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a-world-of-whimsy-5 · 2 years

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A Tale of Legolas Greenleaf - Part 7 : Magic of the full moon

ʚ Characters : Legolas x Fem. Reader

ʚ Word Count : 3034 words

ʚ Summary: The night Legolas spoke of has finally arrived. What will happen? more importantly, what will your answer be?

ʚ Author’s notes: Happy Sunday folks! Finally! the smutty stuff is here! Yay!

There will be a master-list of all chapters on the pinned post of my blog, under “A tale of Legolas Greenleaf.”

Preceding chapters :

1. Raiding the kitchens

2. Mince Pies

3. Asar –o Galadi

4. Fireworks

5. Confessions by the campfire

6. A matter of great import

ʚ Themes : Slow burn | Soft | Fluff | Smut

ʚ Translations:

Naneth: Mother

Man naneth: Good Mother (formal) Also used as a term for stepmother, sometimes shortened to the more informal and affectionate ma-neth.

Link for translations: https://funtranslations.com/elvish

ʚ Other: Eluthiel - A name I came up with for Thranduil’s first wife.

Legolas returned with the rest, but he kept away for a few days.

"Is he preparing the cottage?"

Anwen was with you in your bedroom, going over some embroidery. "Yes. That's what he said in his note."

She knew what it meant. "Thranduil thinks he wants tonight to be perfect for both of you."

You grow curious as you go back to your sewing. "Did Thranduil tell you anything else?"

"I'm afraid he didn’t," Anwen was not about to let her stepson’s plan out of the bag. "All he did say was that Legolas would wait every day for your letters. That he would talk about you all the time." She set her sewing down and looked at you. "I think he’s in love with you."

"Fiber!” Your needle stopped mid-air. “He’s not in love with me. He would have said something in a letter and…"

"Calm down, cousin," Anwen said, shaking her head and smirking. "I'm not lying. I truly believe Legolas is in love with you. It is just that… such declarations need more than just a letter, I find. He’s more than likely waiting to tell you in person. Some people are like that."

"Did Thranduil tell you in person?"

"He did, after some struggle," Anwen said and went back to her sewing. "Thranduil had certain… fears, and these held him back. But, he overcame them, and neither of us has looked back since then."

There was more to this than you thought, but you held your tongue. Anwen would not betray her husband’s secret, and you wouldn't ask her to. "Do you love him?"

"I do," Anwen said with certainty. "More than anything. He showed me that it was possible to hope and love again."

She takes your hands into hers. "And I hope the two of you get to have what Thranduil and I have. Love and trust are the two most precious things there is."

Trust was not an issue, for you and Legolas have reached a point where you could talk about each other's joys and fears without shame. Love had been growing for you, but did Legolas feel the same way?

You hoped that he did. "I hope for those as well."

"Good. Now," Anwen had had her fill with sewing and wanted something different. "Tell me about the clothes you will be wearing. Have you settled on anything yet?”

🍂🍂🍂

Legolas had been with his father, fussing over his proposal. "Stop worrying so much," Thranduil said, looking on in amusement. "Just ask her when the time is right."

"But why does it feel so complicated, Adar?" Legolas was pacing up and down, little black box in hand. He wanted to propose, but why was he so nervous?

"Because this is marriage, ni-réd," Thranduil said as he approached him and grabbed his shoulders to stop him pacing. "Not just fighting off some orcs. Of course, it will feel complicated."

Legolas takes a deep breath to compose himself.

"Do you love her?"

Legolas was sure of his feelings towards you. "I do, Adar, more than anything." His eyes went back to the box. "I think of no one else." Legolas grew confident with each passing moment. "To be honest, I have now come to a point where I feel my life is only worth living if she was in it."

Thranduil beamed. "And do you think it’s still complicated to ask?"

His son shook his head. "Adar… can I ask… was it like this with Naneth?"

"To tell you the truth," said Thranduil as he poured wine for them both. "I was just as much of a mess as you. I was this wet behind the ears pup who thought he knew better than anyone else when I wanted to propose. However, when I had to ask the question, I was a blubbering pile of goo. The fact that your mother even said yes was nothing short of a miracle."

Legolas grinned. "And Ma-neth?"

"I was a much bigger mess than even the first time, for now I had fear to contend with, not just nerves."

This was a surprise for Legolas. His father never talked about his fears before. "Why were you afraid?"

"I lost your mother, twice.” Thranduil alluded to Eluthiel’s passing, and her releasing him from his ties to her. “Thanks to my short-sightedness, I very nearly lost you. Losing Anwen would have finished me."

He had never heard his father confess to such things. "Adar," Legolas had a question that had been on his mind for a long time. "Do you still love naneth?"

Thranduil had been expecting this and took no offense, for the memories brought forth no more pain, only a distant and pleasant sweetness. "I do, but that love is different now. I see the beautiful times she and I shared, our bond through you, the life we once lived together, our happy memories."

"But nothing more than that," Legolas finished for his father. "For the love you bear Ma-neth is the one that matters."

"You’re not angry?"

How could he be angry? Legolas had prayed for his father to find happiness after his mother released her husband from his vows, and now he has found it again. "I'm not, Adar. Ma-neth is a good woman. She loves you, even a blind man can see it. I hope that I get to experience the same happiness as you both."

A beaming Thranduil patted him on the shoulder. "Then you mustn’t keep your lady waiting. Go on. There's a full moon tonight, perfect for a proposal, and for other things as well."

Despite his blush, Legolas didn’t wish to tarry any longer. "Wish me luck then."

“Good lu--” Thranduil shook his head, both amused and shocked at his son’s impatience. Clearly, rushing out of rooms and leaving doors shaking violently on their hinges had grown into a habit.

🍂🍂🍂

It was near dusk when Legolas came looking for you. “Are you ready?”

You smooth the skirt of your dress and stand up, a ball of nerves already. The outfit looked plain to your eyes, but the soft green wool clung to your body, revealing just as much as it concealed. Legolas stood by the doorway, content to just look. “Don’t you look a pretty picture,” he murmured appreciatively.

Heat pooled in your belly from the way he looked at you. “Thank you.”

He grinned and took your pack, linking his arm through yours. “Shall we?”

Taking a deep breath to calm yourself, you nod and walk out with him.

🍂🍂🍂

The evening had grown pleasantly cool, the sky tinged with the last rays of the setting sun. It was perfect, really, with night blooming flowers already opening up for the evening.

You were content where you were, seated behind Legolas as he rode on, listening to tales of his travels.

"Gimli is still going on about his win?"

"He is," said Legolas, as he kept a watchful eye on the path ahead of him. "I don’t mind though."

"Why did you throw it away?" Legolas turned to one side, a brow raised quizzically. "I saw you. You could have easily won. So why did you throw it away?"

Legolas chuckled as his thoughts went back to the feast. "I was of a mind to finish, but," he said. "Seeing Gimli’s kin there, all hoping that he would win, and Gimli himself hoping that he would win, made me realise I couldn’t do it. I wanted him to have the win instead. Was that wrong of me?"

He did throw it away. Still, his motives for doing it were just. “No.” you said. “It just means you’re very sweet and value your friendship more than winning.”

“You’re not disappointed about losing your bet?”

“A little,” you said, amused more than anything else. “And I’m hoping you’d make it up to me.”

“Oh, I plan on doing so,” Legolas said when the cottage came into view.

“You better,” you insist playfully.

He got down, his eyes barely readable to you. “Well, in that case then...”

You were off the saddle and on a shoulder in a heartbeat. “Legolas,” you squeal and giggle. “What are you doing?”

“Making it up to you,” he said and put you down on the stone floor.

The cottage looked so different now. Before, there had been bare stone walls and cobwebs. Now, there were cushions and candles, stones polished to a sheen, sheer curtains, and faint wisps of lavender hung in the air. “Legolas,” you murmur and look around. “Did you do this?”

“I did,” he said, locking the door and pulling the drapes apart in the hope of catching moonbeams. “Do you like it?”

“It’s perfect,” you said, your eyes going to a thick pelt and pillows that had been arranged near the fireplace.

“Is it?” He was behind you, his fingers trailing through your hair. “I’m glad.”

Something in his voice made your skin tingle. Two months. You hadn’t heard the sound of his voice for two months, and now, it sounded like the most beautiful thing you had ever heard. Two months he had been away, and now he was here, right next to you. You find your sense of control hanging by a thread. Should you turn and kiss him for a change? show him you were ready? Or should you wait, and let him set the course?

Before you could do anything Legolas pre-empted you, pushing you back until you were flush against the pelt, with him heavy on top of you. Legolas had his hands at your neck, kissing you frantically, his own mind blank to everything else.

Two months. He had dreamed of this moment for two months. Feeling you trembling beneath him, feeling you sigh into his kisses as he plundered your mouth was worth the wait in the end. It felt good. Everything felt good. The softness of your lips to the sweet scent of your skin, the sounds you made with every kiss, felt heavenly to him. He wanted to take, to take until you had nothing left to give. Was this what it felt like, he thought, to have such a fiery need for someone else, to have them feel the same for him?

