#the seven underground kings

[witchesoz]

Volkov lore: Wood soldiers and Ore-Diggers

Volkov published his « The Wizard of Emerald City” in 1939. He published its sequel, “Urfin Jus and his Wooden Soldiers” in 1963. It is a… major reinvention, let's say that, of “The Marvelous Land of Oz”.

The story speaks of Urfin Jus (basically a mix of Jinjur, Ugu the Shoemaker and a few other minor Oz villains). Urfin Jus is a Munchkin living in Blue Land, however Urfin absolutely hates the other Munchkins. He is taller than them, he did a conscious effort to stop his jaw from munching constantly so as to differentiate him, and he does not wear the traditional blue but rather brown. He also is a grumpy, sly, selfish man – so much that he actually willingly became a servant and assistant of Gingema, the Wicked Witch of the East. After her death, crushed by Ellie’s trailer-house, he explores her cave and takes from it several magical items that can be useful. One turns out to be… the Powder of Life.

Urfin Jus, in his every-day life is a joiner. It isn’t much to ruin and harass the so-hated Munchkins, but he manages – notably by crafting dolls that have scary faces so as to terrify Munchkin children. When he discovers that the Powder of Life can animate objects, he creates a wicked plan: he crafts an entire army of wooden soldiers he brings to life with the Powder and has them marching on the Emerald City to become king of the Magic Land. At first, the heroes of the city (Faramant Guardian of the Gates, Din Gior the long-bearded soldier, the Iron Woodman and Strasheela the Wise, new ruler of the City) defend it very well – but they have a traitor among their ranks, a man named Ruf Bilan who allies himself with Urfin Jus and lets his army inside. The heroes now captive ask a good friend of them, a crow named Kaggi-Karr, to go to Kansas and ask Ellie to come rescue them.

Ellie thus begins a travel to Magic Land with her dog Totoshka and her uncle Charlie Black, a one-legged sailor (and an equivalent of Baum’s Captain Bill). After all sorts of adventures underground (since they cannot reach Magic Land on the surface, because of the desert and the mountains), the trio reaches Magic Land, free the captured heroes, defeat the wooden army, and send Urfin Jus in exile. Then Ellie is brought back home again, and everything is fine.

Some interesting facts and points in this book:

# Urfin Jus uses his knowledge of making dolls with horrifying face well by creating his soldiers – he creates them with horrifying faces that scare their enemies. However, said wooden soldiers are at first mocked by other people because they are entirely naked, and Urfin Jus has to paint clothes on them.

# Urfin isn’t alone in his plan: in the beginning of the novel, one of the Great Horned Owls (the pets of Gingema) joins Urfin and guides him in his wicked deeds. The Owl’s name is Guamokolatokint, and he dislikes it when Urfin uses “Guam” as a name – ultimately they agree on using Guamoko, though the Owl is unsatisfied with his name being cut short. Guamoko is noted to be a very old Owl, and his wisdom is essential – while Urfin Jus is a determined and inventive man, he lacks the foresight of the Owl. In the end, when Urfin Jus is defeated, Guamoko abandons him and remakes a life for himself as a ruler of the Magic Land birds.

# The courtiers of the Emerald City are shown to actually be vain, lazy people who enjoy a bit too much their wealth, spending their days chatting and having fun, only pretending to take care and be busy with state matters. But despite that, they still stay faithful to Strasheela, refusing to swear allegiance to Urfin Jus and openly expressing their disdain and disgust with those among them that become servants of the invader. There is also a funny moment, after Urfin Jus conquered the Emerald City – in his megalomania, he gives himself an almost never-ending list of titles, which he is forced to cut short when he realizes that his new ministers are unable to repeat them properly.

# There are several hooks and hints for the book that would come next: Ellie and co travel underground to reach Magic Land, in the process spot a marvelous city, and when Urfin Jus is defeated the traitor Ruf Bilan runs away and hides underground.

# About Uncle Charlie Black – he actually just returned to Kansas after years of absence. This great traveler had been captured by a tribe of cannibals, and Ellie’s family (the Smith) assumed he had been devoured. As it turns out, Charlie Black became friend with the cannibals, who were very nice people (at least when he proved them he was more useful living than in a stew). They accepted him into his tribe, and even later helped him go back home.

# Urfin Jus has another companion called Topotun, a bear rug he accidentally animated when he first got hold of the Powder of Life. Topotun is actually a kind and sweet thing, and acts as the “good influence” at Urfin Jus side. Too bad the rest of his counsellors are just as evil: a creepy wicked puppet and the cruel former pet of a wicked witch. In fact, Volkov introduces a nice idea: the Powder of Life gives the creatures it animates a personality depending on their appearance. The creatures that look scary or horrifying will become evil, cruel or wicked, while the creatures that look beautiful, cute, kind or sweet will become good and benevolent.

# The heroes ask Urfin Jus to think about his evil deeds during his exile, in hope that he will realize that all he tried during the novel did not brought him an ounce of happiness: he worked extremely hard to build an entire army, but that was entirely stupid and difficult to control ; his so-called allies disliked him and abandoned him at the mere sight of defeat ; the hard and difficult siege of the Emerald City only resulted in him ruling over a population that hated him and refused to obey him, making him a very paranoid king, and ultimately he was dethroned in a very humiliating way by the rightful rulers… Contrary to the Wicked Witches, who were inhuman beings whose cruelty knew no limit, they hoped that Urfin Jus, being a man, would understand how evil leads to no happiness. SPOILERS: He doesn’t, but after two other wicked plans failing miserably, he will finally understood how being wicked is not for him and abandon all evilness.

# Strasheela is noted to be, just like the Scarecrow of Baum, bored out of its wits when ruling the Emerald City. Note that, contrary to the Scarecrow, he does not abandon his job and continues to rule – he just dislikes ruling when everything is peaceful and joyful because he has nothing to do. In fact, this is why later Stella the Witch of the South offers him a "magic television", the equivalent of Baum's Magic Picture, so he might entertain himself by looking at what happens in the world.

# Some people have noted that Urfin Jus looks a lot like Severus Snape. A grumpy and sour cynic, with an inventive and resourceful mind, preferring to be alone and dressing in dark clothes, with bushy eyebrows and a hooked nose, hugely popular in the fandom and despite being very unpleasant not truly evil…

“The Seven Underground Kings” is the third Magic Land book, released in 1964. Just like how “Urfin Jus and his Wooden Soldiers” was inspired by “The Marvelous Land of Oz”, this one was inspired by “Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz”, Baum’s tale of an underground travel.

In Volkov’s book, we follow what happened to the treacherous Ruf Bilan, who at the end of the last book ran away underground. He arrived in Underground Land, an entire city and land located… well underground. This country has a peculiar government system, where seven kings take the crown in turn. Basically, each king rules for a month, while the six others are put to sleep by the Soporific Waters of the Sacred Spring. However Ruf Bilan wrecks it all by destroyed the Sacred Spring, and depriving Underground Land of its Soporific Waters. Resulting in the seven kings being awake at the same time… and the beginning of a big political fight between them. Hopefully, at the same time Ellie arrives with her cousin, a boy named Alfred. They were exploring a cavern in Iowa and got lost, ending up in Underground Land. The seven kings believe Ellie to be a fairy and ask her to restore the Soporific Waters, but she cannot do it – however she sends Totoshka to Magic Land with a letter. Her good friends immediately send a team of Winkies (led by a Winkie craftsman named Lestar) and they manage to create a pump that takes the Soporific Waters out of the depths of the Earth. However this water is very concentrated – the heroes put all the seven kings to sleep at once, and when they finally wake up, the water ended up erasing all of their memories. The seven kings become commoners, the heroes suggest and encourage the Underground citizen to go back to the surface and resettle, rebuilding a new nation, and finally Ellie, Alfred and Totoshka return home on the back of a dragon named Oyho.

However, before everything ends, Ramine, the Queen of the Field Mice, appears to Ellie – and reveals that she is actually a fairy! Yep, there are fairy mice. And Ramina makes a sad prophecy to Ellie: she will never see her friends from Magic Land again.

Yep, Volkov seemingly wanted this book to be the end of the Magic Land tales.

But, just like Baum, the series would not die…

Other informations of interest about this book:

# Each of the seven kings of the Underground City actually corresponds to one of the seven colors of the rainbow, and their palace is the Rainbow Palace – which was built as a reminder of the rainbow underground-dwellers will now never seen again (yes, because originally they lived above ground).

# There is a recurring joke about the two Underground doctors constantly fighting and arguing with each other. At the beginning of the book, the two doctors, Boril and Robil, are shown fighting as the Underground Land is formed… and in the “present” of the book, centuries later, two doctors named Boril and Robil also fight. This is actually explained by the fact the latter duo are the descendants of the former: the job of doctor is hereditary, and visibly their names are also passed from father to son. The fight of the two doctors is actually based on the effects of the Soporific Waters: do they kill someone or not? Because you see, the sleep of the Waters is so deep the person stops breathing and the heart stops beating, so doctor Boril claims that the persons are dead. But Robil objects that there is no rigor mortis, and the bodies are still warm.

# Ellie’s cousin is named Fred Cunning – and true to his name, he is a clever boy who will grow up to become an engineer.

# The book actually reveals the history and origins of Magic Land. Long ago, before official history was even recorded, a powerful wizard named Hurricap lived in the land that is known today as America. He was the mightiest wizard existing, and was eager to give people what they wished for: he gave them an invulnerability to the claws of the beasts ; a great speed to go faster than stags ; a bow that never missed its targets… But after many years of granting people’s request, Hurricap became tired and went into reclusion to never be bothered again. He wandered the world and found out what would later become Magic Land – and he surrounded it with high mountains and a great desert so that people would never find it. He also declared that it would forever be summer in Magic Land, and that it would be so magical all animals will be able to talk. All that done he prepares to begins his retirement and rest – until a magpie warns that he isn’t exactly alone and that there is already an awful lot of people living here. “Why didn’t I saw them?” the Wizard cries. The magpie simply answers that he is a bit too tall, and them a bit too small: indeed Hurricap isn’t just a wizard, he is a giant wizard whose head reaches the top of the tallest trees, and on top of that his old age weakened a lot his sight (plus, as the narration jokingly precises, eyeglasses did not exist back then). Dissatisfied, Hurricap said he wasn’t going to take back all the magic he gave to the land, because it would be too much work, but he left the land to the people and he built himself a splendid palace in the mountains nearby – forbidding any dweller of the land to ever go near him. The rule was respected for many years, until centuries later the wizard died and his palace crumbled to ruins, but even then the Magic Landers refused to go near the place. And thus, slowly the memory of Hurricap was lost, and people believed that their land has always been magical and cut-off from the rest of the world…

# Afterward, several states and kingdoms formed themselves in Magic Land, and they started fighting against each other. A thousand years before the present, in the West of Magic Land, there was a kingdom ruled by a man named Naranya. He ruled for such a long time his son, Prince Bofaro, grew tired of waiting and plotted to overthrow his father with several thousand supporters – but his conspiracy was discovered. The old king decided to inflict upon his treacherous son and his allies the fate they intended for him (imprisonment for life): he banished them to the Cavern, a gigantic underground cavern filled with strange beasts under their kingdom, and declared that their descendants would never be allowed to return to the surface. All the king allowed to give them were tools for farming and weapons to defend themselves against the Cavern’s beasts. They discovered the Cavern was an entire underground land, with a lake and everything, and where autumn was eternal: trees and bushes crimson, rose and orange ; yellow grass… The only light was created by golden-ish clouds hanging under the roof of the cavern. As for the beasts of the Underground realm, the new dwellers did not worry much: the beasts kept fighting each other. You had the Sixpaws, hideous creatures with six limbs and dirty shaggy fur, and the dragons (described as giant crocodiles with leathery wings) – the dragons kept attacking the Sixpaws because they devour the eggs the dragons bury under the earth, while the Sixpaws keep attacking the dragons because they devour the Sixpaws young whenever they can, resulting them not caring much for the new inhabitants.

# As years passed by, they grew fields using the rare rainfalls that came from the golden clouds. They captured dragons and sixpaws young, that they tamed and trained to become docile working beasts… the people of the Underground became known as the Ore-Diggers, because they spent most of their time digging for gold and precious metals. However, trouble came because of the court created by their ambitious king Bofaro: a bunch of idle courtiers and servants that kept growing larger and larger each day, eating away most of the kingdom’s riches. Eventually they had to come back to the surface – and started trading with the Blue Land of the East, offering copper, bronze, iron, glass and gems in exchange of grain, eggs, vegetables, butter and fruits (note that the Ore-Diggers could only come out at night, given that their eyes were unaccustomed to the bright sun light, resulting in “night markets”).

# Bofaro had seven sons he loved deeply, so much he couldn’t manage to designate one his heir, and after seventeen different wills, he decided to name all seven his heirs, forcing them to rule one month each. But as soon as Bofaro died, the brothers began quarreling, each wanting to rule first: the tall Prince Vagissa wanted succession by height, the fat prince Gramento by weight, the strong Tubago by strength, etc… After a good physical brawl they divided the land, city and palace between themselves, each choosing a different color of the rainbow to identify their belongings. But quickly things went sour: the country had no fixed laws since they changed every month, each king got a squad of dragon-riding guards to protect themselves against eventual attacks of their brothers, each king tried to invent remarkable and new customs to differentiate himself from his brothers, resulting in official greetings of the king changing each month, and each month people had to change their clothes…

I won’t tell you the full history, Volkov spends an awful time detailing the past of the Underground Land, but basically the Ore-Diggers physiology changed a lot throughout the centuries (becoming paler, leaner and getting wider eyes each century), and the excesses of the seven kings grew worse and worse, until they found the Soporific Waters of the Sacred Spring and used it to put to sleep six of the seven courts, resulting in a balanced and sustainable lifestyle. Though the trouble was that after six months of sleep, the wakers had no tiredness at all and did not need to sleep for the entire month of their rule – plus the enchanted sleep magically extended their lifespan, since they did not aged or evolved during their slumbering. And also, the Ore-Diggers became more and more unaccustomed to the real light, and more and more suspicious of the people of the surface, until they ended up cutting all ties with them.

