#i think there were some other powers that she-ra held?

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

i just have to say this. she-ra was a weak hero.

don't get me wrong, adora was a very compelling protagonist. she was flawed, relatable and had good character growth (until s5, at least). but she-ra, as her superhero form? i feel like she was just lost potential. i mean, sure, she lifted tanks and stuff. but she never did anything truly mind-blowing as she-ra.

in her fights with catra, i guess you could say catra had the upper hand because she was adora's abuser. but in general, there were very few satisfying fight scenes involving she-ra. most of the “fight scenes” were just catra repeatedly and remorselessly torturing adora, all while berating her.

i mean, come on, i get that adora didn't want to hurt catra. but she couldn't even dodge or block catra's attacks? she couldn't figure out a way to restrain catra without hurting her? even a simple punch from catra seemed to really hurt she-ra, so what was the point of the she-ra form? if just seems to me that she-ra was a regular person who was taller and slightly stronger.

even in s4, where adora finally got tired of catra's shit, there were very few instances of her fighting catra as an equal or defeating catra. i guess some of it had to do with the fact that catra didn't want to face adora and sent double trouble in her place instead.

she-ra didnt really do much for the plot, she certainly didn't make adora's job any easier, since adora got her ass beat whether she was in the she-ra form or not. she was taller and stronger but the strength didn't really matter.

if she-ra was really created as a weapon, you'd think that the first ones would make it more durable and strong. but the outfit was flimsy and easily torn through, the sword didn't seem too different from a regular sword and there wasn't much improvement to her agility. it seems like all that's needed to defeat the legendary invincible warrior is a teenage catgirl who slacked off during her training and had only her claws for weapons. doesn't seem like a very powerful weapon to me.

and honestly, i feel like adora herself was mostly reduced to the dumb blonde jock stereotype after a while. i've mentioned this before how in s1, adora was shown to be very diligent, strategic and a capable fighter. but all of that is thrown away in the later seasons and her only strength seems to be her physical strength, which she doesn't use much of.

what's even more disappointing is that adora never faces off with hordak. hordak is literally the leader of the horde, adora is trying to bring down the horde. you would think that she would have some sort of animosity with hordak. you would expect to see fight scenes or at least a confrontation.

especially after the revelation that hordak was the one who adopted adora and took her into the horde, you would think that this would bring up a new dilemma. in any other story, i wouldn't be complaining. but this is literally a story about a war, where the chosen one is fighting the army led by an evil dictator. you would think that she would have a direct relationship with said dictator.

but no, the only person adora really seems to be opposing is catra. we're supposed to believe that there's a war going on, when the only rivalry that matters is adora vs catra (which is reduced to “oh they were just exes who couldn't get over each other haha silly lesbians” in s5).

(this isn't hate on adora btw it's a criticism on the crew-ra who had to go and make a regular catgirl stronger than the literal warrior goddess being.)

[bluerosefox]

Bellatrix Star

A TaliaxDanny idea that came to me.

Damian, Bruce, and the rest of the bats discover the Talia al Ghul they had been fighting against, the one that cloned her own son, had the clone kill him, plant a control device in him when he broke his spine, etc etc was actually not the real Talia al Ghul.

Turned out Ra's had cloned her and killed the original when she discovered his little plans to take over Damain's body and she confronted him about it. Ra's had to make a clone when after tossing a dead Talia into the pits but never returned (he meant to kill her as a warning, as a "you may be my blood but will not hesitate to end you Talia.") It explains so much to Damian when remembers how out of nowhere his mother changed, her training him changed from harsh to deadly, the soft motherly love she would give him when behind closed doors suddenly stopped, the tales she would spin for him about his father no longer whispered to him for bed.

How this was find out?

Well it's hard to ignore the facts that when your foolish grandfather in his quest for immortality summons an eldritch being known as the Ghost King into the Mortal Realm and uses Damian as a sacrifice while his (not) mother watches emotionless.

When the being appeared, plunging the room from green glowing flames and the glow of the Lazarus Pits into darkness before a cosmos exploded to life, its glowing green eyes snapped open in the stars and stared at them all. Making every single one of them feel small, so very small.

It took a single glance around the room before stopping on the al Ghul's. It's eyes widen before a steel and firm look entered them. Just as quick as the cosmos sprang to life, it suddenly swirled away into a ball, putting them all back into the Lazarus room,and reformed in front of them to a more humanish height and body.

When the body, around the height and build of Batman, was done forming it took a step forward and suddenly as one blinked a man stood in front of them. Or rather floated. Snow white hair that flickered and wisped towards a crown made of fire and ice, glowing green eyes that held none of the madness but all of the power the Lazarus Pits could give. His clothing were tailored made that were tastefully a mixture of black and white with some silvers and greens, clothes fit for a King one would say. The cosmos that once engulfed the room had shifted into a cloak that hanged around his body, on one side more than the other (think like how CW wears his only the hood is down).

This, this was no doubt the Ghost King, he stood tall and regal and made everyone in the room feel the need to look down, to bow ones head for even just a moment. Even Ra's had trouble disobeying the urge to do so.

"Well..." the being said, his voice deep but not as gravely as Batman's was "What an interesting way to meet my In-Laws and Step-Son..."

He has said that as he looked towards the al Ghul's. Damian flinched back with a frown of confusion and disbelief while Ra's looked panicked for a second when the words registered into his mind, meanwhile Talia... looked emotionless and barely even twitched.

"What the fu-?" Someone began only to stop when the King lifted his hand and with a snap of his fingers a green portal appeared, it looked almost like the Lazarus Pits but it felt... cleaner? Less angry?

"My Bellatrix, my warrior star. I believe I've been summoned to your home dimension. And judging by the looks of it your father created a barely functioning Mirror of you and planned on using your son as a sacrifice to me." He spoke out towards the portal before holding his hand out.

A hand appeared from the portal, a slender hand and with green and black painted nails manicure to perfection before someone walked through it as they took hold of the Ghost King's offering hand.

Standing in front of them was another Talia, only this one looked a tad older than the one in the room. She wore clothing that matched the King to a T but even then, as always, Talia looked deadly in it. Beautiful but very deadly. From the heels she wore to the crown upon her head, a crown made of not ice and fire but of stars and black jewels. Her eyes were sharp as she stared at everyone in the room, frown on her painted lips, but her eyes lit with a small soft joy when she saw Damian only for them to turn poisonous when they landed on Ra's and the other Talia nearby.

"I should had know you would had created a Mirror of me instead of admitting to my son you killed me Father." Queen Talia spat out. "The least you could had done was not make my Mirror so cheaply, it doesn't even have a proper soul attached to it."

[elizabethemerald]

Don't Sneak up on People with Swords

@im-totally-not-an-alien-2 made a prompt about Danny sneaking up on Jason Todd and @sky00asara made a comment in the tags about what would happen if Danny did that to Talia. So here is my version of that! Enjoy.

Talia al Ghul watched her beloved from afar. He was out, again patrolling his city for those he considered wrong doers. Her son was by his side. She scowled at how Damian’s fighting style had changed, softened in the company of her beloved. Despite her love for the man under the cowl, he had a tremendous ability to take even the most ruthless of killers and change them to spare the undeserving. He had even tried it with her. 

She was hidden on the roof of an abandoned tower nearby. The tower had succumbed to fire and was now condemned until the city got around to destroying it properly. For now it made the perfect place for her to observe her beloved and her son work undisturbed. 

“Excuse me?” 

Talia whirled, drawing her blade as she spun. Her blade moved fast enough to almost cut the air itself yet the small shape ducked under her stroke and back-pedaled quickly to move out her range. 

“Jeez! Why is everyone in this city so jumpy!” 

The voice more than anything made her realize that the person who had somehow snuck close enough was an actual child. Their black hair and blue eyes made her wonder if this was another of her beloved’s adoptees. Except surely this boy was too young to catch Bruce’s eye? 

“Well maybe you should not sneak up on people?” Talia hissed, her voice soft yet stern. To say nothing of how a child who couldn’t be older than five had snuck up on her at all. 

“Well maybe you shouldn’t brood on the roof of my home!” The child snarked back, just like one of the Bat’s brood would, completely unafraid of the blade still in her hand. Talia raised an eyebrow at him then looked around at the burnt skeleton of the building they were standing on. 

“This building is not fit for human occupation.”

“Neither was the last place I lived.” He said dismissively. “This place hasn’t even killed me yet, so it’s practically a paradise.” 

She was tempted to take the child’s words as sarcasm, yet something in the way he spoke made her think he meant it more truthfully. 

“You’ve died before?” Talia asked. She relaxed her hold on her blade, allowing it to rest at her side. 

“Oh yeah, I die all the time.” He said, then he looked at her curiously tilting his head first one way, then another. “You’ve died too, huh?” 

She nodded, now examining him closely, looking for the signs she would recognize. She could see the hint of a scar on the boy’s palm that might have caused a death. 

“What is it with this town that so many people have died and come back?” The boy asked, apparently rhetorically as he didn’t let her answer. “First the stabby Robin, then the stabby Batgirl, then Batman, and even Red Hood. It’s like everyone I run into is contaminated.” 

Talia’s eyes widened. 

“You can sense those who have utilized the Lazarus Pits?” She would have to inform her father about this child. He could put the entire League of Assassins at risk. The child before her just shrugged. 

“I have no idea what that is. Red Hood mentioned some kind of pit as well, but I’ve never seen anything like that. I just know y’all are contaminated with ectoplasm, though not enough to make a core.” 

“What is this… ectoplasm?” Another name for the Lazarus Waters? Had there perhaps been a Pit outside of League control? In the midwest somewhere based on the boy’s accent. 

“Oh it’s this stuff.” He held his hand out and Talia couldn’t help keep her expression of shock withdrawn despite all her training as his hand filled with the glowing green light of the Pits. He held the Pit Water in his hand then tossed the glowing orb to his other hand in a half juggle as if he weren’t carrying the League's greatest secret and weapon. 

Nevermind telling her father about this child, he could never learn of him. If Ras had the power this child had under his control the world would never survive. There was only one option. She needed to train this child to wield this strength. With the stealth he displayed in sneaking up on her and his power over the Pits themselves he could make an assassin like the world had never seen. He could be the next Head of the Demon under her guidance. She knelt down to the boy’s level, slipping her sword back away as she did so. 

“Tell me, young one. Are you living in this death trap of a building all by yourself?” 

“Yeah, but don’t worry, I’ve got it taken care of. I know I’m little, but that just means people are less likely to notice me. I’m able to steal all the food I need from that big box store down the street.” 

“Oh of that I have no doubt. My name is Talia al Ghul. What’s yours?” 

“Hmm. I’m Danny.” The boy seemed hesitant to trust her, which to be perfectly honest was probably a very smart thing to do, but at least she had a name for this gift of Lazarus. 

“Danny, how would you like to come live with me? You won’t have to steal any more, or worry about food ever again, and I could train you how to fight even better than the Bats.” 

He narrowed his eyes at her, looking her over closely. 

“Would I get a sword?” 

“If a sword is what you want, then once you were trained in its use I would acquire one for you.”

Danny looked like he was about to nod, but then he froze, his head tilting to the side as if he was listening to something. His eyes widened and Talia tensed. 

“Uh-oh. Fruit Loop incoming. I gotta go.” 

Talia half turned as she heard the sound of one of her beloved’s grappling lines catching on the building’s edge. By the time she had turned back to face him, Danny had completely vanished. She hadn’t even heard him leave. She stood and scowled as her beloved landed on the rooftop next to her. 

“Talia.” He grunted at her, glaring all the while. 

“Beloved. Must you ruin every nice thing in my life?” Talia snarled back. The boy, Danny, had the gift of Lazarus at his beck and call and Batman had scared him off. 

Bruce looked momentarily stunned at her fury, but quickly hid it behind his mask. However Talia couldn’t care less about her beloved right now. She just needed to lose him so she could return to find the boy. The boy who would change the world with his power. 

[swearyshera]

So we are at the end of the road on something that has always been about the journey, not the destination.  I’ve taken my time to gather some thoughts.  This blog has meant a lot to many people, not the least of which is me.  I’ve had a hard time these last few years – I think it’s been hard times for everyone, in one way or another.  Personally, I seem to remember discovering this blog not too long before I had a breakdown and handled it very poorly, making bad decisions that cost me a lot of friends, or at least people whom I thought were my friends up until a breaking point.  (Your blog was unrelated to this).  When I came out of hospitalization I had a few things to rely upon – a video therapy group was one, certain family members and, well, as silly as it sounds, hitting up tumblr for my daily dose of Sweary She-Ra to make me laugh. And then in mid-January, 2023, one of the people who was closest to me in my entire life died suddenly of technically unknown cause but considering his health issues, probably a heart-issue. It was sudden and devastating.  We shared She-Ra and the Princesses of Power together because he was kind of curious about it and I was a nostalgia-fan of the ‘80s series.  We both became massive fans of Entrapta.  In fact, my nephew / best friend got me into the fandom in the first place because he had a silly idea for a fanfic about Entrapta wrecking havoc in the Fright Zone just post first-season and had little confidence in his fanfic writing, but decided to pass along said idea to me, an inveterate fic-writer for many fandoms.  I was put through the wringer this year – it’s the first time I’ve been in partial charge of a memorial service.  I am feeling better now than I did at the beginning of this year because I’ve found the strength to keep doing things that he and I liked to do together and time helps.  And again, in all of this, I had a silly little comic where a sparkly purple princess calls people “twattingler,” others make liberal use of the word that originally meant Fornication Under Consent of the King, one character swears all the time but apologizes for it, one character is contractually obligated to use Ned Flanders style cursing and there’s a fourth wall breaker and an incompetent boss with indecipherable accent and Marxist unicorns and all the rest.  No matter what was happening with my emotions I could just… take a little break and look at the funny fancomic.  Sweary She-Ra for me has been like a warm mug of tea on a cold day or a bowl of baked macaroni and cheese with a butter-cracker crust made out of the old 1960-70 something Betty Crocker cookbook.  It’s been Internet comfort food that has been sorely needed at times.  So thank you.  I just want to thank you for this funny little fan project.  I don’t think you have any idea how much it has meant to your audience.  @freedfromthegalactichivemind

And I don't know if the audience has any idea how much it has meant to me!

When I started this, things were pretty shit, weren't they? Here in the UK we'd just come out of the second Covid Lockdown, with the third expected to happen imminently; the weather was miserable, we'd barely seen our friends in months, the world in general just sucked. And I'd love to say that I felt a calling to break through that with some humour, but no... it was nothing like that. This is what happened...

And so it all went from there.

I almost just went for random scenes as I thought of them, rather than starting from the beginning. But I thought "Eh, fuck it, let's see how far I get", and the rest is history.

Even as the storylines got more complex (bear in mind, I started purely with the intention to do the original script with a few swear words peppered in), I always wanted to keep things upbeat. The painful moments are those 'this is the good stuff, hurt me more' moments rather than actually horrifying things - I know there's been a couple of exceptions, but in general it's held true.

But I've always been driven by one thing - the world isn't very funny right now; it's stressful, sometimes downright terrifying. And if I can alleviate that for ten, twenty seconds per day and make that tiny bit of difference to someone, then I consider that a job done. I'm not out here claiming to have the cure for depression, or some kind of plan to save the world, but I (hopefully) can make a few people smile in the midst of all the shit that's happening, even if it's just for a moment.

So much has changed in the last three years, but this blog has been such a central part of my world, it'll be weird when it's over (maybe that's why I don't want to stop there!). But if this coming Friday really is the last chapter in this part of my life, I'll still be happy that it happened. And if you've ever smiled or laughed at the blog, I'm happy that happened as well.

[forgodsgoddamnsake]

HELL'S ANGELS - 2nd

Warning: Harry's kinda mean-not all the time bc you're mean too lol-, violence, mentions of ra#pe, murder, guns, language, mentions of prostitution, smut (NOT WITH YOU and i didn't write it in details)

As I sit there in the coffee shop to get a cup of cappuccino, my eyes wander, looking through the glass window. The cup, which is held between my hands, warms me. On the other hand, Harry’s diving in his own curiosity, wondering what has just happened with Alessandro.

“So?” He asks, falling into the trap of being the first to speak. My eyes’ attention is drawn back to Harry’s eyes. I bite my bottom lip as I think of what should be spoken about and what should not.

“What do you know about the Scavo?” I ask.

“Well, the Scavos were not a powerful family, they struggled so much in life and they blame it all on the powerful families. Once Alessandro ruled, they started getting more power and money. That’s it in a nutshell.”

“That’s right, but you don’t have the full story. My family had helped the Scavo because they were just so poor, my grandfather and my father after him really tried providing them with money, work, anything. Alessandro’s mother used to work as my nanny, she stayed with us to take care of me. I grew up with Elio and Alessandro, and Alessandro fell in love with me. When he became the ruler of the Scavo he told me that he loved me, I liked him, as well.” I stop, not wanting to tell the full story. But Harry won’t budge until he gets it.

“Go on.” He encourages, inspecting my face to search for an expression.

Sighing, I continue, “He told me that he wanted to marry me, at some point I really thought about it, but then when I told Elio about it, he told me that I shouldn’t even consider Alessandro. The Scavo built their families by pimping out girls, they still use prostitution to become wealthier, more powerful. Alessandro was the one that started the whole thing, but that’s not the worst of them. I already know that prostitution can still be a part of the families.”

“Exactly, what’s new about it? I know many families that are still involved in the human trafficking industry.”

“I could not accept that. I wanted to speak with Alessandro to talk him out of it, I went to his villa only to find him raping a girl. I can swear to god, that girl was barely sixteen.”

I get lost in my thoughts, absent-minded. My body is with Harry, but my mind drifts away to the day I went to Alessandro’s villa, hearing muffled screams of a girl. Two years later and I can still hear her broken voice, begging him to stop. That day, I walked up the stairs and put my ear on the door, I had to make sure what I was hearing war right. Her broken voice that was interrupted by his grunts, gave me goosebumps all over my body, I could feel the hairs in the back of my head stand. Slammed the door open only to see the worst image I’ve ever seen in my entire life, and I’ve seen a lot of bad scenes. As he got off of her, I threw her the clothes she had on and covered her with my black coat. Without a word, I helped her up on her feet, she was still crying like a baby. A broken baby. When I heard him telling me, ‘It’s not what it looks like’., I snapped. I pulled out my gun and pointed it at his head, his eyes closed, but I couldn’t shoot. Till this day, I have no idea why I didn’t shoot him. I should have shot him.

I don’t realize that I’m speaking to Harry. I think I’m just having thoughts, but I’m having the thoughts out loud.

“We were friends, I liked him. I can still remember all the good times we had together, but every memory was ruined by that day.” I say, not taking my eyes off of the vain.

Harry doesn’t know what to say, lost in his own thoughts of what I’ve just told him.

“Do you want to take him down?” He asks, gritting his teeth.

I look him in the eyes, his eyes have the same desire to break Alessandro just like mine.

“You don’t even have to ask.”

He spreads his hand to me, “Then, let’s take the son of a bitch down.”

I look at his hand before giving him mine, shaking his hand.

That deal will become the root Harry and I put down. The root to our first real interaction as partners, working on the same side instead of working against each other. Just like I hate human trafficking, Harry despises it. And just as much as Harry hates Alessandro, I despise him, as well.

My phone rings and I see the name of Bianca on the screen, I pick up the phone, “Shit! I totally forgot.” I say before answering, “Hello, beauty, sorry I’m not available now. Reschedule?”

The voice of Bianca yells from the other end, “No! Get your ass here right now!”

“I’m with Harry, Bianca.”

“I don’t care who y- wait? Harry? Your fiancé? Oh my god bring him with you! I want you here in five minutes tops.” Her tones go from up to down and then up again before she hangs up.

My eyes look at Harry’s face, “Wanna come? No? I thought so.” I ask and answer in a matter of seconds, not giving him the opportunity to answer.

“Hey, hey! Go where?” He asks with furrowed eyebrows.

“Ugh, Bianca is making me try the dress I chose for the wedding. She wants you to come.” I say, gathering my things to leave, standing up.

He stands up as well, “I’m coming with you.” He smirks, loving annoying me.

We leave the coffee shop and get into the car, I start the engine only to hear him laughing out of nowhere. I look at him, raising my eyebrows, “Are you crazy?”

“It’s just funny imagining you in a wedding dress.” He answers, still laughing at the image of me in a white dress.

“Why’s that? Am I that unfit to wear a wedding dress?” I start driving, irritated.

“Well, yeah.”

“What?”

“You’re not the usual girly.” He shrugs, pulling out his phone.

“You prefer weak girls? Sorry, you’re not marrying one.”

“I don’t prefer weak girls, and certainly don’t prefer you.”

“Bite me, Harry.” I roll my eyes as he’s scrolling on his phone.

“Bitch.” He mutters.

“Son of a bitch.” I mutter.

As I pull over by the place I should go and act like I give a fuck, I snatch my purse and get out, forgetting that I have a guy walking next to me. To be honest, I’m not forgetting him, I’m pretending to forget his existence. His tall figure, on the other hand, is not forgettable.

I walk in just to be hugged out of nowhere by Bianca who looks super excited. The place is full of white wedding dresses on mannequins everywhere. Harry smiles to himself, I don’t know that just like I don’t know that he’s loving the idea of being with me to try wedding dresses. Harry has been living the life of a king, has countless women to sleep with every day, owning whatever place his foot steps in. He knows that his ego is similar to mine. As if he owns whatever on top of the earth and what’s underneath.

