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dearshelby · 9 months

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Blood hands | T.S

Summary: After killing someone for the first time, Tommy's wife has to deal with the emotional consequences of it. Luckily (or not), he's there to look after her.

A/N: This takes place in the same universe from my other work The noose, you don't have to read it to understand, I just thought it'd be nice to go deeper into the events mentioned there. It's inspired by the song Blood hands by Royal blood and part of my OC's story, hope you enjoy it!

She was terrible in biology, never got more than a B, it didn't matter how hard she studied. Every exam period she went to the tiny, dusty Birmingham's library and took notes from the anatomy books. Nothing ever changed.

Analyzing the drawings, she tried to make sense out of them, the muscles, joints and bones, wrapped together in the masterwork of the human body. It just didn't make sense to her, the subject simply wouldn't get into her brain and honestly, it disgusted her too. She had no wish to see beneath someone's skin, aware the reality was much more bloodier and morbid than the books.

Less than ten years later, she did, but unlike she imagined, the bile didn't rise to her throat expressing the deep disgust. Her eyes opened widely, unable to move from the mess of what once must've been a beautiful body.

The curly golden locks hid the infiltrated agent's frightened looks, gladly, because the murderer in the train station wouldn't bear to face the lack of life in her blue eyes.

Blood ran down her nose, her hands shook and her left eye stung. The woman who a few ago held her in disadvantage, sticking a sharp nail into her orb, was reduced to nothing by the train's velocity. A push was all it took.

Then, her trance was interrupted by the sound of steps, she ran away like a child avoiding punishment, not many people dared to fuck with a gangster's fiancée, but the ones who did certainly would make her look much worse in the train tracks.

As she headed home, carrying her high heels in hand so she could walk faster, another haunting thought crept into her mind, Tommy, the reason why she had blood in her hands. She was sure he'd be dead when she got home, with a bullet Billy Kimber would've put in his brain.

For a moment she considered not going anywhere, simply sitting down with her back against someone's house's wall so she wouldn't have to deal with anything.

If she only could, she'd ask God to allow her man to be alive when she got home, she couldn't, because besides being an unbeliever, asking Him to save a man like Tommy felt like blasphemy or a joke of poor taste. There was no salvation for the Small Heath's devil, at least not from divine sources.

Swallowing the bitter taste of uncertainty, she walked home with a heavy heart. However, much for her surprise, Tommy stood at the front door, his eyes slightly widened at her awful state. Her throat burnt with the urge to cry as she dropped her heels and wrapped her arms around him, he winced in pain from the bullet hole in his chest, but allowed her to hold him nevertheless.

His name poured from her lips in quiet, relieved whispers. His attentive eyes were quick to capture every irregularity in her figure, bruised knuckles, teary eyes and bare foot. Never in seven years he had seen her so broken.

"I was coming to pick you up," he explained, "what happened? Where were you?"

Lifting her head from his shoulder, her still shaky hands hesitated in cupping his cheeks, resting on his shoulders instead. She negatively nodded and peeked at the wound under his coat.

"You're alive, that's all that matters,"

"What happened to you?" Tommy insisted, since she had begged him to run away like they did when Campbell came for them, but wasn't around when the duel with Kimber ended.

"Tommy, please," she breathed out, caressing the length of his arms, "not now, not fucking now,"

His jaw tightened as he fought the urge of arguing, he hated to have things hidden from him, but knowing he'd eventually find out anyway, he obliged to her wish.

Gently, his thumb met the eyelid of her wounded eye, "That's fucking bad,"

"I'll go to the pharmacy tomorrow, they'll give me something to get it better," she drawled, "what happened over here?"

"...Danny whizz-bang is dead," was all Tommy deemed as relevant, guilt weighted heavily on the sergeant's voice, he was responsible for his soldiers' safety and he had failed Danny badly.

"Oh, darling," she muttered, "I'm so sorry,"

Looking away from her merciful eyes, he slightly nodded. Reaching for a cigarette from his silvery pack before saying, "We're at the Garrison now,"

"I'm not really up for it, you can go back if you want." with a brush on his cheek she entered home and in a quick decision, Tommy followed after, "I'll take a bath, then take a look at your bandages, who took the bullet out?"

"Jeremiah," he drawled.

She nodded, glad someone gentle as the preacher looked after her husband when she wasn't able to. Heading to the bathroom, she only hoped the hot water would wash away the weight on her shoulders.

Rubbing her hands together, she watched the quiet street through the window, every now and then a lonely citizen walked past and this was all keeping her from dissociating.

The bath wasn't of great help, the relaxation it brought also lowered the adrenaline, making her muscles and wounds ache. A knot tightened on her throat as she tried to convince herself everything was fine. Everything was fine, Tommy was alive, no one was after them anymore, nothing else mattered, nothing.

The door suddenly opened, making her jump. Tommy entered the bedroom with a towel on his shoulder, his bare torso was still wet from his bath and he moved slowly, careful to not get his injury bleeding.

Attentively, she noticed his mind was far away from there, a pout decorated his lips and his brow was tense. Eager to sooth his worries, she swallowed her own and whistled the stereotypical catcalling sound.

"Hello, handsome," she weakly smiled.

Lifting his eyes, a nearly nonexistent smile crept into his face, "Quit that,"

She walked to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, "Do you always come here?"

"In my bedroom?" he chuckled, "Yeah, quite often,"

She took advantage of his momentarily good humor to take a look at his wound. Before she could avoid it her eyes got filled with tears, she nearly lost him today, not all the killing she was able to commit would've brought him back if she'd done so, he'd be gone, simple as that.

"D'you want to tell me what happened now?" Tommy cupped her face.

"...no," was all she was able to mutter, "where are we heading to from now on?"

"Well, I-" he sighed, frustrated, "I thought of opening a club in London,"

"I was talking about Danny," she sat at the end of the bed, "what about his family?"

"We'll help them, financially," Tommy explained.

"Get his children a job?"

"No, no more business for the Owens," he negatively nodded, "they'll be normal, his children will never know why he died,"

Hearing his words, her throat tightened, a heavy feeling settled in her chest. Did the woman she killed had children? When she first got into the Garrison Tommy found out she did, but that was before they ever suspected she was a copper, how much of everything she said was lies? How would her child react to knowing its mother was dead?

Tommy watched his fiancée's state with pity in his eyes, he hated her stubbornness at the same time he was well aware of how much they were alike. Both closed off before trouble, hating to burden the other with issues they deemed personal.

"You know, eventually you'll have to tell me what happened,"

Her watery eyes met his and she pulled him close so he was standing between her legs, then she wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on the soft skin of his stomach.

Gently, he petted her hair away from her face and the feeling his rough fingers brought some relief, still, she felt like a wounded beast. She'd forever be a murderer regardless of her man's sympathy.

"Tell me, eh?" Tommy whispered.

"Tommy, I-" before she could answer, three knocks on the door interrupted.

Arthur entered the bedroom with a worried expression, "Tommy, hm, I just wanted to tell you we found the body of that barmaid in the train tracks, Johnny Dogs wants to know if we made it or not and if he should get rid of it,"

She froze, eyes widened at the news, she was so deep into her own guilt she didn't even think about the further consequences.

Tommy switched a look between her and his brother, with a slight nod, he ordered, "Get rid of it,"

Small Heath had another murderer to call resident, there was no way of hiding it now.

#tommy shelby x reader #peaky blinder imagine #peaky blinder fanfic #OC Eleanor Shelby

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sweetingseva · 5 months

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Jacks, The Boy Who Swore to Never Love ❤️‍🩹🍎✨

Happy Belated Birthday, Jacks! 🥳

I wanted to post this on his actual b-day, but time got the best of me and I wanted to perfect this post with everything I wanted to say about him. Sorry that I took this long, but at least most people have most likely have read ACFTL.

This will have spoilers from Legendary, Finale, Once Upon A Broken Heart, The Ballad of Never After, and A Curse For True Love.

🩸🍎✨~~~🩸🍎✨~~~🩸🍎✨~~~🩸🍎✨

I actually cheated when I first read him. I started reading Legendary but then I stopped and I had forgotten about the Prince of Hearts mentioned in the first few chapters. When Once Upon A Broken Heart came out, I met Jacks again and I instantly fell in love with his character. He was funny, ridiculous, and beyond reckless. The line that sold his character to me?

Jacks had stopped the wedding by turning everyone to stone.

But before I continued with his story in OUABH, I jumped back into Legendary where Jacks was much the same careless boy who wanted royal power because it was the closest to having his full Fate powers. But other than Jacks being stuck inside a deck of cards, we didn’t know much about his story other than he was a dangerous Fate with the one of the most deadly stories out there.

The Prince of Hearts’s kiss was deadly to all. He only had one weakness—his true love—who could survive his kiss of death. As he sought her, he left a trail of corpses.

One could imagine the kind of life Jacks led before he met Tella. Was he a flirt? Did he kiss just any girl? Did he even care about them? Was he still searching for true love? Did he still believe in it?

I had assumed that Jacks was broken to the point that he simply didn’t care anymore. He kissed so many potential lovers, but in the end, none of them made it. We learn in A Curse For True Love that the girls must have truly loved Jacks, which is why all of them fell into the same fate as his first fox.

Until Tella changed the course of his beliefs in Legendary.

His heart started beating. Tella survived Jacks’s kiss despite him delaying her death.

How did this happen? To Jacks, it didn’t matter. Hope washed over him and led him to pursue Tella (even if it was 2 months after the fact). It was clear that Jacks believed in the story and was something he had faith in again. But Tella was in love with someone else, which is the sole reason why she survived Jacks’s deadly kiss.

In ACFTL, Aurora Valor had said that only a person who would never love him can kiss him and live.

That was the true version of his story. Not that his true love could kiss him, but someone who was destined not to be with him. I felt so much for Jacks when I read this. Aurora had cursed him twice, leaving him heartbroken beyond belief. His heart was something that could be owned, not something to be earned.

Before I move on with his reservation for love, I want to dive in deeper in Jacks’s relationships, especially his friendship with Castor Valor (Chaos).

Chaos 🩸🧛🏻

There were three of them—Lyric Merrywood, Castor Valor, and Jacks of the Hollow—that made up the Merrywood Three. Jacks’s old friends who he cared about a lot. In a way, they were like brothers. In The Ballad of Never After, Evangeline opened a curious book and read about the Merrywood Three and a specific Archer who resembled Jacks.

And being human looked good on him—or maybe it was just that he looked happy. In the picture, Jacks was tossing an ordinary red apple and laughing in a way that lit up his entire face. He never looked this happy now, and she couldn’t help but wonder what had changed… His resemblance to the picture was uncanny, and yet the feeling she got from looking at him now was entirely different. It was as if a sculptor had taken a dagger to who he had once been and curved out all the softness.

Jacks was once foolish with hope and love. As a possible Merrywood, he might have been raised with the same generous morals. He believed in doing the right thing, that everything would be all right. It was this selfless faith that pushed Jacks to save his friend, Castor, who had been stabbed in the back. Trying to be the savior, Jacks took a half-dead Castor to Honora Valor who could heal him with her healing magic. But it was too late. Other means had tranformed Castor to a bloodthirsty monster.

Jacks blamed himself for what had happened to him.

Castor was the only friend Jacks had left. Lyric Merrywood and the rest of his family had been killed. The Merrywood Manor was destroyed, and the village was left abandoned. After the Valors were locked up in the Valory behind the Valory Arch, Jacks had became a Fate so that Castor wasn’t alone. This showed that he was a good person.

One of the reasons Jacks had allowed himself to be turned into a Fate was so that Castor wouldn’t be alone. Then he’d started the rumor that Castor was Chaos and that Chaos was a Fate, so that the world wouldn’t figure out he was the last remaining Valor.

This act is one of the most beautiful things about Jacks’s character, and one we shouldn’t ignore. Even though Jacks is known for being callous, cocky, and selfish, his gentle side is the most important facet of his character. It is what drives many of his decision. But behind this decision, Castor had caused so much death and pain. Tragedy after tragedy that no one can take back. This reality must have affected Jacks.

It isn’t weak of Jacks to display these kind of vulnerabilities. I think Stephanie did a great job showing Jacks’s vulnerable side in TBONA and especially in ACFTL. It’s what I always wanted to see from him.

Tella 💙🗡

I remember the first time I saw Jacks pour his heart out and it was in his plead to Tella to love him in Finale.

