#( — sage; daughter ❀ featuring. )

[hearts4renaa]

YOU'RE LOSING ME.

summary: how the love began to die out between you and them. featuring kamisato ayato, alhaitham, diluc, and zhongli. gn! reader (see a/n below) pt. 2 here w/c: 2.1k words in total a/n: inspired by the new vault track from midnights by taylor swift. meant to be a gender neutral reader but one of the lyrics i reference uses "her". otherwise, no pronouns used.

And I wouldn’t marry me either, a pathological people pleaser, who only wanted you to see her.

“I’ll be entering an arranged marriage to the daughter of another clan.” Ayato said matter of factly, as if it was as casual as discussing the weather. Today was the off day Ayato had free. He’s been so busy the past month that he barely has time for you. You can’t even remember the last time the two of you woke up together. He always slept late and woke up earlier than you. The affection was rarely there too; The usual loving kisses and cuddles were reduced to pecks on the cheek and pats on the arm. This was one of the rare times you were actually able to sit down with him. 

The air was tense, almost impossible to breathe in. What was supposed to be a romantic dinner quickly turned sour the moment Ayato announced a piece of news you never wanted to hear. “I’ll be meeting her in two weeks. I’m expecting the marriage ceremony to take place within the next three months or so.” He wasn’t looking at you, instead more focused on the food in front of him. Your chopsticks fall from your hands, the clatter piercing the silence between you two. Ayato looks at you, completely deadpanned. You take the moment to really, truly look at him. His expression was standoffish, and his eyes were dispassionate. Just where did that loving gaze go? “What?” He asks.

“Ayato, you can’t just expect me to be happy about this.” You huff in frustration, picking up your chopsticks and setting them down in a proper manner. “When you accepted the proposal, did you just forget about our relationship? About me?” 

Ayato rolled his eyes and sighed. “You’re acting like I declared undying love for her. I’m simply doing what’s best for the clan, and for Inazuma as a whole.” He puts down his chopsticks as well, clearly not focused on eating anymore. “It’s not like I’m ending things with you. Marrying her opens many opportunities I can’t pass on.”

“You’re not ending things with me, but you’re just gonna go off and marry some girl?” Your heart broke a little more with every word. If someone were to listen closely, they could probably hear each individual crack. “Ayato, our relationship has already been wavering a little…you’re so busy. It’s like you just can’t fit me into your schedule.” Your eyes start to become glossy, and you need to swallow back your tears to fight against them falling. “How can I expect us to stay together when you need to make room for two spouses now? I thought love meant more to you than business did.” Your voice cracked with every syllable that fell from your lips.

Ayato stood up from his seat on the floor, adjusting his sleeves and beginning to make his way to the door. He slides it open before stopping in place. “Marrying her has a lot to offer.” He speaks, but he isn’t even looking at you.

“And I don’t?” You ask. You didn’t even know if you wanted the answer to that. Luckily for you, he didn’t answer at all. He looked back at you from over his shoulder. He takes a breath, and you feel as if he’s stealing the air straight out of your lungs. He turns his head back and sighs. He steps forward, leaving the room. 

The door shuts, and you are left in silence.

And I’m fading, thinking: Do something babe, say something.

With Alhaitham being appointed as Acting Grand Sage, it’s only natural that his workload for the Akademiya would increase. However, if there’s one thing that Alhaitham truly hates, it’s when unnecessary work piles up and begins to leak into his personal life, like a bucket overflowing with water. A work-life balance can only go so far before work begins to completely tilt the scale in its favor. Naturally, this takes away from time the two of you could spend together.

Normally, that would be completely fine with you. You knew Alhaitham was a busy man with a busy lifestyle. It’s completely reasonable for him to not throw aside his work just for you. Alhaitham always tries to make time for you, to show you his affection in small ways that don’t take up too much time. Either with tea he makes for you before he leaves for work, small trinkets that begin to appear on your bedside table, or a hushed declaration of love when he accidentally wakes you up when he rises early. But recently, his efforts have been slowly dwindling. You no longer wake up to the smell of tea. You no longer reach over to your nightstand in a sleepy haze, only to feel an object that was not there before. You no longer hear an “I love you” amongst the sound of your bedsheets ruffling in the early hours of the morning.

Of course, you noticed. So you took it amongst yourself to try and do something to express your love. You usually go to sleep before him, but here you are in the living room, waiting for him to return. It’s already quite late, and you fight back a yawn every twenty minutes or so, but you’re determined to stay awake to greet him. The smell of his favorite food wafts in from the kitchen, and you smile while thinking of his reaction. You might not be a Michelin star chef, but you pour love into everything you make him.

Finally, the door opens, and there he is. His eyes are tired, and an annoyed expression is etched onto his face. “Hey, honey.” You shoot up from your seat to greet him at the door. His head snaps in your direction slightly, not expecting you to still be awake. He lets out a little grunt as a response. You can tell he’s in a bad mood, but you keep pushing. “You’re home late.” You state before realizing how you pointed out the painfully obvious.

“I always am.” His voice is monotone, cold. He walks straight past you, barely even sparing you a glance.

Your hope begins to falter, but you try again. “Are you hungry? I made you dinner.” You reach your hand out to lightly touch his. He pulls his hand away with no hesitation. You feel the familiar sting deep in your stomach, and you try your best to ignore it. You clear your throat as if to rid the moment of his past action before speaking again. “Then, maybe we could eat together-”

He groans aloud. “Can you just be quiet?” He snaps. His voice wasn’t angry. It wasn’t filled with love or hate. It was indifference, and in all honesty, that hurt so much more. “I’m exhausted. The last thing I need today is you nagging me.” 

You falter, as if you were shrinking away in a desperate attempt to try and disappear. “Right.” Your voice is quiet, meek. “Of course.” You turn away to walk into the kitchen, and you hear your shared bedroom door slam shut. You sit at the dinner table, gazing at the untouched meals on the opposite ends. Your hand moves to touch the spoon and stir it around in the food, but any outsider could tell that you have no intention of eating a single bite. 

For the rest of the night, you sit there alone as the food goes cold.

Lose something babe, risk something. (You’re losing me.)

If there’s one thing Diluc strives to do, it’s protect you. He lost his father already, he can’t risk losing you too. It brings him peace to know that you’re safe at Dawn Winery, away from things that can bring you harm. But even though he is protective, it’s not as though he keeps you locked inside the house. He knows of your adventurous spirit and he would never want to hurt you. However, he has a habit of being a little paranoid. The people of Mondstadt are aware of your relationship, but he rarely lets the two of you be seen together. He prefers things quite private, but you’re starting to get a little sick of it.

You just returned from a small commission; it’s been ages since you’ve done one. It felt so refreshing to wield your weapon and go on a mini adventure! Even if it was just a few slimes near Windrise, the experience was one you haven’t had in far too long. You end up with a small cut on your hand, but you look at it in pride as you walk back to the winery. You open the heavy door, and you’re met with the face of your lover.

“Y/N, where were you?” Diluc’s question is loud, his voice laced in concern. A second barely passes, and he’s already by your side. He catches sight of your hand and cages it in his larger ones. “Why is your hand hurt?”

You shake him off lightly, heading to the couch to set your things down. “I took a small commission.” You explain. “Just a little group of slimes. My hand got cut, but I’m okay. Don’t worry about it!” You attempt to reassure him, but the crease in his eyebrows doesn't go away.

“Y/N, how many times have I told you?” Diluc scolded. He folds his arms over his chest. “You don’t need to take commissions. I provide for us enough already.”

Your eyes roll before you can stop them. You can feel your frustration rise inside you. “I didn’t take the commission for the money, Diluc.” You huff at him. “I wanted an adventure, even if it was a small one. It’s the experience I wanted.”

Diluc scoffs. “Oh, so getting hurt is an enjoyable experience for you?” Diluc never had the most friendly tone, but you’d have to be truly clueless to miss the sarcasm weaved into his words.

“By the Seven, Diluc, it was a cut!” You exclaim. “All of this over a cut?”

He looks you in the eyes. “You know I just want you to be safe.”

Your eyes softened slightly, biting your lip. “But Diluc, you play it too safe sometimes.” You grab your weapons and bag again, adjusting your jacket before heading towards the door. Despite just getting home, you felt the need to get away, to cool off. Maybe to kill some other monsters, you weren’t sure.

“Where are you going?” He asks.

“Out.” You respond curtly. You weren’t sure of your destination, but you didn’t care. You just needed to be away from him.

“Y/N-“ He called out. You cut him off by slamming the heavy winery doors.

Choose something babe, I’ve got nothing to believe, unless you’re choosing me.

“I love you.” Zhongli murmured, knuckles turning white with how hard he was gripping his pole arm. He towered over you, who was on the ground in a pool of blood. The metallic smell was hard to ignore. “I love you, I truly do. And I always will.”

You laugh bitterly. “You love me, and you caused my injury.” You use your hand to weakly gesture towards your torso. “Some love you have…”

Zhongli grips his weapon even harder. He digs the heels of his feet into the group as an effort to ground himself. He knew that if he were to take a single step, he’d run to you, and he’s not sure if he can stop himself. He takes a breath to calm himself, and every breath of air he breathes makes him wish he could breathe that same life into you instead. “It’s for my nation.” He says as calmly as he can. Oh, how he wished he could run to you, kiss you, and heal you. He continues with bated breath. “You know I cherish my nation.”

You cough, blood splattering out. “More than you cherish me?” You ask weakly. “More than you cherish us?”

Zhongli’s eyes soften with sadness. “Yes…more than I cherish you, my love.”

You sigh, suddenly feeling the fatigue hit you like a truck. You’re so tired. So, so tired. You voice out your thoughts. “I’m exhausted, Zhongli.” Your voice is weak, along with your body.

“I’m sorry.” He says before facing away from you. He can’t bear to look at you in this state. He can’t bear to see what he’s done to you. He takes slow steps away, using all his willpower to not turn around and run to your side.

“I love you, Zhongli.” You call out.

He takes one final look. “I love you too, dearest.”

A sad, soft smile etches itself onto your face. Your eyelids droop, and eventually, they flutter closed. Zhongli stares at you sadly. His weapon drops to the ground, making a loud clatter. The silence is deafening. He peers at your lifeless body before closing his eyes. “You’ll always be my favorite story.” He whispers.

A single tear falls from his eyes.

#genshin x reader #diluc x reader #zhongli x reader #alhaitham x reader #kamisato ayato x reader #ayato x reader #genshin angst #genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #al haitham x reader

[hisui-dreamer]

trial romance

Pairing: Malleus Draconia x gn!reader

Synopsis: since you were going to be put in an arranged marriage anyways, you decided to let yourself experience a normal teenage romance first!

Tags: fluff, slow burn, rent-a-boyfriend mallesu, mutual pining nrc and sra are mixed schools, reader has an elder brother, reader is royalty

Word count: 2.7k+

Notes: woooh sorry for neglecting you mal mal :( i hope this fic makes up for it hehe

Masterlist

You've never really known love.

Born as the second child of a small, but affluent kingdom, you're not sure you have the right to complain. Each day dawns with the assurance of never experiencing hunger, attended to by countless devoted maids catering to your every whim. It's a life of opulence, one that stands in stark contrast to the struggles endured by those grappling with meager wages just to survive.

Still, there remains an ache within you, a yearning for a love that exists in the enchanting tales of old. A love so untainted that it remains steadfast in any circumstance, a love capable of cleansing away all your sorrows, becoming your very reason of existence.

But such a love seems as distant as the stars. After all, you're bound by the responsibilities as the second princess. Unlike your elder brother who inherits the throne, you are a mere pawn in the intricate game of politics, destined for an arranged marriage rather than a fufiling romance.

In a rare display of benevolence, your father granted you a fleeting taste of freedom, sending you off to live under a false identity at the renowned Royal Sword Academy on Sage Island. Three precious years, promising a respite from the constraints of duty, and you promised to seize each moment and savour the life of a normal person who yearned for love.

Which brings you back to the present moment.

"Jellyfish are such fascinating creatures, don't you think so dear?"

The man stands tall beside you, his golden locks catching the ambient blue glow within the aquarium, lending him an almost ethereal air. His emerald eyes fix upon you, awaiting your response.

You return his gaze, captivated by the way the light dances in his eyes. A soft smile graces your lips as you consider his question.

"They are indeed fascinating," you reply, your voice carrying a hint of admiration. "They move with such grace and fluidity, it's like they're dancing through the water."

He hums at your response, fix focus shifting back onto the creatures drifting in the display.

He's a peculiar man, no doubt. It's puzzling to fathom the sort of individual who would boldly advertise their boyfriend rental services on Magicam. Especially someone as strikingly handsome as he appears to be; you would have assumed he'd have no shortage of admirers or suitors.

But you suppose you're not really any better, the person who hired said rentable boyfriend.

Though you're a bit ashamed to admit, you harbor a certain discomfort when it comes to meeting new people. And with your identity as a merchant's daughter, you've had few interactions with your schoolmates, leaving you with a shortage of friends, let alone a romantic relationship.

It was in then that you stumbled upon his listing.

And now, here you are, on your first ever date, exploring an aquarium together.

"Do you mind telling me what dates you're free?" you ask casually as you stroll towards the tropical section, bathed in the vivid hues of exotic marine life.

He trails alongside you, his presence exuding an air of calmness. "Dates...?" he muses, his tone tinged with intrigue. "Ah, you wish to see me another time, I presume?"

You cast your gaze downwards, a hint of bashfulness coloring your cheeks. "Yes... I would like that."

He contemplates for a moment, a hint of concern crossing his features. "Hmm... My fees are quite high you see. Your finances may suffer if you spend too much time with me."

"Hmph. You don't have to be concerned. This money has nowhere else to go anyways," you scoff.

His gaze lingers on you with a hint of curiosity, before a gentle warmth softens his features as he nods. "Very well," he murmurs, his hand reaching out to envelop yours in a tender clasp. With a delicate gesture, he presses a fleeting kiss upon the back of your hand, his voice resonating with anticipation, "I look forward to seeing you more often, my dear."

Aquarium Date ✅

First Date ✅

"You seem quite troubled by this book. Is something the matter?" Mal asked, peering over the edge of his book, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

He sat across from you, textbooks and notebooks scattered between you, each page turned with a quiet reverence. The library was bathed in a soft glow, the gentle hum of whispers filling the air like a comforting melody.

You glanced up from your own notes, running a hand through your hair in a gesture of resignation. "I have a test coming up for Magic Analysis, but I always get so overwhelmed with information I forget the details."

"Magic Analysis... Perhaps you're approaching it from the wrong angle," Mal suggested, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "What if we break it down into smaller, more manageable chunks? We could create a study plan together."

The idea sparked a glimmer of hope within you, the prospect of tackling the daunting material with a structured approach feeling suddenly within reach. "That... actually sounds like a good idea," you admitted, a tentative smile forming on your lips.

"Alright," Mal began, his eyes alight with enthusiasm. "Shall I give you a demonstration?"

There's something to his smile that worries you slightly.

Study Date ✅

The quaint café bustled with life, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the sweet scent of pastries.

Mal's eyes sparkled curiously as he scanned the menu, his fingers tracing the various options with keen interest. "This place is quite charming," he remarked.

You smiled, a flutter of warmth blooming in your chest at his appreciation. "I'm glad you like it. I heard it's one of the best spots in town. Have you decided what to order?"

His brows furrow lightly. "I'm not sure... They all look quite enticing..."

"How about a parfait then? You can choose different flavours of ice cream too," you suggested, gesturing to the other page.

Malleus's gaze followed your gesture, his eyes alight with anticipation. "Ice cream, you say? That sounds delightful," he replied, a spark of childlike excitement dancing in his expression.

You couldn't help but mirror that smile.

Cute Cafe Date ✅

The night stretched out before you like an endless canvas, painted with a myriad of twinkling stars scattered across the indigo sky. Cradled in the comforting embrace of a soft blanket spread out on the grass, you lay your head gently upon Mal's shoulder, feeling the steady rhythm of his breath as you gaze upwards.

"It's breathtaking..." you murmur softly, your voice barely above a whisper, not wanting to disturb the tranquil stillness of the night.

His hand finds yours, fingers intertwining in a silent gesture of affection. "The sight never fails to captivate me," he responds, his voice tinged with awe. "I'm often reminded of how quickly time passes when I stargaze."

Lifting your head slightly, you steal a glimpse of his face, illuminated by the ethereal glow of the night sky. "Ah... Fae are known for their longevity, aren't they?" you remark, reaching up to tuck a stray lock of his blonde hair behind his pointed ears. "Is that part of the reason why you became a rentable boyfriend?"

