#ch: the seer

[dreadreflection-if]

May I have some Dimitrius facts please 🥺 I love him and I want to have dramatic gay kisses with him in the rain

Of course you may! He would never admit it, but Dimitrius would also love to have dramatic gay kisses in the rain. He thinks it’s very romantic.🥰

As for the facts:

He’s been a grandma’s boy ever since he was little. Whenever their merchant caravan was traveling through the Mists, he loved to sit in her lap and have her read him stories. He would cry whenever they were separated.

He’s skilled at household chores, and does all the cleaning and maintenance for the wagon. If he could, he would do all the cooking too, but Desdemona insists on helping him with it - cooking should be done with family, she says.

He has a surprising sweet tooth, though he tries to hide it. His favorite desserts are bougatsa and ravani. He hates traveling to Barovia, since he always has to resist the dream pastries sold there.

He has a natural affinity with animals, and seems to attract them wherever he goes. He’s had several join him when he’s sitting outside: birds, rabbits, squirrels - even a bear, once. He’s like a broody Disney princess.

The rings he wears on each finger may seem decorative, but he actually wears them for a practical purpose. Whenever he enters a particularly bad vision, he twists them around and fiddles with them to help himself focus on something besides the sight in front of him.

He would die if anyone found out, but he keeps a stash of romance novels hidden in his room. He likes to read them on nights when his night terrors keep him up.

[potionio]

I adore her your honor.

Text Transcript under cut!

Miciela: My tea was bitter this morning Seer. - Miciela: And I swear there were noises from the woods. - Miciela: That paired with the blackberries on my doorstep. You know what that means, don’t you? - Miciela: Death. It means death is coming, Seer. I wonder for who? - Miciela: It’s not like we have anyone we care about that can die. Caleb can’t die, can he? -

Miciela: You know, I can’t help but feel you aren’t taking this seriously enough.

[lordgodjehovahsway]

2 Kings 17: Hoshea Becomes The New King Of Israel

1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years. 

2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.

3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser’s vassal and had paid him tribute. 

4 But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So king of Egypt, and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison. 

5 The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years. 

6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.

Israel Exiled Because of Sin

7 All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods 

8 and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. 

9 The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns. 

10 They set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. 

11 At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the Lord had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that aroused the Lord’s anger. 

12 They worshiped idols, though the Lord had said, “You shall not do this.” 

13 The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.”

14 But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. 

15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”

16 They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. 

17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

18 So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, 

19 and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. 

20 Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence.

21 When he tore Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat their king. Jeroboam enticed Israel away from following the Lord and caused them to commit a great sin. 

22 The Israelites persisted in all the sins of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them 

23 until the Lord removed them from his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they are still there.

Samaria Resettled

24 The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. 

25 When they first lived there, they did not worship the Lord; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people. 

26 It was reported to the king of Assyria: “The people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires.”

27 Then the king of Assyria gave this order: “Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.” 

28 So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord.

29 Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places. 

30 The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima; 

31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim. 

32 They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. 

33 They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.

34 To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the Lord nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel. 

35 When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. 

36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. 

37 You must always be careful to keep the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. 

38 Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. 

39 Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

40 They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. 

41 Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.

[hydro-city-zone]

FEFERI LEIJON

Lore under the cut

The rest of the au can be found here.

Anti-hemospectrum activist who wants to create a kinder, softer Troll society for wrigglers to come

Avid forum user, met Eridan on an anime message board

Head is full of fluffy ideals, naive at heart and still believes she'll become a magical girl some day

Eridan believes she will, on account of his own belief-against-odds that he'll develop psionic abilities

<) why don't trolls just t@lk to e@ch other inste@d of h@ving w@rs? 8:(

Coddles her Lusus like no other

Wielder of Tiarakind

Seer of Life

[mangaxyz]

Phantom Seer

Ch. 26 - 19

[rizzoreads88]

Nessian & Elriel Parallel I don’t see anyone really talk about…

In Acosf when Nesta seems “stuck” in her scrying it’s Cassian Who Gets her out of it..

Acosf ch 31

When Elain is “lost “ in her visions We see it’s Azriel figuring out Elain is a Seer that frees her from her murky realm…

Acowar ch 32 & 33

(I think it’s interesting that Elains mate was right there but SJM chose to have Azriel be the one to figure out what was “amiss” & free her from the murky realm.)

Both Cassian and Azriel knew how to “free” them when no one else could.

[ataraxiasflame]

In doing some research for my fic, I encountered a few names from different SJM books that seem to be derived from similar origins and I went on a bit of a trip trying to consider all the connections:

When researching some information regarding the inspiration for Helion (the God Helios) I discovered that Helios’s mother is called Theia and his sister is called Selene. Theia, Helios and Selene are all connected through solar elements like light, the sun and the moon.

If we recall from HOFAS, Silene was Theia’s second daughter who Azriel also claims looked like Rhys’s sister. We also know that she too was able to wield her mother’s Starborn powers (which is essentially starlight).

Helion’s power is also light and also has several similarities to Helios:

And I always question the potential foreshadowing of the scene below.

- ACOSF ch 41.

If I had to guess, perhaps Silene or a descendant of hers was married off to a member of the Night Court, which is why Rhys’s sister looks like her. But my real interest is the connection that Helion (and Lucien) has to the Trove, and their potential challenge to the theory that Rhys has a claim to the throne as a descendant of Fionn/Theia. The similarities in name could have been mere coincidence but the effect the trove had on Helion creates that potential connection to Theia and Fionn (I’m not saying he is Silene’s brother but they could be the ancestors to whom he is referring in ACOSF)

Then perhaps this chapter in ACOSF (ch 42) in which Amren urges Rhys to conquer Prythian claim the throne and he declines several times, only to have her respond with this line:

…might suggest that there are others who have equal claim to the throne.

Personally, I hate the potential High King plot line, especially if Rhys and Feyre will claim the throne (I could write an essay on why this would make no sense from a narrative perspective). There are so many references in HOFAS that highlight why Prythian failed under the ruling of one sovereign and we as readers experienced the reign of a sole ruler in book one. It just makes no sense for Prythian to return to a proven failed form of sovereignty, especially with Rhys and Feyre in those positions of power, when they only recently broke free from Amarantha’s reign.

However, should the High King and Queen narrative be necessary to the plot line, I would far prefer Helion/Lucien be the potential challenge to the throne over Rhys. The end of HOFAS even opens questions regarding Nesta’s future in a position of power in Prythian.

High King plot aside; these potential clues do make me even more interested to see how Lucien’s past will affect the rest of his story and the over arching plot of the series, how his power could be even stronger than we expected, how they could come into play with the Koschei plot line and whether he will play a larger role in the political future of Prythian as well.

But most interestingly is that Theia (the mother of Helios and Selene) was the Goddess of Sight and Vision, possessing prophetic powers, and it seems fitting that Helion’s own son is mated to a cauldron-blessed Seer. Mates fated to be together who are true equals in every way.

[velvet-paradox]

Stay (ch. 8)

A gift - Cruelty of betrayal - The battle is won - A unity in marriage -The first time is the deepest

Length: LONG Warnings: NSFW 18+ ONLY, strong language, explicit content, oral (f & m receiving), angst, blood mention, fingering, first time, p in v, creampie, detailed smut. ENJOY!!

The air has changed, over night from a chill in the air to actual snow on the ground, flurries of it swirling about. Roofs of houses covered white, boot print marks on travels, wheelbarrows tracks, the smell of wet pine and carefully stoked fire.

König is still fast asleep, his thick arm cradling his head, his fingers twitch in his hair as he slumbers. You watch his bare chest raise and fall, calming really, to watch such a ibrute be this still and quiet. Your eyes rake over his body, radiating heat, some nights you wondered if you even needed a fire, just use his body heat for warmth.

He laughed at that.

You wondered about your parents, looking down at your arm band. Has word traveled to them about your coming nuptials? Would they attend? Would they feel too guilty to watch you marry the boogeyman, knowing they had sealed your fate? Or was it truly the Gods who have given you trials, to overcome, to become and belong to KorTac? Trusting that you were worthy of König and his affections, to be the one to carry down his legacy. Your legacy. Tales would be told, sagas written and voiced down, songs sung.

"You're going to burn a hole into the wall if you keep thinking that hard." König's sleepy voice broke your thoughts like spiderwebs. He was now rolled over onto his side, holding up his head to look at you, one tattooed leg out over the covers.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to see you worrying; what troubles have my pet so focused, hmmm?" He took a hold of your wrist, thumbing over the bones beneath.

