#millyknives

[yuhi-san]

Alright for trigun fanfiction appreciation week by @trigunfanfic I made a small fic record, though I might add more

In the meadow by @eomma-jpeg

Rating M

Tags: Milly has a Savior Complex, No Smut, Slow Burn, farm life, Knives Redemption, Hints at Vashmeryl, but I have other plans for them, POV Multiple, Post-Canon, Post-AnimeTrimax influences, Character Study, Panic Attacks, Social Anxiety, Mutual Pining, References to both Millywood and Vashwood

ngl I just opened it because I was starved for ‘post series knives needs to learn how to live with people’ content. I thought Millyknives was just a case of pairing the ‘leftovers’ but I figured the rest might bee good.

It is so, so good and also, not a case of pairing the leftovers (if you think you don’t care for millyknives, this story will probably convert you lol).

Its 98 trigun with some trimax and stampede elements (Roberto!!). its sweet, its funny, they have ups and downs and without wanting to spoil anything, I love how it does explore that a lot of knives hate for humans stems from fear.

All the original character are great, everyone gets their time to shine, vashmeryl are so cute and silly

Sinking sand by @rainflamestudio

Rating T

Tags: Angst with a Happy Ending, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Trauma, Found Family, Whump, Smoking, because Wolfwood is here, Trust Issues, Friendship, Mixed Canon, Alien Biology, Nick's dying but he walks it off, dadberto, Nick learns he has friends, Panic Attacks, Sensory Overload

We all love some hurt comfort for vash but this time its wolfwoods turn! he’ is not having a good time but cant ask for help either. Not that this is topping vash, meryl and Roberto from coming to his rescue and staying by his side no matter what.

Hot water by OpticalCrown

Rating G

Tags:   Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Chronic Pain, Character Analysis, Light Angst

A short story about sleeping arrangements, the things vash so desperately wants to hide but Roberto and Wolfwood notice anyway

 

New growth by @puffinpastry

Ongoing

Rating T

Tags: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Millions Knives-centric (Trigun), Depression, Implied Mpreg, Mostly trimax with some tristamp for seasoning, Trans Vash the Stampede (Trigun), Trans Millions Knives (Trigun), Millions Knives domestication arc, Brief suicidal ideation, Knives gets to heal but hes got to confront his past first, Angst with a Happy Ending, past trans male pregnancy, Knives doesn't know how to interact with kids, Silly but its buried under all their issues, Hey knives what if you were confronted with the forgiveness of a small child?

Still ongoing but very good knives has to learn to live with people, specifically vash. its very well written, I love knives in this and the struggle he and vash both have, especially because vash cant just move ast what had happened, even though he kinda wishes he cold. cute kids, also bless wolfwood

The heaviness we’ve known  by @cosmictapestry

 Rating T

Tags: Heart-to-Heart, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Vash the Stampede (Trigun), Vash the Stampede has Prosthetic Legs (Trigun), Caretaking, past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Violence, Vash the Stampede's Scars (Trigun), Body Modification, Father-Son Relationship, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Episode Tag, Parent-Child Relationship, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Unresolved Tension, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Vash the Stampede Needs a Hug (Trigun)

Look, I love trisamp brad and his relationship to vash. he didn’t do right from the start but he cares so much and this one is just, oof. Goes deeper in the lost tech that keeps vash together and the pain he has from it and how little brad and others sometimes can do. Set after episode 9.

Ricochet by @heffawhump

Rating G

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Sick Character, Poisoning, Caretaking, Hidden Injury, BAMF!Meryl Stryfe, dad!berto, Fluff

Classic hurt comfort and sick character. Very well written, absolutely in love with the gang ready to kick anyones ass that wants vash harm. get them, meryl

Never understood a word by @aboxthecolourofheartache

Rating T

Tags: Road Trips, Introspection, Character Study, Developing Friendships, Trust Issues, Trust, Loneliness, Treasure Hunting, Brotherly Angst, Dysfunctional Family, POV Alternating, Developing Relationship, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, the inherent vulnerability of bringing someone to a favorite location, the inherent sanctity of natural places, eccentricity as plot device, Vulnerability, several instances of blink and you miss it Trimax-flavored Plant lore, Singing

Absolutely amazing story and character study about vash from the view of Roberto, meryl and Wolfwood. Love how it shows that there is so much rage and other emotions bubbling under vashs cheerful attitude because knives tormenting him one way or another is not so easily brusched of. But my favorite part might be that it also shows vashs silly and clumsy persona isn’t all fake either, rather it is an exaggeration of genuine traits he has. Also some really great Roberto rep!

