#baron muster

[incorrectalitaquotes]

Baron Muster, to Zoe: You have no reason to stress over what to wear. You look terrible in everything.

#baron muster #zoe #incorrectgunnmquotes

[idontthinkimokaymentally]

Hello there Baron Muster fans.

#baron muster #battle angel alita

[drabblesfromthegraniteinn]

Baron Muster and Zoe

What Gunnm/Alita character should I draw next?

#Baron Muster #gunnm #zoe #fanart #pen drawing #my art

[kihyunsflavor]

I belong to you

Pairing: Feyd-Rautha x f!reader

Summary: Your house unknown but a high-born and a Bene Gesserit, you get wed to the na-baron of Giedi Prime, Feyd-Rautha. It´s not easy with him and his darlings, but after some time it seems you are much to his liking. Is there a soft side hidden inside Feyd, only for his wife to see or will he treat you the same as any servant?

Warnings: arranged marriage (like all of them lol), smut, violent behavior, breeding kink, pet names, dom/sub dynamics, mentions of knives and blood, size kink

Word count: 3.5k

Authors note: English is not my first language, sorry for any mistakes. Hope you like it <3

The bed was comfortable and soft, much different than the room itself with his stony, cold walls and the black interior. You were not asleep, just lying in bed with closed eyes. The current situation making you uneasy and sleep didn’t come easily. Next to that were the people standing in your room. You felt their preying eyes on your body even though the blanket covered you fully. It was Feyd-Rautha, your newlywed husband, with his darlings. There were three of them, being his concubines for quite some time. 

“She is rather ugly.” One girl spoke up, not even caring to whisper her words. They probably wanted you to hear it anyways. “Next to that she is a witch.” The other hissed. Feyd stayed quiet but you knew he had a big smile plastered on his face. You didn’t move nor open your eyes, you wanted to know why they suddenly decided to pay you a visit at this hour. Your husband hasn’t been in your chambers before, not even after marriage did he share the bed with you. He was spending time with his darlings and only having this annoying black teethed grin on his face when you ran into him.

“I think she is awake, Feyd. The witch listened to us since we came here.” 

The room was dark, no light coming through the big windows. This planet was very dim, caused by the industrial pollution and their black sun. One of the reasons why you missed your home planet so much. There you had fields of green grass, blue skies and people were dressed in colorful clothes. It was a warm planet, like spring and autumn combined. 

You opened your eyes and stared at the little group in your chamber. Your expression cold, showing no emotion. Feyd and his darlings kept your gaze, amusement hiding behind their eyes. Slowly, you sat up glancing shortly at the clock next to your bed. It was 2 am. “What is the reason you came into my room at this hour, my Lord?” You asked, annoyance showing through your voice. Again, this grin on his face. He hasn’t shared many words with you since you arrived on Giedi Prime. All you ever dream of is this exact expression. 

“My darlings wanted to take a look at my little present.” Present? No, you were not just a mere gift to him, but right now Feyd sought only to demean you.

He sat down on the edge of the bed to your feet, his eyes never leaving your face. He wanted to drink up every expression you were going to show him. But there was nothing. You had trained long, you were good at it. Instead, you shifted your eyes to his three concubines. They all looked pretty similar, only one of them had a big black bar on her forehead. Their skin was white, eyes fully black and their heads shaved, not a single hair on their body just like Feyd. You had heard they were the beauties of Giedi Prime - and they fed on human flesh. 

“I have been here for two months now. Did they not have the chance to take a look at me yet?” You replied. Feyd shifted next to you and your eyes fell back on him. He didn’t like the tone you were using. “Careful wife, that´s not how you speak to me.” You mustered his face, he appeared to be displeased by your reaction, not expecting you to talk back like this. He was a scary man, unpredictable and violent, but you were not an ordinary girl. Trained in the way of the Bene Gesserit, you mastered the Voice. There was no way you would give yourself that easily to him. “I apologize, husband.” Seconds later, there was a knife sitting at your throat. The cold blade grazed your skin lightly, but still breaking it enough to release tiny drops of blood. You were surprised by his sudden reaction and leaned back. Holding your chin high, you did not break eye contact with Feyd´s dark blue eyes. “You better shut your mouth!” 

It was a command. He wanted you to submit, making it clear he had full control over you. However, you simply stared back at him, not moving a muscle. This made him angry, but he didn’t change the pressure of his hold. “Do you want me to cut your neck, little mouse? I could slice you up right in this moment.” The grin wandered back on his face, making you uneasy. He was enjoying the thought of making you bleed. You replied after a while, choosing your next words carefully. “I will give myself to you completely, but it will be out of my own will, not through force, na-Baron.”

Feyd´s expression went blank for a second. He sensed something in you, something he hasn’t been confronted with before. Now snarling he said “You better do as I say, wife. I won´t think twice about staining these sheets red with your blood.” A soft smile appeared on your lips; it was not to tease him. With a calmer voice you replied “No, you won´t treat me like this. I am your wife, not a mere servant you command. I will submit to you, but you need to earn my respect first.”

During this whole time the three concubines just stood there watching you and Feyd. There was so much tension in the air, that they didn’t dare to interfere. But then Feyd leaned back on his heels and the knife left your throat. You straightened your back and touched your skin where it had been broken softly. Tiny droplets of blood stained your fingers, but it was not much. Suddenly one of the concubines dropped to her knees next to the bed. She looked at your fingers with pleading eyes. “Let me taste your blood, please.” You starred at her confused than back at your fingers. Thinking about all possibilities what could go wrong if you let her do it, you finally decided to let her lick your fingers clean. Reaching out to her, she immediately leaned forward to lap at them. For a second you looked back at Feyd, who carried his usual smile, enjoying the situation in front of him. But in the next moment the girl kneeling on the ground raised rapidly and tasted the fresh wound on your neck. 

“Go away!” Stripped of control over her own body, the concubine moved away from you. She blinked disorientated, trying to figure out what just had happened. 

“How dare you?!” The other concubines hissed, dripping with spite. Feyd was showing not a single emotion in his face. You directed your next words to the concubines. “You ask me how I dare? I don’t think I gave her permission to touch my neck.” Those standing looked to Feyd for help and protection, yet his gaze remained solely fixed on you. “Do you think you are better than us? We have been here for a long time. You are just a foreign girl.” They started to argument, but you interrupted them. “Yes, I think I am better. You may have been in his care for ages, but who is the one that will bear his heir? It will only be me.” Your response silenced them.

The room was quiet, you watched Feyd taking in your words. It appeared as though a realization washed over him, yet he wouldn’t let it go so easily. 

The knife returned to your throat, this time softer, drawing no blood. “I don’t like the way you treat my darlings. You are not yet with child, wife.” His eyes flickering between your eyes and lips. “And why is that?" You retorted sharply. "If you had devoted more time to me after our marriage, I might be carrying an heir now. But instead, you choose to spend your days and nights with them.” If he wanted to play a game, you certainly wouldn't hesitate to participate. 

There was anger and fury dancing in his eyes, yet nestled behind it, timid and faint, was attraction. You almost had him at your grasp. “And why is it that you have an issue with my behavior towards your concubines, but overlook their insults and disrespect towards me? This is not how I imagined Feyd-Rautha, the na-Baron, to treat his wife.” 

Feyd was taken aback by your words and let his hand with the knife sink down. You both held each other's gaze for a while, almost as if engaged in a silent communication through your eyes. It felt as though he had finally comprehended the entirety of the situation. Slowly, you tilted your head to the side, offering your throat to him in submission. It was the gesture he had been seeking - a sign of surrender. In the next moment you heard the knife hit the ground with a sharp clink and his raspy deep voice, dismissing the concubines.

Soft, wet lips immediately left a trail of kisses along your exposed neck. He made a grunting noise while inhaling your scent. You shifted your arms and laid flat on your back, opening your legs so he could just fit nicely in between them. Feyd made a noise of appreciation and continued his assault on your skin. “My dear little wife, being so obedient now.” When whispering, his voice sounded much deeper. It turned you on. His hands found your clothed breasts, squeezing them roughly, but as your hand caressed the back of his head calmly, he softened his touch. He raised his head and locked eyes with you before kissing you for the second time, since you arrived on this planet. 

The blanket was fully gone now, thrown into the last part of the bed. Your nightdress pulled up, so his hands had free access to your naked skin. Feyd enjoyed tracing the curves of your body, savoring every glimpse he could get of you. “Yes, so pretty like that. You like it too, don’t you, little mouse?” He grinned and his face moved closer to your face again to fully capture your expression in this dimly lit room. “I like it very much, husband.” “Feyd. Say my name.” His lips lingered over yours, waiting for it. “I like it very much, Feyd.” You repeated. A growl leaving his throat, he pressed his lips to yours. 

His right hand wandered down to your clothed cunt. He brushed over it, making you whine into his mouth. He grinned, slipping his hand underneath your panties and gliding his fingers through your heat. “You´re so wet, my dear. Is that all for me?” A moan escaped your mouth at his words. Oh how his deep voice and words turned you on. You were sure, he could make you come just with it alone. Not trusting your voice, you nodded. He watched you, as his fingers played with your sensitive area. Gradually, he lowered his lips, planting kisses along your cleavage, grazing over your nipples, and trailing down to your stomach. His fingers slipped under the waistband of your lace panties. “They are so pretty, but unfortunately, they have to go.” Feyd remarked.

After they were thrown onto the floor, Feyd leaned down between your legs, placing small kisses on your inner thighs. You arched your back at the pleasure and quiet whimpers escaped your throat. Feyd made his way to your pussy and gave it a lick, making you shudder. “You like that?” He grinned suggestively at you, revealing his black teeth. But he didn´t wait for an answer, instead he ravished you like a starving man. His big hands were placed on either side of your hips to keep you pressed into the mattress, since it was difficult for you to stay still. Quickly, two fingers entered you, moving slowly. Your moans grew louder, searching hands buried themselves in the black sheets. “I am going to come, Feyd!” Goosebumps spread all over your body, you were so close to your release. “Then come, little mouse!” He commanded and you let yourself go fully. It was a climax like you never had before when touching yourself alone. Your husband was definitely very skilled. 

After you had calmed down a little, Feyd loomed over you. His lips found yours again and he rutted against your body. Even though he was still clothed, you could feel how turned on he was. “Gonna have my way with you now, yea?” He chuckled, leaning back to pull his pants down. Your eyes widened at his length and thickness, as you starred at his dick. You began to worry how it was going to fit inside you. Feyd saw the change in your expression and bend back down, holding himself up with one arm next to your head, while the other pumped his cock slowly. “Don´t worry, dear. I will be gentle.” He planted a kiss to the tip of your nose and you locked eyes with him. His now gentle and tender actions made you wonder, if it was just a tactic to make you trust him. Despite this uncertainty, you didn´t sense any unease in your gut. 

You gave him a shy smile and your hands found his strong shoulders. “Will you put this off as well? I want to see you.” Your words amused him, he enjoyed the way you behaved. “Everything my little wife wants.” He answered proudly, feeling his ego boosted and leaning back to remove his shirt. You mustered his pale skin - it was white like snow. Curious fingers grazed over his muscles, Feyd placed his hand over yours. It made you feel safe. There was no longer anger or violence directed towards you.

You gazed at each other for a while, neither of you feeling the need to break eye contact. It was easier to read his emotions now, and it was clear that he wanted the same thing as you did. You freed your hand out of his hold and placed it on his strongly erected member. Gently, you started stroking him. Feyd closed his eyes and tilted his head back from the pleasure he was feeling. You tightened your grip, precome dripping out of the tip. It was such an arousing view. 

Suddenly Feyd gripped your wrists and placed them over your head. “I want to come inside you, little mouse.” He breathed huskily in your ear. You didn’t mind this at all, finally feeling his touch on your body was exhilarating. You had always desired his attention. 

There was some impatience in his movements now. Feyd stared at your naked body underneath him, while his free hand positioned your hips at the perfect angle. You felt yourself clamping down on nothing, wanting to be filled up by his pretty cock. “My love, you look irresistible. You won´t be getting any sleep tonight.” His husky voice sent shivers down your spine, excitement bubbling in your stomach. Before he entered you, he freed your wrists out of his grasp to support his own weight. You panicked for a second as it seemed like he was going to lean back, and you really disliked not having him close in this vulnerable situation. Feyd smiled, his face only mere inches from yours. “I'm not going anywhere.” He reassured you with his raspy voice and captured your lips.

Kissing him shifted your focus away from the pain between your legs, as he pushed inside your tight hole. “Doing so good for me, doll.” He hushed your whimpers, pressing you closer to his warm body. You felt safe in his arms, being able to relax completely. After he was fully sheathed inside you, he let you adjust to his size.

Blinking slowly, you opened your eyes and looked at him. His eyes were already fixed on your features. Small praises left his lips, before he loosened his hug on you and brought his arms next to your head. You felt so small when he was hovering over you like this. Not long after, Feyd started to move his hips. First, he was gentle and slow but as your moans grew louder, he quickened his pace. Your hands wandered over his wide, muscled back, fingernails causing small scratches to appear. The pain spurned him on. “They gave me such a perfect wife, taking me so well.” Your husband praised and placed a kiss on your forehead. You shuddered and felt your release being close. Feyd´s thrusts started to become sloppy and unsteady as well. He cursed under his breath and bit into your shoulder. You squeaked at the sudden pain. “Feyd, I am close.” You whispered. He lifted his head again and grinned. “Good girl, yea… I am close too.” He growled, his eyes turning even darker. You caught a glimpse of primal instinct in them, like you were his prey. “Come for me whenever you are ready, little mouse.”

Feyd pulled out completely, only his tip touching your entrance slightly. Then in a fast movement, he pushed inside again, going in so deep his dick kissed your cervix. You made a startled sound and in the next moment could only moan. He was hitting all the right places, which made you come hard. Your back arched off the mattress, while moaning your husband’s name in bliss. Feyd had waited for your climax until he let himself go and filled you up with his seed. “So good... so good for me.” He rasped, out of breath, still coming down from his high. 

You had closed your eyes, only opening them when Feyd was moving over you. He had leaned back on his heels. One hand was placed protectively over your stomach, while the other held up your leg. He watched his cum drip out of your pussy. When his attention returned to your face, he grinned slyly. “Not done with you yet.” You were quickly turned around on all fours. “Yes, stay like that.” Feyd´s body was pressed into your back and his dick rubbed on your ass. He was growing bigger and bigger every second. Calloused fingers found their way into your hair and he tugged harshly on it. “Going to fill you up again. That´s what you wanted, am I right, little mouse?” You could hear how much he enjoyed teasing you.

There was no time for a reply, as he pushed inside of you with ease and you couldn’t surpress the moan that escaped you at the feeling of the stretch. The sensation nearly stole your breath away and Feyd immediately set a rapid pace. In this angle he felt significantly larger and deeper than before. All you could manage were small whimpers in response to the overwhelming sensation. 

