#her son is dead. that's what her husband tells her. and he wouldn't lie to her. he loves her. he risked his life to avenge his son.

[localvoidcat]

i really need to talk more about salvador and isa because i do have an unholy amount of thoughts about the both of them

#salvador because. there's just so many things about him #he's a HORRIBLE person. he has proven this again and again and again but he genuinely believes he's doing the right thing #the town sees him as a hero and he believes himself to be one because of that. he's just following in his family's footsteps. #he's doing what he was born to do. he's doing what his father never got the chance to. he was made for this. #and he views everyone else in his life - his own wife and son included - as collateral damage should something happen to them #in andre's case it does. he is fully prepared to kill him if it means he protects the rest of the town #and he doesn't tell isa this. she wouldn't understand. she couldn't understand. she doesn't need to know. #and so he keeps moving on without her. she fades completely into the background and she hates it but what is she going to do? #her son is dead. that's what her husband tells her. and he wouldn't lie to her. he loves her. he risked his life to avenge his son. #that's what he tells her. that's why he brought that kid andre cared about so much back. he loves her. he loves his family. #and even after everything she still loves him. even when she stops seeing him less and less. even when he stops telling her things at all. #he's just doing his job. he's just protecting the town. she's just meant to stand by his side. she does not look into her son's death. #and when she learns of salvador's death she does not know where to go. she has based everything around this family. #a family consisting of a dead son and a now-dead husband. a family that she clung to even when it stopped existing years ago. #she finds a life after that. she starts rebuilding herself. she starts leaving more. for the first time in years she is allowed to breathe. #and her child isn't dead after all. he tells her everything. she can barely recognize the person before her but she loves him regardless. #it's all she's ever wanted. she just wants the best for everyone. she just didn't know that the person she loved was in the way of that. #it's only once she has everything ripped from her that she gets to live again and GOD. GOD. GOD. #fmr tag

[zoe-oneesama]

Speaking of Émilie, do you think that she could have been a bad mother before her death, coma, or disappearance? Because, from what I've heard, Émilie had been dead, in a coma, or missing for about a year before the events of MLB, and if Adrien had been homeschooled for about most of his childhood, then that could indicate that his mother was aware of this and didn't do anything about it. Either Émilie was overprotective of Adrien and his wellbeing that she and her husband had to shelter him from the public, or that she was in a horrible situation with her husband from behind the scenes, ergo feeling powerless to do something about her son's sheltered life. There are so many things to imagine who Émilie was really like, but so far, we don't have enough substance to even care about her, especially if that substance arrived five seasons/eight years too late.

I think realistically, all signs point to Emilie being just as on board with locking Adrien up, limiting who he's allowed to be friend's with (Chloe), employing him as a model, bogging him down with lots of extracurricular activities despite him not really being into them. But because Gabriel's an out and proud dickwad, Emilie got to be the "good parent" because she was gentle about it. If Adrien ever DID complain, Emilie was probably the one to talk in a soft voice about how Gabriel was doing what was in Adrien's best interest and to just give it his best shot because things will be fine, or worse, lie to Adrien and tell him that she'd talk to Gabriel about it and then just didn't. She's at best a weak enabler who never stood up for what her son wanted and at worst fully complicit in being completely in control of Adrien's life.

But this show is definitely going to pretend that she was sunshine and rainbows and the best parent ever, a paragon of Momness, because that's literally the only characterization we've ever gotten of her in 5 Seasons - biased recollections from Gabriel and Adrien about how great she was.

I mean, look how the show shills Bustier as the Greatest Teacher Ever despite all the contradicting evidence. Why wouldn't they do it with Emilie.

#writing salt #ml salt #emilie salt

[kit-williams]

Legion Mother: Lost in the Warp

Who want's some Angst?

@bispecsual @egrets-not-regrets @moodymisty @bleedingichorhearts @liar-anubiass-blog

@thevoidscreams @barn-anon

as always thank you to @squishyowl for the dividers

The Mother of the Fourth Legion was in despair. Penelope was wailing as Robute Guilliman, her brother in law, had told her that her husband... Perturabo was dead. She knew he wouldn't lie to her... she was wailing as her attendants had to guide her back to her room.

Her adopted sons were not surprised at how she broke down at the news... they knew their mother loved their father... father had risen her from serfdom to his wife to Perturabo it only made sense given how utterly genuine she was with him. And the Captain watched as she had trembled, swayed on her feet, falling to the floor and weeping. But the Captain now snarled at the Primarch of the Thirteenth when he retracted what he said... but he realized quickly... the Iron Mother wouldn't have been able to handle the truth.

"What do I tell Ajax?" She managed to blither out between her sobs.

"None of that now my lady. You have to lead the legion now." The head attendant said holding her tightly like a mother would, "But first you must mourn." She said softly... as to them... Perturabo was suppose to outlive her... she was content with that... she was suppose to be the first of probably a long string of wives... Penelope was okay with that... she had told him that all she wanted to do was to bring him happiness.

"My Bo... my Bo..." Penelope whimpered as her makeup was running from the heavy tears rolling down her cheeks. The shock of it all running through her... perhaps later she would apologize to her sons at her reaction...

Nelly laid in her bed feeling the migraine build behind her eyes as she couldn't stop herself from bursting into tears. "Get... get me my box..." She says sitting up off to try one last hope. Her Bo was a smart man... an emergency communicator... she picked up the delicately made iron sea shell. She prayed... to what? She just prayed that he wasn't dead... "Bo..."

Demon World of Medrengard

A hateful fortress world of cruelty and industry... black spires licked the white sky and black sun but they ran so deeply into the molten core of the planet. The Demon Primarch's hatred could be felt upon the wind... his hate was enough for thousands of lifetimes. Yet there was some hatred for himself at what he had become... he was stronger than this and in a moment of weakness... a very human moment he did not want to die. His sons did not wish to lose their father and so he was now a blight upon this reality.

"Bo..." A voice sniffled... one he had not heard in a long long time. It made him inhale for the first time in millennia. The hateful winds stopped in their tracks leading to a quiet on the planet for the first time since it's rebirth as a demon world. He pulled away from his workbench slowly as the Lord of Iron's eyes drifted over to some forgotten rotting corner. "Bo please... you can't be dead." The voice sobbed cracking in a way that he was familiar with, he approached with quiet steps. His eyes looked down at a dust covered sea shell made of iron... rusted except for the pearl.

"Perturabo!" She wailed with palatable grief as it had to be true. Her husband was gone... Olympia was gone... everything she held dear was gone... all she had left was the fraction of the legion and Ajax. She had to be like Iron... she had to be there for her sons and his sons... she had to... she had too...

"Nelly...?" A voice... no not just a voice his voice spoke over the device.

She threw herself back over to the device, "Perty!"

Perturabo looked down at the rusted shell in his hand... he had all but forgotten it was there. His tongue licked over sharpened teeth as his bitterness started to gather... this was a trick... how dare they. He internally seethed at the thought of Fulgrim or Magnus or one of the petty gods using his beloved's voice against him. Still the winds of Medrengard remained calm... and that near oppressive hate was lifted for a moment causing all his scions upon the planet to turn their gaze toward his fortress. "Bo?"

"Where are you?" His voice spoke over the line as she was holding her breath holding the hands of one of her attendants and when he spoke she let it out.

"Olympia... Bo... Bo... It's gone! Please what happened?" She begged.

Before he could answer he heard the doors open and Captain Antioch speak, as Nelly had a habit of leaving the line open, Perturabo remembers appointing him to protection of the Legion Mother... he was one of the few sons truly happy for their marriage, "Legion Mother we must go. Lord Guilliman will see us at Mcragge."

"Antioch! I've gotten in contact with Perturabo, he's alive!" She said so relieved but Perturabo could taste it... he could taste the worry... he could taste the fear. The mother knew not what the son was told.

"Penelope. I will see you soon." Was all he said before killing the line. And just like that the Lord of Iron was roused... the great iron beast rearing it's head once more... few things in the galaxy could force him into action... and if this truly was his Penelope then there would a celebration to be had... for the Iron Mother had returned which also meant his son was alive as well... but Perturabo held any excitement at bay for disappointment was a taste he knew too well. For if this was not his beloved wife... his wrath would be ten fold.

Warsmith Castor was called to his father's side. His yellow eyes looking up at him as no words were exchanged after his greeting and he waited in attention. "Castor. Go to Olympia I need you to confirm something." Castor simply nodded not daining to question his father but Perturabo simply added. "I need to to confirm if your Mother is back."

"Mother?" His yellow eyes turned brown for a moment as Caster was but a battle brother when Perturabo had married Penelope and still had to prove himself verses the trusted battle brothers that were assigned to be her personal guard.

"Yes. I got a message from Penelope... go to the system and confirm if it is her. Do not engage if it is."

"And if it is not her my lord?"

"Drag them back to Medrengard in iron. If it is her ship... then..." There was an unsaid thought... we will find her bones.

I know a secret... The Demonette giggled as Fulgrim opened one of his many eyes in a post orgy haze.

"What secret do you know..." He said as his eyes flashed purple as the wail of sadness rushed through him. "OH! Dearest Sister in law nelly has returned! Oh... oh... " He licked his lips with cruel intent, "We certainly must throw her a welcome back party!"

I know a secret... the blue bird crooned as Magnus looked over and he listened to his brother Perturabo... and then a relieved voice of... "Penelope..." He said as his single eye widened a part of him... some deep down part knew that she was better off dead and not seeing what the world had become.

They are trying to head to Mcragge... the demonic bird crooned. "Who knows?" Magnus pressed.

Everyone

#warhammer 40k #perturabo #perturabo x oc #oc: Penelope #warhammer 40k x oc #x oc #female oc #primarch #iron warriors

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

What if that night in Godric's hollow Lily chose to let Voldemort kill Harry and stepped aside when Voldemort asked her to?

Self-preservation kicked in! No one knows how they will react facing death. She should not be blamed for protecting herself.

Would she be honest and tell people what really happened or make up some believable story? What would happen to her after that night? Does she leave England? How would the Order/Sirius/Dumbledore react to the events? Would Severus go after Lily and tell her he is her hero? Would this be a better AU for Lily and the wizard world?

Woof.

Well.

It's not good.

Would She Be Honest and Tell People What Happened?

We don't really know much about Lily's character is the thing. I make a lot of things up for my own benefit, but that's my taking and running with the very little we see in canon.

We really don't know how she'd react.

The way I characterize her? Feeling guilty over her husband's death (who died for her and Harry) and the fact that she survived her son (who she perhaps could have protected) she'll confess to what happened. She wants people to blame and hate her so she can punish herself for this.

And judge and punish her they do as this is something the Order and the greater public just can't understand. I'm sure rumors of how and why Lily was spared also fly and soon Lily goes from the truth of simply stepping aside (and being spared because of Snape) to having slept with Voldemort to save her life to being his spy the entire time.

What Would Happen to Her After that Night?

The gossip against her is massive and I imagine the Order never quite trusts her again. They may not kick her out, though I'm sure some (certainly Sirius who is mad with grief over James's death) vote for it. Lily may leave of her own free will out of guilt and so as not to give the Order a black eye.

The Prophet may or may not run smear campaigns against her both to distract from the realities of the Ministry not managing anything against You-Know-Who and because this is such a shocking awful story.

Lily becomes persona non grata but is presumably left alone by the Death Eaters as Voldemort chose to spare her life and the order has been passed down through the ranks (and as Voldemort is alive he keeps Bella and the Lestranges and Barty in check in a way he didn't at this point in canon).

Lily lives a miserable life in which her husband and son are both dead, she's of no help to the cause, and she's trying to get on with it.

