#cue that the crown's line: and if u hurt her; you hurt me

[faeryaesther]

Promised myself to never read most of twitter replies now I did and I hope most of yall can rot in the dungeon and never see the sunlight again

[kingofthe-egirls]

TEXT ME: SHOYO x Y/N (part 4)

series

(cw: ballet recital!, shoyo gets u flowers, is in love w u, fluff)

(a/n: reminding myself of when i did ballet in hs…inner teenager healing)

words: 658

****

You’re standing in the wings.

Your pointe shoes are tied, your tutu is fluffy. The Waltz of the Flowers has just started offstage. You’re nervous. You’re ready.

Your cue light flashes green.

You slowly enter, feeling the warm glow of the lights on your face. Dust specks float in the beams. You take center stage, and begin.

You start with échappes, jumping up onto the boxes of your pointe shoes. Then are the side-to-side jetés. You leap from one foot to the other, before landing directly into a double pirouette. Your dance partners line up behind you in a row: ready to help you with the harder moves.

You delicately walk to your first partner, and lift up on one pointe as he helps you promenade slowly in place. His hand steadies your waist: fingers curving around the sparkly pink-and-silver sequined tutu.

Your hair is pinned up into a bun, complete with a sparkly tiara. It’s sprayed to shit with hairspray, which helps you spot and keeps you from getting dizzy.

You chaine to your next partner, who helps you fouette, spinning in place while kicking a leg out. You turn three times, before sautéing your way to the third and final partner. He smiles at you, your friend from class, and for a moment your body remembers Shoyo supporting you back in the dance studio. Your belly warms, and as your partner lifts you up over his head, a slow, syrupy smile overtakes your face.

You twirl, lowering safely to the stage. You plié, taking a bow, before delicately running offstage again.

The second part of your solo soon comes, and you flitter onstage to perform it. You demonstrate slow, sweeping dance moves for the girl playing Clara to copy. She smiles and flutters after you, spinning and pirouetting to her heart’s delight.

You feel the warm lights on your skin, you feel the breath of the audience watching you. You feel the orchestra, the violins, the *music* flowing through you as you dance. Your feet hurt but only slightly—and even then you barely feel it. All you feel is glittering diamonds on your skin, the flounce of your tutu, and the thought of Shoyo watching in the audience.

You spin, and smile.

Grand battement: throwing your leg high into the air. You pointe your toes, tutu swishing. You flutter your knees as you spin slowly in place for the bourres. Clara follows you, moving at a graceful four counts behind you. You smile, and for a moment, she is Clara, and you are the Rose Fairy.

It’s magic.

****

Shoyo is waiting in the auditorium with flowers. He’s astounded by your performance: he’s never seen something so…so…graceful!

Scanning the crowd of ballerinas that had scattered into the audience to speak with those that had come to see them, he looks for you.

Pink tutu, pretty crown, gorgeous smile…where are you?

And then someone sparkling flutters up beside him: you.

You’re perfect.

“Y/n!!! Great job!!” He shoves the pink roses into your hands, eyes squeezed shut with his face burning. You’re so stunning, he’s finding it hard to look directly at you.

“Shoyo! Oh my gosh, thank you!” You bury your nose in the roses and inhale.

“H-hope you like them!” He stammers, trying to find a part of you that isn’t dazzlingly beautiful.

No luck.

Your hair, your eyes, the tiara, and the tutu…your lithe legs and the ballet slippers on your feet. He shakes his head. “You’re like a magical princess, or something!”

You giggle, and the sound is like fairy bells. You hold the flowers to your heart. “Let’s take some pictures?”

He nods, and

pulls out his phone.

After snapping a couple selfies (where he feels sorely underdressed) you smile and touch his arm.

“I have to go get changed, but after I come back let’s get dessert to celebrate!”

He nods, watching you flounce away.

You’re perfect.

And you’re all his.

[leejungchans]

— juliet on kingdom (episode 6).

juliet’s masterlist

from may 6’s episode

note: read the tweets from the bottom up 💕 keep in mind that this contains spoilers in case you want to watch the episode first :3 more under the cut bc i also went a tiny bit overboard with this 💀

— juliet’s outfit;

disclaimer: the blurring of faces in my outfit collages is in no way meant as a form of disrespect, the sole purpose is to put the focus on the hairstyle and there is absolutely no ill intent. thank you for understanding!!

when they were deciding on the groups for round 3, juliet was so happy they ended up choosing stray kids and btob

right after announcing that decision she immediately went to felix and gave him a big hug :((

but we came here to talk about the sports day 🤩

let’s make one (1) thing clear: juliet is here to make friends 😇

B U T she is also an ateez member, aka she is very competitive 💀

this is the same person who refused to sleep when playing the mafia game which was partly the reason for why it got banned from their dorms

probably texted felix the night before like “ily bestie but if we ever have to go head-to-head tmr ur going D O W N”

she said 🔥👄🔥

someone collect her please

ngl she was kinda jealous of skz’s pink outfits bc they looked so cute in them :(((

strawberry kids pls 🥺🥺🥺🥺

but her outfit was also adorable like what :((((

THE BUCKET HAT 🥺

this was also the tiniest she’s looked on kingdom since she always wore boots with some form of platforms for the performances :c

ateez and stray kids’ tables were next to each other so she finally had the opportunity to interact more with the others and not just chanlix!! (´｡• ᵕ •｡`)

pretty much became besties with jisung, changbin and jeongin after that day and also became friends with peniel 🤩🤩

there were still a lot of lixliet moments!!!! even in the background you could see them just chilling and having fun 🥰🥰

also bonded with changmin (from tbz, not the mc ahshjws😭) over liking horror movies and stuff

“you have a chUCKY DOLL??? CAN I SEE IT????? DO YOU HAVE A PHOTO??????? 🤩”

not them cooing over photos of his chucky doll like it’s a baby/pet photo 💀

ateez and the boyz: 👁👄👁 should we be afraid orrr...?

