#and her father was on the emperor's honor guard

[miraluking-respectfully]

you know what i don’t think ensign temple has ever met another miraluka, before lyde. i don’t know that she’s ever heard of a miraluka. miss born on dromund kaas, raised an imperial fugitive and then gone to work for the chiss for ages. it certainly adds another, funnier dimension to all the dialogue where she’s like “sir pwease don’t tell anybody i’m force-senstive q-q” while lyde is looking at her like. Babe Don’t You Even Worry About It. Solidarity

[saphirafoxgirlspost1]

(Open Rp) Love Story in "The Bride of the Monkey King"

A Long time Ago In the Kingdom of Sakutopia, Saphira and her Royal Fiancé name Prince "Daniel Jamerson Rooster Of Shintari Kingdom" had Blessed with Two beautiful newborn twins, One is a boy Name "Darien" and the other Is a Beautiful baby girl Name "Little Serena".. Daniel wanted to Hold His Son so much that He Ignored His own daughter, Then Saphira Gave Daniel a Cold Look and Expecting him to Hold HIS own Daughter as well… And She warned Daniel not to bring that "Forbidden Favortism" In the Palace of Sakutopia and The Fact that Saphira's Family HATED Favortism and They began to Make a Law against Favortism. Two Weeks later, Saphira threaten Daniel That He Needs to Treat His Kids Equally especially with his OWN Daughter While Saphira and Her family Including Daniels family Is Preparing For the Opening gate Ceremony in Honor Of the Emperor of Jade Palace and Yes, The Jade emperor Will be An Honorable Guest For the Ceremony In his Honor. Hours Have passed as the Palace was Covered with Beautiful Jade and Gold Color Decorations.. And Everyone was Gathered around, Then Saphira Looked around Wondering where Daniel and the Kids were, As Her Father began to Announce the Opening Ceremony has Begun, Then He began To pull The Shroud From the Large Welcoming gates..and it Revealed Which Made Everyone Gasp in Shocked When they See Prince Daniel Making Love with a Princess of Sunchon Kingdom Name "Barbra Minx". Saphira's Father, Daniels father and Even Barbra's Father was shocked and Not only them but Saphira was Appalled Of what she saw, Then Saphira's Face turns completely red With Rage and Embarassment.. Then She storms to those two and she Shouted on Daniels Name,

Saphira: " PRINCE DANIEL…. JAMERSON….ROOSTER!! WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE SMILING DEVIL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!?"

Saphira Shouted his name, it made the earth Shaken and She went hellbent at him and Barbra.. Then Daniel saw the Angry Look of saphira's face and He began to stutter and try to make an excuses.. And then Saphira asked where The twins is, before he answers One of the guards Called to saphira that he Found her own daughter floating in the river in the basket, Saphira sees Her daughter Name "Serena" Cries loudly..as she Looked at Daniel and she said,

Saph: "Guards! Take him and that Whore to the temple at the meeting chambers and make Sure that they Don't leave! I'll deal with them right after I apologize to the Jade emperor himself!"

The guards Nodded and Took Daniel and Barbra to the temple at the meeting chambers..as she holds serena and Darien gently.. She couldn't believe that Daniel Stoop So Low to Get rid of his own daughter and not only that..She Notice that Darien has hand marks on the side of his face which That Made Saphira Super Livid at Daniel.. After apologizing to jade emperor She began to Storm inside the temple at the Meeting chambers and she said,

Saph: "Daniel Jamerson Rooster, How Could you Do this!? huh!?"

Daniel: "Saphira, please I can explain!"

Saphira: "Explain what!? Not only You Embarrassed me by Exposing your adultery right in front of the Entire Kingdom and cause Treason But You DARE To Harm My Babies For your own accord! What is your Deal about Not wanting a daughters, HUH!? What is your Problem of Having a daughter in your life!?"

Daniel: "Oh Come on! I'd Just wanted to Have a Son and Son Only! I mean the daughter is nothing but a Burden an-"

Daniels Father: "A BURDEN!? HOW DARE YOU CALL YOUR OWN FLESH AND BLOOD A BURDEN!? I can't believe what i'm hearing! Your trying to Kill my Granddaughter and Favoring my grandson, UNACCEPTIBLE! Your Mother and I did NOT Raise you Like this! And Not Only that You Cause Treason Between Sakutopia and Shintari Kingdom By Making Love with a Princess Of Sunchon! Do you Realized You've Embarassed ME and everyone else In front of the Great Jade emperor! Not only THIS But Laying hands On my Grandson and Attempt to Kill my Granddaughter!"

Daniel: "B-b-b-but Father i-"

Daniels Father: "Enough! YOU ARE OUT OF THE LINE BOY!"

His Father Snapped and Slapped Daniel Right Off the bet…and Then He Turned and Yelled at Barbra Minx as well, Scolding her For Messing around with any woman's man is Totally off Limits. While Barbra's Father who was Also Furious as well and Couldn't believe She would Do such a thing to cause this Whole Embarrassment Out of this Family. Then, Saphira Looked at Daniel and she said To Daniel after she Pulls The Engagement ring off,

Saphira: "We.. Are… Done… I'm Calling Off the Marriage and I'm Breaking the Engagement! I've had enough, I've Had enough of you and your Antics.."

Daniel: "B-b-but Saph-"

Then Saphira Cut in,

Saphira: "NO! NO! I Refuse to marry Someone Who Doesn't Love My Kids Equally and Doesn't Settle With ONE Woman, ONE! And Not Only that I refuse To marry Someone Who Made a Huge Embarrassment Out Of my Family and Brought this Forbidden Favortism In MY Palace! I Will NOT Tolerate This Kind Of Toxicity in MY Kingdom, In MY Family, AND To the ENTIRE CELESTIAL WORLD ITSELF!! You Will be answer to the Royal Court at the Jade palace and I'm Going to make sure your parental Right will be Stripped From your Name and HERS as well! You Will NEVER Be called a Father again, And I'll make sure that No Women will never be marry to you because I knew.. Your father will Make you Marry that Slut For the rest of your Eternity! Now I want you and That Minx Whore Out of This Kingdom and NEVER Set Foot in this Palace again!"

Then Daniels Father Dragged Daniel by the ear and So Does Barbra's father who does the same thing. Saphira was Completely Devastated and Hurt after what Daniel Has Done To her and Her Babies as well, She shook her head and asked herself, "How Could he Do this to His own 2 week old babies?.. I don't Understand why he was doing this? and For WHAT?" Then She realized Daniel only cared about himself and To her surprised he only sees Saphira as her baby Making Machine to have a son so he can take her son and run away with his mistress, Thats What she heard from the Servants. Then Saphira Swore to Herself That She'll Made Daniel pay For His insulting antics, At the Court when the Jade Emperor Ordered Daniel and Barbra To Pay Saphira and the Kids compensation for the Damaged and emotional Distress That they cause Her and the Kids..She Felt Horrible..That Night, Her Father Pacing back and Forth thinking of What to Do about this Situation and He Doesn't want anyone Know that His daughter is Now a Single mother of the kids Which is it will make Her very Difficult To find a right man who will Love the kids.. Then He has an Idea, a brilliant Idea And then he goes to Saphira and told her about it the Idea. He told her that He'll turn the Twins into Fruits and as a spell that "He" Who Touched the 2 Fruit will turn into Gold meaning He is Worthy to be a Father of those twins..and Saphira Asked "How Will You know which one will be Worthy To be My Future Husband and Father Of my twins?" Then Her Father answers That He Will Give Someone 3 Challenging task and if He Succeed, He'll be Proven Worthy and He'll find the Fruit from the Enchanted tree There he will find the 2 Fruits that will turn into gold itself ..So Saphira agree and swore that For the Kids Sake.. She'll Find out Who Is worthy to be a Future Husband and a father of the twins. On the Next Morning, Her Father Sent out an Invitation to Every Eligible Man Who Would Win His Daughter's heart before the hand in marriage and it was Spreading Far and Wide in the Celestial land, Then One of the Villiagers Who speaks and gossip about it made Someone Perks its ears and heard about the Marriage to the Princess.. As the Day Before the Lotus Blossom Feastival day, His Father Announce the Opponent and he Said "Speak Of your Name and Come Set Forth If you accept This 3 Challenge and Win My Beloved Lotus Blossoms heart!" Then The Mystery Person Giggles and Spoke," I accept This challenge" Then Her father Said," Who Spoke First!? Please Bring Forth Young Challenger Speak of your name!" When he came Forward from the Crowd it was None Other than the Great Sage Equal to heaven Known as Sun Wukong, the Monkey King Of Mount Huaguo. Saphira's Eyes Widen and Her face turns Pink when she sees him, Her Father was Suprised and he said, "You! The Great Sage himself.. It an Honor To Welcomed you to my kingdom." He Bows to him and Rise and Then 10 Male Opponents came 5 of them are demons and other 5 are Rich Snobby Princes who would only cared about the throne.. Then The Emperor said," For the First Challenge Gentlemen! Is to Find a "Rare" Flowers That we never seen or No Man have ever Show upon it and My Daughter Will be the Judge of it and If she accepted.. You passed and Will be going to the Second Challenge on the Next day of the Lotus Blossom Festival, Are You Up For the Challenge?" He asked.. And then The Monkey king Said…

[muffinlance]

Zuko, banished, no crew, no uncle, no quest for the avatar. Says "fuck this" aka, if I can get back to caldera maybe I can convince my dad to take me back. Horribly wounded thirteen year old finds dragons, starts a civil war by accident

Zuko didn’t think he was still delirious. The Sun Warrior’s healer hadn’t wanted him to leave yet, but—

But he’s standing here, back in the throne room, and the room is set up again for another war meeting so maybe he should have waited before coming in. But the guards hadn’t even asked him—or anyone inside—before they’d thrown the double doors open, so. He’d thought father wasn’t busy.

The general he thought he was going to fight at the Agni Kai is here, and so are all the others, even uncle. And father, at the head of the table, standing.

Father is the only one standing. Everyone else is... They’re kneeling. 

When he’d come back to the palace, the servants in the courtyard he’d landed in had hurried to open the doors for him, all the way here. And the guards had let him in. And now the whole room is kneeling except for father who—

He doesn’t look like he did on the Agni Kai field. Father had been… he’d been so calm, then. He’d been doing what he had to do, to instruct Zuko, to correct him. 

Now he just looks angry. 

So. So Zuko is screwing this up, too. He practiced his speech the whole way home, it was a good speech, he’d based it on the one the Stone Prince made to his father the Mountain Emperor when he’d come home to beg forgiveness, bringing the treasures of the Ice Spirit with him as tribute. But Zuko doesn’t remember how he was going to start. And the flames behind father are getting higher, and hotter, and Zuko is okay now with flames that flicker with purples and golds and greens, but red flame is—

It’s so hot against his face—

“Father,” he croaks. “Father, I’ve returned. With dragons.” 

He is so, so stupid. Ran and Shaw have flanked him from the courtyard, have wound through hallways paralleling his path, are snaking between the pillars of the room until coils of red and blue dwarf everything here. Ran breathes her own flames out, and the fires before the throne shift from Ozai’s reds to the shimmering rainbow-sparks of dragonfire.

“A sign from Agni,” Uncle Iroh says. He’s bowed like the rest, but Zuko can see his eyes, and there’s the same glimmer there that father and Azula get before they do something Zuko should have seen coming.

“You dare,” father says, and Zuko isn’t sure if it’s him or uncle he’s talking to. But when he takes a step forward it’s towards Zuko and when he raises a fist it’s towards Zuko and when he makes the fire it’s towards Zuko and—

(And Zuko cowered the first time the dragons tried to show him their flames. It was all around him, swirling, and he hit his knees and shoved his face against his arms because he’d learned better than to look up. 

The fire stopped, and a whiskered nose nudged him, and then there was a huge scaly coil loosely wound around him until he was done crying, so at least the Sun Warriors below hadn’t seen how pathetic he was.

After that, it was… they made it a game. Little puffs of flames, the kind of sparks he used to make to keep Azula from getting fussy in her crib, until she was old enough to climb out and go exploring with him instead. 

He flinched at first, a lot, but they didn’t hurt. Didn’t even hit him. And then it really was a game, where he would spin their colors in with his own flames, and send them back, and they’d keep playing as the flames got bigger and bigger but somehow they never got scary again. 

When he’d stopped flinching at all, when he wasn’t a coward around his own element, he knew he was ready to return home. Grandfather had once welcomed uncle home with honors for killing dragons. So father would accept his apologies if he brought home two live dragons, right? Making friends with dragons had to be harder than killing them.)

Father’s flames were… they were just red. Zuko didn’t realize what he was doing until the war ministers were gasping. By then he was already spinning father’s flames with his own, mixing in all the colors father’s had lacked, and.

And sending them back.

(Batting fire around with dragons had not given Zuko a realistic grasp on the heat tolerance of the average abusive father.)

