#elizabeta and her daughter

[goaskyourmothersblog]

Lizzy hunches forward a little with her hands behind her back firmly. "Silly Phyli. I gots a surprise for ya." Her red lipstick squirmed into a bashful smile. Her cheeks rosy while she dotted on dear Phylis before her. "Look'it. They ain't real but thats alright. Means you don't need to give'em sunlight then, or watah for that mattah." The woman pulls out a very very small bouquet consisting of 3 fake roses. Their petals embroidered pieces of fabric on metal stems. "A pretty set'a flowas that stay pretty forevah. Just like yous, doll." Lizzy presented the gift forward, hoping she would accept it. -Elizabeta (<3 Hope its not too much!)

Phyllis looked up at the taller woman in front of her. She tilted her head, her mouth hung slightly open. She let out a small giggle at the nickname.

"Oh?"

Stars found their way into Phyllis' eyes as she stared at the faux roses. For a moment, she couldn't find any words. Unfortunately, her father did.

"Pretty? You think my daughter is pretty? HA-HA HA-HA HA-HA! With the size of you, you wouldn't even need to stand up for comedy! HA!"

"Daddy, hush!" Phyllis scolded the goose on her hand before looking up at Elizabeta. Her face warmed at the welcome surprise. She took the flowers with her left hand. She shut her eyes for a moment, trying her best not to stutter in her flustered state. "Oh, Lizzy, they're absolutely beautiful! Thank you, my dear."

[loiladadiani]

The "Autocrat" and the "Princess"

Princess Vera Konstantinovna (1906 - 2001) was the youngest daughter of Grand Duchess Elizabeta Mavrikievna and Gran Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich (and niece of her namesake - Grand Duchess Vera Konstantinovna.) The Konstantinovichi children frequently had playdates with the Imperial children...Alexei and Vera were close in age and played together.

Alexis went through one of those phases of mischievousness children go through. I supposed that if the child is the future autocrat of his country and also if that child goes through long periods of confinement due to illness, that can be worse...in any event, I have read that Alexis sometimes passed by the guards just to see them salute him....and had the orchestra of the Standart play and stop and play and stop and things like that...which the Emperor was the only one able to put an end to as Alexis always listened to him.

There is a cute anecdote involving Princess Vera (whom the Tzarevich apparently loved to torment). The little Princess arrived at their play date wearing a beautiful, lacy white dress. Alexis "commanded" her to jump into a muddy puddle, and she immediately did as he told her, only to emerge a mess and crying.

Many years later, someone in an interview asked her why she had obeyed Alexei. Princess Vera answered: "Because he was my Tsarevich."

[luxmaeastra]

Starter for @siderealxmelody

"Mama, when is papa coming home?" Little Elizabeta had curled up into her mother's arms, her small face burying into her shoulder. Tiredness was swiftly taking over her daughter, who had eagerly been waiting up for the last few nights...

They all had actually. Her eyes rose and looked across the room, Hallariel was sitting on the bench seat with Estrella, whose small hands were pressed against the window panes watching the world outside. Waiting for when he would come home.

Marz had left a few days prior to go to the Winter Court, Sebastian going with him and she was sure Beron was meeting them there. Something about something they had discovered, something he promised he'd explain when he got home.

"Mama! Hallie! Look, someone is coming!" Estrella yelled as she rose to her feet.

Sarai moved towards the window, holding Elizabeta within her arms. She could feel him down their bond, the steady sense of comfort and reassurance. The sight outside was not one she expected, Sebastian walking alongside her mate holding a small boy, while Marz held the hand of another.

She recognized the boys, she knew them to be Twyla's twins. She didn't say much when the doors open, hearing her brother saying he'd go and find someone about rooms.

Oh, so Sebastian knew what to avoid, because she had so many questions.

"Marz," she placed Elizabeta down upon the seat beside her twin and older sister before she moved towards the entrance hall. "Why are the boys here? I know we had spoken about them and their connections." She didn't wish to outright say they knew Caelum was one of the twins fated. "But why are they here, what has happened?"

[highlifeboat]

Obligatory Master List of my Little Guys and AUs and stuff (Feel Free to ask about whatever)

OC Ref Sheets Pending...

OC Tags:

Maximus Vulpe (Transman, He/Him, Dimitrescu Maid)

Melony Cel Tradat (Bigender, She/He, Former Dimitrescu Maid)

Elizabeta Hofer (Non Binary/Demigirl, She/they, Beneviento's Gardener)

Angela Bogden (Agender, They/Them, Dimitrescu Maid)

Madison Levin (Cisgender, She/her, Dimitrescu Maid)

Nikolina Cel Tradat (Cisgender, She/Her, Villager(Dead))

Harper Dimitrescu (Cisgender, she/her, Mia and Alcina's Daughter)

Ship Tags:

Daximus (Daniela Dimitrescu/Max Vulpe)

MeCassa (Cassandra Dimitrescu/Melony Cel Tradat)

Belena (Bela Dimitrescu/Elena Lupu)

Miacina (Mia Winters/Alcina Dimitrescu)

Zia (Zoe Baker/Mia Winters)

CassaMia (Cassandra Dimitracu/Mia Winters)

SaraBela/SarahBela (Sarah Sanderson/Bela Dimitrescu)

SaraMia (Sarah Sanderson/Mia Winters)

Sardaximus (Sarah Sanderson/Daniela Dimitrescu/Max)

AU Tags:

Miacina/Main AU

Swap AU

Human AU

Genderswap/Genderbent AU

Hocus Pocus/Resident Evil 8

Hocus Pocus/Resident Evil 7

[asunnydog]

@the-blackened-dove​

"Alright, I guess I'm doing this."

She took a deep breath, raking her claws through her hair.

"Vlad Dracula Tepes is our father, First son of the Devil and the progenitor of vampires. His wife, Vanya Elisabeta Tepes, is our mother. I, Rokshana Elizabeta Marianna Tepes, and the eldest child and heir to the throne of my father. My younger brothers are Stjephan Lucien Vincent Tepes, and Adrian Farenheit 'Alucard' Tepes. There is also my father's ward Igor Van Lichtenstein, who is my brother in all but name and acts as the house Viceroy and our protector."

Chiasa Seemed to grab a pencil and paper to note the names down, before crumpling it up and eating it. A way to satiate her tactile boredom, maybe.

“So Vlad Dracula Tepes, Vampire dad; Vanya Elisabeta Tepes, Wife - Is she a vampire??

Anyways: Rokshana Elizebeta Marianna Tepes, Beautiful Vampire Daughter Heir; Stjephan Lucien Vincent Tepes, Vampire Brother, Adrian Farenheit Tepes, Not Alucard (Cause that’s dracula backwards and that’d be weird). Gotchya Gotchya.”

“Thank you for clearing that up! Humans trying ta explain vampires have always ended up making ma head spin. Pleasure ta meet ya, Tepes-san. My name is Chiasa...that’s it. I aint got such a pretty, fancy name.”

[doumaistrash]

Ruined Childhood AU

A/n: honestly i'm pumping them out left and right bc of brainrot. Again this time it's @rinnysega oc gustavo but this time it's Elizabeta, the mother of Emiliano and Javier, my other ocs. Gustavo and her are in their youth. I hope you enjoy.

*********************

Relationship Drabble: Elizabeta & Gustavo

Gustavo Pinheiro hated his work. No, that was taking it too lightly. He absolutly loathed it. Working from sunrise to sunbreak. Moving bricks and putting them on top of eachother, lifting heavy ones and the like. And working in the bright sun wasn't a dream either. You would get sweaty and Gustavo hated sweaty. He hated all of it. Luckily he was on break right now. Sitting on a large stone beneath a tree. The perfect shade to relax. It also helped that his father wasn't here right now. He was getting a cargo of new bricks, as they ran out of them a while ago. He was told to watch over the nearly completed house. But why should he? There wasn't even anything important on that ugly thing. So, in the shade of the tree, he began to draw. He loved drawing. He loved drawing landscapes and people, as they went on in their daily lives. He always wanted to be an artist. But with his father being Jorge Pinheiro, a dream like this was what it was, just a dream. So he did the next best thing he could. Draw in secret, with art supplies that his best friend since diapers stole from her mother.

"Hey Gus." Speak of the Devil and he shall appear. Well, she in that case. Because when Gusatvo looked up from his sketchbook, he saw none other than Elizabeta Costello. The daughter of Donna Costello. The Senorita Perfecta of the Encanto, that every girl wanted to be. And she deserved that title. Everything she did was perfect. Her hair. Perfect. Her turquoise dress. Perfect. Her speech and manners. Perfect. But what did you expect. If you had a mother like hers, you'd always have to be perfect. And he knew, that Elizabeta absolutly despised it. She didn't want to be perfect. She didn't want to make perfect practiced poses. She wanted to go crazy. And Gustavo knew it all. But what would you expect from someone you knew since the moment you could think.

"Hey Eliza." He went back to sketching the landscape as the beautiful young woman sat behind him in a not ladylike style and leaned on his back, she twisted her upper body to look over his shoulder and put her arms around his neck. Gustavo leaned unconsciously into her touch and got comfortable. His friend had always been a touchy person afterall and he didn't mind. They stayed that way for a while, until the girl had to break the comfortable atmosphere. "You're sweaty. And you stink." Gustavos eyebrow twitched. "Yeah thank you for noticing. As if I didn't know already." Elizabeta snickered. Gustavo knew that reaction. She was looking for trouble. But he wasn't in the mood for it today. And Elizabeta noticed.

