#nimue x arthur

[hollowed-hallowed]

AU-gust Day 11: Twisted Fairy Tale

"The days may come, the days may go. But still, the light of memory weaves the blissful dreams of long ago."                       —The Queen of Air and Darkness, T.H. White

She is Bonnie Bennett...or is she?

The strange dreams she's been having since she was a child have returned, becoming more vivid, bringing headaches and nosebleeds, especially without the power of a hundred dead witches shielding her magic. The answers may lie with the Originals - the very people Bonnie and her friends are desperately trying to destroy.

So begins a journey of conflicting prophesies, fabled kings, magical swords, doppelgängers, and the power of loyalty centuries in the making.

It isn't called Mystic Falls for nothing.

(The one where Bonnie Bennett is also Nimue, the Lady of the Lake.)

[arthurianashipbracket]

book cover of the prose tristan, nimue from evrard d'espinques' illumination of the vulgate lancelot and arthur from a 15th century welsh version of the historia regum britanniae

[ID 1: a brown book cover of the Prose Tristan. /end ID 1 ID 2: a coloured picture of a woman in a medieval red and white dress standing on a hill. She wears a dark headdress with a veil over it. Next to it is an old picture of a bearded knight on an old manuscript. /end ID 2]

[sammypompeius]

Merlin episode 4 sketches part 2

Tag list: @saint-raphael-stuff @justgayangelthingz @all-or-nothing-baby @agonyandsweat @lengthofropes @blue-eyed-cutiepatootie - Let me know if you wanna be added or removed.

[buffyfan145]

Also I'm still loving this whole relationship between Derfel and Nimue in "The Winter King"!!! :D It's probably since it's so similar to so many of my ships that have so many obstacles keeping them apart and then like a lot of the LOTR ships too and knowing Tolkien loved the Arthur legends too and wrote his own version it just makes sense to me. So I'm even more curious how it'll be when Guinevere gets here and later Lancelot and who I'll be shipping her with as I really like this version of Arthur.

[allgirlsareprincesses]

A Song of Ash and Sky - A Cursed Fanfic

Chapter 21 - Betrothal and Betrayal

Nimue shares her plan to marry Arthur in a desperate gamble to take the crown and save the Fey. But her true desires are not so easily dismissed.

“Tell me that kiss meant nothing” he whispered across her lips. “Tell me, and I will go.”

Nimue heard her breath coming in short gasps.