Hands sneaking under his tunic pulled out a moan from him as fingers splayed over his skin. How warm he felt under your palms, how he seemed to melt into your touch as your hands glided over his rib-cage, his chest. So strong, yet so tender at the same time. And he was yours. Completely yours. “Clothes,” he mumbled between kisses. “Can we get rid of them?”

He barely heard an audible yes before he got rid of his and worked on yours, nearly ripping up your shift in the process. The sight of him completely naked brought goose-bumps to your arms. Cool air dancing over your exposed skin made you shiver. Legolas leaned in again, his lips brushing over yours as if to soothe your nerves. “Yes?”

His lips hovered over yours as if waiting for an answer. Feeling your fears melting away, you rear up and drag him for a kiss, breathing in his soft sight as you did so. “Yes,” you mumble. “My answer is yes.”

The sight of your eyes now darkened with lust hammered at what little restraint he had. He had to have you beneath him, writhing and crying out for him. His kisses were hungry this time, his touch rough and demanding. “I missed you,” he whispered as he nibbled an earlobe, pulling at the soft flesh every time you whimpered. “I missed you so much.”

“Legolas.” your body jerked and your fingers raked at his back when that sinful mouth of his went lower, to your breasts, biting down not too gently. “I missed you too.”

When his belly pressed down on yours you pull him back up again, your mouth hungry for his kisses. He pulled away at the last moment, his mouth just above yours. “Don’t tease me.”

“So you want me to put you out of your misery?” Legolas grinned wolfishly. “Is that it?”

Oh, so he wanted to make you work for it. Your narrowed eyes and feigned anger only made him laugh. “You’re going to have to ask for it, meleth.”

Your eyes snapped open so fast. Meleth. That wasn’t a word Elves used lightly. “Meleth? Why would you call me that?”

“Because,” he lowered his lips, leaving barely there pecks that left you hungry for more. “Because I love you, meleth.”

The world felt like it had stopped spinning and time slowed to a crawl. Kisses skimmed over your brow, your eyelids. Legolas could taste the beads of sweat that had formed over your skin. “I love you, meleth. I love you, no one else.”

Before you could answer he latched onto your mouth again, this time biting your lower lip before sucking on it. Fingers laced through yours, pinning your hands over your head. “Now,” he whispered, his tongue tracing a line over your ear. “Someone had to ask me for something.”

He really wanted to make you work for it. “Make me,” you challenge him.

“Make you?” he chuckled breathily, freeing a hand while the other kept your own firmly pinned to the pelt. “You mean like this, meleth?” You arch your back with a cry when he touched your clit.

How lush and hot you felt against his touch. Running his fingers against your slick heat, Legolas leaned down to kiss you again, listening to your breath grow ragged as he did so. You tried to speak but no words came to you, just the golden light that flickered behind your eyes. When a finger pushed past your entrance it felt like something in you snapped. “Please,” you pleaded.

Sky blue eyes that had grown dark bore into yours, his finger driving mercilessly into you, battering at your senses. “Please what, meleth?”

Helpless now, you surrender to the jolts that washed over you. “Please take me.” you mewl. “Make me yours. Please.”

His body pressing down on yours made your bones turn to water. The sight of him licking traces of you off his fingers made your breath hitch. Legolas cupped your cheek and brought his lips to yours, moaning in triumph when your legs slid open and hooked around his waist. “Hold on to me, meleth,” he mumbled huskily and propped himself on an elbow, so you could grab onto him. “Just hold on to me.”

Your fingers dig into his back as he sank his cock into you. Legolas kept an eye on you the entire time, in case you showed any sign of discomfort. “Am I hurting you, meleth?” He asked anyway. “Do you want me to stop?”

The pain you felt was nothing compared to the fire that had taken root between your thighs. “I don’t want you to stop,” you cooed. “So don’t you dare stop.”

A breathy chuckle and a kiss later, you could feel him pushing up even deeper, this time not stopping until you had enveloped him completely. Legolas wanted to sob, you felt that good around him. He kept still, letting you to get used to him until an involuntary movement of his made your body jolt and loosen your tongue, making you give word to your feelings. “I love you Legolas.”

It was barely over a whisper, but he heard it all the same. “Say it again meleth.”

Your hands pulled at his hair when he moved rhythmically, fucking you slowly. The pain you felt slowly faded into mild discomfort by now. His kisses, soft and deep, almost made you purr. “I love you, Legolas,” you say again, this time with more conviction.

Your words were like music to his ears. Groaning, Legolas went in a little harder this time, his mouth latching greedily onto your breast, his teeth grazing mercilessly over your skin. “Again,” he growled over your cries for him. “Say it again, meleth. I want to hear you say it again.”

“I love you.” Your eyes lock with his. There was no doubt, no fear. Only certainty for what you felt for him. “I love you, meleth.”

Your words and the sight of you moving beneath him inflamed him. Legolas grabbed onto your hips and slammed into you frantically, his moans as loud and erratic as yours. Your fingers dig into the pelt now, clutching desperately as a coil splintered within and your orgasm washed over you. The world almost went dark when you heard him call out your name and climax with a deep grunt, his weight coming to bear down on you once more.

You vaguely feel his chest rise and fall as he rested on top of you. “Meleth.” The words cut through the fog, making you open your eyes to his. “Meleth,” you whispered, tracing a finger over his cheek.

Legolas would have been content to stay where he was, but then he remembered the reason for the night’s outing. When he finally pulled himself up you felt your body go limp, and oddly empty. “Where are you going?”

Legolas made his way to a small bag, fishing out a black box from within. “I came to get this, meleth.”

He helped you sit before kneeling in front of you. “Meleth?” you asked, confused by now. What was he doing?

Legolas opened the box to reveal the ring. “Legolas,” you ask, stunned. It looked similar to your cousin’s ring, but not completely. Was this Eluthiel’s ring?

“This was my mother’s ring,” He said nervously. Even though you said you loved him, you could still say no to what he was about to ask. “Adar gave it to her when he proposed, and... and I want to give it to you.”

“Legolas...”

“You have come to mean everything to me, and I can’t imagine a life without you.” He gulped, but he went on. “Y/n, meleth, would you do me the honour of excepting this ring and becoming my bride?”

Tears came to your eyes. “Yes,” you sniff after he kissed you and slipped the ring on your finger. “A thousand times yes.”

****** the end ******

#and thats a wrap #the tale is now ended #for the love of silver elven hair #legolas #legolas x reader #legolas smut #legolas imagine #lotr #lotr imagine #the hobbit #the hobbit imagine #fanfiction #fanfics #writing #creative writing #writeblr #a world of whimsy writes

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zmwrites · 10 months

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I think I need to know everything about Kell. Please go off.

MY BOY!!!!

ok so Celyn "Kell" Dyer is the oldest 26 year old you've ever met

(he was named Rhys in the WIP intro, but the name didn't work as I started to write so I changed it)

his parents are Arthur Dyer (very successful merchant) and Lilah Trenowyth (merchant ship captain), who were together for many years but never actually married. their relationship ended amicably shortly after Kell was born and Arthur went on to marry Duchess Aldreda after her first husband died. Lilah is still a ship captain and is often away from the Duchy for that reason, living her best life.

when Kell was young he'd split his time evenly between his parents and so knows his way around a ship. on a particularly rough voyage he was seriously injured—he badly broke his right arm & right leg, and sustained a major head injury. there wasn't any way to get him medical attention on time so the bones healed wrong and cause him pain on a daily basis that he takes fancy painkillers to manage. he also gets headaches & migraines easily from the concussion.

fun fact: he's an avid swimmer bc it's one of the few exercises he can do without causing himself pain! this will come in handy later!

(oops this got long. under a cut the rest goes!)

Duchess Aldreda was his step-mother and loved him as her own, but didn't grant him a title per his father's request. when he was old enough, she gave him a voting seat on the Lords' Council, which is honestly the same amount of power as a title but without the land holding. she was injured in battle about a year before the book starts and died two weeks later.

