#good lord this last chapter they r so.

[ladythornofrivia]

SING FOR ME (part one) | REVISED

dark!aemond x septa!tyrell!reader 🌹

summary: a once princess from a noble house took sworn oath for the Faith of the Seven blossomed into a septa with immaculate reputation due to her gift and preserving her virtue until the fate encounters with the one-eyed prince. (Also inspired by Phantom of the Opera).

warning: stalking, r*pe, unprotected sex, non-con, dubcon, dark aemond, manipulation, obsessive, kidnapping, aemond being delulu

a/n: I'm so sorry--I had to revise this. I didn't think it's good enough, so I had to make some changes, even the title--it feels off. Please forgive me.

Chapter One

The Pious Rose

The most beautiful rose was hidden away from the gardens.

The rose meant to blossom, not wither. She wasn’t meant to be tucked in the rest of her life. (Y/n) wasn’t meant to be tucked in the shadows. She belonged in the golden daylight, surrounded with flowers and her companions, her servitude in the Faith of the Seven, a lady with a driven purpose for the greater good to the Gods in the Sept. Her fate is supposed to be hers and hers alone.

Her dignity, her honor, her virtue and morals, one that inspires love and peace.

Within this darkness, how will the bask of sun shine her with comfort—living in suffocation. How will she live?

Rigid walls greeted her when her eyes were open. Where is she? Her stomach ached with a sharp jab. What has transpired for your fate to be trapped in a lonesome room with no sunlight, no candles, no sound and touch of breeze gliding through the windows? The windows were shut—no, you were confined.

Like the light, her hope has dimmed, and the shadows of her qualms and debate within her outlive. In this darkness, no one was present to succor her distress. The tattered clothing on your sleeves dampened from tears she shed.

No mother or father or sisters to guide her back home.

No servant or subject would come to her aid.

No guard to escort her out of the darkened room that has confined her to flee.

No sound of laughter, or talk amongst folks and lively music she had grown accustomed to.

The air is vacant. No one is to hear the voice but hers and the walls. And the door is locked. No way of escape.

The world felt so small and cramped, you weren’t sure if your life has been meaningful. Surely the Gods were testing you in this challenge.

The peace didn’t last when a heavy oak door boomed with long croak shattered the silence, flames pierced onto your sleepy eyes, until you met the eye of a certain shadow looming over her.

Several Months Ago….

It is said that the Gods had given grace to someone holy and pious. But you were the most holy and pious of all.

But it wasn't pious and holiest reputation.

With a gift you possessed, you managed to capture everyone's hearts, even the look of your beauty. But a song is what entranced every noble and ladies and children alike--at every occasion--namesdays, feasts and tourneys, and at every private and bond between families. Lords and ladies in every kingdom requested for you to commemorate on their special day.

Your song was a gift of light. A song in your voice is a gift of your heart and feast for the soul. A heart so pure and ethereal, that even men would swoon with tears.

You sang an eternal hymn, a hymn of love. A stellar performance like yours is not like any other--light and airy and amongst the heavens.

Since the days of wisdom, you are the most beautiful princess in all of Westeros, titled as ‘Golden Rose—the Rose In Winter and Sun’, ‘A Rose Never Wilted’—as you were born under a chilled winter under a golden sun, hence the given title. You’re the youngest of all Tyrell daughters.

Guests and family members of the court showered you with gifts, jewels, dresses and dolls that is twice as heavy and shiny with importance. Since when you were a child, you are cheery and bright; cheeks flush with health, as you grew older, your mind is constant with wit and daydream.

You have it all.

A gifted wit such as you shouldn’t be cast aside for a nobleman—whether handsome or hideous, young or old, sick or healthy—and to decay as a mother and a widow. And with your wit, you were also pious. Pious and cautious. For a young woman such as yourself, you’re wiser than others.

With every letter the suitors have sent have been casted into the hearth. Sometimes when suitors visited the kingdom, they would often asked of your presence, which you turned a blind eye.

Men.

Men are close to define as a unhinged beast.

Men are vile—filthy as if men are created from Seven Hells. Men are creatures that are made of fire and lust. Marriage is the death sentence to women as men being dutiful as killers and swordsmen at Night’s Watch, with their cocks gelded and their flesh smeared in sin. A woman’s body is as holy as the Sept, must be preserved and clean and mustn’t be driven with temporary hunger. The thought of your virtue being soiled by a man disgusts you, almost a phantom pain summoned between your legs, jab like a sharp knife. You shall never be clean again—overripe and tainted.

Undesirable, one which you can’t undo, with a child born in a mother’s belly was a monstrous and vile thing to give from an unmarried and unfaithful man—a beast hungered and scorched, burnt into the ashes of regret, unable to reverse the damage has been done. Frightened of a soiled reputation, as to avoid death, you must remain healthy with vigor.

You witness to all noble ladies, to whoever they consummate or shared pleasure with they’ve spent in secret upon a high nightfall, with their pleasurable sighs and moans, coming on their high, neglecting their noble duties, or how they gave a painful birth, you tend to avoid converse your peers and stayed inside, wandering in the gardens with flowers blooming just for you, as the canary birds chirped you’ve found yourself with reading or sewing or tending the birds in your pass time.

Most noble folks mistook you as shy, but in your heart, its grimace and resentment. At this rate, the noble ladies will likely to gain bastards than those with natural birthright.

No, it was never your destiny to tarnish.

You must remain pure.

With a life like yours, it’s perfect.

Almost.

House Tyrell has thrived since the dawn of time—the Age of Heroes and survived through fiery battles and clashing swords and broken oaths, traitor after traitor. Vows reformed and ruined by the likes of men’s lusty thoughts from their lusty cocks. House Tyrell went through all. How Tyrells became resilience is all thanks to lessons from experience—had been passed down generations to newcomers that breathed their first air.

Through beauty, through grace. Tyrells are clever and winsome and sly. Flower among flowers. But with flower with thorns are all the more dangerous.

It is said that your beauty is the fairest of all fairs. The day when you’re born, it is said you are bestowed by the Gods of Old and New. Since you were a child, all families brought together in peace. With you as a babe in a cradle, you are precious that when you were a child, you tend with animals and planted seed in the garden for flowers to blossom, for the grass become greener and brighter and clearer in the air. Sometimes you even sang hymns to the injured--animals, more particularly, to ease the frantic emotion that has been emulating.

But those are the days of past.

For years, you have not experienced duty, but all is thrive with a command with a snap of your fingers or whines in your voice to command. For someone young, courtship and marriage is not your intention. Your intentions are made clear to all with prying ears: you would never soil yourself to be bind by dutiful marriage and loveless vows.

But you, as of now, you are made to forge your own destiny. With beauty and grace, you remained to use cleverness for greater good. When you have been informed of the lords’ son wanted your hand, you declined his offer—an offer of negligence and ignorant bliss. That is when your mother resented you.

"Selfish," they all said.

"Cold and calculating," others concluded.

"A conceited bitch," the other men--who have once looked at you with admiration, muttered in between gossip.

Like flowers, beauty and life of love never lasts.

"She mustn't do this," your mother objected. "A young girl like her doesn't know what she wants. She preserve her status as a princess until she gives birth to children and cherish--remain loyal to her husband. That is her future accomplishment. Her reputation amongst men will be tarnish for eternity if she does this. Some men are turning away from her. There's still a chance to remedy this! We must remedy, we must!"

"We have other daughters, my love," your father said with a tender smile. "They have potential to be married off to the suitors. All of our daughters are kind and diligent."

"But all are not as pretty and useful at their talents as she," your mother remarked, as the father's smile died. "She can't be spending her days in the Sept for the rest of her life. I have confiscated all of the books, locked them away so she wouldn't suggest or spark an idea. A woman's mind is as clear as a man's mind. One must give as a future mother and wife. What good are the other daughters for, if they cannot be as achievable as she?"

"This is the fate I choose," you reasoned your father, in determinable rage. "I must do this."

And so, you cast aside the crown, the future prospects of awaiting suitors, who constantly want your hand in marriage of great alliances, and transformed as a septa. Like your mother, few other members of the Tyrell family objected, but your father had the last say and committed to a subjugation of your apply for a challenging task. Although your father and older sisters and brothers shared their support, your mother's intentions are quite clear as it did everyone else's.

As the matter has settled, your mother stopped you midway. "You will regret, for that there are many dangers beyond the threshold. You shall die alone, and no one to love you. The knowledge in books meant nothing to a woman. Books will only give you delusions of idea and that inspires no love but the selfish dreams that you're meant to fail," she hissed.

She's no rose, but a serpent that leeches the flesh.

"I always knew that you're an insipid witch who inspires no love but resentment, as of others. I must remain clean and pious, ever virtuous and benign. I hope you remain bitter and ugly, so that you die alone in your bed, no one to love you. You have killed the love from my father and my siblings, for I want no part with the likes of you," you told her, and barged out at the doors.

Perhaps your thorns are sharper than theirs.

And so, the raven sent a word from the capital, and by dawn—days later—your status is disposed and born anew as Septa (Y/N), and said your farewells and head off, afar from Highgarden with a single tear dropped on your face, as you recalled your grandmother’s words.

Growing strong.

"Farewell, my family, my home, my life, my garden, my comfort..." is all you uttered.

~*~

In King’s Landing, the capital since the dawn of time—has reconstructed and instructed under Aegon I, the most well-known infamous dragonlord that one day overshadow Westeros with a dragon and fury, as well as Visenya with her stubborn grit, and Rhaenys with her peace and wit. Once upon a time, King’s Landing used to be called Aegon’s Fort, but before Aegon’s Fort, it simply used to be a giant forest. Until all three of the dragonlords’ combination of their superb qualities and giant beasts, they’re unstoppable. Therefore, it’d be wise to bow down and surrender, if not, you’d be burn with dragon flame.

Rumor has it when living in King’s Landing, you can afford all the things and wealth and status you desire, even for being a prostitute in one of the inns at Street of Silk, but you intended to avoid filthy things altogether.

Other whispers you’ve heard is the Green Queen, Alicent Hightower, often visited in the Sept. Queen Alicent shed her blood through heretics on praying to her gods for salvation, whatever it may be, prayers to Gods are as sacred as a woman’s maidenhead. Somehow you felt it was out of duty to remain clean, or rebuke the filth to remain clean.

Since the days you have resided in a newfound residence within a glorified kingdom, you immersed your time on tending the orphans and the sick, you tend to your prayers and studies, sometimes tutoring the commoners and bastards and nobles alike—sunrise until sunset. Sometimes the children liked it when you sang them to keep them distract in daytime, or when you sang to them in sleep, for they have no parents to guide them in the land of sin.

In your private quarters, you summoned the belongings you treasured in your luggage—several books, a ring and a doll. There are times where you have missed your family dearly in your heart. Dresses exchanged with robes, your shining hair draped and tucked by veil.

Every once in a while, in your sleep, when an overwhelmed perception intruded in your blank state of mind, you pressed the porcelain glass doll in between your breasts, stroking it’s stringed hair and embraced it tightly.

Somehow, you felt the doll is alive each time you spoke to it, sometimes sang, pretending to be as your family member. You are alone in the capital, but you will outlive the loneliness. But that feeling of loneliness spread, tears dropped, your heart hitched and clenched as if someone’s fingers pressured onto the bleeding organ in your chest after ripping your ribcage open.

"Please stay close to me, stay close to me, my beloved, for the garden has grown cold without you," as you sang to the doll.

Each time your heart beats, the bell tolled in your ears and head on a slumbering nocturnal hour. In an otherworldly place, on the vast side afar from your former homeland, the bells reminded that King’s Landing is your new home.

Every now and then, you sent letters to your family. Every letter they sent gave you a sense of pride and joy--mostly your father, but only to be address as "Your Lord" instead of "Your Father". And every letter, there was a trinket of love that your father shared. And each time you lay on your bedside, you read their letters repeatedly until you lulled to slumber.

But as of late, you gained no response from them. For whatever reason, you kept on writing letters to them.

To think of a good and peaceful life, think of prosperity and glory to your prayers, guidance to a fulfilled wisdom and grace and flourish as the purest soul to fly within Seven Heavens above is the only way after passing on from a life of blood and lust and wretched souls that are beyond saving.

Days had been busied, and days had been hectic and tedious. Shutting your eyes in prayer in front of a grand statue, mouthing prayers in your mouth that you knew by heart. Each time you utter another thought, tears threatened to spill once more.

But you hardened your consciousness and pressed on.

~*~

One day, when dismissed from duties, you ought to find time a seclusion away from books and scriptures—lessons you have dealt with rambunctious children and spiteful elderly on the other side of city. You attended there, tending needs and care for animals, as well. Tending to endless hours seems forever, no way of escape for isolation.

But alas, you found solace under a spare time on a new night--and you have done this several times in several night previously. The area is empty but the walls adorned in fresh red roses and outgrown vines, reminded you of your garden. It was perfect. Surrounded in a garden, light of moonlight pooled behind the tree. On a marbled bench you sat, you resumed with your stitching of a canary, and sang a song from a book you've last read.

The birds chirped alongside yours, as it remain peace, but melancholy. But with the company of feathered friends, you remain your heart steady and true. You have chosen this life.

But as of late, you grew self-conscious, wondering if anyone was spying on you, in case you didn't do your duty to serve the Gods. Therefore, the passing hour has grown dark and departed from a secluded area.

~*~

The underground tunnels of King's Landing was all but darkness. But with a torch placed upon the walls stirred a bit ease to your liking. You ought to company other sisters back to the main ground.

As of now, you didn't like walking alone, as your thoughts remained at the last converse with your mother.

"You will regret, for that there are many dangers beyond the threshold. You shall die alone, and no one to love you. The knowledge in books meant nothing to a woman. Books will only give you delusions of idea and that inspires no love but the selfish dreams that you're meant to fail."

Immediately snapping out of your dreary thoughts, you marched onward with a sewing fabric clutched to your chest. Tunnels rumbled and echoed from your footsteps, as you saw a glimpse of small light above you.

You were almost there.

The air in your breath held in as you felt a large hand grasp your mouth and waist, dragging you back in the dark part of the tunnel. Struggle you as fought your way out, your needlework dropped, dragging and trapping you, wedged between the rustic bars. Biting off his fingers, you scurried off, but caught in between his hands again. You bit again and again until he yanked the veil back, released a sharp wail as the scalp on your golden brown hair has tugged in brute force.

As you attempted to turn around, but a lithe and large retaliated by you turning back around. Behind you, the shadow of someone's trousers dropped, and bent you forward. With large hands gripped tight on your waist, felt a hot tip, his hips grinding you, and plunged it all the way in, blood trailing down on your legs.

You cried aloud as the cock jabbing in your slick cunt.

No, no--not my virtue. Anything but my virtue.

A man groaned in satisfaction as he plunged into you, positioned your wrists behind you, hearing the wet splat as his hips snapped harshly to your entrance.

"Please...no..." you begged, cried.

But the man ignored you, a guttural moan pressed onto your ear, a man’s breath panted.

As he reached his high, hot semen spilled, leaving you breathless and beaten. Bruises on your skin swollen with numbness and your hair--the veil undone, your tucked hair loosened with tangle. Leaning forward with your shaken hands support from fall, you didn't spare a moment to shed your tears, as your final thoughts head straight to the culprit. Your eyes dazed in confusion and hurt. Why would someone hurt the person who was trying to heal the weak, and to preserve a restoring peace?

In your last moments of awake, your eyes glimpsed of a shadow strutting down at your direction, and passed out before a chance for you glimpse and run away.

Heavy footsteps caved in.

And the breath withhold loosened as a pair of hands reached you.

Like every flower, they wither.

~*~

In the next hour, you woke up, surrounded by darkness on cold bedside. You trudged at the door, finding out it was locked. Your fists banged against the door, screaming, "LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!"

Each time you screamed, your tears formed and stuck between your lashes. The tight, cold air caved into your chest, breathing harshly as your hands reached its exhaustion.

Then a pain between your legs had swollen each time you stride vastly back and forth, unsure to grasp the circumstances. It was then you realized one conclusion. Therefore, you tried to find another path, but how could you when you don't know its secrets to where you're standing now? Everything is dark and you're buried with stoned walls, nowhere to run to, or to hide or to tell someone to help you escape and flee from a wretched prison.

Leaning upon the wall, relying on a dimmest light of candle flame, you rested as your back slid downward, pressed against the wall, cuddled your knees to your chest and wept.

Weeping went on, but your hope wasn't lost.

But months went by, as the consciousness in your heart was trying to cooperate, to survive at least for tomorrow and the upcoming of days. You've been fed and clothed and sheltered. But it's not to your content; you yearned for more. There are times where you have sang to yourself, but still ended in tears with no one to hear but your own.

Oh the Gods have been cruel, but the god in your heart sets alight of hope for freedom, finding its way, but you must find a way within a perfect time.

Until one day, in your confined chambers, the dark room lit up until you faced the tall shadow casted before you with a sapphire glinted under the heavy cloak.

