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drghostwrite · 11 months

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Until my Last Breath

Okay so this one didn't win the vote but per special request by @maiveeetheone I’m going to write it! Hope you enjoy! xoxo

Pairing: Regina mills x pregnant!reader

TW: mentions of blood, almost miscarriage, kidnapping and minor torture.

Summary: Regina’s mother, Cora, returns and tries to turn her dark again but Y/N, her wife, has given her everything she’s ever wanted: true love, family, marriage, power and now a baby. What happens when she stands in the way of Cora’s sinister plans.

******************************************************** You sat across the conference room table as Regina conducted the meetings, it was for the town so Sheriff Swan, along with David and Snow, Mr. Gold, Regina the mayor, Zelena, a couple others and you, now you weren’t only married to the mayor and carrying her child but you helped run the hospital. You were Chief of surgeries after Dr. Whale had that taken away with the Daniel incident.

“So right now we’re using funds to help with remodeling of the school, so…” Regina was doing a funds recap and taking with Snow about what would need to be done and you started to drift off staring out the window. You ran your hand over your swollen bump feeling your baby kick and knowing that Regina’s voice was soothing to your unborn child even though she was talking finances for Storybrooke. You began to daydream about mornings where she would wake up with that slow morning growl, it made you feral for your wife and she knew it.

“Y/N…Y/N?” you heard her calling your name and it snapped you back to reality, back into the conference room with its white walls and black and white modern decor. Regina was looking at you amused, she could only imagine what had stolen your attention but had a good idea it was her and the baby.

“Oh yea, so as of right now we’re okay, we thought of possibly coordinating with the schools to give more volunteer opportunities to the kids, but we also have to discuss my leave, due to the Dr. Whale situation we’ll have to find a replacement for my maternity leave.”

“Well how about Zelena?” Regina asked, her relationship with her sister had grown tremendously, in fact that’s the only other person besides Emma and the Charmings that she’d trust with her life and family’s life.

“And what use would she be?” Asked the skeptical Mr. Gold.

“Well I mean she is a trained midwife.” Snow suggested.

“Because of a curse,” Emma reminded.

“And I’m a trauma surgeon because of the curse, Snow you’re a teacher even though it was a curse it created a version of us, a true version of us with all the training and skills," Regina watched you a grateful look in her eyes, “All I’m saying is that we give her a chance, I can set her up to assist Dr. Whale and keep him in check while I’m out and I can have Blue and the other fairies or nuns, whatever, check-in and help with outpatient care.”

Everyone exchanged looks and Regina mouthed a thank you, they then agreed that you were right and that’s the plan they’d go with. You discussed a few more minor things and then decided that it was time for everybody to go home after a long day, you stayed in the conference room until everyone was gone and then retreated to your office. You have an office at the hospital but it's in a secure part due to dealing with patients and HIPAA info so days like this Regina converted one of the old conference rooms into an office for you. It wasn't as big but she made sure to have the comfiest chairs and couches, it was decorated very modernly like her office with contrasts of vibrant forest green instead of the complete black and white, she had your favorite flowers on the desk, orange hibiscus flowers with a towering monstera plant in the corner both enchanted to never die. You had couches and chairs with a large rug on one side like her office and you had a bookshelf wall and a built-in mini-bar that quickly turned alcohol-free when you found out about the pregnancy, there was also a portion that pushed into a secret room like her vault allowing you to keep sensitive information. She wanted to make sure that you were comfortable, in your office and that it could be an escape for you considering what you did on a daily basis and the fact that she got to be closer to you during the workday, able to visit whenever and for whatever she wanted.

You finished some reports for the day and made your way down the hall to her office, you knocked and heard her call for you to come in. You walked in and before you could shut the door you felt arms wrap try and wrap around your waist but instead your bump blocked the little arms.

"Y/N!!!" you reached down and ruffled Henry's hair, and then ran a hand on his back looking up to make eye contact with Regina, she watched the interaction and her heart swelled, Henry loved you but he didn't take the idea of a third mom the easiest at first. Now don't get me wrong he was great and excited about a sibling but he had a hard time, with the whole new mom thing, he never called you mom he always said his mom's wife or your name, and he also wouldn't ever come to you either he went to Regina or right to Emma one time he even went to Snow before you knew. You wanted nothing more than to let him trust you so ever since the wedding you've been earning his trust, so it meant the world to Regina to see him so excited to see you and she knew it meant the world to you.

"Hey buddy, you have a good day?" you glanced down at him as he looked up at you.

"Yea we had a field trip today and then David offereed to take me to the stables to go riding."

"Oh really?" you smirked, looking back up to Regina as she just shook her head. "Well, then does my brave knight need me to drop him off?"

He laughed, "No, he's here, I just wanted to come in and see you before I went over, so I made him stop."

"Well in that case have fun, be safe, and take some pictures so I can brag to the nurses at work." you leaned down and kissed his hair as he hugged you tighter, he then ran back out of the office, but before the door closed you heard him yell back, "Bye, Moms!" You tuned looking at Regina, she got up walking over to you, a tear rolled down you face and she swiped it away letting her hand linger on your cheek and you leaned into the touch, she had her other hand holding yours running her fingers over your wedding ring.

"He really does love you." her coffee-brown orbs looked into your emerald green ones, as more tears ran down your face for her to swipe away.

You laughed, "God these pregnancy hormones are killing me."

“Darling, I…”, all the sudden you heard a crash outside, Regina turned and moved to the window. You held her hand in both of your as she reached to move the curtain.

“What the he…” that’s when she heard the moving of a cloud of smoke behind her and no longer felt the warmth of you hand, she spun on her heels and spotted the figure across the room.

“Mother? What’re you doing here?”

“Ahh sweet girl I’m here for you.”

“Where’s Y/N, What did you do with her?”

“You mean that peasant you call a wife,” she laughed at her daughter in front of her waving her off, “she’s in a safe place or at least it’s safe for a normal person, but not sure about her and the bastard child of yours.”

“No Mother that’s my wife and my baby, biologically both me and Y/N. She has more heart and passion and power then you’ll ever know and she loves me, truly loves me and Henry and I’ve never doubted her for a day, I LOVE her.”

“Oh darling you just live the idea of her.” Regina was done talking she whirled a fire ball, grabbing the spare dagger from the sheath attached under the desk, courtesy of you, and whirled it in that direction. She watched as smoke cleared and the dagger was no where to be found she prayed that she at least stunned her mother.

———time jump———

You were slumped forward and felt the restraints digging into your wrist and ankles as they were tied to the legs of the wooden chair. You were quickly jolted awake by Cora grabbing your chin and forcing you to look at her. Ugh, she let out a disgusted sigh and shoved you face away turning back, you watched as she walked out of the room into a smaller side room, looking around you realized you were in an older cabin, wait this was the cabin that’s hidden in the woods the enchanted cabin that… you heard heels coming towards you and turned your head, Maleficent and Cora both stood looking at you. Maleficent knelt down in front of you studying your features, she stared at your bump deciding whether or not to touch, as if it wasn’t real, you thrashed in the seat and she looked into your eyes, she ran a hand over your bump feeling your baby move.

“Cora, this is not the way to do this.” Maleficent spoke out but kept eyes trained on you as you gave her the smallest most gently terrified look you could.

“I decide how I do things, you’re just here for support on getting her back.”

“But her wife and unborn child?” Maleficent stood going to Cora.

“If they’re gone nothing will ever stop her from going back to dark and staying there.”

You started yelling into the gag and thrashing in the seat. Cora moved over to you and you felt as she slapped your face the sting of her fingers meeting your skin and the ringing in your ear her ring sliced into the skin of your cheek and you felt the blood run down, you knew you would have a black eye. She then grabbed the gag sliding it from your mouth.

“I swear if you lay a finger on Regina or my baby… so help me God.”

“Oh darling, I see why my daughter loves you.”

“My WIFE will be here before you know it and when she gets here nothing will stop her or me from destroying you!” You yelled at the woman in front of you. She bent down getting in your face, “nothing will stop me from getting my daughter back.”

“She’s not your little play toy anymore.” Again you felt a slap this time blood ran from you lip. You looked up and saw a shadow go by the window, Cora walked back over to Maleficent and retreated into the other room as you sat there hearing them argue. You watched as the shadows moved towards the door and then the door cracked, revealing Snow and Regina was right behind she pushed past the other woman and rushed to you, she ran her fingers over the cut on your lip.

“God what did she do to you?” Regina undid the restraints pulling you up into a hug.

“I’m okay…” you trailed, she pulled back placing a hand on your bump and running it over your large 8 month swollen stomach, “the baby too, we’re both okay.”

“Regina!” Snow yelled before being thrown against the wall by Cora, she used her body to shield you from her mother, taking her stand.

“My brave girl, protecting the mother of her child, but I ask who protects you, who truly keeps you from falling back into darkness.”

“I do.” You spoke up moving to stand next to her. Cora laughed out loud and Maleficent moved to check on Snow who was waking up, “Maleficent, what’re you doing?”

“This is wrong Cora.”

“And who are you to decide what is right and wrong, you destroyed villages and kingdoms with a single breath during your dragon days.”

“Mother my reign of terror and bloodshed is over, I’m never turning back.”

“Oh shut up stupid girl, I’ll show you terror.” She flicked her wrist and you felt a pain rip through your abdomen, it was so hard it brought you to your knees and you reached grabbing Regina’s arm as she turned to you.

“Oh God… Oh God the baby.” You let out a moan as tears started to fall, you felt the pain coming and going in waves, you looked down and saw a small stream of blood running down your leg.

“Mother, Stop!” Regina shouted and you watched as her magic collided with her mothers. You fell forward now on hands and knees as another pain tore through your body, you felt hands come around your sides and Snow tried getting you up.

“We need to get you out of here,” she let you lean into her and tried guiding you out the door. You reached a hand down brining it up coated in blood, again wincing in pain.

“But…but Regina,” you stuttered out in pain, letting out another moan. Maleficent placed a hand on your shoulder rubbing your arm as you tried breathing through it, “Let me save her for once you get out of here and get help before we have an injured Regina and a premature baby on our hands.” You looked into her eyes and saw she genuinely wanted to help, you slowly shook your head in agreement.

“Please get her back to me, please.”

She shook her head not breaking eye contact, “I promise, on my life.” Snow quickly turned taking you to the car as Maleficent threw her the keys,”I need to call Zelena we need to get you to the hospital.”

“No…” you struggled through another contraction.

“Y/N you’re in premature labor, there’s to much blood.”she tried reasoning with you.

“Snow if you take me all the way there…” you stopped breathing through another searing pain, letting out a low groan. “If we wait this baby won’t make it…God Snow… I won’t make it.” You said through gritted teeth.

“Okay just hold on.” You felt the car lurch forward as she pressed the gas harder.

She quickly rushed you back to the loft and called Emma filling her in, she reached over reassuring you again as you tried breathing in the passenger seat every wave coming stronger and faster. Once in the loft you were laid on Snow and David’s bed, Zelena and Emma quickly ran in the door, Zelena made her way to you. Seeing the blood on your thighs staining the white sheets red as you white knuckled the blankets, Snow brushing the sweat coated hair out of your face.

“What happened?”

“I…” you moaned, quickly being cut off by another pain.

“It was Cora she cast a spell and quick flick of her wrist and then Y/N was bent over in pain and the bleeding started.” She started to explain.

“Oh please don’t let her miscarry.” Snow said worrying.

“Don’t let me lose this baby.” You spoke out through another sharp pain.

“Labor?” Asked Emma looking to a very concentrated Zelena.

“Sort of, by the looks and sound of it mommy dearest used a pregnancy acceleration spell, if done right can work for mother and baby but if done wrong can cause a lot of problems.” Zelena explained, she lifted you shirt and felt your stomach pressing down in a few spots and releasing pressure as she felt the muscles tighten.

“Can you reverse if?” Snow asked concerned.

“I can I need to do it fast, and it will hurt like hell.”

“Will the baby be okay?”

“Y/N but you…” Snow started.

“Will the baby make it?!”

“Yes. I’m not sure the toll it will take on your body.” Zelena explained.

“I don’t care about me, you save this baby, whatever it takes you save my baby, our baby.” She slowly shook her head as you laid back against the pillows, Snow held your hand tightly understanding what could happen, Emma quickly gathered supplies and then came around to your other side, you felt Zelena swirl her hands on your bump, positioning them, you breathed through another pain.

“5 count?” She asked.

“Surprise me.” You let out a nervous breath as she nodded.

“Okay, 1…2…3…” she started before 5 not giving you much time to adjust, the last thing you heard was a bloodcurdling scream, realized it was you and then everything went black.

——— time jump———

You felt lips on your forehead and a hand holding yours, you felt tears as they landed on your hair. Slowly blinking open your eyes you realized it was your wife, she looked unscathed from events earlier. You quickly shot up on your elbows allowing the blanket to fall away revealing your bump, Regina was sitting next to the bed and laid an arm across you lap as you scooted up against the pillows resting her hand on your bump. You let out a small moan feeling the soreness in your muscles.

“Hey,” she spoke gently.

“What happened? Are you okay?” You slid your hand onto her cheek watching her eyes, she leaned into your hand.

“Well Zelena told me what happened, she told me though that you blacked out during the reversal spell.” She avoided the question.

“What happened with your mom?”

“Cora, I don’t consider her family after she went after you like that, Maleficent helped me and she pushed her back through a portal, she fell through with her though, I owe her my life.”

“Me too, how long was I out.”

“Two days, everyone has been asking about you.”

“Mmm, where’s Henry?” You rubbed at your eyes.

“With Emma and Snow and David they went out. Y/N I almost lost you, my love I’m so so sorry.” You watched as tears started to fall and you placed your hand back on her cheek, wiping tears with your thumb, she embraced the touch. You both let tears fall for a moment before she leaned forwards placing a kiss to your lips and then allowing you to lay your forehead against hers, “Y/N I will always fight for you, until I draw my last breath, I love you more than anything and I can’t wait to watch our family grow and I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

“Regina Mills you make me the happiest woman alive, don’t for a minute think that I’ll ever leave you, I love you, besides the ring is already on so it’s going to take a lot more than that to scare me away.” You both chuckled.

Zelena walked down the stairs and turned coming up to you and sitting at the edge of the bed, “So mama, looks like everything went okay, you’re gonna be sore for a little while, and as of yesterday you are officially on bedrest aside from coming in to visit.”

“Thank you Z, for everything.” You gave her a gentle smile.

“Don’t mention it just promise me that you’ll rest up and come back to show me the ropes before you have my niece or nephew.” She winked, patting your leg.

You heard the lock click and watched as the door swung open at first everyone moved in slowly until they saw you, they stood shocked until Henry came running around the corner and jumped on the bed hugging around your neck the best he could with your bump in the way. Zelena took her leave joining the others in the kitchen.

