#But then he hears his brothers worlds telling him the royal family is there to serve the nation and give a voice to those who need it

[obsessivevoidkitten]

A Royal Pain In The Ass

Yandere Male Alpha x Male Omega Reader (CW: Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, INCEST, non-con, male reader, a/b/o, ass eaten like it is groceries, blowjob, marking, biting, knotting, musk, general yandere behavior, necromancy, assassination, minor character death, angst, pain, violent sex, breeding, forced feminization, size difference) Word Count: 2.9k (This is probably the worst thing I have ever written, but I think I covered all the appropriate warnings. Sorry for any mistakes I did proofread, but I did not have this beta read.)

Your father, King Esmer, had been among the wisest and most powerful kings in all the world. He had led decisive victories in war, chosen brilliant advisors, and knew when to rule kindness and when to rule with a bit of a sterner hand. Overall he had been much loved by all the classes and had truly united his kingdom, alphas, betas, and omegas alike. But as he grew older many in the royal court began to fear that your brother, Prince Vairthold, would become a tyrant of a monarch. He had always been a bit of a demanding brat, but as he grew so too did his arrogance and entitlement, and when he presented as an alpha he became an accomplished warrior, his powerful muscles and keen instinct allowing him to become a terror on the field. It did nothing to staunch the growth of his ego. Your father could not see it, as blinded as he was by denial and love for his first born, so he would not hear of it when his advisors wanted him to choose another heir. Perhaps one more malleable and temperate such as you, his younger son, an omega. “He will grow into the role,” he would always say, “I had to learn and change a lot too when I first started. Besides, most lords just would not accept an omega ruler.” And that would be the end of the discussion. But once Esmer had passed his successor wasted no time in changing how things were to be done. They were, in the grand scheme of things, very minor changes at first. Statues built, mundane orders carried out, nothing too unusual or threatening. But within months your older sibling allowed a dark sorcerer in the court in a high advisory position. Dark magic was not something that had been allowed in any capacity previously, but your brother had searched long to create someone to place in this position. When he finally had the magic user that he so desired he became not just arrogant and demanding, but colder and crueler as well. He did not go out slaughtering people, though laws did become more draconian, with several inmates disappearing in the dead quiet of night. He also revoked many of the laws and rights that omegas had previously enjoyed under his predecessors, making them basically under the ownership of their alpha or beta relatives unless they were single and had no family. You, being an omega yourself, were almost never allowed out of your brother’s sight, even being forced to stay in his bedroom. The only time you were not with him was when he was off in the darkness of night consorting with his dark advisor, and even then he left the bulkiest beta knights he could find to guard the door and make sure you had zero chance of escape. Your older sibling had always been far too possessive over you, some people, including your late father, might have mistaken his behavior as merely how a protective alpha is supposed to act around their smaller omega family members. But you knew better, you could tell there was something impure about the way you caught him leering at you, something off about how he had kept away any and all courters, something wicked in the way his expression changed when you were in heat and he caught a whiff of your scent. He had never been particularly mean to you, perhaps a bit of bullying here and there, but ever since he had changed the laws and the status of omegas he had been a lot more gruff with you. Not tolerating any dissent. If you resisted he would not hesitate to slap you across the face, but if you cooperated and did not complain he would often reward you with little gifts for your good behavior. Over time you learned never to complain, and so far nothing terrible had happened, but you did not trust his intentions at all. You dreaded to think what would happen if you had your heat now when he was always so close. He had not just forced you to sleep in his bedroom but to make a nest for yourself there too. You knew what it implied and you did not like it one bit. But a few months into his rule, as he started ignoring his court less and less, right as your heat was starting, he died. He was assassinated in his sleep. You were not involved at all in his murder, how could you be when you were constantly under the watch of him or his guards, but you did not raise a huge fuss over it either. You had been freed. Just in time. But it was only a delay of the inevitable. Soon after you had been crowned all those who had been involved with the assassination died, one by one. It was as if there had been some curse on the act of killing your brother and there was fear and dismay among the court and kingdom as a whole. You had never really been raised to rule, you mostly went by the advice of your council, they may have been using you as a puppet king to talk through, but they were good honest people who had wanted the best for the kingdom. With so few of them left you were buckling under the weight of your responsibility. But it would not be yours for long. After the last traitor of your sibling had been done away with, a few months into your reign and right as your heat was starting again, your brother and his wizard, who had gone missing after your brother’s murder, came sauntering into the castle, right in front of the throne as you were holding publicly addressing the problems of your lower-born subjects. There were whispers and murmurs among the guard and the present nobles. He looked different, blueish grey skin, dark rings around his now violet eyes, and his bright blonde hair had faded a bit, but he was still unmistakable as anyone but Vairthold. The deceased king. You, and everyone else present, were shocked and speechless. Had he faked his death? Why did he look so odd? Terror and hopelessness filled your heart as you knew immediately he had been responsible for the deaths of those involved in the plot against him and you were sure you would be next. He ordered the guards to remove everyone from the room except you. They hesitated briefly but decided that if your brother was not dead, and he seemingly had the ability to kill anyone who had tried to stand against him, then he was still their rightful king and they better be quick about following his orders. Vairthold smirked at you as they did his bidding while slowly approaching you, causing you to slink back against the throne with your arms in front of you protectively. The guards had left along with his magic using companion, so you were alone with him and he could do whatever he wanted with you. He wordlessly plucked the crown from your trembling form and placed it atop his head instead. “Awe, don’t be scared, little prince. I was mad at you for not avenging me, but I know you are just a weakling little omega doing what you were told. I am sorry I left you like I did, you must have been so terrified, but I wanted to become a lich, and I had to get rid of all those who would have stopped me.” You could not bear to meet his gaze, your lip trembled in fear, and your eyes were beginning to fill with tears. A lich was an immortal abomination made of magic that few believed in. If he truly was one then this couldn’t get any worse. Except it could, because under all the fear and anxiety there was another scent that had just graced your brother’s nostrils. Your heat. He began nuzzling his nose at your neck and underarms. In a rare act of defiance, perhaps forgetting exactly what he was for a moment, you tried to push away his head with all your might but he just chuckled and pinned your hands to the side. He had never been this brazen before. “It’s good that you’re feisty sometimes, shows that you’re strong, bet you’ll make us lots of strong heirs. I’ll forgive you for being uncooperative this time, putting you in front of subjects today when you’re in heat is bound to make your head a bit off. I should kill them all.” At his mention of heirs you redoubled your efforts to push him off, to somehow wiggle out of his grip, there was no way you could let this monster put anything inside of you. “N-no, this is my throne n-now! Y-y-you have to stop!” It was a pathetic display really, but a bit surprising coming from you. He smacked you with enough force to sting, but you knew he was not really trying to hurt you, just trying to remind you of your place. “Awe, that’s too cute, if you wanted the throne all you had to do was ask~ I will let you use it later.” He quickly disrobed and ripped off all of your clothing, leaving you bare beneath his hungry gaze. All your squirming and panicked pleas did nothing to stop him bending down and assaulting your neck with sloppy licks and kisses. You could smell the musk practically radiating off of him, it was making you dizzy, his smell had never interested you in the slightest and it still didn’t You could tell by his pheromones that he was a virile and fertile alpha, in any other alpha it may be attractive, but it only made your brother more terrifying. He did not have the same opinion of your scent, it had been driving him wild for years, but now was the first time he could freely indulge himself. He alternated between sniffing and licking your underarms and neck, he had longed for this for years and no one could stop him now. After making sure that you both utterly reeked of one another, he got between your legs on the ground in front of the throne and put your legs over his shoulder. Your mind felt distressed to the core, but your body had different plans, you could not control how it reacted. Especially when under the direct affections of such a powerful alpha during heat. You felt disgusted with yourself when you realized your cock was rock hard and felt slick start to leak out onto the throne beneath you, but your brother was thrilled. The smell emanating from your desperate little virgin hole was divine and he wasted no time at all in pulling your ass close to his face and sliding his tongue right in. The flavor was even better, so full of your pheromones, the taste was so intimately yours and he knew he was the only one that ever had or ever would get the chance to savor it. It was a royal treasure that only he and he alone was worthy enough for. A small involuntary moan escaped your attempt at stifling it and encouraged him to keep going. You really couldn’t help it, you were so grossed out, scared, and overstimulated that you were crying even as you instinctively spread your legs wider for him to get better access. You could feel his warm tongue sliding all around your entrance, stretching and warming it up. He pulled his face away from your ass and sniffed and licked at your precious little nuts, they were so tiny and delicate, unlike his big alpha balls. The scent you had there drove him wild. He started sucking on them before licking up your relatively small shaft and sucking your cock until he felt you buck into his mouth and cum all over his tongue. He moaned softly as he swallowed it all down. “I’m disgusting. That was wrong,” you muttered under your breath as you stared blankly at nothing in particular. “How could someone so sweet and perfect be disgusting? How could you think something that felt so good could possibly be wrong? Don’t worry princess, I know something that will feel so good you won’t even be able to form thoughts like that~” That was enough to jolt you from your post-orgasmic daze and revulsion, as your brother leaned over you, greedy hands busy groping and caressing up and down your sides. “I’m not a princess!!” You shrieked as you rocketed upwards from the throne and headbutt your lustful sibling as hard as you could. The unexpected impact caused even a large alpha such as himself to stumble backwards. You did not waste a fraction of a second to exploit the opening and started to get up past him. But he was no stranger to physical combat and knew how to recover quickly. He grabbed your arm and pulled you over to himself with great force. He sat on the cushioned throne and lifted you easily, forcing you to face him as you straddled his lap. When you felt the force with which he was grabbing you and saw the violence in his eyes as a small trickle of blood flowed from his nose you immediately regret assaulting him. “Let me be VERY clear, I am the king. And you ARE my princess. And when we are married you WILL be my queen. And there is nothing you can do about it.” You instinctively whimpered softly at the anger of the bristling alpha. He ignored it and focused on putting you in your place, submitting to him and impaled on his cock. Vairthold lifted you up and slammed you down on his cock. You screamed loud as it stretched and hurt in ways you had not conceived of. You knew he had stretched you. You knew there would certainly be blood. Even your slick couldn’t make this painless when he was driving into you so forcefully while you were so tense. “This could have been a lot easier on you, but you wanted to play rough!” With his hands gripping your sides painfully he lifted you up and slammed you back down on his dick repeatedly, thrusting upwards into you each time for added force. With each thrust you whimpered and yelped out in pain, your mind breaking a bit by bit. It felt like you were being stabbed. His nails began digging in, bruising your sensitive flesh as he only escalated the force he was using, you thought you were going to pass out, you even began to welcome it. “Puh-plea-ease, p-please. I’m s-s-sorry. I’ s-sorry. I-I’m sorry.” You sniffled and stammered, tears and snot running unattractively down your face, though your “partner” didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. “Say... You’re... My... Princess…” He spat each word through gritted teeth, emphasizing each by painfully pulling you down on his cock. “I-i’m your p-pr-prin-ce-cessss.” You struggled to form the words but once you had the change was immediate. He began slowing down to a much more merciful pace before pulling your trembling form close to him. It was still extremely painful, given the abuse your hole had just endured, but you tried to not focus on it. You could not bear to look at him so you just buried your crying face into his chest instead. Vairthold took this as a sign that you were willingly seeking comfort from him as your alpha so he slowed down a bit more. As he slowly slid his cock in and out of you, a mixture of slick with a bit of blood leaking down his shaft, he licked, kissed, and nuzzled the sensitive scent gland on your neck to try to comfort you. You had hurt him, but you had submitted to your king, so you didn’t deserve anymore pain. “You’re being such a good girl for me, I am gonna put so many babies in that belly.” You sobbed a bit louder but made no movements against him. He stroked your back soothingly as his knot swelled up inside you, tying the both of you together right before his cock spasmed and began filling you up with seed. As he came he bit down on your neck hard, officially marking you as his mate. By the mercy of the gods you finally passed out, sparing you the pain of being conscious while tied to your alpha. King Vairthold licked your neck clean of the blood he had just drawn and cuddled you protectively, his instincts telling him to keep his mate safe at all costs. When his knot finally allowed him to, he slid out of your ass before bundling you up and carrying upstairs to your private chambers. He cleaned you off carefully and laid you in your bed, before sliding in beside you and wrapping his arms around your waist. As he lay there with his princess in his arms he could scarcely wait for the preparations to turn you into a lich to be completed. He was going to keep you with him for all eternity.

#yandere a/b/o #a/b/o dynamics #a/b/o #yandere alpha x omega reader #omega male reader #yandere boyfriend #My OCs #My OC Vairthold

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I've been dreaming of the Ambitious King.

Long live the King of Beasts, he who shines like the sun.

He stands atop the heap, clutching victory in his righteous grasp.

How does a moment last forever? How can a story never die?

"We've come to finals of the interschool Spelldrive tournament!" an announcer blares over the stadium. "It's down to the wire, and this will be the deciding round. With the scores tied, it’s anyone’s game!!"

A crowd chomps at the bit for a winner to emerge from the field. They lean forward in their seats, clutch onto hope, stuff their mouths with soda and popcorn. This is a show, the players, actors, and they, the audience.

Leona allows himself a smirk.

We’ll give’m a real show-stopper then. That crown is as good as mine.

“What should our strategy be this time, sir?” a teammate—a Scarabia student—asks.

They’re huddled shoulder to shoulder, one student contributed from each of the seven dorms. Their allegiances may lie in different places, but they all wear the same black and violet uniform. They are all Night Ravens, united under one banner: his.

“We’ll finish this in a single decisive blow,” Leona replies, snapping his goggles on. “I’ll take the disc and score us that final point. The rest of you, cover me.”

“You heard the boss,” the smallest player says. It’s Epel, tiny but feisty—a contrast to his big blue eyes and lilac waves of hair. “Don’t worry, Leona-senpai! I’ll fer sure keep’m offa yer tail!”

“That’s what I like to hear, kid.” He raises his head and calls, “Clear!”

And with that, the players peel off into their own positions. The other team, uniforms pristine white and hemmed in royal blue, are patiently waiting. Leona pulls up to the center of the field where the referee and the opposing team’s leader await.

When he looks, he falters.

It’s a face that is frighteningly similar to his own.

The same skin color, the same lion ears and tail, the same construction of the features—if not softer and more friendly. His mane is held up in a ponytail, bright red-orange that fades into a golden yellow. He’s younger than he should be, missing the slight creases under his warm brown eyes and the lines that flank his perpetually smiling mouth.

“Falena?”

An icy dread creeps up from his core. The world around him seems to slow and come to a complete stop.

But this can’t be. My brother is 10 years older than me. He’s no longer a student, he’s—

“Leona? Is something wrong?” Falena inquires with a cheeky grin. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid to play against family.”

Annoyance flares up.

Brother or not, Leona detests that smile. The smile of a man that has robbed him of everything.

“Dream on,” he snarls back. “I’m overthrowing Royal Sword Academy and you."

The referee lets the disc drop and blows into his whistle. “BEGIN!!”

"Aaand it's started!!" the announcer declares.

His body instinctively kicks into action. He swipes the frisbee, keeping it afloat in a blaze of blood-red magic.

RSA swarm him, magical pens at the ready.

“Protect him…!” he hears Epel shout. “Protect the king!!”

His team charges, each of them trained on their target. NRC and RSA, reflecting the other, copying movements as they bound around on the field, seeking an opening or cutting it off.

Leona blows into enemy territory, furiously racing to the goal post.

"What's this?! It looks like Captain Kingscholar of the NRC team has already devised a plan to secure victory. They're closing off any aid the RSA team can offer to each other!"

The crowd revs up like an engine coming alive, a slumbering city waking. Blood thunders in his ears, louder than his audience.

"Oh no, you don't!"

"Oooh, and here comes the upset! It's Captain Kingscholar of the RSA team, come to interfere with the game plan!"

Leona swerves, and a stream of fire narrowly misses him. "Tsk!"

A flash of red and gold, and there's his brother at his side. "Sorry, Leona. It won't be that easy."

"Knock it off. I don't have time to play games with you!"

He dives, trying to shake Falena off--but he pursues, relentless in the chase. They thread each other in the sky, trading spells.

Explosions of heat and color. Shards of ice whizzing by, columns of water. Windy whips lashing at them. All-consuming light and darkness.

"This is amazing, folks! We are witnessing a brotherly quarrel the likes of which we've never seen before... Look at that dazzling display of flight technique and spellwork!"

Through it all, Falena' laughs.

So carefree, so cheerful. A knife twists in his chest, and the anger spikes again.

"That's enough...! I'm ending this," Leona snarls.

His magic collects in a single sphere. There is no body to it, no true shape--only a contained vortex of gales. They violently churn in an endless cycle, raising a storm in a jar.

