#waterhorse work

[fenlock]

Hey, was just wondering if you knew anything about the waterhorses on the Shetland Isles and Orkney. As far as I can tell there is alot contradictions and overlapping between the two places and I don't know how much is down to translation errors. Like nuggle, shoopilte and tangie all being named as separate creatures and also being classed as different names for the same spirit.

You're definitely correct that there is a lot of of overlap between the three. Even in older folklore books, they often get lumped together or treated as regional names for the same being. I do believe there are enough differences to classify them as separate creatures, but again there's a ton of overlap and contradiction opinions.

I'll start with the tangie, as it has the most written lore that I've been able to find. Generally they're considered to be sea creatures, vs some other waterhorses that are found inland in rivers and lochs. They're also the only waterhorse known for taking on a merman form. Older stories describe them as being apple green, while later they're almost always described as being black with a rough coat. The most famous tangie was ridden by the sheep rustler Black Eric, so if you're looking for stories that's your best starting point.

Shoopiltee and nuggle are both far less known, and there's a lot less information on them. The shoopiltee is slightly more popular, from what I've found, but the two are almost always referred to as the same beings under different names. I have found a few differences though. Shoopiltee usually take the form of shetland ponies, much smaller than most waterhorses. While they are known for drowning people, there are also a few scattered tales of them being more mischievous than malevolent, or even friendly. There are also accounts of people sacrificing coins or alcohol to the shoopiltee in exchange for successful fishing.

The nuggle is the one I've found the least amount of written information about. Unlike the shoopiltee, they tend to appear as a full-sized horse, sometimes described as having hair that faces the wrong direction (forward toward the head). Most accounts have the nuggle inhabiting inland pools or lochs, again unlike the tangie and shoopiltee who seem to favor the sea.

#asks #waterhorse work #i know this isn't much but i hope it's helpful! #there's just genuinely not that much info on any of these guys which is a damn shame

[tearlessrain]

please help me- i used to be pretty smart but i’m having so much trouble grasping the concept of diegetic vs non-diegetic bdsm!

gfkjldghfd okay first of all I'm sorry for the confusion, if you're not finding anything on the phrase it's because I made it up and absolutely nobody but me ever uses it, but I haven't found a better way to express what I'm trying to say so I keep using it. but now you've given me an excuse to ramble on about some shit that is only relevant to me and my deeply inefficient way of talking and by god I'm going to take it.

SO. the way diegetic and non-diegetic are normally used is to talk about music and sound design in movies/tv shows. in case you aren't familiar with that concept, here's a rundown:

diegetic sound is sound that happens within the world of the movie/show and can be acknowledged by the characters, like a song playing on the stereo during a driving scene, or sung on stage in Phantom of the Opera. it's also most other sounds that happen in a movie, like the sounds of traffic in a city scene, or a thunderclap, or a marching band passing by. or one of the three stock horse sounds they use in every movie with a horse in it even though horses don't really vocalize much in real life, but that's beside the point, the horse is supposed to be actually making that noise within the movie's world and the characters can hear it whinnying.

non-diegetic sound is any sound that doesn't exist in the world of the movie/show and can't be perceived by the characters. this includes things like laugh tracks and most soundtrack music. when Duel of Fates plays in Star Wars during the lightsaber fight for dramatic effect, that's non-diegetic. it exists to the audience, but the characters don't know their fight is being backed by sick ass music and, sadly, can't hear it.

the lines can get blurry between the two, you've probably seen the film trope where the clearly non-diegetic music in the title sequence fades out to the same music, now diegetic and playing from the character's car stereo. and then there are things like Phantom of the Opera as mentioned above, where the soundtrack is also part of the plot, but Phantom of the Opera does also have segments of non-diegetic music: the Phantom probably does not have an entire orchestra and some guy with an electric guitar hiding down in his sewer just waiting for someone to break into song, but both of those show up in the songs they sing down there.

now, on to how I apply this to bdsm in fiction.

if I'm referring to diegetic bdsm what I mean is that the bdsm is acknowledged for what it is in-world. the characters themselves are roleplaying whatever scenarios their scenes involve and are operating with knowledge of real life rules/safety practices. if there's cnc depicted, it will be apparent at some point, usually right away, that both characters actually are fully consenting and it's all just a planned scene, and you'll often see on-screen negotiation and aftercare, and elements of the story may involve the kink community wherever the characters are. Love and Leashes is a great example of this, 50 Shades and Bonding are terrible examples of this, but they all feature characters that know they're doing bdsm and are intentional about it.

if I'm talking about non-diegetic bdsm, I'm referring to a story that portrays certain kinks without the direct acknowledgement that the characters are doing bdsm. this would be something like Captive Prince, or Phantom of the Opera again, or the vast majority of bodice ripper type stories where an innocent woman is kidnapped by a pirate king or something and totally doesn't want to be ravished but then it turns out he's so cool and sexy and good at ravishing that she decides she's into it and becomes his pirate consort or whatever it is that happens at the end of those books. the characters don't know they're playing out a cnc or D/s fantasy, and in-universe it's often straight up noncon or dubcon rather than cnc at all. the thing about entirely non-diegetic bdsm is that it's almost always Problematic™ in some way if you're not willing to meet the story where it's at, but as long as you're not judging it by the standards of diegetic bdsm, it's just providing the reader the same thing that a partner in a scene would: the illusion of whatever risk or taboo floats your boat, sometimes to extremes that can't be replicated in real life due to safety, practicality, physics, the law, vampires not being real, etc. it's consensual by default because it's already pretend; the characters are vehicles for the story and not actually people who can be hurt, and the reader chose to pick up the book and is aware that nothing in it is real, so it's all good.

this difference is where people tend to get hung up in the discourse, from what I've observed. which is why I started using this phrasing, because I think it's very crucial to be able to differentiate which one you're talking about if you try to have a conversation with someone about the portrayal of bdsm in media. it would also, frankly, be useful for tagging, because sometimes when you're in the mood for non-diegetic bodice ripper shit you'd call the police over in real life, it can get really annoying to read paragraphs of negotiation and check-ins that break the illusion of the scene and so on, and the opposite can be jarring too.

it's very possible to blur these together the same way Phantom of the Opera blurs its diegetic and non-diegetic music as well. this leaves you even more open to being misunderstood by people reading in bad faith, but it can also be really fun to play with. @not-poignant writes fantastic fanfic, novels, and original serials on ao3 that pull this off really well, if you're okay with some dark shit in your fiction I would highly recommend their work. some of it does get really fucking dark in places though, just like. be advised. read the tags and all that.

but yeah, spontaneous writer plug aside, that's what I mean.

#I found their original stuff while I was researching various waterhorses and their folklore for no reason #because one of the characters in their original work happens to be an each uisge #and then it turned out it ALSO included a lot of figures from welsh folklore in general #so yknow if you happen to have my incredibly specific hyperfixations you'll love it but even if you don't it's great #I didn't mean to bring up phantom of the opera so much it just happens to be very relevant to a lot of my talking points #I haven't actually seen it in years

[eachuisge-cc]

I always have a lot of projects going on at once that I work on sporadically, this will give me some idea how to prioritize things

#the collars have been my trial-and-error testing ground but I have harnesses and cuffs and other stuff in the chute #fantasy stuff includes things like horns/antlers and random animal parts but also a LOT of work on the satyr legs #because those were one of the first things I made and they're not remotely up to current standards #the last option is a joke obvs but it's very funny to imagine someone who doesn't even use cc #just continually coming back to watch me pointlessly yell at EA like 'fuck yeah you funky little waterhorse give us nothing'

[not-poignant]

Birthday Spotlight - Ash Glashtyn

[27th February - Pisces]

Ash Glashtyn, the fun-loving, cheerful, highly-sadistic and hypersexual Unseelie waterhorse from the canon Fae Tales series, adopted brother of Augus Each Uisge, and eater of humans, has been a beloved and then polarising character among readers. He's been a star in a couple of stories, but mostly he exists as a comedic, sexual, dangerous foil to his composed, sinister brother.