“Mama I thought I lost you!” You hugged him with one arm as tears rolled down your cheeks, Henry has never actually addressed you as mom before. You felt as Regina squeezed your hand and gave you a look, you closed you eyes living in the moment.

“Henry, love you’ll never lose me, I love you little man.” He wouldn’t let go of your neck and then you realized that he was crying, Regina reached around rubbing his back, “Baby it’s okay.” She reassured him.

“I…I…I just thought I lost you, I can…can’t lose both my m…moms, or my little sister I can’t wait to meet he…her” He said through sobs. You both smiled gently at him as he clung around your neck.

“Henry love what if you got a little brother?” Regina asked gently.

“No, I think it’s a girl.”

“Oh okay.” She chuckled looking at you as you held him and rubbed his back.

“I’d say someone agrees with that.” You let out a smirk, Regina looked at you hopeful.

“Really?” You nodded and she moved her hand down feeling as your baby kicked, a tear rolled down her cheek and she leaned up to kiss you.

“I wanna feel.” Henry said turning his head and placing a hand near Regina’s feeling the baby move. He let out a toothy grin making you both laugh at your sons reaction.

He pulled away but only to curl into your side holding Regina’s hand that was spread across your bump, he started talking to the baby, you sat there content knowing that no matter what you were all loved and that you finally had the family you always dreamed of.

#pregnancy #ouat x reader #x yn #regina mills x reader

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bestiarium · 11 months

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The fairy folk of Elidorus [Welsh mythology, British mythology]

Elidorus is a Welsh folklore character who supposedly lived on the Gower Peninsula. As the story goes, when he was a young lad, Elidorus went to a very strict school where the rules were draconian and the children frequently received beatings. At one point, the boy couldn’t take it anymore and ran away, hiding in a hollow on a riverbank. Elidorus stayed there for several days, wondering what he would do now, when he was found by two peculiar tiny men.

They looked human – except for their diminutive stature – and had fair white skin and very long hair. The two creatures invited him to an amazing country that was filled with delights and sport. Elidorus took their offer and followed his benefactors through a shadowy path into a gorgeous land with meadows, rivers and forests. He did not know where he was, but this strange land was populated with the same tiny creatures as the two who had invited him. Subsequently he was brought before their king, who proceeded to question him.

Eventually, the king had Elidorus brought before his son, who was roughly the same age as the young boy. The two played games together and Elidorus learned a fair bit of the fairies’ language. In this land, the people played a sport with balls made of solid gold. There were also animals here, such as tiny dogs and tiny horses. The tiny people seemed to live mainly on a diet of milk and never consumed fish or meat. They had no churches or similar institutions, rather they were devoted to the very concept of truth. In fact, this devotion was a very important aspect of their society: the fairies absolutely detested lies.

But they weren’t confined to their hidden land, for sometimes the fairies would come into our world (it is often assumed that they visited human markets to partake of our goods and products). Elidorus, too, often returned to Wales (sometimes through the same path he had used to enter the land for the first time, but he also found other paths), where he could share his story with his family. And so he told them about the strange country, the tiny people and the sport with the golden balls. But upon hearing her son’s tale, his mother grew greedy. ‘The next time you go to this strange land,’ she told Elidorus, ‘you have to steal one of these golden balls, for it would make a great gift for me.’

Her son was not a bad person, but he did not want to disobey his mother either. And so he complied and stole one of the balls, but his attempt was soon discovered. Elidorus ran away with his prize but was chased by two of the tiny people. He almost made it all the way home, but stumbled and fell just before his house. The two fairies took back the golden ball and mocked the child before returning to their hidden land.

And hidden it would remain, because when Elidorus later tried to go back so he could explain his actions, he failed to find the entrance. And he would never find it again.

Later in his life, Elidorus became a priest. When he was an old man, he told the story of the strange little people to bishop David II (the bishop of Saint David’s at the time. Elidorus remembered a good portion of the language he had learned as a child, and could speak it in front of the bishop. Curiously, the bishop recognized some words of the language, because it shared many similarities with Greek, including several identical words.

Source: Roberts, T., 1984, Myths and Legends of Wales, Abercastle Publications. (image source: John Bauer, this illustration is actually unrelated but I rather like it and it fits the story well)

#Welsh mythology #British mythology #Celtic mythology #mythical creatures #fairies #mythology

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stillflight · 2 years

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I would like to offer this resource for therians, an extensive list of all of Sir David Attenborough’s nature documentaries that are available on soap2day, and a full list of what species* they each (notably, prominently) feature the natural behaviors of, separated by episode, and omitting species that were only shown dead, juvenile or being predated on. This took me a while (I have been working on it since Prehistoric Planet’s release) because I did in fact have to watch every single series in full in order to list all the species and the episodes are around 50 minutes long, but enjoy.

Long post ahead:

Most of these shows have closed captioning, which is why I’ve picked soap2day. Planet Earth is the only one that doesn’t. I did not include Dynasties and Dynasties II because each episode only features one species.

Thank you to Birch (@ambiguousmutt) for his help (he watched about half of the episodes) so I didn’t have to do it individually. Credit goes to him as well.

*Sometimes Attenborough doesn’t say the specific species and I was too busy trying to get through the episodes to identify it. In those cases I just put the most specific name I could.

Planet Earth

Episode one (From Pole to Pole): emperor penguin, polar bear, caribou, arctic grey wolf, Amur leopard, six-plumed bird-of-paradise, superb bird-of-paradise, great white shark, African elephant, African buffalo, lechwe, baboon, African wild dog

Episode two (Mountains): gelada, walia ibex, Ethiopian wolf, guanaco, cougar, grizzly bear, markhor, snow leopard, golden eagle, grey wolf, panda, golden snub-nosed monkey, red panda, demoiselle crane

Episode three (Fresh Water): giant salamander, grizzly bear, smooth-coated otter, Nile crocodile, dolphin fish, midge, Amazon river dolphin, dorado, piranha, spectacled caiman, crab-eating macaque, snow goose

Episode four (Caves): wrinkle-lipped free-tailed bat, cockroach, bat hawk, cave swiftlet, yellow-red rat snake, Texas blind salamander

Episode five (Deserts): Bactrian camel, dromedary camel, red kangaroo, fennec fox, guanaco, long-nosed bat, Nubian ibex, flat lizard, lion, African elephant, locust

Episode six (Ice Worlds): snow petrel, Antarctic petrel, south polar skua, humpback whale, emperor penguin, eider, muskox, arctic grey wolf, polar bear, little auk, arctic fox

Episode seven (Great Plains): Mongolian gazelle, red-billed quelea, wildebeest, snow goose, arctic fox, arctic grey wolf, bison, wild ass, Tibetan fox, pygmy hog, African elephant, lion, baboon

Episode eight (Jungles): magnificent bird-of-paradise, spider monkey, howler monkey, siamang gibbon, gliding tree frog, colugo, red crab spider, African elephant, chimpanzee

Episode nine (The Shallow Seas): humpback whale, multiple corals, banded sea krait, trevally, dugong, bottlenose dolphin, Socotra cormorant, salp, comb jelly, sea lion, dusky dolphin, sea urchin, sunflower starfish, short-tailed stingray, great white shark, king penguin, fur seal

Episode ten (Seasonal Forests): Eurasian lynx, moose, crossbill, wolverine, western capercaillie, pine marten, great grey owl, pudu, kodkod, mandarin duck, cicada, red deer, Amur leopard, tiger, mouse lemur

Episode eleven (Ocean Deep): whale shark, oceanic whitetip shark, common dolphin, Cory's shearwater, manta ray, sea spider, vampire squid, spider crab, unnamed deep sea eel, giant isopod, chambered nautilus, Pacific spotted dolphin, mola mola, frigatebird, sailfish, blue whale

Planet Earth II

Episode one (Islands): pygmy three-toed sloth, Komodo dragon, sifaka, marine iguana, Galapagos racer, Buller's albatross, fairy tern, Christmas Island red crab, yellow crazy ant, chinstrap penguin

Episode two (Mountains): Nubian ibex, red fox, golden eagle, grizzly bear, bobcat, flamingo, mountain viscacha rat, snow leopard

Episode three (Jungles): spider monkey, flying lizard, sword-billed hummingbird, river dolphin, jaguar, glass frog, paper wasp, click beetle, red bird of paradise, Wilson's bird of paradise, indri

Episode four (Deserts): lion, Harris's hawk, shrike, locust, sand grouse, pale chanting goshawk, feral mustang, golden mole, desert long-eared bat, darkling beetle, Namaqua chameleon

Episode five (Grasslands): saiga antelope, lion, harvest mouse, carmine bee-eater, Kori bustard, African elephant, serval, Jackson's widowbird, grasscutter ant, compass termite, giant anteater, bison, red fox, arctic grey wolf

Episode six (Cities): langur, peregrine falcon, leopard, European starling, great bowerbird, raccoon, rhesus macaque, spotted hyena, wels catfish

Our Planet

Episode one (One Planet): lesser flamingo, orchid bee, golden-collared manakin, red-capped manakin, blue manakin, cormorant, booby, common dolphin, shearwater, African wild dog, timber wolf

Episode two (Frozen Worlds): gentoo penguin, wandering albatross, narwhal, Pacific walrus, humpback whale, orca, leopard seal, polar bear

Episode three (Jungles): lowland gorilla, forest elephant, black sicklebill, twelve-wired bird-of-paradise, western parotia, mountain treeshrew, Philippine eagle, black spider monkey, leafcutter ant, Sumatra orangutan, velvet worm

Episode four (Coastal Seas): northern fur seal, compass jellyfish, giant trevally, mobula ray, Atlantic stingray, bottlenose dolphin, grey reef shark, whitetip reef shark, sea otter, California sheephead wrasse, Steller's sea lion, bald eagle, humpback whale, Guanay cormorant, Inca tern, Peruvian booby, South American sea lion

Episode five (From Deserts to Grasslands): Socotran cormorant, Arabian leopard, Arabian oryx, African elephant, cheetah, bison, Alcon blue butterfly, saiga, Przewalski's wild horse, tiger

Episode six (The High Seas): blue whale, spinner dolphin, mobula ray, oarfish, anglerfish, bristle worm, giant petrel, black-browed albatross, wandering albatross, bluefin tuna, sea lion, humpback whale

Episode seven (Fresh Water): Australian pelican, torrent duck, grizzly bear, manatee, giant mayfly, common kingfisher, osprey, jaguar, callipterus cichlid, Siamese fighting fish, hippopotamus, lion, African elephant, sandhill crane

Episode eight (Forests): Siberian tiger, bald eagle, rough-skinned newt, great hornbill, African elephant, African wild dog, fossa, gray mouse lemur

A Perfect Planet

Episode one (Volcano): lesser flamingo, marabou stork, Galápagos land iguana, vampire ground finch, Aldabra giant tortoise, North American river otter, coyote, Kamchatka brown bear, wildebeest

Episode two (The Sun): yellow-cheeked gibbon, fig wasp, arctic grey wolf, wood frog, garter snake, arctic fox, Saharan silver ant, golden snub-nosed monkey, sooty shearwater, humpback whales

Episode three (Weather): straw-colored fruit bat, fire ant, Amazonian giant river turtle, desert rain frog, Bactrian camel, Christmas Island red crab, carmine bee-eater, Nile crocodile, African fish eagle, hippopotamus

Episode four (Oceans): common dolphin, marine iguana, flightless cormorant, flamboyant cuttlefish, eider, bottlenose dolphin, lemon shark, manta ray, blacktip reef shark, trevally, rockhopper pengin, Eden's whale

Episode five (Humans): none

Life

Episode one (Challenges of Life): bottlenose dolphins, cheetah, panther chameleon, orca, brown-tufted capuchin, stalk-eyed fly, hippopotamus, Clark's grebe, giant Pacific octopus, strawberry poison-dart frog, leopard seal, orangutan

Episode two (Reptiles and Amphibians): pebble toad, caiman, basilisk, Brazilian pygmy gecko, panther chameleon, Namaqua chameleon, red-sided garter snake, collared iguana, hog-nosed snake, horned lizard, sea krait, African bullfrog, Komodo dragon

Episode three (Mammals): Weddell seal, elephant shrew, aye-aye, caribou, straw-colored fruit bat, lion, spotted hyena, polar bear, brown-nosed coati, meerkat, African elephant, humpback whale

Episode four (Fish): sailfish, flying fish, weedy sea dragon, convict fish, sarcastic fringehead, mudskipper, Hawaiian freshwater goby, hippopotamus, barbel, silvertip shark, clownfish, sea lion, ragged tooth shark, multiple snapper, whale shark

Episode five (Birds): spatuletail hummingbird, lammergeier, red-billed tropicbird, magnificent frigatebird, red knot, horseshoe crab, lesser flamingo, chinstrap penguin, great white pelican, Clark’s grebe, sage grouse, Vogelkop bowerbird

Episode six (Insects): Darwin’s beetle, unnamed damselfly, monarch butterfly, alkali fly, Wilson’s phalarope, oogpister beetle, mongoose, bombardier beetle, honey bee, black bear, Japanese red bug, Dawson’s bee, grass cutter ant

Episode seven (Hunters and Hunted): ibex, short-tailed stoat, brown bear, Ethiopian wolf, California ground squirrel, star-nosed mole, cheetah, red fox, greater bulldog bat, bottlenose dolphin, Bengal tiger, rattlesnake, orca

Episode eight (Creatures of the Deep): Pompeii worm, Humboldt squid, nemertean worm, moon jelly, fried egg jellyfish, spider crab, stingray, cuttlefish, giant Pacific octopus, sunflower sea star, king crab, cleaner shrimp

Episode nine (Plants): monarch butterfly, purple-throated carib hummingbird

Episode ten (Primates): Hamadryas baboon, Japanese macaque, lowland gorilla, spectral tarsier, phayre's leaf monkey, ring-tailed lemur, Sumatra orangutan, chacma baboon, white-faced capuchin, brown-tufted capuchin, western chimpanzee

Blue Planet II

Episode one (One Ocean): bottlenose dolphin, tuskfish, tern, giant trevally, mobula ray, false killer whale, Asian sheepshead wrasse, orca, humpback whale, walrus

Episode two (The Deep): sea toad, Venus’ flower basket, unnamed shrimp, ethereal snailfish, cock-eyed squid, pyrosome, barrel-eyed fish, unnamed siphonophore, yeti crab, Humboldt squid, fangtooth fish, sixgill shark, scabbardfish, zombie worm

Episode three (Coral Reefs): broadclub cuttlefish, coral grouper, day octopus, multiple corals, green turtle, bottlenose dolphin, manta ray, bobbit worm, saddleback clownfish, marbled grouper, grey reef shark