He leaned closer, his voice now only a growl in his throat. “Tell me.”

~~~~~~

FINALLY some smut for y’all. This is the first time I’ve ever attempted to write it, so I hope I did okay!

Thank you for sticking with me thus far as I drag these angsty babies toward their Happily Ever After!

[sonicshipbattles]

Amy Tournament: Submitted Ship List

This is the full list of ships submitted for the tournament, omitting any that were disqualified. Please read through it and let me know if anything has been missed or if you feel something should be subjected to an inclusion poll (i.e. a vote to see if the ship should be included or not) Once the match-ups have been posted (which will happen after I've made all the images and arranged them on the grid), all ships will be locked in and there'll be not more editing to what's included, so let me know of any changes quick if you need to

Amy (Black Rose)/Amy (Rusty Rose)/Amy (Thorn Rose) Amy (Modern)/Amy (Sonic Boom) Amy/Anton Veruca Amy/Aubrey (Omori) Amy/Bark Amy/Basil (Omori) Amy/Belle Amy/Blaze Amy/Blaze (IDW) Amy (Nimue)/Blaze (Percival) Amy (Paladin)/Blaze (Percival) Amy/Blaze/Elise/Sally Amy/Blaze/Espio/Silver/Sonic Amy/Blaze/Sally Amy/Blaze/Silver Amy/Blaze/Sonic Amy/Blaze/Sticks Amy/Blaze/Sticks/Surge Amy/Blaze/Surge Amy/Blaze/Tekno Amy/Brittany Miller (Alvin and the Chipmunks) Amy/Coral Amy/Dexter (imaginary boyfriend) Amy/E-102 Gamma Amy/Elise Amy/Espio Amy/Espio/Silver Amy/Fiona Amy (Classic)/her hammer Amy/her love for destiny (tarot) Amy/Honey Amy/Jewel Amy/Jewel/Tangle/Whisper Amy/Jewel/Surge Amy/Johnny Lightfoot Amy/Knuckles (General) Amy/Knuckles (Sonic Boom) Amy/Knuckles/Shadow/Sonic Amy/Knuckles/Sonic Amy/Lanolin Amy/Manic Amy/Maria Amy (Nimue)/Merlina Amy/Metal Sonic (General) Amy/Metal Sonic (Classic) Amy (Rusty Rose)/Metal Sonic Amy/Metal Sonic/Shadow Amy/Metal Sonic/Sonic Amy/Metal Sonic/Surge Amy/Metal Sonic/Tekno Amy/Mina Amy/Nicole/Sally Amy/No One Amy/Rainbow Dash (My Little Pony) Amy/Ricky Amy/Rouge Amy/Sally Amy/Sally/Sonic Amy/Scourge Amy/Shadow (General) Amy/Shadow (Archie) Amy (Black Rose)/Shadow Amy (Rusty Rose)/Shadow Amy/Shadow (Sonic Boom) Amy (Thorn Rose)/Shadow Amy/Shadow/Silver/Sonic Amy/Shadow/Sonic Amy/Silver Amy/Sonia Amy/Sonic (General) Amy (Black Rose)/Sonic Amy/Sonic (IDW) Amy/Sonic (Modern) Amy/Sonic (Nicky) Amy (Nimue)/Sonic (King Arthur) Amy (Rusty Rose)/Sonic Amy/Sonic (Sonic Boom) Amy/Sonic (Sonic X) Amy (Thorn Rose)/Sonic Amy/Sonic (Werehog) Amy/Sticks (Modern) Amy/Sticks (Sonic Boom) Amy (Thorn Rose)/Sticks Amy/Sticks/Surge Amy/Surge Amy/Surge/Tekno Amy/Tangle/Whisper Amy/Tekno Amy (Rusty Rose)/Tekno Amy/Tikal Amy/Trip Amy/Whisper Amy/X-Robot

[collectorcookie]

Current things tag meme!

Thanks for the tag @clockworkspider! Now, lets see

3 ships: you know what, i'll give you three ships of each game i'm into rn

Enstars:

Polytrickstar(platonic/romantic): because duh. Look anywhere at my blog. I love them dearly. They never leave my mind. This very much includes anzu btw

RitsuMao(romantic): i have a weakness for childhood friends trope and for nonhuman x human ships so this is obvious (yeah i know ritsu isn't actually a vampire but like the whole being closer to humanity vs being shut away from humanity is strong in here)

IzuLeoMako(???): i don't even know what to say about this, this is just three cars crashing into each other and i can't look away. Yes HoroHaro fundamentally changed me as a person, how did you know?

Mahoyaku:

Arthur and Oz(familial/platonic): i would die for these two. The fact that oz lived for centuries but never really got to know the world he lived in. And then him taking care of arthur caused him to slow down a bit and appreciate his surroundings. Arthur made oz see the world for the first time.

CaiOwe(romantic): they have eachother's eyeballs. I can't stop thinking about that. Is this not romantic to you? It is the pinnacle of romance to me. Yes, i am entirely ignoring the fact that they don't even get along. Also, i like it probably because cain is definitely high up there in terms of faves

Snow and white(familial): I am in pain. Japanese media will never let twins rest. I knew that white died but i didn't expect THAT'S how he died or how he feels about being a ghost. AND SNOW UGH. I'll just leave this for you:

last song: dreamlume by cloves reyes

currently reading: the mahoyaku etude series

currently watching: nothing

last movie: enstars road to show

currently consuming: food wise i am drinking tea with milk. Media wise, well, enstars and mahoyaku. Tho i haven't been reading much enstars wise since trickstar climax happened, i'm just waiting patiently for knights climax and mao's event on engstars.

currently craving: food wise, not much. Emotionally, i kinda miss having a tutor who would hold me accountable when it came to studying. I suck at holding myself accountable.

tagging @enchantedmirage, @vampyreki, @mutsuowo, @nimue-hidden-lake and anyone else who would like to join is also welcome! (And don't feel pressured to if you don't want to)

[forthegothicheroine]

I'm autistic, so my personal interpretation of Morgan le Fay is that she's a changeling fighting on behalf of her kind, like the Magneto to Nimue's Professor X (Nimue being another changeling in my view). Her reconciliation with Arthur could be the result of a peace agreement between Camelot and the local Fair Folk. Apparently in one story Arthur found out Guin was cheating when he paid a friendly visit to Morgan, which I picture as analogous to Nixon visiting Mao.

Hah, I like that! It is strange how often she's called Morgan le Fay or Fairymorgan, isn't it? I've never read an account where she's actually a changeling, but it would make sense!

I think Arthur visiting Morgan and finding out about the affair is in the Vulgate, when she's reformed and living a pious life. She shows him paintings that Lancelot did when he was at her castle which depicted the affair...which, geeze, Lancelot, what the fuck.

[tiodolma]

I now need more nimue x arthur stuff

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

Avalon Le Fay ✤ King And Lionheart​