Ash Glashtyn is a monster who is ashamed of being a monster, but when he's a human, he normally has way less internalised issues with himself, and just wants to make the most out of life! He lives big, loves travel, loves everyone, but doesn't want any romantic relationships out of life. This boy will fuck everyone, and finds everyone stunning and beautiful and worthy of his time, but he's solidly aromantic and isn't planning on sexually cohabiting with anyone (with the exception of Strange Sights and The Wildness Within!)

An unlikely mediator, annoyingly charming, human loving, relentlessly curious, intensely protective, and appreciator of the sensual, Ash is one of the most 'human' of the Fae characters, and I've been happy to have him by my side for over ten years.

I’m a mess . . . I don’t even know. I’m not made for all this high political bullshit. I’m not made for any of it, Augus. I’m just some dude, you know? Just some guy. I’ve been waiting for things to go back to normal ever since you went missing.

The Court of Five Thrones

Shadows and Light - (fanfiction) First mentioned in From the Darkness We Rise, and his first official appearance in Into Shadows We Fall, Ash was a beloved character early on despite being on the enemy side and loving the worst villain in the story. An affable and obvious victim who just wanted the best for his brother, Ash struggled to come to terms with the fact that his brother needed to be defeated, and was vital in securing the win/victory for the good guys, even as it meant ruining himself in the process.

The Wildness Within - (AU) The truly sane part of an OT3 featuring Augus, Gwyn and Ash, Ash managed to keep his brother grounded, get Gwyn out of shackles, stop Gwyn from running away in the human realm, and keep Augus from losing his mind when the Raven Prince kept throwing obstacles into their path. Ash was the compass point that kept them on the path to their true north in this story, and we'd not have the relationship we have between them, or the happy ending, without him!

From the Darkness We Rise - (fanfiction) Mentioned only.

Game Theory - (canon) Ash's first canon appearance is also an intense one. The first time we meet him he is drugged out of his mind, the second time he loathes Gwyn, and is drunk, and the third time he punches Gwyn hard enough in the face to break his cheekbone.

The Court of Five Thrones - (canon) Ash works on a book called 'how to lose friends and my brother by trying to be so overprotective while not listening to anyone.'

The Ice Plague I - (canon) Ash, having reconciled with Gwyn, joins the ensemble cast as Julvia's unlikely protector, and a watchful, compassionate eye on the group.

The Ice Plague II - (canon) Ash, starving into insanity like his brother, Augus, doesn't have a good time.

The Ice Plague III - (canon) We learn Ash's heartsong as he loses it, and meet the Glashtyn for the first time. Not a fun guy, it turns out! Or super fun actually, if you like songs about rape and torture. Which the Glashtyn does!

The Wildness Within - (AU) An OT3 of Ash/Augus/Gwyn, Ash here is his waterhorse self, and this story imagines a world where Augus saves Gwyn from his family, and he and his brother learn how to deal with a semi nonverbal torture victim, and become an unlikely polyamorous triad.

Quid Pro Quo - (AU) Gwyn/Ash. A mostly PWP series of Gwyn finding Ash in the human world, and being coerced-persuaded into sex that has a lot of overstimulation. A lot of hurt/comfort and aftercare moments.

Strange Sights - (AU) Ash/Augus. The 'Ash rapes Augus and nearly ruins their entire relationship' one that features dark!Ash and vulnerable!Augus. This one is probably one of the darker longfics I've written, and it's the only story I've thought about deleting. Eventually I decided not to, and I still think it has some of the most beautiful writing in it. A lot of Ash perspective, for people who enjoy that!

The Shaking Shape of You - (AU) Augus/Ash oneshot, in the world of The Wildness Within. This one's porn, folks.

Tumblr Prompts - Fae Tales - (AU and canon) Ash is in a couple of these! In one, he's an unlikely companion while they all go grocery shopping in the human realm, in another, Augus reads to Ash.

Unwound - (canon) Part of the ensemble cast here, his best chapter is the one where he gets Gwyn high on marijuana and Gwyn gets the munchies.

The Ash and Gwyn Interludes - (canon) Chapters where Gwyn and Ash work to reconcile between the events of The Court of Five Thrones and The Ice Plague. Features rare Ash canon POV chapters.

Ten Minutes and Ten Minutes More - (AU) A Mosk/Eran PWP oneshot where Ash gives Eran 'advice' on how to basically sexually assault Mosk. He has black hair in this one, and looks as sinister and dangerous as his brother.

The Augus and Ash Interludes - (AU) Written in 2013, these started off as canon and some quickly became not canon. But features very sweet or silly or angsty moments between Augus and Ash.

Tumblr Prompts - Fae Tales AUs - (AU) I don't actually remember these O.O Very 'I have no memory of this place' Gandalf quote.

When the Tables Turn - (AU) Augus/Ash, Ash is a detective who decides he wants to rail drug trafficker and crimelord Augus Each Uisge. I never finished this, but it was fun

The Best of Broken Resolutions - (AU) The Architect AU (Gwyn/Augus), in which Ash is a member of a band, and gets way too drunk and manages to make his presence known even in this story.

Salt Water - (AU) Ash/Augus. An 11k Id Fic with magical healing cock. Augus is raped by Stertes (yes, that one), and Ash fucks him better e.e

The Day the Ferris Wheel Came Down - (AU) Before Spoils of the Spoiled even existed, I played with the idea of a high school AU here!

Underline the Silver - (AU) An upcoming Augus/Corbyn Prince omegaverse story, where Ash will at the very least be mentioned.

A fun-loving, booze-loving, human-loving, upbeat-appearing quick-thinker, who always looks on the bright side, is ready to back a friend.

Pansexual, aromantic, and loves everyone. Enjoys sex and making connections, but also is happy to move on and make more going forward.

Loves his brother so much. SO much. Too much? He'd say there's no such thing!

Memes

If cheerful emo manifested into a human person

Redheads have all the fun

What? The cheerful guy sometimes has some deep-seated issues that he's not really talking to anyone about? O.O

Most memorable in the canon for his internal conflict around eating humans but needing to eat them. He loves humans so much that he spends most of his time living with them, something Augus and most Unseelie fae view unfavourably.

An unlikely friend of the Nain Rouge!

If he's going to be attracted to another core Fae Tales character, it's going to be his brother first, and Gwyn second, but only in the AUs.

Getting himself half-killed by The Raven Prince

Betraying his brother to save his brother's life, and that creating bitterness between them.

Using pop culture references around Fae who are all talking like Victorians.

This guy can fit so much alcohol in him!

Betraying Gwyn, but not to save Gwyn's life. The mutiny in The Court of Five Thrones goes down as the biggest turning point for his character in the entire canon.

Ash always has auburn hair except in a single oneshot AU, Ten Minutes and Ten Minutes More.

Always cheerful, and that cheerfulness always hides a darker and more sexual side.

Fucks - does he ever fuck

Kinks are always some variety of overstimulation and overwhelming his partners with pleasure.

Curious about people

Protective over those he perceives as vulnerable, including the humans he eats in the canon!

Ash was initially conceived as a foil to the idea that 'all Unseelie fae are evil' in the same way that Crielle was conceived as a foil to the idea that 'all Seelie fae are pure and good.'

Ash Glashtyn's personality is based on actual folktales connected to the Glashtyn. He has been described as capable of great good and great harm, but he's also been described as a waterhorse capable of extreme evil and sadism. He's actually considered more sadistic than the Each Uisge, which I kept as a trait. In fact there is one story where the Glashtyn in human form stabbed long pins and needles into unsuspecting children and women through their buttocks, breasts and other fleshy parts.