"Have you heard?" Gustavo hummed uninterested. Here comes her gossip. She always loved to get dirt on anyone that she didn't like. "I'm engaged. I'm getting married." Gustavo stopped in his tracks. That was new. "With who?" Elizabeta scoffed. "Bruno. You know. From the amazing 'Madrigal Family'." She said with a groan at the end. Gustavo took a few seconds, before he began to chuckle and then to laugh like crazy. If looks could kill, he would be 6 ft under the earth already. "Don't fucking laugh at me!" Gustavo wheezed, before he could compose himself a little to speak. "Sorry. Lo siento. It's just..." A small laugh escaped him. "Have you noticed that everyone. And I mean everyone tries to marry their child into that family?" "Oh? Like your family tried to do?" Gustavo grinned. "Yeah. But I could avoid it." Elizabeta looked at him with a deadpan expression. "By calling the weather report a donkey? No wonder no one likes you." "Shut the fuck up." It was silent for a few moments. Gustavo looked out on the fields again. The half finished house still standing there. His eyes narrowed. "I find it fucking annoying." "Huh?" He could feel Elizabetas suprised stare digging into the back of his head, but he still continued. "Just because you could heal injuries with food, control the weather or see the future, doesn't mean that you have to be put higher above the others. Other normal people like us also help in every way they can." He gestures to the half finished house with an angry expression. "Wether they like it or not. And people like you have to fake everything they are just to be accepted and keep up an image. Meanwhile they can do whatever they want, because they are the amazing Madrigals. They can do nothing wrong. They helped us. The miracle exists because of them." He could feel Elizabetas frame shaking as she clenched on his clothes, but he was too angry to notice. "Fuck all that. They are all wrong and because of that people like us get used as bargaining chips to get into good graces with the family." Gustavo was breathing heavily as he ended his rant. He was pissed livid. He wanted to punch something- anything. Maybe even the Madrigal boy himself. He needed to-

A small whimper.

Gustavo froze up as he could feel how Elizabetas body began to shake harder, as the whimpers grew to sobs that wrecked her entire being. She was buried into Gustavos back, her hands grabbing tightly at his shoulders. "Elizabeta?" If he was worried he didn't show it. Her sobs grew even louder into pitiful hysterical wails. He turned around and grasped her shoulders. He looked at her, but she covered her face with her hands. "What the hell Eli-" "That's just what I am aren't I?" Her voice was so small that he almost didn't catch what she said. "What?" "I'm just a bargaining tool aren't I?" "Eliza-" "Am I wrong?! The entire time I was groomed to be the perfect girl! To be the perfect woman! And for what?! For a guy that can't even hold a conversation for one second! For a fucking whimp! He is sixteen Gusatvo! Seixteen! I'm twenty! At least use me as a trophy wife for some rich old guy!" She looked at him angrily, with tears running down her cheeks. Gustavo didn't know what to say. "You're probably think so too?! Right?! You probably use me like any other guy in this fucking village!" "Eliza." "You couldn't care less about me!" "Eliza!" "If your done or if you'll get bored you just throw me away like the rest of them!" "Elizabeta!" The girl fliched and even Gustavo was suprised that he yelled at her. He frowned and pulled her into a tight hug. "Elizabeta. You are the most amazing and strong woman I have ever seen. You're so brave to put up with this. And I'm not saying this out of pity. I'm saying it because it's true. I'm saying this as your friend." Elizabeta hugged him back and clung to him. Her sobs grew in volume again. He massaged her scalp with his fingers as he held her tightly. "And if you ever need help. If you ever need comfort. You know where to find me."

They stayed like this until they heared a distand sound of a cargo moving. They parted and Gustavo smiled. "Go before anyone sees you." He knew how afraid Elizabeta was to lose her image. Elizabeta grinned as she wiped her eyes and quickly turned to leave.

If Gustavos father noticed anything of the giant wet patch on his shirt, he didn't say anything about it.

[breakingarrows]

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and the Damned

It is impossible to play the first expansion to Grand Theft Auto IV, The Lost and the Damned, and not see a rough draft of what was to come many years later in Red Dead Redemption 2. A gang of outlaws that are slowly falling apart due to a mad leader who demands trust in the face of their obvious downfall. A tragedy that struck just before the player takes over that affected members of the gang adversely and sets off the chain of events that ends with most people dead and the gang destroyed. Johnny Klebitz is the expected Rockstar protagonist, world weary and full of sardonic comebacks to his surroundings. His ex-girlfriend keeps trying to drag him back into her life. There’s a Micah prototype in Brian who is the yes-man to Dutch’s prototype Billy, himself newly released from custody and ready to run the gang he claims as family into the ground for nothing but some cheap thrills and a belief in reliving “the good times” that have gone on by. Angus, Jim, Terry, and Clay are the only real friends among the largely procedurally generated clubmates. Even comparing the actual characters to the generated ones, Jim is the only one I had a thorough understanding of by the end. The gang has a home complete with a bed and activities to do with fellow bikers. The motorcycle itself may as well be an owned horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 with almost the entire runtime spent on Johnny’s custom ride. Hell, many characters even point towards Johnny and the gang as people out of time, a holdover from the 1960’s that society has left behind, a cowboy in a concrete jungle.

Lost and the Damned as a condensed rough draft of Red Dead Redemption 2 also leads to disappointments. Time spent with these characters, their hang ups, their comradery, could be better strengthened with more time, something nobody would accuse Red Dead Redemption 2 of not doing. Deaths are pretty weightless due to this. They read as just another mission, just another NPC character model who maybe has a few unique lines before they are gunned down with little fanfare before mounting your motorcycle and riding off to the next waypoint marker. It could just be an attempt to show that while these characters might have names and more dialogue than a random citizen, their life can be extinguished just as easily. However my read is that Rockstar just didn’t spend as much time developing their villain deaths like they end up doing in later games, and I think Lost and the Damned suffers for it.

Johnny’s story weaves in and out with Grand Theft Auto IV proper at multiple moments, and it is a strange curiosity to satiate seeing which of Niko’s actions that I, as the player, did in that campaign that reverberate into and effect Johnny’s story in this expansion. The earliest moment is a background detail: riding with a Lost member who can’t shut up about a Russian mob boss daughter he’s dating. As soon as I heard that I knew he was destined to be gunned down by Niko Bellic. The coke deal gone wrong with Niko and Elizabeta later on feels a bit empty, Niko appears for the same cutscene and then a gunfight breaks out while Niko quite literally ghosts out of existence. Later on, during the botched diamond sale, the same thing happens but you do get to walk past Niko’s trail of dead bodies and Johnny will even comment on it, building up Niko as a sort of unstoppable force within the fiction of the game and not just as your standard player character with a giant kill count. The final time there is a cross over with the main game’s campaign is actually quite subtle. After rescuing Jim from Ray Boccino, the deadbeat Italian mobster who lies to Niko about helping him find the traitor within his army squad, Jim goes off to find some additional Lost backup to evade Ray. Unfortunately for Jim, Ray sends Niko after him which results in Jim’s death. While this would be a nice way of contextualizing what was otherwise just another nameless NPC you gun down as Niko and turning them into an actual human with a history and relationships, the delivery of his fate is done by Ashley, Johnny’s meth head girlfriend, and she does a terrible job of making the death feel affecting. This is repeated by the executions of Brian and Billy, the latter of which is the last mission of the entire campaign. While it is fittingly epic in terms of a long drawn out gunfight in a unique location, it ends as Johnny casually walks up to an unarmed Billy who delivers one line, you shoot him until health bar hits zero and then leave. A far cry from the finale’s for both Red Dead Redemptions. While I may not have as high regards for Red Dead Redemption 2’s story and delivery as most everyone else, at least its character deaths were appropriately dramatic or shocking, and were helped by the large amount of time you spent with them beforehand.

I am very curious what it would be like for someone who has not played Grand Theft Auto IV to just jump into The Lost and the Damned. Without the knowledge of events happening concurrently and therefore an appreciation for how effortlessly Johnny’s integration into Liberty City’s crime story fits, this game might still be a pretty solid Grand Theft Auto outing. Liberty City is as great a city as it ever has been to drive through and listen to the radio, and there are plenty of side activities to fill out what isn’t accessible from the main game, namely the assassinations and most wanted activities. Races and car thefts (now purely for motorcycles) return, and added on top are odd jobs for a politician and the return of gang wars from San Andreas. Races are enhanced by the addition of beating opponents with baseball bats. Charged hits guarantee they will be knocked off their bike and it is immensely satisfying to pull off thanks to the way their bodies get flung about. Sadly the races lose any friction by the last lap and still suffer from being overly long with too many laps. Gang wars lets you be joined by several club members to chase and gun down opposing gangs. A war with the rival motorcycle club, the Angels of Death, is set off at the beginning of the campaign but doesn’t really go anywhere beyond the first few missions which I was very disappointed in. Even here I can see the prototype for the rivalry with the O’Driscoll’s as well as the progressivism of The Lost compared to others, as the Angels of Death pride themselves as white supremacists while The Lost freely associate with various races throughout the game. These activities bring some nice distractions when I tired of scripted missions but themselves become tiresome due to both their quantity and spread.

The Lost and the Damned is mainly a curiosity in 2021. Having replayed through Grand Theft Auto IV proper last year, I was happy to return to Liberty City for another crime outing and pleasantly surprised to see the inspiration for Rockstar’s most recent game held within this expansion to the Grand Theft Auto most of time has forgotten. This isn’t even the end to Liberty City, as there is one more expansion, The Ballad of Gay Tony, which I’m sure will bring its own flavor and improvements to this fictional city I know so well.

[bclaur]

Being the daughter of two very well known politicians would put Elizabeta in danger of those who would like to hold her for ransom/whatever other reason, and I’d imagine that danger would only increase once it’s known that she’s also a royal (being a princess).

