#i feel like a spooked horse right now but i am being so brave

[sevenrs]

hello rain world people

i am not new to this fandom and neither is this blog, but i'm trying to come back after a break and i am looking for new pals to share posts with

my favorite part about rain world is the worldbuilding. i like the iterators. my favorite slugcats are spearmaster and survivor. and i am really invested in my own and others' ocs

i mostly make memes and doodles but occasionally i will make longer comics and do some ocposting

give this a reblog if you are interested in being mutuals! i follow from skyistheground

#rain world #im kinda nervous but hopeful #mine.png #forgot that #i feel like a spooked horse right now but i am being so brave #anyone that has been following and is still here is also free to reblog idk who is/isnt here

[calyxthenerd]

@thirdlotusprince3

Somewhere in Omashu:

He wakes up, feeling the effects of a nasty headache he doesn’t remember how he got, so he goes to rub his eyes, but face is weird and he doesn’t feel the scar that has been there for eight years, the symbol of his resistance and the kindness that he sworn by since that day of black sun, it’s gone, he looks down, but he realizes he can’t see anything, but he can feel the bedding around his body, and it feels weird, did he get shorter? he goes to get up and tumbles out of bed and when his feet hit the ground, he’s suddenly overwhelmed by the sensation of every little movement around the city, he clutches his head and he screams

—————————————————————

Firelord’s palace, caldera city

She wakes up, feeling extra woozy, since when does she get headaches? And then there’s the sunlight against her eyelids, she opens her eyes, and stares out at the bedroom she’s in, knowing full well that’s not her room in the palace in Omashu, where she was currently in an ongoing competition against king Bumi to see who could be the the other more until one of them croaked, but this room didn’t have the earth kingdom greens and browns she was told about, it looked like what fire felt like, burning and bright, and- WHAT THE FUCK? SHE COULD SEE OUT OF HER OWN TWO EYES?? She quickly went to the mirror, after all, being blind your whole life, you want to see what you look like, but when she saw two golden eyes, a scar around one of them, staring back at her, she did what she never thought she would do, after all, her tough façade is as smooth and resistant as the earth she bends, but when she saw her best friend in the mirror, she screamed

—————————————————————

After relaying the situation to Bumi, the only one brave enough to check in on the yell that he let out, he got helped onto an ostrich horse, vowing to never tell Toph that he let people help him do things while in her body, and quickly set off to the palace, wanting to get there before his chaotic best friend screwed up his years of progress in restoring the honor of his nation, by accident

—————————————————————

As the scream that echoed through the palace alerted everyone of trouble brewing in the Firelord’s quarters, General Iroh, who came home to visit, Advisor Mai, and Kyoshi warriors/personal security to Firelord Zuko, barged into his bedroom, to see him staring at himself in a broken mirror, as manic as his sister was before she was sent to the mental hospital, so Iroh gestured for everyone to stand still as he moved forward, not wanting to spook the boy

“Nephew” he said softly

“Ah yes, you are my uncle, Iroh, and I am your nephew Zuko, who can see out of his eyes” she replied, stiffly

“Nephew are you alright?” He asked, now concerned

“Actually, I’m not Zuko?”

Iroh was now suspicious “Who are you then, some kind of clone?”

“A shapeshifter!” Ty Lee declared, way more excited than she should’ve been, as usual

“An extraterrestrial?” Mai questioned, deadpan as always

“A spirit?” Suki, ever the logical one, supplied

“None of those, I’m actually… Toph” she grimaced as all of their faces shifted into complete and utter shock

“Oh dear, would you want some blindfolds? I imagine sunlight must hurt after a lifetime of nothingness” Iroh provides

“Actually” she turns to Suki, taking her time to commit all of their faces and figures to memory before addressing the girl “could you call the gang here? Before we fix whatever spirit stuff made this happen, I want to see… everything”

“Of course” the warrior smiles fondly, at her friend “I’ll send a messager Hawk right away, come on Ty Lee, I know you love sending mail” “Yay!!” And both brunettes exit the room

“Iroh, Mai, I want you both to stay here and help Zuko when he arrives, while me… I’m gonna take a walk around the city”

“As you wish, Ms Beifong” they both say, bow and go sit down at a table in the corner as she leaves

—————————————————————

The next month or so, consisted of the group of old friends traveling around all the kingdoms so two of their beloved friends could experience the world like they’d never have before, and in the last day, when they were back in Caldera, a spirit appeared “hello earth spawn, child of agni” “hello grand spirit” the whole group said “I switched your souls to give you perspective, a jaded young soul who deserved to experience the beauty of the world like never before, and a man who had the world at his feet, needed to answer the callings of said world once again, you both were given this experience to make you better people, kinder to yourselves and those surrounding you, and you learned everything you could, so I’m going to put your souls back into their respective flesh, but rest assured, your memories will remain, after all, without them, this would all be fruitless, would it not?”

#toph beifong #fire lord zuko #avatar the last airbender

[plaudiusplants]

Okay I know this was a couple days ago, but you are logged a lot of horse things. Are they your favorite animal? (feel free to go on a long rant if you so please)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am vibrating!! Yes, horses are my best friends and favourite animals of all the ever and I love them so so much!! They're just like me fr!!! Tall kitty

Horses are the best and I've found that they're actually a lot like really tall cats!! They like to snuggle until the moment they don't, they like to cause problems on purpose, and they really like to feel like they have some control over their own situation. They are being ever so gracious in allowing you to do things that they have decided ahead of time are okay for you to do with slash to them. And, like, don't tell any horse I know that I said this, but they're kind of right. I'm (approximately) 120 lbs; any horse I ride is about ten times heavier than me, give or take. I'm not winning that tug-of-war unless the horse allows it. That physics will not track

I'm gonna start talking about anxiety here and it doesn't get really heavy anywhere but I'll put a read more button in anyway just in case 💕💕 (pictures and gushing about the horse I'm currently riding are also at the end though!)

Okay but so basically though, the way to succeed in an interaction with a horse is to assume they are scared and to let them know over and over again that you won't let scary things happen to them. Scary things include horrifying horse-eating squirrels, terrifying horse-gobbling pigeons, petrifying horse-devouring shadows, Large Noises that could have come from any of the aforementioned things, etc. I figure it's probably good strategy for prey animals to assume that basically anything can and will hurt them, but it also means that horses tend to be very spookable. I shit you not that I have ridden a gelding (boy with no balls) who spooked away from a jump because he saw his shadow right in front of the jump and thought it was dangerous

That said, obviously some breeds are going to spook more easily than others, and depending on training and background there are many many horses in the world who are very good at ignoring such terrifying things as "small children who make noise" and "leaf, blowing in the wind", and even "being the first in a line"

And as someone with a whole metric shit-ton of anxiety (now medicated, thankfully), the idea that I have to be the brave one who looks at things rationally and says "no, actually, nothing here eats horses" has always helped me a lot. If I can say that well yeah public speaking is kind of terrifying, but nothing here will eat me except socially, and I can recover from the social horrors. Probably.

Anyway the horse I'm riding now is named Gracie, just like my cat!! And for a very long time she was a brood mare, meaning she lived in the field and had babies and that was most of what she did for her life. She was trained when she was very young, but for some reason her owners decided not to put any more effort into training her, but now she belongs to my coach, so she gets to play with me! We think that whoever trained her taught her that being good meant going fast and that if she is being good that means she should be going fast? Anyway, in the last few months, she has relaxed admirably!! She enjoys the work, and she thinks that I am a Good People, and she usually stands still for me to groom her 💖💕💖🌻💕💖

She gets incredibly sweaty every time we ride together, even though I tell her often that we don't need to run so fast. It's less and less motivated by her own anxiety though, so I'm happy that she's happy 😊

Also, fun fact! Horses cannot vomit! Vomiting is my least favourite bodily function, whether I am doing it or someone else is, so I am extremely happy about that! Yeah yeah being unable to vomit means other health issues I don't care!

Anyway look at my (not mine) beautiful lovely horse who I love with all my heart!!!!

#thank you for asking me about horses!!!! #my gender is horsegirl okay #literally ask me anything about horses okay I love them so much #asks #horse #chaoticcinnabun #anxiety #horseback riding #horses #I have more pictures #I put Leonard in my Star Trek baseball hat one time #he rocked it #Gracie the horse

[jimmymcgools]

any directors commentary for this most recent chapter? (or any of the others you havent gone in depth on, like if there's a part you just really wanna talk about!)

ahh thank you anon! i'm sorry i ignored this for days but i couldn't decide what i wanted to do commentary on -- i got spooked trying to pick a chunk of the latest chapter (cannot believe i wrote an 8k word conversation whoops) and so i think i'll talk about the red cloud flashback at the start of chapter 11! <3

me: picks up east of eden to finally read it me: screw reading, i need to write a red cloud flashback IMMEDIATELY

this was an odd chapter. sometimes (like with the flying star convo) i have an idea that i know is weighty enough to support an entire chapter. but sometimes i feel like i have a gap. like... ok, i know i have that skyler&marie&blanca convo coming, but i also know i want that to happen NEXT chapter, so now i need to fill this space.

and it ended up as this odd little thematic musings type chapter. but i like how it turned out! it felt important to spend a little bit of time thinking about what 'home' might mean to kim wexler (especially if, yknow, a real home is something we want her to end up finding by the end of this fic, right?)

Kim doesn’t look at the houses. Not the one on the corner with the white rocking chair on the white porch.

i have a (maybe silly) thing where i don't like putting dates/etc as headers above flashbacks. it feels fitting for a show that never puts them on the screen! and i love the challenge of trying to include that information in other ways.

But the houses want her to look at them. The letterboxes wave to her with flags and the letterboxes have people’s names on them.

shoutout to the NEW 2022 STREETVIEW IMAGERY OF RED CLOUD NEBRASKA (sadly still only 2 major streets but) that gave me this entire houses-as-people idea because i saw the names on the letterboxes.

She learned in school that a long time ago this whole town was underwater.

me googling this and frantically hoping it was true! this, specifically, is what that second page of east of eden inspired with the description of the salinas valley once being an inlet from the coast and before that a forest: "And it seemed to me sometimes at night that I could feel both the sea and the redwood forest before it."

and god the idea of feeling the sea beneath you at night felt SO screamingly kim wexler to me.

He nestles the hat on her head. It smells like horses and cigarettes and old, old things. “A proper cowboy hat.”

i am passionate about cowboy girl horse girl kim wexler

also--ahhhhh finally braving the idea of meeting kim's dad! now that rhea's talked about her ideas for him i wanted to see if i could balance that with stuff i'd folded in

i'm not particularly in love with the "jimmy is just her dad all over again" take as a full explanation of him (imo, kinda boring!) but i did want to thread a bit of that in. hopefully in a less 1:1 way and just like... there are things that made kim feel warm and comfortable and loved as a kid. and when she later finds some of those qualities in jimmy, they bring similar feelings. her dad remembers the names of these teachers and classmates of hers even though (in my mind) it has been quite a long time since he was last here.

but i always had the idea that kim got her silence and her stillness from her dad, so that's in here, too.

from safs:

All of this, and he was the only still thing. He just sat there and the TV flickered and it seemed like nothing could touch him, like nothing could ever touch him ... And I guess nothing really did.

and then similarly in safs i had this idea of like... kim positioning herself as the angry one in her childhood. i felt like it was more interesting to show this comparatively happy scene and just try to sow it with some kind of edge/disquiet and the seeds that might lead to that anger.

Kim watches him and he watches the movie, and he’s not moving at all anymore. His face is still and calm and she doesn’t know what’s behind it.

kim possessing that same stillness in the drive-in movie chapter of acb: He just watches her, and she watches the film—so still.

also my god i had remembered that sentence from acb but not THIS one right before it: "The blue-white light of the prison dormitory shadows her face, and her eyes glimmer, and he doesn’t look away, and Kim doesn’t look to him." wow ok

She knows she might never see him again.

i feel like the heartbreaking thing is like.... eventually kim is right about this. maybe it's this time. but i think she's almost thought it any time she's seen him that she's old enough to remember. like :( honey

#asks #anon #kim wexler #commentary ask meme #thank you!!! #better call saul

[sheerfreesia007]

Fallin’ All In You (Pt. 21)

Title: Fallin’ All In You (Pt. 21)

Pairing: Agent Whiskey x Reader

Author: @sheerfreesia007

Words: 3,118 (Whew!)

Warnings: Insecurities, bullying, fluff, Tequila being an amazing friend

Tags: @synystersilenceinblacknwhite, @two-unbeatable-beaters, @randomness501, @sevvysaurus

Author Notes: 3k words! I think this is my longest chapter yet. I really enjoyed writing this and exploring this side of the relationship between the two even though this was more one sided in perspective. I hope you all enjoy. Thanks for reading!