How Would the Order/Sirius/Dumbledore React?

See above but I imagine ostracization.

Sirius would never forgive Lily for James having died and Lily just selfishly allowing Harry to be killed. I imagine he'd blame her in his mind and believe that she had betrayed James personally by doing this. Not to mention what kind of a person/Gryffindor steps aside to let her baby be murdered?

The Order at large would likely have mixed opinions but the Weasleys for example would vocally condemn Lily and despise her for this.

Dumbledore would, I imagine, think much lesser of Lily and start saying things he says about Merope about how Lily just didn't love her son enough/wasn't a very strong woman. He wouldn't condemn her quite as much as Sirius or Molly but there'd be an undertone of "this happened because you are weak".

Would Severus Go After Lily and Tell Her He's Her Hero?

Severus is home free, you bet your ass he does.

Lily's probably out of the Order, James Potter his greatest enemy is dead, Sirius is out of the picture because of James's death, even the hellspawn Harry Potter is dead and out of the way.

They can now go back to exactly what they were and the Dark Lord did hold to his promise after all (and oh dear god Severus betrayed him behind his back, hope he doesn't find out about this).

I imagine Severus would try to reconnect and either:

lie about being a Death Eater entirely (probably won't work)

say he's realized the error of his ways, admit to giving the information to Dumbledore to save Lily's life, but he can't leave the Death Eaters because of the mark/he'll certainly be killed

Probably he goes with option 2 as he can't exactly pretend he never held his views or wasn't a Death Eater at all and he firmly believes that he took this huge risk, saved her life, and he's completely redeemed now.

Would This Be a Better AU for the Wizarding World and Lily?

Well.

Lily's son and husband died horribly, she's haunted by survivor's guilt forever, all her friends hate her and she's completely isolated, Snape is back on her doorstep believing she should be grateful to him for his actions and he deserves instant forgiveness, and the Dark Lord is still alive and well, has the future minister's son in his pocket, has infiltrated the government completely, and can take over any time he pleases with one out of two prophecy children dead (and Neville... probably doesn't last long after this).

So.

No.

It's better for 0 people.

It's actually much worse for everyone except Tom.

Tom is enjoying not being a wraith in Quirrel's head, thank you very much.

#harry potter #harry potter meta #harry potter headcanon #lily evans #severus snape #anti severus snape #sirius black #anti sirius black #albus dumbledore #anti albus dumbledore #the order of the phoenix #anti the order of the phoenix #meta #headcanon #opinion

[two-white-butterflies]

the sun rises from the west | d. targaryen

Description: Daemon Targaryen didn't die during the war - though there were many nights that he wished otherwise. A story where he loses his first-wife to battle.

Pairing: daemon targaryen/dayne!reader

Rating: Mature [death, angst, smut]

Author's Note: Daenerys-Drogo inspired.

"When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When mountains blow in the wind like leaves. Then you shall return to me."

(DRAGONSTONE, 129AC)

Daemon always admired you - believed that your skills were greater than his own. A sad sigh escapes his mouth, hands reaching for a cloth and wiping the sweat on your son's sleeping body. He's lived numerous lives; warrior, husband and now healer. "- the healers are doing their best." Rhaenyra mumbles, laying a comforting hand on her husband's shoulder.

She has sired him two sons - but he always returns to Maekar. He always returns to the faint memory of you. "My aunt was taken by the same fever," he responded bitterly. He was not losing Maekar - he was not going to lose the greatest piece of you.

"I will take care of Maekar, please return to the battlefield - return to me." his niece pleaded, eyes almost brimming with tears. Maekar has been ill for the past months - and he has not left his bedside. "He is a boy of almost twenty and five summers. He will make it through this winter." Rhaenyra comforted.

"I refuse to fight knowing that he is fighting a battle in his bed." Daemon gritted his teeth, annoyed by his niece's lack of sympathy. "When Aegon and Viserys were sick - you did not show this devotion." she answered petulantly - now she could understand Alicent's hatred of her.

Daemon turns his head slowly - eyes glaring at his wife. "Rhaenyra, do not begin with this." he argued, attempting to keep his voice low - so that his son wouldn't awaken. "You love him more." she snapped. "Do not lie to yourself." he lied.

She stands up - eyes dark and filled with sorrow.

"How is it that you love her more than me? She is a dead girl - I am alive, yet I have to share you - a-and mayhaps I was fine with sharing - but not our children, Daemon. Your love should only be for them." her lips shuddered while shutting the door loudly.

(KINGSLANDING, 105AC)

You gather your gowns - fastening Maekar to your hips while you run through the halls with a smile on your face. "Daemon!" he wrapped you in a warm embrace - he smelled like fire and ash and home. "Ābrazȳrys," he cooed while taking the little boy away from you.

"Did you have fun?" you inquired, and he nodded quickly leading you towards your shared chambers. "Ēdan kirimves," (I had fun) he answered, pulling away from your fingers and opening the door. "You should've joined me," he offered, placing Maekar on the bed.

"I do not fancy riding a dragon," you responded while sitting beside your son who was sucking on his fingers. "You are my wife. You will learn." he informed firmly while removing his gloves. "Is it a profession of love or one of your whims?" you tease, unconsciously pulling Maekar closer to you. "It does not matter, riña - you will obey all the same." he breathed, body moving closer to you.

"Hen rhinka," (Of course) you hummed, staring up at him. "There is something that I need to tell you," he removed his coat before sitting on the bed. He adored everything about you - your smile, your hair, your scent and your ladyness - but there was one thing he hated; your anger. "What is it?" you inquire.

"Viserys commands me to fight a war."

(STEPSTONES, 106AC)

Daemon knew that it was a mistake to bring you here. You had an expert command with the sword - but he shouldn't have brought you here. "It's not too late to return home," he breathed, wrapping his arms around your half-asleep figure. "I could say the same, husband." you yawned, turning around to face him.

"You shouldn't even fucking be here," he cursed - smelling the faint scent of seawater on your hair. "Should be taking care of our son, like a good little wife." he added humorously. "Am I not good enough for you, ser?" you raise an eyebrow - and he silences you with a kiss.

He adored you in this way - skin tanned with fleeting spots on your shoulders, hair slightly bleached from the sun's rays - and body perfectly ready and sore for his bidding. "Too good for me," he hummed while moving his body to be hovering above you. "Daemon," you moaned feeling his fingers roam inside your nightgown.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

(STEPSTONES, 115AC)

His heart couldn't stop beating.

"Ābrazȳrys," he knelt down to your bleeding body. "Daemon," you choke on salt-water - feeling the waves gently nudge your body against the shoreline. "I'm glad to see you," you choke on air, hearing the thumping footsteps of your husband's healers.

He presses upon your wounded stomach - adding pressure to ensure that no blood would seep out of your body. "Reserve your strength," he commanded, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. "Daemon," you groan - seeing spots of black in your periphery. "(Your Name)" he responded firmly, helping the healers carry you away from the sand.

It has been three days since he's last seen you stand. Two days since he's last slept. He sees the way that your eyes curled in pain after every move - you were in agonizing pain, but you were enduring for him and for Maekar. "Ābrazȳrys" he cleared his throat - relieved that you were awake. "Valzȳrys," you replied with a pained smile.

"How are you?" he asks, sitting on your bedside. "I will be the same tomorrow." you answered with bitterness. The pain in your stomach has not left you since the accident. It festers like a living wound - providing you with the most torturous pains. "- and I know for certain because today feels like yesterday." you add, taking a sip of the milk of poppy. It does nothing to relieve your pain.

"What can I do about it?" he asks again, pained that you were feeling pain. "- everyday I feel like I am burned by dragonfire. My body feels like it is flayed and turned inside out. I cannot breathe at night - in the morning, my eyelids flutter." you explained, grip tightening around the teacup.

There was only one thing that you desired - but it was too cruel to ask of him. "I cannot move my legs - my arms feel like iron. Valzȳrys - to live like this is far too cruel." you cried. His eyes harden at your notion. The Maesters saved your life - but they did not release your mind of the torture that you endured in the hands of the enemy.

"No." he breathes - knowing the path that you were about to pursue.

"It is the only way - if you refuse to do so, I'll find a way."

"No."

(DRAGONSTONE, 129AC)

Daemon refused to touch you that day - he refused to speak to you, but when night came - he decided to obey your wishes. He filled your cup with one of the poisons inside your ring - he made sure to choose the one that gave you no suffering. He laid by your side - singing songs of your dialect to ease the pain of your passing.

He won the war because of the rage he felt over you. Over himself.

There was another woman after you - Laena Velaryon. The most beautiful girl that he's ever seen. A girl who had the same fire. She was skilled with a dagger - obeyed him in the same ways that you did. But she was not you. She did not fill the void that you left - not even after giving him Rhaena and Baela. He was a cruel husband - but not a cruel father.

After Laena's death came Rhaenyra - his niece.

She was rebellious - filled with fire and he worshipped her. Daemon worshipped Rhaenyra with all of his heart - they were forged from the same stone. Daemon was devoted her in way that he was never devoted to you - and that was because they shared the same blood. Daemon felt for Rhaenyra the same admiration that he felt for his brother. It was devotion. Not love.

And there he was - returning to what happened fourteen years ago.

Inside a small humid hut - hands wrapped around you, but this time it was your son. "Ivestragī nyke jemagon ao hen se ōñosa," he sung, wiping the tears that were streaming out of his irises. Maekar was cold to the touch - and his breathing was labored.

'If Lord Maekar's condition worsens, we'll be able to do nothing'

"Mother used to sing that to me," the boy mumbled. "Will I be able to see my wife again, my boys?" he asked his father - feeling a heaviness loom over his body. "When you get better," he replied.

(SHORES OF DRAGONSTONE, 129AC)

"Kekepa," his grandson opens his mouth. Daemon quickly lifts the boy and settles him on his hips. "Melara," he turned towards his good-daughter, quickly wiping the tears that were falling out of Viserys' eyes. He places a hand on her shoulder.

"He fought well." he comforted, staring at Maekar's body that was behind them. "I don't know how we'll live without him," she bit her lips - earning a chuckle from the older man. "It will be hard, but you will endure." he replied seeing Rhaenyra's figure walking towards them.

"I offer my condolences, Lady Melara - my grief extends to you and House Tyrell. Viserys and Rhaegar are free to remain here." Rhaenyra says politely, offering her hand to carry her step-grandson. "I think it will be best to do that, my queen. Father is already speaking of marriage - House Lannister he says, but I cannot marry yet. Not when I can still feel Maekar." she stared at her husband's body.

Waiting for either Rhaenyra or Daemon to say the word.

"You can say it." Daemon took a deep breath, turning to face Maekar.

"Dracarys,"

part two

@nyctophilic0vitnir @watercolorskyy @bellastwd @icarusgloom @pearlstiare @areaderinlove @hc-geralt-23 @rozendiors @immyowndefender @ammo23 @xcinnamonmalfoyx @ammo23 @immyowndefender @bitchyunknownuser

REQUESTS ARE OPEN

#daemon targaryen fanfiction #daemon targaryen #daemon targaryen x oc #daemon targaryen x reader #daemon targaryen x you #house of the dragon #house of the dragon fanfiction #house of the dragon fanfic #matt smith #hotd #hotd fanfiction #a song of ice and fire #a song of ice and fire fanfiction #asoiaf #asoiaf fanfiction #game of thrones #game of thrones fanfiction #got #got fanfiction #house targaryen #fire and blood

[littlegodzilla]

Hiii

A new chapter from my mini series!!

I hope you'll like it!!