What I’m trying to get at, is that I want to explore this idea; I want to see how it would play out.

[blackevermore]

🌻Mafia Au background lore🌻 pt 2

x Ivan is the true cinderella story with being born into a poor family in Saratov, Russia. There is 5 years between him and Yekaterina and 7 years between him and Natalya. Their parents loved them dearly and everyday their father told them that he would get them away from being poor and living a better life. their mother used to be a very active hard working woman but after the birth of Ivan she seemed to always be ill. When Nat was born it really made her sick but she refused to lay down and die. She promised to watch her children grow up and get away from poverty. 

x When Ivan was 15 his father died from a untreated brain tumor and it really took a toll on him. His father was his best friend and had taught him that being a man meant more than hard work and discipline but also love and compassion to keep moving forward. At this time Yeka had moved away for university and to work so send money back home. Ivan was now the man of the house between going to school, working, and taking care of his mother and sister. It was when he was 17 that he watched his mother be held at gun point and robbed for everything she had that made him bitter and cold. He met Wang Yao when he was 18 and it was Yao that took him under his wing into the life of the underground.

x Yeka had eventually found love with a man in Canada and a better paying job so she moved to support her family even more with no knowledge her brother was not working under the Chinese mafia. Nat was too young to understand what Ivan was doing. All she knew was that when he came home late their mother was really upset that her son had to work really long hours. Eventually Ivan got a good footing in the underground business and told Yeka she didn’t need to need as much money because he could cover majority of everything. This worried his older sister heavily and on the first flight she could kind she came home to visit and bring her husband, Matthew. 

x Ivan kept the fact he was not in the mafia away from his family for five years until he came home in a brand new car and told Nat and his mother it was time for them to pack up everything they have because they were moving. He still didn’t tell anyone what he was doing until he had his family in a new house and sent Nat off to university for ballet and modeling. He even paid for Yeka to go back to school so she could be a teacher. His mother finally stopped him one morning as asked him what he had done. And he simply told her “I sold what was left of my morality for the security of my family.” 

x As time went on Ivan only got more powerful and fucking wealthy (and making a very dangerous name for himself). Along the way he picked up a lot of strays and alliances (and moved out of his mother’s home and into a big ass mansion to house everyone). Tolys Laurinaitis ( along with Feliks Łukasiewicz )along with was a college student who got on the bad side of a german gang, he was really good at balancing Ivan’s budget and expenses. He also became Ivan’s personal hitman. Eduard von Bock was salesmen who had a hobby of hacking into stuff he hacked Ivan’s phone on accident and started listening in on the conversation. It was Yao that informed Ivan someone was listening and one day during a “normal” business call between Yao and Ivan. Ivan everted the conversation and started speaking directly to Eduard exposing him. Eventually Ivan made a deal with Eduard he would work as Ivan’s inside man in exchange for not killing him. Raivis Galante was a child runaway who got dragged into human trafficking and killed his captives before booking it from his home country to the streets of Moscow. Ivan took pity on the child and took him in. Raivis become Ivan’s other hitman. 

x A few alliances he has made (besides Yao of course) were with Elizabeta Héderváry, a Hungarian-Austrian socialite who was married to the famous composer  Roderich Edelstein who was shot and killed by his jealous and bitter lover Basch Zwingli. Iveta Rivas who is the daughter of a highly respected yet crooked Armenian political figure who Ivan had the honors of saving from a attempted kidnapping while on vacation in Russia. Francis Bonnefoy who is the hire of two French gangs and has a grudge against a former friend of his who is apart of a German gang. The Vargas family (of course!) and also the Jones-Williams family (which Ivan was in shock to find out Yeka married Alfred’s older brother)

x But his enemies “playmates” are stacked as well with rebuilding German gang that was once owned by Gilbert Beilschmidt. Then there is also the new head of the Yakuza Kiku Honda who killed Yao. The Golden Lion in England who is controlled by Author Kirkland who was betrayed by Frances when Frances cut off trade with him and started them with Ivan. 

x Ivan isn’t scared of dying from his new life style, he is only fear is he won’t be able to support his family once he is dead. So he has been stashing away loads of money just incase that day comes. Every day he visits his mother and  kisses her three times out of the day, he hugs his sisters and gives them gifts when they come around when they aren’t busy, and he takes care of those the has taken in by writing up a will for who gets what. 

x When Yao died Ivan was sure he wouldn’t fall in love ever again but years later he mets Mel and she steals his heart. Of course he pretends to be someone he wasn’t (though he really does run off to America every once and a while and pretend to be a humble ice skating teacher) until he was sure she was the one he could share his true self with. 

x Mel did try to call off her and Ivan’s relationships when she found out he was in the mafia but she really liked him and this was her first real relationship after a really bad break up. Ivan told her that if she wanted to walk away there would be no bad blood but he would miss her. Mel chose to stay because she met Ivan when he was a ice skating teacher and that Ivan is the same Ivan who is the head of a large Mafia family.

[worldcakecakecake]

Feliciano and the King of Hearts

Chosen by the gods as the Queen of Hearts from the moment of birth, we follow Feliciano’s story as he grows into royal life, learns to rule, go against age old customs, and his relationship with his husband to be, the King of Hearts.

Chapter 1 I  Chapter 2 I Chapter 3 I Chapter 4 I Chapter 5 I Chapter 6I Chapter 7 I Chapter 8 IChapter 9I Chapter 10I Chapter 11I Chapter 12 I Chapter 13 I Chapter 14 I Chapter 15 I Chapter 16 I Chapter 17 I Chapter 18 I Chapter 19I Chapter 20 I Chapter 21 I Chapter 22 I Chapter 23 I Chapter 24 I Chapter 25 I Chapter 26 I Chapter 27 I Chapter 28I Chapter 29 I Chapter 30 I Chapter 31 I Chapter 32 I Chapter 33 I Chapter 34 I Chapter 35 I Chapter 36 I Chapter 37I chapter 38 I Chapter 39 I Chapter 40 I Chapter 41 I Chapter 42 I Chapter 43 I Chapter 44 I Chapter 45 I Chapter 46I Chapter 47 I Chapter 48 I Chapter 49 I Chapter 50 I Chapter 51 I Chapter 52 I Chapter 53 I Chapter 54 I Chapter 55 I Chapter 56 I Chapter 57 I Chapter 58 I Chapter 59 I Chapter 60I Chapter 61 I Chapter 62 I Chapter 63 I Chapter 64  I Chapter 65 I Chapter 66 I Chapter 67 I Chapter 68  I Chapter 69 I Chapter 70

I am personally glad that I updated this sooner than I expected.

 Anyways, with all this quarantining and lockdowns, somehow you will expect that I would have infinite of time to write…but welp, I live with children and it actually means I have less time since they’re not in the kindergarten. So pretty much my writing pace is either the same or less.

 I apologize. If this was not the situation, then you could easily expect an update weekly. Ah, how I wish! But patience as always! Enjoy!

                                                   Chapter 71

Many weeks passed, with each passing day a new stroke of grey. A storm seemed ready to brew, stationed in the Hearts capital, only adding to an ever-present gloom that was evident through all these vacant streets. Louis had counted twenty-six people exact from what she could see in the heights of this balcony that morning. Surely they had gone picking for groceries or heading to scheduled appointments, trying hard to live their normal day to day lives in the wake of this new war. So many had gone to fight…and only a few days before had a messenger arrived, worn and desperate, dirty and ruined, calling for more soldiers to come, in his hurry not saying more, Louis only able to notice how he wouldn’t stop shaking, how he was terrified to speak other words than the ones he was meant to say. No one else came after him, no letter showed, no difference was made. The alignment had long passed, whatever power, was granted. If they had been successful…everyone…everyone would have been here by now. Flowers, sparks and celebrations would have decorated the streets…the sky would be blue and Ludwig and Feliciano would give each other the tightest embrace they had ever shared. Yet the past Queen was here, gazing to the entrance gates, lost well between the mountains, expecting that fanfare…but only the occasional carriage came, as melancholy as the city. She sighed, turning back to the halls of the castle…darker than she had ever remembered them, colder, no rushing of life and no sound. She hurriedly paced wanting to find some sort of presence, and gratefully it came with a loud laugh, a clap of hands…and even little stomps.

 “I still can’t believe it,” one maid graciously laughed, bringing light once again.

 “Oh, Antonio and Lovino would be so happy to see this,” another said.

 Louis followed that heat of life and met a wonderful corner.

 Augustino had turned one recently, a very lonely birthday made for him, only Aldrich, Louis and a handful of servants in charge of his care. Not even Feliciano had asked for his presence…he had been silent for days. A maid had mentioned that the shield was gone, but even as so, Feliciano remained in bed, not a turn, not a breath… many servants wondered if he was even alive. Many times they came to find the plates of food as full as they had brought them, items untouched and not a word uttered, no call, not even a reaction for his nephew’s birthday. He missed his first steps, testing yet brave on these castle hall floors, wondered by the glows of the few lights on, suddenly rushed at the entrance of the old Queen. Louis couldn’t help taking him in her arms, raising him and giving the brightest smile she could give him. It was unfair to leave him in the glooms of these dark days, they had to show him that there were still things to smile about. She didn’t want to think about why the shield was down, why Feliciano couldn’t stand up, how her city seemed empty, how she heard nothing of how her loved ones were doing and what it could mean for them later. The servants there were just as unsettled and so she gave them reassurance with whatever timid smile she could give them, enough for them to breathe again, to instead focus on this bountiful child that kept laughing, reaching and playing no matter.

 Echoed steps interrupted, one of the front guards tripping at his reach to them, breathless and stalling his words.

