#Raine of Riverbend | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

starlight-starfury · 5 months

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Fables & Falsehoods

Book: Blades of Light and Shadow

Characters: (F!Elf!MC) Raine & Kade

Rating: Teen

Warnings: Fantasy violence, blood, depictions of scarring/injury.

Length: 4.7k

Summary: Alternate timeline where Kade was shadow-scarred during the fight against the Dreadlord.

Tags: @lawrencebarkley @watatsumi-island @choicesficwriterscreations

A/N: This turned out wayy longer than expected 😅 For maximum emotional damage also read this fic.

It was morning when Raine set off towards the outskirts of Riverbend, with a light mist still hovering over the hills and the sky a pale shade of daffodil yellow as she followed the river upstream to the wild meadows.

The young girl crouched with her basket in hand as she found a patch of blue chamomile flowers, ignoring how the pollen made her sensitive nose itch while she recalled the instructions the farmer had given her.

Harvest them during early morning, when the dew has evaporated but before the sun is fully shining.

Their scent was reminiscent of the sweet hay kept in the village stables, and she took great care to gently remove the flower heads without damaging the stems before she placed them delicately in the basket.

Once she had collected enough and the sun was higher in the sky, she stood and followed the dirt path back to the village, with her basket bumping against the side of her leg as she went.

She skipped up to the old wooden cottage she and Kade lived in with the farmer, and left the basket on the table near the fireplace so he could use the flowers to make tea, having been unable to collect them himself in his older age.

When it was ready, she tentatively carried the mug to the small room they shared. Inside, Kade’s slight frame laid in bed shaking from fever, his limbs occasionally wracked with tremors as he coughed.

“Kade,” she whispered, unsure if he was asleep. When he stirred and opened his eyes, she sat down beside him. “I brought you tea.”

She helped him sit up enough to lean against the bed frame, and looked inside the mug where the drink had been infused with golden honey that shimmered and swirled within like liquified sunlight. It looked magical, and that gave the young girl enough hope in her heart that it could heal him.

Raine lifted the mug to his mouth so he could take a sip, only six years old and too weak to hold it on his own.

“It’s made with flowers!” She explained. “I found a whole field so I’ll pick some more tomorrow. The farmer said using them in this tea will help you feel better.”

Her expression filled with worry. “It is working, right?”

“Tastes good,” he murmured before glancing back down at the mug. “I’m drinking flowers?”

She giggled and placed the empty mug on the bedside table when he was finished. Kade sighed and laid his head back down on the pillow, and just when Raine thought he was going to fall back asleep, he opened his eyes once more. “Can you read me a story?”

“Which one?” She asked.

“The one about the dragon.”

She picked up the book he was referring to and sat close enough for him to see the penciled illustrations. “Once upon a time, at the top of a great mountain peak, there was a dragon of light whose scales shone brighter than any jewel…”

As she continued to read, dark clouds began to gather outside and her voice was soon accompanied by the soft pattering of light rainfall.

“…The nearby villagers feared for their safety and so they shot the dragon out of the sky, but they didn’t know it had been defending something. Not a hoard of gold but something far more precious, a shimmering egg that now sat alone in the darkened cave.”

When she glanced back up, Kade was fast asleep and raindrops trickled slowly down the window pane. She closed the book and traced a finger along the cover, where the dragon’s scales reflected the sky with an opalescent sheen that caused rainbows to ripple across its large body.

With a yawn, she put the book away and crawled into her own bed, and as she drifted off to sleep her head was filled with dreams of someday crossing paths with a dragon for herself.

A few years later, they were playing in an old stable where the worn grey bricks of the exterior were lined with moss, and eating berries they had collected from the nearby woods. Kade had recovered from his illness, but the elderly farmer had sadly passed and now it was just the two of them on their own.

“It’s broken!”

“What is?”

“My bow!”

Raine sat among the straw as she frustratedly tried to fix it. Although the stable had not been used for years and the outside looked uninviting, it was surprisingly warm within and filled with large bales of hay that were perfect for hiding and climbing.

She frowned when her attempts were to no avail. It was only a toy made of fragile wood, but the bowstring had snapped and she had no means of repairing it by herself.

“Every great adventurer needs a weapon, Kade!” She sighed. “And mine’s busted.”

“What about my slingshot?” He asked, holding up the one he’d crafted out of twigs that morning after seeing a drawing in one of his books.

She looked at it doubtfully. “That’s okay, you can keep it.”

“But slingshots make great weapons, look!” He picked up one of the berries and placed it in the sling before firing, and it hit Raine directly in the forehead before falling to the ground and leaving a small purple juice stain marked on her skin.

“Hey!” She rubbed her head with her forearm. “I’ll get you for that!”

As she glanced around the stable looking for something to help enact her revenge, she found a dark piece of wood sticking out from one of the straw piles. When she lifted it she saw it was a small toy sword, carved roughly but still intact despite being in the old building for years.

“I found one!” She said, her payback forgotten as she and Kade studied the sword.

“A fine weapon.” He nodded with approval. “It will aid you well on your quest.”

Raine giggled. “What’s my quest?”

He turned and pointed to the highest hay bale in the room. “Climb the great mountain and defeat the beast that lurks there!”

She leapt up onto the lowest pile, adjusting her footing as she climbed higher. She was almost at the top when she slipped and nearly fell, and a few loose strands of straw drifted to the ground. “Woah!”

“You can do it!” Kade cheered from the bottom.

With one final haul, she pulled herself up to the top and triumphantly waved her sword in the air. “I did it! I slayed the beast!”

“I knew you could!” He clapped as she sat there for a moment to catch her breath while her mind wandered off in deep thought, a look of immense concern on her features that looked unusual for the young girl.

“Kade, do you…” She said slowly before trailing off. “…Do you think even heroes get scared?”

“Of course. I know if I had to fight a massive dragon I’d be scared.”

“Then how do they do it?”

He was silent for a moment. “Because they care more about doing what’s right.”

Raine grinned, her eyes sparkling. “You’re such a goody-goody.” Then she brandished the sword at him and leapt from the hay bale, tackling him to the ground where they both collapsed into a pile of laughter.

Above their resounding joy, Raine heard a creak and looked up in time to see one of the large wooden beams from the ceiling swing and come falling down straight towards them.

With a squeal and a hard shove, she pushed Kade out of the way and rolled to the side just moments before it crashed to the ground, sending straw flying.

She sat up dazed and with a few pieces in her hair, and Kade helped her back onto her feet.

“That was too close,” he said.

She nodded in agreement. “I’m not sure we should play here anymore…”

“What would’ve happened if it fell on us?” He asked.

“Well, you’d probably have gotten a concussion at least.” Raine answered. “And you don’t need another one of those.”

Kade shuddered as they both remembered the time he’d been hanging upside down from a tree branch near the riverbank, and how he said he “wanted to know how bats slept that way” before he fell and landed on his head.

She laughed at his expression. “Come on, no more old buildings for a while. Or trees. If we’re not careful we’ll run out of places to play.”

He sighed. “The fields it is, then.”

“Race you there!” Raine said, and he was quick to follow, but both of them were too distracted to notice the wooden sword lying on the ground forgotten once more.

Time seemed to move forward in a blurred whirlwind after that, from the carefree joys of childhood to helplessly watching Kade get trapped in the Onyx Shard and the long, arduous journey it had taken to rescue him.

She had seen all the beautiful and treacherous places of the world in that time. The sun setting across the ocean at Port Parnassus, the glittering city of Undermount, even a place as harsh and nightmarish as the Deadwood held its own secret places of wonder.

Although she savoured every moment of the adventure, there was still a hollow ache through it all that reminded her they were supposed to be by each other’s side. He was the only family member she had left after what had happened to the farmer and her parents, and she couldn’t lose him too.

Her determination to save him ignited an ember in her heart, one that carried her onward through every challenge they faced along the way, no matter how perilous. One that led them all directly into the realm of shadow, a twisted land of darkness no one had ever returned from and to face an enemy proclaimed impossible to defeat.

For a brief moment, all of the danger lurking ahead was forgotten and the pain they had been through was worth it when she was finally able to save Kade. His weakened frame sat in a cold, lonely cell, bruised and beaten but alive, and seeing him alive was what had mattered to her the most.

Their quest led them to a chamber of ash and smoke, where the Dreadlord rose from his tomb while possessing the body of their friend, wearing her skin like a ghost and controlling her movements as a puppet with strings woven of shadow and malice.

Soldiers swarmed them like an oncoming tide of darkness, with magic rising and falling in turbulent waves and weapons that surged and clashed mid-air. Through it all, she could feel her strength waning.

With every soldier that fell a new row appeared, and she fought until she was wounded and bleeding, until her whole body felt like it was made of lead as she struggled to take each step.

The ember that had carried her so far began to fade out when her legs could no longer hold her upright, and she sunk to her knees, too weakened to fight any longer. She had used up all her strength on this journey, only to run out right on the threshold when she needed it the most.

“And here I thought you’d be more willing to put up a fight.” The Dreadlord spoke with a voice tainted by dust and rot, hovering above her as an omen of death. “How pathetic.”

It used Nia’s hand to summon a jagged lance of weaponised darkness, pointed and aimed straight for her heart. “Now you will meet your end.”

Raine’s body slumped forward as the lance soared through the air and she braced herself for the final hit, eyes closed as she expelled her last breath.

It never came.

She looked up to see a figure standing in front of her, with the lance meant to kill her piercing clean through his right side.

“Kade!” She screamed, and his fingers trembled as he reached for the wound, dark blood seeping across his hand as shadow slowly began to spread throughout his body.

Even in this state, he still managed a weak smile.

He was always smiling, she remembered. While bedridden as a child, running through the woods, and playing songs at the tavern. His optimism even under such dire circumstances throughout their lives often made her think he was more of a hero than she was.

She knew it to be the truth.

“You…always saved me.” His voice was barely a whisper as he spoke, and tears welled in Raine’s eyes before spilling down her cheeks. “Now it’s my turn…to save you.”

He swayed on his feet and she rushed to catch him in her arms before lowering him to the stone ground. “No, no.” She whispered. “Not again.”

His eyes fluttered closed as his breathing grew shallow, and she reached for his bloodied hand. “Kade, I…I can’t lose you again.” Panicked desperation took hold as she uttered a silent plea. “Please.”

He stirred for a brief moment before using all his remaining strength to open his eyes once more. “Leave me…Get to Nia.” He let out a painful sounding cough as blood dripped down his chin. “Be the hero I…know you are.”

With a strangled sob, she hauled herself to her feet with her weapon in hand. The rest of the battle passed in a blur, from wielding the Blade of Light to opening a portal back to Whitetower, all that mattered was ensuring her brother’s safety.

She called for a healer and helplessly watched his body be carried away, knowing that if she had just been able to hold on a little longer she could have prevented the worst of it.

He was too injured to attend the medaling ceremony, but Nia assured her that he was recovering. That he was talking and laughing with the healers when he wasn’t asleep, and although the shadow scarring would be permanent, he was going to be okay, and that was what mattered the most.

Raine took a deep breath as she gazed around the city, at everyone they had worked so hard to save. It might take a while but she hoped that maybe, someday, it would all be okay.

Kade wasn’t there when she was taken.

He was still recovering from his injuries, warring with the shadow while under the constant attention of the palace healers. The last time he had seen Raine was late afternoon when she came to visit, telling him she was going to the palace terrace to celebrate the Dreadlord’s defeat with a victory toast.

“Bring back a drink for me?” He asked, grinning.

“Of course,” she laughed, before turning her back as she walked out the door, and he picked up one of the large books she’d bought for him at the festival. He knew she still felt guilty, but hadn’t yet had the chance to reassure her that he didn’t regret taking the lance in her stead and that he would do it again if he must, even though he knew she would disapprove.

