#i need to really flesh out two of the main royal families in burn the stars so i was doing a bit of writing to try and figure out some | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

marshmallowprotection · 3 years

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Inspired by the song "Flower of The Plateau" by Mothy, this story thats part of Ever Changing Fate (my story) doesn't have much of a connection to the main plot of ECF but I made it to flesh it out more and because why not.

You might have to zoom in on the picture to be able to read it- sorry oof.

Cast:

Oliver's full name is "Oliver Bortè".

"Chrysana" is not actually Chrysana's real name. Her real name is "Zaria Bortè". Her current full name is " Chrysana Orlov".

Marilla's full name as you would guess is "Marilla Orlov".

The Tsardom of Rinael is inspired by Russia. In case you didn't already know since I've mentioned Parie before, Parie is literally just a play on "Paris" and is insird by France. I'm pretty sure I've said that before but just mentioning for anyone else who read this.

Thus:

Chrysana is basically a French woman except France is in the southeast area of the planet and she abandoned her son and left him for dead before fleeing to Russia except it's in the northwestern area of the planet. She traveled very far away for a reason: it's so far out it would be impossible (so she thought) for anyone to find out who she really was.

Harlots (aka prostitutes for any who didn't know) are heavily discriminated against in Ever Changing Fate due to being seen as sinful even though most of them are only harlots because they need money, such as Chrysana. Chrysana ended up pregnant after being "without her consent used in a vulgar way", which is code for "being RP'd". She was heavily scarred and saw her son as a burning reminder of her experience. She never loved him but upon his birth she thought she could get used to him. But she soon realized that having a son was not very profitable because she couldn't afford to feed both herself and him, and the men she brought in didn't like having a kid around. Babies were too much work in her eyes at the time, and so she abandoned him and chose to completely erase her old identity as the harlot Zaria Bortè, and took on a new identity. In the years after she married the head of House Orlov in Rinael after fleeing there as a stowaway on a ship and had a daughter. But she nevr anticipated her son searching for her...

And so she had to maintain her new identity...

And that mean that anyone who knew of her past must be-

Since you read the text in the above picture, you kno what happened...

"The poor Oliver was found dead"

For your information Marilla was completely oblivious to Oliver being her older brother and her mother not being who she pretended to be, along with Duke Orlov who was also oblivious to everything.

Chrysana faked her entire personality as "Chrysana Orlov" when in reality her true self as "Zaria Bortè" was a cynical, scarred woman who hated the world, and was nearly unapproachable. Due to this in order to survive Chrysana knew she had to forge a new personality for herself which was joyful, social, happy, etc, and thus is why she became known as the "Joy of Rinael" due to the fact Rinael was constantly a gloomy land of snow, so someone who was optimistic and happy was sort of just foreign to them.

Other facts:

Chrysana was an orphan. She had been homeless her entire life until she fled to Rinael. She had found and decided to live in an abandoned house that she had fixed up herself and lit up with candles a few years before Oliver was born, when she was 14.

Yes, Chrysana had been a harlot even before she was of age; she became one when she was 12. "It was all to survive" is what she told herself even though she hated everything, her life, the men, the world...

Chrysana was 19 when she had Oliver.

Oliver is aproximately 6 years older than Marilla.

Marilla actually really wanted a sibling and would have loved having Oliver as her older brother. She got a baby sister a year after Oliver's death and a baby brother another two years after that.

Chrysana and Marilla's appearance is somewhat inspired by Hatsune Miku, mostly Marilla with her pigtails and hair color.

The rose on the headband that Chrysana is wearing is a black rose.

Chrysana's birth name and fake name are both flower names; Chrysana comes from Chrysanthemum and Zaria either is a flower or means flower in some other language, I forget. Marilla is another name for the flower Amaryllis.

Orlov was a noble family in the Russian Empire way back.

Vasily is a common Russian name, I believe.

Duke Vasily Orlov had strawberry blonde hair and purple eyes. He was younger than Chrysana by two years and had loved her nearly ever since she had moved to Rinael. Considering he was was 19 when she moved to Rinael, his teenage hormones were still all over the place and genuinely his crush on her was a childish one at first.

Chrysana despises intercourse nowadays but does it anyway to keep up her farce and to satisfy Vasily.

Chrysana genuinely loves Vasily but the relationship can be strained because of her trauma, fake identity, and fake personality.

Chrysana murdered several other men who happened to be people she slept with years earlier if she saw them whether she was in Rinael or visiting somehwere else because she wants to annihilate all record of her past.

By the time she died Chrysana had murdered about half of the men she slept with in the past.

Chrysana lived in the 1200s T.C., 350~ years before the Second Great Theda Civil War and main plot of Ever Changing Fate.

Chrysana's descendants (specifically Marilla's line) eventually married into the royal family of Rinael and several of the members of the royal family ended up bearing her hair color and or eye color due to it being very dominant throughout her bloodline.

If anyone found out she had been a harlot many years later there would be a bit of a scandal about it in the royal family, how big it would be would depend on how far down the line her descendants are at whenever it was discovered. However, her being a harlot was never found out by anyone.

One of the greatest rulers of Rinael bore both Chrysana's hair and eye color. He lived in the 1400s.

Chrysana became a writer later in her life (Around her mid 40s) and wrote a story that was actually based on her past identity. She wrote it in order to get out everything that she had pent up inside of her. She lied to everyone whenever asked that the entire story was fictitious and was based on many stories with several elements pulled from other stories to make it. It was called "The Tragedy of The Harlot Catria". Catria was the name of Chrysana's mother who was also a harlot according to the records Chrysana managed to find about her. She of course claimed that the records she looked at of Catria were just for her story- in reality Chrysana just desperately wished to know anything about her that she could because she never met her since her mother died in childbirth.

Chrysana knew her mother's name because of a locket that she had held onto since she could remember which had the inscription "Love from mama, Catria, to her lovely daughter, Zaria".

Chrysana's mother was a victim of RP just like Chrysana.

Chrysana's eye color is from her mother, her hair is from her father.

Chrysana met her father once and promptly beat him up for everything he did to her mother and never carung about her. However, he didn't know she was his daughter and she didn't kill him because he was a nobleman of Parie and it would have ended badly for Rinael because it could have caused rumors about him being killed by a Rinaelian nobleman/woman or she could have gotten found out.

Rinael and Parie don't like each other very much. :/

I personally like that you've been building on the character designs because it's really starting to come together in a really beautiful kind of way. The way that you're able to draw hair and the way that the environment affects it is just really telling of the characters in a lot more ways than you realize. It stands out more than just color theory in general.

Posture is one thing but you can see a lot just from the way that someone Styles themselves and just by looking at these characters you can tell that they have this specific energy to them. It's not standoffish. But it's definitely something in the realm of uneasy and uncertain.

I just want to say that these guys have been going through so much and their universe that it is kind of tedious. Can everyone in this room just get along for 5 minutes to have a group hug or something?

#mod kait #ask #littleghostlyrose #not mm #oc

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kimyoonmiauthor · 3 years

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Story Ideas I posted on Soompi for K-dramas.

Posted November 14, 2020. I worked on these with some other Korean adoptees. Posting here to document it. Triple back up is not a bad idea when you do this type of thing. Elevator Pitch:

- Alt Joseon History Reverse Drama Harem set after the Imjin War, Women-centric (I suggested it last round, but I'm making it more attractive)

- Heart-warming adoptee tale set with Jaebeol family as the birth family.

Reverse Alt Joseon history Harem (I left historical research notes in for you to further research too).

After the Imjin War, Prince Gwanghae declared an "Honorable Women's list", which made the Queen Dowager upset with him and the crown prince (In real history he used the excuse of less arable land because of Japanese invasion to give land from widows to men, so they could get royal titles. In Nepal, in the mountains, less land has also meant that for some peoples there, the women marry a group of brothers who rotate time with the wife, guaranteeing land to her and them). So, she deposed him and installed the daughter of the Royal Consort Ui to the throne of Joseon. Joseon has been a Matriarchy ever since then with women ruling the throne and a harem to match. All of the key positions have been ruled by women. Men have to get permission to divorce, they cannot own land, and they are put on cycles per month rotation to favor their wife, who have all the power. Since then, the merit-based system has somewhat fallen apart with men severely devalued. Men are considered weaker than women in every aspect-- not as smart, frivolous, fixated on material possessions (like hair, clothes, make up, etc and landing a good woman with money), unable to learn anything other than etiquette on how to properly serve women, unable to do military affairs, unable to do magic (Based on harnessing spirits and Mugyo) [I suppose one could have a male-based magic system too that more subtle maybe based on Buddhism? since men imported Buddhism to Korea], can't do ancestor rituals but must provide the food, widows are expected to die (because who will take care of the men and provide for them if their breadwinner is gone?), and much physically weaker. They are devalued if they can't marry by the time they are 30 because they are viewed as much less virile. They are there to lead women astray from their husbands in the minds of society, and they are the ones punished for faults. If they rape or are accused of rape, they are met with death. They are considered peacocks for decoration and fill the brothels and red districts. They are allowed dance and to do street dramas, but this is considered a lesser art form compared to the lavish palace versions. Queen of Joseon, considered the most beautiful such that all the women want to imitate her... with her curly hair and freckles, is on the throne and has amassed a large portion of the men, leaving many of the Noble women unmarried. Her harem has grown huge with mostly pretty boys she's selected. She has lavish palace dances every day with pretty boys from her harem to entertain her. She also has them perform plays [Can reference previous dramas and do anachronistic references] for her more lavish than the next. The Prime Minister, has been supporting her habits to distract her from her duties while controlling the throne. The Prime Minister, while she has one husband and one concubine has been neglecting her husband and spending all her time with her concubine. There is a rebellion swelling against them... *** Extended version: In the midst of this, there are Portuguese traders that have come to shore with black men who are slaves, come to do trade (this really happened in Korean history). One of the slaves comes to the court to help refine the map of Africa (Gangnido was done in 1402 and Portuguese contact with Japan happened in 1543, so it's not that far fetched according to history). While helping the Minister of Arts, they fall in love with each other. She teaches him Korean, and he teaches her about his part of Africa. He comes from West Africa. (Hausa [Queen Amina died in 1610], maybe and maybe give him a Korean name later?) There, both men and women can be tribal leaders and share responsibilities. He comes to teach her that both men and women can be equal. The court grants him his freedom for his services, and he stays and marries this woman, despite objections, who, then becomes a part of the resistance against the Queen.

The Heads of the resistance is none other than the Prime Minister's concubine, not the Prime Minister's husband, who has been loyal this entire time. (Delaying this discovery is a good idea) Tired of having to service the Prime Minister every night, and entertain her, he has been leading a double life. He wants men in control again. The other conspirator is the Queen's top consort, who looks like a bumbling fool with his love of jokes (especially dry humor), stupid puns, food (though not fat, just fancy food), and has tried to look as useless and tolerant of the system as possible. But he loves his Queen deeply, which is why he wants to end the system and ask for equality. They have been meeting and arguing at an eating establishment since Royals aren't let into Red Districts, where a widowed lovable Halmeoni (You can get her to sell Subway sandwiches to camera, etc for laughs. Subway and Quiznos have a sense of humor... so why not ask if they are willing? Since it's alt history--make winks to the audience that you know it's not accurate.) has been slowly learning all of the court secrets... which is how the Queen learns of their dirty plots. The person who wanted this scenario fleshed out also wants the Queen to be... "Queen can’t be too flaky- forgetful to a fault, yea. Clumsy . Cold, a bit snarky, always on edge and with quite an appetite. Forgiving of the wrong folks. Always looking for good in them but not trusting. Independent and she has to drive a black carriage!"

How this concludes, with equality, crushing the rebellion, or with men, again, taking power and thus making everyone question what was better is up to you, if you choose this idea. Five Act or 기승전결 is up to you. (Or mix them).

Suggested issues to include (and why you might want to write this) and errata:

Can challenge current Korean issues of spousal abuse, feminism, gender issues (Such as nonbinary people), trans (Such as transmen), Make Mugyo a state religion since it was supported a lot by women during Joseon (also supported LGBTQIA, past and present. Baksu~~) And also challenge our understanding of history by adding in people like Lady Jang Gye Hyang (1598-1680), who would be against the current government and for rule by men, mention mention Heo Nanseorheon (Pre-Imjin war... she needs a drama done about her because she's always overshadowed by her brothers and made into a brat, rather than a full character and an intelligent woman, which she was). ImYunjidang (1721-1793) and Kang Chonggildang (1772-1832) for example... also aren't often mentioned figures. There were historical figures in real life that were for and against the new Joseon order of Neo Confucianism, though many of the women that spoke out had their papers burned by the patriarchy. Inserting those figures historically sageuk have been resistant to insert because it goes against the ideas of Joseon being an idealistic patriarchy might add spice to the drama. One can also challenge the idea that "traditional" values are male dominated by pointing out that widows in Joseon pre-Imjin war could own land and pass it to their daughters unchallenged, that LGBTQIA was more widely accepted, and that there were great Queens before that like Seondeok by upholding them as the rule, rather than the exception as reasons why the Matriarchy is "superior" to the previous Patriarchy.

One of the women who helped with this premise likes Lee Min Ho a lot.... lol She'd probably request that the Prime Minister's Concubine be Lee Min Ho. (He hasn't done a Joseon historical drama in a while and I think he could play both sides well--warm and sweet and then cold and callous...).

Probably needs a woman to write this one versed in feminism and history or a woman and man team. I hope it passes the Bechdel test (Two women talk about something other than men, preferably more than one time), the Mako Mori Test (Women have a motivation other than romance or the man and doesn't degrade over time). and the Sexy Lamp test (The women have agency to make decisions, face consequences and rescue themselves)... there is no fridging--i.e. killing characters without knowing them solely to motivate the main characters to do something, and makes us think deeper about gender issues, feminism, etc. I suppose if the writer hits really hard on social issues, it would be probably JTBC material (who haven't done a Historical drama in a while). Tonally, I was hoping for a mixture of laughs and thinking about the issues more deeply, and some tight action to keep us guessing. If you want to argue marketability: I saw Romance of the Tiger and Rose (China) and Ooku by Fumi Yoshinaga. And a friend of mine (also Korean) wanted a drama with her and her (drama) harem of guys, so... we want a Korean commentary on feminism done this way, but with sharper feminism and more imagination attached. Covering modern feminist issues is fine since it's fantasy. Be transgressive.

BTW, for sponsorship: (since the costumes might cost extra, etc) easy... cosmetics advertised by men, done anachronistically to camera, on purpose. Other plugs can be done this way too... which would sell the product, but also make people question gender roles at the same time. Or you can also do plugs this way and suddenly gender them, making people question how this item is "male" or "female". Like a brush, or a wall, drink, sandwich (lol Quiznos and Subway), etc. can be called "Masculine" or "feminine" and be sold to camera, if the sponsors cooperate. (Sold by Pretty Boy actors to the audience... there's a good chance.) This should get you to at most episode 6, if it's paced well and you plotted the rest of the angles. If it's action-filled with lots of twists then the basic scenario will get you through to episode 4. The twists can come later.

And the other one was invented between me and another Korean adoptee...

Elevator Pitch: Heart-warming adoptee tale set with Jaebeol family as the birth family.

Twenty-five years ago, there were identical twins born to the same mother, but because her petition to get a paternity test failed from a Jaebeol family, she was forced by her lover's family to give them up for adoption, despite her best efforts to get into the single mother's homes (the adoption agency ones are pretty terrible because they try to wear down the women into giving up their children and seats are very few at the government ones). A woman had been stalking her while pregnant in order to give up her children for a kickback from the adoption agencies and from the family itself (There were KBS and MBC reports about it in the early 2000's), so with major heartbreak, she decided to give them up. However, her lover never knew this was a case.

The children were split up. One went to the United States, was adopted to a white family, and the other was adopted to Korean family, but never told they were adopted.

