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goldensugarywaffles · 1 year

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Curiosity Killed the Cat (7)

Hello everyone, I'm back! Sorry for the long wait to those of you that stuck around. I am currently working on getting my bachelor's, I made a crappy short film for class, and I got a job! So much to do so little time...T-T. Your favorite waffle is suffering from burnout lol. I am proud of this chapter, even though it took so long. Hopefully, you guys will like it as well. PLEASE READ THE WARNINGS! This chapter is far more graphic than the previous ones, and I want to ensure everyone is okay. Sorry for the grammar issues and over usage of words. I'm not the best editor.

WARNINGS: Graphic Violence, Blood, Gun Usage, Stabbing, Implied Death, Inaccurate Depictions of Mental health Issues and Treatment, Possessive Behavior, Stalking, Kidnapping, Implied Abuse.

Taglist: @tito-the-mermaid @hangsang-jh @thedarkwinterrose @juju-227592

@zahraaelamira

The boys’ patience was long gone. Warehouses, apartments, companies, and even secret locations that the police forces didn’t even know about all came up empty. You were nowhere to be found. Even Soohyun didn't know where you were; the elderly woman was so overwhelmed with panic that she surrendered all the information she could, begging the men to find you. Whoever had taken you, had covered their tracks. It was a plan that was clearly years in the making, and Namjoon had no doubt that the mole was behind your sudden disappearance. The seven men were becoming more and more desperate each day. Were you okay? Were you safe? Did you manage to escape? Were you even still alive? The thought of your lifeless body being dumped in a random ditch made Namjoon sick.

None of the men were faring well. The hyungs of the group spent countless nights monitoring any security camera they could get their hands on while the maknaes wandered the streets, sometimes disappearing for days at a time. But they refused to stop searching. You were their angel, their soulmate, their entire world. No one was going to lay a finger on their princess and get away with it.

Currently, the men were combing through the evidence of the kidnapping, hoping they had missed something. Namjoon stares at the empty gas canister for what feels like the hundredth time. Engraved on the side of the can was you're calling card, a bloody rose. It was strange, though. When did you start making sedative gas? Namjoon knew every single product you produced and distributed, but this type of gas was never one of them. Someone was clearly trying to throw them off, and the men hated to admit that it was working.

“Maybe it was someone from the outside? Her kidnapper must have known we were following Y/n’s every move and wanted to send us on a wild goose chase?" Jimin felt like his suggestion was a reach, but he was desperate for any solution. Taehyung nods in agreement; it’s plausible that the mole was nothing more than an extravagant ploy. Yoongi doesn't say anything, but it's clear as day that he disagrees. The evidence they had gathered when discovering the mole was too real. No one would be that thorough if it was supposed to be a simple distraction.

Rubbing his thumb over the lighter he had managed to steal back from you (though it was yours originally), Seokjin merely hums acknowledgment. He couldn't bring himself to care who took you or how they managed to do so. He only hoped that his angel was alright. He had spent many nights combing over the same evidence they were looking at now and had long given up on finding anything new. Jungkook was no better, the youngest currently lying on the eldest lap, your leather jacket held tight in his arms. He had given up on investigating and searching for evidence. Instead, he spent his time looking for you by brute force. He burst into buildings, interrogated anyone he found, and beat the answers out of them.

With a frustrated huff, Namjoon tosses the canister back onto the table. "So, what is it? Was it a mole or not? Because if we can’t even figure that out, we’ll never find Y/n.” The room is silent, the concept of living without you slowly starting to sink in.

“What if it was both?”

All the heads in the room snap to Hoseok. The detective had long ago drunk himself into a stupor, and no one expected him to be much help. Namjoon didn't care, he needed a lead, and Hoseok was a great detective, sober or not. Raising an eyebrow, the commander silently urges Hoseok to keep talking. Slowly lifting his head up, Hoseok forces the words out as best he can and manages to slur only slightly. “Clearly, whoever kidnapped Y/n had to have constant access to her. The only people who’ve had access to her are those who worked for her and us. Maybe someone wanted her behind bars, and one of her underlings was all too willing.”

Seokjin nods, suddenly understanding Hoseok's thoughts. "Y/n may not have produced or used sedative gas, but the police force uses it all the time. They could have gotten some from the police and placed her calling card on it to throw us off.”

“But only her high-level subordinates get the privilege of using her calling cards. Why would anyone so close to Y/n want to betray her? It makes no sense.” Taehyung was ready to dismiss this theory as drunk ramblings from Hoseok and move on.

“Maybe the two rats in question are siblings and have been plotting this for much longer than we thought.” Everyone turns to Yoongi; his theory seemed too far a stretch to make sense. Turning the laptop in front of him around, he presents his findings to the rest of the men.

Patient Name: Donghyun Lee

Symptoms: Obsessive, Violent, with Narcissistic Tendencies

Commitment Reason: Stalking, Threatening, and Kidnapping Y/n L/n (female)

Notes: The patient has become increasingly violent since being taken into custody after removing him from Miss L/n's residence. Stronger treatment methods, including medication, are recommended.

Emergency Contact: Haeun Lee

Relationship to Patient: Sister

An eerie silence settles over the room. None of the men took their eyes off the screen. The puzzle pieces were all starting to fall into place. Soon they'd find you, and you would be safe and sound in their arms.

“I can’t wait to kill that pig.”

__________________________________________________

Six months. It had been six months since you had gone missing, and no one had come for you. You had lost weight, your feet were blistered from the heels, and the chains had rubbed your skin raw. You had stopped talking long ago, knowing your mouth would only get you into more trouble. The only human interaction you had was provided by Haeun and Donghyun. The latter would spend hours upon hours talking to you and his dolls, meticulously cleaning each case like it was his life’s purpose. Haeun, on the other hand, would only stop by to bring you your meals, never speaking. Not that you had much to say to her anyway.

In your moments alone, you had plenty of time to think and reflect. Often wondering what would happen to your syndicate while you were gone or what would have happened if you hadn’t started a syndicate in the first place. Maybe you could have gone to the police and had Donghyun arrested again. Maybe you would have never met Haeun. You probably wouldn’t have met the men on the task force, seeing as how it was only created to take you down. In the dead of night, when you let your thoughts wander, you think about the seven men who claimed they’d never leave you alone (even at your own request). Perhaps your lack of presence has given them time to reflect as well, possibly even overcome their obsession with you. Though deep down you hoped not, you wanted them to still be obsessed with you. No, you needed them to still be obsessed with you. Because if they truly are as madly in love as they claim to be, then maybe there’s a chance they’ll find you. They’re your ticket to freedom. Or maybe you just liked their attention. You shudder at the thought. Get it together, Y/n. You’re only using them to your benefit.

“Doll, I understand that you’re not happy with the current arrangements but honestly, would it kill you to smile?”

You don’t even bother acknowledging Donghyun’s sudden appearance. He no longer scared you like he used to, becoming nothing more than a mild annoyance. The gangly man enters the room with a tray of food, stopping in front of your case. The confusion on your face must have been clear as he continues to speak. “I sent Haeun out for errands. Afterall, we must keep your syndicate running or else people will start to get suspicious. So, it is just you and I for today.”

Fumbling with the keypad, he manages to punch in the code that opens a slot on the case. It was large enough to fit the tray but too small for you to even attempt to escape from (though you did try). Donghyun slides the tray into the slot, presenting you with some indiscernible food that tastes even more unappealing than it looks. You scrunch your face in disgust, and Donghyun chuckles at the expression while placing a fork on the tray. He turned to leave, knowing you preferred to eat alone, and it was the one thing he would allow you.

Wait…he gave me a fork.

Haeun never gave you any utensils to eat with after you tried to stab her in the eyes with chopsticks. She was well aware that whatever you got your hands on immediately became a weapon, and she wasn’t going to give you a second chance to kill her. Donghyun either didn’t know about that incident or didn’t care. You could tell by the look in his eyes that he sometimes truly believed you were a doll.

Gripping the fork in your hand, you cautiously make your move, "Wait, Oppa, don't leave!"

Donghyun whips around so quickly that you flinch. A splotchy blush taints his face, creeping up on his neck and ears. While you hated those moments alone with Donghyun, they did provide you with some benefits.

His weaknesses.

Donghyun immediately rushes back to you, getting himself as close to the glass as he can without smudging the freshly cleaned glass. “Yes doll? What is it? What do you want? Just keep calling me that and I’ll give you anything you want.”

Reaching out your free hand through the slot of the case, you caress Donghyun's face. His skin is rough and oily under your fingertips, and the skin-to-skin contact makes you want to vomit. Slowly you trail your hand down to his chest and grip the collar of his shirt. His breath hitches at the contact.

SLAM!

Fighting against you, Donghyun breaks away from your grip, panting. Blood drips from his nose and mouth. His chest is covered in small punctures and scratches from where you managed to stab him with the fork. Grinning Donghyun spits, the blood hitting a nearby doll case.

Yanking him forward, you slam Donghyun’s face into the glass case while simultaneously stabbing him anywhere you can reach with the fork. Slam. Slam. Slam. Over and over until there’s blood dripping down the case.

“You’re going to pay for that one doll.”

BANG!

With a yelp, Donghyun collapses to the ground clutching his shoulder.

Seven familiar faces barge into the room, and you can’t help but burst into tears. All of the anger, fear, and resentment was too much to handle, and no matter how strong you were, you were bound to break down after all that you had been through.

Seokjin Immediately rushes to your aide while the other six restrain Donghyun. “Y/n thank god you’re alive. Jesus Christ, look at you. What did that sick fuck do to you? I swear I’ll tear him limb from limb.”

You ignore the hypocrisy of Seokjin calling another person sick, choosing to focus on getting out of the case you've been trapped in. "Jin, I can’t deal with your yandere bullshit right now! Get me out of this case. Get me out! Get me out, get me out, get me the fuck out!” Panicking, Jin scans the room for something to break you out with. Stumbling upon a crowbar, he picks it up and runs back to you.

"Stand back, Angel; I don't want you to get hurt," swinging as hard as he can, Seokjin shatters the case. Quickly undoing your chains, he gathers you up in his arms. "Shit, Jin, I can't feel my legs. I can’t feel my legs!” Gently shushing you, Seokjin sits on the floor with you in his lap. He rocks you back and forth, slowly instructing you to breathe to prevent you from having a panic attack.

From your spot on the floor, you watch as the six others beat Donghyun into a bloody pulp. In your panicked state, you didn't realize it, but now you can hear the psychopath's screams and wails. Using Seokjin as support, you push yourself back on your feet. Grabbing the discarded crowbar, you stagger towards Donghyun. Hoseok calls your name, but you don’t hear him focusing on the man in front of you.

“D-d-doll help me,” Donghyun croaks. He reaches a shaky hand toward you as if you were his guardian angel. Raising the crowbar above your head, you steel your resolve, images of the hell he had put you through since the day you locked eyes. Thwack. You bring the crowbar down with full force, adrenaline and rage fueling you. Over and over. Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. Donghyun screams and cries, but you don’t stop. Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. No one was going to save him anyways. Or so you thought.

BANG! BANG!

You don’t feel the first bullet striking you. But by the time the second one hits you’re already falling to the floor. Namjoon catches you calling your name. Your vision is starting to blur but in the distance you see a familiar female figure running away. Groaning you move to chase after her but the searing pain in your abdomen keeps you from moving.

"Angel? Shit, there's so much blood. Angel, focus on me and stay awake okay?” Turning your head, you look at Namjoon, your vision going in and out. There's pressure on your stomach as one of the boys tries to stop your bleeding. You think it's Jimin from the voice, but you can't tell. To your left, you hear the sound of strangled whimpers. Despite the beating he took from you and the boys, he's still alive. How unfortunate, you muse. But you weren’t worried. Whether you died or not, Donghyun's death was certain.

“Y/n look at us. Stay with me princess,” you hear Yoongi’s voice, but you can’t pinpoint where it is coming from.

“Hyung, is she going to be alright?”

“Don’t worry Jungkook. She’ll be alright. She has to be alright,” Hoseok watches as your body slowly starts to shut down. His face gave away no expression, but his heart was pounding in his chest.

“And if she isn’t alright? If she dies?” Taehyung questions the other men angrily. Despite the panic in the air, the other men were far too calm for his tastes.

“Donghyun and Haeun will pay,” Jimin responds, desperately pressing his jacket against your wound.

“And even that will never be enough,” Seokjin adds.

You were fading fast, and at this point, you had resolved that you wouldn't be making it. Pointing a shaking hand at Donghyun, you try to get the boys’ attention. “G-guys, D-Donghyun…s-still alive," your voice is barely a whisper, but all the boys hear it anyway.

"Hush, angel, you need to save your strength. He won't be alive much longer,” Namjoon reassures you, cupping your face so that you focus on him. You nod the best you can, but you still feel it isn’t enough. Gripping the collar of Namjoon's shirt, you whisper your last command.

“Make it hurt.”

Your grip loosens, the hand that was once gripping Namjoon falling to the floor. Your shaky breaths are now quiet. The expression on your face was peaceful, and the men would almost find it endearing if it wasn't for the fact that you were unresponsive to the world around you.

“Y/n. Y/n you need to wake up. Just open your eyes for me, sweetheart. You don't have to talk or do anything you don't want to just open your eyes for me,” Namjoon gently tries to rouse you to no avail. Taehyung drops to his knees next to you shaking your shoulder harshly, "Angel, you need to wake up right now. You need to wake up so I can see those pretty eyes of yours. So, you can glare at us and cuss us out. Just wake up please!”

Yoongi pulls Taehyung away, “Careful Taehyung, you’ll hurt her.”

“You can’t hurt a dead woman.”

The voice is ragged and scratchy, but the malice and insanity it holds is crystal clear. Wheezing, Donghyun sits up, his eyes scanning your body. "Oh, my sweet doll. What have they done to you?”

Jungkook snaps; grabbing the fallen crowbar, he hits Donghyun across the face. Donghyun only laughs in response, pissing off Jungkook more. Again and again, Jungkook beats him until his face is unrecognizable. But it wasn’t enough. For hours the men took turns beating the pathetic excuse of a man while one would sit with your body, whispering reassurances that no one would ever hurt you again. Soon Donghyun's laughs turn into cries when he realizes Haeun isn't coming to save him a second time. His pleas to spare his life went unheard, and the beatings continued. But true to their word to you, they made sure he felt pain unlike any other. They were cruel enough to keep him alive and even give him time to recover. His death was going to be slow and painful.

“You pathetic slug. If you truly loved her, you’d be begging for us to end your life so you could see her in the next life,” Jimin throws a swift kick into Donghyun's stomach, and the man only whimpers in response.

“Not that we’d ever let that happen though. Y/n is ours in this life and the next. She ours for all eternity,” Taehyung taunts from the older officer’s side.

Taehyung’s words must have triggered something in Donghyun as, for the first time in hours, he protests. "No! She was my doll! My precious doll to take care of! And you bastards killed her!” He drags his beaten body toward yours, Hoseok pulling you even closer to his chest. As if he’d let him touch you.

Seokjin slams his foot down on Donghyun's spine, a satisfying crack resounding throughout the room. Crouching down in front of your kidnapper Namjoon slaps him across the face before speaking, “You know what her final wish was? She wanted you to hurt. She wanted your death to be as painful as possible." Donghyun shakes his head vigorously at Namjoon's words. The commander continues anyway, "Now, I'm not a cruel man. If she was still alive right now, you’d be put out of your misery this instant.”

Standing up, Namjoon walks around as if admiring the many dolls Donghyun has collected, "Unfortunately, your sister ruined that for you. Now we’ll drag your death out for as long as we can.”

