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valhallanrose · 3 years

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Catriona Astoria Elspeth Canonach-Fenharrow

(Usually, and especially professionally, just Astoria Fenharrow)

character reference sheet by @hirodraga

bio sheet format by @arcanecadenza

Meaning of name:

Catriona - Greek origin. Gaelic variant of Catherine, meaning “pure”.

Astoria - English origin. Variation of the name Astor, meaning “hawk”.

Elspeth - Scottish origin. Variation of the name Elizabeth, meaning “chosen by god”.

The use of their name is a little funky, so to say. They prefer Astoria, and have gone by their middle name for as long as they can remember, but they aren’t necessarily opposed to being called Catriona. It would be surprising for them to hear you call them that casually, as it’s not how they typically introduce themself, but you can find their name in plenty of places. They sign all official documents with Catriona Canonach-Fenharrow, as it is their legal name and it is additionally hard to duplicate that signature, but they will still sign letters and casual correspondence as Astoria Fenharrow.

That being said, this isn’t a ‘true name’ situation. Astoria prefers being called Astoria to Catriona in all situations. To them, it feels more like who they are - the archaeologist with a love for bones and old books - rather than who they were expected to be as Catriona of Kintyre. Both names are a part of them, they acknowledge all sides of themself as the person they are, but Astoria is free to be as they wish to be.

Family: Senga Canonach (mother), James Sinclair (stepfather), Malcolm Canonach (maternal half-brother) Riordan Fenharrow (father), Myrna Catriona Canonach (maternal grandmother), Astor Canonach (maternal uncle), Sachairi Canonach (second cousin), Grace Canonach (first cousin once removed)

Astoria’s family tree is rather large, but the family that will be mentioned frequently throughout their story were listed above.

The direct family tree is included below, including their relationships in regard to Astoria.

You can find more about Astoria’s family, Clan Canonach, and Rosinmoor in this post here.

Catriona was born at the family estate of Balgaire’s Rest in Kintyre, a province that makes up the southeasternmost point of the nation of Rosinmoor. At the time of their birth, their great aunt Malvina Canonach held the Barony of Kintyre, along with her wife, Lady Consort Lorraine Tolmach.

Senga Canonach was nineteen when she met Riordan Fenharrow, who at the time was getting ready to take over his father’s fleet of merchant ships when he would eventually retire. They fell into a whirlwind romance, and by the end of the following summer, Catriona was born. They stayed together for a time, even going as far as to plan a wedding, but Riordan quickly came to learn the deeper he fell in that Senga was after more than what he had bargained for.

He was not unaware of her position as a Canonach. Senga was the niece of the standing Baroness, newly welcomed into Rosinmoor society as a lady of high station, and he thought himself privileged to be the apple of her eye. But Riordan was a clever man, and over the years, began to piece together a larger picture. Senga was possessive of their child, rarely letting them out of her sight, and seemed to bask in the recognition their child gained as the firstborn of a new generation in the Canonach family.

Catriona was born a mere four months before their cousin, Sachairi, landing them securely in the position of heir to the Barony when the time would come for their turn to take the crown. Senga had been distant after

No longer was Senga the woman he’d fallen in love with. Riordan had every intention to leave and to take Catriona with him, hoping that he could give his child freedom away from the life they were born into, but Senga stood between him and that goal. She threatened him, saying that if he took their child he would never know peace, no matter how far they went from Rosinmoor to try and start over. Catriona was her child, her legacy, and she would go as far as she had to in order to defend that. Senga had wanted a child she could raise as she wanted, to influence so that she could have a hand in how Rosinmoor was ruled given she was third in line for the title herself, and now that she

So when Catriona was four, Riordan Fenharrow left, taking his merchant’s fleet north to Glenarden to put some distance between himself and Senga in hopes that perhaps with time, he could be a sort of sanctuary for Catriona to turn to when they were old enough to understand.

The following two years would leave Catriona drifting. Senga, then between the ages of 23 and 25, had little in the way of maternal instinct, but their grandmother Myrna and their uncle Astor both stepped in to care for them without a moment’s hesitation. Astor had always been frail, but he was the first ‘father’ figure they could remember, and Myrna has been a constant figure in their life even as an adult.

Astor passed when Catriona was six, but Myrna continued to care for Catriona, though as they grew older their mother found it easier to care for them than she did when they were a child. But they were rarely allowed to leave home, even to go to Rosafearn a few miles away, and they craved some sort of change and to explore all the places they read about in the books they devoured in and out of lessons.

When Catriona was eleven, Baroness Malvina chose to step down, but the line of succession became a little scrambled.

Malvina had an older brother, Ualan, who had abdicated and passed her the Barony - but his children were the oldest of the next generation and had first claims to the title.

Grace and Quinn both abdicated. At 44 and 41 respectively, with families of their own, they thought it best to not disrupt the lives they’d always known when they’d never intended to take the Barony for themselves. As the next living eldest, Senga took the Barony, and became Baroness Canonach of Clan Kintyre. She was thirty then, and Astoria, merely eleven.

Senga had always hoped to claim power in one way or another - if not herself, then through Catriona, as the heir apparent to the Barony when Senga would one day step down. Myrna, however, who had spent more time parenting Catriona than her own mother, had been a constant defender of their say in the way they got to spend their days.

At thirteen, Catriona learned the truth, learned that their mother had only wanted them so that she might get her hands on control, on influence, for no reason more. They’d never felt close with their mother, but to hear it confirmed was heartbreaking. They ran to Myrna, who realized her daughter was beyond reasoning by then, and Myrna decided that it would be best for Catriona to get some distance and to see the world beyond the boundaries of Rosinmoor.

This would become Catriona’s first journey, taking them to Prakra, where Myrna was assigned to work at a dig site in the Prakran jungle among a team of archaeologists. It was their first breath of fresh air, and they remember sitting on the edge of the dig pit with notebook in their lap, taking notes their grandmother dictated as she sifted through the artifacts that had slowly come to surface. This pattern would continue for years, with visits back to Rosinmoor to keep their mother appeased as they fell in love with the world and with travel.

At sixteen, Catriona’s life came to a crossroads. Based on the line of succession and their position as the oldest of the children of the Canonach clan, they were of the age to officially be recognized as heir apparent. No longer were they simply Catriona Canonach - they were therefore Luxe Catriona Astoria Elspeth Canonach-Fenharrow of Clan Canonach, descendant of Cliamon the Great and heir to the Barony of Kintyre. No longer could they be just themself, but they felt they had to fulfill a role, to shape themself in a way a future Baronet should be.

The realization, with the diadem upon their brow, was absolutely terrifying.

On the night of their coronation ceremony, Catriona ran from Rosinmoor, packing a bag and leaving their home in the company of their grandmother. They didn’t care where they went, they just needed to get away from it all, refusing to go back despite the scandal that arose from their disappearance.

Sixteen and full of hope, they chose then to go not by Catriona Canonach, but by Astoria Fenharrow - a name they could make their own, rather than the identity that had been forced upon her by her mother.

Their journey across the continent took the pair to the Bulan Mountains, where Myrna had once again been tasked to survey a possible historical site by the Republic of Galbrada. It was Astoria’s first time officially titled as an assistant, and they were eager to survey on their own, ready to start a new path for themself.

Until they fell in a hole.

Astoria had stumbled upon the site in question, through part of the ruins which had given way once their weight had come upon it and revealed the catacombs beneath it. And while they were thrilled in hindsight at their accidental discovery of the Bulani Labyrinth (which is credited to them, fortunately and unfortunately), there was a very desperate situation at hand: they were trapped.

The walls were stone, and given their grandmother’s tendency to want to take notes at sometimes the most random moments, they had chalk in her pack - so they began to walk, marking the turns they’d taken as she went. They thought it’d be smart to be able to find their way back out if they ended up not finding an exit like they hoped, but alas, things would not go as planned.

They found their way into an antechamber, decorated with lavish murals, and a simple jump from being startled by a spider they weren’t expecting meant they dropped their lantern and shattered the only source they had at that point in the labyrinth. They stumbled blindly until they came to a pool of liquid, and in a moment of relief, drank deeply from it under the impression it was water.

It very much was not.

The thing about the people of ancient Bulan was that they’d struck a bargain - specifically, their king did, asking for power from the Devil in exchange for a sacrifice. When the bargain was struck, the magic in question was tied to a pool of blood that was so heavily laced with magic, keeping it preserved until the day Astoria drank from it more than eight hundred years later.

(There is an extensive history of Bulan tied to this post here, but given that that alone is quite long I’m hoping to save you some reading time unless you really want to go on a lore deep dive.)

They don’t really remember much after the pool.

The next memory they have is waking up, being attended to by Myrna, and spending multiple days being absolutely fucking terrified of the nightmares they were having until it got to a point they were staying awake as much as possible.

And, well, when you aren’t sleeping, you begin to learn. And when Astoria realized that in the emptiness of the night, when all were asleep, that they could hear the pounding of every heart in the encampment...they thought they were losing their mind. But this was the earliest days of their sangromancy coming to being, and though Myrna didn’t know how to help her grandchild, she did know somewhere that could.

Their grandmother took them to the Republic of Galbrada, where Astoria enrolled at the academic facilities of the Whitethorn Citadel and found themself under the close mentorship of their tutors.

They stayed there from the time they were sixteen until they were nineteen, and the longer they spent there, they realized that they were nothing more than a creature to study in the perspective of their peers. They felt themself growing more and more withdrawn, and eventually left, realizing the only path they would be offered was one not unlike the one they’d been trying to escape from: a life where all choices were made for them, rather than considering what they might have wanted. The Galbradans feared what they might become if allowed to learn about their curse, but Astoria

Rather than return to Kintyre, Astoria went to Auchmara on High, a safe haven for magicians like themself who needed help finding their way. It was a sanctuary, a place for them to find their way, and slowly they began to learn how to control their sangromancy rather than suppress it like they’d been forced to all along.

After reconnecting with their grandmother - though they’d been communicating, it had been years since they’d seen each other in person - Astoria began to travel again, getting roped into some misadventures involving pirates and cursed artifacts that allowed them to come into who they were meant to be rather than who they were born to be.

Astoria moved to Vesuvia only within the last few years, taking up a position to preserve and collect items for the collection at the Palace - and, hopefully, they’ll be able to sweet talk Nadia (or Lucio) into founding a museum for the history of Vesuvia that they’ve been planning for pretty much since they took the job and found out how full storage is. However, they still do a fair amount of traveling, and it’s unlikely they’ll stop anytime soon.

Favorite meal: Sticky toffee pudding

Favorite drink: Chamomile tea

Favorite flower: Harebells

Birthday: September 6th

Age: Thirty-one

Zodiac: Virgo Sun, Scorpio Moon, Sagittarius Rising

MBTI type: ISTP

I wanted to live the life - a different life. I didn’t want to go to the same place every day and see the same people and do the same job. I wanted interesting challenges. - Harrison Ford

Patron Arcana:

Major - The Devil

Upright - The Devil knows there is power in perception. He binds those who cannot see their path to freedom. Shake off his veil; you are not trapped. There is always a way out of even the darkest places.

Reversed - The Devil loses influence over his flock as the chains of bondage drop from his tight grasp. It is time to clean house; purge the things that harm you from your life. Take back your power.

Minor - Eight of Pentacles

Upright - Your attention to detail and willingness to learn make you an ideal student. Your raw talent can be honed - it may be time to embark on a new venture or learn a new skill if you have not already begun.

Reversed - You have become mired in the details, unable to see the big picture. Your focus has become a detriment. Take a step back and look at all you have accomplished. Refocus yourself on the things that matter.

Gender: Nonbinary

Uses they/them and she/her pronouns

Prefers gender neutral terms (Mx., partner, grandchild, etc)

Would normally ask you don’t call her your girlfriend if you’re dating but there is a big romantic soft spot for ‘lover’

Orientation: Demisexual

Languages spoken: Moorish (the language of the people of Rosinmoor), Galbradian (from the Republic of Galbrada), Prakran, Zadithi, Vesuvian, and Scourge fluently - they can read the language of the Kokhuri and several dead languages for the sake of transcription, but their speaking prowess is all guesswork. They think it’s fun to try and speak Old Galbradian or Bulani, and while she thinks she’s close, she doesn’t have anyone to really chat with, since...they’re dead languages.

Magical Specialties: Sangromancy, otherwise known as blood magic. Astoria’s branch of sangromancy does cover the manipulation of blood, both inside and outside of the body, but toes the line of other life-based magical practices. They are usually extremely aware of the presence of others, particularly the sounds of beating hearts, and their blood makes magic cast with it particularly potent. They’re very well versed in curses and countercurses as a result, which has been useful when obtaining objects with possibly shady backstories.

This is a magic that has its roots in their arcane patron, the Devil - not a bargain struck by them, but one struck in Bulan many years before, as previously stated.

