#mildew's wives

[noctusfury]

Mildew’s Wives (RoB/HTTYD Theory)

Hello, everyone! Welcome to another HTTYD article! Today we’ll dive into the topic concerning Mildew’s wives, which we see in the first episode of Riders of Berk. And are also mentioned in the 5th episode “In Dragons We Trust”.

Perhaps I’m the only person who is interested in this, or even remembers this since these are just background portraits of his ex-wives. But I can’t help but want to pursue this and figure it out!

If you’re interested in my other Mildew article where I dive into who inherited his farm after his outlawry, click here.

Now we know from what was said from Stoick and Gobber that Mildew was a long-standing dragon slayer with a marvelous reputation back in his younger days when dragon raids were common. As, I assume, his father before him. Interestingly enough, since it feels implied that it was in the more recent decades that Berk sent Mildew far from the village due to his unpleasant personality, it could be assumed that he might’ve been different when he was younger. 

Of course, we don’t know what or when Mildew became “the Very Unpleasant”. That being said, he’s mentioned to be very hideous and even implied to be unhygienic. So that could also be why, as he’s a cabbage farmer, owns a sheep, and doesn’t seem to take a bath at all. He also has a very hairy back, according to Gobber after he treated him.

Funnily enough, his wives also seem to be... equally unpleasant. Naturally, we know very little about his past and what he went through back then, nor about what his wives might’ve been like. (Which is a bit of a shame.) 

Of course, I find it funny that they were as hideous as he was. Though he probably married them as formal alliances with other families during his famous dragon-slaying days. Or maybe he was desperate because nobody else would marry him, due to his unpleasant nature (in many ways). Whoever they were and whatever they were like — or even if they were natives to Berk or outsiders — we’ll never know. It’s up to anyone’s interpretation.

In "In Dragons We Trust", Mildew mentions that he had three wives, who all died at some point, to which he states are “pleasant memories,” suggesting he did not like them despite being married to them. (And it may be assumed that they also didn’t like him just as much.)

Now, of course, we could assume that they died from various things: childbirth, disease, an accident, even dragon attacks. Or perhaps they died from the same thing. We don’t know.

However, there could be a much more... macabre alternative.

Murder.

In the episode “In Dragons We Trust”, we see Mildew grab and use dragon claws and feet to frame the dragons in order to banish them from Berk. He then throws them away to get rid of the evidence, possibly knowing that Hiccup and the Gang would eventually find them and he’d get in trouble for it.

Now, this looks like Nightmare claws and... Zippleback feet? But these seem to be some of his trophies he’s won from back in his younger days as a renowned warrior. 

Now I’m sure you’re curious as to why I brought up the “murder” option. It sounds more like he didn’t do any of that from what he says, as it implies that their deaths happened without him having to do anything. 

But this is a “what-if” scenario. What if he bumped off one or even all three of his ex-wives and used these tools to frame the dragons for having killed them?

Think about it. The fact that he even HAS these to begin with is rather sus. I mean, what would he even need these for, if not for what he did to his wives in the past? The claw thingy makes for a terrible backscratcher, and the dragon feet I can’t see anyone using unless they have some sort of winter-proof function that we don’t know about.

But the fact Mildew has these tools at all is rather sus, like I said previously. Why even have them at all except to having used them to frame dragons before for previous wrongdoings?

Plus, when he came home, he greeted the portraits callously by saying, “I’m back home, ladies!! Eh? What’s that, ya say? Nothing? Perfect!”

After claiming those tools, he says to Fungus, “These have served us well, haven’t they, Fungus?” While he was obviously talking about the incidents with framing the dragons, it’s obvious he had these long before that, which is sus. Again, I highly doubt he uses them as winter boots and a backscratcher, so why else would he have them and why would they have served him well save for using them for murder?

Of course, I don’t know when Mildew was banished to this far-off house and farm plot, but it sounds like it was anywhere between 10-20 years ago. Heck, it could even be even longer, but Gobber said, “Why do you think we sent ya to the other side of the village?” so that kinda implies that it was within 10 or so years. No more than 20. Or maybe it might’ve been only 5 years. We just don’t know. 🤔

Anyway, I’m digressing. Point is that he’s a farmer, so he could’ve lived close to the village, or maybe he was even a resident inside the village, so maybe it might’ve been difficult to stage a murder. However, if he was living NEAR the village, then he might have the opportunity to get rid of his wives during dragon raids. Maybe even burn his own house to drive it home. Or, assuming he was still married (at least to his third and last wife), it would’ve been easy to do it at his isolated farm and especially during a dragon raid.

However, again, it’s probably unlikely, but with Mildew being Mildew, I wouldn’t put it past him. But it could be that he never did that and that those deaths are very natural. But it’s an interesting plausibility.

What do you guys think? Do you think it’s possible?

Thank you very much for reading! And I hope to see you in the next article!

Long Live the Night!

— Noctus Fury

#noctusfury #httyd #httyd fandom #httyd articles #dreamworks dragons #mildew #mildew's wives #riders of berk #in dragons we trust #httyd theories #httyd questions #berk #httyd franchise #httyd series #httyd tv series #httyd characters #httyd minor characters #httyd antagonists #httyd article #httyd theory #httyd question #mystery #httyd mystery #possible domestic homicide #the many mysteries concerning mildew's past

[tipsyleaf]

This thought just came to my head and I couldn’t help but giggle.

Imagine Chris invites Leon over to watch football on Sundays, and have a bomb ass barbecue of course; like all dads do on the weekends. But you didn’t really mind, it meant the kids would get off your back for a few hours and you could gossip with Chris’s wife.

The two of them would totally be standing by the grill, bud lights in their hands as they watched the TV outside on the patio, yelling at the players like they could hear them.

They’d hit that signature dad pose. Legs slightly spread apart, standing, arms crossed, you know which one I’m talking about.

Also they’d literally compliment each other on their barbecue and stuff. They’d spend hours just trying to smoke a brisket or something, having the typical bro talk while doing it.