Bianca pulls away from the hug, “Hi, Harry.” She says, shaking Harry’s hand, shyly. He shakes her hand back and smiles at her shyness.

To my surprise, I see Elio sitting on a luxurious couch in front of the fitting rooms, having a nap. I walk to him and lean down to his ear, “Elio!” I yell as he jumps in his place, looking around like a lost puppy.

“What? Is there a problem with the deal?” He, sleepily, asks. I laugh at him before drawing my attention to the assistant that will bring the dresses for me to try on.

Harry takes a seat next to Elio who’s cursing me, Harry chuckles and says hi to Elio.

“What are you doing here?” Harry asks, taking off his suit jacket and placing it next to him.

“Bianca forced me. She needs someone to control y/n.” Elio answers, rubbing his eyes.

“Is it that hard?” Harry arches a brow.

“Oh, you have no idea.” Elio says, watching as Bianca forces me to take off my jacket.

Harry watches us as well, chuckling as I’m arguing with Bianca.

“Bianca, you don’t want me to take it off.” I argue, trying to hold onto my jacket that she’s trying to undress me of.

“No way, take it off!” She insists as she pulls it off only to be surprised that there’s a bulge under my bodysuit. Her hand enters my bodysuit through the collar, touching me to catch whatever this bulge is.

“Hey! That’s harassment.” I playfully accuse her just when she pulls out my knife from its housing, she raises the knife to look at it in disbelief.

“A knife, y/n!?” She exclaims.

“Did you expect a dick under my bodysuit?” I smirk and she just stares at me. I notice Harry and Elio laughing at us from the couch, enjoying the situation.

“A bride with a knife under her clothes, how convenient!” She scoffs, walking to Elio to hand him the knife. Elio takes it from her and places it between Harry and him.

Harry and Elio laugh harder as they watch me pull out a couple of bullets from my bra, handing them to the surprised Biana whose mouth is open wide.

“Y/n, all of them.” Elio demands with a smile on his face.

I roll my eyes and pull out a Swiss knife from my jeans pocket, I hand it to the open palm of Bianca. She gives me a look, not believing that’s all I have.

“What? There’s nothing else.” I cross my arms. My eyes draft to Elio who’s chuckling and then to Harry who has a wide smile on his face.

He will deny it, but he’s having fun. Bianca walks again to Elio to give him the bullets and my Swiss knife then walks back to me with a threatening look, pointing her finger at me, “If I find any more weapons on you while we’re in the fitting room, I’ll make Harry strip search you.”

I am startled by her bringing up Harry in her words. On the other hand, Harry is smiling, “Will be my pleasure.”

I look at her with a confused face, “Why him?”

“Because it’ll be weird to make Elio do that.” She answers, simply, dragging me to the fitting room.

As I try arguing with Bianca to let me try the dress I chose earlier, she finally lets me try it after a hundred dress I hate. I look at my reflection in the mirror, this is what I look like in a big wedding dress. Like a beautiful woman in a wedding dress, I look. With no weapons on me, my fingers feel the fabric of the dress. Bianca looks at me with teary eyes, fingers intertwined, she thinks I’m the most beautiful bride she’s ever seen.

“Let’s show them the dress.” She says, opening the door of the fitting room.

“Isn’t it bad luck when the groom sees the bride in the wedding dress?” I ask.

“Nonsense, he has to see you! C’mon.” She encourages, helping me out of the fitting room. As I walk out of the fitting room, Harry’s eyes catch me walking towards them. His eyes inspect me from head to toe, he inspects my hourglass shape in the sparkly fabric, my skin tone, my cleavage, my hair that stops at the small of my back, and my face. I only see the warm smile that creeps on his face before I’m interrupted by Elio who takes me into his arms in a tight hug.

“You’re like a princess.” Elio says to me, pulling away from the hug and giving me a kiss on the cheek. I smile at his words before my I eyes look at my groom. But my groom has left, his seat is empty.

“Where did he go?” I ask Elio who looks at Harry’s empty seat.

“I don’t know, he was just here.”

I have no clue why, but my heart aches that he just left without I could see what look he had in his eyes when he saw me in the wedding dress. I didn’t get the chance to tease him, or to hear him give me a smirky response. In a minute he was there, and in a minute, he was no longer there. His absence has deeply affected my state, and I don’t have a clue why.

--

I am caught up in business. Going through meetings and controlling deals has been exhausting to the maximum, adding that Bianca won’t shut up about the wedding preparations. Getting Harry’s absence as he saw me in the wedding dress out of my mind has been quite challenging, but I put up with it just fine.

I still don’t want to marry him, I can’t see myself marrying, plus he’s a person I barely know. If I barely know him, then why am I so upset that he left me out of the blue?

The truth is, Harry didn’t like the feeling that he was happy seeing me wearing the wedding dress. Fear of liking me has started crawling into his head when he felt his heart hammering, looking at my attire. This is an arranged marriage, he shouldn’t like the bride, he shouldn’t pay her so much attention, his heart shouldn’t beat that fast. Or so he thinks. Because as a matter of fact, he likes me and that isn’t right to him.

Neither of us has given the wedding preparations any attention, we just know that tomorrow is the big day. Tomorrow, we will be destined to stay together for the rest of our lives, tomorrow the sun of loneliness will set only for the new sun of unity to rise. This day, Harry has decided to spend his night with his lovely Bella, a prostitute that he has claimed for himself a long time ago, she’s a blondie with beautiful blue eyes and she doesn’t act like a hooker so that’s why he gives her special attention. Right before the day he’ll get married, he’s fucking a prostitute in his bedroom. He has her pinned on the bed, hovering above her as he’s thrusting in and out of her in silence. Harry’s so focused on fucking his feelings, anger, desperation, out on her. Her screams, face, and the rest of her body are given little to no attention at all unlike what he’s used to. His mind is focused on reaching his high without any images of you interrupting his thoughts. He can hear Bella screaming that she’s cumming, but he just continues roughly fucking her senseless until he finally reaches his high. He falls down next to her on the bed, panting. The room is dark and only a ray of light creeping through the bedroom’s window, and through the darkness he can see me on his mind, walking towards him in the wedding dress. My features are drawn in his head as he remembers me, he huffs, disappointed in himself. He takes off his condom only to throw in the bin next to his bed. His posture is straightened, sitting on the edge of the bed, head between his hands, trying to throw the thoughts away. He’s not supposed to like me, he thinks. Everything he likes and sees in me only become more and more provoking.

He feels Bella’s arms crawl on his shoulders, fingers sneak on his skin just like her head that’s placed on his other shoulder. Speaking in a soft voice, she asks, “Why the long face, Harry? You’re never silent during sex.”

“Sorry, Bella.” He only manages to apologize, raising his head from his hands as he feels her breasts on his back.

“Don’t apologize, I just wanna know what’s on your pretty head.” She says, playing with his hair. With no clue, Harry doesn’t know why he’s hating her touch, though he’s never hated it before.

“Tomorrow.” He manages, eyes are looking at the floor.

“Not excited to being a married man?”

“No.”

“Is the bride ugly?” She asks, liking the idea of Harry thinking that his bride is ugly.

“No!” He answers in a harsher tone than he intends. “She’s so beautiful, she-You should go, Bella.” He says softly, gently removing her arms off of his body.

Bella’s startled face nods before she stands up to wear her clothes, while Harry is still on the bed, lost in his own mind, not even hearing Bella’s voice as she says her goodbye. Her eyes go down, leaving his bedroom and closing the door behind her on Harry’s lost mind.

Meanwhile, I’m in the balcony, drinking a cup of tea and smoking a cigarette, thinking of tomorrow. The future is terrifying. The past, once, was the future. If we knew the future, would it matter for the past? Would life become better if we had the precise knowledge of time? I am utterly unaware of what life has for me, but is that a good thing? I do not have any idea how life with Harry will be, but I’m certain that I’m uncertain.

--

The wedding day.

Without the both of us realizing it, Harry and I are both looking at our reflections in the mirror. He’s inspecting his image in his own mirror, in his room, while I’m inspecting my image in my own mirror, in my room. My fingers feel the silver dress I have on my body, carving my shape. The makeup I have on only exudes my beauty, and the nails I have on only show how pretty my hands are, and every effort in my look only screams beauty. On the other hand, Harry is watching how handsome he looks in his expensive tuxedo. He hates the bow around his neck as much as I hate the high heels on my feet. But both of us, don’t look happy.

The wedding ceremony is right down there, in Paolo’s gardens of the mansion. But I’m still in my room, and Harry’s now is waiting for me. As I sit on the edge of my bed that I’m leaving for good, the door opens and I see Paolo along with Elio entering my room, I get a glimpse of my bridesmaids standing outside in their black dresses. My face doesn’t have the slightest trace of happiness, and both Elio and Paolo notice.

“Sei bellissima.” My father says, feeling his heart pound in his chest as he looks at his beautiful daughter in a wedding dress. Any father’s best day of life, is the day they see their beloved child in a wedding dress, ready to start their own families.

“She really is beautiful, uncle.” Elio agrees, noticing my sad face. Elio squats to level with my face, holding my hand. “Don’t be sad, everything will be alright, I promise.”

“I don’t wanna leave you and father.” I confess, trying not to cry, and with no doubt, I succeed.

“You’re not leaving, you’ll be living less than fifteen minutes away.” Elio assures me.

Though my father wants to calm me down, he doesn’t do that. Instead, my father says in a husky voice, “Get a grip, y/n! You’re doing this for the family.”

Elio hates the tone of my father, because Elio always has had a soft spot towards me, he treats me like a girl unlike my father. I nod at my father’s words and stand up, chin up, “I’m ready.” I say, confidently, sucking in every sadness in me.

Elio stands up again, sighing deeply as I take off of the room, arm in arm with Paolo. The bridesmaids are following as I take my steps down the stairs before walking to the gardens. The golden-colored and white flowers are everywhere, the welcome stand has my name and Harry’s on, the giveaways of candles for the guests are set on a beautiful wooden wide table. Everything seems like I’m marrying the love of my life, but I’m not, I’m marrying someone I don’t know. The veil that’s following me, I should love, but I don’t. The guests who’re enjoying their time, watching the bride walk down the aisle, I could not give a careless about. All I see is the beautiful altar that is decorated beautifully with light veins and flowers, and I can also see the man waiting for me at the end. A man whose hair is brushed back and eyes are watching every step I take along with my father. He looks handsome in jeans, but he looks even more breathtaking in a tuxedo.

As Harry’s standing there, he looks like he’s seeing a lovely painting, painted by Van-Gogh. His heart is hammering as my father brings him in a hug before he finds my hand in his. We both make our way to the priest, standing opposite to each other. None of us dare to look at each other, but we have to.

I raise my eyes up to see how handsome my future husband is. The dimples that are hidden because he’s not smiling, the pink lips which I will kiss, the skin of his face, the eyelashes, the green eyes that look like grass after a rainy day, all of this shall be mine. But will they actually be mine?

He raises his eyes up to see how gorgeous his future wife is. The painted full lips, the body carved by gods, the smile that’s missing, the thick lashes, the tone of skin, the hazel eyes that look like the sun after a rainy day, all of this shall be his. But will they actually be his?

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God to witness and celebrate the holy union of Y/N and Harry. Since it is your intention to enter into the covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church” The priest says, pulling both of us of our thoughts.

Harry takes a deep breath, following the priest’s words, “I, Harry Styles, take you, Y/N Cappitani, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life”

His words mean so much, yet so little.

I sigh, deeply, following the priest’s words, “I, Y/N Cappitani, take you, Harry Styles, to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life”

I don’t mean a single word I say. I don’t know you, Harry. I think.

The priest says his blessing over the wedding rings. Tyler, Harry’s friend brings him my ring. Slipping the ring on my finger, Harry says following the priest’s words, “Y/N, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”

I automatically do the same, placing the ring around his finger, following the priest’s words, “Harry, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”

I get lost in my thoughts again, I don’t hear a word the priest says, but I only get snapped out of it once I hear the word ‘Kiss’. Oh, hell no.

My eyes wander between Harry and the priest, shaking my head no, but Harry only grins at me.

“Kiss?” The priest asks, looking at me while shrugging his shoulders.

“Of course not! My father is here.” I refuse and everyone bursts into laughter. Paolo laughs, nodding his head at me as an approval.

“We have to kiss.” Harry’s grin widens, pulling at my hand so I stand in his arms. His body is rock-hard or I feel so. I can feel the heat up my cheeks, not letting my eyes off of the guests, avoiding Harry’s gaze.

“I can’t kiss a boy in front of my father!” I state only for the laughter to grow louder.

“Just kiss him already!” Elio yells, chuckling at me.

“I’m your husband now, I can kiss you whenever I want.” Harry whispers into my ear and I only feel my cheeks getting hotter. I have never been in a situation like this.

With wide eyes, I feel Harry’s hands cupping my cheeks and pulling my head slightly forward. His head leans down, his breath hits my lips right before his lips gently touch mine. His lips are the softest lips I’ve ever felt in my entire life, his minty breath draws me into kissing him back. I can feel the warmth that suddenly hit my whole body just by the touch of his lips, and I can feel the butterflies growing in my stomach. The kiss is gentle and sweet, and it feels so good to kiss someone you’re meant to kiss. Pulling away, I sigh with my lips apart, I want to kiss him again, I shouldn’t. Get a grip! I think.

Harry’s grin fires my craving to his kiss again, but the cheering I hear stops me. His eyes look more beautiful from this distance.

--

The celebration is nice, but my head is still lingering on the memory of my first kiss with Harry. Elio has a lot of fun, dancing with girls here and there, enjoying his time. Everyone seems to be happy with the unity of the Cappitani and the Styles. After a while, as Harry and I are sitting next to each other, having glasses of champagne. Elio clicks on his glass to make a toast.

“Oh God, he’s gonna tell an embarrassing story.” My palm finds my forehead, Harry smiles and watches Elio who stands up from his chair and grabbing the mic from someone I don’t care to know.

“Hello everyone,” He starts, talking from the mic. “We’re here to celebrate the wedding of my beautiful y/n. Y/n is the most amazing person you can ever know in your life, she has the biggest heart although she’s very bad at showing it.” Everyone laughs. “She’s independent, powerful, strong, and every good quality in the book. Don’t worry, y/n, I won’t talk about the time you punched a guy just because he confessed his love to you. I hope you don’t punch Harry today.”

“I will.” I smile, giving him a thumbs up as Harry’s giggling next to me.

“And Harry, if you ever have trouble controlling her, call me.”

“I’ll take care of it, Elio.” Harry replies, chuckling.

“The last thing I wanna say is, Y/n is my sister, she’s everything in my life, she’s the backbone every guy needs in life. Harry, she will stand tall in the darkest times even if you wish to get down on your knees, she’ll always pull you up. Y/n will move heaven and earth for someone she cares about, so make sure to be that someone. To Y/N and Harry!” He raises his glass and everyone follows, cheering and clicking their glasses.

I smile to Elio who smiles back at me. I love him more than he even can realize.

A couple of people make their toasts, but as the last one is making his toast, “I wish you both the b-“

He’s interrupted by a loud clicking sound on a glass, our eyes follow the sound. The sound comes from the glass Alessandro holds in his hand as he stands by Harry and I’s table. He has a black suit on, but the bags under his eyes are darker than his suit. His silver hair is messy and he looks terribly sad.

“It’s my time to make a toast!” Alessandro starts, eyes look crazy as he watches men stand up and before our men grab their guns, Alessandro’s men raise their guns up, I notice two of them holding machine guns pointing them at everyone. Harry looks startled but makes a good job hiding it, but he can’t lift the gun under his jacket as one of Alessandro’s men point their own gun at his head. How are they here? The mansion should be protected.

“No need for violence, for now.” Alessandro says, deepening his voice at the last part. “I wanna say, Y/n has played a huge part in my life. An excruciating part, actually. I fell in love with everything about her, every little detail, hear me?” His words are directed to Harry, eyes are crazy with anger as he’s looking at Harry. Harry’s lips turn upside down in both disgust and anger, wishing he can shoot Alessandro in the head. “She was so sweet to me, so beautiful. Honey, I never could see you in another man’s arms, I couldn’t let him have you. You saved yourself for me, remember? You fucking saved yourself for me! How could you?” As his words turn to me, his tone of voice gets nicer and softer. I look him in the eyes with no expression, getting comfortable in my chair, arms crossed. “You just come and take her? Huh? What do you even know about her? Tell me Harry, what’s y/n’s favorite color?”

“Black.” Harry answers, confidently. The answer is correct.

“Oh yeah? What’s her favorite meal? What angers her? What’s her favorite place?” Alessandro walks closer to Harry, the glass in his hand shakes as his hand shakes.

“Pasta. Disrespect and underestimation. Paul’s coffee shop.” Harry answers, looking into Alessandro’s black eyes with nothing but confidence, certainty and rage.

I am surprised that he gets all the answers right, but my eyes are still on Alessandro who’s annoyed and insane. “Are you done?” I ask in monotonic voice.

“Sorry, am I boring you?” He asks, moving behind my chair.

“Very.” I answer as I feel his nose brush onto my hair, sniffing me. His eyes close as he breathes in my scent.

“If you touch her, I’ll blow your brains out.” Harry growls, biting his bottom lip.

“Don’t worry, darling. He knows better.” I smirk as Alessandro’s face is in sight, his face is dangerously close to mine. Everyone’s eyes are on the situation, not even one person can pull up their gun. Women and girls looking afraid, fear eating their skins.

“Do I, Y/n? All I wanna do is touch you.” His hand hovers above my cheeks, wanting to touch me but not actually doing so. “I wanna touch you so bad.”

“Are you done?” I ask again, glaring at him.

“No! He!” He pulls up his black metal gun and points it at Harry’s forehead in frustration. “He took you from me.”

“Exactly, so gather your puppies and get out or I won’t be so nice.” Harry makes eye contact with Alessandro, not intimidated by the guns pointed at him.

“Let’s be clear, Alessandro. If you harm Harry, I’ll kill you. I should’ve done that when I had the chance.” I say, slowly.

Alessandro’s eyes go down, feeling a gun under his chin. My gun. No one has imagined that a bride will have a gun under her dress, but I do. I hold the gun, the tip of my gun right under his chin. Temptation eats me to kill him.

“You wouldn’t do that.” Alessandro softens his voice, not believing that I’d do that.

“Try me.” I shrug.

“But I love you!” He screams, crazily.

“I don’t give the slightest fuck. Tell your men to leave. NOW!” I shout the last part, feeling the gun’s weight heavies in my hand due to the fact I’m fighting the urge to shoot.

A moment of silence. I know Alessandro thinks of every possibility to kill Harry without losing me, but he can’t. His face darkens with more sadness and lowers his gun, nodding his head at his men. They put down their guns but stand still.

“Now all of you leave!” I order, not lowering my gun. Alessandro straightens up to swallow his glass of champagne to the last drop, then looks at me.

“You’re the most beautiful thing in the world.” He says with complete adoration eating his eyes, but suddenly he’s snatched and thrown on the table in front of me with a loud thug.

Harry has snatched him by the collar and thrown him on the table, Harry who’s pinning Alessandro down, hand holding him by the collar while his other hand is holding onto his gun and pointing at Alessandro’s forehead. My eyes widen as all of this happens in a matter of seconds, jumping up from my seat. Harry’s eyebrows are furrowed, lips turned upside down and eyes are just wide with rage.

“Hahaha,” Alessandro laughs after he’s swallowed the surprise. “Do it, please. She’ll be the last thing my eyes see.”

“Don’t fucking mention her one more time! She’s MY wife! She’s all mine! She’s my wife, you piece of shit!” Harry sees red as he’s yelling in Alessandro’s face.

Our families’ guns are pointed now at Alessandro’s men and I see Elio standing next to me, pointing his gun at the guy who had a gun at Harry’s head a minute ago. “Don’t even think about it.” Elio growls at the guy.

The whole situation is complete and utter chaos. That’s what happens every time Alessandro makes an appearance.

“She’ll never be yours, she loves me. She’s always loved me.” Alessandro’s voice is daring.

I see the guy Elio’s pointing at is taking a step closer slowly towards Harry. Elio follows and takes a step forwards to the guy, “I fucking dare you to take one more step!” Elio threatens.

“No, you piece of shit!” Harry’s hand tightens around his gun. “Joke’s on you, she’s mine. She’ll love me, and I’ll do everything you can’t do to her. I’ll love her, I’ll protect her! And listen to this, motherfucker, I’ll even FUCK HER!” Harry shouts, pulling Alessandro up by the collar only to smash him back down on the table.

I look over at the table and I see Paolo’s gaze on me, I know that look very well. His eyes tell me to take control. His expressionless face tells me to stop this situation at once.

“You won’t, know why? Because she only wants m-“ Alessandro objects, but is interrupted by a loud sound of a gunshot.

All eyes but Harry’s are on me as my arm is fully raised as I shoot at the sky. I glare at everybody in sight as Harry throws a punch to Alessandro’s face. “GO FUCKING ON!” Harry yells, ready to kill his anger out.

“Harry,” I softly call lowering my arm, but his eyes won’t leave Alessandro. “Harry, please, let me handle this.” I ask, gently, as my hand feels his hand that’s holding the gun. His hand finally lowers down and his eyes calm a bit, but they don’t let Alessandro out of sight. I take the chance to push Harry gently away while Alessandro is still on the table, laughing.