Gif Credit: @daishannigans​

           The hangar was busy this morning and you were quite surprised by how busy it was. Especially since it was the weekend. But you smiled as you felt Jack’s hand tightened over yours. He was leading you over to the small plane he was going to take back to New York. You were sad to see him go but you knew that he was needed back in New York and you had to stay here. You wondered if you should mention to him that you had started keeping track of any available positions in the New York office that you would be qualified for. But you held back, something was telling you to wait. It was a gut feeling that was stopping you from telling him. Almost a feeling of you not wanting to scare him.

           Soon enough the two of you had come to stand next to the plane. Jack turned to you and you quickly put on a brave face so as not to make this more difficult for him. Even though you had schooled your features like you had been trained to do Jack was still able to see through it.

           “Oh darlin’.” He said in a soft woeful tone. He tugged you into his arms and gave you a comforting hug. You rested your head over Jack’s shoulder and loosely wrapped your arms around his waist. Your eyes looked unseeing behind him as you moved your body closer to his. “I know.” Jack sighed. “I know darlin’.”

           You shook your head and gripped him tighter in your arms. Pulling back you choked out a watery laugh before looking up at him with a melancholy smile.

           “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry.” You admitted sarcastically. “I don’t want to make this any harder than this is.”

           Jack smiled tenderly down at you with a knowing look in his eyes and you lifted onto the tips of your toes, pressing your hands into his hips so you could keep your balance. Jack watched you silently and you pressed your lips to his in a sweet closed mouth kiss. Instantly Jack’s hands cupped the side of your face and he was deepening the kiss. Your lips dragged against his as his opened under yours. You sucked in air deeply through your nose when you felt Jack’s tongue trace slowly along your bottom lip. You opened your mouth wider to give him more access. And Jack groaned lowly as he took advantage of your permission and licked into your mouth.

           His tongue mapped your mouth as if this would be the last time he would get to. When he flicked his tongue against the roof of your mouth you whimpered softly into his mouth and gripped his hips tighter

           Just then you heard a scoff and your eyes snapped open. Behind Jack you could see Ginger Ale glaring at the two of you with a disgusted look on her face. You felt embarrassment flush hotly through you and you slowly pulled away from Jack.

           “If that’s the kiss I get when I leave I can only imagine the kiss I’ll get when I return.” Jack teased heatedly as he nuzzle into your neck. You laughed delighted at his words forgetting about Ginger as you hugged him tightly to you.

           “I’m gonna miss you goofball.” You declared fondly grinning widely. Jack pulled away from you grinning and pecked a kiss on your lips.

           “First of all it’s Mr. Goofball to you miss.” He corrected with a faux serious look on his face that made you laugh and roll your eyes. “Second of all I’m going to miss you too. But thankfully I’ll be back in two weeks for another consult. So it won’t be that long.” He reassured and you smiled up at him nodding. “I love you darlin’, so much.” He whispered before he kissed you deeply again.

           When the two of you pulled away you knew he had to go. You smiled and hugged him tightly one last time. Pulling away you backed up with a warm smile.

           “Have a safe flight. Call me when you get there.” You instructed affectionately. Before he could turn to the plane you rushed him and kissed him for the final time. “I love you, be safe.” You whispered against his lips.

           Jack nodded with a longing look in his eyes before he climbed into the cockpit. You stepped back far enough silently watching as Jack did his preflight checks and donned his headset. Jack gave you a salute and you blew him a kiss in response and watched a broad grin appear on his face. Then he drove his plane out to the runway to take flight.

           “Ugh, PDA is so disgusting don’t you think so Absinthe?” came Ginger Ale’s cruel tone. You turned your head and saw Ginger Ale standing with one of the new field agents. Apparently Ginger had quickly made new friends. You had heard that Ginger had appealed her vote in and she had been promoted to field agent. “It’s disgusting and should be saved for the bedroom, don’t you think?” Ginger asked and you watched a cruel distorted smirk fall onto her lips.

           “Oh for sure. Like do they not understand that not everyone wants to see them sucking face with each other?” mocked the other agent.

           You felt your cheeks flush with heated embarrassment as you watched the two of them sneer at you. Was it really too much to see? Your mind began to race with concern, worry and insecurity. You remembered Tequila had teased you and Jack a couple days ago but you figured it was all in fun with him. But what if Ginger was right? What if it was disgusting seeing you and Jack kiss? Did you look weird when you kissed? Were you a bad kisser? Were you a good enough kisser for Jack? Or was he just kissing you because you were available? Your mind wouldn’t shut off and began to race with insecurity after insecurity. What did people think of you and Jack kissing each other around them?

           “Hey ladies, how we all doin’?”came Tequila’s deep drawl. And that seemed to end your mind’s tirade. You snapped your head in Tequila’s direction and felt the embarrassment all anew. Shaking your head you turned and rushed out of the hangar hearing Ginger’s and the other agent’s laughter following you out.

             Tequila gave you a half hour before he came looking for you in your office. He had known just by the look on Ginger’s face that she was being cruel. It was a trait of Ginger’s that not many people knew about and only came out when she felt slighted. And lately he had been noticing that her cruel attitude was directed towards you.

           You had holed up in your office and had started on some consult projects that you had been neglected in hopes of distracting yourself. You had even turned on your music at a low volume. The firm knock sounded at your door and you looked up from your desk.

           “Come in.” you called out and smiled when Tequila walked in.

           “Hey Cur.” He intoned softly with a warm smile.

           “Hey Tequila.” You answered lazily and gestured to the chair that sat in front of your desk. “Come have a seat.” You welcomed him in.

           Tequila ambled in with that friendly smile and made his way over to the chair. He plopped heavily into it making you laugh happily. Shifting in the seat he got comfortable. You watched as he planted his feet and spread his legs out in front of him.

           “So you wanna tell me what Ginger and that other agent said to upset you?” he questioned in a soft concerned tone. You knew he was only looking out for you and you were grateful for his loyalty and friendship. But was this something you could divulge to him? Should you? Was this something that he could help you with? Only giving it a second thought you set aside your worry and put your full trust in him.

           “She said some things about Whiskey and I kissing in front of everyone.” You explained. You watched Tequila’s face morph into one of confusion, so you continued on. “She said it was disgusting to have to watch us kiss and that we should save it for the bedroom.” Tequila’s confusion dissipated and a look of understanding came onto his features. “I know you don’t like watching us kiss, I mean you said so yourself a couple days ago. But we were saying goodbye it’s not like we were doing anything else besides kissing.” You tried to reason with a frown gracing your face.

           “Well hey now. I was only teasing you two the other day.” Tequila defended himself. You nodded your head to him knowingly and then huffed.

           “I know it’s just maybe she’s right.” You admitted sorrowfully. Just then Tequila slapped a hand down on the arm of the chair he sat in.

           “Absolutely not. She’s just being cruel and bitter because she thinks you wronged her.” Tequila declared heatedly as he shook his head. “Besides Jack makes you happy and you make him happy. Would you stop doing something that makes you happy just because someone doesn’t like lookin’ at you doing it?” he asked logically and before you could respond he continued. “Especially if it’s not hurting her? If she doesn’t like watching you and Whiskey she can look away just like you told me that day.”

           “But what if she’s right? What must people think when they see us kissing all the time? It’s not like we’re discreet. I mean am I a bad kisser and just make really weird faces when I kiss? Is Jack just with me because I’m available to him? Am I good enough for him?” you began to ramble insecurely. Your hands had come up to flick and flutter in the air around your face as you rambled. You had been so consumed with your insecurity that you didn’t see Tequila stand and make his way over to you. It wasn’t until he had grabbed your gesticulating hands that you noticed him in front of you.

           “Relax Cur.” He stated firmly in a calm tone, almost as if you were one of his spooked horses. “Insecurity doesn’t look good on you.” He boldly declared and you instantly stopped. Looking up at him you stared into his friendly eyes and were slowly calmed. You felt his steady hands hold yours and his thumbs caressed the tops of them. “Don’t listen to Ginger. There’s nothing for you to be insecure about Cur. If you were a bad kisser I’m pretty damn sure Whiskey would’ve said something or he wouldn’t still be kissing you months later.” Tequila reasoned calmly and you nodded your head knowing what he was telling you was true.

           “Thank you.” You whispered and Tequila nodded before pulling you into a warm encompassing hug.

           “Anytime Cur, anytime. You’re a badass and Whiskey’s a lucky son of a gun to hold your heart.” Tequila murmured in your ear holding you tightly.

             It was two weeks later and just like Jack had said he was on his way back at HQ. You and Tequila were waiting in the hangar just talking to pass the time until Jack’s plane touched down. Tequila had already spotted Ginger standing, with that same agent from before, not far from where the two of you were waiting. Tequila glared at Ginger and watched as a devilish smirk graced her lips as her eyes narrowed in on you. Tequila just hoped you ignored her.

           It wasn’t long before Jack’s small plane taxied into the hangar and Tequila laughed as you shifted from foot to foot almost vibrating with excited energy. You took off running as soon as Jack hopped out of the cockpit. Tequila grinned as he watched Jack catch you easily in a tight hug. Making his way over to the two of you he saw Jack press a longing kiss to your lips. Two things happened when the senior agent did that, the first being a loud scoff sounded coming from Ginger’s direction and the second was your reaction. You stiffened in Jack’s arms and pulled away stopping the kiss before either of you could deepen it. Tequila sighed knowing that your insecurities were surfacing once again.

           During the two weeks since Jack’s departure your insecurities had taken you on a roller coaster ride that was fueled solely by Ginger. Tequila had tried to help you through it but he knew ultimately that Jack would be the one to help you. Jack had a look of confusion on his face as Tequila stepped up to the two of you. You were grimacing as your eyes darted over to Ginger.

           “Welcome back Whiskey!” Tequila welcomed warmly as he clapped a hand on Whiskey’s shoulder. “Now I know you two lovebirds haven’t seen each other in two weeks but I’m gonna need to steal Whiskey for a hot minute.” Tequila instructed and gripped Whiskey’s shoulder tightly. The senior agent looked up at Tequila and the two shared a look.

           “Tequila.” You warned firmly from behind him. But it was Jack who answered you.

           “Don’t worry about it darlin’. It’s just about a consult I had a few days ago.” Jack fibbed easily, the two men watch you eye them skeptically for a minute before nodding and walking quickly away. “What’s going on Tequila? I just lied to her for the first time ever.”

           “It sucks. I know. Lying to her is never a good feeling but I need to talk to you about her.” Tequila confessed hurriedly. He looked around the hangar and saw Ginger and the other agent following your departure quickly and he felt slightly bad about leaving you to their antics. But he truly wanted to talk to Whiskey about what’s been going on with you.

           “You sound like you know from experience.” Jack surmised lowly and Tequila just nodded to him. “Alright what’s going on?”

           “Cur’s been having a rough time. She’s been insecure ever since you left.” Tequila explained lowly so he wouldn’t be heard by the mechanics and airspace employees walking around.

           “Why would she be insecure?” Whiskey asked in puzzlement.

           “Because the day that you left for New York Ginger and another agent kept goin’ on about how public displays of affection are disgusting and should be saved for the bedroom.” Tequila explained quickly.

           “If they don’t like it they don’t have to look.” Whiskey stated scoffing lightly.

           “Which your lady knows and understands. And I told her that as well but her insecurities got the best of her and she’s been in this almost depressive spiral. I’ve been tryin’ to keep her spirits up but I know she’ll only feel better when it’s you telling her she’s got nothing to be insecure about.” Tequila rushed out in enlightenment. “I’ve also been telling Ginger to back off but she can be cruel and sneaky when she wants to be.”

           “Damn.” Jack mumbled softly in distress making Tequila nod. “She never said anything to me over the phone or anything.”

           “I don’t think she wants you view her any different.” Tequila guessed. “She has quite a bit of insecurities revolving around the feeling of not being good enough and what other people think about her. And I’m not sure where it stems from.” Tequila confessed.

           “Oh darlin’.” Jack whispered. “Alright thanks Tequila. I’ll be sure to be gentle with her.” Jack gripped Tequila’s shoulder in a friendly manner. “Thanks for taking care of her for me while I’m gone.” Jack thanks Tequila gratefully.

           “Nothing to thank me for. I’ll always protect her.” Tequila admits while shrugging his shoulders. “Now go get your lady. I know she’s missed you.”

             Jack knocked on your office door and waited for a response from you before he entered. It didn’t take long and soon enough he was walking in with an easy smile on his face. You were sitting behind your desk going through some paperwork and he watched you look up at him. A bright smile gracing your lips when you saw him enter. He sauntered over to you and turned your chair towards him before he pulled you from the chair completely and brought you to sit on the plush sofa you had in your office. The two of you sit on the couch together and he pulls your body over his until you’re straddling him.