- Anon! 🎀

(Chris looks like a Giants fan. No I will not be elaborating further.)

Literally can't decide which apron Chris would be wearing so here's all the options

With the middle one he'd definitely pat his wife's ass every time she walked by. She'd just stop and stare for a second and he'd point to the apron. She'd just nod and keep walking, use to his bullshit by now.

The wives would be talking about bitchy moms at the PTA as the kids play on the Redfield's giant playset. (Like think about a McDonald's play place and old chuck e. cheese playgrounds together. Just minus the child vomit and mildew smell). They're drinking wine, talking among themselves when they overhear their husbands talking.

"She's a beauty! Doesn't throw fits. Let's me do whatever I need to and I don't even need to put in much effort." You two life your heads, listening to Chris until Leon speaks up.

"Where'd you find her?"

"Street corner!" Chris's wife stands up, about to walk over until Leon's wife grabs her arm and forces her back in the seat.

"Some guy was moving and selling the old girl so I scooped her up and brought her home."

He's talking about the fucking grill...

Chris's wife sighs in relief. Feeling her heart return to her body as she chugs the rest of her wine. She was fully ready to knock some sense into that man...

Eventually Lulu walks over and wants to help her dad cook. He'd grab her little apron and make her stand by the side of the grill on a chair and hand his cheese slices for the burgers. Her apron:

To which Leon looks at Violet and asks her why she doesn't help him grill at home while she's getting one of the barrel juices from the kids cooler.

"You gonna pay me daddy?" He's stunned for a second and stares at her.

"What? Why would I pay you?"

"I was told to never do a job for a man who didn't pay me what I deserved."

"Who told you that?"

"Mommy." Leon looks up at his wife who's sipping her wine. Daring him to say a word. He just ruffles Violets he hair up.

"Good advice. Go play." His wife nods, going back to her conversation while Violet runs off.

I'd imagine the game would be a massive deal to the both of them. Like it's their teams against each other and they have a bet going. The game goes into overtime and eventually Leon's team wins and he's so excited he goes to cheer but sees his two girls are out like a light inside the living room of the house so he just tries keeping in his excitement so the kids can sleep until they finish packing up to go home.

#leon kennedy x reader #resident evil x reader #leon s kennedy x reader #leon kennedy x fem reader #leon s kennedy #chris redfield x reader #chris redfeild x reader #chris redfield x y/n #🌿 ivy writes #🌿 ivy replies #🏘️ domestic life with chris redfield #🏡 domestic life with leon kennedy

[aloneandforsakenbyfateandbyman]

Work, dealing with finances and having to have an income is so boring. I’m just a bimbo at heart. I love romance and poetry. I’d rather look beautiful and lie in a bed of roses all day than work at a musty corporate office with asbestos in its walls, boomers cheating on their wives, and an old water cooler full of mildew.

[brainr0t-landfill]

🌃 Mercurial

ghoap x male reader

Chapter Four: Nausea

"I will poison all your happy times, I will love you like the ashes in my cigarette box."

-The Crane Wives, Tounges and Teeth

(money insecurity, unhealthy relationship, implied homelessness, anxiety)

The on the road life is better suited for you, you feel more secure with the peeling, old wallpapers of whichever hotel you end up in than the walls you had painted with Johnny the beds reeking of mildew feel more familiar than the wide warm one you used to share with them.

Faces forgotten before you can commit them to memory, places gone with nothing to mourn them by, nightly vigels to the best thing that ever happened to you spent anxiously looking out foggy windows for any silhoutte resembling theirs, listening for uniform footsteps louder than an earthquacke and as familiar as the little compartment you've sewn in your backpack, containing a new ID, fake passoport ,ever-changing burner phones and your unstable money supply.

You're in your element when no one knows you, when people don't commit your face to memory, when they're ingenuine and changing. it's familiar and homey when you know every escape route and every card in the deck, it's not so familiar too with the ever present threat of being found breathing down your neck, you know too well how attached they are and how many strings they have to pull, you've seen it firsthand.

Even then you can't blame them, they fell for someone they thought was good and from this distance it's easier then ever to paint yourself as the villan, the one who stirred the water when all was well, pushed buttons he knew he shouldn't have pushed, tested boundaries that had been set in stone when they were finnaly comfortable, when all was finnaly well.

It started out small, just a way to relieve your tension, just a way to adjust and get some breathing room;

It was the small ritualistic details you started neglecting at first, not stocking the pantry, keeping the house messy before they came home from deployments, not kissing them goodnight or goodbye. They didn't get mad, they didn't even notice, John stepped up readily when you neglected the house and Simon happily went out for groceries whenever you 'forgot', and that set you off worst. The little things you'd built your life, your place in the relationship around where unimportant to them, just something someone else could do without much fuss.

Then it was keeping the door unlocked on the night you knew they'd be coming home, sleeping on the couch by yourself with the excuse of 'feeling smothered', going out and not telling them whene you were going or when you'd be back knowing you were leaving then anxious and frazzled worried for your safety and nothing else, they were good, too good for somone like you. So good that Simon sat you down and explained that he understood you needed some space and that them being gone one day and then then being so present and loud could be hard to get used to.

"Me 'n Johnny just want ya safe angel."

Simon and that understanding smile on his face, always considerate and understanding to the people he loved like a wise parent lecturing a misbehaving yet well meaning child. You spat in the face of that.

"You both are overreacting Si, I know y'all got this skewed view of the world because the military n shit but I'm an adult, I don't need bodyguards."

His face fell, John turned around momentarily to check on the conversation.

"It's not like that, 'n you should know by now. We love you, we want you safe, you're the one with the skewed view and if you keep this bullshit up there's gonna be reprucussions-"

"Simon."

John cut in walking over to the kitchen table and giving him a look, Simon deflated running a hand over his face and you felt the familiar pain of being a disappointment, of misguiding and upsetting. It was wose when you know you love them and do it anyway knowing the things they'd been through.

"Sorry.."