He smiles ruefully. "Partly so," he admits. "My mentor suggested it as a means of broadening my perspective and gaining new experiences.

A giggle escapes your lips. What's with that? To think you're doing this for educational purposes..." you tease, though the chill of reality briefly brushes against your thoughts. "I hope you've at least had fun?"

"Absolutely." He envelops both of your hands in his own, his gaze unwaveringly earnest as it locks onto yours. "My dear, I've thoroughly enjoyed every second spent with you,"

A blush tinges your cheeks at his sincerity, and you respond softly, "It's the same for me. I had so much fun when I was with you,"

You find yourself ensnared by the ethereal presence of the man before you, his proximity stirring a flurry of emotions within you. His face, mere inches from your own, is illuminated by the soft glow of the twinkling stars, their light mirrored in the depths of his serene emerald eyes. Your heart quickens its pace, thumping so loudly in your chest that it threatens to drown out his next words.

"...Can I kiss you?"

You feel yourself nod slightly.

He tentatively closes the distance between you, his movements deliberate yet achingly tender. His hand, warm and reassuring, cups your cheek, his touch sending shivers of electricity dancing across your skin. The scent of night blossoms and distant pine trees fills your senses, mingling with the heady anticipation swirling in the air.

The kiss is tender at first, a tentative exploration of each other, as if testing the waters of this newfound intimacy. But soon, a surge of desire courses through you, fueling the passion that blooms between you. You lose yourself in the moment, surrendering to the intoxicating whirlwind of emotions that sweeps you away, leaving you breathless and utterly consumed by him.

The sequence of events that followed remains a hazy blur in your memory, the details shrouded in a fog of uncertainty. All you recall with clarity is Mal's familiar presence beside you as he walked you back to the imposing gates of your school hand-in-hand, just as he'd always done.

Just like clockwork, you retrieved a thick envelope from the depths of your bag, its contents weighing heavily on your mind. "Hold this," you instructed quietly.

He stared curiously at your actions. With a practiced fluidity, you extracted a handful of bills from your wallet.. With unwavering composure, you extended the money towards him, your tone devoid of sentimentality. "This is the bonus for kissing," pressing the bills into his palm.

Leaning forward on tiptoes, you planted a chaste farewell kiss upon his cheek, the gesture a stark contrast to the emotionless exchange that had just transpired. "See you next time," you murmured, before turning away.

Each clack of your heels against the pavement resonated within him like a mournful toll, echoing the hollowness that had taken root in his chest. He watched, transfixed, as the last sliver of your silhouette dissolved into the far distance, the bittersweet echoes of your footsteps fading into the twilight.

Dark, menacing clouds stretched ominously across the vast expanse of the sky, casting an eerie pall over the landscape below. Before you realised it, raindrops cascaded from the heavens in a frensied blur.

Stargazing Date✅

First Kiss ✅

The evening air was cool as he led you through the labyrinthine streets of the old city, the cobblestones whispering tales of centuries past beneath your feet. Towering above you, ancient buildings adorned with weathered stone facades loomed like silent sentinels guarding the secrets of bygone eras.

"This way," he beckoned, his voice tinged with excitement as he pulled you along into a narrow alleyway veiled in shadows.

With eager steps, you followed his lead, anticipation coursing through your veins as you delved deeper into the heart of the historic district.

"You know," you mused, breaking the silence as you walked, "when I said you could choose our next date, I never imagined it would involve a trip to the City of Flowers. Have you been here before?"

"I have," he answered. "I was invited here once. There was a magnificent festival here, but I was more interested in the gargoyles."

"The... gargoyles?" you echoed, casting an intrigued glance at the statues that adorned the buildings around you. "There do seem to be quite a few of them."

"They've watched over these buildings for centuries, warding off evil spirits and protecting those within."

"Really? That sounds fascinating," you murmured. "Would you mind telling me more?"

A smile graced his lips, his eyes gleaming with a unbridled glee. "Gladly," he agreed, his voice reverent. "Each one has a story to tell, waiting to be heard by those who seek to listen."

You listened intently as he recounted the legends surrounding these ancient sentinels, his words weaving a captivating narrative that transported you through time. As you continued your exploration of the historic buildings, he regaled you with tales of the city's storied past, his words painting vivid pictures of times long gone.

Somewhere along the line, night had descended like a comforting shroud, cloaking the city in a blanket of darkness. Now, you found yourselves strolling along the tranquil riverbank, the rhythmic lapping of the waves providing a soothing cadence to your thoughts.

Your three years of time is almost up.

Soon, you'd be back in the confines of your childhood room, the familiar walls suffocating with the promise of the same, predictable routine. Then, like a ship launched by an unforgiving wind, you'd be whisked away to wed the spouse your father had chosen, leaving behind your fleeting moments of freedom and the memories far away in your teenage years.

Mal glances sideways at you, noting the unusual quiet that had settled upon you like a shadow. "Is everything alright, my dear?" he inquires, his voice laced with concern.

You pause, grappling with the weight of your impending confession, searching for the right words to convey your thoughts. Finally, you draw in a deep breath, steeling yourself for the revelation to come.

"No... It's not," you confess, your voice faltering slightly as you let go of his hand. "Mal, this... this will be the last time I'm hiring you."

Confusion furrows his brow as he searches your eyes for clarity. "But... why?" he responds, a note of sadness creeping into his tone.

"Because..." you begin, your gaze drifting towards the glistening surface of the river, unable to withstand his earnest gaze. "Because I'm leaving Sage Island. I'll be graduating and returning home, and... and I won't require your services anymore."

"I... see."

A heavy silence descends between you, the weight of your confession hanging in the air like a tangible presence. And as you continued your stroll along the riverbank, the knowledge that this would be your final night together lingered like a bittersweet farewell to the memories you had shared.

His Choice Date ✅

Breakup ✅

You've never liked riding in carriages.

With each clop of the horses' hooves, the entire contraption lurched, sending shivers skittering up your spine. It was a waltz of unease, the sway and groan of leather and wood a discordant melody against the cobblestone streets.

The confines of the cramped cabin also felt suffocating, a gilded cage that further severed your connection to your freedom. But the carriage rolled on, carrying you not just through the mountainous terrain, but towards a future you desperately wished to outrun.

Malleus Draconia was your spouse-to-be.

Throughout your school days, whispers of the famed fae prince from Night Raven College echoed in the halls. Tales spun of his unmatched prowess in Spelldrive, where he emerged victorious alone against all teams, his formidable magical abilities casting a long shadow of fear over his opponents. His towering and menacing presence, coupled with the dark horns that crowned his head, only added to the mystique that surrounded him. You could only hope that beneath this formidable exterior lay a heart capable of kindness, granting you the chance for a peaceful existence.

Though, you wouldn't say you could forgive him for having such a similar name to Mal.

As the carriage comes to a halt, the sound of hooves and wheels ceases, accompanied by a palpable sense of anticipation. With the opening of the carriage door, your guards stand at attention, their expressions solemn yet resolute. "Your Highness, we have arrived," one of them announces, his voice carrying the weight of the moment.

With a deep breath, you gather your resolve, steeling yourself for the encounter that awaits beyond the carriage doors.

Just as your foot grazes the carriage step, a gloved hand extends towards you, reaching out towards you with a graceful assurance.. You glance up to meet the gaze of your betrothed, and for a moment, time seems to stand still.

His eyes are a familiar shade of emerald green. A shade that's grown to be your favourite, in fact.

"M-Mal?" you stammer, the name escaping your lips before you can stop it.

"It's lovely to see you again, my dear," he smiles, as radiant as the sun.

Masterlist

if you liked this post, don't forget to reblog!

#lilia definitely saw what teens were doing and asked malleus to become a rentable bf #“good learning experiences” he just wanted mal to meet more ppl and hopefully fall in love #and fell he did :) #he helps mal to disguise hiss identity by making his hair blond and his horns temporarily invisible #but his eyes remain the same #since eyes are the windows to your soul hehe #if ppl like this fic i might write a short bonus where it's lilia lecturing mal how to act like a good boyfriend hahaha #twstnexus #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #twst imagines #malleus draconia #malleus draconia x reader #twisted wonderland malleus #twst malleus #twst malleus x reader

[axelsagewrites]

Main Masterlist Here

Game of Thrones Masterlist Here

Warnings/Guides

【P】Platonic【P】 🆇Smut 18+🆇

Request Line Up and Request Rules

♡ Aemond Targaryen ♡

Lemon Cakes - Part One - Part Two - Part Three

Modern Aemond HCs

Courting HCs

Jealousy HC's

🆇Polaroid's Part 1🆇 🆇Missed You Part 2🆇

🆇Collar🆇

♡ Aegon Targaryen ♡

Modern Aegon HCs

Promise

Artist

🆇Reward🆇

🆇Passageways🆇

Wrapping Presents

Birthday Celebrations

Neighbour part one Daughter part two

♡ Helaena Targaryen ♡

Modern Helaena HCs

🆇Wife🆇

♡ Jace Velaryon ♡

Modern Jace HC's

Cocky Part One 🆇Part Two🆇

🆇Nsfw Alphabet🆇

🆇See You Again🆇

Modern Crush Headcannons

🆇How to Treat a Princess🆇 (featuring Aegon)

🆇Yours🆇

Frat Party Part 1- Frat Baby Part 2

🆇Perfect Wife🆇

Studying

♡ Luke Velaryon ♡

Modern Luke HC's

Dance

Study date - part one - part two

♡ Daemon Targaryen ♡

Modern Daemon HC's

🆇My Sweet Dragon🆇

🆇Partition🆇

🆇In Charge🆇

My Moon & Stars (sequel to in charge)

【P】Swear it【P】

Sugar Baby Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - 🆇Part 4.5🆇 - Part 4 - Part 5 Wedding - Honeymoon

🆇Missed You🆇

🆇Rings🆇

🆇Moved In🆇

♡ Rhaenyra Targaryen ♡

🆇Perzītsos🆇

🆇 Worth it🆇

♡ Harwin Strong ♡

🆇Take Care of You🆇

Suitable Match

♡ Criston Cole ♡

🆇Test my Devotion🆇

♡ Cregan Stark ♡

🆇 Princess🆇

🆇Perfect Little Prisoner🆇

♡Alicent Hightower♡

🆇Dreams🆇

Preferences/Multicharacter

How they react to you being drunk – Aemond, Aegon, Heleana 🆇How he is in bed🆇 – Aemond, Aegon, Jace, Daemon, Harwin 🆇Modern NSFW Heacannons🆇- Jace, Daemon, Aegon, Aemond How they react to your period - Aemond, Aegon, Jace, Cregan, Luke

Modern boyfriend Headcannons - aegon, aemond, jace, luke

New Years Countdown - aegon, aemond, jace, luke

Thanks for any support I appreciate it all xoxo Sage

Dividers from here and here from @saradika

Post topper made on Canva

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[youremyheaven]

Mrigashira: The Price of Speaking The Truth

I have been studying the themes and patterns of Mrigashira nakshatra for a while and I thought it's time I made a post about the same.

The myth associated with Mrigashira involves Daksha, the son of Brahma. Daksha organized a grand Yajna (a ritual) but intentionally avoided inviting his daughter Sati’s husband, Shiva, whom he despised. Sati went to the ritual without Shiva’s consent, where Daksha insulted her and Shiva. Sati couldn’t bear the humiliation and jumped into the sacrificial fire. Upon learning of Sati’s death, Shiva became furious and destroyed Daksha’s yajna. Yagya, the presiding sage, turned into a deer and ran away, but Shiva caught up and killed him. His head became the Mrigashira nakshatra, which symbolizes sacrifice. (there are multiple myths associated with each nakshatra and another myth about Mrigashira involves Rohini, Brahma's favourite daughter leaving heaven to escape Brahma's incestual interest in her and taking the form of a deer on earth)

From this myth, we know that making a sacrifice for doing the right thing is a theme in the lives of these natives (Yagya was only overseeing the ceremony, he did nothing wrong, he never insulted Shiva, he was just doing his job). Another prominent theme is escaping someone's wrath or escaping to seek safety.

The yoni animal of Mrigashira is a serpent.

Serpents feature prominently in many mythologies and are commonly associated with renewal and transformation.

The ouroboros represented in this picture is a serpent eating its own tail. Carl Jung, saw this as a basic mandala of alchemy and said:

"The alchemists, who in their own way knew more about the nature of the individuation process than we moderns do, expressed this paradox through the symbol of the Ouroboros, the snake that eats its own tail. The Ouroboros has been said to have a meaning of infinity or wholeness. In the age-old image of the Ouroboros lies the thought of devouring oneself and turning oneself into a circulatory process, for it was clear to the more astute alchemists that the prima materia of the art was the man himself. The Ouroboros is a dramatic symbol of the integration and assimilation of the opposite, i.e. of the shadow. This 'feedback' process is at the same time a symbol of immortality since it is said of the Ouroboros that he slays himself and brings himself to life, fertilizes himself, and gives birth to himself. He symbolizes the One, who proceeds from the clash of opposites, and he, therefore, constitutes the secret of the prima materia which unquestionably stems from man's unconscious."

It speaks of human nature and how we must consume the opposites within ourselves to integrate into one whole being. Every nakshatra serves a cosmic purpose. Each nakshatra is a journey forward, its every step in the process of discovery. If you look at the standard descriptions of some naks, some are explicitly negative and others are overwhelmingly positive, while this is a simplistic understanding of nakshatras, it does point to how to retain balance in this universe, we need all kinds of energies, light and dark, good and bad, but every nakshatra contains within themselves these opposites, like the yin & yang symbol which shows a balance between two opposites with a portion of the opposite element in each section.

In Taoism, distinctions between good and bad, along with other dichotomous moral judgments, are perceptual, not real; so, the duality of yin and yang is an indivisible whole.

The serpent then can be seen as a representation of the eternal truth of reality, that all is one.

Truth telling is the purpose of the serpent in mythology and this is universally true across mythologies from different parts of the world.

This also seems to be innately tied to the nature of Mrigashira natives who speak their truth or make sacrifices to expose the truth. A simpler manifestation is how blunt and straightforward these natives can be.

Edward Snowden- Mrigashira Stellium in 1h (Sun, Mars & Rahu)

In 2013, Snowden revealed evidence of a shocking global surveillance programme run by the USA’s National Security Agency (NSA) and the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) which have been monitoring the internet and phone activity of hundreds of millions of people across the world.

The Internet itself was allowed to spread at a magnanimous pace and reach people all over the globe because it serves the interests of people in positions of power by allowing them to track and monitor us, inundate us into a permanent state of distraction with ads and useless content, that fill the pockets of the already rich. It wasn't some lucky happenstance incident, the internet exists for a very malicious reason and if you read about reports from the 90s when the internet was still at a nascent stage you would know that many people called out this bs. In an occult sense, the internet is an all-pervading manifestation of Maya or illusion. It wraps itself into our reality and there's no escaping it, it becomes harder and harder to see the truth and most people are so completely immersed in this illusion, believing it to be real.

Like the serpent that lured Eve out of paradise, a Mrigashira native, Snowden became the harbinger of an era where we now know that companies including Facebook, Google and Microsoft were forced to hand over customer data under secret orders from the NSA. And that the NSA recorded, stored and analysed ‘metadata’ relating to every single telephone call and text message transmitted in Mexico, Kenya and the Philippines.

Several major companies including Apple, Google and WhatsApp have improved the default security and encryption provided to users. Greater consumer pressure has pushed the industry to strengthen its approach to protecting users’ privacy.

We know how algorithms work, we know that our user data is being tracked, we know why we see targeted ads. We know that most content out there is an ad in disguise. Still, we have no real choice in the matter (except maybe clicking the "reject all cookies" button lol), we're forced to stay in a state where despite knowing that something is deeply wrong with society we still have to participate in it. This is Rohini, who had to stay with her father Brahma in the celestial heavens even though he made incestual advances towards her.

In Mrigashira, the truth dawns on you and you have no choice but to act. The reason Rohini ruled by the Moon is connected to manipulation is because these natives cannot exit their unideal situations safely, they are forced to stay and to survive, they must manipulate their reality. Their freedom is curbed. Even if irl, there are no restraints, these natives feel restrained within, so leaving isn't an option for them, they stay and make things worse to cope or in hopes of changing things.

Mrigashira is Mars ruled and is the first Mars ruled nakshatra. Mars is all about taking action and marching forward. The truth can set you free only if you let it and Mrigashira natives deeply understand this. They are determined to remove themselves from these circumstances and stand in their truth. It may not always be literal but this pattern of setting boundaries, establishing a distance between what is "false" and what is "true" is deeply tied to the nature of Mrigashira.