“Namjoon!”

The commander quickly turns around at the frantic tone in Hoseok’s voice. The detective has his finger pressed against your neck right on your pulse point.

“I have a pulse! Oh my god Joon she’s alive!”

The room immediately springs into action with the boys rushing to get you to the hospital, leaving Donghyun on the floor in a pool of his own blood. He grunts trying to crawl after you. Reaching out his hand, he grips Namjoon's pant leg. "G-give me my doll back, you fucker," his voice is laced with venom, but it wavers.

With a chuckle, Namjoon pulls out his gun and gestures around the room, “I think you have plenty.”

He pulls the trigger without waiting for a response.

BANG!

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evanyaglad · 11 months

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As someone who's worked in the field with animals for a while now, I can not contain my rage for "doodles" any longer.

A "doodle" (labradoodle, goldendoodle, bernadoodle, etc) is NOT a recognized breed by any certified organization! Which means they have no breed standards, which is why every doodle you meet looks completely different from each other. In turn, that also means there are no reliable doodle breeders. A doodle is a "designer breed," which is just a fancy name backyard breeders came up with so they can sell genetically unstable mutts for premium price. There is no such thing as a pure bred doodle. It doesn't have a stable genetic pool, nor does it have a reliably known temperment.

Once a "designer breed" gets popular, everyone and anyone starts breeding them on mass! Which continues to contribute and make worse the already unstable/unknown genes and temperments of these dogs. This can cause a lot of early health and behavioral issues.

Whoever told people that these "breeds" are low-maintenance, mellow, family-dogs told the most profitable lie ever.

These dogs are mixed with poodles. The main draw of the poodles' genes is their hair. Which is known not to shed. However, doodles CAN shed (because they are mixed with breeds that do shed). However, they can't shed enough to be self-sufficient. So you may still end up with a dog that sheds and yet still has to take it to an expensive groomer every other week!

Which leads to the neglect. "Doodles" are notorious amongst vets and groomers alike for being neglected. The "breed standard haircut" that the general public has adopted is to let the hair grow shaggy and get matted. Yes, matted. For those uneducated, mats hurt, and they are known to grow bacteria. Any dog with poodle type hair needs PROPER brushing every single day. And not just with a slicker brush. There are several types of tools usually needed, especially a comb that can get all the way down to the skin in order to avoid mats. A dog that has become matted is usually considered neglected for all other breeds except "doodles." However, these dogs should not be forced to live with painful mats because backyard breeders lie to families and tell them they are low-maintenance.

The second issue that comes with poodle mixes is the temperment. Many people who adopt dogs don't consider whether the breed is right for them. Doodle owners aren't the only people guilty of this. However, because this breed doesn't have a standard nor has been around long enough for concrete specifications: we DON'T know the temperment and behavior of these dogs. Which makes it so much worse for those who may be getting a "doodle" as their first dog. At most, we can look at what a doodle is mixed with and make estimations. However, a common issue I see with backyard breeder sales pitches is that they advertise the side of the labradors and golden retrievers a lot more than they advertise the poodle side. Why? Because poodles are known to be extremely active, protective, and vocal. They also need a LOT of mental and physical stimulation. Poodles are extremely intelligent and are usually great for working jobs, agility, or showing. If they don't have some form of outlet for their high energy and intelligence, they may become a menace in the home. The average person I see getting "doodles" is either elderly or busy families. Neither may be suited for a "doodle" that has a temperment more like a poodle than a golden, etc.

Next the size... doodles are a mix. A mix advertised as a purebred without standards. Because their isn't a "standard" for a doodle, we don't know the size of them. Many "doodles" advertised as "miniatures" end up growing the size of their labrador counterparts, etc. It doesn't matter if a dog is mixed with a miniature anything if the other half is a large breed. Again, these dogs are being bred by people who don't know what they are doing. So it's a 50/50 whether you'll get a miniature or large breed dog. Not only that, but some doodles are starting to get reputations for being absolutely massive! I'm not entirely sure why, but these bad boys are starting to clock in at 80+ pounds!

Lastly, health. Again, this is a "breed" that hasn't been around long enough for concrete specifications when it comes to long-term health issues. However, what I can tell you is that these dogs are known to get things like hip dysplasia and luxating patella at as young as two years!! Not to mention the skin and ear infections they are prone to due to their coat and neglect. These dogs are also prone to neurological issues because of how much they are being bred without proper genetics taken into account.

The size, color, coat, health, and temperment of these dogs are a complete gamble. Any breeder breeding them is a backyard breeder, and anything they say should be taken with a grain of salt. Please stop purchasing these dogs for premium price from people creating genetic nightmares. Either wait for the breed to become established or rescue one. Do not participate in this marketing scheme that involves living creatures!

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk

#dogs #doodle #poodle #labrador #golden retriever #rant #dog training #grooming #dog #puppy #adopt dont shop #cute #vent #psa #controvercial

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theprincessaurora · 2 years

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I saw your ask about your favorite Aurora ships and I have to say that Aurora/Gaston intrigues me greatly. When do you start shipping them and how do you see them working? I ask because Gaston is the villain in his film, but I always had a soft spot for villain/hero ships when done right and I'll love to hear your thoughts on it because it really caught my attention!

I'm so pleased you became interested in their pairing! So, I would like to preface this by saying that I came up with this ship when I was five- it was literally my first non-canonical ship ever- so for as flawed as it should've been upon concept, they actually work together quite beautifully?

So, when I had watched Beauty and the Beast at five, I never connected with Belle but I adored Gaston. I loved his flamboyancy and his firmness and commitment- normally we see men who don't want to get married, not the other way around. He also wanted children- six or seven or eight of them, at that! I'm a pretty extreme person, I love when someone is entirely one way or the other, and the grays in life- be it personality types or stylistically mundane elements or an argument lacking in conviction- never appealed to me. Gaston really has the intensity of life in such an alive way, that really spoke to me at that age. I would always play around with the dolls I had of him and Aurora the most, and it just seemed to work? He is a hunter after all, so his discovery of her wouldn't be that off from how Phillip sees her. Also, as I mentioned he's a hunter and is always after the chase, and Aurora doesn't fold easily. Plus, he is intrigued by Belle's beauty and Aurora was literally gifted with the supernatural gift of beauty and song. With their looks especially, they tend to mesh- the red of Gaston's cape and the blacks of his wardrobe so remind me of Aurora's dream prince. Also, I think Aurora is a beautiful personification of femininity and I think Gaston's masculinity would bloom in a healthy way alongside hers. Think of the soaring soprano of Aurora’s voice and the supported baritone of Gaston’s. I always listen to I Bring You a Song and think of them singing it to one another!

From a personality standpoint, they also appeal to me. As I mentioned, Gaston is the villain of his film, but he's easily influenced. Aurora's such a strong personality, and she wouldn't tolerate his poor behavior, so I think he'd course correct and allow her to have an upper hand in a way because he's scared of losing her. They both are dreamers and love the idea of love! Also I love how overwhelmingly masculine he is for her, and inherently primal he can be in a sensual sense, because as I mentioned Aurora is quite feminine, but she also spent her entire life with three elderly fairies who never had a thought about romance one way or another while Aurora dreams of a Prince, and kissing that prince, and all the butterflies that come about with love. So to meet a man for the first time, and for that man to be dripping with all the dreams you had of how men are and to be so physically competent and lively and virile! UGH.

Also, I think they would be able to help one another in a very cute way. Aurora is so strong in her decision making, but she suffers from fearing to disappoint anyone. Gaston would be able to play "bad cop" and take the blame for her if she didn't want to do something or see someone, and he'd do it in such a charming way that I doubt anyone's feelings would be hurt at the end of the day. When it comes to Gaston, he can resort to aggression when upset, and Aurora doesn't do conflict. As someone who grew up as an only child with very gentle fairies, she doesn't engage in heated interactions, she simply walks away from something if she doesn't like it which would help Gaston dial t in and be less combative.

One of the strongest elements I think is most appealing, though is the fact that, of all the princesses, I think Aurora is the most effective in her communicating. Whether it's speaking, singing, dancing, crying- she communicates incredibly well. With Gaston/Belle, I think a lot of times she insulted him in ways he didn't understand and instead of it being a serve, it just perplexed him. I think Aurora would appreciate Gaston for who he is, but she would also be able to speak to him and communicate with him in a way he would receive. Also, just look at them together!!!

#* / DUTIES #ask #anonymous #gaston #also endless aus for them!#gaston being one of the huntsmen for aurora's kingdom #gaston being hired by king stefan and queen hazel to bring aurora home on the eve of her bday #gaston bumping into aurora when he's hunting in the forest #like SO many #them having a cottage in the woods together <333

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hicksvargas97 · 2 days

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Strong Advice For Maintaining A cheerful And Healthful Cat

Cats make fantastic companions. As an owner of your canine cat, it is important that you educate yourself about each of the best cat pet care guidelines and advice. Here is info filled with great pet care information built to ensure of which your kitty-cat likes a wonderful life and stays healthful well into aged age. In case your dog and cat are usually best friends, make sure to keep them independent after flea remedy. Your dog's flea products are very unsafe for cats. Cats which come in make contact with with dog flea products often expire. Be sure to be able to use only cat products on your current cat and just dog products about your dog. Or if you cat gets elderly, within behavior might signal pain. In the event that your cat does not like to bounce or climb any more, it may become in pain. If your cat stops taking care of grooming or halts using its cat litter box, pain may end up being the cause. Be sure to possess your older cat looked at by your vet if you see habits changes. If you find an individual cat is injuring furniture or other objects, it may be tired. Keep several safe toys around for your cat to play with. Scratching articles can also deter your cat coming from scratching your furniture. Or, build some sort of small cat home out of cardboard boxes. Your cat will love having a location to hide, and even the cardboard may also be used to scratch about! Handle your pussy-cat often. The longer your cat is usually handled as a kitten, the extra readily they are going to acknowledge being handled when they are cultivated, especially around their paws. This is definitely important as all cats will include to visit the vet occasionally, and this process is much easier and less nerve-racking when the cat is definitely comfortable with being taken care of. It will likewise make combing and nail cutting off easier. Are an individual the owner of both a canine and cat? Dogs will eat cat food up. Since of this, you should make the spot that your cat food is in higher up consequently that the canine cannot reach this. This can avoid squabbles over water when their meals is gone. By no means try to instruct a cat to utilize a litter box. This is a thing that will come naturally and is usually not learned. A new lot of individuals believe that rubbing a cat's paws inside its cat litter box might help them, but also in reality, it may be damaging in order to them. If an individual have multiple cat, you should have got as many litter containers as you have cats and kittens. If too numerous cats have to share the same cat litter box, it can suggest disaster! The felines may choose not really to share their particular eliminating space, alternatively, using other areas, many of these as clean laundry washing or hidden 4 corners of the home to do their own business. Reduce typically the probability of raising a new finicky cat simply by feeding them several brands of food whilst they may be young. If they start consuming just one form of food without deviation, they are sure to grow finicky. Understand that the cat is effortlessly influenced by the surroundings. Cats have superior memories plus will usually retain training for a long time. Conversely, they likewise retain frightening activities also it takes these people quite a long time to acquire over their fears. Be encouraging together with your cat and avoid situations that terrify them. If a person have several cat, it is a good option for you to be able to give them every single their own foods bowls. Place these people far apart thus that each cat has their place. In case you provide merely one bowl for the cats to talk about, it may cause larger cats in order to bully the more compact ones. Keep your brand-new cat is spayed or neutered. This kind of is important perhaps if your cat will not be outdoors or close to cats with the contrary gender. Studies show of which spayed cats are usually less vulnerable to uterine, mammary, plus ovarian cancer. Neutering your male cat decreases his danger of developing prostatic cancer. Another benefit involving neutering is that your cat will not sense compelled to tag his territory simply by spraying. If a person have ever presented your cat a bath, then you know how much they shiver when it is over. This is since their wet pelt provides them using no insulation. A person can help your own cat out by using your hairdryer to dry the hair fast. Remember not in order to hold it also close and burn up your cat. Because was discussed in the opening of this particular article, cats help make perfect pets. As great as pet cats are however , it is necessary regarding you like a cat owner to educate oneself on cat attention and learn each of the ins and outs. Take advantage regarding the info within this article to be able to ensure that your loved one kitty stays happy and healthy. bathe cat

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beeconsciousremovals · 1 year

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Honey Bee Swarm Removal Service at Reasonable Price

Swarming is how honey bee colonies reproduce. The elderly queen and around half of the worker bees leave their original nest to hunt for a new home, usually in the spring but possibly at other times of the year depending on local conditions. Even before the swarm leaves its home colony, a group of worker bees known as "scouts" begin searching the area for a potential new nesting site.

The majority of European honey bee swarm clusters in the spring, which are the typical honey bees in central and northern California, are relatively tranquil. A frightening swarm of bees may look at first. It takes a lot of stimuli, such as being beaten with rocks and sticks or drenched with a hose, to provoke a protective response. The same may not be true for swarms that have run out of food or honey bees that have been Africanized, as these species are not nearly as dependable and can be highly temperamental, even as swarm clusters.

Removing Honey Bee Swarm

It is significantly more difficult to honey bee swarm removal from structures than it is to collect swarm clusters. The first colony consists of only a few pounds of adult bees, but they immediately begin to build combs, collect honey, and raise more bees. A robust colony may contain up to 100 pounds of honey, multiple pounds of adult and developing bees, and several beeswax combs. It can be difficult to get rid of a nest like this. The first step is to determine the exact location of the combs and the size of the colony.

Contact a professional if you wish to remove a honey bee swarm from your home. Experts with experience can usually easily remove bees from a cluster by shaking or brushing them into a cardboard box before removing them. The entrance of the box should ideally allow flying bees to join the captured hive. Keep the box in the shade until dusk, then seal and remove it.

While controlling a cluster is usually simple, the specialist performing honey bee swarm removal should be given a bee suit in order to be prepared for hostile behavior. It gets more difficult, however, if the cluster is difficult to reach, such as when it is buried in a building corner, high up in a tree, or tangled in the branches of a plant.

It is fairly simple to remove a swarm cluster, however it takes a lot of effort to remove bees from a hollow. Hiring a structural pest treatment company may be your only option in some areas. Although beekeepers may be ready to take swarms for free, it is usually not cost-effective for them to remove established colonies for free.

For more information on our honey bee swarm removal service, please visit our website.

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sissytobitch10seconds · 3 years

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First Born

Fandom: Remarried Empress (WEBTOON) Summary: Navier doesn't feel well when the day of Rashta's honorary banquet rolls around. Alas, she is the Empress and Sovieshu is already under the impression that she's trying to ruin the runaway slave's life and reputation, so she has to make an appearance despite this. Warnings: Pregnancy, birth, graphic birth, unplanned pregnancy Word Count: 12,150 Ship(s): Navier/Sovieshu, Rashta/Sovieshu

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“Your Majesty, forgive me for saying this but you do not look well,” one of her ladies-in-waiting tutted as she combed through the Empress’s golden locks.

Navier sighed, bringing her thumb and forefinger up to the bridge of her nose. The mention of her health brought all of her attention back to the symptoms that she had been experiencing since she woke up. She had had a rush of energy just as daylight began to creep into her room, which had resulted in her getting a lot of the work that needed to be done and had been waiting for some time now. She had slowly slipped back into feeling ill, when she was only about halfway through her work for that morning. She had pushed through it despite the exhaustion that attempted to take hold of her and the cramps that were beginning to plague her.

