#I mean horses don't count because they are free creatures and because they are used as cars

[warthoong]

there are only what, two characters in Legendarium that have an actual PET pets. and that is Celegorm and Queen Berúthiel

#silmarillion #celegorm #I mean horses don't count because they are free creatures and because they are used as cars #also the closest to Celegorm are Orome and maybe Nessa #plus Sauron and Morgoth with their wolves and dragons #also there's tevildo... but he's a cat himself?... #beruthiel

[forthesanityofstorytellers]

15 Tags 15 Mutuals

Tagged by @bloodlessheirbyjacques

Ty! ❤️

I'll go ahead and do Becks. She's easily the one that's on my mind the most rn.

-----------

1. Are you named after anyone?

Pretty sure I was named after a plant. But my current name, no. It was chosen for me and then I chopped it up so it could be used either by me or my partner.

2. When was the last time you cried?

It depends. I cried when my girlfriend showed back up. Well. I teared up. Happy tears. She wasn't...there wasn't anything wrong. She's just been gone for a few weeks and I've...there's been a lot going on and I missed her.

If you mean cry cry...I had a vampiric-induced nightmare. Woke up and called my boyfriend and cried when he answered the phone because it was proof he hadn't packed up his things and left me.

3. Do you have kids?

Two. One that I birthed. That was...interesting. Neither one of them can seem to control their magic very well. It's easier with the older one, Lily, as she understands the context of her magic. My younger one is...uhm...Well let's put it this way. Lily just pulled free of a lock on her magic and has spent the last hundred or so years with barely any access and therefore barely any control. But she's learning. Misolis was born about...what, five or six months ago? Already looks somewhere between three and four. She just created four mud frogs and a mud snake and brought them to life, all using her magic, and is in the process of teaching the other little ones despite having barely any control of her own. She sort of listens to me and her da, is already finding and working loopholes to win arguments, and somehow believes that I lie and her da is incapable of the same...which would make you laugh if you knew us. She's got her own version of the world and can't be argued out of it once she's got an idea. She's...*sigh*...She's quite a little tornado of events.

But again...if you knew what family she came from, none of this would exactly be a surprise. Well. It would be but it wouldn't be.

4. Do you use sarcasm?

Me? No. I never do. Why on earth would I use sarcasm. It's not like it's hilarious in the right context and sometimes the only way to answer stupid questions. But no. Not me. I'm not sarcastic at all.

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?

Their magic. Or life signature. Body language tells me a lot. I guess the real answer about the first thing I notice about people is how many secrets they think they can keep from me.

6. What's your eye colour?

...Brown? Maybe black. I don't know. Is it important?

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

Seeing as how my life could be classified as a scary movie sometimes, I prefer happy endings.

8. Any special interests?

Mm. Define special. I used to be a PI and buried myself in the work so hard I barely had time for anything else. My interests back then were things like body language, minor facial expressions, and anything else that furthered my line of work. I did like to hunt.

But now that I'm...here...I've picked up the guitar again and have been thinking about going electric. Otherwise I'm...still trying to figure it out.

9. Where were you born?

In a forest. Where were you born?

10. What are your hobbies?

I suppose thinking of the consequences of my daughter's unleashed magic doesn't count.

I've been working a lot of magical theory lately and carving wood pieces. Thought about pursuing dancing or playing guitar again, like I said. But like I also said, I'm still...working on it.

11. Do you have any pets?

Does a magically-created mud-moss-vine equine-ish creature count?

If not, then no. Although I did have an actual horse back in the 1800s. He was a sweetheart.

...what's with the lo- Oh. The collar. That's uh...that's not for a pet. Next question.

12. What sports do you play / have played?

I used to run. A lot.

...

But I don't think that's what you meant.

13. How tall are you?

Tall as I want to be.

14. Favourite subject in school?

I...Uh...I didn't exactly have...'school'. Grew up in a forest around the mid...or maybe late...1500s and spend most of my time with my mother. Who was a sprite. Sprite children are born knowing what they need to know, so sprites don't exactly understand this idea of 'school'. My father taught me what I'd need to know if I was to pass as human, but most of the things I remember were magically-oriented.

...I suppose I enjoyed reading and writing. Not that it helped much after I left. He taught me what he knew, which didn't include English, Spanish, or any of the other places I wound up in. Although I did have music lessons once I got to Spain and those were good days.