Snowden sought asylum in Russia where he lives to this day. Being in exile or having to escape your home is also Mrigashira coded simply because the home is a toxic/unsafe/unhealthy place for the Mrigashira native to be. I have talked about it before but Mrigashira is connected to the story of Rapunzel.

Naomi Klein, Mrigashira Moon is an author, social activist, and filmmaker known for her political analyses; support of ecofeminism, organized labour, and leftism; and criticism of corporate globalization, fascism, ecofascism and capitalism.

Her book No Logo which came out in 1999 is a landmark book that exposes the evils of corporate globalization and franchises and how the Global South are being exploited to fatten the pockets of companies in the Global North. It greatly expanded the growing anti-capitalist consciousness and anti-corporate activism in the decades since. Here's a video where she explains her research. Its chilling to think this was made over 2 decades ago considering how all these things still persist in society and now hurt people more than ever.

Honestly, all her books are amazing exposé work and that's on her Mrigashira Moon.

Louis Pasteur- Mrigashira Moon

He was a French chemist, pharmacist and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization (named after him). His research in chemistry led to remarkable breakthroughs in the understanding of the causes and prevention of diseases, which laid down the foundations of hygiene, public health and much of modern medicine. Pasteur's works are credited with saving millions of lives through the development of vaccines for rabies and anthrax. 

He was a very controversial figure in his lifetime who was known for deceiving people.

This article explains it well. Here's an excerpt from the article:

"His most famous experiment was on a young boy, Joseph Meister, who had been bitten by a rabid dog and was doomed to death, and whose mother pleaded with Pasteur to treat him. Pasteur reported that he had previously used his rabies vaccine on 50 dogs without a single failure.

Again, the laboratory notebooks show that this account was misleading. Pasteur had tested a vaccine on dogs, but it was prepared by a completely different method than the one he used for the vaccine given to Meister, and he had no conclusive animal results to show that the vaccine worked. But he had guessed right."

Pasteur often lied to get his way and used "deception" to advance his practice. It is ethically questionable for sure but the work he did has helped millions of people and one could say it was all for the greater good.

He disproved the then prevailing notion of spontaneous generation (it was believed that any exposure to air anywhere causes the generation of living organisms) through his experiments and was initially disbelieved and ridiculed until his experiments began to be accepted as true and was recognised by the scientific community.

Mrigashira natives often have a tendency to gauge things or call people out on things even when that thing/person is widely accepted. The native may get flak for it and be shunned for it but eventually their ideas become widely accepted and everyone sees the truth. They may or may not get credit for this. They see the truth before others do.

Aldous Huxley- Mrigashira Rising

He was an author and philosopher who is best known for his novel Brave New World although he has written over 50 books. Brave New World (the title itself is very Mrigashira core, don't you think?)

The idea that government control is dehumanizing is the overarching theme. In Brave New World the government controls every aspect of the citizens' lives. They are created and born in a government lab. They are raised in a government facility while learning society's values.

It was published in 1932 and lets just say that the audience wasn't ready for such an alarming dystopian tale.

A notable critic of Brave New World was the author H.G. Wells, whose 1923 novel Men Like Gods (a book about a man who visits a utopian world and then returns to earth) had been an inspiration of sorts to Huxley, who told a friend in 1931 that he was writing a novel about the “the horror of the Wellsian Utopia and a revolt against it.” Wells said, “A writer of the standing of Aldous Huxley has no right to betray the future as he did in that book.”

H.G Wells was known for his utopian visions that permeated nearly all of his published work. Interestingly, he was a Shravana Rising. The thing is, Wells never used these utopian visions to criticize the reality of the world we live in, it was more of a "look how good things could be ughhh". This once again reflects Moon's nature which is idealistic but not practical or rooted in confronting situations as they are, if you ask them for a solution to the war, they'll say "if only everyone could get along and we could all stop killing each other" instead of saying "the power imbalance between nations is alarming, they create crises in other nations, put puppet governments in place, exploit them for their own benefits and when it no longer serves their interests, leaves the people to deal with the mess themselves". The former is a more emotional response but it also comes down to Lunar nature believing things are that simple, that if everybody could get along, then everything would be okay. its basically not a solution but a nice thought. I have made posts in the past about Moon dominance and manipulation but what i had failed to mention is that the reason Moon dominants resort to manipulation is because they lack the ability to think in concrete, tangible, practical terms since Moon is tied to the emotional mind which is incapable of rationality or logic. They have to manipulate because they do not know how to think critically. Being guided by your emotions is not reliable or healthy which is why Moon dominance often results in toxicity and manipulation as they are emotionally reacting to what is said instead of responding with their mind or logic.

Wells himself later said about his novel Men Like Gods, "It did not horrify or frighten, was not much of a success, and by that time, I had tired of talking in playful parables to a world engaged in destroying itself."

Do you notice how passive his tone is? He speaks as though he is not part of this world and that all he can do is merely observe its self-destruction (if not writing "playful parables" to it lol??). He thought his book was a flop because it did not "horrify" or "frighten" people (implying that, thats what sells) when the reality is that its more effective to read about the horrors prevailing our society that we are ignorant of instead of reading 300 pages about a perfect alternate reality where everything is wonderful. one calls to action, another encourages passive daydreaming. This further differentiates the nature of Mrigashira vs Moon dominant natives (Mrigashira follows Rohini's fall from heaven or realising the truth).

"There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception"- Aldous Huxley, Mrigashira Rising

George Carlin, Moon (conjunct Ketu) in Mrigashira

Here's an excerpt of something he said that has stuck with me and exemplifies the truth telling nature of Mrigashira.

"But there’s a reason. There’s a reason. There’s a reason for this, there’s a reason education SUCKS, and it’s the same reason that it will never, ever, ever be fixed. It’s never gonna get any better. Don’t look for it. Be happy with what you got. Because the owners of this country don't want that. I'm talking about the real owners now, the real owners, the big wealthy business interests that control things and make all the important decisions. Forget the politicians. The politicians are put there to give you the idea that you have freedom of choice. You don't. You have no choice. You have owners. They own you. They own everything. They own all the important land. They own and control the corporations. They’ve long since bought and paid for the senate, the congress, the state houses, the city halls, they got the judges in their back pockets and they own all the big media companies so they control just about all of the news and information you get to hear. They got you by the balls. They spend billions of dollars every year lobbying, lobbying, to get what they want. Well, we know what they want. They want more for themselves and less for everybody else, but I'll tell you what they don’t want: They don’t want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They don’t want well informed, well educated people capable of critical thinking. They’re not interested in that. That doesn’t help them. Thats against their interests. Thats right.

They don’t want people who are smart enough to sit around a kitchen table to figure out how badly they’re getting fucked by a system that threw them overboard 30 fucking years ago. They don’t want that. You know what they want? They want obedient workers. Obedient workers. People who are just smart enough to run the machines and do the paperwork, and just dumb enough to passively accept all these increasingly shittier jobs with the lower pay, the longer hours, the reduced benefits, the end of overtime and the vanishing pension that disappears the minute you go to collect it, and now they’re coming for your Social Security money. They want your retirement money. They want it back so they can give it to their criminal friends on Wall Street, and you know something? They’ll get it. They’ll get it all from you, sooner or later, 'cause they own this fucking place. It's a big club, and you ain’t in it. You and I are not in the big club.

And by the way, it's the same big club they use to beat you over the head with all day long when they tell you what to believe. All day long beating you over the head in their media telling you what to believe, what to think and what to buy. The table is tilted folks. The game is rigged, and nobody seems to notice, nobody seems to care. Good honest hard-working people -- white collar, blue collar, it doesn’t matter what color shirt you have on -- good honest hard-working people continue -- these are people of modest means -- continue to elect these rich cocksuckers who don’t give a fuck about them. They don’t give a fuck about you. They don’t give a fuck about you. They don't care about you at all -- at all -- at all. And nobody seems to notice, nobody seems to care. That's what the owners count on; the fact that Americans will probably remain willfully ignorant of the big red, white and blue dick that's being jammed up their assholes everyday. Because the owners of this country know the truth: it's called the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it."

Mrigashira natives are the most likely to be critical of society, modern living, capitalism etc among other things. They see through to the truth of things and thus feel dissatisfied and disappointed with the world. There is a reason they say "ignorance is bliss", those whose eyes are veiled, can tune out of all this cacophony of living and pretend everything is fine. Mrigashira natives have to live with the weight of knowing.

Jules Verne- Mrigashira Rising

He is widely regarded as the father of science fiction and his works have inspired a generation of scientists like the pioneering submarine designer Simon Lake, Igor Sikorsky who often quoted Verne and cited his Robur the Conqueror as the inspiration for his invention of the first successful helicopter, the rocketry innovators Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Robert Goddard, and Hermann Oberth are all known to have taken their inspiration from Verne's From the Earth to the Moon.

Edwin Hubble, the American astronomer, was in his youth fascinated by Verne's novels, especially From the Earth to the Moon and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Their influence was so strong that, like Verne, Hubble gave up the career path in law that his father intended for him, setting off instead to pursue his passion for science.

Jules Verne lived in the 19th century (he passed away in 1905, aged 77) but he described technologies that would later be invented (some were directly inspired by what he had written). He had prophetic vision some would say he had described submarines, helicopters, the moon landing, holograms, newscasts, space travel, video conferencing,

“In the Year 2889, instead of being printed, the Earth Chronicle is every morning spoken to subscribers, who, from interesting conversations with reporters, statesmen and scientists, learn the news of the day,”

He even made political observations that have since materialised,

In one of his later works, called The Purchase of the North Pole, an auction is held for rights to the North Pole. The mysterious buyer who wins out over a number of national governments is a private company with a plan to fire off a giant cannon will jolt the planet and change the tilt of Earth’s axis, adjust the length of the days and climates around the earth, and melt the polar ice caps. With the Arctic melted, the execs planned to mine the north pole for coal and make a fortune. This is more or less what is currently happening lol

He invented a new genre to talk about things that did not yet exist. This is tied to Mrigashira's quest for truth and imagining possibilities.

Kanye West, Mrigashira Sun

Do I think Kanye is problematic? Extremely. Do I think he's also telling the truth on some occasions especially when he's trying to expose Hollywood or the system? Yes, I do

This is a bit of a tangent but we have seen time and time again how mental illness has been weaponized against people (ex: Britney Spears) to control them (Mariah Carey also speaks about it in her memoir), I do think a great number of celebrities are victims of this because their management/people in their lives benefit from exploiting them (would it not be vvv scary knowing that your career is what pays the bills of a whole crew of people? they depend on you to live? what if they're greedy or evil? what happens to you then?) so I wholeheartedly believe Kanye when he says "people are trying to conspire against him for telling the truth" (look at how many whistleblowers have been killed and had their deaths written off as suicides).

Sometimes I wonder if he's deliberately ruining his public image so that he just comes across as a crazy guy saying crazy shit that no one takes seriously. This is a safe option for him because if he appeared to be a normal sober serious guy exposing the system he might get killed. Deception is also a huge part of Mrigashira's truth telling.

Who can forget him exposing Taylor on that phone call? lol

Anyway, I want to make it clear that I don't condone or endorse any of Kanye's politics or most of the vile hateful garbage he spews.

Amy Winehouse-Mrigashira Rising

Amy was known for how candid and straightforward she was. If you listen to this song, you can tell how frank and honest the lyrics are?? (its about women who try to score rich men). Amy was always so real and unapologetically herself.

Pamela Anderson, Mrigashira Rising

She's such an icon and such a dignified woman after everything she's been through. She came forward to speak her truth and take control of her narrative. Unfortunately not many women in her position can or will do this. She empowers sooo many others by standing up for herself and speaking her truth.

Mia Khalifa, Ketu in Mrigashira (a lot of people ask me why I include placements other than the big 3 and the reason I use Ketu specifically is because it is a karmic planet and Ketu's position in the birth chart is thought to indicate ties to previous lifetimes. It represents life experiences and knowledge that people may carry from past incarnations. Yes, I am aware that Ketu is a generational planet and people born across the same year have the same Ketu placement but the reason why Ketu placement is significant especially in the charts of accomplished people is because they are channelling the collective unconscious and I believe that in order to receive recognition for the work you do, you have to skilfully channel your Ketu as it represents your latent creativity and potential that connects you to the whole)

whew went off on a tangent 🤪(me with everything i post lmao)

Mia Khalifa has come forward exposing the porn industry and calling out its predatory nature and has candidly spoken about how she was "intimidated" into doing her infamous hijab scene and that her toxic ex husband encouraged her to pursue porn. I hope Mia heals from everything but she's sooo brave for calling out people/society/porn industry on their toxicity, misogyny, double standards when the same men who fap to her porn are the ones calling her a whore (she made a mistake when she was 20 and has been out of the business for 10 years at this point, at what point will we let her move on with her life and shed this image for good?)

Nicole Kidman- Mrigashira Sun

who can forget this iconic interview when Nicole exposed the truth behind her meeting with Jimmy lol, he was so sh00k

She starred in the 2003 movie Dogville where she plays the daughter of a mob boss who runs away because she cannot stand the stuff they do (running away because they can't accept the circumstance they are in is a prominent Mrigashira theme). Its an arthouse film about the nature of evil and it shows how after Nicole's character has run away to Dogville, she has to provide labor for the community in order to be allowed to stay (Mrigashira natives making a "sacrifice") and ultimately towards the end after enduring a lot of abuse, Nicole's character destroys the whole place.

Jim Carrey- Mrigashira Moon

He is hella problematic for sure but he has this existential side to him where he is always dropping truthbombs. Remember this iconic video where he says NYFW is meaningless lmfao

Parveen Babi, Mrigashira Moon

Parveen Babi was a Bollywood superstar in the 70s and 80s. In 1977, she started dating the filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt (he has a reputation for being vile, crass asshole) and he insisted that she go to a psychiatrist following which she was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. I cannot comment on whether or not Miss Babi was misdiagnosed but what is apparent is that her relationship with Bhatt took a severe toll on her mental health, there are tons of people who've said he's kind of a psychopath, so I don't doubt that he may have gaslit and abused Babi to a point where she may have lost her sanity. For the rest of her career she struggled with episodes of debilitating paranoia, delusion and violent aggression. She once even blamed Amitabh Bachchan (the biggest star in India) for being her biggest adversary and claimed that he was trying to kill her (I know this sounds delusional but we do not know what kind of relationship they had with each other or what might have led her to believe that she was in potential danger, its cruel to dismiss everything someone says as "oh but she's mentally ill").

Babi quit acting and was a recluse in her later years. She died alone in her apartment when she was 51 and her body was only found 3 days later. Mahesh Bhatt helped organise her funereal when nobody else stepped forward to even claim her body at the hospital. Her life is a tragedy and a cautionary tale.

Mrigashiras are doubtful of absolutely everything. They do not trust people easy AT ALL. They question absolutely everybody's motive and whilst this can create thought provoking and interesting art and make a person inquisitive, honest etc, it can also be exhausting and draining to constantly be on guard and watch your own back.

“Slowly, one by one, I lost trust in everybody and everything around me,” Babi wrote. “Have you ever wondered what it is like to function in life, distrusting everything and everybody? We trust most of the things and people around us without questioning. We trust the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe...It is impossible to function in life without trusting. And that is precisely what happened to me.”- Parveen Babi

Mrigashira natives are prone to paranoia and feeling unsafe (this ties back to their mythology) and I truly feel for them :(((

Oppenheimer- Mrigashira Rising

Oppenheimer’s infamous meeting with Truman took place in October 1945. It did not go well: Oppenheimer failed to convince the president of the need for international control of atomic energy, while Truman confidently stated the Soviets would never get the bomb. Getting nowhere, Oppenheimer really did confess his guilt over the Manhattan Project, which turned Truman’s stomach.

Oppenheimer's morality is dubious and questionable etc etc but it is known and clear that he felt guilty for the role he played and the destruction that was caused as a direct result of his research. He stood up for what was true, although unsuccessfully.

Khloe Kardashian-Mrigashira Moon

Khloe has always been praised for being "real" and honest. She has opened up about a lot of different things and had this to say about having a baby via surrogacy:

“But a surrogate process – Kim knows – is very hard for me. It’s a mindf***. It is really the weirdest thing,” she bravely shares about her nine-month-old cherub, Tatum. “I do feel less connected. People do say it takes a minute to feel connected but Kim said hers was easy. This is not easy. I definitely was in a state of shock from my entire experience in general,” she said. “I felt really guilty that this woman just had my baby and I take the baby and go to another room and you are separated. It felt like such a transactional experience because it is not about him. I wish someone was honest about surrogacy and the difference of it. But it doesn’t mean it is bad or good. It is just very different.”

