#updates from the aerie

[perditious]

speaking of maple, did you know? she is so sweet and soft and best and parent should be snuggling her always??

[jihyoruri]

❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ HOMESICK kim chaewon x reader

↳ warnings richgirl!yn, read these four parts before this one if you haven’t already, yn is struggling, chaewon is …. chaewon again , aespa girls on top, swearing

yn had been at the aespa dorms for weeks.

and you would think it would make the girls concerned on the absence of their beloved member but it only fueled more things.

kazuha tried her best to make excuses for yn’s absence telling the girls that the aespa dorms are closer to yn’s house and yn did mention how she had things to take care of with her dad, but only earned comments like this.

“we have a comeback coming up, she would be responsible and tell her dad that we need her.”

“fans are getting worried as well she hasn’t updated for weeks, she needs to realize that this falls back on us and to stop thinking about herself.”

“so daddy’s girl is running around shopping with him and not doing her job of being an idol for weeks, classic yn.”.

the last one was chaewon of course.

it only took one big mishap for yn to be forced back into the her actual dorms and you could probably blame chaewon for this one.

yn listened to the girls' conversation, her head resting comfortably on jimin’s shoulder. she chimed in with her thoughts now and then, enjoying the warmth of their easy chatter.

staying in the dorms with them felt right, comforting, like slipping into a favorite sweater. when she was with them, her worries seemed to fade away, and for a moment, she could almost forget the group she actually belonged to.

still, she never forgot to text kazuha. no matter what, kazuha was always on her mind, someone she could never overlook. the thought of her brought a small pang of worry, she hadn’t heard from her all day.

yn sat up from jimin’s shoulder causing the older girl to look at her concerned, she reached over to grab her phone but was cut off by a gasp from aeri.

"yn, did you see this?" aeri asked, climbing over minjeong to reach her. "look at this, bro."

yn took the phone from aeri and focused on the video playing on the screen.

all of her members were sitting together, clearly in the middle of a group live stream, except it didn’t really feel like one since yn wasn’t there.

her brows knitted together as she watched kazuha’s face, noticing the subtle confusion in her expression. kazuha leaned in to whisper something to yunjin, who simply shrugged and continued chatting with the fans, her smile never faltering.

yn felt the four girls around her lean in closer, their eyes fixed on the screen over her shoulder..

In the video, kazuha glanced at chaewon before scanning the comments. "where’s yn?" she asked, her tone laced with concern as she read the comment she started to say something more, but chaewon quickly interrupted.

"she’s not feeling well, don’t worry, guys. she’s okay, you guys can stop asking now” chaewon laughed, “all the comments are asking for yn let’s talk about something else.”

the video ended with the other members nodding in agreement, except for kazuha, who remained silent.

“what the hell…” minjeong muttered under her breath as yn handed the phone back to aeri, her expression clouded with confusion and hurt.

“why didn’t they call you so you could join the group live?” jimin asked, her hand gently rubbing yn’s back. her eyes darted to yizhuo, who stared back at yn with a simmering anger.

“because they’re assholes,” yizhuo snapped. “you’re literally a phone call away. It wouldn’t have been that hard.”

“I wouldn’t say they’re assh-”

“shut up, yn they’re assholes.”

the girl quieted at her best friends words putting her head in her hands, “I don’t know what’s going on anymore.” she says quietly, “I just- I just don’t know what I did.”

“you didn’t do anything,” jimin says pulling yn into her side, “you didn’t do anything at all.”

“I must have done something,” yn insisted, her voice laced with frustration. “if you do something wrong, you get treated like you’ve done something wrong.” the words spilled out, echoing the words she’d heard her entire life.

“that’s just your dad’s twisted logic,” yizhuo retorted, shaking her head in disbelief. “it’s stupid.”

“It’s not stupid,” yn snapped, her voice rising as she stood up abruptly. the concerned faces of her friends only made her feel more suffocated. “I’m gonna call zuha ,” she said, more to herself than to them, desperate for some clarity or understanding.

yn walked down the hall, her footsteps heavy with frustration, and slipped into yizhuo’s room. she sat on the edge of the bed, her thoughts racing as she pressed kazuha’s name in her call log. the phone barely rang once before kazuha picked up.

“yn, where were you?” kazuha’s voice was tense with frustration. “you missed the live—what is going on?”

“I didn’t even know there was a live,” yn replied, her tone sharp with hurt. “why are you questioning me? you didn’t even tell me about it.”

“what?” kazuha’s voice softened, almost as if she was speaking to herself. “our manager told chaewon to let you know…which I’m now realizing was a terrible decision.”

yn stared blankly at the wall, her heart sinking as the weight of the situation hit her. what the hell? she could barely process the excuse. “okay, zuha… I’m gonna talk to you later,” she said, her voice hollow.

“yn, wait—are you okay?” kazuha’s voice held a hint of concern, but yn couldn’t bring herself to answer. she just couldn’t deal with it right now.

without another word, she hung up, the silence in the room pressing down on her like a heavy weight.

yn let out a heavy sigh and made her way out of yizhuo’s room, her thoughts swirling. as she reentered the living room, the other girls turned to look at her, their expressions a mix of concern and curiosity.

jimin quickly reached out, gently grabbing yn’s arm and pulling her down to sit beside her. yizhuo’s gaze remained fixed on yn, waiting for her to speak

“I thought it was just banter at first,” yn began, her voice barely above a whisper. “but now… I think she might actually hate me.”

yizhuo clenched her jaw, her frustration palpable. “have I ever mentioned how much I hate your dad?” she said, her voice tight with anger. “he’s the reason you’re stuck in this mess. you could’ve been with us, but no—he had to ruin everything.”

the bitterness in yizhuo’s voice was unmistakable. she had never fully gotten over what happened when yn was forced to transfer to hybe. While the other girls tried to be strong, pushing through the pain for yn’d sake, yizhuo couldn’t let it go. no matter how hard she tried, the resentment lingered.

yn opened her mouth to respond, but the sudden ringing of her phone cut her off. her heart sank when she saw the caller ID—her father. she hesitated, then answered, ignoring the worried glances from the girls. they had witnessed enough of her tense conversations with him to know what was coming.

“hey, dad,” she greeted him, trying to keep her voice steady.

“yn,” his voice was sharp, no warmth to be found. “why is your manager calling me to tell me that you missed an important live?”

yn’s grip tightened around the phone. “I didn’t—”

“I don’t care,” he snapped, cutting her off. “I don’t need excuses. be back at your dorms today. no exceptions.”

the line went dead before yn could say another word. she stared at the phone in disbelief, her father’s harsh words echoing in her mind. the room was silent, the weight of the conversation hanging in the air as her friends looked on, helpless to ease her pain.

“he sure does love taking you away from us huh?” aeri said trying her best to lighten the mood.

“we can drop you off,” jimin insisted but yn shook her head.

“my dad’s probably already sending the driver.”

yn’s chest felt tight as she opened the door to her dorm. The sound of chatter filled the air, instantly overwhelming her senses. she took a deep breath, determined not to let the negativity get to her. you’re yn, she reminded herself. you’re confident. you can’t let this bring you down.

quickly, she glanced at her phone, checking her reflection. satisfied with how she looked, she flashed a bright smile at the camera before slipping the phone into the pocket of her jean skirt, which was trimmed with fluffy lining. she walked further into the room, where her members were gathered around the kitchen, busy making lunch together.

her eyes landed on kazuha, who sat quietly on one of the chairs at the kitchen island, her usual liveliness subdued. yn moved toward her, wrapping her arms around her from behind. “zuha!” she called out, trying to infuse her voice with cheerfulness.

the room fell silent at the sound of yn’s voice. kazuha immediately turned around, her face lighting up as she pulled yn into a tight hug. yn smiled, a warm feeling spreading through her chest as she returned the embrace.

with one arm still around kazuha, yn turned to the other girls, flashing them her signature charming smile. “hey, guys!”

the others waved back, though chaewon’s narrowed eyes lingered on yn. the tension was palpable

“I hope I didn’t miss anything important,” yn said lightly, trying to keep the mood casual.

no one responded, and the silence hung awkwardly in the air. yn, unfazed, gently tugged kazuha along with her toward her room.

the rest of the day passed with an undercurrent of unease. kazuha tried to get yn to open up, but she remained guarded. meanwhile, the other girls whispered among themselves about yn’z sudden reappearance, her absence, and her undeniable popularity. as the day turned into the next, things began to unravel.

“yn is trending everywhere right now,” yunjin remarked to chaewon as the girls lounged in the living room. “and all she did was post a photo.”

“do you think her dad pays for likes?” sakura quipped, making eunchae snicker.

“they’re not just talking about the photo,” yunjin added, scrolling through her phone. “they’re also raving about her performances. what does that have to do with a photo?”

“I told you, it’s all privilege,” chaewon said with growing irritation. “yn gets praised for doing the bare minimum.”

“am I hearing my name?” yn’s voice cut through the room as she walked in, kazuha trailing behind her. “what’s up?”

chaewon narrowed her eyes at the smug smile on yn’s face. she just wanted to wipe it off. “what’s up?” she echoed sarcastically. “are you serious?”

yn tried to maintain her composure, ignoring the venom in chaewon’s tone. “yeah, I mean, I heard my name. obviously, something’s up.”

“I don’t think we can tell you,” chaewon sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. “you’ll probably run to daddy.”

yn clenched her jaw, fighting to keep her temper in check. “can we stop?” kazuha tried to intervene, but yn shook her head, not backing down.

“what the hell is your problem, chaewon?” yn shot back, stepping closer to the group. “you’re being a real bitch right now. I thought that was supposed to be my role, but you’re taking it to a whole new level.”

the other girls exchanged glances, surprised by yn’s bluntness. She had a way of cutting through the tension with words that hit hard.

“I should be the one who’s mad,” yn continued, her voice rising with emotion. “none of you have told me what I did wrong. you talk all this shit, but no one has the guts to tell me to my face. for you to hate me this much, to leave me out of a group live… I had to have done something. and as the leader, chaewon, why didn’t you tell me?”

“because I didn’t want you there,” chaewon replied coldly, shrugging as if it were obvious.

“you?” yn repeated, stunned.

“oh, sorry,” chaewon said with a mocking laugh. “I meant we didn’t want you there.”

yn’s hands balled into fists at her sides. “why? Just tell me why.”

chaewon rolled her eyes and stood, walking right up to yn. “because we don’t need someone who hasn’t worked a day in their life dragging us down. what do you even bring to the table?”

“I bring a lot,” yn shot back, her voice steady despite the hurt bubbling inside. “I’m talented, and you hate that. I’m probably the most talked-about person in this group. Just admit it, chaewon—what’s the real reason?”

“you’re the most talked about because of your family,” chaewon spat. “your success is built on your last name.”

“my family has nothing to do with my success,” yn said, her voice trembling with anger.

“they have everything to do with it,” chaewon retorted. “just look at the stats. you’re the only one of us who’s never gotten any hate. after coachella, you were the only one who got praised. that’s got to be money talking.”

“my dad has zero control over how much people like me,” yn argued, her frustration mounting.

“your dad has a lot of control, actually,” yunjin chimed in, shrugging as if it were a fact. “the moon family controls how the public sees them.”

yn felt the walls closing in on her as she looked at kazuha, who only offered her a sad, apologetic glance. she was outnumbered, outmatched, and completely alone.

“I can’t do this right now,” yn whispered, turning on her heel and heading for the door.

but chaewon wasn’t finished. “running away again? can’t handle the truth, daddy’s girl?”

“fuck you.”

and the with that the door slammed shut.

yn herself couldn’t tell you how she found herself laying on the sand on a beach in busan.

the ocean waves filled the sounds around her on the empty beach, she felt so tired, she just couldn’t understand how things could go so wrong for her.

she knows that she comes from a family of all sorts of wrong, even she herself thinks that she isn’t the best person but was all of this warranted?

“you seem to have some sucky people in your life.”

the homeless man beside her said as he handed yn back her phone after the girl asked him to take some photos of her being sad, her reasoning being a “ a reminder of what she shouldn’t be.”

“you could say that.” she said digging her hands into the sand.

as she stared out at the horizon, her phone buzzed in her lap. she didn’t need to check the screen to know who it was. with a sigh, she brought the phone to her ear.

“yn, why are you on a random beach in busan? that’s two whole hours away,” yizhuo’s concerned voice crackled through the line.

“I’m actually having a lot of fun right now.”

“you know we’re gonna come for you right?”

“yeah…” yn’s voice trailed off as she stared at the waves. “and when you guys do, when we get back, I think I’m going to head home—my actual home. Just for a day or two.”

“yn…” yizhuo’s voice softened, but yn cut her off.

“I miss the toxicity I’m used to,” yn said with a sad smile. “I’m homesick.”

[amourjins]

POINT OF VIEW — uchinaga aeri ,

synopsis , and by bumping into someone that just so happens to be the queen bee of the school, you apparently made a new enemy.. on your first day of being at a new school.

pairing , meangirl!aeri x newstudent!reader

content ahead/genre , wlw, highschool au/smau, non-idols obvi, aeri is in denial 😖😖, enemies to lovers, profanity, secret dating, might be a little suggestive, more to be added!

featured , whole of aespa, sunoo & ni-ki from enha, minji, hanni & dani from nwjns, wonyoung & yujin from ive.

status , started! (05/09/24)

schedule , 2-4 times a week !

playlist , …

IGNORE THE TIMESFAMPS 😭😭😭

PROFILES — haters since birth, yn defenders, other

01 — rude for what..

02 — who?

03 — new day new me!

04 — first day

05 — staring competition

06 — café encounter

07 — kiss n make up

08 — still sunday?

09 — thinkin’ bout you

10 — saturday night

extra. lego building + uchinaga aeri

11 — DONT LEAVE ME HERE

12 — you cant be serious.

13 — UCHINAGA AERI VS LN YN 🔥🔥🔥

14 — PLEASE SM IS GOING ON.

15 — howd he get my number.

16 — explaining to do

extra. NOW PLAYING . . .

17 — im lowkey gay

18 — accept your fate

19 — oh no.

extra. a day with ningyn

20 — updates w ln yn!

21 — my number?..

22 — im not gay you are

…

TAGLIST (OPEN) — @modanisgf @winieter @jongocat @sunshinez4 @aeriigfs @yeetaberry127 @mxl633 @multiliker @lisaswifey @bing-uzzz @yukianism @lettertolovers @gtfoiydlyj @aerisgirlfriend @vernonburger @yjiminswallet @sixflame438 @bzeus28 @gornoi @linnnsworld @masuowo @mr11inches @pandafuriosa60 @penpenguinn @sanasfavhoe @jeindall777

[ratedfleur]

i'm happy that u saw it. anyways, here the two ideas that I sent (which didn't reach u ☹️ fuck u tumblr)

GP! Reader and Bully! Karina

- reader is a scholar on a prestigious in whick Karina’s family owns. And Karina having the influence and power, she always plays on rhe weak which are the scholar. She decided to make Reader her new victim, but little did she know, something will happen that will make the tables turn

GP! Reader x Model! Wonyoung

- Reader is a CEO of a well-known brand and Wonyoung has been dying to be one of the models to endorse it. And Reader saw this opportunity to make a deal in which Wonyoung can't decline

THERE YOU GO! I was having this huge stress bcs of school (ph edu system sucks) and ideas of my ults like this would come to my mind. I knew I had to send it to you since you're really great in writing and you are able to get the idea easily. I was occasionally checking tumblr for ur updates and I was really worried, hopefully, this ideas would reach you 🙏

- 💙

i'm super into the first idea like ... scholar!y/n and bully!karina just makes so much sense ?! i just see it happen so smoothly once you step foot into the university, you would've caught karina's attention when she saw you in the office as she was getting off the hook of the head mistress– her mother.

seeing that there was a new goody two shoes in town, karina made sure that you would be in every step of the way that she walked. karina always liked to corner you whenever you were sent on errands by the professors– the teaching personel always liked to send you on their errands because you were quick on your feet.

while you were sent on errands, karina always made sure to give you a little something or an obstacle of some sorts. minjeong, aeri, and yizhuo were always there when you ran your errands, their sick smile would be on their faces as they bothered you as you went to wherever the professor sent you. ever since you arrived, your new found friends warned you of a certain group in the university grounds that you should avoid at all times; karina, minjeong, aeri, and yizhuo. but you couldn't avoid them with how often they would follow you around, even after school hours.

it took a month before karina became the one who always tormented you around campus– yes, around campus. she would follow you around as if she was your little minion but she'd make snarky remarks from behind you, teasing you about your dirty hello kitty backpack, pulling on your cutesy ponytail that you decorated with a bow, and even in the lunch room where she'd always trip you over, making you land on your food tray on the ground. 

it only took a few more silly teasing from karina and her friends before you handled things your way. 

one day, your new appearance in school made brows raise as you walked through the halls with your head held up high, uniform all wrinkled up with a few buttons undone, you had made your makeup all messy and dark– nothing like the old y/n would've done. even karina raised her brows when she saw you with her own eyes after yizhuo told her all about your new image.

karina was making her way out of detention when suddenly a hand pulled her wrist, making her curse as she faced whoever dared to tug on her hand. her brows raise when she sees you standing in front of her, you both share an intense staring contest as karina stares you down. she scoffs, "you think you're something else now that you had a little makeover huh?" karina smirks at you.

she was about to speak once more until you slapped her cheek which made karina see red as you forcefully pulled her into the nearest janitor's closet, forcing her on your knees as you reached for something under your skirt. karina was busy spewing random words as she got up, bullying you about the move that you just pulled not until your hand revealed a long and thick cock as your other hand forcefully pushed her down on her knees as you forced your cock into her mouth.

 karina gagged as her nose reached your pubes as you pulled her head up and down your cock, her hands and nails frantically scratch your upper thighs as she tried to get off of your cock. "look who's the loser now, huh? you're the loser now, karina yoo. look at you all over my cock like whore." you smiled as you stared karina down as her eyes teared up, her makeup was getting ruined with how hard you were handling her mouth. snot, tears, and saliva was covering her face as you fucked her mouth, you didn't care if karina was crying as she gagged all over you, what matters is that karina would learn her lesson to not mess with you any longer.

📝: omg sorry this took so long ueue i hope this makes up for it though! and truly, the ph edu system really does sucks ass talaga! (╥﹏╥) i really hated studying under that education system huhu kayanin, 💙 anon!!

[jenscx]

[21] CALL ME BACK — erm.. awkward!

4.10pm: seoul national university hospital

you were pacing back and forth in the room, your sneakers muffling the worry and impatience in your steps. sakura was lying on the hospital bed, her chest heaving with every breath. her arm was hanging loosely by the bed, and attached to it was a heart monitor. the doctor had said sakura’s condition wasn’t too serious, yet you couldn’t help but be anxious.

“yn,” yoona groans, “stop doing laps and just sit down, you’re making me dizzy.”

“girl, sakura literally fainted and you want me to sit down?” you scoff, arms folded. yoona bemoans, “and the doc said she’s fine. she fainted due to exhaustion.”

you huff, but ultimately end up taking a seat next to yoona on the couch. your eyes stray to sakura’s figure, her face looked extremely pale, paler than usual. you wondered when she would finally wake up. it had been almost three hours since you brought her to the hospital. obviously, the basketball game was suspended and postponed to another date. but you weren’t sure if you would want sakura to play again so soon.

a series of knocks resounded on the door. your head perks up. yoona doesn’t look up from her phone.

“yn?”

“wonyoung!” you stand up, greeting the tall girl. wonyoung smiles sweetly, “hi yn, and sullyoon.”

“my name’s yoona,” your friend says.

“ah,” wonyoung’s eyes widened, crinkling into an apologetic gaze, “sorry. aeri said—”

yoona waves her off with a hand, standing up from the couch, “i’ll get going now, update me on sakura’s condition. see you later, yn.”

you wave goodbye to yoona. her indifferent personality was a little strange. you shrug it off, turning to wonyoung, beaming at the tulips she got for your girlfriend.

“they’re beautiful, wonnie.”

wonyoung grins, handing them to you gently, “i hope sakura likes them.”

you place them on the bedside table, leading wonyoung to sit down on the couch.

“has the doctor said anything about her?” wonyoung asks, a concerned frown on her face.

“fainted of exhaustion, she may need to stay here for a few more days to make sure she doesn’t have any underlying conditions,” you reply, brushing stray strands of sakura’s hair out of her face. pale, as white as snow, yet so serene. your breath hitches when the heart rate monitor beeps suddenly.

“her heartbeat accelerated,” the girl on the couch remarks, amazed. a kaleidoscope of butterflies emerges in your stomach.

even when asleep, sakura still responded to your touch. the tips of your lips turned upwards.

your hand travelled down to her face, caressing it softly. then to the side railing of the hospital bed.

“i can’t believe she didn’t tell me about her being tired,” you frown, “she still kept insisting on facetiming at night. if i had known, i would have forced her to rest.”

you hear rustling from behind, and wonyoung’s figure appears in your peripheral vision soon after. her hand falls onto yours.

“you didn’t know,” wonyoung says, “it’s not your fault.”

turning your head back to face wonyoung, there’s a comforting smile on her face. the sweet scent of vanilla invades your nostrils. you meet her eyes. they’re hazel, somewhat like sakura’s. her pupils quiver before slowly dragging down your face, ending at your lips.

“..what the fuck are you doing?”

your head instantly snaps back, eyes widened at the dark, deep brown eyes piercing at wonyoung even with the fatigue running through her veins.

“get the hell away from my girlfriend,” sakura hisses, hands gripping onto the bed railings to support herself, her knuckles almost turning white.

wonyoung immediately steps back.

“kkura, she wasn’t doing anything—” your girlfriend’s glare makes you hesitate.