Uncle was not the first to bow, when Zuko had first entered. This time, he is.

“Fire Lord Zuko,” he says.

The war ministers are not prepared to countermand the Dragon of the West. Or literal dragons. They never left their knees, and they don’t start now. Foreheads touch the ground.

Zuko… Fire Lord Zuko’s first order is to take his father to the healers. He’ll let him stay there, longer than Ozai let Zuko.

(You can read this and other prompts at AO3. And longer stories, too. <3)

[autumnslance]

FFXIV Write 2024: 9 Lend an Ear

The Emperor of Garlemald was meant to be the most powerful man in the world.

It was instead poor comedy, of the kind his grandfather used to watch with such glee—the more subversive and borderline treasonous, the better.

Now Varis understood why.

His very much alive—for some meaning of the word—grandfather swanned around the palace now, stepping out of the shadows to taunt and lecture Varis. He never thought he would prefer the days when the old man ignored him, trying to deny his existence because he was no more than a memory of his dead father.

Another eldritch manipulator wore the body of Varis’s son. The monster’s death was no real loss, and Varis acknowledged the role he had played in Zenos’s development—but that boy had been wrong from the start. Perhaps due to the tainted influence of their bloodline.

And where did that leave Varis?

A pawn who had been made aware of his nature by ancient beings who used his name, his throne, his people, in their games.

There had to be something he could do. He was the Emperor. He had fought tooth and nail, wresting the crown from his uncle and cousin in order to continue the path to glory and greatness, to conquer those realms that had eluded his grandfather’s grasp and bring the light of civilization to the savages who had defied them.

He had wanted to prove himself better, prove that Solus had been wrong about Varis. But Solus zos Galvus had been a mirage, and Emet-Selch’s plans for Garlemald were far more insidious.

Every servant was a potential spy. Every soldier and guard as well. The walls had ears and eyes, and a hundred masters to report to. These had been facts of life for as long as Varis could remember, but now the webs were not obstacles to be navigated, weapons to command.

They were cocoons, and he the fly caught in the spider’s web. The more he struggled, the tighter the binding.

Gaius was gone; he had been Solus’s loyal hound, but the man’s honor and dedication to the role of Emperor itself, the mentorship he had granted Varis years ago, might have made him an ally, had his own ambition not been tangled in Ascian schemes and lost to the Eorzean Champion’s hand.

Regula...that loss still stung. He had fought beside the Black Wolf’s killer, sacrificing himself in favor of an Echo-bearer and his soldiers. Damn the honorable fool. Varis had been aware of Regula’s carefully-concealed sentimentality, his morals and honor, his drive to prove himself as much as Varis—it was a reason they had become true friends as young men, despite the disparity of their births.

He walked across grand courtyards, along ostentatious promenades, to the severe edifice of the family mausoleum. The people whispered of their Emperor’s respectful devotion due to the frequency of the visits.

It was where he went to get away from his shadowy puppet masters.

He ignored the grand central chamber, the crypt where his grandparents’ bodies were entombed. It was difficult to dismiss the idle thread of thought about the real Solus Galvus. Had he been dead when Emet-Selch occupied his form? Had he been alive but buried beneath the Ascian’s persona?

(Would he have loved Varis as a grandfather should?)

He shoved the speculation aside as always, continuing along the chambers shaped like the omnipresent chain links to where his parents and wife lay. He barely remembered his father, but his mother had always stood with him, even arguing with his grandfather on Varis’s behalf, and aiding him in his bid for the throne until the day she died.

She had found and arranged his marriage to Carosa. The demands of royalty, and their son’s...behavior had strained the relationship, but they had persevered, and her loss was one of the few times in his adulthood that he had allowed himself tears. His mother’s death had been another.

He stood in the chill of the mausoleum and imagined their faces, warmer than the stone likenesses, ever willing to listen and then aid in planning a course of action. So many of the servants within the palace and among the high houses had been their spies, and he had lost those networks on losing them.

Gaius. Regula. Mother. Carosa. The few he could have relied upon, could have trusted. All gone.

He said nothing of his troubles and frustration. The dead could not hear, while even these walls might, and he still had to maintain the charade of implacable Emperor. But allowing his roiling thoughts to run rampant here, in sight of their memorials, was soothing in a way he could not justify. It simply was.

He turned to begin his slow return to the palace. He stopped. Someone else had entered the mausoleum, intruded upon his solitude. Varis strode into the central chamber. If it was one of the Ascians daring to infringe upon this space—well, he could inconvenience them with a bullet again.

He stopped short as the lightly armored figure turned to regard him. Brunette instead of blond, but the features were similar enough to his own, and as strained as ever. “Forgive me for the intrusion, Your Radiance,” Nerva said, bowing low. “I was hoping to find you here.”

“What do you want?”

His cousin straightened. “To serve my Emperor, for the glory of Garlemald, as ever.”

Varis snorted derisively. If only Nerva had an inkling of how hollow that “glory” was.

“I know,” Nerva said, hands raised in supplication, misunderstanding Varis’s reaction. “My father fought you for the crown. But you won, and he lies dying for his trouble. We can, and should, put that behind us, for the good of our people.”

“Why should I trust you?”

“A fair question. Mayhap you shouldn’t, given Father’s scheming. But,” Nerva let out a breath, and with a slight shift, the demeanor of the Senator was gone. “Cousin, there are strange rumors about. And some lick of fondness from our childhoods remains enough that I am...concerned.”

Varis glowered.

Nerva shook his head, smiling thinly. “Of course, you can take care of yourself, and always have but...The things being said about your son. Some rather ridiculous ones about Grandfather’s shade haunting the palace. All while provinces secede unhindered and many of our troops stand stalled on Eorzea’s benighted doorstep. Varis—”

“None of it is your concern.” He walked forward again, tromping past Nerva. Who grabbed his arm.

Soldier’s instinct had him grip the offending limb, twist, spin, and Nerva grunted as he hit the wall, pinned by Varis. “You arrogant arse,” Nerva gasped. “I’m offering my aid—”

“It is none of your concern,” Varis growled. “The throne is mine, its troubles are mine.” He then looked Nerva in the eye. “You should leave,” he said, softly. “Take your father, your household, your loyal arms, and go.”

Nerva stared at him, then narrowed his own eyes. “You know I cannot do that. No more than you could. We are of House Galvus, and have our duty.”

If only Nerva knew what that truly meant. For a wild moment, Varis entertained the idea of telling him the truth, of confiding in his cousin, and urging him again to leave. Or keeping him as an ally.

Neither outcome was likely, and the second...Once, it might have been reasonable. But not since the civil war.

Varis shoved away from Nerva, turned, and walked out. As much as he wanted an ear to hear his troubles, to offer advice and aid, he couldn’t trust his cousin—nor did Varis want him entangled in the Ascian schemes. Nerva and Titus had managed to escape the worst by failing to win the throne. This was the closest he could come to protecting what remained of their family.

The confidantes Varis wished for were long gone. This was his burden, and the price of his victory.

[writingwenches]

Maids of the Reach

summary: exploring my King's Landing Ladies of the Court OCs, this time hailing from The Reach. pairings: Aemond #1 childhood enemy, a sword lesbian. Helaena dreaming of being a fuckboi themes: 18+, mentions of sexual exploration, trans-character, unmarried Helaena, autistic Helaena, queer Helaena, men being clueless about wlw behavior ٭ ✵ ⁕ ✶ ✰ ﹡ HOTD fanfic universe maesterlist

Aemond’s second betrothal lasted for about as long as his first. The Tyrells found their way into the small council chamber, that his own mother had remained a fixture of, even after Rhaenyra’s abandoned her position and moved her family to Dragonstone.

The Reach Maids were given their own personal wing of the Keep, where the sun shone bright and flowers grew along the walls of the red bricked palace. The open gardens the fleet of rooms surrounded grew grand trees and vibrant flowers, their own personal godswood, reserved just for them. 

Their fathers were always busy with fancy lord matters, leaving the girls to their own dream life. 

Ivyanne Tyrell had traveled everywhere with her father, as did her Lady mother. Before her teenage years, she had traveled to all the realms in the Seven Kingdoms and Essos besides, watching her father peddle the wares of his peoples. 

During their time in Braavos, Ivyanne found her very own dancing master, willing to train a little girl, because she was one as well. 

Tatsu of Nossos came from a realm so far beyond the edge of the world, that Maesters had argued of its existence. The child, not much older than Ivyanne herself, was brought to the Tyrell family by the richest in the city, as a gift to entertain his daughter.

After much remarking on her strange appearance, Tatsu unsheathed two, thin blades, and challenged any of the Tyrell guard to defeat her in single combat. She was stick thin, and wrapped in cloth close to the body, symbols adorned them, in language that looked more like pictures to the Westerosi.

The Tyrell guards were not wearing heavy armor, covering only their chest, and no shield in the casual setting. The guards had no hope of catching the foreigner, she was light on her feet, dancing under their blades like water charting a new path along the riverbank. Her movements were precise, flipping on the backs of the guards or between their legs without notice until it was too late. 

The noble crowd watching clapped in enjoyment, as Ivyanne screamed praises until her voice ran silent. The girl had bested every man that came before her, with a belief in her own skill enough to test it against an unsheathe blade. No one could ever force her into anything, Ivyanne thought. Her hands wrapping themselves around the hilt of an invisible blade. 

“It is an honor,” Tatsu bowed, their voice deep and warm, “In my home of Nossos, we nobles of the ancient houses of empires past, swear a sacred vow in front of the elders and all that have come before,” Tatsu explained, pointing out a similarly dressed teen, with the same thin eyes and dark hair. Ivyanne watched as the light flecked purple on their dark hair. “My brother and I have vowed to our pilgrimage of the known world, to drink from the fountain of knowledge that awaits us, so we may one day return to join the elders and all that have come before, to build our eternal empire.” The crowd hand on every word, enjoying their own refreshing drips from the fountain of knowledge. 

"It would be my great honor to travel with you to your land, Lord of Tyrells, and learn your ways.” 

Ivyanne began the round of clapping, her own hands could not move fast enough to express her excitement. 

“I Tatsu of Nasso have shed by family name, but I was born the son of Lord Emperor Toda–“ 

“Beg your pardon…son?” Lord Tyrell interrupted the story. 

“Yes! I was born the son of–“ This had been one of the first speakers Tatsu had ever learned, said much like a prayer for the preparation of this moment. 

“Are you not a girl?” the Lord asked.

“Well, I suppose but–“ Tatsu looked around the room of Braavosi, as it had never been made an issue before.

The Tyrell’s huddled together, not hearing the rest of the foreigners words. 

Ivyanne didn’t quite care what was happening, but her little hands weaved their way into her father’s beard and clenched, “Father, I shall never ask for a single thing again in my life if you only–“ 

“Daughter, please,” her parents tried to pry her away, until they eventually were defeated.

Ivyanne jumped from their pedestal, wrapping her arms around her newly gifted friend. “We shall be sisters! We shall be sisters!” Ivyanne chanted, all the way back to Westeros. 

Some years later, Ivyanne had absorbed as much information as possible from her Dancing Master in the time. They practiced nearly every free moment of every day. The girls had originally been sent for to be companions of Princess Helaena, but they seemed to rather their own company. 

Helaena did not mind seeking them out, as she always knew where they would be. The gardens connecting the Reach apartments had become Lady Ivyanne’s personal training yard, though the other ladies had carved themselves out a small piece of their paradise for more gentle pursuits. 

Helaena more often spent sleepless nights with the Reach Maids, playing their kissing and touching games, but Helaena found their obsession with gossip tiring, so she rarely found herself in their presence amongst the sun, unless she was in need of a model.

The princess had been instructed on painting dainty things like flowers and clouds, it was a man’s job to paint more serious pursuits like the human form. Helaena’s painting masters did not approve much of her use of life insect specimens for her paintings, but they allowed it, as her work was slowing progress. 

They had brought one of Helaena’s preferred subjects to be discussed under the digression of the Queen. 

“It looks…like…art?” Alicent regarded the canvas painted with lines and of color. “Thank you for your wise tutelage.” She was sure they were hear to ask for a raise in their compensation. The painting seemed…colorful enough.

The two painting maters flanked the sides of the painting of a flower. Close up and centered with deep red and blushing back the petals of pinks and gold. The colors dripped together in the juices of the paints mixed together, and neither of the painters could say anything else in the presence of the queen. 

And they were not about to suggest teaching the princess to paint…that.

So, Helaena went on her way, painting her flowers, with the help of the Reach girl’s spread legs. 

Ivyanne took a break from training, as Lady Alarie Mullendore rested her head on Ivy’s chest, her skirts pulled up around her waist as Helaena painted between her parted knees. Lady Oletta Redwyne sat with her mouth agape as she watched the painting come together, while she nursed a goblet of wine. Tatsu sharpened a blade. 