“You were supposed to be my true love. You were supposed to want me, not him. You were supposed to be as obsessed with me as I am with you… When I told Legend I’d kill you if he didn’t give me the power I needed, I didn’t mean it—I wouldn’t have done it. A part of me even hoped he’d say no, so that you would walk away from him and choose me. I’m selfish, and I want you, but I would never harm you.”

The way he spoke here was such a surprise. Until then, I always thought Jacks was a pest, wedging in between Tella and Legend, but perhaps it wasn’t just about this. It was about Jacks’s need for love, to crave it so much that it didn’t matter that his immortality was at risk. Jacks did everything to win Tella, even to the point that he would rather put a love spell over Tella for her to stay with him if not at all.

Finally, after years and years, Jacks finally found the answer to his curse. A girl had kissed him and made his heart beat. What a sick joke that Aurora pulled on him since this fierce hope eventually caused him pain when the girl stabbed him and chose someone else. His walls stacked up all around his heart and his love again.

No doubt that this was the greatest heartbreak Jacks had ever felt.

But this is just one of the many.

Jacks had lost his first fox girl, his family, his friends, and the soft nature of his heart. Dozens of girls had fallen for him and died, one survived his kiss and made his heart beat but left him heartbroken, and then Evangeline, the girl he truly ever loved, died.

Evangeline 🦊💘

Evangeline Fox is the closest person to who he once was when he was just Jacks of the Hollow. Since the beginning, Evangeline felt gulity when she put her trust into a Fate and turned all of the wedding guests into stone. But it was her belief in love who brought her to Jacks, the Prince of Hearts. Because she believed he knew about heartbreak and unrequited love, Evangeline thought he would be understanding to her plight.

Which she isn’t entirely wrong.

Jacks knew heartbreak, loss, and unrequited love.

But he knew to cover his pain behind this flirtatious and wild personality well.

After Evangeline returned, Jacks was cold as ice. He had lost the only legitimate chance of love. Who wouldn’t be dejected after a rejection? He said it himself, that heartbreak “turns you into a masochist, making you long for the thing that just eviscerated you until there’s nothing left of you to be destroyed.”

It seems like hope is not all lost since Jacks is in search of the stones once more to get back to this “love.” To have another shot with Tella.

Once again, Jacks’s past self shines through with this hope for true love that seemed awfully familiar. But it was the idea of love, not love itself, that Jacks was chasing here.

It was the chance that everything could be good again. That he didn’t need to be alone.

Evangeline was the kind of soul who helped open his heart. In the crypt, Evangeline wasn’t afraid to ask him questions about his story and his heartbreak. Both of them had a common ground, which made it easier for them to talk about their failed chances of love. I truly believed that it was this scene that helped Jacks drop his guard and forget Tella for just a little bit.

For the first time in a while, he had thought of someone’s needs before his. He wrapped Evangeline with her cloak. I’d never forget that gesture. The firsts of the firsts. And it didn’t stop here.

In TBONA, Jacks continued to show that same care toward Evangeline. He protected her against bloodthirsty vampires, her mean stepsister, bratty gossipers, and even curses. Without any catches. He did them without asking anything in return. Without knowing, Jacks had warmed up to Evangeline. They teased each other, got under each other’s skin, and compromised like equal individuals.

It got to the point that their attraction to each other was so clear that LaLa thought Jacks was going to kiss Evangeline in the middle of her engagement party. What was sweet to me, that even though Jacks passed himself as dismissive villain to Evangeline, he truly cared about her and searched for a way to remove the curse bestowed on Evangeline.

He’d told her not to look for a cure to the Archer’s curse. He’d repeatedly said it was pointless. But it seemed as if he was doing just that… Evangeline couldn’t let herself think that Jacks’s search for a cure meant he cared for her. She knew this was true, yet it was getting a little harder to fully believe it. Because she was starting to care for him.

Like Jacks knew more than anyone that the Archer’s curse was unbreakable and yet he still tried to find a way…for Evangeline. My heart can’t take it. I’m seriously swooning all over again. Jacks cares about Evangeline. It’s so tender and soft and selfless that it captures the true aspect of Jacks’s character.

When Jacks and Evangeline are in the Hollow, their relationship develops into something more. Something beautiful and hopeful and a page out of a fairytale. We come to know in ACFTL that their time there was Jacks’s happiest day. EVER. I am distraught. Jacks opens up a little more about what happened at the Merrywood Manor.

Guilt clinged to him as he recalled trying to save Castor, as he tried to be a hero that night. Saving Evangeline was not him being a hero. Which is such a sad thought for him to have and yet it made total sense why he would feel this way. Because he couldn’t be a savior that day, he probably believes that anything he does isn’t enough. He could never save anyone again.

It opened up that raw part of him that we only ever see when he’s with Evangeline. She tries to understand his past and make him realize that he had done kind things for her, like holding her as she cried, carrying her as she bled, and bandaging her wounds when she was lashed via mirror curse. Jacks had been there for her.

The Hollow was the last place he was after he became Fate, which meant it was a place that he couldn’t find himself to return to because of all of the memories. Yet it was the place Jacks allowed himself to live in the moment with Evangeline. Being with Evangeline helped him drop his guard and do things that made my brows jump.

He cuddled with her, had breakfast and lunch with her, and lived a peaceful moment in the middle of all the cursed chaos.

In the morning, you can forget it. You can go back to pretending you don’t like me, and I can pretend that I don’t care. But for tonight, let me pretend you’re mine… If it’s easier, you can pretend, too. You can pretend that I’m still Jacks of the Hollow and that you want to be mine.

Evangeline thought he was being delirous but Jacks quickly set the record straight and denied that he was. It was probably the most genuine request he ever had.

Without a doubt he was in love. So in love. Nothing else was important. You can actually feel the happiness and hopefulness from the page. As much as this was Evangeline's happiness, this was also Jacks's.

Then there comes the moment Evangeline lets him go, tells him what he's feeling isn't real, and that it would all be over.

This was crushing.

Jacks's eyes were red. A flicker of pain passed over his features. He wanted to kiss Evangeline. He knew what he was feeling and yet the girl he has come to love has told him that whatever she was feeling for him was because of a rock.

One-sided love. Like the Hollow once Evangeline took the mirth stone, Jacks turned cold and brushed off Evangeline. He was harsh. He was hurt. When he got back to Chaos's Underground Lair, he turned his room upside down and ate so many apples.

With Evangeline's rejection, Jacks firmly believes that the love meant for him is with Tella. Even if he didn't love her. Even if Tella didn't want him.

The whole confrontation between Evangeline and Jacks revealed to us what Jacks wanted exactly. To go back to Tella, his "true love." Because she was the only who survived his kiss. This was the girl the curse promised him. It was her or no one.

Evangeline thought otherwise. But it didn't matter. Jacks cared so much about her that he rather they never met. Because if they keep going down the path, Jacks will not be able to hold himself back and kissing Evangeline.

His love would destroy her. His kiss would kill her. Jacks would do anything to prevent her from becoming another fox.

Despite what he tells her, Evangeline has become the most important person to him. Nothing has been so clearer than when Jacks's final words to Evangeline before she passed away.

“Evangeline—” His voice was hoarse. “Come back to me.…”

Side note, this was my favorite quote. I think this has to be my most favorite one in all of the books. I remembered gasping when I read it. My jaw literally dropped. It was the most truthful thing that Jacks has ever said.

Come back. To him.

Like, WOWWW!

Unable to accept Evangeline's passing, he took the stones and made a decision. The stones can only grant one wish. He was planning to use it to go back to Tella. But he took them and went back in time to save Evangeline.

“There is nothing of equal value to me.”

HE REWROTE HISTORY. HE CHOSE ANOTHER ENDING FOR THEM.

IS THERE ANY LOVE MORE TRUER THAN THEIRS? We’re finally at that part where we know, without a doubt, that Jacks loves Evangeline. If the “You’re not her” scene left any doubts, then they were long gone at this point. They could be endgame, this could be it, we could finally see a happy evajacks.

Until Apollo Acadian came in possessing a magic given to him by Aurora and tore Evangeline and Jacks apart by taking Evangeline’s memories of the past year.

Now we all know what happened behind the scenes here, so I’ll skip right ahead to the subject on hand. Guilt.

Jacks’s Guilt 💔

This is where Jacks’s heart has been, in a cold and unforgiving place surrounded by thick, tall walls made of steel. Since the beginning, all that Jacks has ever known was tragedy and remorse. When he learned that Evangeline had forgotten her memories, he believed it was because of his fault. Queen Honora had warned him against him going back in time and stopping Castor from killing Evangeline.

“That is not a small mistake to fix. If you do this, Time will take something equally valuable from you.”

Jacks thought that Time woul take it on him. Never Evangeline. He was to blame for Evangeline’s lost memories.

Guilt. It is the reason for the next steps he took in ACFTL. He still thinks that he isn’t a great fit for Evangeline because of his cursed kiss and the possibility that he could kill her if he wasn’t careful. Evangeline is safe with Apollo, happy even, where she should have been if it wasn’t for him. Apollo and Evangeline would have the fairytale love that Evangeline always wanted. Once he knew she could fend for herself, then he would leave forever and throw his heart into the fire of the Phoenix Tree, where he’d never have to feel this much for anyone or anything ever again. This way Evangeline could be safe from him.

If only it was that easy.

Jacks can’t seem to leave Evangeline alone. She’s always in his sight. He loves her, and when Evangeline sees him again, it hurts him to know that she’s not looking at him like before. That she had forgotten everything about him. Despite what Jacks had planned, he wants her to remember him and know him. He has hurt everyone, even her, so it shouldn’t make sense that he deserves a happy ending.

I think this is the most heartbreaking and most truthful thing about Jacks’s character. Because he couldn’t be a hero when Vengeance Slaughterwood killed the Merrywoods, he thinks he deserves so much worse. He deserves nothing.

He’d been brokenhearted. Not in the same sense that most people thought of, as if one person had broken his heart. Jacks’s heart had been broken over and over again unti it was no longer capable of hope and care and love.

Chapter 41 gives us the true reason for why Jacks is the way he is and more. Basically, everything I have listed above communicated between Evangeline and Jacks’s dialogue.

“You died, Evangeline. I held you in my arms as it happened.”

“Jacks … I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never died.”

“Yes, you did. The night you opened the Valory. The first time you did it, I didn’t go with you.” I couldn’t say goodbye. “It was only you and Chaos. As soon as his helm was off, he killed you. I tried to stop him—I tried to save you—but I couldn’t. When I got there, he had already bitten you—and he’d already taken too much blood. You died as soon as you were in my arms. The only thing I could do was use the stones to turn back time. I was warned it would cost me. I didn’t imagine it would take from you.” I’m sorry.

“You don’t need to be sorry, Jacks.”

“It’s my fault.”

Reading this whole exchange broke my heart. I could feel his guilt and suddenly realize that he’s been hiding his guilt behind this confident and careless act. Here, we could see this was another awful thing he did to Evangeline. Before Evangeline went with Chaos, Jacks had hurt her by telling her that he wanted to go back to Tella and that she wasn’t the one he wanted. When Evangeline opened the Valory for the second time, Jacks was yelling at her to leave, being rude to her so that she’d live. He’d been cruel. And that was how it ended between them before she really forgot everything.

I love Evangeline Fox so much. It has been really rare to find a character like her whose strength was her kindness and hope for greater and impossible things. Though this was a story centered around her search for true love, this was Jacks’s culmination of his pain and guilt.

Above everything else, Evangeline chose him for who he was and is. He was the villain, he was her monster, but he was also her true love and hers. This beautiful faith that Evangeline had in Jacks was what ultimately broke his curse. Jacks said “I love you” openly to Evangeline and you can see it as the truth. Sometimes something so simple is so poignant. There’s nothing to say but the truth of it all, and that was how I interpreted Jacks’s confession to her.

When Jacks confronted Apollo about Evangeline’s memories, it was met with fisted hands and brutal curses. I’m so glad we got to see Jacks pour out all his anger on him and let go for once. It was so cool to see. And I think he needed it.

Jacks chose Evangeline. His heart was with her. It didn’t matter to him where they went, as long as it was with her.

Conclusion

Pain is what made Jacks. I used to think he was being dramatic when he said it to Evangeline in OUABH. How could I? Haha. I even believed he was heartbroken because of Tella. But his pain wasn’t just about her, it was about everything that happened in his past. Lyric. Castor. The First Fox Girl. The girls he kissed and killed. Evangeline’s death and lost memories. His failure of being a hero.

