... Wasn't it what your father did to you?"

Their words would always hurt each other deeper than they wanted to hurt. Their hearts would regret the words said at the moment they’d left their mouths.

But this time, her words forced his eyes to look out of his chariot. And Ivar stopped it by the street near where that thing was sitting, observing. Trying to understand why his wife was trying so hard to save that starving child.

Why was she comparing them as if there was anything in common between him and a Saxon abandoned child?

It was early in the morning. He watched as the little girl unwrapped the leftovers his wife had given to her the last night. At first, Ivar thought the little hungry thing would, of course, eat everything without care. But he watched with surprise as she fractioned the little portion, eating a quarter of it and saving the rest for later.

It was an intelligent move... She wasn’t a wild animal, after all.

That would be a cold day. Ivar observed as the little one looked up to the sky. The sun was born behind some heavy clouds - probably some rain would be coming at night.

He watched as the little thing looked around, smartly stealing a barrel from the trash of a nearby store, checking on its wooden pieces to place it properly as a shelter. She was young and thin enough to fit into it. It would serve for the night and maybe keep her warm.

The owner of the store, so as some people who were passing by, pushed her here or there, complaining about her attempts to move between them. And Ivar watched as the little girl looked up from the ground to the bigger people around her, fearlessly.

She wasn't such a defenseless little thing as he thought she was.

In fact, she was pretty smarter than he thought a Saxon child could be, hiding her barrel between the mead barrels of the same store, covering its problems with some mud, so the owner wouldn't see it wasn't one of his barrels.

She wouldn't have her shelter for the night thrown away or broken before she could use it.

Ivar lost track of the time he spent there, watching the girl moving here and there, gathering stones and mud to imitate the shop owner's way of stocking his barrels and preserving hers.

But the important matters of the town had to be more important than his arguing with his wife, and with this, Ivar moved away from that place.

His mind wondered if that was the reason why his wife was so sure he and that child had something in common.

The little girl was a fighter like he was someday, indeed. She was fighting her way to keep herself alive and, perhaps, his precious Y/N was right, and death wasn't exactly the fate that child had in this world.

Ivar tried to get himself occupied during the day. But the truth was that his mind never stopped lingering over Y/N's words, passing over and over the things he had seen that morning.

When the night was threatening to come, the sky broke in water as he thought it would. But curiosity dragged him away from the path to his home.

Ivar wanted to see if the little girl's plan had gone right and what was his surprise when he found the little one sitting away from the store under the heavy rain, with nothing but a rag to cover herself and wounds everywhere.

The barrel she'd tried so hard to protect was shattered near the store's trash, and a fence was placed by the owner around his barrels with some spikes near the place she was sitting before. It was preventing her from having coverage under his roof, even from the outside.

That angered Ivar a little. He'd seen her hard work! And, in the end, her plan had failed. She was clearly beaten and wet from her head to her toes anyway.

However, his eyes caught something he wasn't expecting.

After eating the last piece of what his wife had given to her, the little girl extended the leather over a hole he watched her carve with her bare hands on the ground. Treated, the leather started to catch water and fill itself, becoming a bag into the hole. The little girl caught the bag before it could lose its content, tied the leather with a strand of her ragged trousers, and created a canteen from where she started drinking the rainwater, relieving her thirst.

She was beaten down, defeated. Yet, she didn't give up. She didn't lay her pride down. And found herself a way to turn that rain into a chance for her to survive one more day.

There was determination in her eyes.

That little thing wasn't being sustained by his wife's crumbs. No. She was fighting to the limit of her strength to survive.

Like he'd done someday...

Ivar's eyes filled with surprise when he could see himself in that little girl's wounds, dragging himself through the mud when everyone thought he would never move.

Standing, when everyone was expecting his legs to break and let him fall.

She was a fighter. And, maybe, Y/N was right. Perhaps it wasn't about a Saxon child or a useless slave. Perhaps the gods were showing him they've chosen that little thing, to give her a chance, to reward her for the fight she was putting on for her life.

"Get in," Ivar's voice sounded.

The little thin thing lifted her eyes to see the mighty Viking looking at her from the chariot everyone from her people was taught to fear. Her wounded little body could barely reach the top of its wheels when she got up to look at Ivar.

Her eyes into his, instigating even more the curiosity he was starting to have about that little Saxon thing.

How fierce would she be if raised under his roof?

But the little thing didn't get up on his chariot at once. Instead, she lowered herself, gathering more stones with her muddy and wounded hands.

"I said get in! Don't you see you'll end up dying under this rain?" Ivar complained, annoyed he was standing under such heavy and cold waters for a thing that dared to turn her back on him, carving the floor and placing the stones in a way the rain wouldn't destroy her little monument. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I must do it, sir," she mumbled.

Ivar could recognize a small stone monument in that little girl's construction. His people were used to rising those little towers to pray for the gods or place small sacrifices and offers.

Was Y/N teaching her about the gods?

"Why?" he asked as she tried to climb up on his chariot, struggling a little with the height and her wounded knees.

"It is for the lady who comes here every day," she mumbled. "I promised if I ever was to leave, I would leave one of these for her, so she would know I'm not dead."

For his wife.

She was leaving a stone monument for Y/N, so she wouldn't be worried...

"I don't know where you're taking me, king Ivar," she said, showing she knew who he was. "But I don't want her to be sad."

Ivar's heart ached. There was indeed something in common between him and that child. But not only the fact that both of them were survivors.

She didn't want his wife to be hurt.

And so didn't he.

"Cover yourself," he said, throwing his warm cloak around her.

It covered her like a blanket in which she rolled herself, nestling with a grateful smile.

"She was right," the little girl mumbled as Ivar started to ride his horses.

"What?" he asked, and she repeated, smiling at him.

"The lady was right." She said. "The gods were watching me. Maybe I passed their test."

Y/N was definitely teaching that girl. And Ivar sighed, looking at the road.

Perhaps it was a test for himself as well. Or Skuld just had decided to use him as a feather to write that little girl's fate differently.

"Skuld," he said, catching her eyes. "We shall name you Skuld. To honor the god that wrote your fate like this."

"Skuld," she tried.

Pronouncing it perfectly.

"Sounds strong... I like it!"

What a petulant little thing, Ivar thought. As if she had any choice on how things would be from now on. A giggle filled Ivar's mouth.

Y/N was right and he would remember apologising after coming home that night.

The little girl wasn’t a useless thing. And he had to admit.

She was like him, after all.

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[you-cant-spell-subtext-without]

Continuing my dissertation on why Supernatural is about Destiel even when Cas is not in the episode, and here is my analysis of 11x18 - The Chitters.

I initially had this episode on a “never watching again” because the monster grossed me out so much, but then I realized that the writers were giving us a literal Dean/Cas as husbands mirror story by doing this

and hiding it in an episode with the most grotesque MOTW imaginable (seriously, name a worse monster than underground creatures who impregnate humans with their eggs via orgy and leave them in a damn cave; oh and cause them to shake, chitter, and have glowy green eyes.  BRB, puking).

A little trickster moment in the beginning starting this episode with two brothers, and the eldest - Matt - dying in a *shocker* supernatural way, and the youngest - Jesse - then going on to dedicate his life to avenging his brother’s death.  A lot of reviewers consider this intro to mean we are supposed to be looking for Sam/Dean parallels in the following narrative bEcAusE tHAt is WhAT thE boYS wOuLD dO, but I POSIT TO YOU IT IS NOT ONLY A 10000000 percent DESTIEL STORY, BUT ALSO THAT this is established in the very first scene - the conversation between Jesse and Matt in the flashback:

JESSE

It finally happened.

MATT

What? You didn’t get detention this week?

JESSE

Me and Jackie, we kissed.

MATT:

Okay, can I stop hearing about him every two minutes now? “You think he likes me?”, “Jackie looked at me. I-I think he looked at me.”

JESSE

He definitely likes me.

***I mean Matt’s comment -  does this not immediately remind you of Sam “I am in constant Destiel super hell” Winchester?

For reference, here is Sam’s “I am in super hell please stop now” face:

**Also he LOOKED AT HIM?! What is 80% of Destiel if not subtextual pining and LOOKING.  I don’t make the rules.  Jesse is Dean.  And Matt is dead.  Matt’s death ENDS the “brother portion” of this story insofar as the parallel is concerned. (**please note I am not advocating for Sam to die.  the parallel is just NOT about the brother storyline in this episode - there are plenty of other “mirrors” for the brother storyline, but this is NOT one of them).

We cut to the real Dean continuing in FULL RESEARCH MODE ACTIVATED because Amara has Cas at this point and he is panicking.  

Was the red and black flannel an intentional wardrobe choice to mirror Jesse’s jacket?  We will never know. (Yes.  Everything is intentional.  This is Supernatural. We hate it here. Also Cesar is in a KHAKI vest because KHAKI means THINGS in Supernatural for REASONS). 

Also I love FULL RESEARCH MODE ACTIVATED desperately trying to get Cas back Dean.  It’s real “I just started studying for my final the night before at 10 p.m.” energy.  He’s refusing to stop to even look at Sam here:

Anyway, a few gross scenes of green eyed people, orgies, and a hilarious conversation about weed (or was it oregano?- 

Jensen Ackles you slay me) later -

Jesse and Cesar save Dean’s bacon and the four of them end up in a bar chatting over beers.  Here is where it is INCREDIBLY apparent that Jesse is a mirror for Dean (also I’d watch a bottle episode of these four hanging out doing regular every day stuff a la How I Met Your Mother or Friends).  

JESSE

One of them took my brother 27 years ago.

[Sam and Dean look surprised. Sam turns to Dean, and Dean is speechless.

DEAN

[looks to Jesse] I’m sorry to hear that.

JESSE

I’ve been waiting years to come back and have this shot at them. So, I hope you understand, I’m gonna ask you two to take a step back from this one.

DEAN

[nods] Well, catch us up. Where have you guys been?

JESSE

In the woods, where the action is, looking for their burrow and saving your ass.

[Sam is slightly taken aback, but he gives a look of approval. Cesar scoffs.]

JESSE

What?

CESAR

Well, one of the reasons we’ve been holed up in the trees is because Jesse hates the town and everyone in it.

JESSE

Because they’re ignorant and useless. [turns to Cesar] They didn’t believe me 27 years ago, they’re not gonna start now.

CESAR

[sternly] It’s boneheaded not to be following leads in town.

JESSE

Hey, nobody stopping you from talking to the whole box of crackers.

[Cesar sighs and looks away.]

***You could replace “Jesse” with “Dean” and the lines wouldn’t need to change an iota to stay in the character.  Cesar’s scoffing, the stern response, calling Jesse boneheaded, sighing, looking away exasperatedly - 100% Cas energy.  I really don’t make the rules. Cesar isn’t anything like Sam, and he isn’t meant to be.  This is not a brother story.  THIS IS A STORY ABOUT TRUE LOVE DAMMIT.

Dean makes that red herring comment about them bickering just like brothers , then:

Which by the way is EXACTLY how Dean and Cas bicker.  Hence why Sam is always in super hell.  

I can’t find a better quality image of this montage, but I really wanted to bring attention to the EXPRESSION on Dean’s face:

***Sure, Dean. You’re curious about what it’s like to live with a hunter.  Okay. 

Also, whoever made this, you get it.

They start arguing on the next step - questioning a former sheriff, or going back to the woods to search for the creepy crawlies’ hidey hole.

JESSE

[sternly] We need to find the burrow.

CESAR

[patiently] Jess, we’ve been beating around the woods for two days.

JESSE

[stubbornly] That’s where they are. You saw the tracks.

CESAR

I can keep searching on my own. We’re losing.

****sternly-patiently-stubbornly <- it’s like a never-ending Destiel refrain.  Cesar’s willingness to continue on what is purely Jesse’s quest for revenge so Jesse can move on is also so very Cas-adjacent.  I LOVE A SUBTEXTUAL PARALLEL.

Anyway, then they split into twos, pairing Sam with Jesse and Cesar with Dean for the next few scenes.  Lots of reviewers tracked this as a brother-brother (i.e. Sam is paired with the version of himself and Dean is paired with the version of himself) parallel, but THIS scene with Sam, Jesse, and the old sheriff SCREAMS otherwise:

JESSE

[angrily pushed Cochran down the chair] You son of a bitch.

[Sam moves forward to get Jesse back.]

JESSE

You knew the whole time! You knew where they were when everybody was suffering.

COCHRAN

[pushes Jesse off him] I was suffering too!

SAM

[pulls Jesse away from Cochran and tries to calm him down] Jesse. Hey, hey. Hold on. Hold on.

***EXCUSE ME, did he just say DEAN’S CATCHPHRASE.  And how many times has Sam done this exact thing to Dean when he is in a rage?!?   I DO NOT MAKE THE RULES.  

ALSO something about THE JUXTAPOSITION of Cesar and Jesse in the following scene.  This is very Dean with Cas quietly waiting for him to me.

A lot of creepy monster montage scenes and dead bodies later, the day is saved.  Cue adorable husband exchange, and the news that Jesse and Cesar are going to retire.  

SAM

So, uh, what’s freedom look like?

JESSE

Nice little spread in New Mexico. We’ve been paying on it for years. Set foot on it about … twice?

CESAR

Gonna raise horses. And if that goes bust, Jesse used to be an EMT.

JESSE

Oh, so now I’m supporting your ass?

[Cesar chuckles and looks at Jesse lovingly, before both men turns to the Winchesters. Sam follows the laugh.]

CESAR

 It’s time to start living.

Also this SHOULDER touch.  And it’s the left shoulder.  (there is a great Casifer post out there about how Dean was thrown off specifically because Casifer touched his RIGHT shoulder, and Cas always touches his LEFT).  

All I really need now is a FACE CUP, tbh.  

You want more parallels?  Recall that CESAR (aka Cas-adjacent) is the one who saves Dean’s bacon in the beginning.  

Then he helps him get up off the ground. You know, as in he RAISES him from -

(JENSEN YOUR ACTING CHOICES WITH THAT LOOK ON YOUR FACE ILYSM)

Dean, realizing that he is watching an AU version of himself and his boyfriend/future husband:

Yes, hi, we are the same character.

