#yes i just went and watched the whole fallen kingdom series how could you tell

[thatone-highlighter]

Something about minecraft parodies and animations and the human desire to create

[themousefromfantasyland]

How the Tooth Fairy Became a Guardian

Extracted from Toothiana, Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies, third book in the Guardians of Childhood series by William Joyce.

In this series, which served as inspiration for the DreamWorks' Rise of the Guardians, William Joyce managed to create one of the craziest and most epic origin stories for the Tooth Fairy. If I'm not mistaken, in one interview, he himself admitted how crazy it was, and how it was inspired by jungle movies he watched as a kid.

The bookworm bowed and told them, “The story of the Queen of Toothiana lies in volume six of Curious Unexplainables of the East.”

“Of course! I should have remembered that myself,” Ombric said, nodding. “Mr. Qwerty, please enlighten us.” (Ombric, the Wizard,and Qwerty, the literal bookworm, are characters that only appeared in the books)

The Guardians sat around the table while Mr. Qwerty began his tale.

“To know the story of Queen Toothiana,” he said, “you must first hear the tale of the maharaja, his slave Haroom, and the Sisters of Flight.”

“Sisters of Flight?” North interrupted.

“Sisters of Flight,” Mr. Qwerty repeated patiently. The image of a beautiful winged woman appeared on one of Mr. Qwerty’s pages. She was human-size, with long, willowy arms and legs and a heart-shaped face. But her wings were magnificent, and she held a bow and arrow of extraordinary design.

The Sisters of Flight were an immortal race of winged women who ruled the city of Punjam Hy Loo, which sits atop the steepest mountain in the mysterious lands of the Farthest East. An army of noble elephants stood guard at the base of the mountain. No humans were allowed to enter, for the mountain’s jungle was a haven for the beasts of the wild—a place where they could be safe from men and their foolishness.

Toothiana’s father was a human by the name of Haroom. He had been sold at birth into slavery as a companion for a young Indian maharaja. Despite being slave and master, the maharaja and Haroom became great friends. But the maharaja was a silly, vain boy who had his every wish and whim granted. Yet this did not make him happy, for he always wanted more.

Haroom, Toothiana's father

Haroom, who had nothing, wanted nothing and so was very content. Secretly, the maharaja admired his friend for this. For his part, Haroom admired the maharaja for knowing what he wanted—and getting it.

The maharaja loved to hunt and slay all the animals of the wild, and Haroom, who never tired of watching the powerful elegance of wild creatures such as tigers and snow leopards, was an excellent tracker. But he hated to see the animals killed, so when that moment came, he always looked away. As a slave, he could do nothing to stop his master. And so, with Haroom tracking, the maharaja killed one of every beast in his kingdom, lining the palace walls with their heads as trophies. But the one animal the maharaja coveted most continued to elude him.

In the mountain land ruled by the Sisters of Flight, there dwelled one creature that no slave, man, or ruler had ever seen: the flying elephant of Punjam Hy Loo.

The maharaja was determined to do anything to have one for his collection, but every time he tried to force his way up the mountain, the elephant army at its base turned him back. He realized that he must find another way to reach Punjam Hy Loo.

In those ancient times no man had yet discovered the mystery of flight. But after demanding advice from his wizards and soothsayers, the maharaja learned a secret: Children can fly when they dream, and when the Moon shines brightly, their dreams can become so vivid that some of them come true. Sometimes the children remember, but mostly they do not. That is why children sometimes wake up in their parents’ beds without knowing how they got there—they flew!

The wizards told the maharaja a second secret.” At this, Mr. Qwerty lowered his voice, and all the Guardians leaned closer. “The memory of everything that happens to a child is stored in that child’s baby teeth.

And so the maharaja’s wizards gave him an idea: fashion a craft of the lost teeth of children and command it to remember how to fly. The maharaja sent out a decree throughout his kingdom, stating that whenever a child lost a tooth, it must be brought to his palace. His subjects happily complied, and it was not long before he had assembled a craft unlike any other the world had ever known.

Meanwhile, the maharaja ordered Haroom to make an archer’s bow of purest gold and one single ruby-tipped arrow. When the weapon was finished, the maharaja ordered Haroom to join him aboard the craft. Then he said these magic words:

‘Remember,

remember,

the moonlit flights

of magic nights.’

And just as the royal wizards had promised, the craft flew silently through the sky, over the jungle, and past the elephants who guarded Punjam Hy Loo.

They descended from the clouds and flew into the still-sleeping city. In the misty light of dawn, the maharaja could hardly tell where the jungle ended and the city began. But Haroom, used to seeking out tracks, spotted some he had never seen before—tracks that could only belong to the flying elephant, for although they looked similar to a normal elephant’s, his keen eye saw one addition: an extra digit pointing backward, like that of a bird.

It did not take long to find the flying elephant, sleeping in a nest in the low-lying limbs of an enormous jujube tree. The maharaja raised the golden bow and took careful aim. The tip of the ruby arrow glittered in the first rays of morning sunlight. Haroom looked away.

Suddenly, there came an intense, cacophonous alarm, as if every creature of Punjam Hy Loo knew of the maharaja’s murderous intent. Charging down from the towers above came the Sisters of Flight, wings outstretched, with all manner of weapons at the ready—gleaming swords, razor-sharp daggers, fantastical flying spears with wings of their own. It was a sight so beautiful, so terrifying that Haroom and the maharaja froze.

Then the maharaja raised his bow again, this time aiming it at the Sisters of Flight. ‘Look, Haroom, an even greater prize,’ he exclaimed.

In that single moment Haroom’s whole life changed. He knew, for the very first time, what he wanted. He could not bear to see a Sister of Flight harmed. He ordered the maharaja to stop.

The maharaja paid his servant no heed. He let loose the arrow. Haroom blocked it. Its ruby tip pierced his chest, and he crumbled to the ground.

The maharaja stared in shock, then kneeled beside his fallen friend. Weeping, he tried to stop the flow of blood but could not. Haroom was dying.

The Sisters of Flight landed around them. The most beautiful of the sisters, the one the maharaja had meant to kill, approached them. ‘We did not know that any man could be so selfless,’ she said. Her sisters nodded.

With one hand, she grabbed the arrow and plucked it from Haroom’s chest, then kissed her fingertips and gently touched his wound.

Haroom stirred, and his eyes fluttered open. All he could see was the face of the Sister of Flight. And all she could see was the brave and noble Haroom.

He was a slave no more.

She took his hand, and in that instant her wings vanished.

The other sisters lunged toward the maharaja in fury. They raised their swords, and Haroom could see they meant to kill his former master. ‘He will no longer harm you,’ he said. ‘Please, let him go—send him on his way.’

The sisters looked from one to the other, then agreed. But they declared that the maharaja must leave all he brought with him. The golden bow, the ruby-tipped arrow, the flying craft of teeth, and Haroom, his only friend.

‘And one thing more. You must also leave your vanity and cruelty behind so that we can know and understand them.’

The maharaja was heartbroken but agreed.

The flying elephant glided down from his nest, and with his trunk, he touched the maharaja’s forehead, and all the vanity and cruelty went from him.

But once these things were gone, there was little left—the maharaja was as simple as a baby monkey. In fact, he even sprouted a tail and scampered away speaking gibberish, shrinking to the size of an infant.

His vanity and cruelty would never be forgotten—the flying elephant had them now, and an elephant never forgets. As for Haroom and the beautiful Sister of Flight, they were married and lived on in Punjam Hy Loo. Within a year, a child was born. A girl. Selfless like her father. Pure of heart like her mother. She was named Toothiana.

The child of Haroom and Rashmi (for that was Toothiana’s mother’s name) seemed to be a normal mortal child. As there were no other human children living in Punjam Hy Loo, her parents thought it best to raise her among other mortals, and so they settled on the outskirts of a small village at the edge of the jungle. The young girl was well loved and protected and lived a simple, happy life until she was twelve and lost her last baby tooth. That’s when all her troubles began.

“Troubles?” Katherine asked nervously. (Katherine is also another book only character. She is friend of the Guardians and future guardian herself, Mother Goose, guardian of the stories)

“Yes, troubles,” Mr. Qwerty said. “For when she lost her last baby tooth, Toothiana sprouted wings. By the end of this first miraculous day, she could fly with the speed of a bird, darting to the top of the tallest trees to choose the ripest mangoes, papayas, and starfruit for the children of the village. She played with the birds and made friends with the wind.

But while the children delighted in Toothiana’s new skill, the adults of the village were bewildered, even frightened, by this half bird, half girl. Some thought she was an evil spirit and should be killed; others saw ways to use her, as either a freak to be caged and paraded about, or to force her to fly to the palace of the new maharaja and steal his jewels.

Haroom and Rashmi knew that to keep their daughter safe, they would have to pack their few belongings and escape. And so they did, deep into the jungle. The village children, all of whom adored Toothiana, tried to persuade their parents to leave her alone. But it was no use. The grown-ups of the village had gone mad with fear and greed.

They built a large cage, hired the best hunters in the land, and asked them to capture the young girl. Among these was a hunter most mysterious. He spoke not a word and was shrouded from head to foot in tattered cloth stitched together with jungle vines. The villagers were wary of him, and even the other hunters found him peculiar. ‘He knows the jungle better than any of us—it’s as if he’s more a creature than a man,’ they remarked quietly among themselves.

But Haroom and Rashmi were as wily as any hunter. Haroom, knowing everything there was to know about tracking, could disguise their trail so that no one could follow it. And Rashmi, who could converse with any animal, enlisted their aid in confounding the hunters. Tigers, elephants, even giant pythons would intercept the hunters whenever they neared. But the hunters, eager for the riches and fame they’d receive if they caged Toothiana, would not give up.

Rashmi, Toothiana's mother

The children of the village were also determined to thwart the hunters. They defied their parents, sending word to Toothiana and her mother and father again and again whenever the hunters were stalking the jungle. Toothiana, wiser still, hid in the treetops by day, only visiting her parents in the darkest hours of the night.

After weeks of the best hunters in the land failing to capture Toothiana, the cunning villagers became more sly. They secretly followed their children and discovered where Toothiana’s parents were hiding. They left a trail of coins for the hunters to follow. But only one hunter came—the one they almost feared. It was then that the Mysterious Hunter finally spoke. His voice was strange, high-pitched, almost comical, but his words were cold as death. ‘Seize the parents,’ he snarled. ‘Make it known that I will slit their throats if Toothiana does not surrender. That will bring this child of flight out of hiding.’

His plan made sense; the villagers did as he suggested. They attacked Haroom and Rashmi’s camp. With so many against them, the two surrendered without a fight. They had told their clever daughter to never try and help them if they were ever captured.

But the Mysterious Hunter had planned for that. He shouted out to any creature that could hear, ‘The parents of the flying girl will die by dawn if she comes not!’

The creatures of the jungle hurried to warn Toothiana that her parents were doomed if she did not come. Toothiana had never disobeyed her parents, but the thought of them at the dubious mercy of these grown-ups filled her with rage and determination, and she flew straight to her parents’ aid. She dove down from the treetops, ready to kill any who would try to harm her parents.

But Haroom and Rashmi were brave and cunning as well. Haroom, who had never harmed a living creature, was prepared to stop at nothing to prevent his daughter from being enslaved. And Rashmi, like all Sisters of Flight, had been a great warrior. As Toothiana neared, they slashed and fought like beings possessed. Toothiana flickered back and forth, hovering over her mother and father, reaching for them, but she did not have the strength to lift them up over the angry mob. Rashmi thrust a stringed pouch into her daughter’s hands. ‘Keep these to remember us by. Keep these to protect yourself,’ she pleaded to her child.

'Now go!’ commanded her father. ‘GO!’

With a heartrending cry, the winged girl did as her father ordered. She flew away but stopped, unsure of what to do. Her ears filled with the sound of the vengeful mob falling upon her parents.

‘Go!’ shouted her mother.

Toothiana flew wildly and desperately away. And as she went, she screamed from the depths of her soul. It was the scream of two beings: human and animal. It was a scream so pained and fierce that it caused all the villagers who were attacking her parents to go briefly deaf. All except . . . the Mysterious Hunter. He screamed back to Toothiana. His was a scream equally unsettling—a scream of rage and hate that was more animal than human. Toothiana knew in that instant that she had a mortal enemy—one who she must kill or be killed by.

But for now she would grieve. She flew to the highest treetop and huddled deep inside its foliage. She had no tears, only the blank ache of a now-empty life. She rocked back and forth in a trance of disbelief for a full day and night. Then she remembered the pouch her mother had thrust into her hands. Trembling, she opened it. Inside was a small box carved from a single giant ruby. It was covered in feathery patterns, and Toothiana knew that the box had once been the ruby-tipped arrow that had nearly killed her parents. Inside this beautiful box was a cluster of baby teeth and a note:

Our Dearest Girl,

These are the teeth of your childhood. If you have them under your pillow as you sleep, or hold it tightly, you will remember that which you need—a memory of happy days, or of deepest hopes, or even of us in better times.

But one tooth is not yours. It is a tooth of amazing power, and from what being it comes from, we do not know.

Use it only in times of the greatest danger or need.

Your Dearest Parents

Toothiana still did not cry, not even after reading the note. She slept with her baby teeth under her pillow and took solace in the dreams and memories it gave her.

Toothiana stayed in the jungle. She began to hate her wings. Once, she had thought them wondrous things, but now she saw them as the reason for the death of her parents. Her grief and loneliness knew no depths. The creatures of the jungle did what they could to help her, by bringing her food and making her treetop sleeping places as comfortable as possible. The children of the village tried to aid as well, but they now had to be doubly cautious of the village grown-ups.

As for Toothiana, she became more and more convinced that she belonged nowhere—not among the creatures of the jungle and certainly not among the humans of the village. She was alone. When she was at her very saddest, she would take one of her baby teeth from the carved box she always carried in her mother’s pouch she now wore around her neck, and hold it until it revealed its memories.

As the lonely years passed, Toothiana saw that the village children lost much of their innocence and some of their goodness as they grew up. She began to collect their teeth, so that, in the future, she could give them back their childhood memories and remind them of their kindness, just as her own parents had done for her.

Soon the children, not wanting their parents to find out, began to hide their lost teeth under their pillows for Toothiana to find. And she, cheered by this new game of sorts, began in turn to leave behind small bits of treasure she had found in the jungle. A gold nugget here. A sprinkling of sapphire chips there.

But you can imagine the curiosity that is stirred when a five-year-old sits down to breakfast with an uncut ruby in her palm, or when a ten-year-old boy comes to the table with a pocket full of emeralds. Once again the hearts of the grown-ups filled with greed, and it wasn’t long before they forced their children to tell them how they had come upon those treasures. Soon enough they had laid a new trap for Toothiana.

One dark, cloudy night Toothiana flew to the village to make her nightly rounds. A boy named Akela had lost his two front teeth, and Toothiana had a special treasure saved for him: two beautiful uncut diamonds. But as she entered his open window, it wasn’t Akela she found. Instead the Mysterious Hunter leaped toward her. From behind his shroud of rags, she could see the strangest eyes. Close together. Beady. Not entirely human. And cold with hate.

Toothiana’s rage clouded her keen intellect. All she could think was, I must get rid of this . . . thing! But before she could act, a steel door slammed down between her and the Hunter. She glanced around with birdlike quickness. The room was not Akela’s bedroom, but, in fact, a cleverly disguised steel cage.

She was trapped! The villagers cheered as the Hunter hauled away the cage. His platoon of slavelike helpers pulled the wheeled prison away from the villagers and into the jungle. The helpers were as strangely shrouded as the Hunter who commanded them was, and seemed excited by the capture. The children wept, begging their parents to let Toothiana go free. But they would not. The Mysterious Hunter had promised them riches beyond their dreams when he sold Toothiana.

Toothiana flung herself wildly against the cage, like a cornered eagle. But it did no good. The Hunter and his minions traveled swiftly through the night, deeper into the jungle. They knew the creatures of the wild would try to help Toothiana, so they carried the one weapon every animal fears: fire.

Torches were lashed to the roof of Toothiana’s cage. The Mysterious Hunter himself carried the brightest torch of all. The animals kept their distance, but they continued to follow the eerie caravan and keep watch over Toothiana, waiting for a chance to strike.

After days of travel they arrived at the base of the steep mountain of Toothiana’s birthplace—the kingdom of Punjam Hy Loo. The great elephants that guarded the mountain were standing at the ready, shifting back and forth on their massive feet. Toothiana’s jungle friends had warned them that the Mysterious Hunter was headed their way.

The Hunter did not challenge the elephants. He ordered his minions to halt and made no move to attack. Instead, he held his flaming torch aloft. ‘I bring a treasure to the Sisters of Flight and the flying elephant king who dwell in Punjam Hy Loo!’ he shouted into the night sky. The sky was empty; there was no sign of either the winged women who ruled there, or of the flying elephant.

The Hunter called out again. ‘I bring you the half-breed daughter of Haroom and Rashmi.’ At this, an otherworldly sound—like a rustle of trees in the wind—was heard. And indeed wind did begin to blow down from the mountain. It grew stronger and more furious, with gusts that nearly put out the torches.

Toothiana knew instinctually that this wind was sent by the Sisters of Flight and that they did not trust the Hunter. She also knew that it was time to take out the box her parents had left her.

As the winds continued to rise, the Hunter grew increasingly nervous, as did his minions. They began to chatter in the oddest way, not in words, but in sounds.

Then a chorus of voices, all speaking in unison, rang out bright and clear above the howl of the wind: ‘Tell us, Hunter, why cage our child? Where be her father and mother? What trick of men do you bring us? What do you seek, you who seem of men and yet are not?’

The Hunter rocked on his feet, seething with undisguised hate. He held his torch high and stepped forward, leaning into the wind. The elephants raised their trunks but took a step back. Fire was a fearsome thing, even for these mighty beasts.

The Hunter laughed, then threw down his tattered cloak. He was no man at all, but a massive monkey. ‘A maharaja of men I once was,’ he screamed, ‘and by your doing, I am now a king of the monkeys!’ Then his troops dropped their cloaks as well. An array of monkeys revealed themselves, all armed with bows and arrows.

The Monkey King shrieked above the roaring wind, ‘You ask about her parents? Dead! By my doing! What do I seek? Revenge! On all who made me thus!’ Then he threw his torch into the herd of elephants and grabbed a bow and arrow from one of his men. He had it drawn in an instant, aimed directly at Toothiana’s heart.

Before he could let loose the arrow, the wind tripled in strength. Toothiana knew what to do. She held the ruby box tightly in her hand. ‘Mother, Father, help me,’ she whispered furiously, clenching her eyes shut. She pictured them clearly in her mind, letting herself feel the bond they had shared so deeply, letting herself remember how much they had sacrificed for her.

Suddenly, she was no longer in the cage. She was no longer a single entity, but several smaller versions of herself.

Bow drawn, the Monkey King hesitated, bewildered. How can this be? He could not remember the power of love—even though it had been this girl’s father who had loved him best—and his own memories were now fueled only by hate.

So the world turned against him once again.

The Sisters of Flight circled overhead. It was the flapping of their wings that made the great wind. It grew wilder and stranger, like a tornado. Leaves snapped off trees. Dirt swirled like a storm, and the Monkey King’s torch blew out.

Now the only light came from the Moon, and no jungle creature fears that guiding light. In an instant the elephants stampeded forward. Toothiana’s animal friends attacked. Toothiana’s mini-selves charged the Monkey King. The monkey army screamed and ran.

The king tried to grab the Toothianas, but he could not catch them. Then all the fairy-sized selves merged back into a single being. Toothiana was mystified by her new power, but she didn’t think on it. With one hand, she grabbed the Monkey King by the throat. It was as if she now had the strength of a dozen. The Monkey King cried out in terror and pain.