You mumble, his dark eyes soft as they met yours. His bare hands clasped on his lap, he's rubbing his own knuckles.

"Jus' - jus' be safe yeah? Take care o' yourself when we can't, keep our heads clear? For us, angel."

You nodded knowing full well that despite your guilt you had found a nerve and you weren't the good person you had cruelly convinced them you were. You revealed in uncertainties and tension, you hadn't been anywhere this long since your teenage years when you got kicked out. You weren't deserving of this care, this love so you were doing the right thing driving them away or perhaps you just liked being cared for in such avident and raw way either way you were dead weight at best and a parasite at worst.

The tension rose when you kept doing it, John was the first to snap when you introduced them as your friends to some work acquaintances. He broke down, screamed raw and bloody, punched a wall and pulled out his hair as Simon desperately tried to play mediator.

"How could ye?! How fucking could ye, you ungrateful, lying cunt!"

John screamed as you stood leaning against the wall his knuckles were still kissed white and bleeding from the hole they had left in the drywall. His aquamarine eyes squinted and wet, his breaths quick and shallow like a wounded bird.

"We live together! We sleep in the same god damn bed, that's my sweater on ye back, 'n ye sit there and call us your mates?! Yer buddies?! I swear to fucking god ye better have brain damage or I wi-"

Simon grabbed him by the shoulders before he could go on any further. You understood why he was mad, he had opened his heart out to someone he had trusted for so long not knowing he was a snake in the grass, he wanted his love, his safe space, his importance in your life validated especially after all the anxiety you had put them both through with your planned recklessness.

And you broke, in retrospect it could have been so much better if you hadn't, maybe then you'd have some resentfull exs instead of this manhunt with every card stacked against you.

You sobbed, apologized over and over again, promised you'd be better, promised you'd behave, you loved them, you really loved them, the pain in Johnny's voice was unlike anything you'd seen and you meant it too. You didn't wanna be stranded and drifting again, by yourself in the world.

"Ye know we won't ever let ye go angel, promise."

You broke your promises time and time again, they snapped and you broke, but guilt wasn't enough to scratch this constant itch under your skin. Waiting, salivating for when they finnaly got fed up with you like everyone else, it enraged you when they didn't.

Shit hit the fan when you spent two nights at a friend's house and kept your phone on silent, came home with her perfume spritzed on your neck, then you ended up in the cabin and realized some bonds had to be severed phisicaly.

So here you are now, in the roadie lifestyle you're used to, overgrown beard and bloodshot eyes, feet bloody and swollen in your shoes, always cold, always tired, never quite clean. Walking home with a measly paycheck in your pocket and TV dinner in a shopping bag, you're always tense, always on edge knowing full well they've most likely moved on, hopefully.

Life on the road isn't as secure as it used to be, not when their love made you soft and comfortable.

You miss warm beds, you miss a stable job and your warm clean home but most importantly you miss them, you miss them like an amputated limb, like you can reach out and feel the muscles hanging loose, the veins burst and drooling where you hacked them off; it's easier to deal with when you remind yourself people like you don't deserve things like that.

You're just outside your hotel rooms door when some primal, animal instinct straightens your spine, something isn't right.

You look inside from the windows check inside, your measly possessions are all where they ought to be, just when you're about to close to door you see them.

Footsteps, on the snow, big, bigger than yours and deep, pure snow filthied by mud somone tried to cover them up but they're still there.

You can't tell if they're combat boots that John favoured or the hiking shoes Simon sweared by but it sets you off anyways, primal fear and anxiety, restlessness churning in your gut as you pack all of your belongings.

Same game, new rules.

<< Next Chapter / Next Chapter >>

#ghoap x reader #ghoap x male reader #cod x male reader #mercurial #cod x reader #john mactavish x male reader #john mactavish x reader #simon riley x male reader #simon x reader x johnny #tw poverty #tw implied abuse #tw violence

[rosiethedragongeek]

Rating HTTYD antagonists/villains because I can

Stoick the Vast

8/10

He was an antagonist in the first movie change my mind. His conflict with Hiccup was super interesting and compelling, definetly one of my favorite parts of the movie

The Red Death

6/10

It did it’s job ig? It felt like a video game boss lol

Mildew

-100/10

I hate this greasy shit stain of a man and I have no clue how he got three wives

Fungus deserves better tbh

The Whispering Death

7.5/10

Fucking terrifying dude, absolute nightmare fuel, I love it (and it’s history w Toothless is a cool addition)

The Screaming Death

6/10

Not as scary as the whispering death, honestly, it was alright

Alvin the Outcast

7/10

Pretty basic, but he was solid. Really enjoy most of the episodes he’s in and I like the tie in w his history with Stoick

Savage

3/10

The greasiest man alive. He discovered free will halfway through Race to the Edge and even then he succeeded and literally nothing he tried. He’s kinda funny sometimes ig.

Heather the Unhinged

3/10

She was just so slimy and annoying in rob I didn’t like her at all lol

Beast (The Skrill)

8/10

I love all of the Skrill episodes so much omg. She’s so cool, I wish there was more of them

Dagur the Deranged

20/10

He’s actually insane and for that he’s my favorite. He’s just so good he’s so much fun

Berthel

1/10

He adds nothing to the story and I don’t particularly like him

Amos

2/10

His first episode is meh but I like some of his lines in Sandbusted

Ryker Grimborn

5/10

He’s alright. I like him well enough, but he’s certainly not my favorite HTTYD villain

Viggo Grimborn

15/10

Obsessed with this man. Easily the best HTTYD villain in the franchise and he creates the best conflicts in the series by far. I love the way he mirrors Hiccup’s character, I could honestly go on for a while about how much better he is than all of the other villains in the whole franchise lol

Krogan

7/10

His overall vibe is super cool and I really enjoyed that episode where he and Viggo were looking for ways to kill each other. His design is awesome

Trader (Traitor) Johann

10/10

Ruined the way I looked back on the hours in my childhood I spent watching ROB/DOB, I have never felt so betrayed in my life and I never will again, this man gave me trust issues

Drago Bludvist

3/10

He was alright, but I was never really scared of him. I liked how he killed Stoick, and he put Hiccup in an interesting situation, but other than that, he just didn’t do it for me

Grimmel the Grisly

0/10

Knock-off Viggo Grimborn. ‘You’ve never seen anyone like me’ yeah, alright. I hate his face and did not care about him. He shouldn’t have been the last straw for sending the dragons away, honestly

Spitelout Jorgenson

-100000000000000000000000/10

I hate him. This garbage man is an antagonist and you can’t change my mind. The Worst.