The girls spring to action when the tell tale sign of Lord Tyrell’s shoes clomped against the stone floor. Alarie lowered her skirts, and Helaena leaned herself back a comfortable distance to Westerosi men. 

“Good marrow, ladies,” Lord Tyrell offered, “painting, are we?” 

Helaena turned her canvas around to show the lord her work. 

“Ah! A rose! Perfectly fitting!” 

The girl’s shared a snicker. 

“Well, darling I have some most auspicious news!” he spoke to his daughter Ivyanne, who was still in her trousers from sword training. “The queen has accepted by offer of your hand to the young Prince Aemond. Could you imagine? The world’s largest dragon nesting in Highgarden? It will be simply glorious, simply glorious, now you ladies have a wonderful day, darling I shall see you later.” 

The lord babbled and eventually left the room, and all the ladies remained frozen in place. There had been no news of such an arrangement before Lord Tyrell just announced that it was accepted. 

“Ivy?” Alarie asked, sitting up from resting on her chest. 

Everything happened so quickly after Ivy unsheathed her sword. They Maids were running down the halls, chasing after Ivy, who’s sword was held with a precision too precise. “Ivy your trousers! You’re still in your pants, Ivy wait!” The girls called after her in confusion. 

Helaena knew where they were going. A place that had been strictly stated that Tatsu’s presence was not allowed. They said it was for the foreigners own protection, but Helaena knew what it was really about. 

Aemond did not like how is sword disappeared from his vision as he swung it wide, under the instruction of Ser Criston. He had been helping the young boy hone his skills in his newly adopted life. Cole had even gone so far as to wear an eyepatch while training, to get the feel of what the young boy was going through. 

“You!” Ivy shouted from the top of the stairs, Aemond saw a blade pointed his way as she jumped down the flight of stairs into the dirt. 

“Ser Crison?” he asked, half expecting it to be a jest set up by the man to help him find a more suitable opponent. 

She ran across the training yard, her sword drawn over her shoulder. With her first strike she cut Aemond’s wooden sword like a cooked meat. 

Aemond’s screamed joined the Maid’s that came shouting down the stairs. Criston drew his own sword from his belt, but he was disarmed and left with a deep gash on the top of his hand. 

Aemond was on his back, screaming to whatever god would hear him. Ivy brought her sword down into the dirt with the force enough to feld a tree. 

“Ivy!” The clang of metal against metal as Tatsu’s swords clashed against hers. “Run Prince!”

Aemond did not need to be told twice to move himself from her homocidel path. 

It took nearly every guard in the yard to subdue Ivyanne. Tatsu was hit on the back of the head with the hilt of a sword and went down quickly, but the guards were sure not to bring undo harm to a highborn lady. 

Aemond wanted as she screamed and fit and foamed at the mouth. He had witnessed Aemma’s tantrums his entire life, but Ivyanne had turned into a feral beast. A creature so unpredictable that a dragon would not engage. Crowds gathered from every direction, as the sound of a girl surely being murdered echoed through the keep. The maesters eventually forced liquid down her throat until her body went limp. 

The betrothal was called off soon after, and there was no other that followed.

a/n: the idea of Alicent, mom at 15, would force her 14 yo daughter to sleep with her brother makes me PHYSICALLY ILL, so my AUs generally always have single Aegon and Helaena 👍

Let me know what y'all think~ They will be side characters in the AU fic series I'm working on, but I could explore them on their own as well, if people want more~

If you liked what you read, want to comment, but can't think of anything to say, comment your favorite hand-held baked treat~ 🧁

[meaningofaeons]

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈ majesty: prologue

⊹ word count - 2.1k ⊹ warnings/notes - mentions of blood, violence, etc. ⊹ taglist - @xphantasmagoriax @thatweirdcheshirecat @sparkleasteroid @fluffy-koalala @chopid

⊹ majesty masterpost ⊹ next part ⇾ chapter I.

it's finally here... the prologue to majesty! this is just a brief look into what happened to you, dear reader, before you reincarnate... look forward to the rest! and as always, be sure to check the masterpost for any updates! ty for reading!! /ᐠ .ᆺ. ᐟ\ﾉ

A shriek filled the once-peaceful courtyard, all eyes turned to the sight of a maid falling to her knees. Before her lay a body clothed in pure white, wine hair draped across the soft grass as its owner lay unmoving.

Blood. Crimson red and cruel, it spattered the serene gardens’ flowering buds, painting their once-soft colors into violent vibrance.

Next, the nobles’ eyes turned to the shattered glass. And then… onto you.

“P-Poison!”

Saintess Kafka’s personal maid was quick to screech in alarm, holding the noble woman to her chest as blood trickled from her mouth. “S-Saintess Kafka has been poisoned!”

“Call the physician!”

“Move, the Imperial Physician is on her way! Make way!”

You felt your throat go dry, your own blood running cold.

Who would dare poison the Saintess? And on a day like today no less?

It seems the nobles already had their answer, their gazes pointed on your wilting form.

“Was that glass not the one belonging to Lady ▉▉▉▉▉▉? Does Lady Y/N not… resent her? Especially after Lord Gepard...”

“It seems you’re right… And she was standing quite close, no less.”

“Look over there. Poor Lady ▉▉▉▉▉▉, she’s trembling… She must be so frightened.”

Me…? No, but I would never poison the Saintess! What reason would I have?!

Their words were like venom, their eyes full of malice as the guards arrived at the scene. It only took one of them speaking up for your heart to drop to your feet.

“No, I swear—!”

“Lady Y/N did it! I saw her!” a young noblewoman cried out, pointing her fan in your direction. You froze, mouth dry as you tried to defend yourself. “I saw her pour something strange, almost like a powder, right into Lady ▉▉▉▉▉▉’s drink! Then, Saintess Kafka drank it by mistake! It was all her!”

“No!” you cried in response, whipping your head around to find someone, anyone who would defend you. “I swear, it wasn’t me! I would never!”

Finally, your gaze landed on one. A familiar head of raven hair stood in the crowd, aquamarine eyes staring at you in shock. You smiled wobbly, trying to reach out. He was the only noble who had treated you with kindness left.

“Lord Dan Heng! Oh, thank goodness! Please, please tell them…”

He squeezed his eyes shut, turning away with a look of scorn. You felt a pang through your chest. Somehow, his silence felt worse than any disdainful words he could’ve imparted upon you. You once again scan the area, and finally, you fell upon your last resort.

“F-Father!”

You walked over, clinging to your father’s coat. 

The cold Duke stared back.

“Father, t-tell them… I’m your daughter, aren’t I? Tell them it’s all a misunderstanding! I didn’t—”

Duke Louis Fleming slapped your hand away. His brow furrowed, and he turned to the guards.

“Tell the Emperor we must expedit this trial. I’ll not have my honor tarnished any further than it already has been by this child. I’ll have nothing to do with her.”

You dropped to your knees.

“O-Of course!”

“Right away, Your Grace!”

There was no fight left to be had in you. You had to be forcibly dragged to your feet by the Imperial Guards, taken away against your will as you gazed up at your father one last time.

He hardly spared you one last contemptuous look, almost as though it was difficult for him to even face you, before turning away, walking with the other guards towards the Imperial Palace.

The nobles continued to whisper and gossip.

Saintess Kafka was taken away, and you didn’t even have it in you to wish she was okay.

Eventually, you forgot what happened next.

—

The trial was mostly blocked from memory.

All you could remember was the cold, desolate prison cell you had been tossed into, the harsh meals you had to endure. As a noblewoman growing up in luxury, it was almost akin to torture.

Then, you remembered more guards, and the sudden brightness and commotion of the courtroom.

Even expedited, it had taken three days for your trial to occur.

In that time, Saintess Kafka had recovered, and was indifferently present when the charges were brought against you.

You recall being able to say nothing in your own defense. Not after the only man who spoke kindly to you and the only family you ever had had forsaken you.

It was traumatic, hearing the nobles clamoring for your execution, for your head to be displayed on the walls of the Stellaron Capital’s walls, a warning to those who would dare harm the purest woman in the entire Empire.

However…

“Considering her noble lineage and the weight of her family’s name, Lady Y/N of the Stella Duchy is hereby banished from the Stellaron Empire forever in lieu of an execution.”

You didn’t even have it in you to feel anything. The news was numbing, yet insignificant now that you’d fallen this far.

“Should she return to this noble Empire, she shall be executed upon sight.”

You only stared down at your feet, a single tear rolling down your cheek.

“This sentence will be carried out at once. Guards, summon the carriage.”

And now, you were here. Staring out the window of the dreary horse-drawn carriage, gazing up into the night sky.

Where had things gone so wrong for you? 

Was it when you first realized that your own father had no fatherly love to give his own daughter?

Was it when Lord Gepard denied your proposal? Was it when he perished on the front lines, the very battle he escaped to to avoid marrying you after you forced his hand with your family’s influence?

Was it the moment you decided to take out your anger on that noble lady of the Astral County, who seemed to hold the militant Lord Gepard’s affections far more than you ever could?

Or maybe it was when Lord Dan Heng, the only one to show you kindness after Lord Gepard’s departure from this life, turned away from you in your moment of need.

Maybe it was also when your father finally left you behind once and for all.

The one and only stain on his perfect legacy.

Was there… ever any love to be had for me in this life?

If I could just go back… start over, and do everything again… Could I find people who would care for me?

The rickety journey came to a sudden halt, shaking you from your thoughts. Outside, you heard commotion in an instant, clamoring and yelling following suit as metal clashed.

“...figure in the distance! Ready your swords!”

“Wait, it’s—!”

“...A-Archduke?! You cannot—! AAGH!”

“Someone, send for help!”

“Run! Run!”

Screams and shouts of anguish resounded, and you squeezed your eyes shut, covering your ears at the sounds. A splatter of blood splashed onto the window opposite you, and you screamed despite yourself.

Your despondency was replaced by fear as all went quiet outside mere moments after the havoc had risen. And then, the carriage door flew open.

Your eyes fell upon the glimmering sword that stabbed into the wooden floor. It was already soaked in blood—very likely the blood of your accompanying guards and coachman.

“W-Who are you?!” you trembled violently, the tall figure stalking towards you as you pressed yourself into the furthest corner of the carriage. “I-I’ve already been tried!”

“As if a mere banishment could appease me for the crime you’ve committed against Saintess Kafka.”

That rough voice was accompanied by a pair of blood-red eyes, and you froze once more.

The Duke of the North. A monster of a man—if he could even be called a man at all—known for both his exploits in war and his horrifyingly violent disposition.

Archduke Blade.

Surely, the Aeons must despise you, have some vendetta against you. Why else would they send this monster of a man as your executioner?

Was it because you failed to live virtuously in any capacity? Was it because, in their all-seeing eyes, the harm that befell their pious daughter was in some way indirectly your fault?

You clasped your hands together, tears springing to your eyes. He was blocking the only exit. You had no way of escape. Your heart raced, and you began to sob.

“Please, Your Grace! You have to listen! I-It wasn’t me! Please, p-please spare my life!”

His expression was cruel. There was no sympathy to be had anywhere.

“I can’t believe you have the gall to beg. You deserve this. All of this.”

Sharp, white-hot pain stabbed through you. You blinked away your tears, realizing in the final moment you had left that the legendary sword of the Duke of the North had pierced your heart.

Those crimson eyes were the last thing you ever saw in this life.

I just… want to go back…

And then, everything went black.

—

“...dy Y/N?”

You groaned, raising a hand to your forehead. The sun was too bright…

“Lady Y/N, you must wake up...”

Wait, sun?!

You shot up in bed, shocking your maid greatly. “Lady Y/N!”

A hand flew to your chest, right over your heart, feeling for a wound, a hole of some sort where the Archduke’s sword had cut you down. To your complete shock, you found nothing.

“Lady Y/N…? Are you all right?” Your maid looked upon you kindly, placing a hand to your forehead. “You’re quite pale!”

You ignored her, continuing to press. There wasn’t even a hint of pain at the site of your stabbing.

“What happened… to the Archduke? Where is he…?” you mumbled aloud, wincing as a thick haze covered your thoughts. How were you alive?

“The Archduke, my lady?” your maid was baffled, wetting a cloth in a basin as she gently pressed it to your cheeks. The warm water felt good on your clammy skin. “What in the world would you have to do with a man such as him? Last I heard, he’s been taking care of bandits in the North.”

“Bandits…” You recalled that, several years ago, troupes of bandits were rampant along the northern border. The Archduke was sent to subdue them, and ever since then, bandits hadn’t been reported—or at least, they weren’t prevalent enough for high society’s gossip to take an interest…

You nearly fell out of bed, if it weren’t for your maid catching you.

“My lady!”

“Cecilia…” your mouth went dry, staring into her eyes. You recalled at last those same eyes full of tears, begging for mercy on your behalf, only to be carted away as an accomplice… The only one who had done such a thing for you.

