#and people will make judgments and behave accordingly

[nyarlathotep-thecrawlingchaos]

I think this is probably the last one for tonight. Or...this morning. It's five A.M. and it would likely be logical for me to go sleep now.

Soooo I got two Fluffy Alphabet requests for Sassy McSwordsman back to back with quite a few intersecting letters, so I just combined them both into one post.

This post, even.

Anyway...Mihawk.

A is for Affirmation (How affirming are they of you and their love for you?)

“Yes, I called you 'darling.' What of it? Shall I call you pest instead?”

Has developed a tendency to address you by pet names without being sarcastic about it, and doesn’t even really seem to notice he’s doing it unless you point it out—in which case he’ll fix you with a wry look and probably an equally wry comment.

The L word really doesn’t come out of Mihawk’s mouth very often. It’s not something  he’s ever said very much to anyone, he doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve. If you say it then he’ll respond accordingly, but otherwise he don’t say it much.

Actions speak far louder than words in his case. He has made it clear that he absolutely will not tolerate anyone or anything threatening or insulting you, that he places your safety and contentment on a pedestal and will do whatever he has to in order to ensure you have both.

When he does say it, you know he means it. He makes sure to look into your eyes, to say it with absolute conviction.

Always says it before you part ways, regardless of how long, or before you fall asleep. Given the dangerous and violent nature of his life in general, he knows full well that any time you part could be the last time. He wants to make sure that if that should come to pass, that “I love you” should be the final words exchanged between you.

C is for Courtship (How would they court you?)

“I wouldn’t venture to waste my time speaking with anyone but the most stunning woman here, my lady.”

Courtship is a game of cat and mouse to Mihawk—once he knows you’re interested, he thoroughly enjoys teasing you with his own intentions, and he’s both patient and confident enough to keep the game going until you’re ready to lose your everloving mind.

He’s fairly subtle about it, but not so subtle as to leave you wondering about whether he’s interested. He’ll make it clear enough that he wants you to himself, but he wants to make sure to leave you wanting, to build the anticipation to a breaking point.

Intense eye contact when you’re speaking, peppered with quick glances up and down your body.

Keeping his voice low and intimate when he speaks to you, maybe as an excuse to lean in a little closer…or a lot closer.

His hand curling beneath your chin to draw you in, close enough to almost meet your lips before drawing back and assuming a more formal tone again—eyes glued to yours the entire time, drawing a great deal of entertainment from your reaction.

Greeting you or parting ways with you by bending down slightly to lift your hand and brush his lips to it.

F is for Family/Family (What happens when they’re around other people you care about?)

“Yes, darling, I’ll behave—so long as they do.”

He’s willing to grin and bear family affairs and friends for your sake, though he very much prefers it being just the two of you.

Perfectly capable of being polite and cordial, though there’s going to be the occasional dry comment here or there simply because sass is his default setting.

But if it’s uncomfortable for you to be around anyone, or if you have any family members or fair-weather friends that happen to be vindictive and/or judgmental, then it might be best to leave him out of it—he absolutely will not put up with anyone insulting you.

You’re his treasure, after all—and he’s one of the strongest men in the world, which makes you, as far as he’s concerned, among the most valuable treasures in the world. No one gets away with doing or saying anything  to demean you in front of him.

He has more than enough self-control to not get violent for your sake, but he doesn’t need Yoru to tear someone a new asshole if they do or say anything that he deems offensive. He’s just as quick with words as he is with a blade, and the offending party is going to come out of the exchange with a  mortally wounded sense of pride.

I is for I Love You (Who says it first, how long does it take, how does it happen?)

“What do you mean, ‘do I mean it?’ Why would I have said it if I didn’t?”

Him. Absolutely him.

Solitary as he is, it’s a bit awkward for him to say in the first place. He wants to be sure you know, but he doesn’t want to make a huge deal of it. It’s just a simple truth that has to be stated at some point, and he has to be sure he’s the one who says it first.

It might take a while. He won’t say it until he’s absolutely sure of it, but his inclination to be in total control of any and every situation he finds himself in means he’s going to take that initiative himself.

If he so much as senses you intend to say it first, he’s going to cut you off every single time.

It’s also going to come completely out of the blue. Not in the middle of some extravagant gesture, but just in passing; perhaps before you go to bed one night, perhaps as you happen to be leaving the room. He intends to catch you off guard with it, to see if you simply return the sentiment single thought, before it fully registers in your mind what you’ve just said—what he has just said.

The more taken aback you are by the realization, the more amused he’ll be; he was halfway aiming to shock you, and he finds it quite endearing.

K is for Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you/be kissed?)

“…And to whom, little one, do those lips belong?”

Firm and unyielding, deep and intense, grasping you by your arms or your wrists to limit your own movement and claim full control. He wants to steal your breath away every time your lips touch, and damned if he isn’t an expert at it.

He loves to press his lips just below the corner of your jaw to feel your pulse quicken while his hands drift over you.

He’s going to leave bruises, marks across your neck and shoulders that claim you as his, so that no one might dare question who you belong to.

Mihawk would never admit to having any weakness, but if he had to admit to just one, it would be when you brush your lips just next to his ear in between intimate murmurs and whispers—it drives him absolutely feral for you.

N is for Needs (What do they need in a healthy relationship?)

“Come now, dear—do you think I would be here with you if I didn’t honestly want to be?”

Not an awful lot, honestly. As high maintenance as he comes across (and he his high maintenance in nearly every other aspect of his life), he really doesn’t require much from a romantic relationship. Just the basics, really: trust, honesty, and loyalty. The three go hand-in-hand, and he would never have even entertained the idea of a relationship with you if he didn’t trust you, so he isn’t terribly concerned.

His confidence borders on arrogance at the best of times, so reassurance isn’t any issue. He can’t see any reason that you would lie about your feelings, nor does he have any reason to lie about his own. He’s brutally honest to a fault, so there really isn’t any reason for you to mistrust him, either.

While he would prefer for his lover to be just as low-maintenance, he won’t fault you if you aren’t. He has no issue offering you reassurance if you require it—though he may taunt you a bit about needing it in the first place.

Quality time would likely be his primary love language; he can stand some time apart, but he very much prefers having you near. Knowing you’re safe in his arms gives him peace of mind.

O is for Others (How do they react when you’re around other people?)

“Of course I trust you, my little bird—it’s everyone else that presents an issue.”

It strongly depends on the people in question. If he knows that you’re in a social situation you find uncomfortable, he won’t leave your side for any reason, and will use his presence alone to intimidate the opposing party until they leave you be.

If you’re among friends, he’ll take on more of a silent observer role. He’s more than capable of being amicable if directly addressed, but otherwise he’s likely to remain off to the side, quietly watching and listening, taking it as an opportunity to learn more about you.

In a crowd of strangers, particularly if he notices any other men eyeing you, he’ll keep an arm curled protectively around your waist. He isn’t much for public displays of affection, but he wants it to be known that you’re his, and that anyone who thinks they can change that will have to answer to him.

He does his best not to come off as imposing or controlling toward you—but while he trusts you implicitly, he doesn’t extend that courtesy to many other people.

#mihawk #opla #one piece #mihawk opla #mihawk one piece #opla headcanon #one piece headcanon #headcanon #mihawk headcanon #mihawk x reader #fluff

[sinfulpunishment]

✎ᝰ┆Dog Bites

─❏ Warnings: none

─❏ Characters: Chuuya Nakahara

─❏ Synopsis: Good dogs behave and bad dogs bite, so where does Chuuya lie?

─❏ A/N: it took me so long to think of what to write about for chuuya and then the most obvious thing hit me: dogs. so here’s my first chuuya writing, enjoy! also i wanted to put ‘i’m your man’ by mitski with this but if won’t let me, just know that it’s the song for this post

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Bad dogs bite.

Good dogs are loyal, they obey, they stay put, stay quiet. Good dogs don’t beg, they don’t whine, they don’t play rough. Good dogs take care of their owner, they cuddle or sleep at the end of the bed if that’s what their owner wants, they can be trusted home alone, outside of their kennel. Good dogs aren’t scary.

This collar is so tight, and it hurts. I can hardly breath and I can hear my heart pounding, I hate hearing my own heartbeat. Each time I get a new owner, the collar tightens more and I can feel the hook used for the leash against my jugular, it makes it hard to speak—difficult to bark.

Good dogs don’t bark though because barking is annoying, barking gets you yelled at, barking gets you a one-way ticket to sleeping outside again. So maybe it’s better to not be able to bark.

Even bad dogs can’t help but be hopelessly loyal, it’s almost pitiful considering that no one really loves a bad dog. Imagine being loyal to someone who doesn’t even love you back.

All dogs are loyal, it’s just how they are, they can’t help it. Someone outstretched their hand to it and it can’t help but take the hand and follow, it doesn’t know the person’s true intentions. I mean, how could it know? It’s just some dumb dog. Dogs are animals, that’s all they’ll ever be.

I can fight back, I’ll kick and punch and scream. But that’s what bad dogs do, good dogs just listen and obey. Why question anything? Dogs don’t need to know why things happen, they’re just pets—accessories. It’s natural for people to stand up for themselves and fight for what’s right, some are even praised for that. Not dogs though, they don’t get to stand up for themselves. They can’t even tell what’s good for them anyways.

It’s not as if I want to bite. I bite to survive, but would survival be easier if I just remained docile no matter what? Do they consider getting me to listen and do as I’m told “domesticating” me? The thought of that makes my stomach churn and makes my fists clench.

Bad dogs aren’t born, they’re made. But, it will never be the fault of the owner truly, so long as they can twist the story that way. Maybe the dog just never listened, or just started doing that one day. It’s the dog’s fault.

I want to be good. I stay loyal to those who help me, they have my back so I have theirs, it’s simple. I try my best to do what’s going to help make things better for those I care about, even if they don’t see it that way. However, loyalties falter sometimes. Things change so fast, and suddenly you’re bad, you’re doing the wrong thing and none of what you’ve done beforehand matters or can save you from judgment. Now you’re a bad dog and you’re all alone.

I bite because that’s what I know, and because of that I’m a threat. I’m scary. Yet no one thinks to comfort me, no one thinks to tell me that there are other ways to protect yourself without biting. Not that it matters now if someone comforted me, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

The collar is tight and it’s hard to breathe, it’s hard to bark, but once I get used to the tightness it doesn’t hurt anymore. Suddenly the pressure becomes soothing, it’s not scary anymore. I can adapt to breathe well, I don’t need to bark as much anymore anyways. New loyalties have been set.

I’m hopelessly loyal, it’s almost pathetic. I bite sometimes but I also do as I’m told, I have free range but I bark frequently, I sleep just on the end of the bed but I don’t get too close. I’m trained to act accordingly but I still have some free will.

Am I a bad dog?

— Chuuya Nakahara

A stray.

#bsd #bungou stray dogs #bungo stray dogs #chuuya nakahara #bsd chuuya #chuuya #sinfulpunishment

[nexility-sims]

question: since the Uspanian crown has to pass directly from reigning monarch to heir in an unbroken chain, how is the line of succession represented/understood?

like before safya died, was the LoS 1. Safya 2. Leonor 3. Matteo, or was it 1. Safya 2. Arnaut, etc.?

very good question! the operative principle for succession is that the crown cannot be inherited from someone who never wore it. that means, since safya died before she inherited, her children are technically disqualified from inheriting. the other principle is contingency.

i’ve been playing fast and loose with the definitions of heir apparent/presumptive, but i like to think of the entire line beyond the heir apparent as presumptive. there is no official line outside of the current ruling monarch and their heir, but there is an assumed line, and everyone behaves accordingly. it was assumed that safya, the apparent heir, would outlive beatriz and inherit from her; it was assumed leonor, as safya’s heir, would then outlive her and inherit. leonor was raised as if she would be a future queen, and mateo was treated like a spare, even if their mother had not yet inherited.

obviously, didn’t work out as planned! so, the alternative line comes into effect: that same inheritance track switches to beatriz’s next oldest living child, arnaut, who becomes heir apparent, while his eldest child, german, becomes the presumed heir. if arnaut died before beatriz, it would go to blanca’s branch. i haven’t decided what would happen if all of beatriz’s children died; in theory, it could go to her siblings before her grandchildren, but there are argument for why a ruling dynasty that values strength wouldn’t give the crown to elderly people over young adults. maybe that, too, would be contingent and default to the clan mothers’ judgment.

i don’t know the details of the history between the move to canarís seven-to-eight centuries ago and the present (another good area for questions, if anyone wants them), which i imagine would have shaped why there’s not a proper line of succession. i am obsessed with ottoman-style open succession, so i like the idea of that having been part of the longer history. in that case, it would make sense that naming an heir apparent at all is a semi-recent development, much like the 1949 development of allowing women of the family to inherit.

#excellent wonderful delightful #love to talk about this stuff #reyes.worldbuilding

[driftwithme]

The thing I love about the kwoon scene is that it is not a competition at all. Raleigh says it at the beginning: it is a dialogue.

Raleigh was not trying to swept the floor or show off. He even gets irritated by how Mako judges his performance in silence, maybe in behalf of the recruits she picked herself but now she seemed to disapprove, maybe cause Raleigh felt more than he saw that the whole judgment to his own performance was more like Mako projecting her frustration of no one being good enough to challenge Raleigh.

She knew how good she was and she was a bit bored of having to witness row after row of people failing. That is a ranger pride right there, not excessively overconfident, but the pride of a girl who had 51 simulations and the same number of virtual kills, okay?

Mako is a storm of her own. She's intelligent and analytical and she's not afraid to call out freaking legend Raleigh Becket. She would have fought Chuck herself if Raleigh hadn't srop her. She went into her jaeger debut with all the anger and preparation of a life seeking craving revenge and terminated two kaijus then, no mercy, the first double event ever. Mako's a woman who knows what she wants and goes for it and only askes Pentecost for permission out of respect. Sincere and direct and skilled, she is a handful disguised as a quiet well behaved young woman and that is what makes her match Raleigh.

The first time we saw Mako go all out, it was with Raleigh in the kwoon. He pressed all the right buttons in Pentecost and Mako to get her there! He knew! Raleigh is far from stupid and right from the start, he made Mako talk to him, evaluate her, all measure and plans so he could act accordingly when the moment came. And in the kwoon, during their silent dialogue, Mako win was as much hers as it was Raleighs. It was not a fight to prove who was stronger--- it was a fight to prove they, together, were a total show, precise, deadly, unstoppable.

In that moment, Raleigh was deciding if he could ever let anyone in again. All his trauma and hurt after Yancy, all his uncertainty and the destiny of the world, he allowed it to flow in there. If he won, it meant he was right and he couldn't let them in. It meant Yancy was the one and only, that there was no second chances, that he was beyond all of that to that point.

But Mako won.

She won her part of Raleigh's heart. Mako won the right to be his co-pilot by proving they were equals, by showing Raleigh she saw and knew him, that she was evaluating him too, that whatever Raleigh had with him that made him such a hell of a pilot, that one magic was in her too. Raleigh wanted to lose that game. He was betting on her. He was not alone. He was proud of her winning. It was all that he wanted. He claimed her his co-pilot because, after that, he has the right to do so and he wanted everyone to know it was her win and he wouldn't accept a no now. 'Cause she was his co-pilot now and there is nothing and I mean nothing Raleigh wouldn't do for his co-pilots.

It is not romance or friendship or family or any other typical tag one would apply to it. What Raleigh and Mako had back there, I can say it was human connection at its purest or maybe just the core of what it means to exist perfectly with another being. Total synchrony meaning I see you I know you I feel you I am you and you are me like nothing else.

If the depth of the bond means how good the pair fights, isn't it obvious that no one embodies the term drift compatible more than Mako and Raleigh?

The are the perfect match. Always.

#that's why I never get when people dislike the chuck x raleigh ship as if it takes away from the mako and raleigh relationship #there is no taking away anything from it!!!! #they could never see each other again and find romantic partners or a new job and live in opposite sides of the globe #and still they will always be connected they will always be mako and raleigh they will always be the best damn jaeger pilot duo!!!!! #their bonds is so deep it is never in danger of being replaced okay? #glad to make that clear #pacific rim #pacrim #pacific rim 2013 #pacrim 2013 #raleigh becket #mako mori

[cassynite]

mate and potato for vonzi?

Aaaaah thank you so much!! VONZI TIME

Emoji Asks!

🥃 [MATE] What does your OC look for in a friend? What do they find is a turn-off?

Vonzi likes to have a sense of humor about things and is drawn to people who can also have a laugh and not take themselves too seriously--however, she can and does make connections with self-serious types as long as they can get behind her sense of humor. More importantly Vonzi makes friends with people who are willing to question and defy authority, people with strong moral compasses and open minds. Those who are close-minded, judgmental without cause, or who blindly follow any kind of "higher power" (whether it be religious, metaphysical, or literal hierarchy) are more likely to get a cold reception from her, especially if they demand similar behavior from her and don't tolerate questioning.

She also finds people who lack self-confidence tiresome and has absolutely no patience for self-pity, though she'll often try to bolster someone's self-image before writing them off entirely.

🥔 [POTATO] What do they have that others see as a flaw, but they don't care about?

Vonzi is sooooo arrogant. She has a deep, fundamental self-assurance in herself, her beliefs, her strengths and her limitations--she will tell someone that she knows herself utterly and sees herself with a complete lack of bias. She doesn't go through crises of confidence or second-guess herself. If someone points it out, she's like yeah! I am arrogant! I'm great and powerful and pretty and VERY funny. Am I supposed to pretend I'm not? It can make her rather abrasive at times, and it also means she has a hard time empathizing with people who do go through those crises of confidence, or don't like or understand themselves.

