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lightlycareless · 2 years

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First, it hurts— Chapter VII

Summary:

Naoya Zen’in x Fem!Reader

While arranged marriages are not uncommon in the jujutsu community, it was strange to receive a proposal from none other than the Zen’in’s, nonetheless your clan accepted and before you knew it, you were married off to Naoya.

Your new purpose was clear: to serve and submit, to be seen and not heard. To forget any sense of individuality in favor of obeying your husband.

Will this marriage ever flourish into something else? Will it change…for better or for worse?

Chapter warnings: Misogyny. Mentions of alcohol. Violence. Family discussions, that kind of stuff.

A/N: No special notes this week! Except that I’m slowly working out of my hiatus. These weeks have been emotionally tiring for me, so I’m kind of glad I took a break when I did. Who knows what would’ve happened if I didn’t 😂 I expect to come back on April 10th! (After a convention and my brother’s birthday hehe) Anyways, thank you so much for the support. Hope you enjoy this chapter ❤

Masterpost ➸ Chapter 8.

Ao3 link.

“There’s still no response from her, Lady Hinata”

Hinata and Ren feared the worst.

Their worries grew exponentially by each passing day at the prospect of your absence.

Instead of receiving news from you as soon as your honeymoon ended, just like Naoya promised, they were welcomed with silence. No letters or emails, no texts or calls, just…nothing.

The first few days they held back their desire to seek you out by futilely giving Naoya the benefit of the doubt. Yes, they knew he was imbecile —and the biggest one at that— but surely he couldn’t be that much of a fool to keep you isolated from your family. Nonetheless, Hinata sent you an occasional text here and there, just to check if you were ok.

How wrong they were.

The moment she realized “you” were reading her texts without responding, with her messages eventually not even going through due to a service error, she knew Naoya was behind it all and had to act now .

Given the aforementioned evidence, they tested other alternatives. Primarily with the elders of their clan, demanding them to personally reach out to your husband's family…to no avail. They responded with the same silence the Zen’in had given your siblings.

Hinata and Ren then decided to look for help via their father, but he was no better at it.

Your absence had left behind a void that he intended to fill with his biggest of addictions: drinking.

He spent most of his days passed out in his room surrounded by empty bottles of alcohol, effectively ignoring his duties and the current predicament your family was suffering.

And given his newfound tendency of wrecking his room just after the servants tidied it up, they had long given up in cleaning his chambers.

Many were afraid to confront him about his behavior, since it was neither healthy nor suitable for the leader of the clan to portray such mannerisms, and it wasn’t that he was the violent type, no, but he is the leader of the L/N clan who just lost his youngest daughter, this would inevitably put an enormous strain in his heart and they would not risk finding out if that was enough to make him snap.

But his children were far from afraid. If anything they were furious that he’d even allow himself to fall to that state.

Furious that he didn’t even bother to check on y/n.

Furious that he wouldn’t even stand up against what was clearly an attack on her family.

Of the two, Hinata was the first to act.

She rapidly wandered through the halls of her home with one thing on her mind: confronting her father.

As adrenaline began pumping through her veins, Hinata sprinted across the stunned servants in efforts of reaching the west wing of the estate, where all the bedrooms could be found. If none of the elders would tell her about the agreement that happened between the Zen’in and the L/N, then she would force them out of the other person involved in this whole sham of a marriage, the one who agreed to all of this in the first place.

Her actions even making her accidentally bump into one of them, who was fated to fall and hit the floor if it weren’t by her fast reflexes.

“I’m sorry, gotta go” She quickly apologized, straightening his shirt with a swift motion of her hand and continued forward with her quest. The man watched her disappear as the rest of the workers gathered around him, with one of them asking him if he was alright.

“Where is she going in such a hurry?” If they hadn't known better, they would be right to assume she was chasing a curse!

The spontaneous victim of her crash, who thought their small incident happened way too fast to break down and analyze, managed to capture one important detail:

The clear desperation on her face.

Her furrowed brow alongside her tightened lips and the fiery determination on her eyes could only signify one thing.

“She’s going with Master Eiichi”

The rest of the workers were not ignorant to what was happening inside the main branch of the L/N clan. They knew all too well to remain quiet regarding this issue. It was a family matter; one they had no voice to intervene…

But even then, they couldn’t help but admit that your absence had greatly affected them, for undoubtedly the days were brighter when the 3 siblings were still part of the family, when they would still call this estate home. They were also desperate to know what happened to their beloved mistress and worried if anything bad had occurred.

Thus, they stepped aside and allowed your sister to carry out what they were unable to do themselves.

“What do you think you’ll accomplish by getting drunk every single day, instead of seeking answers of y/n whereabouts?” Hinata barged through the door of her father’s chambers, not bothering to check if he was decent enough to receive her. The man groaned at the sudden influx of light coming through the entrance, but she did not relent.

The alcoholic stench enveloping his chambers was the first thing she noticed upon entering, besides the closed windows and how pitch dark the insides looked.

While she usually ignored these details, believing the owner of the room was allowed to do whatever they wanted with their belongings, she couldn’t help but feel the need to comment on his negligence:

The room was a evident mess thanks to the bottles of alcohol and unfolded clothes scattered across the floor. The futon was crooked, uncentered and the sheets were scrunched together, adding that the man had been wearing the same clothes for a few days now, a physical reflection of the inner turmoil he was going through.

Hinata almost felt pity for him.

Almost.

She’d seen much worse in her career as a jujutsu sorcerer, a drunk man who couldn’t handle his emotions would not startle her.

“I already told you—don’t clean my room!” Her father responded, confusing his eldest daughter for that of a servant. “Leave me alone…” his hand trembling as reached out for an unopened bottle nearby.

“Oh no, I don’t think so!” she growled, stomping over to his body, she ended his pursuit by grabbing him by the collar of his yukata and pulled him up.

Hinata wanted him to see her right in the eye, to acknowledge her rage and accept his negligence…but even then, it wouldn’t be enough.

No actions nor words would be able to justify the atrocity he committed against his own family.

“How could you abandon her?! While you’re here, drinking your sorrows away, y/n has been out there, without me being able to contact her, she’s with this horrible man probably being forced to play these sick games just for the elders' satisfaction and you’re—you’re here! Just– pitying yourself for selling off your daughter ! When it was you who did it!”

“My…daughter?” He replied, completely baffled by her words as if she had spoken in another language “What’s wrong with my daughter?”

“Are you for real?!” She waved him harshly against the air, her knuckles whitening and her forearms stinging at the efforts of holding a grown adult up, but that pain could not compare to the one her heart was feeling. The insufferable pain she has gone through ever since you were taken away. It was miniscule against it. “You already forgot what you’ve done?!”

Eiichi, influenced by alcohol, had long forgotten the reason why he began drinking in the first place. In his mind, something terrible had occurred that warranted plunging into his favorite way to rationalize things.

He’d been mourning for days, but he never believed that the root of his sadness would be his own family, instead he thought his misery came from the elders' disappointment. He’d been on their bad side as of recently.

He trusted his children were fine, going on with their lives, with perhaps the older ones focusing their attention on you: you’ve only graduated from Jujutsu High a few months prior and you were somewhat interested in starting a life as a sorcerer. Hinata was the most excited of the bunch, thinking the two of you could start going on missions and exorcize curses as a duo, she would do the practical side of the missions and you would do the theory, since she always hated paperwork.

Or perhaps the three decided to take it easy this year and focus on doing other things; such as traveling, which you had voiced wanting to do as soon as you graduated, your first destination being that of Tokyo Disneyland, dreaming of going ever since you were a child —and had been saving up to do so since then— before settling down on your career.

And while you thought about what you wanted to do, the three of you would continue to visit your favorite places: the arcade and the karaoke, just like they tended to do after a long day at work. In fact, he relegated your absence to being there, just…enjoying your free time.

But if his eldest daughter barging through the door didn’t serve as an indication of how badly he’d messed up, her words certainly did.

He fought arduously to place the pieces together and figure out why Hinata was so heated, but he couldn’t seem to find a lead regarding your well being, less on where to begin.

Did he…did he really sell off his daughter? No, that couldn’t be true. He would never do such an atrocious thing against you, his youngest, the last gift he received from his wife before she passed away.

You were probably out there with your friends and haven’t bothered to check in! You would sometimes do that, oh, and how he always disliked it when you did that, and with the sudden increment of cursed attacks, his worries would burst through the roof. Only to calm down when you would call a day after, informing you were with your friends.

But Hinata wasn’t one to lie, not when it came to you . And when his blurry vision cleared up on her maddened aspect, he began to grasp on the gravity of his actions.

“W-where is y/n?” his voice trembled as he tried to swallow the agony of his next words “Wh-what did I do?!”

“If you’re going to hurt her, at least own up to your actions!” She yelled, loosening her grip on him, allowing the drunken man to stumble back onto the floor after a loud thud. “You’re so drunk you can’t even remember what you did, I wish I could afford to be that ignorant!”

“Hinata…p-please tell me what I did!” Eiichi begged, his eyes stinging with tears threatening to slide down his cheeks, a reflection of the ache brought by his unrecognized actions.

The pain from the fall was enough to further push his mind into searching every corner of his memory, but the alcohol he had consumed until this point was still very prominent, forcing his thoughts to be overruled by a fuzzy mist, making it difficult to even remember what he had done yesterday.

“You sold her off to that wretched Zen’in kid and we haven’t been able to contact her for weeks !”

Realization hit him like a burst of cold water as her words settled into thin air, guilt sinking into his conscience as all memories from past meetings with the Zen’in’s discussing the arrangement and wedding ceremony came crashing in.

How he’d tried to fight them off, implying that you were already engaged to someone else and thus unavailable, only to be silenced with a deadly threat that pushed your fate into the hands of the Zen’in.

Yet, even with all these visions flooding his psyche, he still chose not to believe.

For what justification could he have as a father if it turned out to be true?

“T-that can’t be true…y/n, she…she must be with her friends…or that kid! The one she’s been talking about—what’s his name…? Nami…Anami…?”

“Nanami” Hinata frowned, fingers massaging her temples “And if that were the case, I wouldn’t be here!”

Eiichi threaded carefully, this was a shade of anger he’d never seen on her before, and he knew his daughter’s temperament all too well “No…Hinata…I…I really messed up didn't I?”

“That’s one way to put it. You fucked up like you’ve never done so before. Mom would’ve….she never would’ve allowed this” The knot on his throat tightened, barely managing a flimsy sob to escape through his lips. He no longer had the energy to fight back his tears, not when it was obvious he failed both as a father and as a husband. “And you even cheered for them during the reception! What is wrong with you ?!”

He knew that his wife, Minako, wherever she was, was looking down at him with disappointment.

Eiichi pulled one of his sleeves and wiped off the tears from his cheeks to a futile extent as more tears began to flood down his eyes. He thought it didn’t mattered how he looked, no, not when he had to figure out where his daughter was, but it was time for him to gather his act and behave like the clan leader he was.

“Where is y/n?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out!” Hinata cried, desperation evident on her tone “I…I don’t know, she should be at the Zen’in estate by now, but they’re not answering my calls or letters”

“That’s—that’s not right” he murmured, trying to remember the agreements he settled with Naoya and Naobito. Whatever it was, it couldn’t have involved your isolation. “That wasn’t part of the agreement– I-I think”

“You think ?” She hissed “You can’t even bother to remember what agreements you signed when selling my sister ?!”

“I just need a moment to clear up my head!” He raised his voice, the action causing him to suddenly notice the throbbing sensation in his head. Eiichi placed his left hand against his forehead and began massaging against the skin in efforts to ease the pain of build up stress.

“You’ve been drinking for days” Urged to have a clearer view of his face, Hinata walked towards the windows and opened the curtains.

The sudden brightness caused both to flinch as their eyesight got used to the light but Hinata did not relent, she continued to do so with the rest of the windows until the room was properly lightened with the morning sun. “You’ve had more than a moment to think about your mistakes”

“Days?” he replicated in disbelief, even if she already revealed you’ve been gone for days…he still refused to accept it. “How long…how long has it been since y/n–”

“2 weeks”

“2 weeks?!”

“And nothing from her. I think you can see where I’m getting at”

“Why wasn’t I made aware of this?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” She yelled, and with much reason. She felt that her father was going around in circles, regurgitating the same questions she’d already answered, but with no new information. It's as if talking her father was cursed to repeated whatever word was directed at him.

“I was out to deal with a few missions, so I told the servants to inform you of this in various instances, and you know what they said? That you refused to acknowledge anything related to y/n and instead, preferred to remain locked away in your room. This wouldn’t have occurred if I was here so, no, you don’t get to ask any more questions until you answer mine. What exactly happened in those meetings?”

“I-I can’t remember…all I know is that I—I didn’t want her to get married to Naoya, so I rejected his proposal without hesitation. I knew the rumors that plagued the Zen’in and their troubled history, they weren’t the family she needed–and I thought I managed to push him away as he didn’t respond for days, I thought it would be a sour memory and we would move on from it…but he came back, he insisted that I reconsider his proposal, and when I said no, he said—he said that he–he’d done–” Eiichi trembled at the memory and his eyes were beginning to fill with horror, his gesture did not go unnoticed. As Hinata silently observed him, she began to realize that this newfound emotion of his was not correlating to what happened to you, but something much bigger.

“That he what?” Hinata pushed forward, her frantic tone slowly shifting to one with fear, her next words trembling upon escaping her lips “What did he say?”

Silence. Eiichi was too scared to continue.

“Answer me!” She persisted.

“It doesn’t matter anymore Hinata! I’ve accepted, I agreed to play by his rules…and even if I told you there’s nothing we can do” He did not budge.

“Father…what did you do ?”

…

Silence.

“WHAT DID YOU DO?!”

“I should’ve known you would be here” A third voice added, Hinata’s and Eiichi’s head swiftly turned to the door.

It was Ren.

He’d seemingly come back from work just moments earlier, wanting nothing but to rest and check if you've managed to contact them by now, but his concerns were abruptly smashed by the pale faces of the servants, all scrambling to inform him of the current happenings, it didn't take much for him to know it was all related to Hinata.

She’d been very vocal about wanting to confront their father as soon as she finished her missions, he just didn’t expect her to lose her cool so easily and allow their argument be heard all across the property.

As Ren walked past the servants, one of them begged him to stop the fight between them, fearing it might escalate to the point of them doing something they’ll regret.

Thus, he found himself at the entrance of his father’s chambers, an angered Hinata towering over a frightened man with no intentions on relenting her efforts of getting answers.

The irony that a smaller woman would be able to petrify their strict father entertained him, but he couldn’t stop himself from admitting it was a bit…sad.

Nonetheless, it had to be stopped. Their father was too scared to do or say anything else, and probably too drunk as well, if Hinata kept on pushing his buttons, who knows what would happen next.

“That’s enough, Hina” Ren stepped forward, placing his hands over Hinata’s shoulders in a flimsy attempt to soothe her nerves.

“No, it’s not” She retorted, quickly escaping his grasp “He still needs to tell me what agreement happened between Naoya and him that’s causing his inaction!”

“He’ll tell you, in time, can’t you see he’s still very drunk? It would be a miracle if he can even remember his name”

“He remembers well enough to tell me Naoya threatened him, and he needs to tell me what it was!” At her words, Ren’s gaze fell to his father in curiosity, as if asking is this true? . The older man shrank at the feeling of judgment.

“It’s…it’s too late Hinata” Eiichi whispered “Even if I tell you, without evidence it will be all for naught. The elders won’t interrupt that marriage unless we can prove the Zen’in didn’t hold up their part of the bargain or committed a transgression against us. And I don’t think they want to stop it…as long as they get social relevance through the Zen’in, they won’t move a finger”

“Evidence…we need evidence ” Hinata repeated as a path was revealed before her. She had a lead on what to do to bring her sister back, but there was still 1 more question to be answered, one that left her basking in distrust “Why didn’t you tell us ? Why didn’t you tell my sister ? You knew we could help…”

“Because I was afraid…I still am, that they would do something against the three of you. I couldn’t allow it…perhaps it was best for y/n to go with Naoya…at least that way she won’t—”

But before he could finish, the pain in Eiichi’s head had grown to be too much to handle, adding his heartbreak with the incredible amounts of alcohol consumed, his body thought this moment was perfect to let out his guts to alleviate itself. Knowing what was coming, the man attempted to move away from his children and towards the window, but his plan to mitigate the rising sensation on his throat by the aperture was quickly diminished the moment his body felt him lean towards its new direction.

Hinata and Ren flinched away in a combination of disgust and surprise as their father puked his insides by the futon, with the latter not taking a second longer to leave the room to bring a servant. Even with their disagreement, the woman propelled herself to help him stand up and guide him towards the restroom where he proceeded to clear up, gently patting his back and ordering a nearby servant to bring a glass of water. Once she thought the unexpected occurrence concluded and capable to stand by himself, she headed back to his room where she reached for a clean yukata for him to change into, while the servants Ren acquired were diligently cleaning their master’s mess.

The atmosphere between the two was awkwardly silent but filled with guilt, for Hinata didn’t want her father to feel sick by her words to the point of throwing up, and Ren wanted to scold her for allowing her emotions to get the best of her, managing to worry both her father and the servants alike, nonetheless there was an unspoken agreement between the two: it had to be done if they wanted answers.

Ren was the first to speak once the mess was clean and the servants exited the room.

“What did he tell you?”

“He doesn’t remember much, nothing relevant at least” Hinata sighed “He did to tell me that it was not part of the agreement to keep our sister away, and apparently he was forced to agree to the marriage by some mysterious threat by Naoya’s doing”

“A threat?”

“Yes, he said he was forced to accept, if not…then something would’ve happened. I think it’s already happening, but we weren’t informed of it and there’s no way the elders would let us know either way”

Ren looked at the ground “And what are you planning to do?”

“I need to find out what it is that Naoya threatened my father with and gather evidence on it. Because without it, we won’t be able to do anything. My father’s word is not enough”

“I see…”

Another pause. Hinata’s mind worked through her fathers words, searching for any indications or hints that could make her newfound work much easier. A place to begin her investigation. But to her disappointment, what he revealed was not enough and she found herself once again at the starting ground.

She also considered going to the Zen’in estate and demanding answers directly from Naoya himself, but she knew it was a much too dangerous alternative and she would be dismissed the moment she stepped into their property, and it would give them another reason to attack if they so desired, so she rejected that option.

And finally, her last hope. If she couldn’t approach the Zen’in and get answers, she could approach other clans and seek information on their side. The Zen’in were relevant enough amongst the jujutsu community that entailed the interest of sorcerers trying to know their every move. If Naoya did something , someone must’ve seen it.

With her determination set, Hinata planned her next steps

“Do you have any more missions for the rest of the season?” she asked.

“I only have a few left, but there’s been a surge of attacks so I might be forced to take more, why do you ask?” Ren recognized that face of hers all too well, it was her usual look of determination that often entailed a high risk plan with a higher outcome that often lead to their retribution. He was curious to see where it was going.

“Because I need you to take mine and keep an eye out for y/n if she manages to reach out to us”

“Take yours? ” Ren blinked in disbelief, it was unusual for Hinata to relinquish her missions to anyone else, for she took great pride in being one of the best sorcerers their clan has ever produced besides being genuinely fond of being a sorcerer, so for her to deliberately give up her work…she was not playing around, the results she was expecting entailed putting everything on the line. So, instead of playing the usual role of concerned brother and placing his efforts in trying to stop her, he encouraged her further. “What are you planning?”

“I’m going to get to the bottom of this, I have a long path ahead of me, and I’m going to need all the time and help I can get”

“Are you planning on visiting… him? ”

Hinata looked at the ground for one brief second, entering into deep thought.

It’s not like she was on bad terms with the man she planned on visiting, but the last time they were seen together managed to shake the foundations of their clans, adding that his responsibilities to the same were now far more demanding ever since a certain sorcerer fell into the path of villainy.

Nonetheless, Hinata considered him a very reliable friend when it came to it, once you ignored his goofy behavior of course, and knew that with his influence she would be able to obtain answers.

She hated playing the power card, but it was the only shot she had in getting a lead to this whole Zen’in debacle, and it was one she was going to take.

“Yes” Hinata declared “I’m going to the Gojo estate”

#naoya zen'in x reader #naoya zenin x you #naoya zenin #naoya zen'in #jjk fic #jjk imagines #jjk smut #jjk x you #series: first it hurts—#jjk naoya

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julianottheastrologer · 3 years

Note

Hello! Thoughts on Aries NN quincunx Virgo personal planet stellium?

Love your interpretations 🥰

Hello dear anon,

I'm not into minor aspects, after all, the major ones are more than enough.

But I study because I'm curious and I always like to know a little more and in the absence of any major aspect between planets I see if there is a minor one.

Yet to me looks more that the person wants to fill another void that it has and that instead of working with what it already has, it tries to find something else to complement.

So, as you also don't specify very much which planets are, because, trust me, different interpretations in astrology is what there is more, and personal planets could be 6 of them... I will give you what is each minor aspect.

As they are very small, as I mentioned before, I would apply this only to planets.

Minor Aspects Meaning in Astrology

Semi-Decile (18°) or vigintile: show artistic talents.

Quindicile (24°): show obsession and compulsion, to the point where the individual may become separated from reality in the areas of life indicated by the placements of the planets involved, but some uses to artistic talents to.

Semi-Sextile (30º): planets trying to collaborate with each other despite the disharmonious aspect.

Decile (36º): It shows where you will work on issues in the world of mental and/or spiritual aspects. May show obsession with the occult.

Novile (40º): It represents harmony depending on the planets involved, as well as the need to have posture, responsibility and enshrine agreements. It influences marriage and societies. The Binovile (80º) have also the same meaning but in a more conscious way.

Semi-Square (45º): it indicates an effort to adapt to two different goals or rupture or the need to give up. Can be divided between separating that's the need to go against the wave because believes in another truth or applying that's the desire to go forward but something holds you back. Can be also applied to Sesquisquare (135º).

