#wip: the traitor's heir

[italiangothicwriteblr]

Romantic Snippet Tag

Tagged by: @cherrybombfangirlwrites

Tagging: @faithfire @rose-bookblood @bloodlessheirbyjacques @memento-morri-writes and @ink-fireplace-coffee

This is from Draft 1 of TTH!

Livia was combing her fingers through Nova’s dark curls as she talked, and Nova moved as well as she could to rest her head on Livia’s chest. A new, comforting warmth spread through Nova–she would savor every moment like this. In the midst of all the suffering, she could allow herself time to be held by someone who she feared more with each passing day she was falling in love with.

“What happened?” Nova gestured to the cut in her stomach, where a thick, black substance was still trickling out.

“You contracted Dolori. It’s a magical disease, it must have got to you through the Sesolo’s tentacle. It’s rare, but sometimes, after a close encounter with a creature, their powers can seep into the skin. If it’s not treated immediately, it builds up in the body, and eventually the poison becomes too much to take. I didn’t have the necessary tools to extract it, so I just had to let the fluid out.” Livia gestured to the ooze that was accumulating on the floor.

“Thank you.” Nova was definitely halfway in love. To have someone so loyal they would not only break into a prison for her, but do impromptu surgery after finding her near-death from a rare infection. “It’s a good thing you read, I wouldn’t have known what to do.”

“That month I spent a few years ago studying strange diseases in history paid off.” Livia laughed. Then, she raised her hand to Nova’s mouth, wiping away some of the blood. Nova cursed herself that even in this situation, she felt a warm stirring at the touch.

“What happened here?”

“‘S not my blood.” Nova gave herself mental praise for managing to form words, when her thoughts were entirely consumed by their closeness. “My brother’s.”

Livia cocked her head, silently urging Nova to go on. “I needed to escape. I was weak, but I managed to bite him. Took a finger.”

Rather than recoil in disgust, Livia leaned down and pressed a kiss to Nova’s blood-stained lips. Nova was still a bit weak, but hooked one of her arms around Livia’s neck, kissing back with equal fervor. The desire, the awe that flowed through her veins when they were together was the strongest thing she had ever felt. Sitting here, having cheated death once again, she decided that whatever happened, she wouldn’t lose it.

In that moment, she knew. She would risk the stake to have this for as long as she could.

#wip: the traitor's heir #ch: novellia de rege #ch: livia corvi #novellia x livia #my writing

[withtheoldstars]

Hii I was a question soo I was scrolling down ur Tumblr and I Saw posts about a fic called back to black or sm but i cant find It on ao3 .

Did u maybe delete It or am I just dumb?

hello little anon <3

yes, the fic is not up on ao3 anymore!! i guess i was too excited and thought i could handle 3 wip at the same time (i cannot lmao)

but since you didn't get a chance to read here is a little piece of 'Traitor' a jegulus/wolfstar fic:

“My family,” he started, his voice sure and steady. “How good it is to see everyone together, despite the circumstances.” Testing his influence, he rose again, and everyone followed suit. Regulus felt a peculiar sensation as if the air had momentarily left his chest. It resembled a cult, the way his family moved and existed based on obedience, as if nothing else mattered in the world beyond their family, beyond the House of Black. It was almost like being a royal, and indeed, the truth was that it was. Toujours Pur.

Lowering his hand, he observed his family as they took their seats again, his mother being the exception. Walburga lifted her chin and then slowly bowed, waiting. Only after Regulus sat down did his mother follow suit, respecting the hierarchy that now placed Regulus above her. 

“Sir,” Kreacher appeared before the large double doors, bowing slightly. “Another guest has arrived.” The butler seemed uneasy. “We are all here” his mother stated, frowning.

Regulus already knew. He had been feeling it all day. He didn’t need to hear the name being announced because he already knew. “Mr. Sirius Orion Black has arrived.” 

Druella choked on her wine, her hand covering her mouth. Narcissa almost dropped her glass to the floor, and Bellatrix appeared ready to pounce on someone’s neck. The husbands wore expressions of disbelief at the unexpected sight before them. His mother continued to gaze ahead at Regulus, her face frozen, in stark contrast to the rest of the family, who stared at the door in shock. Even though Regulus had anticipated it, he couldn’t quite believe his sight.

Reluctantly, Regulus shifted his eyes toward the door, not wanting to acknowledge, not wanting to recognize. Yet, there he was. Sirius.

He hadn’t seen his older brother in six years, but it was as if time had stood still as Sirius confidently entered the dining room of the family he had betrayed and fled. Regulus could vividly hear his father breaking a wine glass against the wall and overturning his study table, accompanied by angry screams as Sirius’s voice echoed from the television, giving an interview about how the Black family were the worst people in England. The memories overwhelmed him as if he were reliving that moment with the glass flying and cutting into his hand. In a long black coat, wavy hair falling over his face, and grey eyes holding a hint of humour, Sirius continued to walk into the dining room. 

Right behind him was a tall man whom Regulus recognized as the doorman of the Peverell Hotel. Sirius stopped, as the man positioned himself right behind him, and leaned against the tall man’s chest with a smile on his face and a challenge in his eyes. Sirius walked around as if he owned the place—the true heir, the firstborn, Sirius Black III. 

He had come to reclaim his place, to steal Regulus’ position as heir. For, better than a spare, was a true heir taking his rightful place.  Right back where he never should have left. Right back to Black.

#letter #fic: traitor #wolfstar #wolfstar fic #remus lupin #sirius black #jegulus #jegulus fic #regulus black #james potter

[missglaskin]

WIP: UPDATE-12/6 (Fics aka HCS) 

Tamed 

Pairing: Aemond x reader 

Your brother could forgive many things. Ignoring your studies. Using such foul language in court. Sneaking outside to the stables. Refusing to learn how to sew or dance. But what he will not overlook is you messing around with boys, nobles, and knights alike. Neither will he tolerate you speaking back to him.

