#and their chaotic dragon children

[lothirielswan]

"I Wish This Was Sangria"

Check out the race leaders' support group from Dear Prince Dandelion!

Quest Objective: Steal some free mana buns.

 “Yes, welcome to our support group.” Jaina answered. She added with a roll of her eyes, “Hi, I’m Jaina—”

“Hi, Jaina.” 

“—and I’m a sex addict.” 

Stamina elixir and sex addicts? Where’s the overlap there—I don't want to think about it.  

Khadgar noticed my furrowed brow, “Most support groups share the same problems. It seems we are all grappling with something different and need some…comradery. Why don't you join us?” 

“We have free mana buns,” The old blood elf replied. 

I leaned around Khadgar’s form to meet his gaze. “Sorry, who are you again?” 

“I’m Lor’themar Theron…?” He said. His words hung in the air with some implied meaning. 

“Hi, Lor’themar.” The customary greeting followed. 

“We’ve met before. I’m the regent lord of Silvermoon, engaged to your best friend…” Lor’themar hesitated, waiting for a sign of recognition. “...and I’m an alcoholic.” 

Lor’themar? Alcoholic? Where have I heard that before—? Recollection hit. “ Oh! You’re that guy Sylvanas used to bully all the time!”

Thrall sunk down in his chair. Lor’themar frowned at the paper cup of coffee in his hand. “I wish this was sangria.” 

Everyone in the room shot the regent lord pitiful looks. Thrall heaved a heavy sigh as if it were a common occurrence. “Please continue, Khadgar.”

“Thank you.” The archmage ushered me to an empty seat next to him and resumed his tale of addiction. “I’ve been overusing stamina elixirs for three months. At first, I thought it was simply to keep up with the three dragons I adopted and the demon that co-parents with me. But since I’ve started attending the retreat…I’ve realized that I’m not used to peace. I’m always expecting some explosion to break the silence! For instance: a week ago, my ki—Eona went out on a date late at night—”

Blood rushed to my face. Khadgar continued, “and I was so worried for her safety.” 

Genn raised his hand. “Question. I’m Genn—”

“Hi, Genn.” 

“—and I have anger management issues.” Genn glared at the ground as he uttered the confession. “Are you certain that your fear wasn't parental? My daughter, Tess, has had many nights out with her lady friends for the past few days. She doesn't return until morning! It always rubs me the wrong way.” 

“Genn, now is not the time to discuss your daughter’s impending lesbianism. I’m Tyrande, and I struggle with…pyromania,” The High Priestess added. 

“Hi, Tyrande.” 

Flashes of moments with Tess filled my mind. Her arm linked with mine, strolling through the halls of Anduin-crazed women. 

“You dress like a normal person, at least—cute, but normal.” 

“I prefer wolves over lions.” 

I looked everywhere but Genn’s face. Tess was pretty—which is not a relevant point! 

“With all due respect, Tyrande: if my daughter preferred the company of women, I’m confident that she would tell me.” Genn rumbled. 

“With all due respect, Genn: as a mother who has a daughter that prefers women, I’m not wrong.”

Jaina blinked. “Oh! We should’ve given our pronouns.” 

Thrall raised a hand. “We’ll circle back. Khadgar, do you have anything else to add?”

Khadgar shook his head. Thrall motioned to Jaina. “You’re next.” 

“Right.” Jaina straightened her posture. She crossed her legs beneath a long, weathered trench coat (another elaborate attempt at blending in). “For me, what I’m struggling with is…intimacy. I’ve been in a lot of relationships. All of them have just…ripped my heart apart. Over and over…I’ve recently recollected with a former lover of mine—”

Our eyes met. Jaina eyes quickly flit away. “But I’m incapable of journeying into anything more vulnerable than sex. I’m aware that relationships based purely on arousal exist, but I know that’s not what he wants. I also know that we click, and if I could get over the fear, we might work well together…perfectly, even. But how do you get over fear of someone you love?” 

A respectful silence hung in the air. Kalec’s glassy, dead gaze from last night haunted me throughout her story. Jaina wore a similar expression as she stared at her lap. I want to say something. But…I’m Kalec’s sister. I’m too afraid she’d take it as a criticism instead of advice. But we are friends… 

I shifted towards her in my seat. “Maybe…you should tell him that.”

Every pair of eyes seeped into my skin. I traced the ivory pattern of Jaina’s braid with my eyes, the only object in the room that didn't hang on every word I spoke, “Letting him know might make you feel better. If the two of you truly work well together, he’ll listen. Maybe setting boundaries will make the relationship more trusting and less scary. I’m sure Kal— whoever it is, would agree.” 

Heads bobbed in agreement. Jaina mouthed a thank you. Her shoulders relaxed. 

Thrall’s gaze fell upon me. “Would you like to go next?” 

I froze. The people surrounding me had far more power than I did. Their presences filled the room like an astral orb in the sky. But, at that moment, their identities were meaningless. As was mine. 

I clasped my hands together in my lap. “I’m Eon, and…there’s way too many issues to just list one. My father’s dead. He passed away years ago. I think I’ve finally given up on trying to be something he wanted, but I may be wrong about that.

“My mother is alive. She hasn't spoken to me in years, and I’m too afraid to reach out first because of what she’ll say. I was not the best daughter. I left her alone with my aunt, and I’m afraid that made things worse. My aunt was a psychiatrist to the worst people Azeroth has known, and they broke her. I know it’s taken a toll on her and my mother.”

I paused. My body felt hollow, like organs and arteries had been yanked out and pooled on the floor in front of everyone. Something didn't feel right. Something was missing. “But I have support in my life. I have a close relationship with my brothers. They are an important part of my life. I have healthy parental figures in my life that don’t inspire feelings of inferiority—” 

I glanced in Khadgar’s direction and kept going. “—I finally have the guts to pursue someone that makes me happy. I’m pretty sure I’ve been in love with them for years.

“The people I share blood with—and a few twisted individuals that I was close to—did some terrible things. Some people even called them monsters. But I don't see them that way. They’re people with problems. And I think I’m finally convincing myself that I’m not one either, and people don't see me that way.” 

Khadgar sniffed and wiped at his eyes. “That was beautiful, my little murloc. I’m so proud of you—”

“Do you need a tissue?”

“...How about a bottle of stamina—”

“NO!”

[unknownchaos]

Based on when I was playing Sky earlier and I was trying to get pictures of the krill. I dodged this big guy twice and got some pretty cool pictures so I'll say that the terror I felt was worth it

[artinandwritin]

live footage of mona plotting out niv's story:

[fruit-colored-ninja]

A couple weeks ago or smth i complained about people headcanoning all the new kids as the ninjas children, this complaint does Not apply to Kai and wyldfyre because Kai has 100% mentally adopted her

[kazz-brekker]

had slightly too much free time on my hands today and accidentally made a whole bingo card of things that i don’t necessarily think will happen on this season of house of the dragon but which i think would be very entertaining to see

[jikanet-tanaka]

...so, uh, my D&D group just adopted an Abyssal Wolf pup in game. Pup’s family attacked us to get a bite at our Tiefling wizard, and got Fireball’d and shot to death (RIP). Lizardfolk Paladin found the puppy, asked us what we should do we her, and so my Wolfkin ranger and the wizard immediately went ‘...PUPPY!!11!1!″ and lo and behold, my ranger is now going around with a lil’ Abyssal Wolf strapped to her chest in a baby wrap, with the wizard and her mount (a Shadow Wolf) serving as Mom #2 and Mom #3.

Her name is Persephone, or Persie for short.

[goldenbear228]

😈

[greenstudies]

Random pieces of advice

The world is less scary and chaotic if you lie down on the floor

Noticing different kinds of light (stars, candles, sunshine or city lights) can bring back the feeling of wonder and hope

If you can't shower, washing your hands and face will help you feel better and cleaner

If you can't clean anything else, changing and/or washing your bedsheets can do wonders

Fresh air and being outside in general can help with depersonalisation

Spending time around animals can help you recognise what's important and calm anxious thought cycles

Techniques for emotional regulation in children can really help adults too

Putting random asortment of food on a plate without creating an actual dish still counts as a meal

Drink something warm

Delete that app

Treat yourself as if you were a kid. Buy yourself a toy, play around, learn about cool new things

Fast paced life isn't morally better and it's not good for everyone

There is no good reason to keep yourself hungry

Singing to your full lung capacity can be a great way to let out built up emotion

Tension in the face can cause headaches. Try to massage your face regularly

Nothing is as important as your health

You are a whole person on your own, you don't need someone else to be there to deserve love and attention. Your life can be full as long as you are present

You should cry things out whenever you feel like it

Slow walks are still movement and they do count

It's never as bad as you imagine it

Try changing your toothpaste flavor if you hate brushing your teeth

Anything can be a stim toy - one of my favourites is a heavy dragon necklace that has a complicated surfice. It's fun to touch and hold and it's not even "actual" stim toy

Procrastinating and feeling bad about it is true waste of time. Learn to truly rest. It takes the same amount of time but it is useful

Sometimes you have to force yourself to do the things that make you feel better

Don't trust the thoughts you have after not sleeping for a while

Friendships don't have to be forever to mean something

[ventingv]

What would it be like if Neuvillette and Zhongli came home after a long day out, only to find their mate ready to lay eggs? Woul mate feel the labor pains or would it be a simple posture? Or in the case of Neuvillette in some cave far from the civilization of Fontaine they use for posture and safety of the eggs?

(I'm sorry for being weird lmao 🥲)

Your not weird, don’t worry.

Made Neuvillette only leave for like ten minutes only to come back to chaos. Like that meme of that guy holding pizza boxes with a happy smile only to walk into a chaotic scene. Because I’m pretty sure he would absolutely not leave his pregnant mate/lover for a whole day while Zhongli would do so after being told to by his mate/lover. Much to his reluctance.

Zhongli

Zhongli really didn’t want to leave you alone at home when you were very close to laying the egg but there was an emergency at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and Hu Tao desperately needed his help.

It was only due to your insistence that you will be fine that Zhongli reluctantly left your side to help her.