The reason Ash looks the way he does was part of a complex storyline that never came together, which frustrates me, but otherwise Ash and Augus would look very similar so I needed something to differentiate them more easily! Plus I really loved the idea of a character who doesn't look immediately kind of 'dark and forbidding.'

Ash has been one of the most polarising characters. During the Shadows and Light era, most people loved him intensely. During the Game Theory era, people became split. People who never read SAL generally hated him until the very end of The Court of Five Thrones.

Ash's heartsong was a secret that only Augus knew for almost a decade. Even I didn't know it for a little while. I always told myself and others that the only time we'd all learn what it was, was when he lost it. When I knew what it was, I told everyone it began with an A. Only one person out of about 100 guesses got it right. :D

I mean, we’re not dead or being actively tortured so it’s like…prospects aren’t all bad.

The Ice Plague II

#birthday spotlight #ash glashtyn #original writing #original fantasy #original works #notpoignant #pia foxhall #fae tales verse #fae tales au #game theory #the court of five thrones #fantasy #queer writing #mm romance #fantasy romance #augus each uisge #gwyn ap nudd #what are you favourite thoughts and quotes and feelings about ash? #feel free to share! #you know he'd love the attention and shove it in his brother's face lol

[eldritchcircus]

Hmmm

I'm working on this collection of short stories set in the world of Grim the clown - technically, my previous collection also contained like 3 or 4 stories that took place in Grim's universe as well - and currently I've got like.... six I think? The Circus, Santabarbara, The Hungryland Devil-Hog, The Snarl, Untitled Blue Whale Story, and The Theater. (The Theater is the one with Agnes!)

I am less than a quarter of the way through three others: Sweaty Swamp Dudes vs Aliens story, All My Friends Get Brutally Murdered By An Eldritch Abomination AirBnB story, and my What If I Made Bigfoots/Sandown Sams/Nightcrawlers Tragic Helpful Guys story.

#grim the clown #writing #i can't write them all but i started out with a list of 21 stories that will eventually get written i just don't want to commit to it rn #i also haven't decided if i wanna tell grim's story through short stories or a novel or what

[sidhewrites]

It's mermaid time! Happening a few scenes after our brave heroes reach the sea (linked here). I'm still trying to decide if the mermaids carry them across the water themselves, or if waterhorses of some sort are involved.

WIP Information found here

Tag list: @ambreeskyewriting @feather-dancer @karangarin @serenanymph

There was no true dawn this close to the Day Court. The king's magic held the sun in a perpetual dusk, unmoving and uncanny as it hung over the ocean, casting long shadows and golden light over the world. As expected, Polly arose an hour before anyone else, and had a pot on the fire. This time, the distinct scent of fish accompanied the usual brew.

"Morning," she called over as Sylvie stirred.

"What have you done?" Sylvie asked, almost fondly, before she blinked the sleep in her eyes and saw the scene laid out. Drawing her sword in a flash, Sylvie leapt to her feet, and threw herself between Polly and the six mermaids sitting around the spit, bright eyed and luminescent. "Get back! Get away from her!"

That was enough to wake the boys. Marius grumbled, while Jack leapt to his feet, knife out before he was fully conscious.

The mermaids giggled in unison. 

Jack lowered his knife.

Polly couldn't help but join in the laughter as she said, "See? Told you she'd get anxious." She stood upright, placing a gentle hand on Sylvie's sword arm.

Baffled, Sylvie lowered the blade. Her brow furrowed, and she looked from girl to group of flesh-eating monsters and back again. "What magic have you worked this time, shop girl?"

Polly shook her head, releasing her hold on Sylvie and going back to the pot. "I didn't do a thing, unless you count good manners as a magic spell." She stirred the stew, fishing out a chunk of fish to see how far along it was cooked.

One of the mermaids snatched it out of the ladle in a flash and stuffed it into her mouth. She snarled something venomous in the rolling, garbled language of the sea.

"What's she saying?" Jack asked, hovering at the edge of the circle. He did his best to smile as the mermaids turned their eyes on him, and waved awkwardly.

"I think she doesn't like it."

"But--" Sylvie frowned. Setting aside the fact that she'd yet to encounter mermaids that didn't attack on sight, Sylvie asked, "How do you know what they're saying?"

"She basically spat it out. I don't think we need words for that." Polly shrugged, laughing it off, and stirred the stew. "It's about ready. Would someone go wake Marius?

Jack glanced back towards the sleeping pile of fur warily.

Sylvie didn't even bother doing that much.

The silence was answer enough. Polly made a face, and stood, drawing out the ladle and turning it so the mermaids could take its wooden handle. "Would you hold this for me, please?"

The mermaid took it curiously, and went to put the metal end between her sharp teeth.

"No!" Polly snatched it back, earning her a snarl. "Careful with that. It's hot." After a moment's hesitation, she held the ladle out once more.

The mermaid took it, and this time bit down on the wooden end, eyes trained on Polly as if daring her to protest a second time.

#writeblr #writing #wip #mystuff #my writing #silverlight #breaking news: local doctor makes friends with everyone she meets more at 11 #also breaking news: i love writing creechures that bite things for fun more at 11

[blairstales]

Happy #TellAFairytaleDay!

Want a love story about a #Waterhorse and a human? Today I am sharing the Scottish folktale, "The Kelpie's Chimney"

Before getting to the story, let’s go over some basic details.

The Kelpies Chimney is a folktale from Loch Garve. Technically, the fairy in this tale should be an each-uisge, not a kelpie, but the folktale called him a kelpie in both the title and the story, so that is how I will keep it.

There are a few different versions of this story with minor differences, so I did my best to merge them in a way that still feels like a fairytale.

Deep within the chilly waters of Loch Garve was a kelpie who often ventured onto land to hunt. It was there, in the form of a horse, that he met a woman and pulled her into the depths to eat. Despite the precarious situation, this woman looked through the waters upon the true form of her hunter, but did not show fear. In return, that hunter looked on at his prey, and no longer saw a meal. After staring on at each other in the depths, they fell in love.

After gifting her with the ability to breathe under water, he took her to his home deep beneath the waves, and for a time, they were happy. However, as days upon days passed by, that happiness began to trickle away from his wife.

“It is cold,” said she, and as the days went on, that complaint became more and more common.

And so, finally listening to her pleas, he took to land in the form of a horse, and ran to the home of the best builder in the Highlands. That builder woke to the sound of hooves slamming at his door. Bewildered, he exited his home and saw the most beautiful horse he had ever seen! It had a sleek black coat, and dark eyes that glimmered with intelligence.

As the builder stroked the horse, it did not startle. Instead it seemed placid of nature, despite the ruckus it had been making at his door not a moment before.

The builder decided a horse this fine surely had a worried owner, so, being the good man he was, he decided to return it to them. He would ride it down the road, and to the nearest town, where someone would surely know the owner.

While the builder swung up onto the horses back, the horse stood patient and still, but the builder thought nothing of it. Owners of fine horses had the funds for fine training, after all.

At the exact moment that the builder was settled, things went very wrong. The coat, once soft and sleek, became impossibly sticky under his hands, gluing every part where he touched to it’s hide.

The horse – whom the builder now knew really to be a kelpie – took off at a speed faster than any horse should be able to reach, and the builder screamed, begging aloud that he would do anything to not die.

Ignoring the builder, the kelpie plunged beneath the water, and swam deeper and deeper.

The builder felt his lungs burn until, unable to hold it anymore, he let out what breath he had…and found he was able to breathe just fine. The kelpie stopped at the bottom of the loch, where both his home and his wife waited for him.

There, the builder was told he would have to keep his promise “to do anything” in return for his life, by building a great chimney.

The builder was confused, saying even he could not build a chimney that could light a fire under water, but the Kelpie assured him that it was only the chimney that was needed.