He was still reading when her companions barged into the room in a frantic hurry a few hours later, and he panicked when he saw she wasn’t among them. “What’s going on?” He asked, and everyone started speaking all at once.

“They took her,” Tyril scowled. “Back to the Shadow Realm.”

“A portal opened on the terrace and their army swarmed through.” Mal said.

“We weren’t strong enough to fight them.” Nia frowned, and Kade used all his strength to push himself from the bed, even though his body burned in protest.

“Kade, your leg-” The healer tried to warn him but he gritted his teeth as he leant against the wall, ignoring the sharp pain pulsing in his leg until it was too much to bear. “I have to…have to find her.” His eyes almost rolled back as he began to collapse and Imtura lifted him back over to the bed.

“You won’t be able to save her if you make yourself worse.” She said, helping him sit back down.

“We have to get her back.” Kade said, looking determinedly at the group before realising none of them had any answers, their expressions looking as hopeless as he felt. “How do we get her back?”

He wished he had been there, but he knew that even if he had, there wasn’t anything he could have done. He wasn’t a fighter or a mage, he couldn’t hold his own in a proper fight and he felt out of his depth and as helpless as he had been when he was a sickly child.

King Arlan permitted them access to the Royal Archives, and since Kade wasn’t in a state to go there himself he insisted they bring their findings back to him, and as weeks went by his room ended up a mess of scattered books and old scrolls where everyone gathered to share their resources.

As he slowly recovered he was able to visit the archives more frequently, being offered a position as the head archivist that he hoped would give him the information he needed to save Raine.

For a short while he performed at the taverns in Whitetower, always having found solace in music throughout his life. But the songs he sang of legendary heroes felt like a mockery, and the strings of his lute only strummed empty taunts that reminded him he could be doing more, that he should be doing more to find her.

Then came the day when the others decided the archives didn’t hold the answers they needed. They decided to set off to search the realms instead, and he had wanted to go with them but knew it was for the best if he stayed at the palace.

Someone needed to be there if she returned, he told himself, but it felt more like an unconvincing reminder he could still be helpful, that there were hundreds of books still unread that may yet reveal some small glimpse of hope and a way to bring her back.

The others patted him on the shoulder, telling him they would do everything they could to help save her and that they would be fine if he stayed. Kade promised them they were all welcome back in Whitetower and that they could use the archives at any time in the future again if necessary.

It was all he could offer.

And yet he knew it wasn’t enough.

Raine’s return was not a forgettable display for those who had witnessed it.

The guards were going about their usual business when a portal appeared, a vibrant shade of electric purple that crackled with energy before a figure flew through, as though she had tumbled through a storm and right into the palace throne room.

“I need to…see the king and his advisors.” She wheezed. “It’s…important.” Her vision began to flicker as she knelt on the cold, marble floor and before she knew what was happening, she found herself being pulled from the ground and into a pair of familiar arms.

“Raine, you’re…you’re really-” Kade’s voice sounded disbelieved, and although she returned the hug, she leaned back when his hands trembled and more people began to gather nearby.

“I’m…glad to see you too, but what’s going on?”

Kade shook his head as though he still couldn’t believe his eyes. “Raine, you’ve been gone for a year.”

“What?” Her voice barely came out as a whisper as the world began to sway around her. “What do you mean a year?”

Part of her wanted to believe it was some sort of joke, though a glance at his healed wounds and more polished outfit suggested that surely some time had passed, but a year sounded impossible.

Some of the shadow spread across his face had receded slightly, leaving scarred cracks across the skin, but it wasn’t healed. Nia said it would never be fully healed, but he did look healthier. He was standing upright now that his leg had recovered and he wore that same old mischievous grin on his face, all too familiar to her after years of causing trouble.

His right eye looked better too, almost swollen shut when she had seen him last but now fully vibrant, although the iris had been permanently changed from grey to amber.

“Kade, that’s…” She frowned. “That’s not possible.” She knew it was the truth based on what she had seen, but she didn’t want to have to believe it.

“I wish that was the case,” he sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Come on, let’s talk about this somewhere else.”

Having multiple swords pointed in her direction wasn’t exactly how she imagined her return would play out, but was also the least of her concerns as Kade waved the guards down and led her to the indoor gardens away from the commotion that had begun to stir.

She sat down on the fountain’s edge, surrounded by flowering bushes as the water trickled slowly, too serene of a setting for the tumultuous wave of emotions crashing inside her.

“What happened while I was gone?” She asked.

He looked down for a moment, as though even the memory caused himself pain. “After you were taken, we spent weeks trying to find a way to get you back. When that didn’t work, the others went to search elsewhere. I was offered a job in the Royal Archives and I took it because…” he trailed off for a moment, uncertain, “because it was the only way I could help bring you back.”

Under normal circumstances he was sure she would have teased him about being appointed head archivist, that she would have been thrilled for him working in the palace of all places and surrounded by books all day as he’d always dreamed. Instead she was unusually quiet, glancing at her hands for a long time before she finally spoke.

“Everything is different now, isn’t it?” Her voice carried a solemness even she couldn’t quite place. She felt like a ghost brought back from the dead at his side, feeling alone in a world that seemed to just move on in her absence, a world where everything had changed.

“Nothing has changed,” he tried to reassure her, but they both knew it was a lie.

She looked at his arm, where the shadow marred and twisted his flesh. “Gods, Kade, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be, I don’t regret it. Not when it saved you.” He frowned as her gaze shifted to the floor. All their lives they had been inseparable, having always been side by side up until Kade had gotten trapped inside the Onyx Shard.

Ever since then it seemed like they were set on opposite sides of the same path, and it felt as though a series of cracks had begun to form between them, like fragile glass on the verge of shattering apart.

“I wasn’t like the others,” he spoke slowly, his voice low. “I didn’t want a hero, I just needed my sister back.”

Raine took a deep breath, trying to maintain her rising nerves. “I didn’t exactly ask to be trapped there, you know.”

“That’s not what I meant.” He took her arm, but she gently shrugged him away.

“Look,” she sighed, glancing out the ornate stained glass window before dragging a hand through her hair. “It’s getting late. We’ll talk about this in the morning.”

He gave a brief nod. “I’m sure you’re exhausted. I won’t get in your way.”

“Kade…” She shook her head. “Goodnight.” Her tone felt distant but she still took care to place her hand on his uninjured shoulder, giving him a half-hearted smile although she couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eyes.

“…Goodnight.” Kade whispered, and as she walked away they could both feel the cracks between them only growing deeper.

The next morning, the sun was rising over Whitetower and the palace was the first part of the city to awaken as its light painted the turrets a brilliant shade of gold, making the scarlet spires resemble rubies amongst the regal splendour of dawn.

Raine was making her final preparations at the castle entrance, tacking up a horse from the royal stables with a white mane that cascaded like snowfall when Kade ran towards her.

“Raine! I’ve been looking all over the palace for you!” He reached her side with evident relief on his features before confusion set in as he glanced at the horse. “Where are you going?”

“I have to gather the others,” she said firmly as she adjusted the leather bridle. “The Ash Empire is on their way and we need to stop them before-”

“You’re leaving?” The disbelief in his tone made her movements halt and look at him properly, seeing a flicker of betrayal in his gaze that only further stirred her remorse. “Raine, I just got you back.”

“I have to, Kade, I-”

“Why do you always have to be the one who saves everybody?”

Her pause was brief before she turned her attention back to the horse, and any softness in her voice had faded. “This is my fault, I’m the only person who can fix it.”

“You don’t have to do this just because you think you failed me.”

“And what makes you think that?”

“Because you look at me and all you see is guilt.” She stilled, her fingers trembling along the reigns, and they both knew deep down that it was true. “You’re scared of me because you think…you think I’m one of them.”

Dark images of the Shadow Court flashed through her mind, with sinister smiles and shadow pulsing through their veins, and she vehemently shook her head. “No, Kade, I could never-”

He took a deep breath. “I don’t want you to blame yourself, but you need to know I did it to save you, not so you could go putting yourself in danger again.”

“You know the risks at stake! Do you want me to just stand by and do nothing?”

“I never asked for any of this! I went to the temple with you so you could have the adventure you’d always dreamed about, and look where that got us. Do you think being tortured in the shadow realm is what I wanted?”

“Of course not!” She snapped, all her guilt and frustration rushing to the surface. “You know I would have prevented you from getting trapped there if I could, but I can’t do anything to change that. All I can do is try to make up for it.”

“And you think the best way to do that is by risking your life?”

“If the Ash Empire finds a way to the Light Realm they’ll destroy everything. I’m doing what’s best for us!”

His expression turned stormy, a dark contrast to his normally cheerful self, and one that made her blood run cold. “And how would you know what’s best for us? You weren’t even here!”

As soon as the words came out he wished he could take them back.

For her, it felt as though a knife had been cleaved through her chest, severing her clean in half and leaving her to shatter into a thousand pieces. She recognised the constriction forming in the base of her throat and the familiar sting of tears that threatened to spill before she pushed the feelings down, away.

“Raine, I didn’t mean-”

The wave of emotion froze over like a river in winter, and Raine was silent for a long moment before her eyes turned cold. When she spoke, her voice didn’t carry its usual warmth, but was instead flat and harsh like ice.

“I worked my ass off travelling across the continent to find a way to save you when I didn’t even know if it was possible, and I come back just to learn you’ve spent a year playing librarian?” Her tone was deathly still as she turned on her heel, barely sparing a sharp glance over her shoulder. “I thought you would have done the same for me.”

Before Kade could even utter an apology, she mounted the horse in one swift movement and took off, leaving him alone with regret festering in his heart as the coloured banners above swayed in an empty breeze.

Further south near the forests surrounding Riverbend, an ominous shadow was cast on the ground far larger than any cloud as a great beast soared overhead, the beating of its wings like the rolling of distant thunder.

And somewhere in an old stable, a wooden toy sword laid, burning.

#cfwc fics of the week #choices fic writers creations #blades of light and shadow #playchoices #playchoices fanfic #choices stories you play #raine nightbloom #kade #kade of riverbend

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stormhearty · 3 months

Text

Pairings: Azriel x Reader

Word Count: 2.8k

Triggers: pregnancy trope, longing, mention of death, thoughts of suicide, blood, baby’s death, open-ended ending

Summary: Hiraeth definition: “homesickness, longing, nostalgia and a wistful desire for something irretrievably lost.” It had been several years since your passing, one that he cursed the Mother and the Gods for. Now he wanders the world, endless and lost, waiting for the day you would whisper in his ears to come home — home to you.

Note: From this request! Thank you @soulsansang (I cannot tag you for the life of me), for sending this request! I fought every urge to connect this to my Seer!Reader fics. The idea of hiraeth fit perfectly with a mourning Azriel; however, I needed something else. Needed an Azriel who was mourning not because of his actions, but due to unforeseen circumstances that fate seemed to have placed him in. I’m sorry for the “pregnancy trope”, I didn’t think I would be writing this one like this. If you do not like that trope, I completely understand and I respect you not reading this. But I do hope you enjoy, and I hope it fills the angst and sadness that you had requested!

“Azriel~!”

He looked over his shoulder, his name echoing in his ears, as he stepped out of his apartment and into the pouring rain. Dull hazel eyes stared at the gray skies as the rain poured down, relentless and unforgiving.

It had been days since this rain had started, and it seemed as if it would never stop. It was torrent, heavy with the mix of strong that howled through the empty alleyways. Valeris was almost like an abandoned city — its inhabitants were locked indoors due to the storm that shook its walls.