Nimue Pendragon, daughter of Arthur and Gwen, and Avalon Le Fay, daughter or Merlin and Morgana, had always been thick as thieves, and had always been ready to declare war on Auradon.  Ever since the formation of the Isle, King Adam and the Fairy Godmother had been insisting that Morgana was still a villain, and therefore belonged on the Isle, and once Avalon was born, she agreed–so long as her daughter could stay in Camelot.  When Arthur was killed barely a year later, Merlin and Gwen partnered up to raise their daughters and run a kingdom, until the girls would be old enough to do so themselves.  Of course Auradon never trusted the one kingdom that refused to unite, and insisted that the girls be sent to Auradon prep, and so they went–reluctant as could be.  Everything was fine, mostly–the other princesses looked down on Nimue’s love of swordfighting, and Avalon was never seen as anything but a villain kid, but they still had each other.  They could tolerate it all, biding their time.  But at sixteen years of age, everything they’d ever planned gets thrown for a loop when it’s declared that four children from the Isle would be moving to Auradon.

( Nimue belongs to @seaweedhufflepuffocs )

Fandom: Descendants

Face Claim: Emma Dumont

Love Interest: Evie; Jay; possible endgame Jay x Harry

Parents: Merlin & Morgana Le Fay-Pendragon

Theme song: Arsonist’s Lullabye, Hozier

Pinterest: x

Playlist: upcoming

AO3 | FFNet | Wattpad

( format / layout insp​ )

Tag List: want to be added?

[dreamcrow]

Character Headcanon Ask Meme: Merlin

(from here; thank you for the ask, and again, for a character i would...not have considered on my own 😂)

1: sexuality headcanon

considering my understanding of merlin is roughly equivalent to "annoying monk from 2000 bce" i'm gonna go with "gay and homophobic" for $500. happy pride 😎

2: otp

x himself. x self-righteousness. maybe a weeee smidge of x arthur (at least toa canon's version of arthur), bc i'm a sucker for royalty/advisor, even if they're horrible, horrible people.

3: brotp

hmmm. also canon arthur, tbh? i could also see delicious heartbroken disillusioned nimue :)c

4: notp

nnnno offense but literally anything about him and douxie. u can forgive ur shitty dad!! it doesn't mean he gets into wizard heaven lol

5: first headcanon that pops into my head

he didn't invent the position of trollhunter. he just "sponsored" it, made the amulet, one more piece on the chessboard.

6: favorite line from this character

ohhh no, i absolutely love david bradley's acting of him 😂 unfortunately i am contractually obliged to say all of the horrible pseudolatin spells. i know too many dead languages!! i am entitled to be a little insufferable about bad latin.

7: one way in which i relate to this character

[GRIPPING KEYBOARD WITH A NORMAL AMOUNT OF FORCE]

the real answer is "that i'm right" but i don't want to SEE IT LMAO,

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character

hmmm. u kno. this is a tough one, but after giving it a lot of thought, i think i gotta say: the child soldiers ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?

lemme in barb's kitchen for a minute with him and the broom. we'll find out. :)

[carewyncromwell]

“There’s a place out there for us -- More than just a prayer or anything we ever dreamed of... So if you feel like giving up ‘cause you don’t fit in down here, Fear’s crashing in, close your eyes and take my hand... We can be the kings and queens of anything if we believe... It’s written in the stars that shine above! A world where you and I belong,  Where faith and love will keep us strong... Exactly who we are is just enough! There’s a place for us!"

~“There’s a Place for Us” by Carrie Underwood

x~x~x~x

Thought I’d go ahead and draw a proper portrait of my newest character, Bairn MacDuran! For those of you who want to get to know Bairn better, he’s a Gryffindor alumnus and freelance magizoologist who lives in the Elizabethan era, right in the midst of the Renaissance and right around the time when witch hysteria starts to rise across Europe. Bairn’s life is turned upside down, however, when he ends up unknowingly freeing the long-imprisoned Merlin @magical-retales​ (yes, that Merlin) from the tree he was locked into by Nimue a thousand years ago, and soon Bairn ends up reforming the old organization he founded as a young man -- the Fellowship of Merlin -- with the real Merlin as his new right-hand man, so as to fight to protect those people and creatures who the Wizards’ Council have chosen to let “fall through the cracks” in their fight against the newly appointed Witchfinder General and his ilk. Over time Merlin comes to suspect that Bairn is somehow his old king, Arthur, reincarnated, a theory that Bairn himself never ascribes to -- but no matter which man is right, Bairn is still a leader through and through: the soul of a brave and wise king, wrapped in the most rugged and down-to-earth frame. 

Bairn’s face claim inspiration is Brock O’Hurn -- I had a LOT of fun drawing his hair, as I’m sure you can guess, though his muscles were a fun challenge too, as I’ve never really drawn someone quite so tall and swol before. He’s a proper “Thor” type, ain’t he? 😂 The little crown doodle I added features two dragon wings, as a reference to Bairn’s familiar, Morag the Hebridean Black Dragon. The charm around Bairn’s neck has a story behind it that I hope to tell another day...but I will just say for now that Bairn made it when he was a young man, and that it bears an old Norse rune meaning “love,” specifically between two men. 💜

Hope your day is going well! Much love, all! xoxo

[luuurien]

Xênia França - Em Nome da Estrela

(Art Pop, MPB, Neo-Soul)

Xênia França's sophomore album sees her more extravagant and spellbinding than ever, mixing Brazilian grooves and instrumentation with the warmth of neo-soul, psychedelic pop and more to make for her most enchanting listen to date. Em Nome da Estrela brings everything França can do to the table, and delivers it all with an effortless elegance.

☆☆☆☆

