#the royal family: the queen (who lived this long because of medical care) has died so no medical care or food for anyone else bye

[sugarcherriess]

i mean i get a day off work but come on 😭😭 nothing is open i just want my mcdonald’s i couldn’t care less about it it’s been on tv all day

I think that healthcare institutes and food places should remain open so as to not complicate anything for the general public but maybe thats just me and im crazy

#˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Adonis Speaks #i fucking hate the royals and any stupid person in power that pulls stupid shit like this #how will closing food chains and hospitals aid with the mourning? #the royal family: the queen (who lived this long because of medical care) has died so no medical care or food for anyone else bye #fucking asswipes

[wonlouvre]

pairing: doctor!wonwoo x lawyer!female oc genre: modern royalty, arranged marriage, fluff and future angst word count: 2.8k WARNINGS: hospital, injury, child trafficking, child abuse, hostage taking, guns, police, violence

author’s note: we have reached part 4!!! i think our couple’s relationship development is quite slow. please bear with me/them, they’re getting there!!! :’((( also, i am still very much thankful and overjoyed for the kind feedback that you guys gave for the previous chapter. i hope you guys are looking forward for this one. enjoy!!! :)))

four: let’s get you home, princess | masterlist

Wonwoo is not addressed as Your Highness inside the hospital premises. It’s actually rare for him to hear Your Highness ever since the royal decrees have been relaxed. His close friends, family and even colleagues have been calling him by his name or profession for the longest time. However, the King and Queen still must be addressed with utmost respect, regardless of who the person may be to the Royal Family. 

Things just got different when he started living and working at your kingdom. He had said that it’s okay for him to be called Wonwoo most especially by senior doctors who have been practicing even before he was born. But it was still awkward so they stuck with Dr. Jeon. These days, some young residents and interns still stutter and it just makes Wonwoo laugh. 

From time to time, Wonwoo is withdrawn from the hospital because of his duties as the Prince. Duties such as to make an appearance, attend a meeting or speak at an event. Said duties usually eat up most of his days in a week. Days where he could and should have been at the hospital, doing what he pledged to do until he dies. 

Wonwoo is loyal to the crown, but he is also committed to the people he promised to serve. 

The wedding planning has started and he’s relieved that you and him both have reached an agreement to hire a full-time planner that will arrange whatever the desires of your hearts may be. He’s grateful that just like him, you are happily married to your job. It’s a lame joke, but Wonwoo can never be bothered to care. So far as the wedding planning goes, you have been looking at venues such as hotels, private gardens or beach resorts. Initially, his parents offered to hold the wedding at their kingdom but you humbly requested to have it at your homeland instead. 

It was no issue to the King and Queen, definitely understanding where you were coming from.

Wonwoo admires that side of you. You seem to always know what you want and when you do, you speak up at the right time with elegance and confidence. He believes it’s the lawyer and princess in you altogether. 

The thought of you puts a smile on his face. He hopes you wake up soon so he can see you.

“Wonwoo?” 

His thoughts popped like a bubble when his name was suddenly called. He clears his throat and faces the owner of the voice. It was Soonyoung and by the looks of his grin, Wonwoo’s sure he witnessed him daydreaming. 

Wonwoo rolls his eyes and goes back to the charts he’s been reading. “What do you want?”

“That’s not how you return the favor of your friend who brought you a fresh batch of clothing,” his friend chides, bumping his shoulder against his tall friend. “You seemed to have had a great night, our Prince.”

It’s trivial, really. But Wonwoo’s cheeks blushed at the reminder. He will never tell anyone but staying with you yesterday until the early hours of today made him feel something he doesn’t know. It’s absurd how he can’t pinpoint what that something is, but he won’t deny that there is. 

“Shut up,” he grumbles like a child, ignoring the cheeky giggle Soonyoung emits. 

Speaking of Soonyoung, he was born in your kingdom and moved to the neighboring one when he was only a baby. Both his parents are doctors also who have the heart and passion to offer their services voluntarily. They were only set for a medical mission before going back in a month, but the King and Queen (Wonwoo’s parents) recognized and applauded their kindness, offering them a place to stay and permanent positions at their Royal Hospital. 

Being of the same age, Wonwoo and Soonyoung grew up together and became best of friends. 

It’s no question that he’s attached to the Prince wherever he goes. 

“Dr. Jeon,” another voice calls for him and this time, it sounded desperate. 

Wonwoo looks up and finds a young resident, looking disheveled and stressed. “What is it?”

“I have a young boy, 10-11-years-old, crying in pain while clutching his left arm,” she explains the basics before continuing, “He was brought by someone who seemed like his brother not older than 14-years-old. They weren’t accompanied by anyone.”

“Ask for their names and address,” Soonyoung suggests while standing straight and crossing his arms. “I’m sure we can find some contact details from the statistics office.”

The young intern shakes her head. “They’re not talking. All the older boy is saying, begging rather, is for us to help them.”

“X-ray?” Wonwoo asks and pumps some sanitizer on his hands. 

“The result is on the way.”

Wonwoo nods and starts walking to where the boys are. “Let’s see what we got then.”

The emergency department is always hectic and anyone that says otherwise is unbelievable. Regardless of what the case may be, Wonwoo stands that if they are brought here, it is an emergency. Usually, they range from new parents bringing their newborn baby who can’t stop crying in the middle of the night or some bringing their seven-year-old for a cast because they fell off the bike while playing with their friends. They all seem to be treatable and can be discharged in an hour or so. But sometimes, you can never be too sure. 

Wonwoo knows because he has witnessed it already. That one baby that’s been crying was actually fighting a fever and that one kid who fell from the bike? It was having trouble with his balance and movement. 

It’s not the first time that young children came to the hospital by themselves. They’re soon followed by their parents or guardian afterwards most of the time. Wonwoo supposes the kids this time around are in shock that they can’t form any clear thoughts at the moment. 

But Wonwoo doesn’t think that’s the case at all once the curtains were pulled open. 

“Oh my,” Soonyoung blurts out, surprised. 

Wonwoo expected two boys looking dirty and blushing from playing under the sun all throughout the day. He expected them to be silently crying for their mom or dad. He expected them to be at least healthy and on their way for a speedy recovery once they got treatment. But no, Wonwoo was wrong.

The boys looked awfully hungry and dehydrated. Their clothes were smaller than what their body looks like and the older brother is missing one pair of his shoes. He noticed bruises on some parts of their body. There’s even a nasty cut on the older boy’s bottom lip. 

Something’s wrong and Wonwoo is not a fool to not notice it. 

Wonwoo releases the breath he’s been holding and smiles genuinely. “Hello, I’m Wonwoo.”

Silence. 

He looked at Soonyoung before proceeding to meet the boy’s height who’s sitting on the chair beside his brother’s bed. “I’m going to take a look at your brother now, if you don’t mind.” 

The older one finally looks at him, his eyes dead serious. “That’s what they have been saying ever since we got here. Why can’t you just treat him already?”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Wonwoo tries to calm him down, noticing his tear-stained face and shaking voice. “Your brother will probably need a cast. We’re just waiting for the x-ray results to come out to know for sure. I just need to ask some questions, alright?”

The boy’s bloodied lip trembles as he nods his head. 

“I’ll go get the result,” Soonyoung says and leaves without forgetting to close the curtains.

“What’s your name?” 

“They call me Jung,” the boy answers, weak and unsure. He then points at his sleeping brother, “He’s called Sam.”

Wonwoo’s brows furrow in both confusion and doubt. Why wouldn’t they have official names? Looking at the brothers’ state all over again, it didn’t take Wonwoo long to comprehend what’s really going on. He turns his head to the resident and locks eyes with her, who’s already grasping the situation at hand. He then gives her a nod, signalling her to immediately call children’s services.

Once she leaves, Soonyoung arrives with an envelope. 

“It’s a fracture, but won’t need surgery,” He says happily and Jung sighs in relief. 

“But, you’re staying here for a while,” Wonwoo takes hold of the envelope from his friend. “We just need to run some more tests.”

Soonyoung looks at his friend with wide eyes asking, what are you talking about? But Wonwoo ignores him and keeps his smile in the hopes that the boy doesn’t grow any more agitated.

“Your brother is okay,” he assures Jung and squeezes his shoulder. “We’ll put the cast on his arm and clean the cut on your lip shortly. Stay here, okay?”

He pushes his friend out after the boy gives them a nod. Soonyoung was still glaring at him at the nonsense he spewed out earlier. Wonwoo puts a finger on his lip, gesturing for him to not say a thing yet until they move to somewhere more quiet. 

“What is going on?” Soonyoung whispered-shouts when they reached what seemed to be the fire exit. “What tests are we still running?”

“It’s a lie,” Wonwoo answers and smooths the lines on his forehead, thinking and thinking on what he should do. “We need to keep them here. I think… they’re victims of abuse and trafficking.”

Soonyoung’s jaw drops while his legs grow weak, making him stumble. This is nothing new to them. But even so, it still makes him sick to the stomach. He just nodded as he didn’t need to say anything else.

“I already asked for children’s services and they could arrive here anytime soon,” Wonwoo continues. “They looked like they escaped. I won’t be surprised if someone suddenly barges here, claiming they’re the parent or guardian.”

“What do we do when that happens?”

“We keep them safe,” he answers firmly. “No matter what.”

Every staff at the Emergency Room was alerted about the situation of the boys. Authorities were also called and they’ll be arriving soon. Wonwoo gave strict orders to not disclose any information about them to anyone who claims they are the parent or guardian. Any affiliation they assume is not acceptable unless they can prove it. 

The boys were transferred to a ward once Sam’s treatment was done. Wonwoo brought them some food, water and spare gowns to rid them of the excuse of clothes they’ve been wearing for who knows how long. It’s unbearable to imagine what they have gone through but seeing them get comfortable is enough to bring some peace to Wonwoo’s mind. 

He requested Soonyoung to stay with them or at least check on them from time to time and make sure no one goes inside their room other than the designated staff. He just needs the representative of the children’s services to arrive and they’ll start knowing what the next steps to take from there. 

Now that’s settled, Wonwoo can now go back to his routine and job.

Or not. 

“You’re Highness.”

His security detail stands before him, complete and blocking his way to the elevator that could bring him back to the Emergency Room. Wonwoo can notice the tense and nervous expressions on their faces like children about to admit the trouble they just caused. He had requested before that they be posted on the sides to not hinder him from working. They’re only to jump into action when it’s life threatening and by the looks of it they’re here in his face just to do that but he still asks.

“What are you doing here?”

The head of the group bows his head. “The Emergency Room is being held hostage by armed men. We need to leave as soon as possible.”

Wonwoo’s heart almost felt like it stopped beating. “No.” 

He needs to move. He needs to go back there. He can’t just leave.

Wonwoo forces his body against the men standing firm on their positions, only to be held back. His head of security nods at his men to not let him go and carry him if they have to. 

“No, no, no!”

Wonwoo thrashes from their hold as he screamed for them to let him go. He can hear his security speaking to his mic to prepare the vehicle that would transfer him to safety but in that second all men drop to the ground and shield him when an ear-splitting clap suddenly reverberates through the walls.

A gunshot was fired.

Meanwhile, you were brought to the top floor of the hospital at one of the private rooms reserved for the members of the Royal Family when you insisted on staying. Jeongyeon and the rest of your security detail were more than distressed at your stubbornness, fearing for the earful they’re going to get once this is all over. But they would rather have that than leave you and neglect their duty.

“Your Highness, we really have to go,” Jeongyeon reiterates, still trying to convince you while shaking your shoulders. 

You shake your head and avoid her eyes. “No, we can’t just leave the people here. We can’t leave…” you pause then whisper softly, “Wonwoo.”

Jeongyeon nods. “I know, I know. But the Royal Police are on their way and the Prince’s security detail is already with him. The two of you cannot stay here any longer. It’s an order from His Majesty.”

You swallow the lump on your throat. You can’t think. You can’t process whatever the hell is ensuing downstairs. The lives of innocent people, your innocent people, are at stake. 

You just can’t leave. You have to do something. 

“We’re not leaving this hospital until those armed men are immobilized.”

Jeongyeon wishes to plead further but all you hear was ringing when the sound of what you’ve been fearing the most resonated inside the room. 

Security scrambles and moves at a speed of light to protect you with their bodies. They were screaming among themselves but you fail to register what they’re saying. You fail to hear nor see your surroundings.

Everything became a blur.

Everything became nothing as your heart beated a thousand times faster than normal and the only person running through your mind is no one else but the Prince who was beside you just last night but is now in imminent danger.

Please, Wonwoo. Please.

“Their Majesties condemns the hostage taking that occurred at the Royal Hospital,” Prime Minister Lee starts, looking straight at the camera. “Their Majesties assures and promises the public that they will be held accountable for the crime they have committed but most importantly for the distress and trauma they have caused the patients. They commend the prompt action that the Hospital’s Security and Royal Police have taken resulting in no casualties.”

“Prime Minister Lee!” A reporter raises their hand. “Can you confirm that His and Her Highness Jeon Wonwoo and Y/N were at the hospital when the hostage took place?”

“Yes,” he answers, “Her Highness, Princess Y/N, was admitted to the hospital yesterday after fainting at her office…”

You switch the TV off with the remote before throwing it on the couch. You walk to the window with crossed arms and watch the Royal Police vehicles leave one by one after clearing the Emergency Room and declaring it safe. It’s now back to its normal operations. 

Apparently, the gunshot was fired by the police, wounding one of the hostage takers. They took advantage of that distraction to finally hold them down and arrest them right away. There’s no official statement from the Royal Police yet as they are still investigating further. You make a commitment to get to the bottom of this.

They’re gone now.

But Wonwoo is still unheard of. 

He’s safe, they told you. But that didn’t stop you from biting your nails, walking back and forth and pulling your hairs from the roots. You need to see him. 

“Your Highness,” Jeongyeon calls for you and your head snaps up. She gives you a small smile before opening the door she’s holding wider.

Wonwoo enters with a tired smile and you almost burst into tears. You ran to him as fast as you could, but your legs were weakened by worry, you almost fell. It’s a good thing Wonwoo meets you halfway and catches you in his arms. 

You take every tangible thing about him. You take and you take as you hold his waist tightly and bury your face to his chest. “You can’t do that to me.”

Wonwoo sighs in content upon breathing in your scent and hearing your voice. He wraps his one arm around your waist while the other holds your head gently. He stays silent and just holds you for as long as he desires. After the horror that transpired earlier, holding you like this is what he desperately needed. 

“Let’s get you home, Princess.”

#seventeen #wonwoo #seventeen wonwoo #seventeen scenarios #wonwoo scenarios #seventeen imagines #wonwoo imagines #seventeen fluff #wonwoo fluff #seventeen scenario #wonwoo scenario #seventeen imagine #wonwoo imagine #fic: ifliys

[guiltydumpling]

The Guard: Chapter 5

[KUVIRA X READER ROYAL AU]

Summary: “I called you all here to announce that we have a guest arriving sometime later today. Princess Y/N of the Kingdom of Elysian” The people in the throne room looked at one another confusingly. “Their palace was under sieged and the king had to send the princess away to keep her safe from any assassination attempts. Their kingdom has done a lot for us and has proven to be great allies for generations. She’s come a long way and has been traveling for a week, I expect nothing less than for all of you to treat her as you do a member of the royal family and to attend to everything and anything, she might ask for… This poor child has already been through too much.” There was silence in the throne room for a while, as they let the information sink in. “Dismissed.”

A/N: Hi beautiful beings <3 Holy crap i’m back and I know it took me like a thousand years to update and I really have no excuse for that but I’ve been receiving messages and question about whether or not I will continue this story and guess what... YES I WILL! there’s only about 2 chapters left after this and an epilogue so watch out for that and thank you so much for the support! This is my first ever fic so I never expected to get this much love from the readers! anyway... Enjoy ;)

Word Count: 4.7k

~ ~ ~

He’s dead… your father is dead. They told you he was poisoned by the wine that was served during the peace negotiation meeting, that the poison didn’t take effect until he was brought into his chambers for the night and his mouth started to foam, blood coming out of his nose and ears, before he collapsed on the floor and that his body wasn’t discovered until the next morning when his servants would usually get him ready for the day. You were saddened by your father’s death but mostly angered.

You were sat on the training grounds on the bench where you first opened up to Kuvira about your kingdom’s situation. You felt your eyes burn from all the tears you have shed for not only your father but your home. You stared at the stars that lit up the dark sky and all you could think about in this moment was your sister. How different things would be if she were still here you thought.

A few moments later and you did not move from your position when you hear someone walking towards you. You didn’t have to turn around to see who it was because you already knew who would be stupid enough or brave enough or both, to follow you when you clearly wanted to be alone.

“I’m sorry about your father” Kuvira spoke a few feet from where you were sitting.

“Why are you sorry? You weren’t the one that killed him” you said coldly. All manners and sensitivity abandoned.

She didn’t speak for a while and you turned your head to finally meet her eyes. They were sad and full of worry for you and somehow you felt a pang of guilt, she just wanted to be there for you. “Sit with me?” you ask her in a softer tone, and she does. You grab her hand to intertwine your fingers with her and you place it on your lap turning your attention back to the stars as you both sat there quietly.

Kuvira loved to banter and tease, it was basically her form of endearment not only towards you but to everyone around her that she cared about. Despite that, she knows exactly when you just needed silence and her presence alone. This was one of those times and you were so thankful for that.

“I guess I’m a queen now” you say as a matter of fact and she hums in response.

“I would be lying if I said that I never wanted to be queen. I’ve thought about it once or twice when I was a stupid child, but I would always push the thought back when I would come to the realization of what exactly being queen would cost me.” And you were right. It cost you everything. Your sister, your father, your home, your happiness, your freedom, everything.

“Have I ever told you about my sister?” you asked her, not tearing your eyes away from the sky.

“No. But I know you two were close” She says

“We were.” You gently smiled at the memory of you and your sister running around court, hiding from your guards because all you wanted to do was play in the garden all day. You two were inseparable.

“My father would often joke about how we were practically joint at the hip.” You continue and you see Kuvira smile gently from your peripheral.

“We were both opposites in everything. From our duties, to our skills, even to our aspirations. You see, my sister loved being a firebender. You should have seen her when she first discovered her gift, she nearly burned down the garden.” You say with a slight laugh.

“Our father had her trained by the best masters in our kingdom and she became a master herself. She was stubborn as well, that’s what made her a great fighter. She was outspoken and rowdy and very much like my father when he was in his youth. Or at least that’s what our servants would tell me. I on the other hand took from my mother, I was quiet and timid, I devoured book after book, practiced the discipline of art and music, and I wanted pretty much nothing but to be able to see the world and its beauty and culture. That was my destiny. To share my gift of knowledge to the people around me, and hopefully contribute to it. However, my sister, was destined to stay in Elysian and be responsible for our family’s line and heritage. But she had other plans in mind. She wanted to become a soldier, she wanted to fight, and that meant having to renounce the family name and her title in order to do so, and you can only imagine how furious father was when she told him. They got into a huge fight after that conversation and they barely talked afterwards. That’s when their relationship started to wither. She would often escape at night to go to town and observe civilians living their life according to their will, she told me it was fascinating, and she was jealous of them all, then she met this man. He was just a farmer’s son and he didn’t know the real identity of my sister, so he pursued her, and they fell in love. But one of the roaming soldiers caught them half undressed in one of the stables behind the man’s home and they dragged the man away for violating her highness.” You paused for a while, remember the poor man’s face, he was so terrified and clueless at the time. Dragged in chains, when all he was doing was spending the night with the woman he loved and thought he knew.

“They sentenced him to be exiled and had his family’s land stripped from them as payment for dishonoring royal blood with peasant hands. I heard his father was killed in an alley by angry citizens because of the deeds of his own son, and that his mother died from a disease that could not be treated because they no longer had the means to pay for medication, leaving his little sister to sell herself to desperate low-life men just to be able to fill her stomach. My sister had every right to be furious. She was put under supervision the entire day and had the guards stationed in her chambers doubled at night. Chantou ordered the exile sentence of the man and told my father that he should find my sister a husband soon so that this kind of thing does not happen again. And that’s what my father did. He wrote a proposal to one of our allies and they agreed that marrying their offspring would make a better knot than any treaty would.” You shake your head in disapproval of the memories and let out a sigh of pity for your sister.

“Months passed and her marriage was nearing. She barely left her room so I only saw her once a week at best, and whenever she would have conversations with my father it would end in a screaming match or at least one of them storming out of the room. My father believed that what he was doing was for the best, or at least that’s what he told himself when Chantou was basically gaslighting my father into forcing my sister into submission… The night before her wedding, she didn’t leave her room the entire day. It was late at night when I heard a crash in her room since I was only across the hall from her. When I tried to check on her myself, she was being held down by two of the guards and she was thrashing around, blood on her feet and knuckles while her handmaiden tried to calm her down. She was having a meltdown basically. When she saw me enter the room, she settled down quite bit and just started crying hysterically while her handmaiden looked at me with pleading eyes not knowing what to do anymore. The room was a mess, there were shards of glass on the floor and flipped furniture but all I could think about was how I barely recognized her. She was much thinner, her eyes were circled dark, and her hair was all over her face. I felt so bad for her.” You say feeling your chest tighten.

“I told the guards to let her go and that I would take care of her which immediately got her to finally settle down and I had her handmaiden and guards leave us alone so I could personally attend to her. Which I did. None of us spoke as I cleaned her up and put her in bed before I attempted to clean up the mess, she made in her room. I didn’t want to leave her just in case she woke up and had an episode again, so I decided to sleep on the couch of her room. A few moments later I was woken up by a cold breeze and when I opened my eyes, I saw the balcony window wide open and I immediately searched for my sister on her bed, but she wasn’t there anymore.” You feel the tears start to brim in your eyes, but you held it down not wanting to cry anymore.

“I immediately got up and went straight to the balcony and that was when I saw her… just standing still on the railings, wind blowing her nightgown and unkempt hair. I didn’t know what to do and I… I was frozen in place. But I called her, and she looked back at me with tears in her emotionless eyes as she told me she loved me. I told her I loved her back and that I would always be there for her… I was begging her to come down from the railing, but she just stared at me…then she asked me if I really loved her, which of course I said yes to, and then she smiled, for the first time since the day of her lover’s exile she smiled… the only reply she gave me was “good. Then take care of everything for me okay?” those were her last words and she just… jumped. And I don’t remember much but I think I was screaming? Or maybe I was trying to, but nothing seemed to come out. But I passed out on the balcony and woke up in my room with my father sitting on the foot of my bed only to tell me that my sister committed suicide.” You finish, and you swallow the lump in your throat as you held Kuvira’s hand tighter.

“Is that why your sister’s death took such a big toll on your father? Perhaps he felt like it was his fault?” She asked carefully and you nod your head to confirm.

As much as Kuvira felt bad for your sister she couldn’t help but feel her blood boil. How could your sister do that to you? Leave all the mess she created to you? Even the audacity to take her life in front of you while you were begging her not to. Why did everything have to fall on your shoulders?

And now your father is gone, your home is in a civil war, and you were blaming yourself for everything when none of this was ever in your control. You had such big dreams, and you had such a big heart. Why is that all being wasted on a mistake you didn’t make?

Call Kuvira biased, but you absolutely did not deserve any of this.

After a while you chuckled lightly at the stars before you, causing Kuvira to raise an eyebrow at you. “What’s so funny?” she asks, and you simply shrug

“When my sister died, I was so angry… I wanted to lash out on everyone and everything but my father… He was silent. I would often catch him sitting on my sister’s balcony at night staring at the sky and when I asked him why, he told me that he used to do that too when my mother passed away. He said that our ancestors used to say that when somebody we love crosses the afterlife, they become our guardians… and the stars we see are actually their eyes looking down on us from the heavens.” You explain

“That’s beautiful” She comments

“It’s bullshit” you state abruptly. “I always thought it was stupid, something old people would say to comfort the young when they would lose someone” you paused, eyes still searching the stars. “But why is it that all I’m trying to do right now is look for their eyes?” you wonder out loud. Desperation perhaps? You wanted a sign, anything, that will indicate what to do next. If the stars were really your loved ones watching over you, then why has nothing in your life worked out for you?

You felt alone. Then you turn to the person beside you. The person who was still holding your trembling hands and sat beside you in your darkest moment and will continue to do so as long you allow her to. You weren’t alone. You had her. She was the only one you had.

You turn to her, taking your free hand, you bring it to her face and slowly caress her cheek. She looks at you with a slight confusion at the sudden affection but places hand above yours anyway.

“Promise me something.” You whisper to her “Promise me that your different. That you’ll stay… Promise me you won’t leave me?” you whisper in a desperate tone, tears threatening to fall from your eyes and Kuvir smiles gently at you. “I love you. Spirits know how much I do… I promise I’ll never leave you.” Kuvira whispered back, lump forming in her throat.

She promised you that she will never leave you and she knew in her heart and her soul that she never could even if she tried. But everything’s different now. You had duties; you were queen. No amount of love in this stupid world could ever provide you a legitimate heir with her. It was you who had to leave her.

She pulled you into a hug and you pressed your cheeks against her chest, letting your tears flow freely once more. “I love you so much” you sniffled.

~ ~ ~

You were now seated on the edge of your bed with Kuvira sprawled on the sheets beside you.

“I think the Avatar may be paying us a visit tomorrow” She stated

“Yeah?” You asked unconsciously eyes glued to your lap. You feel Kuvira shift from her initial position to crawl over to your side on the bed before snaking her arms round your waist, resting her chin on your shoulder. “hey…” she whispered gently, and you hummed in response, still not moving a muscle.