He sends it hurtling at Falena, who moves to conjure a barrier--

Too late.

The ball expands, releasing its energy in one deep sigh. The audience is slammed back into their seats, the players blown to the ground or sent crashing into the bounds of the stadium. They're dazed, confused, scrambling to rebalance on their brooms.

The path, he sees, is clear.

Now...!

He lets out a monstrous roar and blitzes for the goal post. The disc sparkles, charging with power for the final blow as he gallops toward his prize.

The announcer hops back on, his voice frantic. "Could this be it?! Can Captain Kingscholar of the NRC team reclaim the throne from his brother?!"

Noise builds around him. RSA players calling out to each other, NRC players changing his name, the crowd cheering.

It's now or never.

Leona spikes the disc with all his might. It clears, the winning shot like a shooting star. Some golden object encapsulated in a blaze of fire.

The adrenaline in his blood sings with triumph. His tired muscles, his heavy breathing, the sweat upon his brow--badges of honor.

The sound intensifies, joined by whistles and shrieks. Feet stomping, hands clapping. People standing and hugging their neighbors. (Leona thinks he sees Crowley among them, sobbing uncontrollably.)

“This is incredible, ladies and gentlemen! You’ve just witnessed history being made today…! Night Raven College has snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, breaking Royal Sword Academy’s 99 year win streak!!"

Leona slowly returns to the ground, dismounting from his broom. He lands beside Falena, who is sprawled on his back and wearing the usual smile.

"Ahahah, looks like you beat me," he says casually.

"... Fool. Get up, you look ridiculous. The acting king of the Sunset Savanna shouldn't be rolling around in the dirt." Leona looks away, but awkwardly offers a hand.

Falena laughs and accepts it, hauling himself up. "That's a funny joke. When did you get a sense of humor?"

He scowled. "I didn't make one."

"Are you still half asleep? And you still beat me?" Falena punches him in the bicep. "That's my talented big bro."

"What... big bro?"

There it is again: something cold and sinister inside of him. The lingering feeling of wrongness.

Suddenly, the adrenaline in him turns toxic, and he feels as though his flesh and bones are burning. Leona seizes Falena by the shoulders and shakes him.

"What the hell is going on... Gaaah!"

A metallic screech fills the stadium. Pain blossoms in his ears, and Leona rushes to guard them, hands dropping away from Falena.

"Oops, sorry! Technical difficulties, folks!" the announcer apologizes. "It looks like even our equipment wants to cheer for Captain Kingscholar of the NRC team, the star player of today! Let's give him a round of applause!!"

They explode with excitement, Clapping and calling out louder than he can think.

"What a judicious young man!"

"He controls such powerful magic with ease...!"

He stands there, shocked, at the rain of adoration. Him, recognized? Respected, saluted, and seen as the wonder he is? Him?

His mind clouds.

What is this,,,?

"Leona-saaaan!!"

He turns, finding his teammates jogging over, Epel at the head. There are members of his own dorm with them--Ruggie, Jack.

"We gotcha now, Leona-san! Thought you could get away without getting your fur ruffled, huh?" Ruggie snickers, then gives Jack a thumbs-up. "Alright, fellas. You know what to do!"

"Hah, the hell is this? I didn't ask for a surprise after working my tail off."

"Sorry, Leona-senpai! Ruggie-senpai's orders!" Jack says very seriously. "This is the only way to give you a proper sendoff for carrying us to victory... You've earned it!"

"1, 2, 3...!"

"Wha...?!"

Leona is seized and hoisted into the air with a collective whoop of excitement. Tossed up, up, up. The stadium lights glaring, sound blasting.

He returns back to his peer's arms, and heaved up again. Down and up, down and up. Each pass makes him more nauseous, blinded and deafened by the dizzying joy.

"Long live the king! Long live the king!!" they chant.

The king... me? Leona fights against it, pushing as hard as he can.

But his body is tired, his mental capacities drained, his emotions worn. The situation, too sweet, too cloying.

I'm... the king... I won. This is my prize.

He closes his eyes and lets himself fall.

This time, for good.

When he opens them again, he swears he sees a dark figure flying high above the stadium. Not on a broom, but floating of his own accord. A pair of horns protrudes him his head, and he glimpses a pair of ghostly white hands clapping.

One additional spectator with glowing green eyes.

"Congratulations, Kingscholar."

#twisted wonderland #twst #Leona Kingscholar #disney twisted wonderland #disney twst #twst anni #twst anniversary #twisted wonderland anniversary #twisted wonderland anni #twst imagines #twst scenarios #twisted wonderland imagines #Epel Felmier #Ruggie Bucchi #Malleus Draconia #twisted wonderland scenarios #twst countdown #twisted wonderland countdown #Farena Kingscholar #Jack Howl #Falena Kingscholar #book 2 spoilers #Savanaclaw #I've been dreaming...

[gingernut1314]

Just For One Dance

Sanji x GN!Reader

Summary: You didn't smile. Didn't laugh. Didn't dance. But when you do, you become Sanji's whole world.

Warnings: Fluffff, some angst, Spoilers for the anime (Alabasta Arc)

Word Count: 1.1K

Song:

September - Instrumental

A/N: I've had this little idea for a whileeee now, and I've been itching to write it, so I hope you all enjoy!!! 🩷🩷🩷

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It was as if the moon had carved itself onto your lips. So bright and shining with a celestial glow that was otherworldly. 

You were smiling. 

You were smiling and it was making it hard for Sanji to breathe. 

The cigarette he had lit seconds ago fell from his lips as he watched you tilt your head up to the sky, arms spread so you could feel every last droplet of rain upon your skin. Tears rolled over the flushed rounds of your cheeks, a laugh bordering on a sob falling from those grinning lips of yours. 

Your laugh--your laugh. 

It was a sound sweeter than honey--richer than the smoothest chocolate. It was a sound that was engraving itself into Sanji’s very mind. One he would not easily forget.

Sanji had known you for a short while now. Had known you ever since the protection of Vivi had been passed from the recently deceased Igaram onto you. 

He knew you were a serious, honor and duty-driven warrior. Knew you didn’t seek any of life's pleasures out for yourself, putting your duties and princess above all else. 

He knew that included any of the special treats or drinks he made for you and the ladies of his crew. Included the simple act of partaking in conversion outside of snapping words at his crew whenever they grew too careless around your princess. Words Sanji himself had been bitten by more times than he could count on both hands for even trying to make a conversion with you. 

Sanji knew you didn’t laugh. Didn’t joke. Didn’t cry or get upset for yourself. Didn’t smile. 

He had wanted to change that ever since he had first laid eyes on you at Little Garden after you had someone managed to track your princess down. 

He had wanted to bring you joy. Had wanted to try and ease that pain and strife waging a war in your eyes. 

He had learned from Vivi what had happened to your family. Your mother and baby sister had been killed during a rather horrid sandstorm. Your father, after joining the royal guard, had been killed in battle. Your brother, very shortly after joining the rebel forces currently opposing Vivi and her father, had been killed during a raid. 

Yet you stayed steady in your loyalty to Vivi, who had become your friend and given you sanctuary as her handmaiden as well as the opportunity to train with Igaram. Yet you sought nothing out for yourself, always giving and protecting. 

So Sanji did what he could to make you feel appreciated. He made sure your meals were prepared with the utmost care and packed with all the protein and nutrients you needed. Made sure to bring you water after hours of sitting in the sun and training. Sanji even tried his hand at downplaying his flirting. At just sitting with you in your silence and even throwing you the occasional joke just so he could see you crack the smallest of smiles. 

It never worked of course. You were a steadfast warrior, one whose serious nature rivaled that of the Straw Hats’ own warrior. 

But here you were, smiling as the rain-soaked you to the bone. Smiling and laughing and crying for your country which had faced so much hardship.

And when you turned that smile onto Sanji, his heart stopped. His brain stopped. The soft hush of the rainfall around them and the voices of his crew fell away until all he could hear was you.

He watched you approach him with a carefulness he wanted to tell you wasn’t needed, but his throat had run dry--words catching and faltering under your stunning beauty. 

A calloused strong yet gentle hand smoothed over his, slowly interlocking fingers in a soft hold. Some semblance of sense came back to Sanji then, his fingers tightening their hold around your hand and feet moving him closer into your joy-filled presence.

“Dance with me?” You asked, eyes turning away from his in yet another emotion you had yet to gift him. Shyness. 

“I thought you didn’t dance?” Sanji teased, leaning ever closer. 

He wanted to be near you--needed to be near you. It was a feeling so strong it had a hold on his physical body. 

You rolled your eyes at his tease, but that smile never once drooped. 

“I told you I wouldn’t dance with you until the rains fell for my home again.” You said, voice cracking in your over-flowing happiness. Your light-filled eyes glanced upward once more, your smile only growing. “I could be mistaken, but I believe it’s raining now.” Sanji’s own laugh flew from his chest, gaining those watery, joy-filled eyes once more. 

“I believe it is.” He pulled you carefully against his body, his own hand guiding yours to lay on his shoulder. 

“I must warn you though. I am a horrid dancer.” You laughed in that silvery way of yours, pulling your body flush against Sanji’s. “I am but a lowly soldier.” 

“And I am but a lowly pirate. What brilliant dance partners will we make for each other.” You watched Sanji was a long moment. Watched him as your eyes softened and your smile grew warm. A softness and warmth meant only for him. Warmth that wormed its way into Sanji’s heart and would stay there until death was kissing his brow.

Just as Sanji’s hand found purchase on the small of your back, the voice of your princess came floating closer. A voice that had your smile faltering and that seriousness filling your eyes. You were going to leave him just as he had been gifted your smile and laughter and joyous brightness. 

Sanji held you closer against his body--leaned in closer so that his nose was just a breath away from kissing your own. Your eyes widened and that shyness Sanji had instantly loved upon its first arrival bloomed over your face. 

“Let's be selfish. Just for one dance.” You blinked at him. And blinked and Sanji was sure you would pull away from him. 

“Just for one dance.” You agreed, your smile growing once more and setting Sanji’s heart ablaze. 

The rain was your music and the beat of your heart against his guide. 

You may have been true to your word about your dancing abilities, but it hardly mattered to Sanji. Not when you hooked your arms around his neck, resting your forehead against his. Not when your smell, like the very rains falling around you, filled his nose and sent his head spinning. Not when after moments of lovely quiet in each other's arms, you showed him one last gift.

You gifted him a kiss. A smiling kiss he was more than eager to gift right back.

Tags: @fanaticsnail , @lostfirefly

#sanji x reader #sanji x you #sanji x y/n #sanji x gn reader #sanji x gender neutral reader #sanji #black leg sanji #sanji one piece live action #sanji one piece #sanji opla #opla #one piece live action #one piece #one piece anime #blackleg sanji x you #blackleg sanji x reader #blackleg sanji x y/n #one piece fic #sanji fic #divider by saradika

[wishesofeternity]

“You toil still in service to men. Your father, your husband, your son. You desire not to be free, but to make a window in the wall of your prison. Have you never imagined yourself on the Iron Throne?”

A couple of things:

1)  Alicent is a queen consort and is a Hightower by birth, so no, she cannot imagine herself on the Iron Throne, because Targaryen succession does not work like that. This is basic knowledge that 5-year-olds would presumably be expected to know, and I am astounded and embarrassed that Rhaenys, with her age and experience, lacks this fundamental bit of common sense.

2) Alicent has been the functional regent of Westeros for the past six years. In the previous episode, we see her actively governing the realm and overseeing all royal matters (while Rhaenyra sits on her ass with her loser husband in Dragonstone). We also literally hear Vaemond tell Rhaenys “It’s not a king who sits the Iron Throne these days, good sister. It’s the queen”, so I can assure you, Rhaenys, that Alicent has physically sat on the Iron Throne just fine. She lacks authority, obviously, as she is the consort and not the king, but she certainly did not and does not lack power, to say nothing about influence. This ridiculous show, however, does not seem to be able to differentiate these terms.

3) Does this show not understand that Alicent installing her son as King is not just beneficial to him (which the show acknowledges) but also directly beneficial to her? This is a patriarchal and patrimony-inclined world; Alicent’s son being King would not only mean immense prestige for her family; it would also mean the ultimate peak of power and influence for her (which we see her unapologetically wield in the books). In Westeros, we see Visenya Targaryen supporting her brother and her son’s kingship rather than angling for the throne in her own right, and wielding absolute power and authority in their reigns. Historically, Empress Matilda (the female claimant to the throne in the Anarchy, the war this story is based off) relinquished her claim in favor of her son, Henry II, presumably because she recognized he stood a better chance at gaining the throne (which he did) and continuing her legacy. Joanna of Flanders, who literally wore armor and led troops into battle, did it to support the cause of her husband in direct opposition to the claim of his niece. Yet according to this show’s logic, every single woman who has fought for their fathers and brothers and husbands and sons subscribes to internalized misogyny rather than, idk, supporting their families and gaining power, security and status in the process. Not to mention, Alicent relinquishing her children’s claim and stepping aside would not only be utterly humiliating and degrading for her from a political and personal standpoint, but also legitimately life-threatening for her children and her family. More competent writers would understand that she did not have much of a choice.

4) “You desire not to be free but make a window in the wall of your prison” is the MOST SICKENING PIECE OF VICTIM-BLAMING BULLSHIT I have ever heard in a long, long time. Alicent was a teenager when she had to marry the much-older King (her best friend’s own father) because of his desire for her. He repeatedly raped her and forced at least four pregnancies on her that she did not want. She was utterly isolated at court after her marriage, lacking comfort and friends (including Rhaenyra, who abandoned Alicent for three years after learning that she was being made to marry her father and, based on the comments she made, did not even stop to consider the awfulness of Alicent’s predicament). She had to endure the humiliation of her father being fired and made to leave court, leaving her even more alone than she previously was. She had to endure her husband constantly favoring his firstborn and his grandchildren by his firstborn rather than Alicent’s children who were a direct result of her rape by him. Her son was maimed and bleeding and her husband chose to defend his firstborn’s moronic decisions rather than bring him justice.  She is not a Targaryen, she does not and cannot ride a dragon. WHAT WAS ALICENT SUPPOSED TO EXCEPT TRY AND SURVIVE? HOW ON EARTH IS SHE BEING JUDGED FOR IT?

(And this ridiculously condescending comment is coming from Rhaenys of all people, lmao. A dragon-riding Targaryen who was an actual claimant to the Iron Throne, unlike Alicent. So, what was stopping HER from seizing power, pray tell? After all, she even has the Velaryon forces to back her claim. Instead, in her own words, she made peace with her sidelining. She constantly disagreed with her husband’s ambition regarding her claim and her family’s power. She volunteered her 12-year-old daughter as a child bride for her own aging cousin. The hypocrisy and double standards here is pathetic, and the lack of self-awareness on the part of the show is even worse)

Alicent was legitimately terrified for her children and her family’s lives, and she was entirely justified in doing so: if Rhaenyra ascended the throne, Alicent’s children would inevitably become threats to her whether or not they directly opposed her. This is unavoidable. Look up any historical usurpation, and that’s the inescapable result - and that’s not even going into the fact that Rhaenyra and Daemon are people who are reckless, cruel and indifferent to violence, and would not hesitate to kill any opposition to their reign. The show’s so-called claim that Alicent is upholding the patriarchy falls apart when you consider the fact that this is the only solution that guarantees the security of her children and herself. How is Alicent’s perfectly understandable motivation written as internalized misogyny? 

And moreover, from a writing perspective ... why give her this arc at all? Fire & Blood was badly written, but it doesn’t change the fact that they looked at an ambitious woman who wanted to enhance her power and improve her family’s standing, who directly defied her husband’s wishes in terms of succession in favor of her own, and rewrote this choice into one borne from internalized misogyny. They wrote her as a child bride, a rape victim, an abuse victim and a teen mother and then used this backstory to say that she was conditioned to become the so-called agent of patriarchy (which they do not support with believable evidence) who opposes their so-called feminist protagonist (whose primary enabler is Alicent’s rapist and abuser, btw, not that his abuse is acknowledged nearly enough by the narrative considering how heavily he was romanticized in the last few episodes) It’s a heinous, disrespectful, absolutely terrible writing choice, and I cannot emphasize this nearly enough.

(Oh, and speaking of Rhaenyra, let’s talk about how her queenship solidifies Viserys’s claim over Rhaenys’s. Let’s talk about if she truly cared about women inheriting the Iron Throne - as opposed to just herself - she would have considered this. Let’s talk about how she disregarded the claims of Baela and Rhaena in favour of her son when it came to Driftmark. Rhaenyra is not challenging the patriarchy, her ascension to the Iron Throne will not change anything for anyone except for herself, do not make me laugh by claiming otherwise)

ON TOP OF THIS, the show can’t even decide on a consistent motivation or characterization for Alicent. They repeatedly show us her visceral and justified fear for her children’s lives, which is somehow forgotten in episode eight in favor of her saying that Rhaenyra will be a good queen. Her desire to see her son crowned and thus ensure her children’s safety is disregarded in favor of her actually wanting to fulfil Viserys’s half-baked wishes on his deathbed. They have her say that everyone knows Aegon will be king, and then act surprised when the Green council plots to install him as King. They do not care about Alicent’s personhood and individual character; what they care about is her position as a foil and antagonist to Rhaenyra.