So, the builder got to work, and the result was the most impressive and beautiful chimney he had ever crafted in the entirety of his career, and more beautiful than anyone would be able to craft in all of time. Even the kelpie was pleased with the results, and lit a fire that warmed the waters from there to the surface above.

The wife cried out with glee, wanting nothing more, which meant most to the Kelpie. Feeling uncharacteristically thankful, the kelpie assured the builder that any net he cast into the lake would always surface full of fish.

Soon after, the builder was set free back on land, and his family never again feared going hungry.

There is still a spot of Loch Garve that never freezes, and it is said it is because of the kelpie and his chimney.

#TellAFairytaleDay #kelpie #waterhorse #fairytale #folktale #scottish #scottishfolklore #scottish mythology #scottish myths #Folktales #each usige #each uisge #scottish folklore #folklore #fairies #mythology #fae #fairy #scotland #history

[concerningwolves]

A wild TBE extract appears! Very excited to be back working on my favourite scene with new and improved worldbuilding, plus Elodie's happy stims. Also big thanks to @garthcelyn for the help with the Welsh <3

→ WIP Info \ WIP Tag

The sun was setting, turning the water a rich gold. Darren helped Remy to the fore of the covered deck, where the others were already staring out through the spray-flecked glass. For a moment, Remy couldn't make sense of what he was looking at. The sun-stained sea was churning in the great salmon's wake, sending a v of white water streaming either side of the boat. That was normal.

Then Remy realised that they weren't going fast enough to cause such large waves.

Ahead and on either side, the white peaks resolved into the shapes of dozens of horses. They were so close that Remy could probably have leaned out and touched the nearest horse, if not for the windows. Flanks the colour of sea foam steamed in the dying light, rippling as if with muscle. Their manes streamed long and wild, decorated with shells and bits of coral, and their eyes were luminous white.

The biggest of the horses galloped just in front of the salmon. It turned and reared, somehow keeping up its pace despite seeming to stand still. A splash of silvery white shone from its barnacle-encrusted forehead like a fallen star, and its eyes burned with the same red-gold as the setting sun. Remy felt those eyes meet his and pin him, staring straight through into his soul. Then the creature snorted, shook its shaggy mane, and the entire procession dissolved into mist as if they had never been there at all.

“Ah, the Ceffylau Dŵr,” the Salmon said in a lilting, nostalgic tone. “I remember when they were only creatures of fresh water, before human expansion pushed them into the sea to survive.

“I’ve read about this,” Elodie said excitedly. “They bred with kelpies. It’s so interesting how they’ve adapted to their new environment with hardly any impact on the local ecosystem!” She drummed her fingers on the blank control dashboard thoughtfully. “Actually, that might be because they don’t really eat, so they don’t create competition for resources.”

“Oh, they eat.” Darren shuddered. “Trust me, if we did something they don’t like …” He trailed off uneasily.

Elodie nodded. “They’d rip us apart and eat us – or just drag us down into the depths, if we’re lucky. I know.”

“If we’re lucky?” Cyril blanched and tapped the window glass as if making sure it was waterhorse-proof.

Elodie ignored him. Or maybe she was just too enraptured by the encounter to hear. “Amazing, aren’t they?” She beamed at the now-deserted water, hugging herself and happily wriggling her upper body.

#the blood enigma #writeblr #my writing #writers on tumblr #urban fantasy

[hamletteprinceofdenmark]

3, 8, 17, 34

jonas my beloved mutual sorry this took so long (to be fair you asked me 4 questions 😆)

3. 3 films you could watch for the rest of your life and not get bored of?

I'm gonna cheat a little but I could honestly watch the BBC miniseries adaptation of North and South (2004) any day of the week. It's so good. Just the perfect period drama.

I also love the movie The Waterhorse (2007). It makes me cry every time and the music is gorgeous. James Newton Howard is one of my absolute favourite composers. (the music for North and South is also choice actually)

And finally, the original LOTR (2001 - 2003) movies (extended editions of course 😉) They're so beautiful. and again the musicccccccccc

I tend to be more of a TV person than a movie person though (as you can probably tell lol)

8. any reacquiring dreams?

I'm going to give op the benefit of the doubt and assume they meant "reoccurring" dreams rather than dreams that included plots about re-acquiring something, or indeed re-acquiring the dream itself.

Now that I've been pedantic, I've gotta confess, I don't dream that often, or when I do, they tend to be non-sensical and vague with no plot, more ... shapes and vibes ...

When I was younger my dreams were more plot-focused, and I used to have two pretty bizarre re-occurring dreams/nightmares.

The first was definitely a nightmare. Asterix (yes from the comics) used to chase me around a huge abandoned creaky house with a bloody axe. That was no fun.

The other one is a bit of an odd one. It was less of a re-occurring dream and more of a re-occurring scenario. I used to "wake up" in this giant, labyrinthine, spaceship prison. It was in the shape of a giant ball, just moving slowly through space to its eventual destination (it never arrived). And I would have to escape. Sometimes with friends, sometimes with characters of whatever I was interested in, sometimes alone. Sometimes it would be a nightmare, sometimes it would be an adventure. Sometimes we would succeed, sometimes we would fail. And the inside of the prison was different every time. A solution one night wouldn't work the next (even if I could remember it).

But yeah ... I haven't woken up there in a while.

17. name 3 things that make you happy

My cat

My family

My friends

34. any pet peeves?

I was thinking about this just the other day! Very small in the scheme of things but I really don't like it in fan-works when people use nicknames that aren't canon. Like, have a character call a different character something that they never have before.

It really annoys me, because like, one, usually they're not even good nicknames, and two, and this might be psycho-analysing it a bit, but to me, if you're not even going to pay attention to or care about what your characters call each other (as a baseline), what does that say about your relationship to the rest of the canon? Can I trust you with it? Do you actually know this world and these characters or is it all going to be OOC? Obviously fan-works are malleable and transformative by nature, and how "canon-compliant" a work is is going to be a little bit different every time, but it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth whenever I see it.

The one exception to this is if a nickname is assigned due to something that happens in the fic itself. That's fine. Usually.

But idk, I'm not a huge fan of nicknames generally, so I guess it bleeds over a little bit when I'm reading.

questions I think would be fun to be asked

#ask qwerty #ask games

[fabledwitch]

Fabled witch intro post

Hey peeps, you can call me Fable or Omen. I'm 20 years old and use they/them pronouns. I've been practicing my craft since I was 14, so I still consider myself relatively new but not a total beginner.

🥀 Death, chaos, earth + sea magic

🕷 Venturing into alchemy

🪶 Spirit work and dream work

🦊 Norse + Celtic deities

🐴 Working with Waterhorses

🌊 Will fight almost every Christian

🐚 Over caffeinated and sleep deprived

[gossip-girl-of-middleearth]

I have suddenly come to the realization that I need more Modern! Maglor in my life. Seriously, what the heck did you just do to me? That, that was utter gold and I'm in love.

Everyone is jumping on the Modern! Maglor train, and I’m here for it 😂💛

And honestly, I’m totally on board, because the child in me sounds like they still hope they’ll move into a cottage next-door to a strange neighbour, who is both extremely handsome and extremely weird, only to then find out they’re a 20,000 year old murderer

My dreams were weird as a kid, but I’m gonna blame my obsession with the concept of Maglor still being in the 21st century on this damn movie I watched growing up over and over

…I just watched the trailer again, and DAMMIT I STILL WANT MY OWN STORY LIKE THIS — THIS WAS MY FAVOURITE TROPE AS A KID: finding a mysterious entity which you have to hide away from everyone else in your town, leading to a lot of close-call shenanigans, ie How to Train Your Dragon, ET, Lilo & Stitch, The Waterhorse etc

Maybe that’s why I’m getting such a rush out of hiding my cat in the room of the house I’m staying in for work, since he’s explicitly not allowed to be here 🧍🏼‍♀️

huh

anywho, MODERN MAGLOR RIGHTS

#Maglor still lives in this world #I know it #modern Maglor #the Silmarillion #Silmarillion #Maglor #Kano #lord of the rings #lotrdaily #lotr movies #elves #lotr shitpost

[fenlock]

Do you know anything about each-uisge and storms? Do they control them or how they generally act during them?

