#triskel au

[halebop-s-art]

Yes i'm still loving @sibmakesart 's French AU of one piece

[emiimagination]

Hi!!! Here is a colored version of the triskel from our Deer Gods AU drawn by @art-from-iso

I didn't steal her work! she gave me permission to do it since we both work on this AU and I post it with her agreement

And here is the introduction (in French) of this AU ^^ the first real chapter will be posted tomorrow (it's late in France when I post this ^^)

[process-pending]

“You’re here with us, Jask. You’re safe.” Jaskier nods, he wants to reassure Geralt that he knows but his body is still shaky with panic, memories dragged kicking into the light still screaming.

To the Night We Met (Chapter 5)

[christinesficrecs]

Hey Christine! What are some of your favourite deleted sterek fics?

There are so many!!! Everything by Circe6 and Grimm.

Alpha Spikes by starbeast | 70.1K | Explicit

Unchained by exclamation | 156.1K | Explicit

Werewolves are considered little better than animals and often treated much worse, forced into slavery from birth. Derek has been owned by enough humans to know their cruelty. When he’s bought by Stiles, he expects more of the same. But Stiles is not like any human he’s dealt with before.

The ETA from You to Me by tylerfucklin | 105K | Explicit

No Way Out by trilliath | 121.5K | Explicit

this town is only gonna eat you by sempiternalsea | 16.3K | Mature

On the outskirts of Stockholm, Derek takes down six men of eight with nothing but a boot knife and Stiles at his back. By the end, he’s covered in an array of bruises and blood and dirty snow, crouched low to the ground. Stiles stands by him, posture perfectly erect, Glock still raised. He’s got a smear of lipstick on his mouth and gunpowder residue on his sleeve. The men at their feet do not stir. (An AU where Stiles is a spy and Derek is his assassin.)

My Patience is a Medal by Saucery | 6.1K | Mature

Lead Me Home by Circe6

"Yeah, the world had gone to shit. What's left of it split into territories, viciously fought over andprotected, as if anything is worth protecting any more. Forests to the north, wastelands to the south.There are human territories, wolf territories, witch territories and no-man's lands, where the Chimerasrule."

A post-apocalyptic fairytale

The Silver Lining Of Smog by Circe6

Set in a dystopian future in the year 250X, where everyone lives in large metropolises known asthe Poleis. Each Poleis is controlled by the guilds and the gangs that dominate the seedy underworld.

Derek is a member of the notorious Triskele gang, working as a drug runner for his 'Uncle' Peter, who is a pimp and a ganglord. After Derek brings in a stray werefox he found on the run from the police, his entire world begins to change.

a mountain to climb by grimm | 126.4K

“Don’t do it,” he mutters. “Don’t do it, please, don’t do it.”

But there it is, a soft pink line appearing right next to the control. Stiles’ legs give out from under him; he sinks to the bathroom floor, hands shaking, his entire body shaking. It’s hard to breathe, his vision blurring around the edges. There’s a knock on the door behind him and then it opens and Scott sits down next to him.

“I’m fucked,” Stiles gasps, tears prickling at his eyes. “I’m fucked!”

Want is a Dangerous Thing by grimm | 19.2K | Explicit

It was bad enough that Derek was so terrible at meeting people that he had to buy himself a mate, but it was even worse that his mother called a pack meeting about it. Laura was never, ever going to let him live this down.

Dating Backwards by RemainNameless | 85.8K

Pornstars Derek and Stiles work for the same company. Derek only shoots with werewolves and Stiles only shoots with humans. That’s not going to change after they meet. It’s really not. (It might.)

Its Called a Heart Boner by RemainNameless | 26.7K | Mature

The five times Derek saves a very drunk Stiles and the one time Stiles saves him back.

hold on to me because I’m a little unsteady by starcanopus | 6K | Time Travel AU

show me something beautiful by starcanopus | 9K

Isaac is the one who first catches sight of the ring, an entire two months after the captain had joined the 14th precinct. It’s somewhat pathetic, really, considering the fact that an entire floor full of detectives hadn’t noticed right off the bat.

But when he does see it—a thin, silver band so innocuous that it could have just been a trick of the light—he trips headfirst into a recycling bin, earning a dirty glance from his boss through the window of the man’s office and Isaac kind of wants to sink into the ground and never come back out, but he has a duty to fulfill: spreading the news to every floor of the precinct that the captain is married.

Captain Derek Hale is married.