In conclusion: this show sucks. It shows absolutely no understanding regarding the politics of its own world and our medieval history and is a parody and a travesty of respectful storytelling. It has inconsistent and baffling character motivations and downright misogynistic writing, and this is not acknowledged nearly enough by the fandom.

#hotd #anti hotd #alicent hightower #team green #anti rhaenys targaryen #anti rhaenyra targaryen #not really but kinda #hotd critical #anti viserys i targaryen #does anyone even care about that shitshow anymore? idk and idc. i've wanted to rant about this for a long long time #mine

[hllywdwhre]

Dreamer, Queen, Prince - Prologue

Pairing: Daemyra x fem!OC

Warnings: Please check masterlist for warnings. This is an 18+ fic, MDNI

Masterlist

*97 AC

Prince Aegon kneeled next to Princess Adlyn Stark’s pale form with her hand in his. A fever had set in soon after the birth of their daughter, Viserea, and in three days it had taken her. Aegon couldn’t bring himself to leave his wife’s side yet, in disbelief at the sick twist of fate. They had convinced her father Ellard, the Lord of Winterfell, to allow them to be wed. They had traveled to King’s Landing and had a royal wedding. Less than two moons later Adlyn found out she was with child. Their happiness had lasted less than a year.

It was Aemma’s touch that broke him out of his trance and caused him to finally look away from his dead wife’s body. Behind her stood his older brother, Viserys, and each of them held a baby bundled in blankets. Viserys held his own daughter, Rhaenyra, wrapped in a blanket of Targaryen red and Arryn blue, while Aemma held Aegon’s daughter, Viserea, wrapped in a blanket of Targaryen red and Stark grey. Both of the blankets were gifts from the girls’ uncle Daemon.

“Brother, you have my deepest condolences,” Viserys said, his face showing just how truly sorry he was for his brother, “You must leave her side now. Viserea needs you.”

Aegon can read the true meaning behind his words. They need to take her body away now so that she can be prepared for the funeral. That was why they truly needed him to leave her side.

“I want her sent back to the North. She deserves to be buried next to the rest of her family. She wanted us to return there to raise our family after our grandsire passed, she would want to be buried there,” Aegon told them. He knew that traditionally a Targaryen’s partner received a dragon rider’s death, but traditionally one didn’t marry for love and instead married out of political advantage. Their marriage was not traditional.

“Of course, Aegon. Her wishes will be honored,” Aemma said, not bothering with any titles. She was one of the only in the Keep who did not use them unless absolutely necessary, and while most would see it as disrespectful, Aegon knew that Aemma meant it as a show of affection. She had always found titles to not be personable enough when speaking to those that she loved.

Aegon kissed Adlyn’s hand one last time and wiped away the rest of his tears before standing. He turned to face his brother and his brother’s wife and allowed them to guide him out of the room where he could hear the handmaidens covering her body.

“How is Viserea?” Aegon asked, forcing himself to focus on the last bit of Adlyn he had left.

“As strong as the woman she was named after,” Viserys said as Aemma gently handed the newborn girl to her father.

Aegon let the smallest smile crack across his face at the sight before him. While she possessed the silver hair and violet eyes of a Targaryen, Viserea’s face was that of her mother’s. As much as he wanted to return to the room they had just left and lay beside his wife’s body and waste away until he joined her, Aegon knew he could not allow himself to do so. He would not leave his daughter alone in the world without a parent.

“Are you ready to pick an egg to join her in the cradle?” Viserys asked his brother.

“I’m assuming you have already placed the gold one in Rhaenyra’s cradle?” Aegon asked, though he knew the answer. It was the egg Viserys had been watching for weeks, just waiting on Rhaenyra to arrive so he could choose it. Viserys let out a laugh and nodded,

“Tell me that it isn’t fitting for her,” Viserys said and stepped next to Aegon, letting him see his daughter’s face. Aegon couldn’t help but see what Viserys meant.

“Well, let us see if we can find one as fitting for my Viserea, shall we?”

Aegon and Viserys allowed the wet nurses to take their daughters and made their way to the dragon pit. Aegon looked over the eggs for only a couple minutes before deciding on one. It was a deep purple so dark it almost seemed black with the tips of each scale colored silver. He ordered for it to be placed in the cradle with Viserea and to only be removed when necessary.

6 months later he would find a purple dragon with small talons of silver curled on his daughter’s chest while a golden dragon slept soundly next to his niece.

*100 AC

“Dracarys,” Jaehaerys shouted, watching as Vermithor’s flames covered his grandson’s body where it lay on a pyre.

Rhaenyra and Viserea clung to each other in front of the small crowd gathered for Aegon’s funeral. Daemon stood directly behind the girls, gently resting one hand on each of their heads. At only three years of age, neither of them should have to be introduced to death, yet Viserea was saying goodbye to her father and Rhaenyra to one of her uncles. He hurt for them both. His brother had always been the nicest of them, truly encapsulating the lessons their grandsire had tried teaching them. Daemon always knew that Aegon would have made the best king out of his siblings, but it seemed the gods had a cruel sense of humor.

That night when it was time for the Princesses to go to bed, no one stood any chance of separating them. They refused to leave Viserea’s bed and, eventually, Aemma and Viserys allowed them to spend the night together tightly wrapped in the red and black silk blanket brought back by Daemon.

*102 AC

“Tessarion!” Viserea said, as firm as a five year-old’s voice could be.

“Syrax!” Rhaenyra said in the same commanding tone.

The two girls had finally chosen the names of their dragons and had spent the entire day away in the dragon pit teaching them their names. Rhaenyra had chosen Syrax, named after the Valyrian goddess of fruitfulness. Viserea had chosen Tessarion, after the goddess of prophecies.

The dragons perked up, looking at their respective riders and tilting their heads. The two girls let out giggles of excitement. The dragonkeeper grinned proudly at the two of them.

“Now that they know their names, try giving them a basic command. Princess Rhaenyra will tell them to sit and Princess Viserea can tell them to stand.” He said, allowing each of the girls to take a step forward to the dragons.

“Demās,” Rhaenyra said clearly, smiling as both of the small dragons sat down. Rhaenyra turned to look at Viserea.

“Iōrās,” Viserea said next, causing both of the dragons to stand up. Both turned to look at the master, “Can we, please?” She asked. Moments later two goats were brought into the pit on opposite sides.

As soon as each goat had each dragon’s attention, they were given the okay by the dragonkeeper to give the command.

“Dracarys!” Rhaenyra and Viserea both said in unison, watching as their dragons’ stream of fire left their mouths.

*103 AC

“I present King Viserys Targaryen, first of his name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm.”

Aemma, Rhaenyra, Viserea, and Daemon kneeled at the foot of the Iron Throne, facing the new King. Viserea and Rhaenyra both wore traditional Valyrian headpieces that Daemon had gotten made for both of them directly after King Jaehaerys had named Viserys his heir.

The first thing Viserys did as King was make Viserea a legal part of his and Aemma’s family. It was to be declared and documented that she was his daughter as much as Rhaenyra was and would receive the same treatment as though she was the King’s true born daughter. Viserea would grow up knowing who her parents truly were and would be taught about them and both sides of her family’s history, but by law, she was Viserys and Aemma’s daughter.

This declaration did not change the family dynamic that had been built over the past three years since Aegon’s passing. Rhaenyra and Viserea had been inseparable since birth; where one went, the other followed. Aemma had always been a mother figure in Viserea’s life. In fact, she had called Aemma her mother for the first time at four years old and it had taken a lot of delicate explaining to try and get Viserea to understand that Aemma was actually her aunt. It took even longer to calm the crying girl down when she was told that her mother had died. It was Rhaenyra that got her to calm down when she said that they could just “share” her mother. Viserea received the same treatment from Viserys that Rhaenyra did, even before Viserea’s own father had passed and in the three years between her father passing and Viserys being crowned King of the Seven Kingdoms.

*104 AC

The dream started out as many of Viserea’s did. Flashes of her and Rhaenyra with their dragons, flashes of them learning Valyrian, flashes of the couple memories she still had of her father. This one took a turn halfway through. The colors weren’t as clear; the sides of them blended together as if it was a painting left in the rain. A golden dragon flew in the sky far above King’s Landing and moment’s later a deep purple dragon with silver talons arose next to the golden. On the backs of the dragons were Rhaenyra and Viserea themselves. A dragon’s roar could be heard over the sound of wind and then Viserea was sitting upright in bed.

Viserea pulled on the large door to her chambers and came face-to-face with her own member of the King’s Guard, Ser Ryden Tyrell.

“Princess, what are you doing awake?” Ser Ryden asked, a kind look on his face.

“I need to see Rhaenyra,” Viserea told him politely, “It’s very important.”

“My Princess, the sun has not risen yet. Princess Rhaenyra is still asleep in her chambers,” Ser Ryden told her.

“I need to see her! We will ride our dragons today and I need to tell her,” Viserea said as if it was as common a piece of knowledge as any.

“How are you so sure of it, Princess?”

“I had a dream of it and when I woke up I heard Tessarion’s roar. I know it is a dream like Danys the Dreamer!” Viserea’s voice rose in volume and became more demanding, needing him to understand the urgency she felt.

Ser Ryden’s eyebrows raised in surprise at the Princess’ statement. He glanced around the hall and then back at Viserea,

“How about this, young Princess? We don't disturb anyone while they sleep and you go back to your chambers. I know about your dream and I will make sure you have your time with Syrax and Tessarion first thing in the morning so you can tell Princess Rhaenyra. If Princess Rhaenyra mounts Syrax and you mount Tessarion, you and I can go to the King together and tell him about it. Is that a good plan?”

Viserea pondered the idea for a moment before nodding and shaking his outstretched hand.

The next morning Viserea told Rhaenyra about the dream and Ser Ryden’s promise while they were escorted to the pit. Ser Rydan stood with the dragonkeeper, having already told him about Viserea’s dream and what he had promised her. After a review of all the commands they needed to know, the master allowed them to attempt to mount their dragons.

“Lykirī. Rȳbās. (Be calm. Listen.)” Viserea said as Rhaenyra did the same. Viserea approached Tessarion and gently stroked her neck, smiling as the dragon seemed to hum underneath her. Her hands shook on top of the dragon, but she did not let her nervousness show.

Viserea gripped the saddle of the dragon and began pulling herself up. She carefully placed her foot on the part of the wing they had been taught to use to help themselves mount and let out a yelp when Tessarion lifted the wing and helped her the rest of the way onto the saddle. Once she was seated, Viserea looked to Rhaenyra to find her already seated on Syrax. Both of the girls smiled widely at each other then turned their attention back to the dragons.

“Naejot. (Forward.)” Viserea commanded and she tightened her grip on the reins as Tessarion began moving from inside the dragon pit and out into the training yard. A breeze blew past them and a flash of golden was already making its way to the air. Wasting no more time, Viserea gave one last command,

“Sōvēs, Tessarion. (Fly.)”

Within moments, Tessarion was next to Syrax again and Rhaenyra and Viserea were cheering loudly. The two guided their dragons above King’s Landing, showing off as they did so. The small size of both them and their dragons made it so they could dip down into the larger spaces between buildings and be back above the rooftops in moments. They flew to the Red Keep all the way down to the Silk Streets then back to the pit again. When they finally landed, both girls wore great smiles and their dragons were chirping and clicking away happily.

After the dragons were taken care of and back where they belonged, Ser Ryden kept his promise and both the girls were brought to the King where Ser Ryden and Viserea told her uncle of the dream and then about how she and Rhaenyra had flown that very morning.

Viserea and Rhaenyra were now the youngest dragonriders in Westorosi history. Viserea was the first dreamer since Aegon the Conqueror.

#house of the dragon #rhaenyra targeryan #daemon targeryan #rhaenyra x oc #rhaenyra x y/n #rhaenyra x reader #daemon x rhaenyra #daemyra x reader #daemon targeryen x reader #daemon x y/n #daemyra #daemyra x OC #rhaenyra targaryen fanfic #daemon targaryen fanfic

[ticklishraspberries]

Study Strategy (Simon/Wilhelm)

Summary: Living in a dormitory requires a level of quiet that neither Simon nor Wilhelm can accomplish. (This show gets angsty literally right off the bat and I couldn’t handle it anymore, I had to stop and write some fluff to cope. Thank you to my evil friends, @signinandgetkinky and @nhasablogg for telling me to watch this show, you’ve ruined my life. Hope y’all enjoy the fic!!)

“You are allowed to take a break from studying, you know,” Wilhelm says, smirking.

Simon can’t help the fond chuckle he gives in response. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re good at maths.”

“So are you! You just overthink the questions.”

Wilhelm snatches the notebook away before Simon can protest, pushing him back against the bed and laying across his chest, effectively finding a way to both pin him down and cuddle him close.

Simon would be lying if he said he didn’t like it. “Well, if I fail this next test, it will be your fault.”

“Good thing you won’t fail, then.”

He opens his mouth to argue, but Wilhelm is kissing him before he can form any words, and he can’t help but kiss back. It’s risky, kissing at school like this, but they can’t seem to resist the temptation.

After their lips pull apart, Wilhelm doesn’t stop there. He presses kisses to Simon’s cheek, his jaw, his nose. His face flushes, and he’s certain that the prince can feel the heat radiating off of his skin. Normally, he’d be teased about it, but his mouth is rather occupied.

Simon lets out a content hum, hands wrapping around Wilhelm’s waist and holding him even closer. He loves when his boyfriend gets into these touchy-feely moods, wanting to be so near they’re practically joined at the hip. It makes him feel special, wanted.

When the kisses travel down towards his neck, though, he can’t help but squirm, a breathy laugh slipping out.

“Does this tickle?” Wilhelm asks, mischief glinting in his eyes.

Even his breath tickles. How is that even fair? Simon huffs. “You know it does.”

“I know. I just wanted to hear you say it.”

Simon never expected Wilhelm to be so playful, so affectionate. He assumed that royals grew up so stiff and strict, but it seems as though the prince’s relationship with Erik was just as playful as he and Sara’s own sibling bond. It’s heart-warming, actually, to imagine Wilhelm as a child, shrieking with joy while being carried on his big brother’s back, not worrying about the family’s legacy or public appearance or one day taking the crown. He certainly hadn’t been worried about a world where his older brother was no longer there to bring a smile to his freckled face.

The sad thought isn’t able to linger, as Wilhelm has taken Simon’s half-assed confirmation as an invitation to continue, each peck of his lips more deliberate, more purposefully ticklish, and Simon can’t help but giggle, heels digging into the mattress.

It’s a soft, steady sound until Wilhelm experimentally nips at the shell of his ear, which makes Simon shriek in the high-pitched way he finds so embarrassing, and it makes them both laugh harder with how ridiculous it is.

“Shhh,” Wilhelm murmurs, nose pressed into the crook of his neck. “You’re going to get us caught.”

“Then it’ll be entirely your fault,” Simon replies, scrunching his shoulders, trying and failing to protect himself.

And because that simply won’t do, Wilhelm switches tactics and scratches at his belly, making him thrash wildly, burying his face in the other boy’s hair as some attempt at volume control. It doesn’t do much, and reality sets in and reminds them both that while this is all fun and games, the idea of being caught is a very real, very scary thing.

“You’re the worst,” Simon breathes when Wilhelm finally rolls off of him, curling up by his side instead.

Wilhelm grins. “You love it.”

Simon rolls his eyes and sits up to resume studying, and Wilhelm doesn’t snatch his book away again. He just lays next to him, occasionally helping him with equations, but mostly just watching him.

When he does well on the test, Wilhelm whispers that maybe tickles should be his new studying strategy. It makes him blush like mad, but he doesn’t protest the idea.

#wilhelm x simon #wilmon #young royals #young royals fic #young royals ticklefic #young royals tickle fic #ticklefic #tickle fic #raspberry writes

[egalitarian-tomboy]

Kalim’s Desperation & Brokenness

I don’t think people understand how traumatized & broken Kalim is.

“What’re you talking about? Isn’t he the most sunshine-filled characters in Twisted Wonderland?” I hear you ask.

Let me explain.

