#serpent kings not invited

[haleyusesherwords]

Hosting the next D20 premier on the commandeered river boat turned casino

Who’s coming?

[jmoonjones]

It's a Nyaxia Night Miracle! On the Eve of Nyaxia Night, a holiday celebration that's perhaps not totally (or in any way at all 😬) canon, Oraya and Raihn make their wishes. 

They don't expect their wishes to be granted - or else the Coriatae bond may have been pursued another way! - but Nyaxia lives for the drama between the Hiaj and Rishan vampires, so she made an exception ✨

The wonderful Crowns and Nyaxia series is by Carissa Broadbent. Who I hope isn't irked by my Vincentric (Vincent Centric) doodles or my unhinged sense of humour 💜

Note: When I was little, we'd burn our letters to Santa in the fireplace (so the ashes are taken to the North Pole, where Santa the polar bear would read them, natch) which inspired their letter burning. 

[xechu]

[Honor & Vengeance] S. Geto - 夏油 傑

Pairing: general!suguru x fem!reader Word Count: 15.1k Series Warnings: please read my blog rules before interacting. 18+ mdni, explicit sexual content, depiction of gore and violence, mature themes Chapter Warnings: mature themes, emotional angst, description of violence and injury Tags: historical au, non-curse au, marriage of convenience, slow burn, enemies to lovers, smut, angst, hurt/comfort Summary: With the arrival of Princess Ayaka and the Royal Envoy, hopes were high for smooth negotiations. But it soon became clear that the princess was unfit for the task - and perhaps had other motives entirely. You had planned to stay on the sidelines, and let Suguru take the lead. As tensions rose and the threat of war loomed, you found yourself supporting from the shadows - but at what cost? a/n: This is part 2 of 'The Eastern Campsite Incident'. Thank you so much for reading! x

Master List: << chapter 4 | chapter 6 (to be continued) >>

[Chapter 5]: The Eastern Campsite Incident (Pt. 2)

A few days ago, it had been announced to the broader camp that Princess Ayaka was coming to meet with an envoy from the East, in hopes of easing political tensions. The Eastern Region had accepted the invitation and would be arriving in two weeks, which gave Suguru and the council just enough time to prepare Ayaka for what to expect. This also meant that House Geto’s stay had been prolonged indefinitely, at least until everything was concluded. 

Everything hinged on this negotiation, and all eyes were on the princess.

Would this end in peace—or mark the beginning of a new war?

Despite the uneasiness in the air, everyone carried on with business as usual, completely unaware of the newfound tension between General Geto and his wife.

Since last night, neither of you had spoken a word about the kiss. Perhaps, it was better that way, because addressing it would give it meaning, and you knew none of this meant anything. Whatever feelings were brewing in your chest, though, you’d have to decipher it another day. Troubles of the heart didn’t matter in the face of the well-being of nations.

“They’re here,” Haibara announced. His voice cuts through your thoughts. 

Today, the entire camp stood on high alert, preparing to receive Princess Ayaka and the Royal Guards. You stole a small glance at Suguru, who stood beside you—his gaze fixed on the horizon.

From a distance, you spotted a small group advancing. The princess was draped in pastel-pink silks and minimal accessories, but she still managed to look effortlessly noble. Clothes didn’t make her; she made them. And in broad daylight her beauty was impossible to miss.

As a matter of fact, all of King Sato’s children were beautiful. 

Most would credit the late queen and his concubines for the royal children’s good looks, and though it may be true that the king had refined taste in women, Sato himself (according to many court rumors) was a beautiful man in his prime. Allegedly, Sato was never meant to be king. In fact, he was the sixth in line of succession. But tragedy struck one by one, and all the successors before him had perished under unexplained circumstances, allowing Sato to ascend the throne. Henceforth, some secretly dubbed him as the Serpent King—a man who used his cunning and beauty to slither his way to the throne.

“We welcome you, Ayaka-sama,” the crowd greeted in unison with a bow.

“Thank you for the warm welcome.” She smiled. “It warms me to see that everyone is well and in good spirits.”

“Of course, your presence here is already reassuring, Ayaka-sama!” one of the council members chimed in.

“I’m glad,” she replied gracefully. “I’ll be sure to do my best and see that our two nations bring about peace and understanding.”

“I do apologize, General Geto, Lady Geto. That my father sent you off to duty so soon after your wedding.”

“Not at all, Ayaka-sama,” Suguru said, bowing deeper. “We are here to serve the King and our country. It is an honor and duty we take seriously.”

“My husband couldn’t have reflected the sentiment any better,” you said composedly.

Her eyes drifted to Suguru, then to you, lingering just a moment longer on you. It was long enough for you to notice, but not long enough to draw a conclusion to anything. Yet her gaze felt measured.

…

The clear skies and warm weather clashed with the weight of unspoken tension lingering in the air. Soldiers continued their tasks, while others couldn’t peel their eyes away from the princess as the group escorted Ayaka to her quarters. For many commoners, the chance to see royalty from afar wouldn’t come in their lifetime, let alone now that one was so close. It was only natural that some were so awestruck.

You headed towards a quieter part of the camp with vast greenery. The entire section had been repurposed solely for Ayaka, with a large tent set up and royal guards stationed all around it. As the lady of the camp—by virtue of being the general’s wife—it fell to you to oversee the princess’ hospitality and ensure her comfort during her stay.

Luckily, you’d managed to find some acceptable furniture for the princess’ accommodations. You were curious why such luxuries were even stored at the camp, but one of the soldiers relayed that a noble family had gifted them to Suguru a few years ago. While he’d accepted the gesture, he had refused to use them. Apparently, the general found it distasteful to live in such comfort in the midst of war—so the items had been sent to storage and likely forgotten over time.

At least there was one thing you agreed with Suguru on.

“I hope you will find your stay and the accommodations acceptable, Ayaka-sama,” you said, as you entered her tent with her—staying a respectable distance at the entrance. 

Ayaka wandered into the tent and began to browse around while a few royal court servants immediately busied themselves with unpacking her clothes. The princess slowly made her round in the space, examining the surroundings with a careful eye. You held your breath, hoping it would be enough, since this had been your first time preparing accommodations for royalty.

Truthfully, you weren’t sure what to think of Princess Ayaka. On the outside she appeared graceful, well-tempered, and eloquent, but beyond that, it was hard to tell what she was truly thinking. The only time you’d met her was at the wedding, and that had been a little tense. But since her arrival, it didn't take long to realize that the rumors about her and Suguru were somewhat true. 

At least you were certain she still had feelings for him. It was evident in the way her eyes seem to instinctively trace his every movement.

Ayaka suddenly turned, locking eyes. For a moment, her features were devoid of emotions. Your body stiffened ever so slightly, unsure if she’d found something displeasing with the arrangements. But then, she proceeded to smile.

“It’s wonderful, Lady Geto. You have my sincerest gratitude.”

“Of course, Ayaka-sama,” you bowed. “If there’s anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”

As you were about to quietly excuse yourself, she suddenly called out to you.

“Wait, Lady Geto.“

Ayaka gently waved off the royal servants. “Would you stay and keep me company for a while?”

You blinked, caught off guard, as the servants excused themselves and left one by one.

“Of course,” you replied, the confusion in your voice barely masked.

She gestured to the empty seat beside her on the wooden bench. You crossed the room slowly, doing your best to hide the hesitation in your steps, and quietly sat beside her. Despite feeling apprehensive of her sudden invitation, you remained dignified and mindful of proper etiquette—something your father had drilled into you from a young age, despite your aversion to it.

Ayaka engaged in small talk with you, which, quite frankly, was your least favorite thing in the world. You answered all her questions politely, speaking only when spoken to. Most would probably kill to be in your position right now—an opportunity to rub shoulders with the princess, gain recognition, and curry her favor.

But it was exhausting.

“How is marriage with Su— I mean, General Geto?” she asked.

Ah. There it was.

The princess was oddly predictable. You had expected all royalty to be refined and secretive. She had the refinement, but lacked the subtlety. You’d suspected that the small talk was somewhat of a smokescreen. Nonetheless, there always came a small pleasant surprise when your speculations were proven true.

“Our marriage is more than I could have asked for,” you replied courteously.

“I don’t expect any less. He is a good man after all.” Ayaka’s smile was soft, almost wistful. “We’ve known each other since we were children… so he is very important to me.”

“He is an honorable and competent man,” you said with a calm smile.

“Indeed, he’s always been like that since we were young.” Her tone was indiscernible. “We both cherish each other deeply, so I just want to make sure he’s treating you well.”

Her remark gave you a brief pause. 

You supposed that statement was something you hadn’t anticipated.

“Thank you for your concern, Ayaka-sama. As his wife, I take comfort knowing Suguru is surrounded by loyal allies like yourself.”

She let out a soft laughter, but it fell flat. Clearly, she was not all that amused.

“To be honest… I’m a little worried about this meeting.” Her fingers fidgeted in her lap. “My father shouldn’t have sent me here. I doubt I’ll be of any help.”

The confession was rather jarring. 

Just moments ago, she had told everyone that she would try her best to be of help, and now she was saying the complete opposite. More importantly, you weren’t sure what her intention was for confiding such sensitive information, when you’d barely established a rapport with her. It certainly wasn’t because she felt comforted by your presence.

“Forgive my directness, Ayaka-sama. But are you not to wed their prince?" You questioned. “I can’t see anyone else more suitable for this negotiation than you.”

“I–I am…” her head slightly dropped. “But… I’ve never done this before. And in truth, I don’t want to marry him.” 

You bit the inside of your lip. This kind of knowledge could be dangerous—treasonous, even—if anyone knew she confided in you.

Was this manipulation veiled beneath innocence, or was she genuinely daft?

“I’m afraid that’s beyond my understanding, Ayaka-sama,” you said carefully.

“Then… how did you and General Geto make it work?” she asked, her voice tinged with desperation.

Her question was invasive. Offensive, even.

Sure, it wasn’t far from the truth that the marriage was tumultuous, but it still baffled you how confidently Ayaka assumed you and Suguru had marital issues. And to say it so brazenly, no less.

Intentional or not, it was apparent that she did not feel the need to maintain basic decorum between the two of you. A cold war was already brewing between you and your husband—admittedly it had been at a standstill recently—but you were not about to deal with another emotional warfare, even if it was instigated by the princess.

“I believe the foundation of any relationship—not just a marriage—is respect, Ayaka-sama.” You looked at her, holding your gaze. “Knowing which lines shouldn’t be crossed, while affording each other the space to remain their own person.”

“I-I see…”

“Pardon the intrusion, Ayaka-sama,” a voice called out from beyond the tent.

It was Haibara. 

“Your attendance is required in the strategy room,” he relayed the information. 

“Yes, I’ll be there soon,” Ayaka called out. 

“By any chance, is Lady Geto with you? Someone said they’ve seen her—”

“I’m here, Haibara,” you replied. 

“My lady, your attendance is also expected. Please escort Ayaka-sama there with haste.” Haibara said. 

You let out a weary sigh. 

It had become increasingly tiresome to always have things known at the last minute. 

“Shall we, Ayaka-sama?” you stood up and straightened your posture.

Ayaka stared back at you with glossy, uncertain eyes—a look that seemed too fragile for a political negotiator, let alone the to-be crown princess of an entire nation.

“Alright.” She nodded. 

…

Among the war council and the stuffy strategy room, you found yourself sitting beside Haibara as a silent spectator. At first, you were confused by his sudden request, and it was evident that Suguru was not aware of this arrangement, judging from the look he gave you when he saw you trailing behind Ayaka. But as the council meeting progressed, you realized that there was a reason for this last-minute invitation: it was Haibara’s covert way of asking for help.

There were many things you found amiable about Haibara, but the one thing you respected the most was his impeccable foresight. You could understand why someone like Suguru would have Haibara as his right-hand man. 

As the meeting went on, it became more apparent how dire the situation was, though you weren’t so sure how you’d be able to offer assistance at this point. It wasn't like you wielded such power to change the tides of the tension between the two nations—if only one had such power.

No matter which angle you were looking at, the outcome was unfavorable. If the Eastern Region had already cemented their stance, these negotiations were doomed from the start. And to put the final nail in the coffin, it had become very apparent to everyone in the room that Princess Ayaka was ill-fit for negotiations. Perhaps she hadn’t been lying when she said she wasn’t sure why her father sent her here.

By no means was this a malicious criticism of the princess, but since her arrival something felt off. Apart from the uncomfortable conversation you had earlier with her, you had noticed how she had been anxious, unable to hide her stress, and clung to Suguru like he was her lifeline amidst this war camp. Nobody faulted her for being inexperienced in negotiations, but the impression she gave was clear—she dreaded being here, and quite frankly, completely clueless with the political happenings of both countries. A country she was marrying into no less.

What on earth was King Sato thinking? 

Surely, he must have known that his own daughter was not up for the task. 

If he genuinely wanted to increase the chances of the negotiations, he could have sent another royal envoy in her stead. One that wasn’t so skittish. 

There were far too many disadvantages stacked on top of each other. It was as if Sato was actively trying to incite a war. 

Too many coincidences could only mean one thing: it was planned.

Everyone in the council room was growing weary as Suguru explained—for the fourth time—what the envoy from the East would likely expect, and what counterpoints they were prepared to make.

Your gaze drifted to the parchment in front of Ayaka. The handwriting was immaculate, elegant even. But the words were hollow: 

Eastern Region  let them know we mean peace  our position means no harm 

It was evident that she still hadn’t grasped the crux of the issue.

You let out an internal sigh, helplessness washing over you. But there was nothing you could do. This was in General Geto’s court, not yours.

“I will step in if necessary, Ayaka-sama,” Suguru reassured her. “Please, just try your best.”

Ayaka’s spirits lifted at once, while the rest of the room exhaled a breath they’d all been unknowingly holding since the meeting began.

Suguru was gentle and patient with her, his tone never once shifting into one of annoyance. To say you weren’t a little bit aggrieved would be a lie, but you suppose it was easy for people to treat Ayaka with such attentiveness—like she was a delicate songbird. Even if she wasn’t the princess, she exuded this innocence that made people naturally feel the need and want to protect her. 

Would Suguru ever defend you if there ever came a time to?

Or would he leave you in the dust?

A part of you didn’t want to find yourself in that sort of predicament, because you had a sinking feeling what the answer would be.

“Do you have a back-up plan in mind, General Geto?” One of the council members asked. 

Suguru nodded. “Yes, but the goal is to resolve it through negotiations first.”

“Please do your best, Ayaka-sama.” Another council member practically begged. “If the negotiation is successful—it will bring about peace to both nations.”

“I’ll do my best,” Ayaka said softly, and looked at Suguru under her lashes. “With General Geto and everyone by my side, I’m sure it will go well.”

Suguru gave a small smile and nodded. 

And thus concluded the (disastrous) meeting. 

As the war council members trickled out of the strategy room one by one, Haibara called out to you, asking for a word in private. Suguru glanced over at the two of you briefly, before leaving with Ayaka who was practically glued to his side. The room now felt more spacious and breathable, unlike the bleak atmosphere just moments ago.

“A penny for your thoughts, Lady Geto?” Haibara smiled.

You let out a soft chuckle. “I only know what everyone else already knows.”

He hummed, feigning contemplation. “I’d still be interested in hearing it from you.”

“And I suppose that’s why you invited me to this meeting today.”

“Keen as ever, my lady—though that is only half the reason.”

You let out a small sigh and shook your head. “I’m afraid there’s not much I can contribute. The negotiations don’t seem favorable.”

“Is it because of…” He hesitated.

“No, that’s not even our biggest concern. But if we’re being objective, the Eastern Region has all the reason to believe our position is one of hostility—an aggressive show of power. There’s really no justifying it.”

“Yes, I had the same thought…” Haibara admitted, a hint of defeat in his voice.

“There are really only three paths forward, if we want to avoid war,” you continued, raising a finger to count them off. “One: we retract our forces. Two: we strike a genuine compromise. Or three: we launch a diplomatic assault.”

Haibara’s brows furrowed in contemplation. “When you say diplomatic assault—what are you suggesting?”

“Information is power, Haibara. It isn’t always about force or persuasion,” you said. “Hypothetically, is there anything—Suguru, the soldiers, or even you might know about the Eastern Region that could cause strain if it came to light?”

Haibara’s eyes widened. He’d always known you were intelligent, but perhaps Suguru calling you cunning wasn’t too far off the mark. It wasn’t that no one had considered resorting to blackmail, but the way you delivered it—calm and indifferent—was quite frankly, terrifying.

To be honest, you and Suguru were more alike than most realized.

He would hate to ever find himself your enemy.

If only Suguru could stop letting his fears and his need to stay in control guide every decision, Haibara had no doubt that he would have found an invaluable ally in you. Maybe he’d even come to like you.

“I suppose you and Suguru had already thought about it,” you interrupted his thoughts. 

“Unfortunately there wasn’t much intelligence we could gather,” Haibara confirmed. “It would put us in a position of distrust if we sent spies to their nation.” 

“I see.” Your fingers tapped softly on the table.

So there hadn’t been much effort to gather intel at all.

Everything felt sloppy. Rushed. Too many loose ends for a situation this critical.

It was baffling.

Not that it was Suguru’s fault—his expertise lay in battles and terrain. But for a man as keen and meticulous as him, it was surprising that he hadn’t explored this avenue. 

That he’d allowed so many openings.

Was King Sato giving Suguru a harder time than he let on?

“We’re at an impasse, then,” you said tightly.

Haibara’s shoulders slumped slightly. “I was hoping you might have a trick up your sleeve.”

“I’m… trying to respect Geto-sama’s authority. He said he had it under control.” You let out a small, dejected sigh. “And I’m no miracle worker. Even if I were to try to help now—time is not on our side.”

Truth be told, you did have a trick up your sleeve, but you couldn’t tell Haibara. You couldn’t reveal all your cards when there was still so much distrust and tension between you and Suguru. And beyond that, there were no guarantees. You didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. Still, every moment wasted would put you further away from the objective, you knew you had to act quickly. Not for Suguru. Not for Haibara. Not even for King Sato. But for the lives of the many innocents who would be carelessly written off as collateral in the King’s petty games.

Ideally, you’d uncover damning evidence against the Eastern Region. If not, the next best move would be to draft a well-considered compromise, something that could hold up as a peace contract, which seems to be Suguru’s contingency plan already. The only issue was—any signs of yielding would not be well-received. It would be viewed as an act of cowardice, giving up on the nation’s pride. And Suguru’s reputation would undoubtedly take a blow.

Whatever it was, time was of the essence.

After your conversation with Haibara, you left him thinking you had nothing to offer, discreetly slipping away into Yumi’s tent.

“Yumi,” you said quietly, peeking through the narrow slit of the tent flap.

“Yes, my lady?” she responded, instantly alert.

“I need your help.” You turned around, voice low. “More specifically, I need the guild’s help.”

“Of course, my lady. What is it?”

You pressed a letter into her hand. 

“Godspeed. We don’t have much time—the envoy arrives in two weeks.”

She gave a single nod, then vanished without another word.

I require information on the Eastern Region. Anything you can find. Maps, slanderous gossip, trade ledgers, hidden dealings. As long as it is verifiable. There is little time. The moon watches, Your Lady

And with that, you left the rest to fate. All you could do now was hope something turned up.

After all, the Merchant Guild never failed to answer your call.

—

Suguru walked alongside Ayaka through the campsite. He couldn’t recall the last time they'd walked so closely side by side—just the two of them. Their last encounter was at his wedding, where they exchanged pleasantries laced in pretense, and false blessings. But they both knew it was all a charade.

It hadn’t been their kindest exchange—deceitful, hurtful, tense.

Then again, when it came to Ayaka, when was he ever at ease?

Especially not after his family was killed.

He remembered how, shortly after his family’s funeral, Ayaka had come to him in private and he could never forget that conversation, because it had felt like a second funeral. She told him her father was concerned for her safety, that King Sato had forbidden her from seeing him and ordered her to remain in the palace.

At first, Suguru fell into denial. Surely, if she couldn’t come to see him much anymore, he could still visit her, right?

But no.

She clarified that her father had forbidden her to see anyone, including Suguru.

How could it be?

He had no one left after his entire family was massacred. 

He only had Ayaka and Haibara. 