Vonzi also has very clear ideas of things that are important and things that are not, and will treat them accordingly. For example, Vonzi will never lie...about anything that's important for you to know. Anything else, she's more than fine lying about it, and sometimes will lie just for fun, especially to strangers. What she considers important to tell the truth about and what someone else might consider important can be two different things. Again, she believes this is completely fine, does not go against her own moral code or is hypocritical in any way, and won't move from her position if someone tries to convince her that what she's doing is wrong. At most, she might agree to stop doing something or behaving in a certain way to someone she cares about if they ask her to do it, simply because that person's opinion is important enough that she'd change her behavior to make them comfortable. But she wouldn't stop doing it in general.

#cassy answers #angrygoatwoman #cannot express this enough: if you like her you love her if you don't she's the most annoying person on golarion #oc: vonzi

[wrenwrights]

First draft of Monsters

This is my first draft of Monsters opening chapter. Overall I'm not happy with it, I'll probably rewrite, and reoutline, and probably rewrite the whole thing again- but I do like this start. It's a start, and honestly that the best I'm probably going to get.

As for when Konig enters the story, oh I am so excited to write that. I've been holding off because I want to at least write Iris's start, but damnit I might cave and just do it. Normally, I like my romances to have at least one chapter before the two characters meet, to let my audience get a feel for the main character- but I might just dive in head first with this one.

Maybe that's exactly what this story needs? I don't know, I'll just have to see.

Anyway if you guys wanna see all of my Konig headcanonsnso far, you can check those our right here! Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Iris’s hands shook as Camilla led her through the bland hallways of Task Force 141. Occasionally, they passed a gruff-looking soldier or two, and Iris didn’t miss the way their eyes roamed over her. Their gaze hung onto her curves and her round eyes. Few were even brave enough to wink and whistle as she passed, but a firm look from Camilla told Iris everything: engage, and you will feel my wrath. Still, when Camilla’s back was turned, Iris couldn���t help but meet their lustful eyes teasingly, even wink back when she felt extra daring. It was thrilling attention, almost addicting.

When they finally reached a pair of black steel doors, Camilla whipped around with a harsh glare on her features. It was a look Iris had seen throughout her career with Camilla, a ‘Fuck this up, and you’ll be sorry’ expression that never failed to make Iris’s skin itch. “You know how to behave,” Camilla said with tight lips and finality, leaving no room for argument. She began tucking and pinching at Iris’s clothes, rearranging the strands of Iris’s hair. It didn’t matter that Camilla had picked out the tight pencil skirt and the elegant blouse and had even shown up in Iris’s barracks to curl her hair. It was all on Iris, so none of it was perfect. “I expect you to act accordingly,” Camilla’s eyes met Iris’s; the Doll and her handler silently battling for dominance. In the end, Camilla always won anyway, so Iris nodded her head in quiet submission.

With that, Camilla opened the metal doors as if she were entering a ballroom; her head held high as her heels thumped against the carpet. The room was the same as any other militant conference room Iris had ever been in: a big table with files dismembered across it, a screen with images and documents all, big and important-looking people annoyed at their entrance. None of it was new, not even Camilla’s greeting to every member at the table by name before sitting down.

“Kind of you to join us,” an older blonde woman sighed as she adjusted her glasses; she was thumbing through one of the many manilla file folders spread across the table, flipping through the pages with aggressive, frustrated movements. She wasn’t reading, her eyes didn’t scan across the page, more so darted around it- it was a tactic that Iris knew well, picking out names, colors, and descriptions in a text but not really reading. It was a tactic that spies used to memorize information.

“My apologies for making you wait, Agent Laswell,” Camilla purred, “We had some important business to attend to this morning- “ a sharp look from Laswell had Camilla pausing; it took a lot for Iris not to giggle at her handler’s embarrassment. Then Laswell set her attention on Iris; her eyes were warm on the surface, kind and intelligent, and yet there was a coldness to them, a chill that only came from taking a life. Iris knew that look well from the blood that coated her own hands. “You’re the Doll?” It was a question that didn’t hold the usual judgment, and instead, it was mere curiosity as Laswell studied her. Iris nodded, too afraid to speak in front of all these important people. Laswell raised a brow as if unimpressed- it made Iris want to fidget in her seat.

“She’s pretty small. Will she be able to take on the Senator?” an older man spoke up, Iris recognized him as a general- he certainly looked like one. Despite his old age, this man sat tall and strong in his seat; he was also looking over Iris, scrutinizing every detail of her face. Everyone at the table was, eyes wandering over her skin, studying every flaw like she was a cut of meat. Iris raised her chin, meeting every pair of eyes judging her as goosebumps broke out over her flesh.

“I assure you, General Shepard, Sargeant Hall can get the Senator to admit everything,” Camilla stated, honey coating her voice as she kicked Iris under the table. The general leaned back in his seat, looking unconvinced, yet Iris was more worried about Agent Laswell. She was the one who had the ultimate final say as it was her mission, and yet Laswell held no expression. It was almost worse than if she looked unimpressed. “She has all the credentials, she’s run similar operations, she can do it.” Camilla’s faith in Iris felt more like poison than praise- toxic even, as Camilla tried to sell her like a cheap tool.

Agent Laswell put up her hand, again interrupting Camilla. Iris could instantly see that Camilla was growing annoyed, her cheeks becoming inflamed despite the rest of her face being even. “I know her file, I’ve read it front to back. I want to know what she thinks of all this.” Laswell turned to Iris, her warm eyes boring into Iris’s, and Iris felt her heart beginning to skip a beat. “Can you?” Laswell pressed, “Can you get the Senator to admit treason?”

Iris wet her lips, tasting the starch of Camilla’s bright red lipstick on her lips, “I can make him confess,” Iris purred with confidence.

That was all Laswell needed to hear as she nodded to the other members of the table and began to gather up her files. “Good,” Laswell said with a small smile, “Have you been briefed on the mission yet?” she added. The other members of the table started following suit.

“Yes, ma’am,” Iris shuffled in her seat and began examining her nails. It was an old spy trick from World War Two- each painted nail was an important detail of the case. Her thumb was the Senator himself, what he looked like, her pointer finger what he liked in women, her middle his secrets and contacts- so on and so forth. “Good, then you are both dismissed. We will send your handler mission details shortly,” Laswell said with finality before turning to another member at the table, one Iris didn’t recognize, not even by name. No one had ever addressed Iris during these meetings before, and in Laswell’s doing so, Iris could feel a great respect building for the older woman. Camilla thanked everyone at the table before dramatically getting up out of her seat, her nose in the air and bracelets jingling softly. Iris knew she was going to get an earful later as she followed Camilla out of the room, but she felt too light to really care.

#fanfic #reblog #call of duty #konig call of duty #konig cod #konig mw2 #writeblr #creative writing #ao3 fanfic #konig x oc #wrenwrights #konig #kate laswell #laswell cod #laswell mw2 #call of duty modern warfare 2 #cod #espionage #spy

[cannonwest77]

Components of Emotional Intelligence

The emotional intelligence being a psychological theory originated by Peter Salovey and John Mayer. According for Emotional intelligence leadership academy is the ability to perceive emotions, gain access to and generate emotions in an attempt to assist thought, to comprehend emotions and emotional knowledge, also to reflectively regulate emotions in order to promote emotional and intellectual growth." They made this definition in 1997. The article says concerning the five components of emotional intelligence in the office. The Five Components of Emotional Intelligence The five pieces of emotional intelligence are: Self-awareness, self-regulation, internal motivation , Empathy and social skills. Self-awareness It may be the capability to see the personal moods and emotions and the possible trouble that it may make on others. The self awareness includes realistic self-assessment, self-confidence along with a self-deprecating love of life. The self understanding of somebody depends upon his or her power to deal with their emotions and handle it without making problem for others also to him. Identification of emotions and handling it is vital in emotional intelligence. Self-regulation It is primarily the ability to redirect and control the disruptive moods and impulses along with the chance to stop the judgment as well as the capability to save time before acting. The hallmarks with this include integrity, trustworthiness, comfort and openness to change. This is very essential in emotional intelligence because it has a lot to cope with the people we indulge with. Internal motivation These are internal reasons which make the passion for work apart from the external reasons like money and status. The internal reasons may include the benefits in doing something, inner vision of what is crucial in life, curiosity in mastering as well as a flow that comes from immersing in an activity. It is a need to attain the goal with great persistence as well as. Internal motivation includes optimism even just in the face area of failure, a solid drive to realize and organizational commitment. Empathy It may be the ability to understand other people's emotional constitute and behave to them accordingly. It is a skill and capability to treat people based on their state of mind up and emotional reactions. The hallmarks of the may include cross-cultural sensitivity, expertise in building and retaining talent and service to clients and customers. It is critical to remember that empathy does not always mean compassion. It can either imply compassion of cruel behavior. Serial killers who marry and kill many partners back to back generally have great emphatic skills! Social skills It could be the proficiency to control relationships, capacity to find common ground and build rapport and building networks. These range from the persuasiveness, effectiveness in leading change and expertise building and leading teams. This is very important skill and element because it handles relationship with people around. After all governing the emotions possess a whole lot to complete in relationships. Benefits of emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence is the capability to identify, use, and understand and mange emotions in a effective and positive way. A high emotional intelligence help individuals to reduce their anxiety, communicate better, reduce stress, improve relationships, defuse conflicts, empathize online websites and overcome the difficulties of life effectively. As it influences the relationships and behaviors, the emotional intelligence get a new every individual's quality of living. It also enables you to definitely experience great intention, autonomy and purpose. So, creating a high emotional intelligence is essential and becoming an authority in emotional intelligence help people to deal with good relationships and social skills. Making important decisions definitely affect our live even as we take decisions determined by immediate circumstances. Emotional intelligence helps taking good decisions which will lead us to raised life with better decisions in everyday life. So, having a good emotional intelligence is important in everyday life. We may put things in our life beyond our ability of change and that will limit our solutions and options. We will need to decide why we decide to do what we do. It will enable us to live according to our conscious intentions and not because of the circumstances. Though our intelligence and private situations are factors too, a great development over our emotional intelligence can provide us great success in our life. However, the high emotional intelligence can affect us giving us choices about which we never imagined. There are life coaching courses to raise your emotional intelligence that may help anyone to improve their EQ and lead an effective life with great decisions and relationships. 'Master My Life' is definitely an institution that gives MBA courses to candidates on emotional intelligence. The MBA courses furnished by choices Master in Emotional Intelligence and Human Relations and Master in emotional intelligence and Life Coaching. These two MBA programs are firstly its kind in Austrailia

#Emotional intelligence coach #Emotional intelligence leadership coach #Emotional intelligence leadership academy #Certified emotional intelligence coach #Executive coaching emotional intelligence #Emotional intelligence certified coach #Emotional intelligence business coach #Emotional intelligence academy #Online emotional intelligence leadership #Emotional intelligence online training

[thehighwaytothestars]

BRIEF PERSONALITY ANALYSIS - YEONJUN TXT

Libra Moon:

Interested in fine arts, and debates about all kinds of subjects.

But, always keep the poise and never being aggressive, or trying to make their point of view to rule over the other person.

Harmony is very important here, and usually libra moons hate fights, but they love talks where they can learn different points of views and perspectives they never thought about.

They are well cultured people.

They like to dress elegantly, and this is an expression of them, could be therapeutic, dressing according to your mood.

They hate disharmony and arrogant people.

They love when they find someone who is open minded and can talk about everything without criticizing and judging the other person.

This is a placement where the person can try to please people a lot, and sometimes just agreeing with them to stop the fight/ argument.

Loves luxury, and the fines things. They can be very good at interior design. Probably, Yeonjun will be the one decorating his house.

They care about what people think of them, and sometimes too much 🙁

Just loves the idea of being in love and being in a relationship.

Virgo Sun and Mercury:

Virgo is ruled by Mercury, so in Yeonjun’s case his Mercury is in domicile, and this makes easier to this planet to act naturally, accordingly to his virtues.

Having a Virgo Sun can make the person very demanding and hard on themselves and the others.

They can be super anxious about things, because they are always trying to reach perfection, even tho they know is not something possible to do it.

But they will try the hardest they can to achieve their goals, they will always try to give 1000% of themselves.

They know that in order to reach your dreams you Gotta work hard for it, so they often over work.

They have almost this obsession over details, and this can make them lost the big picture of things.

They are practical and problem solvers, but will appreciate when someone try to help them, to show that they care about them, and their wellbeing, because they are always the ones doing this for everyone, so is nice to change this dynamic once in a while.

In Yeonjun’s case having a Mercury Virgo just makes this energy stronger. So, you can count on he pays a lot of attention in to details, and he is always analyzing everything he can.

Owns a very logical and practical mind.

Can be an amazing writer too.

Very smart and witty.

Not super talkative, he is more the one observing people’s behavior, and yes, can be very judgmental sometimes 🙁

But, ofc he is not just serving this to people, he is the main focus of his critical mind, so he can be his worst enemy in a way.

Always thinking he is not doing enough and trying to overcompensate, always trying to do more.

Can feel sometimes, that he doesn’t deserve to be on top, if he doesn’t work hard enough and go beyond, he will second guess his own potential.

Because his Mercury and Sun are conjunct in Virgo, this can make him very aware of what he eats and his health in general; Also, how he behaves, all his gestures and how he is portraying himself.

He can be really found of reading and activities that involve patterns, and logic.

Leo Venus: It’s like...go big or go home kind of love demonstration.

Loves to spoiled and be spoiled by their loved ones. They are generous and love to buy you gifts for no reason at all, it’s because they are so in love by you, they just can’t help.

He is so genuine when he loves someone. Leo Is all about the heart, and being truly honest with your feelings, emotions, with yourself, so when he is with someone, he is for real.

He wants to show how much he loves you, so he does whatever he can to make you see that. Actually, you and the whole world.

He can even be a little clingy, he just loves being around you and feeling your presence. This makes his heart race and just fuels him with happiness.

He is truly faithful, and can be a little jealous. Will take care of you 1000%. It’s like, you are his precious little thing, and nobody can hurt you, EVER. He will defend you with his all, it doesn’t matter.

Being a Virgo Sun, and the sun being the ruler of Leo, we have here a very attentive and devoted guy. He will want try to help you with whatever he can, definitely the type to go the next mile to do something for you. But don’t fool yourself, all this love and devotion he will wanted back. He will need that you guys are connect for real, like your hearts and energies are in the same sync.

Venus talks about the pleasures in life, and in Yeonjun’s case no wonder why he loves to dress up, and fashion, and have this amazing style. He is super bold, and honest about the things he tries. That’s him, like...he is not pretending to be anyone else, you know? He does not wear the clothes to simulate or fool people, he is truly expressing himself. And, of course, he is not afraid to do it. No wonder he loves the big and all over your face, accessories, right?

He is such a romantic and passionate guy, he could even be a little be cheesy, ngl.

But, overall, will love someone with all his heart, body and soul.

He is drawn to authentic people, who are empowered, and knows their value. People who are not scare of being who they are, who can speak up. Who are passionate about what they do, and who inspire people around them, gives them courage to be brave and do what they truly want to do. Yeah...this is definitely a strong and confident person, who could totally call his attention.

He can be really confident indeed. Sagittarius Mars:

So bold and up to the challenges in life. Loves to throw himself in new experiences, especially if he is with his friends around.

Is not afraid to take risks, because this is how you learn things and gain knowledge of how things work.

He can be really competitive, and gives his all to win. He is just that guy that loves to win, and as we see above, he is totally up to the challenge. This desire to win can totally ignite his energy.

His mars is conjunct with Pluto, so this make Yeonjun puts a lot of determination in things he does. He does not stop until he gets what he wants. Could even enjoy dangerous situations.

May love to explore about the subconscious mind too, and why does he do things in the way he does. Is looking for answers there, and is not afraid of it.

Curiosity is something that definitely moves him.

He can be really energetic and doing an exercise can always help him to burn that extra energy he may have.

He can be good at sports and loves to spend the day doing things, especially outside.

I feel he loves to shop, and can’t get enough from it. This could be his favorite sport, yeah.

Can be a person who loves being around nature too, this can help him relax and get in touch with his inner self, and just to put things in his head in order, since he can overthink a lot of things, and this could lead us to a lot of tension and stress.

He can take a while to lose his patient, but when he does...OMG he can be so brutally honest, and even scary. He knows what to say in order to hurt someone, he owns a very analytical and sharp mind, so he knows how to push your buttons, he knows what is sensitive for you.

And Pluto conjunct to his Mars, can make him even more assertive with his words, and even the tone he uses can be very dark, and just terrifying. People can feel the presence of his anger, and how mad he is, even if he looks calm and collected, you’ll know by his tone of voice...it’s crazy. You can feel how serious he is, and that he is not messing around. He had enough of it.

Can lose his head when people try to boss him around, and tell what to do, or just try to take away his freedom.

Can be hard to forgive, and even if he does won’t forget what happen.

#yeonjun #yeonjun txt #yeonjun astrology #astrology #kpop #txt astrology #txt kpop

[salamoonder]

Alright, so here’s the thing. At this point, I actually don’t care what Artagan has or hasn’t done and, morally, what that means. It’s irrelevant. Interesting, but irrelevant. What I want to talk about is what the Nein, excluding Jester, know about him, and what they do with this information, and how they cast judgment.