While Kalim isn’t a prince, he still comes from a long line of influential and powerful merchants that have family members connected to the royal family of the Scalding Sands. He’s the eldest child and the heir to the family business that he will take over once his father retires. Because of his claim, many assassination attempts have been made on his life. From jealous extended family members to rival merchants. He’s 17 years old and he’s developed the ability to identify poisons. That’s not normal. That’s not something a normal teenager has to worry about or needs to develop. He’s been poisoned enough times that he eventually began to question everything he’s been given to eat except for the food and drinks that were prepared by Jamil. Because he trusts him that much. Did anyone stop & think about the fact that Kalim grew up thinking the next meal could be his last? That he grew up not wanting to eat anything regardless of who made it until Jamil started to cook for him? That’s legitimate PTSD he has that just gets glossed over.

Also because he is the number one target of his family’s rivals and jealous family members, he never got to make legitimate friends aside from Jamil. Jamil was his first and only boy in his age group not connected by blood that he was able to socialize with and hang out with. Jamil got to go to a normal school while Kalim had to be tutored away from the other kids. Jamil got to enjoy festivals among the crowds without the worry of being kidnapped, while Kalim had to attend the family gatherings / business meetings first before he was allowed to go celebrate with the others. Even then he was under constant supervision. It wasn’t until he started attending NRC that he started to make friends in his own age group outside of his family home. That’s depressing as fuck. So of course he’s going to try to get people around him to enjoy themselves and be happy. There’s a desperation in his happiness that doesn’t get pointed out by others but he’s not a robot that only knows joy. He’s not dumb. He knows that the world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. He’s been the target of several assassination attempts and he flat out says that Jamil could’ve killed him at any point in his 17 years of life. He trusted him with his life on a daily basis, if anyone had the chance to kill him it’d be Jamil. But Jamil didn’t kill him, he wanted to be free of the caste system that bounded them as Master-Servant.

Kalim has been able to bluntly point out to people their concerns and their thoughts about people / topics. Although he’s oblivious to some social situations, that doesn’t mean he’s not adept at reading social cues. Especially since he was one of the first to realize that Vil was starting to act like Jamil before he overblot.

The students at NRC don’t see him as being selfish and uncaring, quite the opposite. A lot of the dormmates see Kalim as almost a brother-like figure and they’re all willing to let Jamil have a second chance at being Vice Warden after he reverted back to normal because Kalim asked them to give him a chance. In terms of the main cast, he’s fun to be around and he’s very sweet. But they’re not afraid to tell him “no” just because he’s from a prestigious family. That’s something I believe he’s been craving more than his freedom from his own house.

I believe that Kalim is partially inspired by Jasmine as well because Jasmine’s entire thing was getting freedom to do what she wanted and fall in love with who she wanted. Because if you really think about it...Kalim might be forced into an arranged marriage and that means that Kalim might not even have the chance to fall in love with who he wants.

He has a lot of development he still needs to do. But I believe his time at NRC is beneficial to that growth. Hopefully this post kind of helped flesh out this whole perspective of him.

#Twisted Wonderland #Disney's Twisted Wonderland #TWST #Kalim Al Asim #Kalim Asim #Long Post #Analysis

[xjulixred45x]

I was working on the requests but I remembered a conversation I had with my sister the other day about an interesting topic,

How Nakaba WASTED THE GOLDEN OPORTUNITY of using Morgana Le Fay as the VILLAIN of 4kota(Even if it's cliché)

and it could have been implemented much earlier!! After all, in the Arthurian legends, Morgana is Arthur's half-sister, she could have participated in NNT as an ally who little by little went to the dark side (like Cassandra from Tangled but without a happy ending).

Imagine this, Morgana was just born to Uther Pendragon, having a great ability for magic, but he decided that she could not inherit his throne for x or y reason (being a woman, some profession, being a daughter out of wedlock) and sent her away to Avalon, where She lives her entire life away from her father's influence, but with great resentment towards him for having pushed her away (maybe even killing her mother too?) so she hones her magic with the fairies and wizards of Avalon.

So time passes and Morgana becomes a very strong magician, but she learns from others that her younger half-brother, Arthur, has just pulled the sword from the stone, and that he will be crowned king of Camelot.

NOW, Morgana would like to believe that her hatred is only reserved for Uther, so she goes to Camelot as soon as possible and the whole way she doesn't stop thinking about all this: how long has it been since she went to Camelot? What is her younger brother like? Is he like his-their- father? Although in general I think that Morgana did not want Arthur to be alone running the kingdom, whatever it was, he was her brother after all.

I think Arthur wouldn't even know he had a sister until shortly before Morgana arrived, like "oh by the way, your sister is coming to visit, your half-sister from the king" and Arthur would obviously be nervous about Morgana rejecting him but VERY EXCITED once he hears that she is a powerful mage.

And when do they meet? It's like putting a black cat with an orange cat, but surprisingly they would get along, at first.

Arthur would take Morgana as an advisory figure as she was more in contact with the political environment and helped him adapt to the royal environment, they shared tricks for fights, etc. Everything seems to be going smoothly, they both get along well.

Arthur has a STABLE and loving figure who is willing to teach him and be a family figure at the same time. and Morgana has someone who listens to her and makes her feel important.

but during the series the problems begin.

As the series progresses and Arthur becomes stronger and more mature, Morgana feels that the hatred she had towards Uther is no longer enough, as she begins to doubt whether or not she should love Arthur as HE is her replacement for a "proper heir", yes, she knows that's fucked up to think like that, but on the other hand, is it really wrong if it's your birthright?

and Morgana may have had these moments of weakness where she questioned her recently found platonic love for Arthur and her former bitterness with the Pendragons, having her ups and downs.

She loves Arthur, but she's also very recent about what her father did, and she's trying SO hard not to let it affect him.

But that's not the only thing that pushes her to the limit.

Let's say when the holy war begins, Morgana has a thousand and one doubts about her place in the world and then Arthur DIES.

and what's worse! When he revives, she realizes what Merlin wants to do with him.

(It would be especially horrible if Morgana and Merlin end up having a relationship as friends or as a pupil and teacher themselves).

Morgana pleads, BEGGS, Arthur not to trust what Merlin tells him, that what she wants him to do will not be for the greater good, but for her own benefit and Arthur is confused.

On one hand he wants to believe that after everything he's been through with Morgana she wouldn't lie to him, but Merlin is the closest thing he has to a mother...and the baby is very confused about what to do.

and here two possible endings and how Morgana reappeared in 4Kota:

1- STICKED TO THE CANON:

Arthur ends up bringing chaos, realizing that Morgana was telling the truth, Camelot is destroyed (maybe even Avalon too?) and that makes Morgana lose faith in wanting to help Arthur and the deadly sins, since THEY were the ones who brought that destruction to HIS HOME, and decides to do what has to be done.

which means that a plot begins against the Monarchies, especially against Liones and the Demonic kingdom, seeing them as the main causes of the destruction of Camelot (Meliodas and Zeldris), at the same time that he would try by all means to usurp Arthur's throne. . Even if he tries to make her reconsider.

(good alternative, Sunshine Arthur with wife Guinevere but that has some congruence in the canonical story, but I have a better one:)

2: FUCK THE CANON

Morgana applies a Cassandra from Tangled and obtains chaos instead of Arthur, becoming an antagonist who, although she helps defeat the demon king and so on, at the end of the conflict becomes a full-fledged villain.

having been devalued and pushed aside her entire life NOW even by her brother, and finally having the power to have what rightfully belongs to her makes Morgana very power-hungry. At the same time, Arthur would be having a lot of regret for not having believed his sister at the time and wants to redeem her, but it is difficult when Morgana begins her sale to all those who do not follow her to her "new Camelot."

Arthur here would not have Chaos but he would have Escalibur, which would be his advantage against Morgana in a certain way. although she is working on a "bastard sword" to change that.

Arthur is still a cinnamon roll, only with trauma and above all WITHOUT THE CHAOS, so he thinks things through better and is not corrupted.

Morgana, on the other hand, suffers a great mental decline due to Chaos, but she disguises it under the face of a smiling Queen.

Can you imagine if she created a Mordred from Chaos? ☠️ she says he is her son but trains him so that he can face Arthur and win the crown for her (because Morgana knows she couldn't handle all the allies Arthur has in this reality).

or she just wants to make Mordred do her dirty work because deep down she still loves his little brother...

(it would be especially creepy if said Mordred is similar in appearance to both her and Arthur ☠️ as if she wants a child, but also a version of Arthur that if he had listened to her and joined her...)

anyway...what do you think?

regardless of that, FUCK YOU NAKABAAAAAA!!

#headcanons #morgan le fay #morgana #morgana le fay #i didnt pronunce “morgan” right right? #im sorry in my language its “Morgana” and Morgan is a Males name lol #4kota #four knights of the apocalypse #nnt #nanatsu no taizai #nanatsu no taizai arthur #arthur 4kota #nnt merlin #fuck you nakaba

[bey0nd-1he-stars]

Impossible love - Nikolai Lantsov

Masterlist

Part 2

Pairing: Nikolai Lantsov x reader, Vasily Lantsov x reader

Wordcount: 1467

Warnings: implied smut, implied sexual assault, crying, heartbreaking ending (sorry not sorry)

Summary: You're getting married to Vasily, but your heart belongs to Nikolai. Based on this request:

The chapel was filled with people from all over the world. Councilmen from Kerch, the royal family of both Novy Zem and Shu han, the Suli princesses and almost every one of the dukes of Ravka and their families, a few Fjerdan delegates, they all occupied the benches in the chapel. The king’s advisors, the Grisha from the little palace and the royal family occupied the front rows. Vasily and you stood at the altar, he was wearing an elegant white suit, medals pinned to the front of his jacket and his dark curls slicked back. Your white wedding dress complimented you well and your hair was put together and decorated with silk bands in the light blue color that represented the Lantsov family. 

You finished your vows with a shaky voice. Your eyes wanted to wander the room, to find anything to look at that wasn’t Vasily, or Saints forbid, Nikolai. You knew that if your eyes found his hazel ones you’d never get the words out. You gave a short nod when the last word was uttered and the apparat declared your marriage sealed. Vasily was smiling like a maniac and he hastily grabbed your waist, pulling you against him and pressing a messy kiss to your lips. The action caught you by surprise and you gasped for air in the middle of the kiss. With a low voice so no one would hear him over the applause, Vasily growled against your lips, “kiss me back, you fool.” 

Not wanting to mess something up, you carefully wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed him back. It was your wedding, for saints sake, you should be happy. You should be crying tears of happiness and kissing your now husband like there was no tomorrow. But all you could think about was how it was all so wrong. This reception felt wrong, the dress felt wrong, the ring on your finger felt wrong, the kiss felt wrong. When you opened your eyes and got once again reminded who was standing in front of you, your heart broke. With a subtle glance to the side, you found Nikolai’s gaze telling you that he felt the exact same. 

The gardens had been decorated and rows and rows of tables and elegant chairs had been placed out for the guests. A table for the royal family stood in the front. Servants ran around placing out different dishes and drinks for the guests. King Alexander and Queen Tatiana sat to Vasily’s right, you to his left and to your left sat Nikolai. The closeness of him made your heart pound and break at the same time. Vasily’s hand grasped yours then he placed your intertwined ones on top of the table. A gift table stood at the far end of the table. It was covered in presents, each and every one of them reminding you that you’d actually married Vasily. A political move, all show, but Vasily still seemed to find pleasure in it. After all, he loved to take things his brother loved out of his reach, and you were the grandest price he’d ever get to take, the one thing that would break Nikolai’s heart for real. 

The feast for you and Vasily lasted the whole day. The summer nights brought late sunsets and the world bathed in the sun’s last beams right now. Your feet hurt from walking in heels the whole day and the dress was heavy on your shoulders. When the feast was over and you all started to make your way inside the grand palace to get some well earned rest. You feared for the night to come, knowing you probably wouldn’t get much sleep. Vasily had other plans, and even though he hadn’t voiced them to you, you knew what he wanted. 

Nikolai took your hand and pulled you aside from the crowd, hiding away behind the bushes and trees. He glanced around to see if anyone was in sight, and when he saw that no one had followed you, he quickly wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close to his chest and pressing you into him. The warmth from his body radiated off of him and spread to yours. You let yourself fall into him, taking the comfort he offered. If it was the feelings inside of you or the tiredness of today’s events that did it, you didn’t know, but you burst down in tears the second Nikolai pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead. Your makeup got ruined and it would probably stain his clothes, but neither of you cared. Nikolai gently pulled away to look you in the eyes. 

“It’ll be okay. Whatever happens, I’ll be by your side,” he promised with a soft voice and another kiss to your temple. You pulled away from his embrace and whipped your tears away, shaking your head in protest. 

“No, you won't. I’ll be stuck beside Vasily and you’ll just be out of reach, watching.”

Nikolai’s heart broke and shattered at your words. You both knew it was true, but not until today had it seemed like it would actually happen. Not until today did he believe that you would ever belong to anyone else than him. But you both needed to stay hopeful. Maybe one day, it would solve itself and you would once again be by Nikolai’s side. The thought was in your prayers every night and day. 

“You’ll survive this,” he said gently, taking your hands in his again, needing to have you close, if just for a few mere seconds until you’d have to return to the palace, to Vasily. The thought made him sick to the stomach of what his brother might do to you on your wedding night. “We’ll survive this,” he vowed and closed his eyes, trying his hardest to prevent the tears from falling from his eyes. You just stood there, watching as Nikolai’s hope slowly faded from his heart. You both knew that what you two had wasn’t possible anymore, and nothing had ever broken your heart more. The love of your life was standing in front of you, your hands in his, his beautiful hazel eyes filled with tears and his heart breaking into pieces. You both knew that there was nothing that could save you now, and the knowledge only made it hurt more. You drew a shaky breath and gave his hands a gentle squeeze before uttering the words that you’d dreaded since the day you were informed that you’d be married off to Vasily. 

“I’m married to your brother,” your voice cracked and you drew a hasty, uneven breath. Your tears and breath were stuck in your throat and your hands shook. “I can’t be yours anymore and I never will be.” Nikolai let go of your hands and turned around, not bearing to look at you anymore. Your beautiful wedding dress and a white veil in your hair. A grand wedding ring on your finger. Nikolai had dreamt many times about the day you’d get married, and that day was here. It had passed and it left you both with broken hearts. You watched as Nikolai carefully sat down on the ground, his knees giving out under him. You knew that if you stayed any longer you would never be able to walk away but you couldn’t bring yourself to move. Carefully you placed a hand on Nikolai’s shoulder, and he broke down. He gasped for breath, his face buried in his hands and his whole body shook under your hand. His blond hair was messy now and the suit he was wearing had gotten small stains all over. But he was beautiful. He was perfect. He was a prince. He was perfectly beautiful Nikolai, but he wasn’t yours. You drew a shaky breath, breaking your own heart in the process, then you let your broken voice carry out the words, your last words, before you knew you had to go. 

“I don’t wanna go,” you whispered, your voice not strong enough to speak any louder. “I don’t wanna go, but I love you too much to stay.” With that you slowly let your hand fall from his shoulder, resting your fingertips on the silk fabric for as long as you could. When your hand returned to your side, you gasped for breath, not believing that you’d let him go. 

“Go,” Nikolai rasped out,”leave. Please,” he begged in a desperate whisper. You nodded, even though he couldn’t see you. He heard as your steps carried you away towards a night that would leave you bruised and broken. He looked up and watched the moment the sun slipped beneath the horizon, and the only thing he could think of was that it was way too beautiful.

Part 2

Part 2 has a happy ending, I promise

#nikolai lantsov #prince nikolai #nikolai lantsov fanfic #nikolai x reader #nikolai lantsov x reader #nikolai imagines #nikolai lanstov x reader #nikolai lantsov imagines #nikolai lantsov x you #king of scars #rule of wolves #shadow and bone x reader #shadow and bone season 2 #shadow and bone imagine #shadow and bone #shadow and bone netflix #shadow and bone s2 #netflix shadow and bone #grishaverse #siege and storm #ruin and rising #sturmhond #vasily lantsov

[deadmenandthedivine]

DEAD MEN § THE DIVINE

chapter sixteen: relearning from the same mistakes

Maetilda Targaryen, First of her Name, was supposed to be many things. What she became was entirely different.

table of contents

trigger warning!!! this fic contains many graphic topics and depictions. such as but not limited to: dead parents, abusive parents, toxic family systems, incest, medieval misogyny, forced marriage, threats of assault (sexual § physical), actual assault, imprisonment, kidnapping, murder, blood/gore, uxoricide, familicide, disassociation, thoughts of self harm and annihilation, PTSD and other neurodivergence. i will do my best to update as i go along, but please let me know if i have missed anything!

word count: 3953

Aemond acted tough and unphased, but Maetilda could tell that he was reeling on the inside. His jaw was clenched, shoulders were tight, and a firm, stoic expression never left his face. When she managed to catch his eye, she could see it all. Fear, overwhelming fear. They had arrived after the others, after Maetilda’s brothers had been bandaged up, but it did nothing to calm him. Shaking like an autumn leaf, she stood behind her betrothed and ran her fingers through his long tangled hair. His promises from earlier still rang in her ears. She thought of her home that would truly be hers. The thousands of ravens they would send back and forth. The visits she would have to see both him and Helaena. The tower she would build for him. Their future. Had she been a fool to think such fantasies could be real? Had she been a fool to trust the words of a Hightower? Had she been a fool to not listen to her father more closely? Certainly, her father would not let any marriage happen now. Maester Orwyle looked over Aemond’s various bruises and angry knuckles with a careful eye. The old man had already examined Maetilda’s scalp and her various scratches, per the request of the King’s second son, and had applied ointments and oils to hurry along the healing. Aemond’s bruising had only darkened with time. The worst one was on his back, close to his spine. Likely where he had been kicked.