“You need to rest” she said her tone laced with concern for you.

You did need rest. Your eyes were sore from crying and you simply don’t have enough energy to even hug Kuvira back. You were so tired.

You nodded you head and turn your face towards her and kissed her cheek as you smile gently at the woman. “Scoot over” you say, and she does exactly that.

You laid under the covers in the dark, your legs tangled with Kuvira’s arms wrapped around you as you rest your head on her chest feeling her calming breath.

“What are you thinking about?” you asked after a few moments of silence.

“Honestly? Your guard.” She said with a slight chuckle

“What about him?” you asked in curiosity

“He must be wondering why I still have not left your room” she responded, and you gave a light laugh

“Don’t worry… He’s a great secret keeper” you assured her, and she simply nodded, trusting your judgement.

“Stay with me ‘til I wake up?” you asked her, and she lets out a sigh causing you to look up and meet her emerald eyes. “Please?” you pleaded, and she looks at you sadly, already giving you the answer to your question. “It’s fine.” You simply say turning away from her once more and you feel her hand gently caress you.

“You know I would if I could… please don’t be upset.” She explained and you simply shook your head

“No, I’m not upset… I understand you have your duties, it’s just… sad.” You explain

“Damn… love sucks.” Kuvira mutters and you couldn’t help but give light chuckle nodding your head in agreement.

“Yeah… it does.” You responded.

After a few moments you started to feel your eyes go droopy and you felt Kuvira’s breathing slow down as well. “Stay beside me in the meeting tomorrow, okay?” you muttered half asleep earning a hum of acknowledgment from Kuvira as you both gave in to the comfort of sleep.

~ ~ ~

You woke up the next morning from the sunlight peeking through your curtains and you slowly open your eyes. Instinctively, the first thing your body does is stretch your arm across your bed to Kuvira’s side only to feel a pang of disappointment when she was no longer there. You knew she wouldn’t be. But you couldn’t help but hope.

As per usual, Zhu Li helped you get ready for the day, dressing you in all black as a sign of grief and the next thing you know you were seated in the war room across the Avatar. Your guard and Empress Suyin were in the room as well, with Kuvira seated beside you.

“We received a message from Elysian, it’s addressed to you, your majesty.” Your guard starts, retrieving an envelope and handing it over to you.

The room was quiet while they patiently waited for you to finish the letter. It was from Chantou. And he was asking your hand in marriage. Why were you not surprised?

Chantou was not a nice man. He was greedy and always wanted what he could not have, but even though, he was smart about everything. All his moves calculated from the very beginning or you wouldn’t have been in this mess otherwise.

You knew exactly why he was asking your hand in marriage. Your marriage would make him legitimate because as of now, to the eyes of your people, he was a usurper, which was exactly what he was. But with you as rightful heir, Elysians will accept him. Your people loved the royal family and for a traitor like Chantou who did not have any claim to the throne, it was no question if the Elysian people might kill him themselves. He needed you. And as much is made your stomach churn, you needed him too. At least for now, as you try to claim your birth right. You needed the nobles on your side again, and right now, they were loyal to him.

You look up from the letter to meet 4 pair of eyes on you, eagerly waiting for you to tell them what was on it.

“Chantou’s asking my hand in marriage” you finally say, and their reaction were exactly what you expected. Confusion, anger, disgust, and for the woman beside you, fear.

“Like hell you would!” The avatar exclaimed but you simply kept quiet.

“He must be crazier than I thought if he thinks you are ever going to agree to that!” Kuvira commented but still, you remained silent. “Right?” she pressed, her eyes trying to meet yours, but you refuse. Instead, your eyes meet Suyin’s. She knew exactly what you were thinking, and she knew exactly why he was asking your hand in marriage. In her time as an empress, she has probably seen all kinds of tactics people use just to gain the power they didn’t deserve. This was one of them.

“Your majesty.” Kuvira speaks once more, this time in a lower more demanding tone and you finally meet her eyes.

“I’ve decided to accept it.” You finally say and together with the avatar and your guard, Kuvira give you a look of disbelief.

You decided to explain yourself and your decision to them. Talking to them about why he asked your hand in marriage and why you were willing to accept such terms. The Avatar, being her usual brash self, told you to just take Elysian back by force. But you rebutted by arguing that you did not have enough men or resources to do such thing. Meanwhile, Kuvira was kept silent.  Her jaws were clenched and was breathing heavily but you tried your best not pay much attention to it as you stood by your decision.

After a few moments of discussion Suyin finally speaks up. “Maybe we should give this a little more thought and process… Of course, I’m not suggesting that you have not your majesty” She said, careful to not offend you. “But perhaps its best if we let ourselves clear our heads and we can come back maybe later in the day to discuss your final decision. If you still wish to accept his proposal… then I personally will support, you.” She finishes and you give her a gentle smile.

You doubt you were going to change your mind but for everyone’s sake, you agreed and had dispersed.

~ ~ ~

You were near the training grounds shooting arrows to a target with your guard a few feet behind you. Shooting arrows used to be an activity that got your mind off of things, but now it just achingly reminds you of your father. A few shots later you heard steps coming towards you. You didn’t bother looking when you knew exactly who those footsteps belong to.

The footsteps came to a halt and you saw Kuvira’s figure in your peripheral. You already knew her purpose for finding you and you just honestly did not have the energy or the heart right now to tell her that you were going to push through your decision. Choosing to ignore her, you continue shooting arrows.

“Leave us.” Kuvira states, tone filled with authority. No wonder why the other guards around here are terrified of her. You thought.

The look at your guard to give a nod for approval and he distances himself from the two of you, far enough for conversation privacy but close enough that he can still keep his eyes on you.

“What do you want Kuvira?” you ask in the most neutral tone you could muster as you shot another arrow.

“Don’t act like you don’t know why I’m here Y/N” she answers, tone still laced with authority.

You took a deep breath before shooting another arrow. Bullseye. You put the bow down and turned to finally look at her. She was fuming. You couldn’t quite put your finger on the exact emotion she was expressing just yet, but you knew it was anything good.

You took a deep breath before answering her, “I’ve made up my mind. I’m going through with my decision. If you don’t like that, then leave.” You say, trying your hardest to not show any emotion. You couldn’t.

“How could you say that? To me, of all people! Do you honestly believe that marrying that son of a bitch is the only way out of this?!” She raises her voice taking a few steps towards you and you almost stepped back, but you held your ground.

“No! It’s not the only way! I can just easily declare a civil war right now and hold on to my pride and title as I let nameless soldiers die on the field while I sit in my chambers drinking tea waiting for a victory, I didn’t take part in! Or I can stop it. Right here. Right now. Without anybody else getting hurt!” You challenged her. It was true. You thought about the options you could take and it all just ended up either more people dying or simply losing. This wasn’t the only way to win back your kingdom, but it was the best way to do it.

“Then don’t.” Kuvira states and you raise a brow in confusion. “That’s what I just said… I don’t underst--what? Haven’t you been listening to what I’ve been saying since the meeting?!” you groan in frustration. Kuvira takes a step towards you not turning her eyes away from your evidently confused features.

“Don’t declare a civil war. Let us do it.” She explains and you feel your breath hitch. You shake your head and take a step back trying to process what she’s saying. “This is madness Kuvira… even for you…”

Having Zaofu declare war on behalf of your family was a huge risk to their empire. You can’t say the thought never crossed your mind when you arrived in Zaofu and you saw the thousands upon thousands of elite soldiers, bender and non-benders alike, not to mention the resources they have remaining stagnant. You knew that you had nothing to lose and that’s what makes declaring a war yourself moot, you had nothing to bargain with but your claim to the throne. How selfish do you have to be just to claim back your kingdom? Your home?

“You’ve seen Zaofu yourself your majesty, we have more strength and power than the wealthiest kingdoms combined. Declaring war on your behalf won’t even cost us half of our excess” She explains, basically confirming your theory. “And what of the empress? What will she have to say about this rash decision you are proposing to me?” you ask as a matter of fact. Your heart was racing, and your palms were getting clammy from this conversation. Why? You’ve yet to figure that out yourself.

“Su just lost one of her most loyal and strongest allies and her best friend. She’s not about to let the remaining daughter of the two people she cared about the most, to sell herself to a usurper when she gave her word that she will protect you at any cost.” Kuvira states and she takes your hand into hers eager to see your face to give her a hint of what you’re thinking right now. Your hands were trembling, and you were feeling guilt eat your heart and soul. Is this the cost for salvation? Selfish drive and wishful thinking? What would your father do? What would your mother say? What would your sister tell you?

You lightly shake your head, still not fully accepting this decision “no… I don- ugh! Spirits, I don’t know what to do!” you let out in frustration. And Kuvira put her index below your chin to gently tilt your head up to meet her gaze. “You are the smartest woman I know. You always know what to do…” She whispers and you feel tears forming when you let out a sigh.

You knew what to do. You just didn’t want to admit it. Your first plan had a lot of flaws in it to start with. Chantou could just easily poison you like he did with your father and declare you died of illness to your people after he gains their favor. You would’ve never ceased the throne back, not to mention you had to have eyes at the back of your head 24/7 knowing that nobody was loyal to you in the palace anymore.

Kuvira’s proposal was exactly what you needed. A display of external power and allies. A reminder to Chantou that his claim to Elysia threatened our close powerful allies, and that they would not sit idly by as they watch their sister kingdom perish. It was the right thing to do.

It’s the right thing to do.

Kuvira cups your face into her hands, and you are forced to look at her once more. “Su loves you. Your people love you. I love you. And I know that your father would never want you to go through your original plan because he died to save you and Elysia. Please… Let Zaofu fight for you… Let me fight for you”

You feel the tears forming in your eyes cascade down your face and you give her a gentle smile. The first time you did anything for yourself was when you confessed your love to Kuvira. And now… you’re letting yourself be selfish once more.

“Okay.” You finally answer.

#kuvira #kuvira x reader #kuvira/reader #kuvira fanfic #tlok #the legend of korra #royal au #F/F romance #W|W #fic

[diaryofabeautyfiend]

Small Time Witch (26)

“I was a broken man after the attack on New York. I...I...I was tortured by Thanos. After my capture I was weak and physically broken. It took months for the healers to tend to me. A full year before I was thrown in the dungeon.”

“You looked ok on the news.”

Loki chuckled, “Appearances are everything, my darling. Had my mother not been there I would have died. Should have.”

“Lok, don’t say that. Had you died you would have never met me. I’m clearly the highlight of your life.”

“Of course you are. I’m sure, had you been there, you would have pestered me into surviving. You are relentless. And I love you for it.”

*******************************************

You woke up much too warm and your back was drenched. You peeled yourself off of Loki trying to wake him. His head fell back onto the pillow. He was unresponsive. You panicked and shook him. Nothing. You pressed your ear to his heart and heard it beating fast.

After your initial freak out you remembered you were a witch and could freeze him. Idiot. You ran your cold hands over his head neck and under his arms trying to lower his body temperature. His body cooled and sweat dried. When his eyes cracked open you conjured a glass of water and sat him up to drink. It was hours before you heard anyone move about. Josefine knocked on your door to let you know it was time to pay up.

“He needs a healer.” you said without any other sort of greeting. She glanced over your shoulder and nodded.

“I’ll send for someone.”

Njord, an imposing sort of fellow was the, king’s personal healer. He burst into the room. Your hands were still splayed over Loki’s chest attempting to keep his core temperature down.

Josefine rested her hand on your shoulder, “Let him work, witch.” There was no discernible tone behind her voice. She said witch as easily as she could have said your name.

“How long has he been this way?” Njord’s voice boomed.

“I’m not sure. He was burning with fever when I woke up this morning. So sometime overnight.”

He grumbled his way through the exam. You were nearly crawling out of your skin you were so worried. With a final “hmph” Njord seemed to have reached a satisfactory diagnosis.

“His life force feels like it’s been skinned alive. It will take some time to recover and this is no place to do it. I’ll send transportation. The prince will be moved to the palace. I will see to his care personally. Witch, I will not alert Odin or Prince Thor as to his whereabouts. I do, however, believe a mother should not have to worry herself sick about her son. I will send for her.”

When you arrived at the palace Frigga was already waiting. You were still cooling him as the healers brought him in. Njord bowed to the Queen and then gave you a curt nod. They lay him down on the bed and started packing cold rags around his body.

“Thank you, dear. We can take it from here.” She dismissed you like a common nurse maid. Had she even looked at you she would clearly see you were still in your t-shirt and tac pants. When you didn’t move she lifted her head and her eyes grew wide.

“Your majesty. This is Y/N of Midgard. She has been caring for the prince. She is his prisoner” Njord explained.

When Frigga looked at you her face was a mask of horror. She looked you up and down scrutinizing you at a loss for words.

“Not exactly his prisoner so much as I helped him escape.” You knotted your fingers together and kept your eyes on the floor.

Loki groaned in pain and you were both at his side in a heartbeat. You pushed his hair off his forehead. His fever was spiking. You tried to cool him down but he fought against your magic. “Shhh, Lok. I’ve got you” you whispered in his ear. He settled down and leaned into your touch. “Better?” He nodded against your hand. His eyes fluttered open. He smiled at you drunk on whatever medication that gave him.

“You really do love me.” His words slurred and blurred together. You giggled and kissed his temple. He wasn’t sure if it was the drugs or not but he loved the sound of your giggling. It was the first time he heard it and it was like little tinkling bells in his ear. “It’s nice to be loved.”

“It is. Get some rest.”

“You won’t leave me?”

“Not for a single second.”

He beamed at you while he drifted in and out of sleep. “I’ll bet you’re a good wife to me. You certainly are my type.”

“Lok, that’s not exactly high praise considering your type is pulse optional.”

He laughed and that turned into a groaning cough. “Norns you know me well.”

Your cheeks were burning. Frigga cleared her throat, “I’m sorry what?”

“Oh. Hello mother. This is Y/N. She is to be my wife.”

“Son, that is the fever taking. Try to get some rest.”

“No. He’s telling the truth. I’m his wife. Or was. Or will be. More accurately his widow at the moment. Time travel!” You threw up your free hand and shrugged.

She nervously laughed and took your hands, “Well then, dear, welcome to the family.”

You plopped down in a chair beside the bed and started to doze off. You heard Frigga talking to Loki and Njord but you didn’t comprehend what they were saying.

Loki ran a weak finger up and down your cheek. “Y/N, you look and smell awful. Someone will show you to a bath and a proper bed. Maybe get you something to eat.”

“Mhmm” was all you could say. You followed behind a very tall very blonde young woman who spoke gently to you. The hot water felt amazing. You allowed every muscle to relax. At one point the blonde came back in to set down some Vanaheim appropriate attire and lunch. You could get used to this.

You wished you had any one of your friends here to help you plan. Though, at this point, you are more plotting and scheming. You had to have something to offer Vanaheim to let Loki remain in their care. You also had to convince Thor and Odin that Loki shouldn’t be thrown in a dungeon. If there was ever a time to be charming, it was now.

You dressed and finished lunch then went back to Loki’s room. Frigga was waiting for you in the sitting room just outside the bedroom door.

“Do I bow? I’m not sure what the protocol is. We don’t exactly have a royal family where I live.”

“You’re family. We hug.” When she went to embrace you she placed her hand on your forehead. She had the same gift as Loki. You thought for a moment that she might be offended watching the things you’ve done with her son. Maybe she will skip those parts.

“I don’t peek at intimate moments” she said as if she read your mind. She saw everything else. Your happiness. Your squabbles. Your deep and abiding love for each other. Most important was your grief. She saw the night he died how you screamed and how you collapsed into Steve’s arms when his soul was unbound. She removed her trembling hand and pulled you in for a real hug. She wept quietly on your shoulder. You cried too having relived all of those memories in rapid fire.

“He’s right. You are a good wife to him. That is truly all a mother could ever want for her children. Their happiness. And you gave that to him in abundance. And to have a daughter with such power! The Norns have truly blessed us.”

“I have to meet with a seer. I need to know what my next move should be.”

“I will see to it personally. Why don’t you go rest for a while?”

Before heading back to your room you checked in on Loki once more. He was sleeping peacefully. You kissed his forehead and he sighed in appreciation.

After a much needed rest, as promised, Frigga brought in a seer. Not just any prophet but the special prophet to the king himself.

You dispensed with the pleasantries and she got down to business. She held your hands and closed her eyes. Many possibilities flew into view. You imagined she was a lot like the Time Keepers.

“You’re a conduit.” she said with a surprised smile. You nodded. “I’m not sure you know how powerful you are, my dear.”

“Loki said the same thing the first day he met me.”

“Well he was right. You have an opportunity here. An out with Odin and an in with the king. If you pledge that you will learn with the Vanir, I believe the small council will agree to care for you and the prince until he is well. As for Odin, well, when he knows what you can do he will have no choice.”

“I am no more powerful that Loki or Frigga.”

“Oh but you are. Y/N, you are strong enough to harness the powers of the infinity stones. Possess two and you are unstoppable. But all six....you can rule the Nine.”

“How would I even do that without creating branches in the timeline? The Ancient One warned us.”

“You and Loki have already created a pretty big one haven’t you? You can fix everything. Defeat Thanos before he invades Earth and you can right every wrong.”

You let her words seduce you. You would be a hero and your friends would never have to know Thanos’ name. The grief and guilt will never plague Thor. Bucky will never be lost and Steve would carry on with his life. But what would you be sacrificing if you went through with this plan? This is not a ripple in the timeline it’s a tidal wave.

“What’s the catch?”

She smiled, “Smart girl. You’ll save everyone but whatever lives changed because of the snap won’t happen because the snap won’t happen. Can you live with that?”

The resounding answer was yes. It was a sacrifice for you to be sure. Your friends will never know you. They won’t know what they were missing. “I’ll do it.”

She smiled and shook your hand then left to inform the small council. You debated on whether or not you should tell Loki. Perhaps it would be better if you didn’t. The tasseract was his prize. The power that drove him mad and made him do his worst. Odin had hidden it away but the cube and Loki seemed to be drawn to one another. Becoming one with the cube would draw him to you more. Hard to be sure now if he would actually fall in love with you or with whatever you would become. You had to tell him.

The small council and the king called you in and decided that Loki could stay. You made them promise that, even if Loki refused you, they would let him stay anyway. They agreed under the condition that you would work for them no matter what. You had very little choice. You just wanted him safe even if it meant that he wasn’t with you. You would leave for Asgard first thing to meet with Odin.

You asked to have dinner alone with Loki so you could discuss your plans. He sat in his bed with a tray over his lap. You were in the chair off to the side with your feet resting on the bed.

The mood in the room was comfortable. Civil. He would only occasionally ask you a question which you only answered with one word sentences and nods. “How’s the wine?”

“Good”

“Are your accommodations acceptable?”

“Yep”

You’d try to talk but stop yourself. You feel like you are about to burst. You push your food around taking small bites. Your stomach clenched uncomfortably. Another swallow of wine to give you courage. One more gulp to shut your mouth. Drain the glass to distract yourself. You were so far into your head that you didn’t notice him asking another question.

“Mortal, did you hear me?” He knocked your foot off the bed. Thankfully your glass was empty because it tumbled out of your hand and rolled on to the bed. “What’s wrong with you tonight?”

“What do you mean?”

“You aren’t your chatty self. Have I scared you off already?”

You didn’t dignify that with an answer. You felt the words bubbling in your throat like vomit. You closed your eyes and let them flow out of you as fast as possible.

“I’m leaving for a few days to visit Asgard. I’m going to negotiate your release to the king of Vanaheim in exchange for my services.”

He quirked and eyebrow, “Which are?”

“I’m a conduit. A powerful one. I can absorb the stones and stop Thanos before he destroys Asgard, Xandar, Earth and every other planet he obliterated searching for him. I can beat him, Loki.”

“I didn’t think it possible but you are more insane than I am. You can’t beat Thanos. He’s a titan.”

You scoffed and waived him off, “Titan is just a fancy name for older god. Even if I take in two infinity stones I’m unstoppable.”

“Why are you doing this?” His voice was quiet. He tried to convey indifference but came off sullen and hurt instead.

“I don’t ever want my friends and family to be hurt by this lunatic. And I know...I know I will be changing everything but I’ve already changed everything by rescuing you.”

He was up from the bed pacing just like you now. “There will always be something! If it isn’t Thanos it’s some other thing threatening the universe. It’s how the universe keeps going. Do you intend on killing everything that decides to rise up?!”

“No. He crushed entire civilizations. He is a plague. He....” Your voice faltered and tears spilled hot over your cheeks. “He tortured you and choked the life out of you. He took everything from us. He needs to be eliminated.”

All you wanted was for Loki to wrap his arms around you. He was across the room staring wildly trying to hold back tears. You were consumed by your need for revenge and that was a sure fire way to lose. You needed higher purpose something other than him. If your motives weren’t true Thanos was sure to crush your skull and turn you to dust.

What you were proposing was dangerous and stupid and reckless. You so blindly took the advice of one seer. Who knows what her motives were? Who knows what you would become if you were successful?

Yes, Loki could fall in love with you. You were the woman he dreamt of his whole life. Powerful. Wickedly smart. You could keep up with his whims and threw back just as hard. You were boundlessly and relentlessly curious. You loved to learn. These were all things he cherished in you in the short time he’s known you. And, most important was that you loved him. It was deep and he couldn’t imagine how he even got you to love him. This very love that was so blinding to you would be the exact thing that would kill you. He had to divert you. To refocus your efforts.

“Lok, I’ve put so much at your feet these last few days. I’m going to give you your space to feel for yourself. We’ll talk when I get back ok?” You made your way to the door.

“And if I refuse your advances? What then?!”

You stopped in your tracks. You couldn’t imagine him refusing to even get to know you better. But, if that’s how he felt you wouldn’t push him.

“Then I have my answers and a one way ticket back home.” You flashed him a sweet smile that made his heart ache.

“What will you do?”

You laughed to yourself, “I guess I’ll mourn you properly and let you go. Maybe move on with my life. All the while I’ll wait for the sweet release of death. Not a bad way to exist I suppose. I love you. You know I do. You can feel it. Even if I have to wait...”

He scoffed, “Pathetic! You don’t love me. You love the idea of me. The neutered version of me. The man I became. I’m not that man. I will never be him. You’ve made that certain. You don’t love me. You love a ghost. I don’t love you. I don’t know you. I feel your love for your husband. Not me as I stand before you. Make your sacrifices. Hang yourself on that cross but don’t you dare invoke my name!”

He was shouting now loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear. You held your ground but flinched as he got closer to you. His fists balled up and he pounded the wall next to your head. He was trying to scare you. You were undeterred.

“See you in a few days.”

You unceremoniously left the room without a second glance at him. You slept soundly that night and, as promised, Frigga met you to deliver you to the bifrost. You lifted the cloaking spell so that Heimdall could find you. She hugged you and wished you luck on your journey. In a flash of light you were gone.

When Loki woke up that morning he only felt his own feelings. He felt hollow and drained. He didn’t realize how much you were propping him up in order to heal. You must have been exhausted with how hard you worked to sustain him.

You fought with all of your body and soul to make him open his heart to you. If only you could see your efforts were futile. He was not worthy of redeeming. You had to move on from him. He couldn’t love you. He was too broken.

The thought of never seeing you again made his stomach clench uncomfortably and he wretched into a chamber pot. He crawled back into bed willing himself to disappear. No, today, Loki didn’t love you. He ruined everything he touched. He would ruin you too.

#loki laufeyson #loki x reader #marvel #marvel witches #loki angst #loki of jotunheim #Loki #loki tv #loki fanfic #loki of asgard

[alistonjdrake]

Of Rust and Gold: Season Three

*Or the likely very long intro to my third series of world building and character posts that all have to do with the second to last book in The Saints Song series. 

The other ones are here: 

Season one:  1 2  3  4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Season two:  1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Or can be found via OBS’ wip introduction post here:

heyo

Below you’ll find a run down of the prominent cast and a summary of what they’re all about so let’s get to it.

OBS, the third book in the series, showcases the Escana Empire on the verge of crumbling as a murdered king and a divided government threaten to tear the country apart. As some grapple for power and wealth, others decide to jump ship.

Prince Argus: After escaping the war in Codua and his sorta not-friend with whom he cheated on his husband with, Argus returns to Graza only to find his favorite brother dead and everyone else being a dick. In making an alliance to his father’s old enemy Argus hopes to gain a higher position in the council or in the empire overall as a dead king with infant children usually only means one thing. But y’know, he also has hopes to fix his relationship with Leo and to stop being manipulated by all the sharks swimming around him.

Queen Liliana: Problem in Graza #1. The council is almost evenly divided between her authority and Prince Leonides’, pushing them into a bitter rivalry that was toxic way before King Cidro was murdered. She’s reasonably unhappy.

Prince Leonides: Problem in Graza #2 and it was his idea to keep Cidro’s murder hush, hush until they’re in a better position to handle it. Whatever that means. As the appearance of old enemies and the disappearance of his own allies loosens his usual chokehold on the Escana government, for once Leonides finds himself at a disadvantage and there are many (likely a lot on this list alone) waiting to finally push him from his pedestal.

Lord Barraza: Partnered with Argus and ready to take advantage of the bad blood between Leonides and Liliana. His youngest son is missing after being implicated, arrested, and released from the last attempt at King Cidro’s life. Lord Barraza is pretty stern on maintaining his family’s innocence and that all he wants is peace between the Harvers and Barrazas.

Princess Damaris: Has been kicked out of the Order of the Knights (that international police force type beat) and now has blood on her hands but is currently in protection from the law on account of being a princess y’know. She’s really torn up about it. 