Here are things that the nein have actually seen: fleeting glimpses of a figure in a green cloak. one conversation with a giant archfey who has recruited jester’s help in planning a convention. further, fleeting glimpses. very very brief phrases.

Here are things that the nein have heard about him from jester: he’s pretty cool, you guys :) . he’s got a chaotic streak, like her. he helps her pull off pranks. he’s always shown up for her. he’s handsome. he taught her magic. he kept her company when her mom was busy. he is her first friend. he is her best friend. he is her oldest friend. she really loves him.

and yes, they know he misrepresented himself to jester for years. they know he sent them to an island where you lose your memory every night. they know that he is sketchy as fuck and they do not know if he means what he says. and that is reasonable and understandable and fair.

here is something that i don’t know if you guys know about abusers, regardless of if artagan is one or not. (and he’s not. i’m not even going to say i don’t think he is, he literally is not abusive. words mean something; stop throwing them around because you personally don’t like someone.) you cannot tell their victims that they are abusive or awful or manipulative or horrible, and expect that to help. that makes it worse. the same is true of cults. you cannot, and i mean CANNOT, make yourself hostile, because then the outside world is hostile, and the abuser is safe. the outside world is hostile, and the cult is safe. furthermore you’re reinforcing what every abuser and what every cult plants in their victim’s heads--i’m the only one who would put up with you. i’m the only one who really loves you. everyone else will be cruel to me, but i’m the only thing you have. even if the nein had reason to suspect that the traveler was straight up abusing jester instead of just weird and shady, that is not a good response.

no matter how bad artagan is or isn’t, fjord, caduceus, and beau are still being condescending. they are still failing to trust that jester knows what she’s talking about. they are still trying to coddle her, they are still treating her like a child, and i want to talk about that. i want y’all to see that they’re still treating her like she’s emotionally fragile. like individually, i want to talk about that, and also the fact that everyone seems to want to lump caleb into this. (and yasha?? yasha has barely said anything about him, y’all.)

i’m going to skim over caduceus a bit because i don’t think his is a jester-centric problem. he tends to just trust that he either has the correct answers to a situation, or that even if he doesn’t know what’s correct, he knows what isn’t. this arc has been very interesting, because it’s been a lot of “i’ll play along with this because it sounds intriguing, but i’m going to be very self righteous about it the whole time.” like. the “we’re good” when jester brought up transferring followers to melora is haunting me. why “we’re good”? i get cad’s philosophy that not everyone is going to flock to one god--that’s fine, that makes sense. but the implication of “we’re good” really makes it sound like “mmm no thanks, none of these people would end up in my cool and correct religion anyway.” because he doesn’t know! he doesn’t know if any of these people would actually be happier and better off with melora. or. maybe he does know, or has decided, that they wouldn’t be, because these are not the kind of people that he could see himself falling under the same moral umbrella as. (lmao love how i said i was going to skim. anyway. again, less a jester thing, more a “cad is smug about everything” thing tbh.)

let’s move to fjord. he is quite honestly making me almost more uncomfortable than beau, because he’s making statements that i don’t really actually believe. “we just don’t want you to get hurt” is all very well and good. coupling that with agreeing with beau that they shouldn’t leave jester alone with artagan? without telling jester? does not jive. (i’m still not over the ridiculous of that, by the way. yeah this dude--no, this ARCHFEY, who could snap you in half in a moment--has been alone with her regularly for the first 20ish years of her life but now, now he’s going to try and kill her, and you’re going to be the one to stop that.) fjord keeps saying things like this--that he trusts her--but he doesn’t actually act like it. at one point he even says “if jester has faith in the traveler, that’s good enough for me, i suppose.” but it’s not, and he doesn’t act like it is. you know who actually acts like that? caleb. caleb’s getting his own paragraph though this is getting long as fuck. but if fjord actually meant that? he would’ve told beau “listen i know this situation is sketchy and i don’t like him anymore than you do but because i trust jester i also trust that she knows what she’s doing here, and i’ll be there to back her up with whatever she needs/wants me to do”. but he did not say that or anything like that. instead he agreed with beau to essentially be bodyguarding jester--without consulting jester about it at all. he wouldn’t have told jester “he’s generally full of shit, right?” about the traveler. jester is continually telling the group over and over again that she knows what he’s like. she knows Exactly how he can be. and the sad thing is, if fjord actually believed that she knew what she was talking about when she said that and if he believed that he could actually talk to her frankly and not that her feelings had to be protected at all costs (my skin is still crawling at “we don’t wanna ruin jester’s special day”. it’s not a five year old’s birthday party), then he would have straight up told her. he would have said “hey we’re concerned enough that he’s going to hurt you that we don’t think you should be alone with him. can we help guard against that?”

and i’ll be honest, i’ve kind of been squicked out by all the romantic posts about fjord and jester because he’s spent the last few episodes genuinely treating her like a wonderful but vulnerable child who needs to be protected from the world. when he told beau "I'm probably the least clued in as to how jester feels” i was like YEAH NO SHIT. and i know he meant it in a romantic sense but i feel that it’s true in general. like i get that he’s scared to talk to her. that’s fine. he doesn’t have to talk to her about her feelings, romantic or otherwise. but if he’s acknowledging that he does not at all know how she feels then he has no right to behave as if he does know. and again i don’t mean this in a romantic sense. i mean it in a, he is making the assumption that she can’t handle reasoned criticism of the traveler to her face, kind of sense. he and beau both are opting for “random insults, threats, and judgments they have decided apply” over “genuinely this is why we are concerned”. there has been a lot of “you don’t need him” and “you are better off without him” and “you’re better than him” and “you have us why do you need that” and those are judgement statements that are essentially meaningless. all they do is further demonstrate to jester that they don’t actually understand why she’s upset or what she actually wants.

i think caleb, mr i-eat-encyclopedias-for-breakfast, likely just has a better intellectual understanding of the fae and that may be why he’s not as outwardly concerned as the rest, but he’s also actually decided to trust jester that she knows what she’s dealing with. she has demonstrated both verbally and with her actions that even if she may not have known about artagan initially, She Knows How This Works. and he trusts that. caleb truly went “alright, i trust that you know what you’re doing, where do you need me” and that was IT. i’m not saying that he’s not allowed to be suspicious or concerned or wary of the traveler: i just don’t think he is. and i hate that people keep lumping him in with the rest of the nein “treating jester like a child” because they think he’s predatory or something--especially as caleb and fjord are pretty much the same age--when he is literally the only FUCKING person consistently asking jester how she feels and then actually acting accordingly.

and the thing is, you don’t have to be caleb and largely unconcerned, it is actually possible for you to show concern and alarm and wariness for your friend’s best friend without condescending to them and veth has been doing that this whole damn time. we know how she feels about him; she decidedly does not like him. but she set that aside to really fully listen to jester and then tried to be helpful to her in deciding what to do next, without inserting her own opinion. veth is the only one acknowledging that, sure, this looks really bad and i don’t like that guy, but you know him best, jester, and you know yourself best and so it should be your choice what to do in this situation. she reminds jester--if he is really a friend to you, and he is doing things you don’t like, then you can talk to him about that and he should listen. i want to talk about how when jester suggested that artagan join the mighty nein, there were exactly three reactions. extremely lame excuses from everyone but caleb and veth, “maybe, like, an annex--” from caleb, because he knows what everyone else is gonna say, and “we don’t like your friend” from veth, literally the only person who has apparently decided that jester can hear that without dissolving into a puddle or something.

and i want to make it clear--i don’t hate the actors. and stories are supposed to make you upset and uncomfortable, to an extent. they’re supposed to make you think. you’re not supposed to be happy when darth vader blows up alderaan. you’re not supposed to be happy when edmund betrays his siblings to the white witch. these are all excellent, excellent character choices and i applaud the cast for making them. and i don’t hate fjorester. and like yeah there have been a lot of cute moments in the last few eps. and they are cute and their story is compelling and it’s interesting. but i wish people would stop acting like fjord’s attitude towards her is perfect and lovely and that he trusts her sooo much when he is going behind her back like this. i am...the biggest widomauk shipper. and i have to admit my heart does the swoopy thing every time i rewatch the forehead kiss. but that wasn’t great. it was overall really not a good read or handle of the situation. it was, there was an attempt. and i do think fjord is trying. and i think beau is trying too. and i think all of their attitudes however terrible just come from a place of loving her and wanting to protect her. but--and here i must point frantically back at artagan--loving someone does not mean that you’re not hurting them.

#artagan #the traveler #jester lavorre #fjord #beauregard lionett #caleb widogast #veth brenatto #the mighty nein #critical role #critical role spoilers #cr spoilers #thane watches critical role #long post

[mentalisttraceur]

Someone replied a long while ago to this post:

This reads a little bit like “you upset your abuser therefore you’re at fault for what they did to you as a result.” I doubt this is what you intended... What sort of thing do you consider doing better to be? Supporting “good cops”? I think most people who say all cops are bad are opposing the entire institution of policing, so I doubt that’s a convincing alternative.

Well, first of all, to un-smudge something here, I think it would be more proper to translate my statement into

you upset your abuser therefore you’re potentially a little at fault for what they did to you as a result.

This is a very big difference. I wrote more about this in my post on "victim blaming", which you might remember and have already connected to this discussion - in fact I think this comment was the last thing that prompted me to finally take the time to articulate what I consider to be proper boundaries of the "victim blaming" concept.

Anyway, I am very sympathetic that, when someone is being unnecessarily hurt or harmed by police, the primary and in fact overwhelming share of the fault lies with the police officers committing the act, with the other police officers who support them, and with the many systemic factors that add up to create and enable that. Obviously I wrote several posts to that effect right before the post this was a reply to.

That said, being wronged does not excuse people from responsibility for the consequences of choices where they had meaningful freedom to choose differently and meaningful ability to know better. Hurt and harm can restrict and coerce choices, and this can reduce or eliminate being at fault for something. So if you upset your abuser, and they behave abusively, are you "at fault" for the result? The tempting answer is just a flat "no!", and in practice that's a decent heuristic which is correct decently often, but the real answer depends on

what the consequences were,

how much our choices contributed to those consequences,

how predictable it was that our choices would lead to those consequences,

what the consequences of any alternative choice would have been,

how much any alternative choices would have contributed to those consequences,

how predictable those alternative choice consequences are, and perhaps most importantly,

the result of applying all six of these questions to any change you might make to your choice-making based on the above, and integrating the future accordingly.

(Maybe other things that aren't logically entailed by what I said that I'm not thinking of right now.)

The flat "no!" is efficient because it doesn't require people who are being abused to be confident and skilled experts at all the thinking needed to make that judgment call. Reduction to a dumb "you are never at fault for anything your abuser does ever" is useful psychological and sociological protection. If you believe it and internalize it and never give an inch on it, you can skip all the actual hard thinking and ward off a lot of guilt, doubt, and probably other feelings. You can approximate ascribing "ultimate" or "majority/plurality of" responsibility to the abuser without ever figuring out how to actually do that soundly.

So, onto cops - "doing better" in this case is literally anything that reduces how much cops end up being motivated to be against reform efforts, anything that reduces the us-vs-them polarization between cops and the people trying to advocate for better policing practices, anything that makes people who share your values become cops in large enough numbers to not get worn down and converted too fast (stack the deck or have it stacked against you!), and so on. And yeah, that includes considering how our words actually effect the human minds behind the "cop" stereotype and thinking how to motivate and appeal to the good in them, instead of suppressing it by creating a cultural bath that constantly triggers antagonism in them with condemnations and so on.

Doing better in that post meant thinking any amount of steps beyond just spewing whatever anti-cop bile feels good to spew in that moment, considering how that effects your actual goals like "less police brutality", and acting accordingly.

#integrating the future #victim blaming

[kandyrezi]

[ Funamusea ]

scenario: yandere! devils’ reaction to their darling trying to escape from them.

(a/n: somewhat of an apology for not posting in a while...? lol)

- : -: - : - : - : - : -

⌜kcalb.⌟

Kcalb’s first instinct, when he realizes you’ve disappeared from his side and he can’t find you anywhere after a thorough search - even asking Wodahs, who always keeps a watchful eye for any oddities around the castle, if he’s seen anything - is to then start assuming the worst in the form of silent panicking and pacing.

Is he really that awful to be around that you’d sneaked and run off from the Blancblack castle while he wasn’t there with you? Self-doubt runs through his mind with each pessimistic thought after the other. He considers not coming after you at first, but he’s more overwhelmed with the possibility of something, or someone out there harming you.

Residents in other worlds were hardly as merciful as the ones living in the gray world, he’s not going to take the chance you might be trying to leave this world where he’s not going to find you to keep you safe. Though he’s easily able to track you down if you’re still hiding somewhat close by, you won’t see him coming when he’s looming behind you and he knocks you out, bringing you back with him.

He considers locking you away with tighter confinements and restricting your freedom from other people. He wouldn’t leave you alone for too long, but he’s the only one allowed to see you until he’s certain you won’t be trying your little stunt again.

“...You won’t be going anywhere... you already belong here, where I can protect you.” he murmurs to himself.

⌜ivlis.⌟

Ivlis would be fuming – hair glowing a vibrant red and teeth grinding together in seething rage. It’s honestly a wonder you managed to get as far as you did considering how much of a tight leash he keeps around you at all times. The underling who’d been tasked with keeping an eye on you would surely be fearing for their life at their incompetence right at that moment. Regardless, he would personally go out of his way to locate and bring you back.

Once he finds you, and he will find you - he completely ignores your pleading and whining to be let go. He’s silent on the way back to the flame castle, but the way he keeps scowling with eyes dull and devoid of emotion is nothing sort of a warning of of an impending volcano waiting for an eruption. You’re still shaking when your back is pressed against a wall of a tightly confined room, he locks all the doors and - just as you’ve started to calm down - starts yelling at you about how he does everything in his power to keep you safe and provide for you – here you are, running away like an ungrateful brat!

When he has you cornered, he summons one of his light spears into the grasp of his hand and points the receiving end of it in front of your face, teeth baring as he raises the weapon and brings it down towards you in a quick flash - you shut your eyes and turn your head away, waiting for its painful impact.

…but it ends up being pierced into the wall right next to your head instead.

“I’d advise you don’t try and test me again, because next time, I will not be as merciful.” with that warning as he glowers above you, he ends up leaving you alone for the rest of the night for you to think about your actions.

⌜reficul.⌟

Your first mistake would immediately be thinking there isn’t a world out there where you couldn’t hide from Reficul, or that she wouldn’t know you well enough just where you would think of going. She keeps close contacts with some otherworldly demons, so finding you is barely a hassle. She is disappointed that you would leave without saying a word, but was already well-prepared for any possible inconveniences such as this.

She brings you back and leaves you locked up in a single room for days, maybe weeks on end and very little contact with the outside world, aside from herself. She still feeds you and makes sure all your other needs are met, but your freedom is severely limited and she doesn’t act as caring towards you like she normally would, barely giving you a passing glance.

As more and more time would pass, the loneliness and Reficul’s stone-cold indifference would eventually turn you into a broken clock, ticking uselessly in solitude where it wouldn’t matter if nobody heard or saw you. You could only bear so much and will likely endure a breakdown, tear ducts leaking as you’re begging for forgiveness in this empty, cold room – anything to get her to look at you with the same warmth again in her gaze only very few got the privilege of having.

“You won’t be trying anything foolish again like before, will you?” she asks, voice still composed as ever, as she tenderly tucks a stray piece of hair behind your ear to catch sight of your reddened eyes as you shake your head at her question subtly posed as a command.

She takes you out of the isolated room, to catch sight of proper sunlight you’ve been denied of for so long. Even if Reficul wants to only lavish you with whatever form of affection you most desire, she's not above using intimidation and fear to ensure you know the severity of the consequences when you don’t behave accordingly.

⌜satanick.⌟

Oh, Satanick loves, loves a good chase~! He sees it as nothing more than a game of predator and prey; no matter where you run to in the pitch black forests, it’s still his own world and he knows it like the back of his hand. It’s not like you’d be powerful enough to be able to world-hop to escape anyway, so it’s only a matter of time until he finds you.

He would purposefully drag it on as long as he finds amusement in it, letting you go free when he steps on a twig to make you jump and be on alert of someone’s presence, yet being unable to locate or see anyone. The woods are dark and difficult to navigate with no notable landmarks, but you don’t stop – can’t stop moving.

You could run for hours on end with only the sound of dead leaves crunching beneath your feet. It’s only when you feel some sense of security that you were alone and could properly think about where to go from here on out without a surge of panic clouding your judgment, is the moment a pair shadow hands would wrap themselves around your middle and toss you into the air as you fall backwards into someone’s lap with a startled shriek. Someone very - unfortunately - very familiar.

“My little rabbit, did you think I would let you get away from me this easily, hm? Did you?”

He picks you up and fast-travels back to the castle and towards the bedroom, for all the fun and games this has been for him, the way his grip has tightened on you and a shadow fallen over his eyes is a clear an indication of him hell pent on teaching you a lesson in disobedience.

⌜rosaliya.⌟

Rosaliya becomes frantic and distressed once she realizes you’ve run away from her. She sends one or two of her subordinates to track you down and bring you back to her.

Rosaliya is clearly in tears, her underlings are ready to have you beheaded for making their Devil cry, but she stops them before things can escalate too far, ushering them out of the room so that the two of you are alone. She promises that she won’t have you chained by the wrists or tied up so long as you’re not going to act up and will listen to what she has to say.