Gonna give a quick disclaimer that I only work with two each-uisge, so this is gonna be a mix of my own UPG and folklore. Other each-uisge may differ from the two I know.

To answer the question, I do believe they have a certain level of control over storms. I've read a few stories of kelpies/uisges showing up during storms, and often in tales where they're angered it specifically mentions the weather being stormy. As for the two I work with, I can't say I've seen them summon a storm, but they do seem to have some level of influence over preexisting ones. If one of them is angry, for example, the storm may suddenly ramp up in intensity. They've also helped redirect or lessen storms that could cause damage to my home (severe storms and even tornadoes just barely skimming by, intense winds diminished, rain going from an absolute downpour to a light drizzle, etc.). As for how they act, they tend to be more wild. Neither one of them is ever "tame" per say, but it's definitely amplified by storms, like they've let go of their normal inhibitions and are just indulging in every whim and desire. Often this involves becoming more aggressive - either hunting anything that crosses their path, or else fighting with whatever opponent they can find. They are capable of controlling themselves, they just generally don't feel the need to.

#asks #waterhorse work

[mi6-cafe]

THE FINAL DRABBLES ARE IN!

COME READ THEM AND DECIDE WHOSE IS THE BEST, BETTER THAN ALL THE REST!

But first, what was the prompt again?

Our writers had to use the phrase “be careful what you fish for” in their 300-word drabbles verbatim. 

See the drabbles below the line and VOTE!

(Image description: James Bond off on a fishing expedition)

But how, mods, how do we vote? you ask.

Step 1: Read the drabbles, making notes along the way.

Step 2: Pick three favourites and vote for them in the VOTING FORM while adding feedback for others if you so choose!

Step 3: Profit! (Because it’s all anonymous and even the writers you didn’t vote for end up getting your lovely feedback and it makes them so happy!)

You have until Sunday at 8:59 9.m. PST/11:59 p.m. EST/3:59 a.m. UTC to cast your vote.

Now, come READ&VOTE! (You can also read on wordpress for nicer formatting)

#1

Title: Compliments Author: sunaddicted Warnings: explicit flirting Summary: Q wasn't expecting to hear such a compliment

Seeing Silva bent down over his computer still sent a thrill down Q's spine; despite the fact that the man had become a more or less permanent fixture in Q-Branch, it didn't mean that the adrenaline kick he got out of facing the former rogue agent had gotten any weaker.  

"That's some of my best work."

"Is it."

Q swallowed as he went to stand by the other man, peering down at the lines of code that Silva was studying with the kind of keen eye that made Q squirm, feeling naked even when Silva was looking at his work rather than directly at him.

Though, what was his work if not an extension of his being?

"Are you fishing for compliments, Quartermaster?"

Saying his title in such a caressing and satiny voice should have been made illegal. "Do I need to?" Q tried to ignore the hint of neediness in his voice, even as the flush he could feel blooming up his neck surely betrayed him. He couldn't help it: in his life, he had only met a man who was his equal - better, he had only met a man who could code circles around him, pushing him to do better; to think faster; to outgrow himself. It was exciting.

Raoul slowly turned around, a smirk already painted on his lips. "You have a great arse I would like to bend over this sturdy desk of yours."

"Wh- what?!"

The blonde bent down, lips ghosting against the shell of Q's ear in a caress that was barely there. "Be careful what you fish for, Quartermaster," Silva reached down and closed his hand on the other's hip in a steadying manner, fingers digging into the jutting bone there "You never know what kind of compliment will get thrown your way."

#2

Title: A Fine Kettle Author: Anyawen Warnings: none Summary: LIke shooting fish in a barrel, really.

"This isn't what I had in mind when I said I needed an exit," Bond groused as his feet squelched in his ruined shoes. He'd never get the stink of fish out of this suit. He'd be lucky to scrub it off his skin.

"Well, you know what they say, 007. Be careful what you fish for," Q said, snorting at his own joke as Bond groaned.

"Don't even start, Q," Bond growled. Well. Tried to growl. If it came out as an amused whine Q was polite enough not to call attention to it.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Q said primly. "I found you an exit and left your adversaries floundering. You didn't even pull a mussel."

"I've endured torture more pleasant than—"

"Stop your carping; you’re giving me a haddock."

Bond inhaled slowly. Exhaled.

"What will it take to make you stop?"

"You'll have to shell out more than a few clams."

"Q," Bond begged. Yes. Begged. And yet, he knew that if he were standing in front of a mirror right now his reflection would be grinning. Q's jokes were terrible, and his puns were worse, but hearing him so lost in his amusement was a glorious thing.

"Bring all of your gear back for a start. No losing or breaking anything just for the halibut."

"I'll do my best," Bond promised.

"And dinner."

"I beg your pardon?" Bond asked, shocked. He'd been asking the Quartermaster to dinner for weeks.

"You need time to mullet over. That's fine. Just let minnow."

"Yes, Q. Obviously, yes."

"Excellent. I'm thinking sushi."

Bond couldn't help the laugh that slipped out. He could hear Q's smug grin.

"Just squidding," Q said, then hurried to add, "About the sushi. Not about dinner. And dessert. And afters."

"Afters?"

"Cuttles."

#3

Title: Retrieval Author: stormofsharpthings Warnings: none Summary: Q knew it had never been about her

Q came upon Dr Madeleine Swann serenely fishing from the riverbank. “Got one,” she announced, before handing the rod to him and walking away. Bemused, Q tugged, and the fish leapt from the murky river into his hand, scales flowing like water to engulf his entire arm. Face to face, it gave him a toothy grin.

“Be careful what you fish for,” it snickered as the trees around him exploded with gobbets of blue flame. Q dove into the river to escape and was dragged deeper, drowning, webbed hands holding him tight.

He flailed awake to a bed stained green with murky water, strands of river weed draped about. The windows were wide open, moonlight making the wet marks on the floor glisten.

“James?” he whispered. There was no answer. Not since James had taken the damn car and driven off. But there had been enough clues.

----

He took the river road, heading north. Every bridge was washed-out, every access to his destination blocked. He finally came upon an old-style ferry, its raft drawn along a heavy cable strung across the river.

The old raftman eyed him, then shrugged. Halfway across, the raft slowed as if hung up on something. The ferryman cursed and stamped his boot on the boards. As the raft drifted free again, he gave Q a wry look. “Hope you know what you’re about, lad.”

----

The waterhorse waited for him at the loch edge, burning eyes watching him warily as he approached.

“I never believed you left for her,” he said, tangling his hands in the wet mane. “And all the warnings of all the fair folk in the world couldn't keep me away.” He swung astride and held on. “You can either drown me or come home with me, James. It’s up to you, now.”

#4

Title: Gone Fishing Author: Hexiva Warnings: None Summary: Alec is just trying to have a nice vacation. James has other plans.