No one was allowed to withdraw from the room until the Queen and Princesses Rhaenys and Rhaenyra were aware of the incident. Jacaerys, Baela, Lucerys, and Rhaena sat in a corner across from the pair. The boys both wore bandages of their own, nose dressing for Jace and a splint for Luke’s leg. But not a hair was out of place on the twins’ heads. Not even Baela’s. A part of Maetilda itched as she thought of the small pockets of opportunity she had to grab and pull, to make Baela look just as feral and unkempt.

“Maetilda, to your chambers. Now.” Prince Daemon sneered, barely crossing the threshold of the door before he spoke.

“Now?“

“I heard all I needed to hear. Get away from that boy. Go pack your things.”

“Prince Daemon, stop! As Queen, I declare that no one shall leave until I have given approval!” Queen Alicent asserted immediately upon her entrance.

She rushed forward, placing her hands on her second son’s shoulders in an outstretched embrace. With all the seriousness in the world, the royal woman studied his face. Looking him straight in the eye. Not once did she glance up at the princess who hovered behind them. Instead, Alicent waited for her son to give her a firm nod before she turned back around to face Daemon. Maetilda felt her entire body switch back into alert mode at the sight of her father’s hand on the hilt of his sword. He threw all of his weight onto one foot, jutting out his hip with attitude. He looked at his goodsister with bitter disgust. If not for the presence of Maester Orwyle — who would undoubtedly write his perspective of events in the histories — the princess had no doubt he would have spat at the woman’s feet, cursing her title and her name and the very idea that a Hightower would have any power over him. 

“The King! Where is he?! Bring him here!” The old prince bellowed to the Kingsguard. But none of them moved.

The Queen’s eyes narrowed in challenge, “He is in bed, where he will stay. He is not well.” 

“Horseshit!” 

“My patience for your outbursts is wearing thin, Prince Daemon.” A threat.

Instead of showing fear, the Rogue Prince smirked, “What will you do about it, your Grace?” 

“Luke! Jacaerys!” Rhaenyra’s panicked shout made it to the room before she did. Rhaenys trailed in right behind her.

“Girls.” The Queen that Never Was sighed in relief before rushing forward to hug her granddaughters.

Princess Maetilda watched the women joyfully reunite with her siblings. Warm hugs, kisses, doting examinations of their wellbeing. She couldn’t help the jealousy that sat in her heart. Of course she would never have what the rest of her siblings had. She wasn’t deserving of it. From the day they were born, they were better than her. It was a secret that her parents were not good at keeping. But she loved them anyway. All of them. Better or not, she had always thought that they were good. That they had everyone’s best interests at heart. Yet as the little green monster sat on her shoulder, she found herself questioning those beliefs for the first time. How could they turn on her so quickly? Especially when she was trying to act honorably. Was it truly that easy for them? The Maester’s solar grew deathly silent as the regal four — Queen Alicent, Princess Rhaenyra, Prince Daemon, and Princess Rhaenys — turned to face each other. It felt all too familiar. They were just missing the King, Lord Corlys, and an audience of funeral guests. The hair on Maetilda’s arms stood up straight. It was as if she saw double, living both the past and the present at once.

“I’m calling off the wedding. It is clear to me that the one eyed boy is a savage! I will not have him tainting my bloodline.” Daemon was the first to start.

“Careful! There is a black cell waiting for you.” Alicent retorted.

“Bring my brother here! Let me speak with him!”

“Daemon, you will not call off the wedding.” Rhaenyra stepped forward, shaking her head.

“Look at her! She has already sided with him!” Baela interjected, pointing directly at the eldest of the three.

Rhaenys grabbed her arm to silence her, “I see the state of your sister. The fingers are not necessary. Rhaena, tell us what happened.”

“We were in the training yards. Luke and Jace were showing us how much they had improved in sparring because Baela had mentioned how she thought a dragon rider should be able to hold their own if challenged. The boys had offered to teach us, but we did not think they would be sufficient enough.”

Daemon smirked proudly at his second daughter upon hearing the younger twin’s words.

“They were about to let us try when Maetilda, her knight, and Aemond tried to sneak past us. Unnoticed. In the training yards. Baela called after them, started asking questions, and they got defensive. At first, I thought we were all joking, but then the insults started. Before I knew it, Jacaerys’ nose was broken, and Baela and Maetilda were on the ground. I tried to stop them!”

“Ser Wyllam ran to fetch the Kingsguard to help split them up.” Ser Criston added.

Prince Daemon glared at his eldest daughter. His feet moved to start towards her before Queen Alicent spoke, stopping him in his tracks again, “Who started the insults?”

“Baela,” Aemond and Maetilda answered simultaneously.

“Aemond!” The other four chorused louder.

“It doesn’t matter who started it. These grudges must be thrown to the wolves. It is what the King wants!” Rhaenyra shook her head.

Maetilda asserted herself with crossed arms, “Aemond and I were going to the Dragonpit, to see where Shrykos would stay, when we were interrupted. Baela taunted Aemond, to which he countered. When Jace and Luke inserted themselves, the taunts turned into insults which turned to blows. I only fought Baela because she was about to jump on Aemond’s back while the boys were already having exchanges. Who knows what the three would have done with collective force? That is what happened.” 

The adults in the room looked at her in shock. For once in her life, the princess knew without a shred of doubt that she had not said too much. Her chest warmed knowing she had said just the right amount. The Queen was the first to react, moving over to Maetilda to take her future gooddaughter’s hands in her own.

“Thank you, Princess.”

“I shall take the boys back to Dragonstone.” Rhaenyra nodded to herself resolutely, “I shall return alone on dragonback, along with Shrykos, to continue our plans. Daemon will care for the children in my stead.”

“Over my mother’s grave would I leave my eldest daughter here with that conniving, ruttish codpiece! If I shall leave, Maetilda will come with me.”

“For what reason must she go with you?” Aemond challenged, not moving from his chair.

Prince Daemon laughed, “You do not fool me, boy. I know you wait for my back to turn. You wish to take what you see as yours.”

“Princess Rhaenyra, there is no need.” The Queen shook her head, “Please, you must stay.”

“I will stay. After I know my sons are out of trouble in Dragonstone.” Rhaenyra replied.

“Let us try having everyone again. After the next moon. Give them a little over a fortnight to change their tune, to see reason. The children must not be squabbling when the guests arrive.” Alicent suggested, “As you said, it is what the King wants, for the children to get along.”

“Yes, alright. When the Worm Moon is full, we shall try again.” The heir to the throne agreed.

Prince Daemon grumbled, rolling his eyes, “Worm moon.”

He angrily shifted his weight from foot to foot before he practically spat in Maetilda’s direction, “You shall not stay in this damn castle without me.”

“Quiet your hysterics, Daemon. Maetilda will be safe with me.” Rhaenys spoke up. “The twins will go back to Dragonstone as well until I can deliver my goodnephew’s body back to Driftmark. They should stay in a livelier keep before Vaemond’s funeral.” The Rogue Prince unabashedly chuckled as she continued, “I will see to correcting their behavior on my own.”

“It’s settled then. Have the ship readied. We shall leave on the morrow.” Rhaenyra declared, words booming authoritatively without having to shout.

The King’s only brother grabbed his wife by the arm and pulled her aside, but she was quick to pull herself free. Rhaenyra scurried back to her sons, enveloping them in her embrace. She whispered things into their ears. They nodded. Maetilda’s heart hurt as she watched them, with almost owlish eyes.

Speaking loud enough for the room to hear, Rhaenyra smiled sweetly when she turned back around to Daemon, “Husband, don’t you think it is time to go check on the little ones?”

It was the opposite of what Maetilda had expected to hear. Her father seemed taken back as well, but only briefly before he reset the expression in his face. He would rather his head sit on a spike for an entire summer under the unforgiving sun than allow the room to know of his shock. He would not be phased so easily.

“Certainly! I am sure the Queen has called for one of their eyes in our absence.” 

“Daemon!” Rhaenyra scolded, “I will sew your mouth closed if I must.”

The Rogue Prince’s eyebrows rose in interest as a smug, devious grin slowly overtook his face, “I would love to see you hold me down, wife.”

“A sentiment we did not need to know. I’m sure you all have packing to do.” The Queen nearly tapped her foot with impatience. A hint that the discussions were over.

The room seemed frozen. Like the smallest movement would break the tension and open the largest can of worms the world had ever known. Yet she felt the pull anyway. What was Aemond thinking? Was he disgusted with her father? Was he relieved their engagement had not been called off? Before the princess by title could turn to look at him, Aemond had already sprung out of place. Pushing passed her without so much as a glance. The Queen came up beside her and grabbed the princess’s hand in hers. Together, the two wistfully watched after the King’s second son as he disappeared out of the room. His footsteps carried off down the corridor. The Queen’s hand did not serve the comfort it was supposed to. Instead, Maetilda only felt trapped.

“Boys, I shall see you at dinner. Go.” Rhaenyra ordered her sons.

“To your chambers, girls. I shall collect each of you in time for our meal.” Rhaenys nodded to the twins.

As the group of four made their own exit, the adults remained still. Maetilda locked among them in the cold grip of Queen Alicent. The tension was thick. Far hotter and stickier than the humidity outside. The princess’s heart pounded in her chest, overtaking the sound in her ears. Her hand was undoubtedly sweaty, but the Hightower Queen’s hold did not loosen even for a moment. Maetilda was completely stiff, body tensed in preparation for whatever came at her next. Which just so happened to be her father. Rhaenyra let him out of her sight to exchange a few words with Rhaenys. Free of supervision, the first thing he did was march up to his daughter. Eyes completely ablaze despite the soft smile on his face. If his daughter had been Vaemond, she would’ve already been chopped in two.

“Bested by your little sister?” Daemon taunted his eldest.

“I never wanted to win. Only to make it even.”

“Of course, your goodmother shall have such a lovely time trying to keep your reason about you.” He sighed, “I do wish you the best of luck, your Grace.”

“I am not surprised, Prince Daemon. Only girls with your spirit would behave so...” Queen Alicent replied.

He cocked his head to the side in challenge as her highness searched for the correct adjective. “Forget not, once your husband is dead, my wife inherits his throne. You sit comfortably now, but you are no Targaryen.”

“And yet, three of her sons shall carry on the name. One of which will do so through your daughter.” Rhaenys butt in as the two grown princesses joined the other three.

“There is no certainty the pignut can sire children.” Maetilda’s father spat. His face as red as the finest ruby.

The Queen cleared her throat, “Forget not, my prince, it is a mercy you still have your tongue given the treason that ceaselessly rolls off it. What better proof of my love for your brother! May my care of your daughter serve as further proof.”

“Trust that I shall hear everything.”

He hinted to moles of his own. Throughout both the Red Keep and King’s Landing, my father had sympathizers. Yet the princess did not know of many who know how to read or write in order to send a raven. Unless the messages were delivered personally, which would not be ideal in emergencies. Outside of the mysterious other informants that she could barely begin to understand. Had he always had them? Even when they lived in Pentos? Beyond that of servants, who else could they be? As long as the princess remained at the Red Keep, there were always her knights. Only Ser Wyllam was known to tell her father anything, that much the princess was sure of. But hearing of multiple informants made her itch. She knew her men well. Didn’t she? Certainly well enough to not question them in a moment like that, but apparently not. As she stood shell shocked, Maetilda cursed herself. She was weak of body and mind, proving everything her father had ever said about her true. She was pathetic and stupid and a traitor to their family. Her brothers and sisters hated her. Never in her life had she ever seen them so angry. At least, that angry at her.

The only time they had been that ravenous had been the night that Aemond lost his eye. It was as if it still continued to play out right before her eyes. As if the sun had never come up the next morning and she never left Driftmark. Still the tallest out of all the royal children, young Aemond had come back inside after sneaking out to claim Vhagar as his mount. He was the only one out of his siblings, besides baby Daeron, who did not have a dragon to call his own. Both Jace and Luke had one each, even though the creatures had not been big enough to mount. The four boys had always been competitive — Aegon, Jacaerys, Aemond, and Lucerys. Although it usually resulted in the three others ganging up on Aemond. They mocked him mercilessly. It was only natural that he silenced their taunts for good by claiming the largest mount of them all. But having been the old faithful companion of Lady Laena Velaryon for as long as her daughters could remember, it had been assumed that Baela would inherit Vhagar — not Aemond. Baela, herself, had never claimed a mount either. As if she were waiting for her turn with the legendary dragon. Only for her years of patience to be crushed in a single evening. Baela never forgave him. Not completely. Perhaps she would never forgive Maetilda either. Perhaps instead of bridging the gap in their family, they had burnt any remnants of the bridge that lingered.

“Trust that your threats do nothing, but make me laugh.” Queen Alicent was firm, standing her ground.

“Careful not to strain your side.” Daemon snapped

Princess Rhaenys daintily cleared her throat,“I do believe we could all use a good laugh after this afternoon. Your Grace, might I suggest tea with the fools? Perhaps a bard performance in the gardens?” 

The Rogue Prince groaned in frustration, “I have had enough.” He turned abruptly on his heels to storm out, mumbling obscenities about the frivolousness of highborn women, only stopping in the doorway to tell his wife, “I shall see you at dinner, Rhaenyra.”

With that, only the four remained. Aside from Maester Orwyle who had remained a silent spectator throughout the entire ordeal. He had not said a word that did not have to do with the injuries at hand. He was smart. If there was one thing Maetilda had learned in all her years, it was that silence was often the safest. With enough people in the room, one could hide in it. Which is exactly what the maester had done, and the princess-by-title wished she could have. But that possibility vanished the minute she had collided with her sister. The more time the princess had to think, the more she wished she had second guessed her actions in the training yards. Had she butted into their back and forth sooner, been more firm in de-escalation, could they have avoided everything? She should have said something. She should have stopped them. She wished she had done more. And done less in other places.

Upon her father’s exit, the rest of the four visibly relaxed. Their shoulders dropped in unison as they all collectively released the air held in their lungs. The three older women shared a look that the youngest could not read. As if flocks worth of messages passed between their eyes. The princess-by-title could not remember a time the three had ever gotten along well — even Rhaenys and Rhaenyra only tolerated each other at best. She could not remember there ever being a time the three were close enough to communicate so intimately silent. But just as soon as their eyes started, they stopped.

“Maetilda, darling girl,” Rhaenys sighed aloud, “Please know you are not in trouble.”

“You have my utmost appreciation for your actions today.” Queen Alicent smiled.

Her words felt wrong. They filled her insides with more guilt and shame and paranoia. Maetilda could practically picture her father listening in from just around the corner. Waiting to punish her, to bring the boot down upon her head. Her muscles remained tense and tight in preparation. Only a fool would let their guard down. Princess Rhaenyra reached forward and tried to adjust the chaos on her daughter-by-marriage’s head, tucking a piece behind her ear, “Only a dragon could be as brave as you.”

“I am ashamed our argument came to blows.” Maetilda replied earnestly.

“We shall try again soon enough. Sooner than you realize. You’ll like it here.” Rhaenyra nodded.

The youngest took a deep breath to gather her courage before she spoke again, “Forgive me, but I don’t believe time apart is the answer. We all need to be locked in a room — no weapons or anything, perhaps tied to chairs — until we talk through our disagreements.”

“Enough damage was done today with hands and feet alone. You children said yourselves that this started from simple jokes. Being locked in a room would only result in more of the same.” Queen Alicent tucked a strand of hair behind Maetilda’s other ear, “This shall be for the best.”

“I shall return on dragonback before the next fortnight. We will plan your wedding and more! You shall be free of your father’s smothering! You will love it so much you won’t want them to return.” Rhaenyra agreed.

Maetilda laughed, “My father shall find a way to watch me.”

“He surely will.” Rhaenys chuckled, “Princess, may I walk you to your chambers? Both you and Baela should need a bath after rolling in the dirt like animals.”

