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diddlesanddoodles · 4 years

Text

Dumpling ch 30

ALL THE EXPOSITION, FOLKS!

Alternative title for this chapter “In which the bastard gets a name and Keral yells at a hobo lady.”

“The first time I ever met Thadeus was during a dedication ceremony in Silvaara. Some new conservatory or other, I don’t remember. He was there to represent Vhasshal on behalf of his father, the King. My official presentation to the court had been just the week prior so I was nervous as this would be my first official function under my full title. My dress was so tight and starched I could barely move without fear of tipping over. Which I did; I fell into a creek when I went to have a moment to myself away from all the madness of the festivities. Thadeus must’ve heard me go in, because he fished me out of the water before that damnable dress could drown me. We ended up talking for almost an hour and the guards had to come search for us when they realized we were missing.

“And then it came to pass that every time there was a reason for Vhasshal to come to Silvaara or Silvaara to go to Vhasshal, either he or I would go as part of the dignitary company. Just to speak to each other. He would give me little tricks and methods on how to stand the structured rigors of court and to not bow under the pressures our positions required of us, though mine wasn’t so great or heavy as to having one day rule an entire Kingdom. I was just a lonely girl and he was endlessly kind to me, far more than he should have been willing to bestow. One of the few people who did not see me a pawn to be played or won or lost.

“The day he learned that Rosanna of Ibronia was promised to him as his betrothed, I...found out that I had been promised to the eldest son of the Silvaaran royal adviser, a boy named Aidus. He was a cruel creature; selfish and too full of pride. I had always detested him, but he had always sought me out at court. When I was told I was to marry him...I did not receive the news well. His family was powerful and well connected. Anything he ever wanted he would get presented to him on a silver platter. Including me it seemed. But the one thing he nor his family had was a line to the throne. And though everyone kept telling me how smart a match we would be...

“...I did not want him.

“My heart belonged to another man; the Thorn Guard Captain’s son, Hayron. He had been one of the guards to come find me when Thadeus fetched me from the creek and he had often been apart of the guard entourage that escorted courtiers throughout the capitol. The three of us became friends after a time and I remember feeling like nothing that life could throw at me would be so insurmountable as long as he and Thadeus were beside me. I might even be able face my betrothal with dignity and grace as it was expected of me. But then I made a mistake. I...I fell pregnant.”

Oira laughed, a hallow false founding laugh without any humor. “I was so scared that I told Thadeus before I told Hayron. The Crown Prince of Vhasshal knew of my child before her father! Heh...he congratulated me, but he was still scared for my sake and that of my baby. He said that no matter what happened, he would make sure we would be taken care of and I absolutely believed him.

“I had just began to show when my father learned of my shame. I never found out who it was that told him or perhaps he just knew. In any case, I was dragged in front of the whole court and forced to confess everything. My father disowned me then and there and told me to leave. To leave Silvaara. That he would not allow...not allow a bastard to be born under his sigil. He had Master Barnabas erase my name from everything. The histories, our family tome...

“Hayron and I left and lived in the countryside for a time. I wrote to Thadeus and told him what had happened and he instructed us to remain there and that he would come and take us all back to Vhasshal. The night he came to get us...Aidus came as well. He told me that if I got rid the baby, he would overlook my unfaithful indiscretions and still marry me. I would not have my title, but I would share his and still be permitted to live in the place of my birth. I refused him. I told him he was not a man, but a selfish boy who thought he could buy and manipulate his way to power and to a royal title and a path to the throne. He...tried to cut Nenani from my belly. Thaddeus stepped in and...then there were guards everywhere, but they were...wrong. Their eyes were white as milk. Aidus had enchanted them, slipped some sort of potion into their food or drink so they obeyed every one of his words. It was a forbidden magic and I did not know how to snap them from their daze. Aidus had intended for them to kill Hayron, but he had not anticipated Thaedus being there.”

She paused, sucking in a fast breath as tears fell fast down her face. “They killed him. The Prince. He desperately tried to save us; Hayron and my baby and I. He told us to run and to not look back, but...I saw Aidus do it. The killing blow. A single stab through the heart. My dearest friend was dead and all I could do was run away as he bled to death in a foreign country and...I’ve been running ever since...”

Hands pressed to his lips, Keral’s green eyes seemed to stare out into nothing. His whole being was wound tight and looked almost feral with rage. Bitterly angry and sad. He took a deep breath that shuddered as it drew across his lips. “Thadeus was a fuckin’ idiot.”

Oira bristled, shaken from her tears and she snarled. “He was not! He was incredibly kind and selfless...”

“Incredibly stupid and inconsiderate!” Keral reiterated, staring daggers into the small woman. “He didn’t say a damn thing to us. Just up and left one night and got himself killed! All he had to fuckin’ do was tell us and we would’ve been there with ‘im. He was the fuckin’ Crown Prince fer fuck sake!”

Oira paused, her expression softened. “You...were friends with Thadeus?”

“Yes, I was!” Keral shouted, angrier than Nenani had ever seen him. Or Farris. He stood up and walked back and forth in a nervous line, running his hands through his hair and huffing through his nose looking for all the world like a man desperate to hit something. “Since I was a lad. He was my best mate fer years. Met ‘im after I became a squire.”

“...I’m sorry.”

“A’course that would be why he died. Puttin’ his neck out where it had no fuckin’ business and fer what? A damn woman who couldn’t keep her fuckin’ legs closed?”

“YOU GO TOO FAR, SIR!” Oira was on her feet as well now. “HE WAS MY FRIEND TOO!”

“AND YE GOT ‘IM KILLED!” Keral shouted back, the sheer volume echoed hauntingly through the forest. “AND A WHOLE LOT MORE PEOPLE TOO!”

Oira flinched as though his words were a physical blow and she shrank back. “Don’t you dare put that on me...”

“Go on then. Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me that the war would never have happened if you hadn’t begged him to come rescue ya from yer own fuck up. TELL ME!”

“I CAN’T!”

Keral starred at her with bristling hate. “He’s dead because of you.”

“I know he is,” Oira said, her head bowed and shaking. “I know...that I committed a horrible sin...”

“Ha. Don’t think so highly of yerself, woman,” Keral snorted distastefully. “What I want to know, is why didn’t ye come forward and tell us the truth? Why are ye out here skulking about the dark like some fuckin’ goblin?”

“By the time I would have been able to, the war had already started,” Oira said. “And...and you, Vhasshal that is...had started...started to...eat humans. Thadeus had died for my child. For me. For Hayron. I couldn’t throw it all away by risking it. And just as you showed me here, that was what I had expected from his father and so much worse. Tell me Keral, and tell me what you’re heart knows is the truth: would the Blood King have spared me or my infant child if I had told him the truth of his eldest son’s death? Or would he have killed and probably eaten us both and continued on with the war?” Keral didn’t say anything and Oira nodded. “So you understand me then a little at least...”

“Go on then,” he growled. “Tell us the rest of it. I know there’s more.”

“We hid in the woods with others for a long time, trying to wait out the war. Then one day you and your blue coats came and drove us all out to the Southlands. We made a life there somehow. We raised our daughter. And then I fell ill, but it wasn’t a sickness. The night I found out that I was with child again...Aidus found us for the second time. But he was not how I remembered him. He was twisted and so much crueler than before. He had fought in the war, but had started to learn some deviant magic and it had warped his mind and turned him into this...this monster of a man.” She paused and took a fortifying breath that wavered. “...he killed Hayron in front of me. With his own sword. My...my entire world bled out in front of me and I couldn’t do anything. Just like Thadeus. All over again. I don’t remember anything of the next few months, but he had taken me away and...forced me to be what he always wanted me to be; His wife. Even though I could give him no way to the throne and there was no longer a throne to even be had.

“And for those years that was what I did. Languished in the crumbing halls of his keep and bide my time. I gave birth to my son and was able to convince him that Haiyer was of his blood, so he wouldn’t kill the only part of Hayron I still had. I called him by a different name around him, but in secret I would always call him Haiyer. But...almost a year ago now, he said that he was disappointed that Haiyer had not bloomed or showed any sign of being touched by magic. He said that if he did not show promise by summer...that he would kill my son and we would have to “try again”. I could not let that mad man take my son from me like he took everything else. So I ran away. I had tried so many times before, but this time I managed to get away and stay hidden. A cloaking spell I’d found in one of his books.” She ran her hand across her scalp and the shortened tendrils of hair. “Normally such a spell requires a great amount of energy and calls for the blood of a freshly slain sparrow, but some of my own blood and hair did well enough as a substitution to last a few days. If I allowed the cloak to fall for too long, his many eyes would find me.

“I wanted to go back to the Southlands. To get my daughter and Halden, Haryon’s brother. But when I finally made it back, I couldn’t find them anywhere. Someone told me that there had been a fire and that Halden had died, but...no one knew where Nenani had gone. I feared that Aidus had come and taken her. To manipulate me into returning to him. So I’ve been searching for her ever since, hoping somehow he had not found her.”

Keral nodded. “Aye, she was with us by then. But this Aidus fellow. Is he this Smoke Mage I’ve been chasin’ all ‘round creation?”

“Smoke Mage?” Oira made a face. “Smoke Mages are a fairy tales to scare children. Aidus is something much worse; A monster. He’s barely a person anymore. He has scores of Wyverns he’s enchanted or made deals with to do his bidding and the spells he uses...eat at him. Pieces of him flow into the beasts. It was why escaping him is so hard when he has hundreds of eyes. And his precious Dragon of course, but...that beast is gone now. Which will make hiding from him much easier. He put so much of himself into that creature to have it bend to his will. He’ll be weak for some time yet as he tries to pull himself back together.”

“Ye asked me to take yer lil’ uns with me. What about you?”

“It’s me he wants. If he has me he couldn’t care less about the children.”