"Our future."

"And what a fine one it will be. We shall have a wedding ceremony, celebrate our union, start on our family. I am eager for it, are you not?" König asked, his eyebrows meeting in curiosity.

You were but… how could you be? The old you, Y/N, would have been terrified and would be desperate to get away from him, not looking hopeful into his eyes, the yearning to be beneath him coursing through your veins. Old layers of your former self were peeling away, day by day.

"I am. Truly, I just do not what it holds."

"Trust the Gods, my dear. They know what is best and if you are still uncertain, we shall visit the Seer."

"What about Ada?"

König clucked his tongue and shook his head, "Nein nein. We shall work it all out, she does not mean to duel with you, not really. I think she is just jealous."

"What if she is not? What if she is serious, König. She could ask for a death match!"

"You really think I would allow such a thing?"

You slithered down into the bed, inching closer so you could look at him, touch his face, so much has happened and maybe you should've fought back, made him realize you weren't some pawn or play thing but when you look at him, ireally look at him; it wasn't about that. It was strange to think of your past, you weren't doing much with your life, living day to day, foraging, taking care of the house and your parents. You didn't have too many friends, not ones that would avenge you or come looking for you. Clearly. You were just there but here, in this bed, in this village in this chapter of your life, you were enjoying the pace.

Helping a new friend devlier babies, getting to know the clan, becoming a stronger shieldmaiden by the hands and structure of Sebastian Kruger, banter with Ghost and Soap. Maybe the Gods were right in gifting you to The Collector afterall.

"Nein."

"Exactly. No harm with come to you, not while there is still air in my lungs." He kissed the corner of your mouth, sighing into you as he wrapped his heavy arms around you.

"Can I ask you something?" You asked, fingering over a deep scar on his bicep that was in your face.

"Anything."

"At our engagement, you said you bought something…"

"Ah, ja. I did in fact."

"What is it?"

"It's a surprise." König hummed into your hair.

"Can I have a hint?"

"Nein. I'll do you one better and show you, after second breakfast."

"Second breakfast? I know you can put away a lot of food but that seems a bit much, don't you think?"

"Nein," he shook his head with a light laugh, rolling you over on to your back. "Not when iyou are to be my first meal of the day!"

….

You wondered if life would always be like this. The hands of The Collector, the carnage and savagery, the damage he could yield on your skin. Fingertips dug into your flesh, your knees damn near your ears as he folded you in half. Delightfully moaning against your cunt as you squealed, moaning his name, tugging at his hair.

"Hold her open for me." König panted, giving both of your shins a quick and sloppy kiss as you moved your hands from your breasts, spreading yourself wide. "Good job."

König grinned and dove back in to taste you as you dragged your nails down your calves.

Everyone you came across that morning gave you both a wave, a congratualtions, smiling at you both as you made your way through KorTac. Gaz had finsihed making you a cloak for winter, it matched the deep, mossy green of König's own cloak. The cold air had your clinging to his arm, parading you about, boots crunching in the snow.

You walked in tandem up a bit of a hill, houses with rowdy children, clinking and foraging new blades for future raids, a butcher breaking down chickens, tossing scraps to a few waiting strays.

You stopped at the bottom of another trail.

"Do you trust me?"

What an odd question, trusting the man that haunted the dreams of babes but the one you desired.

"Of course."

You could see the light in König's eyes light up, he tucked you closer and asked you to close your eyes. It was strange to be walking blind but you did in fact trust the man next to you, trusted his knowledge of this terrain, the lay of his land. You listened when he told you step over a fallen log, move out of the way. He guided you to the right and finally came to a halt.

He told you to open your eyes.

You blinked them open, looking over the viallge from this incredible height. All his people, soon to be iyour people milling about down there, going about their own morning, cooking, cleaning, teaching, learning. Clouds of smoke from open houses, dogs chasing cats, the pounding of freshly logged wood.

"Where are we?"

"Home."

König put his heavy hands on your shoulders and turned you around. There behind you was a beautiful cottage, paned windows, a plot for a garden. It was beautiful and you hadn't even stepped inside.

"I bought you a home."

Your smiled faded when he only said he about you a home. Not meant for the both of you?

Your face must've gave it away.

"I'm sorry pet, it is too small? I can afford a bigger one if you wish. Just say the word."

"Nein nein, it's perfect."

"Then why the face?"

"I only thought you would have bought a home for the both of us. We are to be married, are we not? We're not going to live together? I understand you have a lot to do, being the leader and example for KorTac but, you'll be so far away from me down there in the hall. What if I get lonely?"

König made a noise and had you face him, your head in his hands. "My dear pet, this is our home. I bought it for you, for us, for our family. I will be able to see the fjord, who is coming and who is going, everyone will know where to find us," he kissed you through the mask. "This is iour home."

"But I thought we lived at the hall."

"Nein pet, I stay there when I need to and since I was keeping an eye on you, it was convenient to stay there. But after our unity, we will be living up here from now on."

"This is all ours?" You smiled and looked around the property, more than enough land, more than enough space, four rooms, a hearth for cooking, a large room for an entire family. Your family.

"Ja."

"So you do care for me?"

König nuzzled your face, hugging you tightly, resting his cheek against the top of our head. "Of course my dear, you question my loyalty still?"

You grabbed him after the tour, tearing off his mask to kiss him hard on the mouth. Stunned by your actions he let you, he let you do whatever you wanted. And certainly did not complain when you got down on your knees, undid his pants and slipped his cock down your throat.

….

Laswell had requested your services and advice for herbs, mentioning that you were the best forager around KorTac. Upon agreement and payment you gladly took her basket and set off into the woodlands.

You found a patch you were looking for, kneeling down and humming a little tune your mother used to sing to you. You never asked about it, just knew your mother would sing it out loud, it would calm you, center you in times of concern. The looming threat of what Ada wanted, a duel was heavy on your shoulders. Grateful the you were being trained to be a better maiden, knew how to use a bow previously, now sword fighting, clashing, striking.

You heard a rolling cart not far off from you in deep in the woods, the creaking and jostling of something didn't bother you, didn't concern you much. That was the trail to another market, one you had frequented when you lived at home. Seemed like a lifetime ago now.

Out of general curiosity you left your basket of goodies and made your way out of the trees, crunching snow, your cheeks on fire from the cold to see the trail ahead. The cart wobbled a bit in the distance. A couple along with it, a mule trudging behind them.

"Out of the lane woman!"

You turned around to see another cart coming your way.

"Mother?!"

"Stop the cart!" Your mother, frantically jumped from the cart and ran over to you, tears in her eyes, sorrow in her voice as she sobbed into your cloak. She looked you over, kissing your face, holding your head to hers. "Oh my child! We have feared you dead for so long! Yet here you are, in one piece."

"Y/N!" Your father hugged you tightly, the three of you together again. Even if only for a moment. "Are you escaping?" He asked after the tears had stopped. "We have room in the back for you to cover up."

"Escaping?"

"Yes child, are you hiding from that monster? Surely you have tried to rid yourself of him." Your father looked you over then, seeing your finely made clothing, newly mended boots.

"I uh, I'm marrying him. He proposed. I am to be a wife and a mother!"

"And you are willing to marry such a man?" Your mothers' voice turned to shock. "Surely you would rather choose death than to be the wife of The Collector."

"Quite the opposite, mother," you proffessed, their looks of dismay and disappointemt made you feel guilty for being even a spirkle of happy with König. "He may be ruthless but he keeps me healthy, satisfyied, well fed. I'm being trained by one they call Kruger, I know how to use a blade now, I have friends and people--"

"Stop this at once!" Your father shouted. You bit your lip. "What sort of poison has he given you to say such things? You sound thrilled! How could you be?"

"I am happy. I had to make the best out of my situation, I refuse to be miserable for the rest of days."

"How? We raised you to be a fighter, this is madness, daughter." Your mother scolded. "Have you not attempted iany to escape from his clutches?"

"Nein."

"Nein? You are even speaking his language! You are not our daughter. When the villagers find you out you want to be with that madman, given vows, rings… we shall be laughed out."

Your heart broke. Bile rose in your throat and unhappy tears welled up in your eyes. "Do not say that, father. I am still --"

"You are not Y/N, oh how disappointed she would be to see you in such a sorry state. Wanting to be married to The Collector, shameful. No child of mine would choose such a dishonorable life."

"Dishonor-- I did not choose this life! This sitaution, unforseen," you swallowed your tears, voice cracking as you did so. The look on your parents face was sad. The had believed you dead and maybe it was better that way, they had let you go. "The Gods chose me."