She could once again feel the grating pain against the inside of her lower stomach. “Truth be told, I do not feel well,” she replied. She felt uncomfortable, like she had reached her moon cycle once more.

“Would you like for me to call for the physician?” Countess Eliza asked as she paused her work.

“I do not think that it calls for that just yet,” she waved her hand to the side to try and dispel the other woman’s worries. “I believe that I am just having my moon cycle, that’s nothing that the physician needs to worry himself with.”

Laura clicked her tongue as she walked to her Empress’ side and began to help the other noble woman get her hair into the right style. “That’s really too bad, Your Majesty. Can you imagine how wonderful it would have been to reveal that you were pregnant right after everyone went to all this fuss for that woman? They’d all be so embarrassed that they paid her any mind when you were really the one that deserved it.”

“Laura,” Eliza chastised again, though Navier couldn’t help but chuckle at the young woman’s unwavering support for her. The elderly noble then turned to her Empress as well, “Your Majesty, please do not encourage this behavior, she’s going to get herself in trouble one of these days!”

Laura made a huffing noise, “Any trouble that I got in for defending Her Majesty would be worth it.”

Navier smiled softly at her two friends. “Please, there is no need to get in any trouble defending me. I’m perfectly capable of doing that myself. I know that at the moment the palace is all abuzz with news about Rashta and her pregnancy. She will be remembered for a while as the one who gave His Majesty his firstborn, but I will still be remembered as the empress that took care of the entire nation and helped us become the Empire that we are today. I will also be known as the one to give him his true heir, once he finally comes around to his senses and realizes that he has been neglecting his husbandly duties,” Navier said as she sat up a bit straighter when she felt the finger pointing into her back. She had a bad habit of slouching when her stomach cramped like this, but it was the only way to try and negate the pain echoing through her abdomen. It was bad enough at this point that her entire hips ached, all the way down into her legs.

The brush in Laura's hands began to pull a bit harder as the redheaded woman got worked up again. “I can’t believe that people are spreading such horrible rumors about you being infertile when he isn’t even doing what he’s supposed to be doing! How are you even supposed to conceive a child when he won’t-”

Eliza gasped, “Laura! Do not say such crass things. You are a lady of high regard, not a peasant working in a brothel. You are in front of Her Majesty as well, and you are very lucky that Empress Navier is not at all strict with us and has enough kindness in her heart to allow such vulgar language and behavior in her presence!”

“Countess Eliza, I promise that it is alright. Laura just gets worked up. I find it quite endearing. And no one can hear us here, it’s alright if she has the occasional slip of the tongue,” Navier replied.

The three women went quiet as Eliza and Laura continued their work. They braided long, beautiful strands of golden locks into intricate plates and then wove them together so that they formed a bun at the back of her head. The Empress was left alone for a moment as they left to go and fetch the crown and veil combo that she had chosen to match her outfit for that day. She wanted to remind everyone that she was indeed the Empress of the Eastern Empire, even if she had not been able to conceive a child before a lowly runaway slave turned mistress. Navier had an appearance to keep up, after all.

The golden-haired woman bit her lip as the pain came to a peak again and then faded back to the annoying level that it seemed to be constantly hovering at. “I am beginning to question whether or not I am well enough to attend the banquet.”

“Maybe this has come at the perfect time then, Your Majesty!” Laura cried, a fiery spark shining in her eyes as she kneeled down beside her empress. “You could use this as a valid excuse for not having to attend that woman’s banquet! No one can fault you for not attending if you don’t feel well, and if she throws a fit about you not going or some of the attention being taken off of her then she looks even worse than she does right now!”

“Laura, if someone were to hear you talking like this then the Emperor would throw you back up into the tower,” Eliza tutted, like a worried mother hen. “And you know that the Empress would never do something that petty. She is above that.”

“I do think that I should at least make an appearance,” Navier said. “If not for her then to save my own face.”

Eliza walked to the other side, kneeling down by her other side to mimic the way that Laura was sitting. The redhead folded her hands in her lap and stared down at them, ashamed that she had implied something that she hadn’t meant to. The elderly noble woman examined her Empress with the careful eye of a woman who had done this to her own children. “I do think that you should visit the physician before the day is over, Your Majesty. I have been your Lady in Waiting for long enough to know that this is not a normal moon cycle for you.”

“Send one of the maids to tell the physician to meet me here in about an hour. I will make an appearance at the banquet, give Rashta my gift, and spend some time there. Enough time to make it look like I was actually in attendance before I come back here. I am not feeling well,” she reiterated with a small shake of her head.

“I do think that is a good plan, Your Majesty. I would hate for something to be terribly wrong and to be responsible for any further pain that is bestowed upon you because of this ailment,” Eliza said. She rose from the ground and quickly walked to the halls to send one of the maids to the physician.

Navier stood and allowed Laura to continue to finish dressing her. The Empress set off when both of her ladies-in-waiting were also finished getting ready. However, the discussion about her illness meant that it had been an hour since the banquet itself had actually started. They had done a bit of this on purpose, because if Navier had been there the entire time then she would look like a fool as it would appear that she didn’t understand how much of an insult this pregnancy was to her as the wife of the Emperor. However, they hadn’t meant to attend this late.

When Navier got to the edge of the doors leading into the hall where the banquet was being held, she paused. A sickness whirled in her stomach and seeped into her veins. She couldn’t help herself. Rashta by all means should have been someone that she pitied and felt sorry for. The woman had made a fool of herself in front of countless nobles, and she had been thrust into a world that she didn’t understand because of the fleeting fascination of a man that had it all. Navier of all people understood what it was like to be under the hateful, watchful eye of the public.

Despite all of this, despite how sorry she knew that she should feel for Rashta, all she ever felt when she saw that wretched woman was contempt. Rashta had intruded on an already fragile relationship, even if it had only been a marriage of convenience, Sovieshu was still her childhood friend, and then proceeded to bully and manipulate the society around her and several of Navier’s closest friends.

The Empress looked over all of the nobles, dressed in some of their best clothing, mingling around with each other. She could already see a mountain of gifts in the corner that were meant to go to the unborn member of the Imperial family. No doubt Rashta thought that they were for her, after all, the way that she had treated this pregnancy seemed to be to get all of the attention that she possibly could.

Sovieshu told me that Rashta’s baby might become mine, the Empress thought. Did everyone come here thinking the same thing? Do they think that because I might never be able to give birth to a child that they have to suck up to Rashta’s baby? Even if they did not think that way, the firstborn always makes a big impact.

She sighed, stealing her nerves again. She would have to deal with the way not being pregnant before the Emperor’s mistress looked on her reputation another day. For now, she needed to seem like a benevolent and kind Empress, while still being sure that she didn’t seem too kind, and like she could be taken advantage of.

Navier stood as tall and regal as she could without turning her nose up at the other nobles that were waiting in the hall. She walked with careful, measured steps as the doors to the banquet hall were opened for her. She approached through the crowds of guests that parted for her like blades of grass when you walk through them. Most of the conversations paused as they all focused on the regal, steely, beautiful Empress of the Eastern Empire.

“Your Majesty!” Rashta shrieked as she lurched herself off of the seat of honor at the front of the room. She was wearing another gaudy, childish dress. She had her silvery curls pulled back so that they fell over her shoulders but didn’t fall in front of her face. There was an ostentatious piece of jewelry keeping them back, jewels set into a hairpiece so that it appeared like there were flowers there. Her dress was purple, multiple different kinds. The bust had a large bow sitting over her breasts and the sleeves were puffy but ended high up on her arms to allow room for matching gloves.

“Rashta,” Navier replied curtly as she stopped the appropriate distance away from the mistress.

“I’m so happy that you came, I thought you weren’t coming as it’s already been an hour since the banquet started,” she bubbled. Navier glanced past her at her husband, who looked rather unhappy and uncomfortable. For a moment, she wondered if she really looked that ill. She shook the thought away after a moment. Sovieshu hadn’t cared for her until now, there was no reason that he would start now.

She waved her hand behind her, signaling Countess Eliza to come forward. The noble woman did as she was told, handing over the gift that Navier had spent hours and hours agonizing over. Getting something that would look good to the public but wouldn’t look as though she were trying too hard was a difficult balance to achieve. “This gift is from Her Majesty to the baby,” Eliza made sure to punctuate the last two words. This gift was not to Rashta, and the Lady in Waiting wasn’t about to allow the silver-haired woman to tarnish her Empress’ reputation with that lie ever again.

Rashta took the gift, looking to Sovieshu with an overly excited expression on her face. It was as if she hadn’t been receiving presents and gifts for the baby all day. The Emperor nodded, and she began to tear at the packaging. “Wow!” she beamed as she saw the ornate, decorative sword underneath. “Oh my! I’ve never seen such a beautiful sword before…”

She held the sword up in front of her eyes before she cradled it in her arms and continued in that childish pitch that was beginning to grate on Navier’s nerves. “Thank you, Your Majesty! It’s truly a thing of beauty.”

“I’m glad that you like it,” she replied in a level tone. She wanted to get this done and over with as quickly as possible. The cramps were slowly becoming harder and harder to deal with, especially since she couldn’t show any pain while around so many other nobles and Rashta.

“Thank you so much for coming to my party, I’m really touched. I really want to get along with Your Majesty, you know,” she continued. She acted like she was shy, as if the first thing that she had done upon meeting Navier hadn’t been a breach of court etiquette so great that if she had been a man she would have been sentenced to a great deal of prison.

Navier raised a brow, unimpressed. The facade that the other woman put on when she was around the other nobles wasn’t enough to fool her. The Empress had been training to be a diplomat, a ruler, and a companion to the most important man in the Eastern Empire her entire life. Someone plastering on a smile and pretending to be shy and innocent wasn’t enough to convince her that was their true demeanor. She turned, prepared to leave and find somewhere to sit down.

Before she got the chance, however, Rashta spoke again, “Your Majesty, may I… make a request?”

“What is it?” she asked, the pain making her more snappish than she should have been for trying to save face.

“I would love it if you could give my child your blessing,” Rashta was nearly sparkling with faked innocence as she said her request.

I see that she dropped the insistence that it’s Sovieshu’s child above her own. I suppose she wants this for personal reasons and not for the way that it looks to others, then, Navier thought to herself. I’m used to these kinds of requests, but…

“I’ll have to refuse that request. Do you think the child will be happy with an empty blessing?” she asked. She made sure to say ‘the child’ instead of Rashta. The foolish woman was trying to make this about herself, as if any of the nobles in attendance cared anything for her. The rumors around the palace may have stopped, but everyone still thought of her as the runaway slave that was slowly beginning to make the happier vanier of the marriage between the Empress and Emperor fade. “But if that’s what you want, I’ll accept your request.”

Rashta’s face became a dark red and her large, dark eyes began to water with the tears that she forced every time that someone said something she didn’t like. Navier resisted the urge to turn and continue walking away. She was in pain and her patience was already wearing thin, especially with the childish manipulations that the mistress was attempting to pull on her.

Navier stayed for a moment longer, only to give her time to let that sink in. When the other woman didn’t try to say anything to her she turned and began to walk back towards the seating. She may have to leave sooner than she thought, if this pain continued.

“Empress!” Sovieshu called, the first words that he had spoken to her in days. He rushed to her, grasping at her arm. If it hadn’t been her husband, that move would have been considered to be highly inappropriate and even reputation-ruining. He dropped his voice down to a whisper, the noise joining in with all of the other murmurings from the nobles gathered in the room. “Must you embarrass her like that in front of everyone?”

“I didn’t want to embarrass myself either.” She spoke at her normal, distinguished tone. If he was going to act just as childish as his mistress, then she was going to have to be adult enough for the three of them combined.

“Giving your blessing to expectant mothers is something you’re used to doing as an empress. Is it really that difficult for you to do the same for Rashta?”

Anger boiled in her gut. How dare he ask me that. Was he really so blind to my emotions after a few years of marriage, something that allegedly brought people closer, that he would be this callous to my own feelings? What had happened to the boy that used to spend hours waiting for me to get done with my rigorous tutoring sessions so the two of us could practice dancing together? What had happened to the boy that I would eat sweets with while I read to him underneath the tree that we had planted together? Where had he gone?

She didn’t let her anger show. “A fitting expression to use here would be ‘Silence is golden’.”

“I don’t believe that applies here.”

“I’m sure you don’t think it does, because it’s not something you want to hear,” she shot back. They had arguments like this back when they were teenagers and she was getting more and more pressure from her tutors to focus on her studies instead of bonding with her betrothed. Sovieshu didn’t like hearing things that meant he wouldn’t get what he wanted.

Navier tilted her head slightly away from him, listening to the whispers that had taken over the crowds around them. She then turned back to him, glancing at him out of one captivating green eye, “I suggest you let me go unless you want to have an argument in front of everyone here.”

Sovieshu clicked his tongue, releasing her arm. The look of disdain and disappointment in his eyes made her stomach roll, though that might have been from the pain. She watched as the man that she had loved so dearly as a child walked quickly back up the steps to hold the woman that he had barely known for a year. She then turned, her regal composure unchanged throughout the entire exchange. “If you really want me to give my blessing to your baby that much, then I’ll do it,” she said, her voice ringing out over the gossip still flitting over the hall.

“Thank you!” Rashta beamed, the warning that the Empress apparently gone from her vapid mind in a second.

“Child,” she said. Normally her blessings went to both the mother and the child, wishing the child a happy life and the mother a safe pregnancy and birth. This time she had no blessing, no matter how hollow, for the mother. “May your life be like the sword I have given you. Extravagant and beautiful.”

Sovieshu looked at her, his eyes wide as he understood the double meaning behind the blessing she had just given. They had known each other since they were children, and he had come to know her inside and out just as she had thought she knew him. Rashta, however, was oblivious as ever to the intricacies of life. “Her Majesty blessed our baby!”

Another manipulation tactic, I suppose, Navier thought to herself as she noticed the change in pronouns. Whenever she wanted something from the vast majority of people that wanted closer to the Emperor she would remind them that she was his current favorite mistress, as well as carrying his firstborn child. Whenever she wanted something from Navier, who was closest to the emperor and had nothing to gain from that kind of language, she tried to make it sound like it was a personal favor that she would be indebted to the Empress for.

The regal woman crossed over the floor, her ladies-in-waiting following closely behind her. She sat on some of the seats that were littered around a few of the tea tables for those that didn’t want to or couldn’t stand through the entire banquet. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could last while in this much pain.

---

She stayed for as long as she could, though she saw the worried looks that Eliza and Laura gave her every time they noticed a slight change in her behavior. The Empress spoke to a few of the nobles that approached her to give her polite conversation, though this party was for Rashta and most of the nobles were too scared to approach her after the show that had occurred a few minutes prior.

“I am going to go back to my room, please send someone to get the physician earlier than expected,” Navier instructed Eliza. The older noble woman nodded and quickly rushed off, so worried for her lady that she bumped into a few of the other nobles in the process of doing so. “Laura, please escort me back to my rooms,” she then said as she turned to her other companion.

The Empress stood from the table that she had been sitting at, using it to help her get to the standing position in the first place. She glanced back to the top of the steps where Rashta was sitting mostly by herself. Sovieshu caught her eyes for just a moment before he turned his attention back to what must have been the thousandth piece of clothing that Rashta had received for her unborn child.

She couldn’t help the bit of aching longing that she felt bloom in her heart. She wanted nothing more than to be able to be up there with her husband, the man that she still couldn’t help but love, celebrating her own pregnancy. She could care less about gifts and attention from the other nobles, but she desperately wanted her best friend back. That, and she had always wanted to be a mother. It may have been expected of her to have at least one healthy child to be the heir to the empire, but the idea of being a calming and motherly force in the life of a child that she had helped create. She already enjoyed being a maternal figure in the life of her sponsored mage, Evalie.