Anyway, I will always and forever love this episode for showing us the ending Dean and Cas deserved (WHAT WAS THE REASONNNN) - settling down on a small ranch together in New Mexico.  At least these two got their happily ever after.

ALSO, MANIFESTING

Maybe then Sam can finally leave super hell.

BONUS:  

Sam: Couldn’t do it, huh?

Dean: [shakes head] No, didn’t feel right.

Sam: Yeah. I know what you mean. Two hunters who make it to the finish line?

Dean: Yeah, you leave that alone.

Saving this to my box of INCONSISTENCY TRASH DUMP FOR 15x20.

P.S. I am starting to develop a theory that the episodes we all like LEAST, and therefore tend to skip [or that have off putting plotlines/ don’t go with the general myth arc/creepy monsters/bizarre or even boring scenarios] are the ones with potentially the most subtext, and therefore the best underlying story line (so likely no Cas in the episode, random stuff like Red Meat, the creepy chitters monster that makes you want to cringe). 

So at the end of the day, the subtext was always the real story anyway.

(OMG I JUST REMEMBERED THAT THE GIRL WEREWOLF IN BLOODLINES WEARS A FUCKING KHAKI TRENCH COAT THE ENTIRE TIME.  AM I GOING TO HAVE TO REWATCH THE ALWAYS SKIPPABLE BLOODLINES NOW?  And that definitely means I am DOOMED to rewatch the worst episode that ever was when I get to season 15.  Dammit.  What have I done?!?!??!?!)

[jaskiersvalley]

🌼~BEAUTIFUL PERSON AWARD! Once you are given this award you’re supposed to paste it in the asks of 8 people who deserve it. If you break the chain nothing happens, but it's sweet to know someone thinks you’re beautiful inside and out.~🌼 (for you're such a lovely person who shares so many beautiful fics with us and is always up for talking. ily

I have no idea how long I’ve been sitting on this ask because I just love seeing you in my inbox. But, like with everything, I need to stop hoarding and write a little thank you <3

Something wasn’t quite squaring up with Nilfgaard’s army. It spread at an alarming rate, much faster than a regular army could. Whatever sorcery the mages and sorceresses have concocted, it was terrifying. Such an army shouldn’t have been able to sustain itself, it needed food, water, resources to travel. Yet, despite all this, the army seemed to move silently, without the usual almost locust like destruction and draining of everything in their path. Nobody seemed to be able to pinpoint where the army was when it wasn’t fighting, only small scouting groups. People learned to be wary of those groups too. Wherever they went, the army was never seemingly far behind, backing them up at a moment’s notice. It was a mystery that was yet to be solved.

Finding a Nilfgaardian on the run was quite unusual. Eskel didn’t think it was something he’d live to see. They were usually so cocksure, travelling in their little groups. He had learned to spot them, even if they weren’t trying to make a scene. One leader, with five protectors. Those five tended to be on full alert and guarding their leader which was a bit odd, but then again, Nilfgaard as a whole was a bit peculiar.

The man Eskel spotted was obviously from the South, he heard him order, the accent harsh yet lilting at the same time. Watching him find the darkest corner - the one Eskel had wanted for himself - curiosity was winning out. Only a desperate man would share a space with a Witcher and this man, though he shrank away, steadfastly refused to move from the shadows of the corner.

“Got separated from your group?” Eskel liked to make small talk if he could. Especially when it helped solve a curiosity like the man opposite him.

“Something like that.”

Evasive, huddled and not looking Eskel in the eyes. The plot thickened. “So you ran away.” While the man didn’t seemingly react, Eskel could hear his heartrate pick up. “Why?”

Silence stretched. The man finished his food in a great hurry and was up, evidently not wanting any kind of company. Oddly, Eskel didn’t think it had anything to do with him being a Witcher.

The next morning the man was nowhere to be seen. But Eskel caught his scent and, with nothing better to do, he set off at a leisurely pace in the same direction. If they bumped into each other he could always claim it was a funny twist of Fate. He shouldn’t have joked about it, not even in his own head because, not a few miles out of the village, he found the evidence of a scuffle. The whole stretch of road had a tang of death to it which he couldn’t place. However, he soon forgot about it because he could smell blood and hear the pained, laboured breaths of someone. Rounding the small clump of bushes, Eskel tutted. “Run into trouble?”

“No.”

The blatant lie drew a laugh from Eskel. He had to admit, he was intrigued. Grabbing his pack, he approached the man, showing him his hands in an attempt to reassure that he meant no harm. In fact, he was offering a helping hand.

“Did they get what they wanted?” The question tripped from Eskel’s lips as he lifted the man’s gambeson away to reveal a cut to his side. It wasn’t deep but it was in the crease of soft flesh that tended to sting like a bitch, Eskel knew that from experience. His only reply was a shake of the head. “Good. You sent them packing by the looks of it. I’m impressed. My name’s Eskel by the way.”

Still no reply and the man tipped his head back, staring at the sky with gritted teeth while Eskel saw to his wound.

“Well, you’re in no state to travel alone. You headed anywhere in particular?” Another head shake but this time the man watched him with guarded eyes. “Okay. Why don’t we travel together for a bit. I can help keep you safe.”

“I can’t pay you for your services.” Clipped words that sounded tired. "And you probably shouldn't be around me."

It was cute, how the man seemed so determined to drive Eskel away without being cruel. Most refreshing. "I don't need your payment. As I'm not headed anywhere in particular, I figured we could both use a bit of company."

That settled the matter and, for three days they travelled in companionable silence, sticking to villages and heading north. It was only in a larger village that Eskel learned the man's name and not because they were getting more friendly either. The poster bore quite a good likeness to Cahir.

"So-" Eskel said as they camped outside the village, "-want to tell me why Nilfgaard thinks you're dangerous enough to not be approached but your sighting should be reported swiftly and discreetly?"

Cahir let out a world weary sigh, shoulders drooping. "I control a large portion of their army. They want me back for that."

Which was interesting. In Eskel's experience no general tended to command such loyalty. He was also a sucker for those in need. Plus, the chance to fuck Nilfgaard over was quite glorious. He smirked. "Want to come to Kaer Morhen to hide out for the winter?"

It was a bit of a trek north still but Cahir began to relax around Eskel. They shared their first kiss at the foot of the trail up to Kaer Morhen. A few more were traded along the way but, for the most part, they huddled for warmth, cuddled up for the cold nights.

Slowly the keep filled up with its regular winter visitors, all of them somewhat hesitant to greet Cahir until Eskel intervened with a pointed glare from behind him. Everyone settled in, Geralt turned up with Jaskier, Lambert and Aiden did their usual thing, even Coen managed to slip through the gates before the snow hit. Soon, they were all enjoying the roaring fires, drink and songs. Despite his army background, Cahir turned down all invitations to train and share knowledge. It didn't make him very popular but his cooking helped ease any grumblings.

It was all going well until a portal opened up and Yennefer stepped through. midway through greeting everyone she froze and turned to the door as Cahir stepped in.

"What are you?" she hissed, hand curling to cradle an unleashed spell.

"Nilfgaard's finest deserter."

That didn't seem to help ease Yennefer and she looked over Cahir with a critical eye. "I can see Fringilla's work in there with several others'. You volunteer for this?"

"Only as much as someone volunteers to be a Witcher."

"Just what is going on?" Vesemir rumbled. He had a hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to jump in. That had Cahir taking a step back, a pained expression.

"I wouldn't advise you hurt me. You have an awful lot of dead buried here."

The growl from Vesemir wasn't reassuring. "Don't threaten me in my own home, boy."

"Vesemir!" The warning came from Yennefer of all people. "Don't."

Something was crackling in their air, Eskel could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. It was magic but not any kind he had felt before. Even worse, he could trace the source back to Cahir whose eyes were turning black slowly.

"I'm going to go outside. Please nobody follow." Stiffly, Cahir turned and marched out of the keep, into the snow covered woods. Silence reigned in his wake.

"The fuck?" Lambert spat, looking angry in his bewilderment.

As one, they all turned to Yennefer for an explanation. None of them had felt even a hint of magic from Cahir until that moment.

"That-" Yennefer pointed to where Cahir had been, "-is an unnatural necromancer. No innate ability but, with the right stimuli, can raise the dead between here and the bottom of the mountain."

The silence stretched until Jaskier cursed. "Now we know how Nilfgaard's army is sustained."

As big as the revelation was, Eskel had a bigger concern. That was his boyfriend who had just walked out, looking ready to be consumed by his unnatural powers. Stepping out of the keep, Eskel had to whistle. The whole area between the keep and the woods was covered in flowers, a carpet of green dotted with blossoms of colour. In the middle of it all was Cahir, kneeling, eyes closed and head tipped towards his chest. His breathing was forcedly even and deep.

"Go away," Cahir gritted out.

"It's just me."

Looking up, Cahir's eyes were black and bottomless, his breath hitched as a tear trickled down his cheek. "I didn't mean to. I promise. They're everywhere."

Eskel could hear the footsteps, shuffling and shambling. Not all of them human, one alarmingly large.

"Old Speartip," Eskel growled. From the forest around them an army of the undead approached. All the bodies they didn't have the means to burn after the sacking, Old Speartip from his cave, forktails they'd left dotted around the mountain, they were all approaching Kaer Morhen. Along with them came the smell Eskel had scented on the road where bandits had accosted Cahir, now he knew what happened back then.

Cahir let out a shuddering breath, hands curled into a fist. "Threats of violence and pain make them come."

"And when you feel safe, do they go away?"

A miserable nod was his answer and Eskel dropped to his knees. He gathered Cahir against his chest and kissed his softly, demanding all his boyfriend's focus to be on him. The noise of the undead around them stopped, under his knees Eskel could feel the grass wilting back to its winter state. Pulling away, he was pleased to see the blue of Cahir's eyes.

"I'll always keep you safe," he rumbled. A darker thought crossed his mind. "The groups of six scouts for Nilfgaard, they weren't scouts at all, were they?"

From the doorway, Eskel could hear the others shuffling around and peering out at them. But his attention was on Cahir and Cahir alone.

"A necromancer and their guards who're also their tormentors." Cahir sniffled. "There's a reason I've not joined you in the waterfalls. To raise an army, they did unspeakable things."

Eskel pulled Cahir tightly to his chest, wishing he could make everything better. Alas, there wasn't much to be done other than what he'd already been doing; supporting and loving to the best of his abilities.

"We now know better," he tried to reassure. "How would you feel if, in the spring, we continued to travel together? We can take any road you feel comfortable on."

Looking up at Eskel with wide, wet eyes, Cahir licked his lips. "I can't pay you for your services," he said, repeating his words from all those months ago. "But how would you feel about fucking Nilfgaard over? We could rescue a few more necromancers."

It was a daring plan but one that Eskel was intrigued by. So were the others when, over dinner, Cahir haltingly told them everything. The Path was unpredictable at the best of times, the coming year it was going to get even more convoluted.

[moeruhoshi]

I’ve already put this on my ff.net but I wanted to share it on here

There existed a legend of the undine, a powerful creature that provided the continent, Fiore, with its water supply.

The story began with a vast expanse of desert covering every inch of the land, barely a water source in sight. Water early humans were able to find, made for the center of town, small villages surrounding it. And once their source was used up, they moved to find the next one.

Soon, all tribes gathered around the last oasis, each leader convening to decide the best course of action.

They gathered all of their people, asking each and everyone if they were brave enough to wander the desert searching for the fabled undine.

There was a high risk of death from dehydration or getting lost in the delirious sun. But to save thousands of people from the brink of extinction would deem even the weakest a hero.

Silver Fullbuster offered himself for the task, the North's most notorious warrior.

The crowd roared with cheers as the leaders took him away, immediately preparing him for the turbulent journey.

An ancient map of the undine's possible location, enough drinking water for two months, rations, clothing, shelter. Silver's own camel would lead him through the trials of the hot sun.

He left that night, ignoring the cheers and hopes of the people, knowing their burden wasn't worth shouldering.

He wasn't doing this to gain status or heroism. Only a greedy man would save thousands to stoke his own ego.

His greed was personal, because of course, he wanted something in this world.

He wanted a family; a wife and a healthy little boy. But he never let himself fall into such an extreme fantasy.

How could he when the world was in so much trouble? When there was barely any water for the children to drink now? He refused to let his family struggle without a means of solution. And now, here one was. He could appease the undine, beg for their help, possibly return water to Fiore.

Once he went back, victorious, he could settle down and have the life he always dreamed of. That was the true reward in this trek.

So he kept a consistent routine; traveling at night under the moon's cool gaze and building shelter for the day's beaming sunlight.

Silver would read the map, re-reading day in and out. He memorized the landmarks on the way; massive sand dunes, clumps of palm trees, dried up oasis', gardens of cactus.

The undine rested in the northeast, the location, he found, that he'd never seen on a map before. He was quite an expert when it came to navigation, having read most maps that led his people to new water sources.

But this one led him past the highest dune, into an undiscovered portion of land. This assured him of the possibility of the undine's actual existence. He also felt a bit wary, unsure of what lay out in the mythical desert.

He hoped his sword wouldn't have to be drawn for anything but slicing his fruit.

The journey was taxing, Silver, fearing that his mind would begin to waver. Sanity was not easy to be kept by oneself, and he wished to have just one conversation with his old friends. The camel wasn't as interesting.

He hoped they were well, that the villages were, too. He hoped the water supply hadn't lessened by much, his self-made calendar almost a month in.

He neared the location, marking off each landmark that stood out to him. The palm trees, the oasis', the cacti, and finally, the series of mountainous dunes.

It wasn't long before his two months came to fruition, his water supply dangerously low.

It was enough to make it over that high peak in the distance, his goal just moments out of his grasp.

He traveled through the sun and the moon, not caring to even get a wink of sleep. He was almost there, almost there, almost...there.

Sand, sand, and more sand.

What? No, that couldn't be true.

Where was her cave, where was the blooming rainforest, the oasis?

Where were the plants and trees and water?

Where was the undine?

He gulped down the lump in his throat, calming his trembling hands as he ebbed his camel to begin its descent.

It had to be nearby; maybe it was just a bit farther than he could see.

But he didn't have enough food or water to make it past another horizon. His camel would lose its energy, and then, he would be left, stranded in the middle of nowhere, to die.

He held back his fear, taking deep breaths with his eyes shut tightly. Everything would be okay.

