#wood crawlers

[rupertbbare]

[dzthenerd490]

File: Gemini Home Entertainment - The Iris

Original Creator: @GEMINIHOMEENTERTAINMENT

Go Support their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GEMINIHOMEENTERTAINMENT/videos

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Warning! The following is to only be seen by administrators and O5 council members. If you are not of Level 5 Clearance, you will be exterminated by order of the O5 council!

SCANNING

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CHECKING RANK DATA OF VIEWER

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RANK OF VIEWER CONFIRMED

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NO SIGNS OF TAMPERING DETECTED

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WELCOME TO THE FAMILY

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VIEWING OF SCP-ANO APPROVED

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Final Warning for Administrative Staff viewing this File. The File relating to SCP-ANO has been confirmed to be an Info Hazard created by SCP-ANO. In fact, the Foundation staff member who wrote this file unfortunately had to be executed as he started transforming into an instance of SCP-AMZ. Before reading this file, please take your Mixed Class F/H/C Amnestics. This warning does not apply to those that have the “The Cure” and/or are capable of “Brain Twisting”.

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SCP#: ANO

Code Name: THE IRIS/ Yaldabaoth's Bastard Child.

Object Class: Apollyon

Special Containment Procedures: Joint Task Force Cronus-Ω "God Eaters" is to watch over SCP-ANO and monitor its movement throughout our Solar System. They are also to work on creating new and more powerful weapons to one day destroy SCP-ANO as containment has been deemed impossible... your efforts are in vain.

Meanwhile, Joint Task Force Zagreus-B "The Falcon's Egg" is to start project "Sedum" right away... I'll always find you.

Description: SCP-ANO is an anomalous celestial body that is made entirely of anomalous biological flesh. SCP-ANO is completely alive and sentient able to manipulate its own mass as well as the mass of organic and even non-organic material around it. The biological mass seems to be able to survive and even thrive in space without any form of atmosphere. Dr. Davis took the liberty of naming this anomalous biomass "Star Flesh", to make it easier to categorize. Essentially "Star Flesh" is a type of biomass that is somehow able to survive in the vacuum of space and can generate its own gravity. Furthermore, it's "Star Flesh" seems to be made of cells that can be categorized as Deus Cellulis. Deus Cellulis are biological cells that carry the consciousness of their host even when cut off allowing them to act as an independent and lesser version of the host. Furthmore, Deus Cellulis cells are able to shift their biology with extreme ease and understanding, allowing them to mimic or even assimilate other organisms whenever they desire to increase their own biomass. Unfortunately, after this discovery, Dr. Davis died via suicide due to intense paranoia... He is with us now.

SCP-ANO is able to spread its biomass onto other celestial bodies to create parasitic like organisms on them. These organisms allow SCP-ANO to control these planets as if it was a secondary body. One of the most notable instances of this is SCP-ANJ, thought its currently believed to be the only instance of this anomaly created, it's been theorized that SCP-ANO created one within earth... The garden grows as the crops mature.

SCP-ANO like SCP-ANJ is able to freely move throughout our solar system and can sometimes be seen over the skies of earth. Somehow it is able to get extremely close to the planet and not interfere with the atmosphere, ocean levels, or gravity of the planet; how this is possible is unknown. Seemingly SCP-ANO can manifest on the skies of earth instantaneously, only to disappear in the next, again how this is possible is unknown. For whatever reason SCP-ANO has placed itself right in-between Neptune and Pluto... We are with you now.

SCP-ANO also has several "moons" that float around it at seemingly random intervals with no clear gravitational pull or even coordination at all. Furthermore these "moons" are all organic in nature but somehow each one has a different biological signature. The number of these “moons” are quite large but impossible to count accurately, there have even been sightings of “moons” orbiting other “moons”. Dr. Peach has concluded that this is the result of SCP-ANO having consumed other worlds. He believes that SCP-ANO collects what's left of a world it has consumed and transforms it into a "moon" to act as a trophy as well as its "children". Though how SCP-ANO does this is unknown, what is known is that if Dr. Peach's theory is true, then earth is most certainly next... The countdown begins.