#stoick the vast #stoick httyd #httyd stoick #stoick #the red death #httyd the red death #the red death httyd #mildew httyd #httyd mildew #whispering death #screaming death #alvin the treacherous #httyd alvin #alvin httyd #savage httyd #httyd savage #heather the unhinged #httyd heather #heather httyd #beast httyd #httyd beast #the skrill #berthel httyd #httyd berthel #httyd amos #amos httyd #ryker grimborn #httyd ryker #ryker httyd #viggo grimborn

[krenenbaker]

Ikevil Character Song Associations

These songs are all mostly based on the first impressions and vibes I've got from the characters, so there may be some songs that don't fit as well as they could.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on these choices!

William

Solar Waltz - Cosmo Sheldrake

I’m not sure what it is, but this feels like a very William-esque song to me. The waltz form has a certain poise in the same way that William does, and the lyrics’ themes - though I don't know him very well yet - in my mind, suit him.

“And work they must And work they shall For all the things to grow”

Harrison

Green - Kera & The Lesbians

This one is more based on genre / vibe than lyrics, but they still fit. Harrison feels like he exudes this kind of moderate-tempo, mostly relaxed energy that this song also has.

“Though, yes, it’s true, your smile confuses a few. But I can see how you start grinning your eyes And it says: There’s somethin’ wicked in you”

Liam

Curses - The Crane Wives

Liam’s a bit playful and always presents in a positive manner, despite how dark his internal world is. I see a lot of him and his behaviour in both the instrumentals and in the lyrics of this song.

“Every word I say is kindling But the smoke clears when you're around Won't you stay with me, my darling When my walls start burning down, down, down?”

Elbert

Cement - Nicole Dollanganger

This song feels a bit lonely, and the lyrics focus on the preservation of things a person loves and finds beautiful (even to their detriment), which from what I understand about Elbert… fits him to a T.

“The things you love you put into cement In order to keep them they have to be dead You think that he’s yours but it’s only in your head His coffin is not your arms, his grave is not you bed”

Alfons

Bourbon Street - Jeff Tuohy

Alfons is quite the hedonist, and this song certainly reflects that. It also is rather relaxed in tempo, while still having a drive behind it - much like Alfons himself.

“When I walk the street, people step aside Twirling my cane and smiling wide Some would say I’m a carnal slave I put my hands on what I crave”

Roger

Schism - TOOL

I can’t think of many genres that would suit Roger better than rock. And this specific song just feels like him. Especially considering the (slight) division that there seems to be between Roger and the other members of Crown…

“I know the pieces fit 'Cause I watched them fall away Mildewed and smoldering Fundamental differing”

Jude

Follow Me - Odd Chap, J Fitz

When I see Jude, I immediately think ‘electro-swing’. I just think it matches his energy well! I had a feeling that the lyrics to this one also work well with Jude, though I also am the shakiest on his character, so it may not be the best pick for him.

“I′m reaching out yeah So please come follow Our time is coming So please come follow”

Ellis

All I Do Is Dream Of You - Faultline, dodie

I’m also a little uncertain of Ellis’ character, but this song has a similar gentleness and… thoughtfulness(?) that Ellis appears to show as well. 

“You're every thought, you're everything You're every song I ever sing All I do the whole night through Is dream of you”

Victor

Villainous Thing - Schayfer James

This song could honestly describe the entirety of Ikémen Villains as a game, but seems especially applicable to Victor. It has a surprisingly fun tone, while beckoning you into the darkness at the same time.

“Me and you are overdue for fiendish laughter. Oh dear, let me see those smoky eyes 'cause you're a villainous thing, and we can't have you living a lie”

#krenenbaker's creations #ikevil character songs #ikevil opinions #ikevil #william rex #harrison gray #liam evans #elbert greetia #alfons sylvatica #roger barel #jude jazza #ellis twilight #ikevil victor #fun fact: Bourbon Street was my second-to-most played song last year on Spotify :)

[ell0ra-br3kk3r-writes]

The Phoenix and the Crow

part sixteen

pairing: kaz brekker x fem!reader

genre: netural

el's thoughts: the next part!! yayyy please let me know your favorite parts or what you are hoping to see next!!

The sick feeling in Y/N’s stomach had nothing to do with the rocking of the rowboat. She tried to breathe deeply, to focus on the lights of the Ketterdam harbor disappearing behind them and the steady splash of the oars in the water. Beside her, Kaz adjusted his mask and cloak, while Muzzen, one of the Dregs, rowed with a relentless and aggressive speed. Hellgate rested on one of Kerch’s tiny outlying islands, Terrenjel. 

Fog lay low over the water, damp, and curling. It carried the smell of tar and machinery from the shipyards on Imperjum, and something else – the sweet stink of burning bodies from the Reaper’s Barge. The place where Ketterdam disposed of the dead who couldn’t afford to be buried in the cemeteries outside the city. ‘Disgusting.’ Y/N thought, drawing her cloak tighter around her. How could these people live with themselves? Not giving the dead the respect they deserved. Then again, it was Ketterdam… How many of these people truly deserved an honoring of their name? 

Y/N shuffled away from the edge of the rowboat, accidentally brushing her arm against Kaz’s side. If her being this close to him bothered him, he didn’t show it. Instead, he spoke in a quiet whisper, “We’re almost there.”

The tightness in her chest dwindled at his words. She nodded just enough for him to notice her thanks. 