Xênia França gold-plates her music and dips it in flower perfume, and she is rewarded handsomely for it. After dropping her dreamy debut album Xenia in 2017, it's been a good while since França has put a new record out, taking her time to marinate and perfect this new album as much as she possibly can. The results of that is one of the most creative and lush pop albums this year, blending the usual Brazilian MPB warmth with the velvet smoothness of neo-soul and R&B, plus a kick of psychedelia to match, Em Nome da Estrela (roughly translated to "in the name of the star") a silver platter of different genres and sounds that all connect with one another to make one powerful and cohesive package. While the songs are often mellow, they are beautifully arranged and emphasize França's expressive vocals better than ever, Em Nome da Estrela's soulful compositions the perfect place for her rich harmonies and plush melodies to shine. This album knows it's beautiful and doesn't hide from any opportunity it gets to show it off. Produced by França herself alongside co-producers Lourenço Rebetez and Pipo Pegoraro, Em Nome da Estrela's sound is one third classic Brazilian music, one third heavenly orchestration, and one third spacey electronic that creates a unique and wholly contemporary sound for França. Psych-soul opener Renascer plans silky synth lines under a fairytale harp and reverb-coated snaps that slowly melt into one another as the song progresses through its five minute, getting you submerged in Em Nome da Estrela's summer heat before França can really let things loose. Despite the song leaning a bit on the repetitive side, the atmosphere and her vocals are so graceful and pristine that it hardly matters at all. From there, she approaches everything from alternative R&B experimentation and soul elegance to samba and hip hop, the triple threat of Ancestral Infinito, Interlúdio - Tem dinheiro não and nimus x Anima (which features a glorious string arrangement from beloved composer Arthur Verocai) delivering a downtempo Afoxé jam, short samba celebration, and diamond-studded pop song that alone makes Em Nome da Estrela worth your time. Those five years since Xênia França's last album were worth the wait, Em Nome da Estrela's vastly more layered compositions and delicate touch a perfect reintroduction for her into the new decade. And though Em Nome da Estrela's low-key sound can lead the album to feel a little bit too cloudy and muted at times - Dádiva's repetitive synth melody and the incredibly mellow production makes for a lull in the tracklist, and Já é doesn't have enough punch behind its tight harmonies and chunky bassline with how laid-back the drumming and vocals are - França's more often than not able to handle the task of making songs that are both mellow and engaging. Take the opulent finale Magia for instance, where halfway through it, delicate hand drumming intertwines with soaring strings and pulsating synths before pulling you right back into the song's initial groove and hearty bassline, adding a bump in the road of this breezy last track so that it can close out on a cool-headed, but still classy note, or how Futurível fully embraces the more atmospheric side of França's sound with a fuzzy synth progression and a slow, thick drum pattern that lets her voice simmer in the song's crisp, new age-tinged beauty. It's an album built with polish and lavishness in mind, for sure, but França ensures more lies under the surface by giving all these songs a Brazilian stylistic kick that keeps them all memorable even in the album's most easygoing moments. All in all, Em Nome da Estrela is one of the most unique and delicious new pop albums this year, bringing a collection of humid, tropical pop tunes that plant their roots in the clouds and drift through the clear skies, França's voice the guiding light through these thick and honey-coated tunes that linger long after they've finished. She knows where her strengths lie in these serene, sunlit songs that carry you away into França's world and never lose your attention once. França can put you under her spell better than a good majority of other artists out there, and in the psychedelic-laced world of Em Nome da Estrela that effect is only heightened and brightened more than it already was. Wherever her music takes you, Xênia França always brings a good time, Em Nome da Estrela the loveliest resort she's built for you to stay at thus far.

[jplupine]

In the Wolf's Den: Chapter 9

Pairing: The Weeping Monk x Devin [Nonbinary Fey OC] Word Count: ~3.6k WARNINGS: 18+ MDNI, Exophilia, Feral Behavior, Alcohol Consumption, Spanking

Summary: Devin is a flirty drunk, and a familiar face from the past arrives.

You can also read it on AO3!

Masterlist | Chapter 9:

  I could feel people staring as I was piling up a plate with food for Lancelot. He only stood there uncomfortably, but his stomach had growled, and he wouldn't go anywhere near the food himself. Squirrel even pitched in a piece of bread, setting it gently on the side of Lancelot's plate while having a cheek stuffed with his own bread.

  "We didn't have you come all this way to starve." I stated while adding some meat to his plate.

  "I...." He looked at a loss for words.

  "It's not poisoned, either. See?" I took a piece from his plate to eat to prove it.

  "Yeah, and we didn't train yesterday, so we have to make up for it after our stomachs have settled." Squirrel grabbed Lancelot's sleeve to drag him away to eat somewhere else. I chuckled at the man's expression before getting my own food.

  I then went to seek out Arthur and found him by a fire with some raiders. Sitting down on a log right beside him, I used my lap as a table for my plate.

  "Hello, Devin."

  "Hello, Arthur. When do you plan for us to discuss matters more?" I questioned before taking a bite from my bread. Arthur was quiet for a second before gesturing to the Vikings to get them to leave.

  "We can do so now."

  "Then I have to ask, why not speak with Lancelot directly?"

  "Because I don't trust him nor what he has to say." Arthur answered honestly.

  "He's willing to stay in a country teeming with Red Paladins who want his head just to ensure Squirrel finds a safe place to be. Does that tell you nothing?"

  "It tells me something. I'm still figuring out what."

  "He truly is different, Arthur. And I don't say that to just get him off my hands. Do you know of the Moon Wing elder, Yeva?"