Now that he came back to the sight of you kneeling on the ground of the kitchen with a look of pain on your face holding your stomach makes him regret listening to you.

He would try to be completely rational as he picks you up and carries you to your shared bedroom.

In the bed room would be a large nest next to the bed made from different expensive and exotic clothes with some jewels decorating the outside of it that Zhongli had bought over the months of your pregnancy. Wanting to make the best nest for his made and child.

He would place you in the nest in a comfortable position and after making sure there weren’t any other discomfort you were experiencing would calling Xiao name who would react instantly to his name calling by Zhongli and with a look at you would instantly know why his name was called.

He would instruct him to get Madame Ping which he would do so as soon as he was told.

It’s only afterwards, when the egg is placed safely in your arms, that lets his shoulders untense themselves and release a relieved sigh.

If there are anymore children after this you can bet that he would not leave your side when near birth. No matter how much you beg him.

Neuvillette

When Neuvillette comes back home after getting the food item you were craving he would drop it in shock at the sight of you gripping the couch’s arm from where you sat tight enough to hear the wood under it threatening to break with the other hand on your stomach.

Furina panickingly asking/begging you to hold the eggs in also makes it obvious that you were currently in labor.

Early labor since there it was still three week from when you were supposed to give birth.

Seeing as the plans of having you give birth in a more secluded and safer place are out the window he would carry you to the bathroom after much worry of how to carry you without potentially causing you any pain or discomfort while practically ordering Furina to grab any and all soft clothes that she can grab.

He would place you in the large tube that the two of you would share sometimes and turn on the water to fill the tube, knowing that due to the eggs being hydro dragons it will be easier to lay them in water.

It’s only when the last egg is laid and confirmed to be healthy by him that he places it in the hastily makeshift nest of the clothing that Neuvillette places his forehead against yours and thanks you for being so strong while he was away.

You can bet he will be expanding his maternity leave for as long as possible, which Furina happily gives him after that traumatic situation for both him and her.

[amuseoffyre]

With Black Sails being back in streaming in some areas, I'm imagining how much it would infuriate the current slew of people who are convinced that watching morally gray/bad characters makes you as a viewer a morally gray/bad person.

Our leading man straight up beats someone to death with a cannon ball in the first couple of episodes and kills many many many people while acting out of grief, loss, remorse and rage. Also, he is baby and cries in his cabin.

One of our leading lady abandons and double-crosses her lovers (both male and female) out of her desire to do what she believes is the right thing to keep their world alive and running, trading, bartering and fighting every step of the way.

And the best part is that none of these characters start out this way. We have so many idealists. The hopeful ones who want the better world, but the better world isn't something 'civilisation' will allow them to have and the carnage comes when they try and change things. It's a scream against the injustices of the world that pushes people to desperate measures to hold onto and protect what little they have.

This is how they survive. They paint the world full of shadows and then tell their children to stay close to the light. Their light. Their reasons. Their judgments. Because in the darkness, there be dragons. But it isn't true. We can prove that it isn't true. In the dark there is discovery. There is possibility. There is freedom in the dark once someone has illuminated it.

Everyone else is ruthless, survivalist, determined to do whatever they have to in order to get what they want/need. People make horrible decisions out of desperation and because there's literally no other choice. And there are consequences. Each action causes ripples in the canon pool. No decision, no matter how reckless/hopeless/desperately made, comes without repercussions.

Unlike so many series, what happens in the episodes before directly impacts how the events that follow play out. Action and reaction. It's a narrative that begins long before we join the story and, when we leave it, it's a narrative that will continue long afterwards. It's a bloody, chaotic, glorious and devastating would-be revolution.

In case I hadn't mentioned it, I adore this show with every fibre of my being. It is packed with so many layers and so much nuance and history and phenomenal character arcs.

[destinysbounty]

One of my favorite aspects of Dragons Rising is that no one has any goddamn clue whats going on, get no answers for anything, and they all just kinda spend 10 episodes screaming at each other in total confusion.

Especially Zane, who woke up like 5 minutes ago and has suddenly found himself in the middle of this big major climactic battle involving dragons and indestructible holograms and a weird feral child and a giant god-dragon trapped inside of a magic orb who could destroy reality and like 50 other chaotic things happening all at once. And he just looks at this and goes "ah yes my friends have gotten up to more unhinged shenanigans, nothing new there :)" and just goes along with it.

Like you really gotta appreciate his ability to just kinda take everything in stride. Lloyd got turbo-boosted with dragon power and now hes unconscious? Sure. This strange feral child has Kai's same powers? Why not. Hes spent the last 5 years sleeping in a weird pod in some haunted underground monastery and completely slept through the merging of all 16 realms? Just another day in Ninjago. Lloyd kinda-sorta adopted these two random children, one of whom has an elemental power no ones heard of? Alright, this might as well happen.

This is a man who has put up with so many of his friends' batshit adventures and antics that at this point i dont think anything can really take him by surprise anymore. And honestly you gotta respect that

[witchthewriter]

𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞

⤷ female, ambiguous race, and any size reader. Requests are open, thank you for reading!  

a/n: okay so we all know Daemon wouldn’t be a great partner, but this is Tumblr and we take characters and form them into something ... other than what the author created them as. So here is a healthier version of Daemon Targaryen

Warnings; mentions of blood, violence, etc 

ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ    

ESTP

Slytherin

Chaotic Neutral/Evil

Aries Sun, Scorpio Moon, Gemini Rising

SFW🌿

⭑ Daemon knows exactly how to push your buttons, and he loves doing so. 

     “Are you not listening on purpose Daemon? Gods! Some days I could wring your neck.”

 “I love you too, darling.”

⭑ He loves when you braid his hair; and massage his scalp during the progress. He’ll audibly groan when your fingers dig into his scalp. 

⭑ Loves seeing you in his clothes

⭑ He’s so incredibly protective over you and no one dares hurt THE Daemon Targaryen’s wife. If anyone tries, then they WILL die. It’s happened a few times actually. To go to the Targaryen’s, enemies would target you. But they had never landed their blows. 

⭑ You’re a tough woman, who doesn’t take crap from anyone. That got you into trouble with a lot of people at court, and you were hated by many people. 

⭑ You didn’t care though - why would you listen to the opinions of sheep?

⭑ And you aren’t scared of darkness within others. You yourself have some (don’t we all?) 

⭑ Daemon loves this about you - nothing shocks you. And he remembers the first time he fell in love with you; when he could tell you everything about himself and you didn’t flinch. 

⭑ Many would think he’s the dominant one in the relationship, but it’s you. It’s all you. 

⭑ You’re absolutely in love with dragons (I mean who isn’t) but you have such an admiration for them, that they were your fixation for most of your childhood. You’ve read everything you can about them, about the Targaryen history and how dragons came to be

⭑ Daemon loves that he has someone to tell everything to. You know many family secrets about the Targaryens (that always stay within the blood-related family)

⭑ You aren’t a Targaryen though. Probably a Baratheon, Hightower, or Lannister noblewoman who was sent to court. 

⭑ Daemon is actually really good at cuddling and likes it best when you’re on top of him - your head on his chest. He’ll mindlessly twirl your hair between his fingers, talking to you until you fall asleep. 

⭑ Your wedding was huge. And I mean absolutely - because Viserys was so happy that Daemon’s focus was on you. It felt like a relief that Daemon was marrying for love. 

⭑ Daemon buys you everything you desire - no expense spared. Literally, he’s gotten into trouble by Otto Hightower with how much he’s spending on you. 

⭑ I do think you have a good heart though, so a lot of the things he buys for you, you give to people who actually need it. 

⭑ Rhaenyra likes you a lot. You’re someone she looks up to - someone who has already broke tradition by being a bold woman. Who says what she thinks and damns the consequences. 

⭑ Viserys would hold some reservations (that were planted by Otto) about Daemon’s legitimacy with the succession. He would have a bigger claim if you bore children. 

⭑ But ultimately it would be up to you. Do you want kids? Okay, Daemon will work day and night to fill your belly. You don’t want kids? Fuck kids then. We have dragons and each other, that’s all we need. 

⭑ I think he would calm down in the sense that he wouldn’t be so brutal towards others. You’re someone who gives him confidence - he doesn’t need to prove himself. So when he needs help, he will take it. 

⭑ People are nervous around Daemon when you’re not there - he’s much more well-mannered and pleasant in your presence. 

⭑ He smells like smoke, basil and frankincense. 

⭑ Calls you ‘My darling,’ ‘Love,’ ‘Pet.’ 

Relationship Tropes: 

Villain/Badass Power Couple

Monster in Disguise (you; I mean c’mon you can let loose) x Incredibly Protective of You

Asshole to absolutely everyone except their significant other x Knows their s/o wouldn’t dare be rude to them because they’ll catch these hands

NSFW🔞 minors dni!

⭑ Daemon definitely has a breeding kink, and the thought of you heavily pregnant with his child turns him on to no end 

⭑ Is definitely into really kinky sex. He loves having hot wax dripped on him as part of foreplay. 

⭑ He loves blood-play. And when you’re on your period he asks you to ride his face. 

⭑ Hickies absolutely EVERYWHERE; Daemon’s favourite pass time when you’re alone is marking you. 

⭑ You love teasing him while in public - your dress slipping, showing your thigh/bending down in front of him to pick something up/’accidentally’ rubbing up against him while in other company

⭑ His favourite position is doggy; he loves when you’re on all fours, your ass in the air. 

⭑ Oh and he most definitely eats ass. 

⭑ I think Daemon would be up for anything. Nothing disturbs/grosses him. 

⭑ His favourite place to cum is either inside you or in your mouth/on your face. 

⭑ When you’re just about to cum, he’ll pull out and wait for your high-pitched whine. 

   “Daemon! Please!” 

⭑ Very rough kisses

⭑ He loves biting your ear lobe while he’s deep inside of you

⭑ Your smell drives him insane - like an immediate aphrodisiac 

⭑ He loves dirty talk and is absolutely shameless about it. 

     “Do you like me fucking you like a common whore?” 

⭑ He’s more dominant in the bedroom ... because you allow him to be. 