Keral sighed angrily and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Gods piss on it, no wonder ye and Thadeus got along so well. Yer both fuckin’ idiots.”

“I don’t know what else to do! I have nothing left. Only them. I don’t care if I die, but they,” she said, pointing to Nenani and Haiyer, her voice frantic. “They have to live. For the memory of Silvaara, they have to live!”

Keral bent down suddenly and grabbed the woman up. She shrieked in fright as Keral brought her close to his face and her fire was doused by pure shock. She trembled and uselessly pushed against his hands. “What are you doing? Put me down!”

Nenani got to her feet, truly afraid now. She had listened to them yell and scream at each other for what seemed like forever, but despite the cruel things Keral had said, she did not think he would harm her mother. But he looked so angry, she was beginning to fear that he very well might. “Keral! Please!”

“I’m pretty damn good at smellin’ lies, girl,” he said to Oira, ignoring Nenani all together, and his voice was low with warning. “And I think yer tellin’ the truth. Or yer version of it anyway. But there’s one glarin’ omission in yer story.” Oira’s face was flushed and she was breathing hard. She was terrified. His eyes narrowed at her. “Just who the fuck are you, girl?”

She moved her mouth, but no sound came out. Keral snarled. “Try again, lass. I’m waitin’...”

“...my….my name is Oira Daelg. Wife to Hayron Daelg and mother to Nenani and Haiyer,” she said, voice shaking but firm in her convictions. As she spoke her next words however, her voice grew small and pained. Tears welled in her eyes. “But...but I was born Aine Elaine Oira of Silvaara. Youngest daughter of King Haeral XVI.”

Keral’s narrowed eyes softened and he sighed heavily, all the ire and hate draining away like droplets of water. “Of course ye are,” he said and crouched back down and eased her back onto her feet. He stared at her for a moment. “Yer that little lass that would tag along with Thadeus whenever the Silvaaran diplomats visited.” He paused in contemplation, digging back through his own memories to pluck out a name he hadn’t spoken in over a decade. “...Annie.”

“...yes,” she said quietly. “That’s what he called me. Annie.”

Keral shook his head, laughing without humor and looking around in disbelief. “Of course ye are...”

“I’m sorry,” said the woman with clear emotion. “I’m so sorry for what Aidus did to Thadeus. And my part in it.”

“Strange I didn’t realize who ye were when me and the boys caught ye,” he pondered aloud. “Probably too pissed that ye left yer lil’ girl all on ‘er own to recognize ye in the dark like that.” Keral sat back down in the dirt with a heavy thud, leaning back against the tree and looking up. The stars were out and the only light was the bright moon above them. He was quiet for a long time. “He would have hated himself if he didn’t go to ya. Even if ya never sought his help. He’d have blamed himself for whatever happened to ya and yer babe. Fer the rest of his life. That’s how he was.”

Oira stared at Keral askance and said quietly, “But there wouldn’t have been a war.”

“Probably not,” Keral agreed tiredly. He tilted his head to regard her with shining green eyes. “But does it really matter anymore?”

Oira considered his words and then shook her head. “...I don’t know.”

Keral nodded and looked over to where Nenani was sitting with Haiyer in her lap. The little boy was asleep, but Nenani was awake and watching. Listening with anxious attention between the two of them. They were so different from one another, her mother and Keral. But a thin thread connected them and it seemed like they both were aware of it at all once; How small the world could be that the death of one person could have such an enormous toll on two people so different from each other. Keral was watching Nenani carefully, considering something. He sighed and said, “So them two lil’ uns there...”

Oria was staring at Keral as he watched her children. “They are the last of my father’s bloodline.”

“And you…?” Keral asked, eyeing her from the side with one gleaming eye. Oira frowned and shook her head.

“I was disowned by my father,” she said firmly, sensing where his thoughts had wandered. “I have no claim to the throne.”

Keral just shrugged off her denial. “Kinda hard to be Queen of a country that doesn’t exist anymore. But still. It’s not a small thing, lass. Warren will be wantin’ to speak with ya.”

“I’ve told you everything, Keral,” she said stiffly. “Please. Just make sure they’re taken care of.”

“That Aidus bastard’s attacked Vhasshal; five times now. Hurt my brother. Killed my King’s ward. We can’t just let that go. I won’t let that go. I loved that boy like he was my own flesh and blood and I want that damn Mage’s head fer it.” Keral reached out and tapped his finger against Oira’s head and she batted at him. “You and the lil’uns are all comin’ to Vhasshal with me and yer gonna tell the King all you’ve just told me. And then we’re gonna end this fuckin’ madness once and fer all.”

“I can’t go to Vhasshal,” Oira said, her face contorting in pain. “I can’t.”

Keral snorted distastefully. “Ye said ye were sorry fer what that bastard did to Thadeus. Then prove it. Hoist yer skirts up and face the consequences of what ye did. Warren deserves to know why his brother is dead. Ye ain’t the only one whose entire family was wiped out by the war. Far from it.”

“I...” She covered her face with her hands.

“If ye say you can’t one more time, I’m tossing ya in my pack and lockin’ ye in,” he growled. “There ain’t a scenario where this doesn’t end with all a’ us goin’. You’ll have about a day to figure out yer choice a’ words.”

Nenani carefully eased Haiyer off her lap and stood. She went to her mother’s side and reached out to put her hand into the crook of her arm. Oira flinched, looking at her daughter.

“It’s alright, Mama,” she told her trying to give her an encouraging smile. “There are a lot of really nice people there. They took care of me. Please, don’t be afraid.”

Keral spared Nenani a tired smile. “Well, it’s decided then. I need to go grab my pack from where I left it. Just sit here till I get back.” He paused, looking at the ground in consideration and then bent down to carefully scooped little Haiyer up and slipped him into the large breast pocket of his coat.

Oira bristled and made as though to charge at the ranger. “What are you doing?”

“Yer pup’s gonna be my insurance,” Keral replied with a smug grin. He gently patted the small lump that was the sleeping boy. “To make sure ya stay put till I get back.”

Her mother watched Keral disappear though the trees with her youngest child and Nenani could see that she was frightened and anxious.

“Keral won’t hurt him,” she told her mother. “He really is nice. I promise. Even though he’s been really mad, he really is a nice person.”

“Nenani,” Oira said quietly and taking her hands and looking into her daughter’s face. Here eyes were seeking, pleading. “Tell me truthfully. Have they...have they been good to you?”

Nenani nodded. “Yeah. I like living there. Farris is kind of grumpy and yells a lot, but he takes care of me. He’s even teaching me how to make tonics!”

Oira smiled at her daughter indulgently, but it was clearly forced and she kept glancing towards where Keral had left through the trees. “How to make tonics? Is he a healer or…?”

“Oh, no,” Nenani laughed. “He’s the kitchen master.”

The smile was gone from Oira’s face and she stared at her daughter in horror. “The...the kitchen master? The...they gave you to the cook?”

Nenani nodded, not considering the source of her mother’s misgivings. “He wasn’t gonna keep me at first. He said that he just wanted to scare me off of stealing and then send me to live with the Hill Tribes. But I got sick with the red reap.”

Oira’s breathe hitched. “No. You...you got the reap? How...”

“I remember the pain mostly,” Nenani said. “Everything hurt and I couldn’t breathe. But Farris gave me medicine and stayed with me all night. When I got better he decided to keep me.”

“But still...they gave you to the cook!”

“He doesn’t really cook anything himself. The others do that. He manages the spices and runs the kitchen. Yale’s his assistant and he’s been teaching me about plants and herbs. And then there’s Saen. He’s really funny and sneaks me treats when no one is looking. And Quinn and Kol bake the bread; its really good. And then Bart is the butcher and Avery is kind of his assistant. Bart looks scary and mean, but he’s a lot like Farris and is actually really nice. And then Herit and Gjerk are the youngest. They call them tenderfoots because they’re still learning. Gjerk helped me when the wyvern attacked and I almost got smashed by a table.

“And then there’s Lolly. She’s the matron and she made me these clothes and was really nice to me when I first came and yelled at Farris for scaring me and making me think they were gonna eat me. And then there’s Maevis. He’s a magician and makes really yummy tea. He watches over Barnaby same way Farris watches over me and...”

“Wait! Wait. Did you say Barnaby?” her mother asked, face as pale as milk.

“Yeah, he’s an archivist,” Nenani paused. “Did you know him from before…?”

“Yes,” Oira replied sadly. “I did know him. He...he erased my name from the archives when I was disowned.”

Nenani did not say anything and truthfully she did not know what she could say. She didn’t want to think about all that her mother and Keral had discussed. The way they yelled at one another and threw around their pain like weapons as though hurting the other would lessen the weight of their own burdens. All Nenan cared about was that her mother was finally there. She was alive and now she even had a brother. Above all, she wanted them to be safe. Her thoughts returned to Vhasshal and the assured destruction and pain they would be returning to. Her stomach roiled at the memory of Jae falling into nothing. It hurt so much to think about...

“Nenani,” Oira said gently, taking her face into her hands. “My sweet, you’re crying...”

“The smoke mage...” she said with a whimper. “He...he killed my friend.”

“The one the blue coat spoke of? The King’s ward?”

“Jae was human, but the King called him his son,” Nenani said, shivering. “The King...and Keral. They found him when he was little and he was all alone so the King kept him and raised him in the castle. He was my friend...”

“Warren...took a human boy as his ward?” Oira asked, a strange sort of longing pulling at her features. “That sounds like something Thadeus would have done.”

“Jae tried to protect me from him. Aidus. When he came. He...he had Papa’s sword. But he...threw him off the roof.”

“Oh, my baby,” her mother said and held her. Nenani sank into her mother’s arms and let herself go numb. She was so tired now and all she wanted to do was sleep. She was so tired of crying...