           “Tequila told you.” You say sorrowfully as you rest your forehead against his chest.

           “Yeah, he did. But why didn’t you tell me?” Jack responds with a question.

           “Cuz I can handle a bully on my own plus I didn’t want you to know about my insecurity.” Your voice is muffled against his shirt but he hears you all the same.

           “Darlin’, I love you. I know you can handle any bullies that come your way. But any time you’re feeling insecure I’m supposed to make you feel better that’s my job.” He declared softly. “You make me so damn happy that I don’t’ ever want that feeling to go away. You have become so damn important to me. And to know that you’re hurting in some way hurts me. So please darlin’ if you ever are insecure or if something is going on or if someone is bothering you come to me. And I will do everything in my power to make it right.” He professed to you letting his fingers lightly run through your hair. He lifted your head so that you looked into his eyes. “I know it’s easier said than done but try not to let them get to you. I love you just the way you are and I don’t wanna stop kissing you in front of other people. But if it makes you uncomfortable I’ll stop. I love you and I want others to know that.”

           “I love you too. And I don’t want to stop either but the things they said and how it made me feel Jack. It wasn’t pleasant.” You confessed dejectedly.

           “So how ‘bout this then. If you start hearing their whispers when we kiss you let me know and we’ll stop. Plus if we’re sneaky enough we can make a game out of it.” Jack bargained as he wiggled his eyebrows at you making you laugh. “I’m serious though darlin’ you’re gorgeous and I love you. You have nothing to be insecure about.”

           You surged forward and kissed Jack deeply making him groan softly against your mouth.

           “Thank you.” You whispered to him.

#my writing #fallin' all in you #agent whiskey #agent whiskey x reader #kingsman the golden circle

[talesofealdancynedom]

Seiph Blugimm, in fairy robes; The mage of the Stone Gate forest is not as famous as his twin brother, but is relevant enough to illustrate

Tale 19: Meriam Craweleoth: Mage Queen of The Grand West (chapter 8.1 - At The Time 8/10) part 4. Stories of Old

Maps

none

           Sinonia Doesn’t have cities; it has a constant, and evenly dispersed, rural landscape; And heavy traffic trade routs. The roads are wide, muddy, sided by lush ferns and bamboo, or tree groves. If your lucky, one can pass a farm, with fields strategically placed upon the strata of hills. There are many hills, of many heights in Sinonia; with many bridges. Like soft old mountains that never ended. The good thing about these features, is that it’s hard to get lost. There is always one person within distance, to gesticulate for directions; And they are used to it. The bad thing is that it feels like a perpetual hike, with no change in scenery. Meriam and her men had been away from home for weeks, and had only just accepted the fact they had traveled across the world, and their only hope was a magic forest, where they might find Sirulius’s identical twin brother. Of whom was the court mage, from what they gathered. Having searched the mountains for days, they stopped at what seemed to be an elaborate building, painted red and adorned with beads, and canvas sliding doors depicting nature. The ground around it was surrounded by perfectly circular cobbled of stone, and coloured glass. Tiered and hungry, Meriam decided such a gratuitous establishment might have a good host. The door slid open without her needing to ring the brass bells, with the provided mallet.

           The odd house was crowded with gold and red charms for luck. There was depictions of fey and livestock on everything; from statues, basins, table wear, and tapestries; to the canvas walls. The owner was a short very old lady, dressed in embroidered vibrant satins. She was the only one in the house, and given the number of luxurious objects in and around the property, possibly rich. From what Meriam could tell, the entire place was completely normal; not a drop of enchantment. Though it had a certain ambiance to it, that would make some people suspicious. Like it was too comfortable, and thus hiding something. The old lady instinctively brought powdered green tea, and said they could stay the night because her eight cats liked them. Meriam was allergic to cats, but her men seemed to like them. Meriam and her party were given congii, and warm water to bathe; they had never known such gratitude in theirs lives.

“Thank you graciously for your hospitality; Are you sure you do not want compensation? I am a mage and can easily alchemize you anything you wish, enchant your house with protections-” Meriam said

“No thank you.” The old lady smiled, filling her bowl. “I’ve had enough of mages and magic, Anglian girl. That’s why I live here in Sinonia. There aren’t many fey outside the gate. And the fey that are here, are mischievous or obvious. Best to leave them alone; guard your livers while you sleep, there be foxes in these woods. And stay away from the water, there be dragons behind the falls. Sleep every night like it is your last, and be weary of things that seem too good.”

“That sounds incredible! The fey I mean, not the fact you’re not fond of magic.” Meriam said.

“Yes dear. I prefer cats.”

“I can see that... That said, we are looking for a magic gate, so we may get home. I was told, by a mage at the coast, his brother guards the Stone Gate; you wouldn’t happen to know how to get there from here?”

“Oh, our witch Seiph Blugimm! He’s a good boy. Keeps the fey away, and brings me these adorable strays. Has two children who live down river, with his wife. She grows and makes the best tea, and visits often with Seiph’s artwork for my walls.” The old lady said frailly. “You can find him ten minutes down road, if you veer off the path to your right, when you see a goblin made of moonstone. Can’t miss it.” She smiled. Everyone gave thanks, and had a good sleep on soft floor mats, surrounded by purring fur. They had a good mourning meal, and the lady sent them off with a smile. She was genuinely happy to have had visitors.

“By the way dear; Your men may go dark in the shadow veil on your way home. Magic forest,s and gates to the kingdoms of fey, aren’t the place for common men.” She warned Meriam. Meriam was so eager to go home, she had forgotten that non-mages get scared by the colourless, windless, warmthless, quiet shadow veil.

            Being refreshed by the first good sleep they had in weeks, did not prepare Meriam or her men from the incredibly creepy goblin statue. It was larger than a normal goblin, and had a crinkled face and was showing its tusk like teeth, holding a shard of crystal. It was one of the most terrifying bad omens Meriam had ever seen.

“You don’t think it’s a warning, do you, your highness? From this Seiph mage, my queen?”

“No. It is the rough work from dwarves, by the look of it.” Meriam said, inspecting the statue. Then she headed off the path, and deeper into the forest. There was an unsettling identical statue, every ten meters, leading to a flattened mountain face that was painted red, and covered in non-human hand prints. Infront of it was a different statue: it was tall beautiful man made of smooth grey rock. Behind the statue, was a perfectly carved tunnel into the mountain. It was big enough to accommodate a single file line of people. Above it, freshly painted, was the title Forest of Lost Children in Anglian runes. Meriam shrugged, and entered, then summoned luck fire to lead the way.

           As they advanced though the tunnel, it widened; until they reached a waterfall that filled the passage. Yet, there was no cracks in the ceiling, nor the floor; that water was coming from, and going, nowhere. Meriam stared at it for a few minutes, and then reached into the center, and pulled it aside like a curtain, gesturing for her men to pass. The further in the cave they went, the more eerie and dark it became. Until they noticed glowing mushrooms, and giant flowers, which radiated neon colours. They began to hear roars, caws, groans and howls coming from the thick forest they entered. It was night, even though it was dawn. Meriam stopped at a fork in the round cobbled trail, that was now underfoot. There was a waist high flat rock, with brail like dots on it. Down one path, there was glowing water, flowing from the mountain, with a dwarf carved bridge. The other way lead into the woods up and the mountain. The third path lead into a thick thorn laden part of the forest.

“I don’t know where to go, and I fear letting Nihten look ahead. I fear charming, or talking to these fey. The trees are gossiping ill wills.” Meriam said, looking around cautiously. This began to unsettle her party. Suddenly, small lights began to glow; leading them down the inner forest path. Meriam grabbed the knight who was about to follow them.

“I don’t think those fairies are the kind that are fond of humans.” She warned.

“Lies.” A small boy’s voice came from the bridge. Everyone looked down the water path, to see a small boy in a cone hat, and mucking gear on a small raft. He was using a pole to go through the water. He appeared to be a swamp wildling. Faries that resemble boys, but hate coddling and wield elemental powers to match their habitat. Meriam and her knights had seen ice ones in Grand Snow, and Storm Wildlings in Isfisceard. They usually hung in clubs causing mischief, but this one was alone. And it knew how to speak to humans; Which meant it must have met one.

“Hello!” Meriam said, dashing toward the bridge. Her men, now spooked, quickly ran after Meriam, fearing she was the only thing between them and death.

“My name is Meriam Craweleoth, I am a mage of Anglia, and me and my friends are looking for Seiph and the Stone Gate. Can you help us?” Meriam chimed.

“Play with me. The river is made by a dragon who breaths liquid fire to light the forest. The mermaids are at the bottom, and they might eat your friends. You can follow me though! You can call me Boomer. I don’t remember my fame name. been too long.” Boomer said enthusiastically.

           Boomer played tag with them, leading the party of six to a stone platform that came out of the glowing swamp. There was also no fey in the swamp, so Meriam guessed Boomer had made it as a moat around the buildings, and he only let friends pass. Meriam and her knights climbed the large stairs out of the water, and up to the top. It looked like a royal palace, made entirely of stone smaller houses, around a town square. In the center of the square, was a well that resembled an inviting fire pit. The place looked abandoned, yet lived in. There was a stable full of odd horses, goats and pigs, and a man in slate and peins grey silk fairy robes, smoking on a porch. He looked like Sirulius, down to his blue eyes, but his hair remained black, and he wore formal Sinonian makeup in a duo chrome teal. He looked surprised to see them.

“Look Seiph! New friends! And one is a mage!” Boomer exclaimed, running over to hug his knee. Seiph put out his pipe, and got up from his kneeling desk to greet his guests. He summoned short pillowed stools around the fire pit, and bowed.

“Io’s enchantments, and children, keep most folk far from here. I made this village with the stone children, for my family; all of which trust and love magic. Yet, they dare not enter the Forest of Lost Children. What makes you so brave you bare it?”

“We need to pass into the shadow veil, with the Stone Gate. We live in the capital of Anglia, on the other side of the Raven Gate. We have traveled across the world, and are desperate to go home to our own families.” Meriam pleaded.

“Your guards wear fine clothes; they are paid well. I can only assume you are The Mage Queen. Are your men aware they would have to pass the terror of the shadow veil, to get home? As if this cursed daycare isn’t terrorizing enough?” Seiph said sternly.

“My Queen, you did not say the shadow veil would hurt us…” one of the knights said.

“It won’t. It will just be unsettling to the point of causing you to go dark from sensory confussion. I know how to treat your fever and bleeding, from the magic flow that results from your …discomfort as common folk. I can quickly prepare a potion of Rosa Sanguine, when we immerge. Though, if you’re lucky, your eyes and hair may be a more radiant hue.” Meriam said. “Do you not trust me? I would not put in danger, or make you do anything I didn’t think you could do.” She finished. Her guards were so tiered, and wanted to go home so badly, but now they were torn by terror. Seiph transmuted a pot, and made them some tea. It was the same good matcha their previous host said was from his wife. They all took a seat. The glow of the fire and tree children, was like lanterns in the dark of the forest; which echoed the whispers, and calls of fey.

“Let us share some tales and tea, while your common folk decide thier fates. Do you trust your queen and the power of the love for your families, and in your hearts? Or will you sacrum to fear of the ‘darker’ side of magic. Even if you choose to battle your greatest emotions, in the ether of all enchantment, I must add it is difficult to get to Stone Queen’s Gate.” Seiph said. They took their cups of tea in silence, and Seiph gave Boomer some warm milk and a lap to sleep on. Boomer was the only wilding in this forest, and he was also one of the few fey who were kind here. If it isn’t a stone child, Seiph warned, it is not worth trusting in the magic forest of the Stone Gate. This is the magic forest the beast king’s send the fey children that don’t play nice with the kingdoms of men.

           Meriam started by informing Seiph that his brother Sirlius, had fallen in love with Asada of the Monkey Gate; to fulfill her destiny and dreams. It proved Seiph was capable of smiling. Then the knights went on about the Emperor denying their request for peace, after saving the town from Sirulius’s storm; which they needed to appease the Sultan of Indonia. All of these things where done in order to gain safe global passage, and encircle Francia into surrender, or alliance. Just saying it, reminded them of the wars going on at boarders around the world. Battles that claimed their brothers, uncles and fathers, and of which they were lucky enough to never attend.