Familiar: Nathaira, a Shetland Sheepdog. Holds the title of world’s best girl (in Astoria’s humble opinion) and acts as Astoria’s canine PA. Usually, if you see one, the other isn’t far behind.

#astoria fenharrow #yes i posted this before but i had to do some major overhauls to fit their updated canon #housekeeping time

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timelock97 · 5 years

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Love Without A Name

Chapter Five: The Morning Of

Word Count: 2605

Masterlist

Warnings: Language

A/N: I used a church setting, I have never been to another wedding besides catholic weddings so I skipped the more religious parts just to let you know in advance!!

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"Wakey, wakey, bitch!" Celine yells, walking into the shared hotel room where Mae, Joyce, and I had been previously peacefully sleeping. "It's show day!"

"Correction" Mae murmurs, muffled against her pillow, "it's her wedding day, not a show day."

"Hush, it's still gonna be amazing!" Celine jumps on the bed and begins to bounce on her knees until she is practically on top of me, "C'mon, you still gotta shower and eat. Then we can head to the church!" When I don't move, Celine turns until her back is facing me and plants herself on top of me, a groan leaving my lips at the sudden weight." C'mon (Y/N), it's the big day!"

"Please tell me you at least brought breakfast?" I uncover my head slightly, peeking out from under the duvet to find her eyes in the dimly lit room.

"You know it!" She calls as sits up and bounces to the end of the bed. Once off, she takes the last bit of effort she knows will force me out of bed by flinging off the covers, revealing my pajama clad body that was no match against the small chill in the room. She makes her way back to her backpack where she begins to pull out three other Starbucks reusable cups from inside. How she got back here without spilling them is a mystery in itself.

I groan, finally rolling out of bed and making my way over to have a small sip of coffee and attempt to snatch a bit of one of the bagels she has brought with her, only to have my hand slapped away.

"Nope! This will be waiting here for you after a quick shower! The hot water will cause you to not digest as easily!"

"Who told you that, Cel?" I grumble, taking my coffee with me to the small bathroom.

"You did!" She sings back, a breathy chuckle leaving my lips as I shake my head at her.

Shutting the door behind me, I lean against it. I take a slow breathe in through my nose, and let it out slowly through my mouth before meeting my own gaze in the mirror. My pajama shirt was falling to one side, and pulled forward so that the collar of the shirt showed off the bareness of my chest. My hair that had been up in a bun before bed was falling out excessively around my shoulders. I can't help but smile at my reflection. "Today's the day." I whisper to my reflection. A small squeal falls past my lips as I begin undressing before hopping into the shower to wash the grim of the night away. Taking the time to exfoliate and shave, making sure to not miss any spots (or at least trying to), nearly cutting myself when a loud bang comes from the door.

"Your food's gonna be cold, let's go our beautiful bride!" Celine calls, making Mae and Joyce giggle along with her.

"Be out in a minute!" I call, rinsing out my hair out one more time before turning off the water and hopping out. I lather lotion down my legs and arms before dressing into a tee shirt and shorts, throwing my hair into a clip, and joining the girls back at the table. Today was the first day to the rest of my life.

When we arrive at the church, I take a minute to wave the girls off to the room we'd be spending a few hours in before the ceremony. I stand in the main space looking at the little kid drawings from past Sunday school classes and events. I walk slowly over to the main doors of the church hall, placing my hands on the handles and pushing them open. The room was dimly lit from the morning light flooding in from the vast windows. The pews were decorated with small flower arrangements, bits of lavender and forget-me-nots shining through the most. I brush my fingers against a few of the petals as I walk down to the first pew. I sit softly, fold my hands, and shut my eyes, letting any insecurities into the air to be filtered away from my heart for the remaining afternoon. Please, please, please, let today go better than planned.

"Hello." My head snaps up to look at the man in front of me; I immediately recognize that he had to be the priest. "Having a nice conversation?" He smiles gently before motioning if he can sit down.

"Yeah," I move to the side a bit so that he can sit beside me. "It helps with the stress, getting all my anxieties out to him, and making a few wishes too."

He hums, nodding his head. "What are some things you're wishing for?"

"Uh, a happy marriage," I giggle, watching the smile spread further across his face, "That everyone enjoys the day, that my fiancé isn't disappointed in who I am."

His eyes light up, smile growing impossibly bigger. "So my suspicions were correct, you're the bride."

"Yeah," I stick my hand out for the man to shake, "I'm (Y/N)."

"Father Richard Hall. Your fiancé has been excited for this day for a while; told me all about you."

"Really?" I giggle.

"Mhm," he lets go of my hand after giving it another firm squeeze. "Talks about how beautiful and how down to earth you are; says he couldn't be getting married to a more perfect girl."

"He hasn't even seen me-"

"Love doesn't have to see to know." He gives me another smile before standing, "Well, I will leave you to finish your conversation. It was nice to talk to you." He waves softly before walking to a side door and disappearing inside.

I let out another sigh before standing, walking out the main doors, and down the hall looking at all the signs to point me and my soon-to-be husband in the right direction without bumping into each other. The conversation between Mae, Celine, Joyce, and Hazel lead me to the room, the three of them giggling while a woman is set at the counter pulling out makeup and hair products as well as another woman who has her camera ready to take pictures who smile happily at me when I enter.

"There you are!" Hazel proclaims, walking away from the girls to pull me into a quick hug. She is dressed in a royal purple, knee length dress with capped sleeves. "Get changed, then Miranda can get started on your hair!"

I giggle and nod, walking past the girls who make a few silly faces at me as I pass before slipping into the bathroom and undress, changing the bra and panties for a nude pair and a body shaper, pulled and clipped to the bra to keep me looking slim. I grab the robe and slip it over my shoulders, tying it around the waist before stepping out and walking over to the woman who would be doing both my makeup and hair today.

"You ready, darling?" She muses, smiling at me through the mirror, hands already unclipping my hair to play with.

"As I will ever be," I whisper as she turns me away from the mirror.

Through the whole process of getting my hair and makeup done, I busied myself by conversating with Mae and Celine, checking with Hazel about a few things for the day that she had kept hidden from me (most at which she still did), and playing on my phone to post a few pictures from the past week.

"Alright, (Y/N), are you ready to see your final look?" Miranda giggles, standing in front of me.

"Turn me around!" I place my hands in front of my face as she does. A soft gasp falls past my lips, "Holy cow!" I tilt my head to the side; the half up half down curled hairdo framed my face perfectly, and let's not gets started on the make-up. She had done it naturally, making my eyes pop and gave my skin a healthy glow. "Miranda, I love it, thank you!" I turn in the chair to the side so I can stand and pull her into a warm hug.

"No problem, sweetie. Let me spray your face with the setting spray then we will be done! And I will stick around to make sure you don't need a touch up before or after the ceremony."

"I appreciate it," I giggle, shutting my eyes for the setting spray, the mist cooling my skin. "Now I just have to get dressed!"

"I am gonna step out for a few minutes, no misbehaving!" Hazel calls with her phone going to her ear, leaving us alone in the room.

My eyes dart over to Celine, who was already dressed in her light salmon pink dress that billows around her waist. She makes eye contact with me, shooting me a mischievous smile. "You think you can sneak out and deliver it now?"

"Oh hells yes, she won't even notice I'm gone." Celine walks over to me, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor.

"What did you do again?" Mae laughs, walking over to the two of us, Joyce not too far behind.

"Well, my fiancé likes Marvel stuff too, Spider-Man especially, so I got him a pair of socks and a note that says, 'just in case you get cold feet, I'll see you soon.' as well as a few other things that are for his eyes only with my name signed at the bottom; figured it would be nice since we haven't heard from each other in a week."

"Hand it over before I get caught!" Celine giggles, taking the small box from my hands. "Wish me luck! Get changed so we can do some quick girl photos before Hazel kicks us out."

"Luck!" I call as she slips out of the door. I turn and grab my wedding dress from off the hanger. "Wait, Cathy?" I look at the photographer, "did you happen to get a picture of the dress on the hanger?"

"Yup, you are all set, (Y/N)."

"Okay, perfect," I slip off the robe, not bothering to care about who was in the room since it was just the girls. I slip on the dress, Mae helping me fiddle it into place and zip me up. I turn and look in the mirror and let out a soft sigh, "Oh my God."

"You look beautiful, (Y/N)." Mae whispers, moving a little closer beside me; Joyce joining on the other side bouncing on the balls of her feet in agreement.

"You really do, sis." A voice mutters behind me, causing me to spin on the balls of my feet to see Lucas and Mark standing in the doorway, tears pricking their eyes.

Mark nods, lifting a hand to carefully wipe a tear from his eye. "Look gorgeous, pipsqueak."

"What are you two doing here?" I breathe, a hand coming to my chest to hold a small necklace that had been my grandmothers and the other goes to holds Mae's for comfort. My bare feet feel glued to the hardwood floor, but I want nothing more than to close the distance and to see my brothers up close after four months silence.

"You really didn't think we would miss our baby sister getting married, did you?" Mark snarks.

I turn my head to the side, the hand on my necklace tightening. "Honestly, yeah I did." I look up to see both their faces fall, but I continue, eyes directed at them only. "I figured I would, and that really broke my heart. But seriously, what are you two doing here?"

Lucas runs a hand through his hair before letting out a light laugh. "Your fiancé paid us a visit at the shop."

"We were pretty surprised too. He walked in, gave us his name and said he was the man that was marrying our little sister." Mark states, scuffing his foot on the floor. "He hoped if he were to tell us about how much you meant to him and how lucky he was to have you that we would come around."

"He said, and I quote, 'I fell for your sister without knowing what she looked like, it's the most simple of love I have. I don't have to be able to see her to know she is the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. I know she wants you to be there, you're her family, so I am trying to make it right by coming by and talking it out.' We were definitely surprised to say the least, but we decided that we still don't like or trust him, but we respect him." Lucas smiles gently, shrugging.

"And we love you, and we want you to be happy, so here we are. Ready to support whatever decision you make, even if we think you aren't making the best decision."

"And Mom and Dad?" I whisper.

"Waiting for us to apologize in case it went south." Mark laughs, quickly getting elbowed in the ribs by Lucas. "What, it's true!"

"Then go grab them, dipshit-" Lucas shoves him to the side.

"Hey," Mark points a finger at Lucas, "we are in a church-"

"Right, my bad. Go grab them, ya narwhal."

Mark rolls his eyes at Lucas and walks to the door, motioning just outside the door. My parents walk in and my mother lets out a gasp when she sees me, her hands flying to her face to attempt to fan away the tears. "Look at you, baby, you look so beautiful."

I pull her into my arms, hugging her tightly once she is close enough. Soon I look over her shoulder at my father. "Daddy?"

He visibly swallows, tears in his eyes. "Will you still allow me to walk you down the aisle, (Y/N)?" He whispers, tears finally falling. I reach for him, pulling him into the hug as well. Lucas and Mark quickly join, squishing me between the four of them.

"I love you guys," I whisper, going to wipe my eyes only to realize I had makeup on. "Fuck, Miranda, help." I whine.

She giggles from her place on the wall before walking toward me. "I can fix that."

"Thank, God." I giggle, "I don't wanna look like a raccoon walking down the aisle."

The door creaking open catches my attention, as well as everyone else's. "My other un-biological baby sister, where you been?" Mark calls, pulling Celine into a quick, tight hug.

"Running an errand for your actual sister." Celine states, but I can hear the slight, nervous tremor in her voice.

"You okay, Cel?"

"Yeah," I watch as she straightens up, giving me a bright smile before setting a small piece of paper on the counter. It has your name on it, and the handwriting almost looks too perfect. "I got this for you, but let's take pictures first yeah?"

"Yeah, then you guys can go find your seats." I state back, standing and grabbing the girls for a few pictures as well as my family. Once done, and everyone is still mingling, my eyes find the envelope that was left on a small coffee table. I grab the it, and tear open the top, fishing my hand inside to grab a piece of stiff card stock.

___

My love,

I hope you don't get cold feet either. I am beyond excited to finally see you. 2 o'clock cannot come any faster. See you soon.

I love you.

Thomas Holland

___

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Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think!

#cg writes #love without a name #tom holland x reader #tom holland fanfiction #strangers to lovers #arranged marriage #husband!tomholland

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a-deadly-serenade · 5 years

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The Shield and the Sword: Chapter 7: Ravens, and Witches, and Wolves oh my! [Alucard/Reader]

You’re a witch that is skilled in herbology, one that has been persecuted by the church for practically your entire life. In spite of this, moving throughout different towns has allowed you to pick up some chatter about a woman in a village called Lupu. She is supposed to be a wonder when it comes to medicine, and this immediately perks up your interest. So after plucking up some courage, you’ve made it to her door… hoping that she takes you as her apprentice.

ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16724856?view_full_work=true

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You awoke one morning with a dazed smile on your face, your head abuzz with the dreams from the night before. You rubbed the tired from your eyes, but the vivid imagery of your dream still remained at the forefront of your mind.

