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darkdevasofdestruction · 8 months

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Goddess of the Luo River ~ Qin Shi Huang x Reader

She is lightsome as a startled Phoenix, And he, as graceful as a roaming dragon; Her lovely complexion outshines the autumn chrysanthemum, Whilst his radiance surpasses the springtime pine.

She is as nebulous as the moon concealed in light clouds, Gracefully gliding, as snow spun by a flowing wind. He is gazing at her from afar, She shines like the sun rising above the rosy mists of dawn; Observing her close by, She is as luminous as a lotus emerging from clear ripplets.

What lies behind the mask of the 'King Where It All Began' ...?

He... Was the most cursed prince in all of History.

It is held that in the year 260 BC, at the end of the battle of Chang Ping, Bai Qi, General of the Qin Army, had the captured soldiers of the Zhao army buried alive en masse. According to the records of the Grand Historian Shi Ji, the number of men killed was over four hundred and fifty thousand.

The following year, a member of the Qin royal family being kept as a hostage in Zhao, Zichu had an affair with a Zhao dancer. Their child, born in enemy territory, was the boy who would one day become Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of the Unified China. Ying Zheng.

However, in 257, Zichu returned to Qin alone, and his mother, Lady Zhao, abandoned him. At just two years old, he was cast away by his father, his mother... And his country. King Zhaoxiang of Qin invaded Zhao and laid siege to its capital, Handan.

Five years later, when the little prince was merely seven years of age, living on the outskirts of Handan, he would return to his small and secluded home, having to see the insults and hostile drawings on the walls made by the citizens, and endure the ostracising and death threats from the guards.

Ever after Qin's siege of Handan, Zhao continued to hold Ying Zheng hostage. They placed him under harsh supervision, keeping him alive but never allowing him to live, all while he bore the scorn of the Zhao people.

One day, however, he will experience the foreign feeling of joy for the first time in his life; As he went to buy some groceries, receiving the hatred of the people, a young lady around his age, wearing the simple clothes of a commoner, jumped in defense of him.

"This boy did nothing wrong! Why do you continue beating down on a child who had nothing to do with the massacre? You hate on him, though you should be hating on the evil general Bai Qi, and the King of Qi who committed such atrocities! The sins of the father shouldn't be passed down on an innocent child!" the prince's heart throbbed in shock and flatter, watching someone actually protecting him, let alone say such words about him! "Shut your mouth, wench, what do you know about war and politics?!" one of the men surrounding them spat at her, grabbing her by the neck of the dress. "This child is the reason your father and brother were buried alive by the enemy, along with hundreds of thousands of other good men who protected our country!" "It wasn't this child who gave the order. It wasn't this child who killed my family, nor anyone else's. Your hearts are filled with malice and scorn from loss and poverty, but that doesn't give anyone the right to use an innocent child as a scapegoat for the evil-doings of the higher ups. It's the fault of them and the constant civil wars happening throughout the country! This country will never heal unless we show compassion and understanding!" such beautiful words, such a progressive and revolutionary thinking from someone as young as her! The prince was highly impressed, but he couldn't find any strength in his body to move, he was rooted to the spot, watching the adults throw the girl to the ground, kicking her mercilessly. "If your father heard you, he'd have disciplined your rudeness until it all bled out! How dare you, a stupid, uneducated woman, speak back to a man? Your father would have beaten you until you learnt to bite down on that vile tongue of yours." she hadn't let out a single yelp, nor did she curse or complain until the punishing was over and the crowd dispersed.

"What do they know of my father, anyway? He was a kind man, he'd never hit me for speaking my mind." the girl scoffed, getting up on her feet and patting her clothes. "Are you alright, My Prince?"

But the prince felt like crying; He wanted desperately to throw his arms around the girl, thank her for standing up for him, for defending and protecting him, but at the same time, she was bleeding and bruised after her feat, and it was all because of him. "F-Forgive me... Forgive me... Because of me, you... You got hurt... I'm so sorry..." he wanted to cry... He wanted to cry so badly... "Aiya, don't say that. It wasn't you who hurt me, you are innocent in all this mess. It is the evilness that hurt me, along with these wars and crimes that keep happening." she sighed softly. "If only there was one man who could unite the country and stop the civil wars, the people would be living in peace and harmony, and the seed of hatred would rot." she shook her head dismissively, before smiling at the boy. "My Prince, I can see you are desperately trying to bite down your tears - You needn't, not in front of me. If you wish me to, I can be your shoulder to cry on, or a reason to smile. You are a kind child, you don't deserve everything that's happening to you." the girl held his hand, squeezing it comfortingly. "Let me show you a special place."

Thus, the girl dragged the little Prince to some part of the outskirts where he's never been before; An abandoned garden that though unattended to, still retained its beauty and grace, with green plants and colourful flowers as he's never seen before. Truly, this must be the prettiest part of all Zhao, the boy thought.

From a hidden spot inside a thick bush, Y/N dragged a chest filled with the most expensive silk clothes and beautiful accessories - And even a pipa lute and make-up! "I've always loved dancing, you see. This place is my special place. Mum showed it to me, and grandma showed it to mum. Since when this chest has been here, or when did the garden get abandoned, I do not know, but I am happy regardless." she giggled softly, discarding the ratty outer layer of her clothes and putting on a lovely pink dress. "My dream has been, since I've seen mum dance for the first time, to become a dancer at the high court. I love the pretty dresses and all the accessories, and the music also. Alas..." she smiled sadly, trailing her fingertips softly across the melodious strings of the pipa. "Men with wealth and status care little that a dancer is not a courtesan, and there is no one to protect us from their lecherous hands."

Ying Zheng could only sit down and watch the girl before him transform into the most graceful fairy, and with elegant moves, her body flowed like the river through a flower meadow, and the orchid fragrance in the Spring wind. He was completely mesmerised by the beauty in front of him. "My grandma danced for grandpa only, and my mum for my dad. I, too, hope to one day marry the love of my life, and bewitch him with my dancing." her smile was so carefree and filled with glee that the prince found himself completely enchanted. "But... I like to dream big. I may be just a simple, common girl, with no family, no money and no status... In spite of this... I do hope that somehow, I would be able to dance in front of people and make them happy, and smile, with my dancing." she glided around the flowers like a peony nymph, her pink skirts flying around her like the rich petals of said flower. "Until then, I suppose I should just continue perfecting my choreographies." "Y-You dance beautifully." the prince managed to stutter out, still under the afterglow of the dance, and the stunning pose she ended in. "If it matters, you made me feel very happy." "Hao!" she giggled sweetly. "You have a gorgeous smile. I hope to see you smiling so genuinely all the time when we're together."

The prince continued to blush deeply, though his heart was throbbing with joy as never before. A single day, however, only has so many hours, and with the afternoon gone, the Sun was setting and the starry skies were reflected in his gorgeous eyes.

"W-Would it be too rude and daring t-to ask you to please be my friend?" the boy bowed down humbly at her, only to hear a sweet giggle. "Y/N. Call me Y/N. And I will call you by your given name - Zheng." she quickly took the jade pendant from her sash and tied it to his own. "There, a token of my care and friendship for you. Now that we call each other by our given name, we are soul bound." "B-But... I-I don't have anything to give you..." the boy's lips trembled with emotion. "Hmm... Let me think..." her sweet smile turned mischievous, as she placed a kiss on his cheek. "Remember what I said about the wars? That only the King of all Kings can unite our country and bring peace?" he nodded silently. "When you become Emperor, don't forget about me. That's the only thing I wish from you. To be friends forever, no matter what the course of time may bring for us. How's that sound?" The little prince looked up at her, his starry eyes sparkling with joy and love, and a soft blush painting his porcelain cheeks. He grinned widely, like a happy child, and he repeated the single word that she adopted from her - A word that will become his most favourite word. "Hao!"

Many days passed, and the friendship between Zheng and Y/N only grew stronger, and so did their crush on one another. Y/N became even more protective over the boy, thus receiving even more scorn and disciplining - The adults could afford disciplining an orphan girl with no status, but they couldn't beat the Prince. Even his deep sorrow dissipated when he saw her dance.

That is, until Y/N walked him home one afternoon, and there, waiting for him, was a woman, blowing into a spinning windwheel. "Are you Ying Zheng?" the stern-looking woman asked. "Who asks?" Y/N frowned, stepping protectively in front of him, glaring at her viciously - But the boy was mellow and didn't want to upset anyone, nor incur another's wrath, and he simply bowed and affirmed that it was him, the prince. "I didn't think you'd be so young. Tsk." she frowned, rolling her eyes. "Who are you and what do you want with the Prince?" Y/N's loud and firm voice made the woman's eyebrow rise. "I'm Chun-Yan, his new live-in caretaker and bodyguard. Which means..." she jumped off the stone lamp and though she could tower over the prince, as the girl was right there, shielding him, she still felt intimidating. "I can roll you, fold you, or do whatever the hell I want with you." "Yes, ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you." the prince bowed deeply, only for the girl to hiss at the woman and close her fan, bonking her in the head. "Who do you think you are, threatening a child like this? I'll kill you if you even look at him the wrong way." Chun-Yan was rather amused by the braveness of this peasant girl, and she scoffed, straightening up and walking towards the humble home of the prince. "Well, whatever. First things first, show me around this place."

As she opened the doors, she noticed the dilapidated state of complete disrepair that the small home of the hostage prince was; A complete dump filled with broken windows and walls, and furniture, mold growing everywhere and everything was shit.

"God, what a dump this is! Though, I guess it suits a reject from the Qin royal family." the nasty comment made Y/N yell at her again. "Fuck off, will you?!" the woman stared in shock - A little girl cursed like a sailor man! "You are just as evil as all the others around! We don't need you here! Go away! You're only going to hurt him, you evil, nasty woman!" "D-Don't worry, Y/N! It's really okay!" Yin Zheng forced a wide smile on his face. "Would you like something to drink? If water is alright, I'll go fetch some." he bowed again. "... Are you really seven?" she muttered in disbelief before slumping down on the table. "I DON'T LIKE YOU!" she yelled, pointing a finger at him. "A kid your age oughta be crying or throwing a fit at the drop of a hat, but you've just been grinning ear to ear this whole time. It's givin' me the creeps." Y/N didn't even have the time to yell at the woman again, for the prince started dancing around like a monkey. "Are you makin' fun of me?!" "WILL YOU JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE ALREADY?!" Y/N's anger was through the roof. "Who do you think you are, treating him like this?! I bet you lost someone to the burying, didn't you? Well, that's you and EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS CITY! INCLUDING ME!" she glared up at Chun-Yan, who looked flabbergast at the girl. "I lost my dad and brother! My mum killed herself from grief! I've been all alone to survive and fend for myself since I was barely four years old - But I don't go around blaming a child for the evil-doings of those warmongers! Why is it so hard for adults to understand that Ying Zheng did nothing wrong?! That you should be blaming THEM, not a child who was barely a BABY when it happened!" the woman was stunned. "You are a woman! Women are supposed to be gentle and caring towards children! You are a disgrace to all of girl-kind!"

The woman remained silent for a few seconds, staring down at the gleaming eyes of the girl who started crying from the deep rage she felt - And suddenly, Chun-Yan felt guilt and remorse. The girl was right, she wasn't any different than everyone in Handan, or Zhao itself. To think a child would have more wisdom than a rage-blinded adult...

"Let's clean this place already. You can't expect me to sleep in some dingy hut like this." Chun-Yan scoffed, taking the broom and beginning to clean this place properly - Though no amount of work could properly make this run-down home into a beautiful and safe haven.

Regardless, Ying Zheng and Y/N helped in the cleaning up, and though the boy felt incredibly on edge around a stranger, Y/N and Chun-Yan were constantly yelling at each other. The place was... Pretty loud and tense - Yet thus began their unusual pseudo-familial life.

Chun-Yan took the two children for grocery shopping again, only to see the true horrors of the prince's daily life, as one of the merchants threw the food on the ground, urging the prince to eat the sand-filled meat - At the same time, Y/N quickly jumped to shield the boy, as the people around started glaring at him, accusing him of killing their children or relatives. They all wanted to kill him, while he could only force a smile and bow at them humbly.

Anger. Curse. Hate. Curse. Kill. Curse. Evil. Curse. Grudge. Curse. Sad. Curse.

When they returned home, Chun-Yan stopped the lone boy from going to rest, and revealed the many injuries on his body. Apparently, whenever he saw someone getting injured, his own body started getting scars in the same place, and feel the pain of said person. Y/N knew, and that's why she tried her best to protect him, but it wasn't always working. It was all because of the constant hatred from the people of Zhao that he developed such an accursed condition.

It was just a little pain, he'd say. The wounds will heal, eventually... Though his body said another thing, and he almost fainted. Ying Zheng's smile had been instinctively learned by him at the mere age of seven, as a way to allay, even only slightly, the hatred constantly searing his body. "Some day, maybe they'll forgive me... Won't day?" a most pitiful armor.

"Forgive you...? Who do you think you're kidding here?! Huh?! How the hell can you just keep grinning like an idiot?! Why don't you get angry?! Why don't you hate them?!" Chun-Yan started crying - She was now fully understanding Y/N's angry tears and the frustration she felt at the way Zhao was treating an innocent child. "What happened back then... At Chang Ping... HAS GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU! IT ISN'T RIGHT THAT YOU'RE GETTING HURT! SO STOP FORCING YOURSELF TO HOLD BACK! IF YOU WANNA CRY, THEN CRY! IF YOU'RE FEELING MAD, THEN LET IT OUT! STOP KILLING YOURSELF FROM THE INSIDE AND LYING TO YOURSELF ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL!" she yelled at him, falling on the ground weakly, watching the still forced smile on his face. "G-Get angry...? Cry...? I-I could never do that... B-Because I'm... I'm the child of a nation that kills people. I-I'm a cursed child... Th-That's why, I..." for the first time in his life, Ying Zheng felt the embrace of a mother. "It doesn't matter how awful your parents are - Their kid doesn't deserve to be punished! You haven't done anything wrong, nothing at all..." tears were drenching her face, all the guilt and regret overwhelming her. "Y/N was right... Y/N cares so much for you, she only wants the best for you." she found herself speaking in a milder voice. "You're a kind person, who understands people's pain. Your wounds are proof of that, not some punishment or curse." the boy's body was trembling violently. "Ying Zheng. You can live however you want to live."

For the first time in his life, Ying Zheng allowed himself to wail out all of his distress, all the pain, the agony and suffering he's been feeling this entire time, and his mother figure encouraged him. "Why me?! I haven't done anything! Nothing at all! I hate them! I hate everyone! DAMN IT, DAMN IT, DAMN IT ALL!!!!!!"

It was the first night he slept peacefully, and when he woke up, the woman offered him a pretty scarf to cover his eyes. If he can't see the pain of others, then maybe he won't be feeling it? It was worth a try. She made it herself, after all. When her child was still alive, this used to be a piece of cake for her to do.

The boy, with the most beautiful smile in the world, tied the scarf over his eyes. "HAO!" he joyfully exclaimed. "Thanks, Chun-Yan! I'll take good care of it!" "Hao? I like that word too!" the woman grinned at him. He truly was adorable.

Since then, Y/N and Chun-Yan became the only persons Ying Zheng could be around and not feel any pain. Every day he spent with them, Ying Zheng was able to smile and have fun from the bottom of his heart. They would clean up the graffiti and even learn martial arts - Sometimes, they'd even prank the people who used to bully him; And his smile became more and more cheerful. Ying Zheng was truly happy.

However... King Zhaoxiang of Qin, and soon after, his son, King Xiaowen, passed away - And so, in 250 BC, the man who abandoned Ying Zheng, Zichu, ascended to the throne, and thus... Ying Zheng unexpectedly became the crown prince, the first in line to the throne, and was permitted to return to Qin.

"Ha! To think that some silly words I said would actually come true. I must be a Seer or something." Y/N grinned at the crying boy. "Crown Prince Ying Zheng. That sounds very good! Hao! I like that!" "Won't you come with me?! Please?! Please?! Don't leave me alone, I need you! We are friends, aren't we?!" the boy was sobbing, holding tightly onto the girl. "Forgive me, I cannot." she sighed, embracing him. "Not only am I a Zhao citizen, but... I am also a peasant. I would never be allowed anywhere near the Crown Prince." she kissed his cheek, patting his hair. "But when you get older and ascend to the throne - If you still remember me, and want to see me again, then you can always send for me. I will wait for you a thousand lifetimes, if needed. Just to see you again. The beautiful boy with the starry skies in his eyes."

Before he left, Y/N stole a quick peck on his lips, and waved him goodbye; Whilst Chun-Yan was laughing copiously, she had to drag the stunned boy away, his face burning fiercely from a blush. "I'll make you my Empress, Y/N! Wait for me! I'll keep my promise!" they truly were adorable, the woman thought, as the carriage left for Qin.

Thus, however, not only Y/N, but Ying Zheng would remain alone for so long, as Y/N had no one else in Zhao, and with the scorned people of Zhao no longer holding the prince as a hostage, they sent mercenaries to kill him. As a last motherly act of love, Chun-Yan used her martial arts to battle them all, though she would be fatally injured. "YOU STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM MY KID!" she yelled, killing the last one.

As she lay dying in his arms, she told him the truth - That Y/N was right about her all along. She was a scorned, grieving parent, with her child, similar in age to the prince, having been buried alive. Her beloved Chun-Ou. She could do nothing to save him, for she dug in the dirt with her nails desperately, but couldn't even find him to give him a proper send-off. She wanted too see the prince, to scold him for being a useless, evil brat... She wanted to vent her anger and resentment... But she couldn't.

If a kid like Ying Zheng could become the King - Someone who could understand people's pain... Perhaps someone like him could change this fucked-up world a little, the very same way he changed her. "Become the greatest king of them all." it was the same promise that Y/N also bestowed upon him.

Before she died though, she didn't see Ying Zheng, but Chun-Ou. "I didn't know you were there, Chun-Ou. Let mama get a good look at your face." "Mama..." the prince held her dearly in his arms, placing her hand over his face, and he smiled at her, watching how vitality swiftly dissipated from her eyes. "Hao." she lay lifeless in his arms as he wept for her.

Afterward, Ying Zheng arrived safely at Xianyang, the capital of Qin, and on July 6th 247 BC, following the death of Zichu, Ying Zheng became the King of Qin, at the mere age of twelve.

"Let's walk my--..." Ying Zheng smiled, tying the scarf around his eyes. "No. Let's walk the Path of an Emperor. Together. Y/N. Chun-Yan." and true to his words, at 37 years of age, Ying Zheng became Qin Shi Huang, The First Emperor in History to unite all of China.

On the day Ying Zheng was crowned as the King of Qin, he also began being pestered by his advisors and elders to marry soon and produce an heir; After all, every King must have a Queen and concubines to perpetuate the royal lineage. Of course, the Prince didn't care for such things, nor did he want to think about anyone else that wasn't Y/N - But they were still so young! Life was fully ahead of them! On the other hand, it could be a great pretext to bring Y/N to the court and start lavishing her with all the luxuries that the palace has to offer.

Though the King of Qin had room for surprise, along with all the people at the royal meeting, as the large doors of the palace were pushed open, and a beautiful young lady resembling a flower fairy, dressed in rich silks, pink like the petals of a peony stepped on the golden rug that led towards the throne. She had a long spear in her grasp. As she started singing, the King ripped the scarf off his face, and those starred eyes gleamed with glee, his smile wide like never before. They truly must be soulmates, if Y/N could do exactly the same thing that he himself intended to do!

Two loving souls, so cruelly parted In madness and grief, a dark path started Calamity was drawn, rituals subverted But by her lovely dance, was sadness averted.

Ying Zheng didn't think it humanly possible, for a human to glide even more gracefully than he first saw her dancing, a few years prior.

The Phoenix returned to a home without luster; The cobwebs overgrown, the grave-shrouds a-fluster. But one bond upon her, This world could not muster.

"Thus does the tale of the Auspicious Phoenix end - Yet today, a new melody I have to append." the King was truly mesmerised by her lovely voice, and the way she lit the spear on fire and twirled it around so masterfully, kicking it and rotating with it, throwing it in the air, creating the image of a dancing Phoenix. "Hao! Sing me a happy story, Y/N!" he grinned, leaning forward in his throne.

From the world she seems apart But there is one who knows her heart With graceful swaying and a flaming spear To still the raging skies and the shattered hearts

Y/N's smile was so enchanting that it bewitched the King - Her dancing was as she hoped, a means to grow the seed of joy into people's hearts, replacing the darkening hatred.

The Phoenix once returned, And at once, she was spurned. She turned, and left alone...

Y/N, in a swift move, extinguished the flames from the spear, and stepped up the stairs leading to the throne. "Though now, she might be found to whom she is bound - Her love."

Ying Zheng's face was split by a wide, cheerful grin, and in an unexpected move, he threw his arms around the girl, pulling her into his lap and kissing her cheek. "Hao! My Phoenix returned home!" "Just in time to see her beloved dragon soaring the skies." she replied tenderly, only multiplying the excitement of his heart. "The only dance I love above all is that of the Phoenix and the Dragon amongst Heavens." he declared boldly. "Y-Your Majesty, who is this woman?! And how did she even manage to get inside the palace? With a weapon, no less!" having escaped the charm of the beautiful maiden, the elders started murmuring amongst each other. "She is the Empress, of course!" Ying Zheng laughed merrily, loving the unrest amongst his advisors, telling him he couldn't just marry anyone. "I am the King! I can do whatever I want!" and true to his words, Y/N had a most beautiful coronation ceremony, and her red and gold robes truly made her look like the Phoenix that she was.

Not only the Kingdom of Qin, but the whole Empire of China was going to prosper greatly under the rule of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and his Empress, Y/N. She was there to help him rule, with equal power as his own, and a fantastic wisdom and benevolence like no other. She was there to guide him as he walked the path of killing the demon Chi You. They lived a good life, along with all the people of China.

The two would love each other and live in perfect harmony until their eventual death due to mercury poisoning, at an age before even reaching half a century.

In the afterlife, just like in reality, Qin Shi Huang would have to fight to protect his people, as he was chosen as a human representative fighter in this mess the Gods created, Doomsday, the wish to eradicate mankind. He already killed a demon, and now, he was ready to kill a God.

He couldn't wait for too long in his own room, and with how directionally challenged he was, he walked through walls until he found the Gods' private balcony where Ares and Hermes were, and he flipped the God of War out of his seat, getting comfortable on the cushy seat, even causing the Messenger God to pour him honey mead.

"You know I can't walk fast in these clothes, you little menace." a feminine voice, very much amused, took the attention of the two Gods. "Oh, that's a lovely view of the arena!" the regal looking woman shamelessly sat on his lap, her arms around his neck as he offered her his drink. "This is really good! Can we get more?" bowing, the butler looking God poured some more.

The doors were slammed open again, and the little Valkyrie, Goll, yelled at them, followed by the elder one, Brunhilde. "Goodness! Even after I'd expressly told you NOT to leave your room - And what's more, you've left the corridors FULL of holes!" the elder one was more amused than scolding. "Mou mantai!" the two laughed, free of any care. "The road is where I lead!" he grinned, holding onto Y/N's waist, clingy like a child. "Come on, we have to go." Hilde spoke. "I refuse! We've taken a liking to this place! And besides, we definitely won't grow bored here." the man exclaimed. "In case you weren't aware - YOU will be fighting in round Seven." Hermes and Ares gasped in shock, as the Emperor, holding his love in his arms, jumped on the backseat of the couch.

"HAO!" he grinned confidently. "Finally! I'd grown tired of waiting!" "Now, let's head to the entrance gate, shall we?" Hilde sweatdropped at the unhinged behaviour of the bratty Emperor. "The dragon soars the path of the Emperor! The road is where Qin Shi Huang leads!" Y/N declared boldly, unfolding her fan dramatically.

From underneath the Gods balcony, all of China's Emperors after Qin Shi Huang unraveled a large red and gold rug, making way for the very first Emperor to lead the way to victory - Covering all the minor Gods from the stands. None mattered, except for Qin Shi Huang.

"Hao! That's how the Emperor has to be treated!" Y/N hopped from his arms, and off the balcony, waltzing ahead and leading the way forward - From her sleeves, butterflies would flutter, and where she waved her fan, red flower petals burning like cinders would breeze in a majestic dance, matching her own enchanting one.

She is lightsome as a startled Phoenix, And he, as graceful as a roaming dragon; Her lovely complexion outshines the autumn chrysanthemum, Whilst his radiance surpasses the springtime pine.

She sang the song that Ying Zheng loved the most, resembling the Goddess of the Luo River - The Beauty of China, Luo Shen. Though the Emperor hated that she ended up so heart broken over her husband's death, going so far as to drown herself in the river - He couldn't help but admire the pure love between her and her husband, mutually intertwined, just as he and Y/N were; Truly, all his life, he admired everything about her, and strived to become a man worthy of her lover. He wanted to be the man she could depend on, the man who could prove for her.

And thus, he became the Emperor.

As the song ended, Qin took out the bamboo flute and, stepping into the ring and playing the tune that harmonised perfectly with his Empress' graceful moves. Her dress, a deep shade of red like fire, flew around her like the Auspicious Phoenix that she was, and with her golden Dragon, they danced the Celestial melody of Heavens.

Heimdall, as well as all the rest watching, were mesmerised at the elegance displayed in their bonding, true love like no other radiating strongly from their smiles; He couldn't even begin the introductions as he watched the Emperor pick his lady in his arms, two fates intertwined, dancing coiled around each other eternally - And ending with a kiss. Their fairy-tale like love made all those watching deeply envious.

As the two lovers kept gazing into each other's eyes, the God announced the Emperor's great deeds, before calling out his title as the humans all chanted his name; the Gods boo'ed, angry that he was so arrogant, even going as far as too show off his love-life like that. As Y/N kissed him shamelessly, in front of the whole Valhalla, a young lady, Alvitr, had rageful tears in her eyes for being left forgotten at the Mankind gate.

"Mou mantai! I'm an Emperor, after all." he waved dismissively, before picking her up carefully in his arms. "Come a little closer." she was blushing so bad. "No need to be so rough, my boyish young lady." he chuckled lightly. "Don't worry, little lady. Zheng is going to take good care of you." Y/N patted her hair, watching her completely fall in love with the handsome man, and in one burst of lightning, the Volundr was formed. "Hao! This fits me nicely!" he grinned, showing off his Almighty Spaulders. "As handsome as always, my darling." she kissed his cheek again, though she felt a chill shiver down her spine as the God of the Underworld, Hades, walked forward.

Not only was he ready to avenge his brother, but he was also feeling envious at the way Y/N so openly loved and pampered her husband, the same way he wished his beloved Persephone would.

Before this battle of King vs Emperor could begin, Y/N gladed towards the stands where the Emperors were standing - Right where Chun-Yan and Chun-Ou were, and she got helped up in the stands. An Empress shouldn't have to find her way around the maze-like corridors - The First Empress of China had every right to walk the shortest and easiest road to where she wished to.

As the fight began, Hades thrust forward a single strike, loaded with tremendous power - A single thrust meant to kill. He continues to attack with one heavy-class jab after another, but the Emperor never once got hit; And even when he used one of his strongest attacks, named after his wife, Qin Shi Huang only had his body nicked.

The next straight thrust, the Emperor deflected, easily catching the handle of the bident before throwing back the attack - His own power added to that of Hades, sending him sailing backwards painfully hard - It was Qin Shi Huang's Chi You - Armor form: Sword, Armor, Spear, Crossbow, Halbert - Heavenly Hand of Defense.

As they say, the best offense is a good defense. The reverse is also valid. "Hades, King of the Netherworld... Was it? Let me tell you a thing." as the dust evaporated, the God's form was slumped to the ground, a large crater in the wall where he hit it. "There can only be one Emperor in the world, and that man is I!" he confidently declared.

He didn't fight for six whole days against the Demon God Chi You for nothing. He didn't raise above all the other so-called King for nothing. He didn't become the first unifier of China, the first Emperor, the King where it all began - For nothing!

Ying Zheng - Qin Shi Huang - Was the only man worthy of being called The Emperor!