And now she was saying goodbye, when he needed her the most?

How could she acquiesce so easily? Did she not love him?

He stood there, completely dumbfounded. Then she began to cry. Her tears had always been a great source of his weakness. He hated seeing those he cared about cry, but something about Ayaka’s tears especially, filled him with a special dread…

Because she was the woman he loved.

Her tears must mean that this was not what she wanted, right?

But after that rainy day, the two of them never saw each other again, at least not for another three years. Not until Suguru began to reclaim his family’s glory and worked his way back into the royal court. 

Over the years, love turned to bitter realization, and then, to silent yearning when he saw her once again.

Now, Suguru was a married man.

His original intention to marry had been a necessary step towards his goals. The marriage was to prevent King Sato from exploiting Suguru’s weakness: Ayaka. 

He married for the illusion of stability and control. And a small part of him—though he was ashamed to admit it—also married to forget the woman he could never have.

He hadn’t asked for much. As long as his wife was quiet and obedient, and kept her nose out of his business, it would’ve been manageable. Bearable, at least.

But slowly, you chipped away at that perception. And now, things were becoming complicated.

It was like he covered one problem, only to open up another.

He could even see it in the way Haibara respected you so quickly, which was no easy feat.

“I hope marriage has been treating you well.” Ayaka’s voice cut through.

“Yes. It’s more than I could have asked for.” Suguru smiled.

She paused for a moment. 

“Both you and Lady Geto said the same thing. You two must understand each other very well.”

Suguru only responded with a low hum.

“Everyone is so enthusiastic about my marriage—enough about me.” He tried to change the subject. Or perhaps he was simply trying to evade the small flutter in his chest—fleeting, but undeniable. “How was the journey? Are you tired?”

“Oh, well. It was quite alright…” 

Her voice was a melody. He had always thought that he could listen to her talk forever. But now, even as she spoke, Suguru couldn’t quite bring himself to focus.

His thoughts lingered back in the strategy room, and during the council meeting—when you quietly sat there. You wore your usual stoicism, but he could tell it wasn’t because you were bored. Rather, you were assessing, absorbing the information, and understanding the crucial details. You stayed silent the entire time, which was surprising, given your inquisitive nature. But he supposed he shouldn’t question it—you were holding up your end of the bargain, respecting his jurisdiction. 

When Haibara asked you to stay, a part of him was curious as to what the two of you were discussing in private.

A small part of him wanted to ask—wanted to stay. Wanted to know what interesting ideas the two of you would exchange.

And it didn’t escape him either. The way the banter came so easily between you and Haibara.

How it came so easily—for him to talk to you, to ask favors.

How you seemed to let your guard down around him.

How you smiled at him with amusement.

—

It had been a week since you tasked Yumi with getting in touch with the Merchant Guild. You had yet to hear anything back from her, and as each day passed, the more anxious you became, but you were good at hiding your emotions.

Especially in front of Suguru. 

Though things seemed to be rather quiet between the two of you, not all was forgiven. And… there was no telling how long this ceasefire was going to last.

“Where is your lady-in-waiting?” Suguru asked out of the blue. “I haven’t seen her with you all week.”

“I dismissed her back to the Geto estate,” you lied, eyes still on the papers sprawled across the desk. You’d spent the past few days collecting notes and drafting a proposal, just in case worse came to worst.

Suguru glanced over at you, watching you write in concentration. There was something so calm—so comforting, almost domestic, about the scene before him. Under the dim lights, with your hair slightly damp and dressed in simple camp garments, it was hard to look away. And the way your brows slightly furrowed, and how your lips silently mouthed the words you wrote. He was almost tempted to get out of bed and join you. To ask what thoughts you were chasing. But he supposed it was also just fine trying to read your lips instead to get the answers.

Haibara had relayed your private discussion to him, but at the time, it had seemed fruitless.

Or so he thought.

Until three nights ago, he’d returned late from training to find you fast asleep, the faint flicker of the oil lamp still burning. It was a small gesture, but it felt oddly comforting to not return to empty darkness. Thinking you wouldn’t notice, he’d sifted through the documents tucked away in your storage box. To his surprise, they were proposal drafts, and meticulous notes on soldier observations. Everything the troops knew about the Eastern Region, down to its most mundane details.

As he read through them, something delicate flickered inside him.

As expected, they were incredible. 

Nearly identical to what he had been planning himself.

Since then, he’d secretly stolen glances at your work. And the more he read, the more he was forced to confront the truth: he had treated you unfairly. He’d been cruel without reason. He’d silenced you because the voices in his own mind were too much to bear.

You could still keep your distance without being heartless, Haibara’s words echoed in his mind, louder this time.

Perhaps, once this was all over—once he could finally breathe again…

He’d take the initiative, and ask you for a spar.

—

The night before the Eastern envoy’s arrival…

Tomorrow was the decisive day, and it seemed a compromise was inevitable. The idea of withdrawing some of the troops would most likely not bode well with some of the council members and even King Sato, but was this inflated sense of pride worth thousands of innocent lives?

Unfortunately, Suguru already knew the answer: King Sato didn’t care. He did it simply because he could. 

Every step of the way was a test, even bestowing the King’s temporary authority onto him was a test. Sato wanted to see what his general would do when backed into a corner.

If only there was another way out. 

Suguru had never believed in miracles. Everything had always been based on merit. Nothing was given, only earned. But for once, he found himself hoping. Anything. Whether it was the Eastern Region being more lenient than they all anticipated, or Ayaka getting possessed with the spirit of a great negotiator. 

Or you. 

Perhaps you were able to come up with something. 

Yet, the thought that he had begun to place his faith in you unnerved him, followed by a sense of guilt and shame. He’d been so certain he had everything under control. His resentment toward you, his agitation, had only ever been a reaction to the truth you revealed—a truth he had always known but refused to acknowledge.

You were a storm that shattered his carefully built reality.

It was all so foreign and unsettling, because even he didn’t know when that agitation had begun to morph into intrigue.

Here he was, sitting in front of the riverbank in hopes for a quiet reflection of tomorrow's plans, but instead, he was trying to solve the conundrum that was you.

“Suguru, there you are,” Ayaka’s voice cut through his thoughts. 

“Ayaka-sama,” Suguru gave a slight nod, offering a polite smile.

“It’s just you and me, Suguru, there’s no need to be so formal.” She chuckled lightly.

He let out a quiet hum.

“Are you nervous for tomorrow?” She asked as she took a seat beside him.

“It’ll be fine,” he let out a soft chuckle. “I believe you can do it.” 

“I’m not so sure to be honest.” Ayaka bit the bottom of her lip. “Perhaps Lady Geto would make a better negotiator than me.”

“And what makes you think that?” 

“She’s just so… capable and intelligent.” 

“It’s true,” he admitted before he could stop himself. 

He had to pause for a moment to process what he had just done.

“You know—she reminds me of Hayato. The two of them probably would’ve gotten along.” Ayaka added thoughtfully. 

“Perhaps,” Suguru remarked, but he disagreed inwardly.

Hayato was the crown prince, and Ayaka’s only full sibling. From what Suguru knew of both you and him—Ayaka’s statement was a bit of a naive conclusion.

If you had ever met Hayato, Suguru knew without an inkling of doubt that you would’ve loathed the prince. You would’ve seen straight through his cruelty and deceit. And in return, Hayato would’ve loathed you, because you would’ve outshined him.

Hayato had held a particular disdain for Suguru since they were children. Suguru had bested him in a duel once, and Hayato had never quite recovered from the blow on his ego, even after fifteen years. And the disdain had only seemed to grow over the years as Suguru rose through the ranks and became the King’s general. 

It wasn’t that Ayaka was daft, but it was true that her view of the world had been vastly different. She had never known what it felt like to be on the receiving end of disdain or resentment. For all the heinous things King Sato and Hayato had done behind closed doors, they had always doted on her.

To them, she was a delicate flower, untouched by their rotten roots.

And perhaps, that’s how Suguru saw her too. 

“Would it be selfish of me to say that I don’t want this negotiation to succeed?” she asked quietly.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.” Suguru turned to her, a hint of sternness threading through his voice.

That kind of statement could be considered treason.

“I don’t want to marry their prince—I don’t want to marry anyone. If it’s not—” she stopped herself.

Suguru gritted his teeth. He knew exactly what she wanted to say.

Because he, too, had selfishly wished that things could have turned out differently. Alas, both of them were bound by the shackles of duty. Torn apart by fate. 

“I want to be with you, Suguru,” she said softly, her hand resting on his arm. “I don’t care that I’m not Lady Geto, and if I must be second—”

“Ayaka…” he began, but the words wouldn’t come.

She leaned in, closer.

“If we love each other, I can convince my father.” Her voice hushed, but desperate. “I’ll do everything I can.”

Her doll-like eyes looked into his, shimmering like the stars above. Full of life and hope. 

Just how he had always remembered it. 

His gaze drifted lower. Her lips a sinful temptation. 

But for a split second, he saw you instead.

Why did you haunt him, even at this moment?

Ayaka leans even closer, and his heart beats harder. But each beat also carried an unexpected sting. 

This was wrong. 

Yet, he found it difficult to stop.

He had always yearned for her lips on his, and he was now about to find out.

Their faces now mere inches apart, he could smell the sweetness of her breath. The warmth between their bodies—

Snap.

His head turned sharply toward the sound.

And to his horror, it was you.

…

It had not been your intention to spy on their private moment, but these past few weeks at the campsite were beginning to wear down on you.

You just wanted space, some time alone for reflection. 

To breathe.

You’d discovered the riverbank during your first week here, entirely by chance. Since then, you’d come here from time to time to clear your head. But clearly, even something as simple as that couldn’t be afforded to you, because tonight, you stumbled upon Suguru and Ayaka, sitting suspiciously close to one another.

A part of you tried to convince yourself that it was none of your business, whatever the nature of the conversation was—but you couldn’t tear your gaze away. Couldn’t ignore the betrayal curling in your gut.

Everything was abundantly clear.

Your husband still loved the princess. 

All this time, it had been evident in the way he looked at her. His gaze was soft, reverent, even. A sincere warmth that could not be faked nor replicated. A warmth that you never knew he was capable of eliciting. 

A pure, silent yearning.

An unfamiliar ache curdled in your chest, but you quickly swallowed it. The truth was bitter, and the realization stung like a slap across the face.

It wasn't specifically you that Suguru loathed.

It was the role you took.

A role that was never meant for you to fulfill.

“I… apologize,” you shakily stammered. 

Ayaka immediately shot up, horrified. “L-Lady Geto! It’s not what it looks like,” she quickly said.

The world around you spun.

Even though you knew this was all pretend, even though you never expected Suguru to love you, even though you had expected all of this.

Why did it still hurt?

You hated how flustered you were, how shame coiled around your throat like a serpent. You didn’t want to look at Suguru, because you knew if you looked at him it would confirm everything in an instant. And even worse—he would see how wounded you were.

“It’s alright, Ayaka-sama.” You tried to stay composed, but your voice quivered. “I saw nothing shameful.”

Before there was another chance for either of them to speak, you turned and walked away. 

If you stayed a moment longer, you would’ve crumbled.

…

He couldn’t believe it. 

He was a shameless dog. 

Not only did he nearly fall into temptation, but he nearly risked everything.

Had it not been you who found them, this would have certainly caused a scandal and the downfall of House Geto.

When had he fallen so far from grace?

He could barely recognize the man he had become—weak-willed, and a complete lack of control and discipline. 

“I must go.” Suguru stood abruptly.

“S-Suguru, I—” 

“I’m sorry. This cannot happen again.” His voice was curt as he turned on his heel and left.

At that moment, he couldn't care less about leaving Ayaka alone. All he knew was he wanted to find you.

Suguru moved through the campsite with perfect composure, nodding at each soldier who wished him good night. But the quieter the camp, the more frantic his mind became. His eyes searched everywhere for you as he made his way to the shared tent. 

There was no denying it, he still loved Ayaka. But something had unexpectedly taken root.

His heart might have still beat for her, but your name persistently echoed in his mind.

As his feet took him closer and closer to the tent, he began to feel anxious.

Because what could he possibly say?

Every word would only be a pathetic excuse.

But he continued to march forward, until he found himself at the entrance of the tent. On one hand, he had hoped you’d be on the other side, but on the other, he also hoped you weren’t. Manically, his wild thoughts and all the possibilities ran through his mind. He took a deep breath and a quick moment to steel himself before flipping open the fabric of the tent.

Only to be met with an empty darkness.

With each step inside, the weight of hesitation and guilt grew heavier. He lit the oil lamp, its warm golden glow spilling across the hollow space. Quietly, he sat by the bedside, eyes settling on the empty desk—the one you had occupied every night, working tirelessly on your secret proposal.

Something he had pretended not to notice.

Just like the many things about you he had pretended not to notice—pretended not to care.

Maybe this empty silence was for the better.

—

It was humiliating.

You had lost all composure and your usual tact. You weren’t even sure why you were the one running away and hiding, when it was your husband who had done something inexcusable.

But seeing Suguru and Ayaka together made you feel unclean. When they were together, it was hard not to notice—how they fit together so perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle. They had history. They had a deep understanding of one another. And most of all, they complemented each other.

Seeing them was like witnessing what true love was. 

That rare, sacred thing everyone quietly yearned for in a world built on political transactions and hidden agendas.

You understood Ayaka’s woes, her reluctance to marry the Eastern Prince. Why did she have to—when true love was within her reach? She was just another political pawn, a victim to her greedy father.

As for Suguru, you supposed even the great Conqueror of Stars had things beyond his reach.

Like the woman he truly desired.

A tragic irony.

You sat alone in the quiet darkness of Yumi’s unoccupied tent. You hadn’t heard from her since her departure, which only made you increasingly worried.

What if she’d been injured?

Or worse, what if she ran into danger?

You hated it.

How a single moment caused you to spiral into a flurry of self-doubt.

Why did Suguru Geto have this effect on you?

Maybe you and Suguru weren’t so different after all. Both of you desired control. Both of you were prideful in your own stubborn ways. He needed control over the situation, while you clung to control over your emotions. Never wanting to falter. Never wanting to appear weak or vulnerable—because vulnerability only ever led to dire consequences.

A crack of moonlight suddenly spilled in from the open entrance of the tent.

“My lady?” Yumi’s voice called out, slightly out of breath. 

She had hurried back until the very last minute.

“Yumi!” you gasped, rushing over and pulling her into a tight embrace.

As you held her, your body trembled but you remained silent. Not wanting to burden her with your personal troubles when she had just returned from an arduous journey. Between you and Yumi, there were no words required, she just returned your silent embrace without questions. At least in this storm, there was still one person who understood you.

Her presence was all you needed to reignite your resolve.

That’s right, there was no time to wallow in despair or self-pity.

“I apologize for not being able to write,” she quietly said.

“No,” you smiled. “I’m just glad you made it back safely.”

She nodded and moved quickly toward the small desk, lighting the oil lamp. “We’ve collected everything we could.” She sprawled the papers and maps across the wooden surface, organizing everything in specific piles. “I hope this could be of use.” 

“I’m sure there’ll be something useful. I’ll fetch you something to eat from the dining hall first,” you offered, already stepping out. “You should rest afterward.”

“What about you, my lady?”

“If you don’t mind… I’d like to stay here and go through everything,” you replied softly.

“It’s a lot to sift through—it’ll take you the whole night.”

“That’s alright.” You shook your head. “You and the guild have done most of the brunt work—I should do my part as well. You have my sincere thanks.”

.

.

.

Under the cloak of night, you continued to work in silence, sifting through all the papers, and comparing maps. Yumi had long been asleep on the bed. 

Finally, for all that had transpired today, you had found a silver lining. 

Indeed, the Merchant Guild never fails.

—

It had been dawn when you finally compiled all the relevant information and explored every angle of the negotiation. You let out a small content groan as you stretched your arms. Despite the drowsiness looming over you, there would be no time to rest. If you were to close your eyes now you might oversleep and that wasn’t an option.

You stepped out of the tent for some fresh air, some soldiers already busying themselves with the day to day operations—restocking supplies, morning exercise, and kitchen duties. A few of them greeted you in passing, and you nodded, keeping your flawless composure as Lady Geto. You decided to head to the private bath house to freshen up. Being only one of the few women in the war camp, it was a rather nice perk to have a private bathing area that you didn’t have to fight over. A rare luxury in a place built for war.

Every fiber of your body relaxed as you submerged yourself into the wooden tub, the steaming water enveloping you. It was hot enough to sting your skin slightly, but that was exactly how you liked it. You let out a content sigh as your head fell back, neck resting against the edge of the tub. Staring at the wooden panels of the ceiling, you mentally reviewed all the possibilities for today’s negotiations once again. You would enter the meeting under the guise of a mere spectator, and then, when the decisive moment came, you would intervene.

The only thing now was that you hoped today would be over soon, and without too many obstacles.

.

.

.

“Y-Yumi, you’re back!” Haibara exclaimed. Surprise was evident in his face.

“Yes, Master Haibara,” Yumi replied, offering little explanation. You had advised her in advance that you lied about her absence.

Standing beside Suguru, you awaited the Eastern Region’s envoy. It felt like deja vu. It was unbelievable that it had already been two weeks since you last stood here to welcome the princess. Except this time, the group was slightly larger, with Ayaka positioned in the center, flanked by a few of her royal servants. Your head remained high and posture poised. Ayaka avoided your gaze and fidgeted nervously. Meanwhile, Suguru would glance over at you every so often, but you pretended not to notice.

As the envoy appeared in the distance, the scene felt like a battlefield, watching an enemy army encroach. The Eastern Region was known for indulgence and opulence, and their envoy clearly spared no effort to hide it. Each member traveled in an oxen-drawn carriage, while the leader rode ahead on a white stallion, draped in luxury and bearing the flag of the Eastern Region. The accessories adorning the stallion alone were far more extravagant than anything else in the camp.

“We welcome you, Chief Secretary Kawada.” Princess Ayaka smiled. 

“Thank you for your gracious invitation,” he said, quickly climbing off his horse and bowing reverently. The rest of the group followed suit. 

The introductions continued as the group exchanged surface-level pleasantries. But beneath all the niceties, the tension was palpable. Everyone here had an agenda, and now, it could only be left up to fate to see whose will be realized.

Let the negotiations commence.

—

The strategy room was tense to say the least. It had been obvious since the arrival of the Eastern envoy that they were only here to make a declaration and not so much a compromise. Their vice captain, Takeda, in particular, had been very vocal. 

Every time Takeda spoke, discomfort prickled beneath your skin. His words were abrasive, and he appeared to have little respect or regard for Princess Ayaka, which was rather insulting in a diplomatic environment. There were a few occasions when even Kawada had to gently remind him to watch his tone and temper. 

“With all due respect, Princess Ayaka,” Kawada said. “You speak of mutual respect and peace—but it’s hard to see your presence here as anything more than performative.”

The air grew tense.

“I can assure you, it is not,” she replied, voice calm. “If this were an act then—”

“We would be fools to not see through your nation’s false pretenses!” Takeda cut in. “For one—you’re already set to marry our Crown Prince. A union has been solidified, and yet your country still camps its military at our borders. If that isn’t a declaration of war, then what is?”

“You misunderstand us. If we wanted to—” Your infantry captain stepped in, his patience clearly running thin.

“If I may,” you interjected, raising a hand slightly.

This is it.

This was the moment you’d strike.

If you let that hot-headed dolt continue running his mouth, the negotiations would go up in flames.

All eyes turned to you—including Suguru, who shot you an unreadable look. It wasn’t one of his usual icy glares, but instead, almost a look of acknowledgment. Haibara stood tense beside him, slightly confused.

“I apologize for only speaking up now,” you said, offering a graceful smile. “It was not my original intention to interfere, as I was meant to merely be an observer today. But it would be a disservice to allow our two great nations to continue misunderstanding one another.”

You gestured to Yumi, who stepped forward to hand you the documents you’d prepared in advance, including detailed maps of both nations.

“I believe that, at our core, both nations want the same thing: peace. Neither of us wish for war and needless bloodshed. 

"After all, in war, it is not the kings or the kingmakers who suffer—but the innocent lives lost. People with homes, families, and futures they hope to return to.”

You sifted through your notes, unfolding the map carefully in front of you.