In the Caraval trilogy, Jacks was aloof, troubling, and selfish. He wanted power. Then his heart started beating soon after it was clear Tella survived his kiss. He wanted love, no matter if it wasn’t real. Unlike the other Fates, Jacks wanted something simple and beautiful as someone choosing him because they loved him.

Even when he found that love, Jacks had selflessly chosen Evangeline’s safety over his desires because he cared about her. At heart, he had always been a caring and hopeful person. In the end, Jacks found happiness and Evangeline found her great love.

Nothing can stop them now.

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lemonhemlock · 2 months

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I saw a comment that really hit the nail on the head regarding a lot of the fandom in both ASOIAF/HOTD spaces. Basically, this comment said that a lot of Dany/Rhaenyra/Targ stans don't understand that targ women can both be oppressed and also oppressors. They literally view Westeros in this lens that the Worst Thing That Can Ever Happen to someone is misogyny, and yes GRRM's ahistorical levels of misogyny imbued in his work don't help here, and that nothing else can come close lol. They don't really get class dynamics, lesser nobles, etc. When you're the crown princess of the realm you have immense power, but also responsibility which, yes, includes not openly cuckolding your spouse and having obvious bastards you try to put into the succession lol. They very much think that every targ women could do whatever she wanted with her immensely privileged and pampered position as a royal and if anyone says anything, well, it's misogyny. It's a deeply unannounced, ahistorical way to look at this series.

Your comment in one of your other anons where you said 'are you really sexually liberated if you are causing pain to others in your vicinity' was funny to me because targ stans unironically would say 'yes.' They are stuck in this modern sensibility that romantic/sexual freedom is the number one civil liberty and anything a character does in pursuit of it is fine, even at the expense of others, and if anything bad happens as a result, well that's just the Patriarchy's fault. It's a fundamental difference in thinking that I don't think can ever be bridged because they are incapable of not projecting modern values. They truly believe that targ women can be privileged, pampered, politically and socially powerful, yet not be beholden to any of the traditions, duties, or responsibilities even with the most, like, basic decorum expected of royal and any calling out of this behavior is just misogyny lmao.

It's just so stupid lmao. Imagine if people had said that Queen Elizabeth II, one of the most rich, powerful, and privileged women in the world for literal decades was 'oppressed' because she couldn't have obvious affairs or take official mistresses or boytoys and have bastard children like her male forefathers did and blame that on misogyny lmao. It's literally the same thought process but these people cannot put two and two together if their lives depended on it.

^^^^ you did it, anon. you condensed targ stans to their essence 😅

some of them act as if being monarch should mean doing exactly what you want at all times and any kind of suggestion that immense privilege comes at the price of great responsibility automatically translates to misogyny. god forbid we put some restriction on "absolute power" and make it less absolute.

also in regards to sexual freedom and their inability to imagine a life without it. you live in the 21st century!! not only that you have recognised rights enshrined by law, but you also have modern medicine!! you have antibiotics, contraceptives, safe abortion, emergency services, surgeons, you can book an appointment with a doctor if you're feeling unwell etc. look me in the eye and tell me that if all of those were taken away overnight you'd continue to be your sexually liberated self and risk dying painfully of an STD in the name of love.

of course there are religious and sexist dimensions to restricting women's sexuality, there is no point in pretending otherwise, but who would really want their spouse to risk infecting them with whatnot in the name of sexual freedom? it's equally unhelpful in pretending there's not an aspect of public health in encouraging behaviours like chastity, monogamy and being faithful to your spouse.

again, this is not to say that it was all good and proper to be like that and what a time of pure morals we left behind in the olden days. it's to say that those times truly sucked for a lot of people, sometimes because of reasons they had no control over, and that they often had to choose between options that all sucked in some way

#ask #anon #anti rhaenyra targaryen #anti targ stans

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brf-rumortrackinganon · 3 months

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“t, they just leeched onto the same host to resuscitate their dying careers.” Sometimes I wonder what a sober, emotionally healthy Harry would look like now? Pre-Meghan, he seemed reasonably happy. He may still have had his issues with resentment, not enjoying all aspects of royal work, but when he went to engagements he did seem to enjoy it. He also had his friends. Maybe he’s a better actor than his wife? Outwardly, he just didn’t seem so self-obsessed and angry before 2016. Meghan and Omid are what they are, leeches or suckerfish. They always need a host to survive off of. I just don’t know if Harry has realized he’s the host. I’m not a Harry defender by any means. He was warned repeatedly about her by almost everyone in his life but he ignored it. However, he is the one in that relationship to have given up/lost everything he’s known in his life.

Harry was never much better an actor than Meghan. It was always clear what he was thinking/feeling on his face, even in his "healthy" days. The only differences were a) he had a longer fuse than Meghan ever did and b) he was the most popular person, or the second-most popular, in the BRF so he rode an enormous wave of popularity and goodwill. He was consistently in the 60s and 70s percentile in the YouGov rankings (mostly in the 60s, but every once in awhile it peaked up into the 70s).

I suspect is that Meghan thought Harry's popularity would rub off on her - possibly the way she thought William's popularity helped boost Kate's number. It worked for a little bit but then Meghan's own actions cancelled out whatever "help" her polling got from Harry so she got angry that he wasn't helping, causing him to get angry that his family wasn't helping. It snowballed from there.

An equally-important question to ask is with everyone around Harry and all the protections he had, how could Meghan have sunk her claws into Harry so deeply, so quickly. That answer reveals Harry may not have been as mentally or emotionally healthy as we think: he heard the ticking of his biological clock. All of his friends and family settling down with their own families at home, so there was no one left to hang out with him. (William used to get flack for preferring to stay in with Kate and the kids, which probably meant Harry was behind those attacks.) And on top of losing his friends, Harry was also losing his favor with the media, as more and more the press focused on George and Charlotte instead. The daughters and granddaughters of the aristocracy weren't dating him, suggesting something was definitely off, or not there. He was desperate to get married because everyone else around him was.

(To that I totally understand. I'm mid-thirties myself, everyone else in my family is settled down, and it does suck to go to family events without a partner and to celebrate milestones for friends that aren't happening for you. There's a singles tax everywhere, and I can't imagine it's any easier for someone like Harry, whose family is in a line of work that requires marriage and children for prosperity. So I can see the desperation of 'when will it happen for me' causing enormous pressure that he was unprepared to handle.)

And we know he heard the clock of time ticking loudly because he asked every girl he dated to marry him, and they all turned him down. So as much as we think Meghan rushed Harry down the aisle, Harry was also rushing her down the aisle too. So he wasn't in the best of places mentally or emotionally in 2016 and it just deteriorated from there.

A truly sober, truly emotionally healthy Harry probably would've put the brakes on how quickly Meghan moved the relationship, and there's a very real chance Meghan would have left if he did slow down the relationship (she threatened him throughout the whole relationship that she was prepared to walk out any second) so we wouldn't even be here today. If she didn't leave when he slowed the relationship down, I think the what-if is we still wouldn't be here today because there probably wouldn't have been a Megxit since the alternate timeline would push everything back - meaning they'd be stuck in the UK during lockdowns with a lockdown baby, which changes everything.

So for a truly sober, truly emotionally healthy Harry to have seen the likes of Meghan and Scobie coming from miles away - as the rest of the BRF seems to have done - the clock would probably have to turn back much, much further than 2016. I think we're looking at 2010/2011 kind of time - Harry needed to start therapy much sooner, the palace shouldn't have created the William-Kate-Harry monster, and Harry needed either to stay in the military longer (or have a civilian job like William) or be given more royal duties/work to the scale of the Kents and Gloucesters because it's apparent that the 'not working' lifestyle is what sent Harry into the tailspin leading to Meghan/today.

#ask #brf #sussexes #alternate timeline

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barbiebraganca · 27 days

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HSHQTASK059: FAREWELL !

when did you join ? what made you join ? what do you remember from the plotlines that were current at the time ? where were you in life when you joined and where are you now ?

right at the beginning of 2016, around feb or march. i had just finished high school and took an off year to prepare for uni admission exams. i needed something to take my mind off studying for it and my friend julia suggested i joined her on tumblr rping. i had no idea what that was but she helped me through it and we joined another group together. at the time i also developed a bit of a thing for royals and made my character in that group an undercover norwegian royal, on some princess diaries bullshit. but looking up things for that group i decided to search norwegian royalty on tumblr and found the blog for a character in vik. olav if i'm not mistaken. i started stalking the group and got really interested in it and mentioned it to julia who told me she'd been here before and would join with me if i chose to so we brought barbie and biel. then the group closed and i completely gave up rping until one random day many months later i logged into tumblr again god knows why and there was a message from martha, she told me the group came back to life and i decided to rejoin. and here i am, haven't left since.

which characters have you written over the years ?

ffs, let me see if i can remember all of them: ayo, bruce, barbie, toni, leon, sergi, silje, ilija, zoey (silje's draft), pedro, noémïe (poor thing lasted 3 seconds), ionie. i feel like there's more, i just can't remember.

what is your favourite plotline that you've been part of ?

the zulu & the southern africa conflicts. even all of us applying together that day was such a moment, i loved every bit of it. i had so so much fun writing ayo even if he was one of those characters it is impossible to write filler threads with, i still felt so much joy when i got a notif that someone replied to him, even if the entire reply was someone hating on him hard.

what about other people's plotlines ?

it's impossible to pick one when you've been here from the start and have seen countless amazing ones but the english plot was truly a wonder, even the murder mystery event was fucking incredible. anything involving russia and the romanovs as well was so well thought and made so much sense when you put the pieces together you just can't help but love every bit.

who is your favourite character from the ones you've played ? why ? what made you love them ? what made them so fun to write ?

favourite to write i'd say ayo, for the same reasons i mentioned on the plotline question but if i had to choose only one to keep playing forever it would either be silje or ilija. i feel like those are versatile ones that i could go in different directions with if i'd wanted to. the one i had the most fun writing though was pedro for sure.

if you could relive a plotline, which would it be ?

the invasion in greece and i think everyone who was here for that would say the same thing. that was our most iconic event and for a reason, everyone put 150% into it and it worked out so so so so well we didn't even imagine the outcome it would have, we just wanted to traumatise everyone a bit but received the best event in hshq in return.

is there a plotline that you'd edit now if you could ?

i don't think there is, especially because i don't think i remember even half of them but even then everything was fun and a joy to write about so i probably wouldn't change anything.

what's a plotline you wish you would have been able to finish before closing or just write more of ?

the ones that never happened. e mentioned some of the things we planned and didn't happen on the timeline post but i assure you that's not even the beginning. at times we'd plan an entire year of events in advance and come up with a full story, reasoning, plot drops for it but when the time to have them came we forgot all about it and change everything to something we'd put together in 20 mins instead of the plans we spent days working on. even the cruise ship they were supposed to be stuck in was an idea we had so much fun coming up with and it didn't get to see the light of day.

what is your favourite ooc memory ?

every honesty hour chaos was such a fun time to be on the dash, or whenever something big would happen ic and there would be 100 ooc posts reacting to it on the dash and the jokes were the peak of comedy. but i'll always have a soft spot for the soletsky silent thread bc icb we actually had 40+ notes on that, it was priceless. the word lunch is stuck with me forever. AND that one time i got kicked out on this exact date a couple years back.

where can others find you if they want to get in touch ?

i won't delete the tumblr app from my phone just yet so if you want to send me a mssg, i'll be checking it every now and again. same with discord, i'm there under barbielandwired and we're not deleting the hshq server so we can still have that in case anybody wants to pop into the chat and catch up. i'll give you my socials too if anybody wants that, we're all friends here. i've known u lot for 8 years.

what else would you like to say ?

here.

#hshqtask059 #* ⠀ ⠀ 🐝 ⠀ ⠀ / ⠀ ⠀ viii.⠀ ⠀ 、 ⠀ task ⠀ ❫

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nightmarecita · 2 months

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In another life [Nightmare!Sans]

«“It took a while to arrive, but it was part of your destiny.”»

They were lying on the damp earth, staring up at the cloudy sky as a few drops of water fell on their bodies, some of them mixing on the ground with particles of fresh blood.

The silence wasn't awkward or anything; It was just the two of them, lying on the ground as they looked at the sky without any particular emotion, ignoring the mortal wounds on their vessels.