Hades managed to stand up. He was bleeding from his head and his torso was injured. "Qin Shi Huang, was it? Tell me one thing - What in your eyes makes a King?" "A king?" he grinned. "One who never doubts! Never yields! Never relies! And always stands as the leader of his people! That is what makes a King!" Hades was awestruck by the answer, and even started laughing merrily. Nobody alive ever heard the Lord of the Underworld laugh so boomingly. Ying Zheng joined in the laughing. "You remind me of someone I know... All too well. He was more noble than any other God, more steadfast than any other - And the God most worthy of the title of King. My younger brother, Poseidon, King of the Seas." he extended his arm forward, showing off the weapon. "And I swear by his name, as his elder brother, I shan't give in to a mere King of Men!"

Thus, with a weird stance, Hades unleashed an attack, the proper way of fighting with a spear; With all his might, he delivered a crushing downward swing. The Emperor shielded himself with his arms. "I AM THE KING OF THE UNDERWORLD - HADES! FALL AND BE CRUSHED!"

The King of Men was slammed face-down, flat onto the ground. "ZHENG!" Y/N yelled his name, watching his spit a bunch of blood, struggling to stand up. "Ahh, it's sticky, all soaked with blood. Buhao." he groaned, hanging his head. "Mou mantai..." he sighed, a little disappointed as he took off his cherished scarf. All Emperors bowed down in his honour, gazing his handsome face for the first time. "Now then - Shall we continue, King of the Netherworld?" he grinned confidently. despite the blood painting his face. "So you can take one of my attacks and still smile. I would expect nothing less from a King!" Hades grinned, launching into a ferocious flurry with his rigid spear.

Qin Shi Huang has no choice but to roll with the thrusts; He was waiting for an opportunity to use his special technique. As Hades used the Smasher of Earth down on his head, the Emperor had to shield himself again; But this time, he didn't fall - Using his breath to weaken the attack, he grabbed onto the blade of the bident, and slammed the wielder into the ground, breaking it.

But just as before, any wound that Ying Zheng sees, he receives also - And though he managed to injured Hades, he also felt intense pain. Even in a direct combat, Qin used his breath onto Hades' chest, and with his claw-like fingers, he used the Mount Tai, Dragon Claw technique, delivering an intense strike, leaving an awful mark onto his abdomen.

Ying Zheng's starry eyes weren't just beautiful - They could actually see the stars of living beings. The flow of Qi. Qin could see the cruxes as stars. The double edged gift that served him as both a blessing and a curse. "Ahh, this is why I hate fighting with my eyes." Qin grinned, baring through the blazing pain in his abdomen. "Aw man, that really hurts."

"Don't make fun of me... Do you call yourself the Greatest King?" Hades chuckled light-heartedly. "King of the Underworld, you are strong - But I promised two special people that I would become the Greatest King - So I can't lose to anyone!" to get the most out of his fantastic martial arts, Qin Shi Huang was given a Divine Weapon specialising in defence - Alvitr; The secret ability behind her name is - Army Guardian! "You are strong, King of Humans. A promise of never losing, right?" Hades clenched his fist around his own blood. "I also have something I want to protect. My oath."

Thus, Hades advanced again, spinning his bident like a windmill, destroying the air bullets coming his way - Qin could barely defend himself against the attacks coming his way, though even when he struck, the two were equal in power, and Hades' forearm was mauled. "Even though you're human, you made it this far, huh? I'm going to kill you... But first, I wanted to say that you were magnificent." Hades declared boldly. "Hao!" Zheng grinned at his opponent.

From the stands, every human was cheering for the Emperor. Y/N especially was the loudest, along with Chun-Yan and her little boy, Chun-Ou.

Once again, Hades did something remarkably unusual - Not only did he begin to whistle the tune of his dear younger brother, Poseidon, before self-inflicting a large gash on his chest and splattering not only himself, but his weapon in a shower of crimson life essence. Drenched in blood, Hades rushes Qin, changing mid hit his thrust into a downward swing - He managed to find a way to counter his disruption of Qi. "You pose no threat to me."

Hades' blood wasn't SIMPLY blood. "Assemble!" the King of the Underworld ordered his weapon to transform into a mighty strength to be reckoned with; Any Divine Weapon that his blood, the Pluto Ichor, spills upon harbors the God's life force and becomes even more powerful... But the longer he keeps it up, the higher the risk of death. "King of Men, this is my trump card." he got in a battle stance with his new weapon, the Four-Blooded Spear of Destiny - Ichor: Desmos. "Tear at his flesh - Desmos!" this almighty thrust managed to break through the powerful armor of the Emperor. "I cannot lose. As their elder brother, I shan't be defeated!"

The Valkyrie Alvitr made herself seen to her human, worrying over him - Not only half of his hand, but his shoulder also were heavily destroyed. "Mou mantai. Compared to the pain of others, my own pain is scarcely anything to bear." he declared selflessly, like the fantastic leader that he is. "Alvitr... If we don't do something, we stand no chance at winning. I think we should bet everything on this next strike." he spoke, more seriously, only to annoying the young Valkyrie. "THAT WAS PATHETIC!" she yelled at him, as a scold. "SAY WHAT YOU WANT LOUD AND CLEAR, LIKE AN EMPEROR! YOU SHOWED OFF WITH YOUR EMPRESS LIKE THAT - AND NOW YOU WANT TO LOOK UNCOOL AND DIE IN FRONT OF HER?! IN FRONT OF EVERYONE BELIEVING IN YOU?!" she huffed like a brat. "How haughty of you, my boyish young lady." he smiled, looking up at the stands where his most cherished people were cheering on him. "I WANT TO WIN NO MATTER WHAT!" he yelled, loud and clear, as he should have. "Haha, I know! Really... You Kings are so stubborn!" she giggled, reinforcing their bond even further. "Let me give you all the power I've got!" thus, the Almighty Spaulders were recast into the Shi Huang Goujian Sword. The best defense truly is a remarkable offense.

"I am EMPEROR! King among Kings! And a King only takes pride in protecting his people!" Ying Zheng's starry eyes shone brightly with hope and power, whilst his dazzling smile remained as confident as ever before. "Excellent, O, lofty King - Now let us tear at his very heart, Desmos!" he, who bore the pride of the Gods and laid down his own life; The King of the Netherworld -- And he, who knew the pain of others, and fought for the sake of his people, the King Where It All Began.

Only a King can understand the mind of a King. And these two Kings could both tell that the end of the match was nigh.

Hades went forward, using Desmos: Eos once again, and Ying Zheng retaliated with Chi You: Sword Form; Shi Huang Yan cut. He was driven back, his already damaged left arm ripping clean off from the shoulder and flying across the arena. "ZHENG!" though the Emperor could hear his wife's desperate voice, calling out to him - He simply laughed merrily, seeing Alvitr's worried expression, looking down at him.

"It's beautiful...! What a beautiful star I see!" surprising everyone, the Emperor managed to use his sword to stand up once again. "A king never doubts. A King never yields. A King never relies." even with his arms ripped off like that, and the awful injuries sustained, Ying Zheng kept standing tall and ready to fight. "And a King never surrenders!" he was standing up through sheer willpower. "I can't let my wife see her husband dying, you know? I promised to only ever make her happy - So I can't cause her tears of distress now!"

He could hear them - The voices of the people. He's been fighting all this time to keep his promise to Y/N and Chun-Yan; To bring the people not hatred, but happiness. Everyone was cheering for him. The Greatest King of All Kings - Qin Shi Huang.

"Look, I know you don't wanna give up, but what are you gonna do exactly?" Alvitr asked, a little confused but ready to fight to the bitter end by the side of this worthy man. "I'm going to use Heavenly Hand of Defense once more." he spoke weakly, watching her distress and worry. "Trust me - I am THE Emperor!" Alvitr smiled, filled with hope and confidence thanks to this man. "You're just... Haha! No need to ask!" she, too, got in a fighting stance next to him, supporting him from within his soul. "HAO!" the Emperor exclaimed, thrusting the tip of his sword forward, to mit that of Hades' spear. "I consider myself proud to have been able to fight you." both the Gods and Mankind, and every eye upon the arena could sense that this very next clash would be the final one of Round Seven.

And the first to make a move was the King of the Netherworld, with a fearsome thrust from Desmos, loaded with all the Ichor that Hades could give; Against this gully-powered attack from the King of the Netherworld which seemed as though it could kill with a simple graze, the King of Men, without hesitation, caught it. Chi You Armor Form: Heavenly Hand of Defense.

Everyone had braced themselves for the end, save for the King Where It All Began... Who managed to use Tortoise Ripple to hit Desmos' Qi Star. It got weaker. Desmos was alive, not a lifeless weapon, and Hades hadn't taken that into consideration - He brought his spear to life, his most powerful advantage, but also, his most fatal disadvantage.

Ying Zheng had never forgotten, not even for an instant, that his own life began from the end - When the woman he loved most, his wife, along with his cherished mother-figure, Chun-Yan, showed him... That a King is one who arises from the end, and brings about the Beginning.

Desmos was shattering in his fighter's grasp, and the Human representative managed to impale his sword through the God's torso. "Magnificent!" Hades praised. "Nothing less...!" though he tried to use the broken handle of his weapon to kill Qin Shi Huang, he failed, for the Emperor sliced him open. "... from a King." Hades was unable to make good on his vow. He failed as an elder brother, but the Emperor managed to keep his oath to all the people that relied on him. "Forgive me."

As Hades lay dead on the ground, Heimdall announced Emperor Qin Shi Huang as the winner of the Seventh Round of Ragnarok, and with it, Mankind was in the lead, 4 to 3. "I am grateful that I could speak with you, King of the Netherworld." the Emperor clenched his fist to his chest, in honour of the admirable and honorable fight between two Kings. "Pengyou." through this battle to the death, the two Kings became friends.

Gods and Humans alike were showing their respects to the King of the Netherworld as he was shattering into glowing shard of green soul and ascending into the skies. In under 13 minutes, the King of all Kings defeated a God.

Just as before, the Emperors watching the match helped the Phoenix Empress descend into the ring so she could run to her husband, supporting him and the little Valkyrie lady up. "You were fantastic, you two. Now you may rest. I will take you to the infirmary at once." both of them, like a happy family, smiled at each other. "Don't push yourself too hard. You look even more banged up than me." Alvitr joked. "Mou mantai!" he chuckled at her reassuringly. "Mou mantai? You sure don't look it, silly man. Let me support you two." Y/N giggled, getting in between them two and holding onto them with all her force. "Honestly, it's a miracle you're even alive right now." Alvitr scolded him lightly. "That isn't true, Alvitr. Did I not say it before? Trust me!" his reassuring grin made the girl emotional. "You really are stupid." the Valkyrie's smile trembled. "H-Hey, can't you keep standing up?" Y/N released Alvitr from her grasp, supporting the Emperor as he lost consciousness. "Alvitr, if you have any strength in you, please help me hold him!"

The Valkyrie yelled for the paramedics to rush already - He needed urgent, intensive care. The nurses quickly brought the table and put the Emperor, rolling him quickly towards the Intensive Care unit where he will be taken until his condition is stabilised.

Ying Zheng and Alvitr also were kept in capsules to better their vital functions, and in between them, sat Y/N, smiling softly at the two. The Valkyrie was already a divine being, she was going to be alright... But Ying Zheng is still a human and was in a particularly critical condition - Whether he survives this or not, depends on his own strength to live.

"Ying Zheng and Alvitr. The Emperor of Heavens and his protector White Tiger." the Empress spoke gently, each hand laying on one of the glass capsules. "Alvitr, thank you for protecting my beloved Zheng. I will forever be indebted to you. My sweet child. Alvitr." Beautiful and divine, strong and courageous." her voice trembled softly. "My boyish young lady." her gaze turned to her Emperor. "Qin Shi Huang. The Emperor of China. The King Where It All Began. The First Unifier of China. The Golden Dragon of China. The Eye of Heaven." a few tears escaped softly down her cheeks. "Ying Zheng, my beloved husband, the beautiful boy with the starry skies in his eyes. The love of my life." her tender tears turned into heartbroken sobs. "I am so proud of you. So, so proud. You have always been a true leader for our people, and you were always such a wonderful husband, a partner, a friend. My confidant. My heart. My soul. My everything." though Goll and Brunhilde left, the Emperors whose paths were pathed by Qin Shi Huang were all standing outside the room, watching with heavy hearts, the shattered cry of the Vermillion Bird. "If the tears of the Phoenix could truly heal any wound, I would drown you in my cries and save you. If I could give my life to save you, I would transfer all of your wounds to mine own shell of a body, rip my flesh apart with mine own teeth and claws, and give you all of my blood, just to see you alive once more. My most precious sweetheart." the people watching all began to shed tears. "Just like the Goddess Luo who drowned herself in the river, so will I, out of grief, should you depart from this world before me." for one last time until her beloved would flutter his sparkling eyes open again, Y/N dried her tears and smiled brightly at Ying Zheng and Alvitr. "Hao! Mou mantai! Listen to my voice as I sing for you a beautiful melody. May you have sweet dreams and rest peacefully - And when your strength returns, please, return to me. And if not... The Vermillion Bird will burn to ashes, for the last time."

I want to be your love for ever and ever, Without break or decay. When the hills are all flat, The rivers are all dry. When it thunders in winter, When it snows in summer When heaven and earth mingle, Not till then will I part from you.

Thus, a melody was sung, through the cries of the weeping Vermillion bird, burning bright as the Sun, for her celestial Golden Dragon of Heavens, and the almighty White Tiger, shining silver like the moon.

#record of ragnarok imagine #record of ragnarok x reader #record of ragnarok #qin shi huang #qin shi huang x reader #qin shi huang imagine #ying zheng #ying zheng x reader #ying zheng imagine #ror #ror x reader #ror imagine #qin shi huang ror

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annymation · 4 months

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The Kingdom of Wishes- A “Wish” Rewrite

Chapter 1- The Intro

Our tale opens the same way many classic Disney movies did before, with a story book.

The book opens, and we are presented with the illustration of a king looking down from his tower, and we listen to the narration of an elderly male voice:

Long ago, there was a kind and wise king, who wished that all his people could live the happiest and most fulfilling lives in his kingdom, and have all their dreams come true. "But how can I fulfill ALL their dreams?"The king pondered.

Then, he had an idea. Using his vast knowledge, the sorcerer king developed a new kind of arcane magic, Wish Magic. With it, the king granted the wishes of all the citizens in need of his help. And so, this became the tradition, in the Kingdom of Rosas...

But this is not his story, oh no no, King Eric was just the first of this loooong line of wish granting kings.

The pages of the book flip, revealing in each page a different king, each generation, and each one with their names written on the top of the pages, these kings are all named after the 9 old men, the famous animators that worked in the creation of Snow White. This is the first of many Disney references I’ll throw around in this rewrite.

Our tale begins with the birth of the 10th king of Rosas... Prince Magnus.

We see an illustration showing a young king Magnifico learning magic with his father, king Ward.

Young prince Magnus grew in power as quickly as the evening primrose blooms in the night. However, the young prince feared he'd never be truly worthy of following such a great legacy. With that in mind, the King and Queen decided that a... second option could be required in the future. And thus, prince Florian was born.

The two brothers grew into powerful sorcerers. But once it came the day to choose the heir to the throne, Florian was chosen, for Magnus didn't feel like he could be just as great of a king as the ones that came before him, he felt like there was something... missing in his life, something that would give him the confidence and strength he required.

And sure enough, that something, or rather, that someone arrived.

The most beautiful maiden Magnus had ever laid eyes upon. She was found by fisherman, passed out and floating adrift in a boat. By King Florian's orders she was brought to the castle, once she woke up, the maiden introduced herself as Amaya.

We see an image of young Amaya being found ashore by fisherman, she's dressed in a white dress similar to how Ariel was found by Eric in The Little Mermaid.

Amaya wanted to thank the young king for his hospitality, she didn't ask him to grant her wish, all she wanted was to serve in the castle as the king's personal alchemist, and Florian gladly welcomed her in his court. And as the days went on, Magnus and the mysterious maiden became hopelessly in love, and together, they felt as if they could do... Anything.

The narrators voice sounds confused with that last statement, like he doesn't know what's referring to. But he continues.

After a year of the kingdom prospering under king Florian's rule, Magnus, inspired by his new found love, decided to go on a quest for adventure, to leave the kingdom for once in his life.

We see an illustration of Magnus and his brother hugging each other goodbye next to a boat. It's a sunny day.

But every tale must have a tragedy, and Magnus faced the most painful tragedy of all once he returned to Rosas, and found out his dear younger brother fell ill and passed away while he was away.

We see an illustration of Magnus now back to Rosas, looking devastated, but one important detail is that he's now holding a staff with a green gem we haven't seen in any of the previous pages, it's a treasure he got from his quest.

But from this tragedy, Rosas reemerged stronger, with Magnus and Amaya as our new rulers. Magnus let go of his fears and swore to make the kingdom shine brighter that ever before, It's what his brother would've wanted after all.

Magnus changed the way that wishes were granted, instead of granting just a few per month like the kings that came before him, he granted dozens per week, by sending them up from the top of his tower, and making them float down to their wish makers as they sleep.

The kingdom was so happy and so grateful for their new king and queen that they started calling them by nicknames that reflected their magnificence and their passion. From then on, they were to be known as King Magnifico and Queen Amable.

The End

The book is closed by an old man's hand.

We now see the face of the man who was reading the story, Sabino, Asha's grandfather, looking ever so slightly younger than he was in the movie, but still very old.

He's laying on the bed with a smile, admiring the golden and flowery details on the book cover, and he says:

"I admire your interest in more sophisticated books Asha but ummm don't you think this one might be a bit too advanced for your age? hehe"

the man chuckles looking down to his side, where we see a little 5 year old Asha under the bed sheets.

"Yeah... I thought it would be better cause' the cover was so pretty, I wanted more fantasy, but its just romance... yuck" she makes a face of disgust sticking her tongue out.

"One should never judge a book by it's cover, what you got here is a history book." he tells her as he get's up from bed to put away the book and blow away the candles in the room.

"Sure doesn't explain things very well though, like where did queen Amaya even come from? And what's the deal with this staff the king found? And what sickness did his brother have? The book explains none of it." The little girl says frustrated with all these questions unanswered.

Her grandpa can’t help but chuckle, he's way too familiar to these unceasing questions of her's, Asha always had the habit of questioning everything.

"Well, 1. the queen is quite reserved about her past, it's best to respect that. 2. that staff is just a souvenir that the king got from his travel. And 3. sometimes bad things just... Happen, with no explanation, and there's nothing we can really do about it but to move on." The old man explains to her wisely "Now, it's time for bed."

"Noooo!" Asha interrupts before her grandpa blows away the last candle in the room "I want another story, this one didn't count because I didn't like it"

"And since when that was a rule?" her grandfather sounds amused by that

"Since now, I just decided" the 5 year old claimed proudly

"Hehehe and what exactly didn't you enjoy in this story?"

Asha thinks for a moment, but then she has an idea "Weeeeell for starters, romance is yucky, there was nooo villains, and I like villains in fairytales, and most importantly… it didn't have MY favorite king and queen in it"

(Ya know, I laugh to myself while writing this because not only Asha will grow up to live a romance in this rewrite, but also because there are indeed villains in that fairytale, it just so happens that the villains made themselves the protagonists.)

Sabino looks confused "... Your favorite king and queen? Now what do you mean b--" Sabino realizes who she’s referring to, and his confusion melts back into a tender smile "Oooh... hehe you mean THEIR story, huh? Say, didn't I already tell you their story this week?"

"And the week before that too, yes, but I just love it! Pleeease saba, then I promise I'll go to sleep, honest"

"*sigh* alright alright, but only because it's my favorite too"

Sabino sits down on his rocking chair next to the bed, no book required for him to tell this tale.

Once upon a time, there was a king, who traveled to a far away place with his son, his prince. They were looking for a place peaceful to make it their home, and they found it, a quiet house in the middle of the forest, not so far from a kingdom called Rosas. The prince was quick to meet the people that lived in the nearby kingdom, and among the people he met there was-

"A FAIRY!"

"Who's telling this story again?" Sabino glanced at Asha smugly

"Sorry sorry, hihihi keep going" she says hugging her pillow tightly.

So yes, the prince met a fairy, a fairy with the most incredible of powers, she could bring drawings to life! The prince was marveled by the fairy's magic, and hurried to tell his father, at first, the king didn't believe it "Drawings that move? That's absurd, son" but sure enough, the prince invited the fairy to their home, and she proved it to the king, she showed him her sketchbook and flipped the pages quickly, and all her drawings together seemed to move as if it was magic

"Because it WAS magic" Asha corrected

"Hehehe you're right, it was"

Years went by, and the love that the prince and the fairy shared only grew more and more. The fairy became an art teacher, sharing her magic and artistry, while the prince became a philosopher, passing on his wisdom and knowledge about the stars. And one day, they were blessed with the most beautiful little princess.

"That's meeeee"

"Yes, that's you" Sabino looks at Asha with eyes full of administration for the girl’s enthusiasm for such a simple story he only came up with to teach her about who her parents were.

And they lived ha--

Sabino interrupts himself before he finishes that phrase, he knows that's not how it went.

But he has to finish the story somehow, so he just says

And now that little princess is going to sleep, the end.

Nailed it.

"Very well Asha, a deal's a deal, good night now-"

"Saba! Look!" Asha points to outside the window with a huge smile "It's starting!" She jumps out of bed and runs to the window

We see countless wish bubbles floating out of the castle, like glowing lanterns filling the sky and making their way down to the people of Rosas.

"Huh, he started earlier today... Or rather, it's even more past your bed time than I thought, come on, back to bed mi nieta" Sabino rushes her back to bed, talking more sternly now.

Asha doesn't want to go to sleep yet though so she tries to stall some more "Saba, when I'm big, what if I wished to have magic like mama's?"

Sabino's eyebrows raise in surprise by the question "Y-you mean wish to make drawings move?"

"YEAH! I wanna be a great artist like her! I bet mr. King Magnifico could grant that wish pretty easy, right?" The little girl says cheerfully, her eyes shinning as she still looks up at the glowing wish bubbles in the sky.

Asha isn't seeing it, but her grandfather has a sad and conflicted look on his face, like he's trying to find the right words to tell her something really important.

"Heeey... You never told me what was YOUR wish to the king!" Asha realizes, turning back to the older man and walking closer to him on his rocking chair "What did you wish for?" She asks him curious with a big smile.

"... I don't know" He admits, trying to hide from her how sad that makes him feel with a forced smile.

"... Huh?" The girl tilts her head confused

"I was asked to give my wish when I moved to Rosas and... To this day I can't remember what it was... But maybe that's just how it works" He shrugs like it's no big deal. But it clearly is.

"That doesn't sound fair... He hasn't granted it yet?"

"... Could be…" Sabino admits what has been thinking for a long while, his eyes light up with an idea and he turns to his granddaughter with a serious expression "Asha, can you promise me something?"

Asha looks at her grandfather attentively and nods positively.

“When you turn 18… Oh never mind, you’ll probably not even remember this talk anyway”

“Yes I will, what is it?” She asks determined.

“… When the time comes for you to make your wish to King Magnifico, DO NOT wish for him to make you an artist like your mother, Sakina spent years practicing to master her craft… and I think she’d like you to do the same”

“Okay! I’ll practice everyday! To make drawings just as pretty as mama’s!” Asha’s joy returned with full force, she actually couldn’t wait to draw more in the the morning.

She jumps back to her bed, now ready to go to sleep since she has something to look forward to.

Sabino seemed pleased “That’s good to hear, thank you”

“But what should I wish for then?”

Sabino fell silent for a moment and just said simply “You have quite a lot of time to decide, I’m sure you’ll know by then... Now all I wish is that you'd stay in bed and went to sleep hehe” He jokes with a gentle smile.

He get's up from his rocking chair and goes to blow out the last burning candle in the room, but before he does so Asha says

"Saba... Do you miss them? Mama and papa?"

Sabino looks at the candle with downcast eyes.

"Yes... But it's alright, I still get to see them everyday"

"WHERE?" Asha exclaims, thinking her grandpa just casually admitted he sees ghosts.

"In you" Sabino tells her as he caresses her head "You have your mother's talent and beauty, and my son's intelligence and curiosity... They live in you, dear"

(Is this a Lion King Broadway musical reference? Yes, yes it is)

"You think I'll be able to make magic too, like mama?" Asha asks with a big smile

"If you keep trying, and never give up, you can do anything, my dear." He says calmly, looking at her full of pride.

"Okay... *yaaaawn* good night saba, I love you" She says while getting comfortable in bed.

"Good night mi nieta. See you tomorrow."

Sabino blows away the last candle, it all goes dark.

We cut to a sequence similar to the opening from UP.

(oh yes, it'll be that level of sad)

So as happy background music plays, with no lyrics, no lines, just visual story telling, we get a series of scenes showing some snippets of Asha’s life over the years.

We cut to the same little Asha waking up in the morning with a big smile on her face.

She's waken up by her grandfather, and she gives him a hug.

Sabino prepares breakfast while Asha draws on a sketchbook.

Sabino looks proud with Asha's doodle and hangs it on the wall.

Suddenly, they hear someone knocking, Asha goes to open the door and we see a young Dahlia selling sweets.

Sabino buys some, and as Dahlia walks away Asha notices she could use some help carrying all that food, since she's walking with a crutch.

Asha looks at her grandfather as if she's asking for permission to go, and he nods reassuringly.

Off she goes to help Dahlia, and the two quickly become friends

Asha get's back home after sunset, dinner is ready

she and her grandpa read some books together.

Asha went to sleep

This cycle would keep repeating during the whole musical sequence, and I don't want this to take too long so just imagine we see events similar to this repeating 7 times, each time we see Asha meet a new friend, and we see her grandpa become more and more senile and more dependent on Asha, as she gets older.

I'll just give a few more examples to illustrate it but if you're curious about how Asha met all her friends and in what order just read it here: Reimagining the 7 teens

We’ll skip the sequences showing how she met Simon and Gabo.

The music sounds slightly less upbeat

Asha wakes up, now looking more like a 10 year old

She’s ever so slightly less excited when waking up but still smiling

She goes to wake up her grandpa, who seems a bit lost at first but smiles once he sees her

She makes them breakfast

The walls of the house are covered top to bottom with Asha’s drawings

She helps her grandfather walk as they go watch a children’s play at the plaza, her friends Dahlia, Simon and Gabo are with them

Asha notices a young girl looking very uncomfortable on stage

Once it’s her scene, the bashful girl runs off stage

Asha goes back stage and we see her sit next to Bazeema and give her some words of encouragement

Bazeema goes back stage and plays the role of the queen perfectly with her eyes closed

Asha gets a new friend in her friend group

Sabino looks pleased

Asha prepares soup for dinner (remember she’s 10 here)

Asha takes her grandfather to bed, because he’s struggling to walk

Asha reads him some books

Asha went to sleep

…

We gonna skip to the last friend Asha made

Asha wakes up, now looking 13

She has a hopeful expression, it’s another day

She helps her grandfather get out of bed, he’s not smiling anymore, his expression seems distant

She makes them breakfast, and help her saba with eating it

There’s even more drawings on the walls, and they look way more detailed, showing Asha’s art skills improved

She and her 6 friends all go hang out for what was supposed to be a short walk

They spot a girl trying to practice juggling and failing miserably

Asha asks if they can help, but the girl just smiles awkwardly as if she says they can only help if they could make her a proper entertainer in the snap of their fingers

Asha indeed can’t grant that wish BUT she knows how to help her

Cuts to them all in Asha’s house, the 8 preteens all sit together on a round table and Asha brings in some papers, pencils and a book titled “Jokes and tales for jesters”

We see the whole gang now formed, as they talk and laugh together, helping Hal come up with jokes for her act as a royal entertainer

All is well until, Asha noticed her grandfather coughing on a chair right behind them

She rushes to give him some water and stays with him, while her friends watch from the table, with expressions of sadness and pity

Asha is hugging her grandfather when she feels a hand on her shoulder, she turns around and it’s Dahlia, with the other 6 behind, they all give her a reassuring smile as if to tell her it’s gonna be alright

Simon brings a blanket to cover her grandfather, Bazeema makes some tea, Dahlia prepares dinner, Hal plays some songs with her flute, Safi and Dario are dancing to it with Asha (as a reference to the “Silly Song” scene from Snow White where she dances with Dopey and Sneezy) and Gabo is just sitting there tapping his feet to the music.

Asha finally got a break, a moment to just enjoy herself

They all have dinner together, Gabo offers himself to help Sabino eat.