Duchess Eliora was his step-sister and classmate, as they learned politics and tactics and whatnot side by side for their entire childhoods. Eliora was injured in the same battle as her mother and spent a year out of the public eye, her step-father Arthur acting as regent (he hated it and wasn't very good at it, he's a businessman and a father but not a ruler). they thought she was getting better but then she suddenly died.

and now his half-sister Anwen has become Duchess, though she was never supposed to be Duchess and wasn't given as thorough an education. one of Aldreda's advisors (Thomas Ravenswood, formerly named Ezra but got a name changed when I started writing) has been trying to get her up to speed for the past year just in case, but she doesn't have any political experience.

understandably, Kell is Stressed about this. he lost his step-mom and his half-sister a year apart! and now his baby sister is in the same job and is facing all sorts of threats! their neighbour the Vaedian Empire is gathering forces at the border! several of the Council members are trying to manipulate Anwen for their own gain! at least one of them has already betrayed her! he takes his role on the Lords' Council very seriously and invests too much of his self-worth into it (HINT: this will be relevant later).

everything that Kell does is carefully considered and thought out. he's pessimistic, something born out of searching for the worst in situations so he can make contingency plans. he's meticulous about public perceptions and how things could be interpreted. he's smart and so, so protective of Anwen, sometimes to the detriment of others and himself. the other members of the Council want his influence removed so they can manipulate Anwen, since he and Ravenswood are basically the only people looking out for her and Ravenswood doesn't have a voting seat.

and then Jane bursts into his world, and everything goes to shit.

she's SO rude to him the first three times they meet. she's a thief that's been brought into the Lords' Council by a newly returned war hero, so he can't publicly question her presence, but he is already imagining how it could go wrong. she's stubbornly hopeful and refuses to give up even when all logic dictates they should. she can't keep her mouth shut and doesn't care about social rules.

she's literally his worst nightmare.

and then she's drafted into the group trying to find priceless historical artefacts that will supposedly save their asses when the Vaedian Empire invades. (she was a homeless THIEF three days ago, why does no one else question her inclusion here??).

and then they're trapped in an underground labyrinth together, with no known exit, a cave monster, and five trained soldiers who want to kill them for supporting Anwen. with no food or water. and no pain meds. and he fucked up his leg evading the rock collapse that trapped them. and now they have to run everywhere.

anyways i'm very excited to see how Jane influences his personality and what he does when he stops planning five steps ahead in every possible direction.

#zoe replies #just jane

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thetorchwoodarchive · 1 year

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Happy New Year! The Torchwood Archive turns two today! Thank you so much for continuing to support fic and creators as we catalog our favorite Torchwood stories across different platforms.

Below are fics are recommend by you, or followers and our mods, about change, new beginnings, and/or the new year.

Do Not Go Gentle by Someawkwardprose (JackIanto | complete | 17796 | M)

His hands were shaking. Lisa was dead.

He fished out his lighter from his coat (the nice peacoat Yvonne had bought him for Christmas, year before last) and opened a window. Lit a fag with trembling fingers. Lisa was dead. They’d killed her, the whole bloody team, and he hated them.

Lisa was dead, and he wasn’t.

He watched the smoke twist and curl, dancing out of the open window and into the night.

***

or, Broken, if Ianto Jones hadn't stepped into the Ferret.

a rectangle of a perfectly blue sky by MonsterMince (CarlaJackPeris, JackIanto | complete | 7638 | T)

Jack learns that if he opens his bloodline connection with Carla, then she can help him recover memories of his team. They learn more about each other's lives and loved ones during their trek, and in the end, those memories of loved ones lost drive him back to the Veda to atone and to help them rebuild. For Persis.

From the Dust Returned by Paycheckgurl (JackIanto, OwenTosh | WIP | 11017 | T)

Ianto, Owen, and Toshiko are back…but things are not the same as they were. Team Torchwood tries to adjust to new coworkers, the march of time, and their new hardware while a mysterious computer virus harms more than just computers.

All I can do is hold you tight by Beleriandings (Gwen&Jack, JackGwenIantoRhys | complete | 3084 | G)

Gwen found Jack, as she had expected, on the roof.

Ghost of New Year's Past by Clare_Hope (Jack&Tosh | complete | 2346 | T)

Tosh picks up the ghost machine in the Hub and is shown what happened there on New Year's Eve, 1999.

Auld Lang Syne by BricklingGhost (TeamGwenee) (Gwen&Owen&Tosh&Ianto | complete | 1864 | Not Rated)

Gwen did not fear ghosts. Except for the exact ghosts she wanted to see above all else

Straysverse by NancyBrown (JackIanto, IantoOC, IantoAmy, AmyRory | series, complete | 93,539 | Various Ratings)

Amy recreated the universe and brought back the dead, but the dead don't fit there anymore.

The Blessing of Cruel Angels by Vera (Vera_DragonMuse) (OwenTosh | complete | 8129 | M)

In one possible world, Owen makes a phone call that will change everything.

forever, and what comes after (JackIanto, GwenRhys, Gwen&Ianto, Rhys&Jack | complete, series | 10028 | T)

“Hm, imagine if they did,” Ianto said. “Torchwood would have to come out of retirement.”

In which Gwen and Ianto relax at a spa, Jack and Rhys attempt bad science, and Anwen is just along for the ride.

Sweetness Follows by ShastaFirecracker (JackIanto | complete | 6241 | G)

After one of the most horrific weeks of her life, Rhiannon refuses to let her brother disappear into his mysterious job again without giving her some real answers - or without introducing her to the man he's in love with.

Operation Awesome by A_N_D (Gen | complete | 13958 | G)

"You're going on and on as though traveling in space was the only thing that made Donna's life worthwhile."

"Yeah," Clyde backed her up. "And on behalf of those who haven't, gee thanks for suggesting there's no point to our existence."

"It's really quite illogical to keep saving the planet and then assume that its inhabitants' lives have nothing to value," Luke added.

"So shouldn't we be focusing less on how to get the Time Lord bits out of her head and more on helping her develop here?"

Everything that Donna Noble learned to be on her travels, all that self-confidence, came from within. Just because she can't be reminded of the Doctor doesn't mean she can't be reminded of how awesome she is.

The Children of Time won't leave one of their own behind.

The View From Here by sherlockpond (JackIanto | complete | 2971 | G)

“That view... reminds me of my first day,”

“You too, eh?”

“I think he brings everyone up here,”

“God, he is such a show-off,"

The End is Where We Start From by Aliciajazmin (JackIanto, Gwen&Tosh, Ianto&Tosh, ToshOwen | complete | 2451 | T)

Thanks to the use of nanogenes, Toshiko Sato survives Gray's attack. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for Owen Harper. So what happens next?

All that we have, and all that you need by Beleriandings (JackIanto, GwenRhys, Lois&Team | complete | 7077 | T)

After the 456, Lois goes to work for Torchwood Three in Cardiff. It takes a little bit of adjustment, but she soon finds out that's only the beginning.

A Matter of Choice by thirteeninafez (JackIanto, Gwen&Ianto, Ianto&Martha | complete | 27602 | T)

A story about making difficult choices for the people you love, and the forgiveness that somehow has to come thereafter.

No time like the present by Beleriandings (gwen&Jack, JackIanto, Gwen&Ianto | complete | 1964 | G)

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Gwen Cooper… have you been secretly planning to come out of retirement?”

“Not on your life,” said Gwen. “But I have been doing a bit of… freelancing, I guess you could call it.”

In this new skin that we have grown by Beleriandings (GwenRhys, JackIanto, GwenRhysIantoJack | complete | 15787 | E)

After the House of the Dead, Gwen and Rhys bring Jack and Ianto home.

Children, Daleks, and Mopeds: How Gwen Cooper Got Her Groove Back by Paycheckgurl (GwenRhys, Gwen&Jack | complete | 9603 | T)

Following a disastrous shopping trip that put her at the center of an explosion, Gwen finds a little alien boy.

Or: The series of events in which Gwen acquired another child, had a much needed conversation with Jack, bought a moped, defeated a Dalek with a boxing glove, and learned that loving yourself and saving the world don’t need to be mutually exclusive

A coda to Revolution of the Daleks where I explain why Gwen has a son all of a sudden.

Should I Stay or Should I Go by Paycheckgurl (Gen | complete | 1080 | T)

Martha Jones sets out to freelance. But deep down she knows she’s running.

A Hundred Ways to Say Goodbye by AVAAntares (JackIanto | complete | 10401 | G)

Thirty years after the death of Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness discovers a cache of letters from him.

Torchwood Hall by BricklingGhost (TeamGwenee) (JackIanto, GwenRhys | complete | 10762 | Not Rated)

There is something curious about Torchwood Hall and its enigmatic owner. Heroine in training Miss Gwen Cooper resolves to get to the bottom of the estate's mysterious inhabitants, and finds herself immersed in a world more dangerous and glorious than she ever could have imagined.

#torchwood #event:new year new beginnings fest

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simbico · 1 year

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Firstly, I want to say I’m sooooooooo sorry I took so long to respond to these. (First anon’s was almost a month ago 😖) I’m putting them in one post because I took so long and they’re kinda related.

It was difficult to figure out what to talk about since I don’t really see my sims as OCs and my original OCs were so long ago I don’t feel connected to them anymore. But since this is a simblr I’m just going to switch out “OC” with “sim” (likely that’s the intention anyway).

So, I guess Amantius since he’s the most current? I guess my main inspiration was wanting to play with the botany/gardening side of Sims 4. He was actually a third attempt with the Lovelace name. The first was the sim I used as a base to create him: Anwen Lovelace. I have a vague background story that she’s his mom who abandoned him to explain why he’s alone but I don’t go that deep into it, so I never had reason to cement it into my current gameplay. If I had the energy and time I’d attempt it. 😅 I guess if I talk about Anwen’s inspiration, she has kind of a Mother Gothel vibe. She was pretty awful to her daughter too when I played them for a bit. Her daughter ended up with a better life though.