Circe6 | Grimm | Saucery | RemainNameless | Starcanopus.

[sterekbigbang]

House of the Howling Wolves (111,607) by @rlnerdgirl Art by @renmackree For @sterekbigbang 2023-2024, Round 6 Rating: Explicit Relationship: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski Tags: Derek POV, BAMF Derek, BAMF Stiles, magical Stiles, protective Derek, alive Laura, Alpha Laura, blood, violence, hurt/comfort, fairytale AU(?), blowjobs, erotic asphyxiation, idiots in lust, happy ending

Summary: When crown prince Derek Hale of the kingdom of Triskelle finds himself unexpectedly holding the life-debt of a Twillian fae, he and his sister see an opportunity to save their dying kingdom. Now, as Derek travels north into the Twill, he must put faith in his Twillian guide, Stiles, to keep him safe as they journey through a mystical land of magic and danger. As their journey continues, Derek finds himself drawn to his companion, and left struggling to consider what will become of them once debts are paid and the Kingdom of Triskelle stands strong once again. Never venture into the Twill, for in the heart of those lands you will find only magic and the strange. A place where bones shift and forms change, as man turns to wolf and the moon holds sway over minds and hearts led astray. Heed this warning, this solemn call, lest the Twillian magics you shall befall.

[wheredidhiseyebrowsgo]

Thank you so much for all you do!!! Wondering if you have any Sterek fics where Stiles gets a triskelion tattoo?

Yeah I do.

This fan art. 

I’ll Take Forever With You, then by ElStark

(1/1 I 2,568 I Teen I Sterek)

Stiles gets a triskele tattooed.

Derek finally returns to Beacon Hills.

The sheriff is awesome and approves of Stiles possibly dating Derek 

You’re making magic, oh dear lord. by LucifersHitman

(1/1 I 2,116 I Explicit I Sterek)

Stiles returned after leaving for a while to learn to control his magic and he is covered in tattoos that help to concentrate it. Bonus points for Derek not being able to control himself when he sees the triskele. Knotting is definitely my jam.

An Alpha’s Mark by Piscaria

(1/1 I 12,246 I Explicit I Sterek I Knotting)

Stiles never thought he’d get a tattoo – then he found out human pack members could grow stronger by taking an Alpha’s Mark.

AND

@ranik-a suggested this one!

Beltane by DevilDoll

(1/1 I 8,254 I Explicit I Sterek)

"Watching Stiles heal someone has always been a little uncomfortable for Derek, like he's seeing something intimate and private that shouldn't have an audience. That's nothing compared to how it feels." This is an AU in which Stiles has magical healing powers.

[incorrectcoldflashblog]

WIP Title Tag Game

Rules: Make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

Thank you @zeawesomebirdie for tagging me <3 I actually don’t think I’ve started any new WIPs since the last time I did this so yay me!

All of my WIPs are for Coldflash because duh!

Coldflash Body Swap

Coldflash Canon TATBIL

Coldflash Coming Out

Coldflash Dog

Coldflash Drunken Night

Coldflash Enemies Benefit

Coldflash Framed

Coldflash Future

Coldflash Genie AU

Coldflash Helping Hand

Coldflash Into the Speedforce

Coldflash Road Trip

Coldflash Seduction

Coldflash Soulmate

Coldflash Vegas

That’s 15 WIPs, although a couple are almost done, one is abandoned and then there are a few that barely have anything written in them^^’

Tagging @leatafandom @qlala @softboydepot @angst-is-love-angst-is-life @thatsnotmygunflash @thefastestqueeralive @crestfallercanyon @p-taryn-dactyl @primewritessmut @raethereptile @kitkatt0430 @coldflasher @beauregardstaxicab @joanthangroff @triskel-samulet

[maziecrazycloud]

“Woodland Window” - limited edition right side of LZ IIII gatefold - Alternate Timeline 1971

{Led Zeppelin’s fourth album was untitled. Instead five symbols were created in place of each member. Originally four, but when Aisling Cowan broke time by joining the band, her symbol was forever enshrined within the legacy of Zeppelin. A triskele, the ancient Celtic symbol she saw before she was ripped from the twenty first century into the past, the symbol follows her everywhere, the symbol that means magick is near. The symbol of Past, present and future. It is her sacred home and her enemy. And of course the three vestiges of power, representing an arm of the triskele: The Stone, The Dagger, The Necklace. Finally the watchful dark haired mage who follows the darkened path. Thus the album art and photography was based around these themes, with the whimsical elements of the music already meeting that of the magickal and untamed, it was perfect. Aisling could hide in plain sight, the outsider from another time, and none were wiser.}