Episode four (Big Blue): spinner dolphin, yellowfin tuna, mobula ray, sailfish, sperm whale, sea turtle, blue shark, great white shark, multiple jellyfish, Portuguese man o' war, whale shark, wandering albatross, shortfin pilot whale

Episode five (Green Seas): Garibaldi, Australian giant cuttlefish, weedy seadragon, common octopus, pyjama shark, sea otter, tiger shark, smooth stingray, zebra mantis shrimp, common dolphin, humpback whale

Episode six (Coasts): Pacific leaping blenny, king penguin, southern elephant seal, Sally Lightfoot crab, Galápagos sea lion, ochre starfish, clingfish, chain moray eel, Atlantic puffin, arctic skua

Episode seven (Our Blue Planet): none

Prehistoric Planet

Episode one (Coasts): Tyrannosaurus rex, Tethydraco, Phosphatodraco, Tuarangisaurus, Mosasaurus hoffmannii, pycnodont fish, ammonites, Kaikaifilu

Episode two (Deserts): Dreadnoughtus, Tarbosaurus, Velociraptor, Mononykus, Barbaridactylus, Secernosaurus

Episode three (Freshwater): Velociraptor, Tyrannosaurus rex, Deinocheirus, Quetzalcoatlus, Masiakasaurus, Beelzebufo, elasmosaur

Episode four (Ice Worlds): dromaeosaur, hadrosaur, Ornithomimus, Olorotitan, troodontid, Antarctopelta, Pachyrhinosaurus, Nanuqsaurus

Episode five (Forests): Austroposeidon, Triceratops, Carnotaurus, Qianzhousaurus, Edmontosaurus, Atrociraptor, Anodontosaurus, Therizinosaurus, Telmatosaurus, Hatzegopteryx

The Hunt

Episode one (The Hardest Challenge): African leopard, African wild dog, Parson’s chameleon, nose-horned chameleon, African mantis, Darwin’s bark spider, Nile crocodile, Amur falcon, orca, cheetah

Episode two (Arctic): polar bear, arctic grey wolf, arctic fox, glaucous gull

Episode three (Forests): tiger, American marten, sparrow hawk, Portia spider, tarsier, harpy eagle, chimpanzee, army ant

Episode four (Oceans): blue whale, frigatebird, dorado, sargassum fish, spinner dolphin, Beroe ovata, Chiroteuthis, lionfish, black-browed albatross, sea lion, tuna, copper shark, common dolphin, Bryde's whale

Episode five (Plains): cheetah, caracal, honey badger, termite, bald eagle, lion, Ethiopian wolf, hotrod ant, spoor spider

Episode six (Coasts): bottlenose dolphin, algae octopus, sand bubbler crab, long-tailed macaque, marine otter, grizzly bear, grey wolf, peregrine falcon, orca, humpback whale

Episode seven (Conservation): none

Life In Colour

Episode one (Seeing In Color): Indian peafowl, mandrill, Costa’s hummingbird, magnificent bird-of-paradise, blue moon butterfly, fiddler crab, mantis shrimp, flamingo, poison dart frog

Episode two (Hiding In Color): Bengal tiger, langur, ptarmigan, crab spider, zebra, Cuban painted snail, blue-striped fangblenny, common waxbill, pin-tailed wydah, Augrabies flat lizard

Frozen Planet II

Episode one (Frozen Worlds): emperor penguin, orca, Pallas’s cat, Siberian tiger, grizzly bear, hooded seal, polar bear

Episode two (Frozen Ocean): polar bear, beluga, harp seal, skeleton shrimp, crested auklet, orca

Episode three (Frozen Peaks): high-casqued chameleon, japanese macaque, kea, andean flamingo, giant panda, golden eagle, andean mountain lion

Episode four (Frozen South): king penguin, Antipodean wandering albatross, blue whale, Weddell seal, chinstrap penguin, snow petrel, leopard seal, orca

Episode five (Frozen Lands): grey wolf, arctic fox, Amur leopard, Siberian tiger, painted turtl, Lapland bumblebee, snowy owl, caribou, grizzly bear

Episode six (Our Frozen Planet): none

Africa

Episode one (Kalahari): fork-tailed drongo, ostrich, black rhinoceros, Angolan giraffe, African leopard, armored ground cricket, spider wasp

Episode two (Savannah): Agama lizard, shoebill, bee-eaters and rollers, lesser flamingo, African elephant, crowned eagle, African fish eagle, martial eagle

Episode three (Congo): chimpanzee, central African rock python, Angola banana frog, African skimmer, rockfowl, African elephant

Episode four (Cape): emperor swallowtail, giant kingfish, African penguin, monkey beetle, springbok, yellow-billed kite, pied crow, ghost crab, vundu catfish, Nile crocodile, Bryde’s whale, great white shark, common dolphin

Episode five (Sahara): Grevy’s zebra, naked mole rat, barn swallow, Dromedary camel, dung beetle, crocodile, western yellow wagtail, Saharan silver ant

Episode six (The Future): none

#alterhuman #therian #resources

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battyaboutbooksreviews · 7 months

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🌈 Good morning and happy Wednesday, my bookish bats! You didn't think that tiny "queer books coming out this fall" guide was ALL there was, did you? Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR this month. Happy reading!

❤️ A Vision of Air by Nicole Silver 🧡 Eli Over Easy by Phil Stamper 💛 How to Get Over the End of the World by Hal Schrieve 💚 Kween by Vichet Chum 💙 The Forest Demands its Due by Kosoko Jackson 💜 The B-Side of Daniel Garneau by David Kingston Yeh ❤️ Midnight Companion by Kit Barrie 🧡 Let the Waters Roars by Geonn Cannon 💛 Into the Glittering Dark by Kelley York 💙 When the Rain Begins to Burn by A.L. Davidson 💜 Been Outside by Amber Wendler & Shaz Zamore 🌈 The Forest Demands Its Due by Kosoko Jackson

❤️ A Necessary Chaos by Brent Lambert 🧡 The Spells We Cast by Jason June 💛 Pluralities by Avi Silver 💚 Salt the Water by Candice Iloh 💙 Beholder by Ryan La Sala 💜 This Pact is Not Ours by Zachary Sergi ❤️ Dragging Mason County by Curtis Campbell 🧡 Menewood by Nicola Griffith 💛 Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout 💚 The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw & Richard Kadrey 💙 Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson 💜 Let Me Out by Emmett Nahil and George Williams

🌈 In the Form of a Question: the Joys and Rewards of a Curious Life by Amy Schneider ❤️ Songs of Irie by Asha Ashanti Bromfield 🧡 A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand 💛 Being Ace by Madeline Dyer 💚 Charming Young Man by Eliot Schrefer 💙 The Glass Scientists by S.H. Cotugno 💜 The Fall of Whit Rivera by Crystal Maldonado ❤️ By Any Other Name by Erin Cotter 🧡 Brooms by Jasmine Walls and Teo DuVall 💛 Stars in Your Eyes by Kacen Callender 💚 Shoot the Moon by Isa Arsen 💙 The Bell in the Fog by Lev A.C. Rosen

🌈 Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt ❤️ Family Meal by Bryan Washington 🧡 A Murder of Crows by Dharma Kelleher 💛 A Light Most Hateful by Hailey Piper 💚 Love at 350° by Lisa Peers 💙 Greasepaint by Hannah Levene 💜 The Christmas Swap by Talia Samuels ❤️ Mate of Her Own by Elena Abbott 🧡 Mistletoe and Mishigas by M.A. Wardell 💛 Elle Campbell Wins Their Weekend by Ben Kahn 💚 All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters 💙 If You’ll Have Me by Eunnie

❤️ Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Lillah Lawson and Lauren Emily Whalen 🧡 10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall 💛 It’s a Fabulous Life by Kelly Farmer 💚 Let the Dead Bury the Dead by Allison Epstein 💙 These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs 💜 The Goth House Experiment by SJ Sindu ❤️ Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant by Curtis Chin 🧡 Mudflowers by Aley Waterman 💛 Here Lies Olive by Kate Anderson 💚 Fire From the Sky by Moa Backe Åstot, trans. by Eva Apelqvist 💙 Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake 💜 On the Same Page by Haley Cass

❤️ A Dish Best Served Hot by Natalie Caña 🧡 Art of the Chase by Jennifer Giacalone 💛 The Haunting of Adrian Yates by Markus Harwood-Jones 💚 The Sword: Xcian by Elle Arroyo 💙 The Complete Carlisle Series by Roslyn Sinclair 💜 300,000 Kisses by Sean Hewitt and Luke Edward Hall ❤️ Just a Pinch of Magic by Alechia Dow 🧡 Blackouts by Justin Torres 💛 Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros 💚 Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies by E.M. Roy 💙 Everything Under the Moon: Fairy Tales in a Queerer Light edited by Michael Earp ❤️ Frost Bite by Angela Sylvaine

🧡 We Met in a Bar by Claire Forsythe 💛 Sweat Equity Aurora Rey 💚 Pumpkin Spice by Tagan Shepard 💙 The Misfit Mage & His Dashing Devil by M.N. Bennet 💜 Love and Other Risky Business by Sarah Brenton ❤️ Enough by Kimia Eslah 🧡 A Fire Born of Exile by Aliette de Bodard 💛 Twelve Bones by Rosie Talbot 💚 Wild Wishes and Windswept Kisses by Maya Prasad 💙 Dragged to the Wedding by Andrew Grey 💜 Fox Snare by Yoon Ha Lee ❤️ Murder and Manon by Mia P. Manansala

#queer book recs #queer fiction #queer books #queer #books #book list #books to read #lgbt writers #batty about books #battyaboutbooks

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blaithnne · 3 months

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Actually I think one of my (minor) gripes with Season 3 of Hilda is that I wish it committed to being a… serial? Is that the right word? Let me explain-

One of the reasons previous seasons of Hilda are so good because they’re episodic - each adventure works as a great standalone episode that (outside of finales and the like) you don’t need much context for - but still follow an overarching storyline.

The Tide Mice, for example, is a fun standalone adventure about Hilda accidentally stealing some souls. But it also foreshadows Frida becoming a witch in Season 2, why Hilda herself wouldn’t have made a good witch, and the jorts episode in Season 2, among other things. It also builds on things we already know - Johanna struggling to find work was foreshadowed in previous episodes, David was already established to be an anxious and worrisome character, etc! So the story works perfectly well as a standalone adventure, but all these little details mean that within the context of the rest of the series it’s even BETTER!

The thing with Season 3 is that I don’t really think it had time to do that in the same way prior seasons did. In S1-2, it felt like we were seeing little snippets into one of Hilda’s many adventures. In Season 3, the events feel much more consecutive, like less time has passed between them?

Where S1-2 subtly set up plot lines and then zoomed in on them later, it feels like S3 said hey look at this cool plot line! And then they zoomed out to have an adventure with a talking fish, and then zoomed back in a few episodes later. The Laughing Merman and The Giantslayer feel a bit like interruptions to the main storyline, which sucks bc they’re great episodes.

As much as I love Louise, with the episode count being so limited I think I’d have preferred if The Laughing Merman and The Giantslayer were replaced with adventures that had more to do with the pre established plot, or characters from previous seasons like Kaisa or The Bellkeeper. It feels like those episodes were included as a return to format, a last hurrah for the monster of the week style stand alone adventures, but they just didn’t sit as right for Season 3.

Honestly? This isn’t a gripe with the show as much as it is with Netflix - but I don’t even think Season 3 should’ve even been Season 3 — I think it should’ve been a seperate series.

For one thing, the way Netflix has the series set up rn means that the movie is in a totally different section, so if you’re watching without knowing it exists beforehand, you could end up autoplaying from The Stone Forest to The Train to Tofoten and be left VERY confused. It’s weird to me that you have to click off the series to go watch the movie and then come back for Season 3 if that makes sense ??

I think it would’ve been better formatted if Season 3 was an epilogue series listed separately from S1-2, and under a different title (like “Hilda and The Fairies” or something). That way it feels less clunky going from S2 -> MK -> S3. It also makes it easier for ppl who dislike S3 to pretend it doesn’t exist, so there’s a win for that crowd too.

I also think under those circumstances it would’ve made more sense for the series to be much more story focused, without stopping midway through to do a last monster of the week couple of episodes.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved those episodes! But they were just slightly off from what I’d come to expect from precious seasons, and kind of just reminded me of what we were missing out on. I think if the show had committed to doing things differently for S3 - which would likely have been easier if this was a separate epilogue series, as the expectation for it to follow the previous seasons formula would’ve been lessoned - it would’ve felt a little less… uncanny?

TLDR - Season 3 is undeniably different in tone and overall vibe from the previous seasons, and I think the show would’ve benefited from leaning into that.

(I don’t even know if this is a critique of the show tbh, or if it’s a critique of Netflix? A lot of this could’ve been solved or at least improved by changes in formatting, or not cutting half the planned episodes, and I don’t know who’s responsible for that lmao ?? So yeah this is just me getting these unproofread unqualified opinions out on paper and is not me trying to bash anyone cause idk jack shit about how shows get made, it’s easy for me to sit here and go “oh they should’ve done this—“, but there was likely chaos behind the scenes that would’ve made that impossible, or hell, maybe it just wasn’t what they were going for! Idk! Idk what I’m saying or if any of this makes sense but thank you for reading hope you enjoyed anyways I still love s3 bless you all and goodnight <3)

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autumnalfallingleaves · 19 days

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Was thinking about my Mando Hilda AU that has Lydia and Phinium (because I like them), but then got to thinking more about the AU I came up with a little bit after s3 dropped where Johanna never got sick as an infant, so Lydia and Phinium never had to leave for Fairy Country, so Jo grows up with her entire family and without having to get her memory wiped.

Growing up, Johanna does not know she is part-fairy. Lydia and Phinium want to raise her as a "normal" kid and planned to tell her when she turned thirteen-- but that plan was derailed when the spider-frog creature from the lake attacked the family on an outing, and Astrid was forced to protect them, revealing her-- and Phinim's-- true nature in the process. They tell Jo she's half-fairy when she's nine, instead. So Johanna grows up with her entire family, knowing she's half-fairy. Phinium and Astrid teach Jo how to use her magic.

Later, Johanna goes off to college in Trolberg. She meets Anders there, and her ensuing relationship with him is her version of a late-teenage (she's in her early 20s) rebellion. Predictably, none of her family back home likes him. Jo thinks she likes him, but he dips, and we get the attitude toward him that Jo has in canon. Hilda comes along soon after. Anders is whatever, but Hilda? Jo loves her so, so much. Luckily, her parents and aunt do, too. I feel like Astrid would make a comment like "So, that's where Phin's blue hair went!"

(Continued under the cut)

Side note: I feel like Phinium would be thee dorkiest grandfather. He'd probably be Hilda's favorite grandparent tbh.