She doesn’t want to start a fight with you or dole out any harsh punishments, not wanting you to feel like you’re a servant instead of her lover on equal standings – she doesn’t want to have her heart broken again and can’t let you, the most important person to her, go for this reason. Still, she would try and talk it out with you, in an attempt to pick apart your most inner thoughts to see if she if there’s anything she can do to change your mind.

“You didn’t mean to run, right? You were just overwhelmed because I came on too strong with my… affections before, right?”

Isn’t actively trying to emotionally manipulate you, even if it might come across as that way. Still, she’s clearly hurt and offended by your actions and will likely ignore you and dish out the silent treatment for some time until either one of you will break down, getting sick of it and going to crawl back to the other for forgiveness.

#mogeko #funamusea #yandere x reader #the gray garden #obsolete dream #yandere #satanick (mogeko) #kcalb (mogeko) #ivlis (mogeko) #rosaliya phantomrose #reficul (mogeko) #tgg #dsp #deep-sea prisoner #okegom #ficlets

[greenjacketwhitehatdocmui]

Those Left Behind, Chapter 4

Well, here it is, chapter 4.  This can also be found on FF.net here

or AO3 here.

Sorry about the delay, but I’ve had to deal with quite a bit in the last few months.  Hope this was worth the wait!

--Doc

    Elsa stood before her father's portrait.  A lifetime ago, he'd held her hand and admitted that he'd been very nervous when posing.  He thought that he looked stiff and uncomfortable.

    She didn't see it that way.  To Elsa, her father looked regal and in control, a far cry from her state now. She could only hope to be half as good a ruler as he had been, gates notwithstanding.

    Would he have been proud of her?  No, who could ever be proud of someone like her?  She was a freak, her powers a curse.  If only she had been born a normal girl like Anna, none of this would have happened.

    For years, she had hoped that someone would tell her that her suffering was not in vain. No, it hadn't been just her suffering. Anna's warm, loving heart had been trampled on so many times with each refusal.

    What would her parents think?  For years, she'd hoped beyond hope that they were out there somewhere.  But she knew that it was a lost cause.  They could no longer offer her any advice or comfort. She only had their memories to guide her.

--------

    Anna practically leapt from her bed and changed.  Today was the only day that the gates would be open and she wasn't about to waste it!

    Now dressed, she paused as she looked outside the window.  She'd done so many times in the last three years.  She knew that her parents were gone.  She still dreamt about them every so often, hoping that they would have some advice to offer.

    The moment passed.  This wasn't a day to think about the past.  This was a day to go out and bask in the sun.

    She dashed out of her room without another look backwards.  Today was going to be a good day.

--------

    Iduna felt the sunlight on her eyes and groaned. She snuggled closer to Agnarr, who responded with a chuckle.

    "And here I thought that you were the early riser," he joked, kissing her on the top of her head.  He paused.  "Something wrong?"

    Reluctantly, she opened her eyes.  The interior of their "cabin" certainly wasn't very fancy.  It was a bit sturdier than the huts that her family favored.  It had been built by everyone in the Arendellian contingent. Fortunately, Captain Hansen had been quite adept at woodworking before he joined the Navy.  With his direction and the convenient abundance of fallen wood, the makeshift log cabin had been built fairly quickly. Doing so was more comforting than trying to salvage the remains of their yacht.

    (They had tried to reach Ahtohallan after the first month.  Before they reached the sea, they found the yacht, empty and wrecked.  They scavenged the interior, coming away with a map and a few other items.  Agnarr had then carved a marker to commemorate those who were lost.)

    Outwardly, Yelana had feigned indifference to the construction effort.  In private, however, she'd wondered why the Earth Giants had spared any effort towards anyone from Arendelle.  It was a conflict that she couldn't quite reconcile.  Her faith in the Spirits didn't mesh with her emotions towards Arendelle.

    It had been three years since they'd been trapped in the forest.  In that time, Iduna saw how much Agnarr had wanted peace between Arendelle and her family. He did his best to try to work things out.  There had been trade agreements, general boundaries drawn out and a crash course in Northuldra etiquette and social norms.

    Iduna wondered whether or not it was enough. In the last three years, she could count on one hand the times that the misty sky had almost cleared.  One night had been particularly calm and she could have sworn she'd seen a star in a patch of midnight blue.  Then the moment passed.

    "I'm not sure what we're doing wrong," she admitted quietly.  "The mist came because everyone started fighting.  But now, nobody's fighting and the mist is still there."

    Agnarr said nothing for a moment.  He looked at the wall and sighed heavily.

    "I know," he said softly.  "I've tried everything I could think of.  I just wish that the Spirits would say something."

    "It doesn't work that way," she reminded him, frustration coloring her voice.  "Father once told me that the closest he came to communicating with them was like trying to understand raw emotions.  They don't really use words, more like sensations.  Then he interpreted their desires as best as he could."

    He sighed heavily.  He'd pushed himself for what peace he could manage between the two groups.  The soldiers and sailors still admired him, followed his orders with almost fanatical zeal. The Northuldra had been...resigned and somewhat accommodating, but hardly enthusiastic.

    Oddly enough, it was because they were removed from the castle that they could focus on the main issue:  Peace with the Northuldra.  Had they been still in Arendelle, they would have been bombarded by servants, townspeople and demanding diplomats.

    Then again, they would have been a family. There was never a day that they didn't think of their daughters and how things might have been.

    "Do you think that Elsa's having her coronation?" she asked.

    Agnarr hummed thoughtfully.  "She came of age last December," he said. "This would be the most convenient time for diplomats to come in."

    “Can you imagine Anna just going from person to person like a butterfly?” she asked.  “She’d be having the time of her life.”

    A somewhat wicked little smile made its way on his face.  “Can you imagine your mother in that situation?  I would feel very sorry for the diplomats.”

    “Would you?” she asked.  “She’d ruffle their feathers like the peacocks they are. They’d act all indignant until they found out who she was.”

    “And then they’d fall all over themselves to apologize.”  He chuckled. “That’s quite an image.”

    For a long moment, they basked in the impossible dream.  Then they sighed and got ready for the day.

--------

    Yelana stepped out of her hut and surveyed the camp. Everyone was busy, the better to keep their minds off of their situation.

    She had to admit that things were better now than they had been three years ago.  Agnarr had done his best time and again to try to smooth things out between his people and the Northuldra.  Iduna's visits were also a factor.  Surprisingly, the Arendellian contingent had been behaving themselves.

    It was the younger generation who seemed more curious than fearful, she noted.  Ryder, Honeymaren and the other children had been raised on tales of how horrible Arendelle had been to their people.  After Agnarr and his sailors arrived, however, there were murmurs that the king didn’t seem like a bad sort.

    She frowned.  She’d fallen in that trap once before with Runeard.

--------

    “Erke, why can’t you be more like Runeard?” she asked her brother-in-law.  “He’s a strong leader.”

    “What makes him strong?” he gently countered.  “Is it because he’s charismatic?  Do you admire his ambition?  Or is it because he appears `civilized’ compared to us?”

    "I just think that there may be better ways to do things," she sighed. "And who knows?  Our two nations may become closer in time.  After all, Iduna seems quite taken with Prince Agnarr."

    He smiled. "I've noticed.  She's like Sunna, always following her heart." His smile faded, replaced by a furrowed brow.  "Agnarr is a good person, but I'm not certain that Runeard has shown all of himself."

    Yelana frowned.  "If Runeard means any harm, wouldn't the Spirits intervene?"

    "The Spirits trust our judgment.  They could intervene in every little injustice, but where would that leave us?" He shook his head.  "I think that they're waiting to see what happens. For good or ill, our choices are our own.  I think that they'd only act if they had no other choice.  And with the power they wield..." he trailed off uncertainly.

    "I'm sure that it won't come to that," she said, trying to sound reassuring.  "Look, I know that you're cautious of Runeard, but I think that this alliance will benefit all of us."

    "Perhaps," Erke allowed.  "I still think that the dam is a bit too...grand of a gesture.  And when I mention the Spirits, Runeard has an odd look in his eyes.”

    “Not everyone is as blessed as our people,” Yelana said.  “To have the Spirits on our side, helping us whenever possible—that’s a rare thing.”  She offered a reassuring smile.  “At least he’s not charging in with an army.”

    “I doubt that he’d be foolish enough to try,” he remarked.  “Still, once the dam is complete, we can try for further negotiations.  I’d like to show Runeard’s people that we aren’t the savages some think we are.”

    “Perhaps over a toast?” she suggested.  “I think it would be fitting.”

    Erke hummed in approval.  “A symbol of trust between equals?  That sounds like a wonderful idea."

    "We can celebrate once the dam is complete," she said.  "And maybe in a few years, Iduna and Agnarr..."

    He groaned theatrically.  "I don't want to think about that now.  He's 14 and she's 12, Yelana.  I do not want to force them into anything."

    "But they are cute together, aren't they?" she gently needled him. "The Wind Spirit likes them both."

    "Well, then...Runeard can't be that bad if his son's turned out well," he reasoned.

--------

    Yelana tightened her grip on her staff.  She had been such a trusting, naive fool.  She had talked her brother-in-law into that fateful toast, which led to Runeard's betrayal.  And the Spirits had reacted accordingly.

    Never again, she thought to herself.  We have paid enough for our mistakes.

    A gentle touch on her shoulder interrupted her thoughts.  There was only one person she would have allowed that contact.

    "Good morning, Yelana," Sunna said brightly. "You're brooding again."

    Yelana sighed.  "I'm just...checking up on a few things."

    She had to admit, Iduna's return had done wonders for Sunna's health.  In the three years since the Arendellian contingent had arrived, mother and daughter had reconnected through stories and long walks in the forest.  While Sunna wasn't the boundless font of energy she was in her youth, she could easily keep pace with everyone else when it came to the chores.

    Technically, Sunna could have resumed leadership from Yelana.  However, the former had demurred.  After all, blood was not the main requirement for leading the tribe.  Yelana had proven herself more than capable, even though she was the younger sister.  The tribe supported them both.  The most Sunna would interfere with Yelana's decisions would be to whisper a delicately-phrased suggestion.

    Iduna gave Sunna a reason to live again, Yelana sighed.  Another few years and I'd be alone. She gave me back my sister, not a hollow wreck.

    "Iduna and I are going to be gathering herbs," Sunna said.  "Is there anything that we should be looking out for?"

    Yelana ran through her mental inventory. Thankfully, the tribe was pretty healthy, but there was always the possibility of accidents.  Besides, the Arendellians were more than happy to take whatever herbal remedies were offered.

    "We could use some more spruce resin," Yelana said.  "You know how the boys can get."  She smirked at her little nickname for the Arendellian sailors.

    Sunna sighed.  "Give someone a staff and they can walk with it.  Give someone a sword and they feel the urge to stab." She shook her head.  "I have never liked swords, even before..."

    "I know," Yelana said gently.  For a moment, they were transported back to simpler times.  Both sisters in their prime had been fierce staff fighters, something that Erke had appreciated.  The moment passed.  "Iduna will be waiting outside.  You should get going."

    Sunna gently squeezed Yelana's shoulder.  There was an odd hesitation in her eyes. "I dreamt of snow last night," she blurted out.

    Yelana arched an eyebrow.  "Snow?  In July?" she asked dubiously.

    "It's the strangest thing," Sunna admitted. "It's not like when the Spirits communed with--with Erke," she got out awkwardly.  "I don't get visions, not like some of our ancestors. I'm just...ordinary."

    Yelana rolled her eyes.  "`Ordinary?'" she repeated.  "You are anything but ordinary."  She paused.  "Go on, Iduna's waiting.  She'll probably storm the camp soon."

--------

    "A vision of snow?" Iduna asked.  She'd knelt down to gather some herbs.  Her royal clothing had proved to be impractical for the long run, so she and Agnarr had some Northuldra clothing for day-to-day business.  Even Mattias reluctantly admitted the necessity of the change.  His soldiers and the sailors still wore uniforms, of course.

    They'd taken Honeymaren along for an extra pair of arms.  She was a good distance behind, allowing mother and daughter some privacy.

    Sunna nodded.  "It's probably nothing.  Maybe I was just hoping for a respite from the heat."

    "It's not that hot in the forest," Iduna reminded her.  "It's humid, but it doesn't get as warm as it would in...Arendelle..."  She trailed off as a wave of homesickness threatened to engulf her.  The irony that she was homesick while in the forest had not escaped her.

    Iduna relaxed as she felt her mother's gentle hand on her shoulder.  They'd certainly had their fair share of disagreements during their reconciliation, but it had only strengthened their bond in the end.

    There was, of course, one subject that was never really discussed:  Elsa's magic. She had kept that tidbit from everyone. There had been times when she had wanted to tell her mother, but it would have been futile.  Elsa and Anna were beyond their reach.

    "Calm down," Sunna urged her.  "It's the oddest thing.  Whenever I mention snow or ice, you have this distant look in your eyes.  It's been that way ever since you came back to me."  Her expression softened.  "You weren't caught in an avalanche or something, were you?"

    "No, I--"  Iduna shook her head.  She hated lying to her mother, even by omission.  But she wasn't sure how Elsa's magic would be received.  Magic was for the Spirits, after all.  Revealing Elsa's magic would most likely lead to Elsa either being worshipped as a goddess or shunned for blasphemy.  Neither outcome was terribly desirable.

    "It's just that...the girls loved snow so much," she half-lied.  "Some of the happiest times had to do with snow."

    Sunna eyed her skeptically.  She knew that something was being hidden, but she was kind enough not to pry.

    Iduna's heart ached.  She'd lost track of how many times she'd dreamed of being back in the castle.  Countless tears had been shed in the cabin she and Agnarr shared.  She just wanted to make things right again.  And the worst part was, she couldn't even tell her own mother.

    She barely registered her mother's gentle touch on her shoulder.  Iduna didn't dare to look back.

    "We have to believe," Sunna said gently.

    Iduna took a ragged breath.  "In what?"

    "That you will see them again," Sunna said. "That one day, we'll all see the sun."

--------

    Yelana sighed as she saw the glints of metal dancing in the sun.  Once again, the troops and sailors were having their morning workout.  And that meant...swords.

    Inwardly, she scowled at the word.  To her, a sword was a barbaric symbol of oppression.  The Northuldra had never needed them.  The staff was far less intimidating and no less deadly, if it came to that.  A staff was also far more readily available in the forest than a sword.

    Her scowl faded and she almost smiled.  For some reason, the Arendellian contingent was never able to make any fire hot enough to forge new swords.  All the swords they possessed were either already on their person or scavenged from their ship.  She wondered if the Fire Spirit had some influence in that.

    "Discipline and control," she heard Mattias call out to the assembled group.  "Any idiot can hold a sword and swing it.  It takes effort to use a sword properly."

    Yelana's right eye twitched.  Runeard had been excellent with a sword.  Then again, with a sneak attack, you only had to strike once.

    She remembered that Runeard had been proud of his Viking ancestors.  He'd made them sound like bold explorers and fearless warriors.  He'd conveniently left out the fact that they were raiders and despoilers, something he was most likely also proud of.  Runeard, like his ancestors, took what he wanted--though at least he had a thin veneer of civility before striking.

    She stood on a small hill that unofficially separated their two domains.  She gripped her staff tight as she watched the remaining soldiers and the sailors going through sword exercises.  They were using, she noted, wooden practice swords carved from fallen branches.  Then she saw Agnarr consulting with Mattias and Captain Hansen, pausing only to look in her direction and nod.

    Every day for three years, she and Agnarr would meet at this hill.  Heated words were exchanged, but no blows...yet.  She had to admit that he was an excellent negotiator, no doubt thanks to expensive tutors.  He always came alone, though well within sight of Mattias or Captain Hansen.

    She sighed as she saw him approaching.  She waited until they were facing each other before she put her staff down and sat on the grass.  Unarmed, he did likewise.

    Even though he'd been fair with his negotiations, there was something that had always bothered Yelana.  She knew that Agnarr was hiding something--something he refused to talk about even in the company of his own men.  If Agnarr truly wanted her full trust, he would have put everything out in the open.

    Agnarr sighed inwardly.  It had been three years of constant negotiation and at best, they had a ceasefire.  It was a fragile, tenuous thing, though younger members of the tribe had been less fearful of the sailors.  Some of the children were almost on friendly terms with the sailors, though not with the older soldiers.

    He wondered if Yelana could see the fear in his eyes whenever he thought about his daughters.  He didn't love Anna any less than Elsa, but Elsa's...issues...were a far more pressing concern.  Anna didn't have potentially destructive magic at her disposal.  But then, in trying to work with Elsa's powers, he found himself giving Anna less time than she deserved.

    He had so many regrets and no way to correct them. And he had to try to negotiate with someone who had mostly-good reasons to hate him.  He just couldn't accept that his father was a murderer, though.

--------

    Mattias eyed Yelana warily.  He had a clear view of anything that might have happened on the hill.

    "You still don't trust her?" Captain Hansen asked.  He'd gained a few grey hairs in the last few years, but he was still in seafaring shape. He had to be; he had an example to set for his sailors.

    Mattias shook his head.  "Not entirely."  He sighed heavily.  "At times like this, I wish I knew what King Runeard had been thinking."

    Captain Hansen nodded.  "It's too bad there's nobody we can ask."

    Mattias frowned.  Those who had been close advisors to King Runeard had either run from the mist or been killed.  He still remembered the almost fanatical zeal with which they tried to defend the king--but to no avail.  As the remaining officer, it was up to him.

    He ached to go home.  He'd found out from Captain Hansen and his sailors that Halima was still alive at her little sweet shop.  Oddly enough, she'd never married.  It was something he'd always put off for duty, that one day he'd kneel before her and...