“What year is it?”

“It’s Stellar Year X90, my lady… Your debutante is in just three months.”

That was—that was ten whole years ago!

Your debutante?!

“It’s breakfast time, and you had a meeting with the dressmaker regarding your debutante dress, as well as your dress for the Imperial Banquet…” Cecilia explained warily. The strained expression on your face worried her, assuming the worst, that you might start throwing your belongings again. “And you need to find a partner…”

Your mind was racing.

You’d gone back. Back into the past.

“Cecilia, can you leave me alone for a moment?” you murmured, resting your head in your hand. “I… need to wake up.”

The raven-haired woman seemed taken aback at your calm demeanor, stepping back with a slightly shocked nod.

“I’ll… leave you be to wake up, Lady Y/N. Please ring the bell if you need anything.”

“Yes… Thank you.”

Your maid left, but not without one final glance at you in the large, lavish space you called your bedroom.

You sat on your bed, dumbfounded. Briefly, you raised a hand to your arm, pinching lightly.

“Ouch.”

It wasn’t a dream. Somehow, in some way, you have returned to the past.

At this point in time, your reputation in the eyes of high society was already quite low. However, that was only because of rumors that spread from within your house—you hadn’t yet made a fool of yourself publicly.

“Three months until my debutante, huh…”

Your mind raced, but one thing was certain.

With this chance granted by the Aeons, you would fix everything that befell you.

You would stop treating those around you with such unfounded vitriol and cruelty. You would gather people to your side, find your place in society, and ensure your standing was secure.

You would find out who really did plot to poison Saintess Kafka, hopefully before they could even get the chance. And you would ensure that your image in the eyes of the nobles was no longer that of a foolish, childish, selfish silver-spooned lady.

You would alter the future, for yourself and for all those who suffered from your actions.

This time… you’d make it right.

[blues824]

How would female Rengoku fit in the remarried empress

🔥Imagen her being navier's body guard who is pretty joyvial and had a very strong code of conduct that she follows and therefore is highly respected by many.

🔥Imagen everyone's reaction to her alcolic dad that used to be very respected until his wife died and her being the sole person who keeps her family name in the good light and even deu her her circumstance she is still so jolly.

🔥And how would they react when they learn that she has a hearing problem (not cannon but she took a hit of the empty bottle of wine for her younger brother )

And her unique owl like eyes that she doesn't blink a lot.

🔥I see navier being happy that she is her personal guard and that she doesn't care about rumours and is always so honest to her and her always hepling navier lift her mood if she is struggling.

🔥Imagen Duke ergi or heinley meeting navier's personal guard and thinking she can also become a bird and call her the Queens owl.

🔥And her reaction to rattrash becoming a concubine is disappointment because even her alcoholic father loved her mother so much that her would not betray his wife and even now after all those years he doesn't want another wife.

How would sovieshit react to rattrash saying she wants the female Rengoku as her personal guard because of her background (just to take navier most trusted friend away from her )

🔥and sovieshit asking the Rengoku reader to serve rattrash only for her to dicline because thx to navier her family name is out of the mud and that she ows her life to navier.

Sovieshu

You were hired on as a guard because your family was known for its long line of generals that served the Eastern Empire. However, your family’s reputation has gone downhill as of late because your father drank excessively after your mother’s death. But, Sovieshu could tell that you were dead-set on restoring your family’s honor. He admired your will, and so he assigned you as his wife’s personal guard.

Those simple times in the palace were long gone. Ever since he took on a mistress, there has been more and more stress on his shoulders. You, with a smile, told him that your father never remarried because he was loyal to your mother even in her permanent absence. Your view on the matter was clear: you were disappointed in his actions.

Another thing that was now different was that you had obtained some damage to your ears due to your father hitting you in the head with a broken bottle. Sovieshu was a bit concerned and asked if you should be granted leave to recover, but you stated that situations like this are what make a person stronger. He made sure that everyone in the palace knew, so that they would all speak a bit louder.

When Rashta asks the Emperor if he would transfer you from Navier to her, he immediately went to ask you. He contemplated making the threat of firing you, but he’s sure that you have more power than any of his guards and could easily overpower an army. You, being loyal to Navier, refused the offer and stated that your morals and principles would not allow you to go through with being transferred. He understood, so he just left it at that.

Rashta

She became acquainted with you when you introduced yourself as Navier’s guard. From then on, she would see you following closely behind the Empress with a sword attached to your belt by the sheath. You were very professional, and you were very courteous to her. However, you did not go out of your way to converse with her. 

It’s not like this whole situation was her fault after all, she just ran along with it. Whenever she came up to you with a question, you would answer it to the best of your ability. But, you drew the line at her trying to become your friend. It was one night where you told her that even though your father was a widower, he never remarried because he loved his late wife so very much. You explained that you did not agree with what Sovieshu did, but that you were also aware that it was his fault rather than her fault that she was now a concubine.

You might as well have told her that you did not like her, because it would have had the same effect. She now viewed you as an enemy, even though you quite literally wanted nothing to do with her. So, to seek revenge, Rashta asked Sovieshu if you could be transferred from being Navier’s guard to hers, but her hope went to go get milk and never come back when the Emperor explained that it was your choice since your family was highly influential.

Absolutely no one, including herself, was surprised when you refused to be transferred. You later explained that you had swore your loyalty to Her Imperial Majesty, Navier Trovi, and would do anything she asked. She understood, but she still considered you a dangerous enemy that needed to be dealt with sooner or later. 

Navier

She was aware of your family’s declining reputation, so she was the one who wrote a letter to your father. In the letter, she asked if you could apply to become a guard, and she would pull some strings to make you her personal guard. As a result, your family’s honor would be restored. Of course, she knew that you wouldn’t refuse the offer, so she was expecting you soon.

You seemed perfectly capable of being a guard, and she persuaded Sovieshu that you would be perfect for the job. The Rengoku family was known for their immaculate service within the military of the Empire. In just a few months, your family’s reputation was restored and were now a part of high society once again. Your father even told you that he’s proud, and started acting like a true father again.

Not just that, but Navier thought you were doing excellently as her guard. She’s seen what you do in your downtime, having arm wrestling matches with the other knights and guards. She’s also aware of the little betting ring, and while she does not condone betting, she’s not snitching. She knows that it’s probably the most fun you’ve had since your mother was still here, so she let you have at it.

As for your hearing impairment, she made adjustments to accommodate you. If there was a ringing in your ears, she would make sure that everyone spoke softer. If you were now hard of hearing, she would make sure that everyone spoke louder. You were her best guard, and she wanted nothing but the best for you.

Heinrey

Since you were Navier’s guard, it makes sense that you have become acquainted with Queen. Something that runs in the Rengoku family was the ability to commune with birds, as they could see the battlefield better, Thus, you know what Queen was saying, and you knew that Heinrey was Queen. To be fair, he thought you could turn into an owl because of your appearance.

Over the next few weeks, the two of you got to know each other better. You would put in a few good words for him, saying things to Navier like “he’s so polite and courteous” and “if we were to endure a test of loyalty, I’m not sure who would win.” You played the role of his wing-woman. You would write to him, giving him an inside look in the Empire. Sure, you would be executed for treason, but you only ever swore your loyalty to Her Imperial Majesty.

Through you, Heinrey learned not just about the Imperial Family, but also about the noble families. This included yours. It was just sad, the way you spoke about your father with pride at his achievements as a general, but once your mother died he fell from glory into a sea of alcohol. The Crowned Prince found himself falling for the Empress even more once you told him that she employed you to restore your family’s honor and pave the way for your younger brother.

When the Emperor ordered that any birds sent to Navier would be shot down, you told him to fly to your chambers instead so that you could pass on a message. What you did not expect was to see McKenna instead, but you quickly took the letter and ran to deliver it as fast as you could. Heinrey knows that you put your life on the line for him, so he keeps that in mind. He seriously cannot thank you enough.

Kaufman

You two met when he visited the Empire to discuss trade between the Eastern Empire and the Kingdom of Luipt. You bowed as you introduced yourself, but he did something rather surprising: he took your hand in his before bowing and kissing the back of it. Your eyes went wide in shock, as that sort of greeting wasn’t usually done with knights or guards, but rather ladies of the court instead.

During his stay, he tried to see and talk to you as often as he could while trying to not arouse suspicion from you. It actually led to some good conversations between the two of you. For example, he learned that each of your family members (aside from your younger brother) had been involved with military service. However, once your mother has passed, your father fell into a heavy drinking habit. You even pointed to your ear, which had a big scar, and stated that you have hearing problems because your father hit you with an empty bottle.

However, despite that, you spoke about him with pride. You told Kaufman about how you wanted to follow your father’s footsteps in the military and restore your family’s honor and teach your brother to do the same. The Grand Duke found your motives admirable, and he could see your principles whenever you are trailing behind Navier. You maintained a smile and a cheery disposition, but you would not let your guard down.

When Kaufman had presented Her Imperial Majesty with a love potion, you insisted that as her guard, you should be the one to test its power and potency. You only had a sip when your head started pounding and you felt incredibly warm. Once it was all over, you looked up to see him asking if you were alright. Well, you tried your best to make it seem as though it didn’t affect you physically, but you said that it was stronger than you originally thought.

Before you could stop yourself, you leaned up against him as you stated that both your heart and head felt light. You couldn’t tell if the potion emphasized your already-deep feelings for him. The man you were leaning against was definitely flustered, but the Empress was doing her best to not laugh. You quickly excused yourself to go to your room as the Duke promised to find a cure. But, what you didn’t know is that Kaufman really did not want to find a cure because he was in love with you as well.

[bumblee-stumblee]

I'm not a Disney adult but Mulans song wasn't about dysphoria. It's was about her struggling to exist in a misogynistic society where girls had only one way to bring honor to their family.

A girl can bring her family Great honor in one way By striking a good match And this could be the day

Men want girls with good taste Calm Obedient Who work fast-paced With good breeding And a tiny waist You'll bring honor to us all

We all must serve our Emperor Who guards us from the Huns A man by bearing arms A girl by bearing sons

Imagine hearing day in and out as you get older that the only thing you can do to contribute and bring honor to your family is to get married and get pregnant, and not just pregnant, but honor is giving birth to a son.

Of course she doesn't connect to who she sees in her reflection, BECAUSE SHE DOES NOT WANT TO BE A BRIDE. she doesn't want to be married and pregnant and follow the stifling expectations set upon her simply because she was born a woman. Her own father tells her that he knows his place and that it is time she learned hers and she's shocked likely because she thought he'd be in her corner and not want her to be chained to societies expectations but men are all the same, even your father will sacrifice you to the patriarchy for honor and men will always sacrifice you while playing along as an ally, in this-

(unhinged ranting)

[broke-art]

Nezha x reader

Nezha twirled his spear casually as he strolled the parameter. Guarding the map was dull work, even if it was a sacred duty. He treasured the trust that had been placed on him when he was tasked with the map's safety, but still. It got somewhat lonely sometimes.

"You look bored, soldier."

Instantly Nezha straightened and whirled around. His spear at the ready.

"Woah, woah. It's just me." Y/n giggled nervously holding up her hands in surrender.

Nezha lowered the spear.

"Y/n you're not supposed to be here." He frowned giving her a disapproving look.

"I-I know I just-" She looked away and rolled up a bit of her sleeve revealing bandages where blood had stained the white.

Nezha's eyes widened.

"Again?!" He demanded stepping closer.

Only the movement caused Y/n to flinch, so he stepped back again briskly.

Y/n had been his best friend ever since he was young. She was always there for him when he needed her. Although, he couldn't return the gesture. Y/n's father was a high ranking official, and a brutal man.

He had trained her for combat her entire life, only he was ruthless with his teachings. The slightest mistakes were severely punished and she would end up with more cuts and bruises after training than when she had begun.

Nezha had tried to report the behavior but his concerns were dismissed as her father was well trusted by the heavenly court. Everyone considered it to be for her own good if her father was so harsh.

Nezha couldn't and wouldn't agree. But there wasn't much else he could do.

"Alright, you can stay just... Stay by me, alright?"

Y/n beamed and nodded.

Her excitement softened his frustration towards the situation and he took on a ghost of a smile.

"Come on then." He walked and Y/n hurried to follow. She fell into step next to him.

"This is such a cool job." She said in awe looking around.

Nezha chuckled.

"You think so?" He asked amusedly.

"It is!" She huffed at his teasing. "You get to guard a sacred heavenly treasure and you're revered for it."

Nezha nodded.

"It is an honor."

Y/n looked around the grounds.

"Don't you get lonely?"

Nezha shook his head.

"Not particularly." But at that moment he caught her hopeful look. "Well, I suppose every now and then."

A smile bloomed on y/n's beautiful lips which caused Nezha's heart to trip.

"I'll have to visit you more often then." She giggled.

Nezha looked away quickly and coughed into a hand.