Feyd´s free hand, that was placed on your waist, landed a sharp slap on one of your cheeks. The pain made you hiss through clenched teeth and you turned your head slightly to look back at him. Pleasure and lust were written on his face and when you caught his eyes, a smirk appeared. “Don’t look at me like this, love. I know you liked it, clenching down on me so tightly.” He pulled your hair back, forcing you to sit up. Your back was pressed against his chest when he whispered into your ear. “Tell me how much you like it.”

A shudder went down your spine and you whined. He was so deep inside of you. With a shaky hand you pressed down on your lower belly to feel the bulge Feyd was creating. “It feels really good-ah!” You answered him. “You like it, when I fuck you like this, little mouse?” You could hear the smirk in his voice. “Yes, yes Feyd.” Seconds later your orgasm approached and you came hard on his cock. Soft lips were gently pressed to your cheek, while you tried to catch your breath. Even though his thrusts were harsh, abusing your insides, he still handled you with care.

His pace didn’t falter as he was hunting his own release. Your body went limp, but he held you up on strong arms, moving you back on dick. And again, he filled you up with a huge amount of his seed. 

He actually stayed true to his word of not letting you sleep the whole night. When a faint light filtered through the windows, signaling the arrival of morning, you had just reached your 5th or 6th climax. You weren't even sure because, at some point, logical thoughts ceased to form in your head.

Feyd laid you down gently as your eyes were closed from tiredness. He had fetched a wet cloth to wipe you clean. The coolness was soothing against your feverish skin. After he finished, you felt the mattress sink in as he laid down next to you. Protective hands wrapped around your middle, pulling you close to his body. "Mine," he whispered softly and placed a tender kiss on your temple. If you weren't going to fall pregnant after this night, you didn’t even know what to believe in anymore. 

#feyd rautha #feyd smut #dune part two #feyd x you #feyd rautha harkonnen #feyd rautha x reader #dune x reader #dune imagine #feyd rautha imagine #feyd rautha fic #austin butler x reader #dune fanfic #feyd x reader #feyd rautha harkonnen x reader #feyd rautha harkonnen imagine #feyd rautha smut #feyd-rautha x reader #kihyunsflavor

[crystalskiesandcherrywine]

The sound of the waves collide // Part Three

Now we are getting somewhere... smutty. Given the nature of our favourite Giedi Prime bad boy, you can think of some possible tw.

And now I need to lay back on the couch and listen to NIN "Closer" on repeat...

Na Baron Feyd Rautha x Atreides!Reader

FXM

All feedback is welcome <3

Part One // Part Two // Part Four

1.264 words

Reverend Mother summons you. In the grandeur of the Emperor's library, amidst the tranquil silence and the books that whisper of forgotten tales, you stand before her. Kaitain, the residence of the Emperor, has a mild climate and seems comparatively softer than the weather in your Atreides home. It makes me wonder how the harsh surroundings of Giedi Prime affect its people and the ruling House of Corrino. You think this might be the last time you can enjoy your linen gowns, airy and light, with the fabric flowing down to your feet.

„How was your meeting?“ She says while reading a message scroll without looking up. 

"We were officially introduced and I already sense a degree of ownership in him." Lying to her would be futile. 

"And what about your second meeting?" Although her tone remains unchanged, your body stiffens. 

"Unexpected" is all you can muster. Reverend Mother lifts her veil and says, 

„He seems to destabilise you with surprising ease. Remember your mission: you are the one in control, not him. So much hangs in the balance, and you should know the consequences of not following through.“

The remainder of Lady Jessica's insubordination stings, but you bite your tongue. 

"I heard that Na Baron takes great pride in his cobat skills. He should be in the training halls at the moment." With the veil being placed back in front of her face and the sound of the message scroll being closed, you are dismissed. 

Guided by servants, you arrive at the training grounds. Your brother isn't there, having skipped his routine to spend time with his wife after their wedding. A few servants stay on the perimeter, while Gurney and a couple of other familiar faces of the Atreides guard are visible in the ring. The Na Baron is in the middle of his training with other Harkonnens and doesn’t realize he is being watched. You appreciate the unobstructed view. Sweat is running down his chest, along his abs, into the waistband of his trousers. His skin seems to be made of porcelain, yet he is as flexible as a clear mountain spring, a stream of energy moving through him, a testament to his relentlessness.

Gurney notices you and you signal your desire with a small gesture of your hand to challenge him. Gurney raises an eyebrow but is too intrigued to decline. 

He approaches Feyd Rautha with confidence. 

"Your skills are well-known. Would you indulge in a sparring session? I believe we are a match for each other." 

The Na-Baron agrees. "With pleasure. It has been a while since I had such a formidable opponent as yourself.“ 

Their shields snap back into place, veiling them both in a slightly blue shimmer.

Although their combat is just training, both are instantly focused. With power and grace, they exchange knife jabs, and suddenly, with a swift motion, Gurney lands Na Baron on his back. Feyd retaliates with a knock of his head and now both are on the ground, interlocked but not willing to give up. Your eyes are on Feyds smooth, powerful movements. The thought of his grace extending beyond the realm of physical combat sends a shiver down your spine, igniting a fire within that you struggle to contain.

The sound of your clapping makes them both raise their heads towards you. 

„You are both well-seasoned warriors!“ you say, gathering the attention of the men. Feyd Rautha's gaze is filled with a mix that begins to seem familiar: adrenaline, lust, and something else that one could describe as malice. Both get up and bow their heads. 

„Do you enjoy the view?" he asks. 

"I certainly did," In reaction to your praise he raises the blade to his tongue and flicks it along the tip. Without further interaction, you turn away, leaving him panting and wanting more of you. 

You are on the way back to guest wing, seeking company of your parents. With only a few hours left together, you want to use all the remaining time to speak, to listen, and to keep your betrothed waiting. 

You are seated next to Paul and Irulan at dinner and their happiness serves as a calming ray of light in the mix of your emotions. Having changed into a dark green halter neck gown you feel like a shadow next to the happy couple. Seeing them like this strengthens your resolve to adhere to the plan and keep your desire for Feyd under lock and key. When you excuse yourself to retreat for the night's rest, Feyd Rautha appears suddenly next to you. 

„I would be honoured to escort you, Princess.“ His voice seems to conceal a sardonic, dark energy beneath a veneer of politeness.

Your parents do not object, so you take his arm and leave the crowded room. Not even five minutes later, he leads you down a different corridor, one that does not lead to your quarters. As you try to object, your back is against the wall, his knees nudging your thighs apart, and his mouth is claiming yours. You feel the impact of his methodical and measured actions instantly. It appears something is simmering within him, waiting to break the surface. After what feels like an eternity, he releases your lips and gazes down at you with his stunning blue eyes. Your urge to kiss him back instantly almost overpowers you, the embers of carnal desire taking up more and more space within you.

Your hands reach out to his torso, feeling his muscles through the leather vest.He responds by closing his eyes and almost hissing. His lips descend on your neck like a hawk, his tongue dancing around the halter of your dress. The light material that was so comfortable only minutes earlier now irritates you. You want to be rid of it, rid of his attire and feel his skin against yours. Before you know it, you are facing the wall, feeling his body pressed against yours, his arousal evident. You are so close to giving in and then he makes a mistake.

„You will be a most exquisite addition to my collection, pet“ is objectifying and disrespectful.

 An instant wave of humiliation and anger washes over you. 

„Let me go!“ you growl, your voice full of indignation. 

'Are you sure? It doesn’t seem like it, yet again’“ He clearly toys with you. 

„Let me go“

He releases you instantly and you almost fall. In his eyes, you see the confusion everyone experiences when being subjected to the voice for the first time. 

„You are using your witch powers on me?“

 „How dare you mix me up with your so-called pets? I am a Princess of the House Atreides . If you even think of enjoying your pets and then laying your hands on me, you are mistaken!“ 

He doesn’t move but looks at you menacing, a vicious predator coming to the surface. 

"Is the Princess jealous now?" 

You stare at him angrily in return. The embers of desire are turned into a white glow of fury now.

 „I will return to my quarters alone.“

Without a word, he seems to turn around, then thinks better of it and presses you against the wall again. This time, his hand reaches right for your core, and the humiliation of being soaking wet is written on your face. His fingers circle your clit, making you whimper and as they crawl closer to your entrance, he abruptly stops. He seems to enjoy himself, sucking his fingers clean. As his steps disappear into the distance, you compose yourself and make your way. 

#feyd x reader #feyd rautha #feyd smut #feyd x you #dune part ii #dune movie #princess irulan #paul atreides #artreidis reader #feyd rautha imagine

[dailyadventureprompts]

Monster hunt: I Bear Thee Unto Glory 

A shambling horse shape composed of battlefield pickings, this demon is a manifestation of slaughter, phyrric victory, and the folly of war. Unto Glory ever seeks more opportunities to spread violence and more fools to lead to their doom, sustaining itself off chaos and fear in between wars where it has the opportunity to gorge. Often seen bearing a rider, the thing which sits astride Unto Glory is more often than not an extension of its being, the worn down wreck of a former victim held aloft like a trophy, holding limply to the reigns and serving only as a distraction in combat. Occasionally it will seek out a new rider to drain dry, favouring those haunted by the toll of war or those who seek violence in the excess of reason. 

One of these would be riders was the Compt Duvialt, a would be warmonger who looked greedily upon the lands of his neighbours and heard rumour that any who manage to rein the demon horse would be undefeated in combat. Mustering allies, mercenaries, and a coven of dark mages to his service, the Compt had the beast summoned through blasphamous ritual only to be thrown from the saddle the night the battle was joined. Free of any bonds, the tarnished steed has roamed the lands since, sowing the seeds of conflict the party will inevitably find themselves caught up in. 

Adventure Hooks

The party’s first blush with Unto Glory’s influence comes when they stumble across a village terrorized by a series of violent incidents. Apparently some weeks ago a ragged wanderer came into the tavern clutching a rusty sword and looking like he was barely holding on to life. He muttered something about seeing a horse before lashing out at the stunned onlookers, slaying two before several brave bystanders managed to put him down. A tragedy to be sure, but folk thought not much of it until the smith’s apprentice, who’d been sold the sword as scrap, started screaming about the sound of hooves and hacking at his teacher until the traumatized tradeswoman caved in his skull with a hammer. Now the sword sits locked behind the smithy doors and the people await a priest they’ve called to DO something about it. Do the party pretend they’re the ones that were sent? Wait for the authorities to arrive? Or lay their hands on an obviously cursed object because it might be valuable?

Any who frequent the tourney circuit could tell you of Lady Ruin, the daughter and heir of Duke Marsette who dominates the jousting lists wearing rusted armour to dishonour the showy expenditure of her rivals. What they couldn’t tell you is that Lady Endellise, despite being raised for years to be an exemplary rider and cavalry commander is infact terrified of death and violence, after nearly being killed in a pitch battle during an attempt by one of her family’s rivals to oust them from their seat. Expected to prove her worthiness as heir by continuing to perform martial pursuits, fearful Endellise unwittingly made a pact with the spectral horse that haunted her since they pulled her from the battlefield, earning for her trouble a dross-fit cuirass that eliminates all her fears when worn. Dreading  dishonour and increasingly addicted to the rush she gets when wearing the armour, Endellise risks losing herself to Unto Glory’s influence, becoming increasingly bloodthirsty every time she dons the cuirass

Foiled in war and stripped of many of his lands and titles, the now bitter Baron Duvilat convalesces in a small estate obsessing over riding unto glory once again, spending the dregs of his fortune supporting a few men at arms and paying for any information that might lead him closer to his errant steed, which the party may now possess. Somewhere down the years a few wires were crossed and the baron now also finds himself a fence for of a rotating crews of horse thieves, which the party will ALSO have to trifle with at some point during their hunt.

Further adventures:

Few know of the Duvilat’s dealings with the demonic, as the widespread rumor is that for the sake of his own machisnmo he chose to break a stallion on the eve of declaring war as a symbolic breaking of his enemy… earning a defeat and a broken back in the process.  Thinking that he will never mount unto Glory until he can walk again, the baron has had no luck in finding a healer to restore the use of his legs. As getting back into the saddle seems more and more likely, the baron will result to more and more desperate measures, perhaps kidnapping a healer familiar to the party or paying them to seek out the coven he once employed.  

Though corroded and thoroughly cursed, the metal that makes up Unto Glory’s hide has the ability to confer any bearer with the battle frenzy of dying warriors, making the demon a walking arsenal for those desperate enough to deal with it. Worse yet, the flakes and splinters of the rusting metal carry the very same curse, infecting victims with bloodlust if they survive the wound.  Should the Compt, Lady Endellise, or anyone else manage to ride the beast, they’ll find themselves the figurehead of a force that would see kingdoms laid to waste and possessed of a power to make for themselves an army of fearless berserkers.

#demon #fiend #warfare #haunting #noble #mid level #thief #monster hunt #mystery #Cursed item #Village #town #dnd #dungeons and dragons #d&d #5e

[mdccanon]

Namor just said....

(BPWF spoilers below)

Namor: No, no, no, Namora. Everyone. Think. You are not grasping the genius of Namor. By showing that I am both a merciless warmonger of incomparable strength and a vulnerable mama's boy capable of diplomacy, I secure victory no matter the outcome. If my enemies cower before my history of ruthless victories, their cowardice would be rewarded with swift and decisive subjugation. If they muster the courage to fight against me, they will lose. That is absolute. But... There are those who see an open window to appeal to my humanity, and I will gladly accept their wives to earn my good favor.

Namora: But you lost. 🤨

Namor: Which means I still won! Sewing seeds of empathy so that my enemy still appeals to my humanity by sparing my life means they have sentenced themselves to a life debt to see their mercy bear good fruit. Even in defeat, Namor wins! I always win.

Namora: Unless you die!

Namor: My child, I am over 450 years old and I didn't get to that age playing rookie moves. Namor wins. Always.

Me and the audience: ...

Every MCU villain who has died: ...

Loki, the Kingpin, Scarlet Witch, Baron Zemo, Vulture, Shades, and every other MCU villain still alive: ... I mean, he has a point....

Namor: Imperious Rex! Always!

#Namor #namor the sub mariner #Black Panther #black panther wakanda forever #Wakanda Forever #bpwf spoilers #wakanda forever spoilers #black panther spoilers #namor x shuri #namuri #Seaprincess

[undercoverpena]

Interesting (ii)

interesting (i)

Baron/Helmut Zemo x Fem!Reader | 1.5k | Smut, you’re warned — not promising it’s the best, but I’m rusty with smut.

[gif not mine]

+++++++++++++

You should leave the room.

Cheeks warm, thighs pressing together. All signs you shouldn’t have even replied. Should have kept your mouth shut.

But you’ve already gone too far.

You could argue you did that when you kissed him to appease Selby. Not needing to sell it as well as you did, not needing to slide your tongue into his mouth or let his hands wander, scorching your skin.

The same way his eyes are right now. Them burning into you, making your throat dry, desperately needing to slide your thighs together because… you want him.

You want him to rip your clothes from you, to leave marks on your skin. You want him to pull on your hair and throw you over his shoulder and take you to his room.

Thoughts you shouldn’t have about the man you helped break out of prison. Thoughts that shouldn’t be summoned about a man who was dangerous.

And yet, you didn’t fear him. Not even a little bit.