For an instant Toothiana felt the rage within her swell. She would snap his neck and be done with him. But the little box glowed in one hand, and the memory of her parents made her stop. She would not end this monkey man’s life. Let the jungle choose his fate.

So she let him go.

He fell to the ground, and she did not look back as she flew up to join the Sisters of Flight.

As they sped away, Toothiana and her kindred could hear the creatures of the jungle do as they saw fit with the fallen Monkey King. And his cries could be heard all the way to the Moon.

Mr. Qwerty then shut his pages. The tale, as it was written, was done.

[elvish-sky]

The Temptation of Regality: Home

A.N: Holy crap. This is the last chapter. Thank you all so much for joining me on this little journey! And don’t worry, there’s a decent chance I’ll write an epilogue with them all in Erebor. It was originally supposed to be a whole lot angstier but I felt with how I’d built the character relationships it just didn’t work as well, so there’s just a short bit of angst. Again, thank you guys so much for staying with me. love y’all very much <3. Enjoy!!

Word Count: 1,092

Pairing: Thorin x Reader

Warnings: Fluff, the smallest bit of angst

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

**** Home

The next morning, you blinked open eyes heavy with sleep. Your head was resting on something firm, and you could hear someone else’s breathing. You rolled to the side, noticing that you were fully on a bed even though you couldn’t remember falling asleep the night before. You sat up and glanced to your other side. 

“Thorin?!” 

The dwarf lying next to you shot up at your yell.

“Y/N? What are you doing- Why are we in the same bed?!” His look of alarm was rather amusing, but you were too busy thinking back over the previous night to remember it. 

“We didn’t do anything. You got drunk and I brought you up and put you to bed, and I must have fallen asleep next to you.”

“I got drunk?” He looked worried.

“You didn’t do anything embarrassing. You just thought everyone was trying to murder you and hid under a table for a few hours.”

He still looked embarrassed. 

“Seriously, Thorin, that wasn’t the worst thing anyone did last night.” You proceeded to recount Bilbo’s entire handkerchief-related rant, leaving both you and the king crying from laughter.

Fili and Kili burst into the room to see you and their uncle falling on top of each other in laughter. Frozen in the doorway at the sight, Fili finally spoke.

“I see things went a little further than expected last night,” he observed with an eyebrow raised. 

You quickly leaped off the bed. “I fell asleep here last night, that’s all. Anyways, where were you two all night?”

“We slept in Bilbo’s room.”

Kili nodded. “We wanted to give you two some privacy.”

Thorin threw a pillow at him, and while he scolded his nephews you washed up, emerging several minutes later in your freshly laundered clothes. 

“I’m going to go see if Oin will take a look at my leg before we leave.” Seeing the concerned reactions of the three dwarves, you hurried to clarify.

“It’s not hurting very much, I just want him to make sure it looks good.”

Three heads nodded in understanding, and you left with a wave.

Weeks later, the fact that your leg was healed was just about the only good thing. After narrowly escaping the goblins, and even more narrowly escaping the orcs, everyone was just about exhausted. Now, on the Carrock breathing in a sigh of relief, you reflected on the last few weeks.

After the night at the inn, Thorin had been colder towards you. You didn’t know why, but it hurt. On the mountain, he had saved Bilbo, and you had watched inside the cave as he checked on every member of the company. Except you.

He had protected you in goblin-town, but then they all had. It was just his duty to do so. And while the wargs were attacking he hadn’t even spared you a glance, but that you couldn’t exactly blame him for. Still, you had saved several of the company members by boosting them into trees, you would have thought he might have acknowledged you for that.

And now, watching him hug Bilbo on the Carrock you were jealous. Yes, the hobbit had done amazing things, had saved Thorin, but you wanted Thorin to be hugging you like that. Not to barely acknowledge your presence. 

To tell the truth, deep down you wanted him to love you the same way you did him. But if how he had treated you these past weeks was any indication, that would never happen. But you were mad, and the anger clouded your judgment, so you waited until he had finished congratulating the hobbit and stepped forward. 

“Y/N-” You cut Dwalin off when he tried to talk as you strode up to the leader.

“Thorin Oakenshield, of all the stupid, reckless, idiotic things to do that was the stupidest, most reckless, most idiotic thing ever.”

Everyone looked dumbstruck.

The king looked shocked that anyone was speaking to him that way, and fired back with anger brimming in his eyes. “Y/N, why do you care?” 

“You almost died, Thorin! And I love you and the fact that you’ve been so distant lately is tearing me apart, and yet I cannot do anything about it, cannot leave because I care. I was tempted, and I succumbed, and here we are. But I’m just done. If you don’t care then so be it. I can’t go on like this.”

You strode over to a small rock and sat, head in your hands as you cried. A shuffling sound came close, like footsteps, and you lifted your head to see Thorin standing in front of you. He looked nervous.

“Y/N, I-” 

He started speaking and then stopped. It looked as if he was mulling something over in his brain, and you watched as something sparked in his eyes. 

He leaned forward, cupping your chin in his hand as he tilted your head up to look him in the eyes. 

“If you don’t want me to do this, tell me.”

You stayed silent, gazing up at him, kissing you gently for all of two seconds before suddenly deepening the kiss.

It felt like fireworks. 

You tangled your hands through his hair, trying to pull him closer even though there was barely an inch of space between you. 

Wolf whistles sounded out around you and you broke apart, flushed, to see the entire company beaming at the two of you from behind Thorin’s back. Except for his nephews, who had their hands over their eyes and were fake gagging. 

But you only had eyes for one person.

“You love me?” You asked him, hoping beyond hope for the answer he gave.

“Yes. And I’m sorry I’ve been distant. I didn’t want to give you false hope. We’re on a quest, we could die at any moment, but I see now that it’s more important for us to take what time we have.” 

You smiled at him. “I love you, Thorin.”

“I love you too, Y/N.”

You stood, and he entwined his fingers with yours as you walked back to the group. You noticed him catch sight of something in the distance, and you walked to the edge of the rock together.

“Erebor.”��

You sucked in a breath as you realized what you were looking at.

“The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarven kingdoms of Middle-Earth,” Gandalf said.

“Our home.” Thorin glanced up at you, squeezing your hand in encouragement.

Looking out into the distance, gazing at your future, you smiled. 

“Our home.” 

Everything tag 💞: @entishramblings @anjhope1 @boyruins @itgetsatadhazy

Series tag 💕: @bitter-sweet-farmgirl @moony-artnstuff @whiskeywinter89 @beakami @sassyscribbler @yes-captainstark

Thorin tag 💖: @lathalea

[louiseleblancdiggory]

Once Upon a December

Chapter 4: Things My Heart Still Needs to Know

A/N: So instead on doing this only from Rowan and Aelin’s POV I decided to add a little bit of Lysandra so we know whats happening on the other side of the continent! This was so fun especially because I love a little mystery and a certain character we learn more about here. If I forgot to tag you please tell me. Enjoy!

Masterlist 

Chapter 3 // Chapter 5

“Who are you?” Lysandra breathed, completely shocked. The man in front of her eyed her curiously, as if he too wanted to know who she was.

Lysandra usually was careful not to call attention to herself, had learned that with Yrene who had been here longer than she had, but she couldn’t help with this man. Whoever he was, he had to be related to Lin somehow.

“Who’s asking?” His voice was deep, a mix of accents making the words sound like a song. The accent from Eyllwe and… Terrasen?

“I— You—“ Lysandra was, for the first time in her life, completely speechless. Growing up in a poor orphanage in Adarlan, Lysandra always knew what to do or say to get out of a situation. Always had something on the tip of her tongue, usually a lie. But right now all she could do was stare at the turquoise and gold eyes that belonged to her best friend.

And to this man, apparently.

“I usually do leave women speechless, don’t worry.” He joked, a small smile on his lips. When she didn’t laugh, didn’t stop staring at him, the smile dropped and his eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Who are you?” She repeated, eyes wide.

“Aed!” Yrene said, coming from the kitchen. She didn’t realize the staring match Lysandra was having with the man. “It’s been a year since you came by!”

“Hello, Yrene.” His eyes softened, and he smiled at the barmaid. “Who’s this?”

“Oh! This is Lys, she’s new. Has been with us for eleven months now.” Yrene said, patting Lysandra’s shoulders before starting to retreat into the kitchen. “I’m on kitchen duty right now, but Lys can get whatever you want.”

“Hello, Lys.” His voice held humor, and Lysandra slowly came out of her stupor enough to narrow his eyes at him. The necklace around her neck was becoming heavier and heavier.

“Who are you?” She said a third time, her voice harder now.

He leaned in, whispering as if to tell her a secret. “Aedion Ahsryver, milady.” He winked at her.

Ashryver. Ashryver. Where had she heard…. Ahsryver.

No.

“As in royal Ashryver?” Her voice came out slowly and calmly, but her mind was racing.

“As in ex royal Ashryver, yes.” He joked, but his voice held some bitterness.

Lysandra stared at Aedion for a few seconds before turning around. She walked until her hand was on the doorknob to the back door. She opened it gently, closing it behind her with nothing more than a click. She breathed in the air, not even caring that it smelled like piss and trash. She needed oxygen, needed to clear her thoughts. With extremely steady hands, she grabbed her necklace.

Lysandra had always joked that it was unfair that Lin had such beautiful necklace— a series of overlapping circles forming the shape of an eye with a blue stone in the middle— and she had none. So on her seventeenth birthday Lin had taken her to the fair and bought her a cheap locket. The real present was when Lin took her to one of the few photographic stations in Erilea, taking a picture of the two of them and putting inside the locket.

“It’s out family heirloom now. The first one.” Lin had said, a smile on her lips. “Because we are sisters. Maybe not by blood, but you are my family, Lys.”

Now, as Lysandra opened her locket and looked at the picture inside, she didn’t see Lin.

No, she saw the man inside. She saw the fallen royal of a kingdom neighbor to the one she had grown up. She saw the defining traits, the eyes, the mouth, nose and jaw.

Lysandra stared at the locket and didn’t see Lin Sirota.

She saw Aelin Ashryver Galathynius.

Lysandra vomited, barely hearing the approaching footsteps.

——————————————————

Lin was finally alone.

It had been five days since they got in the train and started their way to Banjali. They were currently in the middle of gods-know-where, and Lin had spent most of her day with Gav and Vaughan studying the royal family tree.

And exchanging scornful looks with Rowan, but that was besides the point. The man apparently had decided that he hated her guts with all his might, and Lin wasn’t all that sad about having someone to throw her anger at.

Around four, everyone decided to go to their own cabins and relax before dinner. They had been eating dinner in the privacy of their cabins for the past days, not wanting to draw too much attention. Today would be the first night they would go to the dining room.

Connall and Vaughan had been the first to leave. Gavriel and Lorcan were sharing one of the cabins, Fenrys and Rowan were in the other one and, as requested, she had her own. For forty minutes now she was sitting in silence, Fleetfoot asleep on the floor. The only sound was her fingers playing with the pendant on her necklace.

Aelin had asked if Gav had any books she could read. Most had been geography books, and although she didn’t hate geography, reading a whole book about it sounded brutal. Thankfully, he also had some history ones. With the excuse of keeping her studies, Lin grabbed one about the old royals.

The book was interesting, but Lin was so tired that she was dozing off when a knock came from the door. She sighed, having an instinct of who was knocking in such impolite manner.

“You can’t stay away, can you, Mr. Whitethorn?” She said as she opened the door, and there, as expected, was Rowan.

He had a frown on his face, but the sneer wasn’t there so Lin considered him in a good mood. Maybe he had taken a nap and calmed down, like those old cranky men usually did.

She took a step aside, letting him get into her cabin. As much as she had said she didn’t want to be disturbed by any of them whenever they weren’t practicing, Lin had to admit that she was infinitely curious to know what had brought Rowan here. She went back to her seat and plopped down, grabbing the book again. From the corner of her eye she could see him sitting down, giving the cabin a look that left clear all his discontent and how uncomfortable he was.

That was enough to make her smile a little.

“Look, Lin…” He forced out, as if the words physically hurt him. “I think we started off on the wrong foot.”

Oh, this was going to be fun.

“I do, too.” She said, her voice solemn.

“Ok.” He breathed.

“And I appreciate your apology.”

And just like that, the forced calm was gone. “Apology? Who said anything about an apology? I was just—“

“Mr. Whitethorn, don’t say anything else.” She raised her eyes from the book and looked straight at him. “It will only upset me.”

“Are you fucking serious right now?” He asked and Lin almost laughed at the incredulity on his face. “What about you apologize?”

“And what in Hella’s realm would I apologize for?” She dropped the book, her temper rising.

“Would you believe if I told you I made the same question to myself seconds ago?” He mocked, crossing his arms.

Oh.

She crossed her arms too, raising her chin. “You mean to tell me that you haven’t been awfully rude for the past days and—“

“And you have been such a charm, isn’t that right?” He interrupted her.

“And,” she continued as if he hadn’t said a word. “You want me to believe that it wasn’t Gavriel who told you to come here and set things straight?”

The moment his jaw clenched, Lin had her answer. Gav was the peace keeper and he would undoubtedly tell Rowan to stop bothering her at some point. She had to admit that she was surprised it had taken only a week.

“I was trying to be nice.” Rowan said, through clenched teeth.

“It didn’t work.” She replied with a sweet smile. “Actually—“

“Do you ever shut up?”

“You want me to be quiet?” Her jaw dropped. He was in her cabin taking up her time and he had the audacity to tell her to shut up.

“It is my greatest wish.” He slumped on his seat, and Lin wanted to jump on him and strangle his pretty neck.

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

“Fine!” She said louder, turning her head to the window. She knew she should kick him out, but her temper still hadn’t calmed down and she was itching to continue their sparring. She tried to soothe her nerves. She breathed in and out, watched the Oakwald trees passing by, tried to count to ten. Maybe if she tried to be civilized she would be able to kick him out faster and without further damage. “Will you miss it?”

“You talking? Hardly.”

And there was her temper rising again. “I meant Orynth, asshole.”

“Why the hell would I miss that piss poor city?” He sounded genuinely confused, and she turned her eyes back to him to see his brows furrowed.

“It was your home.” She said simply.

“It was a place where I lived. End of story.”

“That’s sad.” The words left her mouth before she could consider them, and Rowan’s gaze held so much wrath she had the mind of apologizing. “Sorry, it’s just that living most of your life without a home sounds shit. No wonder you’re like that.”

She knew it was the wrong thing to say the moment his face hardened.

“What’s up with you and homes, huh? Did you have a home, Lin? Did you have nice Yulemas mornings and happy Beltane celebrations? Did you have a beautiful house to go back every night?” His voice was dripping with venom, and that time it actually hurt. He knew she was an orphan, knew she had lived her whole life in an Adarlanian orphanage. And although he was an idiot, he wasn’t dumb. Rowan knew exactly how living in a poor orphanage in Adarlan as an immigrant and a Sirota meant.

He was just trying to hurt her by saying she never had a home either.

And it worked.

“I don’t know, to be honest.” She wanted to hurt him. Wanted to make him feel like the scum of the earth. “Because I have no memories before the age of eight so I wouldn’t know if I ever had a home. I wouldn’t know if I had happy Yulemas mornings or Beltane celebrations, and a house to call home, Rowan. As for later, the orphanage was as shit as you can most likely imagine but I did have family there, so yes, I had a home. It was shabby, shit and depressing but I would give anything to go back to it the way it was a year ago.”

She got up, and his eyes trailed her but he didn’t get up.

“Don’t try to make me be as pathetic as you, Whitethorn. You and I had the same shit, the difference is that I’m not a prick for no fucking reason.” She walked to the door, and even though she knew that this was her cabin and that he should be the one leaving, she couldn’t stay here. “Talk about my home like that again and I will fucking gut you while you sleep.”

“Lin…” He started, but she slammed the door after her, walking down the corridor.

She was fuming. She wanted to go back there and tear Rowan to shreds, but also wanted to walk until she had calmed down every single nerve in her body. Since murdering Rowan wouldn’t make her companions too happy, she opted for the latter.

How dare he speak of her life as he knew anything.

How dare him come to her only to try to hurt her.

How dare he—

Her racing thoughts were interrupted the moment a massive body hit her. She grabbed onto one of the windowsills, trying not to fall, and looked up. The man was almost as tall as Rowan or Lorcan, his brown hair was tied in a bun and deep blue eyes looked at her with so much scorn that he could probably give Rowan a run for his money.

“Watch where you’re going.” His voice was raspy and it send a shiver down her spine. He looked her up and down, giving Lin a disgusting smile before walking away. “Or maybe I’ll have to watch you.”

Lin had survived ten years dealing with shit, with people trying to hurt her everyday. She knew how to fight and definitely knew how to kill someone if the occasion asked for it. She could protect herself.

But in that moment all she wanted was to go to the boys. She didn’t want to ever see that man again, much less be alone with him in a corridor for the rest of her life. Maybe she’d convince Lorcan to kick the man out of the train. While it was moving. It sounded like the type of thing Salvaterre would enjoy.

“He barks more than he bites.” A feminine voice came from behind her, and Lin’s soul left her body as she yelped.

Lin turned around to see Lyria standing there, arms crossed and a small smile on her face. Lin would have snapped at her, but she knew that if it had been anyone else yelping how she had seconds ago, she would have wanted to laugh too.

“Who’s the brute?” Lin gestured to the retreating form that had hit her seconds ago.

“Cairn.” Lyria scrunched her nose in disgust. When she turned to Lin again, her face softened. “I take you were talking to Rowan.”

“Do I look this mad?” She replied, but a small smile also played on her lips.

“I don’t even want to know what he said.” Lyria sighed, putting her hands inside the pockets of her skirt. “Rowan can be brutal, but he’s a really good person when you get past his defenses.”

Lin was taken aback for a moment. This girl standing in front of her had nothing to do with the one in the platforms. This one seemed nice and warm, still holding a little of love for Rowan. The one in the platform had been cold and distant, wanting nothing more than strangle Rowan.

Lin would probably like the girl a lot if she did strangle her ex boyfriend.

“I thought you didn’t like him.” Lin admitted, and Lyria raised a brow, her warm eyes dancing with humor. “Or me, for that matter. In the platforms earlier you weren’t exactly…”

“Pleasant? Yes, I am sorry for that.” She seemed genuinely sorry, even bowing her head a little. “But appearances matter a lot, Lin, don’t forget that.”

Lin didn’t know what to respond to that, so she only tucked that piece of information in the back of her mind to analyze later.

“Would you like to have tea? Or coffee? With food, of course. Dinner isn’t served until eight and I am starving.” Lyria asked, her voice a little hopeful.

Lin knew the girl worked for the queen, and that should have been enough to make her suspicious. But Lyria seemed ok, nice even. If she was here with men like Cairn, her travel must have been brutal for the last couple of days. Lin didn’t need a new sister, she had Lysandra, but maybe having another woman that she could talk and befriend would be… Wouldn’t be terrible.

Lin’s smile was genuine when she answered Lyria’s question. “I’d love to. I have tired of my companions already, anyways.”

Lyria’s laugh at that had been genuine, too.

———————————————

“You are a women’s charmer. No one is at your level. Unparalleled, honestly.” Fenrys was saying and Rowan wanted to punch his teeth in. “In one week, one week, you managed to piss off Lin so much that now she’s chatting with you ex. It’s a record. Isn’t it a record, Gav?”

Gav snickered, as did the rest of them. Around seven, all six of them had decided go to the lounge to drink something and talk.

All of them had been shocked the moment they saw Lin and Lyria sitting at a table, laughing and talking as if they had been friends for years now.

“Can someone please shut Fenrys up?” Rowan grumbled.