15. Dream Job

I don't actually know. I've had a lot of things I've done over the years. Mostly to survive. A few of them were jobs. Never really stopped to dream. Never really risked it, if I'm honest. Well, no. When I was younger I didn't dream of jobs. I didn't know what a job was. By the time I was old enough to have learned the concept, I was beyond the point of dreaming for anything beyond the next sunrise. Then I believed dreams were a poison only the young and foolish were dumb enough to drink.

Now, though...

If I had a dream it would be being allowed to be a mother, girlfriend, and friend in peace and to see those I love happy and safe.

Pretty sure that's not a job. Feels like a job to help keep us safe, though.

------

No pressure tags!

@sleepyowlwrites/@knmartinshouldbewriting/@concealeddarkness13/@pens-swords-stuff/@pen-of-roses/@magic-is-something-we-create/@mjjune/@vacantgodling/@ryns-ramblings/and open tag for the rest!

#15 tags 15 mutuals #tag games #writeblr #Becks

[theangrypokemaniac]

@nyarthsis

If Team Rocket 'always had a heart for unpopular Pokémon', that's an admission their Alola catches aren't particular loveable creatures, so I'm not thinking anything too controversial.

You're saying they take pity on the animals no one wants, as in it's normal for me not to find them adorable.

Some Pokémon, such as Lucario, become fan favourites without the advertisement of a regular role the anime. With Wobbuffet, Bewear, Stufful, Mareanie and Mimikyu, do people like them for themselves, or because of their association with Team Rocket?

I think its the latter. I can't imagine there would be such interest in them were they to be owned by a Twerp or appear as a one-off. Really then, it's not what or who they are, it's to whom they belong that matters.

Alola has really devalued catching. Rather than be true to the source material, so battering a Pokémon into submission, as Ash did with Bulbasaur, Primeape, Muk, and many others, now you have to ask their permission!

Bewear didn't even get that. She hung around for no reason, and her 'friend' Stufful was belatedly tacked on. I see why those two were left behind, as Team Rocket had no right to take them elsewhere.

In terms of welfare, Mimikyu and Mareanie are better off staying with them, free and safe, rather than locked in the insalubrious depths of H.Q., but then it never bothered the writers sending previous Pokémon into an uncertain future, so what difference does it make now?

It can only be that, like their predecessors, there is no intention to ever bring them back, but unlike the rest, the fans can't even be allowed the vain hope of a return, not with this rather awkward disposal.

It's feasible that Jessie and James could call their base and request old monsters to join them, but it's difficult to imagine they'd fly across the world to Alola, wander through the woods, pick 'em up and go all the way back again. Why make parting so final and irreversible?

It does imply that Game Freak don't like them, so why should I?

I keep noticing this fickle attitude. A new era starts, we're expected to fall instantaneously in love with every element, beg for more and yet more. Then, once the next region arrives, this adoration asked of us is meant to evaporate and immediately transfer to the next batch.

Well why start to like them, if eventually the makers don't care, to the extent you wouldn't even know previous Pokémon had ever been alive?

Have you heard one mention of Seviper, Yanmega, Dustox, Cacnea, Carnivine, and Mime Junior since they left?

Why were they happy to chuck Wobbuffet after Sinnoh, yet fetched for Kalos?

How could Team Rocket live without it for an entire generation but suddenly it's indispensable again? What do you imagine the rest of their Pokémon felt about that?

Have Jessie and James wondered allowed how Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung and Victreebel are doing?

What of the last two generations?

What is this nonsense where every character is so detached from the past?

Supposing I was to force myself to appreciate them: since they've gone, never to return, I'd be dissatisfied with the show, thus no better off than I am now.

My feelings don't run on a switch. I can't find myself besotted one minute then dump the object of affection without a second thought, just because Nintendo want it from me.

Even if I had a more positive opinion of the current interpretation, there's no benefit to becoming involved when it's all so fleeting.

Mareanie is ugly, with three teeth. I think he's a sea anenome, so ought to be more attractive, but it's covered in nipples instead!

It looks like a bonsai tree growing breasts, reminiscent of the hideous content lurking within an Hieronymous Bosch painting.

The idea that all Mimikyu copy Pikachu, the most famous Pokémon, when in their world it's nothing special, is too stupid for me to accept. How could that be coincidence?

It's referencing reality, acknowledging the real world's view of Pikachu as the star, so if it's breaking the fourth wall, it invites disbelief.

Wobbuffet does sod all. It's a complete dead weight and has no attacks. Yet it's the one to survive generation after generation. Where's the logic in that?

I suspect his popularity rests on being there so long he's considered part of the furniture, the sole catch in which you can invest an emotional connection whilst fairly certain he'll remain around.

