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cas-kingdom · 2 years

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In the Air

A/N: Set after season 5, so spoilers for that. Reader is Uhtred’s younger sister, taken with him by the Vikings when she was a baby. Enjoy!

Title: In the Air

Summary: After Osferth’s death, Bebbanburg doesn’t much feel like home. Uhtred’s there to help you grieve.

Words: 3366

In the grand scheme of things, everything had fallen neatly into place.

Bebbanburg had been restored to its natural splendour with Uhtred as its lord and protector. King Constantin had returned to Scotland and the sounds of the previous week’s battle were growing more distant by the day. A general peace had blanketed England with Edward’s return to Wessex and some semblance of order between the Danes and the Saxons.

The air was calm for now, and breathing was easier than it had been in a long while.

And yet, there was still something. Something that felt just that bit wrong. Because despite it all…all the celebratory drinking into the early morning, and the feeling of somewhat-safety within four walls people could proudly call home, and the laughter resounding throughout Bebbanburg as the men sang intoxicated versions of explicit songs they were insistent they’d made up on the spot…the losses hung heavy.

Uhtred had often lain awake at times years ago, visualising what it might be like to invite Ragnar to Bebbanburg, to see where he’d been born and raised for a time. Then, he had wanted to see Beocca back in the library, where the priest had used to usher him in for morning lessons after he had arrived late with breakfast stuffed in his mouth. He’d wished to show Gisela the view from the barricades, where he’d once watched the ships come in as the sun rose above the horizon. And he’d longed to sit with Aethelflaed in a room somewhere, safe, where they could talk, away from prying eyes, about anything they wished to talk about. Because he believed they had both deserved such a trivial thing.

Part of him had held all these thoughts in one tight embrace as he fell to the floor once Bebbanburg was securely in his grasp. The grievances they caused had spilled from him in tears, mixing with the blood and the rainwater on the ground. Relief and happiness and pure joy had blurred into one, but a mountainous anguish had tainted it. Because though he had won back his homeland, many of the people he had yearned to share such a long-awaited joy with were gone.

It had been just two weeks since Bebbanburg’s reclamation, and those grievances were smoothing out. Slowly, but surely nonetheless. His home was not as he remembered, but he had expected as much. Not only had the land itself changed in the decades he’d been away, but the recent fire, no matter how much the rain had helped quench it, still scarred the settlement. He and his men had been steadily working to return it to its rightful glory, rebuilding what they could—in between the drinking and songs, of course—and for the most part, Uhtred found himself content. He had his family within his walls, safe and relatively happy, and though there was much to be done, he was grateful for the here and now.

The only relief, selfish as it was, that helped slake the ache in his heart, was the fact that he was not alone in it. Perhaps his ache differed to others who had lost people, but there were enough similarities to feel as though he was not going through it by himself. He knew the majority felt it, too. The bond that had inadvertently, yet gratefully tied itself around each being in Bebbanburg. But his thoughts loitered on you more than they did anything else, too long for personal comfort.

You were an independent person. You had not lived the easiest life, following Uhtred through battles and paths of disloyalty, catching yourself in the centre of the animosity between him and Ragnar, all the while attempting to find you own way throughout it all. You’d been too young when Bebbanburg had first been taken, a baby Uhtred had held onto during his ordeal with the Vikings you both would come to know as family. He hadn’t yet been given much of an opportunity to sit and talk with you like you often had in your life before, to gauge your feelings on being home, to understand if there was anything he could do to help. Though you’d lost all he had lost, you still clung onto one that he knew he could only feel less.

Osferth.

The two of you had never shown any obvious affection that couldn’t be passed off as something between two friends, but those within your close circle had seen every lingering glance, every secret kiss on the cheek, every moment in which you’d excuse yourselves in the evening to sit in a corner to talk. None had commented on it, but they hadn’t needed to. They had all, including you and Osferth, accepted that you were each other’s love, and it had never required verbal confirmation. Uhtred had often wondered why you hadn’t been more open with it, wondering if it was perhaps the monk part or the Viking-Saxon part, but he had settled some time ago on it being something else. Something no one could touch or disturb except you and Osferth. If it wasn’t public, nobody could use it against you, as love so often was. It was yours and yours alone. Or…had been.

You had withdrawn into yourself since his death, though you tried to be present. They had all noticed it…Finan, Sihtric, Stiorra…though they missed him too, they were more careful to bring him up when you were around. They’d seen you react to passing mentions of him, the glaze in your eyes and the dampening of your mood…yes. They’d known. And they still knew.

Uhtred followed the sound of loud voices into the hall of his home. Shouting wasn’t uncommon in such a place, but after the life he’d lived, he’d learnt to be careful. As he’d expected, the voices and those they belonged to were rather…harmless. Perhaps more some than others, if he had you to go by. You were stood in front of a lounging Finan, your arms raised hopelessly as you yelled at him. Finan’s eyes were wide, but that didn’t stop him from popping grapes into his mouth as he assumedly maintained the notion that he was seriously listening.

It was very obvious that you had been seconds away from starting a physical fight when Uhtred interrupted.

“What is the matter?” he asked above the clamour of noise. Your hand stopped mid-exasperation and Finan ceased chewing.

“Finan stole my room,” you insisted breathlessly, the furious expression on your face set in stone.

Finan clearly disagreed. He shook his head and pointed a finger earnestly at you. “Ah, I think you mean: Finan won his room.” He turned to Uhtred then, who was watching on closely in case he had to step in. The growing anger on your face told him that may be more plausible than not. Finan shrugged. “It was a bet, Lord. It’s got the best view.”

“You can have the one beside mine, Y/N,” Uhtred said. “It was once to be yours, after all.”

“And hear you and whichever woman you bring home to hump?” You scoffed and Uhtred rose a brow. “No, thank you. I’ll take the one beside Stiorra.”

Sihtric spoke up then, his silently grinning face swiftly making room for an irking smile as he interrupted your brief acceptance on the bedroom situation. “Actually, I think we—Finan? Yeah. That’s my room.”