Queenmaker 

Pairing: Criston Cole x reader 

He has made you the queen. Now your sworn knight wants nothing more than your love and devotion.

An expired thrill 

Pairing: Aemond x reader x Aegon

Sick of your brothers treating you like a doll. You make the decision to rebel. Only to quickly come to regret it. 

An eye for a son 

Pairing: E4E!Aemond x reader (Part 3)

You finally began to play the game of thrones. Filling all of your roles. A traitor's daughter. A hostage. And at last, a dutiful wife. 

A fair exchange 

Pairing: E4E!Aegon x reader

It should have been you. It was always you.

Deflowered 

Pairing: Daemon Targaryen x step daughter!darling

Daemon abhorred the arrangement, and with each step toward the altar and each vow uttered, his rage grew. Until his gaze fell upon you, his newlywed's daughter.

Duty above all

Pairing: Corlys Velaryon x daughter in law!reader

Seeing his son refuse to do what is expected of him-providing Driftmark with an heir. Corlys decides to take the matter into his own hands.

#daemon targaryen x reader #hotd x reader #yandere hotd #yandere house of the dragon #house of the dragon x reader #aemond targaryen x reader #aegon ii targaryen x reader #criston cole x reader

[tinderbox210]

Title: The Mistress Fandom: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Pairing: La'an Noonien-Singh/Spock/T'Pring Rating: E Chapters: 1 of ? Setting: AU, partly inspired by this idea

Summary: When the life of the heir to the Vulcan throne is at stake, La’an gets assigned for his protection. Under the disguise of being the prince's personal servant and mistress, La’an must navigate courtly protocols at the palace while looking out for traitors and stopping assassination attempts. But when the forbidden growing feelings between Prince Spock and his mistress start to jeopardize her mission and threaten to blow her cover, La’an has to face a personal challenge like never before. Things get even more complicated once Spock’s fiance enters the picture, leading to a sinful ménage à trois...

Read on AO3

“Finish a WIP you're scared of”

#star trek: strange new worlds #spock x la'an x t'pring #la'an x spock #spock x la'an #spocklaan #la'an x t'pring #spock x t'pring #la'an noonien singh #spock #t'pring #snw au #spocklaan au #fanfiction #my fanfiction #finish your fucking fics february #fanfic bingo

[yellow-faerie]

Tell us about the fires of agni 👀

[From this post of my current WIPs, if anyone is curious ;)]

Ah yes, (one of) my Lu Ten lives AU which finally has a name!

The basic premise is that Lu Ten gets really, terribly injured at the siege of Ba Sing Se and ends up being returned to the Capital to recover; meanwhile, Firelord Azulon refuses to let Iroh return as well and so Iroh deserts with the intention of returning anyway and absconding with his son but ends up having a journey of self-discovery where he realises that the Fire Nation is shit, actually, and he has a new goal of Reformation TM.

In the capital, Lu Ten is recovering and also watching Shit Go Down TM as Ozai is a piece of shit. Too injured, he can't do much while everything happens very similarly to canon. Ozai says that Iroh is a traitor for leaving (which Azulon may grudgingly agree with) and that his line should take the throne; but then Azulon is like...Lu Ten is still alive and I like him more than you, to prove that you are actually still loyal, I want you to kill your daughter (and remove a potential threat).

Azula overhears - so does Ursa - and then things Go Down, as Ursa leaves the Capital after protecting her children in the best way she can.

Now Lu Ten is the only reasonably responsible adult in the area and he's like...twenty two, he should not be put in charge of children.

He gets on better with Zuko, but he is probably closer with Azula; he sees a lot of himself in her, especially the pressure that she obviously feels that she is under (although the pressure on him as a child was a little less intentional). He also has Complicated Feelings TM over his own father.

He has a fiancée drifting about, and there will definitely be a few more OCs of varying importances, but the end result of the palace is that when Zuko is banished, Lu Ten goes with him at Ozai's request, and Azula sneaks aboard too - for character reasons I have yet to properly establish, but the point of this fic is that the three potential heirs to the throne are on a ship, in the middle of the ocean, and they are varying degrees of angry at pretty much everything.

And have some shit to deal with.

Iroh is doing White Lotus shit everywhere and making up for War Crimes TM while Mai and Ty Lee are in the Capital being specially trained as Ozai's special operatives since his daughter ran away and refuses to appear again. He gets married again and probably has a baby kid with the poor woman, because both his heirs are currently Missing In Action and he can't have that (but, then again, he might also think that this means he won't be usurped because he's a bit doolally)

Lu Ten might be a nonbender, or he might be a prodigious firebender, I vacillate between the two ideas on the regular. Either way, he definitely know all the theory and he and his fiancée (her name is Hai Lien and she's one of the Imperial Firebenders and I could talk about her All Day) train the two younger firebenders.

Then plot happens? The vibes are vague, they keep coming across the White Lotus because Iroh is definitely keeping tabs on them. Season 2 is probably where the canon diverges properly - they end up on the run from Ozai who wants the both of them dead as he has his new heir and doesn't see the use in having any of them still alive, and they are both Convinced TM that they can be the one their father wants back.

Ty Lee and Mai are the ones sent after them, lead by Ozai's new wife - no name yet, just a terrifying bender with a lot of power and little precision; there is a lot of accidental arson that she does not feel sorry for - and like, the amount of effort they put in is Very Minimal; all of Ozai's attempts to make them loyal agents of the Fire Nation have made them go actually, no, not this thanks and loyalty to their old friends outweighs their loyalty to him.

Which means that Ba Sing Se goes hella different. First of all, the Jasmine Dragon still exists but Iroh created it like two years ago as a place for the White Lotus to meet up and this is where the fam all meet back with Iroh.