“flowers, tulips. to you?” sakura’s eyes narrow at wonyoung. you shake your head.

“wonnie bought them for you, baby. as a get well soon?” you answer, albeit awkwardly. sakura’s glare softens but they don’t linger away from wonyoung.

you press the call button for the doctor when the silence goes on. sakura is still staring at your friend, who’s shifting nervously.

as soon as the doctor enters the room, wonyoung mumbles, “i’ll get going now, see you soon yn, and uh, get well soon, sakura.”

you wave her goodbye while sakura only nods.

as the doctor assesses sakura’s condition, you send a quick text to your group chat, updating them as well.

the doctor leaves after a few check-ups, leaving just you and sakura in the room.

“we’re becoming a throuple now?” sakura asks.

you roll your eyes, groaning. “shut up, kkura. she just wanted to wish you well. she’s not here to do anything weird.”

“yeah right. she was literally seconds away from groping you,” she scoffs. you reach for her hand, stroking the back of it with your thumb.

“i’ll rip her arms off if she ever touches you again.”

“she won’t, i promise,” you grimace.

most awkward fucking interaction ever.

masterlist | next

TAGS ! @jiwoneiric @yoontoonwhs @haerinsloverr @wallfl9wer @klvarchives @r4cjh @jisooftme @jeindall777 @chaersly @perfectsunlight @thefckghost @pagedpick7 @pinxeajin @pandafuriosa60 @limbforalimb @idkwhatim-doinghere101 @sewiouslyz @manooffline @geeminz @flolio @watamotee33 @winzzie @gayforalll

[kkuramyeons]

❀ where the heck is saki? - sakura miyawaki x fem!reader

synopsis: life’s good when you’re dating the life of the party.

pairing: college au! student!sakura x student!reader

description: jock! sakura, party girl reader, jealousy, suggestive… making out,…, jock!lsrfm, mentions of aespa, sakura is a very jealous gf but we love her regardless, yunjin saving the day, hint of summerz, etc…

a/n: THIS HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY DRAFTS SINCE FIMCHELLA. i apologize it was about time i let this one out of the draft closet.

❀

“where the hell is saki?” were the first words that left your lips upon entering the house where your girlfriend’s party was at, but of course, the host was nowhere to be found.

“you know how she is, i’m sure she’ll turn up soon. let’s go take some shots!” chaewon squeezed your arm, reassuring you that your girlfriend would be here soon, gripping your hand to guide you through the sea of people.

even though you were used to your girlfriend’s extravagant parties, you had to give her credit for this one, because she couldn’t have picked a more perfect date for the party. deciding on throwing a party after midterms at a frat house was one of sakura’s best ideas yet, the house was filled to the brim, people dancing, talking, and having a good time after stress filled weeks on end.

in the kitchen, you helped yourself to some tequila and soda, watching chaewon decide what color of jell-o shot she wanted.

“how about we try ‘em all?” you suggested, tongue in cheek as you tilted your head at the older girl. “it’s not like we have classes or exams tomorrow,” you egged her on.

chaewon giggled at your suggestion, but followed it nonetheless. minutes later, empty shot cups were scattered across the kitchen counter, both of you grimacing at the amount of liquor consumed in so little time.

making small talk with chaewon under the dim light of the kitchen, you looked around in hopes to see a glimpse of blonde hair amongst the living room where people were dancing, but you had no luck. disappointed at your girlfriend’s absence, you decided to check your phone in hopes the blonde had texted you any update on her whereabouts but all you had were some texts from your group chats and some random people wanting to know the address.

with a small sigh you put your phone in your jacket, sakura’s letterman jacket to be exact, and turned to chaewon, who was making conversation with kazuha. noticing the sophomore’s arrival, you quickly greeted her with a hug, offering her a drink. while you were busying yourself making a drink for kazuha, slender arms wrapped around your waist, greeting you from behind. the smell of vanilla and smoke filled your surroundings, making your turn around, noticing that it wasn’t your girlfriend’s usual scent of cherry and vanilla.

“what’s up rockstar?” greeted aeri uchinaga, whispering in your ear. turning around and recognizing one of your friends, you let out a soft squeal, arms around her neck as she pulled you closer by the waist, giving you a hug. pulling away, you noticed aeri’s best friends, standing rather awkwardly in the small space, smiles on their faces as they greeted you.

next to the refrigerator, chaewon side eyed aeri, raising her brow at you, silently questioning her behavior towards you. brushing her off and grabbing another drink, you urged her to the dance floor, feeling the alcohol slowly begin to take control. noticing this, aeri grabbed your hand and guided you through a swarm of bodies, pressing your body close the hers as she found a comfortable space for you all to dance and move around in. as your friends made their way behind the both of you, brown narrowed eyes followed the group from above.

❀

planning parties was not an easy feat, sakura noticed yet again, preoccupied with the night’s festivities rather than her drop dead gorgeous girlfriend, y/n l/n.

after what seemed like hours after you left her apartment to pregame with chaewon, the blonde was ready to go greet you, finally free of any host duties for the time being. making her way downstairs, sakura pushed through sweaty bodies, some couples making out and what she swore was someone throwing up in a vase, when she stopped just above where the living room was. over looking the swarm of people pressed together on the floor below, the blonde scanned through the crowd, narrowed concentrated eyes focusing on finding one thing, you.

leaning towards the frame of the indoor balcony, sakura frowned at the sight below her. there you were, swaying your body carelessly, drink in hand as someone pressed against your body from behind. if sakura’s frown couldn’t get any deeper, a scowl adorned her face as she recognized the figure touching up and down your body, her teammate and fellow basketball player, aeri uchinaga.

now. everyone knew sakura’s parties had three rules:

1. no cops

2. no fights

3. no touching saki’s girl

and everyone knew you were her girl.

often seen around campus wearing her jacket, neck covered in bruises and marks that made sure everyone knew you were taken, and if that wasn’t enough, sakura made sure to hang out around you often (when she wasn’t practicing or cramming for exams), wether it was studying together or walking you to class or tagging along to club activities, sakura never strayed far from you. so. if everyone knew that you and sakura were together, why was her teammate pressed up against you, and why were you letting her?

turning her head to the side, sakura motioned for one of her underclassmen on the team fetch her a drink while she thought about what she wanted to do about aeri. the feeling of jealousy erupted in sakura’s body, her throat suddenly scratchy, feeling something claw at her chest at the sight before her. eyes set in place, sakura stared down at you, waiting if you would catch her gaze, even if it was momentarily.

❀

“wanna dance pretty girl?” aeri’s breath tickled the shell of your ear as she pulled you closer to her by your waist, slender arms dancing across your lower back. you let aeri sway your hips to the beat of the song, getting lost momentarily in the heat of the moment.

gulping your drink and frowning, remembering your girlfriend’s absence, you pulled away from aeri, missing how she rested one arm in the small on your back while you pulled your phone out, ready to text sakura. before you could do so, you felt someone shove aeri away from you.

“what the fuck are you doing, man?” “you know that’s saki’s girl,” frowned huh yunjin, co-captain of the basketball team.

“no need to get physical, jennifer,” “i was just dancing with my friend here,” aeri replied, a coy smile on her face.

“you know the rules, and i would hate for you to get benched the rest of the season…” the read headed jock trailed off, smirking at the black haired girl.

as yunjin and aeri bickered over the situation, you felt a pair of eyes on you, burning holes in the side of your head. turning around and facing up, you saw your girlfriend, an unreadable expression on her face as she downed her drink. wearing a white cropped tank top, some loose cargo pants so you could see the outline of her boxers, your oversized flannel hugging her body and a backwards cap with her hair down, you thought your girlfriend couldn’t get any hotter.

meeting her gaze, sakura stared at you, eyeing you up and down, one brow raised. you cocked your head to the side in response to her silent questioning, playing dumb as if your behavior wasn’t the cause of her sudden anger. sakura motioned for you to meet her upstairs, jaw flexed and brows furrowed as she ran a hand through her long blonde locks, waiting for you to move. seeing as aeri and yunjin continued bickering and chaewon was rather preoccupied with kazuha, you made your way upstairs to meet your girlfriend, squeezing through the mass of people yet again.

❀

your body buzzed with excitement at te thought of finally seeing your girlfriend after hours of yearning for her company. finishing your drink, you headed up the dark staircase that lead to sakura, dodging a few couples who where making out. reaching the top, you noticed that few people were on the indoor balcony, brows furrowing as your girlfriend was nowhere to be seen. before you could ask someone if they had seen your girlfriend, strong arms pulled you away from the balcony and into a corridor, leading you to one of the rooms. recognizing the blonde hair of your girlfriend, your chest tightened at the possibility of a potential argument between the two of you, knowing that sakura was often a jealous person.

lightly shoving your body into an open room, sakura closed the door with a click and didn’t even bother to turn on the light, pining you to the nearest wall, feeling your breath hitch at her sudden aggressive behavior.

“having fun tonight babygirl?” narrowed eyes scanned your face, moonlight adorning your features, giving sakura just the right amount of light she needed to see you clearly.

gulping, you nodded in response, shaky breaths leaving your lips as sakura’s slender arms caressed your body, pinching and groping any exposed skin.

“you didn’t answer my question babe, i can’t hear you,” sakura purred, lips nearing your neck.

“i- i am babe, you know i always have fun at your parties,” came your answer in shaky breaths, as your girlfriend nipped your neck while slender hands made their way up and down your body.

“looked like you were having way too much fun without me, though” sakura stopped her movements, facing your for the first time since you arrived in the empty room.

“what are you talking about?”

a beat. you almost whined at the loss of sakura’s mouth on your neck. before you could argue though, slender fingers wrapped around your neck, squeezing lightly.

“is this really how you want to play it?” taunted the blonde, fingers still wrapped around your neck.

a soft whimper escaped your lips.

sakura pulled back slightly, her eyes narrowing as she scanned your face, a flicker of jealousy and possessiveness in her gaze.

"you didn’t answer my question babe,” she purred, lips now by your ear. “i can’t hear you.”

you swallowed hard, the pressure of her slender hands on your body sending shivers down your spine. you tried to speak, but your mind was buzzing with desire, making it difficult to form coherent thoughts.

sakura noticed your struggle to speak, a smirk tugging at her lips. slender continued their teasing movements up and down your body, leaving a trail of fire in their wake.

“oh, so now you’re speechless,” she said, her voice laced with a hint of sarcasm. “and here i thought you were enjoying yourself without me."

the mention of your previous behavior sent a pang of guilt through your chest, but you tried to keep your emotions in check, knowing better than to fuel your girlfriend’s jealousy.

sakura’s grip on your neck tightened fractionally, her eyes locked onto yours in a silent challenge. you knew better than to argue, but you couldn’t help the spark of defiance that flickered within.

"i- i swear i wasn’t doing anything,” you managed to choke out, your voice a mix of arousal and desperation. “you know i only have eyes for you.”

the blonde’s eyebrows furrowed as she considered your words. her eyes darkened, and her hold on your neck tightened even further.

"are you really trying to convince me that you weren’t trying to put on a little show down there?” she asked, her voice low and dangerous. “cause i’m not buying it, babygirl."

“with aeri? you know that’s just how she is… plus, yunjin already took care of that, i’m sure she’s benched for the rest of the season.”

sakura chuckled low in her throat, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. she seemed to be slowly letting go of her jealousy, the mention of her best friends actions appeasing her. “yunjin threatened her to stay away from you?" she repeated, a hint of happiness in her voice, as a cheeky smile ghosted her lips. "looks like i owe yunjin a thanks for making sure people obey the house rules, since someone didn’t quite care for them…” she trailed off, fingers threatening to squeeze your neck slightly.

a pout adorned your features, as you looked up at sakura with big doe round eyes, just wanting the disagreement to end. “can we head back down? i want to dance with you,” you pleased as you took sakura’s hand in your own, kissing the hand that was just around your neck, her other hand still on your waist.

“how about a kiss for my troubles? i’ve missed you,” she lifted her hand and caressed your cheek, thumb brushing over your lips softly. eyes darkening as she pulled you in even closer, holding onto you firmly.

soft lips pressed against yours, hands skidding around your body, pulling you flush against her as she kissed you fiercely, the intensity of the moment making your body feel like it was on fire.

the blonde suddenly pulled back, her breath heavy and her eyes half-lidded with desire. contemplating her next move, fingers tracing small circles on your hips. with a determined look, she looked into your eyes and spoke, her voice low and filled with promise.

"we’re not done yet, babygirl,” she said, her lips curving into a wicked smile. “there’s so much more i want to do with you before we even think about heading back down.”

needless to say, if people at the party didn’t know it before, by the time you headed back down, it was pretty obvious who you belonged to.

[constantinerkives]

Dance Macabre // Drabble

PAIRING: Yoo Jimin x fem reader

WARNINGS: established relationship, yandere Karina, kidnapping, allusions to violence and unprotected sex, mentions of pregnancy, and profanity. You and Jimin have children, Chairwoman! Karina, MILF! Karina and OC, Johan Liebert reference because I love that soft-spoken manipulative villain.

A/N: Before I begin the mean girl Aeri one-shot, this prompt has been plaguing me ever since I started re-watching 'Monster' so I had to do something about it because my hyper-fixated mind won’t stop unless it’s done. So to soothe this cursed thought, I’ll write about this and be free to begin orchestrating my next one-shot.

SYNOPSIS: To you, she’s your angel. To her enemies, she is death, and to your children: she is a god.

Your wife is a creature of habit.

You observed this when she started courting you during your college days. To you, she is the epitome of perfection; to those that cross her, she is death. 

For your safety, you must update her on your whereabouts. Karina liked knowing that she'll check the time, knowing exactly where you are and what you are doing. Failure to do so and consequences will follow. 

You didn't mind your strict schedule. You like sticking to a routine. 

Until you didn't, all it took was an argument with an entitled customer who broke your phone in anger and stormed off. And due to a broken phone, you didn't update your wife; she was angry. Karina's fury isn't like a volcano, no. It's silent, cold, and calculating. 

When you came home, the first thing you did was to get on your knees and begged for your wife to see reason - it wasn't your fault that your phone broke! But alas, your pleas fell on deaf ears - she wasn't having it.

Karina walks over to you and grabs you by the jaw, forcing you to look up at the older woman whose black, abysmal eyes swim with danger and twisted delight. She caresses your cheek, and your hope shatters as a faux disappointed sigh leaves her pretty lips.

"I still have to punish you, darling." Jimin pecks your lips. "Now run to the bedroom and wait for me, do you understand?"

"Do you understand?" Oh, the cruelty of adulthood.  

She fucked you raw and unrelentlessly, even when your throat became raw from screaming, even when your cunt was full of your mixed juices - the woman didn't stop. Not until she was satisfied.

And because of her treatment, you gave birth to her daughter nine months later. Ariadne Yoo, the carbon copy of her mother, is beautiful and sharp, even for a three-year-old. You and Karina cherished her, and it didn't take long for your daughter to ask for a sibling; naturally, you and Karina complied with your daughter's request, which brings you to your second pregnancy: another girl. 

Like your first pregnancy with Ariadne, Karina is protective of you and your unborn child. She made sure that she was updated on your whereabouts, even as far as placing a tracking device on all your jewelry. 

And it all went smoothly, until-

Pregnancy made you soft and vulnerable. That's why you felt sympathetic toward a group of innocent-looking teens whose car broke down. Motherhood made you want to make sure that this group made it home safely. 

It proved to be a stupid move because one minute later, your arms and legs were bound with tape on your mouth while they stuffed you in their supposed broke-down car and threw you into a cold, damp warehouse: a stark contrast to the luxury and comfort that your wife provided for you and your children.

After pulling the 'I'm pregnant' card, they were kind enough to make you sleep on a thin bed. And while they were discussing the desired amount for your ransom, you mull how this happened. Karina studied the map of the city to create a safe route for you to run your errands. Perhaps this is how they found out. 

They're smart, but not smart enough as your phone dings in the hands of one of your captors. She sneers and skips toward you as she shows you your wife's message. It read: 

You're late. 

Blood drains from your face. Your wife knows where you are, but she wants you to explain in front of her before she makes a verdict. 

"What's the password?" She asks; you tell her.

She licks her upper teeth as she types on your phone's keyboard. 

"Young lady," You tread carefully, "Whatever it is that your gang wants, it's not worth it." 

She gives you a dirty look as the group stops talking and turns their attention towards you and one of their members. 

One of them scoffs, a man. "Oh, it is." He joins the young lady and drapes his arm around her shoulders. "It's easy money for your wife." He looks at her, a sick smile gracing his thin lips as his beady eyes glow with repulsive greed. 

"Shall we make it $30 Million?"

The lady gasps, "Perfect," 

"You can't spend it when you're dead." You tell them. The man's face darkens as he storms towards you and grabs you by the hair, eliciting a yelp from you. "You're in no position to threaten us, bitch." 

"Please," You plead, "You have to trust me-"

"Shut that bitch up, please." One of them jeers and the man happily obliges as he slaps your face. The side of your face stings red, and he hits you again. 

You're sure that their fate will be worse than death; Karina hates it when you get hurt. 

"Shut up, bitch." He growls, and you whimper - your instincts telling you to protect your daughter inside you. But your hands are bound. 

He looks over his shoulder, "Send the fucking message. She's starting to bore me." And they walk away from you. You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding. 

"It's okay," You assured your unborn child. "Mommy's coming to save us." 

Karina's hand held her phone with a vice-like grip that she thought it would crack.

Her obsidian-colored eyes glower at the photo of your fearful state with the words: $30 Million typed below your image.

How dare they touch you, her wife, her equal. 

Cold wrath surges through her body as she puts down her phone and looks at her computer where it tells her your location. You were outside the city. She estimates that it could roughly be an hour-long drive.

A knock on her door snaps her from her reverie, "What is it?"

The door opens, revealing her secretary. "Chairwoman Yoo, the investors are ready."

The older woman stands gracefully from her seat and fixes the cufflinks of her blazer. "Have Miss Hwang take care of them." Karina's voice is eerily calm as she walks past the younger woman. Her secretary follows after her.

"What are you going to do, Chairwoman Yoo?"

The black-haired beauty looks over her shoulder. "I'm going to fetch my wife."

Pregnancy made you a heavy sleeper because moments later, you were awakened by Karina's soft hand caressing your baby bump while she cradled you. 

"Karina," You breathe. Impossible, you would've heard the screams of agony and fear. You crane your neck; your blood runs cold at the sight of their twitching bodies as they gurgle their blood. 

"Look at me, beloved." She coaxes, you obey and your eyes subtly widen. Karina's hair is tied in a high ponytail - she was presentable except for the blood splattered all over her suit and some on her face, decorating her cheeks like a demented blush. 

But she's beautiful regardless. 

"I'm sorry," You choke a sob as you hold onto her. "I tried, baby, I tried to-"

"Sh," She coaxes and pulls you closer to her, coaxing the side of your face against her soft chest as she cups the other side of your head. "It's okay, darling. It isn't your fault." 

"They're still alive, though." You whisper against her suit, and her chest rumbles with a dark chuckle. 

"I heard that dull blades are agonizingly painful than sharp ones. I will leave them to suffer for touching you and our baby, Y/N." 

With her other hand, she slips it under your knees, "Now hold tight," She stands up, "Our daughter's waiting for us at home." 

Karina effortlessly carries you to the exit of the warehouse. You take a good look at your dying captors as they lay in the pool of their blood, dull knives jutting from their bodies.

"Do you remember my first letter?" Your wife asks, forcing you to tear your gaze from the gang to answer her. 

"Of course," How could you forget? It was poetic. 

"I wrote about flowers and your love for them," She reminisces with a soft smile, a rare sight to see; you are blessed to see it. 

"And how you love peonies, especially pink ones, am I right, my love?" She looks at you. Her lips still form her rare, warm smile. 

"Yes," You sigh as you rest your right hand over her heart. 

"When we get home, you'll rest. And tomorrow, we will go to your favorite flower park so you can look at the flowers." 

You caught sight of a familiar Lincoln Continental. She opens the passenger door for you, and you allow her to guide you to the passenger seat. Karina lingers near the passenger door as she takes in your disheveled appearance. Your wife heaves a sigh, and takes your hand, her thumb rubbing the back of your palm soothingly.  

"Stay with me and Ariadne, Y/N." She comes closer. "I will give you everything. Everything is yours because I said so." 

She brings your hand to her mouth, where her lips ghost over your knuckles.

"Stay with us, and I will blanket you in flowers. I was born to smother you with flowers."

[yoonia]

the bedroom hymns ● chapter xx

⟶ Chapter summary | Once the gate of secrets about your mother has been opened, it seems that magic is slowly guiding you to follow the traces your mother’s left behind in this realm. As if her shadows still remain, and you are now tasked to find every piece of her still left behind. 

⟶ Title | The Bedroom Hymns: a Bluebeard’s twist ⟶ Pairings | Min Yoongi x female reader  ⟶ Genre | Fairy Prince!Yoongi, Crown Princess!reader, Fantasy AU, Fairy Tale retelling ⟶ Word count | 15,004 words ⟶ Ratings | PG-13, +18 / M for Mature for future chapters; include magic terms, classism, mention of war, violence, weapons, sword fighting.  ⟶ Story Masterlist: The Bedroom Hymns | ⤎ previous chapter | next chapter ⇢ ⟶ Main Masterlist | Mailbox | Taglist | Feedback | Music Playlist | Ko-fi

Author's note | I never expected that the break I took between this chapter and the last would go so long. I'm so sorry for the long wait. I hope the longer chapter makes up for the lack of update

chapter xx. traces

The scent of the forest hangs heavily in the air—the remnants of rain, the rich fragrance of earth, and the slightly humid, yet strongly pine-scented breeze. 