Azriel’s form shuddered, the wetness seeping into his clothes. He barely wore something that would keep him warm in such icy weather — a simple black jacket, a long-sleeved tee hidden underneath, and black jeans. His leather shoes were soaked in the rain as he stepped into another puddle, not caring that the wetness soaked into his feet.

He walked through the deserted city, only a few who braved the torrential storm were running through the streets. Those out looked at the Spymaster with confusion and worry, but none voiced them out loud — he wouldn’t have listened anyway.

He had one destination — and he would make it there — despite the storm.

Stepping across the Sindra River, the cobblestone bridge was overrun by the river below. Waters crashed upon slowly decaying rocks, splashing over the sides and onto the bridge. Traversing it might seem impossible for any normal Fae, but for Azriel, it was easy.

He stepped onto the bridge, not minding how the cold waters of the river splashed onto him. He paused, at the arch of the bridge, leaning over the stoney rail to look at those rapid waters that raced down the riverbend. They crashed and crescented over rocks, splashing against everything and anything that stood in its way — and the downpour only amplified the river’s maelstrom.

Azriel looked into the waters below him, barely making out his reflection in them. He blinked out the water that tricked into his eyes, and when he looked back down into his reflection — instead he found a familiar figure — hair blowing in the raging wind, eyes looking up at him, hand reached out as if to tempt him into those frigid cold waters below him.

It was tempting, to say the least, the call to be submerged into the depths of the river, to feel the icy liquid deep into his skin — and make the river his grave.

He couldn't help it — the image was like a siren with its sailors, tempting them to their end. Leaning across the cobblestone rail, he leaned down — down into the depths of the water. Azriel had every mindset, every want to drown in that very river.

However, he felt his body pause, as if a tiny hand tugged on his shoulder — a child’s laugh echoing in his ears.

His body snapped up, his head whipping over his shoulder, frantically looking around, only to stop. Eyes noticed a fallen blue-violet on the drenched cobblestone. Azriel felt his body go rigid at the flower, remembering what it had meant. He turned around and knelt, shaky hands reaching down to pick up the soaked flower. He felt his eyes prickle with tears as he turned it in his hand, before bringing it up to his lips and pressing a kiss on the petals, standing up and pocketing it.

Dull hues stared at the river below him, noticing his reflection once more — and not the mirage that tempted him to death. A frown tugged on the edge of his blue-tinged lips before making his way across the bridge once more, the call of death barely whispering in his ears.

He turned, his feet bringing him off paved grounds into a mud-soaked one. The mud squished underneath his feet. He weaved through familiar trees, and as he delved further into the forest the canopy above him blocked the gray skies above, the pitter-patter of rain on soil lessening. There, underneath the canopy, Azriel shook his wings out — the rain that had drenched his wings flying off in droplets. He raised a hand, running through soak locks, pushing them back away from his face. He fixed his jacket, dusting off the moisture from its soaked fabric before he continued walking.

Hazel hues saw the familiar clearing, watching as the downpour continued to drench the soil in its never-ending attack. He stood at the edge of the clearing, hues staring up at the sky once more. He silently cursed the Mother and the Gods above for this rain — all he wanted was to see the clear skies for once.

Azriel stepped into the clearing, the rain drenching his clothes once more — not that he minded anyway.

He stepped into the middle of the clearing where a lone headstone stood. A simple one, nothing to extravagant. Azriel felt his heart race in his chest as he got closer to the headstone.

Azriel kneeled in front of the headstone, a tearful gaze as he read the words that were etched onto the stone: Here lies (Y/N), the wonderful wife of Azriel. Mother of their unborn child. May the Mother and Gods bring her safe passage to the Havens.

It had been two years since he had to bury your body, along with your unborn child.

The Mother was cruel to him.

You and Azriel had been married for over three centuries — his life was full of color, full of happiness and full of love. You were everything to Azriel. He would miss you when he went to missions, kiss you silly when he got home from said missions; he would spend lazy time with you, your head on his lap or vice versa — just spending time with each other. And for those three centuries, both of you had tried for a child, but because Fae menstrual cycles were so sporadic, it had been difficult.

But two years ago, your miracle baby happened.

“Azriel!”

Azriel turned around after shutting the door to your apartment, only to catch your body that flung towards his way.

“Hey love,” he greeted you, a chuckle escaping his chest as he wrapped his arms around you, looking down and noticing how your head tucked into his chest. He could feel your excitement vibrate through your body and he couldn't help but wonder what had gotten you so happy.

But at that moment, he just leaned down and pressed a kiss on the crown of your head, watching your head tilt up to look at him, your eyes shining.

“What is it?” he hummed out with a raised brow.

He watched as you bit your lower lip, fighting the smile that tugged at the edge of your lips.

“You know how I have been feeling unwell the past few weeks…” you had started off.

Azriel hummed out, shifting you in his arms so that you were at his side, his arm wrapped around your waist before leading you into the kitchen. He maneuvered you around, grasping your waist and lifting you with ease onto the countertop next to the stove.

“Azriel!!” You shrieked in surprise, your hands grasping his shoulders to stretch yourself.

He smirks up at you, settling himself between your legs, “Now what were you saying, love?”

He watched you huff softly before continuing your story, “Well I went to Madja earlier today and I told her of my symptoms—-”

“Nausea, headaches, bloating…” he listed off.

Azriel knew your symptoms, it had worried him to the max. Both of you didn't know what had happened — he was worried about some sort of poisoning… he thought of the worst-case scenarios. And you had to be the one to calm him down from those spiraling thoughts.

You hummed and nodded your head, “Well… it looks like you didn't have to be so worried about that poisoning scenario, my love…” you whispered as you leaned down to press your forehead against his.

He felt your hands slide down his shoulders, down his arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

Azriel always loved how you touched him — there was no hesitancy in the way you held him, touched him — whether it he sexual or intimate. You had always initiated touching him and now, he can't live without your hands or body near his own.

He felt your hands grip his own, sliding then to your lower abdomen, pressing his hands against the soft skin.

“… I’m pregnant, Azzie…”

Your words were a whisper and Azriel felt his eyes widen at the words that had left your lips. He stared up at you and watched as your eyes sparkle light the night sky at your confession.

Hazel hues looked up at you before sliding down your body to where your hand lay over his own. A wide smile tugged on his lips before he slipped his hands away from your own, cupping your cheeks and kissing you.

He poured everything into that kiss — all his love for you and this unborn child.

When his lungs screamed for air, he was content with pressing kisses on your skin while you giggled, feeling your hands run through his hair.

“We’ll be having a child…” he whispered in disbelief.

He heard you let out a hum, feeling your head nod, “Yes we are… after centuries… our beautiful child…”

Every word that you whispered was full of happiness, adoration, and excitement. He knew, from hearing you speak, that you'd be a wonderful mother… one that would dote on that child.

He was elated — after centuries of both of you trying, watching your family build their own little families — Azriel was worried that both of you would never be blessed with a child. Yet now, the Mother seemed to rain her fortune on the both of you.

But deep within him, worry festered like mold, slowly growing. He worried about the complications — he heard about it with Rhysand and Feyre, Nesta and Cassian. And he worried for you — and all he could pray to the Mother that you would be spared from it.

“What color should the baby’s room be?”

Azriel hummed and raised a brow, turning his head to gaze at you. He fought back a smile — he had found you so adorable. You had waddled, your belly large protruding your tiny stature. Your hand tucked in the crook of his elbow protectively.

Azriel had ensured you were in good hands during your pregnancy; and that he would always prioritize your health and safety. He would never let you go out without him, either himself or his shadows. He always had a hand on you — whether it be around your waist or, like now, your hand tucked into his elbow.

Your features glowed despite the exhaustion he knew you felt — you had looked so beautiful during your whole pregnancy and Azriel worshiped you like the Goddess you were to him.

He watched as your gaze went up to him, your head tilting slightly at the look he gave you. Azriel shook his head, “You know I'd be biased if you asked me, love…” he answered.

Azriel would choose blue, even if it was a girl or a boy, his siphon colors would be that room’s color.

He watched as you rolled your eyes, and felt your hand pat his forearm, “Why am I not surprised that, out of all the colors, you’d choose your siphon?”

The two of you walked into the paint shop, the doorbell ringing above you. You were greeted by a Fae, one who was shocked and nervous to meet the Spymaster and his wife.

Azriel patted your hand and slipped your hand from his elbow, “Go ahead my loves… I'll be here…” He watched you smile before following the Fae to the color room, and he watched with adoration.

“You can't leave me, (Y/N)…” he sobbed, grasping your flaccid hand in his, pressing a kiss on cold skin.

The room was deathly still, his sobs echoing in the loud shared room.

You had gone into labor hours ago, and that labor… was difficult on your weak body. The babe, as Madja had warned you and Azriel all those months ago, had taken a toll on your body. You had been sick and bedridden for most of the pregnancy — Madja had stressed for you to terminate the pregnancy — it was either you or the baby.

Azriel had fought for you to terminate the pregnancy; begged and cried you to.

He could live without the unborn child but without you?

Never.

He watched you cry, begged him to let you keep the babe — he listened to your bargains, and promises; he listened to you cry in the night whispering to the baby all the while rubbing your stomach.

He watched everything… but he couldn't lose you.

But you had been stubborn, wanting to keep the pregnancy — pushing it to term — despite the consequences of it.

And so when you went into labor, the amount of blood you lost… was too much for Madja to replenish with her powers. The baby that was born was already too blue to try to bring back alive. Azriel was by your side the whole labor, watching you push your body to the brink — all for the child.

He felt your pulse slow underneath his fingertips, his hazel eyes frantically trying to find yours as he watched them roll backwards.

“No…No!” he yelled, dropping your hand onto the mattress and cupping your cheeks, “My love… (Y/N)…” he whispered, leaning in to press his forehead against yours, trying to pull you from the call of death.

Azriel watched you smile up at him, your eyes focusing on him, crescenting as you looked up at him, “…Azzie…” you whispered.

He fought back tears as he nodded his head, “Hey, my love, yes, I’m here… I’m here…”

“I’m sorry…”

It was as if you knew… this would be the outcome of your decision.

“No… Don’t be sorry… Please don’t… Just… Please don’t leave me… You can’t leave me…”

He watched as your eyes roll again and he brought your face closer to his own, watching them focus on him again, “…I don’t want to… But, I’m so tired Az…”

Azriel felt a heart wrenching sob escape his throat. His thumb caressed your pulse point, feeling it slow more. He looked up at his High Lord and the Healer and both of them looked at him with a somber look.

A shake from his High Lord gave his answer.

The tears finally fell, as he looked back at you — and you back up at him. He watched your brows furrow in confusion as you stared at him.

All he did was shake his head, leaning down to press one final kiss on your lips.

“Sleep… My love… if you’re tired. I’ll wait for you to wake up…”

He felt you take one last breath, a smile tugging on your lips as you whispered, “I love you, Az…”

Azriel felt your body go limp in the bed, your head roll back and your pulse stop completely. He watched your eyes dull, that smile still on your features.

His body shook, and tears never ended as he pulled your body into his arms, cradling your head as he let out a cry, pressing his face into the crook of your neck — the final time he’d ever feel you against him.

Azriel never thought heart break would be so painful.

He stared at the tombstone, pulling out of his thoughts and memories to reach down and caress the marble stone.

“… Hi my love…” he greeted you, like usual, “It’s raining again… It seems that Valeris is in a typhoon of rain recently…”

Azriel sat himself down on the muddy ground, not caring if the mud and rain soaked through his clothes again.

He had sat there, talking to you about his day, what had happened recently with the family, what was going on with Valeris and Prythian in general. He talked for hours until he felt his voice go sore and his body shake due to the cold from the rain, but he didn’t leave… not until the skies turned dark.