Second of all, no betrayal. Azula's not there to be all manipulative, it's only Long Feng and the wife who is a) not an emotionally significant figure for either of them and b) evidence that Ozai has really moved on from them - so when she's like you could come home :) neither Zuko nor Azula need Iroh to convince them not to go (although, I've been playing around with the idea that one of them might choose to go - either Zuko because he wants to believe his father, or Azula because she wants to believe her father - and the other staying but I shall see when I get there).

The walls still fall but I think Aang probably doesn't die - unless I make Ozai's wife go apeshit (as in, crazy firestorm that will Kill Everything which I might do) - and the Gaang gets the bedraggled remnants of the Fire Nation royal family (although Iroh peaces out to go do White Lotus stuff - noteably before getting told about the Day of Black Sun because I still want that to fail? I love AUs but I hate diverging too much apparently lol

Anyway; Lu Ten and Hai Lien stay with the Water Tribe fleet while the others go off with the Avatar. Things follow along as they do; Lu Ten and Hai Lien get captured by the Fire Nation after the failed invasion but they escape together, helping out a few other prisoners as well, if either Zuko or Azula go back to the Fire Nation (an idea I'm tempted by just so that the Gaang has a reason to know about the airships) then they return soon after the invasion.

The finale: Fire Fam feat. Katara go off to defeat Ozai's wife (left behind to Defend the Homeland). Lu Ten and Hai Lien meet the others at the airships, having used their escape to hijack one and cause chaos.

Zuko gets crowned because Iroh is like I sure as ain't having that, and Lu Ten is like...I have never wanted something less in my life (which is the end to some of his arc, where he's trying not to let everyone else's pressure get to him, kinda, it's very vague), but they're all very supportive to him, he has a whole family of people ready to help rule the country, he's just the guy officially in charge.

Ozai's in prison; his wife is either dead because accident or dead because she refused to be put in prison; the baby they had is probably barely a year or two old at this point so they are raised almost entirely by their weirdo family.

If I continued the fic, I'd probably rewrite some of The Search, so that Ursa hasn't lost her memories and now that the war is over, she returns to the palace. There's a lot of hurt feelings but they make up and they gain a Proper Parental Figure in her.

Also Kiyi exists because I think she's cute, but Ikem might not because I did not vibe with him. I kind of like the idea of Ursa and Hakoda hitting it off but nothing much happening because separate responsibilities, they just make sure to see each other a bit.

Anyway? Those are the vibes? That's kinda the plot?

There's a lot more character in between the lines, and I would like to add more of the Gaang to it because they're great; I also would like to make a disclaimer that Ozai's wife is not like Azula lite, just to replace her because she's good in this fic.

When I added her, I was slightly worried that that was how she would come across but I think she's very much a separate character - Ozai married her for her raw power but she is young and simply doesn't have the discipline to control it, showing a very important lesson about the uncontrollability of fire; she is also an avid imperialist, beyond the societal imperialism built into the Fire Lord system. Again, vibes - hopefully when I do eventually write this, she doesn't come off as Azula lite.

As for the other OCs! The only important ones I can think of now are Hai Lien (who is there through most of it as she is both a) an avid defender of Lu Ten as a person (either because she's in love with him or they're besties) and b) an avid defender of Lu Ten as the True Heir to the Throne, which is an entire thing going on - she goes through her own anti-imperialism arc herself as they're travelling, which probably ends in her joining the White Lotus; Lu Ten doesn't because he is determined to retire before thirty, that becomes like his entire life goal) and also the little sibling, but they probably become more important in a post series fic/writing.

I honestly don't have much for them, other than that they exist as a necessity for what Ozai is doing.

Anyway, once again, these are the vibes! Specific questions are very welcomed, I get far too distractable and I can miss this in my descriptions.

Here's a little snippet from what I've written already:

Lu Ten doesn’t wake up so much as drift through different states of consciousness until he’s more awake than not.

Everything hurts – a stabbing, rough pain from every slight movement he makes – so he focuses on his breath. Each one comes in deep into the stomach and out with a slow control, a pattern that’s been ingrained from a decade and a half of training under the Dragon of the West.

There’s a soft gasp beside him and he realises someone is holding his hand as it’s squeezed.

“Lu?” Hai Lien whispers, almost disbelieving, and Lu Ten forces his eyes open.

It’s dim, the candles few and each a cool red, but he has to squint all the same to get used to it. It takes him a moment to gather his wits about him, before he realises that this isn’t the eight person tent in the siege camp that he had begun to call home but is instead a cabin within a navy ship.

“You’re awake,” she says, disbelief shining in her dark eyes as her voice shakes. “You’re - oh spirits.”

She runs a hand through her hair (the one not tangled with Lu Ten’s upon the sheets) which is down and more dishevelled than he thinks he’s ever seen it.

“Oh-” She stands from her seiza at his bedside to call through the half open door. “Hey, go get the healers, tell them his highness has woken.”

“Hai?” Lu tries to say as her expression starts to get frenzied; if the dark bags beneath her eyes are anything to go by, she must be exhausted, but he could tell that just from how she was acting. He wants to tell her to go find somewhere to sleep, to get rest for both their sakes, but just trying to say her name alone hurts.

“No, no, don’t try and speak,” she says, her attention focussing entirely on him as she strokes back a lock of hair. “Just...try and stay awake for me, while the healers come. They’ll need to do some more tests, work out what they missed while you were...out of it.”

He wants to nod, wants to agree in some way but the longer he stays conscious, the more everything starts to blur together and hurt.

“And no dying either,” she continues, her voice getting wet with uncried tears, “I don’t want to write to your father if you do.”

So his father was still alive.

Oh that was good.

Everything is too fuzzy in his head to think straight, he can’t even work out why or how he’s even here.