In the current time, the US adoptee, has been working for a year and a half to get her dual citizenship. She has a degree in Business accounting and is a very warm person. Despite her talents, she is teaching English in Suwon. She has an allergy to allium (Garlic, onions, etc), which makes it hard on her to eat Korean food. Every time she eats it, she gets gas and a tummy ache. She is constantly mocked by the ajumma in restaurants over it. She does not speak very fluent Korean and only knows Kindergarten Korean. She also often has delusions from Korean dramas as being real. Intelligent, smart, but has a hard time proving it to the Koreans around her because of her lack of language skills. People keep commenting on how she's single, but she finds it hard to date anyone once they find out she is adopted, so thinks she has no roots. Her records were sealed by the military. (US Military adoption is like that) So she takes a trip to Daegu's police station to get a DNA test. Meanwhile...

Meanwhile her twin has grown up in a steady Korean family, but there are things that never quite matched about her story and the family she's lived with. Their profession aspirations are totally different from hers, everyone else has a baby picture, but she doesn't. That feeling of "Jeong" sometimes feels like it's missing. The neighbors talk behind their hands when she passes them. This is when she accidentally discovers the truth talking to a neighborhood recycling Halmeoni. Unlike her twin, she has no allergy to allium and loves it. She mainly works at PC Bang and menial jobs and never really aspired to much because she's always felt like she didn't really truly belong.

*** Extended Pitch At the same time, their father has become the head of the company and a major CEO of a conglomerate. He is unaware of the twins' existence... so there are lots of passing shots between the family members as we get to know them. The company politics have become tricky because the father's seat was never really guaranteed. He still thinks about his lover from time to time, but his seat has become more and more unsure as he's opted adamantly out of marriage. The twin's mother is working at a small time job, and is forced to keep silent about the time she's tried very hard to forget. People shame her if they find out she had children.

When the twins finally get to remeet because of DNA, this shakes up their father's position and his company. The family secrets come out and the mystery of who sent the mysterious woman to stalk their mother starts to unfold, not only the secrets of the company, but of their father and mother's relationship, and of the family relations. But in the middle of this is that feeling of "Jeong" or instant belonging. (I don't think the love of the adoptive family should be diminished or it should be written like if you have more family, you have less love... but that there are things that connect people in different ways and the drama explores those ways of connection and disconnection.)

Issues that can be covered: Single Motherhood, Paternity testing (There was a recent Korean case on this and also another case about 10 years ago, where an adoptee found out they (male) were the son of a Jaebeol person, but the family refused any contact, etc--should be in Korean as well.), Economic differences, what Pres. Kim Dae Jeong called Adoption as the "brain drain" of South Korea (He said it on film, too, just before the reforms <3 Still my favorite president), Prejudices against foreigners, adoptees, and addressing the fact that finding family is difficult because of the shame around adoption and it's not instant. A person can start at 13, and still go through a ton of work and hoops to try to get any info. (The Korean agencies can also be mean/overworked with one person working all of the cases, like for HOLT and ESWS it's this way.) Also can address problems like how cousins can want to find each other, but get blocked because of adoption (You can't marry up to Second Cousins, but if you're adopted, you can't find your extended family members, even if you had connection to them in the past and they know you exist and they aren't allowed to search for you either because the agencies and law block them). Agencies lying that children are either dead, or that they never got communication, when they have. There is a story I know where a mother inquired every year about her child and wrote letters and then the agencies told her they got nothing, and then the matching adoptee wrote every year too, hoping to find their mother and equally got nothing. The agency lied to both of them. Also the old proxy system before it got outlawed where women would stalk pregnant single women to get records. (It's updated to the lawyer proxy system where lawyers stalk single women).

Warmth, not makjang, emphasis on Jeong and nunchi... and Warm and Fuzzy in the end at least... with spurts of humor interspersed would be nice.

Personally, I think if MBC or KBS is willing to help with the footage from the Proxy system report in the early 2000's where women were stalked by other women, those are the networks to pitch it to. It's up their ally. If not... cable. (I love SBS, too, no lies, but they didn't do a report back in the day.) Oh and make it 16 episodes-ish. Not family drama. We don't watch family dramas for length reasons...

#k-drama #ideas

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amnachil · 5 years

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To The Perfection Chapter 1 Part 4

Hope you’ll like it :)

Thomas Monday January 14

"I mean, her booty man ! There isn't more to say."

Thomas glanced at Joël, irritated. Well, he didn't show his annoyance of course. They were supposed to work out, but the man was coveting girls.

"Lara's boobs are attracting too." he continued. "But she's a bit too chubby for my taste. That's a loss."

The main concerned party smiled again. You piss me off. For real. He knew Joël and Cody since kindergarden. Unlike Raphaël, from whom the royal court had always been growing until highschool, Thomas preferred to keep only a few people around him. I don't need more crawler. But as they grew older, Joël started to be a little too confident. After all, he was tall, ripped and popular. His cocky demeanor was starting to get the best of him.

"I admit, Lara's a bit on the chubby side." Thomas eventually replied. "But isn't it a win-win, since she has bigger boobs ?"

Joël frowned.

"Fair enough." he admitted. "So... What about your preference ?"

"I would rather not talk about it." laughed the ginger. "I have no time for this."

He noticed Cody and Ilhan coming closer. Their work out session was over... What a waste of time. Jeez he's so easily distracted with his working hormones nowadays.

"Hey guys." greeted Cody. "How was training ?"

"Fine."

His friend stared a him. He was way more discreet than their big mouth friend. Standing at 1m80 (5'11"), he weighted a skinny 67 kg (148 pounds). He was lanky, with dark hair and eyes. Recently, he's always looking at me weirdly. Like if I was lying all the time. Thomas wasn't a liar. He only get used to his interlocutors.

"Dude to be honest we didn't do much." accepted Joël. "I'm craving soooo much for sex, it drives me crazy."

Well, at least this one was honest.

Soccer pratice started well. But after a moment, the coach decided to make them watch a game to learn some skills. A game of Raphaël, obviously. While they all admired and complimented his older brother, Thomas felt a huge rancor growing in his stomach. He already stole the person I love. Now, he will take my friends too ? Why is this world so unfair ? Analyzing his behavior, the teenager realised it was not about these useless people he called friends. It's all about Dan. Since friday's evening, it was getting harder (was it even possible) to not cross the limits. His brother's boyfriend wasn't only a kinky fantasy... He said he likes me. Why did he said that ? Of course, Dan intented to do good. But for Thomas, it was a real ordeal to resist at his drive. I want to touch him. To rub his overstuffed belly. I want to cuddle with him. To have sex with him. He wanted to be Raphaël. Consequently, he needed to keep his mind off it. Am I exactly like Joël ?

Once they finished this completely useless practice, Thomas decided to make a quick visit. He wanted to talk with someone, but he needed someone who won't repeat everything to Raphaël. He finally arrived at the sheriff's station. He entered, and went directly to the front desk.

"Hi Gregory." he smiled.

His massive friend turned towards him. His munched two donuts at once quickly.

"Thomas. What brings you here ?"

The ginger teenager's smile grew larger. Gregory was a year older than him. He was a former classmate of Raphaël who got himself right in the middle of the game this latter was teaching to Shirley Vince (Dan's sister). Point was, Thomas had fattened him during months, and he had become a true behemoth at the end of his 11th grade. During summer, his parents had sent him in a summer camp, with mixed result. Since then, Gregory had developt the physic of a wrestler. Well, a fat wrestler. He was very muscled : his arms showed strongs biceps, his pecs were brought out. But his too-tight top also revealed a huge beer gut. Gregory was 1m80 (5'11"), but he weighted around 115 kg (255 pounds approx).

"I need your help regarding Joël Davos, the son of the sheriff."

His friend nodded. Once he had graduated from highschool, he had been recruited as a trainee here. He knew he wouldn't have much career opportunities, but the police department always needed new arms anyway.

"So... He has this crush on someone, but he's always complaining he can't talk to her. Which is true, because she's already in a relationship. It's turning him crazy, and he's annoying me for counseling. But you know more than me in that department. What should I tell him ?"

No way Thomas would reveal his crush for Dan. This way, it should work.

"The sheriff's son has a crush ? That's so cute, he has a big mouth but no balls eh ? Look, if he absolutely can't reveal his love, I think he should just let it go. Find a way to get his mind off that ? Like... sleeping with another person ?"

The teenager nodded, unconvinced. I guess coming here was a bad idea after all.

When he arrived at home, Thomas came upon something he wasn't ready for. It was only early January, and they since two days, they were facing cold temperatures. And Dan seemingly didn't like cold temperature. So he had put the heating system on hot. Very hot. He was shirtless in the living room, savouring some melting ice. Not the first, judging by all the wrappers in the bean. Thomas's eyes widened. He froze with amazment. His junior friend was so handsome. He was a strapping lad, well built all over the body. But he had a little softness which made the ginger shiver. It wasn't much but some thickness around the edge. Well, except for his belly. Since three week ago, it had grew bigger. Dan soft flesh was bulging slightly, forming a tiny curve from his lower stomach to his pecs. Most people wouldn't even notice it. But Thomas wasn't most people. Sure, Dan had already been way fatter. But it was something so sexy, so appealing...

"The weather is so cold today." mumbled the junior. "And we are burning inside because the heating system is broken. It's like a heatwave in the middle of winter. Can you cook something refreshing ?"

The temperature isn't the only thing hot around here. No way Thomas could say this. For real, he really needed a distraction, because it was very hard to resist to the temptation in these conditions. But the prospect of seeing Dan pig out shirtless was obssessing the young teenager. I'll just need to hide my hard-on, and it'll be fine.

"Sure thing." he finally responded once he had collected his thought. "I'll prepare all that."

Dan Tuesday January 15

Another really cold day. Dan couldn't bear the cold. He was heading to his parent's home for lunch, after an interesting but difficult morning at the uni. He wasn't stupid, but he wouldn't qualify himself as bright either. Maybe it was a consequence to hang out with two genius most of the time ? But anyway, the cold was killing him. He was almost home when he noticed a moving van in their neighbor's driveway. Someone is moving in ?

"I must be dreamin' awake !" shouted a cheerful voice. "Dan Vince, buddy is that you in the flesh ?"

The junior turned towards the person who hailed him. It was an handsome guy with disheveled chesnut hair. He looked rather lanky, dressed with baggy pants and a flowerly jacket. His features were delicate, and he had beautiful blue eyes. Wait a second. He does look familiar.

"You're Dan, right ?" asked the lad. "I mean, it would be really awkward for me if you weren't."

"Darren ? Darren from the double D ?"

The guy nodded, enthusiastic. Oh wow. It had been so long ! Darren was his bestfriend through primary and middle school. He had moved in another state of the country after their 9th grade.

"Oh man ! My first day back in town, and I ran into you ! That must be fate !"

"Yeah, probably. Damn, it's good to see you." replied Dan, still a bit surprised.

"Do you have time ? We really need to catch up !"

"Sure. I'm gonna have lunch with my parents but I can come after if you want."

I thought I would never see you again. To be honest, it had been a long time. Maybe they had complete different interest now. But Dan was very happy to see his long gone buddy. And so they suited a meeting.

After an hearty meal, Dan came back to his neighbor's home. Darren welcomed him in the living room, apparently excited.

"I didn't eat yet." he revealed. "It would be rude to not offer you something and to eat alone, so please yourself."

The junior nodded, not really focused on the food anyway. He grabbed a plate of lasagna and a beer, and then asked his friend :

"So D one, you are coming back ?"

The chestnut lad smiled as the mention of his nickname. Back in times, they had been nicknamed the Double D. Everyone had been saying they were inseparable.

"Well, I just finished a two-year private school in Japan and now, I'm looking for a job around. I thought it would be nice to move in here, since my parents have abandonned this house for their penthouse in New York."

Rich people and their multiples homes... Well, the inhabitant of the town were wealthy for the great majority. Dan wasn't a person you would be sorry for, regarding his parent's condition.

"Japan eh... Sounds like you travelled a lot." he observed. "You look fine by the way."

"I managed to keep in shape yeah." replied Darren. "But not as much as you. I mean look at you dude ! You were all skin and bones when we were kids."

"Yeah, I guess I changed since then." chuckled Dan.

They talked for hours. It appeared their had still strong common interests. Darren was as Dan imagined : comical, acting with poise and confidence. But he was still clumsy and straight. He related his trip in Japan, but also his highschool's years. He talked about his family, the friends he made along the way and other stuff he had enjoyed. Nonetheless, he asked a lot too. Dan explained his own highschool's year have been rather annoying. He mentionned his try at soccer, but he had sucked at it. Finally, maybe because they had consummated a lot of beer, Dan confessed he was gay. Not that he wanted absolutely to hide it but when he had done his coming out, most of his friends had abandonned him. He had been bullied, and misunderstood even by his own family. Even now, his parents were acting differently with him, like if he was in porcelain. Without Raphaël, he would have lost himself in depression.

"I have a boyfriend." he heard himself said in the middle of the conversation. "I did my coming out two years ago."

When he finished his sentence, he expected a comment. Anything. But not this reaction.

"You're in a relationship ?" exclaimed Darren. "That's so cool dude ! I don't know why, but I'm proud of you. I'm not that lucky with hearts stories at the moment."

"Well, thank you ? And I'm sure you'll find someone." assured Dan.

Now I realise how much I missed him. Darren was so understanding. He wasn't judging at all. In fact, his friend was already narrating his love stories, absolutely not troubled by Dan's sexual preference.

Dan left at dusk. He had skipped a lesson, but didn't feel guilty. It was a wonderful afternoon. They had agreed to meet again on friday's evening. Raphaël's coming back Saturday, so my weekend was booked. When he arrived home, the junior smelled a perfumed scent of pie. He was kinda bloated from all the fizzy beer, but he knew he wouldn't resist. It was to please Thomas anyway, right ?

To be continued

So little explanation : Gregory was one of the main character in The High School Game. He was a teen who craved attention, and thought he had to be at the top to do so. He ended up fattened by Thomas, Shirley and co and realised it wasn’t that bad to be spoiled and nicely fat.

Thomas isn’t kind with his friends, but only in his thoughts. Otherwise, he always keep his facade.

#to the perfection #TP #Thomas #Dan #weight gain #stuffing #meeting an old friend #Who is Darren ?#chapter 1 #part 4

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leidenism · 5 years

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Who Are You, Really? { A Drabble Concerning Chara’s Identity }

There were many things that time erased from mankind’s memory. The existence of monsters was one of them. The once strong kingdom at the foot of Mount Ebott became legend and its denizens mere myth.

Another thing that humanity forgot was the existence of magic. Of course brief flashes of the truth emerged after the ancient war; remembrance and subsequent paranoia occasionally rocked the surface world through witch trials. But magic belonged to monsterkind, and mages could only exercise a fraction of their abilities without them.

Nearly two millennia passed and the barrier that seven mages erected was shattered by the DETERMINATION of two humans and the collective hope of all monsters.

The moment monsters emerged from the Black Forest, magic came with them, and the mages of old were reborn.

***

Chara hated the surface and all the memories it dragged to the forefront of their mind. Walking through their old village was akin to experiencing a waking nightmare. A hundred years had passed since they had jumped fallen into the bowels of the mountain. Although some decaying buildings were vacant-eyed and parking lots and retail stores squatted where wild flowers once grew, some things remained the same.

There was the patch of dirt outside the school where they were punched so hard that they lost a tooth. There was the alleyway they often took to avoid stares from those who travelled along the main road in front of the grocery store. There was the slumped police station where they once dared to run for sanctuary, only for their sire to reclaim them with fake smiles and honeyed words. There was the village cemetery, where no one had bothered to erect a headstone for them.

