#Uffern

[graeadalicia]

8

When trying to plan a romantic evening, Grae normally had no problem.  In fact, in all his centuries of life, he’d never failed to make one absolutely perfect in the eyes of the female he was romancing.  Now, he was looking at trying to setup a night with the female who was destined to be his wife, and he was having the hardest time that he ever had.  

First, Grae had been surprised to learn that Adalicia had no idea what kinds of foods she liked.  It shouldn’t have surprised him, but it did.  It also made picking food out for dinner more complicated. In the end, he had just told the chef in the castle’s kitchen to prepare some basic foods in a tasting menu type format and make it enough for two.  He wasn’t sure she’d like wine, so he conferred with the chef and they decided on tea for the beverage of the evening.  Warm and soothing, it would lend well to the whole atmosphere being relaxing.  Tonight would not be a lesson in manners, or in anything to do with how she would assist him at court, so being so anything formal could wait.  Instead, he wanted her to be comfortable with him after the scene with Kellen.  He’d already put in the orders for the next evening’s meal, which is when her education would begin.  Unusual for him, he already had nerves regarding that as well. 

Also foregone for the evening were the formal clothes he had intended on wearing.   It seemed this female was able to upend everything and somehow simultaneously make him not care a bit. Once dinner was ordered he'd thrown on a pair of lounge pants and a fresh white dress shirt, although the latter was currently unbuttoned.  Had it not been for lingering concern over Adalicia’s comfort, the dress shirt would have been foregone.  While they had showered together naked, Kellen’s visit had knocked things back a step and he did not want to assume that she would be comfortable with a certain level of undress. 

It took Adalicia longer to choose what to wear. She would have preferred if Grae would have chosen for her.  Knowing what was expected and desired for her to wear was something she was unsure of.   Never before had she been given a choice or even had an option on anything.  Now not only was she given both, but her options were confusing.   Some were more covering and heavier in fabric, some covered but were thin and silky, then there were the ones that were no more than her under things, but all were within the drawer of the wardrobe that Grae had indicated contained her night clothes.  He had indicated that was the drawer that she'd most likely wish to pick from.

Finally she chose a plain black thin dress-like garment with tiny straps.  The neckline was low, but it hung to almost her knees.  Over it she pulled on a soft and fluffy cardigan that did go to her knees to use as a sort of robe.  She almost changed more than once before deciding it should be good enough. If he was displeased, she hoped he'd give her more direction next time.

Grae had almost decided to go into Adalicia’s small room to make sure she was okay when she finally came into his.   He hadn't intended for her to wear any of the more revealing pieces in the drawer when he told her to just be comfortable, but upon seeing her, he was certainly not going to tell her to change.   Even with her curls rather wild after the shower, she was the most beautiful female he'd ever had in his suite, and there had been many.  Other than the fae that came in to clean it, she would be the last female to be in the suite, and certainly the only one in his bed.

"I hope that I picked alright." Adalicia said, her cheeks pinkening and her eyes dropping briefly, as she tried to smile.  Her fingers played with the ends of her sleeves as she waited for his answer.  

"Are you comfortable?" Grae inquired; closing the distance between them, and letting his hands rest gently on the soft swell of her hips.  He would not deny that he was enjoying seeing her in the short nightgown, but this evening was for helping her to relax. 

Adalicia nodded, her stomach doing a little flip with the way he was looking down at her.  "Do I look alright?" Her bottom lip caught lightly in her teeth.  She truly was worried.  As he drew her closer, though, she did feel confident enough to bring her hands up to rest on his chest.  She had slipped them under the fabric of his shit, the feel of his bare skin under her fingertips, creating a foreign ache in her. 

"You look beautiful, darling.  You need not worry about that." He would not deny enjoying the feel of her hands on his skin, but her nerves were evident and Grae was committed to helping her to feel more like his suite…correction, it would now be THEIR suite, was truly  her home.  There was no other way that they could move forward. Unless he was completely misreading every sign and signal she was sending out, which he doubted, they both wanted things to move forward.  “Dinner will be here in a few minutes, and after that we can talk about what you are going to do tomorrow while I am attending the meetings the King has set up for me.  He and Persephone will be sorting out that situation that was the reason you and I came together.” Slowly, Grae wrapped a curl around his finger as he looked at her.  

"I will be alone?"  Adalicia asked.  She could not remember ever truly being alone.  There had always been other fae around.  When she was younger it had been her mother and the other older female fae that were teaching her to wait upon the females of the court.  Once she had been selected to serve Princess Persephone, there had always been the other fae that had attended to her. 

"Is that a problem?" The look on her face troubled Grae.  She looked afraid, and he could not for the life of him figure out why.  She would be safe in their chambers.

"I've never been alone." Her lip caught between her teeth after Adalicia answered his question honestly.  It was the only way she could really answer. Trying to put her trepidation into words made her feel even more nervous than the thought of being alone did.

"Never?" Grae’s brows drew together.  He had not considered that, nor how it would affect her to be so.  Her fear was now making more sense to him.  "I will see what I can do about that in the future, but for at least the morning, I'm afraid that it is a necessity." His arms gently encircled her waist and pulled her gently to him. "You are completely safe in these rooms.  No one can come in, even the King, without my permission." He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. 