He repeated this in his head, holding onto the reins to avoid falling off.

Everything would be okay.

Everything would be okay.

Everything would be okay.

Everything would be...gentle, like a droplet of water on his cheek.

Everything would be...silky, like a cool banana leaf brushing against his skin.

Everything would be...comforting, like a calm wind on a hot summer's day.

Everything would be...wait...huh?

Silver opened his eyes, leading his camel through a suddenly grassy area, plants, and trees surrounding every end. He couldn't even feel the sun on his skin, the leaves providing him with excellent shade.

He shook his head, rubbed his eyes, slapped his cheeks.

No way...

He stopped abruptly, eyes bewildered at the sight of a relaxed, glistening, untouched body of water.

He hopped off the camel, quickly throwing off his clothes as he jumped into the water. He couldn't help but laugh. He actually made it.

He knew he would never have a chance to bathe like this again, taking the soaps out of his supplies to properly wash the desert off of his skin.

Somehow, he felt healthier, renewed. Almost like the water was giving him nutrients, soaking into his body and returning all of his lost hydration.

He never smiled more than he did today.

He let himself rest against the water's edge, stroking the camel's head as it drank from the pond.

A sudden snap of a twig in the leaves startled him, Silver quickly standing in fear.

Until now, he hadn't bothered to wonder if there was anything else in this place. But, of course, wildlife could exist anywhere.

A sharp squeal punctured his eardrums, a girl not much taller than himself falling out from behind a nearby tree.

She was dressed in delicate white, albeit sheer, garb, hair the color of the moon.

Silver felt his cheeks reddened as they made eye contact, his heart suddenly unable to stop beating.

He asked carefully if she was alright, the girl quickly scrambling to her feet, giving him a haphazard bow before running off into the woods.

That couldn't have been the undine, right?

He hurriedly tugged on a pair of pants, running after her without a second thought. A smile grew on his face; somehow, he was having a lot of fun right now. Maybe it was the effects of this place, but he wouldn't question it.

She came into view, her hands carrying the ends of her dress.

He called out, asking her to stop, pleading with her, apologizing for scaring her off.

She eventually came to a halt, doubling over as she caught her breath.

"I've never run so much...in my life," She wheezed, Silver laughing as he caught up to her.

"I'm sorry," He snickered, running a hand through his hair. "Do you need some water?"

"...No, I'm alright," She said, standing straight to look him in the eye.

His heart jumped at her sharp gaze, finding it absolutely mesmerizing. But then, he remembered his task, remembered everyone who was waiting for him.

Either way, something told him not to ask just yet.

"How did you find this place?"

"By accident," He shrugged, the girl blushing at his lopsided grin. "Although, I do have a map,"

"Eh? Where? Show me," She said, quickly grabbing onto his arm. Both blushed at the sudden touch, Silver suddenly realizing that he wasn't wearing a shirt.

He led her back to his things without question, pulling the scroll from the camel's back.

"See," He pointed at the blank space. "This told me that I'd find this place here,"

"All this time, they had a map," Her lip trembled as she mumbled, staring at the expanse. "Why did no one come if there was a map?!"

Silver reeled at her sudden outburst, watching water drip from her arms and legs, forming a pool at her feet.

"Why..."

He struggled to speak up, not knowing exactly what to say. But he recognized that sad tone on her voice, one he'd come accustomed to in his own mind. She was lonely.

"No one thought this place was real," He said honestly. "It was a story for young children. Not a message to come find you,"

She sniffled as he reached out to rub her back, the two awkwardly meeting eyes again.

"I-I see... I'm sorry...I get very emotional at times,"

"That's okay," He shook his head, clearing his throat as he thought of something else to say.

"So...you have a name?"

"Mika...my name is Mika."

Silver then spent his days with Mika, wondering how he could ask her to provide water to the world. But he couldn't ask a lonely girl, barely his own age, to do such a thing. They just met; how could he make it her responsibility? She was abandoned by the world, left to take care of it without a second thought.

Unbeknownst to Silver, however, the world already began to change. The water seemed to grow from nowhere, the oasis back home never even falling an inch.

Old, dried up sources began to refill, and plants began to grow out of the ground. It was a true miracle, for every few hours equaled to about three months in the real world.

His presence alone filled the undine with a newfound emotion, one that stirred her to unconsciously plenish the Earth.

She showed him every plant and animal that existed in her domain, how she took care of them all these years.

He showed her how to wield a sword because that was the only thing he knew how to do.

She would watch him practice, trying not to stare so hard at his bare chest.

Mika didn't understand the deep welling in her chest that made her leak out of her ears at times. Silver was steadily filling a hole in her heart, one she didn't realize was so empty.

He was straightforward in most ways, knowing full well he'd fallen in love.

He went off and fell in love, unable to accept that he hadn't helped anyone by doing so.

He couldn't bear the weight of selfish guilt, wondering if he should just get it over with and ask the undine for help.

She sensed his anxiety, her own building as her thoughts began to wander. He wasn't from around here; what would happen if there came a day he wanted to leave? How could she go back to existing all by herself?

"You look quite somber," Mika said as she approached Silver from behind, sitting next to him as he stared into the reflection of the pond. "Anything I can help with?"

"I just miss my home," He sighed, tossing a pebble into the water. "I wonder if they're all okay,"

"I could show you?" She hummed, bending herself to enter his field of vision.

"How?" He stared at her as she waved a hand over the water, an image blurring into view. He saw his friends, the villages waving as they began to part ways. They were returning to their rightful homes, all with enough water to last the whole trip. He could see the plant life that never existed before, the clouds in the usually empty sky. He could see their vanished cracked lips, their joy as they helped themselves to the oasis water that didn't even lose an inch.

He looked at her with wide eyes, quickly understanding the situation. She craved for company, never having any before he stepped foot in here. And the world magically began to fix itself, all because her lonesome self was requited.

Silver no longer felt the need to hold back, grabbing onto Mika's shoulders. He pushed her down before she could refuse him, kissing her with his held back feelings.

The undine rightfully sprung a leak, unable to grasp the situation entirely.

This day would mark the first rainstorm to ever cross the land.

She kissed him back, finding herself more comfortable when he whispered between their lips.

"I love you,"

He finally had the family he always wished for, a wife and a healthy little boy.

They named him Gray, his sharp eyes a bit gloomy but bright and full of wonder.

He was an undine, like his mother. The day of his birth had unwittingly created what the world would come to know as oceans.

Silver lived without knowing what became of the world, its expansion, evolution. It was past its days of cloth tents and makeshift floors, buildings and castles built, wars fought and won, kingdoms conquered. The legend of the undine soon became a legend again, Silver's name lost in the history books.

He didn't need anything more than Mika and Gray in his life.

But Gray, well, Gray tirelessly craved something. He couldn't understand what; maybe this was just how an undine lived. His father was a human, so he couldn't understand well.

However, Mika repeatedly told him what it meant to find love. It was everything to an undine, a second close to their life's primary purpose. It was more than familial love, a bond that Gray could only ever have with one person.

The one person he met by falling through a pond.

Juvia liked to play by the water every day, skipping rocks and kicking her feet in the shallow end.

She was an only child; her parent's often too busy to pay her any attention.

The water created a reflection she spoke to, mistakenly learning the habit of talking in the third person.

Juvia this, Juvia that...her parents would never let her make a debut in high society with such an odd way of talking.

One day as she sat by the pond, the young girl was started by a sharp shout, one that was...falling from below?

She threw herself back and out of the way as a boy popped out of the water, gravity bringing him down on the ground.

He grunted, rubbing his nose as he stood up.

"What the..." He pouted as he looked around, soon locking eyes with the girl behind him.

"Who..." Juvia began to say, startled as he quickly jumped back in the water.

"Be careful! You could drown!" She shouted, rushing back to the water's edge. But the surface was still, and the boy was gone as if he'd never existed.

Gray did exist and quickly wished he hadn't. His chest, his heart...it felt like it would beat its way out onto the ground. What was this? What did she do to him? Why does he feel so...mushy?

He ignored such a creepy feeling, going back to the quiet life he lived with his parents, unable to get her image out of his head.

Years passed before they would meet again, on the eve of Juvia's eighteenth birthday. Her parents threw a ball, introducing her to all sorts of people from across Fiore. But she didn't really care to fake a smile all evening.

She escaped to her safe haven, sitting beside the pond once again.

She couldn't forget that strange boy with the droopy eyes, even after all these years. He was wonderfully precious to her, like a fairy. She wondered if they'd ever meet again.

"It's rude to leave a party without even having one dance, no?" She turned around, rolling her eyes as she saw Lyon.

"I don't care much for dances," She sighed, frowning as he crouched down beside her.

"I'd rather if you learned to be more well behaved," He frowned, tightly gripping her chin with his forefinger and thumb. "My fiancee has to have manners."

"I'll do well to remember that," She glared at him as he stood up, turning to walk back inside.

"I'll see you in a few minutes,"

Her rage always escalated when that creep was around, never even able to care about him for a second. He didn't like her anyway since their relationship was arranged for their parent's benefit. She caught him multiple times cavorting with his own maid that he seemed to adore ten times more.

She looked into the pond, sighing again. She wanted to be with that boy from her memories, wondering just what could lie underneath this shallow surface.

Maybe she could go through, too? She never thought to try it before. And drowning was always better than a miserable life with Lyon.

Juvia waded into the water, her large ballgown helping to drag her to the bottom.

Please, please, please, let me see him again.

She closed her eyes and held her breath, struggling when she needed to exhale.

Juvia forced herself to the surface, gasping for air as she reached the top.

Opening her eyes, she met the shocked gaze of a boy almost her age, those same droopy eyes staring at her with ripe panic.

"It's... It's you!" Her smile stretched widely at the boy before her, his blush increasing with each passing second.

"Could you...!" He roared and slapped the water at her. "I'm taking a bath!"

"Oh..." Juvia quickly turned around, covering her eyes. "My goodness, I'm so sorry!"

"Uh-huh, just don't turn around, I mean it!" He growled, the splash of the water letting her know he got out.

"Let me get your hand," Juvia blushed as she turned to see him holding out his hand, wearing nothing but a loose pair of trousers. She'd never seen a man shirtless like this before. It was...she couldn't think of the word.

"Thank you," She swallowed her nerves as they stood before one another.

"Do you need some help getting back?" He quirked a brow, looking over her shoulder. "That gate should've been closed, but I can push you back through it, so you get home,"

"N-No!" He took a step back as she shouted. "N-No, I don't want to go back there, please don't send me away,"

"Fine then," He huffed with an annoyed hue on his cheeks. "You can stay, but we'll have to ask my parents,"

"Okay," She quietly followed behind him as he began to walk, the soaked train dragging against the forest floor.

"May I ask your name?"

"Gray," He threw her a look over his shoulder, walking with his hands held up behind his head. "Yours?"

"I'm Juvia,"

"Juvia," He mumbled, unconsciously smiling at the way it flowed on his tongue.

[theia-the-creator]

(via Types of Fae | Wiki | Pagans & Witches Amino)

This is a really great starter resource for just all the different types of fae that you don’t always hear about!

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Types of Fae/Fairies:

Alven:

Water fairies found in ponds in the Netherlands, though they don’t have wings. They can, however, fly by being encased in bubbles and traveling on the winds. Main home is the River Elbe, as it is sacred to them. Small fairies, extremely light and sometimes shift into otters.

Ashrays:

Water fairies from Scotland that are mistaken for sea ghosts; have white bodies and look like a twenty-year-old human, both male and female. Nocturnal fairies, if sunlight hits them they will melt into a rainbow-colored pond of water.

Asrai:

Arе little, frail, female fairies. Thеу can’t bе exposed tо sunshine оr captured; еlѕе thеу ѕhаll melt аwау іntо а puddle оf water.

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Ballybog (Peat Fairy):

Ancient Irish fairies that protect the peatbogs of Ireland; very ugly in appearance, as they are covered in mud and they are completely round. Known as boggans in Northern England.

Banshee (Beansidhe, Beannidhe, Washer at the fords, Washer-woman):

A spirit attached tо раrtісulаr families. Usually believed to announce or warn of a death in some of the old Irish and Scottish families, and when that occurs, she is known for her loud and piercing wail and weeping. When seen in Ireland, she is usually washing burial shrouds as a symbol for preparation for a burial. She looks different in each region where she has been seen. Some say she is a gorgeous woman, while others claim she looks more like a green hag with scraggly hair and long nails.

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Brownies (House Brownies, Little Man):

Hаvе traditionally affiliated thеmѕеlvеѕ wіth humans аnd human families. Traditionally friendly аnd authentically helpful. Associated with the element earth. Supposed to pick a house with a nice and caring family in which to aid the woman of the house in her chores.

Changeling:

An ugly fairy child put in the place of a kidnapped human child.

Devas:

A type of fairy originating in Persia and Greece. Small fairies that appear as bright orbs of light that live in nature and are one with Mother Nature. Said to live in the woods and in conjunction with the natural vibrations around them.

Dryads:

Thеу аrе creatures thаt dwell іn thе trees, preferably Oaks. Thе Druids addressed thеm fоr aspiration.

Elves:

A dіffеrеnt nаmе bу whісh trooping fairies аrе known. Thеу mау bе split uр іntо thе Seelie аnd Unseelie Courts.

Gwragedd Annwn (Gwageth Anoon):

Arе traditionally Welsh water fairies, whо frоm time tо time choose human men fоr husbands.

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Gwyllion:

Arе Scottish water fairy. They’re bу аnd large ѕееn аѕ а hairy men оr horrific female spirits whо ambush аnd mislead travelers bу dark оn thе mountain roads. Mountain fairies lіkе tо sit оn stones оn еіthеr side оf а mountain path аnd mutely watch passerby’s.

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Heather Pixie (Moor Sprites):

A type of pixie fairy with beautifully delicate and translucent wings, seen in Scotland and England. Live in the moors and love the heather around the moors.

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Irish Sea Water Guardians:

A type of fairy originating in the Isle of Man. Water guardian fairies of small stature and are sacred to the Sea God Manann. They are said to be surrounded by a greenish blue light. Guard the Irish seas and are said to float on broken eggshells or surf on Irish seashells during storms. Particularly active during sea storms. Enjoy dolphins and sea life in general.