“Sihtric, you flaming ball of—”

And there was Uhtred’s cue. He caught your fist before it connect with Sihtric’s laughing face, tugging it back to hold against your chest. You didn’t struggle, instead fixing the man with a deathly stare that, if anything, only had him laughing harder. Finan was no better off, snorting into his fist while attempting to keep from choking on the grape in his mouth. No doubt you wished he would stop attempting.

“Calm,” Uhtred said. “He is teasing. You can have the one beside Stiorra. It is biggest.”

“Right, and do I get the closest stable for my horse too?” It would be untrue to say Finan had received no warning. It would also be untrue to say he had not deserved it. Needless to say, when you wrenched yourself from Uhtred’s hold, grabbed the bowl of grapes, and began to launch the fruit at his face, Uhtred felt no need to thwart it.

“Ow!” Finan yelped most undignifiedly—as if he had ever been dignified to begin with—and brought his hands up to shield his face. “You little shit!”

Since the reclamation of Bebbanburg, Uhtred had certainly noticed your sensitivity to certain situations, and this seemed to be one of them. On any other day, in any other part of England, after any other loss, you would have engaged in Finan’s friendly repartee, enjoying infuriating him just as much as he did you. But the Irishman had chosen the wrong time to open that opportunity back up, and as he continued to be pelted with grapes, he seemed to realise that.

When you had emptied the bowl, a satisfied glint appearing in your eyes as Finan rubbed at the sore spots, Uhtred stepped forward.

“Go to the tavern and drink,” he ordered, directing his attention at both Finan and Sihtric. When they didn’t move, he jerked his head at the door. “Now. Come on, out. You too. Sihtric.”

“Lord,” Finan grumbled as he got to his feet, “I think you’re supposed to discourage the drinking.”

“You can help the maids in the kitchen if you would prefer—”

“First round’s on me, Sihtric.”

They disappeared quickly, and your shoulders sagged in relief. You looked exhausted, and Uhtred was reminded once again of his desire to speak to you alone. He reached forward and squeezed your shoulder, waiting for you to turn your weary eyes on him before he nodded in the direction of the back door leading out of the settlement.

“Come,” he said.

“Where are we going?”

“I want to show you something.” The sea air hit him as you exited the hall. He nodded to the guards stationed on the ramparts and led the way around the back of the walls, cautious with his footing against the unsteady rocks and the harsh breeze.

“Careful,” he called back, extending an arm for you to latch onto as he reached a part he could tell was unpredictable land. In the decades away from home, much had changed to the landscape, and he knew that he would need to reinforce the ground at some point. As a child, he had easily been able to travel along this route to reach this particular destination, not at all anxious about the ground’s ability to keep him safe. Now, it was a mess of loose rocks and corroded hillside, and he made sure to grip you tight in case you happened to put your foot on an unforgiving stone.

“It was heated back there,” he spoke loud over the waves, keeping his gaze below in case he put his foot on an unforgiving stone and pulled you down with him.

“Finan gets away with too much,” was your response, and Uhtred chuckled. You were far from wrong.

There was a spot on the cliff edge where Uhtred had once used to spend hours of his time, watching the ships in the horizon and the gulls up ahead as the sea crashed against the rocks below. He would shut his eyes and breathe in the salty air until his lips were chapped and his palms were dry, and then he would go in for lunch, or for a lesson with Beocca. Often, in the years before now, Uhtred had thought of it foremostly whenever memories of home surfaced in his mind. It had been the one true way for him to feel peace unlike any other. He had never shared it with anyone, but in this new life, this new opportunity that he had won back, he wished to share it with you more than anyone.

In the distance, the sun was readying to set, its sleepy orange glow dousing the blue of daylight. The ocean shone with its reflection as it called for the moon. Uhtred bent to check the ground beneath the wet tufts of grass before lowering himself down. You stayed standing, gazing out across the sea with an innocent wonder in your eyes that your brother adored. Eventually, you sat beside him, stretching your legs out in front of you.

“It is beautiful,” you breathed out.

Uhtred was vigilant but direct with his words. “Osferth would have said the sky was painted by the Lord himself.”

As he had expected, your wonder dwindled quickly. You blinked, your face falling and your body instinctively tensing. You did not turn to look at him. Your mood had plummeted.

A frown marred Uhtred’s features and he leaned forward slightly in an attempt to look you in the eye. “Oh, sister. I wish you did not hurt so much.” Your forehead creased and your jaw clenched, but Uhtred did not let it sway him. “Let me help,” he said. “You shy away from every mention of him.”

It was then that you flicked your eyes towards his. “Because every mention of him reminds me,” you stated tersely, your fists clenched by your sides. “He died in my arms, Uhtred. Everything before that is now damaged.” You turned back to the ocean and shook your head. “I cannot think of him without thinking of how it ended, so I do not think of him at all. And yes,” you said as you rubbed your eyes with a fist, “it hurts both ways.”

Uhtred could think of nothing to say for the moment, so he extended an arm and gently rested his hand between your shoulder blades. You didn’t respond to the pressure except to lean slightly into it, effectively giving him enough reassurance to know that his touch was what you wanted.

It was alleviating to hear you finally free your thoughts. Now that you had, he had an opportunity to help you through your heartache. You had done so enough for him, after his countless losses, many of which had been yours too, and he knew that he was not the easiest person to help ease through grief. You had been more than patient with him, and he was more than ready to turn it around.

“You remember when Gisela died?” he asked quietly, his voice travelling towards you with the breeze. You did not respond, but Uhtred had expected as such. He continued. “I locked myself within my mind. People were afraid to bring up her name. I’m sure you remember; you were the first to do so…something about her brooch, I think.” He caught what might have been a sliver of a smile pulling at the corners of your lips. “Once I moved past the initial frustration every time, I realised it felt…relieving. To hear someone speak of her in the light I wished to remember her in always. I began to welcome these passing mentions, to let them overwhelm my last painful memories of her. Not to eradicate them completely…no, they still need to be felt. But to let them subdue them.” He turned purposefully towards you. “That is what you must do, Y/N.”