hongjoong, in the distance: you can admire it but don’t you dare bring one home

okay the vaulting competition ✨

while watching sf9 go she was like “:ccc but i’m already shorter than the first level (1.7m)” 💀

she got really shy when changmin read that she has 10 years of ballet experience uwu

changmin, jokingly: oh~ she’s shorter than the box already

juliet: ☹️☹️🥺🥺

changmin: whdjgjwhd sorry sorry sorry 😭

eunkwang: hey!!!! don’t make the baby sad!!!!!!!

she killed it!! mostly bc of her flexibility as she could lift her legs high enough to not touch the box!!

she made it past 2.2m so that’s pretty cool 🤩

eunkwang: maybe it has to do with being born in australia and being around kangaroos

gave the cameras a 🥰✌️🕺🏻😚 after every successful jump

everyone else being her biggest hypemen 😌 the privilege smh

okay but one time as she was running up to the box her hat flew off and she went “nooooo” in tiny and ran back to get it

literally everyone on set went 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 uwu

even the judge/referee laughed 😭

you know how people are like “hold my xxx”

that was juliet but with her bucket hat 💀💀

for her last attempt at 2.3m she uhhh... kinda body-slammed right into the box and knocked it over so they both fell onto the mat 🤕🤕

cue yunho, wooyoung, chan and minhyuk who immediately rushed up to her to see if she was okay :(

the others were like “is she okay???? :c”

ngl it hurt quite a bit but she was also very giggly bc she didn’t expect herself to make it that far

but after the adrenaline wore off she definitely felt the pain :(

so they had to vote for the visual king right

mnet was like ok juliet u can vote for the visual king but they can’t vote for u bc we don’t wanna start anything so u can be the visual queen and win by default 😄

“should i be insulted that they made me win by default 😅😅😅”

yes juliet actually said that on camera and they left it in 💀💀

she still took the selfie and mnet put hers up on the board with everyone else’s but with a little crown over hers that said ‘visual queen’ 💀💀💀💀💀

she was pretty embarrassed by that ngl but sigh what else can she do 😔

hyunjae, pointing to the tiny crown over juliet’s selfie: ohhhhhh does this mean we can’t vote for juliet?

eric: if we could she’d probably win by a landslide

sir we caught u in 4k 👁👁

when seonghwa said he thought felix was cute and wanted to adopt him as a little brother though 🥺

juliet went (◕‿◕) and immediately dragged him over to felix like “OI MATE HERE’S YOUR NEW FRIEND SEONGHWA”

Little Miss Indecisive makes a reappearance bc whO SHOULD SHE VOTE FOR?????

“can i vote for someone not on the show?”

she didn’t actually say that don’t worry

she ended up voting for minhyuk!!!

mostly bc she genuinely thought he was really cool but also bc they were far apart enough in age that people would be less likely to spread rumours

it do be like that sometimes :/

“minhyuk-sunbaenim was very charismatic in their performance from last round, and he was so cool just now during the vaulting competition so i’m going to vote for him!”

she did write a tiny disclaimer on her paper slip that said “everyone is handsome!! <3” though 🥺

WHEN FELIX PLACED 2ND IN THE VISUAL KING THINGY

biggest hypewoman

“YEAHHH FELIX THAT’S MY CUTE BESTIE RIGHT THERE EVERYONE SHUT UP AND LOOK AT HIM!!! FELIX VISUAL KING!!!!! SO TRUE BESTIE!!!!!!!!!”

hwjdbwjjs before they announced minhyuk as first the mcs asked juliet who she voted for and she was so shy when she said she voted for him 😭😭😭

she didn’t take part in the balloon snake tag game and the relay bc she was pretty exhausted from the vaulting (and also bc the boys told her not to bc they could tell she was still slightly in pain after she slammed into the box 🥺)

so instead she became everyone’s designated cheerleader :3

when wooyoung came first in the relay she was so proud!!!!

right after he crossed the finishing line she ran up to him and tackled him in a big hug :ccc

then she went up to eunkwang and asked if he was okay bc he fell during the relay :((((

in conclusion she had so much fun that day and was happy to make even more frens 🥰

— fan reactions;

a/n: this episode was so fun 😭 pls the vaulting game was so funny to watch ahdjjwjs but they all did so well???? i wouldn’t even make it past the first level so idk how minhyuk and chan both managed to go over 2.3m 😭 tbz were also so good at it though???? pls the way juyeon and changmin made it look so easy 👁👄👁 also eric was out for blood in the balloon snake tag game ahjshwjsb we stan 🤩 let me know what you think!! your support really means a lot to me and is what keeps me motivated so thank you all sm 💕💕

[fangirl-creates]

Curtain Call - Chapter 1: Showtime

Blitz found himself lost again. The room he opened his eyes in was small—thick red and white vertical lines were painted on the wall, and a hardwood floor that was so dirty that the dust coated the bottom of his shoes. He looked around for a door of some kind, but the room had no exit. A light bulb dangled from the black painted ceiling, being the only source of light he had.

He was afraid to pull the string and turn it off. He didn’t know what was waiting in this room for him to do that, that once the darkness took over he’d never see the light again. He nearly had a heart attack when the light started flickering, now watching it with fear in his eyes to make sure it didn’t go out. But even with his eyes glued to it, it continued to make him nervous by flickering more. Until finally-

Bzzt.

It went out, Blitz now completely engulfed in darkness. He stood perfectly still, his heart beating rapidly as claustrophobia started to kick in. His breathing was heavy, finding himself curling up into a ball on the dusty floor. It was a defense mechanism, but he felt somewhat safe when he did this.

He heard muffled noises coming from outside the room. Talking. Cheering? He couldn’t make it out.

Footsteps made him stand.

Had someone found him? How would they even get inside? But…what if they were the ones who trapped him in here? What if they were coming to hurt him further?

He backed up against a wall, suddenly feeling it push against his back. His spines felt crushed under it, but he held back the urge to react. For even the slightest sound could let the enemy know he was there—if they didn’t think so already.

The footsteps got louder, the wall pushing Blitz further towards the front of the room.