“I can put in a good word about an alliance. Though neutrality is the best result; Sinonia is aligned with Francia and Indonia, and is attempting to take the Eastlands of Vieticia. A quarter our land is desert, another quarter is alpine. We need lush landa as much as our allies. Not to mention, our Emperor is a greedy evil bastard; Our ore alone could buy Sinonia anything it wishes from merchants; Yet he hoards it. You should see the imperial palace. But still, the emperor may align with you if I want it. You see, He wants a court mage so bad, but dare not fetch me from this forest, or threaten my family. He fears me, yet desires me. He tries to butters me, while eating from my spoon. I could care less for his cause, but his favor amuses me. I don’t want more soldiers dying for a pointless battle; It’s frankly stupid. On behalf of Sinonia, I accept the peace of the West and North kingdoms. If traveling across the plains of fire, and into this forest, then through the shadow veil, does not convince this kingdom of your value, I do not know what will.” Seiph explained. The crackling warmth fire that burned before them, was a deep unnatural orange, that comforted deep into the bones. Meriam thought she should have warned Seiph, Sirulius, and Asada, of wizards; but realized they were untouchable due to their curses. No matter the comfort of the magic flames, she felt sad. She felt guilt for not warning her guards and friends of danger, in order to preserve their ignorant bliss. Being a Seer of magic, had taught her the value of not knowing. As her heart sank, Meriam heard all five of her beloved knights agree to her terms. They, as common folk, trusted that magic would not hurt them; and they would endure the shadow veil to hug the ones they loved.

NEXT--->

<---PREVIOUS

#art #tales of ealdan cynedom #short stories #fantasy #stone king #seiph #io #nihten #meriam #sirulius

[worryinglyinnocent]

Fic: The Kelpie

Summary: Rumpelstiltskin has an unexpected discussion with a curious kelpie.

Written for the @a-monthly-rumbelling moodboard prompt, available here.

Rated: G

=====

The Kelpie

Kelpies, Rumpelstiltskin reflected, were difficult. As soon as you had one in your sights, the sneaky little blighter would run off again and vanish. They’d go back to the sea (or whatever deep body of water happened to be closest, they weren’t picky), or else they’d take on human form and get lost in the crowd, or else they’d just hide.

They were crafty like that. One minute you were creeping through the heather with the aid of a silencing spell on your boots, towards a lovely, docile-looking horse; the next you were chasing it around with no thought for silence or for how silly you looked.

Rumpelstiltskin had long since come to the conclusion that, being magical creatures themselves, such magical aids as silenced boots had absolutely no effects on kelpies whatsoever, but that never stopped him from using the same spells over and over whenever he wanted to get his hands on one.

Well, strictly metaphorically of course.

That was the other thing about kelpies. Even if the silenced boots worked by some miracle, there was the small matter of getting close enough to touch the thing and pluck the necessary tail hairs without it noticing and its self-defence mechanisms kicking in. Kelpies were, as well as being extremely difficult, extremely clever beasts, and they knew how to get you just where they wanted you – on their back, where you would stay by hook or by crook until they reached the bottom of the sea again. (Or whatever deep body of water happened to be closest, they weren’t picky.)

For all his frustrations with them, Rumpelstiltskin thought that kelpies did have something of a bad rep among ordinary, non-magical folk. He had issues with them because they made their tail hairs, useful in potions to aid shape-shifting and breathing underwater, so hard to come by. The rest of the non-potion-making world had them down as vicious, man-eating beasts who lured unsuspecting children to their doom in the depths.

There was no truth in that whatsoever. They were vegetarians for a start. No, they just had a visceral dislike towards being mistaken for real horses, and unlike real horses, who had no excellent comeback for being stroked or petted or ridden against their will, kelpies had very drastic ways of making sure that the culprit never did it again.

Rumpelstiltskin would not have been thinking about kelpies so much if he had not needed to brew a fresh batch of potions and had there not been one grazing in the heather outside the Dark Castle for the last couple of weeks.

He had ignored it when it first arrived. Tail hair was always best fresh, and he hadn’t needed it at the time, and kelpies usually moved on after a day or so. It was strange to see one stay in the same place for so long.

It was a particularly fine specimen, even if Rumpelstiltskin did say so himself. Smaller than normal, but with a lustrous grey-white coat that would have looked equally at home on a unicorn, and a silky mane and tail stretching almost to the ground.

Staring out of the tower window, Rumpelstiltskin drummed his nails along the edge, trying to work out the best course of action. He’d been looking for the best way to approach the kelpie for a couple of days now, and given their intelligence, he wondered whether he or it was the one being lulled into a false sense of security. It really was strange to see one for so long.

Rumpelstiltskin made his decision. Even if the thing had cooked up some kind of elaborate trap for him, he couldn’t pass up this chance to get fresh tail hair. He would just have to be careful. Even the most ordinary of horses had the tendency to be dangerous at both ends and crafty in the middle. He enchanted his boots and made his way out to the heather field. It would likely be the last kelpie that passed through these parts before winter, when they would all make their way back to the warmth of the sea.

The creature was facing him, which would make sneaking up on it difficult, but Rumpelstiltskin had never backed down from a challenge before and trudging all the way around out of its line of sight would take up precious time. Transporting himself any closer was also out of the question; the times he had tried it in the past had always inevitably ended with a spooked kelpie and an almost-trampled Rumpelstiltskin.

It wasn’t paying him any attention, absorbed totally in nibbling the fragrant heather, and Rumpelstiltskin continued to walk towards it, slowly.

It stopped nibbling. One ear flicked. Rumpelstiltskin froze. The kelpie lifted its head and stared him dead in the eye, almost as if it was daring him to come closer. Very well. Rumpelstiltskin took another couple of steps forward. The kelpie didn’t move and its eyes – unusually and unnaturally blue – never left his. This kelpie, Rumpelstiltskin thought, was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Or, indeed, both.

He never saw the moment the change happened. One second he was looking at a silvery-white horse. The next he was looking at a woman. There had been no transformation process, no puff of smoke or interesting segue. Just in the space of a blink, the form had changed. Rumpelstiltskin stopped in his tracks and the kelpie grinned.

She was very petite, no doubt owing to the true horse form’s small stature, and the more closely that he looked at her, the more Rumpelstiltskin could tell that she was not truly human. He had never seen a kelpie’s human form up close before. Usually they only shifted in order to escape or conceal themselves more easily.

She was wearing a long, hooded coat of thick horse hide, fastened firmly at the front with toggles. Beneath the hood, curls of auburn human hair interspersed with the odd lock of silver horse’s mane, and he could make out the shapes of ears twitching. Below the hem of the coat, the haze of illusion that showed bare human toes peeping out dissipated in front of Rumpelstiltskin’s vast magical experience to show the tips of black hooves instead.

Her face was fully human though, and very pretty with it. Rumpelstiltskin shook his head crossly; where had that thought come from? Now that he was face to face with her, perhaps she could be reasoned with. Did kelpies understand human language? Did they speak? He’d certainly not deny that they were intelligent enough to do so. Nothing chanced, nothing gained.

“Erm, hello.” It wasn’t exactly the smoothest beginning that he could have hoped for, but it was something.

The kelpie smiled again. “Hello.”

Her voice reminded him of the waves and the darkness under them, and Rumpelstiltskin shivered. No, it would most certainly not do to forget her true form whilst he was speaking with her.

“I’ve never conversed with a kelpie before,” he continued.

“I’ve never conversed with a human before.” She tilted her head on one side. “Are you a human? You look… odd.”

“Odd?” Rumpelstiltskin was disproportionately offended by this remark. “You’re not exactly inconspicuous yourself with hooves and horse’s ears, madam.”

“Ah, yes, but you’re forgetting that I am not a human. I am a kelpie, and you seek my tail hair for your potions.”

Rumpelstiltskin, who had chanced to take another couple of steps closer, stopped short again. “How did you know?”

“Why else would you be moving so furtively? It can’t just be a desire to see a pretty horse up close.” She gave him a probing look. “Why do you need my hair?”

“For my potions, like you said. It has many magical properties.”

“It’s my hair; I am well aware of its many magical properties. That’s why I’m so loathe to part with it, you see.”

Rumpelstiltskin enumerated the many uses of kelpie tail hair in potions and took another few steps forward until he was standing right in front of her, close enough to reach out and touch. He knew better than to do so, of course.

“Hmm.” The kelpie pondered for a while, leaving Rumpelstiltskin to listen to the sound of the wind rustling through the heather. It took him a moment to realise that it was not the wind. Beneath the hem of her long coat, the kelpie’s tail was swishing and brushing against the ground.

“All right,” she said eventually. “But on one condition.”

Rumpelstiltskin raised an eyebrow. “You wish to make a deal with me? You should know that I have something of a reputed specialty in that area, dearie. Very well. What are the terms of your deal?”

“Come and see me in the spring,” she said. “Once you’ve made your underwater potion, you’ll be able to travel to my realm beneath the surface. I’d like to see for myself how well you’re using my tail.”

On the face of it, Rumpelstiltskin knew that it was a terrible deal. He’d very likely end up drowned. Could the Dark One even be drowned? He didn’t know, and he wasn’t sure that he wanted to find out.

On the other hand, she was certainly the most interesting kelpie that he’d ever come into contact with, and it would be no hardship to see her again.

He held out his hand and she laid hers in it delicately, her fingers feeling more like hooves than skin. “The deal is struck.”

“Excellent. May I know your name, strange human?”

“Rumpelstiltskin. And yours, strange kelpie?”

“Belle.”

“Belle.” Rumpelstiltskin got the feeling that she was going to be important somehow.

The horse was back as suddenly as the human had appeared, staring him down just as intently as before, and Rumpelstiltskin felt extremely nervous as he made his way down to the tail, selecting a single white hair and plucking it sharply. As soon as he stepped back, Belle began to gallop away from the castle, off towards the sea where he would find her in the spring.

Rumpelstiltskin was very much looking forward to it.

#rumbelle fic #rumbelle #A Monthly Rumbelling #Rumpelstiltskin #Belle French #Kelpie!Belle #Enchanted Forest #Dark Castle

[let-it-show]

Well, I wasn’t sure where to take this at first but a Bolt cameo and poking at Elsa’s protectiveness sounded good! Hope you approve anon!

The little dog appeared after an absolutely terrible storm.

Wind and rain had raced through the kingdom, taking down trees and some less secure structures, tossing branches through roofs and windows. Rain had blown inside any gap it could find leaving people and possessions soaked. Barns were crowded with animals getting stir-crazy even as their humans braved the conditions to check on them.

When it cleared, the sun came right back out to shine as if nothing at all had happened. Clouds moved on in the sky, the breeze was gentle. The air was warm.

Anna made her way down the main path in town, looking around at the various shops and homes that had been disrupted. The damage wasn't too bad there, but she knew on the outskirts there would be more, where homes were set farther into the forest. She dreaded seeing it but her heart remained hopeful. The Arendelle she knew was full of kind people that would help their neighbors.

A child ran in front of her chasing after two little cats that had gotten lose in the confusion. She watched as another young boy joined him and almost giggled. Ah, chasing down pets that slipped out during damage assessment...somehow that made things seem normal. No one was having to rush to help injured citizens; it wasn't that kind of disaster.

How lucky they were!

Anna was in her own thoughts as she nearly stepped in the path of a horse that had been spooked and was barreling down on her. She most certainly would have been knocked over if she hadn't heard sudden loud and alarmed barking sounding off nonstop. Her foot was lifting but she paused mid-step and looked to her right where she heard the sound.

The horse blew past her and seconds later, a woman yelling and shaking a stick while chasing it. Anna blinked and watched the two continue going as people hurried out of the way. She'd been so close to being taken out! Maybe the barking was by chance but she couldn't help but feel it was indeed done on purpose and for her. When she looked again for the source of the sound she saw a little white puppy standing in front of the candle shoppe. The sign had been blown down and a chair in front overturned, some debris scattered by the door.

"Oh hello," she said to him, and several people turned to look at her before realizing she wasn't talking to them at all. She knelt down and held out her hand. "Come here!" she coaxed, smiling.

He was a cute little dog. He was almost white all over except for his big black nose, with two ears that stood pointed on his head. His tail was fluffy and almost wanted to curl on his back, but mostly stayed straight out behind him. His whole coat was fluffy, actually, with a smudge of a black mark on his side that looked a little zigzagged she noticed.

While hesitant, he gradually made his way up to her and sniffed her hand. "Where's your person?" she asked him, again looking around. No one was paying her much mind then except for a couple of guards that had trailed behind her. They were also checking on people in town and helping move objects that had been blown around. She gently stroked his head and the dog came closer. "Ooh, your fur is so wet," she said with a laugh and a cringe. "Thanks for saving me from the horse," she told him and stood back up.

Someone would surely claim him. She nodded her head at him as if to say she'd see him later and continued her walk. However, she was aware of the soft padding of claws feet behind her. She didn't want him to follow her away from his own family so she didn't look back though she wanted to. Anna liked animals, and especially puppies. Who didn't?