# Now, to return to Magic Land proper, Volkov also reveals to us more about the witches. Three hundred years and four months after the Soporific Water was discovered, four sorceresses lived at the four corners of what is known today as America: two good witches, Villina and Stella, and two wicked witches, Gingema and Bastinda (sisters, but quarreling so much they did not want to see each other). However, as time went by the settlement of humans grew closer and closer to the dwelling of the witches, and they decided to leave America – the four witches (also called “fairies” in the book, because visibly witch/fairy is the same thing) consulted their magic books, found out about Magic Land went there – all at the same time. Resulting in the four of them meeting face to face in Magic Land: Gingema, wizened because of all her wickedness ; the one-eyed Bastinda always with her black umbrella (a magic umbrella that carries her around like a wizard would use a magic carpet) ; Stella who has the secret of ever-lasting youth ; and the white-haired Villina who is the only one of the four Witches able to change her magic book’s size to transport it easily. Gingema and Bastinda refused to share the country, despite Stella’s offer to each have their own part of Magic Land, so Villina offered to have a battle between them – but Gingema and Bastinda realized that Villina’s magic book was much more powerful than theirs, and so that they would be easily defeated. So they decided peacefully to split the country between themselves; Gingema received the Blue Land, Stella the Rose Land, Villina the Yellow Land and Bastinda the Violet Land, and they all decided that the central area would be serve as a “buffer” between them, and that none of them would rule it.

At the time, the Magic Landers had overthrown their tyrants and kings, tired of their constant fighting, and changed the weapons into farming tools to live peacefully. The tribe who traded with the Ore-Diggers in the Blue Land were gone for long, and had been replaced with the small-sized and jaw-moving Munchkins – Gingema appeared to them, declared herself their ruler, and proved them her power by conjuring storms and tornadoes. She said she would leave them live their life peacefully, if only they would pay her a tribute in mice, frogs, leeches and spiders for her to eat. The Munchkins still kept trade with the Ore-Diggers, and there was still a Night Market, for they needed metal, but the Ore-Diggers were so unaccustomed to light and suspicious of people that they now never traded directly with them, and only appeared in the deepest darkness, where the Munchkins could not see.

Bastinda conquered the peaceful and hard-working Winkies: she made them build a castle for her, took a few Winkies as her servants, and hid herself inside the castle, never leaving it for the duration of her rule. The Good Witches also became rulers of their lands, but did not oppress their people, instead helped them in all the ways they could and improved their life.

# We also get to hear a bit more about James Goodwin, the man from Kansas. He was a “loser”, not because he was lazy or stupid but merely because he had such a bad luck everything he tried failed. He finally had success when he bought a hot air balloon and was paid by people to let them travel in it – but one day Goodwin was swept away by a tornado to the center part of Magic Land. There, the people believed him to be a wizard. He had them build him a city (they traded a lot with the Ore-Diggers, who gave them a lot of emeralds), secluded himself in it and spread the rumor has the most powerful wizard in the world. He only made one mistake: he became greedy and tried to invade Bastinda land, only for his army to be attacked by the Winged Monkeys. Goodwin himself nearly got captured by managed to make an escape.

[In fact, in the books I described, James is asked if he wants to return to Oz to help the heroes. And he flats out answers no - that he had enough of magic and would never return to Magic Land for anything in his life.]

# Actually I was wrong here – visibly the Powder of Life was not in Gingema’s cave. This book explains that a storm brought unknown seeds to Urfin’s garden. No matter how much he took the plants away they would grow twice as big and lively, so he ended up pulling them by the roots, cutting them into pieces and drying them out – resulting by accident in the brown powder of life.

- - - - -

You know how Russian novels are know to be extremely long, descriptive and complex? Well you clearly see those books are Russian. Volkov, contrary to Baum, wanted to create one expansive but logical and continuous world, avoiding the erratic world-making of Baum. The trouble however is that it results in entire chapters of backstory, exposition and historical justifications of everything... quite hard to sum it up as a result. But it is also very interesting, because it gives us a glimpse of what Oz could have looked like if Baum had made the effort of actually explaing in details a lot of his unexplained plot points.

[beyondthespheres]

The brown coloring represents the subterraneans ruled by the seven underground kings. Illustrations by Leonid Wladimirski for Alexander Wolkow’s Семь подземных королей, 1964, a free adaption based loosely on the Wizard of Oz books by L. Frank Baum.  

[temiizpalace]

☆┊I SWEAR I ONLY FELL FOR YOU ON ACCIDENT..

SUMMARY: he never meant to develop feelings for you, and seven are these overwhelming feelings doing things to him.

CHARACTERS: leona, jade, jamil

GENRE: fluff

WARNINGS: cursing, CRINGE, spoilers for book 3!!!

ROMANTIC, PINING

NOTES: (kind of) based off this song + flustering boys who pretend to not be flustered ever + lyrics in fic not in order

reader is g/n, reader is yuu

🦁┊LEONA KINGSCHOLAR

“one time you crossed my mind and i promised id be careful”

he would have never expect his feelings to be like this after your first encounter.

the hostility he held towards you, he should’ve warded you away. yet you kept coming back. talking to him all buddy buddy.. it was admirable from the eyes of others. if he would’ve known better he would think you saw him as a large house cat (you do). well guess what, he ain’t.

at the start, he thought of you as nothing but a huge nuisance and thorn in his side in this already bothersome school. but after seeing your courageous news during azul’s overblot, he’s got a newfound respect for ya.

everything was fine from then. you’d bother him occasionally, and he’d allow you to bask in his presence. what? did you expect something else? well you’re wrong. but these moments have kickstarted some brand new fantasies for our beloved prince to indulge in.

it started off normally, he’s napping peacefully as you read a book next to him, giving him an occasional glance or two before focusing on the piece of literature in your hands. as we know, dreams can range in a wide variety of things. some can be absolutely blissful, some are really random, and others are just straight up nightmares!!

now, leona had no idea where to classify this one.

he walks into his room after finishing some duties concerning the kingdoms wellbeing.. being king is no easy task. “back already? that was quick.” your voice rang in his ears as he tossed the choking royal garbs to the side, making way to curl up in your lap. “can’t stand these people..” he murmured into your stomach, making you smile. you play with his hair, making an occasional braid or two before pausing. “hmph, why’d ya stop?” you lift his chin, looking him in the eyes. “i’m helping you de-stress.” suddenly, he feels pulled closer to your face, your lips barely ghosting each other til finally—

leona sits up quickly in a sweat, startling you as he emerged from the ground. what the fuuuucckkkk was that????? “ah, leona? are you okay?” you ask, concerned as to how quick he was to wake up. usually it’d take 10 minutes to get him out of a daze! “fine.” he grunts, getting up and walking towards the mirror hall.

“uhh, where ya going?” no response. he seemed grumpy, but you had no idea why. did you do something? nahhh, probably just typical leona. ..right?

you’ve noticed he’s been avoiding you a lot more lately. he will not respond when you say hi to him in the halls, will just up and leave if you see him in the botanical gardens, and will walk in the opposite direction of you just so you don’t have to cross paths.

now you’re concerned. was he mad at you? to put it simply, yes and no. yes because why are you occurring in his dreams???? are you crazy???? smh. get out. he’s the one dreaming but ok

yet no because, he’s no fool. he knows when he’s in love and unfortunately for him, this is love. you don’t understand how much he’s tossing and turning in his room because literally every gap in his head is filled up with thoughts of you, how much this aggravates him because he can’t get adequate amounts of sleep anymore. your fault!!!

he wanted to avoid you like the plague for at least a month to let these feelings wash over, but to no avail. someone just kill him and bury the body he’s hopeless. he cannot wait to be found six feet underground because feeling like this for a magicless human was the last thing he wanted.

that’s it, he’s never gonna tell ya. ever. just him and his thoughts. yep. mhm. yeah.. you’d look really nice in formal attire—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

he wants to scream but the best he can do is make a cringing face. how the hell do you make him so sappy??? this love stuff stinks… how could you do this to him?

🐬┊JADE LEECH

“one spark, you jump my heart and i feel it beating faster. yeah, it’s too late, im not ashamed.”

ah, love. something jade believed he’d never experience.

from the moment his eyes met yours, he’s always felt a twisting feeling in his chest. how peculiar.. to be fair, from afar you were quite bland to him. just another pawn and source of intel.

but then word began to get out you stopped two overblots, catching his interest. really? a magicless human? now he’s just dying to meet you.. and thank the seven he did. you had him the moment you spoke, your voice causing his heartbeat to speed up rapidly.

after azul’s overblot, though? jade is nothing but head over heels for you. without shame. he’s practically glued to your side, walking you to and from classes almost every day without fail, somehow always being your waiter whenever you ate at the mostro lounge, always having a hand on your back or shoulder.. huh.

it’s clear to anyone with half a brain that the leech twin definitely saw you more than merchandise, making them even more afraid to speak with you! whenever you were jade was like 2 feet behind.

only recently have you started to notice this. so, you’ll do what any normal person would do. ask him about it!

“hey, jade.” the eel-mer looks at you, an eyebrow raised with a polite smile. “is something the matter, prefect?” he asks, his demeanor the same as ever. “just wondering, but why’re you always around me? im not annoyed or anything! just.. just curious.” you stated quite bluntly, catching the boy off guard.

you could’ve sworn you saw him freeze with eyes wide, but the ability he has to rebuild his facade was impeccable. he pretends to think about it holding his chin before chuckling. “i suppose.. i just enjoy your company.” he smiles as you suddenly feel like an arrow was shot riiigghhttt through your heart.

“haha, really?” you laugh nervously, feeling the heat in your face flush to your cheeks as he stared you down with glee. before jade was able to respond, he was cut off by the sudden sincerity in your voice. “i enjoy your company too, jade.” you smile back at him, a sudden awkward silence falling before you.

“a-anyway, this is my class! gotta go! bye!” running inside the classroom, you try to hide the very obvious warmth in your face with your hands. THAT WAS SO CRINGE. IM FUCKED IM FUCKED IM FUCKED IM FUCKED. AAAGAGAGBABABAHAHAHAHAHA

this moment is going to haunt you for the rest of your life, you just know it. while you were dealing with the repercussions of the exchange, jade was in absolute heaven right now. his heartbeat was at an all time high, feeling nothing but sheer joy. falling for you was never his intention, but thank the seven he did.

the day passes by swiftly, nothing too out of the ordinary. as jade walks back to his dorm room, he flops onto his mattress face first into the pillows. an annoyed floyd looks at him with a disgusted expression, wishing this didn’t happen almost every day.

“yer so sappy, yknow that jade?” he grumbles, tossing a pillow at him with force. jade didnt care. it was worth it. all of it was worth it. falling in love with you was the best accident he’s ever made.

🐍┊JAMIL VIPER

“i’ll never see it coming but i know we’ll crash, cause when we’re with each other, yeah, we move too fast.”

kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill hi

those were the thoughts racing through jamil’s mind as you somehow convinced him to ride the magic carpet with you. what was he thinking??? he knows something is going to go terribly wrong whenever he’s with you.

not because of you (he hopes), but because of him! he’s a man who’s very meticulous about his work, making sure it’s done to absolute perfection. now, add you into the mix. it throws him horribly off.

when jamil first met you, he didn’t think much of it. you were a magicless human from another world. impressive that may be, that’s all you are. no major threat to kalim, so he’ll leave you be. then came the overblots.. you seemed more valuable than he originally thought.

then came his overblot. in all honesty, he hated you after that. or he thought he did. he always felt this burning sensation in his chest and this inexplainable image of you in his head nagging at him at any free chance he got! then came the scenarios.. domestic moments like brushing his hair, waking up next to each other, cooking meals for each other..

then he realized he fell into the deep end and fell in love with you. shit.

you treated him with such kindness! how didn’t he fall in love with you?? everything’s making his head hurt. the world must be upside down.

hearing kalim sing constant praise was nothing out of the ordinary, something he’s already grown used to and learned to despise. you on the other hand, your compliments send him to different universes. he swear fireworks get lit whenever you open your mouth and just explode all around him.

jamil’s behavior around you was a fairly noticeable difference to those close with him. he stuttered over his words, was a bit more expressive, and had a specific tone in his voice that seemed to be reserved for you. however, the most notable difference that almost anyone can see was the fact that THE jamil viper made a lot more accidents.

he seemed to embarrass himself every time he’s with you, but thank god you just shrug it off like nothing. screwing up was not something jamil EVER did before.. why must you ruin him like this? and these moments seem to just speed by, making it all seem like one huge fever dream that he just happens to remember. he hates it!

now, back to the present moment. he watches you sit onto the magic carpet, feeling the cold breeze in your hair due to the fact scarabia is much chillier during the night. he stares at you from the balcony, seeing as you turned back to smile at him. “you coming” you ask, watching him hesitate. “m-maybe i shouldn’t.. i must tend to kalim and—“

“do you trust me?” you ask, holding your hand out to him. he looks at you, taken aback by your sudden question. “what?” “do you trust me?” you repeat, a stern tone in your voice as you looked down at him with a certain gleam in your eyes that he just cannot resist. “..yes?”

jamil grabs your hand, pulling himself onto the carpet. the warmth from his palms spread throughout your entire body, suddenly regulating the your internal temperature. as you both kneeled on the carpet, your eyes met, staring into each other intensely. his hand subconsciously squeezes yours, holding to them for dear life, not wanting to let go.

while this was insanely romantic to you both, from outside perspective, it just looks like this 🧍‍♂️🧍

“ah, jamil, you’re squeezing my hand.” you laugh nervously, watching as the heat rises to his cheeks. “s-sorry. now then, shall we?” he clears his throat, sitting down properly before looking at you with a small smile. you can’t help but reciprocate, flashing him a grin before taking his hand again. “of course.”

before the carpet can take off into the clouds, cheering can be heard from inside scarabia halls.

it seemed kalim had a little.. arrangement for the both of you. jamil pulls his hood over his face in embarrassment as the carpet flies towards the glittering sky of stars, something both you and jamil can enjoy together.

A/N: jamil bias is EVIDENT (I kinda sorta didn’t go with the song that much and got carried away oopsies)

date published: 7/28/24

© temiizpalace — do not copy, steal, or put my work into ai. thank you!