Azriel laid himself down on the patch of dirt in front of your grave, laying on his back as he stared up at the sky. It seemed the rain ceased and the beautiful starry skies of Valeris peaked through the rain clouds.

He watched the stars twinkle, before a shooting star blazed through the sky before another one — much smaller — followed it.

“…Was that you, (Y/N)?” he whispered, thinking that those two fallen stars were you and the child, reaching out to him from the Havens above.

Azriel had been searching for signs, for the past two years of any sign of you in the Havens. Looking for signs that you were calling for him — looking for him. All he wanted to know was that you were out there.

And that shooting star was it.

He smiled and closed his eyes, “I’m coming back home to you…”

#acotar fanfiction #acotar x reader #a court of thorns and roses #acotar fic #acotar angst #azriel x reader #azriel angst #azriel acotar #( .inbox request : when you call me home )#( .inbox request )

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baldwinboy5ive · 7 months

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All right, I’ve been wanting to talk about this ever since this chapter released, but I only just finished replaying book 1 in its entirety - several times actually haha, and I feel like I’ve seen basically all of the dialogue options involving Aerin, and I don’t think Riverbend ever comes up. I totally could’ve missed it, but I don’t think they ever talk about where Raine comes from.

So I want to hear all of your fun theories about why Aerin knows this. I think likely he could’ve overheard something during his imprisonment if you took that route, possibly even interacting with Kade, but yeah… give me all of your fun theories please. Or kick my ass with the angst if you must. I want to hear it all.

…also if I just missed something super fuckin obvious tell me that too hahahha

#playchoices #aerin valleros #aerin x mc #blades of light and shadow

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aria-ashryver · 3 months

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Woven Threads and Winding Roads (Pt 1&2)

Book: Blades of Light and Shadow Pairing: Tyril x f!human!MC (Raine) Words: 2.2K Ratings/Warnings: General; mention of (Nesper) pregnancy

Summary: Five times Tyril attempts to braid Raine’s hair; and one time those threads begin to come together again as they should.

A/N: Written as a gift for @thosehallowedhalls as a part of the Choices Secret Admirer event! It was such a delight to write for BOLAS again. Also participating in Choices February 2024 with the prompts Eros, Philia, and Pragma. Thank you Caro for letting me borrow your lovely Raine! 🌷🎀

Raine bit down on a laugh as Tyril strode into their bedroom, a scowl biting deep into the angular lines of his face. She rose to meet him, settling a hand against his cheek.

‘There’s the frown I fell in love with,’ she teased, laughter bubbling out of her as his brow furrowed further at her words. ‘We’ve had so little to trouble us these past few weeks — I was beginning to worry you’d forgotten how to brood.’

‘I am not brooding,’ Tyril brooded.

He sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist, closing his eyes and leaning into the kiss she pressed to his jaw.

‘Thank the stars Adrina has the stomach for these tiresome nobles and their courtly swill. The entire Venesterium seems determined to vex me. The sooner we escape this evening’s ball, the better.’

Raine grinned. ‘Mal and Imtura have been rubbing off on you.’

Tyril’s eyes snapped open. ‘How dare you.’

‘They have!’

‘I… forgive me.’ Tyril paused, stepping back to take in the sweep of silver-blue silk swathing Raine from head to toe. His face softened. ‘Here I am complaining about the nobility, when I should be telling you how utterly radiant you look. You are dazzling spring water beneath the noonday sun, a pure vision of Bakshi come to life. You are the very stars themselves, beloved.’

Raine’s chest glowed. She tangled her fingers with his, swishing her shoulders back and forth.

‘Look,’ she said proudly. ‘My dress has a cape!’

Tyril chuckled.

They were still getting used to life in Undermount. To peace.

To not being woken by Imtura’s snores, or the quiet cadence of Nia’s morning prayers; to the soft bed linens they’d traded up from hard-packed earth; to days that held no more danger than social faux pas and politics, instead of threats to their lives, to their friends, to the realm itself.

Well. Realms, plural, Raine thought.

All that time running back and forth across not one but two different planes hadn’t exactly left much time for updating her wardrobe — that, at least, was one aspect of their new life together that Raine had quickly adapted to. Every last seamstress and tailor in Undermount was vying for House Starfury’s patronage. Raine had wasted no time taking advantage.

‘You’re looking rather handsome yourself,’ she told Tyril, running her fingers over the ornate metalwork embellishing his robes. ‘What’s all this?’

Tyril’s face flattened into a frown again.

‘Adrina’s doing,’ he groused. ‘House Starfury has been steadily regaining our former standing. Our coffers are stable, our contracts are shoring up, Father has been able to rehire the staff he let go with considerable bonuses. My dear sister, in all her brilliance, has decided that means I needed to look suitably ludicrous for our re-entry into elven courtly society.’

‘I think you look lovely.’

Tyril’s face pinched in distaste. ‘Have you seen the size of this ring? It’s a House Starfury heirloom.’

Tyril flapped his hand before Raine’s face — rather unnecessarily, in all honesty; there was little chance she’d have missed seeing the ring, given that it was the size of a small continent. There, on his left pointer finger, was a sparkling affair of curlicued silver and diamond, set with a sapphire so immense, its sale could have supported the entire population of Riverbend for a solid year or more.

‘Can you imagine what our roguish friend would say if he took one look at me in this get—up?’

‘Mal would call you a prissy elf boy and probably wet himself from laughter, yes.’ Raine pursed her lips, trying not to grin. ‘I take it Undermount’s finery and flattery isn’t to your liking any more, then?’

‘The flattery never was,’ Tyril said, his eyes trained on Raine as she slipped into a seat at the vanity and finished applying a kohl liner to her eyes. ‘The fineries?’ He hummed thoughtfully. ‘I’ll admit, the novelty of clean sheets and dry boots is wearing off faster than I’d expected.’

He stepped up behind her to run a brush through the silken gold of her hair.

Raine closed her eyes, leaning into his touch, remembering for a moment the mornings Nia had done the same. She had no problem braiding her own hair, of course, but sometimes she and Nia had helped each other tease away the tangles and road-dirt, fixing one another’s hair in readiness for travel and combat.

It had grounded them both. Anchored them in the present, in the living pulse of their Light. Soothed them on the days when the darkness was too heavy to speak through.

Raine met Tyril’s piercing, blue gaze in the mirror over her shoulder. He raised a brow in silent question.

‘Would… would you braid my hair for me?’

A soft smile lit his face.

‘Whatever you would have of me, I would give to you.’

The minutes passed in silence as Raine gave herself over to the gentle touch of her lover’s hands. He’d almost finished a passable —if slightly uneven— braid, when his ring snagged on her hair, pulling a section loose at the front.

‘Drat! Apologies, this ring is impossible. I’ve never seen a piece of jewellery so cumbersome — Gods forbid it’s wearer deign to lift a finger to do anything for themselves. Though, I suppose that’s rather the point, isn’t it?’ Tyril clicked his tongue. ‘I haven’t the faintest idea how I am supposed to hold a sword with this monstrosity on my finger.’

‘Tyril…’ Raine caught his hand, holding his gaze for a long moment. ‘You don’t need to anymore.’

‘Oh.’ His eyes grew round, unguarded. ‘I suppose you are right. Yes, I don’t… right.’

Standing, Raine fixed the end of the braid with a simple leather band.

‘You’ve no wish to fix the snag?’

‘No, it’s fine. I rather like it.’ Raine glanced at the fall of hair that had tugged loose. ‘We don’t want to be too put together for the smarmy nobles, do we?’

‘We do not.’ Tyril cupped Raine’s face, his thumb sweeping over her cheekbone, sighing fondly. ‘You are exquisite, Raine. Do you know that? You are perfect. Celestial. I almost want to keep you all for myself. You know… we could just stay here, tonight.’

Laughing, Raine swatted at Tyril as his gaze grew hooded.

‘Tyril!’

She was rewarded with the sight of one of his rare and dazzling smiles. A secret sight, just for the two of them. It still caught her stomach up in swooping knots every time Tyril smiled.

‘Fine,’ he said, warmly, ‘let us away. But we are leaving as soon as the dessert courses are over.’

Raine’s hand found his.

‘Deal.’

‘Why do you get a cool half-cape?’ Raine grumbled, as they wound their way through the cool expanse of the public gardens. ‘I want a cool half-cape. Instead I get idiotic, too-long sleeves.’

Tyril’s face remained impassive as he nodded at a passing head of house; the gardens were bustling this morning, the lush greenery offering a cool respite from the late-spring sun. Raine greeted the elf in kind with a cordial wave —or, she tried to— the gesture botched by the yards of gauzy fabric tangling about her hands.

‘I hate everything!’ she shrieked under her breath. ‘I am this close’ —Raine raised a hand, snarled when her sleeves got in the way again, flailed her arms about until her hands were free, and pinched her thumb and forefinger before Tyril’s nose— ‘to ripping these awful sleeves off and shoving them into that fountain.’

Tyril smiled, tucking his hand against the small of her back and steering her neatly away from the aforementioned fountain. They walked instead toward a cluster of chatting nobles whom Tyril would rather have avoided, but knew he ought to greet.

‘Adrina is close to closing a significant contract with House Moonchaser,’ Tyril said quietly as they neared. ‘It would be a shame to offend their head of house by destroying the gift she bestowed upon you. Damaging such a gift would be perceived as a deliberate snub.’

‘Godsdamn it all to the blackest reaches of the Three Hel— ah, that is— hello, Lord Frostcrow! Yes, the gardens are looking splendid this morning, you are quite right.’

Their welcome ball had been pleasant enough. Raine had bewitched the gathered masses with her effortless radiance —not that Tyril was surprised; his lover stole his breath with every passing heartbeat— though none had been more taken with her beauty than the Lady of House Moonchaser. The elven matriarch had insisted on gifting Raine a custom-made dress from her personal seamstress as a show of welcome from their House.

It had been delivered late that morning — a heavy concoction of lurid pink velvet and silver embellishments, complete with decorative pearls, ribbons, and something Raine had described as “a headache masquerading as fashion” to be woven into her hair to match.

Raine had thought the whole thing garish… but, it would do well to be seen wearing the garment publicly at least once, so here they were.

Tyril had tried his hand at braiding her hair again that morning. Raine had humoured his attempts —there was something intimate and tender in their stolen moments of quiet together as he worked the ribbons through her hair— and for a time, he’d been rather proud of his efforts.

At least, until they’d made the journey from their small manor in the hills and into Undermount proper, and the whole thing had begun to unravel under all the weight. The imperfection irked him. Damn it all, he wouldn’t stop until he was the single most talented personal hair stylist in all of Undermount!

‘Stupid elven politics,’ Raine muttered, blowing a strand of hair from her face as they continued on with their stroll. ‘I look ridiculous. I’ve slept in war tents with less fabric than this dress. How am I supposed to defend myself in a swordfight with these sleeves?’

‘Were you not the one reprimanding me for my obstinate refusal to relax?’ Smiling, Tyril dropped a gentle kiss to the top of Raine’s head. The braid sagged a little further. ‘Perhaps you might take your own advice. We are safe, beloved. There aren’t any agents from the Ash Empire hiding under the magnolias, waiting to ambush us the moment we—’

‘A MISSIVE! A MISSIVE FOR YOU, LORD STARFURY!’

Heart in his throat, Tyril spun on instinct to find the point of his dagger hovering mere inches from the face of a wide-eyed courier. Beside him, Light crackled in Raine’s palms, her stance poised to strike, her expression nothing short of thunderous.