"Doundecile" (65º)(could not find a translation): Indicates obsession with something unattainable or just imaginary, chases the impossible. It has the same connotation as the quindecile.

Quintile (72º): Reveals creative talent, compulsion to create, compulsive desire to achieve and shine, developing the gift of strategy and the ability to intoxicate or captivate. It's a tense, challenging aspect but it shows talent and magnetism. It is related to challenges and self-esteem dependent on energies of the planets and the signs involved. This description can be included also about Biquintile (144º) and Triquintile (216º), but in the 72º this aspectos will more conscious.

Biseptile (102º): Indicates sacrifice, martyr, giving up on goals for not being understood in their time. Posthumous Gloria . Analogous to Septile (51º) and Tri-septile (154º).

Quincunx (150º): it represents an imbalance between planets and the annulment of the interest of one to prevail over the other. It is an energy that tries to cancel out another.

Quindecile (165º): indicatives obsession, compulsion, division, separation and drastic change. It also reveals that there can be a strong determination to realize what these planets and houses represents.

Kisses,

Madam Saturn 💋

Resources:

[1] Quindecile / [2] Minor Aspects / [3] Quincunx / [4] Semi-Sextile / [5] Semi-Square

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kaalogii · 3 years

Text

— needle and thread (yami sukehiro x reader x damnatio kira)

one crushes you like his cigarettes as the other, strangely, has the kinder heart.

warnings: slight angst

Soft fingertips glided delicately along rough stone walls. The owner paced their steps through the halls as they listened intently to the stories being echoed throughout. Their presence generously acknowledged by those who came across them, though their response had been a pained smile.

“Pardon me for disrupting your stroll, but Chairman Kira has requested your presence in the garden,” A servant of House Kira had suddenly informed Y/N, breaking them out of their thoughts.

“Yes, thank you. I’ll be on my way,” Y/N moved their occupied hand to their side, missing the rough texture as they ventured to the garden to accompany Damnatio Kira. They maneuvered through the castle walls with ease, once again lost within their own thoughts.

Y/N had lost count of the days or ...could it have been months? Whichever it may have been, Y/N wasn’t exactly time focused, nor bothered to be. All that had been important to Y/N was fulfilling their duties in the Clover Kingdom. House Kira had been kind enough to offer their home as a stepping stone for peace to the eldest child of a neighboring kingdom.

If only Y/N had remained obedient and loyal to their royal duties, their mind would be free from pressing personal issues. Though, Y/N had been granted free will from their own kingdom and the Clover Kingdom, they wished they hadn’t strayed afar from the nobles. Then perhaps they wouldn’t have met Yami Sukehiro.

Their meeting had purely been an accident. Though Yami had convinced it to be fate. Y/N had strayed away from their escort in the beginning of their stay in the Clover Kingdom due to their natural curiosity of the kingdom they’ve learned of in their youth. Yami had once again been on the search for his wild animals and took a sudden interest to the strange individual that peacefully stumbled upon his, secretly, beloved pets.

It had been at that point on where their many secret rendezvous’ had begun. Y/N had been new to the idea of love, unsure of what it truly holds. Young and naive, Y/N blindly stepped into the abyss, only holding onto the strand of thread Yami allowed.

“You look troubled” Damnatio Kira’s voice broke Y/N from their thoughts. They weakly smiled as Damnatio stood from his seat to pull theirs. As Y/N got comfortably seated, Damnatio returned to his own, silently eyeing Y/N. “Are you unhappy here?”

“No,” Y/N had been honest as they reached for their teacup to take a much needed drink. Damnatio had hummed in response, taking a drink of his own. The pleasant combination of gentle waterfall and the chirping of birds had comfortably drowned the silence between them.

“I summoned you here out of the servants concerns,” Damnatio returned his teacup to the table, catching Y/N’s attention. “Normally I wouldn’t be bothered with quizzical issues being brought to my attention. Especially from servants, but the mention of your name had resulted in the exception,” Y/N placed her teacup onto the table, bringing her hands to her lap. “Our duty is to keep you comfortable and safe, for the sake of our kingdoms,”

“Yes, I understand,”

“The members of my family had left your care in my hands at the beginning of this arrangement. I concluded you to be a responsible adult and let the rumors of your rendezvous with foreign scum to be a temporary phase. Though it seems as though it is not the case. Am I correct?”

Y/N fumbled with their fingers, averting their gaze from Damnatio’s fierce one. They took notice of the difference in angered expressions they received from Damnatio to Yami’s. Though Yami had only directed anger toward Y/N on the many occasions of Y/N expressing their love for the man. Y/N continued to do so, concluding that anger had been Yami’s choice to express his feelings for the individual.

“I love him,” Y/N softly blurted loud enough for Damnatio to hear.

“You love him?” Damnatio had been amused. “Absolute beauty of royal blood loving foreign scum? A disgrace. That isn’t even the worst of it, correct? I’ll answer for you.” Y/N returned their gaze onto Damnatio, focusing onto green eyes. “Surely you’ve heard the rumors. Even I have heard them all. Yami Sukehiro does not love you,” Y/N flinched.

Damnatio’s words pierced Y/N’s heart although they knew his words had been true. The rumors had begun as soon as Yami and Y/N had their first interaction. They, themselves, had been warned by the members of Yami’s squad to be wary of their captain’s true intentions. Their words and warnings hadn’t been enough, for Y/N had been too far down in the abyss to think otherwise.

“Now that one subject is out of the way,” Y/N listened to Damnatio as his tone changed. “It appears our families have been working with one another, which I assume we would both agree to be excellent progress in terms of our kingdoms,” Y/N hummed in agreement. “Both sides have agreed to take a step to complete the alliance between our kingdoms by proposing the idea of marriage between you and I,”

“Marriage?” Y/N searched for any indication that Damnatio’s words were false, finding none they awaited for him to continue.

“I agree that this is sudden, but I did not dismiss the proposal when it was presented to me. I believe this is a good opportunity for us. I understand you may feel opposed to the idea, but I ask you to carefully think over the proposal,” Damnatio studied Y/N, expecting an outburst but received none.

“A word of advice,” Damnatio continued. “Don’t allow your naivety to control your emotions. I assume you are smarter than you currently present yourself to be and you are willing to listen to information presented in these rumors you hear about regarding your unfortunate situation with Yami Sukehiro,” Damnatio watched as Y/N tensed. “If you’re looking for love and if you consider the proposal given to us by our kingdoms, I will devout myself in learning to love you as you deserve,”

Y/N had risen from their seat. “I am grateful for your concern. If you could excuse me for a moment, I have much to think about,”

Damnatio nodded, silently watching as Y/N disappeared from his eyesight.

The sudden situation had added onto the troubles Y/N had been dealing with in their inner monologue. As they battled the concerns, they were unaware of the location their legs had been leading them to.

Deep down, Y/N had known the “love” Yami Sukehiro had shown them was nothing more than filling the void for his own loneliness. Along the way, Y/N had mistaken his words and actions for something deeper than what they had been. Yami had twisted their perception to the newfound idea of love into what he decided for them to believe. As a result, Y/N had blindly given everything to the man in every form; emotionally and physically. To the outside, and to Yami’s knowledge, Y/N had been another pet of his he held onto with a simple piece of thread. At anytime, Yami could break the connection, but for reasons unknown, he never had.

A theory the servants had on the situation had been the idea of Yami Sukehiro using Y/N as a ploy for revenge on Damnatio regarding previous events involving the Black Bulls. The silly theory of the servants of House Kira had actually been correct, unbeknownst to them and others whose ears had the rumor fallen onto them.

Y/N had been brought out from their thoughts as they sighted the door belonging to the hideout of the Black Bulls. The door had mysteriously opened by itself, from Y/N view as they stepped into the hideout. Although appearing that way, Y/N missed the sight of the member called Henry, who solemnly looked down in pity from his room at Y/N.

Oddly familiar sounds echoed through the hideout, though Y/N couldn’t place the familiarity of the sounds. Deciding not to think further of it, they continued through the halls as they used the sounds as guidance until reaching the familiar door of Yami’s room. Y/N heart sank at the realization of the familiarity. Their actions moving ahead of their mind as they gently opened the door to come into view of the lewd sight of Yami and his fellow Clover Kingdom captain, Charlotte Roselei. Quickly, Y/N closed the door and made their way in returning to the Kira House.

Hours had passed after the initial event and Yami had remained clueless to what had occurred outside of his walls. He groaned as he awoken from his slumber, dismissing the weight present beside him. Charlotte’s arms wrapped around Yami’s bare frame as he attempted to remove himself from his bed. Before he could perform further action in getting away from his minuscule hookup, a message from the Wizard King had arrived for Yami. The message played presenting an overjoyed Julius.

“Weddings are lovely this time of year, but before weddings come engagements! I am honored to present the news in regarding the unity of two kingdoms as we solidify our alliance by joining two members of the highest seats from each of our kingdoms. With great honor, I announce the engagement of Damnatio Kira of House Kira and Y/N L/N of House L/N. I wish the couple a happy engagement and a promising marriage! That is all, good day!”

Yami settled into his bed, welcoming Charlotte’s sleeping embrace contrasting his previous attempts to get away from the woman. He reached onto his table, retrieving a single cigarette and his lighter. Yami took an elongated drag of his cigarette before exhaling. The smoke from his exhale had hidden the lone tear gliding down his face. He chuckled to himself before taking another long drag.

“I don’t give a damn.”

130 notes · View notes

onceattwice · 4 years

Text

TWICE’s Reaction: Sitting In Lap

Request: A twice reaction to their wife getting turned on after the girls sat on their lap pleaseee

A/N: This was really fun to write on haha, thanks for the request :D I ended up writing a small scenario for each member. It turned out super long, hope you guys don’t mind! Tell me whether you guys would prefer shorter or longer ones.

word count: 7,098

IM NAYEON

Twice had recently been given a two-week break off of all promotion work, a reward for all their hard work. Some of the girls had gone travelling, whilst others back home to visit their families. You hadn’t seen Nayeon in so long, despite your secret marriage to her. You would think that you guys would see each other more often but due to JYP’s insistent demands, she still lived in the dorms with her members, and as a result, you had moved into a small apartment near your workplace. Whenever you guys would plan a date, something would come up! There were just too many schedule conflicts, whether it was because you were getting called in for an extra late work shift or because she had to attend an important magazine photoshoot. Needless to say, you guys haven’t seen each other in a while.

You were sitting at home watching your favourite romantic comedy movie and playing with the small ring on your finger. Honestly, you just missed her presence. You had ordered some take-out food for tonight as you had absolutely no plans for leaving the house. When the doorbell rang, you slowly got off of the couch, picked your wallet off of the nearby counter, and went to unlock the door.

“Surprise!” She screamed as soon as the door swung open.

“Nayeon?” To say you were surprised was a huge understatement. “What are you doing here?” By this point, she had her arms wrapped around your torso as she deeply inhaled your scent. God, she missed you. You had yet to reciprocate the hug, but you could tell she hadn’t noticed.

“We got a break and I just really wanted to see you.” Her reply came out muffled as she tried to bury herself deeper and deeper into your neck. You chuckled at her adorable antics before wrapping her into a soft embrace. All you heard was a longing sigh at the gesture.

“Well, I ordered some take-out if you want to stay in?”

“Thank god. I love you but there was absolutely no way I was going to go out tonight.”

Soon after, the delivery boy had arrived and given you two the food. Nayeon had insisted on paying because she claimed to be the “bread-winner” of the house and that she didn’t want your wallet to look like an empty void. The fact that you couldn’t exactly disagree with her made it difficult when trying to argue that you should pay instead. In the end, she had paid.

You sat on the couch with your food sitting on the table, untouched. Why? Because you were currently pouting. Nayeon rolled her eyes before smiling indulgently, “You’re still plenty rich, honey.” A pause. “Just not richer than me.” She cackled as you sunk deeper into the couch. She didn’t know you could sulk even more than you had been before. You glanced over at her figure and saw her amused smile. Huffing, you crossed your arms and refused to acknowledge her presence.

You heard some ruffling on her side, and even though you were curious, you still refused to look over. Turns out, you didn’t even have to. Nayeon appeared in front of you, uncrossed your arms, and sat right in the middle of your lap facing you. “Stop pouting, it makes me want to kiss you senseless,” She whispered breathlessly as she snaked her arms around your neck.

You were suddenly conscious of every breath and every movement. She was pressed up against you, so so close, and you could smell her flowery perfume. You could already feel your face heating up, but you prayed that Nayeon wouldn’t notice. Slowly, as if you were enchanted, your hands found your way to Nayeon’s thighs and rested there. She raised an eyebrow at your wandering hands but otherwise said nothing as she stared curiously into your eyes. You couldn’t help but break eye contact with her as your breaths became slightly more ragged and irregular. You wanted to take her then and there.

She slightly readjusted herself on your lap, creating a slight grinding movement. You let out a deep groan in response. Suddenly, she halted her movements. You could see the tips of her ears turn a slight red, a clear indication that Nayeon was now aware of what you were feeling. She let out a raspy chuckle at this new-found knowledge.

“Mm, does this feel good?” She whispered in your ear before planting small kisses along your neck. You nodded slightly and angled your head to the side, giving her more space to work with. Nayeon continued on for a short while more before leaning up and taking your unsuspecting lips into hers. Without wasting any more time, she prodded her tongue at your lips and slipped it into your mouth. Kissing you felt like absolute heaven to her. A throaty moan escaped her mouth as you separated your lips from hers so that you could catch your breath. She had originally wanted to tease you a little but hadn’t thought that she would end up getting so turned on.

“Take me to your bedroom right now.” She groaned needily. And honestly, who were you to say no.

YOO JEONGYEON

After a long day of work, you had decided to go visit Jeongyeon at their dorms. Usually, significant others were not allowed in the building for fear of a scandal. But since you were a female and also married to Jeongyeon, JYP let it slide. If dispatch managed to catch a photo, they could always play it off as a non-idol friend visiting. Unfair, but alas that was reality.

Knocking once on the door, you waited patiently to be let in. Surprisingly, Tzuyu was the one who opened the door. She greeted you with a slight bow before informing you that Jeongyeon was in her room.

“I never said I was here for Jeongyeon,” You stammered indignantly.

“Sure you’re not,” Tzuyu rolled her eyes playfully before lightly pushing you in the direction of her room. “Just go, she’s waiting!” Before you could refute and defend yourself, Tzuyu had already left the room.

Sighing slightly at the youngest’s antics, you made your way down the hall to Jeongyeon’s shared room. You could clearly hear her bickering with Momo, something about a messy bed. A small smile stretched upon your face. Yup, same old Jeongyeon. Although on second thought, maybe you should try and save Momo.

“I’m here!” You announced dramatically as you swung open the room door. Both girls stopped fighting immediately and looked in your direction. Jeongyeon had the decency to look embarrassed whilst Momo just looked relieved.

“I’m going to go start a V-Live.” That’s all Momo said before she promptly ran out of the room. Jeongyeon looked at you exasperatedly but still patted the area beside her, prompting you to fill that space. You giggled lightly before making your way over to her, which proved to be a difficult task due to all the clothes on the floor.

“Is it that difficult to hang up her clothes?” You rubbed her back comfortingly as she vented about Momo’s messiness. You couldn’t help but find her adorable at that moment, despite her obvious annoyance.

“Cut her some slack, that’s just how she is.” You reprimanded her slightly but in a soft and caring tone. She nodded in agreement, although it might have also been a grimace.

“I suppose so.”

You two sat in comfortable silence, but you could tell that she was still a little upset over the whole interaction. A couple of ideas ran through your head but eventually, you just settled for physical affection. Leaning over slightly, you grabbed her hips and pulled her into your lap. You cuddled into her back and wrapped your arms around her waist protectively. Usually, Jeongyeon rarely took initiative to sit in your lap but you knew that she always found comfort in that position.

What you didn't expect, however, was that you would get turned on. You two haven’t seen each other in a while and she was just so close to you. You tried to suppress the urge to start kissing the back of her neck and instead tried to focus on slightly rocking her back and forth. “Feel any better?”

“Infinitely better, thank you,” She murmured. She relished the feeling of just being in your arms. However, when she turned her neck slightly to look at you, she saw that your cheeks were flushed and you were nibbling lightly on your lips. Of course, she immediately recognized this look. Jeongyeon was extremely amused by this and began to laugh freely. She winked before boldly exclaiming, “Maybe later when the other girls are asleep.”

HIRAI MOMO

You were on the set of their upcoming MV. You made sure to clear your schedule for the day and even rented out a coffee truck for everyone to use. Although you didn’t tell anyone that it was you who rented it, Sana somehow found out and told everybody. And that’s how you found yourself sitting near the coffee truck, listening to Momo brag to anyone who would listen.

“Isn’t she just the greatest?”

“Yes, indeed.” Jihyo agreed in an attempt to satisfy Momo, though she threw you a save-me-please look just for good measure. She ordered another cup of coffee, mouthed a quick thank you, and hurried back on set. Although it’s unclear whether or not it was to escape Momo’s nonstop praising or because the director had called her over to film. Momo could only huff in response but quickly found another victim to interrogate.

“Hey, Sana!” You watched as she dashed off towards her Japanese friend, who honestly looked a little petrified at her incoming figure.

Shortly after, the director came up to you and quickly vocalized his thanks in regards to the coffee truck, as well as his congratulations on your marriage. Your eyes grew soft at the mere mention of your marriage.

“Thank you, sir. She makes me very happy.” You shot him a toothy grin.

“Yes, well, she does tend to have that effect on others,” he answered, then proceeded to glance over in Sana’s direction. “Though perhaps not right at this moment.” You chuckled lightly, agreeing with his observation.

The kind man soon left to go direct and shoot Chaeyoung’s part. By this point, you had lost track of your overly excited girlfriend. Thus, you resorted to playing games on your phone in a last-ditch effort to appease your evergrowing boredom. However, it didn’t take long for Momo to bounce on over to you.

“Hi.” She giggled as she shyly dropped herself in your lap.

“Hi, back.” You lightly probed at her sides, prompting another small giggle to escape. The conversation between the two of you flowed effortlessly and you soon found yourself placing small kisses between her shoulder blades, ones that eventually travelled to her neck. This seemed to backfire though as you admittedly, began to get a little too excited. You could feel an indescribable feeling growing in your stomach now, prompting you to stop before you took it too far. The noise around set had managed to increase, showcasing everyone’s excitement for a lunch break.

You were still breathing a little heavily when you lightly tapped her thigh, silently communicating that you two should head over as well. However, instead of getting off as you had expected, she whined and refused to move.

“Momo.” She didn’t respond but instead smoothly turned around so that she was now straddling you. Your eyes widened in surprise as you let out a small squeak. Ridiculously turned on now, you looked her in the eyes, noticing that her eyes had darkened and that she had adopted a look of pure seduction. You could tell that she knew exactly how excited you were to have her in your lap.

“I want you now.”

You guys practically ran to her dressing room.

MINATOZAKI SANA

The sound of your oven’s relentless buzzing resonated through your apartment, signalling that the muffins were finally ready. You hurried on over and excitedly opened the oven door. When you told Sana that you would be off work today, she drove on over and stayed overnight at your house. You checked the time, noting that it was still early in the morning. Sana likely wouldn’t be awake until an hour or two later. You set up a tray and transferred the muffins over so that they could cool down.

Not even a second later, you heard small footsteps coming from down the hall. Groaning in disappointment, you quickly took off your apron and rushed down to meet her by your bedroom door. “Go back inside!”

“Huh? What, why?” Sana asked, confused as she sleepily rubbed her eyes. She stood there in her bear pyjamas, hair unbrushed and slightly untidy. To you, she looked absolutely adorable. Your lips quirked up at the sight, before giving in to the urge to lean forward to peck her on the lips. She hummed in approval, wrapped her arms around you and began planting kisses at random spots on your face.

You chuckled at her clinginess, “Go back inside.” Lightly pushing her off of you, you once again directed her to go back into the room. She pouted but still obeyed your request.

“But, why?” Her whiny and pouty tone resonated in the bedroom. “Come back to bed so we can cuddle.”

“It’s a surprise so be patient!” Sana let out a loud and muffled groan before telling you to hurry up and finish so you can come back to cuddle.

You ran back into the kitchen, placed a couple of muffins on a plate, and ran back into your bedroom. “Ta-da!” You presented to her the freshly baked muffins. She gasped in surprise and almost tackled you to the floor had you not stopped her mid-way through. “Don’t even think about it.”

She pouted once more but happily patted the area beside her, beckoning you to sit beside her. Wasting no time, you quickly walked over and offered her a muffin. Sana eagerly sank her teeth into the fluffy muffin and moaned in delight at the taste. “This is delicious!”

“I’m glad you like them.” Grinning at her obvious enjoyment, you grabbed one for yourself and dug in.

“Yeah well, I like you better.” Sanake has hit again! You grumbled something about her being greasy but still kissed her cheek for the effort. She responded in kind by giving you multiple cheek kisses back.

In no time, all the muffins were finished. Both of you wanted to just have a lazy day so Sana suggested watching a movie while cuddling. Of course, you agreed.

Halfway through the movie, she had somehow managed to climb on top of you so that she was sitting in your lap. It was comfortable at first, but Sana seemed to grow restless, frequently moving and shifting on top of you. You were starting to feel turned on by her actions. You patted her thigh, silently telling her to stop. Sana mumbled a quick sorry before stopping. However, not even a minute later, she started to move again. She was started to grow antsier, and as a result, was applying a lot of pressure to your... area.

“Sana.” You let out a groan, “Stop moving.” Biting your lip, you gripped her waist, hoping to stop her movements.

“I’m bored!” She stretched out the last syllable, once again producing a very whiney sound.

“It’s almost finished, I want to know how it ends.” You whispered a quick excuse into her ear and gave her a small kiss on the neck, hoping to calm her down. She nodded slightly, apparently agreeing to stop for now.