You wonder if he expects you to leave, to shout at him.

A better version of you would.

An even better version wouldn’t have said anything, to begin with. You’d have taken the drink and then excused yourself.

Not give into your lust. Because that’s all this was. Lust.

He’s a criminal—a man who was able to impersonate your friend, who blew up a building. Whether spurred by loss and grief or not, he still did it.

It’s why you should leave the room.

Bury your face into your pillow and get yourself off. Not hope he’ll do it for you. Because you shouldn’t let him touch you.

“It’s not too late to run from me,” he says, wringing his hands in front of you.

Somehow, it just makes you want him more.

The challenge. The confidence. The fact it’s frowned upon.

Not helped by the fact he keeps staring at you. Likely undressing you, his words running through your mind.

It’s then you stand up.

Mustering some confidence. He doesn’t move when you stand up. Not even when you stop in front of him. He doesn’t reach for you, giving you a land chance to bow out, to walk away.

You don’t take it.

Instead sliding the hem of your skirt up with your fingers, sliding a thigh either side of his. Watching his eyes flash, him not taking them from your face as his lips twitch.

The warmth of his palm against your thighs almost makes you rock your hips. His aftershave, musky, and wooden, hits your nose as a strand of hair falls over his forehead hearing him clear his throat.

“It’s not too late to ask me to leave…” you tease, tracing your bottom lip with your teeth. “If you don’t think this will be interesting…”

He smirks, ever so slightly as his finger slides up to your hip.

“I was interested the moment my eyes landed on you.”

Your lips curl, eyes flicking from his lips to his eyes, watching him do the same as your body moves closer.

“Such a charmer,” you whisper.

Your hand finding the back of his head, nails digging into his hair as your mouth latches onto his.

He tastes like a mix of sugar and whisky, a muffled vibration as he groans fuck against your lips. You don’t fight it when he pulls you closer by your hip, desperately wishing his other hand slid further north on your thigh.

Your stomach knotting, warmth and need spreading through you. Suddenly desperate for friction.

Even more so as your body inches closer to him until there’s no space between the two of you.

The fur of his coat tickling your skin.

Practically feeling his heart thundering against yours as you lose yourself in him.

You welcome the way his mouth nips at the skin under your jaw, sliding his tongue up to the spot under your ear as you roll your hips.

For someone who has been locked up, and as someone who didn’t know you, he knew you. Letting you rock ever so slightly, his hand urging you to as you feel the outline of his arousal through his slacks.

And you let a whimper escape, just as both his hands snap to your hips, halting your movements. A stern look meeting yours, one you were prepared to protest.

Until he moves you.

Flipping you so your spine is against the sofa, hovering over you. For a second, you’re disorientated. Feeling your own lips remain parted, eyes staring up at him, frozen. Rendered useless as his eyes darken as he drinks you in.

“I should say,” he says in a low growl, “If there’s a likeliness that you’ll regret this, I implore you to tell me to stop now, Liebling.”

Watching his eyes trace your face, his finger sliding over your cheek, dragging it until it’s tugging on the bottom of your lip.

Your tongue peeks out, circling the tip of it.

Hoping it’s enough of a sign. A silent plea for him not to stop as he inhales, before clearing his throat.

“You’ve piqued my interest, Zemo. I need to know if you’re all talk.”

He laughs.

Low. Dark. One which makes you wet as he stares at you hungrily. As if he’s been hiding his thoughts from you until now.

“I assure you I’m not.”

You arch your brow, ready to speak. But, he slides two fingers in your mouth, pinning your tongue down.

“Shh,” he whispers darkly, “You’ll need your voice, Liebling. To beg me. To moan my name.”

Your cocky response falls from your mind. Mouth parting in surprise.

“Because I’m not going to stop until you’re calling me Helmut… and I suspect,” he continues in the same tone, pulling his fingers back, “It’ll take me making you come at least three times before you’ll even consider calling me anything other than the enemy.”

Fuck.

Almost choking on your own breath as his lips slide into a smirk.

And you guess he thinks he’s won. All set to reconnect his lips back to yours.

But, you smirk, before adding, “I hope you fuck as much as you talk.”

He smirks, but less cocky.

And then he snaps—his mouth against yours, groaning as he pulls your hips towards him. The two of you kissing with an intensity you imagine both of you have been running from, so much so, you groan against this lips.

Your nails claw through his hair, his hand snaking in between the two of you, making your mouth fall open as he slides his mouth down your neck. The feel of his touch in two places making you whimper.

Because you’re pinned, his body keeping you in place. Not able to move, or shift, to gain the upper hand.

And then he slides his fingers over your underwear, silently meeting your eyes, checking for permission—one you quickly give.

Your hand finds his shoulder as he slides his fingers inside your damp, silk underwear. His lips sliding into a devious smirk, ghosting his touch over you until you’re about to plead—to beg. Before he slides his fingers inside of you, filling and stretching you as your head falls back to the cushion.

And everything else around the two of you is forgotten.

Your brain forgetting you should hate him.

Just needing him, desperately craving more that he quickly gives you. Focusing on not moaning his name as he curls his fingers inside of you. His thumb swiping over your clit as you whimper.

You try to pull him down, needing to bury your moans against his lips. But he just watches. Eyes glinting, shimmering as he does so.

Occasionally teasing you by ghosting his lips over yours as you whimper more, and more.

“Sweet, sweet, Liebling. How long have you been craving someone to do this?” he whispers, darkly. His nose tracing your cheek as he inserts another finger. “A while I guess. I can tell. You’re so wet. So responsive. Look at me.”

And you do.

You meet his burning eyes with all you have. Not able to tear them away from him, unsure how you’ve let him command such power over you already.

“Is this enough? Or do you want more?”

Your mouth contorts, shapes and words want to blossom. Your mind rendering useless as you near your release.

Only able to mumble a mmm, wanting to say more.

Wanting to beg for his cock, wanting him to turn you over and fuck you until you forget your name.

And from the expression on his face, he can tell.

Zemo touching you with more precision, as though he has an end goal in mind, knowing he’s doing this to you.

You knowing no one else can do this to you. Hasn’t done so, as he said, in a while.

“For now, this is all you’ll have. Even if I want to fuck you on this sofa, on this floor. Even if I want you,” he continues, his free hand cupping your chin. “The wait is half the fun. Isn’t it?”

Your gasping, so close and he must know it from the sounds falling from your lips.

“I want those three, Liebling…”

Because even if you want it, even if you need it, you’re fighting him.

“So you need to let go now, before they’re back—your friends,” he adds, his eyes burning into you as you fight how good it feels. “Unless you want them to see you like this. Being a whore for me.”

“Fuck,” you groan. Swallowing his name. “Plea–please.”

Not wanting to think it, never mind mumble it. His name so close to the tip of your tongue.

His thumb presses against your clit, rubbing small circles as you clench your eyes shut. Your back arching, fingers digging into his side as he twists his fingers inside of you, hitting that spot you’ve been internally pleading for him to touch.

“You should give me the first one now, Liebling.”

And you do.

Your eyes shutting, your head swirling with pleasure. Your back arching into him, your moan filling the room as he continues his ministrations until your hand tries to push him away.

But, he only stops when your hand unclenches from his side, and then his hand falls from between your thighs. Pressing a pleased, chaste kiss to your lips as your eyes slowly blink open as you watch him stand, shaking his coat from his shoulders before folding it slowly.

Your eyes falling to his bulge, before studying his movements as he places the coat down. Adjusting himself as he licks his lips.

And then he pulls you up, catching you as you almost fall on shaky legs. Barely recovered from what he’s just done to you.

“Two to go, Liebling.” Your chest rises and falls, heat blossoming across your cheeks. His knuckles brushing your cheeks. “Now, go to my room, and strip.”

Clearing your throat, you suddenly find your voice again. Brain coming back to you. “And if I don’t?”

Helmut slowly retracts his hand, before pulling you flush against him by your hips, nose against your ear.

Feeling how hard he is. How much he wants you.

Ignoring the little quake in your legs even with him holding you.

He pushes your hair from your cheek, smiling as if he hadn’t of just made you see stars. “I’ll strip you here myself, and let your friends find you cock-drunk and spent on this expensive, but dusty floor.”

His hand retracting, burning his brown eyes into you as he smirks.

“You’ve got until the count of th—“

You move.

Your fingers are undoing your zip, hearing him chuckle—hearing his footsteps. Knowing he’s following close behind—heart in your throat, excitement bubbling in your stomach.

Opening his door, stepping through as you pull clothes from your body until cool air meets your skin. Turning to face him, eyes drinking you in.

And you’ve never felt hotter, never felt more attractive.

And then he slams the door shut behind him, his hands on you once again.

#Helmut Zemo #Helmut Zemo x reader #Helmut Zemo smut #baron zemo smut #baron zemo x reader #baron zemo x reader smut #helmut zemo x you #helmut zemo x y/n #helmut zemo x fem!reader #zemo x reader #baron zemo x you #baron zemo x y/n #zemo x fem!reader #zemo x you #zemo x y/n #daniel brühl x reader

[astudyincontrasts]

The Baron’s Daughter Ch2

Regency!Silco x Fem!Reader NSFW

Second part of @thesaltybuns birthday gift 🖤 Just a little three part regency AU fic to celebrate her sweetness and all her beautiful art. Dropping a chapter a day, final chapter tomorrow! Cameo appearance by Sevika this time around and Singed next, as well as some familiar henchmen too.

Tags: No Y/N, regency themes, arranged marriage, canon typical violence, blood, illness, hurt/comfort, virgin reader, longing, slight angst, smutty funtimes on the way soooon

Part 1/Part 2/Part 3

Addendum 1

“Play billiards with me tonight.”

Mr. Silco had surprised you the next evening after dinner, a further form of contrition you supposed, after an uncomfortably silent meal, your sullenness at the previous evening’s mistreatment still fresh. You had excused yourself from a dessert you did not want, and he’d caught your hand as you rose from the table, grip a gentle bracelet that you did not wish to admit had once more stopped your heart for a beat or two.

It froze you to the spot, staring down at him as he kept his own eyes upon the grasp of fingers round your hand, thumb again picking up an absent little stroke against the delicate skin just under your knuckles. You thought for a moment he might find something new to scold you over, or have something else cruel to say, but instead he turned those mismatched eyes upward and asked - if you could call something a question, that sounded so close to a demand - if you would join him in a game again tonight.

It had you rooted to the spot in as much surprise as his touch alone had done, gaze ticking back and forth between ocean eye and the hot ember of its brother. He had not worn the eyepatch since you’d caught him without it last night, and you’d found yourself wondering over the soup of the first course if perhaps it was because he felt more at ease now that you’d shown no fear of his malady, or if instead it was because he’d simply stopped pretending to care what did or did not make you comfortable.

Play with him again tonight? Memories of his sneering pleasure at throwing your situation in your face flooded back afresh and you fought down a little wave of bitterness as you pulled your hand from his grasp.

“No thank you.” Pausing, you mustered whatever shreds of politeness you had left to try to clothe your contempt, and failed miserably, tongue sharper than you’d let it be in a long time, “I’m afraid I can’t afford the wager.”

You took your leave without offering him a moment to reply, and it only struck you much later as you lay alone in the dark silence of your room that not only had you rejected his touch, you’d also slapped away the first and only time he’d begged the pleasure of your company.

Rising from your bed and lighting a few more candles, you sank down at your writing desk and pulled a sheet of paper to you. Sat writing and writing, composing him a letter, an apology, an explanation for your bad behavior, pleading with him to offer you another chance or opportunity to return the meager affection and more. Like you had to get it out, pour it out of your heart or else you’d go mad with it all welling up inside fit to drown you, lungs swimming in the ache and regret.

At the end of it all you sat staring at the pages of the letter. It was too much, too frivolous and honest and unguarded. Sure to embarrass Mr. Silco as much as yourself if you were to give it to him. Instead you rose and crossed to the fireplace and fed the little flames the papers one by one before blowing out all the candles and crawling back into bed. Resolved to do better, be better to him. Actions, not words.

The following day you met Sevika.

You’d caught glimpses of her previously, coming or going, enough to know she was one of the manor house’s most frequent visitors. This time you caught her on the stairs, her ascending to Silco’s office no doubt, whilst you were on your way down to the drawing room with your embroidery. The pair of you met on the landing, and as you came toe to toe you were stunned at the way she loomed over you; as uncommonly tall as she was broodingly beautiful with her rich, dark skin and pitiless grey eyes. She seemed to have no use for her own beauty though, held it in as much contempt as she did all things that surrounded her, mouth set in a hard, tight shape or else a curling sneer, no softness to her in the least and proud of it. This close, you could see the lightning streak of a scar that coursed up one side of her face, from jaw to cheek, a subtle marring of that deep complexion that spoke of past violence visited upon her.

You both paused before each other, her gazing down at you like some little terrier in her path rather than the lady of the house, and you up at her with an awestruck silence you hoped hadn’t left you staring rudely. You dropped a little curtsey first as the silence strained, though by rights she ought to have given you the honor, and she deigned to dip her head a touch.

When you lifted your gaze again you found those cool grey eyes of hers ticking you over as if she were taking calculations, only to fall upon the embroidery hoop in your hand. For some reason she seemed to find that quite amusing, if the way her smirk stretched lopsided were any indication. You had no idea why so commonplace a thing should spark such distainful joy.

You’d scarce had an opportunity to open your mouth before she’d side stepped you, that ever present shawl she wore so oddly tied and draped long over one shoulder brushing you as she went by. It felt a rudeness hardly to be borne, but it also felt far wiser to hold your tongue on the matter and head downstairs on your way, though you couldn’t stop yourself glancing back up the stairs after her departure as you descended.

Since she hadn’t deigned to offer you her name, let alone one word, you had to yet again corner the footman who brought your tea later and press him for information.

Sevika. You turned her name over and over again in your mouth as you sat whiling away the afternoon with needlework. Why should she be here, day after day? So at ease in the house as if she owned it, and saw herself straight up to the office all but scheduled business associates were forbade from. Why he should entertain her, and so often, nagged at you, gnawed away at you, and eventually began to whisper the most hideous things.

Your patience wore out by the third course of dinner the following night.

“I met Miss Sevika yesterday.”

Your declaration was met with little more than a disinterested hum from Silco as he pushed at a spear of asparagus on his plate. No wonder the man was lean and corded as a whip, he ate like a finicky bird. You watched him, offering him time in which to formulate a response or excuse, and when none was forthcoming, felt your irritation begin to rise.

No matter. You’d not let temper get the better of you this time. Spearing a bite of pheasant and excising it from the bone with one sure stroke of your knife, you kept attention fixed indifferently upon your plate and decided to go straight for the kill. Kept your tone as coolly disaffected as you were capable of to deliver the question.

“Is she your lover?”

The tines of his fork scratched against the porcelain of the plate, followed by a grim little laugh that had you lifting eyes from your food to chance a peek in his direction, only to find him smirking at you in undisguised amusement. Silco let his fork clatter to the plate as he scooped up his wine glass and sat back, swinging one leg across the other as he switched focus from you to the claret in his glass, swirling it in little back and forth waves before indulging in a deep, slow sip, gaze trained back upon you over the rim of his cup.