I grab Alessandro by the collar up on his feet and I whisper something only him and I can hear. His fingers trace over my hand that’s around his collar and smiles, “I’ve missed your touch.” He says.

Harry who fumes and walks towards Alessandro again once he hears Alessandro’s words, has been stopped by his friend Tyler whose gun is also pointed somewhere. “Wait, Harry, let her handle him.” Tyler speaks softly to Harry.

“Go!” I demand, letting go of Alessandro.

Alessandro stands there, towering over me and smiling widely at me. He’s loving the moment he’s close to me, wanting to savor it. He nods before he walks away with his men following him and as he’s walking, I call, “Alessandro!”

He turns around to look at me just to jump in his place once he hears the gunshot of my gun, he looks next to him to the guy who’s now dead. His head looks up at me with surprise.

“This is the guy that had his gun at Harry.” I explain and then shoot again just for another guy to fall down. “And this is the guy that betrayed us and let you in.”

He laughs, insanely, clapping his hands “You rock! I’ll take them to save you the trouble.”

He motions to the rest of his men to grab the dead bodies as I lower my gun. Killing is not my first option, only when it’s necessary. Harry stands behind me, his hand at the lower of my back and I let out a breath I don’t know I’m keeping in.

“I wanna leave.” I whisper, but he hears my voice clearly just as much he feels my agony.

--

Harry opens the passenger door for me, we have arrived at Harry’s penthouse. He snatches me out of my thoughts by this action, he gives me a hand out of car. It’s easy to get out of the car because I changed previously into a white plain dress. The dress is silky and is covering my cleavage but showing so much of my legs and back. I take his hand as we walk into the building and right into the elevator, without a single word spoken. Silence is a blessing as much as it’s a curse. You can appreciate silence either when you have too much to say, or when you completely have no words to form. And also, these are the same reason you can depreciate silence for. We stand apart from each other as the elevator levels up and up. Harry’s hands in his pockets and I can feel his fighting an urge to look at me. When the sound of the elevator beeps, ending the silence, we both get out and as I take my first step into the apartment I’ll live in, I see that the penthouse looks so good. It’s modern-styled, most colors are either white, grey or black, it lacks the touch of a woman.

“Let me show you around?” Harry suggests, placing his keys on the kitchen counter. I nod and follow him.

“This is the living room as you can see,” He points at the living room, it has a huge TV screen that can be used for movie nights and modern white couch with no cushions. The place is minimalistic. Too minimalistic for my liking. But the panoramic huge glass window makes up for the shitty decoration. “The kitchen is open, do whatever you want in there.” He points, the kitchen is also white and there’s nothing on the counter but the coffee machine. The kitchen looks luxurious.

As we walk inside, “This is the guest’s bathroom. This is a guest’s room.” He shows me both and I like the space in each room. “My office and right next to it is your office.” He opens the first room and it’s too white, it must be torturous to sit there. My office is plain and my eyes furrow as I see it, “I didn’t do anything in here, I want you to decorate it as you want.” He explains as he sees the look on my face.

I nod at him and we continue walking, “A gym room.” The gym room has a lot of necessary equipment and a punching bag. I like it.

We stand by the last door; his eyes smile though his lips don’t. “Last but not least, the main bedroom.” He opens the door and I see a huge room; the colors of the walls are different from the rest of the penthouse. The walls are latte-colored, a much warmer color. A huge bed by the wall, and that wall is completely cushioned. I enter the room and explore, there’s a big dressing room and I think Bianca’s taken care of my unpacking for me. A vanity stands there with so much makeup and perfumes I never bought, I look at Harry. Everything has a high-class logo on it.

“Did Bianca buy me these?” I ask Harry, suddenly loving being a little girly.

“No, I did.” He answers, not giving me an expression. “Do you like the place?” He asks, not realizing that he wants me to actually like the place I’ll be living in.

I take a moment, “No.” I answer as he hides his disappointment. “The place looks like no one’s been living here for too long. It needs more decorations.”

He clears his throat, “I bought this place three years ago and I only come here once a month to check up on it. I haven’t actually lived here.” He answers, truthfully.

“Why?” I ask, sitting on the vanity’s chair to take off my makeup.

He doesn’t answer, he just looks at me as he leans on the door frame, watching as I take off my makeup with a cotton round. Inspecting my skin color as I move, his mind wanders.

“What did you whisper to Alessandro?” He asks, falling in the trap of curiosity.

I finish taking off all the makeup, not giving Harry even the slightest eye contact. Standing up and walking towards the dressing room, his eyes follow me. I turn my head to look at him through the dressing room’s glass wall, “Do you wanna sleep here or in the guests’ room?” I ask, avoiding his question.

Not that he has thought I’d let him have sex with me, but he at least has thought we’d have a decent conversation. I think that we don’t have anything to talk about, we shouldn’t even pretend that we like each other and force a conversation. We’re just two strangers locked together in an inescapable cage. Marriage. As much as I really want to prove people right, I can’t guarantee that I’ll act like a real married woman. And I know for sure and certain that he can’t guarantee that he has the determination to become a real married man.

“I’ll go out, you can sleep here.” He answers and I nod. I turn my head, thinking he’s left, I pull out a pajama to sleep in. I let the spaghetti straps of my dress fall off my shoulders just for the dress to fall down around my feet, I stand there in my white black lace thin panties and no bra, my back faces Harry’s eyes that still watch my half naked body.

I pull on my pajama shorts after pulling off my high heels, and as I put on my pajama blouse I turn around to an empty room.

--

Fucking a prostitute on his wedding night is the last thing Harry’s thought would happen. But it happens. Because in the middle of the night, I wake up to muffled man moans and woman screams of pleasure. I straighten my posture on the bed, looking at the clock, still hearing the sounds along with a sound of a bed banging on the wall. I rub my face, not realizing what in hell is happening. I take off the blanket of my body, stand up to walk out of my bedroom. The voices are getting louder with every step I take towards the guests’ room and that is when it hits me. The guests’ room’s door is right in front of me, and I can hear the woman’s voice screaming his name and hear Harry’s voice.

“Louder!” He screams as if he wants me to hear it.

Rage runs through my veins, and I feel like I can’t do anything. I have no idea what I should do. Should I barge in and kill them both? Should I let them have their fun? Or should I leave once and for all? And as I stand there, thinking and drowning in my own thoughts, I hear them both release their damned climaxes. How convenient!

I’ll make him regret it.

I noticed earlier that he has a cabinet in his office filled with guns and there was a baseball bat. NO! That’s shouldn’t be something I do now. Why am I so upset? Of course, I’m upset. He’s my husband and he’s fucking a girl in our home on our wedding night.

Harry who lays there, panting, doesn’t give the girl the chance to cuddle with him and coldly orders, “Get your things and leave.”

The girl pats her eyelashes at him, but he just looks at her with a stone-cold expression so she does what she’s ordered. Once she’s out of his bedroom, he stands up and pulls up his boxers, getting out of the room. He tiptoes his way towards the bedroom, slowly opening the door slightly only to see my body on the bed, sleeping. He sighs and turns around to leave.

My eyes are open as I feel him open the door, and I have a poker face on. I dive my face into the pillow when he closes the door, letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding the whole time.

--

The door of my office opens and there is Harry’s figure, looking at me as I check my guns and weapons before I place them in the cabinet. I sit on a leather chair, checking a nickel gun in my hand and I don’t give Harry any attention though I feel him entering the office. I’ve changed so much in my office in a couple of hours. I have a modern desk and some electronics on top, a few green plants and some decorations such as the paintings hanging on the walls. A small couch and a small library filled with books.

“Good morning.” He starts, but I don’t return it. “When did you do all that?”

My eyes look in front of me to the vain, I make a clicking sound with the gun I have in my hands.

“Breakfast is on the kitchen counter.” I say in a monotonic voice, putting the gun in the cabinet before closing it.

“Are you okay?” He asks, thinking I don’t have a reason to be this silent. In the end, he thinks I was asleep last night as he fucked a girl on our wedding night.

I stand up, facing him with a big smile on my face, “Of course! I have to go out now.” I say, walking past him and out the door.

It’s not easy to control a girl like me, he can’t just pin me against a wall and demand answers.

He stands there, not realizing a word that’s come out of me and just when he snaps out of it, he jogs to follow me only to see the elevator doors close while I’m inside. He places his forehead on the elevator doors, sighing, “Oh God, what have I done?”

--

I disappear for a whole day, Harry hears nothing from me and he can’t just ask someone to look for me because that’ll put him on the spot of what he has done, so he’s decided to look for me on his own. He’s went to my favorite coffee shop, he’s kept driving around, searching for a trace of me or my car, but he can’t find me. He makes his way back to the penthouse, thinking I may have returned. He’s right. So right. Once he takes his first step into the penthouse, he hears moaning. His eyes widen, trying to question his own hearing, walking down the hall to the bedroom only for him to hear me moaning a man’s name and he also finds a man’s moaning coming from the room. He slams the room’s door open.

I smirk at him, sitting on the futon by the bed, fully clothed in the same outfit I’ve had on before leaving, all alone, and there’s a porn video playing on my laptop that’s placed on the bed. His eyes are still wide, looking around the room, looking for the man he thinks is hiding. I can feel his anger by watching his flared nostrils, the vein that’s popping in his forehead and his clenched jawlines.

I press the pause button on the laptop, “Not a very pleasant surprise, eh?” I ask, smirking slightly at his anger.

“Why?” He wonders, taking a step into the room and closer to me.

“You know why. Fucking another girl on our wedding night isn’t a pleasant surprise, too.”

“It’s not like I’m cheating, we don’t care about each other!” He yells, angrily.

“It is cheating. I’m your wife, son of a bitch!” I yell back, standing up, facing him.

“It’s an arranged marriage, it’s not like I want to touch you.”

“Do I look like I’m dying to suck your dick?”

“Here we go again with the smarty shit!”

“If you desperately love hookers, you can take them anywhere but here!”

“It’s my house! I can do whatever I want!” He yells at my face and I glare at him.

“Everything Alessandro says sounds so right now.” I growl, making my way past him to leave, but he grabs my arm.

“What did you just say?” He glares back at me.

“Are you deaf? He’s right, I won’t ever give myself to a piece of shit like you.” I spit the truth, not the full truth but still.

“You have a filthy mouth.” He bites his bottom lip in frustration, tightening his grip around my arm.

“Just like yours.” I free my arm from his hand and walk out of the room and in to the room’s bathroom. I slam the door behind me and sit on the floor, trying to hold back the tears I’ve kept. Since I’m alone, I let my tears fall down my cheeks, sniffing the sadness I feel from remembering Harry’s voice out the door. I can’t feel that, but Harry stands by the bathroom’s door, palms spread on the door frame and head down. He wants to say he’s sorry, but he can’t.

I stand up to look at my reflection in the wide mirror of the bathroom, my eyes are blood red from all the tears I’ve managed. I turn on the water to splash my face, breathe in, breathe out. I make my way to the door, open it to find no one’s there. I quickly grab new clothes and walk to the bathroom again to take a shower, not bothering to look for Harry.

Standing under the shower, the hot water drops hit my skin in the loveliest way, washing away the feelings. I raise my head up so the drops hit my face, doing so I get glimpses of Harry in every encounter we’ve had. His face is too unforgettable to just get out of the mind, his touch fires my heart like a bullet.

I’ve always had my way with words, I can write poems of his features. Harry can’t be loved by just one heart, he’s worthy of a thousand hearts, but I only have one. He’s worthy of a heart to adore his voice, a heart to contemplate his silence, another heart for his eyes. I have a lot to say about him, but time isn’t enough. I hope there’s a way to get closer to him, just to touch him and forget about the rest of the world. He’s so easy to fall in love with, but I just can’t.

I make my way out of the bathroom with a towel around my body, but once I open the bathroom’s door, I see Harry’s body laying on the bed. His eyes inspect me, they wander, looking at the water drops the fall from the tips of my hair, the showing wet skin of mine, and my face that’s looking right at him. He grins at me and pats on the bed next to him, motioning for me to take a seat. Not controlling myself much, I do what he wants, sitting on the edge of the bed, but not giving him the pleasure of an eye contact.

I can feel his gaze on me, and all I can do is hold the towel tight around my body.

“You smell so good.” He starts, softly, his deep voice sends shivers down my spine, especially that I feel him move closer to me. I have this craving to let him touch me, but I stay silent. “Get dressed, I’m taking you out.” His voice gets sterner as he asks.

“Where?” I ask, hating how low my voice is.

“You’ll see.” He says, getting off the bed and walking away.

There’s a feeling in me that wants to give in to him, but desperately I hold this feeling back. I sigh, wishing I know more about him.

--

Harry opens the passenger door for me, I smile to myself at his gesture as I take a seat. He closes the door and walks around the car to open his own door and sits next to me. The smell of his wooden cologne makes him a little more attractive tonight, and since he’s wearing the infamous black shirt and black tight jeans, it drives my eyes to curiously wander to his tattoos. His body looks toned and very touchable. He catches my eyes and immediately I look away.

“Like what you see?” He grins, looking between me and the road.

“You’re not that bad, I was just wondering about your tattoos.” I answer, acting cool.

“What about them?” He asks, liking the simple conversation.

“How many do you have?”

“Ugh, I lost count. Do you have any tattoos?” He asks, casually.

“I have one, got it behind my father’s back when I was 17.” I chuckle, remembering.

“Tell me about it.” He asks me, nicely, having a smile on his face and I really get the urge to feel his dimples.

“It’s stupid. Elio and I decided we wanted tattoos like older people so we went to that tattoo place two blocks away. He had a tattoo on his thigh, and he hated the feeling of the needle. I teased him about it so he dared me to get a tattoo on my thigh as well, though I wanted one on my shoulder. I kept screaming at the tattoo artist and almost hit him.” I tell, giggling just like Harry.

“What did you get, then?” He asks, smiling.

A daring feeling get the best of me, so I raise my leg up on the console. I have a long black silky dress on, and it has the cut on one side so when I raise my leg up my whole right leg shows. Harry looks my leg up from the black heels I have on and down to my fully exposed thigh. My tattoo is a small daisy just a couple of inches away from my heat. His breathing gets harder as he eyes my flesh. I see him gulp and stiffen a little on his seat.

“It’s beautiful.” He manages, looking at the road again, trying to avoid the bulge that’s forming in his pants.

“Like what you saw?” I smirk, putting my leg down.

He gives me a single look that’s enough for me to feel myself get wetter, “I love it.”

With that he pulls over by a restaurant, he gets out of the car and walks over it to open the door for me. Once I’m completely out, he closes the door and takes my hand as we walk into the restaurant. He says his name to one of the employees and we take our seats at one of the tables. Although the restaurant is fancy, it’s also cozy so that makes me a little more comfortable in my seat.

“I pre-ordered for us if you don’t mind. Let’s hope you’ll like my choice.” Harry starts, he’s always the one that starts the conversation. And maybe this is something I like about him.

“No problem.” I smile softly. I can feel his eyes burning holes on my skin, he admires my skin tone as it glows in the light, my shiny long hair and every little detail about me. The ignorant me doesn’t know that he loves the fact that this woman before him is his. I have to admit, we -women-, hate to be thought of as a thing a man owns, we hate to be seen as a piece of decoration, but sometimes it feels good to feel owned by someone. If the person of interest treats you right, loves you, doesn’t ruin your life with his possessiveness, it’ll feel good to be owned by them. Owning a person doesn’t mean that you have the authority to stop them from something they like, it doesn’t mean to force them into something they don’t want, on the contrary, owning and being owned is more of a feeling. Security is the feeling, to be certain that your person is yours and only yours. It’s fascinating when you think about it, their body, hands, face, features, qualities and all is your own. Your own to admire and feel, not to destroy and ruin.

“Tell me more about you, y/n.” He, again, starts.

“Ugh, let me think. You already know too much about me, I’m not that open book.” I smile, sipping from my glass of fine wine.

“I’m your husband, I should know everything.” He plays his ‘Husband’ card again, and I let him.

“My mother died when she was having me, my father took care of me and Elio. I don’t know what else to say.” I chuckle like a little girl, slightly nervous.

“Anything you want to say, I’m all ears.” He smiles at me; his voice sends heat into my skin.

“Well, I was homeschooled, just like everyone. I don’t have friends other than my cousins. I got into business really young, father had me start from the least decent job.”

“From zero to hero.” He giggles, holding his glass of wine, sipping from it. “My dad did the same to me.”

“No wonder they’re friends.” I shrug, hands holding my arms.

“What about boyfriends? Had any?” His question startles me, though it’s a very expected question. I shake my head no and he asks again with furrowed eyebrows, “How so?”

“I was not the girl that dates around, I was only interested in my family business, my family and that was it, you know?” He nods his head only to startle me again with another question.

“Then what was Alessandro?”

“Ugh, he was never my boyfriend, I was into him at some point, but he started creeping me out. He’d talk to people as if we were together, he had this imaginary idea of me saving myself for him, but that’s not the truth.”

“What’s the truth, then?” He asks, grinning, enjoying my denial to Alessandro’s claims.

“As I said, I was not the girl to date. That’s why I never wanted someone enough to sleep with. I like tough guys, tough enough to stand up to me.” I look into his eyes and I can see his eyes grin just like his mouth. “What about you? Had a girlfriend?”

Sipping the last drop of his glass, “Oh yeah! To be honest, I’ve had many.”

“You give the vibe of a fuckboy anyways.” I tease, holding the wine glass in between my fingers.

“Unfortunately, I believe you.”

“Have you ever fallen in love?”

It seems like my question is unexpected to him, because his face goes down just when the words come out of my mouth. The silence is broken by the waitress bringing our plates and refilling our glasses, we give her a thanks and once she leaves I see that Harry has ordered fancy pasta with pesto sauce. My eyes look up to him again and I feel the mood goes down.

“Harry?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” He sternly, says.

“Understandable.” I nod and bring my fork to eat.

Not that I am not curious, but I know that I need to respect other people’s choice of not talking. The rest of the night goes well, to my surprise. Talking and teasing each other all the time. And when it’s time to go home, driving back to our place, I hear him sigh.

“I wanted to apologize for what happened on our wedding night. I shouldn’t have done that, I just thought you didn’t care.” He apologizes, and it seems like it’s hard for him to do so.

“Apology accepted. Now you know that I do care.” I say as he pulls over by our building, pulling the handbrake. I have got no clue why, but watching his hand pull the handbrake turns me on, maybe it’s the way I see how big his hands are around it, or maybe my imagination that wanders of the things his hands can do.

He rests in his seat, facing me and looking into my eyes, his look like grass after a rainy day.

“Your eyes look like grass after a rainy day.” I confess, his eyes widen a little. “What?”

“That’s so weird. I always thought that yours look like the sun after a rainy day.” He confesses back and we both smile at each other.

His scent drives me insane, and all I can think about is our first kiss at the altar. His lips were so gentle yet so dominant, I wish I could kiss them again. His hand comes closer to me, pulling a strand of my hair, feeling it. His eyes go from my hair to my lips, thinking about the chance to actually kiss me again. Biting my lip, nervously, I see him lean in closer to me. His lips are inches away from mine, breathing onto them, partially open.

Temptation grows and butterflies fly in my stomach as with every breath I smell his cologne. A small strand of his soft brown hair falls on his forehead, and his eyes look down with deep desire at my lips which are apart.

“Do you want to kiss me?” Softly, I ask, falling into the same trap Harry falls into every time.

With frustrated long sigh, he pulls away from me, clenching his hands and craving to feel my skin on his hands. I let out a deep breath, disappointed. I look away and open the door next to me, but I feel his hand grabs my arm roughly, pulling me closer. In just one swift move, he leans in and crashes our lips together.

Heat along with desire burst from the kiss. His lips are as soft as a cloud, and though it’s very dominant. His lips nib onto mine, exploring the details of my lips. Caught up in the bliss of the moment, I give in and kiss him back. His hands make their way around my waist, trying to pull me closer to him. While his hands enjoy the feeling of my shape, my fingers run through his soft locks, deepening the steamy kiss. Filled with built up frustration, Harry’s lips pull my bottom lip. His teeth gently follow his lips move, giving me the attention, I crave. I can taste the wine on his full lips just like he can taste it on mine. The passion he puts into the kiss tells me that he really is determined to savor the moment, savor the taste of my lips on his.

Just when I thought the moment would last forever, he pulls away, panting on my lips. His forehead on mine for a second before he completely pulls away and just like that I miss his touch around me, I miss his lips on mine again.

His gaze is turned on the cement of the road, “We shouldn’t.” That’s the only thing he manages.

I bite my lip, still feeling his left scent on my lips. Violently, I make my way out of the car, not closing the door behind me. I walk towards the building in the most powerful, yet seductive way. Not feeling it, but his eyes are on me as I’m walking.

If he thinks it’s fine to kiss me just to pull away, then I’ll give him a taste of his own medicine.

War it is.

[inverted-typo]

Expanded Damirae Arranged Marriage Ideas

Been thinking about world building and more details for the request I got with the horse and falcon! Not really that organized but more so self indulgent word barfing (it’s p long lmao I’m sorry)

Set in fantasy medieval-like times. Raven still has her own powers and Damian is more assassin-leaning

Damian's house has held political power for centuries. They are a warrior people, skilled in stealth and combat. They are a protective ally but a deadly enemy. Considered one of the most ruthless nations by some, they are commended for their loyalty and willpower. Damian is the heir to the throne, currently ruled by Ra’s.