“Oi, Princess,” Keral’s voice broke through the thickening sorrow of Nenani’s mind and she raised her head as the ranger returned from beyond the trees. She could see the thick leather straps of his pack strapped to his back and in his hand he held Haiyer, now awake and red faced with distress. The little boy reached out his hands towards Oira and was calling for her. Keral shook his head in clear exasperation. “Yer pup’s makin’ a right racket.”

“Mama!”

“Is that all you’re able to do? Scare children?” she asked the giant ranger.

“What can I say?” Keral said as he let the little boy slide down from his palm and frantically run to his mother. “It’s a talent.”

Keral put his pack down onto the ground and began rummaging through it. He pulled a flask out and put it in his pocket and several other items as well. Once he seemed satisfied, he looked over to the three humans and gestured them over. “Come on then, let’s get goin’.”

“Now?” Oira asked reluctantly. “Shouldn’t we wait till morning light?”

“Too easy fer folks to spot me in the day,” Keral replied. “Harder to spot in the dark. That’s why our coat’s are blue, blends better in the dark. And the sooner all of ye are in Vhasshal, the better. We don’t know when yer Smoke Mage’ll show up again and I’d rather have a few hundred feet of stone walls and a couple hundred more men to work with than just some trees and a few squirrels.”

Keral looked to Oira and nodded to his open pack. “In with ya, Princess.”

“Please don’t call me that. Oira is my name. No titles,” she said, eyeing the open pack with suspicion and reluctance. “And must we…?”

“It’ll be the most comfortable way fer us all to just have ya stashed in here.” When she made no indication of complying, Keral sighed in frustration and reached out and grabbed her around the middle. Haiyer cried out as his mother left his side, little hands trying to catch her skirt.

“For the love of –! Don’t just grab me!” Oira snapped indignantly. “That’s rude!”

“Don’t have the time to be humorin’ yer misgiving’s, Princess –er, sorry. Oira,” Keral said to her as he slipped her into the pack. There was a wad of cloth down at the bottom cushioning her from the other items further down and making for a softer place to sit. Once he had their mother tucked away, Keral eyed the two children. “Okay, sweetling. Yer turn.” Nenani let him scoop her up without a fuss and set her next to her mother and then he turned his green eyes to the smaller and arguably weepier of the group. Haiyer was grabbing at his tunic nervously and glaring up at the ranger.

“Give her back!” he demanded with a frown; his little chin sticking out in a pout.

“Oh, aye? Ye givin’ me orders there lil’ princeling?” Keral asked in amusement. “And just what ye gonna be doin’ if I say no?”

“Leave him alone, he’s just a baby!” Oira told him, but in response, Keral flipped the pack’s lid closed and sat his hand on top.

“Quiet woman and let me have my fun,” he said and turned his attention back to Haiyer who had procured a rock and had it pulled back in his hand, ready to throw it. Keral laughed. “Oh, ye gonna hit me with a rock?”

“Give Mama back! And sister!”

“Hm. No, I think I’m gonna keep ‘em,” Keral replied with a grin, patting the top of the pack with his hand.

“NO!” Haiyer yelled and threw the rock. It landed harmlessly about a foot away from Keral’s boot and the ranger looked at for a moment before flicking his gaze back to the boy who visibly flinched. The thin blanket of courage fell from the little boy’s shoulders and he began to shake and cry. “Please….please give them back.”

“Ye think I’m gonna hurt yer mum and sister do ye, son?”

“You’re a giant...giants eat people...” said the little boy with an oddly serious expression, but the way his bottom lip trembled gave him away.

“This one don’t,” Keral said simply, shaking his head. “Never have, never will. Besides. Ye lil’ fella’s all taste like dirt.”

Haiyer blinked, looking confused and then turned his eyes down to the ground and the dirt there and then back up at Keral; tilting his head. “...dirt?”

“Oh, aye. Just like mud,” he said, making a face of disgust. “Not very yummy. So I won’t be eatin’ ya or yer mum an’ sister.”

“...no?” the little boy said with a hopeful lilt.

“Nope.”

“...oh,” Haiyer said, blinking as he digested this revelation, his fear seemingly forgotten. He looked at the rock and the back up at Keral and seemed almost ashamed. “...I’m sorry I threw a rock at you. I thought you wanted to eat us.”

“No harm, lad,” he said with a grin. “Ye did good comin’ to yer family’s rescue like that. Very brave of ya.”

“...I was really scared.” he admitted.

“And how about now?”

“...still scared.”

“Well, don’t be worryin’ about that none, my lil’ lad,” Keral said and laying his hand down in front of the boy. “I’m takin’ all of ye somewhere ye gonna be safe.”

“...safe? From Addis?” Haiyer asked, a little more hope brightening his face and looking at Keral’s open palm warily.

“Addis?” Keral asked, confused. “Aidus, ye mean?”

“Yeah. The bad man,” the boy said. “He hurts me sometimes. And Mama. Makes her cry a lot.”

The amusement in Keral’s eyes softened and took a moment to properly look the little boy over. He could see marking on his bare legs and scratches on his arms and face. What would normally have been mistaken for the scrapes and scratched of a rambunctious child when pulled together with everything else painted a much bleaker picture and he found himself very angry.

“I’m not gonna let ‘im hurt yer mum, lad,” he said gently. “Or yer sister. Or you.”

Haiyer fidgeted, digging his toes into the dirt and thinking very hard. When he finally spoke, it was a small and anticipative question. “...you promise?”

“Promise,” Keral answered, making an X over his heart. “Cross m’heart an’ everythin’.”

“...Okay.” Haiyer replied with the smallest of smiles. Keral remained very still as the boy cautiously approached him, eyeing his open hand. Slowly and still shaking, Haiyer climbed into the ranger’s palm and sat down in the hallow of the gloved hand. Lifting the boy very carefully, Keral brought him over to his pack and opened it. A very nervous looking Oira was glaring up at him and the tips of her fingers were glowing.

Keral rolled his eyes at her.

“Settle down, lass. Yer pup’s fine,” Keral said as he lowered Haiyer inside and let him slip off from his hand and into his mother’s arms.

“Mama! Guess what?” Haiyer asked, suddenly very animated and excited. “He said we taste bad so he isn’t gonna eat us.”

“Well,” Oira grinned, suppressing a laugh and pressing her forehead to his. “That is good news.”

#DUMPLING #G/t story #g/t writing #Giant/tiny #Fantasy Story #g/t fantasy story #Nenani #Keral #Oira #Haiyer #Hayron #Thadeus #Aidus #Smoke Mage

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agentaace · 4 years

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artemis fowl liveblog, if anyones interested (disclaimers: i was a HUGE fan of the books when i was younger but i barely remember anything, and i am pretty high right now)

its gonna be long folks! like..... really long

okay. news reporters. is that.... the digging guy??

YEAH ITS MULCH!! is he.... the narrator??? why is he the narrator???

who is this surfing child. the artemis i know has never stepped foot outside. i dont think he ever went to school either "an unusual kid" NOT UNUSUAL ENOUGH.... this kid looks to much like a cinnamon roll..... WHY IS HIS MOM DEAD

a hoverboard? a fucking hoverboard???

humans shouldnt know about the faeries

this bitch wearing jeans? also the dad looks like david from schitts creek but older

i should mention that the first time i heard this movie was approaching i looked up who was cast for Holly Short, bc i DISTINCTLY remember her explicetly canonically having brown skin bc i used to draw her!!! also butler's name wasnt revealed until like the third book and it was a BIG DEAL, youre just gonna drop it just like that?

whys artemis dressed like edmund pevensie...... fucking knock off version. edmund had more evil in his body than this wannabe supervillain and edmund was a GOOD BOY

hate this version of butler. hes too nice. hes helpful and kind. why has disney spat in my face

OH SHIT FAIRYWORLD LOOKS DOPE AF, somehow almost exactly like inused to picture it!! one good detail!! and if holly wasnt whitewashed she'd be kinda cute,,,,

this is not a compliment to the movie at all but i still absolutely love the faeries being super sci fi and tech oriented, thats incredible.... scifi fantasy DREAM HYBRID

oh god last time i saw judy dench was in the cats movie,,, she stared into my soul,,,, i cannot forget. though yeah she is a good commander root actually from what little i remember, the vibes are right

pleasebejuliapleasebejulia.... oh its juliet but SHE IS HERE!!!!!!!!!! h his twelve year old neice??? no??? she is his like 17 year old sister

oh my god foaly..... ok he looks cool as hell actually.... too bad his legs are animated weird!!! i would die for him

the l.e.p.recon suit and the wings actually look pretty close to whay i pictured too.... and the troll scene!!! holy shit i remember this!!! and thats how artemis finds her..... yess.... god those books were good.... time-freeze bubble foreshadowing omg i REMEMBER THAT and artemis figures out a way to avoid it..... holy shit im having so many flashbacks

OPAL KOBOI OH MY GOD wasnt she not until the third book??? and the dad and the aculos stuff too???? why are they mixing them up like this

okay kidnapping scene and where holly and artemis meet is sorta exactly what i remember, like i feel like its almost line for line tbh

pacing is wack, i feel like the time freeze was much later in the book and holly was captive for like, a majority.... also, now that artemis is playing villain to holly it feels a lot more natural, he is SUPPOSED to be snarky and rude and mean

"top o' the morning" very funny judy dench line, but i dont think its funny for the reasons disney intended

ARTEMIS IN A SUIT, FINALLY!!! also, Take The Shot! lmao. and see... this little good artemis doesnt make sense to have this extremely thorough and detailed and villainous plan, why couldnt disney just make him evil

HEY I REMEMBER THE GOBLIN FIRE THING IN PRISON W MULCH ACTUALLY..... NICE

"youre enjoying all this, you think it's a game!" YES! wht couldnt disney just lean into this and commit!!! i just wish this child looked like more of a bastard!!