“Certainly not… though I’ll have to let her know that’s what you think of her. That she’s what? My hired company, perhaps?”

“No, I -”

“No? Then what? A lover jilted by our arrangement but still true? How tragically romantic of you.”

“That’s not -”

“Tell me, dove. Do you think so little of me that I’d break my marriage vows over and over again and under the same roof I share with you? That I’d not only do such a thing but be so callous as to flaunt it before your very face?”

“Silco, I -”

He drained his glass and set it down, leaning forward once more with sharp elbows upon the table, lacing long fingers like conniving spider’s legs as he refused to release you from the web of your own galled embarrassment.

“What have I done to deserve such poor standing in your eyes?” His tone was so darkly amused, dripping tender condescension, no different than one might speak to a simpleton child.

It had color rising in your cheeks, burning across your chest and up your throat.

“I simply could not fathom why a man might entertain such a lady so regularly and privately.” You finally managed to get a full sentence out in defense of yourself, very aware that it was only because he had allowed it, that he was madly enjoying toying with you, and wanted to see you dig yourself deeper into the hole you’d already so foolishly created.

“You’re terribly uncharitable to your own sex.” He observed, one hand unlacing itself to rest upon the silver knife set beside his plate, plucking and smoothing at its handle absently. “To think that they could serve such purpose and nothing more. Sevika is a business associate of mine, and an invaluable one at that.”

When no servant was forthcoming to clear the plates or serve the next course in a timely manner, likely because none dared enter the room while the master of the house was in the throes of dark delight at dressing down his obstinate wife, Silco rose himself and fetched the decanter of claret from the sideboard. You felt the weight of his hand rest upon the back of your chair as he stood over you to fill your glass first, unhurried in his pour, obviously savoring the discomfort radiating off you at his looming, the air between the pair of you a soft, dangerous crackle of static and tension.

“She saved my life once, I’ll have you know.” That rich velvet voice of his with its rough torn edges so terribly close to your ear as he filled your glass that it raised goosebumps across the bared span of shoulders the wide neckline of your dress revealed.

“At great personal cost to herself.” He mercifully stepped away, refilled his own glass and resumed his seat, leaving the decanter on the table at his elbow.

You sat there, mulling that little tidbit over, the first small, private aspect of his life he deigned to volunteer, and felt very foolish indeed. Still, the lingering jealousy over this other woman’s monopolization of his time and attention carved deep wounds, still seeping bitterness through your remorse.

You lifted the glass he’d filled for you and took a long sip in place of speaking too soon, ready to own your wrongs by the time you’d set it down again, and placed your napkin upon the table as you rose. No appetite left for the remainder of the meal to come.

“If I offended you, I am sorry.”

He made you feel so small, over and over again. And all you could do was bear up under it. Another little failure in the ledger between you both.

“Were you jealous?” He asked quietly as you made to push your seat back in and take your leave.

It had you lifting eyes again to find him once more regarding the wine in his hand, as if he were addressing it instead of you. You could not find the words to answer him, did not trust the ones that rushed from your chest to lodge in your throat, and instead left him in a hurried silence.

Another evening of filling page after page of a new letter to him, another missive fed into the fire instead of pushed under his door.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ⚜ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Perhaps it was the lingering frustration with him and yourself that caused you to quarrel with the servant the next evening.

You had caught the maid in the hallway and instructed her that you wished to have a bath ready after supper, and she’d looked exhausted and irritated at the prospect of the work of it, before trying to convince you to put the ablutions off until tomorrow.

Your insistence on that evening and her truculence had escalated into rebuke and then outright argument, voices raised enough they must have carried down the hall to Silco’s office.

Stood there, glaring down the unhappy woman, waiting her next insubordinate reply, you were surprised to watch a change come suddenly over her face; cold disrespect thawing to a dawning fear and quickly covered by her downcast gaze and clumsy little bobble of a curtsey - a nicety never paid to you by any of the household.

“If your mistress wants a bath tonight you will indulge her.”

Silco’s voice from directly behind your shoulder had you nearly leap straight out of your skin. He moved so quietly when he wished to that you’d dearly like to tie a bell on the man as if he were a cat to stop him sneaking up.

“Yessir.” The maid rushed to reassure him, dipped another little curtsey and fled, leaving you to turn and face him alone.

He looked boredly amused as the soft ocean and hot coal of eyes flicked from the maid’s departing back to your expression. A scant inch behind you, he stood with hands laced behind his back, chin lifting as you turned round to him.

“Kindly don’t bully the staff, darling. It is hard enough keeping any of them around for very long.”

Heat flooded your face as you struggled for words, unreasonably embarrassed to be rebuked, albeit gently, for exerting your own place in the house.

“I need a ladies maid!” It came out sounding like a childish demand, like you might stamp your foot a pitch a wobbly little fit if you were not coddled. Damn it, damn him for always making you so off-center.

Silco arched his unruined brow, the slice of his smile tugging a touch at one corner.

“As I said, it's difficult enough keeping a regular staff…”

“Your regular staff seem like ruffians rounded off the streets. I wonder that the lot of them haven’t just emptied your silver cabinet and made off already.” It could not be helped, your retreat into mouthy insolence, ire already raised by the previous argument with the maid. Not that you didn’t regret each word immediately, just that your regret, as with your embarrassment, kept feeding that monster within that you could not shove back in its box.

Silco’s smile altered, stiffened, and spread darkly. It deepened all those furrowed scars cutting jagged across the sharp and hollow of his left side.

“Do you really?” He asked, dangerously low.

No. No, you did not have to wonder that not even the lowliest dogsbody in the house would think twice before crossing him. You caught yourself shaking your head mutely, refuting your earlier aspersions as to the loyalty of his staff as quickly as you possibly could.

One hand unfolded from behind him to graze the back of a curled forefinger under your chin. The soft electricity of the slight contact stole your breath and sent a surreptitious little thrill coursing down your spine.

“Work around these parts is hard to come by. I wonder if you’ve any idea what some of our household have had to do for a meal or dry bed. This is not the glittering upper echelons of the city you were brought to season in. This is where I was raised, and I am determined to improve it by my own hand. Why do you need a ladies maid so badly? You aren’t uncomfortable here, are you? Or neglected?” He asked quietly.

Truth be told you were many levels of uncomfortable and felt deeply neglected indeed, but none of those things were problems a ladies maid could possibly solve for you. His rebuke of your entitled treatment of the staff had you even more discomfited than his treatment of you did, however. Eyes dropped to the carpet at his boots as you shook your head silently once more.

“No, it's just… I want someone to care for my own needs. This staff is yours.” You muttered, that film of petulance still clinging on in spite of your quiet misery.

Again the crook of his finger caressed beneath your chin, this time catching, lifting until you were forced to drag eyes upward along with the rise of it.

“I thought I was your servant.”

The words, and the wicked little slice of his smile that accompanied them had you exhale so hard you felt your head would spin. His effect seemed to please him greatly, though he managed to mask it well behind the facade of that scarred, handsome face. You found yourself wondering if you’d cut the apple of your cheek on that sharp nose of his if you were to suddenly pitch forward and rob him of a kiss. Boldness failed you though, kept in its place by that irreproachable stern air he wrapped himself in like armor.

“I’ll see what I can do.” He murmured, returning to your demands of a personal maid, “But no promises.”

That finger of his turned and the touch of its knuckle whispered along the shape of your jaw. Your eyes refused to obey the direction to stay locked on him, lashes too heavy with want to stay lifted, fighting your attempts to remain unmoved with a fluttered lowering you swore you heard him hum at.

“In the meantime, if you would kindly confine your louder arguments to the rooms downstairs or your own bedroom? I’m afraid things are a bit delicate at the moment, and I’d like the only yelling I hear in the near future to be from the men who’ve crossed me in their shipping negotiations.”

Again, the only response you were capable of offering was a motion of your head, a feeble little nod this time that he hardly took note of as he folded his hand back behind him and turned to stalk back to his office to complete his business day in peace.

It was a very long letter indeed that you burnt that evening, after your bath.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ⚜ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Early the following week he caught you enjoying the last of the late afternoon sun on a chaise in the drawing room, wrapped up in the book he’d given you. It was very good reading indeed, and you were eager to finish it in order to finally be able to enjoy discussions on it over dinner.

His shadow was instantly recognizable as it slid over you and the open book, had you glancing up over one shoulder to find him leaning upon the back of the chaise. You offered him the sweetness of a fleeting smile before closing the book to lay it in your lap.

“Enjoying the novel?” He asked, pleasure at catching you reading his recommendation overcoming his natural aversion to small talk.

“Very much, thank you.” Pulling knees toward yourself a bit in your comfortable recline, you adjusted skirts to clear a space for him to sit with you should he wish. “I’ll read aloud if you’d like to join me?”

“Mmn, thank you but no. I just wished to let you know I would not be joining you for dinner for a night or two, I have some business to attend to that will keep me away for a few days.”

It was difficult to hide your disappointment at being left in the large house alone, and so you simply turned your face back to the book in your lap with a little nod of acknowledgement. He lingered in silence, and left you wondering what else he had that he wished to say, but would not.

“I won’t be away longer than necessary.”

It was a rough grit, quiet reassurance, but kind of him to offer; he so rarely stood on needless politeness or bothered himself with your feelings that the simple phrase nearly felt as nice as receiving the gift of a posey of flowers.

Before you could stop yourself you’d reached up, across yourself, to take hold of the wrist of his hand braced upon the chaise behind your opposite shoulder. You could feel him tense under the touch, yet he still allowed you to pull his hand down across yourself, to hold his fingers in the gentle grasp of your own before you. Elegant, long fingers were cool in your sun-warmed ones, and emboldened, you turned your face to nestle your cheek lightly against his clothed forearm and wrist in gentle, tentative affection.

His silence was fraught, heavy. Yet he did not jerk his hand from you or rebuke your boldness. Instead his thumb brushed the outside edge of the hand that held his own, and you released the grip of him slowly, sure he’d withdraw wordlessly and leave the small tenderness you offered one sided.

Instead, as your fingers released, his came to lay upon the bare skin the deeply scooped neckline of your gown revealed. You’d stopped over-lacing your corsets, but the softly rounded display of cleavage still lay inviting over the empire waisted gown you wore, with its generously scooped low neckline and close fitted little bodice.

The cool of his fingertips lay for a moment against the soft of your skin before he stirred from stillness, and blood froze in your brain as his touch stroked low, traced a gently ticklish line along the shape of the edge of your gown, featherlight stroke leaving skin singing in its wake.

As he drew touch up over the swell of one breast and then down and over the other to pause, you thought for a heady, spinning moment that perhaps his fingers might slide beneath the thin, sheer ribbon scalloped at your neckline, might dip deeper. It had your head rocking back against the softly turned cushion of the backrest, eyes drifting closed as breath shallowed; all silent and still invitation to the sweet softness of his touch. Skin under your dress burned, the peak of nipples stiffening under boned corset in aching anticipation.

When his hand moved again, however, it was not to slide beneath the confines of your gown, but rather upward, across the open expanse of gently flushing skin to caress the dip of your collarbone and slide up the column of your throat along one side. Want lay heavy in your mouth as a plum stone, sweet and thick as honey at the back of your tongue.

No sooner had that tender caress drifted up behind the hook of your jaw then it was gone, and when you opened eyes, he too had vanished, the quiet sound of footsteps already headed out of the drawing room and down the hall in a sharp stride.

When at last you managed to gather yourself enough to reopen the book, you read the same line thirty times and still had no idea what it said when you finally shut the pages again. Left to stare out the window at the ruddy light of the setting sun as it set the town outside ablaze in soft fire. Tips of your own fingers pressed to the shape of your mouth as you relived that soft touch over and over again until an exasperated footman came to fetch you to a supper you barely touched.

There was no letter for the fire that night, unable to wade through thoughts well enough to put a single word to paper, his cool fingertips haunting each sensation and creeping into every dream long after you’d crawled into bed.

It was deep into the night, well past midnight when the commotion woke you.

#silcoxreader #silco #arcane #regency silco #regency au #silco x f!reader #arcane silco x reader #silco fic #arcane fic #arcane au #silco x reader

[cindersnows]

ava sticktober prompt 1: sticks flowers

YEAH i know day one is sticks but i couldn't muster up the energy to draw every single stick or even just every member of the cg. my bad

i did however grab the opportunity to draw a scene from the new chapter of my fic where blue gives purple flowers though so there's that. i will also post the actual chapter and pretend it's for sticktober here

(below cut)

That evening, when Purple was escorted back to his room, his mind was filled with questions.

Why did Duke Green and Baron Rowan forgive him so easily? Was there any deeper meaning to what the Duke had said, or was he really just giving Purple advice? People didn't normally just- give random tips to their opponent, not unless they wanted to lose. Was this a Hollowic Empire custom?

There was the issue of the mission the King had given him too— steal the Craft Gemstone. Three days after arrival, and the prince hadn't even looked into the possible location of the gemstone.

For a moment, Purple felt irritated; Why would they brother task them something so difficult? There were theives and mercenaries all across the country that could do this job a million times better, especially considering the fact that basically everyone in the empire would have their eyes on Purple. They weren't even good at fighting! Why them?

Fucking hell.

They flopped onto their bed, groaning. This was way too much for them to deal with tonight. They'd much rather just sleep and not have to deal with any of this. Maybe if things went right, they wouldn't have to wake up.

___________________

He slept through the whole night.

If he dreamed, he couldn't remember it, save for the lingering feeling of sadness that he often woke up with.

He would've rolled over and closed his eyes again, a futile effort to sleep for a bit longer, but the sunlight streaming through the curtains told him there was no point.

Purple took a deep breath, savoring his last moments in the comfort of his bed, before swiftly sitting up to get ready for the day. He drearily threw the sheets off himself and stood up, straightening his nightdress. The servants had already taken out his clothes for the day, as per his request, so that was one thing out of the way.

Getting ready took around an hour and a half—- the prince had only worn the barest of clothes: a simple white shirt, jacket and a pair of trousers. He didn't intend to do much today, head still swarming with emotions from the duel the previous day. He didn't quite want to address that.

Often, when he didn't feel like dealing with the pressures of socializing and high society, he would withdraw to his room for days at a time, focusing solely on his work to the point he forgot to eat and drink. It was unhealthy, he knew, but it helped him wind down.

This was one of those times. And since Purple couldn't exactly work while in a foreign city, he'd have to settle for reading books instead.

“Kombu, please get someone to bring me a few books on history and mythology,” He called out, not bothering to open the door.

Kombu Cone was the knight that the King had sent to protect Purple during the trip. They hadn't spoken much, but the knight seemed content to obey his orders with any conversation, and Purple was more than happy to do the same.

A small grunt of confirmation sounded from outside the door. After what felt like forever, a servant scurried into the room, holding a small pile of books.

“These are the librarian's recommendations; Please let us know if there are any specific books you would like to read,” the servant said. Purple nodded at her, and she quickly exited the room with a bow.

He grabbed the first book off the pile, inspecting the cover. 'The history of Dojo Duel Tournaments', the title read.