Asha waves her friends goodbye as they all return to their homes

Asha helps her grandfather go to bed, we don’t see his face much

Asha went to sleep

…

Asha wakes up, now 15 years old, she has an excited smile on her face just like how she had 10 years before

She shakes her grandfather to wake him up

He doesn’t move

She tries again…

No answer.

The music turns silent.

Her smile fades away.

…

We cut to her in Sabino’s funeral.

Asha is crying all alone, until she once again feels a hand on her shoulder.

She turns around to see all her 7 friends, all of them grieving with her.

They hug.

…

Asha wakes up, now in present day.

It’s her 18th birthday.

“… It’s another day” she says with a hopeful, but somewhat worried smile.

End of intro.

Chapter 2

Final Thoughts

And so it begins. This is just the first of a LOT of chapters.

This is my first time actually writing a story, in English no less (I’m Brazilian btw) so this has been a pretty big deal for me, please give me suggestions on how to improve if you have any, it’s really appreciated.

Asha and Sabino’s relationship hits really close to home for me, I think whenever we write something it’s inevitable that we bring a little bit of our own experiences into it, and here’s it’s not different, in my case I also had a really close relationship with my grandpa, and I grew up watching him develop Alzheimer’s, just like Asha I used to draw a looooot and my grandpa had a whole wall in his room dedicated only for my drawings, so yeah I got pretty emotional writing about that.

Rip Vovô Dudu

Anyway, what I wanted to accomplish with this intro was establish:

- King Magnifico and Queen Amable’s backstory… Or at least what the people of Rosas think it’s their backstory.

- Who were Asha’s parents and how they’re important to her and shape who she is.

- How Asha met all her friends, as well as who they are.

- How Asha is always going out of her way to help others.

- How her life went from being taken care of by Sabino to being his care taker, which in turn made her become more mature and hard working from an young age.

- But nevertheless, even with all the loss and pain she felt, she always remained kind and optimistic.

With all of that established, we can actually start this story, see you all on chapter 2!

Thank you for reading!

#disney wish #wish #wish 2023 #wish asha #wish disney #wish movie #wish rewrite #king magnifico #queen amaya #wish reimagined #rewrite #long post #kingdom of wishes

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ladythot · 9 months

Note

How they kiss you hEADCANONSS your selection of men but please include sikorsky ❤️

Short Kiss headcanons — SFW, cheesy stuff, non proofread

Characters; Jack, Pickle, Katsumi, Katou, Chiharu, Sikorsky (another weird combo I'm suh surry)

Also, still trying to get back to writing dm how rushed it sounds

Chiharu

Surprisingly during his first kiss, everything went smooth with those rosy lips of his. It's soft, warm, supple, and mightily inviting against yours. The lack of skill wasn't a problem, chiharu just swings with the mingling sensation of your lips crashing against his and he handles the rest of the kissing well. His hand lingers under your jaw the entire time—trying his best position to give you that perfect kiss.

Katou

Simple. He doesn't know how to kiss lol but that doesn't mean he spends no effort in making out. I meant half hearted effort; doing his worst or best to try and make it seem he knows how to kiss but all there is are sloppy movements of his lips, his blushing face, quivering hands, and broad eyes that turn half-closed when he kisses back. It's all coming together to turn him brittle in one piece. The entire idea of your lips against his is merely something he'd never get used to. But once comfortable, he'd give sloppy kisses ngl. He tries his best to keep his hands to himself but eventually turns out to be no use

Pickle

Nothing registers in his mind other than the lingering warmth pressing against his lips, but not so much as understanding a literal kiss being given right to him. He doesn't kiss back, just stares at you with wide, curious eyes as he tries to process whatever you're doing to him. Though pickle wouldn't deny it felt nice, that when your warm and wet tongue mingles with his, it makes him want to do the same until he returns the kiss tenaciously by a slow matter of time; to the point his tongue Is just lapping downside the tunnel of your throat. Hand at the back of your head, pulling you close. He doesn't close his eyes like a typical kisser, he's just curiously tonguing you down.

Takes him a while to learn.

Jack

His mouth is spacious and his tongue beeeg n' long. It's no doubt Jack makes vast difficulty when kissing anyone with a small mouth I mean you're not pickle buh Jack wouldn't spend much proper effort in kissing; he kisses lazily, in a good way. The sloppy style. He just lets his mouth hang open effortlessly, just enough for you to do all the work. When he gets in the mood though, like everyone agrees with, he'll dig his own tongue down your throat. Also, inexperienced Jack kisses would be stiff as hell. Heck, his jaw doesn't even budge while you make out with him.

Katsumi

Gives the best kisses without a shadow of doubt. No matter how inexperienced he is, his lips would never disappoint with how soft and supple they are. It sends your jaw melting from the warmth. His arms are on your waist, wrapped and pulling you close; as if securing you. His kisses are slow, steady, and passionate. Eyes closed, all attention paid to your very form. His hands would unconsciously drop down to your bottom do not ask

Sikorsky

Rough, slow, but less passionate. He's quite experienced with kissing and he's pretty much the gropey type. His eyes would open halfway just to take a look at you every once in a while as he watches you kiss back with closed eyes, it makes him feel good. Knowing that you're enjoying It the way he does too. He'd smirk into the kiss, dropping a hand down to grope you shamelessly, he'd feel like a literal king.

#arigathanks #jack hanma x reader #pickle x reader #pickle baki #katsumi orochi x reader #katou kiyosumi x reader #shiba chiharu x reader #chiharu shiba x reader #sikorsky x reader #baki headcanons #baki #baki the grappler #baki son of ogre #baki dou #so good to use the tags #crack take btw

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sunnytarg · 1 year

Note

Aemond seeing niece and nephews again after Driftmark. He wants to hate his niece but she's so innocent and nice to him. Giving him a hug as she tells him she missed him.

After the family dinner, Aemond decides to take revenge in a different way.

His precious niece so innocent as she invites him into her private room. Not being able to tell him no as he plays on her regret for what her brother did to him. It's only fair that Aemond take something in return amd whats better then hos precious nieces maidenhood.

Manipulative Aemond is top tier ✨

Pt. 2 || Pt. 3

Tw: Dark!Aemond, dubcon

Aemond is convinced that his half-sister and his nephews don’t think. His niece left King’s Landing sweet and innocent and here she is, standing before him in her nightgown in her chambers several years later, still sweet and innocent. Her mother or brothers should have taught her about the world and how men can be but they clearly didn’t in the time they were gone. It doesn’t really matter to Aemond because her lack of knowledge on such matters will only benefit him.

He has always wanted her. Over the years, though, his innocent and pure love for her had turned into something ugly and vengeful. Every day that his nieces and nephews weren’t in King’s Landing and he looked in the mirror he had to look at the scar that marred his face and his missing eye. He wanted to take something from them like they took something from him.

The opportunity presented itself when it was announced that Rhaenrya was going to be coming to King’s Landing with her family to argue Lucerys’s claim to Driftmark. The entire time they were in the Throne room and at the table for a meal with the family, Aemond never took his eye off of his sweet niece. She wasn’t there when her brother scarred him for life but he knew she felt guilty about it. She always felt guilty when her brothers or Aegon played mean jokes on him as a child.

When the meal was over, he finally figured out what he was going to do. They had taken his eye so he would take their sweet sister’s maidenhood. Perhaps he may even fill her with a bastard. It would only be fair, a bastard raising a bastard.

It only took a slight pout and a sad sigh from Aemond for her to look at the floor guiltily. She had let him slowly pull the nightgown off of her body when he mentioned how no woman wanted him with how disfigured he was and how only his family could give him what he wanted. His sweet niece had said that he could touch her but nothing more.

His hands roamed her body. Feeling her soft and ample tits and her beautiful curves. He was straining in his breeches at just the thought of taking her. When he reached down to the apex of her thigh, she tried to pull his hand away but he felt how wet she was. He leaned down and kissed her. Swallowing her protests as he pushed her down onto the mattress.

“We shouldn’t do this,” she whispered once he pulled away to untie his breeches. Perhaps another day he would taste her but tonight he had one thing in mind. “If anyone found out I would be ruined.”

Aemond pulled his hard cock out and at the sight his niece tried to close her thighs. He pulled her thighs apart and slid his cock up and down her slit. “Don’t worry niece. You are only doing your brother a favor. Instead of me having to take his eye in repayment for him taking mine, I’ll only take your maidenhood.”

His darling niece went to argue again but Aemond pushed his cock in between her folds without warning. Whatever she was going to say came out as a squeal as she took his cock into her cunt to the hilt. Aemond didn’t wait for her to adjust to his length before he began thrusting into her hard. He watched greedily as her tits bounced with every thrust and he lifted her thigh to go deeper when her squeaks became quiet moans.

“This is wrong,” she whispered, just as her cunt clenched around his cock. The feeling made him groan and thrust faster into her. He was close and perhaps if he wasn’t doing this simply for his pleasure he may have played with her clit to make her cum but he only cared about his release at the moment. Perhaps after he came he would take her again and make her cum then.

“Is it wrong? You’re doing your family a favor by being my little whore,” He grunted into her ear. She whimpered at his words and he continued, “you can’t tell me you don’t like it. I can feel how your pussy flutters around me. You’ve thought of this before, haven’t you? Of me fucking you? Taking your maidenhood and making you mine?”

“No,” she shook her head but he saw her bite her lip and look away. A telltale sign she was lying, one she had since they were children.

Her denial only made him thrust harder into her until the headboard loudly slammed into the wall. He felt the coil in his abdomen tighten and as he grabbed one of her tits harshly he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “I’m going to fill you with my seed tonight. I’m going to fill you every night until I watch you start to swell with my bastard. It’s only fitting that a bastard should give birth to one herself.”

She looked up at him with shock and tears in her eyes. He had always been so nice to her. He had never called her a bastard like she had her brothers. It felt like a betrayal of some sort but before she could say anything he moaned loudly and spilled his seed inside of her.

#house of the dragon #hotd #house of the dragon smut #hotd smut #aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen smut #aemond targaryen x oc #aemond targaryen x reader #tw: dubcon

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221bshrlocked · 1 year

Text

i remember...

Pairings: Captain Rex x afab! Jedi Reader

Words: 8579

Warnings: Angst with a happy ending. Mutual Pining. Some mention of blood loss but it’s not graphic. Love Confessions due to anesthesia-like fluids. I make up some random stuff about bacta so just ignore that bit please. Sad Rex. Heated Make-Out Session. Oral (female receiving). Squirting. Oversensitivity. Biting. Slight Dirty Talk. Penetrative, Unprotected Sex (wrap the shlong before you king kong my dudes). Breeding Kink. Creampie. Rex being a gentleman after sex.

Summary: “You’re s-safe, thank the Force.” His hold on you tightens when you hiss in pain, but you never once turn away from him, wanting to commit every moment to memory. If you survive this, you are sure you will never come this close to him again. But if you die, oh, if you die, then you would have spent your last seconds showing him how much he means to you.

A/N: This is for @imarvelatthestars who is also taking part in the @cloneficgiftexchange. I hope you enjoy this and I can’t wait for you to read the two other fics as well. Also, hi it’s nice to meet you :) This was originally going to be just fluff but my hands slipped and they went all the way so I hope you don’t mind. P.S. This is the first time I write for our dear Captain so I hope I got his character down correctly. If not, please let me know how I can write him better. As always, reblogs are appreciated.

It was becoming unbearable, mustering up the courage to fight every day in a war that meant absolutely nothing, that held no benefits for anyone except for those in political standings. The feeling of dread only worsened in the past few months, almost as soon as you were added to the 501st as another General. Count Dooku’s thirst for blood has increased, and you had this fear that it wasn’t only him. No, there was something much bigger playing at hand.

Perhaps someone even.

Shaking the dreadful thoughts aside, you scan the grounds quickly to see if any of your men were still alive. As you walk through the carnage, you will yourself to come to terms with the reality of this new life that has been thrust upon you, the recognition that it was most likely worse for your men making you wince angrily before returning to the task at hand.

“General,” the familiar voice of your Captain shifts your attention behind you, and you nod with an exasperation you’re sure is visible to him as you head towards his equally fatigued body.

“Any news on whether Anakin managed to get the intel?” You rub the side of your temple as you wait for Captain Rex to focus on you instead of his dead brothers surrounding you.

“He uh, he didn’t get there in time. He thinks one of the super tactical droids destroyed everything before it self-destructed.” You can hear the disappointment in his voice, and you look into his eyes for a moment to gauge his reaction. Grief swims in his eyes as he returns your gaze, and you hate that you don’t have to look at him to know what’s going through his mind. His Force signature is a cool shade of blue, one that parallels the lines adorning his armor, and your heart clenches when you see how different it is from the normally calming purple hue often surrounding him and setting your mind at ease. You’re reminded once again of just how much of a toll this war is taking on him and his brothers, and you turn away from him out of fear of bursting into tears and making matters worse.

If only you could comfort him beyond what’s deemed appropriate.

If only you could tell him how you feel.

“Don’t worry General, we’ll get them next time.” You hate that he’s trying to make you feel better when it is you who should be offering him supporting words. No words manage to part your lips, and you hum at him as you kick one of the battle droids nearby, trying to distract yourself from pushing past those hidden boundaries and embracing him in an attempt to return those affections he so clearly pushed upon you.

Just as you walk around him, you sense a strange feeling overtake your mind, and you glance to the side quickly, not really thinking of what you’re doing as you step in front of the Captain and activate your lightsaber. The sequence of the blaster shots drives your anger deeper, and you evade them to the best of your abilities, away from Rex and yourself until they each hit the battle droid attempting to kill you.

Scanning the area one last time, your mouth runs dry when you turn around and watch pure and utter shock display as clear as daylight on your Captain’s features. Pushing the weapon back into the holster around your hips, you smile at him to let him know that he would always be safe with you, only to tilt your head in confusion when he doesn’t return the gesture. You follow his line of sight and watch as the adrenaline of the battle leaves your body and makes way for a searing hot pain shooting through your side. Pushing your palm against your hip, you take it away and find it laced with fresh blood.

“C-Commander?”

In all the time you have spent with Rex, you have never once heard him display such unadulterated fear, not when he was near death all those months ago, nor when he thought there was no escape for him and his brothers after a particularly draining battle.

“Rex.”

You whisper his name as you fall to your knees, but strong arms reach for you before you hit the ground, turning you over and pushing violently against the wound to prevent it from bleeding.

“Kriff, why- why would you…you shouldn’t have-” He can’t get a single word out, and you try your best to set aside the pain shooting through your body so you can enjoy being in his arms. You feel your muscles give out, barely allowing you to reach up and caress his cheek. You don’t realize you’ve painted his beautiful skin with blood until you see tears rolling down his cheeks and stream a pink line to his chin.

“You’re s-safe, thank the Force.” His hold on you tightens when you hiss in pain, but you never once turn away from him, wanting to commit every moment to memory. If you survive this, you are sure you will never come this close to him again. But if you die, oh, if you die, then you would have spent your last seconds showing him how much he means to you.

“Stay with me, mesh’la.” He leans down and rests his forehead against your own, distracting you enough before he lifts you in his arms and runs to the nearest gunship. You clutch onto his shoulder like your life depends on it, unable to hold back from crying as each movement sends throbbing stabs down your spine and across your hip. You can faintly hear his apologies, and you rest your head against his shoulder to distract yourself once again. This close, you can smell his natural scent, and you shiver when you recognize how musky and sweet it is as it seeps through your senses.

You think you hear him call for Kix, but you can’t stay awake for much longer, the blood loss and your body’s fatigued nature taking over as soon as you get on the gunship. Rex puts you down with ease, but he snaps your name harshly when he sees you shutting your eyes and going limp in his arms again.

“Don’t close your eyes,” it’s his Captain voice, and you laugh at the demanding tone he’s aiming at you, only to cough violently and clutch at your side when your body jolts forward.

“I thought I g-give the orders here?” He doesn’t bother to smile at you, and you hate that he knows you’re only trying to diffuse the tension. When you look up at him, you find him frowning down at you, the blue aura around him now turning even darker as he looks around to see if Kix is nearby.

You gulp as the ship comes to life, and the harder you try to remain awake, the more tired your mind becomes. As you look around you, you find several of the men staring at you with worry etched on their features, and you feel a sense of peace wash over you at the thought of being so important to them. You can no longer keep yourself conscious, and just as you turn your head to the side and see Kix jumping into the gunship, you surrender to a deep sleep filled with midnight blue embraces and loving words.

A bright light wakes you from your haze, and you flutter your eyes quickly to get used to the blinding rays shining down on you. You try to get up immediately but a hand to your shoulder keeps you laying down, and you look to the side to see Kix whispering calming words to you.

“You nearly gave us a fright Commander,” he says after a while, and you look around to try and figure out where you are, only to find an extremely uncomfortable and worried Captain standing by your bed.

“Rex…”

“What were you thinking, hmm?” He snaps harshly at you, making you furrow your eyebrows in curiosity before you turn to Kix. Before you can say anything, Kix walks around and pushes Rex’s chest, urging him to move back and calm himself.

“You may be the Captain, but I outrank you here. I will not have you yelling at one of my patients. Understand?” His tone is firm, and you giggle at the thought of hearing one of Rex’s men not minding getting physical with him.

“I…feel weird.” You sigh deeply and look down, only to see several tubes coming in and out of your skin.

“That would be the Bacta IV. You weren’t doing so well Commander, a simple bacta patch wouldn’t have done the trick.” Kix removes himself from Rex but remains in between the two of you, checking on the needles one last time before moving to the other end of the room. You watch as he makes himself busy, and whatever conscious part of your mind thinks that he’s only pretending so he can give the two of you some privacy.

“To answer your question Captain, I- uhhh…I wasn’t thinking.” You drag the sheets down your body, suddenly feeling flushed as Rex continues to stare at you with a fiery anger you never thought him capable of.

“Actually, that’s…n-not true. I was thinking…but- you know what I mean.” You are not making much sense, and when Rex sighs before pulling up a chair to sit next to you, you smile at you and reach for his hand. He takes it reluctantly but never once looks at you. Neither of you say anything for a while, and you slowly begin to fall asleep when he continues to rub your wrist with his thumb.

“What were you thinking mesh’la…”

It’s a rhetorical question, or at least, you would have recognized that it is had you been more aware and less drugged. You open your eyes and gaze into his own, finding them filled with unshed tears. He looks defeated, and you frown at him while you tug on his hand to bring him closer to you.

“Don’t…don’t cry. It makes me sad to see you cry Rex.”

He chuckles then and you smile at him, rubbing the back of his hand in return to soothe him a little.

“I was thinking of you, and- and how it would kill me if I were to lose you. I can’t lose you Rex, I- I would not survive another day without you…I love you too much to let you go.” You’re not sure why the room is suddenly silent. All you know is, Rex’s Force signature has turned a deep shade of red and his fingers stopped drawing patterns on your skin. You think you hear Kix turn around but you’re too busy looking into the Captain’s eyes to register anything that’s not him.

“Mesh’la,” you want to ask him what the word means, but your eyes grow heavy yet again, and you rest your cheek on the pillow while gazing into his hazel, brown orbs. Before you can say anything else, you fall right back to sleep, completely missing Rex’s reaction to your confession and Kix’s reassurances that you were stable but required to rest further.

You dream of a time filled with peace, of longing gazes and soft caresses. Your mind fills your heart with hopes and wishes, ones you pretend are not impossible to reach. Your heart, once guarding a close-kept secret, finally feels as light as a feather, and it clenches softly when it hears revelations of a similar love, words yo uneven thought would be reciprocated as desperately.

It’s this last sensation that wakes you again, except this time, you’re less dazed than before but much more awake. Sitting up quickly, you study the room you’re in and take a few deep breaths to try and collect your bearings.

“Commander, you’re safe. You’re alive and safe. Breathe, breathe for me.” You look up and watch as Kix guides you through breathing techniques, and only when you’re relaxed and aware of your surroundings do you finally notice the other figure standing nearby.

“How long have I been out?” You ask as you look down and move the medbay gown to the side to see the wound. It’s fully healed and you throw Kix a quick glance, silently thanking him for everything that he has done for you.

“Almost 22 hours, sir. It’s quite remarkable actually, most people would take much longer to heal, even with the bacta. Then again, you’re a Jedi after all.” He checks your vitals, not bothering to mention that Rex is in the room. When he’s sure you’re all clear, he steps aside and finishes some reports on his holopad. You look to your right and watch as Rex slowly approaches you, sitting down on a chair near your bedside and slowly reaching for your hand. You’re surprised by the gesture but don’t deny him, looking back to Kix to see if he is aware of what his Captain is doing.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like a bantha ran me over,” you laugh at your own reply, but Rex doesn’t grace you with a hint of a smile. There is something nagging at the back of your mind, and you narrow your eyes at your joined hands, only to gasp lightly when he rubs your wrist and moves closer to you. If Kix notices what’s happening, he says nothing and turns around to give you some privacy.

“Do you…do you remember anything?” Rex asks reluctantly, and you get the sense that he wants to tell you something but is holding back out of fear of your reaction.

“I remember walking through the battle, and…and talking with you. I remember a droid trying to shoot at you but I took him down before he hurt you. And…I remember getting shot at.” You recollect the events of the last rotation to the best of your abilities, and when you stop speaking, you notice Rex’s aura shift to a cool haze once more.

Kriff, what was it?

“You don’t remember anything else?” He asks yet again, and you tilt your head to the side in confusion, his tone of voice bordering that of a man who has just lost everything he ever had.

“I- I uhh…no. I don’t.” You shake your head several times to figure out if he was referring to anything specific. When you turn to Kix to ask him if he knows what his Captain is talking about, you notice an apologetic expression on his features, one that was not aimed at you but his brother. Before you can say anything, Rex lets go of your hands, making you wish you can give him whatever answer he was searching for.

“I see,” it’s all Rex says before he stands up and pushes the chair back to the wall. You watch as he takes a stance and salutes you, his eyes never meeting your own again as he thanks you for saving him before running out of the room. You don’t turn away from the shut door until Kix walks by and checks your vitals again.

There is so much you want to ask him, but knowing Kix, you get the sense that he wouldn’t tell you even if you begged. He was good at keeping secrets, always has been.

“You’re cleared to leave General, though I do suggest you take it easy for the next few days. You may have physically healed but the psychological strain will take longer to get back to normal. Will you be needing any pain medication?” Kix asks as he takes out all of the needles and tubes from your arms, and you shake your head while you look up at him, hoping that you find whatever answer Rex was looking for swimming in his eyes. He avoids your gaze altogether, and you shut your eyes in irritation at the thought of upsetting Rex.

Maker, what was it?

You do your best to not take your frustration out on Kix as you get dressed, and before you leave, you thank him for taking care of you for the past rotation. He offers you his best wishes before returning to his seat and you make your way back to your quarters in the Jedi Temple slowly, all the while trying to figure out what transpired that made Rex ask you several times if you remembered anything, but more importantly, what you could have possibly said that upset Rex so much and made him leave without sparing you a second glance.

You keep to yourself as you head to your rooms, searching your mind for any clue as to what has happened after the battle. When you finally make it to the privacy of your space, you remove all of your clothes and go straight to the refresher, wanting to get rid of the blood and grime that has stuck to your skin for the past day. But no matter what you do, you can’t remember anything past the battlefield, and you feel your mind almost collapse on itself when the annoyance of memory loss turns into sheer anger.

Force above, what was it?

It occurs to you much later than you would care to admit that there was no way you can recall anything if you’re this unstable, and against your better judgment, you make your way to one of the meditation rooms instead of getting some rest as Kix suggested. As soon as you enter the quiet place, you move near one of the fountains, finding the consistent sound of water soothing to your soul. As you sit down, you take a few deep breaths and clear your mind of anything not related to the Captain of the 501st.

As you initially thought, it’s much more difficult to focus your mind when all you can feel is guilt for making Rex feel so disappointed and sad. You recall back all of the conversations you’ve held with him, especially the ones that lasted for an entire night as you kept watch before a serious battle. You remember the snide remarks aimed at Anakin, and the jokes he often laughed at the expense of Ahsoka. You remember and remember…

But no matter what you think of, you still can’t quite figure out what happened in the past rotation.

Willing yourself to focus harder, you decide to empty your mind altogether, even of those moments with Rex that you cherished and kept closely-guarded within your heart.

The Coruscanti sun slowly moves past the horizon but you remain seated against the flowing waters, pleading with the Force to give you a sliver of a hint so you can fix whatever wrong you made against Rex.

It’s only when your senses finally still do you see a faint dark red pass through your mind’s eye. You zero in on the memory, pushing yourself past your levels of comfort to seek out the desperate aura once again.

I was thinking of you.

Your voice rings through your mind, not sounding normal to your ears, but you are confident it is your own. Clenching your fists tightly, you seek out the memory until it flashes before your eyes as clear as the searing Twin Suns on a hot Tatooine day.

I can’t lose you Rex.

A faint sensation passes down your arm to your wrist, and you feel Rex’s thumb halt in its movement the more you reveal to him your secret. You can see his hands shaking as you pull him closer to you, the words spilling from your mouth making your heart skip a beat as realization washes over you.

I love you too much to let you go.

The last image flashing before your eyes is the look of utter shock that befalls Rex’s handsome features, and had it not been for the soft manner in which he whispers that one word to you in return, you would think he was completely repulsed by what you just confessed to him.

You open your eyes instantly, wincing yet again when your senses become overloaded with the sounds and scents all around you. Looking around the room, you take a few minutes to come to terms with the reality of what has transpired between yourself and the Captain.

Maker.

You had told him what you promised yourself you would never reveal to him.

In a moment of weakness, your heart decided to reveal its deepest secret instead of continuing to keep it hidden.

Looking outside the large glass windows, you notice how dark it became outside and curse yourself for taking so long to remember. It would be inappropriate to go to him now.

You look down to your hand and trace the skin Rex has touched all those hours ago, smiling to yourself when you recognize that your heart has already made the decision for you.

Not caring for how mad you must look, you race outside of the meditation rooms and run through the hallways of the Temple, ignoring the strange and concerning looks from the others still awake as you make it past the gates of your home and towards the barracks of the 501st Legion. It is raining uncontrollably outside, and you nearly lose your footing a few times as you run across the grounds towards the familiar building near the Jedi Temple. You see a handful of men hanging outside the barracks, and they try to call out to you to see if you need any assistance, but you pay them no mind, heading straight to the quarters of the Captain and ignoring how soaked you’ve become in your journey to him.

When you reach the hallways housing the Clone leaders, you slow down and move past the doors silently, praying to the maker that he was in his quarters and not elsewhere. As you reach the end of the hallway, you come to a stop in front of the large, steel doors housing Rex, and before you can think twice of what you’re doing, you push a few buttons on the pad beside the doors, waiting patiently for them to slide open to you.

There is a faint sound of frustrated sighs from behind the door, and you nearly laugh at the sudden turn of events, but the doors slide open and reveal an extremely tired and irritated Clone Captain, one that had just gotten out of the showers from the looks of it.

“Fives, if I have to tell you one more time- kriff, G-General!” His eyes widen in horror at the sight of you, and he walks out to the hallway to see if there are any signs of danger that led you to him. When he finds it as empty as ever, he turns back around and eyes you suspiciously.

“General, what- what are you doing here?” Rex asks, continuing to avoid your gaze as he moves back to his quarters and tugs you along with him. You realize too late that you probably shouldn’t be found at such an odd hour in your Captain’s private rooms, but you brush the thought aside, knowing that this could not wait for another time. You don’t respond right away though, and Rex studies you slowly before moving to his dresser and taking out a pair of sweatpants and a shirt.

“Here, change into these.” He throws the articles of clothing towards you, but you throw them back on the bed instantly, approaching him slowly to avoid scaring him.

“Captain.” You try to catch his attention, but Rex is adamant on not sparing you a single glance, moving to the other end of the room and grabbing one of his shirts before putting it on quickly.

“I don’t mind General,” he attempts to distract you, and you shake your head at him while following him around the small room.

“Captain, please.”

“You’re going to catch a cold, and I’m not going to hear the end of it from Kix.” Rex ignores whatever you’re saying and rubs his temples furiously, making you wish he would just look at you instead of avoiding you as if you were just another commanding officer.

As if you hadn’t spilled your heart out to him a day ago.

Your frustrations nearly get to you, but you quickly come to understand that the man in front of you would continue ignoring your pleas if you didn’t cut to the chase and tell him what you came here for.

“I remember.”