"I suppose as the daughter of a high ranking official, you could be trusted."

Y/n hugged him.

"Thank you, soldier! You won't regret it." She promised.

Nezha tensed under the hug his cheeks flaring red. But he cautiously returned the gesture.

And that was how it had begun. Y/n would visit him on a daily basis. Sometimes she would bring lunch, or snacks she knew Nezha enjoyed. Other times she would bring books to read to him, as his attention was required for his duty. And still other times she would simply come to talk and admittedly these hours made his job far more pleasant than Nezha had imagined.

Though, the days she was late concerned him. And every late day, she would stumble in with more wounds than the last time. Her nervous smiles would falter a little more each time, and worst of all she would speak less.

Nezha twirled his spear today as he walked the polished floors. Musing once again on how he might aid y/n. Reports proved to be of little use, confrontation would end in a fight possibly bringing down the ire of the jade emperor, and any alternative left Y/n at her father's mercy. Unacceptable.

"Put me down! Let go!" Y/n's shouts caused Nezha's head to snap up. In an instant he was in the great hall.

"Gosh you squirm a lot." Monkey King chuckled with a small grunt as y/n thrashed and fought in his grip. Just then Monkey King noticed Nezha.

"Nezha! Buddy! How's it-"

"Get your hands off her." Nezha growled readying his spear.

Monkey King smiled.

"Gee, I'd love to but see, I kinda need a favor first."

Nezha's rings under his feet lit with purple flame.

Monkey King seemed unimpressed with the display, but continued.

"Sooo I need the map. And I figured you're a nice guy so I brought you a present to trade." He held out Y/n like a gift with a smile. "what do ya say bud?"

Nezha released a roar as he attacked Sun Wukong.

You yelped as Sun Wukong dodged Nezha's attacks with astounding speed. All the while he ensured you didn't receive any of the backlash from the onslaught of attacks.

Finally Wukong landed on a banister quite a ways up. He dangled you over the impending drop with one hand and Nezha froze.

"Listen Nezha, I'd love to stay and chat. Really I would, but I can't this time round. So, here's your gift." And with that parting sentiment, you felt Wukong's grip vanish.

You yelped as you plummeted towards the ground. Due to the previous battle the ground was cracked and broken into several sharp    bits that would surely impale you upon impact.

"Y/N!" Nezha yelled rushing towards you.

You shut your eyes preparing for impact only to feel an arm around your lower back and another arm around your hips. Slowly you opened your eyes to see Nezha.

He expression held worry and his eyes traveled over you panickedly. He seemed extremely relieved when he saw no injury.

You were about to make a comment when he hugged you against him.

"I'm ok." You promised gently. "I really am."

Nezha pulled back and studied you once again, then when he seemed to find you were unharmed he looked to where the map had laid. Sure enough, it was gone.

Guilt swept over you.

"Oh no. Nezha this all my fault, I'm so so-"

"No." Nezha cut you off simply. "This is no one's fault but Wukong's. But I must retrieve the map." He got to a stand then offered you a hand.

You took it and allowed him to pull you to your feet.

"With the samadhi fire reforged will come the end of life. Y/n if I don't return-" he looked at you. "There's something you must know."

Something about the look in his eyes made your heart skip a beat.

"Yes?" You asked hopefully.

"I-." He paused for a moment considering his words. "I love you."

Your jaw dropped. You had hoped for years that he would return your feelings.

"I have to follow him, or I'll lose the map forever. Wait for me." He instructed resting a hand on your cheek then with a gust of wind he was gone.

*Yes I know this isn't how it was in the series, but this was cute and I wanted to write it so ha.*

[fistfuloflightning]

Just discovered an Edo period genderbent version of Beren and Luthien—The fable of Tamatori-hime 玉取姫 "Princess Jewel Taker" and the Tide Jewels:

The legend of Princess Tamatori (Tamatorihime), or Ama, developed around the historical figure Fujiwara no Kamatari (614–69), who was the founder of the powerful Fujiwara clan. Upon Kamatari’s death, the Tang dynasty emperor, who had received Kamatari’s beautiful daughter as a consort, sent three priceless treasures to Japan in order to comfort his grieving lover by honoring her father. One of the treasures, a pearl, was stolen by the dragon king during a storm on its way to Japan in the inlet of Fusazaki. Kamatari’s son Fujiwara no Fuhito (659–720) went in search of the pearl to the isolated area where he met and married a beautiful pearl diver named Ama, who bore him a son. Ama, full of love for their son, vowed to help recover the stolen pearl. After many failed attempts, Ama was finally successful when the dragon and grotesque creatures guarding it were lulled to sleep by music. Upon reclaiming the treasure, she came under pursuit by the awakened sea creatures. She cut open her breast to place the pearl inside for safekeeping the resulting flow of blood clouded the water and aided her escape. She died from the resulting wound but is revered for her selfless act of sacrifice for her husband Fuhito and their son.

and

The story of Princess Tamatori, which was highly popular in the Edo period. In this story, Tamatori is a modest shell diver who marries Fujiwara no Fuhito of the Fujiwara clan, who is searching for a pearl stolen from his family by Ryūjin, the dragon god of the sea. Vowing to help, Tamatori dives down to Ryūjin's undersea palace of Ryūgū-jō, and is pursued by the god and his army of sea creatures. She cuts open her own breast and places the jewel inside; this allows her to swim faster and escape, but she dies from her wound soon after reaching the surface.

It’s very reminiscent of Beren stealing a silmaril from Morgoth on behalf of his love Luthien, and being pursued by Carcharoth to his death even though he returned with one of the silmarils in hand (literally…)

[poorlittleyaoyao]

For all of CQL's various ??? I love that they're the only ones who try to explain The Hat. Because that hat IS very gentry scholar, the thing a well educated gongzi would wear...if you weren't a cultivator. The Sad Hat Flashback in the show implies that the reason he wears it is because this was his mother's idea of being a proper gentleman and he wanted to fulfill her wishes despite this attire not actually being correct for cultivator society and means he never fully blends in visually even after he's reached the top because he wants to honor her

I love the sad hat flashback so much. 🥺 I also remember reading analysis that the hat is also a way for him to avoid accusations of being uppity; it telegraphs humility alongside prestige, like “it’s okay, gentry! I know I’m not really like you, haha! this humble one is but a public servant here to do his job!”

(It also implies that neither MS nor MY originally aspired for him to rise up to Leader Of Everything. MS just wanted her child recognized by his father’s family and given a job that matched his talents. JGS’s mistreatment is what made things weird.)

It is just so strange that nobody else has the hat! I know there’s supposedly an emperor Out There Somewhere, but we don’t see any evidence of a government apparatus beyond the cultivation sects. Where are the clerks and scholars? Who’s drafting legislation or conducting diplomacy? Shouldn’t there be literati attached to or touring the great sects? I think we see hats on some of the Wen guards and on some nameless extra juniors at Yi City, but that’s it. More hats! Let there be more hats!

[cruger2984]

THE DESCRIPTION OF SAINT LUCY OF SYRACUSE The Patron of the Blind and Throat Infections Feast Day: December 13

"Those whose hearts are pure are temples of the Holy Spirit."

Lucy, or Lucy of Syracuse was born of a noble family in Syracuse in the year 283 AD, and believe it or not, she is one of the best known virgin martyrs, along with Agatha of Sicily, Agnes of Rome, Cecilia of Rome and Catherine of Alexandria. Her father was of Roman origin, but died when Lucy was five years old, leaving her and her mother without a protective guardian. Her mother's name, Eutychia seems to indicate that she came from a Greek background. Lucy's name can branch from two words: 'lux' (Latin) meaning 'light,' and 'lucid' (English) which means 'clear,' 'vivid' and 'intelligible.'

At an early age, she secretly consecrated her virginity to the Lord, and she hoped to distribute her dowry to the poor. However, Eutychia, not knowing of Lucy's promise, and suffering from a bleeding disorder, feared for Lucy's future. Agatha had been martyred 52 years before during the Decian persecution. Her shrine at Catania, less than 50 miles from Syracuse, attracted a number of pilgrims; many miracles were reported to have happened through her intercession. Eutychia was persuaded to make a pilgrimage to Catania, in hopes of a cure. While there, Agatha came to Lucy in a dream and told her that because of her faith her mother would be cured and that Lucy would be the glory of Syracuse, as she was of Catania. With her mother cured, Lucy took the opportunity to persuade her mother to allow her to distribute a great part of her riches among the poor.

Eutychia suggested that the sums would make a good bequest, but Lucy countered these words: '…whatever you give away at death for the Lord's sake you give because you cannot take it with you. Give now to the true Savior, while you are healthy, whatever you intended to give away at your death.'

News that the patrimony and jewels were being distributed came to Lucy's betrothed, who denounced her to Paschasius, the Governor of Syracuse. Paschasius ordered her to burn a sacrifice to the emperor's image. When she refused, Paschasius sentenced her to be defiled in a brothel.

It was the year 304 AD, during the Diocletianic Persecution. Christian tradition states that when the guards came to take her away, they could not move her even when they hitched her to a team of oxen. Bundles of wood were then heaped about her and set on fire, but would not burn. And finally, Lucy met her death by the sword thrust into her throat.

According to later accounts, before she died she foretold the punishment of Paschasius and the speedy end of the persecution, adding that Diocletian would reign no more, and Maximian would meet his end. This so angered Paschasius that he ordered the guards to remove her eyes. Another version has Lucy taking her own eyes out in order to discourage a persistent suitor who admired them. When her body was prepared for burial in the family mausoleum it was discovered that her eyes had been miraculously restored. This is the reason that Lucy of Syracuse is the patron saint of those with eye-related diseases.

Her major shrine can be found in San Geremia in Venice. Her traditional feast day, known in Europe as Saint Lucy's Day, is observed by Western Christians, and she was honored in the Middle Ages and remained a well-known saint in early modern England.

This is particularly seen in Scandinavian countries, with their long dark winters. There, a young girl dressed in a white dress and a red sash (as the symbol of martyrdom) carries palms and wears a crown or wreath of candles on her head. In Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and parts of Finland, girls dressed as Lucy carry St. Lucia buns in procession as songs are sung. It is said that to vividly celebrate St. Lucy's Day will help one live the long winter days with enough light.

Villagers from Barangay Sta. Lucia in Magarao, Camarines Sur, hold a novena to St. Lucy nine days before her feast. A procession of the saint's image is held every morning at the poblacion or village centre during the nine days leading up to St. Lucy's Day, attracting devotees from other parts of the Bicol Region. Hymns to the saint, known as the Gozos, as well as the Spanish version of the Ave Maria are chanted during the dawn procession, which is followed by a Mass.

[nehetari-of-szarekhan]

Most high heiress of our Silent King, what is your opinion on the Astartes legion besides the Iron Warriors and the primarchs of said Legions?

-A Curious Collector

"Your query vexes me," Nehetari blinks, the hint of amusement in her eyes. "Surely you know this is not a simple question to ask of anyone, let alone myself." She straigtens her posture, and the emotion fades from her face once more.

"I will indulge you, but I will be brief. I have yet to form opinions on all the different breeds of space marine, or their Primarchs for that matter, so I will share the ones I have."

Jaghatai Khan - Good opinion. We met in Commoragh, and we escaped around the same time. I respect his sense of honor and his need for speed. His skill in combat is also exemplary.

The White Scars - No opinion. I have never met his sons, but I have heard they are very much like their father.

Lehman Russ - Bad opinion. It's a shame: we probably could have been friends if he didn't make a third occupation of harassing my lover.

The Space Wolves - good opinion. Though louder and ruder, being around them reminds me of the crowds in the oasis-side inns of my homeworld.

Corvus Corax - bad opinion. I would complement his aesthetic (his feathers are quite lovely), but he knocked me unconscious and tried to drag Perturabo back to their father. When I caught up to them, well... ...I doubted I would ever use the techniques I learned from Urian Ricarth, but I suppose my so-called "mentor" would have been proud of me that day.

The Raven Guard - no opinion. I've not met one yet, but I am fond of their aesthetic.

Vulcan - Good opinion. This might be surprising as he also assisted Corax in abducting my lover (and also nearly beat Crucius to death), however I have since learned that he has honor. Also, his devotion to his people is admirable.

Salamanders - No Opinion. I have yet to meet them properly, but like the White Scars, I hear they are much like their father. They battle well.

Rogal Dorn - No opinion. I am surprised at how little interest I have in this being. I wonder if this is because of his influence on the Warp or Perturabo's influence on me.

The Imperial Fists - Neutral opinion. What good are rockcrete walls when a C'tan shard throws a mountain at them? By human standards, though, they are excellent builders.

Fulgrim - Bad opinion. Lecherous, needlessly sadistic, and proud without the substance to support it. Thankfully, due to the timely intervention of the Drukari, my time under his capture was brief. Though I have heard that he is still searching for me. I regret 'rewarding' him with my memories of constant agony.