She turned away from them with a sharp turn of her head. She removed her hand from the table that she had been supporting herself on. Navier carefully folded her hands in front of her so that her fingers were pressed together on each hand, though her thumbs overlapped to hold the other hand. She placed them over her wait, subtly pressing into her stomach to alleviate some of the pain.

A bit of pressure and pain was beginning to build up in her back as she began to step forward in preparation to leave the banquet hall. It then quickly wrapped around her stomach and she could feel all over her muscles tightening up. Navier let out a cry of pain, stumbling and falling as the intensity of whatever was happening fully took over her.

Several of the noblemen around the room rushed to her, and the remaining guests looked to see the Empress. Several of them were moving over each other, though they kept a respectful distance away from her. Something like this, especially after the argument that she had gotten in with the expecting parents and guests of honor for this banquet, was going to be all over the palace for weeks.

The noblemen helped her into a more standing position, both of them clearly worried. “Are you alright, Your Majesty?”

“I am fine,” she tried, attempting to once again stand on her own.

Laura was by her side in an instant, moving the noble from that side of her body. Navier grasped her friend’s hand tightly in her own as the pain slowly began to fade into the background. Eliza had arrived back by then and was able to take the other side. The two women then promptly escorted her from the halls, ignoring the murmurs that followed.

---

The Emperor bid the noble that he had been making pleasant conversation with for some time a pleasant goodbye as he walked back up the stairs to where his mistress was currently seated. He had seen her talking with one of her friends again, the foreigner friend of Prince Heinry. He couldn’t help the bit of bitter jealousy that bloomed in his gut as he realized that the Duke had become closer and closer to his mistress while he was also losing his wife to the very prince who had sent him. When the king got to the top of the stairs, the Duke gave Rashta a small pat on the shoulder and then descended back down into the party.

Sovieshu quickly moved beside her, and then he noticed the tears that were trickling down her cheeks. “Rashta? What’s wrong?” he bent down so that he could get a little bit of a better look at her face.

She stayed quiet for a moment before the servant that had been managing her leaned over and said, “Duke Ergi.”

The Emperor tutted, “Duke Ergi should choose his words with more care.”

She shook her head, causing silver curls to bounce around her head. “The Duke simply wanted to help me not to look like a fool, Your Majesty.”

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Rashta knew nothing of court etiquette, and she had hurt people deeply with her disgraceful behavior. He knew that she was a bit of a blemish on his image with the kinds of things that she had said to people in high places, like his wife and the Duchess Tuania. She knew nothing of court life, and yet she insisted on thrusting herself into it only to be surprised when she was burned and people lashed back out at her the way she did at them. He knew that this was partially his fault, however, and conceded a bit. She was the mother of his first born child, after all. “Do stop crying. The guest of honor shouldn’t be weeping.”

She turned to look at him, her cheeks rosy from the crying fit moments before. “Why didn’t Your Majesty tell me? You knew what the Empress meant by that, didn’t you?”

He didn’t say anything, just straightening back up and looking at the crowd once more. He had known what Navier meant when she gave her hollow blessing. She had warned Rashta that the blessing would be just that, and yet he and his mistress had pushed her into giving it. He knew that he gave Navier a hard time for the way that she treated his new love, but at the end of the day Navier was only trying to save her own reputation, so it would be unblemished like his own. “You really are too soft-hearted, Rashta,” he sighed. Maybe holding his banquet hadn’t been a good idea after all, she was beginning to wear on her nerves.

“I’m afraid,” Rashta whispered as she held up one clenched, gloved hand over her face.

“What do you mean?”

“The Empress insulted me and my child in front of everyone,” she said. “You saw how bold she was, so I’m afraid she might be cruel to the prince or princess later on.”

He turned to her sharply. Anger boiled inside of his gut. She had been warned time and time again to be more careful with what she said, and she had just gone and run her mouth, saying something disgraceful and vain. He and Navier may have been growing further and further apart the longer that they were under the watchful eye of the entire kingdom, and he may have feelings of affection for the woman next to him, but he was not going to tolerate something so disrespectful being said about his wife even if she didn’t mean it.

Luckily, those who had heard what she had said had their attention brought away from the guests of honor and back to the Empress. Navier was standing to get ready to leave, but she released a cry of pain and nearly collapsed. Several of the nobles closer to her rushed to her side, as well as the remaining Lady in Waiting, as it seemed that Countess Eliza had left before them.

As soon as he saw his wife fall he knew that something was wrong. Navier had never been a sickly child, and she had gotten sick less and less the older that they were. That was part of the problem when it came to her lack of conception. She was perfectly healthy in all other areas, so there was no reason that she shouldn’t have borne them an heir at this point. He took a step forward, wanting to go to her side and escort her back to her chambers. There may have been a resentment towards her brewing inside of him due to the relationship that he had with another woman and her tarnishing his reputation by the way that she acted around other men, exacerbated by their childless marriage, but she was still his best friend and his wife.

“Wait,” Rashta called, grabbing the back of his shirt as he attempted to go down the stairs and help the woman that he still loved, even if he had love in his heart for another. “You can’t leave me, this party is for me,” she whined.

“Her Majesty needs me, Rashta,” Sovieshu said, keeping his voice tender and compassionate towards his mistress. He knew that she didn’t respond well when someone spoke sternly to her, always tearing up and sobbing at him whenever he pointed out that she had done something wrong or something that angered him.

“But she has everyone else,” the silver-haired woman whined. “Shouldn’t we at least get to have you?” she asked, placing her hand over her stomach.

“Navier is my wife,” he glanced back to where the blond was, but she had already been escorted out of the banquet hall by her ladies-in-waiting. His shoulders fell a little in disappointment. He’d have to go and check on her as soon as he was done dealing with the other situation. “Let’s go, Rashta.”

“It’s alright, Your Majesty. I don’t want to run away. I can overcome this,” she said, as if the Empress’ ailment was something that she, a mistress, had to overcome.

He set his jaw, his eyes narrowing. He turned and quickly began to leave. Rashta let out a pathetic little noise and quickly followed after him, just as he knew that she would. He continued through the private halls of the palace until they got back to his chambers. He opened the door and let her enter before him, which she did. She was worrying her lip between her teeth and clenching the sides of her dress in her hands as she flounced past him and into the sitting room. She sat down on one of the couches, looking up at him with dark, watery eyes.

“Please bring us tea,” he instructed one of the maids that was waiting just outside the room. She did as she was told, returning a quick five minutes later. The woman sat the tea down on the table before them, pouring them both a cup before she bowed and made her swift exit.

“Rashta, your child cannot be a prince or princess,” he said immediately after the door had been securely shut.

“But it’s Your Majesty’s child. Doesn’t that mean the child becomes a prince or princess by default?” she asked, tilting her head to the side cutely.

Her ignorance was cute to a fault, where it was beginning to become annoying. She was just so different from everyone else that he had ever met or dealt with. Being with Rashta was like jumping into the lake that he and Navier used to go and play in. He enjoyed the change of pace, the coolness of the water on his skin and the pressure of the lake surrounding him, but he didn’t want to be in it forever. He enjoyed being able to retreat back to the pleasant smelling trees and flowers of the palace gardens and the warmth of the hearth in the living room where he could listen to Navier read from their study books.

“That applies only to the children of the Empress. Children of mistresses do not get the title of prince or princess,” he explained. He took her hand in his own, to try and soften the blow.

“Then what about my child?” she asked, as if the rule did not apply to her.

“Your child will be a high-ranking noble and be treated as a member of the imperial family,” he answered, reiterating the information that he had just explained.

“I think it’s odd, Your Majesty. The children born to me and the children born to the Empress are equally of your bloodline. The Empress is an empress consort and not an empress in her own right. So then, why is it that only her children get to be royalty?” she whined, getting more and more distressed the longer that they spoke.

Sovieshu didn’t understand how she had been several months in the palace and yet still didn’t understand that she and the Empress were not one in the same. They did not share the same power, and they never would. “Because that’s the law,” he replied instead.

“The law is clearly not fit for purpose. Your Majesty can change it,” she urged. “I don’t understand why our child has to have its royal title taken away by some child that may or may not come along one day.”

He bit back the urge to say something abrasive. That was another difference between his relationship with her and the relationship with his wife. When he was with Rashta there was very little that he could do other than be gentle and patient, like an ocean working slowly away at a stone. With Navier he could let his true emotions out. Navier was skilled enough to be able to handle his harsher emotions and dole out her own. They could have actual discussions and arguments. He could spend the rest of the day explaining to her that there was no title being taken away from the child as the child wouldn’t have been given a child in the first place, but he knew that would just result in another tantrum.

Again she insinuates that the Empress is infertile, he thought to himself. “You may not understand it, but this has been stipulated by the Great Temple, so not even I can change it on my own,” he explained. He had known why this was a valid law for a very long time. If the Emperor was allowed to appoint any child from any of his mistresses then a problem of true succession would begin, as well as an outrage from the Empress’ family and lead to a possible civil war between the upper polite society. He then continued, choosing his words carefully. He couldn't just flat out tell her why what she had said was wrong, so he had to settle for the next best thing. “So do not talk about your child being a prince or princess in front of other people.”

“Your Majesty…” she whined, more tears collecting in her eyes. “But it’s Your Majesty’s child…”

He placed his hand on her lower back, “I will love and cherish the child and even bestow immense riches and power upon him or her. And everyone will know it is my child even if he or she can’t be called a prince or princess,” he promised her. He would love any child that he was given from any woman that he was currently involved with or might be involved with in the future. “The only thing that child won’t be able to have is a legal title and succession rights. So there is no need for you to be disappointed or feel it will miss out on anything. Do you understand?”

She just turned her head away from him, refusing to speak to him. For a moment, Sovieshu wondered if she was trying to make a grab for the throne. When mistresses were from the noble class, as they typically were, there was sometimes a plea from them to have their children be made official members of the succession to the throne so that their mothers could control them behind the scenes and get power that way.

He shook his head. Rashta knew so little about the throne and royalty and politics that she couldn’t possibly be trying something like that. He hadn’t wanted to have this discussion for a long time, but he supposed that he should try and calm her down since she was having such a fragile pregnancy. Perhaps, it would also be nice to get this bit of information off of his chest. Their barren marriage had been bothering him for years, after all. “If the Empress is infertile and can’t have a baby, then that’s a different story.”

“What do you mean?” The tears were gone and her interest peaked, sowing more seeds of doubt and suspicion inside of the Emperor.

“Then the Empress will adopt your baby and that child will become a prince or princess,” he answered.

Before either of them had the chance to say anything else, a servant barged into the room. “Apologies for the intrusion, Your Majesty, but there is something of great importance that you need to hear.”

Sovieshu would have normally gotten very upset that there hadn’t even been a knock before she had entered, but he knew that this had to have something to do with Navier. “Speak it then.”

“Her Majesty is in labor!”

Sovieshu was up in an instant and rushing out the door. Thoughts flew through his mind, he was so anxious to find out what was really going on with his Empress and why his childhood friend was ill that he didn’t even listen to the cries coming from the woman that he had been speaking with moments before. He strided through the halls with purpose and no one stopped him, though the servants and guards were all whispering to each other in small clumps as they went about their work.

When he got to the other palace, where his wife resided, he stopped just short of her chambers. He could see the tall, blond figure of her brother pacing back and forth outside of the grand doors that led into her chambers. There was a guard on either side of the grand doors, and no one other than the maids and ladies-in-waiting were walking through them. The only people that seemed to be allowed inside were women, even the physician had been relegated to sitting outside.

The Emperor continued his course down the hallway until he was in front of the two men waiting outside of his wife’s room. “What is going on here?” he looked between the two of them before he finally cast his gaze over to the doctor, “Why are you not in there with Her Majesty? She looked unwell during the banquet and I doubt that she would have had a miraculous recovery.”

“She is suffering from something that is better treated by the court midwife, Your Majesty,” he replied nervously, wringing his hands together. “I can diagnose a pregnancy and treat some of the symptoms, but a midwife is much better suited to handle the birth unless surgical intervention needs to take place,” he explained.

“Pregnancy? Birth? I think you’ve mistaken the Empress for Rashta,” Sovieshu said as he took a menacing step towards the doctor.

“No, Your Majesty,” he shook his head. “I was just as surprised as you are. The Empress is somehow in labor with a child. This isn’t a miscarriage, she’s giving birth to your firstborn child.”

“How is this possible?” he asked, the anger draining out of him and being replaced only by fear. When he was losing Navier through their arguments and his own stupid actions it was easier, but the idea of watching his wife possibly die due to complications in childbirth was terrifying.

“I’ve only ever seen something like this once before. I was visiting a noble couple before you hired me here, the woman was suffering from pain in her stomach. It turned out that she had been cursed, though the curse was to hide all pregnancy symptoms, inward and outward, until the baby was ready to be born. Normally this curse is used when a family wants to hide a pregnancy, whether that be to parentage or wedlock status,” he explained hurriedly.

The three men outside all fell silent again as a cry of pain echoed from deep inside of the bedchamber. Sovieshu was frozen in place as he took in the information that the physician had just explained to him. His wife was pregnant with his child, and she had been cursed. A spell had been placed on her by someone, maliciously and secretively. Either that or she had been hiding the pregnancy from him because the child was not his.

He stalked down the hallway, away from where he could hear the cries of his wife apparently laboring behind closed doors. He caught the first servant that he found and ordered him to go and call for the Grand Priest to come to perform a paternity test. If the child was really his then they would need him anyway to bless the first born child and heir of the Eastern Empire.

He then turned on his heel and walked back towards the Empress’ chambers. Even if the child wasn’t his, he would act like it was until they both got confirmation just to save face. While he trusted all of the servants around the palace, he knew that they wouldn’t be able to resist gossiping about the possible bastard child of the Empress.

He swallowed the bundle of nerves that had risen in his throat on the way back. If this really is my child, then I’m going to be watching the birth of my first child before I ever thought I would be a father, he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. What if I lose Navier? If the baby doesn’t survive then I can’t imagine that she would be the same woman afterwards, and I’m not sure if I would be able to look at her the same way either. Sovieshu had just gotten to the doors, his hand grasping the handle and prepared to go to his wife’s side, when he felt a hand grasp his shoulder.

“You listen to me and you listen well,” Kosair snarled. He had his head tilted down so that the blond bangs not contained in the ponytail fell over his eyes. He tilted his head up a bit so that their eyes were locked together. “I don’t give a shit if you’re the emperor right now. If I come in there and she tells me ANYTHING about you disrespecting her or hurting her in some way I will not hesitate to rip you limb from limb.”

---

She could only focus on two things, one during the contractions and one during the rest periods between them. During the contractions all she could focus on was the pain and pressure building inside of her abdomen. It felt like she was being torn apart and compressed together at the same time. During the rest periods between, she was only able to focus on her panic and shock. She was going to become a mother. She had been agonizing about her lack of children for about two months now, ever since Rashta’s pregnancy had been revealed. Before then, she would get momentary, fleeting bouts of sadness that her womb had not yet carried a child for herself and an heir for her husband. Now, she was hours away from meeting a child that she had apparently been harboring inside of her.

“Navier?” Sovieshu said as he pushed the door open and then walked quickly into the room. The door swung shut loudly behind him, hiding the face of her brother glowering after her husband.