[heartofjasmina]

🌸 Masterlist 🌸

♡ Writing Tag ♡

Favorites:

My Hero (BNHA)

Glorious (All Might x glory hole)

Gardening!AU (Pro Hero!Bakugou x gardener reader)

Gardening AU HCs

Gardening AU 3

Gardening AU 4

Pro Hero!Deku x superfan reader

Breeding Instincts (Multi character: Daichi, Kirishima, Deku, Bakugou, Iwaizumi)

Alpha Bakugou and Omega son

Katsuki praises you when you need it most

Spanking w/ Todoroki

Dom!Amajiki

Dom Amajiki 2

Mommy dom x Amajiki

Anal freak Deku

Anal freak Deku 2

Iida and perv little sis (incest tw)

Pro Hero!Deku x bitch reader at high school reunion

Fashion designer Bakugou

Bakugou x bitch reader fluff

Duke!Bakguou x virgin reader

Glassblower Bakugou

Dilf!Bakugou x Todoroki's daughter

Dilf!Bakugou x Todoroki's daughter pt 2

Deaf!Bakugou

Deaf!Bakugou 2

Deaf!Bakguou 3

Cuckold!Shoto

Shouto and Dabi x reader (incest tw)

Professional chef!Bakugou

Dom nerd!Izuku x seven minutes of heaven

Pirate King!Aizawa

Pirate King!Aizawa x Princess reader

Daddy Dom!Kirishima x tantrum throwing reader

Cookbook author!Bakugou

Kiribaku x reader

Bimbo girlfriend Denki

Bimbo Denki 2

Camgirl!Denki

Big Bro Gamer Denki

Daddy Dom Bakugou fluff 2

Iida x slut reader

Iida x bitch reader

Tokoyami x high protocol

DILF All Might

Proffessional Violinist Bakugou

Kirishima's breeder balls

Bakugou x sleepy gf

Bakugou x anxious reader

Underground fighter!Kirishima

Bakugou x crybaby reader

Kirishima x little reader subspace

Professional chef!Bakugou 2

ProHero!Bakugou x nightmares

Bakugou x bitch gf

Bakugou x bitch reader 2

Big Bro Izuku (incest tw)

Facefucking x Tokoyami

Daddy Dom Bakugou fluff

Bakugou x stoner bitch reader

Deku x bimbo reader (tutoring)

All Might and his fans

Bakugou and gf!reader at Megan Thee Stallion Concert

All Might x stepdaugther!reader (stepcest tw)

Kirishima x regressed reader

Pro hero!Shouji x reader

Tokoyami x corruption kink

Tokoyami x fucking machine on reader

Shigaraki x chubby reader

Haikyuu

Ushijima x bitch reader

Ushijima x loudmouth gf!reader

Ushijima x anal

Daddy Dom Ushijima

Giant!Ushijima 1

Giant!Ushijima 2

Giant Ushijima 3 (op)

Ushijima x bimbo reader

personal assistant!Iwaizumi x boss lady!reader

Dom!Daichi pays attention

Dom!Iwaizumi x inexperienced reader

Dom!reader x Ushijima

Dom!Ushijima x bitch little sister!reader (incest tw)

JJK

Nanami x babygirl reader

Big Bro Suguru

Sukuna and his desperate little sis

Blue Lock

Bimbo!reader x Isagi

Bachira x bimbo gf

Kuroko's Basketball (KNB)

Aomine x tutor!reader

Murasakibara x reader

[iicheeze]

Genshin SAGAU except Reader is a lore fanatic

cw: lore dump, archon quest spoilers, side quest spoilers, etc

“ guys did u know that the Sea Ganoderma is actually souls of children who died young trapped and is forced to spend generations absorbing elements from the sand and sea as the form of punishment?? ” “ what the fuck your grace. ” Tighnari muttered.

“yelan, i know where u got ur jacket. ” “ o- oh, really, Your Grace? ” Yelan stuttered, sweat dropping. “ Yeah, i know u stole it from a Fatui Harbinger that was supposed to be a gift for the Tsaritsa and made some 'adjustments' to make it fit your style. ” you stated with a smirk, while yelan tries to hold in her cries because you rlly are a Divine Being, knowing everything about Teyvat.

Archon quest spoilers down ahead

“ Guys, I have a theory that the upside down Statue of the Seven and city the Traveler and Paimon saw are actually the correct way and that proves it because when I took a walk at Spiral Abyss when I went down I expected it to be pitch black but instead I'm met with the galaxy sky and a moon and possibly, Khaenri 'ah and Enkanomiya are the ones that are actually in the surface, while Teyvat is underground and yknow what? Scaramouche is RIGHT. The stars are fake the sky is fake everything is fake as we know of HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ” your maniacal laughter echoed through the Akademiya as many Researchers are baffled by this amount of information

“ Alhaitham, do you have a second? ” “ Of course, Your grace. What is it? ” “ Are you the Scarlet King ” “ ........ excuse me ”

“ WELL i noticed that the color of your eyes matches the Scarlet King's eyes, and your boots matches the color of the buildings of the Scarlet King's Civilization. A blue gem appeared when the Scarlet King sacrificed himself and it kinda looked like the gems at your back. And when you do your burst it looks REALLY similar to the Primal Constructs’ attacks, and the Primal Constructs are what's left of the Scarlet King's civilization. And at your chest it looks like it has the wings of an eagle, and your name literally means young eagle. What does this have to do with the Scarlet King? Well, at the Dunes I've ventured, I've seen murals and a figure with a bird head and it could possibly be the Scarlet King but it strangely reminded me of you!!! Plus, you know how to use the devices made by the Scarlet King, whereas the books and researchers at the Akademiya shows no information on how to properly use them. Pretty suspicious...... ”

and then theres alhaitham sweating his balls off on how the hell did you get that information.

“ guys, did you know that when Enkanomiya was plunged deep into the ocean, they created a fake sun called Helios to survive, right??? But actually, the nobles wanted more power. They wanted a puppet or ruler that they could easily control or manipulate. And WHO WOULD MAKE A GOOD CANDIDATE??? THAT'S RIGHT! A CHILD. AND THUS, BEGIN THE REIGN OF THE SUNCHILDREN. They were young and ignorant, obviously easy to be deceived and lied to. They were manipulated to commit heinous deeds. The first Sunchild was deceived to imprisoning his role model for life, aka isolated from everyone. The sunchildren were DESPISED by their own people, EVEN THE CARETAKERS ARENT ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO THEM. Knowing that the Sunchildren could realize that they were being manipulated, the nobles then introduced Rite of Solar Return. Now what the hell is a Rite of Solar Return??? Basically, when a Sunchild hits a certain age, they will be taken into the inner sanctum of Helios. The artificial Sun's high temperature could AND WOULD incinerate them alive!!!!! AND SOMEHOW, SOME HAVE SIMILARITIES WITH OUR CURRENT ARCHONS!!! Orupeusu had a talent for the lyre, aka the Anemo Archon. Risutaiosu made lifelike sculptures, like the Electro Archon. And Isumenasu would roam his country, AND EVEN HAD A SPEAR LIKE THE GEO ARCHON AT HIS GRAVE!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA I AM A GENIUS ”

the fact that people would still listen to your rants about Teyvat but still be concerned about your mental health is hilarious

if you werent the Divine Being of All, they would've locked you up where no one can find you, you know

Dottore would like you tho

so that's good

[flowerandblood]

The Fall from the Heavens (9)

[ canon • Aemond x Strong • niece female ]

[ warnings: kissing, angst, violence, swearing, humiliation, suicide attempt, descriptions of wounds, coercion ]

[ description: A cool distance turns into friendship and more when two children see that they can find refuge and understanding in each other. However, naïve dreams collide with the reality in which every event has consequences and what once could have been love becomes a dark, newly painful obsession. Angst, sexual tension, obsession, violence, madness, very dark Aemond. ]

The story in this series is an alternate reality from the oneshot Stay and love, leave and die, in which Aemond reads the letters his niece has sent to him over the years. They are the same characters and it shows what would have happened between them − I have changed the background story from their childhood slightly for the sake of the plot.

Characters & Series Moodboard Lady Strong Moodboard Aemond & Lady Strong Moodboard Aemond & Lady Strong Childhood

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Next chapters: Masterlist

_____

When he stepped out of the underground into the cloisters, there was complete chaos all around him. He stood on the stairs for a while, watching from below what was happening, not wanting to guide anyone to where his niece was, deciding that she was safe where he had left her.

Something had happened, he could feel it in his bones.

It was only when silence echoed around him that he emerged from his hiding place and moved quickly ahead, heading for his mother's chamber. He didn't find her there, however, and when he stepped back out into the corridor he almost bumped into Criston Cole, his lips pressed together in a thin line.

He was furious.

"My Prince."

Cole led him, to his dismay, into the chamber where the Small Council was meeting, not changing a word with him along the way, pale and tense.

He wondered if it had something to do with the fact that they had managed to escape on his watch.

When the door opened he saw his entire family. His mother, dressed in her most beautiful, richly decorated emerald gown with a large seven-pointed star on her chest sat at the head of the table, looking at him with furrowed brows, her hands folded in front of her − his attention was immediately drawn to the fact that she was plucking at the cuticles around her nails with her fingers, creating wounds from which blood was oozing.

To her left sat Aegon, all bruised and with his hair in complete disarray, as if he had been dragged out of some barn; he was still clearly drunk, staring blankly ahead, playing with a ruby stone ball placed in a niche on the table.

Next to him sat Helaena, breathing rapidly, it seemed to him that she was going through some kind of panic inside her. She was looking sideways, her whole body was quivering; he thought she didn't even notice his presence.

In addition to the maester and Lord Lannister, he noticed also his grandfather, seated at his mother's right hand, his chin raised slightly, his eyebrows showed surprise and disapproval. He was the first person to speak when the chamber door closed behind him with a loud clatter of old wood.

"At last you have graced us with your presence. Where have you been? The whole keep has been looking for you." He said dispassionately and coolly, with a kind of mockery from which he only tightened his lips, rolling his eyes, folding his hands behind him. He straightened up, sighing heavily.

"What's happening? Why all the commotion?" He asked, feigning indifference, trying not to pay attention to the tightness in his throat and the rapid pounding of his heart.

"Your father, our King, died this night. He passed away peacefully."

He looked at him in disbelief, feeling that for a moment his mind was in a complete void, his heart stopped, his body froze as still as stone.

As he always did in moments of panic, he turned his gaze towards his mother, the weariness and helplessness on her face, her eyes red from the tears she had surely shed over this old man she had never desired.

"Before his death, he revealed to me that it was Aegon who should become King. He told me this in person, without witnesses." She said quietly, lowering her gaze to her hands; she slid them down to her lap as she noticed that blood from under her fingernails had begun to run down onto the table.

A heavy, suffocating silence full of tension fell − his older brother looked at him as if begging him to spare him this and just kill him.

He involuntarily snorted, not knowing how else he could react to this nonsense.

"You can lie to the kingdom, mother, but not to us. If you don't want to let Rheanyra take the throne, just say so."

He saw her raise her gaze at him quickly, full of pain and regret, her eyebrows arched in disbelief that the son with whom she had always shared the closest bond simply did not believe her and mocked her words.

"It is true, Aemond. I swear on the Seven that it is true."

He turned his face away from her, hitting the side of his cheek with the tip of his tongue, feeling that chaos filled his head; even though he tried to calm down and focus, the terror that this was changing everything prevailed.

"Where is she, Aemond? She will be of great use to us in negotiations with the Princess. She will not burn us alive in the keep as long as she knows her daughter is here." Said his grandfather in a voice as if he were rebuking a small child, deliberately leaving out the fact that he guessed why and for what reason the two of them had fled.

He looked at him coldly, feeling a squeeze in his throat at the realisation that he had made a mistake.

She stayed because that was his desire.

She ran away with him because that was his desire.

She gave herself to him because that was his desire.

She had done everything he wanted, and now he was going to sell her, betray her, make her a prisoner?

A dragon is not a slave, he thought regretfully.

"Aemond." He heard his mother's pleading voice. "I want to find a solution that satisfies her mother to some extent as well. We must have her under control, it is the only solution."

"I will marry her first. The sooner, the better."

His grandfather and mother looked at him as if he had gone completely mad, Otto laughed as if he couldn't believe he had said that.

"I knew your brother thinks with his cock, but you? You've lost only one eye, but you're completely blind." He said with a sneer from which he felt his jaw clench.

"That was my father's wish. Unlike my mother's words, this decision of his was heard by everyone here." He hissed, looking at him with growing fury, like a cornered animal trying to bite, knowing that he was slowly losing control of the situation.

"Your father is dead. Instead your brother will face a difficult task for which he will need the support of Storm's End. You will marry one of Lord Baratheon's daughters. He has as many as four of them, a whole lot to choose from." His grandfather replied, looking around the assembled with a look full of conviction that he had said the right thing, that his sacrifice for his family was necessary, that everyone now had to take on some burden.

"No."

He heard his low, enraged voice before he had time to think, found to his surprise that it was not the call of his mind, but of his subconscious, as if that one word had escaped from his dark, empty depths.

"Don't be a fool, you have to…"

"My father's word matters in the decision to make Aegon King, but not in the case of my marriage?" He growled, trying to control his loud breathing, terror and panic overpowering his body, for here it suddenly appeared that the last person who could support him, who shared his desire was gone.

He had taken her, she could carry his child, his inheritance.

How could he abandon her now, after promising her that he would marry her as soon as possible?

How would that prove about him as a man?

"Mother." He turned to her as a last resort; his Queen looked at him with her lips slightly parted, her eyebrows arched in pain and indecision as she knew he was driven by more than just his dying father's wishes.

"We must protect our family, Aemond. We all make sacrifices. Duty is the death of love. Tell me where she is."

He looked at his mother, the woman he had always trusted, cared for, protected, and thought he was alone.

For a moment he saw her peaceful, sleeping face in his mind, felt her soft, bare, warm body snuggled into his, entwined with his like a vine and felt a tightening in his throat, tears of shame in the corners of his eyes.

"She is in servant's chamber."

He knew Criston Cole had gone to find her as soon as they had returned from the Great Sept after Aegon's coronation. He knew she must surely have felt betrayed, terrified and distraught; he thought about how she needed him, only to find that she now only despised him and had every right to do so.