Alec is fishing. He’s taken some much-needed vacation time after a knife to the leg on his last mission, and he’s chosen to go to Jamaica, in part because of how James’ face falls when he learns Alec is going without him. James loves Jamaica. Alec, for his part, loves having anything that James can’t have. The sky is blue. The ocean is a beautiful shade of blue-green. Alec lets his line dangle down into the warm water, and leans back in his boat with a sigh of contentment. And then the peace of the summer day is shattered as the water erupts, and a black-clad figure in scuba gear surges up out of the sea, gasping, and clambers into Alec’s boat, almost upsetting it. Alec’s hand flies to his gun, but before he can draw it, the diver pulls off his mask and reveals James’ familiar face. James is bruised and bleeding, and he gasps out, “Near miss. Good thing you were here.” “What the hell are you doing here?!” Alec demands. “I’m on vacation, James!” “Underwater base,” James explains, pointing down into the depths of the ocean. “Spying on our submarines. Blew it up and escaped.” “How do you do it, James?” Alec says, acidly. “How is it that no matter where you go - no matter where I go - there always seems to be some madman with an increasingly improbable scheme gunning for you? Can’t I have one vacation to myself?” It’s not James’ company he minds. It’s that this was supposed to be something he could take away from James. A chance to one-up the always charming James Bond. “Well, Alec,” James said, leaning in with his charming smile. “You know what they say. Be careful what you fish for.” “I hate you,” Alec said, with feeling.

#5

Title: Dare to Wish Author: sorion Warnings: none Summary: A very nice welcome-home.  

"Are you going to put away that blasted machine?" Bond asked, not even looking away from his skilled cooking.  

"Hm?" Q hummed distractedly, not ceasing his typing.  

"Your laptop, darling," Bond complained, making 'darling' sound more like a demand than an endearment.   "Hm." The typing never faltered.  

Bond reduced the heat on one of the other pans that he was juggling on the stove. "I was gone for over a month," he grumbled. "I even dared to hope that you were looking forward to seeing me again."  

Q smiled, and the typing slowed. "One minute, and I'll be all yours, and yet you'll still be giving your attention to our dinner."  

Bond couldn't help but grin. "What's so terribly important anyway?"  

"Oh, just some matter of national security that I'd like off the table before we eat."  

Bond laughed. "Bare feet, unbuttoned shirt, and saving the world. A marvel, you are."  

"One step up from working in my pyjamas," Q quipped.  

Bond sighed. "I'm never going to live that down, am I? What about the incident where you basically plugged Silva into our network?"  

Q pulled a face. "That was... my first week as Q, and I desperately wanted to prove myself, and I may have-"  

"Q," Bond interrupted. "I won't let you live it down, but I'm not holding it against you."  

Q smiled. "Thanks. I do, on very rare occasions, get insecure."  

"There's no need. Everyone knows how brilliant you are. And there's no need to be fishing for compliments."  

"Not tonight. I'm just... fishing for affection."  

His typing instantly stopped when a small box of unmistakable shape was put in front of him.  

Bond caught his eyes and smiled. "Be careful what you fish for."  

Q's breath stuck in his throat, and his eyes lit up. "Never."

#6

Title: A Fishy Companion Author: Nana-chan Warnings: Summary: Bond makes friends with a merman

“Bond,” said the creature, his tone quite serious.

Bond merely grunted as he continued to mend his nets. He would not even look at the creature as he swam around him in the shallow water, his movements graceful. A bloody merman, for god’s sake. He’d found him tangled in his nets after a fishing expedition some way from the island and the merman, having been rescued, refused to leave Bond’s side ever since.

Now he queried: “Why is the fisherman so stingy?”

“I’m sure you’re going to tell me whether I want to hear it or not,” said Bond brusquely.

The merman replied, “Because his work made him sell-fish.”

Bond closed his eyes briefly. He’d been a double-O agent— a bloody good one— once upon a time. So long ago, it seemed. Retirement on this remote Caribbean island, in a wooden house with its own small pier, had been something he’d dreamed of, until retirement became more like exile and solitude gave way to loneliness.

Until this.

Bond found himself smiling despite himself as the merman persisted, “Why did the fisherman start doing drugs?”

“I don’t know. Why did he?”

“Pier pressure.”

The merman was beautiful, with dark hair and large green eyes that gazed into his rather owlishly. For reasons of his own, he’d named him Q.

Bond looked away. “I think I need a massage,” he said, wincing as he flexed his biceps.

“Have you heard about the Sauna that serves food?” Q piped up. “Their specialty is steamed mussels.”

“Why you—” Bond laughed before he could stop himself. “I ought to have left you in the nets. That might have made you less talkative.”

The merman swam up to him and settled his head boldly on his lap.

“Be careful what you fish for,” said Q, smiling.

#7

Title: Go Fish Author: soufflegirl91 Warnings: adult humour Summary: Q Branch tech must be recovered no matter where the double-ohs lose it.

“Another bloody spoon,” Bond complained, releasing it from the magnet and tossing it on the pile building up at his feet. “How do people even lose spoons in a lake?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe the same way you lose proprietary weaponry?”

“Q, for the last time, I didn’t-”

“Can we get any closer to the middle?” Q cut him off, tapping a few times on his tablet screen. “Maybe if we start at the deepest point and move outwards?”  

Bond sighed, dropping the line back into the boat with a clatter. He pulled the engine cord, and with a roar, they were moving.

“THIS SHOULD DO,” Q yelled over the din.

Bond brought them to a stop, but Q didn’t wait for the engine to die down before continuing:

“I’VE ACTIVATED THE HOMING BEACON. THE LAKE’S DEEPER THAN I’D LIKE, BUT I SHOULD GET A SIGNAL ONCE WE’RE-” the engine died down with a final splutter, leaving Q yelling, “DIRECTLY OVER IT - oh.”

“You don’t get out on the water much, do you?” Bond quirked a grin at his flustered Quartermaster, flinging out the line on the starboard side.

“I wouldn’t have to get out on the water at all, if you didn’t go throwing away rocket launchers like they were crisp packets. Bond, what are you doing? I haven’t got a signal, yet.”

“Signal or not, I’ve caught something.”

Bond pulled on the Q-branch reinforced line, trying to reel it in. Whatever the line had caught, it was heavy. Finally, his catch cleared the water line.

He stared.

“Is that a tentacle dil-?”

“Well, you know what they say,” Q cut in.

He giggled. Giggled. Bond had a terrible feeling he knew what was coming next.

“No. Don’t you dare say it.”

“Be careful what you fish for!”

#8

Title: Do I Really Want To Know? Author: IrishWitch58 Warnings: none Summary: Mallory contemplates a recent mission and the behavior of agent and Quartermaster.

Mallory hadn't gotten to his present position without understanding the value of differing approaches to acquiring information. There were circumstances when a simple question was all that was required. There were others when a figurative bludgeon was necessary. That was more often the case when he had someone dead to rights and just wanted an admission. But when something was more delicate, a search for something he suspected but hadn't been able to prove, he needed the skills of a wily fisherman tricking a trout out from under a rock to rise to the bait.

It was unacceptable that his Quartermaster and 007 had gone off coms for eighteen hours. True, the mission was completed, but Bond's bad habits seemed to have rubbed off on Q. Interviewing both had been useless. 'Yes', 'no' and 'equipment failure' were the sum of the responses. Utterly respectful but complete obstruction from both.

They were hiding something and he was worried. Certainly, disloyalty was possible but he had thought better of both of them. There was a chime from his computer and he glanced at the incoming message from accounting. “Can we have some clarification on these charges, please? Uncertain whether these are mission related.”

Mallory scanned the receipts. A moderately expensive hotel suite, room service, and a concierge fee for a trip to a chemist. All charged to one of Bond's aliases. On impulse he called the hotel. Five minutes later he ended the call and stared at the phone. Well, better than treachery certainly but still, Bond and Q? The concierge had found the couple charming and was sure they were a couple. Be careful what you fish for. Now what was he supposed to do? Better that they hadn't admitted anything. He didn't have to act if he didn't officially know.

#9

Title: Shark Bait Author: Venstar / 1amvengeance Warnings: violence? People dedding Summary:  what would you do for those you love?

Bond swam to the ladder access of the dock. A creak of the boards and he froze in place. He swung himself up, his movement was swift and deadly. The guard dropped as suddenly as he had appeared. Bond rolled him into the water. Through the mist, he could just barely make out the tip of a fin. He smiled. It was cold, calculating, and lacking in teeth.