More Forest of Time Lore for you all! I plan to do the other side of the gatefold for the rest of the members. This silly AU story has consumed my brain, and I hope you all still find it fun! I painted a whimsical Scottish scene and Aisling’s clan tartan were fun little art challenges for me. Im really proud of how this turned out, it was a trial and error, in addition to changing your art style a little! All in all, I am very happy with the result! Cheers!🌞

(Btw! I posted Chapter 21 on Archive! Check it out!💖)

[spaceprincessem]

ao3 wrapped

tagged by my lovely friends @shortsighted-owl and @outtoshatter 

works published: 19

word count: 172,729

hits: 92,902

bookmarks: 3,491

most popular by kudos: and i’m not good at winning fights anymore | 5+1 things buddie fic

most hits:  and i’m not good at winning fights anymore  |  5+1 things buddie fic

longest: blue skies | buck meets another savior baby buddie fic

shortest: next year all our troubles will be out of sight | dickkory/titans fam holiday fic

most comments:  blue skies | buck meets another savior baby buddie fic

fic that made me cry: blue skies was very personal for me, so that one really got me good. also it’s a miracle [we found true north] because of the beautiful art ren made for it

fic that made me smile: a tie for sure. don’t leave me like this [i belong to you] my buddie and madney speedrun fwb to lovers featuring buck and chimney being silly and supportive. it was so much fun to write. i wrote all of it in one sitting and chim and buck’s interactions are so fun and sweet.

but also if this is the long haul how’d we get here so soon? my detroit become human rk1k fic!!!! there was only one bed trope my beloved.

gifts: just 1! 

but i swear [you were there] for my lovely friend @mumucow just a lil hurt/comfort buddie nightmare fic

collaborations: two collabs with some very talented people

the glow of the cities sterek fic with art by the talented @seanchaidh7 

it’s a miracle [we found true north] a slight buddie au with artist buck and art by one of my besties @justlovehimanyway 

events: sterek artist seduction 2022 with my fic  the glow of the cities sterek fic with art by the talented @seanchaidh7 

coming in 2023: 118 group therapy au and i am seriously considering doing a 911 stranger things au....

okay i will tag @ajunerose @escapism-through-imagination @mumucow @triskel-samulet @ty-in-bedlam

[keeperthemultiversemom]

Is it normal that I really see Keeper as a real mother figure now? She feels so warm and safe! I just wanna hug her a lot!! 😭

Boop ! Creator answering for once !

Aaah this is gonna be long ! Sorry in advance

This is a funny ask to me, because well, that's somewhat the intent on Keeper !

I wanna talk about it a little actually, I think I mentionned it before, but my main inspiration behind Keeper was... Seeing the world in total chaos and all the edgy AUs

We are in an era where everything is just worse case scenarios, one after the other, all the time

It's exhausting

Add to that the high number of edgy aus that where born in the past few month

So much violence ! So much angst ! So much sadness !

I wanted to make a character to "restore the balance"

Provide pure comfort (at least out of the Out of Bound storyline, get your mug of tears ready for that)

Something that make people feel like they have somewhere to go mentally to rest. You can imagine yourself right there, in Keeper's space ! And Keeper will be there taking care of you ! Giving you hugs !

It's totally okay to see her as a mom or a friend or that nice little old lady neighbours that gives you cookies sometimes

She's a big giant ball of fluff ! And it makes me happy to know that some find comfort in this AU

Even if in the end my AU won't be that well known by everyone, providing comfort to the mind what the intent of Keeper, she's the Multiverse Mom and you are all her Little Ones !

My my, I talk a lot, but I don't get to extend my thoughts that much about her haha, because of the twitter limit yk

Tho, while I'm here, I'd like to remind that this is simply an AU, and the original concept of Poppy still belongs to Clown !