As you walk between the trees, a thick white mist rises from the ground around you, making it somewhat hard to look at what you are stepping on or where you are going. This place is dark, even if there are still some streaks of light visibly falling from the sky. But those lights don’t seem strong enough to pierce through the thick foliage, nor can they penetrate through the dense fog moving together with you. Not enough to illuminate your surroundings so you can see better. Only enough to show you the unmoving shadows that are present around you and helping to stop you from crashing into trees or stumbling against a boulder hiding beneath the undergrowth. 

Still, the darkness cannot stop you from searching through the woods to find out where you are. 

You hadn’t exactly expected to be in the depths of a forest like this when you first stepped through the magic door. Perhaps you should have expected that your secret exploit would be a peculiar one tonight, given the circumstances leading you here. 

The silver door that you had chosen for this evening’s adventure was completely different from the ones you went through before, after all. 

Hidden at the end of the hallway where the treasure rooms are located, the door looked more like a sculpted wall ornament, sunk deeply into the stone walls with nothing more but a small alcove marking its existence and floral embellishments carved on its surface. You may have walked past it many times before, yet never once had you ever paid much attention to it, thinking that it was merely a decorated wall to grace the treasure rooms’ hall. 

It wasn’t until early this evening that things ended differently—when you walked past the hall after leaving the library much later than usual. You were carrying with you the book which had caught your interest while spending your free time reading in the library—the Encyclopaedia of Ancient Monsters and Magic Beasts—barely even thinking of anything other than to quickly bring it back to your bedchamber so you could continue reading through the pages. You had every intention to later compare everything you learned from that book with the texts written in the ancient spell book you acquired during your trip to the Mage City of Aeris. What better way to do so than to be in your private quarters, lest to have your tutors questioning your new book had they saw it in the library. 

You had your arms wrapped around the book when you turned the corner where the magic door was hidden, clutching it against your chest while picturing the images you saw from it. You were so lost in your thoughts that you almost believed you were imagining things when the plain embellishments on the wall suddenly began shimmering. 

As if the carvings on the wall were reacting to your presence. 

Perhaps something else had caused it? Something that had been in your possession for the first time as you travelled down that hall this time, maybe? 

You cannot help but wonder as you reach down, gently tapping the sling bag hanging to your side where the book is now being kept secure. Thinking about it now, you remember that the glimmer of light coming from the carvings had not been all that had drawn you toward the hidden door. 

While you were still struggling to make sense of what was happening, your necklace was also beginning to show a reaction. It felt subtle at first, yet the warmth pressing on your skin from the back of your ruby amulet was hard to ignore. It reminded you of how your necklace showed some peculiar reactions during your last trip, when it seemed to respond to the magic found in Aeris. 

As you came to a halt, the warmth coming from the gemstone started growing stronger. Your eyes flew to the alcove as the magic essence of the portal began to emerge, revealing to you that the sculpted embellishments had been something more than just a wall ornament. 

The whisperings of the magic came to you next, enchanting you to come closer, compelling you to reach into your pocket and pull out the silver key. At first, you weren’t quite sure what you were supposed to do. Looking at the carved wall in front of you, there was no possible guide telling you how you were going to use your magic key on a piece of carved ornament. 

But then the carvings on the wall began to change form. The plain grey shades painted on the carvings slowly turned into silver plates right before your eyes. The linings beneath the alcove shifted into what appeared to be a doorframe, and then a keyhole emerged between the carvings of a pair of wings on the side which you have never noticed before. 

A baffled laughter climbed up your throat as you watched in disbelief. “A door? This was a door this whole time?” you wondered loudly as the silver door took its final form right at the center of the dark wall. 

You could barely process what was happening even as the scene was unfolding right before your eyes. The door seemed to have enchanted you with its charm, drawing you closer towards it as the silver carvings magically glimmered brightly like the moonlight. 

Reaching deep into your pocket, you keep your eyes on the door as you pull out the magic key. Your heartbeat skipped a beat as you carefully inserted the key and turned until a resounding click echoed through the empty hall. There was no handle emerging from the door, yet it opened on its own, bringing in a strong cold breeze that felt nothing like anything you ever had encountered before as it slowly widened right in front of you. 

Another peculiarity happened as the magic portal was activated. As you pushed the door wider, the usual sight of the dark blue void wasn’t what appeared in the opened doorway. Instead, you saw the sight of a dark forest, as if it had been hidden right on the other side of the wall instead of across the realm—wherever your new destination might be. 

To be able to see the new world that you were about to step into was a new experience. You wondered if you should be wary about stepping in. But this was unlike your previous excursions, where you had to go blindly into the portal without having any clue where you were going to end up next. What laid before you seemed like a challenge, and at the same time, a promise. 

A promise of a new and exciting adventure that you would regret never getting into. A new world to learn. 

So you gathered yourself together, not even bothering to think about how you were going to miss supper by stepping out of the castle so late. After quickly grabbing your coat and a sling bag to carry your magic books along with you, you stepped through the door and began your journey across the realm.

So far, everything about this new adventure of yours has been out of the ordinary, just as much as how it began. 

As if the events leading you to open the portal hadn’t been peculiar enough, the magic portal had sent you emerging at the center of a dark forest. The portal, which had appeared as a part of an alcove which was built into a wall, opened up on what seemed to be the mouth of a small cave once you got to the other side of it. 

“Magic is a very peculiar thing,” was the only thing you could say as you looked back at the portal which had manifested between the alcove forming the cavern’s entrance. Unlike the other portals, you were able to see the dark hallway that you had just stepped out of. Only you were made to feel as if you were looking at it through a tinted-blue glass as the void manifested around the opening like a protective shield. 

It still baffles you even now to think about it, as you are trudging through the thick woods, continuing your journey without even knowing if you are going in the right direction. 

Only fates know how long it has been since you came to this place. With nothing but the night sky above and trees in a myriad of shapes and sizes surrounding you, it is hard to tell how much time has passed. 

The white mist keeps growing thicker as you keep going, covering the ground beneath. You can barely see your own legs as every step you take going forward seems to be engulfed in the peculiar mist as you get deeper into the forest. This has been going on for a while, and you are beginning to wonder if you will ever find a way to get out of these thickets.

At least you have reached the part of the forest where the trees are no longer as dense as before. Yet, despite being no longer close-packed together, their sizes seem to grow significantly larger that they still fill the forest with their presence. Their thick boughs spread wider here to make up for the thinning foliage above, leaving nothing more but fractured streaks of moonlight streaming down from the night sky. Still, it barely helps you see your way through, as the white mist continues to gather thickly around your legs and is slowly climbing higher, as high as your elbows. 

The forest is also quiet. 

The sound of gravel, fallen branches, and dry leaves crunching beneath your boots becomes your only company. Thick bushes and tall wildflowers growing as far up to your waist are spread between the thick trees. One too many times, the tips of your boots would get tangled in them, if not coming in contact with sharp rocks that are hidden under the mist. 

While none of these obstacles would be enough to tip you over, they are still enough to make you grow more cautious. To be wary of where you are stepping your foot next.

The shadows around you are still, adding the eeriness which makes you feel as if you are being swallowed by the darkness around you. The temperature is slightly colder than the darkest hallways of Stargrave. Colder than the damp alleyways of the slum area back in Smotia. 

But the air also feels like a comforting embrace here that you barely feel the urge to tighten your cloak to protect yourself. How odd, indeed, you wonder to yourself as you continue to walk deeper into the forest while feeling like you are walking in a dream.

A dream that is more peculiar than the one that you have been getting lately. 

Even the trees growing around you appear like parts of an eerie dream as you look closer. The trunks are thick and massive, twisted and bent in sinister shapes and appear as if they are decaying as they grow in various shades of grey. The same thing appears on the sweeping branches that seem to grow out of those giant trunks like twisted hands reaching into the darkness. 

Yet those limbs don’t appear bare. Not all of them. Some of the thicker ones are full of leaves, growing in dark teal that appear almost black, yet are glowing like jewels under the night sky. The ones that are bare without leaves almost look like giant fingers, pointing out through the darkness as if they are trying to reach out to you as you walk underneath them. 

Below, the undergrowth begins to grow denser. With more bushes and rough hedges thickly covering the ground, high grass reaching almost to your knees and small tree buds popping from between the giant ones. The flower beds grow more scarce around here that the forest now appears to your eyes in monochrome colours of grey and deep teal. 

A rustling sound coming from somewhere nearby catches your attention—sounding almost like a clear snap against the silence that has befriended you—and you come to a sudden halt. The sudden shift of movements brings your sling bag swinging forward, knocking against the back of your calves. The weight of the books inside the bag adds an extra punch as it swings along your body, while the weight of your cloak tries to drag you sideways with it when it falls around you. 

“Ouch,” you hiss at the sudden impact while adjusting your sling bag and straightening up before gravity has the chance to bring you down. 

The rustling sound continues, causing you to grow more alert this time. Spinning, you search for the sound. Scanning through the trees around you isn’t helping much, however. The foliage is still too dense, the space around you is still too dark, and it is making it hard for you to determine where the sound is coming from. So you wait, all while doing your best to grasp the change in the air and force yourself to listen to any other noises that may follow.

A gust of wind bursting through the foliage makes you realise that the sounds may not be coming from anywhere around you. Nowhere close, for sure, as you see no movement in the dark even when the wind breezes across once more. 

It’s coming from above. 

The thought soon registers in your mind just as a blip of darkness steals away the barely-there moonlight penetrating through the thick foliage from above. You look up, drawn by your curiosity when another rustle of leaves, followed by a burst of cold breeze, lures your attention to the night sky. 

And that is when you see it as it happens right before your eyes. 

Beyond the top of the trees reaching so far up high to the night sky, something massive passes above you. Flapping its giant wings with leisure, it glides across the starry sky, covering the ground below with its shadow before it disappears from sight as it continues its journey. 

It isn’t until another passes by with the same motion, and then another, drifting in the air so gracefully that it almost feels like you are still dreaming when you begin to understand what you are seeing. 

Dragons.

A wave of cold shivers runs through your body. Before you realise what you are doing, you are already moving. Your legs are unsteady, yet they still carry you forward, even if your steps may be a little too haste. Navigating through the thick woods will surely be a hassle, particularly in this unfamiliar darkness and while you are trying to catch up with the movements of the dragons flying above. 

But you refuse to give up. 

You refuse to let go of any chance to get a better look at these magnificent beasts that you had only seen pictures of in the books you have read—more significantly, in the book that you are carrying now inside your bag—and you wish to see more of the place where these giant beasts truly exist. 

With one hand clutching tightly on the sling of your bag and the other wrapped firmly around the handle of the golden dagger that you keep hanging on your hip, you march forward, following the cold trail of wind left behind by the flying dragons.

You keep your gaze forward, with only short glances to the sky above to look as a few more dragons come flying by. Some are much smaller than the ones you saw before, a few more that look to be average in size, and then the last and largest one glides across the sky, shaking the trees around you with each flap of its giant wings. 

So you begin to run. 

Racing through the twisted and bent trees, you try to keep up with those dragons before you lose sight of them The snapping sounds of your rapid footsteps crossing through the undergrowth coming in your way follow you, yet they are barely noticeable when the air is filled with the sounds of their flights—the flaps of their wings, the gentle swish of their tails, and their staggering roars and high-pitched calls as they get further away from the woods. 

You ignore the slight pain you feel as bare, low-hanging branches reach out to you like bony fingers—snagging your cloak and hair, snapping and nicking at your skin. Yet not once do you falter, not even allowing yourself to slow down when running out of breath. And you continue to run until you finally reach the end of the woods.  

The trees open up to a spread of high grass which ends with a wall of low boulders merely several feet away, right where the levelled land ends before it drops into what appears to be a ravine.

You look up, following the movements of the last dragons as they glide above the wide length of the chasm, heading towards the tall mountain on the other end. Right atop that mountain, you see the sight of an old castle appearing in the darkness, its walls rising in dark stones that glimmer under the stars and the moonlight shining from above. Built to look like it serves as the crown of the mountain, the castle seems to blend into the rocky cliff below. 

Much like the Stargrave Castle. 

The only difference is that your new home doesn’t have giant dragons of all sizes, shapes, and colours flying around it in a circular motion as if they are worshipping it. As if they are protecting their home. 

Gaping at the astonishing sight before you, your breath is caught. You can hear the sound of your heartbeat getting louder as you watch the last dragon you followed joining the others circling the castle on the rocky mountain. The sounds of their calls echo through the night. Like a birdsong. 

Speechless, you can only admire this sight in silence with goosebumps rising on your skin. You simply cannot believe it.  

You know exactly where you are. 

E'l Alora.

The dragons’ lair.

The place that you had just learned and read about from the book that is now weighing down your sling bag—the Encyclopaedia of Ancient Monsters and Magic Beasts. The book which tells you about the monsters of the night that you are now seeing right before your eyes. 

This place is real, you muse, finding yourself moving forward before realising it as if you are drawn by the sight of dragons—real dragons—flying so elegantly in the dark sky. 

You stop by the boulders, and a cold shiver rushes through your body as you get a closer look at the ravine before you. The widespread of chasm that looks like a dark void, separating you from the mountain and its glimmering black castle standing on its crown. 

But as you lean forward to take a good look down below, you are caught by surprise at what you find hidden down there. Instead of seeing a massive fall of rocky walls ending into an abyss, you can see that there is life. Life other than the dragons. 

A civilization growing on the walls. 

Houses and buildings are built into the rocky mountain wall, levelling from the highest part of the wall to the lowest section down below, with long-winding streets and ramps connecting one to the other. A shadow of a bridge appears in the darkest part of the ravine, crossing between the town on the wall to the foot of the cliff far beneath the dragons’ castle. 

And just like how the rocky mountain across the ravine is now lively with those giant dragons floating in the sky, the town below you is wide awake. There are lights everywhere, illuminating the town as they are set alight from the buildings and homes, and there are streetlights standing on the edge of the road, allowing you to see everything from up high. 

You can see the people from the town moving in and out of those buildings, strolling up and down the streets, with carriages and carts led by massive horses driving on the streets like what you see in any regular towns. And they all seem to be going about their evening as if it is just any normal night. 

As if having giant dragons flying in the sky is a normal occurrence to have in their everyday lives. 

Drawn by your curiosity, you follow the path from the top of the hill which you are stranded in that leads you towards the bustling town below. With the hood of your cloak pulled up neatly back in place, your hands clutching the sling of your bag and your dagger sheathed nicely against your hip, you ready yourself to continue your adventure. 

To get a closer look at this odd town, to meet the residents you see finishing their nightly activities, and hopefully, learn more about how they are able to live peacefully alongside the magnificent beasts gathering close by, with nothing more but the deep chasm separating them from one another. 

The human town of E’l Alora was already a breathtaking sight to look at from the top of the cliff. But nothing beats being at the center of it where you can have a closer look at everything. 

Houses, apartments, shops, and other buildings built with dark-coloured stones reflecting the moonlight seem to be blending into the rocky walls. They appear as if they manifested from the cliff walls on the side of the ravine instead of being built against it. Some buildings are several stories high, with open staircases and balconies made up of muted grey-coloured stones, allowing the darker facade of the building to stand out more. Some houses are built low enough that they seem to sink into the rocky walls, with rocks carved in slates to form structures and roofs framing each house. 

The stone-covered road looks sturdy, smoothed nicely to follow each dent and curve of the ravine walls as it connects each house and building. As you walk down the road and finally get a good look at it from up close, you notice that some of the stones seem to sparkle and glitter, as if there are broken pieces of diamonds or gemstones implanted into the stones. 

Being in the town means you are not only getting the first look at the townspeople—most of whom are still doing their routines and working even as the night is growing late and the sky darker—but you are also getting a closer look at the flying dragons above. You can even feel the hard whoosh coming down between the draft of wind each time a dragon flaps its giant wing. 

It amazes you to see that while you are marvelling at this new experience with wonder, the townspeople you come across seem to be more nonchalant about the presence of these giant beasts. Even when the dragons are so close, flying right above their town, sometimes gliding lower than the others as if to have a closer look at the town and their neighbours.

Strange how they can simply carry on with their evening, with only a small few of them who would occasionally glance up with fond smiles on their faces as they watch the dragons gliding closer. 

To say that you are completely stunned to be able to witness this seems like an understatement. A glorious shudder runs through you when you realise how privileged you are to be experiencing something like this. 

Something that you would have never come across had you not been gifted the chance through your father’s magic.

Sighing deeply, you lean back in your seat, your eyes never wandering away from the open window beside you as you continue to look out and enjoy the scenery. You had continued walking until you reached the town square before you finally stumbled into this place; a three-story building divided into three different functions—a small tavern on the ground level, rented rooms on the second floor, and a private apartment on the top floor. 

You have found the tavern as the perfect place to find shelter, while earning you the front seat of what is currently unfolding in this town. This part of the town is built on a section of the wall which extends toward the center of the ravine, getting you a bit closer to the foot of the mountain where the castle is built. 

Staring out at the dark castle standing atop the mountain, with your book about dragons lying on your lap, your mind wanders to the one person you cannot help but wish to accompany you right now. 

You wonder what it would have been like if only Yoongi had been here, sitting in this dimly lit room together with you, his sharp eyes watching every movement coming from the dragons. You wonder what kind of stories he would be sharing with you, or what type of jokes he would be throwing at you had he seen you looking flabbergasted the first time you arrived in this place. 

It is really hard not to think about Yoongi at times like this, although you cannot say that you understand the reason why. It’s not like you have known him for your entire life and so deeply that he would be the first to come to your mind while you are travelling across realms. 

Yet he haunts your mind in every second that you breathe. Always coming into your thoughts either when you are feeling lonely or when you find yourself lost in a strange place. 

The way Yoongi constantly preoccupies your mind makes you believe that you are seeing his shadows everywhere you look. Never missing the trails left behind to show you that he may have stepped foot in the places that you are visiting. 

It happened to you back in Aeris, when you saw the crest of The Brotherhood of Jorn stamped in various places you came across—on the bulletin boards, on the streetlight poles, and some on the walls of the back alleys. You have been seeing the same thing here ever since you first entered the human town of E’l Alora, when you caught sight of the same crest stamped and painted on the gates and announcement boards that the townspeople use to put up the local news, even on the walls of a few of the establishments that you walked pass by while heading to this place. 

Even here, right in this tavern, you can see the same crest marked on the wall across the room, where a long table is set as if it was prepared specifically to hold a group meeting. 

“We leave our crests in places where we often use as our rendezvous spots. Places for us to recoup, gather information, find work, or have a little downtime between our expeditions. The crest is a mark of our trail, showing our gratitude for the people who welcome us, and the people that we owe our strength to. It also lets them know that they can rely on the brotherhood whenever they need us.” 

Yoongi shared this when you talked about seeing his crest everywhere you went. You can almost picture it now in your head, the mercenaries wearing various armours and disguises gathering on that same table, Yoongi amongst them, boasting about their journeys while sharing drinks and hot meals as they gather at that long table.

As always, thinking of Yoongi makes you smile. Even better when you imagine listening to him speak. You love how deeply he often speaks about the things that he brings up in your conversations, even when he is discussing something as benign as the weather. Often with a smug smile on his face when he talks about all the things you have no knowledge of. 

You wonder what he would say if you had the chance to share the things that you have been learning for the past week—how much you have advanced in controlling your energy and mana and making use of it in exchange for your locked magic. You wonder how he would react if you share with him what you have recently learned from Lord Gordan—about the true nature of your skills that you may have inherited from your mother. 

Would he somehow recognise the skill, or maybe he would be able to reveal who you are based on this peculiar skill alone?

Knowing how knowledgeable he is about magic and everything else related to this realm, you wouldn’t be too surprised if he ever learned about your mother. There is a sense of unease when you think about it, however, to think of the possibility that he may know more about your mother and your heritage than you do. 

Thinking of Yoongi takes you back to the day before, when you came to the city of Aeris. Your findings of the Mage City and its spectacular perks seem to be pushed to the sidelines whenever the cloaked figure you saw that day comes to mind.

Looking back, you wonder if your desire to see Yoongi again has grown so strong that it is taking over your sanity. You were quite sure that the figure had spent a brief moment standing right outside of the magic shop. His presence a lurking shadow in the bright city, watching your movements while you were in the shop. 

Chasing him was an instinct that you couldn’t resist to follow. Drawn entirely by your curiosity, and perhaps the dire need to see if it had been the one you desired to see the most, only to be led into a futile chase through the city. 

Regret still follows you to this day, only because losing his trail in the bustling city square had left you with no answer. Nothing to stop you from wondering why that figure had felt so familiar to your eyes. 

At least your trip hadn’t ended with you coming home from the Mage City completely empty-handed. 

The shopkeeper of l'Équinoxe had been kind enough to wait for your return. She asked no questions when you came back to the shop, simply welcoming you back with a smile before helping you purchase the spell book which she had gone to fetch for you. The same spell book which had later taken away a few hours you had late in the night as you spent it reading the pages.

Cold breeze flows through the open window, pulling your wandering mind back to present. It pushes against the void that has been growing in your chest from Yoongi’s absence, causing your entire body to tremble.

As you reach out to grab your discarded cloak to find some semblance of warmth, a large cup of hot steaming drink manifests in front of your eyes. It lands with a soft thud when placed on the table before you. The scent of fresh herbs mixed with spice and rum fills your senses, warming your chest before you even have a taste. 

“Here you go. This should help warm you up. It’s a specialty of ours in this town,” says the tavern keeper as he stands to the side of your table. 

Lord Merryl—as he introduced himself to you earlier when he first approached you to offer you shelter—is a tall and built man who is only slightly taller than Lord Gordan, with greying hair that grows as long as his shoulders and a thin dark beard dusted in grey covering his sharp jaw. 