SCP-ANO is not only fully sentient but is able to have a psychic connection with every single anomalous entity it has created. As such it has been using its anomalous entities such as SCP-AMZ, SCP-ANE, and SCP-ANJ to further its anomalous goals. Each one not only carries SCP-ANO's consciousness but can also act as living satellites to carry SCP-ANO's messages to technology and organic minds of earth. SCP-ANO is able to control the mind of very few people on earth by making them have dreams of the future and convincing them that SCP-ANO is a god that needs their help to ascend. This range of influence SCP-ANO has unfortunately spread to more advanced technology and more humans as time goes on. If this continues, SCP-ANO will one day have enough power to control all life, whether it be organic, inorganic, synthetic, mechanical, or even digital; nothing would be able to resist SCP-ANO's control... Look at the stars moving, can't you hear me?

SCP-ANO was discovered in 1798 only 10 years after the Foundation was created. Making it one of the earliest Anomalies found by the Foundation. Originally SCP-ANO was seen as just a harmless celestial anomaly and it was agreed by the O5 Council and eventually the, at the time, Global Paranormal Control Alliance should only be delt with by hiding its existence from space observations organizations when they formed, like Nasa when it formed in 1958. However, it was quickly seen as a threat about a century later when SCP-ANJ was discovered in 1935. Followed by this was a massive surge of SCP-ANE and SCP-AMZ instances which were originally believed to be completely unrelated anomalies... such young minds, look how wrong you were.

Once The Global Occult Coalition and the Church of Maxwellism joined the Global Paranormal Control Alliance in 1950, it was renamed into the Anomalous Correction and Protection Alliance. Furthermore, it was agreed that all organizations needed to pool in their resources, technologies, and anomalous items to create 30 space stations that circle our entire solar system. This would eventually become known to the Foundation as Joint Task Force Cronus-Ω "God Eaters" thought it goes by other names within other organizations of the ACPA. Each Foundation personal as well as allies of the ACPA live, work, get married, have kids, and die on these ships never having seen earth. Furthermore no one on any ACPA owned planet such as Venus, Earth, the Moon, Mars, and Saturn's Titan, are to never know the existence of JTF Cronus-Ω, the only exception is the united councils of the ACPA. The purpose of JTF Cronus-Ω's space stations is to ensure that the ACPA will not only be aware of SCP-ANO's location at all times as well as to create weapons to eventually destroy SCP-ANO but to also help defend the solar system should another celestial body class anomaly come into our Solar System. The people of who first boarded the stations of JTF Cronus-Ω knew that they would die on these ships and that their children would grow up on the same ships to never know what it's like to be on a planet, but they took on the task anyway to ensure that humanity had a fighting chance against SCP-ANO... Their blood is still warm.

Simultaneously 20 ships containing embryos which are cloned from various ACPA members, robots and A.I. created by the combined ACPA organizations, the most advanced terraforming equipment in existence, as well as a vast archive of all the information gathered by the ACPA were shot out into space beyond our solar system to begin project "Sedum". project "Sedum" is a joint operation between all organizations of the ACPA that was created to ensure that if our solar system was ever destroyed by an anomaly too powerful for the ACPA to combat against, at least humanity and its knowledge would survive on another planet. These ships, the robots guarding them, and the A.I. guiding them are known as Joint Task Force Zagreus-B "The Falcon's Egg" by the Foundation and by other names within the ACPA. Like JTF Cronus-Ω the existence of this force is to never be known by anyone other than the united councils of the ACPA. Furthermore, it was agreed that another 10 ships carrying updated archives, terraforming tools, embryos, robots, and A.I. was to be deployed beyond our Solar System every three decades until SCP-ANO is destroyed, or it destroys us... willing food falls into the maw.

Ultimately despite the Foundations, as well as the other organizations of the ACPA’s best efforts, SCP-ANO cannot be killed. None-the-less, the Foundation continues to work to neutralize the Eldridge horror of SCP-ANO as well as all the abominations it has created... Wretched Hands... Can’t you see? YOUR ALREADY TOO LATE!

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SCP: Horror Movie Files Hub

[madimarieartist]

Deep Root Disease

[askticcitobyshit]

Can we see some interactions between Chev and the creeps?

((FINALLY I HAVE AN EXCUSE TO DRAW THIS LETS GOOOOO))

Toby's been my best friend for years, and our favorite thing to do is shit talk about anything and everything. You can usually find us hanging out at the mansion, either in our rooms or out on the porch.

Jack and I became best friends more recently! We usually either just hang around each other and do our own thing (parallel play, I think it's called??), or doing something active like walking or cooking while we talk. We sometimes hunt together too! I'm not really a fan of killing people, but I gotta eat human flesh a few times a month. and having Jack with me while I do it is a bit comforting, I guess??