⭑ There’s always a hot bath waiting when you’ve finished having sex. You’ll both climb in, and bathe the other. 

[our-lord-satanas]

BAPHOMET

WHO ARE THEY?

Baphomet is a Pagan deity that represents duality and balance. Most people work with Baphomet in order to become more peaceful, understanding, and balanced. Baphomet is often referred to as ‘Satan’ or ‘The Devil’, which isn’t true. People mostly say that because Baphomet has pentacle on their head and they have the head of a goat. A goat represents fertility and spiritually.

BASIC INFO:

Appearance: in some Pagan traditions, Baphomet is seen as a symbol of balance and unity between the Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine, represented by a human figure with the head of a goat. In other traditions, Baphomet is considered the personification of the primordial chaos and oblivion. In some folklore and myths, Baphomet was a symbol of fertility and reproductive power, and was often depicted as a hermaphrodite or a hybrid creature.

Personality: Baphomet is often depicted as a fierce and formidable entity, representing the destructive and chaotic forces of nature. Although they can seem intimidating and unpredictable, they also have a nurturing and compassionate side. Their personality is often reflected in the dual nature of Baphomet, where they are both masculine and feminine, gentle and fierce, peaceful and intense. They are a symbol of balance and unity, the meeting point of opposites and contradictions.

Symbols: pentagram, head of a goat, human body with an animal head, pentacle, sword, key, male and female, and the words "As above so below"

God/Goddess of: sexuality, demonic forces, wisdom, nature, balance, darkness, and pride

Culture: Demonic

Plants and trees: rosemary, lilacs, irises, lavender, aconitum napellus, black walnut, and cacao

Crystals: obsidian, amethyst, onyx, crystal quartz, garnet, black tourmaline, ruby, selenite, and brown quartz

Animals: black goats, snakes, wolves, ravens, dogs, oxen, and black cats

Incense: dragon’s blood, black musk, opium, frankincense, and mag champa

Colours: black, white, yellow, red, green, purple, gold, and dark blue

Numbers: 8, 13, and 666

Zodiacs: Pisces and Aquarius

Tarot: The Chariot, The Hermit, The Empress, and The Devil

Planets: Saturn and Mars

Days: Saturday, Tuesday, Walpurgis Night, Halloween, Blavatsky Day, The Winter Solstice, and Yule

Parents: Lucifer and Lilith

Siblings: none

Partner: none

Children: Azazel and Astaroth (not official)

MISC:

• The Union of Male and Female: Baphomet is often depicted with both male and female characteristics, symbolizing the unity of the masculine and the feminine.

• The Balance of Good and Evil: Baphomet is an entity of balance, symbolizing the interplay between good and evil in nature and in life.

• The Sabbatic Goat or The Horned One: Baphomet is often portrayed as a goat-like creature with horns.

• Harmony

• Knowledge and wisdom

• Power and strength

• Spiritual knowledge and enlightenment

• A balance scale, which represents balance and harmony

• The word "Solve and Coagulo", which translates to "divide and combine" and refers to the dualism nature of Baphomet

• Rebellion and defiance

• Freedom and individuality

• Unity and togetherness

• Chaos and disorder

• Sexuality and sensuality

• Nature and wildness

• Protection and defense

• Magic and witchcraft

FACTS ABOUT BAPHOMET:

• Name: Baphomet is named after the Greek word "baphos," which means "the virgin."

• Symbol of the Satanist: the imagery of Baphomet has become a symbol of the Satanist church, with variations on the iconography being used by other satanists.

• Relatioinships: Baphomet is a figure in the Gnoetics who often represents the synthesis of female and male principles.

• History: the figure of Baphomet is believed to have originated among Gnostics, a group who blended early Christian and Greek-Roman mythology.

• Role: they are believed to represent the balance of male and female and the union of good and evil, acting in many ways as a symbol of the Satanist.

• Associations: they are often associated with the concept of balance, as well as various other aspects of Gnosticism, such as the concept of the duality of existence, the synthesis of opposing forces, and the merging of opposites.

• Connection to the beast: it is said that Baphomet symbolized the balancing of the inner animal nature with spirituality and intelligence.

• Nature: Baphomet is considered to be a symbol of the balance of opposites, blending the masculine and feminine elements into a singular whole.

HOW TO WORSHIP BAPHOMET:

You must ask Baphomet if they want to work with you. Baphomet is a deity, so you shouldn’t be commanding them or telling them what to do. You must be patient with them. (Watch out for trickster spirits). Respectfully ask them to give you a sign, and if you’re respectful enough, you might as well get an answer.

If they answer YES, you can create an altar to be more connected, but if you cannot then have something that reminds you of them. It can be small and simple.

If they answer NO, respectfully apologize for disturbing them. If you connected through an object then you don’t have to throw it out, you can cleanse it and get rid of that intention. If it’s something from nature, you can bury it.

HOW TO PRAY TO BAPHOMET:

To begin, you can address them by name and say something like:

"Great Lord Baphomet, keeper of balance and bringer of harmony, I come to you seeking your wisdom and protection. I offer myself to you, my heart and my spirit, and I ask for your blessing in this prayer."

"Thank you, great Lord Baphomet, for walking by my side and guiding me on this path. I depart from this space with balance and peace in my heart and with a sense of purpose and direction. Hail Lord Baphomet.”

WHAT ARE SIGNS THAT BAPHOMET WANTS ME TO WORK WITH THEM?

If your request to work with Baphomet has been accepted, you can look for these signs:

• A strong connection or attraction to Baphomet.

• Desire to explore or study Baphomet's teachings.

• Wanting to explore your own masculinity or femininity and find balance in your own nature.

• Desire to challenge social norms and embrace your own unique identity.

• Feeling of being guided by a force outside yourself.

• Feeling of being called to a higher purpose or feeling like there's more to your life than just everyday existence.

If your requests to work with Baphomet have not been accepted, you may see the following signs:

• Your intuition may lead you in a different direction and away from their teachings.

• Signs in your life may not align with their teachings or you may feel unclear or uncertain regarding their energies.

• Dreams and meditations may involve different figures or energies, and you may feel a lack of connection with Satan or Baphomet's energies.

Overall you need to be respectful of deities denying your request.

OFFERINGS:

• Your time.

• Meditation.

• Communication.

• Carving Baphomet’s symbol or name into a candle.

• Any kind of art of them.

• Being respectful.

• Learning about them.

• Candles.

• Liquor.

• Ropes.

• Incense: dragons blood, black musk, frankincense, etc.

• Animal skulls, bones, horns, etc.

• Dark or red flowers

DEVOTIONAL ACTS FOR BAPHOMET:

• Reject traditional values and social norms

• Embrace your masculinity and femininity

• Live a chaotic, self-guided life

• Reject authority and control

• Seek freedom and autonomy

• Balance your masculine and feminine energy

• Practice self-love and self-acceptance

• Live a hedonistic lifestyle of pleasure and indulgence

• Be brave, adventurous, and open to new experiences

• Live an unconventional life.

IS IT SAFE TO EAT OR DRINK AN OFFERING I GIVE TO THEM?

It is not recommended to eat or drink an offering that was given to Baphomet. Baphomet is a God of excess and self-indulgence and represents the darker sides of the human experience. Eating or drinking an offering made to Baphomet can carry risks of negative side effects, such as a lack of balance in one's life, a sense of greediness or addiction, or other negative energetic effects. Instead, it's recommended to dispose of an offering made to Baphomet in a respectful and safe way.

[itsgameofthronesimagines]

Could you write about Harwin strong being married to Rhaenyra's sister and they are in Drifmark and is their son who attacked Aemond to protect his little brother so when they are asking about what happens they stand up for him and at the end is the reader who stops Alicent from attacking her son?

(Gif not mine but oh, be still my beating heart)

Title: Strong Bonds

Fandom: House of the Dragon

Pairing: Harwin Strong x Female!Targaryen Reader

Word Count: 7,610

Warnings: Grief, incest, blood, violence, childbirth, etc.

A/N: FINALLY A HARWIN STRONG REQUEST! For context, Y/n will be a year younger than Rhaenyra, and speaking of which, Rhaenyra will still be married to Laenor and their sons are all legitimate with mixed skin, silver hair, and purple eyes.

(I do not consent to my works being reposted/copied)

"Are you sure it's safe for you to be traveling at this extent?"

Y/n peered up from absentmindedly playing with her sleeping son's dark hair, her own silver locks falling over her eyes as she does so. The carriage rocks as it slowly made its way down a dirt road outside, swaying the Targaryen princess and her family in a calming moment of their chaotic lives. The son whose head rested in her lap, Osmund, stirred when the carriage hit a bump in the road but otherwise kept on dreaming. Y/n returned to petting his hair to keep him that way.

Her husband, Harwin Strong, closely watches her from across the carriage, their youngest son, Baelor, also slept but preferred his father's strong arms over his mother's small lap. No one could blame the five-year-old child since Princess Y/n's lap had shrunk over the months due to her ever-growing stomach, now barely giving ten-year-old Osmund room to sleep in peace.

She raises a sharp eyebrow at her husband, "Would you rather have me fly Qyraxes to Driftmark?"

"Gods, woman, no of course not," Harwin shakes his head, but couldn't help the small grin he bore, "You act like I want to be a widower. What I meant to say was that we didn't have to leave if it would be safer for you."

"This is my cousin's funeral, my love," Y/n spoke sadly, staring out the window while thinking of Laena, "Everyone is going to be there and we, alongside the rest of my father's family, are expected to be there. Besides... I have not seen or heard from Rhaenyra since she left for Dragonstone. I need to see her again."

"Your sister could easily fly back to King's Landing to see you."

A scowl forms on the princess' beautiful face, "Not when there are leeches always lurking about in the Red Keep."