There was a battle, that was right. They were taking advantage of the breach in the wall to take more of the agrarian zone and push into the lower ring and he had been distracted-

And he’d had tea and Pai Sho with his father the night before; he’d been planning the conversation for weeks, pacing anxiously around camp with Hai Lien at his side, but he’d been a coward in the end and didn’t manage to tell him the truth.

The door to the cabin opens and two healers file in.

“Your highness!” One exclaims, their voice wavery and thin over the rushing in Lu Ten’s ears, and Hai Lien’s warm hand in his falls away.

The healer’s fingers are cold, is the last cognisant thought he has before he falls back into the streams of unconsciousness.

#thank you so much for the ask :) #I love talking about my fic probably even more than I like writing my fic #It's so much easier to just vomit ideas onto the page than trying to create a cognisant narrative lol #anyway this fic is dear to me I have thought and developed this a lot over the years #Lu Ten Lives AU #Lu Ten #Fire Nation Royal Family #OC: Hai Lien #AtLA #Avatar #The Fires of Agni #Ask #Ask Game #Anonymous

[corpocyborg]

WIP - The Beginning is the End is the Beginning

"Johnny Silverhand?" Frank Nostra repeated, incredulous.

"That's correct," V confirmed. "His engram, anyway. On one of our Secure Your Soul relics."

Nostra furrowed his brow, his gaze shifting distractedly to the holographic koi fish circling outside the windows of V's office.

V rapped her knuckles quietly against the surface of her desk as she waited for him to speak. She respected Nostra, and their quarterly reviews proved they worked together far more harmoniously than their predecessors had, but the burning knowledge of this particular piece of intel would not allow her to remain inactive for long.

"And you're sure—one hundred percent sure—that the seller is who you think it is?"

"Yorinobu Arasaka," V enunciated the name slowly and clearly. "You can say it, you know. My office isn't bugged."

"You'd better hope it's not," Nostra retorted sharply. "That's the emperor's son you're accusing. The heir apparent. If you're wrong—"

"And if I'm right," V interrupted him, "then there's a crack in the very foundation of Arasaka's legacy. If a splinter like that is allowed to spread—"

"Okay, okay," Nostra interrupted her in turn, "Let me think for a minute."

"All right, Frank. I understand your caution completely. But we're on a sensitive time table here."

"So you've mentioned. This source of yours at NetWatch—what did you say his name was?"

"I didn't." V frowned. "And I won't now, either. He risked his life to bring me that intel."

"I'm sure he did, V, but without proof, I don't see how we can go any further up the rungs with this."

"We are, respectively, the Directors of Arasaka Counter Intel and Spec Ops, and you're telling me there's nothing we can do about intel that indicates that Saburo Arasaka's son is a traitor?"

Nostra winced, and despite her earlier claims of security, V felt a slight twitch in her neck. She had to restrain herself from turning her head to check that they weren't being overheard. 

"I didn't say that," he clarified. "I said we need more proof."

"Nostra, I told you, the deal's supposed to go down tonight."

"Yes. At Konpeki Plaza. I remember." 

#jumping up and down #so excited about this work #cyberpunk 2077 #wip #fanfiction

[helioselene]

HELIOSELENE -> A WRITEBLR REINTRODUCTION;

your hunger bleeds into my skin seeping into my veins as if it's my life force;

psd credit; @cavalierfou

about me;

hi! im molly, 22, she/her. ive been on writeblr for a few years now but i figured its about time i throw myself back into the tumblr writing world !

when im not writing im a student specialising in human rights and global politics

if you ever want to yell about enemies to lovers (the best trope) im always here !!!

my favourite book is the song of achilles; however, im also quite partial to pride and prejudice, the picture of dorian gray and also the seven husbands of evelyn hugo :)

uhh im also a basketballer if that's cool hehe

main wips;

graces to the grave;

wip page (x) | wip tag (x) | pinterest board (x)

 Juliette allowed herself to breathe, to pretend that, even for just a moment, she wasn’t consumed by a legacy born in bloodshed. Victorian London is on the precipice of destruction. As civil war breaks out between the city’s most formidable gangs, Juliette Edevane finds herself with a daring mission: kill the leaders of the Bonellis and secure her position as heir to London’s underworld. But orchestrating the deaths of Ruth and Cassius Granville is not as simple as it may seem. 

Juliette is swept into a world of murder, magic, and marriage - where a wedding between her and a long-time rival may signify the line between success and failure in her mission. Armed with such an alliance, she must navigate the dangerous waters of a London built on the blood of gang rivalries, where betrayal and death hides around every corner. And yet, with her own heart on the line, she must confront where her true allegiances lie: with her gang, with her husband, or with those she once thought to be her greatest enemies.

the further we fall;

wip page (x) | pinterest board (x)

It was at that moment I realised just how much of a tragedy love could be. To have loved without hope or comfort, to be separated by a metaphorical chasm of social class and indignity. Love had only ever caused my slave-born mother to feel great heartache, to reach and yearn for something she would always, and forever, be but a fingertips breadth from.

Icarus is a boy made of fire and brimstone, destined to never live up to his father's legacy. Growing up in the Cretan palace was everything a commoner like him could ever dream of; but night after night he falls asleep listening to the sounds of poor Asterion in the Labyrinth, another son born from cruelty, who screams and hollers for the love of his parents.

When the opportunity to help Ariadne and Theseus to break into the Labyrinth arises, Icarus throws himself headfirst into the task. He vows to be something more, something better, and yet his own traitorous actions threaten to come to light.