There was their old house, the interior covered in dust and spiderwebs. The village children, descendants of those who chased after Chara with stabbing words, whispered that it was haunted. In a way, Chara supposed it was. Every time Toriel drove by it, they flinched because they thought they saw a familiar silhouette leaning against the porch, beer bottle in hand.

One night, when Chara couldn’t bear to lay still due to the nightmares lurking in the corners of their eyes, they slunk down the hallway, out the door, and down the road. They were bare foot, but they didn’t mind the occasional sting of a stray burr or sharp rock. When they were alive, they walked many paths like this in the dark, a large Rottweiler padding alongside them.

They squeezed through a gap in the wooden fence and stood face-to-face with the haunted house. They stared at it for what felt like hours, taking in the holes, broken window-panes, and graffiti. Their throat constricted and their vision swam; they thought they were going to cry at the unfairness of it all, of the fact that this monument of their childhood suffering was still allowed to stand, but instead a hot, suffocating anger erupted inside their chest.

With a sharp hiss, they bent down and gathered stones in their hands. Their throws were calculated at first. They managed to break several more windows, some of them on the second-floor. But as their anger grew, the rocks missed their marks. Some never even touched the house.

Their soul ached and beads of crimson DETERMINATION dotted their forehead, but they pushed themself onward. They withdrew their knife from their pocket and began carving away pieces of wood from the porch. The fire inside their chest grew larger and larger until Chara feared that they would be consumed by it.

Teufels Tochter! Teufels Tochter!

“Halt die Klappe!” they screamed.

Their next actions occurred too quickly for them to process. They grasped the knife and brought it down once more, only this time they brought the fire in their chest with it. The porch burst into flame.

Chara’s eyes widened. They backed away, panting and clutching their chest.

Their childhood house burned to the ground, but the fear remained.

***

On Saturday mornings, they took to secluding themself in the Librarby. They would huddle in a corner with little to no foot traffic and peruse tomes of monster history, their gaze manic. What they eventually found made them shudder with revulsion.

Mages traditionally manifest magical abilities during their early teenage years. However, development of their skills may be delayed if their souls are damaged or if they have experienced emotional trauma. A mage’s magic, like a monster’s, is based in the soul. If the soul is healthy, their magic will be easy to control. If their soul is unhealthy, their magic may only manifest itself in chaotic bursts, and only when their suppressed emotions force it to the surface.

A mage. They wanted to think that this was merely a side-effect of absorbing monster energy in order to manifest this solid form, but if a mage’s magic was based in the soul, and their soul was still human...

They took in a shaky breath, white-knuckled hands clutching Asriel’s locket. They were a mage, one of the demons that locked their family away.

They pushed the book away and righted themself. Then they ran, wishing that they could be fast enough to outpace the implications of this discovery.

***

They didn’t mean to worry their family. If their fears hadn’t been so crippling, they would have admitted what was causing their perpetual upset, at least to their father. He knew what it was like to struggle with internal turmoil, to experience judgment, to live with regrets. But Chara’s mouth remained sealed. Instead, they painted on a smile and pretended as if nothing ever happened. They baked with their mother, gardened with their father, attended school with Frisk and Asriel.

If they pretended hard enough that things were well, perhaps one day they would be.

A fool’s wish, they thought as they stood in between their siblings and a group of protestors. Someone had thrown a firecracker, and their response had been instinctual. They heard gasps of shock all around them as they tried to focus on the wall of thorned vines inches from their outstretched hands.

“Chara,” Asriel murmured, “I... I didn’t know you could do that.” His voice was tentative, almost fearful, and Chara wished the day would end.

***

“Chara Dreemurr, there is nothing wrong with you! Admittedly, this has been a bit... unexpected, but the ability to use magic is a gift. With a few lessons, I’m sure--”

“How can you stand here and pretend that this is okay? I’m one of those beasts that locked you all away. What if I lose control and hurt you, Mom?”

“My child, you would never--” Toriel knelt down and ran a paw through Chara’s hair. They recoiled, shame and fear turning their features ashen.

“Don’t touch me!”

A thin line of flame caused the queen to stumble backward. She and her child stared at each other, wide-eyed, before Chara swallowed a sob. They ran and slept in the forest that night.

When they returned the next morning, they didn’t know which was worse: the way their mother smiled down at them like nothing ever happened or the way Asriel and Frisk seemed to be taking extra steps to make them feel better.

***

When Chara turned eighteen, there had been enough cases of children with budding magical abilities that the old orders were resurrected. A few chose to remain neutral or find employment in the monster districts of Ebott, but the majority joined the anti-monster protest movement. A few extremists, who were fortunately jailed, vowed to begin another war.

It was a side of themself that Chara had been attempting to quell. They knew how to fight, and they were an artist with a blade. That was enough for them. It wasn’t until there was a magical attack on the embassy that they became convinced of the futility of ignoring it.

They stalked down the alleyway, heels clacking eerily on the cobblestone. The cornered mage outstretched a hand and released an attack, but Chara side-stepped it as if it were naught more than a bucket of water. Their fingers gestured upward, and the would-be terrorist was wrapped in thick, thorned vines that constricted like a boa.

Although her eyes were narrow and defiant, the mage’s pale demeanor was telling. Chara’s placid smile grew. Even the mages feared the eldest Dreemurr.

“You’re on the wrong side, you know.”

“How did you come to that conclusion?” Chara inquired, deciding to humor her.

“You think the old orders died after the war? They were merely dormant. My elders did some digging.” Chara chuckled and she continued, “We know all about you, Bernadette.”

If Chara had a heart, it would have stopped. Their red eyes glowered in the dim light, and their smile fell. “That’s not my name.”

The mage went on, vindicated that they had rattled the stoic royal advisor. “It didn’t come from your father, of course. He was a nobody. But your mother... She was a Königsfeld. A noble family full of mages.”

“You should stop talking,” they murmured, but the mage refused.

“They were so distinguished that one of their own gave her life to erect the barrier. Now, isn’t that something?” Chara’s fists clenched. “There’s no reason to hide who you are anymore. Join us. We won’t keep you at arm’s distance. We won’t fear you. You can have a real family. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”

A growl welled in Chara’s throat. The vines constricted in response, burrowing into the mage’s flesh. It would be easy, they thought. A flick of their finger, and this demon would never have the power to harm their people again. They had killed before. They could kill again with nary a qualm.

Footsteps echoed behind them. They turned to meet Frisk and Asriel’s eyes and then gazed back at their captive. They stayed their hand.

“Ich bin nicht die Tochter des Teufels,” they spat.

They were not a demon. Their name was not Bernadette. They were Chara Dreemurr, a prince of the underground. They might have been a mage.

But they knew which side needed them most.

They didn’t realize that they had been crying until they observed the crimson residue on their brother’s fur.

***

They gulped thickly, blinking as they glanced at the large crowd that had gathered-- monsters and humans. Their lips parted, and they panicked when no sound came out. Their vision grew black around the edges. Their chest heaved. They couldn’t do this. They couldn’t.

A paw on their shoulder grounded them. They turned to meet their brother’s warm gaze. The corners of their lips briefly twitched, the only portion of a smile they had strength to give. They gazed to their left and saw Frisk, who nodded at them. They nodded back.

Their lips parted, and this time they spoke.

“Monsterkind has long experienced conflict with hostile mage groups. Despite our best attempts to broker peace, there have been and continue to be attacks and instances of discrimination against us, but I am here to assure you that every act of violence will be met with a justice that is tempered with mercy. We refuse to live up to the lies propagated by those who hate us without due cause. We only want to live amongst you in peace.”

Their fists clenched and unclenched. They could do this. They could do this.

“I am proof that we can exist together. My ancestors helped trap monsters underground. They were cruel, and their cruelty spread down my lineage... but that cruelty ends with me. I’ve been adopted into the Dreemurr family and I will help my brother reign when the time comes, but I was also raised a human. Learn from me. If I can love and accept monsters, so can you.

Now, with approval from the king and queen, and our human ambassador, I am here to announce the opening of a school where mages can be trained by monsters to heal the world rather than destroy it.”

Their voice softened. “Hatred is often born of fear, and our goal will be to teach this new generation that there is no reason to be afraid.”

#{ Behind Crimson Eyes ;; Headcanon }#I was in a writing mood and wanted to jot down some world-building things #abuse tw #my Chara needs hugs and acceptance

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your-highnessmarvel · 6 years

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California ~ part six

Summary: She had always wanted a future of power and fulfillment. She’d always imagined she would be a woman of conviction, a woman to choose how her life would lay ahead of her. Yet sometimes, things are arranged for you, and there is nothing to be done but to go gentle into the night.

A/N: So after months of hiatus, I AM BACK BITCHES. Feel free to comment, as always. I am so happy with this chapter. A little more mild than what we are used to, but at the end, I think ya’ll won’t be able to wait for part seven. PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK. It helps me to write future chapters when people comment their thoughts.

Parings: Loki x OC, mentions of Thor x Sif

Word count: 3253

Warnings: mentions of smut

Banner made by me. Pictures are not mine.

TAG LIST IS OPEN

CALIFORNIA MASTERLIST

It was like opening the gates to Hell. The fire was delicious and warm, consuming and inviting, yet the burns were torrid and atrocious. From afar, the orange licks of the fire were like the magnet to her metal, enticing and welcoming. As soon as she got closer, really delved into the heat, her skin would bubble with searing sufferance. He was temptation and she, the adulteress.

She knew it was wrong to keep going back; to insist on relishing in the wonders of him. Yet it was like he’d opened a door within her that, no matter how hard she tried, refused to shut. She was enticed by him, comforted even by the way his slender, frigid fingers made contact with her skin. She was enamored by the contrasting pain and pleasure coursing through her body when she was with him. The pain of knowing full well he was using her, bending her to his own will. The pain of knowing he did not consider her, only being with her to prove she was easily tricked and manipulated. To prove his point; the one he had made when they first kissed.

I will do what I want, how I want, with who I want.

But no matter how wrong, how unjust and horrifying she felt after satisfying herself with him, she kept going back.

The girl had values, however, which she was very careful to let Loki know. She refused to have complete intercourse with him. It was just one thing that she utterly and irrevocably refused to do; to give herself up to him entirely. She let him touch her, though, to feel and lick and kiss every inch of her burning flesh. He let her touch him also, letting her delve in places she’d never thought she’d ever go and love. She wanted to make him unravel as much as he could make her jump over that precipice. He brought her to the edge of a mountain she’d never mounted before, shoving her over into the darkness; the pure and utterly satisfying darkness. Even though she claimed to hate how bitterly tainted Loki’s soul was, she desired and lusted for the darkness of his release.

After the first time she’d been given a taste of how radically delicious he was, there was no stopping her from going back. People at court talked about them; about the soon-to-be newly weds spending quality time together. Cali wouldn’t call it quality time. Whenever she was with the prince, he’d aggressively tear her clothes off and shove her onto his bed, careful to avoid any contact or word that led to evidence of passion. He didn’t love her. He didn’t even care about her that much. All he wanted was to prove to her that no matter how much she fought to keep herself intact, his fingers would always be prying at her sanity.

The last remainders of the carefully poised girl she used to be vanished on the night of their wedding.

***

The lace of her gown dug uncomfortably into her soft flesh, the intricate designs seeming like smoke curling along her skin. She trembled as her handmaidens tightened the corset, pulling atrociously hard until the breath was knocked out of the brunette.

“Does it have to be on so tight?” she questioned under her breath. Her hair was curled loosely and pulled into a lazy bun that sat at the nape of her neck. Two stray strands of hair framed her face, and every time she moved, they scratched her cheeks.

“Mistress said that you must look as if you can’t even breathe,” answered the one who was gripping the ends of the ropes and tugging. “It will also make you stand up straighter.”

Cali rolled her eyes.

The wedding morning had started with coffee in bed while a charade of women came to pamper the young woman. Toes, nails, hair, and skin were oiled and combed to perfection. After the handful of helpers had successfully turned her into a glossy statue, Cali’s mother came to present the dress.

If Cali had been marrying any other man than Loki, she’d have gushed over the gorgeous gown. Pastel blues with gold and shimmering white. The dress was a lovely summer piece, showing off skin at her shoulders and waist line, with a corset cut in the exact shape of the gown.

“Isn’t it wonderful, Cali?” she’d asked, beaming as if showing off pure gold to the girl.

“It’ll do,” Cali had mumbled.

Hours later, after hair and makeup, she was bent over, gripping the railing of the bed while her handmaiden was squeezing her into the corset of her wedding gown.

“Will you be reading the vows that the queen has given you?” the handmaiden asked. Cali shrugged nonchalantly.

“I’ve tweaked them,” she muttered, wincing when the servant tugged especially hard. “I don’t want to sound like I’m totally in love with him.”

“You aren’t?” the girl asked innocently. The bride to be rolled her eyes. Ever since she and Loki had been seen whisking away at dinners or secretly closing doors, everyone had assumed that she’d come around, that she’d finally fallen for his charms. The people at court whispered with smirks on their lips as they passed or even the royal family sarcastically joked about Cali and the prince’s secret getaways. But none of them knew the exact nature, the savage and emotionless nature, of their contact.

But Cali needed to keep up appearances. “Yes, I do,” she answered, staring blindly in front of her.

Hours later, when she was dressed in that wonderful gown that made her skin glow and her curves look delicious, she sat beside her father in the royal convoy. Four chariots, each carrying an important member of Cali’s entourage. First, her Godparents, who were a couple that were extremely good friends of her father. In the second golden chariot rode her handmaidens, the ones who were royally invited to make sure there were no hiccups in her appearance. In third place came the family’s guard, four brave women dressed in metallic blue. Finally, came the chariot in which rode Cali and her parents.

“Don’t forget to constantly smile,” her mother reminded the soon-to-be princess. “As soon as this door opens, you must smile.”

“Yes mother,” answered the girl.

“And wave,” inserted Ragnar with a side glance at his daughter. “These are going to be your people soon. They must see you at your most beautiful and powerful today.”

The more they traveled through the city, prancing and showing off the four chariots and their garrison, the more the girl’s stomach felt like it would burst out of her abdomen. She could hear, in the distance, the faint chanting of a crowd, probably amassed before the castle’s main gate. They were waiting for her.

�� When they wheeled into the main entrance of the castle, Cali could see thousands of people swarming before the main gates. Her heart tasseled in her chest, thinking about the man waiting for her at the altar. Her mind was fading out the roar of the crowd, concentrating on the darkness that was awaiting her. Soon, she would be forever bonded to it. In a matter of minutes, she’d be walking down the aisle, facing the one thing she refused to let into her life.

The four chariots stopped before the golden gates as they opened slowly. Ahead, the girl saw the entrance to the castle was guarded by the king’s guard. Mouth dry, the girl gathered her skirts and held onto the door with a mighty force. Her knuckles were turning white by the time her chariot pulled in front of the golden steps.

“Wait for the garrison to exit their chariots, Miss,” the guard said, the one who came to stand beside her little window. This would be the last time someone would address her as Miss. Next time, they would give her the royal title she was entitled to. Next time, she would be a princess.

Her garrison exited to the cheers and roaring of the crowd amassed behind the gate. Her godparents waved and smiled fondly, her handmaidens crowded around her chariot, and finally, her guards stood at the edge of the steps.

It was her turn to exit.

Into the bright sun, with her breath heaving out of her mouth, the girl stepped gingerly out of her chariot. The crowd went ballistic. Her heart beat ferociously. The steps seemed to glow even brighter than in her memory. Someone grabbed her arm, urging her forward, but her mind was in a haze.

Her name was being chanted by the time she had taken her first few steps onto the granite. She forced a smile onto her lips, but only she knew that she’d rather be crying. It was like swallowing a bath of acid. Her heart was burning, bile at the back of her throat, tears threatening to make her eyes red.

“What’s the matter, milady?” one of her handmaidens whispered in her ear. Cali grabbed her skirts, straightened up, and nodded.

“Just the thrill of the moment,” she answered, then lifted up her chin and followed her mother.