The Emperor's Children - Bad opinion. Noisy, messy, unsanitary... ...startlingly bad pain tolerance for ones so obsessed with the Pleasure & Pain alter of the Aether. Quite disgusting over all.

Alpharius - Omegon who?

The Alpha Legion - Good opinion. The dark chocolate flavored recaffe and ork fingers they sent me were delicious.

Sanguinius - No Opinion. Since there's a high likelihood that he is one of Father's hidden consorts, I dare not cast my opinion at him. But I will say that he is definitely Father's 'type'.

The Blood Angels - No Opinion. I have yet to meet any of them. Though I have been told that they too enjoy the taste of blood.

Ferrus Manus - Bad opinion. This one died long before I returned to life, but I am fairly certain that its soul was trying to possess Perturabo's older brother. I considered trying to destroy it, but apparently Crucius has, 'gotten it to fuck off.' I am unsure of how he managed this.

The Iron Hands - *Her face remains impassive, but the skin around her eyes scrunches up in rage* I would pity them. Their grief has trapped them in an undending downward spiral leading to the same fate that befell my people. However, their concious wish to become the same empty husks is an insult to all Necrons, and I will not forgive it.

The Original Iron Warriors - Undefineable Opinion. They are all microcosms of Perturabo's trauma and mistakes. And also the unfortunate consequence of them."

Nehetari sighs, then closes her eyes. There is a long moment of silence, then, "...there are others. But I grow weary of this topic. I will release my reports as I feel inspired. Now... ...leave me."

[dcccivcr]

{Dylan Wang, 26, male, he/him} We are so glad to see you safe, IMPERIAL BODYGUARD JI XINYUAN of JAPAN CHINA! It’s dangerous out in the world these days, but I hear that you are DETERMINED and CHARISMATIC enough to handle it. Just don’t let your PERSONAL DESIRES bring you down! Stay on your guard, because with your secret being at risk for exposure, you wouldn’t want everyone to find out YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER A FALSE IDENTITY FOR YEARS {rawr, 28, GMT+1, she/her, no triggers} + princess kai-ming's bodyguard wc

NAME: Ji Xinyuan "GIVEN NAME": Fei BIRTH NAME: Maeda Toshihisa AGE: 26 GENDER / PRONOUNS: Male, he/him ORIENTATION: Bisexual

INSPIRATIONS: Essek Thelyss (Critical Role), Hubert von Vestra (FE3H), Akechi Gorou (Persona 5), Jin Guangyao & Nice Huaisang (The Untamed), Ignis Scientia (FFXV), the Scorpion Clan (Legend of the Five Rings)

• • •

FAMILY: None MARITAL STATUS: Single POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Loyal to the Japanese royal family LANGUAGES: Japanese (native), Chinese (bilingual), Tagalog (fluent), English (passable), Spanish (passable). Fakes an accent when speaking anything other than Chinese.

THE LIE

Xinyuan speaks of his history with such solemnity, pride and honesty that he has won the hearts of many in the imperial court. The only child of a very patriotic landowner down in his luck who dreamed of seeing his only son earn a position in court, and spent most of his rapidly decreasing resources educating the child. He taught Xinyuan literature, languages, martial skills such as archery, and horsemanship. Yet his wayward son, blinded by his natural talents and the brazenness of his youth, rejected his father's teachings and efforts and left his home with dreams of becoming a renowned poet. Though he produced some works of decent quality, it wasn't long until word reached him that both his parents had fallen ill and died.

Ji Xinyuan believed this misfortune to be a divine punishment for his ungrateful, rebellious behavior, and turned all of his efforts back to the path that had been chosen for him. At the age of 19, he famously prostrated himself outside the imperial palace and begged for "a chance to atone for his sins and fulfill his late father's wish". His talents, strong sense of honor and social graces caught the attention of his superiors and recently earned him a privileged role as one of the bodyguards accompanying the imperial family.

THE TRUTH

Toshihisa was born to Chinese ambassadors and presumed dead in the fire that killed his parents. He cannot remember whether that was the name he was given at birth or not, and he can only speculate whether the event was or wasn't an accident, but he doesn't trouble himself with conjectures. For as long as he can remember, he has had a purpose, and unlike his false persona he accepted the role with great pride.

He received the best education and was raised in privilege. When the time came, he traveled to China, where he had his tale fabricated and his ascension orchestrated. He aims to become the imperial family's most trusted soldier and confidant... and hopes his blade skills will never be required.

THE STORY

After the Reckoning, and the exile of princess Kai-ming, his previous charge, he became the Emperor's bodyguard. He has earned Angelo's trust, when the truth is Xinyuan profoundly despises the man. During the current conflict, he sends word of China's moves to Japan through informants, while simultaneously assisting princess Giuliana in their goal to dethrone their brother.

[promises-of-paradise]

Felix Yusupov on the February Revolution

The Revolution broke out on March 12*. Buildings all over the capital were set on fire, and there was heavy shooting in the streets. A great part of the Army and of the police joined the Revolution - among them the Cossacks of the Household, the elite of the Imperial Guard. After long discussions with the Soviet of Workmen's and Soldiers' Representatives, a Provisional Government was formed under the presidency of Prince Lvov, with Kerensky as Minister of justice at the demand of the Socialist Party. The Emperor abdicated on March 15. So as not to be separated from his delicate son, he handed over the crown to his brother, the Grand Duke Mikhail. The text of this historic document is well known, and I recall its noble words with the deepest emotion:

We, Nicholas II, by the grace of God Emperor of all the Russias, Tsar of Poland, Grand Duke of Finland, etc., etc., hereby make known to all Our loyal subjects: At this time of bitter strife against a foe who for nearly three years has been striving to invade Our country, it has pleased God to send down on Russia a fresh and grievous trial. The disturbances which have begun in our midst threaten to have a disastrous effect on the conduct of this fearful and relentless struggle. The destiny of Russia, the honor of Our heroic army, the welfare of the people, the whole future of Our beloved country, make it imperative that the war be brought at all costs to a victorious end. The enemy is making his last efforts, and the hour is at hand when Our valiant army, with the help of Our gallant Allies, will defeat him conclusively. In these decisive days so critical for the very existence of Russia, We deem it Our duty to do Our utmost to facilitate the close union of Our people so that in a common effort of the whole nation a rapid and decisive victory may be won. That is why, in agreement with the Duma of the Empire, We have thought fit to abdicate the throne of Russia and relinquish Our sovereign power. Not wishing to be parted from Our beloved son, we bequeath Our heritage to Our brother, the Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, and we give him Our blessing on His accession to the throne. We urge Him to govern Russia in close communion with the Representatives of the legislative Assemblies, and to swear inviolable allegiance to them in Our beloved country's name. We appeal to all the loyal sons of Russia, and ask them to fulfill their sacred and patriotic duty by obeying the Tsar and, in this time of grave national crisis, helping Him, together with the Representatives of the Nation, to lead the Russian State into the path of glory, prosperity and victory. God save Russia. Nicholas

On the following day, March 16, the Grand Duke Mikhail signed his provisional abdication. Kerensky, who had practically extorted this from him, was most eloquent in his thanks. The government having given the Emperor "permission" to bid farewell to the Army, the Dowager Empress and my father-in-law [Grand Duke Alexander] immediately left for Kiev, and from there went to General Headquarters in Mohilev. At the station, Nicholas II remained alone with his mother in her private train for two hours. Their conversation was not divulged. When my father-in-law was invited to join them, the Empress was weeping bitterly. The Tsar stood motionless and silent, smoking. The Provisional Government yielded to the demands of the Soviet and ordered the Tsar's immediate arrest. The infamous order of the day Number One was published; it empowered the soldiers to choose their own officers and to form regimental soviets, and it abolished saluting. This meant the end of all military discipline. In certain garrisons the men were already massacring their officers. It was the end of the Russian Imperial army.

Three days later, the Emperor left for Tsarskoe Selo where he was to be interned with his family. He wore a plain khaki tunic and the cross of St. George. His train was standing side by side with that of the Dowager Empress, who stood weeping at the window. She made the sign of the cross and a gesture of benediction. As the train moved out, the Tsar waved good-by. This was the last time he was to see his mother. On reaching Tsarskoe Selo, the Emperor was forsaken by all. The only one to accompany him to the Alexander Palace was Prince W. Dolgorukov.

I was allowed to leave Rakitnoe** at the end of March and we all returned to St. Petersburg. Before we left, a service was held at Rakitnoe; the church was full of weeping peasants. "And how are we going to live?" they asked. "Our Tsar has been taken from us!" At Kharkov station we wanted to go to the buffet. We had to force our way through a crowd of jostling men and women hailing each other as "comrade". Someone recognized me and spoke my name. The crowd closed in on us, and in their enthusiasm started to shove and push, till we were almost suffocated. I had the unpleasant feeling that the very people who were cheering us today might just as easily lynch us tomorrow. Some soldiers came to our help, and cleared a way for us to the refreshment room. The crowd tried to rush in after us, and the doors had to be closed. They called on me to make a speech but I refused, saying that I was unable to speak in public. just then, we were told that the train in which the Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaievich was returning from the Caucasus had arrived in the station. To reach him, we had to make our way once more through the howling mob, which was now cheering the Grand Duke. He embraced me warmly, exclaiming: "At last we'll be able to triumph over Russia's enemies!" Our meeting was brief, as his train was leaving almost immediately. On getting back to ours, I met a singer called Altchevsky in the corridor. He told me that he had been in the country getting treatment for a serious nervous complaint; he came into our compartment and offered to sing for us. Suddenly in the middle of a song he stopped, and staring at me wildly asked: "Why are you looking at me like that? I can't sing any more." Taken aback, I begged him to continue, but be refused and launched into a long diatribe in a voice which grew louder and louder. His shouting attracted the attention of a friend of his in the next compartment who managed to find a doctor on the train to give him an injection. But in the dead of night, his howls echoed through the train, louder than ever. In the general atmosphere of strain and tension, this ghastly encounter with a madman was the highlight of our nightmare journey.

We found St. Petersburg very much changed. The confusion in the streets was indescribable. Most people were wearing red cockades. Our own chauffeur had thought it would be prudent to wear a red bow when meeting us at the station. "Take it off!" my mother cried indignantly.

One of the first things I did was to see the Grand Duchess Elisabeth in Moscow; I had not seen her since the tragic events in March. She came up to me with her eyes full of tears, and blessed and kissed me. "Poor Russia," she said, "What a terrible ordeal lies ahead of her! But we must bow before the will of Heaven. We are helpless. We can only pray and beseech God's mercy." She listened with close attention to my account of the tragic night of December 29. "You could not act otherwise," she said when I had finished. "You made a supreme attempt to save your country and the dynasty. It is not your fault if the result is not what you hoped for. The fault lies with those who failed to do their duty. It was no crime to kill Rasputin; you destroyed a fiend who was the incarnation of evil. Nor is there any merit in what you did: you were destined to do it, just as anyone else might have been." She told me that a few days after Rasputin's death the mothers superior of several convents had come to see her, to tell her of the disturbing events that had taken place in the communities on December 29. During the night offices, priests had suddenly gone mad, blaspheming and shrieking; nuns ran about the corridors howling like souls possessed and lifting their skirts with obscene gestures. "The Russian people cannot be held responsible for events to come," continued the Grand Duchess. "Poor Nicky, poor Alix, what suffering awaits them! God's will be done. But even though all the powers of hell may be let loose, Holy Russia and the Orthodox Church will remain unconquered. Some day, in this ghastly struggle, Virtue will triumph over Evil. Those who keep hose who keep their Faith will see the Powers of Light vanquish the Powers of Darkness. God punishes and pardons."

From the day of our arrival in St. Petersburg, our house on the Moika was filled with a continuous stream of people; we found this very exhausting... Mikhail Rodzianko, President of the Duma and a distant relative, was among our most frequent visitors. One day my mother sent for me. Irina and I went up to see her and found her deep in conversation with Rodzianko. The latter rose as I came in, walked up to me and said point-blank: "Moscow wishes to proclaim you Emperor. What do you say to that?" This did not come as a surprise, as I had been approached several times since our return by people of different classes: officers, politicians, priests. Later on, Admiral Koltchak and the Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich also discussed the matter with me. The Grand Duke said: "The throne of Russia is neither hereditary nor elective: it is usurpatory. Take advantage of the Circumstances; you hold all the trumps. Russia cannot go on without a monarch, and the Romanovs are discredited; the people don't want them back." I was deeply dismayed by the irony of the situation. The very man who had killed Rasputin in order to save the dynasty was himself requested to play the part of usurper!