hehehe david bowie is a faerie (though i'm.... not really liking josh gad's comedic relief role here.... thats nothing new) FUCK ME I FORGOT ABOUT THE JAW THING I AM TOO HIGH FOR THAT SHIT THIS IS HORRIFYING

iris cam!!! vividly remember that!!! and the finger gun thing, did they use that too?? loved that, will be disapointed if its not here

eeeughfjhf i forgot about the dwarf beard hair thing too oh GOD

the aculos looks good according to my awful memory!!! nice

the cudgeon storyline was NOT in the first book, not that i can remember, amd its not even interesting?? it just clutters up this movie with some nonsense. i dont like it.

that troll fucking YEETED butler eeeeeigufjkd the jaw thing again noooooo

like okay i like that artemis looks Baby, i like that he looks 12, i just wanted a shittier twelve year old. this ones too nice!! toss him out!!!

this butler is also too cute. i needed him to be way intimidating. but this one is wholesome. fuck this

and the relationship between holly and artemis. its too good, too pure. they are so cute. in the books they were friends completely against their will.

yeah i am totally mad that they are combining the first book and the third (?) book. not everything has to be some End Of The World shit. sometimes a kid just ransoms a fairy because he wants gold and he's evil. this disney version is much more boring. like if this movie had leaned into the wholesome stuff while keeping a lower stakes plot, thatd be okay. if artemis was super evil and cool as fuck and they made the stakes a little higher.... that might have been okay? but Good People Fighting The End Of The World is every movie and it is very boring!!!!! oh my god!!!!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!? THE DAD'S NOT EVEN EVIL???? NOOOOO

holly and commander root were not close. seriously cut the wholesome shit. these were the LEAST wholesome books i read as a child. the faeries have swear words and they arent afraid to use them.

ugh the weird "we're probably not going to get a sequel but we're going to imply one anyways" thing that bad book adaptations do.... like miss peregrine's, remember that?

"i'm artemis fowl. i'm a criminal mastermind." FUCK YEAH YOU ARE GO OFF KING actually a little hyped over that line. maybe twelve is too young to be fully evil. he still has time to become Bastard.

fuck the mulch narrator bullshit. hate that. "i hope you don't get squeamish" I DO PLEASE DO NOT DO WHAT YOU ARE DOING shut the fuck up. all of you shut the fuck up you are so ANNOYING

okay its over and i am free

#artemis fowl #artemis fowl 2020 #liveblog #artemis fowl movie #funny #mine #ummmm ive only ever done liveblogs of magnus archives before #and thats on my sideblog #but i like it! might do it more especially if people like it

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elftwink · 4 years

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the rules: answer 17 questions & tag 17 people you want to know better

tagged by @troxk (& you’re right we have been mutuals for ages; i think since this was a bright sessions blog djshghsjd) (also thanks for tagging me!!)

nickname: lukas or luke (lukas isn’t really a nickname but ppl call me either so like. whatever)

zodiac sign: virgo (& possibly virgo/libra cusp? i don’t know enough about astrology all i know is my horoscope is like “you’re a judgmental bitch” and i’m like “well, you got me there”)

height: 5′8 (ish? somewhere around there, give or take an inch)

hogwarts house: gryffindor but ALSO i think we should start asking about other media categorizations. i know my house cos i did 500 quizzes about it in my teen years but we gotta start branching out everyone. like if i were in starfleet i’d be command & i used to say if i were a demigod i’d be a child of athena but to be honest with you all, the only thing that means is that when i was 12 i was insufferable and thought i was really smart. you know. if i were a dnd character i’d be a tiefling warlock and my wis modifier would be -3

last thing i googled: “[my university name] library” cos i was doing my lit review earlier lmao

song stuck in my head: soldier, poet, king - the oh hellos

following and followers: following 531 (although i would guess only about half of those are still active blogs lmfao) / 1134 followers

amount of sleep i get: around 5 hours? recently it’s been 3 on weeknights and 10+ on weekends which i’m sure is unhealthy but what can u do

lucky number(s): i don’t have any although not cos i don’t believe in the concept necessarily but more because that would require me to pay attention to patterns in outcomes of luck and i do not do that

dream job: this is not a job and will make me sound like an hypocrite because all i do is complain about school but ideally i’d just keep going to college forever. so like. realistically probably some kind of researcher, or perhaps professor

wearing: right now? a pair of gray joggers and a t-shirt but like. the athletic ones made of slightly different material. i dress REAL boring when i dont intend to leave the house

favorite songs: hmm. all-time probably animal - neon trees & it’s time - imagine dragons. this week specifically it’s let’s be friends - carly rae jepsen, stumblin’ home - smallpools, & sweetheart - rebecca black (yes the friday girl. her songs are good and i will stand by that)

instruments: i don’t play any! i used to be able to play alto sax and given the opportunity i might be able to play the pink panther theme from muscle memory but i stopped half-way through hs and haven’t picked it up since

random facts: hmm... i collect mugs although mostly by accident, i think i have dyed my hair every colour except green, ive never played a pokemon game (except pokemon go but like. a game game), & technically speaking i’m fluent in french in the sense that the last time they tested me, 4 years ago, i could speak it

aesthetic: would like to look like i walked out of a fantasy adventure book. im not interested in historical accuracy or whatever i’m interested in the flow-y shirts that make you look like a pirate and the lace up boots and owning a variety of capes.

tagging: i tag @asimovsideburns, @aloyssobek, @kipoints, @swallowtailed, @aldieb, @ultrasopp, @mosseffect, @birdiethebibliophile, @monkeybean29, @nellotone, @spicyramenprincess, @toasttedbaguels, @atleastthisusernamewasnttaken, @the-littlest-goblin, @frumpkino, @johnmybeloved, @brassknuckles, which is 17 if i know how to count correctly! (also don’t feel obligated to do this if you don’t want to, and also, if i didn’t tag you but you want to do it, feel free to just grab this and say i tagged you!)

#good idea generator #long post /#about me

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thesmalltowngal · 4 years

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COC Snowbaz 20- S+B

COC #20: Fairy Tale/Myth Retelling

~ I really really loved writing this one. I got totally lost within the story. I sincerely hope you enjoy! ~

The wood is a dangerous place. It’s full of nymphs (the tricky bloody things), dwarves, dragons, and goblins. Which is what my girlfriend Agatha had told me before I was sent on my quest by King Davy. She hadn’t wanted me to go out away from the Watford kingdom, really, but the king said there were cluster of aggressive goblins spotted on the edge of the other side of the wood, so I had to go and see for myself. After all, I was the prince, and prince’s (so I was told) had certain duties. (I had often thought that maybe I didn’t want to be prince- even though I was born that way.)

So I kissed Agatha’s cheek goodbye and she just stood there and took it like a princess. (We were set to marry in a few months- another thing I wasn’t so sure I wanted. But, well. It was on my list of things I dare not think about.) I packed my sword and set out on my horse, on my way all alone in the wood. Of course, King Davy had wanted me to take accompaniment, but I felt as though I could do it on my own. (And maybe I was tired of always following his orders. Maybe I wanted to do something for myself.) The ride on horseback was set to take only about a day there and then a day back. That is, if I hadn’t found any trouble along the way.

So I took the ride as an opportunity to think of my duties as prince. I had thought… well, I had thought that I was a right daft bloody prince, hadn’t I? Often when I would talk, it would come out as short sputtering sentences. The king had me do speech when I was a wee ankle-biter, but it didn’t help as he thought it would. Um and er came out every other bloody word. And it didn’t help when I met Agatha through my second in command Penny. Of course, it was frowned upon to have a girl as my second, but I had known her since we were young, and I had trusted nobody more. She introduced me to Agatha, and I had thought she was bloody well stunning. Which, of course, didn’t help my stuttering. So then we dated for a short while before I introduced her to King Davy. They got on well; he was glad that I would be marrying into another rich family, as the kingdom was recently down on wealth.

But over time, I felt as though maybe… maybe Agatha wasn’t what I wanted. Penny saw that too, I think, but although she had mentioned it to me before, I waved it off. After all, what is a prince without his lovely princess? My father (I try not to call him that, but he is the closest thing I’ve ever had to one) loved her and so did the subjects in our royal court. But for some reason, what Queen Lucy had said to me before she passed. It’s okay, Simon. It’s okay if you don’t love her the way you think you should. I’ll respect whatever you decide, love, but… it’s alright if your heart wants something else. Follow it. She said that to me on her deathbed. She was the closest thing I had ever had to a mother and her passing made me rethink… everything, really. I went a little crackers after she had went. Sometimes I thought maybe I did want to follow her advice. (My heart, that is.) But then, I’d look at all the king had done for me over the years, and I just couldn’t. Besides, I didn’t even know what my heart very well did bloody want.

As the sun went down, I started feeling drowsy and hungry. Granted, I always felt hungry- one of the many things that contradicted the whole ‘perfect prince’ thing. I loved eating to a point of fucking obsession, and I was messy when I ate, too. Agatha always had to correct me at the table. (It bugged me when she did that; why couldn’t I just be me?) My steed - Ebb, as it were - was getting tired too. I could tell she was slowing, and I could feel her hungry stomach rumble beneath me. So we went on a bit until we hit a clearing. It was nestled in the middle of thick trees, seemingly where no one would ever find it had they not been looking, and there was a small cottage in the middle of it. (Queen Lucy once told me about the time when she and King Davy used to live in a small cottage; perhaps this was it?)

I stopped Ebb and tied her up to a nearby tree. If someone lived in the cottage, maybe they’d spare some food and a place to sleep for the night. But as I neared the cottage and peeked in one of the windows, I saw that the inside was immaculately clean- to the point of borderline nutter. Yet no one was inside. I decided to creep around the building, and as I got to the back, hand rested readily on the hilt of my sword, I saw seven numpties. I felt a tingly feeling in my stomach; I was nervous. (Who wouldn’t be nervous? Fucking numpties. There’s no known way to kill them.) When I looked closer (still careful to be very bloody quiet), I saw that they were surrounding some sort of glass coffin. (With something - someone - inside it?) As I leaned in, I could hear bits of their conversation.