There was no going back. She had decided to save her family, to unite Vanir and Asgardian. She would go forth as bravely as she could.

Before the doors opened, Ragnar took his daughter’s arm. Rona stood behind them with their flock of handmaidens. Around them stood the strange assortment of metallic blue guards of house Ragnar and the golden king’s guard.

Then the doors opened, letting the heat of a thousand candles wash over her and the light of the golden room illuminate her flesh. Her mouth hung on its hinges as she saw the interior of the hall. Crystalline and golden, smiles and waves, the everlasting echo in the immensity of the room. Her breath caught in her throat. The place was magnificent.

Even the man looming at the altar, his back to her, seemed to fit into the beauty of the place like a missing puzzle piece.

As Ragnar delicately urged his daughter forward, Cali saw him turn. He wore a green and black outfit, his green robes reaching his ankles. Gold displayed on his chest in the forms of plates and armor. Smoke black swirled on his outfit like smoke. On his shoulders, a thick coat of dark fur. On his head of unruly black curls, a thin crown of gold.

In the golden and crystalline lighting, he looked like a king.

Behind him stood Odin, clad in golden armor with a thick, gold and blue crown made to represent the union of the two houses. On Loki’s right, Thor and the Warrior’s Three. Sif was waiting on Loki’s left as Cali’s maid of honor.

On shaking limbs, Cali made it safely to the altar. She had a hard time setting her eyes on her future husband as his cold digits made contact with the flesh of her upper arm.

“Who gives this lady in marriage to this man?” Odin asked, his voice resounding over the silence in the room. She could feel all the eyes of the royals of Asgard on her.

She couldn’t look at Loki. He didn’t seem like the man who was drowning in darkness. He didn’t seem like the man who used her body just to show her how much control he had over her. In that moment, under the gold lighting, he looked soft and patient. He looked caring and quiet. He didn’t look like the tormented storm that he actually was.

“My King, it is Ragnar who gives this lady to be married,” he father said loudly. Her hand that was squeezing her father’s arm was pried from his flesh and given to Loki. The latter softly caressed it, bringing it to his lips.

The king started the opening speech, presenting the house of Ragnar and Odin, and the two who were lucky to be brought together in this union.

“Today we celebrate love and unity, strength and passion,” he boomed, his voice echoing in the hall full of nobility.

Cali tried not to wince at the falseness of it all. Her eyes were forcefully glued to the swirling green of Loki’s, but she couldn’t see the madness that she usually found within him.

“Cali and Loki have decided to recite their own vows,” Odin finished, turning to Loki. “My son, you may recite your vows.”

Loki’s eyes never left hers. His mouth stretched into a warm smile that the brunette found very surprising. She’d never seen such warmth inside this monster.

“Cali Ragnardottir.” She flinched ever the slightest, her name feeling like venom on his tongue. “You are a woman of bravery and strength, reflecting the qualities every woman should be proud of owning. I have proven to be a man not easily swooned by emotion, but you have changed me. You have shown be the strength within feeling, the bravery within baring oneself to emotion. I pledge to love you the way you are, as a woman of confidence and independence. I pledge to hold you, as your husband and your friend, through every moment of your life. I pledge loyalty, love, and endurance. I will be by your side until the end and beyond.”

Even though she knew he was the master of lies and manipulation, she couldn’t help but admit that what he said sounded like the truth. His eyes were soft, lips pulled in a nostalgic smile as he delivered his vows delicately to her. His fingers caressed her knuckles. It all seemed to be true and right, but to her, it looked like a game well played. Whatever he had said was to appease the crowd.

“Lady Cali, you may recite your vows.”

She cleared her throat awkwardly, feeling like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. She had practiced these vows, yet they still felt foreign in her mouth.

“Life has given me the chance of meeting and marrying you.” She breathed in, feeling his eyes on her, like he was relishing in her nervousness and he might as well be. “I cannot thank you enough for showing me the true meaning of love and understanding. You have opened my eyes to a world much misunderstood, yet you’ve proven to me how you can make me belong. By being by your side. You are a man of wisdom and of powerful will. I am more than happy to become your wife; to spend every waking moment, every breath, by your side. I pledge to love you, to hold you, to prosper with you. I pledge to encourage you and to better yourself. Nothing makes me happier than the thought of spending the rest of eternity with you.”

The room was silent, yet she could hear her own heart as if it was in a megaphone.

“You may now exchange rings,” Odin boomed.

Loki’s ring was her grandfather’s. As she slipped it onto his cold digit, the crowd softly clapped. Her own ring was Frigga’s mother’s. It was thin gold with four diamonds carved into the ring. It was simple and beautiful; two things that represented both the queen of Asgard and the now new princess.

“With this ring, I marry thee,” Loki whispered, intertwining his fingers with hers.

“With this ring, I marry thee,” she whispered back, forcing a smile on her own lips, feeling his frozen fingers pressing into her flesh.

Odin, with a glinting smile, put a hand on each of their shoulders and turned them to the crowd. “I present to you my son, His Royal Majesty Prince Loki Odinson, and his wife, Her Royal Majesty Princess Cali Ragnardottir.”

The crowd exploded in a series of cheers and applause as Loki and Cali descended from the altar. Cali plastered a smile on her face as she held onto Loki’s hand, guiding her to the festivities that would carry them well into the night.

Asguardian weddings meant heavy drinking and long night partying. The newly weds were sat that the royal table, flanked by their respecting families. A feast was prepared, one of great meat and ale, while the music had started well before appetizers. Thor was guffawing with his friends, dancing with his brown-haired belle, and insisting that Cali come join him on the dancefloor. He looked so happy and content, to see his brother finally happy with a woman. The sentiment made Cali feel regret for falsifying her feelings. She didn’t love Loki. She wasn’t happy with him and vice versa. But she had acted and played the role so well, that only Odin was still skeptic.

She danced with Loki. His hands felt like snakes on her exposed skin. “You look marvelous tonight, my love,” he whispered to her, his lips grazing the shell of her ear. “I can’t wait to have you all to myself.”

The monster that he’d so dutifully hidden had now made an appearance after a couple of glasses of ale. His lips were stretched into a devilish smirk as he guided her on the dancefloor. “And here I thought you were the perfect gentleman,” she answered. She might have been acting as if the whole ordeal didn’t affect her, but she was more than nervous about their wedding night. If she thought about it for more than a second, she might go mad.

“You think me a monster,” he whispered back, “but you will have to live with me forever now. You think me a monster, but you still love to come to me whenever your skin needs affection.” She should have pushed him off, but they were married now. They were under the scrutiny of the Vanir and Odin. Instead, she gripped his hands more firmly.

The night went on and more and more people vanished from the feasting hall. Some were drunkards. Some were lovers who sought the solemnity of the night.

At that point, Thor took Loki away and Sif brought Cali out of the hall. A handful of blue-dressed handmaidens helped Cali into her new living quarters that she would share with Loki. The girl barely had the time to register the new are before the girls were ushering her into the bedroom. Sif was spraying pheromones on Cali’s pulse points, while the other handmaidens were untying her hair and applying blush to her cheeks, although unnecessary.

The bedroom was a king-sized bed with gold and green linens, silken sheets, and an array of pillows. Two closets and chest of drawers. A love seat by the opened window, which sported pure white curtains. To represent both house, a cluster of gold and metallic blue decorations were askew in the room. Cali’s heart was in her throat by the time Sif snapped her fingers. “She looks gorgeous girls,” she said. “We must leave now, princess. Good luck and enjoy yourself.” Lady Sid gave Cali a wink before leaving the girl standing there, all alone, smelling like Valhalla and looking like a goddess.

It was just mere seconds later when the door to her-their- bedroom opened and the prince stepped in. She looked at her husband, standing there without his crown, with just his green shirt and black trousers. The extra fur and coat he had on before had been rightly discarded, leaving him looking like the Loki she had been accustomed to.

“Wife,” he grumbled.

“Husband.”

He smirked, closing the door behind him and locking it.

tags: @shieldgirl95 @loki-god-of-my-life @fluasch@spudsandbandit@lloeppky@shaunamart @mandyfric18 @teresaoliva20@iamthemaskhewears@12jennifer12 @lokifae42 @clerdekattt @noble-liar @dammitkatt @internetgremlin

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fenvincible · 6 years

Text

Salsa in the Rain (MermArin AU Chapter Three)

I continue to wriiiiiiiite. I wasn’t sure I would actually continue this. But I love this AU and it’s really fleshing out. A huge thank you to writer-grump for bringing the inspiration to the forefront.

Dan slept fitfully that night, tossing like a boat on fitful seas. A cold sweat covered his body decorating him in goosebumps. His first drowning playing like a movie behind his eyes. No matter how hard he fought, no matter how hard he pumped his legs and arms he always got dragged out with the current. He felt the tired ache in his arms and legs building like he really was struggling against the will of the ocean. He relived that moment, until the underwater angel saved him, blonde hair spread above the blue eyes like a halo. Before Dan could catch a breath, he was dropped into the submarine. He could feel the panic rising in his chest, gripping like a vice on his heart as the interior of the submarine glowed an eerie red as the warning lights flashed, the shrill alarm shrieking in time to his quickening heartbeat. He struggled to find the oxygen tank. His fingers would barely brush the tank before the integrity of the sub gave, water rushing in. Dan would feel the impact of his skull against the harsh metal of the sub’s siding before struggling to breath as his arms and legs tried to propel him up. He watched over and over as the coast and the beachgoers grow smaller and smaller as he was thrown from nightmarescape to nightmarescape.

Finally, after what felt like hours Dan’s alarm went off. His muscles still felt fatigued, as if he really had been struggling to live, his lungs burned as if truly lacking for air. But he rolled out of bed, he showered, had a small breakfast and got in the car to go to school. He did these things nearly on autopilot.

Dan wasn’t into symbolism. He didn’t look deeper into his dreams or analyze some of the smaller interactions of his day. He left that to Suzy, she was good about divining some of the more spiritual meanings of their interactions and daily lives. But he didn’t need Suzy to help him understand his dream. The message was coming through loud and clear. Dan felt guilty. He knew Arin was sitting alone in a glass case because he felt pity for Dan. He knew that somewhere Arin had a family who was missing him. He knew, in the depths of his heart, that if Arin had let him die then he wouldn’t be stuck in the lab.

The drive to the college was quicker than normal, and before he knew it Dan was walking into his first lecture of the day. Even graduate level research and the semi-favor of the Dean didn’t keep Dan from having to finish his degree by attending the last of his undergraduate lectures. Thankfully they’re short, sweet and to the point. Dan will be in the lab before long

Class went quick and Dan practically ran to the lab. He wasn’t sure what caused him to rush but he made it across the campus quickly. He strode into the lab casually, noting that the temperature was a few degrees lower than normal. The boxes he had ordered yesterday were pilled around Dan’s desk, items to make Arin more comfortable during his stay here.

Brian was in his office, music playing lightly in the background as the man graded papers.

“No lecture today Bri?” Dan asked as he made his way to his desk.

“You know the best part of being the Professor is uploading video lectures or calling class when I don’t feel up to it.” Brian quipped, head still bowed as he continued reading.

“I needed the time off anyway, these kids are shitting me. They didn’t do the readings, didn’t watch the documentary, probably didn’t even attend the lecture and submitted some piece of shit paper that now I have to grade. I have a fucking PhD and can’t get these kids to watch a 30-minute documentary on sea life.” Dan giggled quietly as Brian laid his head down on his desk, clearly ready to go home.

Suzy was sitting at her desk, typing in a way Dan would only describe as furious.

“What’s up Scuze? How were your classes today?” Dan asked as he set his bag down at his desk and began shifting through all the items he had ordered for Arin. Suzy only offered a noncommittal grunt as she continued typing.

“Arin has a streak in his hair a lot like yours. It’s pretty cool actually, his is pink though. Maybe you’ll see it today.” Dan spoke, assuming Suzy wouldn’t really register what he was saying. He’d had full conversations with her in this mood before. It all goes in one ear and out the other until she has the ideas down and out of her. But today wasn’t one of those days. The rhythmic sounds of Suzy’s typing ceased nearly as soon as the words were out of Dan’s mouth. “Arin?” Suzy asked. “Who is Arin?”

“The merman, he told me his name last night before I left.” Dan stated, turning to look at Suzy as he leaned against his desk. “He just told me his name and reminded me that he has a life and would like to get back to his family.”

“He… speaks.” Suzy stated, clearly incredulous. “Not only does he speak. He speaks English?”

“Ya know,” Dan mused “I didn’t even consider the weight of those statements but yes. He speaks very well. His English is formed and his grammar is fantastic. I mean, I only spoke to him for a moment but it seemed good. His voice is clear, not what you would imagine it’s like, since he’s- half.. fish?” It seemed the merman continually created questions for Dan, scientific and personal.

“Do you think he would talk to you again? I want to hear it. I’m sure Terry will want us to run some test on his vocal cords, see how extensive his vocabulary is. We need to assess this information before we share it.” Suzy muttered, running her hands nervously through her hair Suzy’s eyes grew slightly distant as she made a mental checklist of the tests and procedures they would need to run based on the merman’s ability to communicate.

“He’s very nice.” Dan added, unsure why he even spoke. Suzy usually processed information best when Dan kept quiet and let her think it through. But he wanted to add that information. “I think he understands. At least, he is trying to understand. Yes, I think he will come talk to both of us.”

Suzy looked surprised when Dan spoke. Curiosity burning bright in her hazel eyes. She nodded, a confirmation to a question that hadn’t been asked. Dan lead the way to the tank, up the set of stairs and to the approximate area of the platform where Arin had introduced himself the night before.

“Arin.” Dan asked, voice tentative and soft as he prayed the merman would be willing to talk to him more today. “Arin, please come up. I have a friend who would like to meet you.”

A minute passed, then two. After nearly three minutes Dan and Suzy were headed back to their desks when they heard the water of the tank ripple.

“Dan?” the voice was soft, melodious as ever.

The two scientists stopped in their tracks. Suzy was back up the platform before Dan registered the merman had said his name. Dan turned and quickly followed Suzy back to Arin. Crouching on the platform in front of Arin, Dan introduced the merman to Suzy.

“Arin. This is my friend Suzy.” Dan gestured to the woman crouching next to him on the platform. “I think you would like her, she is a lot like me. She just wants to get you back home where you belong. She’s nice.”

Arin took a moment to appraise Suzy. His warm brown eyes took Suzy in. The only noise in the room was the buzz of the lights and the electronic hum of the filter in Arin’s tank.

“I like your hair.” Was all the merman said, voice still soft. He seemed shy, unsure of what was happening. Dan understood, he felt like the world was coming together and tearing apart under his feet. A truly amazing thing was occurring and he was right at the forefront of it. He was so excited to be here, having a conversation with this stunning, beautiful creature. But with every second that passed Dan knew that it was his fault Arin was alone, torn away from his family.

“Thank you.” Suzy smiled. “I like your hair too. Dan said your name is Arin?”

“Arayinphyra.” Arin smiled, glistening pink tail swishing through the water behind him. “It’s royal.”

“Royal?” Dan and Suzy, questioned simultaneously.

“Yes. There are many underwater kingdoms, for each kingdom there is a royal family. Though, there are only seven main kingdoms and families. I am the youngest son of the King of the North Pacific, I think that is what you would call it today.”

“Oh my god.” Suzy sighed.

“Well holy fuck.” Dan groaned, as he added this information to a mental checklist of things he would need to discuss with Brian later. They didn’t just kidnap a merman, they kidnapped a royal merman. Fuck

There was silence again, broken up this time by the barely audible sound of Brian’s typing and swearing in his office, still grading the papers that would be the cause of an early heart attack for the man. Dan wasn’t sure how long had passed, him and Suzy sitting on their knees on the platform Arin’s tail occasionally breaking the surface of the water.