Thinking about how you met previously warms your cheeks. You must have seemed like a lost puppy when you walked past the tavern earlier, your eyes wandering around as you tried to take everything in while figuring out where to go. When Lord Merryl first came to you and invited you into his establishment, he did so in the most gentle way that one would do to offer a safe shelter for a stray getting lost in a strange town.

Looking back at it now, you realise that he wasn’t the only one who had given you a friendly welcome. 

When you first walked into the town, you had expected that the magic inside your necklace would take effect, shielding you from others. Yet, aside from the soft hum still following you through the vibrating ruby amulet, nothing else happened. Bereft of the usual warmth of its protective spell, it simply clung onto you with its lightweight pressing on your skin.

It didn’t seem to matter, however, when instead of gaining accusing stares and cold shoulders from the townspeople that you met, you only received warm smiles and kind greetings. There were even some who came up to you, giving you directions and showing you where to go, until you finally reached the town square where Lord Merryl found you.

It makes you smile just thinking about it. To realise how good it feels not to be invisible. 

Murmuring your gratitude, you pick up the cup and take a dainty sip. A voluntary hum slips out of you as the warmth spreads through your body, instantly calming your senses and washing away your weariness. “This is lovely.” 

Crossing his arms over his chest, Lord Merryl’s lips rise to a smile of pride. “I meant it when I said I would have the perfect ale to soothe your mind.” 

You cannot help but laugh as you recall him saying those words when he first came to you earlier. “Yes,” you nod, “I suppose you’ve only proven your words to be true.” 

Releasing a deep sigh, you embrace the warmth now coursing through your body. Turning back to look out the window, you can feel your body relaxing as you continue taking in the view and doing some more people—and dragon—watching. 

The town indeed feels lively with the townspeople walking up and down the street, some lingering in the town square to enjoy their downtime while others are still working in their shops and the open establishments that are visible from where you are sitting. The sounds of their muted chatters and faint laughter fill the night as they greet each other upon passing by. You can see small groups of people sharing friendly conversations on the side of the street, and there is a faint sound of musical strings echoing from somewhere down the road.

Street musicians, you wonder with a smile. A town really couldn’t go without one present.

At one glance, this place does seem like any other town you’ve been to. And it would’ve been that way if not for the fact that there are dozens or more dragons flying above their heads right now, their high trills and calls echoing through the ravine, causing your chest to tremble along with the noises they are making. 

“Quite a remarkable view to see, isn’t it? Sometimes one can forget how uncommon our lives are because we’ve gotten so used to this, until we remember that not all in this realm can experience living in a place like our home,” Lord Merryl muses as he notices how you keep following the dragons’ movements with your gaze. 

You simply cannot help it, after all. Unable to look away from the mythical beings that you have always believed to be a part of a myth, or Ancient creatures that should no longer exist in this more modern time. 

And they are quite a sight to look at. 

Most of the dragons have stopped circling around the dark castle a while ago, leaving only a couple of the larger ones flying up there as if keeping a close watch of their territory. You can see the shadows of the ones who are now perched on the towers and the rise of the wall around the castle from afar, while you see some of the smaller ones now flying close to the human town, floating in and out of the ravine, allowing you to have a clearer view whenever they glide right over the town square. 

You are beginning to understand the reason why Lord Merryl had given you the seat by the window when you first came in. The place in his establishment which allows you to have the perfect view of the town and its special perks. He must have noticed how mesmerised you were with the sight of the dragons, unable to resist glancing back up at them while you were walking down the street, making you look vulnerable, lost, and—quite understandably—disoriented.  

“I’ve learned quite a bit about E’l Alora and its dragons, yet the book that I’ve read so far had insinuated that this place was a sacred land which only existed in Ancient times. So please excuse my disbelief and ignorance which you may have seen for yourself when I first arrived here,” you share with him while pasting a smile, leaving out the fact that you have only been reading the book today. 

It wouldn’t matter if you had spent all afternoon studying all the facts and myths about this place from your book, getting lost in the tales and the history of dragons. You had only stopped when the untranslated texts at the end pages caught your eyes, leading you to carry the book out of the library to study them more despite having been forbidden to do so. 

What little information written in the textbook about this place hadn’t been enough to prepare you for what you have found so far. Which means that there are bound to be more secrets about this place waiting to be unveiled. 

“It was already a pleasant surprise to find that this place exists, much less to find out that even the dragons still live here, right where their home castle still stands. Still so marvellous and grand.” Your body shivers, feeling the excitement building up as you think about what other things you may find simply by being here. 

“But what’s more surprising for me to find is that there are mortals living here, in a town that looks like it had manifested from the mountain, and that there is a peaceful life shared here between the mortals and these magnificent dragons.” 

There is a pride smile on the tavern keeper’s face when you look at him again. “This is the life that we’ve all known for centuries,” Lord Merryl claims as he takes the seat at the table, right across from you. “The dragons protect us, and we protect the dragons.”

Eyes widening, you straighten up in your seat, intrigued to hear more. Seeing firsthand the way the townspeople and dragons together has already shown you how special and different E’l Alora is compared to many other places you have been to. But to hear about how directly connected they truly are as they share the same land to live in is quite an intriguing fact for you to learn. 

“Most of the people who live in this town are miners and artisans, but there are also knights and fighters—” He stops and looks over his shoulder as a small dragon floats by. You can see through the window the people who stop on the street to wave. At first glance, you think for a moment that they are waving at the midnight-coloured dragon who seems to be making a show as it circles back and makes another pass, until you see a shadow riding on its back, just as Lord Merryl gently adds, “—and riders.” 

You take a double look at the dragon as it shoots back up, flying higher up the mountain, carrying the rider—wearing all black from head to toe—along with it. “You—ride those dragons?” you ask with a soft gasp, which has the Lord chuckling softly. 

“Only the chosen ones do,” he says with a grin. “Every mortal living in this town, men and women, train their whole lives to ride and fight alongside the dragons to protect this land. When they officially come of age, those who are trained will be tested, and those who pass the test will be bonded with the dragon so they can become the dragons’ riders.” 

“Tested? By whom?” 

Lord Merryl’s eyes crease a little on each corner when he smiles. “The dragons themselves, of course. They choose their riders.” 

“H-how? How do the dragons choose their partners?” 

“The Dragon King and his court rule the land to this day, and they set up the rules which made bonding between a human and dragon possible to happen. The Dragon King rules from his home castle. Together with his court, he leads the ceremony where a rider is chosen by inviting the chosen ones to the King’s castle,” he explains with a slight nod towards the castle above. 

Tilting your head, you try to picture a whole court testing out the chosen townspeople to find the right person to ride a certain dragon. Throwing a quick glance at the dark castle above, you are beginning to understand why the dragons seem to consider the property as their home. 

“When a dragon requires a rider, whether it is because the dragon itself has come to age or if their previous rider has passed their time—be it from old age or if they have passed on—the King’s court will summon a few selected candidates for a new rider and have them tested, both physically and mentally, in front of the court and the dragon that is to become their partner.” 

Leaning back, you can feel your jaw setting into a hard line, something that you have to do to keep your mouth from gaping in awe. “Sounds like a rigorous process. And you said that the riders have many years of training?”  

Crossing his arms over his chest, Lord Merryl nods again. “You are correct. Becoming a rider of the dragons is an important task for us. It gives us a purpose in life and a privilege to care for our land.” 

You cannot help but smile, because it does sound like a privilege to bond with these Ancient beings. To be trusted enough to work alongside them. 

“And what happens when one isn’t chosen? Or does that not happen, since you said everyone had to be prepared for it?” 

“The rest of us run the town,” he says, nodding out the window where you can see the people lounging around the small patch of garden at the center of the town square. You only notice now upon closer observation that each person wears proper attire showing their roles in this town—shopkeepers, waitresses, and a few people who look like physicians and scholars. 

“Sometimes, we even get work in the castle to serve the Dragon King as he is very, very old,” he says with his grin deepening when he takes in your reaction, “or they can serve the Ancient Gods and the Moon as the priests and priestesses, even though not many of us pray at the temples nowadays.” 

“What about you? Are you also a rider?” 

“I used to,” he answers with a gentle voice. The pride you see in his eyes seems genuine. Only this time, there is a hint of longing in them. A reminiscence of the past that he misses the most. “I was for a long time, and then I retired once I was too old to be up there in the sky, and Alastair, my dragon, chose my oldest son to replace me.” 

Unable to hide your astonishment, you let your smile grow as you picture him up there, flying with his dragon. “Does that happen a lot—to have someone who is your kin to replace your position?” 

“Only with the ones who are deeply bonded with their riders, and I’ve become bonded with Alastair after riding with him for a long time. I was only eighteen when I was chosen, so it felt like I grew into adulthood with him by my side.” He briefly looks out the window with a faraway look in his eyes, as if he is looking into the past that has been engraved in his memory. 

“But it didn’t mean that my son had it easy,” he continues with a chuckle. “He still had to go through the same tests to earn Alastair’s trust. Alastair is quite an old dragon himself. Winning his trust was a hard feat and my son had to prove his worth in front of the court until Alastair was pleased enough to bond with him.” 

Just then, two dragons glide across the ravine. One has scales in the shade of purplish-black and the other dark tan. The latter looks slightly smaller than the other. Neither has a rider on them, yet the bigger one has something similar to a horse saddle attached on its back, almost blending into their scales. 

Another question sparks through your mind as your curiosity grows. “But where do you ride these dragons to?” 

“The knights will journey with the dragons to patrol around the mountains, keeping this place and its castle safe from harm. Some will go flying across the nearby lands that are still under E’l Alora’s territory in search of resources, while others fly with them down there,” Lord Merryl replies, tilting his head towards the ravine. 

Your brows immediately rise. “What—down into the ravine?” 

Lord Merryl seems to enjoy seeing your expression when you are left in shock and he chuckles deeply. “Inside that dark ravine are mines—lots of them. Most of the ones who are chosen to ride the dragons are miners, while some others become knights who serve to protect our land and its people,” he explains. 

”The dragons who work alongside the miners will fly us down there and lend us their powers to open up the mines, dig through the rough terrains, fly our workers into the deep to gain the resources found deep within the mountains, and then bring our quarries back to the surface.” 

While your mouth drops open, he continues, “These mines were discovered many centuries ago by our ancestors—mages and elves who built their homes here in the mountains. The same ancestors who first built a deep connection with the dragons. They taught us how to maintain the mines without ruining the mountains and communicate with the dragons so we can nurture this land and the mountains together for both our gains.” 

“Mines?” You try to picture it in your mind, an elaborate mining system hidden in the depth of the chasm. Something which your book has failed to mention. “And what do you gain from these mines? 

Lord Merryl leans forward onto the table just then, waving out the window as an open carriage passes by down the street. Its driver, sitting on the front bunk with his hands on the horse’s rein waves back. His gloves are tainted in black—a similar shade to the pile of minerals filling the back of the carriage to the brim. 

“Minerals, like iron ores and other metals that are then made into weapons and armours. Stones to build our homes and the streets we have here in town. And various kinds of gemstones.” He settles back in his seat, his gaze falling onto the ruby amulet hanging from your neck. “Just like the one you are wearing now.” 

Startled, your hand comes up to your necklace. The ruby amulet hasn’t been giving you any obvious reaction since you got into town, yet it seems to shimmer under the soft lights illuminating the tavern. 

“These mines are the reason why this town exists. It shapes the lives of the people here. Those not chosen as riders will also work to develop the quarries we gain from the mines and make a business out of selling the raw materials and the goods that come out of them. We have blacksmiths working on the iron and metals, builders processing the stones, and artisans working on the gemstones. We often trade goods with other cities, so that might be where you had gotten your stone from.” 

Your mind travels back to Aeris, remembering how you have found different kinds of goods which were made of materials that you have never seen before. Weapons and armouries made of irons that are unbreakable and highly resistant to flame and magic attacks. Leather goods which appeared almost as if they were made of materials similar to the skin of the flying dragons. Amulets made with gemstones and metals that the shopkeepers claimed to have been ‘acquired from esteemed sources’ which would be able to be imbued with any kind of magic and spells. 

Running the tips of your fingers across your necklace, your mind travels back to the shopkeeper of l'Équinoxe, reminding you of what she said to you about the necklace. 

“Seems like your necklace was crafted many years ago, and the ruby is a specific kind of gemstone that is rarely found nowadays in modern cities like ours.”

Clearing your throat, you cannot help but ask, “How old do these dragons get, if I may ask?” 

“They live a very long age. The Dragon King has lived almost as old as the Ancient beings you read in your books. Alastair was born around the same time my great-great-grandfather came to this world,” he fondly speaks about his former partner. “There are older dragons that are still around, and young ones—as young as my youngest. More dragons are still being born in the present day, even though they are born a few years or decades in between.”

It would have been hard to imagine if you hadn’t seen them with your own eyes—the different sizes that the dragons appear in seem to determine their ages, which are also so clearly discernible from the lines and ridges of the skin and the sizes of their horns. 

“That’s truly remarkable.” 

Your gaze meets with one of the locals who is walking past by the window looking in. Wearing a thin, dark-coloured chest armour marks him as one of the knights that Lord Merryl had mentioned. He greets you with a short nod which you return with a smile. 

“You said that you haven’t gotten a lot of visitors lately. Don’t travellers often come by here?” you ask Lord Merryl, even if deep down, you can already guess what his answer would be. 

It would have been hard for a place like E’l Alora to be kept secret, forgotten, except for the stories and myths that have been written in the books. Not when they are still producing matters and goods that are spread within this realm. “What happens when you need to trade your goods? Your products? How do you provide for the people?” 

Lord Merryl grows silent, but it appears that your question had amused him dearly, judging from the glint you see in your eyes. “I’ve had a feeling that you aren’t just any regular traveller,” he surmises with a smile. “You seem to know more about what it takes to manage your people.”  

This is quite unexpected. It’s not often that you are made to feel like you are being stripped down, of being forced to reveal the truth behind your disguise as an anonymous traveller. The only times you ever felt this way were during those moments you came face to face with Yoongi, when he seemed to be able to look through your facade. For him to look deep enough that you felt seen. 

“Sometimes one can learn so much through the experiences and the people they encounter in their journey,” you find yourself answering. 

Which isn’t a complete lie. Throughout the weeks you spent exploring new places through the portals, you have learned much more than what you are taught under your tutors’ guidance. 

“That is the reason why I travel to different places in the first place,” you continue to admit, both to yourself and your kind host, “You can say that I’ve been going to places in search of knowledge. Anything that I can bring home and make use to guide me through life.” 

“Speaking like a true intellectual.” Lord Merryl lets out a deep chuckle. “You have earned my most respect, young, mysterious scholar.” 

Having no idea what to say to that, you simply laugh it off. 

“It has been long since outsiders come to visit us. For leisure, that is,” Lord Merryl continues after a beat of silence passes. “A long, long time ago, this used to be a prosperous land. E’l Alora was highly regarded not only as the dragons’ lair, but a small kingdom ruled by the Dragon King, notorious for his powers, magic, and old wisdom left behind by the Ancient beings who created the realm. His knowledge, together with the treasures hidden in the mountains, were all parts of the legacy left behind by our ancestors.” 

“What happened?” 

Lord Merryl lets out a sigh. “Have you learned about the war?” 

Your back stiffens as your mind works hard to file through everything you have learned so far.

It wouldn’t be wrong for you to assume that he is talking about a war happening in this fairy-tale realm, a topic that you are still learning from your tutors. But for some reason, those lessons aren’t the ones running through your thoughts right now. What comes to mind instead is the only story of the war that you spent your entire teenage years learning back at the Citadel. 

The history behind the rise of Nythelean Empire. 

You recall the story which spoke of how your father survived the fall of his previous empire, how he managed to move his family, his army, and his people to safety. How he found shelter beyond the Elcester Forest—which you have learned to be one of the few hidden passageways connecting both realms—and under the protection of Mount Orrum, to later use the rough terrain of the mountains to defeat his enemies. 

A narrow victory which left a deep wound in your father’s soul as it came with a price—losing his home and the one person he loved the most.

You are beginning to suspect that the old war may have something to do with this magical place, knowing what you know now, that Stargrave is still a part of Nythelean’s territory. There are still so many things that you have yet to learn, so many to unravel if you truly want to know more about your true home and your legacy, but so little time has been given for you to catch up with what you have missed. 

“Not much of what was left from the old times, I’m afraid,” you admit while wondering inwardly, especially nothing about the wars happening in this realm. “Nothing more than what I’ve read in the books, which I’m sure has been made distorted enough through the years that followed.” 

A nod. He doesn’t question you further before finally sharing his story. A small part of history still unbeknownst to you. 

“It was many decades ago when the war erupted in this part of the realm, affecting only the sacred lands and kingdoms that worshipped the moon and its magic. The war was known to be the Great Siege, when a small kingdom suddenly grew strong enough to rise into an empire, and challenged other—older—empires to kneel before them. They came to siege many sacred lands, places built by the Ancient beings that we all know to be our ancestors, to take and conquer as much land as they could.” 

Lord Merryl’s eyes are filled with grief and sorrow that you feel guilty for making him talk about the past. But at the same time, you want to take this chance to learn more about this place. And perhaps, you can learn more about the history that you have never studied before. 

“Must I assume the war reached this land also?” 

Lord Merryl nods. “Indeed,” he says. “At first, we had no reason to join the war, as we never had any direct connection or alliance with other kingdoms, until they came pushing at our borders, demanding us to submit to their king.” He grits his jaw tightly with anger as he speaks of their old enemy, and you can feel the pure rage coming out of him.

“The Dragon King refused to stand down, and neither did the people living here, so we defended our land the best we could. Many dragons had fallen during that war, so did the humans who fought alongside the dragons to protect this land.” 

Just then, his expression seems to shift. The deep, sorrowful grief is still there, but there is a hint of pride and longing in his eyes as he talks about those moments during the war. You had seen this same look before, when your father talked about your mother and the old days he spent together with you and your mother when life was peaceful and free. 

“We fought our best, and while we didn’t come out as victors, once the war ceased, any direct connection we had with the outer world was severed at the hands of the Dragon King and his court,” Lord Merryl continues, “it was his way of protecting his homeland, what was left of his kingdom, and the dragons and the people surviving the war.” 

As you continue to listen, something about what he just said tickles your brain, making you wonder what it is about his story which puts you in such unease. Something about it felt quite familiar, yet you cannot seem to put your finger to remember how. 

“Ever since then, E’l Alora became nothing more but a myth. The dragons who fought the war and the surviving ones you see now are known as mythical beasts that only exist in your history books and old scriptures, believed to have been extinct after the war.”

Just like how it was portrayed in the book, you bitterly wonder, as your fingers curl around the hardcover of the book that you have on your lap, while Lord Merryl’s eyes glimmer in anguish. “When in reality, they still exist, surviving, protecting their home and their people, keeping themselves in this dark, secluded place for as long as they need to be.” 

His voice then shifts into a more hopeful tone as he carries on. “We do whatever we can to survive through the shift of time, just as you expected we would, for us to sustain our way of living,” Lord Merryl says with a teasing tone, drawing a smile to your face. “Our farms aren’t as vast or as prosperous as others, but we make what we do with the limited resources that are hidden beyond these mountains.” 

As Lord Merryl nods towards the rocky mountains across the ravine, you finally understand what he meant earlier when he spoke about the dragons and their riders going around the land beyond the mountains. You picture them exploring beyond those rocky peaks to a land of green that is hidden from view, filled with crops and other sustenance for the townspeople of E’l Alora. 

“We also have our local merchants who would travel in and out of the territory through a hidden route that only the townspeople know about as they make trades of our products with goods from other places beyond the borders. Most of our remaining neighbours and alliances are loyal when it comes to keeping us hidden, making sure our trade wouldn’t risk our secret from spreading out. That is how we are surviving today.”

With another nod, he points at the crest that you kept on looking at earlier. The insignia left behind by The Brotherhood of Jorn. “The only outsiders that we have ever welcomed so far are the mercenaries. We have some of our former knights and dragon-riders-to-be who decided to join the mercenary army to travel to different places while helping us to keep up with what has been going on in the realm. They also act as the middlemen between us and the outer world, allowing us to keep our home hidden from any sort of threat from outside our borders.” 

Looking at the crest, you are beginning to see them in a new light. The stories and rumours that you have once heard from your father’s men continue to echo through your head whenever you look at them. But now, it feels like you are looking at a different side of the mercenary group which many others may not have been able to see. 

“Aside from these trusted people, the townspeople aren’t exactly easy to trust strangers. Even those who knew anything about this place and dared enough to travel this far wouldn’t be so bold to enter a territory filled with cautious townspeople, much less living dragons.” 

“I—but I didn’t see all of that when I first got here,” you admit to him as you recall the way they had all treated you when you first entered the town. “The townspeople I’ve come across with have been quite friendly. Even though I did catch some who seemed wary of my presence and kept their distance, there weren’t so many that would have made me feel unsafe or uncomfortable.” 

Chuckling softly, the man nods his head. “That’s just how our people are, perhaps. Most of us still retain the same hospitality we had in the past, or perhaps the long period of time we spent living in solitude has made us long to have a connection to the outer world which we’ve lost.” 

In a way, you can see it. Your own experience of living in constant hiding, years spent in a life similar to being hidden in a shroud, has made you long for something similar. Had that been the reason why you felt so connected with Yoongi since the first time you met him? Because you were so lonely that his presence instantly filled the void that you harboured inside? 

“But most of us are adequate judges of characters. So do the dragons, in fact. If anyone sensed that you came bringing danger with you, then you wouldn’t have been welcomed with such hospitality.” A pause, and his gaze suddenly drifts down, stopping at your necklace. “Your necklace may have also turned to your favour in finding your way to our homeland. Just as I mentioned, the gemstone looks like one acquired from our mines. For us, it would be easy to recognise something that was obtained from our land.” 