By now it ought to have developed some semblance of a personality, but it's as faceless as ever. Other Pokémon that have been and gone had a bit more about them, but Wobba's so bland no one can summon the energy to write him out.

If he went, what would you miss? Breaking out of his ball and hissing 'WAAAAAHBUHFEH'? Is that so integral?

I have several objections:

What is it meant to be?

Why does its tail have eyes?

Why is that never mentioned?

Is it a sort of quadruped, or has it only one foot with four toes, arranged like the bottom of a medical walking stick?

A lot of my reactions to Pokémon are influenced by encountering them in the games. With Wobbuffet, I remember first coming across it in the cave near Blackthorn City, and just as you're winning the fight, it pulls out Destiny Bond and suddenly you're both down.

When you finally get one, it's tricky to train. You have no choice but to guess whether the opposition will launch a physical or special move, and mostly you get it wrong. He never learns anything else and doesn't evolve, so it's that forever.

Persevering with Magikarp is worthwhile, but what's to be gained from taking any time out to fight with Wobbuffet?

The anime eliminates this problem. You're aware of the nature of the approaching onslaught because you can see it coming, and the opponent said it aloud.

In this context Wobbuffet should be the most powerful Pokémon in the universe. Come on, it can deflect every attack!

Is it? No. It has a successful defence about once a generation, and still loses the battle. I can't say if it's worse to be utterly pointless, or to not fulfil one's potential.

I resent it muscling in on the motto, as if it's considers itself of equal rank to Meowth. No it's not!

When I was young, there was a tendency for magazines to refer to Team Rocket as a duo. Meowth was judged to be in the same position as Pikachu: a main character yes, and valuable enough to be accorded the privilege of liberty, but still very much owned by people.

You would see references to Jessie and James as his Trainers, though how they assumed this worked went unexplained. Even if shared, one had to have to caught him, thus be his proper owner.

Later on this developed into them being three equal members, and the term 'TRio' emerged, but now, although perhaps not officially recognised, there's an attitude of treating them as a quartet.

It's just wrong! Wobbuffet's not been around since day one. He didn't join Team Rocket voluntarily because he had nowhere else to go. It was a choice made for him by his original Trainer, so out of his hands, or rather his flippers.

If he was an independent Pokémon who just tagged along one day, that would be different, but it belongs to Jessie. Promoting one of hers means James is lesser, and no longer equal.

In each generation Team Rocket catch at least one local Pokémon, but as Wobbuffet's there, it ends up with Jessie having more on her side than James, and I dislike the imbalance. Plus the one he does get is violent.

It can't be solved by giving him another new one, as then he's captured two in the region, and she has only one, so again it's skewed.

Whilst Wobbuffet does count in numbers, he's not on the level of the rest, who fight regularly. He's both there and not simultaneously.

I'm still irked the way Lickitung was ejected to make room.

It was the best Pokémon they ever had! It took out Pikachu, Vulpix and Bulbasaur with one move! It would've won those Princess Dolls for Jessie if the writers hadn't changed the rules so that Lick only affects those of sound mind!

It was as if they realised their mistake too late, and so Lickitung was featured less and less to avoid it dominating a fight, then hurriedly traded away for something reliably feeble.

The following analogy you may not understand, but I think it fits rather aptly:

There's a game called Final Fantasy VIII. One of the side quests involves you racing through a castle under a time limit. If successful, you are rewarded with Odin as a Guardian Force, which is a deity that will provide a defence.

Unlike others, he is out of your control, but every so often, as you enter battle, he turns up and annihilates your opponents. It's very welcome.

Unfortunately this game was programmed by bunyips, who clearly didn't want the last section of the game to be accidently easier for you. Oh no. If you're progressing, it ain't gonna be through luck, or turning the console on and off until he arises.

Therefore, towards the close, you come up against ex-friend Seifer. Odin is fixed to rush to your aid, but when he does, bloody Seifer slices him in half, horse and all!

He killed Odin, the ancient King of the North! The Lord of Valhallah! The Father of the Vikings!

It's not normal fighting death, it's irreversible. He's gone for good.

After this Gilgamesh introduces himself as a replacement. He too will randomly appear and set about the enemy.

The problem is that whilst Odin destroyed monsters unfailingly, with Gilgamesh it's a rarity.

He uses four swords, and which you get is also a lottery.

One is the same as Odin's, two deal average damage, but not death, and the worst one depletes 1 HP, so it might as well not have bothered.

Not only does it arrive but a fraction of the time, but it's in a fraction of those times that it's of any assistance, which is something of a comedown.

Lickitung is Odin: didn't see it often, but it tore the place apart!