A shiver ran down on your neck, knowing who it was.

Taglist: @fun-loving-peach @kittendoll05 @xcharlottemikaelsonx @snh96 @halsteadstyles @liannafae @buccini555 @watercolorskyy @justyelena @jolixtreesunn @thought--bubble @dixie-elocin @galactict3a @kimsubin05 @blackgaladriel @theboleyngirlx @jmliebert @ilikechocolatemilkh @20thcentwriter @sepherinaspoppies @venmondiese @snowprincesa1 @parttimegay @lcolumbia1988 @witchy-v1xen @1800-fight-me @fan-goddess @persephonerinyes @katie-xoxo66 @darylandbethfanforever9 @wisemiraclesweets @elaratyrell @scorpiovelaryon @peachysunrize @aemondswifeisme @heartagram-vv @vipervixxen @mymoonempress @colored-tr-panels @arcielee @starzz-l0ver @li0nn3stuff @peculiarlyayse @wenris @itsabby15 @blackswxnn @crymeariversworld @fantasticgoateesheep @theloveablestargirl @aemondswif3

[romanarose]

Santiago Garcia x sexworker!informant!reader/OC x Javier Peña

Co-written with my beloved @my-secret-shame

Beautiful moodboard by @whatthefishh

“Baby, if you wanna be wild you’ve got a lot to learn.”

~Bruce Springsteen, Candy’s Room

Read on AO3

Summary: Javier Peña is not looking forward to meeting his new partner, having scared of all of them since Steve, but the idealistic, capable (and attractive?) Santiago Garcia quickly wins him over. The pair get assigned to take down Gabriel Lorea, and Javi seeks information from his favorite “informant”, a prostitute known as Candy. She also happens to be who a young and inexperienced (and sexually repressed) Santi goes to in order to learn about sex.

Will he fall in love in the process? Is Javier jealous or is he really just concerned Santi is being reckless like Javi claims? How often is Javi’s inner dialogue gonna talk about how hot he thinks Santi while still calling himself straight?

Warnings (not comprehensive. Given the nature of a fic about sex work and the drug trade in 70’s Colombia use your discretion on the type of content that comes up. Consider this series rated R; Smut heavy, switch reader, sub Santi, rough sex (specifics per chapter), corruption kink. (Reader introducing an innocent Santi to the beautiful world of good sex) and age gaps (reader is early to mid 30’s, Javi is mid to late 30’s, santi is 25) all is v consensual and nothing about taking advantage of Santi’s naivety. Drug trade, some drug use. Some SA, inappropriate touching and threat of rape, physical violence etc on a sex worker but not by our boys. Candy has sex with drug lords and there’s some dubious consent as far as her using sex to pacify these men in dangerous situations. Covert/emotional incest in the past. Emotional incest is NOT sexual incest (necessarily) please read this link if you are unfamiliar. Santi was very parentified as a child. M/M dynamics. Internalized homo/biphobia.

Reader description: Latina given the context of where they are, so there’s descriptions of her tan/dark skin. Reader has long brown curly hair.No name but reader goes by the nn Candy for her own protection and privacy. Scenes from Santi or Javi’s pov are in third person, referring to candy as candy and she/her. Candys POV uses second person but she’s more oc

Chapter 1: Javi meets his new partner, tells him he needs to let off some steam. Santi calls Candy to help him out with that.

Chapter 2: Santi and Javi plan to take on Lorea while Santi thinks back on his night with Candy.

Bonus Chapter: Santi is sick.

Chapter 3: Javi goes to get some 'information' on Lorea and runs into the last person he expected.

Chapter 4: Javi confronts Santi, but Candy has Santi's back.

Chapter 5: Javi and Candy kiss and make up. Javi and Santi make up, no kissing. Santi and Candy kiss.

Bonus chapter: Candy at work

Chapter 6: Santi takes Candy out, and Javi is not pleased. Santi finds a new kink.

Chapter 7: Everything falls apart.

Thank you all for your support on this!!! It means so much!

As always, if this fic inspires art, moodboards, fics, anything of that sort, I welcome all of it!

My ask box is always open for thoughts (or thots 👀)

Candy’s description is Latina, brown curly hair, shorter than Javi, able to be picked up and carried. I picture her like Helena.

This is how I picture her!

[luneaticlab]

AMORE (Chapter 2/ Finale)

Pairing - CEO!Jungkook x Secretary! reader (afab)

Synopsis- Turn up the music, our girl got laid in 13 months.

Word count- 1.08k

Rated R, read at your own risk.

Note- This is the part two of my two-shot, AMORE.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2

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

And that's how you ended up kissing jeongguk.

He was a good kisser one hundred percent. Luckily he seemed to be enjoying this as much as you are. This kiss was sloppy, messy, your teeths clashing.

As the door of the elevator opened, you broke the kiss. He took a hold of your hand and started leading you towards his room. Not even one step in his room you guys started undressing yourselves. You both were too desperate for each other to care about your ego.

Jungkook pulled you towards him and started kissing you until you guys made it to the bed. You were in your lingerie. Jeongguk started kissing your neck, leaving some marks here and there, until he reached your boobs.

His hands found their way towards the hook of your bra. "Can I?"

And your bra was thrown away as soon as you gave him the go.

He started kneading your tits and goddamn, that felt so good. You felt like you were going to cum just by his mere touch. He started sucking your already-pointed nipples.

"Do you know how long I waited to do this?" he said squishing your blossoms.

"I touch myself to the thought of you, jeongguk." You confessed, this sentence was enough to make him groan.

"Are you ready ,baby? I'm gonna have to strech you out a little bit. Tell me whenever it hurts or too much yeah?" Jungkook said, all you did was nod. Consent is very important but given the position you both were in, all you need is his fat cock inside of you.

"Words, babe" Jungkook said , his finger said already making circle figures on your core.

"Yes, Sir. But please, I can't wait anymore." you said whimpering.

And that was all needed for jungkook to insert his big ass finger inside of you. You moaned, you started grinding on it , desperate for the friction.

"A little minx you are, y/n." He then started thrusting his fingers in and out before inserting his second finger. And you were literally cumming.

"Goddamn, did you just cum?" He asked , clearly taken aback. You looked down in embarrasment.

"Fuck y/n, you are driving me crazy each passing second."

"Jeongguk I want you, all of you." You said and that sight felt like a heaven to him. You were so beautiful, laid out like this for him, legs spread, tits out. He wanted to take time and admire every little body part of yours.

He removed his boxers and his dick sprung out. Your expression mirrored genuine surprise. Even pornstars don't have a dick this big.He pumped his dick until some pre-cum leaked out.

"Are you sure about this?" he inquired with a serious tone.

"As sure as I was about my last breakup," you replied nonchalantly. The only motto in your life was having jeongguk inside you right now.

He took out a condom from the drawer, apparently the hotel provided those.

Wrapped his dick, with one last count he entered inside you.

You immediately arched your back, good lord this was the most pleaure you've ever felt. He started pounding inside you, making you realise he was as much impatient as you were.

"Dirty little girl, do you have any idea how hard it was keeping it in my pants today? Huh y/n?" He asked breathlessly.

"You almost flashed me today babe, you wore this for me right? tell me y/n?" Jeongguk asked with a smirk on his face.

"Well I guess it worked." You replied mirroring his expression.

"Oh it worked perfectly, but you deserve a punishment for doing this." His speed increased after saying this. "You aren't allowed to cum until I tell you to." He announced and you opened your eyes to look at him in denial.

"But I'm close!" You said while squeaking.

"Too bad." Was all he said, the speed had you literally bouncing on the bed. Your tits were bouncing up and down with your ecstatic face was a sight for jeongguk.

"I'm gonna cum jeongguk please." You were literally begging expecting him to allow you to do so but his motion came to a halt.

This man denied your orgasm. You whined like a needy brat desperately grinding to make some friction but no, he wasn't moving, instead, he was just looking at you.

"Jeongguk!" You were literally crying. Your eyes begging for him to move.

"Will behave yourself after this?" He asked, his hands on your hips for you to stop grinding every fucking second.

"Yes."

"Who do you belong to?"

"You."

"What's my name."

"Jeongguk."

He slapped your ass. "Wrong."

"Sorry, Sir ."

"That's my good girl." He slapped your ass again, making you yelp.

He started thrusting again, harder this time.

"Fuck ,y/n."

You were literally screaming. This was the best sex you've ever had. And if jeongguk's going to fuck like this, you might as well just start to wear skimpy outfits everyday.

You guys were fucking like animals, you literally had to put your hands on your tits because they were bouncing so much.

"I'm gonna cum, I'm gonna cum!" Your words came out like a scream.

"Cum for me y/n." He slapped your ass .

You were freaking squirting on jeongguk's cock. He smirked when he saw you squirting like that. "Who makes you scream like this?" He said as he held your jaw,"Who makes you squirt like this?Hm?"

"You, sir, only you." you said, you were about to pass out but jeongguk didn't finish yet.

He kept pounding and pounding like there's no tomorrow. You tried to match his pace and finally took the time to look at him, the frown on his face made him look hotter than he already is.

"Holy shit, I'm gonna cum y/n. I want to cum on your tits." His words muffled.

You nodded and he took no time to pull out and position his cock between your tits. Your hands started to pump him until he moaned loudly and came hard on your boobs. His cum flowing all the way from your mounds to your belly button.He removed the condom, threw it in the dustbin before making his way back to you.

He patted your thighs in appreciation before landing on the bed next to you.

"That was so good, I'm gonna run us a bath okay?" He said holding your cheek before he made his way to the bathroom.

Until then you took out your phone opened the camera app and positioned it in a way where your tits were visible enough to spot jeongguk's cum,and clicked a selfie with your tongue out.

Feverishly, you sent it on your groupchat with the caption.

Guess who got laid by her jack-ass boss.

THE END

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

This marks the end of AMORE. I never thought i'd get so much love, I'll improve myself , your love and feedbacks are always anticipated.

-Lune

[nugatorysheep]

Wip Title Game

Tagged by @novantinuum

Rules: Make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs

I am not tagging 50 million people so @extranuts @flaretheskywing @dragonuva @roseetube post some WIP titles cowards

I have several docs that are just meant to be informative that I'm not listing because there's not much to talk about with them, and a TON of unfinished art that is like pre 2022 that will def not get done ever so its been yeeted into my Untouchables folder and also isn't listed here lmao

For convenience, I've taken out any duplicate files that are the same thing but in a different format

As you can see I have three brands of naming conventions for my files: Objective, Boring Name that just Is What It Is, Song Title and/or Lyric, and Shit Post Cause I Was Tired

Lord help me I have SO many WIPS

(Non-Informational) Writing Wips:

Bad End FOM Fic Beguiler of Wills Burning despair does ache Chapter 9: What does it matter how my heart breaks Drabbles Druidbreak Ficlet FOM WIP Doc Glimpses of life denial WIP IDK what to call this but yeah IEOE stuff idk Intermission XXX: Separate Ways Intermission XXX - Last moments of pure recall Intermission XXX - Look in my eyes she still holds the power Intermission XXX - The way ahead feels lonely Intermission XXX - Loss of want back there Pit AU - Editing Prism R&C Soundtrack Breakdown Six Forty Seven Slug it out Tell Me Something Good

Art Wips (I have a million of these):

[shoves hand in abdomen for the symbolism or some shit].clip ask.psd Axel Sketches.clip baneful bunker.png beat up boys.clip Beyond Bliss Gems Lineup.clip Bliss rose stuff for later.clip break the bank.clip chompers.png Connverse dump.clip Cupid dump.clip Druid x Sven x Sonny.clip Dryad sketches.clip EINF Steven.clip evil boi.clip evil leo doodles.clip Eye contact.clip Fab fly floret.clip failure 01.clip Frame of Mind Sketchbook.clip Fusion Chart.clip gay as fuck to be a test subject. what are you testing, your capacity for homosexual desires.clip (this is one long ass title lol) goober.clip Haven't you noticed I'm a star.clip He can say it cause i said so.clip he yeeteth and yoinknth away.clip HEARTBREAK SPINEL REF.clip homie rolled a nat one on genetics fr.clip HONEY REF.clip i am so fucking hungry bro imma make noodles 1.png (there's 4 it's a comic) I have made a new boy.clip Illustration (2).clip Illustration (3).clip Illustration.clip Illustration2 (2).clip Illustration2.clip Inner Demons.clip it triggered his flight or fight response.clip Karma Sketchbook.clip lazer_eyes-3A4E6.clip Lemme tell you what it's like to be a Zero.clip Loss Dot Jaypeg.png me.clip Mermay HB.clip mermay.clip MINOTUAR MAN.clip mirror_gem_designs.clip ML Stevonnie.clip munchmunch.clip Nova Artfight 2.clip Now that it's raining more than ever.clip old man lizard.clip oops all pain lol.clip open arms.clip Pasture crew.clip rare dizzy art.clip Real.mdp Ref wips.clip Sarkhan's Dragonfire.clip Save a horse ride a cowboy.clip Say that again i dare you.clip Screenshot 2023-09-23 001021.png Senkywenky.clip SFW Sketchbook.clip ShatteredStar.clip Show off those guns.clip Slugman the second coming.clip Snaps and snarls.clip so what's the point of holding tight onto my feet.clip Soap.clip some mtg quote.clip Space faggot.clip spongebob window meme.clip Starnheim_Unleashed.psd STEVEN ON LION.clip SU AU Battle Cuts.clip SUDF page redraw.clip Suneater.clip SUTREK.clip Take A Breath.clip Talking to Myself Redraw 1.clip (there are several of these it's a comic) THE SUN IS GETTING LOW.clip THERE IS NO MANA IN THIS AIR.clip they love each other.clip this was supposed to be shoes idk what happened.png Throwing boys at the wall to see what sticks.clip Tourmaline.clip Tower of boys.clip Trolls bullshit.clip tumblr bait purple rabbit man but the lame version [springtrap did it better].clip uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shit idk.clip Union of Love.clip wahho.clip Welcome to the grid user.clip Welcome to the grid user.png Will you be satified.clip wip 02.clip You're MINE.clip zoo doodles.clip ZOOLOGY GEMS REF TWO.clip

[pardi-real]

Honeymoon Knight / Chapter 18 - The Ideal Dishes

Prev | All | Next

[On the Road, Inside the Carriage]

~ Later ~

Departing from Tisailles, I was riding in the carriage with the first-floor butler. Our destination was the 'City of Blessings Kalliste', the last stop of this trip.

Berrien: "My lord, we've been traveling by carriage for some time now, do you feel tired?”

> "I'm fine"

Berrien: "Fufu... That's good to hear."

> “How about you, Muu, are you tired?"

Muu: "I'm also perfectly fine! Actually, I'm very happy to be able to visit various cities with you, my lord... It's really exciting!"

> "Each city was enjoyable, wasn't it?"

Lono: "Ishishi... Other butlers were saying the same thing. 

That Flure guy... when we left Tisailles, he looked so dejected. Spending time with you must have been much more enjoyable for him. 

Oh right, speaking of Flure... He seems to have played a big role in Tisailles, doesn't he…!?"

Berrien: "Yes, he protected Lato from the angels..."

> “That was really awesome”

> "That was really cool"

Bastien: "Flure's accuracy with the bow is astounding. With this, he might be recognized as a full-fledged member by Mr. Haures."

Lono: "That guy Flure... If he gets recognized, he'd be ecstatic. Finally, he can go angel-hunting on his own."

Bastien: "But with a bow and arrows... Won't that make one-on-one combat tough?"

Lono: “W-well, that's true..."

Berrien: "Fufu. Being able to go 'angel-hunting alone' isn't everything. I think, as a devil butler, being able to protect our lord and comrades is more than enough to be considered a full-fledged member. Surely, Haures understands that too.

However, when it comes to Flure... His determination to hunt angels by himself is so strong that even though it's for his own good... I don't think he's clearly been told, ’You're already a full-fledged member’."

Muu: "I see..."

Berrien: "Well, that's just my speculation."

Bastien: "But Flure hasn't seemed so fixated on 'going angel-hunting alone' lately. I'm sure something is starting to change within Flure… It's probably thanks to you, my lord."

> “Me?”

> “R-really?"

Bastien: "Our encounter with you is definitely changing us. I'm one of them too."

> "Bastien..."

Bastien: "Well then... In the next city, it's finally the turn for the first-floor butlers to spend time with you... I'm looking forward to it. I can't wait to arrive in the city."

Lono: "Yeah. It's been boring, just guarding nobles all the time."

Muu: "The destination is... ‘'City of Blessings Kalliste,' right? Going to a city you've never been to is so exciting!"

Berrien: "Fufu... My lord, and Muu too, It's your first time visiting Kalliste, isn't it? Kalliste is a beautiful city... Both of you will surely love it."

As we were talking...

The speed of the carriage gradually slowed down and eventually stopped.

Berrien: "Oh my... It seems we've just arrived in the city... My lord, please use my hand when getting off the carriage."