I am just having fun giving a source of comfort to the fandom... I often use my friends characters in the asks, such as Messenger, Courier, Scripter, Filantes to help tell the little stories

So this is also a little reminder that only Keeper, Nyxie and Triskell belong to me !! Only those three ! ( And the fourth character that is coming soon of course ~ )

Thank you thank you for reading it all ! Have some doodles for your troubles

[mumucow]

ao3 wrapped

tagged by my wonderful friend @spaceprincessem

works published: 16

word count: 148,776

hits:  58,196

bookmarks: 934

most popular by kudos:  Tryna find my way back to you (Cause I'm needing a little bit of love) | Crossover with Lonestar where Buck goes to help the 126 for one month and Eddie can’t handle the distance

most hits: Tryna find my way back to you (Cause I'm needing a little bit of love) | Crossover with Lonestar where Buck goes to help the 126 for one month and Eddie can’t handle the distance

longest:  Tryna find my way back to you (Cause I'm needing a little bit of love) | Crossover with Lonestar where Buck goes to help the 126 for one month and Eddie can’t handle the distance

shortest:  I will have your back (even in bed) | Smut with feelings, mostly buddie being in love and trusting in bed

most comments:  Tryna find my way back to you (Cause I'm needing a little bit of love) | Crossover with Lonestar where Buck goes to help the 126 for one month and Eddie can’t handle the distance

fic that made me cry:

I have two for different reasons

Who knew | MCD Eddie after buddie gets together, because I had to hurt myself and my friends with it. I’m really proud of my writing in this one.

Mistakes are meant to be made (But you are not one) | Buddie getting together in the most loving and subtle way possible. I cried of frustation, happiness and just how fucking loving they are with each other

fic that made me smile: 

Hershey's Kisses | Buddie kissing because of a stupid joke that Buck pulls out, I just had so much fun with this one and I like it so damn much for how simple and fun it is.

gifts: I got so many, I have 5

Tryna find my way back to you (Cause I'm needing a little bit of love) for @ty-in-bedlam, who is to blame for all my buddie fics happening

You Found Me Among Lights and Shadows for @ty-in-bedlam’s birthday, buddie finding each other in a gay club and going back home together.

Being Set Up While Setting Up for @triskel-samulet, because we can’t stop shipping Tommy and Josh while getting Buddie together

Will you still kiss me when I am sick? for @spaceprincessem because she was sick for a few days and needed to be cheered up so I got Eddie taking care of a sick Buck and getting together

Mistakes are meant to be made (But you are not one) for @spaceprincessem‘s birthday because she is amazing and I want to be such an amazing writer as her and just needed to get her soft Buddie with most of her favorite tropes and just melt people with the fluff

collaborations: So far I have nothing and nothing planned

events: I did sign up for one that never really happened but the fic was this one

Outside Looking In | Coma Buck, it’s mostly from his POV and he sees Daniel while in a coma to help him understand how much he is loved.

coming in 2023: Honestly, only the AU event which it will I will keep a secret for now considering I’m not sure on the idea yet

I am tagging @sherlocking-out-loud @leandra-winchester @ironkissedmage @justlovehimanyway , I’m sorry if you all already been tagged

[bedlamsbard]

That Thor plotline sounds rad as hell. I was kinda disappointed in infinity war when he got his axe; I figured from the comics that it would happen sometime, but I wanted him to shoot lightning from his hands a lot longer, and I’m STILL irritated that he took off his eyepatch at all. Stealing the name but not the fiction of the chessmen is probably wise lmao

Me too. There's a reason he doesn't get Stormbreaker or a new eye in Yonder, after all. (And I went back and forth a lot on whether he ought to get Mjolnir back in Morning, but it's an alternate universe's Mjolnir and it was for plot and worldbuilding reasons, not fighting reasons since there aren't any fight scenes coming up.)

By the present day of this story -- probably actually roughly when Avengers takes place, to give Steve time to come out of the ice and get the full failed Hydra brainwashing special -- Thor's been stuck on Earth for like a year and a half (I usually have Thor set in fall 2010), depowered and pretty much resigned to now being "mortal." He's still got all the fighting skills (which we see in Thor), but doesn't think that he has his powers or his Asgardian strength/healing/etc., though has been having flashes of them starting to come back that he won't admit to anyone. Older and a little grimmer, living with his exile -- one thing that's always struck me about MCU Mjolnir (unless TLAT retconned this, I still haven't seen this) is that prior to Thor it never had a worthiness clause, and there's every chance that throughout the film Thor had no idea that it now has one. (The triskele appears briefly after he fails to lift it at the crash site, and we see Thor start to react to it, so he may be reading the enchantment there, but it's not explicitly stated anywhere in the film.) Thor may not know that he's on an intended character arc and not that he's permanently exiled.