When she stopped again, she had chosen to stop in front of a home that had limbs buried in the top of it. The woman who lived there was distraught and Anna had taken her arm, pulled her aside to talk to her and assure her they would get repairs done soon. In the meantime help was on the way for a temporary but solid fix until everything was in order. They conversed about the inside, the woman's possessions were fine, most of the interior was undisturbed and by the end of the talk she felt better.

Anna was waving goodbye to her when she heard another round of wild barking from the little stray dog. Then she felt strong tugging on the end of her green dress. "Hey!" she said loudly in surprised, stepping toward and with the pup until he stopped tugging. Then behind her she heard a loud thud and a cry of surprise.

When Anna turned, a large branch that had been lodged in the upper part of the house was where she had stood before.

Her eyes went wide as dinner plates and she whirled back to the dog. "You helped me again! Are you a little guardian angel?" she joked and after taking a moment to look above her for anything else that could crush her, she knelt down to pet him again. His white tail whipped back and forth. She could only hope she'd find his owner, they must be missing him!

"And I thought that was my job."

At that voice Anna looked behind her to see Elsa there, standing in her white dress with her hair down. She was slightly disheveled, some leaves and twigs in her hair. "Elsa!" she cried and jumped to her feet, nearly tripping over them as she raced to hug her sister.

Elsa laughed and hugged her tightly, one hand holding the back of Anna's neck. She touched their foreheads together. "Sorry I'm late, Anna. I thought I could beat the storm, but Nokk had to steer us off into shelter. Gale was a little too...distracted to help."

Anna cupped Elsa's face. "You're here now though, so it's okay!" she giggled and closed her eyes for a moment. She never felt safer than she did with Elsa, even if in her past Elsa was involved with the most dangerous moments...

A small yip sounded from her feet and both women looked down at the little dog. His tail was still wagging as he looked up to Anna. She giggled again and leaned down to pick him up. He made a little whimpering sound at first until she had him situated in her arms. Now all of her would smell like wet dog...but it was hard to care.

"Who's this?" Elsa asked, examining the dog and letting him sniff her face.

"I don't know. But he's saved me twice!"

"Saved you?" Worry flashed across Elsa's face.

Anna sighed and kissed her cheek, making her flush a little. "Oh nothing, there was a horse, and then that big branch," she said, waving the puppy's paw in the direction of said branch.

Elsa looked at it and took in a sharp breath before she turned right back to Anna. "Oh Anna...I should have been here earlier. I'm sorry. I'm so glad you're alright!" she told her, rubbing Anna's arms.

"But I'm okay, Elsa!" The dog shifted in her arms and Anna hugged him a little more.

Elsa was still making a face. "I need to cut down on the trips I made to Ahtohallan...I don't like taking off on you and then coming back and finding out something could have happened..."

While Anna more than understood her sister's protectiveness, she knew she was overreacting. "Elsa, I'm capable of taking care of myself. You know this. You can't stop worrying anytime I trip or have...I don't know, a hangnail."

"I'm not that bad..." Elsa said with a frown, her hands dropping to her sides. "...Am I?"

"Sometimes." The dog squirmed and Anna reluctantly let him down where he just stood by her ankles. "I know why you worry. And I don't so much mind that you worry, but I don't like how you also beat yourself up with it."

"Hmm." Elsa was looking away. She never quite broke that habit.

That meant Anna only kept the habit of craning her neck to catch her beautiful blue eyes in her own. "Elsa, look at me. I'm okay. I just want you to feel calmer." Anna knew she couldn't banish Elsa's anxiety, but she could try to help it. "You can watch over me now...? I mean! You don't have to do..come on, walk with me while I look at the rest of town, okay?" Offering Elsa the chance to be her protector sounded just a little weird when she was telling her she didn't have to be just that.

When Elsa did meet her eyes, she sighed. "I suppose...I should feel grateful that while I was traveling, someone still found and watched over you." She looked down but this time her gaze was at the dog. "Thanks little dog..." she said sincerely, as if she were speaking to one of the spirits.

It was adorable and Anna couldn't STAND it. She once again caught Elsa's face and kissed her lips joyfully. The dog jumped beneath them and yipped again. "Elsa!" Anna then laughed. "Let's go, let's go and walk! There's still much to do," she said as her nose brushed her sister's.

"Yes, yes," Elsa agreed as she raised her hands to take Anna's. "But please take your hands off my face..."

Anna tilted her head a little. "Why? Are you okay?"

"Yes it's just...now you smell like a wet dog." Elsa tried to offer a sweet smile.

As a result Anna let out a wicked laugh, flew forward, and held Elsa tightly in a very smelly hug.

#elsanna #ficlet #bolt #anna #elsa #thanks for the prompt!!

[scattered-imagination]

Swan Princess Erasermic #3

Toshinori sighed as he watched his nephew sit despondently on his horse.

“Hizashi…you know you can talk to me about anything right?” He said softly, giving the other a smile

Hizashi gave a forced chuckle, turning to face his uncle. Sadness evident in his eyes, before he turned back to the road.

“I know…its just…I really loved him you know? Like…head over heels in love with him…but if he can’t say it back” He trembled softly, as the two of them sat there is near silence as quiet tears trailed down Hizashi’s cheeks.

Then, Hizashi furiously rubbed away the tears, sitting up straighter and rolling his shoulders back. “But I’ll be fine…”

Toshinori gave a sad smile…not believing Hizashi for a minute. But he had to give the boy time…maybe he and Aizawa could work this out. He gave a smirk of sorts as he thought of the perfect reply

“You will be fine…and you know why?”

“….no no don’t say it”

“BECAUSE I AM HERE!”

Hizashi let out a strangled moan of embarrassment as he covered his face, trying to cover up his laughter. Toshinori just guffawed loudly, happy to see some semblance of joy on his nephews’ face. Before he could continue his goofy act, someone caught his eye. 

The guards in front of them had stopped, a thick mist descending upon the road before them. Toshinori hopped down from his horse, shushing Hizashi when he tried to do the same. Unsheathing his sword, he marched towards the front. As he expected, a familiar form started to walk through the mist.

“Long time no see…old friend” the Figure chuckled “Ah…and you have company”

Hizashi stiffened as the figure seemed to turn towards him. The mist continued to roll in heavily, encasing the group.

“Hizashi…Run my boy” Toshinori commanded, eyes never leaving the figure in the mist.

“No, I can help!” Hizashi countered, his voice loud yet uncertain.

“ah…just as brave as your uncle aren’t you little one?” the figure chuckled, something…unnerving was in his tone of voice.

“Don’t you dare lay a hand on him All-For-One!” Toshinori growled, raising his sword in attack position. “Hizashi Run Now!!”

Hizashi felt fear begin to fill his very being. He began to turn his horse around before a figure suddenly walked out of the mist. Spooked, his horse took off in a frightened gallop, leaving Hizashi to fall painfully to the ground. He looked up, only to be grabbed by several arms, their grips painful and bruising as they began to drag him away.

“Oji-san!!”

“Hizashi!!” Toshinori yelled, trying to run to the aide of his nephew.

“Not so fast All-Might. You shouldn’t be worrying about your precious nephew right now…you should be worried about yourself!”

Hizashi cried out again as he saw the Figure, All-For-One, blast his uncle with a horrid swirl of light. He tried to break out of the hands pulling him deeper into the forest, before pain exploded at the back of his skull. The last thing he saw was his uncle falling to the ground…and a sword glimmering in the mist.

“HIZASHI!”

And then…nothing more…

((WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?! where have they taken Hizashi?! what has happened to all might?! should I write the next part? *evil smirk* let me know through likes, comments, and reblogs please~ also feel free to request scenes from this AU! It feeds my imagination))

@dadmic

#erasermic #swan princess #swan princess erasermic AU #erasermic AU #yamada hizashi #aizawa shouta #present mic #eraserhead #here we go again #fanfiction ideas

[z-angseth]

The Scenic Route

“West by Southwest is the scenic route to the ocean.” Botholomew recited as he gazed at the horizon through the trees. He hoisted his worn leather bag over his shoulder and placed his tattered hat on his head. His joints creaked as he stretched before setting off for the day. One foot in front of the other, he walked between the trees with the dawn light at his back.

Botholomew reflected on where he had been; about the sweeping planes, about the mountains with snow, about the short people who liked to celebrate every opportunity they could, but mostly he thought about the trees. Without missing a stride he reached down to grab a dry looking log and began to gnaw on it. There were many many different trees in the world, or at least what of it he could remember. An old man once told him how trees work a long time ago but Botholomew couldn’t remember exactly, only that the sun was important. He could remember that he wanted to see the ocean, and he reminded himself how to get there every morning so he wouldn't forget. He thought about how some of the the trees change and how some of them don't. Today the trees that change were on their way to being lush and green.

The gaze of a deer caught his attention mid thought but the animal scampered away by the time he noticed. There were also many kinds of animals that he could remember. Most of them are harmless but some creatures he should to stay away from. Bears came to mind but he was sure there were others. “Some kind of lizard, too?” He thought. Botholomew grabbed another log after finishing off the one in hand. A village came into view as he trekked, and the rumble of a storm warned of coming rain. He quickened his pace but the rain began before he reached the village. His hat did the best it could to keep him dry but it was largely in vain. Botholomew ducked his head under the threshold of the stable, nearly spooking the mare resting inside. While he wiped as much of the water off of himself as he could, a tall woman wearing a black cloak approached him. She came up to nearly his shoulders. Usually Botholomew was met with caution from strangers but this person walked up to him with a calm familiarity.

“The Mechanical Man of Stararige… you're an awful long way from home.” she commented.

“My name is Botholomew. I do not remember my home but I am traveling to see the ocean.” replied Botholomew as he hung up his hat to dry. He was used to his reputation preceding him. “I am taking the scenic route.”

“You certainly are.” The tall woman confirmed. Botholomew could see a smile from under her cloak but no more of her face. He took a towel out of his bag and began drying himself off. “Be careful to avoid the next few towns,” the woman warned “they won't be very friendly to you.” He was not expecting such advice but he appreciated it nonetheless. He looked up to thank her but she had disappeared. Botholomew looked around the corners of the stable’s entrance but he was unable to spot any sign of her; he couldn't see very far without getting wet again. He hung up his towel and resigned to sit down to look out into the shower.

He liked the sound the rain made and wished he could be out in it without worry. Sitting still with his thoughts, the mare warmed up to his company and approached him. Botholomew wondered if he was made to be a creature of work, like a horse. While he waited, he threaded fresh straw into his hat to patch the many holes it had acquired, stopping occasionally to pet the mare.

The rain let up before his hat ran out of holes. Botholomew returned his towel to his bag and his hat to his head. He said goodbye to the horse and continued along his way. The rain made the wood wet and harder to eat, Botholomew didn't like that about the rain. He traveled for three more days before he spotted another village. He remembered what the tall woman had told him and did not venture near. As he journeyed the terrain became increasingly rocky.

Another five days of walking brought another village into view on the horizon through the trees. Something startled a flock of birds, causing them to flutter out of the forest canopy. He looked up and saw a large, winged lizard soaring overhead. “That was it, winged lizards were to be avoided.” He recalled “Dragons.” Botholomew was pleased to have remembered something important, but the moment of satisfaction was brief as he realized the implication of what he saw overhead. He quickly crouched by the largest boulder nearby and stayed completely still, watching the beast circle above.

“You dared strike down my father, Leomaris, and so I, Eriloth, shall be the last thing you see; my voice the last thing you hear; and the terror I strike within you the last thing you feel!” The dragon menaced before swooping down in Botholomew's direction. He ran, panicked, as fast as he could and leaped out of the way, but the dragon did not seem to notice him. When Botholomew uncovered his eyes he realized that Eriloth was not interested in him, but was attacking the town; hot acid sprayed from his maw and ignited the structures of the settlement. Botholomew could not bear to watch idly and so he rushed to the village to help any way that he could. The people of the village tried to repel the dragon and extinguish the fires, but their attention turned to Botholomew when he arrived.

“It is the end of times!”

“Dragons and now soldiers of Hades!”

Members of the town guard lined up around him, trying to keep their eyes on both him and the dragon.

“Halt! Come no further!”

Botholomew stopped and brought his hands up.

“I am here to help, not to harm.” he said but the town guard did not appear swayed “I cannot fight.” he reassured. The captain of the guard weighed her options.

“If you cannot fight then help us with the fires.”

Botholomew nodded and dashed towards the nearest burning structure. He wrenched the barn's door open and lead the animals outside.

The villagers were less trusting of Botholomew than the guard was but they dared not stand in his way. He carried buckets of water to put out flames and carried people out of burning houses. It wasn't long before Eriloth was satisfied with the destruction wrought and left, but the village was in ruin.

As the dust settled, the people surveyed the remains and mourned their losses. The ash from the fires dulled Botholomew's fern colored paint to a more ghostly hue. The people kept their distance from Botholomew but the captain of the guard wasted no time to speak to him.