‘Apologies!’ The courier squeaked. He pinched an envelope between his trembling fingers, prodding it meekly toward them as the colour drained from his face.

Sighing, Tyril flicked his wrist in a practised motion; the dagger slid smoothly from his palm to tuck itself inconspicuously in his shirtsleeve.

He really ought to thank Mal for showing him that particular trick, Tyril thought. He wouldn’t, of course, on account of that would mean actually thanking Mal for something, but the gratitude was there all the same.

He tugged the letter from the courier’s hand. The shiny, wax seal bore a small paw-print in the centre.

‘An urgent missive from the most humble Threep Percivacurus Pompedorfin and the magnanimous Loola Coriandropolis Dupopodolis, dispatched via high-speed drake-courier service out of Whitetower,’ the courier recited breathlessly. He swayed on his feet.

‘I think you should go and sit down for a minute or two, buddy,’ Raine told him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. ‘Drink some water, catch your breath. Maybe have a think about whether or not it’s a good idea to sneak up behind people who were recently involved in the harrowing trauma of saving the entire Godsdamned realm from certain doom and yelling at them, you know. Turn that one over in your head a couple times.’

‘That— I— yes. Sound advice, my lady.’

Bowing stiffly, the courier departed, tripping over his own feet in his haste to get away.

‘By the Light,’ Raine muttered. She sounded as tired as Tyril felt.

‘Every day I think to myself, “the general populace couldn’t possibly grow any more dense”,’ Tyril murmured, watching the terrified courier wobble away, ‘and every day, they find new and fascinating ways to prove me wrong.’

‘Um… Tyril?’

Caught by the horror in her tone, Tyril turned to see a sheepish Raine inspecting her hands. Two smoking, fist-sized holes burned clean through the trailing sleeves of her dress.

She winced. ‘Just how important was that contract with House Moonchaser, again?’

Feeling a headache coming on, Tyril scanned Threep’s letter. His mouth dropped open.

‘Oh! Never mind that — Raine! Threep and Loola are expecting!’

Raine clutched at his hands, giddiness sparkling in her eyes. She squealed.

‘You’re joking. Baby nespers?! How adorable!’ Her eyes bugged in her head. ‘Oh, Gods, wait. An army of Threeps…’

The budding warmth in Tyril’s chest flipped to alarm. ‘Oh no… Oh, we need to start stocking the larder, yesterday.’

Stricken, Raine nodded. ‘I’ll place an order for a few bushels of dried anchovies.’

‘Whatever number you are thinking,’ Tyril said, ‘double it.’

Click here for: [Next - Pt. 3&4]

Tagging: @choicesficwriterscreations @choicesfebruary2024 @choicesfandomappreciation @thosehallowedhalls @lilyoffandoms @stars-are-within-me @jerzwriter

#blades of light and shadow #choices blades #tyril starfury #tyril x raine #tyril x mc #playchoices fanfic #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week #choicessecretadmirer2024

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rosie-love98 · 2 months

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The Women Of Oropher's House:

Winduirost:

Wife of Oropher and mother of Thranduil.

Name means “Windy Rain” in Sindarin. She was called this due to her gray eyes.

Daughter of Tauraear (“Vast Ocean”) and Erinmidh (“Morning-Dew”).

Was sister to an elder brother named “Duinlung” (“Riverbend”) and a younger sister called “Loebnen” (“Fresh-Water). Along with their parents, both Duinlung and Loebnen would be killed during an Orc attack in the First Age 585. Winduirost was the sole survivor when Oropher had managed to rescue her.

Married Oropher in the First Age 588 and made the move to Mirkwood with him.

Had the unique trait of having golden-blonde hair. This may be the result of a Vanyar or Noldor ancestor.

Winduirost didn’t think highly of the Silvans of Mirkwood. This was why she was against Thranduil marrying her handmaiden, Lisselote.

When Oropher gave Thranduil and Lisselote his blessing to their engagement, a petty Winduirost gave Lisselote dozens of hard tasks to prove her worth.

When Oropher perished during the War Of The Last Alliance, Winduirost would soften her harsh judgment thanks to Lisslote’s kindness towards the grieving queen.

Sailed to the Undying Lands in the Third Age 87, shortly after the birth of her grandson, Legolas.

Despite (somewhat) softening her cold disposition, it still didn’t stop Winduirost’s initial objection to Legolas’s romance with the Wingildi, Nenselde. Though, in Winduirost’s defense, she had more legit reasons.

Lisselote:

Wife of Thranduil and mother of Legolas.

Name means “Honey-Blossom” due to having honey-blonde hair.

Daughter of Malinurin (“Yellow-Sun”) and Tuilevire (“Spring Rose”).

Had a younger sister named “Incadaisime” (“Small Daisy”).

Was a hand-maiden to Queen Winduirost when Lisselote became acquainted with Thranduil.

Married Thranduil in the Second Age 3500. They were engaged back in 3429 but they were forced to halt the wedding due to the War Of The Last Alliance breaking out.

Was given the White Gems Of Lasgalen as a wedding gift from Winduirost on the late Oropher’s behalf.

During an Orc attack on Mirkwood, Lisselote was kidnapped by the enemy and taken to Angmar where she’d be tortured to death.

Her untimely demise was sacrificial as the Orcs were trying to find and kill the then-infant Legolas. Little did they know Lisselote had given Legolas to her maid-servants who were already protecting the other Mirkwood Elflings (including little Tauriel).

This Orc siege had also cost the lives of Tuileveire and Incadaisime. As for Malinurin, he had already died during the War Of The Last Alliance.

Nenselde:

Wife of Legolas and mother of Marillalote.

Is the very last of all the Wingildi (“Foam-Maidens”) to have been created.

Name means “Sea-Child” in Sindarin.

Unlike the Wingildis, she was made with the tear of Nienna. As a result, she was made and grew as an Elf child rather than a grown adult like her sisters. Yet, the other side-effect was that Nenselde was prone to grief and depression.

When Nenselde was a small, Elf child, she was given to Osse and Uinen to raise along with Wingildis.

By the time she turned 200-years-old, the now adult Nenselde would be so overwhelmed with her depression that she left her family for seclusion within the Bay Of Belfalas.

As much as she loved her family, Nenselde forbade herself from returning to them. The likes of Gandalf and Cirdan even tried to talk with her but whenever that arrived at Belfalas, a nervous Nenselde would hide away from them.

For centuries, Nenselde would be all alone at the bay until the Fourth Age arrived. From the Fourth Age 190-220, she would have mysterious visions of Prince Legolas Of Mirkwood. From all of these shared visions, the two would grow romantically close.

Yet, as Nenselde longed to be with Legolas and his friends in the Undying Lands, she was still torn with the Bay Of Belfalas.

To make matters worse, their shared dreams would be corrupted by an evil force, the Dark Tree Cult that also made both Legolas and Nenselde undergo a deadly coma.

Still, by the Fourth Age 221, Nenselde would finally leave the Bay Of Belfalas and wed Legolas to the joy of Gimli Gloinul, Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Gandalf The White along with Thranduil and Winduirost.

Marillalote, Legolas and Nenselde’s daughter, would be born shortly after the wedding in the Fourth Age 225.

Marillalote:

Name means “Pearl-Blossom” in Quenya.

Was going to be called just "Marilla" but Legolas wanted to pay homage to his late mother.

Born in Tol Eressea, an island of the Undying Lands.

Thanks to having Gimli Gloinul as her godfather, she’s prone to having a Dwarf-like personality; adventurous, strong-willed, along with being able to forge and wield an ax. This is why she’s often called “Dwarf-Kin”.

Also, like a Dwarf, Marillalote is knowledgeable on mining and jewelry-making.

Godmother was Legolas’s childhood friend, Tauriel.

As a Wingildi on her mother’s side, Marillalote inherited the ability to sing wildly.

By the time Marillalote was 20 (seven in Elf years), Gimli, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee would all pass on peacefully.

Would eventually marry Elenimir (“Star-Jewel"), grandson of Elboron (son of Faramir and Eowyn) and his wife, Alasse (daughter of Aragorn and Arwen) in the Fourth Age 500.

Elenimir and Marillalote would later have two sons and two daughters.

#legolas #thranduil #oropher #the house of oropher #lord of the rings #the hobbit #its still hard to believe that legolas is older than arwen and the twins #gimli would make an awesome uncle #headcanon #lotr ocs #lotr oc headcanons #nenselde #nenselde the wingildi #nenselde lotr trading cards #the new shadow #tolkein the new shadow

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zhoras-bitch · 9 months

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My Playchoices MCs #10

Elf girl with a bow? Groundbreaking, I know. Well, what can I say except I'm a Tolkien fangirl fist and a person second. Anyhow, meet my Blades MC Ray! Super happy to finally give her the roguish kind of outfit I always envisioned. And a bunch of other details too! It was a very fun edit to make. Notes below!

First | Previous | Next | All

Twilight elf is purely a headcanon thing. We don't know anything about elven ethnicities in the Blades universe, so I stole the idea of different elven ethnicities from DnD.

I wasn’t vibing with the canon name (Raine), but I wanted to keep the anagram with Aerin. Thus, Reina. She rarely ever uses her full name though, and most only know her by her nickname Ray.

She’s very sensitive, both in literally having keen senses as an elf and being a very empathetic person. She’s very intuitive as well, often making decisions based on what feels right, without being able to explain why.

At the beginning of the story, she's not a very good fighter, only ever using her bow for hunting. But she's observant and endlessly creative. So her fighting style is all about using her surroundings and coming up with ingeniously convoluted plans on the fly. And it somehow works!

She genuinely likes most people, and they respond in kind. Her ability to see the best in everyone is a blessing and a curse, because on the one hand, she has no trouble connecting with all sorts of folk (people, animals, weird fish monsters...), but on the other, she is always blind-sighted by the darker aspects of human (and non-human) nature.

Her playfulness and friendliness are often misconstrued as flirting, which is especially frustrating for her since Ray is on the aroace spectrum.

Started learning medicine to help Kade, and became quite good at it. She likes to help people in pain, be it physical or emotional. Before leaving Riverbend, gathering healing herbs and making remedies was her main source of income.

Being two years older than Kade, Ray's always felt the responsibility to take care of him. Kade rightfully suspects that Ray never left Riverbend because of him, and even though Ray herself would never hold it against him, it's an unspoken weight between the two.

Can never back away from a dare.

Every authority figure’s worst nightmare.

Like Kade, loves songs and poetry. Kade is the better musician, but Ray has the better singing voice. When Kade was composing something new, she would often tune in, and they’d just start throwing rhymes at each other. Ray was always too restless to write her own poetry down, but she started doing it after Kade’s disappearance, so that she could share it after Kade comes back.

Doesn’t like thinking about the future. The understanding that she'll outlive everyone she’s ever known terrifies her.

Light sleeper. When she can’t sleep, Ray likes taking long walks, just absorbing the sounds and sights of the world around her. She likes how serene nature is at night.

#choices book club #playchoices #blades of light and shadow #aerin valleros #choices edits #my edits #my choices mcs #oc: ray nightbloom

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choicesficwriterscreations · 5 months

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CFWC Holidays 2023 - Week 5

✒️= Fanfic | 📱= Text Fics/Edits | 🎨= Fanart Ⓜ️ = Mature Content 18+ | 🔥 = Explicit/NSFW 18+ 🏳️‍🌈 = LGBTQIA | 🌟= Holidays 2023

BLADES OF LIGHT AND SHADOW

Aerin Valleros x F!human!MC Holiday Art 🎨🌟 by @artbyalz

Kade of Riverbend Holiday Art 🎨🌟 by @artbyalz

Santa Mal 🎨 🌟by @artbyalz

BLOODBOUND

Adrian Raines x F!MC 🎨🌟 by @bayleedraws-sometimesx

Jax Matuso x F!MC 🎨🌟by @bayleedraws-sometimesx

CRIMES OF PASSION

Turpentine ✒️🌟| Trystan Thorne x F!MC - @moominofthevalley

THE FRESHMAN

A Very Merry Christmas ✒️🌟| Chris Powell x MC - @eadanga

OPEN HEART

A Little Holiday Cheer ✒️🎨🌟| Bryce Lahela x F!OC, Ethan Ramsey x MC, Tobias Carrick x F!MC - Art by @/artbyainna (IG) Fic by @jerzwriter (Bryce x Olivia belong to @storyofmychoices and Ethan x Merica belong to @lilyoffandoms ).