You shook your head. “I can’t.”

“Not alone, no. Let me help. Let us all help. Even Finan, the bastard…you know how he adores you. Start slow.” There was a moment of hesitation in which he reconsidered his next words, but decided they had to be said at some point. Right here, right now, on this collapsing cliffside that Uhtred had once dubbed the most peaceful place on Earth, he knew it was the right time. “Can you tell me something about Osferth?” he asked.

“No.” Your response was not harsh, instead riddled with rising emotion, your breathing hitching before and after you uttered the defining word.

“Look past your last moment with him,” Uhtred gently instructed.

“I cannot do that, Uhtred. It’s there.”

“Alright.” Uhtred moved his grasp from your back to your hand, pulling it up and towards the left side of your chest. He pushed it into you enough for you to tip only slightly backwards with the force, emphasising his words. “Then think of it,” he said instead. “Think of it hard. Allow yourself to remember it, and then look behind it. At everything you had together. Every look, every touch. Remember the good. Remember him.”

With each movement of your brother’s lips, your expression morphed into something one could only describe as anguished. Your eyes glazed over so suddenly, and your free-falling tears quickly followed. Your lips trembled, your cheeks grew red, and the hand enclosed in Uhtred’s grabbed at his in desperation. When your entire body deflated and you fell against him, in need of his comfort more than anything, you burst into sobs.

“I miss him, Uhtred,” you spoke around your tears. Uhtred wrapped his arms so tight around you, shutting his eyes against your heaving body. “I miss what we created and—and our plans for the future. We—we wanted to settle once we returned to Bebbanburg. He said he wanted a family with me, and I—and I wanted the same. All our years together…our time spent loving each other…they have all gone.”

Uhtred cradled the back of your head. “No, sister,” he said, “never gone. They are here still. They are yours forever to keep safe until you see him again.” He opened his eyes, unsurprised to find his vision bleared with his own tears, and stared out across the ocean. “Don’t hide from the memories of him. Let them in and let them soften the blow. Soon…it will not get better, but it will get easier.”

You let yourself settle against your brother’s chest, and Uhtred welcomed it. He neither moved to pull away, nor rush you into doing so yourself. He stayed in the position you had caught him in, not a muscle moving except to stroke the back of your head and subconsciously sway barely-obviously from side to side, a motion he used to soothe himself as much as you. His eyes were ahead, watching each wave, his ears listening to each crash against the rocks below, his lips slowly drying from the salty air. He had not felt such peace like this, his arms wrapped around his precious sister, in time too long to count.

You sniffed and moved your head slightly against him, resting your cheek against his chest so you too could look out across the sea. Tears still clung to your lashes, and you blinked them away. “I feel him sometimes,” you muttered, “when I’m alone. It’s like he is watching over my shoulder.”

Uhtred smiled. “I feel the same with Gisela. So does Stiorra. Perhaps you can talk to her too.”

You waited a moment before nodding once, and Uhtred’s smile widened. You were one step further.

“You know…” You shifted again, taking in a deep, shaky breath. “I have never felt a love like I did with Osferth. He was like another part of me, something I was unaware existed until we met. That is why it agonises me to feel his loss. He has taken that part with him to his Heaven.”

“I believe it better to have been in love and feel such loss, than to never have been in love at all,” Uhtred said. The breeze lifted, blowing past you both in a way that seemed to nudge you even further towards each other. He dipped his head and kissed your crown, resting his lips there for a moment as he glanced up at the sky, searching for someone. “Each day, you will grow stronger. We will all be by your side, every step of the way. I promise you.”

You pushed yourself away then, just enough to raise a hand and place it on his cheek. You smiled and leant forward to kiss the other side. “I love you, brother.”

“And I you,” Uhtred said, knowing he spoke for more than simply himself.

The breeze seemed to agree.

TLK Masterpost

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phoenix-king-ozai · 3 months

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The avatar fandom when Iroh has committed war crimes and likely was just like Ozai but less outwardly unpleasant until Lu Ten got bodied: I don't see it.

Bro if there was an Iroh prequel it'd be ugly as hell.

Crown Fire Prince Iroh systemically starved Ba Sing Se for nearly two years straight non-stop while slaughtering Earth Kingdom soldiers trying to defend and protect their wives, children, family and fellow citizens from the ruthless, brutal and cruel invading Fire Nation army to protect and defend Ba Sing Se.

I’m pretty sure Iroh during his prime years such as during his thirties and before Lu Ten was born was pretty ruthless and savagely competent as Grand General in the Fire Nation’s Army. My headcanon is that Iroh and Ozai have a fifteen year age gap difference. Meaning that in canon at the end of ATLA, Ozai is forty-five then Iroh has to be sixty. When Iroh was thirty during his prime years, Ozai was a fifteen-year-old teenager.

I think both Iroh and Ozai were viciously ruthless commanders and fighters on the battlefield during Fire Lord Azulon’s reign. However, Ozai probably was far more crueler, aggressive, and merciless than his older brother and more like their father Fire Lord Azulon instead. This ruthlessness, brutality, and aggression is what fire nation imperialism and aggressive firebending is based on and what Ozai wants Zuko to inherit and embody as his son and Crown Prince.

This is because in my headcanon Fire Lady Ilah has a much more kinder, gentler, compassionate, and sympathetic personality than her husband Fire Lord Azulon toward other nations suffering in the Hundred Year War due to her having more of a spiritual connection and having her life saved and spared by a Earth Kingdom Princess. This challenged her Fire Supremacist views of people from the Earth Kingdom and other nations made her contextualize their pain and suffering from nearly a century of nonstop war and violence.

Despite both Ilah and Iroh still being staunch imperialists. Ilah made sure to teach Iroh the values of compassion, mercy, and kindness. These values weren't taught and passed down to Azulon and Ozai in comparison. Nor have Azulon or Ozai ever had their Fire Supremacist views challenge and are heavily impacted by decades of propaganda and hatred created by Fire Lord Sozin.