When she started moving again, you really could not stop yourself from lightly bucking upwards. When she felt your reaction, she started to press down harder, hands drawing circles on your thigh. You let out a small moan at her administrations. She swiftly turned around in your lap so that she was now facing you. Sana started to attack your neck with kisses, some of which you knew would leave a mark. Groaning her name, you dipped your hands under her shirt and trailed them up her back.

“Sana,” you let out a breathless pant, “did you do that on purpose?”

She giggled slightly, confirming your suspicions. Before you could protest, she captured your lips in a rough kiss and started tugging at the waistband of your sweatpants. “Take these off right now.”

Needless to say, you guys had an eventful morning.

PARK JIHYO

Out of all the girls, Jihyo was the most cautious when it came to dating scandals. A couple of the girls, such as Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung, had dated back in their trainee days. It also wasn’t a secret that some of the members were currently looking for a significant other. However, Jihyo was the most secretive when it came to her private life. You two had only recently started dating and Jihyo really did not want to deal with all the drama that came with being an idol that was in a relationship. Not to mention, it could seriously hurt Twice’s reputation as a group.

As such, you two rarely met up. When you did, dates were mostly limited to inside areas, such as their dorm or your house. It could sometimes put a strain on your relationship, but you understood where she was coming from. At the end of the day, you really could not fault her for trying to protect her career as well as her friends.

This was one of the rare times where JYP had personally invited you to attend one of Twice’s concerts. He knew that Jihyo was stressed about performing in Japan. She was unfamiliar with the culture and language. Being the perfectionist that she is, she just really wanted to make it a memorable concert for Onces. To help relieve some of the stress and tension, JYP proposed flying you over, all expenses covered.

You were ecstatic to hear this and agreed immediately. So here you were, backstage watching the girls performing on a huge TV monitor. Of course, you would’ve liked to have been in the crowd but JYP said it would be too much hassle to have you run back and forth from the concert hall to the backstage dressing room.

Twice had just finished performing their new remix of Feel Special. It included a quick solo dance from each member, lasting only a couple of seconds long. The remix ended with a big group dance, featuring around fifty or so backup dancers all dressed in black. The girls, of course, stood out in their sparkly white outfits. It was truly a mesmerizing sight.

You congratulated each member as they filed into the room. They were panting and still high off of the adrenaline but knew that they had to change quickly for their next performance. You gave Jihyo a quick peck on the lips, wished her good luck, and exited the room to give them some privacy to change. When they came out, you held her hands all the way to the stage lift. She looked extremely tired but still grateful for your presence.

“Do your best,” you whispered, just loud enough so that she could hear.

She grinned back with her bright smile. “You better stay for the aftershow dinner!”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” And you meant it.

The show ended in fireworks and tears, mostly from the J-Line. Everyone had split into different cars with Jihyo riding in yours. When everyone had arrived at the dorm, Nayeon immediately started to take orders from the other members. Momo said something about Jokbal but you weren’t paying too much attention.

Jihyo looked exhausted. You walked over to the couch she was sitting on and plopped down beside her. “How’re you holding up, God Jihyo?” She let out a hearty laugh in response.

“Honestly? So much better since you’re here.” You blushed slightly at the comment and silently pulled her into your lap.

“Oh shush.”

You wrapped your arms around her torso and pulled her in close. She hummed in approval, relaxing slightly. It wasn’t anything she did, to be honest. Rather, it was just her presence in general. You two hadn’t seen each other much lately, as she’s been extremely busy with promotions. Despite your best efforts not to, you started to feel a little dizzy and breathless. It felt like there was an ingot of lead in your stomach, and as a result, your hands began to wander a little.

She turned her head slightly to make eye contact with you, her eyebrows slightly raised. You shrugged sheepishly. Jihyo shakes her head slightly, a little amused and a little surprised that she could have this kind of effect on you even when she's not doing anything.

She rubbed small circles on your arms and leaned back a little to whisper, “Come meet me in my room when we finish dinner.” Jihyo threw you a small shy smile but soon got off to go help organize the chaotic mess that the girls made in the kitchen.

Let’s just say that you were extremely glad to have attended their celebratory dinner.

MINARI MINA

Despite what everyone else thought, you really didn’t mind the silence that came with dating Mina. You actually rather liked the silence. It was comfortable and not at all awkward. Maybe it’s because you’re a rather mature individual and don’t find pleasure in small talk. Either way, Mina’s quiet nature is what initially drew you to her and you wouldn’t change it for the world.

You were on a midnight stroll back home after your dinner date. A nice and comforting feeling enveloped the both of you. The street was lit up by yellow lights, glowing above the crown of your heads. It almost acted like a lighthouse, leading you home. Mina grabbed your hand and intertwined her fingers with yours. Swinging your arms slightly, you asked if she was okay. She nodded and that was all that was said before you guys arrived at your shared apartment door.

After unlocking the door, you both proceeded to change out of your date clothes in favour of more comfy ones. She came out dressed in an oversized white graphic tee and grey sweatpants. You looked down and noticed that she also wore big penguin slippers. You raised an eyebrow at the sight, rather amused with her outfit.

She shrugged and answered, “A fan gave them to me and my manager let me keep them.” You mouthed a small okay before telling her to settle down on the couch.

When you came back out, you noticed she had buried herself under a pile of blankets. You thought she was cold, so on your way over, you sneakily turned up your heater. This was your new life. A domestic life with the one and only Mina. You have no idea what you did to deserve this but hell you’ll take it.

Settling in beside her, you stole some of her blankets, earning a small pout from Mina. Grinning mischievously, you began to tease her by taking all of the blankets away from her. She made a small noise of protest before giving up and just jumping on top of you. You don’t know how it happened but at some point, Mina managed to slip under them.

You were both laying down, you on the bottom and her lying on top of you. She wrapped her arms around your waist and buried her face into your chest. Not knowing what to do from here, you pulled out your phone and began to scroll through your feed. Whenever you found something that you found even remotely entertaining, you would flash the screen at Mina’s face. At first, she would squint due to the unnaturally bright light, but then a small smile would spread across her face. She would then nod before returning to her original position. Honestly, you just liked seeing her smile.

Looking at the time, you noticed it was already 1:32 am and she had another photoshoot to attend to the next morning. You lightly nudged her, prompting her to look up at you. “We should go to bed, Mina.”

She looks up at the clock hanging on your wall before letting out a small ‘ah’. “I was wondering why I was starting to feel sleepy.”

You chuckled in response as she slowly got up and off of you. She made her way to the bathroom to wash up whilst you went to your shared bedroom.

You were sitting on your bed, again looking through funny videos, waiting for her to finish. When she came back out, she immediately walked over and plopped down in your lap. You let out a small ‘oof’, more so due to surprise than her actual weight. Mina stayed in that position and refused to move, much to your confusion.

“Someone’s clingy today.” You joked. She only nodded and smiled in response.

“I just missed you is all.”

Your heart skipped a beat. You don’t think you’ll ever get sick of her saying that. Mumbling a quick, “I missed you too.”, you decided to put down your phone so that you could focus all your attention on Mina. She wrapped her arms around your neck and placed a small feather-like kiss on your jaw.

Against your own will, your body began to feel excited. You hugged her close and went in for a short kiss. You lightly nibbled on her bottom lip, eliciting a small breathless moan to escape. Growing more eager, you deepened the kiss and slipped your tongue past her lips. Mina eventually slowed the kiss down, pulling away but leaving a small peck on your lips to signal the end.

When you opened your eyes, her face was flushed and her lips slightly bruised. She ran her fingers through her hair, an attempt to clear her foggy mind. “Tomorrow. I just want to cuddle tonight.” Her eyes darted away from yours in hopes of avoiding your lustful gaze. You nodded in agreement but tugged her closer so that she could bury her face in your neck again.

You remind yourself to tell her that you love her tomorrow.

KIM DAHYUN

“What’s the plan for today?” You rocked on your feet, excited for the date that Dahyun had spent the entire day hinting towards.

“It’s a surprise!” She looked at you, eyes sparkling with amusement. Grabbing your hands, she started leading you towards her manager’s black van. She playfully opened the door and held it open for you, bowing dramatically in the process.

“Why, thank you!” You said in a haughty tone, deciding to play along with her. She quickly tumbled into the car after you and made sure that you were both strapped in before telling her manager to ‘hit the gas’.

The conversation flowed naturally between the two of you. Dahyun had an unexplainable aura to her, something about her just made you comfortable. Dahyun truly was a ball of sunshine, one that sometimes shines so bright you could barely see anything else. Loving her came just as easy as breathing. She would often joke around about the most random things. You often wondered what the inside of her brain would look like. You often wondered many things about Dahyun.

She’s a mystery that you could spend the rest of your life, solving.

Soon enough, you guys had arrived at the beach. You swear you could feel your insides melting. You spent the entire week complaining about how much you missed the ocean. Grinning cheekily, you exclaimed, “So you do listen to me!”

She blushed lightly, smacking you in the arm in retaliation. “Oh, shut it. Now help me unpack!”

Rushing to the back of the van, you opened the trunk to find a variety of stored items. There was a small picnic basket, a couple of beach towels, and a backpack, likely packed with items such as sunscreen or water. “Dahyun, how long did this take to prepare?” You asked in amazement.

You could tell she was pretty proud of herself. “Not too long, don’t worry.” You figured she was probably lying so that you wouldn’t feel guilty. Giving her a quick kiss on the lips, you grabbed a couple of items and ran off to the beach.

“Last one there has to set everything up!” Laughter trailed behind you, following closely. You heard a vague ‘unfair’ being yelled but didn’t turn around to check.

Dahyun, of course, was last to the beach but you still assisted in setting up. When it was time to apply the sunscreen, Dahyun wiggled her eyebrows at you as one of her hands crept up your thigh. You rolled your eyes playfully and swatted the wandering hand away. She groaned in disappointment, but her grin never left her face.

You didn’t spend too long in the water. After a round of trying to sink the other person, quite dangerous now that you think about it, you two trudged out of the water and back onto your beach blanket. You nudged her, eager to see what was inside of the picnic basket.

She dramatically opened the lid with a small ‘ta-da’. Inside was a small container of fruit and pastries, and another small box that presumably contained your lunches. You two spent the rest of the afternoon joking around and munching on the food that Dahyun brought.

Content and full, Dahyun mumbled something about exploding before she plopped herself down in your lap. Her hair carried the scent of the sea but also a hint of her signature lavender shampoo. You were honestly pretty drained from playing in the water but still felt a little excited from the skinship. She was wearing a dark red two-piece, something that she said she had only recently bought. Usually, she only wore baggy shirts or one-pieces.

However, with her soft skin pressed against yours, you began to feel a little heated. She only noticed because your hands had begun to draw small circles on her stomach. “We’re in public,” she whispered. You hummed in contemplation but didn’t stop your administrations.

Soon, you had begun to place small but intense kisses on her neck, some of which would definitely leave a mark. By now, Dahyun was blushing intensely but made no effort to stop you. You peeked up at her face, noticing that she was biting down on her bottom lip quite hard.

“There’s a hotel nearby...” You trailed off, hoping that Dahyun would catch onto what you were suggesting. She gave you a jerky nod and quickly began packing up. You laughed at her eagerness but truth be told, you weren’t faring so well either.

“We should come to the beach more often,” she mumbled quietly.

You definitely agreed.

SON CHAEYOUNG

Seriously, what would you do without her? You were lying in bed, slightly sick with a cold. When Chaeyoung found out, she refused to let you go to work, regardless of how much you insisted on being fine. She immediately set up camp at your house and told you that she was going to be your ‘caretaker’ for the day. You snorted at that, earning a small smack to the arm.

“Chae, no offence but you’re going to burn down the kitchen.”

“I can buy you a new one.” She waved her hand dismissively as she pulled out some vegetables from her bag. You sputtered in confusion, trying to communicate that she couldn’t just order a whole kitchen.

“Watch me,” she challenged with her hands on her hips and a raised eyebrow. Admittedly, it was an adorable sight but you would never tell her that. Mostly because it was due to her small height. She would always pout whenever you mentioned her height, which again, was adorable. You smiled at the sight and decided to just let the girl do her thing.

“Okay,” You chuckled, “But I quite like my kitchen so please be careful.” She huffed in response, spun on her heel and headed towards the kitchen with an armful of various vegetables. You sighed, noticing that you indeed were a little exhausted.

“I’ll just close my eyes for a few minutes.” You mumbled drowsily. Before you knew it, you had closed your eyes and fallen asleep.

When you woke up, it was to your fire alarm. Startled, you jumped out of bed, and ran out of your bedroom to go check for a fire. Your heart was pounding and your only thought was to grab Chaeyoung so that you could haul her out of the apartment. A little unreasonable, yes, but it was your first instinct to danger.

When you slid into the kitchen, you noticed a huge cloud of smoke floating above. Coughing a little, you blindly called out for Chaeyoung. You heard a small response from the living room. You rushed on over and screamed, “We need to get out of here! It’s burning up!”

When you finally found her, she was situated by the windows, opening them one by one. You looked at her in bewilderment. Laughter rang throughout the room, as Chaeyoung continued to open the windows. “There’s no fire, I just burnt... more than a couple of dishes. All we have to do is air out the room, I promise.”

You sighed in slight annoyance. Plopping down on the leather couch, you pinched the bridge of your nose. “I think I have a headache.” She laughed at how dramatic she thought you were being, (you really did have a headache though), before dropping herself right into your lap.

Wrapping her arms around your neck, she mumbled a quick ‘sorry’ before giving you a quick peck on the lips. You could feel a small smile growing so you planted a kiss on her cheek. Honestly, you could never stay mad at Chaeyoung. Not to mention, it would be a funny memory to look back on in a couple of years. You two sat there, content with just waiting for the smoke to file out your window.

Although sitting there with her wrapped so tightly around you, you couldn’t help but feel a little hot under the collar. She perked up a little, noticing that you were breathing a little heavier. “Are you burning up?” She placed her hand overtop of your forehead, all while you did your best to avoid her gaze.

When she finally took the time to observe your face, she noticed how flushed you had become. However, there was one telltale sign that always gave away when you were turned on: you were biting your lip. She smirked a little, brainstorming a myriad of ways to tease you. Finally settling on playing dumb, she continued to fuss over you, citing stereotypical questions such as: Do you need to lie down? How can I help?

You spent an awfully long time observing your carpet and just robotically nodding along to her questions. She eventually rolled her eyes, placed a finger on your chin, and tilted it slightly up and to the right so that you would be looking at her. “You’re so boring.” That was all she said before she smashed her lips onto yours. At first, you were surprised but you quickly began to kiss back in fervour.

She moaned slightly at the way your lips merged together. You were an extremely skilled kisser and she would almost always get turned on from your make-outs. Your tongue slipped into her mouth, slightly massaging the roof of her mouth before pulling back. She didn’t even realize when it happened, but she had started to lightly grind on you. Sucking on your tongue, she pulled away with a pop. Her eyes were darkened and almost glazed over. Without a word, she got off, grabbed your wrist, and pulled you back to the bedroom.

The next day, you received a letter from your neighbour that read: Please close your windows. Sound travels.

CHOU TZUYU

Tzuyu had a very pure and innocent outlook on a lot of things. Perhaps it was because she was still pretty young. Still, you couldn’t help but be surprised whenever she said or did something naive. It was one of the things that you liked most about her though, and you secretly hoped that she would always stay that way. However, it did make for a very awkward conversation when you sometimes had to explain things to her.

She’s never really liked PDA, so you guys always held back in public until you reached the dorms. Even then, she would only become comfortable enough to cuddle with you when you guys were alone in her room.

You were riding in the manager’s black van back to the dorms. Twice had just finished performing a show and was absolutely exhausted. When you guys arrived, Tzuyu immediately pulled you towards her room, mumbling a quick ‘goodnight’ to the other girls. They replied similarly and each went to their own rooms.

Tzuyu was actually the only member that did not have a roommate, not because the other girls didn’t want to room with her, but rather because out of all of them, Tzuyu would likely appreciate it the most. Partly because you would sometimes come over and stay the night, and also partly because she liked the peacefulness and silence that came with rooming alone.

Whenever you were over, you made sure to respect her space and let her do her own thing. When she was done, she would almost always cling to you. Tzuyu was actually quite affectionate, much to your own surprise.

You remember mentioning that fact to her a couple of months ago. She stared blankly back at you and you could practically see all her thoughts running through her brain. However, all she did was shrug and melt back into your arms, leaving the question unanswered. You assumed she wasn’t going to say anything so you pulled out your phone to scroll through your social media, but you heard her mumble almost inaudibly: “Only because you’re special.”

Tonight was pretty normal. You guys had developed a routine. You would wait for her on the bed whilst she showered and changed. Then you guys would switch, and you would go shower. When all of that was said and done, Tzuyu would poke you until you gave in and cuddled with her.

However, tonight instead of cuddling, she sat right in your lap before you could lie down. You wrapped your arms around her midriff in an attempt to balance her. “What’re you doing?”

“Let’s just sit and talk for a while before going to bed.” Tzuyu was picking the lint off of her pyjamas, avoiding eye contact with you. You raised an eyebrow at this but readily complied with her demands.

You waited for her to talk first, but you were getting a little restless in the meantime. She kept shifting, and unknowingly rubbing on your...area. You flushed a bright red and thanked the gods that she wasn’t looking at you.

“I made a lot of mistakes tonight.” She finally whispered. You immediately paused, confused because you personally hadn’t seen any mistakes. “I wasn’t as energetic as I could have been and I think fans saw that.” She elaborated for you.

You let out a small ‘ah’. You’ve learned that in times like these, it was just best to stay silent. Most of the time, Tzuyu just needed to let it out. You could try and reassure her but you’ve come to realize that she has her own expectations for herself, ones that will differ from yours. It’s always easier to notice your own little flaws. You rocked her slightly back and forth, trying to bring a little bit of comfort to her. That brought about an unexpected action: more rubbing. You stifled a groan and tried your best to push those thoughts away.

She finally sighed, signalling the end to her overthinking. She turned back slightly to smile at you and thank you, but she noticed that your cheeks were a little redder than normal. She immediately started to panic, thinking that you had a fever. Tzuyu jumped off your lap, much to your dismay, and went out to grab a thermometer. What could you do though? She ran out before you could say a thing. You rubbed your face, silently wishing the redness to go away.

When she returned, you noticed that she had also grabbed a glass of water, some pills, and a blanket for you. Feeling a little silly, you said, “Wait, I’m not sick. Just let me explain.”

She looked adorably confused now. Still not completely believing you though, she placed the items on the nightstand beside the bed and waited patiently for you to explain.

Your blush had travelled all the way down your neck when you were explaining. Looking up to check her reaction, you could see that Tzuyu had basically the same reaction as you. She stammered a little, unsure of what to say. You grinned at her nervousness but reassured that you guys did not have to do anything tonight. Sometimes you just could not control how your body reacted to her.

She nodded, still a little hesitant, but crawled over to you and quietly asked for cuddles. You nodded and happily complied. Just as you were starting to fall asleep though, you heard her mumble something. Straining to hear her, you asked her to repeat it again. Tzuyu cleared her throat and then tried again.

“I said, the girls will be out all day tomorrow.” You tilted your head in confusion.

“What?”

She rolled her eyes at you, a little amused by your obliviousness. She ran a finger down your stomach, trailing dangerously close to your core but still managing to avoid it. You gasped at the action, a little turned on again.

“Tomorrow.” You gulped at the suggestive tone that she had adopted but quickly nodded before she changed her mind. She let out a satisfied hum at your response.

Perhaps she isn’t as innocent as you thought she was.

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wolfpawn · 4 years

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Hiding in Plain Sight, Chapter 6

Story Summary - Imagine coming from a line of nobility or royalty and being in an arranged marriage with Loki in an attempt to strengthen your kingdom / alliance with Asgard. You’re not entirely on board with the idea but figured that the best you could do was to get to know your fiancé. You form an agreement with Frigga for you to pose as Loki’s personal servant for a few months so you can get to know who Loki really is – beyond the veil of his responsibility to the Asgardian throne, behind all the masks he wears when facing the public, to really know who Loki is behind closed doors as you slowly fall for each other. How long will you keep up the ruse with the God of Lies?

Chapter Summary - Raven is still learning the ways of the Aesit palace and Loki when she is forced into an even more complicated situation.

Previous Chapter

Tags - @peppermint-j @alexakeyloveloki @cateyes315 @laserpente @bravotheroyalfool @teylacarter91 @heavenly1927

“I…” Raven stopped and inhaled deeply. “Thank you, Allmother.” She bowed slightly. “When am I required to return home to collect my belongings?”

Frigga frowned slightly at her. “You are home now.” Her words were said with kindness but it did not feel like such to Raven. “You can, of course, return to Alfheim if you require to but your mother offered to have your belongings brought so you do not have to worry about returning. I know the Bifrost can be uncomfortable.”

“No, I am sure my mother will organise everything. I had most of it ready before I left, anyway.”

“Yet, you seem somewhat uncertain?”

“I just did not expect it to be so sudden.” That was nothing but the truth, Raven was caught unawares by it.

“I gather that you are still undecided as to my son’s personality?”

“With all due respect, Allmother. The time I have been here is not enough to assess the true nature of any being, much less one as complex as Loki.”

“You saying that alone shows you have made some assessment on him.”

Raven did not know what to say. She knew there was a high probability of the Aesir monarch asking what she had come to think of her son. She did not want to lie but her assessment thus far was not great either. “I am still learning his mannerisms. He is very quiet and introverted, it is hard to fully see his demeanour in its entirety. He is careful of his actions around others. I sense him checking to see if he is alone and when he sees me there, he seems to contain himself or hide himself in some manners. It is most peculiar and slightly uncomfortable.”

“Loki is a sensitive soul, he does not like to show vulnerability to anyone, even me,” Frigga explained.

Raven had nothing more to say. She considered how to politely remove herself from the room without insulting Frigga when a large bell tolled across the city.

“I guess that is my indication to tell him what is to come.” Frigga straightened her attire. “I am sorry you need to be told in this manner.”