“Thank you for helping us. You saved many lives today, but you need to be on your way.”

“We shouldn't shun him because he's different” said a member of the guard who wore maroon

“He is a creation of witchcraft!” Shouted another in dark orange.

“He risked his life to save our families.” Defended a third who wore navy

The captain of the guard knew she needed to address the dissonance.

“Our visitor did perform a great service to us all, but my duties are to ensure the safety of our village, and our people will not be at ease so long as he is here.” She announced to the guard. “Brave sir,” spoke the captain softly and directly “I apologise for the circumstances you've stepped into, but you must leave.”

Botholomew nodded and continued on his way.

“West by Southwest is the scenic route to the ocean.” He softly recited to himself. Botholomew knew that some people didn't want him around, but that knowledge neither soothed his sadness nor help to put his mind at ease. He worried about the village if the dragon came back. He reflected on what the tall woman had said and he hoped for no more rain before he reached a friendly town. As the sun set on the eventful day, Botholomew set down his bag and his hat and took a seat on the ground as he did every night. As if the previous day made no difference, the next morning came like the many that preceded it. He continued his hike and ate more dry wood, but around midday he heard some rustling behind him. He turned around to look and saw the two members of the town guard that spoke in his favor.

“Brave sir!” called out the one in blue “What is your name, brave sir?” Botholomew stopped and introduced himself.

“My name is Botholomew.”

“It is good to make your acquaintance, Botholomew.” Said the one in red “My name is Millicent, and this is my brother Giovanni.”

“Your actions in our time of peril warrant  our sincere gratitude in their own right, and the way our village mistreated you leaves us deeply in your debt.” Said Giovanni

“Would you have us on your quest?” Asked Millicent “We offer to you any aid we can render.”

“Friends are always welcome. I wish to see the ocean and I go west by Southwest because it is the scenic route.”

“The Sea of Nirut is not far, a week's journey at most.” Replied Millicent.

“That is good to hear, but I have spent most of my travels alone, so I must apologise ahead of time that I do not know much about making good company.” Admitted Botholomew as he resumed his hike.

“You need not worry about that.” assured Giovanni

“Will you two be in trouble with your captain for following me?”

”Probably, but good is more important than law.” replied Giovanni. Botholomew contemplated what he was just told for a long minute. He wasn't sure if he agreed with the sentiment, or disagreed for that matter, but he was thankful nonetheless.

“From what lands do you hail, Botholomew?” Asked Millicent, her question brought him out of his thoughts.

“I come from Katinopis, the capitol city Stararige specifically," Botholomew replied "though the only thing I remember of my time there was that I had to leave.”

“That is a long way to travel. You must rest well.” Remarked Millicent.

"I walk until I cannot see and then I wait until I can see again."

"You wait? Do you not sleep?" Inquired Millicent. Botholomew contemplated her question.

"I do not." He replied

"That is remarkable! Even those with the heartiest endurance need to rest. So it is true that you do not tire." Interjected Giovanni.

"I need to eat, I need to stay dry, and sometimes I need to mend myself, but it is true that I do not know what it is to be tired."

"You are a very remarkable man, sir Botholomew." Remarked Millicent.

The trio continued west by southwest, all the while sharing stories and good company. After a week's travel the sound of waves crashing in the distance became audible, later that day the team reached a clearing leading up to a cliff's edge. Botholomew approached slowly, the churning tides below filled his field of view with every step. When he reached the cliff he sat on its edge and basked in the scenery. The ocean's breeze played with the brim of his hat. His companions sat beside him and breathed the salty mist of the sea below.

“What do you plan to do now that you have taken the scenic route to the ocean?” asked Giovanni.

Botholomew thought about the question. The goal he had planned for so long was finally at hand.

“I wish to enjoy this for a while longer but I don't know what to do next.”

“You certainly earned as much time as you want.” said Millicent.

Botholomew gazed out across the horizon and felt a warm joy inside. He sat at the cliff and watched the sun set, which was the most beautiful sunset he could remember. Giovanni and Millicent remained nearby and set up camp. Botholomew did not move until after the sun finally slipped out of view behind the waves. He joined his companions by the campfire they had built and broke the silence.

"From what I remember of my journey here, there are plenty of places to see in this world."

"Well said, Botholomew." Nodded Millicent.

"If there are plenty of places to see, then there must be plenty more scenic routes to take to see them." Continued Botholomew.

"This is also true!" She chuckled. Botholomew leaned back and looked up at the sky. A particularly bright star caught his attention towards the north.

"Tomorrow," he declared "I think I will go that way." Botholomew pointed in the direction of the star.

"Another scenic route?" Asked Giovanni

"Another scenic route." Confirmed Botholomew.

"We'll gladly follow if you'll have us." Offered Millicent, Giovanni nodded in agreement.

"I would like that." Said Botholomew "The scenic route is better with friends."

[writingfromkitchenator]

Eomer ~ Broken Crown

Broken Crown by Mumford and Sons

600 Followers Song Request Challenge!

Requested by Anon.

Yeah, it’s angst guys.

It was hard growing up on the plains of Rohan, not just because of the work in tending horses or farmlands, but also because, at times, food was scarce or threats arrived on the doorstep that no one ever expected it.

You used to sit and watch the soldiers ride by, used to wonder what their lives would be like and how different it would be to yours.

But then you grew older, wiser, more bitter at the world, the death of your mother and father hitting you hard and the demand for more horses hit you even harder.

When the prince himself came with the command, you were less than impressed and told him so, but instead, you were reprimanded by his second in command, his cousin if you weren’t mistaken, both too young to know what all this was really like.

Your disdain meant little to them, you were just expected to provide, thus furthering your anger towards them.

When rumour eventually reached you of corruption within the kingdom, you simply laughed, unsurprised.

Then further rumour persisted of uruk-hai in the lands, making you worried for your people, about those stuck out in the lands like you, and you did something that you never thought you’d have to.

You pulled out your father’s sword.

You were no fool, you knew what war was like, had been told enough about it, had seen some of the results of it, and it was something that you would have preferred to avoid at all in your lifetime.

But with the sounds of war, you knew that there was little choice.

Keeping your best horse, you let the others free or got those you could on them, sending them as far away as you possibly could.

Then you brought them time.

You could ride and you could fight, keeping yourself moving through the uruk-hai, knowing if you stopped too much, it increased your chances of getting hit.

There was screaming and blood and fire and it didn’t seem to take long before you thought your lands were unrecognisable.

In your moment of distraction, a blade sunk into your leg and spooked your horse as you cried out, who was quick to bolt, you just managing to hold on, another hand resting on the wound in your leg.

You weren’t sure how long your horse carried you, all you knew was that things slowly faded to black.

There were voices, all fuzzy, blurred, and you stirred restlessly, a hand resting on your shoulder making panic flare through you.

“Easy, easy,” A voice spoke, sounding oddly familiar.  “You were wounded, you need to be still.  We don’t know how long you were on your horse, but be glad it was us that found you and the uruk-hai.”

You fought to open your eyes, a bleary figure of a soldier above you, your vision not clearing, no matter how much you fought it.  “How…how…”

“We don’t know,” They spoke softly.  “But you are safe for the moment Y/N.  Please, rest.”

Not wanting to fight against the pain, you let yourself drift back into darkness.

The smell of food woke you up with time and you struggle awake, a dull throb still in your leg as you opened your eyes, blinking at the small camp set up, Rohirim soldiers moving about.

“We were wondering when you would wake.”  A soldier joins you, handing you a bowl of food, which you cautiously take.  “Your leg is healing well, but you do need to eat.”

You struggled to sit up straight, wincing at your leg a little before looking at the soldier, realising it was the same one from earlier and why you knew him.

“Lord Eomer,” You said, your voice a little hoarse, making you frown.  “And here I was thinking you’d be more invested in being at home.”

Eomer’s look told you everything that you needed to know.  He remembered you, remembered the clash that the two of had, still thought the same of you now as you did then, but was willing to work past it.

“Even if I was welcome at home, I’d still be out here patrolling.”  He said.  “And what that means to you, I do not particularly care at this stage.  It simply matters that you are safe, that we have not lost everyone.”

You bit down the distaste wanting to threaten to overtake your mouth and ate a spoonful of food instead.

Eomer sighs.  “Clearly reports have not reached you so far out. We are at war with Isengard and Theodred…Theodred is dead.”

Your back straightened, looking at him seriously.  “Dead? So the King is without an heir?”

You might have had an issue with the ruling class, but that did not mean you wanted anyone dead.

Eomer nods slowly.  “My sister and I can take the place, if the King so desires it, but right now, the war is more pressing.”  He falls silent for a moment, before looking over your leg. “You were very brave in what you did, putting yourself at risk like that.”

“We all do what we must.” You said quietly.  “If I had to have died to make sure that as many got out as possible, I would have done so.”

“You are a true warrior,” He said quietly.  “And if I ever treated you differently, I am sorry.”

He doesn’t give you a chance to answer, getting back to his feet and taking his leave.

It was almost a blur being around the soldiers, of having to travel each day, your horse and you both well taken care of, usually by Eomer the most, who seemed very concerned about your well being, although if there was fight, they left you behind, your leg still taking time to heal.

You refused to sit out when the White Wizard approached you about Helms Deep though, much to the disagreeance of Eomer.

“These are my people and I have sat back long enough,” You said firmly.  “And heir to the throne or no, I am going to fight with you.”

So you got armoured and you joined them in battle that day, charging down the hill towards the uruk-hai threatening your home.

You knew though, as soon as a blow hit you, that nothing good would come from it.

It hurt to breath, your body feeling broken, and for the first time, fear actually gripped you.

“Y/N!”

You couldn’t believe that it was Eomer that found you like this, after everything you had disdained about life, thinking that the upper class was not worth your time, it seemed that it was to be one that would be with you on your death bed.

Hands carefully removed your helmet and Eomer swam into focus, his expression worried and terrified. “You are going to be alright.”

Despite the pain you were in, you chuckled.  “I…don’t think I will.”

His expression grows grim. “You can’t think like that.”  He looks you over and you can tell that he is unsure of where to start, but his hands rest over a wound, making you drew in a deep breath.  “I should have never let you ride out with us, not with a wound still healing and not with the sheer numbers we were up against.”

“But-oh.”  You let out a low hiss of pain, your eyes watering, emotions overwhelming you.  “My heart was flawed, I knew my weakness.”  You managed to move your arm, which felt so heavy.  “So hold my hand, consign me not to darkness.”

Eomer takes your hand without hesitation, covered in your blood as it was.  “Don’t you dare give up Y/N.  We still need you here.”

You close your eyes, focusing on his hand in yours.  “No…I need to go…”

Words seemed to jumble together, but you could understand the break in his voice, and it seemed to try and make sense of what he said before you faded.

“I need you here. Stay with me Y/N.  I will help you through this, I promise.”

#the lord of the rings #eomer #eomer x reader #angst #short #drabbles #600 followers challenge

[frankenfrady-blog]

Ficlet: Inspired by Season 7 Promo

Rating: G

Summary: Okay, So Henry got this Cinderella to the ball, all be it with only 45 minutes until midnight! Can the Author salvage this fairytale? Or is he screwing it up even more than he could imagine... (budding romance; Henry/Cindy)

“You are late….” Henry said, impatiently. He lifted the leather of his riding glove to take a peak at his wristwatch and winced. “Really late. At this rate you only have 45 minutes to get in there and-” He glanced up to see the young woman before him pay him no mind as she scrutinized her appearance in the palace mirror. “Are you even listening? Cinderella?”

Cinderella gave him a warning look. “It is not my fault that you spooked my horse and decimated my carriage…nor that I look completely out of sorts because of that… that… death contraption of yours! All the wind!” She fussed over her dark hair.

Honestly she looked only a smidgen less than perfection, but Henry wasn’t about to tell her that; she had been somewhat cranky with him since the accident… but who wouldn’t be? And if she even knew how much Henry was screwing up her chances of true love and a happy ending, she’d probably strangle him. It’s what he deserved for being so careless.

One had to be meticulous with being only an observer to these tales. Otherwise, one careless… or even accidental, decision could have a butterfly effect on the whole story. Change it’s course. Change it’s ending.

Ruin a life.

Henry took a cleansing breath and dawned a smile. He went up to the future princess and turned her towards him. She narrowed her eyes at him as he speedily smoothed her hair himself, and pinched her caramel cheeks to rosie them.

“You’re a vision, Cinderella. Your whole life is going to change tonight…” He had an arm around her, guiding her to the ballroom entrance, but his strides were long and powerful. Her glass slippers clinked hurriedly against the palace marble to keep up with him. “Go knock’em dead.”