Jeff and I are frenemies. He's a stinky greasy man and bothers the fuck out of me. Dude will literally just walk into my house or my room in the mansion and just bug me. (Toby and Jack do this too, but they have bestie privileges.) He's really cool sometimes though.

Nina is an absolute sweetheart!! I love this girl, and we're starting to get closer as friends. We shop together, do skincare together (sometimes Toby joins bc he's part of the girls who get it), go to shows, and talk about fandom stuff A LOT. we also share fanfic and tiktok thirst trap edits on the reg

If you want to know how I interact with any specific creeps, let me know in my inbox!

~ Chev

[fhtagn-and-tentacles]

SHUB-NIGGURATH 

by Carpet-Crawler

[fght-ff-yr-dmns]

My copy of Vermis has finally arrived and boy was it worth the wait.

It's so creepy, but also calming and pensive, if that makes sense.

It's a guidebook for a game that doesn't exist...

I just absolutely love the art, takes me right back to those dungeon crawler NES games.

I'd really like to take part in a Vermis themed D&D session.

Definitely one for fans of retro gaming, horror art, pixel art and general work similar to that of Berserk and Bloodbourne, Elden Ring, Dark Souls etc.

[4ndeka]

still obsessed with inscryption kaycee design inspired by @longelk

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Books of 2024: THE GIRL IN RED by Christina Henry.

We took a trip to Red River Gorge this weekend, and I both started and finished this book while we were there! It was a very speedy read.

While I did really enjoy the genre-savvy protag, I was expecting more Wolf Presence in a Little Red Riding Hood retelling, either literally or metaphorically (I mean, come on, look at that cover??). There were a couple references to (metaphorical) wolves and one coyote-man comparison early on (also metaphorical), but it felt like the Wolf Motif mostly was dropped, which was an Interesting Choice™, given that the plot entire was Red walking through an apocalypse and the forest to her grandmother's house. (Yes, she really goes by Red, which is not her name--she just really likes her red outerwear.)

This was also much more ongoing-apocalypse than post-apocalypse, and said apocalypse is referred to in-book as "the Cough" (publication date: June 2019?? wild). Family Units are endangered and fall sick on page, be warned! In addition to the Cough, there's also quite a bit of gore (via both brutal axe murders (self defense) and chest bursting a la Alien (which is the in-book comparison lol--see "genre-savvy protag")(admittedly this chest bursting subplot did feel very What The Hell Is This Fresh Bullshit, and not exactly cohesive with the rest of the story...not sure why that's in there lmao)).

Again: Quick read! Not super complicated or twisty, but it was a nice simple read after making it through THE BITCH QUEEN CHRONICLES, and I'm glad I read it for my own LRRH retelling reasons.

[dragoncarrion]

Okie so um help. Got this species of dragons that live on the beach and have a semi aquatic lifestyle but idk what to name them

[soupy-soup-lex]

The current mood

[brudberg1]

Creature of the night

From the wildest of winds, wolf-howled this nightmoon-danced my dreams; when dawn broke my mirththe sternness of sunshine scattered my dark-songsand shattered by sheen; just shadows can save meuntil tweets of the twilight; twist me back to the moon.Into starlight I stagger; strengthened by duskand gazing into the gloom; I may outgrow my burns.Now sombre my sleep; in sun-shadowed blisswhile…

[highburyfalls]

coming soon

A new story is coming soon about this creepy tree stump.

[dzthenerd490]

File: Gemini Home Entertainment - Nature’s Mockery

Original Creator: @GEMINIHOMEENTERTAINMENT

Go Support their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GEMINIHOMEENTERTAINMENT/videos

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SCP#: ANE

Code Name: The Garden/ Space Sarkic Weeds/ [data expunged]

Object Class: Keter/Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-ANE samples are kept at Site-AD in a centralized gravity chamber preventing the samples from taking root on any surface and therefore spreading and growing and causing a [data expunged] which can lead to a containment breach. Foundation staff at Site-AD are to ensure that the power of the containment cell is to never go out. Furthermore, Foundation staff are to wear masks or avoid eye contact with the SCP-ANE samples as they might potentially [data expunged] to SCP-[data expunged].

An additional 50,000 drones have been added to Mobile Task Force Artemis-1 "Mosquito Swarm" to suppress wild instances of SCP-ANE. Thankfully, its only found in the United States.

