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neoraso · 4 years

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royal guard!minho

requested | some gender neutral hc for how he starts to wish he was maybe more than just a guard to you

to put things lightly, minho was the ace of your entire guard

like he was better than anyone …at everything

so originally he was on (your father) the king’s immediate guard

he was nothing but professional and saved the king too many times to count even from like stepping on rocks idk

when you turned like 17 and had to do more public appearances obv u were in a lot more danger so ur father jumped at having minho reassigned to u as the head of your personal guard “nothing but the best for his child”

the first time you met him… he only nodded or said yes or no to everything u asked him n ur jus like ok not much of a talker that’s not so bad ig haha ʕʘ‿ʘʔ

he was so quiet and “polite” for months despite you constantly trying to get something out of him

ur other guards always tried not to laugh bc if only u knew he had like two friends and was generally a pretty serious guy

but one day there was a festival in your kingdom’s central city so obv you had to make an appearance which u were very excited abt bc you only get to go into town like twice a year and THIS was one of those times

being “of age” and that much closer to taking the throne you might as well have painted a big red target on your head to signal people against the throne

everything was going fine, everyone was having fun and you decided to visit some of the booths and musicians around the square

minho was already suspicious of the situation and tightens the rest of your guard without u evenn rlly noticing but like

just as you turned to show these cute little candies to minho to maybe get a reaction for once -

the second he looks at you, someone moves to grab you but the flash of a knife in his other hand causes minho to jump immediately into action

honestly who knows what rlly happened minho moved so damn fast but the next thing you know, ur in the middle of your whole guard squad

looking through the gaps of their shoulders you see minho pinning down your assailant with a blade against his neck waiting for someone to arrest him even though he rlly wanted to just execute the guy right there

the festivities were kind of killed for u after that bc you and your family were rushed back home which u might’ve been more sad abt if u werent in so much shock :<

obv minho was the one to escort you back but like all he said was “you’re okay?” and after u dumbly nodded with wide eyes he walked with you but kept a hand around your shoulder

no one really talked after that which wasn’t unusual for him but in his mind he was rlly like

“?? ok i know its literally my job to protect this family but?? hm whyyyy do i seem to care sm more rnnn??//?” help him sdhskjd

u just looked so shaken up and disappointed and suddenly he was like damn </3 they rlly have no fun in their life and this one time they could was ruined :///

u had to stay inside for weeks after that bc it turns out there was a whole conspiracy to “eliminate” your family line so you waited in safety until the criminals were “taken care of”

minho had everything triple checked around the castle for your safety and secretly made sure you had extra treats and warm drinks sent to your room sometimes with little notes that he had the cook pretend to have sent because lately he’d heard you had trouble sleeping sometimes he’s shy boy aw

he started to realize how much he had gotten used to your smile and your little jokes and the way you sometimes tripped on the corners of rugs. and he thought maybe it was a good thing you guys didnt have many interactions lately because he was way too attached

you on the other hand, couldnt even rlly complain about having to stay inside so much bc you had everything you needed and- you knew it was for ur safety but- it wassss kind of suffocating at times

u tried sneaking out at first ((just to the garden!!)) which obviously was a bad idea bc it’s impossible to get past minhos fcking hawk eyes lmao

he STILL didnt say anything like he would just follow right behind you

n like u kinda huffed but whatever honestly at least it was just him and not 15 other guards like everyone acted like you needed

plus it was somewhat comforting to have someone so solid around even if he never talked smh

one night you sat near the little pond and tried to calm your mind by watching how the moonlight rippled in the water

you can feel him behind you so u just turn around and look at him ignoring how he was already looking at you

“would you at least sit with me?”

he kind of hesitates bc …what if someone tried to come up behind you? but with the sad look on your face he cant help but give in and sits on the stone bench at the opposite end of you

it becomes actually somewhat peaceful until you just decide to ask everything you’ve been wondering n u just blurt out-

“would it kill you to talk with me once in a while? i mean, talk like a normal person and not a machine? i dont bite i promise..”

he furrows his brow bc he’s shocked you cared at all and also he doesnt rlly know how to respond without being like “its not really in my job description to make conversation” but he honestly just thought you were being talkative out of niceties.

before he could even form a sentence you continued,

“i mean- i’m always trying to get your attention. i dont get to meet many people for obvious reasons but my guards are the closest people to me-literally, and i dont want there to be a big gap between us just because of my status..”

he cuts you off before you ramble yourself to death

“i didn’t know you were this troubled by it… i just take my job very seriously and i dont want to risk anyone’s safety for the sake of conversation”

u almost roll ur eyes but not wanting to be rude ur just like “even at home? i know you’re serious about your duties, believe me, i just… i get lonely.”

smthing inside him literally breakkkssss when you say that like u are such a pure and sweet person that deserves to have all the love and friends and fun in the world so he just gets quiet for a second and looks down

“im sorry.” he said it so softly you almost didnt hear him “i’ll be there for you more- if thats what you need. im essentially in charge of your safety and care and i’ll do anything to fulfill that responsibility.”

ok.

well this was good right? so why did you still feel unsatisfied?

“i dont want to just be a responsibility, cant we just be like friends? or…”

you cut yourself off before talking too much again

you had to admit to yourself you had developed a bit of a liking for minho, not just because he was probably the most handsome person in your kingdom, not even just because he saved your life, but he had really been a pillar of security in your life and you respected his loyalty and ambition.

he was more than admirable and everything you wanted as a standard for your kingdom

sometimes you let your mind wander to him getting on one knee and leading alongside you..

no, now youre getting sidetracked and delusional and he can practically hear the gears turning in your head so he stands up and reaches his hand out for you to grab

“of course you’re more than a responsibility to me, come on, lets go inside it’s getting cold.’

taking his hand and realizing the conversation was over, you moved to link arms instead as he walked you all the way to your bedroom door

u slept a lot better that night

from that point on you could not get rid of minho

like everyone was borderline uncomfortable with how jarring his change in attitude was

like he was constantly behind you looking right over your shoulder or grabbing your arm to stop you from bumping into things

even when he wasnt technically on duty he had taken it upon himself to give you little lessons in archery and even some defensive moves to help you protect yourself in case someone wasnt fast enough to help you

your tried not to get flustered every time he adjusted your form and the way you could feel his breath behind your ear

or the head pats when he walked you to your room at night

or his hand on your back when you guys would take walks in the garden

honestly it did not take long until one night you were sat next to your pond and after some comfortable small talk you noticed how close his face was to yours

but he noticed you didn’t pull away even as he leaned in closer and finally just kissed you

when he pulled away and saw your eyes still closed and how soft you looked his heart almost exploded

“i didnt mean to make things weird i just,, couldnt help myself, sorry”

his rushed confession pulls you out of your daze and you’re so happy (a little shocked) but you’re quick to reassure him

“it’s ok, i’ve been wanting you to do that for a while …”

he’s jus like “rlly?😳”

obviously this complicates things a lot and you aren’t really sure if you would even be allowed to have a relationship with minho bc of ur position

or if he would get in trouble for breaking the rules of attachment to u

all of this is kind of racing thru both of ur minds as you look at each other but you laugh after u both start talking at the same time

you prod him to go first so he grabs your hands and says like

“look i care about you a lot, and i know we’re not really supposed to be doing this but if i can be by your side … beyond my duties…i would really love to. but if we can’t, i can survive with just being here to protect and serve you in anyway i can”

he’s so honest and genuine and earnest it shocked u a little

even tho you were uncertain abt the situation as well you knew you had grown a little too fond and dependent on minho that you would do anything to make it work

luckily an arranged marriage was not required for you so that wasnt really the issue, but falling in love with someone not at all royal..? it was a daunting thought how the idea would be perceived

you wouldnt have said anything if you both weren’t completely sure of your feelings; but you really could not imagine being content or safe spending your life with anyone else so you mustered up the courage to ask the king and queen…

when you brought it up to your parents they looked pretty concerned

minho went on the whole “i’ll do anything to protect them and this kingdom” speech and your father just waved him off and was like

“i know u would …. i’ll allow it because there’s really no one better to represent the kingdom and because i want only the best for my child ;)”

u and minho were literally in shock but just quietly said thank u and left the room

when you had privacy he immediately pulled you in for a kiss (maybe several all over ur face)

you had a lot to figure out and many responsibilities but now you had an amazing person by your side to help you through it :.) <3

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four-loose-screws · 3 years

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FE8 Novelization Translation - Chapter 5, Section 2

FE8 Novelization Translation - Chapter 5, Section 1

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

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I call this a “section” because it is not a separate part of the chapter in the book, but divided from the rest of the chapter by a scene break.