The other two laughed as the four ladies all took their exit. Venturing off on their separate paths in pairs. Princess Rhaenyra made sure to remind her daughter-by-marriage of dinner before they both rounded different corners. Rhaenys calmingly ran her fingers along Maetilda’s arm as they walked. In the same way Lady Laena used to, back in the princess’s youth. Especially on evenings when she couldn’t sleep. Lightly across the skin with just the right amount of fingernail pressure. Princess Rhaenys kept pace on the outside in an attempt to keep her  obscured from any passersby. For what felt like the first time that day, Maetilda could finally take in a full breath. Even as they walked up several flights of stairs.

“Please tell me you were holding back, Princess. Your sister looked far too scratch free.” Rhaenys smugly smiled.

“I pounced on her and had the upper hand for a moment!” Maetilda tried, but the look she received was not convinced. “Yes, I was not trying to hurt her.”

“Good. I figured as much.” The older princess laughed.

“I am very sorry. I know I should have—“

“Stop. I simply will hear none of that.”

“My father—“

“I know exactly what he thinks and what he is going to tell you. I don’t need to hear you tell me.”

Maetilda could not think of a proper response, one that would make the woman beside her happy. The younger princess’s mouth sat ajar, moving to form words she couldn’t fully commit to.  “H-he’s just…”

“There is one thing I learned as a girl growing up in this castle that would do you good to learn.” Rhaenys did not speak condescendingly but in a way that suggested she hadn’t always been the woman she was known to be, “Each and every person in this world has a motive, a goal, a future they are working toward. Learn one’s motives and you shall never be surprised by their actions.”

The older princess’s words made Maetilda’s brain explode. She was so stunned, her legs got tangled in her skirts, causing her to stumble forward. If it weren’t for Rhaenys’s grip on her arm, the princess-by-title would’ve tumbled to the ground. She was practically in shock. All words left her mind again. Rhaenys was right, and Maetilda knew it. Every joint in her body agreed.

“How will I know that I am right?”

“When your head, your heart, and your gut all agree.”

A/N: Alicent and Rhaenyra are trying so hard to make things work! I also thought that the show needed to hint more toward tension in Daemon and Rhaenyra’s marriage before he assaulted her at Dragonstone over his own jealousy. So this is my trying to build toward that. They fundamentally disagree and there is tension and Daemon is reactionary. But in order to come into her own, Maetilda must overcome her biggest hater. Which is her father. I hope that comes across!

The pot is stirring though!!! If I do my job correctly, things should only get better from here baby B)

TAGLIST: @marvelescvpe your comment made me giggle and kick my feet and i appreciate you so much!! thank you! i missed you too!!

xoxo messy

#aemond targaryen #hotd imagine #house of the dragon #aemond one eye #hotd aemond #house of the dragon fanfic #aemond targaryen imagine #aemond x fem!oc #aemond x oc #aemond targaryen x fem!oc #aemond targaryen x ofc #aemond fanfiction #aemond targaryen x oc #prince aemond #aemond fic #dead men and the divine

[viviagriche]

Regef/Rezef H. (Platonic)

Name: Regef/Rezef Hills 

Character Use: Regef/Rezef Hills 

Role: Royal, Older brother of our MC

General/Theme: One-shot, Fluff 

CW: N/A 

Gender Reader: NB! MC 

Manga/Manhwa: "The villainess is a Marionette"

༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈୨♡୧

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ okay at first this man hates you the day you show up to the castle with his father. But he didn't hate you more than his father's suggestion. The suggestion was to use it as a pawn and throw you out. He doesn't mind that but you were only 4 and couldn't understand what that means. Cayena even agrees with Rezef you were so young you already been through enough pain you don't need more. They feel bad for you. Even though they don't like you at first. 

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ It took them a couples of month to give in. On your cute act even though they don't want to admit it was kind of cute. You followed them like a duckling around the castle. They agree to keep you around because you make their day better. The maids were shocked  whenever you treated everyone around him with respect. Every maid calls you an angel that is sent from above. Now have the young sir respect and attention. 

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ You keep everyone in check, you also made a club for hating on my father for no reason, Rezef and Cayena definitely join the club cause they hate him as much as you did. Cayena Just watches as her father gets pranked every everytime by Rezef would make you take a picture of his reaction lol you both got punished and have to write a full on sorry letter. Rezef didn't write one and MC did but with Cayena.  

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡  When Rezef have a bad day he goes to your room and have a tea party and then when you  are tired he just cuddles with you for the whole night. You guys would play together and Cayena would watch in awe as you and Rezef just dress up and act sassy lol. You guys are sweet heart and could both make Cayena day whenever she is sad or she has been yelled at by her ugly mean  father. 

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ Cayena and Rezef started enjoying your presence even though it not much but for you it like a gift. They would never let you go. Also, never let you get hurt if you ever get hurt or they hear you cry they would hurt anyone who made you cry or you are in pain. 

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ You are the sunshine to their world. If anyone bullies you or says something mean to you, they are never seen again. Not many people want to mess with you or they get hurt very badly because many people never see their family or the sunlight again.  They did never want to see you cry and be found out that you're the reason why you are crying so they do anything to stop your crying. 

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ Sometime the poor maids gets spared due to your crying of or you telling them it nothing and you just wanted to watch a sad movie. Then they understand why you're crying and spare the maids. But they know  it's nothing bad that you're crying over. 

༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈୨♡୧

#the villainess is a marionette x reader #manhwa x reader #non binary reader #fluff #platonic reader #platonic #ownedbyluci

[here-there-be-drag0ns]

i believe deep in my very soul that Ollie and Prince Leon are pen pals.

Like after everything settled in Edison Kingdom and everyone was socializing on the ship they for sure bonded over being kinda sorta technically but not really kidnapped/abducted by the Riptide Pirates, and then Leon mentioned that he'd only heard of pirates in his books and Ollie was quick to regale him with stories from a real pirate ship and they decided to keep in touch as two kids who didn't have too many friends their own age.

I think by the time they get back to Zero, Ollie and Leon are definitely besties and write to each other every week and Ollie very excitedly tells Leon that he finally made it home to his mom and tells him the whole story of the Riptide Pirates claiming Zero and everything and Leon writes back about how things are going in Edison kingdom and how he's relieved he's not going to have to explain to his brother why he's recieving letters from a pirate ship anymore, but that he's a bit sad that he wont be hearing of any more pirate adventures for a while.

And I think Ollie brags that he's best friends with the prince of Edison Kingdom and the other kids in Zero don't believe him and think he's making shit up to sound cooler, and then he receives a letter in the mail with the official seal of the Edison royal family and Ollie's smug as all hell brandishing it at everyone who told him he was full of shit.

And then this is incredibly self indulgent but I think years in the future Ollie becomes the captain of his own ship and Leon decides he's tired of reading about the world - he wants to see it. And his brother has had children by now, so he's no longer next in line for the throne, so it's unlikely that he'll really be needed in the kingdom. So Captain Ollie sets a course for Edison Kingdom and Leon sneaks down to the docks and together they start up their own crew and become just as infamous as the Riptide Pirates.

#dragons chatting #jrwiblr #jrwi headcanon #jrwi ollie #jrwi prince leon #jrwi king leon #ollie teach #just roll with it riptide

[coppoladelrey]

The Pretender - Chapter ll

Summary: You are the spitting image of a Lady of the Reach, when she framed you for a crime you did not commit you become her and marry her betrothed, Prince Aemond Targaryen.

Aemond Targeryen x Reader

Word Count: 4.5k

Warnings: Violence, angst, almost sexual assault, let me know if you find anything else.

Tag List: @aemonds-war-crime, @moonmaiden1996, @missusnora, @queenofshinigamis, @daddysfavoritesexkitten, @disturbing-love666, @neenieweenie, @discowizard88, @404slayer404, @bajadotcom, @let-love-bleeds-red, @thesadvampire, @themartiansdaughter, @this-is-a-bad-idea.

The Pretender Masterlist

Main Masterlist

Your father asked Ser Criston Cole to rest for a couple of days from his journey, before taking you to Kings Landing. Ser Criston was more than happy to stay, he feels bad for believing the rumours of your bad reputation. All of your brothers were in the Great Hall, your father decided to throw a banquet for Ser Criston, he seemed more than humbled by the gesture. Now everyone was drunk, and your eldest brother was eyeing you suspiciously. He was on your right, Ser Criston was on your left.

“You haven’t touched your wine yet, dear sister.” You gulped, you never drank before and Lady Shaera mentioned that she was a heavy drinker but you hoped no one would notice. “Ser William finally put another baby in you?” He laughed darkly and you gasped, you were positive that Ser Criston heard because now he was quiet.

“I will not allow you to say such ugly rumours about me, I am untouched and simply having excitement about meeting my future husband.” Your brother was taken aback by your bluntness, he simply apologized and left you alone throughout the whole night.

Everyone was having a great time including yourself, laughing with Ser Criston you were fast friends. You could never get used to the dresses, it was uncomfortable by far the worst thing about becoming Lady Shaera. After the feast was over your father asked you to stay behind, he said that he had something to give you.

“My dearest daughter, I’d never allow you to go to the Royal Family empty-handed so here it is.” He opened two boxes, the most incredible jewellery you’ve ever seen. “The necklace is for the Queen, her House colours.” The necklace was adorned with many emeralds, it was so pretty. “The broach is for the Princess, she is quite fond of spiders I know you hate them.” The frown on your face had to be undone quick, you didn't hate spiders you loved all animals. The broach is made of a big ruby and adorned with black diamonds. “For the boys, I bought the best wine in the world, from Essos obviously. Try not to drink everything throughout your journey.” Your father kissed the top of your head, you were going to miss him so much.

“I love you, father.” You whispered to him, it was true in those few hours you met him you got extremely attached to him maybe it was the extreme emotions but you loved him.

“I love you too, my daughter more than you could ever know. You’ve never told me this before, it makes me more than happy to hear you say it.” The more you learned about Lady Shaera, the more you despised her.

“I hope you know that I always loved you, even if I never said it before today.” Lord Lewis hugged his daughter, having his wife die after giving birth to his only surviving daughter and having her looking so much like his dear wife, he was scared of indulging his daughter too much, but it was all worth it, she loved him and she was the kindest Lady those past couple of days.

“Certainly, I shall be at your wedding you’ll be the most beautiful bride the Red Keep has ever seen.” Your father walked you back to your chambers, you were afraid, deceiving your father was one thing but the Royal Family? Only time will tell.

The servants were putting your things on the carriages, and Ser Criston was getting ready to mount his horse, you wouldn’t have that.

“Ser Criston, would you be kind to accompany me in my carriage?” Ser Criston was taken aback by your strange request.

“My Lady, I must say this is an unexpected request.” He exclaimed, but he was more than happy to oblige.

“I’m glad to hear it, I should hate to be predictable.” You smiled at him and he helped you get in your carriage.

You could see that Ser Criston wasn’t used to being inside a carriage, it was amusing seeing a knight, sword and armour inside a cushy carriage. You were happy to have a familiar face with you, it would be incredibly dull being here all yourself. The carriage started and you and Ser Criston fell into a comfortable silence.

“Do you believe the Prince will approve of me?” This feeling was eating you inside, the feeling of not being enough, of being discovered.

“Most certainly.” He didn't elaborate any further, you wanted to ask more but you didn't want to seem desperate. “I couldn’t help but notice the boxes near you.” He pointed at the gifts.

“A small gesture for the Queen and the Princess, it would be rude to show empty-handed.” Ser Criston smiled, the family would approve of you, most definitely.

The journey would take a fortnight, and you and Ser Criston would become fast friends. Since you were a Lady, Ser Criston decided to stop every night to have you rest properly you wouldn’t mind the journey but you could never say that. You and Ser Criston would make each other laugh all the time, you and he cried from so much laughter many times.

“That did not happen.” Your sides were hurting from so much laughter, which was a regular occurrence in your journey. It was night, you were getting ready for the last stop before Kings Landing.

“It did, I swear it.” He was telling a story about the Princes, how much they fight and how funny it is to watch. “Aemond bit Aegon’s butt, they couldn’t be older than ten.” That made you laugh even harder, imagining two young kids biting each other and screaming at each other. The carriage stopped and that was the cue to leave and rest. Before you could do it, Ser Criston stopped you. “My Lady, please do not think it was anything to do with your lovely companionship but I believe that I should have the rest of the journey on horseback.” He didn't want to mention it, the elephant in the room, or the carriage.

“You are afraid that it will give strength to the rumours.” You didn't beat around the bush, Ser Criston appreciated that.

“I do not wish for that to happen, for you are the most modest and kind Lady in the whole of the Seven Kingdoms.” Ser Criston was being truthful, you were a breath of fresh air, being so kind to everyone, even the servants.

“I understand, and I am grateful for your consideration of my reputation.” He helped you leave the carriage, you understood his reasoning it would a while to have a better reputation.

___________________________________________

You could hear the noises of Kings Landing it was a bit smelly, but it had personality. People were busy walking around the city, you were all alone in the carriage without Ser Criston to ease your nerves. Your leg was bouncing, you see the carriage getting into the castle. It stopped, this is it you thought.

Ser Criston saw the family waiting, Alicent had a scowl, Haleana was playing with a spider, Aegon had a smirk on his face and Aemond looked nervous, no one could tell but Ser Criston you knew him well. He quickly left his horse to help Lady Shaera, he wanted to reassure her, and he saw that the Queen was surprised by his actions.

The door was opened, it was Ser Criston who smiled at you and helped you get out of the carriage. You saw them, the Royal Family. It seemed as if they were holding their breath, were you that feared? Lady Shaera made perfectly clear that your father was the richest man in the Seven Kingdoms and people let her get away with too much, you concluded. But you decided in doing things differently, be good, and be yourself.

“Lady Shaera, welcome to Kings Landing.” You curtsied the Queen, she had a tight smile on her face. She was waiting for the most unpleasant woman, but anything to secure the best alliance in the whole of the Seven Kingdoms. She knew that Rhaenyra was trying to have you married to Jace, but she was quicker and Lord Lewis Oxwell knew that the boys were bastards.

“Thank you, my Queen. If you allow my forwardness, you are beautiful.” She was too stunned to speak, she saw that most sincere smile on your face and she was disconcerted. Alicent looked at Ser Criston who simply nodded at her.

“Thank you, you are very kind Lady Shaera.” Alicent pointed at her children, and you moved your attention towards them. “My son, Aegon.” You curtsied him, Aegon looked drunk you were sure he wouldn’t remember this interaction. “My daughter, Haleana.” You curtsied her as well, but she was playing with a rather large spider, she looked at you and put the spider on your hand. Alicent was about to chastise her daughter but you started to play with the animal.

“What is the name?” You inquired, fascinated with the tarantula. Haleana was expecting disgust, as most people do.

“She hasn’t told me yet.” She stated, you nodded and looked at him.

You realized that he hasn’t looked at you once, Prince Aemond your future husband. Your breath was caught in your throat, he was the most handsome man you’d ever met.

“My son, Aemond.” You curtsied him, in his mind Aemond was waiting for a hurtful comment from you. You didn't say anything rude to anyone yet but he was sure that you were going to say something about him missing an eye, he’s heard the whispers you refer to him as a ‘One-Eyed monstrosity’.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Prince Aemond.” You couldn’t hide the smile away from your face, you were flustered. He was so handsome.

“Lady Shaera.” He stated coldly and he left the courtyard. The smile fell from your face, he didn't approve of you? He thought you to be ugly? The thought of any of those possibilities hurt.

“Let me guide you to your chambers, we are having a feast to celebrate your arrival.” Queen Alicent wanted to distract from Aemond’s rudeness.

The Queen urged you to follow her and the servants were removing your things and also following you, the castle was incredible, breathtakingly pretty. You didn't know what to think about Aemond leaving in such an abrupt manner, but you wanted to reassure the Queen, you wanted to let her know that you were going to be loyal to her son, that you would treat him well if he allowed.

“Those are your chambers, Lady Shaera. I hope they are to your taste.” Queen Alicent was waiting for a snarky remark, maybe you were trying to pretend to be a kind person.

“It is perfect, thank you, my Queen.” You curtsied her, you wanted to be as respectful as you could. You saw the servant with the boxes in her hand. “Could you please put those boxes in my bed?” You smiled at the servant, she simply nodded and put the boxes in your bed.

Queen Alicent was surprised by your antics with the servant, you could’ve been rude and no one would bat an eye but you were kind. She still was weary of you, but she decided to be less harsh in her judgement.

“Hopefully you are not too tired for the feast, the King will be there.” You smiled at her, you wanted to see the Prince again but in the back of your head, Shaera’s words about how he would be violent and mean.

“Not at all, I look forward to it.” You were being truthful, you needed to judge the Prince by his actions alone.