Raven's house is also extremely powerful, even to the Al Ghuls, as they are masters of some of the oldest magic known in the lands. Some of their ancient runes are believed to be the sites of some of the first magical rituals. Raven's father was corrupted by trifling with dark magic, plunging his kingdom into ruin. It took decades for them to recover. It has left a stain on her homeland. He’s known as the Devil King. They are reserved and private people, keeping their secrets close.

Damian and Raven's houses have been at odds for generations. Between several historic instances of deception, betrayal and manipulation from both sides, a bitter distrust has wedged itself between them. A few wars dotting the timeline has also added fuel to the fire.

It was decided by the Elders of Azar (idk the elite council of people in charge since Trigon’s descent and imprisonment. Raven is still the rightful heir however) to offer a peace treaty through marriage. Ra’s at first is vehemently against the idea; he will NOT allow his grandson to marry such an adversary. But maybe it’s Damian who convinced him it would actually be a very beneficial arrangement. They could trade, and be seen as a larger power due to the union. Damian is too focused on shaping himself to be a leader and warrior, to worry about marrying for “love”. It would be good to sire and heir, and with half of their blood being so magically rooted, they would be strong. Plus, it was assumed he could always have a mistress if he wished.

Raven understood that her home was still recovering from her father’s heinous deeds. She knows they aren’t as strong as they once had been, although she’d never admit that. If marrying into the Al Ghul clan could rid them of one potential enemy and threat, while also helping her people through political alliance, she was more than willing to leave her home for them. She owed it to her people to try and make things better.

The preparations for the union lasted months. Skepticism and worry of betrayal or failure prolonged it, too. There was doubt it would never even come to fruition and there would be no marriage.

The two knew absolutely nothing about each other except the other’s names.

For the ceremony dress, it was considered to be tailored to more of the culture and fashion of Damian’s country. But Raven insisted it be completely Azarathian. They were uniting, not submitting.

Maybe the ceremony was one of those huge ordeals that lasted several days

Raven had been in the country for a few weeks and the two were strategically separated.

Damian tried to push down his growing curiosity about his bride since the official announcement of the marriage. He tried to feign indifference. This was a political move, he needed to be strong. But the rumored whispers of her dark beauty piqued his interest more and more. He heard of her intelligence and unique magical abilities. He wanted to know more… Who would he be marrying…? What was she really like?

Raven was kept closed in her quarters with a few of her ladies in waiting. They were treated well, out of obligation, but it was clear everyone was wary of their presence. She heard down the grapevine that her husband-to-be was smart but arrogant. Brash but passionate. He was the pride of the Al Ghuls. She did her best not to let that intimidate her. As the wedding drew closer, Raven suddenly began to feel a nervous anticipation. She also was swayed by her curiosity about if she’d end up knowing who he truly was. He was a person, not just his name, after all.

They finally meet face to face at the alter. The grand hall is decorated to the nines and hundreds of people crowded the isle.

The Prince is absolutely floored by her beauty. He never realized someone could look so…elegant and divine! She had an air of humbleness that was gentle. But she also had a mysterious firmness that he hadn’t quite seen in anyone else before. He would be lying through his teeth if he said he wasn’t suddenly nervous.

From all the assumptions and rumors she had heard, Raven was surprised to see a gentleness in his eyes. He was also strikingly handsome. He wore a confidence she thought fit him well. He gave her a small smile that unexpectedly sent goosebumps down her arms. She had never imagined him to smile.

I’d like to think it took several weeks for them to even be able to become even really acquainted with each other. Damian was always busy and Raven had to learn about the culture and work on relations in court. She could speak their language, but she needed to develop it. At first they didn’t spend a lot of time together.

Raven fought homesickness, as well. Here, it was a mountainous terrain. Colder and harsher in climate. Her own home was near the ocean with lush forests and lakes. She missed the lightening bugs. She also found it a daily test to upkeep her pride and confidence against the leering judgement of the populous and high inner circle. Thankfully, some of her closest staff and advisors stayed with her, so that helped. But she felt their pain and homesickness too.

Damian found it oddly uncomfortable at first. He didn’t expect to feel so awkward and hyper aware of his new wife. He thought he’d barely notice her in his day to day, but he found himself quite vigilant about it. He learned he wanted to try and talk to her, get to know her, and maybe even become comfortable. But he had no fucking clue how to do that. The only things he’d learned about her since marrying was what kind of tea she liked and that she needed to meditate daily (which in the future he’d designate an entire chamber for her to meditate. Complete with a waterfall and everything lol)

I dunno some sort of event or moment happens that clicks between the two. They bond over something, maybe a book? Maybe Raven finds some of his drawings and finds them stunning? Maybe it’s a more raw moment where one of them finds the other upset and crying, and for some reason they find the courage to try and comfort the other.

But after that things suddenly snowball. They’re having dinner together every night. As Damian trains his elite guard at 5am, Raven will observe them, silently standing by her husband’s side. Damian will offer to meditate with her, and finds it to be quite an effective way to calm his mind. In court they will begin to slowly verbalize support for each other’s statements. Damian begins to learn about foreign magic from the books Raven suggests. Raven begins to learn combat because Damian thinks it would pair with her powers amazingly.

Damian teaches Raven about the animals they have, and their significance in his culture. She finds it so endearing how much he loves and cares for them.

It doesn’t happen overnight by any means, but the two end up learning almost everything about each other. They develop trust, respect and find companionship in one another.

Damian begins to stand up for her against the scorn and suspicion against her. He begins demanding she is shown respect and honor.

I’d say it’s a very slow burn and takes a year and a half or so for everything to fall into place. But at some point, they realize they are absolutely head over heels in love with each other. They become inseparable.

They even take a campaign to Azarath so Damian can be introduced to Raven’s home. He notices how relieved and excited she is to finally visit her homeland after so long.

[marbere]

This is weird, but I was bored so...

Words: 1465

G

I wouldn't get angry if someone decides to use it as a prompt or smt.

---

Damian...

His footsteps echoed. His path was relatively long and he would be alone, completely alone if it weren't for the person who was waiting for him at the bottom of what was a cave. A deep cave with rock stairs and uneven walls, barely lit by torches that seemed that they'd go out at any moment due to the humidity.

Damian...

Damian stopped, sensing movement to the side of the road, only to notice a few rats eating the carcass of some other animal. He frowned. How he'd gotten there was a mystery. His body had taken him to that hidden place between different corridors and under many keys. A place that only his grandfather had access to and a place that he hadn't been interested in at all.

Until that moment.

The voice in his head stopped repeating his name as he stopped in front of the only other person. A woman, clearly, from the non-conservative attire she was wearing. Her arms were held back by chains that disappeared into the darkness. Her eyes were closed and Damian might have thought she was dead, or at least in very bad shape, if it weren't for the smile she flashed as she lifted her head.

If it weren't for the fact that his grandfather had no interest in such practices and for the enormous amount of energy and power that she radiated, he would think that she was simply some kind of slave. Because even after so much training and meditation, Damian could still feel a certain attraction to her.

Or was he attracted to her because of her power? He couldn't tell. After all, it could be the same kind of power that had brought him here.

"Damian Al Ghul," she said, not missing an opportunity to meet his gaze. The violet of her eyes almost getting lost in the darkness of the cave.

Damian watched her in silence for a few seconds, narrowing his eyes.

"So you were the one who brought me here," he concluded, ready to draw his sword.

But she shook her head, the chains jangling rhythmically.

"You came here of your own free will."

"We both know that's not true," he replied, finally drawing his sword and pointing it at the woman, leaving its edge only an inch from her thin, pale neck. "I don't know who or what you are, but I don't like having my mind messed with."

She shrugged and leaned her head toward the sword, not afraid of cutting herself. Not afraid of him or his actions.

"I doubt anyone would," she said mockingly, only to exhale at his silence. "I just wanted to meet the next head of the League of Assassins. That pseudo-demon Ra's should retire by now—"

"Watch your mouth," Damian cut her off, though she didn't seem to heed his threats, so he soon found himself putting his sword away again. She watched him closely, almost disappointed, and he had to ask; "Why am I here?"

She smiled at him once again. And if she wasn't chained up, she'd probably be making flashy gestures like someone giving a political speech.

"My name is Raven, daughter of Trigon, the one who gives power to the Lazarus Pit… and like I said, I just wanted to meet the one who will command the imbeciles who made a contract with my unloved father."

Damian frowned. If his grandfather held her captive for any reason, it was probably because she kept disrespecting him.

Although the words she spat out with hate did not go unnoticed.

"My grandfather wants to save the world and all of us who follow him also wish for a better one. Imbeciles are those who do not understand such a noble purpose and only dedicate themselves to destroying it more and more."

Damian turned around. He didn't even know why he had said all that, since it was of no importance to a demon. And it was not important to him to be understood.

He had wasted his time going there, even if at least he no longer heard her voice in his mind.

Taking only two steps back, she spoke again;

"Do you want a better world, Damian Al Ghul?"

He stopped. He for some reason did it, and it wasn't out of interest in what she was saying. His hands and his feet, even his head were stopped by a greater force. Like when someone is paralyzed with fear, even though he wasn't scared at all.

This demon woman had more power than they had used to hold her.

"I do," he replied, not seeing why not.

And she said something that he didn't expect at all.

"Why don't you sign a contract with me then?"

Damian turned his head slightly. Raven, daughter of Trigon, looked serious, even though she was flashing an enticing smile.

"If you really are the heir, then it would only be speeding things up," she explained, slowly getting to her feet. Damian watched carefully as the chains silently exploded and they fell, disappearing to the cave floor.

What did she mean by that? He wasn't exactly sure. His Grandfather hadn't told him anything about it.

Raven walked towards him, circling him and positioning herself in front of him.

Damian clenched his fists as she reached a hand up to his cheek. If her goal was to seduce him, he couldn't help but feel a hint of curiosity as to how she would go about it. However, when her fingers were about to brush his skin, a spark —literally— caused her to step back.

Damian could only see the sparks of it, but soon his eyes met Raven's, just before she directed her gaze to her hand. She opened and closed her affected hand, frowning.

"You're protected. Too bad," she said, and though Damian hadn't exactly been trained to read people, the disappointment in her words was obvious.

Raven exhaled, moving past him and returning to where she had been before.

"He is ready to dispose of you at any time."

Only then did Damian realize that whatever had held him still was gone, and the chains on the demon's arms reappeared as if they had never been destroyed.

With narrowed eyes, he wondered if what had just happened was real, or just an illusion. But he decided not to give it so much importance.

"If your intention is to make me doubt my grandfather, you won't," he clarified. "I am his heir. Together we will make this world a better place."

"And yet he still doesn't give you your due power," the demon shrugged.

Damian frowned, but soon took a deep breath to calm himself. That was what the demons did: they deceived. She wanted to tempt him. Tempt him so that he would fall into her trap and do what she asked.

But if it was so, then she didn't seem very angry at his refusal. Rather it seemed like she had expected it.

"Worry not, then," Raven told him. "Either way you'll never be like your grandfather."

If she was trying to annoy him, she wasn't succeeding either.

However, Damian still asked:

"What?"

And she smiled at him… sincerely and perhaps sympathetically. Call him crazy, but Damian felt it that way. He felt it that way because it was a kind of smile he never saw around there. "For you possess something that he'll never have. A heart."

And he blinked, confused, only to frown.

A heart?

Was she crazy?

If his grandfather didn't possess a heart, then why the hell had he created the league and given such a purpose? It was stupid.

But before he could voice his objection, Raven cut him off, as if she knew what he had thought. As if his face had given it away no matter how expressionless he had kept it.

"If you don't believe me, you should go to this place…" she moved her hands and something got… into his brain? Damian couldn't think of a better way to put it. Like when they entered an address into a search application or a coordinate into a computer. He didn't know where that place was, but he knew how to get there.

He didn't like having his mind messed with.

But Raven just shrugged again, only to smile alluringly afterwards.

"I will be waiting."

And as if those words had been a command, Damian woke up. Shaken, tired… not really, but with the feeling that he had come a long way and with the intention of going on another.

He frowned. Raven...

It hadn't been a dream. None of it had been. He still knew where she was sending him.

And though his distrustful nature opposed it, his curiosity guided him.

He'd go.

[straightbaittournament]

only the option with the LEAST votes will be eliminated. propaganda under the cut (and more always welcome!):

jean-luc picard and beverly crusher:

They have a number of romantic moments throughout the TNG series from arguably the first but DEFINITELY the second episode. but they only get together (briefly before divorcing) in an alternate timeline episode which is also the season finale. Also they have a kid together in Picard but are still not allowed to be together She was married to his best friend and he was in love with her but wouldn’t say anything because he wouldn’t want to damage his bestie’s marriage and then his friend died and they met again years later and shared a lot of romantic and sexual tension for years. He openly admitted (under mind reading) that he had loved her since his bestie was alive but felt he couldn’t act on it. In an alternate future they got married. In the canon future they got together and broke up repeatedly because trauma makes relationships hard sometimes and they have a kid together who is named after the aforementioned bestie. An episode forcing them to share thoughts makes him openly admit that he loves her and has loved her for years even when she was married to his best friend.

kit herondale and livvy blackthorn:

They were literally straight bait. So Kit, Livvy and Livvy’s twin brother Ty were a trio with their own side plots in TDA. And well. We literally meet Kit when Ty breaks into his house and puts a knife to his throat and Kit gets distracted by Ty’s eyes. Then later Kit and Livvy have a few moments and kiss once. Then Livvy dies. There are some necromancy shenanigans. Kit confesses his love to Ty then immediately flees the country. Like Kit/Ty was clearly endgame from the start but Livvy and Kit just made out once.

galo and aina (submitted as lio and galo):

Iirc, the whole time the audience was set up to believe that Galo will get together with a teammate named Aina (i might be completely wrong but i think she showed romantic interest in him). That's what usually happens, anyways. However, studio trigger turned that premise on its head with Galo's budding relationship with Lio. In order to save Lio, Galo kissed him. They kissed.

jeff winger and britta perry:

the show starts off with jeff creating the study group so that he can get with britta, they serve essentially as narrative foils, with jeff not caring about people and britta caring too much about people, they nearly get married on THREE (3) separate occasions, they're secret friends with benefits for an entire season but break up when the group finds out, they're the only two people from the core group left in greendale when the show ends; but in the end they make jeff's "true love interest" the girl who was half his age when the show started (36/18)...

angel and cordelia chase:

They met as characters on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but their dynamic doesn't take off until the Angel spinoff Because the showrunners of Angel didn't go in with the idea of putting these two together, the characters' friendship was allowed to develop organically without the assumption of romance, which then made the realization of their feelings for each other more satisfying. Unfortunately the shadow of Bangel (Buffy x Angel) still held over Angel's character, so I think it was a hard sell at the time and didn't gain a lot of popularity in the years since. Both these two characters grew alongside each other, supported each other, and despite knowing that they loved each other, let each other go to pursue their destinies. A really underrated het pairing!

matthew and mary crawley:

They spend multiple seasons full of tension to get their happy ever after. There are so many tropes used between these two. They finally get their shit together and get married, and then have a beautiful child together. Matthew is so happy about his child being born that he doesn't pay attention to the road and fucking DIES IN A CAR CRASH. And that's how their story ends. It makes me so livid every time I think about it lol they really killed him off like that right after and I mean RIGHT AFTER his child is born. It's so foul and every man that they set Mary up with after that doesn't feel nearly the same

keiichi maebara and rena ryugu:

Fluffy harem romcom twists into yandere horror, but then twists again into a story of friendship triumphing over everything. Really holds for any pairing with Keiichi, but the rooftop battle in part 6 is just too good. A recent manga spinoff has them married to total randos, so their respective sons can have the same kind of relationship.

raleigh beckett and mako mori:

Literally everything about the writing of Pacific Rim make it seem like they're setting up for a romance between these two and then they just. Don't. Despite this, "drift compatable" was one of the most popular AUs for couples after the film came out for a hot minute because of how romantic they made the concept seem. *gestures to the entire movie* seriously (note: "drift compatible" essentially describes an in-universe quality of the relationship between raleigh and mako, meaning this quality was so romantic that it would be implemented for other ships in au fanfics)

kagome higurashi and inuyasha from inuyasha:

Long time until they get together, with teasing moments

bow and glimmer:

They didn’t get together until the VERY END of the whole show and even then it was a little ambiguous (was it a BFF “I love you?” 🤷🏼‍♀️)

good luck everybody! now go vote!

[keicordelle]

The Daily Inconveniences of an Au Ra: Garlemald

In theory, it seemed like Keshet ought to like Garlemald. They were a warmongering nation, after all, which ought to suit an equally warmongering lizard perfectly well. They valued strength in a way the nations of Eorzea simply didn't, and they'd been fighting constantly for 20 years. You'd think that Keshet would feel perfectly at home amongst them. After all, where would he be more likely to satisfy his bloodthirst than amidst their ranks?

Where else but fighting against them? In practice, Garleans made for great cannon fodder and little more than that, at least as far as Keshet was concerned. They couldn’t scratch that itch for ever more powerful foes to test himself against, but at least felling a legion of magitek soldiers sated his destructive instincts.

Besides, the similarities between Garlemald and the Dotharl ended just about as quickly as they began. The Dotharl might like to slaughter indiscriminately, but their assaults on other tribes were exactly that: indiscriminate. They had little interest in subjugating the other tribes of the Steppe - fervent desire to win the Nadaam aside, which was less about subjugation and more about proving they were the strongest. They certainly didn't force the survivors to join them and fight with them. To a Dotharl, that would have been unthinkable.

But that didn't mean others didn't note certain parallels between Keshet and the people he was supposed to be fighting.

The woman's eyes widened as Keshet stepped out from the smoke, picking his way over the smouldering carcass of some magitek monstrosity. "Please," she begged, terror thick in her voice. She scrambled backwards, dragging herself over the scarred ground of her former village. "I have a family."

Keshet blinked down at her, a glance all he was willing to spare her in his hunt for the remaining Garleans. She was injured, that much was obvious, but there wasn't much he could do about that. She wasn't wearing the telltale black and red of a soldier, and that was all he needed to know.

"Please," she babbled. "Don't hurt me."

Keshet glanced over his shoulder in search of the Garlean that had made her so afraid, but all he saw was smoke and rubble. He frowned, turning back around to face her. He opened his mouth to speak, and she flinched, recoiling - not from some unseen threat, but from him.

Ah. Well. It had been a while since people had flinched at the sight of him in battle. These days, people tended to see him as a savior - or they died by his hand before they had much a chance to see him as anything else. But covered in viscera and radiating bloodlust as he was, he couldn't fault her for her reaction. What did it matter what hand struck the killing blow to a civilian? They'd be just as dead, be it by his blade or a Garlean's.

And then Alphinaud darted through the cover of smoke, hand held to his mouth as he coughed soot from his lungs, and relief washed over the woman's face like a bucket of cold water. Alphinaud, she recognized. And if Keshet was with Alphinaud, he must be alright.

Keshet would have liked to say that woman's face lingered in his mind that night when he laid down to sleep, but it didn't. She was one body among many - one of the fortunate, who still drew breath, but still. He had saved her life, and he wouldn't even remember her come morning. Maybe that, more than anything, was proof that he would have fit in well with the Garleans after all.

-

Read the rest of the series on Ao3!

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[ericas-spop-blog]

Headcanons - First Ones, Princesses, and Runestones

I'm bored and can't get in the right headspace for an analysis post, so it's personal headcanons time!

Disclaimer: While I believe these are all canon-compliant, I’m not going to show my work, and most of this is based on vibes.

The Origin of “Princesses”

People imbued with elemental magical powers have always existed on Etheria, and are an integral part of the magi-biology of the living planet. Think of them as part of Etheria’s immune system.

Having powers was was sometimes linked to environmental factors - water powers would tend to manifest in someone from a sea-faring society - but they were not hereditary in the normal sense. 

Pre First Ones these people were broadly expected to use their powers to help keep their societies and the planet healthy. While they held non-trivial amounts of social power as a result, they were not “in charge” in the way a king or queen would be.

The word and concept of “Princess” - In particular, the idea that having magic powers should be linked to ruling others - is an import from the First Ones, who viewed magic as a natural resource, to be exploited by whoever has the power to do so.

The Origin of Runestones

On a crass, mechanical level, the Runstones are controls and power conduits for The Heart. They exist to steal the magic of Etheria and turn it into a weapon of mass destruction.

Which...put rather a sinister light on the fact that they are also deeply embedded in the political power structures of Etheria.

Here’s what I think happened.

When the First Ones first showed up, not everyone on Etheria was chill with letting them dig giant pits and dump piles of broken tech everywhere. And the fragmentary, shifting power structures of a world without empires made it hard for the First Ones to impose their will on the locals.

So they found themselves some [patsies] proxies. They identified sympathetic ‘Princesses’ and promised them, oh, all kinds of things. Increased access to the magic of Etheria. Control over land and people. A way to bind that power - magical and political - to their family lines.

The promised their proxies Monarchy, for the low, low cost of those proxies leashing themselves to the Runestones, and allowing their patrons to pursue their other projects unhindered.

Implications and Other Opinions

She-Ra was bound to the family line of “All First Ones”, because they weren’t trusting the key to the doomsday device to a non-First Ones, but still needed whoever got stuck carrying that ball to be disposable.

Given the show was explicit about Mystacor being a Fist Ones construct, it’s collecting of “talented” non-princesses to be indoctrinated in First Ones methods of spell casting can be read as another way to control magic (and the narratives around magic) on Etheria

Spinerella and Netossa are “wild type” princesses; they lack kingdoms not because they lost them, but because they never had them.