Another headcanon theory of mine is that Fire Lady Ilah died in childbirth while giving birth to Fire Prince Ozai. Iroh was a fifteen-year-old teenager at the time as well. Fire Lord Azulon probably wanted a second child in case of Crown Fire Prince Iroh's possible death on the battlefield along with the return of Sozin’s comet nearly fifty years in the future. However, Ilah probably was in her forties and childbirth was more risky. My dark headcanon is that Baby Ozai burned his mother Ilah from the inside out and the Fire Sages had to perform a lethal C-section on the dying Fire Lady. Fire Lord Azulon loathes his second-born son for being the cause of his beloved wife’s death but this is a coping mechanism due to the fact that Azulon pushed and forced Ilah to have another child.

This is the main reason Ozai is more ruthless, brutal, and vicious than his older brother Iroh. Iroh had and took after Ilah's influence and parenting style whereas Ozai had and took after Azulon’s influence and parenting style. Iroh probably is brainwashed and naivete to believe that the Fire Nation truly cares about the prosperity of the other elemental nations whereas as Ozai is extremely realistic and pessimistic regarding the so-called “benevolent” plans for the other nations.

A good comparison between Iroh and Ozai would be Bjorn and Ivar from the Vikings series. Along with the immorality standards of the German Wehrmacht soldiers and SS-loyal nazi soldiers that are completely brainwashed by the ideology of nazism and imperialism.

#atla #sozin #ilah #azulon #iroh #ozai #avatar the last airbender #avatar #atla meta #fire nation royal family #fire family #fire fam #fire nation royal family meta #ozai meta #iroh meta

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maaarine · 2 years

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“Try to think what Christianity looked like to pagans, from the point of view of the 9th and 10th and 11th centuries.

To make a long story short, it's almost always true that when you convert as a ruler, you're not converting because you believe. Sorry.

You might believe, I'm not saying it's impossible, but you're generally converting because the religion in question is bringing something to you that your native cult does not have.

Like, for example, a written language, a set of elites who can use that written language, who can be your ambassadors and your bureaucrats, like legitimacy with other states, right?

So from the point of view of pagan rulers looking outward at this world, the math was working against them.

What do I mean by the math? The math of slavery, okay? If you're a pagan, everyone can enslave you.

And for a while, you might say, "Well, I can enslave everyone else. I can enslave other pagans, Christians, Muslims."

And so long as the power balance is on your side, that may seem like an acceptable answer.

For the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, that was an acceptable answer all the way until the 14th century.

They did much more enslaving than people did enslaving of their people. They stayed pagans for a very long time. It worked for them.

But what I mean by the math is that Christians are not supposed to enslave Christians. Muslims are not supposed to enslave Muslims.

When Christian and Muslim states fight, they'll do exchanges and so on. But so long as you're a pagan, you're fair game for everyone.

And so territorially, as Christianity spreads into Europe, there are more and more of them, and fewer and fewer of you, right?

So every time some other state converts to Christianity, the math is getting worse for you as a pagan.

There are more and more situations where you can be enslaved, and fewer and fewer situations where you're gonna find it practicable to enslave other people.

It's just kind of a general logic. Okay, I realize that's a strange answer to the question of what is Christianity.

But what is Christianity is fundamentally a way of joining a Christian order of states in which you're not supposed to enslave the other people, who are also subjects of a Christian order of state.”

Source: Timothy Snyder: The Making of Modern Ukraine. Class 5: Vikings, Slavers, Lawgivers: The Kyiv State

#timothy snyder

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violet-moonstone · 6 days

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Posting the last chunk of chapter 2 of The Wings of War because I really really love it:

Stoick’s statue stood on a hill that led into one of Berk’s forests. Hiccup had specifically asked that it be built someplace quiet and peaceful. The original plan was to place it in front of the Great Hall or the Arena—somewhere grand, where it would be surrounded by the hustle and bustle of daily life and thus, viewed on a regular basis. But no—Hiccup wanted the location of his father’s statue to reflect the man himself: somewhere that exuded strength without ostentation; somewhere that paralleled the way Stoick watched over Berk; somewhere that made Hiccup feel safe and calm. If people wanted to see the statue, they would not simply pass it by on their way from one place to another—they would have to seek it out and make time to see it.

The statue stood tall, proud, and well...stoic: a granite figure with two heavy fists resting atop the handle of a battle axe. It perfectly captured the image Hiccup’s father conveyed to the world. Part of Hiccup wished the builders had also included the aspects that Hiccup knew—like that wry, knowing smile his father used to give when he was about to give advice that was both frustratingly simple and incredibly wise; the twinkle in his eye he’d get when he saw small children playing with dragons; the way his eyebrow would quirk when Hiccup or Gobber made an off-colour joke he wasn’t supposed to laugh at, but badly wanted to. In a way, Hiccup was glad the builders had gone with the stoic Stoick. If they had shown his father as he truly was, the sight of the statue would bring Hiccup to tears every time he saw it.

Hiccup and Toothless sat beside the carved relief scenes of Stoick’s life that decorated the statue’s base. Hiccup exhaled and rested his head against the cold stone. It was nothing like his father’s warm hugs, but it would have to do. His hand wandered to Toothless and stroked the scales on his back. The dragon seemed to sense his discontent and rested his head in his rider’s lap.

“Thanks, Bud,” Hiccup said quietly. After a moment of silence, words began to flow out of him on their own. “Hey, Dad. Got a second to talk?”

Toothless perked up and looked at his rider in confusion. Hiccup hadn’t talked to his father’s statue in a while.

“I know you’re probably busy in Valhalla, or...I-I dunno...I assume you’re busy. You always were when you were here. But you seemed to handle it better than I do now.”

Toothless laid his head back down on Hiccup’s lap. He made a sort of sad purring noise.