Rex stops in his pacing, dropping his arms to his side and looking at the gray wall ahead of him. He doesn’t move a muscle, and your heart skips a beat when the hue around him turns into that familiar shade of burgundy once more, the same one that graced your sight when you told him how much you love him.

“I remember, Rex.”

You repeat your words and watch as he slowly turns around and meets your eyes in a heated gaze. He continues to remain silent and you take the chance to step closer to him, hoping that he doesn’t get spooked by your revelation and walk away again.

“You- you remember?” His question is laced with a faltering anxiety that you hate you’ve caused him to feel, and you close the last bit of space between the two of you, smiling at him as you reach for his hand and rub your thumb over his wrist.

“I remember…I remember everything Rex.”

He gulps down at you, watching carefully as you extend his wrist up to your mouth and lay the softest of kisses across the sensitive skin beneath your thumb. His sharp intake of breath sends a shiver down your spine, and before you can say anything else, Rex pushes you back against the nearest wall and attacks your lips in a desperate kiss. You moan into him immediately, throwing your arms around his shoulders just as he leans down and grabs your hips to hoist you up in between his rigid body and the solid wall behind you.

You part your lips in a gasp and Rex takes advantage of your shock, sneaking his tongue into your mouth and devouring you without a care for anything except the lewd noises you are gracing him with. He doesn’t know where he can touch you, but as he feels your nail sink into his neck, he breaks the kiss and moans your name over and over again, giving you but a moment of respite before lunging for your mouth once again. You’re soaking wet, and you want to warn him so he doesn’t get wet as well, but he doesn’t let up once, moving down your jaw and licking the droplets of water sticking to your skin. His tongue feels hot against your already flushed skin, but you can’t find it in yourself to complain, not when you finally had him in your arms, stealing your breath with such needy kisses. You don’t realize you’re crying until he pulls away abruptly and looks at you with concern.

“No, please…don’t stop. I’m just- I’m so happy.” You try to bring him back again but he’s much stronger than you, keeping some bit of distance between your mouth until he can ask you that burning question.

“Are you sure I’m not hurting you, mesh’la?”

“No, gods no. I never thought you’d reciprocate my feelings Rex, and- and when I remembered the way you looked at me, I…I ran over here.” Your smile grows when you notice the soft smirk gracing his handsome features, and you lean your forehead against his own briefly to relish in the moment.

“I love you, cyare…so damn much. I- I thought I lost you back there…couldn’t, couldn’t believe what you did for me. And then you told me why and I nearly lost my mind all over again.” He lays as many kisses as possible across your entire face, making you sniffle each time he reveals to you what was going through his mind.

“I love you too Rex, have been ever since I joined your legion.” The sentiment manages to put a halt to his words and he looks at you for what you deem is too long before leaning down and taking your lips in between his own again. It’s much less frantic than before, but it is just as deeply felt, and you tilt your head to the side to deepen it further, whining against him when he removes the both of you from the wall and walks back to his bed.

He lays you down softly and continues to leave a trail of kisses down your neck, swearing beneath his breath when you reach for his shirt and try to remove it off of him.

“Rex, what- oh kriff, what does that word mean?” You manage to ask in between each kiss and nip he marks your body with, whispering his name over and over again when he chuckles at you and sits up to remove his shirt. You bite into your lower lip as soon as he reveals his broad chest to you, giggling like a little girl as Rex throws his shirt aside and drags his hand up and down your body.

“Why don’t I show you sweetheart?” The Captain descends down upon you possessively, dragging his hands everywhere with an aggressiveness you’ve never seen him display before. He has you whimpering in the span of a few minutes, and with each bit of fabric he rips from your body, you’re left wishing he would put you out of your misery and claim you.

“Please, Rex.” You beg shamelessly, covering your eyes with your arm when you’re left in nothing but your undergarments.

“Shh, I got you cyar’ika…I got you.” The Captain coos at you as he traces lines up and down your body, passing his fingers in between your thighs teasingly and laughing when he notices goosebumps erupt across your skin. You peak from above your wrist, only to find him studying you closely and with a hunger unseen on his features before.

“S-stop looking at me like that.” You turn your head to the side when he drags your arms away from your face and places them above your head, making you wish he wasn’t enjoying making you flustered.

“Like what?” He’s nearly breathless as he asks you the question, not caring for how wanton he looks as he hovers his lips above your sternum before slowly making his way down your stomach.

“Like…like-” You can’t find the words to tell him what he looks like, mostly because you know he’ll only laugh and reiterate whatever you say in agreement and cause you to feel even more embarrassed at being the subject of his scrutiny.

“Like I want to eat you? Like I want to devour every fucking inch of you? Like I want to mark you with my teeth and hands until the whole kriffing galaxy knows who’s making you feel good? Is that how I’m looking at you sweet girl?” He pronounces each question with a harsh bite to your skin, smiling wickedly at you as he descends between your thighs and shoves them wide open to make room for himself.

“Y-yes…I- oh gods please Rex, just- just…”

“I hate to break it to you ner cyare, but I will never,” he growls his need for you against the edge of your panties, biting down and chuckling when you twitch beneath him and reach for his shoulder, “ever,” his voice is much rougher, and you think that perhaps he will kill you through sheer frustration, “ stop looking at you like that.” You whine his name, and as you try to ask him once more to not be so brazen with you, he shoves his nose into your core and breathes in deeply. It’s absolutely filthy, the manner in which he nudges along the damp material hiding you from him while staring directly into your eyes. You shouldn’t be surprised by how far dilated his pupils are, but as you sink your nails into his muscles, you furrow your eyebrows and will yourself to continue staring at him, wanting to ensure that he wants this just as much as you.

“Rex…please, touch me.” You slide one of your hands up to his cheek, cupping his chiseled jaw beneath your palm out of fear of having him move away.

“I am touching you, mesh’la.” Rex raises a curious eyebrow at you, nuzzling into your hand when he feels you settle down and whine in frustration.

“I need more.” You hope he understands what you’re trying to say, but it seems that Rex wants nothing more than to push you over the edge of irritation, huffing out in laughter once as he leans over and kisses your inner thighs.

“Like this?” He asks, licking the spot he’s kissed before moving to the space just below your hip and nipping it lightly. “Or like this?” He inquires with a whisper, taking the edge of your panties in between his teeth and pulling them up until he makes sure you’re still looking at him before letting go and smirking at the snapping sound that forces you to jolt your hips into his face. He must be able to see the annoyance etched on your features because as soon as you try to sit up on your elbows and give him a piece of your mind, he drags both of his hands beneath your thighs and hoists them up until you’re perfectly laid out for him.

“Rex, if you don’t- ahhh fuck,” you throw your head back as soon as you feel the heat of his mouth engulf your wet core. He’s licking you violently through the flimsy fabric of your panties, and when you manage to look down at him through dazed eyes, Rex shoves the material aside and shoves his tongue violently against your clit. You drag your nails across his scalp before you realize how painful it might be, but when you attempt to grab anything else, Rex shakes his head and sucks on your clit before letting go altogether.

“Don’t fucking stop…mark me baby, mark me so the whole GAR knows who fucks you like the filthy jetii’ika I know you are.” Your eyes widen in shock at his words, amazed that the normally respectful and shy Captain is capable of groaning the filthiest words ever as he goes down on you. You return your hands to his blonde hair, a zap of lightning shooting across your muscles when you feel the buzzed cut tickle your heated skin while he continues to fuck you with his tongue.

“Rex…oh fuck, you- you feel so good. Please don’t stop…don’t stop Captain!” You don’t mean for the honorific to fall so easily from your lips, and you look down to see if it made him uncomfortable, only to find him staring hungrily at you as he pulls you harder on his face.

“Is that what you want, cyar’ika? You want me to be your Captain…give you orders and make you cum on my face before I fuck you till you can’t feel your legs?” You know it’s a rhetorical question because he returns his attention to your engorged clit soon after, laying his tongue flat against your bundle nerves as he drools over the fingers resting just below his mouth. You want to watch him as he worships you, commit to memory the desperation filling every muscle of his body as he shows you how much he craves you, but as soon as he eases two of his fingers past your slit and rubs against your walls, you’re shutting your eyes and arching your back at the sudden flash of pleasure that takes over your whole body.

“Cum for me ner jetii’ika,” the tone of his voice, along with the needy order, are all it takes for you to reach your pleasure, and you dig your nails into his scalp in an attempt to bring him closer to you as you roll your hips back and forth against his mouth. You can’t feel anything except his tongue and his fingers, and you manage to look down through heavy-lidded eyes to watch Rex as he makes you cum. Your body shakes violently when you see his Force signature turn into a bright cloud of red, the shade validating to you the Captain’s feelings as he continues to assault your cunt until you grow oversensitive.

You try to push him off of you but he is relentless in his mission to pleasure you, wrapping his arms around your hips and pushing down your body until you understand that he won’t be letting you go anytime soon. You feel empty all of a sudden, but then you notice his wet fingers as they grab you through your chest bindings and you feel another wave of ecstasy slowly creep up on you.

“R-Rex…I-”

“Drench my face, sir.” You’re not sure what it is that coaxes another orgasm out of you, if it is the way he orders you to cum on his mouth again, or the sound of the honorific falling from his lips as he licks and sucks on your clit. You scream his name like a benediction, the sensation he was bringing upon your fatigued body driving you mad with lust. You can faintly hear him moan your name in return, and it’s only when you look down after he’s let up do you realize that you’ve done exactly what he wanted and drenched his face. You should be embarrassed, but as Rex licks at you softly with a lazy smile, you realize that he may have enjoyed this more than you.

“Oh maker, I- I’ve never…” You try to speak but your voice comes out hoarse, making Rex laugh even harder as he sits up and wipes his face with the back of his hand.

“That was the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen sweetheart…I want you to do it again.” He drags his gaze down your body as he brings his fingers to his mouth and sucks on them, the same ones that were showing you stars not a moment ago. He looks positively sinful, and you giggle embarrassingly at him before you try to reach for the tent on his sweatpants.

“No,” he grips your wrist tightly and falls against you, pushing you down into his bed with his whole body before reaching for both of your hands and laying them above your head. You frown at him, unsure why he was denying you the same pleasure he brought upon you.

“Don’t look so upset, mesh’la.” He winks at you as he kisses down your neck and licks the water droplets sticking to your sternum. You sigh heavily and extend your neck out further to give him more access, the action pleasing him more than you thought it would and making him groan deeply into your breasts. “Believe me when I tell you…if you touch me now, this night will end much earlier than I would like it to.” He sucks bruises across your chest, managing to hold both of your wrists with one hand while the other moves to unbind the wrapping around your breasts. It doesn’t take much to reveal you to his eyes, and when you’re finally freed of the offending article of clothing, Rex growls before ascending upon you, not caring for how rough he’s being as he takes a nipple in between his teeth while he rolls his thumb over the other.

“Ah f-fuck…Rex, you- your tongue is- oh kriff, I need you Captain…please. I want to feel you, want you to fuck me, hard.”

“Yeah sweetheart?” Rex soothes the love bites with his tongue, swirling the rough muscle around your hardened peak until your chest rises and falls rapidly. He’s memorizing every inch of your skin, and you notice his smile grow deeper when he sees evidence of his claim beginning to appear all over your body. You always imagined him to be possessive with things he enjoyed, but you never thought once you’d be at the receiving end of such dedication, such admiration.

“Claim me, my dear Captain.” You plead one last time, tilting your head down to try and kiss the top of his head in an attempt to make him lose control. The gesture does the trick, and Rex ascends up your body and takes your lips in between his own, ripping the breath out of your lungs as he sucks and licks into your mouth until you could no longer focus on anything but the sensations he was ringing from your body. You whine and moan for him as he pushes you harder into his sheets, and when you tries to rest his weight on one of his arms, you throw your own around his neck and pull him as flush to you as possible.

“I want to feel you, all of you.” You whisper the request against his cheek, kissing his jaw lightly in anticipation for what comes next. When you sense his hand moving down your body, you nip across his neck and mirror his actions from earlier, distracting him on his journey just as he did with you not a moment ago.

“Fuck sweetheart, you’re going to be the death of me.” Rex groans against your forehead as he struggles to pull the edge of his sweatpants down his hips. It becomes very clear to him soon that you weren’t going to let up on marking his skin, and he sighs in irritation before deciding to pull his cock out from underneath the band of his pants.

“Please Rex,” you urge him with soft pleas and wet kisses, laying your head back to look into his eyes as he pushes aside your panties and rubs your clit with the hard tip of his cock.

“Are you ready for me, cyare?” Rex asks, furrowing his eyebrows in focus so as to not hurt you. You nod frantically at him, widening your legs even further to allow him to settle more comfortably in between your thighs.

“Fuck me, Captain.” You breathe against his quivering lips, sighing in relief when the crown of his dick catches at your wet entrance.

“Yes, sir!” It’s all the warning you get before Rex thrusts his throbbing cock into your cunt, and you watch with fascination as the aura shadowing over the two of you becomes an even deeper shade of red, one that mixed perfectly with his normally blue hue and created a soothing new wave to your eyes.

Neither of you move, looking into the other’s eyes to ensure that this was actually happening.

Rex struggles to breathe, and you massage his neck with your fingers before shifting your hips to get closer to him. The movement sends his cock gliding against your clenching walls, and you both moan the other’s name as you feel pure ecstasy take over your spirits.

“You- you feel…” Rex tries to speak, but he loses focus of the sentence, instead moving all of his attention into committing this moment to memory.

“Perfect.” You finish his thought, leaning up and kissing his lips once before relaxing back into the mattress and silently urging him to move. When he pulls out of you and pushes back in slowly, you realize that you’ll never get enough of this.

Enough of him.

And from the way he was gazing down at you, it seems that the feeling was mutual.

“Rex, just- I want you to cum. I don’t care about me, I only w-want to feel you cum.” You cross your legs behind his back to bring him deeper inside you, the action forcing a cry from his lips that sounds awfully like your name. You giggle beneath him, pride feeling your chest at being the one to bring him to such pleasure.

“I- I’ll be damned if you don’t cum on my cock at least once tonight, mesh’la.” The promise is accompanied with a dangerous glint in his eyes, and you gulp nervously at him, shutting your eyes to relish in the feeling of being so full. Each thrust brings about a fresh wave of arousal to your core, and you dig your nails into his back to show him just how good he’s making you feel. The delicious drag of his cock across your tight walls nearly makes you question whether this was all real, not because you didn’t expect him to feel so perfect inside you, but because he was so much better than your imagination.

His grunts are music to your ears, and you leave a trail of kisses across face the closer he gets to his peak, wanting him to scream your name when he finally cums and claims you. It’s a battle of needs at this point, with your minds telling you to make this last as long as possible but your joined bodies screaming for a sweet release. You can feel every inch of him, every hard vein slide against your fluttering walls the harder he fucks into you.

There is so much on your mind, so much you want to tell him, but you’re not coherent enough to remotely breathe out a string of affirmations to him, so you instead look back into his eyes and hope he can see right through you, recognize every bit of your heart that has always screamed his name since they day you met.

“I- I won’t last much longer, cyar’ika.” He manages to confess as he thrusts become harder, deeper, more intimate. You shake your head and whisper your lack of care for what he just said, wanting him to finally mark you as his own and fill you with his seed. There’s something inherently faithful about wanting him to fuck his cum inside you, a sensation you’re aware would scream your devotion to each other but is against every rule set in place for someone like you…someone like him as well,

But you can’t find it in yourself to care, not when Rex was finally sinking so sweetly into your pussy over and over again until you couldn’t think of anything else but how utterly divine he felt as he joined your bodies with a string of unparalleled pleasure.

“Ner jetii’ika, I- I’m…oh kriff, where do I-”

“Inside me, please!” You cut him off, swallowing his moans as he shakes above you while bringing one of his hands in between your bodies, the sudden touch of his digits against your oversensitive clit making you arch your back into his chest and part your lips for him. He grunts several times while rubbing your hardened bundle of nerves, swirling his tongue around your own when he feels you clench harshly around him. You shudder beneath him, unable to fathom the sensations he was pulling from you so easily, so exquisitely. Just as you break the kiss to breathe, Rex growls your name in between expletives, shoving his cock into you a few times before finally coming undone. Your pleasure lasts for longer than you thought possible, the feeling of his seed painting your walls and oozing out of you somehow making you feel even more attuned to his pleasure, as if his ecstasy was connected to your own and refused to part from it. He bucks his hips into you with shallow thrusts, resting his forehead against your chest as he slowly comes down from the brief high.

You’re both too dazed to move a single muscle, and when you try to unwrap your legs from around him, Rex hisses in surprise at feeling your pussy flutter around him one last time. He finally sits up to look at you, and you watch as the smirk on his face grows with each bit of skin he sees adorned with his touch.

“So…all of that means ‘mesh’la’?” You break the silence and laugh along with him when he finally catches on to what you’re referring to, only to hiss in discomfort when he pulls out of you and leaves you empty. You watch as Rex reluctantly sits up and shoves your thighs apart to look at the mess he’s made of you. You want to shake your head at him, call him disgusting for being so obvious with what he’s done to you, but when you find him biting his lips and staring at you with newfound lust, you realize that teasing him may not be the best idea now.

“Fuck cyare, you look beautiful.” You giggle as you hide behind your arms once more, making Rex tease you about your shy bedside manner when he was literally fucking you into kingdom come not a moment ago. He gets up and walks to the refresher, quickly coming back to you to clean you up so you don’t have to move much. You can’t help but look at him with adoration as he rubs every inch of your skin. He’s careful and patient with you, taking his time to caress your skin before throwing the towel aside and reaching for one of his shirts to hand you.

“Why give me a shirt when you know you’ll take it off of me in another hour?” You ask him teasingly, laughing hysterically when he throws it aside and shoves his sweatpants down his thighs.

Your eyes shift to his cock instantly, and you marvel at how thick and long he is…and the fact that he was already starting to get hard again.

“To even the field,” he winks at you as he slips beneath the covers and pulls you into his side, wrapping his arm around you before dimming down the lights.

You sit in silence for what feels like hours, drawing patterns on his beautiful, bronze chest while he rubs your shoulder and back to soothe your body. It’s only after a while that Rex finally breaks the quiet air of the room and looks down at you, waiting until you meet his eyes before he finally tells you what he’s wanted to say for so long.

“I would rather die than let anything happen to you, ner cyare. You know that right?” He says, matter-of-factly, and you sense a sliver of anxiety fill his otherwise calm aura for a brief moment before it evaporates into thin air.

“I know darling, and you know by now that the feeling is mutual.” It’s not what he wants to hear, that you are sure of, but you can’t find it in yourself to lie to him, wanting him to know that you care for him just as much as he cares for you.

“I guess both of us are going to be stubborn about this.” He shakes his head and leans over to kiss your forehead before resting back against the pillow once more.

“You bet your sweet ass.” You retort immediately, yelping in shock when he pinches your shoulder and sends you closer into his chest.

“You haven’t even seen my ass, sweetheart.” He snorts at your comeback, glancing down at you for a moment before shutting his eyes and enjoying the feeling of having you so willing and relaxed in his arms.

“Oh, believe me Captain, I have seen your ass…and I fucking love it.”

#CFGE23 #cloneficgiftexchange23 #captain rex x reader #captain rex/reader #captain rex x afab!reader #captain rex x fem@reader #captain rex #the clone wars #star wars #star wars the clone wars #captain rex fanfiction #captain rex smut #captain rex fluff #captain rex angst

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coralinnii · 1 year

Note

Is it okay to ask for riddle isekaid villainess part 2? You can ignore if you want^^

"If you are a villain, then let me be your accomplice"

feat: Riddle

genre: romance

note: sequel to “being reincarnated into a new world as the bad guy”, roughly 1.2k word count,

series masterlist

y'all really requested it, I'm here for it tho cuz yes to Riddle <3 There's a request for a fluffier Riddle fic so stay tune for that.

Since your imprisonment, Riddle has been trying to appeal for your release ever since, but his mother was adamant in her decision. So, Riddle instead made it his goal to convince his mother for him to inherit the throne as soon as possible so that he could revoke your sentence and you could return to the kingdom, and to him.

Thus, he worked to prove himself to his mother. He led conquests of other lands to expand the Rosehearts reign. He busied himself in establishing trading routes with other kingdoms, increasing the flow of valuable materials and talented individuals coming into the kingdom. Through his efforts, the kingdom became bigger and richer.

He was an unbending force that yielded to no one, not even to his own mother as he kept pushing to create a utopia of a kingdom and prove himself a worthy ruler. He needed to be the perfect emperor and to an extent he succeeded as he was an amazing leader with keen senses and foresight but he can come across as somewhat tyrannical to others due to his lack of sympathy for others who delayed his plans.

He couldn’t afford incompetence and laziness. If others cannot perform to his expectations, how can he inherit the throne at this rate and have you waiting longer.

The final push to his already short patience was when he received your last letter. You were planning to escape from your tower, and he may never see you again. He made you wait too long and you planned to disappear, likely lead a new life, meet new people... find someone to love and marry...

In desperation, Riddle marched to his mother in the throne room with his army and the nobility on his side, demanding that she step down. Without a reason against it, the royal power has switched and Riddle was the official king. His first order was for his men to bring you to the palace.

“Well, that explained the lack of letters, I supposed” you murmur as you walked down the halls of the palace, your new home. You questioned the legitimacy of Chenya’s words when he mentioned how busy Riddle had been, but you realized he truly wasn’t exaggerating.

You thought about softening Riddle’s rule, but the situation was trickier than you expected as Riddle’s actions teeter between tyranny and necessary as his laws were for the greater good, if not a little strict.

“No! It is unacceptable!” your train of thought was disrupted as you heard a familiar voice coming from one of the larger rooms, you recognized it as the kitchen. “Common etiquette dictates that tea is served after 2 minutes has passed after being steeped in water heated at 325 degrees, letting it cool. You have ruined this batch of tea with your incompetence!”

Today, he happens to be in a tyrannical mood.

You cautiously walked in and saw a precarious situation. Riddle was the center of the commotion, angrily reprimanding a young woman you assumed was a new maid who was hysterically apologizing again and again to your husband.

“I’m sorry, your highness!” the maid cried, kneeling before Riddle with her hands on the floor and head down, her tears dripping endlessly.

“Do you intend to harm the royal family, serving my beloved with this disgusting, boiling mess? Leave this palace at once!” Riddle furiously yelled to which the maid further sobbed in apology. Working in the imperial palace is the highest honor but being fired from the royal family is akin to social annihilation as no other family would dare to hire such a worker. Your heart went out to the poor woman.

“Riddle?” your voice catches Riddle’s attention and he turned to see you by the door.

“Rosie” he whispered which made you shy at first, having others know that old nickname is a little embarrassing. Nonetheless, you continued to walk towards him.

“Isn’t this too harsh? It seems to be an honest mistake” you defended the woman, but Riddle was firm in his stance.

“You cannot be serious” Riddle sighed. “Anyone associated with high society knows this basic practice. How can you be so forgiving?”

“Because…I don’t know it”

Silence filled the room as Riddle stared at you while you continued to confess your incompetence, as Riddle would put it.

“I don’t know the right temperature to steep tea. I can't tell what's good tea or bad tea, hot or cold” you profess your ignorance, a little ashamed. You started your training as a future member of the royal family at a young age but when you were sent into your tower, you were cut off from social interaction and obligations. You restarted your etiquette training but with everyone comparing you to the prodigy that is your husband, you understand how disheartening criticisms can be.

You reach out to clasp Riddle’s hands which seems to have a calming effect as his reddening face cooled down, although a faded blush was still present.

“People have their own pace to perfect something, Riddle. Us included” you said as you softly rubbed Riddle’s knuckles in a soothing manner. “I think we should give people the chance to learn and redeemed themselves. What do you say?”

Riddle let out a sigh before turning to the maid kneeling down before him. His stare was piercing, like a sharp sword cutting through one's soul.

“You have one more chance” he declares sternly. “If you fail to improve yourself, consider your time here over”

You felt relieved, grateful that your childhood friend is still willing to listen to others, a sign that he could change for the better, away from the original story. Seeing your smile brought out a subtle one on Riddle’s lips as he revels in your soft hold, in bliss to be in your warm presence after so long. He was in such a hurry to gain the throne that he would strike down those that stand between his goal, but with you finally standing beside him, his mad need for perfection seems less insistent.

The new servants, however, were astonished. Seeing their ruthless master known for his temper and unforgiving nature, rescind his order. The servants thought what an odd couple you two were but were grateful for your intervention regardless.

— Bonus —

“How can you still not remember proper tea etiquette?” Riddle gently reprimands you, though he recalls how nonchalant you were with your lessons even during your younger years “You need to start taking your lessons more seriously and not just skim through the books”

“You know me too well, Riddy” You giggled despite his scolding, before looking at him teasingly “You could always teach me, you know? We can make it a special lesson, just the two of us”

Riddle’s face flushed red at the idea, imagining a whole session with just him and you without the intervention of his advisors or your guards, especially those two new rookie knights that has gotten close to you lately. It would be just him that holds your attention, only he would hold your gaze as you smile and laugh with him, perhaps even sharing treats with him along with your tea.

“Hmph, I suppose if you need someone who can show you proper technique, I could find the time for it”

You let out a laugh as you thanked him, not noticing the flabbergasted looks of your audience. The older servants who knew your relationship with Riddle are not the most surprised by Riddle's leniency with you but for others...

"Your highness...making tea..."

"Pinch me...I must be dreaming"

"That tyrannical maniac...is blushing?!"

You have your work cut out for you but nobody else has sway with Riddle as you do.

#twisted wonderland #twst x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #twst scenarios #twst imagines #riddle rosehearts #riddle x reader #villainess au #twst

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biteofcherry · 17 days

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Wetnessday anon here 💦

Your story about how you met king Curtis is awesome! I'd love to meet him like this!

I'm curious how the story would have went if she ended up in king Ari's kingdom though.

(you don't have to write anything of course)

xoxo Wetnessday anon 💦

One of the crew members finds you hiding on the ship, but since they don't know who you really are and you try to sell your story of dream life on golden shores and fishing, they simply tell you that there's no free ride, so you have to do some work on the ship

You mend some clothes and sails, as well get roped into helping with cooking for the crew

Not once do you meet king Ari, you just briefly see him from afar

Once you reach his kingdom the sailor who discovered you, gives you directions to the small fishing village not far from the docks and tells you there are a few fishermen who may look to hire a help

You fall a little in love with the kingdom as you walk down the shore, feeling the warm, golden sand beneath your feet and watching the shades of blue and turquoise of the sea, and the greenery of forests on the other side of the beach

Some of the fishermen shoo you away, but there's one grumpy older man who judges you head to toe, commenting how you don't look much hardworking, but he still agrees to take you under his wing

Duncan lives alone in a house the farthest from any other, but his boat looks really well taken care of.

You're surprised to find out there's a small, lush garden next to his home; but he shrugs and says that his wife used to take care of it, he just lets it grow.

He often sighs and grumbles "What has possessed me to teach stubborn youth again in my old days", especially when you show impatience with some tasks.

What you don't know is that Duncan is a former navy captain who used to be young Prince Ari's teacher and guardian, who retired early to take care of his sick wife who unfortunately passed away a few years ago.

You're also unaware that fond of his old friend, King Ari often visits Duncan.

It's a complete surprise to you when one day you're sitting in front of the house with Duncan, both of you working on the mending the nets and him telling you hilarious story of how he met his wife (it involved being smacked over the head with a paddle), and King Ari arrives unannounced.

The problem is that Ari recognizes you.

He saw you at the feasts when he visited your kingdom, he was introduced to you. So the plainer dress and lack of shiny jewelry don't fool him.

When he reveals the truth to Duncan, the older man just snorts: "She did a better job blending in than you when you tried to join merchants at thirteen springs."

Ari takes you back to his castle and it's non-negotiable.

No matter how much sympathy he feels for you over your story, you are a crown Princess of another kingdom and you're in his lands. If something were to happen to you while here, his kingdom could face a war.

At least he doesn't immediately sail you back to your kingdom, claiming he has to think it all through.

You're given beautiful chambers, even more beautiful gowns and you share dinners with Ari every evening. He likes talking to you and you find him to be a charming, funny companion.

One morning you wake up much earlier than usual and you take the opportunity to roam the castle grounds and nooks while everything is still sleepy and quiet. You don't expect to stumble upon Ari and two of his men returning from who knows what activities - all laughing, shoving each other and being very much wet

You stare at Ari, your eyes unable to stay on his face while his torso is shiny with water.

