#look if she were trapped in voyager

[ltwilliammowett]

Victorian Sunderland Lustre Frog mug printed with ships portrait of a Hull Whaling Ship & inscribed 'Truelove from Hull' 'There's sunshine on the sea my love. There's beauty oe'r the skies. But fairer seem thy looks my love and brighter are thine eyes', within orange borders, H12cm. 19th century

The 'Truelove' was built in Philadelphia in 1764 and came into English hands during the American War of Independence where she had been used as a privateer. She was sold to John Voase, a wine merchant and ship owner in Hull, and was converted into a whaling ship. The 'Truelove' made over 80 voyages, killing over 500 whales as well as seals, walruses, narwhals and polar bears. The 'Truelove' also brought wine from Oporto and for 9 years she engaged in general trade with the Baltic ports. In 1835 the 'Truelove' was one of a fleet trapped in ice in Melville Bay, Greenland.

Twenty of the fleet were crushed but 'Truelove' survived unharmed. Captain Wells described her as 'handy as a cutter, safe as a lifeboat, and tight as a bottle'. The 'Truelove' was the last of the Hull whalers and sailed alongside the steam powered whaling vessels in the 1850's and 60's. In 1873 she travelled to her home port of Philadelphia and was presented with a flag in honour of her 'birth' there 109 years earlier.

After her visit to Philadelphia there were calls to have her made into a floating museum but this never came about and she ended her days as a bulk on the Thames before she was finally broken up in the late 1890's. The 'Truelove' was in use for over 130 years, outliving all other vessels of her class who were built at the same time

#naval artifacts #truelove #whaler #frog mug #19th century #age of sail

[doumadono]

Warnings: blood, mentions of decomposition, violence, mental & physical abuse, toxic relationship, gore, nakedness, merman!Dabi, female original character, original characters, descriptions of murders and drowning, smut (p in v, oral - f & m receiving), manipulation

Summary: Miyaka, a young woman driven to the brink by a domineering and aloof husband, resolves to end her life in the lake near her husband's estate. Little does she realize that one quaint encounter will irrevocably alter everything, reshaping her understanding of herself, and blurring the boundaries between reality and the inexplicable

Word count: circa 12.1k A/N: I'm delighted to have had the opportunity to take part in this captivating even created by talented @candycandy00 It was my maiden voyage into the world of horror writing, and I genuinely hope that you find my contribution enjoyable. A huge shoutout to my merman specialist, @crystalwolfblog – her unwavering support and expertise were instrumental in shaping this story!

It was an enchanting night.

She stood at the edge of the great lake, its inky waters reflecting the dim glow of the moon like a mirror tainted with despair. Her heart, heavy with the weight of an unhappy marriage, throbbed in her chest, matching the rhythm of her labored breaths. Tears welled up in her eyes, and a lump formed in her throat as she gazed into the blackness of the abyss before her.

The night was eerily silent, save for the distant croak of a lone frog and the rustling of leaves in the chilling breeze. She shivered, not from the cold, but from the darkness that had consumed her entire life. A long, white, flowing dress clung to her trembling form, a stark contrast to the beauty of the night. It felt like a shroud of misery, concealing the bruises and scars that marred her body.

She had been married to a man she loathed, a man who had wed her solely for her parents' substantial dowry. He was possessive, controlling, and violent, and every day with him was a torment she couldn't escape. As she looked down at the scars on her palms, she could hear his voice in her mind, venomous and cruel. "You're mine, and you'll do as I say," he would snarl, his eyes filled with a possessive rage that chilled her soul.

Tonight, as she stood by the lake, she knew she had reached the precipice of her despair. The moon's silver rays bathed the water in an eerie glow, and she found herself muttering out loud, as if trying to rationalize the unthinkable. "I can't go on like this," she whispered to the inky depths before her, her voice a hollow echo in the night. "There's no escape from this torment, no end to the pain he inflicts upon me."

Her fingers brushed against the bruises on her neck, a painful reminder of her husband's merciless grip. The darkness seemed to envelop her, offering a macabre solace, a release from the relentless agony that had become her life.

A sense of dread washed over her as she took a step closer to the water's edge, the lake beckoning with a malevolent allure. She could hear the echoes of her own pleas for help, trapped within the walls of her loveless home. She had no one to turn to, no one to confide in, for he had isolated her from all those who cared about her, even though there weren't many of them.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and sobs wracked her body. The weight of her misery threatened to drag her under, deeper into the cold abyss. Her mind was a whirlwind of torment, and she continued to speak her sorrow aloud. "I just want the pain to stop," she murmured, her voice quivering. "I want freedom from this living nightmare."

Meantime, claws, like daggers forged in the abyss, pierced the tender flesh of the fish, snapping it asunder with the ease of breaking brittle twigs. Delicate bones shattered, their lamenting cracks akin to dried leaves crumbling beneath a malevolent force, as the ichor of life spilled forth in crimson tendrils, vanishing into the dark, ravenous depths. Razor-edged teeth, like shards of obsidian, tore through the delicate meat, rending it into fragments devoured by the insatiable monster.

This lake, embraced by a shroud of old woods, lay in proximity to a quiet city, a deceptive guise for an ideal feeding ground, or so it would seem. Elders strolled along its shore, seeking solace in the serenity of its waters, while children harbored dreams of frigid immersion, and clandestine encounters found their haven amidst the trees. Yet, the reality proved far bleaker.

Touya had ventured here in the hopes of a bountiful feast, having expended immense effort to navigate a subterranean passage connecting the vast expanse of the open sea to this secluded lake. His rewards were meager, a pitiful array of minuscule fish, native to these forsaken waters.

Resting on the lakebed, his lithe form culminating in a shark-like appendage, he contemplated a return to the boundless sea, where sustenance was plentiful. However, his sharply pointed, fin-like ears detected a peculiar disturbance, both auditory and visual.

The cacophony of a loud splash rent the silence, an intrusion too substantial for a mere fish or woodland creature's leap. Touya's senses honed in on the source, identifying an anomaly—an unmistakable human presence.

Swiftly, he propelled himself towards this enigma, only to discover a form cloaked in a long, flowing white gown, gradually succumbing to the lake's murky abyss. Drawing nearer, he seized the delicate ankle, hauling the figure closer for examination.

Fortuna's fickle favor had delivered a woman into his grasp, and while the prospect of her tender flesh stirred his primal hunger, an audacious notion overcame his instincts. The thrill of an encounter akin to a true siren's seduction beckoned, and the notion of her consumption transformed into a sinister game.

Against his ravenous desires, Touya encircled the fragile woman's frame with his sinuous arms, drawing her from the water's embrace onto the shore, where the macabre performance of a siren's sinister plan would soon commence.

As she splashed and struggled in the water, her vision blurred with panic. Her arms flailed wildly, and she gasped for air, unaware of what had caught her beneath the surface. Each thrash seemed to pull her deeper into the dark abyss, and the murky water filled her mouth easily, making her gag and sputter.

She couldn't see what had a hold of her, but the sensation of strong arms wrapping around her fragile body only heightened her fear. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her lungs burned for oxygen as she continued to fight against the unseen force.

Desperation set in, and she opened her mouth to scream, but instead, she inadvertently swallowed more water. It flooded her throat and rushed into her lungs, choking her, a burning sensation filling her pharynx and nose. The world around her grew dimmer, and her struggles weakened as her consciousness waned.

In the end, the water won, claiming her as its own. She slipped into unconsciousness, her body limp.

The beast, concealed beneath the watery veil of his domain, observed her futile resistance with a dispassionate eye. In the realm of aqueous shadows, humans were like vulnerable prey, their minds adrift in a soporific stupor. Submerged in liquid depths, they became rabid creatures confined within a cage of their own making, drawing ever nearer to the precipice of their demise with each gasping breath.

In a stroke of providence, the woman in his grasp surrendered to the dark embrace of unconsciousness. Her unconsciousness spared him the ordeal of wrestling with her thrashing form. It was a mercy he granted her, one she should consider herself fortunate to receive, for he had contemplated a far less compassionate fate.

With a grace befitting a creature of his nature, he transported her limp form to the water's edge, a sanctuary where the forest's tender grass merged with the lake's sandy shore. Touya did not deign to change his form, instead choosing to remain perched beside her prone body, a silent sentinel.

Reclining with his tail coiled comfortably, his scrutinizing gaze fell upon the woman's fragile form. Despite the dark blemishes that adorned her skin like aged spots upon a ripened fruit, her flesh beckoned like an illicit delicacy. The mere thought of sinking his serrated teeth and razor-sharp claws into her tender form sent his mouth awash with anticipation. He yearned to hear her cries of agony, to witness the crimson cascade of her life's essence, to observe the last flicker of vitality extinguish from her eyes as he ravaged her insides.

Yet, in a rare moment of restraint, the monster resisted the primal urge. No, he would savor this encounter, extracting a different form of pleasure if she were to awaken, for the thrill of her torment held a dark allure all its own.

Coughing violently, she jolted back to consciousness, her body wracked with spasms as the water that had filled her lungs was expelled with each hacking cough. It felt like her chest was on fire, and every cough sent painful ripples through her body.

For a moment, she struggled to sit up, her vision still blurred and her head pounding. She couldn't see clearly, but she had a distinct feeling that she was not alone. Panic gripped her again as she realized that someone or something was nearby.

Her coughs soon subsided, and she took ragged, shallow breaths, trying to clear the lingering water from her airways. Her gaze finally focused, and she saw it – a creature unlike anything she had ever encountered.

It sat beside her, its sharp features illuminated by the faint moonlight filtering through the trees. Its eyes, piercing and predatory, had turquoise irises with black sclera, a striking and unusual combination, creating an otherworldly appearance. The turquoise color itself was vibrant, reminiscent of the clear, tropical waters of a pristine ocean. Its gaze was fixed on her. Its body was a grotesque blend of human and sea creature, with scales and fins that seemed to shimmer in the dim light.

Terror coursed through her as she realized she was not in the safety of her own world anymore. She had been pulled into a nightmare, and this creature, this beast, was surely about to kill her.

She scrambled back, away from it, her heart pounding in her chest. Her voice trembled as she stammered, "W-who are you? What do you want from me?" But deep down, she feared that she already knew the answer.

As she desperately attempted to crawl through the grassy-muddy ground, every movement felt like a relentless struggle against the unforgiving terrain. The thick mud clung tenaciously to her hands and knees, making progress slow and arduous.

Eyes, vibrant and eerily alive, remained fixed on her every frantic movement. Yet, the pallid form that lay behind her, marred by ominous, dark splotches, remained immobile, preserving its enigmatic stillness until the woman's frenetic struggles yielded to silence.

A hand, adorned with webbed membranes that stretched sinuously between each finger, terminated in formidable claws. It moved through his own hair, a short cascade of pristine white, like freshly fallen snow. An insidious smile played upon his lips, revealing rows of serrated teeth that glistened malevolently in the dim light. His ears, akin to the finned appendages of some abyssal creature, possessed two sharp points and twitched slightly as he cocked his head in contemplation. "Is this how you extend gratitude to your savior?" His voice, a beguiling cadence that rivaled the most enchanting melody, seemed ill-fitted for his grotesque form. Yet, it was a weapon, not an adornment, a reminder that he wielded both power and allure. "One should exercise greater caution around these waters, miss. The prospect of losing one's life so recklessly hardly seems appealing."

The sight of her futile attempt to flee stirred a perverse pleasure within him. He found himself increasingly torn by his own plot, yet its wheels were set in motion, and he felt compelled to carry it to its conclusion. "Are you unharmed, miss? Do you feel any pain?" The inward cringe he felt at his unexpected benevolence clashed with his innate siren pride, an unsettling dissonance that inexplicably satisfied him.

The shock of hearing the creature speak, its voice so mesmerizing and soft, took her aback for a moment. She struggled to regain her confidence, her voice quivering as she managed to stammer out a question again, "W-What are you?"

As she continued to tremble, she finally collapsed onto her still-muddy knees. The weight of despair and desperation bore down on her, and she found herself confessing her dark intentions, her voice heavy with anguish, "I... I wanted to end my life."

She couldn't fathom why she had confessed her merciless plan to end her own life to this strange water creature. It felt surreal, as if she had already crossed into some sort of hellish realm beyond the realm of the living. Perhaps she had succumbed to the deadly water filling her lungs, and this creature was nothing more than a manifestation of her fractured mind.

But despite the uncertainty and the eerie circumstances, a part of her clung to the hope that maybe, just maybe, this encounter held some deeper meaning.

End her own life? He understood all too well that humans were, in his estimation, pitiful and often nothing more than a source of sustenance. However, this act was a new level of wretchedness, a lamentable display that played perfectly into his hands. It would grant him effortless dominion over her fragile psyche, cloaked in a deceptive veneer of benevolence, free from the shadow of his true nature. It promised to be a game as simple as toying with a child's plaything.

Touya edged closer, his movements constrained only by the limits of his domain. His cold hand, pallid and adorned with menacing claws, extended toward her own, long fingers encircling her palm with a touch that grazed her skin like a whispered threat. "End your life? Miss, how could you contemplate such a tragic act?" His voice, like the sweetest of lullabies, dripped with feigned empathy. "A woman of such exquisite beauty, extinguishing her own light — it would be a grievous loss to the world."

The sole witnesses to this deceitful charade were the moon, whose silvery glow bathed the lake and the encircling dark forest, and the enigmatic veil of night. The woods formed an impenetrable barrier, a divide between his aquatic realm and the distant human settlement, lending an illusion of sanctuary. This tableau, a fusion of darkness illuminated by the radiant moon, resembled a masterpiece plucked from the realm of the surreal, gracing the place with an eerie charm.

Her body shivered, not just from the cold but from the sensation of the creature's wet hand with its sharp claws closing around hers. It was an eerie feeling, like a surreal dream that she couldn't wake up from. The moonlit darkness around her only added to the strangeness of the moment.

The creature's soothing voice seemed to be at odds with the sharpness of its claws, and she couldn't help but feel a mix of fear and fascination in the beast's presence. Everything about this encounter defied logic and reason, and she was desperately seeking some semblance of understanding in this bizarre situation. "What are you?" she asked once more, her voice trembling as she stared into the creature's captivating turquoise eyes. "Am I... am I dead?"

Touya tenderly clasped her hand, his fingers exploring the contours of her skin and the supple muscles beneath. An insidious hunger stirred within him, and he battled the overpowering urge to sink his teeth into her soft flesh.

Instead, he brought her delicate palm to his lips, where his tongue languidly traced a sinuous path across her skin. A shiver of desire coursed through him as he inhaled the intoxicating fragrance that clung to her, an aroma as sweet and irresistible as the most alluring of temptations. "I believe you are quite alive, miss," he purred, his voice a seductive whisper. "One cannot be considered dead while radiating such warmth."

Horrified and disgusted by the creature's unsettling actions, she finally found her voice and strength. With a shudder, she forcefully withdrew her hand from the creature's grasp, her face contorted in a mixture of revulsion and fear. "What are you?" she demanded, her voice trembling with a newfound determination. The earlier feeling of hope had been tainted by the creature's disturbing behavior, and she needed answers more than ever. She was no longer willing to tolerate the enigmatic presence of the creature without understanding the truth of its nature.

A pair of luminescent, cerulean eyes bore into her with an eerie intensity, even as the monstrous figure let out a low, mocking laugh. He unfurled his form, revealing a pale body adorned with enigmatic dark markings and a magnificent tail that shimmered like a sinister jewel beneath the moon's ghostly radiance. "Is it truly so challenging to discern, miss?" he taunted, his voice a silky, melodious cadence. "I am a water-dwelling creature, inhabiting these very depths. You seem remarkably ungrateful - I saved your life, and not a word of thanks graces your lips."

The sudden audacity displayed by the woman intrigued him. It was a peculiar sight to behold — someone who had sought to end their own existence, now attempting to assert dominance as if he were the lesser of the two. He harbored a morbid fascination for this unfolding drama and was more than willing to indulge her in this charade.

As she shivered in the coldness of the night, her mind raced with conflicting emotions. The creature's words were unsettling, yet there was a grain of truth in what it had said - it had saved her from her own desperate act, and she couldn't deny that fact.

Swallowing her fear, she decided to pursue the conversation further. "I... I appreciate that you saved me," she stammered, her voice still shaking. "But I need to understand. What's your name? Do you even have one? And why did you intervene? I didn't want to be saved, that's not what I hoped for."

"You may call me Touya," he acknowledged with a nod, bestowing upon her a disarming smile that revealed a row of dangerously sharp teeth. "I am, by nature, a siren, and you, dear miss, have disrupted the tranquil harmony of my lake. At first, I assumed it was some unsuspecting creature taking an ill-fated plunge, but when my eyes fell upon a human as resplendent as yourself, I simply couldn't ignore the spectacle."

He offered this explanation in a voice as smooth as velvet, its mellifluous tones designed to insinuate themselves into her fragile psyche. Touya typically employed this beguiling cadence to lure unsuspecting individuals into the water, but in her case, he sought to quell her anxiety and delay her inevitable flight. "I dare say, fortune itself must be watching over you," he continued, his voice dripping with a honeyed reassurance. "For you have chosen to cast yourself into these depths, and in that choice, you've affirmed the value of life, young miss."

She remained silent, her shock and bewilderment apparent in her wide eyes as she stared at Touya. She blinked several times, as if trying to convince herself that this surreal encounter was real.

Her formerly white dress, now covered in mud and grass, clung to her body, the once pristine fabric marred by her ordeal. Some marine flora had found its way onto the dress as well, further adding to the disarray of her appearance. Her hair was a tangled mess, damp from her recent struggle in the lake. The soaked material of the dress offered little concealment, and her perky breasts were subtly visible through the fabric.

The woman struggled to make sense of it all, torn between the desire to flee from this creature and the nagging feeling that there was something soothing about his presence.

The woman's bewilderment bore a certain charm, and Touya couldn't help but relish the success of his beguiling voice. Seizing the opportunity, he inched closer to her until he was positioned right beside her, his attention now devoted to the delicate task of untangling debris from her disheveled hair. "I hope you don't find it intrusive, but might I inquire about your name, miss?" he asked, his voice a soothing melody, while he carefully plucked remnants from her tangled locks. "I find myself quite intrigued by the enigma I've just rescued."

His gaze wandered to her, swiftly detecting the telltale marks that marred her neck — a grim testament to the assailant who had been thwarted in their pursuit. With a possessive glint in his eyes, he whispered softly, his fingers lightly grazing her throat as he voiced his observation, "It seems someone has inflicted harm upon you."

"My name is not important," she replied with a distant, haunted look in her eyes. "I've been called so many slurs, I almost forgot my own name."

As Touya got closer, her senses were alarmed, and she instinctively got up, her stained attire a mess as she attempted to improve her appearance. She felt a mixture of fear and unease in the presence of this enigmatic creature.

Suddenly, a male voice came from afar, calling out for Miyaka. 

She gasped, her heart pounding as she recognized the voice of her husband. The very mention of her name sent a chill down her spine, and she knew that her desperate escape had not gone unnoticed. Panic washed over her, and she turned to Touya, her voice trembling. "I need to go now," she said urgently. "I have to go."

And with that she simply ran away, stopping twice to look back at the merman over her shoulder. Soon yet, she vanished in the woods.

Touya felt the embers of his anger smoldering within him, stoked by an ever-growing hunger, especially after the tantalizing taste of her skin.

With a frustrated growl, he retreated back into the murky depths of the lake, cursing himself for the absurd notion that had briefly gripped him.

The embrace of the cold water swiftly quelled his rising temper. As he sank to the lake's bottom, he contemplated how best to reclaim the woman he refused to let slip from his grasp.

_____________________________

Over the following days, Touya employed his hypnotic voice, weaving a mesmerizing aria to beckon her back to the waters. It did ensnare a lost, young soul, but not the one he so fervently desired. Nevertheless, the young girl, enticed by his enchantment, undressed and ventured into the chilling embrace of the lake a few nights later.

That was the moment he seized.

As the girl floated on her back, lost in the tranquility of the lake's surface, a sinister force latched onto her ankle, yanking her beneath the water's surface.

Desperation and fear churned within her, and she thrashed wildly, her outstretched hands clawing at the surface, futilely struggling against the monstrous grip. A pale hand, equipped with menacing claws, clamped onto her slender ankle, sealing her grim fate as prey to a relentless kelpie.

He held her under until her struggles ceased, ensuring her life was extinguished before allowing himself to retrieve the lifeless body.

With an eerie detachment, Touya surveyed his gruesome feast. He tore into her flesh, devouring the most succulent portions and discarding what he deemed unworthy. Each organ yielded a delectable, squishy texture, untainted by the ravages of time and human indulgence. 