"Can I go out onto the balcony?" She had noticed the door out to it earlier.  She had never been outside the walls of the castle.  While the balcony would not be true freedom, it would allow her to see things differently than through a window. 

For a moment Grae considered her request.   His chambers were high in the castle. If she stumbled, he couldn't even allow himself to consider.  He could extend the wards to ensure safety though, and if that would make her happy…

"Yes, but know there is a ward to keep you safe. Do not try to extend your arm or anything past the railings.   It will feel like a wall, but you'll still be able to feel the breezes.  Please don't go out if it is raining."  When her brows furrowed. "Lightning has been known to strike this tower." He kissed her nose.

"Thank you, Rhys. I've never been outside." Adalicia absolutely beamed up at him and she was so excited she almost bounced on her toes.

Once more his beautiful bride-to-be left him speechless.  How different their lives had been. More so, how different would her life from now on be.  Part of him felt a little satisfaction that he would be the one to introduce it all to her.  

"When I have more time, then I shall have to take you down to the gardens, my darling.  I have much to show you." His.lips curved up in a smile, seeing the excitement blossom on her face.  At this rate spoiling her was going to be easy, and while he doubted he could propose by the end of the week, it would not be long.

[cljordan-imperium]

GET TO KNOW MY OC

Korben Volodymyr Cythraul

1. Are you named after anyone? My godfather and great-grandfather

2. When was the last time you cried?  The day my curse drove the only woman I’ve only loved from Uffern and caused her to hate me.  

3. Do you have kids? No, and I do not plan on having any due to my curse. 

4. Do you use sarcasm? Yes, fairly often.  My family is…unique and sarcasm has become a coping mechanism to deal with all that transpires within the castle.

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?  Eyes.  They truly are the windows to the soul and few people know how to guard theirs.  I can read a lot through someone’s eyes.

6. What's your eye color? Blue

7. Scary movies or happy endings?  *laughs* There are no happy endings and my life is a scary movie.  Fuck off.

8. Any special talents? You would think being a demon that can create darkness out of anything would be pretty special itself, but I have a curse that makes me so much more.  I won’t go into too much detail, as it can get rather disturbing for most humans.  I have a second being that was bestowed upon me as retribution to my father for crossing a banshee. It causes urges that, while are within the nature of a demon, are even more extreme than those of my class normally imbibe in.  If I try to resist, it will drive me to madness.  The inability to understand and accept this curse cost me the woman I love, and has alienated many friends.  I know my siblings and even Grae judge me for something I cannot control.

9. Where were you born? The Palace of Uffern

10. What are your hobbies?  Reading, traveling, and cooking

11. Have you any pets? Not as of yet

12. What sports do you play/have played? I was not allowed

13. How tall are you? 6’8”

14. Favorite subject in school? Necromancy

15. Dream job? I am happy doing what I do now.  In addition to my duties as Prince of Uffern, I manage different businesses in Uffern and a few other realms.  I do not wish to do anything different.

THE IMPERIUM CHRONICLES TAG LIST - @ceph-the-ghost-writer @kjscottwrites @writingpotato07 @saltysupercomputer @careful-pyromancer @late-to-the-fandom @autumnalwalker @perasperaadastrawriting @fearofahumanplanet @jessica-writes22 @dogmomwrites @mjjune @verba-writing @blind-the-winds @shipping-through-eternity @outpost51 @inkspellangel @blind-the-winds @sunset-a-story @writingmaidenwarrior @clairelsonao3

[landofmistandshaows]

Is Abriella Kellen's equal, or his better?

[garthcelyn]

Holy shit I didn't expect text-to-speech to read out that entire warning, goddamn.

[theimperiumchronicles]

Good morning, and happy Monday! Other than the adorable chinchilla-like critters, what are some of your favorite non-earth-standard creatures/monsters you’ve made?

Good Monday Morning!

Seamus has a cat, that while looking normal eats the souls of the humans he kills and also breathes fire. His name is Ember.

There are demons that live in the garden of the Palace that resemble fuzzy caterpillars with fangs. They are guard dogs for the pixies and bark. Their little "hairs" can be fired like tiny darts and cause extreme itching for weeks. Dez found out in the past.

Uffern is a realm of mysts and shadows. Some of those shadows are alive, and telling which is which can be hard. Taking inspiration from the Dr. Who episode "Silence In The Library" and the Vashta Narada, they have no discernible form other than a shadow but unlike that monster, they can literally block out light coming from outside if they are within a room. If you have seen Locke & Key, the shadows sent by the one wearing the Crown are also similar, however I created them years before seeing or hearing of that series. They can be controlled by Kellen and Grae only. There are wards around the palace and the Capital City to keep them from harming any within, but venture outside the walls and you need to keep a light around you at all times. There are legends of another King in Uffern who controls them, but no one knows the truth of this...yet. And no one knows if those wards really have kept them out, or if the monsters are biding their time. The story has changed since their origination, and I have ideas...

Leviathan has a canine type creature I'm working on. He's massive and white. What his specifications are, I'm not sure yet, but he can realm jump on his own. How sentient is has yet to be determined, but he will be very intelligent, akin to a hell hound. Eventually he will face Dalton and Derp, the two corgi puppies of Abriella who can transform into massive Cerebus.