They both looked at each other in disbelief, shocked that you sounded and looked so sure of yourself.

"I cannot believe my ears," your mother touched your arms band one last time before climbing up on the cart, your father following close behind. "You should be ashamed of yourself."

"You have clearly made your choice, child."

"Y/N, the real daughter, would never have put up with this."

You sniffled, tears freezing to your cheeks as they rode away, they didn't even have the heart to look back.

"You're right," you cried watching their heads slip down the horizon, out of sight. "That's because I am her no longer."

….

You came out of the woods a different person. Emerged in the evening sun with an even colder crisp to the air. A basket full of herbs, eyes still glassy and wet as you passed the tree line, by Keeva and John's homestead.

They had left you. Never would you have thought your parents would willingly let you go like this. The more you thought about it, the more angrier you had become. Rage had been laying dormant for so long you didn't even realize how hard you had made your fists as you marched through the village. They had come to terms that their only daughter was dead already, that you wouldn't last this long. It made your skin crawl.

You couldn't find König, which made your rage worse. Stomping and stalking through the hall. You marched all the way to your room at the back, slamming the door shut before dropping to the ground with a ripping scream. Your forehead to the floor, hands at the nape of your neck. You screamed and cried some more until you heard the door latch open. Heavy boots. Slow steps. You got up and threw yourself at him.

"Hey hey, what is going on? What did he do now?" It was Kruger. You looked up at him with a terrible face, anguish, pain, betrayal.

"It wasn't h-him," You pressed your face into his collar. "I sa-aw my parents."

"Ah, overwhelming after all this time, ja?" He asked, petting your head.

"Nein! They abandonded me, they are disappointed. I dishonor them by wanting to marry König. They said I am inot their daughter anymore," you fisted Krugers cloak, pleading for some relief. "What am I to do? My parents have willingly thrown me away!"

"It's alright, pet. You have us. You have all of KorTac, you have friends, you have König. We are your family now."

After you calmed down in his arms, you sniffled and took several steps back to sit on your bed, head in your hands, tears drying crusty on down your face. "Wh-o will give me away?"

"Is that one of your traditions? Like the arm band?"

You nodded.

The bed creaked when he sat down next to you, offering his hand. "If you wish, I'll do it. I shall give you away."

"You would do that for me?"

Kruger, even behind his enitre mask, you didn't even know what he looked like under there had a smile in his tone and nodded. "On one conditon; you save up all of this rage for Ada. König told me, day one of you being here, to treat you as if you were one of our own and now… you iare."

You made a deal.

König had told you that you could decorate your new homestead as you pleased, he wanted, no, ineeded you to be happy. Whatever you wanted it was yours. His to spoil, to dote on, to treat as kindly as the man could manage. You could tell this was new for him as well, only mentions of sexual actitivies not relationships and certainly inot marriage.

You cried again that night, held tightly to König as he brushed your hair away from your face after you told him what had happened with your parents. He was able to calm you down, proud of you for letting go, that were headed for the future and if that's the way things were going to be there shouldn't be any looking back. You are not going that way.

"What do you think is my best color?" You asked Kyle that next afternoon, all cried out and fresh to be just be Pet for the foreseeable future. Your old life had slipped off your shoulders.

"For the ceremony or in general?" Gaz asked, resizing someones' boots, a pair of pants hung on a rack nearby ready for repair. More snow had fallen in the night.

"For the wedding. I have been to a few and the bride always wore white, do you do that here?"

"You can dress how you want, pet. It is your day." Gaz put away his tools to get up and pull out a few shades of blue fabric. "In fact, I may have something that might spark interest."

"This one looks like his eyes."

"Well I could size you up since your here if you wish. Get you a corset too, I won't complicate things since this will be your wedding night and you'll want ease of access for the consumation I trust." Gaz chuckled and took out his measuring instruments. Having you stand with your arms out wide, the size of your shoulders, the length.

It was all you could think about for the rest of the day until someone grabbed your arm and yanked you in between a few houses off the lane.

"GET YOUR HANDS-- Graves? What do you want?"

He didn't look good, dark circles under his eyes, hair disheveled and you could clearly see a smudge of either dirt or soot, either one did not matter all, across his chin.

"You are in danger, girl. That Ada woman… she wants you idead." He said in a hushed whispered.

"What?"

"I heard her myself. She has been training with that brute in the skull mask."

"Ghost."

"Sure, whatever. I have been watching them train, he's heartless, he knocks her down any chance he gets then fucks her face as a reward." Graves visibly shivered. "Dispicalble."

Which was quite the wording coming from Phillip who literally stole belongings from the dead.

"Ghost wouldn't to actually hurt me."

"He doesn't, but she does. Says you're in the way, that she's wanted KorTac, to sit on the throne you will be in. Having König's babies, having a title. She's not a very good woman, runt. I would be very careful when you battle."

"You heard her say this? When?"

"… I may have been snooping about the hall and I may have found my way to her quarters and pressed my ear to the door." He shrugged.

"Oh you little creep!"

"Oh stop it, like you are some deity!"

"It's not that, it's that you go around prowling after people to see what you can stal from them. Whether it is items, things they have worn and cherished in their lives until you put them in the ground or be it information." You scoled the rugged man.

"If I didn't eavesdrop on Ada and this iGhost, how would I know she wants to kill you, hmmm?"

You thought about what Phillip had said when Soap had bound your wrist with a leather strap after he'd done the same to Ada the day of the duel. Would she honestly attempt to end you? Was she able? Something triggered you into going into attack mode. She would not best you at this.

Soap tugged on your tether, looking you in the eye, making sure it wasn't too loose or too tight.

Your axes clashed instantly, hers going for your neck first, dodging and sliding backwards through the gravel. Boots catching rocks, anxiety and the threat of the unknown left you breathless. Maybe Graves was right after all. Ada berated you, stalking you through the rocks, the clan of KorTac surrounding you. There were cheers and jeers from all sides, any kind of battle was a thrill. You could hear Kruger barking at you to look out, pay attention, to remember your lessons. Ghost was doing the same for Ada.

Your blades CLACKED again, this time being tossed shields. You grabbed yours quickly and blocked a heavy blow. You pushed her back with it, making some dent in the fight. You shouted and pulled the leather strap attached to the pair of you, yanking her down to the ground. She twisted frantically in the rocks, cold as ice against your hands as you gathered up the strap, sitting on her back in an attempt to choke her out.

Ada thrashed as the crowd cheered, digging your boots into the ground for leverage only for the lover girl of KorTac to push herself up and knock you back first into the rocks. She swung her axe again, bouncing off your shield. You could hear Kruger's voice shouting out at you again as you scrambled up. You kicked some rocks up at her face, she did not care for that and instead yanked the strap to bring you to your knees with a thud. A few had lodged into the the leather for sure. Her knee meeting your chin wasn't expected, or the blood that filled your mouth. You spat it out. Ada had the nerve to smile down at you with a cocky smirk.

You finally stood and smeared it across your face.

The rage you held from your parents began to boil, your eyes narrowing to hateful slits, Krugers voice in your ear from the day prior pushed you on.

"You are battling for the same thing, do not show her weakness. She her you are worthy. The worth your parents stole from you."

You took a stance then, locking eyes with König who was observing the fight with his arms crossed over his chest, he looked to be sighing, cocking his head. She pulled on the strap; you pulled back. A push and pull before you charged her, your parents words swirling around your head as you jumped to land on her body hard, she sputtered as you rolled around on the ground. She shrieked when you bit into her forearm to get her to submit, rubbing her face into the gravel.

"To the victor, all the spoils!" Simon announced to the crowd, some exhancging coins on who would beat who as you looked up at him, holding your arm and axe in the air.

As the others of KorTac congratulated you, patting your shoulder and with gentle smiles, all in good fun until you came by Ada. You held out your hand in an honest display of sportsmanship. Even if you didn't exactly like her or agree with the woman, you still had your manners about you. Which she did not it appeared, as Ada sneered and looked down her nose at you, spitting at your feet before huffing away in loss.

….

The archway was beautiful in the winter landscape, coiled with dried ivy and herbs, bound with cordage that matched your blue dress. Gas had even taken the time to embroider some flowers around the square neckline that showcased your cleavage, the added leather corset helped as well. Keeva would not stop gushing over how beautiful you looked, how happy she was for you.

"Are you ready?" she asked, her hands covering your own as your heart pounded in your chest.

"As I ever will be I suppose. I did not see this in my future, I never thought I would get married let alone to a famous leader."