I kind of read Chris Hemsworth's character Tyler Rake in Extraction as a Thor who never got Mjolnir back and was never able to return to Asgard, and had to learn how to live in this world as a result with the only skill he has (incredible violence), so that's more what this AU's Thor would probably be like, except perhaps a little less grim because it hasn't been as long. Plus he has Jane, Darcy, Selvig, and the rest of realSHIELD.

...I just realized that this is essentially the version of Avengers when they're all in various forms of exile. Thor literally and by name, Steve because he's out of his time, Tony because his death was faked and he's in hiding, Clint and Natasha because they're in hiding after leaving HydraSHIELD, and Bruce because, well, Bruce. (Hydra made a try for the Hulk and realSHIELD was able to whisk him off, so he's there too.)

[emiimagination]

I have permission to use this triskel as a cover ^^ maybe another one will come later, who knows? ^^

Don't forget to go see the artist @art-from-iso ^^ she really deserves it ^^

Finally, as promised, here is the first real chapter of the Deer Gods AU fiction ^^

The next chapter will be posted next week. Until then, I hope you like the universe 😉

We will see about doing a translation soon… but please understand that we would like to see if the universe pleases before translating. It takes us time and work. So we are impatient to see your reactions on this AU ^^

[sognareleggiesogna]

RECENSIONE: La somma di tutti i colori di Ari Blake

Cari Sognatori, Rosanna ha letto il contemporary romance MM scritto da Ari Blake e pubblicato dalla Triskell Edizioni !!! GENERE: Contemporary Romance MM DATA DI PUBBLICAZIONE: 20 maggio 2024 EBOOK / CARTACEO Affiliati Amazon  Quando James arriva a Reykjavík per trascorrervi sei mesi di Erasmus ha le idee chiare su come scandirà le sue giornate: studio, esami e il lavoro come ragazzo au-pair a…

[williamgunst]

4ème édition du salon du bien-être à Triskell, ce week-end

4ème édition du salon du bien-être à Triskell, ce week-end

Après deux ans de crise sanitaire, le salon du fitness reprend ce week-end au Triskel, à Pont l’Abbé. Une soixantaine d’exposants sont présents à cette 4ème édition proposant conférences et ateliers gratuits. Cindy Laboulle, qui organise ce genre de salon dans tout le Finistère, a sélectionné des professionnels britanniques dans des domaines tels que la naturopathie, la réflexologie, la…

[comfyswitcherblanketfort]

dearest comfy <3 what if Triss was a blacksmith AND Eskel was a blacksmith??? What then?? Enemies to lovers maybe? <3

Ellie. I love you. I love this prompt. And I love Trisskel. This is a triple threat of wonderfulness. Hopefully the fic delivers 💖💖

Warnings: no violence, some hostile Triss (mostly internal), lmao is this considered idiot and exasperated to lovers? idk you tell me, its pretty chill tbh, unless you don’t like daggers. there's lots of daggers. 

_____________________

Triss was furious. 

She had spent her whole life stoking a furnace, shadowing her father, sweating, suffering burn after burn and later cut after searing cut as she learned to forge all sorts of weaponry. Now, this teddy bear-shaped child was setting up shop in her courtyard?! Unacceptable. Unbelievable! She’d staked a claim on her territory for market day early. So early she hadn’t even made her first blade. Her father still had her hammering out decorative discs and fastenings for armor. 

One of her customers had the audacity to call him ‘cute’ to her face.

He was no more than twenty-five, tall and stocky like most people expected of a blacksmith, but they claimed there was a softness about him. Triss remembered that softness well, before loss and responsibility really set in. What others saw as sweet, boyish charm she saw as a weakness. 

She sent her assistant to assess his booth, maybe flirt and ask some questions, and was even more annoyed when they came back. 

“He’s young but he’s not inexperienced. His blades are good. So is his uh… customer service.” 

Triss rolled her eyes, “What kind of weapons was he selling? I don’t care about his looks. I have breasts.”

Her assistant shrugged and described his table. 

That following week she put in double the hours at her workshop, put the extra flourish on every piece, perfected every detail until her arms ached and her head pounded. She often forgot to drink water, let alone eat, when she got worked up, so her assistant brought her meals. 

When the next market day came, she proudly displayed her new wares.

And if she took her hair out of the usual braids and unbuttoned her blouse a bit lower than last week, who would be brave enough to point it out?

This time the newcomer had the gaul to visit her booth. 