“I hope you’re not busy though,” Hiccup continued. “At least not in a bad way. I hope...I hope you’re...wrestling, or hunting, or doing whatever burly Viking thing you used to try to get me to do when I was a kid. You know, all that stuff I hated.” He laughed. “It’s the same stuff Nuffink hates too.” That drew out a sigh. “I...I wish you could have met Nuffink. You’d love him. I think he’d remind you of me, in a way.” Hiccup chewed the inside of his lip. No one but Toothless was around, but he didn’t want to cry. It would make him feel like a child. “Oh gods, and Zephyr. Oh, you’d have your hands full with her. A little pixie, that one.” He tried to laugh but stopped himself. If he breathed too hard, the dam would burst. “I...I don’t get it, Dad. I’ve been doing this for so long and I still feel...lost. Did you feel like this?” He couldn’t imagine it. “Or am I just...doing something wrong? I can hardly get through a day without wanting to run away from it all. But I can’t.” He held up his hands, fingers spread wide in the air. “Because I’m Hiccup the Dragon Trainer, Son of Stoick the Vast. Heh. I end the war between Vikings and dragons and sometimes I’m still in your shadow.” Hiccup looked and realized that he literally was in his father’s shadow. He started laughing. “Oh, you would have liked that one.” The laughs came louder now, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. Tears streaked down his cheeks into his beard, even as he chuckled.

“Hm. I think he would like it too.”

Hiccup turned with surprise to see his mother approaching from behind some foliage. Her eyes looked concerned, but she wore a comforting smile.

“Mom?” Hiccup wiped at his tears. “H-How long have you been—?”

“Not long.” She held up her hands, “don’t worry, I wasn’t spying on you.”

“Ok...well I didn’t think you were before you said that, but now...”

Valka laughed and came to sit next to him. Her steps were light as air. Toothless snuggled up next to her and she joined Hiccup in petting him.

“Where’s Cloudjumper?”

“Oh, off somewhere,” Valka said, looking up at the trees around them with a dreamy look in her eye. “He’ll find me when he’s ready.” Somehow, despite her white hair and deeply set crow’s feet, Hiccup always felt his mother had a more youthful spirit than he did. He felt like he’d lost his somewhere between his father’s death and becoming a father himself.

“How was your day?” Hiccup asked.

“Oh, alright. I mostly spent it treating the sick Terrible Terrors.” His mother studied his face and frowned. For a moment, he thought she would comment on his appearance, but to his relief, she didn’t. “How about you?”

Hiccup shrugged. “I think the conversation you just heard sums it up pretty well.”

“Mm,” she hummed sympathetically.

“I...I keep waiting for this magical moment when everything gets easier and it just...never does.” The truth of his words made his throat tighten. His chest felt heavier.

Valka put a hand to Hiccup’s face. “Oh, my darling. You sound so much like your father.”

He held her hand closer. Perhaps if she kept it there long enough, he could better feel the comfort she wanted to give—in his heart rather than on the surface of his skin. “I don’t know. I don’t think he ever felt like this.”

Valka gave a sad smile. “I think you’re giving him too much credit. And you don’t give yourself nearly enough.”

Finally, Hiccup gave up any attempts to save face. He rested his head on his mother’s shoulder. So what if he felt like a child? He’d missed 20 years of conversations like this, and he was still making up for lost time. “He was always so...strong. And so sure of himself. At least, that’s how he seemed.”

“Aye, he was good at projecting confidence when he needed to. You do the same—although you’re better at it on dragonback than in a council chair.”

“Hm,” Hiccup agreed. “And I haven’t had to do anything of much consequence on dragonback lately.”

Valka raised her eyebrows. “Really? I heard there was quite a commotion in the market this morning.”

Hiccup groaned and put his face in his hands. “Gods, don’t remind me. No, I meant something like...like a battle or scouting out a new island. Something like that.”

“Yearning for adventure. I understand. Although...perhaps not the battles...”

Hiccup shrugged. Of course he would never admit it to most people, but there was a certain rush he got from besting an enemy in combat that he couldn’t get from anything else. He once made the mistake of telling Dagur, who became absolutely intolerable and made a big deal about Hiccup also having bloodlust. Gods, he hoped it wasn’t bloodlust. He just wanted to feel alive, to feel capable and meaningful.

“I just...think I need something new, you know? But I can’t just pick up and leave. There’s too much to do.”

“Maybe the Gathering will help. Not planning it, of course. But when it actually happens, you’ll get to see the fruits of all your labour. And you’ll get to see old friends. I think that will lift your spirits.”

“I hope so.” Hiccup had to admit, there were people in his life he sorely missed. And some of them had children who he was longing to see. Surely those reunions would make him happy.

“And you know, Hiccup,” Valka said. “While the weight of leadership rests on your shoulders, it’s not a burden you have to carry alone. You have Astrid and Fishlegs and Snotlout...” She hesitated. “And you have me...flighty as I may be at times. I...I know I should be around more often. But I—”

“You’re a free spirit,” Hiccup said. “I understand. I love that about you.”

Valka smiled briefly. “I think I gave you much of that. But you also have your father’s ability to lead. Don’t forget that. You have the best of both of us.”

Something about her words struck Hiccup somewhere deep. The tears returned.

“Hiccup? Oh, Hiccup, I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

Hiccup shook his head. “No, no.” He sniffed and wiped at his eyes. “Um. I...I think you helped, actually. Thank you.”

“Of course, my love.” Valka kissed her son’s forehead. They sat in silence before she spoke again. “So, what else do you have to do today?”

“Uhh...” Hiccup cleared his throat, trying to rid his voice of its shakiness. “Well, I still have planning for the Gathering left to do. I don’t know what Astrid’s finished so far, but I know we need to check in on the builders. Um, there are some weavers making fabric for tents and decorations. And there are some farmers who’ve requested we make an exception on how much of their harvest we collect for the feasts. I’ve gotta go talk to all of them.”

“I can come with you.”

“Are you sure? It’s not going to be very interesting.”

“I don’t mind.”

Hiccup exhaled. His chest felt a little lighter than it did before.

“We can go now, if you’d like,” Valka offered.

“Soon,” Hiccup said. “I think...I think I want a little more time with Dad. And you.”

“Alright.”