Luckily, she had just emerged from a contraction so she had a few minutes to speak with him before the pain and pressure began again. “Sovieshu?” she whispered. She had been calling him Your Majesty since he had been crowned the Emperor, except for in choice moments and times of intimacy. She couldn’t bring herself to keep up the act of being the cold and distant empress right now, not when she was in so much pain and so scared.

“Your Majesty!” a chorus of voices from her ladies-in-waiting and the midwife and her assistants called at him. They hadn’t been expecting him to want to be a part of this. A lot of midwives forbade any men, other than doctors and physicians, from entering the room during a birth, it was generally accepted that husbands didn’t want anything to do with the actual birthing process, even if they expected to be kept in the loop about when the baby would actually arrive.

The blond furrowed her eyes, shifting from where she was sitting on the edge of the bed. She wanted to walk around, but she was weak enough that she couldn’t without assistance, and apparently she was a good deal into her labor so there was a lot that the women around her had to prepare for and they couldn’t help her walk due to having their own missions to complete. “What are you doing here?”

“I heard that you were in labor,” he replied, immediately moving so that he was by her side.

She shot him a sharp look as she watched him move around the side of the bed. “If you’re here to accuse me of hiding a pregnancy from you then you may leave,” she pointed one elegant finger towards the door. “I’m just as shocked about this as you are.”

“I won’t deny that I am a bit suspicious, but I understand that now is not the time to have that discussion,” he said, glancing back to the midwife, who had paused in her preparations to watch the expectant mother. Both husband and wife were very aware that if Navier showed any kind of uncomfortableness about him being there then he would be removed entirely from the room. “And even if you did hide this pregnancy from me for any reason, I still want to be here to witness the birth of my first child.”

“Are you sure that you want to do that? You know that birth is not generally witnessed by many noblemen,” Navier said as she slowly got to her feet. She let out a groan, pressing a hand to her flat stomach as another one of the building pains echoed through her.

He reached for her, holding her hand in one of his and her elbow in the other to be able to support her. Navier reached up and grasped at the coat that he was wearing to have an extra bit of support. “I am perfectly aware that birth is not a pretty process, but I want to be here to support you, and the child,” he explained.

She was unable to answer him until the pain had passed. “If you’re sure, but once you’re in here and things are started you may think differently,” she warned. “And you are not going to be allowed to get angry or upset with anyone if they are curt or even rude to you. What matters most right now is the health of our child.”

“Agreed. I understand that here I am just the father, not the Emperor,” he pressed a kiss to the top of his wife’s head. “Now, what can I do to help you?”

“Help me walk around,” she answered immediately after the words had left his mouth.

He blinked a few times before he looked to the midwife. Sovieshu was out of his element here. He knew nothing about birth or childbearing, but he did genuinely want to help his wife through this process. Since he had been a very young child he knew that he had wanted to at least be permitted to be present for the first few moments of his first born’s life. When the elderly woman gave him a nod, telling him that he could help his wife fulfill her request, he did so.

He moved so that he was supporting her by allowing her to hold onto the wall while he stood behind her. He held onto her hips, and every time that she got a contraction she fell back into him. She would hold both of his hands in her own and squeeze them so hard that they felt like they were going to break. He hadn’t seen her in this much pain since they were thirteen and she had twisted her ankle.

It took another ten or so minutes before the midwife and her assistants had gotten everything prepared for the birth, and Navier had to be moved back to the edge of her bed. She was dressed in one of her silky sleeping gowns, but it was large enough that the midwife was able to move between her legs and check her dilation. The blond clung to her husband like he was a lifeline, even when she had to return back to her bed between her bouts of pacing the edge of her bedchamber. The walking seemed to be helping her labor progress further and further on.

---

It had been almost an hour since Sovieshu had rushed away from his mistress and instead joined his wife to witness the birth of what was very likely his first child. He had removed his jacket, lying it over the only chair that wasn’t filled with preparations for the impending new arrival. He had also rolled up the sleeves of his white button-down shirt so that they were up around his elbows. He was by Navier’s side whenever she called for him with a small wave of her hand. He stayed behind her as she walked, allowing her to use him as a crutch and a prop. When she was near the bed, he would hang back until she motioned for him to join her. He would then get behind her on the bed, allowing her to lean back against him whenever she needed to.

The labor had been going on all day, and her water had broken when the midwife arrived. This meant that the baby was ready to come after a mere couple hours after Sovieshu’s arrival. Navier was moved back to her bed for the long haul when the midwife had determined that she was ready to push. She was moved onto the bed with her husband behind her. Sovieshu was sitting back on the bed in such a way that he was on his knees and his thighs and calves were pressed together. Navier was lying back on him with her legs hanging off of the bed. One assistant was at each leg, holding them so that they were bent at the knee and pressed back against her body. Navier had Sovieshu’s hands in hers once more, squeezing them as she got painful contractions almost on top of each other.

With each great push that she did, instructed when to by the practiced midwife, she would lean forward so that she was curled at the spine and her chin would meet her chest. When the contraction passed, she had a bit of a break and would collapse back against her husband’s chest. She would hold her breath with each push, and then gasp for air as if she had been drowning between them.

Sovieshu was at a loss for words at the beginning, overwhelmed that the women in the room all seemed to know what they were doing but he was so completely out of his element that he felt like an idiot. Eventually he was able to get his bearings about him and began to encourage his wife through her labor and pushes like her ladies-in-waiting were, though he wasn’t quite sure how she felt about them.

This part of the labor seemed to go the slowest out of all of them. At least when they were walking around while waiting for this point there was movement and talking, but this was beginning to stretch on longer than Sovieshu thought anything could. He was so worried for the health of his empress as he began to see her grow more and more tired that he could feel the sickness beginning to grow in his stomach.

Though, it seemed like she was full of ways to prove him wrong today, because as soon as he began to think of asking what was happening, the midwife caught a blood and fluid covered baby from between the Empress’ legs.

Things began to happen rather quickly after that, the baby was separated from their mother after the cord was cut. The infant was squalling loudly, making the entire room ring with the sharp cries. One of the midwife’s assistants had left her position holding the empress’ leg and had instead taken the baby from the midwife and gone to bathe them in the warm water they had gathered at the beginning of this whole ordeal.

Navier was leaning back heavily against her husband, using him to support all of her weight. She opened her tired eyes enough to follow the location of her baby around the room. “Are they alright?” she asked weakly.

“He is, Your Majesty,” the midwife replied as she helped clean the empress up, and disposed of a rather disgusting mass that neither of the two royals really wanted to think about for much longer. “Congratulations to you both, you have a healthy baby boy.”

“A son,” Sovieshu whispered, his eyes going wide. He couldn’t feel his fingers or toes, but he didn’t really care anymore. His heart swelled with pride and adoration for the small child that was wailing his head off while receiving his first out of many baths in his life. Slowly, he was removed from the bed and Navier was washed as well. Some of the other women in the room stripped down the bed and replaced it with bedding that hadn’t been soiled during the birth.

He was moving around in a state of shock, getting in the way of several of the women trying to complete the birthing process. Eventually he was able to snap out of it enough that he moved over to one of the walls and just watched everything that was happening. He had his own servants to help him around his room and get him ready for the day, but the speed and skill that Navier’s ladies-in-waiting worked with would always astound him.

The Empress was quickly washed, had her hair braided back so that it would not be in the way but was also not in one of her normal fancy hair-dos, and then dressed in her most comfortable nightgown before being placed back into her large bed. Navier was laying a little closer to the edge than she normally would, so that it would be easier for her to get up when the need arose.

Their son was then moved over to her arms, placed down with the tender, reverent care of someone that knew they were holding the Crown Prince of the Eastern Empire. Navier took him into her arms with a different kind of respect and reverence. She was holding him as his mother, not as one of his future subjects.

Sovieshu quickly walked the distance between them until he was kneeling at her bedside, peeking over her arms to the screaming face of the baby. Navier was being spoken to by one of the assistants, who helped her remove part of her nightgown so that her breast was exposed. It was something that he had seen time and time again, but until he noticed that their child was latching on, it seemed like something that he shouldn’t have been privy to. Even after that, it still seemed like something that he shouldn’t be seeing. He stayed by her side despite his awkwardness. “You’re amazing,” he whispered.

“Are you talking to me or our son?” She had started the sentence off with a bit of a sharp, teasing tone, but by the time their child was mentioned her voice had dimmed to the softness that only a mother could hold.

“Both of you. You are amazing for creating a life and blessing me with a healthy newborn boy, and he is amazing simply for existing,” he whispered.

Navier hummed in agreement, running her thumb over the back of the baby’s head. When he had finished suckling from her, the assistant that was closest to her showed her how to burp the baby. Eventually the child would be mostly taken care of by a wetnurse and a nanny, but Navier wasn’t going to let a stranger completely raise her child. He would stay with her at least for the first six months of his life, and then she would slowly begin to have to let him go. She was going to be his primary caretaker until she could not, and no one was going to stop her.

“How are you feeling, my dear?” Sovieshu asked, brushing a loose strand of long blond hair away from her face. She was leaning back against the bed with their baby held protectively in her arms. Her nightgown had been placed back where it properly went, though he could see the fist from their child clenching the fabric over her breast. She was more beautiful than he had realized in a very long time.

The other nobles were often astounded by her beauty when she dressed up with lace, gems, and other ornate parts of her outfit, but he thought she was the most beautiful creature when she was acting human as she was now. She was authentic and real when she had all of the gowns and jewelry removed. He had never looked upon anything more graceful and elegant than the small smile that rested upon her lips as she looked down at their child.

“I am tired,” she replied. “But I do not want to sleep yet.”

“Then don’t,” he replied softly.

She glanced up at him with a sly smile. “It has been a long time since you have called my ‘my dear’, what brought that on?”

“I think I should be permitted a few pet names to dote you with after you just gave me the greatest gift in the world,” he laughed a bit, though he made sure to keep his voice quiet enough that the woman still milling around the room and cleaning up after the birth couldn’t hear them. All thoughts of the baby not being his had gone out of his mind the moment that Navier allowed him to stay in the room and began to rely on him for comfort throughout her labor.

“I suppose you are,” she teased back. “Thank you for staying with me through all of that, Sovieshu. I was more terrified than on our wedding day when I was told that I was going to be a mother without even being pregnant.”

Her face fell a bit. As soon as it did, he wanted nothing more than to see the warm, happy smile return to it. “I thought for a while that I was barren. I know that we did not visit each other’s rooms often, but I expected to be able to conceive sooner than I did. I was worried when that woma- Rashta became pregnant before I did that I would never be able to be a mother in my own right, and I would only ever be a mother under the law. I wouldn’t be able to do this,” she whispered, looking back down to their son.

“But you did,” he whispered. He placed a comforting hand on her leg. “You are the most talented woman I have ever met. I don’t think there’s a single thing in this world that you cannot do.”

He sat up a bit straighter and looked down at his lap. “I would also like to apologize for the way that I was treating you. I know that our marriage has been struggling, but that was no excuse to be so cruel to you. I’ve known you for longer than I’ve known almost everyone else in my life, and I’m not sure that either I or the Empire would be able to cope if we lost you.”

“I do not wish to speak about this right now,” she shook her head. It wasn’t often that she was able to dismiss a line of conversation, but she had the most power out of anyone else in the room at the moment.

They didn’t have to come up with something else to talk about as the Grand Priest walked in with an affectionate smile on his face. “Sorry for my abrupt entrance, but I wanted to be able to get the cursory test done since this pregnancy was not the normal sort,” he chuckled. “Normally I would have been able to judge around the time that the child would have arrived, so I would have been able to keep my schedule light so I could be called here at any time.”

“Well I appreciate your willingness to come even though this is a bit unorthodox,” Navier said. She was trying her best to maintain her normal regalness, but it was clear that she was exhausted.

The Grand Priest moved over the baby, performing the ceremony to confirm the baby’s parentage. This would happen once more in front of a crowd of nobles when they held the Grand Court to introduce him to the public in a couple of months once both the mother and child were prepared for it. “Congratulations to both of you,” he chuckled. “This is indeed your child, Your Majesty. Not that I would expect anything less from Her Majesty.”

“Of course, this is all for the sake of tradition,” Sovieshu nodded, burying his worries about the child not being his as far down as he could. They bade the Grand Priest goodbye as the elderly man left as quickly as he could.

Navier chuckled a little as well. She understood that he was a busy man, and if she had the choice she wouldn’t want to be in the room either. She turned towards her husband. “What should we name him?”

“I think that Ivean fits him rather well,” Sovieshu had volunteered.

“The name of our favorite childhood hero?” she laughed. It was a book that they must have read a thousand times over, before they had gotten such a heavy workload that they no longer had time for pleasure reading.

“Yes,” he admitted sheepishly with a nod.

She laughed again. “I think that it suits him as well. Ivean Vict.”

Things behind them were beginning to get wrapped up just as the doors swung open. Navier glanced up, assuming that either her brother had gotten sick of waiting and wanted to check on her or her mother had come to visit her.

“Lady Rashta, please, I must insist that you leave!” the youngest out of all the assistants cried as she tried to grasp hold of the woman and remove her from the room. “Her Majesty’s family hasn’t even been permitted to visit her yet!”

“Let go of me!” she whined, slapping her hands away. “You can’t treat me like that, I’m pregnant with the Emperor’s child!”

“It doesn’t matter if you were His Majesty, if we ask you to leave this recently after a mother has given birth then you would have to leave regardless. The only person that would be allowed in Her Majesty’s chambers normally is His Majesty, and you are not him,” Countess Eliza said as she marched over and stood in front of Rashta.

The silver-haired woman let out an upset noise, stamping her foot in anger. “You have to let me pass!”

“Absolutely not,” Laura objected as well. “Her Majesty is not taking visitors.”

Navier turned her head so that she could see the ordeal that was happening on that side of the room. “Laura, Eliza, allow her in,” she called. She didn’t want to have to watch Sovieshu get upset and angry at her ladies-in-waiting for ‘mistreating’ or making his mistress cry. “If she begins to cause a disturbance then the guards can escort her back to her room.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Eliza said, grasping Laura’s hands so that they could help the midwife and her assistants move the rest of the birthing equipment from the room. It was a matter of seconds before everything was cleared out and the three members of the Imperial family were left alone.

“Rashta, what is this about?” Sovieshu asked as he stood up from where he had been sitting on the edge of the bed and looked at her.

“This wasn’t how this was all supposed to turn out! It’s not fair! I was the one that was supposed to give His Majesty his firstborn child. You came into my banquet and took all the attention away from me by giving me that hollow blessing and then made everyone pay attention to you by pretending to be in pain before you left! That banquet was supposed to be so that everyone would pay attention to me, but you always have to take everything away from me. I was the one that was supposed to give His Majesty his first born child, I’m the one that’s pregnant not you! Why do you hate me so much? Why are you trying to take everything away from me?”

“Excuse me?” Navier asked, raising a graceful brow as she shifted her son away from the livid woman.

“You heard me! Ever since I came to this palace all of you haughty nobles have been looking down at me like I’m the scum on your shoes just because I was born as a slave. I’ve been trying my whole life to be something better than everyone else wanted me to be and now that I’m finally His Majesty’s favorite you’ve- you’ve been trying to take that away from me,” she stamped her foot. “You already have everything else, you have to let me have the first born child to His Majesty! I’m the one that was supposed to give him a child. Everyone knows that you’re actually infertile, and you were supposed to have to adopt my child, His Majesty said so!”

“RASHTA!”

Sovieshu had had enough upon hearing that. It was one thing for her to be throwing a fit, it was another for her to slander his and his wife’s name in the same breath. He took a step towards her, his expression dark and dangerous. “How dare you barge in here and then insult the empress in this way?”