“How can you speak?” Suzy broke the silence, giving voice to a question Dan had been thinking of ever since she stated how odd it was. “Given everything we know about water and vocal cords you shouldn’t be able to speak like this. Not to mention that you speak English fantastically. Better than Dan.”

Arin smiled, a glint in his eye. Almost laughing at the sound of indignation that came out of Dan. He thought for a moment that the man clearly enjoyed having the upper hand in this moment, being a source of curiosity for the two humans sitting in front of him.

“You’re not gonna believe me.” Was all he said. “If you think science will explain everything you won’t believe anything I have to say.”

Another moment passed, quiet and with a palpable sense of tension handing in the air, as Dan and Suzy puzzled over the situation. They both considered where the situation was leading.

“You’d be surprised, what scientists can believe.” Suzy said with a thoughtful smile. “Especially when confronted with something as impossible as you, my dear.”

“I think, according to lessons and what we know, your people would call it the Tower of Babel.” Was all Arin said. He swam closer to the platform, crossed his arms over it and laid his head down on them.

“There is legend and lore to everything, I’m not sure specifically what your people know of the tower. But in our history the stone was thrown into the oceans, we are still unsure of how many pieces of the stone are scattered throughout the seas. What we do know is that there are seven very large chunks. Over the years we have found smaller pieces in less used areas, some found in the ocean depths we rarely explore. Anyway, we aren’t sure where it came from. They just say one day the stone came barreling into the waters. They say it turned the entire ocean a deep blood red for days, but I think that’s bologna. Anyway one of my great-great-great somethings was the first to investigate the stone. Hence, royalty. It’s taught that after that we slowly started communicating in different ways. We still have the ability to communicate with sea life, but also this way. The stone instilled in us some knowledge of how to speak. It’s a central part of our culture now. All of the births are performed at the stone, it’s said to give you luck. Milestones take place at the stone. We have several smaller chunks available, one is actually in our home. Some royalty wear pieces of the stone in necklaces, bracelets, or their crowns. My dad has a piece in his crown and my mom wears a small, polished piece around her neck, I wear my piece of stone in my hair. That’s what I know, I’m sure there might be a way for you to explain with science but I’m no scientist. So those explanations are up to you.” Arin finished his tale by showing Dan and Suzy a small hair clip he used to hold back some of his hair. The stone was polished and green, reminding Dan almost of emerald.

“So wait.” Suzy stated, tone slightly incredulous though she had promised to believe the man. “A magic stone gives you the ability to speak?”

“No,” Arin rolled his eyes “a magic stone gives us the ability to understand English and Spanish to come degree. There are also stones in the English Channel, the Mediterranean Sea, by China and by France. These stones give those merpeople the ability to understand the languages close to them.”

“Well then it stands to think that vocal cords and shit developed by either evolution or through part of the magic associated with this stone?” Dan questioned, immersed in his thoughts.

“I don’t know, that’s for you to figure out science man.” Arin said, a smile playing on his lips. “But, like I said, science can’t explain everything. Sometimes, things just are.”

“I agree, but I would still like to run some tests if I can have your permission?” Suzy questioned, making sure her eyes were level with the merman’s.

Arin only nodded.

“The sooner you finish your tests the quicker I get to go home, right?”

Dan and Suzy froze, they knew that was the deal they had made. They both knew that was their goal, they didn’t want Arin to be turned into some weird science experiment that would be paraded through politics and the world. They wanted him to be able to go home. Which is what prompted Dan to answer.

“Yes Arin. I will do everything in my power to get these tests done quickly and get you home before you’re too terribly homesick.”

The two quickly sank into their work for the day. Suzy wanted some x-rays and MRI’s of Arin’s neck, as well as swabs and samples of the cells there. She mumbled something about Dean Terry needing to order the x-rays and MRIs and do so privately before sinking back into her computer seat. Her furious typing added to the background noise of the lab as Dan began assembling the new filter for Arin. The new filter was the best available. Dan programmed it for the pH he and Suzy had determined to be the healthiest based on readings from yesterday. It would continuously cycle the water, simulate a current and aide in maintaining the salinity of the tank. Dan, possibly out of spite, had made sure to order the filter on the Universities budget, not the grant.

“Arin, can you help me?” Dan asked the merman as he struggled up the steps with the new filter. “I got you a new filter for your tank, it will be a lot nicer than this one, and quieter. I also have some other stuff you might like. But I need your permission to get in the tank to put this filter in or for you to help me, is that okay?”

“I’ll do it.” Arin offered. “I’ve been bored anyway. There is nothing to do here.”

“We’ll work on that.” Dan stated, making a mental note to figure out something for the merman later this evening.

Dan coached Arin through the installation of his new filter. The merman was smart and quick to learn. Maneuvering through Dan’s instructions seamlessly. Dan couldn’t help but watch, stunned, as he finally got to really watch Arin move. He guessed the merman’s total height to be around seven feet. His tail was most of that, about four feet long. The scales were various hues of pinks, shining and reflecting the light as Arin moved through the water. The tail radiated a sheer strength Dan was sure he didn’t want to be on the bad side of. It cut through the water with an ease Dan wanted to understand completely, and radiated a simple strength Dan assumed the merman would need to move quickly, quietly and avoid extinction.

“What’s it like?” Dan asked, before he could stop himself. “The tail, I mean.”

“What are legs like?” Arin asked, in a tone that resembled sarcasm. “You would have a hard time describing walking and legs to me, because that’s all you have ever known. If I tried to describe swimming and having a tail to you, it would be impossible.”

Dan nodded, somber for a moment.

“I ordered some stuff you might like. To make the tank feel less harsh. Let me bring it up. You can choose what you want?” Dan offered, hoping that ability to have some say in what his environment looked like would cheer up the man.

Arin nodded, a finger twirling in the pink streaks of his hair. Dan smiled before heading back to his desk to grab the many items he had ordered. A variety of aquamarine plant life, different types of rocks and even some lights were the preliminary things Dan had gotten. He wasn’t sure what the man would prefer to have in his space, but he wanted to make it as personalized as possible.

“What are these?” The merman asked, holding up a set of lights Dan had brought up. He actually hadn’t ordered these, he had gone to the store and grabbed them. The lights, Dan thought, would complement the natural beauty of the Arin’s hair and tail. The light glowed a soft pink and white when turned on.

“They’re lights.” Dan explained. Turning them on to show how they glowed softly. They cast a soft light onto the merman’s face. Dan stared, watching as the light danced across Arin’s features, over the slightly pointed nose and full lips, glinting off the gills on his cheeks. He really was a beautiful creature Dan thought, as Arin’s fingers delicately ran over the lights, a look of awe in his chocolate brown eyes. Dan noted the pink webbing between the man’s fingers, only long enough to hit the first knuckle of each digit. The pink started intense and dark, magenta, before fading to a baby pink shade at the knuckle.

“I love them.” Arin murmured. A small smile on his lips. “Thank you.”

With a small smile Dan nodded, and they spent the next two hours decorating the tank, so Arin felt a little more at home.

They finally stopped when the duo realized they still needed to get a few items, more sand and stones for the bottom of the tank, some more lights and Arin wanted some aquamarine life to be added. The timing was good as Suzy approached the two.

“Dean Terry got ahold of me. There are some other students he wants in on the research so sometime today or tomorrow they will be heading over. One, Barry is his name I think, is a radiologist and will be responsible for taking and interpreting any x-rays/MRIs we might need. And, Ross, an artist who the dean wants to make sketches of Arin’s fins and gills. It seems the dean thinks we can… monopolize on this information.” Suzy seemed displeased with the information but she wasn’t terribly angry.

“He said both students won’t know what they’re involved with until we debrief them, but they have already signed nondisclosure agreements and understand some of the weight of the situation.”

“Alright Scuze.” Danny agreed, as he looked at his watch and saw he had plenty of time left in the day. “We have no idea when they will be here?”

“None at all. I’m hoping the radiologist gets here today. I really want to be able to get a good look at those vocal cords.”

Arin looked anxious, as the two discussed what would be happening and how things would be rapidly changing within the next few hours or days. Dan noticed the way his tail started flicking more frequently and sharply, throwing small waves of water against the edges of the tank.

“Are you nervous?” Dan asked quietly after Suzy returned to her desk, looking ready to lead an army into battle if she didn’t get her scans done today.

The merman nodded, tail still flicking nervously as he looked at Dan with large eyes.

“Will it hurt?” He questioned, voice timid and mild.

“No. I promise none of it will hurt.” Arin still looked unsure, caught like a dear in the headlights. “Hey. What if, I stayed with you? I’ll coach you through everything they might need? I know it might not help a lot. But, it’s the least I can do.”

A moment passed, then two as the men sat in silence. Dan’s offer hung in the air, the room quieter now with the filter replaced.

“Yes, actually. I think that would help.”

#fee writes #merman arin au #mermArin AU #egobang

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thenatureofpages · 4 years

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Royal Decoy by Heather Frost

*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for participating in the blog tour and a review. All opinions are my own.*

Royal Decoy by Heather Frost

A Non-Spoilery Review by The Nature of Pages

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

Favorite Quote(s):

The view of the northern mountains, covered in dark pines perpetually tipped with snow, was always impressive. It whispered of freedom, and even if he would never experience such a thing, the mere ghost of it never failed to catch his eye.

Synopsis:

A SERVANT blackmailed into becoming a princess’s decoy. A BODYGUARD determined to keep her alive.

A PRINCE forced to execute his father’s brutal laws. A PRISONER used to keep him compliant.

A WORLD on the brink of war.

In one horrible night, Clare goes from kitchen maid to royal decoy. She has three months to become the princess’s perfect double so she can ensure her betrothal to an enemy prince. Desperate to survive, Clare throws herself into self-defense training, taught by her distractingly attractive bodyguard. The danger increases when a ruthless assassin begins stalking her, intent on ending the tenuous peace.

Across the northern mountains, Prince Grayson is his father’s ultimate weapon. He carries out the king’s harsh orders because the one person he cares about is his father’s prisoner. Grayson’s silent obedience is tested when his father plans to exploit the marriage alliance between two of their greatest enemies. If Grayson submits, the blood of thousands will spill. If he resists, the girl who means everything to him will die.

The fate of Eyrinthia hangs in the balance. Some want peace. Some want war. All will be thrown into chaos.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

What Made This Book Unique:

Royal Decoy had some amazing characters and I really enjoyed the dynamics of their relationships. To be honest, Clare and Bennick’s witty banter was absolutely my favorite part. Slow burn (and at least at the beginning, enemies at first from my point of view) is one of my favorite plot lines and Heather did a such a great job with it!

And oh my goodness, Grayson was such a delight to read – right off the bat his storyline is so intriguing and I quickly found myself needing to find answers about his motivations and character arc. I can’t wait for book 2!

Geek moment: I got to interview Heather Frost herself!!! Thank you so so much for your time, Heather, I’m so glad I got to ask you a few questions! I’ll get right into it –

Q: Who was your favorite character to write?

A: Probably Grayson. His story is tragic and beautiful and horrible and wonderful, and I’ve never written a character quite like him. (Or his despicable, evil family.) That being said, I also loved writing any scene with Clare and Bennick. I love their witty banter, especially in the beginning when Clare isn’t sure that she trusts him—or even likes him—and then I also loved writing their transition to friends, and then exploring the beginnings of something more.

Q: What was your writing process like? (Ie characters first or plot)

A: Mostly character, then plot. The first seeds of the story came when I had two questions pop into my head. First, “What if the main character in a story was the decoy, rather than the princess?” and then it was rapidly followed by, “What if that decoy was forced into the role?” Clare immediately took shape in my mind, and I dropped her into the beginning ideas of that plot. The other characters followed, and their growth helped flesh out the rest of the plot.

Heather Frost, author of Royal Decoy

Q: How long did it take you to write Royal Decoy?

A: Writing the first draft took me about 3 months, and it was quite a bit longer than the Royal Decoy we have today

Revisions is what really took time. I chose to end the book sooner in an effort to get it to a more sell-able length, and then I worked on the plot and characters to make their story arcs solid. I love how it turned out!

Q: What was your favorite part of writing this book?

A: Discovering the characters. I am a very character-driven writer, so getting to know the main characters—as well as the secondary characters—was so much fun. Plus this book just has so many different fun elements to play with! I got to create a new world, new kingdoms, new cultures (though we don’t get to fully enjoy until future books

). I got to play with two storylines, which meant two different romances, and they are both so different. Clare and Bennick and slow-burn, and Grayson is just head over heels in love with Mia, but feels like they can only ever possibly be friends. Throw in assassination attempts, humorous dialogue, mystery, and some moral dilemmas, and Royal Decoy was just plain fun to write.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be an author?

A: When I was 11, almost 12. I was working on my first novel. I had written short stories before then, and I had always adored books. But until I started writing my novel, I hadn’t realized that a person could just decide to become an author. I kind of thought they were more like superheroes, and you had to have super powers to be one. Because let’s face it, books are magical! I am so grateful I can live my dream and weave my author-magic. For me, the best part of being an author is hearing that a reader loved my story.

Royal Decoy by Heather Frost comes out June 18th and I for one can’t wait to see what happens next. Make sure to grab your copy and add it to Goodreads- you’ll definitely want to come along on this grand adventure!

Pre-order ROYAL DECOY and you can receive an exclusive bonus short story!

Grayson is his father’s ultimate weapon–but he wasn’t always. THE PRINCE AND THE PRISONER is the story of how a young Grayson met the little girl who would change his life forever.

To claim your gift, simply pre-order ROYAL DECOY and fill out the form linked below. (You will need to upload an image of your pre-order receipt.) After ROYAL DECOY releases, you will receive via email THE PRINCE AND THE PRISONER!

NOTE: Since you can only pre-order the Kindle edition of ROYAL DECOY at this time, the author will also extend this to any physical copy purchases made on release day, June 18th!

Claim your pre-order gift here: https://forms.gle/u3PpeGAU5KPLFxKEA

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gastricpierrot · 7 years

Text

Title: When Stars Align

Series: Daiya no Ace

Pairing: KuraRyou

Rating: T

Summary: Nothing good ever comes out of an intimate relationship between a human and a youkai, Ryousuke knows. He’s heard more than enough stories on betrayal, on disasters, on families being shunned. And being an onmyouji, he knows better than anyone else.

And yet, he lets himself fall.

Warning: i probably undermined the confrontation scene a bit but i?? tried??? _(:D

Also on AO3

[Ch.1][Ch.2][Ch.3][Ch. 4]

[Ch.5]

It’s like plunging face first into a pool of hot water.

Ryousuke fights to breathe past the instant realization that she knows, she knows, she knows. Because even if she does if he can resist it won’t matter. He digs his fingernails into his palms, letting the sting keep him grounded. He can do this. There’s no other choice but to do this.

They kneel and bow before the minister present in place of the Emperor, going through some processes of formality before proceeding with their preparations. Ryousuke takes his position at the circle of onmyouji, resisting the earnest urge to punch himself in the chest to slow the beating of his heart and dislodge the lump in his throat. He mustn’t be this anxious, mustn’t let himself slip.

He keeps his gaze trained towards the floor as Tamamo no Mae is led to the centre of their circle, not wanting to risk any further contact with her because just being there is extremely risky as it is. He mentally blocks out the sound of her silky voice, the scent of her perfume, the weight of her currently suppressed aura that only he can perceive. It’s fine; confrontation isn’t the main purpose of this ceremony, even if it’s best if they’re able to somehow get rid of her in the process. Mostly everyone involved who’s from the Bureau are already certain that she’s the Nine-tailed Fox; the only thing they have to do now is to expose her true nature to the royal court that remains in denial. For now, all Ryousuke has to do is keep his calm and not mess up.