“However, before we can begin any true negotiation and talk of compromise, we must all be willing to meet eye to eye and build trust.

If your only goal here today is to assert your stance, then I’m afraid you’ve come only to waste everyone’s time.”

“Of course not, Lady Geto. Finally, the only one with some sense. This is all we’ve ever wanted. The Eastern Region, after all, has always been a harmonious country!”

You offered the man a small smile, though your eyes remained devoid of emotion.

There it was again—that look. 

Suguru could never forget it: the cold, calculated glint in your eyes. The same one you bore each time you were about to make a decisive move—whether it was with the sword, or with your sharp words. 

Once again, you were about to dictate the outcome of this battle.

In the small room, surrounded by a sea of people, everything else faded. He saw no one. He heard no one.

Only you.

“Excellent. First, you have my sincerest gratitude for your willingness to communicate—and for keeping an open mind,” you continued. “I’ll be the first to admit: we often become so entrenched in our own beliefs and convictions, we lose sight of what truly matters.

“Now, let us begin with the first step of trust building. Shall we?”

The Eastern envoy looked in anticipation and nodded. Beside you, Ayaka seemed to relax, her shoulders easing, while her eyes softened with relief, her gaze drifted as though she could finally breathe again.

“There’s no denying the kind of message our nation is sending by the way we’re positioned,” you continued. “It would be wrong of us to pretend otherwise, or to dismiss your concerns as baseless.”

Unfurling a map across the table, the parchment crinkled open, revealing red markings dotting the terrain—outlining the locations of military encampments.

“However,” you added, “if you believe we set up these camps solely to threaten your empire—I urge you to look again.”

The envoy studied the map carefully, brows furrowed. “I understand the point you’re making, Lady Geto. But just because you have military camps elsewhere… it doesn’t exactly disprove our claim.”

You shook your head, pointing to the specific cluster nearest to the border. “Look closer.”

“We stationed troops here not to provoke you, but to choose the lesser of two evils: risk offending your nation, or risk unrest among our own civilians.”

Your fingers smoothly traced the villages surrounding the camp. “Our current position is the ideal place. If we stationed our troops too close to the villages, it would’ve caused panic. 

“I’m sure, for the peaceful nation your country is, you can understand: people don’t sleep well if they can see banners and soldiers outside their windows.” 

Kawada slightly nodded, but you could tell that he still wasn’t entirely convinced.

“And though it may sound arrogant,” you added. “Ask yourselves this: in a full-scale war between our nations—who would truly emerge victorious? If conquest was our intent, wouldn’t we have acted long ago?”

A ripple of murmurs passed through the envoy.

“Is that a threat, Lady Geto?!” the vice captain snapped.

“A threat? Or a fact?” you replied calmly. “Think objectively, Vice Captain Takeda.”

As you observed everyone’s faces, you could see that they were still trying to hold steadfast onto their stance. It was clear that they wouldn’t be satisfied unless the troops were withdrawn—that was their only acceptable answer. You did not want to resort to this final chess piece you had in hand, but it seemed that it was inevitable since they wouldn’t yield, even after this reasonable explanation.

“Chief Secretary Kawada, there is a more pressing matter that needs to be addressed,” you said, your tone steady.

He looked at you, puzzled. But you let the silence stretch as you locked eyes with him, allowing the weight of your words to simmer.

Suguru knew that this was the moment. You had set them up right where you wanted. 

The ace was about to be revealed. 

“The Eastern Region demands trust and transparency. Then let me speak plainly.” You gave him a confident smile. “Your nation has not been forthcoming in this negotiation—you’ve been hiding a secret that could prove detrimental to us all.”

Gasps filled the room. Disbelief rippled through the air.

Even Suguru had not anticipated this. Surely, you were not one to make such baseless accusations. So it must have meant that you had received some kind of information…

But how?

Who really is the woman that he had married?

“Accusations, Lady Geto!” Kawada snapped, his fists trembling, face flushed red with anger. “Our nation has done nothing but bend over backwards for two empires that have done nothing but threaten us with conquest!”

“Then how do you explain this?” you challenged, laying out the map of the Eastern Region along with several unfamiliar documents.

“I’m sure you recognize this map?”

“Of course,” he scoffed. “It was drawn by our royal cartographer. A gift to General Geto, if I recall.”

“Correct. It was given in gratitude, after he and a handful of our soldiers selflessly defended one of your borders from a brigade of bandits.”

His brow twitched. “So what’s your point?”

You met his gaze, voice unwavering.

“Why did your nation gift my husband an incorrect map as thanks?”

Suguru’s eyes widened. This revelation wasn’t just damning—it was astonishing. As he watched everything unfold before his court, he found himself on the edge of his seat at every turn. It was absolutely chilling. Clearly, you came into this negotiation with only one outcome in mind: to win.

“Impossible!” Kawada barked. “That map came from someone in our royal court. A mistake like this would mean a deliberate political deception!”

“So you’re claiming your nation didn’t intend to mislead us?” you asked calmly.

“Of course not!” he huffed, his hands trembling. “Where is the proof of this outrageous slander?”

You gestured toward the unfamiliar documents sprawled across the table, and another map of the Eastern Region. “Please, take a look at the trade records and ledgers.”

Kawada picked one up, his brow furrowing as he sifted through the pages. Beside him, Takeda—who had been loud earlier—now stood in tense silence.

“Where did you get this?” he finally asked, scowling.

You gave a small, knowing smile. “I have reliable informants. Admittedly, I also had a hard time making sense of it at first. But once the pieces fell into place… it was terrifying.”

He skimmed further, face growing pale.

“These are… illegal weapon trades.”

“Indeed. And do you know where those weapons were being shipped to?”

His hands trembled as he scanned the ledger for details. The weapons were being shipped to a region nestled right by the border.

Stamped with none other than the Eastern King’s royal seal.

“Convenient, isn’t it?” you said coolly. “Had I not known better, I’d almost believe your nation was quietly plotting our demise. Illegal weapons, routed to a border region—conveniently missing from the map you so graciously gifted us.”

This newfound information unraveled a whole string of conspiracies and political tension. The room fell awfully quiet, you could almost hear a pin drop. Pressure from the existing tension was about to reach its breaking point, it was only a matter of time before someone cracked—

“Preposterous! How dare the Eastern Region make a mockery of us!”

“You hypocrites,” someone else snapped. “You show up here all high and mighty—preaching about trust and honor, insulting our princess—only to be plotting a preemptive strike?!”

“I swear we know nothing of this—” Kawada defended.

“General Geto, we must apprehend them. Now.” 

“That’s right, General Geto, the evidence is there! They are clearly guilty!”

“If we don’t act now, they might return home and start a war!”

“Enough,” Suguru said, his voice cutting sharp through the air.

The room fell silent. Hands hovered over weapons. Hostility crackled like lightning in a storm, only a breath away from bloodshed.

Suguru raised a hand to gesture to his soldiers to stand down. His voice was low and deadly. “I suggest you explain yourselves—quickly. Before my patience runs dry and I have no choice but to detain you for conspiring against our nation.”

“I-It’s true that the map you have is incorrect, General Geto.” Kawada had lost all confidence; his voice trembled.

Your eyes flicked toward Takeda, who had gone deathly quiet. He looked pale—like he’d just seen a ghost.

He knows something. 

But the room was too volatile for a direct confrontation. You had to think fast. 

How to get them to reveal the truth themselves?

Your eyes met Suguru’s. He was already watching you and gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

“Then how do you explain your King’s endorsement of these illegal trades?” You pressed.

“I swear on our good nation’s honor, our King would never do such a thing!” Kawada sputtered, flipping through the ledgers like he might find a reasonable answer hiding between the lines. “Our King loathes war—he has always abhorred bloodshed. More than anyone in this room.”

You didn’t respond to him. Instead, your eyes stayed fixed on the vice captain.

“Are you suggesting your King’s seal was forged?” Your voice was calm, measured, but everyone in the room could feel the blade beneath it.

“It… it could be possible—”

“A possibility is not good enough,” Suguru cut in, voice sharp. “Was it forged, or not?”

The envoy looked around at one another, clearly rattled. Their confusion said it all: they didn’t know.

All except one.

Taking a steady breath, you gestured lightly to the documents. “Chief Secretary Kawada, you should be familiar with your King’s seal, no? 

“If this was forgery, then I implore you—look closely. Compare it to a verified mark. Spot the difference. This is no time to cower when your nation’s honor is at stake.”

“Y-Yes… of course, Lady Geto.” He squinted closer at the page, his hands visibly shaking.

Everyone in the room held their breath as they watched him scramble—fumbling at first, before finally pulling himself together. He leaned over the table, retrieving a magnifying glass to examine the seal in greater detail.

“T-There is something… indeed wrong with the seal,” he admitted at last.

Excellent. This was the confirmation you needed.

“Tell us,” you commanded.

He turned the ledger toward you, angling the magnifying glass so you could see for yourself.

“It’s difficult to tell with the naked eye, Lady Geto,” he said, guiding his stubby finger toward the corner of the royal seal. “But here—in the character for His Majesty’s name—there’s a consistent defect across all these ledgers. A chip, most likely caused by poor craftsmanship.”

“I see,” you murmured. “It would be quite the insult to your King to present himself with such a poorly made seal.”

“Y-Yes, you are most understanding, my lady—” the envoy leader looked like he might sag with relief.

“But that's not good enough, I’m afraid.”

He wilted in his seat, the relief dissipated as quickly as it came. Kawada was clearly in distress—sweating, trembling, utterly defeated. For a moment, you almost pitied the middle-aged man. He looked as though the stress had aged him a decade. It was almost unbelievable that a diplomatic envoy could crumble this easily at a single obstacle—albeit a scandalous one—perhaps the Eastern Region’s “defenselessness” wasn’t just political rhetoric after all.

“Do you have a verified copy of your King’s legitimate seal to prove this is a forgery?” you asked. At this point, you were like a teacher guiding their pupil to the answers.

“Yes!” The envoy leader confirmed. He procured a scroll embellished with golden silk. An official letter from their King, originally meant to condemn the establishment of The Eastern Campsite. “Please, compare the seal, Lady Geto!” His voice bordered on a desperate plea.

As you examined the two side by side, the discrepancy was clear. The forged seal looked as though it had been carved from a low-grade, porous stone. The ink hadn’t fully taken, small white dots broke up the lines, as if the material couldn’t properly absorb or distribute the ink. In contrast, the King’s legitimate seal had a clean, crisp border. Each character in his name was sharp and smooth, a sign of fine craftsmanship, chiseled from a high-quality stone.

“It seems the Eastern Court has more dire matters to address, then,” you mused, glancing up at Kawada.

“Indeed, Lady Geto,” he exhaled, shoulders sagging. “If it hadn’t been for you—we would’ve never realized such a despicable thing was happening right under our noses!”

Victory was within reach, but not quite claimed yet.

They can’t just walk away thinking that this is all water under the bridge. After all, you were the one who discovered this crime and saved them from potential disaster.

“And how does the Eastern Region intend to rectify this broken trust?” You looked up at Kawada.

“We’ll send word to our King at once,” he declared. “He will issue a decree to withdraw all protests regarding the campsite.”

You hummed, unfazed. “I wonder who in your court would be so bold as to orchestrate this? Is that not a concern for both our nations?”

“Lady Geto is right!” one of your council members echoed. “Now that it’s come to light your region exploited our trust, do you think we’ll just be satisfied with a measly cease letter?!”

“I-I assure you, our good neighbor, we will rectify this!” one of the Eastern representatives stammered. “Our King is fair and reasonable—he will ensure this never happens again!”

“What does this have to do with the Eastern Region anyway?! We haven’t set up campsites on your land! It’s none of your business what we do—”

The room soon erupted into chaos. All courtesy was gone, only insults and venomous words hurled at the Eastern envoy, while they scrambled to defend themselves. But your eyes remained fixed on Takeda as you quietly sat there, like a hunter locked on its prey.

Good. Let tension bear its fangs. Let chaos fester just a little longer.

Let them beg for mercy.

He was about to break at any moment—

“Your wretched nation deserves to be taken down,” Takeda snapped, his entire body trembling with rage. “It should be your lands ravaged and burned—your innocent civilians slaughtered!”

The room went deathly silent.

“Takeda, what are you—”

“Our King is a coward!” Takeda yelled, eyes wild as he turned to Ayaka and pointed at her with a shaking hand. “He thinks marrying his son off to a tyrant’s daughter will bring about peace?! It’s time you all wake up! That power-hungry bastard will take our land, it’s only a matter of time!”

It finally dawned on you. 

His hatred. His sharp words. His resistance. The animosity you’d felt from him all along. 

This level of deception and corruption must have been supported by someone of power. Someone whose life was consistently on the line for the country would hold a type of pride for their nation, and wished for their glory.

Someone like Vice Captain Takeda of the Eastern Region’s royal army would have fit the profile. 

“Keep your mouth shut, Takeda!” one of the Eastern members hissed. “Do you want us to go to war?!”

As tensions rose, you looked at Takeda's face and what you saw next caused the blood to drain from your face. Because you realized only a second too late, that you had gravely miscalculated one thing: 

His desperation.

Everything that followed happened too fast.

In a last-ditch effort, Takeda drew his sword and lunged at you and Princess Ayaka.

All attention snapped toward Ayaka—including Suguru’s. His body moved before his mind could catch up, shielding Ayaka with instinctive urgency, and in turn, leaving you exposed and defenceless.

The strategy room combusted into chaos.

In an act of self-preservation, your bare hand shot up, seizing the blade aimed at your throat as Takeda pinned you down.

Takeda was a breath away from cutting it clean open.

“This is all your fault!” He snarled. “Had you not stuck your nose into our nation’s business, I wouldn’t have to kill you!”

“My lady!” Yumi’s scream pierced through the noise.

There was no pain, adrenaline coursed through your veins numbing all thoughts and sensation, only fueled by a primal desperation to survive. Blood trickled steadily, the blade slicing through skin, muscle, and tendon.

You were going to lose something.

Your life—or your hand.

“What are you doing?! Have you lost your mind, Takeda?!” The Eastern representative yelled, voice shaking in disbelief. 

Ayaka screamed and curled in on herself, eyes wide with horror as she saw your blood and your death just inches away. Her scream grounded Suguru back to reality, and that was when the horror of the moment had sunk in.

You were about to die.

Something inside him broke.

He lunged at Takeda, tackling him to the ground. In doing so, he ripped the blade clean from your grip, deepening the gash across your palm.

You gasped in pain, certain that your hand was gone. 

Suguru drew his own sword and pressed it on Takeda’s throat—beads of blood began to form beneath the blade’s edge.

“Kill me,” Takeda taunted Suguru under his breath. “That’s all your country is good for anyway.”

Suguru grunted and pressed the blade deeper with controlled strength, but control was fraying at the seams. The voices in his mind telling him to kill, kill, KILL.

“Please, General Geto—spare him!” one envoy representative begged. “Let the Eastern Region deal with him!”

“Give me one good reason to let any of you live,” Suguru seethed.

The tension in the air was so thick it suffocated. Suguru seemed to have lost all reason and control, being one wrong move away from setting off an entire war and ruining everything that you had worked hard to ascertain.

Haibara stepped in, the lone voice of reason amid the chaos. 

“Detain Takeda and the envoy. Someone escort Princess Ayaka back to her quarters immediately,” he ordered.

“We’re innocent—”

“It is detainment or death.” Haibara’s voice cut like steel.

The war council officers moved at once: one guided Ayaka out; while others hauled the envoy toward the detention unit.

“Geto-sama, justice will be served,” he said, steady but urgent. “But you must let him go.”

Suguru was still pinned on top of Takeda, eyes feral.

Kill him.

Give him death.

The voices grew louder and more persistent in his mind. 

KILL HIM.

No mercy.

Reclaim control.

Make an example out of him. 

Incite war. 

Show them you are not WEAK.

Do not give your enemies mercy—

“Think of your wife!” Haibara snapped.

The trance broke. 

Suguru’s gaze flew to you. Yumi cradled you, blood slickening her hands and saturating your clothes, your breath shallow and looking closer to death by the second. He rushed to you instantly. The others tackled Takeda away as Suguru tore fabric from his robe and wrapped it tightly around your hand. Without wasting another moment, he scoops you up in his arms.

“Call a physician to our quarters—now,” he commanded. 

As he rushed you to the quarters, for the first time ever, he had called you by your name. 

Everything will be alright. He murmured, as his heart pounded violently against his chest.

—

By the time Suguru laid you on the bed, you were extremely lightheaded.

“Where is he?” he barked, tension sharp in his voice.

“He is coming, Geto-sama,” Haibara tried to assure.

“He’s not coming fast enough,” Suguru snapped. “Must I break his legs and drag him here myself?”

Everyone in the room froze, unsettled. The atmosphere was charged with urgency, but your vision was beginning to blur. The cloth wrapped around your wound was completely saturated, dripping at the seam. 

At last the physician burst through the flap, breathless. “My apologies for the delay—”

Everyone blinked when Princess Ayaka slipped in behind him.

“I’m sorry,” she said, out of breath. “I wanted to be sure Lady Geto was all right, so I stopped the physician on the way…”

Suguru’s jaw clenched, annoyance flickering across his face.

“May I, Lady Geto?” The physician extended his hand as he took a seat at the bedside, wasting no further time. 

“I only want Yumi here,” your voice cracked, unable to focus as you allowed the physician to see your wound.

The physician looked hesitantly to the group behind him, giving them a nod. 

“Let’s respect Lady Geto’s wishes,” Haibara acquiesced. 

Suguru lingered, reluctant. Ayaka mirrored his movements, eyes still fixed on him—until Haibara let out a frustrated sigh and shoved them both out of the tent.

Once they were gone, you exhaled slightly.

The physician began his work. You winced as he carefully peeled the blood-soaked cloth from your palm, which had already begun to stick to your skin.

“This is a serious wound.” The physician murmured.

He started with the disinfection, which burned like molten lava. You wanted to scream but bit your tongue, forcing yourself into silence.

Not because it didn’t hurt.

But because the betrayal coupled with the vulnerability hurt even more. 

They did not deserve to witness your unravel.

After the disinfection, the physician handed you a thick cloth.

“If you require this, my lady,” he said gently.

You knew what was next: sutures. 

You were somewhat versed in the medical procedures, thanks to the books you have read growing up. You watched as he took a curved needle out from his satchel, disinfected it over a flame, and then carefully threaded silk through it.

“Please bear through the pain, my lady—you are very brave,” Yumi murmured.

Stuffing the cloth in your mouth, you braced yourself as the needle pierced your skin. Every stitch felt like glass, slicing deeper than the wound itself. By the sixth stitch, you couldn’t take it anymore—your muffled cries slipped past the cloth, tears rolled down your cheek, cold sweat coating your skin.

“Yumi, please—help stabilize our lady!” the physician called out.

Yumi held you close, gently whispering into your ear, “Just a little more. It’ll be over soon.”

The rest of the procedure dragged on like a cruel eternity. Bloodied fabric littered the floor by the end, and you lay still—eyes hollow and glazed over, body trembling from exhaustion. The searing pain had dulled into something distant, cold, and numb.

“I will inform General Geto that the procedure is complete,” the physician said, bowing slightly. “Please apply this herbal salve to help prevent infection and ease the pain. Though…with a wound that deep, the salve will probably do little to ease the pain.”

“Thank you,” Yumi replied, accepting the small container in her hands.

The physician gestured toward the tent’s entrance, and immediately, Suguru, Haibara, and Ayaka stepped in. You were too disoriented to really acknowledge them.

“How’s my wife?” Suguru asked.

Wife. What a funny thing to call you now.

“It’s a stroke of luck she didn’t lose her hand, General. The wound was deep—it cut through the tendons.”

Suguru tried to remain composed, but his worry bled through every word, every breath. He was no stranger to wounds and injury, so he understood the severity of your condition.

It was almost laughable that it took nearly losing your hand to finally draw some emotion from him.

He may not be heartless but he was very much close to it.

“I’ve given Yumi a salve for infection,” the physician continued. “Though with a wound that deep, the pain will be difficult to manage. Lady Geto will have to endure it.”

“And how long will recovery take?”