Wobbuffet is Gilgamesh: once in a blue moon it provides rescue, but it's on a lot lower percentage than it's predecessor.

It's difficult not to be disappointed.

#team rocket #wobbuffet #mareanie #mimikyu #bewear #stufful

[fijiangecko]

When the Sun Rises in the West

Prologue

A/N: AHHH IT'S HERE!! I'm so excited to finally share this! I'm planning on posting chapters every couple days so I make you all wait for it 😉 this whole series was entirely based off of this playlist, and every chapter will have a theme. This one isn't super edited but I actually love this series. Heavily based off of GoT (locations and dergons) but no spoilers. This story doesn't use the same plot or same characters.

C/N = City Name

Word Count: 1,700+

The barren wasteland of Essos was home to many people for the past several centuries. From dry deserts to scattered mountain ranges, the people couldn't have been happier to be alive and not in Westeros, dealing with the war of the iron throne. Blood shed, tears, agony and resentment are what wars left behind, not the virtues of peace and prosperity they promised. You, for one, would never want to experience anything like it. As heiress to a city newfound within the last century, your heart is only filled with love for your people. Never in your life would you wish to put a sword in a child's hand and tell them to fight for your honor, and not their own.

There's a reason your people haven't had to fight yet. Both the natural defenses that C/N holds and the ferociousness of native animals. C/N lies in a valley between several mountains. It is deep enough to have its own water supply, and no sane ruler would have his army climb over such steep mountain tops. Plus, they've only heard rumors about you, but no one would dare see if they were true.

The people of C/N love your family and care for you deeply, wishing you good health and even better prosperity. Children walk with you through the streets as you treat them to exotic fruits and pleasantries. The adults are thankful to all gods that they have found this Oasis, this sanctuary of peace and happiness. After trekking across the Red Waste and the Dothraki Sea they found a home for both themselves and their families. They smile as you walk by, greeting you and presenting you with their wares. Oftentimes, they will want you to take it for free - a gift, but you refuse every time. You live with the head family, there's no need for you to get freebies. Everyone lives in simple splendor with their everyday lives; content at the opportunity to have an easy life until they die.

"Y/N!" You snap out of a memory where you're dancing around a great pyre to an ancient song with the town elders. It was the celebration of your fifteenth birthday, an important day in a young person's life as they graduate from childhood to adulthood. "You know you have to leave soon, right?" Your mother walks around the grand table to you, and tests her hand on top of yours. She smiles sweetly as she waits for a response.

"I know, I just don't want too." Your eyes travel downwards at the new memory. Your birthday was in two months, and the 22nd birthday through your family lineage meant marriage. Although you wouldn't be taking over C/N anytime soon due to Fathers good health, there's still a need to have good trade relationships with other cities across the nation. You know that they wouldn't force you into a relationship, as their parents didn't, but let something grow naturally with one of the children of other head families. Out of so many there was bound to be one that caught your favor… or so they hoped. 

"It'll be okay pumpkin, we didn't want to send you away for so many months, but Masaru's son is the only person in the world that is like you. There has to be a bond there we don't know about." In the past few months, head families have traveled to meet you and hope that they can tie the knot with you. They were all turned away, due to a couple big factors. 1) they were too young, 2) they had a stick up their ass, 3) they didn't give a shit about what happened to the citizens of their towns and would profit off of their tragedy and 4) there were allegations of slave trade among them. True or not, you would not stand to put a price on human life. If there were allegations, then that means someone connected to them was either in or around the trades themselves. It was sickening to think about. As far as you know, the Bakugou bloodline doesn't have any affiliations with slave traders, their son is your age, if not a little older and cared about his people in an odd way. 

"Why am I going for so long? I'm going to miss my 22nd celebration…"

"Well, the Bakugou's haven't been sending us a lot of materials lately, so you're not only there for personal interest but diplomatically. We need these materials for more homes. Those children you live are becoming adults, but we don't have the means to help them." She squeezes your hand. "You can help them. Missing your celebration will suck, I know, but we'll have it as soon as you get back. Plus we'll need to talk about who's going to marry who."

Anxiety bubbles in your chest, but you pop it with a calming smile. "I know. I don't like any of the other candidates, but if the rumors about the younger Bakugou are true than I shouldn't have to worry. If we are the only two in the world that are this way, isn't that a sign from gods old and new?"