All little Icarus wanted was his father's approval. But how can a gods-cursed boy like him ever be someone worthy of love?

backburners;

mermaid wip [high fantasy little mermaid x sleeping beauty]

elemental wip [high fantasy political intrigue]

redacted wip [co-written secret work in progress]

other links;

wip page (x)

mutuals page (x)

about me page (x)

asks (x)

find me;

writing twitter (x)

ao3 (x)

welcome to writeblr [as a mod] (x)

the writeblr garden [as a mod] (x)

ask for my discord

tagging;

@seasteading @sourrcandy @veneritia @mortallynuttyqueen @scaevolawrites @wordsbynathan @songbirdii @lasbrumas @moariin @serpentarii

any boosting (especially reblogs) is helpful! thank you so much :)

#IM BACK BABY #wtwcommunity #writeblr #writers on tumblr #writeblr introduction #introduction #writing #spilled ink #writers #writers and poets

[thistlecatfics]

I HAVE to ask about the sirius/narcissa role reversal, obviously.

it's the fic we talked about! I can't quite remember the premise but something like Narcissa is the prisoner of azkaban but Sirius breaks her out? and hides her in Grimmauld Place and Walburga's portrait never shuts up about them.

WIP is a strong word for this string of dialogue and some assorted notes I have written:

[Aurors try to search Grimmauld Place and portrait Walburga convinces them not to by ranting about Sirius being a blood traitor]

N: “She did it for me, you self-centered man.”

W: “I did it because this house needs an heir of name and blood.”

Silence.

W: “Oh you cannot possibly think you were being subtle? I couldn’t avoid hearing your pleasure if I tried, and that vase you broke sweeping it off the table was a gift from xyz.” 

Silence. 

W: “I know this house.”

Silence. 

Walburga: “Now, if the past two weeks has been any indication, your silly fight will lead to conjugal relations in roughly three minutes, and I believe that Narcissa may have regained enough strength from Azkaban to carry a pregnancy. I haven’t yet determined the cycle of her monthly bleed, but you might as well get on with it.” 

[muffled shuffling, whispers]

Sirius: “I can’t bloody well get it up if my mother is listening and, worse, approving!” 

Walburga: [sarcastically] “Oh, I have middle-class sensibilities and am scandalised by the union of cousins. Is that better, Sirius?”

#siricissa #blackcest

[akechi-stole-my-heart]

soooo for royal trio day five: au i wanted to have a whole one shot ready but unfortunately,, life. so, in its place i present to you a short excerpt from what i have written. it isn't explicitly royal trio yet but i promise the whole au will be once there's more of it. my plan is to write this au as a series of one shots written whenever the muse strikes me next as a secondary wip.

royal trio week - day five - au

Sumire’s spent her whole life looking up to Kasumi. Watching her, admiring her, mirroring her every action and opinion. In a sense, that was all training for this, now. Pretending to be Kasumi will be easy. Kasumi was only the heir to the Yoshizawa line, betrothed to the Emperor’s son, and the perfect princess in every way. Polite, social, kind, and above all—beloved by everyone who knew her. All while making it look easy.

You’re nothing like Lady Kasumi.

Sumire grits her teeth and opens her eyes to glare at the Persona. I told you to leave me alone, she bites back.

I miss Lady Kasumi.

Sumire’s glare softens. Tears well up in her eyes, though she fights not to allow them to fall. I miss her too, she thinks, but does not project to the Persona. She’s not certain if that will make any difference. Was the Persona privy to her every thought—each traitorous, pathetic emotion? She won’t ask. Sumire would rather pretend the Persona doesn’t exist at all. Besides, she shouldn’t be thinking about any of this—about the Persona, about Kasumi, and the past. She’ll only break down and hasten the fate that's coming for her eventually.

Sumire must think of the present alone. The past is gone, the future unknown, and anything but the here and now ultimately irrelevant. Grief can come later—better yet, not at all.

So Sumire tucks away all her fear, sorrow, and anger, and shoves it into the dark recesses of her mind which holds the events that led her to this carriage ride. And determines never to think of them again. After all, she is Yoshizawa Kasumi, and Kasumi never doubted herself. She seized the day without hesitation. She never regretted a thing. 

A princess can't afford to regret.

She peeks out through the blinds again. It’s something Kasumi would do, after all; unable to contain her excitement, wishing to familiarize herself with her new people. She doesn’t think about her family. She doesn't think about the lies. Most of all, she doesn't think about the dried flakes of blood still sticking to the undersides of her fingernails.

When she steps out of the carriage, Kasumi wears a flawless smile. The carefully applied beauty mark on her cheek remains perfectly in place, unsmudged by tears. She allows her servants to bustle about and escort her the short distance to the foot of the Palace, where the man she will one day wed stands to greet her.

His smile is just as wide as her own. And equally as fake.

“Princess Yoshizawa Kasumi,” the prince intones, his voice sweet and buttery. “It is an honor to welcome you to your new home.”

“I am honored to come home,” says Princess Kasumi, completing the proper and respectful exchange. She bows to the boy who’s haunted her dreams for months and occupied most of her waking thoughts. He utterly enraptured her heart and soul from the moment her sister—from the moment she received his very first letter. “Prince Shido Goro.”

#sera writes #its the arranged marriage au i drew some art for way back when hehe #akira is also here i prommy... #he's goro's closest servant and confidant :) and also a spy :) #royal trio week #royal trio

[hms-tardimpala]

marriage of convenience bagginshield for the WIP game! the title has me 👀

EEEEEEE!! I'm so happy you asked about this one because (even though I love all my WIPs) this is my current baby. Apologies if this gets long.

Now, I love stories about royal marriages: they can be loveless, hateful, friendly, a business relationship, a mutual beard to hide behind, any number of things. And the potential for sexual frustration is high, and I like that.

I was having fun worldbuilding's Erebor's economical renaissance, and wondered "where would Bilbo and Thorin stand in this universe?" (although I like the story of The Hobbit as it is, in fic, I want Thorin to live and deal with the fallout of his actions) and the most interesting answer was that their relationship is fucked.