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Chapter 5: Fog of War (con’t)

The moment Eirika's army left Serafew, they were already in Grado territory.

They continued on even more carefully before, avoiding all major roads and traveling around the outskirts of every town they neared. The supplies and food they'd prepared was more than enough for their journey, but without even a moment to rest their tired minds, their anxiety only multiplied.

Still, Eirika had determination to spare. Each step brought her a little closer to her brother.

Her ever growing group of allies also helped to ease the pain in her weary heart. The mage Lute, strange as she was, indeed had the skills to back up her claims that she was a prodigy. And not only that, she was also knowledgeable about plants and animals, and knew the names of many of the weeds growing alongside the road. Whenever they were marching and one of the young soldiers found a rare plant, she would give its name and medicinal properties in the spot, gaining the fascination of those around her.

Her friend, the monk Artur, was quiet and did not stand out, but studied fervently. Almost all of the items in the heavy bag he carried on his back were books. Whenever he had a free moment, he cracked one of them open, and often asked Moulder questions. Moulder seemed happy to find someone he could make good conversation with.

The ally they'd made in Serafew, Natasha, was pure in both beauty and kindness, making her wildly popular among the soldiers. Some would even fall down and injure themselves on purpose in an attempt to get her to heal them. Seth realized this and scolded them harshly for it, and since then, of course none dared to try that ever again, but some never stopped trying to talk to her whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Then, there was the other person who'd joined them in Serafew, the mercenary Joshua. He seemed to be distant with everyone.

He was lighthearted and joked around, however, the moment anyone tried to get close to him, he would distance himself from them. And even if someone was just having a casual chat with him, he would not speak a single word about his personal life. Behind his cheerful face lied a man who did not want to even try opening up his heart to anyone.

Perhaps his many years as a mercenary had made him wary of others, but Eirika did not think that was all there was to it.

Seth saw right through her, and knew exactly how worried she was. She still hadn't gotten very good at horseback riding, so she continued to ride with him. Because of it, they had ample opportunities to talk about topics that they did not want to discuss with anyone else.

One day, a thick fog had enveloped the land around them since the morning, obscuring their field of vision. The air was chilly, and the soldiers' footsteps were heavy.

Eirika was lost in thought as she rocked atop the horse. When Seth started talking to her in a low voice, she gasped in surprise.

"Something seems to be bothering you, Milady."

"Hm? Oh, no… not exactly…"

"Is it the mercenary?"

Eirika was surprised that he'd seen right through her. She looked around to make sure that no one else could hear, then answered, "Yes… I think Joshua seems to be keeping a secret of some kind. I have no intention of investigating it, but I'm a bit worried about the fact that he will not open up to everyone."

"I think it would be best to keep watch over his movements."

His tone was firm. It made Eirika uneasy. "What do you mean by that?"

"He's a person who casually switched to our side while he was employed by Grado. There's no guarantee that someone like him-"

"Seth!" Eirika realized what he was trying to say, and interrupted him. "No way, are you saying that he will betray us?"

"I'm saying that it would be best to assume the possibility."

"I… believe him. Even if he does possibly have something to hide, I do not think he is a bad person. And his skill with the sword is very reliable…"

"That is the exact reason why he is terrifying."

Eirika couldn't bring herself to respond.

Seth's apprehensions were probably justified.

If a mercenary of Joshua's skill turned over to the enemy's side in the middle of battle, then… he might be able to destroy Eirika's army in an instant. Just as she feared might happen, she lost her confidence in whether or not it was right to make him one of their allies.

Suddenly, the horse stopped. She started to ask what was wrong, but her body froze.

Several people appeared in front of them. Eirika didn't know where they had come from. They were an unsettling group that seemed as if they had burst up from the ground.

The man standing as the leader was nearing them with shaky, unsteady footsteps. His head was entirely hidden under a hood, and his body was shrouded in a long robe. He couldn’t possibly be an ordinary traveler.

He continued forward until he was standing in front of them.

His facial features, shadowed by the hood, were now easily visible. His eyes were sharp, and his cheeks sunken in. He ordered in a hoarse voice, "Stop, Princess Eirika of Renais."

"...Who are you?" Eirika's hand swiftly moved towards the hilt of her sword.

All of her allies followed suit and grabbed their weapons in unison.

They had no idea what the man's intentions were. He didn't look like a soldier, but who would challenge them unarmed?

"The bracelet you are wearing… I want you to hand it over to me."

The man's demand baffled Eirika. "My bracelet? What are you going to try to do with it?"

"Do you think I would be privy to such information? His Majesty wishes to have it."

She guessed that he must be referring to Grado's emperor.

In that moment, she realized they were being ambushed, and bit her lip. They'd intended to march carefully, but the empire seemed to have figured out where they were all the same.

"Do not hand it over, Lady Eirika." Seth said.

She of course nodded.

The man laughed haughtily. "I advise for your own safety that you try not to be stubborn. In this case, I shall tell you one thing. Prince Ephraim's army has already lost to the Grado Army. He is currently in the Renvall Castle dungeon, awaiting his execution."

Eirika’s face stiffened. "That's a lie! My brother would never lose!"

"You can cry all you want, but it's the truth. Ephraim lost. So it would be pointless for you to continue on any further. It is best for you to hand over your bracelet quietly, then run on home."

Eirika glared at him.

He seemed to have anticipated that she would not do as he said, as he chuckled, and continued, "If you will not comply, that is fine. Bring me the hostages!"

The man ordered the group following behind him like shadows. Several people were pushed forward.

They all appeared to be ordinary villagers. There were even small children staring blankly at their surroundings, with no idea what was going on. A slightly older girl was crying and screaming, "Help me!"

So his plan was to use people that have nothing to do with the situation to get Eirika's bracelet.

'How awful…' She whispered, but couldn't move.

"These are hostages I brought with me from Renais. Now hand over that bracelet! If you don't, they will all die!"

"...Understood. I will give it to you, so please let them go."

"Lady Eirika!!"

Seth tried to stop her, but Eirika said with determination in her voice, "We cannot take back the lives of the citizens. Please let me do this, Seth." Eirika dismounted his horse and took off her bracelet.

The man snatched the bracelet out of her hands, then cackled a vulgar laugh into the air. "Yes, this is it! This is the genuine item! His Majesty will certainly be pleased… Now, next, will you drop all of your weapons for me?"

"We refuse." Seth instantly replied. "I doubt you have any intention of letting Lady Eirika return home safely. Do you really think we'll comply with such a request?"