Enjoy!!

Your Name Masterlist.

***

Your Name.

Mini series part 6.

Daryl Dixon x Reader.

Warnings: TWD gore. Bad language. Alcohol.

Words: 3290

Summary: Merle is gone and the camp is full of Walters so is the best moment to search for another safe place.

Taglist: @phoenixblack89 @browneyes528 @lilythemadqueen @darylsgarden @thefemininemystiquee @green-eyedladywrites @hail-yourselves @ruinedbythehobbit @xxtinasxxblog @ravenwings73 @spenciepoo338 @b-tchymoon @minervadashwood @darylssluttt

***

≈≈≈≈

Part 6.

Days have turned into weeks since you arrived at the camp, there is still suspicion towards Daryl and Merle, but they aren't too friendly either, you have heard Merle on several occasions planning to steal their supplies and weapons, but Daryl doesn't seem completely convinced. Right away you noticed that there were two clearly defined groups among them; the women took care of the domestic chores: washing the clothes, preparing the food, taking care and educating the children, the men on the other hand defended the camp, carried the weapons, went out to explore and forage for food. The women couldn't move from the camp except to go down to the small lake at the bottom of the quarry where they had a small clothesline prepared for when they did the laundry. It seemed a little old and outdated to you, but not everyone was like that, Dale a very friendly older gentleman always tried to help when he wasn't on duty, Glenn when he wasn't going down to town to survey the area and forage for food, was also with you and helped you, Shane, Ed and Morales were more reluctant to interact with you, Shane paid attention to Lori and Carl, a woman and her little boy who at first you thought were his family, but one day you overheard Carl talking about his father and Lori told you the story.

"Shane is a good friend of the family." She had told you.

"Yeah and a good human vibrator." Merle had replied to you when you told him.

"Don't say that, he's not that good looking either..." Even though you knew your words were a lie.

"I mean she fucks him every time the kid doesn't see them."

"Come on, that's not..." You shut up and frown. "What does it matter? She's a widow, she can do whatever she wants."

"Sure, but clearly the kid doesn't know that, otherwise he wouldn't be 'the family friend'." Merle says with a twisted laugh.

"Shut up, there's nothing wrong with it."

But it starts to when Rick shows up at the camp days before with the scouting party that had gone down with Glenn to the city. The atmosphere is rarefied, there is surprise, joy, elation, but also nervousness, confusion and anger. A husband back from the dead, a divided wife and a displaced lover.

Merle is certainly going to love this.

Your smile freezes as you realize Merle isn't back with them, everyone seems exhausted and nervous to be home again. But Merle is not with them. You approach the group and greet Glenn.

"What about Merle?" you ask worriedly, everyone is silent and it distresses you. "W-what happened to him?"

"He... we had complications, we had to leave him behind..."

"Did he get bitten?" you ask frightened.

"No, he got violent and I was forced to leave him on a roof." Rick interjects, telling what happened. "It was my decision, was he your partner?"

"Oh my god no, he's... he's a friend." You shrug. "His brother, he and I came to this camp together and I know he's a dick, but it hurts anyway."

"I'm sorry..." He apologizes and you shake your head.

"I'm sure your motives were justified."

"What are we going to do when Daryl finds out?" Dale asks that night as you all quietly eat dinner by a small fire.

"I left him there, I'll talk to him." Offers Rick hugging his son.

"No, I'll talk to him, it will be easier to calm him down." You tell him and Rick looks at you unconvinced.

Talking to Daryl the next morning is complicated, he comes in from hunting, tired, sweating, chasing a deer that some infected have finally eaten, so he's pissed. When he calls Merle and gets no answer he confronts Rick and Shane, you don't have time to intervene before Shane overpowers him and knocks him to the ground with a choke hold. You gasp in fright running towards them, when they release him Daryl seems to have calmed down, but he is humiliated too. The words of the rest of the people in the camp don't calm him down, when he feels your hands on his arm he pulls away as if they burn and walks away.

"I asked you guys to let me talk to him." You say annoyed and walk behind the Dixon. "Daryl wait."

"Lemme, I'm ain't in the mood."

"Merle's not dead." You try to make him look on the bright side. "And I hear Rick wants to come back for him. They made a mistake, that's all."

"That's all?" He turns so sharply that you slam into his body, you recoil, watching his scowl and how he chews his lip to stifle anger. "They left him on a rooftop, chained up like a dog, if those dead people don't eat him alive, he'll be killed by the heat, he'll die of suffocation and starvation. But it's okay because they've decided to come back for him, is that what ya wannna tell me? They shouldn't have left him there in the first place!"

"You know your brother, I'm sure he put them in a complicated situation..."

"Why yer defendin' them!?! My brother and I have saved yer princess ass many more times than they have, why are y'okay with them leavin' him to his fate?"

"I'm not okay with it Daryl, I'm just trying to understand the situation, they're going to come back for him, they've realized their mistake, is that not okay with you?"

"No, it ain't work for me. We should never have stayed here." He growls and walks away again.

"Where are you going now?"

"With them." Is all he adds.

***

As they prepare the van to head back to town in search of Merle, the more nervous you feel, you pace back and forth biting your index fingernail. You don't want Daryl to go too, you know he can be violent like his brother, that he doesn't like to follow orders imposed by anyone either. You don't want to lose him too.

"Daryl..." You call out to him as he gets out of the back of the van.

"Ya gonna stay here."

"But..."

"And for once in yer fuckin' life yer gonna listen to me. Ya.stay.here. Ya hear me?" his voice is low, dark, he's breathing hard through his nose, he's angry and the last thing he needs right now is to have to deal with you. "Well, we're leavin' or what?" he yells to the rest of them getting back into the van and closing the cargo door.

It's only been half an hour since they've left, but you feel totally uneasy and desperate, you don't like that they've gone back for Merle, you don't like that Daryl has gone for Merle.

"Can I ask you a question?" You hear Amy's voice suddenly and you turn to look at her. "Is Daryl your destined mate?" She asks you and then points to the sleeve of your t-shirt that is pulled up and you can see the name on your skin. "Is that why you're traveling with them?"

"No!" You quickly pull down your sleeve and look around. "It's not because of that, we know each other because we used to live in the same town, it has nothing to do..."

"He doesn't know?" The surprise in her voice draws the attention of the rest of the group and you look at her in despair.

"It's not him." You insist. "Please don't say anything..."

Luckily for you, Amy never gets around to telling anyone, although you would have preferred that things hadn't ended up like this. The camp is attacked that same night by a group of infected. There aren't many, but there aren't too many weapons around, Shane tries to get everyone to safety along with Dale and Jim, Ed has been bitten in his tent and Amy has been attacked on her way out of the caravan. It's only a few minutes the whole situation turns into absolute chaos, when you feel a tug on your shirt and Daryl's body appears in front of you shooting in all directions along with Rick and the rest of the group that had left.

Slowly the night and chaos gives way to the next day, things aren't much better, the bodies of the infected and those who have not been able to defend themselves in time are scattered all over the camp, Andrea refuses to move away from her sister. Jim has been bitten. Ed is transforming and Carol tends to him under Daryl's watchful eye.

Merle hasn't returned.

"W-Where's Merle?" you dare to ask Daryl when everything seems to calm down a bit.

"Alive, that son of a bitch stole our van and ran off. He cut his hand to free himself." He grunts and you look at him in horror.

"I'm sorry..."

"Yes, ya should be, if it wasn't for ya, none of us would be here now." He barks and walks away again, this whole situation is getting on top of him and he's starting to get overwhelmed. He's always been his brother's shadow, now he's free.

What can he do?

His words hurt you, on another occasion you would have ignored what he has said, as usual, you would go along with the course of things, the atmosphere would calm down and you would be fine again, but now you can't, because you know he is right. If you hadn't run into them at the supermarket, they wouldn't have taken you with you, you wouldn't have tried to negotiate staying at the camp with Shane and the others and now you wouldn't be in that whole shitty situation. You sniffle loudly through your nose wiping away your tears when a gunshot startles you and makes you turn around.

Someone has tried to get too close to Andrea and she has fired to keep their distance. Her sister's death has broken her heart and she is having a hard time mourning.

"Best thing to do is move camp." You hear Shane and Rick talking. "Get us out of here to a safe place. A military base, there would be supplies, beds, a safe roof over our heads."

"Or we can go all the way to the CDC, Jim is infected but hasn't shown symptoms yet, maybe they can cure him."

"That's crazy, Rick." Lori interjects.

"We have to try, we can't let Jim get infected." Rick insists. "We'll take the cars, we'll drive there together, it won't be hard."

It sounds risky but you have to admit that Jim deserves a second chance if there really is a cure. You all get ready to get out of there, Morales doesn't go with you, he's afraid for his family so he decides to find another way on his own. Rick sets out to lead the group of vehicles, you and Daryl ride the bike, you hold onto his waist and lean against his back, it's Merle's bike, and you start to believe that Daryl is riding it just to take care of his brother somehow.

The ride to the CDC is rough, Jim can't take the ride, apparently all the rattling the trailer generates is like it's breaking his bones, you stop because the trailer has overheated and Jim has decided that's as far as his journey has gone. You all say goodbye to him, even Daryl seems uncomfortable and affected by his loss, it's been a real roller coaster two days, first Merle, the camp full of infected, having to decide who dies and who doesn't, now abandoning Jim like that. You try to hide your tears, but it's too hard. You gasp hard when you feel Daryl put an arm around your shoulders and lean you on his shoulder trying to comfort you. You appreciate his gesture by letting a few more tears flow free down your cheeks before the caravan is back up and you all get going again.

Daryl feels a strange conflict within him. All these people didn't know each other at all before the dead walked and now they seem like one huge family, they care for and protect each other no matter what, Rick leads them wanting to save them, asking nothing in return except for his family to be safe. He doesn't understand why so much trouble for people he doesn't know? He growls because he might ask the same question of you, why is he protecting you if you're just giving him trouble? His gaze falls on you, still pressed against his body, he chews his lip and then turns away from you.

He is not able to understand.

***

Arriving at the CDC is no joy either, the place is littered with dead people, lying in the street, the smell of death and putrefaction is agonizing. The dead start to surround you but finally the doors of the place open and you manage to feel safe after a long time. Dr. Jenner is skeptical to receive you, which is totally normal, before you can settle in he does several tests and blood tests to make sure you are not infected. You quickly pull up the right sleeve of your shirt and he looks at you doubtfully.

"On this arm the doctors have always had better results, I have very shy veins." You try to joke, everyone is there, nor can you let anyone else see your name.

The man as a scientist and doctor doesn't ask too many questions accepting your excuses. Andrea gets a little dizzy when he takes her blood and you explain that you haven't eaten anything decent for days and that you've been through a lot of stressful situations in a short time.

Jenner smiles and to your surprise when he takes you underground there is a huge banquet waiting for you in one of the rooms. That's not the only surprise, there are rooms and showers with hot water for everyone. It's been so long since you've felt the soft touch of your skin free of dirt that you've forgotten what it's like. Everyone enjoys a shower, you wash up a bit leaving your clothes hanging in the shower and change into some clothes you borrowed from Carol at camp. You are so hungry that smelling like sweat a little longer, you don't mind at all.

Dinner is nice, you can tell even Jenner is grateful to have company, the food almost makes you cry, your taste buds adapted to the little squirrel meat and canned meat now makes the whole thing a fucking feast, there's wine and whiskey and Daryl is trying to get Glenn drunk and that makes you laugh.

You're a little drunk too, you're sure.