“P’raps it’d be better to grill-”

“-Roasting may be better,”

“Well he’s spelled unconscious, so it won’t matter-” Spelled?

“-be flambe?” From what I caught, it sounded like they were planning on eating someone. Not surprising, but not good, either. I could have gone back to Ebb and rode far away from there. But true to form, I could never keep my daft nose out of anything. So I jumped out in front of the numpties, standing taller than I really was. I tried to look confident, but I’m sure I just looked uneasy. (And perhaps constipated.) I s’posed there was no way I could have very well turned back then.

“I, um-” Stop stuttering, Simon. I cleared my throat. “What rights do you have to be on the royal grounds?” They gruffly chuckled and exchanged glances among themselves.

“Miles away from the kingdom, sonnyboy. You’re on our grounds, now.” I gulped, very showily, I’m sure. Despite wanting to run far, far away from there (see? What kind of prince runs from danger?) I held my ground and stood more confidently.

“I’m the prince, and I’m sure that-” One of the larger ones gasped and interrupted me.

“A prince, eh? Look at ‘im, boys! I’ve never had royal meat before…” He elbowed the numpty beside him and pointed at me. My hair was falling in my face from not having cut it in a bit, which I’m sure didn’t help my demeanor.

“Gentlemen, I’m sure we can, erm- come to an… uh- an agreement of sorts, yes?” They all laughed at that.

“I don’t think so,” The larger one said, moving in closer to me.

“See, we haven’t eaten in a very-” Another one started.

“Long time.” They moved closer and closer, pressing in on me from all sides. I tried pushing against them to no avail. Just when I thought that I was going to die that way - smushed by fucking numpties of all things - one began to crumble. His friends were startled, but pressed on. But as I looked up, I saw someone agile and thin (and seemingly old- she had a white streak in her hair) hitting each numpty over the head with a… newspaper? Peculiar. When they had all crumbled, she hopped down from the rubble and extended her hand to me.

“Paper beats rock,” She smirked. “Fiona.” I shook her hand, and decided that if she didn’t know who I was already, she didn’t need to. No need to mention the prince thing, even if I was dressed in royal linens. (Which I right hated.)

“Simon,” She smiled at me a bit and continued on, dragging me to some of the smaller bits of rubble.

“We haven’t much time until they reassemble. Help me toss some stones in the river- they can’t reassemble if they’re missing a few pieces.” I didn’t trust her very much - it was a gut thing - but I helped her throw pieces of rock in a nearby stream and watched as the current carried them far away. When we were done, she walked back over to the cottage with me and settled beside the glass coffin. I hadn’t gone over, yet- I’d been nervous. But watching her stare down at it, I decided to move closer, right beside her.

Inside the coffin was a bloke with long ebony black hair and skin as pale and white as snow. He had thin lips, which looked red from… (blood?) His eyes were closed, but I found myself wanting to know what they looked like open. (Perhaps that sounded a bit gay.) I didn’t know the bloke… but I thought I’d have liked to.

“Who is he?” I found myself wondering aloud. Fiona looked at me.

“His name is Baz. I was sent to… well, nevermind that. Just- wake him up, would you?” I nodded, even though I didn’t know exactly to what I was agreeing. “Right, well. I’ve got to be on my way… find a pig, perhaps.” She seemed to be muttering to herself, which I hadn’t really minded. I tended to do that, too. But before I could thank her for saving me, she was running back into the woods. I shook my head and turned my attention back to the bloke - Baz - in the coffin. I told Fiona that I’d wake him up, but how was I to do that? I supposed I should start with taking the lid off. So I lifted it and set it to the side, careful not to break it.

Not knowing what else to do, I took Baz’s (very cold) hand and stared back down to his face, thinking about how the bloody hell I could wake him. I supposed I could hit him? Although that seemed borderline like abuse. I remember Prince Phillip a few kingdoms over woke Aurora with a god and proper snog. (But if you asked me, I thought the whole situation was a little rape-y. Agatha had thought it was romantic.) But I s’posed there was no other option. I remembered Queen Lucy’s words in my head again. It’s alright if your heart wants something else. Follow it.

I leaned down over Baz’s (what a lovely name) face, and the whole time as I leaned down, I kept thinking I have a girlfriend, I have a girlfriend, I have a… I pressed my apprehensive lips to his tenderly, and held there for a second or two. As I was pulling back, I felt a gasp dance across my lips; and it wasn’t my own. I was only an inch away from his face when his eyes snapped open. Big pools of cold grey, like the kingdom’s pavement on a rainy day. Like storm clouds or the angry sea. Like… what was my girlfriends’ name?

He sat up quickly, knocking into my head. “Ow!” I yelped, bringing my hand to my forehead. He looked around, seemingly afraid. (He was more beautiful awake. Does this mean I’m gay? Maybe a bit.)

“What the fuck?!” He yelled, hopping out of the coffin. He was running his hands through his hair, distressed. As his feet hit the ground, he let out an exclamation of pain. “Bloody hell, that fucking hurts!” I stepped closer to him, holding out a hand.

“Hey, it’s oka-”

“Who the fuck are you?”

“I’m…” I wasn’t sure if I had simply forgotten my name looking at him, or if I just didn’t want him to know I was a prince. (Both, maybe.) “Simon Snow.”

“Well, Snow, why the fuck are you here? Where am I?!” He seemed to like the word fuck.

“Well, there were numpties around, and then a Fiona came along and-”

“Fiona?” He sounded afraid.

“Yes, and he killed them and then told me to wake you before he left, saying something about a pig. And then, well. Then I bloody kissed you-”

“You. What?”

“I, er- well, I kissed you to wake you up an-” He threw his arms up in distress.

“Do you go around snogging every sleeping bloke you find in the woods, Snow?”

“Well this would be a first,” I had cut myself off, sudden irritation building. “And anyway, shouldn’t you be bloody grateful, you tit? I saved you!” He scoffed and sneered at me with one eyebrow raised, all in one motion. It was breathtaking. We took steps toward each other, and I could feel his absence of heat getting startlingly close to me. (Was my girlfriends name… Amelia? Amy? Something with an A… I couldn’t think that close to him.)

“You saved me by snogging me, you dolt!”

“At least I didn’t get kidnapped by fucking numpties!” The silence was deafening, and we were so close by then that I was sure he could hear my heart beating. How could such a (beautiful) stranger have done that to me? I thought he was going to attack me. Maybe I’d kiss him again, I thought. Maybe one more time, I’d feel his soft lips on mine before he tried to kill me.

Then he kissed me. Roughly and aggressively and passionately; like he wanted to break me. Don’t worry, I thought. I’m already a bit broken- you are too, I think.

We spent the rest of the night kissing and talking and getting to know each other. We ate. We slept. We fed Ebb. I think Baz fell a bit in love with her. But when we were all full and rested, I let Ebb go back to the kingdom.

“Run back,” I told her, stroking her nose. “I’ll be okay, I promise. But don’t tell them I’m here.” I whispered to her. She nuzzled against me before I let her go. I was fairly sure I’d be okay- Baz didn’t seem like a murderer, anyway.

But after a few days, Ebb came running back. She came back wildly and recklessly, and when Baz and I saw her, we ran to go pet and feed her. Baz still didn’t know I was once a prince. Maybe it was for the best- I didn’t have to live up to expectations, anymore. In fact, Baz didn’t have any expectations for me. I just… was, with him. As soon as Ebb had come back, we spent the afternoon riding her. We laughed and talked and pretended to hate each other, even if we were both falling a bit in love, in all actuality. (That made me right gay, I decided.)

“I want to steer!” He’d whine. I would just laugh and push him playfully.

“Sorry, Baz, but the front seat is for people who haven’t been kidnapped by fucking numpties.” He rolled his eyes and pretended to be offended, but I knew he wasn’t- there was a ghost of a smile there.

…

One day, years later, when I was cleaning up the cottage, I saw something carved into the wood in the wall on the exterior of the house.

“Baz!” I had called. He came running back, as gorgeous as ever. “Look at this, love.” I pointed to the engraving in the wood, a naff carving job. It said, L+D encased inside a heart. Baz cocked his head and furrowed his eyebrows. (I loved it when he did that.)

“Who’re they?” He whispered, leaning down to rest his head on my shoulder. He smelled of cedar and bergamot, which I never understood since we lived in the middle of the forest. I smiled because I knew exactly who they were. Just two fools in love, one of them to one day rule with an iron fist, and the other… the other to become my guiding voice in everything I had done since I met her. There was something poetic about Baz and I living in that same cottage, even if I didn’t quite know how at the time.

I turned my head and placed a soft kiss on the side of Baz’s face. He laughed softly and placed a kiss on a mole on my neck in turn. (He treats it like a target.) “Dunno. But I bet they were madly in love, yeah?” He nodded his head.

“Yeah. Lot like us, Snow. Lot like us.” For all my life, I had felt out of place- like I wasn’t where I belonged. But then, just because of a moment in the forest, I found home. I found peace. I felt complete.

We carved our initials in a heart right under theirs later that day.