His back and tail went numb, his feet slipping on the floor as he struggled to fight the wall.

A light nearly blinded him, his arm instinctively going to shield his eyes. But then-

“Blitzo? You ready to go on?”

He opened his eyes and looked in front of him. The front wall had been opened like it was just a curtain, a figure standing in front of it. She was a female imp, dressed like some sort of staff member.

The back wall was gone, the room being reduced to nothing more than a red and white changing tent.

“Well?” She looked at him with a slightly annoyed expression. “The audience is getting impatient.”

Blitz looked down at himself—he was..wearing his old performance outfit? When did he-?

“AHEM.” She cleared her throat rather loudly in front of him, making him look at her.

He didn’t know what to say, but she would most likely get more upset if he continued to stay silent.

“U-Uhm..yeah I’m ready..?” He answered half-heartedly, still confused.

“Finally!” She rolled her eyes. “Now get going.” Her tail swished angrily as she walked away, mumbling something about how she ‘didn’t get paid enough for this bullshit’.

Blitz stepped out of the tent rather quickly, not wanting to get trapped again. The tent seemed to disappear once he did so, leaving him out in the open—a dirt floored, tent hallway.

There were more lightbulbs this time, lining the floor as a guide for him. They blinked in a motion that lured him closer. Cautiously, he walked into the hallway, hearing the sounds from earlier getting louder the closer he got.

He could hear the cheering clear as day now. Something about it made him nervous, like he was about to step into dangerous waters—one wrong move and you could drown.

A loud ‘Whoa’ from the audience made him jump. He could hear people stomping their feet in rhythm to something, more ‘Whoas’ along with the beat.

He felt something grab his arm. He turned to look at it, only to be met with a face he hadn’t seen in years.

Barbie.

What was she doing here?!

She smiled at him, letting go of his arm as she gave him a friendly, light punch in the shoulder. “Ready, Bro?”

“I—I..” He couldn’t speak, his face going pale as he struggled to find the words. None of this made any sense.

She laughed, taking his hand as she led him towards the end of the hallway—another curtain light up ahead.

“Let’s make this one they won’t forget, kay?”

His body stiffened. He didn’t know where she was taking him. He didn’t want to know. “Barbie I-”

Another ‘whoa’ from outside, followed by a familiar voice singing to an audience of thousands. Blitz couldn’t make out who it was, but something about the voice drew him in.

“Ladies and gents this is the moment you’ve waited for..”

Another ‘whoa’. Blitz felt his feet moving closer to the light, Barbie still smiling.

“Been searching in the dark, your sweat soaking through the floor..”

One final ‘whoa’.

“And buried in your bones, there’s an ache that you can’t ignore.”

He stepped closer in tune to the beat. Was it father away?

“Taking your breath,”

Step.

“Stealing your mind,”

Step.

“And all that was real is left behind—!”

He was finally out of the hallway, he and Barbie now inside the main tent. Demon’s eyes were on them like glue, some sort of figure in the middle of the tent. They stood with a bright spotlight on them.

“Don’t fight it, it’s coming for you, running at ya.”

Blitz gulped.

“It’s only this moment, don’t care what comes after.”

He felt Barbie grab his hand again, pulling toward the center.

“Your fever dream, can’t you see it getting closer?”

Lights flashed within the crowd. Cameras probably, he thought.

“Just surrender cause you feel the feeling taking over—!”

The stomping and cheering got louder.

“It’s fire, it’s freedom, it’s flooding open! It’s a preacher in the pulpit and you’ll find devotion—!”

The figure’s eyes were a fiery orange, teeth glowing along with their intimidating grin.

“There’s something breaking at the brick of every wall it’s holding—”

Blitz was suddenly pulled to the center even faster, he and Barbie now on opposite sides of the figure.

“—I’ll let you know…”

In that moment Blitz could see the face of the figure. Once it registered in his mind, blood went cold.

The music paused for a second, leaving the audience in suspense.

The figure’s face—a lion with burned and matted fur, a mane made of flames—leaned over to him, his lips close to Blitz’s ears as he whispered.

“Don’t let me down, Blitzy.”

For some reason, Blitz nodded in response, despite the fear coursing through his veins.

The lion demon turned back to the audience with a big smile, the song resuming.

“So tell me, do you wanna go—?”

The whole circus lit up.

“Where it’s covered in all the colored lights,”

Barbie ran over to him, grabbing his hand once more as she pulled him to another area of the tent.

“Where the runaways are running the night,”

He found himself placed alongside other demons who performed—more faces being recognized the longer he stood there.

“Impossible comes true, it’s taking over you!”

The lion pointed a staff at the audience as they shouted to him on cue.

“OH! THIS IS THE GREATEST SHOW!”

He grinned at them.

“We light it up, we won’t come down!”

“AND THE SUN CAN’T STOP US NOW!”

Like puppets on a string.

“Watching it come true, it’s taking over you!”

“OH! THIS IS THE GREATEST SHOW!”

The ‘whoas’ returned. Blitz suddenly found himself holding onto a large silver ring, standing on a platform so high, everyone below him looked like ants.

He saw Barbie on a platform across from him, holding onto a different silver ring.

Shit.

He knew what this was.

“Colossal we come, these renegades in the ring,”

“WHOA!”

“Where the lost get found in the crown of the circus king!”

Barbie took a few steps back, getting a running start.

“Don’t fight it, it’s coming for you, running at ya!”

Blitz felt his legs doing the same.

“It’s only this moment, don’t care what comes after! It’s blinding outside and I think that you know,”

They both jumped off at the same time.

“Just surrender ‘cause you’re calling and you wanna go—!”

Like instinct they both let go and grabbed onto the opposing ring, doing a spin in unison before landing on the opposite platform.

“Where it’s covered in all the colored lights,”

Again.

“Where the runaways are running the night,”

Again.

“Impossible comes true, intoxicating you—!”

“OH! THIS IS THE GREATEST SHOW!”

They put their hands together the fourth time, spinning around as their tails and legs held onto the rings.