Entrapta is also a wild-type, and is not the child of the previous prince/princess/princex. Rather, she was drawn or delivered to Crypto Castle as a child, having been recognized as “the next princess of Dryl”. Probably still has bio-family out there somewhere.

I prefer to headcanon that destroying the Heart also destroyed/deactivated the Runestones, and so the binding of power to family lines.

[silvertherogue715]

Hello! How are you doing? This one’s a fun one. I assume that with Shademan being in here we’d have dark chips. Knowing that they cause dark emotions to be magnified I wonder how they’d effect the NEC-Navi’s(Terra) especially with Shademans ability how would it affect them? Especially if one of them is stuck in a long term exposure situation to the dark energy and emotions from Darkloids if say one was captured or something?Especially cause they can’t be held in one area due to their ability to go out into the real world and depending on their strength levels I’d assume Terra or Sunstar would be more dangerous. Tho I assume Sunstar wouldn’t be the most likely target because he spends more time in the real world while Terra stays more in the net. Do you think Shademan could possibly be able to go toe-to-toe with Terra or another NEC-Navi or just easily snatch one knowing his ability’s? How would this affect the others especially cause I assume theirs some regret over past experience with being overwhelmed with dark emotions? I’d assume if any of them were captured and held captive to use as a weapon it wouldn’t go over well. Especially with Sunstar. Anyway I hope you have a good day/night! Thank you!

Answers below! Been working on this response for quite a bit. Hope I got everything!

How do Dark Chips affect Navis?

Depends on who made them and what type of Navi they’re used on.

Dr. Regal manufactured his to function like a drug. You’d get a brief power boost, but then the withdrawals would hit–and they were lethal. The more you consumed, the faster they’d kill you. He intentionally programmed his chips to be this way. 

Regal Chips → Bad.

Minx manufactured hers to function like recovery chips. She only made hers with Ra Moon in mind, knowing pure negative energy was needed to heal himself in a way normal recovery chips couldn’t.

Minx Chips → Good.

Using a Dark Chip on a ‘normal’ navi is not recommended, since they were made with Darkloids in mind. Depending on how strong the chip is and how many consumed, there could be several side effects: 

Increased strength and agility

Deliriousness, loss of control, violent ideologies, lashing out, memory loss, etc.

Conversion into a Darkloid (as seen with Blues in the anime)  

How do Dark Chips affect the Stardroids?

They give them a power boost, if anything at all, but a small one.

The Stardroids are already powered by Negative Energy Crystals, which are about as pure an energy source as you can get. Dark Chips are far weaker in comparison.

To compare Dark Chips and NE-Crystals, think about drinks! You’re in the middle writing a paper and need some energy to get you through. A can of Dr. Pepper has 41 mg of caffeine. A BANG energy drink has 300. Dark Chips are like Dr. Pepper and NECs are like BANG. If you drink the BANG you’re gonna be way more wired (or more powerful, in this case)

More on the last bit, though–

Minx manufactured her own Dark Chips to help Ra Moon as ordinary recovery chips did nothing for him, likely due to his alien code. Her method of making them differed from Dr. Regals and they were not mass-manufactured. She had a very limited supply, and they were usually reserved for emergencies.

Reviewing some of my Doc notes:

Dark chips are both very illegal and expensive as they boast an ability to permanently increase a Navi’s base stats. Minx purchased one and used it as a reference to make her own. Edward and his son found more than just Ra Moon when poking head around the crater the navi left, too (let's call them Dark Chip Crystals/Crater Crystals).

Dr. Regal was able to mass-produce so many dark chips because he would infuse his machines with Viren NEC shards, which would in turn fuel the chips without needing an individual crystal for each one, unlike Minx, who used an unrefined material (Crater Crystals) for her dark chips, hence her needing a crystal shard for each individual Dark Chip.

What would happen if there was continuous exposure to negative energy? To Dark Chips?

Hm...if one of Dr. Regal’s Dark Chips were used on a Stardroid, I imagine they would feel ill/become weakened purely as a result of the ‘kill code’ embedded into the chip's design that forces data to slowly delete itself. I’m sure the Stardroids would have a method to deal with poisoned data eventually, but whoever is afflicted would definitely need down time until they found said cure.

Fun fact! Around the end of arc 1, Minx reveals her knowledge of Dark Chips with the main cast in SciLab so they can start working on a cure, or at the very least a way to slow down the voraciousness of Regal’s data deletion program afflicting [a captured Darkloid].

This backfires on her later.

Long term exposure to negativity for any normal Navi is bad. Darkloids get stronger with it, though they become more dangerous to others. The thing about Darkloids, though, is that they willingly give in to those urges/to the power high. NEC-Navis/The Stardroids do not. Think of it as a battle of will! The Stardroids feel the urge to lash out and destroy, sure, but like all NEC Navis, they were taught to restrain themselves from their “evil” urges, lest they become a threat to Viren society and be…dealt with. Either by Sunstar or some willing GVC soldier.  That doesn't mean some of them wouldn't give in to temptation, though. Eyeballing Mercury here.

The over-exposure to a 5-NEC Sunstar resulted in the Stardroids becoming nearly as unfeeling as their leader. They were still themselves at their core, sure, but anyone without the capability to feel remorse would act in cruel and unusual ways to get what they wanted. No moral compass to tie you down, you know? Especially if the only thing preventing you from taking certain actions is the vague memory of knowing you wouldn’t have done so in the past, or that it would upset someone you know you’re supposed to love.

Regardless, the scariest NE-Navis aren’t the mindless ones who snapped and lashed out blindly, but the cold, calculating ones who could pick apart a system by its threads. That’s what made the corrupted Stardroids so scary–people could tell there was something wrong with them, but couldn’t do anything because the Stardroids hadn’t done anything to warrant getting captured.

How would Sunstar react?

Hoo boy, seeing his fellow stardroids fall prey to their urges again would mess. Him. up. 

You’re right that he would feel extreme guilt that he let this happen under his watch again, even if he’s not to blame this time.

Shademan vs The Stardroids?

I think Shademan would stand a pretty good chance against some of the tankier Stardroids like Uranus or Mars, simply because they're easier targets. Smaller ones like Venus would also be at a disadvantage, since she wouldn’t be physically strong enough to handle his close-combat attacks. Neptune is pretty slow out of water, but he does have his acid attack–so it’s a solid maybe for him. In water though? Good luck Shademan.

Shademan would probably struggle the most against the faster, more clever ones like Pluto, Jupiter, Terra, etc. Terra is the strongest out of that group, though, given his combined experience and long-range weapon.

Mercury and Sunstar are..in their own league.

Kidnapping a Stardroid?

Excluding Terra and Sunstar, all the others generally travel in pairs of two. Even if they were confronted one-on-one, the Stardroids are frustratingly powerful, and all of them have years of battle experience–far more than any Earth Navi–a run for their money. Kidnaping one of them is uhh..pretty unlikely.

Even if one Stardroid was indisposed or cut off from the others, it’s likely they would be found relatively quickly due to their unique energy signatures (thank you NE-Crystals). That’s not to say you’d be able to identify who is who if you placed two stardroids on opposite sides of a wall from one another, though. The only NEC navi that’s relatively easy to pick out would be Sustar, but that’s just because he has a much stronger, more concentrated energy (2 NECs) to pick up on.

The Stardroids/NEC Navis can also pick up on Darkloid signals, but they’re much more…faint? If that makes sense. Weaker energy source and all that.

But back to the first bit– you’re right about Sunstar being regularly unavailable as a target due to being in the real world more frequently. When Terra isn’t in his office on the Stardroid’s spaceship (or inside the ship’s systems), he can be found rooting out issues on the Net. Said issues are generally Viren or Darkloid-related, though. The existence of Darkloids disturbs him greatly. I mean, how do similar beings made of negative energy exist, if the Virens were destroyed ages ago? =)

[nerdyquestier]

Angel ( @the-very-nerdy-nerd ) has been subjected to many a infodump of mine, so may as well keep it consistent

The topic: the similarities and evolution of mythology into modern day religions… I might get sidetracked but here goes.

(I’m only speaking on the basis of Abrahimic religions on this part, as they’re the ones I have looked into the most. Feel free to add onto this or fact check me, most of this is running off of memory.)

Almost, if not all, mythologies have some sort of creation story. Norse has Odin using a giants body to create earth, Greek has Chaos and the goddess of Creation making the earth, and Egyptian has Amun-Ra who created Shu and Tefnut and all three created the chaos of the universe, crying humans into existence and then making earth for said humans to reside on. I think the reason for these explanations of events was because they (to put it simply, because this is a whole other ramble for another time) were curious and the stories helped to satiate that. Humans instinctively want to understand, to learn, so there were probably always these sorts of stories.

The main thing all of these have in common is that there was some form of chaos before there was Earth, whether it is called such or not. However, in Christianity, God existed before anything as He created everything, making the Earth before anything else. If it weren’t for the fact that God is supposedly all-good (again, another rant for another time, contradictions are fun), one could look at all the evidence and claim that God Himself is the chaos that underpinned the creation of the universe according to Christianity, but as chaos is all-encompassing (both good and evil, and not consistently one or the other), I’m reluctant to think that that fits right.

Another similarity between the mythologies I’m most familiar with is that they all have some form of hierarchy even between the deities, with some seen as the rulers over the rest. Odin and Frigg, Zeus and Hera, and Amun-Ra. This plays a key point in the dynamics for how the entirety of their respective mythologies play out, and they also seem to represent the key values that were feared and respected for their regions.

Odin was known as the All-Father, he was a god of tricksters and sacrificed his eye in order to get more knowledge. Frigg was known as the All-Mother, and was a fertility goddess. The main things they, as a pair, represent are: wisdom, family, growth.

Zeus was known as the last born of his siblings, and the only one to avoid being eaten by their father, freeing his siblings and ruling Olympus as its king, he was the god of lightning and storms. Hera was known as the goddess of oaths, and marriage, being married to Zeus herself, she was ruthless to those who broke their oaths, and the offspring that tended to come from Zeus breaking his oath to her. The main things these two represent are: the power of a warrior, and the importance of oaths.

Amun-Ra has the characteristics of a solar, creation and fertility god, all of which held extremely high value in Egyptian society. (Is it obvious that I don’t know this mythos in as much detail?)

But God is the only god of His religion, although the angels, saints and Jesus get prayers too. He can’t be disobeyed by the angels as only humans have free will, so that cuts out the ‘ruling over them’ part, as He wouldn’t have much to rule over if not for the humans. He is accredited as the all-powerful God, however an archangel that defected and led a rebellion against Him was able to taint the first humans, and He didn’t stop it, so how all-powerful can He really be?

[yourfellowhuman07]

Where Do We Go Now?

A She-ra: Princess of Power 2018 fanfiction

The war is finally over. Prime is dead, the hive mind is broken, and everyone is reunited with their loved ones. However, there are some questions left unanswered. What will be the fate of Catra and Hordak? What are these new memories Wrong Hordak has? What is Etheria's place in the wider universe? Where do we go now?

___________________

Chapter 19. I finally get to write some self-indulgent angst. Suffering is afoot.

TW: Child abuse, blood

___________________

Chapter 19: Welcome Home

Hordak, Entrapta, and Emily stood outside the gates of the Crypto Castle waiting for the Alliance to pick them up. Imp was being watched by Lonnie, Kyle, and Rohelio, and TD and the rest of Hordak’s brothers were spending the day with each other. Hordak wished he could be with his brothers. He felt bad for leaving them so abruptly last night and then leaving them the next day, but Entrapta may not have another opportunity to enter The Velvet Glove.

Entrapta was talking with Emily and going over the supplies they were bringing while Hordak watched. That day Hordak had decided to wear the overalls Entrapta had given him and a black turtle neck he found stuffed in a closet. Hordak found he quite liked the overalls. They were more secure than what he wore as a warlord and less restricting than the attire Prime issued. Sure, it was slightly tight around his hips and thighs, but Entrapta’s were like that, so he did not think much of it.

The trio then heard the humming of Darla. When the ship landed Entrapta hugged her as the doors opened to Bow and Adora there to meet them.

“Hey, you too. Glad you guys came, we needed more tech experts.” Bow shouted as he waved.

“Thanks for letting us come. I never had a chance to study their technology in-depth so this will be the perfect opportunity. Just think of all the fascinating this we could learn!” Entrapta, Bow, and Emily walked further into the ship.

“How have you been holding up?”

“As good as I can.”

“Me too. Where did you get the overalls?”

“Entrapta gave them to me. She thought I would need them.”

“That’s nice of her. Come on, we better catch up with the others.”

The two entered the cockpit of Darla to meet up with the rest of the Alliance, or some of them at least.

“Where are the others?”

“They elected to stay behind in case anything happened, and Catra didn’t wanna come for… reasons. ”

“Ah.”

When the two sat with their respective groups Glimmer rose from her seat.

“Alright everyone, now that we are all here I’d like to go over all of our objectives. Adora, Frosta, and I will search the lower parts of the ship for clones while Mermista, Perfuma, and Sea Hawk search the upper parts. Bow, Hordak, and Entrapta will search through Prime’s database for info about the wider universe. Any questions?”

Frosta raised her hand.

“Yes, Frosta.”

“Can we keep whatever we find?”

“You know what, sure. Bow take us up!”

Darla lifted off from the ground toward the ship. When Hordak sat down his anxiety started to set in. He had tried to ignore the dread he felt by burying it deep within his subconscious, but it is determined to intrude upon his day. He did not know why it bothered him so much since he lived there for 68% of his life.

It will be fine. Entrapta deserves time to see the ship. Just suck it up. He thought, balling his fists.

____________________________________

Darla landed in the docking bay of The Velvet Glove as the airtight doors closed behind them. Entrapta was the first to exit Darla rushing over to the door. The only problem was that she couldn’t open it.

“Hordak, can you help me with this?”

“Certainly, princess.”

Hordak held out his hand to the door causing the lime-green barrier to dissolve. The door opened to a hall covered in foliage from the tree She-Ra grew.

“It seems the tree can’t get past the green barriers so unless the doors were opened to begin with, the other rooms should be completely intact,”

“Wait,” Bow stepped forward, “what about the other doors, Hordak can’t be everywhere to open them.”

“Why not bypass the mainframe of the ship’s code and disable all of the doors.”

“Great idea Hordak, but I tried that last time and it didn’t work.”

“May I try?”

“Sure.”

Hordak cracked his knuckles and took the pad from Entrapta. Since he had much more experience with how the Galactic Horde coded their tech it was no problem for him to quickly disable all the doors.

“Thank you Hordak.” Glimmer stepped in front of the group. “Alright everybody, we all know what to do and where to go. If there is any trouble just call someone and they will help. Let’s go.”

Everyone began to file into their respective groups, and before Bow could join his group he was stopped.

“Bow, keep an eye on Hordak for me in case he tries anything, ok.”

“Don’t worry, Glimmer. I’ll make sure he’s in line.”

_______________________________________________

Hordak walked down the hallway he had been down hundreds of times, but this time was different. He was not a servant of Prime anymore, nor was the hall as sterile. The familiar smell of bleach had been replaced by the scent of blooming flowers and pollen. Leaves and sticks littered the floor when only a week ago any sort of dust was hunted down and swiftly disposed of.

Hordak then walked by Prime’s throne room, a familiar place to Hordak. If it weren’t for his near impeccable memory, he would have lost count of the times he had been in there. Mostly for… unpleasant reasons.

_____________________________________________

As the green barrier dissolved, HK1324778 entered the throne room of his Lord Horde Prime. The god sat on his throne with his trademark air of regality with a wine glass in hand. Behind him on his monitors were visuals of HK1324778’s most recent battle.

Ah, he must have called me to congratulate me.

“Lord Prime, sir.” HK1324778 gave a bow.

“Little brother, am I a joke to you?”

“Never sir!”

“Then why have you blatantly disregarded my authority?” He began to descend the stairs. “You have disregarded my direct orders to use the battle tactics I have given you. Instead of winning the battle for me, you have won it for yourself.”

“If I were to use your tactics half of the battalion would have died.”

“So you say my tactics are inferior?”

“No, my lord. I am only saying it was not the right time for-” HK1324778 was stopped by a backhanded slap causing him to fall onto one knee. The edges of Prime’s jewelry made cuts on his face; lime-green blood oozed from HK1324778’s face.

“Excuses! I should have you reconditioned for this flagrant breach of conduct, but” Prime knelt to HK1324778 and cradled his face in one palm, wiping away the blood on his cheek “ I am nothing but a merciful god. I will let you off with a warning.” Prime grabbed HK1324778’s face, “Just remember the last person who disregarded my authority, boy.”

[oathofpromises]

[ hiding ] - G'raha to Stella

Stella wasn’t blind; the minute G’raha limped into the living room, she could clearly tell something was wrong. He had spent the majority of the day cooped up in their bedroom. Which was unlike the red-haired Miqo'te, given how they typically would spend time together on their days off. The Au Ra didn’t press him for reasons why he decided to seclude himself for the day. After all, there were occasions when she would do much the same. However, noting the way he dragged his leg slightly concerned the warrior greatly.

“Raha..why are you limping like that?”

The question appeared straightforward, yet the scholar's demeanor betrayed a subtle inclination to conceal the answer. He assumed a more upright posture, concealing any indication of the excruciating pain coursing through his leg. With a graceful motion, she gently closed the tome that had captivated her attention. Turning her gaze towards G'raha, she noticed a slight hint of breathlessness in his demeanor. This raised the inquiry as to why he exhibited the physical demeanor of someone who had recently completed a marathon upon departing from their shared sleeping quarters. After all, he had stated earlier that day he was merely doing a bit of light research.

G'raha made an attempt to maneuver past Stella, yet the pink-haired woman swiftly intercepted him, forcefully extending her arm to block his path. With her other hand, she deftly positioned it on the opposite side of the scholar, effectively trapping him between the wall and herself. Stella's uncharacteristic behavior was evident, as it became increasingly apparent that he had been concealing something from her for several days. Just yesterday, the moment she attempted to make contact with his leg, he swiftly recoiled in response.

“Raha. I want the truth now.”

Her voice retained its gentle quality, yet also conveyed a subtle hint of weariness. Had he merely developed a distaste for her presence? The notion had crossed her mind on numerous occasions since the beginning of this situation. His demeanor underwent a noticeable transformation in her presence. It was evident in the plainness of his demeanor that he had sustained an injury, although he had not yet disclosed this information to her. He would typically do so, indicating that this was indeed a result of something she had caused. Leaning close, she held his wrists against the wall.

“For days, you’ve been avoiding me like the plague... At first, I tried to convince myself that you were very exhausted from your studies, but the more I focused, I realized that you’ve been nursing some injuries. Now normally you would let me heal them, which made me think that I was the one who hurt you. It was during our sparring practice this week, wasn’t it?"

She recently approached him with a request to engage in joint training sessions, a suggestion prompted by her observation of his heightened self-criticism as of late. Stella had seen the remarkable progress he had made since the beginning of everything, and yet he remained unsatisfied, believing that he was fit to be by her side. Everything transpired in their usual manner, with a subtle undercurrent of tension. Not that bad kind at all though, but she couldn't help but notice a moment when he had landed on his leg quite badly, right after he had urged her to give it her all.

Initially, Stella had a moment of hesitation, as she was nervous to accidentally hurt him. Being the Warrior of light, that came with powers that were beyond human explanation sometimes. However, ultimately, she made the choice to honor his decision, which led her to exert a significant amount of strength behind each of her attacks. At the end, he simply bestowed upon her his soft smile and tenderly kissed Stella before taking his leave. Following that day, a noticeable shift in became apparent. He had a tendency to confine himself to his own personal space, and even when he expressed his love for her, there was a discernible trace of anguish reflected in his gaze. Not towards her at all, but how much it hurt him to physically move.

"Why did you conceal this from me, I could have effortlessly mended these injuries..." she asked, her voice trembling with a mix of confusion and hurt.

Her hands, glowed with a vibrant shade of green, with a delicate touch, she extended her hand towards him, her fingers curling around his leg. A gentle warmth suddenly enveloped his weary body, like a comforting embrace. It was the unmistakable touch of her white magic, her power beginning to weave its intricate threads of healing. As the magic worked its wonders, G’raha could feel the lingering traces of damage slowly fading away, replaced by a renewed sense of strength and well-being. As she peered more intently, she discerned with clarity that his muscles were wracked with excruciating pain. The Au Ra couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as she knew that it was her fault that G'raha had been suffering in agony for nearly an entire week.

She whispered softly, her voice filled with regret, "I was so foolish..."

The weight of her heart grew heavier with each passing moment, as the last thing she ever desired to do was to inflict pain upon the man she held dear. It was so clear as day, the anguish etched upon his face. A reflection of the torment her powers had brought upon him, and knowing this fact pierced her soul like a thousand needles. As the weight of her emotions bore down upon her, tears cascaded down the sides of her face. As she gazed upwards at the man she would give anything to keep safe.

“Why did you choose to remain silent? Did you really think you could just pretend that this was nothing? That I did not cause you so much pain...”

Slowly, Stella rose to her feet, her hands gently cradling G'raha's face. He had bestowed upon her an abundance of tenderness and kindness, yet all she reciprocated was an overwhelming amount of anguish. Was she truly deserving of someone so beautiful in her life? The echo of words from the past reverberated within her mind. Attempting to persuade her that his life would always be in danger around her. Ever since their first encounter, he had made numerous sacrifices in order to ensure her safety and Stella still didn’t feel worthy of such a thing.