Favors ✒️🌟| Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @cariantha

Stardust ✒️🌟| Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @liaromancewriter

The Big Christmas Game ✒️🌟| Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @potionsprefect

We Belong Together (Series) ✒️🌟| Rafael Aveiro x F!MC - @rafasgirl23415 Chapter 28: Baby's First Christmas

THE ROYAL ROMANCE

Christmas in New York ✒️🌟| Liam Rys x MC - @eadanga

#choices fic writers creations #cfwc holidays 2023 #choices stories you play #blades of light and shadow #bloodbound #crimes of passion #the freshman series #open heart #the royal romance #playchoices

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secret-fungi · 7 months

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Moonlit Garden

Pairing: Tyril x F! elf MC (odelia)

word count: 2k (i tried so hard dudes)

Rating: e

Category: Fluff and smut (ik it surprised me too)

warnings: sex

Summary: Tyril shows mc what he's done in their absence.

a/n: im not good at smut dont come at me im fragile

Tags @lawrencebarkley @choicesficwriterscreations @desired-love-

Tyril pulled yet another weed from his plant as Odelia walked up, a smile on her lips as she took in the garden. “I didn’t think you were the type.” she says “Neither did i, but in your absence…” he trailed off “busy hands, my father suggested.” he adds with a huff.

“Mal and nia had kids, and you… made a garden.” she says with a fond smile on her lips. “Flowers are a bit like kids, they have different needs, must have food, water, proper care…” At this she covered her mouth with her hand in a poor attempt to stifle her laughter.

“Haven’t been around many children, have you, Tyril?” “Of course I have, I’m excellent with them.” he brags, rising to his feet. “Somehow, I don’t trust that.” she teased. “You don’t have to believe, you could join me at a festival, all the little children love me.” “The one at Riverbend doesn’t count.” “why not?” he asks “because you’re the second elf they’ve seen and unlike me, you’re….” she paused, taking in the smile on his lips before smiling herself.

“A real elf.” She says He arched a brow, taking off his gloves carefully. “You’re a ‘real elf’, too.” he said. “Not like you. I didn’t even know I could do magic, and I can't do fancy undermount fireworks, I didn’t know any elvish curse words… I am not rich.” She lists making him laugh, the deep timber was rich and smooth. It rattled her bones and sent a chill down her body, the warmth settling in her core.

“Is that what makes one a ‘real elf’?” He asks “It’s your culture, and it's all just arcane rituals to me.” she explained, finally standing face to face with him. “It’s your culture too.” he assured. She gave him a sharp look but didn’t press the matter farther. “Will you show me your garden?” she asked

With a grin he offers her his arm. “The pathway is beautiful, what is it?” “moonstone.” he replied “this is the evening rain lily, above us is glowing Wisteria, it lights up to attract prey.” he explained with a grin.

The garden was beautiful, full of color and life, the path circling around a pond full of fae fish and all sorts of lovely creatures, the stop of the pond decorated with glowing water lilies and blossoms that had landed into the water. Trumpet shaped flowers hung from above, a blossoming orange tree stood tall off to the corner near the stone fence.

“These are called Four O’clocks because-” “They bloom at four o’clock?” she guessed. He gives a nod before showing her another flower “nightshade.” he said “why would you want something that could kill you in your pretty garden?” she asked. He gave her a look like she wasn’t quite up to speed with what was infront of her, but with a smile he continued on.

He went on, pointing out Lava Iris, a blossom with yellow, orange and black petals,

Moonflowers, white little things that almost seemed to give off an ethereal glow. Black pansies and flowers in a rainbow of colors that had petals shaped like hearts. Pink and red carnations, and a strange plant.

“I’ve never seen this one before.” “It’s called bleeding heart.” He informed. “Doesn’t much look like a heart.” she said. “A broken one, maybe.” he replied, leading her to the center of the garden. To flowers that looked like the night sky, all lit up with stars.

Picking one from the bush and offering it to her he smiled and said “And here is my favorite, NIghtblooms.”

The Garden was his love letter to a woman he didn’t know would return, his ode to a mage that came and went and came back again.

Odelia looked at the flower in a stunned silence, realization dawning on her as she stared at it, then back up at him.

“What’s the matter?” he asked “why’d you plant Nightblooms? Why are they all nightblooming?” she asked.

He smiled at her, raising his brows and tilting his head to the side. The woman flushed as he laughed. “That’s why Adrina said I should see it.” she said, pressing her hand to her warmed cheek.

“My father said that this wasn’t what he meant when he saw the nightblooms, but it is the pride of undermount.” he said with a proud grin.

“People come here to honor a hero that was lost for a while.” he added.

Suddenly the woman bursts into tears, as if she couldn’t contain them in her any longer, surging forward in an instant and pressing her lips to his, her arms coming to rest on top of his shoulders, her fingers digging into his hair.

He lifted her up with ease and she wrapped her legs around his hips without hesitation. Without breaking the kiss he walked towards a stone bench and sat on it.

“Rough landing.” she muttered into his lips. “Couldn’t see,” he said before capturing her mouth again.

Her hands encased his face as they kissed. Both of them tried to one up each other with how much love and desperation you could put into a kiss.

And though it was officially a tie, both of them were convinced that they were the winner.

“Tyril.” she cried out with a kiss to his cheek. his name had never sounded sweeter. “Darling.” she said with a kiss the other cheek, “Dinvalir.” she said with a kiss to his jaw. “A’mael.” a his to his neck.

“Kilvalir.” he rasped out, his grip on her hips tightening. She pauses, her head falling onto his shoulder. “What have I done to deserve you?” she wonders. “I wonder that myself, the most beautiful person that I've ever seen, and out of everyone you chose me?” He marvels “You’re perfect and I can't believe you love me.” he admits. She lifts her head to look at him, her cheeks flushed and a horribly fond look on her face. “There is no one else, Tyril.” she said, her fingers moving to free him of his clothes. “It’s a public garden.” “No qualms, right?” she asked with a grin.

“You’re a bad influence.” he said, his own hands working the ties of her shirt.

He kissed the freshly exposed skin of her shoulder as she played with his hair.

“You’re beautiful.” he said, pressing a kiss to the center of her chest, his hands reaching to massage the other. He leaves open mouth kisses on her throat and across her breasts, leaving his marks as he did.

her hips rocked against him as he worked, pretty little cries came from the woman that nearly drove him mad with need.

“I need you.” he almost begged, lifting her from his lap to rid himself of his pants, she simply gathered her skirt up, a tent of sorts.

“Say it again.” he said “Dinvalir?” “That i’m the only one.” he clarified, “how could there be anyone else?” she asks as she sinks down onto him,

The couple share a gasp, a coil tightening in their stomachs.

She is so lovely, painted in love bites, flushed, her full lips swollen and parted so that her song could escape from those lips like honey.

He moves his hips to meet hers, his hand sliding under her skirt to find a treasure.

His eyes sought hers, when his hand met her core, her eyes half lidded and dazed with desire.

“Tyril!” she moans into the air, at once moving forward to silence herself with his lips.

Her hands roamed his body as if they had no home, then settled against his chest like it was made for her, one hand gripped his bicep and the other stayed over his heart.

They’ve had many kisses, desperately urgent, heated kisses that they snuck whenever they had a moment alone, chaste kisses, as thank you or to soothe a wound, jealous kisses. You name it.

But this was something else entirely. Desperate and frustrated but with all the care and tenderness of the chastest kiss.

a muttered chant fell against his lips, too out of sorts himself to register the three words she repeated like a prayer.

Her hips moved to meet his, they set a pace neither could keep up with for long, Her nails leaving crescent shaped marks in his arm and his hands leaving his fingers prints on her bum.

“There's just you, There's no one else.” she swears breathlessly, trapping his response with her lips to his.

He loved her, fully, completely. it was all consuming, this feeling that overtook him when he saw her, flushed and glowing, breasts freeing themselves from her top, almost begging him.

He broke the kiss, and captured her breast in his mouth.

“you’re so gorgeous for me.“ he rasped out, his voice low and rumbling, horribly affected by their actions and the sound of it sent electricity down her spine, leaving her tightly wound and just aching for that last thing to get her to the top.

He moved her to lay on her back, her hair falling loose from its braided prison.

“I love you.” he swears, his lips pressed against her chest, his hips working to meet hers that were slightly lifted to meet him.

She arched into him as he kissed the skin above her heart.

“You’re so- beautiful.” she said, reaching to tangle her fingers in his hair. “The most beautiful.” she rectified upon seeing his arched brow.

“There could never be anyone else for me.” he said “when with every beat of my heart it spells out your name, when my love for you is etched into my bones- very soul there could never-“ “Tyril!” she cried, trembling

“Kivalir.” he replied, holding on to watch her come undone, taking every detail in before he fell.

The term of endearment seemed to set her off, she melted beneath him as he came undone above her.

When the denizens of Undermount asked Tyril what the missing hero was like, he couldn’t find the words, all his feelings got trapped behind the lump in his throat.

Still they asked, and so he planted a orange tree, so that they might smell her, he planted nightshade, as it too used it’s beauty as a weapon, carnations to tell of his devotion, and lilies to tell of her joyful soul, Bleeding hearts to declare his love, and Nightbloom to tell her name, and for every night she was away, he set a blossom to the water, a nightbloom adrift, and prayer repeated.

“My love for you is like this garden, it shall not wither in the winter, and neither shall my feelings.” he swore, and the other took it to heart.

Every word he said she believed, maybe foolishly but no one had ever done what He had seemed to do easily, a public love letter was on a whole other level than begging a lover to hold her hand in the sunlight.

When she thinks back to the mayor’s son, promising forever while looking for his boots, and with age or maybe distance she understood that she was asking him to be something he wasn’t, and that maybe they loved each other but what they had wasn't love.

and then she thinks to Tyril, much more at stake than an angry father, the way he loved her would harm his quest to restore his house, she’ll bring disgrace to his house, but still he fell into her.

Still he erected a garden full of hearts and I love yous for all of undermount to see, because he loved her.

She realized she had asked all her lovers to be Tyril, even before she met him, she wished them to stand a little taller, be a little more romantic. She’d ask them to walk in the way he did, smile in the soft way he did, all in the name of the feeling of missing someone she hadn’t met yet.

and from the moment she saw him, there was something in the back of her mind that said “This is it.”

at the sound of his voice, the glare he wore felt so familiar, like she’s known him from the beginning, that in all her lives she’s sought after him.

Kade always used to say that she’d follow blue eyes off a cliff. The color always pulled her in, leaving her hypnotized. The mayor’s son, the village girl, a traveling merchant, she could never say no to them, and if she was more romantic, or maybe just braver than she is now. she’d admit outloud that some part of her, the part of her soul that was his was searching for him in all of the faces she came across. Desperate to find him but only knowing the color of his stare.

They both made a promise unbeknownst to the other, to love each other till their hearts gave out. Tyril made a secondary promise that after the afterglow fades and their bones resolidify to plant a million flowers.