When they returned, he locked himself in his quarters and did not leave, despite the lavish feast held in honour of the new King, insisted on by Aegon himself. He stared into the flames, exactly as he had when he had waited for her letters, and knew that if there had ever been hope for them, he had just crushed it.

Even if he wanted to go to see her, no one would let him in; his grandfather had made sure he would no longer visit her.

He felt empty.

Mad ideas ran through his head − thoughts that perhaps if he explained everything to her in detail, told her the truth, the fact that everything that was happening around them had occurred without him being involved, that he was as shocked as she was, that it was not his desire to wed anyone but her, he could try to marry her in secret.

He felt a sort of pathetic hope at the thought, which he knew was childish and naïve, however he clung to it not wanting to consider that she might not have desired and loved him anymore.

It was then that he heard it, the shouts of the guards and the commotion; he stepped out into the corridor and noticed that the door to his niece's chamber was open.

"Gods help us! Summon the maester, quickly!" He heard Criston's frightened voice; he moved in that direction qucikly and stepped inside, staring in disbelief at the terrifying sight before him, feeling only the frantic pounding of his heart.

His Rhaenys was lying on her bed, her lips parted, her face blue and pale, her wrists slit, the snow-white sheets and furs around her sticky with her blood, Criston clutching her wounds in his hands, looking at him in horror.

"− they told me they searched her whole chamber − she must have hidden it somewhere −" Cole said in a trembling voice, clearly afraid of his wrath, but he didn't listen to him, staring blankly at the small dagger lying beside her body, remembering that she had shown it to him proudly when they were still children, saying that now, like him, she could be a warrior.

She had asked him, in secret from their parents, to show her how to handle it, and though he had been reluctant at first, fearing that she would hurt herself, he succumbed to her when she told him that she would feel safer with it.

He acknowledged then that while she certainly wouldn't need it once he became her husband, as she would spend every night in his presence and he would be her protector, until they were married he would feel reassured if she could defend herself.

He then showed her some simple cuts on the sack filled with hay he had brought to her chamber earlier, which she stabbed with a certainty and ferocity that shocked him; had it not been for fear of what others would think, he would have suggested she try wielding a sword.

He approached her slowly on trembling legs feeling complete emptiness in his head, breathing heavily through his mouth and climbed onto her bed, gently grasping her cheeks in his fingers, turning her face towards him, her body limp, her lips slightly parted, her eyelids half open, her gaze distant, misty.

"− what have you done? −" He asked in a whisper, terrified of how his voice and body were shaking, his heart pounding like mad, his throat and stomach squeezed so tightly that he had trouble breathing.

He heard her quiet sigh as she struggled to lift her gaze to him, looking at him as if she was thinking about something, as if she wasn't sure if what was happening was a dream or a wake.

It was only when he looked at her closely that he noticed that her right cheek was all red and swollen, he felt tears of shame under his eyelids and overwhelming rage at the thought that someone had dared to hit her.

"− was I ever your Rhaenys? −" She asked so quietly that he barely heard her; he felt an unbearable squeeze in his throat, his eyebrows arched in pain, his eyes burning from the tears that wanted so desperately to run down his face.

"− you're − you're − gods, you've always been −" He whimpered with difficulty in a voice breaking with pain and grief, pressing his nose against her soft, cold cheek. He cried out loudly, never feeling so helpless before in his life, for his dearest woman was dying in his arms because of him, betrayed and abandoned.

He didn't hear the terrified screams of his sister and mother as they ran ran into her chamber to see what had happened, didn't hear the words of the maester telling him to move away or the look of his brother standing behind him, grabbing his arm, telling him in a trembling voice that he had to release her, that he had to let the medics treat her wounds.

"− do not fall asleep −" He muttered, feeling the warm tears run down his cheeks, looking only at her, stroking her head as if she were again a small child, shifting just enough for the maester to bandage her wrists and stop the bleeding.

He pressed his face to her cheek, whispering with difficulty that she was his beloved wife, his dearest friend, his sweetest Rhaenys.

"− my head is spinning −" She mumbled softly, his mother sitting on the other side of the bed covered her face with her hand, trying to calm her breathing, her face red from tears; Helaena stood beside her trembling all over, unable to make a sound, going through everything she saw deep inside her.

"Gods, help her." He heard her soft whisper, their mother repeated her words − she raised her hand wanting to stroke her daughter's arm, but she pulled away.

This is what duty was to them, he thought.

Destruction.

"− rest, my sweetest − rest −" He whispered, stroking her cold cheek with his thumb, sure that no force would tear him away from her now, no force would make him leave her, that if any of them tried to do so, he would fucking kill them all.

However, no one tried.

"She lost a lot of blood. I gave her beetroot juice to strengthen her body and secured her wounds, but she may not survive the night." He heard the maester's quiet voice addressed to his mother, the Queen wept softly and began to pray aloud.

He listened to the words of her prayer as he lay with his hand on her throat, tips of his fingers pressed against her artery to make sure he could still feel her pulse, his face pressed against her soft cheek.

Aegon got up at last and left without a word, his mother, Helaena and maester fell asleep in chairs by the blazing fireplace, wakeful, terrified of what consequences her death might have had for them all.

He, however, did not sleep that night.

For the first time in years, holding her in his arms, making sure she was breathing, that her heart was still beating, he allowed himself to return to the memories of their childhood that he had locked deep in his heart, recognising them as the source of his weakness.

He recalled their first kiss, how she looked that day and thought with bitter amazement that he remembered perfectly even what gown she wore, how her hair was combed, the taste of the lemon cake she had brought him moments before.

He kissed her forehead at that memory, so innocent and tender, felt the warmth melt into his chest and heart, so wonderfully pleasant, soothing.

"− uncle −" He heard her quiet voice and shuddered, looking down at her; he stroked her cheek and hushed her, seeing that her eyes were half-open, her lips slightly parted.

"− shhh − sleep, sweet flower, I am here −" He whispered and she smiled again, her hand lifted with difficulty, he felt a shiver run down his spine as her fingertips ran over the skin of his face.

"− can I kiss you? −" She asked softly, thinking for certain that everything that happened was just a bad dream.

He leaned over her and sank his lips into hers, feeling with relief that her body was warmer, that life was returning to her, her mouth wonderfully soft and moist.

She sighed sweetly feeling his closeness, his hand slipping into her hair, holding her close, his manhood in his breeches involuntarily pulsing hard, betraying how much he needed her, how much he desired her.

They kissed slowly, lazily, allowing themselves to finally be those innocent, ignorant children again, his fingers stroked her hair, her cheeks, her neck with a gentleness he thought his body had already forgotten, the taste of her saliva melting on his palate, on his tongue.

He thought with pain, holding her close, that when she regained consciousness, when she woke up in the morning, she would loathe him.

"− I dreamt that they made me drink it −" She whispered more to herself than to him, and he felt his heart stop, looking at her with his eyes wide open, his trembling breath enveloping her face.

"− what, my love? −" He asked trying to control the tremor in his voice, feeling the cold sweat on his back, his whole body froze.

"− moon tea − they forced it down my throat −" She muttered, nuzzling her face into his neck, as if she was trying to escape this thought, sighing quietly in relief, apparently thinking that they were still in in the chamber they had escaped to together.

He embraced her tightly, burying his nose in her hair, fruitlessly trying to stifle the whimper of horror that broke suddenly from his throat, his heart and throat squeezed so tightly that he could not catch his breath.

His seed that could take root in her womb.

Their future.

Their child.

_____

Aemond Taglist:

(bold means I couldn't tag you)

@notnormalthings-blog @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost @aemondsdelight @persephonerinyes @fan-goddess @sweethoneyblossom1 @watercolorskyy @randomdragonfires @apollonshootafar @padfooteyes @darylandbethfanforever9 @fudge13 @snh96 @rwdkarla @echos-muses

[ranticore]

[WIP] Meeting the three overground heads of the Onozar Wyrm

Unfortunately this was a catastrophic lineart on sketch layer incident (I made the bg the same colour as the sketch so u can't tell), so it'll be a massive hassle to finish but whatever it's doable.

I will do their faces properly to match the other drawing of this wyrm I've done (the green and red one). The underground heads are the ones with the heavy digging limbs and jaws.

The wyrm of Onozar village is one of the more well-known of its kind. Although this is all one monster, with an unknown number of heads, each head (consisting of the humanoid head & torso at the end of each neck) does act slightly different. The wyrm seems to favour certain heads to express certain emotions - there's a head for arguments with people, one for polite conversation, etc. Since this is such a gigantic creature, it may be that the typecasting of each head is an effort to meet humans at their level, like a person wearing finger puppets with exaggerated emotions in front of children who see each puppet as an individual thing who is always happy or sad. I'm so tired and I hope I'm getting this across properly lol you get me. you get me

The settlement was named after the wyrm, who was there first. it's one of the more built up areas in this world and might even qualify as a city, able to grow larger than other settlements due to the shield against crawling beasts provided by the wyrm. It expresses itself aboveground using three heads consistently, though as many as seven have been spotted in the city at once, on rare occasions. One of the consistent heads is an advisor to the king.

[amywritesthings]

silver underground. / chapter 20.

( Read on AO3 )

Pairing: levi ackerman x f!reader (attack on titan / shingeki no kyojin) Word Count: 6k Summary: flashback ten - also known as the final mission Warnings: 18+ MINORS DNI - graphic violence, minor character deaths, titan deaths, bloodshed, graphic depictions of injury, despair, peril

Previous Chapter. / Next Chapter. | Masterlist.

CHAPTER 20 - FLASHBACK: TEN

Eighty to forty.

Slashed in half.

On paper, the tactical statistics sound nothing short of a miracle.

In a division plagued by endless casualties, any hope of saving lives rather than destroying them should (and will) sanction blind approval from higher command.

For the commandant, for the king, for the people behind those Walls relying on this team to succeed in breaching the forest to pursue the mission of the Scout Regiment, it’s the best idea curated to date—

And it’s all thanks to Commander Erwin and his right-hand man, Captain Levi.

Levi Ackerman insists he can take on any Abnormal single-handedly.

Commander Erwin insists his Special Operations squad can and will find a way through the thick of it, once and for all.

A triumphant success for humanity, no matter the cost.

— but that was on paper.

When you wake, Levi isn’t beside you in your bed.

His disappearing act in the morning isn’t unusual nor is it disappointing.

By now you're used to waking up without him, though you only find yourself sleeping thanks to him.

(He's admitted that, if he doesn't slip out earlier than when you wake, then he may never leave.) 

Although your relationship is the worst kept secret within the Special Ops squad, it’s still just that:

A secret.

What is not a secret, however, is the trajectory of what’s to come.

Not every day in the regiment is a nightmare, but this is the type of day the average cadet dreads when they pledge their allegiance to the Survey Corps.

So you ready for the day with noticeable weight on your shoulders.

A determination to see this through.

A promise to show up for your fellow man.

(An oath to Levi that the two of you will make it out of this alive and see another sunrise.)

Today will be brutal, but you can prevail.

Stepping out of your quarters in full Scout gear, you hear the whinnies and whines of nearing horses as they gallop toward headquarters.

You fix the collar of your cropped tan jacket in time with your footsteps descending down the stairwell, mind elsewhere.

Bodies hurry in and out of the open front door. Gear clinks. Blades sheath.

“Lieutenant James!”

That voice belongs to no soul you know.

You stop dead in your tracks right in front of the open double doors. Turning to the sunlight, you raise a hand to shield the rays to locate who may have spoken your name.

Before you stands an entirely new group of Scouts that you’ve never seen before. Fresh-faced and determined, if not a little terrified — there is a large array of them standing around in a semicircle at the mouth of headquarters.

All adorn the Wings of Freedom.

All press their fist backwards to their heart, denting the emblem.

You realize some of their faces look familiar.

Albeit it was a brief stint as a cadet in the training corps, recognition flutters over your face as you spy some of the hopefuls that slept not so far from your bunk in the barracks.

It's been years. What were once youthful faces now age well before their time.

“Lieutenant, sir!”

The one in the center, a short-haired woman with glasses, barks once more.

“We’re pleased to make your acquaintance and to serve under the command of Humanity’s Strongest.”

At first you say nothing, dazed at the sheer number of this squad. 

Seven people hold steadily onto seven individual horses, their shoulders shrouded by emerald green cloaks. Some keep their hoods adorned to the crowns of their heads. Others bare their nervous but brave faces to you.

“At ease,” you murmur, and they lower their fists. “I wasn’t aware another squad was joining us this morning.”

“Miro Squad, sir, at your service,” the short-haired person greets, bowing. “I received Commander Erwin’s urgent letter for additional soldiers in the pursuit of breaching the forest.”

They take a half-step back and gestures to their team, pointing out every soul on their squad.

Miro, their leader; Trina, their second-in-command with wild fiery hair; and Scouts Orin, Max, Penelope, Cesca, and Rini.

Seven additional Scouts.

Fourteen Scouts in full for this Hail Mary of a mission.

Then it hits:

Proposing half of the original projected damage was bold, even for someone as shameless as Commander Erwin.

He had no qualms with setting this mission up with the new layout provided by Levi, ensuring as much of an air-tight plan as possible.

Eighty to forty percent is nothing short of a miracle.

But miracles do not exist in the Scouts.

Your stomach drops into the dirt with the sickening realization of what Commander Erwin’s grandiose solution really meant.

Miro Squad is the forty percent reduction.

A cruel and inhumane buffer of surefire casualties in order to keep the Special Ops squad intact during the breach.

You’re staring at a group of devoured bodies before you even reach the trees.

“It’s…”

You struggle with your words before slamming your backward fist to your heart, raising your chin.

Some of the younger Scouts stare in awe at your blatant display of honor.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Miro Squad.” 

You bow, though you feel dirty for doing so.

“I trust Commander Erwin made you aware of today’s efforts?”

Miro nods. “We intend to serve however we can.”

They don’t know.

They need to know.

They need to make an informed decision before—

“Lieutenant,” a deep voice sounds behind you, and your skin crawls.

Turning your chin, you stare eye to eye with the blue-eyed man boring down on you.

Commander Erwin appears somber.

Stoic.

“Yes, Commander?”