“We light it up, we won’t come down!”

“AND THE SUN CAN’T STOP US NOW!”

“Watching it come true!”

“IT’S TAKING OVER YOU!”

“OH, THIS IS THE GREATEST SHOW!”

Barbie let go of his hands, both of them now spinning on opposite ends of the tent.

Blitz felt the wind on his face, gliding past the audience and that captivating ringmaster below. That…horrifyingly captivating ringmaster. His voice echoed in Blitz’s ears, throughout the tent.

“It’s everything you ever want,”

Blitz felt like he had the hang of this.

“It’s everything you ever need,”

He closed his eyes.

“And it’s here right in front of you,”

He dangled upside down, his arms spread out.

“This is where you wanna be.”

His tail and legs held on tight.

“It’s everything you ever want,”

Don’t let go.

“It’s everything you ever need,”

Don’t let go..!

“And it’s here right in front of you,”

He heard something snap.

He opened his eyes.

“This is where you wanna beeeee—!”

The music got louder.

The floor got closer.

He panicked.

He was running out of time.

Maybe someone would catch him.

Maybe Barbie would-

THUD.

The song did not continue…one final voice was heard before it faded to black.

“Looks like you let me down...”

—————

“NO! SHIT!” He screamed.

His eyes opened in a cold sweat, falling off the bed he was in. The blankets wrapped around his legs, stopping his head from hitting the floor.

He took a minute to check his surroundings.

He was in Stolas’ room. In bed.

The circus was gone.

Barbie was gone.

It was all a dream.

“Oh..”

He untangled himself from the bed sheets, struggling to get up as he proceeded to climb back onto the bed.

Since when did his dreams become so…vivid? So real? And why did it have to be there? With Barbie and…and..

“Blitzy?”

He flinched at that nickname, but soon relieved to find out it was only Stolas beside him. He turned to see the Owl Prince sit up, looking at him with concerned eyes.

“Is everything alright..? I heard you shouting.”

He didn’t know how to explain it. Or even if he wanted to.

No.

No, he couldn’t.

His tail swished. “Yeah I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Stolas cupped his face gently, surprised when Blitz leaned into it. “Perhaps I could make you some tea or—?”

“No…no I don’t need it.” He took one of Stolas’ hands, closing his eyes as though if he let go of it, he’d fall again.

“Can we just..” He looked up at him, his eyes looking hurt by something. Something Stolas didn’t know. “…go back to sleep? Please?”

The ‘please’ made Stolas even more worried, sensing something was amiss. Regardless, he let Blitz hold his hand as they laid back down together.

“Ok.”

Blitz let out a shaky breath, his eyes starting to close. He was still afraid he’d go back to that dreamscape, but maybe his mind would let him rest this time. It was all he wanted. It was what he needed.

“And Stolas?”

“Hm?”

“C-Can you…” He bit his lip. “..wake me up if I start to..?”

Stolas put a finger to his lips. “Of course I will. Now get some rest, Blitzy.”

Blitz hid the blush on his face, sinking into the oversized pillow. “Thanks.”

Once his eyes closed, Stolas made it his task to stay up the rest of the night. Owls were naturally nocturnal, anyway.

But even so, he couldn’t help but wonder what had gone on in the imp’s head. What sort of nightmare could have been so bad, that even Blitz would be shaken up by it..?

Whatever it was, he hoped it wouldn’t happen again.

(First chapter of Curtain Call! More coming soon!

Also here’s the song used in the chapter:

https://youtu.be/NyVYXRD1Ans )

[fandomsonrequests]

𝖆𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖘𝖊𝖑𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓..? [𝖕𝖆𝖗𝖙 8]

fandom: ATEEZ

characters: prince! park seonghwa

reader: fem! knight

word count: 3.5k+

summary:  It was time for another Selection. No- not a Selection for a bride but rather a well-trained knight to keep Prince Seonghwa safe after a failed assassination attempt. You, a blacksmith’s daughter, manage to make it to the elite group of knights worthy and skilled enough to protect the crown prince after months and months of training. This alone catches Seonghwa’s eyes- in more ways than one

a/n: yAAAYY it’s finally here! part 8! it’s still a long ride so please forgive me if updates are getting slow ;^; school is really kicking my ass. plus there were flooding and typhoons that happened in my country so I lost internet for a few days. But thank you again for those who stuck by ;^;

taglist: @iwanttohitmyself​​ @barcelona-sergei​​ @minihongjoong​​ @i-purrple-u  @taetae123094​ @jeonartemis​ @jibaxja @theoinkypiglet​ @sparklychangbin​

↞previous  ♛   next↠

Seonghwa walks alongside Hongjoong as they head towards the Queen’s parlor in the East Wing of the palace. Sometimes he wondered why the palace had to be so big- it was quite a walk to get from one place to another. 

“How was Hae-seong’s class?” The shorter asked after a long moment of silence. 

The Prince looked over to his friend with a bit of a hesitant look. “It looks fine... Although I think he was in a bad mood today.”

“Oh please; when isn’t that old fart in a bad mood.”

Seonghwa guffawed at the term his friend used on the Duke, clasping a hand over his mouth at that.

“You needed me, mother?” He asks as soon as he enters the Queen’s parlor. 

It wasn’t a very large room but it was no less grand than the others. Paintings of past ancestors and the recent royal family hung in golden frames along the mauve-colored velvet walls of the parlor. A white marble fireplace was built in the center, a wide mirror hanging above it. In front of the fireplace were two plush couches, of course in a mauve shade, with a white and silver table placed in between the couches. 

His mother was quite picky with color combinations. 

The Queen turns her attention from her Ladies-In-Waiting and to her son, beaming a rather large smile and patting the space next to her on one of the couches. “Come sit.” She invites him. 

Seonghwa greeted the other ladies in the room and sat next to his mother. As soon as he does that, the Ladies-in-Waiting, save for the eldest one, take it as their cue to leave the room and give some privacy for the mother and son. 