Purple hummed, running his finger down the side of the book. Dueling Tournaments were a large part of culture across the world, but they weren't very important in the Nether Kingdom. Back home, the warriors prided themselves more on battle strategies and war tactics rather than competitive fighting, and the books in the Royal Palace's library reflected this.

This was the first time Purple had picked up a book on the subject, but it never hurt to learn more about other cultures. He flipped open the book and began to read.

A few days passed like this; Purple would spend the whole day at his desk or in his bed reading, only taking breaks to sleep, eat, and bathe.

Occasionally, he heard muttering outside — Hollowic servants questioning the knights and servants that had accompanied him about whether it was normal for the prince to stay in his room for this long.

He didn't bother to pay much attention to those conversations.

Instead, he preferred to dive deeper into his books, living out the stories. That was what he loved about reading. It was like travelling to different time periods and countries, all within the safety of his room. This especially rang true with history and mythology, the latter often serving to entertain him with ridiculous stories attempting to explain the various natural phenomenons of their world.

Plus, it was fun to pick out the themes found throughout the various mythologies. Ancient Hollowic mythology seemed to place a lot of emphasis on tragedies and redemption, for example. This was a stark contrast to the stories Purple had been raised with, all detailing tales of war and over-convoluted revenge. He cringed, recalling the one where two groups of people played hot potato with a magical staff in an ongoing battle for weeks. Clearly, the writers of that one weren't sure how to create effective tension.

_____________

A knock sounded at the prince's door, breaking their focus.

Shit, they'd just been getting to the most interesting part. They opened their mouth, preparing to just order whoever it was to leave, when the person spoke.

“Your highness, a letter has arrived from the King of the Nether Kingdom.”

Oh, shit!

“Bring it in!” Purple called out, voice slightly pitched. They'd forgotten about their brother and the mission entirely, too engrossed in reading. Was the King upset that he'd yet to send a letter detailing what he'd done?

The door opened with a click, and the servant scurried in, dropping the letter on the desk and leaving the room.

Purple got up from their bed, making their way over to the desk. They moved to pick up the letter, before pausing.

Did he really want to deal with another one of the King's thinly veiled scoldings, ranting in formal language about how Purple had 'disappointed him' and 'wasn't doing the one job he'd asked' and all that crap? Even though a small part of him felt guilty thinking of his brother in such a negative light, he still felt a little resentful.

They dropped their hand, shaking their head. Nope! Not now. If the King got impatient, they could just blame it on the distance. For now, they would do something else.

'What to do, what to do...'

They could just continue reading... but honestly, they'd lost the mood now.

Maybe a walk would help.

The prince threw open the door, walking straight out and down the hallway, only to bump right into Second.

“Purple, what a surprise to see you here!” He exclaimed, raising an hand to his mouth as if to emphasize his shock. Purple raised a brow, tilting them head to see all four of Second's friends looking at them with varying levels of interest— and not a hint of surprise.

“Really, what a surprise for you to bump into me just a few meters down the hall from the room I reside in,” They drawled. They didn't fail to notice the way Blue frowned, likely because of how they weren't playing along with... whatever this was supposed to be.

”Yes, yes, so shocking!” Second agreed, wow the boy was bad at acting. “But anyways, since we've happened upon each other, would you like to accompany my friends and I to the Imperial Gardens?”

Purple replied without hesitation, “Of course,” because what were they supposed to do, say no to the Imperial Prince who also happened to be their host?

Second nodded, apparently satisfied with his answer, and beckoned to follow him. “This way, then!”

The six of them started off on their walk towards the gardens in silence. Unsure what else to do, Purple decided to observe Second's noble friends ('noble' was a stretch— Baron Rowan was among the lowest of ranks, and Blue and Yellow didn't seem to have any titles at all. Honestly, they seemed less like his friends and more like the prince's band of servants).

Duke Green was, as always, dressed handsomely for the occasion. If someone were to ask Purple, they'd say he was overdressed, but he did not voice this thought out loud. They were probably on bad enough terms already.

Yellow and Blue were whispering to each other, just like they'd been the day before. If Purple strained his ears, he could hear them chuckle every few minutes. The pair were obviously close. He couldn't help but find this odd, considering all he'd heard about Blue was that she and Baron Rowan were very close friends. But again, he supposed people could have multiple best friends.

They reached the gardens relatively quickly, and gods, it was beautiful.

Purple had been to many castles, mansions and palaces before. Never had he seen a garden of such scale— not even his own palace's gardens compared.

The place was like a canvas littered with splotches of color, each bush covered in healthy, vibrant flowers. From lilies to columbines to daffodils, the garden was bursting with radiant hues that made Purple's jaw drop.

“Hey,” Someone called out, and it took Purple a moment to realise that Blue was talking to him. Leaf was stood near a row of brilliant indigo flowers, gesturing for Purple to come over. The prince obliged, stepping carefully as to ensure he didn't crush any plants.

“Blue. Hello.” Purple greeted with as graceful a tone as he could muster. He had a tendency to come off as irritated even when he wasn't, so he had to go the extra length to make sure no one was put off by him.

“Prince Aster, look at these,” Blue said proudly, motioning to the flowers. “These were the first flowers I grew in the Imperial Palace. They're called bluebells.”

Purple blinked in surprise, eyebrows raising a little. He knew they were bluebells, of course—- what surprised him was the first thing Blue had said. “You're one of the royal gardeners?” He questioned.

Blue fiddled with her hands, shaking leafs head. “Not officially, no, but I will be soon! Chosen allowed me to plant some things because I was learning, and also because I'm cool as fuck-" Leaf struck a dramatic pose to emphasize his point, and Purple had to hold back a giggle, "Once I turn 18, I will officially be appointed as one of the royal gardeners."

"That's wonderful,” Purple smiled.

The pair lapsed into silence for a bit. He had to salvage this— he didn't want any of Second's friends to dislike him, or else Second himself might start to avoid him.

Purple fumbled for something to say, “Did you know that certain flowers can have special meanings? Orchids, for example, are used to symbolize elegance, gracefulness and beauty. They remind me of my mother. It's fitting that she was named after them.”

Purple paused, realising Blue had gone completely silent. Had he spoken a little too much, or said something out of line-? Maybe it was condescending to talk to Blue as if they knew more about flowers than leaf, or maybe-

"Do you have any other flowers that remind you of people?" Blue asked, breaking the pause.

…They wanted to hear more? That was a first. Well, Purple wasn't about to turn down the opportunity to discuss something they liked.

Even then, they didn't quite know how to answer the question. He tended to assign flowers to most interesting people that he met, even if he'd only met them once. It was like second nature— Clematis for the viscount he'd met at the reception, Cattails for Kombu who seemed invisible and yet was always nearby, and for his brother…

"Well, I don't think about it particularly much." He responded. "But if you'd like to hear about any specific flower- or person- I wouldn't mind telling you."

"What flower would you associate with Second?" Blue asked, so quickly that it caught Purple off-guard.

"Well, the Imperial Prince…" He was naive, for one. Despite being the crown prince of the Empire, he likely didn't do much other than hold the title. He seemed carefree in a way, unbothered by the expectations of the citizens of the Empire, nobles and commoners alike. When he smiled, it was like the sun itself had emerged to greet you. And no matter how many mistakes Purple made, or how much they offended him and his friends, Second was always willing to help them and give them another chance.

"Crocus. They symbolize youth, and cheerfulness."

Blue nodded, smiling. "What about Green, and Red?"

"Red?" Purple tilted his head.

"Oh, Baron Rowan Redmond— we call her Red for short."

Purple chuckled. "You and your friends really like color nicknames, don't you? You're like a whole rainbow."

"Yep!" Blue agreed, popping the p. "Yellow's full name isn't even close to the word Yellow, honestly. We just chose it so he'd fit in. Their actual name is Beryl Fairman."

"As in, Marquis Beryl Fairman?" Purple blurted out, surprised. So Yellow hadn't just been some servant or low-rank noble, but a Marquis from one of the more well-known families of the Hollowic Empire. How had he not noticed?

"Yes. She doesn't really like all the fanfare, though. She prefers to just tell people her nickname instead." Purple nodded, understanding. From what he'd read up on the House of Fairman, they were well-respected within the Empire, both for their intelligence and their beauty. Many of the heirs and heiresses of the family ended up betrothed to one of the members of the royal family.

Did that mean Yellow and Second were engaged, then?

Purple frowned a little at the idea. He didn't know why, but it left a sour taste in his mouth.

"As for your earlier question, I'd say that Duke Green resembles an Amaryllis. It symbolizes pride. Baron Rowan would be an Iris— humble, and wise."

Blue barked out a laugh. "HA! Wise? Oink's far from wise, I tell ya. She is humble, you got that right, but the only thing she actually knows anything about is animals. She'd take a brawl over a book any day."

"So… more like a Geranium, then," Purple decided. "It means strength, and good friendship, but certain variants can also refer to… a lower intelligence."

"You can just call moo stupid, you know," Blue joked. "What about Yellow? Wait, no, what flower would you assign me?"

"For Yellow, I would say a rosemary." Purple didn't know much about Yellow, so that was mostly a guess. The marquis was likely intelligent too, so a flower to connotate wisdom would do, but that was about as much as he could figure out. "Blue, I'd say you remind me of a Jasmine Flower. Cheerful and amiable."

Blue's face lit up so bright, Purple thought for a moment that he was looking at a star. "Really? Thank you!"

He shook his head, cheeks heating up a little. "It's nothing, really. I'm just saying what I see."

"Well, it's still a compliment, so I'll take it all the same." Blue smiled. "You know, you're really smart, your highness. I've never met someone as knowledgeable about flowers as you."

Purple shrugged lightly. "Most people in high society know about these things. I'm not very special in that regard. We use flowers to send messages all the time. Like bluebells, for example," He touched one of the bluebells next to the pair, "are used to say 'I forgive you'."

Blue suddenly sat straight up, and Purple flinched back a little, surprised by the sudden motion.

"Is something wrong, Blue?"

"No. But watch this," He smiled, plucking off several bluebells and quickly weaving them together— oh, a flower crown! After about a minute, he finished the crown, and held it out to Purple.

Blue giving Purple a flower crown made from bluebells.

"Here! 'I forgive you'. You know, for the thing you said about me and Red at the reception." Purple looked down at the crown, a little dumbstruck, and then laughed softly.

"Thank you, Blue." He said earnestly, taking the flower crown and placing it upon his head.

Blue waved him off. "You're welcome." After a moment of quiet, she added, "You seem very nice, your highness. I'm sure the others would want to be friends with you. I know I definitely do." Blue pointed out.

Purple didn't respond, unsure what to say. Thankfully, Blue seemed to understand his hesitation. "You don't have to be our friend if you don't want to. But a rainbow isn't really complete without purple."

#alan becker #animation vs animator #animation vs minecraft #avm #ava #ava blue #avm blue #ava purple #avm purple #ava sticktober #sticktober #ava fanart #avm fanart #sing a song about life au #ava fanfiction #avm fanfic #ava fanfic #ava ships #avm ships #galaxy duo #cindersnows art #theo inktober 2023 #inktober

[trustinsighters]

Dungeon Dialogue: The Lunar Subterrane

The Lunar Subterrane #1 (X: 11.1, Y: 17.8) - Entering Golbez’s domain

Y’shtola: This place is not at all as I remember it... 　↳ Varshahn: He's altered his domain, then? Varshahn: Golbez's domain, at long last... Zero: So there are voidsent after all. Have care.

The Lunar Subterrane #2 (X: 9.6, Y: 13.9) - After 1st teleporter

Zero: I can sense its presence deep within... Zeromus is here. 　➝ Estinien: Let's move on, before they have time to regroup. Y’shtola: Teleportation magick. Interesting...

First Boss, Before engaging (X: 12.0, Y: 9.4) - Dark Elf

Zero: A formidable foe... 　↳ Varshahn: Even so, it pales before the archfiends. Varshahn: Is this all Golbez can muster to bar our path? Zero: I didn't expect such a beast to yet remain.

First Boss, During the fight (X: 12.0, Y: 9.4) - Dark Elf

Dark Elf: Who dares trespass in Lord Golbez's domain? Dark Elf: To me, O beacons of the Dark... Dark Elf: O Darkness, show them their folly! Dark Elf: Behold, the power of Darkness! Dark Elf: You cannot fend against what you cannot see! Dark Elf: Fools! There is no escape!

First Boss, After defeating (X: 12.0, Y: 9.4) - Dark Elf

Varshahn: The vanishing scepters were quite the nuisance. 　↳ Y’shtola: Vanished, you say? I thought they were merely bluffing. Y’shtola: As if cheap parlor tricks would suffice to stop us. Estinien: That was easy enough.

The Lunar Subterrane #3 (X: 12.5, Y: 5.4) - Golbez’s memoria crystal

Varshahn: A memoria crystal!? Zero: This memoria crystal is... No, it can't be... Estinien: What's happening!? You find a discarded memoria crystal, and it suddenly begins to glow... Your psyche resonates with the memoria crystal!

Baron #1 (X: 11.2, Y: 19.1) - Meeting Durante

Durante: Hurry, Golbez! The city is already overrun! Zero: I've met this man somewhere before... 　↳ Y’shtola: Whoever this man is, he seems convinced you're Golbez. Varshahn: Did that man just call you...Golbez? Y’shtola: 'Twould seem we've become part of the memory. Estinien: This man seems to think you're Golbez. Fleeing Citizen #1: Run for your lives! Fleeing Citizen #2: Ahhh! Fleeing Citizen #3: Someone help us!

Baron #2 (X: 12.2, Y: 17.8) - Baron Town #1

Durante: First the villages, and now the capital... Nothing is exempt from their avarice. Wounded Baron Knight #1: Lord Golbez! Wounded Baron Knight #2: And Lord Durante too! Baron Knight-captain #1: Thank heavens you've returned! Zero: So this is the kingdom of Baron. 　➝ Estinien: Even if this is only a memory, it is no less easy to bear and watch. Varshahn: They were too late to save their home, then...

Baron #3 (X: 12.5, Y: 17.4) - Baron Town #2

Memoriate of Darkness #1: Go forth, my pets, and feast on their flesh! Memoriate of Darkness #1: Bested by Golbez and Durante both... It seems I...underestimated you... Axe-wielding Baron Knight: Allow me to assist you! Baron Knight-captain #1: Let us press onward!

Baron #4 (X: 12.2, Y: 16.4) - Baron Town #3

Durante: They knew we were elsewhere. Cowards! Wounded Baron Knight #3: Hope is not yet lost! Wounded Baron Knight #4: Our saviors have returned! Sword-wielding Baron Knight: For Baron! Baron Knight-captain #1: Leave this one to us

Baron #5 (X: 11.2, Y: 14.5) - Baron Town #4

Durante: This one is dangerous. Have care, Golbez. Baron Knight-captain #2: We will deal with this fiend! Lance-wielding Baron Knight: Forward! Forward!