That is all for now. Most of the pets and creatures in Imperium have been borrowed from various mythos. Also because I'm reworking several stories, I'm still bringing about new creatures such as the Chinchirpas as things come up. So who knows what little creatures will come up next....or what pets are in the works will turn out to not be so normal after all!

[rotzaprachim]

This is a prose poem. If you try

[fallen--leafs]

Should not have reacted to him

[llyfrenfys]

I just voted for the first time! Got disenfranchised at the last general election (thanks Boris) but I sure as hell wasn't going to lose my vote this time.

If you haven't voted yet, GO VOTE!

/

Dw i wedi pleidleisio am y tro cyntaf!

Cefais fy nifreinio y tro diwethaf (diolch Boris) ond dw i'n siŵr fel uffern yn mynd i bleidleisio y tro hwn.

Os nad ydych wedi pleidleisio eto, PLEIDLEISIWCH!

[gawrkin]

Marwnad Madawc or The Death-song/Elegy of Madawg

(Note: Uffern means Inferno/Hell)

[karlenandgail]

5

The Prince meets THE QUEEN....

“Tell Abriella that Gail’s Prince has arrived in New Orleans and is currently having coffee with Armaund and I.” Watching Thenasus’ eyes widen almost had Jean Pierre chuckling.  “If she could please come most expeditiously, we would appreciate it.  He is…touchy…and a bit impatient to see his redhead.”  Jean Pierre smiled.

"I'm sorry did you say…" Thenasus leaned towards Jean Pierre, his eyes narrowing slightly; he was sure he had to have heard wrong.   He hadn't even had a chance to work with Gail to obtain any information on her supposed Prince, and yet he had somehow found Jean Pierre in New Orleans?  

"Oh yes, an actual Prince too, of Uffern no less.  Youngest brother of King Kellen, although I can say that they seem nothing alike, thank the Source." Jean Pierre's smile didn’t reach his eyes and was tight.  Both he and Thenasus had encountered Kellen in the past, neither wished to again.  "I was at one point a tad worried for Armaund's safety.  It seems Prince Karlen is rather touchy and the possible insinuation of her dead, I mean she IS in Hell, just about had him exploding.  Thankfully he does have more composure and restraint than his elder brother."

"Lovely.  I am sure Abriella won't be able to contain her excitement for that kind of response." Thenasus said with so much sarcasm that the air was rife with it.  The tall guard had a feeling that this could explode if handled wrong, on both the Uffernian and Imperium fronts.

"He is at least ready to relinquish title and royal standing so he can come to the realm.  Not even a blink when I mentioned it." Jean Pierre noticed Thenasus was as shocked at this as he'd been.

"I'll tell Abriella.   As soon as she's available, I'm sure she'll be down.  We’ve had an interesting day or so, you’ll have to have Anna fill you in." The guard shook his head.   Had the Fates decided no one got to sleep or peace in the realm for the foreseeable future?  Between the disaster at breakfast with Yael, the arrival of Kaylin and Asher, the expected oncoming conflict with Damien, the idiot spectre who almost got his…wife? killed the night before and now this, he wondered how much more could go wrong.  That had all happened before midnight the previous day.  Now this one was starting with an Uffernian Prince wishing an audience with the Queen.  What next, a proposal from…no, he was going to not even think anything of the sort.  The damn Fates would probably make it happen, at this rate, and trying to contain Cruz if one more thing went upended would be…a headache.

****

“Prince Karlen, I have been informed that you wish an audience with me.”  Abriella gave no notice before she appeared in the antique shop, where Armaund and Jean Pierre were quite sure that they would soon become tea leaves, from how much they were going through waiting for her to show up to handle their guest.  She was dressed in an elegant suit and anyone not in the know might mistake her for a powerful business woman.  Powerful she was, but her business was normally death and warfare, not paperwork and money making.

Karlen, for his part, rose and bowed to the Queen.  He knew she held the key to seeing Sophia, who he had learned went by Gail when awake.  “Queen Abriella, I did.  However, please, I relinquish all title and standing, as I understand that our realms are not, nor have ever been, allies, so I am no longer a Prince.  I come before you as a humble demon, wishing to enter your realm in search of the woman I’ve loved and searched many realms and worlds over for three hundred years for.  I know her as Sophia, but I know in her waking hours that she can go by other names.  If it pleases, your highness, I would just like the chance to finally be with her.”  For the first time in his long life, he was truly nervous.  His voice was sincere, and there was even a slight pleading sound to it at the end.

If she did not believe him or refused him, he did not know what he would do.  If his Sophia was truly friends with Abriella then declaring war on her realm to get to her would be the exact opposite of a good thing.  The Queen was far more beautiful and composed than even the rumors that had reached Uffern had stated.  Possibly his brother, Kellen, could negotiate something if this endeavor failed.  Karlen would not be deterred, he had worked too hard and for too long to just give up.  