    He shook his head.  He wasn't the only one who was homesick.  But until Agnarr had arrived, he'd had to serve as an example for his troops.  He'd had to stay strong and resolute, holding back the pain and the resentment.

    He had a better read on troop morale than Agnarr. Mattias knew that tensions were still high between the Arendellian contingent and the Northuldra tribe.  All it would take was one spark, one incident that couldn't be smoothed over, to set them against each other again.

--------

    The day had been long, and not without some results.  As much as Yelana's loathing had been a sticking point, some progress was made. And yet, there was always an unspoken secret that hung in the air between them.

    Agnarr noted with some satisfaction that a small group of Northuldra children were leaving the Arendellian camp.  They were flanked by Ryder and Honeymaren, who looked amused that they'd been saddled with this duty.

    "Did you have a good time?" Agnarr asked with no small amount of amusement."

    "The little ones wanted to taste some Arendellian food," Honeymaren said.  "Not that there's anything wrong with what we have; they were just curious."

    "Little steps, Honeymaren," Agnarr reassured her. "Little steps."

    She managed a small, crooked smile.  Then she urged her brother and the children to follow her back home.

    Mattias approached Agnarr and handed him a bowl of stew and a crudely carved spoon.  He accepted it gratefully.

    "How were the negotiations?" Mattias asked.

    "Same as ever," Agnarr sighed.  "I just can't figure out how to get past a certain point."

    "She's stubborn, that one," Mattias agreed. "I have to give her that. She wouldn't have been able to lead, otherwise."

    Agnarr said nothing.  He'd used just about everything he had and Yelana had only conceded minor items.  It was frustrating, but one day, there would be a tipping point.

    "The Queen's in the cabin," Mattias said, breaking Agnarr out of his reverie.  "You should get some rest."

    Agnarr nodded.  "Thank you, Mattias."

    Mattias watched his king move towards the cabin. Then he set about assigning which of his troops and the sailors would have night watch.  Not that he was expecting anything unusual, but odd things could happen on even the quietest of nights.

--------

    The Spirits felt a disturbance in the air.  It was a wave of power that was raw, uncontrolled and terrified.

    The Fifth Spirit's power had rushed out towards the misty barrier.  Snowflakes formed in the cool July night, seeping through the mist.  The barrier only worked on animals and people, not natural phenomena.

    Ahtohallan had intended Elsa to be the balance between the other Spirits.  In time, she would gain control and focus, enough to subdue another Spirit if necessary.

    The wave of magic that had created the snow looked deceptively gentle.  Each of the Spirits felt it as a resounding slap, weakening them.  It was by Ahtohallan's design, after all.

    Most of their strength had gone into maintaining the barrier.  None of them could venture outside the forest, weakened as they were.  Still, they had to protect the people within--even if they hadn't learned their lesson quite yet.

    The Water Spirit had managed to keep a few parts of the river from freezing, guaranteeing a fresh supply.  The Fire and Earth Spirits offered warmth where they could with bonfires near each camp.  The Wind Spirit mitigated the worst of the cutting, icy gusts.

    The Spirits could tend to physical needs. The mental states of the people on both sides were beyond their ability to influence.  They had always been happy to help people, but they had never asked for the worship that the Northuldra offered.

    All they could do was hope that their efforts were enough.  It was simply a matter of weathering the storm.

--------

    Mattias and Captain Hansen looked aghast as the snow fell.  It was impossible, but it was actually snowing in July.  There was only one explanation:  Magic.

    Mattias felt a snowflake drift into his hand.  It melted as he clenched it into a fist, his features twisting into a scowl.

    "What have they done?" he growled.

--------

    For a moment, Yelana and Sunna were at a loss. Most of the tribe hadn't seen snow for years.  For most of them, the wonder and amazement gave way to chills and fear.

    Yelana gripped her staff tightly.  Obviously, the Spirits had been offended.

    "What have they done?" she growled.

--------

    Both Agnarr and Iduna had burst out of their cabin when they heard the shouting.  They'd been getting ready for bed when they felt the chill in the air.

    "What's going...on...?"  He trailed off as his breath fogged.  His jaw dropped as the snow fell.  "No..." he whispered.

    "No..." Iduna echoed, her blue eyes filling with tears. "Agnarr, it's--"

    "I know," he whispered.  It was the day that they'd dreaded for years:

    Elsa had somehow lost control of her powers. Now, the world was going to pay the price.

--------

    It was thanks to good planning and quick action that neither side had suffered any sickness from the sudden snowfall. Winter clothes were brought out from storage and extra firewood was gathered.  

    The tension between the groups was at an all-time high.  Fingers were twitching for action and tempers were flaring.  The men in the Arendelle camp were murmuring dangerous things.

    "Can't believe that they'd do this."

    "What are they thinking?"

    "What did we do wrong?"

    "Three years of living together and now this!"

    "I trusted them!"

    "Goes to show that you just can't trust magic!"

    Captain Hansen and Mattias toured the camp.  They frowned at the understandably low morale. They found Agnarr and Iduna urging the soldiers and sailors to stay warm, even if it meant condensing the perimeter.

    Mattias could see the dread in Agnarr and Iduna's eyes. They knew something, but it wasn't his place to question his king and queen.

--------

    The Northuldra camp wasn't in much better shape. They, too, had gathered their huts and campfires closer together to keep warm.  The murmurs floated towards Yelana's ears.

    "They obviously offended the Spirits somehow."

    "You mean that this wasn't our fault?"

    "Of course not!  We follow the ways of nature!  We are the chosen ones!"

    "Then this is a sign from the Spirits?  Are we finally done with Arendelle?"

    The chatter stopped as soon as Sunna approached the group.  Her normally kindly features were pinched in disapproval.  More than one member of the tribe straightened up.  She may have relinquished her leadership to Yelana, but she still carried herself as a leader.

    "You would think of waging war against my daughter?" she asked in a low, dangerous tone.  "Have we become so hardened that we would be willing to kill our own?"

    "She's no longer--" a man spoke up, only to be cut off by Sunna's sharp blue eyes.  He gulped and swallowed his words.

    Sunna frowned and her gaze swept over the assembled tribe.  Many of the men squirmed.  The women found that they couldn't meet her gaze.

    "The Spirits have never called us to war," Sunna said levelly.  "Our way is to live in peace and defend ourselves when necessary, not to strike because we believe ourselves to be superior."

    "This is obviously a sign from the Spirits!" a woman protested.  "We must do something!"

    Sunna fixed her with a solemn, almost chiding look. "Do you speak for the Spirits?"

    The woman realized that, despite the cold, people had edged away from her.  She looked away in shame.

    "No," she croaked out.

    Sunna's gaze softened as she gently laid a hand on the woman's shoulder.  The woman flinched slightly at the contact.

    "I understand that you are afraid," Sunna said, her voice gentle and warm.  "But we cannot let fear twist what we are as a people:  Peace-loving, understanding and kind."

    There was a tap of wood on stone as Yelana made herself known.  Her expression was stern, as if ready to scold a child.

    "We should follow Sunna's example," Yelana declared.  "She has lost the most, yet she still believes in the peaceful ways."

    There was a murmur of agreement.  The tension defused for the moment, the tribe went on to more important matters like campfires and the state of the reindeer herd.

    Sunna and Yelana walked just out of sight, out of earshot.  Judging by the older sister's look of disapproval, Sunna was not happy that Yelana had been absent until now.

    "You should have been the one to calm them down."  She was justifiably angry, but kept it under control.  "Where were you?"

    Yelana frowned deeply.  "I was making sure that nobody was taking advantage of this...storm.  We are vulnerable in this snow."

    "I doubt that they could sneak up on us in an open field," Sunna remarked.  She sighed deeply.  "You've carried this anger for decades and I am to blame.  It's like comfortable, worn leather.  It's rough at first, but you grow used to it--until you can't imagine a day without that anger."

    "What should I do, o wise leader?" Yelana snapped back.  "You put this burden in my hands, remember?  What advice could you offer me now, after years of mourning?"

    "One day, I hope that you take this anger and let it go," Sunna said.  "This has poisoned you, and with it, the tribe.  What good is fighting if you lose sight of why?"

    "Agnarr's responsible for this," Yelana muttered. "I can feel it.  He's hiding something."

    "And you are always upfront and honest?" That was Sunna's "older sister" voice, the one she used to drive home a lesson.  "You never told him that you once believed Runeard."

    "That is my shame to bear.  He never has to know."

    Sunna tilted her head slightly.  "Is this for his sake, or your pride?"

    Yelana found that she couldn't look her sister in the eye.  Sunna had every reason to cry out for blood, yet still sought peace.  Her older sister would have been a better leader, but she'd declined.  Sunna trusted her.

    Sunna sighed a frosty plume between them.  She decided to change the subject.  "In any case, I doubt that his people are in much better shape than ours.  They haven't exactly been stockpiling on supplies."

    "Are you suggesting that we share with them? Right now?  When they could--"

    "It was just an observation," Sunna said quietly.  She turned back towards the camp.  "What good is the bounty of the forest if it is hoarded?"

    Yelana said nothing for a long moment.  Then she nodded, admitting defeat.

    "I will meet with him," Yelana said at last. "If getting through this together is what is required, then I...shall do whatever it takes."

    Sunna smiled benignly.  It was enough.

--------

    It was midday when Yelana and Agnarr met at their usual place.  They were both flanked by people close to them.  Agnarr had Iduna, with Mattias and Captain Hansen at their side.  Yelana had Honeymaren and Ryder while Sunna waited patiently.  This in itself showed how tense things had become.

    "Interesting weather we've been having," Yelana said acerbically.  "I don't suppose that you know the reason for it?"

    "I know that neither of our groups is responsible for this winter," Agnarr said carefully.  "My people have done our best to abide by the rules and customs we've learned."

    "And you don't think that the Northuldra are responsible?" Yelana offered.  "We are, after all, savages who worship magic," she finished acidly. "We might have convinced the Spirits that everyone from Arendelle deserved to be frozen."

    "I've explained it to everyone, Aunt Yelana," Iduna said, her breath forming a frosty plume.  "They all know that we commune with nature and magic--but we don't control either.  And we certainly don't control the Spirits.  They do as they will."

    Yelana's eyes flicked from Agnarr to Iduna.  She felt Sunna's reassuring hand on her shoulder. Everything rode on her next few words.

    "Oddly enough, I believe you," Yelana said. "If you were in control of this...odd winter...you would hardly freeze yourselves with us.  Like it or not, we are trapped together."

    "The best option is to pool our resources," Iduna suggested.  "Firewood and food can be shared and we'll have a better chance of surviving together."

    "Yes, that seems to be where we're headed," Yelana agreed reluctantly.  "We have little choice, after all.  Though it calls into question whether we had any choice at all."

    "Of course we do," Sunna insisted. "Our choices always matter, whether we think so or not."

    Agnarr nodded.  "Whatever station we hold in life, it all matters."

    "Such hopeful words in a seemingly hopeless situation," Yelana remarked.  "Especially since the greater picture has not been addressed.  Or were you planning to pray our way through the mist?"

    "Sister..."  Sunna frowned a warning, but it was too late.

    Agnarr took a deep breath.  Things were tense enough already without him adding to it. But there were several questions that had never been answered to his satisfaction.

    “That's an interesting viewpoint," he began. "I have a question of my own: Why were your tribe and the men were trapped for so long?” Agnarr said.  “If it were merely a matter of protection, the Spirits could have just forced the troops out.”  He thought for a moment.  “In fact, given their kind nature, they could have done it without harming a single person.”

    “Only Ahtohallan knows,” Yelana said sagely. “If there were a better way, I am certain that the Spirits would have chosen that path.  It is not for we humans to question the will of nature and the Spirits.”

    Agnarr bit back a scathing response.  His faith in religion and spirituality had diminished significantly since Elsa’s birth.  After all, there were those who still subscribed to the old saying, “suffer not a witch to live.”  And he would do anything to protect his family.

    Furthermore, it almost seemed hypocritical of Yelana to imply that the Spirits could be convinced to harm people, then go back to a "who knows" sort of explanation.  It honestly rankled him when people used faith as a way to dodge responsibility--or, at least, a straight answer.

    "So, for the time being, can we agree to share resources?" Agnarr asked.  He had to get things back on track.  "It seems to be our best option."

    "Of course," she agreed.  "It's better to keep warm together than to freeze separately."  She held up a finger.  "But there is something I would ask of you...in private."  She eyed her entourage.

    Honeymaren, Ryder and Sunna reluctantly withdrew. Agnarr nodded and Iduna, Captain Hansen and Mattias did the same.

    "There is something you are not telling me," Yelana said with a scowl.  "You are hiding something from me."

    Agnarr clenched his jaw.  He forced himself to breathe, to try to keep calm.  "This is not something I can tell anyone."

    Yelana's scowl deepened.  "It is not a matter of `cannot.'  You simply will not.  Even after three years of living together and trying to build bridges, you still do not trust me."

    As if you have trusted me fully? the dangerous thought slipped into his mind, but not from his tongue.  Voicing that would have only enflamed matters further.

    "Even if I could tell you, it would do no good. Trapped within this forest, it is out of our control," he said flatly.

    Yelana stared at him in disbelief.  "You know exactly what is causing this winter."

    Agnarr said nothing.  That in itself confirmed her suspicions.

    "It is someone or something in Arendelle that is causing this winter."  Yelana's eyes sharpened.  "Who or what is doing this?  And why?"

    Agnarr clenched his jaw.  "I cannot answer that question.  There are promises that I must keep."

    "`Promises?'" Yelana almost spat out.  "You honor promises to Arendelle, but not to my people."  She kept her voice low, but it took on a dangerous tone.  It was deliberate, so as not to draw attention to her entourage. "Arendelle has brought almost nothing but pain to the Northuldra," she declared.  "Ever since your father had that dam built, there has only been misfortune."

    "Well, if the dam is the issue, why haven't the Spirits done something about it?" Agnarr asked, trying to keep his voice from growing harsh.  "They could have easily destroyed the dam.  Why haven't they?"

    "I am not one to question the will of the Spirits," Yelana said in a low, dangerous voice.  "You do not know your place, boy."  She paused.  "Or are you more like your father than I thought?  He thought that a crown gave him total authority."

    "It didn't stop him from dying," he retorted.

    "We have suffered more than you have."

    He clenched his jaw.  "Who suffers more if we keep this grudge going?  This isn't a contest, Yelana.  Both our people are suffering and we need to address it in the here and now."

    "And we will," she promised.  "But don't expect me to ever agree to things blindly, boy.  You still haven't earned my full trust."

    The discussion ended, she got up and called for her entourage.  Sunna looked especially concerned, but nobody in the Northuldra group said anything.

    Iduna was the first to reach him.  She noted his drained expression and gestured for Mattias and Captain Hansen to wait.

    "What happened?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.  "I thought that it was going well."

    "She knew that I knew the source of this winter," he replied.  "I couldn't tell her, Iduna.  I just--I just couldn't.  If she knew--who knows what she would do?"

    She tightened her grip on his gloved hand. She wished that she had an answer.

--------

    The unnatural winter had vanished on the third day. Most of the tribe and the Arendellian contingent had cheered as the snow evaporated.  The only thing missing was the sun to warm their bones.

    In private, Agnarr and Iduna wondered what had happened to Elsa.  They hoped that the end of the unnatural winter meant that she'd gained control of her powers.  The only other option was that Elsa was forever lost to them.  There was no way of knowing, and that had made it more painful.

    The frost, however, had set in between Agnarr and Yelana.  Their daily negotiations were short, only dealing with concrete and tangible issues. The time for philosophical exchange had passed.

    Despite Sunna's and Iduna's best efforts, relations between the tribe and the Arendellian contingent had become stiff and formal.  Even Iduna's visits to her mother were enough to cause tension.

    Three years of reaching out had evaporated in three days.  Three more years passed under this oppressively neutral atmosphere.  There were hints of regret on both sides, but nobody knew how to breach the walls that had been built.

    Then, the sun briefly showed itself.  It was as if the misty barrier had parted, just for a moment.  That hadn't gone unnoticed by either side.

--------

    "I shall go with the scouting party," Yelana insisted.  "It's probably nothing, but it's best that you stay here."

    "All right," Sunna agreed reluctantly. "Be careful."

--------

    "Mattias, take a small scouting party to see what's going on," Agnarr commanded.  "Do not engage unless someone attacks you first.  The important thing is to get the information back to us."

    "Yes, my king," Mattias nodded.

--------

    Anna was worried.  She'd never seen Elsa so obsessed before.  And the fact that Elsa had been keeping secrets from her hadn't been helping, either.  She was still trying to catch her breath after the whirlwind that was the Wind Spirit nearly killed them.

    (Well, all right, the Spirit--"Gale," Olaf had named it--seemed friendly enough now, dancing leaves and all.  But she was keeping an eye on it.)

    Right now, all the noise in the forest just seemed to be out to get her.  She'd been camping with Kristoff before, but she'd never felt so overwhelmed at all the noise.  As such, she was understandably on edge when she grabbed an ice sword and sliced through some branches.

    The Northuldran scouting party had their staves at the ready.  They were in no mood for intruders.

    "Lower your weapon," Honeymaren said in a low voice.  She brandished her staff, ready to disarm Anna if the situation called for it.

    The situation was only exacerbated by the clang of swords on shields.  The Arendellian scouting party had intervened--not so much to rescue the group as to get information.

    "Identify yourselves!" Mattias shouted.

    Yelana strode purposefully towards Mattias. "Are you threatening my people, Lieutenant?"