— I'm hungry– she said completely randomly, breaking the ice.

—You will eat when we fall to hell.—they would not be saved, they were dying slowly, and nothing would save them from that inevitable end.

— Do you believe in reincarnation?– she asked suddenly, without looking away from the black clouds that were approaching.

A beautiful, clear sky, with the sun prostrate and shining or with a beautiful albino moon hugging the sky, was not a scenario that was worthy of them, they did not deserve it.

They were only worthy of those black clouds in all their vision and the disgusting sensation of how their clothes, wet with blood, water and some mud, were sticking to their bodies.

— We're about to die, stop torturing me with meaningless questions because you're hungry– he snorted, refusing to answer his opponent's question.

— That's why I don't like you, you're bitter.– He blinked a little, closing one eye when a small drop of water fell into it.

— I'm not interested.–

They both stayed silent for a while, comfortable with each other's presence and with the fact that they would die at the other's side, although they would never admit it.

It was a good ending for them. A good ending for an obsessed man and a traitor.

A King, and a warrior from the enemy Kingdom.

The hatred was mutual as much as the attraction, but that barrier between them would never make them admit their interest. They were infatuated with each other, obsessed with the idea of ending the opponent to make those feelings disappear, that hatred for desire, that desire to be in each other's arms and hide in the depths of the forest, where no one would see them. or would listen, a place away from the weight of their positions, and a place where they would be nothing more than a simple couple loving each other, hidden from the sunlight.

But it was obviously nothing more than a fantasy hidden deep in their heads.

— This wouldn't have happened to you if you weren't so stupid.– His sharp tongue attacked, reminding the girl once again of how he tried to stop Dream from killing him, oh, such a stupid and involuntary action, driven by the hidden feeling of terror. knowing that he would fall.

And it wasn't just him who fell.

She was silent; She didn't want to talk about it, it was true, she was stupid for knowing the purpose of that war and trying to prevent it for personal reasons.

— . . . I deserve it, I betrayed my King a long time ago.– She had planned so many times to abandon the royal guard, and simply be an ordinary inhabitant, even though she swore to protect him until his death.

She wanted to ask him everything, most of all the reason why she had tried to protect him, even though she could imagine it, it was not the same as hearing it from her lips. . . But he knew, she wouldn't get to hear her response, she felt her life draining away, and she didn't have much of it left.

— If reincarnation existed, I swear he would kill you again.

— Oh, how nice of you– she murmured sarcastically.

However, her response was no longer heard. Now she was alone, knowing that she didn't have much time left either.

— If I could be reincarnated, I would kill you too. . .

She slowly closed her eyes, feeling them sting slightly.

A tear was camouflaged among the drops of water.

And she finally stopped breathing.

She was sitting in the living room, on her cell phone, answering the messages her mother sent her asking her if she was having a good time, to which she responded with affirmations and anything that didn't make her worry.

I was in Dream's room, and there were Ink and Blue too, talking and playing the console, suddenly making a fuss when they lost, they had to take turns so they could all play, but there wasn't much of a problem. Dream's mother was already asleep in her bed, since it was 1 at night, and her brother was in her room.

Although she had not even seen her brother when she arrived, she did not even know what he was like, only she knew his name and she knew that he existed.

— Are you done yet?– Ink questioned when he saw her leave her cell phone face down on the nightstand next to the bed.

— Uh-huh– with that short response, she got out of bed under the squid's gaze. — I'm going to the bathroom– she said with a vague gesture, walking out of the room, closing the door behind her.

To get to the bathroom she had to go down the stairs to the first floor and cross through the kitchen, on the other side through a hallway she reached the bathroom. The house was quite dark, so that he had to be careful not to trip on the stairs or any furniture while looking for the light switch.

She walked down the stairs carefully, resting her hand on the wall trying not to trip immediately due to the lack of light. He knew that the kitchen switch was at the entrance to the kitchen, so he walked straight towards it, walking cautiously and silently, somewhat tense, as if something was going to come out of the darkness and catch her, how ridiculous.

Sensing that he would be able to see any spirit lurking near her, he flipped the switch, turning on the light bulb at once. Obviously, there was no one, no ghosts, nothing.

He sighed softly, feeling somewhat relieved.

— On one side, you're getting in the way.

At the first little noise he made, his entire body went numb with fright, jumping slightly, stifling a scream from the small shock.

Moving quickly and moving to the side, moving a little away from the entrance to the kitchen, he finally saw it.

His expression softened.

A tired and angry face was what he saw in the skeleton dyed black, with his pajamas all pretty blue with little yellow stars.

She felt strange seeing him, she felt like she had seen him somewhere, but she didn't remember him.

The tallest man's rough and annoyed expression disappeared in a matter of seconds when she analyzed the human in front of him, she looked at her strangely, slowly analyzing her from top to bottom.

Obviously, she was friends with Dream, but he had never met her, yet she seemed so to him. . . Known

They both remained silent for a while with the same mental objective, they tried to recognize each other, staring at each other, analyzing each other.

— I know you?. . .– Nightmare was the first to speak, with a confused and curious tone.

— I think so. . . I feel like I saw you somewhere but I don't remember where.– Maybe Dream showed her a photo sometime and she just doesn't remember it.

A sudden desire to slap him came to her heart, but she wasn't going to get aggressive for no apparent reason with her friend's brother.

. . . But why did she feel like hitting him?

—What's your name?– The tallest man questioned, believing that with a name he would be able to identify her, not that he was very interested, but. . . Well, yes, he was curious.

He told her name, watching as he fell silent again, trying to remember, but nothing came to her mind, just not.

Between him he closed his eyes.

An uncomfortable silence settled in the place, looking to the sides nervously before the attentive gaze of the man in black.

— You're staying the night, right? — She looked at him strangely at the question, nodding slowly in affirmation.

Her body stiffened, shuddering as a shiver ran down her spine, causing her to straighten slightly when her adversary placed her hand on his shoulder, but what made her break was hearing her voice so close to her ear.

— When everyone is asleep, come to my room.

And with that whispered request, he turned away from her, turning to return to her room, leaving her there as she stared where he had gone, her cheeks red.

— . . . Ah—. . . Oh, right, the bathroom. – Somewhat nervous about the above, she hurried to the bathroom, trying to momentarily forget what had happened.

Finishing, she returned upstairs, glancing at the door to Nightmare's room, remembering her previous request. She shook her head quickly, entering Dream's room.

. . . Yellow's brother is very strange.

Maybe if I go to his room later after all.

#nightmare x reader #nightmare sans #dreamtale #dreamtale nightmare #empireverse

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unohanabbygirl · 4 months

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All I’m thinking about is fmbh Luke getting the divorce he deserves only to vibe with Daeron and remarry him. Now Daeron and Luke getting pregnant at the same time is something I see so clearly in my mind’s eye. Unlike Aemond, I feel like Daeron completely embraced his body as a way to feel more Targaryen when he was isolated in Oldtown (plus those Hightowers never really wanted to aknowledge the strangeness of Valyrians and Alicent wasn’t there to shame him so actually he was mostly left alone to develop a very healthy understanding of his body). At Driftmark he would def find the freedom to explore his gender with clothing too. It’d be so interesting to see Luke wary of Daeron or see it as a ploy for the Hightowers to try for Driftmark again, but it turns out Daeron is 100x better than Aemond is every regard and things are just easy with him. Once again he curses Viserys for chaining him to Aemond when if the fates had just said Daeron instead of Aemond he wouldn’t have lost 10 years on a dead marriage. Aemond gets nothing in the divorce! (Tho can you imagine his pride being like I need nothing from that bastard while Otto and Alicent saying you need alimony bc you have no money). Also I love divorcee Aemond thinking it was just Luke who was ruining the marriage but once he finds himself a new wife who hates him and still no inheritance he realizes oh shit I had it easy being a consort

Luke x Daeron is so niche yet so important to me so I love this idea of these two finding love with one another. Especially after Luke’s had to deal with Aemond’s bull for so long. It would also be a much cleaner start since they barely know each other seeing as Daeron’s only come around one every blue moon and even then they never actually conversed. There’s no resentment or past grievances making things difficult either, just two people getting to know each other and coming to find love. I don’t even see Daeron holding anything about Aemond’s lost eye against Luke since they barely know each other. There’s no sense of loyalty to his older brother holding him back from a happy relationship despite Alicent’s disbelief that he could ever truly love the man who blinded his “true” family.

Daeron seeing his body as his one connection with his Targ ancestry is eye opening. He’s the only one who never had the chance to connect with that person part of himself being raised amongst the Hightowers in Oldtown. None of his extended family were comfortable enough to acknowledge him being intersex therefore never brought it up, even to shame him. Without shame came the ability to not only explore his body/gender identity, but develop confidence in who he was. Moving to Driftmark would absolutely give him the opportunity to dress differently as well. Luke’s own more feminine/androgynous sense of style interesting him to the point the point of wanting to try some things out for himself.

The image of these two stunting together is stuck to my brain like glue. Luke ofc goes with his usual choices of his houses colors. On the other hand, rather than Velaryon blue Daeron is attracted to much darker blues that almost boarder onto purple in certain light to match Tessarion

Now Divorcee Aemond is forced to see his ex-husband and little brother flow together like a well oiled machine during events calling for the entire royal family’s presence while his new wife barely talks to him. It’s not even just the fact that he’s a pain in the ass to deal with but that Aemond is leeching off of her since he left with no money or lands in his name. Something she never lets him forget whereas Luke only mentioned money when it came to business rather than Aemond’s personal spending habits. (Luke always checked their records, but Aemond doesn’t have to know that)

Aemond really does live a good life as a kept man though. The only reason he involves himself with Driftmark’s trade at all is because it makes him feel as though he’s not living off of his nephew even though he very much is lmaoo

#asks

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warwickroyals · 8 months

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queen rosalyn was mentioned in a recent post, so: can you give us any lore about her, her family, and how they managed to marry into sunderland royalty? if louisa had ended up queen, do you think she would have resisted and opposed rosalyn's politics once she reached majority?

This is actually a very helpful question, anon! Thank you for not getting mad since I took forever to answer <3

Uh, under the cut is a shit ton about the American Civil War and that means talk about slavery, so read at your own risk.

So, Rosalyn as I've made it clear was a Daughter of the Confederacy, like, a literal OG one a la Varina Anne Davis, born and raised on a plantation in South Carolina during a very contentious time. She had a very charmed childhood (like completely obvious to the horrors of slavery and raised as a true Southern Belle), but everything she loved became threatened by the inevitable Civil War and what she saw as the threat of Northern aggression.

Rosalyn in my head has always been similar to Scarlett O'Hara (Vivian Leigh's character from Gone With the Wind), she was absolutely stunning, at least appearance-wise. Sunderland and the USA are right next to each other, so it was typical for Sunderlandian royals to venture into the USA for both political and social reasons. I'd like to imagine that Rosalyn met her future husband Louis at a ball in Maryland.

Now, Louis IV, as I've mentioned before, assumed the throne at 15 years old and was of a rather weak constitution. Due to his poor health, he was used to being babied and pretty much always got what he wanted. So, giving this kid basically absolute power was bound to cause issues. For Louis, it was love at first sight and Rosalyn's family, realizing Louis's position, urged her to pursue him. They had a whirlwind Romeo & Juliet-style romance, heavily manipulated by the Southern planter class, who correctly predicted international opinion turning against slavery, and wanted to ensure Sunderland would remain at the very least neutral during a Civil War. There was no better way to promote their interests than a puppet Confederate queen who had a king wrapped around her fingers.

Basically everyone in Louis's inner circle begged him not to marry Rosalyn: Parliament, family, friends, etc. But Louis married her anyway, Sunderland lacked the proper checks and balances to prevent it (they'd fix this later). People were outraged and opinions about Queen Rosalyn ranged from dismissive to downright murderous. In Sunderland, she became a scapegoat for the coming war in America. The more things worsened in America, the more she was resented. The whole nation held its breath when she became pregnant in 1859, and rejoiced when the child turned out to be a girl.

Sunderland really lucked out with Louis's early death. For one thing, he died before the Civil War started and for another, he died before he could father a son with Rosalyn. Both prevented Rosalyn from really doing any damage or having any institutional power to promote Confederate interests. She had been Queen for just under three years. She fled Sunderland with her infant daughter mere weeks after Louis died, fearing for her life. The new king, Louis's cousin George, was fully intending to make an example of Rosalyn and Louisa if they came in the way of his accession, so it was a smart move.