“Weeks, at the earliest—assuming there’s no infection. But…” The physician hesitated. “I’m afraid, even once it heals, her hand will likely never regain full function.”

“N-No!” Yumi gasped, covering her mouth in shock.

Silence fell over the tent like a heavy curtain. Thick with guilt and regret.

But you? You just stared at the roof of the tent. Hopeless. Numb.

You felt empty.

…

Suguru thought he would never feel such a thing again: regret.

The last time he had felt it was when he woke up in Haibara’s home, after a three-day coma from life-threatening injuries, and was told he had been the only one to survive.

He regretted surviving. He regretted not dying with his family.

He still remembered it vividly. That day, he had an argument with Sayuri and said something harsh, which ended with her running off in tears. It had something to do with her coming-of-age ceremony—her formal debut into society.

She had said something careless, something sure to break their mother and father’s hearts: I don’t want to marry. I’ll stay here with you, Mother, and Father.

Suguru’s immediate reaction hadn’t been one of understanding. Instead, he thought she was being spoiled—sheltered by the way everyone, including himself, doted on her. He assumed she was simply afraid of the responsibilities that came with marriage.

At the time, he could never have imagined why Sayuri was so determined not to marry.

.

.

. 

“Not everyone is fortunate like you, nii-sama,” Sayuri said. 

“Whatever do you mean?” Suguru scowled, slightly offended that she’d chalked his achievements up to luck. His own sister, of all people, should’ve known the blood, sweat, and tears he had poured into getting to where he was.

“Because you and Ayaka-sama love each other,” she replied, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeves. “You two will be just like Mother and Father—I know it.”

Suguru sighed, though he couldn’t help the slight heat creeping up his ears and the way his heart skipped a beat at the imagery. Ayaka had always reminded him of the cherry blossom that stood in the Geto Estate garden. She was lovely in all the ways he’d ever wanted in a woman—graceful, good-natured, well-mannered, gentle with her speech. In addition, she was good at calligraphy and dance.

“It’s not that simple,” he said, shrugging off the tiny hopefulness in his chest. “I don’t even know if she’ll accept my proposal.”

“She will. How could she not, when she loves you too?” Her eyes narrowed. 

“I’m… jealous to be honest—that you could come to know what love is. How can I marry a man whom I do not love—?”

“Father and I will make sure he’s worthy of you,” Suguru said, genuinely believing it would bring her peace. “You’ll grow to love him in time.”

“You don’t understand,” she mumbled. “It’s not about what he’s worthy of. I want to love someone because I chose him. Not because it’s expected.”

“Sayuri,” he said firmly. “You should trust Father’s judgment—if not mine. He would never give your hand to someone you couldn’t respect. You will be happy, I’m sure of it.” His gaze dropped back to his studies—a quiet signal for his younger sister to cease this foolish talk and bother him another time.

Her fingers twisted in the fabric of her sleeves. “You don’t understand my feelings at all, nii-sama.”

He clicked his tongue, a slight annoyance creeping up. “You’re not seeing things clearly right now. You’ve always been too sheltered and spoiled—”

“I’m not sheltered and spoiled!” she cried. “If anything, you’re the one who’s sheltered. Always stuck between books, training with Father, or courting Ayaka-sama! Your path is set for you, all you ever have to do is claim it!” 

“That’s not true—”

“I don’t want to hear it! You’re so unfair—you expect me to understand you, but you can never do the same for me!”

Her outburst took Suguru aback. He looked at her, stunned, as she sprinted out of the office sobbing. Guilt gnawed inside his stomach, but he restrained himself from chasing after her. If he went to apologize to her right now, she would never grow up—she would never see reason. 

He supposed he ought to make amends with her, but he would do it later.

Little did he know, that was the last time he ever spoke to her.

.

.

.

Regret was always so cruel.

Its maws sank deep into your very soul and fester like a parasite, until you become one with it. 

As Suguru looked at your injured hand—your swordhand, he was wracked with that all-consuming regret.

He didn’t dare to imagine what was going inside your mind at this very moment. 

“The soldiers are all waiting at the dining hall,” Ayaka quietly broke the silence. “Perhaps we should go first and let Lady Geto rest—” 

“I will go,” you declared.

Even in this moment, you were committed to playing the part. Or perhaps, your pride would not allow Suguru or Ayaka to have this… especially not at the expense of your injury.

“But Lady Geto, you must recover from your injury.” The princess tried to counter. 

“As you said, Ayaka-sama,” you smiled, but this time—it was not the usual graceful smile you so easily donned on. It was a cold warning. “Everyone is waiting. I do not wish for them to worry for my sake.” 

You slid off the bed, everyone, including Yumi, watched you with concern. Suguru reflexively tried to take your hand, but you swatted it away as you headed towards the entrance of the tent. 

Everyone froze—stupefied. 

“I thought everyone was waiting, or were they not?” you said, never once looking back.

—

In the dining hall, the chatter and warmth of the space resumed—a shift from the grim atmosphere earlier. Everyone bombarded you with well-wishes and their sympathies, enough to make your head spin and ruin what little appetite you had left.

You sat beside Suguru on one side, while Ayaka sat on the other. The table was filled with other high-ranking soldiers.

“I heard that bastard targeted both Ayaka-sama and Lady Geto.” One of the soldiers seethed. 

“He has no honor! Attacking two women like that.” Another rebuked.

Normally, you would’ve tuned into the banter even if there wasn’t much to say, but it was difficult to focus. Instead, you took your spoon in your working hand, slowly scooping rice into your mouth, careful not to embarrass yourself.

“My father will hear of this and Takeda will be dealt with accordingly,” Ayaka reassured the soldiers.

From your peripheral vision, you noticed Suguru’s hand move. He placed a piece of fish into your bowl. It was the best cut, too. That small, thoughtful gesture, however, only served to heighten your resentment, because you knew it was only for optics. 

Even now, it seemed like your injury was being used to bolster his reputation as a loving husband.

"I detest it when someone puts food into my bowl," you said quietly, just loud enough for him to hear. You kept your gaze ahead, posture steady, a polite smile fixed on your lips. "Do not do it again."

For the first time, he was on the receiving end of your animosity, and he couldn’t fault you. But he understood the true message behind your words: I do not want your sympathy.

“Yes, you must let King Sato know; only he can bring swift justice for Lady Geto!” one of the captains tried to advocate for you.

“You have my word,” Ayaka nodded. “After all, it was thanks to General Geto that I was out of harm’s way. I must make it up to Lady Geto.” She looked at Suguru with a small reassuring smile.

“Please, Ayaka-sama, there is no need for you to do anything for your general’s wife,” you smirked. “General Geto, is an honorable soldier first. Despite his devotion to his wife, he cast his personal feelings aside to fulfill his royal duties by protecting your Highness. I am sure that any of our loyal soldiers here would have done the same.”

Some soldiers nodded and hummed in agreement. Yes, yes—we would have definitely done the same.

“Geto-sama is a good man.” You thoughtfully added. “A man that I take pride in calling my husband.” 

“Oh my, Lady Geto! Such praises!”

“They are simply truths,” you shook your head and smiled. “After all that my husband has sacrificed, I have little to offer in return—save for my unwavering devotion.”

You scooped up the piece of fish he had placed in your bowl and ate it, forcing a look of gratitude onto your face, even though it tasted like bitter dirt.

Indeed, you had never thought you would become such a proficient liar. But it seemed, being Lady Geto had shaped you into a deceitful monster.

—

Suguru didn’t stay long in the dining hall. During your silent walk to dinner, Haibara had excused himself and never joined—but you were too caught up in your own anger at the time to ask where he was going. Haibara came about an hour after dinner started and whispered something into Suguru’s ear. The two men politely excused themselves and disappeared for the rest of the night.

“There are some matters I need to attend to.” Suguru cleared his throat, giving his captains a knowing nod.

Shortly after that, Ayaka seemed to have fallen uninterested in the dinner altogether, and as the one in charge of her stay here, you had to acquiesce and escort her back to her tent when she decided to excuse herself as well. 

“It has been a long day. Unfortunately, I am feeling rather exhausted and must excuse myself,” she said.

Of course, everyone enthusiastically bid her good night. 

As you escorted her quietly back to her tent, she said one thing that struck you as peculiar. 

“You are indeed most fortunate, Lady Geto… to have someone like Suguru.” With that, she retreated into her tent—without sparing you another glance.

Fortunate. You scoffed. 

Ayaka knew nothing of what she spoke of. 

Then again, if Suguru had treated you the way he treated her—you suppose you, too, would have fallen for the man he was.

How daunting.

Everyone around you spoke as if they knew everything, but you had come to learn: the louder they were, the less they usually knew.

But for now, there was nothing left to do but return to your own quarters.

…

The pain was unbearable, pulsing through the entire night. The medicine prescribed by the physician did little to ease the pain, because no remedy could soothe the pain of anguish.

You looked over to find your bed empty, the tent was dark, but Suguru was nowhere to be found. 

Then again, what did you expect? 

Perhaps he was right, perhaps somewhere deep in your heart you expected more from this marriage—from him. 

But was it so wrong? 

Was it wrong to try to make this work?

Was it wrong to want to survive?

You rolled out of the bed, and made your way out the tent. 

Even the usual warmth of the summer night had disappeared. The slight breeze nipped at your skin. The entire camp also seemed to have quieted, perhaps because the outcome was peace.

You quietly drifted around camp, until you found yourself at an open grass field with a slight hill, infinite stars littered the clear night sky. Slowly, you made your way up to the peak of the hill, as the lush grass gently caressed your ankles. As you got to the top, you found the perfect spot and sat there, staring up—admiring the beauty of the night, rather than the ugliness of your reality. You weren’t sure how long you sat there, until…

“Unable to sleep, Lady Geto?” Haibara’s voice called out from behind.

“Haibara, you’re still awake.” You softly said. 

He smiled as he approached with a knowing gaze. “There was some business I had to conclude with Geto-sama,” he said, then paused—a slight hesitation lingered. “Do you mind if I join you?”

“Of course not.” You gestured to the empty space beside you.

He took the empty spot beside you, but still ensured there was a respectable distance. 

“Does it… hurt?” There was a pang of sympathy in his voice.

“Yes, but the pain is only temporary.” You replied, though you weren’t sure if you were trying to convince him or yourself.

Melancholy lingered in the air. Haibara’s usual chipper demeanor was gone. It was as if he knew you were lying—putting on a brave front. Because the woes of the heart were never temporary. 

“I…” he hesitated again. “I hope you can find it in you to forgive Suguru.”

It was the first time seeing Haibara like this—wavering, awkward, uncertain.

He let out a deep exhale. “I can assure you, he is dwelling in a lot of regret.” 

Your eyes remained fixed on the sky. On one hand you knew better than to resent Haibara for appealing on behalf of Suguru, but on the other, an undeniable bitterness also overcame you.

Because he asked for understanding and mercy without knowing what it had cost you.

No one knew anything, except for Yumi.

Nobody knew how this injury jeopardized everything. 

Your future.

Your freedom.

Your purpose.

How dare they offer their sympathies and apologies so ignorantly? 

“I apologize, my lady,” Haibara said. “Perhaps I have overstepped my line—”

“You are a good friend, Haibara,” you said evenly. “Geto-sama is fortunate to have someone like you by his side. However, your words and his regret mean nothing to me.”

There was a brief pause. 

“His regret lies in the fact that he failed. It’s not for me that he dwells in remorse. But maybe this is the wake-up call he needs.” 

Your eyes slightly shifted over to him.

“Arrogance and his unrelenting need for control will be his downfall. He’s lucky he wasn’t the one to suffer this time—and luckier still that the wife he despises took the blow instead.”

“My lady…” Haibara’s voice was quieter than usual. “I understand. I apologize for my ignorance.”

You frowned, but the darkness of the night shadowed your sorrow. 

If only Suguru had even a fraction of Haibara’s emotional intelligence. 

If only Suguru hadn’t been so arrogant.

If only Suguru had chosen someone else—

“You are very brave,” he said.

Brave. You weren’t sure if that was an accurate depiction, because since the start of this marriage you hadn’t exactly felt like yourself. You had never felt more lost, isolated, and confused.

“Courageous, maybe.” You replied, slightly caught off guard by the sudden remark. “But not brave.”

“Aren’t they the same?”

“No.” You shook your head. “Bravery is without fear… perhaps someone like Geto-sama will fit that description. Courage is in spite of fear.” 

“Ever introspective, my lady.” Haibara smiled, just a little. “But you might be surprised to learn then—Geto-sama doesn’t quite fit the description of bravery either.”

You weren’t sure how long the two of you continued to sit there in silence, but as time passed it was rather… comforting. In the beginning, you were adamant about labeling Haibara as Suguru’s right-hand man, but the more you spent time with him the more you realized—he had a good conscience. And perhaps, he was the grounding compass that Suguru needed. Perhaps he was a big reason why someone like Suguru—who was so emotionally inept and troubled—had not gone off to the brink yet.

As you made your way back to the tent, you ran into Suguru. His eyes were dark and hollow, and his clothes were stained with blood.

Something about his demeanor felt different, more frayed than his usual coldness. His mouth parted slightly, as if he wanted to speak. But you gave him no chance, turning and disappearing into the tent.

Suguru had finally realized what it meant to not be in control. He wanted to make things right, but he had no idea how to fix something that was now irreparable. 

You had consistently upheld your end of the bargain. In fact, you had helped him when it mattered the most, despite the many times he had cast you away. 

Had it not been for you today, the negotiations would have gone a lot different. War might have broken out. Countless lives may have been lost all because of King Sato’s petty games. But it was because of you, the two nations have avoided unnecessary bloodshed. 

Because of you, his soldiers were able to return home to their families. 

Because of you, his reputation still remained intact.

Had things gone according to plan—would he still feel this remorse over how he treated you?

Was this guilt truly about you, or just his way of trying to absolve himself?

Whatever it was, he knew one thing that was certain: he’d reached the point of no return. 

The doors to reconciliation were closed. The chance to build an alliance was gone. He would never get the opportunity to spar with you—to truly know you. 

The affliction he had caused ran too deep.

This was all his undoing.

—

Following the incident, the country now had leverage over the Eastern Region. Repercussions were expected, and the envoy from the East had been immediately expelled from the camp—ordered to return back to their borders by sunset, or be detained as prisoners of war. The only one who remained was Takeda, who turned out to be a radical loyalist, driven enough to scheme in secret for over two years

A few days later…

The Eastern Region’s King had issued a formal apology for Vice Captain Takeda who had gone rogue. To prove that this wasn’t part of the premeditated plan, their King sentenced Takeda to death, and granted General Geto the right to carry out the execution.

As the sun began to set, Suguru stood in the execution arena, staring down at the man seated before him.

Death by poison had been decreed.

An excruciating, agonizing way to die.

Suguru watched as the man choked on his own blood, convulsing violently on the floor. Watched as the poison tore through him. Watched as the light drained from his eyes. Not once did Suguru look away. He forced himself to witness every second—his face unmoved, cold, and unreadable.

But inside was a tempest.

His arrogance led to this failure, but it wasn’t him who was punished—it was you.

Word spread quickly across the camp and the royal court. Peace had been secured, not by Princess Ayaka, but by none other than Lady Geto. Not only that, but King Sato could now exploit this incident, and leverage it against the Eastern Region.

With that, the King summoned the Princess back home—satisfied with the outcome of events. And so concluded House Geto’s work in the Eastern Campsite, granting them permission to return home.

Somehow, you had found yourself in the political spotlight not just as General Geto’s wife, but as the woman who had brokered peace between two regions and avoided bloodshed, earning the King’s favor.

This had never been what you wanted. 

You had only wanted to survive a marriage that was stacked against your favor. 

But at what cost?

Writing © xechu - please do not redistribute, translate, or repost any of my works.

Taglist: @katsukiseyebrows @uzuimirika @saoirses-things @what-just-happened-to-me @exitingmusic @vellichor01

[dewdropdinosaur]

A Truth Universally Denied - CH. 1

LUCIFER X F. READER Masterlist

When a struggling, reclusive, but wealthy single father calls upon the help of a governess to help tutor his coming-of-age but unruly daughter, one has no choice but to accept the most gracious invitation of employment. Especially if your new employer is the King of Hell. (aka if Hell, but if it was set similar to Victorian Era England, so like circa 1830 to 1900 A.D.)

Muddy beaten roads lead off into the distance as the sun sets over the hill, a crescendo of light fading into the aria of night. Y/N’s eyes pass over the landscape, the hooves trotting over cobblestone jostle the image, though do not make it any less beautiful. A bounce here and there adds to the liveliness of her otherwise disastrous journey, traveling from Wrath to Pride. A long time to travel, nearly a month or so. A boat here, a carriage there, another boat for some unknown reason. She had half a mind to give her new employer a strong reprimand for making her travel so far, but, having covered all the travel expenses himself, she could not find any resolve to do so. 

The arduous journey was nearing its end, less than a quarter of an hour till Y/N was to arrive at her new destination. Her home circle of Wrath was a sorry state compared to the extravagance of Pride; golden-lined buildings and large homes lined the street on every corner. Opulent gates and streets, despite the mud, were far beyond what was the norm in her home realm. She knew her new employer was wealthy, though he elected not to mention his exact status, but the farther she was carried into the realm, the more luxurious and secluded the domain became. 

Contextually, it made sense, employed as the new governess, most likely for some wealthy Overlord. Whatever demon child she was to rear and oversee must be spoiled rotten, Y/N concluded. With all this opulence, how could one not be a touch of a brat? Though she decided not to hold this against the child, who probably knew little else. If only she had had this as a child, what good she would have done with the provisions and resources. Though Y/N did concede her nature might have been different under a different upbringing, she determined her base character would have remained the same. Steadfast, intelligent, needing very little; all considerable traits of a lady, she deemed that she possessed. She had been told so, though mostly it came snide. 

Y/N could admit to it; she was plain. Not a woman of extraordinary beauty or wit, she made it up with her loyalty and calmness of character. Reliability and a touch of humor were all one needed to survive in the world that was Hell. It turned out in the end, becoming a sought-after governess and previously even a full-time professor at the local orphanage where she had been raised. A job that was inherently given to her due to past experience, though Y/N believed her hard work had outweighed the personal bias in her hire. 

The carriage came to a halt in front of a large and gold-embellished estate on the very outskirts of Pride, and even Hell itself. The footman kindly opened the door, taking Y/N’s hand as she stepped out onto the nicely cobbled sidewalk. A bit damp from the acid rain a night ago, but nothing her shoes couldn’t handle. Offering a small smile to the footman, she picked up her suitcase and a reticule* before walking up the stairs. Two large lions with serpents around their ankles guarded the sides of the steps, a new and well-upkept marble that glistened with each passing glance. By far, this was the most beautiful and extravagant estate Y/N had ever seen. As she approached the large oaken doors, Y/N rapt softly once or twice to the tune of Shave and a Haircut, or possibly Beethoven’s At a Darktown Cakewalk. They were both so similar, and she doubted anyone in Hell knew the true origin, even the great composer himself, who had a moderately sized mansion in the downtown of Pride. 

A sharp suit and bowtie towered over her as a red demon answered the door with an eerie smile. Deer-like ears flicking in mild annoyance as his neck craned down to view the simpleton that dared disturb his afternoon tea break. They were important private moments after all. The demon’s monocle shone in the dim light of the torches that hung from marble columns, illuminating the otherwise dark and dismal night. It was nearing close to seven in the evening. 

“Oh, hello, sir. My name is Y/N L/N. I was invited to this residence by mail from a Mr.Hartfelt. For the governess position.”

At her words, the deer demon’s smile widened to a degree Y/N did not think possible. Sharp yellow teeth led the way to shimmering eyes full of curiosity. The demon extended his hand, grabbing hers with a firm grasp that she dared not let go of for fear of upsetting what could be her new employer. 

“Oh, Miss L/N. A pleasure to meet you, quite the pleasure. I must say, you are much taller in person than what your previous employer described, but no matter. My name is Alastor Hartfelt, I am the Head of the Household Staff here at the Manor and the one who sent you that letter on behalf of the Master of the House.”