In my fic, they fell in love on the road, but while Thorin was goldsick, he married Bilbo in a fit of possessiveness, and was abusive. (to be clear, not sexual assault, but he was really pushy and possessive and ultimately, as we see in the movie, violent.) They stay married because Bilbo knows he wouldn't fit in and would be lonely if he went back to the Shire, and Thorin would have to find another consort and have an heir, and he refuses to pass on his susceptibility to goldsickness. It's better for the kingdom's stability. Also, the person they fell in love with is still there, right? (no they're not, these are all the wrong reasons, can you tell this is a terrible idea?)

I want to show how they become a very efficient ruling team as the years go on but on the personal side their relationship dies. I'm going to create a marriage that is so depressing. In public they look fine, but in private they don't touch, don't discuss their feelings, have separate rooms, etc. I want them to have created these coping mecanisms, walls of fear and guilt at the very beginning, but being unable to take them down when they want to later (which they will, yay).

It's about healing, abuse, duty, addiction (if I can fit it in, otherwise this one'll be a fic of its own), friendship, desire, and how these things mix together when they shouldn't and the result is ugly and not therapy-approved. And I want it to have a happy ending because I believe in healing and forgiveness.

Snippet time! Sorry it's long, I'm a wordy bastard. Careful, the vibes are rancid:

The wizard’s expression darkened, but he started moving again nonchalantly. “We had a similar nightly discussion some time ago. I warned you about Thorin and the effect dragon sickness would have on him. You told me you were not afraid of him, despite everything. Have you revised your opinion?” Bilbo kept walking, but it felt like a heavy stone had dropped inside his stomach. A shiver crept up his neck as the painful sensation of strong hands on his thighs and sides came back to him. He remembered the throat-tightening fear as he listened to Thorin rant and rave, go from gentle to threatening in an instant, Bilbo in his wake never knowing if this time he would escape the king’s fury or be discovered for the traitor he was and choked by a hand heavy with gold rings. He saw again the leering, the unbridled desire, the possessiveness. Thorin covering him in riches and bedding him on top of his cursed gold like he was one of his things to use as he pleased. [...] What happened didn’t matter because Bilbo couldn’t afford to grant it importance. The fact was that when he married Thorin Oakenshield, he married a dragon. A dragon that had since then disappeared, but who could tell that it wasn’t lying in wait, observing Bilbo hungrily from behind beloved blue eyes? “I haven’t,” he told Gandalf. “I don’t fear Thorin, I fear what he could become if he’s not watched.” “It is not your responsibility to watch over him, Bilbo,” the wizard said gently. It is. And not because Bilbo had taken hollow-sounding vows during a travesty of a ceremony hastily held in the treasury. He hadn’t needed a title or a formal bonding to jump between Azog and Thorin, to deliver him from giant spiders or the cells of Mirkwood, or to endorse his plea to the Master of Laketown.

This is gonna be unhealthy before it gets better.

Anyway, I hope you don't mind how long this got. Thank you so much for asking, it made me so happy to tell you about it 💙

#ask game #answered #somfte

[italiangothicwriteblr]

Hello dear! ⚔️ - What was the last great battle about in your world? What were the consequences of this?

Hey! Thanks for the ask!

The last big battle in my world happened about 30 years before the events of the story. It was a small rebellion of nobles who didn’t like the King, and resulted in the country being split in half, and two new monarchs taking over the different sides. The war completely drained the North of resources, and while the South retained their wealth, they were plunged into tyranny.

There were also major consequences abroad—the new Southern king almost immediately waged war on Bellamagna, one of the neighbor nations, while all the others suddenly had to decide whether to ally with the North or South. So by the time of the story Bellamagna is war torn, Candemero is trying to placate both nations, Vinoseta is a battle ground, and Maricca refuses to choose a side because they think the Circians are idiots (they fought three wars against them throughout their history, they are done with the nonsense)

#wip: the traitor's heir

[mysticstarlightduck]

Flash Fiction Friday:

Prompt: The Devil You Forgot.

@flashfictionfridayofficial, @lassiesandiego, @writernopal, @lyutenw, @rickie-the-storyteller, @writeblrcafe

Snippet from my Gothic Victorian Fantasy WIP - Enchanted Illusions.

“The Devil You Forgot:”

The trio was surrounded, in that decrepit old mansion’s library, there was little place to hide, much less, from this man. Silas Holloway, the most powerful vampire lord currently living - the first to strike down his Maker in order to ascend into power, and he was out for blood of the heir to the Van Sterlling family. 

The night was eerily silent, almost artificially cold. Silently, Clarence looked for a way out, though from chosen every path, a new vampire seemed to emerge from the shadows just before they could walk any further. Behind him, Evangeline grabbed a book from a shelf, as if it would be any good against a mob of vampires, and Thaddeus reached for his gun, knowing the lead bullets would just bounce off of any of his targets. They crouched together behind a sturdy bookshelf, careful not to make a sound as they watched shadows flicker on the faint moonlight from across the other aisles, and the creaking floors gave away their enemies approach. There was no way out. 

“You know, your father tried to do this too, a few centuries ago” A sharp, male voice echoed throughout the vast room, as if all around them. A strangled noise of fear left Clarence’s throat, but he quickly silenced himself with a hand over his mouth. Evangeline placed an arm around his shoulder as the man continued. “Thought he could escape me. He was smart, very smart. Quite a lot like you - even managed to betray me and escape unharmed.” A chuckle echoed across the dark room, and Clarence struggled not to hyperventilate, knowing it would only give away their compromised hiding spot. Thaddeus all but growled, gripping his pistol harder as he tried to see where the older vampire was talking from. “Of course, I found him, eventually. But I couldn’t catch him, and he slipped right through my fingers once more.” The man’s voice reeked with hatred behind his sarcastic facade “I would have tore this earth apart to bring that traitor to justice, but then I realized how kind the Makers can be, as he left me something far more valuable than his life, the one thing that he loved more than spiting my line of work” Silas paused, and the trio realized, with a pang, where the vampire had been standing. “A son.”