“Good morning, Miss Merigold,” he dipped in a bow of respect before she even turned around to greet him, straightening up and disarming her with a lopsided grin, “My apologies, I meant to introduce myself after last week’s market. But you were far more efficient at break-down than I.” 

She wouldn’t have called him cute by a long shot. He was downright handsome.

Then she remembered they were rivals. There would be no fraternizing with the enemy.  

It took her a moment to gather her wits before she responded, “Good morning. To whom do I owe the pleasure?”

She knew. 

Of course she knew. But he was far better looking than she had assumed, his scars only adding to his alluring presence, and she needed to feel like she had the upper hand. 

His smile grew a bit sheepish, “Eskel of the Blue Mountains. I’m your new neighbor… sort of,” he offered his hand over her table and she took it, hoping her hesitation wasn’t too obvious. 

“Welcome. I hope the city is treating you well?” 

“Well enough,” he acquiesced, letting go of her hand after a moment, “To be truthful, I haven’t left my forge much at all. I’m still getting used to her. But you know how that goes.” 

Triss raised her eyebrows and plastered an over-polite smile on her face, “I must say I wouldn’t. I inherited my forge from my father. I learned with her. We get along quite well.” 

Eskel was called by someone from his booth as he made to speak. He waved at them to wait a moment and turned back to Triss with a wink, “Well if you have any relationship advice, let me know.”

Before she could think of a polite but not too friendly response, he was gone. 

She turned back to her assistant in a huff, “He’s infuriating.” 

“He’s dreamy.”

“Hush,” she snapped, pointing to her sketch pad, “Hand me that. Call for me if there’s a large sale or a problem.”

She sketched and planned half the day away. But when she realized how much the materials for her plans would cost she adjusted her cleavage and left her tent. Someone had to drive the hard bargain around here, and she knew her assistant was too kind. 

The next week she arrived with a beautiful set of delicate-looking throwing knives, a few different ornate daggers, and a sword fit for a king alongside her typical, practical items. However, she was seeing more than just her flowing hilt designs inlaid with etchings. 

Eskel seemed to have had a similar idea.

She wandered past his booth, pretending to buy fabric from the stall next to him, and fumed. It seemed Eskel had a sharper eye than she’d anticipated. He very clearly mimicked her setup and emphasized the smaller wares like she did. He even had the same sign in three different languages about customizations and bulk orders.

This had become all out war. 

When her sword sold that day she decided to finish off the dozen or so she had laying in wait for specific orders over the week. She even detailed a breastplate to match for three of them, guessing at the size in reference to the sword as best she could. As she worked she mulled over her new competition. His soft golden eyes that crinkled ever so slightly when he smiled were absolutely aggravating. At least that’s what she told herself. It was simply her competitive nature that had her fixating on this mountain of a man. 

She returned the next week with a spread so large she could barely fit it on her table.

Eskel had come back with daggers inlaid with precious stones of dazzling pale blue and sparkling greys and whites. Blue Mountains indeed.

Polite customers started mumbling comparisons to themselves while the brash ones outwardly used the other stall to barter a better price. Every time Eskel was mentioned Triss would bristle, hold back a snarl, and turn on every bit of innocent charm she had. 

She began leaving with a lighter cart and a challenging wink from her competition. Over the week she worked her fingers to the bone over fine details and getting the balance absolutely perfect. 

After months of competition, months of uncomfortable eye contact, she finally broke when he sold a matching helmet, breastplate, and dagger to one of her most loyal customers. 

“Eskel. We need to have a word,” she marched right up to his tent, hands tucked into her half apron at her waist. 

He smirked, “That all?”

She glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest, “We can’t keep making the same things.”

“Pretty daggers and ceremonial armor? Why not?” he mimicked her, folding his massive arms over his own chest, leaning back against his table, making him just a little bit taller than Triss rather than the usual towering over her. 

She rolled her eyes and stepped a little closer, “We’ve both done well, or I’m assuming you have, but eventually all the nobility this side of the canal will have been sold to. We’ll have saturated the market and be left with an armory full of ornate weaponry with no one to buy it.”

“Preserving the market means one gets to keep said market.”

Triss nodded but Eskel seemed unimpressed. 

“And how would you suggest we settle who keeps it?” he raised an eyebrow at her and she just wanted to smack the smug look off his face. Or kiss it. She really wasn’t sure anymore. 

She scrambled for a moment, not having entirely thought this through, “A competition.”

He stood to full height and sighed, “What are the terms?”