Second Boss, Before engaging (X: 11.2, Y: 13.5) - Damcyan Antlion

Y’shtola: So this is an antlion of the Thirteenth. 　➝ Zero: If we're to escape, it seems we've no choice but to fight. Estinien: Are those fangs...or horns? Second Boss, After defeating (X: 11.2, Y: 13.5) - Damcyan Antlion Zero: Is there no end to this memory? 　➝ Varshahn: We should follow after him. Estinien: For a mercy, its movements were easy to read.

Baron Castle #1 (X: 11.2, Y: 11.0) - Baron Castle bridge

Durante: That they command such terrible beasts bodes ill... We've no time to lose! Durante: Such destruction... If only we had returned sooner... Varshahn: Such carnage. Such cruelty. This is... 　↳ Zero: The Contramemoria... Varshahn: I'm sure this was a beautiful castle once... Y’shtola: Who could be behind all this? Zero: Such tragedy was commonplace during the Contramemoria... Memoriate of Darkness #2: What have we here? Come to play hero, are you? Memoriate of Darkness #2: Such...strength...

Baron Castle #2 (X: 11.2, Y: 8.1) - Golbez and Durante split up

Durante: I daresay we'll be faster if we split up. Zero: That he should place such faith in Golbez... 　↳ Y’shtola: In any case, it would be rude of us not to respond in kind. Varshahn: We must find a way across. Y’shtola: Let us leave the other side to him. Durante: Let us reconvene at the castle garden.

Baron Castle #3 (X: 11.1, Y: 5.4) - Knights are turned into voidsents

Memoriate of Darkness #3: Behold, the true power of memoria! Turning Baron Knight #1: Please, no! Turning Baron Knight #2: Arrrggghhh! Turning Baron Knight #3: What's happening to me!? Turning Baron Knight #4: Help...me... Estinien: They've been turned into monsters! 　➝ Y’shtola: An irreversible transformation... Varshahn: They've all but brought the Final Days upon themselves. Memoriate of Darkness #3: How...? How could I...

Third Boss, Before engaging (X: 11.2, Y: 3.8) - Durante

Durante: Golbez! Durante: This can't be happening... Not to you... Durante: My friend... My hero... I will stop you even should it cost me my life! Zero: He gave himself to the Dark to stop Golbez... 　↳ Varshahn: And yet it falls to us to keep him─or rather, you─from harm. Varshahn: Such terrible strength... Y’shtola: It seems we've no choice but to fight... Estinien: On your guard!

Third Boss, During the fight (X: 11.2, Y: 3.8) - Durante

Durante: So be it. I will fight you with all my strength. Durante: Aether to fortify my blade... Durante: I need power. Light or Dark, it matters not! Durante: Such savagery ill suits you. Durante: You've weathered this before. Let's see how you fare now! Durante: Even so, I'll not be bested. Not this day. Durante: Prepare yourself! Durante: It's over, my friend!

Third Boss, After defeating (X: 11.2, Y: 3.8) - Durante

Varshahn: Was there truly no other way? Y’shtola: He all but set his soul aflame... Zero: It should not have come to this.Estinien: A bitter victory...

The Lunar Subterrane Dungeon Dialogue Infographic

#FFXIV #FF14 #Endwalker #Dungeon Dialogue #The Lunar Subterrane

[incorrectalitaquotes]

“Well, hello there. Long time no see. Except in my revenge fantasies where I see you on an hourly basis."

- Baron Muster, to Kagura

#Incorrectgunnmquotes #kagura dornburg #baron muster

[short-black-diamond]

The greatest estate developer x female!witch!reader Chapter one, Chapter two:

Word count: 5.8 k

I did not proofread.

---

After you guys helped the sand and steel tribe with their resource and workout problem, the men and you gathered around. you didn't know why though, but you'd soon find out.

"We, the sand and steel tribe, feel a deep gratitude to you, Lloyd the human, and ____ the witch, oink.", Akush, Arosh's father, exclaimed.

And as good as he could act, Lloyd humbly replied: "You are too kind... I was merely fulfilling the terms of our contract."

"It was actually rather fun to make the ice.", you stated. you mostly enjoyed playing with Lloyd with the water as you two splashed each other and you guys even being able to make snow, which resulted in a snowball fight. Javier surprisingly joined in the fun. You thought you caught him having a little smile as well.

"We orcs are different from you humans, oink. We do not just take things for granted because of a contract, oink.

When we are grateful, we show it, oink. Therefore, I, Akush of the sand and steel tribe, will make a vow to you, Lloyd, oink.", the leader started and a 'FWOOSH' sound erupted.

You knew what that meant and you grinned like the perv you were.

"From this moment, I declare the family of Lloyd Frontera and the sand and steel tribe...", and he struck a body-builder pose, his underlings behind him along, "...blood brothers, oink!"

'God, this is so much better than any explicit book I've read so far!', you thought excitedly as you zeroed on every single muscle and handsome face you could muster in front of you.

However, you flinched when the 120 orcs behind you, Javier and Lloyd struck the same pose as the orcs in front of you. "Blood brothers!", they chanted.

and you couldn't help from giggling like an idiot as you were salivating when Arosh's father flexed his right arm to you guys, right in front of you, just six feet away. "The Fronteras are our friends! An enemy of the Fronteras is an enemy of our tribe! If anyone should cause you trouble, we will be at your side!"

While you were busy ogling at the hundreds of men with a heavy blush and imagining all the dirty things they could do to you, and Javier deadpanning at the many men but also noticing your face and deadpanning at you as well, Lloyd was busy staring ahead.

"Long live the sand and steel tribe!", he then yelled, while flexing his arm. When you took notice of him, you only stared at his less-toned arm. "...what?"

You just turned to the orcs again and started to smirk. He deadpanned at you as well. "Really?", but you didn't listen.

...

as you guys were arriving back to town, the townspeople were frightened. meanwhile, you were asking Arosh about his workout routine. you were just a little pervy shit, with the way you blinked at him with your big doe eyes in faux wonder, and also asked to see his muscles. You also took notice of his heavy gulp and sweet, pink blush when you caressed his biceps as you muttered something along the lines of his hard work paying off. But, it didn't look like the Orc was against your special attention to his body. If anything, he relished the way you touched and gazed at him.

and seeing you being so close to the leader's son...made Lloyd...jealous? He never felt that. He never had a girlfriend in his past life. But for all he knew is that he didn't like that feeling. And he liked even less how you touched the pushover Orc.

As for Javier, he watched you with an unreadable expression, as always actually. But also Javier Asrahan felt something uncomfortable inside him when he saw you with that Orc.

Now you guys were in one of the baron's chambers as you examined the many magical objects. Some of them were actually rather new to you. "Where did you get these from?"

"A dark sorcerer." "What? Did you guys fight him?"

"Kinda."

However, you felt the scene in front of you rather cute; Lloyd sitting around and looking through stuff reminded you of a child, rummaging through its many presents and toys.

He held a big orange circle, then a crystallised skull, and now, he held a grey book. Javier went closer to him and stealing glances of what stood in the book while you sat down and leaned closer to Lloyd. He blushed a little when your thighs touched his.

"Is there anything of monetary value?", the knight asked. Javier also felt a pang of pain here again when you put your hands on Lloyd's hand to stop changing the pages. Lloyd flinched and looked at you with big eyes, but yours were concentrated on the content. You must've caught something interesting. As you snatched the book from the young Frontera-to which Lloyd protested with a 'hmpf!'-, Lloyd answered: "I'm not sure...I'm looking first to see if there is anything we can use before seeling it..."

"Wow, this book teaches you how to let a corpse work for you!", you laughed, but Lloyd turned serious. "...Really?"

"...Yeah? can't you read what it says?", you asked, confused as to why Lloyd asked you that. He took a look at the page where you stopped him. Then he snatched the book back and and quickly took his jacket.

"____! Come with me! Javier! I need to head ot the mine! I'll leave you to tidy up the rest!"

And as if on reflex, you pulled him to your broom where he sat behind you and you two dashed ahead. "Leave the books here though and put everything else in my room!", you yelled before you two left the room.

Javier sighed as he looked at the mess.

...

"Tordes! Where's Tordes?!", Lloyd called as soon as he landed on safe grounds. You kept sitting on your broom and looked around. 'Whoah, here are many workers...!'

"Who's Tordes?", you asked while looking around. Also here, you took notice rather quickly of the building muscles of the men around here. You were growing a little dizzy by the lack of oxygen and more by the amount of sweat which 'sexily flows down their arms and necks! Aahhh~-', so you made a bubble with many holes which let air out. The air was much better now, and it also seemed like the workers had noticed as they thanked you. You smiled. And you blushed.

Pervy little piece of shit.

"You were looking for me, my lord?", a meek looking young lad asked, eyes lost from life, cheeks hollow and the big nose making him appear pathetic. (Nothing against big nosed ppl, like Doja Cat said, she'd like to sit on ppl w/ big noses. also love y'all <3)

He had green hair which was disshelved, and his pickaxe was resting on his back. However, a heavy blush settled on his cheeks when he saw you. You, who sat so gracefully on a broom, your thighs spilling from the sides which got cut off your dress and thigh highs making your thighs appear more thick. you little belly pudge was also to die for. Your deep cleavage with your rather larger than average chest made Tordes gulp. And your face was also the one's of an angel...!

"Ah, there you are! I have some good news!", Lloyd exclaimed as he felt the poor guy's strong stare at you. Lloyd'd wipe the sparkle of the young pervert's eyes away in an instant. You just waved with a small smile.

Tordes blushed more. 'Was Lloyd bringing me a woman? If yes, then-'

"You remember the terms of your contract? The bit about working for 520 years.", to which Tordes affirmed with a "ah...yes...".

"If you think about it...that was ridiculous, right? That clause was a bit of a joke. But now you don't have to worry anymore!", the baron's son smiled as he took out the book.

you frowned. 'what did he want to show Tordes? And what contract-'

"Here, there's a spell that can turn a corpse into a ghoul I can control!"

"Lloyd!? Why would you do that?!", you yelped. You were outraged. "Don't you have any pity on him?!"

But the Frontera son wasn't listening. "That means you can work the whole 520 years! Isn't that exciting?! Sounds fun, right?!"

while you were looking from one man to the other with a panicked expression, to Tordes, who just looked at Lloyd, and Lloyd, who then turned serious.

"Hey...am I the only one excited about this?

...Smile."

Tordes cried while mustering up a crooked smile.

"Lloyd, how dare you do that?! ...H-How about we make another deal?! You take off 480 years off the debt he has to work for you- which I will cover- and just let him work for forty years?! There, he could work for you until he gets old! Wouldn't that be better?! Please leave the poor Tordes be!"

Lloyd gave you one of his devillish grins and you didn't fight the urge to slap him this time.

"STOP IT WITH THE GRIMACE!!! THAT'S WHY YOU'RE GONNA STAY SINGLE FOREVER!", you yelled after you gave him a bitch slap.

And that seemed to pull him back to his senses. Albeit a little only. But still. The thought behind it counted.

"...Fine, I'm not gonna turn you into a worker even after you're dead. You're lucky ____ was here to rescue you, even though she showed me this page-" "I didn't know that you'd come to such evil thoughts!-"

"So keep up the great work. You can do it.", he "encouraged", as he lead you away from Tordes with one of his hands on your back. You noticed that his large hand reached from one end of your waist to the other and you felt your cheeks warming up when his thumb carresed the back of your spine.

"Bye Tordes, and sorry for bothering you with that!", you called back as you waved. Tordes waved back with a happy smile and rosy cheeks now.

...

You tucked your broom away while following Lloyd who was looking for his parents. You still had to recover from the fact that the townspeople here didn't look at you weirdly. You were a witch, after all. Maybe it's because you didn't look like an Orc? No, Orcs were even prettier than you, if anything.

You were for sure happy when the mine-workers thanked you for making oxygen-bubbles which allowed them to breathe more air and also help them cool off.

"Pardon me...The Baron is in the reception room. He has some guests..."

"Huh? Which guests?"

"Um...Mr. Shiloh and Mr. Meatloaf."

Lloyd stayed solent for a moment before he turned around to go to the reception room while his face was about to form more unnatural-

But you slapped him again. This time more hard. "WOULD YOU STOP DOING THAT!?!?!? The poor maid here is scared by the faces you pull off!"

Lloyd ignored the harsh sting of your slap and pulled you towards said room. Now in front of it, you made a spell which allowed you and Lloyd to listen to the conversation. Suddenly, Arosh appeared and asked you in a hushed whisper what you two were doing.

"Lloyd's dad's collegues seem to be not so nice to him.", you spoke easily, having already understood that Arosh wouldn't understand anything else you'd say when you asked about anything other than meat and workouts or muscles. So baby talk it was.

"Why are they not nice to him? Do I have to interfere?", he asked, but you gently pulled him down. "No, we'll wait a little longer.", and right after you ended your sentence did you hear the first words of the conversation.

"So, Baron, you already know...our policy is to receive the principal of the loan in a single repayment. However, just this once, we will make a special arrangement so you can repay 10% of the principal", Sir Meatloaf, Lloyd guessed, said.

Then, Sir Meatloaf spoke again. "That is, if you hand over the rights to the mine.", and that made you and Lloyd frown at each other.

Lloyd's father remained mute. This time, Mr. Shiloh raised his voice. "Why are you not answering us, Baron? It will reduce your interest payment. This would be good for you, would it not?"

And now, it seemed that Lloyd didn't want to hear anymore of their crap and knocked while you whooshed away your spell. After knocking on the door a few times, Lloyd spoke: "My lord, it's Llyod, may I enter?"

"Oh, yes, please come in!", the father answered.

As Lloyd and you came in, you unfortunately didn't miss the way the two grown men were ogling at your figure which made you a little self conscious and also uncomfortable, but luckily, Lloyd went in front of you to grab their attention. With a sugarsweet smile and a bittersweet voice, Lloyd asked them about their well-being.

but you were annoyed by how little they seemed to respect the baron's son. "If you think about threatening us again, you can buzz off. Here, we have an official invitation.", the fatso spoke who must've been undoubtedly Mr Meatloaf.

But the shown paper didn't seem to draw your partner's attention in the slightest. "Oh, of course you do. You are intellectuals after all, haha. I couldn't help but overhear the amaaaazing offer you were giving us. May I be so bold to suggest an offer of my own?"

'Why is Mr. Meatloaf answering all the questions? Shiloh over there seems to be mute...', you thought when you heard the brash voice of Meatloaf declining the offer halfheartedly, but got interrupted by Lloyd again.

"Going forward, we will repay our depths in smaller tranches. You will of course lower the interest accordingly."

"I said I did not want to hear it! How dare you!", to which the Frontera son only 'Hmm?'ed.

"so you two can spit out crappy offers but I can't? Well, that makes me angry.", and as if on cue, Arosh appeared.

"Who dares....", Arosh started, as he stepped in, and glaring at the two men in front of him with an ice cold glare -to which you blushed heavily-, "...to anger my Frontera brother, oink?"

Lloyd only smiled next to him innocently. You wanted to laugh at them, but you burst out laughing when you looked at the two men who were sitting in front of the Baron. They looked like they'd shit their pants any moment now.

Arosh didn't seem to be finished, as he repeated what his father said in his own words. "Anyone who causes trouble to the Fronteras...will be destroyed with the full force of the sand and steel tribe, oink."