“Almost there.” Bond smiled as a soft breath was let out over comms. “Were you worried?”

“About you or my mortgage and two cats? Because if you live, then maybe M won’t find out about this.”

This time Bond’s smile was wide and bright. “I’m glad we agree then.” 

Bond cut a slit through his wetsuit until he could see his skin underneath. Slightly tan with a smattering of darker freckles. Was that a new mole? Maybe he should have it checked out. Too late. Blood welled up from where the mole had been. He grimaced.

“Bond? What are you doing?”

“Chumming the water.” He heard Q’s sharp intake of breath at the sound of him re-entering the water.

“Bond. This is the worst idea on the list of bad ideas.”

“I know what I’m doing, Q. Moving in, now.”

Silence from the other end as Q listened to him work. He slid through the water, coming up just under the opening of the warehouse. He pulled himself out, his eyes on his targets. He spared one glance for his lover, hoping that Felix could keep the two men distracted enough for him to...yes...to do that. The two men were tossed cut and bleeding into the dark water behind him. Their shouts of surprise turned into screams of pain and terror.

"Be careful what you fish for." Bond murmured, smiling at Felix.

#10

Title: Witnessed Author: oldestcharm Warnings: n/a Summary: James observes Q's methods. It pays off. Q is flexible. He can play an agent like a fiddle. Any time, any place. He knows exactly how to approach his agents — something James is rather impressed by. He'll let them stew for half an hour when necessary; he'll cosy up to them, all charm and innocence; or play up the socially inept IT intern. Sometimes, he gets mean. James particularly likes that part of Q. Whichever it is, though, Q's got them all wrapped around his long capable fingers. James can't look away. He hears from 002 about the 'banger of a DnD game' she apparently raked in the loot for. He also learns about the Deck of Many Things. It's surprisingly accurate for whatever happens next.

009 loses a chess match and gets equipped with a tractor instead of the Jeep he'd requested, although it goes 300 mph and has multiple cannons attached.

005 fails a coin toss and gains a squirt gun full of holy water for her mission at the Vatican. With a quirk of a smile, Q suggests Russian Roulette to Alec. He wins, but just barely.

Q equips his agents with the bare necessities, but unlike his predecessor, they all have to earn the goods. Q's gambling and James is determined to get his own. Q, ever the gentleman, asks what he's willing to play.

"Let's Go Fishin'," James tells him and just for a second Q looks startled. James' lips twitch into a reluctant smile.

"Be careful what you fish for," Q tells him, voice low and enticing. James leans forward, distracted.

"I win," Q says, eyes alight with excitement.

"It's a draw," James corrects, hoping his exhaustion won't show. Q's gaze grows sharp.

On his next mission, James finds an exploding pen in the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

#11

Title: To Fish or Not to Fish Author: scarytheory Warnings: none Summary: Someone is sending weird presents to Q. He needs to figure out who that someone is.

The mug was ugly. Big, brown, and with a ceramic trout holding a plate “I fish you very much!” engraved in bold letters. It wasn’t the only thing that had been anonymously sent to Q for his birthday this week (other items included cheap chocolate and a teddy bear).

“This is getting ridiculous. Who would give me something so hideous?”

“You know what they say – be careful what you fish for!”

“That’s… not what they say.”

James smirked, obviously happy with himself.

Q continued: “Can you at least pretend that you’re jealous? It used to be you, sending me obnoxious gifts!”

“Don’t act like you thought it was romantic now, you hated it.”

He did. But he still had all the awful trinkets that James had sent him from missions before his retirement. They were displayed in his office, he couldn't force himself to throw them away. Maybe he was sentimental, after all.

“Perhaps it’s from a criminal who wants to infiltrate the MI6,” Q wondered.

James laughed. “I can guarantee you that it’s not a villain, the gifts are indeed from the heart.”

Of course he had something to do with it!

“And you can’t just tell me?”

“Nah. Let minnow when you figure it out!.”

“James, this was a terrible pun, even for you.”

“It’s not kraken you up?”

Truly not.

The question was who could send him these kinds of gifts? It seemed that they weren’t from some admirer either, seeing as James didn’t feel threatened. On the contrary, he was amused.

“Oh my God!”

Suddenly he knew. And it was horrifying.

“It’s from my mum.”

James grinned: “I love that woman. She understands that fish puns are fin-tastic!”

With horror, Q realised that against his better judgment, he had ended up marrying his own mother.

#12

Title: One Hell of a Strange Fish Author: Misha / artsytarts Warnings: none, just lols Summary: Fishing at lake Erie can be more exciting than you think. 

Felix sighed happily as he sat on his little bench in his little boat and let his mind wander. Bliss like this was hard to come by. A weekend of fishing, peace and relaxation was awaiting him and there was nothing that could spoil it.

Just as he’d finished the thought, a sudden tug at his fishing rod almost made him topple over the rim of his boat. Felix caught himself and cursed, put his feet down and with all his strength, he started reeling in the gigantic fish. It was putting up one hell of a fight. Gritting his teeth, Felix pulled and pulled, until, with an almighty splash, it broke the surface and screamed, just as the hook zinged past Felix’ ear.

Wait… Screamed?

Felix blinked.

“What do you think you’re doing, you bloody idiot!!” the man, not fish, exclaimed and ripped his diving mask off. He glared daggers at Felix, who still stood poised with his rod in hand.

Then the man frowned. “Felix?” he said incredulously.

“James?!”

“What on earth are you doing up there?”

“Me?! What are you doing down there?!”

James huffed, paddling against the water. “I asked first.”

“Well, I’m on holiday.” Felix held up the evidence. “Fishing trip. What about you?”

“Assignment,” James answered simply.

The mental image of a mushroom cloud above lake Erie filled Felix’ head. “Hell. Should I be worried?”

“Not particularly,” James said. “Anyway, should get going. Nice chatting with you.”

“Hold on, James, what –”

“Next time… Be careful what you fish for!” James called out, shoved his mouthpiece back between his teeth and submerged.

“Did you just…” Felix began, but James was already gone.

With a sigh, Felix let himself fall back into his seat and rubbed his forehead. They had to stop meeting like this.

#13

Title: Gone Fishing Author: Merc / the moon of mercury Warnings: none Summary: sometimes Bond prefers not to talk about his missions.

“Now you’re just preening,” Q says, rolling his eyes for dramatic effect. “Fishing for compliments. Really, Double-O-Seven, must you always make such a show of everything?”

Bond shrugs and finishes straightening his tie, not bothering to argue. He had been admiring his own reflection on the window of the newly painted DB10.

“Quite a dashing image, if I do say so myself. That’s the point, isn’t it? It’s the Geneva Motor Show, no one’s going to take me for a collector if I don’t look the part. What do you think?”

“I’m not the one you need to convince. All I care about is that you get the job done and bring back my car in one piece.”

“Why so grumpy, Q? I’d hoped you’d at least extend the sentiment to my person besides the car. And maybe wish me good luck? I have a feeling this one won’t be easy.”

“Bollocks, you’re going to seduce her, get the intel, and spectacularly blow things up. All of which you invariably accomplish every time. So, off you go and lay your bait. But please, do me a favour and think of the poor car while you’re at it.”

*     *

Q is right. The rich widow falls for his charms, spills her secrets, and buildings explode. Even the Aston survives. A success, all things considered.

Still, it takes him a week after returning to London to face his Quartermaster. The ugly love bites have faded and the overwhelming stench of perfume is nothing but an unpleasant memory. But Q has recordings of the events that went down in her boudoir, and Bond knows for sure he won't let it go.

Unfortunately, his foresight proves right.

“Be careful what you fish for,” he quips the moment Bond steps in, dissolving into laughter.

#14

Title: Look at the Bright Side Author: MrKsan / starrboned Warnings: none Summary: The Quartermaster's job is never easy.