Compared to the kind of stuff that all the other Kardash-Jenners say this is a rare and sincere moment of truth telling.

John Cena Mrigashira Moon and Rising

He is known for his honest, humble and sincere personality.

In an interview about the Meltzer rating system, Cena honestly said:

“So how do I put this… I am much more concerned when I perform for WWE in how the audience as a whole feels about my performance rather than one individual trying to grade me in a level of stars. Not that it doesn’t matter, because that is a great way for those to try and get equity and try to get noticed. It’s a great ranking system and I do appreciate it. I’m not knocking critics. I’m just saying my process is to make sure that everyone who paid a ticket had a great night. And if that gets me a zero star match, I still know in my heart of hearts that I entertained my audience that night.”

if you type in John Cena honesty into google so many articles pop up lol, i guess thats a great thing to be known for. Zero bullshit that's Mrigashira for you

I hope this post was interesting and informativexx

thanks for reading<3

#astrology notes #astrology observations #sidereal astrology #vedic astro notes #nakshatras #astrology #vedic astrology #astro observations #astroblr #astro notes #jyotish #mrigashira #mars

[claireelle18]

Lucky Charm

Prompt: When no one knows that they’re secretly married, but after scoring in the Stanley Cup playoffs he sees her in the stands wearing his jersey and holding the kid no one knows he has…and he’s almost knocked on his ass because he can’t take his eyes off her, and the moment is featured on national TV.

The day had been a long one of keeping up with the rambunctious toddler. Of course she wouldn’t exchange it for the world. Between the two parents, she agreed to be the stay at home mom while he provided for them.

It was a last minute decision to be down there at the arena, let alone up against the glass. She wasn’t sure how her girlfriend managed to get the tickets, pretty sure she had them, but the other guests bailed on her. 

“Linds, I can’t come! I’ve got no one to watch Salem tonight.” 

“Sage, just bring her! I have enough tickets for all of us. She can sit between us. Besides I bet she would love to see her Daddy play!” Salem had just recently turned two-and-a-half, and had only seen her Daddy play on tv and during the open practices.

“Sails you wanna go watch Daddy play?” She giggled and clapped. 

“Daddy?” The toddler questioned her mama.

“Yeah, baby. Daddy is at work. Want to go see him?” She nodded, and clapped more. “Okay, fine Linds we will see you there! Text me the tickets!” 

“Yay! I promise you’ll have fun!” 

With the heavy amount of traffic, both automobiles and pedestrians, it took a little longer to get past security than originally planned. Which meant warm ups were just wrapping up when the pair met up with the friend. “Hi ya Salem!” Salem laughed and waved hi back to her Aunt Linds. “You just missed him, but he will be back out soon.” 

The two women chatted as Salem watched the lights and people all around her. He wasn’t a starting player for the game, so she observed him on the bench. He was so sucked into the game, not knowing she was there, so close. 

First intermission came in a flash. He had a few shifts during that first period, and she could see how as the game progressed he became more comfortable. Before anyone knew it, second period was under way. Now they would be scoring on the goal the three sat behind. Sage cradled Salem on her hip as she wasn’t tall enough to see over the boards the action of the game. 

Her wedding ring glittering off the arena’s obnoxiously bright lights, casting tiny rainbows across the floor, as she held onto her daughter. Her daughter’s wide cerulean blue eyes captivated by the speed of the men whizzing around the large frozen sheet.  “Daddy! Daddy!” The young girl cheered as she caught her first glimpse of him, her long dark curls bouncing as she squirmed around.

He was back across the ice, then back in front of her again. His next shift he lead the puck, finding the back of the net past the Avalanche’s Georgiev. As he comes around the back of the net in a celly, he sees both, and cannot take his eyes off of them. 

His teammates flock around him, and he almost gets his ass slammed down to the ice because he gets run into. His only savior being Yanni Gourde and Adam Larson catching him. Even then he cannot seem to break the little trace he’s in. “If you’re watching this round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, you may have just witnessed Vince Dunn almost get taken out by teammates because something outside the rink, in the crowd is distracting him,” an announcer calls. 

No doubt that would be the hockey meme of the night, and for the weeks to follow. The Kraken social team was quick to use the gif made from it to post about taking the lead. 

@seattlekraken: “us when we realize we have the lead currently” 

Salem squeals again in excitement as she sees him smiling at her. She can hear the clicks of cameras sounding off around her as he smiles at them. Sage’s jersey proudly representing her last name of Dunn, and Salem’s with Daddy across the back and Vince’s number. He blows Salem a kiss and a sticking tongue out face, causing the previous reaction to repeat, before skating off. 

After winning the game, which gave the Kraken the lead in the series, the biggest question was asked during the interview, “what was that almost landing on your ass about?”

“Well, I-uh…I honestly didn’t expect to see my wife and our daughter standing there right behind the glass,” he smiled. “It definitely caught me off guard, in a good - I mean great way.” 

“So that was your daughter?” A report repeated. 

“Yes, my wife and daughter were here tonight. Now if you don’t mind, I would love to go see them, so please one final question.” He bounded off, in search of his favorite people. Adam had her outside the locker room, chatting and occasionally bouncing Sails up and down. 

“Daaadddyyy!” She screamed when she spotted him, taking off from everyone else. 

“Hey my little pumpkin!” He grabbed her kissing her cheek. “I see you came to Daddy’s work!” She nodded vigorously. 

“Come on you three, take a family picture!” Linds cheered, pushing Sage into her family. A few photos snapped of the little family.  “Glad you were able to not cause too much chaos tonight,” Sage teased Vince. “Even if you’re still leading in PIMs this season.” He jokingly goes to nip the tip of her nose in retaliation and Salem pushes his face. “Bad daddy. No bites!”

*New Instagram Post - posted photo series of Sage and Vince with Salem’s face not shown, back of her jersey is though* 

@vincedunn: “you could say I had my lucky charms in the building tonight”

Comment reply: @sagedunn: “yeah we know you mean @adamlarson 🙄” 

Reply: @vincedunn : “if I meant him then why are you sporting my last name on that jersey then? 😜😘” 

Reply: @sagedunn: “that’s because he’s forced to work with you” 

#vince dunn #nhl imagine #hockey imagine #imagine #nhl hockey #seattle kraken #kraken hockey #vincedunnxogcharacter

[rustboxstarr]

🗡"Seeking attention like some common whore"🗡

Summary: Eddie doesn't think before he talks when he's pissed, he regrets that now when he has to explain to his daughter why her mom can't wear whatever she wants.

Pairings: Dad!Eddie Munson x Mom!Reader

Warnings: Angst, fluff, some fighting, Eddie being a dick, Eddie and R being a healthy couple and talking about their problems lol

Wordcount: 2.6 k

A/N: I found this in my docs and thought why not post it? Idk where the idea for this came from but I guess its mildly funny 🤷‍♀️

Love yas!

Check out my other works!

You woke up in a sour mood on Saturday, head pounding and your mouth extremely dry, a bitter taste resting on your gums. Your week had been long and challenging, you hadn’t even been that keen on going out partying Friday evening but Cindy, your closest colleague had psyched you up and made you feel excited about the whole thing, you even enjoyed yourself, had quite a few drinks, lots of laughs, some stumbling around with some other girls from the office as you made your way out and a permanent sloppy grin painted your features as you got out the cab and stepped through the door to your small house where so much love had been shared you were comfortable calling it a home. That grin was wiped clean off the moment you stepped through the door. 

A hangover was beating down on you, made even worse when you woke up with no long muscly arms wrapped around you, or any limbs even touching you for that matter. You craned your neck from your position lying on your side to see Eddies back to you, shallow even breaths making his torso expand evenly. It felt melancholy, not waking up with a comforting warmth wrapped around you, and you almost let that feeling overtake you before you rolled your eyes as you remembered what had actually gone down the night before, the reason for why there would be no awaiting tylenol and water on your bedside table and no lazy saturday morning cuddles before Ophelia woke up. 

You dragged yourself out of bed, the weight on your feet feeling undeniably heavy and sagging as your post drunk state hit you like a slap in the face when your head leveled upright. Taking a deep breath you decided to go downstairs and get yourself some pain killers, a very large glass of water or two and a strong cup of coffee. 

Rubbing your eyes of sleep you sipped your coffee at the kitchen table, sunk into the wooden chair, much too hard for any slouching to be at all comfortable. Footsteps pattered against the wooden stairs alerting you that someone was coming to join you, much to your dismay it wasn't a light pitter patter of tiny feet but heavy steps of a tired grown man probably equally as sour as you. The thuds alerting his presence caused you to quickly adjust your worn cotton nightgown, pulling the hem up comfortably to cover any awkward cleavage. 

You didn't even look his way as you heard the same footsteps enter the sage green and powder blue kitchen, you made no effort to stand up and greet him in any way instead you just sipped your coffee and looked out of the window. Your husband’s and your own car parked in the driveway in front of the empty quiet street of the suburbs. Green grass damp with the morning dew brightening up the dark hours of the early winter morning, a colorful painted mailbox even more a stark contrast to the blacks and deep blues that painted the sky. 

Eddie poured himself a cup of coffee and folded himself into the opposite chair, a low groan slipping past his lips at the action. All you did was glance over to him, at the interruption, but Eddie's eyes were fixed on the maple of the table as his hands wrapped around the dark Star Wars mug, the same one he drank his coffee in every morning, just like you with your Zelda mug. Before you flicked your eyes back to the view of the street through the window you noticed Eddie was shirtless, pale skin dampened in the lack of light shining at him, torso littered with tattoos, snaking up his arms and chest, down to his hips. He too hadn’t bothered to change into day clothes yet.

The silence loomed over the small open kitchen as you both sipped your coffee in quiet, you refusing to meet his gaze as Eddie chanced glances at you, trying to gather what mood you were in and by extension how the rest of the day would look like. All he could understand was that you were nowhere near happy and that meant that his day would probably be even longer than the workweek had been. 

He cleared his throat in an attempt to get you to look at him but you blatantly ignored him and continued staring out the window. Just as he was about to try again the familiar noise of tiny feet tread the steps down the stairs that he had taken not long ago. In an instant both of your heads turned in the direction of the hall awaiting Ophelia, eyes fixed on the corner before a head of messy brown curls appeared. 

In her blue whale pajamas, clutching her favorite teddy bear, Mr Burr as she so pleasantly called him. Rugged white fabric, fluff lost with the amount of love it had been given the past four and a half years and stuffing unevenly placed in the head and body, leaving a thin long neck on the seal in its rightful position of Ophi’s elbow. 

“Hia baby” had it been any other day your voice would be alot more chipper, but today, you couldn't muster up the strength, your tone was flat and croaky, clear evidence of the night before. Eddie winced behind you as he heard it, you were probably not feeling very well and he couldn't help but feel the slight guilt that part of it was his fault with the fighting yesterday, but also not being there to dote on you the morning after you had been out drinking. 

“Hi” Ophis' voice was near a whisper, still tired and not fully awake, she walked over to you, holding her hands out expectantly. You groaned as your weak muscles worked to pick your daughter up and sit her in your lap, that too made Eddie wince, guilt bubbling up even more than it already had. “Sleep ok?” he leaned over the table to let her slide her small hand into his big palm “No it was too loud” she complained as she let her dad wrap his fingers around her wrist. “Oh I’m sorry baby, were mommy and daddy talking too loud? you should have come in and told us” you hugged her to you as you felt bad about keeping your daughter up. “Probably would have helped me get to bed faster than staying up till 4 am” you mumbled, too groggy and hoarse for Ophi to understand what you were saying. Eddie let go of his daughter's hand with an eye roll, occupying himself with a large gulp of bitter coffee instead. 

“Why were you and daddy fighting?” Ophelia turned to you as she nuzzled her head to your collarbone “Me and daddy just had a little argument” you explained as a hand instinctively went to comfort her, smoothing down her hair atop her head. “What was it about?” she pressed as Eddie stood up from his seat to prepare a bowl of cereal for her and later on, her sister. 

You looked over at him and decided, you may as well just tell her “Hmm well you know when Daddy says you can’t wear some things?” looking down at her. “Oh great turn our daughter against me” Eddie grumbled as he poured milk into a pink plastic bowl, you scowled at him as the little girl spoke “Yeah, I don't like that, he tells Woxy too” she frowned up at you, it was difficult to take her seriously as she tried to pronounce her sister Roxette’s nickname. “Yeah well daddy does that with me too” you explained in a soft tone, despite the fact that you were actually really annoyed at the fact. “Why? Daddy says it's because I'm just little but you’re old” you chuckled, not catching the way Eddie's lips tugged up at the corners. “Yeah, I’m old” 

Eddie sat back down before placing the bowl and a small spoon in front of Ophelia's usual place at the kitchen table, signaling for you to let her down so she could eat. Ophelia crawled down and then up again to sit with her knees digging into the specially placed cushion on her chair. 

“Daddy” she looked up after a few mouthfuls “Hm?” he turned to give her his full attention “Why can't mommy wear what she wants? She’s not little, she's a woman” Ophelia asked confused. The gears were visibly turning in Eddie's brain as he thought over how best to explain it, he couldn't exactly tell his almost 5 year old daughter that her mom couldn’t waltz around in skirts that he barely considered an actual article of clothing and tops that reveal the things that are only for his eyes to see. “Um… well” he was fighting for words. “Because sometimes Daddy forgets that I’m not little like you” you interrupted, booping Ophelia's nose to earn a light giggle “So he forgets that it's not okay for him to tell me how to dress” even though your voice is soft you shoot Eddie a hard glare giving him insight into how you were actually feeling about him at the moment. 

Eddie rolled his eyes again and sat back in his chair, bringing the black ceramic up to his lips. “But listen Ophi, ok this is very important” you lent forward to catch her eye “When you become a big girl and same goes for your sister, if someone other than me or your daddy ever tells you what you can and can't do you have to come to us, and tell us ok?” Ophelia nodded in understanding “Especially if it's a boy ok? Because it's very important that you remember that you are your own person, and that no one can tell you how to dress ok?” Ophelia nodded again “You gonna come tell us if that happens?” “Yeah” Ophelia nodded happily as you sat back to mimic Eddie and bring your own coffee cup up to your lips and your eldest began her meal again. 

You recognised Eddie's face as he stared unfocused behind you, he was clearly mulling something over by the looks of it arguing with himself in his mind. Under any other circumstances you would ask him “Penny for your thought princess?” in some corny southern british accent, but today you simply didn't want to know. 

Ophelia seemed not to notice the tension between her two parents as she told you both about a strange dream she had where Eddie’s guitar had turned into an airplane and she had flown off with her friend Louise Harrington in it, both you and Eddie humoring her as she spoke with mouthfuls of cheerios. Soon enough she was situated under a blanket with various stuffed animals and a bottle of water on the couch to watch her morning cartoons next to three year old little Roxette who munched on some cut up slices of toast by Eddie and sat watching intently as bright colors lit up the screen. 

As Eddie got Ophelia and Roxette settled you pulled yourself upstairs with the intent of a shower and a fresh change of clothes, but decided to belly flop head first into the soft pillows of your bed, almost dozing off as the door next to your right opened. You didn't bother looking up as you heard Eddie close the door carefully and tiptoed around the bed to his own side, under the impression that you had passed out but was instantly startled as you awkwardly turned your head to press your cheek into the pillows, facing Eddie as he was about to climb back into bed himself. 

Your voice was muffled against the pillow as you spoke, “Come to shout about what a massive slut I am again?” Eddie cringed as he heard you, he took a deep breath before sitting down next to you, his back to the headboard. “No..” he sighed “You sure? Or would you maybe prefer attention seeking.. whore? Was it? No no wait, seeking attention like some common whore, that's what it was” Eddie shrunk in on himself as you repeated the words he had shouted at you in fury the night before, you knew Eddie would come around, you knew he would apologize, but this particular time you felt he had really crossed a line so you had no problem sprinkling some salt in his wounds. 

“Baby.. I’m sorry” he whispered as he leaned over to place a hand on your back and rub it up and down. “Mmmm” you sarcastically hummed “I-I really shouldn't have said that, I was being an absolute dick” at that you hummed in agreement, face still half smushed into the pillows as you looked up at him. “I just, you know how I feel about Billy.. I already don't want him around you, and when I saw you come home like that I just knew he was probably lapping it up” a roll of your eyes “But I took my anger out on the wrong person, I’m really sorry” Eddie moved down the bed to lie on his side as his hand continued rubbing up and down your back. 