Like Eden by @revenantpoet / @revenantghost

Also known as untitled E fic lol

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Grief/Mourning, narrative poetry, Frottage, Vash the Stampede Has Plant-Like Genitalia (Trigun), Sexual Inexperience, First Time, They're so in love and they're stupid about it, Written as Vash being demi and Wolfwood being grey but, All I know is Vash is Wolfwood, sexual and Wolfwood is Vashsexual ok, Emotional Sex, Trauma, the usual Guilt, This was supposed to be a quick pwpIt is not, Canon Compliant

Look, I’m not usually one for poetry stile and it never occurred to me before to give it a try. It’s worth getting over the hang up though. It ready very nicely, like following Vash’s thoughts which fits soo well for the situation. Also we need more fics where they get some time after the sandsteamer disaster. And especially of vash getting the chance to show ww the geodome and for him to have a chance to be actually comforted after what happened to livio. It’s a really sweet one, though of course Wolfwood and vash cant make things too easy on themselves… communication is hard isn’t it boys

sorry if this looks all so messy, i have no idea how people have the nerve and patience to put thing togetehr nicely. I might do another list later in the week because there are so many lol

maybe a seperate E list, too (Like eden gets to be here because in my opinion it isn't really that much about the smut and its smal compared to everything else going on.)

[lankylunatic]

I was possessed to make this after my friend showed me MillyKnives content and my brain immediately rotted for it Look it's just wholesome and funny okay I just love the idea of this absolute ray of sunshine being able to tame the burrito of angy Please enjoy this very silly quick doodle

[eomma-jpeg]

Imagine with me, if you will, post trimax domestic millyknives because I said so. And she could fix him and would love him and he would turn into her lap cat. He purrs when shes near and cries when she goes to work. He showers her with affection when she comes home bc he isn't quite sure what else to do to show her he appreciates the weird dedication she has to him.

Him curling up in her lap while she reads and he drinks his silly little drink.

[tigerjawed]

millyknives has changed my life

[inkedcitruses]

More millyknives! He shows her flower

[blehbet-arts]

my friend (@/makimasgf on twitter) wrote a fic and i havent been able to get these two out of my head since, so please.. read it... read it and understand our insanity...

[bozepomagaj]

College AU!Trigun (part 2)

Summary: You finally get to properly meet Vash after the events that transpired last night, but his last name sticks with you; could he possibly be related to the man you hate the most?

A/N: BACK WITH PART 2, FINALLY! I simply had to include platonic millyknives soulmates because, goddamit, they're a hilarious duo. Just like last time, criticism is always appreciated on this blog and I'm still working on improving my mediocre writing🫶.

CW: light swearing

Word count: 2.1k

[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]

You continued your morning routine normally, still in shock of everything that happened last night. Thank God it was Saturday. You needed some rest. Once you made your drink of choice, you sat down in the small kitchen space thinking about... well, everything. But you focused on one thing specifically, the last name Vash told you this morning. Saverem. Unusual and definitely not common, which is why you started thinking he could possibly be related to the one and only, your fated enemy:

Nai Saverem.

Both of you are at the top of your classes, him because he was a total antisocial incel who did nothing except study all day every day, and you, because you were a try-hard. It became a pattern eventually: on the first exam, you got more points. Then, on the next one, he got more. Then, again, on the next one, you got more and so on and so forth. It was funny really, so you saw no harm when you tried to make a joke in hopes it would start a conversation and you'd befriend him but instead you were met with a nasty scoff as he turned his head away from you in disgust. 'Maybe he's just having a bad day,' you told yourself. But boy, were you wrong. Every single time you tried to start a conversation, you were met with that exact reaction with an occasional 'Move.' or 'Keep quiet.' thrown in. You weren't the competitive type (at least not most of the time), but this whole ordeal made you into even more of a try-hard. You had to beat him in hopes he'd get down from his high horse and stop acting like a total prick. Professors, thankfully, didn't group you two together since you two were 'the best of the best' and instead you'd get grouped with the lazy students, to 'motivate' them they say but you knew very well that you'd end up doing all the work alone. Sometimes, it gets so annoying that you even wanted to switch majors, but it's too late now, and you're not gonna let some prick beat you in whatever game he's playing.