~

When the boat’s hull scraped sand, two men rushed forward to haul them farther onto land. The other boats she’d seen were making ground in the same cove, being pulled ashore by more grunting men. Their features were vague through the gauze of her veil, but Y/N caught a glimpse of the tattoos that inked their forearms. A feral cat curled into a crown– the symbol of the Dime Lions. 

“Money?” One of them had asked as the crows clambered out of the boat. 

Kaz handed over a stack of kruge and once it was counted, the Dime Lion waved them on.

They all followed a row of torches up an uneven path to the leeward side of the prison. Y/N had seen the prison from afar before but looking up at it now… She understood why the mention of the jail instilled such a strong fear in people. She tilted her head back to gaze at the high black towers of the fortress named Hellgate.

A door had been propped open, and another member of the opposing gang led Y/N and the others inside. They entered a dark, surprisingly clean kitchen, its walls lined with huge vats that looked better suited to laundry than cooking. A strong aroma of vinegar and sage filled her nose. ‘Like a mercher’s kitchen.’ She’d thought to herself. The Kerch believed that work was akin to prayer. Maybe the merchant wives came here to scrub the floors, walls, and windows to honor Ghezen, the god of industry and commerce. Y/N resisted the urge to gag. They could scrub all they liked. Beneath the wholesome scent was the indelible stench of mildew, urine, and unwashed bodies. It might take a miracle from the Saints to dislodge it.

They all continued down a dark hallway, and she thought they would head up into the cells, but instead, they passed through another door and onto a high stone walkway that connected the main prison to what looked like another tower. 

“Where are we going?” Y/N whispered. Kaz didn’t answer. The wind picked up and lifted her veil and lashed at her cheeks with salt spray.

Nina let out a breathless gasp as she looked around the familiar surroundings. “I thought we were breaking him out. Brekker, you lying bastard.”

Kaz didn’t turn around to look at her, “We are breaking him out. But he was already scheduled. He survives tonight then he gets out.”

Y/N looked between the two, confused as to what was happening.

Nina gritted her teeth, “Hellshow.”

The slow cranking of metal against metal echoed in the arena over all the shouts and loud conversations from the crowds. The two grisha women walked closer to the metal cage, Nina grasped the thick bars between her hands tightly, as if willing the metal to bend at her will. They both watched as a tall man walked out from under the gate. 

“Matthias.” Nina’s voice was barely heard over the cheering around them. 

The two men in the ring stood there for a moment before the one with ‘cannibal’ written on his back lunged first. A strong punch to the Fjerdan’s jaw caused his head to snap to the side, and with no time to recover another blow was aimed at his stomach. 

After taking a few more hits, resulting in the Heartrender flinching at every grunt, the Fjerdan finally snapped. He threw a jaw-snapping punch at the smaller man, spun around, and threw his elbow back landing on the man’s collarbone. The latter fell to the floor giving Matthias an opening to continue his attack. He picked up a leg and dragged the man on his back before crushing his leg in his grasp. 

Y/N’s eyes widened at the memory and felt a sickening feeling creep up on her. Such a dishonorable way to keep your life. But then again, what choice did these people have?

The Dime Lion led them around the tunnel to the third archway, where a prison guard dressed in a blue-gray uniform was posted with a rifle slung across his back. “Four more for you.” The Dime Lion shouted over the roar of the crowd. Then he turned to Kaz. “If you need to leave, the guard will call for an escort. No one goes wandering off without a guide, understood?”

“Of course, of course. Wouldn’t dream of it.” Kaz said from behind his ridiculous mask.

“Enjoy.” The Dime Lion said with an ugly grin. The prison guard waved them through.

Y/N stepped under the arch and felt as if she’d fallen into another nightmare. They were on a jutting stone ledge, looking down into a shallow, crudely made amphitheater. The tower had been gutted to create an arena. Only the black walls of the old prison remained the roof long since fallen in or destroyed so that the night sky was visible high above, with dense clouds and free of stars.

It was a different view from when she came with Nina before. Now higher in the stands, the crowd’s shouting echoed and made her ears ring. Around her, masked and veiled men and women crowded onto the terraced ledges, stamping their feet as the action proceeded below. The blazing light from the torches on the walls was hardly bright enough to make out anyone’s face even with a strained effort, but it was bright enough below them to see the red and damp sand of the floor.

Y/N swayed on her feet when she saw a man standing in the caged arena while a desert lizard crawled out from under the heavy metal trap door. Her sight blurred the moment she noticed the man pick up his knife and quicker than she could whisper a prayer the crowd’s volume got louder only this time they were booing. Y/N turned to the man standing next to her. “Why are they complaining? Isn’t this what they came here for?”

“They wanted a fight,” said Kaz. “They were expecting him to last longer.”

“This is disgusting.”

Kaz shrugged, “The only disgusting thing about it is that I didn’t think of it first.”

“These men aren’t slaves, Kaz!” Y/N spoke harshly but kept her volume down. “They’re prisoners.”

“They’re murderers and rapists.”

“And thieves and con artists. Your people.” Nina spoke up from Kaz’s other side.

“Nina, sweet, they aren’t forced to fight. They line up for the chance. They earn better food, private cells, liquor, jurda, conjugals with girls from the West Stave.”

Muzzen, the man who accompanied the crows on the heist, cracked his knuckles. “Sounds better than we got at the Slat.”

The two grisha looked around the stands at all the men and women who came here to support such a violent show, all of them exchanging bets while walking up and down the aisles. The prisoners of Hellgate might line up to fight, but Pekka Rollins made the real money. At least he used to. News got out shortly after Pekka was thrown into the high-security prison where he was brutally beaten to death by a few of the other prisoners.

“Helvar doesn’t…” Y/N couldn’t get her eyes to focus on anything as she spoke and pulled herself out of her own thoughts. “Helvar doesn’t fight in the arena, does he? You bought his name off the list, didn’t you?”

A grim look passed over Kaz’s eyes as he looked down at the inferni. “We aren’t here for the ambience.”