“Mhm and?” you looked at him as his face was now level with yours “And..” he breathed fighting a roll of his eyes, he knew what you were doing “I just thought about you know if Ophelia or Roxette ever comes home with a boyfriend” “mhm” you coaxed him on “I wouldn't be that happy to know he was telling them what to wear” you broke out into a wide smug grin, even though there were a few more things to unpack about yesterday, an apology was all you needed for the moment. 

“Yup” you popped the ‘p’ even more smug, this time Eddie did actually roll his eyes but a playful grin tugged at his lips. “But” Eddie’s face suddenly went serious “I would… appreciate if maybe you don't wear those kinds of outfits around, at least Billy in the future” he was feeling sheepish at his request. “In my defense” you pushed yourself up to lay your head on your crossed forearms “I didn’t actually know Billy was gonna be there” you grinned “also if I knew that, do you seriously think I would have worn that?” Eddie chuckled “Yeah ok no, that's true” another smug hum of approval. “Mmmm but why you gotta wear that stuff anyway” he started of with a hint of a whine “Who you tryna impress when you have a big hunky husband with the biggest dick you've ever set your eyes on” a loud snort rang through the room as you turned to lie on your side, letting Eddie scoot closer and wrap his arms around you. 

“Maybe I’m tryna impress my boss, ya know get myself a sweet promotion, or maybe that so called big dick you pride yourself just isn't cutting it anymore” you nuzzled your face into his bare chest as it vibrated with laughter “Well first of all you are the boss, hate to break it to ya butchya’ can’t really get promoted babe, second whatchu’ talkin’ ‘bout woman, just last morning you were drooling over it” you rolled your eyes as a big amused smile spread across your face. 

“Well now you're just lying, I was not drooling” 

“Oh Eddie! Oh Eddie god! Oh my god! AAUUH Ugh! Your cock is so big oh my goood! Fuck Eddie yes! Yes! YEEES!” Eddie's voice turned into an awfully high pitched imitation of a girl's voice as he whispered as to not let the girls hear, whole body shaking with you in his grasp to get his point across further. 

“Oh my god shut up!” you clasped a hand around his mouth which Eddie easily pulled away to kiss at your knuckles “I’m getting a divorce” you giggle as you cozy up to Eddie.

#80s #90s #eddie munson #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson has adhd #eddie munson headcanons #eddie munson smut #Eddie Munson headcons #Eddie Munson plus size reader #Eddie Munson x plus size reader #Eddie Munson x reader #headcanon #headcon #StarrWrites #StarrThinks #Older!Eddie #Older!Eddie Munson #Older Eddie #older eddie munson #Dad!Eddie #dad!eddie x mom!reader #dad!eddie munson #girl dad!eddie munson #eddie munson fluff #dad eddie munson x mom reader

[chaoticallywriting]

A Merciful King ☼ Chapter Three

Pairing: Aegon Targaryen II x Reader, Aemond Targaryen x Reader

Warnings: awkward sex? Eating out, voyeurism, public sex,

Word Count: 3.1k

A/N:  I originally posted this series on TheGreensWhore. Unfortunately I got shadowbanned on there so I’m reposting all of amk onto here and will be posting further chapters on here instead of there.

Synopsis: The war is over, the blacks have lost, and as Rhaenrya’s daughter it is your duty to marry a green to secure your younger brothers safety. If only Aemond paid attention to you like his brother does.

Previously || Next

Your handmaidens treat you as if it’s your wedding day. They scrub your skin until it’s a bright red.pouring various oils into the copper basin. Your hair is scrubbed, massaged, and braided while damp so that it would be curly for the big event. Lila even picks out a lovely night gown for you and sent for your favorite foods. None of which you can find the stomach to eat due to the revolting smells.

The other girls throw a gauzy fabric over the rods of your four-poster bed, creating curtains around all three sides that will offer an obscurity for the maester. It’ll be sheer enough to show your figures, but offers a little privacy. Lila helps you slip into your sage green nightgown. As she adjusts a tie, you feel her slip something small and cold into your hands, and you feel yourself tense up at the realization. The vial of blood, the one you no longer need.

Fuck. Roughly biting your lip, you turn your head to whisper “Thank you, but I won’t need another one after this.”

She nods and steps away, smiling at her handiwork. Myra, another one of your handmaidens, begins to unbraid your dried hair as the time nears. Your heart begins to pound, and you find yourself pacing after the handmaid's leave.You tuck the vial under one of your pillows and rack your hands through your curls.

Will he be rough? Quick and brutal, seeking only his end, or will he offer you the same kindness Aegon did? You fear that somehow this will all go horribly wrong, but you also fear your new reality. He cannot run away any longer, and Aegon seems intent on keeping you close to him. This will prove stressful and tiresome. You only hope that Aemond may stay bored of you, but also wish to seek a friendship with him.

All you wanted was peace. These last few years have been so harrowing, and you wish to know happiness once more. You scarcely remember what it was like to feel carefree How foolish you were to spend all that time wishing to be a woman, when all womanhood brought was pain.

After waiting for what felt like a century, someone knocked at your door. You're quick to pull it open, finding you’ll go insane if you wait one more moment. The maester stands at the front of the trio waiting outside your door. Aemond is at the back, towering over the other two with an unreadable expression on his face. Meanwhile, Aegon is nursing a goblet of wine, which does not surprise you.

There is a chilling anger present in his features. His glare holds a possessive tint that has you scrambling back to let them inside. This needs to end quickly. You can only hope Aemond is quick in bed as the maester shuffles in.

The door clicks shut, and you nervously fiddle with your gown. Aemond hasn’t even looked in your direction, opting to stare at the wall behind you, jaw clenched. Despite knowing this would happen, that doesn’t soften the blow to your pride. You know you look beautiful, hair silken and curled. Lila had dabbled rose oil onto your neck and wrists, while Myra had brushed some into your hair. A satin green robe was wrapped around you to cover your nightgown from anyone who isn’t your husband. The tie is wrapped tightly around your waist, cinching your waist.

“Your grace, the king and I shall stand to the side while you and your husband may start. It will be as if we are not even here.”

There is no way to pretend that is true. Even if they stay silent, you can feel Aegon's gaze on you. His eyes are full of lust, he looks at you how Aemond should. It makes this feel worse as you look into his own eyes, memories flashing between you. You find yourself blushing at his gaze.

The heat from before curls in the pit of your stomach as you tear your gaze from his. Aemond moves towards the bed, and you follow, slowly taking off your robe. He takes off his boots but keeps the rest of his clothes on, opting to untie his pants and pull himself out. You take a deep breath at the sight. He is longer than Aegon, but not as fat. You don’t know if that’s better or worse.

“Do you want me to…?” You gesture to your gown, going to untie one of your straps. He stops you and shakes his head. You nod.

The blanket is soft beneath your hands as you sit on the edge of the bed. Hands tightly gripping the sheets in anticipation. His hand finds your shoulder, lightly pushing you onto your back. The air around you two is tense and incredibly awkward. You look away when Aemond fists his member and jerks it a couple of times. His soft grunts fill the air before he stops and pushes your dress up to your hips.

You hate this, hate this, hate this. You want to push him away when he lines himself up with you, hovering above you and staring off at the blankets beside you. This was not how you imagined your first time with your husband. You had dreamed of him magically changing his mind and kissing you one day before taking you to bed. This is nothing like that.

The wind is knocked out of you once he bottoms out inside of you. Your hand grips his shoulder in a bruising hold as a breathless gasp leaves your lips. This hurts more than with Aegon. He’s deeper, and it seems the dryness has added an uncomfortable factor. You may have been a little wet at the thought of your night with his brother, but not much.

He begins to slowly thrust inside you, only adding to the god awful feeling. You don’t realize you're crying until you taste the saltiness of your own tears. A few moments go by with that awful feeling. You find yourself staring up at the ceiling above when the pain slowly subsides. It takes a few moments for the pain to subside. Not enough for you to suddenly enjoy yourself but enough to stop crying. Soon his thrusts turn sloppy and his breathing intensifies before stilling above you.

Aemond pulls out of you, stuffing himself back into his pants and standing up. You stay lying down, finding there to be an uncomfortable ache between your legs now. You don’t realize you were tightly fisting the blankets until reality starts to set back in. The murmurs of the maester speaking with Aemond can be heard, but it sounds far away. All you wish to do is curl up in a ball, but there’s a small part of you telling you to get up. To jut your chin out and act like the bedding did not bother you as much.

You are Rhaenrya’s daughter. A mighty dragon, not some sad little lamb to be devoured. Eaten whole and spit out the bones. You devour, you conquer. So with a shaky breath you pull yourself up until you sit on the edge of the bed, eyes a bit bleary as you watch the maester leave. Aegon’s cup seems to be empty, he eyes you with an unreadable look before storming out after the maester.

Aemond is putting on his boots as you try to find your bearings. You know he has a separate bedchamber nearby and is probably planning to head there. Clearing your throat, you wrap your arms around yourself and stare at your husband.

“I didn’t ask for this, you know?”

He scoffs.

“Truly, I was asking your brother for an annulment this morning, and now we are here.”

There are a few beats of silence. He won’t look at you as he thinks of what to say, so you keep talking.

“I know she holds your heart, I do not wish to steal it. I simply want to be friends, like when we were young and still happy with our lives.” You stand up, wincing at the movement, and pad over to him. He stares at the ground as you stand a few inches in front of him. “If we are stuck in this marriage then the least either of us could do is be nice to one another or the rest of our lives shall be miserable. I do not wish for that, and I assume you don’t either.”

“I love her” his voice is low, his eyes sweeping up to look at yours. “I will never stop loving her.”

There’s a stabbing sensation within your heart at his words. You may not love him, but to hear your husband declare his love for another hurts nonetheless. You are stuck in a loveless marriage and will probably never be loved. It is your fate to never know what it’s like to hold one's heart as this Alys Rivers does.

“I know.” you murmur. “But can you please stop talking about having me killed? It’s not a very nice thing to do.”

His lips twitch at that before nodding. You hope your words will stick, you’ll pray about it if you must. Aemond leaves soon after, and suddenly your room feels so cold. You climb back into bed, hand searching beneath your pillow before wrapping your fingers around the glass vial. You pour a few drops onto the bed where you once laid before disposing of the rest. That will assure Alicents spies that you are still a maiden. Hopefully your handmaidens will gossip and word of this night will get out. There won’t be a way to try to shame you anymore, at least not for now.

Many days have gone by since the consummation. It’s been long enough that your blood should arrive within the next few days. You obviously know it won’t and with that all will think you are with Aemond’s child. Little do they know it’s been two months, not just one.

Perhaps your handmaidens will be loyal, and you’ll be able to go on another month or so before the pregnancy is discovered. You wonder if it’s worth keeping a secret at this point, or if you should wait for someone else to point it out.

The stares have stopped, along with the whispers. You feel grateful for this and find yourself strolling through the gardens. Today you will not go to the godswood and spend the rest of the time panicking in your room. You shall go through the gardens, maybe stop by the nursery. Perhaps attend dinner for once instead of having it sent to your room.

Just off the path along the walkway in the gardens, you find a bench sequestered from the watchful eyes of the court and find yourself compelled to take a seat, so you may bask in the sun. You tilt your head back and close your eyes as you take in the shining rays, hands clasped in your lap.

The birds chirp peacefully, and the breeze shifts through the leaves. This moment is truly peaceful, but the peace does not last for long. It never does.

You hear the snap of a twig and open your eyes. In front of you is Aegon, surprisingly without a goblet in hand. He quickly approaches you and cups your cheeks. His goblet falls to the ground, and he pulls you in for a bruising kiss. He does it so quickly that you hardly have time to protest, let alone reciprocate it before he’s pulling away.

“I have been thinking about doing that since your night with my brother.” His lips trail down your neck, hands slipping to your thighs. You tightly close them and put your hands on his chest, ready to push him away when he continues. “I had to be there, to make sure you didn’t like it.”

“I didn’t, now can you stop? We’re in public.” He smirks against your neck, face tilting up to look into your eyes. “Anyone may see, and people just stopped talking about me.”

“Let them talk, I want everyone to hear your pretty moans. I haven’t heard them in so long” He kneels between your legs, slowly pulling them apart despite trying to keep them closed. “Please?”

You’ve never heard Aegon say such a word. It honestly stuns you. He takes this moment to rub up and down your thighs, pulling your skirts up enough to feel your skin beneath his hands. He kisses your inner thigh, and you find that heat returns. Gods you must be weak to consider doing this, but he desires you in a way no one else has. The things he’s made you feel have been otherworldly. You find yourself nodding before you can stop yourself.

Aegon smirks, nipping at your inner thigh before pushing his head under your skirt. You quietly yelp at his actions, a hand instinctively going to his hair while the other lays flat on the stone bench. He licks a thick strip up your folds, you find yourself shuddering and biting your lip to try to contain your moans.

You can’t close your eyes, you have to remind yourself to try to keep a watch just in case. He keeps licking your folds before his tongue finally swirls around your bundle of nerves, causing you to jerk in shock. A strained moan slips out at his actions, and you feel him tighten his grip around your thighs.

He wraps his lips around your bud, beginning to harshly suck on it. You instinctively grind against his face at the action, moaning louder and slapping a hand to your mouth at the noise. The hand in his hair tightens and pulls. The fire in your stomach is burning.

Aegon moans as you pull on his hair, the sound vibrating against your clit. Two of his fingers spread your folds apart. Running along them to coat his fingers in your slick before thrusting two fingers inside you. Your stomach tightens and not long after he finds a spot within you that brings stars to your eyes. You come around his fingers with shaking thighs and an arched back, strangled moans muffled by your hand.

He fucks you through your orgasm, letting go of your bud and opting to kitten lick it. He groans at the feel of your walls convulsing around his fingers, and slowly pulls them out once you’ve calmed down. You drop your hand and pant, hands pushing your skirts down when he pulls away.

Aegon pushes his fingers against your lips and says in a commanding voice, “suck.”

You find yourself doing as you're told without even thinking, mouth opening and lips wrapping around his fingers before you suck on them. Your eyes close as you softly moan, thighs rubbing together at the feel this brings you. Aegon reluctantly pulls his fingers out of your mouth and stands.

He’s smirking down at you, looking at your blown out eyes and flushed cheeks. Before he can stop himself, he’s leaned down to kiss you, murmuring against your lips. “I will find you tonight so that I may feel you against my cock again.”

He leaves you in that little hidden area of the gardens, a confident stride to his walk. You spend a few moments collecting yourself before rushing off, only hoping no one witnessed the two of you. You’ll need a cool bath now before dinner. The nursery will have to wait until tomorrow.

Family dinner comes and goes with little fanfare. Alicent spoke for most of it, trying to get her son to open back up, while Aegon blatantly stared you down. It was hard to focus on the food in front of you, and oftentimes found yourself finding comfort within your cups to keep from flushing under his stare.

Aemond hardly responds to his mother nor does he eat much. His mind is elsewhere. You’ve only seen him a handful of times since that night. Not as if you’ve tried though. Most of your time has been spent trying not to puke around others or make your obvious distaste about the smell of meat known.

By the time you made it back to your chambers, you found yourself particularly exhausted. Dealing with the minefield that is a family dinner while being an outsider to it has left you feeling faint. Once inside, you find yourself crawling into bed, not caring about your dress or the jewelry you wore and drifted off to sleep.

Your slumber did not last for long, though. You feel hands slowly peeling your dress off of you, soft ones at that. “No…” you mumble softly, half-heartedly pushing them away while keeping your eyes closed.

“Shhh,” the deep voice says. You know that voice, it’s Aegon. At this moment all you want to do is sleep, and you feel dread rattle your bones at what he might try to do. “I’m just taking this off.”

“Not tonight, please” you nuzzle your pillow and groan. “Just sleep tonight.”

Your dress is off now, and you shiver as the air grazes your skin. He takes some time figuring out how to take off your earrings and gives up on your necklace before settling in behind you. He pulls the blankets above you both before wrapping his arms around and nuzzles the back of your neck.

“I just want to hold you,” he says. His voice lacks its usual mischief, and you relax in his arms. His lips turn up against the back of your neck in what you can only assume is a smile before he sighs. “I’ve always wanted to hold you.”

Any other day, one where you are sober, his words would confuse you. Tonight, though, you simply find yourself humming at his words, too sleepy to realize what he may mean. Your legs tangle with his, and you sigh at the comforting feeling his embrace brings you. His fingers trace your bare belly, and he occasionally kisses your neck. Not in the hungry way that he did the night in his chambers, which confuses you.

Aegon did not seem capable of this type of thing. Ever since he married his sister, he was only known for fucking whores and getting drunk. He was hardly ever serious, at least from what you’ve seen. Certainly never sweet like this.

“I thought you wanted to fuck me?” You don’t know it, but gods, your words make him almost lose his resolve. He softly groans at your words before shaking his head, his voice is low and soft, almost sweet.