***

Little by little people leave the room where the food was, you need a shower, clear your mind and sleep, but on the way to your improvised room you discover the small library and game room that Jenner has there. The kids have already gone to bed and everything seems quiet so you dare to try your luck. You grab the darts on a shelf and try your luck throwing one at the dartboard. This one sticks embarrassingly into the carpet of the room and you hear a snicker from the doorway, you turn and discover Daryl watching you, in his hand he still has the bottle of whiskey.

"In my defense I'll say I'm drunk." You grunt and he walks towards you, from between your fingers he steals one of the darts and almost without looking throws it. He misses the bullseye, but at least he's hit the dartboard. "Snobby..."

"Is there anythin' y'know how to do well?" Daryl slurs the words due to the blood alcohol, his eyes are fixed on you, his pupils dilated, a soft film of sweat decorates his forehead.

You stare at him and before you are aware of your actions, you have stood on tiptoe to give him a kiss on the lips. Of course the hunter's reaction is abrupt and violent. He pushes you away from him urgently, pushes and his brow furrows tightly, he rubs his lips with his arm as if you might infect something off on him and touches his temple as he yells at you.

"Are ya out of yer mind!? yer a bitch, Merle was right!" He spits angrily and storms out, slamming the door violently.

Your heart is racing, you don't know how you could have done that, kissing him was crazy, what did you expect? You don't even know why you did it. Ashamed you go back to your room to take a shower and feel the alcohol leave your body, humiliated you feel some tears rolling down your cheeks, how are you going to look at him from now on, why do you always have to complicate everything? You turn off the shower water and go back to the room, you take your underwear and cover your body with the blankets that Jenner has offered you, the bunk bed is small, but it's been so long since you slept in a comfortable place that you immediately fall asleep.

**

Daryl bites his lip so violently that he has to stop when he feels the taste of blood on his tongue, if he keeps this up he's going to tear his skin off completely. He hasn't gotten into bed yet, although drunk, he's not so drunk that he can't think. And he can't stop. It would take more than a bottle of whiskey to knock him out.

But that's not what's keeping him awake. It's the kiss. Your kiss. Why did you kiss him? Did you really want to? Was it the alcohol controlling you? Because Daryl had seen you drinking during dinner and how your manner was slowly changing. He had thought it was funny and that's why he sought you out to tease you, but he never thought things would take such an unexpected turn. His lips still burn from the memory and his body reacts. He may not have been with many women with all his senses at work, but he knows what they are, he knows how they work, or at least he thinks he does and he's certainly pretty sure he likes them.

But why would you be interested in him?

Fed up with not being able to get you out of his mind, he gets up from the chair where he had plopped down and leaves your room, everything is in semi-darkness, people have already gone to bed, even Dr. Jenner. He walks slowly to your room and when he finds it he opens the door trying not to wake you up. You are asleep with your back to the door, curled up on your bunk. Slowly he walks over to you, your damp hair spread on the pillow, your body half naked, only covered by the blanket up to your waist, he can see your back, your shoulders. He swallows hard as he circles the bed, your face is calm, relaxed into a totally sleepy grimace, nothing seems to disturb you and yet he is unable to sleep because of you. His gaze slides down your body following the quiet movement of your chest as he breathes. His whole body reacts when his eyes dart to your tits, trapped in that tight bra, squeezed and squeezed between them, his mouth goes dry when he discovers one of your nipples peeking shyly through the garment. However his gaze catches something uncomfortably out of the exciting sight. He turns his head slightly and discovers a black spot on your forearm. He licks his lips and leans in for a better look. Her pulse plummets, all the excitement in her body coming to naught. He holds your wrist carefully and caresses your skin with his thumb.

D.ixon.

"Huhm?" you mumble then opening your eyes. You need a second to remember where you are, you raise your head and discover that you are still in your room at the CDC, relief and anguish invade you equally as that horrible disease that turns people into zombies is not a horrible nightmare. On the other hand you have the feeling that you were not alone, but the room is empty. You shake your head dismissively and curl up, falling asleep again.

**

To be continued...

***

I hope you liked it!!

See you in the next chapters!!

#my stuff #norman reedus #normanreedus #daryl dixon #daryldixon #twd fanfiction #daryl x reader #twd #the walking dead #daryl twd #twd story #your name story #daryl dixon x reader

[hello-nichya-here]

Is Aegon II a usurper?

His father was King. The highest authority, the one that decides what the laws even are - and before Aegon II was even born, Viserys already decided on Rhaenyra being his heir and made everyone in the kingdom vow to be loyal to her as their queen once he died.

After Aegon was born, Viserys had moments of doubt - but it didn't take long for everyone to see that, while Aegon was still just two years old, he decided Rhaenyra would STILL be the heir.

Nearly two decades later, he used his last strengths to reinforce that, to him, it doesn't matter if Rhaenyra has bastards, that cheated on her very gay husband, that she supposedly fucked Daemon in a brothel years ago, that she's a woman while Aegon is a man, etc. He still wants her as heir, and everyone already swore, in a legal and religious act, that they would crown her as queen and obey her after her father's death.

While high as hell because of a bunch of medication, and in fact, high to the point that he doesn't even recognize his wife and calls her Rhaenyra, he says stuff about "Aegon's dream to unite the realm must come true." Alicent doesn't her son about what that dream and what exactly it means, because if she does she'll get confirmation that what Viserys was saying not, in fact, what she wanted to hear. He was NOT saying he changed his mind at the last second. He was NOT compensating her for years and years of a miserable life by making her son his rightful heir.

She says that's what happened anyway, lying to herself and everyone else. Aegon himself says he does not believe her because he knew better than anyone that his father didn't love him - in fact, Viserys called Rhaenyra his ONLY child, and was visibly happy when it seemed that just THE DAY BEFORE the Greens and Blacks had officially made peace with each other and thus no one would oppose Rhaenyra's reign.

And to top it all off, Otto Hightower and his allies reveal that, long before the lie Alicent told herself, they were already planning to put Aegon on the throne, and are in fact more than willing to tell him "Hey, just kill your sister, her husband, their children, and the baby she didn't even have yet" and that only doesn't happen because Alicent has some goddamn standards. She still tries to hold Rhaenys hostage, and her father's men are killing everyone that doesn't want to BREAK THEIR LEGAL AND RELIGIOUS OATH to respect crown Rhaenyra queen now that her father has passed away.

It doesn't matter what you think of Rhaenyra, Viserys, Daemon, Alicent or of literally any and every character in both sides. It wouldn't even matter if this a simple story about a fully good, innocent prince breaking the law because it'd be the only way to prevent his wicked older sister from rising to power: The throne was Rhaenyra's by right. She's the one everyone swore loyalty to because the king IS fully allowed to pick his firstborn daughter over the firstborn son as heir, as long she's older than him, not a bastard, and the child of the King's first wife - all of which apply to Rhaenyra.

"Oh, but what about Aegon the conqueror?" Usurper. He was not a blood thristy monster, was a good king, and from the looks of it he did it all for the noble reason of trying to protect Westeros from the threat beyond the wall, but he stole seven thrones from seven regents.

"Oh, but Robert Baratheon!" Usurper. Crowned himself king and had his brothes go after the actual heirs - there's a reason he used the three drops his TARGARYAN blood to justify his reign.

"Oh, but Rob Stark" Usurper. His own mother, who was fully on his side AND didn't even know Cersei's children were not Robert's, full said that they were commiting TREASON. Them being more sympathetic characters than Joffrey and the Lannisters, and Robert ALSO starting his reign as a usurper, doesn't change the fact that the Baratheon dynasty has been the official one for 15 years because the dragons, aka the rightful rulers are dead/only interested in Essos now (as far as they know), and that STANNIS is Robert's heir and rightful ruler of the seven kingdoms, the North very much included. They discovered the Lannisters, the people who killed Ned, aka led to the whole "we want independence" thing (which is still treason, despite being understandable), were NOT going to be their leaders even if they didn't continue pushing for independence, yet they still didn't bend the knee to the king.

Saying Aegon II and the Greens are not usurpers because "Rhaenyra this, Rhaenyra that" is like saying Jaime Lannister is not the Kingslayer and an oath breaker for stabbing his king in the back because "Mad King", or that he didn't try to murder a child and didn't break guest rules by pushing Bran out a window in Winterfell because "Well, what would happen to him, Cersei and their kids if Bran snitched on them?"

Aegon was not the rightful heir. He sat on the throne, wore the crown and called himself king anyway. Therefore, he is a usurper and so are the people that let him do that. Plain and simple.

#asks #hotd #house of the dragon

[ellanainthetardis]

Who was the worst, snow or coin?

Why?

Thank you. @curiousnonny

@curiousnonny I LOVE this question.

Long story short, my answer is Coin.

Long story long: Snow is horrible. Like, there's no question. He's a dictator, he's a tyrant, he's a mass murderer, he's probably a psychopath, and he's an embodiment of the powerful white old man monster.

We do have a backstory for him now though and I guess we don't have a backstory for Coin (although I remember something about a husband and a son being dead but is that movie!canon, something I read in a fanfic or something? Anyway not book!canon so not relevant).

Snow is ambitious, cunning and has no moral compulsions left after tbosas. But we do get where he begins though. He's traumatized by the war (not that it's an excuse, right, but there was CANNIBALISM ok and I think we forget that a lot and we should discuss more) and I think on some level everything he does once he becomes powerful is done to never get back to that state of things with the Capitol under assault, with rationing and fear and all that jazz (which makes you see MJ in a new light). Of course, he also wants to be king but I do think that's the bonus not the objective. The objective is to have the Capitol be supreme, to never again be that kid who struggle to find food (yes I know me it pains me too that this was a total rip off of Katniss' story).

The thing about Snow though is that I think that quote when he tells Katniss "we don't lie to each other" is probably very true. Snow is a monster in fine clothing and most of the Capitols worship him as a savior (classic cult of personality stuff for a dictator) and would not suspect him of any wrong doings but for the people who needs to be afraid of him, the people who needs to know he has them on a leash... He's pretty straightforward. For the victors (and probably escorts, gamemakers and even the various government people) he's the big bad you don't want to get mad. If he gives you a warning, you don't ignore it. If he issues a threat, you know he will follow through.

So what I'm trying to say here is that yeah, sure, he's the worst but in a way he owns it and he's open about it.

Coin, however, presents herself as a savior and is sahddy as fuck. I know the movies make it look like power corrupted her and she started good and ended bad but that's not my take when I read the books. When I read the books, I see a ruthless politician with an army who knows what she wants and is now ready to go for it, using kids and whoever she needs to to do it.

Look, it's understandable in a way because you don't overturn a regime and keep your hands clean but she's a hypocrite about it and if given leave to do so she would have taken Snow's place in a hearbeat. Forget elections (or they would be rigged), hello new Hunger Games, hello new terror regime. It wouldn't be long before Thirteen was the new Capitol - or more likely the Capitol would still be the Capitol but under Thirteen's thumb and the whole country would be stuck between them and forced to comply. Would things be better for the Districts? Maybe at first, probably not in the long run.

So the question is was Coin genuine? I don't know. What I know is that she kept her District military with harsh rules and mandatory conscription. You can argue it was done for survival and that's valid. But I also know that she said we don't execute mad girls but would probably not have flinched at executing Johanna and Peeta for doing propos for the Capitols when they were clearly there under duress. She used Peeta as a weapon against Katniss, exactly the same way the Capitol did. She used a weapon behind their creators' knowledge (at least Gale's, I'm going to give him that, i don't think that's what he meant when he had his hummingbird idea) to kill countless kids just so she could put Snow in a checkmate. She killed Prim deliberatey to attract Katniss and have HER killed so she could be the only rebel icon. She suggested new hunger games. (I'm going to give her a pass on everyone involved in the games including prep teams being killed - per mj book - because I don't think that could have been averted even if her intentions had been good)

Coin wanted power and she was ready to do anything to get it. Was she worse than Snow... She was a younger version of Snow. Maybe more dangerous in a way. But at the point of thg, yes, I think she was worse because Snow was the snake but Coin was the wolf in sheep's clothings.