When Bill entered the office, it was dark and quiet. Q sat slumped, painted pale blue under the light of the computer screen.

“Q?” Bill whispered, unsure what he stepped into.

Q looked up, blinking slowly.

“Bill. What are you doing here?”

Bill approached the desk, turning on the lamp. Q flinched from the light, like the sleep-deprived vampire that he was.

“It’s midnight, Q.” Tanner sighed, taking in the wide eyes and the dark shadows under them. “Bond came back hours ago. Why are you still here?"

Q blinked. Bill could almost hear the gears turning in his head.

Christ.

Q pushed a glass bowl from behind the screen. The water inside sloshed wildly from the sharp movement, stirring awake the creature inside.

“It's a... fish?"

“Bond brought it,” Q said. He glared at the fish like it's the source of all of his problems.

“He got you a fish?”

“No,” Q said, eyes narrowing. “He brought back the micro-sized, water-proofed, indestructible hard drive made especially for this mission, containing all the stolen information M asked for."

Bill glanced back at the fish. The fish, who had very sharp teeth inside its slightly gaping mouth.

“Is the hard drive -”

“It's inside the damn piranha!" Q hissed, smacking his head on the table.

Bill couldn't help it.

"Be careful what you fish for, huh?” He said, earning a sharp stare from under the dark mop of curls.

“At least he brought back the equipment this time,” Bill said, smiling apologetically. “Come on, you won’t get anything done by glaring at the fish.”

Q sighed, heavily, but took Bill’s offered hand and stumbled to a stand.

“At least it’s not a komodo dragon this time,“ Q said, as they stepped into the empty parking lot.

Bill couldn't help but laugh.

#15

Title: Cracked Author: solarmorrigan Warnings: n/a Summary: Bond and Q bring down a villain and have a few laughs.

Waves lapped at the sand, offering a gentle, rhythmic backbeat to the sounds of a madman’s island base crashing down in flames.

Bond and Q stood side by side on the beach, each sooty, disheveled, and soaked to the bone. They were sporting various bumps and bruises, some scrapes and burns, but they were pleased with themselves, nonetheless. It had been a grueling few days’ work, filled with more fire, gunplay, and close encounters with sharks and other sharp-toothed marine life than Q was usually comfortable with, but they’d done good work. Yet another villainous plot soundly foiled.

“Well,” Q sighed, “I suppose it’s true what they say.”

“What’s that, Q?” Bond asked idly.

Snickering preemptively, Q answered, “Be careful what you fish for.”

The expected eye-roll and long-suffering sigh never came. Instead, Bond’s expression went curiously blank, before a smile cracked over his face and he began to laugh. It started as a small chuckle before morphing into true, shoulder-shaking amusement, and Q’s own smile slid away in alarm. The joke wasn’t that funny – not that Bond ever laughed at his puns to begin with.

“Oh god, did you sustain head trauma while I wasn’t looking?” Q demanded, his fingers twitching towards Bond’s scalp.

Bond shook his head, still chuckling lightly. “I’m fine, Q. In fact… I’m fintastic.”

In spite of the suspicious anxiety churning in Q’s chest, he couldn’t help it; the pun was so terrible, so ill-timed, so entirely out of place, that Q had to laugh. “Oh, that’s it,” he gasped between giggles, “you’ve finally cracked.”

“I’m fine, Q,” Bond said again, then leaned in to press a kiss to the corner of Q’s smiling mouth before giving him a small shove in the direction of their getaway boat. “Now let’s get out of here.”

*****

GO VOTE!

#james bond fanfiction #00Q #drabbles #writing challenge #puns #ldws2021 #ldws 2021 #ldws #ldws drabble

[eachuisge-cc]

where is your name from?

the Each Uisge (which is Scottish for waterhorse) is a monster from Scottish folklore, it's generally understood to be similar to a kelpie, but generally bigger and worse and inhabiting the sea/saltwater lochs instead of rivers. depending on who you ask it's the same as a kelpie and it's just a semantics thing. I'm named that because my usual handle was taken on the nexus so I started entering increasingly obscure mythical creatures until one worked.

[not-poignant]

Hi Pia!

I was just wondering why you made the Each Uisge Welsh when he’s a figure from Scottish folklore, particularly the Highlands and Islands. I’m from the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and the loch near my home has it’s own each uisge myth attached to it. Even now, parents will tell kids not to go too close to the water or the each uisge might snatch them away. When I was a little kid, I wouldn’t go on the loch on my dad’s boat because my grandpa had terrified me with stories of the each uisge and I’d convinced myself it was real.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still thrilled to just have an each uisge in fiction, wherever he hails from, and Augus is such an icon.

Ooo it's been years since I've gotten an ask about this.

So yeah, the Each Uisge is Scottish and I actually talked about this a fair bit while I was still actively writing the canon and Augus as a main character (which was I think over 5 years ago now). But it was fully intentional, and ties into the fact that the Each Uisge and Glashtyn shouldn't be sharing a lake at all.

I used to talk about this all the time back when I was still writing the canon. You can see a response to an ask here from 2013 which explains it. And here's some of the relevant info:

Mafydd, like Gwyn, Augus and Ash (in this story - the Glashtyn is usually from Manx and the Each Uisge is usually Scottish, but to make Augus and Ash work as brothers, Augus got uprooted when the lake made a mistake, and now they’re both Welsh) are all Welsh and are all - at this time (at the time of The Drawn Bead) - living in Wales.

This was actually going to be explored in a lot more detail in the fourth installment to the Fae Tales canon, (working title Mirror Realms) where the Nightingale escapes and Gwyn, Augus, and Ash all go down into the underworlds to deal with that, and along the way Augus and Ash meet their mirror counterparts, i.e. the genesis of their fae-realm incarnations, and learn why they were both born into the wrong lake years apart.

But yeah, I think the Raven Prince alludes to this several times as well, that Augus is born in the 'wrong lake' and is an atypical waterhorse because of it.

I'm sure it's in some of the canon side stories but that's a lot of words to ctrl+F through so I'll just leave it as 'oh yeah there's a reason this Each Uisge is so sophisticated and different and has a brother when he shouldn't.' Like, the Glashtyn isn't inherently Welsh either!

It was wholly intentional. I mean if you look closely at all the folklore, it's all messed up - Gwyn's entire family lineage, for example. But Augus and Ash both being born on the fae side of Wales and then both of them being completely fucked up because of it was fully intentional. The Glashtyn doesn't look like that, anon. And the Each Uisge was never supposed to be Gentry Courtier, and yet here we are. :D

#asks and answers #this is one of those 'it's a feature not a bug' lol #fully deliberate #i wanted an atypical glashtyn and each uisge #fae tales verse #fae tales canon #fae tales worldbuilding #folklore and fairytales #every each uisge before this one was born in scotland #and then augus and ash got caught up in an Underworld shitstorm #and ended up somewhere that should have killed them both

[water-wind-and-fire-book-blog]

Welcome to the WW&F dark fantasy novel blog!

Do you like reading? Do you like complex tropes and characters? Do you like fae? War? Royalty? Queer representation? WW&F has all of that and more! It’s currently still in the works, but is entirely planned out and is being put into words. On this blog I’ll be posting sneak peaks of scenes and doodles of the characters!

Water, Wind and Fire, a desc:

An empire is not always a kingdom, or castles, or crowns. Sometimes, it can be a small village. There is one thing that all empires have, however. Someone who rules.

War has been raging between Seelie and Unseelie fae for thousands of years now. Empires have fallen, rulers have been slaughtered. Swords can cut, and fire can burn, but the most dangerous quality someone can possess is the power to learn.

Following the kidnapping and presumed death of the newborn Seelie prince, it doesn’t take long for things to go spiraling down, right into the hands of one cunning waterhorse.

#writing #writerscommunity #dark fantasy #fantasy #adult fiction #adult fantasy #ww&f #fantasy books