He gave her a wink and playful pat on her layered skirts. She squeaked and turned to scold him, but found herself nearly falling through the ornate double doors. She caught herself against the golden bannister, finally looking up and out at the sea of multi colored ball dresses and dress coats.

Apparently the orchestra conductor had looked up at just the right time to see her sudden appearance, for he took in a stunned breath instead of starting the next waltz. Everyone, curious as to why the melodious merriment was absent from the room, turned to look at the grand staircase, expecting a monarch to be present and giving a report on how splendid the night was going and to please take some complementary pastries and breads on their way out as the night dwindled down…

…Only to see…her.

The stunning creature in blue. Whose countenance was as airy as a flower, but as poised as a swan. Or so she appeared.

Cinderella’s heart beat was thundering in her ears and her mouth became very dry. They were all staring. At her!

Instinctively, Cinderella turned and thrust out her arm to Henry, who was peeking from around the doorway. He gave her a bewildered look, but then violently shook his head with realization.

“No.” he mouthed at her.

“Pleeeeeease.” she mouthed back. When he didn’t budge, she went back over to him, taking his arm. “Henry, I’m forever in your debt for getting me here…even though you did nearly kill me-”

Henry sighed, though deeply embarrassed. “How many times do I need to apologize for that-”

“-But if you abandon me now… I…. I don’t know if I will be able to go down there…” Henry paused. Her tone, absent of it’s usual snark and calculated politeness, was a soft murmur. “Henry I don’t belong in here. I just… wanted to see it. But I… I can’t do it a lone.”

Her eyes were wide and pleading, glistening with emotion. Henry was entranced by that dark gaze; recognized its vulnerability. She read his hesitation as rejection and turned to leave the ballroom, stifling the beginnings of what would soon be a very long cry home.

Henry swiftly caught her wrist. “Okay…I’ll uh…I’ll go with you.”

Cinderella’s surprised expression softened into a warm smile. She accepted his arm, gracefully gathered up some of her voluminous skirts, and then proceeded down the stairway. Henry was starting to feel self conscious with all the staring; all that could be heard was torches softly crackling and hushed whispers amongst the crowd. His gaze darted about the wide room, distracting himself with how nice the sconces and painted cherubs looked compared to other ballrooms…

…Not realizing that between looking down at the steps before her, and making sure no material escaped her grasp, Cinderella’s gaze was fixed on his strong profile. Finally noticing how comely this strange man was. Made even more appealing by his gestures of selfless compassion.

Finally the music picked up again.

Henry let out his breath. Finally the crowd was losing interest in the newcomers, though he noticed some mens’ lingering glances at his partner. Henry halted though when Cinderella nearly tugged at his arm as they stepped down the last step.

“What…?” He began, but he heard the glassy clunk against the red carpet.

Cinderella bit her lower lip and put her hands on Henry’s broad shoulders to steady herself as she balanced on one foot and felt around with the other for her glass slipper.

Henry put his hands on her waist to steady her, a dark eyebrow arched at her. “Let me guess…the enchanted footwear didn’t come in your size?”

Cinderella found the matching slipper on its side and turned it upright with her toes. “They fit…but my feet sometimes get sweaty and-”

Henry’s eyes widened and then he let out laughter. Cinderella, though slightly self-conscious, found herself with a small smile as well. She liked Henry’s laugh. Even if it was at her expense.

“…And it appears they slip off. Do you mock me, sir?” she challenged him, playfully.

He regained control of himself. “No… no of course not. I’m just…chatting with Cinderella about sweaty feet at the ball. Details often left out of the story…but quite  endearing, I assure you.”

There had been quite a few instances like this one were the strange Henry had made reference to “the story” or “the tale” and spoke of Cinderella as if she were a subject that everyone was versed on… but she let that curiosity go. For Henry’s hands were still her her waist, and hers on his shoulders… and the way that he looked down at her with those hazel eyes; the color of an early autumn forest during a serene sunset…

Henry’s hands left her person as though he had been touching hot iron. Spell broken, Cinderella reluctantly pulled her arms away as well. He looked around nervously, as if he had upset the balance of some written law, running his hand through his messy hair.

His eyes finally settled on who he could only assume was the prince of this kingdom: blonde, tall, blue-eyed, heroic jaw…and he had the threads of a monarch. Also, it seemed all the young eligible maidens were flocking around him.

“Oh good… there’s the Prince.” Henry breathed, walking in that direction. Assuming that Cinderella was following after him.

But her gaze was caught elsewhere. “Oh good…there’s the buffet table!” She grabbed up her skirts and hurried over to the display.

Henry was weaving in and out of the crowed, edging closer, but he looked behind him, taking a double take of Cinderella loading up a silver plate with fruit, mutton, and cakes. Henry’s brows knitted with frustration…

…As he bumped into the Prince.

“Oh…uh… pardon.” Henry laughed nervously, as guards nearby advanced ever so slightly to the side of their prince. “This… well, this is…a great…you know…shindig.” He glanced back at the buffet table to see Cinderella filling a goblet of wine now. He turned back to the future love of her life. “Would you just excuse me, for like, one sec?” He backed away, then turned on his heel to storm towards the stubborn heroine.

“What are you doing??” Henry demanded.

Cinderella hand to swallow down a bit of cake before she could answer. “I haven’t had a decent meal in…gods, I don’t even remember! It’s stale bread, moldy cheese or whatever the birds can bring me but this… this is so brilliant. Oh gods, Henry…the cakes are heaven!”

“Cindy, you’re one way to happiness… true happiness… is standing right over there!” He turned to point at the prince, but when he looked back, she had moved down the table, surveying even more delicacies that the buffet had to offer. Henry ducked between ice sculptures and edible arrangements to maintain her attention. “You’re going to dance with the prince, fall in love, and then you don’t have to be with your evil stepmother anymore! Don’t you want that?”

Cinderella met him at the end of the table. “You think I came here to..what… seduce the prince? Like some maiden of the night, and exploit the new position to improve my own station? Is that how highly you think of me?”

“No, not like that… the Prince will fall in love with you and take you away from-”

Cinderella narrowed her eyes and set her plate and goblet down. “So the key to my ‘happy ending’ is some man who will rescue me; is that how feeble and degenerate I am?”

Henry felt like he had been slapped. How was this getting so out of control? “Just, let me phrase that better-”

“I’ll have you know that I came here for the decadence that I’ve only read about, dreamed about; to create a shiny memory for those nights when I feel especially alone.” She turned away, bringing about a finality to the conversation, but then she spun back around at him with the whoosh of her skirt. “And before our little incident in the woods, I was on my way to this ball. No one was holding me back!”

Henry took the scolding before braving a response. “Then why don’t you just leave them? You’re family… they’re horrible.” He stepped towards her, eyes intensely on her. “If you’re not waiting for someone to take you away…why wouldn’t you walk away yourself?”

She met his gaze levelly and delivered a soft response. “Because they’re the only family I have. And I promised father, for better or worse, that I would watch after them. To be kind…and have faith: because love will endure.”

He didn’t know how to respond to that. So he didn’t say anything. Instead he picked up her plate and goblet and nodded for her to follow him over to a resting couch along the wall by an alcoved fountain. She ate in silence for a bit, offered Henry anything from her plate… which he accepted, since he couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten anything decent. The food was divine. After he accepted a sip of her wine, he made small talk with her about the beauty of the room. She talked about the silly fashions of some of the courtiers. They both witnessed some drunken maidens faceplate into a nude statue.

Eventually Cinderella found herself watching the Prince; her supposed salvation, according to Henry. She blushed to see that sometimes his blue gaze met her dark eyes, and he would smile. Her couch buddy noticed the exchanges. He should have felt good; maybe he could get the story back on track…but to do so would negate the strength of character and dignity that his date had shown earlier.

He reluctantly followed his author’s instinct. “You could dance with him. Once. If there’s something there…” he trailed off and Cinderella gave him a look. He tilted his head. “One dance. One dance isn’t going to kill you.”

She looked down into her goblet. “I can’t dance.”

“…I’m sorry: what?”

“I can’t… just forget it. I’m not dancing with the prince.”

“But that’s… that’s the ENTIRE story! You go to the ball, you DANCE, and you fall in love!” Henry couldn’t believe this.

“Well I’m sorry to disappoint your expectations!” Cinderella defended herself, but then she sighed. She didn’t want to fight anymore. “Father never showed me the proper way. I’d stand on his boots and he’d take me around…” She smiled briefly at the memory. “…But he died before I was old enough for lessons. And then…step mother…”

Henry felt like an ass. He immediately took the goblet from her surprised hands and set it aside. He stood up, straightening himself out and then offered her his hand.

“What are you doing?” She asked, eyeing him up and down.

“I’m going to make this night a little more ‘shiny’ for you. Come on.”

She timidly rose and accepted his hand, following him to the dance floor of twirling gowns. As people parted for them, eyes lingered on her. Her legs felt wobbly, and she curled her toes so that those darn slippers would stay on… but as Henry took hold of her hand, and waist, and brought her closer against him…all her hesitation melted away like snow under a morning sun.

“Everyone seems to be looking at you. Can’t take their eyes off of you…” Henry observed, breaking the silence.

“I believe it’s the supernatural apparel that’s catching their fancy.” Cinderella mused.

Henry was silent for a moment. “It’s not the dress. Trust me.”

She blushed.

It helped that he led, but he also guided her, catching her gently by arm, shoulder, or waist when she moved out of time or in the wrong direction. Eventually she got the rhythm and flow.

“You are a wonderful dancer!” Cinderella complimented her partner, feeling a rush of exhilaration from all the movement. “This isn’t your first ball.” Another turn and spin. “Are you sure you’re not a prince?” She smirked.

“Nah…” Henry chuckled, taking her hand. “Although… my mother is technically a princess…”

“What??”

“Ex-princess…lost princess…” Henry scowled at himself. “It’s a long story.”

“Sounds like a fascinating tale!”

“Let’s focus on yours, Cindy.”

She opened and extended her person like she was a flower in water, and Henry was the breeze that directed her path. He gave her a look and nodded towards other dancers lifting their dainty partners in the air. Cinderella gave him an ecstatic nod and placed  her hands on his shoulders as he easily hoisted her up into the air and twirled with her. She let out a laugh and he lowered her, slow and easy.

As she passed down him, her sparkling eyes locked with his, and he held her level with gaze for a fraction more of a second than he should have. The two of them felt magically pulled towards one other.

CLOMP!

Cinderella looked down and let out an exasperated laugh. Henry finally lowered her, but he dropped to his knee to retrieve the fallen glass slipper. She assisted him by lifting up her skirts slightly so he could slip on the shoe.

Henry hadn’t thought anything of it, until he realized that his posture and hers called to mind an illustration he had seen before: he was stealing the Prince’s true love. He looked up at her, conflicted. She couldn’t read his expression.

“Henry… what is wrong, Henry?”

Henry practically jumped when the grand clock above the stairway began its chiming of the 12th hour. Midnight. He gave her a sharp look.

“Midnight! We’re out of time…” He swore.

“What do you mean? What happens at midnight?” she asked.

“What do you mean ‘what happens at midnight’?? The enchantment ends. You will be a scullery maid once again.”

“But… I am a scullery maid. Is… is that a problem?” She looked worried about his answer.

“No! No of course not… but your dress will return to rags-”

Cinderella looked confused. She gently took Henry by the face. “Henry… my dress is mine. And I have two more. One gold; one silver. They were a gift, from the weeping willow that grows upon my mother’s grave. As are the slippers.” She didn’t know why she was telling him all this. She owed no explanation, nor anything as personal as the weeping willow that contained her mother’s spirit. “I don’t know how…but they appeared on the branches after I wished… so hard…”

Henry’s mind reeled. Of course; this was a different version of Cinderella! And he had been playing it out like the version he had known all his life! But there were more, countless more, with different details.

“The prince is gone…” he murmured, frantically searching for that annoyingly beefy towhead.

“Retired to his chambers, most likely.” Cinderella was beginning to feel very concerned for Henry. “It doesn’t matter. Love doesn’t happen at first sight…”

Henry’s face turned back to hers. She didn’t have any idea of the power of true love and the happiness it brings. She was content with one lovely memory with a stranger.

But she deserved so much more.

His calloused hands slid up and over hers, which still cupped his face. He looked devastated.

“…I think I may have ruined your life, Cindy.”

He was talking nonsense, she knew this, but he believed in what he was saying. To such a torturing degree that it broke her heart for him. That he would agonize over her happiness. She let her hands fall to her sides.

“Than correct it by the next ball, Henry Mills.” She replied.

Henry’s eyes regained some of their vigor. He looked up at her, perplexed. “Next ball?”

“There are two more balls after this one. Or were you not aware?”