> "Thank you, Berrien"

I took Berrien's hand and slowly got off the carriage.

[City of Blessings Kalliste]

Outside the carriage... There spread a vivid contrast of white and blue in the cityscape. It was a beautiful cityscape that would uplift the hearts of those who visited... A clean, refreshing, and beautiful cityscape.

Muu: "Wow~! It's a wonderful city with different feels from Velis and Rosetown!"

Lono: "It's been a while, but it's still beautiful. As expected, from the blessed city."

Bastien: "By the way... Why is Kalliste called the ‘City of Blessings'?"

Berrien: "That's because this city... is the 'Holy Land of Marriage.' Kalliste has a wonderful legend... It goes like this: 'If you create happy memories in this city, your happiness will be guaranteed.' 

Because of this, many people choose to have their weddings here, making it the 'City of Blessings.'"

> "I see..."

Bastien: "Hm... By weddings, do you mean like that?"

Following Bastien's gaze... There stood a bride and groom in front of a church. The bride and groom, surrounded by what seemed to be their friends and family, were moving somewhere.

Berrien: "Fufu... Both of them looked so happy, didn't they? They're probably heading to the banquet hall now."

Muu: “ ‘Bankuet hall’...? Is that different from the wedding?"

Lono: "Hmm... It's different, but it's hard to explain..."

Berrien: "Well, simply put... The ceremony at the church is for taking 'marriage vows'... The banquet is a 'party to showcase the marriage.' Both together are sometimes called a wedding... It depends on the tradition of the place."

Muu: "Wow~! So, the feast is at the banquet hall?"

> "Yeah, that's right"

Lono: "Geez... Muu is always about food, huh..."

Bastien: "Well, food is important, so it can't be helped. By the way, in some parts of the Eastern Territories... During weddings, the couple can't eat anything."

Muu: "Ehhh! Is that so!?"

Bastien: "Ah, I don't know how it is nowadays. But in the region where I was born, it used to be like that."

Lono: "Seriously…? Well, people have preferences, but if it were me, I couldn't stand it... I mean, if it were me, I'd want to make and serve the wedding dishes myself to my partner."

Muu: "Hehe, if it's dishes made by Mr. Lono… They must be delicious! Oh, right! In that case... I'd like to hear about the 'ideal wedding dishes' from everyone on the first floor!"

Berrien: "T-that's... quite sudden..."

Bastien: "By saying 'everyone on the first floor,' do you mean... Are you asking similar questions to other butlers?"

> "Yes, various things about weddings"

Bastien: "Hmm, I see... If my story interests you, my lord... I don't mind telling."

Muu: "What about you, Mr. Lono and Mr. Berrien?"

Lono: "Hmmm… ‘Ideal wedding dishes’... Okay, I'll talk. There are some dishes that I just want to make!

'Berrien: "Hmm, my own wedding…

……It's all fantasy, so I can be free with it.

Certainly. I don't mind sharing it."

Muu: "Thank you, Mr. Berrien!"

Lono: "Well then, my lord. I'll go first!"

> "Please, Lono"

Lono: "If I were to have a wedding... Of course, all the dishes would be made by me! For the special day between me and my partner, I definitely want the dishes to be made by me!”

> “Impressive, Lono”

Lono: “Thank you very much.

By the way, I want the menu to be… filled  with my partner's favorite foods! When you eat what you love... It brings a smile to your face, after all! 

Um... I might have said this last year too... But... With my cooking, I want to... Protect my loved one's smile. I want to share laughter with them, from morning, day, to night while eating together... Sharing a cheerful dining table... I dream of a family like that! So... My thoughts are something like this... Oops! I-I'm sorry! It got off track from 'ideal wedding dishes'."

> "It's very much like you, Lono”

Lono: "Hehe… Thank you for saying that."

Muu: "Next, let's hear from... Mr. Bastien!"

Bastien: "My 'ideal wedding dishes'... Hmm... That's right... I can't think of specific dishes, but... Anyway... I want lots of dishes lined up."

> "Anyway, lots..."

Bastien: "Yeah... That's right. The more, the better. I don't want my precious partner to suffer from hunger. Once married... I will never let my partner struggle with meals. 

That's why... I want a wedding with lots of dishes.”

> “I see”

Bastien: “Also... Well, I'm planning to practice cooking more if I'm going to get married. The human body is made of what you eat, so I want my partner to have healthy meals. I'm willing to support my partner in all aspects of life... I want to support them even in terms of health.

...Hmm. That's about it for my story."

> "Very much like you, Bastien, that's wonderful"

Bastien: "Fufu... Thank you, my lord."

Muu: "Okay, next is Mr. Berrien!"

> "Tell us, Berrien"

Berrien: "Fufu, alright. My 'ideal wedding dishes' are… Those made by Lono and Bastien."

Lono: "Huh! You want me to make them!?"

Bastien: "Not just you, Lono. Mr. Berrien said he'd ask both of us."

Lono: "Shut up, I know! But... Are you really okay with us?"

Berrien: "Yes, of course.

If I were to get married... My partner would surely... Trust my precious comrades. That's why... For the wedding dishes... I want to ask Lono and Bastien. And... The wedding cake too, I want both of you to make it. And... After the wedding is over without any incidents... I want to eat the uneaten cake with my partner while drinking tea."

> "It sounds like a pleasant way to spend time"

Berrien: "Fufu… Thank you. Of course, not just during the wedding... I want to spend tea time together every day. While drinking tea... Talk about both the difficult and happy times... Accepting each other's feelings... I want to protect them by healing... 

I might have shared this last year as well... But even to the end of our lives… I want to make sure to live longer than my partner... I don't want to cause my partner grief. I want to love my partner and make them feel happy, until the very end.”

> "Berrien..."

Berrien: "Fufu... Like Lono, without realizing it… It's not about the 'ideal wedding dishes' anymore, but... My thoughts are like this."

> "Kind and thoughtful, just like you, Berrien"

Bastien: “Yeah, as expected of Mr. Berrien."

Lono: "I could really feel his desire to be close to his partner! That was so cool, Mr. Berrien!”

Muu: “Yes! That was wonderful, Mr. Berrien!”

Berrien: “Oh, my… that's a bit embarrassing to be complimented this much. Fufu… Well then, shall we head to the inn soon? It's quite enjoyable to stand and chat, but... The lord might get sunburned if we stay like this."

Lono: "Whoops, you're right!"

Bastien: "Hmm, then... I'll carry your luggage to the inn, my lord."

Lono: "Before heading to the inn, I'll buy ingredients for dinner! See you later, my lord!"

> "Take care, Lono"

Berrien: "Now, my lord... Allow me to guide you to the inn.”

Prev | All | Next

[stormcloudrising]

The Secret Song of Florian and Jonquil Part 10: The Shrouded Lord and a Mermaid's UnKiss

December 24, 2023

Shrouded Lord_AI Generated Image by Nuevoimg_123rf

I ended last chapter with an excerpt from 1 Peter that referenced Christ as the Living Stone and proposed that George was using the legend of the Shrouded Lord in the book to mirror the biblical one. And as I discussed previously, the myth of the Shrouded Lord is in the story to inform upon Jon’s resurrection.  So, with that said, let’s jump right back in to talk about Jon Snow, the Living Stone and the kiss of life coming his way.

JON, THE SHROUDED LORD AKA, THE LIVING STONE

The sound of a kiss is not so loud as that of a cannon, but its echo lasts a great deal longer. —Oliver Wendell Holmes

We first hear mention of the Shrouded Lord in A Dance with Dragon where after the urging of Illyrio, Tyrion boards the Shy Maid to travel to Volantis with Griff and Faegon. While travelling on the Rhoyne, Haldon and Duck regal Yollo (Tyrion) with dark tales of the legendary pirates in the area.

Haldon gave him a thin smile. "If we should encounter the Lady Korra on Hag's Teeth, you may soon be lacking other parts as well. Korra the Cruel, they call her. Her ship is crewed by beautiful young maids who geld every male they capture." This time Duck laughed, and Haldon said, "What a droll little fellow you are, Yollo. They say that the Shrouded Lord will grant a boon to any man who can make him laugh. Perhaps His Grey Grace will choose you to ornament his stony court." Duck glanced at his companion uneasily. "It's not good to jape of that one, not when we're so near the Rhoyne. He hears." "Wisdom from a duck," said Haldon. "I beg your pardon, Yollo. You need not look so pale, I was only playing with you. The Prince of Sorrows does not bestow his grey kiss lightly." His grey kiss. The thought made his flesh crawl. Death had lost its terror for Tyrion Lannister, but greyscale was another matter. The Shrouded Lord is just a legend, he told himself, no more real than the ghost of Lann the Clever that some claim haunts Casterly Rock. Even so, he held his tongue. — A Dance with Dragons - Tyrion III

Four important things are revealed to us with the first mention of this mysterious figure. First, we find out that The Shrouded Lord is a Stone Man who lives in the Sorrows. Stone men are of course those in the last stages of greyscale who live in area of the Rhoyne where a thousand years previously, Garin is said to have called down the curse on the dragon lords of old.

Secondly, Tyrion associates him with Lann the Clever, the ancient ancestor of the Lannisters from the Age of Heroes who was said to have winkle Casterly Rock from the Casterlys with only his wits. Martin is usually implying something when he mentions these ancient figures in the text, and I have a couple of ideas why he had Tyrion think of Lann at this moment. One, I will write an essay on at another time, but the second reason is because I think his plan was to have Tyrion meet The Shrouded Lord, and it would have been Gerion, his missing uncle who disappeared when he went looking for the lost Lannister Valyrian sword, Brightroar.

George did write a chapter where Tyrion met The Shrouded Lord but decided not to include it in the books. Here is what he said about the discarded chapter.

“It’s a swell, spook, evocative chapter, but you won’t read it in Dance. It took me down a road I decided I did not want to travel, so I went back and ripped it out. So, unless I change my mind again, it’s going the way of the draft of Lord of the Rings where Tolkien has Frodo, Sam Merry and Pippin reach the Prancing Pony and meet a weatherbeaten old hobbit ranger named “Trotter.” —George R R Martin

The popular fandom reason for the deletion of the chapter is that there was too much magic in the scene. I think that this is a good take and quite possibly part of the reason for the deletion. George’s writing is centered on the character and the magic is secondary. There will be a big input of magic in the story, but that will be towards the end, and so the chapter with The Shrouded Lord might have been a bit too early.

All of this makes sense but only up to a point because there have been heavily magical scenes in the story already such as the birthing of Dany’s dragons, and her visit to the HOTU. Also, in ADWD, George gave us three magical scenes…Varamyr's attempt to body jump Thistle; Arya’s introduction to the magical faces of the Faceless Men; and Bran’s first visit inside the weirwood net.

That’s a lot of magical scenes in one book and so maybe George thought that Tyrion’s encounter with The Shrouded Lord was one too many. I tend to think that the true reason the chapter was pulled is because George felt it revealed too much about Jon’s resurrection, and he wasn’t ready to show his hand yet. There is also the fact that if Tyrion did meet The Shrouded Lord, Martin would have had to give him greyscale. This is something he may have been planning to do but decided against and chose to give it to Jon Con instead.

The third interesting thing we find out is that The Shrouded Lord will grant a boon to all who will make him laugh. This is important symbolism as it has to do with why there are as many fools appearing throughout the books as they are whor*s. I’m not going to go into the explanation about fools here as this chapter is already extremely long. However, I will again direct you to Crowfood’s Daughter excellent video essay on the subject.

Finally, we find out that the mysterious figure of the Sorrows is known by three names. In addition to The Shrouded Lord, he is also called His Grey Grace and The Prince of Sorrows. It just so happens that I can show you how all these names apply to Jon. His Grey Grace is obvious as he quite likely will be considered a king…at least for a while. I’ve also showed you last chapter why Jon's symbolic color is grey; and if he does get greyscale like I’ve proposed, part of him will have the grey scaly stone like scars of the disease.

So, what about the other two names. Well let’s start first with The Shrouded Lord.

Generally, when I see a representation of The Shrouded Lord in a video or featured in an essay, it’s of the standard fantasy image of a man in shadow wearing a grey cowl like those worn by monks…similar to the one I used for the header image of this essay. But here’s the thing. Yes, a cowl can be loosely considered a shroud but it would be at the bottom of the list of synonyms.

A shroud is more properly defined as, “a length of cloth or enveloping garment in which a dead person is wrapped for burial.” And the most famous one in all history is the Shroud of Turin, purportedly, the burial cloth of Jesus that is said to have his face imprinted or ingrained in it.

Shroud of Turin, Public Domain

Understanding this meaning of shroud as a burial cloth, one can immediately see that the Shrouded Lord is quite possibly dead. Of course, as there is no cure for greyscale once it has reached the point that you are considered a stone man, it may just be symbolism. Also, as he is given the title Lord, one can also extrapolated and say that he is considered the ruler of the dead…a kind of Hades like figure. Or maybe even, regarding the story…a Night’s King like personage.

As he’s using the word shroud, that’s so closely identified with Jesus, one can also assume that George might want the reader to associate this mysterious figure from the Sorrows with his own created Christ like figure…one Jon Snow.

You’re probably saying, interesting analogy, but it doesn’t mean that The Shrouded Lord is meant to tell us about Jon’s resurrection or even has anything to do with him. And to that I say, it gets better. I missed it the first time I read the book but when I re-read A Dance with Dragons several years ago, something hit me when I reached the chapters where The Shrouded Lord is mentioned. In making the association with the Shroud of Turin, my mind immediately wondered whether George was symbolically associating The Shrouded Lord with Christ.

Having already recognized that he had set Jon up as the Christ like figure in the books who would be resurrected, I then considered the strong possibility that he was trying to tell us something about Jon’s resurrection, but I wasn’t immediately sure what the connection could be. The fact that the Shrouded Lord was a stone man and thus had greyscale; and Shireen who for some inexplicable reason, Martin also gave greyscale and then place at the Wall where she was in contact with Jon, told me that I was on to something, but again, what did it mean? And then the memories of my years of Sunday school and sitting in too many Episcopalian church services to remember kicked in and I knew the answer. I remembered.

Christ, the Living Stone!

Jesus was prophesized to be the Living Stone. Here we get the first reference in Isaiah 28:16

16 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone,     a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it     will never be stricken with panic.

And then again in the Psalms 118:22.

The stone the builders rejected     has become the cornerstone; 23 the Lord has done this,     and it is marvelous in our eyes.

And here in 1 Peter, we get the full prophecy.

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion,     a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him     will never be put to shame.” 7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected     has become the cornerstone,” 8 and, “A stone that causes people to stumble     and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. —1 Peter 2:4-10 NIV

This is the answer to the question that many in the fandom have pondered. Why did George make greyscale a part of the story? A plague is understandable. After all, his story takes place in a Middle Ages type setting when plagues were prevalent, but why one that turned its victims into living stones.

Now we know! Jesus was the Living Stone who died and was resurrected to save man. In ASOIAF, Jon is the Christ like figure who will die and be resurrected to be the savior of man. And thus, he needed to have living stone symbolism. He needed to be a living Stone and thus, George needed a way to turn him into a stone man.

In the bible, Jesus as the Living Stone is symbolic, but George made it literal for his story. This is why he invented greyscale; gave it to Shireen; and placed her at the Wall.

We now see how two of the three monikers assigned to the mysterious figure known as The Shrouded Lord can be directly connected to Jon Snow, our in-world risen Christ. He is His Grey Grace, and he is The Shrouded Lord. What about the third…the Prince of Sorrows? As George is also using it as a sobriquet for his in-world figure, it must also be connected to Jesus. Let’s look again at the Book of Isaiah for the answer.

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. —Isaiah 53:2-6 KJV

This passage reminds me a bit of the tale Old Nan told Bran about the Night's King and how all records of him were destroyed and his very name forbidden; and later how Ygritte told Jon that Snow was an evil name. I would say the two are related.

Isaiah saying that Christ was not comely in our eyes also reminds me of Sansa saying that Florian was homely. The bible verse also shows us that Christ was known as a man of sorrows. Not quite the same wording as Prince of Sorrows, but then again, Jesus is also called Prince several times in other books of the bible, and Jon is quite possibly a prince in the books.

13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. 14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; 15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. —ACTS 3 13-15

_____

5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. —REVELATIONS 1:5

And of course, he is known as the Prince of Peace. Now that we see how the three monikers connect to both Jesus and Jon, what about Jon’s resurrection? Might the myth of The Shrouded Lord give us some idea about his resurrection? Yes. Yes, it does, because there just so happens to be a resurrection portion of the myth that symbolically plays out with Tyrion, Sansa’s motley attire husband.

The legend of The Shrouded Lord first appears in A Dance with Dragon, the same book where Jon is killed. We first read about Garin and the curse he called down on the dragon lords of old and how the ruins of Chroyane turned into the Sorrows in TWOIAF, which was published two years after ADWD.