  "I do." The man had a tone while making a face, telling me he'd actually met with her rather than simply hearing stories.

  "She agreed."

  "To what?"

  "To having Lancelot fight for the Fey. When I took my letter to her, you see, she found out I harbored the Ash Man. She demanded to see my memories of him before she would decide to send that letter or not."

  "....And she sent the letter."

  "Which is why we're here now. You have Squirrel's word, mine, and now Yeva's all saying the same thing. Lancelot has lost his dogged loyalty to the church. He still prays, of course, but he prays to his Lord and no one else."

  "Is this after knowing his precious Father Carden is dead?" Arthur popped off, and I paused.

  "Father Carden is dead?"

  "You didn't know?"

  "Not at all. He certainly doesn't, either." I glanced over my shoulder in Lancelot's direction. He was with Squirrel still as they were sharing a plate.

  "It happened the same night Lancelot killed those Trinity Guards. Nimue cut his head off. ....I'll let you be the one to tell him."

  "Good. That news is....going to come with complicated feelings." Looking at Arthur, I saw how his brows furrowed at me. "Father Carden may have been scum, but he was still a major pillar in Lancelot's life, good or bad." I explained.

  "What is it between you two?"

  "Pardon?"

  "Your concern for him, his concern for you. Don't think I missed the way he watches others as if he is your guard. And now that it's light out, I'm quite certain you even wear his cloak." The man glanced down at the cloak on me.

  "Well, who's cloak do you think he's wearing? His markings and a grey cloak would give him away no matter what else he wore. And as for the concern....it's complex. We've become friends, confidants. I've been teaching him about the Fey because the church certainly didn't."

  "And how has that gone?" Arthur quirked up a brow before taking a bite of meat.

  "He has a child-like curiosity. He wants to learn, wants to know. The church has taught him barely anything beyond their scripture and combat."

  "So he looks to you as a teacher?"

  "In a manner of speaking. Lancelot has done many a terrible thing, but terrible things have also been done to him."

  "That's not an excuse."

  "I wasn't using it as such. Certainly, you must know how one's circumstances can affect their actions. You carry yourself in a very particular way, man-blood." I didn't outright say it, but he knew what I meant.

  "It's not the same."

  "Why not? Can you guarantee you wouldn't murder if you were raised to do so?" His jaw clenched as he dropped his gaze. "That's my point. I do not excuse his actions, but I recognize what led him to it. And now he's looking for a way to redeem himself." Arthur said nothing, and I looked out into the woods while leaning my hands on the log I sat on. "Have you seen his back?"

  "What pertinence does that have?"

  "Surely you've heard of the monks' practice to self-discipline."

  "I have."

  "They had him doing it as well. He had fresh marks when I found him with Squirrel, couldn't have been more than a few days old. I had to look at those scars every time I applied a new poultice to his wounds. There are just so many of them, layered on top of each other to the point he has lost feeling in many areas of his back. Now, tell me, Arthur." Turning to look at the man, I locked eyes with him while having a serious expression. "What could drive a man to do such a thing to himself?"

  "You already know the answer."

  "Of course I do. But I'm trying to get across to you the type of man Lancelot is. He was used as a tool, but that doesn't mean he is one."

  "....The cross. Did the paladins do that to him as well?"

  "Yes. The brand is old, so I can't tell you when they did it. He covers it with his hair now, though."

  "Wolf!" A woman's voice bellowed, and I turned to see a Viking woman walking toward me. She had metal jewelry on her nose and small hoops braided into her dark hair. She had a grin before standing in front of me with her hands on her hips. "We haven't been introduced. I am The Red Spear."

  "Devin." I nodded.

  "I hear you enjoy our mead."

  "Quite."

  "Then let us drink. I have much to ask you."

  "Such as?"

  "Can you use that ax of yours worth a damn?" She chuckled. Looking at Lancelot and Squirrel training, I watched them for a few seconds before turning my attention back to the woman.

  "I can. What else do you wish to ask me?"

  "Your kind- Do they truly howl?" She asked while walking away, and I followed her.

  "We do. The calls often get mistaken for wolves." I replied as she led the way towards mead.

  "And, by the gods, I found stolen fruit and a wineskin in his pockets!" Waving my hand, I was leaning on a wooden table as Guinevere sat across from me. A few drinks in, and The Red Spear had given me her true name and told me why she had joined the side of the Fey. She was a strong woman with no qualms of speaking her mind either, which I found rather pleasant. "That boy is only 12 and managed to steal from Wolf Folk! I could hardly believe it if not for seeing it myself. No Wolf Folk would let a Sky Folk that young get ahold of our wine."

  "Strong, is it?" Guinevere laughed.

  "Knock ya on your ass if you ain't prepared."

  "And what did you do?" She questioned while pouring mead into my cup to fill it back up.

  "Let him keep the fruit, had the wine to myself. Popped him upside the head, too."

  "Why were you banished from your village in the first place? You don't seem like a criminal to me."

  "I broke the vow to be joined- you call it married- and he's the leader's son. Didn't help that I got caught fucking someone else."

  "You were unfaithful?" Her brows furrowed.

  "Oh, no. Odhran-" I took a drink of mead before continuing. "Odhran and I were not together. The vow was made by our parents when we were children. We were friends at most. Though, I knew he had grown to love me."

  "But you did not love him." Guinevere had a knowing look.

  "Exactly. I had fallen for Liam- a rat bastard." I slurred while waving a finger. "My heart was a fool, you see. Swayed by pretty words and gestures. Worst of all, Odhran was the one to find us together- on the night he planned to propose, no less. Fuckin' awful."