You had been standing in front of a large forest. It was absolutely breathtaking, twinkling with fireflies and fairy lights. A small stream paved its way through the shrubbery, plush moss and groups of clover providing just the right amount of padding along the riverbank.

Fauna roamed throughout the trees, but they were not the usual animals that you would encounter in the wild. They rounded the corner of your eye, and only allowed you to see them in your periphery.

You had heard tales throughout your childhood of witches who had been foolish enough to challenge these beings, and demand to face them head on. No one really knew what happened if you ever looked one in the eye, but some said that your soul gets sucked down into one the magical streams that course through their body, only to be trapped in a seemingly endless purgatory.

It was rare for these creatures to reveal themselves to humans, but it has happened. As par the course, people often believed they were monsters, and that they were omens of death or something ridiculous like that.

Sure, they had reputations that preceded them from the scary rumors, but the sketching you had seen within your textbooks made you question why everyone thought they were so horrifying. You found them quite beautiful.

White, ethereal looking creatures with the anatomy of a deer. They were documented as either having a pair of bright red eyes, or having hundreds that shifted in color depending where you stood.

Their antlers were said to be enormous, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to be so ancient that they sprouted small trees and bushes amongst the twisting bone. Fairies, spiders, birds and nymphs would make their homes in the branches, a whole separate ecosystem that silently marched along the forest floor.

They had big hooves, tiny plants sprouting along the path they tread, each of their frosty breaths giving new life to withering or dying flowers. It is recommended that you try and see them at night, their forms shining like starlight in the piercing moonlight, dancing along the edges of your vision like ghosts.

Your coven called them forest spirits, and there would be times during the ceremonies held within the darkness of the great, old forest that surrounded your cove, that you could have sworn seeing something walking out of the corner of your eye.

The older women, including your grandmother, always said that these creatures were to be respected, never feared. They let you know that the forest is healthy, that it is alive, and that it is magical.

Anyways, back to the dream… (boy could your mind wander)

You had been walking through some magical woods, and they felt ancient, the very earth lighting up under your feet as you followed a predetermined path. You were unsure of where you were, but at the same time, a sense of familiarity lingered in the air, and you found yourself able to maneuver over where it is you wanted to go.

Soon you were standing in front of a clearing, you walked out and discovered a small cove. A tiny heart shaped pond stood in the middle, large lily pads and lotuses blossomed on its surface. Plush ferns swayed alongside a large boulder that was placed before the water, slightly elevated on a moss covered hill. Fireflies dance amongst the thick leaves of the aromatic flower trees and bushes that surrounded you, the hoot of an owl rumbling in the delicate wind.

A bright moon hung in the sky, and you noticed, to your delight, that the moon’s startling white rays had been mixed in with soft hues of pink. It was a Strawberry Moon, the next upcoming full moon within the month of June.

The place was beautiful, and you gave a delighted hum as you run your hand across the surface of the crystal clear water. Tiny aquatic plants swayed to the motion, a couple of small fish darting around in surprise at the sudden commotion.

High pitched giggles coming from all around you snapped you out of your daze, and a dozen or so colorful lights came streaming out of the large lilies that were bunched near one corner of the pond.

You realized that they were fairies, as you caught glimpses of what they looked like here and there as they darted by.

Stop trying to deny it…

A soft voice, very childlike in its tone, called out to you. It seemed to be coming from the pink light.

“Deny what?” you answered.

Another round of giggles.

Now you were starting to get flashbacks to the hibiscus gang back in the greenhouse.

Uh oh, he’s here! another voice cried out. The yellow light.

“Who?” you called back.

Don’t be silly, another fairy chimed, the one surrounded by purple light. He’s right behind you!

Your breath caught in your throat as your turned around, the sight of a great white wolf catching you completely off guard.

The beast lazily lay upon the large rock, its bushy tail wagging slowly back and forth with the breeze. Its head was cocked towards the sky, and it let out a long, dramatic yawn; one that helped reveal very clearly that it could defend himself.

But, for some reason, a feeling inside you compelled you to inch closer and closer to the wolf. You couldn’t describe it, it felt almost like a tug, as though someone was pulling on a string, urging you forward.

A twig snapped under your bare feet, your whole body freezing in place as the beast reared its head in your direction.

Your eyes widened in fear as it stared at you, but that was displaced for a quick few seconds when you finally got a sight of its eyes. Big, shining orbs that sparkled as though made of rivers of gold. You had never seen a wolf with such stunning eyes before.

There was a silence, where neither one of you moved, but… then there was that tug again.

You needed to reach out… stretch out your arm, yeah, that’s it! And then gently…

Gently, you placed your hand on the top of the wolf’s snout. You felt its nose twitch once, twice, before it exhaled, a deep sound that rumbled in its chest. A delighted laugh slipped past your lips as the wolf leaned forward, pushing your hand higher up its head, until you had to move in order to scratch him just behind the ears.

He was a soft, friendly, and affectionate little one, peppering your arms and face with gentle licks and kisses.

You cuddled up beside him as you felt your eyes grow heavy, a signal that you were about to return to the world of the living. It was peaceful, and you felt at ease for the first time in months inside your own dream.

Ever since losing your family, your mind was often a turbulent place, a world that had control of your emotions, causing you to have more nightmares than you would like to remember.

But this? This was… nice.

A breeze flew between the two of you, the smell of dew, grass… and… leather? And books?

You opened your eyes, only to find yourself alone on that rock, the moon shimmering in the night sky that had started to get flecked with hues of orange and pink and blue. Where had the wolf gone?

Your fingers grazed against something, and to your shock, you found a deep red hibiscus, resting where the wolf had been moments prior.

You picked it up, puzzled where it came from, as you spun the stem between your fingers.

Language…

“What?”

The language… of…

“Language of…what language?” you repeat to yourself, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

You looked back down at the hibiscus, and then back up to the ever waning moon. “The language… the language… ”

The image of a red hibiscus and a great white wolf lingered in your mind as you woke up, and as you bathed yourself and got ready for the day, you kept trying to figure out what exactly that voice had meant about “the language”.

You had never attributed too much to dreams, learning from your grandmother at an early age that most dreams meant absolute codswallop and that leaning on them for answers was absolutely ridiculous.

On the other hand, some of the other old women argued that dreams were a very valid source of divination for witches, and it was foolish to not listen to what they said.

“Oh really?” your grandma would interrupt, clearly annoyed.

This would happen every time someone would reignite the whole “dream debate”, as the women liked to call it. You had been witness to several yourself, and recalled one night where your grandmother had had quite the rebuttal.

“Well, I had a dream that the handsome new farm hand that sells us all our vegetables, came ‘round and swept me off my feet-- among other things,” she mumbled, several other witches snickering in response. “That doesn’t mean he’s gonna come and do that, Daria!”

The other woman, Daria, someone that your grandmother often disagreed with, gave a hmph!

“You don’t know that! It could have been a vision from the future--”

“He’s engaged you peaheaded fool!”

Most of the room would erupt into laughter, but the other women hardly ever found it amusing. Usually, that would be the time that your mother would escort your grandma back home, the two old women shouting curses at one another till they were too far away to hear what foul atrocities would befall their crops, or which great-great-great-great grandchild would be born with the head of a toad.

So, you knew to take such vivid dreams with a grain of salt. But, there was something tugging at you again… the thought that maybe… just this one might actually hold some meaning to it.

You flatten out a few of the creases on your light blue chiffon blouse, trying to look presentable even if your mind was a mess. You sported some light cotton trousers to go alongside, as you assumed that you would just be in the greenhouse again all day.

The brown boots you wore were scuffed and covered in flecks of dried dirt. You made sure that the soles were relatively clean, since you would be mortified if you stained the beautiful red carpets with mud after trekking throughout the castle back to your room late one night.

Throughout the weeks of living in Castlevania, you had managed to familiarize yourself with the layout of the places that you frequented often, like the library or the garden. It was so much easier for you to just zip through the hallways, oftentimes skipping down them as you pondered on what to eat for breakfast.

But… there was a familiar tug, and you slowed down one corner, entering the last hallway you had to walk through to reach the kitchen.

Your gaze wandered, curious as to why you had felt that sensation just moments before, when your attention was brought to yet another painting. It was strange, you must have passed this one at least a dozen times before, why was it vying itself to be important now?

It was a large portrait of Adrian, that you knew. The two of you ran into each other one morning, and he had pointed out that this had been done shortly after receiving his sword. He said his father called it an “extended birthday present”, but Adrian knew it was just a way for his mother and father to have a portrait of him as an adult. He also mentioned how amusing he thought it was, that they hung it right outside his old nursery.

That fact certainly piqued your interest, but he had locked the door with a spell before you could even try to get in. You pouted, but he had said he would show you one day. For now, he would like to be spared some form of humility in your relationship.

Oh right… that’s what he had said. You recalled how your cheeks rose in color, chastising yourself for even thinking of misinterpreting it as something other than a friendship. Is that why you had been brought here? To feel embarrassed again?

Slightly irritated, you’re about to tell this inner-voice to bugger off, before you realize something peculiar about the shield that he’s carrying. It was large, and red, with a black cross emblem resting in the foreground of large, white bat wings, and the enormous head of a ferocious white wolf with golden eyes.

Memories of your dream merge with the painting before you, a thrumming headache drumming behind the backs of your eyes as that voice comes back, echoing,

The language… the language…! Over and over again!

Ugh!

You pinched the bridge of your nose and kept going. Why was this dream being so stubborn? Why couldn’t it just fade away like all the rest of ‘em did?

Walking into the kitchen, you took your seat beside Adrian, who was reading the book you had assigned him to, a tome on more advanced fire spells. He was stirring his tea with the slow flick of his index finger, a skill he had been quite proud of mastering.

Lisa was chatting with her husband, a bowl of steamy homemade oatmeal with a sprinkle of cinnamon resting in front of her. Vlad sipped on some freshly brewed coffee as his wife told him about her plans for the day, the two of them giving you smiles as you helped yourself to some food.

“You have quite the good timing,” Lisa said, eating a spoonful of her breakfast. “I was just about to tell Vlad what we were doing for the day.”

“Oh?” you stirred your spoon, sticky with honey, into your oatmeal.

“I thought it was finally time that you accompany me to the village, to Lupu!” she gave you a toothy grin, eyes crinkled with excitement.

Your spoon nearly clattered back into your oatmeal from shock, but you managed to shove it into your mouth before any harm fell to it. You swallowed, a bit of apprehension laced in your voice as you replied, “Are… are you sure that’s a good idea?”

Lisa frowned. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Well… I… I dunno, what if I scare someone? Or mess something up? I would never want you to lose the trust you’ve built up with your patients because of something I did--”

“That’s enough.” Lisa snapped. “You need to stop being so harsh on yourself! If anyone has what it takes to be an amazing doctor, it’s you!”

A blush spread across your face and down your neck, and your averted your gaze back to your breakfast. “Thank… thank you,” you said sheepishly.

“You act as though you have two heads and vicious claws, little one.” Vlad gave you a kind look from across the table. “No one will be afraid of you. Never have I met someone as kind and generous as my dear Lisa. The people will love you.”

Your breath left you in shaky gasps, a wave of gratitude washing away all of the anxiety you had previously felt. “Thank you… both of you. I really appreciate it.”

Once breakfast was finished, Lisa suggested that you head back to your room in preparation for the day. She said that you were going to watch what she did more than anything today, but she urged that you take important notes and prepare yourself for on the fly questions anyone may ask you.

You didn’t really know what to expect, so you tried to shove everything important you could think of inside your satchel. A couple of your personal notebooks, some vials of fresh herbs and roots, a couple crystals, some tonics, a few potions, and of course: some gauze.

When you walked out of the front door, you were surprised to find that Lisa was not the only one waiting for you. Adrian was there as well, along with two absolutely stunning horses.

Lisa’s was a chestnut colored mare, his mane a light blond and a white stripe down his snout that matched the white sock patterns he sported around his hooves. His saddle was simple and elegant, but it was practically hidden under the heaps of bags and sacks that Lisa had tied to him.

When she caught sight of your skeptical gaze, she waved you off. “I have not visited for awhile since you’ve arrived, darling. It was a bit difficult for me to find enough time for long consultations in between our lessons. I just have a feeling that it’s going to be a bit busier than normal. Plus, I needed to stock up on some supplies so,” she gave the big bag tied behind her a hearty slap to emphasize her point.

You felt anxiety flicker inside you as she said this, and you worried that the townsfolk would start disliking you as the reason for keeping Lisa away for so long. But… it was summer, it was not common for someone to get very ill during the warmer months. You’re certain Lisa would have stayed in the village longer if someone had desperately needed medical assistance.

Adrian cleared his throat, and made a soft click to get the horse he held moving.

This one was white almost all over, with a white body and white mane. However, the inside of its ears were a pitch black, and its snout looked almost as if someone had dusted ashes onto it. It was a faded black, almost like weathered charcoal. Thick, white lashes fluttered down at you, as the horse gazed upon you with its round black eyes.