She doesn't speak plainly, but the message was clear. Y/n always prided herself in acting similar to her uncle, Daemon, over her father, Viserys. Much like Daemon, Y/n always saw Otto Hightower as a leech, sucking the blood from the King's back. His daughter is no different. Queen Alicent is a thorn in Y/n's side. Like repeating history, the two women exchange poisoned words with each other, much like how Otto and Daemon once did. It brought Y/n comfort to learn that Lord Otto was dismissed and sent back to Oldtown, with her good father, Lord Lyonel, taking his place as the new Hand of the King, but the Queen still remained. Y/n may not have been friends with Alicent like Rhaenyra once was, but their personalities clashed and therefore formed a rivalry that matched the feud between Alicent and Rhaenyra.

Alicent's most recent jab was one spoken under her breath, but for the entire Small Council to hear. She had made a comment that only true Targaryens have silver hair, and although she never spoke plainly, everyone knew she was singling out Y/n and Harwin's black-haired children. Lord Lyonel Strong looked appalled and disgusted in defense of his son, and Viserys wanted to come to his youngest daughter's defense, but Y/n had always been able to hold her own. Her sharp tongue shuts the accusation down quickly when she pointed out that Alicent's sons and daughter must not be true Targaryens then since they're half Hightower and were just lucky enough to bear silver hair.

Y/n didn't like King's Landing any more than Rhaenyra because of obvious reasons, but unlike Rhaenyra, the younger sister didn't really have a choice in leaving when both she and her husband were part of her father's court. As much as Y/n would love to raise her children alongside her sister in Dragonstone, Rhaenyra had been named the princess of said keep and therefore she had every right to live there. Y/n, being the younger daughter of Viserys and Aemma, had no such claim and unfortunately had no rights apart from those she earned when marrying her now husband.

Not to say she was complaining, however, since she loved Harwin with a burning passion and was happy to bear his sons and heirs of Harrenhal. Y/n had never been happier, and made peace with the fact that she would never have claims to anything like Rhaenyra did as long as she wasn't Viserys' heir. Y/n was content in just being a Targaryen princess, a dragon rider, a wife, and most proudly a mother. Nothing more.

Harwin relents after a fashion of heavy, grieving silence, adjusting his younger boy's head to rest more comfortably on his chest, "Did the maesters say you'll be safe to travel?"

"... No," she flashed a shy grin as if she had been caught stealing sweets, "But when has that ever stopped me?"

Harwin huffs out a small, exhausted laugh, a fond tone in his voice, "Have you noticed how much I've aged since I married the trickster that you are?"

"I've never tricked you into anything," Y/n tilts her head and smiles fondly back at him, "If anything, you're the one who's been tricking me. Only you could persuade me from causing a little chaos."

"Then I should have tried making my case back at King's Landing before we even packed for Driftmark."