On instinct, your hand moves to grab onto your amulet. Its glow reflecting on Lord Merryl’s face, which seems to be the reason why his attention keeps being drawn to it. “You think that the necklace guided me here?” 

He slowly nods. “I’d like to believe that there may be forces leading you to find a way to this place. For what reason, that is yet to be determined,” he says with a gentle smile, while your mind wanders back to how you found the magic door the first time. 

Looking back to it now, you realise that there is no such thing as a coincidence that the door revealed its true form when you passed by the hall earlier. You wonder what kind of force played a hand in you finding this place, to be following the trail that leads you to where your magic necklace seems to have come from. 

The same way you did when you found your way to Aeris. 

Lord Merryl’s gaze lingers on your necklace while you are in deep thought. His voice draws you back to him when he muses, “That necklace—must have been something special for you.” 

Twisting the ruby amulet between your fingers, a tiny wave of grief washes over you. “It’s—it was handed down to me by my mother.” The only thing of hers that you get to keep, you realise as sadness fills the cavity in your chest. “I was made to promise to keep it in my person every time I am to leave home. It was said that the necklace is meant to protect me.” 

Looking up, you are surprised to see a slight change happening in Lord Merryl’s gaze. There is something there for a moment. A look which reminds you of the way Lord Gordan looked the last time you talked to him about your mother—recognition, longing, mixed with a hint of sorrow.

“Perhaps protection isn’t the only thing that has been ingrained in your necklace,” he says, just as that ineffable look in his eyes fades before you get to find the meaning behind it. “Some amulets can serve as a guide, showing you which directions to take and helping you to find what it is that you are searching for in need be.” 

“That is possible,” you whisper. “That’s right. In this realm, anything is possible.” 

Even the impossible, you wonder, as you marvel at how peculiar your life has been ever since you crossed the realm. 

Silence falls between you for a brief moment, until a movement catches your attention and your eyes drift towards the open window again. Just as the old, largest dragon that had guided you here earlier suddenly appears, gliding gracefully across the chasm at a slow, leisurely pace. 

From this close distance, you get to see the details of its midnight-black scale and the row of pointed horns framing its head, going back to its spine and then disappearing across its long swishing tail. Its crimson eyes are widely opened, almost as if it has sensed your presence and is now trying to find you among the mortals living in this town. 

But when the dragon circles back and slows down almost to a halt right in front of the tavern, its gaze flickering to where Lord Merryl is sitting, your lips tip up to a smile.

“Alastair?” 

Lord Merryl chuckles softly as he nods, greeting the giant dragon who responds to his former rider with a deep, long trill before he then takes flight. The flap of his wings sends a wave of thick dust across the town square and onto the tavern’s walls, drawing a series of laughter from the people who are lounging outside.

“He got curious and came by to say hello,” Lord Merryl says with a deep chuckle while sounding like he is talking about an old friend that he dearly respects and cares for the most. His smile widens when you softly laugh along with him. It makes you feel giddy on the inside, completely amused that the mighty dragon has chosen to acknowledge your presence in his home. 

Last night, your dream brought you to a different place. 

Instead of finding yourself standing on the top of a cliff, looking down at a thriving land of greens with crystal-like rivers and posh structures in white, you saw yourself walking up a hill covered with a widespread of green grass. 

Perched gracefully atop the verdant hill is a temple that appeared almost twice as high as the local churches you had often seen in the capital city of Smotia. With structures built from bone-coloured stones, the temple appeared like a sculpture of light under the cerulean sky. 

In your dream, you were as barefoot as always as you walked the winding path leading towards the entrance of the temple. Flanked by whispering trees and blooming wildflowers, their vibrant hues appeared as muted as the sunlight warming your skin. 

Approaching the temple, you were greeted by the grand staircase covered in the same bone-coloured stones which formed the temple’s structure. Each step of stairs felt both cold and smooth under your feet as you slowly made your way up. As you came to the entrance foyer, you were welcomed by majestic columns of white lining up the halls, rising to support the roof that seemed to touch the heavens. The massive entrance door stood at the center of a stone wall adorned with intricate carvings depicting scenes from myth and legends—most of them you have seen depicted in your history books. 

Upon entering through the threshold, you were greeted by the cool, tranquil interior and a faint scent of waning incense. The temple was empty, aside from the flickering candlelights that aligned the low dais built on each side of the walls within the grand hall. 

It felt like you were drawn by an unseen force as you walked toward the center of the hall, stopping where lights filtered through from above. Looking up, you caught the sight of the dome ceiling above, made up of a thick glass that looked more like clear crystal, it allowed some sunlight to penetrate into the grand hall. 

At the heart of the temple stood a grand altar draped in a layer of golden silk and adorned with garlands of fresh flowers. A marble statue of an Ancient stood at the center, surrounded by unlit candles, golden bowls filled with red wine, and golden plates filled with offerings of fruit, bread, and fragrant oils that were laid at its feet. 

The walls at the far back of the hall were just as pale as the rest, yet the entire surface was covered in tapestries. Banners made of silk in pale ivory colours, each one with the symbol of the moon painted in gold in the center, insinuating that this place was where worshippers come to pray to the moon. 

You tried to take another step forward, wishing to have a good look at the Ancient standing at the altar—a tall figure with long silky hair wearing the attire of a hunter, with swords attached onto either side of its hips and a set of bow and arrows hanging on its back—when a strong breeze came rushing in. It came so suddenly that you were forced to close your eyes, shutting you off from this peculiar place until the breeze faded. 

Barely a minute passed as you kept your eyes closed, yet you could feel it when the world you saw slowly began to shift. 

The temperature rapidly dipped. The cold breeze carried with it the same menacing scent of decay which always followed you each time these dreams ended, causing your blood to run winter-cold which had you refraining from opening your eyes.

But you rarely ever had any control of yourself—of anything at all—while you were in a dream. There was nothing stopping you from opening your eyes, to witness what had unfolded in the mere seconds that passed. 

Everything that you saw previously—all the vibrant colours, the elegance that was part of this temple, and the alluring beauty which captivated you—had withered. The temple was no longer whole. 

The stone pillars were now damaged and fractured in places. So did the artistic stone walls which were now filled with splinters and covered in soot. Parts of the roof were now gone, with the crystal dome partly shattered, leaving not much barrier between you and the dull-grey sky above. 

The floor that had been clear and bright-coloured was now covered with dirt and dried blood, with a thin layer of fog crawling around your feet. The grandeur you saw at the altar had wilted to ruins—the flowers had dried out, the draperies and banners were charred and singed, candles were fully burned and melted, and the offerings all scattered and spilled on the floor, the bowls and plates all toppled and broken in pieces around the broken statue. The striking figure of the Ancient depicted by the statue had become shapeless, with its face chipped in multiple places and gaping fractures soiling its upper body to leave it almost completely disjointed. 

Once again, you were made to witness how quick and easy it was for life to wither and wane, the unseen beauty of this unknown world fading right before your eyes, merely moments before you were pulled away to wake. 

Sleep felt like nothing more but broken fragments as exhaustion weighed on you all morning since you woke up. 

Not even your busy, daily routine could help get your mind out of your eerie dream when it kept returning to you whenever your mind was idle. 

Fragments of last night’s dream kept coming back while Lady Laurel had you reading different passages of the books that were part of her lesson��Ancestors Of Magic, Languages Of The East, Ancients And Emperors—that would have usually piqued your interest. 

Not even the etiquette and ballroom dance lessons with Lady Abigail could do much to distract you from the grim visuals of the broken temple. As someone who has known you her whole life, she didn’t miss the lack of focus that you put in her lesson that she finally gave in and sent you back to your bedchamber with her scolding, 

“Rest and clear your idle mind before you hurt yourself.” 

And when Lord Gordan wasn’t there for your afternoon lesson to help take your mind off of the haunting shadows of your dream, you chose not to remain in your bedchamber as advised by your governess. Instead, you stripped out of your day dress and slipped into a different attire—a pair of dark breeches and boots, with a loose tunic as your top to make it easier to move around—and marched towards the royal courtyard with your shortsword in hand, searching for a way to keep your mind from becoming idle. 

Anything to keep your body and mind busy. To get the images out of your head and tire yourself out just enough so you wouldn’t dream again in the night. 

Even if it meant challenging a knight or a royal guard in the middle of their sword training to have a spar with.

“You have quite an outstanding form, Your Highness,” Sir Stephan, the tan-skinned royal guard who had volunteered to be your sparring partner exclaims as he watches you return to your position after blocking his strike. “That wasn’t an easy feat to follow.” 

“I told you to not underestimate me, knight,” you retort back with a smile, enjoying the adrenaline rushing through your body. It has been a while since you felt so alive, to be able to move this freely and use your entire body to its full potential the way you did when you had to practice your sword fighting with your father and his knights. 

Amused, the guard’s lips twist to a smirk. “I must do well to remember not to show you such disrespect,” he says as he swings his sword back into position, showing you that he is serious. 

Not that he has been taking things easy from the start. 

While your arrival at the south courtyard earlier had sparked confusion and shock from the royal guards, he was the only one who didn’t look at you as if you were completely out of your mind. He was also the first to step up and volunteer when you openly asked to have a sparring session. 

“I wouldn’t dare shame the royal knighthood nor Her Highness by not doing this seriously,” was his promise when you told him not to hold back, and it pleases you to see him making good on his words to you. For you to not be treated like you were made out of glass, like how other royal guards have been treating you. 

Through your sparring, getting a closer look at your opponent, it didn’t take much to understand why. 

At first, you recognised him as one of the royal guards who has specifically been assigned to guard you during your evening routines. With a closer look at his face and the way he swings his broadsword against your shorter one, you finally remember him as one of the guards escorting you the night you departed from the Citadel. 

The same guard who slipped away from the line of escorts to fight off the unidentified figures pursuing your carriage into the Elcester Forest that night. 

Your fight continues, and as he still keeps the same fortitude as he would had he been sparring against his fellow guards, you return it with all that you have. 

His strikes are strong, with each clash and contact making it obvious that your sword is much lighter than the one he uses. But it doesn’t mean that you are going to make it easy for him to bring you down. 

The hilt of the shortsword feels good in your hand. There is a welcomed weight in your hold as you swing it against your opponent. A presence that you hadn’t expected to be something that you have been missing the most. When you strike, your eyes are focused and your hand is firm, and you catch him by surprise when you make a quick work on your feet and make a clean swipe against him, coming close to nicking at his sharp chin before he deflects your attack with one quick swing of his sword. 

A series of cheers echo from all around you as the guards witness him stumbling back. Only slightly, but enough to show that your attack is enough to rattle him. 

You can tell that your sparring has gained some more audience, with the guards putting their training on hold to watch you fight one of their strongest fighters. Their voices are loud across the courtyard as they encourage the fight while taunting their comrade. It should make you feel self-conscious if only you are not too immersed in giving a good fight against the guard.  

“Be careful, Stevie. Don’t want to see you lose a chance for promotion if you hurt the Princess,” you hear the captain of the guards speak from the side. 

“I have a feeling that I should be the one to worry about getting hurt,” Sir Stephan jokes back to his comrade between each strike of his sword, his voice drowning under the loud clangs of the swords coming upon contact as you keep blocking his attacks. 

As he slows down while responding to his comrades’ taunting laughter, you take the chance to make another move. Taking advantage of his lack of focus, you thrust your sword toward him. He blocks you with one swing and you shoot forward, spinning on your heel and swinging your hand back, slamming the hilt of your sword against his stomach. Sir Stephan recoils with a grunt upon impact. 

“Oh, Fates,” he curses with a cough. A rough chuckle comes from his lips as he recovers to shout at his friends laughing at him, “Told ya.” 

You quickly step away from him while everyone whistles, cheering for your move. “Stay focused, Sir Stephan. Don’t want you to actually get hurt,” you playfully taunt him as you move into position, ready to continue.  

Seeing this prompts Stephan to strike first, swinging his broadsword down to your side, which you block using the back of your sword. The sound of the deep grunt escaping his lips draws more taunting from the other guards.

“Already getting tired, Stevie?” 

Letting out a heavy laugh, your opponent cleverly responds without missing a beat. “I think the Princess is just a bit too tough for me to handle, that’s what.” 

“Good thing you volunteered in our place since if you lose this fight, there’s no way any of us could defeat Her Highness.” 

“Maybe we should recommend your early retirement, old man. Her Highness can always take your place.” 

“Right on. The Princess isn’t even sweating and yet there you are trembling. Even your form isn’t right.” 

Their compliments please you, even if some of it is far from the truth. You can feel sweat coming down between your brows and in between your breasts. Your breath is growing shallow, and if only any of the guards weren’t so preoccupied with keeping a close watch on each strike of sword clashing through the sparring, they would have noticed the way your legs are beginning to quiver as you block another strike from Sir Stephan’s broadsword. 

As your exhaustion sinks in, what comes into your nearly idle mind is not a part of the dream that you wished so badly to forget, but the words of a wise man who has followed you home ever since your visit to E’l Alora. 

“Before you go, I must be honest and admit something. Lest I regret it in case we never meet again,” was what Lord Merryl said to you last night before you left E’l Alora to return home. The look that he was giving you then stayed in your mind until you came back to the castle. “You remind me of someone.” 

“Someone you knew?” 

His lips twitched to a soft smile. “Long ago, before the war, before this land became as secluded as the way it is now, we used to have travellers coming through our town, often staying with us for a time to experience life here as our guests. There was one who Alastair and I had the privilege to get acquainted with during that time. A female traveller who claimed to be a scholar and was travelling through sacred lands in search of knowledge about the Ancients, much like you.” Once again, you saw a glimpse of longing in his eyes as he spoke. “She looked quite like you, and I am quite sure she was around your age when she frequently came to visit us.” 

Then his longing gaze fell on your necklace for one last time. “And she was wearing a necklace similar to yours.”

Sir Stephan’s sudden strike snaps you back to the present. His move isn’t as fast as his previous offences, but the blow of his sword rattles your entire arm the moment it makes contact with yours. You barely manage to deflect his attack, the clash between swords and the force that he uses pushing you back a step. Yet you are still capable of cutting his blow, even if it comes with a cost. 

Your knees buckle as you pull your sword back. Snapping your sword down, you stab its tip onto the ground to keep you from falling on your knees. 

“Your Highness, is everything all right?” Sir Stephan calls out gently, sounding concerned. Yet he makes no move to approach you, something which you respect coming from him. 

Laughing nervously, you straighten up and shake your head. “Seems like I was right all along. I’m quite out of practice.” 

The guard looks relieved to hear this. His lips twist into something which resembles a pride smile. “For the record, you are still much better than some of the guards here,” he compliments you as he slowly lowers his sword. “And in a much better shape as well, seeing that you are still standing on your two feet.” 

“I take it as a compliment.” Sheathing your sword, you bow your head slightly towards him. “Thank you for lending me your time. We should do this again next time.” 

Lifting his sword and crossing it against his chest, Sir Stephan greets you with a formal bow. “I’ll be ready to spar with you again, Your Highness. If ever you need to.” 

You turn to greet the other guards with a slight bow before turning away to leave. Behind you, the captain of the royal guards begins rounding up his men to resume their sword training. The sounds of them shuffling back into their position and the clanging of swords follow your departure. 

Except for Sir Stephan. 

Even without looking over your shoulder, you can feel the heat of his gaze pressing on your back. It shouldn’t bother you so much to have him watching you go, as he is simply doing his duty as your guard ever since the Citadel. Yet it suddenly feels unsettling how familiar his presence feels for you, even as you put distance between you.

He reminds you of someone. Of a moment in time that is lost in your memory. Yet your mind is too exhausted and you are too weary to figure out how. 

You try not to dwell on it as you make your way around the small rising leading to the West Tower. Avoiding the side corridor where the entrance of the tower is located, you choose to walk a bit further towards the door hidden behind the hill. 

At this time of the day, this side of the tower is quiet. Only the palace maids use this access door, yet you have learned enough to know that none would be passing here during the time they are finishing most of their late afternoon duties. 

Crossing the threshold, you arrive in a small hall connected to the long winding stairwell going up to the upper floors. Amongst them is the corridor leading towards your bedchamber, where you can finally rest—both your mind and body—for the day. 

Your mind is once again idle as you begin to ascend the stairs. Idle due to exhaustion, yet still enough to silence all thoughts and wonders. 

For a moment, you feel hopeful about dragging yourself towards your bed, even if your legs still tremble while you climb up the stairs. The shortsword feels as if it has gained weight as it keeps bumping against your thigh in your journey back to your quarters. 

Yet in that comforting silence, your senses are on high alert. Sharpened enough to feel a peculiar sensation rising within that stairwell. 

A feeling that is quite similar to what you have often felt whenever you come across any silver doors hiding your father’s magic portals. 

Curious, you begin to proceed cautiously. The logical part of your mind is telling you that it might just be in your head. There is nothing up there other than the long corridors of the west wing of Stargrave, where your bedchamber is placed. 

As you continue going up the stairs, there is really no mistaking it—the soft hum of magic reverberating through the air, beckoning you to come close.

With one hand wrapped around the hilt of your sword, and the other reaching up to touch the silver key hanging on your necklace—placed together alongside your ruby amulet to make sure that you would keep it close to you at all times—you continue to proceed.

Right before you reach the floor connecting you to your private quarters, you arrive at a landing. 

There, right to your left, appears a small archway that seems to have been built into the wall. Similar to the door which took you to E’l Alora, it appears like nothing more but a wall ornament. It seems impossible for it to serve as a door. Not at this part of the tower, when the small windows placed on either side of it are showing you a massive fall towards the shoreline below. 

At the center of the archway, what seems to be a carved wall ornament appears to be a plate made up of old wood. It has silver hinges on one side—the only sign allowing you to identify it as a door—and floral embellishments pressed across the surface. The silver embellishments are marred by patches of reddish-brown rust, hiding the silver shine under the uneven, flaky crust spreading on its surface.

Standing before it, you realise that the humming spell is more muted here compared to the ones you have heard and felt from the other magic doors. Yet the sensation you feel all through your body is just the same. 

Your racing heartbeat. The pulse of warmth surging through your skin. Even the way your necklace is vibrating against your skin feels just the same. 

Cautiously, you slip the key off of your necklace. With a deep breath, and your curiosity rising, you silently pray that the door truly opens to another magic portal instead of sending you plunging into the rough sea below. 

The key fits perfectly in the keyhole and it opens with one click, immediately opening as if there is an unseen force helping you to reveal what is hidden beneath. The ripple of magic which appear in the form of a blue mirror manifests right before your eyes, opening the way for your next adventure. 

“I suppose there is no rest for today”—you sigh—“yet. Here we go.” 

The flow of magic engulfs you as you take a step into the portal. It clings onto your body like a cold glove, causing tingles on your skin while your heart palpitates as your own mana reacts to it. This time, the humming spell sounds more like chants of prayers. Still spoken in a language that you are unable to comprehend. 

Your journey across lasts only for a blink of an eye before the heels of your boots land on solid ground. A cold breeze washes over you, filled with the scents of moss and petrichor. Not in the kind which you would often find in the countryside, but more at places that are mostly deserted—like castle ruins or abandoned churches, perhaps unexplored caves in the wild. 

Releasing a deep exhale of breath, you open your eyes, only to have the rest of it getting knocked right out of your chest. As if reality comes crashing on you with a hard punch as you realise where you are. 

You have emerged right in the heart of an old temple. 

— © 2024 Yoonia, all rights reserved. reposting/modifying of any kind is not allowed. unsolicited translations are not allowed.

[quaithe-seastar]

The Dragon's Gold

Chapter Ten

Pairing: Aegon II Targaryen x Aerys Reyne (male oc)

Summary: Aerys Reyne, son of Naerys Targaryen, the second-born daughter of King Viserys and Queen Aemma, has been best friends with Aegon since childhood. As boys, they had been inseparable. Many said that it reminded them of the early days of King Jaehaerys reign. When the princes Aemon and Baelon were still children. Wherever one boy was, it wasn't long before the other came running behind him. That was until forbidden desires of the heart forced a wedge between them. After the death of his grandsire, King Viserys, Aerys finds himself torn between two sides: stand by his oldest friend or stand by the only mother he has ever known.

Warning: angst, mentions of Jaehaerys, child loss, grief

a/n: Aerys kinda makes a new friend. Aegon isn't used to people being nice to him. No beta, so I apologize for grammar and spelling mistakes. Also, if anyone wishes to be tagged in future updates, just let me know!

Aerys

The sound of glass shattering on the stone floor woke Aerys, forcing him to sit upright. A thin layer of sweat covered his skin, and his heart hammered away in his chest. His eyes scanned the room for potential dangers. During his search, they fell upon a woman standing beside the bathtub in his chamber. It was the maid—the one in charge of delivering his food.

“I apologize, m’lord,” she bowed her head.

Aerys nodded, watching quietly as she bent down to pick up the shards of what he assumed had once been a flagon. She was a short, large woman with dark eyes, limp brown hair, and an ample bosom. 

“I’ve prepared you a bath,” she said, dropping the shards into a brown bucket, “Though you’ll have to wait for it to cool down a bit.”

Aerys said nothing. He looked down at his hands resting on the soft wool blanket covering his lap. So, he was not going mad. Someone had covered him up. He turned his head upward, looking to the window. It appeared to be late in the afternoon. The events of last night suddenly came back to him. Unconsciously, he reached a hand up to touch his throat. He flinched; the skin of his throat was tender and sore. 