#blades of light and shadow #bolas 2 #playchoices #pb bolas #tyril starfury #bolas tyril #fic writing #my fic #choices fanfic #choices fanfiction #blades fic #choices blades #bolas fic #choices fic writers creations

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thosehallowedhalls · 2 months

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11 & 17 for Emma and Raine

From this ask game

How are they seen by people around them - family, close friends, colleagues, or strangers?

Emma: Her family and close friends see her as loyal, funny, stubborn, and kind. Her colleagues are her friends too, and they also see her as competent if we ignore book 2 and responsible. Strangers find her intimidating and unapproachable, mostly because she's matter-of-fact and sarcastic.

Raine: Everyone (family, friends, and strangers alike) think she's kind, welcoming, and fun. Her loved ones know they can always count on her, and strangers are drawn to her. Her enemies tend think she's a pushover and a largely useless human, but they rarely live to change their minds.

What are three moments in their life that impacted your OC the most?

Emma: 1) Her mother walking out on her when she was six, 2) her dad being murdered, and 3) having her entire worldview and life purpose shattered when she was with the NYPD.

Raine: 1) Her parents' death. She doesn't really remember them, but it altered the entire course of her life, 2) losing Kade, and 3) coping with being abducted and experimented on for a year.

Thank you for this! Sorry the answers are late.

#trappedinfanfiction #asks #ask games #emma rose #raine of riverbend

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petalouda85 · 2 months

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Decided to put together a little list of the Tyril/Kassandra fics I have in progress because I got awesome news today and I’m on a happy high so I’m sharing this to keep it going. Note: these are not all the ideas I have but they’re the ones that are a) relatively spoiler free in title and concept and/or b) I’m actually most likely to finish.

Untitled fic: Kassandra has a nightmare and Kaya comforts her.

Birth: Kade, Imtura, and Mal wait for news of the newest member of their family (Done)

Old Flame: Kassandra encounters someone unexpected on her first day back in Riverbend

Forever (in my Mind): the follow-up to “Promise” (Done)

Untitled fic: after dealing with a major threat, the gang enjoys the Masquerade in Undermount.

Dear Kaya: Tyril enjoys an early morning moment with his daughter.

Session: Tyril experiences a new aspect of life in Riverbend

Untitled fic: baby Starfury encounters Raine (my other MC)

#tyril starfury #tyril x mc #tyril x kassandra #baby starfury #my writing #choices blades #blades of light and shadow #bolas 2 #playchoices

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starlight-starfury · 1 year

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Tyril Starfury

Dark Fire - Kaya returns to Undermount from her research expedition, but Tyril quickly realises that not all is as it seems.

Raine Nightbloom x Tyril Starfury

Still Breathing - Tyril comforts Raine after defeating the Dreadlord.

Field of Stars - Raine celebrates her first festival in Undermount with Tyril.

Haunted Memories - Raine only had one memory of her parents, of her life before Riverbend, and it was not one she looked back on fondly.

Buried Memories - Tyril finds something that may help Raine uncover the forgotten history behind House Nightbloom’s hidden past.

Elhalas

Raine and Tyril must journey to the Land of the Gods in order to defeat an impending threat.

Part One

Book 2

Reunited - Tyril finally reunites with Raine after one long year apart.

Under Starlit Boughs - After talking about the old parties of legend, the Fae realise they finally have cause to throw one of their own.

When Stars Align - After Raine is caught in a flood, Tyril finds himself reminded of that painful year he spent trying to save her.

Other Blades Fics

Side by Side - Raine looks back at her childhood with her brother while vowing to free him from the Realm of Shadow.

Fables and Falsehoods - Alternate timeline where Kade was shadow-scarred during the fight against the Dreadlord.

#blades of light and shadow #masterlist

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baldwinboy5ive · 6 months

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I was going to post these screenshots and say "haha AU where the Blades gang, including Aerin, does the Morellan equivalent of the Hot Ones challenge"

but then... I wrote... a whole... stupid fic. I absolutely promise you that it is so, so stupid. Please don't read it without having acknowledged that.

Name on the Wall

Pairing: Aerin Valleros/F!MC, Blades of Light and Shadow Other characters: Tyril Starfury, Nia Ellarious, Mal Volari, Imtura Tal Kaelen, Kade of Riverbend Rating: ...T...? BOLAS says "godsdamn" is a swear haha. Word count: 3441 Summary: See above. It's total fluff. It's "HEY let's give Aerin and MC a happy ending! A VERY happy ending!"

I am tagging @lovehugsandcandy @lilyoffandoms @malthemagnifisent because they requested (or demanded haha) a tag, and @oh-so-youre-a-nerd because you said you wanted even CRUMBS of Aerin haha

Raine had once said to Cherta that her friends were her found family, and Cherta had told her that she needed to work on growing the “found” part. Well, it was finally happening. Raine couldn’t help smiling as she approached Riverbend, ready to begin a days-long celebration of her engagement to Aerin Valleros, former disgraced prince of Morella, now pardoned citizen and hero of the realm for his part in defeating the threats to their kingdom.

Tyril was first to arrive and meet Raine and Aerin, and greeted the former with a fierce embrace, and the latter with a curt nod. Kade was next to appear, and they waited for Mal and Nia’s arrival with Threep and Loola. They all planned to meet in the town square with Imtura, and drop the nespers off with an old neighbor of Raine and Kade’s, where they were to be given plenty of food and attention until tomorrow, when everyone would be in attendance of an engagement party.

Upon its arrival at the town square, Threep and Loola immediately burst forth from a carriage, fluttered their wings, and flew up to Aerin, nuzzling his face and purring.

“The entire way over here! ‘Snacks! Snacks! Snacks!’ They wouldn’t even stop when I threatened to turn the whole carriage around and go back to Whitetower!” Mal yelled, throwing his hands up in exasperation as he hopped down from the carriage.

“Because they knew you were bluffing,” said Nia, stepping out of the carriage behind him.

Tyril, ignoring their banter, looked at the affectionate display by the nespers, and then wordlessly turned towards Raine, expectantly raising a hand and waiting for an explanation.

“Oh, yeah. You know they always used to hiss at him. Especially Loola. You know. Not so happy about being locked up and all that, especially while Aerin was walking around in those dungeons. Well, she finally got to him the last time we were in Whitetower, that time you went to go see your family back home in Undermount. She clawed his face up pretty bad,” said Raine with the tiniest of smiles.

“Ever since then, Aerin’s been bribing them with treats,” finished Mal with a loud snicker. “He basically would buy out my buddy over at the pier and dump a whole bag of fish on them, and now look at those spoiled things.”

“You can still see it!” Aerin said, pointing to some faint scars on his cheek, while obligingly throwing some fish out of his pockets to the nespers.

“Yeah, he could finally pretend he was big enough to cut himself shaving!” said Mal with an obnoxiously loud laugh.

Aerin rolled his eyes. “And I have two nespers here who’d do anything I say for a few more of these anchovies, including making you look like you’d cut yourself shaving.”

“Sorry, Mal,” said Threep, who at least had the decency to look abashed. “An anchovy’s an anchovy. You understand. It’s nothing personal.”

“Hush, Threep. Mal, you know he wouldn’t, really,” said Loola.

“Wait a minute…” began Kade as realization dawned on him. “I was locked up, too. Hold on. You mean I could’ve been getting free stuff from Aerin this whole time?!”

Before anyone could answer, Imtura came striding up towards the group.

“Landrat! Princeling!” Imtura said, clapping both of them on the shoulders with a hand each. “Time to get our hot sauce on!”

“Huh?” said Aerin. “I thought all the party stuff was tomorrow.”

“It is,” replied Raine with a mischievous grin. “Today we’re doing the Saucy Folks Challenge.”

“Yes!” Nia said giddily. “I’m scared! And also excited! But mostly scared!”

Tyril nodded emphatically. “To be honest, I feel quite the same way,” he said.

“What’s… going on?” said Aerin dubiously.

“The Saucy Folks Challenge,” Raine repeated. “Ten hot sauces in order of increasingly intense spiciness. The challenge dictates that each participant eats fried pargallus wings tossed in the hot sauces, in order, while answering deep, burning - pun intended - personal questions. You can drop out anytime you like, but if you make it to Number Ten, you get your name on the wall of honor, and a bunch of free food. It’s… mostly a bunch of fried stuff.”

“And bragging rights, don’t forget the bragging rights,” added Mal.

Aerin groaned. “You mean you four knew?”

“Well, uh, yes,” Nia stammered. “She and Kade said it was a tradition. I couldn’t see the harm in it.”

Aerin turned to Raine, and asked, “Then why didn’t you just tell me that’s why we were coming here early?!”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Imtura said with a booming laugh. “You know godsdamn well you would’ve said no. That girl isn’t stupid.”

With a rueful smile, Aerin said, “I don’t have a choice, do I?”

“You don’t; I think I’ll bow out, though,” Kade said.

Mal chuckled. “I’ve been eating spicy food my whole life - I thought I had a leg up on all you guys, but I didn’t think you were going to quit before we even got started!”

“Yeah…” Kade said absently, looking off into the distance at some of the stores in the town square.

Raine shook her head. “You’re wrong, Mal. Kade’s already beaten the challenge. You can see for yourself. His name’s on the wall… at the tavern.”

“Ohhh. The tavern. That’s where this challenge is hosted,” Aerin said, as understanding came over him. He and Raine had talked extensively about their families - including the sheer amount of trouble Kade was always getting himself into when he and Raine were growing up in Riverbend. “You just don’t want to face that barkeep again.”

The group - minus Kade - laughed.

“Come on, just come with us,” Imtura insisted, slinging an arm around Kade’s shoulders.

“Besides, Raine’s here, and she’ll never let him kill you,” Aerin pointed out.

“That’s true,” agreed Tyril.

---

A collective cheer came from the crowd gathered in the tavern as the group stepped inside.

“The heroes of the realm!” several people shouted. Tankards of ale were raised, and the heroes were clapped on their backs and shoulders as they made their way to the bar counter.

“Raine! Back home already? To what do we owe the pleasure?” asked the barkeep.

“That,” answered Raine, pointing to the wall behind the bar. There was a painting of a pargallus, a small domesticated bird found widely throughout Morella, raised for its feathers, eggs, and meat. It was dramatically engulfed in flames, and its eyes were crossed out with black X marks. This was the logo of the infamous Saucy Folks Challenge, so named for the Saucy Sausage that originated from Riverbend, along with the other nine hot sauces that made up the challenge.

“See? Right there,” said Kade proudly, pointing to the long list of names under the cartoon pargallus.

“All right, I concede,” said Mal, raising an eyebrow.

“Hah! The Saucy Folks Challenge! Wonderful! Any special occasion, or just because?” asked the barkeep, who was already beginning to gather some trays and baskets.

Raine glanced over at Aerin, who flushed a crimson so deep he almost resembled the burning pargallus, and she showed the barkeep the royal ring she wore on her hand. “He gave this to me when we first met. A lot’s happened since then. But now it’s official: we just got engaged.”

There were several surprised gasps from the tavern patrons, and then a second round of celebratory cheers made its way throughout the establishment.

“Well, then, I offer my congratulations!” said the barkeep. “Our little Raine, all grown up, about to get married! To a prince, no less!”

“Well, that part is currently up in the air,” corrected Aerin.

Mal smirked. “I think the term they used was ‘On Probation,’ or, alternatively, ‘We’re Watching You, Young Man.’ They may be on a three-strikes system. Or something.”

“In any case, back in the king’s good graces,” continued the barkeep, his voice becoming stern.

“Ehhh…” said Raine, teetering her palm back and forth in the air.