“I was informed that you were willing to do so.  Your powers will be partially bound till you have proven yourself trustworthy within my realm.  I have been advised of the previous relations between your family and my grandfather.  While he has made some…changes…in his demeanor, I cannot allow war to break out. No does your brother have a diplomatic relationship with my reign.  I am sure you understand my position.”  Abriella had a soft smile and inclined her head.  Gail had no clue she was there, nor that Karlen had been found.  Truthfully she didn’t trust him, and until it could be confirmed that he WAS her dream Prince, suspicion would reign supreme.  There had been enough upset in Imperium in the last twenty-four hours to last her for a long time.  When she returned she still needed to have her conversation with Leandre about the upcoming visit she was going to make to Damien.

“Your Majesty, I shall agree to any provisions required in order to be with Sophia.  If there are any tests that I must endure, I shall agree to those too.  I have anticipated this day for centuries, I will let nothing stand in my way if I can eliminate it easily.” Karlen’s expressions and voice were resolute, but not confrontational.  While trying not to sound as desperate as he felt, he did want to convey that he was not going to challenge her in any way regarding the requirements to be a guest of Imperium. 

“Orpheus, Andronicus?”  From the shadows stepped two of Abriella’s Royal Guard.  Both dressed in their more regal gear, they were being tasked with “babysitting” the Prince until it had been determined whether he could be trusted.  “These two guards will be with you at all times.  If you try to leave the realm with Gail, it will be considered and act of war, and you will feel the force of all four of the Horsemen upon Uffern.  If you are being honest regarding your intentions, then within time we can make changes to these requirements. We are still chasing the beings that had Gail enthralled and I will not allow her to be endangered because of your obsession with her.”  Abriella’s chin was lifted, but her voice was not confrontational.  At the moment, she was walking the fine line between a friend and the regent of the realm.  It was not a comfortable one for her.  She knew that further separation from Karlen, should he prove to be the one Gail had described, would only cause the sweet woman more pain.  

“You will have no argument from me, Your Majesty.  I will follow whatever rules you lay out to be able to be able to see if what we have experienced over the centuries in dreams can come into the waking world as well.”  Karlen nodded in deference to her, grateful that he wasn’t being chained, literally, in some kind of dungeon or jail.  His brother was not known for his friendly relationships with other realms, so that he was no met with outright hostility was at least a step in the right direction as far as he was concerned.

“We are not going to have you meet Gail directly.  You will have a conversation with your guards and Gail’s guardian within Imperium will bring her by the open doorway.  First we will see if she recognizes your voice, then we will move forward from there.”  Abriella, Cruz, Olly, Arch, and Thenasus  had all discussed how to handle things before she had teleported to the antique shop. They all felt it better not to bring them together directly until they had more indication that he truly was who she had dreamed of.  In this way they could avoid further trauma to her.  “Now, let’s be away.”

[hazel-of-sodor]

A Screech in the Night

Ch.8 Shatter

Warning:This Chapter contains an Eldritch Horrror doing Eldritch Horror Things. The Events are not cruicial to latter chapters, so you can skip it if need be.

Other Chapters

The following days saw Screech settle into a routine. Early in the morning, Geyn would steam her, Freda joining him shortly thereafter. Her dawns were spent racing along with the Morning Pike. After the morning run, she brought the previous day's fish vans back to Uman. Then she would make the quarry pickups along the line. After Gwyn and Freda ate lunch, her days varied based on what was needed that particular day.

Nearly a week after her arrival, she was sent up a branchline near Coedwig to collect a mixed goods for the harbour. The Branchline was named the Blaidd line after the engine that ran it. A small 2-4-0 metro tank of Cambrian design, she was nearly as old as the railway itself.

When Screech arrived, Blaidd was attaching the last vans to the train. The little engine ran back alongside the eldritch giant.

"Mind yourself with this lot lass. They're proper devils today," the tank engine spat. The trucks and vans giggled.

"It can't be as bad as October," Gywn called as he walked to the switch to let Screech through.

"Worse," the 2-4-0 groused, "they've heard of the big lass from the other yards, and are determined to show her up." She glanced up. "They'll fight you all the way to Dyfnder if you let them. You need to put them in place now or there will be uffern to pay on the hills.

Before Screech could respond, an empty truck from the sidings called out. "Oi boys, look what crawled out of the scrap heap!" The trucks and vans in her train cackled.

"Show him his place," hissed the whisper.

"Oh look, a talking matchbox." Screech drawled, "did they run out of toothpicks when building you? Or did they know you weren't worth the wood?"

Her train roared with laughter.

The truck seethed, "A sight better than you monster. Not even fit for scrap metal." He smirked, "unlike your sisters. I heard they made soup cans out of them."

Screech went very still. All sound seemed to vanish, the wagons in her train daring not to breathe. Even the whisper fell silent within her mind.

"Blaidd?" Screech asked quietly, the sound echoing back in the silence from a thousand angles. "Are you in any way attached to this beast?"

Blaidd shook her head nervously.

"Good."

The sky darkened as Screech stretched her tendrils towards the truck. The temperature dropped drastically, the water dripping from the shed roof freezing in place mid-air. 