“Are you aware that I could waggle my fingers and make you wet your trousers?” Nina was beyond furious at this point. Her hands clenched at her sides.

“Easy, heartrender. I like these trousers. And if you start messing with my vital organs, Matthias Helvar will never see sunshine again.”

Once the stomach-churning sound of the heavy metal gate being cranked open was heard the crowds went wild. Y/N looked over to see Nina staring down into the arena with a pale face. She had turned to look down and felt her heart drop to her stomach at the sight before her.

Matthias emerged from the mouth of the cave while the unmistakable growls of wolves could be heard from the other side. 

The Fjerdan had to fight his most sacred animal.

#kaz brekker x reader #kaz brekker #six of crows #six of crows x reader #six of crows imagines #kaz brekker x y/n #kaz brekker x you #ellora.writes

[athingofvikings]

A Thing Of Vikings Chapter 105: No Greater Fear Than That Of Love Standing Helpless

Chapter 105: No Greater Fear Than That Of Love Standing Helpless

The idea of blood is ridiculous.

And while I have some complaints to Odin about the red stuff that runs in our bodies and leaks out when you poke too hard, that's not what I'm talking about here.

The idea of good blood or bad blood or bloodlines or 'they take after their father or mother,' or, going bigger, that's just how they are because of who they are, what they are, that's absurd.

I'm proof of that. I grew up as my father's runt of a child, someone who was strange and who didn't fit in, despite all of my efforts to be just like them. How can I say to other people that that's what I would expect of them because of who their parents were, who their family is, when I remember so strongly that I wasn't like my own father?

'That's just how they are'. Oh really? That's just how 'they' are? Why? It didn't matter to me how much 'Vikings' were like that, even as I tried to be one with all of my (rather sad) might. I wasn't an ax-wielding warrior.

Yes, there are tendencies across groups of people. But those come from how the child is taught, from what the people around them say is acceptable on how to behave, and also from their own personal gifts and temperaments. Everyone likes to say now that my eldest kids are 'geniuses, just like their father' since they started reaching adulthood and I'm finding out exactly what my father and Gobber meant by "the Grandparents' Curse". And yes, part of me would like to think that it's all my 'blood'. But it isn't. It's because when they were little, I helped them ask questions and grow. I encouraged the parts of them that wanted to know, wanted to understand the world and how it is put together. And not all of my kids are that kind of 'genius'. Oh, Asta and Magni definitely are, and it's been a joy to watch them scare and upset the old scholars as they've finish their schooling—or in Valka's case, scare the lords now that she's starting to take some responsibility in leading. But Hamish, ahem, 'takes after his mother,' and while he's certainly smart enough, he's not interested in being a philosopher or a lord or an artist or a priest like his brothers and sisters are. He's growing up to be a warrior, a soldier, an officer and general like his mother is, and I'm just doing my best to help him be a man of honor and not a bully. And I'm not going to force him to be like me if he doesn't want to be. I know how much that hurts.

But that's just my own family. I wasn't a model Hooligan growing up, no matter how many tales people tell now to the contrary. Fishlegs grew up around books and cultivated that in him, but he wasn't a perfect warrior as our people pictured it either. Hel, Mildew, may Nidhogg gnaw on his bones, was one of us, and look at how he acted! It was as if every law and rule we had was something he viewed as a challenge to break!

So when I hear people say in the Thing that that's 'just how the Turks are', or 'everyone knows that's how the Han people are', or any of that…

I always end up asking sarcastically about what 'everyone knows'. After all, 'everyone knows' that Jews are weak scholars—and some of our most highly honored soldiers come from their people. I've had my own people comment to me in private that 'everyone knows' how Franks are untrustworthy fanatics who will betray oaths to outsiders if they can find an excuse. And, sure, there have been examples of that… and there have been many more examples of good and kind members of their people, who repay decency with decency and honor with honor.

No. Blood is ridiculous. I grew up with a smith for a guardian and became a craftsman. My wives grew up in the homes of warriors and leaders, and that's what they were taught to become.

And that is why I do my best to help my people, regardless of their 'blood', to grow and fly on their own.

Because I know what it's like to be a square peg in a round hole, even if people now are saying that the hole was always square.

It wasn't.