 “Quick, what is the matter?” Louis demanded still with her own command, coming forward to help the man to even stand properly.

 “They’re coming, many, a great amount of many!”

 “Who’s coming?”

 “Some Heartians that were fighting with Khaos, I couldn’t see who exactly, but they’re bringing with them thousands of Clubians. They told me they are refugees seeking to stay in the city.”

 “Refugees?” One maid perked.

 “Thousands?”

 “What on Earth has happened?”

 “I only saw and I am relying a message. I do not understand what’s going on either.”

 Louis didn’t wait, she hurried off, to the very front of the castle to welcome the crowds that were coming, slow and easy, not at all the energy she herself had, begging for any to be there already. For Augustino’s sake, she hoped for either Antonio or Lovino, but she also wanted her daughter, or her husband, Gilbert or…Ludwig…she desperately wished Ludwig would be the first to enter those gates.

 They came like a mist, undistinguished, it wasn’t until they were walking down the main castle road, now greyed, empty, without its usual gold and life, Louis noticed the colors. Spadian blue, Diamond yellow, Heartian red and many, many, many Clubian green. The first, the current lead to the castle, was Antonio, a flag in his hands as a lead to all who came behind him. He limped, his clothing was poor, he had bandages on his face and surely more under the layers, for he came with constant cringes upon his face. No matter, Augustino was unbeknown to all, he smiled, a shout to showcase it, hands open and dancing at his father’s welcome. It brought Antonio a much-needed grin, forcing a quicker pace if even the pain. He let the flag fall without a care at now the frontal castle courtyard, instead wanting to hold his son, completely enveloping him in his chest, nuzzling, kissing, taking in the scents he missed from him and his laughter.

 “I have missed you so much,” he told him, with every word a stronger grip.

 Renata then came, with her own flag leading the people that began to come in and continue to the entrance. Kandake then flew by at Pookie’s back, specifying where in the castle they could go. Emil walked by and Renata passed over her flag to him, so she could better focus on offering a hand and kiss to her grandson. Louis joined the hurdled, clearly shocked and questioning, only utters, trying to ask some sort of question they could give her.

 It seemed like whatever they would say, it would crumble them. Her breaths were already creating cracks ready to burst.

 “Whe-where-where…where’s everybody else?” They were too many to worry about.

 Where were her three kids? Where were her five grandkids? Where was anybody from her family? All through the crowds she could see but battered soldiers, some even being carried in beds, some covered completely as a form of respect. There were Clubians, citizens like any other as defeated, carrying carriages of items, some with crying children and elders who coughed on.

 “Roderich, Elizabeta and Lili are back in the city helping refugees locate. Alfred is still at the gates making sure everyone comes in,” Antonio at least told, turning with no other mentions, surely wanting the shade of the castle.

 “But, but-but…where’s my sons, my daughter? Where’s Gilbert, and where’s Vash? Whe-where’s, where’s Ludwig?”

 It was the only name that caused a startlement that stopped Renata and Antonio’s movements, shadowed more in this misery, not daring to look at the past Queen.

 “Your sons and Vash are stationed in Spades ready to act. Monika and Gilbert are still at the front lines fighting.”

 “Fighting? They’re still fighting?” Louis was desperate, standing in their way, not daring to let them pass until she knew everything. “I thought Ludwig was going to take care of everything, I thought he would have Khaos defeated by now, I thought-”

 “Ludwig is dead!” Antonio couldn’t take more…he just wanted to rest, he just wanted to be with his son…he didn’t want her to find out this way…but he wanted his sanity…he couldn’t continue to stand being in this sorrow. “…he’s gone…” Antonio was shivering now, keeping to Augustino as some sort of fire to keep him warm. “…he left us the very day of the alignment…he tried so hard…we saw him with unbelievable power face a monster…” he trembled more at the memories, his eyes reddening and watering. “…but nothing worked…nothing is still working…” sobs…and now not even Augustino was laughing, trying to understand what his father was showing, puzzled by these tears. “Cities are crumbling…people only continue to die…and no matter what we do…it’s not enough…nothing is enough…not against those two, not-”

 “…two? What do you mean two?” Louis raised her head, despite the sorrow, the tears that shed from her own eyes, she was determined to know exactly what was going on.

 Antonio was not going to tell her…he moved passed her without a word…it left Renata and Kandake with the straining tale to tell.

  Louis rushed the halls, leaving behind those that were meant to come with her. She took the shaft down, the circling hall, into the room, long free of magical shields. She huffed, her dress was in taters, her face marred in tears, breakage ready to combust. “Feliciano, Ludwig is-”

 “Dead…yes, I know…” Feliciano uttered in a quiet murmur, in his heap, yet refusing to face.

 “You knew…you knew…” she was too breathless to show if she was angered or saddened.

 “From the very moment…” Feliciano opened and closed his hands, perhaps their first movements in days, as if trying to come back to the room from whatever memories he placed himself in. “I felt it…I felt him leave as if he was dying right before me…as if I shared in his final pains…and it is awful…it’s awful to feel like this…he was ripped apart from my very being…and now all I feel is empty…I don’t feel him…I can’t really feel anything…I just…Aces, I can’t deal with this, I feel like nothing.” He released sobs yet again, the same of these weeks, daily, rocking his body in a compulsion. Louis ran forward, worried he was losing his breathing, far worse than whatever current fatigue she held.

 “He was everything…and he has been taken away… and I can’t-I can’t…I can’t even stand…I don’t want to face the world any longer without him.” Louis knew that there were no words, no comforting touch that could ail this crack fit to break the earth. How could she even comfort if she felt the same? She lost a dear grandson, cruelly and leaving behind so much disarray that was tearing apart their world. For once, she said nothing, she only stood and shared with him tears and shedding. They didn’t care for the new steps, for the new joins, to Feliciano nothing meant, he said what this inner void wanted, spreading to his speak and energy.

 “I want to die! I want to die if it means I can join him wherever he is. I can’t deal with this…I can’t with this pain!”

 The words shocked all the new who came, whatever news, plans or perseverance, washed away in the flood of tears that hanged. They knew then that now was not the time for their begs and insistence. There could only be but mourning, a powerful one, unbreakable. And so the group was defeated once again, bowing to this sorrow and letting it reign.

  Still, they could not leave him.

 The group took to refuge in the furthest they could get in this circular room. They prepared their own mats for rest if they felt like it, servants brought them all the meals of the day, they light up their area, dim to Feliciano and they circled themselves in their own conversations.

 “What cities have fallen?” Alfred asked, keeping a map with notes.

 “All of Yakutia is practically gone,” Lili announced, grave that she had to say it.

 “Khaos has made do with Noril’sk and Igarka.”

 “The other one has taken Ust’-Nera and Yagodnoye. Lukas and his men have offered to stay at Magadar and Sokol in order to keep that area. If the second one goes any further from there, it will start to enter Hungary,” Elizabeta trembled, her words yet managing a survive to tell.

 “They’ve only remained in the Club Kingdom?” Louis asked to be sure, the only one wrapped in a blanket, trying to hold down these continuous shivers, hoping desperately it was from the cold of being this bottom in the castle.

 “For now, yes,” Roderich answered.

 “How much longer?” She asked with such brokenness, ready to face a sure death only fated to come to them.

 They all hesitated. Some were confident in their armies, others thought the future bleak, and then they turned to Feliciano…still cradled, sleeping, no expectance.

 “Weeks, months?” Emil estimated.

 “We can’t really be sure.” Kandake kept statured gazes on Feliciano.

 “No matter, we must prepare Berlin for if either approach,” Renata had to insist, already concocting, ready to take from the papers and pens placed on the table.

 So much to do, so much catastrophe to expect, to continue to fight, to make last a barrier that they didn’t know could work fully.

 “How long are we permitted to stay?” Antonio asked with not a bit of his usual life, the only thing moving being the cradle he kept on Augustino’s back, sound asleep.

 “A messenger will come to tell us,” Alfred still kept his attention on the map, trying to figure something out.

 “And what do we do until then?” Emil asked, slightly frustrated and how he wasn’t doing his own aid, mostly not permitted because of his young age.

 “I believe calm and relax…this might be one of the only chances we get,” Elizabeta dreaded to think.

 “How can we do so with our people dying out there?” Antonio was indignant.

 “We still need it…we need to recuperate energy, think of new strategies and magic,” Roderich stood and began a pace.

 “…and talk to Feliciano,” Renata reminded, nothing of her usual charm on her.

 Chatter was dropped, the reminder a menace, a bomb ticking, sitting right behind them, comfortable at rest despite surely all the hidden turmoil.

 “…he is not well…and he won’t be for a while,” Lili wanted to make them realize, worried for the Queen’s wellbeing as the rest. “We can’t keep him in mind for whatever plans we have next.”

 “He’s exactly what we need to kill these things,” Emil pointed, trying to contain the anger, not wanting to awaken him.

 “He won’t this way,” Lili continued the discussion.

 “So we are to leave our world slowly get destroyed while he just lays in bed and does nothing.”

 “Emil, even if he were to awaken and decide to go fight, it won’t be enough,” Antonio came in.

 “He lost the alignment,” Lili managed her speech still.

 “Not just the power he was supposed to be granted, but he lost Ludwig, his husband and king. They were united in a tight bond with magic and spirit that is far from what you can understand,” Elizabeta spoke, from knowledge as Queen herself. She spared a glance to Roderich, dreading if something was to happen to either…and they had to suffer that abyss as well. “His current mental state is a sickness that is debilitating everything in his body, including his magic, no matter how powerful.”

 They all gazed together to the sleeping figure, only moving in breaths.