“Thank you for taking the time to tell me, Allmother.” Raven bowed slightly. “Shall I get him for you? He should be back from his usual afternoon activities.”

“Please.” Frigga smiled politely, noting her wish to remove herself from the room.

Raven rushed through the halls, oblivious to her surrounds. Upon her return to Loki’s rooms, she was startled to see that he was not there. “Your Highness?”

“What were you doing in my parent’s rooms alone with my mother?” Loki appeared out of nowhere beside her, looking at her curiously.

“Alone?”

“All of her maids and my father’s servants have mysteriously found themselves required elsewhere, and you were alone with her, why was that?” He repeated, his tone more clipped.

Raven contemplated her options on what to tell him for a moment. “The Allmother sent one of the Allfather’s servants to retrieve me to discuss a particular matter. I did notice that their chambers seemed void of staff considering the time of day but as it is not my concern, I did not voice any opinions I had on the matter.” There were no lies in her word and she could see Loki searching for such.

“What was the matter that you discussed?” Loki could not find any inclination that she gave him anything other than the truth.

“How to assist you in a manner forthcoming. I was also asked to tell you that she wants to speak with you.”

“What is it?”

“That is for her to discuss with you. I was told to say nothing of the matters discussed.”

Loki placed his hand on her arm, trying to pull her back towards him. It was a natural reaction, but Raven twisted her arm around in a manner that broke the grip before gripping his hand and pulling it into a lock. Loki, due to not expecting her to react in such a manner, was caught off-guard. When Raven realised what she did, she let go immediately and stood back awaiting admonishment. “I am so sorry.”

“How do you know how to do that?” Loki was more intrigued than angry by her actions.

“I have brothers, it is basic self-defence.” It was true, being teased by her brothers meant she learnt how to defend herself.

“What you did to me is a criminal offence, you could be charged for that, you are aware?” Loki smirked.

“In a legal setting, the argument is valid to say that you touched me first and I acted in self-defence.”

“But I am a prince. I will not say anything if you tell me what I am heading towards now.”

Raven eyed him cautiously, knowing full well the reason for his smirk. It made her want to slap him but knew she could not do so physically. Knowing that what she would say would affect him in some manner, she felt herself almost happy to ruin his day while also reminding herself of an ugly truth as she spoke. “She is going to inform you that a date is set for your marrying Princess Raven. It is in a month’s time.”

Loki stood back, startled at what she was saying.

#Loki fic #Hiding in Plain Sight #chapter 6 #Wolfpawn

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mythologyfolklore · 4 years

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Ares and Athena through the years - Ch. 09

Chapter Nine: The Trojan War, Pt. 01

(A/N: This is basically the Iliad, but from the gods' POV. The gods meddling with human affairs, just as they please and Zeus being a puppet master for funsies, because he's Zeus.

If my writing looks a bit differently at some parts, it's because I transcribed them from my German edition translation of the Iliad. Now, the Iliad is one monster of a book. So I'm cutting this chapter into several parts. But I altered or completely skipped a few parts from the epic, so if you discover inaccuracies and books missing, know that this is absolutely intentional.)

“Mēnin áeide, theá, Peleïádeo Akhilēos

ouloménen, hé myrí' Akhaioīs álge étheken …”¹

Athena still didn't know why not being picked as the fairest offended her so.

Maybe being thought of as beautiful was more important to her, than she had thought.

Anyhow, she could not deny, that she was slightly butthurt. Not as much as Hera, but she was still furious.

She had offered wisdom and victory, Hera had offered power.

And Paris had picked Aphrodite, because she had offered him the most beautiful woman in the world?! Really?

And to top it off, the woman in question was Helena of Sparta, married to none other than Menélaos, a volatile Mycenaean², who had become king of Sparta through their marriage!

She also happened to be subject of a treaty her father had made with her suitors, before she had chosen Menélaos as her husband: that those rejected would come to the aid of the successful one, should he ever be in a troublesome situation.

And what a troubled situation it was, because Paris had freaking abducted Helena with Aphrodite's help!

Indeed, that guy's stupidity knew no bounds!

So here the mortal men were – rallying the entirety of Hellas, because of that damn treaty! Among them were great men like brave Diomedes, cunning Odysseus (a favourite of Athena's), Menélaos' brother Agamemnon and, last but not least, great Akhilleus and his soulmate Patroklos.

Also, that old bitch Agamemnon had managed to offend several gods and mortals by … well, being his bitchy arsehole self …

Book One:

Apollon was minding his own business, when suddenly a prayer reached his ears.

A prayer full of anguish and despair, from a voice he knew: that of his priest Khrýses.

The god of oracles sighed and listened to what his priest had to say.

“Hear me, God of the Silver Bow, who stands over Khryse and holy Killa, who rules mightily over Ténedos, Smintheus³, if the roof I gave to your temple and my sacrifices ever pleased you, fulfil my prayer: let the Danaoi⁴ pay for my tears with your arrows!”

Apollon closed his eyes and used his gift of clairvoyance to get a full picture of what had happened.

But once he knew everything, he was seized by fury.

“Alright, motherfuckers!”, he growled, as he grabbed his bow and arrows and descended to earth, nearby their camp.

“Face the wrath of Ioímios⁵!”

Then he proceeded to rain down every single contagious disease he had at his disposal, for nine days straight.

Hera was raging and cursing Thetis and Akhilles, but mostly Thetis: the Nereid had persuaded Zeus to support the Trojans, because her son had asked her to.

Yep, Akhilles had requested that the Trojans should have the upper hand, lest Agamemnon finally would get his bitchy arse up and apologise to him properly.

Now the most powerful warrior of the entire army was brooding in his tent like … what was that mortal dish again? Oh yeah, a burrito. An overgrown, sulky blanket burrito. Who had completely withdrawn from battle with all of his troops, because screw Agamemnon.

Of course, no one liked Agamemnon, but this was ridiculous.

Book Two:

Meanwhile the Trojans, with their prince Hektor and Zeus' good will on their side, easily held their own and more than often threatened to gain decisive victories.

And to add insult to injury, her son Ares, who had promised to support her and Athena against the Trojans, had let Aphrodite get into his head and was now opposing them, like the turncoat he was!

Both Hera and Athena were furious at this development, but Zeus had not allowed them to interfere – yet.

“You know”, Athena grumbled, as the two goddesses looked down onto the battlefield, “If father let me, I would love to drive a spear into Ares' gut!”

“You and me both”, Hera huffed. “Just where did I go wrong in his educati- not a word, Athena”, she warned, when the goddess of wisdom opened her mouth to reply.

“Anyway”, the Queen continued, “We have to obey Zeus' decree, especially now; as you can see, he's in a bad mood.” And pointed to the dark clouds above them.

“Also, Athena – I think you might want to go down there; they all seem to want to cut and run, there is a riot.”

Athena lost no time in dashing down there and urging her mortal friend Odysseus to interfere.

It wasn't long, until he and old Nestor had re-established order.

Book Three:

Some sacrifices and one breakfast later, the Achaeans and the Trojans were duking it out on the battlefield, when Athena and Hera spied Menélaos coming close to Paris.

Latter apparently saw the Spartan king first and promptly ran off like a total wuss.

This made Hera cackle hysterically: this boy had had no qualms risking both her and Athena's wrath, abducting a married woman out of her own home, offending the entirety of Hellas in the process, and now, that her actual husband Menélaos was showing up, he was running away like a wimp?! Pathetic!

Just a few hours later, Paris changed his mind, but not before he got smack-talked by his brother Hektor for being a huge wimp.

Of course Menélaos kicked his arse, but before he could finish him off and end the war for good, Aphrodite showed up! Whisking away her favourite like the bitch she was!

Hera fumed, but resisted the urge to beat her to a pulp.

“Don't worry”, Athena comforted her, “Sooner or later, she'll get her arse handed to her. I already have my plans – and the means to execute them.”

“As always”, the Queen remarked, with a hint of amusement and fondness.

Meanwhile Menélaos was still on the battlefield, outraged beyond mortal comprehension and roaring for Paris to “COME BACK AND DIE LIKE A MAN!!!”

Anyhow he had won, his brother Agamemnon decided and demanded that Helena be given back, financial reparations included.

Even most of the Trojans agreed, that Helena should be given back.

But Paris insisted, that she was his wife (except that she wasn't) and he wouldn't give her up.

Book Four:

The Olympians were having lunch in their dining hall, drinking nectar and toasting to each other, while Hebe was filling their cups.

But Zeus, ever the son of cunning Kronos, was plotting.

Finally he rose and spoke with sharpest tongue:

“Among the goddesses Menélaos only has two supporters: my queen Hera, who is the patron of Argos, and my daughter Athena, who holds her hand over Boiotia. Yet both just sit here, while Aphrodite is having a field day dwelling with Paris and doing as she pleases. Did she not just save him from certain death? Menélaos has won, yes. But now we need to hold counsel about how we will proceed now; shall we bring on more bloody war or shall we finally let gentle Eirene end the suffering? Granted your approval, it would mean, that Priamos' city will remain habitable and Menélaos finally can take his Helena back home to Sparta.”

Hera and Athena stuck their heads together, whispering and plotting more bale for the Trojans.

However, Athena was sensible enough to bite her tongue towards her father.

Hera on the other hand jumped up and ranted furiously: “Zeus, what the heck?! I have worked my arse off, just to put up a fleet against Ilios, and now this shall all have been in vain?! Do whatever you want, but don't expect any of us to approve of it!”

“Shut it!”, Zeus barked, “What is your problem? Why are you so bent on obliterating this beautiful city completely! What did the Trojans ever do to you for you to be so obsessed with this?! Will your blood thirst only be quenched, when you can march through the gates of Troy to incinerate its inhabitants with your own hands?! Do what you must, but heed this; should I ever feel like destroying one of the cities you hold dear, do not get into my way. Let me do as I please, as I do for you, even though I do not like it. The Trojans have never failed to honour the gods as it is due; my altars were never void of the best sacrifices and presents my worshippers had to offer.”

Hera inhaled sharply, but returned: “My dearest cities are Argos, Sparta and Mycenae. Should any of them ever invoke your wrath, destroy them if you want. I couldn't stop you, if I tried – you are the strongest here. Still, my efforts should not be in vain. I am divine like you, we have the same parents and yet I'm the first of the goddesses, because you chose me to be your queen. So we should be in agreement, even if it's just for the sake of being role models to the rest of the gods. Do you not agree, my great and most beloved husband? Thus, we should send Athena down to tempt the Trojans into breaking the truce they made with the Achaeans. What do you say?”

Zeus chuckled at this response, but nodded his head towards Athena.

The goddess of wisdom jumped up eagerly and rushed down like a comet.

A Trojan archer shot at Menélaos, barely missing a critical body part (thanks to Athena's intervention) and the oath of peace was broken.

Soon the two sides were back at each other's throats again.

Back on Olympos, Zeus rose from the table, and retreated to the Room of Fate.

There stood a huge pair of golden scales – the Scales of Fate, gifted to him by great Ananke, the Protogenos of fate and necessity.

Zeus had not agreed to the destruction of Ilios out of favour.

It was the fate of Troy and many more warriors, that they should fall.

It was a hard choice to make; many of the people who would fall were in his personal favour and some even were his dear children.

But he was the King of the Gods.

And as such, sparing someone out of favouritism was not an option.

Meanwhile the Scales of Fate were swinging up and down, towards the Achaeans, then towards the Trojans, then back and back again …

Book Five:

As Athena was rushing about the army, spurring on the warriors, she was also looking for her half-brother Ares. His influence on the mortal fighters was hindering her work.

Oh, there he was – personally slaying Achaeans left and right and generally being his bloodthirsty, mass-murdering self.

She snuck up on him, but he noticed her before she could startle him.

Athena ignored the spear to her face and said: “Hi to you too, brother.”

“For fuck's sake, what do you want?”, Ares spat.

“For you to retreat, Brotoloigos⁶, before father gets angry.”

“You're lying. He didn't send you”, he remarked.

Athena huffed: “Alright, if you want to be like that …”

Then she promptly grabbed him, threw him over her shoulder, carried him off like this (despite his very vocal protest) and dumped him onto a rock nearby the river Skamandros.

“Father will decide over the victory. You stay here, or else!”, she warned.

Then she went back, while Ares gawked after her, wondering what the heck just had happened.

Athena heard a prayer and quickly found Diomedes. He had just been wounded and was now praying for her assistance in avenging himself.

She poured courage and strength over him and also manipulated his sight.

“Now that you can tell gods and humans apart”, she whispered into his ear, “Remember this; do not fight the gods, you don't stand a chance – unless it's Aphrodite; she's a wimpy bitch.”

Diomedes, now powered up and high on adrenaline, immediately rushed back into battle and began to massacre Trojans left and right, as if he was Ares in disguise.

He quickly found the Trojan archer who had shot him in the shoulder and killed him.

His companion, a Trojan nobleman named Aineías, jumped off his chariot to defend the corpse of his fallen comrade, but Diomedes quickly grabbed a huge stone and knocked him out.

Aphrodite, who was Aineías' mother, saw this and came to rescue her son.

However, Diomedes decided (much to Athena's sadistic pleasure), that he'd have none of that and promptly chucked a spear at the goddess of love. It hit her wrist, tore through the skin and Ikhor splat everywhere. She screamed in shock, terror and pain like a little bitch (seriously, it was just a cut!), dropped her son and fled, followed by the taunting of her injurer.

Apollon came to Aineías' rescue instead and caught him, before he could hit the ground. When Diomedes – blinded by battle frenzy – began to attack him too, Apollon lost his patience and began to glow ominously.

“Back off, mortal! You are delusional, if you believe, that you can hold your own against me!”

Diomedes did the wise thing and obeyed.

Meanwhile Aphrodite was searching the field in panic, until someone seized her by the hand: Iris, the messenger of Hera, had taken pity on her and was now leading her away from the turmoil.

“Calm down, Aphrodite”, the goddess of the rainbow tried to soothe her, “Look, there is Ares!”

The goddess of love promptly rushed over to her lover, who was basically just chilling at the banks of the river Skamandros.

Ares was startled, when he was tackled by a hysterical love goddess.

“Whoa! Aphrodite?! What happened, why are you-?”

In tears she told him what had happened.

He scowled, but kept his composure. “Let me see the wound.”

When she did, he blinked. “Aphrodite, you kicked arse in the Gigantomakhia and now you're freaking out over a scratch? Alright, alright, I'm sorry”, he apologised, when she glared tearfully.

“Just give me your chariot!”, she wailed, “I want to go home as quickly as possible!”

“Sure”, he consented and kissed her forehead.

“And my son – my son!”

“Don't worry, Apollon's got him. See?”

She sobbed in relief, when she spotted Apollon carrying Aineías away to safety.

Then she mounted Ares' war chariot and Iris drove her back to Olympos.

When she got there, she was healed by Apollon's son Asklepios, who gave her kind words of comfort.⁷

But just a few minutes later, Athena and Hera returned from the battlefield and promptly proceeded to mock her relentlessly.

“If you don't mind, my dear father”, Athena said innocently, “Surely Aphrodite has been doing that thing again, where she tempted a Greek woman to run after a Trojan and cut her hand on the needle of a brooch, when she fixed the woman's dress!”

Hera cackled hysterically and Zeus chuckled in amusement.

“Good to see you all have so much fun at my expense!”, Aphrodite spat.

“Hey, you do it all the time, it's time we get a good laugh too!”, Hera retorted.

Zeus finally stopped snickering and put a hand on Aphrodite's shoulder. “Now, now, my dear aunt. You're simply past the time of your life, when you could kill a giant with one swing of your blade. Your sword has grown dusty and your battle prowess is in the past. We have two professional war deities and many others who have a function in war, myself included. You on the other hand have a far fairer profession: the works of love and marriage.”

Meanwhile, Apollon had brought the unconscious Trojan nobleman to his temple, where his mother Leto and Artemis tended to his wounds.

Okay, now where is Ares – oh for fuck's sake, is he still sitting there like a moron?!

Apollon huffed and marched over to the river, where Ares indeed was still lounging, as if there wasn't relentless slaughter going on.

“Ares!”, he snapped, making the older god jump. “Get your lazy arse up and rid the battlefield of that madman Diomedes! He hurt Aphrodite at the wrist, attacked even me and at this point it wouldn't surprise me, if he took on our father Zeus as well! That man is hardly human, he fights with the strength of a Daimon! He is dangerous! You're the god of terrible war! Stop him!”

“Alright, alright, I'm on it!”, Ares grumbled defensively, “Get off my dick, will ya?!”

Apollon responded maturely, by sticking his tongue at him, ere he returned to his temple.

Ares teleported himself onto a wall, taking the shape of a Thracian ruler he favoured.

With fiery words, he stirred up the fighting spirit of the Trojans and their allies.

With renewed vigour they threw themselves into battle, although their opponents held them back with united strength.

He decided to help them a little more and held his hand above the Trojans. Darkness came over the plain and Aineías rejoined the fray, which significantly boosted the morale of the Trojans.

Still they couldn't seem to break through; the Achaeans stood like a wall.

Damn , they really need my help! Somehow this must be the fault of Daddy's Owl … but where is she? Eh, who cares!

He decided to get back to what he had been doing before Athena had interfered.

Nearby were his twin-sister Enyo and his best friend Eris, sowing more belligerence and strife and riling up the mortals.

Oh, there was Hektor. He had come to aid his people and was slaying Achaeans left and right.

Ares laughed heartily and joined the Trojan hero.

On Olympos, Hera addressed Athena: “Athena, we need to do something! We promised Menélaos, that he could return to Sparta once he conquered Troy and took his wife Helena back, but my son and Hektor are about to ruin everything! It's time to go to war.”

Athena nodded grimly and while Hera ordered her daughter Hebe to ready her war chariot, she donned her armour and that of her father. Armed with her spear and her father's Aigis, which bore the horrid face of the Gorgon, she jumped onto the chariot with Hera.

Sometimes Athena nearly forgot Hera's war-ridden past, but as the Queen of the Gods came, in armour from head to toe and a long, heavy spear in one and the reins of her horses in the other hand, she was reminded, that Hera was a warrior at the core.

The Queen of the Skies spurred on her horses and the Horai tore the Gates of Olympos open to make way.

But then Hera spied Zeus, just lounging on a cloud and being his smug and very neutral self.

She held her horses and spoke to her husband: “Zeus! Ares is wreaking havoc down there. Doesn't it irritate you too, that he is slaying the best Achaeans down there, while Aphrodite and Apollon, who let him loose, are having a blast? Allow me to put an end to our son's murder spree and to give him a good beating!”

Zeus laughed heartily: “Go on, my dear wife! And sic Athena on him; she has experience in punishing him and as I see, in plundering too.”

Athena just grinned cheekily.

With Zeus approval secured, Hera's chariot descended to earth quicker than lightning. The two goddesses had joined the ranks of the Achaeans.

While Hera spurred them on with sharp and fiery words, Athena approached Diomedes.

The man had sat down to nurse the wound, which had been inflicted on him earlier and was now inflamed to the point where the pain was crippling his arm.

“What is this?!”, she demanded to know, “Some fine son Tydeus got himself there! I remember him so well; he was small in frame, but one of the greatest warriors I have ever known. You on the other hand! Ha! Were you half the man he was, you would be fighting the Trojans!”

Diomedes got defensive and reminded her, that she had told him not to attack any gods apart from Aphrodite. “Ares himself is leading the Trojans in battle. It's only because of your instructions that I made my troops draw back.”

Athena smirked, grabbed his face and her bright blue eyes were blazing with pugnacity and fire.

It was a testimony to the man's boundless bravery and faith in her, that he didn't even tremble, that her burning gaze didn't fill him with fear, though he knew exactly who was speaking to him.

“Yes, now I see him in you!”, she exclaimed, “You really are the son of your father! Fear not Ares or any of the other immortals, as long as I am with you. Once this sadistic madman promised his mother Hera and me to support the Achaeans. Now look at him helping the Trojans! He really needs a reality check. And …”, her smirk widened. “ … who could give it better than you?”

They mounted his chariot and rode into battle.

Athena knew, that to Diomedes Ares had to be horrifying; even to the other Olympians the blood-stained, untameable and murderous god of terrible war was a frightening sight to behold.

But as she had said before, the Argive had nothing to fear with her by his side.

Ares was busy robbing the corpse of someone he had just murdered. However, as he spied a shiny golden helmet, that could only belong to one person (Diomedes of Argos), he instantly dropped the corpse and dashed through the fray, his face a bloodthirsty grimace.

With a well-aimed throw, his spear flew towards the mortal, but … it missed?!

What the- how is that possible?! How?! How did I miss? I never miss!

Ares opted to use his second sight. This way he could sense a divine presence next to the mortal he wanted to kill.

“Daddy's Owl. I should have known it's you …”, he growled under his breath.

ARES, WATCH OUT!

What?

Diomedes' own spear flew and hit its target.

Ares' eyes widened.

The weapon had pierced clean through his stomach.

For a second Ares was too shocked to even register the pain.

Then Diomedes pulled his spear back out and it hit full force.

He screamed.

An unholy, rough and piercing roar, as if ten thousand men were screaming out of one throat.

It was so loud and so terrifying, that the warring mortals forgot what they were doing and clung to each other in fear and panic.

“You will pay!”, he choked and glared at the spot where he knew Athena's eyes to be. “You fucking bitch! You will pay!”

He summoned a whirlwind to carry him up into the sky and dragged himself all the way back to Olympos and into Zeus' throne room.

“Why is it”, he growled, as he showed his father the spear wound, “That everyone has to obey your command, while your daughter Athena can do whatever she wants?! While apparently I am not even allowed to do my fucking job?! She plays with all of us as she pleases – ngh! – and now she has sicced that arrogant fucker Diomedes on her fellow gods! That bastard sliced Aphrodite's hand open, assaulted Apollon and now this – ow, fuck! Had I not bailed, I would be lying under a pile of corpses or worse, be crippled – no offence, Hephaistos …”

“Some taken”, the smith replied drily.