Aerys stood up, letting the blanket fall to the floor. He moved over to the new mirror in the corner of his room. It had to be replaced, as he had shattered the first one after being told of Luke’s death. He lifted his hair out of the way, observing the red marks that covered his throat. The bruising was only in the beginning stages. But if he looked hard enough, he believed he could make out the shape of Aegon’s hands. 

“Should I fetch the maester?” The maid asked timidly.

“No,” he replied, his voice hoarse.

Aerys dropped his hair, letting it cover the red marks as best as it could. He turned around, eyes focusing on the steam rising from the bath. Aerys walked forward, shedding his clothes along the way. The maid released a short gasp and quickly averted her gaze. Aerys paid her no mind, tossing his clothes to the ground. He could smell the fragrant oils that had been placed in the water.

“It’s too hot, m’lord!” The woman warned.

Aerys ignored her words, lowering himself into the scalding hot water. He did not cry out or flinch. He enjoyed the heat against his skin. It made him feel clean, pure. Though he knew he was far from it. Aerys pulled his knees to his chest, watching the steam rise around him. Something had happened, something terrible. However, he did not know what. The look in Aegon’s eyes as he had his hands wrapped around Aerys’ throat haunted him. There was anger and fury, yes, but there was something else, something more. A deep, painful look of despair, of loss. Something that Aerys was not unfamiliar with.

“What has happened?” He asked the maid.

The woman approached slowly, sitting on a stool beside the tub.

“The prince Jaehaerys has been slain,” she answered woefully.

His eyes widened, and water splashed onto the floor as he quickly turned to look at her. He stared into her eyes, desperately searching for some indication of a lie, but there was none. The woman spoke the truth.

“And Jaehaera? Helaena?” Aerys asked hurriedly. Panic filled his chest, and he found it getting increasingly difficult for him to breathe.

“They live.”

A small wave of relief washed over him. Aerys nodded, turning back around. He dropped his head to stare at the water around him. 

“How did it happen?”

“Assassins snuck into the castle. The boy was...,” she paused, her voice cracking, “beheaded in his bed.”

Aerys closed his eyes, swallowing back the bile rising in his throat. Jaehaerys is dead. Aegon’s words rang loudly in his ears. Did you have something to do with this?! Did you know?! They were words spoken in anger- in grief, but they still felt like a knife stabbing at his heart. Surely, Aegon did not believe Aerys would take part in such an egregious act. To strike down an innocent child in their bed was cowardice. It was an act that only the basest of villains would commit. 

“They say it was the Princess Rhaenyra who sent them. In retribution for her son.”

Aerys shook his head. No, he could not—would not believe that Nyra was behind this or that she had even known of it. She was a mother herself, one who had just lost a son. He could not imagine the woman would want to inflict that same pain on anyone, especially Helaena. Nyra had never been close to her siblings, but she held no ill will against them, least of all Helaena. If this was indeed an act of retribution for Luke, why go after Jaehaerys? The boy played no part in what his uncle had done. Aerys doubted the boy even knew of Luke’s existence. It is a lie. It has to be. No, someone else was responsible for this treachery. To butcher a child in their bed like some kind of animal... that was a different kind of brutality. One that Aerys could not even begin to fathom.

Tears fell from his eyes, dripping into the water. The boy's death saddened him, yes, but he worried more for the boy's parents. He worried for the boy’s mother, who would never be able to see or hold her firstborn child again. He worried for the boy’s father, who would seek revenge for the son stolen from him. He worried for the boy’s twin sister, Jaehaera, who would be forced to grow up without her other half at her side. If she even made it to adulthood, that is. War was imminent. Luke and Jaehaerys were the first to die but would not be the last. Many innocents will meet their ends, both low and high-born. 

Aerys flinched as water poured down his back, droplets trickling from his long tendrils into the bath.

“I’m sorry m’lord. I thought you would want help washing your hair.” The woman apologized, her voice quivering slightly.

“It’s fine. Continue,” Aerys sniffled, wiping his eyes.

“Yes, m’lord.” The woman whispered, continuing her work.

Aerys leaned his head back, allowing her to pour water over the top of his head. She hummed absentmindedly as she threaded her fingers through his hair. Aerys sat quietly. He closed his eyes, trying to relax. His body ached all over. No doubt the results of sleeping on the bare stone floor. His stomach clenched almost painfully and released a rather loud growl. Aerys felt the heat rising on his face.

“Will you fetch me something to eat?” He asked timorously.

The woman stopped, a small smile spread across her round face.

“Of course, m’lord.”

Aerys nodded, listening as she left the room. He waited until the door locked behind her before laying back in the tub. He took a quick breath before sinking into the water, allowing it to submerge his head completely.

–

Aerys nibbled on the bread in his hands while the maid, whose name he discovered was Wylla, brushed his hair. He also found that the woman had a fondness for talking. Aerys had only asked which region of the realm she had come from, and now he knew that she had a brother who herds goats in the Riverlands, a sister whose husband owns an inn in the Reach, and apparently, they are descendants of some long-vanished king of the First Men.

He had stayed silent as she droned on and on, only letting out the occasional hum to let her know he was still listening. It was better than being trapped alone within the confines of his mind. The skin of his neck was sore; even the slightest touch made him cringe. Wylla had said the bruise was darkening already, with slight purple hues appearing with the red.

His mind drifted to Agana. The man missed her deeply. He missed the warmth of her scales on his skin, the wind blowing through his hair as they flew through the skies, and most of all, he missed the strength she gave him, the courage she made him feel. He needed that courage now more than ever.

“Your grace,” Wylla gasped.

Aerys turned his head, watching as Wylla bowed before the dowager queen. Alicent nodded, dismissing the maid. Wylla took the hint, quickly leaving the room. A white cloak that Aerys did not recognize closed the door behind her. Leaving him alone with the dowager queen. Alicent stood a few feet away, looking as regal as ever. She stared at him, toying with the skin around her fingernails. Aerys sighed before standing, turning around so they were face to face.

“I am sorry for your loss, Lady Alicent.”

“Thank you, Aerys,” she spoke quietly, a slight quiver in her voice.

He was being sincere. The woman had just lost a grandchild. He could not imagine that was an easy pain to bear. She cleared her throat, pushing her shoulders back to appear taller.

“But my grief is not the reason I am here.”

Aerys scrunched his brows, tilting his head slightly to the side. It took only a moment before the meaning of her words dawned on him.

“How is he?”

“Angry,” she sighed, “eager for vengeance.”

“And Helaena?” He asked.

The woman froze, her eyes staring at him. He watched as they welled with tears. Her bottom lip trembled as she let out a shaky breath. The woman cleared her throat, quickly hardening her face. It saddened him to see how quickly she internalized her pain. How quickly she buried it in her heart to put on the brave face that was expected of her. 

“She’s alive.” She answered. 

The mixture of relief and sorrow in her voice was not lost on him. Helaena was alive but would now have to live with the turmoil of losing a child, her first child. She would bear that pain- that loss for the rest of her life. Would that truly be a life worth living?

“What is it that you need from me?” Aerys asked.

The woman took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling. She clasped her hands together and placed them in front of her—an array of conflicting emotions crossed over her glossy eyes. She averted her gaze, lowering her head slightly.

“He needs you,” she answered, with a slightly reluctant tone. “To offer him the solace I cannot.”

Aerys turned away from her. He leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling. His lips quivered, and his face contorted as he tried to fight back his tears. The skin of his neck grew hot as he remembered Aegon’s hands around his throat. He did not think Aegon truly meant to hurt him. It was an act done in haste while processing the death of his son. He could not blame him for it. Aerys took a deep breath, spinning back around to face the woman. She stared at him, her eyes trying to gauge his answer. He gave a simple nod.

“Ser Thorne shall escort you to the king,” she said before leaving the room.

The white cloak he did not recognize, Ser Thorne stood at the door. Aerys quickly put on his boots before walking to meet the man. He slowly stepped into the hall. His eyes searched the hall as if this were some sort of trap. Ser Thorne slammed the door shut and began walking. Aerys quickly followed. The castle was dark and quiet. Aerys noted that there were more guards than usual. Looking around in confusion, he realized Ser Thorne was leading him to his grandsire’s bedchamber. However, he quickly realized the reason for this. They crowned Aegon king. Where else would he be besides the king's apartments? Ser Thorne held up a hand, signaling Aerys to stop. 

Dread and worry crept into his mind as he realized only a wooden door kept him and Aegon separate. Ser Throne pushed open the door, standing to the side so that Aerys could pass him. Aerys nodded his head as he did so. He watched as the knight closed the door behind him. 

Heartwrenching cries pull Aerys away from his thoughts. Painful sobs and even more painful-sounding hiccups echo in the air. The sound broke his heart. He turns around, searching for Aegon. He finds the man hunched over in a chair, fiddling with his ring before the hearth. A tightness filled his chest like there was a hand squeezing his heart. Aerys was familiar with grief, but the grief of losing a child was another matter entirely. Something he had no experience with. It was something he never wanted to experience. He did not think he would be able to survive such a loss.

Lost in his grief, Aegon seemed utterly unaware of his presence. Aerys walked over to the man’s side. He raised his hand, hovering it over Aegon’s shoulder. Perhaps this was a mistake. Their last encounter was not a positive one. Would Aegon even want to see him? Would he want his comfort? Or would his presence merely anger him?

Aegon’s body jerked with each painful gasp that escaped his throat. His head hung low, concealing his face. Aerys took a deep breath, placing a firm hand on Aegon’s shoulder. He was willing to risk facing the man’s wrath. If Aegon wanted to scream at or hurt him, Aerys would let him. Whatever Aegon wanted from him, Aerys would provide it.

Alarmed, Aegon turns his head upwards to find the intruder. His eyes are red and puffy, but he still tries his best to look fierce. Perhaps he was afraid someone had come for his head next. When he realized it was none other than Aerys, his eyes softened. His face crumpled, and he burst into inconsolable tears. Aegon’s hands grabbed Aerys by the hips, pulling him closer. Aerys did not fight or cry out when Aegon’s fingers dug painfully into his skin. Aegon buried his face into Aerys’ clothed stomach, howling like a wounded animal. Aerys used one hand to thread his fingers through Aegon’s hair. The other, he used to rub the man’s back.

“My boy,” Aegon cried, “they killed my boy!”

Aerys dropped his head, closing his eyes. He bit his bottom lip to stop himself from crying. He needed to be strong for Aegon. The man needed someone to lean on now, more than ever. 

“I saw,” Aegon gasped. “I-I saw him. I h-held his little-little body,” he stammered between sobs. 

Aerys rubbed Aegon’s back, trying to soothe him. The man only cried harder. Aerys could feel his tunic clinging to his skin. The result of Aegon’s tears, though Aerys did not mind it. 

“I’m so sorry, Aegon...” Aerys whispered through tears.

Aegon shook his head. Aerys stumbled as the man suddenly pushed him away. He watched Aegon pace the room back and forth, shaking his head and muttering. 

“Aegon,” Aerys called, trying to catch his attention.

“They took his head,” Aegon whimpered. “They took his fucking head!” He shouted, grabbing a nearby goblet and throwing the glass with all his might.

Aerys flinched as the glass shattered against the wall. He watched helplessly as Aegon slumped to his knees, crying in his hands. Aerys kneeled beside him, pulling the man into his arms. Aegon buried his face in Aerys’ shoulder, wrapping his arms tightly around his waist. Aerys pressed a soft kiss to Aegon’s hair. One hand held the back of Aegon’s neck while the other rested on his back. No words were spoken as they cried and clung to each other for dear life.

Aerys felt Aegon press wet kisses to the side of his neck. He winced; the bruises on his neck pained him. Aegon pulled away, his eyes observing the bruising on Aerys’ neck.

“I hurt you,” he whimpered, his face contorting in anguish.

“Shh,” Aerys shook his head, “I’ll be fine.”

Aerys pulled him closer, resting their heads together. Aegon leaned forward, pressing their lips together. Aerys did not stop him. The kisses are rough and desperate. Aerys feels a hand run down his body, cupping his clothed cock. He pulls back, grabs the hand, and pushes it away. Aegon whimpers, trying to capture Aerys’ lip again, but Aerys shakes his head.

“Just let me hold you,” he says softly.

Aegon stills; his violet eyes are unsure, and he looks almost afraid. Aerys sits on the floor, stretching out his legs. Hesitantly, Aegon lays down, resting his head on Aerys’ lap. He flinches when Aerys lifts his hand but relaxes when he feels Aerys run his fingers through his hair, gently massaging his scalp. Aerys continues this even after Aegon falls asleep. His eyes trailed over every inch of Aegon’s face, listening to his friend's soft snores. His back ached from sitting like this, but he did not care. Whatever Aegon needed from him at that moment, he would provide it.

Tags: @saicherry, @willow-red, @sadpuffpuff, @teamavatar13,

[kyuusberry]

14). not yours — uchinaga aeri

word count: 500

a/n: i’m updating like crazy bc i finally have motivation to write and i’m abusing that feeling so i don’t just stop halfway and forget what i’m writing about.. 😃 also i apologize to my taglist for the amount of tags you guys have been getting for the last couple days..

giselle wasn’t the biggest fan of you and ningning. she loved ning, yes, but she was furious that ningning asked you out. sure, she wasn’t the biggest fan of you — and sure.. she ditched you on your first date.. and yes, she made you cry — okay now this doesn’t look good. at all.

but for some reason she couldn’t let go of you. and once she found out where and when you and ningning were gonna have the hangout (she refused to acknowledge that it was a date), she just had to go and watch. weird, probably, but she had to make sure that ningning wasn’t gonna hurt you. like she did.

the day of the date, she sat far, but close enough to see what the two of you were doing. she felt so weird, so alone. she sat down on a small blanket and ate her salad and fruit. she noticed that ningning had a nice setup for you and a bouquet of tulips. maybe she should’ve done that for you too.

maybe. just maybe. if she was nicer. if she actually cared. that would’ve been her in ningning’s place. she would’ve been the one laughing with you, caring for you. she felt the pit in her stomach grow.

she watched every movement you and ningning did, every picture you took. it felt stalker-ish.. almost. she was glad that someone was taking care of you. she took a break to take photos of the sky and her food, only to look back up and see ningning give you her jacket.

she clenched her jaw, almost breaking her phone in the process. “fuck.” she muttered, wrapping the second blanket she brought around her. “this is so stupid. why did i even come here to watch.” she sighed.

she just sat there and looked out to the water, just zoning out to the sounds of people talking and the wind blowing. it was relaxing, being able to get away from her actress life. even if she did come to stalk watch you and ningning’s hangout.

she realized that the two of you weren’t in your spot anymore, all of your stuff gone. she quickly packed her stuff and was about to walk over to her car. the moment she turned she saw your lips on ningning’s. her jaw dropped, almost dropping her basket.

her heart shattered for some reason, seeing you and ningning like that. she felt upset, angry almost. it was a confusing feeling, her emotions all jumbled up into one. she felt like throwing her basket at you and ningning, but she also felt like crying and running away. but she didn’t do either. she just stood there, watching you smile and ningning run away.

she saw you get into your car and drive away. she witnessed everything. and she wished she could go back in time and fix everything. she wished she treated you better. all she could do was hope. and it was never gonna happen.

prev | masterlist | next

summary: giselle was your favorite actress, and you were her avid follower. she was your idol, and like every other fan, you just wanted her to notice you, and she did.

taglist (open): @winieter @yukiioo01 @yinyinwon @gornoi @le3-r1n

[perditious]

i am soooooo scared of going back to school (lost my mind last time, had a whole breakdown in slow motion—to be clear this was correlation not causation but i haven’t convinced my limbic system yet) but i kinda feel like it’s somewhat inevitable so i should probably get it over with?? (im also not sure it’s financially feasible but that’s less relevant atm lol) (‘somewhat inevitable’ in the sense that it would help facilitate being able to do work i wanna do not in the ‘looming destiny’ sense we don’t have those around here)

what is tumblr if not where i put things before bringing them up in therapy lol

[aerialaim]

Static.

((I never posted this Aerie trauma, from what I could tell,so perfect segway fir the next update, yeehaw! It's from 2021 oof))

[ruinandrue]

Inkwarren Devlog #2: Welcome to Cairnadal!

The trees around your village are tall, and they are old. As you linger on the edge of the cobblestone path, you consider the forest beyond. You have heard of what lurks in the Deeper Wood- old beings, older than Inkwarren, and pale things that hate the things that lurk in the light. You look back to the flickering golden light of your village's tharian, admiring briefly the iron-wrought and rune-laden shape of the lamppost. The Abbey says tharians are shields against the deep and the dark, but doubt lingers at the back of your mind. What if they're wrong about the Wood?

Hello again, y'all! Sorry for a little while with no updates, it's been a crazy and long week in Matt World. I'm here for another update for Inkwarren, my in-development dark fantasy TTRPG of swashbuckling tactics and storybook intrigue, to talk about the game's setting: the ancient and magical woodland of Cairnadal.

Cairnadal

Cairnadal is a massive, realm-spanning woodland that encompasses all of the Known World. Ancient and beautiful, Cairnadal carries with it an odd and bewitching beauty. Woodlanders, the intelligent animal inhabitants of Cairnadal, most often live amongst the roots of the tall trees that make up the woodland around them. Sunlight comes in narrow beams that gracefully dance across the forest floor, and the soil is rich and fertile after centuries of greenery and other things that live amongst the woodland.

Woodlanders

Cairnadal is primarily inhabited by woodlanders, a society of intelligent animals that have built stone cities and little villages that dot much of Cairnadal's breadth. Woodlanders are small mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles, that form into societies and communities amongst each other where they create art, research knowledge, wage war, and consolidate power. There's good and bad in woodlanders, just as there is in us. The current society of the woodlanders is the vast and expansive kingdom of Inkwarren (oh look, the game's title!), which spans across five of Cairnadal's great six regions.

Beasts

Arthropods, fish, mollusks, and other animals are called beasts, and take the place that animals do in our world that we live in as humans. Woodlanders fish for food, ride stag beetles from city to city, send messages via trained dragonflies, and keep ladybugs and rollie-pollies as household pets. Wild beasts, like large hunting spiders or common crabs to be found on beaches, are approached with some measure of caution or respect for Cairnadal's many lifeforms.

Other Beings

Other beings inhabit the vast woodland of Cairnadal. Dead things return to life as lyches, animated by the weird magicks of the Deeper Wood, and massive, gentle stone giants with no name wander the wood, a remnants of the unknown civilization of That Which Came Before. Other animals, massive things known as the Old Masters of the Wood, can be found deep within the Deeper Wood. They have different languages, different gods, and different conceptions of the world than woodlanders do, and rumors are that they abound in a strange and ancient magick at their command.

Inkwarren

Inkwarren is the massive kingdom that spans most of Cairnadal, established over nine-hundred moons ago after a massive, woodland-spanning conflict known as the War of Red Flowers. Inkwarren is ruled by House Greyfell, a house of cats currently led by Alys II, who has served as King Crowned of Inkwarren for thirty-nine moons.

Inkwarren is made up of five major wards, each led by a powerful noble house called a High House. These wards are the Aerie, the Heartlands, the Yawning Roads, the Waterways, and Winterreach. Culture and language varies from region to region, and the High Houses often clash with each other while skirting the edges of violence.

Daily Life in Inkwarren

Every settlement in Inkwarren is protected by a magical lamppost called a tharian. Tharians glow with a light akin to faint sunlight, and ward away magicks and other beings that come from the Deeper Wood. The Abbey, the principle religious entity that dominates most of Inkwarren, professes that tharians are necessary for the peace and safety of Warrenish settlements, but there are those who would whisper and say otherwise. No one knows exactly where tharians came from, and the art of creating them has been lost to history.

Each settlement in Inkwarren is often governed by a noble house, represented by a reeve (which is somewhere between a mayor and a sheriff). It is common to have small chapels for the Abbey in many settlements, where the tharian lies at the center. Most woodlanders carry common professions such as smiths, scaleworkers, weavers, farmers, or messengers between settlements.

The Five Great Regions

Inkwarren is made up of five massive regions of Cairnadal, each governed by a High House, with their own languages, religions, and cultures.

The Aerie is a massive section of woodland where the towns and settlements are built from wooden platforms around the trunks of trees, with bridges or simple ropes connecting each platform-town. The tharians of the Aerie grow their wrought-iron poles around the trunks of trees, twisting into the platforms that settlements are built around. The Aerie is mostly inhabited by flying woodlanders, although climbing coats of woodlanders such as squirrels or possums have been known to make their home amongst the trees. The Aerie is ruled by House Ddur-Adain, a vulture house.

The Heartlands are the largest region of Cairnadal, built between the massive roots and tall trees that make up the woodland proper. The Heartlands is the home of Inkwarren's capital city, Gwydir, and is a center of commerce for the rest of Warrenish society. The Heartlands are the seat of House Greyfell, the cat house that rules all of Inkwarren.

The Waterways are river-laden hills and marshes where the trees of Cairnadal become fewer and farther between (but still cover most of the land). The Waterways are dotted with settlements populated with woodlanders that make their homes near water: ducks, otters, frogs, and snakes that hunt, fish, and forage for their daily living. The Waterways are ruled by House Wynne, an snake house.

Winterreach is a vast region of pine-covered mountains and snowy bluffs. Winterreach is scarcely populated, and its few settlements are made up of woodlanders comfortable with the cold and ice of that realm. Winterreach is ruled by House Castledown, a snowy owl house.

The Yawning Roads are a massive network of caverns that spans under most of Inkwarren, where cities are carved out of rock and stone. Here, strange 'roots' of the tharians above light caverns and protect from things that lurk under the dirt. The Yawning Roads are inhabited mostly by burrowing woodlanders such as moles, voles, or rabbits, as well as bats, salamanders, and burrowing owls that are commonly found underground. The Yawning Roads are ruled by House Sare, a salamander house.