The question is small, but it drips with a knowing venom.

Erwin is not fazed. “Captain Levi is tending to the horses at the stables. Can you aid him in preparation before departure?”

To you, you conjure what appears to be a clear answer woven between the lines:

Do not interfere. Do not disobey.

You hold rank to an extent in the Scouts, but what the Commander says, goes.

Continuing to hold his icy blue stare, you try to convey the question you cannot say out loud.

(Do they know what is about to happen?)

Erwin continues to stare right back, not the least bit fazed by the conflict in your brow.

He is confident. He is headstrong.

An answer.

They're going to dedicate their hearts.

(Just like you, too, promised years ago.)

Without another word, you turn on a heel and beeline straight to the stables.

Anger.

Why do you feel so much anger?

Is it because the outcome feels bleak well before mission has started?

Are the odds truly this stacked against humanity?

When you reach the parted doors of the stables, he's there — Levi Ackerman stands in front of his black stallion, gliding a gentle hand down its muzzle.

He senses your presence well before you even say a word.

He turns easily to you, but his eyes sharpen a fraction when he picks up how pinched your shoulders are.

“James,” he greets neutrally, brow knitting. “What’s—”

“Miro Squad just showed up.”

“Who?”

“Don’t play dumb,” you snip, making your way to your own horse — she has a white coat with speckled gray spots all along her body.

She makes a small chortle noise when you near and you serve your flattened palm to her for a nuzzle.

(Behind the pen doors, you note she already has her gear in place. Levi must have already saddled her up for you while you were getting ready.)

The dark-haired man to your left sighs in a huff. 

“Not playing dumb, James. I was genuinely asking.”

“It’s the squad Erwin’s setting up for slaughter,” you decide to elaborate hotly.

A pause passes.

You don't turn to see Levi's expression, but you can sense how tense the space between the two of you has become.

“If it’s Miro Squad he called to action, then they’ve fared well in comparison to the other squadrons," he argues with little fire. "Did he personally request them?"

"Allegedly."

"Allegedly?" Levi repeats, sharper in tone. "Either he did or he didn't."

"According to Miro, yes, he sent an urgent letter requesting aid."

Finally you turn a cheek towards him, forcing your eyes to meet.

You know that look he gives you sidelong. 

Don’t start.

(Neither of you need to fight again, not before this mission.)

"Then Erwin didn't pick a random crop of Scouts to shit the bed and die on us," Levi reasons, softer. Conspiratorial. "I know you think he’s a bastard, but—”

“Worst case scenario,” you interrupt, “at least his Special Ops team won’t die?”

“If my strategy goes well, then no one dies." He counters with the certainty that’s entirely Levi. “You forget my name is on the damn ledger, too, unless this is you trying to tell me something.”

White-hot embarrassment courses your veins as your childhood friend waits for you to challenge his statement — to call him an equal-part premeditated murderer sat right beside the commander.

You can’t.

You won’t.

Instead you cool off by slowly petting your horse, willing your bad feeling to wither away.

After a moment, Levi wills his voice to soften again. “We need as many Scouts as we can—”

“I know.”

“—and even then, if we all kick the bucket, it's on me."

Levi finishes with a heavy sigh. He turns away, dropping his chin to his chest.

“I'll take whatever punishment fits the crime if it goes to shit."

A beat passes.

Blinking several times, you turn your body to him and drop the attitude.

“...and I'll do everything in my power to make sure we stay alive," you whisper softly. "That everyone comes home."

Levi’s head hangs, cascading his wispy black hair as a curtain over his face.

“That's not supposed to be your burden."

"Where you go, I go, remember?" you tell him. "For better or worse, I don't care."

"Wanna workshop vows, huh?" he mumbles. "Right now?"

This seems to ease the air about the stables.

Centimeter by centimeter, twin pairs of shoulders release in their tension.

You can't help but smile, even if the moment is tense.

"I think the Commander would find the dramatics funny."

"Oh, sure, proposing to your ass right before the single-biggest mission in Scout history would really tickle his funny bone," he sarcastically replies.

"It'd sure tickle Hange's."

"Hange doesn't need more ammunition, not after catching our asses that one time—"

"That one time that was your fault, you mean?" You grin as he glares. Still, his scowl is playful. "Loud Mouth Ackerman—"

"Shut up, Lieutenant."

Levi lets go of his horse and raises his hand, palm outstretched.

“Get the hell over here before anyone catches us a second time, alright?”

Albeit small, he smiles.

It's forced, like he wants to remember this — to focus on this.

The final moments before the point of no return.

Like a moth to a flame, you step away from your horse to step towards the short, dark-haired man.

Once you’re close enough, he pulls you in from the nape of your neck and drags your forehead to his, pressing them together.

His eyes squeeze shut.

You stare, memorizing his face.

“I love you,” he murmurs. “Don’t die.”

All the anger in your body melts away.

“I love you, too,” you reply just as softly. “I won’t—”

The stable door creaks.

You leap off of the captain to pretend like you’re picking up the bucket of water at his boots.

Levi stays put, dropping his arm like dead weight.

“Captain. Lieutenant.”

You don’t need to see the face to know it’s Erwin’s voice echoing through the stables.

“It’s time to move out.”

You both reply in unison, two different octaves.

“Yes, sir.”

.

.

.

.

.

The formation is simple:

Captain Levi leads the charge into the forbidden forest with Lieutenant James at his side.

Behind them in a diamond formation are the Special Operation Scouts Petra, Oluo, Gunther, and Eld.

Command Erwin, Section Commander Hange, and Moblit remain at headquarters for the recon and debrief.

At the rear of the formation are Miro Squad to specifically call out nearing and flanking titans that the first squad may miss.

They shadow the Special Operations unit as back-ups, no matter the cost.

And at first? It's easy.

Deceiving easy.

The mouth of the forest gives little trouble.

Both squadrons of Scouts breach the thick grove of towering trees without incident.

Thirty minutes into this mission, in the belly of this beast, not a single Abnormal has been spotted.

There aren't any typical titans, either.

It’s quiet.

Serene.

“Alright, listen up!”

With his hands tightly wound around leather reigns, Captain Levi finally calls to the Scouts behind him.

“Keep your eyes peeled. Abnormals do not move like other titans. These shitheads can be fast and appear at a moment’s notice.”

“Right!” Several of the Miro squad shouts back.

The Special Operations squad is too focused to reply.

Whenever you glance over at Levi, he’s smooth as stone. 

He refuses to allow any emotion cloud his judgment on a mission, and you can imagine it won’t be any different this go-around.

Because this mission cannot fail.

The Scouts must push forward, no matter the cost.

(Even if the irrevocable cost makes you sick to your stomach.)

The sun shines bright over a canopy of trees.

Your cloak is too warm in this type of weather.

As you push further into the thick of the terrain, nearing what is assumed to be the halfway point of the forest, birds chirp less and less.

Eerie silence overtakes the pounding of hooves into the dirt.

Then, as fast as an inhale, you see it:

Directly ahead trudges a nine-meter titan, peering around a thick tree trunk.

"Captain!" Gunther shouts. "Ahead at our twelve!"

"I see the piece of shit," Levi calls back. "We keep moving. I'll take care of it."

You don't doubt that he will.

As it continues to slowly advance on your formation, you can tell the team is a little more tense.

Ready — 

Except no one was prepared, not really.

The titan ahead is an army of one, but it is not the only titan here.

It was just the only one right in front of you.

Behind you sounds a scream so bloodcurdling that you nearly lock up on your horse.

You turn despite yourself.

Within seconds, you see Max get ripped clear off of his horse with the sheer force of otherworldly strength.

(...a hand?)

Then, a gust of wind sweeps and swirls the dirt into a lackluster tornado.

His horse narrowly escapes.

It rolls over and over, kicking up a thick dust cloud.

Max speeds through the air at breakneck speed like a human arrow —

Until he abruptly crashes into a thick tree trunk, dislocating his spine from his head.

The crunch is like ripping a stalk of ripe lettuce in half.

He simply crumples against the tree, limbs peacefully blowing in the wind like a leaf.

His Scout cloak billows over his shocked face, forever frozen in belated surprise.

Gone.

Just like that.

Then from the shadows, as if waiting for its prey, a five-meter titan stumbles around a tree to chomp on the recently deceased body.

It gnaws off his legs as they dangle in the air, spattering blood all over the forest floor.

Your horse gallops on.

You can't look away.

Then someone screams, forcing your eyes to rip away from the horror.

“Cesca!” A blonde girl shrieks to the right of the formation — Penelope, you think her name is. “Don’t!”

“It's devouring him!” Cesca wails at the top of her lungs. “We have to go back for him!”

“He’s already dead!” Trina calls with experienced calm. “There's no use, soldiers! Keep your eyes forward. We keep moving!”

“James—”

Your head turns when Levi calls to you.

Wide eyes meet a narrowed gaze.

“—that means you, too.”

Your eyes round with the realization that everything is happening so fast yet moving in slow motion.

What was that thing?

Was that a... ?

You were so busy watching Max get eaten that you didn’t realize three more titans appeared on the northeast corner, awakened by the screams of Miro Squad.

Shit.

This isn’t good.

This is not good.

“Levi,” you begin slowly, but he shakes his head.

"Don't hesitate. We push forward no matter what."

He's right.

Max is dead.

You just have to hope the rest of Miro squad keeps their wits about them.

You turn your head to make eye contact with Miro.

“Faster!��

“Roger, Lieutenant,” Miro tells you before shouting to their team. “Keep going, Scouts! We should be halfway through the clearing.”

“Miro,” Trina alerts them sharply, "three more titans are crowding from the right."

“Shit, what does that make it now? Seven of them!?” Miro hisses.

(Seven?)

Your eyes connect with Petra who appears equal parts shocked at just how quickly this mission has dissolved.

“I— there's a whole bunch of them in the back!”

Penelope calls frantically, staring behind her.

"They're surrounding us!"

Three to the east.

Another three to the northwest.

A couple to the south, and another...

Something entirely unlike anything you'd ever seen before.

“Captain, we’re going to need to ditch the horses,” you tell Levi in a hushed voice.

“Not yet,” he replies, smooth and certain.

“Not yet?" you repeat. "Levi, we have an entire army of goddamn titans on our—”

“I said not yet,” he coolly bites. “I’ll handle them.”

You know he will.

You just don’t want him to go up against them on his own.

Suddenly someone from the right side of the formation ignites their ODM gear, and they swoop overhead.

Blonde hair whooshes straight by the team and into the forest thick.

Penelope is the first to pull the trigger.

“I’m gonna get ahead of the curve and attack!” she calls, zipping through the trees towards some of the smaller titans.

Levi says nothing, but Miro shouts to their own squad: 

“That wasn’t the plan! Damn it, Penelope!”

Her body rounds one of the tree trunks and heads right, disappearing.

Say something.

Say anything.

If that thing that killed Max is how an Abnormal moves, then Penelope doesn't stand a chance on her own.

You speak to him again. "Captain—”

“Not yet, James.”

“Penelope is going to get killed!” you argue, your grip on the reigns tightening.

“That’s the choice she made,” Captain Levi argues in return, sounding a little too much like Commander Erwin in the moment. “Remain steady and wait for my signal.”

Twigs fold and crackle under new weight to your right.

Then a thud shakes the straight through the horses and into you.

Penelope must have taken down at least one normal titan.

“Captain!”

Miro shouts in the middle of the squad.

“Should we engage? My squad can take care of the titans and carve a path forward!”

There is a tense, pregnant pause.

Everyone waits for Levi's instruction.

Two smaller titans walk directly towards the horses.

The dark-haired man's nostrils flare with decision.

“I’m going to take down the two ahead,” Levi shouts, effortlessly swinging a boot to the saddle of his horse.

With the muscles of his thigh he pushes until both boots are surfing against his running horse.

His black hair blows wildly in the wind. Like a well-oiled machine, he pushes back his cloaks to reveal his ODM gear, readying for deployment.

"Miro, take your squad and eliminate the enemies flanking us. You can come back to us once you're finished."

“What about the rest of us, sir?” calls Oluo.

Levi’s eyes narrow at the enemies ahead.

“My squad will keep the horses going. We need to make it to the end of this forest, for humanity's sake."

"And Captain, what about Penelope?" you quickly ask.

"She's a lost cause, Lieutenant."

He speaks with that coldness he's been forced to adopt ever since your days in the Underground.

"We can't go back for her."

You turn to watch as Miro squad disengages formation and turns around, charging bravely towards the crowd of titans forming behind.

An array of shapes and sizes await their swords.

(Or their flesh.)

Any minute now and it could be a bloodbath.

Any minute—

Levi flies off of his horse, trapezing through the trees.

A gas trail from how hard his gear is working is your only indicator for where he is at such a height.

He twirls with the shine of his unsheathed swords, slashing the napes of the two large titans ahead.

A victory.

Except it's a short-lived victory, because you hear it behind you— 

Miro squad.

They're in trouble.

Even from this distances you hear Cesca, Rini, and Orin scream and panic.

Scouts fly between tree branches with smoke trailing behind. ODM gear ignites and retracts without any real clear sense of direction.

They're drowning back there.

You see the silhouette of someone falling to the forest floor.

"One of us needs to help them," you tell Eld, and he shakes his head sharply.

"You heard Captain Levi."

"They're two fucking Scouts down, Eld!" you snap at your comrade. "We'll lose seven whole people!"

"We can't go against captain's orders, Lieutenant!" Petra calls to you, and Oluo nods beside her.

Scanning your squad still soldiering ahead with the plan, you feel something grip your heart.

Yet another gut-wrenching shriek sounds from the forest.

Maybe it's Penelope.

Maybe it's Cesca.

The voices reverberate and echo through the forest that it's hard to tell.

You don't even realize that you're moving your hands over your cloak to push it out of the way.

Eighty to forty.

"The hell are you doing!?"

The clipped tone of Levi Ackerman as he drops back onto his stallion rips you back into focus.

His knee drops to the saddle, facing his soldiers rather than what's ahead.

Your eyes meet narrowed gray.

"I can help," you tell him calmly. "They're going to die."

"Stay."

"They're going to die, Le—"

"Stay, Lieutenant." Levi's nostril's flare. "That's an order."

Miro squad's screams continue to haunt your subconscious.