Anyway. Jo does what her parents did and decides to raise Hilda as normally and as humanly as possible. She moves out of Trolberg and out to her family's house in the Wilderness. Hilda grows up similarly to canon, but with the added bonus of grandparents :)

(I was thinking about the elves, and have decided that they still don't find out about them until the same point in canon. Even fairies aren't exempt from the elves' paperwork and rules.)

Canon continues largely the same from there. The most major difference I can think of until the end of s2 is just Lydia, Phinium, and Astrid helping Jo, Hilda, Twig, and Alfur get settled in Trolberg after Jorgen steps on the house.

However, Stone Forest is where things get different. Like Jo, circumstances force Johanna to tell Hilda about her fey heritage earlier than thirteen. At the end of SF, instead of Hilda being saved by the white woff, Johanna, in a panic, jumps out of the balloon to use her abilities of flight to catch Hilda. She doesn't answer any questions until she and Hilda are back home, at which point she says something along the lines of "This is something your grandparents should be here for." So, she calls them, and they and Astrid agree to come over the next day. However, events continue as normal and Hilda swaps with Baba that night. Jo is then left with a newly-human troll baby and her parents and aunt arriving soon.

They, of course, help with the search. Lydia elects to stay back with Tontu and Baba, and Jo, Phinium, Astrid, and Alfur go up to the mountains to search for Hilda, since they (excluding the resident elf) have magic and can possibly pinpoint Hilda. (They can't; the trolls' magic is too concentrated to find Hilda.)

I have more thoughts than what can fit in here right now, but a big part of this version of MK is Gerda working with the fairies and getting her mind opened to even more magical beings who are just people, same as anyone. Hilda also learns about her fey heritage and is, of course, ecstatic. Frida and David think Hilda's grandparents are wicked cool. Lydia and Phinium are delighted to have even more grandchildren (Tontu and Baba). I have no idea what s3 would be lmao.

#ive been thinking about this for a while tbh #only really got about to writing it down now #hilda the series #hilda netflix #hilda #hilda season 3 #Astrid hilda #Lydia hilda #phinium hilda #johanna hilda #hilda (hilda)#beans rambles

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unrequitedloveletter · 1 year

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paper rings- weddings!! give me a character. a rough word count (10k is the most I’m willing to write, but if you want the fic to be a longer one, specifics are heavily recommended) and where you would want to get married if you were to get married! You can also tell me if you want it to be next level angst or to have the fluff scale turned up to eleven. Provide whatever specifics you want, and along with the fic, you’ll get a moodboard! You can mention if you want the moodboard to replace whatever gif I use as a fic header, but if you want it at the bottom of the fic and for me to include the gif anyway, just let me know!

okayyyy nikolai lantsov andd 1-2k? i've always dreamed of having a forest fairytale type wedding. like the fairy lights, and the green and borwn color schemes. and very intimate, only closeee friends and family (which is still a lot of family on my side but shhhh) fluff scale turned up to 11 plsss! the moodboard, i'm fine either way whatever is easiest<3

Our Forever/Our Eternity- Nikolai Lantsov x fem! reader

Okay, hi! I am so sorry that this coming out so late--I’d started second semester when I went to look at my inbox and having to do assignments on the daily is taking me closer and closer to academic burn out one step at a time. This is coming out on valentines though, so yay! I hope you like this one. The moodboard also came out in the form of a collage, which again, I hope is cool! I made it while tired out of my mind last night and a collage is what my tiredbrain was able to manage at that point lol.

fic type- fluff.

Warnings- mentions of the consumption of alcohol (wine and champagne, and vodka/kvas)

You and Nikolai had been dating since you were sixteen, having met by pure happenstance whilst you both worked in the First Army. You were at his side as his partner when he’d met Alina, fought with him as his partner and his confidante in the Ravkan Civil war.

When he’d proposed at the age of twenty-three, just at the beginning of his kingship, you were overjoyed, and so, it seemed, was he.

The next year and a half were spent with wedding preparations at the forefront of nearly everyones focuses, though especially Genyas, yours, and Nikolais.

A fairytale esque wedding was the theme you’d agreed upon, and it was just to your luck that a decent clearing with a couple of large trees was amongst the Little Palaces acreage.

Genya had said that it was to be the perfect spot for a wedding, and a year and a half later, as you listened to Alina and Zoyas conversation and Genya tailored a bit of powder onto your eyes to give them a pop of color, you had to agree.

You’d decorated it with a few good tables, chairs painted a deep brown the color of wood, the tablecloths a darker version of leafy green. The centerpieces had been your favorite flowers, encased in small glass display containers that would’ve been used for something like a cupcake display in a bakery, and the tree under which you were going to get married had been laid with lights, making it look like the branches were dripping in stars.

You’d done your wedding a bit differently to the societal expectations placed onto Nikolais shoulders. It wasn’t public, it wasn’t to occur in the Little Palace and there were no journalists, no reporters or anyone who’s only purpose of attending would be to get the scoop on the happenings of that day.

You’d only invited the people who’d mattered to you both, those whom you considered family. Tolya, Mal and David were Nikolais groomsmen. Genya, Tamar, Nadia, Alina and Zoya were your bridesmaids.

Alina and Mal had come along, though Alina had been wearing a wig so that nobody looked at her and immediately knew that she’d been the sun saint, the one who’d been martyred three years before.

Alina laughed as a breeze picked up and ruined some of the work that Genya had done with your hair, meeting your gaze with a grin.

“Early summer is a wonderful time of year, isn’t it?” You asked, laugh befalling your lips as Genya gave an exasperated sigh. “There’s a breeze, yeah, but at least it’s warm.”

“Nikolai is just going to faint when he sees you,” Nadia said with a grin. “Oh, the king will faint indeed.”

“Tolya will have to catch him,” Tamar agreed, laugh coming up as she took a sip of her champagne. “It’ll be quite the glorious thing, and no reporters here to tell the tale means that our beloved king and his precious ego will be saved from embarrassment.”

“He’ll do more than faint,” Zoya said. “He’s never cried a day in his life, I’m sure, but he will. He’ll be crying tears of joy. Men are astonished by beauty, and you look ravishing, so it’s practically par for the course.”

You took a sip of your champagne as Genya announced that she was done with your hair, peeking out from behind the tree that you’d stood behind, one far enough away from guests and Nikolai to avoid being heard or seen.

“The king has descended down the aisle,” she said. “Oh, he is going to lose it. I’m so excited!”

You finished off your champagne as Genya and David walked down the aisle, followed by Zoya with Tolya, Alina and Mal, Tamar and Nadia together.

You watched, head ducked out from the spot where you stood, as David whispered something to Nikolai and his eyes promptly closed, anticipatory grin spreading across his face. You scoffed, grin coming to yours as well.

Of course David had listened to Genyas suggestion that he ask Nikolai to close his eyes so as to not see you until you’d walked down the aisle. Photographers were around, and she probably thought it would make for an interesting set of photos. David, as her husband, would’ve agreed, as would you have, as you knew she was probably right.

Your father walked you down the aisle, and when you reached out, resting either of your arms on Nikolais shoulders and allowing your hands to entwine themselves behind his neck, his eyes opened.

He looked shocked in one moment, mesmerized in the next.

“You look--” Nikolai began, cutting himself off. He laughed after a moment. “It seems I am unable to find the words. You look indescribably beautiful.”

You grinned. “You clean up nicely, Mr. Lantsov.”

“The same can be said of you, soon to be Mrs.”

You grinned, rolled your eyes, as the officiant began.

“We are gathered here today for the union of his majesty the king, Nikolai Lantsov, and her majesty the Queen, Y/N L/N,” you’d gotten that part sorted in the weeks prior. You’d been declared queen before the wedding at a small coronation that the public was only made aware of in the days after it’d occurred, so as to pretty much just get the process out of the way.

“It is my belief that the couple has written their own vows?” You both glanced at the officiant, giving him a slight nod. “Well then, King Nikolai, I’ll allow you to read yours first.”

Nikolai shot you a smirk, and you couldn’t help but roll your eyes at him lovingly. He’d always been the flirtatious type, and you considered it luck that those flirts had always seemed to be tossed in your direction.

Nikolai wasn’t just a flirt, though. He was a caring, compassionate, smart and wonderful guy. He was someone you’d met while serving your time in the First Army, someone who you’d seen act in the bravest manner and only in the interest of saving the lives of those around him. He’d managed to sweep you off your feet somewhere in all of the noise, and when he became Sturmhond, you joined him once you’d convinced your commander to release you on honorable discharge so that you could.

As you stood in front of him, arms around his shoulders, you found that you didn’t regret it. Not a minute.

“I have loved you since we worked in the infantry department together,” Nikolai said. “I fell in love with you whilst we were in the ranks of the First Army, and, eight years after I joined up, I can say that I have not felt regret over it for a moment. I love you more than words can express, really, and I’m looking forward to proving it to you with my actions. I cannot wait to get to wake up next to you everyday for the rest of my life.”

He paused, closing his eyes for a moment, and you realized that Zoya may have been right. Nikolai may actually have started crying, or have gotten closer to it.

“Forever has always felt like such a long time,” Nikolai continued. “It still does, usually, but it’s time that I get to spend with you at my side, so I can’t wait for our forever to start.”

The officiant grinned. “Y/N, you may read your vows in response.”

“I love you,” you began. “I used to think that I would never get so lucky as I have. I was sent into the First Army, and as most do, I figured I was doomed. I’m delighted that I wasn’t, and though the First Army, the mandatory service, is not something that I look back on fondly, I’m glad I met you from it. I’m glad that I’ve spent almost a decade at your side, and I’m looking forward to all the decades to come.”

“I’m looking forward to coffee on Sundays, to watching the sun go down and drinking kvas as we talk about how lucky we both feel, and I am really excited that I get to be married to you for our eternity. I have loved you as long as I have known you, and I am looking forward to getting to spend the rest of my days loving you even still.”

The rings were brought out, and you noticed a tear slip down Nikolais cheek as he slipped the ring onto your finger. You slipped his ring onto his, wiped the tear away and gave him a grin as you registered that you were close to crying as well.

It was your wedding, though. One of the happiest days of your life. People would forgive you if you cried a bit.

“Nikolai Lantsov, do you promise to love Y/N L/N for the rest of your days, in sickness and in health, in rich and in poor?”

“I do,” Nikolai looked at you, and you looked at him, and all that either of you noticed in that moment was the sheer love in the other persons gaze.

“Y/N L/N, do you promise to love Nikolai Lantsov for the rest of your days, in sickness and in health, in rich and in poor?”

“I do.”

“Well then, the bride and groom may kiss to seal this union,” the officiant said.

And so, you did, a tear slipping down your cheek as Nikolais lips were on yours and you were officially his wife, he was officially your husband. You were so happy, it was more than words could ever accurately describe.

Nikolai pulled away, grabbed your hand and interlaced your fingers, and just like that, the party had started, the violins picking up with an old Ravkan dancing tune.

You spent the night dancing, laughing, drinking and enjoying the night for all that it was. You were married to the love of your life, and you were sure you would be so happy as you’d been that day for the rest of the days in which you graced the earth.

When all the guests had left, most of them retiring into their rooms after midnight, when all of the celebrations had been had, the good wine and kvas drank, the dancing done, you were still out there.

It was a group of people, actually. It’d been you, Nikolai, Genya, David, Tolya, Tamar, Nadia, Zoya, Alina and Mal. The violinist was still playing because they’d not yet retired to their own room. They were playing a slow song, and like it was habitual, you all paired off and danced.

Nikolai held you close, arms around your waist where yours were resting on either of his shoulders. You were dancing under the tree where you’d gotten married, and the lights were still on. As you registered the flit of a camera, knowing that the photographers had long gone home, you scoffed.

“Need something for the photo album, Tolya?”

“A few somethings,” he said. “These’ll look good framed, and Zoya most certainly agrees with me.”

“She does,” Zoya piped up. “As does Genya, who anticipated this happening and thought that the disposable was a good idea. You’re welcome, lovebirds.”

You and Nikolai laughed. “Thank you, guys.”

“We’re glad that you finally tied the knot, Nik,” Tamar said. “Seriously. Tolya and Nadia were beginning to debate placing bets.”

“Who would’ve won?”

“Me,” Tolya said. “A good man does not wait for the perfect time, in accordance to my sonnets. He either creates it or finds it in a day that is seemingly mundane.”

You scoffed. “It was not mundane, Yul-Bataar. He proposed to me when the sun was setting. We were by the lakes.”

“Mundane enough,” Nikolai said. “And perfect enough, after having tried to find the right time for three years.”

“You took my point, you took my compliment, and you unraveled it,” Tolya said, scoffing. “You’re a drunken buffoon.”

“I’m not drunk,” Nikolai said. “I’ve been too busy dancing with my wife to bother with it.”

“Ah, so you’re just a buffoon, then?” Genya asked. “Makes sense.”

Nikolai scoffed, meeting your gaze. “I love you,” he said.

“I love you too,” you said. “It’s getting late, and cold. Let’s head back inside.”

“Early start tomorrow,” David said.

“I will have Tamar cut my tongue out with one of her beloved axes before I rise at any time within the three hours after sunrise tomorrow morning,” Nikolai said as the group began the walk back. You heard the violin music stop, the violinist packing up as you left.

You grinned as you took Nikolais hand and interlaced your fingers.

You’d married the love of your life. You were so happy in what was just the start of your forever with him, and he was so happy in the start of his eternity with you.

#nikolai lantsov #nikolai lantsov x reader #nikolai lantsov x fem! reader

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adarkrainbow · 7 months

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Spooky season fairytales (4)

This series of posts is supposed to be about movies and a few television series, but given it is about dark, spooky, creepy or eerie fairytale-inspired works, I am bound to explore some non-movie pieces. More specifically three works.

The Book of Lost Things

I talked previously about my great love for this 2006 book. John Connolly had already proven his talent at making teenage fantasy mixed with dark comedy (not to say burlesque horror) with his series of "Samuel Johnson" series, but with this book he also left his mark within the world of fairytales. Dark fairytales.

There is still a bit of humor and comedy in this book - but not much. One chapter maybe. The rest is dark, creepy, sad, disturbing... but also very touching, very poetic and very beautiful. "The Book of Lost Things" tells the story of David, a young boy living a hard life in 1930s England. He had to live with the long sickness and death of his mother, he cannot stand his stepmother and her new baby, his father is away from home due to his work involving him with the nascent World War II, the threat of said war forces the family to move to a remote countryside house with a tragic past... And David thinks he is going insane because strange things are happening. He can hear books talk for example, and a strange shadowy "crooked man" keeps appearing at the corner of his eye...

The culmination of these supernatural events results in David entering the world of fairytales, a gigantic forest filled with knights and princesses and talking animals and dwarfs and witches... Except that it is a world where fairytales went wrong. Very wrong. It is a dreadful and horrifying world where all the grimmness and terror of the original tales are played at full force, and David only has one hope to return home: find the good king's magical "Book of Lost Things"...