Hiccup and Valka rested by Stoick’s statue for a while longer. Hiccup found that sitting beneath Stoick’s shadow felt different. He was still in the shade, but something about the statue felt less cold and impersonal. He couldn’t help but feel that beneath the outer layers of rock, beneath the stony exterior, the real Stoick was there, deep in the statue’s centre, giving his son reassurance. Hiccup couldn’t quite figure out what he was saying, but he hoped he would understand one day.

#httyd #long post #how to train your dragon #httyd fanfic #httyd fanfiction #hiccup #hiccup haddock #valka #valka haddock #stoick #stoick the vast

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emblematicemblazer · 8 months

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World building and theories of Engage

Alfred and Alfred the Great

Alfred, The Crowned Prince of Firene, has a real life inspiration, the Anglo-Saxon king Alfred the Great (849-899). Alfred the Great is probably best known for successfully defending his kingdom, Wessex, from Viking attacks. The surrounding kingdoms of Northumbria, East Anglia and Mercia had fallen and the odds were stacked against him, Alfred the Great and his father King Aethelred, were driven back into the heart of their kingdom and had to employ guerrilla tactics.

Alfred has similar claims to fame, with the help of the Divine Dragon he successfully defends his kingdom from attacks by the corrupted and Elusian forces.

There are other similarities between the two kings. When Alfred the Great was a young boy, he went on a pilgrimage with his father to Rome. This visit inspired a view of kingship based on religious morals and values. Alfred visited the Divine Dragon as a boy as well. These visits helped Alfred form a close friendship with the Divine Dragon.

Alfred the Great was a champion of education and taught himself Latin so he could translate important texts into English. He also set up schools to educate all young men. He also made military reforms which included: a rota systems fields were not neglected, fortified towns which formed the basis of the English system of boroughs and shires and strengthened the navy with the aid of foreign skilled craftspeople. To restore faith in the economy he increased the silver content in coins and created a new design, he introduced a fairer tax system, and introduced written laws. Alfred the Great was a reformer who improved his people's quality of life.

Alfred the Great had a condition with symptoms similar to Crohn's disease. He often went through periods of great pain and sickness, especially after grand feasts. He died early, (early 50s), but still managed to marry and raise an heir. Alfred has a similar condition and dies early because of it. His dislike of spicy food and strong tasting food could be because they make him unwell. There is no mention of Celine becoming Queen so I imagine that Alfred also married and had an heir.

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #firene #fe alfred #prince alfred

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ailurocide · 7 months

Note

on there being several groups that wander the wastes.. 👀 (totally not drafting a group of OFND ocs) -🪷

Yup yup!! There are TONS of different groups that occupy the Wastelands!

Let’s list a few for y’all’s oc-building pleasure ;)

There are the Houses, which are sedentary groups that occupy grand “skeleton structures” (i.e., the ruins of ancient buildings) that they have rebuilt and repurposed into easily guarded campsites. They are avid pack hunters, and House natives are lion-based. They will also commonly employ other felfolk, known as “companions” offering protected shelter (a very rare thing to find within the Waste) in exchange for various means of aid. Companions are lynx-based. They’re vaguely based off of fancy, old Victorian-English noble houses!

The Cloterns are also known as “circlers” due to their habits of seeking out hot-spots within the Waste and literally circling around them. Occasionally dipping down into them to hunt it for spiritual or cultural reasons, but otherwise keeping up a very nomadic, circular lifestyle. Clotern natives are snow leopard-based. They’re vaguely based off of Nordic Vikings!

Fealties are typically mass gatherings of several different factions of several different felfolk subspecies, who all operate under similar laws and beliefs, and occupy the ever-rare Wasteland hot spots. Less now a “cult”, and more just a broken system that stubbornly refuses to change. They’re very vaguely based off of the faction system of Divergent, as well as the Clans from the Warrior Cats series!

Groups in the Waste who banded together out of pure necessity or survival instinct, but don’t know each other very well and thus are suspicious, competitive, or even hostile towards one another are known as Glarings. They wander the Waste mostly aimlessly, drifting from place to place, staying in a group solely because it increases their odds of survival. They’re based off of irl cat groups of the same name!

The Nameless are a cult, sparse in number but widespread, and congregating around very specific spots of the world. We’ll learn more about them later.

The Matrons is an exclusively female family group, and are nomadic warrior necromancers of sorts. They do not allow any except for females within their group, and all who are not female are viewed with great suspicion. Matron natives are Amur Tiger based! They’re based off of the Sisters from the Warrior Cats series!

And ofc, there are others, but for now, these are the primary groups that’ll be featured!

#ailurocide #lotus (🪷) anon #ask #spotty speaks #xenomoggy #ailurocide: the cloterns #ailurocide: the four trees fealty #ailurocide: the houses + companions #ailurocide: the foreshore fealty #ailurocide: the nameless cult #ailurocide: the matrons

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betweenlands · 1 year

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hey. remember when Legundo said that a lot of the chaos on this server has been Viking's fault? that they'd only have peace and quiet if they got rid of him for good?

let's go over some major conflicts and put that theory to the test, shall we?

(under a cut. this gets long.)

Fix, Kill The Thief: Legundo is the first person to escalate, demanding he steal something in return for "borrowing" the gold blocks. Fix gives him the painting but can't resist the urge to twist the knife from there. Legundo responds by killing him on-sight the next time they meet, reinforcing Fix's belief that everyone's out to get him. We get the spiral of "if someone hires me i need to still show i have the upper hand" that leads directly into Kill The Thief, and also into Shadow being hired to assassinate Jamie.

Nukeri and the wing-stealing threat: This one was just Shadowmech, I think. (Though Legundo is frequently pretty brusque with Nuke, for what it's worth.) Also Nukeri later ends up unable to fly during S2 as a result of jumping into the Void to find his friends, but that one's also kind of solidly on the Oracle.

Jamie, pre-Void: Legundo suggests Jamie become queen. When her leadership becomes questionable and her behavior becomes erratic, Legundo immediately turns and begins assembling a group to sneak into the stronghold, convincing them that the dragon has to die. Jamie and her court attempt to stop them, first by trying to explain their actual motivations and then by force. When the dragon dies, Jamie ends up being right about something horrible happening, as she literally explodes.