“What?” she whispered, covering the bottom of her face with one hand as she took a careful step back.

“You heard me,” he snarled. “You forced your way in here and the empress was gracious enough to allow you to speak with her after giving birth to the Crown Prince of the Eastern Empire, before she even allowed her own family to see him, and yet you speak such slander about her.”

“It-it’s not slander,” she shook her head, causing a couple long silver locks to fall in front of her face. “I was the one that got pregnant before she did, I was the one that was supposed to get credit for being the real mother of your first born child at least… everyone knows that Her Majesty is barren…”

Sovieshu glanced back at Navier, who was slowly rocking their son in her arms as he had woken up at the sound of angry voices. “Does that child look like he came from a barren mother?”

“She must have stolen him away or something,” Rashta tried. “She did this on purpose to hurt me. She insulted me when I was at the banquet to celebrate my pregnancy and then tried to make me look like a fool by claiming to have a child before me.”

“How could she have stolen the child away from someone else when I watched the child be born from her womb?” Sovieshu asked. He calmed his nerves, thinking, If I allow her to keep going then she should reveal her true intentions. If she stops now then maybe her feelings were just hurt by this and she’s scared that she’ll be made fun of by the other nobles. If she keeps going then she may be a threat to my wife and child. As well as the child she harbors.

“But-but, well then it must not be Your Majesty’s!” she objected. She balled her hands in fists down at her sides and stamped her foot in anger.

“The Grand Priest has already been in here, and he confirmed that the baby belongs to both Sovieshu and I. So unless you would like to imply that he somehow lied to us or that she found a way to fake a paternity test, I would stop while you’re ahead,” he said, frowning even deeper.

“It’s not fair,” she whined again, beginning to sniffle as tears collected in her eyes and began to streak down her cheeks.

Sovieshu placed a hand on her shoulder and then one of her waist. He turned her around and began to escort her from the room. When they got to the outside, he turned to the guards, “Please bring Lady Rashta back to her room. Do not allow anyone to leave or enter other than yourselves.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the one of the right nodded. Rashta tried to make another fuss, but a menacing growl from Kosair who was leaning against the wall and looking at the doors that led to his sister’s chambers silenced her.

The Emperor carefully closed the doors to his wife’s bedroom behind him and looked to his brother-in-law. “Navier is doing well, you’re an uncle to a boy named Ivean.”

“Navier is doing well?” Kosair asked after a moment of taking in the information that he was really an uncle.

“Yes. She is tired but the midwife said that everything went well, and she’s expected to make a full recovery within a couple of days,” he nodded. “I don’t think you’ll need to hold yourself to the promise that you made either. I’ve realized my mistake, and I will no longer be treating Navier in the way that I was in the past. I plan on treating her as my wife and empress.”

“Well then you should go be a supportive husband and father. I want to know as soon as I can when she’s allowed to have visitors. I have a nephew to meet and a sister to check on,” the blond said with a shadow of a smile before he left to go to his own rooms.

Sovieshu did as he was told, returning back to the two people he currently wanted to be with more than anything. He never wanted his son out of his sight, even if he knew that wasn’t an attainable aspiration. He would have to deal with his feelings for Rashta and the whole situation with her accusations at a later time. For now, he was going to watch over his wife and son as they got some much needed sleep.

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mountainviewcenters · 3 months

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Managing agitated actions in an elderly loved one can be challenging butnot impossible. At a memory care facility in Claremont, California, they’ve seen success with a combo of tender loving care, tailored approaches, and some professional know-how. Techniques like redirecting focus, gentle distractions, and reassurances can be gold. Finding out what triggers these behaviors? That’s key.

#Elderly Agitation #Elderly Care #Individualized Care

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nacy2673091883 · 3 years

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Black Widow Spiders Facts

COMMON NAME: Black Widow Spiders

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Latrodectus

TYPE: Invertebrates

DIET: CarnivoreAVERAGE

LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 1 to 3 years

SIZE: 1.5 inches long; diameter of 0.25 inches

WEIGHT: 0.035 ounces

Black widows are notorious spiders identified by the colored, hourglass-shaped mark on their abdomens. Several species answer to the name, and they are found in temperate regions around the world.

Venom

This spider's bite is much feared because its venom is reported to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake's. In humans, bites produce muscle aches, nausea, and a paralysis of the diaphragm that can make breathing difficult; however, contrary to popular belief, most people who are bitten suffer no serious damage—let alone death. But bites can be fatal—usually to small children, the elderly, or the infirm. Fortunately, fatalities are fairly rare; the spiders are nonaggressive and bite only in self-defense, such as when someone accidentally sits on them.

Mating Ritual

The animals most at risk from the black widow's bite are insects—and male black widow spiders. Females sometimes kill and eat their counterparts after mating in a macabre behavior that gave the insect its name. Black widows are solitary year-round except during this violent mating ritual.

Webs and Feeding

These spiders spin large webs in which females suspend a cocoon with hundreds of eggs. Spiderlings disperse soon after they leave their eggs, but the web remains. Black widow spiders also use their webs to ensnare their prey, which consists of flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. Black widows are comb-footed spiders, which means they have bristles on their hind legs that they use to cover their prey with silk once it has been trapped.

To feed, black widows puncture their insect prey with their fangs and administer digestive enzymes to the corpses. By using these enzymes, and their gnashing fangs, the spiders liquefy their prey's bodies and suck up the resulting fluid.

Source Credit: nationalgeographic.com

#2673091883 #spiders #insects #nature #forest #wild #animals #eggs #webs #black widow spiders #national geographic

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im-hqlover · 4 years

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Dinosaur Trainer - Chapter 1 - A great opportunity?

A/n - Oh, hey guys! I finally managed to write something, uhul! And now a new fanfic! I decided to write this because I already searched the entire internet for Owen Grady x Reader, and I think I’ve read practically all fanfics xD So, I decided to write my own! I hope it looks good and you like it! See you at the end of the chapter =D

(none of the images used on the aesthetic belong to me, credit to their creators)

Synopsis: Y/n has a quiet life in Montreal, works as a waitress and works as a volunteer in an animal shelter. In what appeared to be just a normal day, one of your friends comes with great news about an unmissable job opportunity... be a dinosaur trainer. What could go wrong?

Warnings: Killer dog mentions, take sleeping pills, thoughts of possible death by dinosaur, possible english errors.

Pairing: Owen Grady x Reader

Y/n = Your name

Words count: 4232

Next chapters: Coming soon

Taglist: ( @sarcasmismyfirstlove I don't know if you want to be just part of the taglist for AM / RAU, or for DC fanfics, or for all my fanfics, so let me know)

If you want to be part of my taglist, please let me know!

Y/N's INFO:

Gender: Cis-Female

Sexuality: Straight

Height: Short

Weight: Not Defined

Skin Color: Not Defined

Hair Color: Not Defined

Eyes Color: Not Defined

Other details? Y/n is myopic

(I hope I have put all the information, let me know if i forgot something)

=-=-=-=-=

5:30 am - Thursday, July 19, 2012 - Montreal, Quebec, Canada. - 18˚C

The sun's rays started to appear slowly, starting to illuminate the city and consequently my room, but it wasn’t necessary the sun or my alarm clock to wake me up, because in a way my body had already gotten used to waking up at that time. I don't even know why I keep putting my phone on to wake up since I always wake up before, but that's not important.

I got up quickly from my bed when I saw the time on the cell phone, I then went to my wardrobe and grabbed my waitress uniform, my underwear and a bath towel, of course.

I took a hot shower, but tried not to take too long; as soon as I dried my body, I put the towel on the laundry basket, I put on my underwear and my skirt, but before I put on my shirt I took the dryer and dried my hair until it was not soaked, otherwise my uniform would be completely wet, comb my hair quickly and tie it in a bun, I put my shirt on, I brushed my teeth and then took one last look in the mirror, observing my appearance, I think I was fine.

Leaving the bathroom, I go to my wardrobe again, but now to get a jacket, since at that time outside it was still kind of cold, and in addition I took a spare suit and put it in my brown cross bag. I went to the nightstand and took out my cell phone, putting it in my bag too, so when I left my room, I saw that Kodi was lying on my couch.

- Kodi! Get off the couch, now! - I command when I approach the couch, and he gets up quickly leaving the place.

I went to the pantry and picked up the packet of food, and then filled the Kodi bowl that didn't take long to start eating. I filled his other bowl with water too and then I wash my hands after I pet him, I grab the keys that were on the key holder on the wall near the door.

- Bye Kodi, I'll be back at night. - After saying goodbye to my dog, I go out into the building's corridor and close the door to my apartment.

I walked down the corridor until I reached the elevator, and as always it was empty, not that it was a problem, since I preferred it when it was empty. I pressed the button to get to the ground floor, grab my cell phone and see that it was already 6:03, I had 27 minutes to get to work. It didn't take long for the elevator to reach the hall, I got out and walked the big carpet that led to the entrance/exit door of the building, and when I get there the doorman opens the door for me.

- Bonjour. - I greet him before going through the door.

- Bonjour mademoiselle. - He reciprocates with a smile, when I go out I take the earphones from my bag and connect them on my cell phone, putting the song It's time - Imagine Dragons, and so I leave towards the subway, the path was smooth, there weren't as many people on the streets as there were last week, but there was already considerable car movement.

I look around me, seeing the sunlight reflecting the various buildings, houses, trees, and everything that was there, leaving everything as if it looked like a beautiful painting. I give a little delighted sigh, no matter how much I walk there every day, the way the sun reflected differently each day left that path in such an incredible way, that made me always want to make a painting of it, well, who knows, maybe someday.

In less than 10 minutes I arrive at the subway station, going down the stairs and then going through the turnstile, I didn't have to wait long for the subway to arrive, because in almost two minutes it was already there.

I get into the blue car and realize that there were already some people over there, however there were still several empty seats, but I decided to stand up since I knew that in 5 minutes I would reach my point, so it was not worth having to sit.

Tonight Tonight - Hot Chelle Rae was playing when the subway stopped, and I got out of the car as several people got in, some bumping into me, but nothing more than normal.

I walked up the stairs until I reached the surface again, looking at my cell phone, 6:23, I had 7 minutes to get to work, so I started to walk faster, lucky for me that the path to the cafeteria I worked in was about 5 minutes from the subway, so I managed to get there in time. The cafeteria had its door open when I arrived, but the front sign still said it was closed, so staff could get ready before customers arrived.

- Good morning y/n! - One of my colleagues, Lilly, who was at the counter greeted me as soon as I passed her.

- Good Morning. - I replied as I passed the employees' entrance so I could get to my closet and leave my belongings there, and also pick up my apron.

The apron as well as the rest of my uniform had a brownish tone that reminded me of coffee, I put it on and looked at myself in the mirror, fixing it so it wouldn't be bent, and as soon as I finished I did a quick tidy up of my hair that was messed up by the wind.

Leaving the staff area, I go to the counter, and notice that the sign on the door was turned, announcing that the cafeteria was open, so it was likely that some customers would come soon.

The cafeteria I worked for wasn't a franchise, and it wasn't the most famous in town either, but here in the neighborhood a lot of people liked to come here, have coffee, eat some sweet food, read some book, talk to coworkers, relax, and anything else that normal people do in a coffee shop.

But I must say that lately the cafeteria hasn’t been very busy, and maybe the reason is that it was summer, and not everyone liked to drink coffee in the heat, so the period that would be considered the busiest would be in the morning, which is when people normally have breakfast.

I took a pencil and put it in my ear, curling it in a few strands of hair so it wouldn't fall out, I took my notepad to take orders, and I was leaning on the counter, talking to some colleagues while there was no customer to attend, and I took advantage and made myself a coffee because I hadn't had anything since I woke up.

The day passed quietly, nothing much, just another ordinary day serving customers, talking to those who were the most frequent, taking a break for lunch, and then going back to work until 03:30 pm, and when I finished my work, I took all my things and went to the subway, but not to go home, because my work was still far from finished.

I work as a volunteer in an animal shelter, I give them food, water, baths, brush hair, play with them, and also what I do most is training the dogs.

When I started at the shelter about three years ago I only took care of the basics, but one day when I was just playing with an elderly dog, one of my colleagues saw what I was doing and asked me how I managed to teach a trick to an old dog, and I just shrugged, because I didn't know exactly what to say, it was like training a trick for any dog for me, I just had to be more patient, but I didn't think that was an impossible task, but for many, teaching tricks to elderly dogs was a lost cause.

Since that day, my colleagues have talked to me with some professional trainers who have given me more in-depth instructions to help me train other dogs too, in addition to teaching me necessary things like animal behavior and other things, of course I had learned several things, but in a way I was more of an amateur who liked to understand dogs and train them, but after three years of doing that, I kind of became a dog trainer, something I never really thought I would ever become.

When I arrived at the shelter I realized that it was almost 4:00 pm. I opened the glass door, and the receptionist said good afternoon, and I responded by saying the same. I walked to the bathroom so I could change my clothes, putting on denim shorts that went up to about half of my thigh, and a dark red shirt with a sunflower print, I also applied a deodorant, and then I put everything in my bag and left the bathroom, going in the direction of the cabinets that served to store the employees' belongings, and so I put my bag there.

Leaving there, I went to the big patio, where there were some people visiting to maybe adopt a dog, there were some colleagues of mine who were talking to customers, others bathing some dogs, some chasing dogs that were fleeing the bath, and so on. As soon as I got there, some dogs came to greet me, and I bent down to pet them. When I went to the pantry to get some snacks, Emy, one of my colleagues, and also one of my friends, came up to me and started talking with her usual animation.

- Hey y/n! How are you?

- Hi Emy, I'm fine, how are you? - I start looking for the snacks, while Emy kept talking.

- I'm great! Mainly because I have great news for you! - I quickly turn to face her, before continuing to look for the dog cookies.

- What kind of news?

- You remember Dusty, don't you? The Rottweiler you saved.

- Yes of course. The good news is that he was adopted? - I find the big canine cookie jar and turn around, facing Emy, and then looking at the dogs around me, just waiting for me to give them some cookies.

- Oh, no. Unfortunately nobody was interested in adopting him, you know, his reputation as a killer dog is still around, so people don't have much courage to even get close to him.

- But… so what's the good news? - I open the cookie jar, taking out one and looking at the dogs in front of me, motioning for them to sit.

- Well, I told a friend of mine the story of how you managed to tame the dog that nobody thought would be able to become tame. - I nodded for her to continue talking. - And he was impressed with that and wants to meet you in person, to know about your skills, and who knows to offer a special job for you.

- Special job? What kind of special job? - I threw some cookies at those who sat down.

- Do you know Simon Masrani?

I stood for a while thinking about the name, I must have heard of that name, actually in the surname, but I couldn't remember who that could be. And while thinking about it, one of the dogs jumped in my hand to get the cookie, but I managed to dodge it before he could get it.

- Hmm, I think I've heard of it, but I don't know who it is.

- Well, Simon owns Jurassic World, you know, the dinosaur zoo. - I nodded my head. Of course I had heard about the famous dinosaur park, who doesn't know? It's like talking if you've heard of Disney parks, you may never have been there, but you know it exists.

- Yes, the dinosaur park.

- Well, he told me that he is looking for new dinosaur trainers, and that's when I commented about you, and he believes that you can serve for the job. - I stood there, looking at Emy.

- Are you serious?

- Of course, it's the purest truth, I swear.

- You know, it's not just because I managed to tame Dusty that it means that I can train a dinosaur.

- I know that training a dinosaur has nothing to do with a dog, but Simon Masrani himself says that you can be the person he is looking for! And y/n, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity!