This book deals with a lot of serious topics - which is what makes it at the same time hard and beautiful of a read. It is a book that doesn't just twist fairytales for the sake of it (though there is a perverse game about reinterpreting the folktales in the most shocking ways). But it does so to help us, and David, explore themes such as grief, disease, war, the loss of the people you love, the desire to return to a nostalgic past... It is a great book.

(And how come I just learn TODAY upon writing these lines that Connolly just RELEASED A SEQUEL! 13 YEARS AFTER THE ORIGINAL! I'm going to buy this for Halloween)

Dimension 20: Neverafter

"Dimension 20" is a web-series by the team of CollegeHumor. In the same way as "Critical Role", "Dimension 20" is a D&D role-playing show, with each season following a campaign where the members of CollegeHumor, using their talent as stand-up and improv comedians, make their reole-playing adventure as entertaining and engaging as possible for the viewer.

Each season has a different theme, setting and universe, and the season known as "Neverafter" is, as you can guess, the "dark fairytale" season. Neverafter takes place in the world of fairytales and nursery rhymes - but things are starting to... be wrong. Happy endings go missing. Gruesome deaths spoil the magical happiness. The peace of the kingdoms is troubled by monsters popping out left and right. Armies are rising up. A storm is coming. The Time of Shadows falls on what was supposed to be a "happy ever after", and in this upcoming chaos, a group of travelers gather together to try to survive... Before discovering a cabal of manipulative fairies, tyrannical lords, creepy princesses, ancient witches and other abstract monsters trying to deal with world-threatening troubles, plunging a simple dark fantasy tale into a cosmic horror epic...

In 20 episodes, the campaign depicts the adventures of six characters. Princess Rosamund du Prix - the Sleeping Beauty princess, who had to free herself from her thorns when her prince failed to come, and is now searching for him. Ylfa Snorgelsson, Little Red Riding Hood, whose fairytale went off to a very traumatic end and left some of the wolf inside of her... Prince Gerard of Greenleigh, the prince from the "Frog Prince", who is now returning to being a frog as the love of his wife wanes... Puss in Boots, forced to return at being a scheming and scamming scoundrel after his kingdom and master were destroyed by giants... Timothy "Mother" Goose, an old man who inherited a magical book after the death of his son Jack and is haunted by a terrifying black gander... And Pinocchio, the magical puppet-boy, now a warlock who uses as a staff his own broken nose and whose patron is a disembodied and mysterious "mother" figure...

Little Nightmares

Ah, Little Nightmares... Who hasn't heard of this groundbreaking video game that marked 2017 with its unique, eerie story?

A little girl in a yellow raincoat wakes up in the dark and humid depths of some sort of industrial area, near the corpse of a hanged man... She wanders with a little light throughout pipes and cells, infested with deadly vermin, filled with the remnants of the presence of other children, overseen by mechanical eyes turning flesh into stone... And soon she discovers herself inside a nightmarish, impossible structure inhabited by child-killing giants, deformed monsters that are out to get her.

Little Nightmares is primarily an attempt at capturing and translating into a video game primal childhood fears and the type of nightmares a little kid can have. It is about a small, helpless child, confronting monsters that are grotesque caricatures of adulthood, in a world too big for her and designed to destroy her... But Little Nightmares also take a strong inspiration from traditional fairytales, making the video game a dark fairytale epic. I don't think it will be a spoiler by now due to the game's huge success but...

... A little girl exploring a dark and haunted supernatural world. A blind giant looking around for his victim using his other senses. A pair of monstrous cooks killing and preparing children for the gargantuan and repulsive feast of obese clients. An intense focus on food and hunger and cannibalism. Helpful little gnomes straight out of a children's fairy book. A beautiful but evil sorceress with a special relationship towards mirror, antagonizing the female protagonist while having some maternal untertones towards her... What if the evil queen of Snow-White was the head of a restaurant for ogres? And no need to add that the games has strong Del Toro tones evoking his fairy-related movies (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy II), while also disturbingly twisting the Ghibli movie style, making this the horror version of "Spirited Away".

The game received an acclaimed sequel, but I couldn't see very obvious fairytale tones in this one, much more focused on a dystopian feeling and ambiance.

#spooky season fairytales #spooky season #dark fairytales #horror fairytales #fairytale books #fairytale video games #creepy fairytales #little nightmares #the book of lost things #dimension 20 #neverafter

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punk4ndisorderly · 11 months

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light on

The one where Y/N is the daughter of a legendary Team USA coach and used to attend the development program with the boys. 8 years after they last saw each other in person, a reunion brings Jack and Y/N back into each other’s lives... and hearts.

if you keep the light on, i'll keep the light on

XV XVI - this here and now with you XVII

Y/N felt like she could walk on air, an unwavering sense of gleefulness washing over her as she watched two of the people she loved most in the world walk down as a married couple. After all that River and David had gone through, they deserved, more than anyone else, a happy ending.

“I have a feeling your dress was made by tiny forest fairies that decided you were their new muse, henceforth ending up creating the masterpiece you’re wearing right now.” David's sister-in-law conjectured, with a nasally voice, approaching the doctor and intertwining her arm with hers, obliviously walking right past loverboy.

“Yes, the designers and dressmakers at Chloé do have magical hands.” she chuckled, patting the hand that rested on her arm. “Where were you sat? I don’t think I saw you from up there.”

“In the back. Leo always needs to pee at the worst times, so I figured if he needed to go during the ceremony it'd be the best way not to interrupt."

“Aw, honey…” Y/N laughed. "How are you feeling?”

“The fever’s down.” Sean's wife replied. “I’m on ibuprofen and a pretty strong cough syrup, so the reception should be fun!”

The two women followed the crowd to the venue, where they found Y/N's favorite duo, whose ties were already on their heads and dress shirt’s first two buttons had magically been undone, greeting everyone that walked past them with a goofy, but courteous bow.

“Dudette!” Alex called out. “Over here!”

“What did I tell you about drinking before meals?” Y/N scolded playfully after saying goodbye to Leo's mother.

“Relax, Junior, we haven’t been drinking. It’s a wedding though, so my partner and I are ready to wreak havoc together.” the curly-haired man snickered, rubbing his hands together.

“Are you sure about that?” Y/N smirked, motioning her head towards Trevor, who had quickly stepped away from them to join Jack and Quinn.

“Oh for fuck’s sake… It’s like they’re attached to the hip. Jack bats his pretty lashes at him and boom, I’m chopped up liver! Unbelievable!” he huffed.

The doctor wrapped an arm around his shoulders. She took the tie from Alex's head and handed it back to him.

“Come on, let’s find our seats. You can tell me all about it while I’m feasting on hors d’oeuvres. You’re not allowed to use the tie on your head until about fifty percent of the guests are drunk, though.” Y/N stated, spotting Jack in the distance.

By the entrance, a large gold-plated seating chart divided the guests into twelve tables, each one named after an European capital. Alex scanned through the perfectly designed poster, finding himself and his friends placed in number three, Paris.

“Great, the city of love… When my woman is so far away…” he groaned, his shoulder slumping as he headed to their table. “Just my luck.”

Y/N glanced around once more, fascinated by the beautiful vines hanging in the log trellis where they stood, the ethereal aura of the breathtaking venue standing out more than ever now that the afternoon sun shone upon it. She wondered if she could freeze that moment in time and revisit it as many times as she desired. The doctor loved everything about it: the pond, the reception area, the exquisite view and the company. Joey's presence would’ve made it an absolutely perfect day. Her daughter informed her, during the call Y/N had made after going up to her brother's room, that she had gone to the beach that morning, pretending to be Ariel with the aid of Charlie's father.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear Jack's steps as he closed the distance between them, his hands once again buried in his pockets.

“Paris, hu?”

The coach's daughter smiled up at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Hmm, seems like it.” she confirmed, reading the rest of the tables’ names: Madrid, Prague, London, Berlin, Rome, Lisbon, Budapest, Athens, Bern, Stockholm and Vienna.

How convenient, he thought, well aware of the promise he’d made to himself that he’d finally let Y/N know about everything that had been going through his brain for the past month. Even though Jack couldn’t quite explain it himself and it made him feel uneasy, the idea of giving up what could very well be his last change was driving him crazy. Who was he right now? A seventeen-year-old version of himself? He hadn’t been as neurotic about a conversation since his mom and dad had told him it was time to talk about the birds and the bees.

“River wanted each table to have traditional food from the capitals they represent. We’re having… Let me see… Ratatouille. And for dessert… Crème brûlée.”

“Mmm…” he muttered, his trance broken by the beautiful woman’s voice.

“How beautiful was the wedding?” she gushed, the giddiness in her spirit having yet to subside. “How beautiful is this?”

Not nearly beautiful as you.

“It’s pretty great.” Jack agreed, mimicking his temporary roommate, and looking around, pretending not to notice the way her eyes were glistening as she marveled at the sight of the newlyweds, who were making their big entrance.

“Oh, come on. I saw you getting all emotional during the ceremony.” the doctor teased.

“I think that might have been around the time Trevor decided to pinch me. I don’t know what’s up with people doing that today, but - ”

“Why the hell would he pinch you?”

Because I was staring at you like a lost puppy.

“He’s a weird dude.”

That should hold it.

“Mm, yeah, I know…” Y/N agreed, adjusting the tassels of her dress. “But, hey, either we continue discussing how much of an odd duck Z is or we can sit down and eat. I vote for the latter, because I am starving.” she admitted, a growling sound coming from her stomach. “See?”

Jack let out a loud laugh, placing his large hands on her shoulders and leading her to their assigned table, only to be stopped by her father.

“What the hell are you guys doing? It’s photo time!” he announced, grabbing their arms and practically dragging them to the gazebo attached to the log trellis, where they could hear and see the small streams of the pond, the amazing lighting being perfect for the photographs to be taken.

David’s parents were posing for their picture with the beautiful couple, the four of them smiling contently, David's father looking almost like he was about to cry. The pair glanced at each other, admiring how endearing the scene was.

“Okay, now you guys step in.” Coach instructed, on complete fill-in wedding planner mode. “Thank you, Eric and Rachel.”

“Both of us?” the brunette man asked, waving his index finger between him and the doctor.

“Yes, Hughes. Both of you. Go.”

Y/N shrugged, chuckling, taking note of how weddings could turn cool, calm and collected Coach Y/L/N into a stress ball, worriedbabout his son and his husband having the time of their lives. Placing a hand on River's back and another one on his arm, she grinned widely.

Her counterpart stood on the other side, right next to David, trying to dissimulate his amusement at his old Coach's attempt at getting genuine smiles out of them by making faces behind the photographer’s back. He remembered his father doing the exact same thing whenever he took him to get his pictures taken when he was little.

“Okay, now can get one of Y/N and River? Then one of Hughes and Y/N?” Coach requested.

The couple and their guests didn’t dare to deny his request, more like a subtle order, switching positions, with David and Jack stepping aside for Y/N and River to shine. Like two angels that had descended from heaven to grace their presence, the groom and his maid of honor had their own little impromptu shoot, with their father being pulled in halfway through.

“As fun as this is, we need to get everyone’s pics, so… Hughes, get your ass over here so I can release you both from photo duty.”

Jack obeyed his command, taking the groom's spot by Y/N's side. He was slightly taken aback when the woman he’d been admiring all day spontaneously rested her head against his toned chest, an arm snaking around his waist and a hand placed a few inches above his sculpted abs. The Devils' player held her close, rejoicing internally at how, once again, Y/N seemed so comfortable being so close to him.

The photographer gave them a countdown, taking the first picture at one and preparing himself to take a couple of spare ones. As he did, YN's stomach growled, reminding her and her company she was in desperate need of food.

The pair burst into laughter, ending up with a wonderful candid of sheer happiness in result, as everyone around them swooned over the chemistry that oozed out of the two friends.

“That’s it, Lois and Clark. Thank you for your patience and photogenic faces. You’re free to go.”

“Finally!” Y/N extolled, kissing her father's cheek and rushing out of the gazebo, followed closely by Aleksander.

“Tell Quinn and Cole it’s their turn!” Coach called out, ushering a couple of David's relatives in while at it.

Y/N filled a plate with the small entrées five waiters were walking around serving, taking a bite out of one of them.

“So good!” she moaned out of pure pleasure, making Jack chuckle as she took another appetizer from the waitress’ tray and placed it on her plate. “Quinny, Cole, your turn."

"I'm going to look like a kid between his mom and dad in those pictures." Alex groaned.

“Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure Coach will make us go together.” Trevor tried to comfort him.

Y/N and Jaxk sat next to each other as if it was a natural instinct, missing the knowing looks shared between their friends when all the seats at their table were finally taken, as they ate their hors d’oeuvres in a comfortable silence, not needing to exchange words to let the other know they were appreciating their company.

The newlyweds roamed around the venue, chatting away with their relatives and close friends, reminding him of the conversation he and River had had that morning. He was right, there was no way he'd get enough to eat throughout the night. He watched as he kissed his husband’s hand sweetly, waltzing to another table.

“Il n’y a q’un bonheur dans la vie: c’est d’aimer et d´être aimé.” Y/N mumbled, noticing the small smile adorning his handsome face.

His attention was brought back to the gorgeous woman sat next to him, facing her with a quizzical look.

“There is only one happiness in life: to love and to be loved.” she translated. “It’s only fitting we speak French, since we’re having dinner in Paris…”

“Yes, of course…” he nodded. “Unfortunately, the only thing I know how to say in French is bonjour.” Jack joked, undoing his bow tie and the first two buttons of his white shirt.

“Oh Rowdy, I’ve still got so much to teach you.” Y/N sighed, patting his head condescendingly.

He raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh yeah?”

“Don’t doubt it for a second.”

Mr. Sawyer, David’s father, lightly tapped the tip of the microphone set at the small stage where the live band had been playing instrumentals of the couple’s favorite songs.

“How’s it going?”

All the guests cheered in response, some hooting, some whistling loudly.

“After the meal, come the speeches. You know the drill, right? Keep in mind, the maid of honor probably thought long and hard about what she was going to say, while the best man, my son Sean, to be fair, probably wasn’t aware he was supposed to speak. Anyway… Y/N, you’re up.”

“Oh god.” Y/N said under her breath, grasping her champagne glass with her right hand, while Jack squeezed the other one reassuringly.

A roar of applause encouraged her to address the bride and the grow the few words she had prepared the day River had asked her to be his right-hand woman. Clearing up her throat, she quickly shook off her nerves, beaming brightly at the audience.