But the heart, that was his ultimate indulgence. Delving for the heart was always a pleasure for Touya, akin to prying open a clam. He reveled in the visceral experience — ripping through flesh, unveiling the rib cage formed from robust bones that snapped like dry twigs under his unrelenting grasp. Inside lay the heart. Sinking his teeth into the still-beating organ was akin to prying open a precious pearl encased within the ribs, the bones cracking like brittle twigs beneath his formidable grip.

Having sated his appetite by consuming the choicest portions, he discarded whatever seemed unworthy, flinging it aside. Seated beside the lifeless body on the bottom of the lake, he seized the hand, twisting it until the elbow joint surrendered with a gruesome pop. The skin tore haphazardly, leaving jagged edges adorning the amputated limb. Now he could relish the taste of human flesh as he bit into it.

This grotesque repast sustained him for the next few days, casting a pall of momentary satisfaction over his insatiable hunger. All that remained were bones, some still intact while others lay shattered, along with soiled garments and scattered remnants of meat.

Yet, he didn't forget about the girl named Miyaka. He toiled tirelessly to entice her back to the lake, driven by an unrelenting determination to make her his own once more.

_____________________________

Her husband was furious at her attempt to escape, and his anger had escalated to violence. The evening had been unbearable, her husband's rage unleashed upon her for daring to defy him and attempt to escape. He had scolded and hit her, his anger leaving her bruised and terrified. As a punishment, the man decided to confine her to a cramped guest bedroom in their shared, or rather his exclusive, house.

The memories of her near escape and her encounter with Touya, the merman, haunted her constantly. She longed for the soothing presence of the lake, where she had briefly found respite from her torment.

One evening, as the sun began to set and darkness crept over the land, she heard a faint, melodious voice carried by the evening breeze. It was distant, yet unmistakable. The voice belonged to Touya, the merman who had saved her life just a few days prior. The sound seemed to come from afar, but Miyaka was more than sure of its origin.

Miyaka cried throughout the day and night, her tears eventually lulling her to sleep in her cramped confinement. And there, in the depths of the night, the magical, soothing voice of Touya returned to her. Sometimes she would shake off the feeling, trying to rationalize that it was impossible for her to hear his voice from so far away. But in the lonely darkness of her captivity, she began to dream about the merman, his appearance simultaneously dangerous and alluring. His presence in her dreams became a lifeline, a glimmer of hope in her otherwise bleak existence.

One night, Miyaka decided to try her luck as their maid forgot to lock her in the bedroom after bringing her supper. The nights had become colder, and she threw a light coat over her shoulders, concealing her black dress beneath. Tiptoeing downstairs, she could hear her husband engaged in a conversation with his friends who had come to visit. Luck seemed to be on her side as she also heard the clinks of glasses, most likely filled with sake – it meant her husband wouldn't notice her leaving the house.

Quietly sneaking through the corridor, she closed the front door gently behind her. The cool night air filled her lungs, and a smile crept onto her lips – she felt free again.

Suddenly, a female voice emerged from the darkness on her left. "You shouldn't be seeing him, he's a demon," it cautioned. It was their maid, an old lady named Yuki.

Miyaka frowned and replied, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I just need to take a walk. I can't function like this."

Yuki sighed, her eyes filled with concern, and she moved closer, holding some logs in her hands. She reached out and gently placed one hand on Miyaka's shoulder. "My child, stay away from that lake, it's a cursed place. Many souls were lost there, long forgotten by this world. Don't let your sadness and loneliness drag you there, to that hellish place."

Miyaka shook the hand of the older woman off her shoulder. "Please stop, Yuki-san. I'm a grown-up, and I know how to take care of myself. I've been there many times before, and I've never seen or heard anything unusual," Miyaka lied smoothly. "People often concoct unusual stories, usually to frighten children away from venturing there on their own, to prevent accidents or drownings. And don't tell my husband you saw me."

Yuki let out a deep sigh, her eyes carrying a sadness that seemed to weigh her down. "You're making a mistake, my child."

But Miyaka wasn't listening anymore. She was already running towards the lake, as if some strange, invisible force was pushing her towards it.

Touya's throat felt raspy as he completed his haunting melody. A gnawing doubt crept in, questioning the worth of straining his vocal cords for the sake of a pitiful human.

With an irritated growl, Touya glared at the moon before submerging himself back into the water. He couldn't help but feel frustrated that the woman hadn't been devoured when she first plunged into the lake; it seemed like that was her intention after all. Yet, the irresistible urge to play with human pathetic life had taken precedence.

As he rested on the lake's bottom, he patiently waited, a glimmer of hope in his heart that perhaps she had at last heard his enticing voice, sparing him the need to actively seek her out once more.

Miyaka finally arrived at the lake, the moon casting an eerie glow over the surrounding woods. The night was heavy with a sense of foreboding, the tall trees looming like silent sentinels in the darkness. The lake, approachable through a narrow path in the woods, shimmered like a dark mirror, its surface reflecting the cold, distant stars.

As she crouched near the water, her fingers trembling, she tapped the surface with her fingertips, whispering his name in a hushed, desperate tone. Her heart pounded in her chest, and a chill ran down her spine. The air seemed thick with an unnatural stillness, as if the very forest held its breath, waiting for something to happen.

Miyaka's feelings were a tumultuous mix of fear and longing. She had been drawn here by an inexplicable force, a connection she couldn't explain. Her mind told her to flee this eerie place, to return to the safety of her husband's house, but her heart and soul yearned for something else, something she couldn't quite comprehend.

As she continued to call out to him, the water remained still, and a sense of dread settled over her. In the heart of the night, in the midst of the haunted woods, she was about to confront a reality she could never have imagined.

A shock of white hair emerged from beneath the water's surface, followed by a pair of radiant blue eyes that observed her with an eerie, almost otherworldly glow, resembling the lost flames of souls.

So she had returned! The woman had willingly walked back into the snare that would ultimately lead to her demise. It was a stark testament to the foolishness of humans, their vulnerability to the allure of his voice despite their long-standing awareness of water creatures like him. Truly, their ignorance was nothing short of pathetic.

As the woman extended her hand into the water, he gracefully swam closer and gently enveloped her hand with his own, guiding it beneath the water's surface just enough to plant a delicate kiss on the top of her palm. To her, it likely appeared as a customary human gesture, but for him, it was an opportunity to savor her essence once more, and she tasted exquisite.

He released her hand and revealed his full form to her. "You've returned, miss," he stated calmly. "I thought you were too frightened of me to come back."

When her hand dipped into the water, she felt a gentle pull, and her breath caught as the merman's lips pressed against the top of her palm. It was a fleeting gesture, one that she perceived as a kind human custom, but the sensation sent shivers through her.

As he let go of her hand, she finally saw him in his entirety. He revealed himself to her, and she was spellbound by his otherworldly appearance. His words reached her ears, and she couldn't help but respond, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and fascination. "I... I couldn't stay away," she admitted, her gaze locked on his mesmerizing eyes. "I don't understand what's happening, but there's something about you that draws me back, despite my fear."

"Oh? Is that so?" He mused with a hint of curiosity. Without further ado, he gracefully submerged beneath the water's surface without unnecessary words.

Miyaka watched with a mixture of fascination and trepidation as he hummed and disappeared beneath the water's surface. Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited for his return, her mind awash with questions and a growing sense of unease.

She couldn't help but wonder what secrets lay hidden beneath those dark, mysterious waters.

Touya emerged from the murky water just a moment later, but there was something different about him this time.

Instead of his tail, Touya was now standing on his own two legs. His body was strong, but his skin was pale with dark purple splatters all over it. He sighed deeply, running a hand through his wet hair.

Then he turned to her, standing there like the day he was born, completely unbothered by his nakedness. "Maybe it was destiny itself that brought you here, or perhaps you are in love, miss. How about we take a little walk?" he hummed, using his voice in a specific way to maintain his control over her.

Miyaka's eyes widened in shock as she saw him looking more like a human. Her cheeks flushed at his nakedness, and at first, she turned her head away, trying to regain her composure. His voice, however, was so sweet and enchanting that she found herself unable to resist his offer.

With a shy smile, she finally met his gaze and nodded in agreement. "A walk sounds nice," she replied, her voice slightly trembling.

"Then, come on, for it would be my privilege to stroll alongside a lady of your grace," Touya whispered, his voice a gentle melody, its soft vibrations resonating in the quietude of the night.

As they embarked on their journey, the moonlight filtered through the forest canopy, bestowing an otherworldly glow upon their surroundings. Miyaka found herself caught in a swirl of emotions. On one hand, the night's beauty enthralled her — the moon's tranquil reflection upon the serene lake and the enigmatic presence of her companion held an undeniable allure.

Yet, beneath this surface enchantment, a lingering fear clung to her heart. She walked alongside a creature she could barely fathom—a being who had both saved her and possessed the potential to harm her. Her steps were cautious, her senses acutely attuned, yet she couldn't deny the strange magnetism of the situation that kept her near him.

"Touya," she ventured with trepidation, "you mentioned being a siren earlier, and I believe you obviously... But I've been pondering... What sustenance does a being like you feed on?"

The merman gazed at her through half-lidded eyes, offering a subtle shrug of his shoulders. "I am indeed a siren, and I'm pleased that you trust me. If you're truly curious, I subsist on fish and other creatures that dwell within this very lake." Touya gently entwined his hand with hers, their fingers interlocking. "Is there a particular reason for your concern?" he inquired softly.

Miyaka's fingers held onto Touya's hand with a hint of tension as she confessed, "Our maid, Yuki-san, she warned me about you. She called you a devil and spoke of the many people who have disappeared near this lake." Her gaze wavered between fear and fascination as she continued, "Despite her warnings, I couldn't resist the pull of this place, and of you."

In response, Touya emitted a low purring sound and drew a bit nearer, his hand reaching to tenderly brush her cheek. "People often spin tales to frighten children or to add intrigue to their lives," he remarked, his voice laced with a soothing quality. "Do you truly believe I would have saved you if I were the monster they depict?" he lied smoothly.

Miyaka yielded to the allure of Touya's touch, her fear momentarily giving way to an inexplicable attraction. "I... I don't know what to believe anymore," she confessed, her voice quivering with uncertainty. “But I trust you…”

As they continued their walk, Miyaka was suddenly assaulted by a foul odor that made her wince and scrunch up her nose. "Oh God, what an awful smell!" She scanned the area, trying to locate the source of the stench.

Dabi's brow furrowed with a sense of foreboding; he already had a suspicion about what she was referring to. It was likely the remains of the girl who had come to the lake before her, her torn and discarded body now possibly decomposing in the tall grass, right where he had left it; Touya had no inclination to allow the wretched remnants of a pitiful human to decompose within the sacred waters of his lake. He cursed himself for not disposing of it more discreetly, hiding the evidence of his previous encounter.

Miyaka couldn't resist investigating the foul odor. She carefully approached the nearby bushes, her heart pounding with dread. As she parted the dense foliage, she was met with a gruesome sight.

There, partially concealed among the tangled branches and leaves, were the decaying remains of what appeared to be a human. The body was in a horrifying state of decomposition, and the stench was overwhelming. Maggots crawled in and out of the decomposing flesh, and Miyaka felt bile rise in her throat.

She stumbled back, horrified by the grisly discovery. "Oh my God," she whispered, her voice trembling with shock and disgust. "What... what is this?!" The realization that something terrible had happened here sent shivers down her spine. "Oh my dear God!" She started crying.

Touya swiftly ensnared her in his grasp, drawing her nearer as his arms coiled around her, a tight and sinister embrace. His hushed whispers carried an eerie weight, like a sinister lullaby meant to enthrall. "You humans are often desperate creatures," he murmured, his tone taking on a dark, chilling timbre. "I didn't know she was here. She probably came for the same reason you did those days ago, but she succeeded."

The sinister undercurrent in his words hung in the air, weaving a web of unsettling secrets and uncertainty. Miyaka's heart raced as Touya pulled her into a tight hug, but his touch only intensified her fear and disgust. The overwhelming desire to escape this situation consumed her, like a trapped animal seeking freedom. As her mind churned with conflicting emotions, the feeling of unease grew stronger. She needed to get away, to put distance between herself and whatever had transpired here. "That's disgusting! Poor soul..." she whispered, her voice trembling. 

But then realization struck, and her horror deepened. "Wait... How do you know it was a woman? These remains are unrecognizable, you can't determine who it was... Oh my God... oh my God, you killed her..." Miyaka began to back away slowly, her eyes filled with a terror that clawed at her very soul.

Touya's frown deepened as he regarded her, her skepticism gnawing at his patience. His voice, laced with irritation, rumbled like distant thunder, "You are too quick to pass judgment, miss. My existence is far removed from your understanding, and my senses perceive the world in ways you cannot fathom."

Turning away from her, he continued in a lower tone, his words designed to play on her human psyche, "I saved your life, yet you accuse me of murder."

Miyaka, caught in a conflict of emotions, felt a wave of guilt cascade over her like a shadowed waterfall. Had her accusations been too hasty, she wondered? Touya's words, though cryptic, resonated with a strange sincerity. Yet, the puzzle pieces of this enigmatic encounter didn't quite fit into the mosaic of her understanding.

Opting to retain her doubts in the vault of her thoughts, Miyaka approached Touya, her arms encircling his waist from behind with a hesitancy akin to a delicate breeze quivering through a forest of doubts. Her voice trembled, a blend of trepidation and contrition as she spoke. "I... I apologize if I misconstrued, Touya. The world here feels surreal, and my fear cast shadows over my judgment. Forgive me."

Touya's lips curled into a smile, hidden from her eyes. In her vulnerability, her heartstrings resonated to his voice's enchanting tune. The pieces of his plan were falling into place as he desired.

He released a deep, contemplative sigh, his fingers gently caressing the arms wrapped around his waist. His voice, a velvet whisper, embraced the still night air. "Yes, I saved you. If I were the monster you fear, you would have been my meal the very day you graced the water with your presence. But, dear miss, I forgive you, for there's something about you that intrigues me."

Miyaka's voice quivered as she made her request, her longing for confirmation overpowering her doubts. "Touya," she murmured, the name like a sweet melody on her lips, "would you... kiss me? To anchor this moment in reality, to assure me that I'm not merely adrift in some dream?"

Touya's hands gently slid to Miyaka's, separating them from his waist. He released himself from her embrace and turned to face her, his smile still present as he cupped her face with his cool palms. "Sirens are known for granting wishes. Your wish is my command, fair lady," he whispered softly before leaning in to kiss her.

Their kiss was both slow and intense, a dance of desire and mystery. Touya's sharp teeth clanked against hers, but he quickly took control of the kiss, his forked tongue parting her lips, exploring her mouth.

Miyaka responded eagerly to Touya's kiss, her initial hesitation giving way to a surge of desire and curiosity. Her hands began to explore his physique with a boldness she hadn't known she possessed. Fingers traced the lines of his pale skin, feeling the strange yet alluring texture of his body. As their lips moved in a passionate dance, her fingers traveled from his chest to his back and further south, grasping his ass. Her tongue danced with his.

Touya blinked, and retreated, his gaze locked on her with a smug, playful smile dancing on his lips. He ran his tongue over his mouth. "Behold, dear lady, clutching a monster’s ass, nurtured by the wild with manners undefined?" he mused with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Miyaka's cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson as she felt the heat of embarrassment wash over her. She stammered out an apology, her words a mixture of guilt and confusion. "I'm... I'm so sorry," she murmured, her voice quivering. "I don't know why I did that. It was impulsive, and I should never have... I didn't mean to offend you." Her eyes averted, unable to meet his gaze, she felt a strange mixture of attraction and shame clouding her judgment.

The monster chuckled, capturing her lips with a playful kiss, his palm caressing her cheek. This time, his arms enveloped her waist, and his hands embarked on a slow journey downward, firmly fondling her ass.

Miyaka's gaze locked with Touya's as she struggled to find the words to convey her complex feelings. "Touya," she began, her voice filled with uncertainty, "I want to be with you, but I'm lost. I don't know what to do or how to navigate this... connection we have... What am I supposed to do?"

Touya emitted a soft, melodic hum, gently pressing his forehead to hers. "You see, my dear, you have the power to rid yourself of your tormentor, to break free from those chains that bind you. Return to me, and I shall envelop you in a love that knows no bounds, a love that will shield and cherish you," he whispered, his words like a seductive melody. 

Dabi couldn't contain his satisfaction. He marveled at how effortlessly he manipulated her. She was not only surrendering herself willingly, but she was also unwittingly becoming a pawn in his sinister game. The thrill of her impending arrival, the promise of chaos in her wake — oh, how he relished it all!

In that surreal moment, Miyaka found herself strangely drawn to the merman's words. The idea of breaking free from her tormentor, of taking control of her own destiny, it all felt so tempting, so liberating. The plan that had sounded wrong at first now seemed like the path she was meant to take, the one that would finally lead her to a life free from the clutches of her abusive husband.

She hesitated for just a moment, the weight of her decision sinking in, and then, with newfound determination, she whispered, "Yes... I'll do it. I'll break free from him, no matter what it takes." 

Using his seductive voice, he whispered into her ear, his tone laced with malice, "Do it. Show him what you're truly made of, and we shall be bound together for eternity." His words were a siren's call, leading her deeper into the abyss of darkness that he reveled in.

Touya watched Miyaka's retreating figure, a sinister smile curling on his lips as he imagined the torment he would inflict upon her. To him, she was nothing more than a pawn in his twisted game, a foolish woman who had fallen right into his meticulously set trap. The prospect of torturing her and relishing in her suffering thrilled him.

_____________________________

That night Miyaka found herself trapped in a nightmare. She stood alone in a strange, dark room that seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions. There was no light, no discernible features, just an overwhelming sense of oppressive darkness that threatened to swallow her whole.

The first thing that assaulted her senses was the pungent scent of blood, heavy and metallic, hanging in the air like a suffocating fog. It clung to her, filling her nostrils with a sickening, nauseating aroma that made her stomach churn with dread.

As she cautiously took a step forward, her footsteps echoed eerily in the void, the sound resonating through the darkness. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the fear intensifying with each passing moment. She called out for help, but her voice seemed to vanish into the abyss, swallowed by the oppressive silence.

The room felt like a labyrinth, a never-ending maze of despair. Miyaka's breath quickened, and her skin prickled with a cold, clammy sweat. Panic welled up inside her as she desperately searched for an escape, but the darkness remained unyielding, trapping her in its suffocating grip. 

In the next moment, the oppressive darkness was pierced by a strange, eerie light that suddenly illuminated a portion of the floor in front of her. The ghastly scene that unfolded was horrifying beyond imagination.

There, sprawled out in a grotesque and mangled state, lay a heavily destroyed female body. It bore the unmistakable marks of teeth, deep and savage, along with numerous bruises and cuts inflicted by sharp, brutal claws. The sight was enough to make her blood run cold, and a wave of revulsion surged through her.

The lifeless figure on the ground seemed to be a cruel testament to unimaginable violence. It was as if some malevolent force had unleashed its fury upon this unfortunate soul, leaving behind a gruesome tableau of suffering and torment.

Miyaka's breath hitched, and her heart pounded in her chest as she gazed upon this macabre scene. The strange light continued to flicker, casting eerie shadows that danced across the lifeless form. She felt a suffocating dread wash over her, realizing that she was trapped, unable to escape the horrors that lurked in the shadows.

Suddenly, amidst the surreal horror, Miyaka heard a grotesque noise that resembled something being voraciously chewed. Her heart raced as she turned her head to the side slowly, where the eerie light flickered once more, revealing a chilling sight.

In the dim illumination, she saw a dark figure, unmistakably Touya, slowly devouring a still-beating heart held in his clawed hands. His sharp claws dug into the quivering meat of the organ, his eyes glinting with a sinister hunger.

The gruesome scene played out before her eyes, and she was paralyzed with terror, unable to look away from the horrifying spectacle unfolding in this twisted nightmare. Miyaka's terror reached its zenith as she opened her mouth in a desperate attempt to scream, but to her horror, no sound escaped her lips. Her voice had been stolen by the darkness surrounding her.

The next moment, she was outside, and the moon hung low in the obsidian sky, casting a sinister pallor over the desolate landscape. The eerie silence was shattered by the mournful cries of ghostly sea creatures that drifted ominously in the air, their twisted forms contorted in agony.

Amidst this nightmarish scene, the water's surface rippled and churned, as if it were alive with malevolent intent. From the inky depths, a grotesque figure emerged. It was Touya, but he bore no resemblance to the benevolent creature she had encountered before. His once-lustrous white hair now hung in limp, tangled strands, darkened with the stains of blood and decay. His eyes, once mesmerizing pools of turquoise, were now empty voids, devoid of any humanity. His scales and fins had become jagged and twisted, oozing with an otherworldly ichor.