"The Gods chose you, as they have chosen all of us, fated to be. I hated John before we got together, he was so arrogant and blood thirsty, always covered in the stuff. Oh he'd reek of it, strutting around for days as a medal of battle," Keeva mused as you ducked out of your bridal tent, Kruger in his finest attire waiting paitently.

"But, he grew on me and next thing you know, the Gods landed him in my lap!"

"So things do work out."

"They always do." Keeva smiled and kissed your cheek before handing you off to Kruger.

"Do I have to do anything special in order to give you away, pet?" He asked, crunching your boots through the snow, everyone was already standing and chatting away on the side of the hall. Everyone in KorTac was present, including Horangi, Keegan and Roach. Soap and Ghost stood beside König at the altar.

"Nein, just you being here is helping my nerves. We walk down the aisle, you can hug me if you want and then I'm his."

Kruger nodded and off you went.

Your heart was in your stomach the moment König looked at you in your dress, your hair fixed with a little baby's breath wreath made by Laswell and her wife. He held your hand tightly after giving it a quick kiss through the mask.

The high priestess began the short ceremony, no need to drag it out. No objections, no distractions other than the splash of red where the sacrificed goat you would be dining on had laid. Its' blood in the wooden bowl in her hands, your wedding bands, pounded smooth days prior were soaking in it. Your wrists bound togeher as she said your vows.

"And with that, I name you man and wife," she smiled, dipping her fingers into the bloody bowl then splashed your faces. "May the Gods bless you and keep you in health, and give you children. And may they keep the wolf from the door."

KorTac cheered and clapped as you slipped on the rings, you turned to him with a smile, lifted his hood and kissed him, sealing your fate to The Collector.

"Now then; who is to witness your consummation?" The high priestess asked, a hush over the crowd.

"I would like to instill that duty to Horangi, who is most like family to me." König stated aloud.

"I would be honored, brother." Kim agreed and bowed his head.

"Soap, my right hand."

"Also an honor, brother."

You got nervous, two men would being seeing your naked body, flesh only meant to be seen by one. You knew that was how wedding nights were met, but as you told Keeva you did not think that was your destiny. König squeezed your hand then.

"And Ada."

The crowd murmered as she stood moved into the end of the aisle.

"Me?"

"Ja. Had you shown sportsmanship and respect to my wife the other day after your duel you would not be requested to witness us have sex. But since you do not know your place, I will show it to you. Maybe you will make sounder choices next time."

Ada's face grimaced, repromandaed in front of the whole village. How humiliataing.

That look was on her face all throughout dinner and gift giving. All the way up to your new home she was grumbling and complaining, Horangi scolding her to be quiet. That it was her bitchy attitude that got her here in the first place!

The fire in the living room was already lit, baskets of bread and preserved fruit lay on the kitchen table. Thankful because it was just so damn cold out, just the walk from the great hall to your homestead made your cheeks burn.

"I also have one more gift for you, wife." König quipped, motioning for you to close your eyes.

"More?" You laughed, the giggles from ale on your lips.

"It is customary for the husband to gift the bride this. To show her indepence, resposibilty and thanks. Ok, you may open them now."

You did, König had his hands clasped and slowly revealed a tiny grey kitten, it's glowing amber eyes blinking at you. You squealed with delight taking the little darling thing in your own hands.

"Oh!"

"What will you name it?" Horangi asked, patting its head.

"Is it a boy or girl?"

"A girl."

"Hmmm Annika sounds pretty good." You said with a smile.

You left the little fluff ball to explore your home while the five of you found yourselves inside your bedroom. They made themselves comfortable in chairs they could find, warming their hands by the fires burning.

König wasted no time in grabbing your waist and pinning you, with his body to the wall next to the door. Your head thudding against the wood, you tilted it up, hands slidding up his patterned shirt and vest, tangling with the end of his hood.

He grabbed your hand and placed it over his heart. "Do you feel that, pet? It only beats for you."

"You sure are smooth when you know you are going to have sex." You smiled, feeling it beat a little faster. "I'm scared, König."

"Of what?" He asked, looking down at your cleavage, long lashes bashful at his blanat look of desire. His hand on your hip, thumb pushing against your dress.

"I have never had sex with anyone watching before." You whispered as you could hear them talking amongst themselves in the corner.

"Pay them no mind, my love. They are merely here to observe our union."

"How will they know you are not faking it?"

"Because my pet," König hummed ghosting his fingertips over your collar and holding your neck loosely. "There will be evidence."

That statement set you off, you bit your lip and desperately tore at the sides of his vest to rid of it, laughing when his thick fingers got caught up in the ties of your corset. He peeled off the vest, keeping his arms raised above his head to take off his shirt. Your mouth on his chest startled him, a noise leaving his throat as you held him about the rids, his body heat exhilarating you further. You bit at his collar, the taut muscle of his shoulder, his eyes on you when you pressed the flat of your tongue against his nipple. He shivered instantly when you did it again then bit into it. He hissed. You groaned.

You dropped to your knees, undoing the ties to his trousers, his hands on the back on your head, taking off you crown and tossing it one of the witnesses.

"You always look so beautiful on your knees for me, my pet. But tonight, you are ethreal. If I wasn't so certain you were my wife, I would think I have died and you the Valkryie to bring to me Valhalla." He was panting and you had just now loosened his pants to free his cock.

And you thought his body was radiating!

So pretty and thick in your hands, pre-cum already beading at the tip. You heard someone inhale behind you. You leaned forward and cleaned it off, bringing him towards your face by looping your arms around his thighs. You kissed the tattooed skin, running tongue and teeth along the bands of muscles that lay beneath.

"Are we not just here to witness them have intercourse? What is with all this beforehand stuff?" You heard Horangi ask the other onlookers. Soap snorted. "Oh Kim, we are about to witness something far better than just sex! They haven't done it yet."

"Done what?"

"This is the first time they are having sex together," Ada grumbled as you jerked König off in front of your face, the sale of his skin, the smell of him. "It is going to be… special."

"Ohhh." Horangi answered.

"Maybe I am," you nuzzle your face against his leg, rubbing the crown of his cock against the seam of your lips. "Maybe that is why the Gods chose me. You gave me a home and I'll bring you home."

"Oh fuck." König groaned, placing his hands on the wall as you swallow him down, licking at the throbbing muscle. The more you hollowed your cheeks, moaning around his cock, dragging your nails up and down his thighs, the more feral sounds to erupt from his throat. It drove you further to suck him off hastily.

He fucked your face, boots scraping against the floor, you dared to look up to see him locked in on you. One hand left your head to cup and hold your chin, bopping the tip of your nose. He pulled you off, a thick string of saliva connected still to the tip.

"On your feet beautiful."

When you looked at König you only saw him, concern and anxiety had left you behind. What did it matter any way? this was all planned out, everyone knew the rules. It was still a bit of an odd feeling though when your dress pooled around your feet, baring your body to everyone.

You sat back on your bed, König lifted one leg and undid your boot straps, chucking it to the floor with a thud. You kept your bare foot on his stomach, feeling how his muscles moved when he repeated the process to your other foot. You walked them up to his shoulders, letting them rest there while he bent to take off his own.

You two had done many intimate activities beforehand; sucking his cock, him eating you out like he hadn't had a decent meal in days, masturbating together, kissing. A lot of kissing. You'd seen each other naked, even slept that way but for some reason, when you looked up at your husband, that's what he was. He wasn't just The Collector; he wasn't just König.

He was yours.

As he crawled on top of you, moving your legs apart, hidden from the others' view, he touched your face as gently as he had offered Annika to you. He blinked rapidly as he fit himself between you better, chest to chest, smushing your breasts to his chest.

"König…."

"Ja my dear?"

"I-- I'm ready."

"So am I." You could hear the smile in his voice and you snuck under the mask, kissing across his prickly chin, licking his sharp jaw, kissing his nose, his lips, wherever you could reach. König's hand suddenly joined your mouth party, gathering spit across his fingers, lifting his hips enough to draw circles around your clit, making you arch before easing one of them in. Prodding your leaking slit, gathering up your wetness, sinking in two fingers. Growling as your gasps and moans as he scissored you open for him.

Your legs were shaking when he pulled his fingers free, getting up onto his knees. His tattoos looked glorious and you wondered if you were to receive them as well. You'd played with him before, held his cock in your hand, in your mouth; you knew his size but it didn't fully come to scale until he fisted it above your mound. He tapped it against your lower belly, letting it pulse there for a moment. It touched your belly button and you sat up on your elbows.