Princess Zurina: In a bit of a twist she’s now kinda close to Leo due to the whole “Damaris killed someone” debacle. As well as slowly learning to exert her own influence while her siblings and the rest of Graza fight with one another. 

Prince Orland: Eleven months older than Zurina and her right hand man. Kinda weird, but so is the whole family tbh.

Chancellor Harver: Bitter as ever. Argus’ involvement in Codua and Damaris’ murder has made Escan’s relationship to the holy capital really strained and has put him in an awkward position. Also, again, technically no longer a prince. 

Prince Aayden Ponsonby: Still cleaning up the conflict in Codua and recovering from whatever happened between him and Argus. His anger problems might have momentarily gotten worse and the precarious health of his father and changing attitudes back home has made his own position as Crown Prince of Oskya a bit tense so he’s often too distracted to be mean. 

Princess Hadley ek Ponsonby | Niężckna Hajnalka lik Villumsen: (I just like writing her whole name). Aayden’s wife. A bit on the wild side, might find herself in Graza because her husband as a (valid) reason to not want to be around Argus and also to keep her safe and away from what’s happening in Oskya. 

Reverend Mother Ulrike: Mother of all Santivian nuns. While she instigated the war in Codua she’s not pleased with some of the outcomes. She has a very anti-Justice Zisa campaign going that she initially was aligned with Chancellor Harver on but then his cousin killed her surrogate son so now things are kinda awkward. 

Hartanti Telak: Also currently missing. Still amazing and stunning though. She was last seen criticizing a nobleman for talking to her at a party. 

Lady Cordinia ana’Gustavo Carvallo: Now not the only Dowager Queen/Empress in the Escana Empire. In charge of the royal nursery and Queen Liliana’s closest “friend” if she can even be called that. 

Lord Enyo an’Tomas Serafin: Last seen throwing wine in Argus’ face. The highlight of his year. Totally not Lord Barraza’s sugar baby now. 

Ambassador Ulmer: Probably going to quit soon. The in between for Escana and Oskyan relations. He’s trying to flatter as many people as possible and keep the peace.

Ambassador Oprinchuk: The expert on Ardunese and Oskyan relations. An ally of Justice Zisa’s and a woman feared by many. Hadley admires her. 

Maltoq Zamen: Prisoner. Took a vow of silence and hasn’t spoken more than like 4 words a while back. 

Leo Dianglo: Has honestly been spiraling since he and Argus had their secret wedding. If he got his way, he and everyone he cares about would be leaving Graza immediately. He overheard some unfortunate things, was arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, and has another kid to take care of. He’s just having a rough time. 

Mel: Surprisingly, being forced to join the knights and then kidnapped by pirates trying to use him for purposes he can’t understand did nothing but made him an even more angst-riddled teenager. 

Mung: All things considered, unwilling knighthood hasn’t been so bad for him as he’s getting proper medical training and is no longer considered pirate orphan #2. Just don’t ask him how things are between him and Mel. 

Officer Gerwin: Commander of the Escana Knights. The one good day he’s had was firing Damaris. 

Sir Erasmus: Knight elected to keep watch on Leo and his pirate orphans. Although he hasn’t really been doing that lately. In fact, where has he been? 

Catalina: Marcel’s daughter. Leo’s daughter. She’s a kid and she’s around. 

Sister Rosalie Pélissier: Kellish nun who ditched the Kallenbachs and the Oskyan war camp to join Duchess Benedetta. But she wants to make friends with Argus. She also seems to know things she shouldn’t. 

Lord Gaius Kallenbach: Boy needs a break. He’s almost died like twice and no one seems to care. 

Lady Philomené Kallenbach: Gaius’ older sister and was (still is?) Sister Rosalie’s girlfriend. She also ditched the Oskyan war camp to hang out with Duchess Benedetta. 

Duchess Benedetta Onesta Cassiopeia de ave Astorino: The warring Duchess has secured a few more victories but might be willing to surrender to the Oskyans and the Escana Empire if they can all come to a beneficial deal. After revealing that she’s not working with her uncle and has her own qualms with the holy capital, she’s made herself a glowing potential ally but still a very dangerous adversary. 

Justice Zisa: The ambitions and unlikable leader of the Santivian world. He’s not a huge fan of Escan or Oskya at the moment. 

Princess Wiara Mirecka: The girl Leo found marooned on a beach turned out to be a missing princess of Gegra, fleeing her home after her mentor was accused of witchcraft and she’s been causing problems (and plotting kidnappings) since.

Tamune: The living god in the cells deep within Alda.

Captain Mercy Dunham: The island of Ruiz and his fleet are gone but he’s still out there somewhere.

Master Asli: Arrested and in Alda. 

Valera de Martí: As Graza and the Escana Empire struggles to stay strong after losing two kings in a so few years, some take the opportunity to reignite old whispers of rebellions and exiled fugitives may come crawling back to take advantage of the weakened government 

#long post #my writing #my characters #character intro #tss trilogy #lgbt+ characters #lgbt fantasy #I'm not even gonna make a comment about how large my cast is for these books #it's already a known fact #I know I said these were all 'prominent' but honestly a good chunk stay in the background #their existence is just important for the story #like Justice Zisa hasn't been in a scene since ORG but because he's basically this world's version of a pope he keeps coming up

[awakened-harmony]

Name: Vitality (Vita) ‘Aala’ Ekeri

Nicknames: Vee

Voice claim: WIP though it’s very rich and warm, Soothing

Birth sign: Pisces (Febuary 20th)

Species: Keloul

Gender: Female

Height: 5'2

Weight: 120 pounds

Age: 250-275ish years old give or take

Sexuality: Bisexual

Occupation: High ranked healer within’ the royal guard

Canon universe: Underfell (But she can be found in UT/US/other AU’s if asked)

Battle theme: Phaedra

ATK: 100 DEF: 400 HP: 1000

* Smells like Cotton Candy

Current happenings: N/A TLDR: Vita was born on the surface to religious parents, Killed her first mate who she had been bethrothed to by accident, Eventually met drusil as he was one of the kings guards. Fell in love and spent a few happy years together before the monster v human war struck and drusil was killed a week before they were all sealed underground. Found out she was pregnant with their child and has raised him underground ever since. Hoping for the day they can all return to the surface.

History: 

Vita or Vitality as is her full name though she rarely goes by it nor does she like when other people use it as to her it’s needlessly unique and she far prefers just vita, She was born and raised in a small religious oceanic village a few hours from Mount Ebott and grew up under the strict though at the time she thought fair ruling of her parents, Learning the ways of the average house wife so to speak. Cooking, Cleaning, Dress modestly, Avert her eyes when she caught someone’s attention. It led to her being very meek and shy for her early years though very nice to even if her parents often scolded her if they thought she was being a little ‘too’ nice for their liking though it was rare anyone saw that side of her parents, Peachy perfect in public. It was hard not to love them and their only child who dutifully followed their word.

READ MORE BECAUSE DAMN THIS GOT LONG

She was bethrothed to another, A monster named Orinda, Her and his Parents had declared it so, they’d be a perfect match to live and thrive, Have kids and continue on the family legacy and get married she did. Though unfortunately for her, He was a dick behind closed doors, Not that she would have had any choice in the matter whether he was nice or not and though some part of her deep down resented the situation she was in, She’d been raised that she just needed to be better. She just needed to do her best, She just needed to try and everything would be okay. They’d be okay, They’d be a happy little family just like her parents wanted, It wasn’t often that he struck her, So much more was said and it hurt far more then any blow. In some ways, She’s sure she would have never gotten out of there if not for that one, Fateful night. He’d come home angry, swearing and fidgety, She wasn’t sure why, She couldn’t ask. She still cooked dinner for him, Had cleaned up for him, Offered herself to him as she’d been taught. But it wasn’t enough, She wasn’t enough.

He’d struck her, Again and maybe it was a fit of rage or a desire to protect herself but she lashed out with her magic, With her healing magic. At first, he’d laughed yet then he’d spluttered, Bending over and groaning. Oh she’d never forget the way he hacked and coughed, His magic that was a odd tinge of red and orange, Blood orange perhaps? escaped out of him through his mouth. Leaking onto the floor even as she’d ran past him to get help, Help for what she’d done. But by the time she’d returned with someone, Anyone, He was far beyond any help. Only choking out that she’d done this to him before he finally collapsed and dusted.

A murderer, She was a murderer, She’d killed him were what came from the chants of her village. Outrage and outcry that spread, Spread far enough that it reached the city of Ebott and the ears of the king himself. It hadn’t been asgore yet, Rather his father. A huge, dark furred beast of a boss monster that showed up to her tiny little village and even as she quaked in torn clothes, Under the pressure of her entire village’s sheer hatred. Clamed up only by the king’s presence, He offered, No she supposed. Not offered, GAVE her a chance that she couldn’t refuse. Whether she wanted to or not. So with only a nod, She found herself whisked away by the king of monsters and his entourage of guards, She’d never see her family again, She’d made attempts to write but never got anything back so eventually. She stopped trying.

In ebott, She got trained in the ways of being a healer, A true healer with a good control over her power and her further specialization into being a midwife for Monsters, Helping to deliver plenty of children over the years. During her training, She found herself growing close to one of the king’s guards, Drusil, He’d come from a different settlement but they were the same type of monster. Oh he’d been stunning with dark, Almost black skin, His hair blended in!, Golden tinged fins and freckling along his arms and his back. He’d always been so nice to her, So goofy, so friendly and so damn stupid sometimes that it always made her giggle and though hesitant to enter a relationship again, Having to take the time to get past the conditioning her parents had put her through, He waited. It took three years but he’d waited and she eventually accepted.

She’d never been happier, His family had practically adopted her, His parents especially came to see her as a daughter and she considered them her true parents as well. She adored his few little siblings and they had a few happy years together, During this time meeting gaster and Rose to. A rumbling came by word of mouth, Of talks of rising tension and war on the frightened lips of monster kind, Seeding that doubt of worry in her belly despite drusil trying to reassure her. It would never happen, they wouldn’t go to war.

Yet even as the king passed on the throne to his son and his own bethrothed, The talk of war and rising tensions became even more prevalent and soon, War broke out, Many monsters like to say it was a war but to vita, It always seemed more like a all out slaughter. Her mate fought alongside gaster to help protect the new king and his Queen. She was a medic, She healed as best she could, Serving her own part even if she rarely saw action unless it was to protect her patients, Oh how often she’d longed for war to be over then. Longed for it to end and end it did, But not in the way she’d hoped, There’d been talks of a peace treaty a few years in, of monsters surrendering, That it’d be fine. That they’d all make it out. One last night with drusil with the promise on his lips that everything would be fine. It’d all work out...but it didn’t. Drusil, Among many of the kings other guards fell due to stopping a attempted assignation on the king.

Oh goddesses how she’d sobbed, How loud she had wailed, It was only a week after that the big final push came. To lock them underground and forget about monster kind with help of their mages, Oh they’d fought back for certain but they just lost more and more as humans grew only stronger as they gained LOVE. She was injured when a group of them had raided the medical tent, so lost from their own morals that killing the sick and injured didn’t matter to them, Injured in her attempt to save her patients, They were under her care, they couldn’t just kill them! Instead. One of them with a glint of malice she’d never yet truly seen came at her instead she though she fought. Two others held her to cease her struggling and they almost Methodically, Joyfully sliced one of her back fins off. She would have died there if not for someone hearing her screams, of pain and of fear, They’d never been able to a re-attach the ‘wing’, It scattered into dust not long after being cut off and all they could do was bandage what they could so she didn’t bleed out from the injury and helped her towards mount ebott. Still crying and weak, heart broken from all that had occurred.

She along with the remains of monsterkind were sealed below ground with a magic spell, She was numb to all that had occurred in some aspects. Throwing herself into work, Yet her healing wasn’t enough for all the monsters that fell simply do a lack of hope, A lack of supplies. There wasn’t enough food, enough water. It was around the same time that she came to the horrifying and stricken realization that she was pregnant. Oh she had thought about ending it, If the stress from the situations didn’t kill it first but...she couldn’t, She just couldn’t. It was the only bit of Drusil she had left. It was their baby. So despite all odds, She kept her child and almost a year underground (Her species gestates a bit longer then humans 9 months). She eventually gave birth with only the assistance of her surviving friend Gaster to help her, An act that almost killed her, Leaving her fitfully weak for weeks after and a few years until she truly felt 100% like herself again.

She remained a healer in the royal guard as years dragged by, Becoming accustomed to life underground like many others monsters, Focused on raising her son and teaching him to be good. Because even as their civilization stabilized, the monsters grew worse and worse. Far more befitting of their name, Many were angry, Aggressive and even violent, The king was the worst of them all and while she’d looked up to him once upon a time. The decree of collecting human souls was the final straw, She hated him and all that he stood for. She sympathized with toriel and her disappearance yet some part of her hated toriel to for leaving. For letting this lunatic take full control of the kingdom instead of sticking by to help. Yet she would only stew silently because there was nothing more she could do to help then any of the rest of monster kind.

All she hope for is the day they get released from the mountain.

#Of harmony (Vita) #My heart cries for what could have been (Underfell verse ~ Vita) #Under the seas (Headcannons) #//i decided her Undertale verse needed an actual bio in place #//since i use her so often #//also a reveal~ #//vita's healing magic is so potent #//she can cause cancer!

[piermanwalter]

Thief’s Apprentice: Magical Beings

Note: I mean magical beings in the sense that every being in a discrete group is magical. For example, a human or a wooly mammoth or fig tree can all be mages, but it doesn’t mean all humans, wooly mammoths, or fig trees are mages. All of these beings are mages. The World was once populated with magical beings, but after they all mysteriously died while turning human, there have been very few magical beings on The World. However, disease, soul experiments, and mass prayer have caused humans to become magical beings again.

Revenants

There are about a hundred million revenants on The World. 

We already know about revenants. A plague turns vertebrates into necromancers after they die, who come back to life as a walking corpse. Revenants have no physical senses. Revenants feel the emotions they felt as they died the strongest. The longer you had the plague, the saner you will be after death. Revenant souls regenerate quickly and grow continuously, becoming huge enough to allow them to perform powerful magic without consequence.

We have taken a very revenant-centric view of The World so far, but there is so much other shit going on.

Ambient Creatures

There are countless trillions of Ambient Creatures on The World. 

The World was once covered with Ambient Magic strong enough to support large creatures through magic alone, but they have shrunk almost to disappearing. Some believe the loss of Ambient Magic coincides with the mass extinction of magical creatures, but there’s no proof of this. There are still a few patches of Ambient Magic scattered throughout The World, but they collectively take up less than 100 square miles and are too weak to support anything but small and simple creatures.

In the last few hundred thousand years, some previously nonmagical animals have evolved to take advantage of Ambient Magic. All beings with souls can absorb and make use of Ambient Magic, which only amounts to feeling slightly more emotionally stable. However, this is enough to sustain some beings, like the flatworms, which eat nothing and lazily float about, needle snails, which eat and behave like normal snails but have the ability to shape iron sand into spikes using Industrial Magic, and lambent butterflies, which use Light Magic to flash and turn invisible, but revenants don’t see using light anyway so it literally does not matter. When removed from Ambient Magic, ambient creatures will lose all magic ability, and in some cases, die quickly. There are many species that are indistinguishable from nonmagical species, but when they are placed in Ambient Magic, start performing powers. Some of these species are found nowhere near Ambient Magic. How did they get there? Maybe it’s the Ambient Magic that moved.

Parts of Ambient Creatures can be used to make powerful magic items because they evolved to store a specific type of magic.

In Veilheim, the Ambient Creatures in the Magical Grove outside the city are seen as further proof that invertebrates are Perfect Forms. 

Vampires

There are about fifteen thousand vampires on The World. 

120 years ago, Dr. Hanna Ferse, an infamous Gore Mage from Hapsburg, was able to reverse engineer the original plague-transmitting neuroleprosy bacteria into something she hoped would save humanity from plague. It sort of worked. Vampirism renders its bearers immune to plague, but vampirism is arguably worse than the plague. Instead of turning the dead into necromancers, it turns the living into gore mages. Given that vampirism still draws upon The Necromancer’s magic, this has terrifying implications as to The Necromancer’s true power. While being a vampire prevents plague, being a plaguebearer also prevents vampirism. Vampirism only infects humans. Interestingly, mages, wizards, and other people with unusually large souls are immune to vampirism.

Vampirism is transmitted by bodily fluids, has a ten hour incubation, then in one hour turns bearers into vampires while they are still alive. If bearers don’t deprive themselves of water and eat salt past the point it’s physically painful, they will die. Their bodies have been modified to function best when very salty, but they still have the same survival instincts as humans. A healthy vampire suffers from constant thirst, but if they drink too much of anything with a lower salinity than blood, they will get sick and die. Vampires can also die in all the ways a human can die, such as starvation and bleeding. Vampires are also very dense and quickly sink in all bodies of water. Being in contact with freshwater for too long will cause mass cell death and their skin to slough off. Vampires also get very stiff and develop a grainy pallor as more of their bodies are replaced with salt. Many vampires get strokes and kidney stones and go blind because of high blood pressure, and also their blood is so thick with salt crystals it starts cutting into surrounding tissue. Being a vampire sucks because you need to turn into a cured ham or else you die. Hampires.

Why haven’t vampires overrun and destroyed The World like revenants did? The most obvious reason is that they are weak and fragile compared to revenants, but the most important reason is incubation time. Living a normal life for a few years, a plaguebearer can infect many people, who in turn infect many people, and none of them know they have the plague. Entire continents can unknowingly become saturated with plaguebearers. Meanwhile, an accidental bearer of vampirism only has 10 hours to unknowingly infect someone before suddenly dying. The plague can also be carried by all vertebrates, living or dead, while vampirism bacteria can only survive in living humans. 

Vampires stop aging and are sterile. Vampires also have ever-growing souls like revenants, but not as fast. You’d think newfound Gore Magic abilities would help vampires alleviate their salty pain, but no. If a sane newly dead revenant screws up Death Magic and burns half their soul to pull their arms off, the revenant can sit around and contemplate their mistakes until their soul regenerates and they can put their arms back. If a newly turned vampire screws up Gore Magic, they die. Few vampires are lucky and privileged enough to survive more than a few months and master Gore Magic enough to elevate themselves above basic humanity, usually by guidance from other vampires and/or incidental medical knowledge. 

Despite all this, Dr. Ferse used freedom from plague and promise of magic powers to convince some Hapsburg nobility to become vampires, who then used their practiced good health, magic, and plague immunity to advocate for the widespread use of vampirism to combat the plague. Gehenna heard about this and was initially interested, but then saw what agonies vampirism rendered unto the poor and uneducated general populace, who were used as snacks and test subjects by the nobility, and decided stopping a painful infectious disease with another painful infectious disease is stupid as hell.

After Dr. Ferse and many others were killed in an eradication campaign, the few surviving noble vampires were able to leverage old family allegiances and secure their survival after proving they could use Gore Magic and their own bacteria to sense and drink all infectious fluids from a plaguebearer during incubation. The plaguebearer dies in the process, but their body is no longer infectious. This doesn’t work for plaguebearers once they show symptoms. 

Vampires were allowed to live as long as they kept their own numbers low and contributed their skills towards eradicating the plague. Nowadays, Gehenna views vampires like cats. They carry disease too, but they also reduce the numbers of other disease carriers, so it’s more convenient to let them live.

Although vampire killing and gorging sprees are ultimately good for the people of Beringia, many still fear vampires for obvious reasons. Sometimes vampires are driven mad by pain and thirst and start attacking indiscriminately. Some vampires lie about plague outbreaks to kill and eat uninfected people. Other vampires powertrip and infect people without caring for consequences. Other vampires look terrifying, with bloodshot eyes, salt-crusted ulcers, and gouty crystals bursting from their joints. Also most vampires are rich aristocratic Hapsburgers with their perverse decadent foreigner ways. Hamburgers.

Controversy rages throughout Beringia over whether the fine stranger who arrives in the middle of a plague outbreak and sleeps all day while mysterious piles of corpses show up overnight in the street or the white-clad masked soldiers who arrive in the middle of a plague outbreak and start shooting and burning people are more cool and sexy.

Compared to revenants, who have been on The World for 700 years, vampires are very young and are always discovering new things about themselves. Some vampires can shapeshift to hide their salty deformities, become unrecognisable, or mimic other people. Some vampires are immune to all disease, not just plague. One amazing thing that may be enough to justify salt hell is when they die, as long as their heart is intact, vampires will come back to life on Dark World Day. Before this was discovered, some dead vampires were buried and had to starve to death over and over. Dr. Ferse was found like this.

Hapsburg has a regular court and royal family, and also a Vampire Court established 80 years ago to deal with vampire internal affairs. Dr. Ferse was the first Vampire Queen after her revival, but was ousted 5 years later by the second and current Vampire Queen Hecata, who believed that Dr. Ferse’s aggressive promotion of vampirism and callous treatment of the common folk are what led to the persecution of all vampires. Dr. Ferse is still around, but no longer has serious political influence and instead secretly publishes a lot of forbidden Gore Magic literature for secret students of forbidden magic and miscellaneous edgelords. You may assume that Pontiff Rubedo modelled himself on Dr. Ferse’s teachings to become a murderous freak, but he hasn’t actually read any of her books. While he may be indirectly inspired by vampires, that’s just how he is.

The Hapsburg Vampire Court used to be a puppet state, but as the regular Hapsburg Court steadily declines from inbreeding-induced insanity, deformity, and genetic disease, the balance of power is shifting towards vampires. Although vampirism is still an upper class disease, the Hapsburg Vampire Court leveraged their newfound power to responsibly infect and educate a lot of regular Hapsburgers to form the Hapsburg Vampire Navy. Not only is vampirism useful for fighting plaguebearing pirates, vampire sailors don’t need to carry drinking water or alcohol or most types of food, because they trained to use Gore Magic to prevent vitamin deficiencies and can drink seawater. 

The Hapsburg Vampire Navy provides an alternate method of oversea transport from Gehenna’s well-armed and well-regulated sea travel monopoly. Hapsburg became very wealthy from increased trade and leasing ports to landlocked countries at huge prices, and is the first and only country to reclaim its coastline from Gehenna.

Relations between Hapsburg and Gehenna are not good. Aside from the back-and-forth coastline control, Gehenna still needs to marry into Hapsburg royalty despite them being the biggest source of unprecedented and spectacular new genetic diseases and they are really annoying to deal with in general. Vampires are still treated with suspicion at best and like rabid animals at worst, largely due to propaganda spread by Gehenna 100 years ago they have since put super half-assed efforts in dispelling. 

Despite mutual bad blood, when Gehenna announced their expedition into plagueridden Surenia to stop the source of new revenants, Hapsburg volunteered half of their Vampire Navy under the thinly veiled threat that the age of vampire dominion would begin if Gehenna failed. Gehenna used most of the Hapsburg Vampire Navy attachment to make up for the loss of troops in Beringia, and anchored some of them near Surenia to euthanise and purify returning plaguebearers. After a lot of arguing, only one vampire was allowed to set foot in Surenia. 

Vratis Constantin was a peasant in northwestern Fire Escape, the sole survivor of a village that got attacked by Vampire Queen Hecate in one of her thirst rampages. Going off dubious vampire legends, Vratis became a local hero by killing ancient revenants that emerge from the soft peaty Fire Escape ground. Through sheer willpower and blind ignorance, Vratis became nigh-indestructible from Gore Magic and also learned how to use Light Magic because of misinterpreted stories of immortal vampires materialising from shadow (they were actually dying and instantly reviving on Dark World Day).  

Upon hearing of a Vampire Court in Hapsburg, Vratis left to join his people. His presence was a shock, since it offended the noble vampires that some Fire Escapee asshole was not only able to survive, but also surpass many of them with no assistance. Queen Hecata defended him, since he was a magical curiosity and technically an heir to the throne since the Queen infected him. Queen Hecata stuck a noble title on him and treated Lord Constantin like a son, and he waged war against rival vampire families on her behalf. 

The rest of the court hoped Lord Constantin would get overwhelmed by court politics and get killed and/or disgraced. Instead, he developed a ruthless and bombastic outward persona to prevent others from reading his intentions while building a network of informants from servants, and was single-mindedly and unquestioningly loyal to the Queen. This presented a potential succession crisis, since most of the court would refuse to serve a foreign King, but Queen Hecata didn’t have any reason to disinherit him and all “accidents” and deliberately unwinnable battles haven’t worked yet.

Queen Hecata disinherits him, but promises the Hapsburg Vampire Court will recognise his new title as Vampire King of Veilheim if he succeeds. Lord Constantin knows he was sent to Surenia to die, but still believes he can get back in the court’s good graces by succeeding where Dr. Ferse failed. He hopes to liberate the people of Veilheim by giving them vampirism to fight back against their evil necromancer overlord and his mindless revenant slave army. After a life of alienation and watching himself turn into a heartless bloodless undying monstrosity, Lord Constantin believes he finally found a kindred spirit in Prince Train Noise, a faceless voiceless syphilitic monstrosity. Prince Train Noise hates Lord Constantin because he became disgusting and alienated himself on purpose.

Living Saints

There are about six thousand Living Saints on The World.

If a soulless object like a statue of a saint is prayed to long enough, it begins accumulating tiny scraps of souls from its worshippers. Some worshippers begin to hear the whispers of ancient prayers being repeated back to them. With sufficient emotion matching the general vibe of the souls in the statue, some of the soul fragments can leave the statue and die to perform miracles. This motivates people to continue praying and the statue continues to accumulate souls.