Y/N finally was able to let go of Mister Hartfelts’ hand, a slight sting in her palm from his firm shake. There was no doubt that the Head of Staff seemed to be a jovial man, though appearances were not always what they seemed in Hell. His smile was too wide, his grip too strong, his eyes too full of something she couldn’t quite place. It all made Y/N uneasy, on top of the fact that she was sure she had heard his name before. It would not aid her unease to ask the deer demon, so she let the thought subside for the time being. Picking up her belongings, Alastor led her into the main chamber of the Manor. 

Dimly lit, similar to the outward appearance of the estate, white and golden marble lined every surface. Hints of red roses and banners sprinkled in, though overwise everything looked well-maintained but little used. Y/N had heard her employer was a recluse, keeping to himself on any matter that need not concern his immediate and direct presence. A sorry way to be, she thought, though understandable. From what she gathered, it was a single father and a coming-of-age daughter, the mother most likely dead. Divorce wasn’t unheard of, though unlikely and uncommon in higher society. Noticing the black curtain over a large family portrait, the gleaming eyes of a woman staring back at her, Y/N deduced the wife must indeed have long passed. Queer** for a demon to die a second time, a painful process no doubt, but still queer.

“This is the foyer. We rarely receive guests, but if we did, to your right is the reception room. To your front is our dining room. You must receive your breakfast and dinner there with the Master of the house and the young lady. Around which are our kitchen, two pantries, a store room, a washroom, and a small dressing room for our staff. Not off limits to you, of course, though not your place. To your left in the first room is our library at your full disposal for the education of our young lady, and the drawing room is just above it. Outside of the drawing room, through the door, is the veranda and terrace. Beautiful this time of year, you know. Oh, and yes. The principal staircase is behind the reception room, which leads to the private quarters. The Master’s bedroom, the young lady’s, and of course yours. Each with their own washroom. Along with a balcony and private office for the Master. That is strictly off limits to another but myself, the young lady, and the Master; do you understand?”

With a shy confirmation, Y/N’s eyes darted from room to room as Alastor rapidly read off the list of rooms and places she could wander. It was certainly large; the reception room by itself was as large as four master bedrooms put together. All in a similar style to the construction of the manor, the furniture collected a thin layer of dust. Furthering Y/N’s assumptions of the lack of use. No matter. These rooms would be put to continue the studies of the much-mentioned ‘young lady’ of the house. 

“Yes, I understand, thank you.”

“Wonderful. Now, please, follow me. I think it is time for you to meet—“

As soon as Alastor spoke, a jovial and girlish squeal emitted from some unknown source at the top of the main staircase to their right. Lifting her gaze upward, Y/N was met with the sight of a young girl, no older than twelve, in a beautiful but simple red wool dress with a tailored skirt that swept just below her ankles. The petticoat underneath provided ample bounce as the young girl nearly slid down the oak railing of the staircase, in a near sprint straight towards Y/N. Though shocked at the display, Y/N met the girl with a gentle smile and an outstretched hand. 

“Who do I have the pleasure of acquainting, young lady?”

“My name is Charlie, miss. What might your name be?”

Charlie shook Y/N’s hand vigorously, a grip no less strong than the previous handshake with Alastor but certainly more lively. With a shy and stifled chuckle, Y/N regained her composure and extracted her hand from Charlie’s grasp. Taking a good look, Y/N stood in awe of her features. Beautiful blonde hair, stunning black eyes, and rosy circles painted her otherwise pale skin. A picture-perfect demon. No wonder her employer wanted Charlie to have a governess; she would grow into a fine lady indeed. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Moringstar. I am sure Mr. Hartfelt has informed you—“

“Ah, my dear Charlie. Ms. L/N is to be your new governess. So let’s treat her with the respect she deserves.”

A touch miffed that Alastor cut her off, Y/N kept a gentle smile on her face despite the intrusion. Respect, her ass. This man clearly did not know the meaning of the word when it came to women. No matter. Charlie was her main mission here; Alastor could simply be an afterthought. Charlie’s eager grin suddenly faltered, the edges of her once wide grin dropping into a bitter scowl. Her eyes hardened, and without warning, the young girl’s finger pointed directly at Y/N.

“I don’t need a governess,” she announced flatly, chin lifted with practiced defiance, before turning the finger to Alastor, “and I hate for you to codle me.”

And with that, she stormed off, boots tapping sharply against the marble as she ascended the grand staircase two steps at a time. A door slammed moments later, muffled by distance but reverberating all the same.  Blinking slowly, completely baffled by the outburst, Y/N’s mouth lay agape. She had expected maybe the child she was to tutor to be spoiled, but at the very least. Quite docile. This, however, was quite different. Anger was unbecoming, though Y/N was no stranger to its appropriate use in terms of discipline. But unruly children were hard to teach, much less even tolerate. Another spoiled brat in the making, she thought, before tilting her head slowly towards Alastor with a raised brow. Only to find the Head of Staff with that overtly pleasant smile plastered on his face. It hadn't shifted even a fraction.

“My apologies,” he said, folding his long fingers behind his back. “Our young lady can be… passionate. You are her third governess, after all. The first lasted a week. The second, two days. They both cited her temperament as, shall we say, unaccommodating.”

“Unruly, I think you mean.” Y/N corrected softly, mostly to herself.

Alastor nodded once, his eyes flashing with a held-back anger at her correction. Two could play at the game he had started when he interrupted her earlier, she was merely moving a piece back on the board. 

“Indeed. But her unruliness stems from loneliness, not cruelty. The Master of the House is frequently engaged elsewhere. A great many responsibilities rest upon his shoulders. Affairs of state. Public appearances. And, of course, the long shadow of grief.”

There it was. No clarification. No mention of death of the woman in the portrait, only an implied absence so heavily felt it clung to the tapestries and curtains like the dust she noted previously. Y/N sighed, though not unkindly. She adjusted her grip on her suitcase. “I see. Well then, I suppose I’ve my work cut out for me.”

Alastor gestured toward the stairs, bony fingers outstretched in a way that didn’t quite sit right. “Your quarters await. Second floor, first door on the left. Do settle in. Dinner is at eight sharp.”

Y/N’s room was a palace unto itself. The door creaked open into a wash of pale gold and muted ivory. Helllight still clung to the window panes, filtered through gauzy drapes that softened the harshness of Pride’s eternal glow. The walls were lined with creamy marble veined in delicate rose quartz, catching the light like blush against porcelain. Carved oak wainscoting****, dark and polished to a mirror sheen, framed the lower half of the room, and a massive four-poster bed canopied in burgundy and trimmed in gilded thread stood proudly against the far wall like a throne. A medium-sized vanity sat beneath a beveled mirror, its surface adorned with tiny golden apples. A plush chair with what seemed to also be a rosy color was tucked neatly beneath it. Across from it, a writing desk made of blackened walnut waited expectantly, its drawers empty. A modest armoire loomed in the corner, flanked by a standing coat rack carved into the shape of a weeping willow.

She had never seen anything so stunning in her entire life or undead life. Y/N set her suitcase on the bed, unlocking the latches with a deft flick before opening the contents of it to the world. It looked pitiful inside there compared to the opulence of her room. She opened it quietly, revealing only a handful of neatly folded and muted colored dresses, a few underthings, and a stack of well-worn books tied together with a strip of muslin*** ribbon. She had always traveled light, both by necessity and as a result of her lower status, but standing in such opulence, the emptiness of her possessions struck her like a note in a hollow room. Still, she unpacked with the diligence of habit, placing her books on the desk one by one as though they might take root there.

Y/N paused at the edge of the bed, her hand lingering on the spine of the last book she had unpacked. Her fingers traced the familiar groove worn into the leather from years of use, but her thoughts drifted elsewhere, up the grand staircase and behind the slammed door. Charlie had been all angel one moment and demon the next, a jarring shift that echoed in Y/N’s mind like a bell struck out of rhythm. What had seemed like the perfect picture of a well-mannered young lady had shattered instantly under the weight of... what, exactly? Pride? Pain? A desperate need to be seen? Whatever the cause, it rang bitter, and louder than the polite introductions and practiced smiles could ever hope to mask.

Charlie would certainly be a challenge; that much was clear. But Y/N did not shrink from challenges. She hadn’t when she’d taught a room full of orphaned demon children who preferred knives to books, nor when she'd mediated screaming matches between demons twice her size. Yet this felt different. More delicate, somehow. The child’s anger wasn’t just petulance, it was armor. And armor meant someone had taught her, through action or absence, that she needed to protect herself. Y/N knew that sentiment well. Shutting out the cruel expanse of the world in order to find some semblance of self. A dreadful existence, though one that was usually born of necessity. 

Still, the thought of trying to reach her, of slipping past that sharp tongue and harder stare, left Y/N feeling small. Smaller than she’d felt in years. She was a governess, not a miracle worker. And for all her stubbornness and wit and calm, she couldn't help but wonder if she was simply one more doomed name in a long line of governesses Charlie would discard like tissue paper in the rain. The thought scraped something raw and quietly bruised in her chest. She would not be discarded. Not this time.

Then there was the matter of the Master himself. Still unseen and unknown, a man who hid from the world he was supposed to be guiding his daughter in. Y/N hadn’t so much as heard his voice. Was he kind? Cruel? Indifferent? His absence left a hollow she couldn’t quite account for, an unfinished shape in the house’s strange equation. She had received a personal letter, very few instructions, and not even the formality of a welcome. Everything had come through that ever-smiling, ever-watching creature Alastor. What kind of father hid behind a closed door while his daughter withered in plain sight? What kind of man hired a governess without so much as an interview? Y/N stared at her reflection in the vanity mirror, watching the flicker of torchlight dance along her tired eyes. Maybe he was grieving. Maybe he was overwhelmed. Or maybe he simply didn’t care. 

She pushed that thought away with a firm inhale. That would serve no one, least of all Charlie. Still, as the estate groaned gently under the settling weight of evening, Y/N could not help the feeling that she had stepped into something deeper than educational discipline. Things were festering behind those red-velvet curtains. Things that perhaps no lesson plan could solve. She would need more than patience and textbooks. She would need insight, caution, and most of all, time. 

The clock tolled six-thirty in the evening, and Y/N grabbed a simple blue gown, with a cream petticoat to accompany. It was high time she should become acquainted with the Master of the House. 

An hour later, she found herself outside a different door, this one small, white, and adorned with tiny hand-painted apples and golden vines. She knocked once, gently. No answer. “Miss Charlie?” she called softly. “May I come in?”

Silence. Then a faint shuffling. Permission enough. Charlie sat on the floor beside her bed, her chin tucked into her knees, arms wrapped tightly around them. She did not look up.

“I brought something,” Y/N said, kneeling to her level. With a flick of her fingers, a small shimmer of light bloomed between them. Not all demons could produce magic in great quantities, but even small gestures were feasible with the right amount of training. In her palm, a single daisy appeared, its petals a soft pink. Nothing extravagant. But the simplicity made it special. Charlie peeked upward, eyes widening just slightly.

“That’s real,” she said.

Y/N nodded. “Yes, it is quite real.”

The girl stared for a long moment before inching forward, reaching out to pluck the daisy from Y/N’s hand. A soft, almost imperceptible smile tugged at her mouth.

“You can teach me that?” she asked.

“I can teach you many things,” Y/N replied. “But yes. That too.”

Charlie scooted beside her on the rug. “The others just yelled a lot.”

“I prefer not to yell,” Y/N said. “Too exhausting.”

Charlie gave a quiet laugh. “I think I like you.”

That was, Y/N thought, the highest praise she’d received in quite some time.

At precisely eight o’clock, Y/N followed Charlie to the dining room. It was a cavernous chamber, its ceilings arched like a cathedral’s and adorned with stained-glass inlays that flickered with internal fire. A long oak table stretched across the room, set with golden plates and goblets carved from onyx. Two chairs sat at either end, and a third halfway down, clearly prepared for her. And at the head of the table, sitting with one leg crossed elegantly over the other, was a figure unlike any she had imagined. The Master of the House. Y/N stopped mid-step.

He was smaller than she had expected. Slight of build, and pale as alabaster. His short golden hair was neatly styled, his cheeks unnaturally flushed like painted porcelain, similar to his daughter. Yellow eyes with slitted pupils stared at her over steepled fingers, his expression unreadable and vaguely amused. A top hat rested behind him, coiled with a snake that blinked lazily in her direction. The apple on the brim gleamed red in the candlelight, matching the one atop his polished scepter.

He looked like something out of a children’s fantasy book. A ringmaster in a carnival of fire and ruin.

Charlie ran up and gave the mysterious man a chaste embrace to the side, before settling down in her proper spot at his right. With a snap of his fingers, the third chair that was once halfway down and its place setting moved almost immediately to the man’s left. 

“Miss L/N,” he said, voice smooth as syrup and just as thick. “How delightful to finally make your acquaintance.”

Y/N opened her mouth. Closed it. And then offered a deep curtsy. “The pleasure is mine.”

The man smiled, gesturing with a hand for her to take her place at the table. 

“My name is Lucifer Moringstar, the Master of this House.” FOOTNOTES --------------------------------------------------------------

*Reticule = small Victorian-style draw-string purse

**Queer = in this context, it means strange and is not regarding the wonderful LGBT community. 

***Muslin = lightweight and plain cotton cloth or ribbon

****Wainscoting = wooden paneling that lines the lower part of the walls of a room.

[enyalios-shrine]

𝘼𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 101

Hi! I’m Raven (or Ray), and I’ve been an Ares devotee for almost five years now. You want to start worshiping him? Great! Despite what today’s media makes of him - which I will talk about a lot in this post - , he’s actually a very caring, gentle and (dare I say) beginner-friendly deity! In general, a great choice! (Also, this is inspired by another post I saw but forgot to save - so, credits for the idea goes to that person) So, let's get started.

WHO IS ARES? - MODERN MISCONCEPTIONS

Since I’m assuming you already know the broad strokes of who he is (Greek god of war, bloodshed, violent and so forth), this section will be about some of the misconceptions most people have of Him. If you’ve ever consumed any Greek mythology-related media, I’m sure you’ve seen the following caricature: beefy, misogynistic, violent, stupid jerk, rude and always looking for a fight. While, yes, He IS violent (He's the god of war, afterall), that's far from all He has to offer.

Did you know Ares is actually historically a major feminist? That’s probably the first thing to get demystified about Him when you talk to an Ares devotee or worshiper, so I’m not really saying ground-breaking news here, but since a fair amount of people don’t know about it, I thought it was a fair mention. So, let’s get into the actual myths and proofs for this claim:

Ares was the father of and supported the Amazons in battle, a group of female-only warriors and hunters.

He’s one of the only male deities in Greek mythology to not have sexually harassed or raped someone. Yes, even other deities viewed as “nice” such as Apollo and Hermes have done so (I don’t mean any disrespect for those deities here - I’m also an Apollo devotee).

Ares was held in trial for the murder of Halirrhotius, a son of Poseidon, after he raped one of Ares’ daughters, Alkippe. He was acquited of murder by the gods. Remember, back in ancient Greece, women didn’t have ANY rights - raping one was not considered a crime or even frowned upon as far as I'm aware.

One of His epithets is “Ares Gynaikothoina", which means "feasted by women". During a war between the Tegeans and the Spartans, the women of Tegea defended the city from a invasion led by the Spartan king Charilaus. After arming themselves, they defeated the Spartans following an ambush. Among the prisoners was the Spartan king himself. In commemoration, they would hold a feast in honor of Ares, to which only women were invited.

All in all, Ares is protective, just, and encouraging of His children as well as worshipers and devotees. He’s not the piece of shit jock most people think of when you mention His name. Please stop doing my man this dishonor, He deserves so much better.

BASIC INFO

His Roman counterpart is Mars. He’s the son of Zeus and Hera, and his consourt is Aphrodite (even though they’re not officially married). His divine children are Phobos and Deimos (twin daimones/personified spirits of panic and terror, respectively), Harmonia (goddess of harmony and concord), Antero (erote/god of requited love) and Eros (erote/god of carnal love), all which he had with Aphrodite, as well as Drakon of Thebes (a giant serpent), which he apparently had by himself.

As for hero children; Cycnus (a bloody-thirsty men who was murdered by Herakles), Diomedes of Thrace (who had man-eating horses for some reason), Thrax (who founded Thrace), Oenomaus (Greek king of Pisa), and the Amazons (female warriors and hunters as mentioned above).

His symbols and associations are: spears, swords, helmets, armour, dogs, chariots, shields, The Chariot & The Emperor tarot cards, etc.

FESTIVALS AND DAYS

Tuesdays are holy to Ares and are ruled by the planet Mars (again, his Roman counterpart), which means they’re associated with action, energy, strength, and courage, as well as the color red.

As for festivals, He was typically honored with special rites in times of war or just before battles. There were also two annual festivals: one in the town of Geronthrae in ancient Laconia, celebrated only by men, and one in Tagea in Arcadia, celebrated only by women, where His "feasted by women" epithet came from. There's hardly any info on exact dates (from the Attic calendar or not) or info about any other festivals.

SACRED ANIMALS

Serpents

Dogs

Vultures

Woodpecker

Barn owls

Eagle owls

SACRED PLANTS

There’s no plant, flower or tree traditionally associated with Ares, unfortunately, so I’m gonna give a list of my UPG’s. Now, I’m not a witch, so I don’t know about the magical properties of the plants I’m about to list (if you’re a witch and were looking for something like that, my bad). However, I am a florist and have a special interest in floriography, so I assign them to Him based on vibe, meaning, etc.

Amaryllis (Means “Pride”)

Basil (Means “Hate”)

Water hemlock (Means “Death”)

Snapdragon (Means “Presumption”, but I think he just likes the way it looks)

Poppy (Means “Eternal sleep”, but has a long history with wars, being the first kind of flora to start growing in abandoned battlefields that were previously considered infertile)

Nettle (Means “Cruelty”)

Magnolia (Means “Dignity”)

Yarrow (Means “Cure for a broken heart”, and is said to have been used by Achilles to heal his men on the battlefield, which is why the scientific name is “Achillea”)

Ginger (Associated with “Heat”)

Pepper, spices, etc (idk he just gives the vibes)

OFFERINGS & DEVOTIONAL ACTS

Honestly, the only slander Ares should be getting is that He likes edgy teenage boy things. That being said, here's some ideas/suggestions, first for devotional acts and then offerings:

Workout or do any kind of physical activity

Take care of your mental and physical health

Stand up for yourseld and what you believe in

Learn about past wars, battles, and riots

Do things that make you feel badass/brave/empowered

Go to a protest

Work on managing your anger (especially for my fellow BPD havers)

Pet a dog

Honor His children and Aphrodite

For offerings; any kind of meat, especially red

Anything sharp (cool knives or daggers, broken glass, etc)

Bones!!

Halloween decor (I personally have those fake plastic snakes, spiders, and a skull on His altar)

Black coffee, the stronger the better

Any alcohol, but especially whiskey

Anything spicy

WHY WORSHIP ARES? - A PERSONAL RANT

Living in an extremely physically abusive household, I had to know and be acostumed to violence from a very young age. That violence left with many things - BPD and C-PTSD, to name a few - but mostly importantly, it left me only being able to feel one thing: anger.

I was angry at everything. Angry at the world for allowing me to have to live through such a horrible situation, angry at my mom for not standing up for me, angry at my abuser, even angry at myself for not ever trying to fight back or protect myself (though now I realize that was completely out of the question. I was only 8, what could I have done against a man in his 30's that was three times my size?).

That anger didn't go away after I got away from my abuser. If anything, it grew worse. I'd yell, break everything around me, say horrible things to the people I loved - I was a totally different person. I could barely recognize myself. I was an empty shell, filled with absolutely nothing else than the purest form of resentment and wrath, things that had been brewing inside of me since I was a child. I never had the choice to become anything else.

Ares understands violence. He's the god of it. He knows when it's justifiable and when it's not, when it serves a purpose and when it's out of pure malice. He helped me realize that instead of trying to fight against my anger out of the shame it made me feel, I had to embrace it - become one with it. It's a part of me, at the end of the day. I just had to figure out how to control it instead of letting it control me.

He embraced me when I was too disgusted with this ugly side of me to even look in a mirror. I was scared of myself - he wasn't. He's seen worse. I never had someone accept me and all my flaws before, god or otherwise.

That's why it's so upsetting to see the modern depictions so many people have of him. Someone so understanding and loving being defined by the worst parts of Himself, just like I used to do with myself in the past.