Despite the unnatural silence, a ringing seemed to fill everyone's ears. In the dark, Screech's eyes glowed, and the trucks looked away as quickly as they could, instinctively knowing that to look within them would shred their minds like paper in a gale. The air around Screech distorted and refracted her image, but the lone truck somehow knew the terrible glimpses he saw through the shards were closer to the true Eldritch form of the 47xx.

Even before the tendrils touched him, the truck rose into the air, vibrating from some unseen energy. He cried out as the sound of splintering wood and straining metal was heard. Everyone in the yard shied back as the shriek of metal overwhelmed his cries. The tendrils surrounded the truck like serpents made of shadow. It had only been seconds, but it had felt like hours when his eyes finally met Screech's.

As he felt his mind tear from the strain of glimpsing her true self, a tendril finally, almost tenderly poked a corner of his chassis.

The silence was ended by the shattering of wood and metal into thousands of infinitesimal pieces. One second the truck was there, the next, nearly imperceptible pieces of metal and wood rained down on the forest and yard.

Screech closed her eyes and took a deep steadying breath. When they opened again, they were a burning ice blue.

"I expect," she said shortly, "that we will have no problems on our journey?"

Everyone in the yard, freight car and human, nodded frantically.

"Wonderful." Her tone remained clipped, hinting at her still simmering anger.

"Uh… Screech..."

The ice blue eyes swung to Blaidd, only to find the small tank engine off the rails. The track next to Screech had warped from mere proximity to her rage. Blaidd had been left tilting on the edge of the ballast.

"Apologies"

Screech slapped the rails with a tendril, and the rails snapped back into place. She then reached out with several tendrils and gripped the tank engine's frames, lifting gently.

She brought Blaidd in front of her to inspect her for damage, and finding none, gently set her back on her own rails.

"Thank you." Blaidd watched the tendrils curiously as they retracted. 

 "Normally anything they touch turns to rust, how do you control that?"

"Who says I do?"

"The fact you picked me up without turning me to scrap."

Screech barked a dry, but genuine laugh. "Through pain. I'm not meant to be in this world, so it damages anything that touches me. If I desire, I can protect the object..."

"By taking the damage yourself."

"Indeed."

Blaidd was quiet for a long moment, "You didn't have to help you know. We have a breakdown train that could have picked me up."

Screech flicked a tendril carelessly as if shrugging. "It was my fury that put you there when you had done nothing deserving my rage. Putting you back was only correct."

Blaise frowned, "but it hurt you."

Screech snorted dryly, "hardly any more than existing."

Blaise looked at her sharply, "You're in pain just from being here?"

"Such is the price of my existence."

Blaidd looked searching then sighed, "there's nothing we can do to help, is there?"

"Unless you can reverse death? No. I would not ask even if you were capable of such a feat. This is what I am now. To change that would change me."

The tank engine nodded slowly, "I think I understand. I wouldn't ask to become a diesel even if it kept me up to date."

"Exactly."

The Tank engine glanced over at the trembling trucks in Screech's train and smirked, "Any chance I can convince you to come down every once and awhile to keep this lot in line?"

"It would be my pleasure." 4702 purred while the whisper cackled.

The trucks gulped audibly.

[graeadalicia]

5

TW - Intimidation, Manipulation, Mention of Death

The rest of the shower they shared together was slow and gentle.  There was once more few words shared between them, but then there were not many needed.  Each now knew their place in the other's life, and for Adalicia it was both comforting and overwhelming.  Grae was still trying to determine what it was about her that had him so completely enthralled with her that he seemed to have almost lost himself in her. Once they had finished washing one another and enjoying the now mutually relaxed closeness, Grae turned off the water and slid the large door to the shower open.  Leaning out, he pulled  one of the two of the large towels off of the bar affixed to the wall.  Gently he dried Adalicia’s hair and her upper body. Then he wrapped it around her back and under her arms to fasten it in the front between her breasts.  He then grabbed the other towel and dried himself before wrapping it low on his hips and fastening it to the side.  Guiding her out of the shower, he brought her over to the side where he took a soft mint green fluffy robe off a hook and held it for her to put on, then took the no longer needed towel from her before giving her one more soft kiss on her forehead.  He then put on his own robe.  He was just getting ready to give her instructions for getting ready for the dinner they would share together,  when a loud knock was heard on the main door to his suite and he heard Kellen’s voice calling for him.  

Trying not to grind his teeth and crack a molar at the interruption in what was turning out to be a rather enlightening and enjoyable evening, he gave Adalicia  a tight smile. “Wait here, darling.  I will go see what the King requires, and then we shall continue our evening with dinner.” Grae gave her a warm smile, cupped her cheek, then placed a soft kiss on her lips.  The longer he was around her, the more enticing and endearing he found the fae female, and the more she was worming her way into his heart.  He also found himself not caring as much.

He was only a few steps out of the bathroom when Kellen’s fist impacted the door harder this time, causing the heavy wooden door to rattle upon its heavy wrought iron hinges.  “HOLD ON!”  Grae called out loudly, obviously annoyed now.  He had no clue what Kellen wanted, or why it was so all fired important that he was about to beat down the door to his chambers over it.  When he finally reached the door and opened it, Kellen just about knocked him over coming in without so much as a greeting of any kind.  It was all Grae could do to contain his rising irritation at the interruption.