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littlebitoffanfic · 5 years

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Happier

Orc x reader Request: an orc x reader (cause I love your orc stuff). I don’t know what tho, but a nice orc who just wants the reader to be happy but shes a messenger or something so only comes to see him now and again. Maybe the readers attacked by another orc and hes scared it might make her never want to see him again. You sat in the small carriage, watching the area around you, your documents on your lap. You were traveling from the council set up in the mainly human dominated city of Revelanty to the orc dominated town of Arganintia. It was about a days travel by horse drawn carriages so in comparison to the rest of the councils connections, it was relatively close. You worked for the council, whos main aim was to keep peace between towns and races. This extended past just Orcs and Humans. There was Dwarfs, Goblins, Elves, Terants and more. For the most part, most species kept to themselves, often having colonies, towns or tribes that they would stay in, excluding Goblins who liked to rotate their ground and moved to different parts with each season depending on their needs. Humans and Orcs had a slightly different relationship. For the most part, there was peace however, both sides had groups that still harboured resentment over a war that finished just over 200 years ago. For this reason, it was very important to the council to maintain a healthy relationship with the leader of Arganintia. Their leader was a fair and wise one whos name was Arigni. You knew they referred to him as a king and you understood why. You met with him and his own council at least twice a week, discussing many things such as trade deals, land, any issues with residents in either town, it just depends on what the needs are. Arigni had a small council of 4 other Orcs (known as the Kings Trust), who you were proud to say you shared a friendship with. Elekin was an older Orc, with the darkest green skin you had ever seen on a Orc. It was so dark, he could easily be lost in the dark. But he was a nice enough Orc, who had seen one to many battles in his life and had the scars to show it. This didn’t stop him from telling you of his adventures, something you found interesting. Azekin took the longest to warm up to you at first. He was a warrior in every sense of the word and wasted no time in showing someone this. Originally, he had been on the kings guard and raised through the ranks to the kings personal guard as well as a Kings trust. He was the tallest in the Trust by a good foot. All Orcs towered over you, with most standing at 9 foot tall. But combining that with his large, muscly body made him very intimidating. One of his tusks was chipped off the top and he had a number of facial piercings as well as s large, dark beard. You had been fearful of him for the longest time, until one time, he protected you from a angry and rather drunk Orc who resented humans. From then on, he was as much your protector as he was the kings. Gaakt was a close friend of the king, and had earned his way onto the Trust through dedication to the king. He was known for having a silver tongue, something you and him shared. He also seemed to be the one who found out things. If there was so much as a small fight, he knew. He had close connections in the town which meant 9 out of 10 times, it was easy to stop something. Krothu was the brains of the Trust. He was by far the most intelligent Orc you had ever met. He had a deep love for the history of most Humans and Orcs as well as for books. Of everyone, you got on with him the best and most. He was very different to most Orcs you knew, more a gentle giant. Other Orcs showed a lot of aggression and anger. It wasn’t a bad thing, it was just the culture. They would resolve things with fists while Krothu used words. He was big, not as tall as Azekin, but just as muscular. Like most Orcs, he had tattoos, the majority of which was up his right arm and were marking you knew were important to the culture. He had a number of piercings in his ear like many but he kept his facial hair to a minimum. The hair on his head was long, falling in dreadlocks to his shoulders, unlike both Gaakt and Azekin who had rather short but spiked hair. He wore a neckless that was a symbol of the Trust, made up of bones and normally wore shirts unlike the working male orcs in the town who would go topless, much to the pleasure of the Orcess’s. The two of you got along so well, you would now stay with him when you visited, rather than in the kings guest rooms. You were their connection to the main Council and they had a lot of trust in you as you had shown them that you work to help them and make sure they are happy just as much as you did the council. Once, there had been a dispute of an Orc living in Revelanty who had been ambushed by a group of men. For obvious reason, the Orc community had been in uproar about one of their own being injured and demanded blood. The Council had refused to hand the men over to the Orcs which had nearly caused another war, one which was only stopped when you stepped in. You addressed the council while Arigini and the Trust were there. You asked the council what they would expect as a reasonable punishment if you had been attacked while on duty in Arganintia. Of course, the council would have wanted a harsher punishment because you worked for them, but it was through your negotiations (mainly on Arignis side) that the men would serve a life sentence held within the prisons of Verni, known for its strict prisoner ways. From that moment on, you were the Orc Kings courtier in all aspects of relations between the two city’s. Today, you were delivering contracts for the trade of animal stock and the King had asked to speak to you about possible issues regarding a Goblin camp near by. however, it was late and it had been a horrible day. The rain had not stopped since the morning and had added 4 to 5 hours to the journey. It was always agreed that if you arrived after sunset, you could go straight to Krothu’s and rest, the business can always wait till morning. you felt the carriage pull to a steady halt and looked out the window, seeing you were now at his home. He lived a little outside the town, preferring the country to the constant noise of the town. His home was similar to a small cottage and was just a lovely. Grabbing your bags you hopped out the door, seeing the two Orcs, Renti and Krih (brothers) who had driven the carriage about to climb out from their small compartment that covered them from rain. They were always the ones to come and escort you to and from the town, so you knew them well. In fact, you often met with their wife’s for lunch on your free days and enjoyed the company of their family’s. “Do not worry. Go home and dry off. I apologies for the dreadful weather you had to endure for me.” You smiled, reaching into your pocket and pulling out 3 coins each to give to them. They were already paid by the king but you wanted to compensate. Both smile at the gift. “Thanks, always ah pleasure.” Krih smiled, nodding his head before setting off in the carriage. you darted to the door, the documents held close to your chest in one hand and your bag hooked on your elbow. Knocking on the door, you didn’t have to wait long before it was flung open. “[y/n], I feared the storm might have taken you.” A deep but comforting voice spoke, filled with fear as you were pulled inside. “Im sorry. The horses got a fright from the lightening earlier, so we had to stop.” You told him, smiling at how much he worried for you. He returned your smile and you reached up, wrapping your arms around him to greet him with a hug. He was the only Orc you knew who you would hug straight away. With the Trust and king, you would always wait to see if they initiated it first. His tusks rubbed against your shoulder as he returned the greeting, making you smile. At first, you found the tusks very intimidating and rather frightening, but as you got used to the orcs and became friends with many, you found they were a massive part of the culture. Some of the younger Orcs pierced their tusks, but you didn’t really like the idea. As far as you’re understand was of the tusks, they were similar to teeth but didn’t have the same sort of sensitivity, more a mixture of bone and tooth. But you could never have a tooth pierced. pulling back, your bag was taken from your arm and Krathu walked through his home, pacing it in the spare bedroom. His door opened straight into his living area, which was filled with books, maps, documents, etc. He had a bookcase on every wall and in the centre of the room was a couple of comfy chairs, a large sofa and a table. In the fireplace was a fire while was very inviting so you walked over to him, kneeling down in front of the flame to warm up. Your long dress was damp, but not fully wet. “Do you have anywhere I can put these documents?” You asked as he came back. He nodded and was quick to take them and took them through to a room you know to be his study. You watched him leave, biting down on your lower lip. Over the years, you had grown extremely fond of him, more than you cared to tell anyone. It wasn’t unheard-of for humans and orcs to be together in a romantic fashion, but not two so high in the ranks as yourself. Signing to yourself, you started to take off your coat. “Is everything okay?” Krathu asked, his voice making you jump since you didn’t realise he had came back. You pulled your coat back on, but you didn’t know why. You were staying the night. “Of course.” You smiled, getting to your feet as he approached you. He walked around you, his large fingers reaching up and hooking under the collar of your coat, pulling it up and off your shoulder. You allowed the clothing to fall, smiling at his gentle nature as he took the coat and hung it up to dry. For the next hour, you settled in. You went and changed your dress and when you returned, there was a lovely smelling coming from the kitchen. Curiously, you followed your nose to see a hot bowl of stew on the kitchen table, a spoon at the side and Krath setting a glass of water down on the table. He looked up at you and you jumped. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb your dinner. I shall be in my room.” You nodded and started to back to your room when a loud laugh filled your ears and an arm was wrapped around your waist, lifting you up and carrying you back through to the kitchen. “Its your dinner, not mine.” Kruth laughed as he sat you down in the chair. You couldn’t help but smile as you ate the stew, savouring every mouthful. He was good to you, very good in fact. Better than any man had ever been. And as you ate, you couldn’t help but glance over to him, wondering if his kindness towards you was purly political. Or if he cared for you as deeply as you did for him. ------------------time skip -------------------- It had been another long day. You and Krath had left just after sunrise and been in meeting after meeting. The rest of the council had been happy you had made it safely and securely to the kingdom but also feared for your return to your home. The storm had only gotten worse, so you decided to go and see Krih and his wife, Freha, to see if he’d be okay in delaying your return. Krath had had to finish some work up with the king so stayed and agreed to meet you at his house again later for supper. it was just after dark when you turned the corner, seeing Krih and Frehas home at the end of the street. But before you could smile and head there, large hands grabbed your arms and you were pulled into a back alley. “Disgusting human.” A voice snarled in your ear as you struggled against the darkess holding you. “Freha!” You cried out just as a large hand clamped over your mouth. He manged to hold both your hands behind your back as the free one covered your mouth. “Shut up!” It snarled and you managed to turn your head to a large orc towering over you, his eyes bringing with a fresh hatred for you. You struggled against him as you tried to scream out into the night, hoping that someone might hear you. “Filthy human. In my town.” He grunted, his voice low and rough as he pulled you further into the alley way. His hand let go of your arms just as the hand which covered your mouth darted to your neck and wrapped around it easily, squeezing hard. Your air was cut off and you used your hands to try and pry at his hand. Trying to get him to release you. but as he did this, he lifted you off the ground easily. Your legs were kicking helplessly below you. You saw something come around the side of your head and it glinted in the moon light. A knife. You screamed into his hand, panic finally setting in as you started to move as far away from the knife as possible. You shook your head, your eyes welling with tears as you gasped and gagged for air but nothing came. The knife moved closer to your chest, closer to where your heart was. He moved the knife so the point was pointing at you, then he raised it to the skin of your cheek and started to dig it in. Not by much. Not enough to pierce right through your cheek but enough to draw blood. “Human skins so easy to pierce.” He chuckled evilly in your ear. As you tried to pull the knife away, you slashed the palm of your right hand open but he merely cackled. He moved the knife down about 2 inches before pulling it away, the fresh cut on your cheek pulsing with pain as your tears hit it. He then moved the blade over the skin over your collar bone, which was only just visible from your dress. To left another wound, this time 4 or 5 inches. You closed your eyes for a moment until you felt the knife slash at your left side just below your ribs, cutting your dress and the skin underneath. Once again, not enough to kill or even be a threat, but enough to hurt and make you want to cry out in more pain. Then he brought the knife back to your heart. this was it. He was going to kill you. you scrambled even harder but your movements were becoming limp. The blood from your palm now covered your jaw and his hand as you tried to pry it away and failed. “[y/n]!” A voice from the end of the alley way and you looked up to see Freha standing with her hands covering her mouth. Then there was a loud “Thwack” from behind you and you were dropped to the ground. You gasped for air, rolling onto your back as sobs left your throat from the pain you were in. Your whole body felt like it was numb and you couldn’t do anything but scream as you tried to process what was happeniend. Your side and hand were on fire and you thought you might pass out from everything. “Shhh honey, its okay. You’re safe now.” You heard Freha hush as she appeared above you, falling to her knees and pulling your head onto her lap. Her eyes were filled with tears. You looked to where your attacker had been to see him now lying on the ground, unconscious, Krih behind him with a large club. You managed to sit yourself up a little, scrambling closer to Freha who wrapped her arms around you. “Hey! You