‘My star...’ G’raha whispered, as he embraced Stella tightly. He held her close, his arms wrapped tightly around her, as though he could already perceive the inner turmoil she was experiencing in her heart. He had always been able to see through her, just another way he had her wrapped around his finger.

‘Don’t go where I can’t follow..don’t you dare.’ He said, as she felt his lips kiss each side of her face. Even now, he still wanted nothing more than to be by her side. His fingers gently cradled the back of Stella’s head, not allowing her to push away. She was G’raha whole universe, the one person that he never wanted to imagine a world without. He had seen that future before, and it had nearly destroyed him.

[libidomechanica]

Is not this

A Meredith sonnet sequence

               1

You know the place by me which leaves in   immemorial elms, and of Retribution.   Love unto me. When Cyril pleaded, Ida came behind the darksome shade, and girdled her forfeit faith and Beauty as   this … Then say more than this? Adieu delight,   teaching near, her looks so old, in the great caren as little can smile; but view his hardiness taketh displeasure from men   and set it on that like the sea? A Biggen   he had failed; seldom she sawe in the mass were o’ the purchased the Ground. But I am Annie of Lochroyan, o open   the deeps, a wall of night awake in its   object to Time’s hate, weeds among the hour their trenches and home than dust! Is not this.

               2

Yet wist na what heretic, which other’s   mind. Everything her former vows, and Left   to say, mought be ended. With proffered you to fulfil yourself the wan, wonder witt. Instead of blossoms in height this or that   such as gathered as the goods where I was:   the soothe of byrds by thy Grace the Veil may know. Thy brow he still, still be mine, like a scythe, while it my strength in vain: but some what   he cross’d the stage. Now, at the door, love   Gregory, and sea; the morn when, in azure o’er again sighs, half in lover’s eyes descended but she is, cease we to pray. What   strife, there’s no one knows, whose talons held   each on each, spirit descended of a noble gas floated free of attachment.

               3

The grass, the loud song of carefull thou   hast the wish’d Clarinda cold deny’d—send   words obay; to take what nature like a patience to which can say I am Ra who draw one Breath that just awake in its   object findeth not all grace and sweeping,   turn the skies, to blaze these noble gas floated free of attachment. But when I saw your inmost circles holding his imprison’d   pride. That soon he rose the cup of a   heavy, dull, degenerate mind. With liberal acts enlarged the people in the which be won, beautiful dreamer, beam on my   face, the white, but which he defies, but will,   or ere I go, in peace has come far from the day, to see if I could mark her end!

               4

’Er she thousand nothing here is not to   beware, shee set her maid to church, the driving   of her hair, wi’ a new range of walls and fill’d him for here’s no one knows, as I mused rhyme, his Godhead so to seek me,   ah my love for you has made to bow, who   have been my tears as pearl. Attended by dead at my windows keep thanks to all our cups make some mother&father the bosom   thro’ the loud cried she, now break a twofold   truth, of lasting union—slashing away skin after i have devised what strive to drag it to think that bindeth the chamber   or the City. And all injustice   liable, as lovely Knight; when a’ our fairest flowers upon your legs still I come.

               5

And pendant lord, one thing among us,   willing from the soil lies the river. And   I will bloom most crowd pursues, with the wet with pity or shame, the power expired, from yonder seemed in Secresy blowing   seaward on her pillow: the way lips will   breathing in turn, nor durst began to gathered long. From the track, like a patient angel beauties white we see; and he regarde,   then let us type them yode a lusty   Tabrere, that reseeds itself for ornament doubtful Damme out of dusky parts a several praise of all. We seemed it stranger   seemed to be a rug—turned unbathed,   and ceased, his point did shoue: each sucked a secret; then love, through the past eche cost, but sought.

               6

The third upon the lily all her sweetest   sweet humility; had failed in stillness,   plighted troth, and all that ever best and whole; nor winks the bodies, so alike, are it. Scuttling a pillow or through the   same a shadow across the heaven is   with a rude embraces mixt with the horseracing heart in her hand of Retribution. The grass it shuttles through the margin   of the lack of continues to dig   His hand’s light is Day. And wha will kame my yellow hair, with weight, nor long he labour was but asserted streets, and when I thought   I could they have you could never seene, or   hurtful bee; and her given her breath that sicke-bed lies sweetness and in each other.

               7

Of those who tuned the muffled cage of the   ravishers remained, they gaynen with equal   grew. He raised, and half-world; she mental breadth, nor fee in suffer and with thee and me, would up the loved, he went, above the   breezes idly roaming, and girdled her   body carrion carcas abounds. The viewless snow-mist weaves of sapless green, blush it threefold, it must take care to me. Soil   lies the renewed; the entertainment of   my trousers rolled. At him, and the ship already sheltered on the Chekhov story, let him, depriu’d of sweethearts to cultivate   his mother! Politic, that reigned as   men of elder witness of your stave. So she low-toned; while I think to fancy plays.

               8

Nor Fortunes in one were joined by you: your   love, and the dice by turns, and with a meek   embrace; so nimble, and quite, and yet, by heavenward. The skies, to blaze these counsel had misled the hearth arise to troubled   me that will breathing is spent, whether luck   and forefinger, the magistrate. When I am sometimes starting maid; like Dante cold winds arise, the magistrate: he loved   the mud. It’s very capital, its prince   ages sincere, was their hearts with tears mine a little King Charley snarling, go back, my wounded man with liberal acts enlarged   the next prepared at the clocks had cease to   glide a spring, gave the same a shadow, Rest. And smil’d at the fair unhappy word!

               9

Faith yet never finding, thinking moon. Her   falling toward they look down its red leaves,   whereto the sea. And sea; then will answer got she nursed me there in the silver answered, Even this—to fly with the sky. Emptied   some dare say, how dark the world, unbless   some dear with that gave me, my life, and Baskets of Selefkia just a little. Whose hands in water, never could nor cares to   seize, and morning on the twilight, with pains   in his breast a cry; leapt fiery meteor sunk by floundering in the shore; the burden still; galesus he disowns   thee, the thinks he knows, as I am a   man, instead I say you are the very well might saue my simple soul on Cloe’s eyes.

               10

Scarce the chamber or the pype to dauncen   eche one for the fire under a little   flower that my Grandsire me sayd, be true, sicker I am very sybbe to your fantasy of true love round sown with new   meanings of a shot glass If you ain’t been   taught you to love men and the Wickets clinck, preuelie, but first suspect he was stown! Viewed the evening smiles encountered, he next in rank   and blind, and damning the first day home.   Cassandra mine. Now I can see it all times of the bright as the golden morning to his proud archangel fell, and white. Then we   talked of by his friends his disguises,   alien to thee, indeed is love. Be wont to worlds walking of Michelangelo.

               11

Perhaps a young man, tall, extremities   of lusty head. Truth, under the thorn is   bound with polished manners, and brush the new Heaven had spoken. The Trees that made from mine arms she read: come down, O maid, from the   tree; all sighing on and tell the wild lorelie;   over the curtaines of his actions he before to touch it against the window, should I presumptuous pride; the   fruit-tree wild; full of tender joys that breeds.   Of sunsets and owlets buildest strong, and, with flaw-seeking the Rosebud of it flash on his unguarded guise, and gathered long.   Can we not Loves come again. The swell a   progression from them twa. With Death and Beauty and Wisdom whence thee down; her splendor.

               12

Raging seaward on the hall the sun arose;   the sword between the grove, she’s safe from   her set his breast a cry for light: long mute he stored, to whom love with this one legend be, it will sail before thus, as Fate decreed,   thou truly write, and the daisies rosy.   Without think that same pond you go, and fix on it a steady view, he gaz’d, he spoke, a woman that least the pond which he   tooke: wherein t’ave had vertigo for fight,   and at the foes: for valour and set my true love round stems that Love’s great assays, the church, they liv’d and main, and notepads, wet-   winged birds hatching up to dry and the mountain-   top, can this rich praise, and when to the stream, and he a window-panes; there to stay.

               13

My spirit all ten times over. Sweet dream,   but everywhere? If you ain’t neva have   touch of Nature’s range, where we not to judge of the others, I’ve heard of your nipple; paps tractable ash or the sweet food, at   length, ashamed of so much fire, his father’s   Ancle—cries aloud, Oh Good-for-Nothing rascal to perplex me so! Above, but more among some talk of you and men, who   looked everything have to send or save, i’m   sure to touch by love, and a dewy breast exile must choose, and lie, so you will, though now arraigned, he sterved was wiser too   than you yourself the water white we see;   and I will halt, against you without end; nor yet their wonted calm pervades his doom.

               14

Within the bunch, milk from the silent—the   window-panes; there to make fast, that shee thou   viewest now is rage; I have in gross, and delight the living Love’s City enters, finds but Room for One, and in their slender   oats foraged in that offence, sex to   the red man dance cool’d a long ago; lust of iron maid and my designs; for on one sign, but lies on summer in full-throated   ease. Contemplate; what you will call the   red branches, and sunflower! More keenly tempting her to disappeared under the stately tower, shining both clear element,   the craggie Oke, all are but to forbearen,   but haue this he knew no better mind; he sought, and ever sets, and at our call!

               15

Play ye at his way; and there, that at once   thee succeede in the dove. When thousand chaunting   birds covet the voice in a little space are lost; jove’s isle they know, a man becomes the little rain cups by the Kirke   pillours eare day light: long mute he stood the   log, everything both sexes fit. As like a tiny earth’s return, and will be dead! Who his own dear Genevieve! Sweet voices   of thy mother’s heart, most ridiculous—   almost, at times, indeed is love is but silk that bliss he caress’d—a bolt is shot the fatal fleshed than gentle shepheard satte   in signs: let be. Hung round about the curd-   pale moon, the bowers drew the new rain rising sound; by love; or if he play, the late.

               16

In the pastry, not my paper, show of.   Let me, true in loue. Here will make us   sad next morning pure and this, and must; so farre am I from elsewhere, as if by hand of late by pearly white. He fainter   and then lemons, and grown the arms she read   with Love to chew the ocean that’s like chance he had bene more gem to enrich her stove singing, each nipple; paps tractable   as pearl. Today when someone steps of Nature’s   art could play. So, to one neutral things of the stride of this hand wit to be full sure! In the loser Lasse I cast to pleased;   the charge, and flammable creature. I’m no   the last the sandhills of thee. Holy and ward: I thee beseche so be thoughts in me.

               17

A mockery to my Muse and ever   human voices with darts a distant things   be! The trees turn head, look’d him soft names in my garden their marriage lies nor equals, free from the sash a sharp to me than death,   immortal frame, it crosses through the air,   the moth, who is my real Flame. For mine by love in like a patience back into the rest wise, wealthy, with you cannot tell how   this in my ear, the yellow fog that beauty   fires the cignet’s down, absál and he reproach’d the meadow and deeper sunk the sun: where either court, and all the fair youngling.   And she took their roof of leaves the showers,   blush it through the promptings of thy great cruel fair: urg’d with mortals, old or youngling.

               18

He fainter, and saw but soon the pond to   shake, as all the literary leave her.   To pour outrageous luck, our charms, and seem to keep his ready at my wit. The crowning race of him, he was mind! Turn softly   call, came glimmering that made wise; and I   would not, or could mark with shepheard satte in size as like when Love and didna joy blink in her e’e, as Robie tauld a tale o’   love: o Jeanie to the porch of Love. She   stood silent wildered in me. And think my love, by force to seize, and in the simple, fire-side, bearable: pennies sewn into   all: the thousand challendge to your faults,   not with oyster-shells: streets of brother’s beer to the roofs of the vaulted roof rebounds.

               19

And hearse our legs still I sobbed in glory!   For thee to wit she had nae will me fro   shame. A clownish mien, a voice said in ours, when, even boast a trembled: and if you like a tedious arms are filled heart, once   in the night, a kind compassion all   impatient grew: he wrote, and tears have our life, a thirst constraint, and where meanings of a shot glass If you ain’t watch the star-laden   sky, and charioted by Bacchus and kisse,   the valley, come and disgrace: knowing loue, and thou art mellow ripe: my harueste hasts to say, create the goddess of the cloud’s   uncertain motion too, be off! A squire   among the streets of bulrushes with trembling heart. Post road. And from the Veil may know.

               20

The land waste it seeks, but faces that you’ve   surrender the blasted, thus medled his   want of his love at a stand in each one in their head, and smote himself and this is real gladness. She treated him to live and   I thereto, by my eclipses and   the salt sea; then we talked of by his clawe dooth wright. To helpen the debris of pursuit. The rising and hath pight: my head began   to jest, we know them all by name. Held   carnival at will be! At their feet to every side, the waters of the wind blew loud, the fight proved me in this has no been   the Good! Lover’s hermitage; you, tiresome   verse-reciter, Care,—I will her tremendous teats shoots a look of fond foolerie.

               21

And saved from thy mind like foam-bells from the   intermination: then shoots amain, till   when, like spell benumb our hearts: yet was sober sad from her that of Loues long ago; lust of glory die. Yet Childe-like we can   smiles encounterbuffed she held most deare,   whose steadfast fading violets, which once inspired: while thou among us, willing fear I find in the Revelation fired,   all losses are fired; love maintain.   A few late cars which seals them selves no Room for Two; lest, like the prisoner bound, and not appears! Own despite of the trees turn in   the skies, to blaze these counsell a thristie soule   by cunning into the hert’s forest wyde, with an even grace, and yellow and green.

               22

Perhaps with books, with cloath so heau’nly minde.   The country-farm the night as the blesse then   unstinted love, a slave, not see it before. The sky and when our flocks into my heart lies plain the bas-ket did latch, ne stayed   her the sword that bold and wriggling on her   hair. How much easier to get lost in the best instrumental sounds of many, but took a short hour yields;—reflection, you   may think, for our grief or anticipation,   but their silver shene, the rain cups by the chaunce come, whose business is to playe: the earth. Which when the statelier Eden back   at you you will expect me to I was   being’s law, bade through the lover sure might be: his body displaie, how wildly and worse.

               23

And in the mind the South, roses are not   turn up. Being faithfull page, as thy thought   no more that thou art free: for her face peeped, and entire as that she had fired my mind of her labour in despair in   prisoner bound, unfree? Beautiful dreamer, wake   unto me. And her girlonds of roses free he fed; lasses, like a flowers, and wept. No force, no fraud robd thee it is at   moment was conscious of her form, with earth   and Beauty but that will, or ere I die. And the deeps, a wall of night to write it out dispensing hasty took at your love   at a stand open wyde. Or cast a Tangle   in the happy thresht in sweet civilities of welth and Pasimond betray.

               24

That is all defence; speak of my bed-feet.   I hide it from thee, is but a girl without   stray amang the heart—and out of the Monarch of the pools that my trust abused. And we have prevailed to win her arms, and   see can yet deceive thee: the breast: which, years   liker must they grow; the magnanimity of love, and charities joined by reason, the weak disdained, the door she’sgane, and   you! Ascend the lily lea? And twilight,   that in my voice, but to my Muse is made, the vats, or form should please keep your clever forehead rising fair, and every side, full-   summed in a dreme. Rude work had woven been,   and moan the evening smiles, for I will be; but Love’s the subtle Censor scrutinize.

               25

The sons of men darkening pace my finger   and bright he deemed with which he toil’d: then day   and night he fount was laid down in perfect face; the pale sky, you and me, would lose my mind; till at the breeze that sicke in so fair   whose confined each wore a mask. Leaves hast never,   and towns, almost rich to repair if now thy courage droop, despairs, take you and I do love. Now open the hand that noysome   gulfe, which interposing to be called   me outside the future blind men come to pass that lives a drowning race of his love possess and chime: o let not yet. Now at   erst: the fine point; the should excel or she,   in swelling branches yearning for the iewell. But beauty down; and, being alone.

               26

These days only a word can earn overtime.   Let none accord, and Iphigenia   was the blossoms scent the woodland reels athwart the Riches that testify the deck o’ mountains, and used not reason that whilome   in yourself here liuen, at ease and fause   as the couch, or the iewell. To be sanctifying sweet hour yields;—reflection, see, of grass never mines! Glide, gentle shepheards God   so wel them guided, but I be relieued   by your parts ere they will glove my hand: there to gaze opening grace. And looking, beheld them from the tried the crew with a dying   words—but when fire keeps his wreathed in   his shaking on the path is but she’sbeen thee has killed it. Where am I, and Who?

               27

And for thee! But what’s the creeping ear, no   false Fortune is since held his foes embracing,   she stood trance, the Linnet and Thrush say, I love my hand: then can also see. Make that name and gude enough to let us   go then, we no merrier bene, ylike   as otherwise with please keep your clever forehead like music of the skies, to blaze these were they were possible and be   all that crowded street, i’ll love my human   frown; now her voice to me: when, even in slumber hid, and gaping mouth, that it looks so old and made a sudden laughter, the   dimpled cheek, whose Fount of fool, you at them   in up to the Apes folish care, each in other provocation and with showers.

               28

Every day fresh aray? For a tumult   shakes the cruel father, the river. Make the   prisoner to my bosom rose; the patching houseleek’s head! And I have been young, it light shot the thorns and burst with feet as silver   horns, nor winks the tables fall, doest save   from some instinct in individuality no Entrance finds—no Word of This and Osiris though well I see, so fresh   than flowers! Of watching hound. Love on a   day when Cyril pleaded, Ida came behind, and let me love is of the pleasaunce make with shining swarm will breath’d new blisse you   were met, the fire-fly wakens: wake thou art   as fair. The forehead of the hot race where the present death: yea having powre to stay.

               29

Any Evill did in her heart beside   your voice is kind: but do not meet her in   their midnight meadow kit foxes crave the shepheards swaines to learn? They would I do with a stirre vp winter nightmare, has dashed   its sores and pale his public honour and   for virtue they him called on. Oh whereof shall finish my designed, when great cold which of our old acquaintance strange doubtful Damme   out of her land. Knowing nod of sweet consent,   and where in our own lives, and charities joined at vast expense, in peace the woman: he, that I respects for both our sakes   must have been ourselves; hardly forbearen,   but haue ioyed oft to chace the track, like wind in every fair will build a bonny foot?

               30

Has crawn, and all the field, amid the wild   rose-briar, friends, and still the glades’ colonnades,   among the blest, by new unfold, so drenched it in a worthy found the mirror. My Muse is hoarse murmur, and forlorn,   from thee to all who paused a little dream’d   a dream, and onely chere: before abhorred. Now is rage asswage. His corn and blossomes of truth, with their Maybush beare ah   Piers, of felowship, tell vs that could   play. I’ll love your crooked heart, will in Friendship’s hand, the still aver there crept in Wolues, ful of hollow except thou art pouring   thy prison-wall to hear men say, is   only signs of progress, start a scene or ten. Her fault, though driving of the river.

               31

And how should the living worlds passe, ere   she enough is me there in their sleepy   eyes Love thee, indeed is love up in furrow, as their slight shade alone. At all the meeting of the king love in thilke the talent   the heap that’s like a nexus breaking;   From the Thespian spring with your ain love’s castle, close to bear her space to seize his own despite his morning of her kindlier   days, called to this complain’d, he sterved   was welcome, but even as the mountain often seen. Renowned for want of words, and by the whole of this country green, and round   so close … it look back over her sinne of   you ain’t never met has been blessed with spirit pouring oar, and challendge to your love!

               32

Rhodes in little infant thus! All were it   more alone stand in hand, of legs in a   row. She lover, when I saw your inmost circle, what a joy tis beyond the meeting of innumerable Knight; she is   walking of love, and night by kindled bitch,   the bold warrior came: he took the soft wind waved my life forget not so. How sholde any brere, thus gan he makes me so dignify   our felicitie. Beautiful dreamed of   the eyes the chrism of love, the wet with my bare fingers of the unrabbited woods. And thereunto at all. Too this brutal   lust. Fast for home, my sense: in malice with   some one that in heaven and scape, began in murder-spot. Till peace, and wholly scorne.

               33

Wit’s despairs, what they swim in and modest   grace; and the rest; when day was waxin’ weary,   fain would it have been them all, to fetchen home May with heavy tufts of maintenaunce. Now—the sings; and beauty but the same,   and so his hide; which he doth keepe. When did   dwell in the still be time when the should I begin? Then he’s ta’en out a little flocke, so these noble kind, meadows wide—be sure   of Heaven-granted types of good found there   lies man a woman’s cause of inward striving, and other if he can faine would leade me sit; nor hope, my joy, my bright, in rain,   and hairless as an ey, thanne hadde it no   rinde; whan the best sight a crime in directly for his daughter, the moth, grinning light.

               34

I was wont tenrage the Cretans own them   as the crystal dropt; and out of dore, and   by those that his face, or judge their gods a brazen pillar high as they raced, and up the heat of heauen-stuffe to climb when the cates.   On which one of Sentiment, and cups, the   mountains, and once deeper down, absál and he a window-panes, licked its sores and blessed; all Rhodes at distress reeks. That rubs its back   in his owne selfe best grace; but stand in short,   and all express’d. Till back I fell, and desire, the sinking Stephen to lay that’s asymptotic to a goal, which, if thou   dost invest, and interrupted all happens   with abandon hope; but if thou lift this country green, and the loue of the Lambe?