  "You sound regretful."

  "I am. At least Odhran had truly felt for me. Liam....Liam just wanted to screw the future leader's mate. Has a litter now, he does."

  "And what of you now? Anyone suit your fancy?"

  "Living in a cave in the middle of the bloody woods is a loveless life."

  "Pity."

  "What of you?" I took a drink, and Guinevere waved her hand while rolling her eyes.

  "So, about that Weeping Monk-"

  "Lancelot." I corrected.

  "Lancelot. I thought he hated Fey, yet he follows you around like a dog. The only times he's not trailing after you is when he's with the boy."

  "That's actually new. Being in this camp, knowing he's hated- It puts him on edge."

  "It's more than that. He looks to you for guidance."

  "Oh, that." I scoffed before downing more mead. "Considers me his shepherd." She made a face, and I waved my cup. "Believe me, the humor is not lost on me that a wolf is seen as a shepherd."

  "And why would he consider you in such a way?"

  "Because I'm honest with him. I show kindness and teach him things the church did not. Did you know they believe even thoughts can be sins?" My expression twisted, and I shook my head. "Fuckin' madness."

  "So he trusts you?" Guinevere asked while refilling my cup.

  "Yes."

  "How are you so certain? Even in your eyes, I see no doubt." She casually leaned against the table, and I shook my head wildly, shaking out my scruff as my ears flopped. I knew I was drunk, but being drunk, I didn't think much of my current state of mind nor did I think twice about my next words.

  "He's cried in my arms like a bloody child. He can look so cold, his eyes seeing right through you, but then....he was just sobbing. Clinging to me until his knuckles were white. Have you ever seen a grown man in such a state?" I muttered while staring at my cup. "You don't do that with someone you don't trust. You don't show them just how broken you are."

  "This....truly happened?"

  "You think I would make up such a thing?"

  "It's hard to believe."

  "True, nonetheless." Bringing my cup to my lips, I paused. "I hate the Weeping Monk with a passion, but I would gladly burn the church to the ground for what they've done to Lancelot. He's yet another Fey victim to those twisted paladins."

  "How can you hate the Weeping Monk but care for Lancelot when they are one and the same?"

  "Because they aren't. When Lancelot talks with Squirrel, trains with him. When he helps with the chores. When he smiles.... There is no Weeping Monk there." Guinevere seemed to study me with the way she looked at me.

  "You truly believe he's changed."

  "I do."

  "He's still a monk of the church." She stated, and I couldn't help but laugh.

  "Oh, in name only. He is a very bad monk."

  "How do you mean?" Guinevere looked confused, and I opened my mouth to respond, however, the flap on the tent opened.

  "Lancelot! Come, have a drink." I hit a cup against the table while grinning.

  "You're drunk."

  "I know! We were just talkin' about you. C'mere, I don't think Guinevere would mind hearing shit from the horse's mouth." I said, and the Ash Man looked at the woman across from me for a few seconds before looking back at me. "See, she said you were a monk, and I said you were a very bad monk."

  Those blue eyes of his widened, and he was quickly at my side. He grabbed my arm, pulling me up from my seat while taking away my cup.

  "Hey! I was drinkin' that."

  "Yes, and I think you've had enough." Lancelot set my cup on the table.

  "What do you mean he's a bad monk?" Guinevere questioned, and I was going to answer until Lancelot spoke over me.

  "I'm Fey. Now, let's go, Devin. You already missed training, and now your head is going to be aching in the morning." The man sighed while pulling me away from the table.

  "But I was having a nice chat with Guinevere. And you being Fey isn't why you're a bad monk. Well, not entirely- They really don't like Fey among the clergy, do they?" I stumbled on unsteady legs, and Lancelot's jaw clenched. He let go of my arm to grab me around my waist and hoist me up onto his shoulder.

  "Why in Heaven's name would you get too drunk to walk?"

  "Have you tasted their mead?" I questioned as Lancelot's boots crunched over snow. "The north has the best mead!" Pushing on his back to lift my head, I looked back at Guinevere and noticed she was watching us leave with a flat expression. "Where are we going?"

  "To the tent. You need to rest."

  "But I'm not tired. Oh, you smell so nice." My tail began to wag while Lancelot kept me on his shoulder as if I were a sack of potatoes. "Did you know Guinevere is The Red Spear? She's nicer than I thought."

  "She intentionally got you drunk."

  "What? No. Why?"

  "That woman barely smelt of alcohol, and her cup was near full. She kept pouring you drinks, didn't she?"

  "Yeah. To be nice."

  "To get you drunk."

  "Why in the world would she do that?"

  "To get information." Lancelot replied before going quiet for a few seconds. "Did you tell her about....your heat?" His voice was quiet.

  "Shhh! Not supposed to talk about that!" I patted his back, and I felt his muscles relax a little. But then he stopped in his tracks and tensed up again.

  "What is happening here?" I heard Arthur's voice question.

  "Devin got drunk."

  "Bite me! I'm allowed to." I snapped, but my tail was still wagging. "Has anyone ever told you how nice your ass is, Ash Man?" Lancelot tensed up even more, and Arthur awkwardly chuckled.

  "How much did you drink exactly? So we know when to cut you off next time."

  "I drank as much as Guinevere gave me. You may not be very plump, but you've certainly still got a handful."

  "....Excuse me?"

  "Not you, man-blood!" I said while stretching out my toes. I could see my own breath from the cold, and out of curiosity, I reached down to grab Lancelot's ass. The Ash Man jolted as I squeezed my hand. "Oh, it really is firm."

  "Devin, stop it." Lancelot had a warning tone, and I simply pat his rear while my tail wagged faster.