"Is it going to fit? That's a lot to take." You worried your bottom lip. "Don't worry my pet, I plan on going slow. I do not want to hurt you."

König's voice was reassuring as he moved into position. You both nodded and looked down for the first time, watching that part of him push into your hole with a popping sensation. That alone knocked you back into the bed, a strangled moan tearing its way from your insides, you could feel him in your belly, in your ribs, against your lungs. He was everywhere, all at once it seemed and that was just the tip!

"Look how cute you look, eyes screwed up, mouth agape. You'd think you were lost already!"

"Prettiest pussy to take me so well on the first go."

"What a good fucking wife you are for me."

He grunted your name, calling you beautiful, a delight, the prettiest thing he's had on the end of his dick. How warm you felt, how tightly your walls sunk around him the further he eased his way inside you.

Your cunt flooded with a fresh round of wetness, just this light rocking at first, getting you adjusted to his size, his girth was making you sweat.

You whined and covered your face when he hit a certain spot, his thumb strumming against your clit. Someone else groaned and swore. You wanted to cry it felt so good, suddenly he was leaning above you, moving your hands down so he could see you, watching your expression change from slightly painful, to maybe go a little deeper.

"You are so beautiful, bitte, do not hold back from me."

You kissed him hard through the mask.

….

His grip on your hips was only slightly painful, the smacks to your ass were worse but felt amazing. You had run out of words to say, just blubbering and moaning as König was eating you out from behind.

"You like that, my pet?" König asked between licks. "By those cute little sounds you are making I'd say I do not need bother to ask." His chuckle was dark and smooth, he spat and slurped it right back up when you pushed back against his face. You could feel yourself dripping for him.

"I fucking love it." You managed to breathe out, drooling and biting into you wrist. "Oh Gods, I need you!" You sounded like a whore, the sounds you were making, the way you arched, the wholesomeness of your smile when you could hear him fisting his cock, when he spat on you. The wide bite to the inner meat of your thigh.

"Ask and you shall receive, my good girl." Was all he said and then he was inside you once more, holding onto your hips, pushing and pulling you back and forth. The sounds of your skin, both of you full of sweat and adrenaline, his thighs bouncing into your hips. He swung his arm around your neck, making you arch as he towered over you, moaning how good this angle felt. You tilted your head back and biting at the air until you snagged the end of his mask between your teeth.

For this being your first time you surely weren't wasting any of it. The way he seemed to mold to your gummy walls, the way he could bully his cock into you over and over without pause, slick and horny for each other. After several months of fooling around it had come to this.

When he pulled out you yanked him him on to the bed, climbing in his lap as he sat, wrapping his arms around your back, your legs around his wait. You lifted the mask to kiss him, sink your teeth into his lip, lick into his mouth. Riding him was a lot easier than you thought, must be the mixture of your juices and desire. He held your face as you rocked and fucked down onto him.

"König…"

"Ja, he's here. Your king is here."

"You feel so good." You sobbed and tried to catch the drool leaving the corner of your mouth, he was quick to swipe it away with his thumb.

"Oh yeah? you like being stuffed full of your husbands' thick cock, ja? who knew you could take such good care me, take such a size in this warm little hole. You are full of surprises, my pet." He matched your breaths, your moans, groan for groan.

You whined and rolled your hips. "König I… oh Gods, that's it! I'm gonna' cum, you're so fucking big!" You cried out and hung your head against his shoulder, lost in bliss. Fucked stupid you started mumbling a set of three powerful words.

Your husbands hands found purchase on your hips, taking over as you clearly were just a lump in his sturdy arms. "Cum with me, my love, cum for me. Now."

"Fuck yeah! Fuck me just like that, bitte bitte."

With a shout you did just that, pulsing around him, little jerks coming and going as he shot rope after rope of his cum inside you. It was so much. You were so fucking full of him, his cock and his seed. You panted breathlessly, laughing in his arms and rose up.

The evidence that you were the one fated to him, solidified your unity, with very little effort a glob of cum drooled out of you. Had covered his cock and sack and you flopped over on your back.

Soap gave you both a round of applause which only made you laugh harder, even König let himself indulge a bit.

"I have never seen someone so happily fucked in my life!" Horangi exclaimed as the three of them bid you a good night, Ada gave you a look but said nothing and Soap gave a thumbs up.

"Thank you." You finally had caught your breath enough to squeeze his hand, laying your head on his chest.

"Nein, my love. Thank you," he tore off the mask and kissed all over your face, licked at your chin, kissed your neck. He gave your breast a light squeeze and held it in his massive palm.

"Can we go again?"

König laughed harder this time. "So soon? Let me regain my strength first. You my love are an animal!" he pressed his forehead to yours then and sighed. "And I do too."

"What?"

"What you were saying before… I love you too."

@powerfultenderness

[elriel-fireheart]

“I am a member of no Court. I am older than the High Lords, older than Prythian, older than the bones of this world.” the suriel, acotar ch 14

Is the Suriel's kind truly lost? Are there no others? The information it could provide...about the Asteri, about Koschei, about the mother, about the cauldron, about the starsword/TT, about lost legends, about seers....what a loss if it was truly the last of its kind.

I need another Suriel encounter, preferably with Elain. Ugh what a lost opportunity! The answers we could have! The dirty details!

Crack theories ahead....

Imagine finding out that your all powerful and beloved brother in law strictly forbade your true love from pursuing you.

Imagine finding out you are the last Seer to ever grace Prythian?

Imagine finding out about true mate bonds and cauldron-given bonds?

Imagine finding out clues about what's beneath Ramiel?

Imagine discovering the key to defeating Koschie?

Imagine discovering how to free Vassa and help Lucien get the love of his life?

Imagine discovering how to make contact with Bryce? Or the 7 princes of Hel?

[dreadreflection-if]

Will we have a chance to learn some sort of sign language for Dimitrius?

You will, yes!👍 I plan for there to be several points throughout the story where the MC can learn it. There will be ‘down-time’ between cases when the party is traveling through the Mists where the MC can learn or train skills, and sign language will be one of them. You can either learn from Desdemona earlier on, or from Dimitrius once your relationship with him has improved enough. Depends on if you’d rather know it earlier, or get to have teaching lessons with the man himself.

I also plan for MCs to have the option to be selectively mute, and they will know it from the beginning of the story!

[nikethestatue]

In ch 13 of acosf Gwyn tells Nesta about Merrill’s research and tells her about how some philosophers believe there are as many as 26 worlds, with the last one being Time. Later in chapter 54, Lanthys tells Nesta and Cassian the consequences of the Harp and that even death bows to the last string. Nesta counts the strings on the harp which are 26 & and she recalls the information Gwyn told her … I love that Gwyn without knowing said what the last string does as she explained something else.

I didn’t make the connection the first time, but now that I’m rereading it makes so much sense 😄

Do you think there is a connection between the strings of the harp and the dimensions?

Yes absolutely. i think each string of the Harp might be corresponding to a different world. But I also think that if you bring the Harp into different worlds, it would react and act differently.

I have a theory that the Harp will be Elain's Trove object. I think the Mask is Nesta's, because it's directly linked to armies, fighting, and bloodshed. I think the Crown will be Feyre's, since it's connected to the daemati powers and to her status as a HL. And the Harp, which changes outcomes of the future, which can control time and space, would be Elain's, who is a Seer, and is able to See and know the future and impact outcomes.

[lordgodjehovahsway]

1 Samuel 9: Samuel Anoints Saul The King Of Israel

1 There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. 

2 Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.

3 Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.” 

4 So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

5 When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”

6 But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”

7 Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”

8 The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.” 

9 (Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)

10 “Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they set out for the town where the man of God was.

11 As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?”

12 “He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place. 

13 As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.”

14 They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.

15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: 

16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.”

17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”

18 Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

19 “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. 

20 As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”

21 Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?”

22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. 

23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.”

24 So the cook took up the thigh with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’” And Saul dined with Samuel that day.

25 After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. 

26 They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. 

27 As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”

[philosophybits]

Am I already here before I see and taste and feel? ... If I were here without them, they could be here without me. I reveal them and they reveal me. How can I be here without them? How can they be here without me? I am not already here before experience as such: seeing reveals just the seer, tasting just the taster, feeling just the feeler.