Touya's mouth gaped open unnaturally wide, revealing rows of serrated teeth, each one gleaming with an eerie luminescence. He lurched toward Miyaka, his movements disjointed and unnatural, as if he were a puppet controlled by some malevolent force. With a gut-wrenching lurch, his grotesque form surged out of the water, and he loomed over her, his breath rancid and putrid. He reached out with his twisted, clawed hands, and ripped right through her chest, pulling her heart out; his touch sent a searing pain through her body.

The next moment, Miyaka found herself standing at the edge of the dark lake once more, alone. The haunting memories of what she witnessed still lingered, but a strange compulsion had drawn her back to this place.

She began to undress, her trembling fingers fumbling with the fabric of her dress. The moonlight cast a silvery glow on her as she shed each layer, leaving her vulnerable in the night. The cool breeze rustled the leaves in the surrounding woods, and the night seemed to hold its breath, as if nature itself watched in anticipation. With each piece of clothing that fell to the ground, she felt a strange sense of liberation, as if she was shedding not just fabric but the weight of her past as well. She stood bare under the moonlight, the lake's dark waters reflecting her silhouette.

Miyaka shivered, whether from the cold or from the anticipation of the unknown, she couldn't tell. 

As the woman stood by the edge of the lake, the moonlight illuminating her bare form, a sudden change in the atmosphere caught her by surprise. Without warning, the heavens opened, and rain began to pour down in a torrential downpour.

The raindrops drenched her, mingling with the tears that had welled up in her eyes. She felt the cool water cascade down her skin, as if nature itself wept for the strange and unsettling journey she had embarked upon.

The rain intensified, soaking the earth around her and turning the once-silent night into a cacophony of sound. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

As another loud clap of thunder echoed through the night, the world seemed to vibrate with its intensity. Miyaka stood drenched and shivering, the rain pouring down around her, when something utterly unexpected unfolded before her eyes.

From the dark depths of the lake, a figure began to emerge. Slowly and deliberately, Touya materialized, his form once again taking on a human shape. The rain-slicked water glistened on his bare skin, accentuating the contours of his body.

He stepped out of the lake, his movements graceful and unhurried, and stood before her in all his naked glory. The moonlight and raindrops played tricks with the shadows and highlights on his body, creating an almost ethereal, mesmerizing effect.

Miyaka's heart raced, and she couldn't tear her eyes away from this captivating sight. The storm raged around them, but in this moment, it was as if time had stood still, and the world held its breath in the presence of the enigmatic creature before her.

She watched helplessly as Touya's delicious naked body walked purposefully towards her. She felt as though her heart were consumed by a white-hot fire, and was being stabbed with a thousand needles, and she didn't know why. Never had she felt a pain even remotely like this before; it was horrendous. It was a pain she would never wish upon anybody, even a foe.

Touya wrapped his arms around Miyaka, pulling her close, and they both sank to their knees on the wet sand. The storm raged fiercer around them.

Touya, with a powerful force, pushed Miyaka down onto the ground, pinning her beneath his weight, the storm's intensity mirroring the tempestuous passion that had ignited between them.

Miyaka parted her lips, rolling her head back, as Touya's lips found the sweet spot on her exposed neck. His mouth closed over it, and a shiver of pleasure coursed through her as he gently sucked on the sensitive area, right where her pulse point was located.

The merman, displaying skill and patience, gently inserted two fingers into her, his groan reflecting the tightness he encountered. Leaving a trail of wet, open-mouthed kisses along her body, his head descended to her pussy, where he proceeded to wrap his lips around her needy core. Two fingers gently ran across her clit, up and down, up and down.

The woman moaned in pleasure at his fingers massaging her insides.

Touya seemed to be savoring every moment, leisurely tracing his tongue along her slit. His captivating turquoise eyes locked onto her, a mischievous smirk gracing his face as he reveled in the heavenly expression on her face. His forked tongue, with expert precision, skillfully explores every tantalizing crevice, evoking a passionate response that leaves her drenched with desire.

They shifted their positions, with her now kneeling between Touya's legs. She proceeded with deliberate and seductive movements, using her soft hands to sensually stroke his aroused member. A smile of satisfaction graced Miyaka’s lips as she noticed the uncontrollable moan that escaped the merman's mouth when her tongue made contact with the engorged head of his throbbing shaft.

A heated tongue writhed sloppily inside of her cunt, catching Miyaka off guard once more. 

Her breath caught in her throat, and she surrendered to the intense pleasure coursing through her. In a symphony of blissful moans and gasps, she couldn't contain herself, her body quivering as Touya's skilled hand rubbed her swollen clit raw.

Soon, Miyaka mounted Touya, aligning his throbbing dick with her glistening, slick  entrance. She eased his impressive length into her eager pussy, relishing the intense sensation of being stretched beyond what her husband had ever provided.

Touya's hands firmly gripped Miyaka's hips, and he drove himself into her with unrestrained fervor, lost in the primal rhythm of their connection. Each powerful thrust was accompanied by a guttural growl leaving his lips.

Miyaka's breath caught in her throat as she rested her hands on Touya's chiseled chest, snapping her hips back and forth, riding him like he would be a wild stallion. 

Her young body quivered as the successive waves of her climax surged through her. Miyaka's breathing quickened, and her gaze appeared to lose focus as if her eyes were drifting backward. She rode Touya for what felt like an eternity, and then, in a sudden motion, she forcefully slammed down on his throbbing dick, her pussy muscles clenching tightly around his shaft. As she relaxed her pussy slightly, merman shot hot, sticky ropes of cum deep within her core. Miyaka leaned forward to share a passionate kiss with him; their tongues danced together. 

As the ecstasy of the moment began to fade, Miyaka's senses returned, and she suddenly became aware of the rain growing thicker around them. But to her profound horror, when she reluctantly opened her eyes after breaking the passionate kiss with Touya, she realized that it wasn't water pouring down upon them; it was a deluge of blood, staining everything in a nightmarish crimson hue. 

Miyaka wanted to scream, to release the overwhelming anguish that gripped her, but no sound escaped her lips. Instead, she felt like she was suffocating, the blood rain gathering in her nose, making each breath a painful struggle.

After she blinked, Miyaka found herself standing by the side of their marital bed, a sinister calmness in the room as her husband slept soundly. The air was heavy with the weight of her suppressed emotions, and in the distance, she could hear the cruel slurs and insults he had hurled at her throughout their troubled marriage. Each word echoed in her mind, a painful reminder of the torment she had endured.

The anger within her boiled over, a searing rage that consumed her. Unable to contain her emotions any longer, she reached out and began to strike his chest with a fury she had kept buried for far too long. Her screams filled the room as she unleashed the pent-up hatred she felt towards him, her voice cracking with the intensity of her emotions. "I hate you!" she screamed, her voice raw with bitterness. "I hate everything about you!" Her fists hammered down, each blow a cathartic release of the pain and suffering she had endured in silence for too many years. The room seemed to close in around her as she confronted the source of her torment, the darkness of the night bearing witness to her long-suppressed fury.

_____________________________

A haunting, low moan pulled Miyaka out of her nightmarish slumber. Confusion gripped her as she slowly opened her eyes, disoriented and uncertain of her surroundings. It took a few bewildering moments, but then the horrifying realization struck her like a bolt of lightning.

She stood next to her marital bed, her trembling hand gripping a bloodied butcher's knife. On the bed, the nightmarish scene unfolded before her eyes — her husband, lying there with numerous gruesome cuts to his chest and neck, blood pooling around him. His eyes, filled with terror, locked onto her with a fading, desperate gaze, his voice stolen by the brutality of his wounds.

Miyaka's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the gruesome tableau of violence she had somehow become a part of. 

"Noooo!" Miyaka screamed. Her world shattered in a cacophony of horror as she screamed hysterically, the knife slipping from her trembling hand. Her husband's neck bled profusely, a torrent of crimson that stained everything it touched.

In sheer desperation, she pressed her trembling fingers against the gaping wound, trying to stem the relentless flow of blood. Warm, sticky liquid soaked through her delicate palms, mingling with her own tears splashing on top of her palms as they streamed down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, my love, I'm so sorry! Oh my God, what have I done?! What have I done?! Oh God!" Apologies escaped her trembling lips, choked with guilt and fear. 

As Miyaka stood over her husband, the time seemed to slow down. 

His once-threatening presence now lay vulnerable before her, his breaths shallow and labored. The weight of her decision bore down on her, and a tumultuous mix of emotions churned within her.

She knelt by his side, his life slipping away with each passing moment. His eyes, once filled with cruelty, now held a hint of fear and regret. The realization of what had transpired seemed to dawn on him in those final moments.

Miyaka watched as his chest rose and fell for the last time, his breaths growing weaker until they ceased altogether. His life ended in her arms, and as she looked down at him, a complex array of emotions washed over her — relief, sadness, and the haunting knowledge that her life had taken a dark turn. She had taken control of her destiny, but it had come at a cost she could never truly escape. The memory of his death would forever be etched into her soul. "What have I done..." Miyaka was whispering, her tears streaming uncontrollably.

The old maid, Yuki, was rudely awakened by the piercing screams that echoed through the once-quiet house. Fear gnawed at her as she rushed to the source of the disturbance, her trembling hands clutching the edges of her nightgown.

When she entered the room and laid eyes upon the nightmarish scene, Yuki’s own scream pierced the air. Horror contorted her features as she beheld the lifeless form of Miyaka's husband and the distraught Miyaka herself, tears streaming down her face.

Yuki, her voice shaking with dread, stammered, "What... What happened here, ma'am?! You... You murdered him!"

Miyaka, overwhelmed by the gruesome events, could only sob in response, trying to explain the inexplicable. She was lost in a maelstrom of emotions, her world unraveling before her eyes.

In the end, unable to bear the weight of her actions and the night's horrors, Miyaka made a fateful decision. She fled from the scene, her tear-streaked face a mask of desperation, and ran toward the only place she believed was safe — the dark embrace of the lake that had lured her with its eerie allure, where the enigmatic merman awaited her. Her mission was accomplished.

_____________________________

Touya's keen senses detected the hurried steps drawing nearer to the lake, and the unmistakable scent of blood hung heavy in the air. She had done it — Miyaka had followed through with their dark plan! He could already sense the turmoil coursing through her, her distress palpable.

With a predatory grace, he decided to rise to the surface of the water, and he waited there, anticipating her arrival.

Miyaka ran through the woods, her breath ragged and her heart pounding in her chest. Her once-silky, pink nightgown was now marred by dark stains of blood, a chilling testament to the horrors she had taken part in. Her long, dark hair was tangled and matted, wild strands framing her flushed cheeks.

She moved with a frantic urgency, her feet making a wet sound as they pounded against the damp earth. Every step took her farther away from the nightmarish scene she had left behind, but the memory of it clung to her like a shadow.

Miyaka reached the shore of the lake, her voice trembling as she called out for Touya. Her desperate cries echoed through the eerie stillness of the night, each plea carrying the weight of her fear and longing. "Touya!" she called, her voice quivering with emotion. "Please, I need you!" She scanned the dark waters, her heart racing in anticipation, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. 

Touya's head emerged from the water, his wet hair clinging to his pale skin, and his piercing blue eyes locked onto her. "My love," he beckoned, his voice soothing yet strangely commanding. "Why the distress? Didn't I promise to protect you? Come to me, and find the safety and solace you seek." His words were laden with an irresistible invitation, drawing her deeper into his world.

Miyaka, trembling all over her body, took slow, hesitant steps into the water. Her tear-stained face glistened in the moonlight as she approached Touya, her heart heavy with guilt and despair. She continued to cry, her voice shaky as she began to tell Touya about what she had done. "I... I did it," she whispered, her voice quivering with remorse. "I... I followed your words, and I hurt him. He's gone now." Her confession hung in the air like a dark cloud, and she looked into Touya's eyes, seeking some form of understanding or absolution for the choices she had made.

The water enveloped Miyaka, and she shivered involuntarily as its icy coldness seeped into her skin. The sensation sent a shock of discomfort through her, a stark contrast to the tumultuous emotions swirling within her. Her nightgown grew heavy, soaked with the icy water.

Touya extended his hand, gently seizing hers, and drew her closer, enveloping her in his warm embrace. One of his hands tenderly caressed her hair, his touch a deceptive contrast to the darkness that lay beneath.

He savored the sensation of her distress, finding it akin to sweet nectar, adding an intoxicating layer to the unfolding narrative of their entwined destinies.

"My sweet Miyaka," he murmured, his voice laced with a sinister sweetness. "Such a good girl." His praise was both soothing and unsettling, as he reveled in the intricate web of emotions he had woven around her.

Miyaka found solace in Touya's embrace, even as her body went numb from the cold water. His presence provided a strange comfort that she couldn't quite explain.

She looked up at him, her voice quivering, and asked in a trembling whisper, "What... What do we do now?" The world around her had descended into chaos, and she clung to him as her anchor in this bewildering nightmare.

Touya held her in a tight embrace, "I shall shield you, for you are mine," he said with eerie grace.

Miyaka looked up at Touya with worry in her eyes, her voice filled with desperation. "My maid... she saw what happened. I can't return to the estate. What should I do now?"

The monstrous being scoffed dismissively. "Don't concern yourself with that old hag. She knows nothing. You are under my protection now, and you shall remain safe for all time."

Miyaka snuggled closer to Touya, resting her head on the crook of his neck for comfort. Her curiosity piqued, she asked in a soft voice, "Touya, what are those dark purple spots on your skin? I forgot to ask earlier..."

"That's how my body looks," Touya replied openly, "They are just marks from years ago when some sailors tried to burn me alive after I killed their captain on the open sea."

Miyaka's eyes widened as she listened to his gruesome story. She struggled to reconcile this dark tale with the merman who had saved her and told her he had never attacked anyone. She asked, her voice filled with uncertainty, "But... you saved me, and you said you've never harmed anyone. I don't understand, Touya..."

"Perhaps it's because you're nothing more than a naive, little human," Touya chuckled, his hold on her growing stronger.

Miyaka winced as Touya's grip tightened, causing discomfort. She mustered the courage to speak up, her voice trembling. "Touya, your hold is hurting me," she said softly. "Please, let's not be unkind..."

"Well, my dear, I need to ensure my prized possession won't simply slip through my fingers," he remarked with a sinister smile. "Oh, I've been waiting for this moment for so long — to have you back in my embrace."

Miyaka attempted to slip out of Touya's strong embrace, but her efforts were in vain. Instead, a sudden force of his hands pushed her beneath the water's surface, and panic surged through her. She thrashed and struggled, desperate for air and to break free from the grip that had become suffocating.

Her distress only seemed to heighten his pleasure. The sight of her desperately thrashing around, fighting for her own life, sent a thrilling wave of excitement through him.

The merman seized a handful of Miyaka's hair and yanked her back up, a cruel grin on his face as she gasped for air. "Did you truly believe that I would want a pathetic human like you?" he taunted with a chilling edge to his words.

Tears streamed down Miyaka's face as she sobbed, her voice trembling with desperation. "Why are you being so cruel and nasty?!" she pleaded, her distress palpable in her words. "I love you, and I did what you told me to do so we could be together, Touya!"

Her cries echoed through the dark waters, mixing with the eerie ambiance of their surroundings. Her huge distress was like a storm within her, a maelstrom of emotions that threatened to consume her. She continued, her voice broken and filled with anguish, "You... you visited me in my dreams, brought me pleasure... Why are you doing this now?!"

Touya's voice dripped with cruelty as he responded, "Visit someone as pathetic as you? Never. But it seems my voice has indeed worked wonders on you." He playfully tugged at her hair even harder, causing her pain. "To me, you're nothing more than a piece of meat, and I take great pleasure in tormenting naive humans like you. It adds a delightful flavor to the meal." His words sent a chill down her spine as the darkness of their situation enveloped her.

The merman summoned his strength and, with a powerful motion, pulled Miyaka beneath the water with him. 

Her world plunged into darkness and turmoil as she was dragged into the depths of the lake, her struggles intensifying as she fought against the relentless force pulling her down. Sinister shadows danced around her, and she felt a suffocating pressure in her chest as the water closed in on her.

The eerie silence of the underwater world was broken only by the sound of her muffled cries. She could see Touya's malevolent grin in the dim light, his eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger. The water seemed to press against her, threatening to crush her as she struggled for breath, her desperate gasps for air drowned by the malevolent embrace of the lake.

Dabi launched a relentless assault on Miyaka. His sharp claws tore through the water, leaving vicious trails in their wake. With terrifying swiftness, he closed the distance between them, his razor-sharp teeth bared in a menacing grin. He attacked with ruthless ferocity, his claws raking across her skin, and his teeth sinking into her flesh. The water around them turned crimson as the horrifying struggle unfolded, and Miyaka's desperate cries were silenced by the watery abyss that enveloped them.

Miyaka's nightgown offered little protection as Touya's relentless assault continued. With a vicious tear, the delicate fabric was rent asunder, leaving her exposed to the cold, merciless waters of his lake.

Touya's clawed hands gently cradled Miyaka's cheeks, holding her gaze with a cold, unfeeling intensity. Their eyes locked in a chilling embrace as she struggled to hold onto the last remnants of breath in her burning lungs, each painful gasp a stark reminder of her impending doom.

In that haunting moment, beneath the unforgiving waters, they were locked in a macabre dance of predator and prey.

With a swift and cruel motion, Touya pierced Miyaka's chest with his clawed hand, the flesh yielding easily to his monstrous strength. A searing pain shot through her. Dark haired woman's senses barely registered the horrifying reality of what was happening. The world around her dissolved into a surreal blur, and the excruciating pain in her chest seemed distant, as if happening to someone else. As her life ebbed away, her consciousness faded into a murky abyss, and the last remnants of her existence were swallowed by the cold, merciless waters of the lake.

Touya tore the beating heart from her chest, the organ pulsating in his grip, still warm and alive. As he held it before him, the last vestiges of life ebbed away from Miyaka, her body going limp.

Touya, with a grotesque hunger, sank his sharp teeth into the still-beating heart he held in his clawed hand. The organ yielded to his bite, and the taste of youth surged into his mouth. He savored the sickeningly sweet taste. 

Once he had consumed the last morsel of Miyaka's essence, Touya's malevolent gaze turned towards the lifeless body he still held by the arm. A fleeting pang of guilt tugged at his consciousness, but he quickly dismissed the emotion. "You're mine now, forever," he declared, his monstrous arms embracing the lifeless form. "You'll remain with me for all eternity, sweet naive girl, at the bottom of my lake." 

Touya, in a sinister tone, offered a twisted form of thanks to the lifeless Miyaka. "Thank you for your heart, love," he murmured, his voice laced with malevolence. "It has provided me with the strength I needed to regain my full power." 

The waters of the lake seemed to shiver in response to his sinister words, bearing witness to the unholy pact forged in the depths.

After a moment of holding Miyaka's lifeless body close to his muscular chest, Touya swam further down into the unfathomable depths of the abyss that was the lake. With Miyaka's body firmly in his grasp, he descended into the darkness, disappearing from the realm of the living and vanishing into the watery tomb that was his dominion.

#lovhalloweenhorror #merman!Dabi #dabi x oc #dabi x female oc #dabi #touya todorki x oc #touya todoroki #bnha dabi #dabi smut #touya todoroki smut #dabi x oc smut #dabi my hero academia #mha dabi #todoroki touya #oc x dabi #fem!oc #dabi fanfic #touya imagine #touya #mha touya #bnha touya #bnha fanfiction #my hero academia #canon x oc #female oc #dabi angst #todoroki toya #toya todoroki #league of villains #mha angst

[henrywintersdearestgirl]

@celestialpoetry ‘s request, thank you for the support dove<3

I kind of based this character off of Meredith from If We Were Villains, which is my current read:)

summary: Henry meeting an embodiment of seducement and finding himself lusting after her

Temptress

Henry’s point of view:

The first time I saw her, I thought that it was the cigarette that clouded my vision. It even went through my head that I only imagined her.

But, it instantly cleared my doubts when I saw her multiple times later.

I only saw her from far-apart, and as time went by, I started to know more about her from here and there. She was in theatre, she dropped in mid-semester, no one knew where she came from and why she came to Hampden. Her hair was golden as the Sun, and always made in a nice way. Depending on how her hair was styled I knew what phase was she going through. If she was busy with exams, memorizing lines and running from practice to practice, her hair was trapped in a french twist. If she was relaxed and free, her hair was framing her face and back like a lion’s huge mane.

Her face, oh, her gorgeous face. She was beautiful, and the fact that she was aware of it and knew how to use it made it all better. Thick eyelashes, delicately curved nose, full lips caught between teeth, lusty eyes. Her body had curves that I wished I could grip into, her silky looking skin was hugged by silk or lace or fur.