“In case you can’t tell… I’m pretty much ecstatic to be here today. Yeah, we’ve got lots of insanely good food and drinks for free, an amazing view and warm weather, but the best part about this specific Sunday is that these two have tied the knot. A round of applause for the newlyweds, everybody!” Y/N chanted, clapping. “I was asked to come up here and give a speech about love. I’ll try to keep it realistic. Love is, undoubtedly, a huge leap into the unknown. You can play it cool and say you’re totally in control of your feelings and every situation that stems from being irreversibly in love with someone, but, in the end, you’re still jumping off a cliff with a blindfold covering your eyes, hoping someone’s down there waiting to catch you. Love isn’t always easy. But it’s worth it. Oh, god, it’s so worth it! Like Gloria Steinem once said: taking to the road – by which I mean letting the road take you – changed who I thought I was; the road is messy in the way that real life is messy. It leads us out of denial and into reality, out of theory and into practice, out of statistics and into stories – in short, out of our heads and into our hearts. She’s a certified badass and I completely agree with her: real life and real love are messy. We only know what it’s really like when we live it. Never be afraid to take a risk and experience everything love provides you. I’m more than certain that you too, like many others before, will beat statistics and make your love story as epic as every great tale ever told.” she concluded, raising her glass for a toast. “Cheers to River and David. May they find everlasting happiness!”

The beautiful woman stepped aside after drinking a small amount of the expensive champagne, blowing a kiss to the grooms, both trying to keep it together, waiting for David’s best man, his brother, to give his own speech.

Sean Sawyer grasped the microphone ceremoniously, saluting everyone with and and motioning for people to remain quiet, leaning in his lips touched the windscreen.

“What she said.” he jested, running off the stage to avoid his brother’s annoyed eye roll, as everyone laughed over his antics. That was Sean for you.

Y/M/N climbed on stage next, tucking a loose strand of silky hair behind her ear.

“Y/N and Sean, everybody!” she crowed. “Now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for…”

Back to her seat, Y/N eagerly awaited for her mother to announce the indie singers she had hired to perform the first dance’s song. River had begrudgingly given her permission to surprise him with the person who’d belting out the lyrics to one of his favorite songs of all time while he danced with David for the first time as a married man.

“The first dance! River and David, please step up to the dancefloor. To perform Leather and Lace, Lola Ivy and George Morris!” 

River cheered loudly, covering his mouth with his hands as the very talented musician he had been following on Spotify for months entered the log trellis in a navy-blue suit.

Y/N had managed, through Jack, who actually knew them, to get a hold of the duo and begged them to accept the gig, so it wasn’t a surprise when George greeted her with a small hug, getting to the stage as the wedding band returned, ready to play.

“Actually, Lola is on vocal rest and couldn’t make it today, but I heard through a reliable source that the maid of honor is as good at singing as she is at persuading people to perform at weddings so… Y/N, will you be the Stevie Nicks to my Don Henley?” the bearded man asked.

Before she could refuse his offer, she was being pulled up from her chair and all but dragged towards the stage, smiling awkwardly at the very attractive musician leading her to her mike stand.

The reception venue went completely silent as the first chords to the song were herd. It was now nighttime, the fairy lights intertwined with the hanging vines providing the romantic setting for the specific moment.

Is love so fragile and the heart so hollow? Shatter with words, impossible to follow… You’re saying I’m fragile, I try not to be… I search only for something I can’t see. I have my own life and I am stronger than you know… But I carry this feeling, when you walked into my house, that you won’t be walking out the door… Still I carry this feeling, when you walked into my house, that you won’t be walking out the door.

Jack could only stare in awe, for what could be the millionth and one time since he’d known Y/N, as she stood next to his friend, her sweet voice once again raising goosebumps across his skin. He remembered the very first time he had met her: long hair pulled into a ponytail, a thousand-kilowatt smile. Weirdly enough, he was sure right then and there she was one of a kind. As he got to know her better throughout the years they spent together he learned Y/N Y/L/N could not be merely defined by being one of a kind: she was quirky, immensely talented, loving, devoted, smart and the greatest friend one can ever have.

Lovers forever, face to face. My city or mountains, stay with me stay… I need you to love me, I need you today… Give to me your leather, take from me my lace.

David lead River to the wooden dancefloor, their family and friends finally daring to join them as George started his verse. The couple moved in sync, as if they’d been dancing together their whole lives. It’s weirdly poetic and a little bit twisted how life can throw us the craziest curveballs, only to reward us later on after we made it out of the storm. River had set the precedent and Jack was determined to find his way home after being lost for what felt like a lifetime.

Sometimes I’m a strong man, sometimes cold and scared, and sometimes I cry… But that time that I saw you I knew with you to light my night, somehow I’d get by…

Y/N held both of her hands to her heart, pouring every bit of emotion into the duet. She could see the peaceful smile on her brother's lips as he danced with his head on his husband’s shoulder. Jack's piercing blue eyes locked with hers from table number three. The doctor felt something in the pit of her stomach. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think it was his doing. It couldn’t be, though.

The song soon came to an end, prompting the coach's daughter to do as her mother commanded her through hand gestures and proceed with the highly anticipated wedding tradition.

“Alright, all the unmarried ladies and gents head on to the dancefloor, it’s time to throw the bouquet!” Y/N announced. “You too, Z and Turc.”

“Nice!” her curly-haired friend hooted back, raising his empty glass.

The bouquet toss was quick and easy, the flowers ending up on their seventy-nine-year-old great-aunt’s hands, much to the younger guests’ dismay.

A new ballad begun, a Leon Bridges song, taking most of the couples and small children present to the dimly lit area. Alex snuck out to call his girlfriend, leaving a very bored Trevor eating his crème brûlée while the rest of his friends casually talked about everything and nothing.

“I’m going over to Lisbon to steal a couple of custard tarts, I’ll be right back.” Cole excused himself, not taking his eyes off table number seven, a few feet away.

“Custard tarts?” Jack mouthed, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, don’t ask.” Quinn chuckled.

Seeing the blond man huff and puff over his current state of boredom, Y/N felt the need to put him out of his boredom and have him perk back up. Maybe just have him update her on his life. Placing her hands on the back of Jack's chair, she leaned over towards her friend, smiling sweetly.

“Get up, Zegras. You owe me a slow dance.”

“Since when?” he groaned, barely meeting her eyes. “Since I’m… Your date.”

Trevor instantly perked up, dragging his chair back and taking off his suit jacket. “Are you serious?”

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

Jack laughed, admiring Y/N'a gesture. The Devils' player knew full-well she was intent on making sure everyone had a great time. Getting up, he walked to the sideline of the dancefloor, standing there debating with himself about whether he should ask the beautiful woman to dance or not.

Don't want to get ahead of myself, feeling things I've never felt… It's kind of hard for me to explain…her personality and everything brings me to my knees…

As she swayed graciously to the sound of George's voice, dancing with another man, he wondered if he had missed his opportunity. What if it had come and gone, like the tide that washes over the shore?

I want to take it slow but it's so hard… I love to see her face in daylight, it's more than just our bodies at night…But she's really tempting me… Do you think I'm being foolish if I don't rush in?

Should he take the plunge? Should he risk it all right here, right now? He knew he had to, he was determined to. Jack wasn’t going to back out. He was just… Afraid.

I'm scared to death that she might be it, that the love is real, that the shoe might fit. She might just be my everything and beyond…

The brunette man had met his share of women through his mid-teens and early adulthood, but he was certain that the maid of honor would always be the one he’d wonder about. Did she feel the same? Would he ever get the privilege to love her?

Oblivious to Jack's inner turmoil, the teacher wrapped her rams around Trevor's neck, motioning with her head towards the now empty gazebo.

“Z, what's the veredict on Tiffani with an i?”

“Hmm I thought we were heading into something…” he sighed. “But I don't think she gets me, you know?

“Well, someone will."

"Yeah... But in the meantime..."

"You want to go flirt with David's guests don't you?"

"There's that saying..."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't need to repeat it. Go on."

"Are you sure?"

"Go ahead, you perv. We'll talk about this after the wedding." Y/N urged, releasing him from her grasp and sending him on his way. “Wrap it!” she called out, watching him step out of the dancefloor.

Leo timidly tugged at the hem of her dress as she was left alone. She stooped down so they were at the same height, being careful not to lose her balance. “Hey, buddy! What’s up?” the doctor asked, kindly.

“Do you want to…?” he mumbled, his eyes set on his new shoes.

“I’d love to, honey.” Y/N smiled, getting back ip, holding Leo’s small hands in hers. “Ready? One, two, three…”

The seven-year-old giggled loudly, counting steps along with his dance partner and being spun around a couple of times in a row.

“You’re a natural, Leo Sawyer!” Y/N cheered, picking him up and holding him on her hip, continuing to step on the imaginary square on the floor.

“Mind if I cut in?” Jack's velvety voice inquired, joining them where they stood.

“I don’t know if you can… Leo here is the best dancer at this wedding.” the coach's daughter avowed.

“Oh, come on. You have to at least check if I’m a fair contender to his title….” he pleaded, winking at David's nephew.

“Mmm…” Y/N pretended to be in deep thought, furrowing her brows before turning to the boy. “What do you think, sweetheart?”

“He can try.” he shrugged, waiting for the doctor to set him down before running off to his parents’ side.

Jack scoffed, facing the maid of honor so they could finally have their dance.

At that precise moment, though, Beyond gave place to The Proclaimer’s I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), making the pair throw their heads back, laughing.

“I guess we’ll have to wait for a slow one, babe.” she stated while taking a break from singing the tune enthusiastically, making different voices as she did.

The Devils' player played along, bringing out his dorkiest side, normally hidden by his quiet and shy nature.

They jumped up and down, shouting da da da at the wrong time, embarrassingly so, looking around to check if anyone had heard them.

Thank god my heels aren’t that high, my feet would be killing me by now, she thought to herself, groaning internally at the prospect of having sore legs the next morning.

If anyone cared to observe them at that moment, they’d think they looked like a couple of young kids, belting out the lyrics to a song, filled with nostalgia for an era that was long gone.

Y/N saw the goofy, laid-back grin on Jack’s face and hers grew twice its size. The untied bow tie she’d messed up earlier, the unbuttoned collar, showing a little bit of his chest, the way he towered over har, made him look even more attractive than he already did. Jack Hughes was a sight to behold.

He noticed how her eyes bore into his own and the music seemed to fade out into the background, the people around them fading into faint blobs of color.

That moment, the dancing, the laughter and the song would stay with him until his heart stopped beating. Taking a deep breath, he stopped jumping, motioning for the brunette to do the same.

“Come on.” he said gently, grabbing her by the hand.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” the brunette man replied mysteriously, looking back at her with a smirk.

“You’re not going to, like, murder me with an axe, right?”

“Of course not. It’s a chainsaw.”

“You’re just full of funny today, aren’t you, Rowdy?” she scoffed, rolling her eyes playfully.

“What can I say, I have a great sense of humor.”

The fairy lights illuminated the way and the reception area could still be seen clearly from where they were when Jack halted his movements, right by four pine trees displayed in a row. He hesitantly let go of her hand, placing his on the bark of one of the tall trees.

“This is The Foursome Of Love.”

“Okay?” she chuckled, a confused look on her gorgeous face.

“I found these when I came out for a walk after lunch while you guys were getting ready. They have hundreds of inscriptions on them. Take a look.”

She came closer to the tree, taking the phone he’d handed her, using its flashlight to be able to read said scribblings. Tons of I love you’s and lovers’ initials were permanently carved into wood, from the bottom of the trunk as far up as her eyes could see. The same applied to the other three beside it.

“I asked one of the waiters about them and he said they represent four of the key pillars of any relationship: patience, respect, honestly, kindness and trust. Apparently, marking these beauties brings good luck to couples.” He explained, crouching down to try to find a sharp rock. “Afterwards, you have to ask for something your heart truly desires, whatever that means.”

“What are you doing?” Y/N asked, clearly amused by his antics.

“Looking for something I can use to carve River and David’s initials here. They deserve a happy life together.

The doctor's heart skipped a beat at his kind intentions, ultimately deciding to join him on his quest for the edged flint.

“Will this do?”

Jack looked up, his lips contorting into a small smile.

“That’s perfect.” he vouched, taking the small pointy object from her hands.

Sure enough, the next song on the repertoire was Perfect. They could easily distinguish George's voice from where they stood, the beautifully written words reverberating between them.

“Woah…” the coach's daughter gasped. “River went all out on the sappy love songs, hu?

Her friend stopped what he was doing, diverting his attention back to her. “Don’t you like these?”

“Yeah, but I think I like upbeat love songs way better than ballads. Let’s pretend we’re dancing in the streets in Barcelona” she hummed softly, raising her arms over her head and doing her best to emulate a Flamenco dancer.

Jack dropped the rock he’d been using to leave a shaky token of the newlyweds’ love on one of Hidden Creek’s most famous trees, pulling her to him. It was bold, yes, but this was the moment he had been waiting the entire night for.

“Coming to collect that slow dance now, I see.” Y/N teased, letting her old friend hold her gently against his body.

“It’s now or never, right?” I will not give you up this time, but darling just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own, and in your eyes you’re holding mine…

The moonlight lit her face up in all the right places, making her big, warm, loving eyes stand out even more now that he observed them up close. How could he have lived so many years without the incredible flutter he felt whenever her gaze caught hold of his? Her delicate touch raised goosebumps on his skin and her melodic laughter made its way into his ears.

Billions of stars looked down on the pair, illuminating the Summer sky as they silently let their undeniably strong chemistry do all the talking.

Baby I’m dancing in the dark, with you between my arms, barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song. When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath, but you heard it, darling you look perfect tonight…

Leaning down impossibly close to Y/N's face, he was surprised to find her staring at him in a complete daze, as if that moment was happening inside a dream. Their foreheads touched, neither one of them moving an inch to gain distance from the other.

“Weren’t you supposed to make a wish?” the teacher half-whispered, not breaking eye-contact with him.

“This. Here and now. With you. It’s all I could ask for.” he confessed, licking his lips slowly as he closed the mere inches separating their mouths from for the first time in ten years.

No Coach. No team. No other people around. This was real. This was Jack and Y/N.

Jack's lips moved slowly against Y/N's, his hands instantly finding their place holding her ace. He knew then he had been allowed to get a glimpse of heaven. How could a mere kiss make him feel like he was on top of the world? The Devils' player had kissed countless women countless times, but those kisses weren’t even half as good as this one. There was no doubt in his mind it was because this time there were strong feelings involved. It was a real kiss. Raw. Passionate. Liberating.

But then, she pulled back. Her eyes were wide open and she seemed jittery, running a couple of fingers through her lips as she tried to regain her breath.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Rowdy.” the doctor stuttered.

“I wanted to…” he admitted, daring to look her in the eye as he did.

The maid of honor stepped back, breaking free of his hold. Burying her hands in her hair, she paced back and forth as she tried to make sense of what had just happened.

“Oh god, please don’t… We can’t… This is wrong… I… Why?”