Nāgārjuna, Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, Batchelor tr. (Ch 9)

[hereticpriest]

Mercy Ch. 1 - Every Story Has a Beginning

Rating: Explicit 18+

MDNI

Relationship: Obi-Wan Kenobi x Reader

To begin with, some warnings about this story: A/B/O Dynamics, Female Alpha, Male Omega, Some chapters may involve messing with the whole 'alphas are always dom and omegas are always sub' because I think nuance exists even in A/B/O dynamics, Fucking with the timeline (this is a blend of Canon, Legends, and original lore), Minimal use of Y/N (Explained in the first chapter), Reader is an alien species of my own creation and thus has a physical description, Familial bonds explored heavily, Clone rights explored heavily, Violence is more graphic than canon-typical however any graphic descriptions will be noted, AFAB reader, Not beta-read so I apologize for any mistakes.

Chapter Warnings: A bit heavy in exposition - I apologize, I have a lot to introduce. Minimal warnings, but there is some discussion of dynamics with children to prepare them for their future. Child abandonment?

Read on AO3

Masterlist - Part Two - Part Three - Part Four

A floating holo of Haelstruum rotated in the centre of the room, followed swiftly by a couple of other planets from across the galaxy. Ryloth, Shii, Glee Anselm, Corellia, Stewjon, and even Coruscant joined Haela in a cluster before their teacher, Master Yoda, as he began a slow but engaging lecture on the history of each planet and the Jedi they had produced. Haelstruum was not a common addition to the lecture, and as such, was one of the planets which appeared to intrigue the students in the room most of all. You noticed several eyes glancing back at you, filled with curiosity despite having been taught together for many years now. Your pointed ears flicked with irritation, an unconscious habit you had still yet to gain control of despite repeatedly hearing from your instructors that it gave away your true feelings.

“... not many jedi, Haelstruum has produced. Curious, as many force-sensitives, Haelstruum has.” Master Yoda gave a hum of amusement at the way his students leaned forwards towards him. Their eagerness to learn was often his favourite part of visiting the Heloist and Kybuck clans of younglings for lessons. He looked around the room for a moment, admiring the yearning for knowledge of each youngling, before his gaze fell upon you. The only potential Jedi from Haelstruum in nearly thirty years.

A hand shot up directly to the right of you. Doa’su, a teal-skinned Twi’lek who had always been endlessly curious about your species. Haela were rarely found off of Haelstruum, and strangers were rarely welcomed onto the planet, so the Archives or lessons were the only way to learn more about where you came from.

“A question, you have?” Yoda asked, and Doa’su straightened her back to right her posture, trying to look more adult than she was.

“Yes, Master Yoda. I was wondering why there aren’t more Haela Jedi if Haelstruum has a lot of force-sensitives?” She asked with as respectful a tone as a six year old could manage. Your tail flicked behind you, winding in slow s-patterns like a snake through the sand. You were also curious, of course. You’d been taken from Haelstruum when you were only a babe - no more than a year old if your minder in the crèche was to be believed. Yoda’s gaze found you again, and you could have sworn a smile tugged at his lips. Maybe he’d seen your excitement evident in your winding tail.

“Fiercely loyal, Haela are. And fiercely insular, I’m afraid. Believe themselves capable of teaching their own to use the Force and control themselves, the Haelstruum council does.” Yoda replied honestly, and as Doa’su perked up again as if to ask a follow up, he raised a calming hand palm towards her, “While strong with the Force, Haela are, deeply superstitious they are as well. If born under a bad omen, a Haelan is, abandoned they will be. A deep connection to the Force, Haelan seers have, but not always clear these visions are.”

You had a moment of fear at the idea of being abandoned. Considered a bad omen, or seen through the Force to do something awful. You closed your eyes for a brief moment, breathing in deeply, then exhaling slowly and calmly until the ripples in the serene pool of your mind dissipated to nothing.

“How was I found by the Jedi, Master Yoda?” You asked, bringing your tail into your lap to further calm yourself. To your left, you felt a curious gaze from the Stewjonni boy whose freckles seemed as plentiful as the stars in the night sky. His curiosity seemed to rival that of Doa’su, and it was liable to make you nervous again if you gave either of them any attention.

“Ahh, a very interesting tale, that is. Born under a rare foreseen comet, you were. A bad omen, it was said, for a child with the Force to be born under the watchful gaze of this comet. If I recall, lifted a starfruit to your cradle, you did. In the neighbouring system, Master Dooku was, and contacted by the Haelan council, we were.” Master Yoda replied, and you took some comfort in the knowledge that despite being considered a bad omen by your people, they still gave you to the Jedi instead of whatever alternative might have been possible.

“Thank you, Master Yoda. I apologise for the interruption.” You said politely, quieting down for the remainder of the lesson. The boy beside you kept his gaze fixed on your face a little longer, and you finally looked at him, blinking in surprise at the toothy smile he gave you. He wasn’t in the same clan as you - Kybuck clan to your Heloist clan - but you recognized him all the same. Obi-wan Kenobi, a strawberry blonde ball of rebellion and mischief that you did not need to get involved with. You immediately looked away again, your pale pink cheeks gaining a purple flush as your blue blood rushed to your face.

~

“Names are important,” Master Mundi aurated, his voice soft and lyrical as always as he took ownership of the front of the classroom, “Some cultures use their family name until they are old enough to choose their own name. Some cultures have names that have rich meaning, and are meant to foretell their future, while others simply choose something that appeals to the parents. Some cultures name their children after relatives. There are even some who have a given name that they only use during their youth, at which point it becomes personal and only used between close friends and family. Haela are a wonderful example of this, like our dear youngling Y/N. When Haela begin maturing, they choose what is called a ‘virtue name’. This name can be an attribute that they wish to personify throughout their life, or a calling that they feel deep in their heart. You’re still a bit young for that, Y/N, but I will be very curious to see what you land on.”

You smiled sheepishly, embarrassed by the attention, though Master Mundi swiftly moved onto the topic of titles, and how their importance varied from planet to planet. He was a fantastic teacher, and while his work largely fell into that of a Guardian, he was skilled with introducing Consular matters to the younglings. You quite enjoyed his classes, as even when the topic was boring, his lilting voice managed to keep your attention.

Later that day, while practising with your training saber under Master Yoda’s watchful eye, you couldn’t stop thinking about virtue names. What would you choose? How would you choose something so important without any guidance at all? What if you chose something as a Padawan but found that it didn’t suit you as an adult? You were only eight years old - you wouldn’t have to decide for at least a couple more years, and yet you felt frozen with indecision as if you had to decide this exact moment. From your understanding, the previous Haela Jedi had always chosen their virtue names as they transitioned from youngling to Padawan. That was still years away.

Nearby, Obi-Wan and another human boy had been paired up to spar. The sound of their training sabers buzzed in your ears, though you didn’t look up from the kata you were moving through robotically, far too lost in your head. It was a soothing sound to you, helping you reach a moving meditation state that had you following the will of the Force more than you were consciously following your kata movements. A yelp split the air, and you blinked rapidly as you came out of your trance, ears still buzzing with energy as you turned to see Obi-Wan on the floor with his hand around his ankle. The other human boy whose name you couldn’t remember was apologising profusely, and you could see unshed tears in Obi-Wan’s eyes that he was trying to hide. Master Yoda began to make his way across the room towards them, but you got there first, crouching in front of the Stewjonni boy with a sympathetic smile.

“That looks like it hurts.” You murmured, gently pulling his hands away from his ankle and rubbing your wrists together comfortingly. Despite still being too young for your dynamic to emerge, platonic scenting was common between younglings for comfort and bond-building, even if you barely knew him. He blinked at you, but the tension in his body eased, soothed by your gentle touch. His ankle was already red and beginning to swell, so you placed a careful hand on the joint. You didn’t quite know what you were doing, or why, but you could feel the Force guiding you, breathing through you. You felt bad for Obi-Wan and wanted to take away his pain.

And so you did.

You watched as the swelling began to reduce as quickly as it started. The redness melted back into pale skin littered with freckles, and Obi-Wan’s harsh breathing slowed. He reached for you this time, rubbing his wrist against yours, his body instinctively leaning towards you as he wiped his face in the collar of his robes. You barely even noticed that the boy had clasped his hand with yours, your wrists together while your other hand hovered over his injured ankle. A tingle of connection and thanks shot through you, and you smiled at Obi-Wan shyly as you finished healing his ankle. You removed your hand from his ankle as Master Yoda approached, a fond smile on his wrinkly old face.

“The gift of healing, you appear to have. A wonderful surprise, this is.” Yoda said as you used your grip on Obi-Wan’s hand to carefully help him to his feet. The young human boy rubbed his wrist against yours again a final time, reciprocating that comfort and silently thanking you for it, before he finally, reluctantly, let go.