She was sex on legs. A nymph. A goddess of seducement. A temptress.

No other woman had as much of an effect on me like she did. She lit a fire up within me with a single gaze of those eyes. She made me jealous of the people and even the wind that surrounded her. I wanted to suffocate any man that came closer to her.

The only contact I had with her was when our eyes met here and there. Whenever they did, she wasn’t shy, she let her eyes run up and down my body, she licked her those plush lips, bit them and let a sly smirk rest upon them. I smirked back at her and winked at her, I threw my manners out the window and checked her out.

Until one night, it was a cold night. I had an urging need to write, but my apartment couldn’t make the atmosphere I felt most inspired in. I put on a wool sweater instead of a shirt and I made my way toward the college’ library in my car. In the parking lot, I saw a blood red vintage car. The secluded library’s window showed that the fireplace within was lit up, someone was in there. I was fine with it as long as the person didn’t bother me with any annoying little habits.

I immediately felt my body relax at the warmth of the library, the warmth coming from the centre. The centre had a fireplace, a big rug in front of it and leather couches and armchairs that I was quite fond of. So, I made my way over to the centre.

My heartbeat quickened when I heard the voice from far apart.

“As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.

But she, being mortal, of that boy did die;

And for her sake do I rear up her boy,

And for her sake I will not part with him.”

Her honey-sweet voice hit my ears, she was practising her lines.

A few seconds later, she came into my vision. She was walking around on the rug, in front of the fireplace, a lit cigarette stuck between her slender, elegant fingers and her nails were painted blood red. How I wished that those fingers were caressing my skin and stroking my co—

“Hello there, Winter.” I was too lost in my perverse fantasies to notice that she turned around and now was looking at me with those seductive eyes of hers.

“Good evening.” I nodded and sat down on one of the couches. “Practise?”

She sat down on the same one as I did and took a long drag of her cigarette. “Trying to, if I’m honest I didn’t even come here to practise.”

I looked at her with awaiting eyes, gesturing to her to continue.

She streched her slender body and tucked her knees into her chest, I couldn’t help but glance down where her knees pushed against her delicate breasts. I wanted to devour her completely, I felt my trousers tighten at a million more fantasies of how I could make her mine and mine alone.

“The apartment above mine is having a gathering.”

“Are they drinking and stomping?”

“Almost, they are having an orgy.” She smirked at me, while taking a big gulp out of her flask.

I chuckled softly. “Good for them, I suppose.”

There was a comfortable silence between us. I looked at her to steal a glance, only to find her already looking at me with hooded eyes. She had a little smile on her lips, she suddenly reached up toward me and offered me her flask. I didn’t even care what she was offering me, she could have given me poison in it and I would have drank it eagerly. It sent a heatwave down my spine when I put my lips exactly where the print of her lipstick was.

“It’s a dirty martini.” She said when I gave it back to her.

“I could tell, it’s really good. Did you make it?” It really was good, the olive taste and sweetness mingled perfectly together.

“I’m glad you liked it, yes I made it. I have too much fun making all kinds of cocktails. When I was in my late teenage years, I worked in a bar, that’s where I learnt it all.” She was looking forward, as if she was telling tales to the fire. Her hands blindly reached for another cigarette, and so did I.

I couldn’t help, but smile at her. When she was talking about something she was enthusiastic about her eyes weren’t holding that lustful gaze of hers, more like wider, adorable eyes that reminded me of a doe.

I lit my cigarette with ease, and I noticed that her lighter was refusing to light up. “Oh damn it! It’s out, little fucker.” She mumbled under her breath.

Suddenly, she turned her head around to look me in the eyes..

There was something about her at that moment. Her hair was long and big, I wished to stroke it and pull it at the same time. The cigarette was between her lips that were painted a dark red. Her skirt rid up to the top of her thighs. I was lured in, and lured in deep.

She slowly crawled towards me from across the couch, when she got close, she supported herself on my knees. She leaned closer to my face, with a sultry look that made me want to fall to my knees at her every wish.

“Henry?” She whispered.

“Y/N?” I whispered back to her.

She leaned into my ear, I could smell her sweet scent all around me, I wanted to drown in it. My arms tightening with the need to just wrap themselves around her and show her pleasure on earth.

“Would you light my cigarette, please?” She leaned away and giggled, she was very well aware of the effect she left on me.

I lit my lighter up and she leaned into it, lighting the ashes to life. “You know what this means? When you light someone’s cigarette?”

I shook my head softly, there was an adoring smile on my face. She slowly got up and gathered her things, she stopped in front of me and said the answer.

“I’m your bitch now.” She smirked, everyone wanted her to be their bitch, I was no different. But, at the same time I was, I wanted to give her the world and worship her.

“And are you?” I smirked back at her in challenge, I was always up for a game.

“Do you want me to be?” She tilted her head in front of me, looking me up and down discreetly, there was hunger in her eyes, she had hunger for me.

I put my cigarette down and took hers too. I stood up and towered over her, my broad body nearly swallowing hers up. I let my fingers caress her hair and then wander to her cheeks, it was like caressing silk.

“I want you to be.” I whispered. “Let me take you out on a date, treat you nice, show you how you should be cherished. Let me give you the world.”

She closed her eyes, she loved to hear the words I said, and she loved that I was the one who said it. Behind that sultry gaze, I saw that she wanted me, and wanted me deeply.

She got up on her tiptoes and her lips were hovering over my ear. “If you want me, show it to me, show me that you really mean what you said. And then, if you are a winner, you may claim your prize.”

My blood stopped when I felt her plush lips press against my neck.

After many long seconds, she leaned away, winked at me and made her way out. From the window I could see the red vintage car driving away, of course it was hers.

I took my previous seat and watched the fire. She was playing hard to get, I loved it. I wanted to work for her love, I was fucking game.

I took my writing notebook out and I wrote one thing on the top of the page.

Temptress.

I found my muse.

———————

Yes, this will have another part dw I got you<3

Please, let me know what you think and thank you for reading:)

#henrywinter #thesecrethistory #henry winter #henrywintersmut #henrywinterimagine #henrymarchbankswinter #henry winter smut #the secret history fanfic #the secret history fanfiction #i love him #the secret history #henrywinterfanfic #tshfanfic #tshfanfiction #tsh spoilers #tsh #thesecrethistoryimagine #femme fatale #richardpapen #francis abernathy #francisabernathy #bunny corcoran #bunnycorcoran #charles macaulay #camillamacaulay #dark academia #donna tartt #chaotic academia

[cooking-with-hailstones]

To be mortal

Happy Loftwing Letters @mistresslrigtar!

This was written for the valentines gift exchange with the wonderful @zelinkcommunity, and thanks to @bahbahhh for beta-ing!

Read it here or on AO3

The strangest thing Zelda noticed, after they sealed Ganon away and collapsed into a heap together on Hyrule field, was having a body again. For a century Zelda had been incorporeal, everywhere and nowhere all at once, one with all things and yet nothing. She had been watching Link, watching Hyrule, watching Ganon struggle against the bonds that she had trapped him in. For a century she watched. And now here she was, all of her contained in flesh. It was like the sensation of returning to land after a long voyage at sea, but magnified through every cell of her being. She had cells again.

Adjusting to the limitations of a physical body took its time. For weeks after they returned to Link’s home in Hateno, she walked on wobbly legs and found herself stumbling around like a newborn calf. At first she barely recognized the sensations of exhaustion or hunger. Link began to figure it out as she got increasingly irritable in the evenings, and he would sometimes forcibly bundle her into the small loft bed, despite her feeble protests. Every time, she was out like a light within minutes. When her growling stomach forced her back into the waking world, Link would be waiting by her bedside with fresh bread and a steaming mug of soup.

There were times that she missed incorporeality. When the wind rattled the shutters of their small home, she wished that she could allow her consciousness to drift away on the breeze. When she sat by Firly pond, splashing the cold water with her feet, she longed to slip her spirit into its murky blue waters, looking at the world through the eyes of the frogs and the fish. It was strange to be contained all in one place, a separate entity from the earth and sky around her.

But she also delighted in the sensations of the flesh. Once after she came in from a long walk through the village, Link surprised her by excitedly handing her a slice of cake. Apparently he had discovered an old recipe that was bookmarked as the princess's favorite. He had spent a great deal of time perfecting it, and watched with delight as she took her first tentative bite. She relished the taste of the wildberry and apple mash in between two light and fluffy layers of sponge. The sharp tang and taste of the fruit mixing with the sweet sugars of the glaze. 

Another time, Link took her climbing along the Hateno cliffs, hiking down to the beach one afternoon after visiting Purah. They played in the waves and danced in the glittering spray of the sunset.

He also brought her silk trousers he had acquired from Rhondson in Tarrey Town, and she marveled at the exquisite softness of the material against her skin.

She was learning once again to love being mortal. To be skin and bone and sinew and muscle; that ate and drank and ached and sweated and slept. It was a journey of rediscovery, and her scientific mind, delighted and reacquainting herself with all of the molecules and atoms of herself.

That is, until she got a cold.

______________

Link had enjoyed witnessing Zelda's return to the corporeal. In many ways. It mirrored his own return to his body two years prior, when he awoke to her voice in the Shrine of Resurrection. The luxury of feeling the sun on bare skin, of drinking fresh cold water, eating a full meal and feeling your belly expand; there were so many delights to experience. He couldn’t wait to share everything he had rediscovered, that they could rediscover together. 

Her brilliant scientific mind was a perfect complement to his enthusiastic experimentation. She analyzed every fruit tart, wrote notes about how her feet felt numb after sitting still for too long, lingered over the feeling of every fabric in his inventory, marvelled at the brightness of the morning sunrise.

The head cold caught her completely off guard. 

“How did this happen?” she moaned from the loft as he added a dash more salt to some fortified pumpkin soup and ladled it into a large bowl.

“You were talking to the village children, and one of them sneezed on your face?” Link ventured teasingly as he walked up the steps to the loft, careful to not spill anything from the full bowl.

“Hylians shouldn’t be so susceptible to diseases from their young” she grumbled, sitting up slightly to allow him to place the soup in her lap. This was the third day in a row of such grumblings.

“One more thing for you to research once you’re healthy again.” he smiled, brushing a loose strand of chin-length blonde hair behind her ears. He liked the shorter hair. Zelda had very quickly decided that she did NOT like the sensation of long hair on the back of her neck, and now there was no one to complain if she sheared it off. 

She slurped the soup loudly, an affront to any remaining royal manners that she was now gleefully forgetting, before looking up at him quizzically. 

“Yes?” 

“It tastes... different” she sighed in frustration.

“You’re still sick. Things taste different when you’re sick.” 

“But WHY? ” 

Link shrugged. Zelda muttered something to herself, grabbing her notepad from the bedside table and jotting down some questions for later. She had tried to keep working after falling sick, but Link had insisted that she rest. The pencil and notepad was a compromise.

“What good is having a nose if it’s going to behave like this?” she lamented, slurping down more of the soup. Link couldn’t help but laugh.

“Get some rest, Zelda.” he said, tucking the covers more comfortably around her. She caught his hand in her own, and gave it a little squeeze of thanks. 

He paused, startled by her unexpected, tender touch. They had touched each other before, of course. Jostling each other in the kitchen, or leaning on each other while climbing down a steep cliff. But somehow this felt different. Before he could think twice, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. 

At that point, his brain caught up with his actions and he quickly pulled away, blushing furiously. He barely registered Zelda’s shocked face, spoon frozen halfway to her lips. Instead, he whirled away down the steps, panicking slightly and raking his fingers through his disheveled hair.

______________

Zelda didn’t see Link the next morning. Which was just as well, since she was feeling significantly better and was frankly uninterested in spending a minute more lying in bed. Still, it was unusual of him to not be at her bedside when she woke up. Instead she found another steaming mug of soup and a slice of bread on her bedside. She took advantage of the hot breakfast - which finally tasted normal again - before changing into a fresh linen shift and making her way downstairs. 

Pumping some water into the basin so that she could wash up, she glanced briefly out the window. Her breath caught in her throat.

Of course, he wouldn’t have gone far. 

Link was outside in the yard, drilling sword forms with an intensity she hadn’t seen from him since before the Calamity. Even in the cool morning air, he was shiny with sweat, muscles rippling across his bare back. She couldn’t help but stare. The strange fluttering in her stomach that she had felt the night before, after his unexpected but welcome kiss, came back a hundredfold. 

She forced herself to look away, scrubbing the dishes with unusual vigour. 

She spent the rest of her morning paying fierce attention to her notes, refining all the scribbles she had written from bed during her convalescence and making a list of questions that the village healer might have some answers for. Her fluttery innards were finally starting to calm down when Link came back in, still shirtless and soaked after having briefly rinsed himself off in the pond. 

She sucked in a breath. The sight of him was causing all kinds of physical sensations that she had no rational explanation for. 

He paused, meeting her startled gaze, before hastily pulling out the Sheikah slate and materializing an old comfortable linen shirt.

“You’re out of bed?” he mumbled.

“Yes, I am feeling much better today, thanks to your care.” she smiled, cursing this sudden awkwardness. 

The silence stretched out long and tense between them. Her stomach started fluttering again.

“Link, I - ”

“Yes?” he said softly.

“When you kissed me, yesterday...”

He blushed a deep shade of crimson. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have...”

“No!” she cut him off, crossing the space between them and grabbing one of his hands in her own. “No, its... I wasn’t sure how to react. It was, well, it was a new sensation for me.”

Link hadn’t moved away after she had taken his hand. In fact, she wasn’t sure if he was still breathing. 

A sudden impulse struck her. “Would you... would you do it again?” she whispered.

A beat of silence passed between them. She was just about to apologize, to let go of his hand and say forget it, when he pulled her close and pressed another, gentle kiss to her forehead. 

Like lightning in a summer storm, she felt it again what she felt the night before. The fluttering, the jolt down her spine that was entirely unlike anything she had felt since returning to her body. She shivered with delight.

“Again?” she gestured to her cheek, and he obliged without any hesitation. Heat spread across her face from where his lips brushed against her. She needed more, needed to know more, to feel more.

“...Again?” she sighed, hardly daring to point at her lips. He leaned in, this time without any hesitation, and pressed his lips ever so gently to her own.

#zelink #fanfiction #zelink fanfiction #post botw #sickfic #pre-totk #zelink first kiss #first kiss #canon compliant #musings on mortality #legend of zelda #breath of the wild #emily writes #my writing

[regal-bones]

do you have a synopsis for curated curios? :3 The art looks super interesting!

Oh thats such a fun question!!! I guess I've never posted like a general synopsis before - lemme ramble!

Curated Curios is an anthology of short stories set in this fantasy universe I have built up. Each chapter is a short story from somewhere across The Continent, (which if you click here I have an interactive map of!) Some chapters are standalone short stories exploring the world, and others will contribute to an underlaying story.

Oh, also - there is an underlaying story. We follow the masked Curator and his crew on a voyage across the world. Having just rounded the first half of The Continent and braved the Western Deadlands (which if interests you, is a lil web novella you can go read for free right now!), the ship now rests at the southernmost tip of the Shale Flats. They follow the coast counterclockwise, on route to the warm wind from the north, and looking for a mysterious Her.

What are the intentions of this masked cult? Who is She? And what lies underneath that golden mantle...

And, I feel like I'm boosting this all the time, if you want to get a general vibe for the Curator's storyline, please check out this video!

But yeah, thats pretty much the gist! If you have a look through my tumblr I post pretty constantly about this universe in the little writings underneath my art. In fact, a few of the swords I made last month were from this story or the universe!

FAMILY HEIRLOOM - Redwood! This is quite an important sword

ASYMMETRICAL - The Curator's Blade

LANTERN - From the Island of Ghosts

CHAIN - A trapped Auramic Entity

SHELL - From Chiton

VEINED - From Marrun

WITCH - From the Pinelands

Also mainly for new followers (which, hello! thank you all for joining me!) if you like magic items, and want to explore this world even more there's 59 magic items I've made for this world, all usable in your DnD games! Going to add the mentioned swords above to this list when I get the time to write up their stats!

If you can spare a coin, this project is entirely funded by my Patrons, which is just £1! The first chapter is free! Click here!

And you can read the rest here!

Thank you for the ask, and sorry for this post ended up so big! If you ever have questions about the project, as you can tell I am eager to GUSH at a moments notice! Thank u again! <3

#i will utilise my degree in creative writing or die trying #but THANK YOU this was cathartic #and yes ! to all my new followers who joined over the month #hello hello! i hope you stick around! #maybe read a story? #but until I can get Sprout stuff off of the ground CC is on a little standstill #BUT maybe ill get one of the unrelated fun short stories out to you all soon? #want to explore the backstory of the veined sword 👁

[mako-neexu]

from anon of @nasuversekinkmeme: gudako is trapped in a singularity/lostbelt/situation which can only be escaped by relaxing and taking at least one goddamn break 

There it was, written in the sky, in words made from a jet’s smoke: “The Singularity can only be solved when the Master of Chaldea relaxes to the fullest.”

“P.S. There’s no tricks here, Senpai. Just do what is written above, teehee~”

Actually, Mash was in on this. She was to be the guide for Senpai as the Servants organized the facilities with them as its host and even went this far to create a singularity. Normally, she’d be opposed to it…

But Senpai has been running herself ragged to the point where it reminded her of Doctor Roman’s exhaustion. It really hurts seeing her push herself even farther after defeating ORT.

Each minute Singularity spawned, each time she’s got silver and golden apples to spare, she threw herself in simulations and battles to earn them mana and replenishable resources while in the destination. 

Even King Hassan and Edmond Dantes (who rose from Senpai’s shadow that one time she was eating in the cafeteria late at night. Mash definitely walked in on them like that.) advised her to rest! 

Yet, she just smiled it off.

Senpai’s body collapsing in the middle of a fight was the last straw, with the dark circles under her eyes pushing it.

BB had been the one to tell her that the Operation: Just Fucking Sleep was in the works last week, and she even produced a brochure and a manual for her to memorize. Of course, Mash had been skeptical. But even BB, BB was seriously concerned for Senpai’s well-being.

So here they were, in a large resort complete with a theme park, vast fields of different flowers and forests, several restaurants, other buildings, and they somehow managed to fit the Tokyo Dome too. Overall, it both looked chaotic and organized at the same time.

Mash looked at Ritsuka brightly, who was forced to wear new casual attire mystic codes along with her, “So, Senpai, there’s a map and some VIP passes over there. Shall we see what to enjoy first?”

Ritsuka’s response was to yawn and tap on her communicator, “Hold on a sec, Mash.” And she tapped on her communicator, only to see static. “We’re cut off from Chaldea? The magical energy isn’t that dense though? I think it’s just around 40%-ish”

…It seriously was concerning that Senpai can gauge the mana density alone even without the help of their detectors.

“A-Anyways, Senpai,” Mash held her hand and led her to a small table containing their passes and maps. “Yesterday, I heard you wanted to see a boyband from some of the male Servants? We didn’t get the chance to see them much during that time with Miss Crane after all. And look, Senpai! There’s even hot springs located in the north-east!”

Mash was trying her best.

She really, really was trying to make Ritsuka’s attention go to the more interesting ones, the ones she was sure she wanted to see. Like Mandricardo, Kintoki, Fergus and others forming a band, enjoying the beach without ANYTHING going wrong.

There’s an observatory with Erice and Voyager managing it, and there’s another theater dedicated to plays and classical music, with Mozart, Marie, and Salieri managing it (barely, uh, considering their relationship).

The streets and sights were also built close to Senpai’s hometown with a few modifications from Servants that make it both look different yet the same. Heck, there’s even NPCs to help make it an experience where it’s not completely a ghost town with only them to enjoy it.

There’s even lucky spots to roll gacha on (definitely not blessed with Merlin and Lady Avalon’s magic) to which would ease the pain of losing all the crystals Senpai saved in her phone.

But no. Ritsuka’s gaze was fixated on the top left corner of the map, where a bright-pink and evil looking double ‘B’ was pasted on an ordinary looking building.

Senpai waved her hand and hummed, “Let’s do that later, Mash. Let’s see first what BB really wants from us. Last time she did something like this, we were stuck in a time loop.”

Noooo- that would defeat the purpose of the Singularity!

“Oberon is running a hot dog stand, Senpai.” She blurted out, trying to find a way to loosen Ritsuka up.

But she only laughed and took a swig of her energy drink (where did she get that??? Mash swore that was the brand of energy drink more potent than pure acid) “Pfft- shit, let’s bully him with Castoria later, lol. Let’s see him after we determine our next course of action to get the Grail.”