That word cut like a thousand blades as the other vampire towered over them. 

At the same moment, all of the other vampires emerged from the shadows, forming a circle behind Silas and crushing any hopes of escape under the soles of their boots. In the darkness of the library, Silas’ cruel smile shone a sickly white glow. Clarence stands on shaky feet, trying to stare down the vampire and defend the last bit of honor his House has. But all that he can do is look fearfully ahead, his eyes not nearly as unmoved as he would’ve liked. He notices Thaddeus moving his pistol upwards from the corner of his eyes, and swiftly catches his friend’s arm with one hand. That’s just going to make things worse, he shakes his head quickly, never once looking away from Silas. With less confidence than he would have liked, he steps forward, placing himself so that the weight of the Vampire Lord’s wrath falls solely on him, and not in his human friends. 

“What do you want with me?” Clarence asks, voice far shakier than he would have liked. He stiffles a wince when Silas chuckles, a cruel sound. To his terror, Clarence suddenly becomes aware of the distinct, horrid smell of silver. 

“To collect what I am owed” Silas says through gritted teeth, and before any of the three can say anything, he has a hand to the young vampire’s throat, keeping him from running and lifting him off the ground. A silver ring sizzles his way into the younger vampire’s skin in an agonizing burn, but the Vampire Lord just laughs, unmoved even though the silver ring is upon his own skin. Behind them, his allies move to restrain the two humans, who had tried to defend their friend valiantly. Silas smirks as Clarence uselessly tries to thrash his way out of his grip, bringing him closer and lowering his voice. “After all, your father seems to have well forgotten that the price of treason is blood.”

#writing #my writing #my characters #victorian vampires #flash fiction friday

[alistonjdrake]

In the middle of all the other rainbow-washed promotion being thrown into your faces, I’d like to remind everyone of the existence of my main series (or at least the three currently available) 

THE SAINTS SONG SERIES

When the young and spoiled Prince Argus meets the troubled and broody pirate Leonardo Dianglo during the investigation into a missing ship, their alliance turns into a forbidden romance that not only changes their life but the course of an empire. Assassination plots, the threat of continental war, drama between noble houses, pirates & privateers, rebellion, class conflict, and living gods promise to tear them apart if Argus’ behavior and Leo’s moods don’t first.

TSS is a low/court intrigue adult fantasy with a primarily LGBT+ and POC cast.

Main Characters 

Prince Argus an’Frederick Harver

As the youngest of ten and born a bastard, Argus walks around with a chip on his shoulder. A pretty boy with a less than charming demeanor, Argus is the route of court gossip for his vicious tongue and impeccable fashion. 

Loves shoes, sweet & savory tarts, pudding, horses, and dancing. Hates his older brothers Manolo & Naldo, the smell of cooking meat, and being ignored.

Leonardo “Leo” Dianglo

An ex-naval officer and strategist and a currently unhappily sometimes drunk sailor. Whether pirate or privateer, Leo is charged with guardianship over two kids who may or may not be human, the heavy task of keeping Escana waters safe while half the people he knows want him dead, and being the most hated in-law in the empire’s history. 

Loves blondes, talking about ship wrecks, good stews, rum, days without bullshit. Hates magical bullshit, people who don’t take care of their kids, politics, the Order of the Knights

Prince Leonides an’Frederick Harver

The second oldest of the Harver children and, while not heir to the throne, some believe he should be. Cunning, calculated, quick-witted, and reclusive, Prince Leonides is known as the eyes and ears of Graza Palace as well as the closest adviser to the emperor.  He doesn’t seem to have much of a personal life and he prefers it that way.

Loves ridiculously small coffee cups, coffee, reading illegal newspapers, and emotionally blackmailing his family.  Hates secrets, people snooping into his business, and reasonably sized coffee cups. 

Hartanti Telak

Yenesh mistress, most beautiful woman on the continent, disgraced concubine of the Sau Maltoq. Whatever is whispered about Hartanti, only some of it is true and the others all uninteresting lies. A spy, an assassins, and a spurned traitor. What is known for certain is that she leaves a lot of unhappy (if not dead) exes in her wake. 

Loves gold paint & jewelry, survival, poetry, music, and the smell of roasting vegetables. Hates liars, when things don’t go as planned, and stupidity. 

Mel Dunham

Born and raised on a pirate ship, the stupidly named Mel (not his full name) is not like other kids. Violent tendencies, reckless behavior, being often stalked by monsters, and burdened with terrible nightmares, he has way more on his plate than simply reforming his criminal ways. 

Loves birds, sea creatures, bullying his not-boyfriend, sharp objects, pickpocketing, and general mischief Hates his full name, being given responsibilities, his father, and most royalty.

The Others

All the other Harvers can be read about here, here, and here

These are more comprehensive cast lists in relation to books one, two, and three.

You can also find a tourist’s guide to Graza City (one of the main settings) here

And a lot can be discovered about the world of TSS through clicking on the posts liked on the wip intros.

Please send an ask if you want to know more, be tagged in future posts, etc.! Or just respond to this lol.

#writeblr #fantasy writeblr #wip intro #lgbt+ characters #lgbt fantasy #fantasy WIP #decided to do another one so I can keep track of past posts and because I made that graphic for twitter #so I might as well get more use out of it #hoping this gives me the boost to finish book 3 and move onto 4!