“You did not answer my summons.”  Kellen’s brow was raised as he turned to face Grae who was closing the door.  It was a statement, the question as to why was implied.  His tone was clipped and annoyed, the look on his face one that matched.

“Which summons?  The one regarding your sister?  I did.  The one regarding the Prince that is now a slime mold?  I did.  The one regarding the slime mold’s father that is threatening war? I did. The one regarding making sure your sister knew that tomorrow the two of you are going to go apologize and turn the slime mold back into whatever he looked like previously? I did and she is not happy.” Grae recounted all of the problems he’d had to deal with in the last 36 hours for and with Kellen, his voice sounding rather exasperated with the whole matter, which he was.  He watched Kellen’s brows draw together.  Obviously something had either made him forget that Grae had handled everything, or he had thought he’d summoned Grae and had not.  That didn’t bode well for his evening with Adalicia if it was the latter.  This thought caused Grae’s arms to cross over his chest, displeasure clouding his handsome features.

“You have dismissed all of Persephone’s slaves.  She has been screaming about it for hours.  I do believe my brain is going to escape my skull soon to try and get some peace.  If I did not summon you, I wonder who I did summon.”  Kellen did look distressed as he pondered that.  His sister’s histrionics were legendary, so Grae could only imagine what he was being put through.  Had he not wished to return to what he previously been doing, he might find the situation somewhat humorous.  Given the present situation with Adalicia, he most certainly did not.

As the King rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to stamp out some of the headache that had been building behind his eyes, he continued.  “Where did you send them?  And she says you took one.  I need it back.”  He sighed deeply, waving the fingers of one hand in the air rather dismissively.  Why couldn’t Persephone find someone that could stand her long enough to get engaged and married, or someone she could stand that long?  Kellen was ready to pay whatever dowry was required to get her out of the Palace and make her someone else’s problem for the rest of eternity.  His father had done him no favors by spoiling her since he was the first girl after three boys.

“I dismissed her slaves down to the general quarters.  As for the one I took, she’ll learn to live without her.” Grae replied.  His voice was firm, it was clear there was no room for debate on the last topic, which earned him raised brows from Kellen who had stopped rubbing his nose and now looked his Chancellor and best friend in the eyes.  They had known each other long enough for Grae to see the confrontation coming and knowing there was no way it was now able to be avoided.

“Where is she?” Kellen’s chin rose.  If he was going to have to take on his sister and deal with her hysterics, he at least wanted to figure out why Grae was refusing to return the slave.  Normally Grae didn’t keep slaves in his quarters, Kellen couldn’t remember a time when he even had one.  Now to not only have taken one of Persephone’s but refuse to return it, it raised many questions in his mind.

“Adalicia, please come out here.”  Grae called, his chin rising and head tipping back towards the doorway to his bedroom as he did.  He knew she would obey, and he knew she would be terrified.  There wasn’t much he could do about the latter at the moment.  He would have to figure out how to calm her later, keeping Kellen away from her was his current focus.  Kellen wasn’t always known to be the kindest to the slaves.  Not that he was cruel, he was just…Kellen.  Maybe part of making it up to her would be forgetting a formal dinner after whatever this was, was over.  A little more spoiling of the beauty would be in order, which might be enjoyable for both of them.

Taking a deep breath and remembering to keep her eyes on the floor, as to not provoke the King, whom already seemed to be in a sour mood, Adalicia slowly made her way out of the bathroom, through the Chancellor’s bedroom, and into the sitting room where the two men were standing.  Her steps were hesitant but even, her back straight, and she was able to keep her breathing calm and even.  So graceful was she, that she almost seemed to float across the floor.  One would never have known the torrent of nerves that were coursing through her veins at that moment.  If Kellen had asked her to speak, however, he would have quickly ascertained exactly how she was being affected by the whole matter.  After she had made her way over to where the men were standing, coming behind Grae by about a foot and slightly to the side, she did a perfect courtesy to Kellen, bowing her head even more.

Kellen stood transfixed as he stared at Adalicia from the very moment she crossed the threshold into the room until she stopped moving.  He was utterly absorbed in observing her, but he could also feel Grae’s ire rising;he doubted that his Chancellor knew the reason for his fixation on the fae slave before him.  The fae slave that should not be before him; that should not even be alive.  There would be a recompense for this, but that would be later and would not involve anyone within the current room.  At the moment he had a raging brat of a sister and a now pissed off best friend to try to handle, along with the slave that should should have been dead decades ago.

“And exactly what are your plans for this slave?” Kellen asked, the condescension and arrogance of royalty coming into his voice as his back straightened and his chin lifted more.  He was addressing Grae, but his eyes had not left Adalicia.   The tone was one that was highly unusual when he spoke with Grae.  They had grown up with one another and while Grae technically served him, rarely did Kellen remind him of that.  They were more akin to brothers and spoke to one another as such.  When not in public their candor with one another was a constant.  Never did they speak to one another as they would in court, til now.