If many people are praying to help others, the statue will become selfless and benevolent. If many people are praying to help themselves, the statue will become selfish and perform the bare minimum of miracles to keep them praying. If people are praying out of desperation, the statue becomes terrified and helpless. Mass prayer is a gamble. You could generate the emotion to perform great miracles, or you could fill the statue with your own fears and doubts and render it powerless. Very rarely, the souls in the statue become self aware and realise with every miracle, they come closer to death and with every prayer, they lose more and more of themselves in a sea of pleading voices.

When someone dies in a church with an unhappy saint, all the souls in the statue enters their body and revives them as a Living Saint. 

Living Saints have gigantic souls and the same incredible magical power they had as a statue, but because the soul fragments are not in their original bodies, their souls can’t regenerate. Living Saints are physically human and eat and breathe and age like normal. Living Saints are most powerful and self-assured when they first rise and steadily grow weaker and less assertive until they run out of soul to sustain a human body and die. In that sense, they are the opposite of revenants. Sometimes the soul of the original person is still there, and once all the other souls are used up, the Living Saint returns to being a normal human. Praying to Living Saints doesn’t do anything because beings have defences to stop other souls from getting into them. These defences only drop during death, which is how the Living Saint came to be in the first place. 

Historically, there have been very few Living Saints, but as Beringia turned to centralised religion to cope with mass death and plague hell, and then later to cope with oppressive and terrifying regimes that formed to combat mass death and plague hell, Living Saints are becoming more common, to the point where some giant cathedrals have entire choirs of Living Saints. Fortunately, attempts to engineer the creation of Living Saints by killing people in churches rarely work, because you can’t be sure if the Saint is unhappy enough to leave, the time between consciousness and death is too short for all the souls to move in, and also the injuries or poisons sometimes end up killing the Saint again.

As per their original function, Living Saints are unquestioningly obedient towards clergy and people they vibe with. Regardless of how charitable they are, Living Saints love attention and being surrounded by people. They are also famously good listeners. Living Saints tend not to have a set personality and instead behave like the owner of whatever piece of soul is being consumed to keep them alive at the moment. Many churches glorify their Living Saints, and most Saints are happy to be there, but as you may expect from souls desperate enough to possess a dead body, some Living Saints are not only unhappy with being statues, but also unhappy with being worshipped or serving the clergy or even religion as a whole. Naturally, the church tries to suppress Living Saints when they do this. Most Saints are too powerful to fight directly, and can only be defeated by the opposite of prayer. A lot of people curse the Living Saint for days on end until enough of their souls die, then the Saint either becomes obedient or dies completely. 

250 years ago, a mass Living Saint rebellion led by Saint Korz, patron saint of war (oops), caused the formation of Hasc, an independent democratic republic of Living Saints and Living Saint equalists located in The Holy Pentacle in the middle of the four most religious countries in Beringia: Sacra, Benedicta, Suspensia, and Termina. Gehenna used to be the fifth country in The Holy Pentacle before it left to do its own thing. The original Saint Korz is long dead, but worship of Saint Korz is so widespread in Beringia that there’s always at least one Saint Korz who survived their journeys to Hasc, so Hasc is always well-defended. The current Saint Korz are an elderly Alexandrian woman who got elected as Minister of War and a 7-year-old Bourbon boy who goes to school and isn’t even remotely involved with the military. 

The church would prefer if Hasc was routed and all the Living Saints there returned to holy service, but nobody can do anything because Gehenna, the bulwark against plague, wholehearted and aggressively supports Hasc and its endeavors for Living Saint liberation. Why? Living Saints are a new source of heritable mages that aren’t already super inbred by centuries of royal marriage. Becoming a Living Saint doesn’t make a person have more magic potential, but a Living Saint can only form in someone with huge innate magic potential. By modern times, every legitimate Gehenna royal is descended from at least three different Living Saints. 

There is much debate in non-Hasc non-Gehenna society on whether marrying and having children with Living Saints is admirable or abhorrent. Some believe that because Saints are holy, the children of Saints are also holy. Others believe that Gehenna is contaminating their royal bloodline by marrying whatever random peasants and vagrants and students who died in a church. Some Saint marriages are in direct contradiction to canon, especially if they were a martyred virgin of legend or actual historical celibate monk. There is also an issue with personhood, since it can be argued that a Living Saint isn’t a real human with an intact soul.

Imagine being a villager praying to your local saint every day, but then one day, she leaves by possessing the body of a girl who fell off the church roof while playing. Everyone is very sad from the combined blows of the girl’s death, losing the epicenter of your community, your prayers going unanswered, and feeling like you are unworthy of the saint and it’s your fault she left. You keep praying to the silent statue, but it isn’t the same. Years later, news comes in that the Living Saint is alive and well and fucking the Pope.

Living Saints are basically unheard of in Surenia. The more a society accepts magic, the less likely for Living Saints to form. Mages can sense the fragments of human souls in religious items, and worshippers who are aware of this tend to lose faith, or treat prayer as purely transactional instead of genuinely believing they are communing with a higher consciousness. A statue being prayed to like a person is more likely to become a person, and vice versa. 

For example, a saint statue in Albany is fed with prayers like:

saint marta please please please make osten propose to me I can’t wait any longer                               hello saint marta I am seven years old and prayer book said today is the day to pray for a good husband I would like a good husband but not too soon maybe when I am ten years old                        my husband is angry with me again            may we have enough money for both a lavish wedding, a new house, and taxes by the end of the year           sweetheart is out there somewhere I will find him and finally be happy                      I ask this of you even though this task is impossible even for god my husband has the plague he’s all alone in the plague house everyone else sees him as dead he can’t die he can’t die he can’t die he can’t die if I am the last person he remembers will I die next                          I tried throwing darts at books I tried growing onions in a grid but I still don’t know the name of my true love saint marta at least reveal the first letter to me I need to know                  how do I make him stop drinking I am so scared                  daughter moved to a new town to be married and I miss her so much may saint marta protect her                    i am now old and ungainly husband says he loves me but I need peace of mind saint marta give me a sign                               is it a sin to abandon my children I need to leave I can’t stay here anymore                              saint marta our marriage is blessed thank you please take these almonds.                    i am frightened of strangers i am frightened of dancing i will never find someone to love me on my own saint marta help me                                                

The souls in this statue are thus very likely to develop into a real consciousness that is highly motivated to leave. 

Meanwhile deity statues in Veilheim are fed with:

MAY ALL WHO USE MY POWER FLOAT AS HIGH AS THEY DESIRE                                                                                               

i am not very magical but if i pray more maybe Floating Goddess will be biased i will float more         

Floating Goddess stores a combination of Death, Gore, and Industrial Magic. Those of us who are more prosthetic than flesh and bone may have difficulties floating so I will give the Floating Goddess more Industrial Magic.

who the fuck put the bathroom on the top floor of a building only accessible by Floating Goddess

The souls in this statue know they are here to serve as fuel for others’ prayers so they won’t leave.

Due to divergent cultural developments, sane revenants are magical beings that are only common in Surenia and Living Saints are magical beings that are only common outside of Surenia.

Living Saints can’t get vampirism because this loser knockoff disease can’t deal with many souls at once.

Interesting things happen when Living Saints get the plague. After the normal giant bruise upon infection, the plague has to recognise every piece of soul, raising the incubation time from five years to so long that the Living Saint dies before plague symptoms start to show. In this time, the Living Saint could have infected countless people. Because there is no soul left, although the body is a plaguebearer, it will not come back as a revenant. If the original soul is there, then the incubation period starts from the beginning and the person is affected by the plague as normal. Once they die, their soul immediately balloons to its original size as the Living Saint. 

Usually after death, a revenant takes several hours to several weeks before moving, but a Dead Saint’s soul is so huge that upon death, the body is flung about erratically and torn to pieces under its own necromancy, as well as causing indiscriminate damage to its surroundings with its secondary genre of magic. A Dead Saint will uncontrollably destroy everything nearby with magic until its body is reduced to paste, spreading infectious fluids everywhere in the process. Woe betide you if a Dead Saint breaks free and starts splattering down the street.

This is a huge controversy between Gehenna and the church. Gehenna believes all plaguebearers should be killed and burned, while the church believes killing a Living Saint is an unforgivable sin. It can be argued that a plaguebearing Living Saint can live in a way that doesn’t infect anyone, but there is always the risk of a Dead Saint. Ultimately, the church justifies its own cursing of rebellious Living Saints and mercy towards plaguebearing Living Saints because the plague unrelentingly damns people no matter what and the ultimate sin is disobeying the church, while Gehenna supports Living Saint liberation and burns all plaguebearers because the plague is a bacteria that you get as consequence of your own negligence, and disobeying the church is the most practical thing to do at this point.

Life in Veilheim seems so simple in comparison. Succumb to plague and let the city take care of you. Die happy and achieve eternal life as a revenant. 

#thief's apprentice #worldbuilding #graphic injuries #religion #long post

[mercheswan]

ROYAL ANNOUNCEMENT: HRH PRINCE MIECZYSLAW STILINSKI TO MARRY THE HON. THEODORE RAEKEN.

All the papers in the Kingdom of Beacon woke up with the news. The citizens were surprised as they didn’t know that their prince was dating anyone.

Prince Mieczyslaw is the first and only child of King Noah Stilinski and the late Queen Claudia Stilinski.

The young Prince, 27 years old, is the Kingdom’s golden boy. Mieczyslaw, who preferred to be referred as ‘Stiles’ grew up under the spotlight, which was something to be expected as he was born into royalty.

Everyone loved him as he was a fun and intelligent boy. He was close to his people, he actively participated with different organisations and causes.

He was also a fervent defender of the LGTB community having come out as bisexual in his late teen days.

His love life has always been of national interest. Paparazzi have followed the Prince since he was in his crib. His different love affairs have always gained extra attention as Stiles was the only heir to the throne and he didn’t have any direct family to continue the bloodline.

Everyone thought that the union of the Prince and Lady Malia Hale daughter of his Grace Duke Peter Hale, was the better option for the Kingdom as the House of Hale was the next in line to get to the throne in case the Stilinski family perished. But their relationship did not last long.

After that came Miss Lydia Martin who Stiles met on College. She had no royal blood but she was elegant and charismatic. People saw her as their future Queen. But the engagement announcement never came.

Years have passed and even though some rumoured affairs were shown on the news, none one of them indicated a relationship with Lord Raeken.

People knew very little about the second son of the Earl of Dreadhills. Lady Tara Raeken died in her childhood due to a heart illness, and the Raeken family moved to the States. Before the departure Prince Mieczyslaw and Lord Raeken attended the same school, they competed in the same team sports and usually hang out in the same circle, but people didn’t know they have maintained contact.

Obviously when the news of the engagement broke, the pair where stalked by reporters 24/7. Theo had to resign of his job at Beacon Memorial Central Hospital where he worked as a surgeon, and Stiles tried to evade the press all he could.

The story of their relationship was a guarded secret that may never come out to the light.

Royal Engagement means Royal Wedding and the people of Beacon were excited to witness the event. Being Stiles the future king the ceremony was to be televised.

The day of the wedding all the Kingdon was ready. The main road was all decorated and full of people cheering for the Prince. The ceremony was to take place in Beacon’s Grand Cathedral.

Theo came first and when he descended his car he heard the cheers and screams from all the people gathered at the Cathedral’s entrance.

Theo wore a black military classic uniform. He was a mess of nerves, he loved Stiles with all his heart but he was going to be the Counsort King someday. It was a lot to take.

Stiles and he reconnected when Theo came back home after getting his medical degree. His parents didn’t want to come back because they didn’t want to relive their daughter’s death, but Theo felt he had to return home. He left so much behind.

His tittle was still active so he didn’t have any trouble to integrate once again in the inner circle.

One night two years ago he attended a gala to help raise money for cancer investigation. Stiles attended too as a member of the Royal Family. They met and they connected once again and Theo was on cloud nine, because Stiles didn’t change. He was still the same unapologetic boy he met in his childhood. And he was more beautiful than ever. Theo decided that Stiles was going to be his and he didn’t stop until he got a date with the Prince.

And after that date came another, and another and Theo spent the night in the Castle where the royal family lived but people didn’t seem to notice, and a relationship started between the pair. Secret meetings, secret gateways... they did not need to hide their love, but they chose to because it was exciting and sexy. And they were very elusive because no one found out until they decided to come clean.

Stiles was also nervous on his wedding day. He knew Theo was the one, he was not the best option when it came to procure an heir, but his father had been supportive and science could help them with that little problem when he and Theo decided to extend the family.

Stiles arrived to the Cathedral and he knew that at the altar was his other half, his counsort, his soulmate.

His people cheered when their Prince appeared. Stiles was wearing a marching military styled uniform but in color red, Beacon’s Royal Color.

When he walked to the altar with his father beside him he could see his friends smiling to him. The Hale family, Malia, Cora, Derek, Peter... he was close to all of them. He could also see his group of friends, Scott, Liam, Lydia, Lady Yukimura, hell he was even happy to see Lord Whitemore.

The ceremony was traditional and emotional. Stiles kissed Theo and they were pronounced Husband and Husband.

Leaving the Cathedral Stiles and Theo remembered lots of flashes of the cameras, and thunderous screams.

They hop on the car and there was a parade rounding the castle where the newly wedded couple saluted the people.

The reception was at the Castle. Closed to the press. Some guests though leaked photos and videos of the after party that shown Theo and Stiles dancing close, singing and having a great time with their friends.

The wedding day was a total success.

—————————

“Who do you think leaked the photos to the press?” Theo asked looking at his phone.

Stiles grunted next to him. They where in bed, 4pm, but it was the day after his wedding so he was not expecting the castle’s staff to bother him today.

The party was wild, novelty kids know how to party. And after that Stiles really wanted to consummate the marriage if you know what I mean. So he was exhausted.

“Probably Lord Holloway, he has always been the envidious type, but we had to invite him.” Stiles responded cuddling his newly (and very naked) husband.

Theo huffed a laugh. He left the phone on the side and kissed his husband.

“You know what my most important job is now that we are married right?” Theo asked with a smirk on his face.

“Taking care of me and the kingdom? Helping me reign a country?” Stiles answered.

“Yes yes, of course, but after the wedding people are going to wait for a baby. You know how much people love babies Stiles” Theo said with an innocent face.

Stiles grunted.

“Don’t you wanna try and go for that baby... you know for the sake of the country” Theo said looking seductively at his spouse.

Stiles smirked at his husband too, having realised his other half’s intentions. They are really gonna have to learn to keep their hands to themselves in public now.

“As the future king, everything for the sake of my land” Stiles responded as Theo proceded to devour his mouth.

—————————

Stiles and Theo had a happy marriage and when King Noah resigned from the throne, both Stiles and Theo were prepared for the responsibilities it carried.

Six years after the wedding the newspapers announced the birth of HRH Prince Thomas Stilinski, heir of the Stilinski bloodline and the throne. And two years after that they announced the births of HRHs twin Princess Claudia and Tara Stilinski (Raeken’s Bloodline).

God bless the Kings.

#steo #stiles stilinski #theo raeken #teen wolf #steo fic #steo au #teen wolf au #royal au #stiles x theo

[ladyshio]

🐉🐗📱

Favorite AU

I haven't read many Furuba AUs honestly. So I have to say the Fruits Basket Chatroom as that is the most AU fic I've read really.

My favorite AU concept is an arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, angst, hurt/comfort epic.

I could see that being a Kyoru fic. Where kyo and Tohru are forced in a political arranged marriage. Tohru secretly resents Kyo because he was the one that commanded an army to the town where she lived and killed her mother, but hides her resentment. Kyo resents Tohru because of course he'd resent the person he is being forced to marry. They are polite to each other but cold to each other. Tohru makes friends in Kyo's family's kingdom, befriending Yuki and at one point wishing she was engaged to him instead of Kyo. Kagura still chases after Kyo and makes plots to get rid of Tohru but after Tohru saves her in a political accident she warms up to her. They even try to make a deal to try to get Tohru out of the marriage. As all of this is going on, kyo and Tohru are forced to get to know each other through various steps in the marriage process. As they go through these trials they slowly start to get to know their real selves. Tohru learns the truth that Kyo actually tried to stop the army from going out that day. Out of spite they gave him the credit but his initial opposition is why he was selected to be the sacraficial prince to marry the princess of another country.

Akito is the current king and is trying to conquer all of the land either through war or through cut throat politics. Tohru and Kyo's arranged marriage was just to let the guards down of her kingdom so they can eventually take over. Akito was secretly raised as a boy as their mother, Ren, would have been a disgraced queen for giving a birth to a female. Much to their dismay once the Akito's father died the thrown didn't go to the queen but their "son". Ren regrets not owning their disgrace and purposely tries to get in the way of Akito's political advances. Including meddling in Kyo and Tohru's arrangement. Shigure is Akito's advisors that accidently discovered their true gender a long time ago unbeknownst to Akito. Shigure just goes along with Akito's plans because they are interesting and enjoys teasing and giving them a hard time. They truly want to take Akito way from the palace so they can live together happily and alone. One thing stands in his way, Akito's secret lover Kureno. Kureno is one of the servants that have been assigned to take care of Akito from a young age. Dressing them, batheing them, following their every whim. He is one of the few people authorized to know Akito is really a woman along with Hatori who is the palaces best doctor (no surprise there). Because Akito has no child, all of their cousins are in line for the throne after them. (Kyo, Yuki, ayame, momiji, Rin, and Kisa)

Ayame is one of the kingdoms best diplomats. He is part of the reason Akito has been able to conquer so much land. Ayame is just utterly convincing and manages to get other countries to hand over their land before they even know what he is talking about. Ayame has no whim to be a ruler himself and enjoys his travels and loves sharing stories. Secretly (not so secretly) his lover is the head maid. There are a lot of rumors circulating about him, including that one. But because there are so many rumors about him no one really knows which ones are true. Not even their brother Yuki knows the truth. Yuki is known for being the princely prince of princes and is the one with the most favor of taking the throne after Akito. Yuki has trained everyday to do so, he feels like a robot that only knows how to be a political prince, and feels very unauthentic. Tohru, his rival's fiance, is the first he feels comfort showing his true self to (though the first time was completely by accident). He considers her his first true friend. When he isn't busy with princely duties or talking to Tohru, he can be found in the gardens. He enjoys their calming beauty and have effortlessly authentic they can be. Over the next few weeks he notices the quality of the garden has gone down. He secretly investigates (as he would never hear the end of it if he was the one that through a fit over some flowers) and find that recently new Gardner's were hired, Machi and Kakeru. Kakeru typically slacks, does things half assed and makes Machi do all the work. Kakeru has the ability to make the garden gorgeous (which is why he was hired in the first place) but his sister doesn't have much experience so the result ends up being subpar. Yuki is upset and tries to talk reason into them. Kakeru is forced to put more effort in the garden and it improves immensely, Yuki learns more about how to keep a garden and finds it immensely interesting and secretly helps in his down time. While helping he gets closer to Machi who is still not the greatest assistant to Kakeru but she never expected to get to where they are now. He was always expected to take over so she was expected to run the fiance aspect but getting hired to do the palace through her out of her comfort zone which is why she isn't so good at gardening. As they learn they begin to fall in love. Also Kakeru was hired because some royals officials drive past his yard which looks like a beautiful garden which he passionately takes care of for his sick wife, Komaki.

Haru is Yuki's attendant and bodyguard. He deeply cares for Yuki and has a good relationship with him but because he is hired to take care of him Yuki doesn't consider him a friend while Haru does. It doesn't bug Haru though. Haru does what he is supposed to. Haru is also secretly involved with the Princess Isuzu. They met while Haru was on the job and kept running into each other when they were younger. Isuzu has always been treated awfully by the King and wishes that someone would assasinate them. Since it doesn't look to be the case she starts undergoing secret training at night so she can assassinate him. This is where she began to notice Haru, he would always catch her as she was sneaking out but let her anyway. It was there little secret. She thought he was weird, especially for letting her break the rules. Haru always said it's because he was only hired to keep track of Yuki so what she does has nothing to do with his work. She ends up falling for him despite knowing that if they are found out he could possibly be executed (because of her status and his job). She began to contemplate if she wants to go through with assassinating Akito because once she won't be able to be with Haru anymore.

Momiji is a prince that was a child of a past political marriage. Because of that he was able to live pretty freely. He is immediately drawn to Tohru and always tries to make her smile. He decides that he wants to be the one to marry her and causes mass chaos in the palace. Momiji's actions is what make Tohru realize that she does have feelings for Kyo and she does want to marry him. Ultimately momiji is rejected, he decides that he is going to sneak away from the palace to reconnect with the family he never knew in the country of his mom's birthplace. (His mom passed while he was young, rumored to have been an planned assassination by the past king, it wasn't. It was suicide as she ostracized by those at the palace and missed her real family.)

KISA is the youngest princess. She is there and no one really pays attention to her so she is really quiet and spends a lot of time reading in the library. The librarian has a son her age that often helps out at the library (Hiro) and he falls in love with her. He figures out which books she is reading and tries to finish them before she does so they can discuss them together. He really doesn't care too much for reading but he loves her smile and how animated she is when she talks about books. Which is the only time she is really animated.

Ritsu is the training to take over as the head for royal fashion. BUT Ritsu is very clumsy and makes a lot of mistakes. Usually everything ends up okay tho. They went to school with Kagura, a daughter of one of the most prominent noble families, and they use her as a model for works. Kagura always uses this as an excuse to go to the palace to see Kyo.

Hatori was hired into the palace as being one of the most prominent doctors of their country. He used to have a wife (Kana) but she was executed when she found out (not through Hatori) that Akito was actually a woman). Because she is an outsider and not an authorized person her existence was a threat. Akito charged her with treason because she found out and she was executed. Hatori only knows that she was charged with treason, not that she found out about Akito. They are hurt that someone so close to him would betray him and their country like that. He closes his heart off until he meets his medical assistant (Mayu). His assistant is supposed to work and learn from him so she can take back his skills and knowledge and teach it to the schools. She ends up finding out about Akito as well, through Shigure as a ploy to get Akito removed from the thrown. Hatori manages to save Mayu from the same date as Kana as he pieces together what is really happening. Mayu is authorized to live but she is not able to return to life outside the palace.

And things play out further from there... Welp if someone wants to write that for me please do.

OTP

This is really hard.

My favorite relationship is Kyoko/Katsuya because of how much it emotionally destroys me.