“Seonghwa,” The Queen starts taking her son’s hand into his. “Your father and I have been planning something for you.” 

Another thing?? When will these surprises end?

“Since your father planned something similar to a selection for your personal guard, we decided that we won’t be holding a selection for your bride.”

That caught the young prince off-guard. It has been a tradition that dates back several centuries that their family line would have a selection for the spouse of every royal offspring. That was how his mother met his father. His father came from the kingdom near the oceans and the docks and managed to win the Queen’s heart amongst all the suitors. 

But it made sense for them to forgo that tradition. The assassin that slipped into his room came from a different kingdom. His parents were just taking precautions by calling the whole thing off.

Sure it would cause some small (or maybe even large) disputes between the allying kingdoms but ties were already shaky the day Seonghwa was meant to be assassinated. 

“Then I suppose I’ll be marrying someone within the kingdom?” Asked the Prince to which he was answered with a nod. 

The Queen took her son’s hand in hers and ran her delicate thumb against the back of his knuckles. “We’re still deciding on who you will marry but so far, we think Hae-seong’s daughter would be a good match for you.” 

Oh, her. 

Hae-seong was blessed with three children, his middle child being his only daughter: Ayeong. She and Seonghwa were around the same age, with him being just a few months older. 

It wasn’t that Ayeong was mean or anything, it’s just that he didn’t have the best memories growing up with her. He remembered taking a massive liking to her when they were younger. He was around fourteen or fifteen years old when he confessed his feelings to her, right under the large oak tree that grew in the prairie at the back of the palace. 

To his dismay, she didn’t return his feelings. She fancied one of the young knights-in-training then. Despite the unrequited emotions, he still respected her and tried not to look so heartbroken around her. But ever since then, he’s been avoiding her around the palace. 

He wondered if what took place back then would affect his parent’s plans for both of them. 

“Oh.. does Hae-seong know about it?” Seonghwa prompted. 

“No, not yet. We plan on telling him. I don’t think he would be opposed to it though. And besides, you’re good friends with her, I’m sure you don’t mind.”

He gives a slightly strained smile at that and just bowed his head. “Whatever you think is best, mother.” 

“Thank you, my dear.” She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. “Well, that’s all I wanted to tell you. You may go back to where you were.”

“I think I’d like to stay here with you for a while, mother.” 

The Queen smiles fondly at that. She couldn’t help but take his cheeks in her hands and give them a pinch, making her son protest in slight pain. He may have grown up to be a strong, intelligent, and handsome young man but in her eyes, he will always be her baby: wide curious eyes and a spirited laugh tumbling from his crooked-toothed smile. 

~

“That’s all for today. You may head down to the dining hall for lunch before going to the courtyard for your lessons with Byron.” Hae-seong dismisses the class.

It’s only been a few minutes since the class had ended and they were already drained. Hae-seong talked too fast for their liking. At first, he would stop and go back to something they missed when someone pointed it out but eventually he grew tired of that and kept speeding through the lesson despite the class’s protests. 

“I just want a break,” Raviv sighs, rubbing his temple to soothe his incoming migraine. “That was so much information to absorb.”

“I think he’s purposely trying to make us fail.” You say in a hushed tone. 

Your friends nod in agreement. They suspected that the duke didn’t want them there but this kind of attitude coming from him furthered that suspicion. Lunchtime went by in a blur and now the whole group was standing in the middle of the courtyard, awaiting for Byron to come. 

Though you were hesitant when it came to academics, you felt much more confident in this area. You’ve never really fought with swords but your brother had a habit of play- fighting with you, so you knew a thing or two about having to defend yourself. 

You glance over to the quarry-workers from your village and other mountain villages. A few of them were joking around and showing off their strength by butting into each other. You couldn’t blame them, some probably did that to shake off their nerves. But you knew there were some that just really liked to show off.

Like Michael. He was… nice when he wanted to be but he caused a lot of trouble back in Trelark. He always found himself in a kerfuffle and never really learned to back down even when the situation called for it. He was the type of guy who bets his pride with high stakes. 

Others seemed apprehensive; one of those people was Amihan. She wrung her hands together in anxiousness, her fingers playing with the hem of her shirt. People from the mountain were deemed as tough- especially since the living conditions there were less than ideal. But Amihan grew up in the lowlands, she was afraid she didn’t live up to those sayings. 

“Hey,” You call out to her in a quiet voice. She turns to look at you, her brows creased. You offer her a gentle smile and a nod before mouthing the words, It’s okay.

Her shoulders relaxed a little but you could see that her whole frame was still tense. 

A few minutes later, Byron arrives with a few other knights who were pushing two carts of sturdy wooden swords to be used in your lessons. The group of delegates grew silent at the sight of the practice weapons before them, reminding them that this was real and it's not just fun and games anymore. 

“I hope you all had a good lunch,” Byron says with a warm smile. 

His welcoming deposition was enough to lessen the heavy tension in the area. It was such a contrast to the cold and annoyed aura Hae-seong displayed earlier. It was, albeit abrupt, a nice change.

“In case you all forgot my name, I am Byron. You don’t have to call me sir, or anything. My name is enough,” The man said, his voice loud and clear over the courtyard. “Most of your training here at the palace will be held with me so you don't have to worry about Hae-seong breathing down your neck.”

A few delegates sighed and chuckled in relief at that, eliciting an amused huff from Byron. 

“Although it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do well in his class. Always strive for the best no matter what situation. Now, I think I’ve talked too much. Find a partner- preferably someone your size or strength- and we can begin our lessons.” 

You glance around to find a suitable partner for the lessons. Usually, in situations where you need a partner, you would ask Siyeon to go along with you or vice versa. But in this particular situation, you had to look for someone else. 

It’s not that you were incredibly strong as a person but you packed a harder punch than most girls your age. You didn’t want to hurt your best friend. 

“Hey Raviv,” You call out to your other friend. “Do you have a partner yet?” 

“Not yet. Do you want to be partners?” He asks as he approaches you. 

You couldn’t help but laugh a little. “That’s why I asked you if you had one.”