Lomas Longstrider wrote of the drowned ruins of Chroyane, its foul fogs and waters, and the fact that wayward travelers infected with greyscale now haunt the ruins—a hazard for those who travel the river beneath the broken span of the Bridge of Dream.

However, that was not the first time the name Garin appeared in the text. It first appeared in A Feast for Crows and is the name of one of Arianne’s childhood friends who participated in her attempt to crown Myrcella queen. After their plot is rooted out by Doran, Garin is initially sent to Ghaston Grey.

During her next bath, she spoke of her imprisoned friends, especially Garin. "He's the one I fear for most," she confided to the serving girl. "The orphans are free spirits, they live to wander. Garin needs sunshine and fresh air. If they lock him away in some dank stone cell, how will he survive? He will not last a year at Ghaston Grey." —A Feast for Crows, Princess in the Tower

According to Arianne, “Ghaston Grey was a crumbling old castle perched on a rock in the Sea of Dorne, a drear and dreadful prison where the vilest of criminals were sent to rot and die.” Sea of Dorne is filled with so much symbolic implications with the potential use of two homonyms on George’s part, Sea of Dawn or even See of Dawn, but that’s a discussion for another day. The name is also likely another homage on George’s part to his favorite fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast, as Gaston, Belle’s proverbial suitor falls to his death in the sea below during his fight with the Beast.

Ghaston Grey does sounds like the perfect symbolic prison to send a prisoner named after the ancient Rhoynar prince who called down the greyscale plague upon the dragon lords. Garin is an Orphan of the Greenblood, the descendants of Nymeria and the Rhoynar who decided to remain on the rivers and not settle on Dornish land. And so, it makes symbolic sense that he was imprisoned in the “sea.” I mentioned Garin because originally, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons was one gigantic book before it was split into two by the publisher. And so, events in the two books are basically taking place around the same time. This shows that when George introduced the myth of The Shrouded Lord in the book where Jon dies, he was already thinking of Garin and the Rhoynar.

My regular readers probably think it’s boring the number of times I repeat in my essays that George is always consistent in his use of symbolism. I repeat it often because with the depth of symbolism built into the story, it’s amazing that he never drops the ball. And because I felt strongly that Florian and Jonquil were the ancient Night’s King and Corpse Queen, and Jon and Sansa their modern-day counterpart, when I figured how The Shrouded Lord connected to Jon and his resurrection, I was stumped by Florian’s motley armor.

I knew it had to be important because when the Tyrion drowning scene played out in the Sorrows, where he played the role of the Jon/Shrouded Lord character, he was wearing motley clothing. But I was stumped at what Motley might have to do with the Shrouded Lord and stone. That is, until I recently watched one of Crowfood’s Daughter ironborn videos and discovered that she had figured out the answer. Motley represented stone.

You can watch the video, Bless Him with Stone here, but what Amanda figured out is how motley is connected to stone. Motley as we are shown in the text is how the costumes of fools are described, and by connecting this to the real-world Harlequin fool from medieval history, Amanda hit on something interesting.

She discovered that there is a real-world disease called, Harlequin Ichthyosis, that’s very like greyscale. Also called fish scale disease, it got its name from the Greek word, ichthys, which translate as fish.

Harlequin Ichthyosis

With this discovery and the connection to motley and fools in mind, Amanda soon discovered in the text that George compares the scars from Shireen’s greyscale to Patchface’s motley costume.

Grand Maester Pycelle gaped at him, aghast. "Surely you do not mean to suggest that Lady Selyse would bring a fool into her bed?" "You'd have to be a fool to want to bed Selyse Florent," said Littlefinger. "Doubtless Patchface reminded her of Stannis. And the best lies contain within them nuggets of truth, enough to give a listener pause. As it happens, this fool is utterly devoted to the girl and follows her everywhere. They even look somewhat alike. Shireen has a mottled, half-frozen face as well." Pycelle was lost. "But that is from the greyscale that near killed her as a babe, poor thing." — A Clash of Kings - Tyrion III

Mottle as Amanda’s research also showed is from the 17th century and is a back formation of motley. From there, it was then easy for her to make the connection to Florian the Fool.

This morning the puppeteers were doing the tale of Florian and Jonquil. The fat Dornishwoman was working Florian in his armor made of motley, while the tall girl held Jonquil's strings. "You are no knight," she was saying as the puppet's mouth moved up and down. "I know you. You are Florian the Fool." "I am, my lady," the other puppet answered, kneeling. "As great a fool as ever lived, and as great a knight as well." —The Hedge Knight

___

"You hope to buy your way back into her favor by presenting her with me. An ill-considered scheme, I'd say. One might even say an act of drunken desperation. Perhaps if I were Jaime … but Jaime killed her father, I only killed my own. You think Daenerys will execute me and pardon you, but the reverse is just as likely. Maybe you should hop up on that pig, Ser Jorah. Put on a suit of iron motley, like Florian the—" —A Dance with Dragons, Tyrion IX

If George wants us to consider greyscale and motley in the same terms, then does that mean that Sansa’s favorite knight did not wear a motley suit of armor, but rather had greyscale. As soon as I got to this point in Amanda’s video, I knew that I had my answer about how stone connected to Florian, because it had to be if Jon, the modern-day Florian was The Shrouded Lord of the story. Eureka!

One thing I discovered in my research, which Amanda didn’t mention and so I’m not sure if she is aware is that there is a condition very similar to Ichthyosis called Livedo reticularis but more commonly known as mottled skin. It’s not as deadly or life threatening as Ichthyosis, but it does look somewhat similar.

Mottled Skin

Mottled skin causes a bluish-red, lace-like patter under the skin. Also known as Livedo reticularis, this condition happens when deoxygenated blood pools beneath the skin’s surface. This condition has many causes, including cold exposure and chronic medical conditions. —Cleveland Clinic

You can see from the picture below how similar it is to Ichthyosis. You know who else I wondered about when I read this description for mottled skin, Cold Hands. I wonder what his face and the rest of his skin looks like under his hood and cloak. But that’s a theory for another day.

One other thing Amanda’s video showed is that when you pull up mermaids on the wiki, you get a “see also” reference to Ichthyosis. It is called the fish scale disease and so that makes sense, but consistent symbolism people. Symbolism.

A MERMAID'S UNKISS

Now that we’ve discussed The Shrouded Lord, and how his myth is in the story to tell us about Jon’s resurrection as the symbolic risen Christ, let’s finally get to that resurrection and how Sansa will be smacked dab in the middle of it, something I’ve proposed for years.

Melisandre is what I like to call a shiny apple. George’s way of hiding the truth in plain sight. Because Thoros, another Red Priest brought Beric back, the fandom assumes Mel will do the same for Jon…especially as they went that route in the show.

Don’t get me wrong, she’s at the Wall because she has a role to play but it won’t consciously or unconsciously be about bringing Jon back. Although when it happens, other characters will think it was her, and she’ll likely take the credit, but it won’t be her. Mel is at the Wall to burn Shireen which will in some magical way, result in Jon getting greyscale.

I have a broad idea of how it will play out, which I will get into at the end. Mel won’t bring Jon back because what the tale of The Shrouded Lord tells us is that the return of the fiery dragon lord will be a cold one.

I have been saying for years that Jon and Sansa are the modern Florian and Jonquil and that George is telling their story through their interactions with other characters who act as stand-ins for each. In the case of Jon, Ygritte, the lover of songs, and Val, the non-maiden who Jon rejects when she looks like an icy, white hair ice queen, but thinks is loveliest thing he’s seen in a long while when she comes out of the trees of the haunted forest with her hair looking like dark honey and Ghost at her side.

As I pointed out in The Evolution of Val an essay I wrote several years ago, dark honey is dark brown in color with red highlights. A color very similar to the chestnut Sansa has been dying her hair as she hides out in the Vale. But she’s running out of dye and her red hair is symbolically beginning to peek out.

In Sansa’s arc, the role of Jon is being played by the Sandor Cleghane, the Hound. This is the angry Jon that will return with his wolf Ghost now literally a part of him. Jon will be savage like the Hound. This is why Sandor is given the Hound moniker. It’s to suggest a wolf hound…aka Jon.

Sandor’s burnt face also is there to foreshadow Jon’s face being burnt and likely where the greyscale will enter his dead body as I speculated above. This will likely happen in his funeral pyre. In Deep Geek has a great video about something like this happening. You can watch it here. Jon’s face being burnt at some point was also foreshadowed during his first meeting with Ygritte in the chapter that mirrors Sansa and Sandor on top of the Red Keep during the fiery battle of the Blackwater.

It all seemed to happen in a heartbeat. Afterward Jon could admire the courage of the wildling who reached first for his horn instead of his blade. He got it to his lips, but before he could sound it Stonesnake knocked the horn aside with a swipe of his shortsword. Jon's man leapt to his feet, thrusting at his face with a burning brand. He could feel the heat of the flames as he flinched back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the sleeper stirring, and knew he must finish his man quick. When the brand swung again, he bulled into it, swinging the bastard sword with both hands. —A Clash of Kings, Jon VI

Sansa calmed the Hounds spirit when she sang him The Mother’s Hymn. And just as she tempered the Hound, she will do the same for beastly Jon, like Belle did to the Beast in George’s favorite fairy tale.

In, Do Direwolves dream of the Weirwood Net, I discussed and showed the textural evidence that suggests the bond mates of House Stark can access the weirwood net. This is important because I believe that when Jon called out to Ghost upon his death, their spirits merged, and Ghost took them into the weirwoods, and it is here that he will encounter Sansa and she will give him the kiss of life. There is a magical component that of course has yet to be revealed by the author, but textural clues suggests that this is what will happen. So, let’s now discussed those clues.

Sansa, like many other characters is an unreliable narrator. One of the biggest pieces of evidence to support this is the infamous UnKiss, as the fandom calls the kiss, she remembers sharing with the Hound.

Alla had a lovely voice, and when coaxed would play the woodharp and sing songs of chivalry and lost loves. Megga couldn't sing, but she was mad to be kissed. She and Alla played a kissing game sometimes, she confessed, but it wasn't the same as kissing a man, much less a king. Sansa wondered what Megga would think about kissing the Hound, as she had. He'd come to her the night of the battle stinking of wine and blood. He kissed me and threatened to kill me, and made me sing him a song. —A Storm of Swords, Sansa II

The kiss Sansa remembers, never happened. We the reader watch the scene play out on the page and we know there was no kiss between her and the Hound. She thinks of the kiss that never happened for a second time later in the book when having a conversation with Myranda.

She thought of Tyrion, and of the Hound and how he'd kissed her, and gave a nod. "That must have been dreadful, my lady. Him dying. There, I mean, whilst . . . whilst he was . . ." — A Feast for Crows - Alayne II

Why is Sansa remembering a kiss that never happened? A fan asked GRRM via email back in 2002, and this was his response.

“Well, not every inconsistency is a mistake, actually. Some are quite intentional. File this one under “unreliable narrator” and feel free to ponder its meaning.” —So Spake Martin

Some in the fandom has taken Sansa’s memory of the kiss that never happened as Sansa having romantic feelings for the Hound. However, I don't think that's it. Yes, Martin, has admitted that he has played with this aspect, but I feel confident it’s not because he intended any romance between the two.

Why do I say that Martin is not going to write Sansa having romantic feelings for the Hound? Because one of the core themes of the story is the evil practice of marrying girls before they are even of age to men old enough to be their fathers and often their grandfathers. Sandor Cleghane is old enough to be Sansa’s father being just a few years younger than Ned. Plus, Sandor assaulted and terrorized Sansa. George is not going to turn around now at the end of the story and create a romance between a child and a grown man who terrorized her.

Also, and this is important, we are shown on the page and told in the text that Sansa prefers boys her age. There is Joffrey before he showed himself to be a monster; Loras, the fake Rhaegar stand-in; and Waymar Royce, the Jon stand-in. And if that is not sufficient evidence, Sansa in her own words tells us that she prefers men close to her age.

"I suppose," Sansa said doubtfully. Beric Dondarrion was handsome enough, but he was awfully old, almost twenty-two; the Knight of Flowers would have been much better. Of course, Jeyne had been in love with Lord Beric ever since she had first glimpsed him in the lists. Sansa thought she was being silly; Jeyne was only a steward's daughter, after all, and no matter how much she mooned after him, Lord Beric would never look at someone so far beneath him, even if she hadn't been half his age. —A Game of Thrones, Sansa III

Jeyne has a crush on Beric, who is almost 22. Sansa who is 12 at the time, the same age she is when the UnKiss with the Hound supposedly took place, thinks Beric is too old, and that Loras, the Knight of Flowers who is 16 and just 4 years older than her would be much better. At the start of the story, Sandor Cleghane is 28. Why would Sansa have romantic feelings for him when she thought that Beric who is 6 years younger than the Hound was too old. Makes no sense. George is showing us that Sansa’s interest lies in boys her age.

However, GRRM has admitted that he’s been playing with the idea of something romantic between Sansa and Sandor, and so one must ask why? I think the answer is because Sandor is a stand-in for Jon, and what Sansa is remembering is not a kiss between her and Sandor but rather one between her and Jon.

In the chapter 8, I discussed why mermaids and dragonflies are symbolic sea dragons and how George has positioned Sansa as representing both. I also covered why Nagga, the sea dragon the Grey King slew was his mermaid wife and how that meant that Elenei, the mermaid wife of Durran Godsgrief should also be considered a sea dragon. However in the Durran/Elenei legend, the mermaid wife likely save her mate from drowning by giving him the kiss of life.

Then I discussed why sea dragons and mermaids represent the missing female greenseers of the story and why Nissa Nissa/Corpse Queen/Grey King’s mermaid wife was the first sea dragon and the first greenseer who was female. All of this led me to revisiting the textural clues that point to Sansa being the mermaid/sea dragon of the story and the missing female greenseer.

Legends say that mermaids or sirens as they are sometimes called often lure sailors to their death via drowning.

"A touch of fear will not be out of place, Alayne. You've seen a fearful thing. Nestor will be moved." Petyr studied her eyes, as if seeing them for the first time. "You have your mother's eyes. Honest eyes, and innocent. Blue as a sunlit sea. When you are a little older, many a man will drown in those eyes." Sansa did not know what to say to that. —A Feast for Crows, Sansa I

However, sometimes they will be a savior as in the case of the Little Mermaid, and Elenei saving Durran.

And now let’s look at what Sansa being a greenseer and the UnKiss might have to do with the resurrection of Jon Snow, the Shrouded Lord of Living Stone.

“We are made of blood and bone, in the image of the Father and the Mother,” said Septa Lemore. “Make no vainglorious boasts, I beg you. Pride is a grievous sin. The stone men were proud as well, and the Shrouded Lord was proudest of them all.” The heat from the glowing coals brought a flush to Tyrion’s face. “Is there a Shrouded Lord? Or is he just some tale?” “The Shrouded Lord has ruled these mists since Garin’s day,” said Yandry. “Some say that he himself is Garin, risen from his watery grave.” “The dead do not rise,” insisted Haldon Halfmaester, “and no man lives a thousand years. Yes, there is a Shrouded Lord. There have been a score of them. When one dies another takes his place. This one is a corsair from the Basilisk Islands who believed the Rhoyne would offer richer pickings than the Summer Sea.” “Aye, I’ve heard that too,” said Duck, “but there’s another tale I like better. The one that says he’s not like t’other stone men, that he started as a statue till a grey woman came out of the fog and kissed him with lips as cold as ice.” A Dance with Dragons, Tyrion V

In one of the myths told to Tyrion about The Shrouded Lord, he is said to have started as a stone statue until a cold kiss from a grey woman awakened or one might say, resurrected him. And as I’ve shown, the legend of the Shrouded Lord in only in the story to tell us about Jon’s resurrection. Thus, Jon’s resurrection should also involve a cold kiss from a woman in grey.

As we see from Melisandre’s vision, there is a mysterious girl in grey destined to connect with Jon. Sansa is this girl in grey. George has also inexplicably written a mysterious kiss into Sansa’s arc that supposedly never took place. I proposed that this kiss, or UnKiss as the fandom likes to call it is the one that will be tied to Jon’s resurrection, and it takes place in the weirwood net where Sansa will temper the savaged Jon and like Elenei did with Durran, save him from drowning in the green sea.

As we’re dealing with the weirwoods where time is circular, the kiss may have already happened, or Sansa could be seeing a future event. Nonetheless, the fact that she has memory of it is another clue that she is a greenseer. However, because she’s traumatized and the kiss is between her and her “brother” whose face is likely burnt, making him look more like the Hound, she has confused his identity in her mind.

I said above that George loves religious myths, but do you want to know what else he loves…fairy tales. And there are abundant references to such tales throughout the text.

Many essays have been written by others in the fandom about this topic, but the two I want to talk about here are Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid because those two are heavily prevalent in Sansa’s arc and in the resurrection of The Shrouded Lord…especially the mermaid linkage.