"That's the spirit Y/N. We'll finish packing your stuff. Go finish saying your goodbyes." Your mother smiles sweetly and give you a tight hug before letting you go. The rest of the night you reminisce with old friends. You all talk about old shenanigans and pranks you used it pull on older people, but now you're the older people having pranks pulled on them. It is a great night of food and friends with a light dusting of sadness topped off with tears. You were gonna miss everyone, but you must do what they need you to do. They weren't crying because they were acted for you, more like they didn't want you to leave. 

At first you misinterpreted their tears, "Guys, I'm gonna be okay! I'll have Rhaegal and Viserion with me."

"No Y/N, we don't want you to go!" Mina cries from across the tavern table. The tears were appreciated, and broke your heart.

"I'll be back before you know it. Maybe I'll even have some eye candy at my side." Everyone laughs and you take the rest of the night to enjoy their company. You wouldn't have been able to sleep anyways, so this was a pleasant alternative.

The morning sun is bright when your eyes crack open. They hurt for a couple seconds, but it passes as your body adjusts to new circumstances. The sun itself is only cresting over the mountain tops, creating a golden glow around everything the light touches. That's when it hits you - this is last sunrise you'll be seeing for who knows how long. If all goes well diplomatically, then you'll be able to return home within a month, but if conflicts arise… you try not to put much thought into it and just watch the hues of peach and orange dance across the sky.

Softly, someone places a hand on your shoulder breaking your stream of thoughtlessness. "It's time to go." Your mother spoke quietly, as though cooing a newborn. Her velvet voice helps calm you even further. It'll only be for a little while. I don't even have to focus on Masaru's son if I don't want too. "C'mon, let's go grab Rhaegal and Viserion."

Walking towards the edge of town, a cart with all of your things lies ahead on the path, waiting to be pulled by 2 horses and their carriage master, Kota. He smiles at you, and you back to him. You can't help but wonder how such a sweet stable boy would want in Mereen, but maybe he just wanted to take Clyde and Grumm out for a walk after being cooped up for so long. You and your mother walk around the base of one of the surrounding mountains to a cave entrance. It's too dark to see inside, but you know the two are there; waiting to be set free since the last incident.

"Ñuhyz zaldrīzesse." Screeching bounced off of the cavern walls, the cacophony animalistic gurgles and grunts echo both out and further into the tunnels. An orange flame lights up the room suddenly, and the scale from the beasts glisten in the fire light. Large cuffs are wrapped around their necks that have chains bolted into the mountain walls. "Ñuha riñar, Rhaegal se Viserion. Iksan vaoreznuni." You walk over to the chains and unlatch them. Their large bodies tower over your own, but you can feel that they mean no harm. Rhaegal nuzzles his chin on the top of your head, as if saying "I know". His green scales shine Viserion bellows out another flame. Altogether, you exit the cave.

"They don't seem agitated." Your mother stands back quite a ways; she knows that they would never harm her but they are very large creatures.

"No, they learned their lesson." You run a hand over Viserion's cream colored scales, looking into his golden eyes. "Daēz." Upon the last sound leaving your lips, the spread their massive wings and take off, spurring dust clouds at their feet.

"Hopefully the Bakugou boy is as caring as you are." She laughs as you both walk to the wagon. Kota stares at the beasts in the sky, marvelling at them as they sore and howl.

"If he's the only other person in this world who has one, then he better be taking care of it as if it were his child."

"There is a reason they call you Muña Zaldrīzoti, my dear." You both laugh for a second and you look up at her.

"I'm going to miss you." You take her hands in your own, and squeeze them. She reciprocates it by releasing your hands and going for a hug.

"You'll do great. I know it and so does your father." She squeezes her arms before releasing. "Now go off and do amazing things." Tears prick the corners of you eyes, but you hold them back as best you can. With one last glance at your smiling mother, you hop on the carriage next to Koda and start on your journey to Mereen.

~

Ñuhyz zaldrīzesse - My dragons

Ñuha riñar - My children

Iksan vaoreznuni - I'm sorry

Daēz - Be Free

Muña Zaldrīzoti - Mother of Dragons

#writing #storiesforall #katsuki bakugou x reader #bakugou x reader #katsuki bakugou #bakugou katsuki x reader #bakugou katsuki #mha #bnha #bnha fanfiction #bnha fanfic #got #game of thrones #crossover kinda #katsuki bakugo #bakugo x reader #katsuki bakugo x reader #bakugo katsuki x reader #bakugo katsuki #dragons #game of thrones soundtrack #house targaryen #fanfic #fan fiction #fanfiction #fandom

[gone4neow]

The New King ♔ dks

Chapter Four

- kyungsoo x reader, royalty AU, prince!kyungsoo

- warnings : swearing, mature content, arranged marriage, good looking men

- word count : 3,080

chapter three or chapter five or masterlist

♔ ♔ ♔ ♔ ♔

The princess held onto Sehun's hand loosely as they made their way towards the fitness hall, where they were going to be participating in some archery. Sehun's friends trailed behind them closely, all chattering away excitedly about the sport. The princess was excited herself. She had grown up learning all about archery, since her father claimed it was only logical that he taught her in case she ever needed to fend for herself in the wild. She hadn't so far, and perhaps she never would have to, but she had grown to be excellent at the sport.