“I have been trying for twenty years now.” Connall sighed, and Vaughan laughed at his husband. “Nothing works, unfortunately.”

“Poison, maybe?” Vaughan helped.

“Don’t kill my brother.” Connall turned to Vaughan.

“Yeah, don’t kill me, dickwad.” Fenrys butted in.

“Fenrys is right, though.” Lorcan said, his usual sarcastic smile on his lips. “What did you do to the girl?”

Rowan could feel his cheeks heating, and he looked at Lin again. He had been horrible.

Absolutely and disgustingly horrible.

Lin could get under his skin so fast that he didn’t even realized how pissed he was until they had started arguing. She was too sarcastic and too smart and the fact that she had taken a dislike in him the same way he had taken one in hers annoyed him endlessly. When arguing earlier, she had poked a sensitive part of his life and in that moment he hated her for it.

Now, he realized that there was no way she even knew it was a sore topic, but at the moment his emotions had been screaming so loudly that he didn’t even consider his next words. And they had been mean and low and he was so deeply ashamed that he didn’t know how he would even talk to her from now on. He should apologize for being purposefully mean, for using the little bit of information he knew about her to make her feel like shit.

Even though they only knew each other for about a week now, Rowan could notice that Lin was a secretive person. Whenever talking about her life, her hobbies or anything that would give them insight on who she was, Lin had been vague and superficial. She didn’t want them actually knowing her, and after today Rowan only had himself to blame.

And now she was chatting with Lyria as if nothing had happened.

The sight was strange. He hadn’t seen Lyria so free and talkative since she went to work for Maeve. After that, she had distanced herself, becoming colder and colder. It had broken Rowan’s heart in the beginning. Although she seemed to not think so, he had loved her. Rowan had loved Lyria in whatever way he knew, in whatever way he could. She had been the love of his adolescence, and she would always be a part of his story even though both of them were so different now.

There were things he hadn’t told her, but not because he didn’t trust her, but because he couldn’t voice them. Lyria had been so bright, so pure and lovely that Rowan couldn’t stand smudging all those qualities with his dirty past. Maybe it had also been his fault that they didn’t work out. He used to think it had been all about her working for the woman he hated, about her distancing herself from him, but he realized that he had been doing that for far longer than she had.

Gosh, he was a piece of shit.

“I’m a piece pf shit.” He said as much.

“Yes, you are!” Fenrys replied happily. Rowan turned to scowl at him, and Fenry’s smile immediately dropped. Not because of Rowan, though.

“Oh, fuck.” Gav muttered.

“Well, well, well… If it’s not dumb, dumber and dumbest.” Fenrys scoffed, staring at the doors to the lounge.

Standing there was Cairn, Cain and Perrington. All of his companions, and Rowan included, were familiarized with the three men. Whenever Lyria went to talk to them again, one had been flanking her back. The three were part of Maeve’s inner circle along with Lyria.

Rowan sometimes wondered how Lyria, who had been so sweet, endured working with those three pieces of shit. They reeked of cruelty and violence. Cain was known for doing Maeve’s hands-on dirty work, and Perrington was the one that did the political dirty work. Cairn was just a fucking sadist and Rowan shivered whenever he wondered what dirty work he was in charge of.

Rowan felt, more than saw, all his brothers tensing up when Cairn approached Lin, putting a hand on her shoulder. Despite Lin’s protests and announcements that she had no interest in befriending any of them, the cadre— as she liked to call them— had taken a certain liking and sense of protectiveness of her. Rowan was sure that Lorcan and Fenrys were about to walk up to Cairn when Lin got up, aggressively brushing the hand on her shoulder off and turning to the man with so much hate in her eyes that Rowan was glad he had never pissed her off to that point.

She mouthed something to him and Lyria bit her lower lip, trying not to smile. Lin, however, gave Cairn an ironic smile, turning back to Lyria. She said something, and the brunette only nodded, a smile on her lips.

When Lin noticed the other two men behind Cairn, her brows furrowed. She looked around until her eyes fell on them, and Fenrys gave her a subtle nod and walked a few steps in her direction. Lin turned back to the three man from Maeve’s inner circle, flipping them off as she walked to Fenrys. She looped her arm in his, and by the tightness on her mouth, she knew that Cain, Cairn and Perrington were still watching her.

“It was stupid to think Maeve would let all of us leave Orynth with just a few questions.” Connall said as his twin brother approached, Lin in his arm. “We should have realized when Lyria was in the platform days ago.”

“But the whole inner circle?” Vaughan asked, giving up his stool for Lin to sit down.

“Erawan is still with her.” Lorcan grunted, his eyes on the three man now sitting with Lyria. Where a laughing girl had been just minutes ago, now was a tense, cold woman.

“They are going to Melisande’s capital. Lyria told me.” Lin said, taking a sip from one of their drinks. By the way Fenrys narrowed his eyes, it was his.

Rowan wanted to bet twenty coppers that Lin knew exactly whose drink she was taking and knew that it would have been better if it was Vaughan’s or Gav’s.

“And why would we believe Lyria?” Lorcan asked, turning his head to her.

She merely shrugged. “I didn’t say we believed. I actually didn’t say anyone believed it.” She said calmly, taking another sip. Rowan didn’t fail to notice that she was ignoring him, refusing to let her gaze fall on him as she looked at the other five. “But I do, if you are wondering.”

“And why is that?”

Another shrug. “She’s nice.”

All of them were shocked, Rowan knew. Lin didn’t seem like the type to make friendships so fast, especially with people that could be a threat to her.

“She works with the new queen.” Vaughan said slowly, as if talking normally would scare Lin back into her shell.

“And so I have been told.” Her bored mask slipped, and a small smile played on her lips.

“She would turn you in if she knew what we were doing.” Fenrys said without Vaughan’s gentleness.

“Would she now?” Lin looked extremely amused by this conversation. “I take you guys know her well, then.”

And for the first time since she sat down, her eyes fell directly upon Rowan.

Part of Rowan wanted to ask what they had talked about, and the other part was too scared to even wonder.

“She tried to recruit us for Maeve’s inner circle a few times.” Lorcan’s voice sounded when Rowan didn’t respond to Lin’s silent inquire.

“Always with one of those pieces of shit with her.” Connall grunted, his eyes burning holes on Cain’s back.

“Every time she went to ask you to join she was with one of them?” Lin asked carefully, something shining on her eyes. Rowan tried to grasp what it was, but it wasn’t working.

Gav nodded, also studying Lin.

“Hum… Appearances matter a lot…” She muttered, but somehow Rowan knew she wasn’t talking to them, only thinking out loud. When she raised her eyes, Rowan finally identified what was gleaming on her turquoise and gold eyes.

Understanding.

Lin had understood something in that moment and after their fight today, Rowan knew she wouldn’t be inclined in sharing. She turned her head to Lyria at the same time Lyria turned to her. They shared a barely perceptible nod.

“What was that?” He finally said, his voice a little harsher then he expected.

Lin merely shrugged again, ignoring the cadre’s eyes on her while she sipped Fenrys’s drink.

If Rowan wanted to know what was going on, he would need to get in Lin’s good side.

And for that he would need to apologize.

He would do it that night, he decided, after dinner.

The moment he decided that, Lin’s eyes snapped to his as if she could hear his thought. The gold ore in her eyes looked molten, burning. The tightness of her mouth, the small crease between her eyebrows and her flaming eyes showed Rowan he would need to apologize a lot.

The girl was wildfire and she wanted nothing more than to burn him alive.

———————————————

Lyria was playing a very, very dangerous game if Lin’s assumptions were correct.      

And maybe because the girl reminded Lin a little bit of Lysandra, a little bit of herself, she couldn’t help but worry about her safety.

The same way she thought Lyria wasn’t all that loyal to Maeve, she had no doubt her three companions were. And they didn’t look like the merciful type, the I-take-prisoners type. No, those men reeked of violence and sadism and Lin could only imagine what would happen if she was right and Lyria was caught doing something she shouldn’t.

The first moment Lin found Lyria’s situation a little bit strange was when they met in the corridor and the girl said something about how appearances were important. And then, during the hours they sat and talked… Lyria didn’t seem like a cruel fanatic, blind by her queen’s wishes. No, she sounded like a lovely twenty year old. She never once sounded angry or bitter, even when talking about Rowan. The girl was extremely open about her emotions and past, and didn’t seem to hold a grudge.

Nothing screamed mean bitch as it had in the platforms days ago.

And then when Connall said that there was always someone else from Maeve’s inner circle with her… Lin could have been wrong, but an insistent voice in the back of her head kept saying that she was right. That there was more she wasn’t seeing.

She kept the rest of the evening quiet. She ate with the cadre, and if they noticed how serious and voiceless she had become, none commented on it. They talked about what they would do in Perranth in a few days. The train would stop there for a few hours, and there were some things they needed to buy before leaving Terrasen. Lin only wished to buy a few books of her liking and maybe clothes that actually fit her size.

She wanted to talk to Lyria before going to her cabin, but Cain, Perrington and Cairn never left her side, and this wasn’t a conversation to have with people listening. So she only bid farewell to the cadre— pointedly ignoring Rowan— and went to her room.

She was still fucking pissed at Whitethorn, even more so that he hadn’t apologized. But she had to admit that she was also ashamed. She wasn’t innocent in all of this, and she had said some things she regretted.

She had half a mind of going to talk to him, maybe settle things. They could live in silence, never talking to one another instead of bickering all the time. That’s what Gav had sent him to do earlier, wasn’t it? But if she went to talk to him right now, not knowing what to say beforehand, the argument would probably escalate even more.

Better to leave it alone than to make it worse.

She took a quick bath, the water running cold a little bit too quickly for her liking. Fortunately it was already hot, so she wasn’t freezing by the time she stepped onto her silky nightgown and started drying her hair. The long golden waves fell down her back, and although Lin knew that shorter hair would be more practical, she couldn’t bring herself to cut it.

Lin eyed the mirror. She knew she was pretty, it had been a fact that brought her a lot of undesirable attention during the past ten years. She supposed most girls liked being beautiful, and she did too, but she also knew that her life would have been easier of she had common features.

Fenrys kept saying that she had the face of a royal. For the first time, Lin considered his words as she analyzed herself in the mirror. Her skin was flawless and creamy, the pimples from her younger years long gone. The only markings were a small scar above her left eyebrow and an even smaller one on her upper lip. Her nose and cheeks were peppered with freckles, a small mole under her right eye and mostly hidden by her lashes. Small straight nose, pinkish full lips and high cheekbones, Lin supposed she could pretend to be a princess.

“Eyes of a queen, though.” Fenrys would say, giving her a wink. She stared at her eyes then, the turquoise bright under the moonlight and the circle of gold looking molten.

Yes, she could pretend to be royalty just fine.

She felt a sharp pain in the back of her mind, and for a moment her vision swayed and she was in another room, a younger girl staring at the mirror. Same eyes, same hair but the features showed a chid no older than nine. The little girl smiled as two figures walked into her room, a brown haired man and a woman that looked so much like her that it could only be her mother. The girl opened her mouth to say something, and Lin let out a moan of pain as the vision disappeared and a headache formed between her brows.

She was breathing hard, her reflection on the mirror showing her red eyes rimmed with silver. She blinked forcefully and a tear slid down her cheek, the headache worsening.

She really though she had left the whole insanity thing behind.

Sighing, Lin went to her small bed, pulling the covers up to her chin even though it was burning hot now.

The pulse in the back of her head came back full force, a little bit different from the headache. The pulse was exactly like the one she had felt that day in the castle, the one she had felt when she first saw Rowan.

Unable to sleep and starting to sweat under the covers, Lin threw them back, grabbed her silky robe and put it on. She didn’t know where she was going, but as she started walking towards the end of the train, the pulse became stronger, quicker. She didn’t know why she kept going, but when she reached the last wagon, voices fluttered from inside.

Lin took a step in, watching five figures standing by the end of the wagon. She narrowed her eyes trying to see something in the darkness as a hand came around her mouth and one around her waist, pulling her inside a hidden alcove.

She was starting to panic, reading to start trying to scream when her back hit her assailant’s chest. A chest she had hit before. Part of her nerves calmed at that, and when the voice she had known for the past few days whispered in her ear, even the pulse inside her head stopped.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Rowan whispered, his voice barely audible to her. She turned her head slightly, staring at his pine green eyes.

He looked furious.

Good, so was she. He scared the hell out of her.

Lin moved her mouth against his hand, and he understood what she wanted. He took his hand from her mouth, but kept the one on her waist as if to hold her in case she decided to do something very, very stupid.

“I can ask you the same!” She said in the same tone he had, but made sure by the look on her face that she wanted to be screaming at him.

“I—“

Rowan was interrupted when the hushed voices became louder, a particular one making both Lin and Rowan tense up.

“Please.” Lyria’s voice pleaded.

Tags:

@morganofthewildfire​ @alyx801​ @ladywitchling​ @westofmoon​ @rolltide7​ @queen-of-glass​ @alifletcher2012​ @rattlethestarsdarling​ @rowanisahunk​ @bilkul-sharam-nahi-aati​ @faerie-queen-fireheart​ @sweetlyvillainous​ @chemicha​ @jlinez​ @in-love-with-caramel-macchiato​ @abookishfreak​ @courtofjurdan​ @acourtofglass​ @linshryver​ @punkassbookjockey26 @acourtofaelinbryceandfeyre​ @aelinfeyreeleven945tbln​

*tags in bold are not working

[tenmillionwhumperflies]

Cloudwalker Series: Mouse the Dragon

Alright, so here is Mouse’s little origin story... thing, because Mouse is precious and deserves all the loves. Oh, and you can meet Azeera, another sorcerer boi.

Drawing of Mouse Here

Warnings for mentions of death, grief, mentions of slavery, ‘animal’ cruelty (contained in a very small space).

Word Count: 1700

Tag List: @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi

Orrien hated busy places, he hated the noise, the stall owners drawing attention to their produce, the chatter of so many people, the chopping, the grinding, the sound of animals. He hated the mix of smells that didn’t go together at all, fish and cinnamon, fruit and dung.

He hated the heat, the buzz, the way he had to bustle past so many people that just didn’t even notice he was there. He kept his cloak pulled up high, hoping to keep his tattoos hidden. No one could know he was a sorcerer. It was dangerous. They’d assume the worst, that he’d escaped or was going to start an attack on behalf of a kingdom. Sorcerers were not simply free, certainly not in his land anyway.

He kept his head down, buying what he needed to get by until he could travel to the next kingdom. Always searching, desperately looking for a new purpose now that he had lost his only son, and the man who had loved his son had turned to darkness and death. Orrien needed time before he went back to the Red Hills, back to the land he’d been born and raised on.

“Mama, look over there!” a child cried. Orrien turned quickly, thinking perhaps they were looking at him. He heaved out a breath of relief, seeing she was pointing at a small market stall. The mother ushered the child away from whatever it is they had seen. Orrien couldn’t help but approach the emptier area of the city. Something drew him towards it and didn't fight the urge to follow. He saw the owner of the stall was a cloaked man. Orrien couldn’t see his face, but he knew enough about him already. He had light magic, Orrien could feel it, but that didn't necessarily make him a friend. 

Orrien pondered speaking to him, to find out who he was, but he was distracted by a strange tink noise. He turned his head to see a very small jar on the table, and at first Orrien thought it was a small lizard. He stepped closer, seeing that its grey skin was actually metal. He picked up the jar with care. The cloaked figure grunted, but that was all.

Orrien inspected the jar with more care, seeing that the small dragon inside looked incredibly scared. They were so small, only the size of his middle finger. They clawed at the metal with one foot, but the jar was so small they could barely move. They stared at Orrien with wide eyes. He felt so drawn to them. He couldn’t leave them trapped like this. It was cruel. It could kill them. Besides, a small companion like this would likely do him some good. He turned the little paper tag attached to the jar. Enchanted dragon, 100 pieces.

"A trinket has caught your eye, sir?" The man asked. Orrien recognised the voice somewhat, but he couldn't put a name to it. "Some 'trinket' for one hundred… You can’t put a price on a life, enchanted or otherwise. You know no one will ever buy such a small charm for so much. Distress them for too long and they will lose their magic. Why push for so much money?” “The enchantment on this dragon is... immense. They were made with incredible power- from love and care. They are practically alive with their own personality... My greatest work. They deserve a loving home, but are you worthy?"

"Money and power does not equate to kindness," he hissed. My greatest work. Orrien hoped he’d put the voice to the right face, and the fact that the dragon was enchanted. Reluctantly, he eased his hood back a fraction to show his face, his tattoos. "You of all people should know that. You say they deserve a loving home, but you treat them so harshly," he grunted before putting his hood back. "Trapping them like this. You should be ashamed… Azeera." The man carefully moved his hood away, showing bright green tattoos on either cheek, a sharp contrast on his dark skin. Orrien had been right after all, and his relief must have showed. He belonged to the Sorcerer's Circle, one of the eight. His enchantment magic was impressive.

 “Correct, though it seemed to take you a while, Orrien of the Red Hills, high sorcerer of the Kingdom of Everblade." He remarked. “Former,” Orrien corrected glumly. There was no kingdom left to serve, not that he’d ever enjoyed serving that wretched man. “Indeed. Word spreads fast. But here you are, in front of me, as I’d waited and hoped. Fate always finds a way, doesn’t it? In truth, I thought you were dead."

“Why would you think that?” Orrien frowned. “Well, the last I heard of Everblade, it was being called Everblood and had fallen. I wasn’t sure if your apprentice had turned on you also.” Orrien sighed. “That castle was so low it could not have fallen any further… Avizon has chosen a darker path, but he would never turn on me.” “Then… tell me, where is your son? Are the rumours true...” his voice faded off. Orrien looked away and kept his eyes on the dragon that was now headbutting the glass with a repetitive tinking noise. “He is… he’s gone. Avizon told me the king killed him while he rested from wounds gained by protecting the castle. That is why Avizon rebelled and attacked. I was a coward and left him. I wasn't going to stop him after what Halve had done, but nor could I stand by him…"

Azeera sighed and bowed his head. “That is indeed a terrible thing to hear, but this was Avizon’s path to walk, his destiny. Fate always finds a way, even if you had stayed behind. I don’t know how Ignium will feel about the whole affair, but I shan't be the one to tell him.” “Perhaps, but what does my son have to do with buying a dragon?” Orrien asked. "And if I may ask, why are you here? Are you not still serving Queen Daphne?”

Azeera shook his head. “Not all of us were kept on as short a chain as you, you know? I was allowed to leave the grounds, but alas, no. After… Everblade, the queen decided against magic defences, despite my years of unwavering loyalty. Royals are realising we are powerful, dangerous, and most importantly, unhappy. Her focus is on the army, on a group that won’t risk so much if one loses control. She did not care for the reasons why young Avizon turned on the castle. She reflected and I believe she feared his actions would influence me. She released me peacefully, no quarrels, and gave me a home to try to keep me from turning bitter. I consider it early retirement, and really you can’t consider freedom to be a punishment. So here I am, selling trinkets to pass the time."

"I see. For what it is worth, I am sorry for Avizon’s actions. I should have been able to do more to stop this.”

Azeera shrugged. “It is a difficult situation, but when I saw Avizon after you saved him… I didn’t expect him to turn to violence, but I cannot say I’m shocked. What Halve did to him was beyond human.” Orrien shuddered, he needed a change of topic. “So what is this fate you speak of?"

"Ah, yes, that. Orrien, I don't think he told you, that it was a surprise but your son saved my life only days before the attack. I offered him a favour in return.” Orrien looked back down at the dragon and stared. Was he leading to what he thought?