Lloyd punched Arosh's left 'juicy, hot, big!' pectoral lightly and you bit your tongue not to whimper when it jiggled. 'Damn you Lloyd, that hand of yours should be my hand!'

"Come on, my friend. Who's angering who? No, no."

"No, oink. It sounded like they were shouting at Lloyd, oink."

"No, he just has a loud voice. Now, about my offer... what do you think? Should you refuse it...you might hurt my feelings.", he spoke calmly, but his face said otherwise.

"If you hurt Frontera's feelings, I'll tear you to pieces, oink.", Arosh growled and you whimpered quietly. It was a miracle how nobody seemed to pay attention to you, really.

Sadly, you had to refrain yourself to bitch-slap him across the room. 'wait, if I slap Lloyd, will Arosh slap me? That would be a cost I'd be willing to take...!'

But before anything else could happen, the two idiots signed a new contract and ran away.

Now, you were praising Arosh for standing up for Lloyd, and Arosh was blushing furiously while thanking you while averting his eyes and stuttering. After Lloyd deadpanned at you two, he faced his "dad".

"If I would have things my way, I would cancel the debt completely, but that would be a crime, so we will have to make do with these changes."

"Ah...y-yes. Thank you.", The Baron sweatdropped.

"the ondol construction business is gradually expanding, and the mining of soft coal is going smoothly. We'll be able to pay off the debths in no time."

With the rolled paper in hand, Lloyd went over to the baron and handed it over to him. The baron hesitantly took the paper. Your attention was brought to Lloyd, and Arosh pouted cutely at your loss of attention to him.

"As the one named on the contract, please keep it safe."

"Sure..."

You watched the baron with curiousity. 'The father seems to be pretty chill, but also clueless at times. Otherwise he looks like a good man.'

Lloyd had, as always, something else to say.

"However...we do have one big problem. If we don't solve this, it will be serious.", the Frontera son started before pointing his thumb back to Arosh. "These guys eat ten times more than normal humans. The cost of feeding them is huge, so if this continues we may gain more debt, heh heh..."

You frowned when you heard of this. 'Why isn't he asking me? I have the perfect spell for that!'

"I can help with that, Lloyd.", you interfered, and effectively stopping the poor father from having a nervous breakdown. "You can? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you never asked?"

"I-...oh wait I thought I asked you...huh, what kind of spell could you do?"

"Well, for one, I can duplicate an animal twenty times its size, but I need to brew a potion for that. Or I could play an instrument, which would make more animals. Hmmm....for other spells, I'll have to look in one of my books..."

"Really? Then that's good! Wonderful! Jeez, ____, what can't you do?"

"Raise people from the dead?...at least, not yet."

And you two broke out laughing. Arosh and Lloyd's father only looked at you with a bewildered expression.

...

Again, you had to follow Lloyd to the mine, because the workers couldn't drag an Orc away who was working more than a day.

"Where!? Where is it?!"

"It's that Orc over there! He's been working for 24 hours non-stop!", a nameless worker informed, pointing to another good-looking Orc.

"...____?", he asked -for you to do your magic- but you only stared at the Orc in shock. However, you felt a deep rush of blood going up your head that you became dizzy.

"Wow...what a .... hardworking man...", you mumbled as you gently took the Orc in the air. As the orc was fumbling around, obviously not used to flying in the air, you had a heavy blush.

"ARRGH! I DON'T WANT TO REST, OINK! I WANT TO WORK OUT, OINK! MY MUSCLES, OOOINK!", the Orc screamed as he flew behind you who had to bring him out to the open. You also renewed your spell on the oxygen bubbles.

'I...I won't be able to last any longer when I see more of those muscles and handsome faces...!', you thought as you walked with Lloyd towards Arosh.

He gave you a questioning look but you only smiled with your eyes closed. Good thing that you could still sense their individual core-manas. 'Don't open your eyes, ____! Don't you dare open your eyes!'

"Wages? You mean money, oink? We Orcs have no need for money, oink. Us Ocs only ask that our bellies are full, oink.", the leader's son of the sand and steel tribe answered to one of Lloyd's questions.

After you brought out the overworking Orc and casting him with a sleeping spell, you turned to Lloyd. "I didn't eat anything all day, is it okay if I grab a bite?" "Sure, no problem."

"Would you like something as well? I can only cook half as good as I can do magic, but I think I'll manage for an apple pie.", you asked after you and Lloyd went around a bit, taking a walk. And as always, the path lead to his father's house.

"I'd love to eat something sweet later. But I do have one question. How did you stop the lava Bangul shot when it was only mere inches away from you? Didn't you say that you didn't have any mana?"

You pondered for a moment. "You're right, I've never thought about that to be honest... maybe it's because witches have hundreds of more mana hearts than humans. I have my core-mana, spirit-mana, sould-mana, ghost-mana, mind-mana, and many more. But, It seems like I've only reached ten so far. The one that I unlocked when the lava shot me must've been my reflex-mana."

"Reflex-mana?"

"This mana allows the body to use magic, but only in a life-or-death situation. That's why I could stop the lava. If you don't understand what I mean then I can gladly explain it once you're done talking to your father."

He gave you a perplexed expression. "How did you know that I was going to my father?"

You smiled at him. "Because whenever there is trouble, you talk to him and Javier. It's actually nice having a father who listens to you, isn't it?", and Lloyd saw you for the first time with a sad smile.

"Please cherish each relationship with the people here. Especially the one's whom you feel closest with."

And you had a hardened expression again.

You two walked for a moment, and then Lloyd spoke again. "You know...you never actually told me anything about you. Where are you from? Is it far away? How are your parents? Did you have many friends from where you came from?"

You chuckled. "I'm from the west, Lloyd. I can't tell you how far away my hometown is, but I can tell you that it took me three years from there to here. Without magic, that is. The witches in my town were just...arrogant pricks, to be honest. My parents...wanted me to get married to an older man with much wealth and he was also a high-ranking sorcerer. I didn't have many friends back there, actually. I also had a cat, Seseg...but she died. And you know whose foult that was? The mother of the man I should have been betrothed to. Can you believe it? Killing an innocent creature?

And that's when I lost it. My parents then blamed me for Seseg's death, the townspeople looked down on me, the girls I thought were my friends turned against me as well, and I thought that I had no other choice but to leave.

However, it was the best decision I could make, even when I lost my core mana in the process."

"Because you met me, Javier and Arosh?"

"Mainly because I met you, Lloyd."

You gave him a look of gratitude, which made the young Frontera blush. And you didn't stop there.

"When I first met you, I thought you were just another one of those greedy bastard-humans, who only wanted money and would do anything, even dirty tricks, to achieve what you wanted.

But you're so so sooo much nicer than that. Even though it might look like you're robbing the people of their coins, you're worrying about their well-being as well, and you only trick the ones who really deserve it and you're a great listener, I noticed now.

It's...a nice exchange from what I've been through, actually. And thank you for not ordering me to pay up, ahahhhaahahahaha.

....But really, Llyod, ...thank you."

"J-jeez, no need to thank me!"

"Stop being so humble and accept my gratitude, Lloyd. Even just this once."

You gave him another look and he blushed a little more.

"F-fine...You're welcome, ____."

...

'So...let's look at these little treasures...', you thought as you examined the many objects you instructed Javier to place into your room. 'A little look at the artefacts and then an apple pie of gratitude for Lloyd! ...maybe Javier would like some too? I'll just bake two pies...!'

As you looked through the books, you were surprised by the amount of new knowledge you got. But there was also a book which resembled a diary. You were really confused when you looked at the chronical notes the person took. 'Why are there so many animal skulls? And in an abandoned place? What is this??'

And then, that familiar symbol. You shrieked.

'I HAVE TO TELL LLOYD!', cue to you quickly riding on your broom to tell the young Frontera. But you stopped. 'Maybe I can take care of this myself...? But I'm scared! Oh, what should I do? Maybe keep researching? I could just...look around? Yeah, a quick check on that place and then I'm done!'

But you changed the direction, back to your room. 'What if there's more?'

Now, you were feeling helpless. there were like, fifty other books, and the notes taken last were a few weeks ago. You had to look at all the books to make an announcement, otherwise: 'Lloyd would either make fun of me or scold me when I would say something that might not even be based on true events...I sure hope this is a lie...!'

And after you speed-read a few of the books which looked similar to the diary, but without the same contents, you called it an hour. 'After I bake those pies, my brain will be fresh!...still, I should at least tell Lloyd what I found out...but why can't he read that language? It's written in the basic language here! Or maybe they have some sort of...other way of writing it? I'll need to check for myself.'

It was a nice day, given that it was past noon and you were enjoying the gentle breezes.

"____? What brings you here?", the familiar voice of Lloyd's father asked. "Oh, Mr. Frontera, what a surprise! I was just about to look for some apple seeds."

"Apple seeds? For what?"

"So that I can grow my own trees. I wanted to bake an apple pie for Lloyd as gratitude for welcoming me with open arms and offering me to be of help for him. Back in my hometown, something such as gratitude didn't exist, so I'd like to try it out."

That made the older man laugh. "That's nice to hear. Do you have other stories of your hometown which you'd like to share? Also, why don't you join me and my wife for afternoon tea? We could bake the pies together as well and then drink it together!"

You were touched by his kind words. "I would love that, Mr. Frontera."

...

"Simply. Amazing.", Mr. Frontera's wife said as she watched you place the apple seeds to the ground, heard you casting a spell, and 'plop!' a tree grew!

"And can you do that with other fruits as well?!", she asked enthusiasticly (<-is this how it's spelled?) as you nodded. "give me the seed of the fruit you like and see how many trees are carrying your lovely fruits."

"Please let me adopt you."

"Wha-"

"Ahahahahahah! My love, please! Don't hit her with that question!"

After half an hour later, the pies were fresh and you left two for Lloyd and Javier. The pies themselved tasted utterly delicious.

But what you loved the most was the black tea they served. "This...is the best tea I've drank so far! Do you know how many times I had to redo my tea for it to lead to such a close taste to this perfection?!", you exclaimed outraged, but swooning at the nice taste.

The parents exchanged knowing looks. "Well, you can drink tea any time of day you want. Under one condition...", she spoke, giving you a serious look.

"Can't I just make some more herbs for the tea?"

"No."

"Oh, well-"

"We have a few questions about you and our son, Lloyd. Then we'll give you the herbs."

"Oh, then ask ahead!"

They exchanged another look and you grew a little suspicious. "The thing is...we'd like to know if you like him."

"Of course I do! He was one of the first humans who actually welcomed me with open arms-albeit threatening me with fees at first-but still!-"

"And what if we look at it from a romantic perspective?", the mother chimed in. She coquettishly smiled at you.

That made you halt. 'Romantic? Me? With Lloyd?', you blushed a little at the thought of being together with him, but you didn't even know him that well.

"With all my respect, I can only give you my greatest gratitude for your hospitality towards me and treating me accordingly nice.

However, I only know you and him for a few days. Although Lloyd is handsome and has a brain for estates and robbing the bad guys off their money, as well as fighting evil, I suppose, I cannot help but wonder more about him.

If I'd like to look at him in a romantic way, I would ask him about everything he likes, help him when needed, and give him my unconditional love. But as I said before, I don't know him enough to actually fall in love with him. for us to have a romantic relationshio, I'd like to know him more than just the basic information I got from him.

And to be completely honest with you, Mrs. and Mr. Frontera, I've ran away from home for that exact reason. I fled from my hometown because of an unhappy arranged marriage to an older man whom I couldn't imagine spending even a second with, let alone the rest of my life. And so, I've never experienced love.

So I'm sorry, but I can not tell you more than that."

"...you fled because of an arranged marriage?...oh my...", the woman spoke, looking at you with utmost pity.

"I am sorry that we, uh, pressed you to that topic, miss ____. I truly am. Please forgive us."

"It is alright. I can for sure say though that Lloyd is a great man and an even greater friend."

"You know, a few months ago, he was not like that. He drank and drank and drank. He was a tyran. He gambled away his life and we had our concerns with him. But then, after one night where he was completely drunk, and when he woke up, he was a complete other person!", the father spoke now in a hushed whisper.

"What? Really?"

"Yes! He- he did all those crazy things with this-these odol houses, and building a mine? And now you taught him to make ice and snow!", the mother continued, to which you laughed sheepishly.

"ahah, you saw us play with the snow, right?"

"At least Javier found it funny enough to join, even if you started making him your target with the snowballs and he had to flee from you guys."

You three laughed at that. "Yeah, it was really fun...we should do it again, sometime.", you spoke, and the couple could see the fondness in your eyes. This time, they exchanged a smile while you looked into your cup with a smile and a small blush.

"And now, he helped me with that contract, and you can make more animals. And Lloyd is somewhere out there in our small town, and wants to grow food in the old wasteland. I wonder how long it will take him to grow it."

'what a great father. Not questioning if he'll make it, but when. I wish my dad was like that...'

"With my help, it wouldn't take long, Mr. Frontera. Also, if you have any other concerns, I'm always going to do my best to aid you as well. We witches may be arrogant, but we hold our promises."

"You are anything but arrogant, miss ____!"

"Yes! You are by far the only woman who stayed close to Lloyd this far! And I mean it as a compliment, given the grimaces he seems to form now!"

"Ugh, everytime he does that, I just want to-to slap it out of his face. Doesn't he know that if he makes that grimace too long or too deep, his handsome face will be ruined?"

'"Handsome"?', the married couple thought as they listened to you ramble about Lloyd and what you didn't like about him, which wasn't much, actually.

"...and so, I made another deal with him to leave poor Tordes alone. But what about that wasteland you two talked about? Is it far away?"

"Not really, just a long walk, maybe two or three hours?"

"Yes, I think so too-"

"Hello, mother, father.", their 'son''s voice called as he entered after a short knock. You stood up. "Oh, hey ____!"

"Hey Lloyd, your parents told me about a wasteland you were about to turn into a food-garden? Why didn't you tell me about it?"

Lloyd didn't mean to eavesdrop when he was about to knock on the door, but when he heard your voice, he stopped before his knuckles could touch the wood.

You were complaining about his handsome face getting ruined by the grimace-

Wait.

'Did you just say "handsome"?!'

And that's how Lloyd came in with a blush. 'You really think I'm handsome?!', was all he could think of when he saw your pouty lips and your furrowed brows.

'Cute.'

"well, I wanted it to be a-a surprise! Yep! And, well, you just haaad to ask, didn't cha?"

"A surprise? For me? For what?"

"For helping me, of course!"

"I actually must help you and work for you to decrease the debt of my own and the 480 years of Tordes."

"Psshhhh, who'd think of that?! C'mon, take your broom and I'll lead you there and I'll show you-"

"Wait. There is something important I found out about the sorcerer. It'd be best if I told you now, but I also baked you and Javier some pie- where's he, anyways?", you interrupted and asked as you looked behind Lloyd. No Javier.

"Huh, I swore I've seen him- oh, there he is.", Lloyd said and you and his parents looked over to the knight who was standing by the pies you baked.

"Oh, Javier, there you are!", you called and made your way over there-but not wihtout pulling Lloyd by his hand towards the cloudy-haired man. He gulped.