Otherwise my OTP is Kyoru with RinHaru (cowbell) in close second

Retelling of favorite scene in emojis

🦋🙁🖼️👨‍👩‍👧🙂🙁😟😢😭😭😭😭💔💔

#fruits basket #fruits basket spoilers #furuba #asks #my stuff

[tabloidtoc]

Globe, May 11

Cover: Meghan Markle’s divorce ultimatum to Prince Harry -- she forbids him to make peace with royals or she’ll take away his little boy Archie 

Page 2: Up Front & Personal -- Owen Wilson holding tennis racquets, Olivia Wilde wearing a mask during a stroll, James Kyson works out 

Page 3: Amy Poehler, Kate Hudson and baby Rani, Mr. T 

Page 4: Scorned Meg Ryan has rebounded from her messy breakup with John Mellencamp straight into the arms of ex-lover Russell Crowe 

Page 5: Lady Gaga is so googly-eyed over new love Michael Polansky that she’s tagged the tech tycoon to be her baby daddy 

Page 6: Ellen DeGeneres has gone to pieces after her stomped-on staff savaged her as a boss from hell -- the nasty onslaught has left Ellen dubbed by many as the Queen of Mean barely able to sleep and crippled with anxiety 

Page 7: Bill Cosby died during a massive stroke in prison but emergency surgery brought him back to life 

Page 8: Cover Story -- Tormented Prince Harry’s desperate bid to make peace with the royal family spectacularly exploded in a divorce ultimatum from his diva wife Meghan Markle 

Page 10: Alicia Silverstone says her 1997 turn as Batgirl became a hurtful experience when cruel critics dubbed her Fatgirl and she stopped loving acting for a very long time, The Voice is close to croaking as fierce feuding and inflated pay set to kill the show -- big-money musical mentors Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson and John Legend are being pushed to take pay cuts or take a hike 

Page 11: Bruce Willis has no issues with wife Emma Heming even though he’s self-isolating in an odd-couple arrangement with ex-wife Demi Moore and their three adult daughters in Idaho 

Page 12: Celebrity Buzz -- David Charvet juggles a load of laundry, furious Ricky Gervais isn’t joking when he rants about stinking-rich celebs whining about COVID-19 stay-at-home mandates like Sam Smith, Grey’s Anatomy star Caterina Scorsone’s new daughter was originally named Arwen but she changed her mind four months later and now calls the baby by her middle name Lucinda or Lucky for short, Naomi Campbell likes slipping into Elizabeth Taylor’s old kaftans

Page 13: Jillian Michaels shares a picnic with her galpal and a pup, Natalie Morales, Joel Kinnaman and girlfriend Kelly Gale, Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra started out on MTV’s 16 and Pregnant in 2009 broke and unwed but now after years of documenting their lives on the series Teen Mom OG the pair owe over $800,000 in tax debt 

Page 14: Overprivileged Presley Gerber seemingly desperate for more attention debuted new tattoos -- the numbers 310 which is his crazy-rich parents ritzy area code and a gun on his hip bone because he’s such a Malibu gangster, Julianne Hough and husband Brooks Laich aren’t living under the same roof during the pandemic and she’s hunkering down with and going for walks with other men like handsome British actor Ben Barnes in LA while Brooks is stuck in Idaho with their husky, Fashion Verdict -- Brie Larson 10/10, Dakota Johnson 9/10, Taylor Swift 6/10, Selena Gomez 1/10 

Page 16: Alex Trebek bares agony and buried secrets in new tell-all 

Page 19: 10 Things You Don’t Know About Dolly Parton, Kelly Ripa has revealed the secret to her sizzling sex life with husband Mark Consuelos, Kanye West has fessed up to battling the bottle and admits he used to start his day by belting back booze 

Page 20: True Crime 

Page 23: Power couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have brought their rocky 22-year marriage back from the brink, jealous Jennifer Aniston is ticked off at former Friends castmate Lisa Kudrow for muscling in on her friendship with Steve Carell -- Jen had a wonderful rapport with Steve working together on The Morning Show and Jen has always had a huge crush on Steve but now Lisa and Steve are working together on Space Force and Jen is not jumping for joy 

Page 24: Hollywood’s Heftiest Stars -- Chrissy Metz, Jack Nicholson 

Page 25: Gabourey Sidibe, George Wendt, William Shatner, Mariah Carey 

Page 26: Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hill, Carnie Wilson, Jorge Garcia, Kirstie Alley 

Page 27: Lizzo, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood 

Page 30: Health Report 

Page 32: Reese Witherspoon says becoming a mother messed with her mental health, Brian Dennehy took a shocking secret to the grave -- he was an alcoholic who began guzzling right after the curtain went down 

Page 33: Jackie Kennedy got steamed when her personal chef shared her recipes with Weight Watchers magazine in 1968 and fired Annemarie Huste for flapping her gums, Khloe Kardashian says she may borrow some sperm from ex Tristan Thompson to give their two-year-old daughter a full-blooded sibling, George Clooney won’t have to flush his plans for an outhouse at his English estate as the toilet was finally approved by local officials 

Page 34: Martha Stewart has been tossing back booze during lockdown and worried pals are begging her to put a cork in it, Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager got to the root of her hair troubles while in quarantine by touching up her dye job on live TV 

Page 37: Fictional TV physician Ellen Pompeo has attacked out of touch real-life TV doctors like Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz and Dr. Drew for their comments on the coronavirus and said they should not be doling out medical advice on TV 

Page 38: Real Life 

Page 40: Pining for the United States Matt Damon has been guzzling up a storm during his coronavirus quarantine in Dalkey a posh seaside suburb of Dublin where Bono lives, Tom Cruise thought he was a goner when he leaped off a 200-story skyscraper while filming Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol in 2011 and the movie stunt suddenly went terribly wrong 

Page 42: Caitlyn Jenner is worth $100 million but she’s such a tightwad she makes housemate Sophia Hutchins sit in the dark to save on electricity and is now insisting Sophia pay half of the utility and grocery bills but she used to be a sugar mommy and Sophia is wondering what happened, Drew Barrymore said her feet grew three sizes after childbirth, Val Kilmer’s romantic riverside date with then ladylove Cindy Crawford almost ended with a crocodile attack in 1996 while at the African game reserve where he was filming Thee Ghost and the Darkness 

Page 44: Straight Talk -- Religious leaders are supposed to care for their flocks but that idea seems lost of Louisiana preacher Tony Spell of the Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge who urged his followers to fill up his church and even bused them in after strict social-distancing rules were put out to save lives from coronavirus 

Page 45: Matthew McConaughey is living a separate life from his wife Camila Alves and their three kids -- he’s holed up in his luxury Airstream while they’re holed up in the family’s palatial mansion, after quitting RHONYC and crowing that the show’s viewership was sinking without her Bethenny Frankel is now fuming because show bigwigs insist everything’s dandy in her absence 

Page 47: Bizarre But True 

#tabloid #tabloid toc #grain of salt #prince harry #meghan markle #chrissy metz #george wendt #lizzo #hollywood's heaviest stars #the voice #blake shelton #kelly clarkson #meg ryan #russell crowe #archie windsor #lady gaga #ellen degeneres #bill cosby #alex trebek #Jennifer Aniston #lisa kudrow #steve carell #brian dennehy #martha stewart #ellen pompeo #matt damon #caitlyn jenner #sophia hutchins #val kilmer #Cindy Crawford

[akagami-no-rae]

ANS Week Day 3 - Wind

AO3 

An autumn wind swept through Tanbarun’s western mountains, stirring up orange leaves and a chill that promised an early winter. Most of the Lions of the Mountains were going about their morning chores, the hunting parties who left hours before sunrise were just returning with their haul of deer and rabbits to fill the reserves before the snow came and made food scarce. The wind blew again and a royal messenger from Tanbarun arrived at their gates with horse, carriage, a present, and a single armed guard.

He was there for an audience with Chief Mukaze. The messenger and his guard were escorted into their territory and brought into the big house where council and war meetings were held. The guard stood posted at the doors as a small crowd of gossiping people formed outside whispering about peace negotiations and victory. Mukaze leaned back in his chair and scratched his chin. “Tanbarun’s crown has agreed to our terms,” he repeated back slowly and skeptically.

“Yes, your grace,” said the messenger who sat with perfect posture in the chair opposite Mukaze.

“You can stop that ‘your grace,’ business.” Mukaze waved a hand. “I haven’t been a Lord in years.”

“The title is a curtesy given at the crown’s request.”

“If they’re agreeing to free us from their reign, then tell them they can expect us to be a very different country from what they’re used to.” “Of course, your g- Chief Mukaze.”

“Speaking of,” Mukaze leaned forward in his chair, “What are Tanbarun’s terms in this arrangement? They haven’t fought us this hard, for this many years, just to let us go so easily.” The messenger sat up straighter, “Tanbarun, of course, requires that the Lions of the Mountain ally with them in the war against Clarines. And to insure the bond of this alliance Tanbarun’s crown has less of a condition, and more of an amicable arrangement in mind.”

“Let me be the judge of that.” Mukaze narrowed his eyes, his mouth quirked in amusement.

The messenger was silent for a moment, his lips twisted slightly as if trying to find the words to properly explain. “Tanbarun’s crown,” he began slowly, “would like to extend an offer that is highly coveted amongst their nobles. It must be stressed that the fact that rebels are being offered this opportunity, at all, is unheard of.”

“Apparently the royals need these rebels’ help to win their war so spit it out already.”

The messenger’s brow creased in anger. “It has reached the prince’s ears that you have a beautiful daughter with rare red hair, is that true?”

Mukaze chuckled and shook his head. “Choose your next words. Very. Very. Carefully.”

“Are you threatening me, Chief Mukaze?” The messenger sputtered, “To be offered a place in the prince’s harem is a great honor, to the woman and her family!”

“Get out.” Mukaze’s voice was a low rumble.

“Excuse me?”

“Get out!” Mukaze advanced on the messenger suddenly. The messenger stood and stumbled over his chair scrambled to take his present box into his arms before backing away. “She’ll have the prince’s ear!”

“I said, get out!” Mukaze shouted. The council members stepped away from the wall and gathered behind Mukaze.

The messenger stepped backwards until he backed into the wooden double doors of the big house. He looked across the group of men and women in front of him and stood tall. “One day, if she gains his favor, she’ll be the first in line as candidate for queen!”

Mukaze stepped forward and in a quiet, almost friendly, rasp said, “Leave now, or we’ll throw you out.”

The messenger slipped one hand onto the door handle. “You should know what you’re giving up: An alliance. A chance at power.”

“I am intimately aware of what you’re offering. Our people knew what we were getting into when we started this rebellion and we won’t sacrifice our children for an easy victory.” The messenger made the slightest turn of the handle and the door flew open, a gust poured in over the crowd and sent the doors shaking on their hinges. Back lit, face dark, cape billowing in the wind the messenger spoke.

“You’re making a mistake you’ll regret.”

He turned and came face to face with a crowd of people all staring expectantly. His guard came to his side in a useless display. The messenger scanned the crowd and his eyes fell on a patch of red hair. He watched as the girl slipped through the crowd and came to stand in the front.

So, the reports were true after all.

The messenger gathered his dignity, held the box in front of himself, and walked towards the red-haired woman. Mukaze appeared from inside the big house and stepped between them before the messenger could get too close. The young woman stepped to the side to look between her father and the messenger. The messenger stepped forward with the box and handed it to Mukaze, “These gifts are intended for your daughter.”

Mukaze reluctantly took the package but made no movement to hand the box over. He simply stared at the messenger who finally turned to his guard. “Let’s go,” he said and the two pushed their way past the crowd and walked towards the town’s gates, a couple Lions followed to ensure their egress.

Shirayuki watched them disappear from view then looked to her father. “What was that about?”

“Nothing,” he said, “They simply came to insult us.”

   “So, you weren’t going to even give me a choice?” Mukaze and Shirayuki were in their home now. The royal messenger’s visit had created quite the scene. All the Lions were buzzing with what had happened. It didn’t take Shirayuki long to hear it all. She stood across from her father who sat on his chair, the present box opened on the low wooden table between them, its contents on full display. Perfumes, a bottle of fine red wine, a golden hair ornament, apples from the royal orchard, and a dress made of red silk. Tokens of what a life as the prince’s concubine would promise her, meant to entice her. Things she was to use to make herself more presentable to meet a prince.

“What choice?” He picked up the hem of the red fabric, “This is how he sees you. Just a pretty thing he can buy.”

Shirayuki saw the glistening red fabric in her father’s hand turn in her mind’s eye to a blood-soaked sheet on the medic table. Deep wounds beyond her care. The slow fade of a pulse. The Lions were a small faction is this war between two countries. Their high position in the mountains made them difficult to attack and their own strategy relied heavily on guerrilla tactics. Yet this war had taken so many of them. She tended to those who were carried back from skirmishes and raids, some half dead. There were too many she couldn’t help, who were brought to her with infections and gashes that couldn’t be sown together. She helped save hundreds, but how many could she do nothing more than hold as their hands went cold? She’d never be able to look a dying man or woman in the eyes again knowing she could have saved them. Knowing that this war continued because of her. “There are worse fates,” she whispered.

Mukaze’s fingers released the silk and it fluttered back down to the table. His head fell into his hands. “I can’t let you do this,” he said, his voice rasped more than usual, “escaping this very fate is how your mother and I came to the Lions.”

“You always said your uncle tried to marry her...”

“My uncle was the previous king of Tanbarun,” he said, “Your mother and I were newly married, but he wanted to add her to his harem anyway. We’d just discovered she was pregnant with you when they came to take her away. They told me to forget about her and find a new wife. So, I did the only logical thing I could think of: I broke into the palace, set her free, and we ran away to the mountains together. It was winter and we nearly died that first week, I’m sure my uncle hoped we would, but the Lions found us and took us in.” They were silent for a long moment after that. Shirayuki hadn’t heard that version of the story before. Her stomach churned at the thought of the fate of her life being decided by another, but...

“They’ll come for us, won’t they,” she said. It wasn’t a question. “If they’re smart, they’ll wait till after winter when the snow on the mountains melt and our food stores are at their lowest. They’ll come and wipe us out.” Mukaze attempted a protest, but Shirayuki spoke over him. “That messenger came straight to our front gates. They know exactly where we are.”

“We’ll fight them like we always have.”

“For how long?” Her voice nearly cracked. “Until there is no one left?” Her words hung thick in the air. Mukaze was always the one preaching the importance of the retreat, of staying alive and living to fight another day. “My life isn’t worth any more than anyone else’s. Besides, I’ll be okay. This prince is trading a portion if his kingdom for me,” a fire burned in her eyes, “He has no idea what he’s getting.”

  Shirayuki spent the rest of that day preparing and stockpiling medicines for the Lions. Salves for topical treatments, medicinal teas, powders for the aching joints of the older residents. She packed everything she’d need for a long journey away. She tried not to think about how she may never come back. She didn’t bother to bring the prince’s gifts with her. Instead she told her father to sell it all and put the money towards food and medicine. The only item she kept was the bottle of wine. Bundled in her traveling clothes, bag over shoulder, she walked through the quiet town.

All the lights were out except for the deck of the bar. She saw her father with his back leaned against the railing, a beer in one hand while he spoke casually with some soldiers. She wanted to remember him like that and continued on her path.

She stopped at the stables to get her horse before going out to the graveyard outside of town where her mother and grandparents were buried. She left the horse to wait for her outside the graveyard gate and found the three plots all in a row. From her bag she took out the bottle of wine and four small cups. She poured a small portion of the wine in each and placed one at each headstone before taking a sip of her own.

She never cared for alcohol herself, but her grandparents had owned a bar in Tanbarun where she grew up. When Shirayuki heard of the Lion’s rebellion she had already been studying herbology for several years and knew that she could help. So, at her behest her grandparents and her moved to the mountains. The two of them ran that bar in town for years before they passed. One sip was enough for her and she set it aside. She left the bottle with them, said goodbye, and left.

  On horseback she rode down the mountain path towards Tanbarun. It was a few days travel to the capitol and she hoped that if she rode through the night she’d catch up with the messenger by morning.

It was a long cold night of riding into biting winds. She welcomed it. It kept her awake and fueled something in her to keep her moving forward. She cared about the Lions, she didn’t want to see harm come to them, especially not because of her. But she’d only lived there for four years, all during a time of war, and it never felt like home. Especially not after her grandparents had passed. Leaving Tanbarun, the place she’d grown up, hadn’t been that sad either. Probably because her grandparents had been with her. She missed them but was glad they weren’t here today. They might have tried to stop her, and she might have let them.

The sky was brighter, though the sun hadn’t shown itself through the trees yet, when she finally caught up with the carriage. “Who goes there?” yelled the guard from next to the coach.

“My name is Shirayuki.”

The messenger peeked out the door. “Move along, we’ve no business with you.”

“Your prince is selling a part of his country for me but only knows exactly one thing about me?” She pulled back her hood to reveal her hair. “The girl from the Lions. So, you’ve decided to accept?”

“Yes.”

“Please, come in the carriage and out of the cold. You must be exhausted.”

She hated that he was right. She dismounted and the guard tied her horse to the bridle of the ones leading the carriage. She took a seat inside and the messenger offered her a blanket that she accepted.

“You’re not wearing your gifts?”

“Silk isn’t very practical for traveling.” He didn’t need to know that she left them all behind. She fell asleep before he could ask more questions.

  Shirayuki awoke to find herself in midair. Her head suddenly hit the side wall of the carriage which was now below her. Her ears rung and her neck radiated an icy pain. She took stock of herself to make sure she could move, wasn’t bleeding, or trapped. When she was convinced, she was fine she looked around to see the messenger standing and trying to peek out the cracked door above their heads. He must be feeling fine, but she’d wished he’d let her evaluate him first. But he didn’t know her name, how could he have known she was a healer. His face was a pale white.

“What is this?” He turned to Shirayuki. “Do you know these, men?”

Shirayuki’s brow creased and she crawled to her feet and rose to her tip toes to look out as well.

The guard, bless him, stood between them and group of about six armed men. The one who stood in front of him now hit his sword against the guards playfully, like a cat pawing at a mouse. The guard’s leg was obviously injured from falling off the carriage where he rode.

The guard lunged forward, struck once, twice, then the butt of the other man’s sword struck him in the back of the head. The guard crumpled to the floor. The men watching laughed and jeered.

“Are these the Lions? Have they come to steal you back?”

“No, I’ve never seen these men before.”

The men turned their attention to the wagon and Shirayuki dropped to her knees. She searched for her bag in the wreckage of the interior. She felt blindly under a blanket and got a handful of glass. She recoiled, balled her hand into a fist, and pulled the blanket back. Glass shards from a broken window and her bag. She grabbed it and fished around with her good hand. She pulled a small bag of powder. She’d been saving it as a present for the prince, but she needed it now.

She turned to tell him her plan when the messenger forcefully grabbed her hood and shoved it over her head. “Act mute, girl,” he hissed. She didn’t appreciate the rough handling, but she wasn’t going to argue right now. She slipped the powder up her sleeve.

He shouted at the door above, “Take our money! You can have it, just let us go!” The toe of a boot appeared in the crack of the door and kicked it open. He whispered to Shirayuki “Quick give me your things." She looked at him pleadingly and shook her head. “Don’t be ridiculous!” he shouted and grabbed her bag from her. He rifled then turned it over. Rations, first aid, packets and jars of medicines, a couple books that had been her mother’s. “Where are they!?” Shirayuki stared daggers.

“No gold?” The man above sighed. “That’s fine, we trade in other things.” Hands reached down and hauled the messenger out like he was nothing. Shirayuki heard him thud to the ground outside. “Please, I don’t have anything, I’m just a messenger. Our food is strapped to the roof-er-side, now.”

“Is that so? What about the girl?” The man above turned and looked down at Shirayuki with a smile. She glared back.

“Some mute girl lost in the woods,” the messenger lied, “Poor thing wouldn’t hurt anyone, best to just let her go.”

The man above jumped down into the carriage. Glass cracked under his boots. He towered over her; he tipped his head to keep it from hitting the new roof. She stood to face him. “Prettier if you didn’t scowl so.” He lifted a hand to brush her cheek. She slapped it away before he could. He looked intrigued then yanked back her hood. Her hair pooled around her shoulders in red waves, her ribbon having fallen out. She thought to use the powder but using it in close quarters with a sure to be angry man thrashing around was too dangerous. She’d wait for the perfect moment. He called back over his shoulder, “Looks like we found our prize!”

  They locked her in the carriage that night, took her bag and supplies, but didn’t search her. Nor did they let her treat the cut on her hand. They let the guard, coach, and messenger go. Told them to tell the royals the Talon of the Sea bested them. Seemed an idiotic thing to brag, but Tanbarun’s crown had famously ignored the Talon’s doings for years, or at least they were good at covering up their failed attempts to thwart them. Why not brag?

Unable to sleep she stayed up planning an escape instead. Since someone sat guard on the door above, she could hear him snoring, she made a plan for morning, but it also occurred to her that aside from a quick peek outside earlier she had no clue where she was aside from inside a flipped wagon. If she somehow was able to make a break for it, she didn’t have much of a plan beyond that. She supposed it didn’t matter too much though.

“Psst, wake up. Do you see that?” She heard the voice of the man above. The snoring stopped. The door rattled under the moving weight of the man as he sat up.

“What?” Asked a groggy voice.

“There’s a soldier approaching. Rich one too from the looks of it.”

“That’s some nice-looking armor.”

“That’s what I’m thinking.” A sharp whistle. “Boys, get up. We got a quick job coming our way. Probably coming home from that battle between the warring countries. We strike quick and he won’t know what hit him.

“Soldier, stop right there!”

“Looks like you’re having some cart troubles,” a more distant voice said.

She hoped this soldier had a sense of humor and wasn’t actually that stupid. She heard the twang of a bow string then a slash and crack. “Whoa there, I’ve had enough fighting for one day.” He sounded unhurt, friendly even. “I’m just trying to pass by.”

Without another word the sounds of fighting began. Swords and bows. Horses whinnied. She heard the man above her swear and hop from atop the carriage. Without missing a beat. She pushed the door open and pulled herself out. She looked around to get an idea of the area and the best direction to run. She saw the soldier fighting the pirates on the road, it was dark, but the full moon shone on his hair, pale as the moonlight itself, and his armor. It looked well-fortified and decorated, though she couldn’t imagine killing someone over it. She looked elsewhere for an escape and saw that part of the road and been dug out. The pirates must have cut loose the horses and without control the carriage rolled over the soft dirt and flipped.

Then she saw a narrow bridge ahead. Only wide enough for a single wagon at a time. She remembered taking that bridge to the mountain’s years ago, she’d been afraid of it, but Grandpa and Grandma assured her it’d fine. She hoped they were right tonight. She hopped down and ran through the pirate camp, stopping only briefly to grab her bag and quickly check its contents- all there. She thought to grab her horse, only to see all but the soldier’s horse was running away. She supposed she couldn’t blame draft horses nor her own mare for being scared off by the noises of a fight. Without wasting a moment more she ran for the bridge.

Just as her foot was about to land on wood panels a hand yanked her shoulder. The man from above was there grabbing hold of her.

“I’m not going back to Umihebi empty handed.” He tried to pull her and grab her arms, but she freed herself. She pulled the powder from her sleeve, opened it, and threw it at the man’s eyes. He screamed, clutching his face, trying to rub the powder away. She ran from him, not taking a breath until she was certain she was far enough away.

Adrenaline fueled her, telling her feet to run faster to forget height and rushing water below. She almost didn’t hear the sound of hooves over the sound of her own heart beat. The soldier on his horse pulled ahead of her before slowing and reaching down a hand.

“He’s about to cut the lines,” he spoke the words and her head whipped back to see the man above eyes swollen and red sawing on the corded ropes with a knife. They were only halfway across.

“Hurry!” He shouted and she took his hand. He swung her to sit in front of him on the saddle and kicked hard. They galloped, hooves barely making purchase with the bridge before already making the next step. Then the next step didn’t come, and they were falling.

#ans week 2019 #answeek2019 #wind #war au #day 3 #really getting down to the wire on these #I couldn't stop adding to it it just felt weird ending without her and zen having met up #like why else am I here? #I found a draft of this is my notes wrote A YEAR AGO #so I brushed it up a little and #gave it an ending #posting without editing!! what could go wrong!!

[bountyofbeads]

‘So much living to do’: stories of UK's latest named coronavirus victims

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/18/not-ready-to-go-tributes-paid-to-uk-first-named-victims-of-coronavirus?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Post_to_Tumblr

Though these deaths didn't occur in the United States, it's important to remember our brothers and sisters across the pond! They represent every walk of life, age, race and creed. Covid-19 does not recognize borders, religion, race, occupation or age.

SO MUCH LIVING TO DO’: STORIES OF UK's LATEST NAMED CORONAVIRUS VICTIMS.... Personal details have emerged of more than 50 people who have died in the Covid-19 pandemic

By Matthew Weaver, Helen Pidd and  Simon Murphy | Published:12:19 Fri April 3, 2020 | The Guardian | Posted April 05, 2020 |

The oldest is 108, the youngest only 13. These are the faces of some of the country’s coronavirus victims, among them doctors, councillors, a D-day veteran, a diplomat, a comedian and an academic.

By 4pm on Thursday 2 April, 3,605 people admitted to hospital in the UK had died after contracting Covid-19. Many were elderly and had underlying health conditions. Some did not.

In several cases, family members and medical professionals have been keen to emphasise that victims had their lives cut short. Even if they were suffering underlying health conditions, they had been expected to live for many years, they said.

Of the deaths so far in the UK and those connected to the country, details have emerged in more than 50 cases. Here are their stories.

****

Lord Gordon of Strathblane, 83

James “Jimmy” Gordon was formerly political editor of STV and founded Radio Clyde. He is understood to have died of Covid-19 at Glasgow Royal Infirmary on Tuesday 31 March.

Outside the media, Gordon was a member of the Scottish Development Agency and chaired the Scottish Tourist Board – later VisitScotland – and was made a life peer by Labour in 1997. A statement from his family honoured “his generosity, his kindness and his enthusiasm for life”, adding that being “Papa” to his four grandchildren was the role that had brought him most pleasure. The former first minister Jack McConnell said Gordon had had “an outstanding career in business and public service” and had “transformed broadcasting”. The comedian and radio host Andy Cameron, who worked at Clyde for a number of years, said: “Another good guy gone. Jimmy Gordon, Lord Gordon Of Strathblane has passed on. What an absolute gentleman. RIP Jimmy.” He leaves behind his wife Anne, three children and four grandchildren.

****

Aimee O’Rourke, 38

O’Rourke was an NHS nurse and mother of three girls, Megan, Mollie and Maddie. She died on 2 April at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent – the hospital where she worked. She studied at Canterbury Christ Church University before joining the NHS in 2017. She started showing symptoms of the coronavirus about two weeks ago before her condition deteriorated and she was taken into intensive care at the QEQM and put on a ventilator.

Her daughter, Megan Murphy, wrote on Facebook that it had always been “us 4 against the world!”, and said she and her sisters would now look after each other. “Look at all the lives you looked after and all the families you comforted when patients passed away … you are an angel and you will wear your NHS crown forever more because you earned that crown the very first day you started,” she wrote. Now a family friend has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for O’Rourke’s family.

A colleague, Lucy Page, wrote: “Aimee O’Rourke taught me to fight for what I believe in and gave me courage so many times to do it.” Another colleague, Soraya Zanders, said:“Aimee cared for many patients in her time as a nurse. She brought warmth and comfort to many.” On the evening of the day she died family and friends lit candles and clapped in her honour during the weekly Clap for Carers.

****

Areema Nasreen, 36

Nasreen was an NHS nurse who had worked for 16 years at Walsall Manor hospital in the West Midlands, where she died on 3 April after contracting the coronavirus. Nasreen, who had three children and was from Walsall, developed symptoms on 13 March, including aches, a high temperature and then a cough. Her family said she had no underlying health issues. Her sister Kazeema Nasreen, 22, a healthcare assistant at the same hospital, said Nasreen was “an amazing nurse” and urged others to take the virus seriously. In a tribute posted on Facebook, her friend Rubi Aktar said: “She was the most loveliest, genuine person you could ever meet, she went above and beyond for everyone she met. I’m so grateful that I had the honour to call her my best friend, she saw me at my best and my worst and accepted my every flaw. I am so broken that words can’t explain.”

A relative told Birmingham Live: “The immediate family are devastated. Everyone is in shock this morning. She was always so full of life. She was devoted to her job as a nurse, she absolutely loved it. She passed away doing what she loved. I’m really sad for the rest of the family, she was a fantastic person.”