#ask #anon #meta

[kingocringeracc]

Long time no see.

Synopsis, the first born child

September 23rd, 2046.

Kentucky

As I enter the home of the esteemed doctor Gerald S. Warner III, I'm suddenly greeted by the sense of hominess it has, but there isn't much life in his home as he leads me to his office, sits across from me, and offers me a drink, while pouring one for himself. We go over the superficial pleasantries of me thanking him for the chance to interview him, and I begin the interview.

“So you were on site for the original stirrings of the US outbreaks?”

“The eastern coast outbreaks, yes, I was a paramedic when the first cases started to pop up.”

“Can you tell me what it was like? How did you feel? Do you have anything you'd want to share about what happened to you personally during the initial cases?”

“If my memory provides!” he laughs before downing a shot, his eyes have no humor in them.

“The first time I encountered the infected, I'm sure you've heard them by many names, zombies, the plagued, the dead, Zeds, Zach, you'll hear the last one from the bucketheads a lot. Was the night of June 30th, 2024. We were in Yonkers, New York, just a bit west of Long Island. Our ambulance got called in for an investigation of a murder, a husband came home, and we thought he was extremely drunk at the time, it had to be right. I mean how the hell do you explain what happened there, without the knowledge of just what the hell was comin'.” Dr.Warner has a stony expression on his face, his eyebrows furrowed. He pours another shot and downs it.

“The rest of the details is that the husband came home drunk, and cannibalized his wife, I mean truly cannibalized, I remember it clear as day, or at least I remember what he had to pick up. I won't go into detail, but her face wasn't recognizable from pictures we saw lying around the house, and her body barely was either. The son, poor kid, was only fifteen, but he knew where his dad kept the gun, so he put a bullet in his pops’ brain. And then called 911. That's when we show up. “

“Do you by any chance know what happened to the kid?”

Dr.Warner looks at me but does not truly see, his eyes come into focus, and I'm almost able to see the horrors he saw during the 10 years of that era. He looks dead in the eye.

“...No…”

It's a lie, but I don't press.

“Please doctor, continue”

“My team picked up the bodies of the husband and wife, They're already bagged mind you, I don't know if the police had spare bags on them, or if another paramedic team got there first, and we just stole the bodies from them. christ, if we did, we certainly saved them that day.”

“We take the bodies to the morgue, in which there are 6 people there, 5 female, and 1 male. They begin dressing the bodies and examining them, ruling out causes of death, I'm in the back, taking a 15-minute break, a breather even, when I put on the usual things you'd need to even be considered to be allowed into a cadaver lab. My friend, Erik Woods, the only male staff member that night, was a cruel, cold, and calculating man, if I remember correctly he had Alexithymia, but I'm no neurological doctor, or a psychiatrist, but he was the perfect man for being a mortician, perfectly calculating, wasn't scared of anything, allows me to enter the cadaver lab and watch as he examines the bodies, he starts on the husband, he immediately notices a bite mark on his left shoulder, varicose veins emanate from the mark, seemingly trying to travel up to the brain. Moving onto the brain, from the hole produced from the husband's glock 19, using 9x19mm rounds, I and erik can see that the brain is rotted, Why? We had not a damn clue, not yet, the information on just what the hell this plague did to the human body wasn't out yet, and it wouldn't be out for about another year. But we rule the cause of death as a bullet to the skull, in simple terms. We move on to the wife next, uncover her. Our first observations are that half of her throat has been chewed, her right cheek chewed, stomach is barely kept together by a few strands of flesh. All symptoms from the bite mark on the husband's shoulder are the same, the varicose veins, all leading up to the skull. We continue our examination and rule the cause of death to blood loss. Erik turns around and degloves, and I do the same. But all of a sudden, the wife just rises up! Making this god-awful noise I hope no one ever needs to hear again. The mangled groan, capable of sending the toughest man you'd know back to his room for a change of underclothes. I turn to Erik, and he doesn't believe just what the hell he’s seeing, but the fear tells both of us to get the hell out of dodge. I get out quickly, but Erik's starstruck for a second too late. She reaches out and tears the flesh of his forearm. That wakes him up, Erik pushes her off him and we both get out of the lab, baring the doors, locking the doors, doing whatever we need to do to keep that thing in there, and away from us, and the other five women working there. I find a first aid kit and wrap Erik's arm in gauze and medical tape. I tell him to call 911, while I tell everyone working that night just what the hell is going on, they all think I'm insane, and tell me to get out, I go outside, maybe my team with outside, maybe they are taking a break too. I was wrong, they'd left maybe 15 minutes before everything went to hell.”

“Authorities arrive within five minutes, the bleeding on Erik's arm has slowed, but hasn't stopped, and that thing behind the door in the lab hasn't stopped banging on the door. I explain the situation to the police, and they round everyone in the building up, get everyone outside, and Erik is transported to a hospital nearby. Little did we all know the hell we unleashed there. The police enter the building and we all hear gunshots, the mangled groan again, screams of “why the hell isn't she going down!” and then the shots stop, the groaning stops.”

Dr.Warner pauses but regains focus

“The police are obviously shaken, they tell us all to go home, stay calm, like we're gonna stay calm after what just happened. But I head home, I find my wife, and my son, and I tell them to start packing, something isn't right, we’re leaving, and we’re leaving now.”

END OF INTERVIEW

#world war z #zombies #max brooks

[sheakspeare]

It's week 2 of the #OdysseyReadalong2023 (sorry for the delay!), and we've read books 3 & 4. I'm gonna leave some prompts for discussion about Book 3 below. 💙🌊

🌊 — King Nestor

In this book, Telemachus meets honest Nestor, who is “not one to tell a lie” (Od. 3-20), king of sandy Pylos (a town in Messenia, Peloponnese). For someone who values truth and honesty so much, isn't it strange how good of a friend he apparently is to Odysseus?

Nestor fought at Troy and tells Odysseus' son about his own journey in a very lengthy story. He mentions heroes like Achilles (who slayed prince Hector), Patroclus (companion of the aforementioned), Agamemnon (king of Mycenae, murdered by his wife Clytemnestra), Philoctetes (whose bow was essential in the final destruction of Troy), Menelaus (husband of Helen) and, of course, Odysseus, the cleverest of all. Out of the bunch, who is your favourite?

🌊 — Orestes and Telemachus

Speaking of Agamemnon, Nestor encourages Telemachus to take after the king's son Orestes, since he took an active role in the killing of his father's murderers, Aegisthus and Clytemnestra (his own mother). Telemachus is thus prompted to take revenge and deal with Penelope's suitors. However, Nestor wonders if Odysseus himself will return home to take his own revenge, either alone or with an army of Greeks.

Young Telemachus is still struggling to step up, though, but HE'S TRYING. In Od. 3.205-6, he says, “I wish the gods / would grant me that much power against those men”. After his disaster at the Ithacan assembly, where he spoke in front of an audience for the first time, Telemachus finds himself in an awkward position. But getting out of Ithaca and meeting his father's friends will be beneficial to his development, wouldn't you agree?

🌊 — Pirates

We also come across the very first mention of PIRATES! (Od. 3-73)

The earliest documented instances of piracy date back to the 14th century BC at the hands of the Sea Peoples who threatened the ships sailing in the Aegean and Mediterranean waters.

In antiquity, piracy was regarded as an honourable way of making a living, and peoples such as the Phoenicians Illyrians and Tyrrhenians were known as pirates. References are made to its perfectly normal occurrence in many texts, including in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.

Did you know this “profession” was so old?

🌊 — Animal Sacrifice

We also encounter a very detailed description of animal sacrifice (in this case, bulls).

After being slayed, the animal's blood is collected and poured over the altar of the god. Then it is butchered on the spot and various internal organs, bones, and other inedible parts burnt as the deity's portion of the offering, while the meat is removed to be prepared for the participants to eat.

It was a very common practice in Ancient Greece to appease the gods. What's your instance on it? Would you have partaken in it, or would you have stood by your principles and risked having the gods against you?

🌊 — Eurydice

Nestor mentions his wife, Eurydice. Their children included Perseus, Peisistratus, Thrasymedes, Pisidice, Polycaste, Stratichus, Aretus, Echephron, and Antilochus.

However, it is an honest mistake to confuse her with the wife of Orpheus, whom he tried (and failed) to bring back from the dead with his enchanting music.

Did you make this mistake?

🌊 — Cassandra

When Nestor said, “some of us had neither sense nor morals” (Od. 3-133), he is alluding to the rape of Cassandra, the Trojan priestess

At the fall of Troy, Cassandra sought shelter in the temple of Athena, but was abducted and brutally raped by Ajax. This angered the goddess, and thus she was responsible for the death of Ajax.

The abduction of Cassandra was frequently represented in Greek works of art. Do you have a favourite?

🌊 — Athena

In my opinion, the owl-eyed goddess stood up the most in this book.

I found it so funny when she told Nestor to shut up and serve dinner after she had her fun pretending to be a mortal, making prayers and pouring libations! I also enjoyed when she turned into a vulture and left! She was bored and she peaced out!

She also told Telemachus that “the gods have blessed [him] in [his] life so far” (Od. 3.28). Do you agree with her?

And who was the most memorable character for you?

tags: @fangirlofallthefanthings

#OdysseyReadalong2023 #read-alongs #the odyssey #*mine

[bastardfucker]

MOTHER'S DAY OC

This started with making an OC to ship with Soldier Boy after I watched season 3 because I'm a garbage human, but now I'm completely obsessed with her.

Warnings: Miscarriage

Irene Stone A.K.A. Bombshell

She was made into a supe during the same Compound V trial as Soldier Boy, to serve as a test of how V effects the female body. As part of their contract, Ben and Irene were married, and were planning to have a child. Irene didn't care that Ben was a slut, because at the time she just cared about "Serving her country" and marrying Ben was more of a showpiece for their Super Personas, as well as a way for her to have the child she always wanted.

She has all the same powers as Soldier Boy, but since she's a woman and it was the 40s, she wasn't really involved in any of the fighting. She didn't mind, since she and Ben had successfully conceived a child, and she was focused on protecting and welcoming the new life.

Unfortunately, she suffered a miscarriage, and was devastated. Soldier Boy wanted to try again, but Bombshell was convinced that the Compound V is what caused the miscarriage, and that she couldn't take losing another child. This put a huge strain on their marriage.

With no baby to keep her off the field, Bombshell wanted to join Soldier Boy in the fighting, since she's every bit his equal, but Vought didn't want a woman in the field, because they thought it would be "Bad Rep" for the general population at the time if Bombshell was anything other than Soldier Boy's pretty blonde wife.

Because she wouldn't back down, Vought captured Bombshell and held her in the lab for several decades (Telling Soldier Boy that she had left him, which he believed since their relationship was going to shit). She did not know that her eggs were harvested and kept on ice by Vought.

Eventually, when Soldier Boy started becoming a "Problem" to Vought, they fed him a lie that Bombshell had been killed, so he would believe that whatever killed her could kill him too.

In the 1970's during women's liberation, Bombshell was freed by a group of female supes. After decades of torture though, Irene just wanted to get away from it all, so she laid low and never made a public appearance, so Soldier Boy continued to believe that she was dead.