Ares is the god of war, war is not the god of Ares.

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Fiction Free-for-All Book Bracket Tournament: Round 3

Book summaries below:

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

When Nishat comes out to her parents, they say she can be anyone she wants—as long as she isn’t herself. Because Muslim girls aren’t lesbians. Nishat doesn’t want to hide who she is, but she also doesn’t want to lose her relationship with her family. And her life only gets harder once a childhood friend walks back into her life.

Flávia is beautiful and charismatic and Nishat falls for her instantly. But when a school competition invites students to create their own businesses, both Flávia and Nishat choose to do henna, even though Flávia is appropriating Nishat’s culture. Amidst sabotage and school stress, their lives get more tangled—but Nishat can’t quite get rid of her crush on Flávia, and realizes there might be more to her than she realized.

Contemporary, romance, coming of age, young adult

Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland

Avra Helvaçi, former field agent of the Araşti Ministry of Intelligence, has accidentally stolen the single most expensive secret in the world―and the only place to flee with a secret that big is the open sea.

To find a buyer with deep enough pockets, Avra must ask for help from his on-again, off-again ex, the pirate Captain Teveri az-Ḥaffār. They are far from happy to see him, but together, they hatch a plan: take the information to the isolated pirate republic of the Isles of Lost Souls, fence it, profit. The only things in their way? A calculating new Araşti ambassador to the Isles of Lost Souls who’s got his eyes on Avra’s every move; Brother Julian, a beautiful, mysterious new member of the crew with secrets of his own and a frankly inconvenient vow of celibacy; the fact that they’re sailing straight into sea serpent breeding season and almost certain doom.

But if they can find a way to survive and sell the secret on the black market, they’ll all be as wealthy as kings―and, more important, they’ll be legends.

Fantasy, humor, adventure, secondary world, queernorm, adult

[talonabraxas]

"I wish I could give you a taste of the burning fire of love. There is a fire blazing inside of me. If I cry about it, or if I don’t, the fire is at work, night and day. People make clothing to cover their intellect, but the heart of a lover is a shroud, inflamed in golden hues of love." - Rumi

Khamael - Archangel of Mars Talon Abraxas

Samael is the Archangel of Mars – prince of the fifth heaven, lord of war and pestilence, and angel of death and destruction. He is the Sathan (Adversary) who visited wrath upon Job, slew the firstborn in Egypt, and (as the Guardian Angel of Easu) wrestled with Jacob. As the Sathan he accuses men of their wrongdoings in the Divine Court. Samael should not be confused with the modern Christian concept of Lucifer or the Devil. Samael is not the source of all evil, nor did he ever wage war upon the Throne of God.

He was, however, cast down to Earth when he refused to bow to Adam as the Image of God. (He had previously sworn to never bow to anything less than God Himself.) Once here, he took Lilith as his wife and has acted as the Divine Accuser, Enforcer and Angel of Death ever since. While he is still very much in the employ of God, he persecutes and seduces mankind when he is ordered to do so.

(Some sources equate Samael with Shemyaza, the leader of the fallen Watchers from the Book of Enoch. This is likely due to both Samael and Shemyaza being punished for disobedience, yet each retaining their positions as celestial angels. However the angels share no other characteristics, and this similarity does not prove the two angels are one and the same.)

The ancient Gnostics elevated him to the position of Demiurgos (the Creator) and interpreted his name to mean “Blind God.” They also called him Ialdabaoth and Saklas. His form was described as a lion-headed serpent. He and his angels (called archons) had created the world as a prison where they could feed upon mankind’s suffering. Later forms of Gnosticism, however, did not equate Ialdabaoth with Samael.

Samael was at one point regarded as the Patron Angel of Rome – and it is likely in this aspect that we see him (as the Dragon with Seven Heads) engaging in single combat against Michael (the Patron Angel of Israel) in the Revelation of St. John.

More recent tradition has given him the name Khamael (Camael, Camuel, etc) – the result of mistranslating a Hebrew Samekh (S) as a Kaph (Kh). In this form he is regarded primarily as the Angel of War and Divine Severity.

Invitation to Samael

I invoke thee, Samael! Holy Archangel of the Martial sphere! I call upon thee within thy realm of Severity and Fear!

Samael, Powerful, Bloody, Sword-bearer, Bold, Untamed, Terrestrial Fire, against whom none can defend himself, thou who destroys the strong and powerful, Lord of fiery heat – and of the planet of blood!

Samael, who art the Adversary, accusing men of their wrongdoing. Fearsome warrior and divine enforcer! You who inflicted Job with sorrow, who slew the firstborn of Egypt, and wrestled with Jacob. It is you who bears the wrath of God unto the Earth! You who overthrow nations and cast kings down from their thrones!

O Samael, we have called upon you [here list the reasons you have called him in the past, if any, and the positive results that came from those workings]. For all of this we thank you!

Come thou forth and partake of these offerings, which we have prepared in thy honour and to the glory of Elohim Gibor. May you find them pleasing and empowering. I ask that you offer your blessings to my home and family, and bear our offerings and prayers of thanksgiving to the Divine Court. We petition thee for strength and protection in all of our undertakings, for defense of our home, and that the light of thy wisdom should guide and keep us at all times. In the name of Elohim Gibor. Amen.

[persphones-hallow]

From my knowledge and what the scripts I have had implied that Hades is not the actual name of hades, nor anyone knows his true name

Greek Name

Ἁιδης, Αιδης Αιδωνευς

Transliteration

Haidês

Latin Spelling

Hades, Hades, Aidoneus

Roman Name

Pluto, Dis

Transliteration

Haidês, Hadês

Aidês, Aidôneus

Translation

Unseen one

Associated names / deities

Lord of the riches, the giver of wealth, the god who makes invisible, the allembracer, all-receiver, The Roman poets use the names Dis, Orcus, and Tartarus as synonymous with Pluton, for the god of the lower world, the darkness of night, infernal Zeus, the abode of the shades, over which he rules, king of the shades, Orcus, lord of the dead men, aides, the king, The Warden of the Larvae (Shades), infernal Jovel, the judge of the dead, lord of the underworld, Aidoneus, Zeus Katachthonios, the unseen one, his knowledge (eidenai) of all noble things”, Awides, “the one who presides over meeting up”, Áïdos (Ἄϊδος), Áïdi (Ἄϊδι, dat.), and Áïda (Ἄϊδα, acc.),*Áïs (*Ἄϊς), the ruler of many, the gloomy, the rich one, Clymenus (“notorious”), Polydegmon (“who receives many”), and perhaps Eubuleus (“good counsel” or “well-intentioned”), all of them euphemisms for a name that was unsafe to pronounce, which evolved into epithets. Hesperos Theos” (“God of Death and Darkness”), Erebus, the hidden wealth of the earth, Serapis, he’s also the guardian of hero’s souls

Family

Lord Kronos

Lady Rhea

OFFSPRING

THE ERINYES, Zagreus, Melinoe, Makaria

Brothers:

Lord Zeus and lord Poseidon

Sisters:

Queen Hestia, Queen Hera, and lady Demeter

Wife:

Lady Persephone

Consorts

Lady Minthe (nymph)

Associated items, deities, and creatures

Pomegranates, rich meats, pomegranate seeds, Cerberus, Thanatos, Persephone, Zeus, keys, black dogs, money, spirits, the fury’s, chariots, helmet of invisibility, sheep, black animals, wine, scepter, cornucopia, rooster, As Plouton, he was regarded in a more positive light. He holds a cornucopia, representing the gifts he bestows upon people as well as fertility, which he becomes connected to. Snakes, horses, cattle’s, serpents, cypress trees, mint, narcissus flowers, and white poplars,

Extra:

For chthonic deities, liquid offerings are usually poured out onto the ground or down the drain and food offerings are usually buried or thrown away.

Saying Haides’ name had a superstition where it’d invite death quicker in your home hence why he was worshipped outside

Some Epithets: Aïdes or Aïdoneus (The Unseen One, The Invisible), Plouton (the Wealth-Giver), Polydegmon (The Hospitable), Euboueus (Wise in Counsel) and Klymenos (the Renowned)

Sources: Ancient sources for Hades include Apollodorus, Cicero, Hesiod, Homer, Hyginus, Ovid, Pausanias, Statius, and Strabo.

[stygiansun-totaleclipse]

(https://www.tumblr.com/stygiansun-totaleclipse/782633319030554624/horses-head-by-josh-pyke-is-super-mc-and?source=share) hey... U wouldn't mind dropping that Playlist right into our grubby little hands.. Right >:3

I’ve been meaning to make one to post for funsies but this ask gave me the push to actually do it! so here you go >:3 💜

And bc the brain rot is real…um 😰 there’s a lot. Anyway I organized it under the cut👇

MC:

All I Think About Now by Pixies

Familia (ft. Bantu) by Nicki Minaj and Anuel AA, from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

The Dead Come Talking by Roe Kapara

Goodbye by Ramsey, from the series Arcane League of Legends 

Wrecked by Imagine Dragons

You’re Not Welcome by Naethan Apollo

Kieran:

Help I’m Alive by Metric

All Comes Crashing by Metric

rats in my walls by ratbag 

Transcendence by Lindsey Stirling

A Tear in Space (Airlock) by Glass Animals

Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal) by Fergie

Viva la Vida by Coldplay

Soldier, Poet, King by The Oh Hellos

With God On Our Side by K’naan

Alone on a Hill by Silversun Pickups

If I Were You by Nothing But Thieves

Nihm:

The Cave by Mumford and Sons

FEAST by bludnymph

Where is My Mind? by Pixies

Here Comes Your Man by Pixies

Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap

Runaway by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

It’s Alright by Mother Mother

Kill of the Night by Gin Wingmore

exit girl by ratbag

Sleep Will Darken it by R. Missing

Creature Comfort by Arcade Fire

Special Different by Lambrini Girls (with Alektis)

Boys Will be Bugs by cavetown (with Alektis)

Lilith/Lucien:

I’m Only Joking by KONGOS

Wasteland by Royal & the Serpent, from the series Arcane League of Legends

Tales of Dominica by Lil Nas X

Hysteric by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men

Jenny by Studio Killers

Shove It ft. Spank Rock by Santigold (ft Aurynn, pov they tell you to fuck off)

Identity by grandson

Worms by Ashnikko

Thrust by Ashnikko

Halloweenie by Ashnikko

Red by MOTHICA (also Nihm)

Clandestine by Vana

BEG! by Vana

DISGUSTING! by Vana

Fire Meet Gasoline by Sia

ALIVE by Sia

BLEED BUT NEVER DIE by Ecca Vandal

Alibi ft. Pabllo Vittar and Yseult by Sevdaliza

LIGHTS OUT by bludnymph

Hit and Run by Lolo

Samira:

Speed the Collapse by Metric

Snakes by PVRIS & MIYAVI, from the series Arcane League of Legends

In a Spiral by Phantogram

Mister Impossible by Phantogram (with Aurynn)

Attaway by Phantogram

Year of the Snake by Arcade Fire

What Was I Made For by Billie Eilish

Ode To My Family by The Cranberries 

Bluebird by Miranda Lambert

Spinning by GROUPLOVE

Right Back to It by Waxahatchee

WEEDKILLER by Ashnikko

Filthy Rich Nepo Baby by Lambrini Girls

Twenty Seven by Layto

Supermarket by Wetleg

Aurynn:

California Girls by Katy Perry

Super Freaky Girl by Nicki Minaj

Bed Chem by Sabrina Carpenter

ALIVE AGAIN by Lights

Nothing Left to Say by Imagine Dragons

Little Poor Me by Layto

Sail by AWOLNATION

Ashes of Eden by Breaking Benjamin

I Need a Win by Unlike Pluto

Panic Attacks in Paradise by Ashnikko

Chokehold Cherry Python by Ashnikko

Itchin’ on a Photograph by GROUPLOVE

The Line by Twenty One Pilots, from the series Arcane League of Legends

Telepolartears by R. Missing

Invitation ft. Kodie Shane by Ashnikko

Nihm, Lilith/Lucien, and Aurynn (together):

Keep Some Faith ft. Andrea Storm Kaden by JT Music

Cut the Cord by Shinedown

Paint the Town Blue by Ashnikko, from the series Arcane League of Legends

Let Go by Beau Young Prince, from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

10 x 10 by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

You Make Me Sick by Ashnikko

Cheerleader by Ashnikkko

Worst in Me by Unlike Pluto

Luca/Family:

Welcome to Your Life by GROUPLOVE (Parim and Aurora welcoming their baby sibs to the world :3 ❤️)

Empty Nest by Silversun Pickups (gives me Luca and MC as kids with MCs siblings vibes)

Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Aurora)

Future Starts Slow by The Kills (sibs)

Somewhere Only We Know by Keane (Parim)

Everybody’s Changing by Keane (Parim)

White Wolf:

Big Bad Wolf by In This Moment

Hellhound ft. Jazmin Bean by DeathbyRomy

Wolves at the Door by Bad Seed Rising

Fate:

Anima Nera by lacunacoil

World Eater by Ashnikko

Halloweenie V: The Moss King by Ashnikko

Misc:

Small Bill$ by Regina Spektor (gives me dark theme song vibes)

Anon Submissions:

Horses Head by Josh Pyke (submitted for: MC, Farah, and Nour)

Casual by Chappell Roan (submitted for: AurynnxMC)

Never Love an Anchor by The Crane Wives (submitted for: Farah and MC)

I Know Those Eyes/This Man is Dead by Thomas Borchert, from The Count of Monte Cristo (submitted for: L?)

We Become We, from Journey to Bethlehem (submitted for: KieranxMC)

Wasted Summers by juju (submitted for: music video, MC and Farah)

Eu Sem Você by Lilian (submitted for: Luca and MC)

[tiny-librarian]

When most people think of the Death of Cleopatra, they think of  something like the above pictures. Cleopatra lying on a couch, or standing there clutching a snake to her exposed breast. Or, as in some of the above cases, with the fabled serpent biting directly on to her nipple. She is almost always nude or nearly so, practically inviting everyone to gaze on her body as she lies there in her death throes. She is frequently delicately pulling her gown down to give the viewer a perfect view of her breasts. Often her equally unclothed handmaidens are falling over her in their own death throes, or gesturing dramatically to better showcase their nudity. There are also usually several other people portrayed there as well, staring down at the nude, or nearly so, Queen’s corpse.

It has been, and will likely continue to be, a popular theme in art to depict her that way. It used to be a titillating thing, an excuse to paint a beautiful nude/semi nude woman. She’s been immortalized as such in sculpture, paintings, wax figures, and everything in between.

This image of her though, is a myth. Pure and simple.

Stacy Schiff, the author of “Cleopatra: A Life” describes her death like so:

Cleopatra lay on a golden couch, probably an Egyptian-style bed with lion paws for legs and lion heads at its corners. Majestically and meticulously arrayed in “her most beautiful apparel,” she gripped in her hands the crook and flail. She was perfectly composed and completely dead, Iras very nearly so at her feet. Lurching and heavy-headed, almost unable to stand, Charmion was clumsily attempting to make right the diadem around Cleopatra’s forehead. Angrily one of Octavian’s men exploded: “A fine deed this, Charmion!” She had just the energy to offer a parting shot. With a tartness that would have made her mistress proud, she managed, ”It is indeed most fine, and befitting the descendant of so many kings,” before collapsing in a heap, at her queen’s side. Charmion’s was an epitaph no one could dispute. (Nor could it be improved upon. Shakespeare used it verbatim.)

Cleopatra went to her death as she’d lived her entire adult life, as the Queen of Egypt. She had her royal robes and ornaments on, and was thus fully dressed. She knew full well Octavian and his men were going to burst in on her, were going to find her and her ladies there dead. There is no chance she was going to be lying there undressed when a room-full of strange men were going to be looking at her. Cleopatra made sure she went first, so that her ladies could arrange her so nothing inappropriate would be seen. As far as we know, the only ones there at the time of her death were her and her two handmaidens, as they had barricaded themselves inside her mausoleum.

It’s likely all the nudity also stems from propaganda spread by Octavian both during her life and after her death, painting her as a whore and a seductress. Of course she would be naked she was the decadent Eastern Queen who seduced men with her witchcraft! It’s just one of the many, and increasingly ridiculous, misconceptions that’s been spread about her since her death and one that people should realize was certainly not true. The snake is now widely regarded by most scholars as a myth as well, since it’s far more likely she took some kind of poison to end her life instead.

[galusandmalus]

aye lissstteeen if we wanna talk about the perseus fuckups, where my boy absolutely fucked up, the best source is him dropping a bunch of medusas blood on libya causing a gazillion magical snakes to show up. some are famous and important, from Lucan, Pharsalia we got "Yet that earth, In nothing fertile, void of fruitful yield, Drank in the poison of Medusa's blood, Dripping in dreadful dews upon the soil" - my two favorites are the basilisk (who has similar abilities to medusa) "With sibilant terror all the subject swam, Baneful ere darts his poison, Basilisk In sands deserted king"

of course in antiquety its a cool snake and not a bird BUT THERES NO ART so here you go. medival shit upon yee and my FAVORITE is the "Dread Amphisbaena with his double head"

i dunno why the middle ages mf gave it wings tho, there's like zero ancient art of it despite it existing in texts in 500 bc. wait I think it got wings cuz nonnus says some shit about a eagle grabbing one and says like "upright between the serpent's heads, high-shining with fourfold nozzle of the four wings" so it kinda sounds like both have wings tho I dunno if that's the intent. i can see how the mistake is made and besides wings are cooler. i fucking loved winged monsters

Amphisbaena is the kid who doesn't get invited to hang out with Pegasus and Chyseor. basilisks being related to medusa seems obvious in hindsight.

[justaaveragereader]

10.12 || Basilisk Yeosang

Pairing: Yeosang x Reader

Word Count: 1.1K

Warnings: Dom!Yeo, Clit Play, Mentions Of Marking, Sub!Reader, Auralism, BlindFolded, Lotsssss Of Dirty Talk, Fingering, Orgasm Control, If I’m Missing Something..🫣Let Me Know!

Kinktober Masterlist

“Just listen to me closely, my dear.” His deep voice bounced off of every wall in the cool stone room, you could hear the movement of his long body amongst the tiles to the floor. Here you were, blindfolded, legs cocked open with your hand rubbing slow circles around your clit. Biting your lip you let out a small whimper. You loved to play this game with Yeosang, his deep voice was the first thing you noticed about him. Wandering into the forbidden cave upon a dare, you heard the stories about a man whose beauty was unlike any other, it was said that he was the serpent king, and one look into his eyes, instantaneous death. Wanting to see if these rumors were true you decided to wander the cave of these tales. You found Yeosang, the serpent king, while he was godly he was nothing that they ever spoke about. He was like, caring, he had a voice so deep and inviting, with each breath he took you could tell his words came from his chest.

You came back to the cave, over, and over, growing on the cold snake skinned man, when he stepped slightly out the cave the iridescent scales shined. He had warned you the first time you stumbled across him that if you made eye contact with him you’d die instantly, opting to keep you safe he made you a blindfold. Not wanting to even take the risk of his dreadful curse taking you away from him. As you spent more time blindfolded, your sense of hearing improved, picking up on each syllable he spoke, his small lisp, the true deep tone of his voice, how with every word that made a ‘S’ sound his snake tongue dragged out the letter, he made you feel things with his voice that no one could achieve with their hands.

“Continue touching yourself for me.” He groaned out, voice thick with want and need. Yet he didn’t dare to move, he had so much self control some days it irked you to no end. Your fingers lightly played with your clit, wanting him to fill your cunt. You knew no matter how much you touched yourself it would never amount to how Yeosang made you feel.

“Fuck…you are absolutely gorgeous. You should see how good you look right now. All spread out for me. Fuck…you are going to look so fucking amazing cumming on me.” His deep voice made your head fill with butterflies, his voice so strong it could make you cum alone.

“Yeo please…” you whimpered out, wanting to hear more of his deep voice in your ears. You hear his body shift slightly, a sudden cool breeze brushes against your body. You feel his cool scaled skin brush against your back. His cool hands come up to grip your knees, spreading you more open.

“Want to know what I’m going to do to you?” His deep breath whispered in your ear, his long, forked tongue flickering out against your ear. Your body shivers, you nod your head, wanting him to proceed.