You promised.

You said you'd stay by his side.

But isn't this what the Scout Regiment is for?

To save humanity, to give them hope.

It used to be something you felt was such a crock of shit, but you can't ignore the screams back there.

You can't let them die.

"I'm going to help them," you tell him without a tremor. "You know I can do it."

Levi's eyes flash with an indiscernible emotion.

"We'll all come back in one piece. I'll guide them to the horses."

"No."

"And we'll make it to the end of this fucking forest."

You stare back at him, pleading a forgiveness you haven't asked for yet.

(You saved me once. Let me save them.)

"If you go," he growls, "James, if you go, I'll—"

"I'll take whatever punishment fits my crime," you cut him off, "but I can't let them all die."

His pupils shrink, sharpening the whites of his eyes.

The wheeze of ODM gear bursts into life as it lifts you off of your saddle and into the forest sky.

Without thinking, you twist at the hip and take off—

You head south towards the screaming squad as they fight to break free from the titan hoard holding them hostage.

Wind freezes your cheeks.

The outlines of their bodies grow more pronounced the closer you become.

Soon you see five Scouts flying around, swinging their swords to destroy the last remaining titan.

Below are a cluster of smaller dead ones decaying by the second.

Trina, Miro's second-in-command, screams at the top of her lungs as she reaches out to her comrades.

"Help! Please, I don't want to be eaten! Please!"

She's stuck in the clutches of a ten-meter titan, slowly bringing her closer and closer to its open mouth.

They’re everywhere.

(How did everything go so wrong so fast?)

You don't think about dying. You don't worry about how upset Levi will be when you return. You don't stop to second guess your actions. 

You don’t.

You just do.

Yelling at the top of your lungs, you rip both blades from their metallic sheaths at your hips.

Spinning from the momentum of your swing, you slice straight through the wrist of the titan holding Trina hostage.

She falls with enough smarts to break her fall with her own gear.

“James!” Trina cries out with equal parts despair and relief. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I came to make sure you were all okay," you tell them, shaking your head. "I guess you didn't really need back-up. We still have your horses..."

But you trail off, confused.

They should be relieved.

They killed every last titan back here.

Yet the Miro squad cling to the trees, skin as translucent as ghosts.

"Something big ate Penelope!" Cesca sobs, swinging her sword frantically to keep invisible outstretched fingers at bay. Her eyes are a window to nothing. As if she's curled into herself as she screams to you. "You need to—"

You're about to ask what the hell she's talking about.

But then you see it:

Climbing.

No, crawling through the trees, running like a rabid dog through the branches to eye up its prey.

A titan.

In comparison to other titans, it's practically a sun spot.

And it's so fast.

Eleven meters tall. Maybe thirteen.

You can't tell when its crouched like that.

Deformed.

Curled in on itself.

Then it halts when it sees you, blocking you from the rest of Miro squad.

A chill runs up your spine.

You stop to balance against the side of a tree trunk, staring face-to-face with your first Abnormal.

Its grin is something straight out a nightmare.

Its eyes track you, as if it...

As if it hopes you’ll flinch and begin the chase.

Shit.

You can't get around it.

You're stuck here — but the other five aren't.

“Trina, Miro, find Captain Levi,” you force yourself to speak, unable to look away from the Abnormal. “Take your squad north. Tell them you found an Abnormal."

“But—”

“I said go north, damn it,” you growl, clenching your teeth.

"What about you?" Miro asks.

“I'll be right behind you," you promise, though you damn well know you can't run straight through with your gear.

Why isn’t this titan attacking you?

Is it just waiting for you to run first?

Dedicate your heart.

No — this thing isn't going to kill you.

Max is dead. Penelope is dead.

But you came just in time to save five others.

You can save them, yourself, and this mission.

No, you won't die.

Not today.

“Go!”

Shouting at the top of your lungs, the Abnormal finally dives to attack you. 

Only when you swing past it do you realize it was waiting — not for you, no, but for an eight-meter and ten-meter with blood all over its mouth to catch up.

Not one, but three Abnormals.

Shit.

Miro and Trina gather Orin, Cesca, and Rini.

All five swing through the trees back towards where you just came from.

In the meantime, you exhaust your efforts through intense ODM defensive maneuvers to avoid getting caught in the clutches — or teeth — of the three titans.

They chase after you, using the trees to their advantage.

It's no use.

You can't outrun all three.

So you'll have to fight these assholes to find a way out.

Turning abruptly, you side-step the lurching ten-meter reaching out towards you.

With a battle cry from the gut, you scream and slice straight through the nape of its neck. 

Steam emits as it gurgles and stumbles, effectively dying on the forest floor.

One down.

Three to go.

You set your sights on the smaller titan first, gliding and sliding through the trees.

(The eleven-meter titan will be your greatest problem. You choose to make it your final priority.)

When you flip in the air, crown pointed to the ground and feet in the air, you can no longer see the bodies of Miro squad.

Only a faint trail of their gas fumes linger.

It’s just you, and the things that want to kill you.

But you won't die today.

No, you are not dying in this fucking forest.

Because you promised him.

Skating across a large tree trunk, you swan dive in the air and reattach your gear to opposite tree trunks, sights locked on the eight-meter titan.

The eight-meter monster stares directly at you, but you use its shoulder to lodge your spike directly into its flesh.

The momentum of the swing offers enough brutality to effectively rip into the nape of its neck, causing titan blood to splatter all over your body.

It stumbles, falling to the forest floor. You remain perched on its shoulder, sword extended.

Two down.

You can do this.

You can finish these titans off and meet up with the team before the mission is over.

It isn’t a lost cause.

Determined to see it through, you turn on the heel of your boot—

With a might crack of its arm, the eleven-meter knocks you clear off of the eight-meter’s shoulder and straight into the tree your gear is already attached to.

Your head hits.

The world turns into stars right before your eyes.

And before you can find yours wits and attack back—

Its fiery palm seizes your body from the tree trunk and squeezes.

The momentum nearly rips your spine in half when the Abnormal grabs you.

You gasp for air, knocked clear from your lungs.

Because you didn’t disengage your ODM line latched into the nearby tree, the sheer force of its grip on you bends your gear, forcing you to ragdoll between the points.

Shit.

The grapple of your gear won’t budge.

It won’t detract. 

The jerking movements between the manhandling of the Abnormal and your jammed gear create a perfect storm of injuries.

Pops and crunches trickle up your body, breaking bones upon bones upon bones—

You see white. 

The titan cannot get you loose from the tree, and you cannot get loose from it, so you act on pure instinct — with what little strength you have left, it stretches out and around to swipe your sword through the titans hand, narrowly missing your own chest.

One chance, and you took it.

Because not only did the sword cut through the titan, but it split the ODM line keeping you eleven meters in the air.

When you realize you can’t even breathe when the titan lets you go, you know what’s coming.

Weightless and numb of your own pain, you can feel the wind on your face, but your lungs refuse to expand.

They’re trapped from a cracked rib, and you’re out of time.

Something as bittersweet as foolish bravery crawls through your skin, burning it alive:

No one is coming.

You told Miro squad to run.

You defied orders.

—but you promised Levi you wouldn’t die.

(Is this the end of all things, right here?)

The screams and shouts echoing through your mind are not of Levi and Miro squad, no, but of your lost comrades — the ones who experienced the very same hopeless, fleeting feeling of fear right before they went.

You think of ash-blonde hair. Ginger locks.

Were Furlan and Isobel afraid?

When they couldn’t survive the Scouts, when they fought titans, did they look up at the sky just like you?

Did they know it was the end?

Were they worried they disappointed Levi?

Did they think of you, too, the way you're thinking about them?

Would they hate you for what you've done to Levi?

Four pairs of hopeful eyes walked up those Underground City stairs and into this world, yet only one will remain.

I promised.

You open your mouth, but nothing comes out.

No screams.

No sobs.

You reach for the branches, watching the glittering sun through the canopy of trees, but you cannot touch them.

There is nothing you can do.

I’m sorry.

You continue to reach for the sky like you’ll catch on something without strength.

Your adrenaline-addled mind runs through so many memories—

The fighting rings of the Underground City;

The dream of leaving this place;

The feeling of the sun on bare skin;

Him.

Levi Ackerman.

Captain of the Scout Regiment. Humanity’s Strongest.

Your best friend.

The love of your life.

The boy who saved you, over and over, until—

“James!”

Suddenly your body reacts with a pained, strangled gasp.

The beauty of the sun disappears when a dark, oval silhouette overtakes it.

A brilliant shimmer of emerald billows around it.

It twirls and slashes the nape of the eleven-meters neck before pivoting south.

Towards you.

The silhouette nears at supernatural speeds, a trail of gas zipping in its wake—

It’s a man.

His gaze is overtaken by the whites of his eyes.

With how fast he’s descending from the tree tops, it’s a miracle he ducks and dodges every rogue branch.

His black hair is pinned to the sides of his head. The terror is written all over his face.

That face…

Levi.

You can’t speak, but you instinctively reach for his hand.

He grits his teeth, willing his body to fall faster. He breaks a barrier and soars closer to your orbit.

“Stay with me!” Levi shouts, voice determined and strong. “I’ll catch you!”

But you’ve been falling for what feels like hours, and he’s caught you so many times in the past.

When you struggled with ODM gear training, Levi would be the one to spot your fall. Every time, without failure.

But it wasn't his duty to catch you.

It wasn't his duty to come back for you.

He reaches out a hand, teeth clenched, but his fingertips just barely miss yours.

"Shit. C'mon, James, reach!"

He's getting desperate.

You've never seen him desperate.

The ground must be close.

Is it close?

(I’m sorry.)

You wish you could tell him. 

You wish you had the strength, the breath, to do so. 

(I'm sorry.)

You failed him.

You didn’t listen.

You should have listened.

With what little strength is left in your both, you roll your shoulder forward to send your hand towards his.

Your fingertips touch again, but he can’t quite grasp you. 

(But then so many others would have died. An entire squad of seven in a formation of fourteen instead of just three. Isn’t that what the Scouts are supposed to fight for, Levi? Isn’t that why we work so damn hard to achieve this dream for humanity?)

His breath hitches.

His eyes explode.

Because he knows what’s coming, too.

“James!”

A sorrowful breath that should be his name exits your mouth.

(Levi, I’m so sorry. I love—)

The back of your head slams into the ground.

A sickening thud.

A lost gasp of air.

The world goes black.

.

.

.

.

.

  Why did you do it?

Do what?

.

.

.

.

.

  “James!”

A baritone voice shouts your name.

It’s guttural, echoing with desperation. Fear.

.

.

.

.

.

  You gave me a second chance.

.

.

.

.

.

  The man dives through the trees at an otherworldly pace.

Arms pressed tight to his sides, he expertly zig-zags through an array of branches, propelling his body forward.

His emerald cloak billows from behind in an angelic halo.

As he nears, you can make out the whites of his widened eyes.

Instinctively, your hand reaches for him—

A certain sort of deja vu—

Then it hits.

.

.

.

.

.   Because where you go, I follow.

.

.

.

.

.

  Something heavy crashes straight into your body.

Two strong arms envelope you.

A palm cradles the back of your head.

Metallic gear wheezes, straining against its mechanics when your side hits solid ground.

Over and over, you spin at lightning speed.

Whatever holds you does not let go.

— then you collide with something solid, and everything just stops.

Silence.

Dirt kicks up around you in a cloud.

Twin hearts beat against each other.

Slowly you raise your hand to your shoulder—

Reaching— 

Until you find his hand.

Your shaking fingers curl over his.

.

[wraithsoutlaws]

"Horror punk quartet, RATTUS RATTUS made waves in the underground music scene with the recent self-release of their new LP, "King of the Rat King," a twenty-seven minute train wreck of drug-laced ultra noise served up with the subtly of a rusty chainsaw. The band's become synonymous with pure chaos in the local NC music scene, often setting fire to the stage, fist fighting their own fans, and welcoming "blood sacrifices" mid-show. On one occasion, charismatic frontman "Dagger" finished a set with fresh wounds after stabbing himself several times and encouraging the crowd to follow his example. You won't find the album in record stores, but copies can be purchased from your local XBD vendor."

[stainedglassthreads]

One thing I think I just realized is, in addition to being dissatisfied with how stories deal with Toriel’s grief compared to Asgore’s and Asriel’s, and how I don’t see many instances of Toriel and Asgore’s quarrel being addressed in a way that satisfied me... I don’t think I see that many AUs that quite get the responsibility Asgore feels... right.

Yes, I’ve seen several that portray his grief, depression, and how badly he doesn’t want to be in this position well, even if it’s disappointing how not everyone seems to be aware of what you learn about him in a Neutral run where you’ve previously killed Flowey. A lot of people can get aspects of his characterization very well, the broken man, the goofy dad, the intimidating monarch. But I think the reason I don’t see people capture the weight of his responsibility quite as well in fanfics and comics is... well. Oddly enough it’s in the way the monsters treat him.

It’s not just the fandom that has issues with idolizing or demonizing characters. It’s also the Kingdom of Monsters themselves--and they all idolize Asgore. Yes, he’s a very grounded and compassionate individual who invites his subjects to share all their problems with him, and who Papyrus insists will just let you pass through the Barrier. But he’s also a bit of the subject of a cult of personality for his subjects. When they say he’ll absorb seven souls and become a GOD, it’s not an expression of his arrogance, but rather their own adoration. While out-of-universe the Angel is generally agreed to be either Asriel or Chara(or us), in-universe I wouldn’t be surprised if Asgore was considered the Angel.

It’s not long now. King Asgore will let us go. King Asgore will give us hope. King Asgore will save us all.

Yes, individual monsters may want to collect a human soul for their own individual wants and desires. But it’s only the capture of a human soul, or using a single soul for their own benefit, that they really aspire to. (With the exception of Toriel, who wants no souls, and Flowey, who is Flowey.) Of those area bosses who earnestly try to take just one soul, Papyrus and Undyne both want to hand you over to Asgore, and Mettaton wants to protect humanity FROM Asgore. Literally everyone in the Underground seems to fully believe that Asgore will be the one taking all the Souls and fulfilling his promises, and all are content. (Again, barring Toriel, MTT, Flowey.) No one seems to ever doubt he’ll do as he says, even his ex-wife, and no one’s greedy to take the power for themselves or take the burden of being a savior for themself, except his kid who has both a God Complex and a Savior Complex.