You were intrigued by the stare it… she was giving you. Mirroring the movements from your dream, you placed the palm of your hand on her nose, and gave her a few gentle scratches before she whinnied and walked closer.

Smiling, you stroked her soft mane and she gave a delighted puff, her tail flicking from side to side like a puppy.

“Her name is Clara, and I thought that her friendly disposition would be easy for you to handle.” Adrian gave you the reigns, a smile on his face.

“Oh I’ve lived with horses my whole life… I just never had the money to afford one after… well, you know.” you gave him a halfhearted smile in return, but quickly chased those thoughts away.

“She’s beautiful, thank you for introducing me to her Adrian.” you gently stroked Clara down her back, before you heaved yourself up into the saddle. You gave Adrian a thumbs up, hoping that you didn’t get him down after he had gifted you with a horse.

You saw his eyes shine as his lips upturned into another smile, the sight causing your heart to flutter as both you and Lisa waved him goodbye as you started down the path into town.

The two of you left late in the morning, and expected to get there by early afternoon. Now on the backs of horses, you felt much more relieved on the prospect of the trip back, having dreaded the idea of walking all the way back to Castlevania after a day of hard work.

__________

You and Lisa made idle chit chat as your horses followed the dusty route that lead to Lupu, where she revealed that that is where she was born and raised.

It had been a very small village when she was little, but over the past two decades or so, it had really begun thriving. It was all thanks to meeting Vlad all those years ago. He gifted Lisa with the knowledge to really help people, and it was because of him that she was able to heal so many people and save so many lives.

The mortality rate, especially that of children and infants, had gone down significantly since Lisa became the town’s physician. It was horrendous to dwell on how things were back in the day, and she cannot believe that her own mother had taken the advice of the wisewoman everyone claimed as a real healer.

You grimaced at that, having too much experience with those sorts of folks.

“I told him,” she said, her voice shaking with laughter. “That… that people wouldn’t live such scared little lives anymore if they had real medicine!” her laughter was triumphant, and Lisa smiled. “And I was right! It makes me so happy to see my people so healthy and alive.”

You could easily echo Lisa’s sentiments, and the more time the two of you spent together, the clearer it became that the two of you were truly destined to meet.

“I suppose… given enough time… Lupu could become like another family to me,” you muttered, as you clung to the amulet around your neck.

“I know it will.” Lisa stated firmly.

The rest of the journey went by fairly quickly, and the both of you soon made it to Lisa’s clinic on the outskirts of town. While Lisa hurriedly restocked her stores, you watched over the horses as they took a break to drink some fresh stream water or munch on crisp grass.

The weather was perfect, and you raised your hand above your eyes to get a better look at Lupu. You could see a few houses, made of mud, stone, and grass, had smoke rising from their roofs, signaling that someone was hard at work on the stove.

The distinct sound of clattering cow bells and the cries of hungry sheep rung in your ears, a couple dog barks sounding off, a man shouting about something in response, before the chatter of several other people rose up into the atmosphere.

Slowly, the village was coming to life. The prospect of making a couple coins off hungry travelers stopping by in the peak of the afternoon, was always something on vendor’s minds. Bartenders were going to take advantage of thirsty customers, just wanting a pint with their freshly grilled chicken, and animals would need to be let out of their huts and prairies for their lunch as well.

“Alright,” Lisa said, as she came running out of the doorway, which she closed with a swift kick. “That should be everything. Grab what you left on your horse, and then let us make our way down.”

The only thing that you brought with you was your satchel, and after a few exchanges, Lisa decided that it would make more sense for you to leave that inside her office. She concluded a tour of Lupu was the first order of business on the agenda, since it would give you a chance to look around and meet the people that you would be treating.

Lisa lead you down the beaten path, quietly urging you forward when you found yourself straggling behind her excited gait. Rows of vendors and a few shops were the first buildings that ran along either side of the main road. The shopkeepers went about coaxing any possible customers with their deals, priding themselves on the freshness of their ingredients or the level of quality on their craftsmanship.

A girl with messy brown hair tied back into a ponytail, her honey-brown eyes surrounded by a mask of freckles, approached you with a couple homemade necklaces, going on about how they were charms that warded off evil, or how this one would guarantee that money would find its way into your hands.

You glanced skeptically at the pieces, and you noted that both of the gems were white quartz, which had little to no power on its own. Quartz was more of a conduit for magic than anything, helping amplify other elements in a spell rather than being what really impacts your original intent.

“I would start making those money charms with citrine, if I were you,” you suggested.

The girl blinked, clearly having no idea what you were talking about. She looked back down at her necklace, and then slowly raised it up to you, as though unsure of whether or not you wanted to buy it. “Uhh… thanks?” she had an accent, unrefined and harsh.

You vaguely thought to try and explain what it is you meant, but then she shoved past you and embraced Lisa in a tight hug.

“Marian! It’s good to see you!”

Lisa playfully ruffled her hair, a toothy grin on the girls face as she raced back inside of her house, yelling, “Mama! Lisa is back! Lisa is back!”

A couple moments later, a disheveled woman with blond blond hair, tied behind her in a braid, came out of the house followed by a girl about the same age as Marian, with hair the same color and style as her mother’s.

“Oh! It’s true!” she cried out, elated. She was muttering to herself as she shuffled over to where Lisa stood, and she grabbed her hands, shaking them up and down in gratitude.

“Why hello there Sabina,” Lisa gave the woman two chaste kisses on either side of her face. “And you, Lorena,” she smiled at the other girl.

“It’s great to see you Doctor Tepes!” she exclaimed. “It’s been forever since we last saw you. What have you been up to?”

“Well, actually,” Lisa turned her attention to you, who had been standing beside her awkwardly this entire time. “This is a student of mine, and she’s what’s been taking up a lot of my time. I brought her with me today to meet all of you and to get a feel for working with actual people instead of plants.”

The three laughed, and waited as you nervously introduced yourself before greeting you properly, with hand shakes and cheek-kisses.

“Everyone is going to be so happy when they find out that you’re back, Dr. Tepes.” Sabina said, as she ushered her two girls back to the old, wooden table that held their wares for sale.

“By the looks of it, it seems that I don’t even really need to visit you!” Lisa joked. “It’s so lively this morning.”

“That’s ‘cus winter is over with!” Lorena chimed in. “I mean, spring is always nice, with all of the plants and animals coming back, but nothing can beat this nice weather!”

“Yes,” Sabina agreed. “The crops have been especially good this year, as have the animals. They’re all as healthy as can be.”

“That’s wonderful to hear!” Lisa happily exclaimed, and gave the family a wave as she started to walk away. “It was great seeing you all! We’re just going to make our rounds.”

Sabina nodded her head, and gave Lisa one last kiss on the cheek before she headed back to her house. “You better stop by for some dinner before you head home!”

“I will! Thank you!”

You gave the family a wave too, beginning to feel a little more at ease. The most of that afternoon was spent with Lisa getting recognized and pulled into hugs and conversation, and one thing that made you truly happy to hear, was just how thrilled everyone was to report how well they had been doing physically since her absence.

“My mother hardly ever nags me about that blasted cough she used to get around this time! What a relief!” a large man named Serghei laughed, a hearty, infectious sound that spread throughout the crowd.

You and Lisa had decided to stop by the local pub for a drink, and the friendly atmosphere made it easy to catch up with all of the local patrons. Everyone was incredibly amicable, and welcomed you with wide open arms. A lot of people went so far as to admit how glad they were that Lisa was finally receiving some sort of help.

“She does too much on her own, that one!” the bartender, named Toma, grumbled.

He and his wife ran the place together, and they had been doing so for well over ten years. His wife, Valeria, was a boisterous woman that was well respected within the community. The two greatly contrasted each other, Toma being a skinny, short man, while Valeria was a tall, powerful presence that toted the title of being the undefeated champion of arm wrestling at The Baroness.

Apparently how the spot got its name is a favorite story amongst the locals, the men pleading and begging Valeria to tell you. After some goading, they managed to convince her, the crowd falling silent with a hush as they huddled around the barstools you and Lisa sat at.

“So I first need to preface this, with a little backstory,” Valeria begins, her rich voice sending tingles up your spine. “Back before I met old Tomas here and got my life all sorted out, I was sort of… freelance in the good old days.”

“Freelance?” you question.

“She means she was a thief,” Tomas whispered back.

Valeria glared at her husband. “Oi! I had more dignity than a common thief! Anyways, me and my friend, who for the sole purpose of this story, I decided to name Grigore,” the audience chuckled and sneered. “Overheard about this party that was happening in Tậrgoviște. Now, being the capital and all, there was no way that a couple of common folks was sneakin’ into this big fancy party. But, I came up with an ingenious plan. We would disguise ourselves as a pair of guests, it’s not like whoever is hosting is gonna recognize all five hundred people they invited. That’s absolute shit!”

The men hooped and hollered, raising their tankards in agreement as they took big, hearty swigs. You moved out of the way as a couple guys behind you started getting rowdy, trying to avoid getting beer spilled all over your nice clothes.

“Hey!” Valeria shoved one of the men behind you, the back of his head colliding with someone behind him. “Watch the lady! She’s listenin’ to my story.”

You gave her a weak thank you, before urging her to continue, not wanting to make any enemies from this special treatment.

“So we stake out the place, looking for two people that looked boring enough to be missed. It was actually pretty easy to do, nobles can be pretty clueless when it comes down to it. When her date suddenly ‘vanished’, she went looking for him and quickly found my fist in her face instead.” she laughed, slapping one of her muscular thighs in amusement. “All that was left was to change into their clothes and assume their titles. I had nabbed the role of the Baroness Elisabeta, and Grigore was some wimpy Baron called Eduard, or something. The whole point of these parties were for nobles to donate a certain amount of money, which would all be stored within a great big chest.”

“That,” you said, a frown on your face. “Is… really stupid.”

Valeria cackled, and then pointed at you. “This kid gets it! That’s exactly what I was thinking when it was explained to me. Now, even though I was a freelancer-”

“Thief.” Toma corrected, as he handed someone a refill.

“Freelancer!” Valeria insisted. “Even though I was a freelancer, I was not completely dense. I knew that there would be no way that the two of us would be able to get away with stealing the entire thing. But, we could both settle for a big bag or two. To cut things short, we ended up with only one bag between the two of us, and about ten soldiers on our asses. It was actually the night I met Toma,” she said, and wrapped one of her toned arms around her husband’s shoulders. “If he hadn’t been stupid enough to actually hide the two of us, I would probably be in prison, rotting away in some cell.”

“And what a shame that would be!” Toma exclaimed. “I’m glad I was foolish enough to trust you into not killing me for being a conspirator in your big scheme.”

Valeria laughed and dipped him back as she gave him a kiss, the patrons whooping and crying out excitedly. She gave her husband a firm slap to the back as he walked off in a slight daze, before her fierce grey eyes landed on you.

“You seem like a strong girl. I hope that you find someone that will treat you right.”

You flushed, unprepared for this change in the conversation. “Um… um thank you.”

“Never,” she grabbed a firm hold of your shoulders, and albeit, you were surprised at how soft her hands were. “Settle for anything less than you’re worth.”

You slowly nodded your head, letting her know you received her message loud and clear.

The bar was filled with a chorus of farewells and a lot of handshakes as you and Lisa made your way out, the sound and smell of metallurgy filling your senses as you both rounded a corner. A small hut sat a little ways away from a blacksmith station, the steam from the water hiding the man that was currently hammering away at a piece of red-hot steel.

“Doctor Tepes!” a woman’s voice called out from behind the fog, and out ran a tall, lithe woman with vibrant red hair. Her green eyes sparkled like emeralds in the sunlight, her arms wrapped tightly around Lisa when she was welcomed with open arms.

“Diana! How wonderful to see you!” Lisa pulled away and peered over Diana’s shoulder, a smirk on her face. “I see Marius is still hard at work.”

“Of course, after saving his hand, there’s been no stopping him!” she laughed, a joyous ring that sounded almost like a song. “We’ve even been commissioned by several royal families! We delivered a sword just a few days ago to Gresit, I believe it was one of the son’s birthdays.”

“That’s exciting!” Lisa beamed at her. “Do you think it would be possible to speak to Marius? It’s been so long since I’ve seen him, after-all.”

“You don’t even need to ask, ma’am,” Diana playfully shoved Lisa’s shoulder as she turned to get her husband. After a few seconds, she appeared from the smoke on the arm of her husband, Marius.

He was a tall man, with choppy black hair and the stubble of a beard. There was a nasty scar running from the tip of his right eyebrow, down to the side of his lips, and he walked with a slight limp. His muscular arms were covered in an array of scars, some deeper than others, but despite his rather rugged appearance, his bright blue eyes sparkled with a delightful warmth.

“Doctor Tepes,” he rasped, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. “It’s been quite some time since we’ve last seen each other.”