Description: SCP-ANE is a creation of SCP-AMZ and by extension the creation of SCP-[data expunged]. SCP-ANE is a fleshy plant like substance that is the byproduct of SCP-AMZ's infection of humans. SCP-AMZ typically invades human homes and infect them with SCP-ANE. SCP-ANE starts off as nothing more than a prick on the skin that grows into a dark brown bump on the skin that looks no different to ache. However, underneath the skin, SCP-ANE is actually spreading slowly to the bone. Once it reaches the bone it is able to spread freely through the body at rapid speed, ensuring that amputation will be unable to stop the spread. Meanwhile on the skin once SCP-ANE reaches the bone the bump with grow harder and smaller bumps will start to grow around the skin and spread farther.

This first stage of infection lasts about [data expunged]. Afterwards SCP-ANE progressively takes over the body. After SCP-ANE has spread through the body, the host will slowly be consumed by SCP-ANE from the inside out. Though it's not correct to say consumed as the biomass is actually not digested but instead transformed. SCP-ANE essentially remolds its host into a plant like bush that latches onto whatever surface is available.

The resulting instances of SCP-ANE is quite noticeable and terrifying to look at so most would assume no one would dare go near it. However, SCP-ANE has the ability to spray an invisible toxic gas around it that gives hallucinations to its victims. This can trick a victim into accidently getting closer to a wild SCP-ANE instance and touch it causing the infection to spread to them and thus repeating the cycle over again.

Originally this was believed to be the end of SCP-ANE's anomalous properties, but this is far from the truth. SCP-ANE is a sort of earth born vessel for SCP-[data expunged] acting as its eyes, its ears, and its hand. SCP-ANE can be taken by SCP-AMZ instances and put on technology and not only power it up wirelessly but also connect said technology to SCP-[data expunged], how any of this is possible is unknown.

SCP-ANE is also used by SCP-AMZ instances to create underground nests, to incubate SCP-AMZ eggs. Furthermore, when massive amounts of SCP-ANE is moved underground it has the anomalous ability to shift and change caverns to SCP-[data expunged]'s will.

Then there's the wild instances of SCP-ANE instances above ground, when an SCP-ANE instance is in the wild, like a forest, and is able to get several humans infected it will unlock a new anomalous effect. If several SCP-ANE instances manifest close together in the forest they will merge and mutate into a monstrosity known as [data expunged] thought the only time one of these was seen was on [data expunged] when [data expunged]. The effects are actually worse when SCP-ANE instances manifest within homes. If an SCP-ANE instance grows in a house and infests several other people, making them grow into SCP-ANE instances in the same house this will cause a massive metamorphosis. The SCP-ANE instances will not grow and spread on the ground but instead bundle up into fleshy strands and slowly convert into human forms. Thankfully these human forms are never perfect, but they are capable of [data expunged].

SCP-ANE was discovered in [data expunged], [data expunged] years after SCP-[data expunged] was discovered. It is unknown which came first SCP-AMZ or SCP-ANE, regardless both anomalies are byproducts of SCP-[data expunged]. This makes SCP-[data expunged] almost as dangerous as [data expunged]. It is because of SCP-ANE instances and infection that SCP-[data expunged] is so dangerous to earth and SCP-AMZ instances have claimed so many lives.

SCP-ANE is also dangerous as several Clans of the Sarkic Cult have been trying to cultivate it for their own purposes while others even believe that SCP-[data expunged] is actually the new form of Grand Karcist Ion. Thus, they willingly infect themselves with SCP-ANE to worship it. Furthermore, the Scriptures of Rotten Flesh and Cybernetic Bones have been using captured SCP-ANE samples for their own devious goals. The Prophet of Sacrifice in particular has an interest with anomalies created by SCP-[data expunged]. This has made SCP-ANE a top propriety for containment and hopefully one day, its complete neutralization.

Originally SCP-ANE was just considered Keter; however, it got its secondary classification of Euclid when it created [data expunged]. How it did so or why is unknown, especially since SCP-AMZ instances have been known to assimilate bears before. Furthermore, its unknown how [data expunged] has managed to escape from the Foundation despite its massive size. Weather [data expunged] should be considered a variant of SCP-ANE or its own SCP is still pending.