Ares continued his rant: “And you, Zeus, just sit and watch, while she has the time of her life, pushing everyone else around! For the sake of your other children, for your whole family, dial it back with the favouritism and control her!”

But Zeus just replied scornfully: “Oh stop whining into my ears, you double-faced liar! Of all the gods that dwell here on Olympos, I despise you most. You have nothing but strife and bloodshed in your head, you're always looking for trouble – you got that from your mother. Were you not my son, I would have sent you to Tartaros a long time ago.”

“If I am the way I am”, Ares retorted coldly, “It's not because of the way my mother raised me, but it's because you didn't raise me any better – in fact, I don't remember you raising me at all. Also, I hate you too. I hate you so much.”

Zeus was visibly struggling to keep his composure (if the dark clouds outside hadn't made it obvious, his tense, stony face did), but only inhaled sharply and ordered for Asklepios to treat his son's injuries.

“I'm sorry for that”, the doctor later said, as he was applying healing salve to Ares' wound.

The war god's red eyes shifted to him. “What do you mean?”

His mien and tone were blank, but Asklepios could tell, that his uncle knew what he meant.

“What … what Zeus said earlier. I heard it all.”

“Spare me your pity, nephew”, Ares said coldly.

“What I feel for you isn't pity”, Asklepios contradicted. “Don't mistake compassion for pity. I too have suffered the wrath of Zeus; he killed me with a thunderbolt, back when I was a mortal and deified me only for my father's sake. But that happened quickly and only once. I do not like you, Ares, but no one deserves that kind of treatment.”

Ares chuckled wryly and (much to Asklepios' surprise) ruffled the doctor's blond head.

“You're a good kid. But don't waste your compassion on me”, the older god advised. “I don't need it. It has been this way for 38 000 years (that's how old I am) and it means nothing to me.”

Asklepios had the feeling, that the war god wasn't being completely honest, but he knew better than talking back to Ares.

“There”, he said instead, as the older man's injuries were closing. “Now a nice bath and some fresh clothing and you'll be as good as new. Shall I apply a salve to make the scar disappear?”

“No”, Ares chuckled, “It's just another scar in my collection. I don't mind it as much as I mind some of the others.”

When Hera and Athena came home a little later, they found Ares standing near Zeus' throne.

He had been perfectly patched up, was wearing fresh clothes and bore himself with an odd dignity.

Athena immediately realised, that he was attempting to keep his last shred of pride, with his perfectly blank and indifferent expression and aloof posture.

But when he looked up and saw her, his facade slipped just for a second.

His red eyes burned with unadulterated loathing, as they met her blue ones.

She responded with a similar glare, before resuming her own position at her father's side.

Book Seven:

Right after the gods had left the battlefield, Hektor and Paris joined their fellow Trojans and began to slaughter enemies left and right.

Apollon was watching them invisibly from the city walls, always the victory of the Trojans in his mind.

But when he saw Athena dash down from the sky with obvious intentions, he flew across the field to catch her.

“Are you meddling yet again?!”, he reproached her, “What is this, the fifth time today?! Look, I know you don't give a shit, that all those good Trojans are dying, but for once, can you just not?! Let us end the senseless bloodshed for today. Tomorrow is another day and surely you can't be in this much of a hurry to lay this great city to waste, can you?!”

Athena countered: “Actually, that was what I had in mind, when I came just now. But how do you plan to achieve a duel, Hekatos⁸?”

“Hektor”, Apollon replied coolly. “He's easy to persuade. A duel, one on one, a battle to the death. And if he demands one, it will compel the Achaeans to choose one out of their ranks to fight him.”

Athena had no objections to that.

So the god of prophecy sent a vision to Helenos, one of Hektor's brothers, to let him know the gods' intentions.

Not much later, Hektor was challenging the Achaeans to chose one of their ranks to fight him. His condition was that the loser's armour should go to the victor, but the corpse should be returned to their respective side.

The Achaeans were hesitant.

Finally Menélaos, revolted by everyone's cowardice, stepped forward, but was stopped by his brother Agamemnon, who warned him that there was no way he could win against Hektor.

Then the old king Nestor roasted everyone and several, grabbed by their honour, volunteered.

They drew lots and Ajax the Greater was chosen.

After a more or less respectful address, the two warriors began to duke it out.

Ajax quickly proved himself to be Hektor's equal.

Their combat was so vicious, that Apollon interfered and helped the Trojan prince up.

Then the two mortals forgot about their spears and shields and began a mortal sword fight.

Until two heralds stepped in and drew them apart.

“Enough!”, one of them spoke, “Let it be. Zeus favours you both equally. You have proven to him and us, what exceptional warriors you are. But cease it now. It's growing dark and it's better to call it a night.”

The opponents agreed to do that, complimented each other's battle prowess and exchanged gifts.

Apollon couldn't help but find it wonderful, how these two enemies set an example by respecting each other, both as warriors and people.

Meanwhile, several Trojans demanded, that Helene be given back to the Achaeans and many agreed.

Unfortunately, Paris refused to give her back, insisting that she was his wife now (even though she really wasn't), although he did offer to give back her treasure.

Priamos sighed and send a messenger to the Achaeans to let them know of it and ask for permission to bury their dead.

Of course they refused the offer of the treasures, but they agreed to stop all fighting, until the fallen warriors on both sides had been buried properly.

On Olympos, Poseidon had complaints.

The Achaeans had built a wall around their camps and now the Lord of the Seas was bothered by it being built without any sacrifices to him and that the wall he and Apollon once had built around Ilios would be forgot.

Zeus pinched his nose and spat: “Oh, for the love of me, do you have nothing else to worry about?! You can destroy that thing once the war is over and the Achaeans are gone, but now stop whining to me about it!”

Once their argument was settled, the King of the Gods retreated to his study and proceeded to spend the rest of the night plotting bale and doom for the warring people on earth.

Shortly after midnight a knock on the door pulled him from his plotting.

“Enter!”, he cried.

The door opened to reveal …

“Ares!” Zeus stood up. “What a surprise! It's been more than a century since you came to my office of your own volition! Do come in!”

Ares looked uncharacteristically modest, as he came in, which was even more surprising.

“My dear father”, he began, “I wish to apologise for earlier. And, if you will, discuss a few things with you?”

Zeus' interest was piqued.

“I'm all ears, my son and heir.”

Their conversation was short and almost business-like.

But at the end the King of the gods was laughing heartily: “Sometimes I forget just how much of me and your mother you have in you! Oh, if the others knew just how underhanded you can be in your spite, they would see you differently. Yet you're right with what you say and I see no harm in humouring you for a change. Your idea is a good one. Go to bed now, my son, and rest secure in the knowledge, that for once in your life, you beat your half-sister at her own game.”

Book Eight:

In the next morning, Zeus gathered his family in the assembly hall.

“From now on, I alone will guide the course of war on earth”, he announced. “None of you is allowed to interfere. No one. If you do, I will roast you with a thunderbolt. As you are gods, you won't be reduced to ashes, but Ares here can confirm, that the results are still really nasty.”

At these words, Ares, who was standing next to Zeus' throne, pushed back the bangs that were covering the left side of his face, revealing the hideous scar they were hiding. The sight made several of the attendants gasp.

Zeus went on: “As you can see, he still has that one, because not even Asklepios' healing arts would rid one of that kind of scar. And my thunderbolt just grazed him, so he was lucky. Imagine, what would happen to you, if I hit you full on. Or even better yet, I will throw you into Tartaros, if you disobey me. I'm sure my brother's face will be priceless, once I leave you to him.”

Everyone was gaping at him, speechless over those straightforward threats.

Athena was the first one to regain her speech.

“Dear father”, she began with a shaky voice, “We know that you are the strongest. If you wish, we won't interfere with the battle. But won't you at least allow us to give counsel? Hera, Poseidon and I can't help but pity the poor fighters, who have to deal with their imminent demise as best as they can. Won't you allow us to try and spare some in this manner?”

Zeus laughed, but quickly resumed his stern demeanour.

“This is as far as you all may go”, he accommodated. “Even you, my little Owl-Eye, will be punished, if you go against my orders.”

Athena bit her lip, but nodded.

Right after the assembly was ended, Zeus descended to earth to supervise the happenings down there.

Athena used the opportunity to go after Ares.

Barely holding back her anger, she followed him into a lone hallway and grabbed him by the shoulder.

“This is your doing, isn't it?”, she hissed.

Oh so slowly Ares turned around to face her. His butter-wouldn't-melt expression made her want to wring his neck.

“My dear sister”, he cooed, “I haven't the faintest idea what yer talkin' about!”

“Don't play that game with me!”, she snarled, “You put it into his head to force us to sit here and kick our heels like complete idiots, so he can hog the entire show and turn the war into a fucking board game!”

“Ya mean, he hasn't been doin' that before?”, Ares countered.

“Ares, I warn you! Don't think I didn't catch your disgusting smug grin earlier, when he threatened us all with what would happen, should we disobey him! How casually you let us see your scar, even though you grew your hair longer on the left side for the sake of hiding it?! How else could you of all gods be so calm and cavalier about this, if you weren't the one behind it?!”

The war god chuckled and swiped her hand off his shoulder.

“Ah, I wouldn't say that I'm behind it, although I might have a part in it.”

“What did you do?”, Athena growled.

He shrugged casually. “Eh, I just had a talk with him last night. From son to father, ya know. Resolvin' an argument we had after I came back from down there, doin' some business.”

“Doing some business!”, Athena echoed incredulously, “You persuaded him to stop everyone from interfering with the battle! How?! How did you do this?! You're anything but a man of eloquence!”

Ares laughed cruelly: “I didn't need to be. I just pointed out the obvious. If I'm not allowed to do my job, why should you – or anyone for that matter? I asked for justice and I got it.”

“Why, you-!”

He caught her fist, before she could hit him in the face.

“Now, now! No need to throw a hissy fit! I just gave you a taste of your own medicine!”

Athena was this close to deicide!

“What do you mean, a taste of my own medicine-”

She cried out in surprise, when he seized her by her chiton and pulled her close.

“How does it feel to not get your will, huh, Daddy's Owl?”, he growled, “That doesn't feel so great now, does it? This is what I have to bear with all the time. Although it probably stings you more than me … after all, you are his 'Little Owl-Eye'. It's probably way more mortifying, when you're used to always getting what you want. But that's not the case for me, which makes this whole thing just the sweeter!”

Forcefully he pushed her away, making her stagger a little.

“You injured me yesterday, both physically and psychologically”, he reminded her coldly. “You let a mortal pierce me with a spear and returned home in triumph with my mother, to gloat over how you two stopped me. And you expected for me to just let it go? No. I am spiteful like my mother. And if I want, I can be pretty damn underhanded, just like our daddy dearest.”

“Why should father listen to you?!”, she snarled, “To you of all gods!”

Ares smiled frigidly: “Sometimes he listens to me … because I'm his heir.”

Her blood ran cold.

Of course.

The Greek gods followed the principle of primogeniture, which required for a ruler to be succeeded by his oldest legitimate son.

And Ares, even though he was Zeus' least favourite son, was his only legitimate one.

The war god sighed and span around on his heel. “It's really sad, how you always forget that. But it doesn't matter. The Achaeans will conquer Troy eventually, but no one will be truly the victor. Of that I have taken care. Well, Thetis and I – don't wanna hog the whole credit, like you always do. But lighten up, Daddy's Owl; we both know our father, the prohibition won't last for that long. Sooner or later we'll all meddle with their mortal affairs again.”

He smirked at her over his right shoulder. “But right here and now, I am the winner. Not gonna lie, I hated having to be so underhanded, but it was worth it. And when your side lays Troy to waste, well, enjoy watchin' on as they commit war crimes so horrid, that you'll regret havin' supported them. This is the price you pay for your victory. Have a nice day, Daddy's Owl. Don't choke on that piece of humble pie, will ya?”

---

1) "Of the wrath sing, goddess, of Akhilleus, son of Peleus, his cursed wrath, which brought so much woe to the Achaeans (the Greeks) ..." The opening sentence of the Iliad. 2) If you have never heard of Mycenae, please look it up. For the context, it's one of the Greek main powers during that era and is ruled by Agamemnon (who is a fucking arsehole), the brother of Menélaos. The later Greek civilization considered itself a successor to the Mycenaean culture. 3) Smintheus: "Lord of the Mice/Rats", one of Apollon's epithets. 4) Danaoi: the Greeks, as referred to around the area of Troy. 5) Ioímios: "Lord of the Plagues", one of Apollon's epithets. Both of the aforementioned epithets refer to his function as god of pests and plagues. 6) Brotoloigos: "Slaughterer of Men/Manslaughtering", an epithet of Ares. 7) In the Iliad, she flees to her mother Dione, who treats her wound and comforts her. But I'm going with the account of Hesiod's Theogony, according to which Aphrodite has no mother. She sprung from Ouranos' severed testicles, that fell into the sea, after Kronos castrated him. So instead of Dione, in my version she is comforted by Asklepios, the divine doctor. As for Asklepios, in his place the Iliad mentions Paian as the doctor of the gods and as god of healing. But his identity isn't clear and Paian is also an epithets of several other gods with an association with healing (Paian means "Healer"). 8) Hekatos: "Worker from Afar", one of Apollon's epithets (in his function as god of archery and prophecy)

Bonus: Yes, I know that in the book Ares has nothing to do with Zeus' order for the gods to stay out of the fighting for now (I'm reading that damn thing for the 3rd time now!). I just thought, it would be funny if he used his few braincells for petty revenge in the most devious way he can think of. So that's my own invention, lol.

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rotzaprachim · 5 years

Text

in secret, between the shadow and the soul 1/2

Kanej, Inej-centric. Teen ish, marriage of convenience, 3000 words

(About 6 years post Crooked Kingdom)

Read here on ao3

The apothecary asks her how long it’s been since she’s been intimate with her husband, and Inej almost chokes, says no, she hasn’t been in a very long time. Honesty is always difficult in her carse- dealing with her own past, own demons is hard enough without having to watch other people attempt proper emotional responses on her behalf, and maybe the apothecary senses that because she doesn’t ask more.

----

“It’s legal more than anything. A question of economics,” Kaz said, and Inej nodded, because it's kerch and how could it be anything but? Certainly nothing as tawdry as emotion or desire, let alone love, could interfere with so large a life decision.

Only Kerch citizens can hold berths in the water, and its significantly easier to manage bank accounts and conduct major financial decisions of the kind Inej needs to make on the near daily when restocking her ships. There's one route faster than all the others to becoming a Kerch citizen.

Inej suggested it before Kaz did.

She isn’t ready for marriage, she said. She isn’t ready to be tied to a man, to be anything more or less than herself alone. The Kerch made the whole business easy by never referring to this thing they’re doing as a marriage, all the paperwork is about Economic Units, Civil Unions. There’s so many pages of jargon it made Inej’s eyes bleed. Future children held less inches of fine grey type than agreements on pigs and shipping company stocks, and were described in the same economic language.

Kaz went through the whole thing line by line until the shore she was going to call for an annulment before they’d even gotten the damned thing notarized, or else make herself a tastefully rich and very young widow.

“It’s a contract,” he said. “You should know all the details before you sign your life away.”

“For heaven’s sake,” Inej said, irritated by the last several pages about Property Division in the Event of Medium Sized or Larger Storms, Grisha Attacks, and General Flooding, “I’m not signing my life away.”

“When you get married, it might be difficult to annul if you’ve still got a legal Kerch-”

“When I get married?” she shoots back challengingly. “To who?”

“I don’t know. That fire-tongued revolutionary who writes you poetry and will make you a new world. The Kaelish tavern maid who always pours you a free beer in her bar while you sing about the plight of the repressed. Someone hopelessly moon-eyed and optimistic, who thinks the world shits rainbows and knows what you’re worth.”

“You, Kaz Brekker,” she finally sighed, “are a hell of a lot dumber than they say you are.”

---

She doesn’t tell her parents. She’s not ready for that conversation.

---

She doesn’t tell Nina. She’s not ready for that conversation either.

---

The whole thing was finished in a notary’s office in ten minutes.

Kaz’s gloves were off, more because they both need to be fingerprinted than anything else.

He swore a short, official oath of his loyalty to both her and the Kerch market, promising not to cheat in foreign ports and to provide for and any hypothetical children. She thought of the paid-off indenture and the ship and the found parents and berth twenty-two and and her room in the house in bought on the Zelverstraat and thought that maybe he’s better at doing that than he thinks he is.

She swore a shorter official oath about fidelity and staying true and all her children being her husband’s, because to do otherwise would be bad economics and make her a poor investment, a value-destroyer, on the family line. Because it’s Kerch and of course it is.

---

“What are you thinking about?” he asked her afterward in an attempt at being casual. They’d been sipping at warm lukewarm flagons of beer in one of the harbour’s more reputable establishments and looking out at the water for twenty minutes.

“I’m thinking,” she said slowly, tasting her words, “that Alys Van Eyck is a very, very lucky woman that we came around when we did.” She’s still thinking about the various punishments for women who pollute the family line, which even if motivated by economics over faith as such things would be in Fjerda, are not dissimilar in practice. She’s realising more and more the Kerch neuroticism over bastardry probably comes from having so many of the young men gone for half the year at sea.

Kaz guffawed, which was not a sound she was really used to him making. “You never fail to surprise me, Wraith.”

“How is the Vrouw Dazi”

Kaz shrugged. “Not useful to my purposes anymore. Wylan’s got her an Bajan set up in a little cottage outside Pijl with a tidy sum tied to not making too much noise.”

Sometimes she fantasized about breaking into that cottage and putting on a performance similar to the one that sent Pekka Rollins screaming from Ketterdam. She didn’t, because she didn’t subscribe to the idea of the sins of the father and thought Saartje Kazanja deserved a da with his mental pieces mostly intact. But saints take all, she wanted too.

“How’s Saartje?”

“I don’t know. Kid? Looks more like she could be ours than Jan Van Eyck’s, that’s for sure.

The tips of Kaz’s ears went red before he finished that sentence and he stared into the foam at the bottom of his glass, head turned decisively away from her.

“Fine, I think. In school now. No reason to keep tabs.”

They toasted her new Kerch citizenship. Inej swore she saw his hand shaking.

----

Her citizenship documents, stamped with a wax seal of three flying fish and a small Kerch flag came three days later, expedited by Kaz in ways she cannot begin to fathom. It’s only then she realised that they’re for the new Vrouw Rietveld, that she made her vows to Kasper Rietveld. It’s only logical- Rietveld can be the upstanding businessman who only exists on paper in a way Kaz Brekker cannot, all the better for her dowings, but it still feels like a piece of himself gifted to her.

She could forge Rietveld’s name for her own purposes too; they practiced on old betting slips that she then threw into the fire. Kerch women can legally make almost every kind of financial decision and dealing, less due to the Merchers’ Council’s upstanding opinion of the female gender than the portion of the year the men are at sea, the incredible odds they won’t come back.

(They’ve rather flipped that scenario.

“How much cross-stitch will you do do fill up the void of my absences, she chided him. “They say the old sailor’s wives used to knit lace from the white froth of the sea.” Nowadays Wealthy Kerch women waiting for their husbands to come home tended to stick to knitting hats and scarves for orphans. So saints-damned many hats and socks, and yet you could still scarcely move for the number of bare-headed, barefoot orphans come winter. It was one of Ketterdam’s greatest mysteries.

“Inej,” Kaz sayid, eyes closed, genuine concern cutting his voice. Ever more she was picking up a sailor’s sense of gallows humour.)

---

They exchanged rings at the registry. Inej’s was a simple band, no gemstones but she suspected it was solid gold. Inside was etched a wave pattern, an endless strip of open sea.

Wearing it on her finger meant something, soo she looped it onto a sturdy chain that she hid between her shirt and her beating heart. That seemed appropriate, doable. Young sailors often took the bracelets and handkerchiefs of their sweethearts out to sea as good luck tokens; Inej had a gold wedding band.

Kaz’s fingers brushed the chain in the warm dip between neck and collar as he said goodbye to her on the docks, and after she nodded infinitesimally, telling him to go on, finish this chapter of the story, he slowly pulled up the rest of the chain and found the band.

“I thought-” he said, but she looked him in the eyes, square as she could, and he halted. She doesn’t know what he thought.

“There was not and is not and will probably me a different man for me than you, Kaz Brekker.

He swallowed thickly and then slowly lifted her skin-warmed band to his lips, even though he did not believe in luck, had said he believed in nothing but her.

---

The Kerch don’t have seperate words for “husband’ and “man.”

---

“Mijn mann,” she says in response to the curious looks her crew gives her after the band slips free during repair work, and it doesn’t feel like anything more or less than the truth.

“Mijn mann,” she says tacitly when border authorities raise their eyebrows in suspicion at her Kerch passport.

“Mijn mann,” she begins her letters back to him. “Dearest Inej,” his come back, sometimes even “Loveliest Inej,” but he never uses a possessive pronoun form.

---

Having any kind of passport, official documentation, feels alien and strange. She comes from a people without a land, and for her entire childhood they Suli were denied any official documentation of Ravkan citizenship. That’s changing now, but many are still wary, and with very good reason to be.

---

The quick bureaucratic sketch to mark Vrouw Inej Rietveld as a Seetsen Van Det Kerchrepublik, looked absolutely nothing like the drawings on the three individual sets of national wanted posters that keep cropping up in seedy port cities. Absolutely none of the above get her nose right.

“I look white in this one,” she said, holding a particularly egregious example up to Aigerim, who commiserate mightily. “Look how fucking straight this nose is. No eyebrows.”

Hitting the nose furnishes very fun target practice for when her fingers itch to throw knives.

Inej wins a lot of games of darts in a lot of seamy seaside pubs tucked into a lot of different gritty port cities.