Orrien continued to stare. When he stared in the dragon's eyes, he could see their pleading. They dug at the glass desperately, but it was so cramped it barely equated to anything. It bit at his own tail, but it didn’t seem to damage itself at least. Did he imagine it, or was there a familiarity? All he knew was that he couldn’t leave them. His heart told him that he needed this little one. He gritted his teeth. Orrien pulled the cork out of the jar, ignoring Azeera’s grunt of a protest. The little dragon scrambled out and hid in Orrien’s palm. He opened his hand just enough to stroke their head. They seemed so much more relaxed now they had access to magic, that they could move.

“The only way to contain them was to take away their mobility. They’re quite the trouble maker and an escape artist. They had started with a very comfortable abode,” Azeera explained with a soft grumble. Orrien put his hand up to his shoulder, letting the dragon climb onto him. They hid behind Orrien’s ear, chewing nervously on it. Orrien couldn't help but brace to have to argue or fight, to have to run away and get to the horse, out of habit more than anything.

“You're tired and on edge, old friend. I can recommend you an inn or offer space in my home to rest? That little dragon is meant to be yours. They were the favour Ro asked of me. They were to be a gift… for you. He poured his heart and soul into helping me make it… After seeing what happened to the castle I left before I could give it to him. I assumed they would be forgotten about, that you were dead, and so I put them up for sale for a good home. Fate had other plans. Your son’s love drew you here.”

Orrien bit back tears. He had not expected anything like this. For Ro to have left him something so... pure. The dragon began to slide down the front of Orrien’s cloak, so he put his hand out as a platform. “My debt is paid, the offer of rest is still there? The inn is the Crooked Key. It is welcoming of our kind and my home is just around the corner."

Orrien nodded. "Thank you, for everything you have done for me."

Orrien bowed his head and left, cradling the little dragon in his hand. “You’re so quiet… so small, like a little mouse.” He stopped and smiled. “Yes, that will be your name. I think it would have annoyed Ro just as he’d have wanted,” he smiled softly. He scratched their back, enjoying  watching the dragon weave through his fingers and arch their back like a cat might.

“To get a favour from a sorcerer as powerful as Azeera and ask only for a trinket for your father… Oh, Ro, my poor boy… This world was not made for one as pure as you.” He forced himself to take deep breaths, to calm before he let the dragon back onto his shoulder and disappeared into the choking crowds.

[suffering-and-happy-about-it]

I want to tell you... (Part 7.)

Description: Nathan Drake is not the exact definition of an unhappy man. His job is steady, his friends still see him from time to time, he plays football, but his marriage is his main problem. Many things will change when a special person comes to his life.

Part Summary: It was becoming more and more obvious that something isn’t right between Nate and Elena, just as he was discovering how much of an amazing person you were.

A/N: A lot has changed ever since I started this damn series... It is MORE than a year old. And I still do love Nathan, he deserves all the love and cuteness, smut and attention his brother gets. Like... I love Sam too, and y’all know that, but sometimes you need the softness and love in your life. ♥

A/N: Just a quick reminder that this Nate is in his early 30s’ and Sully is in his early 40s’. It takes place after Honor Among Thieves, where Nate and Elena and Nate got married, but didn’t found the way to work the things out.

Word counter: 2.8 K

Tagging: @missdictatorme​, @peakymarvels​, @nemodoren​, @flavorishy​

Series master list: H E R E

Nathan’s car sing-along playlist: H E R E

Nathan couldn't believe what he had just done. His blue eyes were scanning the phone, his lungs weren't getting the amount of air they needed and his heart was racing. He had just called you. Asked you if you'd like to hang out with him. And you said yes. Nate breathed out steadily, and before he could stop himself, he was doing his happy dance.

Nathan, being a grown-up he seemed to be with his muscles and 5'11 height was a small kid inside an adult's man body. For starters, he was always singing and dancing when he was happy, or when he tried to kill some time in his car - and he wasn't a good singer at all. He had his happy dances when no-one could see him dancing. Another thing was that this man adored the movie Notting Hill with Julia Roberts and he cried every damn time he saw the movie. He loved to buy himself an ice-cream, was loud, and loved to laugh. He was dorky in his own, irresistible way as Elena often put it.

Oh, Nathan stopped. What would've Elena think about this? She would be most probably cool with him seeing a friend, right? Like, he went with Frazer for beers and stuff, why would be Elena worried about him going to play some Scrabble with another friend? A girl he had just met? A girl he was all over his heels for? Nathan shook his head as he stood in front of half-emptied wardrobe since El had taken most of her things with her, already dialing her number. She answered after a small while.

"Hey, hey, did something happened?" - She mumbled sleepily, having Nathan curse under his breath. He forgot about the time difference thingy. He was creating various looks on the bed, thinking about what is most suitable for the occasion.

"No, I'm fine, I don't have anything broken just yet, the flat didn't catch on fire, everything's fine here." - The man named every horror scenario he could think of, finishing it with a slight chuckle. Elena on the other side didn't find it funny at all, leaving a frustrated sigh to make her husband realize she isn't in the mood for his jests. - "But Sully has a girlfriend." - He mentioned just, by the way, settling on a dark blue t-shirt and khaki pants that made his ass popping as Chloe told him many times. These pants were old, but they were still presentable.

"And you're calling me at three a.m. to tell me that Victor found himself a girlfriend? Nate... I have to wake up early today." - Elena sighed, doing something in the background. She knew that once Nate had woken her up, she won't be able to fall asleep again, so she went to make her a cup of coffee.

"I am not calling you at three a.m. just to tell you that Sully has a girlfriend, who is at least fifteen younger, by the way. I'm calling you because a friend asked me if I wouldn't mind hanging out with her because her boyfriend is at work, so..." - He left out a small pause, rolling his eyes around, walking around the flat like a little boy.

"Nathan, let me remind you that you're thirty-and-something years old man who has the right to decide who he wants to hang out with." - "And won't you be mad ar me, or jealous, or something?" - "Do you want me to?" - Elena asked with a dry chuckle. Nathan didn't expect that Elena would be so cool about this. He expected a lot, but not such a calm attitude. Nathan had quite a time while trying to come up with an answer for Elena.

"Listen, I just wanted to let you know." - Nate sighed in the end, waiting for a moment before hearing Elena chuckle on the other side of the phone. - "Yeah, but you still woke me up this early. Unforgivable." - The woman joked and for a moment, Nate felt seriously bad about himself and the whole situation around you. - "I love you." - Nate whispered after a moment, waiting for her answer. But, just like the last time, there was no I love you said back.

"Enjoy the hangout and don't drink too much. You know how much you love Notting Hill when you're drunk. Bye." - His wife whispered in the end, ending the call. The man felt hurt for a reason he couldn't exactly name. Nathan was an endless romantic with his whole soul - he loved to cook surprise dinner for Elena when they were together, he brought her flowers at least once a week, bought her some sweets when he felt like the needs to sweeten her life a bit and he once even did the cliché thing with petals leading to the bed. This man needed to feel he's being loved, that he's being appreciated and cared for.

Yet Elena seemed to be super-distant even if she knew about it. But Nathan wasn't the type to pressure into doing things, he was too sweet for that. He cared for the woman and wanted nothing more than seeing her contained. And so far, it seemed she's more or less feeling happy in some way.

After ten minutes of preparations, like styling his hair with water and finding the best was to style his t-shirt, he set to go to the market, as he promised you. This man loved ratatouille with his whole heart. It was somehow reminding him of the days when everything was way simpler. When he was younger and he and Sam were traveling through the states, he was the one doing the cooking when they didn't have enough money for picking something at a Chinese restaurant. And ratatouille was simple and quick, not that much expansive. And his lemon cake? Jesus, you'll love it.

Nate was just arguing about the cost of the zucchinis when you texted him your address, telling him you somehow managed to clean the place up. Which filled Nate with new energy - so much that he paid a horrendous amount of money for a couple of fresh zucchinis. It wasn't too far from the market, so maybe, if you'd like to know where to get the best fresh goods, he could take you there. Nathan caught himself grinning and humming a song when he finally walked through your street - you lived in the modern, yet indie-feeling one. The houses were small, almost as if in a Mexican village and each of them had a different color. There was a bright, yellow one, then one with a blood-red facade, grass-green one, and your house had a color of the sky. It could be known that you're a student, as you told him because bands and independent artists were playing on the streets until the deep night, so the rant was significantly reduced and this was a part of the city young people lived in.

Yet it filled Nate with this sort of energy and it made him grin as he watched a guitarist serenading for some tourist, who was giggling. It made him feel a bit younger than he was... Well, he wasn't old by any means, but he still was a dude in his thirties, so he wasn't the youngest in the game either. But soon enough, he was calling you as he stood in front of the door, tapping his feet around nervously. Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name, and before he could say something, he saw you leaning down from your balcony, waving your hands wildly.

"Watch out for the keys!" - You cried out, pulling your hand out so he would see them. First, he chuckled and then nodded, so you let them fall. It was the first time you've seen someone catch the keys to their palm. It took him barely a minute to run the stairs up and dear Lord, he had this grin as soon as he saw you. You had this jean overall with one of the suspenders fallen off your shoulder, a white t-shirt and messy hair. Jesus, you were looking even better than Nate remembered you.

"Hey there." - You smiled goofily, stepping aside from the door, finding the man in. - "And welcome to my kingdom. Please, we hope you don't mind a bit of mess." - You giggled and stopped him when he wanted to take his shoes off.

"I don't mind a mess since I am a bit of one myself." - Nathan answered back playfully, finding this new sense of confidence inside of him. It made him feel good when you laughed out loud at the statement, shaking your head with an unbelieving smile. Your place was really cute and as far as Nate could tell, it suited you... And your boyfriend. Most of the things was still in the boxes, the furniture was unassembled and... - "Why didn't you tell me that you need help with painting the walls?" - Nate asked you.

Jesus, that didn't even cross your mind. Nathan was still a stranger to you, even if you called him a friend already. You met for this one afternoon a week or so ago during the storm, but you hadn't talked since that day. He didn't even text you or anything. So, naturally, it didn't come across that you could ask Nate to help you with accommodating the new household. The only thing you've had fully equipped was a kitchen - and that was because you already bought the flat with an equipped kitchen and bathroom.

"Calm your horses, I've had enough of a hard time to make sure the water is running so you can cook me the damn lunch. I'm starving." - A joke left you as you opened up the living room windows. Nate's expression was enough for you to start explaining. - "Mike usually does this stuff, I'm the worst technician you could befriend, so, don't ask me to repair stuff for you, okay?" - Oh shit, Mike. Your boyfriend. Right. Don't let your feelings get the best of you, Nate, the man spoke with himself.

"So, what does lunch, Scrabble, and painting your living room sound like?" - Nate asked and put all the vegetables on the table, smiling at you daringly.

"Oh, no, no, no. I asked you to hang out with me, not to slave work for me." - You marched right next to him, pulling out some knives, pans, and pots for him. - "And you'd ruin your t-shirt and I don't want to buy you a whole new one. I'll manage on my own." - This made the man chuckle as you still kept talking to him while chaotically running around, assembling the dishes for him. You were going through various boxes on the ground, having a slight furrow on your face.

"Yeah, I can see how you're managing with these tomcats all over the wall, good job. I mean it, I have a day off anyway." - The man answered you with a soft giggle at the end, already working with the vegetables. What surprised him was that you stood next to him in the next minute, helping him with the cooking.

"Your wife would be angry that you wouldn't be home for dinner. It must've already weirded her out that you're going to cook lunch for this random girl." - The topic of Elena made Nate gulp quietly, letting the playful grin disappear from his face. For a moment, you thought you hit the soft spot, but then the man bumped with his elbow to your upper arm.

"Elena... She's out of the states now. She's working on an article in Thailand, and for your information, she was proud of her hubby doing such a gentleman thing about not letting a girl starve to death." - Oh, crap. Nathan wished for the things to be as he was interpreting them. He wished to talk about with Elena, because maybe if their relationship would've been better, he wouldn't crush on you straightaway. But those were only speculations. What could Nathan know?

"Do you have her picture? I'm kinda curious about what she looks like. If that isn't... Too weird, of course." - You stuttered out. Nathan was caught off guard with your wish, but in the end, he wiped his hands and pulled his phone up, showing you a photo from their most recent vacation in Brazil. She was smiling into the camera, holding a glass of wine and her hair was let down. She was also beautifully tanned at the time. You opened up your mouth, smiling at the sight of Nathan's wife. - "Wow. She's like... Pretty. You're one lucky guy, Nate, I tell you." - As if, Nathan answered, but he did his best to nod and hum in agreement.

When this weird little thingy about Elena was off the table, you both concentrated on your cooking. Nathan could see why you told him that you're not the best cook either, but you were doing his best to help him. But the pie was even more fun to prepare than the ratatouille. First, you shoved the main course into the oven, making the sweet end after that. It was both looking miraculous to you since you would eat anything the man would serve you. And no matter how hot the food was, you had some appetite. Nathan hadn't seen anyone eat his food with such a passion for a long time - not even in the restaurant.

When the lunch was over, you pulled an old box with scrabble out of nowhere, putting on the table. - "Now, now, what you have to understand, Nate, is that this box is a relic. I wouldn't be surprised if it would be older than me... So, naturally, most of the letters are missing and you'll have to have hella imagination playing this game." - You presented him, putting the board down. This was a nice spent time while letting the food settle down inside of you - you were laughing a lot with Nathan and his main tactic. The man was trying to convince you that most of the words he made up were real. Soon, you pulled a dictionary, and Nate knew he's screwed at the moment.

When you proved Nathan you're actually like... Ten times smarter than him, it was the time to paint your living room. The sun was slowly setting down, so you lit up every light you could find and blasted some playlists on your laptop, making the man dance at once song. Which made you laugh from the bottom of your heart.

"What?" - Nate turned to you with the roll in his hand, already having paint on his face.

"This was... So... Terrible. I suppose you hadn't picked Elena on your dancing skills, huh?" - You mumbled, drying the tears off. Then, you stepped forward to take the paint from his face, still chuckling at the memory of him dancing. But Nathan's world just stopped for a moment when he felt your hands running on his face, your fingertips touching him gently. It made his heart jump a bit higher with joy, even if he had to fought the urge to lean into the warm touch.

"Unfortunately not, but, I am just a good dancer and you're jealous." - Nate teased you when he gained his consciousness back, making you stop as you watched his face unbelievably. With a burst of laughter, you smacked his shoulder playfully, leaning away.

"That's how it is?" - You asked, finding a different song in the playlist to show Mr. Drake how real dancers dance-like. - "Yeah, that's how it is." - Nate answered light-heartedly, looking at you already vibing to another song. With one daring look, you turned at him, making the craziest dance creations Nathan had ever seen. After a while of your theatrics, the man finally chuckled, continuing with painting the wall. He was leaving around eight in the evening, just a while before Mike came home from work and listened about your adventurous day.

On his way home, Nathan stopped at one of the artists, listening to the girl playing guitar and singing for someone she was deeply in love with. And instead of Elena, he was thinking about you when he was putting a few dollars to the guitar case. He couldn't wait to see you again.

[invisibleanonymousmonsters]

Heart of Steel - XIX

Description: Sir James is known throughout the lands as the most fearsome and honorable warrior. Ballads have been written about him. Men fear him. He is the most trusted knight of King Henry. So why has he given up the glories of war and pledged his loyalty to Princess Y/N?

Pairing: Medieval AU -Knight!Bucky x Princess!Reader

Word Count: 3,294

Series Masterlist

Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Yet the war continued.

It was the kingdoms’ misfortune that they underestimated their mutual enemy. Hydra must have been preparing for this war long before anyone could ever realize. And now all of them were paying the price.

Y/N helped as much as she could from the confines of the castle. She continued to oversee the food, water, and medical supplies that were delivered to the front lines. She also visited the town folks as much as possible. People weren’t just suffering physically, but emotionally as well.

Y/N tried to keep herself busy. The more time she allowed herself to get lost inside her mind, the crazier she felt and the more depressed she became.

Steve wrote to her. He couldn’t give her specifics on the war in fear that their letters could be intercepted. But he did tell her how much he missed her. It seemed that writing and thinking of Y/N was the only source of light he had during such dark times.

Tony helped with Zamora’s army from the castle too, having meetings with generals and advisors. 

King Henry forbid him to ride to battle. After all, he was the heir of Zamora. 

Tony hated it. He wanted to be fighting like his friend Steve. But Zamora’s customs were different than those of Midgard’s.

Y/N often sat in council meetings. She learned it was better to observe everything, listen to every man’s opinion, and then save her own for when her and Tony were alone. He always listened to her. Always.

“You were born to be a king, not me,” Tony had recently told her with a sad smile before shooing her off to bed.

To Y/N’s surprise, Bucky did not flee Zamora. He stayed at her side. But things had changed between them. There was no longer that draw between them. The knight was cold and distant, but still watchful of his princess.

Y/N thought it was best to ignore him as well as she could. It was hard, especially after years of feeling a draw to her knight.

Slowly the princess stopped seeing him as Bucky. He was Sir James to her now.

-------

It was the end of a long day now. Y/N had been helping the medical ward that had been set up in the town square. There were men injured from war that could not return to battle. Some didn’t make the journey back to their kingdom. The rest were now placed on cots.

The princess was no physician or surgeon. But she helped where she could. Sometimes it was just getting fresh water or holding a lonely man’s hand as he died. But it was better than doing nothing.

Y/N was exhausted.

But more than anything… she was sick of watching her people die.

Y/N was lost in her thoughts, barely even having the strength to walk to Moon and ride back to the castle.

So when her foot caught a bump in the footpath, she wasn’t even strong enough to regain her footing or catch herself. 

Just as she accepted that she would be falling, a strong pair of hands gripped her waist and pulled her upright.

Y/N blinked slowly, too exhausted to fight the grip of a stranger.

It felt like a dream as she looked over her shoulder to see that it was Bucky who was steadying her.

How long had he been following her?

She hadn’t seen him anywhere in sight when she was helping the wounded.

The knight observed her face and body for a moment.

Y/N wished he kept his grip on her hips just a few seconds longer. But he let go as soon as she was steady.

“When was the last time you ate something, Your Highness?” Bucky

Y/N touched her forehead, suddenly realizing how lightheaded she was as well. She shrugged and shook her head. Not really answering his question, but brushing it aside altogether.

Bucky sighed in disappointment.

Y/N barely heard him whistle to Persephone.

His loyal steed came cantering to his side.

Without warning her or asking for permission, Bucky lifted Y/N into his arms and planted her on top of the saddle. There was barely a second before he was swing his legs over and placing himself right behind her.

Y/N wanted to yell at him, to reprimand him for manhandling his princess.

But she was so exhausted and she realized how much she missed him. Though he had frequently been at her side, he was distant in every other way.

So Y/N welcomed the feeling of his warm body pressed against her back and his arms wrapped around her as he reached for the reigns.

“Thank you,” Y/N muttered so quietly that she doubted he could even hear it.

“You would have fallen off your horse and broken your neck,” he scolded before making a clicking sound to urge Persephone forward.

Y/N gave a lazy smirk. It felt like old times for just one moment.

She decided to say nothing.

“You have worked yourself to exhaustion…” Bucky continued.

Y/N rolled her eyes, even though she knew he couldn’t see it. “My people need me.”

“Yes, but they also need you alive and healthy too.” He countered.

She didn’t have the strength to argue with him.

The ride from the town square back to the castle only took half an hour or so.

But Y/N was so tired and relaxed in the arms of Bucky that she fell asleep. Her head rested back between the knight’s right shoulder and bicep.

“Is she alright?” Y/N recognized the voice of Peter in her sleep. It sounded like a dream.

“Do not wake her,” Bucky hissed in a hushed voice.

Y/N could barely feel herself being moved from the saddle to someone’s arms.

————— Wanda watched as Bucky carried Y/N’s sleeping body into her bedchambers and carefully slid her into bed.