Meanwhile, I was becoming very anxious about Dmitri, who had fallen ill at Tehran and was in despair at being so far from home.***

*although the date falls in March in the Gregorian calendar, which is used in the majority of the world and modern Russia, the Russian Empire used the Julian calendar, where the beginning of the revolution occurred at the end of February, hence the name of the "February Revolution"

**Felix Yusupov had been exiled to his country estate Rakitnoe for his participation in the murder of Rasputin.

***Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich had been sent to Persia for his participation in the murder of Rasputin.

source: Lost Splendour by Felix Yusupov, chapter 25

[bashedberries]

(space prince lucio x space criminal junkrat) pt 2./? 5.6k words

Lucio could remember the day he had questioned his faith for the empire, when he was just a boy. When he was old enough to make his first appearance and announcement for his people. Well, when he did consider them his people, but now? He wonders if his family had relevancy at all. No older than nineteen, he saw the conditions of the people that were under the Emperor's power. It made him uneasy, seeing their almost lifeless gaze as he spoke- to this day Lucio wonders how he kept his composure with all of their silent pleas. He wasn’t stupid, he wasn’t oblivious to the mistreatment and cruelty that was brought upon them, he felt almost angry at himself for not doing something sooner. Yet here was, ten years later with just the same amount of knowledge as he did with a child. 

Lucio had a strange sense of guilt while waking up, his large bedroom tailored to his liking every time he felt the need to change the way it looked. He hasn’t done it since his 18th birthday, and he was content with that. Sitting up, he looked down at his lap staring at his hands as he tried forcing the grogginess out of his senses. The party from the night before ended, and so then he was told by Akadae that there was going to be someone else he would want to join their cause. He wasn’t told who or when, but he had to trust them. 

Kicking the sheets off of the bed, he hung over the side of the bed before stretching. On queue, a knock was heard on the door, causing him to groan in response. His voice hoarse from the night before, he got up and went over to his drawers and began fixing the outfit he’d wear for the day.

“Prince Lucio,” a muffled voice was heard from behind his door, which he didn’t bother to open as he continued to dress himself. “Breakfast is served. His Majesty wishes to speak to you as soon as possible.” This caught the prince’s attention, turning his head a bit as he gave a spectacle look. He had nothing against his father, in fact, he respected him immensely, what caught him off guard however was the fact he was here. His father was rarely in the castle by the time he woke up, being out to the docks and discussing where his cargo was heading to and from. It was shocking to even see him throughout the week, let alone be asked to speak with him. 

Wasting no time, he quickly dressed and made sure he looked presentable. Walking out of his room, he flattened his coat and sleeves, almost itching to not be below his father’s standards this late in the morning. He walked down the hall to make it down to the dining room, his eyes wide as he forced himself to wake up fully. His mother sat at her chair, already dressed herself as she was scrolling through the latest news within the city. Lucio made his way around her table, attempting to go by without causing her notice. Before he could even pass her around the table she made a humming noise, making Lucio stop in his tracks. Looking over his shoulder he noticed his mother, staring at him with a raised eyebrow, he held in sighing out loud. Slumping his shoulders, he went over to bend down near his mother, in which they exchanged a kiss on the cheek. 

“Good morning, sweet boy.” She said, her accent thick as she looked up at her son with a smile. Her hand resting on his arm before pulling away from him, Lucio flushed at her affection- despite having to do it every morning and departure for nearly his whole life.

“Good morning, mama.” The Prince responded back, slowly making his way back to his seat across from her. She smiled at him, and so did he. The double doors leading from the main room opened, catching his attention as he looked up to see his father, Lucio sat straight as his hands rested in his lap. Both of his parents were respectable and honorable folk, kind and careful with their decisions of marketing and trading. He knows that the consumption of sound crystals has been growing in the past year, so with that the two of them have ten greater precautions when it comes to the trading ships. 

“Son,” His fathers strong, yet patient voice called out to him, watching his father sit at the head of the table. Lucio could tell he was bothered by something, he fumbled with his finger nails. He listened intently for his father to continue, staring up at him with a antsy gaze,

“I heard you needed to talk about something?” Lucio asked, taking the cup of his coffee in his hands, feeling the warmth seep into his palms in a way that it calmed him. His gaze fell on his mother for a moment, seeing her expression fall to serious as well as she looked at his father. 

“Yes, we do.” His father started, Lucio brought the cup to his mouth as he drank slowly, “You have heard of The Watchers, correct?” The prince looked back over at his father as he kept a neutral expression, his jaw clenched as he nodded slowly. 

He knew that his parents were not fond of The Watchers, under the Emperor’s impression, he told them they were terrorists and have done all of the horrible things that have happened over the past couple years. The raids of the Vishkar Corporation, along with many other robberies across the galaxy, and how his father spoke so negatively of them and what they have done. Lucio knew of them, but he knew that The Watchers never did such a thing and how it was a setup for the Emperor so he would have an easy escape. 

“What about them?” The prince questioned, holding his cup over the table as he leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. His father narrowed his gaze as he looked away from his son, a frown etched on his face.

“One of our ships full of sound crystals has been destroyed, and they are the culprits.” Lucio stayed quiet, looking over at his father with a wide gaze as he furrowed his eyebrows.

“What? When?” The prince asked almost instantly, attempting to not sound too unskeptical. 

“Last night, a couple hours after it left the dock.” His mother chimed in, looking over at him with a calm gaze as he stared all over him. He felt his lip curl into a frown, looking between the two of them,

“Did ..Were there any crystals salvaged? Do we know if they were taken or around the wreckage?” His gaze was full of worry as he sat up from his seat, his hands on the table. “How many died?” 

His father shook his head, “We do not know yet, the Emperor's police are still investigating the scene.” 

He bit his tongue, looking over at him as he prevented himself from scoffing. Of course the Infinite Empire was involved, they always are in some way or another. There wasn’t a doubt in his head that nothing was going to be found, nothing his parents would be informed about until it's too late.

“What are you gonna do?” Lucio questioned his father. He let out a sigh for a moment out of frustration, looking at his own coffee.

“Nothing yet. This will set us back months, unfortunately. So until then, we must wait.” He nodded in response, looking down at his hands before back at his father. 

“May I be uh- excused?” Lucio asked his father, looking between his mother and father. His father hesitated, but his mother spoke before he could.

“Yes, you may.” He didn’t hesitate to stand from his chair, the sound of the wood scraping against the tile as he then made his way out of the dining hall as calmly as possible. 

Once he was out of sight and out of the door, he began to shuffle his way through the hallways back into his room. Closing the door behind him, he quickly locked it and made his way over to his nightstand and dug into it aimlessly before grabbing onto the wrist watch. Sitting on the floor of his room, he had put on the watch as he had his back against the side of his bed. Tapping onto the watch he waited for Akande to pick up the other end, his leg shaking anxiously as he looked over his shoulder at the door. He always felt nervous to contact them in his own home, but this was an urgent topic that needed to be discussed. Hearing the receiver at the end go through, 

“Helloooo? Oh-! Prince!” The familiar high pitched Australian voice came through the end, his image popping up in the hologram to show him smiling very close to the wrist band. Lucio furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at him with a look of annoyance, 

“It’s you.” Lucio said bitterly, before realizing how it came off. Clearing his throat he just made a neutral voice, staring at the wristband. “Listen, I need to talk to Akande. It’s important.”

Jamison was seen shaking his head as he looked off camera before back at Lucio, “Ehhh I don’t think so mate! Boss is talking to someone else right now. But ya can tell me ‘n I’ll tell him, yeah?” The man says, a grin on his face as he gives his usual unnerving stare. Even when not face to face it made him queasy. 

“I’m serious dude! I needa talk to him,” Lucio said a bit louder, trying not to yell just in case anyone heard him from outside his room.  He could see the blond raising his brow from the recording, before hearing his voice echo from the watch.

“And I told you boss is busy yapping! Some redhead ‘n her big bloak, I dunno. They don’t bother telling me with the details.” Jamison spoke, Lucio felt himself close his eyes with a sigh and tighten his lips. 

“Well- okay uh. Give me to someone who’s not with him.” The Prince squinted at the screen as he lowered his head a bit to look down at the screen with furrowed brows.

“Get this! You are.” The man replied cheekily, smirking at the camera as he raised his eyebrows. “I can be a messenger boy! I have quite the remarkable memory if I say so myself.” Lucio felt himself sigh as he stared at him bewildered, he didn’t have time for this guy right now. Looking away from the camera before back at Jamison who was staring so absentmindedly back into the hologram, a grin on his face. 

“Okay, fine! Tell Akande that my ship was attacked and I think,” He looked over his shoulder before lowering his voice, “That the Empire is behind it. Because my pops is saying that it was our fault. Even though it happened last night and like- it obviously wasn’t-” 

“Wait hold on! What was on the ship?” He interrupted him, looking down at the bracelet as Lucio stared at him for a moment. “Was it those crystals you own?” 

“Ugh- yes, but that’s not the point. I need you to tell him that we need to meet back up and like- do something about this!” He whispered yelled, before he heard some rustling from the other end of the line. Soon enough, after seeing nothing but a blank hologram he saw the leader's face, he sighed. 

“Akande, oh man you won’t believe what happened! My parents ship! If they get their hands on anything like that we’re screwed!” Lucio spoke, more in a panic as he was now away from the pyromaniac's grasp. 

“I understand, Lucio. But we cannot do much currently. We have to make a plan and discuss what we can do to help us and your family.” Lucio had a worried look on his face, biting his lip as he frowned. 

“Okay! I trust you. We- we should meet up again. To talk about what we should do.” Lucio spoke, finding it better to meet up face to face instead discussing it in a risky chance of their conversation being recorded.

“No. We have other matters to take care of. I will send someone else instead.” Lucio felt his eye twitch a bit before clicking his tongue. 

“Who are you gonna send?” He paused for a moment, looking to the side before back at the camera. 

“Fawkes will.” The man said. The prince felt his face morph into one of shock and confusion.

“Are you serious???” He questioned, his nose scrunched up as he looked at his hologram in disbelief. 

“Yes. I am. We need everyone for this mission. Fawkes will discuss the matters with you and report them back to me.” Lucio couldn’t believe it, he had to have this maniac come to his home to discuss his family problems. 

“Is uh- anyone else coming with him?” The prince questioned, looking down at the hologram as he stared at Akande with a look of uncertainty. The man shook his head. 

“No. We need everyone for this mission. Except him. So he will meet with you first and then we will meet later that night if our mission runs smoothly.” Lucio was staring at the screen blankly, his mouth agape as he just looked down at him before letting out a sigh.

“...Alright. That’s fine. I’ll see you then.” Then Lucio took off the wristband to cut the call, he groaned to himself as he let his head hit the edge of the bed, a frown on his face. As much as he tries to not judge people for their background or personality, he cannot help but feel irked by this man. He knew of some crimes he did and how he’s banned from a few planets, which is beyond Lucio that he didn’t even want to know how. Jamison was someone who didn’t take anything seriously, he already knew that from just looking at him. 

Groaning as he sat up, he put the watch back into the drawer, closing it after as he sat on his bed. He has to put his trust into this guy, which was hard to even comprehend at first but he had no choice but to. 

The night falls, his father leaving to discuss with the Emperor what to do with the shipping incident. Lucio had formed another gathering, much smaller from the previous night but just as lively. The Prince spoke with various people throughout the party and handled the music as always. His eyes scan the room to see the blonde lurking around or not, which leaves with not a single hint of him around. His eyes were scanning over the clock on his sound booth every once in a while as his anxiety grew. Where was he? He should be here by now. Did he even establish a time for him to come? 

Lucio felt himself grow impatient as he then stepped off his booth and made his way through the crowd and out of the room quietly. The lights throughout the rest of the house were dimmed, the light from the moons illuminating the hallway through the large windows. He needed to call them again to make sure when he was coming, seeing how the radio silence for the entire day caused him to wonder if they blew him off of his concerns. 

Before making his way towards his room, a sound of clutter came from another room which caused him to halt. He looked towards the door and just stared, stopping to make sure what he heard was correct. Another shuffle was heard, almost like a knocking noise and a faint murmur. No one was allowed within the other parts of the mansion, all of his guests were informed about such things. Was it a burglar? A servant that hasn’t left yet? Lucio felt himself go towards the door and hesitate, before quickly opening the door and flicking on the light. There standing on the other side of the room was Jamison, who was completely frozen for a moment before quickly standing up straight to face Lucio. He was full of confusion as he stared at him up and down, then around the room. 

“Ah! There you are. Was lookin’ everywhere for ya.” The Austrailian spoke, speaking as if he was not suspicious at all. “Ya got such a big ol house, I seemed to have got messed up on where I was!” He laughed, a large wide eyed grin on his face as he still stayed stiff, hands behind his back. 

“What? Dude why are you. How’d you even get in here? I didn't even see you walk in.” Lucio asked, still holding the door open with his hand as he stared at him with wide eyes. Jamison flattened his lips into a line before talking, 

“Well you see, I tried going through the same way as last time when our boss took me. But! The door was locked! And I wasn’t about to just barge in your doors because frankly I am beneath that-” Jamison rambled, not making eye contact with the prince as he looked around the room.