There’s a moment of tense silence once everyone’s ready, broken only by the knock of Abe no Yasunari’s tools to signify the beginning of the spell. Ryousuke clasps his hands together, pressing hard at where his fingertips meet as he recites the chant he’s long memorized but never found the need to use until then. He feels his stomach churn, and he takes a deep, careful breath. It’ll just take thirty minutes if it’s successful; he just has to pull through the next half hour.

“Boy.”

And there it is—the fox seeking her kind. Ryousuke decides to ignore her despite knowing he’s leaving his mind vulnerable; he can’t spare the focus to drive her out at the moment. She can dig up whatever fears or memories or even try waking it that’s already stirring to her presence, but Ryousuke can’t falter or else everyone else’s efforts will be for naught. He came all the way here fully prepared to be singled out; she won’t catch him off guard so easily.

“No need to be shy, I know you can hear me,” the fox continues, an icy undertone to her voice despite her friendly words. “Why don’t we have a quick chat? It’d be a moment before this whole thing is over and I’m getting rather bored.”

Ryousuke wills his thoughts to remain blank, only keeping the visualisation of the spell’s words clear. He senses her trying to interfere, trying to force him to acknowledge her.

“Ah, poor thing,” she speaks after a foreboding minute of silence, tone dripping with sympathy that sounded almost genuine, “Your parents left you as well, didn’t they? I understand, it was the same for me, too. I suppose it’s simply the fate of foxes born to humans to be abandoned—but worry not, I can assure you that the rest of our kind are much more accepting. So what do you say? Help me escape and I can make your life much easier. You won’t have to try so hard to hide your true nature anymore, and there’ll no longer be the need to work yourself to the bone every day. Oh, and you can bring your precious little brother along, if you wish!”

To tell the truth, Ryousuke stopped registering her words after she mentioned helping her escape. So she’s worried about the position she’s in despite her calm exterior—as she should because really, it’s her alone against a group of the best onmyouji in the country. Even if she’s to fight, she would no doubt sustain some degree of injury before she’d be able to make an escape. Just this purifying ritual would weaken her significantly if successful.

But honestly, does she really think she can sway him with those pathetic suggestions? Either the records are wrong, or she’s really underestimating him.

“Ryousuke, don’t you think it’s rude to ignore the person talking to you face to face?”

Ryousuke nearly bites his tongue. That cursed kitsune—using his mother’s voice like that. He feels her smugness in successfully finding the chink in his mental armour, feels her digging even deeper faster than he can consider how to react.

“I do wonder why you’re still willing to put up with everything up until now,” Tamamo no Mae speaks in the perfect imitation of Ryousuke’s mother. He’s sure that if he opens his eyes right then, he would see her sitting there before him in the flesh; her hair tucked behind her ear on one side, her smile almost a mirror of his own. The lady who gave birth to him, the lady whom his father took away along with Haruichi once after he almost harmed them due to his own incompetence. “Mother’s so, so sorry for what we did—you must be so tired after working so hard, dear. I promise we’ll make things return to how they were again, so why don’t you come with me?”

I don’t need you.

It’s a reflex thought, one he’s so deeply ingrained into himself that he doesn’t even realize his slip until it’s too late. Ryousuke inhales sharply, nearly missing a word and falling behind the incantation. He can’t decide who he wants to punch more; the wretched Fox, or himself for still being unconsciously hung up over something he’s so damned sure he’s gotten over long ago.

“Of course you do, silly. Every child needs their mother.”

And I need you to shut up and let me concentrate.

Might as well tell her to shove off now; Ryousuke figures he has nothing left to lose. He would’ve appreciated it if she could respect his wishes like a decent person, though, which she of course, insists on not being.

“You’ve always been like that, haven’t you? Putting on a strong front to hide how you really feel,” Tamamo no Mae coos sympathetically. Ryousuke could almost feel her hand caressing his cheek, touch devoid of any warmth. “Isn’t it exhausting to keep so many secrets at once? Don’t you think it’ll be much easier if you could just disappear?”

It’d be much easier for me if you’re the one who disappears, to be frank.

“I can show them too, you know.” The fox’s tone takes a sudden malicious change, seemingly growing steadily annoyed by Ryousuke’s retorts. She’s running out of time and she knows it. “You may be able to expose me with this ritual, but I can also show them what you really are, boy. Do you really want to be seen as a monster fit to be hunted down again?”

Ryousuke doesn’t answer to that, physically falling silent along with the others and leaving only Abe no Yasunari’s voice ring clear throughout the hall. Even with his eyes kept closed, he could perceive the harsh light coming from the centre of their circle. They’ve completed the first portion of the spell, that is inviting the gods to join them. The rest would be up to Abe no Yasunari; he’ll be the only one who can hear their voices and complete the ritual. The role of the other onmyouji now is to control and maintain the spiritual wavelength in the room so no one accidentally gets vaporized by the gods’ aura.

Ryousuke senses two—no, three divine entities present with them. His scalp tingles from the cluster of power radiating before him, but there’s also a certain calmness in the air that came with their arrival. The burn in Ryousuke’s gut slowly subsides, almost as if it’s intimidated back into submission.

He nearly breathes a sigh of relief. As much as he hates to admit, a tremor’s beginning to manifest in his hands from the strain of enduring so many sensations at once. He isn’t sure how much longer he would’ve been able to keep up his composure had the gods not indirectly given him that subtle boost.

“If you may, Tamamo no Mae-sama.”

The rustling of clothes follows Abe no Yasunari’s directive, as well as a blast of hostility so concentrated towards Ryousuke that it almost feels like he just got impaled through his temples.

“Traitor,” the fox hisses into his mind as if he ever saw her as kin in the first place, every word she says piercing into his consciousness like stakes. “You think you’re doing yourself any favours by going against me? You think you can suppress a fox’s power forever? You’re nothing but a fool.”

Ryousuke bites his lip; just a little more, just a little more. Just a little more until the moment of truth.

“And you think I’d let you off so easily after all I did to be nice? Mark my words, foolish onmyouji, that from now on you’ll—“

Her threat is cut off by a growl—her own when the spell reacts to her malevolence and, Ryousuke hopes, rebounds as some sort of damage on her being. Ryousuke simultaneously feels heat against his face, the gods vanish; and hears panic erupting from all around him. When he finally opens his eyes, Tamamo no Mae is no longer the beautiful young lady he saw earlier, in her place a fox as tall as an average adult human with golden fur and nine tails unfurling behind her back. Her teeth bared in a bloodthirsty snarl, her breathing slightly laboured.

Ryousuke isn’t spared from being awestruck by the Fox’s true form; time seems to in fact slow for a short moment after the revelation. The Nine-tailed Fox is almost on par with a god in her own right, and her regal appearance and aura only serves to bolster that. If she hadn’t been an enemy, Ryousuke couldn’t help thinking he might’ve one day come to admire her.

Then just as the moment passes and the onmyouji move to face her, she lets out a single ear-splitting yowl, and strikes out with her tails, catching everyone off guard with the sheer force of it. And in that few seconds of distraction, she lunges towards Ryousuke’s direction.

Ryousuke tenses for a second too long, his spell right at the point of release when she passes right through him and flees out the window behind him.

In that brief moment of contact, deep in the recesses of his mind, Ryousuke hears the sound of a nail being hammered down.

“Ryousuke!”

And the last thing he hears before the world goes black was the order to hunt down the Fox.

xXx

For a second, Youichi’s vision goes blank.

It’s the sensations that led up to it that worries him more, though. The thin thread of a link between Ryousuke’s mind and his own seemed to have strengthened dramatically at one point, so much so that it almost feels as if they’ve formed a literal emotional bond. Ryousuke’s stress and tension flooded to him full force without warning; pride was pretty much the only thing that kept Youichi from curling into a ball and do nothing but try to breathe until it’s all over.

And then there’s fear, annoyance, and something quite different that Youichi can’t pinpoint. It wasn’t as much of an emotion than it is a sort of…presence. It wasn’t the Fox, Youichi could tell that much due to the faintness of it. It was more like there’s something else inside Ryousuke’s mind, something right on the brink of waking from a deep slumber.

Youichi starts at the sudden realization. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s not impossible so what if...? It would explain his inhumanly powerful spiritual energy, to the very least. No pure-blooded human has ever been born with that sort of power for a long time; their bodies and souls have eventually became unable to produce that level of energy as the bond between humans and nature weakened over time. Youichi doesn’t know—and doesn’t think he’ll ever know, for that matter—how it came about, but Ryousuke must be, in some way, part youkai.

…Whoa.

Youichi has to sit back for a moment to let it sink in. Even though there’s never a short of conspiracy theories surrounding Ryousuke from the guys in the mountain, it’s still pretty wild. Youichi wonders if that’s partly the reason why he’s so unnerved about facing the kitsune. Maybe there’s something about her that gives her a sort of upper hand over him? He doesn’t know. It’s probably also not his place to know.

If anything, he should be concerned over Ryousuke’s current wellbeing rather than the truth of what he is. That sudden blackout was frankly bad news; it meant Ryousuke’s fallen unconscious for some reason. There are only so many possibilities since he’s supposed to be in the middle of work, and Youichi doesn’t like even one of them. Is he getting help from the other side? Can he… can he even still be helped?

“Ryou-san...?” Youichi reluctantly taps into the link that’s surprisingly still there. He half expects silence, half expects Ryousuke’s voice to pop up out of nowhere and casually toss him a snarky remark because he thinks he’s definitely capable of surprising him like that. “Ryou-san, hey, you there?”

Only this time it’s silence; an uneasy silence that does nothing but make Youichi’s unease worse as it stretches on by the second.

As much as Haruichi would want him to, as much as he himself genuinely thinks that maybe he should go check up on him or something, Youichi can’t leave. He can’t risk leaving the place defenceless because who knows what the heck happened in the Capital city? For all he knows, hordes of youkai might already be starting to run rampant across the country and he’d soon be so busy that he’d barely have the chance to catch his breath. Besides, Ryousuke entrusted the task of protecting his hometown to him; he’d definitely want him to prioritize that over his own safety. Youichi’s concern wouldn’t be appreciated where Ryousuke is.

He knows Ryousuke’s alive, at the very least. As long as he can still access their link, he’ll know that he’s alive. He repeats it to himself, clings on to it as his one reason to stay.

Yet it’s strange how less and less comfort that gradually brings him.

xXx

Haruichi knew something isn’t right when Ryousuke doesn’t return within the usual timespan.

The letter is painfully vague, disclosing nothing but the fact that the kitsune might’ve done something to his brother during her escape and that the Bureau is keeping him in the Capital for supervision a little longer. Haruichi could only imagine the worst. What if that’s just a pretence and they’re actually holding him there because the truth’s been revealed and they just haven’t decided what to do with him? What if facing the Fox had permanently damaged Ryousuke in some way or another? Haruichi watched his only family leave fearing the worst, and now that he’s staring right at it he feels a whole new sense of uselessness weigh down on his shoulders. Why can’t he ever do anything at times like this?

Haruichi takes a deep breath, balling his fists. This isn’t the time to wallow in self-hate. Think; there must be something even he’s capable of while he waits. If only he could figure out what’s going on in Ryousuke’s side now—he could perhaps prepare something that could be of help to him when he returns, something that perhaps he as one of the only few people who are fully aware of his circumstances can do.

There’s an old couple praying at Youichi’s shrine when Haruichi seeks him out. Not wanting to disturb them, he keeps himself out of sight and waits for them to leave, only emerging from his spot once their footsteps have faded into the distance. As he approaches, he offers a slight wave to Youichi, who, looks to have been expecting him.

“Good afternoon, Youichi-sama,” Haruichi greets, stopping a respectable distance from the tengu. Youichi nods, his efforts to keep the troubled look off his face not quite paying off because Haruichi could see his tension just fine. He’s heard from Eijun about Youichi’s link to Ryousuke. Haruichi really doesn’t fancy the idea of constantly bothering the local guardian with personal affairs, but since Youichi has practically gotten himself ankle-deep in said affairs anyway, he figures there’s little left for him to lose.

“Hey.” Youichi seems to hold his breath for a second before continuing. “I’ve got some news about Ryou-san that I think you should know.”

Straight to the point, huh. It’s funny, how the hundreds of worst case scenarios that occurred to him earlier have now simply blended into one blank thought. Haruichi swallows, and nods.

“I actually heard this from someone else but uh—“ Youichi moistens his lips and averts his gaze, searching the air for the right words— “I think he might’ve been cursed by the Nine-tailed Fox.”

“But he’s with the best onmyouji around; they should be able to do something, right?” Haruichi asks, mostly for his own sake because it’s that easy for a few words to send his mind reeling. If it’s something even they can’t do anything about then…then…

The hesitance doesn’t leave Youichi’s demeanour, his eyes refusing to meet his. “I’m…not too sure about that.”

Haruichi’s afraid to ask. And yet.

“What do you mean?”

A moment more of reluctance, then a resolute breath. And finally, Youichi looks at him.

“I don’t think they know about it.”

“Is that even possible?” They’re onmyouji; detecting and dispelling curses are supposed to be one of their specialities. It’s highly unlikely that they wouldn’t notice anything even if Ryousuke denies it (which, let’s face the fact—he probably would if he thinks it’s something he can deal with himself). Maybe Youichi’s misunderstanding something? Then again, nine-tailed foxes are borderline legendary creatures, so the odds aren’t completely improbable. If there's a type of youkai that can outsmart even the best onmyouji in the country, it'd be them.

Sometimes, Haruichi hates his own rationale.

“Curses aren’t exactly my thing, but that’s kinda what it feels like,” Youichi says, rubbing the back of his neck in thought. “His consciousness is pretty much back to normal as far as I can tell. As unreliable as it is, it’s just a bad feeling I’m still getting despite everything.”

“Then…then what’s there we could do?” Haruichi asks, the question directed more to himself than Youichi. If even full-fledged onmyouji are unable to take any action, what more can a self-learned fledgling and a youkai deity who specializes in combat do? Is there really nothing they can do apart from watching the curse take its effect and torment his brother until possibly the end of his days?

“I don’t know.” Youichi runs his fingers through his hair, exhaling in what seems to be exasperation. And for the first time since their conversation started, Haruichi notices the concern on the tengu’s face. Because despite what Youichi says and how he acts, Haruichi knows how he’s come to see Ryousuke as some sort of friend. He figures there should at least be a sort of special status granted to the ones you work with to protect something, after all.

And quite suddenly, Haruichi feels much less alone. He’s no longer the only one who has to fret himself restless over Ryousuke’s wellbeing. He hasn't been alone for a while now, much to his shameful realization. Some part of him has always been subconsciously blinded by the past, by the rejection Ryousuke unfairly faced all those years ago that left a huge impact on him at very impressionable age. It’s different now. There are more people who care now.

It’s at that moment that his long period of uncertainty comes to an abrupt end. He finally knows what he wants to do, even if it’d end with crushing expectations on his shoulders, even if he’s going to put his life at risk. Even if he’s going to have to train until he pukes blood like Ryousuke did because it’s the only way he can help directly, it’s always been the only way he knows that would make some sort of difference even if he’s been too cowardly to face it all this while.

“You have any ideas?”

Haruichi wonders if it’s really that obvious; all it took was one look at him from Youichi for him to ask. He allows himself just a second more of hesitance before nodding, resolute.

“If it ever comes to it, I’ll help him remove the curse.” He clenches his fists at his sides. “I’ll do whatever it takes to gain the skills to do that.”

And if Youichi thinks he’s being overambitious, he doesn’t show it. In fact, he seems impressed, to an extent. Pleased, even. If their situation hadn't been this solemn, Haruichi would've wondered with amusement how things have progressed to the point where he's become someone a local deity can feel proud of.

“Well, good luck with that, kid." Haruichi lurches a step forward when Youichi pats his back in encouragement. "You're definitely gonna need it."

xXx

Unlike a good majority of the onmyouji around him, Ryousuke’s decided to stop trying to figure out if the kitsune’s done anything to him.