I don’t know if I do to be honest… I would assume every sim I write about has some aspect of me in them because I’m using my own experiences to try and identify with them enough to create some dialogue and narrative however small or shallow, but I don’t feel like I relate to my current ones that much yet.

#anon asks #text post

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quettasecond · 11 months

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wait i keep forgetting to ask. can i hear more abt ur ocs i think theyre rlly cool

ill briefly discuss anwen!

shes from uf, which is basically my secondary/less focused on oc story. the most simplest way i can describe her is "reverse chuunibyou"

shes the child of a god, born after her mother went to one bc she wants to have a powerful child for control or whatever reasons that i havent fleshed out bc her mom is massively unimportant. despite being the only human with wings and horns and an extreme ability, she believes shes a completely normal human with nothing going on. she can scare people easily and doesnt know why.

as a kid, she always admired muirín (another character, basically was really famous + known as undefeatable and tried to help people the govt refused to. evacuated people from an irradiated town), just like everyone born at the same time as her. like many, when she was around 17, she went to challenge muirín. she knew shed definitely be beat, but hoped she could come close enough to earn muiríns attention.

however, unlike others, she fucking swept muirín. the first to ever defeat her.

muirín disappeared shortly after, and only anwen noticed. muirín was basically forgotten, and anwen is trying to find her idol.

she works as a model and unfortunately became a lot of things that muirín hates.

#asks #mutuals #uf

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kerra-and-company · 2 years

Note

Sorry I still haven't answered your previous ask, I'm in the middle of moving and I should be able to get to it next week 😁 but in the mean time, how about some asks!

⭐ for Nisha and Tel about Galaëd? How would they feel about my autumn trickster twig? 🥰

And the mandatory Commander's assemble! ⭐ fo Kerra about Anwen 😘❤️

No worries no worries, take as much time as you need!! (And good luck with the rest of your moving! :D ) And ye, asks are excellent and very much appreciated, thank you!! :D

Nisha about Galaëd:

I like you // I love you // You’re one of my best friends // You’re like family // You are family // I dislike you // I hate you // I’d kill you if I got the chance // I want you to like me // I’m scared of you // I would adopt you // I’d date you // I’d sleep with you // I’d marry you // I’m worried about you // You confuse me // You’re annoying // I pity you // I respect you // I trust you // I feel protective of you // I’d invite you with me to parties // I’d lend you my money // I’d borrow your money // You’re good-looking // I’m suspicious of you // I’m hiding something from you // You’re fun // You’re boring // I’m upset with you // You’re nice // You’re mean // I’m envious of you // You’re smart // You’re stupid // I look up to you // I think you’re a better person than me // I think I’m a better person than you // I want to apologize to you // I wish I’d never met you // I never want to forget you // I want to get to know you better

Oh, this was a fun one, mainly because Nisha would just be so ??? about Galaëd, and it's making me laugh. Xe'd legitimately like him, but it'd also be so weird for xem if xe knew about Galaëd's crush on/burgeoning relationship with Canach in his 'verse--and xe wouldn't say anything to him about it, most likely, but it'd be a whole thing for xem to wrap xyr head around. It'd also be weird for xem because at this point, xe's self-aware enough that Galaëd would remind xem a tiny bit of both xyrself and Kerra. Nisha would probably have some trouble talking to him at first, I think, asldkjfasf, but if they had enough time I think they could get along well!

Rel about Galaëd:

Also interesting for Rel, honestly! Rel would definitely like Galaëd, though I could see any lingering elements of Galaëd's original black-and-white worldview bothering him in particular (more than they'd bother Nisha, interestingly enough), and personality-wise, I think they'd get along. (And that they'd probably click faster than Galaëd would with Nisha, despite any clashes.) One last point on here I wanted to note--"I never want to forget you" comes from the role Galaëd plays in bringing Trahearne back in your 'verse. Rel's 'verse plays out differently, of course, but Galaëd gets an instant boost in status as far as Rel's concerned because of that alone.

Kerra about Anwen:

I like you // I love you // You’re one of my best friends // You��re like family // You are family // I dislike you // I hate you // I’d kill you if I got the chance // I want you to like me // I’m scared of you // I would adopt you // I’d date you // I’d sleep with you // I’d marry you // I’m worried about you // You confuse me // You’re annoying // I pity you // I respect you // I trust you // I feel protective of you // I’d invite you with me to parties // I’d lend you my money // I’d borrow your money // You’re good-looking // I’m suspicious of you // I’m hiding something from you // You’re fun // You’re boring // I’m upset with you // You’re nice // You’re mean // I’m envious of you // You’re smart // You’re stupid // I look up to you // I think you’re a better person than me // I think I’m a better person than you // I want to apologize to you // I wish I’d never met you // I never want to forget you // I want to get to know you better

Commanders assemble, love it xD Kerra would definitely like Anwen; commander/trauma-based family status is instant, plus it doesn't hurt that in Anwen's 'verse she is very much in love with that version of Kerra's brother. Kerra would trust Anwen based on Trahearne's judgment alone, but her stalwart defense of sylvari during HoT (even if that's a bar that Should be on the ground) definitely helps too. I'd love to see the two of them go to a party together--Kerra wasn't raised in nobility but is generally good at holding onto her temper even if she feels similarly to Anwen at times; it'd be a fun balancing act, and god forbid anyone decide to try to pull anything with both of them there.

#gw2 #kerralind #nishannai #relethen #galaed #anwen evergreen #other ocs #archesa #thanks a bunch for the ask! :D #other random bonus pieces of info:#nisha would love to have galaed with xem at parties if he was comfortable #he's great at putting on an act of sorts and xe hates it a;lsdjkfasf #nowadays xe mostly just doesn't bother #rel is the only one here who actually has a few people he likes/doesn't totally despise in the nmc #thanks to working with them during HoT (which is a thing i added back in in my canon)#hence why galaed potentially being more black-and-white with things would rub him in particular the wrong way #and kerra and anwen absolutely would also bond over aurene #kerra also was more present in aurene's life than in game canon #(i made the portal stone you get in-game to the egg chamber an actual thing kerra had access to; made traveling easier for her :D )#oh! and if kerra ever got to see anwen falling asleep reading she'd be very endeared #that's a thing she's seen both nisha and rel do :)#(and her brother too probably alsd;jf)#long post #just in case

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nicholsroy · 1 month

Text

2024 reading challenge: first bingo!

Blog | Reading 📚

I have been taking part in the 2024 reading bingo by @macrolit this year and recently got my first "bingo" (although my goal is to complete the entire grid). Thought it would be a good time for a progress report!

Books I've read so far in 2024, with their categories:

1. Classic novel by an author whose name starts with Q, R, S or T: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

2. LGBTQ author: Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

3. Detective, horror or suspense: The Revenge List by Hannah Mary McKinnon

4. Gothic fiction, fantasy or magical realism: Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

5. Published between 2000-2024: The Survivors by Alex Schulman

6. Novella or a book of short stories: Here, the World Entire by Anwen Kya Hayward

7. Biography or non-fiction: In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

Bingo challenge template under the cut:

#blog #reading #reading challenge #2024 reading bingo #booklr

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awesomerextyphoon · 2 years

Text

Cozy by the Fire

Summary: You and your winter loves enjoy a nice evening by the fire.

Pairing: Stucky x Plus-Sized Female Reader

Rating: 18+ / Mature

Word Count: 2.2K

Warnings: Kissing, Implied Smut, People Being Assholes

A/N: This is a request from @saiyanprincessswanie. We’re pulling for you, girl! Dividers are by the lovely @firefly-graphics.

Masterlist

“How do I look?” you asked twirling around in a Butterscotch sweater dress with a thick black dress belt. It was your boys’ favorite and you wanted to treat them to something special.

“Amazing!”

“You’re just saying that, Wanda.” Wanda telekinetically placed the last of the food on the table.

Somehow, you were able to convince Wanda to help you bake enough Butter Toffee Chunk, Glazed Lemon Ricotta Cookies, Black and White Spiral, and Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies to celebrate the Holidays since no one had the time (no one wants to go to the shed). You even spiked their hot chocolate with a few drops of Asgardian Mead (they love the kick).

“I’m not! You look amazing and those boys are damn lucky! Nat would totally agree.”

“Alright, alright,” you acquiesced, “Thank you so much, Wanda.”

“No problem,” Wanda waved the compliment, “They’re closing in, so I’ll leave you to it.”

“Thanks again!”

Wanda barely levitated out of your quarters before you heard their powerful footsteps.

“Ugh, fuck doll, is this for us?” Bucky exclaimed as he eyed the table.

“Of course!” you replied as you pulled him in for a kiss.

“You didn’t have to, sweetheart.” Steve pouted interrupting your passionate kiss with Bucky.