When you drag your gaze up and meet his blue eyes, there's a hungry spark in them. Also amusement that curves his lips and makes you realize he caught you staring.

You flee with a squeak, running back to your chambers to hide in embarrassment. You almost refuse to meet Ari for dinner later that evening, still mortified.

But it's that very evening that Ari makes you a proposal - he can't keep you here as a guest forever, since at some point someone will report to your brother where you are and it might stir a lot of drama.

He could send you back home, or send an emissary with official request for your hand in marriage; which would also include a false story of how Ari found you were abducted and saved you (a lie to save your reputation as well).

"It may not be your dream life," Ari says when you nervously play with your cup of wine, "but as heirs and rulers we have to also take responsibility. Even if we'd very much prefer to be fishermen and merchants," he winks at you.

"We like each other's company and I'm quite certain the attraction is undeniable." He gives you that hungry look again and your thighs clench involuntarily.

He lists a few more compelling arguments. When you finally say yes, knowing that it's still the best of your options, considering the repercussions if you were to be brought to your brother, Ari stands up and rounds the table to where you're seated.

He kisses you for the first time that evening

his hand moving from sweet, respectful caress on your cheek to gripping the back of your head as he slips his tongue between your lips

you've never been kissed like that and when Ari pulls back you nearly chases his lips with a whine.

#Wetnessday Anon #I'm always so happy when you send me asks and ideas! ❤️#ari levinson x reader #ari levinson x you #ari levinson x female reader #ari levinson imagine #king!ari levinson

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cozage · 6 months

Note

Hi Coza. How are you? I’m so happy to see request open again! Also wanted to let you know I LOVE The Daughter’s Return and the headcanon where some of the boys teach their partner how to fight!!! Can I please have a Zoro x female reader, where the reader is saved by Zoro and joins the crew (idk what job or dream she has but it could be anything). Zoro decides to teach her swordsmanship so she is able to defend herself. I don’t know if any of that remotely makes sense. But thank you and can’t wait to see it!! 💙🤍

A/N: HI FRIEND MISS YOU HOPE ALL IS WELL AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS LOVELY DISH OF ZORO Characters: Zoro x fem reader CW: Illusion to some spicy activities but nothing crazy Total word count: 1.1k

Sword Skills

You would’ve died if that green haired swordsman hadn’t stopped those men in the alleyway. They had cornered you, and suddenly he appeared out of nowhere to save you.

And then he was gone again, racing back the way he came.

“Hey! Let me repay you!” you shouted. “Please! You just saved my life!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” the man said, still walking briskly away from you. “I just took out some trash.”

“Please!” you begged. “Let me repay you! I have a sushi restaurant, let me make you a meal!”

That made him stop. He looked back at you curiously. “Got any booze there?”

You nodded. “Please, let me try and repay my debt.”

He sighed dramatically, but he turned and walked to you. “Lead the way.”

Ten hours later, he was still sitting in your shop. You had closed down early and the two of you had exchanged stories and laughed the entire night away.

“It sounds like you have amazing adventures,” you said wistfully. “I wish I could do something that exciting.”

“Join our crew,” Zoro offered casually, taking another swig of alcohol.

You gave a dry laugh. “I couldn’t do that!”

“What’s keeping you here?”

You didn’t have an answer. You had no family, the job you worked was menial, and even the place you lived in was far too small for how much money you paid the owner. You had a few surface-level friends, but Zoro now knew more about you than any of your friends did.

“I can’t fight,” you admitted. “I wouldn’t have anything to offer the crew.”

“Yeah right,” Zoro scoffed. “You can make sushi. You can prepare drinks. You can do plenty of things.”

“But I’d be a liability in fights. Which happens a lot in the pirate world.”

Zoro’s eye twitched in irritation. “You don’t have to be strong to be on our crew you know.”

“But I don’t know anything! Did you forget earlier today?”

Zoro clicked his tongue in disapproval, but he had to admit you were right. “Fine. I’ll teach you.”

You scowled at him in confusion. “Teach me what?”

“How to fight. Let’s go pick some swords out tomorrow before we get on the ship.”

“I’m not carrying around three swords.”

Zoro chuckled. “You couldn’t handle three swords yet. I’ve trained my whole life for three swords. With you, we’ll start with one.”

You nodded in satisfaction, a smile on your lips. “My flat is just upstairs, if you want to stay the night.”

Zoro shrugged. “Probably better for me to stay. Don’t know how to find my way back to the ship otherwise.”

You were going to offer him the bed, but by the time you made it and went back out to the living room, he was already asleep on the couch.

The next afternoon, you were staring at a giant ship with a lion-sun figurehead.

“Ready?” Zoro asked. “You’ll just have to ask the captain, but Luffy is pretty accepting.”

You nodded, and the two of you walked onto the ship.

You instantly found Luffy, the man Zoro had said was the captain.

“Hi Luffy, I was wondering-”

“Who the hell are you?” the captain asked, looking at you with big, black eyes.. “Are you here to steal our stuff?”

You were taken aback by his question, and it took you a few moments to respond.

“Er..no. I was hoping-”

He cut you off again. “Awesome! That’s good. So, do you wanna join my crew? I’m going to be the King of the Pirates!”

He was direct, you had to give him that.

“I would, actually. If that’s alright with you.”

Luffy broke into a wide grin. “Awesome! Nami and Robin will be excited to have another girl on the ship! Welcome aboard!”

And then he wandered off, as if nothing had happened.

“Told you it’d be easy.” Zoro had a knowing smirk on his face. “Ready for your first lesson?”

“I suppose.”

“Alright then,” he said. “Raise your sword.”

You tried. You had to grip it with two hands, and it was surprisingly more heavy than you anticipated when you swung it.

“The weight distribution always surprises people,” Zoro explained. He walked over to you, slightly adjusting your grip and your stance.

“There, try that.” He took a step away from you. “Give it a few swings.”

You swung a few times. You had to admit, this stance was easier, but it was still extremely draining.

“We’ll work up to a real sword. The next time you touch this, it’ll be a thousand times easier. But remember that feeling. Remember that struggle.”

And then he swapped your real sword for a fake, wooden sword that was much easier to swing.

He trained you hard, but he also made sure you understood why you were doing certain exercises. He explained what muscles you were working, showed you what moves you would be able to do, and always gave the reasoning as to why a workout was important.

He was good at this, explaining how things worked and why muscles need to be built. He worked you hard; only stopping when you collapsed with bruises littered across your body.

But he carried you back to bed every night. And eventually, he started carrying you back to his bed every night. The two of you would sleep intertwined, bruises and cuts intermingling with one another.

Some nights, he gave you another kind of workout, the two of you training all night long and sleeping all day. It was a trade off you were happy to do, though you often ended the night with far more bruises than you started with.

Other night, he whispered sweet nothings into your ear, caressing your body as if it was the most delicate thing he had ever seen. This was the duality of Roronoa Zoro, and you loved that you were able to see both sides of him like this.

After a month of various training exercises, he handed you back your sword.

You were hesitant to take it. You didn’t feel ready. You were still the same girl who would get beaten in an alleyway, weren’t you? Surely you couldn’t have progressed that much. But you could see the confidence in Zoro’s eyes, urging you on.

You grabbed the hilt and swiftly pulled out the sword, ready to start your next phase of training.

#one piece #one piece imagine #one piece scenario #one piece x reader #one piece x you #zoro #roronoa zoro #zoro x reader #zoro x y/n #zoro x you #cozage #✧˚zoro✧˚

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rise-my-angel · 10 months

Text

Heart of the Great Wolf

2 - Mouth of the Lion's Den

Pairing: Jon Snow x F!Baratheon!Reader (Slow Burn), Robb Stark x F!Baratheon!Reader

Length: 11.2k

Warnings: Slow Burn, strained parent-child issues, mentions of minor character death, injured/sick child mention, slight canon divergence

Notes: We're in the thick of the plot now. Based on the show but will include direct book elements. Previous Chapter Here.

You used to not travel very well as a child. The first time you left Dragonstone was right at the crux of the seasons change. Summer had ended, and it was a quick Autumn which felt far more like winter the more North you sailed. The sea was always cool, and the north was cooler. When you returned to Dragonstone some months later, Maester Cressen had said that the mix of seasons being the first time you left home is what caused you to get so ill.

What a meeting it was. Lord Stark had told you that it was halfway through your first meal with them when you collapsed. Barley touched anything on your plate which they first thought you just weren’t used to the food. That was until you collapsed onto the floor just as you stood from your seat as you burned up.

Whatever it was, it went through you fast and terrifying to the point where Maester Luwin had told Lord Stark to prepare to send a raven in case the worst happened. It didn’t though, you slept through the fever and by the time you awoke, you remembered none of it. You assumed you fell sick before arriving at Winterfell that’s how little you were really aware of anything.

It wasn’t like that anymore, but as you had sat in your room at the Inn days ago it did make you wonder what could have possibly hit Lord Arryn faster and harsher then that. Despite his age, he was more healthy as an older man then you were at the age of eight. Yet you had survived and his sickness burned through him in one single night.

Perhaps you had too much time that night to think on it, no one really was in any mood to converse after what happened. Once Lord Stark had put Lady down, he had you go find Jory. “Tell him to choose four men and have them take the body back North. Bury her at Winterfell.” He had taken the girls to their rooms, and even in the muffled quiet you could hear Sansa crying through the walls. Arya’s cries would be too quiet to hear, but you were no fool to think her chasing off Nymeria just to save her life wouldn’t leave the child in tears of her own.

So the Inn was silent, save for the low tones coming from Lord Stark’s own room. One where he laid the truth out, what Lysa has sent her sister, what it said about the Lannisters. He asked you what did you notice from before he died, and you were honest. Very little.

Your lord father had kept you away on purpose. He and Lord Arryn distant and secretive, and you had suspected you were sitting on small council meetings not just in his place but as if it would keep you preoccupied from their doings. Which it worked, but it also was not enough to dull you. Lord Stark agreed that it all worked out too seamlessly, Lord Arryn dies suddenly from an unknown illness, Stannis Baratheon urgently marries his firstborn daughter off to a far northern house as he himself flees to Dragonstone.

They both knew something, and what that was, sent your father away on his own accord. Shutting himself back on the grim island and leaving you to the wolves and the lions.

“You’re our family now. You are as good as one of my own daughters, and we protect our own. You stick by me once me get to Kings Landing. Work by my side, you’ll stay in our quarters with the girls until we learn what it is Jon Arryn died for.” Once again, that lingering feeling sat in your gut that walking out of the capital wasn’t going to be as easy as walking in this time around.

Now, sitting atop your horse once more you felt even less happy about being back then you had leaving the north. Your face flat and cold like stone as you rose through the crowds welcoming the King and his company once more. The cart behind you carrying the girls, Sansa no doubt bright eyed and taking in the awe of a place she dreamed would be for her. Arya you knew no doubt, was already wondering just how much she would explore when left to her own curious devices.

Just ahead of you, a page awaited everyone’s arrival. Calling to Lord Stark for a small council meeting at Grand Maester Pycelle’s request. You dared not move an inch thinking about how typical it was that such a meeting wasn’t called by the King himself, despite no doubt arriving before you all had. Oh the many matters of your King Uncle to attend too. So much wine to drink, and so many whores to fuck.

Lord Stark calling back, “Jory, get the girls settled in. I’ll be back in time for supper.” Calling your name, you climbed off your horse as he beckoned you. “You’re with me.”

The Page glancing over his attire and yours as you approached, “If you’d like to change into something more appropriate…” The combination of yours and Lord Stark’s unmoving stare causing him to stammer and backtrack. Any other time you may have considered it, but now you were here in place of your fathers position and spending time dolling yourself up once more looked more and more like a waste of time.

Renly had once told you every time you return to Kings Landing, you seem to be more and more of a splitting image of your bore of a father. He might be onto something in truth.

The Red Keep had not changed, and nothing passed your mind to care to think about it until the doors to the Throne room opened and right at the top looking up at the Iron Throne was just another face you wished not to see so early in the morning. Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, and twin brother to the Queen, he certainly held all the superior smugness of such titles in his very posture had seemed to arrive far earlier then yourself.

A little nod did not suffice as you wished it did, as he saw fit to open his mouth as soon as you came even slightly close. “Lady Baratheon- or, I suppose it’s Stark now isn’t it? Already quite adjusted to the northern boys afterall, aren’t you?” Barley managing to muster up the weakest of half smiles he only grinned more, leaning in to give a fake too-loud whisper in your ear. “I do hope you weren’t too broken in for your new husband, would hate to break the boys heart before he even had a chance.”

Biting your tongue, you were sure had he not found victim in Lord Stark behind you, the pressure would’ve drawn blood. You didn’t wait, making your way into the small council chamber with little care of greeting those already present, for the most part.

“Ah, the newly named Lady Stark. I must congratulate you on your marriage, always nice to see the young love flourishing. Shame to be torn apart so early on.” Nodding, you managed more of a smile this time. You didn’t particularly trust Lord Varys but considering he was the man who likely knew so much he could tell you what you had for breakfast three days ago, playing nice was better then not playing at all.

“Thank you, Lord Varys. But, he has Winterfell to run and I have my work here. I’m sure Robb understands.”

Passing to the table, you nodded to Grand Maester Pycelle, and saw fit to ignore the other party in the room without any shame in doing so. Not that you would be aware of, but to the others it really was as if Lord Stannis had walked in like normal. The man having no patience for Petyr Baelish as well. If anyone lit your gaze up slightly, it was the smirk of the younger man already waiting by the opposite end.

Renly had no qualms about approaching you with a casualness, and no need to pretend as if either of you cared to be formally civil. “I can’t tell if the north suits you my dear niece, or if it’s just being around this lot making you so much more droll.”

Arms crossed in front of you, an eyebrow quirked up as he held a smirk. You’d hit him later. “Shame you were so busy Uncle, would have been nice to have at least one other family member there to share the festivities with.”

Hardly a secret anymore, most in the court knew of Renly’s private preferences but you might be the only one who knew it without any doubt. The only one it seemed, that he trusted to know as well. Not that his brothers would despise him for it, but certainly the King a bit too crass to not be offensive and well, least to say your father was not exactly a comforting kind of man. He wouldn’t care and he certainly would make you feel as such for it.

“What can I say, so much work, so many laws to look into.”

Your eyes glint, passing right by with a tone only audible enough for him, “Swordplay isn’t a law, last time I checked.” You’d be a fool to think Renly didn’t take advantage of so much of the royal court being away, not to lock himself up in his chambers with a certain flower for as long as he could get away with.

Not that you were in such a position to dare judge.

Your father used to get annoyed constantly by the lack of work Renly was properly given, but it might be he expected too much. Renly had a tendency to be handed easy tasks and get more credit then the nights your own father spent buried in papers in his office would accomplish. Leaning your hands on the top of what was now your seat, you watched the others greet the now approaching Lord Stark.

“We are all praying for Prince Joffery’s full recovery.”

Oh the rewards the gods should bestow upon you for how little you changed your expression. He gets one bite from a barley grown Direwolf and he has the realm on it’s knees pretending to sob at the tragic wounds. You had more scars on you from being hit with sticks and practice swords over your childhood before the spoiled Prince ever reached that age.

Even in Winterfell, you watched him get angry and frustrated at how often Robb would hit him in the courtyard simply beacuse he had no idea what he was doing. The Hound having to remind him even that he demanded they spar just to show off, and he can’t stand there and whine blaming Robb for doing exactly what he asked.

Besides, not that anyone had asked, you’d have to admit that not all bites from a wolf were entirely bad. At least it took as long as it did to get back to Kings Landing, those marks having healed over by the time it became too hot to cover them up then in the northern cold.

Renly’s voice from beside you, “You look tired from the road, I told them this meeting could wait another day but..”

“But we have a kingdom to look after.” Looking over you saw a strange smile on Lord Baelish’s face and so did everyone else if the uncomfortable air in the room was honest. “I’ve hope to meet you for some time, Lord Stark. No doubt Lady Catelyn has mentioned me.”

“She has, Lord Baelish. I understand you knew my brother Brandon as well.”

If Lord Baelish could have purposely made things more uncomfortable you think the room might have melted away just to escape it. It wasn’t the first time you’d heard whispers of his affection for her, but it was brazen of him to be so open about it in front of her husband of over twenty years.

Settling in, you sat beside Lord Stark as Renly pulled out a paper, explaining to the council that the King wasn’t exactly a common presence at the small council and most of these matters were left without his input. “My brother has instructed us to stage a tournament in honour of Lord Stark’s appointment as Hand of the King.”

Didn’t take being Master of Coin to know the money wouldn’t be coming from the surplus of the Crown. Grand Maester Pycelle’s frail voice piping up, “Can the treasury bear such expenses?”

As if ordering food from a servant, Lord Baelish waved the concern. “I’ll have to borrow it. The Lannisters will accomodate, I expect. We already owe Lord Tywin three million gold, what’s another eighty thousand.”

You felt for Lord Stark beside you, “Are you telling me the Crown is three million in debt?”

Looking firmly at the table with an irritated grimace, you corrected him for the worse. “Actually, he’s telling you the Crown is six million in debt.” Lord Stark, was in shock at the state, demanding to know how this could happen and once again, Lord Baelish acted like such debt was easily forgiven.

“The Master of Coin finds the money, the King and the Hand spend it.”

Lord Stark beside you sounded as annoyed as you felt on the inside but he was still tinged in disbelief as he looked at the man. “I will not believe Jon Arryn allowed Robert to bankrupt the realm.”

The Grand Maester for all his slowness, had the grace to speak the truth instead of washing it away like the other Lord in front of him. “Lord Arryn gave wise and prudent advice, but I fear His Grace doesn’t always listen.”

Sitting up straight, you nor Renly were quite sure if it was his voice that came out of your mouth, or the unimpressed voice of your father who held the same opinions. “The King loves tournaments and feasts, but not the conversation of money that follows. ‘Counting Coppers’ he calls it.”

You admired his determination to reason with the King. Even with both his blood brothers at his side, neither man could settle his indulgences the way Lord Stark may have the ability too. Even now you could hear the ramblings and angry ravings of your father in his office, going about how he was born the wrong family if he were to ever make his brother listen. Many had thought that Lord Stannis would take over as Hand of the King, and you would take his place as Master of Ships in the immediate aftermath of Lord Arryns death.

Your father had been sat on the small council for almost ten years at that point, and had been home less and less as those years passed. The only letters he exchanged anymore were with some of his closest men, and of course, Shireen. You envied her in that sense. Not that she was loved in the way she was, but that she had such a happy innocence about her.

Once Maester Cressen had said she was the saddest girl he had ever met, that he considered that part of his failure to cure her. But she had been cured, just not by him and clearly he took it hard, but she wasn’t sad, not in the way some assumed. She loved learning, and your father had been determined to give her the same education as he had you. Everyday she would run to him once he was in his own quarters, jump onto his lap and go on about what book she was learning to read, and were he not there, she’d scramble to write a letter to tell him.

Few people adored Lord Stannis, but she was always his biggest supporter.

As you entered the very bottom of the tower of the hand, you wondered how much she knew. Did she know Lord Arryn was dead, did she know you were acting in your fathers place, did she even know you were married? She’d be upset to learn she wasn’t there for your wedding. One day when she was just barley older then a toddler, you had been sitting on the edge of a cliff on Dragonstone with Shireen sat in your lap.

Going on about what a highborn lady would do, who she’d marry and what the wedding would be. You planned hers and yours, just two little girls by the waters edge and it saddened you to think that she wasn’t there to see yours. Childishly, you wondered if she’d like Robb.

Walking through the door, you passed some of the Starks household guard, regarding you with a familiarity as you passed. As if you really were family, not just a guest. Maybe it was for the best that she had father with her again, at least he still felt like one to her.

The chambers were quiet, and as you saw what was left of easy food on the table you hadn’t the stomach for it. Sitting down regardless, you lifted some of the plates out of your place, pouring yourself water as you stared at the little flame the light on the table wickered with. Pulling out a small slip of paper from a small pocket, you slipped the seal off, a small direwolf. Looking over the words as you sipped at the water.

Sending a raven was risky for what he was trying to say, but Robb was smart enough to not say anything of anything. Telling you of Bran, and your heart broke at how devastated the boy feels of not being able to walk again. More he tells you of how he has no idea what to even say to make it better, that Bran just needs time to get used to things but watching his little brother be so miserable and not being able to fix it just makes him angry. You knew exactly how that felt, watching your little sibling suffer and being completely useless to them for it.

A slam shook you out of your focus, pulling the letter back suddenly and tucking it away before you looked up to see a somewhat grumpy Arya now at the table with you. “I know my face usually looks like that, but what’s got yours in such a put off state?”

Sighing, she draped her arms over the top of the surface to gently lay her head in them, turned enough to still see you. “I don’t know how you stand it, being here all the time.”

Leaning forward, you mimicked her posture, looking back at her now from a tilted but even eye level. “I’m here because I have to be, not because I want to be. I have a duty, and that needs to be upheld regardless if it makes me miss home or not.”

Pushing up suddenly, Arya’s eyes were bright and bordering on an intense curiosity. “You’d rather be home? At Dragonstone?”

Moving back yourself you paused as you opened your mouth. Closed it for a second, before sighing out as you crossed your arms over your chest. Leaning back against the chair behind you looking at the nothing of importance on the table. “Honestly? I’m not sure where that is anymore.” Her brows narrowed in confusion, “Where I feel at home I mean.”

Were there not such a heavy weight in your heart you may have smiled at how quickly she reacted, and the finality of her tone. “You’re one of us now, Winterfell is your home.” Just as something crossed your mind, it clearly did hers too. Shoulders deflating as she lost the shine in her eyes. “Or, it’s supposed to be.”

Heart reaching out to hers, you knew comforting wouldn’t make it better, or change what hurt in the first place. “You won’t be in Kings Landing forever.” Her eyes flickered to you and then back did they focus into her mind. “Eventually you’ll go back to Winterfell, get restless there too and you’ll either insist someone take you there or you’ll be old enough to just head out to visit on your own. He’ll always want to see you.”

Arya grumbled out, quiet and filled with a twinge of guilt as if she couldn’t decide should you be able to hear her or not. “Not just me he’ll want to see.”

Leaning forward, your back sat straight for the most part as you leaned your forearms against the table again. “There’s five of you, Arya. You have to share your brother with all of them at least sometimes.”

Quieter so much this time, you weren’t sure if you even actually heard her speak but there was a faint sound like, “Not just us,” that you choose to ignore. As Arya herself pushed passed it as well. “Sansa won’t care. She barley ever even calls him her brother.” There was a bite to her tone, and you knew all too well that it wasn’t just about this.

She didn’t find out until the next day about the butcher’s son, and she still hadn’t taken it very well.

You tried softly calling her name, but Arya got louder. Her arms swinging a bit as she gestured in her expressiveness. “She always calls him our bastard brother, not even half brother or anything like he’s not been her brother since she was born. She doesn’t respect him, she doesn’t respect anybody who isn’t herself or the stupid prince.”

Anywhere but the safety of her own walls, you’d scold her for so freely vocalizing her insolence. But she was in her new home, and Joffery certainly was a stupid, vile little creature who got Arya’s new friend killed. People could claim it was the Queen, but you unfortunately knew her well enough that she was far more clever of a monster then that. No, that was Joffery’s angry, immature rage which sent the Hound out against a boy not even in his teens.

Glancing at the door you knew to be both Lord Stark’s room, and if his work ethic was consistent, scribbling away on the too many tasks the King left to his Lord Hand, too busy to come out and hear you. “Do you want my honest opinion? About that night?” Her head nodding fervently, brows narrowed in a manner that looked so strikingly serious like Jons. “It doesn’t matter what Sansa would have said, as soon as Joffery showed up to the Inn bleeding, the Queen already made her mind up. Sansa could’ve told the complete truth and they still would’ve blamed you and Nymeria.”

A flash of sorrow in her eyes made your heart tighten painfully before covering it up with an easier to swallow emotion, “The she shouldn’t have lied! If it didn’t matter she could’ve told the truth about Micah and-”

“And the Queen would’ve done everything the same. And she still would’ve blamed you.” Leaning forward, your voice lowered to something much more serious. “People like you, like us? We don’t do well in places like this. You’re too honest and headstrong, and you haven’t been here long enough to learn how to hold back. And people like the Queen? Joffery? We are exactly who they want to take advantage of.”

You could hear the condescension even now, “She’s as wild as that animal of hers,” And it made you mad all over again. After some time when father brought you here, he ended up being the one to help you with your sword lessons alone in his own quarters, not wanting people like the Queen, or his brothers to have any more reason to look down on you. He wasn’t a popular man, he knew it, but he wouldn’t have these people mistreat his daughter, especially as a young teenager.

“I’m not saying you have to change, or pretend to be something you’re not. But I am telling you, this place has eyes and ears everywhere. Me, your father, Jory, people like that you can trust. You can be angry, and honest and upset around.” Glancing once again to Lord Starks door, you felt ashamed for what came from you next but mincing words was not a trait of the Stannis Baratheon variety of stags.

“Sansa wants to be here, and she wants to be apart of this because she’s naive. As long as the Lannisters give her pretty smiles, and soothing words she will bend to them because she thinks they could be her family some day. That doesn’t make it right the way she threw you and your friend to the wolves,” Arya quirked an eyebrow with a smirk, and you shook your head with one of your own. “Lions- shut up.”

Sighing, she leaned back into her seat. “I don’t hate her, not really. I just..”

“Don’t trust her.”

Glancing up with a bit of a stun, she seemed shocked you didn’t tell her to do anything otherwise. In a sense, you knew what she was feeling.

You loved Renly, he was closer to your age and the two of you always felt more like brother and sister with how easily he could bring out your more playful side in this pit of a captiol. But you didn’t trust him one bit. Not with your secrets, not with your work, and not with the particular companions he had been keeping as of late.

Renly and you were as close of friends as you had in this city, but at the end of the day. It was Stannis who was your father. It was the brother which both others looked down on, the daughter which had far too much of Stannis in her blood and personality to be seen as one of them. Robert didn’t care much for his brothers, but best be said he is lying to himself if he thinks he doesn’t show preference to Renly.

Stannis had always felt he was cheated of Storms End. The ancestral seat of House Baratheon, his by rights. Many times even in your tenure here at his side, he had gone to King Robert singing the same song. Anytime it was mentioned, your father would clench his jaw so tightly, you thought his teeth would shatter. You once had brought it up to one of his men, back on Dragonstone that he seemed to take it as a slight.

Ser Davos Seaworth had just looked at you with a somber look, one that was as sympathetic to his lord as he was offended on his behalf. “I think, my little lady, King Robert had meant it as a slight.”

It was the same here. Arya suffered, was threatened and attacked, her own direwolf having to be sent away just for protecting her master, and her new friend murdered for just agreeing to play duel by the river. Sansa had lost Lady in the Queens injustice, but she still got to walk the capitol and be treated like the princess she dreamed of being. While Arya was looked at as wild, untruly, and thought less of without being given a chance.

Falling back into the present, you sighed deeply. “Why do you think my Uncle Renly fits in here, when I stand out as much as your father does?”

Arya too, glanced at the closed door. “Because he plays along?”

“And I do my duty.” Sipping at the water once more before continuing. “Sansa is your family, and you shouldn’t forget that. You need each other, but I’m not asking you to trust her. Not the way you do your father, or Jon-”

“Or you.”

In those two words, your heart missed Shireen. She and Arya were alike in a lot of ways, Shireen a little more reserved but the same eager and honest spirit. You smiled, unsure if it was warmth of how Arya saw you, or yearning for the little sister you barley had seen grown up so far.

Silence between you was comfortable for a moment, until of course, Arya found something to blurt out. “Father caught me with Needle.” Raising your eyebrows, she slunk down a bit. “Needle’s my…it’s my sword. Well sort of a sword, it’s small and thin, but it’s supposed to be for my size. Anyways, he knocked on my door and I didn’t really notice that I didn’t bother hiding it. Or maybe I didn’t care if he saw me with it. He let me keep it, but he says I shouldn’t play with swords.”

Shrugging one shoulder, your voice was strangely casual. “They aren’t toys.”

“I know that!” You laughed at how defensive she got. You had a feeling you weren’t the first or even second person to tell her that. “You can use a sword, why shouldn’t I?”