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SCP: Horror Movie Files Hub

[mde4neamb8npfv]

Gina Valentina and Eliza Ibarra shared the pleasure of lesbian bliss Mostrando a Claudia con su tanguita rosadita Face sitting lesbian submission and anal Nude homosexual guys enjoying the best anal in bedroom intimate scenes torilorimori periscope Black skank doggystyle ninfeta perdendo a virgindade Latina getting fucked while boyfriend films De nuevo la teen en leggins gris MomsTeachSex - Hot stepmom & Fight Over Pool Boys Cock

[taiwan0618]

🎀 library pt. 3

CONCRETE KING by @bratkook

TELL ME NO LIES by @jeongi

FOREVER..(IS A LONG TIME)PT. 1 PT.2 by @eureka-its-zico

IRREVOCABLY YOURS PT. 1 by @eureka-its-zico

IN A WORLD OF BOYS HE'S A GENTLEMAN by @2hightocare

HOTTER THAN HELL by @chateautae

PAINTING THE MEADOW'S VOID by @jungblue

FINDING YOUR BF SLEEPING IN YOUR HYPERFEMININE PINK ROOM by @rrjkive

LOVEFOOL by @citrustan

WHY DIDN’Y YOU WAIT FOR ME by @jungkook97

OREOS AND ELECTROSHOCK COUPLES THERAPY by @ladyartemesia

BOW TO YOU by @flowerwrites06

BITCHIN' by @kinktae

THE BEST THING HE NEVER HAD by @rosaetae

COLD NIGHTS & BLURRED LINES by @awrkive

NIGHT CRAWLERS by @alphabetboyluvr

SLIPPING THROUGH MY FINGERS by @citrustan

SAFE HANDS by @jungkookschin

LONELY HEARTS CLUB by @joonbird

MICROWAVE (MIS)ADVENTURES by @bymoonchild

SET ON YOU by @bymoonchild

PAINT ME NAKED by @gimmethatagustd

GET YOU THE MOON by @bymoonchild

RIGOR MORTIS by @readyplayerhobi

WHITE LIES by @noteguk

THE PROPOSAL by @hansolmates

FALL FOR YOU by @kimvtae

TWITCHY WITCHY GIRL by @sweetheartjeongguk

EXTRA CHEESE, PLEASE! by @vankoya

A HOLIDAY SNOWDOWN by @kpopfanfictrash

NEVER GO TO SLEEP ANGRY by @just4koo (check out their blog!)

CAR RIDES HOME by @foredelweiss

CASUAL by @muniimyg

CLOSE TO YOU by @muniimyg

HOLIDAYS OF BREAD AND WOOD by @cutaepatootie

I WANT YOU TO STAY by @ahundredtimesover

MISTAKEN VERY MUCH by @1uvtae

CAN'T BE WITHOUT YOU by @ahundredtimesover

UNTITLED by @namfinessed

EMPTY SPACE by @ahundredtimesover

DAYBREAK by @bbangtans

ANPANMAN by @honeymoonjin

[comfortless]

hello beloved 🥰 🫶 every time you mention ‘The Dungeon’ whatever da hell that is my brain just goes dungeon crawler! könig! dungeon crawler! könig! so might i request a dungeon crawling könig?

what the hell. do not send König down here… get him away from me…. *immediately forgets everything else i was doing to begrudgingly write this*

sigh… dungeoneer! König x fem! reader

content / warnings: violence, sexism, suggestive.

Retrieving the golden eye of a wyrm to be made into a lovely pendant for the Queen would pay well, keep him afloat and drifting from land to land for long enough to decide upon where to settle. The posting tacked to the wall of the inn, detailing a handsome reward, was surely the sign from a benevolent god that a glorious fate had been handed to him on a silver platter. He stuffs the parchment into the pocket of his trousers as he downs the last of his ale, tosses his coins to the barmaid on his way toward the door and sets off for the deepest dungeon in the kingdom.

There are no bright-eyed knights lobbying around the entrance, a good sign that the wyrm’s bounty was all his to claim. It makes him elated, really, and the idea of finally having his own place, bedding down with a pretty maiden each night is even more of an adrenaline rush than the actual fighting that comes the moment he steps foot into the darkened underworld. The dungeon is filled with the reanimated skeletons he’s grown so accustomed to— a quick jab with his claymore to the center of the spine leaves them a crumpled heap of bone and dust. They’ll rise again when the moon hangs lofty in the sky, but he’s done this enough times to know the best way of navigating such a place. The other beasts haunting the cavernous ruins are a bit trickier to deal with, and he’s fortunate that most shy away from the light of his torch.