“Well, you said you missed having cookies by the fire during the holidays and I wanted to surprise you.”

“All of this for us, huh?” Steve asked incredulously eyeing the medley of luxurious Honey-Tenderized Boeuf Bourguignon, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Spicy Honey Fried Chicken, Hearty Lasagne, Texas BBQ Brisket, Baked Ziti, and BBQ Ribs.

“I thought you would be hungry.” you reasoned smirking at their growling stomachs.

“Looks like you were correct.” Bucky conceded eyeing the lasagne.

“So, Wanda?” Steve inquired grinning at you lowering your head in embarrassment.

“Yes, but she used my recipes,” you huffed, “C’mon let’s eat before it gets cold!” you exclaimed skipping (yes, you read that right) towards the food.

“What did we do to get blessed with an angel like her?” Bucky wondered wrapping Steve in a side hug.

“I don’t know, Buck. I don’t know.” Steve cooed into Bucky before kissing him.

It all started with probably one of the worst jokes by some of your former classmates. Honestly, you should’ve seen it coming.

Natalie, your former college dorm mate, told you that Jacques Becker, your college crush and total babe, was interested in you. Anwen, your best friend, said to get over it, but you couldn’t quit the fantasy.

You put on your best clothes, actually putting makeup only to have him text you saying that he would be a few minutes late. It was okay for the first twenty minutes, you chalked up to bad weather. Then twenty became fifty, eighty, and so on.

After two hours, the bartender passed you a shot of bourbon on the house. Your eyes started to well up with tears.

He stood you up.

To make matters worse, it was pouring outside and you forgot your umbrella. You made it about 10 yds (9.144m) before you tripped on an uneven sidewalk.

A flash of light went off, but you ignored thinking it was a car.

To your absolute horror, Jacques posted the whole thing as a prank on Instagram. You could barely make eye contact at your place of work.

As if you needed another reason for everyone to hate you. You already felt out of place with everyone looking down at you for your apparent ‘lack of talent’ and ‘slovenly aura’ (?).

Patricia, your ‘hot’ co-worker, smirked at you while sharing the video with the whole floor knowing full well you wouldn’t do anything. Both your supervisor and the head of HR were always on her side and she knew this job was the best you were gonna get in this economy.

You went home in tears that day. Luckily, Anwen and Caterina came over for emotional support.

It wasn’t until you decided to leave the house for a junk food run to Trader Joe’s did your luck change. You were in the mood for Sweet Plantain Chips and Scandinavian Swimmers and seriously need the pick-me-up. You were three blocks away when you bumped into someone.

Apologizing profusely, you raised your head to find the person was Wanda Maximoff, one of the Avengers. She was also having a shitty day if the puffy red eyes and tear streaks were any indications.

You handed her a tissue and recommended a bakery a few blocks away. You told her to mention your name and they’ll give her some free sweets.

You had worked there a few years back and created half the menu, so it was no big deal.

She thanked you for your kindness and discretion and went on her way.

You felt a little better making someone else smile.

Unlike most people, you were satisfied with making an Avenger smile, which is why you stopped dead in your tracks while you were in the recommended cafe three months later.

Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, barged into the cafe with Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes in tow. She insisted they try the cinnamon rolls.

The crowd parted in semi-reverence; some people took out their phones, someone even bowed (why?). Imani, the barista and an old acquaintance, almost dropped an espresso order at the sight of them.

You couldn’t blame her. They were the two of the most beautiful men on the planet towering over everyone in the bakery.

Wanda was about to leave when she spotted you in the corner booth. You wanted the ground to swallow you up you were so anxious. You didn’t need another reminder of how inadequate you are.

No one will ever desire a fat loser with no talent despite what your friends and sisters say.

So it came as a surprise that the two Adonises waved and strode towards you. Steve asked if you were the one who came up with the Butter Toffee Chocolate Chunk recipe.

You almost cursed yourself for your brain short-circuiting when Linda, the manager, finally got out of the restroom to proudly confirm that you came up with half of the menu. She even offered a tray of some of your creations.

Bucky grinned and said that the whole compound raved at goodies Wanda would bring during missions.

You peeped a thank you for the praise not wanting to draw any more attention to yourself.

Both of the devilishly handsome men chuckled and hoped they would see you again.

You smiled knowing that’ll never happen though you didn’t fail to feel the sorrow carve itself into your heart.

Your sorrow was short-lived.

Somehow one of them slipped a piece of paper with Steve’s number on it.

You stared at it for what felt like hours thinking that if you blinked it would disappear.

You didn’t tell anyone, not even Anwen or Caterina.

You didn’t know if it was another prank; if it would end up like last time. But maybe, just maybe, they were being sincere.

With a huff of newfound confidence, you said fuck it and dialed the number.

You were glad you did.

Being with Steve and Bucky has been nothing but a wonderful dream. They were incredibly attentive and loving, always giving you words of encouragement, leaving little gifts around your apartment, and not laughing at your dreams.

Especially after the ‘scandal’.

It seems that the fact that either Captain America or the reformed Winter Soldier wanting anything to do with a ‘fat slob who promotes an unhealthy lifestyle’ is baffling to the masses.

The tabloids and internet were strewn with horrible pictures of you from high school and college. The ‘prank video’ resurfaced to your ever-mounting shame. No matter where you went, you couldn’t escape the jeers, especially at work.

The final straw was when Patricia snatched your lunch and threw it in the trash and declaring that you didn’t need to eat such ‘fattening junk’ since you were already ‘ ‘such a blimp’. The worst part was that no one came to your defense. Some even sneered; whether it was envy or disgust, it still devastating.

You didn’t leave your room for three days.

Nat rushed your sisters and friends to your apartment for an impromptu ‘girls night’. Nat and Tony made sure to have a ‘chat’ with the leaker, and your WW2 hero lovers made sure you felt extra loved when they returned from their mission.

So much so that you didn’t leave their quarters for a week.

You gave as much as you got which was hard, but you tried your best. You made baked goods for when they returned from missions. You comforted Bucky whenever he had a nightmare along with Steve, and you cheered Steve up whenever he felt remorse about the time he’s lost.

“Fuck, that was amazing, angel.” Bucky sighed patting his satiated tummy.

They devoured the food because of course, your super soldiers would have black holes for stomachs.

“I’m glad you liked it.”

“How did your interview go, sweetheart?” Steve inquired masking a burp with his fist.

“Well,” you stood and grabbed a piece of paper, “I got the job!!!” You squealed. You vowed to get a new job after the scandal deciding that you’ve had enough of your toxic workplace. So you decided to go after your dream job, a creative technologist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Your father had dissuaded you from doing it earlier saying it was a ‘fanciful occupation’.

You wanted to get on your own despite both Tony’s and your lovers’ protests, not wanting the tabloids to have yet another reason to attack you. It took some time, but you got an interview after tacking down a lead through Linda’s friend’s cousin.

And after three months of lying in wait, you got the offer.

“Congratulations, doll!!” Steve resounded as he lifted you and twirled you around their quarter’s living room.

“We’re so proud of you!” Bucky exulted as he tossed you into the air.

“Bucky, please, no more!” you giggled. Tears streaming down your face from all the laughing.

Bucky acquiesced to your cries and set you down on an ottoman. Both super soldiers gave each other a sideways glance and grinned.

“What’s going on?” you asked, a bit put off by their sudden silence.

“Close your eyes, sweetheart.” Steve requested.

“Okay…”

“Stop laughing! We’re serious!”

“All right, fine!” you chuckled as you closed your eyes wondering what shenanigans they would pull.

You soon felt a weight on your chest and ears as both your Brooklyn boys kissed the juncture between your jaw and neck.

“Okay, open your eyes, angel.”

“Oh...why...why’d you do this?” you gasped at what was before you. Both of them were holding a mirror showing you wearing a Winter Princess Snowflake Pendant and a set of Sparkling Diamond Tassel Earrings.

It was the nicest thing anyone’s ever gotten you.

“We wanted this to be your Christmas present, but we thought it would be best for this occasion,” Bucky explained.

“Don’t worry. We’re--what’s wrong sweetheart?” Steve queried noting the tears welling up in your eyes hoping they weren’t being too forward.

“It’s just...thank you for being so wonderful!!” you peeped, unable to hold in your happiness anymore.

“We just want to take care of you, sweetheart. You’ve been so good to us.” Steve purred into your skin as he made a line of kisses from your cheek to your collarbone between each word.

“You’ve comforted us whenever we had a nightmare, left us affirmation notes, always making us feel loved and wanted. It means the world to us!” Bucky hummed as he leaned in for a soulful kiss.

And they meant it. So many women threw themselves at their feet, undeterred by the polite rejections. It got to the point that Tony had to screen the reporters after an undercover groupie tried to rush them.

You on the other hand actually cared about them, not the titles or the fame. You made them feel seen and they could never repay you.

“Thank you, doll. You’re our angel and there are no words that can describe how much you mean to us.” Steve declared.