The Deeper Wood

The Deeper Wood is the section of untamed woodland of Cairnadal not dotted by Warrenish settlements or protected by tharians. Strange things are said to lurk within these woods, magical things that existed before Inkwarren existed as a kingdom. Both the Crown and the Abbey forbid travel into the Deeper Wood, but braver wanderers have been known to wander off the cobblestone path, and your mind lingers on what might be out there...

That's All For Now!

Thanks for reading! I'll be back soon with another devlog to talk about Battle and how Inkwarren approaches its philosophy to combat and violence. Thanks for reading!

[forwntrx]

girls like girls (like boys do)!

♡ - winter x reader | yunjin x reader

₍ PROIFLES <3 ˗ˏˋTHE IDOL CLUB ˎˊ˗

( THE GCS ! ) " is this is the most random gc to ever exist ? "

𑁍┊YN'S FRIEND GROUP

𑁍┊masterlist － y/n’s groupies — yunjin’s haters — chapter one

yeonjun (99' liner); starts the gc after filming tiktoks with everybody in the industry, constantly fighting with y/n, loves his fans the most, SASSY, y/n’s #1 hater

jeongin (01' liner); hates everyone unironically, tzuyu & him might be siblings but the dna results haven’t come in so no one knows lol, says fuck too much, never where he’s suppose to be, gay hater, milf lover #1

tzuyu (99' liner); the most unproblematic member of the gc, y/n’s wife, everyone loves tzuyu bcs why wouldn’t you???, asks the most uncomfortable questions, asks everyone how their days are going, angel

sunghoon (02' liner); y/n’s least favorite (jokes), youngest in the gc & is made fun of bcs of it, lovable idiot, SILLY, gc’s spokesperson, milf lover #2

{also} ryujin (01’ liner); aeri’s girlfriend, shamelessly trying to get yunjin & y/n together, not rlly active in this gc, she’s here tho, done with everyone, milf lover #3 especially aeri’s

{also} yunjin (01’ liner); she makes it into the gc somehow (thirst), jeongin hates her bcs all she does is agree with y/n, y/n’s #1 supporter, SIMP, shameless

𑁍┊YUNJIN’s FRIEND GROUP

ryujin (01' liner); yunjin's #2 hater after chaewon, y/n's #1 supporter, switches from both gcs, the matchmaker fr, gets her account reported by yuqi on the daily, shits on jyp every chance she gets, loona stan

chaeryeong (01' liner); she needs to stop making corny jokes, snsd brain rot, wishes everyone would shut up sometimes, the cutest tbh, shit talks yunjin in the gc like she's dead, still yunjin's favorite tho

yeji (00' liner); not here for the bs, in love w/ chae tho, holding the braincell in the gc, the funniest tbh, has leader meetings with chaewon over yunjin, scheming on the low, wants to see yunjin happy but careful!

yuqi (99' liner); here to make fun of yunjin thats all, flirts with everyone in the gc, wants to have a 3some with ryu n aeri, shouts her lyrics EVERYWHERE, dumbass #1, encourages yunjin's stupid ideas just to see the world burn, milf lover #4

𑁍┊a/n: thank you again for all support on this smau!!!! i’m gonna try to get out updates and have a set schedule just because it makes it easier for me :)) 𑁍┊taglist: send me an ask to be put on the list <3 @aeongiies @runawaymazola @wintersgff @winieter @luvjanexx @justme-idle @sewiouslyz @lcv3lies @yerisdumbass @nasyu-kookies @kchwnsgf @jeindall777 @dr-wholehearted @thoughtfulqueenlady @yunalvrrr @juhyunsthirdwife

[heavenlycloud]

the veil~ ღཾཿ༉ ༘჻ღཾཿ჻

five: hey bby gorl i want u ‧₊˚ ⋅ ༘☆*.ﾟ

warnings: swearing, crying, slightly unedited

pairing: huh yunjin x aespa 5th member! fem reader

summary: the masquerade ball begins with yunjin and y/n set on finding one another. through meeting other friends they pray that fate will help them cross paths at least once. they hope for a fairytale ending, at a ball it only seems fitting. however, life is no fairytale and tonight both girls are reminded of it.

author notes: this update is quiet long compared to others but i'm hoping you all still enjoy it. i begin my semester next week so i'm hoping i can get back to updates once a week, but we shall see what happens! additionally, the tag list is still open for those of you all who want to be added in, just comment or drop an ask in my inbox! lastly, feedback, comments, reblogs, questions, literally anything but hateful speech is welcome and very much appreciated!

̟ ̇ ˖ಎ˚˖࿔ masterlist 𓂅୨⊹ ₊˚๑

you adjusted the black mask that rested over your face and tossed the bone straight extensions of your ponytail over your shoulder. from the outside you looked like you owned the room, that everyone around you was just a player in a game you controlled. however, internally you were a nervous wreck especially when you realized the lingering gazes as you walked by guests. beside you, ningning was on your right arm bowing politely to people as you both crossed the ballroom. in a low whisper you asked, “can you feel people staring at us? i swear people are staring.” your member smiled and mumbled back, “yeah.” when you pinched her hand in slight annoyance she added, “i’m serious, y/n. all eyes are on you.” when you scanned the room again you realized she was right. a wave of nervousness washed over you and you begged, “stay close okay?” she slipped her hand from your arm and told you seriously, “signal me if you need me okay? my phone is on too, and aeri and karina unnie are over there by the doors.” she gave your hand a squeeze before running over to you recognized as shuhua of (G)I-DLE. 

in your blazer pocket your phone buzzed multiple times and you fished it out to see a familiar name: Lyra 🪐 quickly you found a quiet corner outside of the ballroom where nobody seemed to be around. when you answered the call a smile spread across your lips at the sound of her voice, even with a filter over it, “jasmine!” you tried to hide the giddiness in your tone to no avail, “hey what’s up?” you could hear the music from the ballroom playing in the background of her call as she asked, “you’re here right?” you hummed in reply, “mhm.” she paused for a moment then said quietly, “i hope i get to see you tonight…” you responded, “i think you will, don’t worry. i know there’s a lot of people but we’re on the same place. we’re bound to cross paths at some point, right?” you could hear the disappointment in her tone when she softly asked, “how do i know it’s you?” a smile broke out across your face hearing that she already wanted to meet you, “you’ll know it’s me.” she insisted once more, “but how-” you cut her off quickly but the gentleness in your tone made her heart race, “just…think of me.” the last three words left your lips with a smile at the double meaning, if she’d recognize both of them she would know if she met you at the end of the night. 

“hey are you coming to dan-” someone in the background of her call started to ask her. there was a muffled ramble that was surely her trying to ward off whoever the person was. but you took this moment to sweetly say, “go have fun with your friends, love. i have to go.” you didn’t give her a chance to protest because you knew if you didn’t hang up now, the two of you would just talk all night in your respective corners. 

the moment you put your phone down and tucked it back into your pocket a hand pulled your shoulder. the stranger turned your around and asked, “oh my god- y/n?!” you didn’t have to look to recognize the australian accent. lily smacked your arm, “you can’t just disappear like that! i was getting us drinks and then i look back and you’re gone! felix and i were freaking out and about to interrupt ningning with her friends!” you apologized, “sorry i had to take a call.” lily tipped your chin up to get a better look at your masked face. the black lace, phantom style mask covered most of your face but not enough to where your best friend couldn’t see the stupid smile you were fighting to hide back. 

lily and felix pressed you with questions between trying to also help you sort out which one of the guests was your special girl. about thirty minutes in you three had narrowed it down to four possible options. three of the four girls wore lavish princess style ball gowns with poofy skirts and sparkling masks, while the other wore a navy blue suit adorned with heavy jewels and beading. felix was the one who pieced it all together, informing you and lily that, jisu was the type to make her closest friends also show up looking the best just because it made sense to her that way. lily agreed that her senior was the type to do such a thing, so it was certain. so here you were, carefully watching the four girls and trying to decide which one was your match. 

for nearly the entire night you were keeping your eyes on the young women but one specifically caught your eye. she wore a dazzling white down with butterfly-like detailing on the bust. her mask was silver with clear jewels and matching beadwork  and honestly she looked perfect. her newly dyed black hair was tied beautifully in a curly half up half down style that fit the princess theme. you’d caught the eyes of one of her friends, the one in pink, which you realized after turning your head and seeing her gaze right on you. 

aeri slipped by your side with a genuine smile on her face, rosy cheeks and a giggle as she gushed, “this girl just came up to me and called me gorgeous, kissed my hand, and then we danced- like a real dance not like in the clubs.” it had been weeks since you’d seen aeri this happy over anything so you weren’t going to ask more important questions or take this moment away from her. instead you pulled her closer to your ear and asked, “who was it?” she whispered lowly, “the one in the navy blazer. i think she’s one of jisu’s friends.” you felt your heart race and aeri added, “do you think that girl in the pink dress is Lyra? she’s been staring at you…hard.” you didn’t turn your head as you answered, “no. i think she’s the girl in silver…felix and lily have been thinking it’s the girl in pink though.” your member confirmed, “she’s gotta be the one. Little Miss Silver Butterfly hasn’t looked your way, but Princess Bubblegum over here…she wants you BAD.” you laughed and pushed aeri by the shoulder to tell her to be quiet as you quickly stole a glance to the girl who couldn’t take her eyes off  of you. 

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚✭・彡♡・✫.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

somi locked her eyes on the girl in the black embellished suit with the matching phantom-style mask. she turned to yunjin and said, “yeah. that’s definitely not your girl. i think it’s the one chaeyoung got all close with that started giggling when she kissed her hand.” yunjin bit the corner of her lip and peeked over her shoulder while agreeing, “you’re probably right.” soobin took a sip from his punch, “i still think it’s the one somi’s been having a staring contest with.” yunjin pushed his shoulder lightly and rolled her eyes, “hush. go be steph’s wingman or something. we know what we’re doing.” just as he started to walk off, a new waltz began playing and people started to drag their partners onto the floor for a dance. 

yunjin turned to make a move towards a masked aeri, but someone caught her hand, “may i have this dance?” she whipped around to see yeonjun, a colleague and friend, in front of her. he looked like a prince beneath the glowing light of the ballroom, and that same charming smile that got her the very first time they met sent butterflies to her stomach all over again. she would never hesitate to admit that the young man was handsome, but they would never work…they tried briefly and ended things as friends. however there was always going to be something about him that charmed her, and made her blush to no resolve. 

the american singer smiled politely so not to cause a scene as she took yeonjun’s hand. he place a gentle kiss on her knuckles and she rolled her eyes trying not to laugh. yunjin followed the man’s lead as they waltzed but her eyes continued to fall onto aeri who was now dancing with chaeyoung. yeonjun followed her gaze and asked, “who is she?” yunjin turned her attention back to him and responded, “what?” once again yeonjun asked, “who’s the girl? you’ve been watching her all night.” yunjin tried to lie, “nobody, im just watching chaeyoung. she seems to have met someone.” the young man shook his head, “you’re still the worst liar i’ve ever met…the one she came with, you think she’s your match?” yunjin felt her face get hot and a look of panic flashed through her eyes, “what?” yeonjun laughed and nodded his head, “you’ve looked at her friend in the suit so many times i’m not sure how she hasn’t caught on yet. i’ve had my eye on you all night, jen.” the american singer furrowed her brow, “i hope you realize how creepy that sounds out loud.” he admitted with a laugh, “yeah i hear it now…but if you think it’s her, go for it. dance with her.” yunjin asked nervously, “what if it’s not her though?” yeonjun shrugged then smirked as he pulled her closer, “then you move on to the next person…good luck.” he let go of her and in a spin led the girl right into another’s arms. everyone else’s partners switched and when yunjin opened her eyes once more she was standing right between your arms.

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚✭・彡♡・✫.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

you let out a small gasp when you caught the girl in the silver dress. she smiled politely behind her mask and offered a small, “hey.” you could see heat rise to her cheeks as you danced with her across the floor, holding your arm around her torso. a small laugh fell past your lips and you replied, “hi.” there was a awkward silence then you told her smoothly, “you look beautiful tonight.” once again her cheeks blushed pink and the thrum of her heart racing filled her ears. softly she thanked you, “you look good too.” you grinned and admitted, “i was going for a phantom of the opera kinda thing with the mask.” yunjin nodded and agreed, “yeah i kinda see it now.” there was a pause then you asked, “are you a friend of jisu’s?” she hummed quietly and responded, “yeah…she actually insisted that all of us girls in the friend group wear huge dresses or fancy suits like this. something about the royal court needing to be best dressed? i dunno, all i can think about is getting out of this tight ass dress.” you laughed and she did too until you told her, “best dressed? that you are. like i said before, you look beautiful.” yunjin smiled against your shoulder and your grip tightened on her hand that fit so perfectly into yours. you didn’t think before letting out the word vomit that came out next, “it’s a shame i can’t see your pretty face too.” 

yunjin couldn’t help but laugh before she asked, “you’re quite the charmer, hm?” you nonchalantly shrugged and answered, “i try.” behind the silver mask you could see her eyes searching your face almost as if she was trying to figure out who you were. she then asked, “have you been to one of jisu’s parties before?” you nodded and explained, “only a few when we were teenagers. work kept me too busy to show since those days, until tonight.” yunjin nodded and grinned at the memory, “last year’s party was… incredible.” you hummed and questioned, “that was the planetarium right?” yunjin nodded in confirmation  and responded, “Night Under The Stars, i picked the theme actually.” you laughed and said cooley, “so your pick of favorite is biased, no?” yunjin smirked and shrugged, “i guess you could say that.” 

the song ended and another began, some pairs swapped partners but neither you or  yunjin made a move to part ways. your mind swam with thoughts about if this could be your match, the girl you’d been dying to meet for weeks that makes your heart race from a simple text notification. 

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚✭・彡♡・✫.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

yunjin stared into the eyes of the woman before her, even behind the black phantom style mask she knew beauty when she saw it. she was lost in her own thoughts for a moment too long when she realized you asked her a question, “why a planetarium?” yunjin tried to hide the slight panic in her voice at being caught staring, “uh- i um…i like the stars…like watching them and finding constellations and stuff.” you nodded and she replied, “when i was a kid i would try to see how many constellations i could find in one night.”she let out a small exhale as she remembered back when things were simpler and she had nothing to worry about. you felt her turn her head the other way and in the process she let her head fall onto your shoulder completely. you held her closer to your body and slowly her fingers slipped into your own. your heart raced in your chest and you hoped she couldn’t feel it or hear it because it was all you seemed to hear in your head. mindlessly you asked her, “do you have a favorite constellation?” yunjin answered easily, “Libra.” you pulled away almost as if she was a burning flame, “excuse me?” cautiously yunjin answered, “Libra? you know like Leo, Cancer, Sagittarius?” you smiled and played off the sudden outburst, having heard a different name. 

there was a pregnant pause and the two of you remained silent before yunjin heard you say, “Masquerade Ball was my idea, funny enough.  i proposed it years ago but jisu said said no…and Enchanted Garden was my idea…the party jisu had for her 19th birthday.” yunjin asked with genuine interest, “really?” you nodded and told her slightly embarrassed, “yeah. Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite movies so it wasn’t a hard choice. as for Enchanted Garden, i had a Tinkerbell movie marathon with my little sister and got the idea so…” yunjin laughed, “Phantom of the Opera, it’s a classic so i can’t blame you. n’ i wish i could have gone to the garden party. i’ve seen pictures, it was beautiful.” you agreed with her and smoothly answered, “it was, but i wish you could’ve come. the party would’ve been even more stunning.” yunjin turned her head and smiled against your shoulder before asking you, “is that your thing?” you pulled back from her slightly, “what?” she explained, “finding a girl and complimenting her until she’s red in the face and giggling so you can actually make a move? is that your thing?” you started to ask, “wha-” yunjin then cut you off, “i’ve been watching you all night.” you raised a brow and asked coyly, “so you can’t keep your eyes off of me?” while stepping back closer to you, yunjin rolled her eyes and lightheartedly scoffed. you then answered her question, “i’m kidding. and no, that’s not my thing. i’m only trying to find one person.” she continued dancing with you as she questioned, “have you found them?” you didn’t hesitate to answer, “no, i don’t think so.” yunjin frowned slightly as she told you genuinely, “i hope you do.” quietly you murmured, “yeah i do too.” 

the music began to decrescendo and out of the corner of your eye you could see aeri searching the ballroom for you. a look of distress was written all over her face and you internally begged the song to end so you didn’t have to leave this beautiful woman standing alone on the floor. even so, you almost didn’t want the song to end. the way she fit perfectly against your body, and her hands were the perfect size to fit in yours—you didn’t want to let her go. yet, you knew you had to when your eyes met aeri’s and you could see the tears threatening to spill over. just then yunjin broke the silence that had fallen over you both, “this is going to sound weird but…you smell really good. like your perfume- i-it’s like-” you cut her off quietly, “jasmine.” her breath caught in her throat, “what did you say?” but you disregarded her question and apologized, “i-i’m sorry. i have to go.” you broke away from her the second the song ended, weaving through a crowd of masked people to get to your groupmate. 

 yunjin watched from the middle of the floor as you rushed to aeri’s side. the way you engulfed the young woman in a crushing hug, holding her head with your hand and pressing a kiss there moments later. she felt her own tears burning her eyes when she saw you wrap your arm around the girl’s shoulder, lacing her fingers with yours as you swiftly left the ballroom. despite everything in you telling you otherwise, you looked over your shoulder back at her just to realize she was watching it all. yunjin felt frozen in place against the ballroom floor until she gathered the strength to do what she knew wasn’t going to work. 

follow you. 

she learned rather quickly that running in $1800 heels was not on her list of special skills and talents. despite being far behind you and aeri, she held onto hope that she’d catch up upon hearing your rushed footsteps. she made it to the porte-cochère just in time to see a driver closing the backseat door of a black van. yunjin stumbled over her large dress and fell onto the pavement  and when she looked up she saw your eyes locked with hers. the black phantom style mask that decorated your face was gone, revealing your identity. meanwhile, the silver mask still framed her chocolate brown eyes, but it didn’t hide the tears that began to fall behind it. your heart broke seeing her alone watching you leave, until you saw someone rush out of the hotel doors. the young man wrapped his arm around hers and helped her stand, only for her to nearly fall once again. however the man caught her in his arms and she stared at him as he wrapped a protective arm around her waist, his free hand wiping her tears. you lost sight of them after the van pulled off, and into the night. 

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚✭・彡♡・✫.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

“yunjin! i saw you dancing with that girl, was it jas-” yeonjun rushed over to her with a smile on his face. the grin quickly fell when he noticed her on the ground in a pile of silver tulle and sterling glitter. his voice softened in a way that was reserved for only her, “what happened?” she shook her head in refusal, he knew she was holding in tears but it was no use because the spilled over seconds later. yeonjun gently helped her up with an arm around her waist, holding her so close it almost hurt. pain shot through her knees and hands as he ever so softly wiped her tears away. he watched the van pull away before he asked her seriously, “who was that?” yunjin shrugged weakly and mumbled, “i dunno jus-just…can you take me home?” he nodded and helped her over to a soft sofa inside the hotel lobby while he went to retrieve his and her personal items. 

a majority of the car ride yunjin remained silent in the passenger seat with her head against the window as yeonjun drove. he kept his eyes on the road as he asked, “was it her??” yunjin kept staring out the window watching cars whiz by on the highway. she sighed in defeat and answered plainly, “i dunno.” he stole a glance at her watching as she rested her head on the window and stared blankly at the night sky. he remained quiet for the rest of the drive, deciding that if she wanted to talk then she’d start the conversation instead. when they finally reached yunjin’s dorm he opened her door for her and helped her out of the car. her feet ached with every step she took, the aftermath of hours of standing and dancing in heels was just starting to settle on her body. yeonjun helped yunjin to the door, watching as she tried to hide the small winces of pain she let out every couple of steps. when they got to the front door yunjin moved to punch in the code but yeonjun stopped her. he quietly insisted, “i got it, jen.” she watched as he punched in the passcode to unlock her front door. the code changed every few months and it’d been around that long since he has had to bring her home too. she looked up at him and asked, “you still remember?” yeonjun didn’t answer, he only pushed the door open and led her inside after kicking off his shoes. this was one of the only times yunjin entered her house with her shoes on. yeonjun opened her bedroom door and let her inside, “sit on your bed.” she couldn’t help but let out a snort at the command to which he scoffed playfully, “you’re so annoying.” she sighed loudly when she fell into the comfort of her bed letting the pressure off of her feet for the first time. yunjin closed her eyes in relief and let her body relax into her plush comforter and blankets. she whined as she complained, “i’m so tired i’m just gonna shower in the morning. i just wanna go to sleep.” she struggled to reach over her shoulder then around her torso to try and untie the corset back of her gown. yeonjun just watched her in amusement to which she huffed, “it’s not that funny.” he responded through a chuckle, “it is a little funny.” she glared at him once more and he put his hands up in defeat, “okay fine. i’ll help you.”

he lifted yunjin’s hair up to unclasp her necklace, the familiar feeling of his gentle fingertips against her skin sent shivers up her spine. yeonjun murmured softly, “sorry my hands are cold…” yunjin let out a whisper, “‘s okay.” his hands then tugged at the knots of ribbon that was tied tightly against yunjin’s back. even after the ribbons were loosened, her breath was still caught in her chest. yeonjun’s hand against her bare back made her crave more with every passing second. she felt yeonjun start to leave her room so she could change when she turned around and tugged him closer to her. never minding the top of her gown slowly starting to droop, she placed yeonjun’s hand on her uncovered shoulders. she breathed out, “yeonjun…” immediately he cupped the side of her face and she leaned into his touch. he smiled genuinely at her and said, “yunnie, i love that you know i’ll always be here when you need me.” there was a pause and he slipped his hand from her face to hold her two hands in his, “but to keep things that way, we can’t do…this. you and i both know i’m not the one you want.” yunjin let out a defeated sigh and tears began to fill her eyes. yeonjun wiped the few that fell with his thumbs and left her to change silently.