“Great, I’ll let you rest and get changed.” Alicent left your chambers, maybe the rumours were unfounded.

You decided to wear a pink dress, you didn't want to appear confrontational with a striking purple dress. That would be the right course of action, you thought. The servants that came with you were helping you get ready, they were so excited to be here.

“Do you think the Prince will like me?” You asked one of your servants, she was taken aback by your display of insecurity.

“If he doesn’t then he’s a fool, m’lady.” You smiled at her words, everyone around you praised you for your beauty but maybe beauty wasn’t everything.

“You are very kind, what is your name?” You grabbed her hand, you needed a friend now especially being in a place without your family.

“Alla, m’lady.” Only now you noticed her accent.

“Your accent, are you northern?” She blushed at your words, no one so high-born ever paid attention to her, not good attention anyway.

“Yes, my family thought it would be best to move South because we were starving up North, m’lady” You felt sorry for her and her family, you were lucky that your grandfather was always able to take care of you.

“Even though is through bad circumstances I am glad you are here.” You smiled at each other and she resumed working on your hair, she was doing an intricate hairdo Alla was very talented with her hands.

Both of you fell into a comfortable silence, but your mind was racing you were thinking about the Prince and if he would think you were enough, and if he would be kind to you. You also thought about Arrow, if he would be looking for you or he would simply stop coming to the farm. You didn't want to think about your grandparents, you couldn’t cry. The desire of being free was still in your heart, but you knew that would never happen you didn't think that you would find yourself in a situation that would make you even less likely to be free, but fate has a cruel sense of humour.

The hairdo took more time than you anticipated but it was worth it, your hair looked absolutely incredible.

“I hope it is to your taste, m’lady.” She looked apprehensive of your reaction, Alla took so long doing this and she was really proud of it.

“It’s so much better than I expected, thank you.” You’ve never seen Alla with the biggest smile before, he was happy.

“We must put your dress now, m’lady.” You were in your undergarments, Alla started putting on your corset and later your dress.

You were ready now, and the feast started a few minutes ago. You heard a faint knock at the door. Alla went to open the doors, it was Ser Criston Cole.

“Lady Shaera, I am here to accompany you to the feast.” In the short amount of time that he met you, Criston felt very protective towards you.

“I am grateful, Ser Criston.” You looked at Alla. “Could you please bring the boxes with you, Alla?” She looked shocked for a few seconds then nodded and grabbed the boxes.

“Shall we?” He gave you his arm and was guiding you towards The Great Hall, you were so nervous but you put on a brave face, you needed to have strength. Your hands were sweating, your heart was pounding you could hear the music and the laughter.

Most people were dancing, but they all stopped to see you. You’ve seen so many eyes on yourself, you knew that you never saw that many people together before. The Lords and Ladies opened a path for you, Ser Criston was leading you and there you saw, next to his sister, Prince Aemond was looking at you intently. You smiled, he was even more handsome now that you could see his face properly. You finally reached the table, Prince Aegon raised his glass of wine to you.

“Lady Shaera, you look incredible.” Queen Alicent complimented you, she was wearing a really nice green dress.

“You as well, my Queen.” You were in awe of her beauty, no wonder the King chose her to be his wife.

“Come, you shall sit next to your betrothed.” Ser Criston left your side and you went to sit next to Aemond, he didn't look at you maybe he was nervous, but you quickly threw the thought away, he was a skilled warrior according to Shaera he would never be nervous next to any Lady.

“Lady Shaera, I hope you had a pleasant journey.” His tone of voice gave nothing away, he didn't sound excited, or annoyed.

“Yes, I must thank you for allowing Ser Criston Cole to accompany me. He is a great person, and told me many stories about you and your brother.” You started laughing, the stories that Ser Criston told were simply too funny.

“It was my mother’s idea.” He dismissed you with his hand, you took the hint. You didn't try to talk to him again.

You got up from your chair and asked Alla to come closer to you with the boxes, she ran towards you trying to avoid the Lords and Ladies dancing. She gave it to you curtsied and quickly left, she probably went to my chambers, you thought.

“My Queen, allow me to give you a small token of appreciation.” You handed her the box, and once she opened you heard her gasp.

“This necklace is gorgeous, thank you Lady Shaera.” He hugged you and hugged her back, it was such a motherly hug you were taken aback but you welcomed it either way. You went to Lady Haleana, she seemed deep in thought.

“Princess, this one is for you.” Haleana grabbed the box and opened it, both of her brothers were watching it intently. Gasps were heard coming from the Princess.

“Thank you so much, Lady Shaera.” She got up to hug you, Haleana was so sincere, so pure a person that you wanted to protect.

“Is not a problem, I’m simply glad that you are keen on it.” She was admiring the broach, always looking deep into her own thoughts.

“I know the name of the spider now, she told me.” Haleana whispered to you, it seemed that she didn't want her brothers to hear.

“What is it?” You were genuinely curious, happy to share her happiness.

“Y/N.” Your body went rigid, could she know? You dismissed the thought right away, even if she knew that you were a pretender she could never know your name.

“A beautiful name.” You smiled, and she quickly seemed far away once again. You went to sit back.

Shaera taught you how to dance but you did not enjoy it, you were happy to watch the people dancing and having fun. You felt the Prince’s eye on you watching the people dance, your face had nothing but amusement. Aemond saw a man approaching, a Lannister he concluded.

“Lady Shaera, would you give me the honour of a dance?” You remembered Shaera talking about the Lannisters, and how she grew up with them.

“I am honoured but I feel quite tired from the journey.” The whole family was now looking at you, clearly expecting you to accept the invitation.

“My betrothed, do not fret leaving me alone. For I can watch your lovely form from here.” He grabbed your hand and kissed it, you didn't have the time to react but where he touched you started tingling, and a fire deep within your loins started. “Forgive my betrothed, Lord Lannister for she cannot leave my side.” Your head was spinning, out of nowhere, he started acting as if he doesn’t loathe your mere presence.

“Well, my Lady?” The Lannister stretched out his hand, you looked at the Prince and motioned for you to go so you did.

Lord Lannister took you away from the table and to where everyone was dancing, his hand went to your waist but you did not appreciate it so you removed it.

“I must say, your antics were astounding my love.” You couldn’t hide the frown forming on your face. “Do not tell me that you’ve forgotten our many nights of passion, many nights tangled in furs making you scream…” You couldn’t hear any more of this.

“You are speaking with a Lady, Lord Lannister. Control your tongue!” What Shaera did was her own problem but you would not hear any of it.

“Which Lady, for I only speak with my whore.” You stopped dancing, and the anger on your face was visible even to Aemond.

“I will repeat myself, control your tongue.” You sneered, this man would not disrespect you.

“Curious choice of words, for the last time I remember you screaming for me not to control my tongue.” His smirk disgusted you, you wanted to wipe it off his face. The music was ending so you got an idea. You stepped on his foot with all of your strength, you were pleased with his hurt face. You curtsied and left him.

You started smiling at yourself you were so happy for sticking up for yourself, and you realized that Prince Aemond was looking at you. The smile fell from your face, you remembered that he did not like you. You sat down on your chair and decided to be quiet for the rest of the evening. Aemond didn't know what to make of you, were the rumours actually lies fabricated to tarnish your reputation? He didn't know what to think, so he decided to do what any reasonable person would do.

“Do you miss your home, Lady Shaera?” You were surprised of the Prince starting a conversation with you.

“Yes, especially my father.” You weren’t lying, you did miss Lord Lewis.

“I hope you call the Red Keep your home soon enough.” You smiled at that, maybe the Prince wasn’t so bad.

“I hope that too, my Prince.”

“Please, we are to be wed. Call me Aemond.” You could feel the heat spreading on your cheeks.

“Yes, Aemond.” You instantly loved the way his name sounded in your voice, and so did he.

“Would you be tempted in walking through the gardens with me? Tomorrow?” You were surprised at the request, but you wanted to know more about the man you would call husband soon.

“I’d love that, Aemond.” He was pleased with your answer, Princess Haleana was taken by Princess Aegon to dance, he wasn’t very enthusiastic about it but she was smiling so much.

You decided to watch her, Haleana had an air of innocence a stark contrast to her brothers. Whilst you were watching his sister dancing, Aemond was watching you. You didn't notice his eye on you, taking in your beauty, your smile, your aura.

After a few moments, dinner was served and people were talking and enjoying the food. You and Prince Aemond didn't talk again, but every once in a while you stole glances at each other.

___________________________________________

You were walking back to your chambers, and most people were returning to their chambers. After finally arriving at your chambers you saw Alla, you smiled weakly at her. She was helping you remove your dress.

“How was it, m’lady?” Alla was curious about the feast, she didn't want to stay and anger you.

“It was good, why have you left?” You wondered that after Alla gave you the boxes, you didn't want her to leave she was one of the only faces that you recognised.

“I didn't want to impose, sorry m’lady.” The dress was removed, and she started working on your corset.

“Nonsense, you are more than welcome to stay. It’s an order if it will make you stay.” The two of you laughed.

“How is the Prince?” You didn't know how to answer that, you knew that he was handsome and that he touched your hand.

“I can’t make an opinion yet, we are walking around the gardens tomorrow.” Alla squealed, she was genuinely excited for you.

“Then I’ll make a great hairdo, not as complicated as this.” The two of you laughed, you changed into your nightgown and Alla started undoing your hairdo.

A comfortable silence between the two of you, after a long time when Alla was brushing your hair there was a knock at the door. The two got startled, it was late in the evening.

“Who could it be?” You inquired.

“Maybe is the Prince to wish you a good night.” Alla smirked but you only rolled your eyes, she went to open the door before she could see who it was Lord Lannister was barging into the room and he stalked towards you.

“You little whore.” The slap was enough to make you lose balance, everything happened so quickly. “I shall not be denied.” He was screaming, tears started to fall once he started touching you against your will.

“Stop.” You screamed, but it fell on deaf ears, suddenly his disgusting hands stopped roaming your body and he fell on the floor.

You saw Alla with the chair in her hand and a tearful expression on her face, you were more than happy about her actions.

“M’lady, did I kill him?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, you could tell that was terrified and so were you. “Gods, I killed a Lannister. I’ll die a painful death.” You quickly checked his pulse.

“He is not dead.” You quickly assured her, and you hugged her tightly. “I’ll be forever grateful for saving me, and do not fret for I shan’t let anyone do you any harm, you are my servant. I’ll protect you the same way you protected me.” Alla nodded her head for having such a considerate boss.

The two of you got startled by someone entering the room, you forgot the door was open. It was Ser Criston, you were so happy to see him not another Lannister or one of their guards.

“I heard a scream, what happened?” Ser Criston quickly averted his eyes once he realised that you were in your nightgown, Alla quickly got you a robe.

“I was preparing for slumber when Lord Lannister barged in and attacked me, Alla saved me from being violated.” You held Alla’s arm, you weren’t going to let anyone hurt her.

“Is he dead?” Ser Criston carefully asked, war would probably ensue if that was the case.

“No.” As if on cue, Lord Lannister started to groan. Both you and Alla took a step back from him.

“I’ll take him, and we shall never talk about this.” Ser Criston’s tone held no room for argument, the both of you nodded and he dragged a semi-conscious Lord Lannister out of your chambers.

“I know that Ser Criston is a good man, but you shall sleep here with me. I do not want that monster to attack you in the servant's quarters.” You heard no arguments from Alla, and the two of you went to sleep.

Despite this, your mind couldn’t help but wonder about Prince Aemond. Should you tell him about what happened? Ser Criston’s words came to your mind, he never told you not to tell anyone else. You decided to tell Aemond, he was going to be your husband. The thought excited you, the most handsome man in the Seven Kingdoms was to become your husband maybe it was luck to meet Shaera that day.

#prince aemond x reader #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond x reader #aemond targaryen #prince aemond targaryen #house of the dragon #hotd fanfic #prince aemond x y/n #aemond targaryen x female reader

[khushireadsandrambles]

Maatrutva (2)

The Soldiers and all the servants bowed as the regal looking man walked hastily into the anthapuram. His best friend and advisor, who was also his brother-in-law matched his steps side by side beside him and the duo made haste towards a certain chamber.

Raja Raja Chozhan was discussing about Political Matters with his Thozha Vallavarayan Vandiyathevan, when a maid barged in and cried about how his Queen Panchavan Madeviyaar had collapsed near Ponni in the arms of Udaya Pirattiyar. The world seen to zone out as his mind was filled with constant thoughts, his mind reliving his whole life with her till now.

"Thambi!" He heard his elder sister's cry as she ran towards him with his wife Abhimaanavalli in tow. He had recently wed Abhimaanavalli, and the said girl was mingling nicely with family because of the friendly nature everyone had, except she was taking a place in heart of Kundhavai more because of her bubbly nature.

"Akka! Valli! What is it I hear? What happened to my Panchama? Is she fine? Is she hurt anywhere?" He bombared his Akka with questions, reminding her of the time he had got so worked up when he found out that Vanathi fainted because of dehydration as she was doing Nirjala Vratham.

"The Vaidhyar is here Thambi, he is checking Panchama. Vaa, let's see." Kundhavai said and the brother-sister duo rushed inside the private area of Panchamadevi's chambers. Where no one except Royal Family members was allowed without permission.

Thiripuvana Madeviyaar and Loka Madeviyaar sat beside a lying Panchama, the former softly running her palm at her sister-wife's head. Panchama laid unconscious, unknown to the upturn of emotions and chaos she caused.

"Swami! Panchama!" Lokamadevi hastily moved behind a little, making a place for Raja Rajan to sit, his hand immediately getting hold of Panchama's jewelled palm.

"Vaidhyar, what is it? What happened to the Queen?" He asked restlessly, Lokamadevi's palm resting on his shoulder to ease his restlesness.

The Vaidhyar smiled. "Arasae! Looks like Sakthi Amman finally heard the plea of Rani. Congratulations Arase, for your Queen Panchamadevi is going to be a Mother. Yes Arasae, the Queen is pregnant."

Abhimaanavalli squealed in delight, hugging Kundhavai excitedly. She had known very well that Panchamadevi was the only Queen of Raja Rajan who was barren, and she prayed to Durgai Amman to fill her life with more and more happiness.

Which Durgai Amman did.

Thiripuvana Madeviyaar cried happy tears, arms wounding her shoulder from back as she turned to see her other sister-wife Cholamadevi smiling tearfully at her. "Swami, my heart teared up when she cried and pleaded Maa Jagadambika for a child in her barren garden. Finally, Amma heard her plea." She said crying happily.

"Urgh..." Panchama groaned, taking all the attention on herself as she tried sitting up. The Vaidhyar bowed and took his leave, leaving the family bask in happiness. "Akka," Panchama turned to Thiripuvana Madeviyaar. "Did I faint again?" She asked hoarsely, and turned her head to see her beloved husband looking at her with tearful but happy eyes. "Swami? Why are there tears in your eyes?" She asked hastily and he caressed her forehead gently.

"Panchama, here, have this water first. We can talk later." He said and made her drink water. "Now tell me, did I faint?" She asked gulping the rest of water.

"Panchama, you did, and it's a good news." Loka Madeviyaar smiled, wiping the tear that fell from her eye. "What is it Akka? What did that Vaidhyar said? What happened to me?" Panchama asked, Raja Rajan immediately holding her palm.

"Panchama, Kanne, you are going to be a mother. Yes, the Vaidhyar confirmed that you are pregnant!" Thiripuvana Madeviyaar told her and Panchama's eyes widened.

"What- but- how..?" Panchama was too flabbergasted. At first, the Vaidhyar broke her heart by saying she was barren, what happened now? Could it be the miracle of all the penance??

As of reading her thoughts Thiripuvana Madeviyaar nodded. "Yes Kanne, your harsh penance finally was fruitful." She said kissed Panchama's forehead.

"Akka! I am going to tell about this to the Kids. They will be so excited!" Abhimaanavalli said with a happy clap.

"Valli, you seem more happy than her." Raja Rajan teased his newly wed wife with an amused glance, her turning bashful at the comment. "Arasare, how can I not? I have been praying to Durgaiyamman for Akka's happiness ever since I set foot in Thanjai as your Rani. Finally, Akka is graced with the beauty of Motherhood." Abhimaanavalli replied, her voice not holding any sort of resentment but pure love and devotion of her Akka and sister-wife.

Which was one of the best traits he liked in her, thus he took her as his wife rather than her sister.

"Vanathi, Sakti, Abhimaana, why don't we all leave and tell others?" Kundhavai, who was silently celebrating Panchama's pregnancy and thanking Uma Maheshwara again anf again suggested and the other three Queens of Raja Rajan immediately nodded, shuffling out eith Vandiyadevan in tow.