You bumped your shoulder with him, a little greeting for him, as soon as you reached each other. He slings an arm over you and ruffles your hair, only for you to end up swatting his hand away. 

Siyeon was paired with another girl from your village, Gahyeon was her name if you remembered correctly, while Amihan was off to the side with one of her friends from the lowlands. 

As soon as everyone was paired, the other knights that came with Byron started handing out the training swords. It was much heavier than it looked but not as heavy as the weapons you handle back at the smithy. 

Your fingers curled around the leather-wrapped handle as your other hand held the “blade” part of the sword. You couldn’t help but admire the craftsmanship of the sword, even if it was wooden. You gave it a couple of bounces and twirled it a little to test out its weight. You look up when you hear Raviv give an impressed whistle, looking at you with pride in his eyes. 

Your face immediately heats up in embarrassment, dropping the sword to your side after. 

“Try not to kill me later, please.” Your friend teases as he knocks his sword with yours. 

Before you could respond, Byron calls out for your attention, making all of you turn to him. He had a training sword of his own in his hold, his sword pressed into the gravel beneath his scuffed boots. “We’ll start with the basics today. I hope by the end of our lessons for the day, you all get to learn a thing or two. And don’t get too discouraged if you can’t get it right today. You still have a month to learn before the grading. 

“Anyway, let’s start.”

~

The sound of wood crashing against wood and several shuffling feet echoed around the courtyard and floated up the palace walls. It could be heard from inside the palace although muffled by the layers of stone that made up the walls. 

Seonghwa walked down the hall, curious to see how the training was going when he saw a  young man curiously watching the delegates train rigorously through a large window, peering down into the courtyard. He could see Byron walking around with calculating eyes as he takes note of each delegate’s stances. 

“San,” The prince calls out with a grin, making the young man jump in surprise. 

San’s cat-like eyes turn onto him. “Prince Seonghwa, you scared me.”

“Oh please, you can drop the formalities. It’s just us.” 

San shrugged with a chuckle, allowing the older male to stand beside him. “I’d rather be safe than sorry, hyung. Especially after Duke Hae-seong gave me an earful when he heard me address you so casually.” 

San was the son of one of the earls in the king’s court. It was only natural that he and San would end up as friends since San practically grew up in the palace. 

“I guess,” Seonghwa hums as he watches the delegates. 

Their swords clashed against each other as they practiced the strikes Byron had shown them earlier. Many of them looked like they could hold their own fight, pushing on despite the fatigue they felt in their arms and the sweat that slid down their skin. But there were also several of them that flinched and cowered when the training swords came towards them. 

“They look promising,” San says, pulling the prince out of his thoughts. “Especially the ones from the city-towns.”

And it was true. Usually, city-towns like the Capitol had Fencing as an optional part of the curriculum in their education only because they were able to afford the materials and maintain it. Other regions weren’t as fortunate to be blessed with this kind of lesson; although, technical skill can be outmatched or be on par with street smarts. 

Seonghwa’s gaze landed on a particular person. It was the woman from the day before. She still had that intense look in her eyes as she brought her training sword against her partners. Her movements were strong yet fluid, albeit less graceful than the other knights but no less powerful. 

He watches as she shuffles away from blocking her partner’s strike only for her to come swiftly at him. He notices how her once concentrated expression shifts to a more joyous one when she finally intercepts her friend’s attack and strikes the air near his vital spot

“She’s good.” He blurts out, making San quirk his head in curiousness. 

“What was that hyung?”

Seonghwa’s eyes widened when he realized that he’s said his thoughts aloud. His cheeks flush a bright red, spreading all the way up to his ears. He clears his throat to clear the awkward air around him, the smirk that San was sending him didn’t help.

The younger male follows his gaze and his smirk grows wider. “Ooohhh, her. Oh yeah, she’s definitely good. I think she’s better than you, hyung.”

“Oh haha.” Seonghwa laughs dryly with an amused roll of his eyes. 

San chuckled in return and kept his gaze on the woman Seonghwa seemed so interested in. “I think she’d last long with this training,” he remarks. “I’m going to bet she may even be your bodyguard.” 

The prince hums in acknowledgment. “You think so?”

“I know so, hyung.”

Seonghwa glances again at the woman and lets San’s words sink in. He could never really tell if she would really end up as his protector but he had a good feeling about her. 

~

By the time the delegates were done with their first day of training, the sun was starting to set. The sky turned from a bright blue to the crisp rose-gold color of the evening. The usual sounds from the Capitol quiet down as the day comes to an end. 

Several people were sitting on the ground, catching their breaths while their swords lay on the dirt beside them. Others were leaning against the pillars of the courtyard. The air around them felt heavy as every ounce of energy drained out of the delegates. 

Byron chuckled at the sight. “You did well, all of you.” He says as he watches them pick themselves up from the ground. “I hope you don’t feel so disheartened after today because this is just the beginning.” 

You groan in exhaustion along with the other delegates. Right now, using the word tired to describe what you felt would be an understatement.

“We’ll continue again tomorrow. Make sure to wash up before you eat, you’ll be measured to have uniforms tailored for you.” Byron dismisses you all. 

As you all line up to return the training swords to the racks, Siyeon stumbles in line behind you. “My arms are gonna fall off.” She mumbles into your shoulder while her arms wrap around your waist. 

“At least you’re alive.” You reply and lean your head onto hers. “But at this point, I just want to eat and shower.”

“Oh, you said it.” 

You feel so worn out as you allow your feet to drag you back to the girls’ quarters to wash up and change for dinner. Your mind grows blank and the rest of the evening happens in a blur. You didn’t even realize how late it was into the evening until the smell of food stirred your senses.

You didn’t eat in the dining hall this time. You were led to a smaller, more simple room. It wasn’t as grand as the dining hall but it was large enough to fit all of you. 

“Are we really going to eat here..?” You hear Michael grumble to his friend. “I was really enjoying the dining hall..”