The original Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen’s is very different from the Disney version so beloved by children, and George has merged the two in his version of the story. In Andersen’s version, mermaids live for hundreds of years and if the Little Mermaid (in the story, she is not given a name) is able to gain the love of the human prince, she will be fated to live out her days as a human. She will have a shorter life span but will gain a human soul. In ASOIAF, George gives us this tale of the fair Elenei.

The songs said that Storm's End had been raised in ancient days by Durran, the first Storm King, who had won the love of the fair Elenei, daughter of the sea god and the goddess of the wind. On the night of their wedding, Elenei had yielded her maidenhood to a mortal's love and thus doomed herself to a mortal's death, and her grieving parents had unleashed their wrath and sent the winds and waters to batter down Durran's hold. His friends and brothers and wedding guests were crushed beneath collapsing walls or blown out to sea, but Elenei sheltered Durran within her arms so he took no harm, and when the dawn came at last he declared war upon the gods and vowed to rebuild. —A Clash of Kings, Catelyn III

By the way, as I discussed in my Of Sansa Stark and Alayne Stone series, Elenei is a variant of Alayne, the name Sansa is hiding out under in the Vale as the daughter of the Merlin(g) King.

In both Andersen’s and George’s version of the tale, the mermaid saves the man from drowning. The mermaid also saves a man from drowning in the Disney version, but there is also the added detail of a kiss. While the sea witch, named Ursula in the Disney version mandates that the little mermaid must gain the prince’s love in the Andersen tale, the cartoon changes it to a kiss.

Martin has woven a life-giving kiss into his story as well with the tale of Elenei, the ironborn’s kiss of life, and even that of the R’hllorist cult with Thoros life giving the kiss to Beric and him in turn passing it on to Cat. And as we see, George has also woven it into the legend of The Shrouded Lord.

“Aye, I’ve heard that too,” said Duck, “but there’s another tale I like better. The one that says he’s not like t’other stone men, that he started as a statue till a grey woman came out of the fog and kissed him with lips as cold as ice.”

Did you notice Martin’s play on words there? The Shrouded Lord is not like the “Other” stone men.

Unsurprisingly, a stone statue is also a key element in both the Andersen original, and the Disney version of The Little Mermaid. In the original, the little mermaid finds the statue before she rescues the prince from drowning. It’s her first experience with anything from the human world and so, the statue becomes a prize possession. When she later rescues the prince, she realizes that he looks just like her statue, and this is part of what precipitates her falling for him.

On the other hand, in the Disney version, she finds the statue after she rescues the prince and it becomes a sign for her that she should follow him to the human world and this precipitates her visit to Ursula the sea witch.

We see that George has heavily built the tale of the Little Mermaid into his sea dragon and Shrouded Lord myths. So, what does all of this have to do with Jon’s resurrection, Sansa, and The Shrouded Lord?

Funnily enough, the very next Tyrion chapter after we first hear about The Shrouded Lord, the Shy Maid finally makes it to the Sorrows and is attacked by the Stone Men, leading to the near-death drowning experience of Sansa’s motley dressed husband and the answer to the question is provided. Let’s look at this chapter.

Chroyane_by Philip Straub_The World of Ice and Fire

“The Shy Maid moved through the fog like a blind man groping his way down an unfamiliar hall. Septa Lemore was praying. The mists muffled the sound of her voice, making it seem small and hushed. Griff paced the deck, mail clinking softly beneath his wolfskin cloak.” —A Dance with Dragon, Tyrion V

Make note that Griff , *Jon* Connington is wearing a wolfskin cloak, marking him as a symbolic wolf in the scene. This next excerpt is pretty long, but it is needed so that one can see all the symbolism and order of events playing out.

“Just saying a thing does not make it true. Who better to raise Prince Rhaegar’s infant son than Prince Rhaegar’s dear friend Jon Connington, once Lord of Griffin’s Roost and Hand of the King?” “Be quiet.” Griff’s voice was uneasy. On the larboard side of the boat, a huge stone hand was visible just below the water. Two fingers broke the surface. How many of those are there? Tyrion wondered. A trickle of moisture ran down his spine and made him shudder. The Sorrows drifted by them. Peering through the mists, he glimpsed a broken spire, a headless hero, an ancient tree torn from the ground and upended, its huge roots twisting through the roof and windows of a broken dome. Why does all of this seem so familiar?” “Straight on, a tilted stairway of pale marble rose up out of the dark water in a graceful spiral, ending abruptly ten feet above their heads. No, thought Tyrion, that is not possible. “Ahead.” Lemore’s voice was shivery. “A light.” All of them looked. All of them saw it. “Kingfisher,” said Griff. “Her, or some other like her.” But he drew his sword again. No one said a word. The Shy Maid moved with the current. Her sail had not been raised since she first entered the Sorrows. She had no way to move but with the river. Duck stood squinting, clutching his pole with both hands. After a time even Yandry stopped pushing. Every eye was on the distant light. As they grew closer, it turned into two lights. Then three. “The Bridge of Dream,” said Tyrion. “Inconceivable,” said Haldon Halfmaester. “We’ve left the bridge behind. Rivers only run one way.” “Mother Rhoyne runs how she will,” murmured Yandry. “Seven save us,” said Lemore. Up ahead, the stone men on the span began to wail. A few were pointing down at them. “Haldon, get the prince below,” commanded Griff.”

The large stone hand is like the symbolic hand of God hearing Tyrion’s words and passing judgment because just as they pass it, things get a bit crazy as some type of magic kicks in. Rivers only run one way except for in ASOIAF. Even their dialogue as they pass the bridge again is the same, but with differences.

The leap had shattered one of his legs, and a jagged piece of pale bone jutted out through the rotted cloth of his breeches and the grey meat beneath. The broken bone was speckled with brown blood, but still he lurched forward, reaching for Young Griff. His hand was grey and stiff, but blood oozed between his knuckles as he tried to close his fingers to grasp. The boy stood staring, as still as if he too were made of stone. His hand was on his sword hilt, but he seemed to have forgotten why. Tyrion kicked the lad’s leg out from under him and leapt over him when he fell, thrusting his torch into the stone man’s face to send him stumbling backwards on his shattered leg, flailing at the flames with stiff grey hands. —A Dance with Dragons, Tyrion V

Again, the hint of a man getting his face burnt. Tyrion knocked Young Griff down to protect him, but the stone man gets away and goes for the boy again.

“Stand aside!” someone shouted, far away, and another voice said, “The prince! Protect the boy!” The stone man staggered forward, his hands outstretched and grasping. Tyrion drove a shoulder into him. It felt like slamming into a castle wall, but this castle stood upon a shattered leg. The stone man went over backwards, grabbing hold of Tyrion as he fell. They hit the river with a towering splash, and Mother Rhoyne swallowed up the two of them. As he’s dragged to the bottom of the river by the stone man, Tyrion thinks, “there are worse ways to die than drowning.” And then we get this ending passage. I’ll haunt the Seven Kingdoms, he thought, sinking deeper. They would not love me living, so let them dread me dead. When he opened his mouth to curse them all, black water filled his lungs, and the dark closed in around him.

Tyrion, Sansa's motley wearing husband almost drowns in the green sea, and as it happens, he thinks of haunting the Seven Kingdoms as a dead man. I wonder what or better yet, who that might be foreshadowing?

When next we see Tyrion, he’s waking up and remembers dreaming of getting a grey kiss from the Shrouded Lord.

“He dreamt of his lord father and the Shrouded Lord. He dreamt that they were one and the same, and when his father wrapped stone arms around him and bent to give him his grey kiss, he woke with his mouth dry and rusty with the taste of blood and his heart hammering in his chest. “Our dead dwarf has returned to us,” Haldon said. “Tyrion shook his head to clear away the webs of dream. The Sorrows. I was lost in the Sorrows. “I am not dead.” —A Dance with Dragons, Tyrion VI

He then comments on his surroundings and we get this passage.

He was on the Shy Maid, Tyrion saw, under a scratchy blanket that smelled of vinegar. The Sorrows are behind us. It was just a dream I dreamed as I was drowning. “Why do I stink of vinegar?”

Why does he smell of vinegar? This bit is extremely important, and I will tell you why shortly. It’s George and his bloody consistent symbolism and another clue that he’s playing with the idea of Jon as Christ, the Living Stone.

Tyrion discovers that he was pulled from the river by Jon Con, and Septa Lemore then saved him. It was likely her kiss of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation that he mixed up with one from the Shrouded Lord in his dream.

“Lemore has been washing you with it. Some say it helps prevent the greyscale. I am inclined to doubt that, but there was no harm in trying. It was Lemore who forced the water from your lungs after Griff had pulled you up. You were as cold as ice, and your lips were blue. Yandry said we ought to throw you back, but the lad forbade it.” —A Dance with Dragon, Tyrion VI

As Crowfood’s Daughter stated in her video, Septa Lemore is a bit of an exhibitionist who likes to bathe naked in the river in sight of all…kind of like a mermaid; and Jonquil and her sisters when Florian viewed them in the Maiden Pool. Tyrion enjoyed watching Septa Lemore a few times. Thus, she is the symbolic mermaid stand-in for Sansa who gives Tyrion, the stand-in for the Shrouded Lord/Jon the icy kiss to bring him back to life. The fact that Tyrion is Sansa’s husband just completes the symbolism.

Tyrion and Griff are both stand-ins for Jon in the Sorrows scene. We've talked about Tyrion, but let's also look at what happens to Jon Con after he goes into the sorrows to rescue the little Lannister?

The symbolic wolf in the scene who just happens to have the same name as Jon Snow, is the one to get greyscale, the disease which turns one into a stone man.

If my theory that The Shrouded Lord’s purpose in the story is to tell us about Jon’s resurrection, then Jon Con is not just a symbolic wolf in the scene, but also a symbolic dragon. He was also closest to Jon's father Rhaegar as Tyrion mentions. So, it makes perfect sense that he’s the one to get greyscale in the waters where Garin called down a curse on the dragon lords of old.

As we are talking about Garin’s curse, Tyrion’s fall into the Sorrows may have proven that he’s not a Targaryen, because if he was, I think that he would have gotten greyscale. There is something magical about the Sorrows. The stone men ignored the Shy Maid as it travel through the Sorrows, and the pole boat had almost made it out the foggy landscape when Tyrion started talking about knowing that Young Griff was Rhaegar’s son, and the next thing you know, boat seem to be back where it started and they were again passing The Bridge of Dreams and this time, they were attacked by the stone men.

This plays into my theory that the story is about circular time and events are repeating but with differences…almost like different timelines. However, what I want to point out here is that on their second trip through the Sorrows when the stone men attacked, if you read the passage, they went right for Young Griff. It’s almost as if something heard Tyrion’s story and realized that there was someone with dragon blood on the boat.

So, about that vinegar. After all the evidence that shows how the description of the Shrouded Lord echoes that of the risen Christ, would you still be surprised if I tell you that vinegar also plays a part in Christ’s crucifixion?

In each of the 4 Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, it is stated that the soldiers at the crucifixion offered Jesus sour wine when he said he was thirsty. Sour wine is vinegar. In fact, in one of the gospels, it is said that Jesus is given sour wine to drink while the others refer to it as vinegar because that is basically what sour wine is…vinegar.

they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. —Matthew 27:34 KJV

36 “And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.” 37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. —Mark 15:36-37 KJV

36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”— Luke 23:36

28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. — John 19:28

Sour wine was the only type of wine that soldiers would have had available to them. For this reason, some biblical scholars have argued that as it was the only thing they had to give, it was meant as a succor and not an insult. Others have argued the opposite. The reference to vinegar is not only in the 4 gospels. It is also referenced in Psalms 69.

The Psalms are part of the Old Testament and were written by King David. However, modern biblical scholars have argued that there were other writers of these group of songs. Psalms 69 is a lament, and as it is part of the Old Testament while the Gospels and the life of Christ are distilled in the New Testament, it is also seen as a prophecy of the suffering of Christ, and this is why it is associated with his crucifixion. In the Episcopalian Church, it is recited during Good Friday services, the day of Christ’s crucifixion.

It is too long for me to include, but I do want to post a few lines. You can read the full Psalms here.

1 Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

 2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

As you can see, in the Psalm that is believed to prophesize the coming of Jesus to save us from our sins, water is used to foreshadow drowning. Although in the Psalms, the drowning is more spiritual in nature. On the other hand, in George’s tale, water is used to symbolize drowning in the green sea/weirwood net, which is what will be happening to Jon as his spirit resides in Ghost and he’s taken into the weirwood net.

It's Sansa, whose symbolic color like Jon, is grey because she is a daughter of House Stark; and thus, is wearing that color in Melisandre’s vision; and who happens to have red Night’s Queen hair, who will save Jon from drowning.

In part 3 of this series, I discussed the textural evidence that suggests the corpse queen was a redhead. However, a non-textural but still important clue to back up this idea is that in western art, mermaids are traditionally featured as redheads. There is no reference to hair color in the Andersen tale, but Disney’s famous Ariel is a redhead.

A Mermaid by John William Waterhouse

Let’s now recap the Tyrion chapters set in and around the Sorrows that occur in ADWD, the book where Jon Snow is killed and his spirit merges with his wolf and goes into the weirwood net as foreshadowed in the Varamyr prologue. We get several chapters that both foreshadows Jon’s resurrection and that he will get greyscale that turns one into a stone like figure.

First, we get the story of the leader of the stone men, The Shrouded Lord that echoes that of the real world risen Christ who was called the Living Stone.  Jon Snow is symbolically set up as the Christ like figure in ASOIAF.

There is also Jon Con, who just happens to have the same name as Jon Snow; and who just happens to be wearing a wolfskin cloak before he goes into the Sorrows; being the one to get greyscale…a disease that turns one into a stone man.

And we have Sansa, who George has strongly set up as a symbolic mermaid/sea dragon and who I argue is the missing female greenseer in the story associated with a mysterious kiss that has already happened; or possibly is still to occur. A kiss that she remembers happening with the Hound, but all evidence points to there not being anything of a romantic nature between them. There is also the fact that Sandor’s story mirrors Jon and he’s set up as the Jon stand-in in Sansa’s arc.

We have the tale of the Shrouded Lord starting out as a stone statue and being given life by the kiss from a grey woman who had lips as cold as ice. This woman’s cold lips and her grey color can’t help but make one think of the corpse/night’s queen. And further to the grey woman who kisses the Shrouded Lord, in the same book, we hear of Melisandre’s vision of a mysterious girl wearing Stark colors and coming to Jon at the Wall.

There is also all the mermaid symbolism in the text of them rescuing a drowning male, and how this symbolically plays out with Septa Lemore saving Tyrion in the scene where he acts as the stand-in for the Shrouded Lord. A scene that also echoes that of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection with the use of vinegar.

I could go into detail of how Sansa’s interaction with Dontos, the stand-in for Florian in her arc also symbolically mirrors that of a mermaid saving a man from drowning, but this chapter is already overlong. As a result, I will again suggest that you watch Crowfood’s Daughter video, The Grey King’s Mermaid Wife for more details.

Now that I’ve discussed all the clues that suggest Sansa will have a role to play in Jon’s resurrection as well as why the Shrouded Lord is a stand-in for Jon, you might wonder how I think his return will play out.

Well, I think that Melisandre will have a role to play in the events, but she won’t be fully responsible for his return. With her, it will be more of an accident. I think that the kiss between Sansa and Jon will take place out of time in the weirwood net, and it will in some way, magically push Jon back into his body, but he will bring some of Ghost’s savage nature with him.

On the Melisandre angle, I think that she will burn Jon. She keeps asking R’hllor to show her Stannis but all she sees is Snow. She’s seeing Jon both literally and symbolically. Her vision includes a lot of snow which has begun to fall, but as we know, and saw in the TV show, ashes can also look like snow, and that’s what Mels is seeing around Jon.

Stannis tells Justin Massey that rumor may reach them that he is dead. Will that be true or not is not the subject for now, but I think that it’s possible that Melisandre may entertain this idea when she continues to be unable to see him in the fire, and even with his death, she continues to see Jon Snow in the flames.

Maybe this will lead her to recognizes that snow can sometimes look like ashes and then she comes to the realization that she should burn Jon. The Nights Watch and Wildings who will join to dispatch those who kill Jon would want to burn his body in either case to prevent it turning into a wight.

And this is where the prophecy of waking dragons from stones will come in. As far as Melisandre is concern, that hasn’t yet happened, and so in her quest to help the missing Stannis, she may see the burning of Jon as the way to make it so. She asks for Azor Ahai, but the flames keep showing her Jon Snow. Yes, Jon is dead, but maybe she thinks the R’hllor is telling her that the burning of his body will still lead to Azor Ahai, who she believes is Stannis.

Also, while she doesn’t know about Jon’s connection to Rhaegar and that he also has Targaryen blood, the Starks come from a long line of ancient kings and his brother was recently crowned king. Thus, to her, Jon also has king’s blood. But she needs two kings to wake the dragon, and that’s where Shireen comes in.