“Does that mean I will have to stop my training and go to the Halls of Healing?” You asked your teacher with the beginnings of a pout, drawing a croaky laugh from the Master who had trained you for so long.

“Continue to train, you will. Want your help, the Halls of Healing may. But yours, the choice remains.”

~

You were nearly ten when you were brought into a cosy classroom that you didn’t think was still under use. Plants lined the shelving, and at the head of the room stood a Jedi you knew quite well. He often visited the crèche when he was stressed, playing with the youngest of the younglings or rocking the babies to sleep. He told grand stories of his missions, child-friendly of course, and you would always listen with rapt attention to his dramatic tales. Qui-Gon Jinn. Former apprentice of the man who brought you to the Jedi Temple as a babe.

Your fellow younglings shifted anxiously in their seats, all of you unsure as you had not been told what the lesson entailed, simply a time and classroom number. You held onto your tail to keep it from swaying nervously behind you, catching the eye of Doa’su beside you as she watched you. You offered her a shy smile which she returned, reaching out the short distance to rub your wrists together.

“Ah, a wonderful way to begin your lesson.” Qui-Gon interrupted you, making you jump in your seat. Your cheeks flushed purple, and Doa’su stammered an apology, but the Jedi Master simply shook his head and smiled at you both.

“Most Jedi are Betas, though scholars continue to argue whether that is because of the Force, or simply innately because Betas are far more common than the other two dynamics. I personally believe it to be a combination of both, however it is true that there are several wise Jedi who happen to be Alphas, or Omegas. Master Windu himself is an Alpha, as is my former master, Master Dooku. Master Sifo-Dyas and Master Yaddle are both Omegas.” Qui-Gon explained, “In this class, I will be giving you all a lesson in dynamics, including pack bonds, how your dynamic might affect your connection to the Force and the people around you, and dynamic-specific anatomy.”

After a quick look around the room, you gave a nervous giggle. You weren’t the only one whose face was flushed. Doa’su was as purple as you, and the Togruta youngling Orare seemed to be attempting to sink into the floor. Nanga, a Nautolan youngling was trying to cover her face with her tendrils, while Yaris, a Corellian boy simply pulled the front of his robes up over the lower half of his face. Qui-Gon watched you all with a certain fondness in his eyes, a kind but heavily amused smile on his face.

“All dynamics have scent glands, as I’m sure you are all aware. As demonstrated previously by younglings Y/N and Doa’su, pressing your scent glands together can be a way to comfort eachother, and display bonds of friendship. You have scent glands on your chin, your neck, and your wrists. It is generally considered that scenting via wrists is a platonic display, while scenting chin-to-neck is far more intimate. The glands on your neck are used for mating bonds, though only force-mates are allowed to bind themselves this way within the Jedi Order.” Qui-Gon gestured towards the appropriate glands on his own body as he spoke, and you reached up to touch the gland on your chin curiously.

“How do you know that someone is your force-mate?” Nanga asked, shy but very curious. Qui-Gon smiled indulgently.

“When you brush your force signature against your force-mate, it will instantly create a bond between you, stronger than any training bond or pack bond you may create. Should one not be taking blockers, the scent of their mate might be a good indicator, and might throw them both into early heat or ruts. It is said to be instantly obvious when you meet your force-mate, though only if you meet after presenting.” Qui-Gon explained as he walked leisurely around the room, “I have been asked to warn you that finding your force-mate is a very rare occurrence, lest you feel disheartened if you don’t find them. I have also been asked to remind you that while force-mates are respected by the Council, you must always put the living will of the Force, and the Jedi Code, first.”

The Beta Master went on to explain that heats and ruts were monthly, though many species have stronger heats and ruts during the spring and summer seasons. He explained that the possibility of pregnancy, and the genital anatomy of Alphas and Omegas was species-dependent and very complicated, but to be assured that it was very likely that whatever relationship dynamic you fell into would allow procreation, if you found your force-mate. To your immense embarrassment, Qui-Gon Jinn took the time to explain an Alpha’s knot, Omega slick, and general anatomy of each dynamic for each of the species present in the room. He explained Omega behaviour like nesting, and how it could be supported by their pack. You were relieved when he dispelled the misconceptions around Alpha commands, as they had always been unnerving to you. While a command was compelling, it was not all-powerful, and it was generally used to break through barriers like anxiety or fear. Even the worst, most vile Alpha couldn’t force their Omega or Beta into anything they didn’t want to do. 

Betas tend to have soothing scents, Alphas tend towards woodsy or spicy scents, and Omegas often have flowery or sweet scents, Qui-Gon explained as he went into how scent was as good as mind-reading for many people. It was an innate, biological knowledge that everyone shared. Sour smells indicated fear, tang indicated arousal, warmth indicated happiness or contentedness, and the scent of rot often followed anger or hate. Even as younglings, with very little scent of your own, you could recognize these scents in others around you - particularly adults.

The last part of your lesson revolved around pack bonds and dynamic communication. Packs often fluctuated, and the pack you belonged to as a youngling would change as you became a Padawan, and later, a Master. Packs consisted of a variety of members of different dynamics, headed by an Alpha, and balanced by a strong Beta. Multiple Alphas could be in the same pack, however one of those Alphas would inevitably be stronger than the others, or at the very least submitted to. Alphas chuff when pleased, while Omegas purr. Alphas growl or roar when displeased, while Omegas hiss. Omegas make a chirrup sound to get the attention of those around them, a sharp, ear-catching sound. Betas can purr, and it can be incredibly soothing to be around a purring Beta. Betas also bark when displeased, and even the strongest Alpha would feel chastened by a Beta’s bark.

“When you present your dynamic, you will be given scent blockers, and heat or rut blockers as well. You will be given a birth control implant, which can be removed when you get older, should you find your force-mate. It is important to know that while your first heat or rut can be scary, you will be supported by those around you, and the effects will be swiftly soothed by taking your first round of blockers.” Qui-Gon showed you all the birth control implant in his arm to assuage your fears, letting each of you touch the small shape beneath his skin. You had to admit, it made you feel better to have a frank discussion of these things that you knew existed, but were kept so cloistered in the Jedi Temple.

By the end of the lesson, despite the uncertainty surrounding it, you felt a little more at ease about your future. Most Jedi were Betas, anyways, so you likely didn’t have much to worry about. And you likely wouldn’t present for a couple of years still - the average age for presenting was 12-14. It was a distant worry if anything. There was no way you would be an Alpha, or an Omega. There was no way.

~

Space was cold.

It was your first clear thought since you’d boarded the small cruiser that would take you on your first mission with your new Master. You stood proudly behind him and the pilot in the cockpit, feet carefully shoulder-width apart, your chin tipped up regally as your Master had instructed you. Your hands were folded carefully behind your back, hidden in your sleeves, and you relied entirely upon your balance to keep yourself upright for the journey despite any turbulence. Most younglings become Padawans closer to the age of twelve, however your Master requested you a little early, believing you would benefit from one-on-one attention sooner rather than later. At the tender age of ten, you looked up into the proud eyes of your Master as he carefully twisted the strands of your hair into your Padawan braid, and you knew you had been right to hope for him to be your Master for all of these years.

“Have you chosen a virtue name, my young Padawan?” Your Master asked as he got to the end of your braid, beginning to tie it off with a teal band.

“Yes, Master. I will be known as Mercy from now on.” You replied, hope stirring in your belly that you had chosen correctly. Your Master smiled fondly as he finished tying off your braid, tucking it back from your face.

“I’m pleased to know you, Mercy.”

~

“One must master oneself to master the force, my young apprentice.” He had told you as he helped you with your new Padawan robes, “and one must always present oneself the way they wish to be viewed. Project strength, and you will be seen as strong even when you do not feel it. Project regality, and you will be treated with the respect you deserve, despite your youth. Poise and elegance are important for not only consular abilities, but also your lightsaber training, and your force abilities.”

Your Padawan braid swayed against your neck, and you were tempted to tuck it behind your ear to keep it from tickling your skin, but you don’t want to move. You want your Master to know how seriously you take his instruction. You want to prove yourself to him. The journey is long, with a jump through hyperspace that threatens to knock you over, though you use your prehensile tail to balance yourself. Four hours you stand behind your Master and the pilot, who had initially attempted to argue on your behalf that you be allowed to sit. It was kind and thoughtful of him, though you had insisted that you would be perfectly fine standing before your Master could even respond. His approving smile warmed you enough to keep you standing even when your legs began to go numb.