****

Danny Sharma, 38

Sharma was an avid fan of Liverpool Football Club and devoted much of his time to amateur football. The 38-year-old was considered to be high-risk because of his diabetes and other health conditions, and he died on 26 March after battling with coronavirus in intensive care at Hammersmith hospital in London. On 24 March, Sharma posted a picture of himself making the thumbs-up sign, and wrote: “Day Four Update. Looks nice out from the window wish I was participating in the Vitamin D. Finding hard to breathe, still fighting.”

The 38-year-old attended St Paul’s College in Sunbury-on-Thames before studying computer applications at Kingston University. His brother Vinny said he wanted Sharma’s death to make people take the threat of the coronavirus seriously. “He was a fantastic guy with a big heart, and he is someone who we are going to miss a great deal. Hopefully he will find some peace,” he said. Luke Thompson called his friend the “most selfless individual I ever met.” Traditionally the Sharma family, who are of Indian heritage, would hold an open house for 12 days after a death to enable people to pay their respects – but both Sharma’s brother and mother, Parveen, had to self-isolate because of their close contact with the 38-year-old.

****

Danny Cairns, 68

Cairns was one of the first Scots to die after contracting the coronavirus to be named publicly. He had tried to self isolate at his home in Greenock in Renfrewshire but after a few days became so ill he was transferred to hospital, where he died on 26 March. His brother Hugh, who lives in the United States, said the experience was a “nightmare” for the family. “He wasn’t just my brother, he was my best friend,” he said. “From the time of going into hospital within three days he was dead. His last words to me were, ‘I’m on my way out mate’.”

****

Sheila French, 80

French from Broughty Ferry, a suburb of Dundee, died after six days in Ninewells hospital intensive care on 27 March. She had been admitted after becoming ill on a family holiday in Lanzarote to celebrate her 80th birthday. Her family spoke of the pain of not being able to visit her in hospital, but her son Colin said dedicated NHS staff were determined to ensure her “comfort and dignity right to the end”. Originally from Glasgow, she married Eric French in 1962. The couple were well-known figures in the local community and shared a lifelong love of tennis.

The 80-year-old sang in the Barnhill St Margaret’s parish church choir for more than four decades. Her son said she was “interested in so many things”, including music, singing and reciting poetry. “She was also always surrounded by wool for knitting and crochet,” he told the Dundee Courier. “Her main thing in recent years was crocheting blankets to raise money for charities including Chas, and she also collected for Save The Children.”

****

Dr Habib Zaidi, 76

Family GP Dr Zaidi is thought to be the first doctor in the UK to have been killed by the coronavirus. The 76-year-old, from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, died on 25 March in intensive care just 24 hours after being taken ill. He and his wife, Dr Talat Zaidi, 70, were both managing partners of Eastwood group practice and had served three generations of families in the area for nearly 50 years. The couple’s four children all work in the medical profession. Daughter Dr Sarah Zaidi, also a GP, said his death was “reflective of his sacrifice. He had a vocational attitude to service.” She added: “We can’t mourn in the normal way. We can’t have a normal funeral. He left a gaping hole in our hearts, but a loss that is also felt within the community that he devoted almost his entire life to. We are praying for the safety of everyone right now.”

Dr Jose Garcia-Lobera, GP chair at NHS Southend clinical commissioning group, said Zaidi had left behind an “incredible legacy”. He said: “[He] was a “hugely respected, selfless man who dedicated his life to helping others. Dr Zaidi will always be remembered for his significant contribution to local health services through his long career as a GP.”

****

Mark Barnett, late 60s

Barnett was the headteacher at Westfield in Acomb, one of York’s biggest primary schools, for more than 17 years when he stepped down in 2008 aged 55 to work for the City of York council as a consultant headteacher. His family confirmed that he was taken into York hospital with breathing difficulties and died of Covid-19 on 1 April. Praised as a deeply committed teacher, he was a recipient of the Teacher Of The Year title at the Community Pride Awards.

Cllr Andrew Waller, a school governor at Westfield who knew Barnett well, said: “He was an inspirational headteacher and a legend in the community. Everyone knew Mark and he had a huge amount of respect.” Singer and former teacher Ian Donaghy said: “Mark was all about the children and not himself. You see a lot of career teachers out there, but Mark wasn’t one of them. The city has lost a big, big influence on children. His big thing was happy kids learn, it’s not about jumping through hoops or league tables. We could do with a few more like Mark.”

****

Eddie Large, 78

Large, best known as one half of the comedy duo Little and Large, died after contracting the coronavirus in hospital where he was being treated for heart failure, his son said.

The Glaswegian comedian, whose real name was Edward McGinnis, found fame alongside Syd Little in the 1970s and 80s, when their TV performances attracted millions of viewers.

His son, Ryan McGinnis, broke the news in a Facebook post on 2 April, explaining that his father had caught Covid-19 while in hospital. He wrote: “It is with great sadness that Mum and I need to announce that my dad passed away in the early hours of this morning. He had been suffering with heart failure and unfortunately, whilst in hospital, contracted the coronavirus, which his heart was sadly not strong enough to fight. Dad had fought bravely for so long. Due to this horrible disease we had been unable to visit him at the hospital, but all of the family and close friends spoke to him every day.

“We will miss him terribly and we are so proud of everything he achieved in his career with Syd and know that he was much loved by the millions that watched them each week.”

****

Caroline Saunby, 48

Saunby, a mother of two young boys, had no known underlying health conditions and started exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms on Thursday 26 March. By Sunday, she had died.

She collapsed at her home in New Marske, North Yorkshire, where she had begun to struggle for breath after initially having a sore throat, which she thought was tonsillitis. An air ambulance was dispatched and Saunby was put on a ventilator at home before being taken to James Cook University hospital in Middlesbrough, where she died the same day. She leaves behind her husband, Vic, and six-year-old twins, Joseph and Elliot.

Her twin sister, Sarah Jarvis, described her “unbearable heartbreak” as she pleaded with people to take the coronavirus seriously. She told the Northern Echo: “Caroline took every precaution under the sun. She was practising social distancing, she was washing her hands, took hers and everyone’s safety seriously, was healthy, yet she was taken from us in only four days. This virus does not discriminate.”

****

Paul Ramsden, 80

It was only when Ramsden’s wife, Jacky, struggled to wake him that it dawned on her something was seriously wrong. Paul was fit for his age and had no known underlying health conditions.

He fell ill soon after the couple returned from the Canary island of La Gomera. Jacky said Ramsden’s only obvious symptom was tiredness, but when she tried to rouse him from his sleep on 22 March, the penny dropped. He died five days later.

Jacky, from Lytham near Blackpool in Lancashire, told the Blackpool Gazette: “It’s very clear that while the vulnerable are susceptible to this virus, it also strikes down fit and healthy people. I wish people to take the government guidelines seriously and to abide by them so we can avoid further heartbreak. I feel lucky to have enjoyed 40 years of love and adventure with Paul, but I am saddened that our marriage has been cut short in this way.”

****

Linda Tuppen, 66

A former nursery nurse and teacher, Tuppen died from suspected coronavirus after caring for her son, who is also thought to have caught the disease. She was found lifeless by her son, Rob, on 28 March, a day after she had refused to speak to NHS’s 111 service when she fell ill, deciding to sleep instead.

Tuppen – who suffered from asthma – had been looking after Rob after he developed Covid-19 symptoms following his return from Krakow, Poland, earlier last month, but then began to feel unwell herself.

Her other son, 23-year-old James, was admitted to hospital a day later with coronavirus symptoms. In an interview with MEN, Rob recalled the moment he found his mother at her home in Bolton, Greater Manchester. “I was in a panic, she was just lay there, and I shouted ‘Mum, mum,’ but she didn’t answer,” the 28-year-old software engineer said. “I was doing chest compressions until the ambulance came. I was still in the room when he came over and said she was gone. It’s devastating. We lost our father in 2008, so we’re pretty much on our own now.

“She was a kind, loving lady who adored me and James and would have done anything for us. She always used to say that we were her lives. She would do anything for anyone.”

****

Thomas Harvey, 57

The NHS healthcare assistant caught coronavirus and died after treating patients with only gloves for protection, according to his family.

It is claimed Harvey fell ill after helping a patient who later tested positive for Covid-19 and eventually died on 29 March. He had been signed off work more than two weeks earlier when he developed symptoms including a cough, shortness of breath and body aches.

His family said that if he had had the correct personal protective equipment, he might still be alive. Goodmayes hospital in east London claims there were “no symptomatic patients on the ward”. But a former colleague told the BBC that Harvey contracted the virus after treating a patient who later tested positive.

Harvey’s daughter, 19-year-old Tamira, told the BBC: “It’s so sad. I feel like he was let down in so many ways. It’s an absolute tragedy and he didn’t deserve to lose his life in the way he did. If he had just had the right equipment, we wouldn’t be in this predicament and it wouldn’t have escalated in the way it did.”

****

Peter Sinclair, 73

Sinclair was a professor of economics and a former tutor to David Cameron. He taught the future prime minister during his time at Oxford before joining the University of Birmingham in 1994. He later became director of the Bank of England’s Centre for Central Banking Studies. Cameron described him as “one of the cleverest people I ever met” and said he had inspired “generations of students”. He added: “It was a complete privilege to know him.” Sinclair died in intensive care on 31 March after testing positive for coronavirus.

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Alfa Saadu, 68

Saadu was a distinguished former medical director of Princess Alexandra hospital NHS trust in Harlow, Essex. He grew up in Nigeria and travelled to the UK to train as a doctor at University College London. He retired in 2016 after a 40-year career in the NHS. He was volunteering at his local hospital in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, one of the counties worst hit by coronavirus, when he became infected. He died after a two-week battle with the disease, according to his son Dani. Dani said: “My dad was a living legend, worked for the NHS for nearly 40 years, saving people’s lives here and in Africa. Up until he got sick he was still working part-time saving people.”

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George Mason, 71

Mason and his twin brother, Malcolm, had been cutting hair in the same barber shop in Gosport, Hampshire, since they trained together as teenagers. In a statement, the Mason’s Barber Shop said he “always brought laughter and happiness and it will be so hard not working alongside him any more”. Speaking to Solent News, Malcolm said: “George was good fun – we had our moments like all brothers do, but got along brilliantly. He was a real family man and cared deeply about those around him.” As he began suffering from the virus, George told his brother he “wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy”. He was placed on a ventilator last weekend and never recovered. He is survived by his wife, Bobbie, his children Joanna and Natalie and grandchildren Hannah and Ben.

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Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, 13

The rare death of someone so young from coronavirus has prompted widespread shock and concern. Ismail, who had no underlying health conditions, died on 30 March at King’s College hospital, London, after testing positive for Covid-19. Ismail, who had six siblings, lived in Brixton, south London. His family said they were “beyond devastated”. In a later statement they said: “Ismail was a loving son, brother, nephew to our family and a friend to many people who knew him. His smile was heartwarming and he was always gentle and kind.”

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Luca Di Nicola, 19

Di Nicola was a chef from Nereto, near the Adriatic coast of Italy, who was living with his mother and her partner in Enfield, north London. He died on 24 March in North Middlesex hospital. His death was announced on the same day as Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab’s. A postmortem revealed that Luca had Covid-19. His aunt Giada told La Repubblica that a GP had prescribed him paracetamol for a cough and fever. She said the doctor had told him “he was young, strong and [had] nothing to worry about”.

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Harold Pearsall, 97

Pearsall was a hero of the D-day landings who was awarded the Légion d’honneur for his part in the allied assault on Caen in 1944. He landed on Juno Beach along with the Royal Artillery. “We never fired a round. When that first shell came in, I could have crawled down a worm hole,” he said last year at an event to mark the 75th anniversary of D-day. His unit went on to suffer heavy losses as it was attacked with phosphorous bombs and grenades, he said of the Caen operation. He died in Birmingham’s Good Hope hospital on 27 March after testing positive for Covid-19. Pearsall had two sons and had been an active member of D-day veterans’ groups. “He was very proud and always clean, smart and tidy,” said Peter Lloyd, secretary of the 1944 Alliance Normandy-Market Garden veterans’ association.

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Andrew Jack, 76

Jack was a dialect coach and actor who appeared in three Star Wars films. He died in hospital in Surrey on 31 March. His wife, Gabrielle Rogers, also a dialect coach, tweeted: “We lost a man today. Andrew Jack was diagnosed with coronavirus two days ago. He was in no pain, and he slipped away peacefully knowing that his family were all ‘with’ him.” Jack lived on one of the oldest working houseboats on the Thames. According to his agent, Jill McCullough, he was fiercely independent but also madly in love with his wife. He appeared in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi as General Ematt, as well as Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. He had been working as dialect coach on a new Batman film. Sam Neill was among many actors to pay tribute. He said Jack was a “lovely man” and “joy to work with”.

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Maria Lawrence, 48

Lawrence ran a business selling gift bags in Derby. According to her son, Dan Clark, she was also a “community champion” in the city and founded a Secret Santa scheme which she ran for free. Speaking to the Derby Telegraph, he said: “She was like an angel and very well regarded in the community. She was selfless too. Nothing was done for herself. She ran all these things out of charity.” Lawrence was unaware she had any health problem until she was diagnosed with coronavirus. Further tests revealed she also had vasculitis, an inflammation of the blood vessels, worsened by Covid-19. She died at Royal Derby hospital on 20 March.

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Frank Rust, 81

Rust was a Labour councillor for Rushmoor borough council for 28 years, and was due to serve a second stint as mayor next year. A passionate Spurs fan, he was a retired NHS manager and had also held senior posts in education. The former Labour cabinet minister Hazel Blears was among those sending tributes, describing him as a “lovely man”. His son Karl wrote: “Sorry dad you were added to the pandemic stats today but you were not a victim or casualty in these dark days. You lived life to the full never stopping learning new things, keeping active, helping people and the community you represented. You were a good dad. I am pleased you had enough time to enjoy being a grandad to Archie.” Rust died on 30 March at Frimley Park hospital, Camberley, Surrey.

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Pat Midgley, 82

Midgley was a Labour councillor in Sheffield for 33 years, and was described by her family as a “true woman of steel”. The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, was among many figures in the Labour party to praise her years of service. In a message to her son Neil, McDonnell said: “The flood of tributes to your mum shows just how loved she was and how respected for her dedication to her community to the end.” Julie Dore, the leader of Sheffield city council, said: “I am heartbroken. This makes coronavirus all the more real.” Midgley was admitted to Sheffield general hospital on 24 March and was confirmed positive with Covid-19 a day later. She died on 29 March. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, three children and five grandchildren.

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Frank Hammond, 83

Hammond died in Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport on 26 March. He tested positive for coronavirus despite having no cough and only a mild temperature. His daughter, Trisha Conroy, paid tribute to a “lovely, funny man who always wanted to make people laugh”. He enjoyed art and making scraperboard images and loved walking in the nearby Peak District. A photography enthusiast who worked in a Jessops camera shop for many years, Frank had suffered from chronic lung disease and had reduced mobility but was otherwise in good health before he fell ill, Trisha said: “He used a walking frame in the house and a mobility scooter when he was out after he lost a lot of the strength in his legs but was otherwise in decent shape.” He is survived by his wife, Brenda, daughters Trisha and Claire, and four grandchildren.

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Christopher Vallely, 79

Vallely died in Belfast’s Mater hospital just hours after his wife, Isobel, passed away in the same hospital room. Earlier this year, he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. He was admitted to hospital and placed in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19. Vallely, who was known as Arty, retired to his native Belfast in 2003 after working for decades in England. He lived near the Falls Road in west Belfast. He died on 29 March.

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Isobel Vallely, 77

Vallely died on 28 March, the day after the couple’s 53rd wedding anniversary. She had had a stroke last year, and was admitted to hospital on 26 March after testing positive for coronavirus. Her daughter Fiona said both Isobel and Christopher were “amazing parents”. She added: “They were fantastic people who did not deserve to go this way.”

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Amged El-Hawrani, 55

A respected ear, nose and throat consultant who worked at Queen’s hospital Burton in Derbyshire, El-Hawrani was the first confirmed hospital frontline worker to die in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus. His death prompted tributes from ministers and senior health leaders. In a statement, his family said: “His greatest passions were his family and his profession, and he dedicated his life to both. He was the rock of our family, incredibly strong, compassionate, caring and giving. He always put everyone else before himself.” He died on 28 March at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

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Hilda Churchill, 108

Believed to be oldest coronavirus victim in the UK, Churchill was a survivor of the 1918 Spanish flu. She died in a Salford care home on 28 March, hours after testing positive for Covid-19 and just eight days before what would have been her 109th birthday. Before she died, she had been reminiscing about the Spanish flu, according to her grandson Anthony Churchill. She and most of her family in their home in Crewe had become infected, including her father, who collapsed in the street with the flu, she recalled. They all survived apart from her 12-month-old baby sister. “Grandma said she remembered a small box being put in a carriage,” her grandson said. “She was saying how amazing it is that something you can’t see can be so devastating.” Hilda was a seamstress who moved to Salford during the depression to find work. She was known for her cooking skills, particularly her gravy. She had four children, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

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Adil El Tayar, 63

Tayar was the first working NHS surgeon known to have died from Covid-19 in the UK. He had been volunteering in A&E departments in the Midlands to help the NHS cope with the virus. “He wanted to be deployed where he would be most useful in the crisis,” said his cousin, the broadcaster Zeinab Badawi. “It had taken just 12 days for Adil to go from a seemingly fit and capable doctor working in a busy hospital to lying in a hospital morgue.” His former colleague Abbas Ghaznafar, a renal transplant surgeon at St George’s hospital in Tooting, described Tayar as a “noble human being” who was a “hardworking, dedicated surgeon”. He died on 25 March at West Middlesex University hospital, London.

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Pooja Sharma, 33

Sharma was a hospital pharmacist who died from the virus a day after it claimed the life of her father. She worked at Eastbourne District general hospital in East Sussex. Lara Stacey Young, a nurse in the area, said: “So many people will be devastated. She was such a lovely soul.” Amarjit Aujla, a friend from childhood, said: “Her laughter was contagious and her random calls made my day. From when we were in primary school until we last spoke two weeks ago, you gave me nothing but love, support and a tummy ache with all the laughter.” She died on 26 March.

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Sudhir Sharma, 61

Sharma was an immigration officer at Heathrow Terminal 3. He died on 25 March, a day before his daughter also succumbed to the virus. It is unclear whether the pair had any contact before both contracted the disease. Sharma had health problems and had not been on duty at Heathrow since early January. Nick Jariwalla, director of Border Force at Heathrow, said: “Sudhir was a very well-respected, kind and experienced officer. He will be greatly missed by everyone.”

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Adam Harkins Sullivan, 28

Harkins Sullivan, from Camden, north London, was a painter and decorator and father to a six-year-old son. He worked with his father who gave him his nickname, Spud. Speaking to the Camden New Journal, his mother, Jackie Harkins, said: “I’ve lost something very precious to me that can never be replaced. We are all just in shock because he was only a young man. He was healthy – you didn’t have to tell him to eat his greens, he was always like that.” An otherwise fit man, he had been taken to hospital with suspected pneumonia. He died on 24 March at University College hospital in London in an isolation ward for coronavirus patients.

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Doreen Hunt, 72

Hunt was born in 1947 in Canning Town, east London, into “extreme poverty”, said her son Steve Hunt, adding that she was brought up in “one of the poorest families in a poor area”. After leaving London for Dunstable in 1973, Hunt ran an insurance business for many years with her husband, John, in the Bedfordshire town. “She became as successful in business as she was as a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother,” her son said. “She travelled the world and enjoyed a rich and varied life.” Hunt had been on dialysis for kidney problems at Luton and Dunstable hospital but her condition deteriorated rapidly and she was admitted to intensive care last Friday. She died two days later, on Mother’s Day, her family said. After her death, tests results confirmed she had been infected by the coronavirus.

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Steven Dick, 37

Dick was the UK’s deputy ambassador to Hungary. He had been with the Foreign Office since 2008 and had previously served in Kabul and Riyadh. His parents, Steven and Carol Dick, said: “Steven was a much-loved son, grandson and nephew. He was kind, funny and generous. It was always his dream to work for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and he was very happy representing our country overseas.” Shaun Walker, the Guardian’s central and eastern Europe correspondent, said: “He was a jovial, intellectually curious and extremely helpful person. He spoke fluent Hungarian, having undergone a year’s training before taking up his position last autumn. Early last week he helped coordinate arrangements for me to get back into the country, and mentioned that he had tested positive for coronavirus, but at that time said he was feeling fine.”

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Allan Oldcorn, 74

Oldcorn was a retired lorry driver for Bowater-Scott, which manufactured tissues and toilet rolls. Wendy Cavin, one of his three daughters, fondly remembers him leaving sweets for her and her sisters on the family mantelpiece in Flookburgh, Lancashire, when he was doing night shifts. Speaking to the Cumberland News and Star, she said: “He was the go-to man when it came to Flookburgh charter fair day, when everybody needed toilet rolls to make their float flowers.” She added: “He was an amazing husband, dad, grandad and great-grandad – the anchor of our family.” Oldcorn, who had been “fit and healthy”, died on 21 March, a day after being admitted to hospital with shortness of breath and backache. Doctors later confirmed he had tested positive for coronavirus, Cavin said on Facebook.

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Michael Gerard, 73

Gerard was a teacher, musician, campaigner and lifelong Guardian reader. His daughter, Sushila Moles, described him as “loving, kind and always supportive”. She said he made up daily limericks and entertained her with bizarre conversations. Gerard grew up in Shortlands in Bromley, south-east London. He met his wife, Caroline, at Durham University and the couple both worked as teachers in Leicester. Later Gerard specialised in teaching visually impaired children. Moles said: “He was a hoarder, which worked well for this occupation as he always had a boot full of noisy toys and tinsel that he used to help children.” He played many musical instruments but was most accomplished at the violin and founded several orchestras and bands near his home in Clarendon Park, Leicester. He was a Woodcraft Folk leader for 30 years, a former president of the Leicester Secular Society and a frequent attender of anti-war demonstrations. In later years he had a number of health problems including Crohn’s disease. He was diagnosed with Covid-19 on 18 March and died four days later at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

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Jon Jacob, 69

Jacob was a successful property lawyer and partner at the London firm Bower Cotton Hamilton, who lived in Chesham, Buckinghamshire. He was a stalwart of quiz leagues in London and the Chilterns, known for his formidable knowledge of classical music. A friend said Jacob “wore his knowledge lightly, and was very modest and self-effacing, always genuinely surprised to be told how good he was. He was also a lovely man: kind, generous and absolutely delightful company. He will be sorely missed by all his friends in the quizzing family.” Paddy Duffy, another fellow quizzer, tweeted: “Just a lovely man, brilliant fun and incredibly erudite. I’ll remember fondly our Sunday matches and our japes on the quiz holiday in Rhodes.” Jacob died on 23 March of complications from Covid-19.

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Ruth Burke, 82

Burke was the fourth victim of coronavirus in Northern Ireland, according to her daughter Brenda Doherty. She said her mother had “unbelievable strength and suffered many challenges in her life”, adding: “Unfortunately this was one that she was not going to overcome.” In an emotional video on Facebook she said: “We couldn’t be with her when she passed. We’ll not see her coffin, we’ll not get to kiss her.” Doherty urged the public to stop panic-buying and stay indoors. “My mum would not have believed how people are behaving. She would have thought better of society. My mum was a woman who loved life. If you value life, you will stay in and do as you’ve been asked.” Burke’s death was announced by Doherty on 24 March.

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Marita Edwards, 80

She was a very gentle loving woman and a friend to everybody,” Edwards���s son Stuart Loud said. She grew up in the village of Mangotsfield near Bristol. She worked as a cleaner in a factory in the city and brought up two children with her first husband. She found a new life with her second husband on the other side of the Bristol channel in the village of Bulwark in Monmouthshire. She was a regular at the Conservative Club in Chepstow, where she enjoyed dancing. “She had a very rich social life, much better than mine,” said Loud. Edwards was a former captain of the women’s golf team at St Pierre country club in Chepstow, and continued to play golf until she was admitted to hospital for a routine operation in February. She died three weeks later of hospital-acquired Covid-19 a day after testing positive for the virus. Loud said: “She was a lovely lady and it was just a horrendous way to go. I just want to make people aware of that.”

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Peter Myles, 77

Myles’s struggles with Covid-19 were documented on social media by his daughter, the actor Sophia Myles. She said she had done it to show the “harsh reality of the coronavirus”. In 2018 she tweeted about her father’s diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease. Before he retired in 2008, Myles was an Anglican vicar at St John’s church in Isleworth, west London, where he was described as a “liberal soul”. After being ordained in 1971, his first job as curate was in Tideswell in Derbyshire. He spent the rest of his career in west London, including stints as a priest at St Peter’s church in Notting Hill and as chaplain to the bishop of Kensington. In his final years he lived in a care home close to St John’s. He died on 21 March.

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Wendy Jacobs

Jacobs was the headteacher of Roose primary school in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Her leadership of the school was repeatedly praised by inspectors. “This vibrant school provides a good quality of education with outstanding features,” they said in a recent report. The school’s chair of governors, Fred Chatfield, said her death was devastating for the school and the community. “This is a huge loss,” he said. Jacobs died on 22 March.

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William Stern, 85

Born Vilmos György Stern in Budapest, Hungary, on 2 July 1935, Stern was imprisoned as a child in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp during the second world war. He shared his memories of Torah readings in the camp on the Shoah website. After the war he settled in London and went on to build a successful property empire. Stern Holdings collapsed in 1973 and in 1978 Stern was declared bankrupt with debts of £118m, a record that stood for 14 years. He was a member of the ultra-Orthodox Haredi community in London.