"I don't care what happens to the hostages. By the way, did you know? Rumor has it that huge spider-like monsters are living around here…" The man placed one of his wrinkly hands on a small girl's head. "The monsters will no doubt be pleased if I give these hostages to them…"

The children all burst out crying.

Realizing what their enemy was planning, Eirika screamed.

He was going to take the hostages with him. Eirika felt anger and regret stronger than she ever had before in her life, and glared at the hooded man once more.

"You seem disappointed, princess of Renais. But this is war. There is nothing that the losers can do. The people of Renais, resenting their powerless king, will be eaten by monsters…"

"Silence!" Her voice cut him off mid-sentence like the crack of a whip.

The man jumped back and looked down at Eirika. "Wh… What? Watch your mouth, and know your place…!"

Eirika glared at the man again.

She knew she had startled her opponent. Before she could even realize what she was saying, she yelled angrily, "I… throughout all of this, have told myself that I will never hate Grado. Even when the army attacked the palace, even when I heard that Father was dead, I thought to myself that I must not let my sadness turn into anger. Renais and Grado share a long history of friendship. I did not want to ruin that bond!"

Eirika pictured Prince Lyon's face in her head.

Could he possibly know that his soldiers were committing such atrocities? Could he have allowed them to go through with cruel plots like this one?

There was no way. Surely he didn't know anything about the current situation of the war...

"But if this is Grado's way, then I will not forgive them. If these are the empire's orders… then I will never forgive the Grado Empire!"

"Y-You sound awful full of yourself, girl…!” The man was intimidated by Eirika's anger. His voice sounded indomitable, but it was also shrill with anger. "If you intend to defy me, then I will show no mercy! This will be where you all meet your end!” He disappeared as if he had blown away with the wind.

"Was that magic…?” Eirika panicked and looked around. ‘Where did he go?’

"I believe the spiders live in the mountains just ahead of us…"

Lute said, but even when Eirika looked at where she was pointing, the mountains she claimed were there were completely covered in fog, and they could only just barely see them in the distance.

"Let's hurry. The hostages are in danger!" When Eirika pictured the villagers all huddled together in fear of the presence of the giant spiders, she could hardly stand the thought.

The further they progressed, the thicker the fog became. Even after they lit torches, they couldn’t see very far ahead of them.

Before Eirika even gave her orders, Vanessa said, “I will go to them.”

“But it’s too dangerous in this fog…”

“I will be fine. There is no doubt that I can move faster than all of you on the ground.”

However, the enemy was probably using the fog to hide and wait for Eirika’s army to come to them. It was far too dangerous to let Vanessa go ahead on her own.

While Eirika was deliberating over how to respond, someone else spoke up.

“I will go with her.” The person who stepped forward was Joshua. He spoke in his usual tone of voice, and flashed Vanessa a smile. “I’ve always wanted to try riding a pegasus once. Let me ride with you. While you're saving the hostages, I'll take care of the monster spiders."

"...No." She held him back. Why did he say he wanted to ride a pegasus now, of all times?

He looked back at her, puzzled.

Eirika felt Seth's gaze on her as she spoke awkwardly, “...I want you to stay here. The person to go with Vanessa will be… Sir Garcia. Will you go with her?”

Garcia was surprised to suddenly be called out, but nodded. “If those are my orders, then of course I’ll go! But… Lady Eirika…?”

The pained look on her face was probably suspicious. Garcia tilted his head.

Joshua asked incredulously, “What? Why not me? I should be able to take out something like spider monsters…”

“It's not that, it’s because there are likely a lot of enemies lying in wait just ahead, so I want you to fight here.” Eirika turned her back to him and avoided explaining anything further.

When Joshua had announced that he wanted to go with Vanessa, she'd immediately remembered the conversation she'd previously had with Seth.

It was entirely possible that Joshua might betray them. He might kill Vanessa, then turn back over to the Empire's side.

She couldn't deny the fact that she wanted to trust him, but she was also worried. If he betrayed them now, they would lose both Vanessa and the hostages.

"Okay then, let's go." Vanessa helped Garcia mount her pegasus, then the two flew off.

Joshua furrowed his brow slightly and looked at Eirika with a dissatisfied expression on his face, but turned around with a huff and withdrew his sword.

Eirika called out, "Cavalry, march to the front! Because our field of vision is so poor, please always confirm where your allies are before making any movements. We must be careful not to split up, even for a moment…"

Before she was even finished giving her order, enemy soldiers started leaping towards them from within the fog.

As they'd suspected, the Grado soldiers had been waiting all across the plain for them. The injured enemies went down shrieking into the air.

Eirika's army panicked at first, but only for a moment, and quickly regrouped. Maintaining their formation in the thick fog was no easy task, but the soldiers remained calm. They cut down their enemies while periodically calling out to each other to confirm their positions.

This battle was their first true fight within Grado territory. The enemies they'd fought before could not possibly compare to this group. And on top of that, the Grado soldiers knew this area very well, and used that to their advantage by trying to lure Eirika's army into dangerous areas such as cliffs and swamps whenever they found an opening.

Throughout the grueling battle, Eirika confirmed Joshua's position several times. His red hair stood out even within the fog. He rushed so boldly into the enemy lines that one would think he was being reckless, and broke through areas so that the cavalry could advance. It was clear that he was an essential member of Eirika's army now.

Was her previous judgement a mistake? Perhaps he had noticed that she doubted him, and she had ironically lost his trust in the process...

"Eirika!"

Seth's voice snapped her back to reality.

An enemy soldier was running straight toward her.

It took all of her strength just to dodge his attack the moment he lunged. If Seth had not rushed over to her, the Grado soldier likely would have skewered her with his lance.

Seth defeated the soldier, then pulled her up atop his horse.

"I'm fine, Seth. I can still fight…"

But Seth ignored her plea. The moment she realized that maybe her concentration was still lacking in battle, her body shrunk back.

The battle was gradually reaching its conclusion. The enemy army seemed to be mostly defeated. Franz was rushing around their ranks and confirming the number of casualties. They had not suffered many sacrifices at all.

“All that’s left is their leader. We have to search for the man that stole the bracelet!”

Eirika shook her head. “No, Seth. I am more worried about the hostages. Let’s follow after Vanessa and Garcia…”

“It seems like that won’t be necessary!” Colm said while looking up at the sky.

Perhaps because of his experience as a thief, his hearing was far better than that of the average person. Even on a battlefield like their current one with poor visibility, his keen senses had been helpful, allowing him to give effective directions to the soldiers.

“I can hear her pegasus’ wings. Sounds like they’re comin’ back here.”

Just as he finished saying that, the noise reached Eirika’s ears. It was the unmistakable sound of wings soaring through the sky.

As the fog slowly started to clear, a lone black shadow became visible. It became much bigger in the blink of an eye, then lightly started to lower in front of Eirika and the others.

Vanessa landed with a small girl in her arms. “I apologize for returning late, Lady Eirika.

Vanessa’s cheerful expression caused Eirika to breathe a sigh of relief. “Good work, Vanessa. What about the other hostages…?”

“They are safe. Since I could not carry such a large group at once, I returned with the youngest child for now.”

“And what about Sir Garcia?”

“He is safe as well, of course. He fought the monsters all by himself. Since there may be others still lurking about, he is staying by the hostages’ side for the time being.”

“So they’ve already been killed…?” Lute cut into the conversation with disappointment in her voice. “However, ‘Spider Monsters’ is not their proper name. That would be ‘Bael.” I really wanted to see one once with my own eyes, but… I’ll at least go just to see their corpses…”

“Lute!” Everyone shouted.

“We don’t have time to be studying spider monsters right now. Leave the rescue of the hostages to Vanessa and the cavalry. Everyone else has to go after the man from before.” Seth ordered.