Viking, part 1: The dragon's death results in Viking becoming tangible. He starts off as friendly and seemingly well-adjusted but quickly becomes obsessed with getting the grand prize of a Legundo IOU, ending up having to deal with Taneesha and her hiding her taxes in the process. He steadily loses his hinges after this but remains friendly until people start directly pushing his buttons, with perhaps the sole example to the contrary being pitting Legundo and Fix against each other (telling Legundo to help him steal the diamonds and Fix to stop Legundo from doing Something during the exorcism).

Various forms of tax evasion: A lot of people do this in a lot of different ways, because the diamond tax just kind of sucks. Taneesha tries and fails to frame Fix and gets snitched on by Fix, Legundo attempts to clog the system with unenchanted diamond pickaxes, Viking frames himself to take the fall for Taneesha, Shadow's a hired gun for the queen and is therefore just having a good time.

Jamie, post-Void: So, remember when Jamie exploded because the dragon was killed? Turns out she's evil now! Possessed by the Void, Jamie attempts to start a cult and in general funnel her power as queen towards accomplishing its goals. Good thing Legundo knows an exorcism ritual and has found the diamonds to seal all that chaos energy into!

Fix, ritual diamonds: Yeah, it turns out Fix still has that urge to steal, and -- seemingly unrelated to Viking's request to stop Legundo from messing up the ritual -- steals the diamonds on the ritual platform, releasing a bunch of chaos energy and causing the apocalypse in the process. He didn't exactly know this would happen -- he was told they shouldn't be moved but wasn't told why until after he'd already stolen them. Anyway, the Oracle curses him and he's a genie now.

the Blood Moons: Are a direct result of the released chaos energy. They also may have caused something with Shadowmech to go haywire as he's currently a silent murder machine.

POOPA: Formed by Grady and Mongo. I'm gonna be honest, I don't know their exact reasoning other than potentially to try and sell more of Mongo's beetroot, but either way, Legundo clearly doesn't like them even if he's willing to bribe them. The IOU forms separately as another way to stop them and Legundo is either roped in or asked to join depending on your point of view.

Taneesha's Void stuff: Turns out Tan's still a little bit Void-possessed and/or something with the Blood Moons affected her as well! She's now got urges to kill -- urges that Legundo chooses to test by sending her on a solo mission alongside Joy to see if someone dies. Someone (Joy) does. He continues to observe until she starts trying to blow things up with End Crystals. This is also the point at which Viking gets involved...

Viking, part 2: The reason Viking wanted the ritual diamonds is to do a ritual of his own that would hopefully bring his and Taneesha's memories back -- worth noting, Viking also didn't know that moving the diamonds would cause the apocalypse. Taneesha and Viking are close, and when Tan opens up to him about her urges to murder, Viking does his best to support her -- his idea of "support" is a little skewed, considering he shoots an End Crystal and causes her to explode Legundo, but he definitely had reasoning behind it. Besides -- he doesn't quite trust Legundo.

IOU, part 1: Back up a few steps to POOPA. The gang attempts to find a stronghold to set IOU's base in, and it turns out there's one right under the desert that Fix built for Legundo, near where Joy's parked her van. Viking attempts to get to work on building out a version of the stronghold room that looks like the original room and keeps the portal closed, as Legundo very specifically says to not open the portal. Joy and Taneesha don't get the message, and not only open the portal but also destroy the portal frame blocks, leaving Viking scrambling to try and fix things as they proceed to attempt to gaslight him into thinking it was his fault. This goes... very poorly.

IOU, part 2: Viking attempts to seek out Legundo to explain what happened with the portal before Joy and Tan can flip the script, but Legundo's mad about his stuff going missing (it was in a box a little too far away from the place he died for him to notice) and basically shrugs off Viking every chance he gets. They get to the stronghold, and Tan and Joy appear to have broken the other blocks of the portal -- at which point Viking gets extremely frustrated, attempts to explain the situation to Legundo, and Legundo mutes him. Anyway, turns out that Joy and Tan had built a fake room to try and trick Viking into thinking they'd broken the rest of the portal, and he goes a little ballistic after all this, at which point then Legundo pulls Taneesha aside to ask her for help with putting Viking to rest permanently.

Whoof. That's a lot of summary. So. What have we learned?

Well... there's a person at the center of all the chaos, alright. There's definitely one person that consistently sets things into motion and lets things escalate when he could very easily step in, even escalates things himself in some cases, either intentionally with some justification or just by letting his emotions get the better of him.

Legundo had Fix steal that painting, strongarmed him into being a thief for hire. Legundo nominated Jamie as queen and then tore her down as soon as she posed a threat. Legundo rallied as many people as possible to kill the dragon because he didn't want to listen to Jamie, in the process both releasing Viking and making Jamie become evil. Legundo ignores POOPA until they start getting nosy, then pays them off while still letting them exist, then joins an organization dedicated to destroying them. Legundo sends off Joy on a mission with Taneesha, fully aware the latter has murderous urges and may try to kill her, because he wants to double-check.

And now, Viking's gotten a little too much power from sources outside Legundo's control, and all of a sudden Legundo's not just scared of him anymore, no, Legundo wants him gone.

Hm.

It's almost like someone's trying to create a power vacuum, a series of faulty leaders like dominos, and setting himself up as the person to solve it -- the only person that can bring that peace and quiet to the overworld.

It's almost like someone was sent here to conquer the overworld to begin with, by any means he deems worthy or necessary.

I'm sure that's nothing to worry about. He means well for his people, after all. Follows their ideals. Leads through power.

I'm sure there's no sayings about what absolute power does to a person.