When Soldier Boy was shipped to Russia, Irene believed he was dead just like everyone else. Vought reached out to her in hopes that she would replace Soldier Boy, and she told them to go fuck themselves with a rusty screwdriver.

She never knew that one of her eggs was used to create Homelander, until meeting Soldier Boy again.

During Soldier Boy's resurgence, she travelled to New York to see him for herself. He was upset that she didn't save him from the Russians, until she informed him that she spent decades undergoing similar torture right there in The States and he never came for her.

Soldier Boy wanted to rekindle their relationship, since she's still technically his wife, but after a passionate night together, she turned him down, saying that she can't put herself in that position again.

Soldier Boy tracks her down again after he discovers that Homelander is his son, because knowing how she was held in a Vought lab, he suspects that Homelander, who looks suspiciously like Irene, is the product of their genetics.

Irene is horrified by this, since Vought couldn't save the child they tried for, and instead stole their genetics to create a child who grew up without either of them.

Unlike Soldier Boy, Irene had no conflicting feelings about Homelander and Ryan; she decided immediately that she wanted a relationship with her son and grandson, no matter what.

***

Irene has a special hatred for Stormfront, since she oversaw the scientific experimentation torture that she endured. Considering "Liberty" co-founded Herogasm with Soldier Boy, it's safe to say that the Nazi bitch fucked Irene's husband AND son. Even worse, attempted to turn her son into a nazi.

#The Boys oc #My post #Bombshell OC

[c-nstantine]

hey!! can i request an angsty bruce wayne x reader that takes place right after Jason’s death. inspired by the song it quiet uptown from Hamilton. thank uuu💕

Warnings: Cursing, fake infidelity, child death

Word Count:1.1k

Author's Note: This request filled two things I really like. Hamilton and angst. So thank you anon for this. I hope you like it.

There is suffering too terrible to name

You hold your child as tight as you can

And push away the unimaginable

No mother wants to go through the pain of losing a child. Having to lie about losing a child is a nightmare that Y/N was living. Of course, the Waynes can't say they lost a child because of a maniac kidnapping him. No, that would lead to too many questions. So they lied. Y/N and Bruce lied to the people of the world and said their son died in a fatal car accident in a foreign country.

No wife wants their spouse to cheat on them. No wife wants to endure losing a child and having to confront their spouse about extramarital offers. That's what Y/N was facing. The only thing was Bruce didn't cheat.

Bruce manufactured his own scandal to take some media coverage off of the death of his son. While this plan isn't bad, the exclusion of his wife's input was. He watched his wife have a downfall, partly because of him.

I spend hours in the garden

I walk alone to the store

And it's quiet uptown

"Mrs. Y/n has stopped eating again," Alfred said bringing Bruce his dinner. Lately, the plates outside of the Master bedroom had begun to pile up. Most of them were barely touched.

"I'll talk to her," Bruce nodded. Bruce reached for his napkin to lay across his lap. Since Jason's death, Bruce had gotten older not in body but in spirit. Sure, he and Dick did death-defying things but not once did Bruce think Dick would die. Now he's lost a child, a person he'd promised to protect.

"And tell her the truth?" Alfred grabbed Bruce's hand he reached for his fork. Bruce's father figure looked at him with a sense of authority.

"No, not yet," Bruce said removing Alfred's hand from his wrist. He didn't seem concerned with the truth of his scandal but he did falter at the mention of his wife not eating.

"Master Bruce, that woman has just lost a child, and you are putting her through the wringer," Alfred gave a bit of advice before disappearing into the large house.

His hair has gone grey

He passes every day

They say he walks the length of the city

"Y/N?" Bruce knocked carefully on his bedroom door. Opening the door, he noticed a large number of tissues surrounding the bed. A mound rested under the comforter of the king-sized bed.

"Please talk to me, "He whispered while gently laying a hand on the mound. He received no response.

"Alfred said you'd stopped eating, "Y/N simply rolled further away from Bruce to avoid talking to him.

"I just want to make sure that you're doing alright," He tried reasoning with her. However, the pain that Y/N was feeling would not succumb to reason.

"At least look at me,"

Look at where we are

Look at where we started

I know I don't deserve you,

"My baby's dead. My husband cheated on me. The media is calling me a lousy mother and wife so no, Bruce, I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to look at you 'cause all I see is my son," Y/N yelled at Bruce as she removed the comforter from over her head. Her eyes were bloodshot and her hair was messily tucked under a bonnet.

"I didn't cheat on you. I faked the pictures so the media wouldn't be so focused on Jason's death," Bruce spoke while trying to comfort Y/N.

"You did what?"

"None of it was true," Bruce sensed that he had made a mistake. He knew there was a possibility of Y/N being angry or upset but he didn't think about how upset she would be.

"What the fuck, Bruce? You let me think that you cheated after my son died so you could still be relevant to the media," Y/N repeated the idiocy of Bruce's idea back to him. She felt unappreciated. Bruce, who was supposed to love her, completely ignored her feelings.

"Yes," Hearing out loud, Bruce realized how shitty of a plan it truly is.

"I lost my son to a damn clown in a purple suit and you put me through this shit. It's one thing to say we lost a child together but we didn't, did we? You locked away whatever you lost and put it right there with your parent's death," Y/N knew it wasn't right to bring up Bruce's parents but she didn't care. She wanted Bruce to realize how much of his life is a cycle.

"That's uncalled for," Bruce argued.

"Uncalled for is lying to your wife about cheating after the both of you lose a child," Y/N countered. Both were right but at this moment they were both so hurt it didn't matter.

"I was trying to protect you."

"From what?"Y/N yelled. She was out of breath and disheveled but she felt relieved. She had finally let go of all the emotions she'd been holding.

"I don't know," In reality, Bruce didn't want to see Y/N hurt. He'd lost his parents and Jason. If something happened to Y/N, he would surely spiral. He was afraid of what he would become.

I don't pretend to know

The challenges we're facing

I know there's no replacing what we've lost

On the edge of the Manor property, sat a strong oak tree. It had been there long before Bruce, long before Alfred, and long before Bruce's parents. Jason had discovered this tree almost a week after he moved in. If anything ever went wrong, Jason could be found here.

"Jason always loved this spot. It was his favorite place to read," Her voice cracked towards the end of the statement. A sign of the emotions that she was feeling.

"Y/N, why are we here?" Bruce asked.

"I miss my son," Tears formed in Y/N's eyes. She was smiling but it didn't quite reach her eyes. There wasn't a twinkle in her eye.

"I miss him too. I also miss you," Bruce said wrapping his arms around Y/N. Y/N's breath was shaky as she looked at her husband.

"Bruce, you have to promise not to do anything like this again. I don't think I could go on," Y/N spoke while resting her head against Bruce's chest.

Forgiveness, can you imagine?

Forgiveness, can you imagine?

"Okay. I promise," A promise. Something so simple yet something so important.

They are going through the unimaginable

#bruce wayne #bruce wayne x reader #bruce wayne x black!reader #batmom #jasontodd #jason todd #batmom!reader #batmom fic #Jason todd x batmom #bruce wayne x batmom #c-nstantine

[reginarubie]

I think Sansa and Dany hearing wolf howl is not about Jon's death. Sansa(Alayne) hearing wind howling like a big ghost while helping her cousin is more about her meeting with Jon and maybe helping him. Dany thinking of betrayals and hearing a wolf howl yet feel sad and hungry is more about her betrayal and death. As stumpy mentioned in her posts wolf howling is generally implying doom. Also Jon is still in Ghost and can be resurrected.

Hello anon!

Well, you do make a good point, both instances refer to Jon/House Stark, and both (in the context they are made) hint toward their relationship with the man/House in question.

Might it be they feel Jon's death, might be that what they are doing as they hear this wolf howl hints toward their future paths.

As you said Sansa (posing as Alayne Stone and styling her persona after her bastard half-brother, just saying) is helping her cousin Robert descend the Eyrie on a dangerous path taking him by the hand and guiding him to safety.

The moment, precisely is this (after Alayne/Sansa convinces Robert to brave the descent speaking to him of valiant knights to give him courage, coming to also give him strength by telling him, his presence makes her feel safer and less scared, which is a lie, but a lie she tells to help him through it — kind of remind me of Jon and his heroes when he was a child and he subconsciously styling himself and acting as maybe they'd have, but I digress):

"Ser Sweetrobin," Lord Robert said, and Alayne knew that she dare not wait for Mya to return. She helped the boy dismount, and hand in hand they walked out onto the bare stone saddle, their cloaks snapping and flapping behind them. All around was empty air and sky, the ground falling away sharply to either side. There was ice underfoot, and broken stones just waiting to turn an ankle, and the wind was howling fiercely. It sounds like a wolf, thought Sansa. A ghost wolf, big as mountains.

And then they were on the other side, and Mya Stone was laughing and lifting Robert for a hug. "Be careful," Alayne told her. "He can hurt you, flailing. You wouldn't think so, but he can." They found a place for him, a cleft in the rock to keep him out of the cold wind. Alayne tended him until the shaking passed, whilst Mya went back to help the others cross.

— Alayne II, AFFC

Instead, for Daenerys the situation is different. She is thinking of betrayals when she hears the howling and thinks of the wolf and it doesn't bode well for her, also because of another couple of lines that intersects with this one, but let's first contextualise the moment she hears the wolf:

As the world darkened, Dany settled in and closed her eyes, but sleep refused to come. The night was cold, the ground hard, her belly empty. She found herself thinking of Meereen, of Daario, her love, and Hizdahr, her husband, of Irri and Jhiqui and sweet Missandei, Ser Barristan and Reznak and Skahaz Shavepate. Do they fear me dead? I flew off on a dragon's back. Will they think he ate me? She wondered if Hizdahr was still king. His crown had come from her, could he hold it in her absence? He wanted Drogon dead. I heard him. "Kill it," he screamed, "kill the beast," and the look upon his face was lustful. And Strong Belwas had been on his knees, heaving and shuddering. Poison. It had to be poison. The honeyed locusts. Hizdahr urged them on me, but Belwas ate them all. She had made Hizdahr her king, taken him into her bed, opened the fighting pits for him, he had no reason to want her dead. Yet who else could it have been? Reznak, her perfumed seneschal? The Yunkai'i? The Sons of the Harpy?

Off in the distance, a wolf howled. The sound made her feel sad and lonely, but no less hungry. As the moon rose above the grasslands, Dany slipped at last into a restless sleep.

She dreamed. All her cares fell away from her, and all her pains as well, and she seemed to float upward into the sky. She was flying once again, spinning, laughing, dancing, as the stars wheeled around her and whispered secrets in her ear. "To go north, you must journey south. To reach the west, you must go east. To go forward, you must go back. To touch the light you must pass beneath the shadow."

— Daenerys X, ADWD

The howling itself is a bad omen, usually. Though it may depend on the character.

The Starks' sigil is the direwolf, they recognise themselves as wolves and they're entire identity is based upon that; why, they consider each other pack. So, to a Stark (a literal wolf) the howling may have a meaning than to another characters.

Why do wolves howl?

The wolves howl to communicate with each other, especially when they are at great distance from each other, they do to communicate where they are, if there is a danger or if there is a prey which is why to a wolf, howling is a good sign, it means the others of the pack are alive, they are safe and that they are communicating something. To another?, a prey or an enemy? It means they are coming, and it's not just one, it's more than one. They are organising, they're coming for you.

Reminds you of anything?, it does to me:

He grabbed the little girl by the hand and pulled her close. "What if the wolves come?"

"Yield," Arya suggested.

— Arya V, ACOK

The howl generally precedes doom.