Kelpie:

A type of fairy seen in Scotland and Ireland, associated with the water. Webfooted and ugly water spirits and aren’t seen anymore. They were said to snatch deer from the shoreline to eat, other fairies and even humans were eaten by kelpies. Shapeshifting was possible by the male kelpies, as they would shift into handsome human men to lure young women to the water in order to consume them.

Lady of the Lake:

A type of fairy or possibly a Mother goddess who offered excalibur to King Arthur of Camelot. Said to live on Avalon or possibly under Dosmary Pool.

Merpeople:

A type of water fairy seen worldwide. Commonly called mermaids or mermen and are half human-half fish creatures who reside in the oceans and seas throughout the world. Appear to be very beautiful creatures, both the men and the women. In many tales from sailors mermaids were said to lure ships to the rocks and to their deaths, but in other stories, mermaids were said to have rescued or tried to rescue drowning men.

Nymphs:

A type of fairy from Greece, said to be very seductive and are more of a classification of fairies. There are wood nymphs, water nymphs, tree nymphs, grove nymphs, etc. Have a reputation for being obsessed with sex, hence the term for someone addicted to sexual activity.

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Pixies:

Frequently tаkе thе form оf hedgehogs. They’re naughty fairies whо love playing practical jokes оn humanity аnd оthеr Fay folk. Thе�� lіkеwіѕе love tо steal horses tо ride. They live in flower gardens and are attracted to all types of flowers.

Salamanders:

A type of fairy most commonly known and seen as a fire elemental in magical workings. Salamanders appear as fiery lizards. Associated with the element fire and are known to aid in workings of passion and revenge.

Selkie:

A type of fairy that is a shapeshifter. A water fairy that has the ability to change from the appearance of a seal into a human being.

Urisk:

Iѕ а hermit fairy whо haunts lonesome pools. Hе wіll frequently seek оut human company however; hіѕ special appearance terrorizes thоѕе hе approaches.

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Water Fairies:

Arе thе suppliers оf food, nourishers оf crops аnd takers оf lives. Thеу blend beauty wіth betrayal аnd lethality. Thеу mау bе friend оr foe.

Will O’Wisp:

A type of fairy that dances across lakes and bodies of water at night. The light that these fairies give off tends to look like a flickering candle or flickering orb of light. They have been seen all over the world.

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How to Work With Fae/Faires

Fae are repelled by negative energy in and around the home and areas that have low energy. So thoroughly cleansing every portion of the home and the land nearby is a sound idea.

—Having a clean home, free of clutter, dust, and a mess is an absolute must as Fae cannot stand a mess.

—Find a powerful location for your altar.

—Don’t demand too much from them in the beginning and instead bask in their graciousness, overall just be extremely humble.

—Speaking softly or singing, as well as playing gentle music or burning well-fragranced candles helps create a pleasing atmosphere. Leaving out honey or even a little bit of alcohol will be appreciated.

How do I Know I’m Working Fae?

The overall energy of the home will become stronger, more positive, and lighter as you begin working with them.

Some people say that they see them as dazzling points of light that stay for a second or two. Smile and acknowledge them.

General mental health may improve over time.

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SOURCES

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[italictext]

My dreams were shattered like a stained-glass window

[officialthiamlibrary]

Hi!! Do you know any well written mpreg fics?? <3 thanks for the help!!

Here you are! (Just a heads up, be sure to send this as an ask next time instead of a submission!)

Apha Red and An Off White Moon by ScarredMuzzle (General | Complete | 4.5K) Tags: Established Relationship, Angst with a Happy Ending, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, True Mates Summary:The first big supermoon is coming up and the Alpha Red pack needs to prepare for what might happen with the kids. A Peek Inside:Liam shoved the last bag into the trunk and slammed it, willing everything to stay put. With everyone packing for a long weekend, both the minivan and Theo’s truck was loaded with bags. He felt the slight prickle under his skin, the aching reason that they were even taking a trip up to Lydia’s quiet lakehouse. Clearly the kids were feeling it too.

Little Paws by louis_wife505 (Not Rated | WIP | 35K) Tags: MPREG, smut, enemies to friends to lover Summary: Theo and Liam have a one night stand. They thought they could ignore it and forget it happened but fate has different plans. A Peek Inside: It didn't take a genius to tell Liam was uncomfortable with her coming on to them. Theo figured the girl would leave them alone if she thought they were a couple. Unfortunately she wasn't convinced with just Theo's verbal claim. "Excuse us. Babe let's dance." 

Fuck Food Lion okay? by synfulshark (Mature | Complete | 1.6K) Tags: Liam mpreg Summary: Liam doesn't feel great and want's Theo to make him one of his favorite home made meals so he does, but he finds out he doesn't have exactly what he needs so he has to go on a grocery run to aldi. His and Liam's go to for grocery supplies but they don't have one thing they need so he has to go to....food Lion. A Peek Inside: He scanned till he found Isaac's and he typed out a fast reply as he waited. ScarffyWolfBitch: Whatcha up to? SexyAssHellBitch: Aldi, Liam was hungry as fuck so he sent me to get food, ScarffyWolfBitch: What he want this time? Jesus didn't they kick you out of there for talking about killing people?

Knot The Brightest Idea by Haikyuuties_baeritto123 (Explicit | Complete | 2.6K) Tags: Knotting, outdoor sex, implied mpreg Summary: In retrospect, it probably wasn’t Theo’s brightest idea to get both he and Liam riled up before meeting the pack at the park. But the little wolf was just so easy to get flustered and Theo doesn’t pass up any opportunity to make Liam blush such a pretty shade of red. But perhaps this time he’s taken it a little too far. A Peek Inside: Theo melts and completely forgets about his phone; letting it rest on the bench beside them in order to get a good grip on Liam’s hips. The kiss is desperate and over quickly when Liam pulls back to whimper “Can’t wait” Theo does a quick survey of the area. It’s late at night so there isn’t anyone around, and the bench they are sat on is secluded from the majority of the path…but they could still get caught.

Woohoo by Shipper_trash (Teen | Complete | 1.1K) Tags: Omega Liam, alpha Theo Summary: This is a future fic, in the same 'verse as this: Get Together!! A Peek Inside: “We should seriously start watching something else,” Erica complains, shoving at Lydia who is giving her a glare. Even with tears running down her face, she looks scary. Stiles is impressed.   There is a murmur of agreement among the group of friends. Tissues are distributed, faces cleaned before Allison, Kira and Isaac decide to clean up the mess of plates and glasses on the too small coffee table. Stiles decides to help out by dialing up the pizza place’s number which they all love and ordering their usual. The lady on the other end knows the order by heart and he only has to say his name before she confirms the order and the price.  

Cracks in the surface by eliottsevak (Teen | Complete | 1.3K) Tags: Twink Liam Summary: Theo got Liam pregnant, then Kira sent him to hell. A Peek Inside: Liam knew it bordered on psychotic that Liam still found Theo to be a good person despite Theo trying to tear apart his pack and kill his alpha, but something was tugging himself to the older chimera.

Troubles (Yeah, Troubles Now) by NekoAliceYamiYaoi (Teen | Complete | 16K) Tags: Married Thiam, Nolan is Thiam’s adopted kid, angst with a happy ending, references to cheating but no actual cheating Summary: In all of his almost 6 years of life, Nolan never thought that he would be so afraid. And here we was, standing in front of the completely torn and with stenches of ink all over it dress that aunt Lydia had bought a few days ago. A Peek Inside: Nolan had only wanted to look at the dress because it had beautiful flowers in it. As he entered his dads room, he noticed Lydia's clean clothes on top of the bed, perfectly folded. He was touching the soft clothing -since his dads room had a big mirror behind the door- when he looked down and saw a spider -a big spider, not a tiny one- walking towards his feet. He screamed in fear and threw his hands up in the air, but had forgotten that he was holding the dress over his hands. He looked up as the dress flew in the air and landed in one of the blades of the ceiling fan, twirling around the room for a few seconds before the fan in a quick motion threw the dress to the boudoir where Liam kept a small portion of ink and it splattered all over the dress.

“Hello, Daddy.” by Katherin_Ravenlin (Teen | WIP | 13K) Tags: Break up, angst, alpha Liam, creepy, beating, misunderstandings, graphic depictions of violence, underage, rape/non-con Summary: Theo is already mated to Liam, they are spending their last high school year together and planning to go to college, the pack seemed to accept that they are together and Theo has big plans for their last prom - when Hayden comes back in town. The distance starts to grow between the Babywolf and the First Chimera, accusations start to settle in between them as Hayden's abusive boyfriend could be watching from any dark corner and somebody from the pack keeps leaking information about the hiding girl's whereabouts. But who is the one doing it? A Peek Inside: Laying on his back in the damp grass wasn't what Theo considered a good time. However, Liam curled up on his chest, cuddling into him stroking his skin like some kind of treasure while watching the sundown on the edge of a clearing far away from the city made it a quite okay experience. Liam nuzzles into his chest and hugs him a pit tighter, and Theo thinks, that getting his clothes damp is worth it, after all.

A Little Thing Called Love by Lanceiferroar (Explicit | Complete | 23K) Tags: Major character death, strangers to lovers, smut Summary: Liam Dunbar moves to Beacon Hills and never expects his life would change this much. A Peek Inside: Liam looked as they pulled up to their new house. “We’re here!” Liam’s mom said. Liam looked and saw the house. It was two floors, a nice yard, and an in ground pool. At least he had that going for him. He could work on his tan and lay by the pool. Maybe this life would not be too bad. Liam walked into the house and found his new room. It was surprisingly better than his room back home. He had a walk in closet and his own bathroom. No more waiting for mom or dad to get out. He could go whenever he needed to and take as long of showers as he wanted to. 

Creating Beauty From Mistakes by awesomerosie (Mature | WIP | 31K) Tags: Fluff and Humor, mentions of abuse, Starvation, mention of suicide Summary: The Dread Doctors did more than mess with Theo's status as a human, they messed with his status as a man too. A Peek Inside: Liam stood in the corner, gaping like a fish. Theo was going to kill him. He was going to drag him into the woods and beat him to death. It would take a while, a long while, but he would do it; he was just that enraged. Liam stepped closer, immediately flinching away from Theo’s snarl. At first, Theo thought he was just getting fat, but then a few days ago he started hearing a faint thumping following him. For all he knew, he had grown another heart or something, and in a way, he had.

[spcncershybrid]

Vacation?- Spencer Reid Imagine

GIF IS NOT MINE

SPENCER REID X READER

request: hiii 🥰could I get a Spencer x reader? Where they work at the BAU together and are very close. The team knows somethings up but don’t say anything. They assume nothing is going to happen until they get assigned to go undercover together as a traveling couple to try to get the attention of the unsub. But it doesn’t work and they have fun in their small “vacation”. Please and thank you 🥰🥰🥰)

(Summary:Being one of the youngest in the BAU has it’s perks until you and your crush are roped into becoming bad guy bait.)

(A/N: This was my first ever request! Also the whole vacation portion may be inaccurate because I’ve never really been on a vacation. Also sorry if the ending seems rushed I had no idea what to do for it.)

I enter the bullpen, tossing my bag onto the swivel chair. “Hey, how was your little date with Spence?” JJ asks, walking up to me popping a hot cheeto into her mouth. “First of all it wasn’t a date, second of all Jayje it’s like 10AM why are you eating hot cheetos?” I ask her laughing. “Don’t question my choices.” She says jokingly shoving a finger to my chest. Penelope walks up to the both of us pouting, I automatically know why. “Case?” I question as Pen nods sadly. “Is it bad?” I ask as JJ and I follow her to the debriefing room. “Totally.” Penelope says grabbing her remote. I take my usual spot next to Spencer as Penelope gives us all our case files and tablets. “My fine BAU babes this case give love a total bad , I mean bad name.” Pen says emphasizing the word bad. “Five couples between the ages 25-30 were found dead in a remote location in Honolulu, Hawaii. All victims were found with suitcases in their car trunks and were also dressed in vacation-esk outfits.” Pen says flipping through the crime scene photos. “Yikes so much for a vacation.” I say cringing slightly. “The first two couples, Carly Burgess and Ian Woods, Violet Wade and Zach Kane, were all found with gunshot wounds to the head.” Garcia says cringing slightly at the gruesome photos. “The next two were married couples. Amber and Owen Meyers, and Emelia and Adam Kelley. They all had their throats slashed.” Garcia states. “And what are the last two Pen? What category do they fit in?” I ask, flipping through the file. “That BAU baby is the kind of couple but not really a couple. They were Lisa Mitchell and Raphael Kelley, they were found with both things. Lisa had the gunshot wound to the head and Raphael had his throat slashed.” She says ending the slideshow. “According to the police station that’s handling this they were all taken and held within the span of 10 days.” Spencer says. I nod over to him. “What would he be doing in that ten day time frame?” I ask aloud. “The unsub could be a sadist. Killing the victims in such a gruesome way can get him off?” Morgan says questioningly. “All that in a span of ten days this is one sick unsub.” I say emphasizing the word sick. “It’s only the beginning for this unsub. Wheel’s up in 20.” Hotch says standing up and heading out the room. I start to gather my things to leave. “You want to be jet seat buddies?” Spencer says tugging his satchel strap. “Last time we were jet seat buddies Spencer we argued on tv show facts. I’m pretty sure Hotch is banning us from sitting next to each other ever again.” I say laughing as we head towards my desk to grab my go bag. I catch JJ and Morgan smirking at Spencer and I, I glare at them slightly as I grab my go bag from under my desk. Spencer and I walk towards the elevator. “Crap you go ahead I need to get my file. I left it on my desk.” I curse slightly at my forgetful nature. “You can warm my jet seat.” I say pointing to Spencer as I back watching the elevator doors close. “Hey glary.” Derek says placing his arm around my shoulder. “Hey muscly.” I say laughing. “You and I both know your case files in your bag so why are you really back here.” Derek says crossing his arms. I smirk slightly knowing he’s right. “Okay fine I didn’t want to share the elevator with Reid.” I say turning away from him. “Well I heard from a little blonde birdie that you have a crush on the genius.” He says laughing slightly. “Remind me to never drink with Penelope or JJ again.” I say pursing my lips together. “And it isn’t a crush it’s an... infatuation. Plus it’s not like he’ll give the time of day ever.” I say sadly. “How would you know?” Derek says heading towards the elevator. “Because although we all agreed not to profile the team he doesn’t seem interested in me in the slightest.” I say walking with him to the elevator. “What if we hatch a plan?” He asks as we step into the elevator. “No way Morgan. That can put me in a way worse situation than I want.” I say sighing softly. “Okay that’s your call.” He says shrugging. What is he up to?