"Panchama..." Raja Rajan kissed her forehead. "You made me the happieat person on the earth." He said tearfully kissing her forehead, Panchama's own eyes tearing up at the news. "You don't know how much I suffered while you cried to sleep for not being able to give me a child. How much I prayed Shiva to fulfill all your wishes. See, he did." He said and Panchama burst into tears followed by him.

"Swami, the love of Madhuranthakan, Araiyan, Kundavai and Mathevadhigal overpowered the sadness of me being barren. I am so happy that they will finally have amother playmate. Madhu and Araiyan will finally get one more sword fighter or Kundavai and Mathevadhigal will get a doll to dress up." Panchama sniffed with a happy smile.

Raja Rajan laughed. "What did you think of names?" He asked suddenly.

Panchama was in thoughts. Then out of nowhere, a small smile bloomed at her face. "Adithya Varman— if boy and if girl, we will think." She said and gauged his reaction, which contorted into a pained look and then a smile. He didn't said anything but hugged her.

Months later, Panchamadevi gave birth to a very healthy boy, and he was named after the elder brother of Raja Rajan, Adithya Karikalan.

Note:- Adithya Karikalan's birth name is said to be "Parthivendra Aaditha Varman".

@thatacademic @vibishalakshman @nspwriteups @yehsahihai @rang-lo @whippersnappersbookworm @ragkee @dr-scribbler @willkatfanfromasia @hollogramhallucination @deadloverscity @ragalata @dumdaradumdaradum @chaanv

#ponniyin selvan #arulmozhi #vanathi #arulmozhi varman #fanfic #desiblr #kundhavai #panchavan madevi #udaiyaar #raja raja chozha #veera raja veera

[angelasscribbles]

Savage Love Chapter 36: Lost and Found

Series: Savage Love

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Liam, Riley x Drake

Rating: R         

Warnings: Mature themes

Word Count: 1,982

My other stuff: Master List.

Leo

The world spun as I struggled to put the pieces together. The woman sitting in front of me wasn’t Cora Illiopolis, she was Helena Rys née Samaras and she was my mother.

Or at least she had given birth to me. Eleanor had raised me. I had lost my mother when she was murdered just as much as Liam had. Eleanor had brought love, warmth, and laughter into the cold, sterile world I had existed in with Constantine. She had given me a brother and she had loved me as if I were her actual son.

Helena was barely a memory. A scandal. An unfortunate footnote in the history of the Rys family.

But the framed photo in my hand contradicted everything I had been told about her.

“You were the lady in the park?” It felt like a stupid question. Clearly, she was. I had the photographic evidence in my hand. I had my own fucking memories. They might be decades old, but I remembered her. I remembered her laughter, her smile, and how kind she always was to me.

“Yes,” she seemed sad as she recalled, “Eleanor was generous enough to meet with me secretly so I could see you on a regular basis, even if I couldn’t tell you who I really was.”

“Why?” I demanded as I struggled to keep my emotions under control, “Why did it have to be a secret?”

Her gaze darted from my face to Liv’s as if searching for some backup. She looked stricken as she stumbled over her answer, “Because…ah..your father…I don’t know if you realize….it wasn’t my choice….he….I wasn’t supposed to….I shouldn’t have even been in Cordonia, but Eleanor, she….she saw that it wasn’t right….”

Nausea flooded over me in a rush as the truth hit me. She hadn’t abandoned me, she had been forced out. So many things from my past snapped into place, this one crucial piece of missing information making it all make sense. My father’s over-protectiveness, his close scrutiny of guest lists, the vetting of my mail, more so than his own, or even Liam’s. As if he were trying to keep the world away from me. Not the whole world, apparently. Just my mother.

Liv’s hand on my shoulder shook me back to the present. “I’m sorry,” I managed, “I need a minute.”

“Of course-“ Helena said more, but I didn’t hear it. I jolted out of my seat and straight out the front door.

“Leo!” Liv threw a quick apology to Helena before chasing after me. “Are you okay?”

“I….” I was bent over, hands on my knees, gasping for air. I had just been delivered the shock of a lifetime, and I felt like a fool. I should have known.

Constantine Rys was nothing if not controlling, manipulative, and vengeful. That man could hold a grudge like no one else I’ve ever met, and he did not brook disagreements, insubordination, or independent thought.

Of fucking course he had banished my mother after the divorce. Cordonian law ensured the crown had primary custody, but no, that wouldn’t have been enough for the old man. He would have wanted to make her pay for the sin of leaving him. For the embarrassment. And so what if it wrecked emotional devastation on his son?

My entire childhood had been spent wondering why my own mother didn’t want me. I shook my head as Liv’s hand landed on my back. I looked up at her from my bent-over position, angry tears in my eyes, “That fucking bastard!”

“Oh, Leo…”

I straightened up and pulled her to me, drawing her into my body and crushing her against me as if the tightness of my embrace could shield us both from the cruelty and capriciousness of the world. “I promise I will never turn into my father!” I sobbed into her hair.

“I know,” her voice was soft and soothing as her fingers threaded through my hair, “I love you, Leo. You’re nothing like him.”

“I love you so much, Livvie,” I sniffled as I finally managed to wrest my emotions into order, “I don’t deserve you. Are you sure you don’t want to find someone with less baggage?”

“Hush,” she scoffed, “We have matching baggage. There’s no one out there better than you. Not for me.”

I pulled away and wiped at my face, “Thanks. We should…we should go back in.”

Helena was coming out of the kitchen as we entered the living room, “I cleaned up the tea, I wasn’t sure if you were coming back...”

I strode quickly across the room and engulfed her in my arms, hugging her just as tightly as I’d hugged Liv, “I’m so sorry for what he did to you. I didn’t know….I would have looked for you sooner!”

She dissolved into tears in my arms, “It wasn’t your fault! You didn’t know. How could you? I’m sorry, Leo! I should have tried harder, I should have-“

“You couldn’t fight a literal king and the entire King’s Guard. I get that.”

“I was going to contact you once you became king-“

I laughed as I released her, “I’m here now and I won’t lose you again, you can count on that!”

“I’m sorry I had to go into hiding, I had to protect Lena…”

“Right,” I had all but forgotten the thing that had brought us here, “Lena. How did that happen? How did you end up with her?”

“I was only supposed to take care of her for a week or two while Eleanor went back to Cordonia for you and Liam. She was leaving him. We were all going to disappear together. She would have her two children, I would have mine, and we would both be free of Constantine. But she never came back.”

“Yes. We know that much.” It explained why Eleanor had planned to take me too. She had been going to deliver me to my mother. What would my life have looked like if their plan had succeeded?

“Jackson thought it would be safest for the baby if she disappeared and no one ever knew she existed.”

“But why? My father is a monster, but even he wouldn’t hurt his own child. I mean, physically anyway.”

“That’s the reason she was running. The baby wasn’t his. He would have killed her if he’d known.”

Now I felt like I was going to throw up. Had he known? Was he responsible for her death? I hoped to all that was holy he had not been, for Liam’s sake. That just might break him.

“Who was the father? Do you know?”

“Yes. It was Jackson Walker.”

Riley

Sigrid excused herself to go and mingle. I had no choice but to let her. I couldn’t seem too eager. People like her could sniff desperation a mile away. Besides, I wasn’t desperate. I was so close I could taste it.

Taking down the Cordonian branch was no longer good enough. Not when I had the entire European division within my grasp.

We could take down the local organization and they would have a stranglehold again within five years. Cutting off a tentacle wasn’t enough, we needed to take the head.

Bringing down the entire Via Imperii would be quite the feat for a GIA agent. It would fast-track my career into upper management and ensure me any assignment I wanted.

That’s what I told myself anyway. That it was all about the feather in my cap. The professional prestige, and that it had nothing to do with the fact that as long as the Via Imperii had a foothold anywhere in Europe, the future king of Cordonian would be in danger.

The moment Leo’s abdication was officially announced, Liam would receive the same offer Leo had and though I had tried to pitch the usefulness of playing along for the sake of gaining a tactical advantage, Liam had been just as steadfast as his brother in his refusal to even pretend to entertain their offer.

I understood his reasons, but Jesus fucking Christ he wasn’t making my job easy.

The social season was almost over. I was running out of time. I had been putting off submitting my report for days now because I knew the mission objective was in hand. The Corodian branch had been compromised. I knew who led it, I knew who all the members were, and I knew where their headquarters were located. After tonight, I would know if the missing Rys heir was a real threat or not.

Command was going to say there was no reason not to breach. The mission's objective was clear: Take down the Cordonian branch of the Via Imperii. That’s what we were invited here to do, and that result was well within our reach.

But it was no longer enough for me. I needed to protect my friends. I needed to protect Liam.

I just needed a little more time to worm my way further into the organization, to gain Sigrid’s trust. To find out if the estate we were standing in was the headquarters of upper leadership and if not, what was. To find out who the leader of the European division was. And if my intel was correct, the leader of the entire thing.

We could rid the planet of the whole putrid, rotting, evil cabal. And who wouldn’t want that?

Hopefully, Lena was an unwitting pawn and not an evil sibling hell-bent on taking down her brothers. Experience told me the chances of her seeing reason were slim. Power corrupts. The promise of a throne and the lure of a crown might be too much to overcome, but a girl could hope.

As we took our seats for dinner, Sigrid stood at the head of the table. Every head turned to face her. Every voice quieted in her presence. She smiled benignly, “It’s so nice to have you all here tonight. Thank you, King Eirik, for hosting us, and thank you Duke Richards and Duchess Ebrim for making the trip. As you all know, Cordonia is next on our list of…acquisitions.”

She paused as quiet laughter rounded the table.

“I heard the crown prince turned us down,” Eirik tipped his head expectantly.

Sigrid shot him a look of annoyance, “Yes, he did but he’s no longer the crown prince. It hasn’t been publicly announced yet, but Leo Rys has abdicated. Prince Liam will take his place. We anticipate a rejection from him as well however, he must pick a queen, and the two top contenders for that role are members in good standing within our ranks.” She tipped her glass of champagne toward me and Madeleine.

I inclined my head in acknowledgment as curious murmurs broke out and heads craned in our direction.

“That’s fine and well, but on the off chance that he doesn’t pick one of them….” Godfrey shot Madeleine an apologetic glance, “I don’t doubt you darling, but I have intelligence that suggests he might be considering another suitor. In that case,” he turned his attention back to Sigrid, “I have been assured we have an insurance policy.”

“Indeed, we do,” Sigrid smirked as she gestured to one of the guards near the door.

The door swung open. A figure strode through it. I quickly noted dark hair, like Liam’s, the signature Rys chin, and the same ocean blue eyes that belonged to both Leo and Constantine. But the detail that took me completely aback was that the lost heir to the Cordonian throne wasn’t Leo and Liam’s sister at all.

I didn’t know where Lena was at that moment, but she certainly wasn’t in Hidar.

Sigrid smiled lovingly at the newcomer as she announced to the room, “Allow me to introduce my cousin Constantine’s long-lost child. The one I have raised as my own son. Anton Severus Rys.”

Well, shit.  

#trr fanfic #the royal romance #the royal romance fanfic #trr au #trr #savage love #agent riley brooks #captain drake walker #prince liam rys #angelasscribbles #trr poly #choices #liam rys #drake walker #choices fanfiction #playchoices fanfic #choices stories you play #drake walker x mc #liam rys x mc #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week

[mk-oc-imagines]

This is legit stuck in my mind so here's a small snippet:

!!!!TW: CHILD LOSS, IMPLIED SEXUAL CONTENT!!!

Reiko knows both women are dangerous. The younger one - she's from his timeline - is prone to sudden mood swings, unpredictable and her subtle manipulation tactics fooled even the Fire God. They are all aware but they can never tell when she does it. Blue eyes full of youthful mischief, becoming crazed when fight, a battle, mindless bloodshed is near.

And yet, it is none of those things that are dangerous, it is the innocence, his Valeria still has, despite everything that happened and what she knows - what was, what is and what will be.

Looking up at the sky, searching for a threat that is not coming, waking up violently from a nightmarish memory, screaming that everything is consumed by fire, yet nothing is burning, always looking for something, asking about invisible threats. She's on edge around certain people, eyes flicking around the room, calculating.

Reiko knew that something is wrong when Valeria would rather jump into the embrace of Havik, than Raiden.

But it doesn't stop her from jumping trough foliage, disappearing for long periods of times into the forest, returning at sunset dirty from mud. She's playing tag with Reptile and Smoke, giggling like a small girl who knows no horror in the world.

His Valeria is young and innocent, yet is troubled and suffering.

Fire God Liu Kang, Reiko thinks bitterly, failed more people than he helped.

The..other Valeria, from different Timeline, is older, wiser and veteran in combat.

Her loyalty to the ones she loves is unwavering and Reiko respects that. She's a fighter, a warrior and rarely loses a fight - wiped the floor with all of them in 'training'. But what makes her dangerous isn't her fighting proves, her strength or swordsmanship. It's the way she can read people, take them apart with words and gestures.

It was an accident when Reiko first saw it, Valeria cornered one of the Lin Kuei - Bi-Han, the Grandmaster - he was leaning away from her touch, yet did not push her away or strike her for her insolence - then she's asking about his family, his father, brothers, mother, sister and Bi-Han tells nothing, until she's smoothing hair out of his face, taking off his mask, cooing softly, like a mother at his son and she's pulling him into a hug and he breaks. They sink to the ground and Reiko can't see if Bi-Han is crying or not, Valeria curling around him like a mother around her son, her brown hair a shielding curtain.

Reiko prides himself in knowing his general, the warriors who raised him - and one night proves him wrong.

Valeria and General Shao are keeping watch and she asks him about his child. "Son or a daughter?"

"The only one I could ever consider a son would be my second in command." Reiko's heart swels with pride but he does not dare to let them know he's aware.

"What about the ghost you see every time you step into the palace, yearning for life that was snatched away from you the moment your child was born?"

General Shao is silent, Valeria presses on. "It was a girl, wasn't it? A daughter. Behind your constructed walls, there is a certain softness that fathers have once their daughters are born."

General Shao sighs and shifts and Reiko can't tell what is going on with his general. "I wanted to have a family. There...was a woman. Who went against the system. We wanted our little family but the Empress was not kind. Snatched our daughter away the moment she was born. Didn't even let us hold her."

"Where were you?"

"Deployed. Far away."

"What happened to your love?"

"Grief killed her."

Reiko's heart clenches, painful and he wants to get up and march back into the Royal Gardens and murder Empress Sindel with his bare hands. Her daughters too if it comes to it. Or not. Kill her daughters and let her experience the grief that many parents had that had their daughters snatched away the moment they were born.

There's more shifting and he can hear his General inhale sharply. "It never goes away, does it? The pain. The want for a family. A normal life. It consumes us, until it destroys us."

"You know awfully lot, woman."

"I'm a mother of three myself , General Shao. Although I know....one of my children is safe and sound as much as she can be, I lost my two firstborns. Twins."

There's another beat of silence and more shuffling. Reiko is afraid to open his eyes in fear what he could see.

"If I could, I would carry your child."

She's dangerous because she takes people apart, studying them closely in what makes them tick and she's gentle, oh so gentle in what she does, knows that if she does one wrong move, they'll fall apart.

It's the way she moves above him, gently rolling her hips, gentle, experienced fingers running over his chest - he's gasping as if there's not enough air in his lungs, tears gathering at the corner of his eyes and when they spill, she wipes them away.

Valeria is cooing and singing praise but even she couldn't resist the pleasure, soft sounds escaping her, body arched and he can't help the sob that escapes him, finding his release. Valeria is gentle as she cleaned him up, peppering him with gentle kisses.

Reiko feels like he betrayed General Shao.

This Valeria is more dangerous than his Valeria.

Brown eyes have no guild in them, arms crossed, acting as if nothing has happened, as if just a hallway down, there isn't an Earthrealmer writhing in pain, the Dragon Lord being sealed away in the mortal's chest.

Her two companions aren't any better, the Shadow being ice cold as usual, the older actor - by the Elder Gods how could he let this happen? - there's a little bit of guild but otherwise, nothing.

Fire God is the one who leads Valeria away, wanting to discuss urgent matters, it is only then that Reiko approaches the older actor - he notes that they are not very different, this Johnny Cage is juts older and more mature.

"Why?"

And he smiles, melancholy in his eyes and Reiko sees how tired he is. "I got used to it too. Onaga is no longer screaming in my head. He's easier to bear now."

And Reiko wants to know more, so he asks again, even though he shouldn't. "Why?"

"It proved to work before. Why wouldn't she try again?"

And Reiko's blood runs cold - they all fell into her trap, carefully woven cobweb of motherly love, gentleness and everything and Reiko prays to every other God if they are out there - do not let his Valeria become whatever this woman is, otherwise they all will be in even greater danger than they are now.

(If anyone has any questions and something to say, don't be afraid to hit me up in my inbox)

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