- No, no, no, no way. Dinosaurs were a mistake and it is impossible to train them. A dog is already difficult to train, now, a dinosaur?! A being that can make you into pieces in seconds? No, no way, I can't do that. - I motioned for the dogs to spin, and just like before, for those who succeeded I gave them a snack.

- Okay, okay. I know that, but you can at least try, can't you? I mean, what do you have to lose?

- Huh, my life, maybe?

-… Okay, maybe you're right, but who said you would train a carnivore? It may be an herbivore.

- If he became interested in me because I tame a killer dog, I am almost 100% sure that it is for something dangerous, that is, a carnivore.

- Okay, but there's a problem…

- What problem?

- I already told him that this weekend you would travel there to see if you would accept the job.

I turn to face her, and I can feel the anger rising in me, but I try to stay calm.

- You... did what?

- Y/n, I thought you would accept that, you always say that you love training dogs, especially the most difficult ones, so I thought you would like this challenge.

- But how can you say that I would go there without even warning me first??

- I'm warning you now.

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to stay calm.

- Dinosaurs aren't dogs.

- Y / n, I'm sorry I didn't warn you, but do you think about the opportunity you would have? How many people would like to have this job?

- And why are you trying to convince me to accept this? What do you get with it?

-...

- Emy, what do you get out of it? What is the purpose of this? The life is mine, and I am perfectly fine with my life here and my job.

- I know this is going to sound stupid... but... I wanted to have this job, but I can't, because not only do I know nothing about dinosaurs, as I suck at how to train an animal, so I wanted to refer someone I knew so that if it worked… Simon would be happy with me, and I don't know, maybe I would get closer to him.

I soften my expression, I already knew that Emy was interested in a guy who was very close to her, but that she thought she would never be able to be with him, and I remember her very well saying that she was getting too old to have a boyfriend, and that as a single mother her chances fall even more, and among many other dramas of her, and then I told her that I would help to stay with him, and now she's talking about the Simon Masrani, I'm pretty sure it's him she's interested in.

I didn't know exactly what to say, so I was thinking for a few seconds, I remembered when I met Nathan, and that if it weren't for Emy I would never have stayed with him, even though he have moved and we broke up, in a way, I owed Emy.

I take a deep breath, I look at the dogs that are still there, waiting for the next order, and then I look at my friend and say.

- Okay, I can maybe give it a try.

- Oh really? - The smile comes back to stamp her face.

- But I can't promise anything.

- Ah this is amazing!! - Before I could react, Emy hugs me tightly, not letting me breathe.

- I… am… out of breath. - I say and she walks away from me, and take a deep breath looking for oxygen.

- I'm just going to do this, because I owe you one.

- Do you owe me? Owing what?

- You helped me stay with Nathan, I think it's fair to try to help you stay with Simon. - I shrug, and then I realize that when Emy hugged me, several cookies had fallen and some dogs went there to eat.

- Thanks y/n. I'm sure you will do well there.

- I hope so. - And so we finished our conversation, she going to who knows where, and I continued with the training of the dogs and taking care of them until the sun started to disappear on the horizon, meaning that it should be more than 08:00 pm.

As it started to get dark I go to the closet and grab my backpack where all my belongings were, I put the bag on my left shoulder and then say goodbye to my colleagues, leaving right afterwards in the direction of the subway.

The whole way back home I listened to music, which helped me a little bit to reduce stress, I couldn't stop thinking about Jurassic World, and how crazy it all was and that would probably it would be my death, as I was sure that being around dinosaurs wouldn't be a good idea.

And speaking of dinosaurs, I also couldn't stop thinking about a work school of Hailee, my ex-boyfriend's daughter, that I helped her do, which was about dinosaurs, where she had to make a model of her favorite dinosaur, but she couldn't decide between 6 dinosaurs which one was her favorite, so we did what we called the "Mini Jurassic World", with all of her favorite dinos.

I smile a little when I remember that, I will not deny that I missed Nathan and Hailee, but there was nothing I could do, Nathan had to move because he had got an unmissable job opportunity, and at the time I was very busy with Dusty, and I couldn't leave him when the training was finally starting to work, we knew that a long distance relationship wouldn't work, so we had to break up.

When I realized I was already at the door of the building, looking at my cell phone I see that the path took almost 50 minutes, nothing more than normal. I open the glass door and clean my shoes before walking to the elevator, entering I press number 8 and the doors close, even if it didn't take long for the elevator to go up, and even though I use it every day, I can't help feeling cold in my stomach every time.

The metal doors of the elevator opened, giving me relief that I had no problem. As I walked down the corridor I rummaged in my backpack for my keys, and as soon as I found them I put the silver key in the door lock, that in a few seconds was opened and when I went in I ended up being knocked over by Kodi, who jumped on me and licked my face.

- Kodi! No! No licking! - I chuckle while taking him away from me and then wiping my face and getting up.

- Come Kodi, inside. - I order and he obeys me entering the apartment and I lock the door again.

Before anything else I put water and food for Kodi since he was done with everything, and even before I finished adding the ration he was already devouring it. After I saved the dog food pack,

I went to my room to get comfortable clothes and a bath towel, I took my cell phone too and put it on Youtube so I could listen to some music while taking a shower. I was so engrossed in the music and lost in my thoughts that I spent almost half an hour in the shower, at least I was a little more relaxed. After I got dressed I went to the kitchen and started preparing some pasta and sauce for my dinner.

While waiting for the pasta to be ready I turned on my TV, passing through the channels I stopped at random one, since there was nothing going on that interested me. I lay for a while on the couch, with Kodi lying on the floor beside me, until my cell phone rings meaning it was time to finish dinner.

I walked to the kitchen, added tomato sauce to the pasta, and waited a few minutes until it was ready, putting a quantity of the food on my plate, I also go to the fridge and get a piece of fried chicken that was left over from yesterday and put it in the microwave to heat it up.

As soon as it was ready, I put it on my plate with the pasta, I go back to the fridge taking a bottle of coke and a glass from the cupboard, putting both on the table, but I had to go back to get a fork and a knife because I had forgotten.

Dinner was quiet, with only the low sound of the television and the occasional sound of Kodi's paws in the background.

- Hey Kodi. - I called him and he raised his head to look at me. - I have a new job opportunity… to train dinosaurs, but... I don't know, I don't know if I should do this or not, because, first of all, they are dinosaurs! You know, I always thought it was a bad idea for us humans to bring them back to life, I mean, it's an extraordinary thing for science, and I can't say that dinosaurs aren't fascinating but… they are dangerous! if this Simon was impressed with me why I managed to train Dusty, something tells me it’s not to train a tame herbivore, but a dangerous carnivore. Second, I have no idea how to deal with dinosaurs! I don't even know anything about them, I have no training in dealing with animals! I just… I think I was lucky to have managed to train Dusty, and I don't think I can deal with a prehistoric being just because I have tamed a killer dog.

Kodi looked at me, paying attention to what I was saying, I sigh.

- I wish you could talk so you could help me. - I support my head in one of my hands, watching my half-eaten plate of food, starting to cool. - I don't know what I do.

Kodi places his cold snout on my right foot, he always, whenever I felt nervous, anxious, worried, or any other feeling of distress, he always put his snout on my foot.

I didn't even notice when a tear ran down my cheek, I was scared, that's what I was, scared and insecure. Fear that training with a dinosaur would end up killing me, and insecure that if I get this job, I won't be able to domesticate this dinosaur, and thus end up disappointing everyone. This job really was a great opportunity, but would it be worth it? Could I do that?

I decide it would be better to finish eating my food before it gets cold, and as soon as I'm done, I wash the plate, cutlery and glass, leaving them on the drying rack. I take a plastic pot from a drawer and then put the leftover pasta in the pan, placing it in the refrigerator so that it can heat up the next day.

I go to the bathroom, brush my teeth and do my necessities, after washing my hands I go to the kitchen where I left my cell phone and I pick up it, going to my room and putting it on the nightstand, plugging it into the charger. I hear footsteps and see that Kodi came to my room and lay down on his bed that was next to my bed.

- Good night, Kodi. - He growls slightly in response, and then I lie down laying the blankets over me, but to my unhappiness I was unable to sleep, even though I had used up all my energy. I sigh in lament, and I see on my cell phone and it was almost 00:00, that is, if I slept now I would have a maximum of 5:30 sleep, but I knew I wouldn't sleep now, so I rolled over in bed because it was better than looking at the ceiling.

When sleep hasn't come and I see on my cell phone that half an hour has passed, I get up from bed, which caused Kodi to get up too and follow me. I walk around my small apartment arriving at the kitchen where I kept my medicines and I made myself take sleeping pills. I just hoped I could wake up with the alarm clock and not be late for work.

- Come on Kodi, let's sleep. - I say while gesturing for us to go back to the room, and he followed me quietly.

=-=-=-=-=

A/n - Hello again! I don’t know if it got really good, because I kind of didn’t completely get out of my block, but I hope it looks good.

I know Jurassic World itself hasn't appeared yet, and neither does Owen, but I ask you to be patient, because I like to (try) write things more "in detail" and not so fast so that things make more sense and to try to bring a greater immersion into the story (I don't know if I'm doing it, but I'm trying my best), but I already plan to do the second chapter in Jurassic World, so just have a little patience.

Also, also, this week I will be without class for the whole week!!! UHULLL!!! This means that I will have some time to write some things...

I hope you enjoyed, and please let me know if this has any english error.

By the way, tell me which dinosaur do you think y/n will be a trainer, and believe me, I can surprise you with the answer ;)

Until the next chapter!

- Ina -

Masterlist

#Dinosaur Trainer #Jurassic World #Jurassic World x reader #Jurassic World Fanfic #Owen Grady #Owen Grady x reader #Owen Grady x y/n #x reader #reader insert #Chris Pratt #Chris Pratt Characters #Simon Masrani #Jurassic World Fic #Owen x reader #Chris Pratt x reader #Chris Pratt x y/n

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your-daily-dose-of-fandoms · 4 years

Note

fem reader and her bf hotaru go to visit tecchin and she finds out about his name and she thinks it so adorable and start messing with him and telling him how adorable his name is

I just saw a post comparing similarities of Tsukasa and Hotaru and now I can't shake that off from my mind and I'm dying help. Also I hope you enjoy this, sorry that it took a little time, I've been pretty busy! Feel free to request again!💙🌌

Hotaru Haganezuka x Reader as I have finally accepted my fate as the one to write about him to help with your endless thrist for him

You burst out a giggle, trying to stifle it in, but no avail, as you looked at between your boyfriend and Tecchin. You wheezed again, unable to control your laughter, as it was aired in the tense atmosphere. Hotaru, who unlike usual did not have his mask on, had a visible frown on his face, as he shot a somewhat angry glare at the elder, Tecchin, who was acting as if he hadn't said a thing.

You managed to calm down, wiping few tears from the corners of your eyes, occasional giggles still escaping your mouth.

"Hotaru?? Really??" You managed to speak out, as you once again fell in the pits of laughter. Hotaru sighed, rubbing at his temples desperately, looking like he would punch something or someone if anyone said a word about his given name ever again. You did not care about that however, you were not scared of him, as he would never hurt you in any way.

"Why didn't you tell me?? I mean I get why you didn't tell me but..", You continued, putting a hand on his shoulder as you looked at him with dead serious eyes.

"Hotaru.. It's such a cute name", You finished, giving him a huge smirk, whilst stifling a laughter as he grunted under his breath and took your hand off from his shoulder. Tecchin, who was drinking tea in the background, was watching the scene play out in front of him with an amused chuckle. You pouted at Hotaru's stubborness and hugged him.

"You aren't angry, are you?" You asked, looking at the man with puppy eyes as he sighed and ran a hand through his black locks as if trying to comb it, as it had become a habit. He rolled his eyes and shook his head, letting out a 'no', which you laughed at.

"Great! Because I'm going to call you Hotaru from now on!" You announced with a laughter, your eyes shining as you looked at your boyfriend's expression. He was sulking, letting out a groan at your stubborness as if he had any rights to complain, as he tried to avoid his eyes from yours, no matter how tempted he was to look at them.

"I swear to God if you call me Hotaru one more time I'm going to-", He started but you were fast up on your feet, as you looked at him with a playful look, sticking your tongue out at him.

"You're going to do what? Kill me? Eat my lunch? I don't think so Hotaru!", You told and as you said that, he was quick up on his feet with a groan, almost as fast as you were, as you yelped and ran behind Tecchin, using the elder as your shield.

"Tecchin! Don't let him kill me just yet!" You asked for help. You knew it was inappropriate to act around seniors like that, but right at the moment you valued your own life more than your honor and pride. Despite, you felt like Tecchin wouldn't mind being part of your little scene, as he had up to this point watched you to play along with Hotaru without a complaint, almost as if you two were still little kids. Actually, he was just glad that Hotaru had found someone to love, and even more honored that he had come to show you to him.

He knew you were a right choice of path for Hotaru, so you as well deserved to know his real name. Tecchin just chuckled, as you clung onto him, using him as a shield from the swordsmith, eager to see how it would play out.

"You wouldn't kill an elderly, would you, Hotaru?" You begged, still letting his name roll out of your tongue like a forbidden fruit, as you had already taken liking to it. You smiled michievously, as your smile instantly fell, when Hotaru picked you up from behind Tecchin as you hadn't taken the fact how much smaller Tecchin was, and how bad shield would he actually be, into consideration. You were lifted by strong arms, as you kicked, trying to pry free, as you continued laughing.

You actually didn't mind being carried by him, actually, in your opinion, it was damn hot. Who wouldn't want to be wrapped between strong muscular arms, by a damn hot man? You didn't sign up for it, but you weren't complaining.

Hotaru turned to look at Tecchin, as he apologized with a bow, excusing the two of you out. When he was ready, he turned around and walked out, with you still in his arms, as you melted under his touch.

"Where are you taking me Hotaru?" You asked, as his grip tightened around you when he heard his name called and it made you gasp. You laughed at his stubborn behavior, and playfully punched his muscular back, whilst he continued walking.

Suddenly, he let you down. You looked around, and noticed the two of you were in some kind of garden, probably behind the place where Tecchin lived at. You looked around the place with satisfied grin, your gaze running over the narrow pouring stream with small pebbles framing it, as you finally locked your eyes with the sharp ones of the man in front of you. You raised your eyebrow and then smirked.

"Hotaruu~", You moaned out, trying to stifle a laugh that was about to leave your mouth, and put your hands on his chest while biting your lower lip as a teasing manner.

"Why did you bring me here~?" You asked, placing a pointer against your lower lip, trying to pull out a cute girl act. Hotaru almost choked, as a faint tint of red took over his face.

"Just.. just don't call me by that name again..", He told, running a hand through his hair again. It had been his habit for a long time, and even he was unsure where he had picked it from. You pouted.

"Why? It's such a cute name!" You told, switching to more serious act now, as you hugged his torso, looking up at him with a little frown on your face.

"That's excactly why..", He stated, looking away from your eyes as if being embarrassed.

"Even if it's just me?" You asked, not going to give up. You wanted to call him by his given name, especially since he did call you by yours, so it was just fair for you to do so also. There was a determined glint in your eyes and Hotaru sighed when he saw it, knowing you would be stubborn as always.

"Fine.. You may call me that. But please not in public", He told, putting an emphasis in the end of the sentence, holding a meaning behind it. You let out a cheer of victory, jumping on your place, waving your hands in the air and chanting out his given name over and over again as if a spell. He chuckled at your silly antics.