“Not like this, you seem too tired. My son must be exhausting you in there.”

“You can’t stay though,” your voice is groggy, and you briefly open your eyes before groaning and closing them once more. He nods, hand flat against your stomach, but doesn’t move.

“I won’t, just go back to sleep.” So you do, and your dreams consist of him, all him. But none of it is horrifying as it was before.

#aegon x reader #aegon #aegon targaryen #aegon targaryen x reader #aegon targaryen x you #aegon ii smut #aegon ii x you #aegon ii fanfic #aegon ii x reader #aegon targaryen ii x reader #aegon targaryen ii x you #hotd x you #hotd x reader #hotd smut

[vinnie-w]

【 Alhaitham x Single Mom! Reader 】

➥ AU: Genshin Impact (Post-Sumeru Archon Quest)

➥ SYNOPSIS: Your warm morning is interrupted by an unexpected but welcomed surprise.

➥ AU: Canon Genshin (Post-Sumeru Archon Quest)

➥ WC: 889

➥ A MOTHER'S LOVE ( MASTERLIST)

You could tell how big a toll the work of a Grand Sage had been affecting your boyfriend as, usually, it would've been him that'd be awake but instead you wake to see Alhaitham with his eyes shut as he breathed slowly.

You smile softly as you reach to brush Alhaitham's hair back slowly, and how you wish you didn't as his brows furrow slightly and his arm on your waist pulls you closer to himself.

"Good morning." You giggled, Alhaitham hums in response as he buried his face in your hair. "Mrn'n .." He mumbled into your hair.

You look outside the window and see that the sun was higher than it usually was when you woke up. You attempt to stand up but you forget your boyfriend's tight grip on your waist.

"Haitham, hon. It's past 8." You said, trying to shake Alhaitham awake.

"So?" He replied, pulling the blanket over your shoulders. "It's a weekend, dear. We'll be fine."

"What about Farah?"

"I'm sure Kaveh can handle her."

You shake your head with a laugh, "Archons, Haitham. We can't make our friend do everything y'know?"

"It's reasonable payment for his debt." Alhaitham added, smirking slightly as you laugh at his statement, burying your face in his chest.

"Mm.. I guess I can spend a few more minutes.." You mumble, already feeling the sleepiness return once you allowed yourself to melt into Alhaitham's arms.

"Good." Said Alhaitham, smugly. You both hold each other close as sleep began to overtake you, the warmth of Alhaitham and the blanket and the cool wind from your slightly open window was enough to make you fall asleep.

Unfortunately for you two, because of your drowsiness you failed to notice the door open slowly.

Alhaitham looked up from admiring you and raised a brow at the open door. "Hm? Kaveh?" He called out, rubbing his eye.

"Kaveh?" You mumble, drowsily.

"AAAAAHHHH!!"

Alhaitham and you yelp as the small figure jumped into your bed head first with a scream before she fell into a fit of giggles.

"Mowing! It's mowing!!" Farah beamed, cuddling into your chest.

Alhaitham and you sigh, it was just Farah, your little 5 year old girl. "Morning. It's morning, Farah." Said Alhaitham, turning on his side as he watched you and Farah cuddle.

"Hehe, no it's not!" Farah giggles, turning to face her dad. Alhaitham could feel his heart melt a bit as you pulled Farah closer and kissing her cheek.

"What do you mean it's not, baby?" Alhaitham asked.

"Cause that's how uncle Kaveh says it!" Said Farah, sitting up. "He goes, 'good mowingg!'" She then proceeds to exaggerate Kaveh's yawn, throwing her arms up in the air and falling back onto your chest, laughing.

"Of course, he'd say it wrong. He's an idiot."

"Haitham!" You yell, playfully slapping his bicep with a laugh. Alhaitham chuckles, propping himself up on his arm as he admired you.

The way the sun perfectly captured your features, your laugh like music to his ears always had his heart skipping a few beats.

Alhaitham was no believer of fate, choosing to believe in facts instead, but he would get down on his knees and thank whichever god or archon of Celestia had given him the chance to meet you and your daughter and giving him the small family he has now.

Alhaitham smiled softly once you'd calm from your laughing as you looked up at him with your (e/c) eyes. He slowly leaned in, about to give you a kiss when he was immediately smacked away.

"Farah!"

Alhaitham sat up in shock as he rubbed his nose, while Farah blew a raspberry at him. The two glared at one another before Farah smugly kissed your cheek and cuddled you.

"Oh?" Said Alhaitham. "That's how you want it too be, hm?"

Farah screeched as Alhaitham pulled her off of you. She was kicking her legs and squealing as he tickled her sides, blowing a raspberry into her neck that had Farah laughing and squirming.

"PAPA LET ME GOOO!!" She laughed, trying to tickle her papa back but Alhaitham held her arms down as he continued the tickling.

You laid back as you watched the two play fight. You can't help but thank the archons for blessing you with a man as loving accepting as Alhaitham for accepting you AND Farah when most men you've met have insisted for you to leave her behind

But not Alhaitham, he saw your fears and made a promise to love and protect you both. You smile fondly as Farah finally escaped Alhaitham's grasp and run out of the room, calling for Kaveh.

"Now, where was I-" You cut him off by sneaking your arm around his neck and kissing him. Alhaitham immediately reacts by wrapping his arms around your waist.

You pull away, muttering "Love you." Smiling up at him. Alhaitham smiles back, but just as he was about to lean down for one more kiss, another voice startles the two.

"Oh- OH! Not in front of your own child, you two!"

A/N: Shdjhahs you guys have no idea how happy I am to vomit a fic about him jaklsjdlkadj I love him so he's so mean and rude.

I'm ngl, I wish I was built like all the genshin tumblr writers here with their cool aesthetice but I am simply a wattpader 😭

#✿ writes #✿ A MOTHER'S LOVE ✿ #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #alhaitham x reader #al haitham x reader #alhaitham x y/n #alhaitham x you

[otrtbs]

hello trying smth. a bit. different under the cut?

Druella

Bellatrix is born on Halloween. On October 31st 1951, she becomes the eldest daughter of Druella and Cygnus Black, and she doesn’t cry. She just peers up at Druella with wide-round eyes and a calm, unaffected disposition. It’s eerie. It’s haunting. That’s something that always worried Druella– the Halloween birth, Bellatrix’s refusal to come into the world kicking and screaming and fighting for air like a normal child would. Druella worries that Bellatrix is cursed, born on the day of skeletons, death, evil spirits, and darkness. She tried to hold out a few more hours, she begged the mediwitches at St. Mungo’s to delay the birth somehow through grunts of pain and the sweat forming on her brow. She attempted to not push through her contractions, but it was pointless. 

“They say babies born on Halloween are immune to evil spirits,” the mediwitch whispers to Druella as Cygnus sleeps in a chair in the corner of the room, arms crossed and shoulders slumped. “The veil between the living and the dead is thinnest tonight. So she’ll probably have a strong connection with the spirit world. She might even be given the gift of second sight,” she adds sagely, attempting to calm Druella’s fears. “A blessing.”

Druella holds Bellatrix in her arms, she’s sleeping and swaddled in a soft blanket, a peaceful expression on her face, but Druella can’t escape the feeling of hesitant fear bubbling beneath the surface. A bomb waiting to explode. “She didn’t even cry,” she lets out an exhausted sigh. 

The mediwitch gives her a soft smile. “It happens. Her heart rate is stable and she is breathing normally. She’s perfectly healthy.” The witch finishes cleaning up a few things around the room and removes her gloves. “Be sure to let me know if you need anything. Someone will be here to check on you shortly.” As she turns to leave, she pauses for a moment with her hand on the handle, debating something. Then, with a quick look back and a sharp breath she says, “It’s going to be okay.” 

Druella wishes she could believe her. 

Bellatrix grows a little every day. She’s healthy, she never cries, her bones aren’t weak, her limbs aren’t mangled, her cheeks are pink and fat and not sallow. She looks nothing like a cursed child, acts nothing like a cursed child, except for the small birthmark just below her left cheek. A bad witch’s mark. 

Walburga and Orion come to the house to see the new baby. A cruel, satisfied smile overtakes Walburga’s features when she sees it’s a girl, confirming with her own eyes that the chance to have the next heir is still within her grasp, but Druella takes her own pleasure in Walburga’s still slender frame.

At least Bellatrix proves that Druella isn’t barren. She can have children, healthy children. She could provide an heir. It was only a matter of time. Walburga and Orion had been married nearly three years before Druella married Cygnus and yet their house remained empty. 

Walburga always hated Druella. Hated that Druella and Cygnus got to live in 12 Grimmauld Place with the family heirlooms the libraries, the portraits, and the tapestry detailing their lineage. She always believed it should belong to her and Orion. Druella was a Rosier by birth. It was only right that true Blacks lived in Grimmauld. She had married Orion earlier. It was only right that she reside there. The next heir to the Black family name got to reside in Grimmauld. So it wasn't just a race to bare a male child, but also a claim to the family residence.

Because Druella can't help herself, she takes Walburga to the drawing room with the tapestry for tea and revels in the looks Walburga casts at the family tree.

Druella was barely healed from her first pregnancy when Cygnus demands that they try again. One child was only enough if it was a boy. She counts the cracks in the ceiling and does her best not to shout in pain in those early days after Bellatrix’s birth. She washes too many bloody sheets before anyone else can see them. 

She tries to spend time in the nursery, but baby Bella, as the house elves had taken to calling her, hardly interests her. Cygnus never goes to the nursery to see Bellatrix, he couldn’t be bothered. Rather, he immerses himself in his work. Druella knows it is her job. It's her job to dress Bellatrix and feed her and bathe her and sing to her, but she leaves most of those tasks to the house elves. 

Bellatrix feels like a stranger in her home. A thing rather than a person. Something haunted and hard to bond with, even if she looks just like a normal child. However, there was still a sense of pride, even if Bellatrix wasn’t a boy. Druella had given birth to a child. She could be a mother. She could do what was expected of her. She just needed a boy.

More days pass. 

Druella busies herself with planning Christmas parties and elaborate dinners and pruning her winter garden of Christmas roses and Goose Grass. She attends charity meetings and plans galas for the Museum of Modernism and Moda. The mediwitches assure her that Bellatrix’s witch mark will fade as she grows older. 

Days turn into months, and just after Bellatrix is ten months old, Druella finds herself pregnant once more. Cygnus’ once stormy mood had shifted to one of gentle ease. He comes home earlier, he speaks softer, and he scowls less. All of the ladies drop by to place their hands on Druella’s growing stomach, to offer their well wishes, to bring gifts. 

This time, it was going to be a boy. Druella can feel it in her bones. All of the divination midwives say as much. She dreams about it. 

“Of course, we’ll name him Sirius. Something strong and commanding. The brightest star in our sky,” Druella was saying over tea as Walburga pursed her lips tightly. 

“I think that’s a wonderful choice,” Irma nods in approval. “Lots of Sirius’ in our family history. He’ll fit right in. Splendid.” 

Druella catches Walburga’s eye and grins wickedly. This house is hers, this life is hers, the family favour is hers. 

They decorate the nursery blue and paint constellations on the ceiling that glimmer in the dark. By the time April comes, Druella doesn’t even mind that it’s raining when she goes into labour. Torrential, thunderous skies and rolling black clouds. Another bad sign, but one she ignores happily.

Cygnus meets her at St. Mungos. He stands by her side and holds her clammy hand through the hours of painful birth. She hears the mediwitches buzz around her and whisper nervously as she screams in her potion-dulled pain. She worries about all the blood staining the sheets and feels her head heavy with Merlin knows what. 

She struggles to keep her eyes open as hospital staff swarm around her and wheel her to another room with bright, artificial lights. She tries to listen to what they’re telling her, but their voices sound gargled and warped like they’re talking underwater. It’s too hard to keep her eyes open anymore. She lets herself drift off and she dreams of her son. 

When she wakes, she’s in a new room. A quieter room. A mediwitch rushes in and places a swaddled baby in her arms. She talks in slow deliberate sentences. 

Druella barely hears her. 

Complications with the birth. Postpartum haemorrhage. Beautiful baby girl. So lucky. 

Through chapped lips and a dry throat, she asks to see her husband. 

The mediwitch informs her that he left shortly after the baby’s birth. She hands Druella some water. 

Alone in a private room at St. Mungos, she decides to name the baby Andromeda. She holds the small infant to her chest, only hours old, and she weeps. 

Cygnus barely looks at her. The days pass and Druella watches over the girls in the nursery and tiptoes around her husband as she tries to ignore the walls of the house closing in on her. She tells herself there is still time, though the doctors at St. Mungos disagree. They all tell her another pregnancy is risky. Fatal. Nearly impossibly in her state. 

Druella doesn’t breathe a word of this to Cygnus or to anyone else. She shuts herself up in Grimmauld Place and avoids everyone’s prying eyes, their disappointed looks, and Walburga’s triumphant sneers. 

As days turn into weeks that turn into months, Druella grows more and more desperate. She finds herself under the guise of heavy glamour charms, back in Knockturn Alley, begging the shopkeeper for more fertility potions. Pills that will ensure a male child. She swallows down glowing green vials of bitter liquid that smelled faintly of baby’s breath. She crushes up black beetle eyes and crunches into the red bulbs of Witch’s Ganglion with wild abandon on the smooth tiles of her bathroom floor, and she waits. 

She leaves the family Christmas dinner early as she feels the familiar trickle of warm blood run down her leg. She stays in bed for days at a time. She leaves her two daughters to the house elf. 

Her third pregnancy nearly kills her as all the doctors had promised. She tries to hide it from everyone as best as she can. Cygnus doesn’t bother showing up to the hospital with her. 

On a cold and bleak day in early January, Druella gives birth to her third daughter. The chill from outside worms its way around her heart and solidifies in a sickly, icy, frost. Narcissa takes what little Druella had left with her that day and keeps it for herself. 

Three daughters. Their little lives just beginning. Girls who will have hopes and dreams and ambitions. Druella feels all of hers dwindle as she hands her third child to the house elf once more. Their stories begin as hers ends. Druella thinks that it’s unfair, having girls. She married Cygnus to give him sons. Not to love him or to look after him in his old age. She was made to produce heirs. What use would she be to him now? 

He’ll want to keep trying, even if it kills her. Without a boy in the family, Druella was better off dead to him anyway. She was plagued by awful visions of her own mother, shut up in a room all alone after the death of her brother. Too old to produce any more male heirs, her father left her mother to claw at the walls and floorboards of her bedroom. Allowed her to be shut out and ignored by every family member who was once so warm towards her. He locked her away in a dark, stale room somewhere for failing him, and acted as if she never existed. 

She felt the frost seep in. Her daughters, her own children had damned her to the same fate. Even if they didn’t know it. How could she hold them and be happy? How could she wipe the tears from their face and act as if everything was fine? 

She’d like to swim in the ocean, or work at the ministry, or travel the world by herself. She’d like to go out at night and not worry about a home she’s obligated to come back to. She closes her eyes and lets herself dream these dreams for a while until Narcissa’s shrill cries wake her up and she feels her fate close in on her all at once.

#uhm this is almost 2k words so no pressure to give that a read on tumblr dot com #and so unedited. guys it kinda goes w/o saying that everything i do is unedited unless otherwise stated #i actually can't decide if i hate this or not so if it's deleted tmrrw. it may be actually. but i've already got bellatrix's part written #up until sirius' birth. it's bella's pov at least #nat writes

[astrafortune]

Lil things that people draw in sonic fanart that make me smile:

Heart shaped nose on Rouge

Mobian feet as animal paws with toe pads and everything

Pre-maria’s-death Shadow being all shy and smiley

Rouge in casual clothes/PJs

Hyperrealistic shoes on silly little guy Sonic (this has been a tradition forever but I still eat it up every time)

Shadow blushing green/ subtle black arms features

Sage being spoiled rotten by eggman (bonus points for metal having severe eldest daughter syndrome)

#last one is kinda just fan content in general but I love it to death #sonic the hedgehog #shadow the hedgehog #rouge the bat #doctor eggman #team dark #fanart #sth

[dailycass-cain]

Detective Comics #1082 featured a SURPRISE Cass appearance, but a welcome one always to have. So here are my thoughts on the Cass's showing in that.

I mean every issue of Ram V's Detective Comics is a treat, and this one is no different (even with the guest star that I just LOVE to talk daily about).

Like there are layers to the tale he weaves that not only continue threads from past Batman writers but does his own thing.

Weaving and spinning a story that feels like a natural progression of what was already told by others.

Bruce feels human here than say other comics which "try" to tell it through his thoughts, but man the artist talents have been selling this struggle.