---

They dock in Pijl before Ketterdam to catch their breath and do repairs. Ketterdam’s a good place for business and to look for secrets and plan strategy but a shite location to re-sew a sail or patch up a wall, unless you like replacing your supplies every time they’re stolen. The prices of grain and barrels of water and apples are lower are lower closer to the fields as well, even if that involves bartering loudly in a Centraalmarket that smells like spilled cider and pig shit, straw crunching underfoot, rather than the hallowed halls of the Exchange.

It takes her three days to come down with the evil hybrid chest cold-stomache flu of her fucking life. Ameera shoves her back into bed with ginger tea and another blanket. The thing they don’t tell you about awesome pirate ships with awesome international crews is that you also get the full spectrum of awesome international germs.

By the fourth day, she’s putting on all three of her coats and stuffing a wad of kruge and her passport into a pocket to visit the clinic in town.

---

Other people seem to register this whole being-married business than Inej ever does. She just prefers the expedited customs lines.

The splotchy faced, matronly woman at the clinic sits her on a paper-covered table and reads through a list of questions on a clipboard. Nian loves the lab smell of pure alcohol, would probably dab it on as perfume if she could, but Inej only associates it with injury, with being patched and stitched up after a bad scrape, with the white-coated doctor who came in every two weeks to swab Tante Heleen’s girls for disease, with the brown bottle of the stuff she uses to clean blood and worse off of her knives.

“Family history of pulmonary infections?” the woman asks her. “Smoking, alcohol, jurda use?” Every question makes her squirm slightly, as if in the historyof her wheezing lunghs is some sin she’s committed and will only now find out about. Nejn, nejn, nejn. Inej forgot how much she hated being looked at.

No grisha in her family that she knows of- scribble scribble scribble- but a lot of bad eyesight.

“When was the last time you had intimate relations with your husband?” the woman asks bluntly, and that’s the question that knocks the air out from her. The woman’s thin yellow eyebrow quirks up, but Inej manages to disguise her gasp as a particularly bad fit of hacking. She knows its nothing but a bit of intrusive medical questioning, but words can have many meanings and the answers to questions can be both yes and no at the same time and a certain turn of phrase can punch like a fist and cut like a knife. So she just says “six months ago,” and gives the woman her answer for the write-up.

“Long time.”

“He’s a sailor. I cry as I wait for him to return to me.”

“Ghezen’s speed that he does.”

---

She isn’t quite sure the Kerch even believe in Ghezen as anything beyond a bit of window-dressing to their financial affairs and the punchlien to jokes. Not like she honours her saints, the small painted icon of Sankta Inej she also keeps next to her heart, her daily prayers in the dark comfort her her room. She stands with Merjan, one of her crewmates, at the grave of Sankta Mahari, Queen of Mercy and Patroness of the Lost as they read the ancient prayers together, their voices settling into the steadiness of bees. Our queen, protector of our people, give us mercy, pray for peace, pray for us, pray to bring light to the shadows of the things we have done.

Sankta Anastasia, Sankt Dmitri, Sankta Mahari, she whispers into her knuckles, her fingers moving along the prayer rope with the decisive snapping of wooden beats, pray for our safety in the storm and bring us to the shore.

---

If Inej has found her own name, written with a familar jagged hand, among the prayer-knots tied to the Zentzbridge in a plea of mercy from the sea, she will not mention it.

---

Ketterdam is ugly and bright and familiear. You can smell the rotting flesh and beer smell before you see the smoky smudge of the city on the horizon. The crew makes quick work of unfolding the grishaworked official three-flying-fish flag that gives them clearance to enter the harbour without having their decks searched by the council of tides and carefully docks at Berth 22. Considering that the berths are now being numbered out into the two-hundereds, its a plum location, but its also damn close to the action, meaning that she can already see the glimmer of plastic beads floating on the water, the dark smudges of drunkards bobbing along. A few of the crew memebrs are going to get their pockets picked right off the bat. Inej already has a slush fund tucked away for precisily this reason. She’s getting better at this, she hopes, being a leader. Predicting what will happena dn why and when. Being someone that other people- many younger and more vulnerable than her- can rely on.

“AIGERIM,” she screams as she buttons up her city coat, “only two of thsoe pink trinks with the paper umbrellas MAXIMUM. You hear me?”

“Yeah, boss.”

She sighs. She doesn’t want to be anyone’s boss. “If there’s anything like what happened with the canal and the Stadwatch last time happens again, I think I’ll find the decks need a good scrubbing.”

Aigerim gestures wildly. “Course, boss..”

She tries to take deep rbeaths to calm her nerves. Maybe she’s becoming a worried old crone forty years early, but she’s the one who survived this hellhole of a city. She’s the one who survived this far. In this world, twenty-three is a badge of honour.

---

He cuts a familar figure on the docks. THey each have their own webs now, know of each other’s doings three or four times removed, like recognising a faovrite drinking song on it’s third round of translation. The recognition of a familiar trick, hand, murder method. Kaz will read in a news paper of a mysterious storm that’s tripled the price of indigo and sweet-wood fans after a whole line of ships went missing off the Southern Pelagic Reefs and Inej will hear in a greasy Kaelish bar about the shocking downfall of an old Kerch trading family and they will each smile, privately, and admire the other’s handiwork.

But seeing him in person is something altogether different, and she still rushes over the slats of the quay, coat streaming behind her, stopping abruptly when she comes to him. They pause there for a second and then he lifts his arms and they wrap themselves together around each other, hesitantly but then warmly, firmly, sturdy as a sailor’s knot and with all the inevitability of the sea wearing stone to sand.

“I’ve missed you, Wraith,” he says into her hair and she shrugs into him, her head level with his chest. His chin rests neatly on her head now, if he leans down slighlty, and she swears that wasnt the case the first time they embraced, the first time she left Ketterdam. He denies that the Ice Court, Van Eyck, all that happened while he was a boy not finished with growing. Yet she herself’s tried on that first Wraith outfit- a costume of sorts, really, how different was it from the Scarab Queen’s glass-bead veil in the third act of the Komedie Brute- to find it no longer fit, that she couldn’t easily do up the buttons on the front. She has more of a woman’s set of curves to her hips and long, hard-earned muscles on her legs and thighs, and even if she is creating some new kind of legend it is under her own name now.

Sometimes, Ketterdam feels like that too-small jacket; it cannot fit the woman she’s becoming. So she sews herself a new coat from the fabric of the world.

“Mijn mann,” she says, because she likes the way his body flinches and then stills under her fingers with those words, sharp and unexpected as any knife. “I’ve missed you too.”

#my writings #kanej #i'm surreee there's spelling mistakes #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #kaz x inej #kaz brekker x inej ghafa #kanej fic #six of crows fic #grishaverse fic

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mxliv-oftheendless · 4 years

Text

Nice Try (Dark KISSteria)

Well well well, look what’s back! It’s another Dark KISSteria story! I was thinking yesterday about Dark!StarDahlia’s weird friendship that they have in this AU, as @cosmicrealmofkissteria will know because we keep talking about it lol. And long story short, this little baby was born! I finished writing it earlier today, so I hope you enjoy!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Starchild was fuming. Damn the Council. Damn his mother though damn her less than the Council. The Council, who always told him he should take a “fine KISSterian woman” as his Queen so he could successfully take the throne after the Elder without much fuss.

And he would have agreed… except for the fact that he absolutely could not stand all of their choices. They blushed too much, giggled too much, hell sometimes spoke too much. It did give him some joy to turn them down, and see their faces crumble when they realized they wouldn’t be marrying the Star Prince. That was what mattered, of course; they would have been marrying the most eligible man in KISSteria, would have been Queen of KISSteria. And to watch them as he destroyed that dream… it was very satisfying indeed.

All of them had been predictable… that is until Black Dahlia.

The Council had suggested her as his next potential wife, as it would strengthen the alliance between the throne and the Sisterhood of the Natural Order. She was a plain looking woman, once you disregarded the purple of her hair. It was a darker purple, like wine. Black and purple was what it was. She wore black robes, and had small dark purple flowers running down the side of her face. It was striking.

But her face being striking didn’t make Starchild any more intrigued by her. It was her manner towards him. She was silent, almost defiantly so, and when she spoke it was intelligently. He had heard rumors about her, of course, of her experiments with death, how death had followed her like a second shadow all her life. A potential Necromancer within the Sisterhood had clearly made the Council incredibly nervous.

And while he was amused by anything that unnerved the Council… he still despised the fact that he would have to marry this woman. And they would be expected to consummate the marriage at some point. Disgusting…

Just thinking about it as he headed down the hallway towards his bedroom made him want to hit something. At least it was nighttime. He didn’t have to converse with anyone, especially not—

“Excuse me, Prince Starchild,”

Gods damn it all.

He looked over his shoulder to see Black Dahlia herself standing behind him. He put on an impassive look. “Good evening, Black Dahlia. Is there anything you need?” Like manners?

“Yes. I was hoping you could remind me of the way to the guest wing. I seem to have lost my way.”

Ugh of course she did. And hoping? What was he, a map? Nonetheless, it would be rude to not respond. “Go back the way you came, and when you come to the staircase turn right. The guest wing will be that way.”

“Thank you. Forgive me, I wouldn’t have asked otherwise, but my mind has been… out of sorts lately.”

“Really?” I could care less.

“Yes. Perhaps it is because I am living here now. The mind is powerful, but it can also be delicate. And with such immense change in my life… one could go mad with the pressure.” Black Dahlia gave him a slight smile and curtsied. “But I suppose you don’t care for what I say at the moment. Thank you for the directions. Have a good night.”

Starchild gave her a nod, and as she disappeared down the corner a slow smile crept onto his face. Her words had given him an idea…

-KISSTERIA-

Starchild lay down in his bed and closed his eyes. He felt a shifting sensation in his body, and when he opened his eyes he was floating above his body on the bed. He flew out of his bedroom, through his door and down the hallway. Lights blew out as he flew past, causing the confusion of a few servants, but he paid them no mind as he headed for the guest wing of the castle.

Finally he came to the room he knew Black Dahlia was staying in, and flew inside. He saw her form on her bed, lying on her back with her hands folded, and looking like a corpse in a coffin. He couldn’t help but snort a bit; what a fitting pose, considering her reputation.

Now, to enter her mind…

“Black Dahlia…” he whispered, making his voice as sensual as possible. Black Dahlia’s head turned to the side, but other than that she gave no response. He lowered himself down and placed his hands on her waist. “Black Dahlia… won’t you open your pretty eyes for me?”

“Mmph…”

“Come now, I know you want to. Why resist?” Starchild let his lips fall just above the skin of her neck, and when he spoke his lips barely grazed the skin. “You really are such a beautiful woman… Won’t you open your eyes for me?”

Black Dahlia sighed quietly, and her eyes slowly opened. There; that was his opening. “Why don’t you take me into your mind… I want to see what happens in your pretty head.”

“Yes…” Black Dahlia breathed out. Starchild kept moving his hands up her waist, while projecting his mind into hers.

It was dark, though it was lit up by candles. There were shelves and shelves of ancient tomes, and skulls all around. He couldn’t help an intrigued hum as he kept seducing Black Dahlia. “Just what happens in this lovely mind of yours?” He almost didn’t want to damage this mind. It was fascinating… But of course there was still that “almost”.

Black Dahlia sighed as he pressed his lips to her neck in a slow kiss. “So many things… Not all of them for the faint of heart.”

“A person could go mad, couldn’t they?” Starchild hummed as he slowly kissed down her neck. “If they knew what you could do, or if they knew what happens here.”

“Yes… It’s a pity you’ll never find out.”

Starchild tensed as all the candles suddenly were snuffed out, plunging the room into darkness. Black Dahlia suddenly vanished, leaving him alone in an empty void. He looked around in shock. “What…”

He suddenly felt a presence behind him and turned. There was Black Dahlia, floating behind him, with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face. “Nice try, Prince Starchild. But I think it’s time you went back to bed.”

She shot forward and pushed her hand against Starchild’s forehead. There was a rushing feeling all around him as he was forced out and away… then he woke up back in his own body with a gasp.

He sat up, breathing heavily. Had he just… Had Black Dahlia just forced him out??? While she was being seduced by him, no less???

His hands curled into fists as shock slowly turned into rage.

From her bedroom, Black Dahlia lay fast asleep. Then she suddenly heard an indignant scream come from somewhere, whether it was in the castle or in her mind. A triumphant smile crossed her face; this round went to her.

-KISSTERIA-

The next morning, Starchild went down to breakfast in a dark mood. Black Dahlia… He still couldn’t believe that woman had been able to not just resist him, but throw him out of her mind so easily. He hated it.

“Prince Starchild,”

He swore under his breath and fought the urge to commit murder right then and there. He turned around and put on a coolly polite smile. “Black Dahlia. Good morning. How was your sleep last night?” The last bit was said through clenched teeth.

Black Dahlia seemed very unruffled as she smiled and curtsied. There was something almost mocking about it. “I slept very well. I had a lovely dream. In fact I think you were in it.”

“Unsurprising. I am in many dreams.” He offered his arm to her. “If you spend more time with me I may appear in your dreams again.”

Black Dahlia linked her arm through his. “I look forward to it,”

As they went down the hallway to breakfast, she said in a low voice, “Do you make it a habit of invading peoples’ minds?”

Starchild’s expression darkened somewhat. “Only when they annoy me or show offense, or have something I want.”

“And which category do I fall under?”

Starchild had to keep his hand from tightening around her arm. “You will have to invade my mind to learn that.”

“All right. It should be easy enough, considering how easy it was to force you out of my mind last night.”

Starchild finally stopped dead and turned to give her a fierce glare. “I hate you,” he growled out.

“I’ll get over it,” Black Dahlia shot back. “In the meantime, let’s get breakfast and pretend we are happy to be getting married to each other. And perhaps later on I can teach you how to invade someone’s mind and not be forced out so easily.”

He took a moment to consider her words, and finally ground out, “Fine.” He offered her his arm again.

As they headed down the hallway to breakfast, Starchild couldn’t help what he said next. “Perhaps if you don’t annoy me unnecessarily, I could learn to like you.”

Black Dahlia smiled slightly. “Same here. You can be an insufferable peacock, but I surprisingly find myself enjoying some of your company.”

Starchild nodded. “So we are both in agreement.”

“Yes, we are,”

“Good.” He gave her a sickly sweet smile. “Because if you push me too far I will not hesitate to kill you.”

Black Dahlia returned the sickly sweet smile. “Same here, Prince Starchild.”

#Shandi's KISSteriaverse #Dark KISSteria #stardahlia broship #i love exploring the dark versions of these two #like could you imagine them waltzing at a masquerade ball and casually discussing the best way to murder the host???? because i can #''these are two messed up weirdos who have found each other and it's almost a shockingly beautiful love story.''#quote from mr shane madej that sums them up perfectly lol #how fitting that toxic by britney spears is playing as i write this #but anyway #hope you enjoyed!#kiss au writing #my writing #fanfiction #writeblr #thanks for reading!

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imagine-loki · 5 years

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Pride and Prejudice

TITLE: Pride and Prejudice CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 11 AUTHOR: wolfpawn

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Loki was raised on Jotunheim as Laufey’s son after the war, but an agreement was then made that he would wed Odin’s daughter so Odin could secure the alliance of Jotunheim through the marriage. Loki, in turn, was raised to be king of Jotunheim, but how he views Asgard is far different from how Odin’s daughter is raised leading to a clash of cultures as well as uncertainty between the pair of betrothed youths. RATING: Mature NOTES/WARNINGS: Forced Marriage, not all fun and games. My first real step back into the Loki scene in over a year.

Tags - @skulliebythesea

Loki stood over his wife’s bed looking at her. He didn’t even know when she began to look ill. Could it have come on that suddenly? He had lain with her the night before. She had not made mention of being ill then. Though he had to admit she said nothing, but her body reacted to him as it usually did. He knew well by now how to make her feel pleasure, it made their coupling far easier and he had read that it encouraged fertility. She looked like death was all but imminent. He did not know how to feel.

His father came into the room. “Why is she in here?” He looked around. “Why is she still in here? Her belongings remain here, the smell would suggest she has been here all along. Loki, what is the meaning of this?”

“She lives here.” “Why?” His father growled. Loki did not answer. “Why is she still in here?” “She requested to return here on her wedding night and remained since,” He snarled. “This is entirely her choice.” “When the Allfather hears this, he will feel his previous analysis was more than accurate. Whether she lives or dies, he could take the Casket again, it is bringing us to strength and now we will be without it and in war again, as well as the loss of her life.” “The Allfather…” Loki began.

“The Allfather is on his way from Asgard and the likelihood is, he is coming to collect his daughter’s corpse,” Laufey bellowed. “It is war. As soon as he sees her, he will declare it. She is at the gates of Valhalla. What has happened to her?”

“I genuinely do not know.” It was entirely true, due to not caring to check on her, Loki had no inclination as to how she had gotten so sick.

“This is not something that has occurred suddenly, look at her appearance,” Arden interjected.

Laufey looked at Loki. “When was the last time you saw her?” “In here, last night. We are trying to give the realm an heir, I came every other night to do so.” “It would have been more useful to have her in the room with you.” He growled. “What was her demeanour last night?”

“The same as it always is.” “And the last time such occurred in your supposed marriage bed, what then? Did she seem ill?” Loki said nothing. “What is going on here, Loki? You swore to the Allfather, to me, that you would do what you could to be a good husband to her, yet we stand here…” “Sire?” Laufey turned to his guard. “The Head Healer of Asgard has arrived.” “Norns be praised. Bring her in at once.” The guard left and a moment later, a woman entered. “Eir, daughter of Tyr.” “King Laufey,” She curtsied. “I was told the…” She ceased talking and walked over to the bed, her gaze on Ella. “How…?” “We are unsure. She entered the Throne Room today and collapsed.” Laufey stated.

For a moment, Eir said nothing as she looked over Ella. When she spoke again, her words were clearly chosen very carefully. “Your Majesty, this is not an illness of a mere day or so but of multiple weeks of neglect. I must ask for the truth and nothing but if I am to save her. If she is to die, then it would be kinder to do nothing but make her end as easy on her as possible.” “Your oath…” Arden growled. “You are sworn to protect those of your care, to heal any who require it.” “And to give comfort to those beyond my intervention.” She replied. “Princess Ella is all but in the halls of Valhalla at this moment.”

“Save her,” Laufey ordered. “Anything you require, no matter what the price, you use.”

Eir nodded before looking around. “The Allfather has called court to a close because of your messenger. He is preparing to travel. The Allmother is not available at present. She is currently in the Gardens of Tyrell on Alfheim, as you know, none can be contacted there.” She looked again. “If this is not some attempt to induce suffering but a genuine issue, I would suggest some manner of making it seem like she was not simply locked in here for the past month or more.” She suggested.

Catching her meaning, Laufey ordered the room be made more presentable. “How long do we have?” “Ten minutes at most. He was ordering the stables ready Sleipnir on my leaving.” Laufey became fearful. Odin usually only rode Sleipnir in battle. “We best rush this along so. Loki, open the windows slightly.” “But…”

“NOW, BOY!”

Startled by his father speaking in such a manner, Loki did as his father instructed and tidied the room.

He had barely removed the simply cast aside bed pelts that were covered in his seed and simply pulled off the bed aside when the doors to the rooms burst open and Odin strode in, Gungnir in his hand. “Where is she?” He saw Eir working on his daughter. On seeing her, his eye filled with rage. “What has happened here?” “Allfather, I need a health shield immediately before she succumbs to cold or illness,” Eir requested. Odin did as she asked without hesitation or moment of pause. “She is gravely ill, I am not sure if she will make it.”

Odin’s rage grew and he turned to Laufey. “I knew you could not be trusted, and to make her suffer, death will be too good for you.” “None of this was done intentionally.” Laufey tried to placate. “She has chosen to remain here and not attend court for a long time."

"Do you expect me to believe Ella would ignore court, she loves court. The learning of the goings-on of the realm, she always loved it. She was not supposed to go to court until she was six hundred, she has been there officially since she was five hundred and only because she spent fifty years previous sneaking in. She rearranged her tutors to fit around court. You expect me to believe that with an entirely new one to learns the goings-on of, she would confine herself to her rooms like one in exile? Do you think me a fool?" Odin shook in rage. "No, Ella would never do so. Where are her Ladies, I want answers." No one answered him for a moment. "Well?"

"Jotunheim does not have such ridiculous roles. High born servants are nothing more than an insult to our people." Loki stated as he had to Ella previously, though slightly more politely.

"Ladies do not act as servants, that is what maids are for. Though Ladies assist with menial tasks like fixing a queen or Princess's hair and such, but their true purpose is to keep a woman who is not able to simply socialise company and to be her confidentes, not to serve her lunch." Odin snarled. "If she doesn't have Ladies, then where is her chambermaid?"

"There are no specific maids to her," Arden spoke warily, seeing Odin's rage rise as he did so.

"So my daughter has been living in isolation? That is what you are telling me? There is no way in the Nine Realms she would skip court if her private time is so isolated. She is a social creature, she loves speaking with others, it is where she is most content, that and hiding in nooks reading, usually everything she can about this damn realm and…" he stopped himself going any further, sensing his rage growing too much, so he inhaled deeply. "It is void, all agreements are void. Even if by some miracle, my daughter lives, everything we have agreed will be rendered obsolete. The marriage will be dissolved and she will return to Asgard, everything that was part of the marriage agreement will be removed also," He stated sadly.

Laufey looked at Ella and sighed. He then looked at Loki, who seemed to be in shock at what he was hearing.

When Loki looked into his father's eyes, he saw resignation. "Father…"

"I think it best if you say nothing now," Laufey growled before turning to face Odin. "I cannot force you to reconsider, Allfather, I only ask that you make it quick. I am too weak to fight and I would only embarrass myself if I did."

"Father…" Loki stepped forward.