Shireen is not a king, but she is Stannis heir and has king’s blood. And so, Melisandre has her two kings to wake a dragon. Jon Snow and Shireen. It won’t be very difficult for Mels to convince Selyse to burn her daughter to the cause…especially if it will help Stannis. The queen is a devout fanatic. Does Melisandre think she will be waking a real dragon from stone? Possibly, but who knows. The point is that she’s doing it because she thinks it will help Stannis.

The interesting thing is that the Wildings and the remaining Nights Watch brothers won’t do anything to stop it. The Wildings will be the ones primarily in charge, and as we see from Val, they already think that Shireen should not be alive because of her greyscale. So, they won’t stop Melisandre from burning her.

Where will all of this take place? Radio Westeros has a great theory that Jon’s pyre will be in the weirwood grove of nine where he and Sam said their vows. It’s a great theory and makes a lot of sense, and so, I wouldn’t rule it out. However, I also wouldn’t rule out Jon’s pyre being at the Nightfort.

As I’ve said throughout this series, Jon and Sansa will be this timeline’s version of the Night’s King and corpse queen. As these two ancient figures are so associated with the Nightfort, it seems like Jon’s resurrection should take place there, but I don’t know what reason Melisandre would have to take the body there to burn…unless Castle Black is destroyed.

Shireen and Jon will burn in the same pyre or ones next to each other and while Jon’s body will be frozen initially, the heat will melt it and open the wounds given to him by his murder. And the greyscale ashes from Shireen will enter the wounds, giving him greyscale just as he’s being pushed back into his body and awakens. And, we have the dragon waking from stone.

While the details maybe different, I think that the ideas behind what some will call a hairbrained theory is sound when you consider that Jon must get greyscale if he is to become the Shrouded Lord and personify the Living Stone that was Jesus. The wine at the Wall is even called sour and so I would not be surprised to see that playing a part in his resurrection as well. Maybe Jon’s brothers will have a toast to him and throw some sour wine on his pyre.

The other boys gathered round the eight who had been named, laughing and cursing and offering congratulations. Halder smacked Toad on the butt with the flat of his sword and shouted, "Toad, of the Night's Watch!" Yelling that a black brother needed a horse, Pyp leapt onto Grenn's shoulders, and they tumbled to the ground, rolling and punching and hooting. Dareon dashed inside the armory and returned with a skin of sour red. As they passed the wine from hand to hand, grinning like fools, Jon noticed Samwell Tarly standing by himself beneath a bare dead tree in the corner of the yard. Jon offered him the skin. "A swallow of wine?" Sam shook his head. "No thank you, Jon." —A Game of Thrones, Jon V

Note how Sam who is no longer at the wall and wasn’t there for the mutiny and so won’t be there for Jon’s resurrection is written as separate from Jon and the other boys in the scene. Martin and his consistency.

So to recap, in the same book that Jon Snow, the Christ like figure of the story is murdered, and path to resurrection foreshadowed in the Varamyr prologue, George also gives us the myth of The Shrouded Lord, a stone statues that is brought to life by the cold kiss of a grey woman... a legend which mirrors the resurrection of real world Jesus.

George also places Shireen, the child who carries the greyscale disease that causes men to turn to stone at the Wall next to dragon blooded Jon. ln in the same book, Melisandre also get's a vision of a mysterious girl in grey traveling through the snow to Jon...a girl that strong clues suggests is Sansa. All of these elements that mirror the Shrouded Lord legend coalescing around Jon Snow. Happenstance? I say no.

As we wind things down, let’s revisit the question of why George wrote greyscale into his story? Well, as I’ve just shown, he did it so that Jon, the Jesus like figure in the story can mirror the real world risen Christ as the Living Stone. However, on a deeper philosophical level, I think that he wrote greyscale into his tale to show that organize religion…especially one with a deify figure at the head can be a plague upon the people.

George questions things…especially dogma, knowing that there are often no answers to the universal questions we all ask. While he may no longer believes the religious teachings he was taught in his youth, they have had a major influence on him and his writings. He loves the lore of the Christian faith and various world religions, and that’s why his stories are filled with so much mythology.

Nonetheless, he also recognizes that much evil has been done in the name of religion since the first such organization showed its face upon the world thousands of years ago. It doesn’t matter what the religion has been. Evil has been done in its name. This is because organize religion otherizes people. It creates an us versus them dichotomy.  And if you are not part of the us, then you must be “other,” with all that it implies.

You don’t belong. Your beliefs are wrong. You’re a sinner…etc. This theme about the evilness at the heart of organize religion and the deification of individuals is at the core of ASOIAF. I think it’s what D&D attempted to capture in their ham-fisted way on the show with Dany. Worshiping glorified God-like figures is never a good thing.

However, as I’ve stated, there is a dichotomy to the idea because to be human is to be part of a group…to be part of a community where we recognize each other’s wants and need; where we protect and provide for each other. But to paraphrase Hamlet, here’s the rub, because being part of a group always without fail leads to some form of organize religion. And so, what do you do!

Well, we’ve come to the end of this chapter, and we’re getting closer to the end of the series…probably only another couple of chapters. Next time, we are going to go to some dark places as I show you why what happened to Sansa on the show is not out of the realms of possibility in the books. Not with Ramsay of course; and it may not be physical in nature, but more mental…like what Varamyr attempted with Thistle. However, I do think that dark days are ahead for Sansa before she sees the dawn. I can’t tell you when the next chapter will be here because I must psych myself up to go to that dark place and write it. I also have a lot upcoming in the New Year, and so it might not be for several months, but it will be come.

So what does everyone think of the theory that Jon is the Shrouded; Sansa the girl in grey; and the Unkiss tied to Jon's resurrectin.

All comments welcome. Until next time.

ETA on 12/26 to fix a few typos and grammatical errors and also to add the two recap paragraphs.

ETA 9/6/24 to fix a couple of additional typos and add a couple of highlight to passages.

[ccclje]

Chapter 2

Rhysand x OC!Eris Vanserra’s younger sister

Epilogue Chapter 1

3 yrs old Y/N

Y/n loved her big brothers, she loved it when they gave her a big hug. Their warmth combined with their powers would seep through her clothes and make her feel like she was on a cloud, all warm and cozy.

And she knew her brothers loved her too, they would always come visit her and give her so many chocolates.

Her nanny, Ms Lin would always scold her for eating them before dinner, but that never stopped her.

(Years later, when more than half of her brothers were dead, she realised that she never liked the sweetness of chocolates, she liked the sweetness of her brothers who gave it to her.)

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

7 years old Y/N

Y/n’s favourite pass time was to bother her eldest brother, Eris. Though she always called him Eiiss, no matter how many times her nanny taught her her r’s she just couldn’t do it.

It was during one of those days when she had ditched her studies to hang out with him. She ran off in the direction of her brothers office, her nanny running behind her,

“Lady Y/n, please stop, your brother is in a meeting”, Ms Lin shrieked.

“Nahhhh!! I want Eiiss!!!” she cried.

But before she could reach her destination, Ms Lin scooped her in her arms. Y/n didn’t like it but all she could do was flail her arms and when even that didn’t work she started to cry.

Her nanny huffed but set her down, holding her arms tight,

“My dear y/n, you can’t go in there now”

When y/n started shaking her head she continued “Do you remember what your brother said the last time you visited him in his office? ”

Y/n choked on her cries and said” No-o-t to visi-t hi-s offic-e-e”.

Her nanny smiled and said “Now imagine how he would feel if you ignore what he has told you”.

Y/n pouted and but she finally stopped crying.

Her nanny smiled at her and said” Good girl, Now why don’t we go back to your room and finish your lesson for today, you can even have some chocolates Lord Lucien bought for you .”

That finally bought a smile to her face. Ms Lin breathed a sigh of relief. Her brothers had spoiled her and convincing her to do anything had become a task.

Y/n held her nanny’s hand and as they turned to go back to her room, a deep and powerful voice startled her,

“Well,look what decided to visit you Eris”. She didn’t know who it was but she saw how stiff Ms Lin had become. She saw as her nanny turned and bowed so deeply. There was only one person who could scare her that way.

She turned to look at the man and one look at him confirmed it. This was her father.

She might be young, but she had heard the maids talking about her father’s evil actions, about how he treated her mom and brothers.

She didn’t want to be scared but her small body would not stop shaking. She willed her body to stop and to listen to the conversation her brother and father were having.

Her brothers face was very pale and her father looked disgusted as he said “—I had total control over my power when I was 7! No child of mine would be so weak to not even have a wisp of power by now!”

He looked at her again and said “But then again she is a girl.”

Embarrassment took over her fear and all she could do was look at her brother with shame. But what she saw froze her to the core, her loving brother who would bring the world to her if she asked, was looking at her with such a cold expression that she couldn’t breathe.

Everything was wrong. She wasn’t supposed to be here, wasn’t supposed to meet her father like this and her brother was not supposed to look at her like that, like he didn’t care for her.

“What can you do child?”, her father asked with an angry face and all she could say was, “Huhh, I-I ca-a-n….” Her mind was not working, she couldn’t believe it, her brother hated her.

“What is this, you can’t even talk?”, her father asked and before she could say anything, Ms Lin started to answer him, about how she was a quick learner and how the books she studied were advanced for her age.

She knew Ms Lin was scared, but for her she was ready to face it. Tears burned her eyes and her throat felt like it was on fire but she refused to cry.

Before her father could reply, a masked soldier came to him and said something in his ears. Her father instantly calmed down, looked at her and said, “I’ll deal with you later” and walked away.

She didn’t know what to say, so she bowed and the moment he turned around the corner, she fainted.

…………………………………………………………………………………

When she woke up it was already night and sitting on her bed was her big brother, her brother who was smiling at her.

She looked at that smile for a second and began to cry.

“I thought you-u hated me”, she said, her brother hugged her and said, “ Never, I could never hate you”.

“But-t..”, she continued, “ No, I’m sorry I looked at you liked that, but father couldn’t know how precious you are to me.”

And she understood, she vowed to herself then and there that she would become so powerful that no one would ever be able to call her weak again.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Authors note- yup done! Also it’s not beta read, so if you find any mistakes please let me know. Thanks ♥️

[cccloudsss]

Snowbaz is everything to me good lord I love them so much

If your interested there's a podcast called esgaype from reality which is two queer people taking about the carry on series chapter by chapter, it's glorious to listen to!

oh. my god. i did not know about this u r an angel happy pride!!!!!!!! snowbaz has been my life for years but i just got into the fandom last year in september haha

[tsintotwo]

Okay, so here’s the fic masterpost I’ve been meaning to make for ages. Most things I write, I don’t ever name. So I’ll make do with descriptions. The list is in chronological order of me posting these on tumblr.  

1. [The Sandman]- Dream x You HELLA NSFW (minors away!) fic. I mean it- the NSFW is the plot. One day I randomly thought ‘You know what I wanna write? A little teasing-type post about kissing Morpheus.’ Then I actually started writing it, and one thing led to another, and long story short here are the links to the three-parts, completed. You’ll see for yourself. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. 

2.  [The Sandman]- AU!Dream x You, lil dark fantasy. Finished. 

3.  [The Sandman]- Dream x You, being with Morpheus, prompted by Midnights (Taylor Swift) tracklist. Had the idea for it when Midnights came out. It was supposed to be 13 little snippets: some fluff, some angst, and just Morpheus-love overall. Well, I got to track 5 before getting distracted by some completely different idea and abandoning this. :( In that sense, it is unfinished. But on the other hand, since each track name is its own little story, it now exists as a set of five completed snippets. Tracks 1- 4. Track 5.

4. [Sweetbitter]- 59 Hours, Jake x You. (Yep, I actually wrote Sweetbitter/Jake fanfic and yep, this one actually has a name). I have this up on ao3 and this is the summary I wrote for it there:  “When a sudden blizzard in NYC ruins havoc on everything including your plans, a stranger offers you shelter in their apartment. You don't know yet, but you two are going to be stuck there together for 59 hours- knowing and learning each other, doing things you couldn't imagine with anyone else, being something for each other in a way that feels too fast, too confusing, too reckless. How do you say goodbye to this, and yet, how do you hold onto something so fragile?” Sort of a Good Girl x Bad Boy thing. Angst, smut, feels. Six chapters. Complete. TW: Drugs, mention of s**cide. 

Two things. One: I’ve had multiple people tell me that they never actually watched Sweetbitter, but loved this. So, if you haven’t watched the show, don’t let that be the thing that stops you if you’re otherwise interested. With all its B flaws and despite me not actually being a fan of the show, this is one of my most favorite things I’ve ever written. And two: HELLA NSFW WARNING!!!!!

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5. Part 6.

5. [The Sandman]- Dream x Reader. (If you, as a regular human woman, ever were to meet Morpheus in the real world, it could go something like this...)

Finished.

6. [The Sandman]- Dream x Reader. (You are a Dream Vortex, he is the Lord of Dreams- you know. Your typical meet-cute. NOT.) 

Now, you’d think as a writer I’d have a better hold of things like potential story length, overall finish timeline, etc., but nope. Not at all, I am ashamed to say. This story became a behemoth, and really it’s way too much for tumblr. But I also can’t not write when there’s good material in my head just begging to be let out. So what I have now is some very long chapters and a promise of the last one. I will say there’s stuff in this dark story that I really, really love, so maybe it won’t disappoint you either if you’re actually willing to invest time reading it. TW: Graphic violence, sexual assault, r*pe, child abuse. 

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5.  

That is it, actually. I either write nothing or way too much- much like most everything else I do, but unlike most everything else I do, I can tell you that writing actually makes me feel like I know what I’m doing. When I write- be it original work or fanfic- I know my place in the world. That’s something, isn’t it?

***Later addition:

7. POV: Morpheus is obessed with you.

(What even is this? Well, at least it's finished. And NSFW, so there's that as well.)

[writingwhimsey]

Married to The Enemy- Shingen Ch. 53

Chapter 53

Back In the Sengoku…

“Mom. Dad. This is my lover, Yukimura. Yukimura these are my parents.” Saki introduced, a bright smile on her face.

Instantly, Yukimura’s cheeks turned red. “Saki….are you really sure that’s how you should be introducing me to your parents?” He asked, clearly flustered.

“Oh, he is as reactive and adorable as you said he would be.” Saki’s mother said, grinning.

“You don’t have anything to worry about.” Saki’s father said. “Hina and I didn’t get married until Saki’s little brother was born.”

“Where is Haru, anyways?” Saki asked.

“Staying with your aunt.” Hina, Saki’s mother answered. She then turned to Yukimura. “So, have you been taking good care of our daughter?” She asked.

“Keeping our girl happy?” Her father asked.

“I…I try.” Yukimura answered.

Saki’s father was walking over to Yukimura and clapping him on the shoulder. “That’s all I can ask for.”

Saki was grinning. “He’s a big dope, but he’s my big dope and I love him and he makes me so happy.

“Hey, who are you calling a dope, you dummy?” Yukimura asked without thinking. He was just so flustered. Crap! I just called her a dummy in front of her parents!

Hina was laughing as she looked at her husband. “Look at how cute he is when he’s all flustered!” She declared. “Reminds me of a certain other big dope. What do you think, Riku?”

“I don’t know what big dope you’re talking about my dear, but he seems like the perfect match for our Saki.”

Yukimura looked at the pair, surprised. Saki was just grinning at him as she walked up to him and took his hand. “Come on, let’s show them to their room, huh?”

“R-right…” Yukimura agreed. He honestly wasn’t sure how to take Saki’s parents… nor could he let himself completely relax. He wanted to make a good impression on them…even if he did feel like he already blew it. He would salvage this.

“So, where is Lady Ava?” Hina asked. “I thought we might get to see her again. I also wanted to thank her for those kimono she made for us…”

“She and Lord Shingen decided to go on a proper honeymoon finally.” Saki answered.

“Oh, good for them.” Hina said.

“Seems this move has worked out for both you and Lady Ava.” Riku agreed.

“You just better not make Saki wait before you take her on a proper honeymoon when you two get married.” Hina said, giving Yukimura a sly smile.

Saki and Yukimura were both blushing. “Mom! You c-can’t just say things like that!” Saki scolded her mom.

“Now, now, Hina, you know you can’t rush these things.” Riku told his wife.  

“Oh, I am just teasing.” Hina replied, waving her hand dismissively. “A wedding isn’t important. What’s really important is that you two better be working on giving me some grandchildren.”

“Mom!”

Yukimura was blushing even harder. He was sending up a silent prayer that he could survive this visit.

In the modern day with Ava…

I let out a groan as I slowly opened my eyes. “Hey there sleepyhead.” Shoko greeted me and I could hear the smile in her voice. “You have a nice nap?”

I rubbed my eyes and stretched. I somehow still felt tired. “How long was I out?” I asked.

“About three hours.” Oba-san answered. “Sweetie, are you feeling okay? You haven’t been working too hard on those commissions you’ve been doing have you?”