“Bael are much more endearing than that seedy human…” Lute looked up at Seth, but realized that there was no chance her request would be granted, and nodded her head in acceptance. “Understood. It is unfortunate, but I will likely have another chance to encounter a Bael. Let’s chase after the seedy human for now.”

Seth gave the soldiers their orders, and they all searched for the man who should be hiding within the fog. Before long, he received a report that a man had been found hiding in a thicket at the base of a mountain.

The fog had cleared considerably at that point. They were able to see him with their naked eyes.

The hooded man realized that enemies were coming towards him, and tried to flee. It was likely that he’d decided to try to leave the fighting to his subordinates while he watched from afar atop high ground. Thick tree cover and cliffs blocked him off, and there were no escape routes behind him.

Eirika jumped down from Seth’s horse and ran up to him. “There’s nowhere for you to run! Now hand over my bracelet!”

The man glared at Eirika with bloodshot eyes, and clutched the stolen bracelet tightly. “S… someone… wants to give it to His Majesty…!”

“Why does the Grado Emperor want my bracelet?”

“I-I don’t know…!”

The man muttered a spell without moving his mouth.

Eirika realized quickly what he was doing, and jumped back. A pillar of smoke rose from where she’d been standing.

It was now obvious that he could wield offensive magic.

Battle with a mage was difficult because while they had no physical strength, they could launch an attack with magic even from far away. Those skilled in magic could somewhat defend themselves against it, but the average soldiers, like sword fighters and knights, had no protections at all against it. It was far from uncommon for those who were unskilled in combat to be killed by a single spell.

Would it be best to send Lute and Artur his way? But they were not used to battle yet, and he might be difficult for them to put up a fight against...

While Eirika was still at a loss for what to do, Joshua rushed far ahead of her.

Eirika was in complete shock, and before she could call out "Be careful…!" to him, he sliced his sword through the man's skin.

"Ahh…!!" The man stifled a scream, and tried to chant one more spell.

However, Joshua's attack was faster.

The moment the sword glistened in the light, the man screamed his death cry.

"Hey, this is valuable, right? Take good care of it." Joshua said teasingly, then handed the bracelet over to her.

"Th-Thank you, Joshua…"

However, Joshua immediately turned away as if he was rejecting her.

Eirika felt the giant rift between them become even deeper.

The cavalry returned with the hostages soon after. Garcia was of course with them as well.

When asked about what it was like fighting the spider monsters, he simply answered “They’re creepy,” and grimaced. They seemed to be a particularly disgusting monster. Lute, on the other hand, had the opposite reaction from everyone else. A twinkle appeared in her eyes, and she started bombarding him with questions, which disturbed him deeply.

That night, they unsurprisingly decided to give up on marching any further for the time being, and rested on the plains.

After their meal, while everyone else was sitting in a circle and enjoying themselves, Seth called Eirika over to him, and broke away from the group.

She had a feeling she knew what he wanted to talk about, and put her returned bracelet tightly on her wrist, then waited for him to begin speaking.

Seth walked all the way over to the shadow of the trees, where they could not feel the presence of anyone else, then said gravely, “Lord Fado ordered me not to tell you anything until the time was right… But since the secret has been leaked to the Grado Emperor, it is probably best that I tell you now.”

“...About this bracelet?”

Seth nodded. “As you know, Renais has handed down one of the Sacred Stones since ancient times. And the countries of Grado, Frelia, Jehanna, and Rausten all pass down the other four.”

“Yes, it is said that during the ancient war, the Demon King’s power was sealed away within the Sacred Stones. They should currently be enshrined in each of those countries, which protect them. In Renais, our stone is kept in a large shrine, and the people worship it…”

“That stone is a replica.”

Eirika was surprised by his unexpected words. “A replica…? No… I cannot believe it…”

“I have been told that an exact copy was made and placed inside the shrine. The real stone is sealed tightly away in the Renais Castle basement.”

She couldn’t believe what he was saying. She herself had prayed countless times at the shrine where the Sacred Stone was kept, and she’d seen her father hold sacred rites in front of it before. Had all of that been a large-scale performance to keep the real stone hidden from sight?

“That’s… but… isn’t it pitiful for the people who have prayed at the replica? Everyone visited that shrine with such pure, devoted hearts…”

Eirika’s clouded expression made Seth smile. “No, on the contrary, it was likely for their sake. Lord Fado said that the Sacred Stones contain such great power that they have an effect on people’s hearts… and they will be entranced by that power, so much so that they cannot look away from them. That is why one of the previous kings thought up the idea to hide the real stone. And the key that unlocks the seal is that bracelet.”

Eirika looked down at her bracelet once more.

When she was young, her father had given her and her brother each a bracelet. Her father’s voice had been so uncharacteristically insistent when he told them to take good care of them, that Eirika had always thought it strange.

“Father… never told us even one word about how important these bracelets are…”

“He probably thought the day when we would need to unlock the seal would never come, and decided that it would be for the best. It is likely that Lord Ephraim still does not know his bracelet’s secret. Lord Fado only told me in the case of a one in a million scenario.”

“But then how did the Grado Empire learn of it…?”

“They probably found a way to get the information out of Lord Fado.”

There shouldn’t have been an easy way to get her father to spill such an important secret. No matter how terrifying their methods were… Eirika felt the warmth drain from her body. She couldn’t bring herself to think about it. Now wasn’t the time to lament the tragedy that had befallen her father.

“As Natasha said, the Grado Empire is trying to destroy the Sacred Stones. That is consistent with their actions so far... In order for the emperor to destroy Renais’ Sacred Stone, they are after my bracelet.”

*Maybe.”

“Brother also has the same bracelet as I. So that means…”

“If that man’s words are to be trusted, then Lord Ephraim has already been captured. It is possible that they have stolen his bracelet.”

“Brother…” Eirika clasped her hands together tightly.

They were so close to reaching him… and yet they still might not be fast enough to be able to save him.

“The enemy knows that we have already entered Grado Territory. If they become impatient… it is conceivable that they will execute him.”

“Yes. We haven’t a moment to waste. Let’s hurry!” Eirika looked up at the edges of the mountains above them, clearly visible in the night sky now that the fog had cleared. And past that, she could finally see Renvall Castle.

#fire emblem #fe #fe8 #sacred stones #nintendo #gba #game boy advance #japan #japanese #translation #novel #light novel #fe8 novelization translation

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neurodivergentnecessity · 3 years

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A fun little fic I wrote for @petrichormeraki 's big brother au!

New Family Members

Word count: 1707

Summary: Scar realizes he likes Bdubs and goes to tell him

Characters: Scar, Bdubs, Cub (briefly), Atalanta (Oc), Fortuna (Oc), and Aislin (Oc)

TW: No beta read, very light Angst... I don’t know

It had been days since Scar had seen Bdubs and since he had confronted him, Scar kept on thinking back to how everything went down when he asked Bdubs if Aislin was his kid too. He saw fear fill Bdubs eyes as if he had been caught planting Mycelium and then Bdubs began to panic he started yelling and insisting that Aislin just came out of nowhere and there was no way Scar could be his dad as well. Scar shouted over him telling him that he asked Cleo to do a DNA test on him and Aislin, that he knows Bdubs is lying. As he looked at Bdubs he saw shame, guilt, and sadness flood onto his face, Bdubs then started to cry and tearfully apologized to Scar flying away from him despite Scar’s pleas for him to stay. He couldn’t stop thinking about it, it was starting to affect his everyday life and he wanted to give up, but he needed to be a parent and the mayor, so he continued on.