'her hands are so small compared to mine...and...they're soft...!'

"There are two- where's the second one?"

"...I ate it."

"Did you bake us pies?", Lloyd asked. He knew where you where by the smell of fresh baked apples, but no pie.

"Yeah...", you answered, looking at Javier, who was mustering up his best innocent puppy dog eyes for you to not be mad at him.

"You bake extraordinary well, ____-", Javier praised, but got interrupted by an angry Lloyd.

"DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT, JAVIER!!! ONE PIE WAS MADE FOR ME!!!", Lloyd yelled and grabbed Javier, who was putting the last piece as slowly as possible into his mouth, and thus only angering his master further.

"I can bake more if-"

"YES PLEASE!!!", the two grown men yelled in unision at you.

You sighed. "Alrighty..."

Mr. Frontera exchanged concerned and pitying looks about you to his wife, who did the same.

'The info-dumping will have to wait. I'll also have to ask why Lloyd couldn't read the language...and when will I tell him about my personal secret?', you thought before you made new dough while Mrs. Frontera plucked new apples for you.

...

Hey hey hey~! How are my precious readers?! sorry for not bringing some requests, I just wanted to keep writing that story so bad, and now we're here!

also I hope you could read through the 5.8 k words ☠☠☠☠

Can you guess what ____'s personal secret is? And no, I didn't write it in the story, so there will be no spoiler about it.

Anyways, please write in the comments how you found it, reblog it, and leave a like pls!

Read you guys in the next post!

#tged spoilers #tged #javier asrahan #lloyd frontera #the greatest estate developer #tged x reader #tged x you #tged x female reader #i love you 🍰nom #i hope it was okay #send me more requests #javier asrahan x reader #javier x reader #lloyd frontera x reader #lloyd x reader #arosh x reader #sand and steel tribe #i love the greatest estate developer

[waspsinyouryard]

I had a dream where I made a post on here that went something along the lines of "call me objectum the way I love getting new items in Stardew Valley." It got like maybe 5 notes, 0 of which were reblogs.

Despite this, Eric "Concernedape" Barone saw it. He thought it was such a terrible post that he somehow remotely edited my new save file in such a way that it would just load an image of my character stranded in space whenever I tried to play. It wasn't a gameplay screenshot or anything; it was a very subtle animation sort of like the one at the beginning where Grandpa lies in bed. There was some dialogue directly addressed to me, telling me to reflect on my actions and their consequences.

Also I did genuinely try to muster sexual attraction to various Stardew item sprites in my dream to make that post more accurate but that's besides the point

#stardew valley #dreams #objectum #← i guess??????

[lgbtqmanga]

New Releases Mar. 19, 2024

The Contract Between a Specter and a Servant (novel) vol. 1 by Michiru Fushino

That was the worst day of Masamichi Adachi’s life. He failed the college entrance exam again, was fired from his part-time job, and to top it all off, was fatally injured in a hit-and-run. However, just as he was resigning myself to death, a stunningly beautiful man appeared and said to become his servant. In exchange for his life, Masamichi now works for the mysterious entity that runs an antique store…

Ennead vol. 2 by Mojito

BREATH MATCH

The first of three matches for the throne of Egypt has begun! Who will last the longest underwater without breathing? Horus may be determined, but he is no god, and Seth has both cunning and divine stamina on his side. Meanwhile, Isis has plans of her own to help her son…but will they be enough to ensure his victory?

Heat × Beat: I May Be an Omega, but I'm Going to Be an Idol! by Ken Homerun

Asahi wants nothing more than to be an idol, and when he's chosen as the latest member of boyband B-Marks he's over the moon. Except for one little detail; Asahi is an omega, and one of the other members, Madoka, is an alpha. Insisting on staying unmated to remain loyal to their fanbase, Asahi agrees to a “friends with benefits” arrangement to appease their hormonal urges without commitment. At least, that's what he intends…

How Do I Turn My Best Friend Into My Girlfriend? vol. 1 by Syu Yasaka

Minami and Yuzu have been besties since…well, forever! Or at least that’s what Minami thought. But when some rando confesses to Yuzu, Minami realizes that her feelings might not be what you’d typically call “friendship” anymore. It doesn’t take long for Minami to realize she wants to change their relationship status, but will she be able to muster the courage to confess? Or will she simply be happy being by Yuzu’s side?

I Can't Say No to the Lonely Girl vol. 1 by Kashikaze

Quintessential good girl Sakurai finds herself trapped in the middle of a bribery scheme. Her teacher offers to write a recommendation letter in exchange for luring a truant student into attendance. Sakurai pins down the reclusive transfer student Honda, but there are strings attached. Honda demands that Sakurai grant one wish every day. The first wish is a kiss—and Sakurai finds herself feeling very eager to please…

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady (manga) vol. 5 by Piero Karasu and Yuri Kisaragi

Lainie, the daughter of a baron, is the mysterious girl at the center of the scandal over Euphie’s broken engagement. Anis, the reincarnated princess, can’t help but feel there’s something odd about Lainie, so she conducts a checkup on her-and comes to a shocking conclusion! At the same time, Anis's brother Algard, the prince of Palettia, takes the lead in a grand scheme that’ll impact the whole kingdom…

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady (novel) vol. 6 by Piero Karasu and Yuri Kisaragi

When Anis and Euphie learn that vampires are threatening the Kingdom of Palettia, they scramble to formulate countermeasures. Then, an urgent message comes from the East, stating that a vampire has been captured-a powerful one with great ambitions!

Minato's Laundromat (manga) vol. 2 by Yuzu Tsubaki and Sawa Kanzume

Akira Minato, an ex-office worker who now owns a shabby laundromat, doesn’t know what to do when high school hottie Shintarou Katsuki professes his feelings for him. Still troubled over a past love that he never came to terms with, Akira wants to refuse-but he can’t quite bring himself to deny Shintarou’s straightforward passion. Meanwhile, Shintarou’s classmate, Asuka Hanabusa, decides to meddle in their affairs…

Mitsuka (manga) vol. 2 by akabeko

Leo is host at a nightclub, and he always thought he had no interest in men — until he slept with Takahiro, a sex worker who introduced him to pleasures he'd never felt before. Now, sex with women doesn’t satisfy him, and after begging Takahiro to sleep with him again, they agree to a “friends with benefits” arrangement.But just when Leo thinks he may be falling in love, one of his best customers asks him to sleep with her. Takahiro catches him in the act, and things take a dark turn…

Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord (manga) vol. 2 by Yodokawa

Sharing a house with the former pop idol Miyako is going smoother than Asako ever expected! But her cohabitant might not be having such an easy time?! Miyako suddenly finds herself harboring mysterious feelings towards her manga editor roommate. It’s then that she receives shocking news-her former idol unit is coming out of hiatus! Amidst all her confusion, Asako reaches out a hand of support…but can Miyako return to being the carefree landlord she once was?!

My Love Will Last Until the End of Time (manga) by Nanako Haida

Ever since he was a child, Hiroto's had memories of his previous life: a life where he reigned as the well-respected Prince Luke and fell deeply in love with a commoner… before cruel circumstance ripped the two of them apart. For years, Hiroto has searched for his beloved Mika to no avail— until a chance encounter on his college campus brings them together.But Kou, Mika's reincarnation, does not remember the past that share… and Hiroto finds himself wondering if that might actually be for the best, even as he yearns to tell Kou the truth. Their love has stretched across lifetimes, and so has the pain of their parting. Will Hiroto and Kou be able to find their happy ending together?

Number Call (manga) by Nagisa Furuya

High schooler Eighto Tachibana has always hated his name, including all of the jokes and puns about the number 8 that have come along with it. It's as if the number has haunted him like a ghost ever since he was a child. One day, he meets a classmate named Tomoya Hatta, aka Hachi--the Japanese word for “8.” What begins as casual greetings and small talk in the hallway soon becomes something much deeper, and Eighto realizes that it's more than just a similar nickname that draws him to Hachi. Could the number that Eighto resented for so long finally bring him something he'll love--and is that someone Hachi?

The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter (manga) vol. 4 by Yatsuki Wakatsu, Kazuki Irodori and Kikka Ohashi

The expedition to clear the miasma is finally setting out-and Kondou is coming along with them! However, the depths of the forest are quite dangerous, even for the average human…Luckily, this intrepid bean counter has a handsome knight captain risking life and limb to protect him! But then, on their return journey, Captain Aresh catches him off guard with an unexpected declaration…

Rooming With My Two Lovers (manga) by Anji Seina

Atsushi's earnest and indecisive nature has gotten him into awkward situations before, but this one really takes the cake! Moving out of a bad situation and into a new living space, he somehow ends up rooming with his hot but perverted ex, Enraku, and the handsome and flirty barber, Shiki, two childhood friends and rivals who always end up falling for the same person.As the two take turns seducing him, Atsushi finds himself getting carried away with deep feelings for both men. But is it really possible for him to love Shiki and Enraku enough to keep them both?

Sailor Moon Naoko Takeuchi Collection (manga) vol. 7 by Naoko Takeuchi

Features the updated translation and high page count of the Sailor Moon Eternal Edition in a more affordable, portable edition. Perfect to go wherever you or the magical guardian in your life want to take it!

Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu (novel) vol. 4 by Meng Xi Shi and Me.Mimo

Shen Qiao is a devout Daoist priest who has spent his life honing his skills and spirit, leading his sect with martial talent, beauty beyond measure, and an earnest heart. His polar opposite, Yan Wushi, leads one of the most powerful demonic sects and is said to be unrivaled in his strength and cunning. Yan Wushi believes in the inherently selfish nature of all people—himself included—and that nobody is above committing dark deeds for their own benefit.

When a fight leaves Shen Qiao injured, blind, and with hazy memories, Yan Wushi takes in the defeated sect leader with a dark plan: test the limits of the man’s patience and faith in others to lure him onto the demonic path. Little does he know that he is about to meet the first immovable force of his life, and that two hearts can connect in unexpected ways. With the passing of a thousand autumns, who can stay eternal?

Welcome Back, Alice (manga) vol. 6 by Shuzo Oshimi

Yohei, Kei and Yui are childhood friends and things get complicated when Yohei witnesses Kei and Yui in an intimate moment. But when unexpectedly Kei moves away and returns a few years later to reunite in high school, he seems to be a bit different. How will relationships change in this latest volume?

#new releases #manga #lgbt manga #queer manga #light novel

[zoetic-tome]

Prompt 6: Questionable Callers

Prompt: Ring - FFXIV Write 2023  Characters: Aramis de Xavalien, Briardien Dariustel (@roses-and-grimoires), minor mentions of Priarch. Content Warning: None

Aramis leaned back into the plush chair that sat near the fire. Beside him, resting against the leg was the book he had been reading minutes before. Now, his hands had folded on his lap, and his ears had perked to alertness, listening to his steward speak as Briar told him about the plans for the day while he went about the busywork of making him a cup of tea. 

Leisure was something rarely afforded the once very unbusy lord. Such was a thing that happened when you were denoted as your family’s spare instead of their heir. Especially when you labored under the particular disability that he did. He was not fit for military service, and all documentation had to first be passed through others─or through Briardien─to be either read or translated into the proper format so he could read it by touch.

His eyes had been like this since birth; rather than the brilliant silver that his mother and brother bore, his had been milky, white, and sightless from his birth, a limited range of vision in his infancy fading before he’d even reached his first year. At least that first year had been green and warm. He spared no thoughts for what the world might look like around him, used to existing in it without the same perception as others had. But it didn’t mean he was ever unaware. Footsteps crossed the room, shifting from carpet to bare floor and then carpet again.

“My Lord?” Came the inquiry after a moment, and without thought, he reached his hands out, prepared to take what it was that Briar had brought him. Tea. A missive. A venomous serpent. He could have placed anything into Aramis’ hands, and he would have taken it willingly. What he drew close in his gloved palms was a cup of warm tea on a saucer, and he leaned back into the chair as he tried to calculate the events for the day.

Other meetings and business would occupy his schedule today; arrangements for another shipment north to the relief efforts in Garlemald. Supply lines had always been what his family had done, after all. Merchants they were not, but freight and its passage? That had been how House Xavalien had earned its noble title during the course of the Dragonsong war. Just because his personal life was being roiled upside down by the yet unspoken scandal of his sudden inheritance of his family’s fortune and title, didn’t mean he would shirk his responsibilities.

His mind turned to those very accusations with all the wariness he could muster. It had taken weeks for them to sort through all of the documentation in the home. And eventually his household had located the invitations that had carried his mother, father and brother to the ill-fated party at Baron Ravendarke’s manor. Scant years ago, and it still felt like a lifetime had passed since he had taken control of his family as the last remaining heir. 

The disappearance of his family was one that left him concerned, but as time had passed, he let it go as a mystery that would remain unsolved. Until he had gone seeking help when he realized the Inquisition was growing perhaps too curious for answers he could not give them. And indeed, the explanation he had been given when he sought assistance at Priarch had been beyond belief. 

And if he believed them, it meant there would possibly be no hope of finding any of his family members alive. He had mourned their losses already, and so this was nothing new to him. A quick and painful reminder of reality, but nothing new. More importantly, he hoped that the members of that group could do as they implied. Find him some kind of information to prove his innocence before the Inquisition came knocking at his door and drug him away for murders he never committed. 

As though he had ever expected to become the Baron de Xavalien, much less wanted that position. More than one night he had nursed injuries cast upon him by his elder brother. No. He had never once coveted the position and power or responsibility that it had offered. He knew better, straight down to the broken bones meant to remind him of his place as his Alexandre's lesser.

Fingers tensed on his teacup, and his thumb drug down the side of it, sensitive skin protested the sudden heat, but he wanted that brief and quick burn to bring him back into focus. Otherwise his thoughts were going to start on a spiral that would do neither himself, nor any individual in his house and his care any amount of good.

“Briar.” 

The Steward who had been standing nearby turned his head down to gaze at Aramis. They were alone, and none could see the undisguised look that Briar bore as he stared down at the blind nobleman at his side. “Yes, my Lord?” 

“Make arrangements.” His voice was soft, but firm. “We’re returning to Vylbrand within the sennight. I’d like to call upon Priarch to deliver the letters we have found personally. And I still need to speak with their leader.” Aramis lifted his cup to take a sip. 

He didn’t need to issue commands a second time. But it wasn’t the signet ring on his finger─his great grandfathers given that his father’s had gone missing with him and one had never been crafted for him─that gave him that authority. Briardien had been taking his orders since they were both young men, not even fully grown into their ears. 

“Of course, my Lord. I shall see to it at once.” 

Aramis set his teacup on the table beside him, movements born of years long practice, before he pulled his book back into his lap, and cracked its cover once more. He could hear Briar’s receding footsteps already, and he slid his fingers across the raised notations in his book. He had half a bell before the man would come fetch him and his day would begin in earnest. He may as well steal what slim leisure he could, now, while his steward tended his errand. Fury knew he would have no more of it until the late evening bells rang.

#FFXIVWrite2023 #FFXIVWrite #[ Aramis ] #[ The Blind Nobleman ]