***

#ouat spoilers #season 7 #theory ficlet #henry mills #cinderella #fanart #can't draw a motorbike to save my life! #been writing alot of suicide squad and angsty scarlet vision #so this was a nice breather #glass believer

[entireoranges-creativity]

Reality Forged

Title: Reality Forged Fandom: Game Of Thrones Ship: Braime For:  Moody Blues Lyric Challenge (# 82. It’s a big world to face all alone) Note: Cross posted to AO3 Disclaimer: I don't own don't sue

"Are you alright?" Another hand pressed into his shoulder, a sympathetic tone, someone desperate to help when in truth he only sought to be left alone; perhaps forever. His eyes don't turn away from the elaborate casket decorated with flowers, he was wise enough to demand roses be excluded. All of this roses or not was too much and nothing she would have wanted. Grandfather told him things such this are done more for the comfort of the others, the public she served with kindness and swift sword when it called for such acts. Despite what grandfather said she'd hate all of this and for her he'd hate it too. He grumbles kicking the stone floor, the person is still behind him, hand remains on his shoulder though its simply resting and nothing more.

"Leave me." He mumbles. He doesn't care to listen to another 'i'm so sorry.' 'you poor child.' or even the 'the gods have her now." That was the worst. He didn't want to Gods to have her. He wanted her. Still needed her. The casket becomes blurry in his vision and it takes him a moment to understand why. Tears. He had cried, wept like a baby three days prior when Grandfather awoke him from slumber, saying simply there was a horrible accident and she was gone. She deserved to die on the battlefield, slaying the enemies, not from a fall off a horse because the stupid creature got spooked by thunder. He now feels the wetness on his cheeks.

"She'd be pissed." The stranger says with almost a laughter.

"Why? That I'm so weak?" He knew even without his face able to be seen there were more then enough signs he was barely handling himself. He had be strong.

"What? Gods no. That a horse did her in." He turns slowly to face the man, he had seen him a few times in the village. He owned one of the fish shops? It wasn't the fact he couldn't understand why a random vendor was heaping upon him so much attention, rather that seemed able to read his mind.

"Yeah. She would." He twists back to a proper position and continues staring at the casket, the vendor joins him on the bench.

"It's okay if you're not okay.' A shrug. 'My mom died when I was a bit younger then you. I tried to pretend that it was just a part of life and to move on. Put a brave face on for my family, especially my father who wa..."

"My father is dead."

"Yes, of course.' No sympathy with that one, his father being dead was a fact even prior to his birth. 'Perhaps you are trying to be brave for your grandfather?" Another shrug.

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Don't. Don't hide your emotions no matter what they are. I made that mistake. Not just with my mother but with some many things. Your grandfather is fair man....and...." The vendor stops speaking, now staring deeply at the boy.

"What?"

"I wish I had made better decisions in my life. I wish I had been there for her. And for you now." His words are rushed, eyes moving rapidly mainly looking towards the half open door, sounds of other mourners seeping in.

"What are you talking about? You knew my mother? You know me? I don't remember ever speaking to you prior to now of course." He stands up, taking a step away and closer to his mother or what once had been her.

"Yes. No...it's complicated. I have to go now. If you see me again I make no mention of this conversation do not take it personal. Just keep in your memory how much I love you." With that, mind still whirling at a weak attempt to make sense of even a fraction of anything the vendor stands up, runs towards the door on the other side, just as his septa enters through the closer one, eyes red from her own crying. He wants to rush after the man, but something deep within tells him to stay.

Jaime gasps. As his eyes flash open looking straight at Bran, or the person holding the presence of Bran.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

"You are correct I didn't. But I remember what it was like to lose a parent. Parents. The feeling of being alone." Jaime nods, knowing his family were responsible for those deaths.

"I wish I cou..."

"No." The words felt like an invisible blade across the flesh.

"I know. I've accepted my fate. I am always to be considered a dead man. Still..."

"Sympathy and feeling sorry for ones self does no good. Your son is a fine boy. He'll be a fine man without you." That coming from Bran's knowledge cryptic as it always was left a small sense of comfort on Jaime.

"Perhaps I could see him again?" The man sitting across the table slams his fist down upon it.

"No! Do you not understand how complicated and deadly even shifting into another can be without the proper trai..."

"I did it once! Just give me that potion again!" He had not plan to become this emotional, almost angry. He suspects seeing his child for the first time and only for minutes was almost too hard to handle.

"I said no! And if you don't control yourself I might stop these visits and you'll forever be cut off and alone!" Jaime was not ever and never would be a fan of Bran, in any form he choose to present himself in, but he appreciated these visits, small grasps of life he no longer was privy to experience. Life here on Sothoryos was barely a life; if one at all.

"Forgive me.' The Bran vessel nods. 'You promise he's good? That he'll be okay?"

"Yes. He has all the qualities of his mother' He pauses smirking 'and only the best from you. Granted it's not a lot but he makes it work."

"Very funny. And thank you once more for allowing me this."

"I need to be going now Jaime."

"Don't be a stranger. Also if you have the opportunity to visit Tarth for yourself there a young Evenstar who would very excited to see the King."

"I already plan on it. Brienne deserves nothing less then my fullest respect." The man sitting in front of him stands and without a word leaves the room. And Jaime knows he once more alone in a reality he helped forge by his own stupidity. Thousands of miles away from his own blood who believed he truly was an orphan.

"You better be right. My son better be okay." Jaime says to the empty chair before standing to pour himself his nightly wine.

#tv show: game of thrones #ship: braime #moody blues lyric challenge

[whichchick]

Today we’re going to talk about something I see a lot.  It’s below the cut.

I am looking for a nice guy (Geld), for a nice guy hahah. I am an adult amateur beginner who is in need of his own horse. 16+ hands, I am 6 1. Being SOUND is a must!. I want him to be forgiving, but forward. I want him to be able to hack out, something that is going give me confidence jumping and cantering.

My budget is right around 10K budget.

Here is a horse that I am going to look at later in the week with my trainer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXjMbWaVaOc&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop

He's a bit on the green side of things but has potential possibly? The asking price is very reasonable. 16.1 hands, 4 years old.

Okay, so this is a person wanting to buy a horse.  Good.  I like people wanting to buy horses.  The person says that he is “an adult amateur beginner”.  Okay, we all have to start somewhere.  Nothing wrong with that.

Prospective buyer has 10K to spend.  As we all recall, I spent 11K on a tow vehicle last spring.  This person can spend on a horse what I spend on a diesel pickup.  I will tamp down my jealousy and move on, though.

Prospective buyer wants 16hh+, sound, forgiving, forward, and horse to “give me confidence jumping and cantering”.  I’m not making this shit up, it’s right there in the post.  Buyer wants to be able to hack out the horse.

Great.  I like that he wants to leave the security of the oval and go riding.

But then the guy and his trainer are going to look at a 16.1hh 4 yr old ottb.  (I’m assuming the video works.  If not, it’s video of a fairly cute, but green ottb, chestnut with some chrome, still has kind of tracky movement.) What?  What?

Maybe you’re not good at horses.  Here are some comparable situations in other areas so that you can get a feel for what’s going on here.

A)  My sixteen year old is just learning to drive.  I’d like a safe, reliable small sedan with good crash test ratings for her to learn on, nothing too overpowered.  Later this week, we’re going to the dealer to see about a Porsche Boxster with some frame issues and iffy brakes.

B)  I’d like a small handgun for concealed carry.  My friend said he’d sell me his .30-06, that’d work for what I want, right?

C)  I’m looking for a starter home, something smallish.  The realtor is taking us to see a 240 acre dairy farm with outbuildings, 80 tillable acres and a hundred of fenced pasture, the balance in woods.  It has a 10-stall milking parlor, tanks and equipment included, for only 480K, which she swears is an awesome deal.

So, I wrote back.

Nothing four years old is "going to give you confidence" because he's four. It would be like expecting maturity from a sixteen year old girl. "But she's really mature for her age." Uh, no. No, she is not. Same with the four year old horse.

You should be shopping in the "over ten years old, lots and lots of miles, done Pony Club XC, done foxhunting, done competitive trail, done ALL THE THINGS" category of horses. Appropriate ads should say things like "PACKER" and "CONFIDENCE BUILDER" and "POINT AND SHOOT" and "AMMIE FRIENDLY" and so forth. These horses are NOT 'deadheads' -- they are horses that know their jobs cold, are fairly tolerant of mistakes, and will help you have a good time out there even if your skills are sometimes not quite on the mark (and they will not always be on the mark if you’re an adult beginning rider). If you have 10K to spend, you can TOTALLY get the thing you NEED but you are going to have to give a little on size (a wide-bodied 15.3 is SOOO MUCH CHEAPER THAN 16.+) and possibly breed of choice.

As a beginner who wants to hack out, to jump and canter in open fields... get a horse who has been there and done that, not a four year old. Please, readjust your sights for an appropriate horse for you, not a flashy chestnut four year old that your trainer can spend two years working on before you feel comfortable riding him outside of a ring.

I'm not slamming you, but you have described yourself as a beginner. Let's say you're hacking out on a quiet trail. Walking along, there is birdsong, it's lovely. Suddenly, three whitetail deer leap out of the shrubbery right the hell in front of you. And your delightful chestnut ottb gelding goes AW HELL NO -- I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR MURDER EXPLOSIONS!!! (they don’t have deer at the track leaping out him, so this is new and terrifying) and he does a 180 and leaves at high speed. You, however, did not make the 180 with him. You are in the dirt and your confidence, if not your body, is in pieces because he never did anything like that before. Compare this to an older, more experienced horse with a solid temperament and lots of trail miles: Buh? Oh, deer. They're just deer. There's a slight startle in his walk, a stutter or a spook-in-place, but then he's back to normal. You laugh a little, nervously, and carry on with your ride.

You're cantering along the same trail, a little later, and there's a log across the path. It's not very big -- you've totally jumped higher in lesson -- so you put some leg on and go for it. (By the way, good for you!)  Your inexperienced 4 year old comes in at a weird spot, a touch long, but he's a good sort and powers it through with some extra oomph (because he's inexperienced and overjumping is totally one of the things inexperienced baby horses do) but the extra oomph and airtime catch you totally unawares and you get left behind, badly, slam down on him in landing, and throw him off balance. In retaliation, he ducks his head and pops up behind. You tip off, keeping hold of the reins, and eventually get the horse unfreaked out, under control, and to where you can get on him again. Gonna jump the next log you see? Or maybe not.

On a more experienced horse (who spent two years doing SEEING EYE duty for Muffy The Ponyclubber before you), the horse sees a distance, works it out, and puts in a minimum-effort jump that rides almost exactly like the ones you do in the carefully set-up grids at lesson. It’s smooth and easy and you feel like a champion.

I'm not exaggerating here.  This is the difference between green 4 yr old and experienced packer. BUY THE PACKER.

In the horse-rider partnership, one party should have experience and tolerance to teach and support the other party. If you lack experience and tolerance, then your horse should have it. If your horse lacks experience and tolerance, then you should have it.

Look, all you novice riders who want to shop for a horse:  The horse you need RIGHT NOW (not your 'forever' horse or even the horse you need after two years of horse ownership and 3x a week riding) is a horse with a GOOD BRAIN AND a GOOD EDUCATION. You are a beginner rider. You need a calm, sensible horse who will not lose his shit when (not "if") you make mistakes. (This is the Good Brain part.) You also need a horse who KNOWS HIS JOB, and can do it well enough to "fill in" or "cover" for your mistakes. (This is the Good Education part.) Right now, you should be getting the horse that will help teach you the gig, not shopping for a fancy youngster who needs two years of solid education before you feel comfortable riding him.

Sample Ad For Ideal Beginner Horse, Eventing Version: Two Eyed Jack has been around the local event circuit for the last eight years under assorted ponyclubbers.  He’s also done hunter paces, foxhunting (second flight), hunter shows, jumping clinics, and some competitive trail rides.  Easy to handle, good in show environments, Jack hauls, bathes, clips, and shoes like a pro.  This solid bay 15.3 hh paint-tb cross takes up a lot of leg while providing an uncomplicated, forgiving ride.  At 14, he's sound and sturdy but has enough mileage to take almost anything in stride.  Been there, done that.  For eventing, Jack's dressage is workmanlike.  His gaits are rhythmic but don’t have a lot of wow factor.  However, he's careful and precise in stadium and a freaking confidence-building machine XC. This horse never met a jump he didn't like, finds a distance without a lot of rider input, and rates easily. Balanced and steady over all terrain and footing, brave into the water, and able to do Novice with his eyes closed, Jack is looking for his next rider. Total packer, will pass a PPE, $8000 firm with a buyback clause.

#buying your first horse #buy what you need #ammie friendly #total packer