However, the home Rosalyn returned to wasn't the same. Several of her brothers died during the Civil War, and Big Dick William Tecumseh Sherman marched his soldiers straight across South Carolina, destroying any plantations in his path. Suffice it to say, Rosalyn kind of lost it after that, she never recovered and became a recluse until her death.

As for Louisa, she was referred to by Southerners as the Queen of Sunderland for most of her life, but it was more sarcastically than with any real deference. She never attempted to take back her birthright and actually signalled her loyalty to King George several times. George, as a result, left her to live her life in the USA. The cousins were even on friendly terms until Louisa's death.

Lousia was still raised in the South and her mother probably spoon-fed her a wrapped education based on the pro-South Lost Cause narrative (Here's an amazing video about what that means, but it's basically the myth that the Civil War was not centred on slavery, like, "States Rights" and all that BS), but Louisa rejected appeals to becoming a spokesperson for Neo-Confederate groups. She was a very private person and valued a life out of the spotlight.

Now, had she become queen she would have almost certainly been separated from her mother and raised by the State with George serving as regent until she reached adulthood. Rosalyn would have had little power to do anything about it. There was no chance of Louisa being a Confederate sympathizer without getting assassinated. Plus, after the Civil War, there was no Confederate States to represent anyway.

#warwick.answers #anonymous

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harleybeaumont · 2 years

Text

Searching For The Truth

Book - TRR AU (The Other Nevrakis)

Pairings - Drake x Lilith (OC), Liam x Riley (implied)

A/N - This fic was initiated from a writing prompt. For some reason, my mind went this direction with it, but I can’t say I’m mad about it. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I’m pretty proud of it. So thanks @choicesprompts for letting me take part in this! The bolded section at the beginning is from the prompt and the rest is mine.

A/N 2 - This is from my fic, The Other Nevrakis, set shortly after the book ends. If you haven’t read my fic, Lilith is my OC who is Olivia’s younger sister. You don’t need to have read my fic to understand this one shot.

Word Count - 4,880

Warnings - Language, blood, violence

18+ only

The cool wind pushes my hair back as I walk along the familiar path, every step taking me deeper into the past. It’s been years since I’ve been here; everything is different.

Everything is the same.

I’m not paying attention to the present as I walk, I’m too lost in memories of long ago. That’s why I don’t notice the person walking towards me until I hear a familiar voice call my name.

I freeze. It can’t be. What are the odds?

I lift my head as my eyes dart wildly around before finally landing on a face I’d recognize anywhere, even now.

“It’s you.” She says coldly.

I’m speechless. How did that old shrew manage to sneak up on me like this?

My heart pounds as I look into the pale, harsh face of the woman who resembles my father.. The father I only know from photographs. The father who I discovered never even wanted me. The father who, along with my mother, planned a coup to overthrow the royal family when I was only a toddler. The father who was arrested and mysteriously found dead days later.

I don’t know why I’m so surprised to see her. I mean, I am in the gardens of her home and I did come here with the intention to talk to her. I suppose it’s because I was hoping for more time to collect my thoughts before I spoke to her. Perhaps it’s because the last time I saw her, I was a small frightened child. Her red hair is now streaked with coarse, gray strands, and the years have only managed to make her frown even more callous and abrasive than I remember.

“Why did you come back here, girl?” The severe red-head woman demands, as if I’m an unwanted guest and not her niece.

I take a steadying breath, preparing to ask what I had rehearsed in my head a hundred times before.

Lucretia has always been cold. I mean, she left Olivia and I to be raised by strangers for our entire youth after our parents passed away. She could have taken us in. Hell, any of our distant family members could have. Although, looking back I can't help but feel grateful that they didn’t. Life had been difficult growing up with Olivia, but I can't imagine Lucretia being the warm, friendly, mom-figure I always wanted.

I hold my head high when I speak, despite her penetrating gaze that leaves me feeling as if I’ve suddenly aged in reverse and once again am that trembling, intimidated girl who just wants to be loved by her aunt. “I came to ask you something.”

Lucretia cuts her eyes across the garden we’re standing in, looking toward her imposing, forbidding manor. “Come inside then.”

I follow behind her, while the frost covered leaves crunch underfoot. It’s September, although in Lythikos it feels more like January. We only have two temperatures here: cold, and fucking freezing. I always felt as if the Nevrakis heritage had something to do with that. Some ancient curse from hundreds of years ago. Maybe some old witch hexed our duchy to be as cold as our hearts. It makes sense.. the Nevrakis have never been known for anything else.

I step inside, and the temperature isn’t much warmer than the frigid outside air. I haven’t been here since I was young. I honestly never thought I would come back. Why would I want to? That question had been easy to answer up until recently.

“May I take your coat, my Lady?” A stooped, frail man asks as he approaches me.

I wrap my fur-lined garment around myself tighter. “No, thank you.” This place is an icebox, there’s no way I’m taking this coat off. The cold never used to bother me.. That is until I met someone who made me realize how much better life is when you aren’t alone. I really wish he was here to wrap his arms around me and warm me up. It still amazes me how much I changed for the better since I met him.

Lucretia clears her throat loudly and intentionally, pulling my thoughts from Drake, and bringing me back to the dusty, dank foyer I’m standing in.

“Come on, girl, we can sit in the parlor.” She turns and walks off without waiting to see if I will follow.

The entire estate is dark. Like dark, dark. It feels like something out of a horror film. I half expect Dracula to be skulking around the pitch black hallways, and once again I am very thankful that I wasn't raised here.

I follow my aunt into the parlor, which is only lit by candles and a meager fire in the hearth. What the hell is with this woman?

She sits in an antique chair and I reluctantly take a seat across from her, unable to miss the smattering of dust particles that fly into the air as I do so. There are several old paintings of past Nevrakis nobles and warriors adorning the walls. Many I’ve seen before, as they are also lining the walls of our estate. I can’t help but think of how Drake would feel if he was in here. He’d probably be telling me to get the hell out of this creepy ass house. Riley is a straight up coward and would have never even gone in. Liam.. well Liam is a bit of a wild card. I never know what to expect from him. His sense of duty and propriety would probably have him play the perfect guest, even though Lucretia's home looks like a haunted house. I cannot wait to tell them about how creepy this place looks on the inside. Maybe I should discreetly snap some pictures so they’ll actually believe me.

An elderly woman with trembling hands approaches the two of us, holding a tray with a black and gold china teapot and two cups and saucers. “Here you are, my ladies.” She bows and slips back into the shadows.

Lucretia pours her own tea first. An intentional gesture from her that says she has no respect for me whatsoever and doesn’t want me here. I’m tired of the passive aggressive bullshit. “Lucretia, I-”

“Ahem.” She clears her throat loudly. “I know why you’re here.”

“Ok.” I maintain eye contact while her red lips curl into a snarl.

“You want to know more about your parents.” She says matter of factly.

I don’t suppose it’s any surprise. There’s no other reason why I would ever want to come here or speak with her. But she is the only one who can tell me anything about them now.

I nod and pour myself some tea. “Not just that. I-”

“You want to know how they died.” She interrupts again with a smirk.

I wait to see if she has more to say, but she just raises that pointed eyebrow that looks exactly like my sister’s and continues her cold grin.

“Yes.”

Lucretia places her cup on the table and sits back crossing her legs, adjusting her velvet crimson dress over her lap. Instead of answering me, she lets out a laugh that feels as if she’s taunting me. Of course this isn’t going to be easy. I knew it wouldn't be, but I hadn’t planned on her being so damn smug.

She wants to be a bitch? Fine. I can play that game. “Look, I don’t remember anything about them, obviously, seeing as how I was practically a baby when they died. As my father’s only sister, I thought you would have obtained plenty of information about their death. But I suppose some Nevrakis are not as competent as others.”

Lucretia’s eyes narrow to slits as she glares. “You’re one to talk. Traitor.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” I cross my arms, refusing to back down from the challenging look in her eyes.

She lets out a condescending laugh. “Why don’t you just head on back to the palace to your cronies? I mean, one of them is the son of the man who killed your parents.”

Well.. Constantine killed them. That’s not as much of a shock as it probably should be. “Liam has nothing to do with what his father did. He was a child when it happened.”

Lucretia rolls her eyes. “You think Constantine didn’t raise his sons to be just like him?” She scoffs, taking a sip of her tea before speaking again. “That entire family is corrupt.”

“You think that my parents planning to overthrow and murder their entire family isn’t ‘corrupt’?”

Lucretia leans forward, speaking quietly. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Enlighten me then. Please.” I scoff. “Tell me how my parents were justified in their actions of attempted treason and murder.”

“My god, Lilith. You’re in so deep with the Rys family that you are becoming one of them!”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Lucretia smirks and I can tell she knows something she’s not saying. She thinks she has the upper hand and I need her to keep talking. “Little girl, if you think I don’t have sources, then you are sorely mistaken. For instance.. I know you and your low-born lover are involved in the occasional dalliance with King Liam and Queen Riley.”

I try to mask my surprise and keep my face neutral. How the fuck does she know anything about that? Nobody knows about that. No, she doesn’t know. She’s bluffing or talking about something else. Come on, Lilith calm down. Don’t forget why you’re here. “Yes, I am friends with them, but I’m not sure what you’re trying to imply.” I try to look aloof as I sip my tea, which by the way, tastes like old potting soil.

“I wonder what the Cordonian citizens would think about their King and Queen fornicating with a commoner and a Nevrakis.”

Ah fuck, she really does know. It’s not like it’s even a daily thing that happens. Like once a month.. Maybe twice. But we have always made sure to keep things very discreet. She would have to have cameras in our bedrooms or something to know about this. “That’s ridiculous.”

She chuckles. “I agree. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”

“Lucretia, I didn’t think a Nevrakis would stoop to rumors and slander.”

She leans across the table toward me again, “Liam isn’t the only one who has loyal underlings inside the palace.”

“Bullshit.”

Lucretia flips her hair behind her shoulder. “You stupid girl. You know your parents didn’t act alone. And not everyone who was involved in the coup was caught.”

I shake my head, trying to keep her talking. “I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t have to. It’s true whether you believe it or not.” Lucretia says with a grin.

I can’t help but laugh at her boldness. “You are a delusional old hermit! There’s no way anyone would ever bother to report to you. You’re just a washed up, has-been!”

Oh ya, she’s pissed. I see her dig her fingernails into the table as she speaks with a hiss. “I am the only real remaining Nevrakis! You are literally sleeping with the enemy!” Lucretia sighs loudly. “And your sister.. has always been too soft for Liam to handle this. Even though he clearly doesn’t want her, she just doesn’t have the stomach to accept that and do what she needs to do.”

Holy fuck. “Oh and you do? Give me a break.” I gesture around the pathetic state of her home. “Look at this dump! Do you even use electricity?! Indoor plumbing? There’s no way you could lead a coup when you refuse to even join the rest of the world in the twenty-first century!”

“I have no less than twenty-five people working for me at the palace at this very moment!” Lucretia snaps. “I could say the word and they would execute the King and Queen in a heartbeat! No questions asked!” Lucretia crossed her arms over her chest. “I have people watching you too.” Her mouth twists into a maniacal grin. ‘Even right now.”

Suddenly the room feels even darker and more haunting than before, and I’m trying not to show the trepidation that's stirring inside of me as it feels like the walls are closing in. Every instinct I have is telling me to run, but I came here for a reason. And I’m not done yet. “I don’t believe you.” I swallow down my fear to try and keep her talking. I’m not a child, and she doesn’t get to make me feel afraid anymore.

“You really are an impudent little brat. No wonder your parents never wanted you. They could tell from the get go that you were worthless. A pathetic excuse for a Nevrakis.”

“Ha! I assume you were nowhere around when they stormed the palace. If you were so involved in all this, then where the hell were you?!”

“I was the mastermind behind the attack, you dumb bitch!” Lucretia’s eyes are burning with rage. “I told them where to enter. I was the one who made sure the Nevrakis had loyal servants on the inside! Hell, I was the one who branded each of them with the Nevrakis family crest on their forearms after their initiation!” Lucretia was now standing, her piercing green eyes looking down at me like she was ready to sprout horns and breathe fire, while she continued to scream wildly at me. “Your parents were the ones who messed up and didn’t follow orders like they were supposed to! I told them to go to the children’s rooms first and take them as leverage, but they insisted on going straight to Constantine and Eleanor.”