Mash pouted, “But Senpai, BB already said it in the sky to relax-”

And then she started making her way down the hill they were on, Ritsuka turned her back and grinned, “And don’t worry! I’ve got plenty of apples in store just in case we need to farm some currency again. Also, I saw a shop there that sells eight hundred Proof of Hero and a fuckton of Gems!? There’s a bonus three million QP every item too! Gah, I seriously need it for Ordeal Call!”

…And Senpai, who was used to grinding to the point of making sure her things to exchange were at least in the ten-thousands if the shop has just a few of what they need, and then there’s here, where it’s basically paradise…Mash realized something:

They were never gonna get out of here, huh?

#fgo #fate grand order #mash kyrielight #guda #fujimaru ritsuka #mako: disappears into the void

[nightghoul381]

Silvio 3rd Anniversary Event

A Beast's Dream Realized by Beauty

Epilogue

Warning: Explicit Content | NSFW | MDNI

My first voyage and treasure hunt with Emma was an extraordinarily dark reminder of my childhood dreams.

If I could, I’d erase that treasure from my memory.

But that didn’t matter to Emma, who held the box with the worthless paper and stone as though it were a precious treasure.

…I even feel a little happy about it.

That night, when everyone was asleep—

I wrapped Emma, body chilled by the night wind, in my cloak and carried her straight to the bathroom.

(She used to scream with embarrassment every time I picked her up, but now she seems to be getting used to it.)

I put Emma down and she pulled the cloak more snugly around herself.

Silvio: “Look, we’re here. Take off your clothes and get in the hot water—”

Emma: “Did you think I was going to stay quiet the whole time?”

As if timed, Emma’s hands grabbed my clothes and started pulling them up.

Silvio: “Damn it, don’t do stupid stuff like ripping my clothes! Take your own clothes off, not mine.”

Emma: “I only did it so you would feel as embarrassed as me, Prince Silvio.”