“I’m fine.” I answered. “I’ve just been…ah…really tired…lately.” My sentence was interrupted by a yawn.

“How long have you been so tired?” Shoko asked, leaning in close to me.

“Hmm…about a week.” I answered. “I can’t seem to go a day without needing a nap.”

Oba-san and Shoko were sharing a look. “Are you having trouble sleeping at night?” Oba-san asked.

“No. I’m honestly able to fall asleep as soon as I lay down.” I answered.

“You know, I’ve been that tired before.” Shoko said.

“Me, too.” Oba-san said. “It’s been quite some time, but I do remember being that tired.”

“Really?” I asked both of them.

Shoko nodded. “The last time I was that tired, I was pregnant.”

I blinked at Shoko. “Wait…you don’t think…you can’t be suggesting…”

“Ava, I heard that bed in my guest room squeaking every night of the beach trip.” Shoko told me, a grin on her face.

My cheeks began to heat up. “Okay, so we’re typical newlyweds…”

“Ava, honey, when was your last period?” Oba-san asked.

I took a deep breath and thought about it. When WAS the last time I had one? “Crap…I don’t…I don’t remember.”

Shoko grinned. “I knew it.”

“I guess I’m going to need to go to the drug store…” I said.

“No need.” Shoko said, leaning over and picking up a shopping bag and plopping it in my lap.

I looked at Shoko before opening the bag and looking inside. “You….you went and got me a pregnancy test because I fell asleep while watching the movie?”

“Yes. You fell asleep before the movie even started.” Shoko replied.

“Yeah, you didn’t even make it through the previews.” Oba-san said. “And you don’t have a fever or anything.”

“Okay…maybe you guys have a point.” I replied. I was looking at the box, reading the directions on the back.

“You pee on the stick and then wait three minutes for the results.” Shoko told me. 

“You’re just an expert on these, aren’t you?”

Shoko shrugged. “They’re pretty straightforward.” She said. “Two pink lines indicates a positive and one is a negative.”

“So much more simple than back in my day.” Oba-san said. “If you used an at home test back when I got pregnant with your mother, it was a much more complicated process. It looked like a miniature chemistry set. It was honestly easier to just go to the doctor.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Well, at least it’s pretty easy then.”

Shoko was standing up and then reaching for my hand and pulling me to my feet. “Come on, let’s go find out if you’ve got a bun in that oven!”

I allowed Shoko to pull me to the bathroom. “You better not be planning to follow me in here.” I told her.

“Of course, not.” Shoko replied, grinning at me as she practically shoved me into the bathroom.

I shut the door for some privacy, but I could sense Shoko standing outside. I took a deep breath as I opened the box and took out the test. “Alright…let’s do this.” I told myself. I could feel a mixture of nervousness and excitement at the thought of this test coming out positive.

Shingen and I had been talking more and more about kids lately. And he would be such a good dad. Of course, talking about kids and actually having them were two entirely different things. But at least I knew that if it comes out positive, Shingen will be happy and will be by my side through all of it. 

I opened up the test and took out the stick, removing the cap from the end. I did my thing and then sat the test down on the sink. I pulled out my phone and set the timer for three minutes. I couldn’t help but to keep glancing down at the test.

“Shoko…” I called.

“Yes?” She asked from outside the door. “It hasn’t been three minutes yet, has it?”

“No…but what does it mean when the three minutes isn’t up and the second line is already showing up?” I asked.

“It means I’m gonna be a great grandma!” Oba-san called excitedly.

“Yes, that means very positive.” Shoko answered. She was then opening the door and walking in. She looked at the test on the sink. “Yup. You are sooo preggers.”

By the time the timer went off on my phone, the line was exceptionally dark. “I can’t believe it…I’m…I’m really pregnant…” I muttered as I placed a hand over my belly. There…there was a baby in there…a baby Shingen and I made together.

“Ava…” Shoko gently prodded.

A huge smile broke across my face. “I’m pregnant…Shingen and I are gonna be parents!”

Shoko, Oba-san, and I were all hugging and jumping around. “Oh, this is so exciting!” Oba-san declared.

“Oh…I gotta think of how to tell Shingen!” I declared.

“Hmm, do you want to wait until you guys get back to your place?” Shoko asked.

“I would…but Shingen can read my face like a book. He’s gonna be able to tell I have a secret.” I replied.

“Shingen has a sweet tooth right?” Oba-san asked.

“Oh, I think I see where you’re going with this, Mrs. Shiba.” Shoko said.

“Are you suggesting a special treat?” I asked.

“Yup.” They answered together. They then told me of their idea.

“Oooh, yes I like that.” I said with a smile. “Let’s get to work on it then.”

Taglist: @limonzu @zulablaise @oda-princess @tele86 @kisara-16 @lovely-bubb1es @lucyw260 @selenacosmic

@eventinelysplayground @bjorkshire-pudding

[hibatasblog]

Last Tag Line

RULE: Show the last lines you just wrote, and tag how many people you'd like! Thank you to mcsquared789

Warning Spoilers for Chapter 13 of Entanglement: The Prettiest Star

“What’s this? I’ve never seen this tape before,” Petra asked as she opened the blank box and pulled out the tape. There was no inscription on the label, only a small drawing of a cartoon rocket flying across an oversized five-pointed star. Petra ran her thumb across the little sketch on the label. “I get that the rocket is you, but what about the star?” she queried, teeth nibbling on her lower lip

“Well, you’re my Lady Star, ain’t you?” The epithet didn’t sound silly the way he said it, with a little bit of a possessive growl in the way he shaped the ‘r’ at the end.

Petra felt a wobbly smile grow on her lips and she had an overwhelming urge to press the cassette against her chest or against her lips. “Yeah,” she whispered, trying to keep her feelings from rising up and escaping out of her, bubbling up and out into the painted wonderland of the sky. “I’m definitely your Lady Star; however, I still think the nickname is a bit lame. Star-Lord would be so much cooler.”

“I told ya before, Pet. There’s no way in hell I’m ever calling you Star-Lord,” Rocket laughed as he pulled a curl in good fun.

“Aw, come on. Give it a try,” she giggled back as she popped the cassette into the Walkman and adjusted her headphones. “C'est moi, le grand Star-Lord, le hors-la-loi légendaire, seigneur des étoiles.*”

“Legendary outlaw? Lord of the stars? Baby-girl, you gotta earn that sort of title. It doesn’t just land in your lap. Also, isn’t that the wrong gender and everything?” Rocket teased as he took out his data pad to study.

“I dunno. It’s just that Star-Lord sounds so much cooler than ‘Lady Star.’ No one's gonna take Lady Star seriously,” Petra fretted

“No one should ever take you too seriously, ya goof. I brought you out here on a date, so listen to some pretty music and look at the stars. You gonna play that mixtape I made you or not?”

“Y- yeah,” she nodded and pressed play and the music bloomed to life in their ears.

[demonscantgothere]

Litost by Helholden, Chapter 20: To Be Mad, or To Be Blind

Sauron/Galadriel set during Ar-Pharazôn’s rule of Númenor when Sauron holds the position of the High Priest of Melkor. Galadriel, captured in the middle of a war, has been imprisoned and handed over to him as a sacrifice to be made in the Temple of the High Priest, but Sauron has other plans. From Akallabêth to the founding of Gondor, unlikely allies are forged.

Fandoms: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (TV 2022), The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types

Warnings: Explicit, No Archive Warnings Apply, F/M, Work in Progress

Relationship(s): Galadriel/Sauron, Galadriel/Halbrand

Tags: Prisoner of War, Power Dynamics, Power Imbalance, Good and Evil, Good versus Evil, Existentialism, Existential Crisis, Existential Angst, Late Night Conversations, Implied/Referenced Human Sacrifice, Acts of Kindness, Hate to Love, Love/Hate, Denial of Feelings, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, Alternate Universe - Future, Númenor, Akallabêth, Conflicted Galadriel, Trust Issues, Everyone Has Issues, Sauron Needs Therapy, Magic, Magic-Users, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Heavy Angst, Political Alliances, Canon-Typical Violence, Tenderness, Vulnerability, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think

Chapter Summary:

“Careful,” Halbrand warned, an edge of teasing to his tone, “being too at ease from escaping the crowd. I might think you wish to leave the feast early with me.”

Galadriel froze midstep, turning to face him with shock plain on her face. “No,” she blurted out. “No, not so soon—”

Halbrand’s laugh was jovial in response, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I’m teasing,” he said, pausing with her. There was a softness in his eyes. “My love.”

Her breath caught in her throat, which spurred him to draw closer to her, his hand catching her chin as he stared down at her through his lashes.

“I can call you that?” he asked, his words barely a whisper. “‘My love?’”

Her breath came more ragged and faster than before, and he only grinned in response—a wolfish grin, all serrated at the edges. The torchlight from the sconces behind her made his eyes glimmer with the flickering of each flame. “Yes,” she managed to say, and his lips came together at last as he hummed softly in reply.

Keep Reading

[my-favourite-zhent]

New Tricks - Chapter 10

Status: Work In Progress

Version: 1.01

Pairing: Rugan x AFAB!OC

Rating: NC-17 (This chapter R)

Genre: Adventure/Romance

Summary: Misadventures of Rugan and the original Zhentarim Gate's crew before and during the year of three sailing ships.

Table of Contents

Below the cut or on AO3

New Tricks - Chapter Ten

They were the first out of the city that day, clearing the gates just as Amaunator crested the hill heralding the dawn.

“Hurry up you bloody bastards, are you lot still asleep?” Zarys shouted from the front of the wagon.

“What’s the rush Zarys? Homesick?” Rugan teased.

“That job we did.” Her voice was quieter now.

“That poncy lord’s party? What of it?”

“According to the local broadsheets he’s turned up dead, and not just regular dead. Murdered rather savagely. A few of his staff too.”

“Guess he served the wrong type of wine to his guests, and someone took issue.” Rugan was ever trying to keep the mood light. “Got nothing to do with us.” He added.

“He was killed in his office, supposedly the safe was ransacked.”

“Oh? Good thing we didn’t go as Zhents then, city guard might be trying to pin it on us.” Though he tried to keep his tone cheerful Rugan could feel the colour drain from his face. Those runes were more important than the buyer had let on.

“And even better that you didn’t actually take the damn things.” Zarys spoke low enough so that only Rugan could hear.

Under better circumstances he would’ve teased Zarys about the almost compliment, but it felt like a cold hand was wrapped around his heart and he couldn’t summon the humour for it.

“Suppose I don't have to tell you to make sure the boys keep mum.” Zarys continued.

“Aye, I'll handle it.”

‘Izzy will be out of the city by now.’ He tried to reassure himself.

At the next rest stop he had cornered Sal and inquired about the cost of a scroll of sending.

“Hah, there’s a reason only Zarys is allowed to use those. Just one will set you back four hundred weeping wolves.”

“Four hundred?! To send one bloody message?!” Rugan struggled to keep the anxiety out of his voice. They were already a half day’s travel out of Waterdeep and the whole ride down the painful knot in his chest had only gotten worse.

“Look, I could cast it for you myself, do it for say fifty tarenths. But I’d have to know who I’m sending it to. Doesn’t work if the caster isn’t familiar with the receiver.” Rugan felt his hopes crest then dash themselves against Salazon’s words. Fifty tarenths he could’ve parted with but Sal had never met Izzy.

“You wouldn’t know them.” He remarked bitterly.

“Ah cheer up mate, we may pass another caravan before long. If you know what inn or temple they’re staying at, you could send a letter with one. Any reply would probably beat us to Baldur’s Gate.”

Rugan shook his head ruefully, Izzy had been vague on the specifics.

The ride after that had been a solemn affair. He did his best to put his mind off it. She was likely far from Waterdeep now, and if she wasn’t they hadn’t left any evidence behind, and if they had… well he was never going to see her again either way so what did it matter?

By the end of the tenday he had almost convinced himself of this last point. They had arrived at Daggerford without incident and were put up in rather nice accommodations. Lady Morwen of Daggerford had brokered a deal with Zhentarim leadership about a year prior and they were well treated in town even if not well liked.

Rugan had just slipped out of his boots and armour when a rap came at the door of his room. Slipping a dagger in the back of his belt he opened it tentatively. It was Olly.

“Letter for you.” 

“From who?” Rugan took the envelope and eyed it suspiciously, his name was scrawled on it in an unfamiliar hand.

Olly shrugged. “Innkeeper just asked if we had a Rugan in our crew, apparently another caravan dropped it off this morning.”

Rugan nodded. “My thanks, lad.”

He shut the door and carefully cracked open the seal. Inside he found a piece of parchment and a folded broadsheet.

Zhent

Saw this on my way out of the city, thought you might want to know.

I know you lot can look after yourselves but stay safe all the same.

Izzy

There was a smear of rouge at the bottom where she had pressed her lips to the page.

Relief washed over him like a tidal wave, and he found himself laughing despite himself. She was safe.

He took a moment to examine the broadsheet and sure enough it was an article on the duke's violent death. Might have even been the same article Zarys had read.

Rugan turned his attention back to Izzy's note, ghosting his thumb over the imprint of her lips. He laid in bed for a while longer, rereading her letter, committing her large looping scrawl to memory. At length he touched the red mark once more before folding the letter and tucking it into his shirt.

+++++

He was in good spirits that night, so much so that he didn't even mind spending the coin on a couple of rounds at the Lady Luck. 

Rugan had sat down at their table with a pair of fresh pints in hand, when Olly piped up.

“I think Bellar is homesick.”

“I'm not homesick, I'm just sick of this town, is all.”

Rugan looked Bellar over, his friend looked annoyed sure but more than that he just looked glum. He found himself agreeing with Olly's assessment but made sure not to say so.

“Cheer up Bel’, we’ll be on the road again soon.”

“Too bad we didn’t see more sights in Waterdeep.” Olly sighed.

“That gang war will have destroyed ‘em all in the next ten day anyways.” Bellar muttered.

“Bellar, are you trying to make the boy feel worse?”

Bellar glanced over to Olly who looked absolutely stricken. He at least had the decency to wince with guilt.

“Don’t worry Olly, they’ll have built something new by next time you return this far north.” Bellar tried to mollify the boy.

“We won't be doing a job up here again though, will we?”

“Not likely, no.” Rugan sighed bitterly. “But you'll have some time to yourself in the winter. Less work to be had and you can take a ship. Which is sure as shite faster than ambling up the Tradeway for three months.”

“So you won't be seeing Izzy again?” Olly's tone was compassionate. He was a kind lad but in this instance it got on Rugan's nerves, he didn't enjoy being pitied.

“Plenty other girls all along the Sword Coast, no sense pining over one.” He worked to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

“But you never introduce us to any of the others.”

It was Rugan's turn to wince. He had been particularly soft on her hadn't he? No wonder Bellar was concerned if even Olly had noticed that Rugan was slipping.

“If I introduced you to all of them I wouldn’t have any time to swive them now would I?”

Olly gave him a measured look but remained silent, seeming to have picked up on the touchiness of the subject. Rugan wasn’t sure if that was worse than the prying.

“Besides,” He added. “I’ve plenty of regular girls.”

“Regular girls?” Olly furrowed his brow.

“Don't you know? Rugan here has a girl in every city along the Sword Coast.” Bellar tirreni interjected.

“Used to in my heyday, all the way to Luskan.” Rugan said jokingly.

“What happened?”

“Well I don't go that far north anymore, now do I?” Rugan laughed and Bellar rolled his eyes.

“In all seriousness lad,” Rugan continued. “you'd be hard pressed to find a caravan guard that doesn't have at least a couple of lovers scattered about.”

“I've got two myself in Elturel.” Bellar said rather proudly.

“Now, why would you get two in the same city? The point is to spread them out.” Rugan sighed in exasperation.

“We're in Elturel all the time, and besides I like variety.” 

“Why not have one in the Gate and one in Elturel?” Olly piped up.

“One in the Gate?!” “No, no, no, Olly.” They interjected at the same time. The pair locked eyes before Rugan gestured for Bellar to go first.

“You don't want a steady lover in your home city Olly, they could find out where you live.”

“Might try to talk to your parents even.”

“These are bad things?”

“You’d never have any peace to yourself.” Bellar replied.

“And you're not looking to marry them, now are you?”  

“Never have any coin left then neither.” Bellar added.

“But Jarg's got a man in the Gate.” Olly argued.

“Well that's a bit different.” Rugan raised his cup to his lips.

“Yeah, Jarg does actually want to marry that one. S’not the same as a bedwarmer.”

“And besides, he's right useful.” Rugan took a long drink.

“Useful how?”

Bellar and Rugan exchanged a look, before Rugan replied.

“You didn't hear this from us lad. In fact you didn't hear this, period. But Jarg's man is in the Fist.”

“The Flaming Fist?!” The shock written clear on Olly's face.

“Keep your voice down Olly.” Bellar chastised. “We might be in Daggerford but you never know who you'll run into.”

“Sorry.” Then in a whisper. “Does Zarys know?”