“Because you’re smart, witty, stubborn, kind, driven, loving, incredibly funny and astoundingly beautiful. When I first saw you today, I couldn’t breathe. Honestly, it happens every single time I see you. You make my heart beat faster each time those brown eyes of yours meet mine and I haven’t found a rational explanation for it yet, other than it means that I have feelings for you. I’ve thought about you every day since the reunion. Lately, every time something good or funny happens you’re the first person I want to tell it to. I know that his is a huge leap into the unknown and it could go terribly wrong, but for once in my life I’m not afraid of the consequences. What I am afraid is that if I let you go again without telling you how I feel, I’ll live the rest of my life wondering what could’ve been. I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. I can’t. I like you, Y/N. And I think I might like you a lot.”

Y/M/N - your mother's name

#jack hughes x reader #jack hughes blurb #jack hughes #cole caufield #team usa #hockey boys #hockey #trevor zegras #alex turcotte #luke hughes #quinn hughes #jack hughes fanfiction #fanfiction #blurb

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lovecanbesostrange · 8 months

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ouattober2023 Day 4: Fav Quote

"You're Frankenstein. And I'm the werewolf. I ate my boyfriend. Regina thought she was punishing us by erasing who we were. But I think she underestimated how much crap we wanted to forget."

-- Ruby, 2x12 In the Name of the Brother

I can't do pretty graphics to collect some funny, insightful, inspiring moments. But I can think of one of my favorite scenes from Season 2, that set up a big theme (that sadly wasn't followed through imho) and I can ramble about it.

First of all shout out to the FrankenWolf shippers out there. While I'm not invested, I can see the appeal to this. This moment set up a monster angle nicely, a cool contrast to the (Disney) fairytale about princesses and love. It's a step removed from just villain, monsters can live in the inbetween. Imagine Ruby and Whale being around when Mr Hyde showed up (throw in a vampire, because Storybrooke deserves to have a previously unmentioned castle somewhere with a suspiciously coffin-shaped table in the living room).

So, that quote? Masterful. Even in a town filled with all sorts of people of peculiar backgrounds (dwarves, fairies, witches, talking animals), some come with a stigma, marked as bad. This goes with what Leroy says in the same episode, when he mentions E.T. and getting cut up by the government, which goes for everything magic. A follow-up to him and Ruby bringing up that point the episode prior. Some magic wasn't even liked in the Enchanted Forest. It was a dangerous place, not just songbirds and romance.

Not to be a Regina-apologist (yes, given them indoor plumbing surely improved some aspects of life), she very much doomed them to a certain kind of misery. But I love how Ruby here - without anybody of significance (sorry, Whale) hearing - frames the curse as a second chance. Free from the burden of accidentally killing her True Love. Free from the wolf altogether, until magic hit (which is Rumple's doing). It is also interesting to remember that for Regina to enjoy her triumph, she had to remember everything that had happened. She had to keep the good and the bad for her victory. The townsfolk lived mundane lives, void of their happy endings, but also not knowing the full horrors of their lives (look at all the trauma that gets uncovered later on).

For the whole of Season 2 this is a great moment. It goes hand in hand with David and Mary Margaret arguing about where to live, do they even want to go back? It follows up on how dangerous it could be to have magic in a world without magic (becoming a circus attraction). It's also a reminder that "back home" means tragedy and misery for some. What does it mean to have this second "modern world persona" intigrated, to be a somewhat new person.

Of course being the Ruby stan I am, I love this quote for the simple angst of it all. And the way Ruby speaks about Peter's death is a whole evolution. (So far as to maken a joke out of it in front of Merida and Mulan, until she finally uses the word "killed" instead of "ate" when talking to Dorothy.) The whole monster-to-monster thing is cute and I wouldn't have minded a friendship coming out of it. A specific perspective when confronting new threats. And I wish I could have seen Ruby laughing in Regina's face "You think being held back in life by staying with my sick grandma is the worst??". Cursed!Ruby was a naive smalltown girl dreaming big, she was not happy and felt stuck. Yeah, sure sucks. But Red carried the burden of killing innocent people unknowingly and even killing her own mother, when choosing herself instead of what anybody else wants her to do. Red's freedom came with a high price. (And then her loneliness continues, while her friends move on, oops.)

#ouattober2023 #OUaT #Ruby Lucas #oh oh also sometimes I have to grin about 'I am THE werewolf' yes honey yes you are #here's a pro-tip - make sure you really hit 'post now' and not put it into your drafts out of habit

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brokehorrorfan · 2 months

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Cannon Movie Tales' 1987 adaptation of Hansel and Gretel will be released on Mediabook Blu-ray + DVD and standard Blu-ray on April 23 via MPI Home Video. It's a contemporary version of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

The family fantasy musical is directed by Len Talan from a script he co-wrote with Nancy Weems. David Warner, Hugh Pollard, Nicola Stapleton, Emily Richard, and Cloris Leachman star.

No special features are included.

Children of an impoverished woodcutter Hansel and Gretel get lost in the forest after birds have eaten the trail of breadcrumbs that was supposed to show them the way back home. They arrive at a strange house made entirely of gingerbread. The resident turns out to be a malicious witch who is extremely excited to fatten Hansel up so she can then put him on her menu...

Pre-order Hansel and Gretel.

#hansel and gretel #cannon films #david warner #cloris leachman #brothers grimm #mpi #the brothers grimmm #dvd #gift #fairy tales #len talan #emily richard #80s movies #1980s movies #menahem golan

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ohmightydevviepuu · 3 months

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imperfect boys. perfect ploys. (this is a song about tragedy) [2/6]

“My ‘story’ is that I left a fucked-up situation and it kind of fucked me up,” he’d said. But it was the way he’d said it, like it hadn’t broken him. Like it was just a fact. But Emma’s life was a story, too. A fucked-up situation that had kind of fucked her up. She wasn’t that kid anymore. Confidence could be learned. And maybe—maybe—she wasn’t broken, either. Not if she picked up the pieces. Not if she told herself a new story. About who she was. About what she wanted. Roots, family, friends, a sense of the familiar—these did not have to be fairy tales. “You owe it to yourself,” Mary Margaret said. “Happy endings always start with hope.”

–

S3 post-neverland canon divergence. 20k of no-curse renaissance.

read it on AO3

to @wistfulcynic and @thisonesatellite who sat with me while we daydreamed on a hilltop in cornwall on the summer-iest summer day england has ever seen. it took me eight months but i got there in the end.

thank you to @shireness-says for time and feedback and kindness to the IAS @spartanguard @optomisticgirl @idoltina @initiala @thejollyroger-writer @phiralovesloki for always giving me a cheer when i needed it

–

four. 'wouldn't you like to know?'

He watched her recitation with a kind of morbid fascination: Mother, sheriff, bail bonds, True Love. Savior. Her parents hovered—eager, encouraging, and more than a bit alarming. Regina was sullen and Killian stayed silent because he had already won the only battle he would win today; for now, at least there would be no magic.

Emma had agreed with him.

So had the prince.

Her parents’ eagerness, though, it rankled him in a way he could not quite pinpoint. “If this is a game, that means you can win,” Snow White had said. True enough, in its fashion, but Pan’s response to such a feat would merely be to change the rules. Were they really so naive? Whatever the Charmings had faced against the Evil Queen and even Cora was merely a prelude to what Pan could dish out and Killian was unfortunate enough to know this from experience.

A woman, a mother, the product of True Love, a savior. But she’d left off the most salient bit. Killian knew it and Pan would have, too. It was probably why he’d sought her out in the forest and set this particular game in motion.

Emma Swan had the Look.

Which meant that would be the key to unlocking her map. He wondered if Emma knew that yet.

Her parents certainly did not. Pan was a bastard, but he wasn’t wrong, was he? Here she was, surrounded by family, but still holding them aside.

Killian followed them into the jungle anyway. Followed her, really. Emma had done him the courtesy of respecting his experience and he would return the favor and follow her lead, even as it took them deeper into the darkness. Even as it took them into battle. Sword-to-sword against Felix, he could only shout a single warning—“Watch out for their arrows! They’re laced with dreamshade!”—as the game shifted, became deadly. Bad form, indeed.

He saw the arrow out the corner of his eye and he was certain it had grazed the prince, but there was no time, not now, not for that, not with Emma frozen and the battle called off. Killian chose to believe the prince when he pointed to the hole in his jacket because some things were not to be borne on this island full of nightmares and Emma still had a game to win.

Still, he took himself away from the camp for a few minutes. Snow White and her daughter needed time for a decades-overdue chat and he needed a moment to get his head straight. David said he was fine; he would be fine. Emma was a survivor; she would break the spell on the map. They would find the boy—Henry—

“She’s done it!”

Killian ran. Rather, he ran as much as he could with an armload of wood for the fire. It was more of a hurried stride. But he dumped the pile and presented himself.

“The map is working. We know where Henry is.” Emma held the map in her outstretched hand and in front of…him. Like she trusted him. Like the rules of their game had changed. Like it was just that easy.

“Um,” he said. “We’re here at the southern tip of the isle. In the middle of the Dark Jungle. And Pan’s camp”—Killian pointed with his hook—“is due north.”

“That’s where he’s keeping Henry,” Emma said.

“So what are we waiting for?” Regina’s impatience was visible. Palpable. And she wasn’t wrong. But rushing off would be foolish.

“Well,” he said, slowly. “The terrain is not easy. There will undoubtedly be some nasty impediments along the way.”

“We should prepare,” David agreed. “We only made it out of our last encounter because Pan let us.”

Killian looked at Emma and thought that it was rather because Emma had understood her answer, face-to-face with the Lost Boys. He held the evidence in his hand; either way, she was energized. Ready to take it on and start all over.

“We need to stop playing his game and make him play ours,” she said, determined.

“And if I disagree?” Regina asked.

“Go ahead, but I think you know our best chance is together.” The certainty in her answer made him smile.

“Excellent show of patience, love,” he said, the endearment slipping out as the group dispersed. “That is how you defeat a nasty little boy.”

“I hope so,” she said.

He offered her his flask, considering.

“Is rum your solution to everything?” But she was smiling as she said it, and took a sip.

“It certainly doesn’t hurt,” he said. It was certainly easier not to think too hard—or too much—and certainly preferable to share it with Emma Swan than to drink it alone. “So just who are you, Swan?”

It was a question for himself as much as it was for her, he realized. Woman, mother, sheriff, savior?

Survivor.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she said, handing him the flask.

“Perhaps I would,” he said, yet another uncomfortable truth and compounded by the fact that Emma Swan could tell when he was lying. Which he wasn’t.

Her body went rigid, her eyes wide. Killian watched her walk away and set his sights on building the fire. Grateful for the task, and grateful for the rest. The others needed to sleep. He needed a break. Time. Time to keep an eye on the prince and check for signs of poison.

Time to think.

They needed an ally. Someone who knew the island. They needed to get to the boy. He watched the others settle themselves, heard the sighs and the shifts and the snores of slumber. When they woke, he decided, and he had an opportunity, he would tell them about Tink. They would try the map first, of course. Emma had paid the price of the magic and they should see where it led them. Another log, and another glance toward the surrounding woods for signs of Emma’s return. That’s when he heard the voices.

Pan would be displeased, Killian thought. He would be—unkind. So Killian stayed. He sat by the fire and left the rum flask next to him as he waited. Silent, staring. He did it because he was curious and because he wanted her to see that she was not the only one chased through the night by the cries, by the demon. He heard the rustling as she returned. The rustling, and nothing else, as she sat down next to him—near, but not close—and said nothing.

Neither did he. This, he thought, was enough.

five. do you believe in fairies?

“Son of a bitch,” Emma growled. “How is it behind us?” She turned toward him. Him.

“You got us lost,” Regina said. Her fingers flexed.

Killian swung the lantern around. “No. No she didn’t.” He was so tired. “It’s the camp—Pan is moving it.”

“If Pan keeps moving the camp—how are we going to find it? How are we going to find Henry?” Again Emma’s eyes found his. “This whole trek has been for nothing?”

“I told you walking was idiotic,” Regina snapped. “We can use magic—“

“Pan will have shields against magic, I fear,” Killian said, his temper frayed to the breaking point. “Such an attempt would end in your death—and, more importantly, mine. Which is why we are walking.” He said the words slowly, as if to a small child.

“Well then?” Regina gestured expectantly. “What’s your idea? How are we going to find it?”

He was never going to get a better opening. “By using someone he trusts,” Killian said. “A fairy who lived here when I was about. She might still be on the island, and she would know how to get us in. She might even”—happy thought, indeed—“she might even have some pixie dust left. We could fly in.”

“You mean fairy dust.”

“No,” the prince said. “Pixie dust. It’s stronger, like nuclear fairy dust.”

Whatever that meant, it seemed to convince Emma. “Wait. A fairy? Tinker Bell?”

“You know her?” That would make all of this easier, to be sure—

“Every kid in the world knows her.”

—ah. So she was just another story, like the rest of them. Perms and whatnot. But Killian thought that—if she was still here—Tink might be persuaded. It was in her nature—all of those nights they had lain together, to ward off the darkness—the way she had helped him keep an eye on Baelfire. Smuggling food, bringing back information. What mattered was that Emma took hold of the idea and led them back onto the trail.

They had not spoken of their shared hours by the fire but he heard the hitch in Emma’s breath when Regina called him her ‘boyfriend’.

‘Boyfriend.’

A strange word for a man who had not been a boy for hundreds of years; however, if it meant that she was inclined to take his counsel and leave him for a torch-bearer he would gladly accept the title.

And when Regina said, “Mark my words, this Tinker Bell will not help us,” she sounded so completely certain and all Killian could do was wonder what Regina had done to Tink and marvel at the vagaries of time and magic. When had Tink come to the island? He didn’t remember. He couldn’t—not when every night was the same, over and over. Not unlike the Curse, perhaps, only he was painfully aware of each passing second. The sameness. The horror.

The feeling of being forever stuck in the worst version of oneself until it was the only reality.

But here and now, Killian followed Emma with his torch.

A light in the darkness, at least until his temper finally gave way, until Prince-bloody-Charming tripped over himself one time too many, panting as he tried and failed to catch his breath. As if this island had not already left him bleeding—every moment, every breath, every step he’d taken since he’d agreed to take Emma Swan to save her son.

Killian had him up against a wall before he had even realized he was moving. “I saw what happened to you.” He grabbed at David’s shirt as if he did not already know what he would see.

Dreamshade.

Bloody, bollocking—

The spread of the poison, inky black and unmistakable, pointed straight toward the prince’s heart. “I’m sorry, mate,” Killian said, and was surprised by how much he meant it.

six. the cocunut

It was the way she looked at him. Taking him in from his boots to his brows as she handed him the coconut. “Consider it an alternative to the rum,” Emma said. “If you can open it.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Of course,” he said. He had a smile of his own in spite of everything as he waited—a beat, and then another.