It had been a slow day in the office. It was mostly quiet besides his daughters occasional shouts while playing together and Cub’s music outside his door. He looked down at all the paperwork he needed to sign he read over them multiple times and the words started to blur together. Bdubs usually helped him with these, he helped him understand them better and he also reread them to make sure Scar didn’t get anything wrong with his Dyslexia. He thought about how much he missed those days where Bdubs would help him, he missed just hanging out and laughing at each other, he missed his smile, he missed his beautiful brown eyes, his intoxicating laugh, he missed making Bdubs blush, he missed... wait. Scar’s eyes became wide, the realization hitting him like a Beast from Decked Out, he liked Bdubs. He liked Bdubs!

Scar jumped out of his seat, paperwork forgotten he had to find Bdubs and tell him, but he knew he couldn’t leave the girls alone, rushing over to Cub’s office he slammed open the door. The pharaoh let out a surprised shout then before he could talk Scar asked, “Could you watch the girls for a bit?”

“Sure I will,” Cub sighed, “but why?” Scar running in place quickly stated “I need to talk to Bdubs, I don’t know where he is so I have to go find him and I might be gone for awhile.” Scar then turned to his girls and saw their faces saddened when he told them he had to go, but then quickly changed to excitement upon hearing that uncle Cub would be watching them. Scar put on his elytra and pulled out his rockets waving goodbye to his daughters and Cub as he flew off.

He flew all the way to Bdubs main base quickly landing he ran around looking for him, after searching the castle and all of the houses with no success, Scar realized that it was stupid to think that Bdubs would be hiding from him in his main base, a place where he lives. Scar started to think of other places where Bdubs could be, suddenly it hit him, Doc and Bdubs’ half house! Bdubs would often say to him that when he was feeling upset he would go there to relax. He started spamming rockets flying towards the half house. If he was wrong he would go ask Keralis, he was Bdubs best friend after all. Landing a few feet away he noticed that Bdubs’ half of the house was gone, Scar slowly started to lose faith then he saw him. Bdubs was looking through some chests scattered around the area. Scar let out a long sigh and started walking towards Bdubs.

He tapped Bdubs on the shoulder making the other male jump and turn towards him. As soon as he saw Scar he turned away immediately trying to escape by grabbing a firework, but before he could fire it off Scar grabbed him by the arm turning him to face him again. “Bdubs wait!” He shouted, “I need to talk to you!” Bdubs tried to shake Scar off him, but his grip didn’t falter, giving up he slowly looked up at Scar, “Fine, what is it?”

Scar looked into his beautiful brown eyes and wondered why it took so long for him to realize he had fallen for him, to realize he loved him. “B-bdubs,” he stuttered out, “I really li-like you.” Bdubs’ mouth hung open and his eyes were wide, well wider than usual and a soft blush decorated his cheeks. He let go of Bdubs then waited for a response from him. Scar could feel his anxiety build up waiting for Bdubs’ response. ‘Oh no did he make a mistake? Did he ruin their friendship even further? Does Bdubs hate him now? Does he-’. His thoughts were cut short by smooth lips lightly pressing against his own, but before he could fully register what had happened the lips had retreated. “I like you too,” Bdubs said with a small smile on his lips. Scar looked at him again and couldn’t help but let a relieved giggle fall from his lips, his giggle soon turning into laughter. As he laughed he heard Bdubs join in too, snaking his arms around Bdubs and pulling him into a hug. Scar couldn’t help but feel complete standing there sharing laughter and hugging the other man.

After their laughter died down Scar gave him multiple kisses causing Bdubs to chuckle and then speak, “We should probably tell the kids that uncle Bdubs got upgraded to their new dad.” Scar kissed him again ‘that feels so good’ and agreed. Grabbing rockets both of them prepared to start flying towards the shopping district, but right before they were about to fly off Scar suddenly realized that Aislin wasn’t with him or Bdubs. “Bdubs where’s Aislin?” He asked worriedly. His boyfriend looked at him then realizing what Scar had said quickly explained that Keralis was watching him and that he did not in fact lose him. Scar let out a relieved sigh, the two then deciding to first pick up Aislin from Keralis’ base and then head to the shopping district. They took off eventually making it to Keralis’ base and leaving with only three small hitches, putting on the baby carrier with elytra already on, putting Aislin in said carrier, and making sure he was secure. After that small mishap they made it all the way to the shopping district.

Landing near the town hall Scar heard “Daddy’s back!” Tuning around he saw his three year olds running down the steps with a visibly disheveled Cub quickly following behind. Atalanta was the first to make it to Scar demanding to pick her up and give her a hug, then Fortuna made it to him asking for the same thing as her sister and complying to both of them. Finally jogging and panting Cub made it over, waiting for his friend to catch his breath Scar greeted him. Letting out one last puff of air Cub looked at Scar and asked, “How in the world do you keep up with these two?” Gesturing towards the girls, Scar chuckled. “My friend I would like to tell you that I have no idea,” he responded with a smile. Cub gave him an impressed yet tired look then turned to Bdubs greeting him as well. As the three of them chatted together Scar could see his girls getting bored of the conversation and decided it was time to tell them, he turned to Cub asking him if he could leave for a bit. The pharaoh smiled then walked away saying he needed to check his prophets.

“Princesses, could you come here?” Scar asked leaning down so his girls could hold onto his outstretched hands. The girls latched on to the hand presented to each of them, Scar turned to Bdubs silently signaling him to follow them. Making their way slowly up the stairs because Fortuna insisted on jumping up each step and Atalanta decided that she wanted to take it one foot at a time. By the time they had gotten to the top of the stairs Bdubs was already inside rocking Aislin and sitting on the throne. Scar walked towards him, the girls still latched to his hands. Scar sat down next to his boyfriend pulling his girls into his lap. “Princesses there’s something I need to tell you,” he looked down at his girls, turning to Bdubs, looking back at them, he continued, “Bdubs isn’t your uncle anymore.” The twins gasped soon starting to ask why, Scar chuckled at them and said, “Bdubs can’t be your uncle because he’s going to be your other dad! That also means that Aislin is now your baby brother!”

The girls eyes went wide and then they started talking excitedly to him, Bdubs, and on occasion Aislin. Eventually they calmed down and asked Bdubs if they could hold Aislin, besides the nervous look Bdubs gave Scar, he seemed to have no qualms with the idea and very carefully handed the girls Aislin, insisting that they stay sat. The girls were awestruck with the small thing in their arms occasionally petting his head, getting their fingers stuck in his grasp, or repeating his babbling. Scar couldn’t keep his eyes off the moment, but forced himself to pull away and look at his boyfriend. He smiled at him leaning forward and kissed him slowly, making sure that he knew how smitten he was. Pulling back he looked at his girls again who were no longer playing with their new brother but staring at him and Bdubs. Scar felt himself grow warm and Bdubs let out a nervous laugh. After what felt like hours they stopped staring and turned to each other seeming to silently communicate with the other. Then turning back they said, “Thank you for the brother and second daddy, daddy.” Scar felt his heart melt and gestured for the girls to come closer, when they got close enough he pulled them and Bdubs in for a hug. Smiling he thought to himself ‘I have the best family ever’.

#my fic #big brother au #fanfic #ocs #fortuna #atlanta #aislin

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tastesoftamriel · 7 years

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The tip of Morrowind (a long tale by Talviel)

Middas, 20th of Sun’s Dusk, 4E 207. I was in Dragonstar, Hammerfell, after spending months in Elsweyr, and was researching recipes. I had also just celebrated my 24th birthday quietly. Well, almost quietly. On the 17th itself, a courier came bounding into the inn I was staying at, and dumped half a satchel of letters in front of me while I was in the middle of grating zucchini in the kitchen. “I’ve been looking for you. Got something I’m supposed to deliver, your hands only. Got lots of messages for you!” He announced cheerily. “I’ll leave you to your zucchini. Well that’s it, got to go!” I stared at the pile of letters that I only ever got in this quantity once a year, then ignored them in favour of the zucchini. The letters could wait- zucchini balls with tzatziki could not.