She was so used to be included in things the rest of the world deemed too masculine for women that she was genuinely surprised when the group of men excluded her from their fun after their arrival. She watched all of them ready up to enjoy themselves while she stood off to the side. They smiled and laughed with one another, all selecting the finest bows she had ever seen in her life. The frown on her face could not be hidden, no matter how much she tried to hide it.

"The princess seems sad today. What have you done now, Sehun?" Baekhyun spoke to his friend loudly, making sure that the princess heard every word. She continued to look in a different direction and pretended she had not heard a single one. Sehun glanced up at his future wife and a frown of his own formed on his face.

"Nothing. I'm not sure what's wrong with her," Sehun remarked. Kyungsoo handed his brother his bow but didn't join in on the conversation. He was curious as to what had upset the princess himself, but it wasn't the place or time to make such a fuss. The men continued on with their activities, taking turns releasing their arrows from their bows. The princess was impressed with their abilities but she knew she could do better.

"Do you want to learn how to shoot a bow?" Sehun during the boys' snack break. They all looked at her while they ate on their sandwiches. She wanted to laugh at his question, knowing good and well that she already knew how to shoot a bow.

"Are you saying I have permission to use the bow?" She answered with a question of her own. Prince Sehun held up his bow to her as an offering and she could not have moved quicker to take it from his hold. She felt as if she had been given water after being dehydrated for months. The group boys started to chat amongst themselves loudly as they watched the princess pick up an arrow. She stood where the prince had stood only minutes before, copied his posture, and pulled the string of the bow back without any complications. Suddenly, the loud volume behind her came to a halt. There was only silence as she readied her arrow.

A moment later, the arrow was released from its hold. It soared through the air in one smooth movement before it buried itself in the center of the target the boys had been using. She couldn't keep the corner of her lips from lifting into a victorious smirk. The boys behind her erupted in a sudden chaos.

"Did you just see that?"

"She shoots better than Jongin does!"

"Jongin? She shoots better than all of us combined!"

"Speak for yourself Baekhyun. You suck at archery."

"Yah! You want to make it personal do you?"

She turned on her heels and walked back over to the group, where she handed Prince Sehun his bow without another word. He sat with wide eyes and parted lips. She was surprised when he began to laugh with disbelief.

"Where did you learn that?" He asked her.

"My father taught me," she confessed. If her mother seen her now she would have a stroke immediately. It felt nice to be able to show off her skills to someone that wasn't her father.

"He should give Baekhyun lessons," Jongdae joked as he wrapped his arms around the man's shoulders. Baekhyun didn't even disagree - he only nodded as he took another bite from his sandwich.

"He left to return home this morning," The princess told the group of friends. She already missed her father and his honey-like eyes.

"Your father shouldn't allow you to participate in a man's game," Sehun told her. From his tone, he hadn't intended for his words to have such a venomous bite to them but they did. The princess felt her heartbeat skip as anger began to seep through her veins and circulate to her heart. She looked at him with raised eyebrows and every man near them took a step backwards. Even Kyungsoo, the man in which she feared had become frightened for his brother.

"Why? Is it because I do it better than you or is it because you can't do it as well as I can?" She retorted. Prince Sehun scoffed.

"Better than me? That was a luck shot. No woman in this universe would be able to shoot a shot like that more than once," he continued on. She narrowed her eyes at the man, and tried to remember the last time she had been so angry. The only person to ever get her this riled up was her mother. She was so sick of living in a world where people found women inferior to men. Without another word, she picked the bow back up and returned back to her place in front of the target. A few minutes later, she had shot three arrows into the center of the target. She turned to look at the prince with a scowl. He was staring at her as if she had just kicked his puppy.

To drive her point home, she picked up one last arrow. She aimed it at his head, to which he jumped up from his seat quickly. She released it, moving the bow at the last minute so the arrow would land where he had just been sitting. He gaped at her in disbelief while his friends cackled at the sharp gasp he had released at the moment the arrow had flown in his direction. They began to applaud for the princess as she neared them. She paused in front of Sehun before she shoved his bow into his chest. His hands grabbed at its wooden frame just as she let it drop from her hold.