Your arrival upon the small planet is greeted with much pomp and circumstance, and your Master rests a strong hand between your shoulder blades to support you as you walk through the streets of a bustling market. The sights and smells are nearly overwhelming after a lifetime of the cool serenity of the Jedi Temple, but you try to act unbothered and simply wrap your tail around your leg to keep it from getting in the way. You’re too tired for it to truly overwhelm you. Perhaps that had been the point. If you were being honest with yourself, you remember very little about your first mission considering it had largely been a diplomatic mission between your Master and the hierarchy of the planet. Your fondest memories are largely unrelated to your actual goal upon the planet.

Your Master calmly introduced you to the wealth of indulgences available in the small market, starting with a meal in a restaurant by the shipyard which he informed you was your first reward for your impressive standing meditation upon the ship. He ordered several dishes to share, calmly explaining what each food was and the way it should taste as you ate. When you mentioned that the Council might see it as an overindulgence, he simply smiled at you with an eyebrow cocked and asked, “Is the Council here, my young Padawan?” You giggled, taking another bite of a sweet fruit that made your mouth water to hide your excitement.

After your meal, your Master bought you a tin of candy from a booth with a shopkeeper who smiled bright as the sun as she handed it over to you. He bought you a bead for your braid to celebrate your first mission, and a lovely copper-coloured cuff for your tail that was originally meant to be a bracelet. He told you stories of some of his previous missions, and his last Padawan many years ago who was now a Jedi Master in his own right. After meeting with the leaders of the planet and completing the mission, he took you back to the cruiser, however he did not make you stand this time. Instead, he sat with you in the small cargo hold and showed you how to massage the pain from your legs after a busy day. He promised you that while he would demand a lot from you, he would always take care of you.

And you believed him.

For a long, long time, it was true. Your Master taught you his preferred lightsaber form, Form II - Makashi. He praised your elegance with the blade, your prowess with the force, and your poise in the face of all obstacles. He bought you more small indulgences, like hair oils and creams with bacta that would help soothe your aching muscles after a hard day. He filled your datapad with countless books about the force, or history, or poetry. With each one you read, he would indulge you in grand, invigorating discussions that often gave you new perspectives and made you feel more equal with your Master. He brought you to see a couple of plays in the grand theatre on Coruscant, along with an opera for your eleventh birthday.

Your Master disagreed often with the Council, and had many indulgences unbefitting of a Jedi. He was stern when you made mistakes, and far more demanding than many of the other Masters, but he was so nurturing every step of the way that you truly excelled under his tutelage. He would drill you for hours in lightsaber training until you could barely stand, then make you sit in meditation for hours longer until your body ached. He pushed you further than other Padawans your age, and if questioned about it he would simply tell you that you were better than them, and thus more would be expected of you. He made you sit under waterfalls until your body was numb, or balance in a one-handed handstand while using the force to hold rocks in levitation. He expected perfection. And yet, he always rewarded you for meeting his standards. He would rebraid your Padawan braid with new beads and clasps with each achievement, and praise you for your skills. On a mission to a rather rich, lush planet, he bought you a new cloak in your favourite colour to wear over your brown and cream robes.

When you were twelve, you presented as an Alpha, and your Master smiled proudly as he wiped the sweat from your brow and tucked you into bed. He gave you scent blockers in the form of patches for the scent glands on your neck, and cream for anywhere else. He gave you rut blockers to take every day, and explained their importance. Not once did he falter or appear embarrassed in his explanations of your dynamic. Despite the heavy scent of your rut filling the room, he was perfectly composed as he braided your hair to keep it from getting tangled while you rested.

“I knew it.” He said, “You will be a strong Alpha, regal and poised. A paragon of your designation.”

Your Master brought you a robe of his, knowing it would provide comfort as the blockers took effect. Thankfully, you’d only have to endure a couple of hours of this torment. He brought you water, and your favourite foods, cheekily putting a finger to his grinning lips as if to shush you as he did. As if you’d ever tattle on him to the Council.

The following morning, after a long turn in the fresher, you finally felt like yourself again. You took your bedding and clothes to do the laundry, then applied your scent blocker carefully in the mirror. You were sitting on the cushion in the shared space of your rooms when your Master finally joined you. He carefully settled down across from you, his force signature brushing against yours through your training bond to assure himself that you were alright before he sank into meditation with you. When you were feeling calm and collected, and balanced within the force, you finally spoke.

“You have let me waste the morning away. I have training to get to. I am ready, Master Dooku.”

[princessofmerchants]

A Post-HOFAS reading of Nesta Scrying for the Mask in ACOSF

One of my favorite scenes in ACOSF is when Nesta scrys for the Mask.

(HOFAS spoilers after the break)

From the first time I read this amazing scene, I immediately recognized all the callbacks to the scene in ACOWAR when she scryed for the Cauldron during the war against Hybern.

She made no move to close her eyes. “I—am I to … touch it?” “No,” Amren warned. “Just come close. Find it, but do not interact.” Nesta still didn’t move. She could not use the bathtub, she’d told me. Because the memories it dragged up— Cassian said to her, “Nothing can harm you here.” He sucked in a breath, groaning softly, and rose to his feet. Azriel tried to stop him, but Cassian brushed him off and strode for my sister’s side. He braced a hand on the desk when he at last stopped. “Nothing can harm you,” he repeated. Nesta was still looking at him when she finally shut her eyes.

—ACOWAR, ch. 62

Cassian’s warmth seeped into her side, his wings rustling near her back. She let that warmth, the rustle anchor her. He had come to save her from her nightmare, had stayed with her while she slept. Had guarded and fought for her. He would let no harm come to her now. No harm No harm No harm

—ACOSF, ch. 31

Cassian, her mate, is her anchor and way back when she descends into her power and its connection to the Cauldron-Made Mask, just like he was the reason she found the courage to scry for the Cauldron in ACOWAR.

And now, after reading HOFAS, I noticed new details in the ACOSF scrying scene that take on new meaning.

The magic when Nesta scrys resembles that of the Mystics in Midgard. The room gets cold (though in ACOSF Azriel does note with alarm that didn't happen when Nesta scryed for the Cauldron in the war against Hybern—so we are left to wonder what is different this time?). And the person using their power is focusing their magic into a question they need an answer to. Scrying in Prythian seems limited to locational questions, while I think the Mystics are sometimes asked questions that aren't framed as "Where is X?" And yet, the way they find answers seems to be locational too—their minds travel to someplace to seek an answer to the question asked. I have encountered predictions that Elain's Seer power may turn out to work similarly to the Mystics, but from the little we saw of it in action in ACOWAR, I'm no longer convinced the descriptions of how these kinds of magic operate seem to align—Nesta's scrying magic is way more similar, to me anyway.

Cassian's kiss given to Nesta to pull her out of the scrying, because she's used "the essence of the Cauldron" (‼️) to create an impenetrable wall around her mind to protect her loved ones...his kiss reminds me of Bryce and Hunt sharing their powers with each other in HOFAS when they have sex as mates. These scenarios aren't identical per say, but Cassian uses the power in his Siphons to send bites of power into her palm to draw her silver fired attention to him. Then he kisses her, and besides being so 👏🏻 sexy 👏🏻, after the kiss this exchange happens in mindspeak with Rhys:

(Kindle isn't letting me copy/paste anymore text from ACOSF 😏)

Something about Cassian warming the entire room while kissing Nesta to bring her out of the scrying has me thinking "Mate Magic Meld" a la Quinlar (but on a much smaller scale perhaps because they haven't both accepted the bond at this point), which is so freaking cool.

Whether it turns out to be simply a literary parallel or actually pointing to the same magical phenomenon on different scales, either way it's still cool to me, especially given how in both mate relationships, one of them is the anchor for the other to always "come back home" when descending into powerful magic that runs the risk of consuming the wielder. (This is again similar to the Feysand mating bond being Feyre's way back to life—and Rhys—at the end of ACOTAR when she dies.)

I'm sure there are even more amazing details from this Mask scrying scene that will blow our minds someday after we get to read the next ACOTAR book, which is when I expect Nesta's powers that she stole from the Cauldron, then was gifted to keep by the Mother, to be explained to us even more.

But for now I wanted to record what I noticed this time around rereading my favorite book—the mate trope as a romantic trope is cool, but mating bond magic sharing is the coolest. 🥰

[notsorryforbeingbluencold]

Better Homestuck CH&T because I didn't like the other ones...

sydney: seer of doom, prospit, olive

jedidiah: heir of time, derse, indigo

elijah: thief of heart, prospit, cerulean

up&adam: sylph of blood, derse, teal?? cerulean??

Ooo