But, the Starks associate wolves with safety, with belonging and with pack. Why, Sansa is called wolf girl (might I add she's the first of the new generation of the Starks to be associated with their sigil?) in Sansa I, AGOT; just before she proves to be her father's daughter— I'm sorry, I know this is not pertaining this ask but as I was re-reading to reply it just stuck out to me and I had to add it.

I'm petty toward anyone who claim Sansa is not a Stark, deal with it. └( ▼ ▼ )┐

So to me, her quote always gave me the same vibe of the song Flares by The Script.

Also, this is the ONLY quote which is CLEARLY meant for Jon between the two quotes. Why?, because what is the name of Jon's direwolf? (and we know the names given to the direwolves are extremely important plot-wise for their master) Ghost. And where is Jon right now? "Dead" living vicariously by warging into Ghost — you know...kind of like a ghost? And what does Sansa hear? A ghost wolf as big as mountains. Like c'mon, can the author make it more clear that this is about Jon and Sansa?, sharing a bond because they are pack?, no matter how far away they are from each other (and I mean not only by physical distance, but also by emotional distance?, actually emotionally they're not so distant, they just don't know how close they are...but they will learn it).

Actually that's exactly the point: Sansa is helping her cousin she takes him by the hand (*cough cough* the bride is handed to the groom *cough cough*) then she tends to him until his shakes passes; it seems to me that it foreshadows Sansa finding Jon in a clear fit after he returns from his "death" and warging in Ghost and she will tend him back to normality/life (or as normal as he will be after being resurrected)... sing him back to life (you know since her other cousin is comforted and calmed by music when he has his fits?).

Together she and her cousin face the perilous journey ahead (empty air and sky, the ground falling away sharply to either side. There was ice underfoot, and broken stones just waiting to turn an ankle— sounds like winter to me; wait *le gasp!* it is actually winter) and hand-in-hand they cross to the other side, where they are safe (back home in Winterfell and the North). That's to me what that passage is hinting at.

Which is exactly what you say:

it hints clearly to Jon (a ghost wolf as big as mountains — Jon is right now warging into his wolf, Ghost, and will return to life — kind of like a ghost — and *le gasp part II* he was born at the Tower of Joy nestled between the mountains of Dorne)

Sansa is helping her cousin (another hint toward Jon) working as a team with him, guiding him, giving him strength and (hinting at one day feeling safe with another cousin who will keep her safe — «Jon is Jon. He's my brother, he'll keep me safe. I trust him.» there's a reason they had her show version tell this to Brienne «You know I do» (have faith in you).

She manages to get to the other side, so to face adversities and manage to get to safety (the adversity being winter and in winter House Stark lives by solidarity between its members, between the pack, the pack must be together during winter to endure it and reach spring: might be why she hears the howl calling her home and to her pack? possible.)

In conclusion: it hints to her reuniting with Jon, possibly helping him through his return from the death (taking him by the hand and tending to him) and walking to him through adversity and back on the safe side.

For Daenerys, howls and wolves are a big NONO. And the instance in which she hears this howl forward this feeling that it's not going to bode well for her meeting wolves.

An hour later, her stomach began to cramp so badly that she could not go on. She spent the rest of that day retching up green slime. If I stay here, I will die. I may be dying now. Would the horse god of the Dothraki part the grass and claim her for his starry khalasar, so she might ride the nightlands with Khal Drogo? In Westeros the dead of House Targaryen were given to the flames, but who would light her pyre here? My flesh will feed the wolves and carrion crows, she thought sadly, and worms will burrow through my womb. Her eyes went back to Dragonstone. It looked smaller. She could see smoke rising from its wind-carved summit, miles away. Drogon has returned from hunting.

— Daenerys X, ADWD

Does not bode well at all for her. At all.

First of all, there is no clear hint at Jon, the hint about the wolf might be only toward House Stark in general and any other Stark (Sansa or Arya for example as Martin is writing Sansa as her ruling counterpart and rival or Arya who is spending time in Braavos with a guild of assassins who hates dragons and Targaryens and who has a bad relationship with the destruction fire brings with itself; even Bran, as we know he will sit where she hopes to rule, as the endgame is Bran as king of the six kingdoms) or simply it hints to House Stark which will rise from the ashes she will leave behind from "her" funeral pyre. If Daenerys dies in a fire (which is probable, after all Martin himself has said that Dany is not immune to fire, and that what happened was nothing short of magical — blood magic involved as I said in that series of posts and asks — and her hands are burned when she is on the run with Drogon and eating from his hunt) or dies after having burned KL, KL will be her funeral pyre (metaphorical) and on the ashes she will leave behind, we know the Starks will rise: Bran as king of the six kingdoms, Sansa as Queen in the North, Jon with a certainty of his identity returning where he belongs (North; I maintain that that "tell me again in ten years" couple with the crypt trailer which show both Arya and Jon and Sansa entombed in the crypts of Winterfell hint toward a time-set penalty for him which he will live out to return to Winterfell, home) and Arya exploring as she wanted to, only to then return home (as hinted by the above mentioned).

What more, she looks at Dragonstone (that if Jon is legitimate as the show told us, is actually HIS seat) and its peak (again mountain and Jon was born between the Mountains of Dorne, so this is hinting at him and his heritage) fuming (again smoke which is associated with death and the funeral pyre) — hmm...Jon, Jon I don't want ya to end up a kinslayer, even if it makes sense with your character if she threatens your family.

Especially because in her dream the "stars" supposedly tell her a secret, which is more of a warning in my opinion:«To go north, you must journey south. To reach the west, you must go east. To go forward, you must go back. To touch the light you must pass beneath the shadow.» so this sounds like a warning for her: look back or you will be lost. But what does Daenerys think about looking back?

If I look back I'm lost.

And it's not even a one-time occurrence either. It's her default mode, again, caused by her trauma. It's a survivor instinct, keep running, keep looking ahead, because if you look back you have to face the consequences of your decisions and she cannot do that, she needs not to look back to dissociate herself, her goal and her methods from the ruin they bring.

The first time it happens after she loses Rhaego:

"No," Mirri Maz Duur said. "That was a lie you told yourself. You knew the price."

Had she? Had she? If I look back I am lost.

— Daenerys IX, AGOT

Then, it happens again time and time again; when she learns of the fate of Eroeh, which she has provoked. She cannot look back, because if she does she has to accept that she has provoked it and that she's as responsible for it as Mago and Ko Jhaqo.

"It was her fate, Khaleesi," said Aggo.

If I look back I am lost."It was a cruel fate," Dany said.

— Daenerys IX, AGOT

She cannot look back, because if she does she has to face her own guilt and she doesn't want to.

"It was wrong of them to burn my temple," the heavy, flat-nosed woman said placidly. "That angered the Great Shepherd."

"This was no god's work," Dany said coldly. If I look back I am lost. "You cheated me. You murdered my child within me."

— Daenerys IX, AGOT

She continues repeating it even as she kills Drogo:

Inside the tent Dany found a cushion, soft silk stuffed with feathers. She clutched it to her breasts as she walked back out to Drogo, to her sun-and-stars. If I look back I am lost. It hurt even to walk, and she wanted to sleep, to sleep and not to dream.

She knelt, kissed Drogo on the lips, and pressed the cushion down across his face.

— Daenerys IX, AGOT

It's a mantra, it's her life choice. What is back of her, her responsibility scares her, so she looks only forward. And it is a pattern, she thinks it when she creates her khalasar before entire the pyre (again mention of death, her death and the blood rite, and the smoke and the fire) in Daenerys X, AGOT; she thinks of it when she enters Astapor to buy the Unsullied (also because if she looks back she sees her following — people who stood by her through thick and thin — and think it insignificant) in Daenerys III, ASOS; she thinks it again and again, every time she is faced with a choice she refuses to look back, to acknowledge her errors and learn, she just looks forward. As long as she survives she has won, no matter the ruin she has left behind. She justifies the blood on her hand and does not look back (ADWD, Daenerys VII); every time events should spurn her to look back she refuses because if she does she's lost. Because to survive she has to keep walking (Daenerys X, ADWD) and if she looks back she doesn't walk and she is lost. At last when she embraces the dragon (while on the run with Drogon) she sets on her decision to not look back (Daenerys X, ADWD). To me this foreshadows that she will keep looking forward and the moment she looks back (like they framed it in the show: when she is touching the Iron throne and looks back beyond her shoulder to Jon who will kill her) is the moment she's lost, might be she will realise the destruction she has brought and what she has become, just before dying (a depth the show failed to deliver to us, probably also because of the shortness of the last season coupled with the lack of the inner dialogue from the characters).

In conclusion I think that the quote from Alayne II, AFFC is actually a clear hint at life (reaching beyond the difficulty to safety) hand-in-hand (working as a team; or as the Jonsa suppose, and it makes much sense, as a power/married couple) with Jon; while for Daenerys it foreshadows doom and House Stark rising from the ashes she will leave behind (her flesh feeding wolves and carrioning crows, with worms eating at her womb with the mention of smoke, associated with the pyre and death through all the text).

Again, this reply turned extremely long, meta-worthy for real and I thank you for you asks because it was extremely interesting to analyse and to reply to! Hope you enjoy the read and had a very nice day!

#ask the hag #anon asks #the ghost wolf howling #jonsa #sansa stark #life and death

[professor-glasses]

I can definitely understand why people hate Bronev so much, but sometimes I feel like he gets a little too much. Don't get me wrong, he's committed some terrible crimes, but I feel like people show more hate for him than any of the other villains in PL. For example, Clive. Clive lost both his parents when he was a young child, which can be extremely traumatizing. He went with his plan of revenge which was to destroy London. He probably killed many people(those crushed apartments give me chills) for no real goal. In the end, he admits that he was wrong. He'll probably spend the rest of his life in jail, but he's still young. He can still "atone" for his crimes. Additionally, he grew up with Spring and her husband(forgot his name), who showed him love and support. Bronev lost his wife and both his sons due to Targent kidnapping them. Bronev watched his wife die in front of his eyes, and he was forced to work for Targent, who was most likely armed with lethal weapons. We have no real backstory to Bronev, what his intentions were when he solved the Azran Legacy, what he went through in all those years. He was truly blinded by great stories until the golems destroyed everything he worked for. The past decades of his life were a lie. In the end, when he gets arrested, he probably won't live long enough to redeem himself. He threw his entire life away just to be told that he might've destroyed the world. And when he says Layton's real name, it tells me that he never really forgot about his children. He still remembered their names after decades of not seeing them or interacting with them. Both villains are tragic, but for some reason people seem to hate Bronev more. Bronev's backstory is truly heartbreaking, and I think it has a lot of potential. (what if he believed that the Azran's power could bring back the dead-) Sorry this got really long, but I hope you have a good day.

@targentis is a Lot more qualified to speak on matters concerning Bronev than me (for one thing I haven't replayed PL in ages) but I agree. I think the fact that ppl see Clive and go my baby boy and things like that because he is a little young dude makes a lot of bias like. As has been pointed out by others the Appeal level of the character by which I mean do fans fawn over them for romantic or thirst reasons probably has a lot to do with things. (I wouldn't have believed it but being on tumblr long enough now I realise just how much this affects people's attitudes toward characters it's still Weird to me but that's probably bc I don't experience either feeling type so. anyway that can be equalled too tief is working hard on doing so)

Also the fact that clive doesn't do much to the main cast visibly so people have less Personal reasons to hate him while a lot of people are mad at bronev about things he did which ended up affecting the main cast bc more people care about and will get emotional on behalf of the main cast than countless unseen npcs in buildings

descole did more to the main cast but also I think the blame that would otherwise fall on him gets shifted onto bronev

#sorry this response is probably a big mess h #i never vehemently hated bronev but also im not sure i ever vehemently hated any fictional character #like if i compare to i was mad at akaza kny for a while bc he died my favourite character (its fine im y) #but like he had his own Truckload of Absolute Shit #i don't hate him either #anyway the point is ppl need someone to project their offence on behalf of fav characters onto and bronev gets it piled on him #or something i think that's what i wanted to say #(ive been guilty of this before too when i was young and stupid and didn't critical think as much) #im pretty sure azran legacy as a game had some development issues so maybe otherwise everything would've been better too

[headinthestaticsky]

Frozen Within the Night Wind: Jasper Hale x Fleur Swan, Chapter 6

None of the characters in Twilight belong to me. All rights go to Stephenie Meyer.