I’m even more confused than before, but I think we’re past the point of keeping our thoughts and feelings quiet. “Take the children as leverage?”

“To get the King and Queen to surrender. Then when their guard was down, your parents would finish all of them off.”

I feel my heart drop into the bottom of my stomach. This woman is sick.. Fucking mental! “Are you serious?”

Lucretia folds her arms over her chest as she grins triumphantly. “See, this just proves that you know nothing about me. You don’t know what I am capable of.”

“Apparently you’re capable of conspiring to commit treason and murder!” I rise to my feet to match her height. She doesn’t have the upper hand any longer. “Although..” I casually turn my back on her and walk closer to the fireplace. “I still think you’re full of shit.” I can’t help the small laugh that escapes me, and I turn back around to face her. “My parents were brutal strategists with genius IQ’s. I’ve heard enough about them to know that much.” I run my finger across my lips as I taunt her further. “It doesn’t seem plausible that you would be the mastermind behind the whole thing.”

Lucretia slowly stalks over to me, grinning all the while. She grabs a candelabra from the mantle and tips it downward. I have no idea what she’s doing, but I know I can take her if she’s going to try and attack me with it. Suddenly I hear a grinding noise resonating beside the fireplace as the stones start to shift and slowly slide away, revealing a small crawl space. No fucking way. My mind is torn between the shock of what she is telling and literally showing me, and the fact that she is this stupid. Did she think this was a good place to hide something? I’m starting to think she has never seen a movie in her life. I mean, come on, the trigger for the secret passage is always in the candelabra! Could this bitch be more of a stereotypical evil spinster aunt?

Lucretia has her hands on her hips, watching me carefully. “Go on.” She gestures at the dark aperture that has just opened up. “Reach in and see for yourself.”

I take out my phone and turn on the flashlight. No fucking way I’m reaching in there blindly. When I crouch down and peer inside I see a stack of documents. I pull them out, all the while staying aware of my surroundings - Which, by the way, I can barely see in this dark, grim room.

I don’t have to look at the documents for long to recognize exactly what they are. Blueprints of the palace. Points of entry and schedules of guard changes. Notes written in detail depicting where the Nevrakis undercover agents were stationed. I try to will my heart rate to return to normal, certain that she can hear it as it pounds in my ears. When I glance back up at my aunt, she is leaning against the wall, arms crossed looking completely pleased with herself.

I flip to a page that shows Liam and Leo’s bedrooms with notes saying to take them first, and my stomach twists. “You’re sick.”

She smiles. “No. I’m a real Nevrakis. You could have been one too if your parents didn’t fail, and had been able to raise you properly. Hell, you would be a princess and your sister would be queen.”

“And what would that make you?”

“The mastermind. I may stay behind the scenes, but I pull the strings.”

I can’t help but shake my head in disgust as another thought hits me. “Liam’s mother died a few years after this..”

I don’t have to ask, and Lucretia doesn’t have to answer for me to know the truth. “Eleanor got too nosy. Too pushy. One of my idiot informants turned traitor against me and told her everything. So naturally he and Eleanor had to be dealt with.” She shrugs and looks down at her fingernails as if she just told me the most casual thing in the world.

“You killed Liam’s mother?”

“I did. Made the poison myself.”

She admitted it. She actually admitted it. My blood runs cold as I realize what this means. She has no intention of letting me leave with this information. I take a deep breath. It’s ok. I knew this was a possibility when I went down this rabbit hole. I’m prepared.

“So. Why are you telling me all of this incriminating information?”

Once again, a sinister grin pulls at her lips. “Because I know you won’t tell anyone.”

I casually reach into my pocket and feel around. I’m going to need backup very soon. I slide my fingers along the plastic until I feel the raised button, pushing it repeatedly.

“Lucretia, if you think-” I’m cut off by a cold, sharp feeling against my throat as someone holds me from behind. A knife. Someone has a fucking knife against my throat. God dammit, I let the shock of the information get the better of me and I wasn’t watching my back. Olivia would kill me herself if she knew I had gotten so sloppy.

Lucretia pushes off the wall she had been leaning against and makes her way over to me with a foul grin. “I told you, little girl. You’re. Not. Telling. Anyone.” She makes sure to emphasize each word as she gets closer and closer to my face.

The knife digs into my flesh slightly, but I don’t struggle. I know better. I can get out of this and take down her and whoever the fuck is holding a knife to my throat. But what I don’t know is how many other people are hiding in the shadows of this room at this very moment.

I feel buzzing in my pocket and grin.

Lucretia is just a breath away from me at this point, and I can see the fire in her eyes. “And why are you smiling, Lilith?”

“Because you’re a dead woman.”

Without another word I slam my head backwards, crashing into the forehead of the person holding the knife to my throat. The knife clatters to the floor and I wrench the man's arm backward before slamming his head into the stone hearth with a sharp crack. He goes down easily. Lucretia hasn’t moved, and through the firelight I can see a bead of sweat start to form on her brow. Lucretia looks toward the shadows in the corner of the room and jerks her head at me.

“Take her out.”

Before anything else happens, the doors to Lucretia’s manor are thrown open and windows shatter as armed guards burst into the parlor where we are currently standing. Flashlights are streaming in and the sound of boots and shouting can be heard echoing from every room.

Lucretia is breathing heavily as she realizes what's happening. “You did this?!” Her rage and panic is music to my ears.

“Now who has the upper hand, bitch?”

I hear fighting all around me in the room, which is now illuminated, and I see half a dozen of Lucretia’s henchmen struggling against the armed palace guards. Lucretia turns and starts to run out of the room. Oh hell no. I grab the other candelabra from the mantle, hoping that it's real and not some other mechanism for a secret passageway. I only have a moment to look at what I’m holding, and oh my god, there’s a dagger sticking out of the bottom. Jesus, this woman is extra. I hurl it at her with precision, and it sharply lands in her shoulder. She goes down to the floor with an ear piercing scream as the blade sinks into her flesh, and blood begins to pour from the wound, the same shade of red as her dress. In seconds, the guards have my aunt restrained and are leading her and dozens of her lackeys out of the estate. A commander and medic are at my side checking me over to see if I’m ok. I show them where the documents are. All I want to do is get the hell out of here. Some investigators help me remove the concealed wires and bullet proof vest I’m wearing and I feel like I can breathe a bit easier.

As I make my way outside, sirens fill the air and guards, police, and investigators are everywhere. But there’s only one person I want to see.

“Baby!” I hear that familiar voice call out as he makes his way through the throng of people toward me.

I’m strong. I’m independent. I don’t need anyone.. Except him. My stoic facade breaks as his strong arms wrap around me holding me tight. I relax completely into his touch, allowing myself to just be loved. It took a long time to come to terms with the fact, but I know he’s got me. And I am never letting him go.

Drake steps back to examine me. His eyes wander frantically over my face as his hands are cupping my cheeks. “Are you ok? Did you get hurt?”

I can't help but smile. “I’m fine.”

He tilts my head to the side and gasps when he sees my neck. “Oh my god, Lil! You’re bleeding!”

“Am I?” I don’t feel like I am. I touch my neck, and a small drop of blood coats my index finger. “Drake.. This is a tiny little scrat-”

“We need a doctor over here! Someone fucking get over here and help her! She’s bleeding!”

I can't help but laugh and I know there’s no point in trying to stop him from fussing over me. My god he is the best. A doctor cleans the scratch and places a small bandage over the cut. Drake pulls me to his chest once more. “Come here.”

I want to tease him for being so protective, but I just can't. No one ever cared for me the way he does. And damn it, I love it.

Liam purposely makes his way over to the two of us, concern written across his face. “Lilith, are you ok?”

Drake whirls on him. “I told you this was a bad idea! Your guards were listening the whole time! They should have gone in sooner! She could have gotten killed!”

Liam opens his mouth to speak, but I grab Drake’s arm, turning him around to face me. “Hey. This was my idea, remember?”

“Ya, but..”

“No buts. I wanted to do this, Drake. You know that. Don’t take it out on Liam.”

Drake sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, as Liam places a hand on either of our shoulders. “I really am sorry, both of you. Lilith you were so brave. And Drake.. I can't imagine the fear you must have been-”

“Ya, you can’t imagine it!” Drake interrupts, jabbing a finger into Liam’s chest. “You wanna send Riley into a house of fucking murderers and see how it feels?”

“Drake!” I cry out in shock. I’ve never seen him this angry at Liam before. Although I know it’s not Liam he’s upset with. It’s the situation.

Liam doesn’t say a word. He only stares at the ground, ashamed.

“Drake Walker!” I put my hands on either side of his face but he refuses to look in my eyes. “We had a plan. Everything worked out fine. Lucretia not only confessed, she showed me hard evidence! And now that we know who the traitors are, we can ensure the palace is safe!”

Liam spoke up softly. “Thanks to Lucretia branding them all with the Nevrakis crest on their arms, we can weed them out pretty easily. The guards are doing that at this very moment.”

Drake still refuses to meet my eyes, but I can tell he knows it was the right thing to do. “Drake. Baby..” I’m still softly holding his face in my hands, when I feel his envelope mine.

“I just-” His voice cracks and when he finally meets my eyes, I can see his are rimmed red and shimmering with tears. “I just can't bear to lose you, Lil. It would kill me.”

My heart shatters into a million pieces and I throw my arms around him. I hold him tightly as I feel his body shudder with quiet sobs. I can sense Liam has walked away to give us some privacy, and the two of us hold each other as if we’re afraid to let go. Sirens still ring out around us and people are running about, but the two of us at this moment are the only ones who matter. I can’t help the tears that begin to fall as I feel the deep love and affection he has for me. This man is crying for me. Because he was worried about me. If that’s not love then I don’t know what is.

“Hey.” I pull back and gently wipe his tears with my thumbs. “I love you. So much. I’m sorry I scared you.”

Drake takes a deep breath before speaking. “Lilith, you mean everything to me. I’m sorry I lashed out.. I know it was part of the plan. I just.. When we heard what was happening, and the guards said you pushed the panic button.. My heart just stopped. All I could think was that I might never see you again.”

I hate that I made him feel that way. It hurts my heart more than anything.“Oh, Drake.” I rise on my toes and give him a soft kiss. “I’m sorry. I promise I’ll never go undercover and infiltrate an evil family member’s home ever again.”

A laugh bursts out of him and it warms my heart. I can’t help but join him.

“God, I hope not.”

We smile at each other for a moment, and he takes my hand in his. “Guess I should apologize to Liam.” He says quietly.

I bump his shoulder with mine. “For sure. But, I know he understands.” I know Liam and Drake didn’t hear exactly what Lucretia had said to me, and Liam is going to be grieving the loss of his mother all over again when he learns that my aunt was the one who killed her. I can’t help but feel guilt and shame deep within me knowing the Nevrakis were responsible for even more terrible shit. But.. Lucretia will be in prison for life. Olivia and I are the only remaining Nevrakis nobles now. We pave the future of our bloodline. And while it’s taken Olivia a while to come around, she’s finally starting to accept that we are better than our ancestors.

We are the Nevrakis. And this is a new era.

#the other nevrakis #the royal romance #trr fanfic #lilith nevrakis #drake x oc #liam rys #nevrakis #choices fanfic #choices prompts #the royal romance fanfic

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the-empress-7 · 1 year

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But Harry, to do all these to his own family, his brother and sister in law, who had supported him through every single mistakes he had done. And not only he turn his back on them, but he practically stomp all over them. It's evil and malicious....That is why he is lashing out at the hierarchy.

I read an internet op-ed many years ago that has always stuck with me, all this time later. The op-ed speculated that Harry is a pretty fragile person who doesn't really have his own personality but takes on (or emulates) the personality of whomever he's with, which makes him easily susceptible to conspiracy theories.

The op-ed suggested that Harry totally bought into the public's hysteria of Diana's death. Meaning he more or less beatified her the same way the public did and he essentially turned on his own family, believing them to be somewhat responsible for her death. (And frankly, it isn't too far a stretch of the imagination given how much he intensely he believes that royal security will protect him and his family.) Anyway, the op-ed went on to say that the reason why Harry is so antagonistic towards his own family is because he believes it's Diana's legacy to tear the BRF down and because she died before she could do anything, it's his responsibility as her son to pick up where she left off.