Only, she does not.

The woman standing before him in full plate armor is poised for battle, blade making a steady ascent above her head in preparation to strike as her lantern is cast aside. She charges at him before he can even breathe out a word of protest, swinging the heavy sword at him so quickly that at most, he can only thrust his torch before him to prevent her plunging the tip between his ribs. She’s quick to draw back when the wood splinters and the fire sparks up on dry bone and the tattered remains of clothing from all that came before layered upon the dirt and grime coated floor. The blaze of the fire seems pale in comparison to the flames in her eyes as she pivots towards him again, and once more— he merely blocks.

“A maiden shouldn’t be here,” he says through gritted teeth as he easily pushes her back against the wall, caging her between the flat of his blade and the bulk of his body.

He hadn’t realized the ache in his groin until the woman tilts her head up to spit in his face. König doesn’t bother to wipe it away, to even pretend to be disgusted by her actions. From this small breadth between them all he sees is divine beauty— even as her eyes narrow like that of a viper preparing to strike.

“A knight to be,” she corrects him as he gives her blade a shove, the sounds of steel hissing against steel and crackling fire echoing throughout the cavern.

“Not likely.”

Their fight drags on for what feels like hours before his flask his split at his hip and she finally does back down. Even this lady knows well enough that being lost in a dark dungeon with no source of light and no water is a death sentence, and she finds him both incredibly frustrating and fun enough to keep him a live just a little longer. He’s adept enough to block even her quickest strikes, parry her with a gentle jab to her side with his index rather than his blade. He’s shown her her own weak points during their little battle, and she’s garnered a bit of respect for him for that.

As she sheaths her blade and locks eyes with him, his erection is practically trying to tear through the seams of his pants. She’s so pretty, so strong, so unlike the barmaids and damsels in distress he’s come across so often and it’s all gnawing at the recesses of his mind. The bounty almost entirely forgotten, he wants not to penetrate the wyrm with his blade but rather spear her with his cock.

He reaches for her, almost tentatively hoping to somehow melt through her armor and feel the warmth of her flesh. She’s doesn’t pull away when his hands rest against her waist, just gives him a little flutter of her eyelashes before rearing a hand back to almost playfully strike his face just before she turns on the heel of her boot and gathers her lantern.

König follows along behind her, not just out of necessity, but because she asks him to. Beckons him along with the curl of her gloved finger, coos at him when he falls behind trying to picture her body beneath the layers of chainmail and fitted steel.

“I’m taking the bounty,” she tells him when they stop to take a sip from her flask, feast on the preserved fruit and dried meat from his own satchel.

It reminds him of why he’s come all this way, what he’s supposed to be doing here. He’s a little tense— on one hand he wants to give this lady the entire kingdom, make her his wife and rid away those silly thoughts about becoming a knight, but she’s so determined!! He’s at a loss on how to tell her that there are no women knights in the land, that no matter what she brings back for the King she’ll probably only be mocked and sent on her way.

“Let me help you,” he says instead.

“You would lend me your blade?”

He just blinks at her… this silly woman has spent far too long dreaming and watching the knights in the castle yard, he just knows it. Down to the way she speaks! She’s incredible and infuriating, just as he is to her. It makes him want to push her just a bit, see what she’s capable of entirely before they part ways (she is never getting rid of him).

“What do I get in turn?”

The little knight mulls that over for a moment, as she leads him down a long corridor; everything all gilded and decorated, lit aglow by the dim orange of lantern light. The golden coins, rolls of fine silk now muddied and trampled littering the floor are enough of a sign to show they’ve nearly made their way to the heart. The wyrm would no doubt be lying in wait at the end, resting protectively over its hoard of cattle bones and shiny objects, golden eyes piercing through the darkness as it prepares for the fight to come.

It’s when the wyrm’s first hissing growl rings out through the darkness that she does turn back to face him, a mischievous little grin tugging at her lips.

“Only to live another day.”

“Nein… something else.”

He can’t stop himself from pawing at her again, curling a hand around her neck to tilt her chin up to face him. Her breath fanning over his face, her scent like peony and lantern oil make him feel drunk enough. The hand that slides between his legs to grasp at his cock is far from anything he ever anticipated from her. She was bold, too bold and too pretty for her own good.

Fate had blessed him more than he could even begin to fathom, after all.