“I’m going to lay you on your stomach, and arch your back. Then I’m going to slide right into your pussy.”

Your hand pauses on your clit, Yeosang grabs your hand, pushing it right against your hole, making you insert your pointer and middle finger, he pushes your own fingers slowly into yourself, letting out a small gasp, you place your feet upright on the stone floor.

“I’m going to wait before I move. I want you to feel how hard my cock is, I want you to feel every vein pulse around your warm wet walls. Then I’m going to start moving slowly in and out of you, making sure to brush that spot that makes you see stars. Just thinking about it is making my dick hard, fuck, I love the way you feel when I slide into you for the first time, I want that feeling over and over again.” His cool breath constantly hits your jawline as he speaks, and leaves small kisses along your neck. The gruff in his tone added onto the deep meaning being each word.

“Just because I love to see your pretty ass arched, I’m going to go hard in your pussy. You know I love when it makes those wet noises for me.” He moves your fingers in and out of you faster, matching the pace you assume he’s going to use on you. His vocals are so captivating, it could draw anyone in like a moth to the flame, with your sight taken away it enhanced every single feeling.

“Then I’m going to leave bite marks all over your neck, while I’m thrusting in and out of you. I wanna mark your pretty skin for everyone to see. I know how much you love my teeth on your skin, I want everyone to know I’m the one fucking you.” With each word his chest vibrates, the timber tone floods your brain. Your fingers continue to pump in and out of you, soaking down to your wrist, along with wetting Yeosangs hand as well, guiding you in and out of your own cunt like he was the puppet master, and you were just his cock hungry puppet. Your vision being taken away made things so much better, you heard the deep breath with every word he spoke, you heard the way your arousal squelched with each finger thrust, you heard how his breath would quicken when your fingers pulled out before diving back in. You once yearned to see this man, yet the feeling of being blind to what would happen fueled more desires in you then you could imagine. He tugs slightly on the back of the blindfold, your head laying flat against his cool, sculpted chest.

“I’m going to take you anyway I want, because I know you love when I’m in control.” His thumb presses against your clit, with the movements of your own fingers pumping into you, and the pressure on your clit, mixed with his deep voice in your ear, your brain can only focus on the feeling of your pussy and his deep voice bringing you over the edge. Just as you are on the brink of seeing the light behind the blind fold he grabs your wrist stopping you from your movements. His thumb is still rubbing slow circles around your clit. Not only did you love his voice, you also desired the grunts he let out after each sentence he spoke to you.

“Then while I’m fucking you, I’m going to have you ask for permission to cum.” His heavy voice whispers into your ear, dragging out the letter S in permission. Grabbing the blind fold once again, turning your head to the side, you know his eyes are directly on yours, yet the blind fold halts any mishaps that could happen with his eye contact.

“As much as you love my voice, I love yours, I love yours so much I want to hear you beg for it.”

Taglist: @abby-grace @petsuccube @maximofftrash @tunaasan @seonghwasslytherin @pearltinyy @bubblegumbird @araknoid @mingtina @oreoqueen @dani-is-tired @8tinytings @sunwoosbaby @acetruepunk @alliecoady98 @s-unflowxr @rxnexxi @mixling-blog @staytinyinmybpack @starryskiesthings @horanghaezone @realviviboss @mikaelless @scuzmunkie

GIF and Divider @justaaveragereader

DO NOT DO REPOST.

[aziraphales-library]

hellooo,

before i get into this i just wanted to thoroughly thank you guys for the help i’ve gotten from you in the past, one time quite recently! i really really appreciate it! you are true angels on earth and deserve the world 🌎🩵

now i just had a thought and i thought i’d ask, are there any fics out there where crowley and aziraphale potentially have a run in with any of the 4 horsemen throughout history? (i feel like i maybe read one or two like this back in the day, i think they were perhaps death and pestilence in those works) i’m not necessarily looking for those specific fics, they’re probably in my bookmarks somewhere. but i just was rewatching episode 2 where war comes in and it said about how she’s been killing time “for so long” and i thought that might be interesting to see a & c coming across them sometimes and how they interact with each other. i’ll take future fics, but i think i’m more looking for past/historical settings

thank youuuu! and feel free to take your time, i’m in no rush.

love you, byeeeeee

Hiiii! Here are some fics where Aziraphale and/or Crowley meet one or more of the four horsemen through the ages. Mind the tags on some of these!..

Oilslick Feathers by sylveondreams (G)

After an unexpected encounter with Pollution, Crowley finds himself with wings soaked in oil and panic building in his chest.

How To Arrange A Meeting by Winds_of_Inspiration10 (T)

Aziraphale has come to Egypt to set forth the next step in the Great Plan - arrange a meeting between Joseph and the Pharaoh. That might be a bit difficult when Crawly informs him that the former has fallen from Potiphar's favor and is now in prison. How will these hereditary enemies get out of this one?

The Great Mortality by The_Jade_Goblin (T)

It's 1347 and the Black Death is stalking the better half of Europe, and Aziraphale is ready to be swept up in his despair. Waves of human populace are being wiped out in the blink of an eye, cities left empty and villages lie barren. There's no end in sight, no stopping this Biblical Plague from destroy humanity. But Crowley isn't willing to give up just yet. Or Aziraphale and Crowley are determined to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING, to help during the Black Plague, even if God Herself can't be bothered. And Aziraphale learns a little more about his demon companion at the same time.

Behold A White Horse by Aubergion (M)

And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. —  Revelation 6:1–2, King James Version The white horse has had many riders in the last six thousand years.

The Feathered Serpent by WaneMoose (T)

1521- Aziraphale has been working as an interpreter for the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés in his mission to bring Mexico under the heel of Spanish colonialism and the Roman Catholic Church. When they arrive in the wondrous city of Tenochtitlán, the angel is shocked to discover that Cortés and his invading army have been invited to stay. Even more disconcerting is that invitation was the suggestion of a demon posing as the Aztec high priest for the god Quetzalcóatl, the winged serpent. Naively believing peaceful coexistence is a possibility, Aziraphale and Crowley bear witness to the Toxcatl massacre and the Fall of Tenochtitlán.

The Angel of Dunkirk by imnotokaywiththerunning (M)

Springtime 1940: Hitler's army has started its march across Europe and Aziraphale is worried. Another war so soon after the last was almost unbearable. He and Crowley have decided to stay well out of it, but a visit from the Archangel Gabriel sends Aziraphale headfirst into a war he never wanted to see.

- Mod D

[redtsundere-writes]

mma fighter!sukuna ryomen x fem coach!reader

Epilogue.

Beginning. ← Previous |

Summary: Sukuna is a world champion with anger issues. It's believed by many that he is untrainable. Yeah, you can't train him, but you can dominate him. More Info.Author's Note: Finally! After almost three weeks and several mental breakdowns. Here it is! Is not a masterpiece, but it is what is it. Thank you so much for supporting Jinx! I hope you guys enjoyed the ride as much as I did!

“Here we are,” I said to Ui Ui excitedly as we both looked at the giant sign that read "Team Black. MMA Gym." 

A smile formed on my face as I returned to my former work place. Memories fluttered around me like nostalgic butterflies. All the moments that I shared with the king of the ring until I actually met the real Sukuna Ryomen. I took Ui Ui's hand to follow me to the access elevator. Mei Mei followed us with her phone glued to her hands. Nobara looked like me when I first entered the place, excited but nervous. Geto, on the other hand, looked indifferent to the situation. 

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest with every floor we reached. Since returning from Las Vegas, Sukuna and I had not seen each other. I was too busy training, meanwhile Sukuna started his physical therapy to treat his injured shoulder. Unlike when I was with that idiot Choso, we talked every day on the phone and were always in touch. So much so that Geto constantly nagged me for using the phone too much. 

The elevator doors opened, welcoming us to the most important gym in Tokyo. The gym looked the same as I remembered it, but I felt completely different. I still remembered when I first walked in. I was alone with my pink bag, booty shorts and an oversized hoodie. Now, I had my pink bag, short shorts and my gorgeous outfit. Unlike the baggy sweatshirt I used to wear all the time, I was now wearing the official Medusa Serpent jacket. A green windbreaker with scales print with a snake modeling the back. 

The further we went into the place, the more I looked for Sukuna among the sea of familiar faces. All the gym members were gathered around the ring to admire the exhibition training fights that would be held today. Nobara and I had been invited along with other well-known fighters to participate in a mixed training with friendly sparring, striking practice and more. Nanami finally replied to the thousands of emails I sent him at the time. 

“There he is, the king of the ring!” Ui Ui exclaimed when he saw Sukuna in front of the office, chatting pleasantly with Toji. 

Now that I didn't feel guilty for taking a good look at him... God, this man is going to kill me with how attractive he is. His hair was a little longer, so now some hair was falling sensually over his forehead. He traded in his compression shirt for a loose-fitting white sleeveless shirt that he could easily take off and put on. He was wearing shorts that allowed me to see the curve of his thighs. For a guy who had completely given up the gym rat lifestyle and was wearing a sling, he still looked divine. Something few can achieve. I didn't want to go near him anymore because I was so nervous just looking at him.  

He noticed my presence in his domain. I could no longer back down. He smiled at me, flashing me his adorable pearly smile perfect for ads. I felt a crush shoot through my heart all at once. He had never smiled at me like that before. It was intentional and warm. He wanted to make it very clear to me that he was happy I had come. I waved shyly at him from my place. Nobara looked at me disappointed in my behavior, I looked pathetic. 

“Go say hello to your boyfriend," she whispered to me before pulling me towards him. 

Ui Ui and I yelped at the same time. As I kept holding his hand, I ended up pulling him with me. We awkwardly approached the two intimidating former UFC champions. For being retired, they still had that dangerous aura surrounding them. 

“The king of the ring and Fushiguro! I'm a super fan!” UiUi exclaimed excitedly. 

“How are you, little guy?” Toji greeted the boy, standing at his height. “Do you want a photo, kid?” He asked with a smile. Ui Ui obviously accepted with excitement and called his big sister to take the picture. 

“One of your students?” Sukuna asked me while hugging my waist with his healthy arm. 

“Yes, he is the best in his class,”I answered with a smile. 

“Is he your favorite?” He asked me, arching his eyebrow. 

“Don't be silly,” I joked. “Everyone knows you're still my favorite student.” 

He pulled me closer to his body to kiss my cheek tenderly, his nose brushed against my ear causing a shiver to run down my back. He was so close to me that I felt like I could fade away at any moment, but I had to remain calm first and foremost. After all, I had a heavy day of training ahead of me. I could already feel my cheeks flushing.

“Yuck! Get a room," Yuuji jokingly complained as he approached us alongside Megumi. 

Since Sukuna retired from the UFC due to medical complications, he took Yuuji's position as his coach so that he would now be the new face of Team Black. Yuuji was very excited because in a month he will have his first official fight... against Megumi. Weighing about the same, they would both be fighting in the same division. I was glad that both of their first fights in front of thousands of spectators would be against someone they trusted. Maybe too much trust, since they were holding hands.

 “Shut up, Yuuji. You think I haven't seen you taking nudes in the locker room?” Sukuna scolded him before hitting him on the head. 

“I was just joking!” Yuuji complained while Megumi was redder than a tomato. I think I know who the pictures were for. 

“It's good to see you. Congratulations on your new relationship.” I greeted them both with a hug. 

Everyone thought they were already dating from some time, but apparently we were all wrong. Sukuna told me in great detail how they had become an official couple recently. They went to Yuta's championship celebration party. They both had too many drinks, danced the night away and had a great time. When they returned home, Megumi took advantage of the super honesty that alcohol gives you to confess to Yuuji how he had felt the last few months with him and that he loved him more than anyone else in the world. A feeling that was reciprocated. Sukuna told me everything as if he was telling me the plot of a romance novel. At that moment I realized why Yuuji was such a gossip, because he had an older brother who was the same or worse than him. 

“You should come here more often. I need you to get him off my back once in a while,” Yuuji whispered to me with a chuckle. 

“If he was already horrible as an athlete, now imagine him as a coach," Megumi whispered to me seriously. 

“And just for that, 50 push-ups. Now!” Sukuna ordered, annoyed. They both sighed in annoyance and dropped to the floor. I laughed at them as I watched them serve their punishment. “What are you laughing at? You too.” Sukuna ordered me. 

“What?! Why?!” I protested.

“Because I'm in charge. To the floor.” He ordered me with a devilish smirk. He was taking revenge for all the exercises I had forced him to do when I used to be his coach. I sighed in annoyance, but I dropped next to Megumi to fulfill my undeserved punishment. 

“Don't be like that with my athlete.” Geto approached Sukuna to greet him. “Can't you see she was excited to see you?” He joked. 

“I do it for her sake,” he said seriously. 

Yuuji had improved a lot since the last time I saw him. No longer training passively to keep up with his older brother, he was now training as if he was the king of the ring. He was focused, hitting the pads Nobara presented to him without much thought. His feet were constantly moving towards her, but she wasn't backing down easily. She wasn't about to let some random guy make her look bad in front of her team. Nobara always had that fierce spark that made her feel stronger. The surrounding crowd watched the training with keen interest, while Gojo and Geto supervised their athletes. 

“You have trained her well," Gojo said to me, impressed. 

“What can I say? I am an excellent teacher,” I joked to which we both laughed.

Then it was my turn to step into the ring with Megumi. Toji asked me to fight against him to give him a taste of fighting a world-class champion, to which I immediately agreed. It had been a long time since I had seen Megumi fight, so I was very interested to see his progress. I adjusted my bra and shorts to be as comfortable as possible for the fight. Despite being surrounded by people, I could feel Sukuna's gaze on my back. 

“Be gentle with the boy,” Sukuna joked from outside the ring. 

“Don't worry, I'll leave him in one piece," I continued the joke before putting on my dental protector. 

Gojo announced the start of the fight and I patiently approached my opponent to clash gloves. After all, this was a friendly fight, so I didn't have to humiliate him right away. Megumi tried to hit me with a couple of punches, but I dodged them by moving my torso and digging my feet in to avoid backing up. I tried to hit him in the same way, but he also dodged me nimbly. Some of his quick punches connected with my shoulder and arms. He had improved his technique a lot. His eyes were analyzing me completely to try to deduce my next move. He was beginning to look like his father. Megumi swung his arm to the left to hit me, but he made the mistake of opening wide. He still had a lot to learn. I ducked to dodge the blow and propelled myself to submit him against the ground by the chest. When we fell to the floor, a howl of excitement emanated from the other fighters. 

I could hear Megumi moaning as he tried to escape from my strong grip. As this was a training session, his father was just watching us with his arms crossed from the side of the ring as if he was just another spectator. I pushed Megumi by putting all my weight on him with the help of my legs to anchor him to the ground. I gave him just enough room to roll over, giving him the false sense that he could escape if he broke free for a second. He tried to escape under my arm, covering his head with his elbow, so I wouldn't hit him at that moment of vulnerability. Once he was in the perfect position, I clamped him in a headlock while my legs choked him through the stomach. 

Gojo was watching us closely to see the moment Megumi decided to let go. I lowered my pelvis to his back to force him flat on the floor. Megumi covered his face as I hit him from the sides. The audience was clapping and cheering for Megumi to do something, but there was nothing left to do. I had this in the bag, and he knew it perfectly. It didn't take long for him to tap my arm three times for me to let go immediately. 

“Good fight,” I said as I stood up tiredly. Megumi smiled at me as he rested like a starfish. Toji stepped into the ring to correct everything he had done wrong in our match. 

“I expected nothing less from you,” Nobara said proudly as she greeted me outside the ring. 

“I agree,” Sukuna ruffled my hair with a proud smile. I couldn't help but smile at the sweet compliments. 

At lunchtime, we decided to take a break and go to an Italian restaurant near the gym to celebrate that we were all reunited. We sat at a table with seats that were spread out so that we were all close together, while the coaches and managers sat at the table behind us. Yuuji, Megumi and Nobara were sitting across from Sukuna and me. Sukuna had been nagging all the way that he wanted to eat alone with me like on a date, but I ignored him. I wanted to eat with everyone. 

“I always hated math. I didn't learn to count properly until I was eight,” Yuuji told Nobara with a smile on his face as if he were proud. 

“Oh, come on. Until you were eight? What are you, a dumbass?” Nobara scoffed, trying to contain his laughter. 

“Hey! My mom says I'm special,” Yuuji pouted. Sukuna and I laughed at his brother's nonsense. 

“Math isn't that complicated. You just have to apply it to something you know,” Megumi said with the intention of helping him. “For example, if you have 10 brownies, and you give me 5, how many do you have left?”

“Zero,” Yuuji answered confidently. Nobara and I couldn't help but let out a loud laugh while Megumi and Sukuna felt sorry for the pink-haired man. 

“You didn't even try,” Megumi rolled his eyes while his silly boyfriend hugged him by the shoulders.  

“It's because I would give them all to you, because I love you,” Yuuji said before planting a kiss on his lips while Megumi blushed. 

“Aww,” I sighed with tenderness. 

“You guys disgust me,” Sukuna muttered before rolling his eyes. 

“What right do you have to say that?!” Yuuji exclaimed in amusement. 

“I agree with the lovey-dovey,” Nobara said amused as she looked at me and Sukuna with sinful eyes before high-fiving Yuuji. These three were a dangerous combination. 

Before long a waitress arrived to wait on us. I knew she was doing her job, but I didn't like the way she looked at my boyfriend. When she handed us the menus, she smiled even more when she handed one to Sukuna and asked him if he was famous. I couldn't help but feel jealous. 

“I'll have the caesar salad without the dressing with extra chicken and a glass of water,” I asked with a fake smile so no one would notice my jealousy. Besides, I knew our coaches were watching us from their table to make sure we were following our strict diets to the tea. 

“I want the same thing,” Megumi followed me. 

“I want a cheeseburger with a chocolate shake.” Yuuji smiled, challenging Sukuna directly. His coach didn't hesitate to give him a slap with his free hand. “Oh, I'm kidding! I want the same thing,” He complained, handing the menu to the waitress while rubbing his bruise. 

“And for you?” The waitress asked as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Bitch. 

“The double cheeseburger and a chocolate milkshake,” he said with a smile from ear to ear, taking revenge on Yuuji for his little joke. 

What he didn't expect was that we were all shocked to hear his order. Even Nanami and Gojo, who were at the other table, peeked over to see him in disbelief. Sukuna Ryomen ordering something other than chicken, rice or protein? Make a wish!

“What?” Sukuna asked reluctantly. 

“You asked for a cheeseburger…" I replied in shock. 

“...with double meat..." Megumi followed me. 

“...and a chocolate milkshake,” Yuuji finished, blinking several times. Making sure he wasn't dreaming. 

“A man can't order a damn hamburger!?” Sukuna asked, offended by everyone's reaction. 

“But you are Mr. Chicken and white rice!” I exclaimed in surprise. 

“You haven't eaten junk food since you were 17!” Yuuji exclaimed in surprise. 

“It's no big deal…” Sukuna mumbled in annoyance.

“I still remember the birthday where your mother replaced the chocolate cake with a tray of sashimi in the shape of a cake,” Megumi commented as if he was having war flashbacks.

“Did she really do that?” Nobara wondered in surprise. 

“Yes, all our cousins were very disappointed,” Yuuji shook his head. 

“Well, I'm not the world champion anymore, so it doesn't matter…” Sukuna mumbled in annoyance. 

Silence pervaded the table at the sad statement. He understood how he felt completely. His career had collapsed in front of his eyes and he had only himself to blame for what had happened. Ever since he recovered from his surgery and began treating his shoulder regularly with Shoko, he had been very depressed. Despite the happiness of finally being together, he knew that his glory days would never return. I was also sad that I would never get to see him in the ring in all his glory, but at least I was grateful for all the times I got to see him live. I laid my head on his healthy shoulder and patted him on the back a couple of times to comfort him. He was like an angel who had just lost his wings.

“But you will always be a legend,” I encouraged him with a smile. 

“You're an inspiration to me and everyone else who follows you,” Megumi added. 

“Right! God screwed up your shoulder because he knew you'd be too powerful if you kept going,” Yuuji tried to cheer him up. 