“Aye, she does. Jarg's man is how she gets a heads up about stings half the time.”

“But Roah does not know,” Bellar added. “and we try to keep it that way.”

“Why? If Zarys is fine with it?”

“Because she'd kill them both, Olly.” Rugan sighed. “Look, I know I give Zarys a hard time about being irascible as she is, but she's only doing her job. Usually. Zarys is proper family, she looks out for us so far as she can. Roah on the other hand…”

“Roah is management,” Bellar finished for him. “straight from Darkhold, and management doesn't give a shit about us.”

Olly looked at his mug as he contemplated this new information.

‘Good.’ Thought Rugan. ‘Lad’s taking it seriously.’

Rugan hoped perhaps that the reminder of just how cutthroat the Zhentarim could be might help Olly make some smart decisions going forward.

+++++

The rest of the trip was relatively uneventful. They dealt with a few bandits here and there but it was better going than on their trip up. No Harpers to be seen this time around either.

Late at night Rugan sometimes thought of Izzy but pushed all thoughts of her away during the bright hours of the day. Just a distraction till they got to Boareskyr. 

When they did finally reach the bridge they had two days of rest. He spent most of that whoring with Bellar, Brem and Garias. They had invited Olly but he had only stuttered out a refusal.

“Still a bit green that one.” Garias had remarked one night on the walk back to the tavern.

“That was you not so long ago, little brother.” Brem had cackled and the two started into a round of bickering while Bellar and Rugan trailed behind.

“Developed a bit of a type recently, have you Rugan?” Bellar's voice low enough that they weren't overheard.

“Don't know what you mean by that.” He stared resolutely ahead, jaw set.

“You like the dark-haired ones lately, I noticed.” There was an accusation there that Rugan ignored.

“I like whoever's cheap and available, only so many coins in my pocket.”

“That so?”

“Not developing a crush on me now are you Bellar? Trying to suss out my preferences?”

“Soft bastard like you? No I like em with a little more attitude.” Bellar flashed a smile that bordered on predatory. Like a wolf who’s scented blood. Rugan took his meaning.

“Just the flavour of the month Bellar, it's nothing more than that. So kindly drop it.” He smiled back and the threat there was clear. Bellar said no more on the subject.

He continued going out with Brem and Garias when the caravan arrived in Elturel. Bellar was busy alternating between his two lovers and so wasn't able to observe and comment on Rugan's continued predilections.

Rugan had a regular girl in Elturel himself, but he had neglected to visit her till their last day in the city. When she commented on his short stay he had only replied.

“Rush job this one, you know how my boss is, always cracking the whip.”

Something about the way she looked made him think she doubted his story. But if she disbelieved him she didn't say so.

It was another month till they made the Gate, and by then he was free of his affliction. He had not spared a thought to Izzy or Waterdeep for the two tenday they were back in the city. 

There was good news to be had as well. Their next delivery would be down to Amn along the coast. A nice change of pace from the constant to and fro between the Gate and Elturel.

He had been in good spirits then as he prepared his kit and packed his bag. So Rugan had been totally unprepared when the letter had fallen out of his pack. Instantly he recognized it: his name on the envelope in that large looping script. He opened it to find the broadsheet still intact, as well as Izzy's letter with the red imprint of her lips. Lips he has crushed against his own, lips that she had pressed eagerly between his thighs, lips that he had dreamed about. Suddenly he felt as a man dying of thirst, but Izzy was not here to slake it. 

Angrily he crumpled the papers and threw them in the fire. He resisted the impulse to fish them back out and instead gripped his desk with white knuckles as he watched the flames lick up each page.

When at last each sheet was blackened and fell to ash he gave a sigh of relief. It was over now and he was free.

[wydstepcat]

Me venting a bit. (My personal experiences with Chiaki, and the fandom's perception of her.)

(Posted on Reddit as well, so my bad if some wording is a bit off.)

Hi everyone.

I wanted to make this post to let out some steam and to sort out my mind, and maybe some people here can relate/feel the same.

I want to start off by saying that in no way am i directly targeting someone with this post, or people who have some sort of differing opinion on her, you are allowed to dislike Chiaki, i just feel that the fandom is really downplaying her character.

Anyway, let's start with my initial reactions to Chiaki in both DR2 and DR3. My very first impressions of her was very... Eh. On the very surface to me she looked like a "waifubait" type character, really just made to make specific anime fans happy. I was wrong. I was SO wrong. Those feelings began to change around 2-4, when she became a lot more active and made her presence a lot more well known. The moment where i was like "Please don't die" was during the moment Chiaki convinced Hajime NOT to go in the final dead room. 

It was also during those chapters where i started with her FTE's (although i was kinda late, and i never had the time to finish it). 2-5 was THE moment i shed my first tear in the series, the way they built it up, how the survivors reacted to it, Usami's last words, Sonia's Rebuttal Showdown. it became the most memorable moment in the series for me. And after finishing it a day later, 2-6 extended that.

So, great right? That alone gave me a pretty damn good reason to make her my favorite character just for memorability alone. a few days later i started watching DR3. I was already semi-spoiled by her fate thanks to youtube, but i never watched the full execution to keep that a surprise for me still, good lord, somehow DR3 EXPANDED everything i love about Chiaki and more. Her sense of acting more "human". her friendship with Hajime, and Chisa, just. All of it. And I KNEW the writers knew, which is why they gave her such a cruel fate.

So, those where my initial reactions of Chiaki, and after finishing V3 i was finally unshackled from the horror called spoilers. It was also around this time i started becoming an actual fan of the entire series in general. I made my DR oriented Twitter account, i joined r/danganronpa, and began reading fics (Extra Life is one of the best DR related fan projects i've ever read, seriously.)

But, something was off. It seems to me that a lot of people didn't share a lot of the same things i felt. Now of course, i'm fine with that you know? People have differing opinions so i don't expect everyone to feel the same as me, but some where like, outright hostile or completely slandering the character, like "Chiaki was meant for fans to masturbate over" or "DR3 Chiaki is a character that shouldn't even exist in concept", and even in appreciation posts she gets shit on in the comments. Which is like, so weird to me, a lot of attention was put into making Chiaki such a subtle character, from the way she was written in both DR2 and DR3.

I felt completely and utterly alone in this for a while, and it made me feel really sad. It was not too long after where i met some people on tumblr chat, i prefer to keep their names anonymous, but they as well felt very similar to the things i was feeling, and we started to talk more. I learned they had their own server to vent about stuff like this, and we've been talking a lot more since. One of them told me that around 2017, they outright ditched the entire fandom altogether, and really only talk DR with the people they know. The other has pretty much ditched reddit and moved on to other social media websites, deemed a lot safer to communicate Danganronpa with. I've talked with some artists as well, who weren't even aware this was "still" happening.

So, that begs the question. I've seen a LOT of people straight up hating her, even outside reddit. Why does she keep being so popular? If i'm right, r/ultimategamer has THE most members out of ANY DR Character, she was placed #2 at the official character poll, and probably even more that i forgot to mention. 

Am i wrong about this? Do people really praise her for the character she is? It can't just be because of her looks right? There has to be more than that, right?

I left that subreddit yesterday. I decided that it does not offer any value to me other than the fact that Danganronpa Kirigiri got fully translated. And really, it feels like constant negativity and "unpopular opinions/tierlist" posts.

...That's all i wanted to say. I also want to make it clear that aside from SOME characters, I really like almost every single one lf them, flaws and all. I've become a lot more cynical on the franchise lately, like the negatives of DR3 overpowering the positives, and becoming a lot more hostile and negative as well. I hope that stepping away for a bit will improve it. I hope that anyone reading this felt some sort of relatability in regards to this, it would make me pretty happy to know I'm not alone in this.

[pardi-real]

Main Story Ep. 2 / Part 3 / Chapter 1 - Butler's Unity

Prev | All | Next

[Devil's Palace, Your Room]

Berrien: "My lord... Thank you for your hard work at the meeting. Please enjoy this tea; it should be refreshing."

> "Thank you, Berrien."

Berrien: "I heard... Haures got ahead of himself at the meeting."

> "Just a bit"

Muu: "Really?"

Berrien: "It's not like him indeed, Haures... he's been acting a bit strange since the last expedition. Always seems rushed."

Muu: "Certainly, his expression seems more rigid than usual."

Berrien: "Indeed, it's evident that, since the last expedition... The influence of that girl is affecting him."

> "She resembles his sister…"

Berrien: "Yes... that's what he said."

Knock... knock...

> “Who could that be?” > “Please come in..."

Click…

Lucas: "Excuse me, my lord. Oh... Berrien is here too?"

Berrien: "Yes. I was serving tea to the lord who just finished the meeting. Are you here for some business with the lord too, Mr. Lucas?"

Lucas: "No... a lot happened at the meeting, so I came to check on the lord's condition ♪"

> "Thank you for your concern, Lucas"

Lucas: "Are you okay, my lord?"

> "Yup, I'm fine"

Lucas: "That's good ♪ Oh! Right… This is a good time to tell you ♪ Berrien, I just received a reply from Lord Finlay... We are scheduled to go for another investigation in three weeks."

> "That’s quite soon..."

Berrien: "Certainly, as you say, my lord... This time, the nobles act quickly. It does seem Lord Finlay also understands the gravity of the situation."

Lucas: "Yeah... that's right. Now, we just need to decide who to send on the expedition…”

Berrien: “Yes…”

Lucas: “Berrien, you are hesitating about Haures, aren't you?"

Berrien: "Yes. Normally, he is absolutely indispensable… But my lord, what do you think about Haures... considering his situation?"

> “I think we still need him…” > "Haures' abilities are essential…”

Berrien: "Exactly as you said, my lord… it’ll be completely different without him."

Lucas: "But… Haures’ mental state has been unstable since the last expedition."

Berrien: "Indeed, he appears calm, but... It's clear that he's not his usual self."

Lucas: "Yup... But, considering his abilities, we can't do without him."

> "I don't want to push him too hard…” > “What should we do?"

Berrien: "Hmm... It's a predicament."

~ That night ~

[Devil's Palace, Foyer]

Berrien: "My lord, please over here..."

> "Okay"

Berrien: "Now... Let's embark on our next expedition with the butlers here."

Lucas: "Yup ♪"

Lamli: "I'm looking forward to the expedition with the lord~!"

Nac: "Lamli… This is not a game."

Lono: "Roger!"

Bastien: "Hmm…”

Lato: "Kufufu… How exciting."

Flure: "I-I'm nervous..."

Miyaji: "......”

Fennesz: "Quite a large group, isn’t it?"

Ammon: "True that…”

Boschi: "Hmph…”

Haures: ".....”

Ammon: "So… everybody here, right?"

Berrien: "Yes, that's correct. This time, it's an all-out effort. After discussing with the lord, we decided to have everyone go on the expedition. The mansion will be empty, but we’ll ask the Grovaner family to guard the mansion temporarily.

This mission is very important, considering various things. For such a crucial mission… Let's face them together. We've overcome a lot of things so far... This time around as well, let's overcome it together. 

Of course, including Muu. Please protect the lord up close, as always."

Muu: "Yes! Of course!"

> "Thank you, Muu"

Lucas: "Fufu ♪ Now, I'll explain the strategy. In this operation, we'll split into three main teams ♪ The Archery Team, the Capture Team, and the Guard Team.

The Archery Team will attack with bows when the intelligent angel is flying high. Of course, do not hit it, okay? I want them to bring the intelligent angel as close to the ground ♪.

Then, the Capture Team. This is the most crucial team in this operation. As the name suggests, they will pursue the intelligent angel and capture it.

And the Guard Team. The team to protect the lord... Oops, I almost forgot... This team will also protect the Grovaner family's reconnaissance team ♪

We have three weeks until the expedition. Let's use that time to confirm our coordination."

Prev | All | Next

[krimsonkatt]

The first two sprites are old sprites of Archfiend Bael, a superboss in my game Chronicles Meteorfall. He is the king of demons and the lord of the underworld, and is also the reincarnation of the first archon and fell dragon Adonis. It is unknown how this old version of the enemy fought, as the files for Meteo Chronicles R are now lost.

The sprites listed afterwards are the current sprites for Archfiend Bael's many forms featured in Chronicles Meteorfall. They are from left to right and top to bottom "Lucius Cyrus", "Archfiend Bael", "True Archfiend Bael", "Belkalas", and "AWOKEN KALAS."

In the current version Archfiend Bael exists in 5 phases, though only the first 3 are unlocked from the start. You must be on NG+ to unlock Archfiend Bael and you must select the "king of demons" bonus in the renown menu before starting your NG+ run.

To fight Archfiend Bael you must start the "The King of Darkness" EX+ quest by talking to an NPC in Aetheria Skylands, which can be accessed starting in Chapter 5. This NPC will request you defeat the 6 other archfiends and obtain their marks, which can be encountered during the nightmare hour. After defeating all the other archfiends and obtaining their marks, talk to the NPC again to prompt the fight with Archfiend Bael.

The first phase of the fight is relatively simple. This is archfiend Bael in his human form, who merely uses Sin Harvest to lower your HP to 1, Debilitate, and Luster. Once you defeat this phase the actual battle begins with phase 2. In this phase Archfiend Bael will use many powerful attacks including Providence, Glacial Blast, Evil Gleam, Dispel Light, Torment's Release, Morning Star, Frozen Hell, High King, and Root of Evil. Here's what each of these attacks do:

Providence: Deal unreal fire damage to 4 random foes with a 20% chance to inflict burn.

Glacial Blast: Deal unreal water damage to 4 random foes with a 20% chance to inflict freeze.

Evil Gleam: 60% chance to inflict charm on all foes.

Dispel Light: Dispel all buffs on all foes.

Torment's Release: Dispel all debuffs on all allies.

Morning Star: Deal colossal almighty damage to one foe that pierces 25% of RES.

Frozen Hell: Deal severe water damage to all foes 4 times. Has a 20% chance to miss.

High King: Deal unreal almighty damage to all foes with an 100% chance to inflict stop.

Root of Evil: Deal gravity damage to all foes equal to 25% to 75% of the target(s) HP with a 10% chance to inflict Poison, Silence, and Stop.

If you defeat Bael normally during this phase, the fight will end without Archfiend Bael killed for good. You'll still get some rewards, but the quest won't complete and Archfiend Bael will continue to wait there for you to fight him again. To truly win this fight you need to defeat Phase 2 in 15 turns or less. This will cause the fight to move over to phase 3.

Phase 3 is Archfiend Bael's final phase. In this phase Bael will use attacks of all of the archfiends you've defeated so far, cycling through each archfiend's patterns and weaknesses. Defeating this phase will not only allow you to obtain Bael's mark, but also the ultimate katana, Muramurasame. However, there is more to this fight than just those two phases...

To unlock phase 4 you must have meet certain requirements. First, you must be at least on NG+2, which requires completing an entire second NG+ playthrough. Secondly, the true final boss True Baetylus must have been defeated in a past NG+ playthrough, which requires you to complete ALL quests including NG+ exclusive quests before fighting the normal final boss Baetylus. Along with all those requirements, you must defeat Phase 3 of Bael, True Archfiend Bael, within another 15 turns. If that last requirement isn't met and you kill Archfiend Bael normally, it will lock you out of the fight with Archfiend Bael's 4th phase for that entire NG+ run. This phase is called "Belkalas" and is non-canon, but if he was it would be Archfiend Bael syphoning power from the dark god Elzakalas himself to take upon a pseudo-elzakalas form. While Phases 1-3 were a relatively reasonable level (for a superboss) at Lv136, Lv144, and Lv146 respectively, Belkalas is Lv266, an ABSURDLY high level even higher than True Baetylus. Belkalas uses the attacks from all the archons throughout the series past, present, and future including Baetylus. Therefore, his attacks are a spoiler and won't be listed here.

Then, there is AWOKEN KALAS, the 5th and final phase. To unlock this phase all the requirements for unlocking Phase 4 must also be met along with a few additional requirements. First, you must be on at least NG+3, requiring two additional NG+ runs to unlock. Secondly, the superbosses Creator Barbello and Barbello FRIEKOS must be defeated on at least one NG+ playthrough before being able to challenge AWOKEN KALAS. Finally, you must defeat Belkalas within 15 turns, just like the requirements to unlock True Archfiend Bael and Belkalas.

AWOKEN KALAS is the second hardest boss in the game at Lv666, only rivaled by the ultimate superboss ELLUM at Lv9999. AWOKEN KALAS uses various incomprehensible attacks that do all sorts of bizarre effects. AWOKEN KALAS is also non-canon, and is only a reward for hardcore dedicated players who can grind enough to get to his level. AWOKEN KALAS is heavily inspired by Gygias from Earthbound, but unlike Gygias he CAN be defeated with physical force.

Lucius Arcure, Archfiend Bael v3, and True Archfiend Bael sprites by Crisostomo-Ibarra. Belkalas sprite by scott910, edit by me. AWOKEN KALAS sprite by r/voideli, edit by me.