With Chara, and with Asgore. They take a person and turn them into a representation of something More than any singular person could ever be. And then in the worst route Chara does it again, to themself. Asgore is freedom and salvation and retribution itself, and everyone including the woman who was once married to him agrees and reinforces the role. Chara is the feeling of a number going up, and the fandom agrees and reinforces the role.

And I dunno. There are fics and AUs where Asgore never lost his kids and always remained an affable, friendly guy. There are AUs where Asgore is the main antagonist and an awful villain with few redeeming qualities. There are fics and AUs where Asgore gets to recover in a post-pacifist setting. But I’m not sure any fics or AUs have ever quite captured how everyone else just talks about the guy, for me. Toriel is simply ‘intimidating’. But Asgore is a GOD.

[the-bi-library]

Happy February! Here are bisexual books out in February!

Books listed:

An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson Mewing by Chloe Spencer Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee The Friendship Study by Ruby Barrett You Had Me at Merlot by Melissa Brayden Sunbringer (Fallen Gods, #2) by Hannah Kaner Signals Volume 2 by Nika (can be read online on Tapas too) A Vicious Game (The Halfling Saga, #3) by Melissa Blair Breaks Volume 1 by Emma Vieceli, Malin Rydén Mortgage of Convenience by Dani McLean Letters to Her Love by Katherine Grant Projections by S.E. Porter Truthfully, Yours by Caden Armstrong Rupture in Total Eclipse (Sun & Moon Duet Book 2) by Sem Thornwood It's Ours to Write by Blanche Maze The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan, #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett Big Date Energy by Bethany Rutter Tune Me Up (Bisexual Sing Team Book 3) by Renée Dahlia Snowed In With Summer by Tiana Warner Witch Boyfriend Wanted by Colette Rivera The Girl, the Ring, & the Baseball Bat by Camille Gomera-Tavarez King Cheer (Arden High) by Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm, Jamie Green Prove It by Stephanie Hoyt Falling For You by Mariah Ankenman Disciples of Chaos (Seven Faceless Saints, #2) by M.K. Lobb Wine Ghost Goes to Hell by Sage Coffey In Plain Sight: A Summit Springs Novel by Siobhan Muir Who We Are in Real Life by Victoria Koops Fathomfolk (Drowned World, #1) by Eliza Chan The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton

Please me know if I missed any books 💖

[steddio]

Eddie finding Steve asleep sitting in the kitchen, waiting for the popcorn in the microwave, while the party are playing D&D. Eddie gently waking him up, accidentally letting some of his endearment show when he calls him angel and tells him to go get some sleep, that Eddie got it from here.

(I wrote a short little ficlet for this, I hope that's ok!)

“Alright! Enough!” Eddie tries and fails to be heard over the ruckus of seven teenagers each trying to get out of doing a task.

“Shut up!!!” he finally gets out at a register that demands attention. He is the DM after all, and a part of him preens at the way their startled, open-mouthed faces all turn toward him expectantly.

“I, your benevolent leader, will go refill the snacks,” he offers magnanimously. “While you all,” and this he punctuates with a sweeping gesture, “figure out how you’re going to get out of this dungeon without attracting the attention of Ezrog the Goblin King.”

There’s a new round of squabbling at that, Mike and Dustin convinced that they should take the west stairwell (a trap) while Gareth and Lucas arguing that they should swim out through the underground river (a good idea, Eddie begrudgingly admits).

He grabs the candy wrappers and empty soda cans within his reach and ascends the stairs from the Wheelers’ basement. He follows the scent of popcorn and a profoundly irritating beeping noise to the kitchen where he finds Steve perched on a barstool, slumped over the kitchen counter, fast asleep.

Eddie suddenly feels breathless. He’s never seen Steve so peaceful, so vulnerable. His hair is sticking up at all angles, he’s snoring slightly, and is that— it certainly is, there’s a bit of drool in the corner of his mouth. The permanent furrow between his brows is relaxed in sleep, although the dark circles under his eyes are still noticeable. Eddie knows Steve hasn’t been sleeping well. None of them have, still unable to feel truly safe.

Eddie tiptoes around Steve, careful not to wake him, and finds a cooling bag of popcorn in the microwave. Something clenches in Eddie’s chest. He hadn’t even heard Steve arrive, but here he is preparing snacks, taking care of them like always.

As quietly as possible, he takes the popcorn out of the microwave to stop that infernal beeping (how Steve is able to sleep through it is beyond him) and pours the popcorn into a bowl, grabs a few other things from the cabinet, and organizes them on the counter. He leans over toward Steve, as close as he dares, fingers ghosting over Steve’s hair, his cheek, admiring his long lashes and the freckles that dust his skin. He settles for gently grasping Steve’s shoulder.

“Steve, wake up,” he whispers. Steve mumbles something and then buries his face in the crook of his arm. Eddie can’t stop himself from reaching out and touching Steve’s hair, his heart bursting with fondness.

“Angel, you can’t sleep here, you’ll hurt your back,” he whispers slightly louder. Immediately he realizes what he let slip and waits, frozen, for Steve’s reaction. But Steve just grunts, and doesn’t move.

“Steve, man, c’mon,” Eddie tries again, and this time Steve lifts his head and looks at Eddie blearily.

“Wha-“ he gets out, looking adorably confused.

“You fell asleep in the kitchen,” Eddie can’t help but smile. “Come on, let’s get you over to the couch. You can nap there. The heathens and I still have quite a bit longer in the campaign, plenty of time for you to get some rest.”

Eddie helps (well, more like manhandles) Steve over to the living room couch, thrilling at the way Steve’s body is pressed to his side, loose-limbed and uncareful. Steve drops to the couch and is immediately asleep again, sprawled on his back, looking every bit the teenager he is. Eddie forgets that Steve is only 19, with how much he’s seen and done. But here, at rest, he is young, pure, holy. Eddie’s savior in more ways than one. He grabs a blanket off the armchair and spreads it over Steve, tucking it in on the sides. Stoops down in a semblance of a forehead kiss, just breathing in the scent of Steve’s hair, relishing a stolen moment of closeness.

“Sleep tight, angel.”

-

Three days later, Eddie finds himself in the passenger seat of Steve’s BMW, bickering, as usual, about music. He finds a sick sense of joy in being able to go toe-to-toe against Steve Harrington, King of Hawkins High, even if it’s about something innocuous, like the merits (or complete lack thereof) of Steve’s favorite band.

“Listen, Harrington, listen!” Eddie is getting into it now, feeling himself metaphorically jumping on top of his cafeteria table pedestal. “Wham! is the devil’s music! It’s demonic, only hellspawn can listen to that shit without their ears bleeding.”

Steve glares at him for a brief moment, before his expression fades into a cocky smirk. “Hellspawn?” He meets Eddie’s eyes. “I thought I was an angel.”

[whimsical-musingss]

Chapter 2: Silverwing

Amongst Gods and Men

Warnings: GOT universe, lowkey kind of violent due to dragons. Timeskip ahead! Which means we’re getting closer to Cregan! I’m excited to write about him and his big, muscular build- I mean his personality. Obviously!!!!

Rhaella stood at the harbor, her gloved hands in fists. The wind was sharp, whipping at her cloak and hair, but Rhaella did not shiver. Her mother, Alicent, accompanied Rhaella to her ship, wearing a fur cloak to protect herself from the cold. Her presence made Rhaella curious as to why her mother accompanied her; perhaps to put in one last word or warning about Rhaella’s journey.

“Sweetling, are you certain that this decision is wise-“

“Yes, mother,” Rhaella cuts her off, her violet eyes staring at her mother icily. “There are no dragons for me here, and father gave me his blessing, as did Princess Rhaenyra.”

“I am frightened, my dearest love,” Alicent stops herself from reaching out to her eldest child, who is now ten and seven years of age. The once rebellious girl has now turned more stoic, yet the rebellion within her has not died off completely, as Alicent had prayed. It shows itself, from time to time, as it did when Alicent proposed that Rhaella and Aegon marry.

“I absolutely refuse to marry that insolent, barbaric oaf!” Rhaella had declared. “I’d rather throw myself off of the highest tower in the Red Keep!”

Of course, King Viserys had taken Rhaella’s side in the matter and Aegon married Helaena instead. That was years ago, but ever since then, Alicent had begun to notice how Viserys tended to sway towards Rhaella’s favor over her siblings. To Alicent’s disgust, Viserys confirmed her suspicions: “Rhaella is extraordinarily similar to my Rhaenyra.” More often than not, Alicent deeply regrets allowing Rhaella to attend independent studies with Viserys, as it seems to have further poisoned Rhaella’s mind.

Alicent watches Rhaella gather up her deep red skirts to board her ship. “Dragonstone calls to me, mother,” Rhaella breathes out. “I do not know the true reason, but something lies in wait for me there.” Before Alicent could say another word, her eldest child walks up the plank to board.

“Rhaella,” Alicent calls out, and Rhaella does turn around to heed her mother.

“Do not fall into her trap and her lies,” Alicent picks at her thumb. “You know the threat she poses to our family.”

Dragonstone is a sight Rhaella had hoped to see in her life. She clung to the edge of the ship to make sure she got a good look at the black, towering cliffs, the smoke from the underground volcano, and the fortress itself. The castle was massive, dark and brooding, rich in Targaryen history. She could spot the long, winding stairs from the bottom of the island that went up towards the castle doors. Rhaella could only gape at the immense castle and craved to explore it and the island itself.

The ship anchored with ease, and the princess took a small boat to the coast of Dragonstone. She could only watch, wide eyed, as the castle grew in size. She could smell the distinct stench of sulfur and sea combining, and that’s when she heard it. A dragon’s roar.

Rhaella’s heartbeat suddenly picks up at the thought of a dragon she could claim being in the depths of the mountain. The question that tugged at Rhaella’s mind is, would Rhaenyra truly let her claim a dragon that rested below her castle?

Rhaenyra’s guards greeted Rhaella at the foot of Dragonstone and accompanied her all the way to the top. The sea crashed violently at the cliffs, gulls cried out, as well as dragons. The heavy mist at the beach began to lift as Rhaella climbed higher and the massive doors got closer. Guards opened them for her, and she stood, feeling very small, at the entrance of her ancestral castle.

She slowly walked inside, her boots heavy against the stone floor. Targaryen heraldry, like the ones from her youth, decorated the castle walls as stone dragons and tapestries. Rhaella walked in a small circle, gazing up and around herself in awe. Surprisingly, the castle wasn’t as damp as she thought.

“Sister,” a voice echoed across the walls. Rhaella quickly turned around to greet her half-sister, Rhaenyra, who she had not seen since she was ten and four.

“Princess,” Rhaella curtsied carefully, but Rhaenyra stopped her.

“None of that,” her smile was soft, her deep violet eyes warm. Rhaenyra looks different, even though it has been years. The two sisters had gotten along when Rhaenyra lived in the Red Keep, although they did not spend much time together. Their age difference kept them apart: Rhaenyra focused on her family, Rhaella her studies and growing up. However, if they did spend time together, Rhaenyra was kind and similar to Rhaella, which made her feel at ease.

Rhaenyra wore a black dress that glittered with delicate dragon details. It is evident Rhaenyra was pregnant: her stomach had a slight swell, and she consistently rubbed her hand over it. Her pin straight hair was styled with braids that trailed down her back. Her smile did not show teeth, but it was still warm and inviting.

“You do not need to address me as princess,” Rhaenyra continued, her voice as stern yet soft as Rhaella remembered it. “We are sisters, after all.”

“As you wish it,” Rhaella returned the smile. “I thank you for your hospitality.”

“Think nothing of it,” Rhaenyra led Rhaella further into the castle, where the ocean draft did not reach and it was warmer. “Your letter stated that father seemed quite adamant you came. Even if he was not, you would be welcomed all the same.”

Rhaella flushed. “Thank you, prince-I mean, Rhaenyra. Speaking of father, I must discuss his state with you, and his request.”

Rhaenyra paused in thought. “Let us discuss it over supper, just you and I. My children and my husband can dine separately.” It was clear that Rhaenyra viewed their father’s condition as a delicate matter, perhaps to keep it out of her children’s ears was best.

“First, allow me to show you Dragonstone,” Rhaenyra changed the subject. “Supper will be soon, but I’d like to show you your chambers, as well as below, where the dragons come and go.”

“I would like that very much,” Rhaella said, smiling widely.

It was no secret to Rhaenyra that Rhaella sought out a dragon for her own. King Viserys’ scribe had sent a raven before Rhaella’s arrival, stating that Princess Rhaella would attempt to claim one of the dragons below along with King Viserys’ permission. When discussing it with Daemon, he outright refused. After the whole debacle on Driftmark where Aemond stole Vhagar, the largest dragon in the world, it was expected that Daemon would refuse. However, her father’s words had somewhat moved her: “Rhaella is you, my daughter. If you will allow her presence to stand by your side, she will not leave it. Rhaella only has the blood of the dragon-our blood.”

Rhaenyra will first see if her father’s words were true. And they were.

Rhaella had almost been eaten by a dragon.

While it was an exhilarating experience, she would rather not face Vermithor, the Bronze Fury, again. Like his namesake, he was an angry dragon, perhaps seeking a rider to match his fury and intensity. While Rhaella liked to believe she carried some intensity in the form of rebellion, she had no fury burdened upon her.

It has been close to a month since Rhaella had arrived on Dragonstone. Her half-sister, Rhaenyra, had declared that Rhaella was a guest for as long as she would like. It was evident that Daemon Targaryen, Rhaenyra’s husband, soured at the idea, but soon enough tolerated it. In fact, the couple had accompanied Rhaella to the lair below the castle where the dragons resided. Rhaenyra stood at a distance to protect her babe, while Daemon ventured closer with Rhaella as they both sang dragonsong. After Vermithor appeared, Daemon quickly took his leave.

Yet Vermithor denied Rhaella, but she took it in stride. She knew the moment the dragon and her met eyes that they did not have a deep connection, and she told Rhaenyra this.

“I suppose I do not know the reason for that,” Rhaenyra had said thoughtfully. “I have no experience claiming a dragon.”