"You should be careful when speaking in such a way to women. Not all of us go along with men's idiotic views of us," she told him. It was the last thing she said before she left the group of men standing with their half eaten sandwiches and wide eyes.

"That girl," Sehun hissed under his breath.

"Yah, if you don't marry her I will," Baekhyun told Sehun as he wrapped an arm around the man's shoulders.

"I've never seen the princess so angry before," Jongin commented as he turned to look at Kyungsoo. The prince looked away from the princess's retreating figure and up at his friend. He agreed quietly and watched as Jongin shook his head in disbelief.

With her father gone and no friends to run to, the princess found herself deciding between two places to run to for comfort: her chambers or the stables. Ever since her trip to the village, Prince Kyungsoo's horse had been a thought stuck in the back of her mind. She wished she was able to ride Striker throughout the entire kingdom. If she focus hard enough, she could almost feel the air blowing in her hair already. It had been such a long time since she had been able to feel as free as she did when she rode liberally on horseback.

Her mind told her to hide away in her chambers because it was only logical, but the adventurer in her heart was screaming to go to the stables. She navigated through the castle until she was met with the warm air outside once more. Guards were scattered throughout the area but she was not concerned with them. She had a goal today.

The stables weren't busy today. Horses ran freely in their fenced in areas and the princess was so awestruck by the sight that she had to stop and observe. She laid her arms against the top of the fence and rested her head against the soft skin of her arms as she watched the beautiful creatures enjoy themselves. When she found Striker hanging out near the far end of the pen she couldn't help but raise her head to look at him. She clicked her tongue loudly, hoping to gain his attention. Just when she thought he hadn't noticed her, he began to gallop in her direction. A wide grin formed on her face and for the second time that day she felt victorious.

The horse neared her but did not fully approach her. He was somewhat shy, despite his obvious boastful nature. He raised his head highly as if taunting the other horses with how beautiful he was. She laughed and stuck her hand out at him. Still, he kept his distance from her. She called out his name lowly and in a loving way soon after. It was like the princess had attached a pair of magnets on her and the creature. He came to her instantly, allowing her to pet his snout tenderly. She shared compliments in the form of a soft whisper as she did so, already forgetting the events from earlier.

The princess was so focused on the horse that she hadn't heard the footsteps approaching her from behind. It didn't help that the footsteps were quiet, even against the gravel covered ground beneath them. Prince Kyungsoo did not speak as he came to stand next to the princess's side. Instead, he found himself reaching out to pet the horse lovingly. The princess glanced over at him and sighed softly once she realized it was him.

"Did you know I would be here?" She questioned quietly.

"No. I came to visit Striker. I can't say I'm surprised to find you here, though," he admitted to her. Her face contoured into confusion at the admission.

"Why?" She couldn't help but ask.

"I seem to find you in all of my favorite places. Are you stalking me, Princess?" He told her with a hint of teasing in his voice.

"The idea of stalking you hadn't popped up into my head yet, but now that you've mentioned it I can't say it's a bad idea," she replied to him.

"Why's that?" He wondered aloud.

"Your the only person in this entire kingdom that hasn't given me a complete headache yet," she told him. He laughed an airy laugh, as if he weren't completely convinced it was the truth, and let his head drop slightly.

"My brother doesn't mean to hurt your feelings. He was brought up to believe the things he does," The prince tried to defend his brother after a brief session of silence. The princess looked away from him and back at the horse in front of them.

"Then you must believe the same things," she commented with a dry mouth.

"No," The prince denied. She looked back over at him curiously, as if she would see a sign on his face that would scream I'm a liar. When she didn't find one she felt her heartbeat quicken. His stare was as intense as ever and the thought of him viewing her as a woman who wasn't just a pretty face or a helpless maid had her feeling a way she had never felt about a man before. Oh, how easy it would have been if they universe had given her him and not his brother. It was like a wave of confidence washed over her now that she knew the prince looked at her as an equal.

"I'm going to go somewhere. Would you like to join me?" The prince spoke before she could. She was thankful, as she wasn't sure what would roll off of her tongue in that moment.