 “…it could be deadly to himself if we are not to watch,” Roderich reminded, trembling, fearful for Feliciano.

 Those words made all kept a heavier eye on the sleeping Queen, afraid that any miss would get him to slip away from their grasp.

 “As Lili said…we cannot depend on him for whatever happens next,” Elizabeta had to decree no matter how harsh.

 “But the prophecy,” Renata tried to defend, begging.

 “It’s useless,” Alfred joined.

 “We do everything ourselves then…” Emil dreaded.

 Silence settled, hoping for a new idea, hoping for a new chance to alight to them, but the room continued to be dark, continued to haunt. As a distraction…anything but to not look at her son’s sure crippling, even if he was asleep, Renata gazed about all the items in the room. The old candelabras, the weathered curtains, broken pillars, dented walls, the old paintings of past Queens who had birthed in this room. Her gaze settled the longest on one that was claimed to be Augusta with her own two sons, her own great grandparents. She looked so different here from what Feliciano had described when he saw her mural, nothing like a Valenti, nothing like family. She had to remind herself that this was but one of many depictions...long after the last war.

 “Augusta…when she lost Romulus was in the same misery…” Elizabeta told once again, seeing where Renata’s eyes lay.

 Alfred scoffed, “and it took her decades to get over it, all the while the war worsening around them.”

 They shivered if that were to be the repeat.

 “…but she did eventually go to fight,” Roderich reminded, “she did eventually defeat Khaos.”

 “I prefer we didn’t have to wait decades though,” Antonio said.

 “What was it that even pushed Augusta to fight in the end?” Alfred asked.

 “One of her sons decided to go and join the war himself. She wouldn’t stand losing another loved one,” Elizabeta said.

 The jewels of bearing were clearly visible from their sitting, a few vines growing more into his arms, but not a covering yet, the frontal jewel that was supposed to be on his forehead not present.

 They all sighed, it was fruitless.

  The days went on as this, the same pace, frustrations, topics, planning…and they could only come out with more defensive strategies and attacks that would be small and useless, they knew. Reports came in of the battle… Russia was crumbling, a specific message from Tulio mentioned that they had to send dispatches to the Amazonian region of Clubs as Khaos was making fast approach. They panicked to know that if the Amazon fell…it meant it could start going into the Spades Kingdom. They did not want to look at the death numbers, they trembled and cried at the insistence for new supplies, new weapons, new ideas. Abasi called for more Whiteans to come from hiding and join the battle, Tino wrote on the dwindling amount of flight boats they had, how he was losing men and plans to return to Hearts Kingdom to defend it…in the very likely case that Khaos or the other reached. Lovino was the only one who wrote still at the very front, his letters hurried and almost unintelligible at the sure speed or shake he kept. He begged for Feliciano. there was blood and tears on this parchment. He wrote on how they were sending back Vincenzo, as he had suffered an awful incineration that needed instant attention and away from the burnings of war.

 ‘He has marks that disfigure him all throughout, and I know no magic will never heal it’

 These words broke Renata, she succumbed to screams and kneeling, hitting the ground, cursing loud and deep for surely the whole castle to hear. She called for vengeance, that no matter her stature, they will find a way to make Khaos and the other pay.

 Destro, some wrote they were beginning to call him, and to have a name they took it, a mention in those rooms that brought darkness, desperation and acceptive defeat.

 Those in the Heartian castle went to-and-fro trying to find all kinds of answers for all these messages, yet no clear answer ever came, it was only a continuous block that kept them stuck in this repetition of actions that were already useless. Another message came calling most of them back to battle, others to come in their place. Only Kandake, Renata, Elizabeta and Lili were told to stay. They heavily disagreed, but they thought it best for Feliciano to be surrounded by people close to him, perhaps other Queens, to fight this very curse he found himself in. They held still to that piece of hope, one they thought could burn more brightly if they kindled it.

 That morning, while the others packed and did what they could to prepare, Kandake stayed with Feliciano, the both of them alone, of the rare moments Feliciano had gotten to be in silence. No other voices, no steps, no new stresses and turmoil of the world above. He could be numb, he could think of nothing and feel blank…only but the strokes Kandake gave on his arm, calming, soothing…but checking. She traced the new vines that grew, now some edge with a pure gold, never seen to her as bearing marks. She stayed longer on them admiring their beautiful shine. The jewels on his hands were perfectly formed, more protruding this time, but there was nothing else, a slow process, enough to say that perhaps these twins could be born much later than the expected. She suddenly moved his bangs to stare into his forehead. No jewel yet, only some hazed red vines at the very edges of the crown of his hair.

 “Your children are fine,” she told him, now beginning a caress between his soft curls. “It’s slow compared to most. You’ll probably be bearing for twelve months, but it’s nothing to worry about. Still can’t get a gender if you’re curious.”

 Feliciano responded in the nothing she had been used to the last days, only a late nod, slow, quickly back to the stillness of a painting.

 “You probably already heard, but, Antonio, Emil, Roderich and Alfred are heading back to battle…Aldrich is thinking of joining…Louis might follow right behind him.”

 Feliciano only showed a grip and a loosening of his hands. Kandake continued…trying…something…

 “They might go and join Gilbert and Monika. I know Antonio will replace Lovino at the front in the Amazon, Roderich will go with him. Emil will join my people…he figured if we combined our flight tactics, things could become sufficient. Alfred will go back to his own kingdom and prepare a defense…as well as for plans if they must evacuate…”

 Feliciano blinked, each flicker more saddened.

 “…Arthur will come here to Berlin…your brother, Kiku and Herakles too.” Kandake let the silence elongate, knowing no other words would bring a spell of life to him.

 “Why?” He suddenly pierced, his first word in days.

 “To be with you…”

 “…it won’t do anyone good…”

 “They are still coming…”

 Silence continued once again, Feliciano slowly accepting and responding more to her caresses, settling in her hands, a color slowly enveloping him.

 “…I know they’re coming to try and get me out of this…”

 “Feliciano, we understand that what you’re going through is hard, unimaginable and we have no right to demand anything from you right now. The rest of us are in our own mourning, weakened ourselves, but we want to believe in being together, in being there for one another.”

 He eased, there was a far echo of excitement, not strong enough to shine in its place on Feliciano, but Kandake felt like she could see it on a distance.

 “…we should all be out there…including myself.”

 “Then why not? Why not go out there?” Kandake was threading thin ice, but she was determined to test it.

 “…my power is not what it could be anymore…and I still feel so…empty and weak…it hurts to even breathe right now…” Internally he tried that constant reach again, nothing yet, Ludwig was gone, as he had been accustomed to discovering each time. “Even with all of you in the castle…even with all of you right here in this very room, I still feel so alone, so distant, unreachable to any of you…even right now you seem so far away…”

 Kandake halted, like coming to a realization that she had been caressing a ghost, transparent and disappearing. Yet, as she reached again, her fingers for sure met those curls, they scratched on his skull, she noticed every blink, every breath, every rise…he was there.

 “But I am here…I can assure you that, and I will be for as long as I can remain by your side…we all are.” She gazed up, as if with it she could call them all here to prove it. “Feliciano…we would never dare leave you alone, especially now. I would like for you to at least fight with that part of you that dare suggests such a thing. If you can’t see it, if you can’t feel it, we will do what we can to show it. That’s what were here for, to assure you of our loyalties, hopes and chances.” She almost wept at that desperation in the fragility of all. “Feliciano, we still wat to believe in the future, we want to believe in you, and no matter what it takes or how long, we will be here to help when it’s time to stand.”

 There were constant grips in his hands, reaching the ever closer to her, to truly feeling her there.

 “We have all grown vengeful…I also wish to be out there and do what I can in the honor of Pisa…and so many now want to on Ludwig’s name.”

 More breaths, more color came to him.

 “I want to be out there to regain the Kingdoms once again, to stop this time from an entire kingdom falling as mine had done…but my loyalty to you, my dreams of seeing a Valenti finish the menace as another had done, weights before all else. I want my own vengeance fulfill in your glory as it was promised…and I’m sure I’m not the only one.”

 The duty, the expectation… the fears of it all that had haunted, that had plagued…

 In the last instants before the battles started, he grew that courage to be in his place, to face and fight. He was giddy, confident, there was a time he was already celebrating…but now it was like meeting the challenge all over again, trembling and falling at its door. Once again, he doubted, he denied…he was never to be what any of the kingdoms ever expected from him.

 There was a time he would do it all for Ludwig, and only for him, but as his eyes caught the glimmer of red from his hand...

 “You have your children now,” Kandake reminded. “You still have the chance to give them a life without war. I know it’s what you want now above all…and it’s what Ludwig would have wanted as well.”

 And for once…it was almost like he could see him clearly, leaning beside him on the bed, joining Kandake’s caresses, smiling and telling him to be brave, that they could do this. Feliciano’s lips trembled in a slight grin, reaching and hoping he could touch him…but after all, it was just a memory, an image from his mind that could never come alive.

 “There has to be an answer…there has to be something…and I’m sure we can find it together. Despite everything, you are still the prophesied one that has to end it all.”

 Feliciano reverted back to his silence, like Kandake had not uttered such words…back to the beginning.

 “Miss…” a young servant came, bowing before both. Kandake answered with her own, but Feliciano continued ignoring any new presence. “They are about to leave and would like your presence for their farewell.”

 She nodded, “right away.”

 He hurriedly left, while Kandake sighed and prepared words to tell them.

 “I’ll be back,” she stood and although Feliciano shivered at her miss, he did nothing else, only Pookie, who had been nuzzling on his back, raised and gave a curious flight as to where she was going. He still returned, he still knew he had to stay with his master at this time. He cuddled back to the usual it had become.