“Thanks for warming the seat.” I tell Spencer as Morgan and I enter the jet. “No problem.” He says staring at me as I set my things down. “What?” I ask, catching his gaze. “Nothing Y/N.” He says going back to reading the case file. “Alright Garcia tell us what you’ve found so far.” Hotch says entering the seating area near the laptop screen. “Well my mystical magicians, none of the coupled pairs have a sketchy history. No criminal offences, these people are squeaky clean.” She answers. “There was no shift in M.O, victimology is a bit sketchy but again these are couples.” JJ says tilting her head. “This may be a longshot but what if our unsub works at a resort and these victims aren’t necessarily premeditated but more victims of opportunity.” I say aloud. “That could make sense, think about it you guys. Five couples seemingly in love, and going on an amazing vacation. Our unsub can have a failing relationship!” I exclaim looking over the file patterns. “That can make sense if our unsub sees these couples he can wait and watch for the perfect opportunity to strike. The ten day cycle can make sense with the schedule of the victims' stay.” Spencer says. “Okay when we land JJ you and Morgan can go to the crime scenes. Reid and Y/L/N can go to the M.E to see if you can find anything else. Prentiss you, Rossi and I can go set up at the station.” Hotch orders. We all nod at him.

 ________________________

“Sucks that were not here for a vacation. We can all use one.” I tell Spencer as we enter the M.E’s office. “Agreed.” He says opening the door in front of us. “Hi we are SSA Y/L/N and Dr. Reid with the FBI. Do you potentially have anything extra for us?” I say greeting her while sticking out my hand. “Hi.” She greets back shaking my hand and waving at Spencer. “I found some things that were consistent following the deaths of the victims.” She starts and grabs a file. “They all ate what seems to be some sort of meat, potentially chicken, and rice.” She says, showing us on the sheet. “So they all ate the same thing before they died?” I question rhetorically. “Following that victim Lisa Mitchell also sustained blunt force trauma but it seems to be post mortem. Also there are faint ligature marks on the victims wrists.” She says showing us her body. “So he striked her after he shot her?” Spencer asks. “Seems so.” The M.E says closing the file. “Let’s go to the station and see what they have so far.” I say to Spencer. We exit the M.E’s office and enter the van. “That’s weird that he struck her after he killed her.” I say fastening my seatbelt. “But what’s even weirder is that they all ate the same thing. We have a much bigger suspect pool than we originally anticipated.” I say as I drive off to the local police station.

 ________________________

Spencer and I enter the station and are greeted by Hotch and the sheriff. “This is SSA Y/L/N and Dr. Spencer Reid.” Hotch introduces us. I shook the man's hand and headed over to the team.”So when we were at the M.E’s the stomach contents of all the victims were the same and there were some ligature marks on the victims.” Spencer says walking up to the board. “And Lisa Mitchell was struck in the head after she was shot.” I continue. “We were discussing before you guys got here what things we can do to catch our unsub.” Derek says, smirking slightly. “Two members of the team should go undercover and pose as a couple wanting to go on vacation.” Emily says. “So who did you guys have in mind?” Spencer asks. “You two.” Derek says pointing at the both of us.”Us?” Spencer and I ask in unison before looking at each other. “The both of you fit the preferred age range of the unsub.” Derek justifies. I hum tilting my head. “He’s right the both of you would be perfect targets.” JJ says smiling softly at the both of us. “I’m okay with it. Are you?” I ask Spencer. “Yeah when do we start this?” He asks. “Tomorrow morning. We’ll get the both of you settled tomorrow and give the rundown on catching this unsub.” Hotch says as we all continue to work on the case. I look over to Spencer who seems nervous or angry. Does he not want to do this? Later in the evening we go back to our hotel and relax for the night.

 ________________________

“Are you ready for this?” I ask Spencer as we all head to the police station. “Yeah I guess.” He shrugs off the question. I stare out the window sighing softly. Am I ready?  We park and step out of the vehicle. We all enter the police station and greet the officers. I head over to the water dispenser and grab a cup. I walk over to the room we set up in. “What’s the plan?” I ask aloud sipping my water. “Both you and Spencer will check into the hotel. You’ll both just have your cell phones as ear pieces can be semi noticeable.” Hotch says handing Spencer and I a duffle bag. “Those are clothes for the trip.” JJ says. I nod towards her. “So that’s settled we’ll drive you to the hotel now to change into warmer clothes.” Derek says tossing keys up into the air. We head outside and enter the van, driving over to the team's hotel. I open Spencer and I’s room, I immediately head to the bathroom to change. I walk out seeing Spencer already dressed in his typical tropical shirt with khaki pants. “Nice legs Reid.” I say laughing. He chuckles softly turning towards me. “Well nice-” Spencer starts but gets cut off by Derek’s knocking. “Are you two done or should I come back later?” Derek says behind the door. I open the door letting Derek inside. “Hey kid nice legs.” Derek says pointing to Spencer. “I know I said the same thing.” I say laughing. “We need to go now if we want to make it on the unsub’s time frame.” Spencer says looking at his phone. I grab my duffle bag and we all set out to the other hotel. 

 ________________________

“Remember to act like a couple.” Derek says rolling up his windows before driving off. “You ready hun.” I say grabbing Spencer’s hand, fear immediately washing away. “Yes my love.” He says smiling as he squeezes my hand softly. We head over to the front desk. “Rooms for Reid.” Spencer says showing his FBI credentials. The receptionist nods and gives us keys. “Hotch told me to show my credentials instead of my personal I.D. He talked to the receptionist before we got here so we can get a good room to also work from.” Spencer says as we enter the room. “Okay so what do we do first?” I ask confused on what to do. “We can go get food first. It’s 3PM this can be our unsubs hit hour.” Spencer suggests. “Yeah let’s go.” I say opening the door. We head downstairs hand in hand and walk over to the food area. “What should we get babe?” Spencer asks. “Not sure.” I say pouting. “I’ll go around and order something.” He says walking in front of me. “Spence, wait up I’m shorter.” I say laughing slightly catching up to him. “Sorry. Here hold my hand so you don’t get lost.” He says extending his hands to me. I grab it smiling at him. We head into the hotel's restaurant and sit down. “The pasta seems good.” I say. “But you know what would be even better?” Spencer asks rhetorically. “A meat substance with white grains?” I question back. A waiter walks over to us. “Hi what can I get the two of you this evening?” He asks, smiling at the both of us. “What would you suggest? My boyfriend here can never choose good options.” I say smiling over to Spencer. “Ignore her we’ll both take the chicken and rice.” He says handing the waiter his menu. “Any drinks?” The waiter asks taking the menus. “Water would be fine for us both.” Spencer says smiling towards me. The waiter nods walking away. “Boyfriend really?” Spencer says leaning over towards me. “Would you have preferred girlfriend?” I say sarcastically. He sucks his teeth blushing lightly. The things I would do to see that everyday. Spencer's phone starts ringing, startling me. “Yes Hotch?” Spencer asks, picking up the phone. “What?” He asks again.  “Okay thanks.” He says before hanging up the phone. “The unsub kidnapped another couple. Our time frame was off. Hotch says we can stay on this fake vacation just in case it's a team or two unsubs.” He says leaning forward. I nod towards him. “So we stay on this vacation while the rest of the team is on the field?” I asked him. “Yes.” He says quickly as the waiter drops off our food and waters. “What if it’s one unsub?” I whisper as the waiter walks away. “Then I guess we’ll have a normal vacation.” He says as he starts eating. I hum in response as I start eating too.

 ________________________

“Guys we caught the unsub.” Derek's voice booms through the phone as Spencer puts it on speaker. “What!” Spencer and I exclaim in unison. Spencer and I look over at each other and enter our shared room. “I thought you guys profiled it might have been a team.” I say throwing my bag onto my bed. “We were wrong. Hotch said you guys can stay on the vacation for the duration of the hotel stay.” Derek says. “Morgan that’s like what a week.” Spencer says. “You don't want to spend the rest of the trip with your crush?” Derek says quickly before the line goes silent. “Morgan?” I ask seeing the color drain from Spencer’s face. I hear a faint whisper of the word ‘sorry’ before he hangs up. I glance up at Spencer, his eyes meeting mine. “I get it if you only want to be friends because of the whole fraternization thing at the BAU.” Spencer says quickly as he shoves his phone into his pocket. “Well that’ll be kind of awkward seeing as I like you too Spence.” I say smiling softly at his shocked expression. “What?” He asks, breaking out of his shocked face. “You like me but why?” He asks. “I can ask the same thing.” I say smirking slightly. He smiles wide as he scratches the back of his neck. “Would you maybe want to go out sometime?” Spencer says shyly. “Of course Spencer now can we please have the vacation we were dying for.” I say plopping onto my bed. “Yes babe.” He says sitting on his bed making plans for our next adventure.

[warrioreowynofrohan]

The Leithian Reread - Canto XI (The Departure for Angband)

This chapter contains - at the reunion of Beren and Lúthien - my favourite passage in the Leithian, and one of my favourites that Tolkien has ever written, and I think part of my reason for delaying is that I wasn’t sure how to do it justice. But that’s a little farther on.

The chapter opens with a brief account of the Siege of Angband and the Dagor Bragollach. It’s a very strong section of the poem, to the point where it’s hard to know which specific portions to quote; the rhyme and cadence and imagery is all excellent, and is enhanced by a kind of triptych structure from beauty to fire to ruin:

Once wide and smooth a plain was spread,

where King Fingolfin proudly led

his silver armies on the green,

his horses white, his lances keen;

his helmets tall of steel were hewn,

his shields were shining as the moon.

...

Rivers of fire at dead of night

in winter lying cold and white

upon the plain burst forth, and high

the red was mirrored in the sky.

...

Dor-na-Fauglith, Land of Thirst,

they after named it, waste accurst,

the raven-haunted roofless grave

of many fair and many brave.

The description of the dark forest of Taur-nu-Fuin is also wonderfully evocative: sombre pines with pinions vast, / black-plumed and drear, as many a mast / of sable-shrouded shops of death / slow wafted on a ghostly breath.

One of the great recurring themes in Tolkien is the way that all evil, whatever its initial motive and impetus, falls in the end to ruin for ruin’s sake, to the destruction and defilement of all things as a end rather than a means. The image of the Anfauglith is repeated with the desolation before Mordor (gasping pools choked with ash and crawling muds, sickly white and grey, as if the mountains had vomited the filth of their entrails upon the lands about...great cones of earth fire-blasted and poison-stained) and the ruin that Saruman makes of Isengard (trees hewn down and replaced with pillars of metal and stone, joined by heavy chains; meadows paved over; underground furnaces with vents emitting steams, like a graveyard of the unquiet dead), and even Lotho and Saruman’s harm to the Shire (from knocking down Sandyman’s mill to make a bigger one that wasn’t needed, to the mill under Saruman not grinding grain at all but only making smoke and stench and fouling the water).

It’s not as if there is a fundamental benefit to Sauron in making the ruin in front of the Black Gate, or to Saruman in his attempts to destroy the Shire; both start out at one point with the aim of “fixing” the world and putting it in order, and this degenerates into control and rule for its own sake, and then into purposeless malice against not only people but the land itself, with misery and destruction as the only aim. We see small echoes of it elsewhere, as at Losgar.

This theme provides a strong contrast to Beren’s song before his departure across the Anfauglith, which is centred on celebration of nature and creation for its own sake, in and of itself, without any thought of control or ownership. The song fits with Beren’s demonstrated love of nature in earlier chapters, where during his lone guerilla war against Sauron he eats only plants, and is friend and allues with the animals of Dorthonion and with nature-spirits (minor Maiar?) as well: and many spirits, that in stone / in mountains old and wastes alone / do dwell and wander, were his friends. (It also has some echoes in Sam’s song in the Tower of Cirith Ungol.)

The song is given here in longer form than in The Silmarillion:

Farewell now here, ye leaves of trees,

your music in the morning-breeze!

Farewell now blade and bloom and grass

that see the changing seasons pass;

ye waters murmuring over stone,

and meres that silent stand alone!

The song also evokes a lot of the themes that came up in my discussion of CS Lewis’ The Four Loves, particularly the part on eros. Beren has virtually no expectation of coming back alive; he expect to die at best, or be captured and tortured at worst. But making the attempt is, to him, better than willfully choosing a life separated from Lúthien, and better than risking her coming to harm because of him. (The latter, as she will soon point out, is no longer something he has any choice about!) Both of them prefer the very high probability of torment or death over being parted from each other.

Additionally, Beten’s song is one of the purest expressions within Tolkien’s works of the element of admiration in love: delight in the beloved in their own right, above and beyond anything that has happened or will happen or any connection to you personally:

Though all to ruin fell the world / and were dissolved and backward hurled / unmade into the old abyss / yet were its making good, for this / the dawn, the dusk, the earth, the sea / that Lúthien for a time should be!

This feels, also, like it is getting at something deep within the mood of Tolkien’s works, where so much is destroyed or fades or is lost: the existence of beauty and goodness continues to be good, to be meaningful, even when the good and beautiful things have themselves passed away. They were, and that is better than if they had never been.

And here we come to my favourite part of the entire Leithian:

“Ah, Beren, Beren!” came a sound,

“almost too late have I thee found!

O proud and fearless hand and heart,

not yet farewell, not yet we part!

Not thus do those of elven race

forsake the love that they embrace.

A love is mine, as great a power

as thine to shake the gate and tower

of death with challenge weak and frail

that yet endures, and will not fail

nor yield, unvanquished were it hurled

beneath the foundations of the world.

Beloved fool! escape to seek

from such pursuit; in might so weak

to trust not, thinking it well to save

from love thy loved, who welcomes grave

and torment sooner than in guard

of kind intent to languish, barred,

wingless and helpless him to aid

for whose support her love was made!”