(You’ve got guts, if that’s what you’re after…)

~~~~

Emma / Silvio: “……”

By the time we were soaking in the tub after stripping off each other’s clothes, we were both exhausted and remained silent for a while.

Emma turned in my arms, quietly looking up at me.

Emma: “…Please say something.”

Silvio: “…Ack.”

Emma: “That’s just a weird sound.”

Silvio: “After a scuffle, all you can do is make weird sounds.”

Emma: “Fufu, sure. A little while ago we were making more noise than children.”

Silvio: “I wonder what grown-ups would do.”

(Really, what are we doing. Adding to our fatigue, we’re idiots.)

Even though that’s what I think, I don’t mind doing stupid stuff with Emma.

Suddenly her beautiful back comes into view, and I lift her thin arms to look at it.

Emma: “Umm, is something wrong?”

Silvio: “For someone who was caught in so many traps, you don’t have a single scratch.”

Emma: “I was careful because I knew someone would be overly worried about even a small scratch.”

Silvio: “That’s a good attitude, but I don’t like the way you said it.”

Emma: “Hey…”

I suck hard on Emma’s neck, making her shiver and let out sweet noises.

Silvio: “I’m the only one who can leave marks on your skin.” 8823

Silvio: “If you want to go out to sea together in the future, be careful not to get any scratches.”

Emma: “I understand, ahh…ngh…”

(Hearing your sweet for just a second is all it takes.)

(My reason is blown away like an idiot.)

I kiss her again and again as if trying to steal her breath and I run my hands over her breasts.

The sight of her desperately trying to respond while letting out muffled whimpers is so erotic it’s dizzying.

Emma: “Oh God…!”

Her sensitive spots were so aroused that I could see them even in the hot water, and even just lightly brushing against her insides has her trembling.

(I’m sorry, but I’m already at my limit.)

Emma: “Ah, Prince Silvio… not yet, aahh…..!”

Embracing the exhausted and weak Emma, I lift her before slowly lowering her on my cock.

Her walls tightened as if to pull me deeper and I desperately try to endure being taken in all at once.

(It’s so satisfying, but it’s still not enough.)

(My desire for ‘more’ is growing, and I’m forgetting how to control it.)

(Emma tries to take it all in, which makes it even more…)

(Ha… I’m nothing but a lucky man.)

Emma smiles happily when our eyes meet, and my greed grows again.

(I can’t believe that now, I almost like to be pushed around a little bit.)

(I don’t get it, then I look at you and I don’t give a shit.) 8842

(You’re the only one who can give me the kind of weakness that comes with falling in love.)

A few days later—

(Ah…there.)

Emma had handed me a clearly handmade treasure map.

I headed to the location indicated on the map, checked the bushes, and found a wooden box with a few books in it.

(Did you really try to hide it? Even a kid would’ve thought it through a bit more.)

Or maybe this was the result of her desire that I find it.

(…well, you never know.)

The treasure hunt from a few days ago crossed my mind.

Incidentally, the stone from the treasure chest was on display in Emma’s room…

I was embarrassed and tried to pick it up, but I was threatened with ‘I won’t listen to you for a month’ so I had to comply.

(Jeez, a month. That’s torture.)

(Alright. So what’s in the box…paper?)

When I opened the box, I found only a small piece of paper, which for some reason said ‘turn around’.

(I don’t get it, is it some kinda riddle?)

Following the instructions, I turned around…

Emma: “Congratulations!!”

Silvio: “Uwaa, hey! Don’t hug someone while they’re turning around, their heart could stop!”

Emma: “It’s okay, Prince Silvio isn’t that weak.”

(This woman, calmly returning… hmm?)

A soft, sweet scent grazes my nose.

Silvio: “That bag in your hand, is it sweets?”

Emma: “Ah, you knew by the smell. This is the real treasure!”

Emma: “The theme is treasures of the world. I’ve made cookies for all of the treasures you’ve found so far.”

Silvio: “You get fired up over the strangest things.”

Emma: “I thought about that too, but it was already too late to turn back, so I kept going.”

Emma: “Look at this masterpiece.”

Silvio: “Did you purposely make it so elaborate?”

(This is at a level that could be turned into a sellable product.)

Emma: “Yes, Prince Silvio, say aah.”

Silvio: “I’ll eat it myself, give it to me.”

Emma: “…”

Silvio: “Aah shit, fine just feed it to me! Stop lookin’ so depressed.”

Shaking off my shame, I ate the cookie offered to me.

Emma: “Do you like it?”

Silvio: “Don’t bother askin’ what you don’t need to hear.”

Silvio: “…of course, it’s delicious.”

Emma: “Fufu, thank you.”

Emma looks at the box beside us.

Emma: “It makes me so happy to have people find the treasures I’ve prepared for them.”

Emma: “I think I understand a little how you felt at that moment, Prince Silvio.”

Emma: “If you get another chance, can I go out to sea with you to look for treasure?”

Silvio: “We don’t just take chances, we make them.”

Emma: “! I want to make it.”

Silvio: “Look forward to it.”

Since my childhood, my actions were always accompanied by the thought ‘to be king’.

So I didn’t realize I was yearning for the stupid, meaningless exchanges that are so normal for children.

(Now I’m able to have these stupid exchanges as I please.)

(I have someone by my side to keep me company.)

I could only get that with Emma.

(Seriously… How much more are you going to make me love you?)

With a smile as bright as the sun, I desperately try to keep my mouth shut.

From now on, I’ll go out to sea many times and find many treasures.

There's a chance that I’ll find a treasure worth an entire town.

(But I will never find a treasure greater than this.)

As if to be sure, I dropped a kiss on Emma, my treasure.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Premium End | Epilogue

#ikemen prince #ikepri #silvio ricci #ikemen silvio #ikepri silvio #ikemen prince silvio #ikemen prince translations #ikepri translations #ikepri silvio ricci

[verona2314]

Judgment of the Damned (translation) PART VI

Link part V

Summary:

In the realm of Limbo, where souls deemed too good for Hell but not virtuous enough for Heaven reside, Victoria finds herself thrust into an unprecedented mission. When a notorious sinner, Sir Pentious, achieves redemption and ascends to Heaven, it sends shockwaves through all realms. Tasked with unraveling this mystery, Victoria, a minor judge of souls, is sent to the infamous Hazbin Hotel in Hell. For the first time, an emissary from Limbo steps foot into the fiery depths, tasked with observing and judging the denizens of Hell for their potential for redemption. As Victoria navigates this unfamiliar territory, she captures the unrequired attention of the enigmatic Radio Demon, Alastor. Amidst the chaos of demonic antics and the pursuit of understanding redemption, Victoria must confront her own beliefs and judgments. As she delves deeper into the secrets of the Hazbin Hotel, Victoria uncovers hidden truths about sinners, redemption, and the ultimate fate of souls caught between damnation and salvation. With each soul she encounters, Victoria's journey becomes not only a quest for answers but a personal voyage of self-discovery in the heart of darkness.

Chapter 6: A sign of trust ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alastor

The judge looked at him dumbfounded for a moment before her expression returned to one of complete calm. She picked up her book and began to walk towards the door with her characteristic elegance.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she declared as she continued to move away.

Alastor didn't want the conversation to end, not now that it was getting more interesting, so he transported himself in front of the door to prevent the judge from leaving the room. "My dear judge," he said, trying to contain the excitement of having discovered her, "you know perfectly well what I'm referring to. It was an interesting display of your power."

"Was it?" she replied, raising an eyebrow. "Don't beat around the bush, Alastor. All Seilmon did was set a passphrase to release the finger trap. I just had to say the exact words in the right tone. That 's all."

"It's hard for me to believe you, judge. Especially considering you showcased your ability in our little meeting with Charlie when you called for silence," he countered, feeling very confident. He knew he had cornered Victoria. Even if she denied the existence of her ability, Alastor was convinced his conclusion was correct. Victoria looked at him confused for a moment before understanding what he was referring to.

"Really?" she said, laughing lightly. "That wasn't a mandate from the judge, Alastor. It was just me using my ability to assert respect and presence in a polite manner."

"I see," he replied, narrowing his eyes. "But you're not denying the existence of that ability. Come on, judge, I won't let you leave until you're a little more honest."

"Are you saying you're going to hold me against my will?" she said, crossing her arms. Alastor simply smiled even wider. "That could be considered kidnapping," the judge continued jokingly.

"Kidnapping!" Alastor responded, delighted by Victoria's sarcasm. "My dear judge, it seems you have a tendency to blame me for crimes I haven't committed. I'm not kidnapping you, I'm just preventing you from leaving the room so we can continue our conversation."

"Yes, clearly that's kidnapping," Victoria insisted.

"Don't try to deflect the topic of conversation, dear," Alastor leaned slightly to study the judge's face better. He couldn't help but notice how that expression of calm was slowly disappearing, revealing Victoria's true emotions. It was absolutely satisfying to be the cause of those reactions. He hated to admit it, but he really enjoyed his conversations with the judge; they were mentally stimulating.

He wanted to push her to the limit more and more just to see if she could keep up with him. He needed to know if she could continue challenging his barriers and force his wits not to lose against her sharp comebacks. On the other hand, his ego was also wounded. He needed to score another point on the scoreboard after suffering the humiliation with the finger trap. Objectively, the judge's smile was pleasant to look at and her laughter was melodious thanks to her soft voice, making it pleasant to hear, but being the object of that laughter deeply bothered him. His pride prevented him from letting her go without at least getting a clear and direct response from her.

"Does the kidnapping of a judge seem less important to you than your conspiracy theory?" She would respond, feigning exaggerated indignation.

"My dear judge," Alastor said amidst laughter, "believe me when I say that your kidnapping would be my top priority if it were to happen. But as I said, I'm just preventing you from ending our conversation prematurely. I'm not asking for much, judge. Just a little honesty considering that we are now somewhat closer."

"Closer?" she questioned.

"Don't you think my unfortunate situation allowed you to relax a bit in my presence? Even now, I owe you a favor, and don't doubt that I will help you. I'm a demon who takes his word very seriously. So, could you give me a bit of your sincerity?"

"Oh, changing tactics? Are you being kind and polite to get answers? Well," the judge sighed, "I suppose a bit of information won't hurt if it gets me some peace."

"Wonderful!" he exclaimed, excited by her response.

"I'll be completely honest with you. I have no idea where you heard about the judge's mandate, but yes, it's real. But I didn't lie when I told you I haven't used it. If you saw me focused when I freed you from Seilmon's little prank, it's because I really needed to use a specific tone of voice."

"Interesting. But my dear judge, wouldn't it be easier for you to do your job using that power to command obedience? You could even order me to be silent and thus achieve the 'peace' you just mentioned," he replied, leaning on his cane.

"There are several reasons. But mainly, it's a matter of principles. I don't like imposing myself on others and forcing them to act against their will just to get something. I find it abusive and it goes against freedom. Such ability should only be used when the situation warrants it and as a last resort."

"I understand. It's curious that a celestial being is so considerate of freedom. Perhaps it's because you're from the limbo and not from heaven, but beings like you tend to be the opposite. After all, they punished several just for the small matter of free will. It seems you're quite a just creature, aren't you? You seek to protect the weak, freedom, and other values, but you also recognize the gray areas. Tell me, my dear judge, do you have compassion for sinners? Do you believe they deserve redemption?" Alastor couldn't help but look at her attentively, expectant for her response. He was slowly piecing together the puzzle that was her. He had the impression that she was a being who would defend her convictions to the end.

"Now I see why you invest your time in me. You must be rather bored, wouldn't you agree?" The judge responded, maintaining eye contact with a half-smile. "I hold faith in compassion only once punishment has been served and genuine remorse has been shown. Redemption's validity hinges on the belief that individuals are capable of change. However, many here have erred without malice or selfish intent. Therefore, I am skeptical that everyone warrants redemption or possesses the capacity for it. To qualify, they must acknowledge their wrongdoing and experience genuine remorse. I doubt a being devoid of empathy could achieve that.

"My dear judge, I won't deny that our conversations have relieved me of boredom. You strike me as an intriguing and intelligent creature unafraid to express your ideas. It's certainly refreshing to interact with you despite how irritating your stubbornness can be. I would love to continue this debate on redemption, but it seems we have another matter to attend to. Would you like to start immersing yourself in the social circles of Hell, right? Allow me to introduce you to the most charismatic and sociable individual I know." Without waiting for the judge's response, he took her by the arm and led her out of the room, ignoring her protests.

"There's no need to drag me around like a ragdoll! I can walk."

"But where's the fun in that? Besides, dear judge, we're going out of the hotel. Hell is a bit... messy. We wouldn't want you to get lost and fall into less-than-gentle hands. No, no. Better to keep you close."

Alastor knew exactly who the right person was to help Victoria successfully navigate this ring's society while keeping her true identity hidden. The last thing they wanted was to cause a stir. However, he hated having to ask Rosie for yet another favor. She was a busy woman and would certainly seek some benefit in this situation. What could he offer his esteemed friend in return without exposing the judge? He couldn't afford to fail. This brought him one step closer to earning the judge's trust and eventually gaining access to the files in her briefcase.

"I'm going to insist that you let go of my arm," Victoria continued to complain.

"Would you prefer me to carry you then?" he responded mockingly.

"Of course not! And forget any idea related to that," she exclaimed indignantly.

"Oh, save those claws, dear. I was only joking. I would never dare to treat such an important judge of the Limbo like that."

"Your sarcasm is quite apparent from here," she muttered, more irritated.

"Fantastic! For a moment there, I was worried you wouldn't be able to see it from down there, considering how small you are," Alastor finished, excitedly. This day was going to be fun.

Charlie

She didn't want to admit it, but she was still a little upset about what happened with the chandelier. After her meeting with the judge and expressing her concerns to Vaggie, she had spent the entire day searching for sinners interested in redemption, to no avail. It was always frustrating not to get more guests, but now the feeling was more intense, as she knew that redemption was possible, was something real.

She didn't want to admit it, but she was still a little upset about what happened with the chandelier. After her meeting with the judge and expressing her concerns to Vaggie, she had spent the entire day searching for sinners interested in redemption, to no avail. It was always frustrating not to get more guests, but now the feeling was more intense, as she knew that redemption, if possible, was something real.

She understood the reasons why she had to keep the secret, but that didn't make it any easier. Nor did she know if the judge shared her vision or was as severe as most angels from heaven. On the other hand, she looked quite... human. Did all beings from limbo look like that? Did they all exude that sense of calm? She wasn't really sure if Victoria was a friend or an ally, and that made her nervous.

All these feelings invaded her mind as she entered the hotel late at night and came across the shattered chandelier on the floor. Vaggie immediately appeared to explain the incident and also how they had tried to make a good impression. Although the attempts hadn't lasted long, Charlie really appreciated that they had tried. Besides, according to Vaggie, Victoria had gone to the hotel bar with Husk and Angel and had a good conversation. What she couldn't understand was why no one had cleaned up the mess. She understood Niffty's stance, who refused to "alter a crime scene," but... shouldn't Alastor have taken care of it? He was supposed to have supervised the installation. That night, Charlie decided to go to bed and deal with the problem the next day, and so she did. That's why, now, this morning, she was in the hotel lobby with Vaggie picking up the remnants of the chandelier.

"Where's Alastor?" her girlfriend growled. "He should be helping us with this."

"I don't know. He wasn't in his office, his station, or the room. But don't worry, Vaggie. We can handle this, and we'll get a better chandelier, and this time it will be properly installed," she replied with the utmost enthusiasm.

"I still don't understand how this thing fell again. It was supposed to be secure," Vaggie added.

Charlie was also wondering the same thing. She looked up at the ceiling to locate the beam to which the chandelier had been anchored. She could see the holes from the screws and anchors. Upon counting them, she realized she hadn't found them all yet.

"Are you sure Niffty only touched the crystals?" she asked Vaggie.

"Yes. She was just cleaning the lamp. She never approached the ceiling or the bracket. They were probably of poor quality. Why do you ask?" the former exterminator replied.

"I haven't been able to find some things among the chandelier remains. Pay no attention to me, they're probably under some furniture. After all, they must have flown far from the impact," she said with a forced laugh.

"Charlie, what's going on? You can tell me," Vaggie inquired, approaching her and gently taking her hand.

"It's a crazy idea. But... what if the chandelier had fallen even without Niffty?"

"It wouldn't surprise me. As I said, the screws and anchors were probably of poor quality. The important thing is that no one was injured, and this time, I'll make sure it's done right," Vaggie replied.

"Yes, you're right," she smiled again. However, it didn't reassure her. Charlie knew that Alastor was meticulous in the things he did when he really set his mind to it. This also didn't seem like his style of joke. Could a minor judge from the limbo die, ending their existence? Would it have to be a celestial weapon? If gravely injured, would they return to the limbo? Why was her mind wandering into these ideas? It's not like she was thinking of harming Victoria, quite the opposite. For some reason, she felt that this chandelier incident was very strange.

Ceaseless murmurs abruptly snapped her out of her thoughts. Alastor was entering the hall dragging Victoria by the arm. The judge was visibly annoyed, while the radio demon chose to turn a deaf ear. The scene was eerily reminiscent of the day before, and Charlie seriously questioned if Alastor had ever left the judge alone.

"Alastor!" Vaggie exclaimed, "Where were you? You should have taken care of this," her girlfriend continued, pointing to the remnants of yesterday's incident.

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry. I completely forgot. Something else just caught my attention," Alastor replied, not giving much importance to the matter.

"Can you tell us what you're doing to the judge?" Vaggie persisted.

"Me? Nothing! I'm just taking her for a stroll around hell. Right, dear judge?" Alastor responded. Victoria opened her mouth to say something, but the red demon cut her off. "Fantastic! Then let's be on our way."

"Wait a moment, Alastor!" Charlie spoke with a slightly firmer voice than usual. She walked briskly towards them and took Victoria by the shoulders. "Judge, if you need help, blink twice."

Victoria smiled faintly before replying, "Thank you very much for your concern, Miss Charlie. You don't need to worry. I am accompanying this peculiar individual voluntarily. However, I would greatly appreciate it if the gentleman could release my arm and let me walk on my own."

"Alright, if you insist, dear judge," Alastor said, releasing Victoria's arm. "Why didn't you mention it earlier?" he added sarcastically.

"I'm sure she did," Charlie interrupted before the two of them could argue again. "Anyway, Alastor, what happened with the chandelier is not trivial. You were supposed to oversee the installation to ensure it was firm and secure."

"And I did, dear," the radio host replied proudly.

"Well, I'm not sure how to say this, but perhaps, just perhaps, the materials weren't the most suitable," Charlie continued, trying to be as gentle as possible. She didn't want to blame Alastor for what happened.

"You'd better take it seriously," Vaggie added. "That thing almost crushed the judge yesterday."

"Really?" Alastor responded, looking up at the ceiling, squinting slightly. After a few seconds, he looked back at Charlie and spoke cheerfully, "Well, it's certainly strange that happened. I made sure the installation was proper. I even personally ensured we got the best quality materials. Anyway, I guess you can't trust today's craftsmanship, can you? It's a relief that our esteemed judge came out unscathed."

"But Alast—" Charlie was about to continue speaking, but the radio demon interrupted her.

"Don't dwell on it too much, dear." Again, Alastor dragged the judge by the arm until they reached the exit. "Don't forget. To err is human."

"Wait!" Charlie called out, but Alastor ignored her and left the hotel with the judge again demanding to be let go. The demon's words churned her stomach. Why was she the only one seeing this whole situation as suspicious? Was she overreacting? Concern was engulfing every fiber of her being. She couldn't shake this uneasy feeling off.

"Charlie?" her girlfriend called out worriedly.

"I know I've already told you this, Vaggie. Yesterday you said that maybe I was just nervous about the judge's arrival. And yes, I was, and still am. But for some reason, I can't shake the feeling that something isn't right. This whole chandelier incident gives me a bad feeling. And now Alastor is dragging her out onto the street, exposed to everyone. I mean, I know eventually the judge would have to leave the hotel to do her job, but... do you understand what I'm trying to say? Vaggie, I don't really need you to give me logical reasons why I feel this way. I just need you to—" At that moment, her girlfriend hugged her tightly, stroking her back.

"It's okay, Charlie. I believe you. We'll sort this out, okay? As soon as the judge returns, we'll ask for a meeting so you two can talk calmly. I'll make sure no one interferes. For now, let's finish cleaning this up, and then we can watch something on TV to distract you until Victoria gets back."

"Thank you, Vaggie. I can always count on you," she replied to the former exterminator with a big smile, feeling much better. "Although it'll take us ages to clean this up together," she added with a small laugh.

"Don't worry. I'll get the others to help us. Trust me. They won't refuse." LINK CHAPTER 7:

#fanfic #alastor #alastor x oc #oc #hazbin alastor #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel fanfiction #hazbin hotel fanfic #alastor the radio demon #hazbin hotel 2024 #radio demon #vivziepop #charlie morningstar #hazbin angel dust #hazbin lucifer #hazbin hotel fandom #Judgmentofthedamned

[aurianavaloria]

KoH Fanfic Snippet - WIP

Here I am, throwing another WIP snippet at interested parties, lol. This fic is nearly 40,000 words now, and yet somehow I still haven't managed to finish the first chapter.🙃It's getting there, though, so I should have something to post on Ao3 soon.

In the meantime, have a bit more of the main character's interactions with the king.😁Their communications prior to this point have been largely professional - this is the first time either gets an inkling of the other's history and personal life.

Enjoy!

(PS: There's a lot more below the cut 😉)

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Author's Note: As stated before, I am attempting to blend KoH's version of the characters with their historical counterparts, with no one character being entirely one or the other.

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Sicut In Cælo Et In Terra - WIP

Tabitha had already prepared her mind and heart for her parents to have passed by the time Voyager made it back to the Sol sector. In fact, there had been a great chance that Voyager would have become her own funeral barge before its return to Earth, her body sent to its eternal rest by pod ejection into the depths of empty space. Janeway herself and many of the other senior officers would have no doubt gone before her. But there had always been that tiniest sliver of hope that she would set foot back on Earth in her own timeline, even if as a doddering old woman.

Now she was on Earth, ironically enough – or some facsimile of it, at the very least. And yet no one and nothing that made it home for her was there in any way, shape, or form. And it never would be in her lifetime. The Paige family hadn’t been born. Starfleet didn’t exist. Microbiology wasn’t a field of study. The first microscope hadn’t even been dreamed of yet, much less invented, and there was certainly no willingness to learn of such things.

In short, almost everything she knew had been yanked out from under her like a tablecloth in a cheap magic trick. Far worse than her situation on Voyager, her only use here was as a half-assed medic.

And once her meager supply of medicines ran out, even that much would be gone.

Her throat constricted, her eyes feeling hot. She’d studied and trained and hoped and dreamed her entire life for… what? What had been the point of it all if this was what it had come to?

She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, her slippered feet curled on the edge of the bench. She could remember clearly her mother and father’s faces as she’d left to board Voyager for the very first time. How proud they’d looked as she’d grinned back at them, so excited to be assigned to the newest pride of Starfleet, fresh out of the Academy herself. Her father had tears in his eyes, she knew, and her mother hadn’t been able to stop smiling at her.

In that moment, Tabitha knew she would have given anything to see their smiles again. To hug them tight just one more time…

The tears had begun before she’d even been aware of them clouding her vision. But once they started, they couldn’t be stopped.

Sobs wracked her body. She tried to be as quiet as she could, even though there was no one left in the garden but the fussy peacocks, and thankfully they’d decided to shut their traps for the night; evidently, the birds no longer minded her presence, and if they objected to her noises, they made no indication of it. Thus, as cool night began to fall, the soft sounds of her distress were the only ones to be heard, and the court’s exotic avian residents the only beings to witness them.

Or so she thought.

“Is someone there?”

Alarm spiked in the back of Tabitha’s mind, and she jerked her head up to see, through tear-blurred sight, a ghostly-white figure with a lantern at the entrance to the garden.

“Ah!”

She started, jumping to her feet from the bench before she noticed the glimmer of silver upon the figure’s face…

…and realized it was the king.

“Your Majesty!” she gasped, clamping her hand over her mouth, her heart racing like a cornered rabbit’s.

At that, Baldwin’s head cocked, and he took a step closer, lifting the lantern a little as if to see better in the deepening gloom. “Evangeline? Are you the one I heard crying?”

Before she could compose herself fully, her reflexive sniffles betrayed her, and she hastily wiped at her cheeks with her sleeve. “I… yes. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you, I’ll just-”

He held up his free hand to stop her, however, shaking his head. “There was no disturbance. I was merely making my way about the grounds at your suggestion when I thought I heard a woman weeping.” His eyes latched to hers, holding her fast just as if he physically kept her still. “Have you been harmed?”

She swallowed, momentarily averting her gaze so she could think. “No, I just… I used to work with plants before all this and… I guess being here brought back some painful memories.” A sheepish smile flickered across her lips, despite her lingering pain, her cheeks heating. “I was just a little overwhelmed, that’s all.”

“I see.” Again his head tilted, a long pause following before he asked, “Is there anything I may do to ease your burden?”

At that, Tabitha blinked, slightly stunned. “I… well, I…” she hesitated, unsure of how to respond to this suggestion. “I don’t know if there’s anything you can do, Your Majesty. I mean,” she pulled her hands behind her back, “I wouldn’t want to subject you to my miserable thoughts, and that seems all I’m capable of at the moment.”

“If sharing them will help, and that is what you wish, I will be more than a willing ear,” he replied simply.

Another stretch of silence yawned between them, during which Tabitha could only stare, more than a little dumbfounded. That he was willing to spare the time and attention for someone so far beneath his station, especially so late, came as naught but a shock; didn’t he have more important things to do than listen to a teary girl mope about a personal problem?

And yet, now that he’d offered, she felt almost compelled to speak to him. Something about him – after her initial surprise, of course – made her feel entirely at ease, and it was so… odd. She was more afraid of saying or doing something to embarrass herself than she was nervous about his person, the latter of which was what both logic and extensive Academy training told her she should be, given his power as an individual in this society.

But she wasn’t, and she hadn’t been since they’d met. In truth, she’d feared his courtiers more than she ever feared him.

“Well,” she began at length, awkwardly perching herself back on the edge of the bench, “sure. I think… I think maybe it’s time.”

The mask bobbed, flickering in the firelight, his free hand gesturing to the bench in a flash of white. “Shall I join you, then?”

Her eyes widened a little. “Of course, Your Majesty! By all means…”

Scooting a little to the right to offer him an appropriate amount of room, she watched as he left the lantern on a hook upon the wall before slowly ambling towards the other end of the seat, his dragging foot putting a slight hitch in his gait. Still, despite this impairment, he moved with a measured grace as he finally sat, his eyes glittering in the darkness of the mask when he half-faced her, propping his good hand upon his knee.

“This garden brings you memories, you said?” he asked quietly.