  "Pat, pat, pat, pat." I lightly hit both of his butt cheeks one at a time. Suddenly being pulled over his shoulder, I got dizzy from how the world spun. I stumbled, and firm hands grabbed my shoulders to steady me. "Now you are handsome for a human." I pointed at Arthur now that I could see him.

  "Uh, thank you."

  "And you should give Lancelot some slack. He's actually quite fragile."

  "Devin."

  "What? I'm standing up for you. 'S what friends do."

  "I do think we should hold conversations for when you're sober."

  "Then hold 'em." I waved my hand. Arthur looked from me to Lancelot.

  "Good luck." That was all he said before walking around us. However, I swung my hand, and Arthur nearly jumped off of the ground when I smacked his ass. He looked at me with wide eyes, and I grinned.

  "Makin' sure you don't feel left out."

  "I am so sorry. I'm taking them right to bed." Lancelot sounded mortified.

  "G-Good idea." Arthur covered his butt with his hands while walking away to make sure I didn't smack him again.

  "I cannot believe you just did that." Lancelot hissed near my ear.

  "Can't believe I touched him or touched you? Or both?" I waved a finger as the man pushed me forward to walk through the snow.

  "Both. I pray no one else crosses our path." Lancelot sighed through his nose.

  Waking up, I felt like someone was drumming on my skull. Slowly pushing myself to sit up on my pallet, I saw a little puddle of drool where my face had been. Groaning, I held my throbbing head while trying to remember just how much I'd drank last night.

  How did I even get back to the tent?

  Looking around, I saw that I was alone. There was light peeking through the flaps of the tent, telling me it was the next day. I gradually stood as my nose scrunched up.

  I squinted against the sunlight when I stepped outside. The snow coating the trees made it seem even brighter, and my pounding head pounded harder.

  "Good, you're awake." I looked over to see Lancelot with some food and a cup. "We need to talk before you go out into camp."

  "You sound serious. What did I miss?"

  "What's the last thing you remember about last night?" He questioned while following me back into the tent.

  "Talking with Guinevere over mead. Thank you." I took the cup Lancelot held out to me and downed some of the water inside. "Ugh, I feel like shit." I sat on my pallet, and the Ash Man gave me the food as well.

  "Do you remember anything else?"

  "After the conversation about some Fey that claimed to be a healer turning out to be a shit healer that left Guinevere with a ghastly scar, it's all hazy." I took another drink of water. "I know you're asking because something happened. Just tell me."

  "You, um.... Well, for one, you spanked Arthur." Lancelot stated, and I nearly choked.

  "No!"

  "Yes." He confirmed, and my ears turned back.

  "Oh, gods...."

  "You also repeatedly....touched....my rear."

  "You're joking! You have to be."

  "Would I joke about such a thing?" He asked, and I looked up at him. Lancelot was blushing and unable to look at me. "And you did so in front of Arthur."

  "Oh, gods." My face fell into my hands. "Please tell me it doesn't get worse than that."

  "I'm not sure. As far as I know, it does not. You were telling Guinevere I was a, uh, 'very bad monk' by the time I found you and took your cup away. You didn't elaborate."

  "How could I have gotten that drunk?! I don't usually...." I groaned while hunching over and wanting to never have to leave the tent again.

  "It wasn't intentional. Guinevere kept giving you mead to loosen your lips. Based on what I heard, she wanted to know about me."

  "Why didn't she just ask instead of getting me drunk, then? It's not like I haven't been talking to Arthur about you this whole bloody time."

  "That's....not the kind of information she was looking for. Guinevere was looking for secrets. Lies."

  "Gods, I hope I didn't tell her anything."

  "Their behavior towards me hasn't changed, so I can only assume you didn't." He then scoffed. "When I tried to ask you if you told her about certain things, you shushed me. So I doubt you told Guinevere."

  "I wish I had only shushed you. I really am incredibly sorry about the touching. Oh, no, how am I supposed to talk to Arthur now?"

  "He knows you were drunk. I doubt he'll hold it against you."

  "But still...."

  "Finish eating first, then worry about your embarrassment."

  "Hey!" Squirrel popped his head into the tent. "Did you guys know about the refugees coming today?"

  "No."

  "They're being led by a Wolf Man. He knows you, Devin. Said he recognized your scent on me."

  "What?"

  "He said he's from your village. I didn't want to believe it, but he knew your name without me having to say it."

  "My village?" My heart sank. A Wolf from my village here with refugees- Did that mean my home had been attacked? I scrambled out of the tent, kicking up snow as Squirrel quickly moved out of the way.

  My heart was pounding in my chest with worry and fear as my eyes looked over the faces in the camp. Fauns. Tusks. Sky Folk. Snake Clan. Where were the Wolves?

  "Devin?" My eyes landed on a bigger wolf with black fur, his eyes wide and green like foliage. He didn't exactly look the same as years before, but I could still recognize him. "By the gods, Devin!" He ran at me, engulfing me in a hug as I just stood frozen in place.

  My thoughts were slow to catch up, taking their precious time to process. Why was he here? What happened? Why was he hugging me? Why was he happy to see me?

  "....Odhran?"

[allgirlsareprincesses]

A Song of Ash and Sky - A Cursed Fanfic

Chapter 20 - A Love in Ashes

Nimue learns that the situation for the Fey is more dire than ever. Morgana tells the full story of her time as the Widow. And Nimue makes a fateful decision that may save the Fey, but put happiness forever out of her reach.

She turned to face the hearth, then knelt. Confused, Nimue craned her neck to see the black-clad figure digging into the ashes at the edge of the fire, barely missing the embers that smoldered there. Rising back to her full height with a fistful of soot, Morgana murmured a few unfamiliar words, then scattered the ashes into the air in a sweeping arc.

The fire vanished and the room was plunged into darkness.