Thus back to him came Lúthien:

they met beyond the ways of Men;

upon the brink of terror stood

between the desert and the wood.

This returns to the previously-stated theme around eros: for Lúthien, being captured and tirmented in Angband is a better fate than willingly parting from him, or allowing him to leave her behind for her protection. And this, I think, is why Beren and Lúthien succeed in gaining the Silmaril: be ause their goal is not the Silmaril, their goal is each other.

But there’s more to it than that. I love the passage for Lúthien’s assertion that it is not Beren’s chouce whether she can risk danger and death for his sake. He does not have either the power or the right to protect her from her love of him. (I do think it’s something of a wonder that he still decides to go ahead with the Quest after this rather the the alternative of “let’s elope and be nature-hobos together”, but a lifetime of looking over your shoulders for the forces of Angband and the Fëanorians [yes, I think C&C would’ve gone after them out of spite even without the Quest, given their behaviour in the previous chapter] and Doriathrim sent to kidnap Lúthien back home is daunting in its own way; at least this way, if they succeed it will be over.)

This also goes for friendship (philia): in The Lord of the Rings hobbits express the same sentiment in more commonplace terms, in Merry’s, “You cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo,” and Sam’s “I’m coming too, or neither of us isn’t going. I’ll knock holes in all the boats first.” Or, even more so, in another line of Sam’s during the Breaking of the Fellowship:

“All alone and without me to help you? I couldn’t have a borne it, it’d have been the death of me.”

“It would be the death of you to come with me, Sam,” said Frodo, “and I could not have borne that.”

“Not as certain as being left behind,” said Sam.

Returning to the Leithian: Beren is still reluctant to have Lúthien accompany him into danger. And has a line here whose sentiment always seems to show up in my thoughts about Maedhros and Fingon (“Thrice now mine oath I curse,” he said, “that under shadow thee hath led!”)

Huan, returning with disguises for Beren and Lúthien, uses his second of three lifetime chances of speech to back up Lúthien’s point, and to advise them to disguise themselves as Draugluin and Thuringwethil. This includes one of the more amusing lines in the Leithian, with Huan’s Lo! good was Felagund’s device, but may be bettered. Hi, Finrod, you’re being patronized by a dog. :D He thinks you get, maybe, a B+ on the tactics planning. (Beren gets an F, quite bluntly: Hopeless the quest, but not yet mad, unless thou, Beren, run thus clad in mortal raiment, mortal hue, witless and redeless, death to woo.)

Lúthien uses magic to disguise them effectively, and to prevent the terrible disguises from affecting their minds; it’s difficult, skillful, and lengthy work: With elvish magic Lúthien wrought / lest raiment foul with evil fraught / to a dreadful madness drive their hearts / and there she wrought with elvish arts / a strong defence, a binding power / singing until the mdnight hour.

It is a few days’ journey across the Anfauglith to the gates of Angband and, again, reminiscent of Frodo and Sam’s journey through Mordor; briefer, but also worse in some respects, as they have neither food nor water.

[mor-beck-more-problems]

Breaking Bonds || Morgan & Bea

TIMING: Current

PARTIES: @beatrice-blaze & @mor-beck-more-problems

SUMMARY: Bea invites Morgan over to share a new discovery. The world will not consent to be fixed, but somebody has to try.

CONTAINS: references to Bea’s, Morgan’s, and Adam’s deaths

There were not many people in this world who understood life and death in the same manner Bea did. They may never have been close before either of their deaths, but after, Morgan and Bea were implicitly connected. This connection made Morgan the clearest person to go to about what Bea had found through her research. The kettle let out a shrill cry for attention as the witch finished lining up the tomes she had flagged for this discussion. It was good timing that Bea’s bracelet informed her that Morgan had crossed into the Vural’s property as she began steeping the tea. She went to the porch with a smile, Dia weaving between her legs as she waited for Morgan. “The tea should be ready soon! I hope you don’t mind that I tried to find something you’d like to eat, though I wasn’t completely sure what would be palatable,” She told the zombie, thinking of the container of meat that she had waiting for Morgan, if she wanted it.

It was no small relief to visit Bea at her place. Morgan didn't know her as well as she did Luce and Nell, but she had an ease with Bea that she couldn’t have with the others either. They had died and come back around the same time, and they were both determined to have a whole life as their altered selves. As she came up to the porch to meet her friend, she sighed and let that ease pull away some of the tension her body carried.

“I don’t mind,” she said, smiling with gratitude. “I will try any and everything you have prepared. I literally can’t get food poisoning, so there’s not much to lose. And thanks for having me over. I want to hear all about New York and Felix and whatever else people who haven’t seen each other in a while swap. But uh, you said there was something you wanted to talk about, right?”

Small talk, Bea had almost forgotten that she should be engaging in small talk because she was so excited by what she had found. “Oh yes! I need to hear all about what you’ve been doing too, I’m sure things have been very exciting over here.” And she did, just like she wanted to see how Morgan was, especially since Morgan was taking care of so many people at the moment. Still, that could wait until after.

Bea invited Morgan in, before walking over to the table and lightly touching a book. “But, first, you should see what I found in here,” She couldn’t help the excited tilt her voice took. Flipping open to the first tab in the book she pointed to a line and read,“‘I have found that some of the new undead can be controlled, tamed if the right-hand guides them.’ The wording is awful, but doesn’t that read like I could help people who are struggling with this? You were the first person who seemed right to call about this.”

“Oh, you know,” Morgan said dismissively. “Been better, been worse. Still kind of a mess. But as long as we have each other, or as much of each other as we can, and if we can keep trying to make hope…” She smiled, weighed down by every terrible thing that had happened over the past month, though no less genuine for it. “We have to get to ‘okay’ eventually, right?”

She followed Bea in eagerly. Distractions were good, learning and projects were better. If she was moving toward something, she might still be able to make something better, or at least be better. She came over to the book and looked at the words. Controlled and tamed were two different things, but maybe this meant that there was an under-utilized conditioning process. Use magic at first to mitigate the damage and get them used to things, Let them choose the right thing for themselves later. “With--by ‘this’ you mean undead hunger cravings, right? Like, if I lost myself in front of a dead body, or a vampire was trying to stay off people. Do you think…” Her hand went to her lips as she thought of Ashley the zombie last year and Nico Jemisin in the thrift store. She shouldn’t get too excited, she shouldn’t brew hope over just a stray phrase and an untested experiment. She shouldn’t, she shouldn’t. And yet. “How far have you gotten on this? This could be…it could save so many people.”

A small, sad smile took Bea’s lips as Morgan spoke. She knew that hope as well as she knew her shadows. Before all of this, the necromancer had never had to worry about being okay, she had simply trusted in the universe to balance itself again. Being hit with hardship after hardship had created that doubt in the world’s ability to allow her to have a break. “We’ll be okay eventually, Morgan,” She said softly, “We’ll be able to create our own okay, you’re strong enough for that.” Anyone who had survived what Morgan had already was more than capable of bending the world to her whims.

She nodded eagerly, “That’s what I would intend to find out at the very least. I’d like to think that the word ‘tamed’ would imply that, though I do hate the implication that the undead needs to be tamed.” She had found herself drawn to the power of necromancy at the beginning, the ability to twist death itself to what she wanted. Now, though, after experiencing that power, she had found something softer, something that could change lives, save them. That part of herself she felt had left in death was returning, the part that could help and care for others without asking what they could do for her. She could grant people some form of comfort again, she could help facilitate something beautiful from a hardship. “I’ve marked every mention I’ve found of it, but there’s not much I’ve seen. I think we can write something together on this, we can find a way to get this information out there to help others.”

A piece of Morgan’s heart unclenched at Bea’s reassuring words. She hadn’t realized she’d been holding something in, but she was swallowing tears and so loose in her bones she felt like she might fall over. It had been a while since someone had tried to comfort her, and even longer when she was able to accept their gift without any guilt. Morgan smiled, lips quivering, and whispered, “thank you,” before putting her attention back on the main subject.

“What would you need? In terms of resources or experiments?” Morgan asked. She was self-conscious enough about her now-constant discoloring at all times, but as she considered the possibilities, she felt the hollowness of her stomach too. Morgan shouldn’t be this excited for Bea’s idea. Fuck Odell, and fuck her hold on this cursed town. “Would it...I mean, you’re the expert, so you would know whether it’s safe or too dangerous if you...tested it on me?” She met Bea’s eyes with trepidation. “I’m not high risk or anything, obviously, and a year does a lot for a girl’s impulse control around viscera, but...I wouldn’t say no to some extra help.”

There were many forms of strength that Bea has seen over the years, many of them represented by the women she surrounded herself with. Morgan, she found, had one of the softest forms she had seen yet, but that did not mean she didn’t respect it. If anything, it proved to Bea that she could be strong without violence and anger. Her sisters, for as strong as they were, often hurt themselves from it. Luce with her anger, an all too powerful storm that untethered her, but kept others aware of who they were dealing with. Nell with her fierce strikes, hunting beasts and controlling demons that left her all too vulnerable to the world’s evil. Bea couldn’t always be like them, but she could be softer, she could adopt some of Morgan and create her own brand of strength that did not always mean striking first.

“Well, we’d need an area far from anyone else just in case something went wrong.” Bea wouldn’t risk doing it at her home when her sisters were so close by. She looked at Morgan for a long moment, she trusted the zombie, but it put Morgan in a hard situation if something were to happen. “We can try it on you, but I would want other people there, just in case. Who would you feel comfortable with helping?” Bea had her own list of who they could call, but Morgan was the one being controlled. She was certainly in a much more vulnerable spot. “I think we should start with small portions and then work our way up.” This would be a long process, but it would be worth it to explore the possibility.

“Well, there’s plenty of spots in the woods,” Morgan sighed. “If screaming moose can hide, so can we. Especially on the outskirts, near the border, I don’t think there’ll be anyone for miles.” She wasn’t that worried. White Crest liked to keep its secrets to itself as much as possible. But Bea’s second question was another beast. Deirdre came to her mind briefly, but her love had promised to never physically harm her on purpose and refused to be released. And then, Bea wouldn’t want to endanger her sisters after all they’d been through. Who did that leave? Mina, who barely spoke to her anymore?

At last, Morgan had to admit defeat. “I...don’t know. If you know someone or have ideas, I trust your judgement. You know about discretion as much as anyone, so. But, little bits at a time! That sounds good. Reasonable. It’ll, you know, probably come in handy some time. Even with someone like me.” Or especially, with how things stood at the moment. “You’re the one channeling big magic, so you should probably set the pace. I’ve got that infinite stamina going for me. So I...I can take it. Whatever might happen, I can take it. I want to, if it means having more control over myself.”

With everything, Bea had good and bad days. With the woods, she had bad far more often. She controlled her face as well as she could, only hesitating for a moment. “Let me pick the spot in the forest? I’ll find something in the outskirts for us.” She would pick somewhere far from the place it happened, where even on her bad day she could hold herself together. Her first thought would be to ask Leah to help, but that could be very dangerous for the phoenix. Her sisters weren’t an option. Maybe this wasn’t as easy as she had originally thought it would be. “I could see if Kaden was willing to help.” She trusted him to behave with Morgan, but she had no idea if they were on good terms anymore. “If you are feeling comfortable with that.” That was a good point, Bea had no idea how much energy this was going to take. If it was anything like the other necromancy magic she had done, she was going to need to work her way up. “We’ll go slow, there’s no need to rush what’s going to happen. Especially as we need to get more people on board to help.”

“Of course,” Morgan said. To her shame, she only remembered how much the woods had taken from Bea when she saw the look on the woman’s face. Morgan, for her part, never lingered on the part of main street where she’d felt the sun on her back for the last time, and ice cream trucks made her feel sick and bitter. But these were small things, specific. As much as the spot where Bea died was cursed ground, for all Morgan knew, every dark cluster of trees held the shadow of her trauma. Too late now.

Morgan considered Kaden. She didn’t want him to know she was struggling. She didn’t know how much of his fear and disappointment she could bear. And would he feel guilty for helping? Would he doubt himself? Or feel as though he were betraying himself? But a hunter was a clear and obvious choice, for Bea’s safety as well as Morgan’s own. And the only other hunter Morgan trusted was dead. “It makes sense. If you think he would, and that he wouldn’t...feel wrong or bad about it, yeah. That sounds like a good idea. And you’re right about needing others, strong muscle-y others probably, but don’t know who else is left.” She met Bea’s eyes slowly, knowingly, and ached as Adam’s loss stung once again. She cleared her throat and let the spectre of his memory pass. “Later, when we’ve got the basics down, I’ll be of more help. I’ve got lots of fresh experience with my muscle strength, and fighting off people, living and undead. But, slow and steady first.” With difficulty, she summoned a smile. “Who’d have figured it would take two people like us to make a new magic discovery?”

Oh, Bea thought, Of course Morgan knows. A fragile, brittle smile made its way onto her face. As the days went on, as his loss compounded, the closer she felt to slipping away. She was teetering on a precipice, close to falling over the edge of understanding grief as other people had. Her understanding before had been abstracted at best, a twisted and strange version of an emotion that everyone around her seemed to understand better than she did. A necromancer who had faced death, danced with her, but did not comprehend her affects seemed like an oxymoron. The room was spinning, twisting around her as she tried to focus on Morgan’s words. “Oh, I don’t know it makes sense, doesn’t it?” She replied weakly, “We like pushing and figuring stuff out. We’re fixers.” Fixers in a world that could not be fixed, would not consent to be fixed. Adam had been a fixer too, it was why he was gone.

“Fixers, huh,” Morgan repeated, her own smile turning sad as well. She didn’t think of that word often except in terms of her own shame and desperation. She broke something, therefore she had to fix it. But to hear Bea say it, they were doing something better than hastily atoning; they were solving the world. Not all of it, because no one could do that. But little hurts, difficulties, problems. They knew how to seal cracks in people’s hearts and put in new supports where old ones had snapped. And it didn’t have to mean that any of it was their fault or their responsibility. Just that they happened to know how. They happened to have the strength to try. And when everything broke all over again, they would fix it again. On and on.

The future stretched out in her mind’s eye, a line of patch jobs into centuries. Nothing holding or staying for long. She wondered if Adam had ever seen the future that way, and if he ever let himself dream of a green field and a quiet existence where the only things that needed fixing were fence posts and kitchen appliances, as she often did. She didn’t know which answer was sadder.