The rest of the evening was filled with your boys recounting tales from their childhoods, both of them taking turns being embarrassed.

Wanda had to rescue Sam a few times from being pummeled by Bucky for the crime of swiping some cookies from his pile even after you chastised him, but you couldn’t stay mad at him for long with those puppy dog eyes.

Both you, Wanda, and Nat pelted Tony for being obnoxiously off-key with his caroling.

All in all, it was a fun night.

“Goodnight, Bucky, Steve,” you whispered laying between them by the fireplace under a luxuriously soft throw rug.

“Goodnight, angel.”

“I know he took my cookies.”Bucky started.

“Give it a rest, Bucky!” you hissed softly not wanting to have today be upended by Bucky’s pouting.

“Had to have been at least a dozen-”

“We made enough cookies to satisfy 50 people!”

“I’ll get him tomorrow.”

“No, you won’t. Because if you do, I’ll tell Tony what happened to his second favorite watch.”

“...Fine.”

“Good.” you ended smiling to yourself for never feeling so complete as this moment.

#stucky x reader #steve rogers x reader #bucky x reader #stucky x plus size reader #steve rogers x plus size reader #bucky barnes x plus size reader #mcu #mcu fluff #stucky fluff #angst #holiday fic #cosy by the fire #steve rogers fluff #bucky barnes fluff #holiday fluff #bucky barnes x reader #steve rogers fanfiction #bucky barnes fanfiction

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archesa · 1 year

Note

Hmm... wanted to ask you the ship ask meme thingy but realized that I don't know a lot of fandoms you are in. So maybe for the character you want to talk about for this the most?

Thanks Tallys ^^ Well, the obvious choice would be to talk about the fandom we first met in, but my Guild Wars 2 blorbos are occupying my mind at the time so... if my rambling can pique your interest in this great fricking game, I'd be delighted ^^ otherwise, just enjoy the nonsense! ^^

Random OC ship : Canach!

My NOTP for them : Canach x Anise Like... I totally understand the appeal, but it's a big no-no for me! Sorry Anise, but I need my reformed terrorist cactus to be happy and healthy! so...

youtube

My BROTP for them : Canach & Trahearne We were robbed of Canach being the annoying middle child and Trahearne having to deal with a little brother very well determined to ruin his day in the most imaginative of ways! I love the idea of them just being silly together, of Canach discovering there's more to Trahearne than being The Firstborn, and generally just being loved by his big brother just the way he is : prickly and generally a nuisance, but still loved!

My OTP for them : This one's a no brainer, but... Canach x Galaëd! I love them, I love them, I love them! I mean it's the ship of mine that fills the most of my boxes! There's enemies to friends to lovers, there's redemption arc, character growth, the grump and the ray of sunshine... It's of course very subjective on my part, as Galaëd's my OC, but... yeah! I adore him with Canach!

If OC don't count, tho, it's still Canach x The Commander (Canmander?)

My second choice pairing for them : Canach x Faren! In Anwen's verse, Anwen totally ships them! It would be a disaster for her, Meryw and Trahearne's sanity, of course... and they'd be a danger to Tyria and themselves... but damn they'd be cute together!!

My fluffy pairing for them : See the otp ^^'

My angsty pairing for them : Same as above

My favorite poly ship for them : Hmmm... Can I tag someone else's ship ? I can, I make the rules! ^^ @kerra-and-company 's Kerra x Nisha x Canach!

My weirdest pairing for them : Canach x Faren!

#ship ask game #archesa answers #canach #gw2 canach

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a-world-of-whimsy-5 · 2 years

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A Tale of Legolas Greenleaf - Part 5 : Confessions by the campfire

Good morning my lovely readers! Or good afternoon, evening, night, wherever you are.

Welcome to part five of the story. The next chapter will be uploaded on 18th May 2022. And only one more after that.

ʚ Characters : Legolas x Fem. Reader

ʚ Word Count : 2230

ʚ Summary: You talk to Legolas about how you and your siblings came into Anwen’s life. Legolas finally tells you what he has been meaning to tell you.

ʚ Warnings: Mentions of PTSD | Kissing

ʚ Themes: Slow burn | Soft | Fluff |

ʚ Author’s notes: Halamar - Queen Anwen’s first husband.

There will be a master-list of all chapters on the pinned post of my blog, under “A tale of Legolas Greenleaf.”

ʚ Translations: Man naneth: Good Mother (formal) Also used as a term for stepmother, sometimes shortened to the more informal and affectionate ma-neth.

Man erin: Good morning

Bereth : Wife

Link for translations: https://funtranslations.com/elvish

Your eyes fly open to the sound of owls hooting in the distance and foxes digging about nearby. So calming, just to lie back and listen to the sounds of the forest coming alive at night, to the sound of waves lapping against the shore. It would have been even nicer if you had had company.

Only you had company, but they seemed content to sleep in the other tent. You're wondering if Legolas was awake. Was he listening to the sounds of the forest like you? Or was he asleep, oblivious to everything going on around him?

You try to put such thoughts out of your mind. Damn him for kissing your hand and causing your mind to go topsy-turvy. Damn him for bringing you here. You shake your head and remind yourself to be patient. The prince would not have invited you on a whim. He would tell you when the time was right. Until then, you will have to wait. You sighed and fluffed your pillows before trying to sleep again.

🍂🍂🍂

Legolas was in his own tent, as wide awake as you. "Were you awake? He wondered. Should he just talk to you and ask what he wanted to ask all night? Or should he wait till morning instead? He groaned in frustration and steeled himself for the morning. Some way or another, he will talk to you tomorrow.

The sounds of wolves howling into the night kept him awake. The packs had returned after the spiders were killed. Thranduil and Radagast both considered it a good omen, as the wolves coming back meant the forest was returning to its old self again. The poison that had plagued it was not gone for good.

He listened as the howls continued. One pack was joined by another, and soon, an entire chorus filled the night air. Legolas was content to just stay up and listen until he heard frantic footsteps on the grass outside. Since it was not Abraxas or anyone else, it could only mean that you were up. He went out to investigate.

🍂🍂🍂

"Y/n?" Legolas draped a pelt around you as you were shivering. "Is everything all right?"

You were not all right. The howling seemed deafening to you. "What are they?"

Legolas was confused by the question. "What are they?" You ask again.

"Common mountain grey-backs," Legolas grew concerned by the distress in your eyes. "Their howls are loud, but they are quite gentle, really. They are more afraid of us than we are of them."

Grey-backs. Mortal highborn ladies were known to keep orphaned pups as loving pets. "Oh." You feel bad for waking him up, and more than a little ridiculous. "I am sorry… I did not mean to wake you."

Legolas helped you back to the fire and sat down next to you. "It is quite all right. But can I ask, what was it about them that troubled you so?"

You know you should tell him, but you struggle to find the words. "Y/n," perfectly tapered fingers lift your chin. "You can tell me, I will not judge you for it."

You sigh and make yourself comfortable by the campfire. "Did my cousin ever tell you how my siblings and I came into her care?"

Legolas shook his head. "All ma-neth said was that it was connected to her first husband’s passing." that was all he was told, anyway. "Adar knows more, I think, but no one else."

You hold no anger towards your cousin for that. Thranduil was her husband, after all. And since Legolas did not know your story, you decide to tell him.

"We were going to visit her, you see. Halamar met us halfway to escort us to their home. That was when orcs attacked us."

Everything about that fateful day was as clear as morning to you. "It was all a blur. Adar demanded we ride on, and that he and Halamar would hold them off. They did, for a while," you wince when trying not to remember the sounds that followed. "Then the forest went quiet. Naneth turned to see what was happening when a warg appeared out of nowhere and…" The pain was too much, but you go on talking. "My siblings did not see, but I did. It was horrible, especially listening to its ugly howls. For reasons unknown to us, the orcs left us alone, and we were able to make it to Anwen’s safely."

Legolas wiped a tear you did not even know you had. "And she took all of you in?"

"My cousin put aside her own grief and set herself to the task of raising us. I could sometimes hear her, crying at night, but she never showed her pain to us."

Legolas understood, having lost his mother, and very nearly his father, when grief almost overtook him. "And how are you now?"

"Much better. Anwen insisted I talk to someone, since it was I who witnessed my mother’s death," Your heart felt lighter after talking to him about it. "Although, listening to wolves howl in the dark sets my nerves on edge."

And wargs howl like wolves. Of course you would grow frightened by the sound. "And there is nothing for you to be ashamed of." Legolas reassured you. "We all have our fears."

You study him keenly. "And what is your fear?"

"What all elves fear. Balrogs, falling under Sauron’s corrupting influences. In my case, it was Éowyn's stew."

Your earlier unhappiness slowly melts away as you giggle. "But it could not have been that bad."

"That is because you did not have to eat it," Legolas sighed, then decided to be a little truthful. Even if he could not tell you how he felt just yet, he could still give you some hints. “Although, to tell you the truth, I have one very real fear right now.”