~~~~~~

Sorry for the lack of smut but I do hope you enjoy the angsty set-up for some sexy conflict next chapter! Already working on it!

[sonicshipbattles]

Daily Submission Stats

Overall Submissions: 264 Unique Ships Submitted: 91 Most Submitted Ship: SonAmy (37 overall submissions - 9 for general SonAmy, 28 for specific versions) 2nd Most Submitted Ship: BlazAmy (26 overal submissions - 20 for general BlazAmy, 6 for specific versions) 3rd Most Submitted Ship: MetAmy and ShadAmy (tied with 23 overall submissions each) BlazAmy has managed to pull it back. This will also be the last daily submission stats post before submissions close tomorrow night and we post the final tally. So get your ships submitted if you haven't already As usual, here are the ships with only one or two submissions:

Amy (Black Rose)/Amy (Rusty Rose)/Amy (Thorn Rose) - 1 Amy (Modern)/Amy (Sonic Boom) - 1 Amy/Anton Veruca - 1 Amy/Aubrey (Omori) - 1 Amy/Bark - 2 Amy/Basil (Omori) - 1 Amy/Belle - 1 Amy/Blaze (IDW) - 2 Amy (Paladin)/Blaze (Percival) - 1 Amy/Blaze/Elise/Sally - 1 Amy/Blaze/Espio/Silver/Sonic - 1 Amy/Blaze/Sally - 1 Amy/Blaze/Sonic - 2 Amy/Blaze/Sticks - 1 Amy/Blaze/Tekno - 1 Amy/Brittany Miller (Alvin and the Chipmunks) - 1 Amy/Coral - 2 Amy/Dexter (imaginary boyfriend) - 1 Amy/E-102 Gamma - 2 Amy/Espio - 1 Amy/Espio/Silver - 1 Amy/Fiona - 2 Amy (Classic)/her hammer - 1 Amy/her love for destiny (tarot) - 1 Amy/Jewel/Tangle/Whisper - 1 Amy/Jewel/Surge - 2 Amy/Johnny Lightfoot - 1 Amy/Knuckles (General) - 1 Amy/Knuckles (Sonic Boom) - 1 Amy/Knuckles/Shadow/Sonic - 1 Amy/Knuckles/Sonic - 2 Amy/Lanolin - 1 Amy/Manic - 1 Amy/Maria - 2 Amy (Nimue)/Merlina - 1 Amy/Metal Sonic/Sonic - 2 Amy/Metal Sonic/Surge - 2 Amy/Mina - 2 Amy/Nicole/Sally - 1 Amy/Ricky - 1 Amy/Scourge - 1 Amy/Shadow (Archie) - 1 Amy (Black Rose)/Shadow - 1 Amy (Rusty Rose)/Shadow - 1 Amy/Shadow (Sonic Boom) - 2 Amy (Thorn Rose)/Shadow - 1 Amy/Shadow/Silver/Sonic - 2 Amy/Sonia - 1 Amy (Black Rose)/Sonic - 2 Amy (Nimue)/Sonic (King Arthur) - 1 Amy (Rusty Rose)/Sonic - 2 Amy/Sonic (Sonic X) - 2 Amy (Thorn Rose)/Sonic - 2 Amy/Sticks (Modern) - 2 Amy (Thorn Rose)/Sticks - 1 Amy/Sticks/Surge - 2 Amy/Surge/Tekno - 1 Amy/Tangle/Whisper - 1 Amy (Rusty Rose)/Tekno - 1 Amy/Tikal - 1 Amy/Trip - 1 Amy/Whisper - 1