The servant girl’s heart warmed as the knight pulled the covers up to the princess’ chin.

When Bucky turned to leave, he stopped at the expression Wanda gave him.

“She misses you,” the servant muttered quietly. But there was malice in her eyes.

“I have not left,” the knight answered before continuing his walk past her.

“You know what I speak of, Sir James.” She closed the bedroom door behind her as she hurried after the knight. “Why did you push her away? She told you she loved you! She gave you her heart, the thing she has protected most in her whole life... and you trampled it!”

“Enough, Wanda!” Bucky groaned.

“No!” Wanda snapped and grabbed his arm, whipping him around to face her. “People sing songs and tell tales of your bravery. But I see you for what you truly are: a coward.”

Bucky remained emotionless by her insult.

Then he looked at the ground. “I…I cannot give her what she wants. You know this. I know this. And so does she.”

“But do you truly not believe sharing your true affections is still worth it?” Wanda whispered.

Bucky clenched his jaw and stared into the servants eyes before shaking his head.

He turned and rushed to the door, throwing it open. “You will regret it,” Wanda told him.

He paused in the doorway, letting the words settle over him.

But he gave no reply before storming out the door.

—————————

6 Months Later

Y/N was laying in the grass of her garden, staring up at the clouds and trying to figure out what each one reminded her of. She had been forbidden from helping the wounded or monitoring the rations today. 

Tony and Bruce had rallied against her. She suspected Bucky might have had a secret role, as well.

If she couldn’t help, she would hide away. It had been months since she visited her garden. Part of it was because of the changing seasons. The other part was because she had been avoiding it.

Y/N was punishing herself, ridding her life of anything that caused her joy. 

She never went riding, only using Moon to travel back and forth to the town square. She didn’t read her favorite books, telling herself that she had better things to do than spend time on such hobbies. Lastly, she avoided her garden because it brought her solace…solace that she didn’t deserve. Furthermore, being there reminded her of Bucky and the few stolen moments that life was charitable enough to allow them.

Now it was fall, she’d missed the beautiful blooming that spring brought and the bright colors summer then provided. But now she saw the leaves changing and heard the crinkling of them with every breeze, and she remembered how much she loved autumn.

Y/N was brought out of her daydreaming when she heard and felt heavy footsteps approaching.

She knew Bucky was the only one with access to the garden besides the greenskeeper. Yet she was still surprised to see him.

Y/N noted the tension in his body. But his face remained calm. It didn’t mean anything though: he was trained to never show panic or fear.

“What is it?” Y/N asked him. He had not come to her garden since the last time they kissed. She knew he would not enter unless it was something dire.

“I think it is best you come to the courtyard, Your Majesty.”

Y/N narrowed her eyes in confusion. “Why? What has happened?”

“The tower watchmen spotted a couple riders approaching the castle. One was riding with a banner of Midgard.”

Y/N’s eyes widened. “Steve!” She gasped before jumping to her feet and running past Bucky.

She was barefoot. Her hair in a wavy mess that was far too improper for a princess. She was in a dress that even a commoner would wear, for she did not know she would be forbidden from helping wounded that day.

But she wasn’t thinking about how she looked as she sprinted to the courtyard. But she didn’t stop there. She kept running and ran straight through it and to the gates at the castle walls. She didn’t even notice the crazy stares she got from townsfolk, nobles, and guards.

Y/N walked onto flying bridge and stared into the horizon.

She saw Dame Natasha first, her red hair sticking out from everything else.

Next she saw Sir Clinton and Sir Samuel.

Then Y/N let out a gasp of relief when she spotted Steve amongst the four of them. He rode at the back of the group, which was why she didn’t see him at first.

It worried Y/N that her two knights were accompanying a foreign king. Was it possible that they were all that was left of Zamora’s army?

Suddenly, Y/N felt a presence behind her.

She turned around to find Bucky standing guard. But he wasn’t looking at the princess or the approaching riders. Instead, he was scouting the horizon to see if there was an enemy lingering or some surprise attack trying to be executed, using Steve as bait.

Y/N squinted when she saw that only one of Steve’s hands was holding the reigns, while the other one was holding a sack of some sort.

The four riders came to a halt quickly. Y/N had to take a quick step back to prevent herself from getting trampled.

“What is it? What has happened?” Y/N looked up at Steve only.

He tossed the sack on the ground and it rolled to the princess’ feet.

Y/N felt sick when she saw there was blood soaking the bottom of the sack.

“King Alexander’s head,” Steve clarified darkly.

Her eyes widened, realizing what this meant. If Hydra’s king was dead, then that must mean…

“The war has ended,” Steve declared.

Y/N was about to smile, but then she finally took Steve in. His skin was pale and sweaty. There was red shadows lingering on his skin beneath his eyes.

Suddenly, the king’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and he started sliding off of his saddle.

“Steve!” Y/N screeched and rushed forward.

Bucky beat her to the king’s saddle thankfully and caught Steve before he could hit the ground. He lowered him to the ground and called over his shoulder for a medic.

Y/N instantly kneeled to the ground and was cradling Steve’s head in her lap as she called his name.

She looked up at the knights that had accompanied him back. “What happened?”

Natasha looked just as shocked as her and was shaking her head. “He-he said he was scathed in battle... b-but that it was nothing to worry about…” Her voice was numb.

Y/N’s fingers were desperate as they unbuckled his armor and rid his body of it. When his chest plate was removed, she saw a huge stain of blood on the right side of his torso, just under his pectoral muscle.

“Steve? Steve, please!” The princess begged as she rain her fingers through his hair.

His eyes fluttered open at her calling.

But he closed them before smiling almost with delusion, “Hello, my love.” His voice was but a mere sigh.

“Please, stay awake.” Y/N urged him.

Steve nodded numbly, trying his best to calm her and listen to her pleading.

Suddenly Bucky was pulling her away from him as servants ran a canvas stretcher to the king and carefully placed his body on it.

Y/N tried to rush after them as they hurried Steve away. But Bucky pulled her against his chest and stopped her from moving.

“You have to let them help him,” he whispered comfortingly in her ear.

Everyone was too preoccupied with Steve to notice the intimate solace the knight gave his princess.

Y/N allowed herself to go limp in Bucky’s arms…but only for a moment.

She pulled away slowly and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

Bucky leaned forward and brushed her messy hair off her face. Then he brushed a lingering tear on her cheek away with his thumb. “It will be okay,” he whispered reassuringly to her.

Then it seemed he snapped back to reality and realized they had an audience. He quickly dropped his hand and took a step away from her.

By some miracle no one seemed to notice the intimate moment except Natasha, Clint, and Sam. They looked at him almost pathetically, seeing how hard it was for Bucky to be near Y/N when she was in distress and not able to do anything to help her.

Y/N’s eyes fell on the sack filled with King Alexander’s head.

Taking in a deep breath, she grabbed it and headed back toward the castle. She marched into court, knowing her father and mother were lingering there.

The ignorant and pompous nobles gasped at her attire and the sack she held that was dripping blood at her feet.

Y/N looked around the room and then found the eyes of her father and king.

When she did, she tossed the sack forward. “The King of Hydra is dead. The great war is finally over.”

People blinked in shock before processing the words she actually said. Then the room erupted in cheers. But Y/N saw no cause for celebration. How many lives had been lost to get here? Yes, the suffering had ended. But the scars would remain.

Y/N slipped out of the room with the chaos of jubilee that had now taken over the room.

She heard Bucky following a few steps behind, but tried her best to ignore his presence.

The knight already knew where she was going.

Y/N turned the corner to the infirmary.

Bruce seemed to be expecting her already, knowing the princess would not be able to stay away from her betrothed.

“He will be just fine, my dear.” Bruce told Y/N gently.

“He fainted and fell off his horse. That wound… H-how will he be fine?” She challenged.

“Because he did not treat the wound immediately, it continued bleeding. Blood loss causes lightheadedness. And he lost a lot of it. But I cleaned the wound and stitched it up. Right now... he just needs rest, Your Highness.”

Y/N let out a giant and shaky exhale.

Bruce gripped her shoulder and gave her a small smile. “You can go in and sit with him, Your Highness.”

She nodded before quickly going inside.

Bucky waited outside, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword that was strapped at his waist.

Steve sat up in bed when he saw Y/N enter. His eyes lit up with love, but it flickered when he saw that she was glaring at him.

“Do not scare me like that ever again,” Y/N snapped and she made no move toward him. Instead, she stood her ground and crossed her arms.

“Forgive me,” Steve muttered, eyes genuinely fearful of his betrothed’s wrath.

Y/N stance seemed to soften then. “Can it really be true? Is the war truly over?”

Steve nodded, “I promised I would not return until it was won. I brought his head as an offering to you. Hydra cannot harm you ever again, Y/N.”

“You really know how to woo a woman, Your Majesty.” Y/N couldn’t stifle her giggle.

Steve’s heart melted. “I have missed that sound.” Then he blushed when he realized he had said it aloud.

And just like that, the Steve she had first met returned and the general king was hidden away once again.

Steve reached a hand out to her. “Please, come here.” The distance between them was growing more and more torturous.

Y/N did as he requested, already deciding to give up her tough love act.

She sat down at the edge of her bed. But that wasn’t enough for Steve. He pulled her down so she was laying in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. 

Silence settled between them. Neither of them really knew what to say. They had been apart for so long. But ever so slowly, they started to remember the problems they had left unresolved when Steve went to war.

“I have missed you,” the princess whispered ever so quietly.

“I promise... it was not as much as I missed you,” Steve countered as his grip on her body tightened ever so slightly. 

——————

Bucky couldn’t sleep. It was nothing new. But tonight, he felt extra restless. Perhaps it was because he was still worried for Y/N. Bruce had confirmed that Steve would be fine and make a full recovery.

The knight had no idea how Y/N would react if anything were to happen to the King of Midgard.

Bucky knew she loved him to some degree. He saw it in her eyes. But what he saw even more was how hard she had to try to hide her feelings for the king. Bucky wondered if it was easier or harder than it once was hiding her feelings for him.

But the knight was brought out of his reverie when there was a harsh knock at his bedroom door.

His body tensed.

But his hand immediately went for the knife he hid under his pillow every night.

When he opened the door carefully, he was met with Dame Natasha.

He said nothing, waiting for the lady knight to speak first.

“The King of Midgard wishes to see you,” she told him.

----------------

Part XX

Just a heads up, there are only a few more chapters left in this story. Don’t panic lol

[thorne93]

Past VS Present (Part 5)

Prompt: Imagine being best friends with Loki, but this wasn’t always the case, since you’d grown up with Anakin Skywalker. And when Anakin needs your help one day,it starts a wave of events.

Word Count: 2293

Warnings: language (later in series), emergency..?

Notes: This takes place like right before Thor 1 and after-ish Reveng of the Sith (without Anakin turning) Thanks a million to my beta @like-a-bag-of-potatoes I couldn’t have finished this without you. and @queendivaofthedark you were amazing, thank you so much!

Crossover of Thor (Loki) and Star Wars

Tags (let me know if you want added or removed): @phantomgirl2298 @munlis @cocosierra94

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days after your return to Asgard, Loki and you were practicing sword dueling in one of the courtyards designated for training . Your mind had been a cage of war ever since you’d returned.

 Ever since you laid eyes on Anakin again, your mind and heart had been in turmoil. You longed to go back to see him, to be near him like the old days. To fight by his side and watch him amaze you with his ability, courage, and wit. Sleeping next to him was on one hand a sweet gesture to the past you two shared, but also a heavy burden as you burned to cross the line of platonic friendship to heated romance.

 Yet, as much as you thought of your childhood companion, you thought of your new best friend as well and how much you wanted the same thing from him. Loki was just as charming, intelligent, and good with fighting as Anakin. Loki gave you trinkets and flowers on your birthday, he read with you, would be in the library with you at all hours, laughing over the most ridiculous stories.

Both made you feel safe, comfortable, and like you were home. Both trusted you and confided in you.

 However, neither one was obtainable. For Loki was a prince and would most likely be forced to marry a girl that would aid the two kingdoms. Anakin was a Jedi Knight sworn to never love. So your heart was in despair over nothing, over what could never be.

 When you had left the Jedi years ago, you had almost accepted that you’d never see him again. But once you laid eyes on him again, those feelings you’d long since buried bubbled up and forced you to notice them.

 But now, here you were again, with no telling if you’d ever see him again.

 Loki had jabbed at you and you were trying to work on your footwork but something had caught your eye on the corner of the courtyard. Loki’s sword glided past your arm but you were in too much of a trance to notice.

 “Y/N! I almost stabbed you, what in Gods’ name has you distracted?” Loki demanded as you accidentally ignored him and ran past him to Anakin who was standing there, watching you. You didn’t mean to ignore Loki, you were just incapable of hearing or noticing anything else.

 “Your form has gotten much better,” Anakin said with a smile and laugh as you ran full force to him and threw your arms around him. He picked you up and swung you around.

 “What are you doing here?” you asked as you held onto him.

 “I’ve been requested by the King to help with the matter of a phantom army.”

 “You?” Loki demanded from behind you two. “You are who my father sought help from?”

 “Why, yes. My Master and I have been called to deal with it. He thinks our power with the Force will help.”

 Loki shook his head and his jaw clenched as he looked away.

 “Loki, come here!” you requested in a giddy tone. He obliged and stepped forward, his head held high. You still had a hold of Anakin’s hand when you introduced them. “Loki, this is Anakin Skywalker, the man I grew up with. And Anakin, this is Prince Loki Odinson, he’s my greatest friend here!”

 “Is that so? Well any friend of Y/N’s is a friend of mine,” Anakin said as he extended his hand.

 “Ah, yes. Nice to finally meet the man she talks so highly of.”

 A moment later, Odin, Obi-Wan, Thor, and a few of the guard were walking toward the group of you.

 “Y/N, I hope you don’t mind but we seeked out help from the Jedi. Do you have a problem with that?” King Odin asked once he reached you.

 “No, your highness, of course not. They will be a valuable asset. May I ask what this phantom army refers to?”

 “Well you see, there is a ghost army that…” Odin started as you began to follow him, the group huddling around you as you walked with him.

 Once you were out of earshot, Loki and Anakin began walking behind the group.

 Loki quietly said, “You know, she’ll never go for you.”

 “Is that so?” Anakin questioned, keeping his head forward. “What makes you so sure? Is she with you?”

 “Not yet, but she will be. And as I’m aware, your Jedi kind aren’t even allowed to court, isn’t that right?”

 Anakin flicked his finger and used the Force to trip Loki, his form spilling out onto the ground in front of him, making the group turn back to look at him.

 “Brother, are you alright?” Thor asked.

 “I’m fine, Thor,” Loki assured as he started to get up and dust himself off.

 “Must’ve just tripped,” Anakin said with a wave as he smiled at the group. You smiled at them both and went back to discussing the details with Odin.

 “This isn’t over, Skywalker,” Loki vowed in a dark voice, his eyes cooling to match the severity.

 --------------------------

 Later that evening, the gang of young warriors and fighters were having a smaller, private dinner in the private dining room. The King and Queen and their guests were in the main dining room but suggested that Anakin and Obi-Wan would be better suited with the younger warriors.

 So here you all were, having a mini-feast as everyone was laughing and welcoming the guests of honor. You sat next to Anakin as Loki sat across from you, with all of the others spread out along the long rectangular table. So far all had been well between everyone. Thor and everyone, except Loki, had been laughing at tales and asking questions of your friends. He seemed fascinated with their abilities and their weapons. Of course, the light saber would amuse him.

 Obi-Wan was telling of a rousing mission that you were involved in right before you left. A few surprised glances were thrown your way from your new friends.

 “Obi-Wan, Anakin, care for a drink?” Thor offered.

 “No, thank you, your highness but we are on duty,” Obi-Wan politely declined. “We need our wits about us.”

 “Perfectly fine. If you’re anything like Loki here, it wouldn’t be good.” Thor leaned forward and covered one side of his mouth, even though he was speaking loudly enough for the whole palace to hear. “Between you and me, I don’t think Loki can hold his meade.”

 Anakin nodded slightly as he said, “Yes, it doesn’t look like he can hold much of anything.” A daring look cross his face and you nearly gasped at the remark. Anakin was one for being smart-mouthed to his foes, but never to royalty he was supposed to protect.

 Loki quirked an eyebrow and quickly fired back though. “You would know all about that, not holding a seat on the council.”

 You closed your eyes. This couldn’t be happening. Your two best friends were fighting and throwing insults back and forth, the last one holding much more sting than the other. Although if you were honest with yourself, you weren’t entirely surprised. Loki and Anakin were both short tempered, highly smart-mouthed, quick witted to a fault, and at times, overly confident.

 “Just as you can’t hold a place at the throne?” Anakin replied in an even tone. By this point, the table had picked up on the animosity between these two. It had gone beyond playful jesting and to the point of trying to antagonize one another.

 You tensed for Loki’s reaction. You knew Loki had a short fuse, except unlike Thor or Sif or Volstagg, his reaction wouldn’t be quite so immediate. He would carefully calculate a retaliation.

 It seemed you weren’t the only one holding your breath for the Prince’s reaction. Thor’s good humor had fallen to an awkward frown as he stared into his cup, Fandral and Sif were looking any direction but Loki, Volstagg was nervously eating, Hogun was pursing his lips as he gazed down at his hands. Obi-Wan tried to smile, to ease the situation, but the damage was done.

 Loki and Anakin stared each other down.

 “Very well,” Loki said finally, no emotion in his voice. “I will see myself to my sleeping chambers. I am rather tired and I have an early start tomorrow. Good evening,” he bidded as he stood and pushed his chair in. Once Loki was gone, the rooms atmosphere seemed to warm up a bit.

 “I’d better check on him,” you said as you stood and put your napkin on your plate.

 “Y/N,” Anakin tried as he reached for your hand.

 “Anakin, don’t,” you responded firmly, pulling away.

 You picked up your skirts and ran through the halls to Loki’s quarters.

 “Loki, open up, it’s me,” you called into his bedroom as you pounded on the door.

 “Leave me alone,” he responded.

 “Loki, please just let me in. Let’s talk about this.”

 The door suddenly yanked open and you stepped back. Loki’s ferocious face was in yours in an instant. Even full of rage he was breathtakingly handsome.

 “Let’s talk about how your so-called friends just insulted me in my own company, in my own palace? I think not!” he said with a seething tone as his eyes were wide and burned into yours. You didn’t fear him though. You pushed on his chest gently and let yourself in his sleeping chambers as you had done on many occasions. You two were friends and often came to his room for recreation such as drawing, reading, spell casting. You closed the door behind you as Loki turned in his room and ran his hands through his hair.

 “I am sorry about that,” you apologized quietly. “Anakin is never that rude to anyone...well, except maybe the Sith.” You nodded your head to the side.

 “Where did he even hear about it?” Loki demanded, his arm stretched out, gesturing in the general direction of the party. “Did you tell him? Did you flaunt my failure to the so-called chosen one? Is it not enough to have the throne taken from me, must you torment me with it by telling all of the kingdoms?”

 You frowned and shook your head as you stepped closer. “Loki, I would never, ever betray your trust. Moreover I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

 He stared at you, trying to gauged your truthfulness.

 “You know I’m the God of Lies, correct? You know I can tell when someone is lying?”

 “I imagine you know a great deal of things, Loki, you’re a thousand years older than I. So tell me, God of Lies and Mischief, am I lying when I say I would never hurt you?”

 The tiniest smile cracked in the corner of his mouth. “No.”

 “See? I’m not sure where he heard it. Perhaps your father told him. Perhaps Thor simply said he was next. Perhaps he overheard someone saying. The point is he had no right to say that and I”m sorry.”

 “Why are you apologizing on his behalf? He is not your responsibility.”