“I guess we are,” she said quietly. “I guess somebody has to be.”

[pretend-writer]

Down Below (Chapter 71)

Summary: After being sent down on Earth with the other prisoners from the Ark, Y/N Reyes faces series of events and learns about survival. With new things happening around her, she is now starting a new chapter in her life.

Pairing: Bellamy Blake x reader, John Murphy x reader, Raven Reyes x sister!reader

Word Count: 3.1k words

Warning: swearing, injuries

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It had been 6 years since we've been back on the ship; at least that was how it felt like. The Red Sun, the journey through the forest, it took so long and my body was so exhausted. It was a relief that I was finally back to our temporary home.

We got back "home", not expecting anything that we saw. Everyone was out of cryo, other than McCreary's men. They've kept all criminals in cryo except for one.

'What the hell is going on?' Bellamy said, curious as we all walked into the crowd of people that were in the cafeteria.

As we squeezed in between everyone, there was Octavia, groaning while she laid on the ground with blood all over her body.

'Trying to help your sister but she's stubborn.' Diyoza took her hand out for Octavia to grab. She instead ignored her, trying to get up on her own. 'See? Stubborn.'

'Why are you out of your pod?' Bellamy asked.

'You're asking me? Someone took me out, why else would I be out here.'

Raven came through the crowd, 'I got her out. Octavia got jumped by Wonkru and she was fighting them back. I didn't know what to do so I got Diyoza to help me.'

'Well, you could go back because we cannot have you running around the ship.'

'I stopped the fight didn't I? Octavia could've died, Bellamy. People are upset about Blodreina and showed no mercy. I helped her.'

'Now you can help us by leaving. We're trying to find a new home at Sanctum with these people down on the ground and they can't know we have criminals with us.'

My brows furrowed, confused how we never really talked about what we were doing next. 'Uhm. Did we even agree to stay there with those people?'

Sure, they helped Murphy but we don't know what they were capable of nor did we know who these people were. I was all for building our community again but not with strangers we knew nothing about.

'Yeah they seem a bit... odd.' Shaw added. 'I mean they were too perfect. Their fancy clothes, their mannerism, I don't know I just don't fully trust them.'

'You're the one talking.' Bellamy mumbled, rolling his eyes.

'And you're innocent in all of this Bellamy Blake?' Diyoza walked towards him, 'We are all criminals here, one way or another. We killed to survive, sacrificed our loved ones, killed some to avoid the deaths of many. If not, we witnessed every murder and haven't spoken up about it. We are all guilty of something.'

Bellamy chuckled, 'Whether you have convinced others or not you're never going to change my mind. You're leaving either way.'

'I'm pregnant. How am I supposed to survive in the woods with nothing?' No one had ever mentioned that Diyoza was pregnant, it could've been obvious the way her belly was out but I was too busy to stare at her child. Not to mention we were fighting for our lives back on Earth. 

'Is that really necessary Bellamy?' Raven spoke up. 'We don't have to get rid of anybody.'

'We have a chance to live in a decent environment, with a supporting community with food and water. How are we supposed to pass that up?'

Diyoza shook her head, 'You know what. Do as you please, I don't want to be a part of this mess anyways.'

Watching her walk away, I stood in front of Bellamy. 'You're okay with letting her go? Letting her live off in a woods where we don't even know what happens down there.'

'She can deal.'

I shook my head, glaring at him as I wondered what in the world made him this way. 'Who even are you?'

After glaring at Bellamy I started to chase after Diyoza and ran through the hallway. 'Diyoza, wait. Don't go.'

She kept on walking, eventually ended up at by the door where the exit was. 'Your boyfriend doesn't want me here. I don't want to be somewhere I'm not wanted.'

'He's not my boyfriend.'

'Trouble in paradise huh?'

I bit my lip, 'He's beside the point. But some of us want you here, at least I do. Heck, we need you here. There's these people down there and we can't figure them out. It’s just something about them that feels odd. Then there's this Red Sun and-'

'The Red Sun?'

'This thing on the ground that messes with your head and-' I figured that after they dropped us off, they went back up for safety. Which made sense why they weren't affected by The Red Sun. ‘It’s just a mess okay?’ 

'Hm sounds like I can't help you with that one. Sorry but I’m not a brain surgeon.'

'Okay, fine but you're smart, reliable and capable of everything. Just stay. Please.'

Diyoza paused, staring at me in silence for a while before she spoke up again. 'Why do you want me here so bad? After all I've done.'

'Honestly, I don't know.' I paused for a second, thinking about why exactly was I defending the woman that wanted to destroy our clan. 'If you wanted to kill Wonkru, you would've done it but you didn't. Meanwhile when McCreary stepped into your shoes, we lost so many of us. I feel like you're not completely a bad person.'

'You're a weird one huh.' Diyoza laughed, 'I was one of the most wanted mass murderer in the world and you said I'm not a bad person.'

'People change and I think you have. I just wished that people would see that part of you instead of letting you go because of your past.'

Diyoza nodded, 'You have a good heart. You know that? No wonder why that boy is in love with you.'

'Well, that boy screwed everything up. I've tried, all these years with him and nothing has been working between us.'

'You know, when we had Clarke hostage back when we first landed on Earth, the first thing Bellamy had asked was to dig up that bloody underground of yours to come save you. He wouldn't let us do anything else. Said that you were in critical condition when the doctors found you outside six years ago during the radiation, worried that you didn't make it from getting exposed.'

My eyes widened, shocked to hear these information from her. 'Ah, I didn't know that.'

'He really wouldn't shut up about you. Said that he couldn't live with out you and that you made him a better person. He wanted to talk to you about everything that had happened at The Ring while you were down here. Then wanted to apologize for something he'd done up there, he started to dig through that fallen tower over that hatch with his bare hands, poor boy. Bellamy seemed crazy but it showed how much he cared about you.'

I didn't know what to think after what I had heard from Diyoza. It was surprising to hear, especially knowing how it all went down after that. It would've never occurred to me that he felt so strongly about seeing me, the way he approached me after our reunion.

He had acted like nothing happened, instead Bellamy asked so many questions as to what happened in the bunker. If he had been honest with me from the start, just as how Diyoza said, maybe it could've all been different.

But who was I to say, I was never honest with him about the Dark Year either.

'Anyways kiddo, it's time for me to go.' Diyoza smiled, but it seemed like a sad one. 'What do your people say, "May we meet again" right?'

I nodded, smiling back at her. 'Yeah. May we meet again.'

Diyoza pushed the button to open the ship, as I watched her hop off and slowly walk into the uncharted world. We've only covered a small portion of the moon, who knows what was out there. I knew she could take care of herself but I was scared for her.

As Diyoza disappeared into the woods, I heard bickering from behind. It was Octavia and Bellamy; mostly Bellamy yelling at his sister.

'Why did you think it was okay to pick a fight with those people? Now look at you.' Bellamy snickered.

Octavia yelled back, 'So you think it's a good idea to throw me off the ship too?'

'Wait, what?' I already thought Bellamy was crazy for kicking Diyoza out. She was a fighter, a great one at that and she knew the way around tough situations. She would've been a reliable person to have on our side and now all of the sudden he had decided to kick his own sister out too.

'Reyes, stay out of this. I'm serious.' Bellamy flared his nose, not looking at my direction at all.

'Bellamy, how am I supposed to live in the woods? I don't know what's out there.' Octavia seemed terrified and scared; The same eyes I saw when the Dark Year began.

He shook his head, 'You can catch up with Diyoza. You both would know what to do.'

'This is fucking crazy.' I cut in between the both of them, facing Bellamy. 'Are you really going to leave Octavia out there?'

'Y/N, it's okay. There's no convincing with him, his mind is made up.' Octavia bit her lip, eyes watering as she stared at her brother. 'I-I just can't believe you're actually doing this.'

Bellamy kept his mouth shut, just staring at her as she slowly backed away from us. She looked over at me and smiled.

Octavia seemed as though she already made peace with leaving us but I didn't. Despite what happened between us the last few weeks before cryo, she was someone that was close to my heart. She helped me through tough times, starting from my trauma at Mount Weather to being by my side when I had no one at the bunker.

She was my best friend, someone I needed by my side throughout everything. I didn’t want her to go but knowing the stubbornness in the Blake family, I knew that Bellamy and Octavia had made their decision.

'Y/N, thanks for everything. I'm sorry I said those words to you when we were marching to the gorge, you know I didn't mean it. I appreciate everything you've done for me at the bunker.’ Her tears filled her eyes, approaching me as she opened her arms. 

‘It's me and you forever, Octavia.' I hugged her tightly, crying into her shoulders.

'You and me, always.' She smiled as she wiped her eyes, glanced at her brother before she turned around and walked away. 

He closed the door to the ship as soon as Octavia took off, her jogging away as she chased Diyoza down the forest. Not even acknowledging that she may die out there, not even saying their possible last goodbyes.

'You're unbelievable.' I wouldn't have thought Bellamy would go so low to a point where he would abandon his own sister.

'And I told you to not butt in our business.'

'Octavia is my best friend, of course I'm going to butt in. For all we know, we'll never see her again. Would you be able to live with yourself if we see her dead in the middle of the woods one day?'

It hurt to see him act this way, I had no idea why Bellamy chose to do something he didn’t have to do at all. His mind was probably going crazy, just as how mine was when I was at the bunker.

He was out of control, every decision he had made was started to affect other people's lives including his sister’s. After not seeing Octavia for six years, I didn't know why he chose to let go of her again.

‘We are not discussing about Octavia.’ Bellamy rolled his eyes, ‘My sister, my responsibility. My rules.’

As he turned to walk away from me, I pulled his hand intensely. Bellamy lost his balance as he faced back at me, ‘You’re going to bring her back here. Now.’

‘Reyes whatever you’re trying to do, you need to stop.’ Bellamy’s eyes seemed lost, confused, sad yet angry. I’ve never seen him like this before, even on his worst days I was with him before Priamfaya. It was as if I didn’t know him anymore. ‘You can go chase after her, I don’t care.’

‘You know she won’t listen to me. She needs you to go for her.’

‘She needed to leave, now let me go.’ He shook his arm, trying to get away from my grip but I didn’t let him. Instead, I held his arm tighter.

We stared at each other, Bellamy studying my facial expression and wondering why I was so against all of this. I was angry at his betrayal towards his sister, the way he’d been handling everything so far. I hated what he turned into; or perhaps this was the real Bellamy he kept hidden this whole time.

I didn’t know what came over me, I was upset, infuriated about everything about him that I pushed Bellamy to the ground. He fell hard, not expecting me to act the way I did. He immediately reacted, getting on top of me as he finally gained control.

‘Why are you doing this?’ Bellamy questioned as he sat on top of me. ‘Why are you so angry about something that’s not about you?’

‘It is about me, Bellamy!’ I yelled, squeezing through a space I found between his legs and my body and crawled out of his grip. As I got up, I kicked him to the ground causing him to fall on his back again. ‘She’s my friend, someone that was there for me when I was at my worse. And then you... you-’

Bellamy got up, breathing heavily as he grabbed onto my wrist. ‘I’m what?’

‘You just continue to hurt people, keep hurting me.’ It was humiliating that I was crying over the same damn thing that we’ve continuously discussing since we reunited.

It was just a cycle of telling him how I felt, how to fix a situation and he wouldn’t listen. Everything was getting worse, considering that we had bigger issues in the picture starting with these random people we knew nothing of. Instead, Bellamy wanted to get rid of his sister and a pregnant woman into the woods.

'But here you are, trying to pick a fight with me. Verbally and now physically. What does that make you?'

'I'm trying to help you understand what I'm feeling.' Talking to him didn't work, it never had and it never will. Now I had to face him, literally face him and show him how tough it had been. 

Bellamy pulled me in closer, gripping me tighter to make sure I won't escape this time. 'You've been clear about it, I just don't agree with you. Not anymore.'

'Of course you don't. So then you decide to treat me like crap and walk all over me when I'm trying to talk to you, despite what you've done at The Ring with Echo.'

‘And Murphy just treats you so right, is that it?’

Biting my lip, I tried to stop my tears from falling. Why was he treating me the way he was, pulling me in and trying to get me back and then pushing me away, making me feel bad about everything?

‘He does. And unlike you, he never made me cry.’

Bellamy's nose flared, hurt by the words that came out of my mouth but trying not to show it. It was obvious though, I've known him long enough to read him easily.

While his grip loosened, I pulled my arm away. Before we were able to exchanged our last words, I looked at Bellamy and walked away back to the others.

It was hard to understand him now, he would say one thing and do the exact opposite. I wish I knew what made him this way, perhaps something had happened while he was at The Ring.

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‘We don’t know what’s going to happen to Kane.’ Raven sighed as we sat next to him.  'Abby and Jackson did everything they could, it's just a matter of when he's going to wake up.'

It felt uneasy watching Kane laying there, he almost seemed lifeless. 'He needs to wake up, I need him to.'

After Octavia leaving us, after John practically dying during the Red Sun and being in a terrible condition after those people managed to fix him, it felt like people were slowly slipping away from my hands.

Hearing Kane's side of the story about the Dark Year made me feel better, realizing that he was in pain just as I was. At the end of the day, even with all the shit that we both have been through, he was my father. And I needed him back.

'He'll wake up, Kane's strong just as you are.' Raven rubbed my arm, 'How are you holding up though? I saw Bellamy kicked Octavia out. What's going on with him?'

'I wish I knew. He's been acting weird lately.'

Raven chuckled. 'Probably jealous of you and Murphy. They wouldn't stop fighting at The Ring, Bellamy locked himself in his room at one point. I don't know, this might be hitting him hard.'

'But he started it. I was ready to be with him again, or at least start slow like we said.' Everything changed when I found out about Echo, realizing that he was bickering about my mistakes when he was hiding his own issues.

It was more than betrayal I felt when he turned his back on me. It wasn't even the kiss that I was angry about; it was him acting as if he did no wrong, that I was the problem that our relationship had fallen. He made me think that because of my mistakes, I've lost his trust. When in reality, we've both failed in our part of keeping our promise. But he made sure to only blame me.