"Do not involve yourself, Loki." Laufey turned to face Odin once more. "This was never what I wanted. I had so many wonderful plans for Jotunheim and your daughter was to be there for them. Every day since the wedding I saw her she asked for about the Casket and if it was healing the realm again. My plan was to bring her tomorrow to the first of the plants that are now thriving once more because of it. It has not grown in the thousand years since the Casket left yet it has returned. I wished for her to see such." He looked sadly at Ella, whose breathing was still harsh as Eir worked tirelessly on her. "Had I known…"

Odin, though irate and yearning for retribution for the wrongs against his daughter, noted Laufey's words. "You have a realm to run, my daughter's health and wellbeing was not your paramount concern, that responsibility was your son's." He looked at Loki. "Do you think I have not noticed you have not upheld your promise to me, to better tend to my daughter? Do you think I have not noticed the manner in which you reference Aesir customs such as a royal woman having Ladies-in-waiting?" He walked over to Loki. "You have murdered my daughter in a cruel and heartless fashion with your neglect. I will bring this allegiance to an end not for your father's actions but because of yours. You are who I want to suffer, not Laufey."

Loki swallowed at Odin's words. Not because he feared the king. He was well trained in battle and he had youth and speed on his side but how the Allfather spoke, his manner of referencing Loki's failings as killing Ella. "She chose to remain here, I cannot be blamed for her choice. I have to tend to living beings that require attention."

"Is she not a living being?" Odin bellowed. "Does she not have a heart beating in her chest? A soul within her? Feelings, thoughts, opinions, does she not have any of them in your mind?"

Loki fell silent.

Odin inhaled deeply. "Eir, what are her chances?"

"Five per cent, perhaps ten with the shield and if her seidr continues to fight it but it could fail at any time." She answered.

"What does she require?"

"Food, rest and an act of the Norns."

Odin rubbed his hand over his face. "The Soul forge…"

Eir shook her head. "Allfather, if we move her, she will die. If she went through the Bifrost, she will die. There is nothing for it but to have her tended to here if she has any hope."

Odin walked over to the side of the bed and sat beside his daughter on a chair he created with his seidr. He put his hand in through the shield. "We can only wait and hope she fights it."

Eir gave a small smile. "So here we are again."

Odin sighed. "So it would seem."

#loki #others #submission #Submitted fic #pride and prejudice #chapter 11 #wolfpawn

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peter-parkers-passport · 4 years

Text

Flower Child (Peter Parker x OFC)

Chapter 7: Ms. Landry Goes to Washington

warnings: depictions of anxiety

The morning Lila left for the field trip started out relatively quiet. It was sunny, which was deceptive, for the October weather was on the cusp of slipping into chilly. But it wasn’t the cold air that awoke Lila. The ball of anxiety sitting in the pit of her stomach propelled her further from sleep and motivated her to leave the warm confines of her bed. Immediately, she treaded over to her desk, where her journal lie open to the checklist she’d made that week. Get ready, Remember decathlon jacket, WATER PLANTS, Pack toiletries, Go over packing list (see next list), and so on.

She was about halfway ready to leave when she heard her phone’s alarm going off. Not entirely uncommon, sometimes Lila would find herself awake before her alarm if she had a lot weighing on her mind. Or if she was anxious, and today it was the latter. Sure, she was excited to go to Washington, but she was also still nervous for the competition that was only a day away. Lila took a deep breath as she turned off her alarm, trying to remember her father’s words.

You are Lila Landry… You can do absolutely anything.

That mantra was on repeat in her head as calm music streamed from her phone. It was from a playlist MJ had helped her make on a random Saturday afternoon, shortly after Lila had called her for help to come down from a panic attack. Michelle made it collaborative, and was always adding new songs to it, which made Lila smile at the notion that Michelle cared enough to do so.

Speaking of Michelle, Lila’s phone chimed while she was double-checking her packing list, and saw a text from her friend light up her screen. Setting down her list, she walked over to her phone and read the message her friend had sent, frowning all the while.

I know you’re awake, I’m wondering if I can hitch a ride to school with you. Dad went to work early.

Lila let out a soft hum of disapproval, not that anyone was around to hear it. And not that Michelle ever asked, but Lila’s opinion on her dad always lessened when she sent texts like these. No maternal figure in the picture, it was just MJ and her dad, much like Lila and Ted. The only key difference being that MJ’s father used his job as a coping mechanism to deal with his failed marriage, and often neglected to be there for MJ. In an incredibly vulnerable evening, Michelle explained that it was her parents’ doomed marriage that set her up for struggle when it comes to letting people see her be emotional. That night, Lila joked about how she wore enough emotion on her sleeves for the both of them, and ever since they’d reached a silent agreement that any emotions between the two were void of judgement.

Lila also did her very best to conceal her judgement of Michelle’s father, even though she was fairly certain Michelle knew her exact feelings on the matter. It was never talked about, but Lila did her best to include Michelle in as many things in her life as possible with her dad, the open invitation into their household always available whenever MJ needed it. Today was one of those days, apparently.

She heard her father whistling downstairs as he no doubt was cooking breakfast to-go for the both of them, mentioning last night how he’d be heading upstate to talk with the flower farms for new ideas in the coming winter. Quietly, Lila walked downstairs, where the whistling grew louder. Upon entering the kitchen, Lila was hit with the smell of bacon first and foremost. She then saw her dad as he worked on what Lila assumed was a homemade breakfast sandwich. Smiling at the sight of her dad in the flowery apron she bought him as a joke, Lila cleared her throat to signal her entry into the room.

“Mornin’ Tulip,” Ted said after seeing her leaning against the fridge. “You have everything ready to go? I can start putting stuff in the car.”

Lila walked over to the island, and leaned up against it. As her torso leaned on the harsh countertop, she felt a twinge of pain blossom from her still bruised ribs. But she noted how it was becoming increasingly more manageable, and took that as a good sign for this trip. She shrugged lightly, and answered her father, “Almost. But I was wondering if there was any way we could pick up Michelle on the way to school? Her dad went to work early.”

Ted being the only person Lila voiced her concerns to about MJ’s father understood the need she had to help her friend out. Smiling gently, Ted nodded before asking if Lila thought MJ would want something to eat. He then proceeded to shoo her out of the kitchen and finish getting ready. Returning to her room, Lila sent a quick text to Michelle saying yes she would come get her, and bring food as well.

Twenty minutes later, Lila and Ted were in the car and on the way to Michelle’s house, Lila dutifully holding on to the extra breakfast sandwich her dad had prepared. And when Michelle stepped into the car, she gratefully accepted the sandwich with a smile on her face. Nothing else had to be said on the matter, and soon the three of them fell into their same rhythm of ease and comfort. Ted asked if Michelle felt ready for the decathlon, to which she easily answered with a simple yes before showing Lila her new sketchbook she bought the other day.

In no time, they’d arrived at the school and circled around to the back lot where all the school buses were parked. Mr. Harrington and a few other kids were standing around, loading duffel bags into the school bus the decathlon team was supposedly taking down to Washington. Michelle got out of the car and took her bags, thanking Ted before heading over to Harrington to check in. Lila was quick to follow suit, kissing her dad gently on the cheek and sending an “I love you” over her shoulder as she got out of the car.

After checking in, Lila and MJ were left waiting outside the school bus to wait for the rest of the academic decathlon team to show. They said their hello’s to each person who showed up, and gave Liz their undivided attention when she ran through the itinerary (though that was more for Liz’s sake than their own) before the two made plans to protest in front of an embassy. They planned to do more research as to what embassy in particular while the rest of the team showed up and checked in with Mr. Harrington.

After everyone had gathered around the bus with their things, donning their yellow competition jackets, Mr. Harrington had finalized attendance and went onto the bus to talk to the driver. Lila was still talking to MJ when out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone drive into the parking lot, get out of the passenger’s side, and run towards the rest of the group. Her eyes widened slightly and her heart began to beat faster at the familiar sight of brown hair and signature plaid. “No way,” She breathed, confused at his appearance.

“Hey, it’s Peter,” Abraham yelled, alerting everyone else of Peter Parker’s presence. Most of the conversation ceased as the team eyed their supposed former teammate.

“Peter?” Liz asked questioningly, and with good reason. Most of the people staring at Peter were skeptical that he was there in the first place. Judging by the fleeting stares he gave everyone and the breathlessness, he already knew.

“I was hoping I could rejoin the team,” He said, and that was when Lila noticed the duffel bag in hand and backpack he had on his back.

But before anyone could really register what he was asking, Flash was already on him. “No. No way. You can’t just quit on us, stroll up, and be welcomed back by everyone-”

“Hey, welcome back, Peter,” Mr. Harrington, with coincidental comedic timing, had stepped off of the bus. “Flash, you’re back to first alternate.”

That was not the response Flash had apparently been hoping for, “What?”

“He’s taking your place,” Abraham explained, a smug grin on his face.

Michelle stepped up from behind Lila at the sound of everyone’s laughter, “Um, excuse me, can we go already? Lila and I were hoping to get some light protesting in front of one of the embassies before dinner.” At the mention of Lila’s name, Peter’s eyes found hers for the first time since arriving with the group. From a mile away she could tell that he was still nervous, and sent what she hoped was a comforting smile his way. It seemed to ease something in him, for Peter gave a thankful smile back to her.

“Protesting is patriotic,” Mr. Harrington agreed. “Let’s get on the bus.”

Lila picked up her small suitcase and helped Michelle with one of hers (she was fairly certain it was just a bunch of other books and sketchbooks packed away), a small smile remaining on her face. She was about to climb onto the bus when Michelle muttered behind her, “Strange taste, Lila.”

Whipping her head back around to face her friend, Lila raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Peter,” Michelle shrugged, looking impassive as normal. But Lila could have sworn there was a hint of warning in her tone. “Something just seems off about him, is all.”

*****

The drive down to D.C. had been filled with beautiful fall trees lining the highways, two bathroom breaks, and Liz drilling them on potential questions that were likely to be in the competition the next day. After an hour and a half of non-stop questioning, Mr. Harrington finally stepped in, citing Liz was working the team a little too hard. By the time they entered the Bethesda area, Lila had already exhausted her knowledge of pop culture, biology, and literature, and she ultimately was ready for settling down at the hotel.

Eventually, the team made it to the hotel, where they had several hours to themselves before regrouping and heading out for dinner. Michelle had changed her mind mid-busride about protesting in front of an embassy, and opted to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture instead. She, Lila, and a couple other students visited the museum, which happened to be near the Washington Monument, and the building housing the decathlon the next day.

Lila and MJ were eager to see everything the museum had to offer, and read in extensive detail just what was what, and before they knew it, they had to leave for dinner. Together, they traipsed through the streets of D.C., back to their hotel. She felt good, Lila felt content with being with her best friend on an educational field trip. And that good feeling lasted through dinner, where Lila and Peter had a detailed conversation about the movie industry both prior to and after Star Wars was released.

So when Liz knocked on her door after everyone retired to bed, Lila’s good mood had her less hesitant than usual to follow the rules. Liz asked her and Michelle to join her and the rest of the team for a late-night swim. Michelle, having not brought a swimsuit, took her book and changed into flip-flops, agreeing to stick her feet in the water. Lila did bring her swimsuit, and promised Liz she’d head down right after her.

Humming a song she’d had stuck in her head the whole day, Lila walked down the hallway briskly, the cold air on her legs propelling her to move faster so she could soak in the warm water. She rounded the corner, and stopped in her tracks when she saw Liz throw a candy bar at a hooded figure. For a brief second, Lila thought the person was Mr. Harrington, and they were all caught. But Liz ran away, and the person turned around, coming face-to-face with Lila.

“Peter,” She said, her voice pitched higher due to surprise. Suddenly, she grew very aware that she was only in her swimsuit, more skin than she was comfortable with exposed in general. Her grip on her towel grew tighter as her thoughts raced.

Not that Peter seemed to notice, the look of matching surprise on his face only just beginning to shift into one of nerves. She figured it was due to the fact that he wasn’t wearing his swimsuit. He was clad in a hoodie and skinny jeans, with a delicate blush on his cheeks. No doubt from talking to Liz, but the sight still made Lila bite her lip. “Lila, what - what are you-” He glanced down at her attire, which only made heat rush to her cheeks faster. “- Swimming.”

She nodded her head, taking her time to stare at his appearance. “You’re s-sneaking out, too. A-Anywhere exciting?”

“I doubt there will be anything exciting,” Peter answered, “I’m just going to the business center to do some extra studying.”

It was an almost expected answer to come from Peter, since he was undeniably one of the smartest people on the planet, but Lila paid way too much attention to him. Her nerves of talking to him had dulled in the slightest, and Lila picked up on how he had moved from looking at her swimsuit back to her eyes, to just over her shoulder when he answered her question. Combined with his fidgety demeanor, and how he scratched the side of his face, she knew he was lying. Surely the several podcasts she’d listened to about social interactions wouldn’t steer her wrong.

“N-No, you’re not.” If she wasn’t sure before, Lila certainly was sure Peter was lying after calling him out on it. The light flush that sat on his cheeks vanished, and his eyes grew wider. Everything in his body language mimicked a deer in the headlights, unsure of how to proceed. So instead, he kept his mouth shut. “You’re v-very good at disappearing, you know. L-Like when you leave school, you - you just seem to vanish.”

“Lila, I-”

“Your secret is safe with me,” Lila interrupted, her statement firm and meaningful. At the mixed expression of confusion and shock Peter wore, Lila’s lips twitched into a smile. “I w-won’t say anything about you l-leaving. Just… be safe, okay?”

A large, grateful smile formed on Peter’s face, and Lila thought it was one of the most dazzling things she’d seen. “Lila, you’re a lifesaver. Thank you. I’ll be back before the competition, I promise.” He skirted around her, and jogged towards the staircase at the end of the hallway, leaving Lila in the hallway. A cool draft started blowing from a vent she had apparently been standing next to, reminding her that she was in her swimsuit, and she had a place to be.

*****

Lila was exactly where she was supposed to be the next morning, but Peter Parker was not. Everyone ate breakfast together save for Peter and Ned, and when they were called to leave, only Ned showed up. He’d covered for Peter by saying he assumed he was in the business center of something along those lines, and Mr. Harrington was too focused on getting the rest of the kids to the decathlon to really give Ned a proper lecture about letting his friend leave.

Lila should’ve known how disastrous the day would actually be right then and there, but it wasn’t like she could predict the future. It wasn’t like she knew she would plummet to her death in a few short hours.

*****

Peter Parker sat on top of a semi-truck, headed back to D.C., panicking. Karen, the AI that Tony Stark had installed in his suit, informed him that a certain piece of alien technology he’d been carrying around since the night of Liz’s party was actually an explosive. The technology, a Chitauri alien core, had been left with Ned. Not that Peter didn’t trust Ned to watch over it, but the problem was that he did trust him, and Ned would watch over it like a hawk. More than likely, he would have brought it with him wherever he went until Peter came back.

Peter pulled out his cellphone, and desperately tried to call his friend, frantically leaving a voicemail informing him that the glowy-thing is a bomb.

*****

Lila had just handed her phone over to one of the decathlon employees when Mr. Harrington pulled her aside. He kept glancing through the doors in hopes to find Peter race through, but to no avail. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he looked apologetic when he told her, “Lila, since Peter isn’t here, we’re going to need you on the table.”

Her stomach dropped, and her knees grew wobbly. “W-What? What a-about Flash, isn’t he - isn’t he first a-alternate?”

“Yep, and so are you. Good luck, and have fun up there!” With one last look through the doors, Mr. Harrington jogged away, leaving Lila practically in shambles. The only person who seemed to pay attention to their conversation was Michelle, and she was quick to get to Lila as soon as she turned around.

“Lila-?”

“All contestants please make your way to the stage.” A voice came from above them, and Lila had no choice but to swallow her dread.

“We’re gonna be okay,” Lila said, though who she was trying to convince, she wasn’t sure.

*****

Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, Peter chanted in his head, jumping from one car to the next as he hurried back into town.

*****

Between all the uproarious cheers, bear hugs, and large smiles, the actual competition was a blur. Lila and her teammates rotated on portions of the decathlon, though after a while, Lila had to participate more frequently, in part because there were numerous biology questions, but also because Flash froze up, unable to answer any questions at all. Ultimately, Michelle was the one who won them the decathlon, staying cool and level-headed throughout the competition, and pulling them out of a sudden death to win the whole thing.

The ceremony afterwards was short and sweet, all of them being granted medals and a large trophy that seemed to develop a superglue as soon as it touched Flash’s hand. He was not seen without it for the remainder of their time at the decathlon. Lila was on such a high of winning, and being a part of something so positive, that she completely forgot about how Peter was missing until Mr. Harrington was handed an extra medal, one he was supposed to wear.

Still beaming with pride at the lot of them, Mr. Harrington escorted everyone out to collect their things, and herded them across the street to the Washington Monument.

#peter parker fic #spider-man #peter parker #mcu x ofc #mcu #peter parker x ofc #spiderman homecoming #ofc #spiderman x ofc #mine

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kpopfanfictrash · 5 years

Text

Weighted

Author: kpopfanfictrash

Pairing: You / Yoongi / Jimin

Rating: 18+

Word Count: 1,722

A/N: This is preceded by Beholden. I suggest reading Beholden first, in order for this to make the most sense.

Summary: As sovereign King of his nation and a practical man, Yoongi is aware he must marry. As such, he has sent his most trusted advisor to propose to a Queen but even if she chooses to accept him, then what? Yoongi is aware this is only a temporary solution but even so, he cannot help but hope.

Staring at the darkened seascape before him, Yoongi wills his thoughts to cease echoing the turbulent state of his Kingdom. Waves crash against the shoreline below, too far away for him to see what they bellow at. Taking a long, slow sip of his wine, Yoongi focuses on nothing in particular – a futile attempt at clearing his mind.

No matter what his indulgence, Yoongi finds no peace to be had. Not in liquor, nor in riches, luxury, or power. Not even in the women he chooses to warm his bed. Glancing over his shoulder, Yoongi brow furrows as he attempts to remember her name. He should know this. It would be the least he could do to thank her for her pleasure.

Dark gossamer cloth hangs from the ceiling to conceal her body but still, the images continue to linger in his mind. Yoongi exhales and recalls the sound of his name on her lips, thrusting into her deeply. There was a moment at the end when his hands fisted in her hair, their bodies wrapped tightly around each other, and Yoongi almost thought that he felt something. There was a deep, shuddering pause and he imagined he could reach out and taste it, but then – it disappeared. After he climaxed, he pulled himself free and felt none the more enlightened, tying his silk robe across his front.

The woman fell asleep soon after; a feat Yoongi envies. He cannot sleep now, not with the weight of the world upon his shoulders. Tearing his gaze from his bed, he unfortunately lands upon the mahogany wood of his desk. Its surface is stacked high with paper, dotted with ink wells and more than a few broken quills. Half-finished correspondence begs for completion, yet Yoongi knows the amount is far too much for one man.

If Jimin were here, things would be better. Yoongi’s highest advisor always knows which letters to answer and when, and in what order of importance. It was a risk sending Jimin away for so long and yet, Yoongi trusts no one else with this matter. Subconsciously, Yoongi’s lips tighten and he takes a long sip from his draft.

A lonesome moon shines down on the water, cutting a singular path through the waves towards the shore. The light twists and turns with each swell of the tide. Truthfully, Yoongi would rather be out there, not in here. He does not wish to remain in his castle, chained to his land and a mountain of paperwork.

Reaching up, Yoongi brushes a pale circlet where his crown typically rests.

This is why Jimin traveled away from their Kingdom – Lunos is in need of a Queen. Not just any Queen though, Lunos needs a savior to rescue them from their debt. Unthinkingly, Yoongi’s grip on his cup tightens. His father is the culprit behind their Kingdom’s current state of ruin; he is the one who ran Lunos into the ground. His only concern was fathering an heir, having a son to ensure his legacy lived on.

He succeeded in that, Yoongi must admit. Here Yoongi stands.

In the pursuit of said quest, Yoongi’s father allowed their land to be governed by nobles. Unsurprisingly, they cared naught for the will of their people. After relentless taxing, their profits were spent on parties and luxury and in response, the tradesmen left Lunos in droves. The land Yoongi inherited is not the same one he was born into.

Lunos is a seaside Kingdom made wealthy by its middle class. Without the income of trade, they are nothing. Yoongi’s father lost most of their exports to Sum, a neighboring Kingdom grown fat on the spoils of Lunos’ decline. All of this explains why Lunos is left destitute; their people are hungry, poor and in need of a miracle. Your land might not be luxurious, but at least you have goods which are ripe for trade.

This is not the only reason Yoongi seeks your hand in marriage. Indeed, he needs your reputation as much as your wealth. You are known by the other monarchs; you are well-liked by the other monarchs. Were you to stand by Yoongi’s side, it would cause others to reconsider their trade. Not to mention the fact that you currently barter with Sum. Once you married Yoongi, all your goods would instantly flow through his land to ease some of his debt. Not all of it – but enough to bide time. Enough for him to make a plan.

Inhaling deeply, Yoongi raises his cup to his lips and closes his eyes.

His offer of marriage has to work. It is all he could think of – at least, for the time being. Every other solution which presented itself failed to provide immediate relief. All he can think about are long-term ideas; plans for expansion, for growth and innovation, but Yoongi cannot enact any of these without a penny to his name.

Opening his eyes, Yoongi glances again at his desk. Jimin’s latest correspondence remains untouched, awaiting answers to all his queries. Yoongi has not yet responded, unable to place a finger on why.

In his last letter, Jimin wrote things were going well. Although you seemed reticent to accept Yoongi’s bargain, your reasons were not malicious, nor did you seem to house poor intent.

Jimin only said you do not wish to be married.

Stifling a snort, Yoongi drains the rest of his glass. The end of his wine is bitter, much like his thoughts. You are not the only one who does not wish to be married, but above all else, Yoongi is a practical man. He recognizes the fact that he has no other option. Perhaps you do, though. The thought makes Yoongi’s stomach flip. Perhaps you have other offers on the table and are considering another.

In truth, Yoongi knows he is not the most desirable alliance on paper. Lunos can offer you a fair trade agreement, but he can provide little else in terms of natural resources. Yoongi is forced to rely upon Jimin’s skills of persuasion to convince you of his merit.