"I'm pregnant, my love, not dying," Y/n decides to change the subject upon looking out the window and seeing Driftmark's rooftops in the distance, "I hope Daemon makes an appearance. He tends to act more of a stranger than usual when grieving."

~~~~~~~~~

Daemon is not there to greet his family when they arrive, but Rhaenyra is, along with her husband, Laenor, and their children, Jacaerys and Lucerys.

The royal family and their court all spill out of their line of carriages, King Viserys being the first to greet his oldest daughter with a hug and a kiss before greeting Laenor with his condolences. Alicent and her children dutifully say their grievances, but remain stiff during the whole exchange. Harwin emerges from his carriage, helping his sons out and then his heavily pregnant wife. Y/n's feet barely touched the ground before Rhaenyra embraced her.

"You look stunning," the older sister comments while holding Y/n's face in her hands, "Have the maesters determined the gender of the child?"

"They think it's a girl," Y/n beamed, glancing over at her husband, "And I think he is far more excited than I."

"Marvelous. You must tell me what names you have planned out over tea," Rhaenyra links her arm with Y/n as they began to walk.

"How is Joffrey?"

"Restless, I'm afraid. I left him at home with the wet nurse so that I may gain some sleep out of all of this. You know, if you're truly having a daughter, perhaps we might get to wed our children after all."

"Wouldn't that be lovely? We would get to spend our elder years together, watching our children and grandchildren rule all of the strong houses of the Seven Kingdoms. And let's not forget the dragons they would all ride."

The beautiful vision fades when the Lord and Lady of Driftmark finally come out to greet their guests. Rhaena and Baela are with them and are momentarily distracted from their grief in exchange for fawning over Y/n's rounded belly. Y/n gladly answered their questions if it meant they could briefly forget about their mother's passing. She also secretly enjoyed the girls' company, excited with the idea of possibly having her own girl soon. Jace and Luke trail behind them, but try to act as though they were not interested. Y/n included her nephews in the conversation, wanting them to bond with Laena's daughters. They were family after all, and family shouldn't feel like strangers to one another.

The funeral itself is brought down to the cliffsides where Laena's coffin is to be thrown into the sea. Vaemond Velaryon said a wonderful eulogy about his family's house and finally, the heavy coffin was thrown from the cliffs' edge, sinking to the very bottom of the deep. No one ever said a word until they walked back up to the keep in order to help themselves to wine and food. Plenty of people took this time to give their condolences to the family of the dead, and Corlys and Rhaenys bravely took in their guests despite mourning for the loss of their child. Laenor mysteriously vanishes, but no one says a word, not even when Corlys angrily sent Ser Qarl Correy to fetch him. Everyone was tight-lipped, the tension filling the air with the threat to break. Who were meant to be family members barely knew what to do with each other.

Speaking of, Y/n finally spotted Daemon lingering on the outskirts of the growing crowd and briefly left the children with Harwin and Rhaenyra so that she may give her condolences, "Uncle. My sincerest apologies for you and your daughters."

Daemon accepts the kiss on his cheek but keeps his hands folded in front of him, leaning against the stone balcony overlooking the sea. His eyes travel over his niece's face before traveling down to her swollen belly, smiling slightly as he spoke in Valyrian, "Not as sorry as I am for you to make such a harrowing journey in your predicament. My own wife was dying from childbirth before she took matters into her own hands. One could only wonder if the difficult labor was the consequence of our family traveling so often."

"You can't blame yourself for what's happened," Y/n rests a hand on her uncle's shoulder, reverting to her mother tongue, "Women die of childbirth every day, our mothers were no exception. Laena was strong and determined to die a dragonrider's death, which she succeeded."

Daemon briefly looks down and then looks off to the side. Y/n follows his gaze and spots her father across the yard, eyeing the two of them before turning away and speaking with Corlys Velaryon. Lyonel Strong is standing beside the King, with young Baelor weaving between his two grandfathers, unbothered. Y/n looks back at her uncle and whispers in his ear in the common tongue, "Speak with him. He misses you."

She pulls away and gives Daemon his space, carefully hobbling over to her usual social circles. Harwin has a chair waiting for her as their friends and family are gathered around it. Harwin holds Y/n's hand to steady her as she sits, gratefully taking a drink from a servant girl. Osmund approached his mother once she was settled and she immediately grabs his hand with an encouraging smile.

"Why don't you go and see to your cousins, hm?" Y/n gently squeezed her son's smaller hand, her thumb tracing shapes in his skin, "They've lost their mother. They could use a kind word."

Osmund looked as though he was ready to pout and whine until he glanced up at his father. One stern look from Harwin and the little lord sighs and nods obediently, leaning over and kissing his mother's cheek before walking away to find Rhaena and Baela.

Rhaenyra watches her nephew walk off, a cup of wine in her hands, "Is he ill-tempered?"

"Not usually. It's been a long journey to Driftmark and he was sad he couldn't fly here. It's also the first time he's ever experienced loss. I don't think he knows how to properly react yet," Y/n absently rubs her stomach, playfully smiling up at her husband, "He does get his might from his father though."

"As one could expect from the son of Ser Breakbones," Rhaenyra chimes in with amusement as she now watches her sister's movements, "So for names, have you decided on any?"

"A few," Harwin answered from his stance behind his wife's chair, "If the maesters were mistaken and it is a boy, we want to name him Viserys," Rhaenyra smiles as he continued, "If it's a girl... we're still deciding on just one."

"We've been going back and forth," Y/n sighs, exhausted by the memory alone, "Alysanne, Alyssa, Nymeria, Visenya and... and Aemma."

Rhaenyra pauses mid-sip, slowly pulling the goblet away from her lips when she found she couldn't swallow, eyes blinking rapidly as she wordlessly gripped Y/n's shoulder. Neither sister said a word, but they understood each other all the same. Rhaenyra pardons herself, deciding she needed fresh air away from the crowds. Once she caught sight of Daemon leaving the gathering, she makes up her mind and sends her sons to bed before she, too, disappeared from the public eye.

Y/n watched her sister leave with her uncle and chose to ignore it, smiling and acknowledging the King when he slowly made his way to her after bidding the Queen goodnight.

"My child," Viserys took his daughter's hand and kissed it, "I'm retiring for the night. Do try and get some rest before the return journey."

"Yes, Father. If it is my king's wish."

Viserys smiles and nods to Harwin before exiting. Eventually, Princess Rhaenys walks up to the couple after consoling her granddaughters, and Harwin offers her a seat beside Y/n. Rhaenys accepts and leans close to her distant cousin while overlooking the crowd.

"I had hoped for your baby to be born by the time this gathering happened," the elder woman admits, "I had hoped new life would've outshined the loss of an older one."

"Laena was still young," Y/n held onto Rhaenys' arm, "And strong-willed. I would rather have people remember her life today instead of celebrating the birth of my child. Laena deserves that. I'm so... I'm so sorry, Princess Rhaenys."

Rhaenys only nods, unable to allow herself tears in a public setting, keeping her eyes fixed on Y/n's hand on her arm for a focus point, "No parent should outlive their child."

"And yet, we all wish for our mothers to be with us for the rest of our lives," Y/n looks off, heart-clenching, "I wish my mother got to grow old. I wish she got to meet her grandchildren and die fat and happy... But I wouldn't wish that for myself if it meant your granddaughters got to have their mother back. I wouldn't wish for Rhaena and Baela to go through the same loss I went through when I was their age. I wouldn't wish that for my sons or my nephews."

Rhaenys stands, feeling the emotions threatening to spill from her eyes and she couldn't bear to cause a scene. She squeezes Y/n's shoulder, nodding in thanks when the words couldn't come out, and then she left. A few hours pass and then both Harwin and Y/n round up their boys and bring them to their beds. Once their children are asleep, the parents turn in for the night as well, hearts heavy and exhausted.

Harwin had been quiet during most of the interactions at the gathering, but his thoughts were loud in his actions. While helping his wife undress, he couldn't help but kiss her bare shoulder and let his hands linger around her stomach, storms brewing in his eyes, "Years ago, I couldn't understand why your father was so... broken after the loss of your mother and brother. But now... as your husband and father to our boys... I can't even fathom what I would do if that were you in your mother's place."

Y/n quietly hushes Harwin as she turned to face him, letting her fingers graze over his beard, "It happens to women all the time, my love. It cannot be helped. You can't fight your way out of that. My mother used to say that a woman's battlefield is the birthing bed, and unfortunately, it's not a battle you can fight for me."

Harwin nods despite the look of defeat in his eyes. He had always been a man of action, able to protect those he loves with his might. However, Ser Breakbones always felt helpless whenever his wife goes through pregnancy. He felt useless and the only thing he could do was continue to be a husband and father, but not a soldier. Up until now, his family didn't need him to be a soldier.

The two of them go to bed, held in each others' arms as the moon moves slowly overhead and commanding the unforgivable waves to crash against the rocky cliffs outside the keep. It was soothing to listen to as sleep overtook the tired pair, more soothing than the sounds of King's Landing at night. It was easy to drift into dreams when a beautiful place such as Driftmark was so peaceful and quiet.

That is until a frantic knock is heard pounding on their bedroom door hours later, rudely awakening Harwin and Y/n from their slumber. Harwin crawls out of bed and walks to the door, "Who is it?"

"Harrold Westerling, Ser Harwin."

Y/n sits up in bed, alarmed as both she and Harwin exchange a worried expression. Harwin helps her stand up and throw a dark red robe over her nightgown before they beckon the Commander of the Kingsguard inside. The old man throws the heavy door open, straightening his posture and bowing in Y/n's presence as she addressed him.

"Ser Harrold, what seems to be the matter?"

"Forgive me for the late hour, Princess," Harrold appeared out of breath and possibly even horrified, further worrying the Strongs, "But there has been an accident and your sons are waiting for you in the Great Hall."

Neither of them questions it, both parents racing out of the room with Ser Harrold closely following them. They weave through the hallways of the dark keep, barely seeing a soul awake until they burst into the doors leading into the Great Hall.

Most of the souls that were once sleeping under the roof of the keep were all gathered in this one room, the lights of torches and the blazing fireplaces dancing over everyone's grave faces. Y/n first spots silver hair and finds Rhaenyra and Daemon, standing together off to the side and holding onto Osmund and Baelor. Both Y/n and Harwin run to their sons and gather the boys in their arms, worry filling their voices as they question why both of them had blood on their little faces.

"Ozzy, what happened? Are you alright?"

"Are you hurt? Let me see it, son."

"Why is your nose bleeding?"

"Tell us what happened, Bae."

Poor little Baelor was crying too hard to get a word out, clinging onto his mother's skirts like a lifeline even as his father was kneeling beside him and examining the bloodied and bruised knuckles on his tiny left hand. Osmund looked angry and defiant, a cut cracked over the bridge of his nose and bleeding along with his flaring nostrils as his mother's hands trail over his injured face. Finally looking around at the rest of the crowd, Y/n noticed Viserys and Alicent on the other side of the room, the Queen kneeling beside the maester as he tended to Young Aemond, the prince sitting beside the fireplace with half of his face stitched up. Rhaena and Baela were also present and bleeding from their faces, hugging either side of their Grandmother Rhaenys' waist and Corlys stands protectively in front of them. A few faces were missing from this picture, such as Laenor and his sons, but Rhaenyra doesn't acknowledge this as she stands close to her sister and answers her questions.

"The children were fighting each other. A knife was drawn--"

"Your son took my son's eye!" Alicent proclaimed hysterically, unshed tears in her manic eyes as she stood up and stepped toward the center of the room.

Y/n's eyes widen and looked down at her oldest child, "Ozzy?"

"Aemond stole and claimed Vhagar," Osmund explained, "He said horrible things about Aunt Laena when we all confronted him."