When I’d finally finished cooking, eating, and helping the innkeep clean up, I took the armful of letters to my room to peruse. Most were from friends and acquaintances I had made in Cyrodiil, wishing me a happy birthday and a prosperous year. A smaller pile came from across Skyrim, and I found one from my Dunmer friend Lisandre. I set it aside, looking expectantly at the last few letters from Riften. There were three. One was from my parents, another from Keerava, and the last one was from Brynjolf. While we’d written to each other over the years I’d been on the road, our messages became shorter, less cordial, and more sporadic. He mainly talked about how breaking Nocturnal’s curse had made the Guild flourish again and how they were beginning to branch out across Tamriel. I broke the seal of his letter, expecting more of that. The familiar smell of cinnamon and cloves greeted me as I unfolded the parchment.

“Lass, happy birthday. I don’t know where in Tamriel you are, but I trust that the courier will get this to you safely. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to see you off on your last visit, but I enjoyed the time we did spend together. The Guild sends their best wishes, and we all miss you. Delvin and Vex are plotting the best way to get you to come back to us, but I know your heart is set on your career, and as I’ve always said, I’m happy for you, lass. Hope you can come back and visit us poor folk in Riften again soon, liven up the place a bit. Eyes open, and walk with the shadows. Yours, Brynjolf.”

I smiled sadly, my heart racing. Unrequited love was more of a pain than a mountain lion on skooma. I tucked his letter into the envelope I used to store all of his previous ones, that I always read whenever I missed him. Sniffling and wiping at my eyes, I turned my attention at last to Lisandre’s letter.

“Greetings, Talviel! Word on the street is that it’s your birthday, so happy birthday and big hugs from Gat and I (even though you’ve never met him)! Anyway, just writing because I’m a little bored. Back home now at Lakeview, which is nice and all but my hammer needs some blood. Feel bad about doing any adventuring around now because Gat could use the company, but I’ve been thinking of finally going to Morrowind after the new year. Slightly embarrassing, a Dunmer of my age never having been back to her own place of origin. Don’t know where you’ll be around then, but you’ve spent a lot of time there so I was hoping we could meet up. No pressure, let me know what you think. Anyway, wherever in Tamriel you are, happy birthday. Thinking of you and sending good thoughts your way. ~Lisandre”

I pondered Lisandre’s message. I was setting out the next day to Evermor, which was just across the border into High Rock, and I was planning on spending a month or so going through the region. I had also been offered good coin to cook a banquet at both Castle Wayrest the Sentinel Palace whenever I was there next, so I decided to take them up on the offer. It would take me another month to get to Windhelm, where the ship to Solstheim sailed from, so the timing would be perfect as I hadn’t been to Morrowind in some time. I wrote a letter to warn Wayrest and Sentinel ahead of time and to prepare the ingredients I’d need, then dipped my quill into my inkpot again to pen a message back to Lisandre.

“Hi Lis, thanks for the birthday greetings, and I hope you and Gat are well. Would love to take you over to Morrowind, but I’m only really familiar with Solstheim and Blacklight since the rest of the country is really just ash and small settlements since The Red Year and never really recovered from what I’ve heard, even despite the Great Restoration. I don’t think I’ll have time to explore the rest as I’ve made up my mind to head west early next year, so I probably won’t accompany you through the rest of the country. Once we’re done, I’m sure you’ll have found your feet enough to make the rest of the journey on your own! Let’s meet in Windhelm on the second week of Morning Star, and we catch the ship to Soltsheim from there. Let me know if this is agreeable to you or if you have any change in plans. Hugs, Talviel.”

I sealed the letter with wax and went to find a courier heading to Skyrim before checking on Roach and making sure my bags were packed for the morning. At first light, we trotted into Hammerfell to wait out the month. The time flew by as I cooked and learned and taught. The banquets went flawlessly and my coin pouch was close to splitting. I sketched the scenery, wandered the wilderness, and occasionally woke up naked next to someone. As Evening Star came to a close, I got on my horse and made the long trip to Windhelm. I contemplated stopping by Riften, but the thought of seeing Brynjolf again and knowing he didn’t love me made my heart break. I just couldn’t face him, as much as I wanted to.

I stayed at Candlehearth Hall, and was chatting to a Redguard at the bar when the door swung open, Lisandre tromping the snow off her boots and blowing her hands to shake off the cold. She looked through the crowd and waved excitedly when she saw me. “Hello love, give us a hug! How are you?” She called out, making her way towards me. “Hi Lisandre, long time no see! Can I get you a drink?” “Damn right you can. It’s freezing out there, I’ve always hated this city. One mulled wine please!” She called to the bartender, who brought over a steaming tankard. We toasted to friendship and talked about what we’d been doing in the past few months. As the evening wore on, she began to draw into herself, which was unusual. “Everything alright, Lis?” I asked, signalling for another cup of warm cider. “Well…not really. I should go to the Grey Quarter, see my family and whatnot. Tell them I’m going to the motherland, that should make their bitter asses happy. I don’t really want to go, but…I probably should.” I took a gulp of cider, nodding my head. “Do what you need to do. Just come back here if things don’t work out and you need a place to sleep. If not, the boat leaves at 7am sharp tomorrow so I’ll see you at the docks by 7.45 at latest.” Lisandre smiled wanly and slid her tankard across the bar. “Nah, should be fine. I’ll see you tomorrow, kid. Have a good night with that Redguard woman, she’s making eyes at you.”

I snuck out of bed the next morning, the Redguard woman still fast asleep. Yawning while drinking from a bottle of potion of stamina, I made my way down to the docks and waited for Lisandre in the snow. She turned up just before seven, walking as if her satchel and warhammer weighed a tonne. “How’d last night go?” She grunted at me in reply then skulked onto the boat, sitting down and looking grumpy. “I’ll take that as ‘not so great’. I’ve brought us some breakfast.” I smiled, trying to lighten the mood and offering her some bread with cheese and salmon. “Lay off, Talviel. Really not in the mood right now.” She sighed, pulling her hood over her head and falling asleep. She slept all the way until we hit the port in Raven Rock, and she looked around groggily, rubbing her eyes. “Welcome to Solstheim, Lis.” I said, helping her to her feet as she yawned and stretched. Glover Mallory, the brother of Delvin in Riften, waved to me from the bellows as I walked past his forge. I promised I’d come by later to chat. I led her to my house, Severin Manor, which was dusty and cold. I made a mental note to hire a housekeeper, and showed Lisandre down to the spare bedroom, which I also used to store random armour, weapons, and knick knacks that might come in handy.

“If you’re still tired, have a little nap and we can explore the island later.” I said to Lisandre. “Are you kidding me? I saw a potion seller on the way here. Gonna get me a few of those stamina ones and we can start.” She removed her valuables and any unnecessary items from her person, hefted her hammer, and slapped her face to wake herself up. We made our way outside and she went to buy herself some potions and food while I caught up with Glover and got him to sharpen my sword. We met at the centre of the square, now busy with miners and a fair few more merchants than I’d previously seen, while she ate hungrily from a large kebab filled with ash yam falafel. “These fings are weally good!” She giggled between a mouthful of food, and I was relieved to see her in better spirits.