okay down there?” “Whats all this noise?” “Whats going on?” A new voice called from the end of the alley at both sides. “Go get Kruth and the rest of the council. [y/n]’s been attacked!” Krih called out, his voice shaking as he dropped the bat to run over to you. “We gotta get her to a medic.” He mumbled, his eyes falling on your cuts and your throat which must have had bruising on it. “No, not yet. The council will need to see her first. And shes been through enough right now. She needs orcs she can trust right now. I’ll take her back to ours. Help me?” Freha knew exactly what you needed and knew you were too weak to stand by yourself. Krih nodded and moved to pick you up like a bride. You managed to catch a look at your body as he did so. You had blood splattered across your light blue dress. A number looked like hand prints from your slashed hand and there was a substantial pool of blood around the cut at the bottom of your ribs. You were starting to feel tiered and were extremely weak so your head just lolled back as you were lifted bridal style. You were carried out the alley and you saw there was a number of orcs had come out their houses and now were watching you, their eyes wide and some even covering their mouth. “Who could have done this to her?” Some male orc mumbled. “Poor wee thing.” A older female orc shook her head and you saw her walk to Freha who followed her husband. The old orc asked if she needed any help and this prompted a lot of the orcs to ask the same thing, but Freha shook her head, explaining what she had said to Krih a second ago. You looked behind you and Krih and saw two orcs hauling your unconscious attacker from the alley way and throwing him ungracefully into the road. “Tie his hands behind his back. Make sure he doesn’t get away!” Krih called over his shoulder as he came to his house. Freha darted in front of you both to open the door to their house. Once inside, he lay you on the table. You tried to sit up but Freha put her hands on your shoulders and gently pushed you back down. “You gotta rest, sweetie. We’ll take care of you. I promise.” She took your hand and squeezed it. “Thank you.” You said in a weak voice as Krih walked back out the house, most likely to deal with your attacker. You closed your eyes, allowing yourself to try and calm down while Freha ran up stairs and grabbed a pillow and cover. You were covered with the thin blanket and she lifted your hair to slip the pillow under your neck. Then she got to work with warm water and cleaned your cuts which stung but you managed to supress your cries. “Im only gonna clean you up just now. Im sorry, honey. But the councils coming. And they’ll have to see how bad it was.” She spoke with an air of guilt but you just shook your head a little and smiled despite the pain. “Thank you. you saved me.” You opened your eyes to look at her. “Of course! You’re like my family.” She sat down at a chair and took your good hand in both of hers, leaning her head against your hand. “You’re my sister.” You mumbled, smiling and squeezing her hand. She really was. You and her had grown very very close over the last few years. “And you are mine.” She smiled softly. For a while, the two of you spoke, mainly so she could make sure you were still awake. There was a crowd gathered outside the house and it sounded like it was getting aggressive. For a while, you thought (dreaded) it was anger at you. but then Krih came in and said the street was angry they weren’t allowed to attack your attacker. it must have only been 10 minutes later when you heard the crowd become quiet and the kings voice sounded frantic. “Where is she?” Someone must have told him where you were because just as Freha stood up the door was swung open. Arigni, Elekin, Azekin, Gaakt and Krath stormed in but once inside, they froze. Their eyes fell on your body, which was still weak and you knew you wouldn’t be able to sit up properly. If you weren’t feeling as weak, you might have felt embarrassed. You had always tried your best to be strong in front of them, show them you were a force to be reckoned with and that you could be relied on. but now, all you could do was close your eyes and turn your head from then, tears starting to burn again. “I’ll kill that orc!” Azekin growled, his voice at a level of anger and rage you had never heard before. “No! He will face justice, that much is certain. But right now, we have to tend to her.” Arigni voice was strong and held the weight to stop one of his greatest warriors from running out the door with an axe. “How bad is it?” “Pretty bad, your highness. We heard her shout and ran out. He’d pulled her down an alley way and was holding her up by her neck like a doll. He’d cut her several times at her side, hand face and he had the knife ready to pierce her heart when I saw them. God, he was strangling her! He knew either way she’d be dead. Didn’t think I’ll ever forget how her body dropped to the floor. Lifeless. Thought she were dead!” Freha breaks down and starts to sob. Your eyes open wide. You had never seen her cry. Like many Orcess, she was strong and tough, but now she was weeping by your side. you reached out and took her hand again which she must have dropped when they came in. squeezing her hand, you smiled at her. “Im not.” You managed to say, your voice horse from being strangled. “Can you sit up, little one?” Elekin appeared beside you, making you jump a little. You didn’t answer but made the effort to try. Letting go of Freha hand, you tried to push yourself up, but there was a sharp pain from the gasp on your stomach, which made you cry out in pain and squeeze your eyes shut. Two set of hands support your back, Freha and Elekin. Slowly, they lowered you back down. “I’ll take her back to mine. She needs to rest.” Kruthus voice was shaking and sounded extremely strained, making you look over at him. “allow me a few minutes to dress the wounds first.” Freha didn’t ask, she told them. During this time, she showed the full extent of your injuries to the king and his council. You moved between having your eyes open and closing them over when pain or embarrassment was too much. But you noticed one thing. Kruthus eyes kept trailing back to your neck. You knew there would be bruising there, and in the shape of a hand. Once you were wrapped up, you started to sit up but were then scooped into large, muscular arms. “Im sure I can walk.” You tried to protest, but you were tiered and weak, so it came out as more of a whimper. “Im sure you can. But I can not allow it.” Kruthu spoke with a gentle kindness in his voice that made you smile and lay you head on his shoulder. He had always smelled to you like home. You could never quite put you finger on what it was, but you didn’t mind. He carried you outside and into a carriage that was directly outside the door. You were too weak to say goodbye but felt Freha quickly take your hand and squeeze it reassuringly. It seemed the council were going to stay and interrogate the orc who had attacked you, so it was only you and Kruthu in the carriage. He never put you down, instead having you on his lap. “Are we going home?” you asked, your eyes falling shut as you tried to fight the sleepy feeling, but you could tell it was winning. “No, I can arrange for you to travel home tomorrow but-“ He started but you let out a small giggle. “No, no, no. I mean your home.” You chuckled to yourself, shaking your head slightly as you looked up at him. A soft smile dawned his handsome features. “Yes, we’re going home.” He smiles down at you. For the brief moment before you nodded off, you weren’t in pain anymore. You couldn’t be, not when he smiled at you like that. ---------------------time skip------------------------ You woke and it was still dark. The door to your bedroom was open and the only light was from the soft fire in the living room. Sitting up, you noticed your side didn’t hurt nearly as much as you had remembered it. You were also in a nightgown and with a new quilt over your bed. It was one you recognised as Frehas one she used. It was a tradition in their house that when one of the children were ill or sick, they go this blanket and it helped them get better. But something drew you out of the bed and towards the door. In the living room was Kruthu. He stood over his dining table which was covered in books. All lying open and overlapping each other. A disgruntled sign left his lips as he leaned over them, searching multiple books for an answered he seemed not to be able to find. “Kruthu?” You called out his name softly, not wanting to startle him but you didn’t have the desired effect. Instead he jumped, a book he had been holding seeming to jump from his grip and land on the floor with a bang. “You’re awake.” He looked at you like you were a ghost before moving quickly across the room to you. “You shouldn’t be up. You need to rest.” but as he drew closer, he stopped himself before he was within a metres distance from you. You repeated his name, stepping closer to him, unsure why he had stopped. When you had fallen ill a few years ago, he had ushered you back to bed with a hand gently on your back. Even when he brought you here, in was in the embrace of his arms. Something you sorely needed right now but couldn’t ask for. Your cheeks suddenly felt like they were on fire and you were unable to hold his gaze. But your reaction seemed to be one he fear. Kruthu backed away from you. “I am deeply sorry.” He said, his voice deep and sounding pained. But your gaze snapped up to him. Looking up, you saw he hung his head, his shoulders hunching over themselves. “Why?” you asked, completely confused by his actions. “I could never hurt you. I just want you to know that.” He speaks to the floor before retreating to his room quickly and closing the door over. “I know.” You said to the empty room, your brows knitted together with confusion. Deciding to investigate, you cross over to the table. All the books that were overflowing the table were books of law. Both human and Orc law. Btu they were all opened ot assault, battery and grievous body harm and the minimum sentencing for these. The worse sentence seemed to be 5 years within a prison. You cheeks flared up with rage. Surly the orc who had attacked you would get longer than that?! Looking at the floor, you picked up the book. Kruthu had marked the page he had been on by folding the corner of it down, so you found it quite quickly. The page read that if a member of the royal council or a significant other was assaulted or feared for their life, then the sentencing could be increased to whatever the party deemed necessary. Technically, you weren’t part of the council so you were confused when you re read the page. Until your eyes fell on one part in particular. Significant other. A partner, wife, husband, lover or engaged to. It didn’t matter. It would give the king the fullest power to punish your attacker and get you justice. But there was a flaw in that idea. Looking down, you noticed a letter under a book. The letter was from Freha. You skimmed over the letter before a passage caught your eye. “she adores you. It could not be a lie if you speak to her and tell her the truth. Shes stronger than you think. You could simply say it was kept a secret because of the positions you both hold in the court. I would testify as a witness and say she had told me in confidence. I can assure you that her feeling towards our race and towards you will not change. Her confidence might be knocked, but she is far too kind for her own good sometimes. Your worries are misplaced. You have said yourself that your love for her has grown. The council can see that, as can the people. No one would think twice if it came out that you and she were courting.” You blinked quickly. There was more to the letter but you could barely read it. You needed to speak to Kruthu. Placing the letter down, you walked over to his bedroom and knocked on the door before walking in. It was more of a warning than a request. This took him by surprise because he had been sitting on his bed, with his head in his hands but once you entered, he sprung up. “I know you would never hurt me.” You smiled, standing directly in front of him as you reach out to cup his cheek. You ran your thumb under his eye which showed he was very tired. his eyes fluttered close at your touch, seemingly reviling in the soft moment. he rose his own hand to cover your hand before moving it to kiss your palm and then back to his cheek. “would you have thought of marrying me? Before all this?” You ask, drawing his eyes open to look up at you. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t.” He breathed, as if scared of how you might respond. “And you’d never lie to me.” You smiled, saying it more as a statement than a question. “Never.” Kruthu shook his head a single time, looking up at you. “Good.” You smile, as you slide down so you were perched on his right knee. He instantly wrapped his free arm around your waist to keep your steady. “I’d never lie to you.” “I know.” Kruthu smiled with a sense of pride as he looked at you. “So, the letter? Will you explain it?” you ask, cocking your head to the side as you pull your hand away for his cheek but quickly take his hand that had been covering your and holding it on your lap. “I don’t think an orc as been so hated by its own kind in a while. But theres only so much we can do legally. Since you’re human.” He looks away, seeming embarrassed to have to point this out. “And if I were courting you?” You ask, ducking your head to guide his eyes back to your own. “The full powers of the sentencing could be enforced.” He tells you. “And it would certainly improve relations between orcs and humans. Since word of what happened to me and what the council did would earn great respect from them.” You nod a little. “Theres only one problem.” Kruthu says, making you frown a little. “What?” you ask. “I need to know you would want this, regardless of whats happened. I cannot bare to force you to stay with me. I adore you, [y/n], and I would certainly do everything in my power to be a good husband for you. but I need to know you would want this.” He spoke with a sort of desperate desire as he held you a little tighter than he had before. his eyes begged you for an answer. “I’ll always want you.” You whisper to him, finally voicing a secret you had kept to yourself for a long time. Kruthus breath hitched as he stared at you in awe before leaning forward and pressing his lips to yours in a desperate kiss. You wrapped your arms around his broad shoulders, holding him close and you kissed him back with equal passion and desire. After that day, it was told that Kruthu had been courting you for a while. May vouched for your closeness and how they believed you. You moved to be with Kruthu, as a permanent member of the kings council, in charge of human relations and business deals. And you found a loving and doting husband, who adored you to the moon and back. That orc had tried to take your life, but he had actually given you everything you ever wanted. And you had never been happier.