Why the "reward" is all the more "rewarding" because Ram V puts in this "doubt" in prior earlier stories written that, there's that chance Bruce might lose.

I mean we know he won't, but it's that "DOUBT" planted throughout. It makes Bruce relatable.

Speaking of rewards. The B-plot returns us back to Gotham as the Question continues her case as again we see what an Orgham-run Gotham City is like.

How their Reality Machine has wiped the memory of the bat out. HOWEVER…

"The Batman YET haunts Gotham."

I honestly was expecting Jean-Paul (given he was rocking the AzBats suit when we last left him) but to see Cass the OTHER being Ram V continuing the crusade of the bat?

SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!

ahem

I mean logically, I wonder where everyone else is. Dick. Babs. Jim. I know eventually we'll see. But to see Cass still as we lost saw her in 2023 fighting the Orgham and keeping the SYMBOL alive in Gotham?

I mean there's a certain POETRY at hand here as we have two bat suits that basically filled in for Bruce when he was away. Either due to being broken in Knightfall (Jean-Paul)--

--or trying via means as Bruce Wayne to get the government to lift Gotham from being labeled a "No Man's Land" (Cass's costume which Helena Bertinelli used to continue Bruce's crusade).

It's so SATISFYING to see these elements incorporated here. Just now, it's Cass continuing the crusade and making sure Gotham REMEMBERS the bat.

Because it is a characteristic trait that other than Bruce, Cass is one of the few who just understands WHY the bat symbol carries so much.

This exact DRIVE within her, is why she is just BUILT different than most folk in Gotham. Heck Renee struggles with the Realty Machine in places in her story.

Trying to remember what was lost.

Yet, we see Cass like she was ripped from when Jorge Corona drew her in Batgirls (very nicely done there whoever drew her like that). As described in the very comic, "a wraith."

It's that answer Cass gives Renee on HOW she's able to resist. The answer again showcases how Bruce/Cass are just so similar. People wonder why Cass is Bruce's heir to being to him as Batman?

Ram V is giving that answer to modern readers.

This "answer" is not new, I find it akin to what Andersen Gabrych came to in his run of Batgirl Vol. 1. Just not as restricting of characterization with Ben Turner who pointed this fact out, and kneeling.

That Cass was going down this path after taking a life, and saying NO to a life of being a killer. That she chose to use the tools forced onto her to become something else.

I think if we ever get time to see the "lost" era of years when Cass rejected her father and hadn't met Barbara Gordon.

I think Ram V would be a fascinating writer to do this. Will he? Oh, I wish! This year would be PERFECT for it for sure.

It's a "gap" that I feel a writer SHOULD farm. Cause I really don't want Gabrych being the only OTHER than Kelly Puckett himself. I feel the period is ripe to showcase how "bat" she was before becoming one.

Though ironically, it isn't lost upon anyone seeing the heir to Vic Sage and well the daughter of a certain someone.

Again, the themes and poetry of what was told in the past. Just with new layers put in. This "interlude" makes me hunger for a Question tale with Renee and Cass being teaching her like Shiva taught Vic.

If not, well we got that here. Somewhere. Someplace both Vic and Shiva smirked at what occurred in this issue. Renee/Cass doing both proud.

I could gush all day and night on this issue. This was something that was TRULY needed. Or at least told again. To remind folks why Cass is different than Jason, Steph, Tim, Duke, and even Damian.

This issue felt like a 25th-anniversary gift Ram V gave to Cass fans. Even though we have 0 official stuff (we could use some DC).

Cass's portion of Tec #1082 felt like a celebration of why the character has lingered so long.

So thank you to all creatives in this issue. To the writer, artists, inkers, colorist, editors. All involved. 🙏

#cassandra cain #dc comics #my thoughts

[nahimjustfeelingit-writes]

What about a headcanon inspired by the tv show the nanny? Mike is a broadway producer and the reader is the nanny, and there is so much angst between them🥹

“The show was a hit tonight, Mike. Don’t beat yourself up over a couple of negative reviews.”

Michael silently shut the door to his five year old daughter’s bedroom, the glow from her night light disappearing. Michael brushed past you, frustration lining his features.

“Michael,” Y/N grabbed his hand, “Cheer up.”

Michael paused outside of his room. He looked over his shoulder at you, then his brown eyes descended to your hand in his. Tonight had a perfect start. He gifted you a diamond tennis bracelet from Tiffany’s and treated all three of you to a fancy dinner before the Broadway show. He’d been so caught up lately with work that he hadn’t expressed his appreciation for you being such a big help. He wouldn’t know what to do without you. Widower and single dad with a demanding job in New York City was a lot to carry on his own.

“I worked hard on this show, Y/N. Years. Maybe you’re right…maybe there will be more positive reviews…I took a chance at something different and I just want everyone to see the same vision as me.”

“They will. Those close to you know. I loved it. Everyone worked so hard. Sage was crying during the finale. She’s so proud of her daddy. I’m proud of you.”

Michael locked eyes with you before blinking away to fight tears. You’d never seen him like this. Usually he’s all put together but to see him so vulnerable made your heart swell. You stroke his hand with your thumb and pull him into a tight hug. Michael wrapped his arms around your waist and rested his cheek against your bare shoulder. His cologne burned your nose pleasantly. His strong arms felt secure and comforting.

“Thanks, Y/N. For real, without you…I would be lost. I was thinking…”

Michael sniffled and then used his thumb to wipe away a single tear from his left cheek. You were attentive, eyes searching his.

“…Maybe you should move in? Sage would love that…I’d love that.”

“A live-in nanny? Really?” You were shocked by him asking you. Usually, he’s throwing around orders and grating on your last nerve— part of your usual banter — you didn’t know what to say.

“Please? You can have the room you stay in right now. I’ll increase your salary, you won’t have to worry about anything anymore. What do you say?”

“I–Michael, this is crazy,” you smile, “Yes, I’d like that.”

“Thank you,” Michael returned the smile, his hand coming up to caress your arm, “Sage is gonna be so happy.”

“She can eat pancakes every morning now.”

“Not every morning, Y/N,” Michael gave you a stern look before a smile spread across his lips.

“I’m happy to see you smiling again.”

Michael stared at you for a while before dropping his gaze to his hands. He leaned his shoulder against the doorway.

“I just want to make my father proud. He doesn’t come to any of my shows but…to know that he’s proud of how far I’ve come? That warms my heart. My momma used to take me to Broadway shows on the weekends. I loved watching her dance ballet. She was so magical. After she passed, my dad didn’t want anything to do with theater. I felt like it was my destiny to keep the legacy going. It was either that or being a lawyer.”

“I bet he’s smiling right now knowing that his son is a successful Broadway producer. I bet your mom is looking down on you as proud as ever.”

Michael smirked at you, his eyes warm and glossy with tears that begged to fall. You lean in and kiss his cheek, lips slowly withdrawing from his skin. Michael met your eyes and without warning he’s pressing you against the wall opposite his room, hands on your waist and his fluffy lips against your red stained lips. His tongue dragged against yours hungrily. Your lips moved in sink like a sensual dance. Your hands were on his shoulders and then your fingers yanked his dress shirt aggressively. You’ve wanted this for so long.

Michael broke the kiss suddenly, staring at you with a mixture of lust and confusion. You press a hand against his cheek and reassure him with your touch that everything is okay.

“I’m sorry—we shouldn’t have done that—”

“It’s okay, Michael, it’s okay—”

“We have to keep thing’s professional between us, Y/N. I shouldn’t have kissed you—I’m sorry.”

Michael turned his back on you and your hand slipped from his warm cheek. You watched him enter his room quickly and you rushed to follow him but his door shut in your face. You stood their staring at the door with hurt swimming in your eyes.

#nahimjustfeelingit-writes #michael b jordan #headcanon #ask nahimjustfeelingit

[arsprince]

prince stolas of the ars goetia, from helluva boss. based entirely on the pilot episode and original lore on the ars goetia, portrayed as the antagonist of the show. as prophesied by doll, she / her, eighteen plus.

𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄. stolas ars goetia. 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒. prince stolas of the ars goetia, a great prince of hell. the thirty-sixth demon of the ars goetia (in the lesser key of solomon), commander of twenty-six legions. 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐒. the owl demon. the sage of shadows. the erudite. 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐒. demon of the ars goetia dynasty. 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑. identifies male, he/they. 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍. bisexual, biromantic. 𝐎𝐂𝐂𝐔𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍. nobleman, aristocrat, astronomer, occultist, militant commander. 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒. princess stella of the ars goetia, wife. crown princess octavia of the ars goetia, daughter & heir. king paimon of the ars goetia, father. various siblings, cousins, etc. the ars goetia dynasty.

𝐏𝐇𝐘𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐒. tall & elegant, yet imposing and haunting in his beauty. lean figure. owl-like features, including a beak, talons, and an owl's tail. two sets of red eyes. huge jaws. 𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓. 10' f. 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐑𝐄. stolas favours his regal attire, opting to wear some variation of a royal uniform for his public appearances. when sprawling about the estate, he might dress down to a vest, cravat, etc. or opt for loungewear, depending on the nature of any company present. 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌. tba. 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌/𝐒. tom hiddleston. (liveaction)

examining themes of . . . the oligarchy. decadence, hedonism, and moral decay. the conflict between duty and desire. beauty in the grotesque. gothicism. classism & the politics of hell. lovecraftian horrors, ancient evils. the conquest for power & the pursuit of knowledge.

character notes. verses. visuals.

#INTRODUCTION. #>:) #temp rules over on my other blog: voxistem.

[venticuliao]

sumeru, capitalism and cultural hegemony

The first thing we learn about Sumeru is that knowledge is handled as a resource, that is to say, it serves both as social and economic capital that grants people different status. The more academic merit a person obtains, the more power and opportunities they’re handed.

The nation is ruled not by mora, but by knowledge. The equivalent to our capital irl (wealth) in Sumeru is knowledge or academic merit.

To put it simply, it works as an allegory for capitalism.

The sages, as the political class, hoard this capital from the lower and marginalized communities (working class and desert people) and distribute it unfairly through the Akasha system: Access to knowledge is restricted by each person’s academic merit, and those outside Akademiya are not granted further education than what their labor limits.

As such, the conventional idea of personal relationships within the Akademiya is transactional in nature, it’s based on creating bonds with the goal of producing academic (and therefore economic) value. These bonds are traditionally formed when the people involved share the same objectives and are able to cooperate in research, since that’s what their professional pursuits and livelihood depend on.

In the idealized perspective of academics and Akademiya culture, relationships only have justified purpose for the collective society if they produce academic (therefore economic) value. Not unlike the way capitalist society pushes the roles of traditional family, heterosexual and focused on parenthood, with the purpose of generating inheritance that will maintain and renew its system. (give it up for 4ggravate as local allegory for homosexuality on top of the regular yaoi)

Nilou's story quest, for instance, features a daughter alienated from her father who seeks to escape the burden of the Akademiya’s traditional concept of family. Her father, Sharif, pushes her for higher academic performance despite her attempts to please him and the ways in which she's tried to establish a bond through other alternative means. The purpose of having a daughter, of family, is entirely practical in this sense: it seeks to produce academic merit.

An allegory works as a symbol of sorts, it's not a 1:1 comparison you can make with the actual system, so let's not get caught up in meaningless details such as "Acshually, Sumeru is a noocracy" and the likes. It represents aspects it wants to address through symbols.

For example, the sages quite literally steal the citizen’s dreams —the personal experience and knowledge stored in their subconscious— to create an artificial god, the unlimited source of knowledge they wanted to replace their archon with.

This god is a projection of themselves in divine form, made not only of the capital of the nation that they control, but also of the forceful cooperation of the middle and working classes: an allegory for exploited labor that enriches the political class.

The experience and technical expertise of workers outside Akademiya is something that can only be acquired through labor, not from theory or the Akasha itself. The sages wouldn't have bothered taking dreams from them if such knowledge was worthless.

We know it is not a highly valued resource, however, since these workers in the public boards are struggling to get by:

Kaveh, bless his heart, tries to help them from his ideals of altruism, but while Alhaitham's disinterest in interfering with the status quo is reproachable, he is not wrong to call his attempt meaningless: there are more people in the same situation as these workers, and after they complete the job Kaveh gave up for them, they will still be in the same situation.

Change cannot be achieved with small, individual gestures of kindness; it's the (let's talk in tree terms) root cause of the issues that needs to be attacked.

(Let's cut feeble scholar some slack though, he's the one who achieved precisely this by overthrowing Azar and the political class, after all, the ones who upheld this system)

Nahida makes a distinction in how Alhaitham and Kaveh view society: she says Kaveh has an almost perfect grasp on what it means to be a nation of wisdom, and chastises Alhaitham for looking down on the "mediocre majority".

Kaveh’s altruism is genuine, if a little influenced by his compulsive guilt due to believing that he caused his own family’s demise. He grieves the losses he’s suffered and the loneliness left behind to such a degree that he can’t ignore those in need around him. He aims to help others in order to avoid guilt, yet he himself feels burdened by the weight of his reputation and can’t afford to ask the same from others.

In this sense, Kaveh himself is an element of change for his community: he aims to help people in need without asking anything in return; and since he is unable to ask for help, those around him (Alhaitham, Tighnari, Cyno, etc) must notice his weaknesses and spontaneously attend his needs. This creates a reciprocal community focused on collectivism.

On the other hand, Alhaitham had a recluse childhood. His parents died before he was old enough to remember them, and his grandmother allowed him to study at home instead of the Akademiya. As a result, he grew up without forming meaningful interpersonal bonds and to be self-sufficient and of independent thought.

He is a character who lives outside the borders of society, independent from his relationship to others. It is precisely for this reason that he’s able to detach himself from the Akademiya during the archon quest in order to overthrow Azar —even though, as we know, it was a selfish decision in nature, since he wanted to maintain his job as the Scribe (and therefore, the stability that Kaveh relied on to survive).

We’ve seen the problems that belonging to a community conveys in Nahida and Alhaitham’s story quests: the people who wanted to avoid grief by staying with the memories of their dead loved ones, and the scholars who felt ostracized from their community and organized into a hive mind to share their strengths (though at the same time sharing their weaknesses).

Though both gathered people with a unified interest that made the community function, the nature of this collective commitment was fragile and fated to fail. However, rather than focusing on individual faults, it’s important to note the characters who got involved in these communities were more a product of their environment and a victim to their own human vulnerabilities, whether grief, arrogance or loneliness.

Unlike Alhaitham, who has a comfortable job that pays well enough to spend on luxuries and doesn’t have any blood relatives to take care of or fulfill filial piety for, characters like Ilyas were burdened by these constraints, and the additional emotional need to belong in society.

(In Chinese, that final “us” is between quotes)

Interpreting this line in terms of how society is built, Nahida argues that there are common people who depend on the support of a community to survive and thrive (the “mediocre majority”), so naturally without them there is no nation (“us”).

Only focusing on people’s strengths while leaving their weaknesses unattended, like in the Hivemind from Alhaitham’s quest, makes the structure of the community frail and it will easily crumble.

Supplying a means to ignore people’s pains or vulnerabilities instead of actual support, like the illusion world created to avoid grief from Nahida’s story quest, only leads to stagnation.

A nation is not made of exceptional individuals only either, nor is it upheld only by those with more power. Everyone deserves to have their needs met, and everyone can contribute in their own ways.

A collective formed on the basis of collectivism and altruism is fated to succeed, Nahida is right to consider this in her concept of an ideal nation. However, Alhaitham is not blind to this fact either (or at the very least, the events of the archon quest and his collaboration with Cyno, Dehya and the traveler contribute in changing his mind).

He has an exceptional intellect, but that doesn’t mean he lacks emotional intelligence as it’s usually assumed. He may not share the pains of others like an empath, but the archon quest proved that emotion should be appreciated where it’s meant to be valued: this was precisely the key to fight the sages at the Akademiya when they used Cyno as an involuntary mole.

At the end of the Sumeru archon quest, Alhaitham says this about the Grand Bazaar during the toast of victory:

The Grand Bazaar that supports the theater is depicted as a small community that thrives on collectivism within the borders of the city in Nilou’s story quest and lore.

The locals are fine giving away their merch for free so that the goods won’t be wasted, that they welcome anyone who is willing to be part of them and protect each other fiercely, and that they share a bond that goes beyond just working for wages.

We're all like neighbors, so we're always helping each other out. It's easy to forget that everyone's running a business. That's why there's no need to stress over freebies. All of us replay others by helping them when they need it.

These bonds are not formed on the basis of academic pursuits, but on human connection. It is not measured by the results produced of joint collaboration, and whether there’s failure or success, they can still stand on their own and act as a support for both parties.