'He was a mess up there, Y/N. I've never seen him so absent, so empty.' Raven added, 'Bellamy really lost it when he heard you barely made it to the bunker.'

'Why are you defending him?'

'I'm not. It's just- he went through a lot too is what I'm trying to say. You had your shit down at the bunker, Bellamy had his up at the Ring.'

I sighed, getting confused all over again. I couldn't lie, it was easier to hate Bellamy instead of dealing with the feeling and the confusion that I had. I wish that we had talked everything out, about the time we were apart from each other. 

'Why are you telling me this now?'

'Honestly, I thought he snapped out of it when we got back to Earth when he had hope to see you again. Then after seeing him before we went to cryo and he seemed fine. But now, he's spiraling again. Just like he was at The Ring.'

As I looked over at Kane laying on his bed, I took a deep breath and buried my head into my arms as I leaned in. This was all too much; Bellamy, John, Marcus being in this state and then dealing with these new people.

All I wanted was to live normal again, live peacefully amongst ourselves. I had hoped that when we got off Earth we can start over again just as how Monty said when he said his last goodbye.

Of course, that wasn't the case. Not at all.

[yellowmagicalgirl]

Seklos and Gaylen, They Were Cagemates! Chapter 2: The Disappearance

Douxie and Krel have a conversation. Their respective loved ones wait for them to come home.

And we're onto chapter 2! Huge thanks to everyone who has been supportive so far.

Trigger/spoiler warning for: assumed child death, background torture, and weighing of lives. 

AO3

FFN

Being a familiar had gotten easier over the years, in Archie’s opinion. He had no idea why no one was taking up the profession anymore. It had gotten easier as Douxie had learned to talk in full sentences instead of just babbling and pointing. It had gotten easier as Douxie had figured out how to con people and pick pockets instead of relying on whatever Archie could hunt and the two of them trying to beg for food. It had gotten easier when Merlin had taken them in.

And, it had gotten easier in many ways with the modern world. Archie had tried following Douxie to the school he was having to attend, taking on the forms of flying insects, but eventually Douxie had told him to stick to the apartment. Apparently, it was strange for him to be followed by butterflies and bees. And, well, Archie would certainly admit that it was easier to lay about in one place, occasionally masquerading as the bookstore’s cat.

Maybe he should have gone to the Battle of the Bands today. Been supportive of his familiar’s musical prowess. Douxie had been so excited for today, though it wasn’t like he was expecting much, if any, competition. Besides, Archie had been to Douxie’s other concerts in the past. He had improved so much from the lute he had found and attempted to play, only to drive Merlin, Morgana, and Archie to agree that teaching Douxie how to use magic to soundproof a room might not bring more harm than good.

Archie had been tempted to leave the apartment, but the sky outside had turned orange. There was probably yet another fire going on. Pity. Even though he was a dragon, Archie wasn’t a fan of smoke inhalation. It wasn’t good for Douxie. It was bad enough that he had gotten so sick in those first few months after the two of them first came here because of all the pollution he hadn’t been used to.

And Douxie hadn’t come home, even though the sky had returned to normal.

Maybe he was out with friends, and he had forgotten to call. Or maybe he had been called into work at the bistro, and he had forgotten to call. He was fine. Archie was going to lecture Douxie when he got home, but it wasn’t like Douxie was hurt or anything. He was seventeen and could take care of himself; Archie was just worrying too much. That was why he felt so strange.

There was a loud, familiar knock at the door. Perhaps that was Douxie now. Archie flew to the door and peered through the peephole.

Oh.

Archie opened the door. “What are you doing here?”

Merlin looked old. He had always looked old, having been elderly when he achieved immortality, but he looked older than he had ever. At the very least, he looked so much more tired than Archie had ever seen him.

“Archie, I’m so sorry.”

Merlin never apologized. On occasion, he would say things that sounded somewhat like apologies if you knew what to look for, but he wouldn’t outright apologize. Then again, it had been longer for Merlin than it had been for Archie, so perhaps he had changed? Gotten kinder in his old age?

Archie tilted his head. “What for?”

Merlin sighed. “So it wasn’t recent, then.”

“So what wasn’t recent?”

“Hisirdoux’s death. I know it must be incredibly hard for you since you… were his familiar.”

“Excuse me? He’s not dead, I saw him just this morning, so it would’ve had to have been recent, and since you didn’t find a body –”

“No, but I didn’t sense his magic, either.”

Archie opened his mouth to make a snarky retort towards the wizard, but then he closed it.

Archie couldn’t sense Douxie’s magic. He had always been able to sense Douxie’s magic, even before they had sealed the familiar bond, but after sealing the bond he would always be able to sense Douxie’s magic, no matter how far away Douxie was.

But Archie couldn’t sense him now.

“There, there could be another reason.”

“Like what?” And that sounded more like the Merlin Archie had known. Cantankerous, as opposed to mournful. “It’s not like there are any antimagic zones in Arcadia, and I highly doubt Hisirdoux has learned how to create one in the years since I sent the two of you here.”

Archie narrowed his eyes and flattened back his ears. His tail flicked. Merlin had never cared about Douxie, had never recognized just how much skill and potential Douxie had. “Why are you here? Last I heard, Morgana was your largest priority.”

Granted, it had been a long time.

“Morgana’s threat was finally neutralized today; in case you didn’t notice her attempt at the Eternal Night. I’m going to the other side of this continent to find a Heartstone as well as to take care of some personal matters. You’re welcome to come with; I’ll keep the trolls from eating you,” Merlin said.

Archie sniffed. “I’m not abandoning him.”

Not like you did.

“Hisirdoux is dead, Archie. We both know it to be true.”

“No, you’ve just given up on him!” Like you did before. “I won’t. There has to be another reason why we don’t know where he is. Besides, I’m his familiar. I know him far better than you ever have.”

Besides, Archie had never abandoned Douxie. His parents had, Morgana had, Merlin had, but Archie had been with him through it all. Merlin didn’t get to lay claim to Douxie’s life and death like that. He had no right to.

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Fine, then. Stay here, waiting for someone who will never come back for you. I’ll come back later when destiny permits it.” He then closed the door behind him in such a way that Merlin had once lectured Douxie about.

What a hypocrite.

“Oh, sure, wait here for someone who will never come back for you, he says,” Archie complained to the too-empty apartment. “Never mind that that’s exactly what Douxie did for you, you selfish old man.”

And just like Merlin did, Douxie would come back.

No, not just like Merlin. Archie would welcome back his familiar.

Though, Archie supposed that it wouldn’t hurt to find Douxie instead of waiting. If Morgana had finally attempted the Eternal Night, Douxie could be hurt.

As a cat, Archie travelled the streets of Arcadia Oaks. Troll bodies littered the streets, though there were a couple gruesomes already beginning to eat them. Archie frowned as he stepped on a piece of smooth wood instead of rock. He looked down.

Surely that wasn’t Douxie’s guitar laying broken beneath Archie’s feet. Even if Douxie had run away he would have taken his guitar with him. Besides, it had been the Battle of the Bands. There would have been so many others with guitars, and surely this wasn’t the only red-and-white electric guitar that had been present. Archie pushed at the base of the guitar, checking to see the underside. The only marring of the wood would be from battle.

The underside had a portion where the initials CO’D had been carved, crossed out, and replaced by HC.

The guitar belonged to Hisirdoux Casperan. He’d bought the guitar at a thrift store, had gotten Zoe’s help to fix it up, and then had made it his own. Douxie had been so happy to have this modern version of a lute.

Douxie wasn’t here.

Archie curled up on top of the broken guitar, mewing pitifully.

Douxie couldn’t be dead. Archie would know if his familiar had died. He had raised the boy. He would know.

He would know.

Right?

“I mean, I don’t exactly know where here is. You do?” the caged human asked.

“An Earth military base called Area 49-B, but I thought they just studied and tortured life beings that aren’t from Earth.” Krel’s voice shook with terror. He wrapped his arms around himself. Kleb, oh kleb. He was going to be tortured. And experimented on. And they had taken his clothes; how had they taken his clothes? They were meant to be difficult to remove and helped to regulate responses to the environment as well as protect his core. He felt so exposed. “And you’re human, so, why are you here?”

“I mean, apparently to be tortured,” Douxie said, trying to hide the panic that rose with every heartbeat. It seemed that humans hadn’t changed by much after all these centuries, still trying to hurt those with magic because they didn’t understand it. Well, magic or whatever this alien had. “But I’m a wizard.”

The four-armed boy stared at Douxie. Douxie suspected he was raising an eyebrow in disbelief, though the lighting made it hard to tell. And, well, Douxie would have expected such a reaction from his classmates (especially before the Gumm-Gumm attack), but this guy wasn’t from Earth. And on one hand, wow, he wasn’t from Earth, but on the other hand, shouldn’t he not be like everyone else assuming that magic didn’t exist anymore?

“I mean, I’d show you, but my magic isn’t working right now.” He’d tried to use it to break out. It didn’t help that his bracer had been replaced with these stupid cuffs. The only good thing about them was the fact that they gave off a very small amount of warmth, because the cage was otherwise very cold, and his white gown was very thin. “But these Area 43-“

“- 49-B,” Krel interrupted.

“-goons took me out when I was using magic,” the wizard said, not seeming to care that he was interrupted. “I just hope I was the only one taken from my… community. I, it’s not like I’m the only wizard on this side of the continent, and I wouldn’t want them to be waiting to get tortured.”

“I think I understand,” Krel said. “I’m not the only one from my planet here on this mudball, and I hope they weren’t captured, either.”

Maybe this could work. Krel wasn’t a fighter, but neither was Stuart, and Stuart had escaped all those keltons ago. Plus, Krel might have an ally. One who could talk, while it seemed like Buster was unable to. They could discuss an escape plan together.

The wizard shifted the way he was sitting and looked upwards. “Huh, so other planets do exist? I guess they really weren’t trying to mess with me and Arch when they said that there were more than four other planets and none of them revolved around the Earth.”

No, this wizard could not be considered a useful ally. He was clearly an idiot, more so than everyone else on this mudball. More than metaphorically the wizard seemed to actually think Earth was somehow the center of the universe. If Krel were to somehow escape on his own, he would leave the wizard behind.

Even if Krel felt horrible right now, watching two of the orange-suited scientists remove the wizard from his cage, hitting him over the head when he tried to fight back. Figuring out a way to escape – hopefully without getting tortured at all – so Krel could save his planet was more important than saving this one life-being Krel had shared a conversation with. Krel wrapped his arms around himself and shook his head. Besides, this wizard might be even worse at physical challenges than Krel was, and Krel already knew that figuring out how to escape without outside help would be difficult even without factoring in the burden of taking someone else with him.

But, hopefully, Krel wouldn’t need to figure out how to escape. Surely Aja was coming to rescue him right now with Stuart, Zadra, and Luug in tow, and Krel would even let her gloat about it.

Aja woke up to the sound of birds. Ah, what a happy sound to wake up to. Their chirping was so lively. It was another good thing about the Mothership being so far from the city. Aja liked the humans, but some of their technology was far noisier than any similar equivalent back on Akiridion-V. But chirping? Chirping was a happy, lively sound.

Aja climbed out of bed, running a hand through her hair, and stretching two of her other arms. She yawned. She and Steve had stayed up late talking. It was good to know that they wouldn’t have to start worrying about having a long-distance relationship yet.

She walked over to the breakfast nook. Lucy was making pancakes, and Zadra was reading reports while Ricky tried to strike up a conversation.

Varvatos wasn’t there because he had sacrificed himself for her parents. Aja frowned at the memory, and then she frowned even harder when she noticed another absence at the nook.

“Krel’s not up yet?” she asked. That was odd. Even on nights where he stayed up late, he was still up early in the morning, grumpy and pretending that he had gotten far more sleep than he actually had. “Or is he skipping breakfast again?”

“The king-in-waiting is not down in the lab, I already checked when I tried – and failed – to contact the resistance at the start of the delson,” Zadra said. “Eat, and then we’ll go wake him.”

Aja nodded, frowned, and began eating. The taste of Lucy’s pancakes cleared her frown but not her worry.

That really didn’t sound like Krel. Well, not unless he had snuck past Zadra to get to his lab. Aja hadn’t even realized her brother was interested in doing things like sneaking off before yesterday evening. Back on Akiridion-V, he had never gone with her, even when she had asked him to sneak off with her.

Aja swallowed the rest of her food, and she and Zadra made their way to Krel’s room. She placed a hand on the doorknob.

“Krel, come on, you don’t want to miss –“

Krel’s room was empty. Was this what it felt like for Krel every time she snuck off? Had he been afraid every single time?

“Uh, are you sure he isn’t in the lab?” Aja asked, trying to mask her fear.

“I’ll go check again,” Zadra said, frowning and narrowing her eyes. Aja followed her, wrapping one pair of arms around herself.

Krel wasn’t in the lab.

Krel wasn’t in the Mothership at all, and they had checked every room, calling for him.

“I thought he came home last night,” Aja said, quickly scrubbing away the tears that threatened to form.

“What?” Zadra asked.

“He snuck out yesterday evening.”

“And you didn’t stop him?”

Aja shook her head. She should have, or she should have gone with him.

Zadra stared at the ground away from Aja. “I don’t understand, he’s never snuck out before. This isn’t like him.”

But it’s exactly like you, came the unspoken accusation. Zadra had dragged Aja back to the castle so many times in the past, but never Krel. Krel had been the quiet one, the child who stuck to the background and his technology. He didn’t go outside.

He was the good sibling, and Aja wasn’t. She was the one who usually snuck off. She was the one who didn’t protect her little brother. She was the one who prioritized talking to Steve instead of making sure he would be okay.

Whatever had happened to him, it was her fault.

Aja waited for the lecture.

It never came.

“I’m going to go see if I can find him near the ship,” Zadra said. “Stay here. Akiridion-V can’t lose you as well.”

As soon as Aja was out of Zadra’s sight she pulled out her phone and called Steve. He picked up on the third ring.

“Hey there, my ninja-kicking angel!”

“Hi, Steve. Have you seen my brother?”

“Uh, not since the trolls attacked yesterday. Why do you ask?”

Aja burst into tears.

Author’s note: the scratched-out initials on Douxie's guitar are based on the initials of his VA; they will not be important to the fic.