Back to the original thought, could they possibly be related in some way? Having people in the same facility with the same last name wasn't unusual, sure, but Saverem? You thought back to Meryl, surely if she was friends with Vash, she would've mentioned a brother or a cousin. Or maybe Vash wasn't aware of Nai's existence? It was too early, and you really weren't set on making up theories about a weird set of family members. All you wanted was a normal weekend. Maybe a walk in the park would let you clear your head. You let yourself soak in the morning rays of sunlight for a couple more minutes, then got ready to head outside. After making sure you took everything you needed, you set out. You hadn't eaten anything yet, but that wasn't a problem. There was a lovely bakery near the park you were heading to. You take your time walking there, enjoying the smell of fresh air and the slight brush of cold wind against your warm skin woke you up immediately, it truly was the best way to start a morning. You continue daydreaming until you can finally smell the scent of fresh pastries coming from the bakery, a small smile immediately appearing on your lips. You jog there, excited to try the pastries. As the door opens a small bell rings above your head. It was almost empty, not a lot of people your age went here because it wasn't a popular spot so you were surprised when you saw a face you didn't recognize. Well, technically, you couldn't see his face because his back was facing you, but you couldn't recognize that mess of a blond hair tied in a small ponytail. Until something clicked. The coat. The hair. It was your ex-mystery man you dragged home. You approach him and tap his shoulders, he turned around with a hum and a smile on his face.

"Can I help you?"

You stood there, frozen for a second not knowing what to say. His look grew confused as he eyed you, trying to figure out if he knew you. You then finally blurted out.

"(Y/N). As in (Y/N), the person that dragged you home last night."

He remained quiet for a second before bursting into laughter, hugging you tightly and picking you up. He sure didn't look it but man was he strong.

"Oh my God, it's you! I finally get to meet you in person- oh hold on then."

He put you down with a giggle, fixing his jacket and his hair slightly before offering you his hand politely.

"I already told you my name but, Vash Saverem. It's good that I finally get to properly meet you."

You shake his hand gently, startled by his energy. Sure it was a nice morning, but to have this much energy at 8 AM? Impressive.

"It's good to meet you too. I'm glad you're doing okay now, did Meryl come visit you?"

"Absolutely, she came running! She smacked the crap out of me because I made you worry, though. She said many things about you. Good things, of course. Hey, I'm free right now, do you wanna eat these in the park? I promised to take you out as a thanks, didn't I?"

He winked at you like a true charmer. You let him buy you a couple of cinnamon rolls, and you both walked through the park until he found a spot he seemed to like. You both sat down and began chatting. You wanted to ask about Nai... what his relation to your sworn enemy is, but the thought completely slipped your mind once Vash started talking. His voice, laced with what seemed like honey and milk, made you forget about any and all worries you had before. Meryl told you about how friendly of a person he was, but this was on a whole 'nother level. You could just sit and listen to him talk about nonsense for hours. Even when he fumbled his words, he'd find a way to make you laugh about it. And so, you did, in fact, listen to him for hours. His charisma was off the charts. By the time you two were done chatting, you already ate everything and managed to walk at least two times around the whole park. The thing that managed to snap you two out of your endless conversation was your phone ringing. Hell, you didn't even notice it until Vash himself pointed it out. You quickly picked it up and apologized, taking a few steps away from him.

"What in the world are you doing, I've been messaging you the entire morning, and you haven't answered once! You could at the very least say that you're busy, y'know!"

It was Meryl, of course. But you didn't blame her, you agreed on getting coffee with her at 10, it was now 11:42.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! But hey, I finally met Vash y'know. We've been talking for a couple hours."

You could hear her audibly gasp and begin to giggle.

"Finally! So, what do you think? He's amazing, right!? I knew you two would be great friends!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know he's amazing. But I'll get going now, I'll be there in 20 minutes okay?"

Meryl hung up, still giggling and laughing to herself. You and Vash said your goodbyes and promised to meet another time and only when he was out of sight did you remember the question you wanted to ask him. But hey, Meryl must know something so you'll just ask her.

After a long and boring walk you finally got to the cafe you two always hung out at. You came here so often that you knew all of the waiters and you even spoke to the owner once. But sitting in a chair next to Meryl was an unfamiliar face. A tall, well-built woman with long brunette hair. Despite her stature her face was nothing short of adorable. Big, bright eyes, long eyelashes, a big smile gracing her face. Meryl noticed you and waved, the brunette also excitedly waved at you as you got close to them and sat down.