“Which is?” you look at him with a quizzical brow. What would a son of Thranduil had to fear.

He coughed, then straightened his spine. “That the one I have grown to... care for... a great deal... will reject me.”

Who was he talking about? “Who is this one you speak of?” you ask hotly.

Legolas bit back a smirk as jealousy lit up your eyes. ”Someone you know. Very well in fact.”

“Who?” you demand. “Tell me who?”

His courage returning, Legolas merely shook his head and stood up. “That I will not tell you.”

“Be patient.” Your attempt at a glare only made him laugh. “I will tell you everything tomorrow.” He helped you up, but the knowing look in his eye made you wonder. Was he referring to you?

Making your way back to your tent, you hesitate. You did not want to sleep alone, not after all that howling. "Legolas?"

"Yes?"

He sounded so eager to you. "I know this might sound improper, but I was wondering, if you would consider staying with me. I really do not want to sleep alone."

A chance to be close to you was a chance he was not going to pass up. And if it made you feel safer, all the better. "It is not improper at all. I would be happy to stay with you."

🍂🍂🍂

The tent felt cozy with two people in it, but neither of you had reason to complain. Legolas stuck to his side and watched you make yourself comfortable. "Man dú, y/n"

You yawn and curl up to him, taking in the scent of cotton and leather. It was all oddly comforting. "Man dú, Legolas."

Despite being startled at first Legolas made no attempt to push you away. He was content to watch while your eyes fluttered shut. How your breathing slowed down, and your body grew lax. He ran his fingers through your hair, letting it slip through his fingers like water. Before falling asleep himself, Legolas instinctively put his arms around you and pulled you close. Before you drifted off, you could have sworn he mumbled your name in his sleep.

🍂🍂🍂

The next morning, when you open your eyes, you find yourself alone. Legolas was already up and about, and you go in search of him.

The sounds of something hitting the water arouse your curiosity, and you make your way to the shore. Legolas had been perched on some driftwood, driving a wooden stake into the water. "Man Erin!" you call out to him in greeting.

The prince turned to you and grinned. "Man Erin!"

"Fishing?" You tried hard not to blush, for Legolas was topless. Discrete glances give you glimpses of a chest covered with scars and old battle wounds. The prince’s life had not been entirely peaceful. And he was so handsome, even with the scars. Your hope of you being the woman he was talking about the night before grew stronger.

"Aye," he said, interrupting your thoughts. "I can teach you if you like."

The water made you nervous, but you did not want to look foolish in front of him. "All right. Show me."

There was the scent of lavender again. Legolas fought the urge to take a deep whiff even as he took your hand. Your skin felt so soft against his that he did not want to let go. "Take this," he says, standing behind you to guide your aim. "And when you see a fish, drive the stake in with as much force as you can muster."

You missed it the first time. And the second time. It was so much fun, though, to learn such a skill. "I am about as skilled at this as a cat playing the harp," you giggle, even as you miss the third strike. "Perhaps you can teach me to do better."

Far be it for Legolas to turn down an opportunity to spend more time with you. "I would love to teach you, y/n. For now," he held your arms again. "Try one more time."

You squeal and lose your balance. When you fell into the water, you managed to pull Legolas with you. You struggled as swimming was not something you were good at.

"Y/n?" He quickly pulls you up while you cough and sputter. "Y/n are you alright?"

"Looks like I have a cat’s talent for swimming as well," you grumble as you hold onto him.

He brushed your hair and bits of leaves out of your eyes. "Yet another thing I would love to teach you."

Your body pushed against his due to the current. It seemed to fit perfectly against his as they both moved and swayed in the water. Legolas’s eyes rest on yours, taking in your flushed cheeks and your soft lips. Lucious lips that were meant to be kissed. He tightened his arms around you and rested his temple against yours. "Y/n?"

Warm breath fanning over your cheeks made your pulse race like anything. "Yes?"

He gulped and struggled to find his courage. "Can I… can I kiss you?"

Something in his eyes gives you the confidence you need to say yes. Legolas pulls you even closer and places his lips on yours.The sigh that escaped you seemed to encourage him. He started gently at first, teasing, probing, his tongue piercing your mouth when your hands got all bunched up in his hair. Hands running up your back make you shiver. Time seemed to stand still, until the water almost pulled the two of you under, causing Legolas to break away, albeit rather reluctantly. The kiss may have been brief, but it felt so sweet. "Y/n, there is something I must ask you," he murmured, after remembering the real reason he brought you here. "It is an honourable request, I assure you."

In spite of his hints and his kiss, you do your best not to get your hopes up. "All right."

🍂🍂🍂

You change and make yourself comfortable by the fire. Legolas had already prepared breakfast. Fried fish with herbs, one of your favourites. "Anwen told you about this and the mince pies, did she not?"

"The fried fish? Yes. The mince pies? That- - I may have overheard."

You grin. "Us elves and our annoyingly sharp hearing," you grin.

"Whatever was Eru thinking, eh?," He smirked and sat behind you, wrapping his arms around you and holding you close. You simply melt into him without a care in the world. "Legolas?" You feel his lips brush against your hair. "You said you wanted to ask me something?"

"Yes." Legolas was not about to turn back now, not when he thought he was so close to winning you over. "Lady Y/n, the moment I first saw you, I was lost to all others but you. And I was wondering, I am hoping, that is, if you would allow me the honour of courting you. If you say yes, I will gladly forsake all others and setr my eyes to you, and you only. I have already spoken to my father, and he has agreed to give his blessings."

You feel as if your heart is about to burst. The prince wanted to court you, no one else. He was agreeing to pledge himself to you, should you accept. You took his hand into yours, certain of what your answer was going to be.

"Yes," you could not help but smile when he hugged you tight. "It would honour me greatly."

#Éowyn’s stew is the stuff of myths and legends but not in a good way #Legolas finally gets the girl #because cuddles and kisses #for the love of silver elven hair #legolas #legolas x reader #legolas x y/n #legolas imagine #thranduil imagine #lotr x reader #the hobbit x reader #LOTR #the hobbit #fanfiction #creative writing #writing #writeblr #This story is coming to an end and I need to go cry into my coffee right now

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zmwrites · 9 months

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Happy STS!

What are the dietary staples of one culture/region in your word and how do they affect the geography, politics, culture, religion and/or economy?

kate. kate. i don't think i'm smart enough to answer this question. everyone eats potatoes bc i like potatoes. settings that are cold feed their characters hearty stews. everyone has fruit. just jane has chocolate cakes and strawberry desserts. i make a single offhand comment about a flax processing mill in indigo wars and i think given the time period that would mostly be used for bread and textiles.

the closest i could find for the larger world is this snippet from just jane where the lords and ladies of the duchy are swearing allegiance to the new duchess:

A man from the second row stood and approached the dais. He appeared to be in his early forties, his neatly coiffed dark hair starting to grey, and was wearing a maroon coat. He knelt at the base of the dais. “I, Lord Wymarc Annesley, do swear that I will bear true allegiance to you, Duchess Anwen. I will be your faithful servant and will protect you, your people, and your lands. May the gods and saints be my witnesses.” “And I will serve and protect you, Lord Annesley,” Duchess Anwen replied. “Please rise.” He did, and accepted a goblet from a minor priest waiting nearby. Duchess Anwen tipped the chalice and poured a small amount of the wine into his goblet. He drank, then offered her something too small to see. “What did he give her?” Jane asked, leaning into Nic. “A piece of chocolate,” he replied, his distaste clear in his voice. “It’s supposed to be a small gift to symbolize the harvest of each region, to show how the ruler and the lords sustain each other. The cocoa bean can’t grow here, it’s too cold, but Lord Annesley controls the largest shipping port in Chalan.” “So he’s cheating,” she said.

and then a little later we get to see percy's offering:

Duchess Anwen’s face lit up when he revealed his gift. He handed it to her and she immediately popped it into her mouth, a single moment of bright joy in the dignified evening. Jane leaned over to Nic again. “What was Percy’s offering?” “A cherry. They’re her favourite.” “What’s she going to do with the pit?” Percy offered his goblet, and Duchess Anwen gently placed the pit in it. She was almost laughing for the first time since she’d entered the throne room.

pls accept this non-answer to your question, and my shame in my very not-detailed world building

#zoe replies #ask games #jj excerpt

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letterboxd · 3 years

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In Focus: The Mummy

Dominic Corry responds on behalf of Letterboxd to an impassioned plea to bump up the average rating of the 1999 version of The Mummy—and asks: where is the next great action adventure coming from?

We recently received the following email regarding the Stephen Sommers blockbuster The Mummy:

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to you on behalf of the nation, if not the entire globe, who frankly deserve better than this after months of suffering with the Covid pandemic.

I was recently made aware that the rating of The Mummy on your platform only stands at 3.3 stars out of five. … This, as I’m sure you’re aware, is simply unacceptable. The Mummy is, as a statement of fact, the greatest film ever made. It is simply fallacious that anyone should claim otherwise, or that the rating should fail to reflect this. This oversight cannot be allowed to stand.