“It has. But I’ll have you know that I wasn’t just lounging around!” Lisa said, and put a hand on your shoulder as she introduced you to the couple. “This is a prospective student of mine. She’s been working with me for a couple weeks now, and she’s made such significant progress, that I thought it only reasonable for me to bring her with me on my first outing back here.”

“Student, eh?” Marius looked down at you. “I didn’t know you were a teacher too.”

“I never thought that role would befall me either,” Lisa admitted. “But she approached me into having her as my apprentice. She’s very skilled in the art of medicine as well.”

“Really?” Diana sounded a bit impressed. “But you look so young!”

“I’ve actually been learning about healing and medicine for almost my entire life.” you replied. “Which… can be a little difficult to do if you’re a woman.”

Diana nodded her head in agreement. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard Doctor Tepes over here complaining to me about how people compare her to the senile old wisewomen that suggest you boil nettles and entrails! The ridiculousness of it all.”

You grinned, thankful that at least these people understood the benefits of medicine and what Lisa was providing for them. “That’s why I sought her out,” you said, your focus back on Lisa. “I overheard rumors circulating in this village while I visited about someone who was actually taking care of and healing people! It made me very excited, as my family had been doing that for generations. I was so relieved when she said she would teach me… I honestly don’t know what I would be doing right now had she not been so kind.”

“Oh, stop it,” Lisa had a blush on her cheeks. “You are very intelligent and capable. There was no way I was going to let you just wander off after you proved to me how much you knew about medicine!”

“Now there’s no need to put yourself down either, Lisa,” Marius interjected. “It’s because of you that I have my hand.” he raised up his left hand, clenching and unclenching his fingers.

“It was due to the war,” Diana answered, after she noticed your curious expression. “He came back home after serving for around five months, with what we thought was only a broken wrist. A couple days later, and he’s suffering from a horrible fever and his hand is starting to succumb to a nasty infection. If it wasn’t for Doctor Tepes, he certainly wouldn’t have that hand.”

“Aye,” Marius looked at Lisa, the gratitude in his expression palpable. “It’s thanks to you that I have been able to keep my craft alive.”

“And you do mighty fine work!” Lisa smiled, her eyes flicking over to Marius’s workstation. “Do you think we’d be able to get a sneak peak on what you’re working on?”

Marius gave a sheepish grin, and rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean… if you really wanted to, I wouldn’t be opposed--”

“Wonderful!” Lisa grabbed a hold of your hand and urged you forward.

You heard Diana laugh at her enthusiasm, and you quickly picked up your pace to avoid tripping as Lisa pulled you along.

The inside of the room was surprisingly organized, with tools being sorted into different open mason jars as storage, and rolled up parchment, with what you could only assume as design plans, rested comfortably and neatly inside one of the shelves.

Swords and shields hung on the wall, however you noted that these were not new. In fact, they were covered in scratches and dents, some of the metal on the hilt of the swords turning a dark brown as it rusted over.

“These were the weapons I was able to salvage after my time in the war,” Marius said, while he looked over the small collection fondly. “They’ve saved my life on many occasions, so I did not think it right to abandon them after my injury.”

“My father was in one of the wars,” you replied, as you continued to stare at one of the shields, it’s detailed emblem catching your eye.

Marius looked down at you, surprised. “Really? What was his name?”

You turned to Marius, a half-hearted smile on your lips. “Nicolae. Although, it is unlikely that you would have ever met him. He died in the wars against the Ottoman’s around twenty years ago.”

Marius hummed, and gave an understanding nod. “I see… I am sorry for your loss.”

You chuckled, a hint of sadness laced in your eyes. “I never met him, but my mother told me that he was a kind man and that he loved her very much. She would reminisce about him sometimes… his eyes the color of sapphires, hair a curly mess that always ended up with twigs and leaves tangled within its strands… I think…” you paused for a moment, and nibbled on your thumbnail. “I think she missed him… but she never really let on how much she missed him.”

“Parents often hide their sorrow in order to remain strong for their children.” Marius let one of his large hands rest on the top of your head, before he gave you two endearing pats. “I’m sure your father is very proud of the woman that you have become.”

“Thank you… it would be nice to even have one memory of him, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.” your breath felt heavy, a sudden ache filling your chest as you said this.

“Don’t be sad, love,” Diana cooed, she and Lisa walking over to where you and Marius stood. “You can make new happy memories here, with all of us!”

“She’s right,” Lisa agreed, and bopped the tip of your nose. “Everyone here has been so thrilled to meet you!” she suddenly faltered, and her head cocked to the side as she scratched the side of her face, a nervous habit of hers. “Well… there’s one group that I’m a little worried about…”

You felt anxiety start to grab a hold of you again, swallowing a lump in your throat. “What are you talking about?”

Diana groaned beside you, as she rolled her eyes. “You’re not talking about them are you?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Come now,” Marius interjected. “They’re not so bad!”

Diana scoffed, her hands placed on her hips. “You only say that because they’ve got a soft spot for you!”

“Nonsense!”

“Oh please!” Diana said scathingly. “As soon as one of them spots you, they lure you over with lies about how they’re roof needs fixing or this one specific chair wobbles too much for their liking.”

“They’re old women, my flower,” Marius tried reasoning with Diana, but she seemed to have her mind already made up on these women. “I try and help them whenever I can!”

You craned your neck in Lisa’s direction so you could whisper in her ear, “Who are you talking about?”

“They’re a group of… well, elderly patients--mostly women--that all live within close proximity to each other,” Lisa took hold of your hand again, quietly excusing herself out of the room as Marius continued his efforts to try and calm Diana down.

She lead you back outside and pointed to a group of houses that seemed to form a semicircle around a dusty pavilion that was currently filled with children playing and mothers chatting with each other as they washed their clothes in the nearby creek.

“Folks around here have gotten used to calling it the ‘Senior Alcove’,” Lisa explained, a frown on her face. “I try not to humor then too much by doing the same. They’re really not that bad! They can be a handful at some times, but they’ve been kind to me ever since first coming back from Castlevania.”

“Did something happen after your return?”

“They were a bit suspicious of me when I reappeared, arms full of tonics and different herbs to brew as tea,” she chuckled as she recalled the memory. “They found it a bit hard to believe that I had suddenly become so knowledgeable within a few months, and they also wondered where I’d been this entire time. Thankfully, I was able to convince them that I was the real deal. My mother was a big help in persuading them, too--”

“Your mother ?” you exclaimed, mouth hung-open in mild shock.

“Yes, my mother. Did you think I was born from the Earth or something?” she laughed as she watched your expression shift from bewilderment to embarrassment, your face flushed red as you tried to clarify yourself.

“That’s… that’s not what I meant!” you pouted, arms folded across your chest. “You just never mentioned her till now. I just thought, that… well--”

“That she had passed away?” Lisa finished, and smiled at you to help ease away your anxious gaze. “Don’t worry, it’s only fair that you believed that. She was one of the few people who supported me in my decision to pursue medicine. Although… she was definitely not the biggest fan of me scaling the castle of a supposed monster to do it.”

You gave a quiet chuckle, amused at the thought of Lisa breaking the news that she had married the man everyone seemed to fear so much. “Do you think… do you think that I could meet her?”

“But of course!” Lisa seemed to wiggle excitedly where she stood. “She’ll be absolutely thrilled to hear that I’ve managed to snag an apprentice! Though, it’ll have to wait till we visit the elders. I want to make sure that you leave a good impression on them.”

“Don’t think you’re getting away that easily!”

The both of you whirled around to find Diana and Marius walking over, a bundle of brown rags nestled within Diana’s arms.

“Seems I finally managed to calm her down,” Marius said, a nervous bout of laughter coming from his as Diana elbowed him in the ribs.

“I felt so bad for just… bursting out like that, I told Marius to fix something up real quick for the two of you.” Diana unwrapped what she kept hidden in her grasp, and revealed two round objects made of glass. She gently handed them to you and Lisa, silencing your comments on how they didn’t have to go through the trouble of doing all this with a single stare.

You examined the gift, a circular piece of pristine glass that was surrounded by a fine ring of maple wood. You had never seen anything like it before, and were more than a little confused as to what it’s function could be.

“It’s a sort of magnifying device!” Diana clarified. She grabbed hold of yours and lifted it up to the sky, the glass glittering under the bright sunlight. “It makes it easier for you to look at the finer details of a project. Marius uses them all the time to assist in his work.”

“You made this?” you inquired, more than a little impressed.

Marius nodded his head. “It’s vastly improved my ability to craft even the most delicate of orders. I thought that they might help if you ever needed to look more closely at an injury or… something like that.”

“This is wonderful! It’s almost like a mini telescope!” Lisa was absolutely delighted, and pocketed the small tool within the safety of her napsack.

It took her a second to realize that the three of you were looking at her as though she had just spoken Greek, and she gave a quiet chuckle. “It’s… it’s a device that my husband invented that works in a similar fashion; magnifying faraway objects that you would like to observe more closely.”

“Magnifying objects huh…” Marius mused, and rubbed his chin in a pensive manner. “I quite like the sound of that. I think I shall call them magnifying glasses.”

“Ooh! Make sure to write that down somewhere!” Diana chimed. “My husband sure is brilliant, isn’t he?”

Marius blushed and pulled her into a tight embrace. “It’s only because I have someone like you in my life to inspire me, my flower.”

Diana’s jubilant laughter rang out as he hugged and kissed her.

The couple bid the both of you farewell as Lisa lead you to the Senior Alcove, Marius managing to shout one last message at your retreating forms, “Make sure to stop by if you ever need anything, ladies!”

The children and their mother’s who had been passing the day there all grew very excited upon recognizing Lisa, and while she struck up conversations with the adults, the children were much more interested in you.

It was rare that a stranger came through the village, and when you mentioned that you had been traveling all throughout Wallachia before meeting Lisa, they demanded to know what it was like out there.

Seeing their little eyes fill with excitement when you mentioned the towering mountains to the north, or the beautiful beaches of the south, more than made up for the overabundance in questions that they had. It was a wave of cries and disappointed grumbles when Lisa came over and told them that you had to go speak with the elders, but you promised that the next time you visited, you would make sure to stop by and tell them more of you adventures.

You have to admit that you were a little nervous meeting these old women, and you guessed that Lisa could sense your apprehension, for the first person that you met was named Miruna, and she had to be one of the gentlest people you have ever met. Her light blue eyes crinkled whenever she smiled, her long, starlight hair pulled into a loose bun on the back of her head. She was one of the first people that Lisa ever treated, and she thanked God every day for bringing such an angel into their lives.

The next few people went about as smoothly, and although you tried your best to remember everyone’s names, it was becoming rather difficult, your brain becoming muddled and tired after such an eventful day.

As the two of you said your farewells to the final woman, Tatiana, you let out a long slow exhale, and rubbed your sore temples.

“Is everything alright?”

Your arms flopped to your sides in an exasperated huff, but you managed to give Lisa a weak smile. “Yeah… I’m just a little tired, is all.”

“Did that gang wear you out more than you expected? You could have told me if it was too much--”

“No,” you stopped her. “They were actually fine. They… reminded me of the ladies that my grandmother used to hang out with all the time. I think my brain is just a little loopy from all of the human interaction.”

Lisa gave your arm a reassuring squeeze. “Hmm… maybe I can let you off a little early today.”

“What? There’s no need to do that--” you protest, but Lisa shook her head.

“Nonsense, I can take care of things on my own. If you aren’t able to put one-hundred percent into your work, then it wouldn’t be fair of me to keep you.”

“Are… are you sure? This was supposed to be my first day, and I’d hate to disappoint you like this…”

She pulled you into a hug, before placing a delicate kiss on your forehead. “You could never disappoint me, little one. I want you to eat a good hearty dinner and get a good night’s sleep, because I expect you ready to go bright and early tomorrow morning!”

You let out a sigh of relief, new energy coursing through your veins as you pictured yourself back at Castlevania, laying on your comfortable bed.

“Oh um… I… I would still like to meet your mother, if that’s okay?”

“I thought that you would say that,” Lisa giggled, and turned your attention to a small cottage that rested near the bend of the creek.

It looked similar in style to Lisa’s office, although it was definitely smaller. A large apple tree stood nearby, crisp red apples hanging off the healthy branches that drooped from the weight of the fruit. Small song birds pecked at the apple cores that had been left around the trunk by hungry animals, before they fluttered away when the loud caw of a raven could be heard.

You gasped out of fright when a large black bird swooped down from the sky, it’s wings fluttering once, twice, before it settled itself on an open windowsill. Its pointed peak ducked between its feathers to pick and preen, its long claws sunk into the wood as it paid no mind to neither you or Lisa.

“Munnin, is that you?”

A woman with sea-green eyes and greying blond hair worn in a stacked braid poked her head out of the window, her attention focused on the raven before she exclaimed in surprise, “Oh! Lisa!” at the sight of her daughter.

You heard footsteps rush to the front door, which was immediately yanked open as Lisa’s mother ran out to wrap her arms tightly around her daughter.