We left the town, meandering north along the coast. I pointed out the ruins of the monuments Miraak had left behind during our battle while I was taking a ‘break’ from chasing after Alduin. A few miles along, we spotted a group of hunters, shooting at a netch family. Lisandre gawped in wonder. “Are those…netches?” She asked, drawing her warhammer and clearly eager to join in the fight. “Yes, they are, but I wouldn’t recommend running in swinging that hammer. Those tentacles lash out fast with huge force, and send out a nice shock at the same time. Gonna shoot them with arrows like those hunters, and I’ll let you do the final honours with your hammer once they’re down.” I explained, stringing an arrow. We ran towards the netches as the hunters shot bravely, though one of their men was down. I whistled a call of greeting and they whistled back. I began shooting at the bull netch as they attacked the betty and calf, and I yelled for Lisandre to quickly finish them off when they splashed into the water. She nimbly leapt to action, smashing in the brains of the calf before jumping onto the back of the betty without missing a beat. Her acrobatics went unnoticed though, as the hunters had gathered around me as we made our final attack on the bull. As it groaned and fell into the water, Lisandre leapt up and smashed it several times over the head for good measure. The hunters clapped and whooped, and we all divided the netch jelly between us. “This stuff stinks.” Lis complained, jamming her share into an empty potion bottle.

Over the next four days, we made our gentle meandering way through the island, as I explained the lay of the land and my history with it. Lisandre was intrigued by Hermaeus Mora. I strongly opposed her, shaking my head. “Never, ever in my life do I want to have anything to do with that particular Daedric Prince ever again.” I shuddered, as we climbed our way north towards the Skaal village. Along the way, we plundered some Riekling camps and caves for the fun of it, happily pocketing our loot. Frea, the shaman and head of the Skaal happily accommodated us for a night, before we made our way to the giant mushroom lair of Neloth, the powerful and eccentric Telvanni mage. Before I went in to say hello and hoping that he was in a good enough mood to enchant some items for me, we stared with awe at the giant mushrooms. “That, Talviel, has got to be the weirdest thing I have ever seen.” Lisandre said, scratching her head. “Just wait til you see who’s inside, and you’ll probably change your mind.” I sighed, as we ascended the steps.

Several hours later, we found ourselves back at Raven Rock after being berated, belittled, and almost conned into being test subjects for another of Neloth’s new experimental spells (I had to drag Lisandre out through the lift portal before she could gleefully agree). We spent the night back at Severin Manor, and the next day we were ready to face Blacklight. The boat trip over took only half an hour, and Lisandre fiddled nervously with her scarf. “So, the city of my people, at last. I wish I could have seen Vvardenfell before the Red Year, behold the glory of the Dunmer before we were literally reduced to ash.” “As far as I know, time-turning spells have all ended in disaster, so this is what we’ve got now. Don’t look so glum, you’re finally on the way to the capital of Morrowind!” I punched her arm gently. We stepped off the boat, shouldering our satchels, and made our way into the city. The towering Rootspire, the seat of the Grand Council, dominated Blacklight from its centre. Dome-shaped houses like those in Raven Rock were dotted around in neat clusters. The Redoran Guard patrolled the city, which was by all means one of the most orderly places I’d ever been to in all of Tamriel, due to it having been put together as the seat of the Dunmer after the Red Year. I suggested we make our way to a cornerclub to settle in first, and Lis agreed.

We spent the rest of the day wandering the city. Commerce was good as the markets were bustling and shops of all kinds were open for business. “I’ve…I’ve never seen so many Dunmer anywhere in my entire life!” Lisandre exclaimed, looking giddy as we made our way through the busy central streets and past the Temple of Azura. “So, what do you think?” I asked. “Well…it’s a bit small. A lot smaller than I expected, really. But…this is what’s left of us, and so be it. I just hope those people in Rootspire know what they’re doing.” She said resolutely. “I know I’ll probably never see it in my lifetime, but maybe one day Vvardenfell will stand as tall and proud as it was.” “Your lifetime? You’re an elf, you’ll probably live to a thousand if you look after yourself. Morrowind will be back on its feet in no time in comparison. And for your sake, I really hope so. Anyway, now we’ve seen everything, let’s go get some sujamma.” I said, clapping her on the back. She grabbed my hand before I could turn back in the direction of the inn. “Talviel, I know I can just take Dunmeth Pass to get back to Windhelm, but…I’m not done. I know you’ve got work to do, but after tomorrow, we part ways. I know that Vvardenfell is still just ashes and settlements, but I want to see it with my own eyes. See where my people came from. Gnisis, Balmora, Mournhold.” “I get that. There’s always hope with what they’ve started in Vvardenfell probably, since they started on the Great Reconstruction, but I don’t know about the outlying parts of the region. Be careful.” I said, and we linked arms, strolling back to the cornerclub.

The next day, I woke up with a pounding head, and I knocked on Lisandre’s room door to see if she was up. “Come in!” She yelled. I stumbled into her room in my dressing robe, rubbing my eyes. She was sitting in bed, looking a little rough around the edges and sipping from a potion of restore stamina. She looked up at me blearily, before bursting out into an outrageous cackle. “What?” I asked, confused. “Oh by Vivec’s floating balls, I’m never going to pick a room next to yours ever again. Woman, you are loud!” Flashbacks of the night before came back to me, and I groaned. Something to do with a red-headed Dunmer and a lot of sujamma. Lisandre mimicked me, moaning. “Oh, yes, Daddy, Brynjolf, please, oh, fuck me, oh Brynjolf…” I covered my face, blushing so hard I thought I was going to burn the room down. “Nooo, Lisandre, stop, not funny!” “Are you kidding me? That was the best entertainment since I punched Rolff Stone-Fist in the face!” “Lis, I know he was an asshole but why on earth…never mind, it’s too early for this.” “Nope, not letting you off the hook. Brynjolf is definitely not a Dunmer name. The man you dragged into your room was definitely a Dunmer. When we first met, you said you didn’t have a beau. So, who’s the mystery Nord?” She grinned, passing me a stamina potion. I took a large swig and winced, beginning my long and embarrassing story. “Okay, so…”

#morrowind #dunmer #4e #skyrim #blacklight #vvardenfell #the elder scrolls #tes #tes blogging #fanfic #fanfiction #geek #nerd #games #gamer #gaming #chapter 10 #Solstheim #Raven rock

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ladystylestores · 4 years

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Road Trip Through the Scottish Highlands

Scotland, UK is a breathtakingly beautiful country that can make you feel like you’ve taken a step back in time with the vastness of its untouched lands and the old style buildings you’ll see in the towns.

The best way I think in which to see it all is a road trip to the Highlands.

So, grab your snacks and buckle your seats for the ultimate road trip adventure.

The Ultimate Scottish Road Trip

Preparing Your Road Trip

Route: Edinburgh to Inverness Distance: 318 km Driving Time: Around 5 hours Length for Trip: 2-3 Days

Road Trip Highlights:

Fun, windy roads, in great condition most of the way

Epic views on every corner with plenty of designated places to park and take some great shots

Fresh seafood if you’re feeling hungry

The friendliest locals around to help you if you get lost

Renting a Vehicle

After years of collecting Aeroplan points, I was able to cash mine in with a one week car rental at Avis for 25,500 points. Yippee! For those of you who are still struggling to get those points, you can find cheap options on Skyscanner. Often if you want to rent for 3-6 days, it’s cheaper to just ask for a one week rental. My favorite rental companies are Avis and Enterprise.

Tips:

Many credit cards often offer car insurance for rentals so check if your’s provides this option to avoid insurance fees at the rental office which can often cost you more then the rental itself!