 Prophecies, prophecies, prophecies…if they could have written everything…every step, every direction the outcomes will pave. A clear way that any chosen could follow, and everything could be fulfilled as it was wished by the heavens. Feliciano didn’t have this booklet, this book, this divine mapping in the sky…only but a little St. Mark currently cuddling into his back and whatever will he held. He sighed, wishing to know what to do, how to start…how to even stand from this bed. And when he did…what then? What strategy? What plan? What magic? They had used every new thing they learned from the books they brought, their most powerful weapons, spells…the other that could have done something to stop this…was killed.

 The harsh reminder that always had Feliciano turning back to the pillow or the blankets to shed his tears, grip and shake in the thunder of this pain again. But the thunder this time, refused to engulf the jewels, for they called louder, they made a proclamation that alighted Feliciano in a new sense.

 His children…the little ones…they would be all, they would be this world, this kingdom, Feliciano… and Ludwig.…Ludwig…he suddenly sat…as if he alighted that moment for him to run and embrace.

 The room was as empty as always, Pookie startled and looking about, wondering what could have caused Feliciano’s first raise in weeks.

 No…he was not there…but as he soothed his fingers on the jewels…he could finally feel…almost even see, these specks of magic…of life, of creation. Some were of his…with the potent of gods and a power that was Queen in the universe, and then the others…Ludwig. A line showed powerful even if not at the wealth of gods. It was of Kings, of ruling and leadership to bring forward all the kingdoms in one. Ludwig was there…Ludwig was involved in that growing magic that would one day bring their children. He will live through them, he would be alive in their magic, forever then in a new line that would be their own together.

 “Ludwig…” he whispered, as if meeting him again that instant.

 “Your children will be their own life, their own paths and power…” something rung, deep within him, yet releasing and surrounding him. “…but Ludwig is there…” She seemed to whisper. “He will always be with you…as will I.” Feliciano hummed in delight at his great grandmother’s embrace and kiss. “They will all be here…you are here. You have the ability to stand and act.” With whatever magic or even wind, she caressed his face. “Do not as I did, where I waited decades before I knew I could defeat Khaos. It is still the beginning, you still have a great chance to save many and be the hero I knew my lineage would bring. Avenge your beloved. For him, your family and your kingdom, bring glory…” her breaths were slowly dispersing, she was disintegrating, leaving away to his inner depths, but he reached out, refusing her farewell yet.

 “But how…how can I do this now?” He begged, yet so fragile and small.

 Augusta smiled, knowing that beneath it, there was a winged lion with a menacing roar. His very own, Pookie, seemed to stare right at her, curious, wondering, reaching ever closer to see if he could earn friendship from this vision.

 “I believe Pookie can help you.” Like a playful child, she chuckled, gone in that last grin.

 Silence reigned in the room again…nothing at all coming back as Feliciano desperately hoped, looking at every corner as if she could materialize through these places again.

 No…he was alone…with Pookie…who according to her word…could help.

 He stared with great suspicion at him, as if expecting him to speak and defend himself from his crime.

 “Have we…shared absolutely everything to one another?” He asked the little creature, with big question and innocence in his big eyes.

 Feliciano sighed, finding himself in hopelessness yet again.

 Something about that exchange brought a sudden reminder to the lion, a jump, a spin, a casting of magic that alighted his frontal jewel. Feliciano had payed no mind to it…until a sudden weight befell on his lap. He was surprised to see a book, adorned in the shine and silvers that were known from those of Khaos’s library.

 “Wha-what…what?” He kept repeating, taking it and rounding it in his hands, exploring every new crevice, every new corner, mend and art…new…and not of the first pile that they had introduced to the castle from when they had returned from the spheres of validity journey.

 “Pookie, did you…have you kept this ever since we were in Khaos’s castle?” He was incredulous, lost in what reaction he should show.

 There was a shake of his head, bashful and blamed, but Feliciano knew it was his admittance to what he asked.

 “Did you…forget to give this to us?"

 Another shake that meant that it was in fact.

 Feliciano groaned, angered with strong menace, but yet…he was merciful, for he knew Pookie, despite a gift from the Aces, was still an animal, with faults as…forgetting that he had one extra book that he had kept in the storage of his magic. He would have been angrier if the book’s tittle was clearly: ‘How to defeat Khaos, a step by step guide.’, but it wasn’t the case. In fact, the book’s title was: ‘The Soul and Spirit Interludes.’ What good will a book about the afterlife and the core of their spirits have? It was the kind of book that Feliciano knew, even if they had it in the first pile, they would have ignored and considered useless, but now, he could recall Augusta’s words… and perhaps…

 He stood, cringing at the sudden force he gave his legs. He had been in bed for weeks and so they cracked and threatened to tumble him to the ground again. He took his time to whale and grimace, forcing them to take their usual rhythm of steps, practiced as he kept a desperate hold to the bed. Once he saw the door, it looked distant, making him dread that he had to push forward, had to take his usual lineage of breaths, run, command, be Queen and face the war.

 He rolled his eyes, cursing whatever new desires for naps, pushing himself past the thresholds, free, controlling. His life was his again.

 He smiled, grandiose and beautiful, Pookie spinning and cuddling in flight with his elation.

 “Come…we have to find everybody.” And for what seemed for the first time in decades, he walked those halls once again, raising his arms and eyes to point at hope and chances.

[loiladadiani]

Empress Elizabeta Alexeiievna (1779 - 1826) nee Princess Luise Marie Auguste von Baden)

The Romanov Dynasty lasted 300 years; during that time, 18 Tsars and their spouses sat on the throne of Russia. It is natural that our interest should naturally gravitate toward those for whom photographs exist (notably Alexander II, Alexander III, and Nicholas II) but the lives of the others were just as fascinating and eventful.

One of these was Alexander I, grandson of Catherine I (although this post is about his consort.) At the age of 16, in a marriage arranged by his grandmother, he wedded the very beautiful 15-year-old Louise of Baden. She had been well educated for her role and was said to be extremely beautiful with a soft, melodious voice and a beautiful oval face with delicate features, large almond-shaped blue eyes, and curly ash-blond hair, which she usually left floating on her shoulders. Contemporaries regarded her as one of the most beautiful women in Europe and probably the most beautiful consort at that time. Unfortunately, she possessed a shy, withdrawn personality that failed to endear her to the Russian court or her in-laws (It seems that the Russian Court was not particularly easy to live in.) She preferred simplicity and solitude to the pomp and ceremony of life at court.

After the glow of the first few years of marriage faded, Alexander began a love affair that would continue for more than fifteen years with the Polish princess Maria Czetwertynska, wife of Prince Dmitri Naryshkin. Princess Maria Naryshkina flaunted her liaison at court in a tasteless, blatant fashion. The Empress continued to fulfill her functions as consort and support her husband but took lovers to relieve her loneliness. Elizabeth and Alexander had two daughters who died in childhood, leaving the Empress devastated.

By the time Elizabeth and Alexander were forty, both underwent a religious/personal transformation and seemed to re-discover each other. Elizabeth understood and supported Alexander I as he grieved over the death of his natural daughter, Sophia. This drove them very close. Alexander I, broke his long relationship with Maria Naryshkina. From then on, the husband and wife started to spend more time together. The marked reconciliation between the Emperor and the Empress caused general surprise.

By 1825, Elizabeth Alexeievna's health was frail; she suffered from a lung condition and a nervous indisposition. The doctors recommended her to rest in a temperate climate. The couple traveled to a city by the Sea of Azov. The imperial couple established themselves in a modest house since there was no comfortable palace. They were happy together, living in intimate simplicity. Unfortunately, Alexander developed typhus, from which he died in the arms of his wife. Elizabeth was stricken by his loss. She died on her way to Saint Petersburg for her husband's funeral.

[luxmaeastra]

//Eliza helps with the planning and gardening idk some pamphlet thing?//

Valerian tugged at his riding leathers with his teeth. Spring was in chaos after Tamlin had abdicated and given it to him.

He was no one to these people.

Had been no one of title and consequence till Tamlin decided to give it to him.

He looked out over the rose garden turning from it to the nearest servant. He'd waited long enough to respect the customs of Spring.

"Dig up the roses and garden, divert the starlake to feed them."

"Your Grace are you planning to add to the garden?"

Valerian sneered brushing past them.

"I intend to grow food for the people, the starlike will enhance the food and grow it quicker. Form without function is the height of frivolity. Make sure the Starlake has an underwater aquifer to feed it too Bram."

"Yes Sir. Sir?"

Valerian bit back a sigh and looked to him, raising an eyebrow.

"Thank you for thinking of your people."

Valerian turned and walked away. Up to his personal study. He locked the door, the wards coming down as he dropped his mask long enough to breathe.

He'd done it. He'd done what his people had been trying to achieve for centuries - gained power.

The Changelings would have a home soon, a foothold finally.

He'd done it as he'd vowed to his people.

------

The news had spread of the new High Lord of Spring, a male who was a visionary in ways that no one had expected. One who seemed in tune with what his people wanted and needed, one who seemed to not mind completely putting things on their head and shake up the status quo.

That was why she was there, it was why a few of them came. Individuals who were eager to witness history first hand, individuals who were eager to lend a helping hand.

Her mama had ensured all her daughters knew plants, knew how they grew and thrived. So why should she let that knowledge and gift go to waste, especially when a people needed it.

Elizabeta smiled as she carried the bucket of fertilizer to the nearest bed, her hair was pulled back into a messy bun and her clothes were a mess - but who cared. It was what she loved when she was with her sisters, with her family, she didn't need to be prim and proper and here...Well no one really acknowledges who she was. She was just Eliza, someone who came from Dawn to assist.