#orc x reader #male orc x female reader #Original Work

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filosofablogger · 5 years

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This was my Hallowe’en post back in 2016 … little did I know then just how scary things were about to get! I’ve added a few pictures since the original version, and I hope you’ll enjoy seeing some traditions from other countries and cultures!

Here in the U.S., our Hallowe’en traditions hail back to Ireland, which is widely considered to be where Hallowe’en originated. The Irish celebrate much as we do here, with children dressing up to go trick-or-treating for candy, parties with games such as bobbing for apples, bonfires, etc. A traditional food eaten on Hallowe’en is barnbrack, a kind of fruitcake that can be bought in stores or baked at home. A muslin-wrapped treat is baked inside the cake that, it is said, can foretell the eater’s future. If a ring is found, it means that the person will soon be wed; a piece of straw means that a prosperous year is on its way.

So, let us take a look at what they do in some other countries around the globe:

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead):

In Mexico, Latin America and Spain, All Souls’ Day, which takes place on November 2, is commemorated with a three-day celebration that begins on the evening of October 31. The celebration is designed to honor the dead who, it is believed, return to their earthly homes on Hallowe’en. Many families construct an altar to the dead in their homes to honor deceased relatives and decorate it with candy, flowers, photographs, samples of the deceased’s favorite foods and drinks, and fresh water. Often, a wash basin and towel are left out so that the spirit can wash before indulging in the feast.

Día de los Muertos festivities often feature breads, candies and other foods in the shape of skulls and skeletons. Candles and incense are burned to help the deceased find their way home. Relatives also tidy the gravesites of their departed family members. This can include snipping weeds, making repairs, and painting. The grave is then decorated with flowers, wreaths, or paper streamers. On November 2, relatives gather at the gravesite to picnic and reminisce. Some gatherings even include tequila and a mariachi band.

Guy Fawkes Day

On the evening of November 5, bonfires are lit throughout England. Effigies are burned and fireworks are set off. Although it falls around the same time and has some similar traditions, this celebration has little to do with Hallowe’en or the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The English, for the most part, stopped celebrating Hallowe’en as Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation began to spread. As followers of the new religion did not believe in saints, they had no reason to celebrate the eve of All Saints’ Day. However, a new autumn ritual did emerge. Guy Fawkes Day festivities were designed to commemorate the execution of a notorious English traitor, Guy Fawkes.

On November 5, 1606, Fawkes was executed after being convicted of attempting to blow up England’s parliament building. Fawkes was a member of a Catholic group who wanted to remove the Protestant King James from power. The original Guy Fawkes Day was celebrated right after his execution. The first bonfires, which were called “bone fires,” were set up to burn effigies and symbolic “bones” of the Catholic pope. It was not until two centuries later that effigies of the pope were replaced with those of Guy Fawkes. In addition to making effigies to be burned in the fires, children in some parts of England also walk the streets carrying an effigy or “guy” and ask for “a penny for the guy,” although they keep the money for themselves. This is as close to the American practice of “trick-or-treating” as can be found in England today. Guy Fawkes Day was even celebrated by the pilgrims at the first settlement at Plymouth. However, as the young nation began to develop its own history, Guy Fawkes was celebrated less frequently and eventually died out.

Teng Chieh

In China, the Hallowe’en festival is known as Teng Chieh. Food and water are placed in front of photographs of family members who have departed while bonfires and lanterns are lit in order to light the paths of the spirits as they travel the earth on Halloween night. Worshipers in Buddhist temples fashion “boats of the law” from paper, some of which are very large, which are then burned in the evening hours. The purpose of this custom is twofold: as a remembrance of the dead and in order to free the spirits of the “pretas” in order that they might ascend to heaven. “Pretas” are the spirits of those who died as a result of an accident or drowning and whose bodies were consequently never buried. The presence of “pretas” among the living is thought by the Chinese to be dangerous. Under the guidance of Buddhist temples, societies are formed to carry out ceremonies for the “pretas,” which includes the lighting of lanterns. Monks are invited to recite sacred verses and offerings of fruit are presented.

Yue Lan

The Halloween celebration in Hong Kong is known as “Yue Lan” (Festival of the Hungry Ghosts) and is a time when it is believed that spirits roam the world for twenty-four hours. Some people burn pictures of fruit or money at this time, believing these images would reach the spirit world and bring comfort to the ghosts. Fires are lit and food and gifts are offered to placate potentially angry ghosts who might be looking for revenge.

Austria: Austria has a Pumpkin Festival in Retzer Land called Kürbisfest im Retzer Land. On November 11, Austria celebrates Martini which includes costumes and a lantern procession. Some people in Austria believe that if they leave bread, water, and a lighted lamp out, dead souls will be welcomed back to earth for that night.

Belgium: In Belgium some villages celebrate Hallowe’en while other villages focus on celebrating All Saints’ Day. On Hallowe’en night, a Belgian may be found lighting a candle in memory of a dead relative.

Germany: Hallowe’en auf Deutsch became popular in the 1990s. People start to decorate around mid-October and use Hallowe’en as a party theme. On November 11, Germans celebrate Matinstag which includes costumes and a lantern procession.

Sweden: In Sweden, Hallowe’en is known as “Alla Helgons Dag” and is celebrated from October 31 until November 6. As with many other holidays, “Alla Helgons Dag” has an eve which is either celebrated or becomes a shortened working day. The Friday prior to All Saint’s Day is a short day for universities while school-age children are given a day of vacation.

Well, that is all I could come up with for today. I will likely do another Hallowe’en post sometime between now and Hallowe’en. Those readers who live outside the U.S., please feel free to share traditions and celebrations in your country by leaving a comment. Thanks to all for giving me this opportunity to take a brief break from you-know-who! I can breathe again! Have a safe and fun Hallowe’en!

Ghosts, Goblins & Witches ‘Round the Globe … Redux This was my Hallowe'en post back in 2016 ... little did I know then just how scary things were about to get!

#Día de los Muertos #Guy Fawkes Day #Hallowe&039;en Around The Globe #Halloween traditions #Teng Chieh in China #Yue Lan in Hong Kong

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