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Rina Feldman, 97

Like Stern, Feldman was a member of the ultra-orthodox Haredi community. No other details about her have been reported.

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Jean Bradford Nutter

Bradford Nutter was the aunt of the former England rugby player Will Greenwood. In an Instagram post he said she “never did anything but bring sunshine into my life”. Greenwood said his aunt lived near his boarding school in Sedbergh, Cumbria. He said she was the eldest of three sisters and was in her 80s “but had so much living to do”. She died on 21 March.

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Hassan Milani

Councillor Ali Milani, who was Labour’s parliamentary contender against Boris Johnson in Uxbridge and South Ruislip in the 2019 general election, revealed that his father, Hassan, had died after contracting the coronavirus on a trip to Iran. “In the early hours of this morning,” he said on Saturday, “my father tragically passed away after having contracted Covid-19. Please keep him in your prayers. This virus is taking millions all across the world.”

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Craig Ruston, 45

Ruston, a rugby fan and father of two from Kettering, Northamptonshire, had been a footwear designer, including at Dr Martens, before being diagnosed with motor neurone disease. He had been writing about his struggle with the condition before he tested positive for Covid-19. But his posts became less frequent as he began losing the strength in his upper body. In one of his last, he wrote about a dream he had of standing beside his wife and daughters at his own funeral. He wrote: “I don’t fear death, but I can tear myself to pieces if I dwell too long on what happens when I’m gone.” His family said he was “not ready to go”. He died on 16 March.

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Leonard Gibson, 78

Described by his family as a “typical jolly Irishman”, Gibson died on St Patrick’s Day, 17 March. He was born in County Tyrone and had 12 siblings. After moving to South Yorkshire aged 26, he worked at the coking plant at Orgreave. In retirement he enjoyed gardening, but problems with his lungs forced him to move into a sheltered housing flat in Oughtibridge, near Sheffield. He died in Sheffield Northern general hospital after being diagnosed with Covid-19. His daughters, Lisa, an NHS worker, and Michelle, a teaching assistant, were not allowed to visit him in hospital. Lisa said: “It is sad that we weren’t able to be with Daddy, but the nurses were there for us.”

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Nick Matthews, 59

Described as a “true legend” of the Avon and Somerset police, Matthews retired as an officer in 2010 after a heart attack. He and his wife, Mary, from Nailsea in Somerset, had a week’s holiday on the Canary island of Fuerteventura at the end of February. Matthews was taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary after complaining of breathing difficulties on 12 March. He died on 14 March after testing positive for Covid-19.

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Darrell Blakeley, 88

Blakeley was a churchgoer from Middleton in Rochdale and sang in the choir. He had a beautiful voice, according to a spokeswoman for St Michael’s church. He was also regarded as a “gracious gentleman”, she said. He had underlying health conditions and fell ill after coming into contact with someone who had travelled to Italy. Blakeley was admitted to North Manchester general hospital on 3 March with sepsis. He tested positive for Covid-19 on 10 March and died three days later.

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Kimberley Finlayson, 53

Finlayson was the first British victim of coronavirus to be named after she died on holiday on the island of Bali in Indonesia on 11 March. She was the founder of a dental communication business based in Shenley, Hertfordshire, one of the counties worst hit at the start of the outbreak in the UK. She had four children. Her colleagues paid tribute to her “passion, creativity and determination”. Finlayson had lung disease and diabetes.

🕊️🙏🕊️🙏🕊️🙏🕊️🙏

#u.s. news #politics #politics and government #uknews #uk news #uk #covidー19 #covid 19 #covid19 #covid2019 #covid2020 #corona virüsü #coronavirus #world news #worldpolitics

[ruckystarnes]

Characters: OFC-Constance Wallace, Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, Sharon “Carter” Zemo, Helmut Zemo, OFC-Moira Wallace, Tony Stark

Words: 2,771

Pairing: OFC-Constance Wallace x Tony Stark

Warnings: drug use, swearing, mild violence, brief mention of arousal

Royal Pain Masterlist

Playlist

Constance sat on the burgundy crushed velvet couch, her back pressed against the hard backing, her eyes focused ahead, staring blankly at her sister, Sharon sitting next to her husband, Helmut Zemo, crowned prince and heir of Sokovia. Sharon was the one that would settle down first, her and Helmut been in love since she was five. Despite being ten years apart, their father encouraged the relationship when Sharon was fifteen, setting the who up on a date even though their mother protested. Constance smiled at the thought, the words her mother called Helmut: egotistical, tactless, spineless, and Constance’s favorite, lily-livered. Of course, Sharon didn’t know any of this as she saw Helmut to be a strong man who was charismatic and loving.

If only she knew he had seven mistresses, Constance thought bitterly. She will always care and love her little sister, but it didn’t mean she had to even like her brother-in-law in any degree.

That smug bastard was sitting there, arm around Sharon, consoling the weeping twenty-four year old, hand on her bulging stomach. The words “stress is not good for the baby” could be heard, a jab at Constance for sure. That man always had eyes for her, but Constance rebuffed his feelings because she knew how much her sister crushed on him, and her sister’s feelings use to trump hers. Since, Helmut made it his life’s purpose to make Constance feel insignificant at every turn, which most never even pierced her skin, but the baby thing, for some reason, did.

“Momma, please say you are doing an autopsy on him,” Sharon pleased through a series of sniffs and sobs, her eyes focused on Moira to Constance’s left, who’s hand was tightly clenching a baby blue handkerchief.

“Carter, you know our laws,” Moira replied softly, looking over at her eldest with pleading eyes. “No autopsy on any royal member without the ruler’s consent.”

How could Constance have forgotten that? Oh, because most noblepersons die of old age or something that was already confirmed to cause death while they were living. She felt sick of the idea of having to call the shot on it.

“She’s not queen until she is crowned,” Sharon replied, the tone was almost seething. “You’re still queen, why can’t you order it.”

“Carter, you know the law,” Moira replied, more forceful this time. “I am not of Wallace blood, therefore I cannot overtake the duties that your father had. It is Constance to make, and right now, she is grieving just like you, but she has more on her plate right now.”

“Daddy’s death isn’t the top priority?” Sharon screamed, standing up abruptly causing Helmut to blink at her slowly, trying to process what had happen. “Order the autopsy, Connie. Or don’t you love Daddy to know what happened?!” She was borderline hysteric, and it had to be because of the hormones.

“Sharon Carter Wallace,” Moira forced out, standing in front of her daughter, “we are all upset, and I think it would be best if you and Renard retire to your room for now. I will send in Diane with some tea to soothe your nerves.” The queen didn’t move nor dropped her steely gaze until Sharon accepted the fact that she wasn’t going to get her way. Constance watched Helmut put his arm around his wife and turned her to leave, whispering something in her ear that Constance couldn’t make out. Only once they were out of the sitting room did Moira settle back on the seat next to her other daughter with a sigh.

“Momma, I can order it,” Constance replied softly, her hand covering her mother’s and gave it a squeeze.

“No,” Moira smiled, turning towards her daughter, “that is not something you need to worry with yourself right now. I know how your father died, so does the physician. We have seen this coming for weeks now, we just never told you girls.”

“Momma?”

Before Moira could reply, the sitting room door was opened and Bernerd, the king and queen’s butler, entered.

“Ma’am, your highness,” he nodded, the first title threw Constance, but then she realized that her mother was no longer the crowned ruler. “Mr. Rogers has returned and he has a guest.”

“Show them in Bernerd,” Moira smiled, looking over at Jenessa, her handmaiden practically, and waved for her to get the tea.

“Momma, what do you mean you knew what was wrong with Daddy?” Constance asked, her voice low, but only was waved off by her mother as she sat poised for Constance’s guard to enter with his guest.

Steve brought a guest? Steve doesn’t have friends, none that he has ever spoken of.

“Ma’am.” Steve’s voice broke through her thoughts and she looked up to see the muscular blond, reddish brown stubble dotted his face and his eyes looked...tired. He must have not have slept since he picked her up at The Hive. Oh, how she longed to be there instead, high on Rapture and not giving a fuck with what is going on.

“Steven,” Moira smiled, her eyes brightening for the first time. She was about to get up but Steven shook his head with a soft smile and walked towards them, taking her mother’s hand, kissing her knuckles as he knelt.  “Steven, no need for formalities.”

Did her mother just giggle?

“There is, Ma’am,” Steve pushed up and moved to Constance, taking her hand just like her mother’s, and kissed her knuckles when his knee hit the floor. “We are trying to keep the rumors suppressed, but we do need to have something to give the media to satisfy your people and to ease their minds.

“What they are expecting is the truth,” Moira replied sadly, earning a nod from Steve, “is this why your guest is here?” Constance shifted her eyes over to the door, seeing a man dressed in a charcoal suit with dark hair that was pulled back and eyes that were bright blue that it wasn’t hard for Constance to identify from the distance. He was handsome in a rugged way, sort of reminded her of some of the guys she would hook up with at the Hive.

Wait, have I met him before?

He was familiar looking, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on where she had seen him before. God, she hoped it wasn’t a the Hive.

“James Buchanan Barnes, Ma’am,” Steve smiled, turning to hold his hand out to motion for the gentleman to approach. As he got closer, his face became even more clear, and she finally realized why he was so familiar.

“Holy shit,” Constance breathed, not realizing she had said her thought out loud and earned a glare from her mother.

“Mr. Barnes,” Moira nodded, her hand was in his, his knee to the floor as pressing his lips to knuckles.

“Ma’am,” he replied, voice gruff and almost like sandpaper to Constance’s ears.

“I understand that Steven had filled you in with what your duties are?”

Duties? What duties? Her mother had her own security detail and Steve was her own, and it was common knowledge that she would inherit her father’s.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Barnes replied,  his blue eyes settled on Constance, making her feel uncomfortable. Why does everyone know what is going on besides her?

Moira finally turned her attention to Constance, which Steve took a silent permission to sit on the couch that Sharon and Renard previously occupied, and Barnes joined him. “Connie, there are a few things we need to discuss.” Her mother’s voice was low, soft, like the time she used when Constance’s dog, Kipper, died.

“Okay,” Constance replied slowly, her eyes shifting over to the two men on the other couch. It was then that she noticed that they were completely alone. “Are you going to tell me what happened to Daddy?”

Moira gave a sigh and curt nod but she didn’t answer. Steve did.

“He was poisoned, Connie,” he said softly, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped. “It as confirmed almost two weeks ago when his symptoms begun. The doctors’ were able to diagnose the poison that was administered: belladonna.”

“Daddy took that for his stomach issues,” Constance interrupted, not seeing how his medicine could have killed him.

“Yes, in the right doses,” Moira replied, settling her hand on her daughter’s knee.

“The first time he had a seizure, we just assumed that the dosage was miscalculated, but it started to happen more frequently, the seizures happening several times during the day,” Steve added, “and then he developed rashes and his breathing was labored. We took every precaution we could, even stopping the medication.”

“So, how did he die from it when he wasn’t taking it?”

Steve looked at Moira who hung her head as if it was shameful. “Your father loved his berry tea,” she whispered.

“So, you’re saying Daddy was assassinated,” Constance stated, anger in every word she spoke, “and you are just telling me this now? Why aren’t you telling Sharon this?”

“Because we don’t know who done this,” Steve said evenly.

“You think…” She busted out laughing, standing to shake her head and to back away from the group. “You’re fucking nuts.”

“Constance,” Moira warned.

“No mother, you cannot sit there and tell me that someone murdered my father and suspect that Sharon had anything to do with it.”

“Not Sharon,” Barnes spoke up, earning a glare from Constance.

“You...I don’t know you, so you don’t get a say. I know who you are and everything you do is just lies and ends in death.”

“Constance Reese.” There was that tone. The tone her mother used for discipline. The tone still made Constance flinch after all these years. She settled in the dark gray highback, crossing her leg and arms, but she remained quiet. “Your father has been receiving threats to abdicate his family’s title to the next.”

“Who’s…”

“Zemo,” Barnes replied, “your sister’s in-laws.”

“I don’t know you,” she replied evenly, “therefore I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true, Constance,” Steve replied in defense, “several letters the last year state the same thing. ‘Abdicate or else’ sort of meanings. But now that your father is gone, you are the heir to the throne. We suspect that this person…”

“Or persons,” Barnes interjected, making Steve nod.

“Might try to come after you so they can get what they want. Helmut Zemo on the throne of Ryfa and Lyorfa.”

I think I’m going to be sick, Constance thought.

“And according to law, you receive your father’s detail, but I am uneasy giving you to them,” Steve went on, “so that is why James is here.”

“To babysit me?”

“To take care of you. He’ll take my place essentially, since I have orders to cover your mother now.”

“I can take care of myself,” Constance grumbled, her eyes narrowed on the other man.

“That’s why you are at The Hive every week? Needing Steve to pull you out?” Barnes replied.

“How. Dare. You.” Constance stood and held a hand up to her mother. “I’m leaving.” Barnes rose with her, buttoning his jacket as he bowed to Moira. “Where do you think you going?”

“My orders are to be your close detail,” Barnes replied, a slight smirk dancing on his lips.

“You have no choice in the matter Connie,” Moira added, the mother tone making the matter closed. Constance growled and threw her hands up, storming out of the room, Barnes on her heels.

“Good luck, man,” Steve called back, and Constance could hear the delight in his voice.

The music was blaring, vibrating Constance’s bones and making her head buzz. She knew she shouldn’t be at the Hive, but everything was spiraling out of control for her. She wasn’t ready to be queen, she wasn’t supposed to ascend until she was at least forty. The need to have a place where no one cared who she was or what she did was a solace, like her dad’s need to drink rye at nine fifty-five every night. She didn’t care if James Barnes followed her to the club, didn’t care if he tried to remove her. She couldn’t believe her mother and Steve would trust him with her, after that man had done some despicable things while in the armed forces.

A hand rested on her hip as lips connected with the skin behind her ear, causing her to stiffen.

“Easy, Evangeline,” a deep voice rumbled against her chest and she instantly softened as she recognized it to be Anthony Stark. “You seem to be here to forget tonight.”

She spun to face him, pressing her body into his, as her hand went up to cup his face. “I always come here to forget, Tony,” she smiled sweetly. He held up his hand, a white pill between his forefinger and thumb, his brow cocking for the question. With no hesitation, Constance opened her mouth and he placed the small tab on her tongue before his lips found the spot on her neck that made her weak. They were in the sea of dancing people, a sweaty mix of high and horny surrounded them, and it brought her comfort knowing it will take James Barnes a long while before he found her. She could feel Anthony’s hands move lower on her hips, curving around to cup her ass to press her closer to him, making her feel his next question. Of course she wasn’t going to turn down the man. She nodded and he took her hand, leading her down the blue hallway and behind a black door. Anthony produced a small purple cloth from his pocket and smiled at her, which made her laugh. Ninth Cloud.

“What’s so funny, Vangie?” Anthony smirked, setting the cloth down on the glass table, sitting on the floor and started to open it.

“Ninth Cloud,” Constance smiled, “been forever.”

A smirk was her answer as she sat opposite of him, holding her hand out to him waiting for the object he held in his hand: a long white piece of paper. She busied herself rolling it up, her eyes watching as he pulled the purple stopper off of the glass tube of a lavender dust. Ninth Cloud, named after exactly what it does. Anthony made neat lines of iridescent happiness, holding his hand out for her to take the first hit. Constance leaned forward, putting the paper tube she made to her nose and to the first line. She passed the tube to him after she finished, sniffing the remaining powder that lingered, and when he was finished she pulled him in for a heated kiss, taking the tube from him.

The hit was enough to make her high enough for the night, especially with Rapture, but she wanted to forget. The next hit was more exhilarating for both of them, and she soon found herself in Anthony’s lap, her mouth hungry against his and he slipped a hand between her thighs, groaning to find her equally excited. Fingers busied with the buttons of his red button down, the need to have another drug coursing through her veins. Just as he was about to draw the zipper down of her dress, she was pulled away abruptly and was on her feet before she could even register what was happening.

“What the fuck man!” Anthony yelled, standing up, his shirt long forgotten.

Constance struggled to figure out what was going on, the high taking complete hold of her.  Something happened, a tussle or a fight. Something. Her head was spinning and everything was vivid but blurred. A hand was on her arm again, pulling her out of the room and she had a glimpse of Anthony kneeling with his hand to his face, dark liquid covering his hand. Her eyes roamed up to where the hand belonged, and stopped walking when she saw his face. He didn’t seem to care that she had stopped, kept pulling her with him.

“Let me go, you monster,” she seethed, her hand moving to try to loosen his grip. It only made his fingers tighten. She then resorted to hitting his hand, cursing him more and threatening to call out rape.

“Does that even apply here?”

She was stunned, not saying another word or aimed to hit again. Before she knew it, they were in the alley, a black SUV waiting for them. She couldn’t see who the driver was as James Barnes shoved her into the backseat, and instructed the driver to an address she didn’t know. She could hear him talking but the high was almost at its peak, and she was soon soaring.

#star spangled bingo #mcukinkbingo #LDMWC #em's writing challenge #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes au #bucky barnes x ofc

[lettersandinkstains]

Girls, Girls, Girls

Tagged by @inexorableblob Questionnaire by @cawolters! Tagging: @klywrites • @kittensartsbooks • @jojoscoffeeandwriting • @cohldhands • @els-writes • @reeseweston • @pierulestheworld• @elija-oc-art • @clarissalopeswriter • @disoriented-writer • @sundaynightnovels

I’ll just be using Sage, Nyx, and Bailee (from Pandemonium, stay tuned for a re-introduction!)

Guide: answer these seven Qs in the voice of your female character(s), and then tag somebody!

Who was your mother and what did she teach you?

Sage: My mother is the Queen of my homeland. There isn’t much to say about her, since she was pretty distant when I was growing up. I guess the thing she taught me was to not be like her, and to be more adventerous.

Nyx: My mother was a wonderful woman, she was strong in her own right and very outspoken. She taught me to defend and love myself. She’s passed away now, but I hope I can be like her one day.

Bailee: My mom’s in jail. She taught me nothing.

Do you have any sisters (related or not)?

Sage: I’m an only child! They had difficulties conceiving me--or so I’m told. So, just me. But I did have Aster as a close friend when I was growing up! I didn’t consider her a sibling though...

Nyx: I have one younger sister. She’s currently taking care of our home.

Bailee: No sisters, but I do have a twin brother. But I guess he doesn’t count?

How has your gender shaped your path in life?

Sage: Uhhh. I don’t think it has? Well, maybe? I wasn’t told I couldn’t rule unless I had a man by my side, but I do know that they would have preferred if I married a man. My life was decided for me, that’s for sure. But is that a gender thing, or is that a royalty thing?

Nyx: I was definitely considered lesser than my colleagues and peers. When I was hired on as an assassin by the gods, and for my own royal family, many scoffed because they didn’t think I could do it because of my gender. Well, sure showed them. But I don’t think it’s had too much of an impact outside of people underestimating me.

Bailee: It’s definitely a weapon for me. While I’m not regarded as inferior, I do get questions on my future decisions. People ask me what about having a family, since I want to go into politics, or because my current partner is also another female. I’m definitely expected, because I was born as a woman, to do things men usually aren’t. I’m the one having to always babysit my little half sister, I’m the one that has to do most of the cleaning. Just things like that. And any medical problems I do have, it’s brushed off.

What does the woman you admire look like? Who is she?

Sage: I don’t. I don’t know if I admire any woman? I don’t really admire men either. If I had to choose, Senna. She was a general in my fathers army. I remember her being so tall, face scarred up, and she had these really intense, beautiful, brown eyes. Her hair was as dark as the night and so curly. She’d always walk up straight and brought command without so much of an argument from anyone else. When she spoke, they listened. I remember thinking, as a little girl, that I wanted to be her.

Nyx: Lyra. She was a woman who lived in my village. While she wasn’t in any sort of powerful position, she helped me and my little sister when our parents died even though she and her husband were struggling with their own five children. She’d make us food, gave us a warm bed, and warded off any soldiers who insisted they be allowed to marry us. “Not on my watch!” she would yell. “They’re just babies!” She was a second mother to me. Short, rotound, firm but so gentle. Her hair was graying by her thirties, and she had a couple of wrinkles already. I love her, and I hope I’m making her proud.

Bailee: My step mom. I guess, like Nyx, she was kind enough to take me in when she didn’t have to. Actually, she’s the one who insisted my dad agree to take me, despite him having cut ties a long time ago. She treats me like her own daughter, and is making sure I’m responsible. So nothing too amazing. Just her selflessness, I guess, as nobody wanted the problem child.

Why do you think women are considered the gentler sex?

Nyx: I don’t think they are? We’re just as capable of men in most ways. Our physical appearances might be different, but that doesn’t mean anything.

Sage: I have no idea what this question means, sorry :).

Bailee: I theorize is that we’re better at empathy and we listen more. We can connect with each other on a different level that’s not so much of a problem with the other sex?

What is a piece of your personality that you are proud of?

Bailee: Uhhh. Ahah. I guess it’s that I’m stubborn as hell? Or I’m pretty smart! I know that sounds like I’m boasting, but I’m able to pick up on things and learn them quicker than most. 

Sage: I think it’s the fact I’m able to remain calm! Unlike Zephyr and Nyx, who both impulsively react in a stressful situation, I’m able to sit back and analyze before acting. Though, I’ve been yelled at because there are some situations where I shouldn’t do that.

Nyx: I like that I’m observant.

When did you accept your own body and its strengths/weaknesses?

Bailee: I haven’t yet. I’m still trying to accept it, and it’s a journey because god damn, there are things I wish I could do that I can’t.

Nyx: Kinda like Bailee, I haven’t yet but I’m getting there.

Sage: When I was a little girl! Swords are definitely not for me, I’m better with speed and archery! Except, I wasn’t really allowed to use weaponry anyways.

#tag games #girls girls girls

[rain0205-blog]

Terminal State

Summary:  She tried leaving, submerging herself in work to escape the horrors she had seen. The horrors she kept seeing. She never wanted to go back to that life. But when the Empire takes her home, she’s forced to face her past. Can she move on? Can she cope? Or will she require a bit of help? still bad at summaries, still working on it. ever so slightly more than slight AU gadioxoc

The Next Step

...

Gladiolus and Athenacia returned to the haven just in time for dinner to be finished. As they arrived, Gladio kindly offered her his seat but she refused, going all the way on the other end to sit on the ground near Iris. The man only grinned at her while she pointedly ignored him during their meal. No one bothered to ask them why they were soaked; her sour face and Gladiolus's pride seemed to tell them all they needed to know. Instead, Athenacia engaged in conversation with the younger Amicitia, starting to think she was dating the wrong one and extremely aware of his eyes on them the entire time. Iris was purposely sat beside Noctis while the physician found herself again engrossed in a conversation about them growing up in the Citadel together. She enjoyed hearing about how they were brought up, understanding how close they were with every tale she was told. But they were interested in her as well, in how Cor had raised a child without anyone really knowing about her. To her he was just Cor but to them, he was a legend, so fixated on his own duty that there was never time for a family. Once she had started, they were all listening to her speak.

"It wasn't like a family dynamic," she explained, "I lived there but I only really saw him during training. He was a very busy man."

"But he read to you before bed?" asked Prompto with a laugh.

"Yeah, when I was younger. That kind of stopped after he put a weapon in my hand."

"He's never really focused on just one person before," said Noctis.

"I was a bit special. While I was still living in the orphanage there was this really sick baby. I wasn't very old but they couldn't figure out what was wrong and the child was going to die. But I could see the magic ailment. Once the staff told Cor that's when he seemed to take an interest in me."

"You saw a magic ailment?" inquired Ignis.

She nodded, "Yeah. That's sort of my specialty, why I became a medic. I kept a lot of people alive because I could see the magic disruption beyond their physical wounds. Most of it was burns, easy to treat but sometimes I lost patients."

"That's kind of cool," said Iris.

She smiled, "I suppose. I've always been able to do it."

The conversation shifted after that, moving onto Cor's training with them. Prompto had a crash course before he had left the city and Athenacia was impressed that he had passed. It seemed strange, that they all had a connection with this man and he had isolated her from them. For good reason, she was a Glaive with nothing to do with Crownsguard but still, she was shocked she hadn't run into them once given their involvement at the Citadel. The girl wondered if there was a specific reason for it, or if maybe that's just how things went.

The fire continued to burn and dinner was long since gone. The sound of their laughter and the waves crashing onto the coast was all that was heard in this small haven. Athenacia was finally dry after sitting so close to the flames and feeling warm. Grabbing a change of clothes would have been best but she was running out of semi-clean ones and she was still mostly avoiding Gladiolus, catching his looks toward her. The man appeared to enjoy watching her interact with his sister and the Prince and she wondered if maybe he was looking for any signs of her earlier discontent. Holding a small, sad smile, they began to speak of Altissia. That was where they would part ways and it still made her upset to be away from them, from, however, she would not hinder their cause and she couldn't travel with them, she had unfinished business here first. They had to go meet Lady Lunafreya in Altissia and gain yet another blessing of a god. That woman sure did move fast. Athenacia probably would have been there with her had she not left in the middle of the night - though the young doctor would have done the same thing had she the opportunity.

"The tides will turn once we get the Ring," said Gladiolus.

"The Ring?" asked Athenacia confused.