Smiling to yourself, you refrained from specifying that the only reason you started to be trained on how to use one, is beacuse a certain dark haired, grey eyed boy had snuck up behind you and hit you with a practice one when no one was around to scold you two for it.

“Will you teach me?”

The letter in your pocket begin to weight you down, you needed to ask Lord Stark about it before morning. You had another small council meeting early on and you didn’t fancy being kept out of the dark again. Standing up, you ran your hand playfully over her hair as you passed. “That’s up to your father. It’s late, go get some sleep.”

Turning to approach Lord Stark’s room, you missed the feeling glance from the small Stark watching you leave. Something in her eyes that knew things which you couldn’t have guessed she was privy too, but just added to her growing admiration all the same.

As you guessed, the man was sitting at his desk writing away when he called for you to enter. Shutting it gently behind you with a polite, “Lord Stark.”

Chuckling, his hand paused before shaking his head slightly and continuing. “You’re allowed to call me my name, you know. I think marrying my son gives you the right to at drop the titles in private.”

Nodding once as you approached, “I’ll try to remember that.” He knew you wouldn’t.

When you hesitated, he looked up at you with a questioning look. “What is it?”

You stood unsure for another moment before quickly moving to take a seat on the opposite side of his desk, pulling out the letter. “I heard from Robb.” Lord Stark- Ned, leaned forward curiously. “Nothing new, just updating me about Bran, how he’s fairing as Lord of Winterfell.”

“I’m assuming you’re not just here to make small talk.”

Well it certainly wasn’t your skill that was true. Inhaling a slow breathe, you looked straight at him to just ask what you needed to confirm. “Lady Catelyn was here, wasn’t she?” His brows narrowed deeply as he reached a hand out, taking the letter from you.

Skimming over, he smiled amusingly as he reached the end. “You two talk in code often?”

You failed to prevent the smirk on your lips before you had noticed it was even forming. “Only when we’re talking about things we’re not supposed to.”

“And how often is that, exactly?”

You only shrugged. You, Robb, Jon, and later Theon, would get into trouble a lot when you were younger. But when you would leave, you and Robb figured out a way to talk about things that would certainly get you punished if your father ever found out. So you started writing in almost childish imagery. Hence the end of his letter, saying to ask his father about “some stray kitten I saw running around the halls the other day.”

Folding the letter, he handed it back to you. “Clever. But he’s right. I shouldn’t keep this from you, and Robb clearly doesn’t want me too.” Leaning back he pulled something from his desk, what looked like a blade with a rich ornate handle to it. Placing it on the desk you leaned forward to look closer as he explained. “A man came into Brans room some night after we had all left Winterfell. Told Cat no one was supposed to be there, that it was a kindness.”

The bite in his tone was angry and spiteful even if his face remained steadfast. Like he was lost in thought, he seemed to trail off in his head before coming back. Telling you of the man trying to kill him, how he had almost killed Lady Catelyn in the process, and the direwolf which ripped the assassins throat out. “Bran’s wolf had saved his life..”

Leaning forward you felt a horror bubble up inside of you, Bran was a boy of ten who would do such a thing? Voice weaker, cracking a bit at the look of almost shame or guilt in his eyes forming. “Lord Stark?”

Head shooting up to look at you, like those words, that specific title speaking of the wolves clicked something in his head that he didn’t know how to feel. “The direwolves, when we found them in the woods…Jon had said something. That my children were meant to have them..”

Jon hadn’t included himself. There were five pups, two girls and three boys and Jon had purposely not counted himself as one of Lord Stark’s children in order to prove they were meant to go to them. He had found Ghost off to the side all on his own, so quiet Jon wasn’t even sure how he had heard Ghost’s tiny cry when not a soul other had.

Lord Stark still lost in his thought, “If the Gods sent those wolves…I killed Sansa’s..” Just as fast as he lost himself in a spiral, he took back the reigns and pulled right back out of it. “Everything adds up but I don’t know to why. Lysa telling her that the Lannisters murdered Jon Arryn, Jaime Lannister being the only man who didn’t join the hunt the day Bran fell and strands of blonde hair in the tower when I could tell you for a fact no one had been in there for a very long time.”

He tapped his fingers at the blade and you felt a weight in your throat trying to fight against the words. “The blade?”

Lord Stark laughed meaninglessly. “The blade belongs to Tyrion Lannister.”

For all that you knew him, and for as different as he seemed, you couldn’t find it in your heart to see such traits past the blood of who he was and who his family was. “How do you know?”

The answer, you liked even less. Lost in a bet to the Lannister during a tourney, the previous owner knew who it now belonged to without any doubt, beacuse it’s previous owner was Petyr Baelish.

You were finding it increasingly hard to figure out who you didn’t like more in this city. Luckily for Tyrion Lannister he in fact, wasn’t in the city so he found your newfound anger towards him unobtrusive. Not as lucky for you, sitting at the small council you found too many men in the room you didn’t trust as far as you could throw.

Lord Varys avoided much interaction with you has he did your father, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t fully aware of every step you had taken in this city and no doubt others. You dared not think about how much he really knew, not that it mattered much now, but you didn’t appreciate the concept of lording information over another head to make them dance.

Lord Baelish was as trustworthy as he was kind, meaning none. A self serving worm who had no care for anything or one that didn’t give him either money or power. Though, you did consider him to be the less offensive to look at only if in comparison to the bloated faced man standing before the council.

Lord Janos Slynt, Commander of the City Watch was nothing short of an insult to the eyes. Patchy facial hair that didn’t quite sit well over the slight pudginess of his face that wouldn’t be a problem if it weren’t also always plastered with a high and mighty look as if he knows better. Standing before you, speaking of his struggle to keep the peace in the streets.

His voice covered itself in slime. “It’s the Hand’s tournament that’s causing all the trouble, my lords.”

An exhaustion sat in Lord Starks shoulders, his tone annoyed as his posture to the idea. “The King’s tournament. I assure you the Hand wants no part in it.”

Your father didn’t care for Lord Stark personally, but at least they would agree at such a waste of expenses. Being Master, or in your case, acting Master of Ships didn’t mean you were not painfully aware of how much spending your assets should be restricted of just to amuse the growing relentlessness of the King.

Slynt continued. “Call it what you will Lord Stark, the city is packed with people and more flooding in everyday. Last night we had a tavern riot, a brothel fire, three stabbings, and a drunken horse race down the Streets of Sisters.”

Your eyes narrowed, voice loud and yet even with little emotion behind it. It unnerved many how similar you were to the unwelcoming and bluntness of your lord Father. “Discipline should lie with the capabilities of a commander. If you cannot keep the King’s peace during something as innocuous as a tourney, perhaps the City Watch should be commanded by someone whose ability we can rely on.”

Oh the fire in his eyes as he glared at you, spit coming from his mouth as it did his worse. His chest and cheeks puffing like a frog. “I need more men.”

Lord Stark had the final decision however, and you would never dare go against or even speak up against it. Such a thing was not your place, nor would you let it be. “You’ll get fifty, Lord Baelish will see it paid for.” Your own harsh gaze, bordering on a glare peeling over to the Master of Coin seemingly surprised by the notion. Lord Stark’s order firmer then ever. “You found money for a champions purse, you can find money to keep the peace.” Turning to Slynt, “I’ll also give you twenty if my household guard until the crowds have left.”

Giving more men to the one who didn’t know how to command them with fairness was not quite how you felt about such actions, regardless of how the rest of the council didn’t agree. Was it too harsh of a stance, or was it a firm position influenced by what you already knew was incompetence. Janos Slynt was not someone trustworthy, but as long as he got paid he would do the bare minimum.

You and Lord Stark sharing a glance as he relaxed somewhat. “The sooner this is over the better.”

Lord Varys leaning forward, tone as even and light with hope as he could paint it. “The realm prospers from such events, my Lord. They give the great a chance at glory, and the lowly a respite from their woes.”

Legs crossing over the other you sat back in your seat. “It’s not glory those men need more of, Lord Varys I can assure you. They have quite enough of that to go around.”

Lord Baelish leaning far too close to make eye contact with a sly grin. “And yet it puts coins in many a pocket, my Lady. Glory has filled every Inn throughout the city, and the whores are walking bow legged with every step.”

Grin growing more detestable as you looked from him with an uncomfortable glare. Your dear Uncle did not help the matter as he spoke up, a laugh in his lungs doing so. “We’re fortunate my brother Stannis is not with us. Remember when he proposed to outlaw brothels? Robert had asked if he’d like to outlaw eating, drinking, and shitting while he was at it.”

The force to not roll your eyes tested your every power of will. Every sense of faith in a man like your father that they assumed he had suggested or done so on Dragonstone for the superficial. Many Lords in the capital were keen on keeping your father at an arms length and you couldn’t help but speculate how much was truly just his personality, and what was fear deep down.

Afterall, he had two living children, and four which had passed before they could become your brothers. Clearly it wasn’t sex itself that was what he disliked about the premises.

Lord Stark looked to you instead of bothering to even entertain this discussion, calling your name. “You haven’t heard from Lord Stannis have you? He has not formally passed is place on the council to you, I’d have to guess he intends to return from his visit at some point?”

Neither of you said it to the current company, but Lord Stark didn’t quite appreciate the treatment of his new daughter by marriage. Sending you off to be wed out of nowhere, not accompanying or letting your mother or sister come to see you married, and then dragging you away from his son after one night to act on the council in his unexplained absence.

It was unfair to you and Robb, and it also sat rather suspiciously that you had been kept so terribly in the dark with this, and whatever your father had been investigating with Lord Arryn.

Lord Baelish’s tone was as mocking as ever, looking right at you. “No doubt he’ll return as soon as we’ve scourged all those whores into the sea.” You could hear Renly laugh somewhere to your left.

Standing abruptly, you smoothed down your skirt and nodded stiffly. “Until tomorrow, my lords.” As you stepped away you muttered uncaring if you were heard or ignored. “I’ve heard quite enough about my father and whores for one day.”

Renly’s laughter bothered you the whole way out of the small council chamber. You and Lord Stark had business to inquire of Grand Maester Pycelles but you found yourself perfectly content with waiting out of ear from mocking of your lord father for one day.

Words from the night before long since burned in the light of one of your rooms candles, in your pocket now sat one of you own writing and a new one sent to you. A raven from Dragonstone had surprised you only as long as it took to see the neatness of the letters.

Shireen was outraged that she missed your wedding. Had asked a million questions, what did you wear, who attended, did Winterfell have a nicer sept then they? That one you were going to have to explain another time that in your new life, you found more peace in the way the Starks followed that of the old gods. More questions of what is the capitol like with the new hand, was Robb as handsome as she was picturing. A question which even in the privacy of your own room, made you fluster a bit.

Only your dear sister could have you ready to spill about a man your married too, in ways like you were still a girl her age with a petty crush. Her letters always long, and always excited to hear what her well travelled big sister was doing regardless of how little you ever wanted to tell the truth of it anymore.

She was just a child, a rather innocent one at that. You wondered what father told her of the reason behind his sudden return home. Thinking to the two girls you returned to the city with, they too, were too young to have to be around this den of masks and liars. At least Arya’s needle was a bit more of protection then that of Sansa’s naivety.

Grand Maester Pycelle’s office was unbearably stuffy. The scents, the thick air and the mixture of whatever liquids sat both around the surfaces and tucked away into cupboards did not make the heat of summer any easier.

His frail voice seeming having gone on for far too long, “The smallfolk say the last year of summer if always the hottest. It is not often so, but it can feel that way does it not? On days like this, I envy you northerners and your southern snows.”

Both you and Lord Stark standing by his desk, it felt as if he was ready to dismiss before why an audience was requested in the first place. “I’ve been hoping to talk to you about Jon Arryn.”

To his credit, the Grand Maester had the patience to look surprised by the subject but not suspiciously so. “Lord Arryn? His death was a great sadness to us all. I took personal charge of his care, but I could not save him.”

Eyes narrowing slightly with a tilt of your head, you considered back to your own insights. “Did he seem sickly to you before the fever hit him? He hasn’t seemed like himself for some time but it never struck me like a physical ailment.”

Considering the idea, the Grand Maester himself looked a tad shamed. You doubted there wasn’t much he could do, and yet you could see similar feelings of confused failure in like your own once Maester Cressen. “His sickness truck him very hard, and very fast. I saw him in my chambers just the night before he passed. Lord Arryn often came to me for counsel.”

Lord Stark bluntly asking, “Why?”

Your insides rolled over at how indigent and offended the man instantly became at Lord Stark’s mere question. Nothing but worry over pride and image for such people. “I have been Grand Maester for many years. Kings and Hands have come to me for advice since-”

Voice raising enough to speak over him, you cut his tongue back down with the sharpness of your own tone. “Why did Lord Arryn seek you out, the night before he died? What did he want?”

The answer, only brought more questions.

Bringing you and Lord Stark closer in his office to a shelf, many large tomes sat across them as he shakily dragged one onto his desk. Landing it down in front of Lord Stark with a thud. “The lineages and histories of the great houses of the Seven Kingdoms. With descriptions of many high lords, noble ladies, and their children.”

Watching Lord Stark pull off the metal clasp and tossing it down, the book was loose and not well made but the pages inside were vast on thick paper filled to the brim with words in many styles of writing in many degrees of faded letters. Flipping through multiple pages until he landed on one at random, Lord Stark begun reading out one of the passages.

“…blue of eye, brown of hair, and fair complected. Died in his fourteenth year of a wound sustained in a bear hunt.”

Head tilting as he sat back down, “As I said my Lord, a ponderous read.”

“Did Jon Arryn tell you what he wanted with it?”

A slight shake no, of his head. “He did not, my Lord. And I did not presume to ask.”

Skimming the pages, you barley glanced at them before looking up to meet the Grand Maesters eyes but did not find him hiding much behind them. Nothing pertaining to the conversation at least as Lord Stark continued his inquiry. “Jon’s death, did he say anything to you during his final hours.”

Instinctively he denied, “Nothing of import, my Lord.” before pausing his hand raised as if to collect his thoughts within them from his older mind. “There was one phrase he kept repeating. The Seed is Strong, I think it was.”

Your eyes narrowed, “The seed is strong? What does that mean?”

No curiosity in his eyes, “The dying mind is a demented mind, Lady Stark.”

Whatever he said right after, was missed in the brief second of childish notions, much like what Shireen always tried to dish from you. Some familiar just called you by your name, others stuck to the simple My Lady, others such as Ser Jaime Lannister only switched between names in mocking as if there was something usual about a highborn lady taking on the House of their husband.

But hearing Lady Stark so casually, shouldn’t have clicked such a second of girlish glee as it had. You pulled yourself together though, hoping neither noticed your stammer of formality. Lord Stark beside you continuing, “And you’re quite certain he died of a natural illness?”

Grand Maester Pycelle seemed taken back, alleviating guilt at how quick his confusion at such a suggestion was at least ticked a name off your list. “What else could it be?”

Lord Stark seemed like he however, knew what his answer was. “Poison.”

Unwilling to think of such a crime, he shook his head in denial. “A disturbing thought…I don’t think it likely. The Hand was loved by all, what sort of man would dare-”

Your eyes and Lord Stark’s flickered to the other for just a moment, your voice without accusing if only in pure read of your words. “I’ve heard it said poison is a woman’s weapon.”

“Yes. Women, cravens…and eunuchs. Did you know Lord Varys is a eunuch?”

The spinning of mistrust once more, not the game neither you nor Lord Stark cared to get involved with now or ever. Enough was on your plate as it was. There was no conceivable thought of what Lord Varys would gain from murdering Lord Arryn in your mind. Then again, Lysa had named the Lannisters and yet you too had no idea what would be gained by that either.

Nor what trying twice to murder an innocent ten year old boy wold gain. But the signs all pointed to the golden lions.

Finding Arya near the top of the steps balancing on one foot, you smiled. Taking the tome from Lord Stark to his office for him so he could inquire what her dancing teacher had her practising now. Earlier he had commented to you that it felt like everyday Arya came back with new bruises or scratches with a worried furrow in his brow.

You simply had held back a smirk, “If I recall that’s exactly how everyone found out I was learning to sword fight when I was her age.”

Lord Stark had laughed much easier, running a hand over his stubble. “It took us that long to find out because you and Jon would sneak out at night so neither of you would get in trouble.” The first few lessons did have a lot of Jon hitting you harder each time until you got fed up and learned to block properly. “You should be thankful it was me who caught you and not Cat.”

You were twelve at the time, Jon fourteen and even all those years ago still far stronger then you. You couldn’t have imagined how much trouble he would’ve gotten in were it now your own father who caught you two one night.

Sitting now at Lord Stark’s desk, you had been mindlessly flipping through the book. Pausing at random pages before coming across the current accounts of Baratheons. The King first, and his children, then your lord father and his. Including all four which never made it, and a sickening description of Shireen as “disfigured” from her greyscale.

Renly when he thought neither or your father in ear had often referred to Shireen as “that ugly daughter of his” and you hated it. She would’ve been far worse had your father listened to the other Lords. Send her off to old Valyria to be of the stonemen before she infected the whole of Dragonstone.

Dancing over her name with your tapping finger, you told yourself not to. Biting your tongue before your weakness overtook and flipped to the pages of the current Starks. Glancing down to Lord Eddard Stark, then that of Robb did you pause. Shireen asking if he was handsome and certainly the drollness of a Maesters documents did nothing to answer that.

But your eyes skipped down. Looking to the description of Eyes of Grey, black of hair and the beginnings of the letter ‘S’ coming into sight did you slam the book shut with an angry huff. Your best friend for so long, and now his memory tainted with feelings which you both were forced to tear away from.

You’d love to just think of Jon the way you could Theon. Fond memories that weren’t anything more, and none which made the flutter in your stomach getting used to your new husband feel shameful. Hearing Lord Stark’s footsteps you stood up from his seat, leaning against the wall to the side with your arms crossed your chest.

Closing the door behind him, “Do you know a Ser Hugh of the Vale?” Head jolting back you found nothing with such a title and name until Lord Stark elaborated. “He was Jon Arryns squire.” Your lips parting in recognition you turned to look back at him confused. “He was knighted after his murder.”

“Knighted for what?”

Tilting his head he almost smiled. “That’s what you’re going to find out.”

Ser Hugh as it turned out, was exactly the kind of glory seeker you knew didn’t need more cheers and gold bolstering his ego. Down in the open field where they set up the tourney, you recognized him at least while he was in much more average attire. Still nicer then what you recalled he wore as a squire.

“Ser Hugh?”

Your footsteps towards him quick and long, your voice not shouting and yet projecting enough to startle those around as the man turned annoyed towards you. “As you can see, I’m busy.”

Busy taking steps, yes a task needing great concentration to a man of his calibre. Your eyes narrowed in the bright sun making you look far less tolerant of such an attitude. Renly once had said that between the flowing dresses, the light fabric of an equally as long cardigan with hair that looked far nicer unrestricted by whatever styles these girls in the capital pretended were fashionable, you might actually attract a suitor once in a while were it not for you being a perfect copy of your father’s morose and drab glare.

“I’m here on behalf of Lord Eddard Stark, Hand of the King-”

Not giving you a second chance, he waved you off. “Well run along and tell your master if the Hand wishes to speak to me, he should come himself. Knights don’t have time for a servant girls questions.”

Turning and stepping along the path you resisted the urge to see his head smash into the wooden railing he walked beside. There was no point in arguing, he seemed unlikely to be honest if he did answer any questions, and you and Lord Stark had a much more promising visit far down in the streets of the city.

“He said he’d only be willing to talk to the hand himself. A knight such as him.”

You and Lord Stark glancing at the other with a vapid smirk, of course how could you have been such a fool to dare ask anything of a well seasoned warrior such as Ser Hugh of the Vale. Intrepid Knight of Half a Day.

“Ah, a knight. They strut around like roosters down here. Even the one who’ve never seen an arrow coming their way.” The armoury Lord Baelish had directed you towards approached quickly. Sounds of yelling and barters all around and children play fighting in every direction.

Many eyes looked towards the pair riding down the path. Either such a sight was unusual to them, or perhaps all too similar. The Lord Hand and Master of Ships travelling down the poor city streets looking in the same places for the same people, only months after the last pair did the same to no known success.

“We should be careful out here alone, my Lord. There’s no telling which eyes belong to who.” Glancing at him, he seemed unaffected by the idea. Climbing off your horse as he did too, you both steeled in a natural air of cold confidence. Working beside Lord Stark for you was easy, you couldn’t however imagine such an easy pairing in Lord Arryn and your own father.

“Let them look.”

Tobho Mott greeted you both with upmost respect, seemed to be much more relaxed with your presence then he did mention of your lord father. Lord Stark beside you prompting the conversation moreso. “What did Lord Arryn and Lord Stannis want?”

“They came to see the boy.”

Lord Stark saying he’d like to see him as well, Tobho nodded and turned into the forge where the consistent smashing of metals stopped banging. “Gendry,”

Easy to see from his demeanour, it was clear he was likely either incredibly lowborn, or even a slave must to your dismay. He didn’t look at either you or Lord Stark in the eye, standing straight and respectable, but did not think he had the right to make eye contact.

You stood still, trying to see what it is that would be on any interest to the lords before. Not just that, what was seen which scared your father back to Dragonstone, and Lord Arryn into the grave? The three men went back and forth for a while over the ornate bulls helmet which he had made himself, easing the pair into the inquiry.

His voice didn’t give much away, but a tint of attitude which wasn’t unfamiliar. Taller then, you, his hair was dark to the point of a deep brown and by your guess would be a a little younger then you. Lord Stark changed subject, “When Lord Arryn came to visit you what did you talk about?”

Not looking still, your eyes narrowed as something pricked at your skin. “Just as me questions is all, milord.” Next asked if your father had ever questioned him, was a rare moment that made you break a smirk and eyes lit up with an amusement not often seen of you in Kings Landing. “No, he never said a word. Just glared at me like I was some raper who done for his daughter.”

Mott turning and raising his voice. “Watch your tongue boy. This is Lord Stannis’s own daughter you’re speaking too.” Turning to you with sincere apology in his eyes you couldn’t seem to look away from Gendry. He apologized, but you only found yourself looking at him with a more scrupulous gaze.

You tried, but whatever pricked at your skin settled over every corner of it until you wanted to twitch with unease. Lord Stark spoke for you, sensing that you were seeing something close to what he was slowly putting together. “What kind of questions did Lord Arryn ask?”

“About my work at first. If I was being treated well, if I liked it here. But then he started asking me questions about my mother.”

You spoke up before you could stop yourself. “Your mother?” Gendry specifying he meant just who she was and what she looked like, you continued to speak first unable to keep the intensity away out of your gaze on him. “What did you tell him?”

“She died when I was little. She had yellow hair, she’d sing to me sometimes.”

You couldn’t say why it clicked, but it did. Stepping forward you were sharper with him then you may have intended, “Look at me.”

Meeting your eyes, you felt that sensation shiver through your body like you had just been tossed in a river. There was no denying what it was you were seeing. Had you not known better, you could’ve mistaken Gendry for your own brother. The green eyes wide and bright, hair so dark and thick, the strength in resemblance of his facial structure and all linking back to why the snark of attitude pinged at you.

Almost in shock you leaned back, glancing to Lord Stark who briefly flickered to meet your eyes with an unsettled understanding of what you were seeing. You didn’t like what you were feeling in any way. Lord Stark handed him back the bull helmet, “Get back to work, lad.”

Diligently, he left further into the forge and the hammering started once again as Lord Stark spoke quietly to Mott. “If a day ever comes that boy would rather wield a sword then forge one, you send him to me.”

Coming up to Renly’s quarters, your head was in a spin and something told you to go anywhere that wasn’t where all your questions had laid. Knocking on his door, you almost jumped back in surprise by the one who actually answered.

Taller then you with a darkish dirty blonde hair rung up into curls that most girls you know envied with passion, Ser Loras also stood before you shirtless in a manner you amusingly knew a certain young redheaded Stark would’ve had her cheeks turn just as red at the sight off. Luckily for you, the shock on his face and the smirk on yours already knew the story better.

Walking in as you brushed past him, you raised your eyebrows at your Uncle now rushing to cover his own chest as if you were stupid enough not to know. “My Lady, apologies we were just-”

Turning to Loras beside you, you smirked wider with a playful squint in your eye. “Ser Loras, a word of advice. If you wish your private affairs to remain private, maybe don’t answer my Uncle’s door when you’re both still shirtless and this one’s still in bed.” You nodded over to the annoyed Renly.

Loras couldn’t decide if he was annoyed or horrified, but left as soon as he could be considered half way presentable. Door closing behind him, you walked in further, leaning against Renly’s desk. “I know discretion isn’t your strong suit Renly, but maybe if he’s trying to keep it a secret at least pretend you two aren’t locked up in bed half the time.”

Rolling his eyes, he reached passed out to pour himself wine. “Aren’t you missing your tournament?”

Shaking your head at his offer of a glass to you, “Oh am I Hand of the King, now?”

Glaring, he rested beside you against the desk as he sipped. “Spending enough time with him, it’s easy to mistaken I suppose. Much like my dear brother seemed.” Glancing beside you, you said nothing as he continued with mocking joy. “Jon and Stannis spend an increasing amount of time together only to stop when one of them dies and the other runs away out of reach. Only difference is the Hand this time is a wolf, but the Stag stays the same. Or are you a wolf now too?”

Pushing off smug with himself, you crossed your arms. “I married into a house of wolves, my name is theirs now, I suppose yes dear Uncle I am a wolf now if such a distinction matters.” Titling your head you were far less amused now and much more openly accusatory. “Does that make you a rose, or just a stag stupid enough to let roses tie themselves around him?”

He glared at you, “My relationship-”

“I’m not talking about Loras. Not for that. I’m talking about the less time you spend doing your duty the more I seem to find you spending time whispering with the Tyrells.” The guilt on his face grew tenfold as you slammed more to the open air. “You didn’t hide very well what your plan for his sister was, Margaery was it?”

Oh you hit a wound. Renly face twisting into a snarl unbecoming of someone like him. “Plan?”

Crossing your arms you didn’t move an inch but your eyes trained on his with scrutiny. “What was it my father said you planned, trying to make dear Margaery, Robert’s whore?” He paled but you didn’t let him blabber. “Everyone in the seven kingdoms knows he’s got enough of those, so I have to ask why exactly try to send the pretty girl from Highgarden into the bed of our well rode, drunken King, and then you yourself having the same ride by her own brother?”

He shrugged, but did not do well at hiding his anxiety. “You and Stannis are missing out, Tyrells are quite interesting in bed.”

You raised your eyebrows. “So are wolves, I’ve found.”

“Did you come here for this or what?”

Pushing up you walked more to the middle of the room. “No, actually I came here to ask if you’re going to the tournament tomorrow.”

Renly’s eyes flickered side to side, “Most likely. Why?”

You shrugged, losing all pretense of suspicion for now. “Just wondering if I’ll have someone to talk to who doesn’t make me want to tear into my palms.” Renly laughed, telling you this was the wrong place for that.

Sitting down on the edge of his bed, for a brief moment he looked actually concerned. “I know I joke about it, but the capital doesn’t suit you does it?” He smiled when you shook your head no. “You know every time you came back from Winterfell you looked miserable. You hated coming back here and each time you come back a little more fed up then the time before.”

You said nothing as you looked blankly at him. There was nothing to deny, coming back here was always the worst and it never stopped being the worst until you were back with the Starks.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come to your wedding.”

You shrugged. Not the answer or even emotion he expected, but you were just looking at him.

The wide bright eyes, the shape of his cheeks, jaw, the colours in those eyes and the darkness of the thick hair he was so bad at letting grow out just like your father. All you could think of was what in those looks scared your father out of the city.

What did he find in those looks that was so bad it got Lord Arryn killed. You and Lord Stark had many clues but no hints except for one glaring one. You had returned to the horses, nearby where Jory had been waiting.

When he asked if you two had found anything, you hadn’t been quite the same since realizing what Lord Stark had. All you could see when looking at Renly now, was what Lord Stark told Jory then.

Something that had no right being a clue to such a dark mystery and yet here you were, standing before water as murky then ever only this time it was your own kin that was being told as the dangers to look out for.

Gendry wasn’t just a tiny clue of no meaning, somewhere in Lord Arryn’s death was a page about finding King Robert’s bastard son.