She wasn't paying much attention to anything when she collided with someone, letting out a squeak when she looked up at Valerian. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there!"

[highlifeboat]

Assortment of Swap AU Headcanons, for this is my brain rot right now;

Unlike Miranda, Ethan does care for his Lords/sees them as family. The problem? He wants them to be a perfect family.

He does not stand for fighting between his “children”, he does not tolerate complaints from one about another, and he gets very upset if they aren’t acting like the happy family they should be. (“You’re siblings!” He tells them. “Love each other!”)

Though she may not seem (or act) like it, Mia is the eldest Lord. With Liza being the second, and Lucas and Zoe technically being considered twins and therefore both the youngest.

Mia had been Ethan’s friend since childhood prior to his daughter’s death and subsequent take over of the Village, and was the first (successful) experiment/rebirth Ethan accomplished.

She was not a willing participant, but neither were the others.

She has some vivid memories of the event to this day, though memories of before it are incredibly vague and fuzzy. The mix up of memories has been… less than great for her mental state, and she’s often considered unstable and even untrustworthy by her siblings.

Zoe is the only one willing to put up with Mia outside of meetings.

Speaking of Zoe, while she does have a human form, her siren form is her primary look and she much prefers it. The human skin is reserved for meetings and occasionally going to see her nieces/nephew.

While not Lords themselves, Elena, Melony, and Max were Ethan’s experiments, and when he deemed them too much to handle Mia quickly took them in. (She was living in a huge fucking castle by herself, after all)

Ethan still visits them, though they don’t consider him a parental figure and are slightly terrified of him.

Mia is a cannibal, as the Cadou in her blood stirs a hunger normal animal meat doesn’t quite satisfy. It is not by choice. She actually despises that about herself and tends to push limits on how long she can go without it. (It’s important to note she is not a vampire. She doesn’t drink blood and she much prefers her meat cooked. Unless she’s severely desperate.)

In fact the only Lord who hasn’t eaten a human is Elizabeta.

Lucas has eaten it by choice. Just.. because he can. He doesn’t have to.

Zoe has similar cravings to Mia, but embraces them rather than rejects them. She has led a handful of people to death.

Due to complications with the Cadou, Elizabeta is blind. Though their connections to plants seem to help them as a guide.

[voriiduraki]

Name: Elizabeta Igoreva Mikhailova

Known Aliases: Eliza, Liza, Solnyshko (Little sun), Ryzhika (Red head), Chudaka (weirdo), Anniy (reference to the play character Annie)

Age: 26

Height: 5'10

Weight: 166

Hair color: Rust red

Eye color: Light blue

Nationality: Russian

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Family: Mother - Valeria Mikhailova (deceased), Father - Igor Mikhailov, Flatmate - Tomik Robakov, Flatmate - Dotnara Robakova, Flatmate - Elana Robakova, Flatmate - Artem Robakov

Appearance: Eliza is tall with a medium build and endomorphic figure. She has some undefined muscle but she's by no means petite. She has red, straight hair cut into a choppy bob that flairs outwards at its ends. She has a heart shaped, freckled face with a cleft chin and a mole on the left side of her chin. Eliza has a fondness for American fashion, especially the 70s decade. She wears popular Soviet fashion for the period as well as clothes she has altered herself. For school she wears semi formal clothes or a white uniform.

Personality: Headstrong, forward, and bold are her most noticeable traits. She is very kind and likes to take risks. Being raised by a single father he tried to instill gender roles/traditional femininity into her but she ended up being just as stubborn and direct as he was (though she avoids swearing.) If caught off guard she can get overwhelmed and either ramble or clam up. She's a huge dork with an interest in Western culture. She makes obscure references she learned from (banned) films or from friends who had contact with Westerners. Even though she's academically smart she often lacks things like common sense or just doesn't always think things through. She's also a bit clumsy and forgetful.

Early life: Eliza was born in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) in 1960. Her mother died of complications during the delivery so Igor raised the child alone until he moved to Moscow four years later into a shared khrushchyovka with another family, the Robakovs, who became family to her. They often watched her and would pick her up/drop her off at school. She adored her father and inherited his stubborn nature. Eliza often learned things the hard way because of this. Her father often being very busy as a cop Eliza had a lot of time to herself and would hang out with classmates after school and was fairly independent from a young age. At fifteen Eliza's new roommate, Elana, was born. Since she was potty trained they shared a bed and over time Eliza became like a big sister to her. She always had a helpful nature and wanted to take care of those she cared about so she pursued the medical field. 

Eliza's interest in western culture started in her late teens from magazines and books. She became fascinated with specifically American culture and tried to emulate it to the best of her ability. When she got into academy she became close friends with her upperclassmen Tatiana. After veting her and seeing she was trustworthy she brought her into the world of illegal movie showings. Eliza loved these foreign films that were dubbed by a friend of a friend. It was her peek behind the Iron Curtain. This was her start into getting into contraband. She would covertly buy bootleg records and keep them stored at a friend's house where she'd go to listen to them. All of which is a felony bordering on treason for the time. This was a huge secret kept from those outside their circle.

 It was during her metro ride to school she met Dmitriy. She complimented his nice coat and asked to touch it when the rest of the passengers steered clear of him knowing he was probably trouble. They spoke briefly and Dmitriy was immediately infatuated with her. In the jjba verse he used his stand to observe her in secret. In the main verse he often tailed her preferring to watch the object of his affection from a distance until she confronted him. After an awkward interaction Dmitriy made his feelings toward her clear but left out some important information about his true identity. Now both having something to lose it leveled the playing field more or less. She gets a call from him weeks later about attending an outing. This was their first unofficial date. They hung out to socialize a few more times over the course of two months before officially dating. She is aware of her boyfriend's status and he's aware of her treasonous activities. They gladly keep each other's secrets. They have been dating for close to a year now.

Organization status: N/A /Girlfriend of the pakhan. She is affiliated but not a member.

Random facts: 

※ Eliza has undiagnosed ADHD or "Hyperactivity" and tends to easily get distracted, quickly lose or gain interest in topics, and can get bored or overstimulated easily. 

※ She is Catholic. Though state sanctioned scientific atheism was put in place religion still existed behind closed doors. Her father is not but her flatmates are.

※ Eliza on occasion has helped bootleggers by providing old x-rays for disposal for them. In return she was gifted with a Beatles record.

※ She loves the Beatles. She barely knows any English but will cheerfully babble along to a Beatles record. Her favorite album is the self title album The Beatles.

※ Igor is on to his daughter but isn't sure what she's doing but he has a gut feeling she's keeping something from him. He also doesn't trust Dmitriy one bit.

※ Eliza does aerobic exercises that air on the regional television program. She wears the spandex and everything.

※ Eliza knows how to use, take apart, and shoot a rifle but never had the stomach for hunting. She cried at nine when her father killed a rabbit on a hunting trip.

[1albumaday]