In less than ten minutes, Kyungsoo had gotten Striker ready for a ride and had turned to the princess to help her climb on. She waited for her to join, surprised when he settled behind her instead of in front of her. He handed her the reins and didn't say a word about it. He didn't have to. She understood everything from the way he had looked into her eyes. He patiently told the princess what direction to ride in and she listened. That feeling of freedom that she had craved earlier had washed over her entire body in the span of just a few minutes. Though her hair was tied up and could not blow in the wind as she had pictured it, she did feel the warm glow of the sun hitting her exposed skin. Kyungsoo leaned back as he felt the cool summer breeze brush across his face, and he knew that this was a memory he would never forget. He could hear the sound of the princess laughing freely for the first time since he had met her and it paired so perfectly with the sound of the birds hiding away in the treetops as they rode through the woods.

They eventually arrived at their destination. Kyungsoo helped the princess climb down from the back of Striker. She thanked him quietly but did not look at him - she was far too interested in the sight before her. The prince had brought her to a natural spring, that resembled a small, raging waterfall. It led to a small pool of water that looked far too inviting as they stood under the rays of the sun.

"This place is beautiful. How did you find it?" The princess spoke in a dreamy tone as she asked the question.

"My brother has a tendency to upset people, I suppose. I come here when I need to clear my head," he explained to her. He watched as she approached the small pool of water with fast footsteps. She raised the ends of her gown as she stuck her toes in the water. It felt perfectly cool against her warm skin. Without a second thought, she let down her hair and shrugged off her gown. Kyungsoo's eyes widened as he watched and wondered if his face was as flushed as he imagined it to be. The princess climbed into the water once she was left in nothing but her undergarments, which consisted of underwear and a thin, white gown. She ducked underneath the surface of the water and emerged a few seconds later, screaming out in delight as she pushed her hair out of her face.

"Join me!" She called out to the prince.

"Princess, I don't-"

"My name is Grace. Call me by my name when we are alone."

"That's pushing boundaries."

"It doesn't have to be."

The two stared at each other without speaking for a moment. Kyungsoo's heartbeat had never raced like this before. He had brought the princess here to convince her to forgive his brother, or so he had convinced himself that's why he had, but he wasn't so sure he could do that now. All his life it had been Sehun who had gotten everything he wanted and Kyungsoo had finally found something that he refused to let his brother have. With that thought in mind, he began to shrug off his royal garmets one by one. His skin felt on fire under the burning stare of the princess but he continued his actions.

The princess admired him from her spot in the water. His skin was the shade of the sweetest caramel and it glowed beautiful as the sun shone down on the man. The way he looked at her would intimidate anyone else, but she felt almost comforted by the sight. He joined her in the water with footsteps that seemed too drawn out for her liking. His face reveal how deeply he enjoyed the feeling of the cool water tickling at all inches of his skin.

"My mother would murder me if she found us out here," The princess whispered quietly, needing to say something.

"My father wouldn't approve of me being in this situation with my brother's fiancée," Kyungsoo replied lowly. It was wrong. Everything about it was wrong. Why was it so right, though? The princess felt similar to the prince, but as she swam closer to him all the thoughts in her mind were slowly vanishing. She wrapped her legs around his waist once she was close enough to him and brought her arms to rest around his neck. He watched her closely, not knowing what her next move would be. He never did.

She stared at him for a moment before she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his own plump, heart shaped lips. He was frozen for a second, not responding to the kiss. She went to pull away and her body already glowed with embarrassment. Kyungsoo lifted his hand and rested it against the back of her head before he connected their lips again. This time was far better than the first. The kiss was slow and dripping with so much passion that she could feel it crawling up her spine. The prince surprised her when he let his tongue dart across her bottom lip, and she couldn't resist allowing him to taste her. She knew, as she kissed the prince back feverishly, that there was no chance that she would ever be able to love the eldest prince. She was putty in Prince Kyungsoo's hands.

When they parted, they were panting slightly as if they had just finished a game of tag. Their eyes were locked, both not knowing if they could look away. A small smile formed on the princess's face and before she knew it she was throwing her head back with joyful laughter. Prince Kyungsoo smiled widely at the sound.

"Lets never return back to the kingdom," she suggested once her laughter had faded away.

"We'll run," he told her in a gentle tone. All smiles and laughter were gone. She let one of her hands rest against the side of his face, her thumb running over the skin of his round cheek softly. There was a sad expression on her face.

"We can't."

a/n : hi!! just wanted to pop in and say thank you to everyone that has been reading my story! i’m actually quite shy when it comes to sharing my works and this is the first time i’ve actually published anything so i hope everyone enjoys it! i also wanted to clarify that i don’t think Sehun would ever make comments such as the ones made in this chapter or even believe in any of that - but it’s fiction and i feel that in this time setting and au he would definitely use these kind of common beliefs to get under the princess’s skin. point is : Sehun is a sweetheart (or as sweet as an Aries can get, haha)