    "Do you have a problem with the terms we've agreed to?" he countered.

    Anna eyed the two sides warily.  Her body was a coiled spring, ready to strike at anyone who got close.  She wasn't sure if the ice sword she'd commandeered would actually hold up, but it was sharp, pointy and intimidating.

    Yelana frowned.  "So, you're here too?" she asked sourly.  Her frown deepened as she saw Anna defending Elsa. Something about the two women reminded her of the stories that Iduna told them.  After all, platinum-blonde hair was a rare shade on anyone.  That bought them some leeway, but she would not tolerate a sword brandished at her.

    "Girl, I don't know how you entered this forest, but I will not be held at sword point."  Her tone became colder.  "Put.  It. Down."

    That didn't disarm the situation.  In fact, Anna was even more tense. "No."

    "This isn't helping," Elsa whispered. "I appreciate this, but maybe I should talk--"

    "I'd listen to her if I were you, girl," Mattias said grudgingly.  "I hate to admit it, but that overgrown stick of hers isn't just for show."

    Anna felt Kristoff take a step behind her.  He didn't grab the sword from her hand, nor did he try to push her out of the way.  He was just there, supporting her without saying a word.

    Anna managed a little smile.  There were times when those little gestures of his were worth more than any flowery words.

    Then both groups charged, intent on taking Anna's sword.  Anna prepared herself for a fight.

    "ENOUGH!" Elsa exclaimed, a blast of her power coating the ground with ice.  Both groups slipped and fell in awkward heaps.

    Mattias struggled to pick himself up.  He gaped at the assembled group.

    "That was magic," he whispered, flabbergasted. "Did you see that?" he asked Yelana.

    Yelana blinked.  Then a ghost of a smirk appeared on her face.

    "Well," she began.  "That does explain a few things."  She managed to right herself and turned her gaze to Elsa. "So you're the reason for that winter in July."

    Elsa blinked.  "Wait, you know about--"

    Then Olaf decided to make his appearance. Both groups stared in awe as the little snowman dramatically recounted the sisters' story.

    (Yelana found it darkly amusing that Mattias was such a softy at heart.  She made a note to remind him of this at the most inconvenient time.)

    With a gesture, Elsa melted the ice.  She looked a bit aggrieved at Olaf's overly-simplified, yet oddly charming retelling.  Anna looked mortified.  Kristoff, for his part, just kept near Anna, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

    Thankfully, the introductions were less dramatic than the initial meeting.  Curiosity had overcome wariness.  That, and Olaf's presence had lightened things considerably.

    "Queen Elsa and Princess Anna," Yelana said, a little smirk forming on her face.  "I should have known; you have much of your mother in you--including her stubborn streak."  She looked pointedly at the ice sword.

    With a nervous chuckle, Anna gently put down the sword.  "Yeah, I guess I don't need that anymore, do I?"  She paused.  "Wait, you knew our mother?"

    Yelana was trying very hard not to laugh at Anna's use of the past tense.  Even though her relationship with Iduna had more than a bit of friction, there were some moments that she just didn't want to spoil.

    "My niece," Yelana said.  "Which makes you two my grand nieces, I suppose." She looked at Mattias with undisguised, malicious glee.  "But the good Lieutenant has something to show you."

    Mattias didn't quite grimace at having been saddled with the responsibility.  Still, the girls deserved to know.  The best way was to show them.

    Anna and Elsa were understandably curious as they made their way to the dam.  They were amazed that the Arendellian camp was so populated--though they didn't know that most of them were from the royal yacht.  Any murmurs were quickly silenced by a glare from Mattias, which promised swift retribution if the surprise was spoiled.

    They reached the cabin and Mattias urged them to wait outside.  The sisters could see figures inside, but they couldn't make out anything.

    "Your Majesties?" Mattias asked softly.

    "What is it?" Agnarr asked.  "Did you find what was causing the disturbance in the forest?"

    Iduna caught the light of mischief in the old Lieutenant's eyes.  She wondered what he had found.

    "I have," Mattias admitted.  "You may want to sit down, though."  He thought about it for a moment.  "Or not.  Maybe just come outside, please.  We have...visitors.  From outside the forest."

    "How is that--?"  Agnarr began, but Mattias held a finger to his lips.

    "Please, Your Majesties," he urged them. "You've both waited a very long time for this."

    Agnarr and Iduna shared a questioning look. Mattias wasn't usually this dramatic.

    "Lieutenant?" Anna asked from outside.  "Is everything all right?"

    Both parents' jaws dropped.  Iduna's eyes started tearing up as she trembled. Agnarr wasn't much better off.

    Mattias smiled and stepped aside.

    "King Agnarr?  Queen Iduna?  I believe that you know these two young ladies."

    As one, the color drained out of every member of the royal family.  They gaped at the impossible sight of each other.

    "Mama?" Anna squeaked.  Her voice cracked as her lips quivered, tears forming in her eyes.

    "Father?" Elsa asked hesitantly.  She, too, had tears in her eyes.  "How--?"

    "Elsa?  Anna?" Those were the only shaky words that Agnarr could get out.  His kingly demeanor had evaporated.

    Iduna's hands flew to her mouth as the tears flowed. "My babies..." she whispered. "Oh, my girls, how did you--?" She stopped trying to talk and just opened her arms wide.

    Anna dashed forward and hugged Iduna tight. After a moment's hesitation, Elsa joined her.  Soon after that, Agnarr completed the group hug, kissing both daughters on their foreheads.

    For moments, there was nothing but the quiet sobbing from all members of the royal family.  Mattias had backed off a little to give them some room.

    Slowly, reluctantly, the parents released their daughters.  Agnarr took in a ragged breath as he realized something:  Elsa had allowed him to hold her, something she hadn't done since she was 12.

    "We thought we'd lost you three years ago," Iduna said.  "We had three days of snow in July and then...it was gone."

    "It's a very long story," Elsa told her. "I--"

    "Ooh!" Olaf exclaimed, popping out from behind Kristoff and Sven.  "Does this mean that I can tell the story again?"

    Iduna squeaked and kicked off Olaf's head. Kristoff caught that part of the snowman and immediately had a sense of deja vu.

    Olaf's head shook itself.  "Yup, Anna, she's definitely your mother!"

    Kristoff sighed and reunited Olaf's head with the rest of his body.  "There you go," he said, straightening out Olaf so that he was facing forward.

    Agnarr's jaw actually dropped.  He turned towards Elsa to try to make sense of things.

    "Did you...?" he began.

    "I made him," Elsa confirmed.

    "`Made' or were there...other circumstances?" His usually tactful vocabulary seemed to have been out of reach at the moment.

    Elsa flushed at the implications. "Father--no, just...he's from my magic.  There wasn't anybody--just no."

    "I guess I'm kind of like your grandson," Olaf noted.  Then he smiled.  "Anyway, I am Olaf and I like warm hugs!  So, can I call you grandma and grandpa?"

    "Take it easy, Olaf," Anna said gently. "Remember what we said about people taking their time getting to know you?"

    "But if they're your parents, then they're my family too, right?"

    Both Anna and Elsa chuckled nervously.  Iduna, however, seemed to find it endearing. She knelt down and offered him a quick embrace.  Agnarr, for his part, knelt down and gently patted him on the back.

    "Not exactly the grandson I was hoping for," he remarked.  "But you seem like a decent sort."  He stood up and noticed Kristoff and Sven.  "And whom might you two be?"

    Anna was quick to intervene; she recognized the "reindeer in the lamplight" look that Kristoff had whenever he had to introduce himself.  Introducing himself to King Agnarr was especially intimidating.

    "Papa, this is Kristoff Bjorgman, Ice Master and Deliverer," Anna said enthusiastically.  "And this is his reindeer friend Sven.  Three years ago, they helped save my life and, well...Elsa knighted him in gratitude.  So, I guess I should have started off with `Sir' Kristoff Bjorgman."

    "We're meeting your parents," he muttered. "I don't believe this."

    Anna patted him on the shoulder.  "It's going to be okay," she whispered.

    Both parents noted the byplay.  Silently they agreed to talk to the young man to find out what was going on.

    "Pleasure to meet you, Sir Kristoff," Agnarr said, extending his hand.  He was duly impressed by the honest, firm handshake that Kristoff gave him.

    Anna was almost vibrating with enthusiasm.  Her father and boyfriend were already getting along so well!  She didn't seem to notice that Kristoff seemed prepared to be executed on the spot.

    "I think we should go inside the cabin," Iduna said.  "From the looks of it, we both have tales to tell."

    Elsa and Anna nodded.  Before they could go further, Anna raised her finger.

    "Before we do, could we have another group hug?" Anna asked as she sniffled.  "Because I really, really missed that."

    Agnarr and Iduna were more than happy to oblige. For the moment, their stories could wait.  Right now, however it had happened, all was found.

#frozen #frozen 2 #king agnarr #queen iduna #elsa #anna #agduna #northuldra

[celticat21]

🎭 for all of your ocs?

@poetic-emptiness-fanfic Thanks for the ask!

🎭 - Does your OC show different sides of themselves to different people?

I think its fair to say we all kind of do, but I get the gist of it! And needless to say everyones partners see a very different side of them than anyone else.

Alessa: Yes, she does. She pretty much mastered the art of mimicking the behavior to the person. She is very in tune with what people find more acceptable and will adapt accordingly. This was mostly a strategy to keep her parents happy until she moved out, and she still uses it with new people she meets. If she acts almost completely different around you than she does to her friends, then she is not comfortable around you yet.

Tabitha: Not really, she’s pretty much the same all around. Although, in all honesty when meeting someone like Nadia she will try to contain herself to match her composure just a tad bit more. 

Freya: She is similar to Tabitha in she is the same with almost everyone. She might change slightly, based on what she knows about you and appropriate topics to talk about, but other than that she doesn’t have the time or care to switch sides of herself. 

Winona: They are the same to everyone except for the courtiers. In all honesty, even around Nadia and her family, they just are who they are, but the courtiers weird them out so they pretty much don’t talk and even are more judgmental toward them. This leads them to being more aloof and generally snippy, which is a big surprise to everyone. Hence, they avoid the courtiers best they can. Although, if they were to meet each one by themself they would be less hostile. I believe it just the idea of being embarrassed in front of all of them that makes them behave so differently.

Zira: Remember when I said my apprentices partners see a different side no one else will? Thats no entirely true for Zira. If she is comfortable enough around you, or most of the people in the room, she will talk about anything, and I mean anything. She couldn’t care less. Now, when meeting new people she is more reserved, and if someone is uncomfortable by her remarks she will stop. She is very respectful of boundaries. Being in line to be Duchess in her world she is very good at diplomacy, and can be surprisingly regal. Even when behaving in a more diplomatic manner, she is still excellent at putting people in their place and giving backhanded compliments. Valerius found that out the hard way.

Katarina: They definitely worry a bit too much about what people think about them. and only show certain sides to certain people. Although, their creative side they show to everyone. They just try to control themself and their excitement a little more around certain people aka: people they feel most judged by. Those who know them real well, though, see them when they are fun-loving, care free, and relaxed. 

#Asks #Alessa #Tabitha #Freya #Winona #Zira #Katarina

[basicsofislam]

ISLAM 101: Muslim Culture and Character: Morals And Manners: Buildinf Good Character

The topic of this book, “adab in practice,” is part of the larger concept of akhlaq, that is, morality. In fact, from one perspective, adab in practice is fundamentally practical morality and ethics. Therefore, the essence of these concepts will be explained first, beginning with a short introduction to akhlaq, and only after this will adab in practice be returned to.

Akhlaq, the plural of khuluq in Arabic, means the character and temperament of a person. The temperament of a person brings either good or harmful things. In the broadest aspect morality means that there is a moral character, that is, morality becomes deeply ingrained in the soul and as a consequence right actions and behavior come naturally and easily from within; then, the per- son with such a character no longer has to struggle intellectually to know what ethical choices to make.

Human characteristics can generally be divided into those that society approves of and those that we disapprove of. Decency, hu- mility, and kindness are traits that are seen in a positive light, while arrogance, deceit, and miserliness are generally perceived as negative human characteristics. To recognize these characteristics and their attendant traits is to understand what is meant here by the phrase “moral character.” Nawwas ibn Saman once asked the Prophet how to recognize the difference between goodness and sin. The Prophet answered, “Goodness is good moral character. Sin is anything that pricks one’s conscience, and which one does not want others to know about.”1 Another narration from Jabir re- ports that the Messenger said, “The most beloved to me among you and the ones who will be closest to me on the Day of Judgment are the best in moral character. And they who are most loathsome to me and will be farthest from me on the Day of Judgment are those who gossip, those with unbridled tongues, and those who condescend.” When they asked him, “O Messenger of God! Who are those who condescend?” he replied, “They are those who are arrogant.”2

Ethics, which is the study or science of morals, can be divided into the theoretical and the practical. While theoretical morality is concerned with those concepts that constitute the principles and rules of morality, practical morality is concerned with the duties that constitute the basis of a moral life. As reported by the Prophet, “God looks not at your outward appearances, nor at your wealth or belongings. God looks only at your hearts and your deeds.”3 For this reason, here we will be mainly concerned with the practical side of morality, and as mentioned above, the pur- pose of this book is to explore adab in practice. At this point, with a view to clarifying the meaning of human responsibility, let us take a closer look at the concept of duty, which is pivotal to devel- oping a good character with adab.

THE NATURE AND TYPES OF DUTY

Duty is the moral responsibility of a person who has reached pu- berty when they have been asked to do something good or help- ful. Accordingly, Islamically there are two types of duty. One is the obligatory (fard) group of duties, that is, those the perfor- mance of which is binding and the abandonment of which is for- bidden. For example, performing daily prayers, fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, and offering prescribed purifying alms fall into this category. The other type of duty is that which, al- though not obligatory, is encouraged or desirable; it is these du- ties that religion presents as being inherent parts of a good moral character. To observe these duties on top of the obligatory ones shows greater spiritual maturity and is worthy of Divine reward; the observation of them pleases God. To neglect such duties would be a shortcoming. An example of this type of duty would be the giving of money or goods to those in need (sadaqa), over and above the prescribed purifying alms (zakat), and generally being kind and polite to everyone.

Duties can further be classified as those fulfilled in the cause of God, or for the benefit of the individual, family, or even soci- ety. From this perspective, duties can be divided into different sorts—divine, familial, and social duties. Let us more closely ex- amine these categories.

Divinely-Ordained Duties

It is incumbent upon every person who has come of age and who is in possession of all their mental faculties that they recognize and worship God. For a human there can be no greater blessing or honor than this servitude to God. One worships God by willingly and gratefully performing acts of worship, such as daily prayers, fasting, charity, and such other commitments that require both physical and financial abilities, like the pilgrimage to Mecca. In ad- dition to these duties that pertain to the personal practice of Islam, safeguarding and defending one’s homeland is also a sacred duty.

Another very important divine duty is to struggle against one’s own evil-commanding soul. Those who cannot discipline their ego or self through moral education will not be able to help themselves, let alone society. Believers, both as individuals and members of soci- ety, need to exert themselves to strive in the way of God in all their actions at all moments of life. This is what Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, meant when he said, “We are re- turning from the lesser jihad (struggle) to the greater,” while he was returning to Medina from the Campaign of Tabuk.4 Emphasizing that they were returning from “the lesser struggle to the greater,” the Prophet directed his Community to this “greater struggle” that is waged against one’s carnal self at all moments of life.

Being this comprehensive in nature, jihad includes every ac- tion, from the simplest act of speaking to remaining silent or per- forming supererogatory acts of worship, such as extra prayers, worship and fasting to attain the good pleasure of God. Likewise, to enlighten our hearts we can read the Qur’an, or to increase the light of our faith we can continually remember and reflect on the Divine Attributes of our Almighty Creator that are manifest all around us.

Individual Duties

Each person has some duties toward their own self as well. Some of these pertain to the body, and some to the spirit. The following are the main duties that fall into this category:

Training the body: For everyone it is crucial that the body be kept strong and clean. Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “A strong and vigorous be- liever is better than a frail and weak one.”5

Caring for one’s health: Health is a great blessing; there- fore, it is vital to avoid things that may damage one’s health and to seek treatment when one is ill.

Refraining from dangerous practices of abstinence or self- denial practiced in the name of spiritual discipline.

Guarding against things that wear down and age the body.

Strengthening willpower: A person needs to develop healthy self-control. This involves learning what is good for the body and partaking of it, as well as finding out what is harmful and avoiding it.

Duties relating to the mind and intellect, such as pursuing learning and enlightenment, awakening higher emotions and positive feelings in the heart, and honing one’s talents and skills.

Family Duties

The family is the very foundation of a healthy society. Each mem- ber of the family must accept some responsibility for the others in the family. Some of the primary duties of a husband, for instance, are to behave kindly toward his wife, to meet her basic needs, and to be loyal to her. A narration of the Prophet says, “The best of you is he who is the best to his wife.”6 A wife who is happy with her spouse will support her husband’s decisions, as long as they do not conflict with religious directives and contribute to protecting the family honor and property. All these are pivotal to happiness in marital relations and to a happy family.

Parents in such an atmosphere commit themselves to nurtur- ing, educating and training their children to the best of their ability, setting them on the path to success in life. Fathers and mothers should treat their children equally, holding them in equal regard and affection. They should be gentle towards their offspring, and raise them in such a way that they will not be inclined to rebel. Parents also have the duty to be models of virtue for their children.