I have my suspicions that this rating has been falsely allocated due to people with personal axes to grind against The Mummy, most likely other directors who are simply jealous that their own artistic oeuvres will never attain the zenith of perfection, nor indeed come close to approaching the quality or the cultural influence of The Mummy. There is, quite frankly, no other explanation. The Mummy is, objectively speaking, a five-star film (… I would argue that it in fact transcends the rating sytem used by us mere mortals). It would only be proper, as a matter of urgency, to remove all fake ratings (i.e. any ratings [below] five stars) and allow The Mummy’s rating to stand, as it should, at five stars, or perhaps to replace the rating altogether with a simple banner which reads “the greatest film of all time, objectively speaking”. I look forward to this grievous error being remedied.

Best, Anwen

Which of course: no, we would never do that. But the vigor Anwen expresses in her letter impressed us (we checked: she’s real, though is mostly a Letterboxd lurker due to a busy day-job in television production, “so finding time to watch anything that isn’t The Mummy is, frankly, impossible… not that there’s ever any need to watch anything else, of course.”).

So Letterboxd put me, Stephen Sommers fan, on the job of paying homage to the last great old-school action-adventure blockbuster, a film that straddles the end of one cinematic era and the beginning of the next one. And also to ask: where’s the next great action adventure coming from?

Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and John Hannah in ‘The Mummy’ (1999).

When you delve into the Letterboxd reviews of The Mummy, it quickly becomes clear how widely beloved the film is, 3.3 average notwithstanding. Of more concern to the less youthful among us is how quaintly it is perceived, as if it harkens back to the dawn of cinema or something. “God, I miss good old-fashioned adventure movies,” bemoans Holly-Beth. “I have so many fond memories of watching this on TV with my family countless times growing up,” recalls Jess. “A childhood classic,” notes Simon.

As alarming as it is to see such wistful nostalgia for what was a cutting-edge, special-effects-laden contemporary popcorn hit, it has been twenty-one years since the film was released, so anyone currently in their early 30s would’ve encountered the film at just the right age for it to imprint deeply in their hearts. This has helped make it a Raiders of the Lost Ark for a specific Letterboxd demographic.

Sommers took plenty of inspiration from the Indiana Jones series for his take on The Mummy (the original 1932 film, also with a 3.3 average, is famously sedate), but for ten-year-olds in 1999, it may have been their only exposure to such pulpy derring-do. And when you consider that popcorn cinema would soon be taken over by interconnected on-screen universes populated by spandex-clad superheroes, the idea that The Mummy is an old-fashioned movie is easier to comprehend.

However, for all its throwbackiness, beholding The Mummy from the perspective of 2020 reveals it to have more to say about the future of cinema than the past. 1999 was a big year for movies, often considered one of the all-time best, but the legacy of The Mummy ties it most directly to two of that year’s other biggest hits: Star Wars: Episode One—The Phantom Menace and The Matrix. These three blockbusters represented a turning point for the biggest technological advancement to hit the cinematic art-form since the introduction of sound: computer-generated imagery, aka CGI. The technique had been widely used from 1989’s The Abyss onwards, and took significant leaps forward with movies such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Jurassic Park (1993) and Starship Troopers (1997), but the three 1999 films mentioned above signified a move into the era when blockbusters began to be defined by their CGI.

A year before The Mummy, Sommers had creatively utilised CGI in his criminally underrated sci-fi action thriller Deep Rising (another film that deserves a higher average Letterboxd rating, just sayin’), and he took this approach to the next level with The Mummy. While some of the CGI in The Mummy doesn’t hold up as well as the technopunk visuals presented in The Matrix, The Mummy showed how effective the technique could be in an historical setting—the expansiveness of ancient Egypt depicted in the movie is magnificent, and the iconic rendering of Imhotep’s face in the sand storm proved to be an enduringly creepy image. Not to mention those scuttling scarab beetles.

George Lucas wanted to test the boundaries of the technique with his insanely anticipated new Star Wars film after dipping his toe in the digital water with the special editions of the original trilogy. Beyond set expansions and environments, a bunch of big creatures and cool spaceships, his biggest gambit was Jar Jar Binks, a major character rendered entirely through CGI. And we all know how that turned out.

A CGI-enhanced Arnold Vosloo as Imhotep.

Sommers arguably presented a much more effective CGI character in the slowly regenerating resurrected Imhotep. Jar Jar’s design was “bigger” than the actor playing him on set, Ahmed Best. Which is to say, Jar Jar took up more space on screen than Best. But with the zombie-ish Imhotep, Sommers (ably assisted by Industrial Light & Magic, who also worked on the Star Wars films) used CGI to create negative space, an effect impossible to achieve with practical make-up—large parts of the character were missing. It was an indelible visual concept that has been recreated many times since, but Sommers pioneered its usage here, and it contributed greatly to the popcorn horror threat posed by the character.

Sommers, generally an unfairly overlooked master of fun popcorn spectacle (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is good, guys), deserves more credit for how he creatively utilized CGI to elevate the storytelling in The Mummy. But CGI isn’t the main reason the film works—it’s a spry, light-on-its-feet adventure that presents an iconic horror property in an entertaining and adventurous new light. And it happens to feature a ridiculously attractive cast all captured just as their pulchritudinous powers were peaking.

Meme-worthy: “My sexual orientation is the cast of ‘The Mummy’ (1999).”

A rising star at the time, Brendan Fraser was mostly known for comedic performances, and although he’d proven himself very capable with his shirt off in George of the Jungle (1997), he wasn’t necessarily at the top of anyone’s list for action-hero roles. But he is superlatively charming as dashing American adventurer Rick O’Connell. His fizzy chemistry with Weisz, playing the brilliant-but-clumsy Egyptologist Evie Carnahan, makes the film a legitimate romantic caper. The role proved to be a breakout for Weisz, then perhaps best known for playing opposite Keanu Reeves in the trouble-plagued action flop Chain Reaction, or for her supporting role in the Liv Tyler vehicle Stealing Beauty.

“90s Brendan Fraser is what Chris Pratt wishes he was,” argues Holly-Beth. “Please come back to us, Brendaddy. We need you.” begs Joshhh. “I’d like to thank Rachel Weisz for playing an integral role in my sexual awakening,” offers Sree.

Then there’s Oded Fehr as Ardeth Bey, a member of the Medjai, a sect dedicated to preventing Imhotep’s tomb from being discovered, and Patricia Velásquez as Anck-su-namun, Imhotep’s cursed lover. Both stupidly good-looking. Heck, Imhotep himself (South African Arnold Vosloo, coming across as Billy Zane’s more rugged brother), is one of the hottest horror villains in the history of cinema.

“Remember when studio movies were sexy?” laments Colin McLaughlin. We do Colin, we do.

Sommers directed a somewhat bloated sequel, The Mummy Returns, in 2001, which featured the cinematic debut of one Dwayne Johnson. His character got a spin-off movie the following year (The Scorpion King), which generated a bunch of DTV sequels of its own, and is now the subject of a Johnson-produced reboot. Brendan Fraser came back for a third film in 2008, the Rob Cohen-directed The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Weisz declined to participate, and was replaced by Maria Bello.

Despite all the follow-ups, and the enduring love for the first Sommers film, there has been a sadly significant dearth of movies along these lines in the two decades since it was released. The less said about 2017 reboot The Mummy (which was supposed to kick-off a new Universal Monster shared cinematic universe, and took a contemporary, action-heavy approach to the property), the better.

The Rock in ‘The Mummy Returns’ (2001).

For a long time, adventure films were Hollywood’s bread and butter, but they’re surprisingly thin on the ground these days. So it makes a certain amount of sense that nostalgia for the 1999 The Mummy continues to grow. You could argue that many of the superhero films that dominate multiplexes count as adventure movies, but nobody really sees them that way—they are their own genre.

There are, however, a couple of films on the horizon that could help bring back old-school cinematic adventure. One is the long-planned—and finally actually shot—adaptation of the Uncharted video-game franchise, starring Tom Holland. The games borrow a lot from the Indiana Jones films, and it’ll be interesting to see how much that manifests in the adaptation.

Then there’s Letterboxd favorite David Lowery’s forever-upcoming medieval adventure drama The Green Knight, starring Dev Patel and Alicia Vikander (who herself recently rebooted another video-game icon, Lara Croft). Plus they are still threatening to make another Indiana Jones movie, even if it no longer looks like Steven Spielberg will direct it.

While these are all exciting projects—and notwithstanding the current crisis in the multiplexes—it can’t help but feel like we may never again get a movie quite like The Mummy, with its unlikely combination of eye-popping CGI, old-fashioned adventure tropes and a once-in-a-lifetime ensemble of overflowing hotness. Long may love for it reign on Letterboxd—let’s see if we can’t get that average rating up, the old fashioned way. For Anwen.