“She is to be my consort when her training is complete, which we were preparing to begin before the interruption.” Grae responded, stepping fully between Adalicia and Kellen.  Something was off about Kellen’s behavior and Grae wasn’t liking it one bit.  It did not take any kind of extra powers to ascertain this just from Kellen’s actions alone.  Whatever Kellen’s motivations at the moment, Grae felt the need to protect Adalicia from them.  “Why does it matter?  There are many fae slaves within the castle, give a couple extra to Persephone to make her happy.  I’ll even get her some new baubles when I visit the mines.”

Kellen stood for a moment considering what to do in order to keep the peace and mitigate the damage that was going to come of this delicate situation that he found himself in because of someone else’s failure.  Grae was being completely defiant and more protective than he’d ever seen him of anyone aside from himself, which told him that if he was not careful Persephone was going to be the least of his troubles by far.  Grae couldn't know who, let alone what, she was; therefore there was more at play than just egos, which meant Kellen had to act strategically in order not to have a war under his own castle’s roof.   “Slave, have you always served my sister?” He asked finally, deciding it was best to start at the beginning and get a good grasp on the situation he was facing.  When Grae opened his mouth to say something Kellen shot him a look that had him closing his mouth, but glaring at him in a way that made Kellen very glad Grae was not able to kill by just looking at someone. 

“Yes, my Lord. As long as I can remember. I started going there when I was a child with my mother.” Adalicia was looking at the Chancellor’s heels.  Her voice was low and soft, but she was able to keep it from trembling.  She still did not know what the King wanted with her, but it was clear that Grae was unhappy about whatever was going on, which did not make her feel safe at all. At least he was now fully in front of her in a protective manner.

Kellen’s brows drew together more.  He could ascertain no lie in what she’d just said, but he also knew that it wasn’t the complete truth.  However, it was possible that it was the truth as she knew it.  She would have possibly just been an infant or toddler when her people were defeated and brought to Uffern as slaves. The circumstances of her birth and lineage might be unknown.

“Slave, how would you like to serve the Crowne Prince?” Kellen actually had to use his powers to restrain Grae from coming at him.  He would find out why in a minute, other than the fact that Karlen was a sadist to put it mildly and this fae was captivatingly beautiful. The tendons in Grae’s neck were showing as he fought against Kellen’s bonds, making the King sincerely hope the fae was quick to answer.  If he and Grae had to go head to head, it would be ugly.

“My Lord, I am the Chancellor’s consort.” Adalicia didn’t know what else to say.  She was confused about what was going on and  what was expected of her.  Fear was beginning to grow in her, fear that she was going to say the wrong thing and she was not only going to be ripped from the kindness that The Chancellor had shown her so far, but that she would then be punished for whatever was going on.  Her eyes quickly darted about on the floor, trying to control her breathing and  not cry.  

“You would not want to be a Princess?” Kellen asked, his brows raising along with his voice on the question.  There was a bit of a smirk to his lips, and he could see Grae was about to unleash hell in the room to free himself from the magical bonds Kellen had him in. There were sparks arcing between Grae’s exposed skin and the ward around him. Hopefully the fae would answer very, very quickly, as the two demons were quite equally matched in power, unbeknownst to most.  There was maybe two to three minutes at the very most before Grae would be free.

“You majesty, I wish to the the Chancellor’s Consort, as I am marked.  I do not wish to leave him, Sire.”  Now Adalicia’s voice shook, but she managed to keep standing still, looking at the ground, and so far wasn’t crying.  Fear coursed through her veins like ice water and she began to tremble.

Kellen’s eyes cut to Grae again, whose hands were in fists and was glowing a soft purple.  Time to end things before there was an explosion.  “Go back in the other room and shut both doors behind you as you go, slave.”  He waited for Adalicia to exit the room, respecting her that she had kept her composure through it all.  Then he dropped the wards around Grae.

“Would you mind telling me what in the ever loving FUCK that was about?!” Grae demanded almost at the top of his lungs the second Kellen dropped the bonds and  taking an aggressive step forward.  He was about ready to throttle his oldest and best friend.  The only thing keeping him from actually doing it was that he WAS his oldest and best friend.  The fact he was the King didn’t even play a part.

[cljordan-imperium]

GET TO KNOW MY OC

Karlen Benton Cythraul

1. Are you named after anyone? A great uncle and my grandfather.

2. When was the last time you cried?  When I thought I had found Sophia, only to discover I was too late and she had moved on once more.

3. Do you have kids? No

4. Do you use sarcasm? Fluently and often. If you ever have the "pleasure" of meeting my siblings you will find that if you do not, you shall perish from trying to hold your frustration in. Or, you'll die trying to kill one of them.

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?  How they carry themselves.

6. What's your eye color? Hazel-Brown

7. Scary movies or happy endings?  I live in an eternal scary movie, happy endings are more my desire.

8. Any special talents? I am able to dream walk in addition to being a shadow demon. It's how I found my Sophia on accident. Now I am on a search for her.

9. Where were you born? The Palace of Uffern

10. What are your hobbies?  Archery, sword fighting, dream bending

11. Have you any pets?  No  

12. What sports do you play/have played? Archery, fencing, many demon games that have names you would be unable to pronounce.

13. How tall are you? 6’8"

14. Favorite subject in school? Potions

15. Dream job? Potions and poultice master. It is what I went to Consortium for. I often use my education to assist my siblings and other nobility within the Palace. I am also hoping to use my skill to find one that will lead me to Sophia.