"She attacked me!" Aemond snarled as he pointed at Baela, thus starting a chain of children arguing over each other.

"He attacked Baela!"

"You insulted our mother!"

"He broke Ozzy's nose!"

"He stole my dragon!"

"He could've killed me!"

"It should be my son telling the tale!" Alicent roared.

"He was only defending himself!"

"He could've killed Baelor!"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Silence!" Viserys demanded, slamming his cane down against the cobblestone floor, "I am your king and I will have the truth of what happened! Who drew the blade?!"

"It was mine," Osmund admits, hanging his head when all eyes turned to him, "I drew it when I thought Aemond was going to kill Bae."

"He wouldn't stop hitting me," Baelor whimpered into his mother's swollen belly, thus shattering Y/n's heart and angering Harwin's as he stood, placing himself between the royal family and his own with a stern glare.

"Let me see the knife."

Ser Harrold brought the weapon forward as evidence but wasn't stupid enough to just hand it over to Harwin. Ser Breakbones noticed the knife and nodded, looking back at Princess Y/n, "It's the one I gave him."

"But Osmund didn't cut Aemond!" Baela yelled to her cousin's defense, "It was--"

Her voice dies once she noticed something in Osmund's eyes and Rhaena elbowed her. Y/n caught this exchange and gently pinched her older boy's chin, forcing him to look up at her.

"Osmund Strong. Did you or did you not attack Prince Aemond with a knife?"

Osmund's throat bobbed nervously, eyes trying to focus on anything other than his mother's gaze. Y/n found this bizarre, considering that he had been honest with her until now. Then, realization began to dawn on the princess as she slowly looked down onto a different child, not Osmund. All eyes follow her gaze until they all land on Little Baelor. Y/n's other hand ran through her baby boy's hair.

"Bae... was it you?"

Baelor continued to sob, shaking from head to toe, "Aemond grabbed a rock! He was gonna hurt Ozzy!"

"I lost the knife," Osmund finally admitted, trying to keep everyone's attention away from his little brother, "And I got pushed to the ground, but it wasn't Baelor's fault! He took the knife to protect me!"

Alicent scowled in disgust, "And so you cut Aemond's face--"

"Your son was hitting my baby boy!" Y/n screamed back, beyond all of the Queen's slander.

"Seven Hells, Your Grace, he's only five years old!" Harwin came to his family's defense.

"And yet he's capable of spilling my son's blood!"

"Is this what you condone, my Queen?" Y/n's voice drops, a clear tone of challenge, "To have your son, a prince, attack little girls when they defend their mother's name?"

"Your sons attacked mine!"

"To defend their cousins," Y/n reminds her and the rest of those in the room, "Surely you wouldn't raise your son to believe he could do whatever he wanted just because he's royalty. Surely, the good Queen herself wouldn't teach her children to mistreat women or smash a little boy's head in with a rock."

Alicent is momentarily struck by the mockery, quickly recovering with a small scoff, her top lip twitching, "Are you questioning how I parent my children, Princess?"

"I am not questioning your parenting, Your Grace. I'm denying its existence."

Daemon grins proudly at his niece as the room is filled with gasps of dismay, clearly being the only one amused by Y/n's retort. Alicent's face crumbled as though someone had just smacked her in the face. With the tension straining, Harwin stood closer to his wife and children, his arm hovering over Y/n's back as Viserys clicked his cane upon the floor.

"Enough, Y/n. Trading insults won't change what happened. Aemond, tell me the truth, boy," the King slowly limps over to the bloodied prince, "Did you hit Lady Baela?"

Aemond looked as though he had been caught red-handed, pale, and stubborn. Slowly, he grits out his answer, "Yes. After she hit me."

"Liar!"

"Silence!" Viserys roared before glaring back down at his son, "Aemond, did you grab a rock?"

"To defend myself!"

"I was already on the ground, you idiot!" Osmund snapped, spitting out blood and saliva.

"Osmund!" Y/n reprimands her son, tightly holding his shoulder as Harwin reverts his gaze onto the boy.

"Hold your tongue, son."

"But no one was attacking him by then! We were all on the ground!"

"It's true!"

"Silence!" Viserys slammed his cane again.

"This was clearly just an act of self-defense, Your Grace," Y/n bravely continued her defense of her children, against her father's order.

"All of this... over an insult," Alicent huffs out a breath of disbelief with her eyes rimmed with tears, "My son has lost an eye."

Viserys, distressed, tired, and angry, nearly threw his arms around like a child having a tantrum, "This interminable infighting must cease! All of you! We are family! Now make your apologies and show goodwill to one another. Your father, your grandsire, your king demands it!"

The whole room froze, shocked with disbelief. Alicent appeared appalled as her husband slowly limped past her towards the door. Y/n witnessed something snap within the Hightower woman as she spoke, "That is insufficient."

Viserys slowly turns around to face her as the Queen continued, "Aemond has been damaged, permanently, my King. 'Good will' cannot make him whole."

"I know, Alicent, but I cannot restore his eye."

"No, because it's been taken."

"What would you have me do?"

"There is a debt to be paid," the sentence alone sent a chill down Y/n's back, eyes dancing between her father and stepmother. Viserys stared at his wife in disbelief as the Queen strongly proclaimed, "I shall have one of her son's eyes in return."

Murmurs and gasps of horror filled the room; Harwin and Y/n's grip on their sons tighten protectively. Viserys tried to calm Alicent, wanting to defuse the situation, "My dear wife--"

"He is your son, Viserys," Alicent cried, the tears finally spilling, "Your blood."

"Do not allow your temper to guide your judgment."

Silence fell again and Viserys thought it was over. He turns to leave just as his wife spoke again, her tear-stained face straightening up as her eyes turn to another man in the room, "If the King will not seek justice, the Queen will. Ser Criston... bring me the eye of Baelor Strong."

Criston Cole's eyes scan the room as Baelor begins to step back away from the crowd and from his parents, distraught and terrified as he spoke in his small, innocent voice, "Mother!"

"Alicent..." Viserys warned.

"He can choose which eye to keep. A privilege he did not grant my son!" Alicent snapped back while glaring down at the offending family.

"You will do no such thing." Y/n sternly stated, willing her voice not to shake in fear, but to be as powerful as the Queen's own demand.

"Stay your hand!" Viserys snaps to Ser Criston, to which Alicent pushes back.

"No, you are sworn to me!"

Ser Criston feels the eyes of Ser Harrold on him and finds his words, avoiding Alicent's gaze, "As your protector, my Queen."

Alicent reared back in betrayal, barely flinching as Viserys stepped up to her in challenge, "Alicent. This matter... is finished. Do you understand?"

She scans his face, unable to form a reply as he spins around and tries to meet the gaze of everyone else in the room, "And let it be known! No more fighting shall be done within the blood of my own family."

Y/n relaxed, her voice dropping its firm hold as she gently addressed the King, "Thank you, Father."

Both she and Harwin turn back to their sons, the father beckoning the boys to follow him as he tried leading his family away. The boys go to follow Harwin, still shaking in fear, while Y/n takes her time to follow, her hand gingerly caressing her stomach.

Viserys takes one more look at Alicent before turning back towards the door. He doesn't feel alarmed at the sound of her feet quickly following him, but it's not until he felt the empty space of his Valyrian dagger at his belt did his heart suddenly sink to his stomach.

Ser Harrold is the first to react, stepping towards the King, "Your Grace-!"

"Alicent!" Viserys spins back around, watching his wife's auburn hair disappear into the crowd with his dagger in hand.

Harrold sprints forward, shouting commands to his guards without turning back, "Stay with the King!"

"Hold your approach!" Criston Cole demands against his commander's wishes.

Others began to scream and shout a warning to others, pulling away and giving Alicent a wide berth with her newly acquired weapon. Y/n felt the hairs on the back of her neck before she heard the shouts of the Kingsguard along with her father's voice shouting Alicent's name. Spinning around, Y/n is met with a vengeful queen, Alicent screaming as she brought the raised dagger down on the princess.

Harwin spun around as the chaos began to rise, eyes widening as he immediately takes a large step forward, "Y/n, LOOK OUT!"

Y/n's arm rises and she's able to catch the arm Alicent held the blade in, trying to push the other woman away but they had both taken hold of each other's arms, pushing and pulling against each other, grunting under the weight of the force.

Harwin jolts forward in order to interfere, heart racing in fear and rage. Lord Lyonel steps in front of his son, however, forcing Harwin back just as the blade came down and Y/n had caught it, "No, son! Do not incriminate yourself!"

"Y/n!" Harwin yelled, struggling against his father. He was definitely strong enough to push Lyonel away, easily, hadn't two Kingsguard stepped forward and held onto Ser Breakbones.

It was pure chaos. Kingsguard held swords out to those who dared try to come to Y/n's aid, conflicted with their duties but wanting to protect their Queen if it meant letting her pursue the princess. Ser Harrold was easily just as conflicted, not knowing who he should order his men to protect as he tried pushing through the crowd. He makes it to the two women, but with his mind not yet made up, he instead circles them and pushes lords, ladies, and other soldiers back if they tried to step forward.

Harrold sees someone rushing forward and holds his arm out to them, "Do not, Ser Criston!"

"Alicent!" Viserys roared, but couldn't move much as he stumbled with his cane.

Baelor screams in terror as everyone who formed a circle around his mother and Alicent pushed him back as they grant the women space. Harrold tried yelling over the chaos as others also screamed in fear and protest, all trying to outscream the other.

"Do not, Ser Criston!"

Criston Cole, fierce and determined, tries getting into the circle, perhaps wanting to perform his duty and protect his queen. He pushes people away to get to Alicent and Y/n, but Daemon suddenly steps forward and is able to stop the knight in his tracks, keeping him in place as the two men glared at one another until two other Kingsguard took Criston by the arms.

"Alicent!"

"No!" Harwin shouts, desperately struggling against his bonds and giving the Kingsguard a workout in restraining him.

Rhaenys keeps her granddaughters behind her while she made a grab for Osmund and Baelor, pulling the boys to her body while Corlys shields them all behind him. Rhaenyra is left open and tries to make it to her sister, but Ser Harrold grabs her gently and keeps her back while simultaneously trying to get a hold of his men, "Stay your hand, Cole!"

Rhaenyra struggles against Ser Harrold's hold on her, shouting over at the Queen, "You've gone too far, Alicent!"

"I?" Alicent questions in distress, still fighting for control against Y/n while speaking between the two sisters, distraught and unhinged, "What have I done but what was expected of me? Forever upholding the kingdom, the family, the law! While you and your sister flout all to do as you please!"

"Alicent, let her go!" Viserys demanded from outside the circle.

"Where is duty? Where is sacrifice?" Alicent's tears continued to fall down her face as her eyes search Y/n's while she screamed, "It's trampled under your pretty foot again!"

"Release the blade, Alicent," Rhaenyra demanded.

Alicent desperately tried to breathe, panting under Y/n's strength and her own despair, "And now you take my son's eye, and to even that, you feel entitled."

"Exhausting, wasn't it?" Y/n grunts, a jolt of pain running through her as she desperately tried to keep the point of the blade from her own eye, the flames of the fireplace dancing over the steel and her eyes, "Hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness."

Her voice lowers, glare dead set on Alicent's face, "But now they see you as you are."

Alicent pushes all her body weight and any strength she had left into pulling her arm out of Y/n's hold, grunting in rage as she freed the blade and made a swipe at the princess. Shock settles the room, Alicent stepping away to observe her handiwork, only for her eyes to immediately widen once she finally settled on what she had done.

Y/n had taken several steps away, the pain not entirely making itself aware until she heard gasps from all around. Corlys had caught her by the shoulders to steady the princess, noticing the way she was unconsciously clutching her arm. Both of them look down at the offending arm, noticing the blood soaking through Y/n's dress sleeve and spilling through her fingers. The blood droplets splatter onto the floor as Viserys stands beside Alicent, watching in horror as his little girl bleeds because of a wound his own wife inflicted. In her shock, Alicent's grip on the dagger loosens and the blade clatters to the floor, paying no mind to it as all she could do was stare at the cut in Y/n's arm.