You will need an international drivers permit to rent vehicles abroad. Getting a permit is very easy in most places. In Canada you can visit your local CAA and apply for $25.

If you are a Canadian renting a vehicle in the UK, you do not need to get an international driver’s permit and will only need to show your local driver’s license.

Tunes for the Road

To make your road trip even better, make a Scottish playlist. Some great tunes for driving include: • Highlander’s Farewell by Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas • Johnny Tarr by Gaelic Storm • Hug air a’Bhonaid Mhois by Julie Fowlis • Hinba by Lau • The Cruel Sister by Old Blind Dogs • Celtic Pipes & Drums by Peatbog Faeries & Folk Police • Lough Erne’s Shore by Old Blind Dogs • Shooglenifty by McConnells Rant

The Route

Road Trip – Scottish Highlands – Day 1

Start in Edinburgh and spend at least a day there before hitting the road.

Fishers Leith

As soon as we arrived in Edinburgh, we headed straight to Fishers for a seafood lunch. Scotland’s seafood is so good, a large majority of it is actually shipped to Spain. We ordered some oysters, mussels, calamari which were all fresh and delicious. If you go Monday-Friday between 12:00-6:00 PM you can get a great deal with their set menu of 2 courses for £15 or 3 courses for £18.

Old Town

Next on our stop was to head into old town to walk off our great meal. Old town is an architecture enthusiast’s dream with every building having its own unique look and dates back to the medieval times. Make sure to look out for the Castle of Edinburgh and the Royal Mile.

Beer Sampling

As we strolled through old town, we popped into a few pubs to sample the local beers. Try the Fraoch which is a Heather Ale (Leann Fraoch) that’s been brewed in Scotland since 2000 B.C. Also try the Tennent’s Lager which is the local’s choice in pubs.

Ghost Tour

When it got to the evening, we booked a free ghost tour with CityExplorers. Our guide was Max who somehow managed to turn stories of murderers, dungeons and witch hunts into a walking comedy skit which was a lot of fun.

Road Trip – Scottish Highlands – Day 2

A Scottish Breakfast

The next day we started our morning at The Abbey, which is a proper Scottish pub offering a great breakfast starting at £4.95 and an unimaginable selection of whiskey (if you’re up for some early drinking). I went with the Scottish breakfast which includes egg, haggis, sausage, bacon, black pudding, white pudding, hash brown, tomato beans and toast. It was my first time trying haggis, and it wasn’t’t bad at all!

In case you don’t know, haggis is made from sheep’s stomach and is stuffed with liver, heart and lungs of the sheep. Despite the name and what it’s made of, I would eat haggis again.

Arthur’s Seat

After breakfast we headed to Arthur’s seat which is around a 30 minute hike to the top of a hill,and over looks the entire city for some fantastic views.

Unfortunately, as soon as we started hike it started raining…hard. On the positive side, there were very few tourists and those we did encounter were retreating down because the rain was making it difficult to hike up.

By that point we saw it more of a challenge against mother nature to make it up to the top and pressed on. By the time we reached the top, not a single person was there and we had the entire spot all to ourselves.

After hearing stories from the ghost tour the night before about people hiking to the top of Arthur’s seat and then falling off, it felt very eery to be there on our own. Not to mention being surrounded by fog, mist, and then getting hailed on (in the middle of summer) which is when we decided it was time to go!

Tips

Arthur’s seat is located in Holyrood Park which is a great place to cycle in or have a walk around.

It’s also close to Holyrood Palace, which was the home for Mary Queen of Scott’s and is the official residence for the royal family when visiting Scotland.

Tickets for admission into the palace cost £12.50/adult.

If you don’t have much time, it might be worth just taking a drive around the road that circles the entire park and hill. The ride is no longer than 10-15 minutes and you can get some great views and spots for scenic pictures.

After conquering the hike up Arthur’s seat, it was time to hit the road to Inverness.

The Cairngorms National Park

Our first stop on the road was to the Cairngorms National Park which is the largest national park in the UK. The park itself contains the ancient Caledonian forest which has almost been wiped out from all of Scotland.

You can find many species of animals there including red squirrels and even wildcats. There are many different paths to go on for hikes, a couple estates to visit, Balmoral Castle and a steam train ride around the park.

Tips

We were short on time to catch a train ride but the Strathspey Railway runs a return trip from Aviemore through the heart of the Scottish Highlands which costs £14.25 for a 90 minute adventure.

If you are feeling like getting in touch with your nature side, you can find some great wild camping spots in the park.

A Hidden Beach

Just as you exit the Cairngorms National Park on the A86, there is a beautiful sandy beach where you can stop for a picnic lunch, do some fishing or even spend the night camping if you can brave the midges! The beach is located on Loch Laggan in between Quad Bike Tours and Ardverikie Estate, you’ll be able to see the beach through the trees as your drive by with a designated parking spot to stop at.

Tip

Every encounter we had with Scottish locals they would always bring up “the midges”. They are similar to mosquitos but much smaller and will drive you crazy in the wild if you don’t have repellent on.

Apparently, the best form of repellent recommended by the locals is wearing Avon Skin So Soft. In truth we were fairly lucky considering the horror stories we heard about them, but we came prepared with repellant just in case, and you probably should too.

Road Trip – Scottish Highlands – Day 3

Glengarry Viewpoint

All along the road to Inverness you will find parking spots which are great to catch some epic views. As soon as you pass the sandy beach you will encounter three castle like buildings. Stop at Glengarry Viewpoint (about 1 hour after passing the hidden sandy beach) where you can stand on a rock and catch views of the entire landscape. Funny enough, one of the lochs is actually shaped like Scotland.

Invermoriston Waterfalls

Next, head to the tiny town of Invermoriston and leave your car at the local parking lot. Cross the street and follow the sounds of running water. This will take you to a waterfall for some great shots.

Searching for Nessie and Urquhart Castle

Head back to your car and make your way to Urquhart Castle which overlooks Loch ness for your chance to find Nessie. This is the site of an ancient ruined castle, one of the largest in Scotland which was built in the 13th and 16th centuries. Tickets to visit cost £9 per adult. Although we didn’t’t find the mythical sea monster we were able to catch the sun setting from the castle.

Inverness

This is the final destination for the road trip and is about a 30 minute drive from the Urquhart castle. For the best views of the city, head up to Inverness castle.

Exploring More in The Highlands

Your trip doesn’t need to end once you’ve reached Inverness. In the Highlands there are many things to see and do.

Dolphin Watching

Unfortunately, we didn’t’t get the chance to personally catch views of the dolphins ourselves but if you head to Chancery Point along the loch of Moray Firth you will have a good chance of seeing them there.

Glen Ord Distillery

You can’t visit Scotland without some Scotch tasting. Take a visit to Glen Ord Distillery which offers tours and tastings. We went on the most basic tour which cost £6 and includes a tasting of a 12 year old whiskey. Interesting enough, this distillery only sells their scotch in South East Asia and is not available anywhere else, including the UK.

Golf

Did you know that the modern game of golf was invented by the Scotts? There are a few courses around including Torvean Golf Club, Inverness Golf Club and Fairways Loch ness Golf Course.

Watching the Indigenous Scottish Game of Shinty

An ancient game said to predate Christianity, shinty is a team sport that Highlanders play and was previously used to help train boys for warfare. Catch a game with local Highland teams.

Continuing Your Road Trip

If you feel up for seeing more of Scotland, I recommend continuing your road trip through to the Isle of Skye. Skye is well known for its beautiful, unique landscape and best explored on a wild camping road trip.

Travel tip shared by Jenn amapforkandcork.com

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