I remember thinking it was a hokey piece at the time but now I realize how prescient it was. Makes me wonder if, like the anon, Harry has always loathed and hated his family but Meghan was the key to unlocking it because unlike anyone else in Harry's life, she encouraged and fed into these feelings.

If Harry ever comes back to the UK, divorce or not, Charles or William better make therapy -- real therapy, not this BetterUp shit -- mandatory before they spend a penny more of taxpayer money on him.

Thank you for sharing this, and let me just say....Wow.

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em-writes-stuff-sometimes · 10 months

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My morality cries that I shouldn't like this, but my heart is screaming like, "STFU, I lOVE THIS."

I, I don't know how to express my feelings right now. But I can tell you that I cannot sleep tonight. How can I calm this overwhelming heart?

I already knew that I love how you describe Daemon Targaryen, but even THIS version... GOD I helplessly enamored your writing skills, creative plot, the ability to identify characters. It's my personal opinion, but I think the daemon in this story is similar to Book! daemon. Although it's a little darker and scarier.

And, I've always been secretly wondering if Targaryen's incest doesn't apply to parent-child relationships. Although I ended up thinking that this would be too much for them, too. So when you said the pairing of this story is father and daughter I found myself surprised and looking forward to it at the same time. And I was very satisfied.

I have a question, but at the end it was revealed that the reader was pregnant, so what is the future of her? She is a part of the royal family and unmarried, but carrying a bastard. And others might be don't know, but only Rhaenyra can suspect that the baby is Daemon's child. What is Rhaenyra's decision in this situation? Will she ever find out what truly happened with Daemon and Reader? And if Reader's grandparents, sisters, and stepbrothers find out that Daemon has been raping Reader, how will they react and do what?

*I wouldn't be surprised if Laena came back from death and drown Daemon in the deep sea for what he did to their daughter.

Thank you again for writing an amazing story. I'm always enjoying your work :)

Please understand if my grammar and spelling are wrong. English is not my first language.

Aaaaah, I'm so glad you liked! I'm so sorry lol, it's fucking awful. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me. I promise this has no basis in any real life trauma I've experienced, I'm just screwy in the head and morbidly curious about telling stories I have no personal stake in. All I can hope is it did its job of being mind-fucky and gut-churning and didn't come across as too trite.

I've noticed that a lot of my non-series Daemons are really fucked up, haha. I invest most of my time in gross nasty basically-a-predator soft!Daemon because there's a grit to the softness that works for me, but I like playing in the world where Uncle-Daddy Dae-Dae luvs his babeydoll. But I also really love getting little opportunities to explore his absolutely deplorable side, and I like to think I was able to do that here. He's awful here, but what I found interesting as the 'character' took over was that a lot of that awfulness is so ambiguous; we learn that Daemon's done all this stuff in the past to groom her into the perfect object of abuse, but we don't know exactly what that is, so we're free to imagine how awful he might actually have been. Or wonder if she's so far up in her head that she's been doing the mental manipulation for him, in a way.

I think Targs don't generally do the parent/child thing because marriage is a thing in Valyrian custom, and it'd probably be more common for the parent to still be married to the other parent when the child was at 'breeding age'. I assume they prize exclusivity to marriage in that, though. Thus, their incest options are sibling, cousin or parent's sibling, essentially. Then, over time, the whole 'woof parent/child is BAD' thing would have been the more pressing reason. This is all speculation, though, I assume GRRM has some heinous manifesto as to why only some incest is okay, lolz.

As for the future of Daughter!Reader, I actually have a vague outline of what would likely happen in that future, if you want. I don't think I'll ever write a sequel, because I do just really like the whole ambiguity of where it's left. As for what they'll do when they discover she's being raped - well, I feel like Reader's so confused and fucked-up mentally that she'll never want to call it rape, because that would be disrespecting her father and she's a good girl, so good always that she's let him do it over and over again. And if she doesn't admit to it, what can they do? They'd all be a little too scared to ask, and so the full truth of it will ultimately die out. Grim, unsatisfying, but I kinda like the idea of crafting the message that justice isn't always meted out to those who deserve it.

Thank you so much for reading this absolutely awful fic! I'm thrilled you enjoyed! And your English is WONDERFUL!

#fanfiction comments #fanfiction asks

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crystalnights · 2 years

Text

Ozai was never meant to become Fire Lord. Iroh was the first born son, and by quite some time. Azulon could easily have favoured Iroh because he was his heir apparent, and Azulon would have certainly spent the time and effort with Iroh to make sure that he on the right path to succeeding his father. Ozai would have grown up in Iroh's shadow to an extent. Ozai too was a phenomenal firebender (Iroh even admitted that he could not defeat him) - but I think the biggest distinction between Iroh and Ozai in the eyes of Azulon was their contribution to the war. General Iroh, Dragon of the West, one of the most successful generals in Fire Nation history.

And Ozai?

What was Ozai? I really wish that they had given us more background on Ozai before he became Fire Lord, but I'm willing to bet that Ozai did not join the military like his brother, like his father (remember that Azulon was a sucessful general, too). Seeing as the Royal family led the war from the front line and not simply the Capitol suggests that military involvement was highly honoured. Perhaps it showed bravery and true leadership, but for whatever reason, Azulon was proud of Iroh's participation in the war.

And yet we have no evidence suggesting that Ozai was ever involved in the military. Which begs the question of why - why wouldn't he fight in the war? And I believe that Ozai, at one point in his life, was very much like his son. He did not want to fight or kill for glory - instead, he fell in love and had a family (a happy family at that!) But think of the grief that Azulon would have given him for being soft and loving instead of being like his brother and fighting for Fire Nation dominance.

My guess is that Ozai's cruelty stems from how Azulon treated him. To Azulon, he was probably a failure: weak and unfit to rule. He, unlike Iroh, had done nothing to helo the war effort. I'm sure Azulon would his sons a lot, and I'm sure that weighed on Ozai. Like Zuko, I bet that Ozai wanted above all else the love and approval of his father. And when Lu Ten died and Iroh's siege had failed, when Ozai himself was strong and Azula so promising - when his father had to be proud of him - he gets shut down once again. I'm sure Ozai's descent into cruelty had begun prior, but I bet that was the moment when he really snapped; he had done everything in his power to please his father, and it still hadn't been enough. So when Azulon told Ozai that he had to kill Zuko as punishment (or regain his honour?) - he would. He was a different man. But instead of killing Zuko, it is Azulon who died that night.

Why?

Because Ozai still had compassion left in him. Ursa would have begged for Ozai to spare their son's life, and I bet in doing so, she cracked through that cruel front he had built. Just once. Just this one time he would show mercy, and his son could live. But he couldn't do nothing - imagine what Azulon could do if Ozai had been defiant and gone against his father's orders and simply let Zuko live (Agni Kai anyone?)

Instead, Azulon dies.

Just think about it: Ozai chooses to let his father die. His father, the one person he has been trying his whole life to please "I am your humble servant, use me", he is willing to let die so that his son can live and that he can be Fire Lord - so that he can prove to his country his strength without his father there to bring him down. It took Zuko a long time to realize that his father's approval was not the most important thing in the world, yet Ozai took no time at all to commit to his father's final betrayal. Why? Was it because he was cruel and selfish? Not entirely. I think that Ozai's resentment of how his father had always treated him was a long time coming and had culminated that night. He had reached his breaking point. He wanted power and prestige and honour, but as long as his father was alive Ozai, would never truly have it.

He had to make his own destiny.

After Azulon's death and Ozai's coronation, he was never the same. A shell of the man he once was, always trying to prove his worth and his power. The weakness he sees in Zuko and Aang - compassion - was what was once inside of himself. But for Ozai, choosing compassion had never pleased his father, never won his respect. Ozai's reign would try to compensate for his former weaknesses/failures/disapproval as he tried to prove to himself and to others that he was not weak. His entire life he had dealt with an inferiority complex thanks to his father (and his successful older brother), but now that he had power he would do everything in his power to prove them wrong. The result of that is the Ozai we see in the show - cold, ruthless, cruel, powerful.

What ATLA needed was interaction between Iroh and Ozai. That is the one relationship that was never considered or truly entertained, but if we saw how Ozai and Iroh got along, I'm sure it would be very telling.

source

#ozai #meta #iroh

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raxistaicho · 1 year

Text

Are we not Engaged? Part 13.

Micaiah paralogue time!

Spoilers under the cut.

The opening scene reminds me why I like Micaiah so much.

This map is one of the most markedly different from the one it’s based on. It can’t really be helped: no other game in the series has ledges like RD.

I think I waited too long to do this one, I just kinda rolled over it, lol. Oh well.

Alear wishes she had Micaiah’s foresight is cute, but why is Micaiah acting kinda wistful for the fight that took place here? That was one of the darkest times of her life.

Alear Veyle B: Alear only once saw Veyle and gave her her dragonstone to reassure her. Veyle kept it all those years. It’s cute :)

Celine Mauvier C: Turns out Mauvier’s actually Firenan. He asks for help finding a certain hill near where he grew up, and Celine promises to help.

Chloe Hortensia A: Chloe reassures Hortensia she’s plenty cute. It’s a cute ending but a bit anti-climactic.

Diamant Alcryst A: Diamant beats Alcryst at an archer competition (he can do that???) but Alcryst promises to keep training and someday surpass Diamant. This entire support line had no solid follow-through and it was kinda all over the place, I have to say. In general I note that problem comming up several times in this game.

Diamant Timerra B: Diamant joins Timerra in town, where she embarrasses him with her singing and he joins in which makes it worse.

Rosado Hortensia B: The reason Rosado liked his first sketch of Hortensia was because she was showing her honest feelings at the time. He dislikes that she’s always putting on fake smiles and wishes she’d be more honest with herself, but she insists she can’t because she’s royalty. Pretty sad support :(

Marth paralogue time!

Oh this one’s actually kinda tough.

Astram’s stand-in should have been a whimp. As a joke.

Marth mentions Tiki and compares her to Alear, which is cute.

Last paralogue!

Oh it’s the Pact Ring.

Objective fakeout is shitty.

Oh it’s literally a marriage ring, lol.

Alear Yunaka Bond: It starts off with Yunaka opening up about her past to Alear. It’s mostly the same as in her Citrinne A support but in mildly less detail, but it’s nicer here given Alear didn’t need to put her on the spot to divulge any of it. Alear reveals a secret of her own: she can’t imagine life without Yunaka in it, and offers her the bond ring. Yunaka’s ecstatic, and wants to share all her life with Alear and learn everything there is to know about her. In return, Yunaka gives Alear one of her stars, allegedly made of pure gold. It rests on the momento stand in Alear’s room now.

I’m surprised I wound up liking Yunaka so much. She’s surprisingly deep for a non-royal in a game where the non-royals tend to be one-note characters. Laura Post’s voice acting definitely helped a ton. It’s also just nice that she demonstrates actual character growth across her support arcs, invariably coming back to opening up and showing trust in others.

Alear Rosado B: They’re hiking for one of those locales Rosado wants to sketch. Rosado’s endearingly passionate about this. The support cuts before they see what they’re going to, so I wonder how the A support will work lol.

Celine Alfred A: Alfred’s in bad shape, it seems his illness is flaring up again. Alfred’s fitness regimen only sent it into remission, it seems. Celine tries to go for help, but he refuses, saying he doesn’t want to be a burden or be seen as weak. Celine has an interesting outlook on happiness: she likes small joys, but she fears “undue happiness”, this is even mentioned in her bio and in one of her level up quotes, and it comes up in her A bond with Celica too. She’s terrified in general of the idea of finding a perfect happy moment in her life and being left simply looking back for the rest of her life. It’s a matter I think those of us who aren’t in their teens or even their twenties anymore can understand. Anyways, getting back to the sup, she nearly breaks down in tears admitting she wouldn’t know what to do if something happened to Alfred or to Eve, and Alfred promises not to die and to bring her as many small joys as he can. Really really nice support line.

Diamant Veyle C: Veyle wants to atone for her dumber half having killed Morion, though Diamant assures her he doesn’t hold that against her. Still, he lets her help him help the people to ease her conscience. It’s a cute little scene.

Hortensia Goldmary B: Goldmary is trying to help Hortensia learn how to cook. The support is cute in general, until Goldmary mentions she and Rosado are not officially Hortensia’s retainers. Hortensia was studying at the Elusian academy when Sombron was released, and Hyacinth summoned her back very abruptly. Goldmary and Rosado escorted her back to the castle, and one thing led to another and they wound up her retainers. This actually makes me like the Hortensia trio way better: Rosado and Goldmary were much closer to their liege in a personal sense when they appeared as bosses, too.