Harwin had paused in terror before finally realizing that Y/n was still standing and breathing, the blade now out of danger. Shock draining from him, he pushes the Kingsguard off of him, the two soldiers too stunned to react and let go of him. Harwin pushes past his father and rushes to his wife, gathering her up in his arms and holding onto her wrist so that Corlys could properly inspect the wound from the other side of her. Y/n doesn't speak or react to her husband's hold on her, too stunned to do anything but stand and stare, leaning into Harwin for support. Both Osmund and Baelor break away from Rhaenys and run to their parents, holding onto their mother for dear life. With Criston Cole backing off, Daemon slowly walks forward until he is at Harwin's side, his hand on one of Osmund's shoulders. Rhaenyra pushes Ser Harrold away from her and also joins the Strong family along with Daemon and Corlys, the princess stepping in front of her sister and inspecting Y/n's face and then her wound. Watching as the blood continued to flow, Rhaenyra's posture slowly straightened, the rage of a dragon and a protective older sister taking hold. Unable to calm her anger, Rhaenyra breathes harshly through her nose and spun back around, glaring daggers at Alicent.

"You dare attack my sister!"

The room felt cold, despite the fire blazing hot beside the opposing families. Alicent couldn't bear to look Rhaenyra in the eye, so the princess moves her gaze onto her father, "Your Grace, I beg of you to open your eyes. Your wife just attacked one of your daughters born of our mother and of true Valyrian blood. She meant to bring harm to the princess and her unborn child."

Viserys eyes move to watch Y/n and her family tend to her, sadness and longing evident on his face as Rhaenyra bravely continued, "I am your heir, Your Grace," Viserys looks back to his eldest child, "But should anything happen to me, Y/n would take my place. Therefore, this attack on my sister is a treasonous act against the crown and your bloodline! If you are the honorable king that holds those who commit treason accountable... then no exception can be made for anyone of any station if you value your family and inspiring your loyal subjects."

Y/n slowly begins to come back to her senses, feeling the warm blood run down her arm and another warm liquid run down her legs. She pales as she tried focusing on the sound of Viserys' voice, trying not to panic, "It was a foolish action, Rhaenyra. But even you, as a mother, understand what it's like to protect your children. Alicent was only trying to avenge hers."

"By what? Killing my sister?" Rhaenyra's voice broke, eyes slowly starting to mist, "Carving out the child she carries?" Viserys flinched at that, "What happened to Prince Aemond's eye was a tragic accident. But this... this was intentional. Queen Alicent intended on spilling blood."

Rhaenyra hears a small cry of a kitten behind her, but upon spinning back around, she only saw Y/n clutching her stomach and slowly bending over, soft cries escaping her lips, and the men surrounding her bent down to the princess in confusion. Rhaenyra's eyes widen when she noticed a clear puddle beneath Y/n's skirts slowly pooling against the cobblestone to mix with the blood. Rhaenyra rushes towards her sister, forgetting Viserys and Alicent.

"Y/n?" Harwin's stomach dropped as the wheels began to turn in his head, eyes widening in realization.

"Mother? What's wrong?" Osmund asked innocently, holding onto his little brother.

"She's started her labors," Rhaenyra explains while letting her sister grip her arms tightly, "I wouldn't be surprised if the harrowing events of tonight spurred this on."

Daemon stood back from the group aiding Y/n, keeping a hand on his sword and an eye on anyone who may take this opportunity to pursue his family in a time of vulnerability. He stands guard while Rhaenyra and Harwin frantically help Y/n stand straight again, holding onto both of her arms. They wordlessly follow Corlys as he leads them out of the room and down the hall, back to Y/n and Harwin's chambers. Rhaenys thought it best to take Rhaena and Baela to Jacaerys and Lucerys' quarters where they were no doubt still sleeping through all of this. The older princess beckons the Strong boys to follow so that she might keep an eye on all of the children, unconsciously -or perhaps not- leaving the royal children out. When neither of Y/n and Harwin's sons moves, Daemon takes them both by the shoulder and directs them to follow Rhaenys, the Rogue Prince becoming a protective shadow for the children as Rhaenys whisks them away.

Corlys opens the doors to Harwin and Y/n's chamber and the Targaryen princess is brought inside, the Sea Snake calling for the maester along with the midwives who had traveled with the royal company. Rhaenyra and Harwin help Y/n get comfortable as another wave of pain takes over, the hair near her face beginning to stick to her skin as she tried taking deep breaths, exhaling shakily.

"I will stay with her, Ser Harwin," Rhaenyra vowed while dabbing a cool cloth over her sister's forehead, "You may go."

"I'm staying here," Harwin states confidently.

Y/n quickly grabs his hand through a contraction, squeezing hard as she pushes out words, "No no no, you need to go stay with the boys. We can't trust anyone with our sons for as long as we stay here."

"Y/n--"

"Alicent just threatened to pluck out Baelor's eye and attacked me," Harwin tried not to look, but clearly there was still blood seeping out of the cut on Y/n's arm. Y/n appeared to ignore this, trying to catch her breath, "I don't want my sons left alone for even a second until we leave. Harwin, please, go protect the boys. There's nothing you can do for me now."

Dutifully, he nods, standing over his wife and lingering a kiss on the top of her head before slowly backing away and leaving the room, practically forcing himself not to turn back as he goes hunting down his children.

A maester arrives and first looks into fixing the cut on Y/n's arm while the midwives attend to prepping for the baby, hurrying around the room in search of fresh clean towels and Milk of the Poppy. As promised, Rhaenyra stayed by her sister's side during the whole process, letting Y/n squeeze her hand as hard as she liked, whispering soft words of encouragement, and dabbing her face with a cool cloth.

For obvious reasons, Y/n didn't get any sleep that night, but neither could anyone else in the keep. Everyone was restless, even those unaware of Y/n's labors. After the events of the night, everyone was high-strung and uneasy, and some were downright afraid. Alicent returned to her chambers, never wanting to see a soul until morning. Viserys went to bed, but lay awake at night, guilt and remorse running through his veins. The royal children retired to their respective rooms, but they all stayed awake and Aemond even sat at the window, watching Vhagar in the distance with a smirk.

Daemon, Harwin, and Rhaenys continued to stay and entertain the children, tending to their bleeding faces and trying to make them forget their worries. Jace and Luke, none the wiser for what had happened, gladly entertained the idea of everyone staying up and having fun in their rooms, putting a smile on everyone's faces as they ran around and played. Daemon even found himself teaching all the children small bits of High Valyrian, boys and girls alike sitting down all around him with Baelor and a book in his lap. Baela sat next to her father, her head on his shoulder, trying to rest her eyes after everything that had happened to her today, the only one too exhausted to repeat her father's Valyrian phrases unlike the rest of the children.

Rhaenys sat and quietly listened to these lessons with a cup of wine in hand, while Harwin stood at the door, sometimes pacing, sometimes entertaining the children with stories. But not once, the entire night, did he leave his post at the door, his hand always on his hilt.

The moon had not yet disappeared but the sky was starting to brighten into beautiful colors over the ocean when the door opens and Harwin held onto his sword a little tighter. Everyone looks up with bated breath as Rhaenyra walks in, standing tall and regal as if she had not been awake all night.

"Mother!" Luke gasped excitedly while standing up and running to the princess.

She practically beams as he tightly hugged her waist, her eyes darting up to Harwin with delight, "Y/n's delivered a girl, and they're both going to be fine."

The whole room relaxes with relief, the last of the tension finally leaving the air and leaving them all understandably exhausted. Harwin's whole stiff posture relaxes as one of his hands rises to rub his face. Rhaenyra silently laughs, joy still evident on her expression, "The maester asks for only you to go and see her. Your sons can visit their mother once she's rested."

Harwin nods and swiftly leaves the room, while Rhaenyra turns to the rest of the family, "The royal family leaves Driftmark today, but with your permission, Princess Rhaenys, I think it would be wise if the rest of us stayed a little longer for Y/n and everyone else to get some much-needed rest."

Rhaenys agrees just as Laenor pops into the room, disheveled and groggy. He looks at everyone's expression with a puzzled look, finally turning to Rhaenyra, "What have I missed?"

Harwin makes it back to his chambers in record speed, trying not to appear hasty but also anxious to see his wife and their new daughter. Entering the room, a few of the midwives were cleaning up and leaving, the maester long since gone. Y/n was asleep in their bed, flushed with her silver-blonde hair curling around her head due to sweat, but a small bundle was nestled beside her, and it was squirming. Harwin stepped closer to the bed, making note of Y/n's arm now wrapped in bandages before inspecting the bundle of blankets, his smile softening by what he found.

The infant was small, her little cleaned face the only thing peeking out of the blankets aside from her tiny fingers slowly curling around the fabric as she slept. Like her brothers, she sported small fuzzy tufts of dark hair and even darker eyelashes. The baby girl's lips were slightly open, letting out soft hums as she dreamed. Harwin's heart had never fallen in love faster than it did at this very moment, his finger lightly caressing her cheek and amazed by the softness of her skin.

"My love."

Harwin's eyes drift over to his once slumbering wife, noticing her eyes have opened and she was tiredly smiling up at him. Overcome by relief and happiness, Harwin laughs under his breath before leaning over and kissing Y/n on the lips, taking her breath away. Eventually, he pulled away, his thumb running over her cheekbone.

"Amazing as always, my dear," he whispers, unable to resist kissing her forehead, "How are you?"

Y/n slowly blinks, humming, "Exhausted."

"You can rest. I say you've more than earned it."

Her eyes peek open again, "The boys?"

"Safe and sound. They are in good hands. Rhaenyra will bring them to you once you've healed," his hand grazes over her bandaged arm, "What did the maester say about this?"

"It was Valyrian steel. So the cut was clean. A scar will remain, I'm afraid."

"I will take a new scar over your death any day," Harwin kissed his wife's forehead again before carefully lifting the small bundle into his arms, attempting not to wake the baby. His smile widens once he's positioned her properly and naturally begins to rock, "Well, she's finally here. Have you thought about the names we picked?"

"I did... but none of them seem right now that I've met her."

"Well, do you have another one in mind?"

Y/n thought long and hard, fingers drumming against the feather pillow. She thought about tonight's events, how it had all started with Vhagar being stolen and Laena's memory insulted. To have those two things happen along with the attack in the Great Hall, it felt as though people had tainted the memory of a young and fierce woman who was taken from this world too soon.

"Laena," Y/n strongly announced, "I like to believe she was here with us this past night. I like to believe she protected us and she deserves to be honored now that I've delivered my daughter in her family's home."

Harwin stared down at their daughter, playing with the name on his lips as he watched her sleep, "Laena Strong. I like it."

~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Osmund was named after King Aegon I Targaryen’s Hand, Osmund Strong, who was assigned the Hand of the King after Orys Baratheon’s death. Baelor was named to reference Baelor the Blessed/Beloved, but it’s obviously not him since the original Baelor won’t be born until after the Dance of Dragons. Laena is obviously named after Vhagar’s true rider, aside from Visenya. I would have named Y/n’s daughter after Visenya, but spoiler alert, Daemon and Rhaenyra eventually have a daughter already named that. She’s probably the baby in Rhaenyra’s belly in Episode 8.

[rayroseu]

Some Crowley and Lilia Parallels(?)

?? am i reaching here but doesn't "Crowley searching for a way for Yuu to go home" similar to "Lilia searching for a way for Malleus to hatch"?lol

like they both travel to far away places to search for clues to solve their younglings' problem and both Malleus/Yuu are frustrated whenever they're gone for their travels, Crowley/Lilia can't find a logical explanation why they're taking so long solving their problem too (like how Lilia foolishly trust wishes to make a dragon egg hatch bcs its just impossible to find another dragon and how Crowley seems like he's being lazy because he truly doesn't know how to transport a human back to another world) even though they're the person best suited to solve Malleus/Yuu's problem (crowley being the manager of orientation so he definitely must know(?) where the students came from and lilia being the only person Meleanor told that he'll hatch Malleus) also both of them are quite detached by how much Malleus/Yuu depends on them (by that i mean they leave them alone too much and lack communication with them even though theyre the person who took them under their wing)