“Well of course we’re going to eat here. We aren’t of the royal family or part of the court,” Someone from the city-town sneers. One of the girls looked at everyone else like they’re worms to grovel at her feet. You never really liked her- and how she was acting right now giving you all the more reason not to. “So I suggest learning your place. Don’t get comfortable yet.”

That successfully managed to keep Michael quiet. But the tone that city-town dweller used ticked you off. You were never really confrontational unless pushed, so you kept quiet. You opted to just offer Michael a sympathetic smile before walking over to an available seat. 

“Fucking highlanders..” She mumbled to herself as they passed by you. 

You turn over to her, glaring daggers in the back of her head. You hope that one day karma gets to her and she’d eat up the words she tossed at your friends. 

As dinner comes to an end, Mina enters the dining hall with a few people carrying some fabrics and measuring tape trailing behind her. You turn your attention to her and give her a small wave to which she responds with a bright smile and a slight bow. 

“If I may have your attention, delegates.” She calls out in her clear voice. The hall becomes quiet and all attention is focused on her. “You’ll be having your fitting for your uniforms today. Expect the uniforms to arrive in two weeks.

“Now if you’re done eating, kindly line up. The tailors and seamstresses shall be measuring you.” 

Half of the delegates stood and walked over to where Mina was, awaiting their turn to be measured. You wondered what kind of uniforms you’d be provided- and why it would be made so fast. Siyeon always told you that making one shirt alone took quite a while. Aside from that, the type of fabric and the design of the clothing would affect the process too. 

“I hope they don’t put us in super stuffy uniforms like some royal guards,” Amihan says from across you as she finishes up her meal. “I feel like I’ll suffocate.” 

“Oh yeah like the ones with the neck collars. Those seem stuffy.” Raviv adds, mouth halfway full with his mashed potatoes. 

You hand him a napkin to wipe his mouth with before speaking up. “I think those types of uniforms are just for show.” 

“Goodbye, practicality hello death,” Siyeon smirks, earning a playful shove from Amihan. 

Little by little, once they were done being fitted, the delegates filed out of the dining area and went back to their rooms. Your friends went ahead since they were tired and you were one of the last people to be measured. 

You waved goodbye to Siyeon, shouting after her to not leave her wet towel on your bed again, and walked up to the seamstress. Once you were done, you thanked her and walked back to your room.

Luckily the dining area wasn’t too far from your rooms so you didn’t get lost on the way back. Although, you did take your time walking. The palace was so different at night, especially with how the torches that lined the walls cast a shadow against everything (or everyone) in the hall. 

It was a little eerie with the silence and everything but it also held some sort of ambiance to it. The soft golden glow from the torches made the enormous palace seem warm and cozy, especially on a night as cold as this. 

By the time you reached the girls’ quarters most were already in bed and asleep. Very few were awake, sitting on each other’s beds and whispering away. You go through your usual nightly routine and crawl into bed, a relieved sigh escaping you when your tired muscles relax. 

You blow out the candle on your bedside table after pressing a quick kiss to the pendant your father gave you and let yourself drift into sleep. 

[awfully-sadistic]

Prompt #14: January 14, 2019

a different kind of holy

Implemented with today’s theme, Love.

Edited note: completed 1/15/19.

“They keep getting their heads stuck in these little holes.” Arthur Curry’s voice interrupted Dot’s day-dreaming thoughts. Aquaman had enlisted her help on cleaning up a particular patch of the beach that was covered in litter. And while the sea was a fantastic place, somewhere Dot went to to gather a little peace of mind or just admire the view, she was absolutely terrified about other aspects of the ocean and what lurked beneath. It was just a vast and seemingly never-ending expanse that rivaled the beauty and mystery of space. It still boggled her mind that they seemed to know more about space than what was in the ocean. Yet, as soon as night dropped, Dot knew she wasn’t going to stay in the water for long. Right now, she was waist deep and looking as her companion, Aquaman, held up one of the plastic ring holders for aluminium cans. Dot squinted and scrunched up her face in disgust. She couldn't understand how anyone could leave their trash in the ocean like this. Arthur looked just as disgusted.

Unlike most Atlanteans, Arthur had the know how and education of a human that had been raised on land. But what he couldn't understand was how humans operated sometimes, even being among them for so long. It was somewhat infuriating having to clean up after them but the ocean was Arthur's home and no one else was going to do anything about it. That was why most could see him going after whalers or even doing something as mundane as picking up the litter that lined some of the beaches he visited.

“People are so fucking disrespectful.” Dot said in disgust before Arthur turned the full weight of his stare at her. It wasn’t angry, but rather scolding.

“Language, little girl.”

She laughed nervously trying to ignore the deep voiced command, “S-Sorry.”

She was still getting used to him and couldn’t help her potty mouth, ever. In fact, she had been surprised he had even asked her to come along, not used to the notion that anyone from the DC-Verse knew who she was. Additionally, Dot hadn’t known Arthur for very long either nor as intimately as she had known some others at the Haushold. It took some getting used to holding in her eye rolls whenever anyone from the DC-Verse wanted her attention but it was jarring when she took a good look and realized she came up a little bit taller than Bruce Wayne’s elbow. How the fuck is everyone so tall in the Haus? Or perhaps she was shrinking?

Arthur just laughed, a masculine sound that matched the way he looked. He threw the offending item into the trash bag he was carrying and looked around.

“I think that’s it, starfish.”

Dot looked around as well. When they had first arrived, the beach had been covered with trash that washed up onto the sand and even had plastic bobbing around in the water. She was scared to go any further than this but she felt reassured when Arthur told her that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. He was Aquaman! There was literally no one else she could be safer with in the ocean. He talked to all manner of sea life, for crying out loud.

“And the little sea creatures aren’t hurt?” she asked, watching a few colorful fish swim by her feat. Normally disgusted by fish, these little ones looked like colorful gems that shone when the sun reflected off of them. The water was so clear, she had no problem at all enjoying the show. She suspected that had something to do with Arthur but she wouldn’t ask.