“Please don’t tell me you went through the front door! Do you know how risky that is?!” He asked, looking out in the hallway before speaking to him again. 

“Huh? No! I’d never.” Jamison said, before taking a moment to pause. “I went through a window.” 

Lucio stared at him with a gaping mouth, furrowing his eyebrows as he stared at him. He sighed as he rubbed his face, stepping into the room before looking back at him with his hand on his cheek.

“Okay whatever, you didn’t answer my question though. What are you doing here?” The prince noticed how Jamison’s hands were still behind his back, making him stare back up at him. “What do you have?”  

This caused Jamison to blink at him before shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders. “Whadda mean? I got nothin’ but me, myself, ‘n I!” Lucio gave a stare as he was trying to debate with himself if Jamison was kidding or not.

“Are you- trying to steal from my house?” The Prince asked, eyebrows furrowed as he stared at him distraught. The man’s eyes widened as he stood up straight, not saying a word to the royal. Lucio frowned as he walked towards him, his hands balled into fists as he was right in front of him. 

“You come into my home, drink and eat my food, and you decide to just- rob me?!” He spoke with a frustrated tone, looking up at the blonde as he looked at him up and down. 

“Not like you need it anyways! You're filthy rich. What’s so important over some stolen stuff?” The man replied a bit louder, puffing out his chest as he looked away from him. “If you didn’t just barge in, I bet you wouldn’t have noticed!” 

“Barge in? This is my house!” Lucio said as he had his hands on his hips, staring at the taller man in distaste. “We’re here to talk about business. I’m so- ugh! Akande should’ve never sent you.” He said that last bit to himself as he had his hand over his face, eyebrows furrowed. He was frustrated, but at the same time it honestly wasn’t that big of a deal, he managed to not be that uptight about it. 

“What is going on? Son?” The voice startled the two of them, making them back up as they faced the door now. There stood Lucio’s mother, his face shifting into one with horror.

“M-Mama!” Lucio replied, glancing at Jamison before back at her. He gave her a toothy grin as he kept his hands to his sides, clearly nervous. “What uhhhh- ahem. What’s up?” Lucio questioned her, scratching at his cheek as he gave her a look. His mother looked down at Lucio, then at Jamison before speaking. 

“I heard what sounded like arguing.” She said, her hands at her sides as she looked over at the two of them. The tension grew silent as the three of them looked at each other, before Lucio spoke again. “Son, who is this?”

The Prince opened his mouth to think of some excuse, before he felt Jamison’s large arm being pulled over his shoulders, which caught him by surprise. Despite being skinny he was rather dense. “Oh nothing's going on in here! Me and Luci are just dilly dallying!” Lucio heard Jamison speak, looking over at him to see his expression look the normal excited look. 

“Luci?” His mother looked confused for a moment, tilting her head before looking at her son. He bit the inside of his cheek before nodding, 

“Y-yeah! Me and uh…..Jamie! Just messing around. Sorry if we were loud, mama.” Lucio responded, playing along in hopes for their lie. It would be astounding if they got out of here unscathed.

His mother looked at the two, before giving a soft laugh as she smiled. “Lucio, I never thought you’d enjoy being called such a name.” Lucio felt his face warm up by her words, laughing with her nervously as he tried shifting away from Jamison’s grasp.

“What exactly are you doing in here?” She questioned again, in which Jamison quickly replied again.

“Ohhh, you see! We made a bet! Whoever could throw these cutlery,” He said, revealing his free hand full of utensils that were taken out of the drawers, “and get it thrown at them without flinching, would win! And since, y’know we wouldn’t use the ones at the party since it would be un-fancy-able! I took the ones from in here!” 

Silence filled the room as Lucio stared in horror at Jamison, processing everything he had just said to his mother. The Queen. They were going to get caught, might as well go down with the story.

“A-And I said that uhm- we couldn’t use these ones! Ye-yeah. Since they are ones for guests and the ones we use currently.” Lucio nodded, shooting a glare at Jamison as he stared in utter disbelief. His mother looked at the two of them for a moment, as if she was debating on what to say or not. Lucio looked at his mother, waiting for the final blow for them to be caught and arrested. 

“...Hm. That will not be a problem, Lucio. You and your Jamie may use them.” His mother said, a smile on her face as she looked at the two of them, “Just do not hurt one another, yes?” 

Jamison quickly nodded with a grin, gripping on Lucios shoulder as he shook him. 

“Why of course yer majesty! Your boy is safe with good ol’ Jamie!” He replied with a laugh, while Lucio forced a laugh in the process as the blond practically dragged him out of the room and past his mother. 

“Was a wonder meeting you, but we have quite a deal to finish! Ta!” With that he dragged Lucio by his arm to go back into the party room.

 The music still playing as people were sitting about and laughing amongst themselves, the two boys made it into the room they were supposed to meet in and shut the door behind him. Jamison let out a huff as he, setting all the utensils down on the table as he let out a laugh. He had a grin on his face as he faced Lucio, rubbing his hands together excitedly, 

“Well that was somethin! Good thing yer mum -” Lucio grunted as he covered his face with his hands, staring at Jamison.

“You can’t be serious! You- you!” He stood over Jamison, backing him against the table as he looked up at him. His hands at his face as he looked at him, eyebrows knitted together,

“Don’t you get it? My mother saw you! She might’ve recognized you! We would be so dead if that was the case!” 

“But she didn’t! We got out scott free! You’re welcome!” He drew out his words as he crossed his arms over his chest, rolling his eyes as he scowled at him.

“Dude. My mom knows everything! She literally works with the Empire. Why wouldn’t she know? We could be busted right now!” Lucio paced the room as he scratched his head as he sighed out of stress. 

“Look, mate, yer mom doesn’t peg me as a narc so it’s fine! Relax a bit before you bust a vessel!” He said, putting his hand on Lucio’s shoulder as he patted him. Lucio looked over his shoulder at Jamison, a frown on his face as he looked at his hand. He didn’t push him off right away as he let out a sigh, facing him again. Jamison was right, whenever Lucio got in trouble she would always hide the blame that led to him from his father. He couldn’t help but wonder what she might’ve thought, she was scary to Lucio sometimes because of how disarming she made herself.

“Okay, you’re right about that-” He begrudgingly agreed with Jamison, looking over at him, “You still tried stealing from me! What the heck man?!” Jamison groaned again as if annoyed, 

“Lighten up! Not like you’d get why I did that! It’s not like it was anythin’ of value!” He said, looking down at Lucio. “Not like some rich bloke like you would understand! We gotta fight to live out there!” 

The Prince stayed quiet at that remark, looking over at him for a moment before sucking between his teeth. “Okay I won’t but we have business to talk about! I didn’t invite you to talk to my mom and nearly get us in trouble!” Jamison groaned and was about to rebuttal, but he shut his mouth and looked down at the Prince. He was silent for a moment before scoffing and looking away.

“Fine! Sorry.” Jamison spoke as insincere as it could get, making Lucio just look down at him before sighing. 

“Look. You wasted too much time taking who knows what, and now I have to scrap as much as I can to talk about what happened, okay?” He said as he had his hands on his hips, looking up at the blond with a less angry expression. Jamison looked down at Lucio with a calmer expression as well, scanning the other man’s facial features.

“Okay. Okay.” He spoke, his hands waving at the sides of his face as he made his way to go sit down on a chair. “I’m all ears.” The Prince gave a piercing lip for a moment before he went over and sat across from him, his leg bouncing quickly as he looked over at Jamison.

“Uh, so like. Okay.-” Jamison’s sudden cooperation caught him by surprise that he nearly forgot what to say. “One of my dad’s ships got blown up the other night, everyone and everything on just- boom, gone. The Empire is saying that we raided it.” Lucio said, his elbows on the table as he looked over at him.

 “I’m almost 100% sure that the Empire is behind it, but I have no proof. And what’s worrying me is that if it is the Empire than that means they’re willing to attack us again and steal more of the sound crystals and set our sales out by months and we’d lose more power and-” Lucio fumbled over his words as he inhaled, looking over at Jamison as he spoke.

“Wait wait. You mean a ship with those crystal thingies might’ve gotten mugged by the Empire?” Jamison questioned, raising a brow as he let his prosthetic arm hang behind the chair. “Why’d they do that?”

“How am I supposed to know that?” Lucio remarked with an almost snarky tone, which made Jamison put his hand up defensively. 

“I’m just saying. What could they want with em? If they stole a whole shipment of em. You said that you and your old man made them from Vishkar? Does that mean they know how they work?” Lucio listened to Jamison, licking at his lip before humming, that was a good question. 

“Well- technically no, it was a whole process to actually make my amp, let alone make it work properly.” Lucio furrowed his eyebrows for a moment as he thought of the possibilities. 

“Then they wouldn’t know what to do with them if it was right in front of em! And I doubt they’d ask your old man for help since, y’know, they stole from him ‘n all.”  He looked over at Jamison again as they spoke, giving a small frown before nodding. 

“Yeah, I guess.” Lucio looked over at him before he watched the man in front of him move his hand while he talked, 

“Then that means we got a few months to figure it out. Yeah?” He said, a grin on his face. “I heard that Boss is talking to some lady that’ll be joining us. Still on the fence but I heard she is almost as good as me at stealin.” Lucio let out a soft huff of a laugh at  his words before raising a brow. 

“Okay. But how would we get them? They’re heavily guarded; we can't just barge in.”  Jamison looked down at him and shrugged. 

“Speak for yourself. I am very stealthy. They  wouldn’t even know I was there.” He spoke out confidently, staring at Lucio intently as he just stared back unimpressed. 

“Right. Like how you went ‘unnoticed’ today.” He remarked, making Jamison look away with a red face of embarrassment. 

“Oh, bite me! I was bein’ honest about getting lost. How the hell you maneuver in this place?” Lucio rolled his eyes at his response, raising a brow at him.

“Easily, honestly. It’s not that hard, man. Some heist puller if you can’t even find a room you need to be in.” He looked at his hands as if he was picking at his rings. A small tone of sass in his voice as he spoke with Jamison. 

The man blinked at him before grinning, “Oh but of course! The bloke who lived in this bloody maze knows where everything is! Who would’ve thought.” He replied, his tone playful as he returned the eyebrow raise. A silence sat  between them again as their banter died with that, Lucio unsure what to say next to him he clicked his tongue. 

“When did Akande say he would come?” He questioned, seeing Jamison perk up his head upon hearing him. He shrugged.

“No clue, he just said he’d try ‘n make it.” He said, bringing his foot up to rest it on the table. Lucio looked over at Jamison now, noticing more of his features now that he had nothing else to avert his gaze to. 

“Seriously?” He questioned, eyebrows squinting and slumped his shoulders. “Great.” The Prince breathed out to himself as he was now stuck with the pyromaniac until he came. If he came. 

Tapping his fingers on his legs he looked back over at Jamison again, scanning his features. Despite the fact he was missing two of his limbs, it was obvious that this guy has been through a lot. The scars over his body, his tolerance to situations, and the overall fact he looks - well, ill. lucio had to prevent himself from being nosy, curious to what his story was. But that would require for Jamison to explain it, which meant hearing him talk, and frankly he was tired of hearing that. 

“Did he say when you have to leave if he didn’t show up?” Lucio asked, looking over at him.

“Uhhh, not really. What, you wanna kick me out?” He questioned, a lopsided grin on his sharp face as he looked over at him. 

“Maybe.” The Prince responded, crossing his arms over his chest. “So you can tell Akadae what I said to you. Then we can meet up, officially this time.” Jamison pretended to act shocked, staring at him with wide eyes. 

“Some manners you have.” He said as he placed a hand near his chest and looked away. “Kicking out a guest.” 

“Except guests don’t steal from me.” Lucio smirked a bit at their back and forth, but he tried keeping a neutral face. Jamison sighed as he slumped his shoulders, looking over at him as he sat up from his laid back position. 

“Hey! I said I was sorry!” He reminded him, which made Lucio stare at him confused. 

“That was not an apology! More like an excuse.” The Prince said as he looked over at him with a smile and tilted his head. Jamison shrugged as he grinned at him as well, looking over at him as they sat in silence again. It was awkward, honestly, two unlikely people in a room together trying to hold a conversation. Lucio’s social circle was always limited to people who were like him, until a few months ago obviously when he joined the Rebellion. 

A ringing transmission saved the two of them, one that was coming from Jamison’s wrist. Clicking it, Lucio looked up to see who was calling and which a hologram of Akande received. The Prince perked up as he looked down at it, 

“Boss! Good as ever to see ya!” Jamison said as he looked down at him, “What’s the deal? We get her?”

“Not yet,” the voice came from the watch, “We have a change of plans. Come back now, and tell the Prince we need to meet.”