[kiraofthewind]

Villains in my Good Thyme Inn trilogy

Post about the villains, antags, and general annoyances to my heroes in my current wip

The Barons of Aleton:

Scalvonian (191-248 r. 215) Went to war during the War for Munil, lost bitterly, acquired a parasite that made him eat constantly, always tired, and had difficulty having children. Did not produce an heir until he was almost 40 years old. He sold the Good Thyme Inn to Yamma in 218 after the war, when he was broke and had to pay his soldiers. The queen demanded he pay them immediately or else he'd lose his baronial title and be sent to prison. Died of complications of parasitic infection in 248.

Duvela (230-263 r. 248) Spent much of her adult life building her coffers so she or her descendants could buy the inn back. She was careful to obey the queen’s laws, and thus never caused problems for Marmalade or Shallot. Her caution around the queen was believed to have been caused by a fierce argument they had once that tarnished their relationship. Her death (at age 33) was suspicious, and many believe the queen hired a merchant of dance to kill her.

Velderash (252-297 r. 263) A spoiled brat raised by the regent-steward, Mr. Cloth (219-292). As an adult ruling independently, he was greedy and increased prices/rents whenever he felt he could get away with it. Tried to gradually price Shallot out of the inn so he could buy it back from her. His death in 297 was a supposed “hunting accident,” but it's heavily implied he was killed by Grilled.

Mavolo (275-300) Notoriously corrupt, greedy, and all-around shitty. Increased rent and prices on everything to astronomical levels as part of Adviser Anya’s plan for Aloutia which included the dissolution of rent limits. In the year 300, he was buried alive by Shallot and her boys. The Anti-Greed Army, a revolutionary army comprised of soldiers who deserted from the Aloutian Imperial Army, came in and took credit for his murder.

Riova b. 295 During the revolt, she escaped to safety thanks to a servant taking her to Dawndorrel. She tries to reclaim her ‘birthright’ in 310 (this is part of the Greed Wars Cycle pentalogy, not this trilogy, but I would have been remiss to not mention her existence).

Mr. Cloth, the steward, is a minor book 1 antagonist who will die in a horrible way that only serves to show how badass the heroes are.

Captain Brewer, the Captain of the Guard, is also a minor antagonist who may actually turn to the side of the heroes. I haven't decided what his fate will be. He might die in the revolution, or he might turn traitor and help protect the town after the revolution. We'll see.

Imperial Adviser Anya is mentioned throughout the book, but she's outside the scope of the Bad Company's sphere of influence. She lives far away, in the Imperial Capital city, and she has magic powers that make her invincible to mere commoners. Her death occurs over the course of events in these books, but is not described, nor do the Bad Company have anything to do with it. Her tale is told in the Greed Wars Cycle pentalogy.

#gtwbc #motgti #whagtih #pentagonaldominion #kira writes #kirasfantasyworld

[friendlyneighborhood-writer]

Hi! I'm also willing to ramble about my WIPs in exchange for hearing about yours!

My main WIP right now is a trilogy called City of Marble, and I'm currently drafting Book 1- The Traitor's Heir.

It's about a girl, Novellia, born with magic in a government that oppresses it, and the inciting incident of the story is her brother Ottavio turning her and their other magical friend in. She gets sent away to boarding school with the corrupt king's other nobles, and eventually has to learn to navigate court without letting her secret out.

At the same time, I'm working on a prequel, The King and The Fool. It's a split POV between the two CoM characters I love the most--Enrico and Giacomo. This one details the way the corrupt rulers came to power (It was a little Enrico's fault. Long story short: He accidentally gave up state secrets while drunk and got his friends killed)

Your intro post looks super interesting, and I'd love to hear more about your writing.

--Joy (@italiangothicwriteblr)

Oh, that sounds amazing! It kind of gives me Merlin vibes, but with higher stakes and more glam :)

"Long story short: He accidentally gave up state secrets while drunk and got his friends killed)" Okay, not gonna lie, that made me laugh a bit. Obviously it's horrible that all of that happens, but that seems like such an insignificant thing, but then it plays out horribly and. Yeah. I love that trope

I went searching through my wips and found one that's been on hold for a few months, but that I'd love to pick back up sometime. It's a fantasy duology (with the respective titles being "The King's Challenge" and "The Queen's Victory") that takes place in a country where anyone of age can challenge the ruling king for the crown. Jules is finally eighteen, and wastes no time in challenging their seemingly benevolent king for his involvement in the death of her parents. There's just two problems: one, no woman has ever ruled, let alone challenged the current king. And two: the court is full of gossip, and Jules might just learn some things about her parents that she won't like.

#writeblr #other writers

[memento-morri-writes]

Happy STS, Morri! What is the hardest choice any character has to make in one of your WIPs?

Happy STS, Rose!!

I think that the hardest choice that I know for a fact someone has to make is Fallon's decision of what to do with Lavinia. I haven't thought too hard about what that decision will look like, but it's going to be hard for Fallon. On one hand, Lavinia is a traitor who tried to kill her. On the other, she's a valuable knowledge asset, if they could be certain she would tell the truth. And, possibly most importantly, there's the fact that Fallon thought Lavinia was her friend for months. It would not be an easy decision for her to sentence Lavinia to death, or even isolate her in prison.

Another hard choice is going to be Dorian's decision of what to do near the end of the Call of Shadows duology. His goal from the beginning of the book is to get to the eastern border to escape his aunt. At the end, he'll have to decide if he really wants to leave forever, or if he wants to challenge Lenora for the throne. He can leave without anyone knowing he's still alive, and live out his days in peace, while Lenora stays in control with no heir. Or, he can reveal he's still alive and take the throne. The thing is, this isn't very clear-cut. So far, in the past 3 years, Lenora hasn't actually done anything to harm the citizens of the kingdom. Sure, she wasn't as caring or attentive as Dorian's parents, but she hasn't actually been a bad Queen. And Dorian's not sure he ever even wanted to be King in the first place....

#rose-bookblood #Rose 🌹 #sts #sts asks #Morrigan replies #storyteller saturday #wip: atqh #wip: cos #shadow wip