“Not at all, they thank you.” he smiled and said matter-of-fact. He was wading closer and Dot had to remind herself not to stare too hard. She had been safer before as he had been out in the water, much further than her and much at home, every so often breaching the water line and looking like something out of a playgirl magazine dripping wet and sparkling with droplets that slid down every defined, well built curve of his extremely toned, tanned, and tatted body. Of course he wouldn’t be wearing a shirt and she had to see every ripple, every strain, every intricate pattern when he moved.

She wasn’t complaining, not at all, but she didn’t think she could handle the heart palpitations. Instead, she focused on his words and the thought that she was helping the little ocean critters she could soon call friends. “That’s good, I was worried since you brought up that hole-y plastic thing.” she paused and then asked in confusion, “Do they have names?”

“A pain in the ass.” Arthur supplied.

Dot couldn’t help it, “Language.” she laughed.

“You got me there.”

His expression was soft as he smiled back and it made Dot a touch shy to be receiving it. She always mentioned she had a soft spot for Aquaman and felt he was dealt the short end; people always brought up that his power was useless. But they clearly didn’t know this man in front of her was capable of so much more. After all, she’s seen him push a beached whale back into the ocean with one hand. He had been her personal hero since then. Not that she’d admit that, not when he was still giving her such soft eyes. Those light blues were almost white when they caught the light, she knew he could see so much more than he claimed to be used under the sea. She felt like everything about her could be stripped away with one glance. 

“U-Um,” she shifted in the water with no direction for conversation, just to distract herself from looking at his face. She began stepping back as Arthur came to stand in front of her. He towered over her casting a shadow on her much smaller frame. It seemed to engulf her and she couldn’t help but shiver a little. Dot understood why men were sometimes chiseled in marble.

“Are you cold?” he asked, taking note of the shiver. He turned his head, looking around. “Maybe we should get out of the water. It is going to be dark soon.” He was too well aware of the fear Dot had of dark water and he didn’t want to have her in the water when the sun started to sink.

But that hadn’t been the reason for her shivers. She laughed nervously, keeping that knowledge to herself. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” she agreed because once she heard that it was getting dark, that was her cue. Arthur’s dreamy eyes or not, she couldn’t stand in the ocean at night. She turned with the intention on heading back to the beach but Arthur scooped her up with no effort whatsoever and switched the hand with the garbage bag for a better grip on Dot. She swallowed a noise of surprise as he tested her weight.

“Do you eat enough?”

“Y-Yeah, why?” she asked in the middle of wrapping her arms around his neck, perplexed.

“No reason.” Arthur said with a secretive looking smile. He used his strong legs to carry them across the water and when Dot looked down, it seemed he was practically gliding.

“How... do you do that?” she asked. Knowing it was probably a silly question to ask, she couldn’t help it because she had been so awed. She couldn’t have known what she sounded to Arthur who thought of a little kid amazed at a magic trick they had just witnessed.

“Magic,” he teased. 

Dot laughed softly and rested her head against his shoulder. Arthur would be hitting sand any moment now but she wished he could just carry her around in the water like this forever.

Arthur turned his head down, looking down at the top of her head. “Are you tired, little starfish?”

Dot didn’t think she was but wading about in the ocean took a lot out of a person. It was quite the work out! She nodded and as cliched as it seemed, yawned. She tried excusing it by waving a hand, “That was just bad timing, I swear I’m not laying it on thick.”

“Well, you’d be allowed.” Arthur told her. The corners of his lips were curling, but she couldn’t see the smirk there. “Being a little starfish and all.”

Dot couldn’t see Arthur’s face and she damn well hoped he couldn’t see hers. There was something about being reminded she was a little that warmed her middle and made her want to kick her legs. That put her in the head space really quickly and it certainly helped feeling petite and small in Arthur’s big, strong arms. She had no way of replying to that so she just made a little noise -- literally -- and slightly fidgeted in his arms.

When Arthur’s feet met the beach, he didn’t let Dot out of his arms despite her puzzled expression. He met it with a confident twist of the lips and a cocky sounding, “What? You didn’t expect me to put you down, did you?”

“A...A l-little,” she confessed a bit sheepishly.

“Well, that wouldn’t be Daddy-like of me, would it?”

Dot laughed, a nervous sound. It wasn’t that she was going to tell him no, but rather she couldn’t handle the idea of Arthur whisking a Daddy title away so easily; things like that had to be earned... not like he didn’t. He could definitely wear it like a crown -- if he had one, even.

“I g-guess not.”

“Good, just let me drop this trash into the proper bins and we can head home, back to the Haus.” he said, raising the trash bag he was still holding. It was a really short walk to one of the provided receptacles. “We’ll take a nice, hot bath and a nice, long nap.” he offered as he threw the garbage away.

The offer was incredibly tempting, especially the bath. She couldn’t -- wouldn’t -- argue with him so she nodded her head, the gesture seeming a little sleepy for her taste. Was she that tired? Or did Arthur allow her to feel that secure? She could argue that it was a little bit of both, but she didn’t even have time to ponder over that. She was doing the slow blink and before she realized it, started dozing off.

She couldn’t recall the flight back home -- which Arthur had explained to her when they had taken off that he was bestowed the gift by Poseidon. She didn’t even know he could fly! -- but when she opened her eyes again, she was at home. Arthur had gently woken her up in a gentle, loving manner.

“Did you want to skip the bath and just take a nap?” he asked her with a humored chuckle. He stared down at Dot as she bleary-eyed stared back.

“That sounds really nice,” she said, groggy. She yawned again, holding up a finger. “Timing.”

Arthur laughed. “It’s ...cute.”

“You’re cute,” she murmured back. Hell, she’ll “worry” about that comment when she’s fully awake. She felt the pressure of Arthur’s lips press against her forehead; a tender gesture before she felt him place her on her bed. Then she felt the bed shift while Arthur climbed in next to her. Strong arms wrapped around her and she was pulled into his solid chest which smelled like the sea; a scent she loved a lot.

“Dream of the sea, little one.” Arthur murmured into her hair before closing his eyes to follow right behind her.