"Baby, you don't wanna leave You'd be sorry, 'cause honestly I can make you feel better, any day Look at what you've done for me, I called it how I see You belong with me."

Stick by: BANKS

For the next few weeks Me, the Cullens, and the wolves have been keeping watch on Bella and Charlie. It wasn't an easy alliance and anytime Sam or Leah went onto patrol they wouldn't even acknowledge me. So I often patrolled with Emmett and Jasper to make things less tense. Tonight however I had no choice but to patrol with one of the wolves... a plus side about tonight though, Bella wouldn't be here... she was out with Jacob right now. I had made an excuse that I was staying with the Cullens for the night so dad wouldn't be too suspicious.

"Are you sure Darlin, I can stay behind on this hunt to be with you."

"I'll be fine...I'm sure Sam won't do anything to me. Besides, I've already hunted for the week...you haven't hunted these past two trips because of me...Go I promise I'll be fine."

He sighed before wrapping his arms around me and laying his head on my shoulder. It didn't last long however since we heard rustling behind us. We both turned to see Sam in his wolf form standing there.

"I'll see you later love."

"Bye love."

When Jasper left Sam stood next to me, he didn't look at me at all. We sat in silence for an hour when I finally decided to say something.

"Look...I know I'm probably just going to end up talking to the air tonight but...I need to get some facts straight."

Sam just huffed in his place.

"None of the Cullens turned me...if they would've gotten to me quick enough I wouldn't even be patrolling my dad and Bella right now."

Sam seemed to be staring at me out of the corner of his eye.

"I don't know who he is...but someone working with Victoria turned me...If I am being completely honest I think it's the intruder we're looking for right now."

Sam huffed again.

"And I know you are absolutely disgusted with what I am now but... I really miss you, and Emily... Seth and Leah too. But I know I can't go down there anymore and Leah completely hates my guts but I just had to get off my chest." I looked away from Sam, feeling completely embarrassed that I spouted all of that out. Then suddenly, I felt some fuzzy nuzzle into my hand. I smiled and pet him, it seems he's warming up to me again.

"Thanks, Sam..."

Our heads both shot up as we heard movement and for a split second I saw firey red curls go across the way.

"Let's go Sam!" I said and started running toward her, he followed me a second afterward. She noticed us running toward her and took off back into the woods.

"Sam go back onto your territory so she can't jump back without being caught."

He followed my command surprisingly.

"I thought you were great at self-preservation Curly, but to come right to her house, right near the Cullens isn't very smart now is it?"

She didn't acknowledge me. Suddenly... something popped up in my head... I looked at Sam and winked, I mouthed to him that I had an idea.

Victoria stopped in her tracks and stuttered.

"James?"

I stopped running and crept up behind her, not wanting to let the hallucination go to waste. Carlisle was right... this second power would be useful to me. The image of James just looked at her with deadly eyes.

"James... how are you... here?"

"What are you doing with him?" "James," asked.

"It's not like that...It just so I could avenge you." Victoria stated.

"You disgust me..."

I was just about to get behind her and grab her neck when she snapped out of it and flipped me over and sent me into a tree. She took off again, leaving us in the dust. Sam jumped back over to me and nudged me with his head.

"I'm okay Sam... we need to go back to the house in case someone else shows up again. When we made it back to the house I saw Jasper and Rosalie standing in our spot looking confused.

"What happened? Why did you leave?" Jasper asked.

"We saw Victoria and chased after her...we couldn't catch her."

"Damn it," Jasper grumbled.

"Were you close to getting her?" Rosalie asked.

"I was inches away from grabbing her by the neck... I guess the hallucination I made wore off..."

"Can you tell where she's going now?" Rosalie questioned.

"I can try... the tracking is still a little wonky sometimes." I got into that trance again attempting to track her,

"It looks like she's going to Oregon..."

"Oregon what is she going to do in Oregon?" Jasper inquired.

"I can't tell..."

Before anyone could say anything else Jacob's car pulled up, Edwards was not too far behind.

"Uh oh... this can't be good," I said, I then began to jog toward the situation, it soon turned into an argument.

"IF YOU EVER TOUCH HER AGAINST HER WILL AGAIN!" Edward roared.

"Guys don't do this here!" Bella pleaded.

"She doesn't know what she wants."

"Hey what the hell happened?" I asked.

"Jacob kissed me..." Is all she said.

"Wait for her to say the words," Edward said.

"What... Edward do you want her to be in a relationship with him? You're losing the argument here bud. bring it back!" I thought to myself.

"Fine, and she will."

"Jacob just go okay?"

"Hey, hey hey... break it up you two," Dad said, he must've heard the commotion.

"Okay... what's going on?"

"I kissed Bella... and she broke her hand, punching my face... total misunderstanding."

I couldn't help but bust out in laughter... this whole situation was something you would find in a crappy soap opera they play at 4 in the morning when no one is awake to see them.

"What are you doing back here Fleur?" Dad asked.

I came up with a lie quickly.

"Oh I forgot some toiletries... and I came back down to get them." luckily my car was still here.

When I pretended to grab my items I came back outside, Bella and Edward were gone. I kissed my dad on the cheek and wished him a goodnight and drove back down to the Cullen's house. When I came in Carlisle was wrapping up Bella's hand, everyone else was sitting in the room with them. I sat by Rosalie and Jasper, just observing the situation, Emmett walked in with a smirk on his face.

"Geez did you try and walk and chew gum at the same time Bella?"

"No, I punched a werewolf in the face."

"Badass...you're going to be a tough little newborn."

Rosalie and I looked up, now focused on the conversation.

"Tough enough to take you on." She said with a smirk.

Rosalie slammed down the paper she was reading and left the room. Bella just rolled her eyes and sighed. I looked at Jasper and he nodded, I slinked out of the room without anyone noticing or so I thought.

"Hey, Rose."

"I can't stand your sister."

"I know the feeling."

"But at the same time... I envy her too."

I pulled her in for a hug, trying to comfort her.

I heard the slight sound of a door opening and closing again.

"What do you want Bella?" I asked.

"You can go and blather about the joys of being a newborn with someone else." Rosalie added.

"Okay... Rosalie, I don't know what I did... to make you hate me so much."

"How many times do I have to say it... If you treat someone I am really close to like dirt... then I'm going to hate your guts."

Bella scoffed.

"I envy you also Bella."

"What? That's ridiculous!"

"It's not...Bella." I jumped in

"How is it not?"

"You had a choice... we didn't... none of us do and you're choosing wrong, I don't care how miserable your human life is," Rosalie explained.

"My life is not miserable. It’s not perfect, nobody’s life is perfect." Bella stated.

"Mine was. Absolutely perfect. There were things I still wanted. To be married with a nice house and a husband who kissed me when he came home. A family of my own... Royce King was the most eligible bachelor in town, I barely knew him. But I was young, I was in love with the idea of love. On the last night of my life, I left a friend’s house late visiting her newborn son, I wasn’t far from home… They left me in the street thinking I was dead, believe me I wanted to be. Carlisle then found me, he smelled all the blood, but he thought he was helping me."

"I'm... so sorry." I said... I had never heard how she got changed until now.

"That's terrible," Bella added.

"I got my revenge on them, one at a time. I saved Royce for last so he would know I was coming. I was a little theatrical back then."

"That's not theatrical... that's bad ass," I said, Rosalie cracked a smile.

"Things got better after I met Emmett, but we’ll always be this, frozen, never moving forward. That’s what I miss the most, possibilities, sitting on a front porch somewhere, Emmett grey-haired by my side surrounded by our grandchildren, their laughter."

"I understand that’s what you want. There’s nothing I’m ever gonna want more than Edward." Bella argued.

"You’re wrong again, after you’ve been changed there’s one thing you’ll want more. One thing you’ll kill for…blood." Rosalie finished, she then walked out of the room without saying another word.

#jasper hale x reader #rosalie hale #jasper hale #jasper hale x oc #jasper cullen #carlisle cullen #emmett cullen #esme cullen #alice cullen #edward cullen #jasper whitlock x oc #jasper whitlock #bella swan #twilight saga #twilight

[jackoshadows]

What do you think about George having said Catelyn did not abuse Jon?

Well, George also thinks that Dany/Drogo is romantic after writing this:

Yet every night, some time before the dawn, Drogo would come to her tent and wake her in the dark, to ride her as relentlessly as he rode his stallion. He always took her from behind, Dothraki fashion, for which Dany was grateful; that way her lord husband could not see the tears that wet her face, and she could use her pillow to muffle her cries of pain. When he was done, he would close his eyes and begin to snore softly and Dany would lie beside him, her body bruised and sore, hurting too much for sleep.

Day followed day, and night followed night, until Dany knew she could not endure a moment longer. She would kill herself rather than go on, she decided one night...- Dany, AGoT

We can always interpret differently to the author...

After reading Jon's POV chapter where he's scared to go see Bran because Catelyn is in the room, my subjective interpretation of his feelings on it is that he was emotionally abused. The fact that she never ever called him by his name all the time he grew up with her children, made him feel like he didn't belong in the only home he has and knows of and that he shouldn't be eating their food - subjecting a little child to all this is emotional abuse in my book.

Imagine never calling a child by his name, only to then do so to tell that child that she wished he was dead?

The chapter has Jon declaring that he was going to stand up to his bully and ending with even Robb seeing that Jon was visibly affected by his encounter with Catelyn.

Now of course, Catelyn wouldn't see it as emotional abuse. She is a character in a feudalistic world, sees Jon as a threat to her own children, Jon being in WF is an insult to her, probably believes that Jon is treacherous because he is born of lust, Jon looking like Ned unlike her own sons makes her feel like she did something wrong, she can't do anything about Ned's betrayal and hence takes out her anger on Jon etc.... And in the context of the rough brutality of Westeros and the North in particular, Jon's travails in Winterfell relative to the suffering and abuse of bastards and the smallfolk in general is not that bad. Even the author points that out through Donal Noye who explains Jon's privilege to him.

But that doesn't negate the idea that he was emotionally abused IMO. And it's reflected in the fact that Catelyn is that lone negative memory associated with Winterfell and home for him. He is affected by her, he remembers her cold glares and blue eyes when he considers taking up Stannis' offer of Winterfell or when he is talking food stores and the Vale, he remembers feeling that Catelyn begrudged him his food - the negative memories creeping up on him unasked for in certain instances. There is an emotional component to Jon and Catelyn's relationship and it's full of fear, dislike and loathing. Even guilt - Catelyn feels a twinge of guilt after seeing Mya Stone in the Vale.

It's certainly a subjective and polarizing topic in this fandom. My two cents on this is that I relate to and sympathize with Jon on this and my interpretation of GRRM's writing is that Jon was emotionally abused.

#asks #Jon Snow #Catelyn Stark #GRRM #writing #Death of the author