“My stars! I was not expecting to see you today!” she said, giving her daughter a kiss on each cheek.

“You act as though we haven’t seen each other in years, mother.” Lisa replied.

“Not years, no. But it has been several months! You could have at least sent me a letter,” she grumbled.

“You know you’re always welcome to visit!”

“And how was I supposed to get there? On these two legs? Now you’re barking.”

Lisa rolled her eyes and stepped aside so that you were in view. “Mother, I would like to introduce you to someone.” she began, and waved you over as she introduced you.

You gave her mother an awkward wave, silently praying that she would accept you as being worthy as her daughter’s student.

“A teacher? You?” she sounded incredulous. “My… that’s absolutely wonderful!”

Your breath was suddenly knocked out of you as she brought you into a tight hug, the smell of flowers and firewood catching your attention.

“I was always a little worried about my Lisa learning about all of this medical stuff, but knowing that she has someone that can continue her work, makes me very happy.”

“Thank… thank you, ma’am.” you said quietly.

“Oh, where are my manners!” she said, and grabbed both you and Lisa’s hand. “Come, let’s go inside. I can put some tea on the kettle. Do you have a specific kind that you like?” she turned to you, and you felt yourself clam up at the attention.

“Uh… well, I like most tea so I’m sure whatever you make will be just fine.”

“Peppermint it is, then. And you can call me Crina, dear. I do hate formalities.”

The inside of Crina’s home was as warm and inviting as she was. A small fireplace stood in the far back, a cozy fire crackling away in its hearth. Although it was all just one floor, each corner of the house seemed to be separated for its specific purpose. The kitchen was quaint, with fresh herbs hanging from the ceiling and charming porcelain plates neatly stacked inside of a glass cabinet.

There was a large plush couch and two armchairs placed around the fireplace, a beautiful violet rug resting in between them. Large shelves filled with books stood beside the fireplace, and a quick scan let you see that they were mostly storybooks, or tomes written on mythology and ancient cultures. A wooden kitchen table with two chairs on either side had a crystal vase filled with a bouquet of wildflowers on it, and a little ways from that, was a box filled with an assortment of children’s toys.

A curious thing for a woman her age to have, you thought.

Your attention was quickly directed to a rack that stood nearby, where beautiful shirts and dresses looked as though they were drying in the waning sun. They appeared homemade, by the looks of it, and you silently admired the craftsmanship as Crina went on with brewing some water for the tea.

“My mother was a seamstress when I was little,” Lisa said, as she approached you. “She’s very talented, and continues to make clothes for herself and for people in the village. I’ve told her that there’s no need, since we’re certainly not lacking in funds ever since I married my husband, but she still enjoys doing it.”

“That’s because,” Crina replied, as she walked to the kitchen table, a silver platter with three teacups, sugar, and spoons in her hands. “There is always a need for clothes and blankets. I tell folks that there’s no need to pay me, but they always insist on some form of compensation for my work.”

You took a seat beside Lisa, thanking Crina as she handed you a cup and filled it with the hot water from the kettle. “I can see why people urge you to take something in exchange, I haven’t seen such fine sewing since my grandmother.”

Crina grinned, lifting the lid off a small tin to procure a biscuit for you. “This one certainly knows how to flatter the ladies,” she teased.

You laughed as you accepted the treat, dunking it into your peppermint tea to let it soak up the flavor before popping the whole thing into your mouth. “Do you make clothing for the children, as well? I noticed the box of toys over in the corner.”

Crina took a sip of her tea, and nodded her head. “I sometimes make clothes for the little ones, but usually it’s just sewing back a button or replacing a stitch. I’ve recently become a sort of nanny for the village, watching over the children when I’ve seen how much their poor mother needs a break.”

Hearing this, a fond feeling settled into your heart, and you’re taken back to warm, happy memories of times with your own grandmother. You thought that they would get along, she and Crina, and the thought made you smile.

“Well, enough about me, why don’t you tell me what you’ve been up to--” she was interrupted by loud cawing from outside her window, Crina letting out a huff as she stomped over to see who was causing all that racket.

“Hugin and Munnin! Screaming your heads off is certainly not the way to grab my attention!” she shook her finger at the two, before she made her way to the kitchen and grabbed two chicken drumsticks from her meat storage.

“Who is she talking to?” you whispered.

“Do you remember the raven we saw, perched outside the window just before she noticed me?”

“Yes?”

“That one was Munnin. She has two ravens that visit her nearly every day for food and, remarkably, companionship.”

You blink, and then look over at Crina, who was cooing and stroking the head of one of the raven’s as it picked at the meat with its sharp beak and talons.

“Those ravens… are your pets?”

Crina turned back to you and Lisa, and shook her head. “No, no. I would never call them my pets. I like to consider them more as companions. Munnin is a sweetheart, she brings me presents, shiny things that she finds scattered throughout the village. Hugin is a big old oaf, but he means well.”

“Hugin and Munnin…” you mutter to yourself. “They aren’t by chance… named after Odin’s ravens, are they?”

“Oh! Astute this one!” Crina exclaimed happily. She shuffled her way over to one of the bookshelves and plucked one off the shelf, a worn tome whose spine was starting to tear apart. “I simply love reading about myths and legends from around the world,” she flipped through the text, which had elaborate drawings of Norse gods and inscriptions of famous stories. “So I thought it only appropriate to name my two friends here after Odin’s familiars.”

You thought it was cute, albeit a little unusual, that these two birds of prey became so attached to this kind old woman. It seemed as though you had opened the floodgates however, and Crina started going on and on about gods and goddesses, holy places and sacred places.

You knew some of the names she mentioned, having prayed to a few of them yourself, but you were surprised to find out how many deities you didn’t even know existed. Eir, for instance, was a goddess of healing, your speciality, and yet you never read about her in your studies.

Although you would have liked to stay and hear more about this secret passion of Crina’s, you felt your eyes grow heavy with exhaustion. You did not want to appear rude, and cut her off, but it was becoming more difficult with each passing second to stay awake.

Someone poked you lightly on the shoulder, which caused you to jump and blurt out,

“Yes, yes! I’m listening!” Lisa’s laughter brought a flush to your cheeks, your ears turning red from humiliation. “Are you tired, love?” “Who, me?” you feigned. “No, not at all--why?”

“You can’t lie to two mother’s, dear!” Crina said, a toothy smile on her face. “I appreciate you trying to tough it out to listen to an old woman’s tales, however.”

You sunk lower into your chair, mortified that they had noticed you falling asleep. “I’m sorry… I really would love to hear more about these legends, I’m just…” “Exhausted?” Lisa stated.

“Don’t worry your little head off, my dear,” Crina wrapped up a couple biscuits and handed the bundle to you. “Take this as my compensation for your time, and as a binding for that promise of future visits.” You eagerly took the cookies, setting them in your pocket for safe keeping. “Thank you. Now, um, do you want me to head back to the castle?” “If you think you can manage to stay awake, then by all means. If not, I have a cot that you can sleep on in my office, if you’d like.”

The offer sounded tempting, but you would much rather sleep in your own bed. “I think I can handle it.”

After saying goodbye to Crina, and promising Lisa that you make a swift and safe trip back home, you started the trek back to her office. You found Clara lounging under a tree, her head resting upon the soft ground as she watched the animals and bugs that lived near the creek.

When she saw you, she gave a delighted cry, standing up so she could trot over and greet you. You stroked her mane, before you leaned forward to rest your tired head on her neck. The aroma of grass, hay and sunlight made you feel at ease, and after grabbing your things from inside, you pulled yourself up onto the saddle and kicked Clara into motion.

A peaceful tranquility had settled over the evening, the hum of cicadas ringing in your ears as you made your way through the woods. Animals that had been busy foraging throughout the day were heading back home for the night, much like yourself. You spotted a few birds here and there, and even a small herd of deer, but other than that, it was just you, Clara, and the trees.

This was what you needed more than anything, just some time to be alone in nature. You took a deep breath, the scent of a fresh summer breeze filling your lungs. It gave you a bit of energy, just enough, you thought, to stay away till you made it back.

As you thought of the castle, your mind wandered. You had promised Adrian that the two of you would meet again tonight for lessons, but, you were sure he’d understand once you explained how tired you were.

Hmm… that boy… you mused, eyes glazed over as you recalled the smile he had given you this morning.

Your heart started to beat faster, and your breath caught in your throat, but you grimaced. There… there was no time for such foolish things.

Another tug at your heart, and the events that transpired in your dream came circling back around. You still had no idea what that voice meant about ‘the language’, but you found it rather odd that the wolf on Adrian’s shield had manifested itself. The more you thought about this dream, the more frustrated you became. What the hell did it all mean?

As you rounded over the last hill, the towering pillars of Castlevania rose up in the distance, and you clicked your tongue to urge Clara into a run. You kept telling yourself that you were just excited to get to bed and finally get some rest, but… that tug…

Clara whinnied as you reached the top of the garden path, and you looked down at her, concern laced on your features.

“What is it, girl?”

She craned her head, as if pointing out something with her snout. Following her advice, you glanced up and nearly fell out of your seat.

Waiting for you, at the entrance back into the castle, was…

“Adrian?”

You pulled on the reins to drag Clara to a halt, your breath leaving you in shallow puffs as you stared down at him. “What are you doing here?”

He walked over to you, a soft smile on his face. “It’s quite easy to spot a pure white horse amongst all of this green,” he teased, and laughed as your cheeks turned red. “I thought you might need some help after such a long day.”

There was that tug again.

You brushed some hair out of your face, and swung your legs around. “Thank you, but I can manage--” “Don’t be so stubborn,” he held out a hand for you, as he offered to help you down.

Your eyes widened slightly, but you told yourself to remain calm, he was just being polite. Your hand settled into his, your skin prickling with heat as he enclosed his fingers around it to ease you off Clara’s back.

When your feet touched the ground, you glanced back up to thank him, but your words seemed to fail you again as you stared into his brilliant eyes. It seemed as though time stood still as the two of you gazed upon each other, eyes half-lidded, and your hand still held gently within his.

He leaned closer, his warm breath fanning your face as he asked, “So, how did your first day go?”

You gave a meek laugh. “Your mother had me meet nearly every villager in Lupu, but by the end of it, I was so drained that I could hardly think to stay awake to begin my training.”

“You’re tired?” There was worry in his tone, his free hand reaching up to brush away some of your hair.

“I am but…” your voice trailed off, all senses lost in his eyes, his smell, his touch… “I could try and push through for our lesson.”

His fangs flashed in the dimming light as he smiled. “You’re absolutely ridiculous.” That snapped you out of your trance. “What?”

“Nearly keeling over with exhaustion, and here you are, worried about me. I’m touched.”

You stuck your tongue out at him as he started to laugh. “I didn’t think it possible for your ego to get any bigger, but here you are,” you echo. “Proving me wrong.”

His laughter slowly faded, and you could have sworn you saw his lips twitch up into a smirk as his fingers interlaced with yours and your cheeks rose red in color again.

“I suppose even the most arrogant of men must put aside their pride to take care of those they care about.”

Your heart leaped into your throat, and you cursed your legs for feeling so weak and wobbly as the two of you began walking to your bedroom. In spite of being a bundle of nerves, it was oddly calming, walking down the halls of Castlevania, hand-in-hand with Adrian.

You felt… safe, secure, happy.

It was almost a bit maddening how disappointed you felt when you saw your bedroom door, selfishly not wanting to part from him so soon. But you told that part of yourself to be quiet, and reluctantly pulled away from his grasp to instead grab hold of the doorknob.

You awkwardly cleared your throat, and pointed to your door. “Well, I… guess this is goodnight.”

“Just promise me that you’ll get a good night’s rest so you won’t be completely useless tomorrow,” he snarked.

“For saying that,” you retorted. “I’ll make sure I sleep in, just to spite you.”

“You just love tormenting me, don’t you?”

“Someone’s gotta do it.”

There was that darn tug again.

But… you seemed to feel it as he drew closer, his blond hair brushing softly against your face. A spike of electricity shoots through your veins as you felt his warm lips brush delicately on your cheek, worried that sparks of magic would whirl off the tips of your fingers from excitement.

As he steps back, his fingers wrap around your hand again, giving it a gentle squeeze before he whispers goodnight, your name tumbling off his lips like a ghostly whisper.

All you can do is give him a half-hearted wave as he disappears down the hallway, your body going to auto-pilot as you walked into your room and got ready for bed. Pulling the warm blankets around yourself, you were finally able to process what had just happened.

The memory kept replaying in your head, your heart leaping into your throat each time you did. Had that really just happened? It all felt like a dream…

Yes, dreams… what peculiar little things they were.

You thought of that voice, and you lifted up your hand into the air, rubbing your index finger against your thumb as though you held the hibiscus that you had imagined.

What did it mean… ‘the language’? And why was there a hibiscus of all things there too?

You rolled over onto your side as you wracked your brain to try and decipher these riddles. It was then that you had an idea.