Respect and obedience are, in turn, some of the basic duties of children towards parents who have brought them up according to the principles set out above and with love and compassion, feeding and caring for them. This is why children should not show displeasure or impatience with their parents. A son or daughter who ignores the wishes of their parents and does not heed them nor come to their assistance if they are in need is not a source of blessing for the parents. Such a person not only is not a useful member of society, but will also stand before God as one who is guilty of shirking their duty.

Likewise, siblings have duties toward one another, such as showing affection and compassion for each other, as well as help- ing and respecting each other. There is a very strong bond be- tween brothers and sisters and this should be maintained at all times. Brothers and sisters who cut their ties with one another over finances or property disagreements cannot be considered to be blessed or benevolent. Finally, if a household has hired help, this helper also must be treated as part of the family. They deserve kindness and gentle treatment and should never be overloaded with work that is too difficult for them to carry out.

Social Duties

Human beings have been created as social beings, and as such they live in social groups and have formed civilizations. Socializing is one of our basic needs, and social life involves certain expectations between people. When these are disregarded, society breaks down and people can no longer coexist peacefully or work together. The main responsibilities in this category are the preservation of the following inalienable rights:

Protecting the life of every individual: Every person has the right to life. No one has the right to take another person’s life. According to Islam, one who wrongfully kills a per- son is as guilty as if they have murdered all of humanity; likewise, one who saves one person’s life is as blessed as if they have saved all of humanity.

Safeguarding the freedom of all people: God Almighty cre- ated every human being free and equal. At the same time, it is certain that this freedom has boundaries. We do not have the prerogative to do anything we want; if we had such freedom this would violate the freedoms of others.

The consideration of conscience: When a person has a well- functioning conscience, this allows them to differentiate between good and bad. The value of such a conscience can be better understood if one observes outward consequenc- es. A person who engages in incorrect behavior cannot be said to have a functioning conscience. Islam assigns great importance to having a conscience that helps one to be concerned for the happiness and guidance of all humanity.

To this end, it encourages pity towards those who have a faulty conscience, and tries to bring them to the right way. One can never try to control or rule another person’s con- science; this is the province of God alone. Each person will be rewarded or punished for what is in their con- science. However, this does not mean it is wrong to ad- monish or advise a person who has a bad conscience, if the idea is to help the person.

Protecting freedom of mind: Any thought or opinion, right or wrong, must be approached in a scholarly man- ner. This is the only way for a truth to be discovered, and it is also the only way for society to prove the harmfulness of false ideas.

Protecting the honor and reputation of individuals: In Islam, everyone has the right to maintain their honor and dignity. Any attack against honor or dignity, we have been taught, will be gravely punished. It is for this reason that gossip, slander, ridicule, the cursing of others and saying negative things about others are absolutely forbidden in Islam.

The preservation of other people’s property: It is also for- bidden to usurp the property or possessions of any other person. What is earned by a person belongs strictly to that person. This is essential for the development of a civilized society. It is reasonable and necessary that the individuals who make up a society will have different degrees of wealth, according to their profession and training. In a fair and equitable society all should be grateful for and sat- isfied with their own portion.

#allah #god #islam #muslim #quran #revert #convert #convert islam #revert islam #reverthelp #revert help #revert help team #help #islamhelp #converthelp #prayer #salah #muslimah #reminder #pray #dua #hijab #religion #mohammad #new muslim #new revert #new convert #how to convert to islam #convert to islam #welcome to islam

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Marriage of Convenience - Chapter 3

Happy Fili Friday everyone! Here’s chapter 3! Leave me a comment with your thoughts!

Summary:

Fili's sick of courtship challenges and takes a chance to get to Dale, only to give Sigrid a bit of a helping hand and then a gift.

Midsummer Festival is here, including a swordsmanship competition.

A little flirting ensues.

Notes:

Mention of attempted assault (nothing graphic). Please read accordingly.

Chapter 3

Another dwarrowdam fell to Dwalin’s superior skill. How many was this now? Six? Seven? Fili didn’t feel like keeping count. It didn’t help that Kili thought the entire situation was hilarious and took every moment he had reminding Fili of that. So, when Thorin asked for one of them to go to Dale to check on the progress for the midsummer festival the Men were holding, Fili volunteered with enthusiasm.

Anything to get him away from courtship trials and the doe eyes his brother kept casting at the ever-present she-elf. He had nothing against her, but the lovey-dovey gooey romantic nonsense was driving him insane.

Knowing Sigrid was involved in the planning, Fili entered Dale with the intention of going straight to her home. After stabling his pony and asking directions, he set off toward the center of town. As he walked, he heard snippets of gossip. He’d been around Nori too much, he thought even as he eavesdropped on the two women walking in front of him as unobtrusively as possible. Any information had potential, the spymaster always said, so Fili listened.

“I’ve seen them together almost every day since he arrived a fortnight ago,” the younger said. “Her Ladyship is smitten with him.”

“And who can blame the girl?” the older woman demanded with a huff. “The man is rather something to look at.”

The first sighed. “Lady Sigrid is lucky to have caught his regard.”

“She’s rather pretty herself. It’s surprising she hasn’t married already.”

“She is rather picky.”

“Doesn’t seem to matter this time though. I expect they’ll announce a betrothal within the month.”

The first sighed. “Wouldn’t that be something? Our own Lady married and to such a handsome gentleman. Their children would be sure to be beautiful.”

Sigrid was seeing a suitor? Often enough her people were expecting a betrothal? Why hadn’t he heard about this in the mountain? Nori was slipping if it really was that serious. If Sigrid married her suitor, it could impact Erebor, or at least his people that sold wares in the market in Dale. She was the only member of her family that took the time to talk to the dwarrow, or so he’d heard. His people liked her and were more than willing to work with her. If she left, who would they go to? Who would he talk to when he came to the city? He’d be without his friend.

A scuffle pulled him from his thoughts a few blocks from where he was told Sigrid’s house was. Curious, and admittedly wondering if he could join in a fight to work off some of his inexplicable but completely justified annoyance, he turned down the street toward the noise.

“Get away from me.”

Fili paused. That sounded like Sigrid.

“I think you misunderstood me My Lady.” The voice was male. Fili frowned harder at the placating tone to it.

“I misunderstood nothing. Get. Away.”

Something hit a wall and there was a grunt.

“You really shouldn’t have done that,” the male voice said.

Fili rounded the bend at the end of the street quickly. His earlier irritation roared into a hot storm in his chest. Sigrid strained against the man holding her wrists down by her waist and standing so close she couldn’t land a kick of any force.

“What’s going on here?” Fili barked.

“Get lost dwarf,” the man said, glancing at him. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“Not from where I’m-”

Sigrid leaned back as far as she could against the wall and lunged forward, smashing her forehead into her captor’s nose, a crunch interrupting Fili. He lurched away from her, his hands going to his broken nose.

“-standing.” Fili finished. “I suggest you leave immediately,” he added and extended a hand to Sigrid even as she started moving toward him.

“I told you to get lost,” the man said, still holding his nose with one hand, ignoring the blood dripping down his chin. He reached out to grab Sigrid’s arm and drag her back.

Fili darted forward. He lashed out with his cane, bringing it down hard on the man’s arm with a solid thwack. The man yelped and Sigrid darted to stand near Fili. Still brandishing his cane as he would one of his swords, Fili stepped so he stood in front of the girl. He reached inside his coat and pulled out one of his many daggers, feeling more secure with an actual blade in hand, even if it was short. “And I told you to leave,” Fili said coolly, ignoring the pain darting up his bad leg. He waited, watching the Man until he finally turned and stalked up the alley, blood still dripping from his nose.

“Next time you break someone’s nose to get away,” Fili said as he sheathed his knife and leaned on his cane again, “try actually running.”

Sigrid glared at him, one hand clutching at her lower ribcage. “You try running while wearing a corset and a dress this heavy,” she snapped. “I can barely breathe while I walk, let alone fight or run. Besides, you were here so I didn’t need to.”

Fili turned to face her fully. The tremor in her voice didn’t reassure him even though she acted fine otherwise. It reminded him too much of when Bilbo got upset.

“Are you all right Lady Sigrid?” he asked.

“No, I’m not,” she said and her voice cracked a bit. She rubbed at her eyes with the heels of her hands. “Thank you for coming when you did.”

“You know me,” he said and reached up to place a hand on her shoulder. “I’m the master of heroic rescues.”

Sigrid laughed wetly and sniffed, wiping more tears from her eyes. “I seem to remember you tackling an orc for me once.”

“Exactly what I mean,” Fili said, smiling at her. When the tears didn’t stop, he lifted his other arm out to his side, leaving himself open for a hug if she wanted it. Sigrid bent and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his shoulder. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?” Fili asked.

“No,” Sigrid said, voice muffled by the fur on his jacket. “I don't know as he would have. I think he just wanted to steal some kisses.”

“I'm glad you're not hurt,” Fili said. He stood with her until she calmed down, rubbing her back gently until her shoulders stopped shaking and she finally pulled away, retrieving a handkerchief from a pocket and wiping at her eyes and nose.

“I’m so sorry,” she said.

“You don’t need to apologize,” Fili said and offered his arm. “Why don’t I escort you home?”

Sigrid nodded, wrapping her hand around his bicep and let him lead her away. “I think I’ll get a dog,” she murmured.

“As I understand it, you’ve been learning to use a sword for over a year now. Why don’t you just carry one? They tend to make a bit less mess around the home than a furry, slobbery menace.”

Sigrid made a very irritated face. “I would but ever since one of my suitors went running at the very sight of a blade on my person my father’s council has forbidden me to carry one on outings such as this one.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Fili said. “Why in Mahal’s name would you carrying a sword scare anyone off?”

“I don’t know how it is for dwarves, but among my people, males are often afraid of or offended by women wielding swords. Heaven forbid we should be able to defend ourselves. I think the people of Rohan are more sensible but I haven’t heard of any others.”

“Ridiculous,” Fili repeated. They walked along in silence for a time and Fili watched the people around them out of habit. He watched as the eyes of a few people followed them, a few whispered conversations cropping up behind them. He wished for Bilbo’s hearing, wanting to know the nature of those conversations and the furtive pointing and head nodding. To distract himself from the sight, he asked, “So, why a dog?”

“I trust a dog’s judgment better than my own. If I train one well enough it can be my guard dog for when my chaperone gets drawn away by feeble excuses as happened today.”

“The council wouldn’t mind you having a large hound at your side on outings?”

Sigrid waved to someone, a fake smile plastered on her face. Fili scowled a little at the sight. Could he get her to laugh or at least smile for real instead of that mockery on her face? “Not if it was well-behaved. There wouldn’t be a reason for me not to have it along with me.”

They fell silent again as they walked the rest of the way to Sigrid’s home. Once there, Sigrid turned to make her farewells only for Fili to tell her of his original errand for being in Dale.

“Oh! Well, then. Come inside. I’ll gather my information on decisions made and we can go over it.”

Fili took a seat in a sitting room where she indicated and sat back to wait for her return. A dog. She wanted a dog. He knew of a few hunters in the mountain that had hounds. Perhaps one of them would know where he could get a pup. It’d been a while since he’d been around dogs but perhaps he could help Sigrid in finding a way to defend herself and perhaps have an excuse to spend time with her. Sigrid’s return pulled him from his musings and together they went over the current plans for the midsummer festival.

~*~*~

Someone knocked on the door first thing the morning of the midsummer festival.

Bard looked up from his breakfast. He rarely ate with his family in the mornings, usually gone to help with repairs and meetings and the minutia of running a city before any of his children woke, except maybe Tilda who had a tendency to wake early as well. “Whatever problem they’re bringing, I don’t want to know about it,” he grumbled. “I’m taking today for my family.”

Sigrid rolled her eyes as she rose from the table and went to the door. “Oh Da, it’s probably just a quick question.” She opened the door and looked down slightly at the dwarf standing on their doorstep.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“I’ve been sent to deliver a package to you My Lady,” the dwarf said, bowing to her. He then bent and picked up a crate sitting at his feet. He held it out to her.

“Ah, thank you,” she said.

“You’re welcome My Lady,” the dwarf said and bowed again. With a cheery whistle, he trotted down the path back to the road and headed towards the market.

“Well that was interesting,” Sigrid said and turned back inside. There was an envelope attached to the top of the crate with her name on it. After closing the door behind her, she balanced the admittedly somewhat heavy crate in one arm and reached for the envelope. Something inside the crate scrabbled sideways, overbalancing it. She dropped it with a scream.

“Sigrid?” Bard asked, leaning back in his chair to get a better look at his daughter.

“Something moved in the crate,” she said. She reached out and snatched up the envelope. She flipped it over and blinked in surprise. “Uh, Da? I think this should probably go to you.”

“Why’s that my girl?” he asked. He stood from the table and walked into the room.

“What’s in the crate Sig?” Bain asked coming into the room with Tilda right behind him.

Sigrid handed the envelope to Bard. “It has the Durin’s royal seal on it,” she said. Bard examined the envelope for a moment before handing it back.

“Has your name on it,” he said. “It’s definitely for you.”

Something scratched at the walls of the crate and Sigrid jumped back from it with a shout.

“Huh,” Bain said and bent to look closer. “I’ll open it, shall I?” He asked and went to find the right tools.

While he left, Sigrid opened the letter, carefully breaking the blue wax seal and pulling the parchment out to read.

To Sigrid, Lady of Dale, Daughter of Bard the Dragonslayer

We spoke of this the other day. I hope this will help put your mind at ease and soon offer the safety you require. I would be happy to help you in your endeavors with proper instruction and care. I’ll meet you on the path to our meeting spot this morning.

-F

PS He’s house trained.

“House trained?” Sigrid mouthed the last two words, wondering what on earth that meant.

“A puppy!”

Sigrid jumped at Tilda’s joyous cry and looked at the now open crate. Inside, a fluffy greyish brown ball scrabbled its way around the cloth-lined box.

“The Dwarf King sent you a dog?” Bard asked. “Why?”

“Not the king,” Sigrid said, a smile slowly spreading across her face as a black muzzle turned its way toward her and two brown eyes blinked up at her from the depths of the masses of fur. “His nephew.”

“Which one?” Bard asked and reached a hand into the crate. The puppy reared up on its hind legs to reach for Bard’s hand, pulling it closer and started nibbling on his fingers. He pulled his hand away sharply. “No biting,” he ordered, giving its nose a little flick. The puppy sneezed and then grinned up at Bard, panting.

“The crown prince,” Sigrid said. She reached down and patted the masses of fluff.

“Fili?” Bard asked. “Why would he send you a dog?”

“Remember when he escorted me home a couple weeks ago after that pox-ridden skamelar attacked me?”

“Aye,” Bard said, his ire rising again at the mention of the suitor that had seemed so nice but had hurt his little girl.

“I’d mentioned thinking about getting a dog to deter such things from happening again to Prince Fili. Apparently, he decided it was a good idea. Oh yes, yes. You’re adorable.” She laughed as the puppy licked at her arms. She lifted it out to examine it. “Little man,” she said after a moment. “What should we call you?”

“He’s yours, Sig,” Bain said. “You name him.” He reached over and patted the dog on the top of the head. It gave out a whiny growl and barked at him. “Hmm… Doesn’t seem to like men,” he muttered.

Sigrid and Tilda laughed, the younger girl petting the ball of fluff as Sigrid looked him over. “Look at the size of his paws. He’s going to be massive,” she said.

Bard sighed. “And he’s a gift from the Crown Prince of Erabor so we can’t get rid of him. Well, good luck my girl,” he said and stood. He went back to the table to finish his breakfast. “We’d better hurry if we’re to make it to the beginning of the festivities.”

“Yes Da,” the three children chorused.

Sigrid offered the puppy some ham from their breakfast before finding a long, sturdy scarf in her closet that she used to fashion a sling out of. Once she was otherwise ready to go, she slipped the puppy into the sling. It popped its head above the cloth and licked her chin before facing forward to watch their surroundings.

Once outside, Sigrid split away from her family and headed straight out of the city, heading towards the path she took up the mountainside. She didn’t get far before someone whistled. She turned to find the source of the noise.

“Your Highness!” she called, waving to Fili as he approached her, leaning slightly on his cane.

“I see you got my gift,” he said with a smile.

Sigrid laughed. “The look on my da’s face was a sight to behold when he saw what was in the crate,” she said.

Fili’s smile stretched wider. “Do you like him then?” he asked, nodding at the dog that watched him from its position in the sling.

“Yes, very much,” Sigrid said. “Although I’m a little worried about how large he will be.”

“I thought you would appreciate a dog that would be easily large enough to make any man hesitate at the sight of him.”

“Just how big will he get?” Sigrid asked, finally coming to a stop as they reached each other. Fili held up a hand that reached the bottom of his ribcage.

“His sire stands this tall at the shoulder on all fours,” he said and Sigrid’s eyes widened.

“Absolutely massive then,” she said.

“I hope I haven’t caused you an inconvenience,” Fili said, concern flashing across his face.

“Oh, no, no you haven’t at all,” Sigrid said. “I just wasn’t expecting such a large size. He’s wonderful.” She laughed as the puppy turned its head and licked her chin again.

“Have you named him then?” Fili asked.

Pulling the puppy from the sling and setting him on the ground where he could run around them, she said, “I think I’ll call him Magnus.”

Fili grinned. “A fierce and noble name for what I’m sure will be a fierce and noble companion.” They watched as the puppy tripped over its front paws while it pursued a butterfly and rolled tail over snout before popping back up and looking back at them as if to say he’d meant to do that all along. “Someday,” Fili added.