And let's just say that you were super grateful for his trust in you, and whenever someone else other than you would mock his name, you would kick their ass. You still didn't stop teasing him tho.

#kimetsu no yaiba #kny headcanons #kny #kny scenarios #kimetsu no yaiba scenarios #tecchin #demon slayer x reader #demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba x reader #hotaru haganezuka #demon slayer haganezuka hotaru #demon slayer hotaru #haganezuka hotaru x reader #haganezuka hotaru #kimetsu no yaiba hotaru #kimetsu no yaiba hotaru haganezuka #kimetsu no yaiba haganezuka

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vikingsagine · 4 years

Text

Ghost (Ivar x Reader)

hecolHere it is, another part to the story. Part 4, yeah. Pretty sure it is. This was hard to write and ultimately not my favorite piece.

Summary: Ivar is in Russ and under the protection of King Oleg and there ghosts come back to life...

Warnings: Fighting, blood.

He had a lot of time to think. Too much time to fall in the bottomless pit of his mind. Ivar had never thought so long or hard, ever. Not like this. He felt regret and a tremendous pang of guilt. He realized how ambitious and driven he was to be the greatest, to be more than he already was, to be a God that looking back was a pain but also a heavy burden.

Staying with the wicked King Oleg opened his eyes. It was like looking at himself, watching the destruction of paranoia take away his humanity. Like a self destructive bomb, ticking away until the last second and killing everything and everyone he had. All the success waiting to be taken with a snap of his fingers.

Ivar let out a deep sigh and heaved his legs over the edge of his bed. Another sleepless night, another nightmare, another regret. Lately, the images of his dead wife and son had haunted his dreams. Along with your shadow. Lurking and tugging strings that he tried to bury for so long. He combed his hair, missing his braids and the feel of your fingers, your body pressed up against him and the relentless hum of your mouth. “You pestering woman.” Ivar growled.

“King Oleg requests your acquaintance.” A man dressed in black fur intruded his chain of thoughts. If Ivar still had his old ‘tendencies’, he would have found a way to humiliate the young guard. But unfortunately, he was not in the position to do so. Ivar complied.

“Ah, Ivar. You are awake. Come, come, join me.” King Oleg welcomed Ivar with a sickening smile. He felt unsettled by his open arms and oddly enthusiastic behaviour, nevertheless he nodded back towards his host and followed suit. There was a table set for a King, piled with food and drinks. He couldn’t deny the hunger in the pit of his stomach and dug in, immediately after Oleg’s short Christian prayer.

“Tell me, is there any news from your brother?” Ivar inquired, sipping from his chalice of ale. He couldn’t deny that the riches and luxury of Russ was far greater than Kattegat, that much he knew. However it lacked the feeling of home. It was empty. It was lonely. It was too dull.

“Yes, he has.” Oleg licked his lips, biting into the leg of a chicken with greedy bites. “But that does not concern you, for now I would like to discuss something else with you.” This perked his ears and he willingly listened to the information his host wanted to share. “It is true that I have heard many, many stories about your rule and your pagan reign. You still wish to return home, to our home, Kattegat yes?”

“Yes and seek vengeance over my brother’s.” The words were like prayers that he seemed to constantly repeat over and over and over again. Kattegat was after all his home, his stomping ground, the foundation of all the joyous memories of the past and the right passed onto him. But, it was stolen and stripped, leaving a once-upon-a-time shadow of greatness. Everything, taken.

“Good, good. I like to hear that. All the more reason for our success, is it not?” King Oleg chuckled to himself and Ivar smiled along with the King, nodding in agreement but also wandering. ‘Where was this heading?’ He thought. “Now, now. I have retrieved a gift for you. But that will arrive later in the night, my men are making the final adjustments before it is worthy for the great Ivar.”

“King Oleg, that is truly unnecessary. I am already thankful for your, uh, hospitality.”

“Don’t be foolish. It is a token of my gratitude. Besides, every warrior needs a weapon, do they not?” Without another word, Oleg clasped his hands together and stood with a jolt of remembrance. Then came to his side, leaning against his body. This unnerved Ivar because it was rather strange for Oleg to be so kind. Ivar knew well enough that the King enjoyed playing with him in cruel ways, it definitely reminded him of ‘God’ Ivar. The tyrant. Here in Russ he was surrounded by strangers and enemies, under the protection of the favor of his biggest foe. He needed something. He needed you. The only one who he still trusted without a doubt. His most loyal and most trusted. But now, you were probably dead because of him. And that, that tugged at those unpleasant emotions. “Now, tell me. Who is this figure, this shadow I have recently discovered through the mouths of my people? It has irked my curiosity.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Ivar gave the King a skeptical gaze. A figure? A shadow?

“You know, the shieldmaiden that stood by your side.” He felt his heartbeat drop and blood run cold at the mention of your being. Ivar was furious but also pained and King Oleg fed on it. Striving from the torture of others and they couldn’t do anything about it because he was in power. He was King. “Uh yes, I have heard tales about her and I wonder why she isn’t by your side anymore.” Ivar clenched the knife in his hands, knuckles turning pale as murderous intent and thoughts whispered inside his mind. The lust and desire to end the man's life. Oh, how his hand itched for his crimson tears that would cry from every part of his shallow and weak skin. Ivar thought of all the possibilities to end King Oleg’s life. Drown him in wine and food. Perhaps break every single bone in his body, one by one, day by day, inch by inch. But with all these lingering notions, Ivar bit back and turned to the man and gave him a hard stare.

“Her name was Y/N and by now, she would be dead. My brother had her killed.” Oleg gave out a disappointed sigh and returned to his prior seat.

“How unfortunate, she could have been an asset to our army.”

“Yes, it is very unfortunate.” Ivar pushed away the venom that stung his heart, this feeling he has oppressed for so many years. He grabbed the deadly thread and hid it among the other strings of his life, his ambition, his reason for vengeance. “Let us drink.” Both their cups clanked and took a heavy skull of the bittersweet of alcohol.

~~~

There he was, once again. Completely bored and forced to listen to the complaints of random and unimportant elderly who were like mud to his shoe. Ivar could tell he wasn’t the only bored one, because his Mother fought the oncoming yawn and gave a meek smile.

“Mother, why do I have to be here?” Ivar whispered to his dearest Mother, who took a short break to ease the stress of the duties of a Queen. Yet, the son beside her caused more headache. Ivar was just as worse as the people, complaining and yearning for something. Something she could give but chose not to.

“You know very well why. One day when you rule over-”

“Yes, you said that before and all the times before that. But don’t kid yourself, I will never be ruler of Kattegat. Not when I’m the youngest and that my brother’s are warriors who are hunting just now, where I ought to be.” His voice grew louder and louder by the second and so did his infectious rage.

“No, it’s not. You aren’t like your brother’s Ivar, you’re special.” Aslaug pressed her hand to her beloved son’s cheek in an attempt to soothe and satisfied his rich behavior of a brat. But he was fed up with the same excuse. Special because he was cripple, nothing more and nothing less. But they were wrong, he was a son of Ragnar Lothbrok.

“Father would have let me go.”

“I am not your Father, Ivar.” Aslaug shook her head, wanting to tell her youngest son that Ragnar had abandoned everyone. Him, his brother’s, her and the people of Kattegat. But bit back and continued to the next issue among the people of Kattegat. Ivar on the other hand, slumped against his seat and folded his arms, utterly bored and wanting some sort of entertainment. Anything.

“Get your filthy fingers off me before I tear them apart with my teeth and mouth. I swear by Odin, my face will be the last thing you’ll see!” The sudden scream of retaliation buzzed through the halls of their home, bouncing off the walls. Ivar glanced to his Mother and then leaned over his chair, curious and intrigued.

“Queen Aslaug, we found this rat stealing food from the markets and she injured some of our men. She claims she is a wanderer’s child.” A tall brute of a man pushed a ragged you onto your knees in front of him and Aslaug. Tied by shackles of chain and had evident blood all over your dirty clothes.

“It is fine.” Aslaug put her hand up to dismiss the guard who took hesitant steps back but still had a firm grip over the long roped metal, tied around your wrists and prevented any movement. “What is your name, child?” Aslaug peered down at your mysterious and feral appearance, it was clear to see life was not pleasant nor was it painted in riches. There was no reply, just a still and vacant sway of your body. Ivar being the prince he was decided to speak up.

“Answer my Mother when she speaks.”

“Ivar.” Aslaug gave him a warning glare and watched you, covered in dirt and grime and blood and smelling of shit. It was a disgusting sight. Truly and utterly disturbing. He had never witnessed or seen a girl to ever be so gross. You snapped your head up and stared with intensity towards him. “Who are you?” Ivar was taken aback by your appearance, your face. It was truly the sight of filth. There was a scar engraved into the side of your profile, stretching in a sickly smile from the corner of your lips and up, up, up to the end of your eye. Your hair wild and untamed like a beast. Blood dripping from the corners of your lips but Ivar realized it wasn’t yours, it was someone else's. Fresh blood too.

“Ivar the boneless.” You said and jumped to your feet, approaching the cripple with a strange shimmer in your eyes. It was a flavor he’s never tasted before. It was deep and meaningful, complete yet questionable. He found himself entranced by your ratchet self, not wanting to tear his eyes away. But it was soon cut up by a tug of metal and a falling of a body.

“That’s enough, undo the chains. She is only a young girl.” Aslaug ordered the man who was hesitant, staring at you with question. Ivar couldn’t take his eyes off of you, something felt different inside. Something felt right and it frustrated him to no end. Soon after, you were released from your shackles and you spat at the guard with a tormenting smile, Aslaug asked once more. “What’s your name?” You completely ignored the woman and instead your attention was focused on Ivar, not wavering nor uncertain. It was him, you thought.

“Blue eyes like fire and ice. Cold like a winter morning, smooth like waves but gentle like water. Burning and raging fire behind, there is the monster that lurks inside, burn, scorch and torch. Blood will be spilt.” With every word, your figure grew closer and closer to the cripple and it frightened Aslaug and those around, but not Ivar. He was hypnotised.

“It’s fine Mother. I don’t think she will hurt me.” Ivar spoke with confidence and watched as you ogled all of his movement. LIke a moth to a flame, you were addicted to the sight of him. His presence. His whole being.

“I would never hurt you. Never and I won’t let anyone hurt you. You are my fate, I am sure of it. Ivar the boneless, my destiny.” This left Ivar awestruck and surprised. He knew not to trust silly words of men, of people but your tone was convincing enough to have him believe. You spoke with confidence and unwavering faith. It was the first time Ivar had been introduced to loyalty, as ugly and disgusting it was. It seemed true and pure.

~~~

He was in trouble and he knew it. The war raged on from all corners of his view, Ivar knew he needed a little more time until Rollo’s troops could attack. More time is all he needed. But as arrows shot and flew through the air, his men dropped one by one like flies. Now with no one left to stand, he realized the mortal danger he was in. Enemies approaching from all sides, men desperately fighting for their lives. He was knocked to the ground, the crutch that stood him up flew away with a shot of an arrow. Ivar rolled to his side and threw a knife, killing an oncoming enemy and grabbed an axe, only to peer fearlessly at the herd of men approaching. Ivar felt no fear, no worry and no doubt. This was not his end and it was true.A viking with long braided hair dropped to the ground, an arrow pierced into his skull. The others desperately threw their bodies to Ivar, yearning for his blood but they were stopped by the same fate, an arrow and death.

Next thing he knew, your figure appeared from above him and leaped into action. Arrows flying, bodies dying and sword slashing. Finally, Ivar thought. He watched in a haze the not-so-graceful dance of your body as you maneuvered around the many enemies. Face filled with that sickly pleasure of the heat of battle, passion and love of a true Viking.

“You’ve gotten fat and slow.” Ivar hummed teasingly and pulled himself up with the help of his crutches. You wiped the smooth blade of blood, chuckling at his warm welcoming after five months of absence.

“And you still need me to save you like always.” Ivar couldn’t help but smile. Genuinely happy to see you. Not that he would admit it, it was finally good having a familiar company that wasn’t his brother and the men he had to deal with. True pawns and a lack of mind. “I see you took my heed and made an alliance with your Uncle.”

“Shut up.” Ivar noticed then the blue uniforms of the french christains, already charging and taking over the battle but still limped alongside your form. He took his time to study your profile. “You look like shit.” He saw the clear bags under your eyes, your skin pale and sickly. But somehow your body seemed, grown. More meat to areas he found quite intriguing.

“And you’re still an asshole.”

~~~

It was late and Ivar was growing tired of King Oleg’s talking, his annoyance growing and his patience running low. He kept blabbering about all the enemies he has taken down, how his return to Kattegat will be great and so forth. Ivar opened his mouth to speak his yearn for absence and sleep but a man, young and short, approached the King.

“Ah, that’s good. Bring it in.” Oleg jumped to his feet and clasped his hands, pure excitement bubbling inside those twisted eyes. The boy quickly dispersed and ran away, leaving Ivar and Oleg alone. The King stood from the table and ordered something to a slave girl. “Now Ivar, I promised I would return my gratitude for your acquaintance and insight over Kattegat. And with your help, I wanted to reward you. Bring it in!” Oleg clapped his hands excitedly whereas the son of Ragnar was perplexed but poked by the undying need of contented satisfaction.

The doors opened, more of the Russ men strolled into the room with their hands firm on their weapons. But instead of a material thing Ivar had expected, not a sharp edge blade or possibly a new pair of legs, it was something living and breathing. His eyes widened in recognition of who and what it was. His gift, his weapon was you. Like a ghost coming back and the dead coming to life. There you were in flesh and blood.

His eyes couldn’t help but drift down the frame of your body. Dressed in the finest silks, so different to the armor you wore constantly. The leather of brown and tight protection that clung to your torso and breasts were replaced by the plush push of blood red with the delicate trace of golden designs. Light and running like vines along her breasts and following down the curve of her shoulders, dipping down the long sleeves of molten maroon. It was a long and delicate dress but also gave you a seductively powerful aroma. It was a teasing dress, working his imagination as he could see the bounce of your breasts, just but not enough to fulfill that curiosity. You were walking slow and steady and enchanted his very being.

When his gaze finally fell upon your face, he noticed how your skin was clean and almost glowing under the candled light. Jewelry made of rich gold hanging from your ears just tickling the nape of your neck. Your hair was tied into a loose braid but had silver jewels shaped into weaponry like flowers and strands framing the small of your face.

You were beautiful, Ivar thought. You were a queen, a goddess, an enchantment.

“King Oleg.” You bowed politely, eyes still staring at the floor. Feeling Ivar’s eyes were intimidatingly scary and it made you uncomfortable. Ivar on the other hand couldn’t quite believe his eyes. You were meant to be dead, killed, not here. Even if you were alive, there was no reason for you to be in Russ. He knew he had betrayed you and left you. There were many reasons why your existence was not supposed to be alive. He had done many things to you, stripped you of your humanity, stolen the virtue between your legs and fed it to animals, he manipulated your dignity for his own gain. And he broke your heart.

“Why didn’t you tell me your shield-maiden is beautiful?” Oleg teased lightly, waiting for a reaction in the Ragnarsson or in you. Neither moved or spoke. “So, do you like my gift? It is quite a miracle isn’t it. You thought she was dead but here she is. Take it as a surprise.” Ivar didn’t know what to do. Seeing you again caused a chain reaction of emotion to bubble inside, bringing back wretched curses of his heart.

After all, he is in love with you.

@soleil-dor @youbloodymadgenius @cececolbert @heavenly1927 @ivarthebloodyking

#vikings #ivar lothbrok #ivar x you #x reader #ivar x reader #ivar the boneless

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