"There you are! I'd scold you but since you were out with Vash, I don't mind as much."

The brunette made a surprised face and chirped into the conversation.

"They met Mr. Vash? That's wonderful! Oh and I'm Milly, Milly Thompson."

She leaned in and offered you her hand with a big grin on her face.

"It's nice to meet you Milly, Meryl told me a lot about you."

You wanted to continue the conversation but once again the thought of Nai crossed your mind and you just had to know.

"Right, Meryl. I wanted to ask you about Nai. Are him and Vash... related by any chance?"

Meryls face quickly turned sour. She clicked her tongue, turning away. Before she got the chance to speak, Milly chimed in with a smile so bright, it could light up a damn cave.

"Mr. Vash and Mr. Nai are twins! I was very surprised when Mr. Nai told me, they're very different afterall..."

"Wait, hold on, Nai? You... you talk to him?"

Milly looked at you, confusion evident on her face.

"Of course I do. We talk very often since we go to the same gym, he's the reason I managed to get my body to where I am now! He's full of tips and tricks and man, the meals he makes are amazing and they're extremely nutritionally valuable."

You were just sitting there, confused. The very last person you expected to be friends with Nai was such an angel, how in the world did they get along? You were nice to him just like she was but instead of becoming friends like them he acted like you took the last cookie in his jar. Was it... your fault afterall? You tried thinking, remembering anything where you could've messed up and offended him somehow. You always mouthed a small 'Hi' when you saw him in the hallways, you offered to help him many times but he always refused. You came to a conclusion that he was an ass afterall and Milly was simply too nice for her own good that even the great Knives didn't want to be mean to her. But hey, you could use this opportunity to your advantage: there was a chance he opened up to her about something, anything, something embarrassing or some really stupid hobby he has, and you. You could take advantage of that. You could make fun of him for it.

"Right, right, that's nice. Tell me, when he's not at the gym, what does he do? Like... does he have any hobbies? Does he... collect anything?"

"Mr. Knives? He likes to play his synthesizer."

Shit. If it was crocheting, you could make fun of him for acting like a grandma. If he was into collecting Pokémon cards, you could make fun of him for being childish. But no, of course not, he just had to have a good hobby and he most likely made some gorgeous tunes with it. With every passing second, you could stand him less and less. He was just so... irritating! Everything about him was irritating. The way he looked at everyone like they were below him, the way he spoke to people like he was more important than them when he's just like everyone at the end of the day. It was all bullshit. But you knew getting closer to this little friend group would mean you got to know more about Nai and how you can exact your revenge on thy arch nemesis.

Vash too.

Vash especially.

And Vash liked you.

It's like in that moment something clicked. If you were in a cartoon, a small light bulb would've lit above your head. If you befriended Vash, he was bound to tell you something embarrassing about Nai, it's a brothers natural instinct. And then maybe, just maybe you could make the dickhead see that he's not all high and mighty afterall.

Meryl and Milly stare at you for a good minute before Milly leans towards Meryl, whispering.

"Are... are they okay? They've been in that exact same pose without saying anything for quite some time-"

"They're up to something. They'll snap out of it eventually just let them be for a little longer."

Milly nodded and leaned back, sipping on her coffee. It's then that like nothing ever happened, you scooted closer to Milly grabbing and cupping her hands dramatically.

"Milly, you are such a wonderful person y'know that? Meryl is so lucky to have you as a friend!"

You then turned to Meryl with the biggest shit-eating grin she's ever seen.

"Actually, your whole friend group must be amazing, I simply HAVE to meet them! We definitely need to organize some kind of meet up, I cannot wait!"

It's time for you to make some new friends.

[needle-noggins]

Sav's Author Highlight: Lenipez

For the entire week of @trigunfanfic appreciation week, I’m going to highlight my favorite authors and friends whose writing I adore and why. Now it's @madnessmadness's turn >:3

Oh man. I gotta start first with the fic series that low-key changed my life, Becoming Eden.