 You began to walk around Loki’s room. “Well, while we were Jedi, Anakin had a habit of disobeying Obi-Wan. It was my habit in return to cover for him, make excuses, or apologize on a routine basis for him. So I suppose he used to be my responsibility. It’s ironic though, isn’t it? He was always disobeying, yet I’m the one who strayed.” You turned back to face Loki but he was much closer than you expected.

 Loki smiled down at you, his eyes piercing. He put a strand of hair behind your ear, making you shiver. “I’m glad you strayed,” he breathed, his hand lingering on the back of your neck.

 “Me too,” you echoed, barely above a whisper. Other than fighting, you’d never been this close to Loki before. The sensation was overwhelming.

 “I have something I’d like to ask you,” he said suddenly.

 “What’s that?”

 “It’s what I wanted to ask you before you ran off three days ago.”

 “Oh? And you’ve waited all this time?”

 “I was waiting for the proper moment,” he responded, his brow quirking up to assert the point. Your head had slowly leaned back on his hand as his face was above yours.

 “Is that so?”

 “Yes. Because you see what I’m going to ask you is very important.”

 “Yes?” you breathed. You weren’t sure you could take any more of this. The anticipation was killing you as his cool breath washed over your face, your knees were becoming weak.

 “Would you like to accompany me to the ball?” he invited.

 “The ball? You want me to...to be your date?” you questioned.

 “Why yes, of course, I believe that’s what I justed asked.”

 “Right. Uh, yes, absolutely. I’d be delighted. Thank you, Loki.”

 “My pleasure, Y/N. Now, If you’ll excuse me, I really do need to get to sleep.”

 “Oh, I’m sorry. I just--I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” you said sheepishly.

 “I know.” He smiled and kissed your forehead. “You always do lookout for me. Thank you for that.”

 “So you’re okay?”

 “Please, from that little comment your friend made? I’m perfectly fine.”

 “Okay, good.”

 He started to lead you out by your hand, and just as he opened the door to escort you out, you spun in place.

 “And Loki?”

 “Hmm?”

 “Could you two try to be...nicer to each other? You are the most important men in my life and it would mean a lot if you got along.” You smiled at him, hoping it would drive the request home.

 “I’ll do my best.”

 “That’s all I ask. Goodnight.”

 “Goodnight.”

[seriouslyhooked]

So Close (The CS Mixtape) Part 143/?

Series of CS oneshots inspired by music. Collection on FF Here.

A/N: This is a reader requested EF AU somewhat based on the dance sequence in ‘Enchanted.’ Emma and Killian knew each other before and fell in love, but Emma is in an arranged marriage (of sorts) when this story takes place. Killian comes to the palace dressed as a prince and they share a dance. You can all probably guess what happens next (and yes I managed to throw a proposal in here, because it’s me and I live dangerously). Inspired by the song ‘So Close’ by Jon McLaughlin.

Once upon a time I would have loved this, Emma thought to herself as she stared out into the sea of people from her kingdom who were enjoying the royal ball this evening.

It was a familiar site for Emma, with the grand fashions and the measured steps of people’s movements against the backdrop of sweet playing music. There were guests enjoying food and drink, laughing in merriment, and celebrating the good news that a new day was coming to Misthaven, one without any more war or strife. Yet while everyone else was in the mood for rejoicing, Emma lacked the ability to enjoy the evening. Where others felt relief, she felt nothing but the subtle pang of loneliness even surrounded by admirers as she was. For even if it seemed like she had everything, there was something – or rather someone – who was noticeably missing.

“You look so beautiful tonight, Emma,” her mother said, pulling Emma from her thoughts and back into the fray of her family once more where they stood above the people. “It’s such a striking red, but I really do think it might be your color.”

Emma looked down at the gown she was wearing, noticing just how different it was from her once usual fare. Years ago she’d been lighter, softer, and more prone to muted colors. Her world was filled with rosy pinks and pale yellows, and she’d been content with that, but then she’d been awakened as if from a lifelong dream, and suddenly she realized there was more to life than what she’d known. There was vibrancy and passion, lust and love, but just as quickly as it had come it was gone, and Emma was left searching for a way to grasp the memory of it all as close as she could.

Don’t go there, Emma, not tonight, she counseled herself before responding to her mother in a feigned, hopeful tone.

“I can’t take all the credit. The dressmaker worked her magic. I merely get to wear it.” There, that seemed convincing enough. She might not seem overjoyed, but she likely didn’t sound as torn up about tonight as she felt inside.

“Don’t sell yourself short,” her mother insisted. “Real beauty starts from within, and you have that in abundance.”

Emma appreciated her mother’s words, but tonight she didn’t feel so lovely. Instead she felt ashamed and guilty, for this was the day when an announcement would be made that Emma was to marry a foreign prince, a man in line for the throne in another kingdom. He was a suitable match, perhaps a little arrogant but not unkind to her, and Emma knew she could theoretically do far worse. But his not being terrible didn’t make this something that Emma wanted. It was simply expected, and despite what she’d once thought, she didn’t have any other alternatives, not when the man she once believed would be her one and only was gone and hadn’t been heard from in over a year.

“I think I’ll take a lap around the room. Stretch my legs a bit,” Emma said before leaving her mother without another word and hoping to get out of this ballroom and into the night air outside. Maybe then she wouldn’t feel so stifled, and she could breathe again.

The truth was that Emma hadn’t breathed easy since the morning he left, the man she’d fallen in love with, her Killian. Years ago when their paths first crossed they were really only children, both of them searching for meaning in the lives that seemed so meticulously planned out for them. Emma was a princess in line to inherit, and Killian was a Lieutenant who served in another king’s navy alongside his brother. But time past, things changed and one day after years apart, Emma and Killian found each other again in a wholly different situation.

This time he was a Captain on the seas, and a pirate to boot, having forsaken his old flag after losing his brother, but it hadn’t mattered. Circumstances had brought them together again and love had grown from the friendship and infatuation they once shared. Slowly but surely Emma fell for him and she knew Killian had fallen too. There was no denying that what they’d shared was real, and Emma spent many nights slipping past the castle walls to find Killian somewhere quiet and peaceful. For a few hours at a time she could pretend that things were different. In that life she dreamed she wasn’t a princess and he wasn’t a pirate. They were just two people who against all odds had found true love that they could share forever.

But that happiness that they had, the one Emma held dear to her heart and kept a secret for so long, fell away in the blink of an eye. Killian had come to her one night, breaking with tradition, and arriving at the palace to tell her that he had one last voyage, one last mission before he’d come back to her and stay forever. He was hell bent on procuring some treasure or other before he promised to return and seek a blessing from her parents.

“I know you want to wait, love, and I’ve tried to be patient, but we deserve more than this, more than stolen moments that disappear when the witching hour comes. Whatever happens, whatever the fall out when the world discovers the truth, I won’t let any of it touch you. It’ll all be all right. You have my word.”

“How can you be sure?” Emma had asked, already knowing she trusted him no matter what. Killian had never broken a promise, and in all the time she’d known him he had never once lied to her.

“That’s easy - true love always wins.”

Killian had given her those assurances and those painfully sweet words as well as a few last kisses before having to return to his ship. When he left Emma missed him immediately, but she thought he would return to her in a matter of days. Yet days turned to months and months to a year and he was still gone. No letters, no word, no trace of Captain Killian Jones or his ship to be found.

Emma had scoured high and low. She’d asked as discretely as she could for information from the people in the nearby port, used her magic in all sorts of ways, but the trail went cold and Emma was left to fear the worst. She knew he was alive, her magic had been able to ascertain that much, but either Killian was lost in some unknown turmoil, or he didn’t want to be found.

A year went by and for so many months Emma never let her faith in him die. She remained vigilant and consumed with finding him while still trying to carry a façade of being okay with her family and friends, but eventually she realized that either way she’d been left behind. Whether or not Killian wanted to hurt her he had, and she was left to pick up the pieces and try to make sense of a world she no longer recognized.

All of this, all the heartbreak and pain and the sorry situations, should have allowed her to feel better than she did. Emma argued with herself in her rational mind that when Killian had left he’d chosen something other than her. His treasure mattered more to him and that cut her to the core. Maybe it wasn’t fair to think that way, but with every day her heart had been crushed a little more, until one day she realized it was broken all together. She had lost her hope and her trust had been tarnished, leaving her a princess of marrying age who the world was watching and waiting to wed.

“Doesn’t the princess look lovely tonight?” A passing guest proclaimed while on the arm of another.

“Indeed she does. A real ray of light she is.”

Emma could have offered them both a smile or some thanks, but she ignored the praise and pushed forward. She was getting closer to the doorway, but in this sea of people it was hard to cut through. She felt caught at so many moments, even when people moved out of her way to let her by. Emma just needed to get out of there and have a moment when the whole kingdom wasn’t looking at her to sacrifice her happiness for the sake of an arranged marriage.

For a long time she’d been lucky and her parents hadn’t pushed. Even as the years passed by and Emma grew older, they never insisted that she visit other kingdoms or hold dances for the sake of meeting a husband. But then a few months ago that changed. She woke up one morning to her mother’s announcement of a new treaty to be signed between their kingdom and another, and a prince was mentioned who was young and spry and ‘suitable’ as her father had put it. Just the thought of him had been enough to put a bad taste in Emma’s mouth, and then when she actually met him two days ago upon his arrival to Misthaven she felt even worse.

It made her sick to even consider a life where she swore vows to someone who wasn’t Killian, no matter that he’d left her. She might be heartbroken but she also didn’t want to settle for something loveless and convenient. Maybe it was foolish of her, but she’d thought since she was little that love would be her path too. After all her parents had found it, and she was the product of true love, a child born in magic with magic of her own. It had seemed certain that she should find love, but now it seemed that chance was gone before it even had the ability to start.

Not looking where she was going, Emma suddenly walked into an approaching figure dressed in fine garb that screamed of some sort of wealth and stature, and she was pained. Please don’t let this be the prince, or any prince for that matter, Emma thought. Just let me be. Let me go.

“Emma,” the man said and the voice of the stranger stopped her in her tracks. It couldn’t be – no she had to be hallucinating. This was her final stop on a voyage to insanity. Now she was hearing Killian’s voice, when it couldn’t be him.

But then a hand came to clutch hers, and Emma knew in her heart who it was. Her whole body lit up from a simple touch, and the only person who had ever had such an effect on her was Killian. Glancing upwards and into the man’s eyes Emma saw it was him, and she couldn’t understand it. He was here! He was alive and he was really here! But he was… altered.

Gone was the black leather she was used to seeing Killian in and instead there was the tailor-made showings of a prince. Emma didn’t understand it. What was going on? Why would he even risk coming here – and where had he been all that time? This wasn’t the way she ever expected him to come back and she had a million feelings and questions and unanswered emotions roiling inside, but then Killian smiled at her that same hopeful, impossibly sweet smile from a man who was so strong and commanding with everyone else. In that expression she saw her Killian, her sailor who’d gone and stolen part of her heart with him across the seas.

“Killian?” she said, still not fully believing that he was real or that he was here. He had to be a dream, a beautiful, heart-wrenching figment of her imagination.

“Gods it’s good to see you, love,” Killian said, forgetting himself a bit more as he stepped towards her, taking her other hand in his.

Emma was so tempted to lean into this and to let the rest of the world fall away. Even after all this time she knew the comfort of his arms would remain. She’d fit in his embrace perfectly and all her fears and worries would drift away just as they always had. He’d make her feel whole again, and help her heal from the torment of the past year. But a stronger part of her was unable to yield. He’d been gone too long. Too much had changed. She couldn’t just give in, not if she had any hope of staying strong when he left again.

“What are you doing here?” Emma asked, the words harsher than either of them were used to and for a second she saw a flash of pain in his blue eyes, but Killian persevered, and what remained wasn’t any sort of animosity but an understanding. He wasn’t mad at her for being angry. In fact, it appeared he totally expected it.

“That’s simple, princess. I’m here for you.”

The way he said those words, with an unwavering promise that Emma wanted so desperately to believe, tore at her. Killian had always been honest with her, and she had the ability to sense a lie better than anyone else in the kingdom, so she knew he meant that proclamation now. But that didn’t change the fact that he’d been gone so long and that a year had past where she thought him gone forever. He’d hurt her, whether he meant to or not and now she was wary where she’d never been that way with Killian before.

Add to that the fact that he was risking too much by being here at all with her parents looking on and Emma was a frenzy of worry. She was alert to the fact that the whole point of this evening was for eyes to be on her. For the moment no one seemed to recognize Killian, but if Emma had any hope of protecting him she should probably play along to some extent and not act out in the flurry of emotions she was feeling.

“Well you’ve seen me. If you’ll excuse me,” she said, turning back around but not getting very far before Killian had chased around to see her again, not letting go of her hand.

“Actually I was hoping, if you’re not otherwise engaged, that I might ask for this dance.”

Emma’s heart constricted in her chest and she felt this flooding of emotion that had been gone for so long. Killian was here – he was actually here – and she was close enough to touch him after months of missing him. She knew she should say no. Hell she should probably slap him or yell or scream or… something! But she couldn’t, instead she nodded and let him lead her to the dance floor and pull her in close.

At the start of the waltz that was playing, there was an element of edginess to Emma’s manners. She was wary of the eyes on her and Killian as they danced and cautious of her parents who Emma knew would be tracking all her movements as they so often did. Her whole life she’d been looked after so carefully, with the entire kingdom fretting over whether the Evil Queen might finally make good on all those threats she’d bestowed on her parents years ago. Emma was used to that by now, but in this moment she hated that feeling. What she wanted more than anything was to be free, but she was trapped in so many ways.

Then there were Emma’s ever-present doubts about Killian’s intentions. Here they were reunited again and he was silent, not bothering to plead his case in any way. Shouldn’t he be telling her everything or making some sort of excuse? But no, he was just standing here, holding her, moving through the dance and acting as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

Well that wasn’t exactly true. Honestly Killian was looking at her like he was seeing the light for the first time, and that gaze as well as the feeling of his hands on her had an unanticipated impact. Emma’s musings about all of her other concerns faded to nothing but an almost imperceptible hum in the face of her love being back again, and for a moment she willfully let go of the sadness and the hurt she was feeling.

Soon it was just the two of them and everything else was forgotten as the beautiful melody filled the space around them. This was a familiar song to Emma, one she’d learned to dance to as a little girl with her father, and been asked to dance many time since with interested suitors, but this time it felt different. This time each note sent a zing of pleasure coursing through her and each brush of her body against Killian’s was a spark that ignited something bright and hopeful. Emma felt a connection to this moment in time that she’d never felt before, as if there was this impossible form of clarity garnered from the movement of her and the man she loved across the dance floor.

Yet it was impossible for Emma to ignore the fact that this was technically their first dance. She’d loved Killian for what felt like forever, but this was a world he was never supposed to be in. She was a princess and he was a pirate, but tonight, dancing here together, those labels fell away. Emma was just Emma and Killian was simply the man her heart had chosen to love.

“I know I likely shouldn’t say this, love – it isn’t strictly polite - but holding you in my arms again… nothing can compare to this form of pleasure.”

Emma knew the feeling. She’d been wandering this castle for over a year lost in so many ways. The ghost of his touch had haunted her and part of her had hollowed out slowly over time the longer he’d been away, but so many nights she lay awake picturing this moment when they’d be back in each other’s arms. At night she’d dream of him, and every time he was so close but then so far away. With the morning would come the reminder that he wasn’t there and she was left lonely and without the love he’d promised he would always give.

“You left me. A whole year came and went and you never came back,” Emma whispered, the words barely carrying over the music, but Killian heard her, and he winced as if she’d slapped him at the point she made.

“Aye I did, but I was never really gone, love. I left everything of me worth having here with you. My hope and my heart, they’ve been yours since the first moment I met you, Emma. You have to believe that.”

Emma felt tears stinging her eyes as he said that, making pretty promises that didn’t mean to hurt her but pierced her all the same. She loved the thought that she’d had his heart, but where was the proof? The facts were he’d gone away with no details or anything. She didn’t even know where the hell he’d been sailing for or what he hoped to find. Just that Killian said it was paramount to anything else.

“Was it worth it?” Emma asked, her voice warbling again with the sadness in her soul. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Yes. It nearly killed me a thousand times to be so far from you, Emma, but in the end it had to happen. I found the final piece to secure our happiness and now we can have our chance.”

Emma looked away again, unable to handle his continued hopes for her. She could feel his genuine want for them to be together, but even if he had a reason to be gone so long, it couldn’t happen. Even if she was slowly caving to her old desire to be with Killian and only Killian, she was promised to another and…

“You were always with me, Emma, every second of every day. You’re the only thing that got me through,” Killian vowed, his voice washing over her like a wave upon the shore.

“Through what?” she asked, not understanding. “Why did you even go in the first place? Why did you stay away so long? Why did you…,”

“Why did I break your heart?” He filled in, and Emma looked back at him again, willing herself not to lose it when all she wanted to do was break in this moment. “I’ll never forgive myself for hurting you, Emma, and I’ve no explanation for it except to say that this wasn’t the plan. I was supposed to be away from you days, a week at most. I never dreamed it would take so long. There was a mix up that cost us dearly and if I could have avoided it you must know that I would have. But I also don’t regret it. The only thing I regret is that I made you doubt my love for you.”

This was too much for Emma to bear and as she looked away to try and collect her self, she made eye contact with her parents who were looking on with curious glances. The pang that hit her in that moment was the final blow to her lessening control and Emma found herself pulling away from Killian and hurting the both of them as she did. It felt wrong to move back from him when the monumental amount of wishes she’d made for his safe return had been answered, but she couldn’t do this. She wasn’t strong enough to stand here and hear this anymore and she wouldn’t dishonor her family by breaking down in front of everyone.

“I can’t,” she said with a tautness in her voice as Killian reached for her.

“Emma, wait!”

Despite his plea and his quick movements, Emma was faster and she dodged his attempt to keep her there, leaving Killian in the middle of the ballroom and moving swiftly from the gazes of everyone else to somewhere she could think and wrap her mind around all of this. By the time she was out of the ballroom she still hadn’t processed anything, and it was only after she’d broken into a full run and made it outside to the gardens that she felt any kind of relief. Finally some quiet and the chance to think this through.

There in the full moonlight under the lanterns that her parents had set out for tonight, Emma paced through the hedgerow, ignoring the roses that had often brought her comfort, and straining for some sort of sign of what she should do. Her head was saying that she had a duty to her family and to the crown that she was supposed to inherit. Her parents had set up a match for her, and going back on her word would be dishonorable. But her heart was clear out here in the solemn quiet and away from the crowds of people inside that that wasn’t an option. No matter what had happened, no matter what his reasons were for being gone as long as he was, her heart still belonged to Killian and it would never be easy unless she was honest with herself and with her parents. She had to tell them, and as bad as the timing might be it had to be tonight.

Turning to head back into the festivities once more, Emma felt stronger now than she had in the first moments of finding Killian again, but surprise came again when she found her parents waiting for her there amongst the greenery. They had left the fray of the party to seek her out, and while that would make her job of finding a private moment easier, it did spike her nerves into turbulence again.

“Mom, Dad… I have something I have to tell you,” Emma said, trying to find the words that would express how much Killian meant to her but how much she loved them and wanted to make them proud too.

“Emma we know,” her mother said, surprising Emma and cutting through her sadness. “We know about you and Killian. We’ve known a long time and Killian had already spoken with both of us about his intentions with you before he went away.”

“He…what?” Emma asked, none of this making sense. Her mother then came over and took her hand in hers, patting it gently.

“More than a year ago we had a visitor. A man who assured us that he loved you more than anything and that while he wanted our blessing, he did not require it for he believed you loved him too. He was very blunt with it all, and he told us in no uncertain terms that he had no plans to walk away as long as you cared for him in any way. How did he phrase it again, Charming?” Her mother asked and Emma’s father offered a small smile.