Again, Yoongi’s hand stills on his glass.

There was something about Jimin’s last letter which continues to bother him. Admittedly, Yoongi has no high hopes for this union. Perhaps that is why Jimin spoke so highly of you. Yoongi’s closest advisor often knows him better than he knows himself; perhaps he sought to ease some of his worries.

Turning on his heel, Yoongi strides in from the balcony. He comes to a stop at his desk, leafing through papers before he finds the one he seeks. Jimin’s handwriting is clear; precise and to the point, akin to his countenance.

Shaking back the sleeves of his robe, Yoongi bends forward to read.

I hope to have a clear answer for you in my next letter. Despite the length of time which has transpired since my arrival, do not mistake the Queen’s silence as indecisiveness. Indeed, she knows what she desires and aims to achieve said goals. She merely wonders how your offer fits into said matters. If she accepts your proposal, my King, you will find a fair partner to reckon with. The Queen of this land is most beautiful, strong and kind. I will do my best to make her your bride.

Yoongi stares at this for a moment, uncertain how to feel before lowering the paper. Brow furrowed, he glances up at the mirror which hangs above his dresser. The face staring back at him is pale, wan; an echo of the strife which exists in his Kingdom. Still, Yoongi knows he is not unattractive. He cannot imagine why the Queen is taking such a long time.

Running a hand through his hair, Yoongi’s fingers pause at the nape of his neck. Dark ink spirals across his skin; symbols in a language native only to Lunos. He demanded the tattoo after his father’s passing. It is a promise to protect his land and his people in a way his father never did. Yoongi cannot lose faith in this promise now.

Teeth gritted, Yoongi returns again to the letter.

It is not the content, but the tone which concerns him. Obviously, Jimin would be complimentary. He is trying to convince Yoongi as much you, on the merits of this marriage. It is only – shaking his head, Yoongi stops the thought in its tracks. Jimin would never betray him in such a way. He knows what this union would mean to their Kingdom, to their people and to Yoongi.

Jimin has never failed to protect Yoongi before.

Reassured by this thought, Yoongi returns to his balcony. Waves crash on the shoreline below, the only noise which rises to his window. Staring out at the sea, at the moon, Yoongi finds himself overtaken by a strange sense of longing.

For a moment – only that, and no more – he allows his thoughts to run wild.

His entire life, Yoongi has felt something was missing. A void exists in his chest where others know love. Instead, Yoongi has only purpose, only drive to succeed and be more. A proverb in his land states it takes a village to accomplish a task. The meaning being success only comes through the hard work of many, not by the individual.

Yoongi has always had only himself. His goals have been accomplished through his blood, his sweat and his tears alone. His Kingdom has been held together by brute strength and bone – all of it his. Everything else, Yoongi has placed quietly aside. And so, the cavity within him continues to grow.

The closest friend Yoongi has is his advisor; the closest lover he has is a nameless woman asleep in his bed. Over and over, Yoongi has given himself away and now, he allows himself the barest of hopes.

If you are truly as remarkable as Jimin says – Yoongi closes his eyes, breath catching on the thought – perhaps this could be more. Perhaps he could be more. A wild crescendo of hope floods his veins; a slim torrent of light in his ocean of dark.

If you agree, Yoongi thinks, opening his eyes, perhaps he will no longer need to be alone.

A/N: This will be turned into a series! I do not know length yet, or when. Please see the original piece, Beholden. Happy birthday, Yoongi!

#bangtanarmynet #yoongi fanfic #yoongi au #bts fanfic #bts au #yoongi royalty au #bts royalty au #bts series #yoongi series

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gone4neow · 5 years

Text

The New King ♔ dks

Chapter Thirteen

- kyungsoo x reader, royalty AU, prince!kyungsoo

- warnings : swearing, mature content, arranged marriage, good looking men

- word count : 3,033

chapter twelve or chapter fourteen or masterlist

♔ ♔ ♔ ♔ ♔

After having a discussion with Kyungsoo, the princess felt highly encouraged to return back to her home kingdom - with Chanyeol by her side. It was hard to depart from the princes, but she eventually got them to accept that they were not going along. This was something that she and her brother needed to do on their own. She briefed her brother about her mother along the way there. Her mother was spiteful, cunning, entitled, and downright evil. Chanyeol learned that the princess had never spent much time with her mother, even as a young infant, and that they had an ill relationship. He was sad to learn this. The princess may have gotten more time with their father, but at least Chanyeol had a loving mother to fill that void. The princess must've been lonely as a child while their father was busy being a king.

His eyes brightened at the familiar sight of the village. It was the place he had grown up in. He had made his first friends here, had his first kiss here, and even gotten his first job here. He missed it dearly. Months ago he had moved to the northern kingdom for better career opportunities. After his mother's death, he found it hard to afford food.

He grew nervous as they approached the castle. He had dreamed of living in the castle as a young boy, even before he was aware of the king being his father, and now he was finally getting the chance to step inside. The princess must have noticed his nervousness because he felt her slip her small hand into his large one. She gave his hand an assuring squeeze just as the carriage came to a stop. The princess was the first to slip out of wooden structure, followed by her clumsy brother. He laughed sheepishly when he almost tripped out of the carriage. The princess laughed lightly at his actions before she instructed him to follow her.

He was in awe of his sister as he watched her march through the halls of the castle with her head held high and her shoulders rolled back challenging. Her mood had went from excited to something darker as they had gotten closer to the castle. Now that they were inside, he was almost too intimidated by the woman to even speak to her. She led him up a set of stairs before they came to a large set of double doors. The princess made sure he was ready for their next step before she pushed through the doors. Chanyeol could feel eyes on them from every inch of the room. He tried to appear as confident and bold as his sister did, but he failed to do so. He came off as shy, too shy to be the king.

"Daughter, why am I not surprised to see you with yet another man?" The queen spoke as soon as she seen her daughter strutting towards where she sat on the throne. The woman's voice was eerie, matching perfectly with her dark expression. If Chanyeol had ever seen a witch in person, it was this woman. She was beautiful, but radiated darkness. He wondered how someone like his sister had been created by someone like this.

"Mother! I hope you're not too comfortable in my father's chair!" The princess replied with faux enthusiasm as she looked up at her mother with a bright smile. The tension in the room seemed to amplify at the princess's words. Her mother sat up straighter in the throne, looking down at the princess with anger on her face.

"You dare challenge me today? On what terms?" She snapped.

"I have a little story for you - one that I'm sure you were expecting to hear one day. Once upon a time ago, a time before you were married to my father, my father was in love with one of the village women. He loved her so much that he would sneak out of the castle to see her every night. It turns out, they had a child together. Does this sound familiar?" The princess spoke with confidence. Her voice was stern, almost taunting, as she looked up at her mother with a fierce stare. She watched as her mother open and closed her mouth, desperately trying to find the right words to say. There was nothing for her to say.

"I have proof!" The princess announced to the room's guests. They all watched as she pulled out several pieces of parchment from the satchel resting against Chanyeol's hip. He gave her an assuring smile and held out his hand. She placed the documents in his hand and drew in a deep breath as he took a step forward.

"I am Park Chanyeol, son of King Munso and your future king. I request the commanding officer views these letter from my father that specifically state that I am his firstborn son and only son," her brother demanded in a voice as stern as hers had been. Her eyebrows raised slightly, impressed by how natural it seemed for him. There was no doubt about it, Chanyeol was going to be a good king.

A man emerged from the corner of the room. There was complete silence, apart from the sound of his metal armor, as he walked towards the strange man. Once he reach Chanyeol's side, he took the documents in his hand and his eyes skimmed over them with keen interest. Everyone watched as his eyes grew two sizes bigger. He glanced up at Chanyeol with amazement on his face.

"You're the new king," he breathed out quietly. He turned to look at everyone and held the documents up high in the air.

"This is King Munso's handwriting! Park Chanyeol is the new king!" He exclaimed loudly. The queen stood up with rage on her face. She marched down the steps that led to the thrown and made her way towards the princess and her brother. Her eyes were locked on the princess.

"You will regret doing this," her mother told her in a low voice once she stood in front of her. The princess sighed at her words. A part of her had hoped their relationship would improve after the passing of her father, but deep down she knew her mother would never change.

"Mother, I prepared you a place to stay in the village. You have one hour to gather your belongs. I suggest you work quickly," Grace told her mother. Chanyeol watched the pair cautiously. He expected the older woman to lash out at any moment. He watched as his sister's eyes narrowed. For the first time in her entire life, she watched as her mother's eyes filled with tears.

"That's how this ends? You get to live in a castle for the rest of your life while I'm stuck in some shack?" Her mother asked.

"Yes, and for the first time in your life you will understand that your choices in life have consequences," The princess answered. Her head was held high but Chanyeol could see that the conversation was slowly breaking the princess down. He ordered one of the guards to guide the former queen out of the room before he let his long arms wrap around his sister's shoulders comfortingly. She let her own wrap around him in return and drew in a deep breath. They did it - they had removed her mother from the castle.

After her mother officially left the castle entirely, the princess found herself guiding her brother around. His eyes were wide with amazement. They lingered on everything he saw, especially the paintings hung on the walls. His father had gifted him several pieces of art when he was a young child, so he knew that these had belonged to his father. He imagined his father walking through the halls, adoring his collection every day with those honey eyes of his, accompanied by a smaller version of his sister. This had been their home - now it was his home, too. The very thought had his eyes glistening with fresh tears. When the princess noticed, she let her hand find his.

"Welcome home," she told him softly.

"So Prince Kyungsoo is actually the eldest child, therefore he's the one who's supposed to become king, but he's only becoming king because Sehun doesn't want to be king?" Chanyeol thought aloud as he waved his spoon around wildly. The princess and him were sitting at a table on the balcony located outside her room. Their dinner had been brought up to them earlier. While they ate, the princess explained the northern kingdom's situation.

"Yes, but you see - I don't think Kyungsoo really wants to be king himself. Their father has created quite a mess for them to clean up in the village and if they don't fix it I'm worried there will be a rebellion," The princess replied before she took a bite of her food. Chanyeol hummed as he took in the new information.

"He must be a very good brother to take on all that responsibility just so his brother won't have to," her brother commented. The princess simply nodded. She looked out at the evening sky as she felt her stomach twist. She hadn't even been gone an entire day, but she already yearned to see her love again.

"Maybe it's not a matter of not wanting to be king. Maybe Sehun is scared to become king because of the duties he will have," Chanyeol suggested when his sister didn't reply. He didn't miss the distant look in her eyes as she turned her head to face him.

"Were you?" She asked softly. Chanyeol gave a small shrug before he nodded slowly.

"Of course I was. I still am, perhaps I always will be, but this is where father wanted me," he answered. The princess smiled softly.

"It's certainly where you belong," she told him. Chanyeol stared at her without speaking for a moment. He took in the features of her face, the light patch of freckles across her nose, and the warmth of her eyes. He never wanted to forget what she looked like. He knew she would return to the northern kingdom without him tomorrow, and that made him feel terrible. He had just gotten her.

"I love you sister," he spoke to her quietly.

"I love you, too, brother," she replied.

The inevitable came the next morning. Chanyeol gave his sister a giant hug before she was sent back to the northern kingdom. An agreement was made to keep the fact that he was the new king quiet - as quiet as they could, anyways. There was not a doubt in the princess's mind that more than half of the village had already learned about their new king.

She watched the scenery roll by as she sat in the carriage. Her mind was clouded with thoughts of her brother, her father, and, as she grew closer to the castle, Prince Kyungsoo.

Her heart almost leaned out of her chest when her carriage pulled up to the castle. She had barely gotten out of the wooden structure before she saw the princes step out of the castle to greet her. A wide smile formed on her face. She momentarily forgot about her luggage as her feet carried her across the courtyard and to the princes. Sehun rolled his eyes as he watched the woman jump into Prince Kyungsoo's arms before his. They made him sick. He had to resist rolling his eyes again when he heard the sound of his brother whispering sweet nothings against the princess's ear.

"Hey! It's my turn!" He demanded after a few seconds. The princess immediately found her way into his arms and a satisfied smile formed on his face. Jokingly, he began to whisper in her ear just as his brother had, but his words were only complaints about her and the prince - not sweet nothings. She couldn't help but laugh at his childish antics and pulled away to push at his chest playfully. He glanced over at his brother and was met with a harsh glare. The smile on his face seemed to vanish instantly.

"No Chanyeol... things went well?" Sehun asked her, looking away from his brother.

"It's official; Chanyeol is the new king," she announced in a low voice. There was pride on her face as she spoke. It was clear to the brothers that despite the siblings only being together for a few days, they already had a bond that most dreamed of having. Kyungsoo smiled sweetly at her, expression his happiness for the royal siblings in a gentle voice.

"I, um, wanted to talk to you guys about something," The princess told them suddenly.

"What is it?" Sehun asked immediately. The princess glanced over her shoulder at the man waiting for her to come back and get her luggage before she turned back around and glanced between the brothers.

"Let me get my luggage and then we will go somewhere private," she said. Just as she went to turn around, Kyungsoo gently wrapped his hand around her wrist and stopped her. She met his eyes with surprise swimming in her own.

"Let me go get your stuff," he told her softly.

"Come with me while I get my stuff," she replied. She had already turned and began walking away before he could protest. Sehun watched as his brother followed like a lost puppy behind the woman until he was walking side by side with her. They sent loving expressions in each other's direction, probably not even realizing they were, and Sehun felt his heart twist in knots. He decided in that moment he would face his fears and confess to the baker's son the next time he seen him.

About ten minutes later, the three were sitting in a circle on Prince Kyungsoo's bed. The princess was being secretive. She had made sure to double check the lock on the balcony door and hadn't spoke in more than a whisper since they stepped through the door. Sehun snickered at her actions, but Kyungsoo was concerned.

"I think Sehun should be king," she eventually told them. Sehun's eyes widened and a series of scoffs and nervous laughter left him. He shook his head at her, glancing at his brother with disbelief in his eyes. Kyungsoo's expression was blank as he stared at the princess. What had caused this opinion to occur?

"Sehun, this is what you've been preparing for all your life. If you aren't king then where do you see yourself? It'll get boring just roaming the castle halls," The princess spoke again when neither brother made an effort to speak.

"I - I don't know," Sehun answered her with a sigh. He looked over at his brother, yet again, and asked him what he was going to do if he wasn't king.

"I'll marry the princess anyways and then we can build a cottage together. I've always wanted to be a farmer. Would you farm with me?" Kyungsoo answer, directing his question to the princess. She looked at him with a small, sweet smile on her face. Of course, Sehun thought, only my brother could plan out two different futures for himself.

"Of course," Grace answered. Sehun could tell by her tone that she was completely smitten by the idea alone. Sitting out in the sun all day while wallowing around in dirt? How romantic. He wasn't able to resist rolling his eyes this time. Then another thought ran through his mind. Uncle Sehun. He could see it now: a little cottage full of all his nieces and nephews, waiting for his visits with so much excitement their little bodies almost couldn't take it. He knew they would live the best life - they would have the best uncle, after all.

"Sehun!" The princess called him name out and brought him back to reality. He blinked a few times, coming out of a sudden daze.

"You really think I'll be a good king?" Sehun questioned, his voice quieter than it had already been. The princess and Kyungsoo had barely heard him.

"One of the best - and if you need help with anything, you'll have us to back you up," The princess assured him. A smug smile formed on his face and he glanced between the two with a suggestive look in his eyes.

"You're right; I'll be the best king. You know what I'd be even better at though?" The pair raised their eyebrows curiously at his question, having completely no idea where he was going or why he had that look in his eyes.

"Being an uncle," he revealed with a toothy grin. The princess laughed nervous, glancing over at Kyungsoo, who was opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. What were they supposed to say to this? Neither one of them had even considered children until this moment. Kyungsoo sat and thought about it, and the more he did was the more he liked the idea. The princess was flush with embarrassment and her fingers were picking at the material of her dress.

"I hope you'll be patient with us then," she told Sehun with a small smile. He sighed but nodded, despite knowing he was going to be anything but patient. Kyungsoo finally released a laugh that he had been holding in the depths of his chest. His hand reach out and took the princess's. He gave it a light squeeze as he laughed - ignoring the scowl his brother sent him.

"I think we should make one right away," he announced between his laughter. The princess gaped at him, wondering briefly if the brothers had been drinking while she was away. Sehun was thrilled by his brother's words and the smile on his face grew, which seemed impossible seconds ago.

"Why?" The princess asked curiously.

"I had this thought about ours kids and how I could teach them to beat my brother up... the opportunity seems too good to pass up. We need at least 10," Kyungsoo explained, as his laughter came to a gradual halt. The smile on Sehun's face vanished.

a/n : hi!! this story is coming to an end soon, sadly, but i am already working on my next story and i’m very excited about it. it’s a chanyeol story (currently) but i hope you all will enjoy it. any criticisms about my writing is welcome! i really want to grow as a writer and this story has been a great trial run for me. I’ve learned a lot. thanks for reading, as always! don’t be afraid to talk to me!!

#exo fanfic #exoxreader #kyungsooxreader #princekyungsoo #princesehun #royalbrothers #exo x reader #kyungsoo x reader #sehun x reader #sehunxreader

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wolfpawn · 5 years

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Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 11

Story Summary - Based on an idea I had that I submitted to Imagine Loki. Imagine Loki was raised on Jotunheim as Laufey’s son after the war, but an agreement was then made that he would wed Odin’s daughter so Odin could secure the alliance of Jotunheim through the marriage. Loki, in turn, was raised to be king of Jotunheim, but how he views Asgard is far different from how Odin’s daughter is raised leading to a clash of cultures as well as uncertainty between the pair of betrothed youths.

Chapter Summary - Ella fights for her life while everyone else fights amongst themselves.

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Tags - @peppermint-j @damalseer @perpetual-fangirl @tinchentitri @inspired-snowflace @raphaelaisabella @alexakeyloveloki @caffiend-queen @devilbat @nonsensicalobsessions @skulliebythesea @majoringinlife

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“She lives here.”

“Why?” His father growled. Loki did not answer. “Why is she still in here?”

“She requested to return here on her wedding night and remained since,” He snarled. “This is entirely her choice.”

“When the Allfather hears this, he will feel his previous analysis was more than accurate. Whether she lives or dies, he could take the Casket again, it is bringing us to strength and now we will be without it and in war again, as well as the loss of her life.”

“The Allfather…” Loki began.

“I genuinely do not know.” It was entirely true, due to not caring to check on her, Loki had no inclination as to how she had gotten so sick.

“This is not something that has occurred suddenly, look at her appearance,” Arden interjected.

Laufey looked at Loki. “When was the last time you saw her?”

“In here, last night. We are trying to give the realm an heir, I came every other night to do so.”

“It would have been more useful to have her in the room with you.” He growled. “What was her demeanour last night?”

“The same as it always is.”

“And the last time such occurred in your supposed marriage bed, what then? Did she seem ill?” Loki said nothing. “What is going on here, Loki? You swore to the Allfather, to me, that you would do what you could to be a good husband to her, yet we stand here…”

“Sire?” Laufey turned to his guard. “The Head Healer of Asgard has arrived.”

“Norns be praised. Bring her in at once.” The guard left and a moment later, a woman entered. “Eir, daughter of Tyr.”

“King Laufey,” She curtsied. “I was told the…” She ceased talking and walked over to the bed, her gaze on Ella. “How…?”

“We are unsure. She entered the Throne Room today and collapsed.” Laufey stated.

“Your oath…” Arden growled. “You are sworn to protect those of your care, to heal any who require it.”

“And to give comfort to those beyond my intervention.” She replied. “Princess Ella is all but in the halls of Valhalla at this moment.”

“Save her,” Laufey ordered. “Anything you require, no matter what the price, you use.”

Catching her meaning, Laufey ordered the room be made more presentable. “How long do we have?”

“Ten minutes at most. He was ordering the stables ready Sleipnir on my leaving.”

Laufey became fearful. Odin usually only rode Sleipnir in battle. “We best rush this along so. Loki, open the windows slightly.”

“But…”

“NOW, BOY!”

Startled by his father speaking in such a manner, Loki did as his father instructed and tidied the room.

“Allfather, I need a health shield immediately before she succumbs to cold or illness,” Eir requested. Odin did as she asked without hesitation or moment of pause. “She is gravely ill, I am not sure if she will make it.”

Odin’s rage grew and he turned to Laufey. “I knew you could not be trusted, and to make her suffer, death will be too good for you.”

“None of this was done intentionally.” Laufey tried to placate. “She has chosen to remain here and not attend court for a long time."

"Jotunheim does not have such ridiculous roles. High born servants are nothing more than an insult to our people." Loki stated as he had to Ella previously, though slightly more politely.

"There are no specific maids to her," Arden spoke warily, seeing Odin's rage rise as he did so.

Laufey looked at Ella and sighed. He then looked at Loki, who seemed to be in shock at what he was hearing.

When Loki looked into his father's eyes, he saw resignation. "Father…"

"Father…" Loki stepped forward.

"Is she not a living being?" Odin bellowed. "Does she not have a heart beating in her chest? A soul within her? Feelings, thoughts, opinions, does she not have any of them in your mind?"

Loki fell silent.

Odin inhaled deeply. "Eir, what are her chances?"

"Five per cent, perhaps ten with the shield and if her seidr continues to fight it but it could fail at any time." She answered.

"What does she require?"

"Food, rest and an act of the Norns."

Odin rubbed his hand over his face. "The Soul forge…"

Eir shook her head. "Allfather, if we move her, she will die. If she went through the Bifrost, she will die. There is nothing for it but to have her tended to here if she has any hope."

Odin walked over to the side of the bed and sat beside his daughter on a chair he created with his seidr. He put his hand in through the shield. "We can only wait and hope she fights it."

Eir gave a small smile. "So here we are again."

Odin sighed. "So it would seem."

#Pride and Prejudice #chapter 11 #loki fic

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