Rating: mostly M (main series), some T or E (side stories) | Ship: Gen, +/- Mashwood if you squint, previous VashMilly | Genre: Sci Fi, Drama, Very House of Leaves, Psychological.... horror? fuckery? | Trigun Soup (all three characterizations in a blender)

Last summer I started this fic on a whim and had no idea that I was in for the wildest, most interesting fic I'd ever read. I have to chew on every word so slowly, sucking as much meaning as I can out of every metaphor, trying to figure out what the POV character is saying versus what they mean vs what is true. The prose is unlike anything I had ever read before, and the formatting is so unique and interesting. I was sending screenshots of this fic to my irl friends who haven't watched Trigun, that's how intensely this fic had me in a chokehold.

Becoming Eden is always reminding me that I can write weirder, I can write sillier, I can do whatever I want. It's a masterclass in sci fi weirdness, diving into different character POVs, unreliable narration, and using unusual formatting to help tell the story. It's a visual experience as much as it is a verbal one. Even with a huge cast of characters getting POVs, there is such an interesting difference in each one of them, and they all feel so unique and rich. And the imagery and metaphors! Damn!! This series has in turn inspired some of my own writing, particularly a one shot I wrote about Rem and plants.

Also, Waterloo is my new on repeat anthem. It calms me down, okay?

I also highly highly recommend Leni's other works, particularly their other interesting poetry if you like what BE has to offer, a Pacific Rim AU, their Millyknives if you're into that, and their fairy AU. ALSO! Their smut! Their smut is so delicious that I actually want to highlight some of it on its own.

First Rodeo - Mashwood, E. 11K of Meryl weaponizing her rope tying skills into the longest slow burn oh my god. Makes me insane just thinking about it. Everyone is pitiful in this and the tension is insane. This is one of my favorite smut fics of all time, and I read a lot of smut.

Jar of Marbles series - Vashmeryl, Vashwood. E. Weird alien xenobiology. I can never look at an ultrasound the same way. I love the implications in this fic, both funny and not. Wolfwood's weak little "Oh yeah?" makes me die laughing.

White Lie - Vashmeryl, E. But in the fun stupid way that is catnip to me.

Hog Tied - Stryfewood, E. You want stupid bickering Stryfewood? You got it!!

ANYWAY. I'm not sure how else to describe Leni's writing style other than that it's vivid, wonderfully metaphorical, and has a stream-of-consciousness flow that is so interesting and sucks you right in. It's really just something you're going to have to experience on your own. It's inspired some of my own writing too, and it's a really fun style. Leni's biggest advice is that fic is always for fun, and you can just tell how much fun they have writing their fic. And I want to sit down and dissect every little bit of Becoming Eden. I want a bound copy. I want a full college course and a dissertation on the themes. Makes me crazy in the best way, and to really just add the icing on the cake, Leni is a wonderful, kind human through and through.

[eomma-jpeg]

happy valentines day from me to you ! i've got some millynai up my sleeve and have been DYING to share

if you remember the wip from before, YAY PEOPLE REMEMBER MY STUFF

if you don't... thats fine i guess whatever its not big deal i dont care whatever (lol)

but be patient,,,, this is only part 1 of 3 !

[eomma-jpeg]

I feel mentally insane time to write millynai

[eomma-jpeg]

and here is the end ! thanks for indulging me everyone <3

[eomma-jpeg]

Milly tries to enjoy her free afternoon, and thankfully succeeds with a little help from a Plant.

__________

sorry i'm a day late, but this is my rareship week day 3 "canon divergence" entry !!!! and if i can get my act together i have a little wip for the mermaid au ...... hehe

im loving all the rareship entries thus far !!!

[eomma-jpeg]

chapter 34 - i'll see you in the meadow

When Milly awoke, it was slowly and reluctantly.

It was hardly morning; she wondered if Meryl was even up preparing breakfast yet. The suns were rising, but they weren’t high enough in the sky to cast beams through the windows, only illuminating with what light could leak over the dunes. The room was barely lit, not that Milly had bothered with looking around. 

She was perfectly content to continue laying in bed, eyes too heavy to fully open. It was so warm as she snuggled with the pillow laid on her chest. She hummed and pressed her face closer, feeling his hair against her lips and between her fingers.

Milly’s eyes opened wide. 

__________

well. we've made it, unbelievably. i honestly cant believe this monster came out of my brain and was able to be conveyed with words.

without further ado, pls enjoy the final chapter of in the meadow

[eomma-jpeg]

Nightmares had always plagued Knives, but now that he had someone close to him, he felt the need to hide his fears. By why should he, when the one who dispels all his fears was right here the whole time?