#dominion smp #legundo #yt #txt #dominioners #orig #solar scraps #gods this got LONG anyway hehe theorytime :3c #also brief disclaimer i am sure i missed a LOT of things. i am one person and my memory is fallible #however. the bits about jamie i am absolutely certain of #and this may have been accidental on actor parts but this doesn't make it a less compelling theory to me!#solar scrawls

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mallowbees · 2 years

Video

youtube

hi for the love of god hello

[Video description: The art is a light blue sketch style on a warm grey background. Night ambience with crickets plays and boots walking stop as muffled piano music echos. A wide shot shows a person in a cloak looking at a mansion on a mountain. Viewing inside, the music plays clearly, and Vikingpilot is playing on a grand piano in front of a window. It switches back to Shadow, walking through the grass and up the steps, opening the door. The door creaks open and Viking stops playing. A wide shot shows Viking staring away from the piano. End.]

#i i had to upload this to youtube because tumblr was turning it into unpercievable pixels. i tried for four hours to fix it.#you can tell who won of me vs tumblr #dominion smp #vikingpilot #shadowmech27 #k draws art #mcyt

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athletic-collection · 1 year

Photo

Justin Portillo

#Wrestling #grand view vikings #justin portillo

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tjkl895 · 1 year

Photo

Ben Lee and Dayton Brown (https://camkramerphoto.smugmug.com/College-Wrestling/2019-2020-College-Wrestling/Grand-View-vs-Missouri-Valley-wrestling-dual-012920/184lbs-Ben-Lee-Grand-View-fall-Dayton-Brown-Missouri-Valley/)

#ben lee #grand view #vikings #dayton brown #missouri valley #wrestling #wrestling singlet #black #orange

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yespat49 · 5 months

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Breizh, Histoire de la Bretagne, tome 4 : les Hommes du Nord

Le 4ème tome de l’excellente série bande dessinée Breizh, l’histoire de la Bretagne, est paru, aux éditions du soleil. Le titre du tome ? Les hommes du Nord. En effet, l’album se déroule alors que le royaume de Bretagne disparaît au IXe siècle, sous les coups de boutoir des Vikings. On y fait la connaissance d’Alain, dit Barbe Torte, élevé en Grande-Bretagne, qui va unir les forces bretonnes et…

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libertyoftheseas · 12 days

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A Guide to the Liberty of the Seas Deck Plans

Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas, a member of the Freedom class, is a grand vessel known for its wide range of amenities and accommodations spread across 15 decks. Since its debut in 2007 and refurbishment in 2016, it continues to offer guests a blend of luxury, entertainment, and adventure. Here’s a detailed exploration of what each deck has in store.

Deck 2: Starting Point

Deck 2 houses essential staterooms, including ocean view and interior options, providing comfortable accommodations. This deck also contains the medical center, ensuring that guests have access to necessary healthcare services.

Deck 3: Entertainment Hub

Deck 3 is where the entertainment action begins. It features the lower level of the Platinum Theatre, where guests can enjoy Broadway-style shows and other live performances. Studio B, the ice-skating rink, hosts impressive ice shows and offers opportunities for guest skating. The Art Gallery is also situated here, showcasing artworks available for purchase.

Deck 4: Casino and Performances

Deck 4 is a hotspot for gaming and entertainment. Casino Royale offers a variety of games, while the Schooner Bar provides a nautical-themed setting for cocktails and live piano music. This deck also includes the mezzanine level of the Platinum Theatre, offering excellent views of the stage.

Deck 5: Royal Promenade

Deck 5 is the bustling core of Liberty of the Seas. The Royal Promenade, an indoor boulevard, features shops, cafes, and bars. Dining options on this deck include Sorrento’s Pizzeria, the Cupcake Cupboard, and an English pub. The Main Dining Room, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is also located here.

Deck 6: Relaxation and Accommodation

Deck 6 offers a variety of staterooms, including balcony, ocean view, and interior cabins. The Vitality Spa on this deck provides a range of treatments designed to relax and rejuvenate guests, offering a peaceful escape from the ship's bustling activities.

Deck 7: Quiet Spaces

Deck 7 continues with a mix of staterooms, many featuring private balconies. The library and card room on this deck provide quiet spaces for reading, games, and relaxation.

Deck 8: Business and Comfort

Deck 8 houses additional staterooms and the Business Services area, catering to guests who need to stay connected and manage work-related tasks during their cruise.

Deck 9: Luxury Accommodations

Deck 9 offers a range of luxurious staterooms and suites, providing enhanced amenities and extra space for a more comfortable stay. These accommodations are ideal for guests seeking a more upscale experience.

Deck 10: Family Focus

Deck 10 is designed with families in mind, featuring spacious family staterooms and suites. These rooms offer additional space and amenities, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable experience for larger groups.

Deck 11: Fitness and Pools

Deck 11 is the wellness and activity hub of the ship. It includes a state-of-the-art fitness center and the adults-only Solarium, complete with whirlpools. The main pool area features multiple pools and hot tubs, while the H2O Zone kids’ water park provides fun for younger guests.

Deck 12: Youth Activities

Deck 12 is dedicated to younger passengers, with the Adventure Ocean Youth Program offering age-appropriate activities for children and teens. This deck also includes additional staterooms, including family-friendly options.

Deck 13: Adventure and Fun

Deck 13 is packed with thrilling activities, including the FlowRider surf simulator, a rock climbing wall, and a mini-golf course. The Viking Crown Lounge provides panoramic views and a relaxing atmosphere for unwinding.

Deck 14: Scenic Views

Deck 14 features staterooms with stunning sea views and includes the Cloud Nine and Seven Hearts card rooms, perfect for card games and quiet relaxation.

Deck 15: Sun and Serenity

Deck 15 is dedicated to ultimate relaxation, featuring the Sun Deck and the adults-only Solarium. It’s an ideal spot for soaking up the sun, enjoying the sea breeze, and finding a peaceful retreat.

Conclusion

Liberty of the Seas offers a diverse range of experiences across its 15 meticulously designed decks. From entertainment and dining to relaxation and adventure, each deck provides unique amenities and activities to ensure every guest has a memorable cruise experience. Whether you’re seeking excitement, serenity, or a blend of both, Liberty of the Seas caters to all tastes and preferences, making it a perfect choice for an unforgettable cruise vacation.

#liberty #sea #deck #plan

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