It’s only when the basis for a community centers around supporting and relying on each other beyond transactional or academic interests that a true, successful collective can be achieved.

We can observe this in the Akadmiya-independent micro-communities formed by Cyno, Tighnari and Collei; between Kaveh and Alhaitham who are cohabitating despite their intellectual differences in a house that Kaveh gave up ownership of; and by Alhaitham, Cyno, Kaveh and Tighnari, who we know have become friends despite not sharing any form of academic activity.

Now, that's nice and all, but we have the omnipresent problem of the Akademiya and the political class that rules the nation. Echoing Nahida's words about Kaveh's ideals: the truth as he understands it will never be accepted as the mainstream.

In Marxist philosophy, cultural hegemony is the dominance of a culturally diverse society by the ruling class who manipulate the culture of that society—the beliefs and explanations, perceptions, values, and mores—so that the worldview of the ruling class becomes the accepted cultural norm.

Marxist homeboy Antonio Gramsci proposed that cultural hegemony, the domination of one class over another, is supported by intellectuals, which he considered to be a role in society (rather than an adjective describing someone who devotes themselves to study or whatever), who safeguard the interests of their respective social class.

Sumeru doesn’t tackle issues of social class (I’m hoping because they saved it for Fontaine), but it does center its narrative around the institution of education, where the upper class intellectuals are traditionally formed.

Education in Gramsci's marxist theory is the supporting block of oppression and exploitation, as it serves to create intellectuals that only look after the interests of the political elite: lower classes and marginalized communities don't have direct access to them, and those who do join the system become intellectuals who serve the upper classes, not their own.

Cyno, as an agent of the state that keeps order and punishes those who defy the rules (alright he's a cop), and Setaria, a scholar working directly for Azar in their secret project, both are originally from the desert, but serve the interests of the ruling class. This is not meant to offend their pixel integrity (they are overseeing the projects of education in Aaru Village in the aftermath of the archon quest), but to point out the reality that the intellect of marginalized groups is "stolen" by the upper classes.

Their two minor character arcs in the archon quest revolve around confronting the guilt they feel and taking responsibility for their lack of defiance, and they're both key actors in overthrowing the political class.

The other major actor is Alhaitham, an intellectual that belongs to the upper class but separates himself from their interests and goals, as his grandmother raised him to live a simple life without ambitions.

Before Gramsci, Lenin proposed that change had to come from the top to the bottom: educated intellectuals had to give up the privileges of their social class and provide that education for lower classes. This is certainly an idealistic view, and I don't like it much for how unrealistic it is, but genshin's not the first nor the last to adhere to this perspective.

You can see this same narrative in the work of Bong Joonho, for example: the intellectual that pushes the ideas of revolution in Snowpiercer was originally from the front side of the train; and the family in Parasite is condemned to suffer through the system because they lack the element of the educated intellectual.

Alhaitham in the archon quest is the driving force in the plan to overthrow Azar, regardless of his motivations, and at no point is his privilege an obstacle for this purpose. It's not an unforgivable creative choice, but I was disappointed by it. I wished that at some point Dehya or Candace would be able to resolve something he couldn't precisely because of his limited understanding as a member of the upper class, but the closest we got was when Dehya proposed Raman to cut her arm.

She's a member of the marginalized community of the desert, yet not quite part of the working class since the eremites aren't regulated job within the system. But I'm glad at the very least she rejects Alhaitham's offer to join the Akademiya, so she doesn't become someone who upholds the values and interests of the elites.

Just as a sidenote, since this was discourse at some point, Alhaitham only asked her to join because he thinks she's a weirdo like him.

You can read into this narrative what you must, but the canon reason is that he sees himself in her, an equal, and he's against socializing so the only reason he could keep her in his life is within the workplace. Somebody teach this man to make friends, god.

Nilou is the only character that properly belongs to the working class of Sumeru (not a scholar, within the city, regulated by Akademiya) and her participation in the archon quest is rather on good faith, she trusts what Alhaitham, the intellectual, tells her. Which is not bad, realistically, change largely depends on the force of an uneducated working class that understands their own predicament and their suffering leads them to oppose the ruling class naturally.

And I mean the girl performed art as an act of political defiance, if you go to any protest you'll see art and performance that the community creates spontaneously. It's a form of expression that doesn't need academic background.

There's an extra layer, though.

Going back to Gramsci, in addition to traditional intellectuals, he thought there were also what he called organic intellectuals, those who fulfill this role with the expertise and knowledge acquired from their labor. Think, like, union leaders.

To put it simply, in her story quest, comrade Nilou unionizes the working class of her community (the Grand Bazaar) and fights for their rights as workers against the political class of the Akademiya. She rightfully becomes an organic intellectual that succeeds in protecting the rights and interests of her own social classs.

The theater, a community we saw earlier that functions on the basis of collectivism, is informed it will be demolished for not having academic (and therefore economic, since academic merit is the capital of the nation) value, and she gathers the collective experience and knowledge of the Grand Bazaar to participate in a debate against one of the Akademiya's representatives.

And they win!

Anti capitalism and pro communist narratives can either be approached in two believable ways in fiction: an allegory that encompasses the major issues and explores paths towards liberation, or a more down to earth depiction of a worker defending the rights of their small specific community.

genshin tried both in Sumeru, but personally I'm always going to find realistic stories about workers' right more meaningful, the rest just comes across as fantasy. But we need the fantasy too to believe in the possibility of liberation.

#genshin lore #genshin impact lore #sumeru lore #genshin analysis #if someone says something anti communist im going to kill myself in front of them to change the trajectory of their life #nilou #alhaitham #cyno #dehya

[melestasflight]

Galadriel/Celeborn and 6 and Andreth/Aegnor and 17. DNWs- Hurt no comfort, smut, graphic violence, angst

One more Holiday Silm Prompt fill for @greyjedijaneite with Celeborn and Galadriel. They were so much fun to write 🤩

Celeborn expects his first meeting with the golden Noldo princess to be a tense diplomatic ordeal. He’s quickly proven wrong. Featuring vine climbing, bird eggs, and other shenanigans.

crowned with the Sun

Celeborn assesses the outfits he has narrowed down for the King’s reception, to which he will be arriving late given how long he took to bathe, oil his hair, and perfume his body with sweet sage. He dismisses the overly formal dark blue robe that on a second glance seems more fit for a council discussion. He would not like the Noldo princess to think him a prude. The festive kaftan in red and yellow lined with silk won’t do either, saving him from leaving the impression that he is overly eager to receive these foreigners into their land.

He is certainly not pleased by the idea that some among the Noldor are now permitted to cross the borders of the Girdle as they please. It troubles him that they have come to Beleriand at all, stirring matters in the North and provoking Angband’s wrath.

But he does not intend to demonstrate his displeasure openly. King Thingol asked him to serve as a guide to Eärwen’s daughter and pry from her news from their long-parted kin in the Western Lands, and Celeborn is determined to be an archetype of Iatrhim hospitality. Besides, if the Noldor mean to stay in Beleriand, it would be wise to establish positive diplomatic relations early. Keep your friends close, and enemies even closer, as the elders say.

Celeborn settles at last for a comfortable coat in soft green elegantly embroidered along the sleeves with the trees of Neldoreth, the pride of Doriath. He catches his tresses in a loose ponytail between a hair clip in the shape of a nightingale’s beak aiming for a spontaneous appearance that should conceal the amount of effort he put into this look.

On the way to the Menelrond, Celeborn repeats to himself the schedule he carefully planned to entertain a representative of these war-like people come from across the Sea. By the time he arrives, Daeron’s flute is already filling the king’s hall with pleasant notes that match the mood of the Elves conversing merrily.

He spots her instantly.

Amid the colorful crowd of intricate braids and floor-trailing robes resembling the feathers of birds from the southern forests, the princess of the Noldor stands out in her modest leather leggings and light sleeveless tunic, her unbraided hair her only adornment. For all the simplicity, her beauty outshines the splendor around her.

But Celeborn won’t allow himself to be distracted by her proud nose and the sharp lines of her jaw as carved from fine marble. He inhales and strides across the hall with pride and assurance, a brilliant smile painted across his face.

‘Be welcome to Menegroth, my lady. I am Celeborn of the house of the King, and have the pleasure of serving as your guide through our fair lands,’ he says, forcing himself to slow down the words that try to rush out of his mouth.

‘The pleasure is all mine! Lúthien spoke highly of your person. Artanis I am known among my father’s people and Nerwen among my mother’s, the Falmari of Aman, our shared kin.’

Artanis Nerwen towers above him as she introduces herself, fixing the intense light of her eyes at him, though her voice flows gently as a playful stream across the forest floor. Celeborn clears his throat to refocus himself on the task at hand. ‘Will the lady care to join me for a walk? We have much to show that might please you.’

The confirmation comes in a smile with teeth as white as pearls and they begin their tour through the caves. Celeborn directs them first to the Hall of Guardians where many of the weapons of famed Marchwardens hang on the walls. It is the first of many strategic steps on this guided visit – let the Noldor see that Doriath is not passive in the war against their foe.

‘These bows were crafted from the wood of many ancient trees for Beleg Cúthalion over the years and the latest one, Belthronding, he still uses to defend our borders,’ Celeborn explains, watching how his companion runs a finger along the smooth bodies of the bows with wonder.

‘And this spear,’ he points to a steel-gray wooden weapon, ‘was carved by Mablung the Chief captain of King Thingol from a branch of Hírilorn, the heart of Neldoreth.’

At that, Artanis’ face alights, ‘Hírilorn! Oh, I have been dying to ask since I arrived! Pray tell, how does it get pollinated?’

Celeborn feels his eyebrows furrow in confusion. ‘The tree?’

‘Well, yes,’ Artanis continues, ‘the pollination of beech trees is performed by the winds, is it not? I have heard that the Girdle disrupts the flow of currents to prevent the deadly frosts incoming from the Iron Mountains. So how do the beeches reproduce in the absence of natural winds?’

‘Our Queen Melian summons the flight of nightingales, and their wings help stir the flowers of the trees. We also stimulate pollination across the mixed forests with song and flute,’ Celeborn expounds enthusiastically, despite himself.

‘Fascinating!’ Artanis claps her hands as if she has suddenly found the clue to a great riddle.

Mablung’s spear entirely forgotten, Celeborn beckons his guest to follow him to the pools where water emerges from silver fountains and leaps joyfully into basins of pink marble. The Noldor may be famed for their craft, but that won’t stop Celeborn from flaunting Menegroth’s architecture. The greatness his people have achieved without the aid of the Valar even!

Celeborn is more than pleased to see how Artanis is pointing her ears in all directions to catch the pleasant sounds around them. ‘Water is the lifeblood of our country and these pools were built to provide respite to all who dwell here. We are most grateful to our friends, the masters of Nogrod for their skill in hewing marble and stone but it was the King himself who designed the channels of the Esgalduin which—’

‘Is that the song of a Magnolia warbler?’ Artanis interrupts him to trace the flight of a small bird that disappears among the vines and flowers crawling up a tall pillar.

Her dismissal of Celeborn’s praise of his King should bother him by all rights, but to his own surprise, he finds Artanis’ open marvel enchanting. They both follow the ruffling of leaves with the attention of cats on a prowl until the black and yellow head of the songbird reemerges from its small nest that is perfectly camouflaged among the greenery.

‘She has eggs!’ Artanis exclaims and takes off at once, climbing up the natural trellis of the pillar with impressive dexterity. As he watches the ripple of muscle exposed by Artanis’ sleeveless tunic, Celeborn catches his mouth falling open. He closes it promptly.

‘Take care, my lady!’

‘Be worry-free!’ Her voice echoes several feet above him already. ‘I grew up scaling the tallest trees in Oromë’s forests. And to the frustration of all my brothers and cousins, I won every time!’

Artanis moves her feet swiftly along the vines to reach the nest of the warbler and murmurs something in her language that Celeborn fails to understand fully. The bird sings back and with one swift flight leaves its nest to bury itself in Artanis' hair, its yellow plumage disappearing among the gold.

‘Look, Celeborn! They indeed look like little Moons.’ Artanis holds one of the warbler’s eggs between her fingers before gently returning it to its nest. Then, she descends the vines, even quicker than she had climbed them. ‘This is so much fun. Where are we headed next?’

Suddenly, the schedule he had created for them seems unsuitable and frankly, utterly boring. ‘I had planned a visit to the King’s armories but perhaps we could adjust our itinerary?’

‘I couldn’t agree more. I shall be frank, Celeborn, I am rather tired of matters of war. Perhaps we could venture beyond the caves? The day outside looks quite pleasant and I find myself in need of some forest air.’

Spurred on by Artanis’ infectious eagerness, Celeborn gives in to the urge to forsake all etiquette of diplomacy. ‘If our common interest in the protection of our lands is not of interest, may I ask my lady, why have you come to Doriath?’

Artanis turns to him then and the tree light in her gaze softens as a gentle caress. ‘You would know this best. Melian who once sang the gardens of Lórien to joy dwells here and Lúthien beneath whose feet Niphredil blooms, and Daeron also, who alone keeps the memory of many songs that our people made of old ere they crossed the Blue Mountains.’

As she speaks, a sunbeam finds its way between the vaulted ceiling of the caves and bounces from the many fountains to settle upon Artanis’ head. The gold of her tresses blooms under the light and she seems to Celeborn as if crowned with the Sun. Standing tall and lithe as a beech tree, she is the image of Ivann, Queen of the Earth, tho Celeborn has never met the Belain.

‘What use to us is war,’ Artanis asks, ‘if we do not take the time to know the things that need protection

They stand in comfortable stillness for a while during which Celeborn decides to leave the question unanswered. Instead, ignoring the wild thumping inside his chest, he proposes, ‘What say we visit Hírilorn and I can show you the nightingales at their work? It is only a long walk away and we would be back before nightfall just in time for supper.’

‘Lead the way,’ she answers in a heartbeat.

Just then, the yellow warbler finally detangles itself from Artanis’ hair and takes flight. And when the princess shrieks in joy, Celeborn begins to believe that the coming of the Noldor may be a blessing after all.

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to drop me a note/kudo on AO3. It makes my day!

#galadriel #celeborn #celeborn x galadriel #doriath #prompt fills #Holiday Silm Prompt Fest #my writing #ficlets #silmarillion #tolkien

[avatar-news]

Update: It’s likely these characters’ voices were being cast for a video game, not a movie/show.

Original post below:

Exclusive: Kyoshi’s firebending teacher Hei-Ran will be in Avatar Studios’ first animated movie/show + casting calls have gone out for Kyoshi, Yun, Rangi, and Hei-Ran!

Not only is Aang’s Team Avatar currently being cast, but we can exclusively report that Kyoshi’s is as well, plus a certain team mom!

1) Avatar Studios’ first movie and/or show will feature Rangi’s mother Hei-Ran, a member of Kuruk’s Team Avatar and then subsequently his next life Kyoshi’s firebending teacher. This is on top of the Kyoshi era characters we previously exclusively reported on: Kyoshi, Rangi, and Yun.

2) We can also tell you that Avatar Studios is currently casting these characters.

What does all this mean?

Well, first of all, if these names aren’t familiar to you, these characters are from the official Chronicles of the Avatar novels by F. C. Yee: The Rise of Kyoshi (2019) and The Shadow of Kyoshi (2020).

Without spoilers, the situation at the beginning of the books is:

The Earth Sages have incorrectly identified the next earth Avatar after Kuruk to be an earthbender named Yun.

Kyoshi, who we obviously know turns out to be the real Avatar, is a servant in Yun’s household.

A firebender named Rangi is the Avatar (Yun)’s bodyguard.

Rangi is the daughter of Hei-Ran, the Avatar (Yun)’s firebending teacher (but obviously we know Yun can’t firebend). When she was younger, Hei-Ran was a member of the previous Avatar Kuruk’s Team Avatar, so she may be a relatively minor new character but she’s a pretty damn important historical figure in-universe.

Right now, we don’t know what animated project Avatar Studios is casting these Kyoshi era characters from, but you can be pretty sure it’s not a Kyoshi movie or show itself. We know Avatar Studios’ first-year projects, slated for 2025, are an adult Gaang movie and a show following the new earth Avatar after Korra, and we know for sure casting is currently happening for at least one of those 2025 projects. Therefore, the Kyoshi characters will almost definitely be showing up in flashbacks/visions in one or even both of these stories set hundreds of years later.

#news #movie #aang movie #next earth avatar #chronicles of the avatar #kyoshi series #casting #kyoshi #yun #rangi #hei ran #avatar news exclusive #paramount plus #kyoshi movie