With that, I have finished all the paralogues! So now it’s the last stretch before the story’s completion :)

So onward to chapter 23!

Oh joy, a Four Hounds-centric chapter, yaaaaaay. Kill me.

Oh no it’s fuckin Ailel.

Please tell me this time I kill Zephia.

It takes the dumb bitch a long time to notice Veyle wasn’t wearing the stupid helmet or the bat outfit anymore.

Holy shit I hate Zephia. “Then maybe I’ve never known real love,” oh fuck off, it’s way too late for you to try and fish for sympathy. If you really meant anything you’re saying you’d have turned on Sombron centuries ago.

And making Veyle act sad to be fighting Zephia is fucking deranged. This is the nightmarish creature that twisted Veyle’s mind to turn her into a mindless murderer. You can’t write a bunch of supports having Veyle express guilt and remorse for the things she did WHEN SHE ONLY DID THEM BECAUSE ZEPHIA FUCKING TOOK CONTROL OF HER MIND. NOBODY is pointing this out. It’s fucking absurd.

Jesus this map is cramped as shit.

Oh they blow up the obstructions.

Zephia and Griss try to make up for lacking Emblems with S rank weapons, but it doesn’t really help them much.

Zephia’s finally dying!

Veyle stop being nice to your abusers.

Drain the lake!

Why is Zephia helping us.

Wait no Zephia gave her life to help us? What is this fucking 180 in her characterization. The first thing she even did was threaten to massacre all the people in Firene castle and then threaten to murder Eve’s children in front of her. She’s a fucking monster.

Lol Zephia sob story time, this fucking game.

YES VEYLE, IF ZEPHIA WAS GOING TO TURN GOOD, WHY DIDN’T SHE DO IT SOONER.

roflmao, “You wouldn’t have believed me until I was dying,” this fucking game.

Oh my god they get a sad death.

Wait she hates Sombron??? What the fuck???

Oh my fucking god, Zephia’s wanted Sombron to knock her up so she could have kids even knowing how horribly abusive Sombron was to his children. This fucking bitch.

How is Griss the goddamn only sane man here?

Jesus christ, he falls over so that he’s holding her hand in death. This. Fucking. Game.

How’s there a goddamn ice mountain when this whole landmass was under the ocean a couple days ago at most. Actually how was there a volcano when the landmass was under the ocean? This fucking game.

Alear got thrown somewhere I get lol. I don’t wanna hear people complain about Crimson Flower being unfinished, it never had so many confusing cuts where we have to be told something happened as this game does.

Oh hey it’s Red Alear. We fucking time traveled didn’t we.

Oh my god, what’s wrong with her?

Oh jesus christ she’s got severe ptsd. What is this, poor Alear T_T

Red Marth! So Marth was with Alear for a long time, I wondered about that. Lumera must have summoned him for Alear after she adopted Alear. Otherwise I don’t think Emblems really remember things when they’re red.

Oh fuck Zephia’s alive again.

Wait, how did Zephia not recognize Alear if she served under Alear directly during the war?

This game’s jumped all the sharks.

#Fire emblem engage #spoilers

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pinkhuman99 · 1 year

Text

UT POKÉMON TEAMS

Toriel ♡

1. Appletun: You know why this is here. It's a pie Pokémon. Now, there isn't a butterscotch or cinnamon Pokémon, but Appletun works just fine here. Those floppy "ears", which look like Toriel's own ears, are actually Appletun's eyes! Appletun is apparently also very popular with children...because they eat the pie crusts off its back. Huh. Well, now you have that knowledge. It doesn't hurt the Appletun though, so it's fine.

2. Chandelure: This Pokémon is a ghost and fire type. Toriel needed at least one fire type of course! I also think Chandelure's elegant shape and purple flames match Toriel's aesthetic and roylaty. Its tendency to haunt dilapidated places matches Toriel's purple Kingdom in the Ruins. Like Toriel, this Pokémon "wields flames with mastery." It said that there are constant funerals in places where Chandelure hangs...a nod to the many deaths of the children who have fallen under Toriel's care.

3. Hatterene: Hatterene is a feminine, fairy-tale Pokémon resembling an evil queen, a wicked stepmother, and a damsel stuck in a tower all at the same time. It is a serious Pokémon, alluding to Toriel's serious and intelligent side. It's no question she was the brains in the operation of the throne. This Pokémon dislikes strong emotion, much like how Toriel rules with sound reasoning and left when Asgore made his rash declaration of war in a fit of rage.

4. Blissey: Blissey is a cutesy, motherly Pokémon who is the pinnical of nurturing. I promise, I'm not boiling Toriel down to just "mother" (boiled egg pun intended). However, Blissey really feels like a Pokémon she would have. It is not only motherly, but great competitively. It has great defense and special defense, so it can take a lot of damage as well as dole it out. Like Toriel does with the fallen children, Blissey will nurse any sick or injured person or Pokémon back to health. Also like Toriel, it has a layer of soft fur.

5. Gardevoir: Gardevoir is a guardian Pokémon that is as powerful as it is elegant. According to its Pokédex entry, "Its pure white dress, reminiscent of those worn by ladies of nobility, is the dress of one who is willing to risk their life." It is in opposition to Gallade, which is used by Undyne. This is an allusion to the timelines where Undyne takes over the throne and Toriel steps down; they solve disputes and deal with Humans in opposite ways. However, like Toriel, Gardevoir is not a pushover. It may look fragile, but it is capable of intense psychic power.

6. Nidoqueen: Paired with Asgore's Nidoking, there's an obvious reason Toriel, as ex-Queen of the Undergorund, has a Pokémon with "queen" in its name. This Pokémon it at its strongest when it is protecting its children. Again, like Toriel, this Pokémon is better at and prefers defense to offense.

Toriel's Legendary is Cresselia and her Mythical is Diancie.

Cresselia: Described as looking like a "heavenly maiden", this Pokémon is representative of the cresent moon. It's purple colouration, bird-like appearance, and three-fold design resemble the robes worn by Toriel in the Ruins. It is said that anyone who sleeps while holding one of its feathers will have joyous dreams. I imagine Toriel encounters this Pokémon in the Ruins as it watches over the Human children sleep.

Diancie: Known as the "jewel Pokémon", it is a visual pun on "princess cut," a type of cut of jewels. It might also be inspired by the concept of a queen bee. Apparently, it can create diamonds instantly by compressing carbon in its hands. Not only is Diancie relayed to royalty as a "princess cut," but it could also be a reference to "crown jewelles," like those in a royal crown. I imagine this Pokémon was passed down through monster royals in the Underground since it is found in caves with another, closely-related rock type Pokémon, Carbink.

#undertale #pokémon #toriel

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lady-merian · 2 years

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XD I’m really tempted to ask END but I will ask POV instead!

I’m almost tempted to give you the end, or something like it, written in a different POV than anyone else’s… but instead I’m going to give you this scene from Chapter Four, now in Wynn’s POV

Of all the unexpected pleasures, entertaining Princess Merian, whom Wynn had last seen as a bright, curious ten year old, was not anything he had expected. Not while the war lasted.

She had grown so much, but it was unmistakably her. Interesting, the way time changed some things and yet left others the same.

She took a tiny sip of her tea, mindful of the steam that rose from her cup.

"How is it, Your Highness?" He asked. He had guessed she still preferred it sweetened, without cream, but as much as folk pretended to think otherwise he couldn’t read minds.

She looked up from her cup. "Oh, please, do call me Lass like you used to."

Wynn smiled. "Ye've grown. I wasnae sure if ye'd still like it."

"I have missed it," she said. "Certain people," she added with a sideways glance at Erandir, "keep insisting on calling me 'Princess,' or 'Highness,' no matter what I tell them."

He caught the subtle tease in her voice, but it didn’t look as though Erandir knew her well enough to know it. Which furthered his curiosity on what had thrown them together.

Wynn shook his head with mock severity. "For shame, Lad. Ye ought to respect a lady's wishes."

"I take it you didn't like Meri," Erandir said. "Can I call you 'Lass,' then?"

"Not if you use that mocking tone."

Still teasing, but there was an undercurrent he couldn’t identify yet. But as for Erandir, the lad was nearly sulking. Wynn supposed he had been looking forward to introducing them, and now that it wasn’t necessary he was waiting for an explanation as to why. Not at all a good reason to sulk, but a possibility all the same. He’d prod him more about it later.

"Meri lass," Wynn said with a half smile. "It suits you."

Merian smiled and took another sip. "This is perfect," she told him, answering his earlier question about the tea. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Lass," he said. "It's been a long while since I entertained a lady. The sort of company I usually get doesna have the same appreciation for it."

He glanced at Erandir with just a hint of a smile to show he wasn’t wholly serious. "My students, y'see."

"Funny," Erandir said. "Are you through?"

Yes, he was definitely nettled about something.

"I do see," Merian said, ignoring him. " I remember the trouble you had with my brothers, and I can only imagine what you must have to put up with here."

Wynn slowly nodded.

"Traitor," Erandir muttered, which showed how much of an attitude adjustment he needed. It was not a word to throw around lightly. "How is it that you two know each other?"

"He gave instruction to my brothers and me for a time."

"I went for a book, and ended up with an offer I couldna resist: full access to the royal library in exchange for giving lessons to king Alaric's children. This was before the war, of course. Nigh on eleven years ago."

Erandir laughed. "He knew you well, I see. But surely he offered you more than that."

Wynn's smile faltered. "He did," he said after a moment's hesitation, "but I couldna accept."

"Father offered him a permanent position," Merian told him.

Erandir let out a low whistle. "You turned that down?"

The offer had been more than a little tempting, affording him both security and a clear purpose for his life. At the time he had not known why the Most High seemed to be nudging him to decline the offer, but he knew now it had been the right choice.

"Here is where I belong."

Erandir looked as though he had wanted to argue but thought better of it. At least the conversation had shocked him out of his sulk.

Hearing Merian’s account of her kidnapping and subsequent rescue made two things very clear to Wynn. One, Lord Aremor was getting desperate, and two, there was likely more to this than a ransom demand.

"Dorenan must be smaller than I thought," Merian said, after she finished. "When Erran told me—"

"He knows my right name," Erandir interrupted.

Merian frowned, and Erandir shrugged and took a drink to cover his sheepish expression. "Just thought you should know."

At least Erandir wasn’t hiding his identity from her.

"As I was saying," she glared in Erandir's direction before turning back to Wynn. "He called you Wynn, which was not at all helpful. I knew you as 'Master Fullrede.'"

It had been easier to make a clean break with the name Mac Aodha, but someday he hoped to tell Merian the whole story.

"Most of my younger students call me that at first, but ye can call me Wynn if ye please."

He turned to Erandir. "What d'ye make of it, Lad? If they're that desperate, why bring her all the way back here rather than to a secured place close by? It'd save them time."

Unless the plan had never been to release her.

"It does seem odd," Erandir said.

Merian fidgeted in her seat. Maybe she was thinking the same thing he was, but she said nothing.

Wynn shrugged. "I may be reading into it too much. It could be nothing after all."

"You don't sound convinced. What do you think it is?"

But Wynn only smiled and changed the subject. "Ye haven’t eaten yet, have ye?"

His assumption was rewarded with a surprised look. "How do you do that?"

"Only guessing this time. Hungry?"

"I'd planned on going to the Golden for supper."

"Ye still could, but I dinna think it wise for Merian to go."

Not only would she stand out from the crowd and give many people reason to remember her, there were things it would be better for Erandir to hear for himself and if Merian went he would be more focused on her than listening to the talk of the town.

"You're probably right," he said.

Wynn turned to Merian. "Would ye do me the honor of joining me for supper, Meri lass?"

"The honor would be mine," she said in a formal tone, but her eyes betrayed her genuine pleasure at being asked.

Ach, their’s was a strange sort of throwing together. Erandir didn’t yet know what he was missing, but Wynn had a feeling he eventually would.

#Tis imperfect #His voice while I’m actually in his POV eludes me #So this is more distant than I usually get #But #t’was fun #Thanks for the ask!#Wynn #ask meme #writing asks #Even though this hypothetical end would be fun it’s still a tad spoilery #And it’s not the real end

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