“’Piracy be damned.’ He was definitely colorful.”

“And you just accepted that?” Emma asked, looking at her father.

“Of course not, but Killian made us see that what he said was true. There’s a real love between the both of you and that’s something to be cherished, not fought against,” her father said as he came to place his hand on Emma’s shoulder gently.

“He also told us that he had no want to hide from us, but that his first aim would always be to make you happy. You weren’t ready to tell us, and Killian wanted you to be the one to come forward. We promised him we’d keep the secret, and he promised something in return, something he was just as desperate for as we were,” her mother said.

Her parents then went on to explain to Emma that there was an enchanted item a realm away that was in essence a failsafe. It would protect Emma from any danger the Evil Queen might ever wield, and while that threat had felt less and less as the years went on, there had always been that feeling of uneasiness in the air. Regina wanted revenge and now, according to her parents, Killian had found a way where she could never have it and where Emma would never have to look over her shoulder for that woman’s dark shadow.

“So all this time you knew and you never told me? Did you know he was alright?” Emma asked, angry at the idea that perhaps they might have known and not released her from her suffering.

“We had no idea Killian had returned until we saw the two of you dancing tonight. We prayed he’d come home for your sake, but we had no word from him since the day he left port a year ago,” her mother promised.

“And what about the prince?” Emma asked, hating that she even had to consider another man when the one man she wanted was here and holding out his heart to her so easily.

“What about him?” her father asked.

“The deal with his kingdom. I thought… I mean people said I was going to marry him. You even said he was ‘suitable.’”

“Oh Emma, no!” Her mother affirmed, pulling Emma in for another hug. “We would never do that to you. Not when someone else already has your heart.”

“When I said he was suitable I only meant in terms of an arrangement. Some kingdoms have wealth but no honor. It was a simple statement of trust that he’d live up to his end of the bargain,” Emma’s father said and Emma closed her eyes, feeling the waves of relief wash over her as she told her parents her intentions without delay.

“I’m marrying Killian.”

“Has he asked you already?!” Her mother asked, an element of undeniable excitement in her voice as she did and Emma shook her head smiling.

“No. I’m going to ask him.”

“Oh, well… what are you waiting for then?” Emma didn’t have an answer for her mother’s question other than to say that she was tired of waiting, and with a quick kiss to both her parents’ cheeks she was off, intent on finding the man she’d nearly let get away from her own fears and mistakes.

Emma would carry that regret of not telling her parents from the start as long as she lived, if only because there was so much time Emma and Killian had remained a secret when they should have had their days in the sun, but she swore as the familiar poof of her white magic transported her to her heart’s truest desire that she’d make it up to him. No matter what it took, Emma would convince Killian that he hadn’t been wrong in trusting his heart to her, and that there was no cause for worry in keeping it with her forever.

There came a small moment of pause, however, when Emma realized where she’d ended up, as it was just a few twists and turns away in another part of the grounds. It was the very same spot by the fountains where they’d said their goodbyes before and shared their last kiss too long ago, only this time Emma had hope that she’d never have to face another tomorrow without Killian being at her side.

“You came back,” Killian said, the relief in his voice more than evident as he stepped to her and Emma cut the distance between them just as fast, not stopping until she was in his arms again and sharing a kiss that breathed every bit of life and hope and wonder back into her that had been missing the past year.

It was a truly miraculous feeling, and a moment where Emma knew that everything was finally as it should be. This would be their fresh start and Emma was positive that nothing should come between them again. She was done doubting love and ready to hold onto it and never let go as long as she lived.

“I love you,” Emma said as she pulled back from the kiss and the grin that he bestowed upon her gave Emma the courage to say the next part. “And you’re going to marry me someday, Killian Jones, because you love me too.”

“Aye, love, that’s true enough. But just for the sake of tradition, and because I’ve spent a year aboard my ship dreaming of this moment, allow me to do this the right way.”

With that Killian dropped down to one knee and pulled out a gorgeous ring right then and there with a beautifully cut diamond and a sea of stones around it. Emma should not have been surprised that he had a band selected already, but the fact that he was so sure of her as to bring this tonight made her heart ache in the most beautiful way. She was so full of love and happiness and the tears that formed in her eyes were a sign of that and a hint of just how right this moment that was about to come to pass felt to her.

“Emma, there has never been a moment since the first day that we met when you weren’t the best part of my world. You were the light when all I had was darkness, the strength I clung to when I lacked my own, and you remain the hope in my heart for a future worth living. I love you with everything I am and I promise that there will never be a moment for the rest of our lives when you don’t feel that love. Will you make me the happiest in all the realms and marry me?”

“Yes,” she promised, reveling in the feeling of that cool metal gracing her finger and then the subsequent embraces that came with their new understanding.

Since the fear and the resistance had been cast aside, Emma let herself give over to this need that surged between her and Killian. Her actions were hardly those expected of a princess, and their kisses and touches dangled on the edge of something not befitting any sort of semi-public space, but Emma didn’t care. She was done denying herself and she was ready to give into this and stop fighting this happily ever after from now on.

Emma could have spent forever out there in the gardens with Killian, sharing their continued promises that nothing would ever again separate them or question this love. Yet the party soldiered on despite their happy reunion, and her parents, understanding and supportive as they were, did make a reappearance to ask both Emma and Killian to return to the ball. The two of them were happy to oblige, for though they’d love more of their quiet, private moments, they were now assured of many, many more to come.

……………..

You're in my arms And all the world is calm The music playing on for only two So close together And when I'm with you So close to feeling alive A life goes by Romantic dreams must die So I bid my goodbye And never knew So close, was waiting Waiting here with you And now, forever, I know All that I wanted To hold you so close So close to reaching That famous happy end Almost believing This one's not pretend And now you're beside me And look how far we've come So far we are, so close Oh how could I face the faceless days If I should lose you now We're so close to reaching That famous happy end Almost believing This one's not pretend Let's go on dreaming For we know we are So close, so close And still so far

Post-Note: So first and foremost I really want to thank my lovely reader who asked for this chapter. I am a sucker for CS and dances, and as much as I love them, I don’t actually write that many EF AU fics so that in itself is always such a nice change. And then of course there was the slight angst and the eventual proposal, and it just all culminates in the usual fluff I’m trying to peddle here. So thank you for this recommendation, I loved it. As for everyone else thank you so much for reading, and if you have requested a song, no worries I am trying to make my way through the many prompts I have gotten and I will find a day to write all of them. Thanks again and hope you have a great rest of your day!

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10,Part 11, Part 12,Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23, Part 24, Part 25, Part 26, Part 27, Part 28, Part 29, Part 30, Part 31, Part 32, Part 33, Part 34, Part 35, Part 36, Part 37, Part 38, Part 39, Part 40, Part 41, Part 42, Part 43, Part 44, Part 45, Part 46, Part 47, Part 48, Part 49, Part 50, Part 51, Part 52, Part 53, Part 54, Part 55, Part 56, Part 57, Part 58, Part 59, Part 60, Part 61, Part 62, Part 63, Part 64, Part 65, Part 66, Part 67, Part 68, Part 69, Part 70, Part 71, Part 72, Part 73, Part 74, Part 75, Part 76, Part 77, Part 78, Part 79, Part 80, Part 81, Part 82, Part 83, Part 84, Part 85, Part 86, Part 87, Part 88, Part 89, Part 90, Part 91, Part 92, Part 93, Part 94, Part 95, Part 96, Part 97, Part 98, Part 99, Part 100, Part 101, Part 102, Part 103, Part 104, Part 105, Part 106, Part 107,Part 108, Part 109, Part 110,Part 111, Part 112, Part 113, Part 114, Part 115,Part 116, Part 117, Part 118, Part 119,Part 120, Part 121, Part 122, Part 123,Part 124, Part 125, Part 126, Part 127, Part 128,Part 129,Part 130, Part 131,Part 132, Part 133, Part 134, Part 135, Part 136, Part 137, Part 138, Part 139,Part 140, Part 141, Part 142

[elvish-sky]

Temptation of Regality Part 5: Home Director's Commentary

look at me actually doing this forever later!! i’m sorry this took so long. i decided to do this for the last part because it’s the one that i’m the second-most proud of for this series but doing You’re Here wouldn’t be that exciting cause it was mostly just a crack chapter (that i will defend with my whole soul. anyhoo

In reference to this ask from @bitter-sweet-farmgirl !!!

****

The next morning, you blinked open eyes heavy with sleep. Your head was resting on something firm, and you could hear someone else’s breathing. You rolled to the side, noticing that you were fully on a bed even though you couldn’t remember falling asleep the night before. You sat up and glanced to your other side.

i think the biggest thing for me here was a debate on whether or not it should start from the end of part 4. because i love writing fluff and humor and this was the funniest opportunity, i did!

“Thorin?!”

The dwarf lying next to you shot up at your yell.

“Y/N? What are you doing- Why are we in the same bed?!” His look of alarm was rather amusing, but you were too busy thinking back over the previous night to remember it.

i just have a mental picture of a bed-head, tousled haired, sleepy thorin.

“We didn’t do anything. You got drunk and I brought you up and put you to bed, and I must have fallen asleep next to you.”

“I got drunk?” He looked worried.

i can’t drink and so i don’t know what it’s actually like to be drunk or have a hangover. so this is just my take on it.

“You didn’t do anything embarrassing. You just thought everyone was trying to murder you and hid under a table for a few hours.”

i laughed a lot while writing part 4 and this opening, if you can’t tell.

He still looked embarrassed.

“Seriously, Thorin, that wasn’t the worst thing anyone did last night.” You proceeded to recount Bilbo’s entire handkerchief-related rant, leaving both you and the king crying from laughter.

fair. that was absolutely hilarious. i’m considering writing the whole rant as a a little extra for people. thoughts?

Fili and Kili burst into the room to see you and their uncle falling on top of each other in laughter. Frozen in the doorway at the sight, Fili finally spoke.

oop

“I see things went a little further than expected last night,” he observed with an eyebrow raised.

You quickly leaped off the bed. “I fell asleep here last night, that’s all. Anyways, where were you two all night?”

“We slept in Bilbo’s room.”

Kili nodded. “We wanted to give you two some privacy.”

Thorin threw a pillow at him, and while he scolded his nephews you washed up, emerging several minutes later in your freshly laundered clothes.

“I’m going to go see if Oin will take a look at my leg before we leave.” Seeing the concerned reactions of the three dwarves, you hurried to clarify.

the hurt leg was a tough decision, but i chose it because in part 4 they needed an excuse to go to the inn, because i desperately wanted to write that scene. i knew that Thorin wouldn’t let you go to a town unless it was an absolute emergency and he cares about you and that was really the only way. but i did have to go back and remind myself about the hurt leg, i was constantly forgetting and then writing scenes that definitely wouldn’t have been possible.

“It’s not hurting very much, I just want him to make sure it looks good.”

Three heads nodded in understanding, and you left with a wave.

Weeks later, the fact that your leg was healed was just about the only good thing. After narrowly escaping the goblins, and even more narrowly escaping the orcs, everyone was just about exhausted. Now, on the Carrock breathing in a sigh of relief, you reflected on the last few weeks.

After the night at the inn, Thorin had been colder towards you. You didn’t know why, but it hurt. On the mountain, he had saved Bilbo, and you had watched inside the cave as he checked on every member of the company. Except you.

ok. so i needed to have angst in here but at this point i’d built the relationship up to a certain point where i felt like Thorin couldn’t do anything, and wouldn’t do anything, like insult you or other stuff. which is why i just kinda glossed over a whole lot. maybe someday i’ll go back and write a mini-series exploring that bit more.

He had protected you in goblin-town, but then they all had. It was just his duty to do so. And while the wargs were attacking he hadn’t even spared you a glance, but that you couldn’t exactly blame him for. Still, you had saved several of the company members by boosting them into trees, you would have thought he might have acknowledged you for that.

yeah, Thorin, some acknowledgement would be nice. but in all seriousness, the ignorance was decided on by me thinking about things that would hurt me more than words. and being ignored hurts, and it’s something Thorin would do after being as vulnerable as he was with you at the end of Part 4

And now, watching him hug Bilbo on the Carrock you were jealous. Yes, the hobbit had done amazing things, had saved Thorin, but you wanted Thorin to be hugging you like that. Not to barely acknowledge your presence.

To tell the truth, deep down you wanted him to love you the same way you did him. But if how he had treated you these past weeks was any indication, that would never happen. But you were mad, and the anger clouded your judgment, so you waited until he had finished congratulating the hobbit and stepped forward.

“Y/N-” You cut Dwalin off when he tried to talk as you strode up to the leader.

“Thorin Oakenshield, of all the stupid, reckless, idiotic things to do that was the stupidest, most reckless, most idiotic thing ever.”

and there we go. i was soooo nervous about this confrontation scene that i actually acted it out with myself just to see how my emotions played into it, so that’s how this came to be. i still don’t love the end result, but it’s better than it was.

Everyone looked dumbstruck.

The king looked shocked that anyone was speaking to him that way, and fired back with anger brimming in his eyes. “Y/N, why do you care?”

“You almost died, Thorin! And I love you and the fact that you’ve been so distant lately is tearing me apart, and yet I cannot do anything about it, cannot leave because I care. I was tempted, and I succumbed, and here we are. But I’m just done. If you don’t care then so be it. I can’t go on like this.”

this was so fun to write. i really enjoyed getting to add ‘tempted’ in there, and for me this is a piece of dialogue that i’m so proud of

You strode over to a small rock and sat, head in your hands as you cried. A shuffling sound came close, like footsteps, and you lifted your head to see Thorin standing in front of you. He looked nervous.

“Y/N, I-”

He started speaking and then stopped. It looked as if he was mulling something over in his brain, and you watched as something sparked in his eyes

he needed to have a ‘click’ moment, which took a while for me to come up with but this is it and it think it’s a good one.

He leaned forward, cupping your chin in his hand as he tilted your head up to look him in the eyes.

“If you don’t want me to do this, tell me.”

You stayed silent, gazing up at him, kissing you gently for all of two seconds before suddenly deepening the kiss.

It felt like fireworks.

You tangled your hands through his hair, trying to pull him closer even though there was barely an inch of space between you.

Wolf whistles sounded out around you and you broke apart, flushed, to see the entire company beaming at the two of you from behind Thorin’s back. Except for his nephews, who had their hands over their eyes and were fake gagging.

yesssss Fíli and Kíli always have the appropriate response.

But you only had eyes for one person.

“You love me?” You asked him, hoping beyond hope for the answer he gave.

“Yes. And I’m sorry I’ve been distant. I didn’t want to give you false hope. We’re on a quest, we could die at any moment, but I see now that it’s more important for us to take what time we have.”

You smiled at him. “I love you, Thorin.”

“I love you too, Y/N.”

You stood, and he entwined his fingers with yours as you walked back to the group. You noticed him catch sight of something in the distance, and you walked to the edge of the rock together.

“Erebor.”

this had to end at the Carrock for several reasons. firstly, i wanted room to write a second series continuing this. not sure if i will but at least i have the groundwork. and secondly, because it was important for Thorin to still have a goal, for you to have to continue this quest as a couple and for this story to end with the horizon ahead, for symbolism reasons!

You sucked in a breath as you realized what you were looking at.

“The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarven kingdoms of Middle-Earth,” Gandalf said.

“Our home.” Thorin glanced up at you, squeezing your hand in encouragement.

Looking out into the distance, gazing at your future, you smiled.

“Our home.”

and yay! i was so unsure of how to end this but i still think that’s perfect.

this was a really fun thing to do, i hope it’s what you were asking for and i’m sorry it took so long!

[entergamingxp]

DualShockers’ Favorite Games of 2019 — Chris’ Top 10

December 28, 2019 10:00 AM EST

This Top 10 list of 2019 games from curmudgeon contributor Chris Compendio is full of oddities, with both indie titles and blockbuster hits.

As 2019 comes to a close, DualShockers and our staff are reflecting on this year’s batch of games and what were their personal highlights within the last year. Unlike the official Game of the Year 2019 awards for DualShockers, there are little-to-no-rules on our individual Top 10 posts. For instance, any game — not just 2019 releases — can be considered.

There is a particular attitude that comes with end-of-the-year discourse. Much like how there is an “Oscar movie,” we have “GOTY games,” triple-A titles so hotly anticipated that many in the gaming community are sure that it will already be their favorite. Look no further than any social media feed, where people are already arguing about what will be Game of the Year 2020. But when I look at my favorite games of 2019, I am surprised by how many of them are sleeper hits, quality titles that snuck up on me.

I still believe that there is value to having group and outlet-wide Game of the Year lists, and it is fascinating to see where everyone ends up. Still, I’d much prefer to sift through personal end-of-the-year lists, as they are a better indicator of the personal gaming journeys that individuals went through during the year. There you’ll find obscure little nuggets, or perhaps contrarian and eye-opening angles to games that you may have missed out on or didn’t give a chance.

With my personal top 10 list for 2019, I find that the uniting factor between most of these games is that they are weird. They are incongruous, non-traditional, unusual, and so on. And most of them are games I hadn’t even heard of a year ago, making the value they provided all the more surprising.

First off, some Honorable Mentions that didn’t quite make the cut, including Untitled Goose Game, Gears 5, Tetris 99, Baba Is You, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, CROSSNIQ+, Pokemon Sword & Pokemon Shield, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Mini Motorways, all of which could have formed their own top 10 list. Then there’s the stuff that I didn’t finish or get to, but will absolutely do so starting in January, including Luigi’s Mansion 3, Kind Words, Arcade Spirits, Knife Sisters, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Outer Wilds, The Walking Dead: The Final Season, Life is Strange 2, Disco Elysium, and Neo Cab.

Man, I wish we had room for more than ten entries.

10. Ring Fit Adventure

I have fond memories of playing Wii Fit back in the day; while it obviously wasn’t a proper substitute for more intense workouts, it was a nice way for Nintendo to encourage health and regular exercise into one’s daily routine. That’s why I was so surprised by how freaking hard Ring Fit Adventure went. For the first time playing an “exergame,” I was left sore and sweaty, so much so that I had to lower the intensity at times.

What Ring Fit Adventure succeeds in doing is actually turning exercise into a video game. It took Nintendo maybe like, over a decade to get there, but it’s great to see nonetheless. All Ring Fit Adventure comes down to is a turn-based RPG where the moves and attacks and defense are achieved through exercise. The Ring-Con is durable and versatile, and as the game encourages, I find myself turning it on by itself and doing some mindless exercise while doing other activities or watching television. It is obviously far from the most impressive video game of the year, but Ring Fit Adventure is the one that I came back to the most often in 2019.

And fun fact: the model in that lifestyle photo that serves as this list’s featured images is my friend from college. You’re damn right that I had to use it for this.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Ring Fit Adventure.

9. Kingdom Hearts III

The Kingdom Hearts series is like a specter that will never stop following me. I don’t even have to go over how much these games mean to me and how wild the pre-release period has been since Kingdom Hearts III was announced what must have been a century ago at this point. And I’m not even going to bother to talk about how stuffed and contrived the lore is—at this point, Kingdom Hearts practically speaks for itself. Even if you aren’t into the franchise, hearing all of the fervor around it should at least give you a feeling of what it’s about.

And once Kingdom Hearts III finally released a lot of people, ranging from newcomers to devoted fans, were quick to scrutinize and tear it apart, and a lot of the criticisms were fairly justified. Perhaps I was in my own world, but none of that stopped me from enjoying the hell out of III. It may have just been the novelty of playing a brand-new, high-definition Kingdom Hearts game, or all of the obvious fan service and emotional scenes of closure, but whatever it was, the feeling of playing Kingdom Hearts III could not be recreated by anything else I played in 2019.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Kingdom Hearts III.