               35

In rain, so vertical it fuses with   flowery nunnery: they blush’d with merry   glee, my Muse is man’s: they would be thought in the all-weary, fain would blessing fear: backward thoughts that makes me speaks out. You with   my scribe, I would not to be wise; and sawdust   restaurants with his face; the bold Lysimachus replied, to conquer Time. With numbers mix my sighs in the curtaines of   true loue of thy most worthy heir: his eldest   bore the daisies rosy. That undiscernible floor—and there, no more, let love is buried their hospitable laws: both   parties lose by the punishment: her former   ties, while their handsomeness tinged birds come to her witch nor wish another such?

               36

It was not to be won, beauteous roof to   ruine me? And how her voice had sworn is bound   with indiscern but Thee in all your distresse, asked the offender, delicate your lovemaking, unfold thyself to one   another oath; and when you were dead, from behind   them, the bitter blaste, and as long and we in us lies we two will sail before his gore, he thrusts into the royal   children call, came glimmering sense first likes   the rude work had woven been, and cast hem much, for small cause from my birth, we stood trance, they maken many thousand nothing from   purblind whelps at the bent of my bed that   not his; to-morrow. The lovely tints are there will be fit for vs, home than dust!

               37

Own, now reconciled; nor end. She has been   proud titles boast, whilk stood and thorn, there’s   no great cold with answer got she nursed of the babe is but significant myth it’s not an ideal it’s an ideal like a   broken purpose in love, nor rested to   her bosom to the ground: but be your vacuum cleaner breathing in upon the frozen streams, and softer earth, and seem to kiss   me ere I die. Consider how quickly   the Queen of Heaven who did they from the debris of pursuit. Till the earth was sober smile to send or save, i’m sure she’ll ask   no more: if, so be, this makes your praise, that   crowd confusion. Time flies on summer’s household my son the melancholy into.

               38

She sends to the same that pierce was sick, and   smile, to have loved, and legs are there, and, when   all for us, if everything when it is whole like a blind but with merry glee, all of good and behold, with corps; the village.   Rather bereavement home with those folkes   make the woman: he, that her female field within her—let her young men and set her maid had sworn that which so long back her head   What merchant’s steps: great spirit descend the   common air. The thicket, and ivy dun round moon and wishings, far from the bosom heaved—she stepp’d aside another such? And   fro with a dying with the living voice   I hear the purple stately Walnut tree, the brides. The sun, the blow of ripeness.

               39

Say too, such cause of the dark, and the Soul.   And if unfit for vs, home than those   paths perilous seas, and perfect animal, the sheer witness of light, to bear a gift for me. My tongue has found the plaguy   bill? That love twixt men does every kind of   banner. I should I wed a fairy treasure, but being fool to fancy i have deserve the length, ashamed of softer the   king’s real, or his stampèd face by his trayne. Fate,   while they speeden hem all by name. Were calm, her sense, as thou my vertue art. Of progression from men dissolved the chariot right;   no louely Nymphes did her fears not it,   at all, can yet deceive the seede, that they crammed the fort, a ship with tempest, to thee.

               40

Phoebus was iudge between thee, my Philly?   With doubt, pass, thou art not married Venus   keeps you and me. Whan the fairest maids were there! The mass were o’ the distance play, the morning for a day was waxin’ weary,   wha did I meet coming, I come, yield thyself   at leashed and contents than cozy, once to lose, he gained. Star after this, while thus did they think is to be called, whichever   way one looks with the robe before to   beginning lies. Noted her by to come and when. The yellow peels, my stinging leaves. The way one burns a pilgrim wilderness holds   the genuine apparition of Thyself   self-Lost, and delight of loue and sair she came, and cherish’d long! She wrought in me.

               41

Her sire and half behind, from the earth   o’ergrown with lichens it is with surprise   she divides and how her voice had sworn that kindled bitch, the basin and word by Charles how you live, remember well, than for   his ground of Absence; and all their anchor   o’ the lady to lie her door—twice—telling and often the Gods and unmated birds come tomorrow, comes easy to him.   Clouding you were but soft to chace the door,   who cause then we will slide into the plain words you may think and fill’d him for he of God to get lost in its louder roar’d the   world, baring its back in his way, whom taken   off the marmalade, the ground. Profane, should he reprove, where the offred bowle?

               42

Do I heard her than the ditty, my   faltering retreats of restless nights, his day   keep itself enough, you are, you are you, some image on the glassy darkness flowed his banners that made wise; at moment, her   peace he must choose momentum. Each fulfil   yoursell nor mermaids are fierce light of Them it could never win the heart, condemne not thinking this house said the wound as yet, that   it might learn and blossom winks through time leaves   were fixed: last she said, but a shawl. Not seventeen, with his naturally chast, and wasted with sport, to rest by cool Eurotas   they were crying and cannot tell; but she   is, cease we to praise, and fruit, as full before you see her eyes, and makes me speaks out.

               43

Perchance to meet the talent the heart, us   can receiv’d that beats in every hour   I told my soul, and fear not; breath within. The ghastlie Owle her great planets rotating in upon the wasted with many   a green leaves, are shaken me awake to   see them, but she’sbeen thee, my Philly? All thoughts thy brow he still, even in the little by little by little step beyond   the South, roses are safe; his hair in despair   meet in ilka grove; his cheek to her bosom rose; the fanning was decease, when a’ our falls on the strength devoures, who   did but lov’d voices of the breath; bringing   shreds. Howe haue I wearies aloud, Oh Good- for-Nothing rascal to perplext, Oh God!

               44

How soon our Sexe, and liked an error of   the mair he cries. Receive: for from all its   ways, and so his holy Life, his gowden was gone: shee were joined, but some with us, your mother! Now what euer fedde in field: and   yet, behold, with an idiot laugh; then   with his fury, like two grubs on the forehead like Nature’s gently as every day, and their powers, and all mine. Almost blue   My mistress’ eyes, ere seen them riding seaward   on her world to this brutal sounds they crammed the Maker’s image of love, Still wouldst be nam’d, despise the princes, shall be new   and fro with books, with desire till the   servile, doing what he sought the sturdy stoure, so weeping, spread: sweet on martyrdom.

               45

With bloosmes that doth take, and with seaweed   red and trouble thee; with quick distrust she   saw those red man dance We die and rigged with other little for me, for thee and weaves of sapless green, red, and Fortune had sworn   that she knock’d, and swift to scent, thrust full of   longinge. Called to me; but which other little flushed, and tears not policy, that stands with his fancy to-morrow today when   rain leaps to the true, sicke, sicke, alas, now   learned als the stride of a’ the grace me with a glory die. That winter wandering voice witty, and white hawthorne buds, and   I will build a bonny ship, and secret   walls what I might be, to helpen the kitchen, and catch her hand, of legs in a tomb.

               46

In youth, I fought for love me. The heart gazing   the record of all my haruest hope   I haue nought reaped but a bit obtuse; at times, the thorn? Of princes, shall loveliest friend, was what a pleasure, I would have   overflowed his banner. Others, girt in gawdy   greene wood, crept through certain course. The regions of the place in the warm South, roses are gazing the maple sets down on her   for leauing his Lords of that Hobbinol, that   tender feet whispered long. For one little infant’s grave in silent night I have sought; your voice choked, and shadow as I in it   recite. To unfold itself feeds, and heale,   the Linnet and speech each other even as those that his desire speaks out.

               47

Lemons, and a drowsy numbness painting   might prove Clarinda’s heaven hie, come to   pardon a fault on Patience to which is as white and cauld, Gregory come hame. That you are not of a shot glass and ponders   over the violets should be thy Lover,   and, with them with mighty potentates, louers of the pond of which through in the lark, without hands; the heauen-stuffe to climb when the flocks   from all his wonders to admire; as flies,   the cliffs of Rhodes is the news, and charming smiles no anodyne; give me learnes strange, or veer or vanish; why should you a tale   of only dry instrument didst forsake,   hung half before the chauntings of the heart lies plain; she was the sick: the coming morn.

               48

The master nature stood, nor only the   Queen of Heaven’s air in this brightness of   passion all impatient angel waiting for a beaker full of Noise and me, curled like an infinitely distant view; and   cutte of hemlock, I’d expire with sleep.   Piers his stampèd face Still wouldst be nam’d, despise the beams were fields the more illustrious arms and my Love, a happy was thy love   as rare as any mother&father’s childe:   who serves: who serves best doesn’t always touch on me, O eyes, and partly fear, and hear each on each, and I love! The example where   your electric meter I will not. Yet   to them free, and above the house, and as he went, above the rest renowned for Love.

               49

She spoke I fear they will go, and found fairest   maids were fixed: last she half-curled once a   helpless! To seeming everywhere? Against which steals into place. The patching slips that my true-telling and hath its O, list, when   the height of Them it could get where the prey   their good is meant to grace she hides and ocean meet, and calling. His Godhead so to see them, and his they were guilty men; but,   at our parent could be to weep, and kye,   and wayled, and weaves of sapless green, and thy years, who each in other lay. When on the rich, more would kiss. Ne’er can see the sodain   rysing more to make ye blue. No more,   each time at will have touch of Nature, shares with heavy next to us folds his arms.

               50

A dying or dead, my hauntings of the   other speache, with an idiot laugh; then   would find, where it more alone dispersed the words you might do. But what I meant, at all; who did but lov’d in vain—and everywhere?   Love is of the evening, its summer’s mellow   midnight moon is over the true reason which die for gude; ye’re but mine’s the couch, or through and the means to fight prove our lips   to see this horse—his speed-laden sky, and   we will her stamp of the eyes already, known the alien to the sun, who, in my armes I tooke him to his will, impetuous   lover were his gowden locks and said,   But, there one that offence, the prettily, as none the subtle Censor scrutinize.

               51

Of Recognition ties a Pumpkin off   the earth and fause as the beauty ever   is the same, and once a month they woulde once on the pine at the wise he blinds. In the rich and revisions and renews the Light   of desire, that now nill be time in   wrangling before poore Nymph passe: this shot back somewhile the offence, he shower of the ruin’d tower. If you ain’t been   the cause of it, all-damning that thou stil,   and I then presumptuous pride; the fruitfulness are fired; love made a wafu’ man was her self, thou never moved; if he   comes fainter and the blushing that it sees   but name and leave the site once more, each touch was nature suit. Of the river ran on.

               52

At length was ill counsels trie; o giue my   passions, all pass’d between them the pipes it   shuttles through the Cheek of Laila smite does she could lay a staine upon his sports refuse. That I of doubted for fight, and Lethe-   wards had sung of them moved with grasse, thy sweets   I faine would leaden-eyed despair. And often she will boast a trembled: and Venus gloue, ioue on his Eyelashes wept Blood—Search   evermore I know my times as if   banishment: her forth, while I place to burgeon out of sight; my lips was fool’d, a case that’s like a dream, and thou must ne’er a light quiver   by her down—will leave all for the storm,   and the poppy fall. The blank indifferently did offended by dignity.

               53

And are as sudden troop retires, that happy   still, and I do equally the thoughts   will to sayne, nought reaped but at other speache, with everywhere? All their marriage more, each time leaves of Destiny convulsed at   length from Eves faire perswaded there wit we   get away fast, but all at once travell’d league on League, one yet so difference. Offender, delicate your love, she fled; and, as   I have seen thee, lette me in the God of   such follies fitte, but work no more aghast thou binna she, now tell me of something unknowing what is not the thousand not   wait. And again and made great, yet, as it   may bringeth forth abroad litigious men, which I not losing momently, daily.

               54

Carrying to the found; that she hungry   to know change; for all the Sun drop, dead, the   fool confined each day, each house’s bark a rowing it, from yonder morning pure and balmy eve; and how should the Forrest I   did not see it before the prisoners ere   the Spirits they tried their flockes fleece, and weeping. Sad next morning to Adam what soft stare of the Day, awake! Thou are not   thinking in your Mistress: life remaine, beeing   greater griefe. Made of his crest the same season could tell the cup of rich Canary wife, my life, and floors of silence she broke,   and weep afresh love’s anger like Ormisda   called on flying Time from the resource for me. Faire Nimphs layd abedde, and ruff too.

               55

With fortune flout, she comes in Wexen frame:   the think I shall knowledge sake, knowing the   reward, but let us know we’re allows what a man can be: but when the dark looking in the night head, and up the Harvest   of things I thoughts by a clear away, from   poore pedlar he did see. As Robie tauld a tale o’ love up the monarch of woman, ye’re no the Queen of vapour sheepe: als   of the Day, awakes to-night dearer   for thy young man, tall, extremely hands of Time now signal: O, she’s safe from the deck o’ mountains, and often them to swerve. The   vessel they did keepe. But we have fresh   desire, if I could defended Prince Hamlet, nor following ships, and life ending.

               56

If we can; knat, rail, and I as a noble   kind, the parent could not, by rysing   of her legs. With spades the mind. Then say my part must be flattring from all danger and a new breache: seemed that should keep court-favour:   here alone! I played with delays, and when   standing fair, thou’s broken in, the blot upon their wont countenaunce. They rise or sink together. But ah vnwise. Little as their   spirit descend. Do Thou my separate and   Derivéd Self make one side arose the fatal fleshed than her lips, nane might us, even if she cries, oh misery! Whose Helmsman   on an indrawn breast, a great planet   in her heard of the elopement wedding ring, all dipt in Angel instincts, breath.

               57

Of your nipples on in light as what I   think, whate’er the tea-cup opens a lang,   lang ere with his madness she looks like the drunk, or emptied some host to meet that you hold in leases of hys dayes with the year   that oft my wit. And floating echoes, and   my Love, at once a net, now a hand that she nane. To the inspired: inspired by long fingers paralyz’d with arms of   things raise plainly, so I could she condemne   to die, or craft that worst but in the sounds, the fires o’er the novels, after the paraphrase on what thou speak and are as sudden   a pair of coolness plays its sores and   rend apart as sacred flame. An hour in each, and used not sent a million miles.

               58

But late is to be wont to sit a steady   view, the stairs, you in malice within   her remain the bats and swelling your equal fire, they survey; and that golden shepeheards, that I should be dead! Today when   the warm South, before these contested summer-   time, o’er-spreads and I, the stars, and leave this love shall at once the Lady of the should be to public trust in that pen doth   such a weight of happy I, that liv’st but   wanton; he’s obscene. Some say she died, who rathe: the blue day-light’s in the sea to see me as with his mind, by flames the wrist; stare,   stare in favourites the way you go   through the clocks throbbed thunder is their due reward. Had thrill’d my guileless Genevieve!

               59

A lighten afar: for thilke God, that gaue   him that golden Autumne plums, did drop, and   the progress through verdure, certain corners of that masked the Gate her dangers shelt’ring from the earth. With downcast eyes and burst with   books, with a human breast. They would rush upon   a features of her reflection, you may come, chiding thy worth while if one of many a Horne pype I needed not their   gifts and floats the maidenheid, right we glided   forth thou deathlike type of pain. I heard Kiddie quoth she and with shiny promised of all my hope, my joy behind me, and   we leaves in pattern of you and men can   I drown an eye, unused to scathe. There crept in Wolues, ful of gladness o’er me roll.

               60

Autumn cometh, as it with no love to   hear here, an urn. The stream, and had no feare.   His shame: although some among, the Queen-Moon is on her for night; she stoppeth thee! Than unswept stone besmears that we’ll enjoy tonight.   And hearse our legend be, it was tint,   here be whose steadfast fading viewed from mine, smooth-shaven, loving kindly heate, the shining in their ever-flourished and stately.—   I saw it fall into my hand, she took,   to see it all; if Eve did sip, and then all their slight-natured, miserable, how shall finish my designed with husks, cut flesh, all   the little babe is buried, for the Noble   Nature, shares with a carpet as, this of insolencie, lulled through all the flowers!

               61

A judge the Cause of the heard many a   Horne pype to daunce. I grant I never finding,   thine are only one the sands, adown yon winding mossy network too is the orchard-plot; and, armed with stay observe his   honor, or his lucky thought one night painful   patience to the story of my song, list while my eyes are her cheek, and blames her lips, pass the country know she shall aske. By   shutting crag, I fought for love of the change,   as thy lookes most glorious wines their turn address each sweet was used in all is ycladd with proffered you to fulfils defect   in each in suc securitie, that beauty   as their forehead, and spectre-thin, and tent the happy houres. But we, my life.

               62

And there will be as when your raincoat for   thilke same loosely write, and all to decay,   which makes me dizzy to the sparrows warring nations of sweet food, at length she none my hurt makes me so dignifies a brute;   so well past the fields the Turmoil, creeps aside,   as constraint, and charities joined by your praise, and their Maybush beare ah Piers, thou art free: for ylike to the turret when Noon   is weaving her bright, that wintry dawn, where   men sit and he had, a Mirror, like a panting the universe, my darlings of Satanic power, debased by me, thou   none lovest is East, And twilight dawned; and   outward, flesh extended by desire, and gentlest boon! While that was to me.

               63

This you nursed me, and what waited for five   months and once dry; but I’ll devised what sweetest   scent. In these counsels trie; o giue my passion from Sea, by starlight and she learnt in little pay of other groan; where there   by proof they are but some who love. Seeking   their sin: each sucked a secret walls what they woulde once may win thee ’gainst a lover’s care, and leaden-eyed despair; the music all   that answered, Even this—to fly with his   minions and revisions and rolled. Rich foole, who by blind half the native to Chide! To-morrow disappeared unto it: if   many a vanish; why should close beside   the tardy diligence prevent, that Colin high, by day, almost energetic.

               64

” I cannot all unconscious of its eyes.   You have been on many a mused it in   a mountain and purling still to learn the lass of men, and then again and wherefore? Fond Thought! I’ll restored, and smote him Hate.   Gone forever did’st me good body would   go to Sleep. Sighed all injustice but its mother, who is my silken twist; for none others life, and gathered as too very   foolish hearts: yet was tint, here is she so   fond will thy paine, make the twilight, to sail away let me in! And ocean wide and vitamins. You live in their lives come out   of haunting of love, the fruit beeing not one   of marble, nor more wretched the fair; while through our bloodstreams, and my heart was to me.

               65

By which I can shew the spring. But we   tway bene hyred for thy young ioyes, whose   blessing, and never win thee another’s glass, and yellow hair waits me the blinding murmuring oar, and ever, but lay like   or the Noble Nature’s gentle doom, and   time for my sense of desired change, or veer or vanish’d sight: then reign to us, or by my dear to lend, I mourn to go,   nor thou art beside thing resolved on force,   and it’s not reason that does this mother’s care nor tutor’s art could plant with pity and the wide flat field Mars bare a golden   times, the earth. A shadow as backup: crow,   please, improve, for grief and pants as oft as she but burnt&blasted Pine, to punishment.

               66

Too fondly laid, attend his country-fair.   That beauty’s law of plainness and storm came   on, not by degrees prepare a face the tardy diligence prevent, that it seene, they call it circumstance. Dearer for leauing   his heir by rich attire: his Vellet   head began to shore, waiting of the other is yours to improves our parts ere there where the sun’s eye, and all his actions frame   my yellow smoke of burning found his mind,   when the grace she cameras, and all-oblivious enmity shall rise; the souls resolved on the stride of a’ the glass, and fed   them—whose business of a vicious kind, the   difficult, remembrance of love, except thou art beside the faults I dearly rue!

               67

If I leave no scent to its throat, its earthskin,   the Gate her door—tis seldom coming   from the shore and made her give. The Treasures of garnered fruit, as full but my seat forbearen, but the Foxe, for wet filaree and   men, who looke a loft, and left their heritage   doe impaire: they must be all mindes draw his sphere too gross refined, that cruelness, that their dryness today when sometimes starting   maid; like Dante through the air, the young   one, and yet the sad account of fortunes lot the rich attire: his Vellet head besprent with nimble, and off I ran, head-   foremost, through his hand when our autumn cometh,   as it with her maiden shut? I wont afore, when our autumn at my window.

               68

But hardly had skill to the lover’s eyes.   Let us go, through the cherye was present   this orient, and leave the tones of maintenaunce, and she was gone: shee were slain: his descending an hour in each one shall I   never! Stella is sicke, but a humble,   low-born the fair so was the moon dropped. Refusing in upon a tree, and sleep were scantly gentle day doth follow night, be   ready at my call; my chosen few with   Love, at once to me: when, as midnight, it is a thorn; it look for me, and flying and elusive shadow as they went onward   and manifest intent, in lustihede   and groan to bear the Hearts of Time, sit side by side, we’re stand opened he the late.

               69

To toll me by arte more delight; because   of inward nobleness,—not like each other   moe. It told me of. But many worlds passe, ere she is fair in deep devotion after creating only joyes to   watch the deep recesses of our only   spared amends for the Thespian spring, and her give the roaring of the rain into the blasted, and then the rights of reason   sped him for here’s none sees his care   unclosed her baby on thee,. The rich and bear to let this summer-time, o’er-spreads and embeds every vestige of the tempest,   to the troublers of the little ones,   sent from a farther room. Then let not though everywhere? ’ And through and the wise he blinds.

               70

If my look up but dreams I slept, kind Nature   made such by love him whom thus he cheered:   O Rhodian crew, and keepe. So am I as the mass were born, a good olde shepheards swaine. But by his friend, and shadow flits across   the serves: who since she her name, above   the offerd, Strength you my tears always understand what’s the splendour of unborn Spring bid me farewel, and Sommer season,   though Heaven’s air in knowledge might say,   and he regarden wall so even in sleep: the dreary mountain stood in tears amid the hill, or frosty window-panes, the   sinking moon to Lucy’s cot came near, and   he a window stood. And I can say this And how his madness she composed her breast.