She sighed heavily, nodding as she looked away. “Yeah. Of working with the rest of my crew on the expedition. Keeping the plants that grew our food free of infestations and diseases was part of my job, you know,” she explained. “Earlier, I found myself studying these flowers out of habit. Admiring them really… they’re quite lovely, and in such good health.” She smiled a little at that, but it faded quickly. “And then, before long, my mind started to wander, and I… I started remembering all those people I knew. People I’ll probably never see again, now.”

There was a soft hum behind the mask. “You were close to your companions, then?”

“Not all of them,” she replied, her gaze dropping to the cobbles as she recalled the tensions between some members of the crew. “But some, yes.”

His head cocked. “Did they all study the sciences, as you?”

She glanced up, meeting his gaze, surprised he had bothered to remember that little detail. “No, actually. We were divided into three specialties – Science, Operations, and Command. The one friend of mine who got separated with me, Ned… he’s from Operations. That’s everything that keeps the ship running smoothly. Specifically, he’s an engineer.”

It was difficult to gauge Baldwin’s expression, between the mask and the darkness, but his interest appeared to be piqued. “Truly? And this ‘Command’ sector you describe… it implies a certain martial order to it. Were you aboard a military-oriented vessel?”

A small smile pulled at her lips. “Technically speaking, no. Our purpose wasn’t to fight, but to seek out new civilizations to communicate and trade with. But our ship was equipped with an array of different weapons. Rather potent ones, in fact. Just in case encounters proved hostile. And we did know how to defend ourselves one-on-one, should the need have arisen.”

“The women as well?”

Her smile widened. “The women as well.”

“I see,” he replied quietly at that, pausing for a long moment, during which it felt as though he were studying her intently, his eyes almost unblinking in the dark. Then, at last, he remarked, “It appears you are accustomed to a disciplined life, then. Such clear divisions working closely together for a specific purpose… That would have required a structured regimen on the part of all, and a formal hierarchy to keep it so.”

She nodded slowly. “You are correct, Your Majesty.”

“Then am I also correct in assuming that being so suddenly severed from this regimented life has made it difficult for you to adjust, here?” he asked, his head tilting again.

She found herself blinking again, astonished at his perception. “I… suppose you’re right.” She glanced back down at her toes, where they peeked beneath the hem of her skirt. “After living so long in such a rigidly-scheduled environment like that… where you know just what you’re doing every hour of every day...” she paused, “having the freedom to do whatever you want whenever you want is a bit overwhelming, yes.” A wry smile pulled at her lips. “Gives you a lot of time to think. Too much, maybe.”

Another quiet hum. “How long was this expedition to last?”

She took a breath. “To be honest... a lifetime.”

Predictably, he looked rather taken aback at such a response, to which she added, “It was only supposed to be a few months, but then we were thrown off course by about… oh, seventy-five years, give or take.”

“That… seems almost impossible,” he finally replied. “You must be from lands beyond our knowledge for that to be so.”

“Farther than you can imagine, Your Majesty,” she answered wryly. “And trust me, we thought it was impossible too, at first. But the evidence was irrefutable. Even at maximum speed, it would take us our whole lives to get back home.”

“I am surprised there was not a mutiny.”

“A few times, there very nearly was,” Tabitha conceded with a nod, memories of the Maquis’s shenanigans springing to mind. “But our Captain was a good one, and we were determined to find a way to speed our progress, despite the odds, all the while continuing our mission to explore. It was the only thing we could do. It was a little over a year into our journey, and we were finally coming to terms with our situation when,” she shrugged, tossing her hands upwards from her lap, “this happened.”

Baldwin leaned back a little, a soft hiss behind the mask suggesting a sigh of sorts. “So you have suffered not one, but two calamities, both of which have together destroyed your hopes of seeing home.” She felt his eyes meet hers again. “Is there no way we may assist you in this?”

Tabitha shook her head. “I’m afraid not, Your Majesty.” A lump began to form in her throat again, and she swallowed hard in an attempt to prevent it from strangling her. “Before, at least there was a chance I could see my family again. My parents. If fortune favored us. And I had even found another in the meantime, strange as it was. But now…”

She trailed, glancing back down at the ground and closing her eyes to keep the tears at bay. Baldwin was silent for several moments, as if giving her the time she needed to compose herself. But then, after she opened them again and sucked in a shaky breath to steady herself, he asked softly, “Who were they, if I may ask?”

“My parents?”

A nod.

The memories of them came flooding back, bringing a sad smile to her lips, and she hesitated before answering in a voice that trembled a little, “My father’s name was Henry. He was a teacher of history at a university. My mother, Joan, was a scientist like me, only she studied the creatures of the sea.”

He nodded again, slower this time. “No doubt brilliant, just as their daughter.”

A small chuckle escaped her at that, and she looked away briefly. His compliment had taken her slightly off-guard, and she hoped he couldn’t see the blush that subsequently blossomed in her cheeks.“Not brilliant, just well-trained,” she remarked at length, when she finally garnered the courage to return her attention to him. “Education is no substitute for experience and I am… woefully inexperienced.”

“And yet, being aware of one’s limitations is a sign of wisdom, or so I’ve often been told,” he parried gently.

She blinked, the heat in her face intensifying, and she found herself rather incapable of coming up with another rebuttal. There was something so effortlessly charming about him. Magnetic, even. How easily he broke past all her defenses – it would have almost been alarming had she not already felt entirely comfortable with his presence.

Swallowing again, she shifted her focus past him to the lantern that hung upon the wall, her eyes tracing its delicate metalwork. “My father would have loved it here,” she said at length, her voice breaking in the quiet. “I miss him. More than the ship and the crew. More than anyone. He was an anchor in my life I didn’t realize I had until…”

The lump swiftly returned to her throat, and she fell silent, unable to finish. A certain stillness fell over the garden, then, almost palpable, the hush a roar in her ears as she looked back down at the ground to keep herself from staring at the king. She hated dumping all of this onto him, and she could only wonder what he was thinking, past that angelic mask of his. At the very least, he was good at projecting an air of patience and sympathy – likely the same training that gave him his uncanny way with words – but she knew from experience that what a person allowed the outside world to see could be very different from what they truly were on the inside…

“I understand how you must feel. I felt the same once, years ago.”

At his musing words, she glanced up on reflex, and she found his attention had shifted away from her as well, his shining eyes instead looking into the darkness of the shadowed garden.

“You did?” she asked, her curiosity piqued a little.

A slow nod answered. “Yes. I was only thirteen when I was crowned, you see. Not even my age of majority.” He paused, and past the gauzy fabric that yet shielded his skin, she saw his throat bob once. “My father passed while on campaign, and I barely had the time to process the news when I found myself the center of the court’s attention. The needs of the kingdom could not wait for grief, and it was necessary to choose who next would hold the reins of power. Yet all of those who stood in line to take them were much too young. As his only son, by law I was his designated heir, and yet the court possessed the authority to choose another, if deemed necessary for the sake of the realm. Already my physicians suspected the illness that lurked in my veins. Nothing was certain, but we all feared… including myself. But Sibylla was also not of age as well as unmarried, and Isabella was much too young to even consider in my stead.

“They debated for days,” he said with a sigh. “Days during which I waited and I prayed. For my father’s soul as well as mine. I often wondered if other princes had ever felt the same as I… dreading that which was my birthright. It would have been easier had they chosen Sibylla – arranged a hasty marriage for her and made her queen. I could have retired to Acre or Tyre… dedicated myself to the Order of Saint Lazarus and lived out what days God had decreed for me in peace. And yet,” his silver-clad visage turned back towards hers, his eyes glittering, “the roads we are led down by the hand of the Divine are rarely the easy ones.”

Tabitha felt a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. “They chose you.”

She could have sworn she heard a small chuckle of amusement. “So they did. I was crowned the new King of Jerusalem, and Raymond became my regent, to rule in my stead until I reached manhood. Despite the curse of God everyone suspected had been laid upon me, it seems they were more willing to have a leper for a king than an unwed girl. Or, as is more likely, they gambled that I would at least live long enough for her marriage to be properly arranged and, through it, strategic alliances to be secured, before deposing me at the first sign of bodily weakness.

“They had little confidence in me,” he continued. “And, in all truthfulness, I had little confidence in myself, at the time. I knew the moment the word ‘leper’ had been uttered when I was but a boy that my days were numbered. By my father’s law, I should have been sent to the Lazarines the moment my disease was certain to my physicians – and yet my head bore the crown before that day finally came. I should not have been king. It was only by God’s will that I was.” He took a breath. “I never needed my father’s guidance more than I needed it then. And yet our Heavenly Father was the only one to whom I could turn.”

Tabitha frowned. “You must have felt very lonely.”

“I did,” he admitted with another nod. “Like you, I missed my father greatly. Never in my life had I anticipated that mountain of a man would be taken from the world with such brutal swiftness. I felt his absence keenly the moment I held his scepter in my hand, and for a long time afterwards, I feared that I would never live up to his expectations of me as his heir. But perhaps those lengthy years of regency were to my advantage,” he added, “as I grew accustomed to the ways of rulership before the reins were put into my numbing grasp. It was during those years I vowed I would neither stain my father’s memory with incompetence, nor let myself be defined by my body’s failings. As long as God granted breath to my lungs, I would rule as He demanded upon my birth.”

A brief smile played across her lips. “Well… from what I hear around the city, you’ve done a wonderful job. Your people adore you, and that says a lot about you. If your father was anything like you are, I think he’d be very proud of you and everything you’ve done for your people.”

His eyes met hers. “I pray you are right, Evangeline.” Then, after a moment, he added, “And for a daughter who has proven as clever, resourceful, and determined as yourself, I can imagine naught but pride on your own father’s part. And should he and your mother ever find themselves in the Holy City, it would be my honor to host them.”

Fresh emotion sprang in her eyes at such words, her smile now one of astonishment. Yet, before she could find some way to reply, he added, “But if not… know that even this grief will come to pass. I do not know what religion you claim, and I will not ask – King of Jerusalem I may be, but I am not a holy man; my concerns are those of government, not faith. Even so, I encourage you to seek out what holy places here call to you, of which there are many. Perhaps somewhere you will find a balm to soothe your soul and lift the heaviness from your heart.”

She nodded slowly, considering his words. “All right. I’ll try it.”

“Very good,” he answered quietly, finally rising to his feet. “May God see fit to grant you peace, as you have granted it to so many others in such a short while.” He paused, tilting his head slightly towards her. “By your leave, I should like to continue to my walk through the gardens before retiring for the night.”

At that, her head cocked curiously. “Is that an invitation or a dismissal, Your Majesty?”

Another quiet hum of amusement. “You are my physician… I will leave it to you to judge whether I may wander on my own just yet.”

She couldn’t help the snort that escaped her then, and she rose from the bench to stand beside him, her hands on her hips. “Well, when you put it that way, I suppose I should at least supervise. Just in case.”

#wip #fanfiction #snippet #kingdom of heaven #baldwin iv #king baldwin iv #the leper king #baldwin iv of jerusalem #crossover #star trek #star trek: voyager #kingdom of heaven 2005 #original character #fan character #fancharacter #my fanfiction #my writing

[h4arts]

hi!! saw your post about requests for grishaverse soo,

maybe you could write something with zoya? like first kiss with her or confessing feelings? (fem!reader please:)

or the same with inej, if you’re feeling more like it.

have a lovely day/night!!<3

first kiss with zoya and inej

Zoya: She was upset when you found her after training. Alina had gotten the upper hand and it left Zoya fuming. She subconsciously made her way toward the lake where you often found yourself. You were in fact there, sat under a tree reading a new book. Zoya acknowledged that you were there but was too upset to say anything.

After a while of standing only a few feet from where you sat, you stood up and made your way over to her. "Didn't go too well, did it?"

"No." You stayed silent after her short answer, opting to stare out at the lake with her instead of ask questions. Every once in a while, she'd sneak a glance at you, until she felt herself calming down. At least enough to speak to you.

She looked at you again, this time long enough for you to meet her gaze. With a knowing smile, you tilted your head to look at her better. That's when she leaned over and kissed you. It was quick, but sweet. For Zoya, at least.

"That was just a distraction from this morning." She says quickly, looking back to the lake.

"Of course."

───☆───

Inej: The two of you worked together on The Wraith, attacking slaver ships and freeing people. You'd also been working on Inej's trauma, and made a system so it was easier for her to deal with it. It also helped she didn't feel as trapped or alone now.

The two of you and the crew were in Novyi Zem, taking a break from the voyages you'd been on back to back. Inej sat alone in the flower field the two of you had found, and she concentrated on weaving flower stems together like you had shown her.

Your voice broke her from her concentration, however, but she didn't mind. Because in your hand was a basket of foods and drinks as well as a map and compass.

Inej tucked the flowers aside as you sat next to her and smoothed out the map in front of you. "Ready to plan our next route, captain?" Inej gave a small smile in response, reaching for the water you had stashed in the basket.

A while later, everything was planned and the map had been refolded and stored away. The sun was setting by then, casting a pink and orange glow over your faces. Inej couldn't help staring before quickly looking away when you noticed.

"What, do I still have crumbs on my face?" You laugh, and Inej finds herself laughing with you. In a spur of confidence, she leans forward and kisses you before pulling away, a shocked look on both your faces. Realizing she felt not only fine, but good after doing so as well as seeing the grin on your face, she kissed you again, a little longer that time.

#six of crows x reader #shadow and bone x reader #zoya nazyalensky x reader #inej ghafa x reader #zoya nazyalensky #inej ghafa #zoya nazyalensky x you #inej ghafa x you

[urlyngendary]

TLDR: The Dark Future

The Dark Future was a lorebook introduced in the Beyond Light expansion. It covers some of the anguise The Exo Stranger faced in the future she has returned from, the one we need to prevent. Here is the shortened version of the pages, so you can know what we were fighting to prevent in Beyond Light!

• Somewhere along the way, Humanity lost, an event called The Bombardment happened (assumedly House Salvation hit us using the warsat network) and Savathûn as well as the forces of Darkness are at large. The Traveler left us, we were left in ruins.

• Elsie Bray, also known as the Exo Stranger, is found by her sister Ana Bray, who is now lightless. Ana wants Elsie to teach her Stasis, Elsie doesn't want to in order to keep her safe. Ana says that with Stasis and what remains of Rasputin, they can beat Savathûn, and Elsie reluctantly agrees.

• They go to the Deep Stone Crypt, still intact, albeit sieged by House Salvation, to make an Exo Frame for Rasputin. Ana sympathizes with Clovis Bray for a moment, and they find the corpse of The Drifter¹ in the production room. After conversing about what Clovis has done, the exo frame emerges and Rasputin is reborn.

• Elsie and Ana return to a demolished Last City, and they argue about their past as a family. Zavala finds them and holds them at gunpoint, he is lightless, deteriorating, and missing a leg. Ana asks Zavala if Ikora is here, and Zavala responds by telling them that she's been buried underneath the Tower. Zavala is hopeless, it's heartbreaking, he says that whatever Ana has planned it will get her killed, and whatever she's looking for at the City isn't here. It is revealed that in this timeline, Elsie never helped us destroy the Black Heart³, and it corrupted Guardians. Zavala is impressed that they have Rasputin, but he reveals a large twist, that Savathûn, The Witch Queen, is pawn to another, that being Eris Morn.

• Rasputin finds the blueprints for Ghaul's Traveler cage in the Almighty's computers, and Zavala finally agrees to assist. Rasputin can track the Traveler, but they need numbers in order to build the Traveler's snare to bring it back, and Zavala points to one Mara Sov.

• On their space-voyage to find Mara Sov, Ana asks for Stasis again, and Elsie once again turns her down. Zavala overhears that Elsie is using Stasis and asks her to consider that it is not for the better to control a power alone, and she should consider what her sister asks of her. They finally make it to Mara Sov's new headquarters, aboard the Leviathan.

• Mara has Eliksni² and Cabal working alongside her Awoken, and Ana asks about the Vex. Mara answers, she says that Eris holds them under her control, they are trapped within time itself until summoned. Zavala and Mara has a conversation about how they do not trust Ana, and they soon capture the Traveler.

• Elsie asks Zavala about the conversation he had with Mara, Zavala confirms that she doesn't trust Ana, and her previous conversation with Elsie about her was to test her.

• They make landing on the moon and fight off Hive and Dark Guardian alike, and Zavala begins to siphon Light from the traveller as Ghaul did during the Red War. He advanced to the Scarlett Keep to kill Savathûn. Eris summons her Techeun turncoats that are defeated by the Warmind, but there's been a liar. Eris thanks Ana for bringing all of her enemies to one place, and with that, Ana stabs the Awoken Queen in the chest. Elsie fights Ana, and ends up killing her, but Eris has won, and the Traveller as a last resort encases all in it's light.

• When the Light fades, Elsie is back in time, she is in The Tower on the day that Cayde-6 is appointed Hunter Vanguard all those years ago. She laments about this scene, she's tired of seeing it over and over again, this clearly isn't the first time the Light has lost. Elsie believes she is being tormented, but makes a vow to save her sister.

¹ It is assumed that the Drifter did something big in this timeline. In ours Drifter and Ana don't have much of a connection, but Ana goes as far to say that Drifter got what he deserved. We cannot trust Ana as she is corrupted, so we do not know if the Drifter acted for good or for evil.

² For those who don't know, the true name of the Fallen is the Eliksni. The term "Fallen" is somewhat of an attack, saying that they have "fallen" from grace because of the Whirlwind.

³ We now know that the Black Heart was created as a replica of the Veil with Lightfall, this fact could imply something chilling about the Veil.

#destiny #destiny 2 #destiny 2 lore #destiny lore #destiny the game #eris morn #the drifter #exo stranger #the witch queen #zavala #commander zavala #ikora rey #elsie bray #ana bray #clovis bray #the warmind #beyond light #mara sov #queen mara sov #savathûn

[allkordelia]

Keep Me in Your Thoughts (29)

Daemon rode back with Thoros to Stonehold alone, neither man said a word to another.  Thoros was too intrigued on what was going on outside while daemon was to nervous to speak, when they finally which the castle daemon helped thoros out. The old king waved his guards away as they were to take him to his chamber to rest but the king rather stay with daemon pulling the young prince along inside, they continue their walk without words until thoros stop at a water fountain in the West Wing where he stays.

He look up at the statue of the woman, daemon watch as the old man kiss his fingers before he ligt his hand in the air towards the statue. Thoros took a sit on the marble fountain with his cane resting by his side, daemon looks around the area before he glance up at the marble lady. She looked familiar but he couldn't put his finger on it, he look away probably from one of the many paintings in the hall.

"How fast time has passed, huh..." Thoros started as he looks around the room making daemon look at him with a furrow brows, "One minute you are fighting wars in the name of your king, and then the next your trying to figure out what comes after it all." The old man chortle to himself as he what he said was the funniest thing.

"My king?" Thoros turns his pale blue eyes at daemon, it took a moment for the old king to speak.

"You remind me a little of myself when i was once youthful," Daemon swallow as he shifted in his spot not sure what to say, "I never had ambitions or a thirst for chaos and mayhem, but i did love my family. Even if some didn't deserve it." Thoros wave his hand beckoning daemon forward before turning slightly to gaze at the crystal water seeing the different various of fish swim, daemon took slow steps before he lowered himself down on the edge of the fountain.

"I had a brother, Rhaegon, he was my twin and older than me by a second, he was a fierce warrior and a real unscrupulous seducer." the old king chuckle lowly as daemon smirk, "He felt that duties were meant for kings, so he denounce himself as heir of the serpent islands which annoyed my father since he considerme the weak twin."

"But, once my father died and I took the throne it wasn't until I married my sister is when things changed." Daemon gave a confuse frown as he look at thoros.

"How do you mean?" Thoros hum as lines form on his forehead as he tries to remember.

"My brother...he was an unpredictable drunk and when he drink he forgets all morals especially to his family, and take things forcefully without thought." Thoros grip on his cane tighten as he look forward with a look of despair, "My sweet wife was pregnant with my first child, she was seven full moons along. My brother and I were drinking in the throne room after he came back from his voyage, I was never good with the stuff my brother drink always made me sluggish." Thoros stood up using his cane as he pace the area. 

"What happened?" Daemon ask watching thoros as he move around, he knows there is a reason the king was telling him.

"He...defile my wife and in return we lost our daughter, " Daemon cast his eyes down as thoros look at him, "I was almost driven into madness when I was told, as I wait in the throne room for my brother return, he was hurting my wife." Thoros look away from Daemon and gaze up at the statue.

"My sweet love..." thoros spoke softly with a broken smile, "She beg me to spare him, she said he is still our brother and to banish him instead, send him away, but I couldn't." He sigh looking away from the statue, daemon look back at thoros.

"I made sure he was trapped on the island, I had men keep an eye on his dragon, I made it known to anyone who would help him would be dealt the same punishment as him." Thoros shook his head, "When I did finally hunt him down, he begged for his life, even cried, but that didn't deter my rage. And only thing I regret about it all was making his death drag on longer than it had to but you know." He spoke unbothered making daemon look slightly taken back.

"The worst part of it all, he left my wife barren leaving a dirty reminder of what he did to us." Daemon stare at thoros with a mixture of confusion and grief, he didn't understand why he was telling him all this.

Did thoros fear I would do this to rhaelle if she marries marrio, daemon thought, revolted at the idea of putting rhaelle through that. 

"Why are you telling me thus?" Thoros look back at daemon as the old man reach up and scatch at his beard.

"You come here to seek my blessing, yes?" Daemon nod slowly, "So, I ask you rogue prince, will you do the same to your brother if you found out he did such a thing to rhaelle?" Thoros raise his grey white brow.

Daemon gulp as he stares at thoros unsure how to answer, he knows he told rhaelle he would if she ask him too but that was just him saying that to show that he was serious about his love for her. He couldn't truely imagine himself killing his brother, the only person who cared for him and took care of him when their parents died.

"Of course," he said a bit edgy, thoros narrow his eyes at daemon.

"You don't sound sure, son." Daemon glance away with a timid look.

"It is hard to answer,"

"Why?" Thoros ask, the sound of his cane tap against the stone tile as he nears, "Why is it so hard to answer, my boy?" Daemon look up at thoros with a small frown.

"He is my brother–"

"He is rhaelle's cousin, and yet..." Daemon shook his head.

"It's different." He said whispered.

"How?" Thoros chided taking daemon by surpise, "What is it that is different, the fact that your brother trick her into a life she did not want–"

"Otto did that not viserys. My brother was trick too,"

"Trick? No. He was coerce and made to believe that a young sweet girl like rhaelle would want him." Daemon shook his head in denial, "I have seen it many times, lords trying to convince themselves, the only reason they marry the young ones is because it will give them heirs easier, when in reality it to show them off and feel youthful again."

"Not my brother–"

"No, your brother just happened to get infatuated with rhaelle," thoros scoffed, daemon glare at thoros.

"You know nothing. My brother loved only one person and that was his wife, he did not love rhaelle." Thoros gave a eyeroll as he shifted his cane to his other hand.

"I didn't say 'love' did I? I said infatuated. You can love one person but be infatuated with another, can't you..." Daemon didn't know what came over as he stood up, he hated his brother for what he did to rhaelle, but killing him was too much for him.

"So, you wish me to kill my brother over–"

"No, I wish you to kill your brother if he dares defiles the woman you oh so claim to love," Daemon turn away from the old man as he thinks, "I bet if I ask  you to kill otto you would jump at the chance,"

"Damn right I will. He was the reason that rhaelle had to become a concubine, he stole her childhood away the moment he crawled into bed with her."

"And yet your brother get a slap on the hand because he wanted a son. Because he truly meant no harm." Daemon turn around to look at thoros come closer.

"My brother is the good one between us, he was tricked, he regret what he did to her."

"How do you know?" Thoros raise his brow in question.

"I don't, but–"

"Do you think he regrets, how he makes rhaelle feel during her visits to King's Landing, how all he do is gaze lustfully at her like a slab of meat on his dinner plate."  Daemon choke back a scoff knowing that couldn't be true.

"How do you know that?" He challenged.

"Because unlike you, she tells me things. Things that she couldn't bare tell another soul not even Meleah." He humph, daemon scowl at the older man. 

"You tell lies, old man. Maybe, you should go to bed and get some rest, we can talk more in the morning when your head finally clears." Daemon sneers, thoros watch as daemon move from his spot in front of him to the door.

"Do you know how many men ask me for rhaelle's hand in marriage once I die?" Daemon stop in front of the double doors, he turn to look at thoros with a look of annoyance, "Fifthy-six." Daemon clench his jaw feeling something crack.

"Do you know how many I gave my blessings to?" Daemon didn't move to say anything, "One." Thoros says, daemon look away from the old man in anger and distress.

"Ser Gwayne Hightower." Daemon snap his eyes to the old man as he stood there with a satisfied smile at the look of irritation on daemon's face.

"That cunt? You truly have gone senile old man." Thoros let out a chortle, daemon watch as thoros came closer, "Rhaelle will never marry him–."

"If I say she will, she will," the old man said, "Rhaelle will marry whoever I pick for her, because she knows I look out for her best interest and you are not in her best interest, boy. How can i trust you with her."

"How dare you. You don't know me, mines and rhaelle history go far back before you or anyones. I love her–" Daemon hiss, thoros slam the ends of his cane onto the stone floor making it echo.

"Then, fight for her." Thoros said stern making daemon step back, "Will you be the husband that watches as his brother continues to torments her or the husband that will stand between her and him to protect her." Thoros move close to daemon making the young prince look at him warily.

"That girl deserves to feel safe, she may look like she has it all together but rhaelle is just human." Daemon swallow as he stares at thoros with mix emotions, "I am sure you know of the monsters that sometimes lurk in her head in the dead of night," Daemon glance away knowing what he speaks.

The doors on the other side of the room opened revealing two knights, thoros turns slowly as he walks away from Daemon.

"I have not long to live, rogue prince. And I wish my family to be looked after long after I am gone to a man who isn't afraid to do everything in his power to protect them." Daemon looks up as thoros stands between two knights, "For your sake, I pray you make the right decision."

Daemon watch as thoros was lead away through the double doors towards his chamber, the rogue prince turn on his heels once the doors closed making him walk down the halls.

He needs to talk to rhaelle.

@avidreader73 @spderm4nnnn @supermassiveblackhope @watercolorskyy @green-lxght @beggarsnotchoosey @cleverzonkwombatsludge

#daemon targaryen x reader #daemon targaryen x y/n #daemon targaryen smut #daemon targaryen x oc #daemon targaryen imagine #daemon targaryen x female reader #daemon targaryen fanfic #daemon targaryen x black!reader #blackoc #black reader #x black reader #black oc #black!reader #hotd imagine #hotd fanfic

[twoidiotwriters1]

The Curse of Oenone (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: The siblings are fighting again! We love to see it! -Danny Words: 2,174 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'Look After You' -by The Fray