#jon snow x reader #robb stark x reader #jon snow #robb stark #game of thrones #asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #jon snow x you #robb stark x you #jon snow imagine #robb stark imagine #game of thrones imagine

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allkordelia · 2 years

Text

Friends...to Lovers?

The sea dragon sigh throwing down her stuff on the floor before landing face first into her soft mattress, she been gone at sea for a year and half with her uncle sailing. They went to many places in westeros and essos starting with Lannisport and finishing with Lys, a exciting journey for the girl it took her ages to convince her parents to let her go but after a lot of begging and many promises later they allowed her to go and help with the trade.

Her time out at sea surprised her, she spent more time in the air than in sea but somehow her father's blood truely ran deep in her, it felt natural as she assist around the ship Sea Snake and help her uncle navigate and sail. While on her journey, she meet a lot of people during her time in the free cities and saw many famous structures the whole trip made her get a itch to explore more, which made her explore each continent with a brothel just out of curiosity to see the difference from the ones in king's landing. The ones that daemon took her to when they return to king's landing were pallid and dry from the fake moaning and overdramatic screaming were funny but disconcerting, she told him that after he was finished with one of his lady friends.

She watched as daemon walked out from behind the thin sheet that didn't really hide what they were doing along with two girls who had a satisfied smiles on their face, he put on his tunic and took a seat on the other side of the table before pouring himself a glass of mead.

"Enjoying yourself, cousin. I can always ask the madam to send a man or woman to keep you company." She let out a laugh putting the mead she been nursing for quite some time to her lips.

"Again I say no thank you, only here to observe and take in." He chuckled leaning against his chair watching the naked woman walk or dance around.

"And what are your foundings, cousin." He asked moving his cup to his mouth.

"Well, from only being here for few hours I have come to conclude that these men are shit at fucking." She watched with a wide smile as daemon spit out his mead and laughed, and she couldn't help but join him.

"How can you possible know that?"

"For one, the fake moans and overdramatic cries of pleasure these women sprout from their mouth gave it away, and the unsatisfied looks once they walked out." Daemon chuckled again shaking his head.

"I doubt that it matters just as long they getting paid good." She hummed in respose with a look.

"I guess, but if it was me I would want more money for putting in so much work pleasuring you only to get unsatisfied." She said with giggle, daemon looked at her with eyeroll and soft scoff.

"What would abstient little thing like yourself know about pleasuring a man." She didn't say anything to that making daemon look at her, she rolled her lips inward as she looked straight.

"Tell me it isn't so the daughter of the sea snake lost her purity." He whispered making her roll her eyes.

"Who was he?" He asked curious with a small grin, "...and give details did you suck his cock or just got right to fucking." She looked at him.

"No, but he was gladly to go down on me before we did it." She smiled widely making daemon eyes widen.

"A man with good taste..." he looked at her with flirtatious eyes making her shake her head, "...and who knows what he likes sounds like me...I like him." He says putting his cup to his lips, when he said that she made a noise causing him raised his brow at her.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you knew who is was." He gave her a look before answering.

"Is it that dornish prick, ser whatchamacallit caspian because if it is your dead to me." He pointed a finger at her making her giggle.

"No and it's not the very handsome ser criston cole, but the son of someone you despise." He was thinking of the person's he might be talking about but it didn't stick.

"I despise a lot of people fathers you have to be more specific, love." She sighed exasperating picking her cup again.

"Ser Gwayne. It was ser gwayne." She said before downing the rest of her mead, she glanced over at daemon wore a blank look.

"You fucked that slimy cunt's son have you no dignity." She sucked her teeth as he overreact.

"Fuck off, daemon. Gwayne is sweet and gently and very good with his tongue." Daemon groaned displeased at what he was hearing.

"Great. You just ruined my evening." She chuckled as she watch him pour more mead in his and her cup, as he pulled out small bag the tall curvy red red hair madam walked up to their table.

" Leaving so soon my prince, mysaria would be displease to see her favorite customer gone so soon." The madam said.

"She'll get over it." He says nonchalantly dropping a couple of coins on the table, the madam hummed before turning her head towards the sea dragon.

"I never seen you around here before, new?" The young girl looked up a bit taken back at the woman attention on her, the sea dragon nodded as she averted her eyes down. Unknowingly to the woman but the young girl was dressed like lad so she can walk the streets of fleabottom without being notice by guards.

"Have you ever been in a brothel before, my lord?" The young woman shook her head no.

"Well, your always welcome back any friend of daemons is a friend of ours," the madam hand landed on the woman thigh making sea dragon go wide eye, "...and because your so cute I'll be happy to be your first...on the house." The madam winked making the young sea dragon opened and close her mouth speechless.

"...my cousin will love to but it's past his bedtime." Daemon said standing up making her follow suit.

"Maybe another time." The madam smiled pecking the sea dragon on the cheek before walking away, the young woman glanced at daemon stunned making him laugh and pull her out of the brothel.

"You know you should do it, I promise I won't tell." He leaned his body against hers making her smile and shrugged him off.

"So, same time tomorrow." He ask as they turn a corner down an alley, the young woman shook her head.

"I can't I'm leaving with my uncle tomorrow." He stopped as she turned to him.

"Where?" She shrugged.

"No idea. He is taking me on my first voyage, which leads me to ask if you can watch over Elixia. I can't really take her with me." She gave him a tight smile he leaned against the wall next to her with small smile.

"You won't last a day at sea, you belong in the air...with me." He said looking at her making her roll your eyes.

"Do I now?" He nods before towering over her, the young serpent didn't look a bit taken as she raised her brow.

"I love you." He whispered making her smile.

"Love you too, buddy." She patted his chest before moving out from under him and walking away, daemon looked after her with a smirk. He hurried after her putting his arm around her shoulder pulling her close to his side as she giggles and put her arm around his waist, they both walked the streets of fleabottom laughing all the way to the castle.

She opened her eyes at the thought of daemon she wondered what he was doing at this moment, the door to her chambers were opened she didn't move to see who it was only hearing their voice.

"My darling?" The voice of her mother rang their her chambers making the girl shift and look at the door, a confused and unsure looked plastered her mother's face caauing her to sit up.

"Yes, mama. Is everything okay?"

"You tell me, prince daemon targaryen is in the courtyard summoning your presents." She furrowed her brows she been back for only an hour and he already knew she was home.

"I'll be there in a minute let me just close my eyes for few more seconds...." she close her eyes laying back down on her bed snuggling into her pillow, her mother stared at her for a minute before coming into the room.

"You been spending a lot of time with the rogue prince,"

"He is my friend and has been for a while now, he likes my company and I like his." she heard her mother make a noise.

"I hope you mean in a talking and dragonriding way." The young woman rolled her eyes under eyelids.

"Of course, mother and I told you what happened with ser gwayne out of respect. Do you think I am that stupid to do it again with daemon no less."

"Watch your tone with me, young lady. I know you are smarter than that and I trust you to make good decisions, it's daemon I do not trust." Her mother said.

"We all know the rumors. What he spend most of his time doing in fleabottom or silk street, and how he likes bedding lord's daughters and...his temper." Her mother sounded a bit scared making the young girl frown a bit.

"I know, mother. But, daemon is my friend he wouldn't do anything to hurt me." She heard her mother sigh before feeling the back of her mother's hand caress her cheek.

"I hope your right, but be cautious my love he is like a untamed dragon beautiful and magnificent from afar, but if you get too close he might burn you." She opened her eyes to look at her mother before the princess leans down to kiss her daughter's head.

"Do not be too long, my darling." Her mother said before leaving her alone to think about her words.

She walked out the castle to see daemon was looking up at the sky as the sun shined upon him, he looked different his hair was short and he wore a crown on his head.

"Does my eyes deceives me or is that daemon targaryen?" She spoke loudly with a wide smile catching his attention, he saw her and laughed jogged up to her. He picked her up as she wrapped her arms around his neck before he spin them around making her laugh, he finally put her down holding her at arms length to look at her.

"May, may have you changed." His eyes roamed over her features and body taking her in she gently shook her head, the only thing that changed was her hair no longer being its wild hair was now short length dreaded like the males in her family.

"I can say the same to you, nice hair cut by the way." She touch his silk hair that was sticking out from the crown making him swat it away.

"So, what have you been up to while I was away." She asked hinting at the driftwood crown that sat upon his head, he smiled with a look of triumph he opening his arms.

"You are now standing in the present of the king of the stepstones and narrow sea." She covered her mouth her hand trying to cover her smile.

"I can't belive it."

"Believe it. Now all I need is a queen by my side to rule." He says moving hands to her waist gently squeezing them, she hummed with a small smirk as he leaned his head against hers. She could tell that something caught his eye as he looked back to her.

"Your parents are watching us, I wonder what will happen if I kiss you right now."

"My mother would probably have you killed or she do it herself." She giggled feeling his hands snake behind her to her lower back just above her backside.

"One way to found out." He moved his head to the side to capture her lips only to be meet with her soft cheek.

"Nice try." He made a noise before giving her a firm peck against her cheek before pulling away.

"Is there somewhere we can go without prying eyes." He said looking over her shoulder she turned to see her father back to them trying to talk to his wife as she stared at them with narrow eyes, the young woman turned to daemon again nodding moving to grab his arm walking them out of the courtyard.

"So, how was your journey." Daemon asked as they walked the shores of diftmark, the tough woman turned to him with a pleasant smile.

"It was great met a lot of people even sailed a bit. Got to travel around the free cities visited some brothels and brought some treasure back as well." Daemon chuckled looking at her as she talk.

"Sounds like you had fun." She looked over at him with a pleased smile.

"I did...pity that it's over now and I'm back here in my prison waiting my sentence to be married." She said a bit bitter as they took a seat on a large diftwood tree trunk.

"Have your father and mother already found you a suitor?" He asked a bit tense.

"They have three house they wish to marry me into the arryns, the tully, and the starks. I'm kinda hoping for house starks just because I wish to see the snowfall." She chuckled as daemon didn't found what she said amusing.

"Why waste your time with some piss poor lord of winter, when you can marry me." She rolled her eyes ignoring his words as she played with a stick.

"Firstly, the starks are one of the most respected houses in westeros and secondly, my mother isn't your biggest supporter at the moment sooo..." she shrugged with pursed lips as she used the stick to draw on the sand.

"Well, your father likes me shouldn't that be enough." She snorted.

"No, I need both of my parents to like you or a good enough reason to marry you to put to rest that I'm in safe hands for my mother's sake." He looked at her with a look.

"What does that suppose to mean?" He asked offended.

"Nothing, it's just that my mother knows about your bad habits and she worries that I may get hurt." She heard him scoff as her eyes were still trained on the sand and her drawing.

"I beat a messager to bloody pulp out of anger one time...his fine now." He under his breathe uncaring making her look at her.

"I was talking about the whores, I didn't know about that." She said looking at him a bit alarmed, she knew he had a tendency to lash out but since she been with him she only saw it at the tourney years ago, but that was before they were friends and haven't seen a outburst of violence from him since.

"It doesn't matter now it was a stressful time during the war, and you know I wouldn't do anything to hurt you." He looked at her with warmth making her turn her head back to sandy ground.

"I know." She mumbled, he looks at her.

"Why do you do that?"

"What?" She asked not looking at him.

"Look away. When I show any sign of affection you turn away, why." She stop for a moment before going back to drawing.

"I don't know, I guess I'm not use to your affectionate looks." She heard him sigh.

"That's a lie."

"How so?" She said stopping what she was doing and looking at him.

"Because I been looking at you like that since dorne." She gave him eyeroll not believing his words.

"You call eye fucking me affectionate." He nodded.

"In my head, yes." She hummed shaking her head slightly, they sat there for a minute in silence when daemon moved closer to her before grabbing her hand and holding them in his lap.

"I love you." He said looking down at her hands.

"I love you, too."

"Enough to marry me." She sigh tilting her head to the side.

"Maybe. I don't know I just don't want you to hurt me" She said gently, daemon looked hurt at her response.

"You know I would never–"

"I mean emotionally, daemon. I do not wish to hear rumors of you in brothels well I'm stuck in some castle waiting for you or worst...pregnant and all alone." He looked at her before letting go of her hand and standing in front of her, she watched as he took off his crown and placed it on her head.

"I, daemon targaryen, stand here in front of the beautiful sea dragon asking her to be my wife...my queen." He gets down on one knee making her look at him, "I have felt nothing but emptiness since you been gone, my love. All I wish was for you to come back to me. All I ever dreamed about was you."

"I will give up everything for you the crown, the whores, I would even throw the iron throne into the narrow sea if you ask me too." the woman kept her eyes on daemon as he speak feeling tears well up, " ...because when I'm with you I don't feel like the rogue prince...I don't feel bored or angry all the time, you make me feel like daemon...just daemon...your friend and my soul mate." As he grabbed her hand she closed her eyes trying to stop the tears from falling.

"Will you marry me?" She opened her eyes looking down at the cold metal around her finger, she gasped slightly at the silver moonstone ring on her hand.

"Do you like it?" He asked watching her closely.

" I fucking love it..." she glanced at me him as he smiled, "...and I love you, issa jorrāelagon." She grabbed his cheeks pulling him into a kiss, he put his hands over hers deepen the kiss.

"You still didn't answer my proposal." He said against her lips, he didn't want to pull apart yet been waiting a year and half to do this.

"The answer is yes, dummy." She said back, he pulled her up to her feet holding on to her waist still kissing her.

Daemon couldn't resist as he put her over his shoulder making her laugh, she held on to the crown on her head as he look around for a spot for them to lay down. He walked up the sand dune before putting her down, she grabbed him by the collar of his leather black vest armor pulling in for another kiss before pushing down on the beachgrass and straddling him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders making him do the same to her waist, they kiss each other roughly passionate as they bite and suck on each other lips causing the other to moan. Her hand snaked into his hand pulling it slighly causing him to moan lowly she did it again but this time she pulled it roughly tilting his head up causing him to grunt in pleasure and pain, unknowingly to him the sea serpent he love so much had started to unbuttoning his pants as her lips brushed against his cheek towards his ear.

"...break my heart, targaryen. I'll carve out your own." She whispered before her lips attach to his neck causing to him to grow hard.

"No better way to die but by the hand of the woman I love." He finally said back making her hummed in respose, daemon's hand went up her gown his thumb brushing over her sweet spot repeatedly making her loosen her on his hair. He flipped them so she was on her back and he was hovering over her, she groan and laugh at the same time from the special and impact.

"I let you do that..." he chuckled bending pecking her lips.

"Sure you did, my princess."

Daemon was on his side thrust slowly inside his lover from behind, the woman whimper pushing her hips back against him as he fucks her gently. It was mid morning when daemon woke up to found his lover in the mood for a quick fuck, before he had to get ready for the tourney.

"Ah, daemon..." she moaned grabbing his hand as it rest on her waist as he fucks her through her orgasm, daemon panted coming soon after making him lay slump next to her.

He pulled out making her whine from the lost before he rolled out of bed naked, the woman turned her head watching her lover walk over to the table to pour him some mead. She smiled observing him like this she founds him very sexy when his all covered in sweat it makes him look mystical in the sunlight, she shifted onto her back sitting up against the headboard as she continued to admire his beauty.

She linked her hands togther as her thumb rub over her ring that he gave her nearly a year ago, it amazed her how long its been since their wedding. All she could remember is being nervous thoughtout the whole ceremony even though it wasn't a big wedding more small with only house velaryon to witness it, daemon didn't wish to go back to king's landing so soon and see his brother making her question his reasoning on the quick proposal. He was very quick to dismiss it saying he wasn't ready to go back to king's landing just yet as the man they once knew, but as a husband and king with her by his side to show them how much he changed. After reassuring her about his commitment towards her made the wedding less scary then, and not soon enough was time for their consummation which they didn't waste time in undressing and dropping into bed. She and daemon soon left Diftmark traveling to Dragonstone to reside until he further notice, but after weeks of staying their daemon and her found out some interesting things.

Daemon was walking back to his chambers to fetch his wife when he saw walking down the opposite hall with a vacant look, "My love, are you okay?" He asked, she looked over at him in surpised before giving him a questionable look.

"What?"

"I said are you okay." She made 'oh' look before nodding.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just deep in my thoughts." She said dismissively daemon squinted at her but let it go for now before telling her he had something to show her, and grabbed her hand pulling her all the way to the hatchery. When they finally got there he left her to look for the maester about the surpised, as she waited and looked around she felt a sudden pull making her turn around in a circle before seeing a dragon egg nesting. She tilted her head to the side as she walked up it, she couldn't help but place her hands on upon it feeling it's warmth she notice egg was seaweed green with currant red fleckers.

"It looks like you found Elixia and Caraxes's hatchling, m'lady." The maester says from behind her she turned to see daemon with grin on his face as walk to your side, she looked back at the egg in astonishment before turning your gaze to daemon who picked up the egg and held it close to his chest like a baby.

"Do you know what this mean,issa jorrāelagon." He asked looking at her taking a step closer. (my love)

"What does it mean, my dear." She asked already knowing what he was about to say because was saying it herself.

"We may be getting a child...a heir...our son." He whispered the last words with a pleased look, the sea dragon had a watery smile as she held out her hand making smile and grab it before place it against her stomach.

"It looks like we don't have to wait too long for him, my love." Daemon didn't move his hand from her stomach as he try to register what she said, he finally looked at her before pulling her in for a kiss pecking her with all over the face he let out a victorious laugh as he looked down at her belly and rubbed it.

She smiles at the memory as her hand was on her swollen belly, she huffed feeling a kick. She called daemon making him pull his shirt over his head quickly before over to you, she grabbed his hand quickly as the baby kicked again they waited a moment before she felt another kicked. Daemon let out a chuckled moving his hand around her belly before kissing it, and got up to stand to kiss her on the lips.

"You look very handsome, husband." He looked over his shoulder smiling at her, he was getting his shoes on before pulling his vest over his shirt.

"Thank you, wife."

"You coming back right when i go into labor?" She asked as she tapped her fingers against her swollen stomach, he had a unsure look but it disappeared when turn to his wife.

"Of course, my love." He came over to her placing a satisfied kiss against her lips.

"One more favor before you leave, my darling." Daemon stood by your bedside with his hand in yours hands, "Please don't try to kill anybody out of respect for our soon to be son." Daemon hmmed.

"I try my best even through that is the best part of the tourney." She rolled his eyes at his bloodlust.

"Just don't kill too many of them." He nodding kissing her knuckles and then capturing her lips for a moment before pulling away.

"I love you, my princess." She smiled against his lips.

"I love you too, my prince." He leaned his head against hers and pulled back, he went over to the door to found septas and female servants behind the door I guess they were waiting for them. He opened the door wider as he stepped inside piling into the room, he eyes roamed over to his wife who looked at them worrisome before looking at daemon, he gave her a couraging smile making her give one back.

"Have fun, my love." She said as the servants started to shift around the pillows on the bed to make her comfy as possible, he gave her a quick and firm nod before walking out he hoped that she forget asking him to come back. He doesn't know if he could take the sounds of her screams as she delivers their child, he never told her this but he had a dream a very nightmarish dream that made him afraid to stand by his wife's side. He knew what happened to his brother's wife after praising the son from his dream he lost both of them a day, but at the time he understood he always thought he could do the same if it meant getting an heir. But, those feelings has changed he fears that the gods will punish him from his past behavior by taking away the only light in his life and so he promised himself he die before putting his wife through that whole ordeal, he even said if he had to choose he would choose her over their unborn child he don't think he can live with the reminder of his choice.

So, when he it was announced that wife went into labour not too long his heart beat inside his chest like a hammer to a stone wall, when the time comes he told his brother if word send for him to return to the castle for the deliverance was to tell them excuses and so viserys did when the first messgaer came to ask for the return of the prince to the castle. At that moment daemon was jousting with a unnamed knight that he didn't give a damn what his name was and won, and eventually had to beat to a bloody pulp after he tried to attack him from behind. As daemon bask in the glory again after another win he smiled as they cheered for him his eyes moved over to viserys, who was talking to the maester he notice something was wrong as they talk with timid before looking over at him with a grim and worried look he glance over at his wife's family to see her mother look upset and her father to look worried as they listen to the conversation. He soon walked out off to get his armour remove he threw his helmet on the ground before hissing at the squire to hurry up before stalking away, he soon runs into his brother and other two members of the council.

"What happened? How is she?" He said in a haste looking at the maester for answers.

"Everything will be explain soon when we get back to your chambers."

"No, I want to know now. Is my wife okay, my child? What? What! I need to know." He said growing agitated making him step towards who stepped back and viserys grabbed his shoulder only for to shove it away.

"Daemon. You need to stay calm and listen to maester mello he knows what he is doing–" Daemon cut off his brother with humorless laugh.

"I doubt that profoundly," he looked over at corlys as he descended walking up over to the group of men.

"My wife and I wish to know how is are our daughter and our grandchild." He said asked firmly looking at the maester with a stern look.

"Like I told the prince–"

"Good thing. I'm not the prince I am her father and demand to know what is happening." He said each word leaving no room for argument, maester sighed exasperating before explaining.

"It seems that the baby been breech, and we're trying to get it turn around." Daemon clenched his fist before walking around them hurrying to the castle, as he tries to get to her his wife's back was against the headboard as she panted as she clenched the bed in pain.

"Where is my husband, is daemon here yet." The servant at the door looked back at the princess.

"I'm sorry, m'lady. But, he is not." She grunted in pain as the septa's hand press down on her belly trying to get the baby to turn, she closed her eyes as she tried not twist and turn in discomfort as she silently pray to The Mother for her child safe passage out of her. She couldn't finish the prayer as the sharpe discomfort that came making her as she clenched the pillow by her side, daemon ran all the way to his chambers before peaking inside the room to see his wife in a puddle of her own blood and sweat making him step back and close his eyes.

He thought he could deal with the scene in front of him since been around a lot bloody body, but when it's the woman you love is hard to watch as she groan in pain. Daemon turned his head hearing footsteps come his way he saw the group of men walking towards him, the maester walked past him inside to check on the his patient.

"I wish someone told me that hardest part of this is seeing the woman you love in pain." Corlys hummed in thought as he stood next to him.

"I remember the day that rhaenys was in labor, no matter where I went I all I could hear is her scream echoing throughout the castle." Daemon looked at him with a reluctant look.

"Ho‐How did you deal with it." He saw a small smile spread across his father-in-law face.

"Against my maester and advisers better judgment, I walked in my chambers even rhaenys thought it wasn't "proper" for me to be there..." Daemon listen to corlys wordd it distracted him from his wife's torturing pain.

"But?"

"...but she changed her mind fairly quickly when it was time for her to push, I sat by her said the whole night and early morning holding her hand and whispering couraging words as she scream and squeeze the life out of my hand." He chuckled making daemon smile a bit.

"And in the end it was all worth it to see my babe born, our sea dragon and my eldest daughter." Corlys says fondly at the memory, maester mello came out of the room making corlys and daemon look his way.

"Good news, prince daemon. The child is no longer breeching and your wife can continue to push." Daemon let out a sigh of relief as corly patted him on the back.

"That's good..." he said about to walk in there when the maester stopped.

"My prince you can't go in there." Daemon looked at mallo with a vacant look.

"Who's going to stop me?" He asked before walking around only the maester following behind him.

"My prince, it's improper for you to be–"

"Fuck improper." He said walking inside seeing his wife covered in sweat, she turned her head to see her husband and smile weakly.

"My beloved you made it." He hurried over to her taking her hand in his own before kissing it.

"I'm sorry I'm late, my queen." He leaned his head against hers making her kiss her eyes in gratitude, but the sweet moment was over when she moaned in pain.

"It's time to push, my m'lady." She started shaking her head afraid she been waiting for this the moment she started her contraction.

"No, no, no, no, no. I'm not ready, daemon-ahhhh." She grabbed daemon's hand as the pain was overwhelming.

"It's alright, my love. I'm right here you can do this..." she shook her head as tears welled up and fell.

"No, I can't... hurt so much...I can't-ahhh..i can't." She whimper as daemon watched her helplessly as he couldn't do anything to stop the pain, he turned towards the door to hiss corly who motion with his head to the bed making daemon catch on. He got up from his knees taking his boots off with one hand before removing his vest and getting behind his wife, she scooted up a bit still in pain before falling back against his chest.

"Hold my hands and you got this if you can take a hit and get back up, you can easily push out this child." He whispered in her ear making her nod as she held both his hands.

"Okay, m'lady. Push!" The septa says, daemon cringe a the loud piercing scream that came from his wife as she pushed, it felt like a eternity when they heard the sounds of the baby wails. The tired mother falled back against her husband chest as her heart hammered in her chest, they took the baby away to get clean not a second later announced the gender.

"It's a girl." Daemon made a hummed noise a bit taken back wasn't expecting that targaryen dreams are usually right, he was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard his laugh.

"A girl...its a girl...how lovely." Daemon could help let a chuckle as he was giggling from the pain being over, but her that changed when she gripped his hands again as pain shot through her body again.

"My love, what's wrong? What is it. " She didn't say anything as she sat forward groaning, the septa passed the baby over to the servant girl and walked over to the bed and lifted up his wife's gown.

"There's a another." She said surpised getting back in position as lady velaryon started pushing without thought.

"By the gods, we're having twins." Daemon whispered starstruck, she shouted as she pushed before taking a breather and continuing. Finally, the pain was hopefully over she laid back limp exhausted from all the pushing but she was still alert and heart didn't stop hammering in her chest.

"...daemon...why don't I hear crying." She asked weakly, she try to lift her head to look at him but couldn't found the energy move her head from his chest.

"I-I don't know," he was about moved when she grabbed his forearm causing him to stop, she finally got to move her head to look up at him as he stared at the group of women.

"...don't leave me, please." Daemkn looked down at her pleading eyes as nodded settling down against headboard, he wrapped his arms around her front as he closed his eyes. Daemon never pray in his life for nothing not even when he was in battle, he felt it was useless and that gods didn't care to listen to their devotees pathetic whines and pleads. But, it's seems that he there's a first time for everyone, and seems this was his as he prayed the seven he could hear his wife barely audible prayer to The Mother. Like a miracle, the baby cries out making the ladies surrounded it sigh in relief before announcing its gender.

"It's a boy, your highness." Daemon let out a small sob at the sound of his son, he buried his face in his wife neck trying to hide his face. His wife let out a sigh her hand going to his hair raking it, she heard him sniffled before quickly wiping his eyes and containing himself.

"My sweet prince." She said caressing his cheek with the back of her fingers, he smiled at her.

"Issa gevie ābrazȳrys nyke ȳdra daor gīmigon skorkydoso nyke glaesagon mijegon ao." He said. (I don't know how I'll ever live without you.)

"Nyke ȳdra daor gīmigon skorkydoso nyke glaesagon mijegon ao tolī." She sigh before he kissed her cheek multiple times. (I don't know how I'll live without you too)

"Your grace, do you wish hold your childern now." They looked at the septas who held the twins.

"Yes, please." She said adjusting herself before the septa laid her som into her arms before doing the same with their daughter as daemon held her, the septas and the servants left the couple alone so they can a little family time.

"What should you name them?" He asked as he look from behind to your side, she looked at him with furrowed brows.

"I'm thinking you can name him and I'll name her, I have two good names for my little princess." She smiled looking over at the baby with mop of white hair.

"I think you should name them both, and I can name the next one." He chuckled when she gave him a look.

"Bold of you to think we're having anymore of these little monsters, your not touching me for at least a month." She said jaded looking down at the baby boy who had the same mop of hair like his twin.

"You wouldn't last a week before you come begging me to fuck you."

"Hush you. No cursing in front of the babes the last thing we need is their first words being fuck." He a small smile etched kts way up on his lips.

"Wouldn't that be something, and maybe on the sixteenth name day I can take them out to fleabottom like I did you." She rolled her eyes.

"If you take my childern to that place, I'll have Elixia eat." She gently caressed her baby's head, he watched her with love before he remember.

"I wasn't gonna come back to the room." He confess out of nowhere, she raised a brow at him.

"I was going to stay at the tourney until you were finish, I couldn't handle the screaming but than I talk to corlys and–"

"He told the day i was born and how he sat by my mother the entirely time, yeah he told me that story multiple times as a kid." She said with a small smile.

"I'm sorry." He said, she shook her head.

"It's okay, you came anyway even though it was late you made in time to see the birth of your childern." He hummed smiling at down at them.

"The second best decision I ever made."

"What's the first?" She smiled.