"The Ring of Lucii," supplied Ignis, "Passed down the royal line, a means to summon the old Kings and Queens of Lucis. They judge who is worthy of their power."

"The Oracle has been holding onto it this entire time," said Prompto in awe.

"She means to pass it onto Noct, him being the heir and Chosen King of Light."

Athenacia frowned in thought, "So if they judge who is worthy, it means that anyone could wear it."

"Certainly, though there aren't any alive to tell the tale."

"No right, I get that. But potentially someone with no ill intentions could put it on without being Caelum and still be granted the power should the old rulers deem them worthy? They could utilize the Power of Kings?"

Noctis looked over at Ignis curiously. The Adviser's face was thoughtful as her words swam through his head. No one spoke, the question hanging in the air. No one had really thought about it since the Ring had never before left Insomnia. Now there seemed to be a whole new set of rules to consider, one that they had never even thought of before. Athenacia kept her gaze on him, needing this answer.

"It's not impossible," he said tentatively, "Though I daresay I cannot perceive a likely situation while the Oracle holds it."

"So that's how he did it," replied Athenacia to herself, her eyes going toward the fire.

"What are you talking about, Doc?" asked Gladiolus.

Athenacia looked up at him, her mouth opening and ready to reply only to be stopped. They were all looking at her, waiting for her to elaborate and she frowned in thought, not sure exactly how to begin. None of them ever asked her much about the fall of the city and she didn't want to bring it up, knowing how hard it was for them to see the aftermath of the attack. Iris refrained from speaking as well and it made her wonder how long the young girl was in there to begin with. Surely her father would have arranged transport knowing there was a mole in the Kingsglaive? Heaving a sigh Athenacia knew that eventually, these boys would want to know and given how intent they were on her at the moment, now was probably the best time.

"The day the city fell, I was in the hospital, working. After Tash had died at my carelessness, I went to find Cor. He was on his way inside the Citadel but I stopped him from going," she looked at Noctis, directly into his eyes, "I wasn't kidding. The wall fell, the crystal was taken and they reigned hell on us the second they could. They fell from the sky without stopping and I'm lucky to be alive. But while I was fighting with Cor to get out I lost the use of magic. We both knew what that meant..." she didn't leave his gaze, knowing that he wanted to finally hear first hand what happened to his home, "I was separated from Cor, fighting my way around the hoards of them and I ran into the Oracle. She was with Nyx-"

"Nyx Ulric?" interjected Noctis.

She nodded, "Yeah. He was supposed to get her out of the city but Libertus was also there and he took care of that. Nyx was fighting Drautos-"

"Titus Drautos?" asked Ignis incredulously.

"Yeah he..." she stopped, observing their confused faces, "You don't know..."

"Know what?" asked Gladiolus.

"Cor never told you?" she looked back at the Prince incredulously.

"Told me what?" asked Noctis confused.

"About the mole."

"Mole?" asked Prompto.

"The day before the ceremony, I performed an autopsy on a Glaive, Crowe Altius. I discovered that she had been killed and left for dead by another Glaive by the name of Luche. That only told me that there was a mole within the system. She was killed because she was on her way to escort Lady Lunafreya to Altissia to meet you."

Athenacia's voice was hard, her fist balling in her lap as she glared into the fire. The images came to her mind: of Crowe's lifeless face contorted in agony, the smell of fresh trash about her, the residue she had found on the internal organs. A tear rolled down the doctor's cheek. She never had the time to mourn her loss. The small hand placed on her shoulder told her that Iris was offering sympathies. Bless her.

"I'm sorry," said the young girl.

"She was my friend and she was killed by her own people," said Athenacia in that menacing tone.

"Apologies, but I'm failing to see the relation with Drautos," said Ignis.

"Titus Drautos was the mole. He's General Glauca."

The look on Prince's face made her heart wretch. Athenacia wished she wasn't the one that relayed this information, assuming that Cor would have told them what happened. There was really no reason not to, however, the Immortal didn't bother and she felt guilty because it was likely that he was so focused on her that he was rushing them away so he could start his hunt.

"He killed my father," said Noctis in a very low and dangerous voice.

"He's dead," replied Athenacia in a much similar tone, "Nyx killed him with your own power."

She didn't falter her gaze, wishing she knew what was going through his mind.

"Good," he said finally.

"He was able to use the ring?" asked Ignis.

"For a time. It cost him his life," replied Athenacia, "He was also my friend. They all were, even the ones that turned."

"You were from the same place," said Gladiolus.

"What?" she looked at him confused.

"Galahdans. You were both from Galahd."

She blinked, not understanding him at first, "Right, yeah," she shook her head, "Sorry, I... haven't really had the time to reflect on it all."

"None of us have," said Prompto.

"How were you able to escape?" asked Ignis.

He had that suspicious look to him as he regarded her.

"I don't really remember. There was so much going on after I parted ways with everyone," she replied, putting her gaze into the dancing flames.

He was still unconvinced, "But you remained mobile," he stated.

Athenacia nodded, "It's like I told Iris, I crossed swords with someone I had no business fighting. I don't know who he was or what he wants but I wasn't about to bring danger around everyone else," her voice hardened as she shifted her gaze toward him.

If he had something to say he should have just said it, there was no need for this dancing around like she was too stupid to know he was on to her about something. Athenacia didn't have to tell him anything, had no reason to justify her secrets and she was sure he was keeping his suspicions to himself lest others would start to question her about it. Since there was nothing else, she tore her gaze away and sought the comfort of the flames. No one spoke for a time, the note in the air heavy with grief and deep thoughts. But eventually, Prompto brought them out of their negative reverie. Bless him.

The boys eventually fell into the whims of their phone game. Athenacia had no idea what it was nor did she really care to find out, instead, she looked through pictures with Iris. The young doctor had absolutely no idea how Prompto managed to gather them all, especially during the fighting, however, she was thankful he managed to get mostly her good side, hating that purple eye even though it was fading. Athenacia smiled a little as she observed them. There was one of her with all her chains out back in the thicket. Her arms were across her abdomen, her head down with her eyes closed. He had managed to capture it while she was still in mid-air but right before she touched the ground, it was truly a masterpiece. She came across another one, where she was sat on Gladiolus's lap with her face red as she was looking at her hands and he had that usual grin he wore while teasing her. Another picture where she was sitting in a seat and he was leaning against her legs, her hand on top of his head and buried in his hair while they both dozed.

The last one she observed she spent the most time on. It was from earlier today on their way to this very haven. Athenacia was staring into the distance of the ocean, and Gladio had just come to lay his arm around her. What struck her was the way he was looking down at her. It wasn't that grin he wore while teasing her, it was something else, something that made her heart flutter and her breath catch in her throat. The girl couldn't say she had ever seen someone look at her like that and her hazel eyes left the screen to seek him out. Gladiolus had a smile on his face while he played his game, however, he did meet her gaze, winking at her before going back to his phone. Athenacia bit her lip in that usual nervous manner, feeling the heat on her cheeks and a warm feeling spread through her body as she once again looked down at the picture.

...

The dawn came too quickly for Athenacia. With hardly any sleep gained she was up far too frequently throughout the night. It wasn't her nightmares this time, she knew that today they would reach Caem and the journey together would be over. The morning was crisp and the air was still as the water carefully flowed along, ignoring her thoughts. The girl was sat at the end of the small dock, her feet in the water and the only one awake, watching the stars begin to fade and the sky start to lighten up. The lighthouse was looming over her it seemed, easily able to see it up on the cliff. Footsteps were felt in her hands on the wood and she turned around - only to be met with Gladiolus, shirtless and sandy eyed. Athenacia gave him a small smile before returning her gaze back to the calm water, moving aside so that he was able to sit next to her, his own feet dipping into the water as well. Absently his arm snaked around her waist, his right hand on her thigh but not moving it. She leaned into him, wishing to enjoy as much of his company as possible. The man was tense, which was almost as peculiar as the fact that he was up extremely early, telling her one thing.

"Still having that dream?" she asked lightly.

"Yeah," answered Gladio, "But not for long."

"You figured it out?"

"Think so. We'll find out soon."

Athenacia looked up at him, wishing to know what he was thinking. She wouldn't pester him for the information because he never did that to her. Those amber hues were distant, his thoughts plaguing him as he looked out into the ocean. Smiling slightly, she brought her lips to him, planting a gentle kiss under his jaw where his neck met with the bone. The coarse hair prickled her lips but she didn't mind in the slightest. Gladio met her gaze and she felt that same flutter in her heart from the previous night. The way he was looking at her seemed much more intense now that she could see it for herself. Pulse quickening, he pulled her closer and she kissed him once more.

The rest of the morning was quiet. They broke down their camp with minimal words before walking back toward the area where the vehicles were parked. It seemed that none of them wished to end the journey just yet but there was no choice. Moving forward was the only option, they had taken long enough to get here in the first place. So they moved but at a slower pace it seemed. Once everything was packed away, Athenacia got into her truck from the driver's side. Gladiolus took the driver seat and began to follow the Regalia once again. The girl sat against him, keeping her small hand in his own and her head against his shoulder. They entered a tunnel almost immediately, unable to see how much closer they were getting. Coming back into the sunlight made her squint, a small pulsing beginning from behind her right ear. Rubbing it absently, her heart dropped when she saw how much closer the lighthouse was. Once they crossed the bridge then that would be it and it felt that was happening far too fast. As soon as they began to slow down after exiting she internally sighed. This was it.

Athenacia saw the big truck used from Hammerhead, knowing the logo well. Gladiolus pulled up beside it, staying a fair distance from the Regalia as he parked. It was a few moments longer before she released his hand for him to turn off the engine looking over at her and offering a sad smile. The man knew as well that this was where they would part ways, handing her the keys before opening the door and stepping out. Grabbing her two bags and her weapon to bring with her where she would be staying, she exited the vehicle and fell in step with the Shield as they began their ascent toward the massive lighthouse. If anything, she was sure the view up there would be spectacular. Cindy, the young girl Athenacia had likely known longer than anyone she could think of aside from Cor, was waiting for them as they arrived. There was a smile on her face despite the dirt there and she happily greeting them with a compliment to the Regalia.

Immediately Athenacia noticed the look of enamour take over Prompto's face. It made her smile as they followed her up toward the lighthouse. The doctor listened as they spoke of the boat that was in dire need of repair. It seemed they wouldn't be setting sail for Altissia just yet and part of her was a little happy about that, however, it was decided that the boys would leave to find the last piece of the puzzle, Mythril. Where they were going to get it was unheard of just yet but at least Athenacia could spend some more time with them before they left. They were still walking toward the lighthouse but then detoured to the right. The physician was able to see a house sitting there, big enough for refugees that had come from Lestallum. Off to the left was a garden started and people wandering around. So this was where she was going to stay until she met up with Cor, until she could take the next step forward in her own journey. At least there would be work to keep her busy.

"TIA!"

Athenacia's attention snapped toward the source of the noise, hazel hues softening at the sight before her. A very excited Talcott was running as fast as he could from the house toward her. Tossing her weapon and bags aside, she dropped to her knees gently. The young boy was closing in on her and she kept her eyes on him, ready. When he finally was close enough he jumped at her, throwing his little arms around her neck. Athenacia was ready for it, enfolding him in her arms and falling backward with a dramatic grunt. She held him tightly once her back hit the ground, rolling down the hill a few feet before ending up on her back again. The girl was almost a starfish while the boy giggled at her, sitting up over her. Through lidded eyes she was able to decipher where he was, and by the sound of his giggles as she kept her head to the side.

"Get up, Tia," said Talcott between laughs, shaking her slightly.

"I can't I'm dead," she replied, opening one eye and then closing it again.

"What?"

"I'm dead, I can't get up."

"No you're not," he continued to giggle at her.

"I am too!" she looked at him sharply.

"How?"

"I was slain, by the mighty Talcott!" she held the back of her wrist to her forehead in a dramatic pose

He laughed harder at her, "But you can't be dead!"

"Oh? And why not?" she dropped her arm.

"Because dead people can't talk!" he insisted.

"Are you a doctor?" she asked him seriously.

"No."

"Then how do you know?"

"Because you told me!"

"What? I did not!"

"You did!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, you taught me that Tia!"

Athenacia smiled warmly at him as he continued to giggle at her. Gladiolus observed them from where he stood. Her bags and weapon were at his feet and she was still on the ground while Talcott was sitting over her, pushing her to get up from where she was. The Shield couldn't see any of the grief she carried around with her, only a woman that was untainted by anything she had experienced, that had light in her hazel eyes shining like it never had before - almost as if it had never faded in the first place. Gladio felt something as he watched her, something he wasn't sure he could identify. It only grew stronger the more he fixated on it and he couldn't help but smile as he continued to observe them.

"You have to see what I did!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"What did you do?" she asked, her eyes widening in anticipation.

"No, you have to come see!"

"I do?!"

"Yes! Get up Tia!"

"Okay hurry though because I'm about to lose my mind!"

"You have to get up first!" he giggled at her.

She groaned, "I forgot. Quick, before I lose my mind completely!"

Talcott continued to laugh again, moving off of her. Athenacia rose to a sitting position and he grabbed her hand, pulling her arm eagerly. Using her free hand to get to her feet, she scurried with him passed the others and into the house in the distance. Gladiolus watched them go, keeping that same smile on his face before reaching down and picking up her things, walking toward the house with the rest of them. Cindy had left them beforehand, deciding it was best to get back to the garage.

As they came up to the front door, Gladiolus put down Athenacia's things near the side of the house where Iris was waiting for them. Taking a quick look around, he was satisfied with what he was seeing. They would be safe here, especially with the few Crownsguard that were walking around. There wouldn't be a need to worry as much when he left to take care of his business. It would be better once they got everything all up and running as well but at least now they had a doctor on sight that could see to their needs. The door to the house opened and Athenacia stepped through it, that smile on her face and same light in her eyes still - until she caught sight of all of them. Gladio knew that she didn't want them to leave but she would never voice her thoughts like that. Keeping her gaze on them, she walked down the steps and joined them while they spoke with Iris. The doctor stood in between the siblings and waited patiently for them to finish, knowing they would want to hear what Talcott had told her.

"Jared's notebook said Mythril was up north in a lake," said Iris finally.

"That's the Vesperpool," supplied Athenacia, "The ruins there will have what you're looking for. They're impressive, I've seen the outside of it before. The lady in there," she gestured her head toward the house, "Monica? She said it was under Imperial watch so getting in might not be easy."

"You'll want to be prepared before you go," said Iris.

"Yeah, just give us a second," said Gladiolus, looking over at his sister.

The teen nodded, walking into the house. Athenacia took a step back, noticing her things near the entrance and walked toward it, trying to give him the space that he needed. Hurrying back inside, she placed her little belongings off into the corner, not really having any space for herself. Actually, it dawned on her that she would be very awkward once Gladiolus and the others left. No one inside the Crown City was very friendly to her before the fall and now the rumour was she had been the reason they were all in this predicament. Better to find a place to stay that was far away from their hateful eyes, somewhere outside perhaps.

"Do your thing. Not like we could stop you anyway," she heard Noctis speak as she stepped through the exit.

"You know me too well," said Gladiolus smiling.

"You're leaving," stated Athenacia from the door.

Gladiolus found her gaze, barely taking notice of Noctis and the others vacating, giving them their moment now. The girl walked down the steps and came to stand in front of him, looking up into his eyes. That calm hazel stare pierced through him as always, making it impossible to hide anything from her. She was the only one who knew that there was something bothering him and that he planned on taking care of it. Here she was to see him off, somehow knowing that what he planned to do was dangerous.

"Don't worry, Doc, I won't be gone long," he grinned at her.

She smiled, "Who's worried?"

Gladio was about to say something when Talcott had burst out the door and ran toward her again. The man watched that light return to her eyes while she regarded him, that feeling taking over him once more. Athenacia bent down so that they were eye level.

"Tia I fixed it, come see!" he said excitedly.

"Just give me a minute okay?" she asked him gently.

He nodded, running away back into the house. Gladiolus reached for her, letting his emotions run away with him as he pulled her for a kiss. Keeping his arms around her, he watched her small white teeth capture her bottom lip as she looked away for a mere moment before meeting his gaze once more.

"He got attached to you quickly," said Gladiolus amused.

She shrugged, "He's an orphan. I get it."

"You'll be a great mom one day, Doc," he smiled down at her.

He was expecting a blush, a smile, a scoff, something positive for the compliment. However, he frowned, letting his hands drop in confusion. Athenacia had very lightly gasped, tears welling in her eyes as a crestfallen look took over her delicate features.

#fanfic #finalfantasy15 #final fantasy xv #ffxv #ffxv fanfiction #ffxv oc #ffxv gladio #gladio x oc #gladiolus amcitia #action #adventure #romance #fluff #love #doctor #female #patient #angst #tragety #complex ptsd #fluff and angst #medic #medicine #physician #hospital #emergency medicine #noctis lucis caelum #prompto argentum #ignis scientia #cor leonis

[gadgetgirl71]

Amazon First Reads for July 2020

I’m so excited about this months Amazon First Reads as Prime Members are able to pick not just one book but TWO books this month. Also this month there are Nine books to choose from not the usual Eight. I really an excited about this. It’s always the small things that I enjoy. So what books will you choose?

This months books are:

Historical Mystery

Stealing the Crown by T P Fielden,  Pages: 320, Publication Date: 1 August 2020

Synopsis: Britain is at war—but the greatest threat to the Crown might be within the Palace walls.

London, 1941: Major Edgar Brampton is found shot dead in his office in Buckingham Palace. All signs point towards a self-inflicted tragedy, but when Palace authorities hurry his body away and order staff to stay silent, fellow courtier Guy Harford’s suspicions are raised.

While the outside world faces the onslaught of war, within the Palace walls a curious mystery unfolds. Rumours swirl about Brampton’s relationship with the Queen, and there’s talk of other plots involving those closest to the King.

To get to the bottom of what really happened, Guy joins forces with some unlikely allies—Rodie Carr, a beautiful East End burglar, and Rupert Hardacre, a postman with a past—but time may be running out…for him, for the King, and for Britain. Someone has their eye on the crown, and they’ll do anything to get it.

Can Guy solve the case before more blood is spilled on the royal carpets? Or will he be the next victim?

Contemporary Fiction

Rival Sisters by Louise Guy, Pages: 413, Publication Date: 1 August 2020

Synopsis: Tragedy pushed them apart. Can troubled times bring them back together?

Hannah and Nat were teenagers when their mum died in a terrible accident. The pain of it tore them apart, creating a rift that they’ve never been able to bridge. Neither is able to understand or appreciate her sister’s perspective, each quick to be riled by the other.

Both women have been indelibly shaped by the tragedy. Hannah is controlling, desperate to protect her loved ones in a way she failed to do with her mum. Meanwhile, Nat is forever running from the ‘selfish daughter’ label that she was marked with after the accident.

Now secrets in both women’s lives threaten to bring them down. Help may be close at hand, but neither can see it. But with life falling apart and the truth in short supply, can they finally see past their differences to the bond that could bring them together?

Thriller

Her Final Words by Brianna Labuskes, Pages: 343, Publication Date: 1 August 2020

Synopsis: A shocking thriller by the bestselling author of Girls of Glass.

It seems like an open-and-shut case for FBI special agent Lucy Thorne when Eliza Cook walks into the field office. The teenage girl confesses to murdering a young boy. Disturbingly composed, she reveals chilling details only the killer could know. Beyond that Eliza doesn’t say another word, leaving a vital question met with dead silence: Why did she do it?

To find the answer, Lucy goes to the scene of the crime in the small Idaho town of Knox Hollow. But Lucy’s questions are only mounting. Especially when she’s drawn deeper into the life of the victim. Then a combing of the woods yields unsettling evidence that Eliza isn’t the only one in this close-knit rural community with secrets.

Getting to the truth is becoming Lucy’s obsession. And it’s a dangerous one. Because for the good folks of Knox Hollow, hiding that truth will take more than silence.

Suspense

Trust No One by Debra Webb, Pages: Publication Date: 1 August 2020

Synopsis: A double homicide and a missing woman lead a detective to unearth disturbing secrets in this gripping thriller from USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb.

It’s the worst possible time for Detective Kerri Devlin to be involved in an all-consuming double-homicide case. She’s locked in a bitter struggle with her ex-husband and teenage daughter, and her reckless new partner is anything but trustworthy.

Still, she has a job to do: there’s a killer at large, and a pregnant woman has gone missing. Once Devlin and her partner get to work, they quickly unearth secrets involving Birmingham’s most esteemed citizens. Each new layer of the investigation brings Devlin closer to the killer and the missing woman, who starts looking more like a suspect than a victim.

But just as answers come into view, the case twists, expands, and slithers into Devlin’s personal life. There’s a much more sinister game at work, one she doesn’t even know she’s playing—and she must unravel the truth once and for all to stop the killer before she loses everything.

Book Club Fiction

The Last of the Moon Girls by Barbara Davis, Pages: 397, Publication Date: 1 August 2020

Synopsis: A novel of secrets, memory, family, and forgiveness by the bestselling author of When Never Comes.

Lizzy Moon never wanted Moon Girl Farm. Eight years ago, she left the land that nine generations of gifted healers had tended, determined to distance herself from the whispers about her family’s strange legacy. But when her beloved grandmother Althea dies, Lizzy must return and face the tragedy still hanging over the farm’s withered lavender fields: the unsolved murders of two young girls, and the cruel accusations that followed Althea to her grave.

Lizzy wants nothing more than to sell the farm and return to her life in New York, until she discovers a journal Althea left for her—a Book of Remembrances meant to help Lizzy embrace her own special gifts. When she reconnects with Andrew Greyson, one of the few in town who believed in Althea’s innocence, she resolves to clear her grandmother’s name.

But to do so, she’ll have to decide if she can accept her legacy and whether to follow in the footsteps of all the Moon women who came before her.

Crime Thriller

White Out by Danielle Girard, Pages: 361, Publication Date: 1 August 2020

Synopsis: From the bestselling author of the Annabelle Schwartzman series comes a chilling story of a woman with a forgotten past and a town with dark secrets.

After surviving a car accident on an icy road in Hagen, North Dakota, Lily Baker regains consciousness with no idea where or who she is. Scattered Bible verses and the image of a man lying in a pool of blood haunt her memory.

The same night of the accident, a young woman is murdered and tossed in a dumpster. Kylie Milliard, Hagen’s only detective, doesn’t immediately recognize the victim, but Kylie soon discovers that Lily and the dead woman share a dark past…if only Lily could remember what it was.

Lily and Kylie both want answers. But Kylie has to play by the book. Lily has to play it safe. And the more Lily learns about her identity, the more she fears the truth.

Historical Fiction

Across the Winding River by Aimie K Runyan, Pages: 301, Publication Date: 1 August 2020

Synopsis: A woman unlocks the mystery of her father’s wartime past in a moving novel about secrets, sacrifice, and the power of love by the bestselling author of Daughters of the Night Sky.

Beth Cohen wants to make the most of the months she has left with her elderly father, Max. His only request of his daughter is to go through the long-forgotten box of memorabilia from his days as a medic on the western front. Then, among his wartime souvenirs, Beth finds a photograph of her father with an adoring and beautiful stranger—a photograph worth a thousand questions.

It was 1944 when Max was drawn into the underground resistance by the fearless German wife of a Nazi officer. Together, she and Max were willing to risk everything for what they believed was right. Ahead of them lay a dangerous romance, a dream of escape, and a destiny over which neither had control.

But Max isn’t alone in his haunting remembrances of war. In a nearby private care home is a fragile German-born woman with her own past to share. Only when the two women meet does Beth realize how much more to her father there is to know, all the ways in which his heart still breaks, and the closure he needs to heal it.

Memoir

The Son and Heir by Alexander Munninghoff, Translation: Kristen Gehrmn, Pages: 279, Publication Date: 1 August 2020

Synopsis: A prize-winning Dutch journalist’s unsparing memoir of growing up amid the excesses, triumphs, and devastation of post–World War II Europe.

What can a son say upon discovering that his father wore a Nazi uniform? Reporter Alexander Münninghoff was only four when he found this mortifying relic from his father’s recent past in his attic. This shameful memento came to symbolize not only his father’s tragically misguided allegiance but also a shattered marriage and ultimately the unconscionable separation of a mother and son.

In this revelatory memoir, the author confronts his parents’ complex past as he reconstructs the fortunes and disillusions of an entire family upheaved during the changes of twentieth-century Europe. The Münninghoffs were driven by greed, rebellion, and rage. An embattled dynasty, they were torn between the right and the wrong side of history. Their saga haunted Alexander’s life for the next seventy years.

Only in reconciling with them can this man find the courage to move forward as son and heir to the startling legacy of a flawed yet grand tradition.

Children’s Picture Book

Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten by Laura Purdie Salas, Illustrator: Hire Nakata, Pages: 41, Publication Date: 1 August 2020

Synopsis: Clover Kitty does NOT want to go to kittygarten! Although she might like a friend to play with, kittygarten feels overwhelming for a sensory-sensitive kitty like Clover. And when she arrives, it is exactly as she fears: her classroom is too loud, the lights are too bright, and everyone comes too close. So Clover throws a fit…and decides to quit kittygarten. But when a classmate comes to check on her, she begins to reconsider. Maybe it’s time for Clover to give kittygarten another chance.…

*** Which books will you choose? I think I know one of the books that I’m going to choose but I can’t make my mind up about the second book. What do you think? ***

#amazonfirstreads #amazonkindle #amazonprimemembers #bookclubfiction #childrenspicturebooks #contemporary fiction #crime thriller #HistoricalFiction #historical mystery #memoir #suspense #thriller