The fairies, you thought, and sat up to look out the window of your room to see a view of the dark, sleeping forest below. I should go and see the fairies… they were in my dream too, so maybe they could have an idea about what it’s trying to say.

You nodded in agreement with yourself and lay back down, agreeing to go and find Aria and the rest of her friends after you were finished with everything.

A dreamy sigh leaves you lips as your body relaxes, winding down for the day as finally feel like you're... home.

48 notes · View notes

les7saisons · 6 years

Text

7Seeds Gaiden part 3

Last part. I kept doing other things but with the third volume of Mystery to Iu Nakare coming out soon, I thought I’d better finish my reread so I could continue Tamura’s new work! So let’s get started.

Our characters successfully built their new home base and are now living in it. I love the way it looks like, here’s a picture:

Kurumi is a bit worried because Arata doesn’t cry much, especially at night. Fujiko and Ban think it may be that she’s sensing that there are dangers in the wild, like young animals can do, and keeping quiet to stay safe. Kurumi and Ryuusei are amazed that a baby’s able to feel that.

Gengoro wants to raise the spiders for their thread and for food. Semimaru is horrified and it leads to a discussion about the fact that Semimaru and Arashi both have the insect ideogram in one kanji of their names (Arashi never thought about it and it destroys him)

Hotaru, Gengoro and Nijiko also have it so Semimaru quickly cheers up, saying they’re the “insect team”. This makes the others join the game with name-based teams like the bird team, the flower/fruit/plant team or the seasonal team. Natsu thinks it’s neat how they can make up various teams like that and it leads them to talk more with different people and to get to know them better (Haru, who she was a bit scared of, is the one who comes up to her to ask if she’d be in the same team as him, since they’re named after spring and summer)

There’s also the new curly haired gang (Chimaki, Matsuri and Kurumi joined) which Haru eyes suspiciously because Koruri is hiding something...

Near the Ark, Tsunomata studies Rikako’s notes, hoping to learn how to wake up the children. The robot Peru is found in the water, all dented, which makes Semimaru and Natsu emotional (Chimaki later makes up something for Peru in the little cemetary they’ll build)

Botan talks with the Summer A team about their relationship with Ryo and Ango, they end up going to see them and Ango apologizes for his past behaviour. He has decided to ask again to borrow the boat, this time to everyone. Botan ask once more what he wants to do with it. He answers that he intends to bring the stuff from the various shelters to Sado, then to leave to search for other people, like the american team who sent the letter or people that may know how to make the Ark work. That he’ll talk to them about the people here and show them the way over there. He says he’ll definitely return. Gengoro backs him up and says they can be trusted to keep the boat in good shape. Karita asks Ran what she thinks and she says she’s fine with it (saying that useful things should be used and that she thinks Ango’s not the type to come up with such a big lie and then do some evil deeds lol)

But she asks them to not start shit with other countries that would lead to some kind of war. Ango says he’ll be careful but he glances at Ryo with the biggest distrust ever, going “YOU TOO, RYO!” while Ryo pouts. Supposedly, they should not have communication problems because they learnt some english, spanish and chinese back during their studies... I kind of wish we knew about that before, it seems a bit last minute to bring it then?

Anyway, when Botan asks if it will only be the two of them leaving, Matsuri interrupts saying she’ll go too, reminding Ryo that he said she’s necessary. And yeah, though Matsuri probably doesn’t speak any other language well, I kind of get the feeling her social skils may be needed to avoid trouble! Before leaving, they make a ceremony for the departed. Chimaki sculpted tombs for them. Shigeru’s body, Rikako’s remains, the little stones Koruri bought are put there. Ran also put Izayoi’s glasses, that she had kept all along. Aramaki asks for a prayer for team Winter.

While Ango and Ryo are getting ready, Karita comes talk to them about Mozu’s hand that he found. As he leaves, Ango realizes something and asks him which hand it was. Karita doesn’t seem completly sure but says the left one, which makes Ryo laugh and say that in that case, Mozu’s alive and sacrificed it as bait. He adds that maybe they’ll meet again, to which Ango agrees, with a contemplative look on his face. Ango asks Karita to talk about it to Hana, which Karita intended to do but he doesn’t want to tell everyone or Kurumi may feel guilty about it.

What Koruri was hiding from Haru was a present! A mini-piano that she made with the help of the curly haired club! Haru tries it, which brings him to tears and laughter. Koruri asks if the sound is not the one a piano should make but he says “it’s the sound of a piano from this world”. They are super cute.

Ran remarks that there seem to be some couples forming all around and Karita agrees, saying that Akio and Chisa looks like they get along well, then asks if Ran’s feeling lonely. She says Akio can do what he wants to, then adds that she’d be alright with Karita if he is with her. After a moment of shock, he shouts seriously that he’ll do it. Definitions of the verb he uses have both the meaning of embracing someone/having sex with them so I guess there’s kind of a double entendre? Because Ran laughs, saying she’ll want to do the same too and that he’d better be ready. Which makes Karita faints.

Natsu and Matsuri have an heartbreaking goodbye scene in which they cry while holding each other. Everyone watches while the boat sails away. Ryo reveals to Matsuri that part of why he felt that Hana was in the way/a problem was that he thought she could become an equal partner to Ango. Meaning he was afraid of getting “replaced”.

Ango is embarrassed by Matsuri and Ryo snuggling up and looks towards the sea. He thinks that he’ll face the future, for everyone and for himself. THE END.

...

Actually there’s also a little bonus story about the making of the carvings of the 7 Fujis. Takashi met Chimaki’s dad, Kiichi, who was in a live sculpting troupe (we see them sculpt a wooden Toraji, at a show), and offered them this work for an astounding amount of money, part of it paid in advance. They’re pretty creeped out because Takashi is super shady obviously but Kiichi needs money to go see his son who’s living with his divorced wife. Unfortunately she ends up leaving Chimaki with her mother a few years later and runs away with money he sent. Having last seen his son when he was two, Kiichi is scared of seeing him now, he keeps on sculpting and sending money instead, to the grandmother this time. His only clear memory of Chimaki is them drawing together.

One day, they learn that something is being constructed under one of the Buddha they finished. They ask Takashi about it and he ends up telling them the true. Even after that, Kiichi keeps sculpting. Once they are done with the 7 Fujis, Takashi tells them that they’ll be allowed inside any shelter they want and they’d be allowed to name some family members and friends they’d wish to stay with. Kiichi wants to send his son to the future instead.Takashi says that he’s a candidate and agrees to put him on a team after making sure Kiichi wouldn’t prefer to meet with him in a shelter. Kiichi then asks for Chimaki’s grandma to be put in the same shelter as himself.

We get a little scene in the future with Chimaki mentioning his oldest memory is of drawing with his dad. Then we skip to some unknown point in the future, on the last page we see children running/playing in the water and the door of the Ark being open.

So that’s it!

Obviously, I left out a lot of stuff, Tamura puts little details everywhere and there would be so much to talk about but it took me so much words already, even for just describing events. Sorry if it was boring, I started those “chapter talk” posts with the idea of talking about what I liked in each chapter but with translations being very slow and myself deciding to keep doing those while reading the volumes in japanese, I ended up doing more of a summary of things.

#7 seeds #chapter talk

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laresearchette · 2 years

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Wednesday, December 01, 2021 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: FRUITCAKE FRAUD (discovery +) ZOEY'S EXTRAORDINARY CHRISTMAS (Roku Channel) ADRIENNE (HBO Canada) 8:00pm THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY (Slice) 9:00pm KELLY CLARKSON PRESENTS: WHEN CHRISTMAS COMES AROUND (City TV) 10:00pm IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA (FXX Canada) 10:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT 89TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER (NBC Feed) BEEBO SAVES CHRISTMAS (CW Feed) THE CROWN'S ANCIENT FOREST (TBD - Smithsonian) TRAFFICKED WITH MARIANA VAN ZELLER (TBD - Nat Geo Canada) MATCH MADE IN MISTLETOE (TBD) TOMORROW IS A LONG TIME: CHRISSIE HYNDE SINGS BOB DYLAN (TBD)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME/CRAVE/NETFLIX CANADA/CBC GEM:

AMAZON PRIME BAD MOMS KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

CRAVE TV ADRIENNE A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951)

NETFLIX CANADA THE BIG LEBOWSKI BRIDESMAIDS THE CROODS DECK THE HALLS HOME IMPRACTICAL JOKERS: THE MOVIE JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: STONE OCEAN KAYKO AND KOKOCH (Seasons 1-2) LES MISERABLES: THE STAGED CONCERT LOST IN SPACE (Season 3) LOVE, ACTUALLY MEET JOE BLACK NOTTING HILL PAUL BLART: MALL COP THE POWER OF THE DOG QUEEN & SLIM RESERVOIR DOGS SCHINDLER’S LIST SPARTACUS SPIDER-MAN 3 TEARS OF THE SUN TROLLS TYLER PERRY’S MEDEA’S BIG HAPPY FAMILY WILD WILD WEST

DAVIS CUP (SN Now) 10:00am: Serbia vs. Kazakhstan - Quarterfinal

NHL HOCKEY (SNPacific/SN1) 7:30pm: Canucks vs. Sens (SNWest/SNEast/SNOntario) 7:30pm: Avalanche vs. Leafs (SN/SN1/SN360) 10:00pm: Penguins vs. Oilers

NBA BASKETBALL (TSN/TSN4/TSN5) 8:00pm: Hornets vs. Bucks A CHRISTMAS LETTER (CBC) 8:00pm: Leslie has done everything right in her life except find Mr. Right, until the spirit of Christmas leads her there in an unusual way.

THE PICTURE OF CHRISTMAS (City TV) 8:00pm: Ember Morely, a graphic designer and aspiring storybook illustrator in Manhattan, is surprised to learn that she has inherited her grandmother's Christmas tree farm, so she heads to her hometown of Willow Hill in order to sell it before Christmas.

SPIRIT TALKER (APTN) 8:00pm: Shawn takes part in a cathartic water healing ceremony as the clean-up of the infamous Boat Harbour gets under way; a private reading with three sisters reconnects them with the spirit of their mother and reveals their complicated relationship.

SKINDIGENOUS (APTN) 8:30pm: Danika Naccarella is from the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola, B.C.; she was officially adopted into the Nation at birth, but she has been making her mark in the community by working with the youth as an educator, visual artist and tattoo artist.

IN THE DARK (CTV2) 9:00pm: Feeling isolated and alone, Murphy seeks comfort in the familiar but is forced to fend for herself.

#cdntv #cancon #canadian tv #canadian tv listings #spirit talker #skindigenous #in the dark #tennis #nhl hockey #nba basketball

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narutocguide · 6 years

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OC: Fujiwara Miyabi

Hello! I would like an oc review if you don’t mind ^_^

(also I’m sorry if my grammar is bad TAT)

— Basic Info —

Name: Fujiwara Miyabi Kanji: 藤原雅 Meaning: Fuji: Wisteria, Hara: Field, Miyabi: Refinment, elegance Alias/Nicknames: Miyabi-chan or Miya (friends), Miyabi-sama Gender: Female Sexual orientation: heterosexual Birthday: 15th, March Age: Part I: 15-16 Part II: 19-20 Epilogue: 22-23

rowan: okay so the ages seem legit, except for the epilogue age. fifteen years have passed since the fourth shinobi war, so yeah, her age should be a bit older than “22-23″

unless, by “epilogue” you are referring to “naruto: the last” in which there is only a two year time skip.

— Characteristics —

Blood type: A Height: Part I: 155cm Part II: 165cm Epilogue: 170cm Weight: Part I: 35kg Part II: 46kg Epilogue: 51kg Eyes: Brown Hair: Part I: Dark Brown, long hair with the hime-cut, usually in a bun when in missions or training, wears a complex bun at home Part II: Hair shorter (first down to the jaws, after down to the shoulders), usually in a ponytail for missions and training Epilogue: Hair long again, same as Part I Skin: Pale Does he/she have scars, different eyecolors, missing a limp or has a puppet limb? Does he/she have a special accessory? She has a scar on the back of her shoulder, wears a necklace wuth her clan’s symbol

— Appearance —

Child: looked like a kokeshi doll (short bob hai, wearing kimono)

Academy: Mostly wears dresses (with short pants under) with floral patterns in school or outside. At home she wears kimono and yukata

Genin: Still wearing dresses and skirts with floral patterns, always wearing long sleeves exept in summer. Again kimono and yukata at home

Chuunin/Jounin/Prologue: Start wearing different types of clothes (like wearing short sleeves more often, more patterns than flowers). Likes wearing hakamas more than kimonos at home

-Likes feminine types of clothes with soft colors like light blue and lavender-

— Ninja information —

Affiliation: Konohagakure Current rank: Jounin -Genin promotion: 12 -Chuunin promotion: 16 -Jounin promotion: 20 Occupation: Part of the Fujiwara Troup (explained later) Status: Active Ninja-ID: 012638 Team: Team Kanako (sensei): Chiba Ryousei, Asahi Kayo Kekkei Genkai: Chakra nature: Water Ninjustsu range: Short-Mid range Deffensive/Offensive type: Balanced type (depend on the mission)

rowan: hm, i’m unsure on what to think about her range. looking at her outfits, i don’t think a short/mid-range would work very well. her long sleeves are more of a liability when it comes to the weapons she uses; and they can easily be grabbed. i would either change up her outfit, or change her range/weapons.

also, her defense/offense has nothing to do with missions; it relies on her fighting style. does she mostly take hits, or send hits? that determines her defense/offense type.