—From the Journal of Hiccup Haddock, October 12th, AD 1067

AO3 Chapter Link

~~~

My Original Fiction | Original Fiction Patreon

#a thing of vikings #httyd #how to train your dragon #alternate history #historical fiction

[evilwriter37]

Mildew had three wives. All dead.

Sugar Mommy's.

Cursed and bad.

#asks #lol

[ace-disgrace-on-the-case]

There is a puddle on the floor.

It’s right there, an oasis on the smooth concrete. Footprints spring from one side of it, as though whoever made them spawned fresh from the murky two-inch depths. As the ground shakes with each new trumpet of artillery, the puddle dances.

It’s like music. The pounding drumbeats, the screaming sirens, the quiet wail of an engine spooling up somewhere else; the cool damp that drips onto helmeted heads. There is mold in the corner of the room, a black stain bringing the closest thing to color for miles. The room smells of mildew and rot. It smells like a forgotten promise. It smells forlorn.

It smells like rain. The drips disturb the puddle once more, and it recoils from the sting of the impact. There is a puddle on the floor, roughly two inches deep, and there is no person there to witness it. There are casualties, soldiers, wives, husbands, children, sure—but there are no people. People do not have to hide in holes; people don’t live moment to moment under threat of instant annihilation. The next artillery strike shudders into the ground. Someone whimpers. More footsteps resonate through the room; heavy and large they come, one, two, like the footfalls of an angry god.

There is a puddle on the floor, and there is no longer a roof. Red light pours in through the gaping hole left by the angry metal fist, one cyclopean eye turned down at the pitiful display. There is a puddle on the floor, and there is a stampede through it, splashing chilly, muddy water as the surface breaks. There is a puddle on the floor, and it burns red under the singular weight of the mobile suit’s gaze. There is a puddle on the floor, and it vibrates finally, madly, with the force of one last impact. There is a puddle on the floor, scattered now for good as burning, twisted metal collapses through the crumbling remains of the roof, surface upon surface broken, drifting down into the deep waters below life as a single frightened pilot bleeds out in a titanium coffin.

There is no longer a puddle on the floor. And there is no person there to witness it.

#post #writing #gundam #microfiction #mecha

[ashleybenlove]

Hiccup's hmm at the sheep picture next to pictures of Mildew's three wives.

Sir, you're practically married to a dragon.

#ashleybenlove posts #how to train your dragon #Riders of Berk #In Dragons We Trust

[noctusfury]

Just posted a new HTTYD article called [Mildew's Wives (HTTYD Theory)]! Go check it out if you like! 😀

#noctusfury #httyd #httyd fandom #dreamworks dragons #riders of berk #defenders of berk #httyd franchise #httyd articles #httyd article #blog announcement #announcement #blog update #article link

[sherwees]

As the king swung open the door to the towering structure, the two were greeted by another sudden rush of frigid air. Her eyes scanned the room, meeting the gazes of about a dozen other women. Each of them bore a multitude of emotions, ranging from hope to fear, as they awaited what was to come. Some harbored aspirations of becoming the next queen, while others likely dreaded the prospect of being sent away or be coming a statistic.

Clementine trailed behind Yizhuo, who eagerly rushed over to embrace two other girls dressed similarly. One of them had a radiant smile and hair that cascaded nearly to her waist, while the other possessed doe-like eyes and a friendly demeanor. On the other hand, she couldn't help but marvel at their beauty, understanding why a royal might desire multiple wives. Clem noticed the gleam of satisfaction in the Hendery's eyes as he observed the interaction between the three girls.

“You all should have had time to get to know each other and perhaps even form groups,” the monarch announced, clasping his hands together, the sound reverberating through the hollow space. Yizhuo pulled Clementine hastly by the forearm to stand between her and one of the two girls, but Clementine couldn't shake her confusion about the objective of forming groups.

“This may seem childish to some, but all 15 of you were chosen to play a round of hide and seek,” the king declared. “Play? Do you like to consort with children or something?!” Clementine recognized the voice of the girl who emanated a peculiar odor reminiscent of mildew and horse manure. Her mother had often warned her about such families, skilled only in treachery and husbandry.

“How dare you make such an assumption?!” The king's tone turned rough, causing Clementine and Yizhuo to wince slightly.

“You're making us play this childish game of hide and seek even though some of us came here to become engaged to you!” Spit flew from the raging girl's mouth, Yizhuo clung to her taller friend's side.

“Perhaps if you listened to me, you would understand, you swine!–” some girls gasped perilously loud and murmured upon their companions. “Now silence, ere I'll send you off early.” His threat stood heavy in the air, his eyes were pools of acrimony at this point.

“Fine by me! Hendery, you are nothing but scum!” with a defiant slam of the door, the girl stormed out, leaving behind a shocked silence that was soon shattered by her struggled screams from outside. The girl with the gummy smile made a move out of concern to follow, but the king swiftly brandished his blade, forcing her to recoil in horror; her back pressed against the wall. Yizhuo squeezed Clementine's hand tightly as the blade leaned towards the girl alarmingly, the fear evident in her clammy grip.

“Now you must settle down. The rules are simple: all you have to do is make it out, and if you don't, your destiny is for the gods to decide.” The king nicked the sword at the girl's neck, drawing a thin line but not enough to draw blood; Clementine couldn't help but wonder about his skill with the blade previously.

“Be clever, be expedient, and smart,” he continued, sending a rush of adrenaline coursing through Clementine's veins as she tightened her grip on Yizhuo's hand, her head spinning with confusion and cetera. “Now, you must be on your way.” Yizhuo lead the charge, Clementine found herself nearly falling down the first 5 seconds of the “game”.

“You only have 120 seconds!” The king's words spurred them into action, and they darted off, Clementine's achilles grazing against the leather of the insole of her suffocating boots as they ran.

“Where are we heading?” Clementine gasped between breaths, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Wherever God and Wendy lead us,” Yizhuo replied, her voice trembling as tears streamed down her pale cheeks, her once pristine apron now stained and her plaits were coming undone.

masterlist

#nct scenarios #wayv scenarios #nct angst #wayv angst #aespa angst #aespa scenarios #aespa

[eemoo1o-tfrmoo]

D-Did Mildew kill his three wives?

#uhhh #httyd #riders of berk #in dragons we trust #original post #httyd mildew #mildew

[haggishlyhagging]

Cases of seduction, betrayal, and revenge had to be decided on the basis of sentiment rather than law because the law, quite simply, did not fit the community. It seemed clear to everyone—even to those outraged newspaper editors who weren't able to put their finger on the problem—that enforcing the letter of the law in these cases would contradict the very principles on which those laws were based. Theoretically, law serves several purposes in a society. For one thing, punishment of criminals is popularly supposed to provide an example and deter crime. Defense attorney Daniel Voorhees argued in the Harris case, however, that if the jurors sought to make "examples for the correction of vice and the preservation of morality," they ought not "to commence with the humblest, the feeblest, and the most helpless." These women, after all, were ruined for life. Unlike men who avenged wrongs to their honor, these women did not become heroes and they did not reclaim their good names. They remained fallen women, publicly humiliated by a criminal trial, permanently stained in mind and body. What woman could want to follow their example? To punish these women further as a deterrent to others seemed redundant and cruel.