Within the span of almost a month, Rhaenyra and Rhaella had found themselves getting along, despite their different pasts. When Rhaenyra completed with her daily duties, she found herself spending time with Rhaella, more than she expected. Rhaella reminded Rhaenyra of her past self: high-spirited, indifferent of the voices around her, and rebellious. Rhaella provided Rhaenyra with somewhat of a glimpse into her past, which made Rhaenyra long for it. Perhaps that was the reason the two princesses spent the month mostly together, getting to know one another, without interference of others.

Rhaenyra gracefully paced in Rhaella’s temporary chambers. Rhaella watched her from her settee by the fireplace, which was alight with a deep orange fire. “Sister, do not be discouraged,” Rhaenyra said after a moments silence. “As you said, there was no connection. Perhaps you may try again, with another dragon, on the morrow.” Rhaella had disclosed her primary reason for the need to acquire a dragon, to be strong like men, and it moved her.

Rhaella nodded, her silver hair now coated with ash. She could taste it in her mouth and in her eyes, making them irritated. Rhaenyra ordered riding clothes be made for Rhaella, but she feared the tough leather may be slightly singed. “Yes, I will try again,” Rhaella assured her sister.

“Try and rest, you have been through an ordeal many have not survived,” Rhaenyra murmured, setting a comforting hand on Rhaella’s shoulder. She nodded, the sisters bid each other good night, and Rhaella watched as her sister flowed out of the room.

And waited for dusk to turn into darkness.

It was a full moon. Rhaella had dismissed her handmaidens, saying she wanted to ready herself for the night, and they obliged. Instead of doing what she had said, Rhaella had waited for the sun to completely disappear from the sky and for the stars to make their appearance. Then, she stood from her settee, adrenaline pumping through her veins, and quietly left her chambers.

Rhaella walked as silently as her boots would allow, walking down spirals of stone staircases towards the damp, humid dragon lair below. She felt sweat slide down the back of her neck and she wiped it away nervously. She felt as if something was dragging her down, down, down to the sulfuric cave below.

Grabbing a torch, Rhaella set off towards another dragon unclaimed in this pit. There was sparse light, as there were only a limited amount of torches against the stone wall and the one in her hand. But Rhaella kept pushing forward. When the stone became dirt and mud, Rhaella kept pushing forward until her feet stopped in their tracks.

She heard if before she saw it. A deep rumble echoed across the stone walls, and a sliver of movement inside a tall cave to Rhaella’s left caught her eye. It was not Vermithor’s grumble, thank the Gods. Rhaella found herself venturing closer to the massive creature, its deep, yellow eyes catching the torch light. A large, cracked opening, large enough to be the dragon’s way in and out, was in the side of the stone wall. It allowed moonlight to filter in, and Rhaella gasped at the dragon before her. Silverwing.

Queen Allysanne’s dragon, here, in front of Rhaella. She did not say a word out of amazement, gazing at the deep silver beauty of a dragon who just lumbered towards her. Rhaella stayed glued at her spot, trying to stop her extended hand clutching the torch from shaking.

Rhaella opened her mouth to try and sing some dragonsong to Silverwing, but all that game out was a gasp as Silverwing nudged Rhaella, hard, in the chest. She toppled over, almost out of breath, the torch rolling away from her grasp. Rhaella quickly stood up only to be nudged again, roughly, sending her into mud. As Silverwing inhaled deeply, as if to smell Rhaella’s scent, she felt no fear. Rather, she extended her hand up towards Silverwing’s large snout. Meet me halfway, begged Rhaella silently. It took a moment, but Silverwing did. She pressed into Rhaella’s hand, almost like a cat, and let out a pleased noise, akin to a chirp and a purr.

Elation erupted in Rhaella’s chest. She slowly got up, and as she found her footing, Silverwing bent her head down as if acknowledging Rhaella. Her wing arm slowly came down to the ground, giving Rhaella access to board Silverwing and climb the saddle. Rhaella’s breathing was heavy as she carefully climbed up towards the leather saddle, which was somewhat worn by Silverwing’s previous rider. Rhaella found a comfortable seat, feeling Silverwing’s breathing beneath her. The dragon was hot to the touch, but that did not bother Rhaella. Instead, she could only grin as her fingers grazed Silverwing’s smooth scales. As she let out a small laugh of exhilaration, Silverwing also let out a great roar of her own.

“Sōvēs, Silverwing!” Cried out Rhaella, and Silverwing quickly obliged, lumbering over to the opening carved into the cliffside. As Silverwing lunged out of Dragonstone and into the night sky, Rhaella never felt freer.

Taglist:

@beebeechaos @r-3dlips

A/N: thank you for reading the second chapter. We have one more chapter and then it’s CREGAN TIME 🐺

If you have enjoyed, please leave a like or a reblog. Your support means a lot!

[mothervvoid]

Kakashi's Birthday Recs

since it's our beloved boy's birthday, I thought I'd take some time to rec a few of my favorite fics (and a few of my own)!

The Pack Survives by ihopethelightwillshineuponus

genfic | 97k / 25/25ch | Kakashi & Team 7-centric When a simple C-rank mission turns into a straight-up nightmare, the members of Team Seven narrowly escape with their lives. They end up stuck in the middle of nowhere, each of them injured and forced to rely on one another for help.

A++ whump & team bonding, it's great!

Like You'd Get Your Knuckles Bloody For Me by mabledonut

genfic | 37k / 10/10ch | Kakashi & Team 7-centric Kakashi was in hell, or something close to it. a.k.a. Genin Team 7 goes bananas after their sensei gets kidnapped and tortured.

another A++ whump fic, with some really great team bonding moments. kakashi defies hiruzen's decree a little and spills a bit of knowledge about naruto's dad + team ten cameo & mednin!shikamaru!

The Last Time I'll Abandon You by mabledonut

genfic | 300k+ / 78/120ch | Team Minato-centric | Ongoing “Hatake Kakashi, isn’t it…?” Kakuzu asked as he emerged from underground, as the black strings or wires or whatever they were retracted back into his body, catching Kakashi from behind along the way, tugging him down, once again laying him prone on the hard rocks and roots of the forest floor. “It’s been some time, but yes, I do remember you…” Shit, we are in a bad way, Kakashi thought to himself as he struggled to get up. Who’s gonna…

an absolutely SAGA of a story, a must-read. though it's a genfic it DOES have some background ships like asukure, and features TEENIE TINNYYY allusions to ships like kakarin, obikaka and obirin. some top-tier whump, nauseating, will have you reading through your fingers at times, i honestly cannot recommend this fic enough!

Uneasy Lies the Head by Hiiraeth

genfic | 130k / 27/27ch | Kakashi & Team 7-centric “Shikamaru,” He began, trying to stay calm. “I’d like for you to get Sakura." Kakashi swallowed thickly and swayed on his feet. "Because I think I've just been poisoned."

POISON FIC!! kakashi has been poisoned! will he and co figure out a cure IN TIME? take a look and FIND OUT!! stunning whump, wonderful team dynamics. this was one of the first fics i ever read in the naruto fandom and it did NOT disappoint!

Just Leave Me in Two Pieces by @perpetuallyuneloquent

genfic | 12.5k / 3/?ch | Kakashi & Team Minato-centric | Ongoing Kakashi kept his eyes closed as the world came into focus around him. The stale air smelled vaguely like old sake and burning kerosene, the ground beneath him gritty and cold. His mind was too sluggish for him to process more, however. I just want to go back to sleep, honestly. Well, that was concerning. Usually, he couldn’t sleep. …Where am I?

exciting and deliciously upsetting fic as team minato goes through the recycling wheel of miscommunication. featuring some grade A whump and a side of people not saying what they should when they need to, and a very interesting original villain!

And Of Course, I'm throwing a couple of my own fics:

red clouds, white wings, silver hair, dogteeth by Mothervvoid

Kakashi/Konan | 2.8k / 1/1ch | Kakashi & Konan-centric When she goes to him she must shed her red clouds and become something else. White wings, dark clothes; bright like an angel as she was when she first made her descent into the ravine where she found him. She could have left him of course, leaf seal on his headband and red spiral flak jacket. This man is her enemy.

in this fic i dare to ask the question: how would this ship work? feat some kakashi whump!

Pebble Brain by Mothervvoid

Kakashi/Obito | 20.7k / 6/6ch | Kakashi & Obito-centric Communication is king.

my obikaka magnum opus.

[icyg4l]

PAC: How has being openly queer changed your life for the better?

Hello beautiful people! Happy Friday and Happy Pride Month! As part of this month’s Pride Month series, I am going to continue on with the topic with this new PAC. I don’t want to waste too much time so please select your pile. 🙏🏽

Top Left-to-Bottom Right: (1-4)

pile one: i feel like you may be transgender or went through a massive glow up as you came into your identity. being openly queer has allowed you to acquire more knowledge through life. life’s experiences have beaten you down but you used those experiences to your advantage. you became older, wiser, more poised. your chart could be saturn ruled (capricorn/aquarius/heavily aspected by saturn). the scars of yesterday strengthen you. i feel like people compliment your physique a lot. it’s taken you a lot to feel comfortable with that. and lastly, being openly queer has welcomed you into some strange/taboo places where you feel open! you could go to anime conventions or underground clubs a lot because of this. you did not lose anything, pile one. you only gained more life experience.

cards used: king of swords, five of cups, six of wands, the moon, three of cups, three of swords, six of cups, king of pentacles.

pile two: i am channeling the energy of damon from pose. you could be a dancer or just have the energy that makes people feel loose. i don’t think you could ever turn your queerness off. people could always point that out in you. this made you a target but that never stopped you from being you. you make people feel inspired. you would be really good at being a mentor for the queer youth. you have this unshakable confidence that could make you do anything. you also have the gift of gab. i am channeling the energy of rolling ray lmaoooo. the things that you’ve gone through have made you take life so unserious. it’s the constant celebration of life that makes your queerness so unique.

cards used: judgment, six of wands, king of wands, seven of pentacles, page of cups, the hierophant, three of cups.

pile three: you exude this devil-may-care energy that is so addictive. it’s so sexy! you literally don’t care! this has made you take pride in your identity. it comes off as annoyingly rebellious to some folks but your people know that’s really you. everyone is not used to your energy. it’s blunt and it’s rich. it reminds me of rihanna and elektra evangelista. your queer identity is intimidating to some people. but you take ownership of it & carry it so well. this is why so many people have a crush on you. i feel like i’m talking to a lesbian but if not you could just present ultra-feminine. you know exactly how to spice up the family dinners and you give off a motherly energy. you use it wisely though because everyone can’t have access to you.

cards used: ace of pentacles, ace of swords, queen of cups, queen of pentacles, eight of cups, the devil, six of pentacles, nine of cups, the emperor.

pile four: you have this introspective nature that makes people think. you remind me of a james baldwin kind of person. your thoughts regarding queer theory and queer rights need to be shared with the world. being openly queer has quite literally taught you. you are living the practice out. it may have taken you some time to come into your current identity. but once you came out, you had this come to jesus moment as many others do. being openly queer has taught you about how to love yourself and others properly, the importance of compassion and leadership. you could be an active leader in your community. if not, you need to be! your voice deserves to be heard without a doubt. you could be the voice of reason, pile four.

cards used: two of cups, eight of cups, king of cups, the emperor, the sun, the magician, page of cups, the hierophant, wheel of fortune.

[astronicht]

Replying to a comment on this ask reply about evil in the North in LOTR (but it was too long to actually put in a comment ,)

@warrioreowynofrohan I'm so glad evil is in the north in The Silmarillion!! I have also been promised that the story of the creation of the world is also in there, since Frodo fell asleep during Tom Bombadil’s early medieval cosmology lesson. I really, really want to know what happens in Elf Creation, because Tolkien did not write a book about it academically but CLEARLY had at least a few opinions about early medieval ideas of where the world came from, which he possibly just put in Middle Earth, if he had them fleshed out enough. This makes me nuts bc CS Lewis, meanwhile, wrote a whole-ass book called The Discarded Image about his idea* of the medieval vision of the cosmos (like where is outer space, where are the planets, where’s heaven, etc, including How It All Got Made) and also per the word of a thesis supervisor back in the day who was super into this stuff, worked symbolism of the planets in the medieval cosmos into one of his fictional works.

*bc the rest is under cut: if you want a more accurate read for medieval and Renaissance cosmology, the textbook is Planets, Stars, and Orbs by Edward Grant. I would not recommend TDI for historical accuracy

Lewis brushes over early medieval ideas only briefly (early medieval anything is actually not usually included in medieval academia on a theme; it’s sort of a weird zone from ca. 600-1100 AD, and Grant doesn't cover it either). But while the book is interesting on some points, it's pretty misleading, and CS Lewis's one solid error was presenting all of medieval cosmology as a Single Idea, which it also very much was not. People did not magically stop arguing about how the world got made and what it looked like for one thousand years, and modern scholarship has looked at that. But he was reading all the same texts as Tolkien, and this weird oversight that has bothered me for years, and for YEARS i have been wondering if Tolkien thought something else. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t! WHY did he put the seven stars (the five visible planets plus the sun and moon) on Aragorn’s sword PLUS the sun and moon, throwing off the count entirely?? Maybe he did not actually give a shit). I look forward to finding out, and probably suffering for it.

RE: Gollum! Your actual question! Honestly at the moment (aka at the end of Fellowship), Gollum seems like such a thoroughly Grendel figure that I almost get worried I’m being lured into a 1:1 comparison, when Tolkien seems to enjoy making a bunch of different references within each character. Strider is King Arthur, Strider is that guy in that saga nicknamed Strider, Strider is another guy with a sword situation in another saga(??) (I have not read enough Norse sagas). Gollum, though, is associated with the underground and with water; he has his dark low pool; Grendel lives in a low dark pool (with his mum). Even being cast out by a matriarch maaaaybe suggests something of Grendel’s Mother, who is just as much a main character, or perhaps more so; she’s the final boss of the Grendel bit of Beowulf, after all. So in conclusion: yeah I see your point! I'd be curious to figure out what else is being folded in. However, assuming the Grendel similarities are on purpose, congrats to Tolkien for the only good Beowulf adaptation ever.