THE IMPERIUM CHRONICLES TAG LIST - @ceph-the-ghost-writer @kjscottwrites @writingpotato07 @saltysupercomputer @careful-pyromancer @late-to-the-fandom @autumnalwalker @perasperaadastrawriting @fearofahumanplanet @jessica-writes22 @dogmomwrites @mjjune @verba-writing @blind-the-winds @shipping-through-eternity @outpost51 @inkspellangel @blind-the-winds @sunset-a-story @writingmaidenwarrior @clairelsonao3

[rhosierhq]

Gwna dda dros ddrwg, uffern ni'th ddwg - Repay evil with good, and hell will not claim you.

If you're reading this, you're invited to enrol at Rhosier, its campus situated amongst the beautiful coalfields of south Wales, unique for summoning its students while remaining in obscurity to almost everyone else in the world. But, rest assured, an education at Rhosier is a guarantee for an enriched and successful life, should you see graduation. Join us now, and pay no attention to rumours of missing students, inexplicable things in the coal mines, or alleged hauntings, and do NOT, under any circumstances, try to investigate for yourself. RHOSIER UNIVERSITY is a brand new discord-based role-play, set in a prestigious but isolated (and, perhaps, haunted) university in 1980s Wales. We've just launched, so now is a perfect time to join! (18+ players only)

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[eemoo1o-animoo]

I was thinking about if Kuro was ever in Welsh, some cool things to implement:

Bard never using mutations. Like, ever. I can’t stress how important this would be.

Finny only ever using the singular, more personal form of ‘you’ (‘ti’) instead of plural (‘chi’) because he finds it more considerate.

(He only uses ‘chi’ when referring to our Ciel, and Sebastian, because ‘chi’ is used for your superiors and/or those you respect when used singularly.)

The Undertaker (and Mey-Rin) never using soft mutations unless his eyes are showing.

(Anime): Mey-Rin with the same accent as she has in the English dub (because it is exceptionally plausible to do so), until she takes off her glasses, and then she turns to a low, Welsh accent.

Lau and Ran-Mao (mostly Lau) getting their feminine and masculine nouns and verbs mixed up or just not caring about adhering, because so do I.

Snake using the first-person version of “says” and other verbs when repeating what his snakes say. Aka. “Dwedais Wilde” instead of “Dwedodd Wilde” (“said Wilde”), or “Wilde yn ddweud” (“Wilde says”), because even though it’s grammatically incorrect, he sees his snakes as an extension of himself, hence why he does this.

Ciel not adding the roofs (circumflexes, according to Google) to certain words, annoying Sebastian greatly. Neither does Grelle or the Undertaker (and, maybe Othello, too).

The real Ciel does add them (correctly).

Ronald never using hard mutations in front of Grelle. This isn’t a custom, but rather him getting too wrapped up in just calling her “goruchaf/uchaf” (“senpai” would roughly translate to “dosbarthwr uchaf” aka. ‘top classifier’. “Uchaf” means ‘highest’, and “goruchaf” meaning ‘supreme’).

William being impeccable at mutating his words.

Grelle mutating “Bassy” when grammatically need be, as though it isn’t a name, but rather a noun (for a toy she plays with, perhaps?).

Ronald using ‘chi’ singularly for Grelle, and Grelle using it for Will.

(Anime): The Undertaker’s voice actor, when UT’s hair is down over his eyes, or in his less serious moments, essentially doing an impression of Norman Price.

Everyone asking Sebastian to say that really long word because they thing it’s so cool.

Edit, because I can’t believe I didn’t add this sooner:

“Yn syml, rydw i’n un uffern o fwtler.” — Sebastian Michaelis, every five minutes

[theimperiumchronicles]

An ask for Blorbo Blursday (Blurbsday? Blorbsday? I've heard/seen all of them today):

I recall once reading "The Imperium Chronicles" described as being "a web of lives." Who's furthest apart on that web, and what would it take for those strands to intersect?

I apologize for the delay in answering this, I honestly had to think about it.

Right now, the furthest out is Korben, King Kellen of Uffern's brother. That is if I put the Four Horsemen at the center of the web, which is where I believe they belong.

They will intersect, and the start of that intersection is just now starting with his brother Karlen coming to Imperium in search of Gail. But there is a lot that is going to have to transpire before Korben's strand connects to the center.

First Kellen's will have to connect, and there is a lot that transpires before that happens. Karlen first is going to have to gain the trust of those in Imperium, because Uffern and Hell were often at war. Then he will act kind of as a peace emissary.

Kellen is also allies with some of those who are enemies of Abriella and Cruz, so there will have to be some thought on his part on how to negotiate those treacherous waters. Even after Kellen is introduced, there will be strains on things that will make Korben coming close to Abriella not the best option.

Eventually the two courts will finally meet. There are some strands that are never shown to intersect because they have no reason to, but it would not be hard for them to. So I went with the people who were farthest apart but eventually do touch, even though there will not be much interaction. For most of the others, it would simply have them run into one another in the same realm, but for Korben and Abriella, that is not something that would just "happen".

I hope that all makes sense and I'm sorry it took so long to answer!