The law also is supposed to protect society by providing that dangerous persons will be removed from its midst, but scarcely anyone could think that society was in imminent danger from these despoiled maidens. Prostitution was generally thought to pose a threat to society, but these vengeful women had attempted homicide precisely because they were unwilling to become prostitutes. And they were unlikely to repeat their crimes; since they could not, by definition, be ruined again (they were already ruined once and for all), they would have no reason to retaliate again. Besides, women who blamed certain individuals rather than society for their grievances and who sought redress through personal revenge rather than political action did not threaten the social structure but, in effect, affirmed it.

If anyone threatened society then, it was not the despoiled maidens but their vile seducers. It was the "poison and mildew of licentiousness" that were "corrupting the heart of society." Milton Haynes, defending Mary Moriarty, argued that "he, who seduces a maid, upon the most solemn vow of marriage, hath committed a worse crime than that of murder." Professor Fowler echoed the sentiment: "Compared with this crime," he said, "murder is innocence." Attorney I. B. Catlin, representing Fanny Hyde, went further: "Men whose base lust will spur them to such acts of violence are a disgrace to humanity," he maintained, "and their destruction by the victims of their lust is a proper doom."

That, perhaps, was going a bit far; but it did seem that these victims of the seducer's lust were only trying to do what society prescribed for them. They seemed to regard nothing so highly as what they had been taught. They seemed to want nothing more than to become respectable wives and mothers. But that destiny necessarily involved placing their unquestioning trust in some man and they chose the wrong ones. For the right men, they might have made exemplary wives. Milton Haynes raved about the unfailing love and unselfish devotion of women in general and Mary Moriarty in particular. Kate Stoddart was described as "a woman who loves with an affection amounting to idolatry." And Mary Harris, her defenders argued, would have been a "respected wife" but for the defection of Burroughs; then "the world would have applauded her sublime devotion to him." Lydia Maria Child described Amelia Norman's nature as nearly perfect: she was "a girl of strong feelings, but quiet, reserved, and docile to the influence of those she loves." "A proper education," Child said, "would have made her a noble woman." Mary Harris's attorneys claimed too that "she did no more than what the proudest, the purest, and the best have done in all countries and at all times." And attorney Haynes frankly compared Mary Moriarty's defense of her virtue to the saintly doings of Lucretia and Virginia. These women, even when insane, were not "unnatural" in the least; they were, in fact, models of femininity. They killed only to defend that virtue (and the social position it entitled them to) which society itself had taught them to overrate.

They killed to defend that stolen honor for which society neither offered protection nor exacted punishment from the thief. They went outside the law because the law seemed unable or unwilling to protect them, even though the state is morally obliged to protect all of its citizens. The state contracts that obligation when it denies individual citizens the right to retaliate against others in their own behalf and undertakes instead to defend the interests of all citizens alike. But in the case of seduction the state sat on its hands, and the betrayed maidens took the law into their own.

-Ann Jones, Women Who Kill

#ann jones #female killers #amerika #women’s honor #american history #womens history

[voigtsunesen55]

Plumbing Myths Busted What You Shouldnt Believe

Plumbing related Myths Busted! What You Shouldnt Believe Plumbing is an essential aspect of our daily lives, yet it looks like there are so many misconceptions encircling this crucial system.? From DIY remedies to old wives' stories, there are several myths circulating that can lead to costly mistakes and needless tension.? In this content, we will debunk these plumbing misconceptions and provide you with the specifics you need to make informed decisions about your plumbing wants.? 1.? Myth: Lemons and citrus fruits can clean your garbage removal.? Reality: While it is normally true that citrus fruits may leave a refreshing scent, they cannot effectively clean your garbage disposal.? In reality, the acid in these fruits may corrode the metal parts of your disposal over time.? Instead, make use of snow cubes to remove built-up debris and maintain a fresh-smelling kitchen.? 2.? Myth: While long as water is moving down the drain, it is certainly not blocked.? Truth: A sluggish drain may seem safe, but it's often a indication of a clog in the making.? Ignoring a gradual drain can lead to a complete blockage, causing in a messy and costly plumbing concern.? Address the problem early on by using a drain cleaner or calling a professional plumber.? 3.? Myth: You can flush anything down the toilet as long as it suits.? Truth: Your toilet is not a magical disposal unit.? Flushing anything various other than human waste and bathroom paper can lead to clogs and sewer backups.? Products like baby wipes, tampons, and dental care floss should often end up being disposed of in the trash.? Avoid expensive repairs and only flush what's intended to be flushed.? 4.? Myth: Plumbing fittings don't require regular maintenance.? Fact: Just like any various other system in your house, your plumbing fittings require regular maintenance to function optimally.? Inspecting for leaks, washing aerators, and checking drinking water pressure are all necessary tasks.? By neglecting these maintenance routines, you may end up being establishing yourself up for bigger, costlier issues down the series.? 5.? Myth: It's cheaper to perform my own plumbing repairs.? https://plumbers-hornchurch.co.uk : While DIY projects can be satisfying, plumbing fixes are often best remaining to the specialists.? Attempting to fix a plumbing concern without the necessary knowledge and tools can lead to extensive harm and costly fixes.? Hiring a certified plumber might appear expensive primarily, but in the long run, it can save you money and provide serenity of mind.? 6.? Myth: All plumbers are the same, so it doesn't matter who We hire.? Fact: Choosing the correct plumber can make a globe of difference in the quality of work and the general experience.? Appear for licensed, covered by insurance, and experienced plumbers who give warranties on their providers.? A reputable plumber will assurance their work and provide you with the confidence that the work will be done right the initial period.? 7.? Myth: Plumbing related problems can wait around; they're not urgent.? Fact: Ignoring plumbing related issues can possess disastrous consequences.? Even apparently minor leaks can lead to mildew growth, water damage, and increased tool bills.? Dealing with plumbing problems promptly can save you from more significant problems and costly maintenance in the upcoming.? Don't wait around until it's as well late-take action right now.? Right now that we possess busted these common plumbing myths, it's essential to stay up to date and proactive when it comes to your plumbing system.? Keep in mind, prevention is important, and regular maintenance will help keep your domestic plumbing in top shape.? If you encounter any problems that you can't deal with on your very own, don't be reluctant to reach out to a professional plumber.? By keeping informed and taking the necessary precautions, you can assure a well-functioning plumbing related program for years to come.?

#plumber #plumbers near me #emergency plumber near me #plumbers in my area