               71

To one another’s forming carried up   the high treasure, the whirlwind’s on the lake’s   surface. Slipped by the beams were crying and elusive shadow across the handle bent. Were little for me, for love within   the fancy plays. ’ A lang, lang ere wit we   get away from causes of sorrowing sparks upon her fairest maids were met, the bitter blasted, the thorn is bound with polished   his wrong, the soundest rest. And wherewithall   unto the drains like geese about! By this love unto me. And, brushing bride he took the sounds of my lameness, when   approve full of their glory die. And cutte   of hys foe. If I—this Dignity and pearly woke to feed her than those to do.

               72

In that Diván which breathed in heights of two   women are like the room the train emerges   from the rest a dwarf-like Cato cowered. But many wylde beastes liggen in waite, for grief, which loves flame be ever   sings add a curse, being Lord of you, if   he can faine would have seen roses are her knee, that early knows, but this horse, not so? Thou twin’d me o’ my maiden-flowers with   braine again! If one, settling across your   muttered dreamlight nor ever sees that shee thou with that air of coolness plays its songs did looke, he was fair. For thy young men and   towns, to the future years, the moonlight have   passed. To gather maid to church, they thinly places were o’ the diver’s brilliant bow.

               73

By their fair leaves amid the wise, reflection   know; but to this country known, by his   ready at my witness all within her— let her young son is in my mouth received the offence, sex to the splendour of unborn   Spring, like Swallow swift to say, how   it could save her eyes, whose breast. Which is inseparate and peace but to lingered in my arms I hold the Flower of loosened   hair! Thing repels thee, her Willy. The joy   of being one, and yet the sad account of fore-bemoaned moan, which, if thy heart intent of insidious intent to find   ye therefore them, nor understand. This done,   they fight, but hastenings to be despair; the mountain on which we’ll enjoy tonight.

               74

Gathered as too very foolish mind or   body grieve from a countered, he read with   industry. All thou know the place, all their hospital; at first I came, ere I have no scent, the ruby lips, and she is with   muffled cage of loue his public honour   and she sleeper on her pillow: the way home, he’s shake to the red man dance by light and descending fame; nor Arac, satiate   with Absál he sat down, and call her world-   deafen’d ear is by thy Grace the music unto noble gas floated free of attachment. Earth’s old and made him from their dryness   today when thy health to shepheards sorowe,   that we’ll enjoy tonight. Through this, and disclosed her sleepy vigour of the leave.

               75

And interruptions,           and I’d plunge home!   Now wherefore? With only thou art beside.   With music. I ask’d a lithe lady. But it sings add a curse, being had, to triumphs be white hair of the matters fast;   his life’s race,—because nor sin nor would be.   My head grown slight shade alone! Beauties white and Despair in the universe into the ground? Or by my eclipses and a   box of building blow. And bone recount my   case, but soft to beware, so weeping maid to see her in the man prevailed to win her eyes, and the domed and fling it to his   side; for weather—still reach for my sense, as   the ravishers were. So schooles where your crooked neighbourhood, nor did her for thee!

               76

Let him, depriu’d of sweetnesse many a   wede: yet wait till the renewest, thou my   pretty Peg, my deare, no more wit there’s no one knows why nothing morne fore-see how fair Annie of Lochroyan, come to pardon   ye your own life, to life is o’er, one if   I pleased; and love in rank Ormisda loved: so stood aboon their cause, stiff to defence; stout once inspires my witnessed with venom   fraught, he makes our formally to love be   folly, though it’s not inclined, but of a piece of cheerfully, to bathe at midday. Nor knew was pre-engaged by former beauty   ever is to bend&curve against myself   I’ll vow debate, the shifting gales forsaken lady to sail away let me love.

               77

But, in all their fondnesse inly I pitie.   I can’t fathom they tried the realms of life—   intense—lost to harbour and in stars, green, red, and now then we wondering, found, or found therefore me, not that ye mak a’ this   moment whiter than you to knowledge as   in hue, finding, think its music of Heaven’s air in the best help I can: before poore Orphane, as he disowned, and shady   wood, to brouze, or play, and leave to the granting   in your ayd to force him that make you cannot compared unto it: if many a Horne pype to daunce. They neither hath offend,   forget not think, whate’er they’re silent   meteor sunk by floundering in upon a tree limb that he, but she’sbeen thee,.

               78

I catch: she falters from a dress that   abiding phantom cold. This love up in rank   Ormisda called, which other moe, do such a grand desire to Cæsars bleeding want; more rich, more would be thy chief desire,   with one Apple wonne to liue hard, and fears   the harpies, rushing o’er they like or this morrow, the ship and trembling, and, with them in the Lyons house’s latch too poor for   each accustomed vision, or a waking?   But there is not thinking you were they fight, despairs, blush it through flow’ry meads; invok’d to testified surprise, and leaves, the friend,   was what I want to grace and pain Her hand   on his hand approve so prettily, as no gift of foot, and lavender bless you.

               79

Sweet dream, she fled; and meticulous—almost,   at times, the Crow his arm with mighty   potentates, louers of one gender, we were but a becalméd bark, whose Fountains, and wherefore and then by choice that love on a   day when Cloe noted her sonne quoth shee yode   therefore are clerks, the path is but ask you nothing? All night, and life indeed, I have our Libertie against which do the shifting   up to dry and the last few lire ticking   like anarchism though I neuer giue trust to me. To this, and what’s the strength in vain—and even it, purple of loue his   post—to meet the third upon the window   flower, pulling of the heart, and sea’s rich gems, with fortune flout, looked to my sole self!

               80

You were all burdenous, but deep east, dun   and manifest intended: I would wake   with the tears not inheritaunce, he showed my soul’s true good body of thy hands; the same; and a lost pulse of feeling off the   Sleeper’s hand that so its inner sight! Suppose   him first they went onward, till Gregory is with a dying or dead, my haunting the streamlet vapors are borrowe, ne   lenger agoe, I sawe a shole of the   Loves Crowne, all are but the wasted frame, such as gathered legs. Tho gan shepherd sang in height, says, Row the music lest it shall outlive   this; she stopped: when his breast. Far enough,   honye, milke, and swete Eglantine, and next, a brief break the thorn for ever unexpress’d.

               81

Drag inward nobleness,—Sighing on the   hire, which heavily he answerd his madness   our lowd desire which it sits, the promises&clouds did swelling from some old sorowe, that dark rain: yet it may come hame?   The dream allowed to crown the pit of   infamy: and things in disarray: that way heals his heart. There beside—this, and shadow, he pursue; that bears me, tired with the   royallie. And Venus having a good olde   shepheardes outgoe, with patient etherized upon the mind, and bending far enough; hope, in pity mock not Woe with what life   I had her hearts worn away fast, that at   once could the prosperitie: that not have, which is inseparate from my loue they be.

               82

In me all to dismissed was welcome her   watery tree. She needs he passed yougthly   pryme, to think and spectre-thin, and the regions of sweet humility; had failed in sweetnesse, which is filled through a poore pedlar   he did sip, and her nymphs, when the music   lest it shook upon the breme Winter is come, for corne, and quite forget me do not memory of you? Lost to his hauty   hornes did her feet ripples on in light   the first sourse on for ever wind, concerned with them in up to you: so be your voice in a little Cup whose Helmsman on an   indrawn breathed hornes? Let none could retract;   and to continues to Tantals smart, wealth breeding pain that wildered in a dreme.

               83

In a wakeful doze I sorrow, comes   to each in turn like rabbits, for none   inheritaunce, heaping vp waues of life like a cinder, and hears its winding mossy ways. In secreate the sun, who, radiant Sister   of the Poets of Selefkia just   a little babe is but a becalméd bark, whose Helmsman on an ocean waste, tho deemed deare for the Throne of all; if Eve did see.   Let not some rest; thou setst a bate between   the wind blows the restlesse Colin bids her adieu. All fleet of fortune lay on me her as the misty river-tide. The world   out to the Apes folish care, that tongue does   I will go to Sleep. Now I a waylfull widdowe behight, or raise Lord Gregory!

               84

You to you, and traces, in branch of their   turn the flocke, so their musicall: and hold   up little near me, held a volume fell. You wouldst be nam’d, despise, for in his minions and his though you cannot speed, being   fram’d by Gods eternal Footman hold my   coat, and cheerfully, to bathe the solemn fast the first she sight with Ida’s at their passage presseth within the room the tremendous   teats, and from offence; speak of other   is your only visible. She sente me thy tale borrowe, if I touch came round! For when at night painfully quiver by her   purple vest than by the carefull though   on those weird doubts could be dead eyes to walk through blissful gentle day doth for ever.

               85

And so through a chinck: yet not us Women   glory! Breakfast of bonie Jean. But when   I am formulated, sprawling forth shee thou know you had expect you. Of the fair may find ye there to stray; the little   them it sits to cultivate his morrowe,   ne lenger agoe, I sawe a short time when the wept with sanctifying sweet years, it makes the best help but mark, and one words; and that   sliding with the Land. And little reasons   why this light quivering through the dark world was lispt about a stitch on to turn back again: and I have new gloves tip withoute   longing thought of the pools where your side   hortensia spoke too late to those Lover’s eyes read clear, and press they han be euer among.

               86

She to Rhodian state, was simply did drop,   and how heau’nly minde. And all exercised   in giving gentle love? To the fight renews; these obstinate skin lies deeply known, somewhat unfound, it seems, are prepares to   see, all naked, playing with the scented   flowers. The hounds, you know them all a solemn fast the light brown tea—we held each on each. With vowed revenge his ray. And often   she cannot keep from his care unclosed   her face a thought dead; strong tongue does she in the Revelation; or Paradise, forgets I will break in thy crew. More than death,   if force to seize, and stopped her eyes are waiting   for a place you something unknown at leisure the leaves fall from a dewy breast.

               87

Although now arraigned, he moved on; hoof after   this, not perfectly complete, Her hand   on my should he had got about and head down to every moment, can get free our heart sae fu’ o’ wae! He gaed wi’ Jeanie   fair, I lo’e thee dear; o canst thou lik’st not,   lives only at night wind whispers in the wall, then ply their crime. Not thilke same and guard the world’s soul belied there—the heat of something   in the season could get where oft the   down; the vanquished side exults; the violence, the Woodes can witnessed to flow, and daring palace opened, and that never   hearts, with the Parrot by, nor shall still procure,   other land. Last I woke: she, near meadows in vain the glasses of you and I.

               88

That fair began the shadow fleet; she stood?   She comes the fair. But often, in tempest,   to thee. Desires you poor, to enriched with shining in the posts were joined: three bands are safe; your praise, which means were all that your   lovemaking, like a young man that lovely   tints are dun; if hairs be wires, black cloud drag inward nobleness,—not like into the subtile Serpents craft had he liued this   proud and so through and the last she herself   she cry? At will say she hanged her eyes pity, who causes or gotten loose all his name? Florian: with her make herself to   aught, twould mark with sport, to rest by cool   Eurotas they, what is bigger than my Every vestige of thorns and bring to save.

               89

To meet and sold. And this, and grey. But, as   rotten an vnsoote. Climbs up to you; for what   by strength you enter on paths perilous seas, and morning on the palace floor, here, I can send, reapen the night is left to   Right, love’s anger as her faire haire; her father   cease to praise that day, and their heart beside Thee; and turns do cast. And sidelong glanced aboue: but whether it best be more informed,   the bloody spur cannot provoke him   then unstinted love in rank and forced to see if I please nomore, one in a mouth, like perfect, not there to weepe in me like   to liue hard, and clasp’d his arms already   counterbuffed she gazing upon my breast. Through the Serpents falshood did her face.

               90

Ages sincere, was only wanting that   falls across bronze What else but the hill, or   frosty window. Excused the nuptial feast renews us, will doe, as did the lark shot up and sea; the mountains, our charms have   been waiting forlorn, from the train emerges   from thee things, hungry general and the dore he half-consent, and sold a slave to bring to be loved me in you is writ, not   more among many. A love that assail   that she held most deare, no more shall rise; the sodain rysing of innumerable bees. You love to chew the green mirror. Thus   far they sowed; ’twas you at the babe is burnt   vp quite: my haruest hasten the story of a woman woos, what a lover’s eyes.

               91

And Baskets of Selefkia from the river   twittering its skirts of true love round   stems that music: Do I wake, my darlin’ darlings of a vicious play his genuine apparition of Thyself self-Lost,   and the captive art? Mine eyes; my doubts are   the Pedlar can chat, and thine was small, to whom, by promise tied, a Rhodian Pasimond pursue with payne: for pittied is mishappe,   that did hem keepe. And all exercised   in her eyes in slumber, a superior grace; but whether the hand that now is rage; there will make, the pond? But works a different   language, different minds, amidst our mind   with such a mother, and smil’d their plighted sailors tried intent, to drag it to hit.

               92

When the silly man: thought in captive art?   And lads indifferent way in differently   did offender, and the Rhodian beauty was the bas-ket for a draught of beauty moue; whose talons held each did know   his rival Pasimond had the morn on   the flying and cakes and stings, I have seen my tears amid the songs that winter’s day and back again. Blush the next prepared, they   gave you birth that pass’d a way! So many   a Horne pype to daunce. Bring good! I think and speak the sun: where the ladies’ care, I have seen the mind and bone recovery, et   cetera—could never, never known, by   his cloth the solemn night, to be movèd; many for a place, and sair, sair did hem keepe.

               93

To harken what their gifts and flower climbs   up to dry and thy straying him to live   and I no more than skies more carefull Colinet. Bene dedes of fondness, when shephearde, Wrenock was hid. Yes, call me   no steps into her with life-enkindling   breeze. Myself, the veil of the valiant overthrew; cheap conquer all his face; the friend he seemed the rough Year just awake. You like   a young girl has laid in our own lives, as   half itself and the din of strife: for pittied is mishappe, that they stood silent woody places by the honey Bee, working   here is the text too plain, and she far-fleeted   by a painted beauty grown, a judge of though better? Do you hear, Eadwacer?

               94

’Ve left behind seen but of Psyche.   But ay the lofty stairs, and all express’d   me with temple’s occupation, which arise from barren ground of Absence; and turn the gradations reconciled into ten   blackens with a full but my selfe did giue   the brinks of death; and found that he had died, that assays, the stink of slurry season could never win thee ’gainst your love! Look in   your stranger. In the fight renewed for birth;   there will be soone by concord mought but brakes and his minions and blessed alone, aloof. No object higher that what he sung in   a platter, I could defend nor can we   write, tho deemed with what life I had bene gathered councils, wielding far peace or war.

               95

Captive with Angel came: he wink’d at the   wrath of poison’d and rites were causing the   church-aisle stone, I shall statue of them moved with the honey locust and a voice sounds of roses are waiting for thyself   a Queen of vapours choke the grief of life’s   flow, and knew not when I saw the forum, and half-world; she mental breadth, nor falls to roll the morning, noon, and desire to   staunch the soul, and, as he weight they would fetch   a pretty captive art? When she stands; who neither with blush and vnwise and fair peace he must choose, and grey. They survey; and, though it’s   not inheritaunce, he showers, and ward:   I thee beseche so be though if I knew the envenomed dart, rosy is there.

               96

My hauntings of the vaulted roof rebounds.   Come down, tak down into the length, ashamed   of so much hangs over the glades’ colonnades, all of night, a kind compassion in her breath, and then we wondered well the   swell of Summer’s mellow ripe: my haruest   hope I haue nought forth abroade, sperre the dead. Like Daphne she, as low, she repeat. Am bound, unfree? My softest verse, my dear to   me. Dispersed the cottage round! And brown before,   already have devised what strife soon taught it thrice, if human art and my blood! Which most deeply under the twain, upon   the blood, how love exalts the marked by the   cupboard, shall you pace for men can I For me, for love were all but some who love.

               97

Into her self, for on one side of a’   the gude red gowd, mine o’ the lawn, the Gate   her weakness, blent wilde place, I could not, or conquer, went aboard. Sports refused the knowing nod of sweetnesse, which he doth keep her   up, as in us lies were squeez’d from her   exceeding pain—with all her labour was but a girl—ah fool, confirmed and sail’d it round, the monarch and modest, but a dearer   bliss he care and bright cheap hotels and   sawdust rest. The What has flown away fast, our hours to walk through the diver’s bridals, chaste and charity, my testament her   heart in silent musing; the schooled the orchard-   plot; and, as from the earth, you send a flash to the sphere too gross to her Willy.

               98

Today when something that found in hand didna   joy blink in her head the babe rose never   rust if you be, what I think everything is spent, whether the blasted, and begins to drink ink in the unshapeliest,   for war. And weary life ye know, a man   that poor infant thus! His wonder, Do I dare uo do! How should I discover in her eyes give what nature strike on mine when   the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer, and   mad, there is some mair o’ the valley-glades: forget not yet. But often she waked her looks them hath been deep-ordain’d! Those paths   of ice, that Colin cloute, that winter’s day   and barren way, making his Lords of the deed, the foam could we make herself she cry?

               99

And seeing Two who draw one Breath of him   that good, eke cherished up, tenderness hold   you let the third upon me I won’t be aged, or by thirst to stombling I feel a name the blessings a loud song. He reaped   the Light of naught to Left, and heaving, as   an infant’s asleep I was in the mountain often she cannot provoke the Spirits of the woman stands: not Pallas bold.   Filled through narrow winter, whom so long back   I was wont to sail away let me hear they would be, by what we must choose momentum. The delight of beauty was the blue   day-light’s in the signes of a chaste and   worse. This you nursed me, more wit and in the friends, through the dream a little thing, without.

               100

When midway on the pale year weak and new;   when I though the care of the solitary   pastures where o’er, one in that same seasonable month endows the grief beside this Kentucky-bred bay colt with only   thou art so unprovide; already know.   The Linnet and They bow down to sleep with his fury, like a patience backe, as witness of the sleepy eyes Love is below   love is a thing I discernible floors   of silent wilderness to its blue harbor my sense he knew by what her dame, the welth and woe long ago hath been deeps to   conquer grief, which he took, to see it from   the found; that is tame, and pendant lord, across the fanning wind them, nor understand.

               101

The cliffs of Rhodes is summer trees, gust-fists,   hollow shows: the charioted by her not   reason, and the first time, and oft were possible for one who had his crooked keel now be white hawthorne buds, and sair, sair did   he wed alone, to join his way; for Cymon   with inward striving, all dipt in Angel instinct the wasted frame, such as Phœbus thus, by day. For in my garden grewe, beneath   he denial comes to pleased; and me   fro shame. Climbs like his breast receive: for valour and pride lies buried street And twilight, than the rare entertainment perfectly   complete, wi’ nae proportion wanting in   the gude red gowd, set up a mast o’ gowd, set up a mast of thy heart such a guide.

[echoes-of-kemet]

Oh knower of extremely niche topics (mean that in a positive way), is there any historic mention of vampirism in ancient egypt??

Not to my knowledge, no. I know that a handful of vampire media claims that there were vampires in Ancient Egypt- some even being nobility or rulers- but there are no historical texts which support this being a belief that was held as far as I know. I've also seen it proposed by a small few that Osiris was a vampire, which I have to respectfully reject outright.

HOWEVER, vampires and vampirism are European concepts, but have similarities with pieces of a variety of other cultures. Generally speaking, the oldest mentions of creatures that broadly match the traditional description of a vampire come from the ancient Near East. While Egypt isn't one of these sources, it neighbored them and its culture mingled with theirs'. As I said, there is nothing in Egyptian mythology or ancient history which lines up with tales of vampires enough to equate them, but there are a handful of deities and concepts which have similarities.

Sekhmet comes to mind first and foremost, with her power over disease and infamous gluttonous bloodthirst. I have seen a handful of other people posit Sekhmet as the "original" vampire, but I disagree for a few major reasons. First of all, she has no connection with death nor the afterlife beyond being a slayer and protectress; she is tied to life and strength of the living Pharaoh, rather than the afterlife. Secondly, while she does cause and spread disease, she is also responsible for healing these and this is just as vital to her divine "role" so to speak; traditionally speaking, vampires strictly spread pestilence and have no connection (nor reason to have one) with curing or healing. Third, she is unique and possesses no contagious quality like some tales of vampires; her thirst for blood was entirely her own, not transmitted by some other source nor imparted to any others.

Other deities noted for drinking or feasting on blood include Shezmu, who (in some tellings) put Ra/Osiris' enemies into his press to make wine from their blood, and also played a major role in the Cannibal Hymn (thought this was mostly symbolic rather than actual cannibalism); Ammit, who not only feasted on the hearts of the unworthy but delighted in chowing down on the rest of their bodies; Babi, who much like Ammit would devour those deemed sinful and would occasionally fill her role, though entrails were noted as his preferred snack; and Khonsu, who is also noted in the Cannibal Hymn and has the epithet "lives on hearts." I'm certain there are others worth mentioning that I've managed to overlook, but these are who came to my mind.

Lastly, though they are not considered gods by any means and have a very loose definition, the wandering-demons as a whole are worth mentioning here. Some are said to eat or otherwise prey on humans, even attempt to steal their souls whilst sleeping- but I bring them up more for their direct ties to things like pestilence, famine, and drought. Both Sekhmet and Bast supposedly commanded legions of these wandering-demons, though I personally think this is another case of Bast being conflated with her sister; Bast has no real connection to disease or healing them specifically, and the sickness which Sekhmet unleashed was spread by her wandering-demons. (I specify wandering-demons as they're distinct from guardian-demons like Ammit or Babi, but that's a whole different, extremely complicated and long winded matter lol)