Sigrid laughed aloud and chased after the puppy. “Come here, Magnus.”

“I’ll show you how to train him if you’d like,” Fili said once they’d caught the fur ball.

Sigrid buried her nose in Magnus’ fur to hide her shy smile. “I’d like that.”

“I’ll show you the basics for today,” he said. “Can we meet at our spot once a week?”

“Sounds perfect,” she said. “It’ll be something to look forward to when I’m being bored to tears by suitors.”

Fili returned her smile. “Great, let’s get started.” He pulled out a bag full of small chunks of dried meat. “You’ll want to carry something like this everywhere you go with Magnus.”

Sigrid took the pouch and together, they started training the dog, teaching him to pay attention and sit that first day using both vocal commands and hand signals. Fili taught her some khuzdul so others wouldn’t easily be able to give commands.

Sigrid frowned when Fili taught her the phrase for 'watch.' “I thought your language was secret. Won’t people get angry?”

“Your pronunciation is so bad, dwarrow won’t be able to understand you anyway. Don’t worry about it.”

“If you say so.”

After an hour or so of instruction and when Magnus started just laying down at every opportunity, they called it a day for training and Sigrid picked the puppy up and loaded him back into the sling. He didn’t even bother to lift his head out, instead just snuggled in and fell asleep.

“Good boy,” Sigrid said, scratching his fuzzy ears. She looked up at Fili. “It’s early. Would you like to come down to the midsummer festival?”

“I wouldn’t want to impose on your people’s celebration,” he hedged.

Sigrid shook her head. “You wouldn’t be imposing. Please come? It’s been so long since there was a proper festival for my people. It’s sure to be wonderful and I’m sure the vendors from Erebor would feel more secure in their acceptance there if one of their princes were to attend.”

“I’m sure Uncle will appreciate my efforts in solidifying the alliance between our people,” he admitted with a smirk. “All right, I’ll come.”

“Thank you,” Sigrid said.

“Shall we?” Fili asked, indicating the way she’d originally come with his cane and offering his arm on his good side to her. She smiled and took it and together they returned to the main road and reentered Dale.

The festival was in full swing by the time they managed to make their way into the town center. Much of the repair efforts had started at the town center and radiated outward. Most of the buildings here were repaired or completely rebuilt and shone. Banners hung across the streets and fiery reds and bright, sunny yellows, pendants fluttered in the breezes atop buildings and walls, celebrating the summer and the city. Children raced through the crowds laughing and playing games. A few homemade kites flew from the walls, their strings held be eager children. Vendors made a rousing trade both from their stalls and from workers that wandered the crowds with their wares on trays. Fili noted several dwarrow among them and among those present to enjoy the festivities. Entertainers of both races weaved their ways through the crowds as well, juggling, breathing fire, telling stories, even a few Men on stilts wandered by, their faces painted comically.

“Oh look,” Fili said, nodding toward a vendor. “Have you had these before?”

“No,” Sigrid said, eyeing the pastries. “What are they?”

Fili fished a couple of coins out and paid the vendor for two. She curtsied to him, murmuring, “Your Highness honors me.” He nodded his thanks.

“Struvor. Here, try one.” He handed her one of the ones he’d bought.

“They’re very pretty,” Sigrid said looking over the geometric patterning to it carefully. “how are they made?”

“They’re fried. Bakers either make special irons for the shapes or have them commissioned. Try it,” he urged again.

Sigrid bit into the crispy, fried dough. Her eyebrows shot up and she smiled before covering her mouth with one hand while she chewed. When she finally swallowed, she grinned at Fili. “That’s delicious,” she said.

“As I said.” Fili grinned at her and then popped the rest of his into his mouth before wiping his fingers on his trousers. Sigrid wiped hers on a handkerchief she kept tucked into a pocket of her dress.

“I’ll have to bring some home to my family,” she said with a grin. “Tilda and Da will love these.”

“Not Bain?”

“He doesn’t care for sweets,” she said. “Pity for him but lucky for me. I always manage to get more of his share.”

Fili chuckled. “Perhaps I’ll bring some back to Kili and Mother,” he said. “They love these just as much as I do.”

“How is Princess Dis and Prince Kili?” Sigrid asked. “I haven’t seen them in a while.”

They continued on through the festival, both remembering where the vendor with the struvor pastries was so they could return later to buy more for their families. They sampled more of the food, examined the wares, and watched the entertainers as they spoke of their families and the goings on of their respective cities as they walked. A few games and competitions were scheduled throughout the day and they watched a few as they went. Magnus woke up at times and poked his head out of the sling, accepting offerings of food from the two as they strolled. Whispers followed them, but the two didn’t notice them.

A swordsmanship competition caught Fili’s eye in the later afternoon. He signed up and was surprised when Sigrid did as well.

“You’ll hold Magnus for me while I compete, won’t you?” she asked him without looking up from signing her name. Smytheson grinned at her when she set the pen back in the ink bottle.

“Of course,” Fili said.

“Sigrid, you’re going to compete?”

She turned and saw Tilda and Bain walking towards them, her little sister beaming up at her.

“Yes,” Sigrid said. “Are you going to watch?”

“Bain wants to,” Tilda said. “I don’t see the point.” She made a face.

“It’s good to learn new techniques by watching others,” Bain said, sounding as if he’d said this a few times already. His eye caught Fili and he bowed, greeting the prince and nudging Tilda to do the same.

“None of that now,” Fili said, stepping forward to clasp Bain’s hand. “I’m just here as any other dwarf today, enjoying the festival.”

Bain nodded, returning the grip with a small smile.

“Prince Fili, why did you give Sigrid a puppy?”

“She mentioned she wanted one a few days ago. I know a dwarf that breeds dogs for the King’s Guard. A litter was born a little bit ago and he said I could have the runt.”

“This is the runt?” Bain asked, looking at Magnus. The dog woofed quietly at him and then went back to licking Sigrid’s chin.

“Yes,” Fili said.

“I’m afraid of how large the others are,” Tilda said, wide-eyed.

Fili laughed and the group moved aside for others to sign up for the competition. They spent the next few hours wandering the market together until the designated time for the sword fights rolled around. Fili’s first match came before Sigrid’s and she joined her siblings in the stands as they watched Fili enter the ring.

A roar of approval sounded from every dwarf watching as well as from Sigrid and her siblings. The young prince swaggered into the arena, throwing his hands in the air and motioning for the cheers to get louder, a wide grin on his face. His opponent was a member of Dale’s guard and well-liked in the city.

The crowds settled long enough for the judges to begin the fight. The guardsman advanced quickly, coming at Fili with the intent of using his superior height to his advantage.

“Well that was dumb,” Sigrid thought as Fili ducked under the man’s guard and came up with his own blunted weapon to slash across the man’s ribs, scoring the first hit of five. The match didn’t get any better with Fili dancing around the taller, burlier man. He won the match, evading any strike the other man attempted.

When Sigrid’s first match arrived, she handed Magnus over to Fili. Sound deafened her momentarily when the people of Dale saw their Lady enter the ring. She waved one hand to the cheering and jeering crowds before turning to face off against her opponent. “I’m going to enjoy this,” the man said. “Not much more satisfying than teaching a girl her proper place.”

Sigrid let one eyebrow rise but didn’t reply. She knew her silence bothered her chattier opponents. She saluted him and the judge started the match. Sigrid darted in without hesitation. She lunged left in a feint before spinning right in a risky move, bringing the blunted weapon around to strike against the Chatterbox’s ribs. She danced out of reach again before he could retaliate.

“Beginners luck,” Blabbermouth grumbled. “You’ll not make a strike like-”

Sigrid lunged straight at him, her arms extending in opposite directions. Her sword tip struck shoulder and she recoiled back into a defensive stance.

Windbag growled. “Enough!” he snarled and charged her with a roar, his sword raised high. Sigrid dove to the side at the last moment of the man’s chopping swing. On her knees, she swung up and to the side with both hands on the hilt, hitting him across his rear with the flat of her blade. Sher lurched to her feet and away again.

Laughter erupted from the stands, drawing her attention briefly from Loudmouth. Immediately, her eyes found Tilda, Bain, and Fili where she’d left them in the stands. Her eyes met those of the grinning prince and she felt an answering smile tug at her lips before his expression shifted suddenly to one of alarm.

Sigrid sidestepped just in time to keep from being whacked on the collarbone, getting her sword between her and Talkative. She caught his blade on hers high enough to slow the blow but the sheer momentum knocked her block down and the sword smacked painfully into her shoulder. She kept moving back, getting out of range.

She circled, rotating her arm to shake off the pain and ignored the sneer on Chatty’s face.

The traded blows for a while until Sigrid saw an opening. Quickly, she snaked her blade along his, tangled their hilts together, and yanked with all her might. Bigmouth’s sword sailed across the ring, clattering onto the dirt floor as Sigrid swung her sword around, leveling it at his neck.

“Yield,” she ordered with her sword tip just beneath his chin. He scowled but lifted his hands anyway.

The judge declared her the winner of the match.

“Yay Sigrid! You won!” Tilda cheered when the oldest sibling joined the others. She took Magnus back from Fili.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” she said, chest still heaving slightly with the exertion of the match.

“Don’t mention it,” he said. “That was quite the rookie mistake. What happened?” He indicated her shoulder where she’d been struck for Chatty McChit-chat’s only point.

“I was distracted,” she murmured, not meeting his eyes. He grinned and excused himself to prepare for his next fight.

The matches continued. Fili plowed through his opponents, Man and Dwarf alike. Sigrid fought through her next three, winning them all, some with more difficulty than others. She felt she’d been fairly lucky with her opponents. All had either been more inexperienced than she was or overconfident in their ability to beat her.

“How goes the sword competition?” Bard asked, coming up behind his children as they watched Fili put a member of Erebor’s King’s Guard to shame, laughing all the while (“Master Dwalin is going to have a field day with getting you fit for battle! My mum could beat you with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back!”).

“I think His Highness will win the entire thing, the way he’s competing,” Sigrid said. She worried about his leg but also wondered if she should exploit it should they fight in the next round -a very likely scenario considering this was his last match before it and he only had to score one more hit to advance where his opponent hadn’t so much as touched him.

“If he can beat you in the quarterfinals,” Tilda said, holding the utmost faith in her sister’s abilities.

Sigrid ruffled Tilda’s hair, smiling at her optimism and cheered as Fili scored his final point, taking the match. He and the other dwarf left the ring so the first match of the quarterfinals could start. She knew her skill level and had gotten a good look at Prince Fili’s. She’d been training -admittedly in almost every spare moment but still- for almost two years. Whereas the dwarf prince had probably trained for most of his much longer life.

“Can you hold Magnus Da?” Sigrid asked. “I better go get ready.” She took off the sling after pulling the puppy out. She handed both over to her father before heading back over to prepare for her match against Fili.

After he finished his match, the dwarf prince joined her as she pulled on a padded jerkin to help protect her from the worst blows.

“I’ll not go easy on you, Highness,” she said, pulling her head free of the garment and reaching for the gloves set aside for her.

“Funny, I was going to say the same to you. I’ll not hold back if you get distracted.”

“I’ll try not to hurt that pretty face of yours but I make no guarantees.” She headed toward the ring as the other match wound down.

Fili gaped after her for a moment before jogging to catch up. “You think I’m pretty?” he asked, grinning.

Sigrid just smiled at him and entered the ring, taking up position on her side. When Fili faced her and saluted, she returned the salute and winked.

“Mind games is it?” he thought. “Let the games begin.”

The judge signaled the start of the match.

Fili and Sigrid started circling each other, darting in for attacks, testing each other. Sigrid finally lunged, and Fili knocked her blade aside and followed her when she recoiled, swiping at her across her waist. She met his attack, bringing her arm in close. Fili forced her sword down, still advancing. He leaned into her, stepping into the guard, making eye contact, and smiling charmingly. Sigrid’s eyes widened and her steps faltered. Fili whipped his blade up and struck her across the ribs before she could free her sword and get out of range.

Fili crowed with laughter. “What was that you said about my pretty face?”

Sigrid didn’t answer, just advanced again, using her height to her advantage. Fili twisted aside and they traded blows, swords clashing loudly among the din made by the crowds. The dwarves cheered loudly as Fili hit Sigrid two more times. Sigrid fought back, pushing Fili to keep circling.

His hip, already hurting from the morning walking and the afternoon fighting, started to ache with a fierce, stabbing pain. He started limping harder. Sigrid pushed and pushed until he stumbled. She caught him across his shoulder when he faltered, throwing his arm out to catch his balance. The People of Dale roared their approval as the judge lifted the green flag, signaling her point.

Fili didn’t step back but darted in when Sigrid stepped back. He caught her across her hip and stepped back.

They both darted in at the same time, swords coming around to clash together, retreat, and come in again. Fili came in high, Sigrid came in low. She struck his ribs but stopped moving then. Fili pressed his blunted blade into her throat. “Yield,” Fili ordered, a grin on his face.

Sigrid huffed a sigh and dropped her sword, raising her hands in surrender.

Dwarves cheered in the stands as Fili moved his sword to his left hand. “Well fought, My Lady.”

She took his hand in a firm grip. “Should have known better than to taunt Erebor’s crown prince before the match started.” She grinned and they left the ring.

Once they were clear of the ring and the next combatants had entered, Fili turned to her but suddenly fell forward as a dark blur landed on top of him, shouting, “Fili!”

“Prince Kili!” Tilda raced over to them, grinning at the younger dwarf sitting on the elder’s back.

“Lady Tilda! Did you see my brother almost lose to your amazing sister?”

“I did not almost lose,” Fili groused, twisting out from under Kili and pinning him easily.

“Keep telling yourself that Brother,” Kili said and wriggled his way free. He gave Tilda a hug when she reached for him. “How are you, littlest Bardling?”

Tilda giggled at the name. “I’m fine. How are you? Is Tauriel with you? There she is. Hi Tauriel! Did you know Prince Fili gave Sig a puppy?”

“A puppy?” Kili asked, glancing at his brother. “Where?”

“Da has him. Come on, I’ll show you.” She grabbed Kili’s hand and led him off. Fili watched as Tauriel followed, smiling at the antics of the child and her dwarf.

“Will you be staying to watch the rest of the matches now you’re out of them?” Fili asked as they followed the trio at a more sedate pace. Fili would soon enough have to return to the ring for the semi-finals but he felt he should keep an eye on Kili for a moment longer if he could.

Sigrid took the good-natured slap on the back from a nearby dwarf with a smile before answering. “Of course I will. I need to make sure that the one who beat me is indeed the best sword fighter here so I know what to work toward.”

“I’ll try not to disappoint,” Fili said. They reached the others and Fili watched as Tilda took the sleeping puppy from Bard and showed it to Kili.

“Fee, you gave her a Mountain Hound?” he asked with a laugh.

“It’s the runt of the litter,” Fili said as if that made a difference.

Kili laughed. “I want a ride on it when it’s full grown!”

“What?” Bard looked over at Kili.

“Joking, only joking,” he said but sent a wink Tilda’s way. The little girl giggled and continued to show off the puppy.

“I better head back,” Fili said, nodding toward the ring but keeping an eye on Bard who was glaring at him and glancing at the dog in turn.

“Good luck, Your Highness,” Sigrid said.

Fili did end up winning the competition, trouncing his remaining two opponents thoroughly. He accepted the gold offered him with a grin, waiving to the cheering crowds.

“And now Your Highness, who will you show your favor to this day?”

Fili grinned widely. “Why, to my brother Kili of course!”

A murmur broke out through the audience. People whispered and glanced at each other, eyes turning from the crown prince to his younger brother.

Fili continued after a moment. “For him to give to his One as I have not yet found mine and will show none other my favor.” He motioned for Kili and Tauriel to approach as applause and cheering erupted again. Fili handed over the rest of the prize- a voucher for dinner at the finest inn as well as one for a young jeweler from Erebor. “Enjoy yourselves on me,” he said, handing them to Kili.

“Many thanks, Brother,” Kili said, his cheerful grin widening as he leaned up to kiss Tauriel. She leaned down to receive it and he shifted his stance, bending her back into an exaggerated, prolonged player’s kiss. Hoots and hollers sounded from the dwarrows in the audience as well as good-natured jeering.

Fili returned to where Sigrid was with her family. She’d taken the sling back from her father and reloaded Magnus into it, petting his head absently as he licked at her face. Fili turned to Bard. “With your permission, My Lord Bard the Dragonslayer,” he said and grinned at the glower he received for using the man’s official title, “I’d be honored if you’d allow me to continue to escort Lady Sigrid for the remainder of the festival, if I may?”

Bard glanced at Sigrid who nodded.

“Very well, Prince Fili of Erebor, you may.” He turned to his daughter. “Don’t be out too late.”

“I won’t, Da,” she said. “I’ll come by the house after dinner to at least bring Magnus home and check in before I join in the dancing.”

“That’s my girl,” Bard smiled at her.

She accepted Fili’s arm when he offered it and they wove back into the crowds to enjoy the rest of the festival.

Notes:

For those that are curious, Magnus is a Caucasian Shepherd (also called Caucasian Mountain hound or Caucasian Ovcharka or Baskhan (Karachay) pariy). Large males can weigh around 200 pounds, as Magnus will when he's full grown. Google them. They're giant fluff balls of protectiveness.

As always, please comment with questions, concerns, or, well comments. I always love hearing from my readers.

#My writing #hobbit #the hobbit #Sigrid #Fili #Fili Friday #Caucasian Shepherd #Marriage of convenience #Multichapter #Finished work #weekly updates #Figrid #Puppy!

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