“Please?”

“If the lady insists,” he said with a flourish, piercing into the rind and handing it back to her. She took it, took a sip. Moved to sit down and turned back to look at him, and there was that expression again. Expectation and invitation.

If the lady insists.

He threw his coat over the log for a backrest and watched her get comfortable. She said nothing else. Neither did he. They watched the camp quiet and waited, waited for the whispers from Regina and from Tink to die down, to fade away.

“What do you think Regina did to her?” Emma asked.

Killian laughed, a sound that startled him. Loud and full and dimming out, however briefly, the cries in the night. She smiled—a small smile, a cautious smile—as she took another sip from the fruit. It was when he looked away, his eyes sweeping the camp, that he heard the grunt of pain as Prince Charming shifted in his sleep. “You were brilliant today,” Killian said, meaning it. Inviting Tink to be a part of something—Emma Swan’s true superpower.

He had been a fool to ignore it. To turn his back on it. And she shared it with him anyway, offering protection from the cries of the Lost and the aches of past pain. Tink had seen it, of course. The way she had looked at him—and at Emma—and then back at Killian. Not an invitation. A recognition. She’d smiled.

“Thank you,” Emma said. They were quiet together for a long time after that, their tiny fire a feeble bulwark against the darkness of the nights and of his thoughts.

If only it helped.

As the others stirred, rising from their attempts at slumber, David’s face was pale and drawn. There was a tremor as he stood. Noble David. Suffering David.

Dying David.

“Pointy sticks equals death.” Well, Dave, good riddance.

There was, however, a more immediate issue. Tink was painfully accurate in her assessment regarding their escape plan. Pretty words from Prince Charming—“this family always finds a way”—would not secure their return passage no matter how loudly enough he shouted. He could not will the words into truth with the power of his belief.

Emma seemed to agree.

“Tink’s right,” Emma said. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, you never break in somewhere unless you know the way out.”

The lesson this island—Pan—had taught all of them, and he had taught to Bae. He watched her as she said it. Her eyes. “She just lost Neal,” Snow White had said.

They both had.

“So no one’s ever left this island without Pan’s permission?”

Neal. Neal had gotten off this island.

He looked at Emma. “One man. Her partner in crime—Neal.” Killian lit the lantern and turned to go without another word. He had not moved three paces before Emma fell into step behind him.

It wasn’t a long walk, as best he could reckon. Tink had told him where the cave was; he knew where he was going. Tink had helped Bae to find it in the first place, after he’d left the Jolly Roger. After Killian had left him to Pan’s mercies.

Not a long walk but too long for Killian’s state of mind, and not fast enough for Prince-bloody-Charming. The man shouldered him out of the way as they pulled the hidden entrance open, panting and gasping with every movement.

“How much longer do you think you can keep up this charade?”

“Why do you care?”

He didn’t. He didn’t.

“Hook!” Emma’s voice broke through. Killian turned. He followed the sound into the cave, reaching into his pocket for his flint. “What is this—oh. Neal—he lived here?”

“Aye.” He put down the flint and glared at the prince, who was smugly snapping shut the lid of his lighting device. “Bae spent some time in Neverland as a boy. This was—his home.” The light from the wall torch flared and Killian needed to catch his breath. He’d passed along bits and bobs to Tink, intending them for Bae: Chalk and other things an inventive lad could use for tools and writing implements and the like. But she had never told him about the cave walls full of drawings—full of stories—the wheel of the Jolly Roger scraped into the rocks of Neverland. “Anything important?” he asked, turning away from the drawings.

“I didn’t know he liked drawing,” Emma said. She was quiet as her eyes and her torch scanned the walls.

“He got it from his mother,” Killian whispered.

“Oh.” Emma swallowed. “So—you knew him pretty well?”

“We spent some time together.” Their eyes met, but she was the one who looked away. “Alright, Swan?”

“Yeah.” She sniffed. “Yeah, it’s like you said—just a bunch of pictures. What’s over there?”

“Plates, bowls—things he must have made for himself while he was here.” Snow White stood up. She held a small, round object. “And a tiny…colander?”

He figured it out the same time Emma did, reaching for the snuff to put out the wall light as the prince pulled out his lighting device. The wick of the tiny candle glowed until Emma covered it and gasped. It was breathtaking.

It was a map.

But the longer he looked at the map, the more something became clear—it was not a depiction of the stars and asterisms native to Neverland. It was a jumble, the stars grouped in patterns that were almost, but not quite, depictions of the asterisms native to Neverland.

Bae had loved to study the night sky, and he was an apt pupil. Unfortunately, celestial navigation was not all that he had learned during his time on the Jolly Roger.

The map was encoded.

And that meant—

“The only person who can read this map is—“

“Dead,” Emma finished. “The only person who can read this map is dead.”

Killian watched her run out of the cave. Watched her parents follow her. The candlelit star map twinkled above him for another minute before he blew the candle out and left. The sounds enveloped him: The rush of air, the roaring in his ears. Snow White and Prince Charming, arguing.

Killian scrubbed his hand down his face and turned to re-enter the cave. He wasn’t looking. He wasn’t seeing, or else he would have side-stepped. Gone another way. Anything else, because the look on her face when he saw Emma Swan crying was bloody murder. Nothing for it but to follow her back in, determined as she was to find something new among the drawings. Something they could use—something that would help. Something that wasn’t a reckoning of the time that did not exist on this island, not anymore, but back then when there had still been daylight—

“Neal stopped counting,” she said, looking at him. The tears weren’t dry, not yet, but they were the two that had known Bae and they were the two who knew what the marks meant. “He lost hope, and he stopped counting, and that’s exactly what Pan said would happen to Henry—“

“We’re gonna rescue him,” the prince said.

“Henry doesn’t know that,” Emma snapped. “We need to get him a message. We need to start being clever.”

Snow was the one who spoke up, moving out of the cave without waiting for them to follow. Without waiting for Killian and Emma to catch her up. Just long enough for Killian to say, “I too know what feels like. To lose hope.”

It was the most honest he had been in too many years to count but when she looked at him all she said was, “I’m not in the mood.” She pushed him away, walking deliberately around him and leaving him alone and surrounded by the evidence of one of his biggest mistakes and biggest regrets.

Or—not exactly alone. Because there was David, waiting. Watching.

If the prince wanted to die, that was his choice, wasn’t it?

Nothing Killian could do about it. Emma would lose a parent either way—maybe two, for he had a suspicion that Snow White would not leave her Charming even if the cost of that was Emma. She would be orphaned all over again.

Prince-bloody-Charming. Who understood nothing and yet was so sure he was right.

Noble. Determined. Stubborn. Principled.

And such an easy mark.

Yet another way the prince was so very like Liam.

#cs fic #canon divergence #season 3a #no curse renaissance

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grimmswan · 9 months

Text

Dracula in Storybrooke part one

For the 2023 Captain Swan Supernatural Summer Event

The newest threat to Storybrooke has arrived. Vampires! And one of the biggest baddest vampires of legend has his sights set on the savior, Emma Swan

Set in season six. Sort of a mix between missing storyline and AU

Instead of the heroes traveling to a different land, the people of a different land had traveled to Storybrooke.

The Land of Untold Stories had already brought forth quite a few interesting characters.

And it seemed there were also some horrifying ones.

A clue to there being another big bad in town was discovered just after sunrise.

Some dock workers discovered one of their own lying lifeless on the ground.

The only visible wounds were two puncture marks on his neck.

“The markings kind of remind me of the vampire bites I've seen in movies.” Emma groaned. "Please tell me we aren’t dealing with vampires now.”

“Sorry honey.” David didn’t like what the situation indicated. But with two puncture marks on the neck and the body drained of blood, the implication was clear.

The only questions now were, just who, and how many, were they dealing with.

To make sure, they talked to Dr. Whale, who was Frankenstien in his other life. If anyone knew about these types of things, it had to be him.

Just then David’s phone rang.

“Charming, somethings wrong. The body of the night custodian was just found outside the school. There’s no sign of injury except for two small wounds on his neck.”

A call from Killian added to the situation.

“Smee just informed me that two men who often fished at night have just been found lifeless on their boat, which has crashed on the rocks.”

A meeting was called to figure out, and how to handle, what they were dealing with. Dr. Whale and the head of the fairies, Blue, were asked to attend.

It was thought best for school to be canceled for the day.

Henry insisted on joining the meeting. Snow insisted that he stay by her side the whole way to the sheriff’s station.

“Well, Storybrooke had been flooded with people from various realms. It stands to reason that beings of myth, legend, and lore are here as well.”

“So are you saying we’re dealing with an actual vampire?”

“Hopefully, it’s just one. But with multiple victims, I fear there may be more.”

"All of the victims have been found early in the morning. Which means whoever is attacking them, prefers to do so at night."

"Maybe they can only attack at night."

“Night is a pretty common time for one person to harm another.” Emma sighed. It didn’t matter if they were dealing with a magical world, or a non magical one; every realm had people hurting other people.

“Darkness and shadows. A lot of crime is easily committed with the help of darkness and shadows.” Killian nodded.

“It's why a dense forest was an ideal place for being a bandit.” Snow added, remembering her own past deeds.

It left very little clue to who the culprit could be.

“The problem is, besides people being killed, all of the victims have been from different lands. None of them seem to have anything in common.”

“Which means we may be looking for someone who simply enjoys the act of killing.”

“Who either is, or thinks they are, a vampire.”

"So are we saying that vampires could really be in Storybrooke?" David asked, incredulous at the idea.

"Looks like it." Mary Margaret shook her head, agreeing with her husband at the insanity. "But if vampires only exist in Whale’s' world; how did they end up here?"

"Obviously through the Land of Untold Stories." Whale said, matter of factly.

“What can you tell us about the vampires from your world?”

“I only know what my former professor told me.” Whale explained. “Dr. Van Helsing claimed to have dealt with beings who he referred to as vampires. These beings were humans that were turned by those who had also been turned.”

“Van Helsing?! Seriously?!” Emma knew she should probably be used to fictional characters actually being real; she was the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming after all. Still, the idea that Van Helsing from the Bram Stoker story was real was difficult to believe.

And with that thought came another.

“Did he mention Dracula?”

“Yes, he did. Something about sealing the ancient vampire in a tomb in the depths of a church. He and a man named Jonathan Harker. It was the only way of saving Harker’s wife.”

"I take it this Dracula being is some sort of monster in one of this world's stories?" Killian asked.

"Something like that."

"Can we blame Whale for all of this? And send him back to his world?" David was secretly hoping a vampire would get Whale.

"You have to stop trying to get rid of Whale."

"Did Whale ever flirt with you?" Killian asked Emma.

"No. But that might only be because he had already been hitting on Mary Margaret. And she and I became roommates pretty soon after I came here. Then again, it might be because I also started working for the sheriff station pretty soon after moving here. And I started carrying a gun."

"Maybe we should turn the bullets to silver." Snow suggested, trying to get the conversation away from the fact she had gone out with Whale.

"I thought silver was used against werewolves?" David asked.

"I've heard lore where it burns vampires."

"Let me see what I can do. I should have a few chests full from my pirating days."

"Thank you, Killian." Emma looked at him with affection and pride. " We might have to pass them around Storybrooke. So people can defend themselves."

The first person to be given trinkets of silver to wear was Henry.

“Wind these silver chains around your wrists. If a vampire comes after you, press the silver to their skin.” Killian advised as he fastened the chains to the boy.

“It would be better if we told people not to leave their homes at night.” Leroy said.

“That’s not always possible. Some people have animals. And kids don’t always listen to warnings.”

“Adults don’t always listen to warnings.” Emma sighed.

"Are we driving stakes through their hearts, or are you guys going to try to redeem them?" Whale asked. "I know you hero types are always wanting to do the right thing. Or you think everyone can be saved from themselves. But I think you have your work cut out for you this time."

"The only way to stop them without killing them is to turn them back into humans. But we would need to find a spell to do that." Snow said, the worry of the whole situation clear on her face.

"The prince in me wants to try to return them to human. But the bigger part of me that's Emma’s father wants to end them completely, before they hurt my little girl." The determination in David’s stance made Whale take a step away. A flashback of getting punched in the face flitting through his mind.

“The one thing we have going for us is that it appears these vampires don’t like direct sunlight.” Henry pointed out.

Emma didn’t say it out loud, but she was relieved they weren’t dealing with the sparkles in the sun variety. She probably would have left Storybrooke if she had seen some Rob Pattinson looking guy show up.

“Van Helsing said direct sunlight was harmful, it literally burns a vampire’s skin. But if it’s a cloudy day, where the sun is blocked most of the time, we could still be attacked.” Whale warned.

Emma gave a heavy sigh. “Whale, write down everything Van Helsing told you about vampires. We need to know which rules apply, and which don’t. We need to hold a town meeting and warn everyone about the latest threat.

“There might be a bigger threat at hand, love.” Killian advised. “If these creatures just needed blood, they could have broken into the hospital. They’re obviously strong enough. Or they could have asked for help. It’s been made clear that help is available to everyone. My instincts tell me there is a lot more going on.”

“My instincts tell me the same thing.” Emma agreed.

“I hate to suggest this. But do you think we could get Gold to help with our vampire problem?”

“He can not help us.” Blue warned. “His power comes from darkness. These beings we deal with exist in the darkness. The dark one’s magic will have no effect on the creatures.”

“The magic in each world manifests differently. In the world of the enchanted forest, it’s healthy, thriving, and can be controlled with a little focus and practice. In the world of Wonderland, it’s chaotic and not always easy to predict or control. In the land of horror, it’s weak and rare. it only manifests in certain areas, and in certain beings. And often takes a specific time, element, and energy to tap into. The rules are different.”

“But there are rules. If we can figure out what they are, we can deal with this new crisis.”

By the end of the day, everyone in town had been warned of the new threat and been advised on how to protect themselves.

Needing to take her mind off of the potential of horror movie monsters in Storybrooke, Emma decided to focus on her sexy boyfriend.

She practically threw herself at Killian, who easily caught her and wrapped her tightly in his arms. Their lips fastened firmly together, barely parting as they made their way up the stairs and into their bedroom.

From just outside their fence, a figure cloaked in shadow stared at the lovers. Eyes filled with envy gazed at the beauty who was giving her body so willingly. Sharp ears picked up her breathy moan of “Killian”.

The dark figure moved up into a tree, peering into the window, staring at the two lovers wrapped so much in one another, neither felt his menacing glare.

He watched with increasing envy as the golden haired beauty pressed herself to the raven haired man and whispered that she wanted him.

The dark entity plotted that soon he would be the one to receive the attention of the one called The Savior.

By sunrise, the figure was gone.

#captain swan #once upon a time #ouat #emma swan #killian jones #emma x killian #captain hook #cssns23 #dracula in storybrooke #grimmswanfic

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