2019

2019

Deerhunter - Why hasn’t everything already disappeared Quelle Chris - Guns James Blake - Assume Form Panda Bear - Buoys Self Esteem - Compliments please PUP - Morbid Stuff Pixvae - Cali Fat White Family - Serfs up! The comet is coming - Trust in the lifeforce of the deep mystery Malihini - Hopefully, again Great Dad - Great Dad Public Body - EP Public Body Chris Cohen - Chris Cohen Miley Cyrus - She is coming Karen O - Lux Prima The Mauskovic Dance Band - The Mauskovic Dance Band Potsu - Ivy League Bill Callahan - Shepherd in a sheepskin vest Why?- AOKOHIO Metronomy - Metronomy Forever Cashmere Cat - Princess Catgirl Drake - Care Package Kanye West - JESUS IS KING Clark - Kiri Variations Benjamin Francis Leftwich - Elephant Shamir - Be the yee, here comes the haw Skinny Pelembe - Dreaming is dead now Cate Le Bone - Reward Vagabon - Vagabon SAULT - 7 SAULT - 5 Toro y Moi - Outer Space Tyler, the creator - IGOR FKA Twigs - MAGDALENE Pleasure System - Terraform Charlotte Adigéry - Zandoli 2018 SOPHIE - Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides Hen Ogledd - Mogic BC Camplight - Deportation Blues Shamir - Resolution Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want IDLES - Joy As An Act Of Resistance Wei Zhongle - The Operators Elza Soares - Deus É Mulher JID - DiCaprio 2 Christian Fitness - Nuance - The Musical Devi McCallion & Katie Dey - Some New Form Of Life Palm - Rock Island Pusha T - DAYTONA Lithics - Mating Surfaces Paul Williams - Surf Music serpentwithfeet - soil quest?onmarc - ? : ID Noname - Room 25 Jean Grae & Quelle Chris - Everything's Fine The Beths - Future me hates me Teleman - Family of Aliens U.S. Girls - In A Poem Unlimited LUMP - LUMP BUSDRIVER - Electricity Is On Our Side Heather Leigh - Throne Guerrilla Toss - Twisted Crystal Vessel - Queen of Golden Dogs Amen Dunes - Freedom Baxter Dury, Etienne de Crécy, Delilah Holliday - B.E.D Insecure Men - Insecure Men Soccer Mommy - Clean Kamaal Williams - The Return SUPERTEEN - Over Everything LICE - It All Worked out Great, Vol 1 & 2 Material Girls - Leather Ask Carol - Ask Carol The Mauskovic Dance Band - Down in the basement Potsu - Just Friends A L E X - Hollow Moon Kamasi Washington - Heaven and Heart CD1 + CD2 Gruff Rhys - Babelsberg Gwenno - Le Kov Aisha Devi - DNA Feelings Channel Tres - Black Moses Holly Herndon - Proto Rezzett- Rezzett The Ophelias - Almost Pan Amsterdam, thatmanmonkz - The Pocket Watch Oh papa - Papa Les Loners - Be Happy Against all logic -  2012 - 2017 2017 Curtis Harding - Face your fear Protomartyr - Relatives In Descent JFDR - Brazil Soccer Mommy - Collection Alessandro cortini - avanti Miley Cyrus - Younger now Beach House - B-Sides and Rarities Silvia Kastel - Air Lows Why? - Moh Lhean Mildlife - Phase 2016 Kevin Abstract - American Boyfriend: A suburban love story Ela & PomPom - My New Music Elizabeta Lāce - Songs About D Elizabete Balčus - Conarium The comet is coming - Channel the Spirits Duchess Says - Sciences Nouvelles Nina Ryser - I Hope All Of Your Dreams Come True SUPERTEEN - Isn’t A Person Bestial Mouths- Heartless The Sooper Swag Project - Badd Timing Rozi Plain - Friend of a friend Khompa - The Shape Of Drums To Come Subrosa - For This We Fought The Battle Of Ages Comfort food - Waffle Frolic LICE - Nulmilk: The Basement Demo Skinny girl diet - Heavy Flow The Octopus Project - Memory Mirror Porridge Radio - Rise, Pasta and other fillers Big thief  - Masterpiece Injury Reserve - Floss DRAM - Big Baby DRAM Miike Snow - iii Will wood and the tapeworms - Self-ish Opposite sex - Hamlet David Bowie - Blackstar Orkesta mendoza - !Vamos a Guarachar! No genre  - Don’t call it a Christmas album The avalanches - Wildflower Sleigh Bells - Jessical Rabbit TEEN - Love Yes Beyonce - Lemonade Olga Bell - Tempo Clipping - Splendor & Misery Show me the body - Body War Elza Soares - A mulher do fim do mundo Esperanza Spalding - Emily’s D+Evolution Nico Muhly & Teitur - Confessions Claire Cronin - Came Down a Storm Horse Jumper Of Love - Horse Jumper Of Love NAILS - You Will Never Be One Of Us The Cult Of Dom Keller - Goodbye To The Light The Ophelias - Creature Native Magnolian - Famous Men Ukandanz- Awo The I.L.Y’s - Scum With Boundaries Drugdealer - The End Of Comedy Greys - Outer Heaven Saul Williams - MartyrLoserKing CC Mose - Beat Me Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor’s Guide To Earth Montaigne - Glorious Heights So Laid Back Country China - Sin Cristales Lemon Demon - Spirit Phone Mitski - Puberty 2Moor Mother - Fetish Bones Yussef Kamaal - Black Focus Susumu Yokota - Laputan Mr Oizo - All Wet Skeletons -Am I Home? Lee Fields & The Expressions - Special Night Flock of Dimes - If You See Me, Say Yes Lee Hazlewood - 13 Childish Gambino - Awaken, My Love! Modern Baseball - Holy Ghosts Oddisse - Alwasta Ryley Walker - Golden Sings That Have Been SungHalf Japanese - Perfect AJ Cornell & Tim Darcy - Too significant to ignore Jaimeo Brown Transcendence - Work Songs Kamaiyah - A Good Night In The Ghetto 2015 BC Camplight - How To Die In The North Kefaya - Radio International Other Lives - Rituals Viegli - Loks paliek vala SUPERTEEN - Stay Creepy Miley Cyrus - Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz EL VY - Return to the Moon Dakha brakha - wnrx The I.L.Y’s - I’ve always been good at true love 2014 Keaton Henson - Romantic Works The dø - Shake Shook Shoken 2013 DARKSIDE - Golden Arrow SUPERTEEN - Exponential Superteen Why? - Golden Tickets 2012 Allah-Las - Allah-las Why? - Mumps, etc Why? - Sod in the Seed 2011 Viegli - Viegli 2010 The Books - The Way Out Johnny Flynn - Been Listening 2009 Peter Doherty - Last of English Roses Bill Callahan - Sometimes I wish we were an eagle Why? - Eskimo Snow 2008 Why? - Alopecia Johnny Flynn - A Larum 2007 BC Camplight - Blink of a Nihilist Subtle - Yell and Ice Akron/Family - Love is simple John Maus - Love is Real 2006 The Forest & The Sea - Leafcutter John Subtle - For Hero: For Fool The Books - Music for a french elevator and other oddities Why? - Rubber Traits 2005 BC Camplight  - Hide, Run Away The Books - Lost and Safe Akron/Family - Akron/Family Why? - Elephant Eyelash Why? - Sanddollars 2004 The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat 2003 Matmos - wide open spaces Hymie’s Basement - Hymie’s Basement The Books - The Lemon of Pink Why? - Oaklandazulasylum Why? - The Early Whitney Parsley Sound - Parsley Sound 2002 Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It in People The Books - Thought for food 2001 The Avalanches - Since I left you 1998 The Sugarcubes - Life’s too good 1997 The Sea And Cake- The Fawn Stereolab - Dots and Loops 1996 Squarepusher - Feed Me Weird Things 1984 Art of Noise - Who’s afraid of the art of noise? 1981 This Heat - Deceit 1977 Fleetwood Mac - Rumors 1973 Perigeo - abbiamo tutti un blues da piangere 1971 Jethro Tull - Aqualung

[doumaistrash]

Ruined Childhood AU

A/n: so since @rinnysega announced that she was going on a little hiatus i thought: why not give her a little gift one shot for getting better? And since she's been a lovley friend and always answers my questions even if she's busy here ya go you deserve it! This was also created after i had a major brainrot after question answering and also for practicing my writing for my fanfic! So i hope you enjoy!!! A little heads up: Elizabeta is aro/ace but is still affectionate with her touch!

-----------------------------------

Relationship Drabbles: Gustavo & Elizabeta #2

Jorge Pinheiro was currently in a bad mood. No, scratch that. He was livid. Apperantly his stupid idiot of a son had to wander of again and slack of at his work. Jorge wanted to punch something. His son, Gustavo, was already 14 for fucks sake. He should, like all other men, help build buildings for the Encanto. Not get lazy. The people relied on them, to get them a roof over their head, if Gustavo will continue like that, people will lose their trust in them. Simple as that and Jorge can't afford that.

As the old man turned a corner he suddenly heared a familiar voice laughing loudly. So there he was! Jorge quickly walked to the location where the voice of his son was, ready to drag him back by the ear if he has to. He rounded the corner and "GUs-" the name died in his mouth.

There sitting on a small chair, was Gustavo, but he was not alone. In front of him, also in a small chair, was Elizabeta Costello. Jorge knew her well. She was known as the Senorita Perfecta of Encanto and was the daughter of the famous and esteemed seamstress Valentina Costello. And she held that title well. Her lilac dress with embroidered orchids was fitting her like a glove, in her black hair was a flor de mayo. And her features were soft, gentle yet elegant. She was the most sought after betchlorette. So Gustavo being with her could only mean one thing. Jorge snapped out of his thoughts as Elizabeta began to speak.

"Seriously. Why do you always pick fights like that? You know you're going to get hurt!" Gustavo looked at her with an annoyed expression, however his eyes were soft. Scratches and a little bruise littered his face but other than that he had no more injuries. "Well excuse me! He was talking bad about you! What else-" His sentence was cut short by a pained hiss. His right hand was laying in the girls lap as she applied alcohol to it. "And? That doesn't mean you have to immediately punch him! Just look at this!" She holds his hand up. Jorge could see that his skin was lightly ripped around the knuckles. So the boy had gotten into a fight again. "It's completly ripped!" She took a bandage and wrapped it around Gustavos hand. "And why don't you go to Julieta? You know that her food heals injuries! Es stupida! Idiota!"

Gustavo looked at Elizabeta sheepishly, as she stood up. "But she doesn't kiss it better. Does she?" Both Elizabeta and Jorge froze up at his words. What was the boy thinking. The older man heared the girl sigh and his gaze flickered back to her. "You're so needy sometimes. You know that?" And with that question Elizabeta took Gustavos hand and kissed him on his wrapped knuckles. Then she moved on to his face. She leaned down, softly cupped both his cheeks and laid a gentle fluttering kiss on each of the scratches. She even kissed the bruise that was close to his lips. Gustavo leaned into it, closing his eyes with a soft smile on his face and holding one of Elizabetas wrists gently in his hand. Even as Elizabeta leaned away, he was still holding it. They looked into eachothers eyes. "There... was that enough?" "Mmmmh. Nope. Not yet."

"GUSTAVO PHILIP PINHEIRO CORTEZ!"

Both teenager wipped their head around in fear, their eyes blown wide. When they noticed who called the boys name, Gustavo quickly stood up and took place between his father and his friend. Jorge approached them with thundering steps. "What have I told you about being around that girl?!" "Senor Pinheiro we just-" "Silence!" Elizabeta flinched back. "I've seen enough! I told you, that girl is a bad influence for you!" Jorge took his son by his ear and began to drag him away. Behind his back, Gustavo shoots his friend a reasuring smile.

When they were far enough from the girl, Jorge immediately began to scold his son. "I've told you a thousand times again that you shouldn't hang around this girl and now you even started to court her." Gustavos eyebrows shot up in suprise, but Jorge wasn't done. "You will break this off or I swear by Ave Maria I will give you donkey duty for a month." Jorge expected his son to defy him, to scream at him or beg him to let him continue this romance, he was close to that girl since they where little afterall. However he didn't expect the next reaction of Gustavo.

The boy just mutely nodded his head. "I understand Papá." With these words the boy turned around and quietly walked back to the construction site. His father, after a few seconds, followed him just as quietly.