“Thank you, guys,” Sukuna mused, blushing slightly at the sweet words. He looked so cute, I couldn't help but want to give him a sweet kiss on the cheek. 

The rest of the meal was spent laughing and catching everyone up on what had happened over the past few months. I was happy to see Sukuna eating something he really wanted and not having to restrict himself because of his career. Yuuji, being his usual gossipy self, told me that Choso got away from everyone for his own good and took a trip around the world for self-discovery, plus he started going to therapy to get over the trauma that Yuki left in him. I was actually glad that he was doing better. I hope that in the future we can get along and put it all behind us. 

Lunchtime had come to an end, and we went back to training. This time I was paired with Yuuji to give him a basic floor fighting lesson like I used to teach Sukuna. It brought back so many memories of all the things he put me through for wanting to antagonize me. All the arguments, fights, and insults now gifted me with nostalgia. How all that gradually transformed into respect and finally love. Unlike Sukuna, Yuuji listened to me and did everything I asked him to do. It took him a little more practice to do the exercises he wasn't used to, but I could tell he was putting his all into it. 

The afternoon went by faster than I would have preferred and the day's practice came to an end. After a quick shower and resting my muscles while eating an energy bar, it was time to head home. Nobara and I bowed to Toji and Gojo for training us this time. I hugged Megumi and Yuuji tightly, letting them know that I would miss them a lot, but that we would see each other again soon. 

“Thank you for training me, coach," I bowed respectfully to Sukuna. 

“You know perfectly well that I didn't do anything," Sukuna replied, ignoring my gesture of respect. 

“I still wanted to do it," I smiled before hugging him. He reciprocated and kissed my head tenderly. 

“Why don't you stay at my place tonight?” He whispered so I could only hear him. 

“What? Really?” I asked excitedly. 

“Why are you so surprised? You used to live with me.” Sukuna looked at me funny. 

“It was different back then, we were just roommates because you forced me,” I explained. “Now we are boyfriend and girlfriend. It's different.” 

Sukuna laughed and kissed me on the lips as I smiled stupidly at how happy I was to be back in the place where my luxurious home used to be. After telling Geto and Nobara not to wait for me for morning training, I followed Sukuna to his car. I offered to drive so he could relax his shoulder for the ride. 

We arrived at the penthouse and I sighed at how much I had missed this place. The beautiful furniture, the air conditioning and the beautiful paintings hanging on the walls. Once I took off my shoes and left my gym bag at the entrance, I walked across the hallway to the gigantic window that had a wonderful view of the rest of the city. My sight was stretched to the limit to see every luminous detail with attention. A strong arm wrapped around my shoulders to hug my back to a large protective chest. Sukuna rested his jaw on my head to observe the view with me. He closed his eyes to enjoy that we were together and that nothing would ever separate us. 

After sharing a nice dinner that we ordered out because neither of us felt like cooking, Sukuna lent me one of his T-shirts and boxers so I could sleep comfortably. Then I helped him change so he wouldn't move his injured shoulder too much. He let out a few groans of pain, but he managed.

Sukuna put on a random movie on Netflix before revealing his true intentions. He pulled me to him to kiss me softly. His hand ran down my body until it reached my flushed cheek. I caressed his chest, careful not to hurt him. The desire and need was felt with every move we made. Only Sukuna could transport me to places full of pleasure and lust. He worked magic with her lips and tickling fingers. Despite having only one hand free, she still worked miracles. 

“I missed you so much,” Sukuna whispered against my lips as he caressed my waist with his thumb. 

“I missed you so much too,” I reciprocated with a smile. 

“I was thinking...” Sukuna moved a little away from me to look me directly in the eyes. “Why don't you move to Team Black? You already know the guys, we can support you in everything you need, and we'll spend more time together,” he explained. 

It was a tempting offer, but I knew I could not afford to accept it. I would know that I would have no problem bringing Geto to Tokyo, but Nobara has his family in Nagoya, Mei Mei has to worry about Ui Ui, and it would mean that I would stop teaching my classes. It would be a big sacrifice for everyone just because I want to be closer to my boyfriend. 

“I can't do it, Sukuna. My life and everyone's life is in Nagoya,” I explained as I turned away from him to get serious. “It would be very selfish of me to make a change like that,” I commented as I watched a bit of the movie that had been put on the screen. 

“What about us?” Sukuna asked me. 

“I know it's hard, but we can plan to see each other more often,” I explained before kissing his cheek to leave a trail to his neck. 

“I guess.” Sukuna was not very happy with my answer. He moved a little away from me to watch the movie. 

“Are you upset?” I asked with a pout. 

“No, no…” Sukuna said, but he regretted pretending. “A little. Don't worry, I'll get over it,” he said, downplaying the matter. 

“Are you sure?” I said. At that moment, a light bulb went off in my head with a brilliant idea. “Because I know how I can make you very happy,” I smiled mischievously at him before crawling under the covers. 

“What the fuck are you going to do?” Sukuna asked me amused. I reached up to his crotch to stroke his cock, which went hard at my touch. “Hey!” He exclaimed in surprise. 

I pulled down the elastic of his pants amidst naughty giggles to pull out the old friend I had yet to greet. I kissed the tip for good luck and popped it into my mouth without giving him any warning. I felt his body tighten with each suck. My mouth was filling with saliva, so it didn't take long for his cock to start sloshing. I tucked my lips over my teeth to avoid hurting him. 

“Shit, I missed that too,” I heard him moan as I pushed my head back to guide the intensity. 

Even though it tasted like nothing, it was so satisfying to hear Sukuna's stifled moans. My tongue fiddled with his glans delicately. Sukuna pulled the blanket off me to get a better look at me. He grabbed my hair to choke me on his cock several times. My eyes watered from the depth he reached. 

I spit on his cock before sitting on his lap to remove my shirt in front of him. His smile widened as soon as he saw my tits bounce from the movement. He pulled me to him to suck on one of my nipples. I moaned his name as I stroked his back. I wiggled my hips against him from the excitement. I was starting to get wet with all the attention he was giving me. 

“You look so good in my clothes," he growled, lowering his hand to the elastic of my underwear. “But you'd look better without them,” he purred before leaving me completely exposed in front of him. 

“Tonight I'm going to please you,” I purred before kissing his neck. 

“I expect no less.”

I smiled a mischievous smile before I turned around and positioned myself on top of him. I moved my hips to rub my pussy against his hard shaft. Sukuna grabbed my ass to keep me as close to him as possible. I positioned myself on top of him and shoved it in all at once. God, I missed having him inside me so much. My body melts around him. How I wish I could melt next to him so we could always be together. I started riding his cock hard. I hadn't seen him for two months. I missed him too much. 

Sukuna spanked me to make my ass bounce faster on his monstrosity. My ass clap against his skin sticky with sweat. I leaned back against the bed to get him in deeper. Once I touched the indicated spot, I moved in circles to gently rub myself against the tip. Sukuna threw her head back and groaned in pleasure. 

Sukuna pulled me by the waist with a jerk to press me against his chest. Even though he had stopped working out, he was still stronger than me. He kissed my neck as he spread my legs to stand between them. He reached up to my vagina to rub my clit eagerly. I moaned from deep in my throat at the tickling. He was rubbing me with no mercy for my poor intimacy. 

“'Kuna…” I whimpered at the over stimulation. 

“Use your words, my love," he whispered with a mischievous grin. 

“Put it all in me,” I ordered with my eyes closed. 

“As you wish.” 

Sukuna sucked his fingers full of my goo to take me firmly by the waist. He slammed his cock into me, to which we both moaned in unison. He began to hammer his cock against me until he reached deep inside my soul. His balls bounced with every thrust he put into me. I forced myself to keep my legs spread wide so he could drill me all the way in. My moans, his grunts, and the squeaks of the bed blended together to create a sexual symphony that only turned me on more. I didn't want this to end. 

“I can’t take it anymore,” I squealed with saliva escaping from the corner of my lips. 

“I'm almost done, my love," he growled as he gave me to go. 

His hand traveled to my clit to stimulate me even more than I already was. His powerful cock, his magic fingers and his lips kissing my naked body. I felt like I was in paradise itself. I was so happy I couldn't hold it in any longer. I grabbed his arm tightly until I squirted. I moaned in satisfaction as I felt his hot cum invade my body. Sukuna grunted in satisfaction before lying back on the bed without letting go of my embrace. Our sweaty bodies melted into a sticky embrace as our tired sighs intertwined. 

“You drive me crazy, you know that?” Sukuna whispered to me before pulling his cock out of me and placing me gently next to him. 

“Don't blame me,” I joked. “You were already crazy before you met me.” Sukuna laughed and kissed my forehead. 

“In that case, you're driving me nuts," he teased. We both laughed as we hugged each other. I closed my eyes as I melted into his body. This is where I wanted to be. Sweaty, tired and always next to him. 

Tag list: @maskedpacific @thepurpleempath @mazzd4 @charlie-xo @s0uldarling @sunako-0120 @berranurates @00frenchfries00 @crownedgemini @alialucille @azuremyst99 @dorck26 @esposadomd

Masterlist.

[richincolor]

We have eight books on our radar this week! Which ones will you be checking out?

Celestial Banquet by Roselle Lim Sweet July Books

Once every generation, the Major Gods hold a Celestial Banquet, inviting chefs from all over the Continent to prepare mouthwatering fantastical feasts. The winner is awarded the fabled Peaches of Immortality, along with a lifetime of fame and fortune. The losers perish per the whims of the fickle gods.

Hot-headed noodle chef Cai enters the competition with dreams of owning her own restaurant and supporting her impoverished Peninsula town. Along with the drunken Minor God Kama, her childhood crush-turned-friend Bo, and dreamy noble Seon, Cai must now compete against the Continent’s finest culinary masters in trials that range from hunting and serving up mystical sea serpents to preparing a magical omurice from the eggs of the legendary Jian bird.

Battling impossible odds and inconvenient feelings for both Bo and Seon, Cai is determined to prepare a feast fit for the gods―even if she loses her life. Set in a spectacular world inspired by Chinese and Southeast Asian folklore, Celestial Banquet is an ode to food, home, and family, wrapped in an epic and thrilling adventure.

Dan in Green Gables: A Graphic Novel by Rey Terciero and Claudia Aguirre Penguin Workshop

Despite a life on the road with his free-spirited mother, fifteen-year-old Dan Stewart-Álvarez has always wanted to settle down. He just didn’t think it’d be like this: with his mother abandoning him in rural Tennessee with two strangers—his gentle grandmother and conservative, rough-around-the-edges grandfather. Here, he is forced to adjust to working the farm, entering high school, and hardest yet—reckoning with his queerness in a severe Southern Baptist community.

But even as Dan grows closer to his mawmaw, befriends fellow outsiders at school, and tries to make a new life for himself in Green Gables, he has to discover whether he can contend with intolerance and adapt to change without losing himself in the process.

From award-winning author Rey Terciero and Eisner Award nominee and illustrator Claudia Aguirre comes a new retelling of Anne of Green Gables about unconventional families, queer identity, and finding the meaning of home in the most unlikely of places.

A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim Knopf Books for Young Readers

Truyan Saigas didn’t choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father’s disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King’s inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms. . . .

The Haunted Blizzard by Aviaq Johnston Inhabit Media

A teenage girl walks home in a burgeoning blizzard, happy to have an unexpected snow day. Ignoring an Elder’s warning about the terror the blizzard holds, she finds herself alone in her home with an unseen presence stalking and tormenting her. What does it want? And will she survive?

I'll Pretend You're Mine by Tashie Bhuiyan HarperCollins

Summer Ali has been making a name for herself in the music industry for years, slowly but surely climbing the charts—but the world doesn’t know her stage parents are the ones who molded her entire public persona. Finally eighteen, Summer breaks free of their control and focuses on creating her own path.

Upon running into writer’s block, Summer grows eager to take any opportunity to shake things up—even if it means agreeing to a PR stunt with child-actor-turned-playboy, Jules Moradi, famous for his tabloid escapades.

At first, Jules keeps his distance, maintaining professional boundaries. But as time passes, his walls come down, and Summer uncovers who he is beyond his reputation, and it’s someone more like her than she ever realized. As the lines blur between fake and real, Summer begins questioning who she is and what she wants—and if her dreams are worth sacrificing her heart.

Never Thought I'd End Up Here by Ann Liang Scholastic

Leah Zhang has just ruined her cousin's wedding. She didn't mean to wish the bride a depressing marriage and poor health, but she's forgotten most of her Mandarin. Her parents stage an intervention: Leah will be sent on a travel program across China's most beautiful cities. To them, it’s the perfect opportunity for Leah to get back to her roots. To Leah, it’s simply a much-needed escape.

But before Leah can even begin to enjoy the luxurious hotels, stunning scenery, and mouth-watering cuisine, she finds that also on the trip is cynical, sarcastic Cyrus Sui, who’s somehow only gotten more annoyingly handsome since the day he told a lie that ruined her life.

While Leah might be tempted to shove him off the peak of the Yellow Mountain when nobody’s looking, she can’t get rid of him just yet. After all, she might never get another chance to get revenge.

Yet the deeper they wander into China’s provinces, the deeper Leah finds herself falling in love ― with the boy she once thought she despised, the home she never thought she’d call her own, and the parts of herself she thought were already lost.

Under the Neon Lights by Arriel Vinson G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Sixteen-year-old Jaelyn Coleman lives for Saturdays at WestSide Roll, the iconic neighborhood roller rink. On these magical nights, Jae can lose herself in the music of DJ Sunny, the smell of nachos from the concession, and the crowd of some of her favorite people—old heads, dance crews, and other regulars like herself. Here, Jae and other Black teens can fully be themselves.

One Saturday, as Jae skates away her worries, she crashes into the cutest boy she’s ever seen. Trey’s dimples, rich brown skin, and warm smile make it impossible for her to be mad at him though. Best of all, he can’t stop finding excuses to be around her. A nice change for once, in contrast with her best friend’s cold distance of late or her estranged father creeping back into her life.

Just as Jae thinks her summer might change for the better, devastating news hits: Westside Roll is shutting down. The gentrification rapidly taking over her predominantly Black Indianapolis neighborhood, filling it with luxury apartments and fancy boutiques, has come for her safe-haven. And this is just one trouble Jae can’t skate away from.

Debut author Arriel Vinson’s lyrical and contemplative story of young Black love and coming of age in Indianapolis ushers in an exciting new voice in YA literature.

Your Final Moments by Jay Coles Scholastic

Hakeem goes to Narcotics Anonymous meetings to keep his addictions in check. But when his best friend Miles kills himself, Hakeem finds the days harder and harder to get through. He loved Miles -- maybe even loved loved him -- and he's haunted by the fact that there might have been something he could have done to ease his friend's pain. He meets a girl named Eliza in his NA meetings, and she is there for him when something truly out-there happens... Hakeem calls Miles's old phone number. And Miles not only calls back from beyond the grave, but has news to share: He didn’t kill himself. He was murdered.

Finding out the truth about Miles might end up helping Hakeem find his way to his own truth... and further strength to stay alive himself. But as his relationship with Eliza grows, other cracks begin to show... and holding his world together may be even harder than he thought it would be.

[talonabraxas]

Blessed Litha (Lee-tha) and Summer Solstice.

Helios - Litha Talon Abraxas

Discover the meaning of Litha, the Wiccan sabbat that honors the summer solstice. Explore rituals, magical crafts, traditional foods, and ways to celebrate the longest day of the year with intention and sunlit joy.

The Origins and Meaning of Litha

Litha (pronounced Lee-tha or sometimes Lit-ah, depending on tradition) marks the summer solstice — the longest day and shortest night of the year. It falls around June 20 and 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky.

For Wiccans and many modern pagans, Litha is the solar climax of the Wheel of the Year — a fiery, golden celebration of growth, joy, abundance and light. It’s a time to revel in nature’s bounty, to celebrate all that has blossomed since spring, and to honor the turning point as the days now begin, slowly, to shorten.

It follows Beltane, the fiery celebration of fertility and union, and comes before Lughnasadh (or Lammas), the first harvest festival. While Imbolc and Ostara sparked the light, and Beltane ignited passion, Litha is the sun in full blaze — a moment to honor life at its fullest, just before the wheel turns toward the waning half of the year. Like Mabon and Yule, its power lies in transition — and in the magic of balance shifting.

As such, Litha invites reflection as well as revelry — a pause in the sunlight to take stock of what you’ve grown, and where you’re headed.

Historically, midsummer festivals were marked with bonfires, dancing, and rituals to protect crops, cattle and communities. In Norse tradition, blazing wheels were rolled down hills to mimic the sun’s path. In ancient Rome, festivals for Juno and Vesta aligned with the solstice, while in Slavic countries, it was a time of fertility rites and water magic.

Every culture that watched the sun’s rise knew this moment mattered. And it still does.

Myths and Folklore of Midsummer Magic

Long before clocks and calendars, our ancestors watched the skies. They knew when the sun lingered a little longer, when shadows shrank and golden light stretched into the evening. And on that brightest day, they told stories — of gods who set the sky ablaze, of faeries who danced through ferns, of fires lit to keep chaos at bay.

One of the most enduring myths of the solstice is that epic battle between the Oak King and the Holly King — twin aspects of the Horned God. At Yule, the Oak King is born, gaining strength as the days lengthen. At Litha, he reaches his peak — and then falls in ritual battle to the Holly King, who rules the waning year. It’s a beautiful allegory of the natural cycle: Even at the height of power, change is inevitable. Even in light, shadow waits.

Elsewhere, the solstice shines with the brilliance of deities:

Lugh, the Celtic god of the sun and many skills, whose name means “Light.” Though more often honored at Lughnasadh, his energy pulses through Litha’s creative fire.

Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess, who once hid herself away in a cave, plunging the world into darkness — until the laughter of the gods lured her out, restoring light.

Ra, the Egyptian sun god, who sails across the sky each day in his solar barque, battling the chaos serpent Apep each night to rise again.

Apollo, golden-haired and lyre-strumming, who, in some tellings, carries the sun in his chariot, and lights the world with prophecy, music and flame.

And then there are the tales of midsummer Fae — the Good Folk who slip more easily between worlds on nights like these. In Celtic and Germanic folklore, Midsummer’s Eve was a time of enchantment, when doors opened between realms. People wove flower crowns to protect themselves, gathered St. John’s wort to banish spirits, and placed iron charms at thresholds to keep mischief out. But some sought the fairies, laying out milk and honey and dancing under the moon in hopes of catching a glimpse of their revels.

Even Shakespeare knew the magic of this night. A Midsummer Night’s Dream — with its mix of love, trickery and wild enchantment — captures the sense that on this night, anything might happen.

So if the air feels thick with possibility… if a shadow in the trees lingers longer than it should… you’re not imagining it. Midsummer is a time of stories — and you’re living in one.

Traditions of Litha

Litha traditions shimmer with light: fire, flowers, golden feasts, and the joy of long, lingering days. At the heart of it all is a sense of celebration: The Earth is alive, generous and radiant. And you’re invited to join the dance.

Across centuries and cultures, solstice traditions share one common thread: light triumphing over darkness, even if only for a moment. People built bonfires to mimic the sun, leapt through flames for luck and fertility, and crafted garlands and charms to honor nature in full bloom.

Here are some of the most common — and magical — ways to honor Litha:

Sunrise and Sunset Vigils

Start your celebration with intention: Rise with the sun, and greet it as it crests the horizon. Some Wiccans stay up through the night to watch it rise; others pause at noon to feel the day’s full power. As the sun sets, light candles or a small fire to carry the energy into the evening.

Bonfires and Solar Flames

Traditionally, solstice fires were lit on hilltops to honor the sun and strengthen crops. Today, lighting a candle, firepit or even a flame in your heart can serve the same purpose — a symbol of your inner fire and the light you carry forward.

Floral Crowns and Herb Bundles

Wear the season on your head — quite literally — by weaving flower crowns from midsummer blooms: sunflowers, daisies, chamomile, roses. Bundle herbs like St. John’s wort, rosemary and lavender for protection and clarity. Hang them by your door or burn them as offerings.

Rolling Sun Wheels

In some traditions, wooden wheels were set ablaze and rolled down hills to represent the sun’s journey. You don’t need to torch your garden cart, but making a sun wheel from grapevine or craft supplies and hanging it on your door brings the symbolism home.