yeonjun made his way to the bathroom and grabbed few bandaids, then two ice packs from the kitchen. just as he closed the freezer he heard a startled gasp from behind him. he turned around and saw sakura behind him looking half asleep. she asked, “yeonjun? why are you here?” the younger man motioned towards yunjin’s room, “i brought yunjin home from jisu’s party.” sakura immediately followed up with, “where’s zuha?” her tone was firm and almost harsh, the protectiveness evident in her voice. he stammered, “i-i didn’t know she was there. i um- i can go back and bring her home? yunjin just wanted to leave suddenly so i brought her home. i’m sorr-” right before he could finish yunjin opened her bedroom door a crack and softly called out, “jun?” sakura nodded with her head towards yunjin’s room, “it’s fine i know she went with friends. i’ll have someone else bring her home. thank you for bringing yunjin back.” yeonjun nodded and quickly rushed back to yunjin’s room but not before hearing sakura warn, “that doesn’t mean you can spend the night though.”

yeonjun opened yunjin’s bedroom door to see her laying on her bed with her legs out in front of her. he sat on the edge of her bed and smiled when she happily moved her legs across his lap. she winced as the cold ice packs hit her bruised knees and he took one of her hands into his own. she watched silently as he put two small bandages over her scraped up hands. for a moment he paused then asked, “why are all of these tube or apeach?” yunjin snorted then burst into laughter as she answered, “eunchae is specific of which kakao characters she wants. we still have three boxes of keroppi bandaids because she used all the my melody, hello kitty, cinnamoroll, and kuromi ones.” yeonjun laughed in amusement and took yunjin’s other hand to put one bandage onto it.

yunjin asked cautiously, “do you remember when i used to do this for you?” yeonjun’s smile widened as he laughed in slight embarrassment, remembering the nights he’d come back to yunjin bruised from hours of practicing and working out. time and time again she’d cover him in ice packs and plant gentle kisses against his bruised skin, claiming that it’ll help them feel better. those nights he’d fall asleep curled into her warm body and she’d stay, knowing she’d get an earful from chaewon or sakura in the morning. but it was all worth it because he was her happiness and she was his. now, a part of her a happiness lived in you— a stranger she didn’t know who may or may not have been the same person who broke her heart tonight.

she let herself get lost in her thoughts until she mused, “i  hope it wasn’t her.” yeonjun didn’t look up but he hummed, “hmm?” yunjin sighed and explained, “i um…the girl that i was running after. i had a feeling that she was my match. everything felt perfect, jun. we danced together at the end of the night and she was so charming and funny and beautiful. god, she was beautiful.” yeonjun laughed and nodded his head in agreement, “that’s diana for you.” yunjin asked in a somewhat shocked tone, “wait you saw her face too? and you know her?” yeonjun shrugged, “yes i saw her dummy i was right beside you.” yunjin hit his arm lightly, “don’t call me dumb. and how do you know her?” yeonjun continued explaining, “i mean we’ve met here and there. i know her enough to know that she’s super talented, incredibly humble, and genuinely a really good person. she cares about the people she loves and is always there for them when they need it.” yunjin mumbled under her breath, “i needed her with me but she left me alone.” yeonjun sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “i’m sure there was a reason for it, jen. being her match wouldn’t be terrible either, i know you think the same.” a smirk tugged on his lips at the last sentence and yunjin covered her blushing cheeks, “oh hush!” when yeonjun finished with the last bandage he gently moved yunjin’s feet off of him. he stood up and said, “get some sleep, i’ll see you around yeah?” yunjin pouted and asked in the tone that used to make yeonjun cave every time, “stay?” yeonjun pulled her into a hug and planted a kiss on her forehead, “goodnight yunjin.” he left her room and turned off her lights before leaving the entire dorm and heading back to his own.

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚✭・彡♡・✫.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

hot tears ran down aeri’s cheeks as she tried to slow her breaths between harsh sobs while she sat back in her seat beside you in your manager’s van. you placed a hand over hers and grazed the top of her palm with your thumb soothingly. after a few moments she slowed her sobs and you cautiously asked, “what happened?” up until this point you had no idea why she rushed to leave, although it went unsaid that if one of your members needed a quick escape, you all left no questions needed in the moment. aeri sniffled then explained, “shotaro was there and i saw him with some other girl.” she sat in silence for a second then gasped, “wait that girl you left- was it her?” when you remained silent the older woman started to apologize profusely, “i’m so sorry- god i’m so dumb i should have just found another person to take me home why would i do that? i totally ruined your night with my boy drama and it wasn’t even that big of a deal and i have to find a way to make this up to you and her and-” you cut her off and said, “unnie stop. it’s okay…besides i don’t even know if it was her or not.” aeri dabbed her eyes and asked, “do you know who it was behind the mask?” you shook your head and answered, “no i recognized her voice a little but i couldn’t place a name to it….she definitely knows who i am though.” you fiddled with the mask in your hands as you remembered the last moments between you both. how she stared at you through tearful eyes in a silent plea not to leave her there alone as you just watched, not making any attempt to run back into her arms. 

aeri looked at you then smirked slightly, “i saw the two of you though…looked like you were having fun.” you hit her thigh playfully and rolled your eyes, “oh hush i saw you with that one girl too.” she clicked her tongue in disapproval, “no changing the subject, tell me how it was with you two first.” you smiled shyly and caved to her request, “well…i started dancing with her and we got to talking. she was really cute and she said she was one of jisu’s close friends. she was funny too and i think she thought the same about me? all i know is that i want to see her again…” the last part was more of you thinking aloud while remembering the million dollar smile and adorable laugh of your dance partner. there was something about her that just felt familiar to you, as if you knew her prior to your first meeting tonight. aeri teased you, “awe look at you all giddy with that stupid little smile on your face.” before you could respond you felt your phone vibrate in your blazer pocket, your face dropped seeing it was your little sister calling you. 

“hello?” you answered with a serious tone, worried that your little sister was calling you over something urgent. you didn’t give her a chance to reply before you asked, “minji? what’s going on? are you okay?” the younger girl nearly shouted, “no i’m not okay! why didn’t you tell me that hanni unnie and winter unnie are dating?” you pulled your phone from your ear and put the phone on speaker, then switching to english as you asked, “what?” minji repeated in english, “why didn’t you tell me that hanni unnie and minji unnie are a thing? i’m your little sister how could you keep this from me?” aeri and you shared confused glances before aeri spoke up, “we don’t even know what you’re talking about. who told you that?” the younger girl beamed, “oh hi aeri unnie! and hanni unnie told me a few minutes ago, she just got back from that gucci event she went to. i thought you would have known something about it?” you left out a sigh and told her, “no we don’t but we’re on our way home now so i’ll ask minjeong unnie about it when we get back okay?” minji hummed and then you chided gently, “and next time please don’t call me like that again. i thought something bad happened, you almost gave me a heart attack, minj’.” your younger sister laughed, “my bad, sorry.” you then said, “alright it’s late and you have work in the morning, go to sleep okay?” minji agreed and responded, “okay i will, goodnight.” you both hummed in unison and you added, “i love you minj’.” your little sister quickly tacked on, “i love you too unnie. bye bye.” when your manager arrived to your dorm, you and aeri got out of the van and went upstairs just to find minjeong pacing the kitchen nervously. her stomach dropped when she saw you in front of her, she opened her mouth to say something but you cut her off, “winnie- why is my little sister calling me at 3 AM claiming that you’re dating hanni?” suddenly ningning walked from her room in pajamas and a bare face, clearly having gotten home slightly earlier than you and aeri. she gasped and and whisper yelled, “YOURE DATING HANNI???” minjeong nervously replied, “yes well no but-” she turned to face you then asked, referencing your little sister, “ how does she know about that? nevermind, it doesn’t matter.” you told her somewhat harshly, “it kind of does minjeong” the older woman rolled her eyes in frustration,“oh my god- i said it’s not a big deal! some male model was trying to hit on hanni earlier tonight and i stepped in and insinuated that she was with me. it wasn’t real and hanni knows that so your sister was probably just half assed listening or something. but it’s over so can we please just let it go?” just then jimin entered the room and asked, “minjeong-ah, why did ryujin just send me a text saying you told her you and hanni are together?” the brunette froze in place and her face ran pale as all the blood drained from her head. she looked at you in a silent plea of help and you immediately put the pieces together. however, knowing your leader, she wasn’t going to let this one go as easily.

minjeong swallowed thickly and tried to sound as convincing as possible, “we were exactly that, together. hanni was standing with me and we were enjoying the party together. ryujin must have misinterpreted my words or something.” karina pursed her lips as she onced the younger woman over. it was clear as day that she didn’t believe a word minjeong just said but for her sake and yours, she dropped the matter.

as jimin stared down at her phone, clearly texting ryujin her phone buzzed and she answered the call. there was a genuine smile on her face as jimin rasped in that low sultry tone that made minjeong weak in the knees, “jagi… .” the black haired girl moved slowly towards her room as ryujin responded, “i missed you tonight, i’ll bring you to my next event. have my baby girl be my plus one, yeah?” jimin giggled and bit one of her fingers as she happily agreed, “you’re the only one i’d imagine it with.” she walked back into her room and locked the door behind her, leaving you and your members standing in the kitchen. ningning placed a comforting hand on minjeong’s shoulder and then went back to her room to turn in for the night. aeri followed behind ningning, making her way to her bathroom to shower then head to bed. when it was just the two of you, minjeong’s face fell and her heart clenched before tears started welling in her eyes. you wrapped an arm around her shoulder to pull her into a hug. minjeong rested her head on your chest and you asked, “sleep in my room tonight?” she silently nodded and slowly started walking towards the bathroom to get ready for bed.

once you had also showered and freshened up for bed, you waited in your room for minjeong to join you. eventually, your bedroom door opened and minjeong’s eyes were puffy, clearly she’d cried herself dry in the shower. a frown formed on your lips and you opened your arms, “do you wanna tell me about it or just let me assume?” minjeong stayed silent for a moment then she murmured in english, “love is stupid.” you snorted and nodded in agreement, “i can’t argue with that one.”

minjeong let out a huff then explained quietly as if she was scared of someone overhearing, “i was standing around trying to just wait out the after-party. manager oppa said i couldn’t leave until 2:00 AM. so i hid in the bathroom for half an hour and then just tucked myself into a corner. then hanni came up to me and told me she was happy i was there…i think even though we aren’t friends, it’s just the familiarity of the mutual connection through you and minji. anyways, we were just talking and laughing about how we both wanted to go home. then ryujin came up to me when hanni left to go to the toilet. i think she knew i was trying to avoid seeing her all night, im not sure? but she started talking to me and asked me who i was with and i said i was with hanni because she just kept mentioning how she wanted to bring you know who as her date. I just got jealous. like whenever i see her all i can think about is how she’s just a constant reminder that i can’t be with um…anyways, it was fine until she brought someone up again for a third time and i got angry because i knew that she knew what she was doing just from looking at that stupid ass smirk she does. i dunno, i just got jealous so when hanni came back just pulled her super close to me to get ryujin to leave. and then i whispered to her what was happening so she didn’t think i was some creep or something and she told me to just follow her lead and she just clung to me for like ten minutes like those girls aeri meets at the clubs. fucking sucks. y/n i’m just- i know she’s your friend and all but i’m so tired of seeing her and hearing about her all the time. Everywhere i go ryujin is there, even in our dorm she’s here! and i feel selfish because i just want jimin unnie to be happy but it’s hard to see her happy when it’s with someone else.” 

you let out a disappointed sigh and you apologized gently, “i’m sorry winnie…i wish i could do something to help but all i can say is just hope things will work out. i know it might not seem like it but i know that jimin unnie cares about you more than you think.” the older woman shrugged and murmured, “i hope so.” the two of your were about to doze off when your door opened slowly and aeri popped her head in, she asked, “got room for one more?” you and minjeong waved her over and she shuffled in with her bunny slippers scuffling against the floor. she climbed into your bed and huffed, “y/n, don’t have feelings for anyone. ever. love sucks..” minjeong mumbled, “i agree, don’t do it.” you thought to yourself, “it may be too late for that.” 

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚✭・彡♡・✫.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

text and social media posts from this chapter:

♡‧₊˚˘͈ᵕ˘͈‎ 彡♡ ༘*.ﾟ .·:¨༺ ʚ♡ɞ༻¨*:·.﹢࿐ ☆

taglist: @https-f4iryjin @awkwardtoafault @seungspolaroid @ahnneyong @vocaloshin

authors notes: i'd love to know your thoughts and opinions on this chapter! PLEASE REBLOG AND INTERACT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH!!!!

[honeybelleee]

Stabbed, You’re Next!

| Chapter 9 |

Synopsis

When Y/N's best friend, Wonyoung Jang, is brutally murdered after uncovering a corruption scheme involving the school's staff, Y/N finds herself pulled into a dangerous game. With only a cryptic email and a folder of incriminating evidence, Y/N must team up with Wonyoung's boyfriend, Mingyu and a tech-savvy loner, Jake to expose the truth. But as the body count rises, Y/N realizes the conspiracy goes deeper than she ever imagined-and the killer is always one step ahead. Trust no one, because in this game, anyone could be next.

Pairings

Jake Sim x F!reader (It will progress rlly slow)

Genre

Mystery, thriller, crime, heavy angst, slowburn fluff

TW

This story contains themes of violence, murder, and death, including graphic depictions of a stabbing and blood. It also explores corruption, fear, and grief, as the characters deal with loss, danger, and being stalked by a killer. Themes of paranoia and emotional trauma are present.

Notes

First fic posted on tumblr, ignore the details of the text messages places (its unorganized)!

Extra

Going to be double updating today!!

Prev - Masterlist - Next

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Mingyu and Jake stood outside Y/N’s dorm, exchanging competitive glances.

"Alright," Jake said with a cocky grin, "I bet I can beat you to Y/N’s room."

Mingyu smirked, stretching his legs. "You wish, man. I’m the athlete here."

The two guys took off sprinting down the hallway, dodging students and weaving around furniture. Mingyu’s long strides gave him an early lead, but Jake was relentless, breathing down his neck. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the corridor, drawing curious stares from passersby.

They reached Y/N’s door at almost the same time, but Mingyu managed to push ahead by a fraction of a second, throwing the door open with Jake right on his heels.

Y/N, sitting at her desk, looked up from her laptop, clearly annoyed. "Can you two not barge in like that every time?" she snapped, crossing her arms. "You scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry," Mingyu said, out of breath, leaning on the doorframe. "Jake and I were just… you know… testing our speed."

Jake dropped onto the couch, panting. "Yeah, gotta keep those reflexes sharp."

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "You two are impossible."

Mingyu caught his breath and gestured to the small laptop sitting on Y/N’s desk.

"Alright, enough playing around. Let’s listen to the bug from Mr. Yang’s office."

Y/N plugged in the headphones, setting up the audio feed from the bug that Mingyu had planted earlier that day. All three of them huddled around the laptop, tension growing as the audio crackled to life.

At first, the sound was faint—just the ambient noise of Mr. Yang’s office. Papers rustling. A chair creaking. And then they heard his voice, calm and cold.

"It’s done," Mr. Yang said, his tone flat and business-like. "Wonyoung’s organization has been eliminated."

Y/N’s eyes widened, and she exchanged a panicked glance with Mingyu and Jake. They stayed silent, straining to hear every

word.

"Yujin, Aeri, Ms. Kang," Mr. Yang continued, listing the names of the victims. "All of them are taken care of."

Mingyu’s breath hitched. He’d planted the bug to catch Mr. Yang discussing something suspicious, but he hadn’t expected this. Not this level of darkness.

Before anyone could react, another voice joined the conversation. It was low and distorted, almost robotic, and none of them could identify it.

"You forgot one more member," the unknown voice said, chillingly calm. "The blonde girl… Kim Minjeong. Get her next."

Y/N’s blood ran cold, her hand instinctively gripping the edge of the desk. Jake sat up straight, his face pale. Mingyu’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. They had just uncovered a plot to kill Minjeong, their classmate—and now they were racing against the clock.

"We need to move. Now," Mingyu whispered, urgency lacing his voice. He stood up abruptly, his mind already formulating a plan. "We split up. I’ll go find Ning Ning. She has the burner phone we need to get it. You two—get to Minjeong before they do."

Y/N’s heart pounded, her hands trembling slightly as she pulled out her phone. "I’ll tag Minjeong on Twitter, see where she is."

Jake nodded, already grabbing his jacket. "We have no time to waste."

As Y/N quickly typed out a message, tagging Minjeong on Twitter with a casual request about her whereabouts, her mind raced with possibilities. What if they were too late? What if Mr. Yang had already set things in motion?

"I got it," Y/N said, hitting send. "Let’s hope she responds fast."

Mingyu was already halfway to the door. "I’ll meet you both as soon as I get the phone from Ning Ning. Be careful, alright?"

"You too," Jake called after him, before turning to Y/N. "Come on, we need to find Minjeong before they do."

They both rushed out of Y/N’s room, their footsteps echoing through the quiet dorm hallways as they sprinted toward the library. Their minds were racing faster than their feet, every second feeling heavier with dread.

As they reached the library doors, Y/N burst in first, her eyes scanning the rows of bookshelves for Minjeong. She spotted her sitting near the back, completely unaware of the danger she was in, her blonde hair glowing under the soft light.

“Minjeong!” Y/N called out breathlessly, startling the girl as both she and Jake hurried over.

Minjeong looked up, a confused expression on her face. “What’s going on? Why are you guys in such a rush?”

Y/N glanced around, lowering her voice. “There’s no time to explain here. Just… come with us. Now.”

Minjeong hesitated for a second, clearly puzzled, but something in Y/N’s urgent tone made her get up quickly. Jake shot a nervous look toward the library entrance, watching for anyone who might be following them.

Together, the three of them hurried back to Y/N’s room, barely pausing to catch their breath once they were inside. Y/N quickly locked the door behind them.

“Okay, can you two tell me what the hell is going on now?” Minjeong demanded, crossing her arms, her voice a mix of confusion and anxiety.

Y/N exchanged a look with Jake, both of them uncertain of how to explain what they had just uncovered. But there was no more time for secrets.

“It’s about Wonyoung,” Y/N began, her voice tight. “You know how she was working on something… something big, right? Well, it turns out she was part of an organization that was investigating corruption at Riverton High. They were getting close to some powerful people. Too close.”

Jake took a deep breath and continued,

“We’ve been listening to Mr. Yang, and he was bragging about how Wonyoung’s entire organization has been eliminated. Yujin, Aeri, Ms. Kang… they’re all dead because of this.”

Minjeong’s face drained of color as she processed the weight of what they were saying. “What…? But why are you telling me this? I—I’m not involved…”

Y/N took a step closer, her voice low and serious. “But you are, Minjeong. We heard them talking. They’re coming after you next. They said you’re the last member of Wonyoung’s organization still alive.”

Minjeong blinked, shock and disbelief warring on her face. “That can’t be right. I wasn’t—Wonyoung never told me anything…”

“They think you know something,” Jake said, his voice soft but firm. “And that’s enough for them to come after you.”

Minjeong sat down on the edge of Y/N’s bed, her hands shaking slightly as she tried to wrap her head around the gravity of the situation. “This is insane. I didn’t… I didn’t sign up for this.”

Y/N crouched beside her, her hand gently resting on Minjeong’s knee. “I know this is a lot to take in. But right now, the most important thing is keeping you safe. We’re all in this together.”

Before Minjeong could respond, Y/N’s phone buzzed again, and she quickly answered when she saw Mingyu’s name pop up on the screen.

“Mingyu?” she said, tension already creeping into her voice.

“Y/N, I need you to listen carefully,” Mingyu’s voice was low and urgent. “I was driving out to Ning’s place to grab the burner phone, but something’s up. I saw a bunch of people near the main campus path, and I stopped to check it out.”

Y/N could hear the slight tremor in his voice, the kind of fear that meant something was seriously wrong. “What do you mean? Who are they?”

“I couldn’t tell at first, so I stayed low and watched. They were talking, looking suspicious, and then... I heard them mention your dorm. They’re coming for you. They’re on their way right now,” Mingyu said, his words rushing out now. “You need to get out of there. Fast.”

Y/N’s heart lurched. “Are you sure they’re heading for us?”

“Yes. There’s no doubt. They’re moving quickly, and they’re definitely looking for you,” Mingyu confirmed, his breath hitching as he spoke. “You’ve got minutes at most.”

She glanced over at Jake and Minjeong, both of them instantly alert as they hear Mingyu’s voice through the phone. Jake swore under his breath and grabbed his jacket.

Minjeong’s eyes were wide, a mixture of confusion and fear clouding her expression.

“Do we really have to do this?”

“We don’t have time for questions,” Jake said, pulling Minjeong up from her seat. “We’ve got to leave now.”

“I’ll explain everything later, I promise, but right now we need to run,” Y/N said, practically dragging her toward the door.

“They’re coming for us.”

Mingyu’s voice crackled urgently in her ear. “I’ll try to intercept them, slow them down if I can. But you have to move. Don’t wait for me, just go!”

Y/N nodded, adrenaline surging through her veins. “We’re leaving. Be careful, Mingyu.”

Without another word, she hung up the phone, shoving it into her pocket as the three of them dashed out the door, racing against time, knowing that whoever was coming wouldn’t stop until they found what they were looking for.

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Taglist

@heeseungspookie @woorcve @sumzysworld