The barkeep’s expression turned deadly serious. “What I’m getting at is, surely this family is now prospering. I mean it, Kade. It was cute at first, but this has gone on long enough. You think it’s easy making a living here? I don’t care that you’re a hero of the realm, Kade, you’re our hometown boy first, and I expect our folk to take care of each other here in Riverbend - and that means paying your tab in full!”

Kade sat on his barstool taking this in quietly, all while a big smile spread across his face until he was positively chortling with joy.

“What’s so funny?!” demanded the barkeep.

Kade, still with the giant grin on his face, swiveled around on his stool to face his future brother-in-law.

There was an awkward pause. For a moment, no one spoke. Then Aerin relented, groaned, and said, “Fine.”

“Hooray!” exclaimed Kade, putting both hands in the air and spinning on his barstool.

“Wait, really? I’m finally getting paid?” said the barkeep with no small amount of astonishment.

“Hand over the tab,” said Aerin with a sigh. He accepted a thick stack of paper from the barkeep, and his eyes grew wider and wider as he scanned over it. “What the three hells, Kade?”

“Thanks, Aerin! I can tell we’re going to be great as brothers-in-law!” Kade said with a laugh.

“Yep.”

---

“Here it is!” Raine said brightly, approaching the table around which her friends were gathered with an enormous tray filled with fried pargallus wings, each basket of wings being labeled with a number.

“The local butcher’s family has been making these hot sauces for generations. People around here say that they just keep getting hotter and hotter every year. They partner with the tavern to host the challenge, since… well, people want a lot of ale while doing it,” Raine said with a laugh.

“All right,” she continued excitedly. “You ready? It starts with our hometown favorite, Saucy Sausage, and it only gets hotter.”

“It starts with Saucy Sausage?!” said Nia with great trepidation.

“I warned you,” replied Raine with a grin.

“So, Kade? You in or not?” Mal said, nudging Kade in the ribs.

“I was going to say I have nothing to prove - I’ve already got my name on the wall. But you know what? What the hell, my only sister’s getting married! I’m in!”

The table cheered.

“A lot of people do it for weddings, but it’s not a wedding-specific tradition,” Kade clarified as he sat down. “It’s just a thing people do in Riverbend. No special occasion needed, really. People make any old excuse to get together with friends and do the challenge.”

“Then I suppose, as we are here, celebrating an occasion, with friends, it appears we are all set to go,” concluded Tyril.

As everyone began to grab a basket for themselves and get seated, Aerin hesitated.

“Come on, you can sit next to me,” said Raine warmly.

Aerin, however, stayed where he was, and fixed his eyes on Tyril. “Did you mean that?”

“What?”

“Well…” Aerin began hesitantly. “That we’re friends?”

“Yes,” said Tyril flatly. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because… you don’t really treat me all that differently than when you all were threatening to kill me every two seconds?”

Mal, Imtura, and Nia all exchanged amused looks with one another. Then Imtura gestured towards Tyril and said, “You think he doesn’t like you? I think you offended him, Aerin.”

“Yeah, he looks confused and offended,” added Mal.

“Yeah, tell him, landrat,” Imtura goaded Raine.

Aerin felt that Tyril appeared exactly as he always did.

“Um… no he doesn’t,” Aerin said, to which everyone else but Tyril laughed.

“You keep hanging with us, princeling, and you’ll start to see it,” Mal said good-naturedly.

“Yes, that’s just how his face is, Aerin,” Nia explained patiently.

“Not you, too,” Tyril grumbled at her.

“It’s just… well, I just assumed you still hated me,” said Aerin.

“Then why would I be here right now?” Tyril asked.

“To support Raine, of course.”

“If we still hated you, we would have simply thrown a private bachelorette party for her without you.”

“Ooh, we could still do that, too, though,” said Imtura. She and Nia exchanged a look, ensuring that this was definitely happening.

“Then… you’re here for the free ale?” Aerin said helplessly.

“Former Prince Aerin,” Tyril said icily, “I assure you that if I should ever attempt to make nice with Raine’s acquaintances, even if I did not like them, it would not be for the paltry reward of free ale and a basket of assorted fritters.”

“You also get your name on the wall,” Mal interjected.

“And hey, those fritters are good!” Raine insisted.

Tyril turned away to look out of the tavern window in order to hide the mixture of amusement and annoyance on his face. When he turned back around, he was perfectly composed.

“You are, as they say, stuck with us,” insisted Tyril.

“Huh. So we’re friends,” said Aerin, a teasing grin finally appearing on his face.

Tyril Starfury let out a breath and, in his heart, cursed Raine of Riverbend for letting things come to this point. That boy really was annoying.

“The things I do for my friends,” he muttered aloud.

“So?! We starting, or what?” said Imtura.

“Yes, we’re starting!” Raine said decisively. “All right, everyone ready with Sauce One? All you have to do is finish those wings to move onto Sauce Two. Oh, and think up some really good questions, everyone!”

“Wait, hold on, landrat,” cut in Imtura. “You never told us how we win.”

“Yes, we did,” said Kade. “You get through all ten sauces in order, you answer all the questions that are asked of you, and then you win.”

Imtura’s face was a mixture of astonishment and dismay. “No, I mean, then who wins?”

Kade and Raine both looked a little confused. “Everyone who gets to Sauce Ten?” Raine said.

“Then how do you…?” Imtura trailed off.

“You beat the challenge by getting all the way to the end, that’s it,” said Kaid simply.

“So you’re saying there’s a chance that all of us could win, and no one single person is the champion?!” Imtura demanded.

Raine snorted. “I’m not so sure that all of us will win.”

Then it was Mal’s turn to scoff. “I’m the one who introduced you to Purple Parnassians, kit.”

“Mal, those things are probably a one on the scale, maybe a two.”

“Hah!” barked Mal, though Raine didn’t miss the look of apprehension that crossed his face.

Imtura narrowed her eyes at Mal. “Ooh, I’m beating you, at least.”

Aerin, who was familiar with Purple Parnassians back in Whitetower, looked even more nervous than he was before. “So I really have to do this?” he said.

“Oh, just you wait, you who mocked Saucy Sausage,” replied Raine. She then turned towards Tyril, and added, “And so did you, if I remember correctly.”

And so the challenge began.

“Oh, gods,” cried Tyril. “This is horrible.” He shot his arm out towards Imtura. “Ale. Ale.”

“Help!” wailed Mal. He cast a stricken glance over to Nia, who herself was in excruciating pain from Sauce Five, and was not capable of thinking straight. Nia grabbed a pitcher of water and threw it upon herself and Mal, leaving the two of them sputtering.

WIth tears in his eyes, Tyril straightened his shoulders and summoned up what was left of his dignity. “This isn’t working,” he declared. “Hand over the milk.”

“With the ale?!” gasped Imtura, who was fanning herself with her napkin in between gulps of her own ale.

“Not together!” growled Tyril with aggravation.

“This burns more than the Nerada Stone,” sobbed Aerin.

“I’m in too much pain right now to decide if that’s too soon or not, Aerin,” said Mal.

“Wait,” Tyril suddenly said, who was in slightly better shape for having had some milk. “I just remembered we were supposed to be asking questions.”

“Oh, yeah,” said Mal. “Okay, I’ll go first. So, comparing this to the Nerada Stone: too soon?”

“No, it was funny,” answered Tyril with grave sincerity, readying himself for another pargallus wing.

“Agree,” said Kade.

“You don’t even know funny!” shot Mal. “And this proves it!”

“Just eat your wings!” Tyril roared back, more tears welling up in his eyes.

Nia was panting hard, and dabbed at her eyes with a napkin. “Imtura, did you ever feel that you lash out at people sometimes because your mother wasn’t generous enough with her affection?”

“Whoa!” Imtura sputtered, spitting out some of her ale and coughing, in equal measures from shock and from the heat of Sauce Five.

“Priestess isn’t holding back!” Mal exclaimed.

“Well?” Tyril prodded.

“Yes! Happy?!” Imtura growled, tearing viciously into a pargallus wing.

“All right, Mal, you’re up,” said Raine. “Deepest darkest secret you’ve never told anyone else ever.”

Mal managed to bark out a weak laugh amidst his panting and gasping. “Why do I get that one?!”

“Everybody can answer that one, too,” said Raine diplomatically.

“Um… don’t have any,” said Mal.

“Boooo!” shouted the rest of the table.

“Fine! I had a crush on Raine when I first met her!”

“EVEN MORE BOOOOOO!” yelled Imtura. “We all knew that!”

“Yeah,” said Nia, sniffling through her tears. “Raine said, deepest darkest secret no one knows!”

“Very funny,” Mal said, himself sniffling through tears as well.

“Kit this, kit that,” Tyril mocked savagely. “It could not have been more painfully obvious.”

Mal turned towards Tyril with venom in his eyes. “Oh? And you?” he said accusingly.

Tyril then had a coughing fit from his efforts to make it through Sauce Seven. When he recovered, he said, “Everyone liked Raine. That is no real secret.”

“Is no one going to ask Tyril about the existential crisis he had when we went to Zaradun?” challenged Mal.

“Just eat your wings!!!” shouted Tyril with more emotion than he’d shown all day.

“Ice, elf boy, please,” huffed Mal, pushing a glass of water towards Tyril.

Tyril obliged, using his magic to drop some ice cubes into Mal’s water. “Only because you said ‘please,’” he said grimly.

Ignoring this, Nia asked, “Raine, did you ever have romantic feelings for anyone else in your adventuring party?”

Raine, who was soldiering through Sauce Nine, but visibly struggling, eventually gained enough composure to answer. “Maybe. I might have. If Aerin hadn’t come along when he did.”

“Who?”

“Yes, who?!”

“Tell us!”

“Oh, I don’t know! You guys know I flirted with everyone back then!”

“Who could forget the bug monster…” Mal said darkly, as he wiped his brow and downed some more ale.

“Done!” Raine suddenly shouted, throwing a bone down into the basket in front of her, and raising her tankard of ale. “Sauce Ten!”

The tavern patrons all cheered and whooped, and thumped the tables. “Raine! Raine!” some chanted.

“All right, I am not getting left behind,” said Imtura with renewed determination. She clenched her jaw, and then tore through Sauces Eight and Nine. The others followed suit, amidst sobs and yells, and dramatic gulps of their ale. Sauce Ten was now in everyone’s sights.

“We’re gonna add a whole bunch more names to that wall tonight!” shouted Kade. “I get a special mark for doing it twice!”

“Keep fighting!” growled Nia.

“We can do this!” added Imtura.

“Put mine up there!” screamed Mal, his face bright red and shiny with perspiration and tears. “Done!”

“Done!”

“DONE!”

“Sauce Ten, done!”

Raine turned towards her fiance, and gave him a triumphant smile before leaning in and kissing him.

“Feels like fire,” he said with a big grin. Raine couldn’t tell if his face was red from the kiss, or - well, frankly, it was probably mostly from the challenge.

Aerin looked around at the people surrounding him - sweating, coughing, wiping away tears, gulping down milk and ale - and even through the sheer pain he was feeling in his whole face from going through this ordeal, he realized he didn’t want to be anywhere else, doing anything else, with any other folks.

His family wasn’t the one into which he was born. His family was the one that took him in, forgave him for the things that he’d done, and relentlessly teased him every chance they got.

He gritted his teeth with determination. They were his new family. Therefore, his name godsdamned well better be joining theirs up on that wall.

“Done! SAUCE TEN!” he shouted, and it brought the house down.

The tavern erupted with a deafening cheer.

There was no better way for Raine and Aerin to start their celebrations and new life together.

#aerin valleros #aerin x mc #blades of light and shadow #my fic

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