"Fucking you on the beach." She made a urge sound as she rolled her eyes as he chuckled.

"You know what I have decided to name our little prince after my grandfather, Aemon, and name our princess after the woman who birth aegon the conqueror, Valaena."

"I thought you said I could pick." He comments.

"I changed my mind." She gave him a mock smile before glancing down.

"Well, jest on you because I liked them both very likable and brave people to live up to." She nodded turning to her husband.

"We're parents." She said as the realization yet them.

"Yeah, we are..." he smiled as they both leaned in kissing each other.

"Daemon get your ass over here, it's hatching." She said placing Valaena in her cradle with her brother.

"I'm coming, I'm coming, I'm coming." He said walking over to her without a shirt, it been couple of months since the both of the twins and couple days ago since they return home to dragonstone when they decided to put a dragon egg in the cradle.

They were worried since they placed it just six moons ago and it haven't hatched, but now it was happening they watched as the egg shake slightly. The egg cracked revealing two dragons the lady wife gasped softly seeing the two dragon emerged, one was all green with fleckers of red on its body well they other was all red with fleckers of green on his body.

"Have you seen anything like this before." She asked her husband, he shook his head as he stared stunned at them, the green and red one moved closer to the babes making the sea dragon grab her husband hand.

The green dragon looked over at aemon moving towards him lowly with caution as aemon stared at it, the red did the same with valaena making the baby giggle in amusement. They both watched happily as the dragons took a liking to their riders as they spit small fires casuing the babies to squeal, the princess leaned her head on her husband shoulder Watchung with a smile well her laid his cheek on the top her head as they watch their childern bond.

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nikoisme · 9 months

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tw for descriptions of zombies, death, slight gore and body decay (decomposition)

The Odyssey but Odysseus died at Troy. Yet his drive to see his wife and son was strong enough for him to lift his rotting limbs. He stumbles around - a corpse should not move. He has only one goal in mind: Ithaca, Penelope, Telemachus. His body is weak and frail, it constantly collapses and fails him. His body wants to return to the earth. He should be in the ground right now, his body grass and moss. But his mind lives, and he lifts his body off the ground no matter how long it takes him. His mind and body are divided, both long for their own goals. He makes no sound but a whisper: "Ithaca. Penelope. Telemachus." He doesn't remember where his home is. But he keeps whispering. People hear him. He can't talk, can't think anything except those three. They will ask him, "Who are you?". He can only give them a glassy stare, haunted and utterly wrong. It's not natural. He only murmurs "Ithaca. Penelope. Telemachus." and glances away, before dragging himself away. He has no name, at least not one he can remember. His mind consists only of those three thoughts. They think him a mad man. No one recognizes him as the king of Ithaca, his face sunken and destroyed. Even if someone did recognize him, well - Odysseus died at Troy, after all. They try to capture him, but no one dares approach that walking mass of rot and blood. They try to kill him. Arrows tear through the remaining muscle. Spear tips poke out of his ribs. He will collapse on the ground, they will think he died. But it's only his body. They cannot kill what's already dead. So he will push himself up - moments, hours, days or weeks later. And he stumbles on. And he whispers. He can't hear or register any words that people speak. He will only turn his head when he hears someone say Ithaca, Penelope, Telemachus. He follows those whispers. They get more frequent, until everyone around him is saying those three words sacred to him. Until his thoughts materialize before him.

Okay so now I have two endings:

1. A bit of his mind gives away when he reaches Ithaca, when he kisses her shores. Another fragment is gone when he holds his son in his arms, when he kisses him. He sees the suitors, 108 men trying to get their hands on his wife. On his Penelope. It's enough to make him think straight, at least for a bit. He wants to kill them right then and there. But Telemachus stops him, he has to restrain him. Odysseus obeys. It's easy to put something so breakable and weak under control. But he only thinks of suitors' blood. And eventually, they shed it. Odysseus is like a beast, death itself casting doom upon anyone his sunken eyes land on. And finally, he sees Penelope. His mind gives way when he is in her arms again, when he kisses her. His mind has no thoughts anymore, he reached his goal. There's nothing to hold his body upright anymore. No goal to reach - well, except one. One he should've reached on the beaches of Troy, a decade ago. Death. He finally dies the next morning, going still in their olive bed.

2. He is slow. His body is weak, he trips everytime his toes touch the ground. He is slow, but it's okay. He doesn't have to stop, he has no physical needs to meet, except the one of his mind. Not his heart, that one has been dead for a while now. And he follows the words of others, echoes of his own whispers. And he reaches Ithaca, eventually. But the people are different. They wear different clothes, they speak a different language. No one says those three words. It should have been obvious, the way those names slowly faded as he went from city to city, land to land. He was slow, too slow. Penelope and Telemachus are gone now. They have been dead for who knows how long. But his mind's needs are not met, the drive is still there. So he wanders the lands, searching for something long gone - always whispering under his breath.

I'm very fond of both endings aughh, I'll need to write this down sometime.

Another version is where Odysseus' personality and mind have been slowly chipped away over the course of his journey until he became nothing but the embodient of his drive to see his wife and son. His body is forgotten, thin and torn. He is dead. Perhaps he is not. It's hard to tell at this point. When does a man die - is it when his heart stops beating and blood stops rushing in his veins, or when his mind is gone? (probably would get the first ending).

#the odyssey #odysseus #penelope #telemachus #greek mythology #epic the musical #tagamemnon #i have this fascination with the concept of zombies #and every piece of media I'm interested in has been zombie-ified #i have so many zombie AUs #i have no plan to stop #i already zombified the iliad #kind of

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elizabethtudors · 2 years

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I have a lot of thoughts about episode four and gender/sexuality

from the opening of the latest episode of house of the dragon, we are primed for a story about marriage. rhaenyra begins the episode in a sort of christina rossetti’s goblin market where eligible suitors are paraded out in front of her. she rejects them all. we then see a shot of daemon flying back home. during his welcome home reception we are reminded that rhaenyra is now 18 and mature (almost old for westerosi standards, GRRM I AM IN YOUR WALLS). we have a scene between alicent and rhaenyra where rhaenyra says she wishes to not end up in the situation that alicent is in: a glorified breeding mare for a king. alicent laments her loneliness and how all everyone sees is her role, the queen. rhaenyra’s conversation with alicent is then repeated in her conversation with daemon. she expresses her fear of ending up like her mother and her desire to be more than just a political pawn in her father’s game, that men won’t want her for herself but who she represents (an ironic parallel to the beginning where she is offered protection but what good is protection if you have a dragon?).

it’s when rhaenyra and daemon leave the castle that the show really starts to get interesting when it comes to gender, class, and expectations of sex and sexuality.

disguised as a man, rhaenyra wanders the streets with daemon. intercut with scenes of her looking in awe at the magic tricks, sexual freedom, and common plays are scenes of alicent tending to viserys’ wounds. viserys believes she has a gentler touch than those treating him, a reinforcement of traditional gender roles of wife as nurturer. rhaenyra and daemon watch a play where the common folk recount her being named heir to great disappointment (a chorus of boos repeat) while aegon, who the play explicitly reminds us is named after a conqueror, is met with cheers because he has what rhaenyra does not: a cock. rhaenyra tries to gain control of the narrative cheering when her name is mentioned but it is no good. when she asks daemon why should she care about what they think, he reminds her that she will be queen of them one day. it serves as another reminder to the message the show has been building since episode one: can a woman be accepted on the iron throne? even disguised and given the authority of a man, rhaenyra is powerless to change the tide.

once we get to the brothel is where things get very interesting. We get cuts of daemon and rhaenyra journeying deeper into the depths like a sort of journey to the underworld. They are interspersed with alicent being called to perform her wifely duties with viserys. we get a shot of alicent below viserys (both literally and in terms of the power play in this sex scene), her eyes vacant as if no pleasure can be derived from the activity but only duty. meanwhile, we see daemon telling rhaenyra that chamber in the brothel is a place where people come to take what they want. we see many people of varying ages and sexualities in the throes of pleasure. and daemon and rhaenyra join them. the scene is deliberately vague. did they have sex? rhaenyra ends the scene with her pants down. one thing is very clear, the encounter was purely driven by pleasure and lust, something lacking in alicent/viserys scenes. for now, it seems rhaenyra has access to that kind of power, in spite of her sex, something she takes full advantage of when she returns home and sleeps with cristian cole. in that sex scene, rhaenyra is the one who initiates it and she assumes the top position her father had, the position of power. we have two ideas at play here: sex as duty and sex as pleasure. and in this moment, it seems like maybe rhaenyra will be able to overcome her gender’s fate to genuinely enjoy sex for what it is both in disguise as a man and with someone who calls her princess and sees her for what she is.

of course, as the second half of the episode shows, that kind of power is an illusion. otto hears from his spies that rhaenyra and daemon went to a brothel and tells viserys. while viserys puts on a show not believing him (we will later learn that this is a farce), it becomes very clear that there is no power to be had for women when it comes to sex in this world. alicent confronts rhaenyra and here is where we reach ultimate Gender Fuckery™️ in this episode. rhaenyra denies anything happened. however as the conversation progresses, rhaenyra realizes that her protests are not enough on their own. so rhaenyra takes the gender expectation and roles in her denials. daemon was her escort. she could not leave without him and he took advantage of that and her. she swears on her mother that she is a maiden, the same mother who quite literally bled out for the westeros gender expectations and roles. it works. alicent believes her and will even go to bat for her with viserys.

meanwhile, viserys confronts daemon. this is perhaps the show at its most blunt and least subtextual (I know writers who use subtext and they are all cowards!). daemon rightfully points out that at viserys’ age, they both making their way through the brothels and in response, viserys says, “we were boys, she is a girl.” (or something to that effect). unlike rhaenyra, daemon does not have to hide what they did. he is proud of it. viserys rightly points out that he has ruined her and daemon plays his card: he was promised anything for his service in the stepstones, and what he wants is to marry rhaenyra. yes he is married (will the artist known as rhea royce please stand up, girl we need to see you) but it doesn’t matter. aegon had two wives after all, why shouldn’t he? again, the callback to the conqueror but this time, despite having a cock, he is denied for a different reason. viserys thinks this is a play for the throne that daemon has coveted. is it? we don’t know. we have certainly seen that he cares for her and she him (again when daemon tells viserys it was better he fuck her than another man, the idea that it be someone she desires rather than politicking).

finally, viserys and rhaenyra have a conversation. again, the prince that is promised prophecy makes an appearance, something that viserys uses to remind her that what is at stake is greater than the throne. the word blood in the prophecy takes a new meaning when we consider how many times we have seen women bleed for the targaryen legacy and the ways pregnancy and blood have been linked throughout the episode. viserys says that she will marry leanor, bringing together the two houses and conveniently fixing his sea snake problem. rhaenyra rightfully calls this out as the political play. once again, we are back to where we were at the beginning of the episode with rhaenyra being used as nothing more than a pawn. she has done all this learning about sex and pleasure and her gender still traps her. daemon can find sex freeing and empowering but she has had power taken away from her throughout this second half. she does manage to eek out a minor victory in getting otto hightower out by rightfully pointing out his ambition but the victory ultimately feels hollow, especially when in the final scene, rhaenyra is brought a tea with abortive properties. daemon may be able to walk away from their experience (quite literally) but rhaenyra is left with nothing but consequences. women may get pleasure from sex as men do but cost is always great.

#house of the dragon #hotd spoilers #rhaenyra targaryen #daemon targaryen #alicent hightower #viserys targaryen #my meta #v stream of consciousness but i need to get my feelings out #this episode was directed by a woman and you could tellllllllllll (in a good way)#anyway gender thoughts make my brain go vroom

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otdiaftg · 2 months

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The King's Men - Chapter Eleven

Day: Thursday, February 15th Time: 9:00 PM EST

Neil was on the last one when there was a single rap at his door. It wasn't Kevin's imperious knock or Nicky's enthusiastic rat-tat-tat, but the upperclassmen wouldn't drop by when Matt and Dan were both out. Neil pushed his schoolwork aside and went to investigate. Andrew stood in the hallway, hands stuffed inside the front pocket of a dark hoodie. Neil opened the door wider and stepped out of the way. Andrew glanced past him before entering the room. Neil guessed he was looking for an audience, so explained, "Matt went out with Dan for a couple hours. Are you coming with us to the court?" "Entertain yourself tonight." Andrew invited himself the kitchen and opened the fridge. "Kevin is too drunk to curse your name, much less stand up and hold a racquet." "He what?" Neil asked, but Andrew didn't waste his breath repeating it. Neil looked down the hall like he could somehow see Kevin in his wretched state. "Coward." "Don't sound surprised," Andrew said. "It is nothing new." "I thought I'd gotten through to him last time," Neil admitted. He closed the door and propped his shoulder against the kitchen doorframe. "On a scale of one to ten, how bad do you think this will get?" "How bad can it?" Andrew returned. "Riko can't kill you yet, and Moriyama already told the Raven fans to stay out of it." "They could still disqualify us somehow," Neil said. "They got their showdown last October. Since they don't think we can make it to finals there's no reason for them to tolerate us any longer." "They don't have a choice anymore. If the Ravens don't let us run our course there will always be room for doubt and speculations. The Ravens can't share their throne with what-ifs. They have to be supreme victors." Andrew gave that a moment to sink in before saying, "I'm undecided." "About our chances this spring?" Neil asked. Andrew held his hands palm-up between them. "The thought that you've unintentionally conned them into this corner is intolerable, as it means you're stupider than even I gave you credit for. If you did it knowingly, however, you're cleverer than you've led me to believe. That means the Ravens aren't the only ones you're playing with. One of these is the lesser evil." "Not everything's a con," Neil said. Andrew didn't answer, but Neil read his calm expression as disbelief. Neil considered defending himself and decided it a waste of energy. Andrew wouldn't believe him anyway. "Which one is the lesser evil?" "I'm undecided," Andrew said again. "That's helpful," Neil muttered. "You could just ask." "Why bother?" Andrew asked with a slight shrug. "I'll figure it out eventually."

Art used with permission by Emry-stars-art. Thank you @emry-stars-art!

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moris-auri · 3 months

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As It Was

Pairing: Osferth x Brynja

Word count: 3.1k

Summary: The battle of Wintanceaster is over, and Brynja, a handmaiden in service to Lady Æthelflæd eagerly awaits his return.

warnings: MDNI 18+, NSFW, P in V sex, mild angst.

A/N: just a little thank you to @ewanmitchellcrumbs for my Old Norse questions 💗💗

taglist: @artyoms @black-dread @helaelaemond @orcaunionleader @arcielee @sylasthegrim @bottlesandbarricades @officerbrowneyes @barbieaemond

She had barely raised the cup to her mouth when the rumble of horse hooves came suddenly, shattering the midday silence like shards of glass. Brynja shifted, wincing as the hard flat surface of the bench dug unpleasantly into the skin on the underside of her thighs, as her eyes, a rich shade of brown, locked with those of Leofflæd. She doesn’t say a word to the other girl, doesn’t have to - not when they both know it can only mean one thing - that the siege of Wintanceaster was over and the King had come to some agreement with the Danes.

The thought fills her with relief, feeling the threads of worry and anxiousness that lingered in the line of her shoulders and her spine dissipate. She, like every other person in Æglesburgh, had heard from the people fleeing the plague, of the taking of the palace and the Queen, Lady Aelswith and the King's sons.

She had never been more than a little thankful lady Æðelflæd had gone, riding north to quell the uprising in the north when the word came.

She bowed her head, her lips moving soundlessly as she muttered a prayer to Týr for protection under her breath as it went silent again, the noise lessening to the point where it was as silent as a tomb, before the soft tones of Lady Æðelflæd and the voices of the King and Lord Uthred came, growing in volume with each second.

Her head tilted to the side as she listened, the low sound of her breathing and the pop of the flames in the hearth the only noise. Whatever they were speaking of was enough to warrant shouting - if their raised voices emanating from beyond the doors were anything to go by.

She swiftly rose to her feet, making her way towards the entryway, only to be greeted almost immediately by blinding sunlight. Harsh and unforgiving, it glared down over the bustle of men and horses in the courtyard.

It was bright enough to make her pause, stopping in her tracks with a hand raised to shield her eyes in an attempt to blink back the stars that dotted the edge of her vision. Her gaze shifted the second her sight returned to normal, eyes flitting over the others before landing on the all too familiar head of sandy hair that stood out like a beacon amidst his darker haired companions.

The sight of him - though he had not noticed her yet - made her breath hitch, the air stilling in her lungs, and she could feel her heart begin to beat faster, an almost girlish eagerness unfurling like a flower behind her ribcage as his name beat like a mantra in her mind, over and over and over.

Osferth. Osferth. Osferth.

Ever since she laid eyes on him that first time, the still green boy on the cusp of becoming a man - she had been enthralled, and not just by the vivid blue of his eyes or the color that dusted across the curve of his cheekbones or by his flaxen hair that turned to burnished gold by the slowly lowering sun - but by his very demeanor. He was humble in a way many of the men she had come into contact with were not, as different as the others like night to day. But like anyone, the sight of blood and battle had hardened him, peeling the naivety from him bit by bit like the skin of an onion.

As the years passed, one after the other, she had grown to treasure his company the few and far between times he, Sihtric, Finan and Uthred came to Æðelflæd's estate before going again.

Though no matter how well she tried to hide it, the sight of his back to her atop a horse, growing smaller and smaller the further he went, never failed to make her heart twist painfully, fingers lifting almost unconsciously to press against her lips, worry sitting heavy like a stone in her stomach.

It was only when he and the others had returned to Beamfleot after that battle against the Danes did the realization just how much she cared for him slam into her like a hammer striking an anvil. It had felt like her heart had stopped beating the instant her eyes landed on him in the back of that cart, bloodied and weakened and pale.

The knowing stares from Leofflæd and Lady Æðelflæd herself had followed her near every step, watching her find some excuse to be near to him in the time he had been in the keep, capable of doing little as he healed from his wounds.

She reached out, touching his elbow hesitantly, feeling the coarseness of the roughspun tunic under her fingers. "Osferth."

He turned around at the sound of his name, blue eyes widening at the sight of her. "My lady."

"Brynja," he amended quickly, seeing the look on her face. She cleared her throat weakly, feeling a lump build in her throat. No matter how many times she heard him say it, she doubted she would ever want him to stop. He looked like he wanted to say more, only for his cheeks to turn red as Finan came up behind him, one hand falling to his shoulder.

"You grow prettier every time I see you, my lady," the Irishman jested in lieu of a greeting, eyes settling on her.

"Finan." She rolled her eyes. He barked a laugh at the falsely unamused note to her voice, a broad grin on his face. "It is good to see you though."

"You as well, lady."

Lord Uthred barged past them suddenly without a word, Sihtric on his heels, and she caught a brief glance of the anger still clinging to his expression. She returned her gaze to Osferth, a question burning in her eyes. He hesitated, sharing a look with Finan before answering. "The Dane took a captive. Stiorra."

"Oh."

"Forgive us, lady," he uttered half under his breath, tugging at the neck of his robe, pulling it away from his skin with a disgruntled look. It was then did she notice the dirt and dried blood clinging to him and Finan both.

"Yes, of course," she said as she took a step back, already scanning the crowd for Lady Æðelflæd and Leofflæd. She turned to say something, only to see the sight of their backs as they entered the hall.

The atmosphere of the feasting hall was warm, bordering on stifling, the space, normally almost empty, filled with bodies and the low hum of voices chattering mindlessly as evening fell, the sun giving way to night as the sky outside darkened to indigo. The feasting had been going for some time, bowls and platters of food covering the table's surface. Ale and dishes piled high with meats, deer and venison and rabbit served at the expense of Lady Æðelflæd passing from hand to hand.

Yet despite the joyousness of it, the only thing she could focus on was the heat coming off of Osferth's lean frame from where he sat beside her. His arm brushed hers as he reached for something in front of her and she startled, fingers tightening around the base of the cup.

"I've missed you."

The words come out before she can even consider them, soft and so faint, and she flushes, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, uttering a wordless curse in her head. Osferth froze, arm still extended towards whatever he had been reaching for.

"I- I am sorry," she exhaled, turning her gaze the other way, feeling half a fool. His hand closed over hers before she could say another word. She startled, turning back to meet his gaze, watching his throat bob as he swallowed. Suddenly everything else around her faded, the din of the voices turning into a faint hum, the only thing she can think of is how close he is to her.

Sitting like this, with his leg pressed against hers, nearly nose to nose with him, she can count every individual eyelash and the specks of darker blue in his irises, the sparse bits of growth on the sharp cut of his jaw and the desire darkening his pupils to a shade of blue that was not unlike the waves along the coast.

The echoes of the feast faded, growing fainter and fainter the further they went. Guided by nothing but the torchlight flickering over the walls, they weaved through hall after hall until the familiar door to her chamber came into view, and her grip tightened around his fingers as she pulled him inside, the door shutting behind him quietly.

Brynja turned, almost immediately feeling the loss of his warmth as she let go. She bit her lip, unable to tear her eyes from his face. He was so very pretty in this light, the flickering light coming from the hearth casting shadows over his face.

"I want you," she breathed, curling one hand around his jaw, emboldened by the ale she had consumed over the course of the night. He caught her mouth in a kiss that was little more than a messy tangle of teeth and tongue, his fingers skirting further upwards, weaving into her hair, ruining Leofflæd's carefully done work without a care in the world. She nipped at his lip, tasting the ale on his lips, mingled with some other note that was not entirely unpleasant.

"We cannot," he panted, tugging back to stare at her. His eyes were blown wide in the dim, the pretty blue eclipsed by the dark of his pupil. "I am a bastard-"

"I find I do not care for that word." Brynja interrupted sharply, her voice low and adamant. She pressed her fingers to his mouth to silence him, her brows furrowing as she stared up at him, daring him to argue with her. "It is Alfred's sin, Osferth," she breathed barely half a second later before pulling her fingers away. "Not yours. Never yours, when you are twice the man he could ever dream to be."

She pressed closer, shifting her hand from his jaw to his neck, the pressure of her fingers digging into the skin drawing a half startled noise from deep within his chest. The sound rocked through her body, drawing a whine and a wave of gooseflesh in its wake. Her heart began to beat faster, thumping harshly against her ribs.

He seemed to flush more, if it were possible, great splotches of pink spreading over the curve of his cheekbones and down his neck. His hands, roughened and callused and battle worn, flexed against her hips, heat bleeding through the thin cotton to warm the skin beneath.

"My lady-"

She teasingly raised a hand, trailing one finger over the line of his jaw, staring up at him from under her lashes. "I am not quite a lady though, am I?"

"No," he croaked in agreement, staring down at her with a soft look in his eyes. "You are more than that." Her fingers returned to his hair at that, pulling him to her as she tugged on the sandy hued strands, pressing her lips to his. He whimpered in response, arm twisting around her waist as he choked out a ragged noise against her mouth.

She reared backward at the sound, heart thudding in her chest as she stared wide eyed at him. "I'll stop-"

Osferth shook his head rapidly, strands of mussed hair falling into his eyes with the movement. The urge to brush his hair back rose, and it was with no small amount of effort that she stifled it. "Don't," he murmured, and she could hear the not quite whine in his voice, the near silent plea for more, his expression a heady mix of steadily growing desperation and lust.

Suddenly shy, the ale fueled bravery fading to a faint thrumming in her veins, she dropped her gaze, focusing blindly on something past his shoulder. He slid one of his fingers underneath her chin, lifting her head as she had done to him earlier. "No."

His voice was firm, the sight of the desire in his eyes catching her off guard, her legs pressing together in response. "I would see you, Brynja. As you are."

"How beautiful you are." He all but sighed the words when the last layer dropped in a puddle at her feet, his exhale as soft as a bird's feather.

"As are you," she cannot help but add, cheeks heating at his words. Brynja dropped one hand between them, the other weaving into his hair. She brushed her fingers over the outline of his cock straining behind his breeches, and he made that sound again, that choked whimper as his eyes squeezed shut, and she knew then and there that there was never another sound she wanted to hear.

She crooned his name softly, sliding her palm up the length of his body, brushing the tips of her fingers across almost every inch of his face. He turned his head then, eyes opening before batting her hand away. His thumb brushed over her cheek, the look in his eyes soft, murmuring her name, once, twice, three times, uttering it like it was a prayer to his God.

A breath passed, the hold he had on her hip tightening as they moved blindly. A wave of pain shot up her leg when her knee connected with the low baseboard of her bed, a startled yelp tumbling from her lips as they fell in a tangle of limbs atop the thin mattress. It was all too easy to ignore the pain pulsing sluggishly in her knee with him beneath her like this, the length of him hard against her thigh.

She gripped the bed linens with one hand as she arched upwards to kiss him, tangling her fingers into his hair, moaning against his lips as she pulled at the strands, the rasping sound of his groan vibrating down the length of her body, and she shudders against him, his name a low whine on her tongue as she twines her arms across the width of his back, legs wrapping around his waist to hold him to her. "Please-"

Her plea works, almost too easily as the silk thin strings of his resolve snap. The sweaty ends of his hair tickle her skin as he ducked his head, forehead pressing against the hollow of her throat, his breathing ragged. It was almost divine to hear him so unwound, watching all the tension that lingered in his muscles fade till there was nothing but the pleasure turning the sharp planes of his face slack.

He let out a strangled noise, pulling out of her, painting her lower stomach with his seed as the sounds of their breathing fill the otherwise quiet room. She half lifted herself up on her elbows to watch him as he stood, the dim light of the hearth shining on the thin film of sweat still clinging to his skin. He crossed the room to the basin on a table by the door before turning back, falling on his back beside her, the chill of the cloth against her skin making her shiver.

She inched closer to him once he had tossed the rag to the side, resting her ear against his chest, half lulled by the steady thud of his heart under his skin, mapping a path over the ridges and scars dotting his flesh with her fingertips. He pressed his lips to her forehead, arm curving over her side as his fingers tapped out a mindless rhythm on the jut of her hip beneath the furs. "Will you come with me? To Coccham?"

Dumbfounded, Brynja stared at him, head tilted back, prepared to immediately voice her refusal. But the sight of his face, the hope that glimmered so brightly in his eyes made her stall and pause, the words dying in her throat. The force of her teeth clacking together rattled in her head as she swallowed, mouth suddenly gone dry, feeling the syllables of his name linger on the tip of her tongue. "Osferth…"

"I wo… would like it very much if you did," he stammered, cheeks turning red, but even as he said it, she could see the hope in his eyes dim. She licked her lip, shifting closer to him, kissing beneath his jaw. "I will ask my Lady tomorrow," she said finally, carding her fingers through his damp hair, and he grins down at her, a smile lighting up his face at her response, his eyes crinkling in the corners.

She barely had a chance to react before he curled a hand around her thigh, his pupils dilating, the blue of his eyes dark before he tugged her closer to the edge of the bed, the low thump of his knees hitting the floor, the warmth of his breath fanning over her skin. "Good."

Brynja moved through the halls of Æglesburgh the next morning, her steps muffled by the hem of her dress. Osferth's words and the echo of his touch from the previous night lingering in her mind, her worry growing with each step she took.

"My Lady."

Æðelflæd's head lifted at the title, the early morning sunlight glinting off her chestnut hair and the pale blonde of Aelfwynn beside her. "Brynja. You look rested."

Brynja said nothing as she twisted her fingers behind her, pulling her lip between her teeth, and Æðelflæd's brows furrowed at the sight of the tell. "Something troubles you," she noted.

"Yes, my lady." She breathed quietly, keeping her eyes downcast. "Tis Osferth. He wi-"

"He wants you to go with him." Æðelflæd finished knowingly, the line between her brows smoothing.

"Yes."

Æðelflæd sighed, beckoning her closer. "I knew this would come one day. That you would leave. I dreaded it, but I knew." Her clear blue eyes lifted to settle on Brynja's face. "You have asked for little and less in the time you've served me." Æðelflæd stretched out her arm, wrapping her fingers around Brynja's own. "Do you wish to go, though? I will not stop you if you do."

She could practically picture it as soon as the words left her mouth, could easily see Osferth in a bed, their bed, his pale skin lit aglow from the morning light, blue eyes still carrying traces of sleep as he smiled. The thought of spending every day with him, every sunrise and sunset by his side….

Her answer came easily, flowing off her tongue like silk, "I do."

#my fics #osferth #osferth smut #osferth fic #osferth x oc #osferth fanfic #the last kingdom #my ocs #oc character #ocappreciation

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