It’s five days before he’s allowed to leave. Five. Days. He’ll find out sooner or later anyway, so he really doesn’t see the point in him keeping him quarantined for so long. He just wants to go home, is that really such a difficult request? Really, it’s not like he was dying on the spot or anything. He’s sure he’ll figure something out if it’s going to be a prolonged curse—which, is turning out to be a rather likely possibility given the lack of immediate signs at the moment. Though, that’d only be true if the Fox truly had managed to make her move in time before she was forced to flee. With all these uncertainties, it’s difficult to decide what’s exactly going on.

Of course, as though being singled out by the Fox and being the subject of scrutiny for days aren’t bad enough, Kazuya’s assigned to accompany him back “just to be safe, for Ryousuke-dono’s sake”. To say neither of them were too keen on the arrangement might be quite an understatement, though Ryousuke has to admit appreciating the extra hand when it becomes apparent what the Fox’s escape has triggered among the youkai along the way. It isn’t exactly easy to keep swarms of unusually malicious youkai at bay while still recovering from the miasma of the city, not even for Ryousuke.

But Kazuya doesn’t need to know that, of course. Ryousuke decides his ego’s huge enough as it is.

“Heh, it’s been a while.”

Ryousuke says nothing as Kazuya marvels at the sight of his hometown once they're there, his usually cocky expression softened to something marginally resembling fondness. He used to drop by often back in the day, mostly to torment Eijun periodically and have surprisingly solemn chats with Tetsu about stuff Ryousuke never took an interest in finding out. Ryousuke’s never really expected him to be the sentimental type, so he’s careful to keep this observation in his memory for future blackmailing purposes.

“You’re free to go back now, you know.”

“Wow, not even an offer to stay for a meal?” Kazuya feigns a look of severe hurt at him. Ryousuke merely shrugs, nonchalant.

“Unlike you, I’m quite the busy person. I suppose you wouldn’t want to be waiting for me to get all my things sorted out before you get to eat?”

“...Point taken,” Kazuya admits after a second of thought, familiar enough with Ryousuke’s workaholic tendencies to believe his half-lie. Though, it’s not like anything’s going to be different even if he doesn’t, really. “Well. Guess I’ll be on my way, then.”

He flicks his wrist in a backhanded wave before walking off, heading towards the direction of marketplace with more purpose than Ryousuke's ever seen him have while at work. Ryousuke goes the opposite direction, soon strolling through the familiar streets, past familiar buildings. And Ryousuke-sama’s back, whispers are exchanged among the tiny street youkai who spot him, word of his return slowly spreading like a wave across the area. Ryousuke’s back.

And as he enters his own home, Ryousuke wonders if Haruichi’s prepared enough food for his share as well this time.

#kuraryou #kominato ryousuke #kuramochi youichi #diamond no ace #daiya no ace #fanfiction #PHEW THATS ONE MORE CHAPtER DOWN #HONESTLY KUDOS TO YOU GUYS WHO PUT UP WITH MY EXTREMELY SLOW UPDATES ILYALL

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thema-sal-shiral · 7 years

Text

Spoken Memories

Warning: Suicide mention, may trigger. Character back story. Angst.

3some AU.

Thema belongs to me. Lyna to @katalyna-rose

Even though they called themselves Gods now the Evanuris still needed to sleep. Not all slept at the same time, the greed of the others turning away from their common foe and onto each other. Fen’harel and Ghilan’nain took advantage of this, slipping into slumber as well while the Rebellion still warred. Andruil led in their stead, taking advantage of momentary power vacuums to liberate and claim lands. Rumors spread that Fen’harel never slept, and then far more vicious propaganda meant to undermine faith and belief.

This day Andruil sat upon her marriage bed, watching over her heart.

A scroll of the latest unit movements was draped across her lap, a finger marking the last place she had read. Her back laid against one of the wooden posts at the foot of the bed, dressed in one of Solas’ tunics. When her spouses slept she did not stray far from them. The Evanuris had tried to kill them many times, even when they were gone from the battlefields, assassins hidden amongst freed slaves.

Solas and Lyna laid in each other's arms, their chests rising and falling in soft rhythm. They still had weeks to go before the woke and their songs in her mind were dim. It was disconcerting even after all these years to have them mostly gone. It was heaven and hell, this bond, being able to share intent and emotion, yet unable to completely hide her secrets.

Guilt was constant in the back of her mind now, as well as worry. Memories of what had been plagued her when they slept.

She had never told them what had really happened so long ago. They knew now that what she had spoken of was not the whole truth. Solas and Lyna did not press for more information but the bond told her they worried and wanted to know. That worry drove her own, unsure of it she could even say the truth. What would they think of her then? That she was a coward? That she wasn’t even a real person?

Breath stuttered in her lungs, a cold wash racing over her skin. To lose them after everything she’d already done was a fear far greater than anything she’d ever known. Thema knew she had to tell them.

It was not until night had fallen, glow stones shedding weak light over the bed, that she finally said anything. “This feels really weird talking to you guys while you’re sleeping…” Her voice felt thin, lost in the silence. Fingers picked at each other or tugged on her vhenan’nahr. “Especially since I royally fucked up with the Void and now I’m going to dump a shit ton of other stuff on you.”

A deep breath, the quiver of a bottom lip. “I, um… bad decisions are pretty much my m.o. really. Back on Earth, I ran away from my families after my parents split. Lived on the streets or whatever bed I could get. Did a lot of shit I’m not proud of. Did a lot of shit I’m surprised I survived.” Thema chuckled weakly. The feeling of rough concrete, brick and mortar, were phantoms on her skin, the cheering of a back alley fight, and then going to the home of someone from the crowd.

“Broke my arm during a fight. Had to go to an emergency room. It’s a, uh, place for people who need a healer right away and can’t wait to see their usual healer. It’s fucked up as shit, really.” The sleeping lovers had not moved while she spoke, still lost in their dreams. “They had to do this thing where they can see the broken bones. Then they did more things. Took my blood to study it, and then some of me to study. I was in that hospital for about a week before I knew why. No one would tell me why.” The smell of cleaners, bleach, filled her nose and she could recall the stark white halls and the beeping of heart monitors.

“So this little asshole of a doct- healer, I mean, he comes in and tells me I have advanced metastatic bone cancer. It’s a, it’s corruption in the bones. Makes them weak, painful, but I was so used to pain that I didn’t think anything of it. He told me that I only had about three weeks to live, gave me some drugs to help with the pain and just dumped me on the curb. Fucking asshole!” Teeth clenched and ground together, the memory spiking hot anger through her body. She very clearly remembered the Doctor’s face, rather handsome, but his whole demeanor made him ugly.

“Went somewhere else, got a second opinion. That doctor told me the same thing, but he was a shit ton better about it. Answered my questions but he still said that I didn’t have much time left. He got me a room at a nearby hotel since I didn’t have a place, paid for a few nights, told me to get in contact with my families and shit. Fuck.” Blood started to well up in the flesh beside the nail bed, skin picked away as she talked. “Ow. Motherfucker.” Copper taste filled her mouth as she sucked on the wound.

“Ugh. Figures.”

“Anyway… I didn’t call my family. They didn’t care that I left, they wouldn’t care about this. After my time at the hotel ran out I hiked out, with a broken arm in a cast, over the border into BC and found this area that was pretty far back from any road and hiking trail.”

Thema lapsed into silence, biting her lower lip as the memory flooded back. Rich, earthy loam, trees all around with roots winding through the soil and glimpses of a clear blue sky overhead. “I… had a bottle of Johnny Walker and my pain killers with me. Three weeks to live? I refused to go out like that, curled in a ball crying. So I… I ended it right there. My choice.” She barely remembered any of it, just the burn of whiskey and the feeling of pills scraping her throat raw. “Wonder if anyone found my body…”

“Somehow I wound up here. As a ghost, spirit, thing. Don’t remember much of that, just gray haze and sometimes seeing Spirits. They didn’t like me and always ran when I came near. So I just… wandered for a long time… Might have scared the crap out of some Elvhen, no clue.”

“There was this woman, an Elvhen, in the forest. She was dying, had Andruil’s bow on her face. Maybe one of her hunters? Or Andruil hunted her. Don’t know. When she died I got sucked into her body.” She shuddered, wrapped up in herself, feeling the memory yet again. “Her body broke… bones broke and healed every day. Every bone. Teeth fell out over and over, and my - her hair… I was blind a lot of the time. Couldn’t feel anything but the pain and I just wanted to die again. Maybe it was divine punishment for killing myself, being trapped in a body like that.”

“If it wasn’t for my friends I probably would have died right away. If… If Lyna hadn’t found me I definitely would have. She’s the only reason I’m alive. Or am I? … I don’t know.”

She rested her chin on her knees, arms wrapped around them as she still watched her husband and wife. “So that’s me… bad decisions and mistakes one after the other wrapped up in a body that isn’t even mine.”

“Everything I am and done, do, is nothing but fucking luck. I don’t deserve any of this, or you two.” She stroked their cheeks gently, a kiss pressed into their brows. “I don’t know how you two can love me.”

The couch by the main door was her bed for that evening and the layers of blankets and furs were no replacement for their warmth and arms. Thema watched them as she crawled into the temporary nest, the dagger under her pillows there in case she needed it. She would guard them with her life and gladly give it up if needed so they could move forward to save their people. “Ar lath, ma vhenans.”

#thema x lyna x solas #arlathan au #elvhenan au #thema backstory #maybe some character growth #facing past trauma #uthenera #suicide mention #trigger warning

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bellringermal · 7 years

Text

Requested by anon :D

Here’s how the story plays out in my fanfiction!

(which makes way more sense than I anticipated! Every time I find new clues, they all support my line of thought pretty well.)

Byrgenwerth is founded. Willem’s teachings attract brilliant thinkers and scientists like him. Students flock to the college.

The Old Labyrinth is discovered (its main physical entrance is located in the Forbidden Woods, in the Forbidden Grave aka Shadows of Yharnam’s Arena) and the first Chalice is brought back to the surface.

Willem hires Gehrman, a commoner with a special talent for disposing of beasts. He refines his combat techniques and develops special weapons that allow him and his students to fight their way through the Chalice Dungeons.

The Old Blood is found in the Chalice Dungeons. Different types of Blood are discovered but one in particular interests a scholar named Laurence. This special ‘branch’ of the Old Blood is the one taken from Queen Yharnam, (who according to this timeline, was shackled by the scholars so that they could experiment on her) and her closest descendants. Yharnam’s Blood possess 2 major qualities: is poisonous and burns the flesh of most people like acid. Laurence suspects that only those somehow linked to the Pthumerians can inject it into their veins and survive.

Caryll, one of the youngest students of the college develops the ability to hear the voices of the Great Ones and transcribe them into symbols.

Laurence, helped by his two classmates Micolash and Rom, pushes his research too far despite Willem’s protests. The three of them travel to the lowest layer of the Pthumeru Chalice to experiment on Queen Yharnam’s unborn baby, the half-Great One Mergo. Things go horribly wrong. After this ‘accident’, Laurence takes all the blame on himself and he and Master Willem part ways. Micolash and Rom stay at the college.

Laurence is able to continue his research thanks to Queen Annalise’s patronage. It was the Queen who contacted Laurence in the first place, impressed by the progress of his studies and the spreading rumor that a ‘healer’ was able to cure a little girl affected by a terrible illness. The girl in question is obviously young Amelia.

Ludwig, a former apprentice of Gehrman, follows Laurence to Cainhurst.

Lady Maria, one of Annalise’s faithful royal guards, is sent to Byrgenwerth to become Gehrman’s apprentice: Laurence needed fresh supplies of the Old Blood for his experiments and Annalise’s plan was to have her guards trained by Maria in order to be able to explore the Chalice Dungeons just like Byrgenwerth was doing thanks to Gehrman’s hunters.

Two years pass and so many things change, both for the Byrgenwerth hunters and behind the castle walls:

> Gehrman and his hunters find out that Caryll’s runes possess a mysterious but undeniable power and began to etch them on their bodies to gain special abilities. The use of runes combined with their increasing dependence from the Old Blood turns the hunters into almost super-human individuals capable of feats of strength and endurance no common man could perform.

> Laurence manages to purify Yharnam’s blood enough for it to be safely injected into people. The results are mediocre at best when used on common people, but when the transfusion is performed on a member of the Cainhurst nobility, their dormant Pthumerian heritage awakes. The Vilebloods are born.

> Lady Maria becomes a permantent member of the Byrgenwerth Hunters (aka the ‘Old Hunters’). She doesn’t really cut all the ties with her family but still expresses her disapproval for their questionable practices. Despite her doubts, Laurence persuades her to receive an infusion of Queen Yharnam’s blood and the results are, in a word, spectacular. She is the only Cainhurst noble to inherit the Pthumerian Descendant’s ability of manipulating fire.

> *insert a large chunk of Gehrmaria shipping fluff here*

> Micolash and Rom’s research brings them closer and closer to locating Fishing Hamlet.

11. More years pass. At some point, Laurence becomes so influent and powerful that he doesn’t need Annalise’s approval and/or help anymore. The population of Yharnam hails him like a saint and a savior. The use of the Old Blood becomes common practice and the Healing Church is born.

12. Rom and Micolash’s research drives the scholars and the hunters to the Fishing Hamlet. Master Willem is extremely pleased by the results obtained by the two students that became his favorite pupils after Laurence’s leaving. Here, the villagers are slaughtered and Gehrman is the one who strikes the killing blow to the poor Orphan, reason why the two are linked by the curse. (Kos is already dead when they arrive.)

13. The Curse of Kos falls upon them all, all hunters from now on are doomed to wander in the Hunter’s Nightmare after their deaths as if it was some sort of hell.

14. Lady Maria leaves the Old Hunters to join the Healing Church, hoping to redeem herself by acting as a caretaker for the patients of the Research Hall. To her discomfort, she finds out that the Church is not any better than Byrgenweth and in fact, Choir members follow Willem’s teaching way closer than Laurence himself does.

> Not unlike Maria, Rom too has a change of heart after witnessing the horrors of the Fishing Hamlet and steals the Umbilical cord of Kos from the scholars. The remaining hunters chase her down and corner her. Determined not to let the powerful relic fall into their hands, Rom consumes it, beginning her transformation into a ‘failed’ Great One.

15. After the events of Fishing Hamlet, the Old Hunters disband. Some of them join the Church, others became Hunters of Hunters, some, like Gehrman, retire.

16. Tension grows between the Healing Church and the Cainhurst nobility. The most zealotry fraction of the Church, the Executioners, led by a half-Pthumerian general named Logarius, openly declares war to the Castle. Skirmishes become extremely common.

17. The uncontrolled use of Blood among the population forces Ludwig, Captain of the newborn Church Hunters, to recruit Yharnamites to replenish the ranks. Still, it’s not enough and the only way to contain the spreading of the plague of the beasts is to burn Old Yharnam to the ground.

18. The Executioners raid Cainhurst, slaughtering the nobles and imprisoning Queen Annalise.

19. The terrible news is too much for Maria to bear. Not only her actions stained her conscience, but now she was also the last survivor of her family. Overwhelmed by grief, she commits suicide.

20. Gehrman finds out about her passing and breaks down, secluding himself in the workshop where he crafts the Doll in her image.

21. Meanwhile, another faction of the Healing Church rises to power. The School of Mensis, led by Micolash and a bunch of ex Byrgenwerth scholars are allowed to further their research under the watchful eye of the Choir. But the apparent cooperation between the two groups doesn’t last for long.

22. Aware that he won’t be able to keep the city under control for much longer, Laurence swallows his pride and goes back to Byrgenwerth, now abandoned, seeking Master Willem’s advice.

23. Willem suggests the beckoning of a sympathetic yet mysterious Great One called Moon Presence. (I like to think that Willem knew of MP because he somehow managed to commune with Rom at some point. And the secret that Rom protects is the Blood Moon itself.)