__________

happy trigun rareship week everyone. here is my entry for day 2 using the "hurt/comfort/redemption" prompt !!!

.... its in the meadow canon.....

[eomma-jpeg]

chapter 32 - calling from the meadow

When Milly walked out to the garden the day after the planting, she was surprised to find Knives already there. Their gazes met for a moment before Milly forced herself to occupy the opposite end of the garden.

She joined him for the limited amount of work they needed to accomplish, but Milly couldn't decide if she was happy to be spending the time with him. 

__________

hey ! happy itm friday ! we've got one more week of postings and then.... and then.... T-T

i'm trying to decide if i should do something special,,, but i cant think of anything !!!

[eomma-jpeg]

okay, this one is staying on tumblr as a wip because it is certainly not close to being a full story, but here is an intro to a millynai mermaid/fantasy au... (fully inspired and essentially cowritten by @noaafishfieldguide)

This is the story's prologue

The entire carpeted hall was empty, free of wandering eyes, and the guards normally stationed at her door were in the middle of switching their posts, which lent itself to be the opportunity Milly needed to escape. 

Gently pushing on her bedroom door to catch a glimpse, the situation in the hallway was exactly as Milly had hoped. 

Carefully slipping through the crack in her door, Milly walked as quickly as possible,  without making a sound, following her often retraced path to the gardens. But tonight she didn't want to linger among the well trimmed hedges or the budding peony plants, despite how lovely they looked in the glow of the lantern light. What she needed was a walk on the bank of the river. Something as refreshing as that was certain to calm her racing mind. 

Normally, she was permitted the freedom she desired to move freely from castle to town and to the surrounding area (and a particular cabin belonging to some beloved friends), but ever since the completely unsolicited announcement of her betrothal earlier that day, Milly had been kept under constant surveillance. 

It was almost like they knew she would be upset at this particular decision.

She huffed in frustration as she picked up her pace, exiting the maze of a garden often tended by her mother (well, her and her team of royal gardeners) at almost sprinting speed. Violently snatching one of the pedestal lamps to help guide her way, Milly continued her march to the river.

"What do they expect after an announcement like that, one that they didn't even run by me," Milly said quietly to herself, the pent up irritation finally coming forth, "They could have at least spoken to me before announcing something so… so…"

Important? Life changing? Devastating?

A bit of guilt panged in her as she realized she really did consider the engagement to be quite devastating. It would alter the course of her entire life, and she wouldn't have a single say, because she was the youngest.

Following the simple worn path down its winding slope, Milly's feet finally came to a halt as she reached the water's edge. A majority of the enormous river that her kingdom was settled along required a dock or man made entrances for a person to safely reach the rushing water, but thankfully her ancestors had constructed the castle near a calm inlet. The water was easy to reach, the sediment was soft, and it was so cold. Milly appreciated the chill as she pulled off her shoes; it distracted her from other less pleasant elements of her life. Like an arranged marriage. To a stranger. Someone her brothers hadn't even decided on yet.

Uncommon anger flared in Milly’s chest.

Beginning what was intended to be a peaceful stroll, Milly's feet marched with more weight than necessary, splashing the freezing water beneath her and up onto her calves. The water probably reached the hem of her silk gown and petticoats, but she didn't have the mind to care about that now.

"Rude brothers who only care about winning the crown," Milly grumbled, "Dumb Royal Court that always sides with them," she kicked her skirt out of the way, "And stupid foreign nations that always need appeasing."

Just trying to rid herself of the annoyance that buzzed around her, Milly stomped hard, water flying and her lantern swinging in her hands. As it waved in the air, the light caught on something that was much brighter than sand; something metallic. It was still a few yards away, and she was amazed her light even reached that far. Perhaps the item itself was glowing, calling out to her from the water's edge.

Curiosity got the better of her (though, she probably would have approached without the additional curiosity anyway) and Milly moved in closer. Lifting the lantern even higher to let the light cast further, her heart sank when she recognized the outline of a person.

"Oh, oh my…" Milly whispered, bunching up her skirts with one hand and rushing over to the body settled in the sand. She flung her shoes to the side and knelt down before the man. The light of her lamp was more ambient than she wished. She had hoped to get a better view, but she didn't need to see the person to know they needed her help; the darkened, wet splotches in the sand now lit by the moon and her light were evidence enough.