“One dagger. Same price. Whoever sells first gets the market. The other has to branch out or move.”

Eskel nodded and held his hand out, “Agreed.”

Triss went to take his hand but he gripped her forearm, his whole hand covering much of her elbow. She did her best not to think about how strong his arm felt in her grasp, how when she squeezed she felt a gentle give before she hit muscle. 

He winked at her as he released his grasp and turned back to work, “See you next week Merigold.” 

Triss worked on a single dagger all week. 

She couldn’t get Eskel’s stupid cocky smile or his tanned arms out of her head. The way he looked down at her with that condescending smile enraged her. Her assistant claimed he looked more fond than condescending, but Triss only narrowed her eyes and shook her head. She’d been raised in the marketplace. She knew exactly how men viewed her. 

In the end, her dagger looked very fitting for a man like him. Broad, sturdy, a bit curved at the tip, and simply yet elegantly decorated. She cooled it in a liquid mixture her father had made and kept secret, giving the blade a finish similar to copper, but with all the strength of steel. 

If she noticed the coincidence she stubbornly ignored it. 

Eskel was already set up and waiting when she arrived at the market. She spared him only a curt nod while she set up her booth as if preparing for battle. 

He sauntered over to her before dawn had officially broken, blade in hand with what Triss might guess to be a nervous expression. 

“Good morning, Merigold,” he cleared his throat and set the dagger currently wrapped in cloth on the table between them, “What have you for our little competition?” 

Triss proudly pulled the dagger she had made from her case, handing it over by the hilt as she spoke, “Good morning, Eskel.”

He took the blade and hummed as he inspected it, whispering, “It’s beautiful...”

She wasn’t prepared for such a genuine compliment. Nor was she prepared for how much she loved hearing that word fall from his lips.

“Th-thank you.”

Eskel handed it back before unwrapping his.

Triss almost had to catch her breath. It was gorgeous, gracefully curved, a turquoise stone grip bordered by an ornate handguard. The part that really got her though was the engraving on the blade. She stepped out and around the table to catch more of the sunlight to see what it was and gasped. Little jasmine flowers were etched into the flat of the blade. 

She looked up at him in awe, “Why jasmine?”

He gave her a crooked smile, rubbing the back of his neck, “You, ahm- your perfume. It is jasmine right?” 

She tilted her head and really looked at him since the first time she met him, “You noticed my perfume?”

“It’s nice,” he shrugged, stuffing his hands in his leather apron pockets. 

Triss thought about all the winks and the ‘good mornings’ and compliments. She’d thought they were just to get her buttered up, but maybe she’d been a little harsher than she needed to.

“It’s stunning,” she breathed, reaching up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, not wanting to pull away from his warmth when she had to. 

They were interrupted by her assistant and set a price quickly before scurrying back to their tents. 

All day they would glance toward the other’s booth, but Triss was no longer checking his table. She was looking for him. His kind smile and boisterous laugh. His easy charm and especially his humility under pressure. 

All day she struggled with the realization that she was just a little bit in love with her competition. 

Nearing sundown she told her assistant to begin cleaning up and grabbed her coin purse before marching over to his stand once again. 

“Did you sell it?” Eskel looked disappointed and she was surprised to be glad to tell him no. 

“I have two things to say and I will only say them once, so listen carefully. I realize I’ve been unduly cold to you and I want to apologize. You’ve proven that you’re not only a skilled craftsman but seem to be a good man as well and you don’t deserve it. “

“Apology accepted,” Eskel grinned, leaning back on his table as he waited for her next item.

“Thank you. Now, I’d like to buy the dagger. The one with the jasmines.”

Eskel frowned, “You- you’re forfeiting?”

Triss bit her lip and forced herself to look him in his honey gold eyes, “Yes. Though I hope we can both agree to stay where we are? I think I might miss you if you leave.”

He grinned and pushed off the table, standing just inches from Triss now that he was upright. His hand hesitantly brushed a stray curl out of her eyes as he leaned closer, hesitating to give her time to leave if she wanted, before he brushed his lips against hers. She melted into him, wrapping her arms around his neck as they kissed. His hands covered her back, pressing her to him and nearly lifting her off her feet. 

When they parted they were gasping for breath they both wished they didn't need.

“What about a trade and a truce?” 

Triss nodded, standing up on her tiptoes to plant another kiss on his lips, “And dinner.”

Eskel chuckled, “I think that’s perfectly reasonable.”