They also have a habit of surprising people by falling from the sky (like Crowley's animation during special lessons and how Lilia always appears upside down to scare people)

and the difference between their serious and goofy personality is striking (like General Lilia with his mean attitude and deep voice vs Peepaw Lilia and then Prologue Crowley w his ominous vibe and again deeper than usual voice vs Weird Headmage Crowley).

Also idk if this means anything but they're also the characters with the most unique voices in-game, and im unsure about this too but i think their speech patterns both uses old english phrases yet still maintaining a modern pattern (to fit with the youths yk) and they both have "groups of bats/crows" surrounding them and serving as their only motif-- which makes me think both of them have familiars????

also both of them have "minimal magic usage"..... Crowley really doesn't casts any magic atleast in-game (but in other TWST media Crowley casts basic magic) and we know how Lilia is losing his magic because he exhausted it for hatching a dragon egg- Both of their (potential) twisted Disney characters (Bat goon and Diablo/Diaval) have a role in searching for Aurora too (I remember the Bat goon and co. was originally the ones tasked to search for Aurora but he failed so the task was passed to Diablo instead, and Diaval bcs he discovered that King Stefan had a daughter which raged Maleficent in the live action-)

I'm pertaining that if Crowley is Levan,,,, then these similarities would point out to the fact that [Lilia and Levan were always together](than Meleanor did) to the point where they kind of adapted each other's qualities, even if centuries pass-- Also TWST likes mirroring the "knights" of this game (i.e Silver and Sebek, Deuce and Ace), Lilia and Levan were Right and Left Generals (knights), so it kinda explains why they're having similar struggles and similar life pattern(?) (like babysitting an unprecedented child amidst their independent life and being hit with an important problem that is "impossible to solve")

so In conclusion?? did Meleanor cursed her generals to be eternally struggle babysitting troubled children?? XD

totally reaching here-- if Crowley is Levan and his life truly is similar to Lilia's,,, then then does that mean he cut his hair like Lilia's ???? 😳 bcs think about it,,,, all the Briar Valley characters we got has long hair (Meleanor, Baul, and Gen. Lilia) so does that mean if we do get a reveal of Crowley/Levan,,, we'll see Crowley with a longer hair as Levan- ✨🙏

If that's true,,, atleast Levan's hairstyle as Crowley wasn't a chaotic job like Lilia's,,,, LOL it kinda matches their description that Levan is more prim and proper KDHWKHD atleast as Crowley, Levan is actually attempting fashion instead of randomly matching whatever like Lilia 😭 also didn't Crowley had a tangent about his very specific food taste when asking for souvenir(GloMas Event)?? which hits the nail about Lilia's complaint about Meleanor and Levan being picky eaters lol

[aquilapolariz]

memento mori (trafalgar law x reader)

Summary: You can’t help but notice Law’s obsession with death.

Notes/Warnings: Spoilers for Law’s background, headcanon HEAVY, happens right after Punk Hazard

Word Count: 1.6k | Read below the cut or on Ao3 here!

“I’ll be damned,” you started, “so Luffy really can rope anyone into his schemes. Even a Warlord.” You walked over to him, finding a spot by his side aboard the Thousand Sunny. “Ah, excuse me, ex-warlord.”

He looked at you in the corner of his eye, his head refusing to turn away from the shore Punk Hazard. “It’s out of necessity,” Law mumbled.

“My captain wants the same thing you want- necessity and coincidence are all you need.”

Law grasped his sword, holding it tight, trying to seek some comfort. “It’s only the second time running into you Strawhats, but both those times have been…chaotic. Feels like a little more than a coincidence.”

You think back to Saobody and seeing Law for the first time in the flesh; he was handsome, cocky, and intriguing. The holder of the Opu Opu no Mi, and a doctor no less- the perfect complement to his devil fruit, you noted.

Power gravitates to power. Luffy seemed to pull in both Eustass Kidd and Trafalgar Law when they fought off the Navy outside the Celestial Dragon’s auction house.

Intellect gravitates to intellect. As the Strawhat’s Devil fruit researcher, you knew that the Opu Opu no Mi was one of the most versatile fruits to exist. As Law fought, you observed. With just one word he established a room and stood in the same spot in order to fight, separating people’s limbs from their bodies. Why is he tossing some Navy guy’s head in his hand like a baseball? What a weird guy. You laughed to yourself, letting the three supernovas effortlessly take out the marines.

A long two years later, aboard the Sunny, and Law looked as handsome as ever. But his weariness was revealed in his constant scowl. He was tired, seemingly ready to throw his life away. Even the setting sun, fiery and blazing, couldn’t seem to melt the ice in his cold eyes.

“Must be fate then,” you concluded. Rather, intervention for Law’s state of mind in the form of your crew.

Your attentive gaze was always noticed by his own, even at Saobody. You looked at him with curiosity as if you could read his every thought, as if you desperately wanted to. If this was a battle of observation and wit, then so be it. Law was a complex man, and you would love to pick apart his brain, and as much as he was loath to admit, he would love to pick apart yours.

“Chopper told me you healed the kids from Caesar’s drug. Thank you,” you said kindly as the Sunny drifted away from Punk Hazard, the children and the Marines waving goodbye.

“You shouldn’t thank me. They still have to go through painful treatment,” Law said.

“So the Opu Opu no Mi has limits?”

“If I could cure everything, I would. Those children have been consistently consuming that drug for over a year. It’s part of their bloodstream at this point. They’ll have to deal with withdrawals, their abnormal body sizes, reintegrating back into society, and any residual effects we don’t know about.”

You breathed in, savoring the salty air that you missed during the chaos at Punk Hazard. “They will suffer, true. But at least…it’ll be a little less than it was before. Their families have missed them.”

Law gritted his teeth. He felt ashamed, complicit in those children’s pain for so long. How dare he call himself a doctor?

“Why do you, as a doctor, have the word ‘death’ on your hand?” Your hand shot out to grab his wrist. You brought it close to your face, studying his tattoo. “A little contradictory for someone who seems to take his job seriously.”

“It’s a memento mori of sorts,” he replied vaguely. Your hand on his sent unfamiliar- and unwanted- shivers up his spine.

“A reminder of mortality, huh?” Law nodded, impressed.

He nodded, “It’s also plastered on the side of my submarine.” It’s been a while since he’s seen his trusty yellow vessel, his Jolly Roger painted black next to the word “DEATH,” just like his own tattoos.

“That I believe. Wait, you have a submarine?” Law noticed your eyes light up as they looked at him.

“Yeah, the Polar Tang.”

You hummed, imagining how wondrous it would be to see the depths of the ocean every single day at sea. “Did you become a surgeon before or after eating your devil fruit?”

“After, I guess.” He called himself a surgeon ever since he extracted White Lead Disease from his own body. A doctor since the age of twelve, only by necessity.

“You guess?” You questioned.

“I guess,” Law smirked.

“You said your devil fruit has limits…?”

“Of course, it can only do so much.”

“I think…I get it now.”

Law raised an eyebrow.

“With your fruit, you are the perfect doctor. But even then…” Your eyes traced the letters on Law’s fingers.

He slowly took his hand out of your grasp. “People still die,” he said.

“Doctors know death better than anyone, huh?” You said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

His eyes widened. After being constantly surrounded by idiots, being in your presence was refreshing, enjoyable even. “Did your research, it seems.”

You shook your head. “Research alone wouldn’t tell me something like that. Plus, I’m sure I’m missing some details.”

And you were. Law knows Death all too well. Death from sickness. His sister, his parents. Death from murder. Corazon. Death by his own hand. The hundreds of pirates whose hearts he gave away to the Navy. The death he hopes to deliver to Doflamingo. To stray away from death would be to stray away from his identity, so clearly conveyed in the ink on his fingers.

“My tattoos constantly remind me of what I’m trying to get my patients to avoid. Sure, it’s a memento mori, but it’s not only for my own sake. It’s for everyone’s, especially the lives I hold in my hand, both as a captain and a doctor.”

No one ever questioned the presence of his tattoos, his fascination with death. Many assumed he just wanted to be an edgy doctor-pirate, living up to his unsettling name of Surgeon of Death. But those inquisitive eyes of yours seemed to see right through him, down to the depths of his very being, past all of those preconceived notions. You seemed to hang onto every word he said, urgently and desperately, making him feel like he was the only person in the world when you spoke to him.

“It’s just that,” he felt his breath catch in his throat, “it’s always a good thing to remind ourselves that we’re not immortal. Even if I help some live longer, it’s only just that. Death is the one thing I can guarantee everyone- I can’t promise life.”

The fiery sunlight danced upon the waters of the ocean, closer than ever to melting away Law’s icy gaze.

“So…how’d you end up a surgeon?”

“My father was one,” he said dismissively, “and I just happened to eat the perfect devil fruit for that line of work.”

“A mighty coincidence,” you noted amusedly, well-aware that Law wasn’t telling you everything.

And Law, too, was aware that you could see that.

“How’d someone as observant as you end up on a crew of idiots?”

You shrugged. “They’re not all idiots though,” you said, glancing at Franky tinkering with his latest device as Robin watched.

“Could join my crew instead.” Law cringed at his own words as soon as they left his mouth. Would he even be alive when all the dust has settled in Dressrosa? What would be the point of you joining his crew if he wasn’t there? But his body and mind, under stress and anticipation since Luffy arrived on Punk Hazard, knew he needed someone like you, now more than ever. And so he spoke it without a thought.

How quickly curiosity gravitates to curiosity.

You rolled your eyes. “Gotta give me something worth leaving this for,” you gestured broadly at the Sunny.

“Like I said, I have a submarine. It’s a whole other world down there.”

“You’ve probably seen things that no pirate has ever even dreamed of seeing, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s like Fishman Island, multiplied by a thousand.”

“Fishman Island really was beautiful…I would like to visit your Polar Tang one day. As a visitor,” you clarified. “There’s a reason I’m on this crew- everyone helps each other to live life to the absolute fullest.” A sting of jealousy pierces his heart as Law watches you look at your crew fondly, with all the love in the world. He feels his heart skip a beat despite your expected rejection to join his crew. You sighed. “Law, it’s like you said. Death is sure to happen but…in the meantime, we can’t forget to live.”

But how could he do that when he had a soul to avenge? Corazon’s soul- a death that weighed heavy on his heart, one that he swore to never forget.

“To live?” He asked, his voice shaky as veins in his hands started to feel like pins and needles.

“To live is to laugh…is to cry, to love, to feel.” You tore your eyes away from the crew to look at the broken man before you. “It’s to be free.”

Those words sounded oddly familiar. Corazon’s last words echoed in Law’s mind: “You are now…truly free.” Looking at you, the ice in his eyes started to thaw. With every blink, the details in your face were becoming blurry, the Sunny feeling like it came to a full stop.

A wave of nostalgia washed over Law as he stared at his tattooed fingers. As he squinted at them, the five letters on each finger, spelling out the word DEATH, started to blur. In his vision, those same letters started to waver, each one morphing into entirely new letters. With you in his periphery, he mumbled out the new word that it formed:

“Alive.”

~bonus:

“…Is this…how (Y/N) flirts?” Usopp asked Nami as they hid behind the tangerine trees.

“Through an interrogation? Yeah, seems about right.”

“Hey, what are you guys whispering abo-?” Luffy said.

Nami pulled him behind the tangerine tree. “Shhh!”

“Why does Tra-guy seem to only like talking to (Y/N)?” Luffy frowned.

“Because-“

“Could join my crew,” Law said to you in the distance.

“OH SO HE’S TRYING TO STEAL THEM FROM THE CREW, GUM-GUM ELEPHANT GUN!!!!!!!”

Usopp and Nami threw themselves onto their captain to prevent him from transforming, “LUFFY NOOOOOOOO.”