After gently nestling the lamp in the soft ground, Milly checked for breathing beneath his nose.

Nothing.

Panic struck her heart, afraid that she was already too late, but the body was still warm to the touch. She placed a hand on the man's bare chest, feeling for movement and searching for any signs of life. 

It was there, just barely, but he was breathing. The soft rise and fall of his chest was barely perceptible. A gentle heart beat snuck through as well: weak but persistent. 

Putting all of her hope and faith into her skills, Milly began a simple incantation, hoping she remembered all the elements correctly. Whispering the correct words (because words were always the easiest for Milly to remember) she watched as a faint pink glow formed around the man, revealing him more fully. Specifically, the identifiable glimmer of his dagger-like earring. Milly gasped.

"His Majesty…" she whispered, and the pressure to heal him increased tenfold. 

Glancing down his frame– now outlined and shimmering– Milly had missed a crucial piece of evidence: the King was still in his mermaid form. If he hadn't automatically changed into his bipedal form yet, then his arrival on the beach must have been just before she found him. The thought brought a bit of relief to Milly's spinning mind and gave her the hope she wasn't too late.

Continuing her work, Milly refocused her mind on the spell. Thankfully, her short little incantation had worked, and King Nai made a small groaning sound. 

Keeping her voice hushed, Milly spoke, "Don't try to strain yourself. I can't see your wounds, but they seem bad."

Completely ignoring her sound logic as the pink glow faded away, the King’s eyes could be seen opening in the dim light. As soon as their gaze met, Milly felt a shift in the air. It was similar to the feeling in Meryl’s home whenever she completed a new potion: magic had been expended. 

Carefully looking back at his lower half, she noticed the lack of scales on his hips and quickly turned back to his face, deeming it a more appropriate target.

The King’s eyes were weary, hardly focusing on anything. Milly noted that they glowed as well; a pale blue color that wasn't as common on the surface

"Your Majesty," Milly said with firmness in her tone.

Those lolling eyes finally locked on her. Then, his brows pulled together.

"Princess?" he croaked.

And then, in the poor light of her lantern, she watched his eyes roll back in his head, the King once again losing consciousness. 

"Ack!" She exclaimed involuntarily, "Your Majesty!"

Milly Thompson was a princess, and she knew when and where to behave. She knew which spoon and fork to used for which salad and soup. She knew how to address the Court and draw up proposals. She even knew the ins and outs of their current political minefield. 

What she did not know was first aid.

Laying both hands on his chest (something she swore she heard was for reanimating an unconscious person when magic wasn't readily available), Milly pushed down hard on the King’s sternum and she heard a grizzly snap. 

Another thing that Milly did not know was her own strength.

Immediately pulling her hands away, Milly clasped them against her chest. Half in part because she didn't want to hurt the King any further, and half because the King had woken up again, except this time he was screaming at her.

He gasped the moment whatever in his chest had snapped, "What are you doing?!" He yelled, then groaned while placing a hand over his ribs. He dragged dark blood along his bare, pristine skin, "I wasn't dead, you idiot. You don't perform compressions when the person's heart is still beating."

His eyes were sharp and critical, directing all of his anger at her, and Milly was having a hard time not shrinking beneath his intensity. It helped that he was still struggling to look at her, his gaze moving in and out of focus with each labored breath.

"You…" he took in a jagged breath, then hissed out his sentence, "You stupid… princess…" 

The mermaid King let out one final curse, then slumped back down in the sand. 

Despite the name calling, frustration, and outright rudeness, Milly knew she couldn't leave this man– this king– to die on the banks of her river, so Milly decided quickly on her next course of action and began undoing the lacing at her back.

Once it was loose enough, Milly stood and slipped the dress off then opened it as wide as possible. Thankfully, she had chosen a dress with a billowing circle skirt that would wrap the man well enough. 

Bending down to the unconscious mermaid, Milly covered him in the pink silk, swaddled it around his naked form, and hoisted him into her arms. He was lighter than she expected a full grown man (fish?) to be, but perhaps that was another aspect of not knowing one's own strength. His head lolled onto her shoulder, thankfully, saving Milly from trying to readjust him by herself.

Quickly, she noticed the slick feeling of blood leaking onto her arms and chills crawled along her skin. She recognized again the weight of the situation and began her brisk walk– barefoot– back to the palace.