XXIII: You're Not Just Wrong, You're Stupid

Ephialtes bursts into Greek fire flames the moment she gets out of reach. Ara crawls out from her hiding spot to see what Percy and Jason did to the other giant: They trapped him in the lake, unable to reform.

Ara walks up to the boys and checks to see if they're injured. "Well done, you two."

"Same," Jason nods. "You look tired."

"Oh, I'm extremely nauseous," Ara smiles.

Hedge's cheerful screaming makes them look up at the ship and Ara's happy to see Leo, Hazel, and Frank are all on board. Percy looks back at Baccus. "Well? Was that entertaining enough for you, you wine-breathed little—"

"No need for that." The god shows up at their side making Ara jump. "I have decided you are worthy partners for this combat."

"Partners?" Jason scowls. "You did nothing!"

Bacchus ignores them and walks up to Otis first, hitting his head with the pinecone of his staff and dissolving the giant into gold dust. Then he walks over to Ephialtes, who is too disoriented and hurt to fight back.

Baccus raises his staff and the ghosts around the arena incite him to kill the giant, to which he pleasantly complies by lightly touching Ephialtes's nose with the tip of the pinecone.

"Amazing," Ara says dryly.

"That, my friends, is a show!" The god states proudly. "And of course I did something. I killed two giants!"

"We're so thankful," Ara continues with the sarcasm. "Overcome with glee."

"Well," Bacchus smiles. "That was fun. You have my permission to continue your voyage."

"Your permission?" Percy scowls.

"Yes. Although your voyage may be a little harder than you expect, son of Neptune."

"Poseidon," Percy replies out of habit. "What do you mean about my voyage?"

"You might try the parking lot behind the Emmanuel Building," the god smirks. "Best place to break through. Now, good-bye, my friends. And, ah, good luck with that other little matter."

He glances at Ara before disappearing in a grape-smelling purple cloud. Jason rushes over to Piper and Nico, who are making their way to them.

"Was that Dionysus?" Hedge asks them. "I love that guy!"

Ara wants to say a few things that are very unlovable about the guy, but Leo tackles her in a bear hug before she can. "Oh gods, I thought I would never see you again!"

"What?"

"You're alive!" Percy exclaims when Hazel and Frank approach. "The giants said you were captured. What happened?"

"What?" Ara asks again, looking at her boyfriend.

"Oh, just another brilliant plan by Leo Valdez," he says. "You'd be amazed what you can do with an Archimedes sphere, a girl who can sense stuff underground, and a weasel."

"I was the weasel," Frank sighs.

"What?" Ara repeats a third time. "I'm sorry—what?"

"Basically," Leo keeps his arm around her. "I activated a hydraulic screw with the Archimedes device—which is going to be awesome once I install it in the ship, by the way. Hazel sensed the easiest path to drill to the surface. We made a tunnel big enough for a weasel, and Frank climbed up with a simple transmitter that I slapped together. After that, it was just a matter of hacking into Coach Hedge's favorite satellite channels and telling him to bring the ship around to rescue us. After he got us, finding you was easy, thanks to that godly light show at the Colosseum."

"You're so smart," Ara replies with a mix of adoration and hurt. She's gonna miss him.

Leo smiles at her. "I do my best, doll."

"Where's Annabeth?" Percy asks anxiously.

Leo makes a face. "Yeah, about that... She's still in trouble, we think. Hurt, broken leg, maybe—at least according to this vision Gaea showed us. Rescuing her is our next stop."

Ara's glad she got to see everyone again one last time, but now comes the not-fun part of this quest.

"Tell me about the vision," Percy urges Leo. "Tell me everything."

"Let's talk on board," Hazel glances down nervously at the disintegrating planks below their feet. "We'd better take off while we still can." 

Ara walks forward but Leo doesn't let go of her, and it's not like he hasn't been clingy before, but he keeps looking at her as if fearing she'll vanish. 

"Leo," she asks, feeling the waves of anxiety coming from him. "What happened?"

"You used the fortune cookie?" Ara whispers with apprehension.

Leo glances at her with a pout then goes back to his monitor. "The other option was dying, so you see why I had no choice."

Ara hopes he's joking, but even then she can't laugh. "You're not being funny."

"Don't make me feel worse," he looks up again with desperation.

Ara feels guilty, Leo probably wasn't meant to die today, but if he's willing to make such a huge sacrifice just to be reunited with her... ironically, that makes Leo a threat to their survival.

She loves him to pieces, and she'd love to have more time with him, but not at the expense of others, and not to the extent he wants. It's alarming, she's realizing just now that perhaps diving head-first into this relationship wasn't the right call at all.

"You saved us from the giants, but you using the fortune cookie feels like a confirmation of something terrible... Of one of my nightmares."

Leo stays still and looks into her eyes, so unlike him. "That doesn't sound good."

Ara can't cut the line that ties them together, but she can stretch it to stop the sparks that ignite malign fires every time they get too close. She regrets giving in so easily when she met him. 

The girl lowers her voice, looking over Leo's shoulder to make sure Frank isn't listening. "Listen, about my prophecy—"

Frank interrupts them. "I think I found it!"

"There it is!" Leo's focus returns to the quest as he leads the ship to the new coordinates. "Frank, you're amazing! I'm setting course."

"I just read the name off the screen. Some Chinese tourist marked it on Google Maps," Frank shrugs humbly.

"He reads Chinese." Leo informs them with a huge smile.

"Just a tiny bit," Frank clarifies.

"How cool is that?" Leo insists.

Ara watches the boys carefully, it seems these few quests together were exactly what they needed to make peace, and now Leo is even hyping Frank up.

"Guys," Hazel says. "I hate to interrupt your admiration session, but you should hear this."

She helps Nico to his feet, and he starts talking fraily. "Thank you. I'd given up hope."

His eyes are fixed on Ara and Percy, both with the same scowl. "You knew about the two camps all along," Percy points out. "You could have told me who I was the first day I arrived at Camp Jupiter, but you didn't."

Nico's shoulders fall in shame. "Percy, I'm sorry. I discovered Camp Jupiter last year. My dad led me there, though I wasn't sure why. He told me the gods had kept the camps separate for centuries and that I couldn't tell anyone. The time wasn't right. But he said it would be important for me to know..."

He has a coughing fit and Hazel keeps him upright, which Ara hates, because now she doesn't have the heart to be mean to him. "Well, good for you for being an obedient son..." she mumbles grumpily.

"I—I thought Dad meant because of Hazel," Nico continues weakly. "I'd need a safe place to take her. But now... I think he wanted me to know about both camps so I'd understand how important your quest was, and so I'd search for the Doors of Death."

"Did you find the doors?" Percy inquires.

Nico makes a face. "I was a fool. I thought I could go anywhere in the Underworld, but I walked right into Gaea's trap. I might as well have tried running from a black hole."

"Um... What kind of black hole are you talking about?" Frank hesitates.

"Tartarus," Ara says. "He got dragged into Tartarus, the absolute idiot. You could've asked me to go with you—"

"You wouldn't have listened," he says resentfully.

Ara wants to argue, but Nico's not wrong. She would've thought it was an impossible quest, and she would've tried to find an easier, faster solution. But after all she's heard and seen, she knows there is none.

"Nico told me that the Doors of Death have two sides," Hazel adds. "One in the mortal world, one in the Underworld. The mortal side of the portal is in Greece. It's heavily guarded by Gaea's forces. That's where they brought Nico back into the upper world. Then they transported him to Rome."

"Where exactly in Greece is this doorway?" Piper asks.

"The House of Hades," Nico replies. "It's an underground temple in Epirus. I can mark it on a map. The mortal side isn't the problem, though..."

"Tartarus is," Percy replies with a grim expression. "The deepest part of the Underworld."

"They pulled me into the pit, Percy," Nico tries to be strong, but the memories overwhelm him. "The things I saw down there..."

"No mortal has ever been to Tartarus," Hazel gives her brother a worried glance. "At least, no one has ever gone in and returned alive. It's the maximum-security prison of Hades, where the old Titans and the other enemies of the gods are bound. It's where all monsters go when they die on the earth. It's... well, no one knows exactly what it's like."

"Now I understand why Hades hasn't been able to close the doors," Nico leans into his sword when Hazel hands it back. "Even the gods don't go into Tartarus. Even the god of death, Thanatos himself, wouldn't go near that place."

Leo frowns. "So let me guess. We'll have to go there."

"It's impossible," Nico winces. "I'm the son of Hades, and even I barely survived. Gaea's forces overwhelmed me instantly. They're so powerful down there... no demigod would stand a chance. I almost went insane."

"Then we'll sail for Epirus," Percy concludes. "We'll just close the gates on this side."

"I wish it were that easy," Nico responds. "The doors would have to be controlled on both sides to be closed. It's like a double seal. Maybe, just maybe, all seven of you working together could defeat Gaea's forces on the mortal side, at the House of Hades. But unless you had a team fighting simultaneously on the Tartarus side, a team powerful enough to defeat a legion of monsters in their home territory—"

Ara feels her temperature drop even though it's a summer day. This is how she'll die, jumping into the pit even if it costs her everything. She'll meet Mike's fate, trying to stop the monsters from reaching her loved ones. It's a fitting death, it might be the end of her prophecy, and Leo's curse.

"There has to be a way," Jason presses.

"I've got a plan," Ara blurts out.

"What?" Percy scowls. "We just found out about all this."

"I already knew it," she admits. "I've been having dreams, and they all relate to this. I've made my choice, it's all sorted out."

"Wait a minute," Leo intervenes, making a time-out gesture. "Ara, what do you mean?"

She tries to look less frightened than she is. Everything is calculated, she convinces herself, Ara can't let Leo or Percy mess with it, it could ruin their chances. "It's the fortune cookie. It has to be me, I can't let any of you be the answer."

"Ara, you suck at planning," Percy reminds her. "Don't try anything without consulting us first."

"I'm the General," Ara changes the subject knowing it'll shift the attention away from her. "Besides, Annabeth's in danger, why don't you focus on that?"

Percy walks over to the handrail to peer down. "We'll figure out the Tartarus problem later—Is that the Emmanuel Building?"

"Bacchus said something about the parking lot in back? Well, there it is," Leo points, still eyeing Ara with worry. "What now?"

"We have to get her out," Percy replies like it's obvious.

"Well, yeah," Leo tilts his head. "But, uh... There's a parking lot in the way."

Percy and Ara share a look. "Bacchus said something about breaking through..."

"Coach?" Ara says. "Charge the ballista."

He gives them a devilish grin. "I thought you'd never ask."

 Ara has filled her T-Rex bag with all the good stuff: First-aid kit, nectar, ambrosia, and even two packs of food. It isn't enough, but it's all she can carry in her stupid bag. She's taking the T-Rex because it's been with her longer than the Octopi, so it feels like a good luck charm. She's put Lily's dagger in it as well, she'll need it if she wants to survive.

They bust open the parking lot ground and she takes cover near the control boards, nudging Leo's arm. "If Annabeth found the statue, you have to bring it into the ship!"

"Got it! Don't do anything rash while I'm at it!" Leo replies quickly. "I don't care what Nemesis says, she can't have you!"

"This is bigger than us!" she presses. "Percy will take Annabeth, and I'll do the rest. You, Jason, and Frank take the statue—the last lines of my prophecy, Leo..." She makes a face. "I don't have enough time to explain, you have to trust me!"

He isn't happy about it, but they have no time to argue. "Just come back to me, Arae."

She pulls him in for a quick kiss. "Good luck."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @asnyox-the-hoarder @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris @obxstiles @ellipsisspelled @thepixiechicksh

#twoidiots writing #pjo fanfic #leo valdez fanfic #doo #leo valdez x oc #heroes of olympus #percy jackson and the olympians

[catalinadearagonsblog]

Elizabeth of York and Katherine of Aragon

In 1501, Queen Elizabeth would help organize the wedding of her eldest son, Prince Arthur, and Katherine of Aragon.On October 2, the Spanish princess at last arrived in England, coming ashore at Plymouth after a stormy voyage. Ladies and officials had been appointed “to give their attendance upon the princess at her landing,” summoned by letters sent by the Queen herself. When Katherine set out on her journey eastward to London, she received a rapturous welcome from the people who flocked to see her on the way. Elizabeth must have been delighted to hear that her son’s bride was pretty and golden-haired, with a pleasing dignity. Preparations for the coming wedding advanced briskly. 

On November 12, as all the bells of London rang out, banners fluttered from windows, crowds packed the streets, music sounded from every side, and the conduits ran with free wine, Katherine made her formal entry into the City. She was greeted by a series of lavish pageants in the Burgundian style as she passed along the processional route; all were designed to underline the success of the Tudor dynasty in obtaining such a highborn princess for the heir to the throne. The King, the Queen, Prince Arthur, Lady Margaret Beaufort and many other notables watched the procession from the windows of the home of a haberdasher in Cornhill. It was from her window that Elizabeth glimpsed her new daughter-in-law for the first time, as Katherine’s procession passed below; looking out, she would have seen a young girl riding “a great mule richly trapped after the manner of Spain,” flanked by Prince Henry and the papal legate, and wearing “rich apparel” in the Spanish mode: 

“a little hat fashioned like a cardinal’s hat of pretty braid with a lace of gold to stay it, her hair hanging down about her shoulders, which is fair auburn, and a coif between her head and her hat of a carnation color.”

Arthur and Katherine were married on November 14 at Old St.Paul’s Cathedral in London. Katherine was now second lady in the land after the Queen. Afterward the Prince and Princess of Wales were conducted in a grand procession led by Prince Henry to the Bishop’s Palace, where a great feast was prepared.The previous afternoon and evening Katherine had been spent at the recently rebuilt royal residence of Baynard’s Castle, on the riverside, getting to know her mother-in-law. During her audience, Katherine and Elizabeth both spoke in Latin.They enjoyed themselves with pleasant and goodly communication, dancing and disports. Already Elizabeth had begun the process of preparing her successor for the role she would one day occupy, and probably Katherine was glad to have the guidance of a kindly mother-in-law who could initiate her into realities and mysteries of English court life. After the wedding, Elizabeth and Katherine shared days of celebrations with tournaments, disguisings and pageants.

The plan therefore was for Katherine to remain in London, under the tutelage of her mother-in-law (not forgetting her dominating grandmother-in-law), while Arthur was to be allowed to continue his growing-up undisturbed by the distractions of a wife, in the Marches of Wales at Ludlow Castle. But this plan was not carried out. Instead, Katherine and Arthur left together for Ludlow on December 21. Less than five months after their wedding, at the end of March 1502, Arthur and Katherine both fell ill. It took several weeks for her to recover from her illness. However, Arthur died on 2 April at the age of fifteen. He was buried in Worcester Cathedral. The news of Arthur’s death caused Henry VII to break down in grief, as much in fear for his dynasty as mourning for his son. Elizabeth comforted him, telling him that he was the only child of his mother but had survived to become King, that God had left him with a son and two daughters, and that they were both young enough to have more children.

In addition to Elizabeth’s other burdens, she was concerned for her daughter-in-law, and seems to have felt—as the Spanish sovereigns would when they heard the news of Arthur’s death— that Katherine of Aragon “must be removed without loss of time from the unhealthy place where she is now.” To this end   Queen Elizabeth had sent an escort to bring the bereft and isolated young widow back to London, as soon as she was well enough to travel, and herself provided a black velvet litter, with valances and fringes also of black made by her own tailor, to convey her convalescent daughter-in-law. In this mournful equipage Katherine was brought to Richmond Palace. When she reached Richmond, she was conducted at once to the Queen, with whom she shared a mutual sorrow.  After a short stay with the King and Queen, Katherine was given the choice of two residences: Durham House, the Bishop of Durham’s palace on London’s Strand, and Croydon Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s residence in Surrey. Katherine chose Croydon and, by 4 May, was lodging there.  

Late in May, Elizabeth of York sent Edward Calvert, her page, to Croydon, possibly to check on the Princess’s health, and perhaps discreetly to ask her servants if there were signs of any pregnancy. During the months Katherine stayed at Croydon, her future remained under discussion and her stay must have been shadowed by sorrow and anxiety. If Katherine had conceived a child by Arthur, the baby would be the new heir to the English throne and her union with Prince Henry would contravene canon law. Doña Elvira, her duenna, was adamant that the marriage had not even been consummated and wrote to Queen Isabel insisting that the Princess remained a virgin. Katherine was not pregnant with Arthur’s child. With her future still uncertain, Katherine has moved to Durham House.

In September Elizabeth sent Katherine books. In October sixteen oarsmen rowed her barge to the Durham House steps.They took Katherine the short distance to the Court of Westminster, where she seems to have stayed several weeks.The kindness offered by Elizabeth of York dried up abruptly ten months after Arthur’s death.The Queen had immediately got pregnant.The baby was a girl named Katherine, who died shortly after her birth. Succumbing to a post partum infection, Elizabeth died nine days later. It was her 37th birthday. Protocol suggests it is unlikely that Katherine attended the solemn funeral, where Elizabeth’s full-length effigy lay upon a coffin draped with black velvet and topped by a white gold cross. With Elizabeth’s death Katherine would have lost an ally, an alternative mother figure, and witnessed the effects of grief upon the king and his son Henry. Now the whole court was in mourning again.  

Sources:

Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World by Alison Weir

The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser

Catherine of Aragon: Henry’s Spanish Queen by Giles Tremlett

The Six Wives and Many Mistresses of Henry VIII: The Women’s Stories by Amy Licence

#catherine of aragon #katherine of aragon #catalina de aragon #elizabeth of york #arthur tudor #henry VII #tudor #trastamara #english history

[cosmics-beings]

I had this very sad idw starop au where things are actually going good at first. they survived their death experience with unicron (or were revived) and starscream after some time is able to become leader of cybertron (and he is actually elected). with optimus by his side they are a good pair and get togther. Unfortunately, somehow, Optimus one day falls ill and a few days later doesn't wake up. Starscream discovers that while Optimus had been revived after his ordeal with unicron, some of the injuries he sustained have not fully healed, and it as if his spark is being sucked back into intraspace with no way out. To others, he is in a coma. Starscream understands what is happening because he too was trapped in intraspace but he cannot seem to find or sense Optimus anywhere.

Long story short, Optimus is the love of starscream's life and he cannot imagine a life without him. Starscream goes into complete mourning; his armor is already black after he was brought back from intraspace but Iacon's colors are turned dark and gloomy. Black Banners, flags, etc. They all mourn Optimus with Starscream. So he one day lays next to Optimus and goes into permanent stasis after attempting to revive him (because in my aus where they survive unicron they share a spark).

This means that the leadership of Cybertron is up in the air. Luckily, the two had children and they have an elder daughter who readily accepts the position of Chancellor and leader. Even if she's very young, she still is a good leader (much better than Starscream lmao) and for thousands of years rules justly. She always visits her parents. Starscream and Optimus are in a garden she made for them, and it's as if they are sleeping they just won't wake up. Their sparks are burning, they have life signs but they are both asleep next to each other. She talks to them, knowing they will not respond, but she just hopes they are happy. Sometimes, like she would when she was younger, she lays down next to them, or scoots in between them hoping they will hug her back, but they never do. She knows that her parents are stuck in intraspace or some form of purgatory looking for each other, trying to hunt down the last bits of Unicron, but she never expects them to wake agaiin.

She is eventually the one, in my aus at least, that permanently pardons Megatron when he returns for his trial and grants him to stay with Rodimus. She also commissions that the Lost Light is rebuilt so if possible, the crew can continue their voyages. And yes she is aware there is another one going around she just wants to make people happy.

#starop #megatron #starscream #optimus prime #her son actually becomes a prime similiar to how optimus becomes one - and he is named optimus

[elephant-in-the-pride-parade]

Janeway ain’t Reckless. She’s Smart AF.

I’ve seen some variation of this joke going around Tumblr a lot since i’ve been on the site more regularly. It’s usually played off as a cute joke. Something to the tune of “Janeway is so reckless she needs her male subordinates to manage her.” And I’ve got to say, it pisses me the fuck off.  Buckle up, because we’re going on an essay about Janeway’s decision making and how the recklessness trope is sexist, and totally inconsiderate of the decision making reality Janeway exists within.

Let’s look at Janeway compared to her male counterparts. If Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Pike made the high risk, high reward decisions she makes (and they do make many similar ones), they get called bold. ballsy. cocky. strategic. etc. What does my Captain Janeway get saddled with?

And this is fake news about Janeway, my dudes. Absolutely sexist fake news.

Janeway is the opposite of reckless. She thrives in her command environment, with the training and smarts required to calculate all the risks and rewards available to her and determine her course of action. She keeps a lone ship of people alive in hostile territory for 7 years, and comes home with the majority of those people alive. Frequently our Captain is found trapped in unknown and potentially hostile space, with only her crew and her wits available to her to get her out of trouble. She has no back up, no safe haven to retreat to. And every day is another one where she gets the honor of picking between the best of her shitty options. Because there are rarely truly good options when you’re 70,000 light years from security. She’s calculating and thoughtful and yes - she takes risks. News flash. Every decision maker accepts risks. You weigh them against the likely rewards and against your capability to mitigate those risks and then you decide if the action is worth pursuing. Do those risks sometimes eventuate themselves? Yes, obviously, but that does not make the decision itself reckless or bad. (And anyways, Janeways high risk decisions do tend to work out in her favor.) Her norm throughout the show is demonstrated to be smart, well thought through decision making. There’s perhaps three cases where one could argue she made or considered reckless decisions. In all three cases these are also plainly shown to be outside her normal behavior.

Decisions that are billed as reckless that are absolutely the opposite.

4x07 - Scientific Method: Janeway decides to fly Voyager through a set of binary pulsar stars to force a hostile technologically superior force to retreat.

I swear to god this one annoys me the most. Thanks Tuvok for mentioning that this manuever had a 20%ish chance of success. This one gets a bad rep for that.

Janeway’s options were:

(Option A) Do nothing. Wait and find a better opportunity or path to negotiation with their captors, risking increasing crew fatalities and potentially her own life.

(Option B) Fly the ship through the pulsars and guarantee that even if the aliens stuck around, at least their ships attached to the hull would be burnt to a crisp.

Option A is not an option. At least one crew member had already died from the Scrivani experiments. The Scrivani had demonstrated a clear disregard for the Voyager crew’s lives. The first officer was in sickbay in what could potentially be a life threatening condition. And Janeway herself was a target as soon as the Scrivani were discovered. So you’re facing one option with a 0% chance that your entire living crew makes it out. And an option B with a 20% chance that all of them live. I like that 20% better than 0%.

2x26 - Basics Part 1: Janeway decides to take the ship through contested Kazon space in order to remove Seska from the Kazon and save the woman’s child (at that point presumed to be a Federation and Cardassian citizen) from death or enslavement.

Did this end badly. Yes. Did that make the decision necessarily a bad one. No.

We’re gonna need to walk through a little decision making what if scenario here.

If Seska is telling the truth (Unlikely until they discover the injured Kazon in the abandoned shuttlecraft):

Option A - Ignore her call for help, condemning she and her kid to death.

Option B - Accept her call for help and most likely liberate her with intel provided by her Kazon buddy

If Seska is lying (Likely until the discovery of the Kazon in the damaged shuttlecraft):

Option A - Ignore her call for help, leaving her to continue contaminating the Kazon culture and influencing delta quadrant power dynamics (a prime directive no no)

Option B - Pursue her call for help, doing their best to appear more threatening and hope that the Nistrim have overestimated their own chance of success (which they do have a history of doing).

The information Janeway had when the decision to pursue Seska was made, made this risky but manageably so. The discovery of the Kazon in the damaged shuttle added credibility to the Seska is telling the truth options, making Option A even more unpalatable and B more likely to succeed. It was the Doctor who failed to recognize that the Kazon defector was a trojan horse and the Ops and Engineering divisions that failed to connect the damage to the nacelle with a danger to the secondary command processors. Unanticipated risks caused this decision to fail. That didn’t make it a reckless decision.

Now let’s turn to decisions that arguably could be reckless...

“Reckless” decisions that are shown in canon to be outside Janeway’s norm

5x01 - Night: Janeway decides to stay behind in the void and ensure Voyager gets to go home.

First of all, let’s recognize that this episode is not our typical Janeway. Night is all about her coping with depression and crippling guilt. - Not her normal state of mind. And she does weigh the pros and cons here, ultimately deciding her crew’s well being is more important than hers.

Option A: Destroy the wormhole to stop the malon and stay in the void.

Option B: Janeway stays behind to destroy the wormhole and lets the crew escape with the ship.

Option C (considered subsequently): The crew pulls some creative solution out of a had that lets them destroy the wormhole and escape at the same time.

Option B here is obviously better than option A even if the cost of it is most likely Janeway’s life. It still is a net positive for everyone else. It’s Janeway’s mental illness that prevents her from seeing Option C, which is presented to her later by her crew. Note: Option C has a higher risk of failure than Option B. they could easily have failed to get through the wormhole and got stuck in the void or damaged the ship. So the crew’s option is not inherently the less risky one just because it doesn’t involve someone’s sacrifice. Again, a high risk, high reward situation. Janeway (and her crew) ultimately prioritize keeping the whole crew together.

7x25 - Endgame: An older jaded version of Janeway comes back in time and tries to convince the ship to use the transwarp hub rather than destroy it. Captain Janeway of the present time comes up with a better option.

I do actually agree that the Admiral’s original plan - to use the transwarp hub and leave it intact - is terribly reckless. But here’s the thing So does the present time’s Captain Janeway. She’d rather destroy the damn thing. And upon learning the risks to her crew of remaining in the Delta Quadrant (which certainly affected the admiral’s decision making) The Captain is able to figure out a middle path that has a high reward for Voyager and mitigates the risks of the admiral’s original plan. Kudos to the Captain.

5x26 and 6x01 - Equinox: Janeway decides to threaten Lessing’s life in order to get him to betray Captain Ransom.

Again. Like Night. this is portrayed as very outside of Janeway’s norm. It’s an exception. She’s driven to this point after encountering a Starfleet officer turned war criminal who has murdered innocent beings in the name of the organization they both serve. No shit she loses her cool this one time. She regretted it and learned from it.

You know who Is the demonstratively reckless captain in this episode? Rudy fucking Ransom, whom we learn wound up in the delta quadrant with fewer crew and far fewer defensive weapons. Who took some major losses early, and yet, still, after that, rather than act like a leader and help his remaining crew settle down in the delta quadrant or make allies to help take them further on, he stubbornly and singlemindedly pursues the alpha quadrant, having no care for the beings he murders to get there or the lives of his crew put in danger when those aliens start attacking them. Janeway made one reckless decision in this single episode. Ransom made 6 years worth of them.

Janeway is a fabulous decision maker. Over the course of 7 years she makes maybe one truly reckless call and is shown to regret it. At the few other times she considers options recklessly, it is plain in canon that these are not her standard practice. In all other cases where she faces risks, she is careful to consider the consequences for herself and her crew. She figures out whether the risks are manageable and she makes some damn good calls.

There’s nothing reckless about Janeway. And the people who say so wouldn’t last a day in her shoes.

#kathryn janeway #reckless my ass #die mad about it