8. What The Golf?

Most of the games on this list were surprises to me, but What The Golf? was a strange game that contained a number of different surprises within it. The facade of this being any sort of ordinary golf video game quickly wears off, as you find yourself hitting more than just golf balls into the hole: maybe it’s a golf club, the golfer themselves, or even another damn hole that you have to get into the hole. And that’s just the beginning—you’ll be going through city streets, parodies of other video games, and space, with some gravity-defying shots.

What The Golf? is an excellent example of how to create comedy that is unique to the medium of video games. It isn’t writing or cutscenes, but rather the actions that the player does themselves that creates hilarity. Each level plays with your expectations in a different way, and there is enough variety to prevent the game from just turning into the same punchline replayed multiple times. Other than that, the game has excellent sound design, and there’s a neat feature that lets you showcase a short, curated level selection to friends. What The Golf? is perfect for short bursts of play, and at some point in the near future, I’ll probably find myself going through each hole yet again.

Check out DualShockers‘ PAX East preview for What The Golf?

7. Ape Out

With such a bold art style and a distinct percussion-based soundtrack, Ape Out is impossible to ignore. The core gameplay is quite easy to wrap your head around, but I appreciate all of the strategic considerations that go into playing the game. As a massive ape trying to make your great escape, your main tools are a basic attack and a grab; enemies die easily, but so do you, with only three hits. The decision I always faced was between brute-forcing myself through gunmen or taking a slow and deliberate pace using an enemy as a human shield. Better yet, breeze through the randomly-generated maze and avoid conflict altogether.

The trial-and-error nature of Ape Out might naturally draw comparisons to Hotline Miami or Celeste, and as magnificent as those games are, putting this game only in those terms would do it a disservice. There was something so intriguing about the total lack of context given regarding this ape, but as you continue your rampage and leave a trail of death and destruction behind, aided by some brash and flashy visuals, what has led to these events is irrelevant—the scene and tone and the feelings that they invoke are already enough.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Ape Out.

6. Wilmot’s Warehouse

This is a last-minute entry in my 2019 list, but Wilmot’s Warehouse instantly won me over by getting all of the gears in my head to click into place. It is a game all about organization, but the hook of this game is that players can organize everything in any way they want to. As such, the game essentially becomes a Rorschach test for whoever tries to play it—what does the way you organize your warehouse tell about how you live your life? Perhaps by color, by category, or some other wild methodology of your own invention?

Wilmot’s Warehouse is almost like a single-player Overcooked, but with a lot more versatility and room to work with. It has a charming minimalist art style, with some lovely motivational posters to come with it. It is challenging, less so because of everything the game throws at you and more so because your own methods and styles will begin to crack and fall apart. It also makes you wonder about the infrastructures we have in real-life, and why giant corporations at Amazon can’t seem to come up with proper organizational strategies that don’t exploit and abuse their warehouse workers. I guess it’s just a fantasy at this point!

5. Death Stranding

Honestly, I’m surprised that I bought Death Stranding in the first place. I was anything but a Hideo Kojima stan, and much of the previews and the pre-release discussions over the game were quick to turn me off for a variety of reasons. Once Kojima and company began to actually show gameplay, however, something resonated with me. Yes, you can derogatorily call this game a “walking simulator,” but I am all about games where traversal itself is a puzzle. There’s that whole cliched pitch of “You see that mountain? You can go there!” but what if that phrase was just the premise of an entire video game?

There’s more to it, of course, but the story is absolute crap with a total lack of subtlety, nuance, and sensitivity. Even as I rolled my eyes at pretty much every single cutscene in the game, I spent endless nights on Death Stranding, optimizing the amount of weight I was carrying and carefully planning out routes, not to mention becoming obsessive over building projects. And once the chiral network aspect of the game comes into play, it becomes more of a unique massively-multiplayer co-operative game of sorts, with other players’ buildings and structures coming as assistance in the most harrowing of scenarios. Awful story but addicting gameplay was enough to put Death Stranding smack dab in the middle of my favorite games from 2019.

Check out DualShockers’ review for Death Stranding.

4. Apex Legends

If we’re going to talk about surprises, then I am required by law to write about Apex Legends, because just the existence of that game alone was a surprise. Announced right before its release, Apex Legends appears to be the end-all-be-all battle royale only by looking at its feature set, but it absolutely earns the title once you pick up the game and play it—I don’t think anyone can possibly deny that games from Respawn Entertainment feel good. It’s fast, responsive, but most importantly, it’s just fun.

I’m not an expert on multiplayer balance, but I’ve personally found every character in Apex Legends to be viable. The game’s design is full of so many smart decisions, from the concept of the Jumpmaster, to how inventory is handled, the diverse hero abilities, the respawning, and especially, especially the Ping system. This game has so many quality-of-life features that I never even knew I needed, and they make any session, whether it’s with a close group of friends or with complete strangers without microphones, feel like a breeze. After playing Apex, why even bother with any other battle royale shooter in 2019?

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Apex Legends.

3. Control

Man, this game is cool. I can’t think of any other video game in 2019 where I would actually read through all of the pick-ups and collectibles and logs, but Control had me going through every piece of lore the game threw at me like a drug. This game, more than almost any other game, inspired curiosity in me. It is esoteric without being pretentious, it is bizarre without being off-putting, and there is rarely any sort of disconnect between the narrative and the actual gameplay.

It may take a bit of time to get into the combat flow of Control, but the trials and tribulations leading up to that are worth it. Eventually, you’ll have a number of psychic powers and weapon forms to utilize as tools of destruction, and as you get used to the enemies and their behavior, each encounter will feel like a fast-paced game of chess. The latest from Remedy Entertainment was enough evidence that I needed to get into their previous stuff, so I spent some time with Alan Wake and Quantum Break as well. No one quite does such an excellent blend of surrealism, world-building, and combat like that studio.

Check out DualShockers’ review for Control.

2. Katana Zero

I’ve been becoming more and more tolerant of difficult fast-paced trial-and-error games (see: Hotline Miami, Super Meat Boy), but Katana Zero may perhaps be the first one of these games that I barreled through with few breaks in between. The premise of this side-scrolling action game with its drug-induced time-manipulation and the fast and twitchy gameplay demanded my attention and time, and boy did I give this game just that. There were too many deaths to count on the way to the end, but all was worth it.

Katana Zero is infused with a neon art style and rousing electronic music, which further enhanced the compelling gameplay. It all comes down to planning, looking at the scenario at hand and taking into account reaction times and all of the environmental pieces around you to brutally dispatch your enemies while also avoiding their own attacks. And your katana-wielding character is thinking about all of this too, as your failed attempts are actually (at least, the way I interpreted it) the scenarios in his head that just didn’t work out. It is perhaps the smartest game I’ve played in 2019 in merging story and gameplay together, and out of all of the titles on this list, this is the one that I want a narrative sequel to the most.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Katana Zero.

1. Sayonara Wild Hearts

After writing a review of over 1,500 words for Sayonara Wild Hearts, I’m not even sure what else I can say about it. But in the context of my personal life, I should say that it came at exactly the right time in my life. Underneath all of the colors and the fanciful style is a story about overcoming depression and getting outside of your comfort zone to lead a truly happy life. All of the other games on the list I probably could have played at any point in my life and enjoyed it all the same, but Sayonara Wild Hearts feels like the definitive 2019 game for how my year went.

Even months after the game came out, I still came back to Sayonara, one reason being to finally achieve some of those Gold Ranks, but mostly just to try to live the euphoria of the emotional experiences that this game provided me; somehow, the entire “Begin Again” sequence is still enough to get me near tears, producing the same powerful reaction each time ever since I first played a demo of this at PAX East. I still listen to the soundtrack on a regular basis, letting myself get lost in the soundscapes—eventually, I would actually seek out the lyrics to these songs, and I would find the written words to be just as touching.

I was used to my safety and peace I mistook all this tedium with being at ease But then you came around, said “it’s time to let go” And you took me to a place I don’t know

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Sayonara Wild Hearts, from yours truly.

Check out the rest of the DualShockers staff Top 10 lists and our official Game of the Year Awards:

December 23: DualShockers Game of the Year Awards 2019 December 25: Lou Contaldi, Editor-in-Chief // Logan Moore, Managing Editor December 26: Tomas Franzese, News Editor // Ryan Meitzler, Features Editor  December 27: Mike Long, Community Manager // Scott White, Staff Writer December 28: Chris Compendio, Contributor // Mario Rivera, Video Manager // Kris Cornelisse, Staff Writer December 29: Scott Meaney, Community Director // Allisa James, Senior Staff Writer // Ben Bayliss, Senior Staff Writer December 30: Cameron Hawkins, Staff Writer // David Gill, Senior Staff Writer // Portia Lightfoot, Contributor December 31: Iyane Agossah, Senior Staff Writer // Michael Ruiz, Senior Staff Writer // Rachael Fiddis, Contributor January 1: Ricky Frech, Senior Staff Writer // Tanner Pierce, Staff Writer

December 28, 2019 10:00 AM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2019/12/dualshockers-favorite-games-of-2019-chris-top-10/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dualshockers-favorite-games-of-2019-chris-top-10

[geoffreyjthompson-blog]

Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

A Reel Leadership Article

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom returns moviegoers to the island of Isla Nublar. Isla Nublar’s volcano is active and ready to kill every living creature on the island. Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) return in Jurassic World: Fallen Kindom. They are on a mission to save as many of the dinosaurs on the island and Owen’s trained velociraptor named Blue because Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell) reached out to Claire.

He’d seen her recent dinosaur activism. He sees her as a possible savior to the dinosaurs, along with Owen. Yet there’s something sinister brewing just below the surface.

There’s also plenty of leadership lessons in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. They’re just below the surface if you’re looking. And I was.

Let’s take a look at the leadership lessons you will find in the latest Jurassic World film.

Caution: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom spoilers below

Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

1. Don’t celebrate too early:

A team had been sent to Isla Nublar to retrieve certain dinosaurs and their DNA. They had been successful. Then disaster struck.

As the team’s hacker was attempting to close the gates, a T-Rex breaks through the trees and begins to chase him. He runs and grabs the ladder of the helicopter. The T-Rex bites down on the ladder and another member of the team was preparing to cut the ladder.

Much to the hacker’s relief, the helicopter is able to break free from the T-Rex. He is in the clear! Or so he thought…

He begins to celebrate. The danger is gone and he is home free. Until the Mosasaurus breaks the surface of the water and devours the hacker whole.

The hacker thought he was successful. He thought he was home free. He began to celebrate his victory. That’s when disaster struck.

And that’s what happens frequently in business. We celebrate too early. We see early signs of success and we let down our guards and we run into trouble.

You have to stay keenly aware of what’s happening even when you’re experiencing success. You have to know you’ve reached your destination and then celebrate the victory.

2. Ian Malcolm:

We’ve proved ourselves incapable of handling that power.

Jeff Goldblum returns to the Jurassic World franchise once more as mathematician Dr. Ian Malcolm. During a US Senate hearing, Ian tells the politicians they should let the dinosaurs die.

The world had killed them off once before. It looks like the world is trying to kill the dinosaurs once more. And the more humans try to intervene, the more trouble they are causing.

Throughout the whole Jurassic Park and Jurassic World series, people have been shown they cannot handle the power of recreating life. They use it for their own means and people die.

We’ve proved ourselves incapable of handling that power – Leadership lessons from Jurassic World:… Click To Tweet

Ian Malcolm knew people had reached the limitation of the power people could wield. They had gone above this limit and people were paying for it.

As a leader, you have to be aware of how much power you wield. There is a limit to the amount of power you can handle.

There’s an old adage: Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely…

The more power you get, the more likely you’ll mishandle the power you have. To help prevent this, surround yourself with people who will call you out on your crap. Allow them to hold you accountable.

You and your organization will be better for this line of action. They’ll be able to mitigate major damage if you’re willing to subjugate yourself to their counsel.

3. Don’t stop believing:

Eli Mills (Rafe Spall) was Lockwood’s assistant and had called for Claire to meet with Lockwood. During Eli and Claire’s chat, they talked about the dinosaurs.

They both shared their vision. They wanted to see dinosaurs continue to be enjoyed by people. Then they said they still believed in the vision of the original Jurassic Park founders.

Leadership has peaks and valleys. When you’re on the peak, you won’t have trouble believing. When you’re in the valley, it’s a different story.

You will struggle to continue the 20-mile march. You will want to give up and throw in the towel. But you can’t.

There are people depending on you. They look to you for guidance and wisdom.

Keep believing. Know you’re working towards something great. And if you don’t give up, you will get there.

4. Find influential team members:

Owen was watching a video of Blue’s training. As Owen was trying to train the other raptors, they were misbehaving… Except for Blue.

Blue pulled the other raptors into order. They fell into line behind Blue and began to listen to Owen.

Blue was an influential dinosaur to the other raptors. She held sway and was able to help Owen tame the others.

Find the influencers on your team – Leadership lessons from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Click To Tweet

You have to find your Blue. You have to find other influential team members. Find the influencers!

These team members will help you influence and guide the team. They’ll be your greatest cheerleader and biggest defender.

Go find your Blue!

5. Help your team experience the things they’ve dreamed of:

Zia Rodriguez (Daniella Pineda) was one of Claire’s dinosaur activists. Zia had always dreamed of seeing a brontosaur in person. Yet she believed she never would.

When Claire returned to Isla Nublar, she brought members of her activist team: Zia and Franklin Webb (Justice Smith).

Claire bringing Zia to the island helped Zia experience a dream of hers. To see dinosaurs in person.

Magical things begin to happen when leaders discover the passions and dreams of their team members. They have a way to help their team experience their dreams and passions!

Isn’t this awesome? As a leader of people, you can help your team go and experience things they never believed they could.

You can help them by:

Offering them a bonus to help fund their college education Giving extended time off for a dream vacation Introducing them to someone they look up to Letting them try new ways to solve a problem in the workplace

You have the ability to bring dreams to life. Help your team experience life to the fullest.

6. Teams don’t always listen:

Claire and Owen went to the island with an already assembled team in addition to the members Claire brought. These team members were new to the pair. They also turned out to be dangerous.

Ken Wheatley (Ted Levine) was the head of the team. And as Owen was taming the now-wild Blue, Wheatley shot Blue with a tranquilizer dart.

Owen went ballistic! He was yelling and screaming telling the guys they were not to engage Blue.

Teams don’t always listen to their leader – Leadership lessons from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Click To Tweet

Still, they did. They didn’t listen to Owen’s instructions.

The people on your team are all individuals and have their own thoughts and ideas. They’re not mindless robots. They are sentient beings that will make their own decisions.

As much as you want your team to follow your every order, they will not. They will choose to listen, obey, or not.

Your reaction and follow-up to their behavior will be crucial to your effectiveness. Be willing to respond when your team doesn’t heed your direction.

7. You often go from danger to danger:

A velociraptor was chasing Claire and Franklin. They were running for their lives when they saw an escape hatch with a ladder. Yes! They would be out of danger.

Wrong again! Instead of the raptor, Claire and Franklin opened the hatch to find themselves in the path of the lava flow. They went from danger to danger.

Once again, we see where you can think you’re escaping something bad only to wind up in just as bad of a position. Know that what you’re trying to run from won’t land you in a better spot. Sometimes your running will lead you to a worse situation.

Instead of running from your problems, be willing to stand your ground. Face the problems at hand. Conquer what’s wrong. Make right the things that have gone askew.

8. Don’t ignore young employees:

Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) was Lockwood’s granddaughter. She was in and out of the shadows as people were in Lockwood’s estate. Apparently, she didn’t like being seen all that much.

While Eli was discussing what he was really planning, Maisie overheard his plot. She went to her grandfather and shared what she had heard.

Lockwood dismissed Maisie. He told her to talk about what she’d heard in the morning. He wouldn’t listen and it cost him his life.

Don’t ignore young employees – Leadership lessons from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Click To Tweet

It’s easy to dismiss a younger employee or even a new employee. You may believe they don’t have the experience or wisdom to know what’s really going on. You’d be wrong.

New employees and the younger generation often have their ear to the ground. They hear rumblings and they are able to pick up on new trends.

Listen to the younger members of your team. You’ll hear wisdom you didn’t know they possessed.

9. There’s danger in achieving your mission:

Claire and Owen had to find a carnivorous dinosaur with no more than three fingers. They found one tranquilized and sedated. While they discovered the dinosaur, they still had to draw the dinosaur’s blood.

This put Claire and Owen in a dangerous position. They didn’t know when the dinosaur would wake up.

Of course, the dinosaur awoke while they were trying to draw its blood.

You will put yourself, your organization, and your employees in dangerous situations at times to accomplish your mission. While it may not be life-threatening, the danger you put them in may have them risking their job or their influence.

Be careful of what you ask of your team. They want to accomplish the mission as badly as you but often they’re the ones who pay the price.

10. Unknown:

It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon.

A fatal flaw many leaders fall into is believing leadership is a sprint. They believe leading is one quick run to the next. Leadership is not a sprint. Leadership is a marathon.

You have to be in leadership for the long haul. You can’t expect to see instant results or instant loyalty. All of this takes time.

You have to run the long race. It’s the only way to truly win.

Speaking of marathons, I’m running my first one to help children in Africa to have clean water. Would you consider supporting me in this endeavor? For each $50 raised, a child gets clean water for life. My goal is to help 200 children as I run 26.2 miles.

11. Leaders accept responsibility:

Claire and Owen were deceived by Eli. They had allowed the dinosaurs to be taken and auctioned away to a bunch of evil businessmen. Both of them felt horrible.

They went back and forth taking the blame. They knew they had to accept responsibility for their actions and what it cost.

Great leaders accept responsibility – Leadership lessons from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Click To Tweet

Do you accept responsibility for those on your team? You need to. You’re the one leading them. You’re guiding them and giving them direction.

In the end, the responsibility for the results of a team rests on the leader. That’s you.

Be willing and ready to accept responsibility. It’s coming your way whether or not you like it.

12. Leadership is about relationships:

The Indoraptor is a hybrid dinosaur designed by Dr. Henry Wu. This dinosaur was created to be a living weapon. After the dinosaur auction, the indoraptor was able to escape from his cage.

This caused all sorts of havoc. It also allowed Blue to shine.

When the indoraptor went to attack Owen and his friends, Blue jumped in to help Owen.

Why? Because Blue and Owen had a relationship. This relationship created a bond between the two and Blue wanted to protect Owen.

This is the power of relationships. They form bonds between two or more people that create loyalty and a bond that is hard to break.

Be willing to form relationships as you lead. They will pay dividends you cannot imagine.

13. Owen Grady:

Claire, you press that button and there’s no going back.

As Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom comes close to ending, Claire is put in an unenviable position. She has the power to kill the remaining dinosaurs or set them free. All she has to do is press a button.

Owen realizes what’s at stake. The dinosaurs would be free to roam the United States. This would spell certain doom. So, Owen warns Claire. He tells her what could happen. And she has a choice to make.

You press that button and there’s no going back – Leadership lessons from Jurassic World: Fallen… Click To Tweet

You will make many choices throughout your time as a leader. Each time you make a choice, you’re pressing a button. A button that cannot be undone. There’s no going back, as Owen said.

Be aware of the decisions you’re making. Count the cost before you pull the trigger. Your choices have a lasting impact.

Question: Have you seen Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom? If you have, did you take away any leadership lessons from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom? If you haven’t seen the movie, what leadership lessons from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom that I shared resonated with you? Let me know in the comment section below.

Continue Reading…

The post Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom appeared first on Joseph Lalonde.

source http://www.jmlalonde.com/quotes-and-leadership-lessons-from-jurassic-world-fallen-kingdom/