Dominant hand: Right Weapons: Yari Spear, Wadaiko What kind of weapons he/she carries? Ninja bag with basic ninja equipment, scrolls with different types of taiko, her spear is on her back

rowan: i’m a little confused here. is she using drums as a weapon? i’m gonna have to give a hard pass on this one and say that i’d rethink that if i were you. it doesn’t really make sense, unless you’re using it like tayuya? she used her demonic flute for genjutsu and also had a unique summon with it.

if that’s the case, it further proves my point that she should be a long-rage fighter, rather than the short/mid-range that you currently have her as.

then we have the spear. now, i know it sounds pretty cool and unique. but it’s not very practical for a ninja to use. i get more of a “samurai” vibe from it. if you think that you can give a logical argument for it (explain how she’ll be able to successfully poke a ninja before they evade her, for example), then i say go for it!

Summonings: Name: Shishou Species: Kitsune fox (not Kyuubi! just a normal fox :) )

rowan: a kitsune is the japanese word for fox, which is commonly referred to it’s mythical counterpart: the kyuubi. so i’m gonna assume you are referring to the red fox.

Abilities: sensing enemies and tracing

rowan: just a few things to be noted about foxes, so that you can have more than these two abilities. it’s pretty lackluster, compared to the usefulness of other summons.

foxes are known to be very intelligent and cunning. they make for good hunters, but prefer to go at it alone. in fact, they don’t usually travel in packs— so i imagine there won’t be a lot of foxes within that contract.

of course, you can have a lot but just express that they’re not a very well connected group.

Missions completed: D-rank: 26 C-rank: 22 B-rank: 17 A-rank: 10 S-rank: 4 Total: 80

Abilities: Strength: Genjutsu, Taiko, Acting (like she can easily fool someone when she’s feeling bad…), politness, music appreciation Weakness: Atychiphobia (fear of failure), overprotective

rowan: she’s really lacking in the weakness department, and looking at her abilities, i’d say she’s a bit overpowered. i reccomend researching more flaws, or at least lowering her skill in one of the combat categories.

for example, maybe she isn’t too good at blocking or her footwork is really sloppy (equaling a poor taijutsu score). maybe she’s a better at long-range fighting and really sucks at hand-to-hand combat? perhaps (since she is water-natured) she has a huge weakness to fire based attacks.

Taijutsu: Great Ninjutsu: Good Genjutsu: Excellent Fighting style: Mostly use genjutsu to trap the targets then gets close-range with taijutsu, Likes when the fight is finished quickly. Tends to have difficulties if the fight is getting longer

Ninja stats: Genin: NIN: 2/5 TAI: 2.5/5 GEN: 3/5 KEN(intelligence): 3/5 RIKI(power): 2/5 SOKU(speed): 2.5/5 SEI(chakra): 3/5 IN(finger sign): 2/5 Total: 20/40

Chuunin: NIN: 3/5 TAI: 4/5 GEN: 4.5/5 KEN(intelligence): 4/5 RIKI(power): 3/5 SOKU(speed): 4/5 SEI(chakra): 4.5/5 IN(finger sign): 3/5 Total: 26/40

Jounin: NIN: 3.5/5 TAI: 4.5/5 GEN: 5/5 KEN(intelligence): 4.5/5 RIKI(power): 3.5/5 SOKU(speed): 4.5/5 SEI(chakra): 4.5/5 IN(finger sign): 3.5/5 Total: 37/40

— Techinques —

Ninjutsu: She’s not great or bad in ninjutsu. She uses suiton to bind her targets so that she can use genjustu more easily Techniques: Technique 1: Suiton, Chouchou Musubi (Bow tie): A technique her mother taught her. Consist of using water to form a thread to bind targets like wrapping a present (that’s why it’s called bow tie)

Taijutsu: She is great in taijustu. Her mother taught her how to move elegantly and how to dance so Miyabi incorporates dance moves in her taijutsu. It helps her make precise blows. Uses a lot her spear.

rowan: once again, i’m going to note that using the spear isn’t very practical for a ninja. fast movement and stealth relates to the profession a lot, and the spear isn’t really a weapon for that. it also leaves a lot of openings, and makes you more liable to get hit.

Genjutsu: She excells at genjutsu as it is the tradition in her family. They mainly use music but they also use non-musical genjutsu. Technique: Technique 1: Sensou (War): Trap the target in an imaginary world and install fear and destress in the mind of the target Technique 2: Fuji no Meiro (Wisteria’s Labyritnh): Traps the target in an labyrinth

rowan: so i’ve noticed you have two completely different weapons, and therefore, fighting styles. i would pick one and stick with it, rather than have two non-compatible ones. on one hand, she is a mid-range fighter with her spear, but then she becomes a long-range fighter with her drums.

though the variety is nice, i wouldn’t give her both right away. in her genin days, i’d give her one, but then after the time skip (aka naruto’s training period) give her another to show how she’s grown and etc.

— Personal traits —

Personality: She is a very polite and good mannered person. She is the big sister of her team and likes to take care of other. Very gentle but can be seen as stuck-up and naive. Good traits: Honorable, Fair, Kind, Calm Bad traits: She can be overprotective and tend to be overzealous. Her humour is quite sarcastic

rowan: i can’t really see a “very polite and well mannered” person having a sarcastic type of humor. that humor is a little condescending, and doesn’t fit a “polite” person who would typically hold their tongue, rather than give a catty response.

Likes: -foods and drinks: Katsudon and Amazake (when she’s older) -colors: Blue -favourite animal: Dogs -what she likes to do in her free time: She likes taking lessons with her mother (ikebana, cooking, tea ceremony, dance/acting/singing classes… a real yamato nadeshiko), playing instruments, taking a stroll in the garden Dislikes: -foods and drinks: has no dislike -colors: Red -less favourite animal: Spiders -what she doesn’t like to do in his/her free time: Habbits: when nervous she tends to laugh a bit Hobbies: She love playing taiko but her secret hobby is swimming Fears: Atychiphobia (fear of failure). Appeared as a trauma of a past mission and with the help of her friends and teammates she is now conscious of it and tries to overcome her fear. She has panic attacks when she think that a mission is going to fail and her teammates has to calm her for a bit. Ambition: She wants the Fujiwara troup to be world famous.

— Relationships —

Parents: Hajime 一 (50yo)- Shiori 栞 (48yo) Sibling(s): Misaki 美咲 (20yo), Kuon 永遠 (14yo), Kotone 琴音/Suzune 鈴音 (Twins 8yo) Relative(s): Grandparents: Haruo 春雄 (75yo)- Wakana 和奏(D.), Uncle and aunt: Idzuru 居鶴 (47yo)- Migiwa 汀 (40yo), Cousins: Ageha 紅葉 (19yo), Junna 淳和 (15yo), Naoya 直也 (13yo) Teammates/Ex-teammates: Current team: Sensei: 夏菜子 Kanako 朝日　加陽 Asahi Kayo 千羽　綾西 Chiba Ryôsei How they get along? They get along very well. Kayo and Ryô tend to fight a bit but Kanako and Miyabi are always here to stop the fight Friends: Hinata Hyuuga: friends from childhood, they met when Miyabi’s parent went to deliver wisteria plants to the Hyuuga family. Since Hinata was shy, she offered her a branch of wisteria and they started to talk Ryôsei, Kayo, Tenten, Best friend: Saionji Umeka 西園寺梅香, Distant cousin from her mother’s side. They are the same age so they got along during family reunions

Clan name: Fujiwara Kanji: 藤原 Clan head: Before war: Fujiwara Haruo, After war: Fujiwara Hajime Important/notable members: Haruo, Hajime, Shiori, Idzuru, Migiwa, Misaki, Miyabi, Ageha, Junna

Clan politics: -They are in good terms with the daimyô and with the Hokage. They take pride in their music. The tradition is really important. Clan alliance: Konohagakure Clan whereabouts: Lives in the outskirts of the village

rowan: would not recommend giving them that location, as it kinda steals the uchiha’s shine. their clan compound is located on the village outskirts as well, due to them being driven away into isolation after the kyuubi attack.

i would instead give her clan a more remote location.

Traits: - Brown hair and eyes - Talent in Genjutsu (use of wagakki, japanese instrument) - Governing chakra: Water, less governing: wind or earth Current members: -Hajime, Shiori Misaki, Miyabi, Kuon, Kotone/Suzune -Idzuru, Migiwa Ageha, Junna, Naoya

Clan history: - The first members of the clan were from Oto no Kuni and started to tour the Five Great Shinobi Countries to share their music. After the First war a branch of the family settled in Konohagakure and they became the Fujiwara clan. Every year they tour the different countries in summer for the festivals. Clan traditions:

rowan: seeing as oto no kuni wasn’t established until orochimaru took control, i would change the origin story a little bit.

instead, maybe say that the first members of the clan were originally from ta no kuni (the original name before orochimaru convinced the daimyo to relinquish control), but to avoid being used in pointless wars, they settled somewhere more secure: konoha.

- Training in wagakki since an early age, respect of the elders is really important: you don’t look in the eyes of the head, you speak only if he/she demands when you’re in his/her presence… Every girls should be trained to be a perfect housewife and a perfect lady. Strict training. - Describe the clothing traditionals: mostly kimono, yukata, hakama inside the house (and outside for the elders) Clan symbol: 2 branches of wisteria flower in a circle, color: lavender

— Background & history —

Childhood: As her family is very traditional, she started learning music, cooking, ikebana, dance, acting, singing, tea ceremoy, sparring etc… at a very young age to be a perfect lady. Her grand father was the head of the family and was very strict as he didn’t show a smile and was very harsh. she didn’t have a lot of friends since most of the time she was home taking classes. She was always with her sister Misaki and her cousin Ageha and played in the graden during their free times. She could meet Umeka only during family meetings but even so they always wrote letters and she felt like Umeka really undrestood her even if she didn’t said a word. She was really close to her grandmother and she taught her how to tend the flower in the garden. Her grandmother died when she was 5. She was very excited to start the academy. She wanted to learn new things and make new friend. At school she was very diligent and was quite a fast learner. She also liked helping other students when they were struggling and made friend with few of them.

rowan: seeing as she was trained to be a stereotypical housewife, i’m confused as to why she was sent to the academy to become a ninja. perhaps she begged to join? if she’s to be a “perfect lady” then i’m sure the sexist thinking would also apply in terms of fighting: in which, females shouldn’t do so.

i would either rehash her clan’s thinking, or give a valid reason for her becoming a ninja.

Genin days: When did he/she get promoted? How was his/her days like a genin? She got promoted like anyone else at 12. With his medic-nin family, Ryo was also a medic-nin, while Kayo specialized in ninjutsu (especially katon) and Miyabi was specialized in Genjutsu and Taijutsu. Kanako-sensei was more of a genjutsu user but she was also a powerful doton user. Overall it was a well-balanced team and they were sent in all sort of missions. During one C-ranked mission, Miyabi was shot with a fireball in the shoulder, this later left a scar. Chuunin days: She became Chuunin at 16 with Ryo and Kayo. She took a year off to go on tour with her family. After returing her team and team Gai had a joint mission to do so the two team started to train together. Once the mission accomplished, Miyabi continued training with them to get better in taijutsu. They became quite close and Tenten, Kayo and Miyabi often had pajama party together. Time skip/Shippuuden: During the time skip, she went again on a tour with her family. While in Konoha, she had more mission with other ninjas than her team and she further developped her genjutsu skills. War Arc: During the war she joined the Allied Shinobi Forces and went to the Third Division (Short-Mid range division). She fought fiercely and gave her all to protect what she held dear. She was very saddened at Neji’s death. Since Kayo and Ryo weren’t in her division she was very worried. She fought a lot of White Zetsu and helped by any means any other ninja in a bad situation. When the war ended, she was devastated when she learnt how many people died.

Epilogue/Chapter 700+: After the war, she became a Jounin and after a while she was in charge of a genin team. While she lived with her family until now, she took a place on her own in the village so that she could concentrate on her shinobi’s job. She continued training with her family and sometimes went on tour.

rowan: alright, so i would first like to apologize for the long wait! all around, your OC is pretty nice! though there are a few logical flaws, but those can be fixed without too much trouble.

if you have any questions about any of the things i said (or if i misunderstood something) please feel free to let me know!

#submission

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