24. Laurence, Willem and Gehrman (and a bunch of Choir guys, probably) perform a ritual on the memory altar of the hunter’s workshop. Moon Presence is summoned and she takes Gehrman as her prisoner and host of the Dream. Laurence promises Gehrman that he will come back to free him from her grasp at some point.

25. Plain Doll is brought to life by Moon Presence’s will. Since she’s casted from Gehrman’s memories just like the entire Dream is, something of the real Maria is now alive inside her.

26. The cycle of the night of the hunt begins. The Red Moon appears in the skies of Yharnam, unseen by most thanks to Rom’s concealing powers.

27. The influence of the School of Mensis becomes too huge to be ignored. With an army of Pthumerian snatchers at their disposal and with their headquarters located in the unseen village of Yahar’gul ( a portion of the long abandoned Old Yharnam ) the School of Mensis is in fact the only branch of the Healing Church still standing.

> Laurence and the Choir have their own problems to solve. He needs to conceal all signs of his incoming transformation and the Choir scholars, once enlightened by the benevolent Ebrietas, are now torn between her influence and that of Moon Presence (as hinted by the statues of MP in UCW).

28. The Red Moon causes the whole town to sink into further madness but at the same time, undying hunters are allowed by the Dream to roam the streets and clear them from the biggest and most dangerous beasts.

29. Laurence turns into the first Cleric Beast and is swiftly killed by what remained of the Church Hunters and the members of the League.

30. The School of Mensis performs the ritual in Yahar’gul. Micolash, as the last surviving member of the trio that originally experimented on Queen Yharnam and her baby, is the conductor and master of ceremonies of such a horrifying event. Hundreds and hundreds of civilians are slaughtered and frozen in stone as they try to escape from the Unseen Village. In one shockwave, all the scholars in the ritual chamber are killed, Micolash included, but his conscience is projected into the Nightmare realm where Mergo’s Wet Nurse takes him as the host of the Nightmare just like MP did with Gehrman.

31. On the outside tho, the ritual apparently is still going. Just like Rom’s powers keep the sky clear from the Red Moon, they also halted the ritual preventing the School of Mensis from re-creating their ‘surrogate’ of Mother Kos and the Orphan, aka: the One Reborn, which is allowed to come into existence only once Rom is killed.

32. The city remains in this state of apparent “””calm””” and stillness for the gods know how long.

33. An outsider, you, arrives.

#bloodborne #lore #timeline #laurence the first vicar #gehrman the first hunter #lady maria of the astral clocktower #ludwig the holy blade #school of mensis #healing church #fanfiction #cleric beast #mergo's wet nurse #moon presence #plain doll #micolash host of the nightmare #yahar'gul

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theliteraryfamiliar · 7 years

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Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

Now this particular one was a bit of a delight to read. The first half is all about sisterly love and the selfish choices we can make. But overcoming those selfish desires to help out family regardless of the obstacles in the way.

The second half is a massive arc of questionable character development for our lovely leading lady and a bit of questionable romance for her as well.

S. Jae-Jones sets the theme of the book with a little prologue of a young girl playing music for a young boy who consistently asks her to marry him. The young girl rejects him at every turn with things like "I'm too young to get married." or "But you have yet to win my hand." As time advances, she eventually stops coming to the grove to dance and play with the boy due to worsening problems in her home life.

Before I continue on about this novel, I wanted to say a few words about the main character. Her name is Elisabeth (Liesl) Maria Volger. She's the eldest sibling of three. Enjoys composing music and hearing her younger brother Josef play her music. But at the same time she doesn't see much merit in herself otherwise.

The first half of the book consists of Liesl's younger sister Kathe falling into temptation and eating a goblin fruit from a goblin merchant at the market. Liesl then attempts to save her sister from the enchantment that fell over her via entering an agreement with the Goblin King that if she can find her way into the underground and rescue her sister by the next moon, they both go free.

Well the Goblin King ends up enchanting Liesl in such a fashion that she begins to forget about Kathe and just enjoys what life would have been like if Kathe didn't exist. So Liesl got to make music, got the most handsome man in the village attempting to court her, etc. Basically life seems pretty good. Till she finally snaps out of it with what I'm guessing is two weeks till the full moon. S. Jae-Jones didn't seem to enjoy giving exact time frames.

So Liesl finally gets to work in getting into the underground, which her first thought is that she will need to sacrifice what is most important to her. Which is of course her music. She burns every piece she's ever composed, some dessert bread, and precedes to play music till she basically freezes to death. Because hey! It's apparently winter all of a sudden.

Liesl makes it into the underground and eventually finds out that her sister is dying while down there. And is also stuck in an illusion that she married a royal man and that everyone in their family has succeeded wonderfully in their lives. Liesl manages to momentarily break the spell on Kathe and leads Kathe out of the underground.

And the entire time that Liesl is trying to rescue her sister, the Goblin King is being true to his character and is just so mischievous and nasty. He nearly succeeds in winning the competition with his tricks several times. But either sister was able each time to pull the other back out of his trickery.

Eventually, Liesl does manage to free Kathe. Unfortunately...she discovers that in order to bring back Spring the Goblin King needs a bride or rather the life force of a young woman. So Liesl trades her hand in marriage for Kathe's. Successfully freeing Kathe while also dooming herself.

Now I really loved everything that happened during the first half. And I left out several details because I don't want to spoil every single little thing for you guys. But it was just the way S. Jae-Jones wrote how Liesl interacted with everyone. How she made every single decision. The way she lamented over giving up her music to enter the underground and save her sister. I loved the way that the Goblin King was mischievous, terrifying, and yet so seductive at the same time.

During the first half of Wintersong, the characters just felt so alive and full of color. During the second half though...it flags considerably.

The first part of the second half is where Liesl basically spirals into a nasty bout of depression. And stays in said bout until her official wedding with the Goblin King. Which after that she basically has a temper tantrum because the man wouldn't have sex with her on their wedding night. Queue them being awkward around each other, then getting along again, and then Liesl spirals into another depression because the Goblin King gifted her a klavier to compose on.

At some point, Liesl gets brought to a goblin city to be fitted for a dress. Where she sees mannequins with dresses on them. Out of curiosity she asks about said dresses and finds out that they're the dresses of all the previous queens. The tailor lets slip that the first Goblin Queen actually managed to escape the underground with her life and without damning everyone to eternal winter. Liesl promptly gets all fired up with hope...only to twenty minutes later lose all hope and forget all about the first queen in favor of moping around.

The second half continues on like this with Liesl switching back and forth with depression and being filled with hope. And having romance issues with the Goblin King as well doesn't help the poor girl's case.

Finally she gains an opportunity to escape the underground...only for everything to instantly start turning to Winter and for all the goblins to escape. First thing she does at this point? Realized she screwed up, and begs for the Goblin King to forgive her and take her back as his wife. He does so, effectively reversing the eternal winter that had literally just started and brings Liesl back into the underground.

And fast forward through a minute period of bonding and several non-graphic hinting scenes that claim they had sex, the two of them are head over heels in love. It was at this point that I started to wonder what it was that S. Jae-Jones was doing with Wintersong. Because when I picked it up and read the summary, I thought it was going to be a story about triumphing over "evil" and sisterly love. But instead I got a taste of that, and a kind of terrible love story.

So anyway, the Goblin King basically decides that he loves Liesl so much that he gives her a choice to either go free, or stay with him. Which she obviously chose to go free. Thankfully at least something went right in the second half of the book. But she still had hard feelings about leaving the Goblin King and requested that she leaves the next day instead of right away.

After a game of twenty questions, she finally allowed to leave. But she has to find her own way out without the abilities she had as the Goblin Queen. Liesl nearly dies several times on her way out, but she eventually makes it out alive. And at the tail end of it all, the Goblin King helps her. They have a bittersweet moment after Liesl permanently leaves the underground, where they can no longer touch. Liesl turns and walks away after crying a bit about it.

And that's literally where Wintersong ended. On a very anti-climatic end in my opinion. I mean there is a little epilogue letter thing to Josef from Liesl about how she's sorry that she didn't respond to any of his letters. And that she's glad that people like her music but not to publish it as her work yet. But that's literally it. No happy reunion with Kathe. No happy reunion with Josef. No happy reunion with her parents and grandmother.

Just...well she's out of the underground now sooo...the end! As you can probably tell...I'm mildly bitter about how this one ended. It literally had so much potential but the author just...didn't bother with fleshing it out. Or sticking with a logical character development path for the characters.

So for the official rating...I give the plot two point five out of five stars. And character development gets point five out of five stars. Making for a full score of three stars.

I honestly tried to love the entirety of this book...but the second half just ruined every ounce of love I had for it. I might end up rereading the first half of it and just pretend that that's all there is. Or it can just go collect dust on my bookshelf. Probably the second one more than likely.

Hope you're all looking forward to the review of Dark Witch by Nora Roberts on the 13th! I know I'm definitely looking forward to it!

-Lyka

#Wintersong #s jae jones #theliteraryfamiliar #book reviews

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songsforelia · 7 years

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For Fandom Fic Rec Days: These are some of the best ASoIaF fics featuring Elia Martell as the central character or one of the main POV characters. Please see here for more details of the fics.

@fyeliamartell has already made another Elia fic rec page that can be found here. Go give it a look because most of the recs are very interesting works that didn’t get mentioned in this post!

Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken: The Chronicles of Elia Martell by eena: This is what I call the Elia Martell Bible.

Lady of Dorne by Ramzes: The Rebellion failed. For a couple of years, Rhaegar's reign has been peaceful, until a group of Dornishmen arrive at King's Landing with bad news and take Elia back to Dorne. An extraordinary piece from the series I love most among Ramzes's Dorne ones: superb writing, excellent pacing and brilliant character development. The overwhelming number of OCs in her works may put off certain readers at times, but all of them are fully fleshed out and very well written.

Song of Darkness by Ramzes: The exciting sequel to Lady of Dorne. One thing I love about Elia authors, Ramzes included: Even though they let Elia live, they never let her be this perfect, happy, have-it-all woman in their stories. She is as weak as she is strong, as broken as she is unbroken, she is scared, she makes mistakes and is punished. She doesn’t just get to win.

The Daughter of the Sun by Ramzes: A beautiful interpretation of book events with a few changes. I love the contrast between the Rhaegar/Elia and Arthur/Elia dynamics here. Elia feels really young and innocent here compared to the brave, pragmatic woman in Ramzes's later AU works, who has been put through traumatizing events.

A Farewell by Ramzes: Rhaegar/Elia. Their last farewell.

Sunset and Shadows by Ramzes: Elia and her children are set aside and sent back to Dorne. The political schemes and moves here are marvelous and the interaction among characters a treat to read. Again, lots of interesting, well written OCs (and familiar too if you are also reading other works from the author).

Mending Endeavors by Failed_to_Deanon: Failed_to_Deanon is one of the very few fic writers I've known to have established their own unique writing style since the beginning. In her case, you either love it to death or give up on it eventually (while still can't deny that she's good): The progress of her stories relies heavily, if not almost entirely, on the characters' conversational interaction and emotional struggles. If you are new to her works, this story may be a great start. It is a wonderful take on Rhaegar and Elia's relationship with flawless, professional writing level dialogues and spectacular characterization. This verse was later developed into two sequels: Efforts in Mending (direct sequel) and A Different Sort of Mending (AU).

A Different Sort of Mending by Failed_to_Deanon: A continuation of Mending Endeavors. Every POV is a gem, and I particularly love Oswell's.

Changed Circumstances by Failed_to_Deanon: The most anticipated story among the author's works, this intricate web of Westeros political schemes is what the ASoIaF fandom should be proud of. The POVs are simply breathtaking, each differs and contrasts with the others beautifully as if we are looking through a kailedoscope (My favorite POV besides Elia's is definitely Stannis's). And I will forever be talking about that scene between Elia and Jaime in chapter 7 where each person was having an entirely different conversation while speaking to each other. I actually got goosebumps reading it.

Spoil of War by Failed_to_Deanon: The Rebellion won and Elia is the sole surviving member of the royal family. Failed_to_Deanon can be very wild when it comes to AUs, but the way she build them up is of utter brilliance.

Favorite Book by biohazard603: Modern AU - Oberyn sends Elia and her husband a not-so-innocent book. My beloved modern AU author doesn't need fancy words and complex prose to captivate her readers. She is this friend who sits down beside you and tells a story in the most casual way, and before you know it she got you enchanted. Newlyweds Rhaegar and Elia here truly make a hot couple: they are sultry, fun and sweet.

Onwards by biohazard603: In this Constitutional Monarch version of Westeros, Crown Prince Rhaegar ran away to Dorne with Lyanna Stark, leaving his wife and the rest of the royal family struggle to manage everything under the paranoia of King Aerys. What I love most about the author is that she truly has a knack for characterization. Her characters are vivid and convincingly realistic even in the smallest details of their actions and reactions.

Song of the Rising Sun by Eloisa: A beautiful, almost ethereal song which sings of Elia's story, from her final days in Dorne with her family until the wedding night with Rhaegar in King's Landing.

Same Auld Lang Syne by grumkin_snark @samwpmarleau: AU where Arthur and Elia are ex-lovers who crossed ways after years apart. The nostalgia captured in this fic is so mesmerizing and touching that it actually got me smile in reminiscence. I think this is the best Arthur/Elia story that Laurel (grumkin_snark) has written to date and my most favorite Athur/Elia story. Lovely ideas for the sequel can be found here.

When the West Wind Moves by grumkin_snark: Five people who loved Elia Martell in secret, and one who told her. Another gorgeous piece of writing from Laurel. Every chapter is a delightful read (and they all are heartbreaking), though I must say I love the first chapter and the ending most.

Malevolent and without form by SecondStarOnTheLeft: An AU where Elia is Queen Regent. I'm always amazed at how much this fic delivers in just a little more than 2000 words. Definitely worth every second of the read.

By The Sun by l_cloudy: AU - Elia and her children survive the Sack. I love l_cloudy's lyrical writing and this one is a great read.

The Death of Kings by La Reine Noire (lareinenoire): Should we live in modern Westeros, this would be my favorite historical novel even though I do have my disagreement with certain points of this interpretation. I love Elia's voice here - lovely, loud, clear, echoing even after she's gone.

Jenny’s Song by Lifeisnotasong: Beautiful, depressing, heart-wrenching. I actually burst into tears a few times reading about Elia's dreams, they are so sad. This wonderful story has an equally amazing sequel entitled "Princess in need, Princess indeed", though it is on indefinite hiatus for now.

Dornish to the Bone by LuminaCarina: Elia is Dornish, she plays the game in Dornish way. This is such a terrific story, And I would love to read more on this verse.

A Castle at the Edge of the World by MatchstickAmmonite: A breathtaking depiction of the Rhaegar/Elia relationship. I can never forget what an emotional ride it is reading this from Elia's perspective. My favorite part of the story is definitely its dialogues: lyrical and well-crafted, they sound almost like poems and duets.

With Careful Hands and A Strong Chin by oceanwideopen: The premise of this story is really interesting and was beautifully executed. A story with Elia living happily in Dorne, married to someone she loves and not giving a hoot about the rest of Westeros is always a story I love.

Queenmaker by ohclare: I can't help including this fic because I havea soft spot for Jaime/Elia, be it romantic or platonic. And Willas/Rhaenys is life! This is such an amazing AU.

Not a Sun by patchfacing: Elia's musings on what-ifs.

Burning Heart by PrioritiesSorted: A well constructed, vividly characterized story that tells of Elia and people around her.

The Echo by sunneinsplendour: Elia was given a marvelous voice in this soulful, heartbreakingly poignant piece of writing.

Please consider making a comment to the author if you are interested in their work(s). If you disagree with them and would want to voice your opinion, do so politely!

#elia martell #gotfic #asoiaf fanfic #ficrecdays #asoiaf

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